An underground set from early 70s Stax Records – the only set cut back in the day by Ernie Hines – a really great singer who works here with a blend of southern soul and sweet harmony modes! The album's got a pretty laidback vibe, which is great – almost in the same space as The Temprees, with an undercurrent of super-dope arrangements, and Ernie's lead vocals right up front in the mix! There's a bit of strings on the set, and most tracks have some sort of harmony support behind Hines' lead – a vibe that's a bit different, and maybe almost more east coast than the usual Stax set. Arrangements are by Wardell Quezquerque, Dale Warren, Lester Snell, and Tom Nixon – and both The Bar Kays and The MGs play on the record. Titles include the sample classic "Our Generation" – plus "Electrified Love", "Sugar Plum", "Change Is Gonna Come", "Your Love (Is All I Need)", and "Come On Y'All". CD

Early work by Groove Holmes – the one organist who showed the scene that the west coast could boast a Hammond player as strong as the giants emerging from the east during the early 60s. The set features tracks recorded during the 1960s for the Pacific Jazz label, with Groove in groups that feature players like Teddy Edwards, Gene Ammons, Ben Webster, Joe Pass, and Les McCann. There's a total of 11 tracks in all – and titles include "Groovin Time", "Sweatin", "The Wailer", "This Here", "High Blues Pressure", "Comin Through The Apple", "Morris The Minor", and "That Healin Feeling". CD

One gal, three guys, and a sublime album of harmony soul – one of those fantastic early 70s sets from the Independents – a Chicago group we'd stack right up there next to the best from the east coast! Maurice in the title is Maurice Jackson – who'd earlier recorded the track "Lucky Fellow" – later done by Leroy Hutson, and recorded here by the group in a fantastic version too! Chuck in the title is Chuck Jackson, who co-produced the set with Marvin Yancey – an early effort from the soul production duo who'd later help Natalie Cole and others hit great fame – working here at the start of his career, to guide singers Helen Curry and Eric Thomas to great heights. The whole record is wonderful – a definite "cut above" harmony soul set with all the sophisticated styles that the Chicago scene had to offer at the start of the 70s – thanks also to arranging genius on the set from Richard Evans, Tom Tom Washington, and Floyd Morris. In addition to "Lucky Fellow", other titles include "It's All Over", "No Wind No Rain", "I Found Love On A Rainy Day", "The Same Old Way", "It's All Over", and "In The Valley Of My World". CD features three bonus tracks – "Let This Be A Lesson To You", and two versions of "Arise & Shine". CD

Way more than just an anthology of work by Instant Funk – and instead a massive 5CD set that features all 7 of the group's albums for Salsoul – plus lots of bonus tracks too! Instant Funk first came to fame as one of the key studio combos behind the sound of Philly International in the mid 70s – but when the Salsoul/Gold Mind imprint got rolling, the group moved over to that label and recorded a great run of hard-grooving albums! And while the "funk" in their name isn't the same sort as you'd imagine from deep funk or funky 45s, Instant Funk definitely have a tightly-crafted sense of musicianship that made them one of the best groups working on the east coast disco scene in the 70s – an ability to focus in on a groove and ride it out over a range of tasty riffs and changes! The massively overstuffed package features the full albums Get Down With The Philly Jump, Instant Funk, Witch Doctor, The Funk Is On, Looks So Fine, Instant Funk V, and Kinky – plus bonus tracks that include "Float Like A Butterfly (parts 1 & 2)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (7" version)", "Slap Slap Lickety Lap (7" version)", "Bodyshine (7" version)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (special 12" disco version)", "Crying (7" version)", "It Ain't Reggae (7" version)", and "Witch Doctor (7" version)". CD

An unusual set from Kracker – a record that's possibly more rock/pop at the core, but one that definitely shares some of the soulful touches of other albums on the Dash label too! The group dress like a funk band on the album's flipside photo – and they've got vocal interplay that's not unlike some of the blue eyed soul groups on the east coast – set to rhythms here that are sometimes disco, sometimes a bit more flamboyant pop – and titles include "Woman", "Lucky Are Those", "Lady Of My Life", "Alarm Clock Blues", "Back In My Arms Again", and "Gentleman Of Men". CD

Wonderful work from this really unique west coast combo of the 70s – a quartet that draws plenty from key contributions of each of its members – but which also has a very special sound in the acoustic guitar of Laurindo Almeida! Almeida's a player who'd already been working in LA for two decades or more, but finds a whole new way to express himself here – in the company of past partner Bud Shank on reeds – who really opens up with some soulful solos on the record, which step boldly past some of the guitar passages that sometimes lead off the tracks. Ray Brown's bass is wonderful too – well-shaped, and given some great space to help work alongside Laurindo's guitar – and the album's completed by some very sensitive work on drums by Shelly Manne. Titles include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Django", "Romance De Amor", and "Recipe Of Love". CD

An incredible legacy of jazz – one that's certainly as disconnected as promised by the title, but which stands as a much-needed look at the many-sided talents of tenorist Allen Lowe! The set's on ESP Records, but often has sounds that are somewhat straight ahead – although often in a way that's a bit more than you might expect – as Lowe's a player with a strong knowledge of older generations of jazz, but who can put things together with a very contemporary ear – maybe best summed up in the Avant Garde Tribute To Louis Armstrong – a Knitting Factory performance that's part of this set. Lowe works with a compelling range of musicians throughout – maybe most importantly, trumpeter Doc Cheatham, who shows that in the 80s and 90s, he was still very open to new ideas – as well as Percy France and David Murray on tenor, Randy Sandke on trumpet, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Matthew Shipp on piano and Farfisa organ – and many others along the way. The massive 8CD set features countless rare recordings from over 40 years of Lowe's career – private recordings, live sets, and lots more – a huge addition not just to his own catalog, but a revelation of a connecting web on the east coast scene for decades! CD

Maybe the best album ever from the mighty Ricardo Marrero – a 70s Latin talent who didn't record much, but always gave the world something wonderful when he did! The set's got this really great vibe – some cuts that update 60s Latin soul modes with even more righteous 70s elements – other numbers that are more jazz-based, almost in the territory of Cal Tjader's funky Latin tracks! A number of the cuts have vocals by a female singer – who really helps give the whole thing a feel that's very different than the usual Latin record of the time – almost a dose of Cali soul, even though Ricardo was more of a east coast talent at the time! Titles include the classic funk cut "Babalonia" – plus "Tiny", "Algo", "And We'll Make Love", "Vengo", "Get Yourself Together", "My Friend", and "A Taste Of Latin". CD

One of our favorite soul singers of the 60s – represented here in a collection that includes both sides of all of his singles for the United Artists and Veep labels – including a fair bit of tracks that have never been on CD before! Garnet Mimms is really something special – a singer who's got a deep soul sort of range to his vocals, but who can also work in a mode that's a bit sweet soul too – often blended with east coast arrangements that start out very spare at the beginning of the collection, then get increasingly groovy as things move on! If you've never heard Mimms before, you're in for a lifelong treat – and even if you've been a fan as long as we have, you'll really appreciate the track selection and overall presentation of the material. Titles include "One Girl", "I'll Make It Up To You", "Prove It To Me", "My Baby", "Keep On Smilin", "The Truth Hurts", "As Long As I Have You", "Tell Me Baby", "So Close", "Welcome Home", "A Little Bit Of Soap", "Don't Change Your Heart", and the tremendous "Thinkin" – one of our favorite soul tracks ever! CD

Includes the songs "Pithecanthropus Erectus", "Haitian Fight Song", "Love Chant", "A Foggy Day", "Memories Of You", "East Coasting (East Coast Ghost)", "Jump, Monk", "Serenade In Blue", and "Work Song". CD

The cover image of a nude couple running in a field should be more than enough to recommend this one – but the music is equally great, and surprisingly groovy! We know little about Morning Dew (do you?), but they've got a really weird sound that's almost a fuzzed-up and free-thinking take on an earlier east coast rock style of the 60s. The approach isn't really garage rock, although there's plenty of garagey overtones – especially in the way the guitars are recorded – and it's not that psychedelic, either, although it certainly is trippier than most of the more mainstream work of the time. Let's just say that the spirit of this one is very clearly caught up in the forced innocence of the cover image – unbridled joy on the face of things, but with a darker current running underneath. Titles include "Save Me", "Something You Say", "Gypsy", "Cherry Street", "Then Came The Light", and "Crusader's Smile". CD

Biggie's masterpiece! There's very little we could possibly say about this east coast landmark that isn't already etched in stone in the annals of hip hop history. Biggie's a master storyteller, whether he's spinning tales of violent street nihilism, his skills beneath the sheets, or blistering sadness and regret. This thing sounds as great in the new millennium as it did at the end of the previous one. All the classics: "Things Have Changed", "Gimme The Loot", "Machine Gun Funk", "Ready To Die", "Warning", "The What" featuring Method Man, "Ready To Die", "Juicy", "Big Poppa", "Respect", "Friend Of Mine", and the Premier-produced "Unbelievable". This is the original version of the CD with the baby on the cover and 17 tracks in all. CD

A long-overdue look at the short but rich career of Sandy Posey on MGM Records – presented here in a set of four full albums, plus bonus non-LP singles too! Posey has a very unique approach, music that's a little bit country and a little bit pop – and which carries a distinct sound that really sets Sandy apart from so many other of her 60s contemporaries! Posey's approach is always a bit hard to peg, and that's what makes it great – a southern singer, working in Tennessee – but with soulful production from Chips Moman that pushes things both past the poppier side of Nashville, and some of the lighter girl singer modes of the east coast too – really on the cusp of something wonderful, and cresting nicely in all sorts of really wonderful ways – as distinct for Sandy maybe as Roy Orbison's special blend was for him. Chips Moman produced almost all the work here, although he gets a bit of help from Joe South near the end – and the 2CD set features 55 tracks in all, including "Born A Woman", "What A Woman In Love Won't Do", "All Hung Up In Your Green Eyes", "Deep In Kentucky", "Handy", "The Big Hurt", "Sunglasses", "Miss Lonely", "Single Girl", "Shattered", "Ways Of The World", "Take Me With You Baby", "I Take It Back", and "Bread & Butter". CD

Two classic albums from the great Sonny Rollins – both made during some time on the LA scene of the late 50s, and matched here with a more obscure third album that issued alternate sides from the sessions! First up is the classic Way Out West – a set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". Next is Sonny Rollins & The Contemporary Leaders – one of Sonny's brilliant west coast sessions for Contemporary – records that shouldn't sparkle as much as they do, but which actually stand with his best work of the 50s! Sonny's blowing in front of a session of "leaders" that includes Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne, and Victor Feldman, who plays vibes on one track. Sonny's the real leader here, though – as his bold, proud tenor tone really takes front seat, carving lines that never get tired, bringing a sparkle into tunes like "You", "How High The Moon", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Song Is You", and "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". Heck, even with songs like those, the album should be weak – but there's an undeniable magic that really makes it great! Last is Contemporary Alternate Takes – a great collection of alternate takes from Sonny's landmark recordings for Contemporary Records in the late 50s – material recorded in LA with an easier-swinging groove than some of his New York work, in a style that let Sonny blow in round, warm, and really open tones – almost foreseeing his work for RCA in the mid 60s. Players include Ray Brown, Shelly Manne, Victor Feldman, and Barney Kessel – and the set features alternate takes of "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Come Gone", "Way Out West", "The Song Is You", and "You". CD

Guitarist Sal Salvador made few albums as a leader during his day – but all of them are a treat, especially this one! The set's a mid 50s outing that features Sal's guitar in a quartet with Eddie Costa on piano and vibes – and grooving in a lightly swinging style that has some traces of east coast chamber jazz of the time, but which also displays Salvador's unique fascination with tone, sound, shape, and color! Salvador has a way of approaching the electric guitar that's like few other players in jazz – sometimes coming on full swing, other times laying back and letting the strings and their sounds shape the progression of tunes on the set. Titles include "Salaman", "I Love You", "Handful Of Stars", "Frivolous Sal", "Tangerine", "You Could Swing For That", and "All The Things You Are". CD

A really compelling little set from Satisfaction Unlimited – a group we only know from this one corker of a record on the Hot Wax label! The style's a bit in some of the harmony modes of the east coast scene of the time – yet like most Hot Wax/Invictus work, there's also a bit of an odd twist too – a quality that's hard to peg in words, but which is sometimes slightly trippy, other times warmly soulful – almost a Cali indie sort of vibe – with a bit of sunshine that breaks through amidst some of the darker, heavier themes of the record. There's plenty of great numbers with a catchy vibe that could have almost gotten these guys the radio play of some of the RCA groups of the time – and titles include "Time For Us", "Think of The Children", "Bright City Lights", "Let's Change The Subject", "Come On Back", and "Why". CD

An obscure late ESP session featuring Don Rafael Garrett and Zusann Fasteau Garrett in a set of duets on percussion, bass, clarinet, and voice. The sound's a bit hippy dippy in parts, with a vibe that's kind of groovy and optimistic – but at other times, the playing is nice and spare, with a good east coast avant sound, in that mid 70s loft jazz mode. Titles include "Wave Hands Like Clouds", "Stork Cools Its Wings", and "Snake Creeps Down". CD

A sublime bit of east coast soul – and the only full album ever cut by this heavenly-voiced trio! The group have a sound to rival the best of their contemporaries on the harmony soul scene – one that floats along on a light pillow of strings and soul, with just the right amount of heavier touches to give the record a bit more of the HDH depth. The falsetto bits are especially nice – drifting out in front of the deeper vocals – and the whole thing's got a solidness that should have made these guys huge. Titles include "The Day You Leave", "Under My Wings", "Wish I Had You", "I've Been In Love", "My World Is Empty Without You", and "You Ain't Livin Unless You're Lovin". CD also features the bonus track "I'm Bugging Your Phone (part 1)". CD

A masterpiece of east coast vocal group soul – one of the best independent harmony albums of the early 70s! Soul Generation had a fantastic approach – a style that was both sweet and tough at the same time, done with slight gangster/pimp touches that set them apart from some of the other more fragile groups of their era. The album's produced and arranged to perfection by Stan Vincent – and nearly every single cut on the record is an instant classic. Starts out with the incredible "Super Fine" – one of our favorite harmony tracks of all time – then rolls into "That's The Way It's Got To Be (Body & Soul)", "Black Man", "Black Man", "Million Dollars", and "In Your Way". CD features 4 bonus tracks too – "Mandingo Woman", "I Wonder What She's Doin", "Key To Your Heart", and "Praying For A Miracle". CD

A lost harmony soul classic from the east coast scene of the 70s – a set that was recorded in the shadow of work by bigger groups, like the Moments or Stylistics, and which has a similarly sort of sublime sound! There's a nice edge to the album – like some of the George Kerr productions on Stang/All-Platinum – as producer Bruce M Clarke really lets the vocals shine through on most tracks – just updating a 60s sweet soul mode with the right sort of hip 70s elements, but all while never getting in the way of the harmonies! With that approach, we'd maybe rank this one right up there with the classic album by Soul Generation – especially given the badass sort of vibe on the funky numbers. Titles include "At Last It's Over", "Giving Up", "God & You", "All Good Things Can't Last", "Booking Up", "Moving Down The Line", "Gotta Get You Back", and "Your Love Comes Slower Than Never". Bonus tracks include "What Is Love" and "Am I Ever Gonna See My Baby Again" by Marion Butler, "Another Man's Woman" and "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "God & You" by Loreli, and "Everybody's Got A Good Thing" by Loreli with Empress Kilpatrick. CD

An east coast psych classic from Ultimate Spinach – a group who recorded for MGM, but who would have been equally at home next to some of the trippy rock groups on Mainstream or Vanguard at the time! Alan Lorber handles production, and he really lets the group's freak flag fly – using that great ear for psychedelic elements that he brought to some of his own groovy records, which gives familiar instrumentation some nicely shaggy edges that really help push the album over the top! There's all sorts of cool things going on here – especially on the longer tracks, of which there are a few – and titles include "Jazz Thing", "Mind Flowers", "Suite Genesis Of Beauty", "Fragmentary March Of Green", and "Fifth Horseman Of The Apocalypse". CD

Outtasite mellow soul from The Ultimates – an obscure east coast group with a really heavenly sound! The bulk of the album is from the group's only album – The Ultimates From The Beginning – recorded in 1969 with a warm and groovy harmony approach, of the sort that many other groups would begin working in during the 70s – but which comes across with a surprisingly professional style here! There's a great quality to the vocals on most tracks – smooth, but with just a few crackles – in a mode that humanizes the tunes nicely, and gives them a feel that reminds us a bit of The Delfonics or The Whatnauts. Titles include "She Went Away", "You're My Lady", "I Just Can't Stand It", and "Girl I've Been Trying To Tell You". CD

A Chicago group who never hit the big time during their short run at the start of the 80s – but one who definitely know how to groove! There's a vibe here that really lives up to the "togetherness" in the group's name – a way of coming together with a tight, sharp sound throughout – but one that's never too slick, just surprisingly strong for such an underground funk group from the Windy City! And although the music is upbeat, the style is less disco than it is the kind of faster funk that percolated strongly in the underground scene in the pre-house years – almost more akin to some of the best indie club work coming out of the east coast, but with a very unique vibe too. As usual with Numero, the set does way more than just bring this lost music to light – it also tells the tale of the Universal Togetherness Band, and their never-flagging sense of energy and inspiration during their short but important run. Titles include "Ain't Gonna Cry", "Try Try Try", "My Sentiment", "Real Thrill", "Once In A Lifetime", "Call For Love", "I Want You", and "Taken By Love". CD

An obscure group from the Oakland side of the Cali soul scene in the 70s – and one who get some superb backing here on the best cuts – thanks to work from the funk combo Perfect Circle, who bring some great jazz funk elements to the mix! The group features one female vocalist, Samaki – but the majority of the tracks have the three male singers working in a harmony style that's in kind of an east coast mode, but perhaps a bit looser. Uptempo funky cuts include "I Remember You" and "Sayin It & Doin It", which both sound like tracks from Perfect Circle's own album – plus the titles "Let's Take A Disco Ride" and "Put The Music On Funk". CD

A trio of wonderful albums from The Whispers – with a bit of bonus tracks too! First up is One For The Money – one of our favorite Whispers albums of the 70s – thanks to wonderful work from Philly soul maestro Norman Harris! Harris produced the record, and also played guitar on the set – giving the group this Sigma Sound-styled backdrop that almost puts the west coast harmony quintet in the territory of Gamble & Huff's work for Philly International! There's plenty of grooves on the set, but also plenty of deeper soul elements too – balanced beautifully with a richness that makes this Whispers album every bit as rewarding as work by some of their east coast contemporaries. Tracks include the sublime mellow cut "Living Together (In Sin)" – plus "One For The Money", "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are", "Sounds Like A Love Song", and "In My Heart". On Open Up Your Love, The Whispers are really riding high on the Soul Train – perfectly set up with production help from the team of Don Cornelius and Dick Griffey – who really help the group make the best of their harmonies, both on mellow cuts and upbeat groovers! The latter cuts are what The Whispers are sometimes remembered most for at this time in their career – but we really love the more laidback cuts too – as they seem to have an even more magical approach, with this floating style that really does wonders for the vocals. Titles include "Open Up Your Love", "You Are Number One", "I'm Gonna Make You My Wife", "Love Is A Dream", "I Fell In Love Last Night", and "Chocolate Girl". Headlights is sublime stuff from The Whispers – a record that features some wonderfully easy-drifting harmony vocals, put together in a careful way that preserves the smooth mellow tip that always made the group sound best! There's a maturity to the record that takes the quintet far past their early harmony soul roots, and even past some of the more clubby styles they were using during the 70s – almost the mix of sophistication that some of the hipper groups at Philly International would reach during the same stretch. The set's definitely got a few groovers, but the mellower steppers are the most wonderful – including the fantastic cut "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out", a sweet little groover with a hook that's undeniably catchy. Other tracks include "The Planets Of Life", "Disco Melody", "Children Of Tomorrow", "All The Way", and "You're A Special Part Of My Life". CD features bonus tracks – "Sounds Like A Love Song (7" version)" and "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are (7" version)". CD

An essential collection of work from one of the hippest funk groups of the 70s – the mysterious Wood Brass & Steel, who also participated in the legendary Skullsnaps record! The first part of the set features an unreleased album that the group recorded for the All-Platinum label in 1973 – music that's hard and funky, but which also shows a strong current of jazz as well – the kind of material that has the group very much in the best Earth Wind & Fire territory of the period, with a sense of righteous perfection that should have made them huge – had the album not stayed in the vaults! The set includes their fantastic "Hey What's That You Say" – which was later reworked as "It's A New Day" for the Skullsnaps album – plus a few more cuts that later appeared on the Brother To Brother debut album – titles that include "Trespassing", "Let's Take A Stroll", "Jermilah", "If He Can Do It She Can Do It", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "A Love Of My Own". Next is the self-titled Wood Brass & Steel album – a legendary bit of east coast funk from the 70s – by a group who'd go on to have a huge influence both in the worlds of hip hop and house! Wood Brass & Steel feature two key players who later became part of the Sugarhill Records house band, and later the On-U Sound collective – Doug Wimbush and Skip McDonald – but the set's got a much fuller, more soulful vibe than work from those later projects – nice use of horns, as hinted at in the title – but not in a way that make these guys a brassy funk band either! Instead, there's a smooth groove throughout – one that comes up from the rhythms first, with a wonderful quality that's years ahead of its time – never disco, but not afraid of some faster rhythms that point the way towards underground club to come. The whole thing's the kind of funky lost gem that makes us happy to do what we do – and it's had long life over the past few decades, thanks to the rich variety of tunes on the set. Titles include the classic cut "Funkanova", an uptempo jazzy instrumental that continued to be a club favorite throughout the house years – plus loads of other good cuts, too, like "WBS Theme", "Welcome To The Party", "Same Ol Me", "Working On A Dream", and a version of "Always There". Hard & Heavy is the incredibly rare second album from Wood Brass & Steel – the mighty funk group we've loved for years for their landmark debut from the mid 70s! This sophomore set is from a few years later, and has the group honing their groove even more – working with these righteous currents in their music that expand the sound into territory that's almost a bit like Roy Ayers at times! As with Ayers, the vocals are often layered into the rhythms – sometimes sung by group members with this soulfully flowing current that has a subtle, sublime sort of vibe – and which works perfectly for the message in the music. Tunes are often in the faster side of midtempo – but never conventional club or disco at all – and there's this really special quality to the whole record, one that even tops the unique vibe of their first album. The original album was very briefly issued by Sugar Hill, during a time when the label was mostly doing hip hop – and is impossibly hard to find in the original pressing. Titles include "Open Up Your Heart", "Be Yourself", "Long Live Music", "Space Walk", "Fly With Music", "Superstar", and "Are You Busy". CD

A stunning array of rare soul from the Atlanta scene of the 70s – almost all of which appears here for the first time ever! The tracks were recorded for the great but short-lived family of labels that included GRC, Aware, and Hotlanta – but were never issued in the label back in the day, in part because of its need to close down quickly – no reflection at all on the quality of music, as the cuts here are superb throughout! Many of the numbers have that unique blend of Chicago talents and Atlanta roots that made the labels' recordings so unique – especially on this set, which is very heavy on mellower deep soul numbers that really transform the southern modes of years before, and push them into territory that's much more like laidback mellow soul from the east coast scene! The package has very detailed notes on all the cuts, and speculations on the cuts and their recording and release histories too – in a smoking set list that features 24 titles that include "Paper Man" by Alpaca Phase III, "Con Me" by Miss Louistine, "Love Making" by Jean Battle, "Keep On Walking" by The Steppers, "Is There Someone Else" by Deep Velvet, "When Will I Stop Loving You" by Lorraine Johnson, "Fight Fire With Fire" by King Hannibal, "I Need Me Some More Of You" by Dee Ervin, "My Peaceful Forest" by Dee Clark, "There'll Always Be Forever" by Lomita Johnson, "Loneliness Hurts Just A Little Bit" by Joe Graham, "Talk's Cheap" by The Surprise Sisters, and "Sure Could Do With Some You" by Shirlean Fant. CD

A really rare side of the legendary De-Lite Records – served up here in a range of obscure 45s before the company exploded into bigger fame with the success of Kool & The Gang! The work here puts De-Lite right on the same level as important indies on the east coast at the turn of the 70s – and shows an especially strong ability to capture the best group styles of the period – from the sublime harmony styles being crafted in New Jersey and Philly, to some of the growing funky styles in the pre-disco years! The set's a much-needed look at this early part of the label – and also features titles on the related Red Coach label too – in a wonderful package of 25 tracks that includes "I'll Never Let You Get Away" by Universal Mind, "So Long Sweet Little Girl" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "I'm At The Breaking Point" by The Trumains, "Girl (part 1)" by Philadelphia Ambassadors, "Gotta Let Some Sunshine Into My Life" by The Exceptionals, "I'll Always Love You" by The New Cymbals, "So Fine" by The Fiestas, "The Story Of Our Love" by The Carstairs, "Love You Can't Shake It" by Reggie Saddler & The Jammers, "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "Back On The Road Again" by Richmond International, and "Love Foundation" by Electrified Action. CD

That's a sweet image on the cover – and the grooves inside are equally dynamic too – a really wonderful collection that's easily one of the most compelling in Numero's Eccentric Soul series! The work here all hails from the tiny San Antonio scene of the late 60s – but much of the music has a sound that's way different than you might expect from Texas soul – often with great harmonies that recall the best of the east coast groups of the time, and occasionally with a few brown-eyed touches that echo the style of East LA! There's a wonderfully heartbreaking feel to many of these tracks – and the set's heavy focus on mellower numbers is totally great – and gives the whole thing a wonderful late nite sort of vibe that's usually quite hard to find in compilations like this. As usual, Numero's done a great job with the notes and history of the label – but the music alone is more than enough – a heady brew of cuts that include "Little Girl Blue" and "Try Loving Me" by The Webs, "I Gotta Know" by Tonettes, "Give Your Love To Me" and "Ain't No Big Thing" by Little Jr Jesse & The Tear Drops, "Cry & Wonder Why" by Doc & Sal, "Must Be Alright" and "Hey It's Love" by The Commands, "She's Gotta Have Soul" by Bobby Blackmon & The Soul Express, and "I Can't Take No More" by Willie Cooper & The Webs. CD

An obscure soul group, but a great one – equally at home with a fragile harmony tune as they were with more uptempo groovers for the dancefloor! This one and only album from Act One is a perfect illustration of the best two sides of the east coast indie soul scene of the early 70s – because some tunes are spare, simple, and heartbreaking – really building off the best qualities of 60s harmony soul, but with a lot more sophistication – while others are bolder, more upbeat, and positive – really using the new studio modes of the time to send a few tunes really over the top! The mix is quite similar to Black Ivory at their best – although the album's more under-discovered treasure – and although it's the only record ever by the group, it's got a solidity that should have made them as big as any of the 70s stars on Atlantic or Philly International! Titles include "Goodbye Love", "Friends Or Lovers", "Tom the Peeper", "Party Hardy People", "I Don't Want To Know What You Do To Me", "Still Waters", "It's The Same Old Story", and "Love's Got Your Mind". CD also features the bonus tracks "I Never Had A Love Like Yours", "A Whole Love Of Love Makin", and "It Takes Both Of Us". CD

Although titled after one of their early albums, this "golden classics edition" features 13 cuts from different releases that Black Ivory did for the Today label in the early 70s. Nearly all tracks feature heavenly east coast soul production from the great Patrick Adams, and the tracks on the CD focus most strongly on the group's ballad/harmony style, instead of the uptempo material that became more dominant in their mid 70's recordings. This is classic old school harmony material, and the set list is a winner all the way through, with titles like "Time Is Love", "You & I", "Our Future", "No If's And's Or But's", "It's Time To Say Goodbye", and "She Said She's Leaving". Sweeeeeeet sweeeeeeet soul! CD

One of the best debuts in the history of hip hop – and one of the most important albums the genre ever produced! Criminal Minded is a landmark for a number of reasons. Among the biggest is, of course, that it was recorded with the late great DJ Scott La Rock – and he was soon to fall prey to the very street violence that BDP documented with such raw brilliance by KRS-One. Importance aside, Criminal Minded is simply a great, timeless record that no true fan of gritty classic hip hop should be without. The track list alone is a full chapter in the hip hop book of legends – with tunes like "Poetry", "Elementary", "South Bronx", "Super-Hoe", "Bridge is Over", and the "P is Free" remix. Also includes "Criminal Minded", "Dope Beat", and "9mm Goes Bang". CD

Classic work from the legendary P&P Records label – created by one of the "P" talents who gave them their name – studio genius Patrick Adams, who mostly works here on his own under the name of Cloud One! Adams already had great success working with east coast soul groups in the first half of the 70s – and as Cloud One, he really finds his way around the more cutting-edge styles of the time – mixing bits of funk with bits of disco, and often adding in these cool electronic elements that really helped define the P&P sound! Many cuts have cool moogy keyboards, and some spacey elements along the edges – done with a lot more soul than some of the Euro space disco recordings of the same time – with much more of a tie to the New York underground that was Adams' main milieu. Titles include the classics "Spaced Out" and "Atmosphere Strut" – plus "Jump Jump Jump", "Stomp Your Feet & Dance", "Disco Juice", "Don't Let My Rainbow Pass Me By", "Patty Duke", "Happy Music", "Doin It All Night", and "Flyin High". CD

A wonderful session of 60s Hammond jazz – a record that was somewhat overlooked at the time, but which has really gotten the attention it deserves over the years! The album's one of a rare few cut by organist Gloria Coleman – an obscure east coast player who was also the wife of tenorist George Coleman, and who follows wonderfully in a strong tradition of female organists that includes Trudy Pitts and Shirley Scott. Even hipper is the fact that Gloria's quartet has a female drummer – the fiery Pola Roberts, who's got a light touch on the kit that makes the cuts dance nicely. And even still hipper is the fact that that group is completed by Grant Green on guitar and Leo Wright on alto – both of whom groove in a totally tight soul jazz mode that resembles their best work from the early 60s. The session's a wonderful burner, of the sort that you'd proudly display in a collection of 60s soul jazz – and it's filled with excellent original cuts like "Que Baby", "Hey Sonny Red", "Melba's Minor", and "Funky Bob". CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! CD

Excellent 70s soul from the great Ronnie Dyson – first famous as a singer in the original cast of Hair, but later a soul star in his own right, with a few massive hits that brought him big fame! The arrangements here are by Thom Bell, who gives Ronnie's vocals a fragile quality that works wonders, and by Jimmy Wisner, who hits a little bit more of a deep approach with Ronnie – and the tunes on the set are a strong example of the more sophisticated styles of east coast production during the 70s. Includes Ronnie's big hit "One Man Band", plus "I Don't Wanna Cry", "When You Get Right Down To It", "A Wednesday In Your Garden", "The Love Of A Woman", "Girl Don't Come", "Don't Be Afraid", "Fever", "Make It With You", "(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You", "Give In To Love", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", and "A Touch Of Baby". CD

A mighty great little record – a mixture of jazz and soul from the heavy talents of Hilton Felton – and a record that not only features some of his own great work on organ and keyboards, but some great contributions from other members of the DC scene of the 70s! In addition to help from The Blackbyrds in the core combo, and guest tenor from Andrew White, the set also features vocals from a young Angela Winbush on one track – singing backup on some others! But the core charm of the record comes from the grooves – the kind of upbeat, righteous sounds that we've always loved in Felton's keyboards – almost an extension of the Prestige Records jazz funk groove from the start of the 70s, with echoes of records by Funk Inc, Melvin Sparks, and Leon Spencer – but given a particularly hip east coast indie sort of spin! Titles include "Family & Friends", "Spreading Fever", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Family Reunion", "Clay's Way", and "The Power Of Love". CD

The classic first LP by this stellar Chicago harmony group – and a monster! Heaven & Earth had a wonderful falsetto harmony sound that reminds us a lot of east coast winners like Blue Magic or The Stylistics – and like some of the best east coast groups, this group's vocals work equally well on slow ballads or faster uptempo numbers, both of which are handled extremely well on the record by producer Clarence Johnson. The bulk of the arrangements on the record were done by Tom Tom 84 – one of Chicago's true soul geniuses, and in perfect form on this record. The whole thing's amazingly well put together for an indie soul group album – and is a sure indication of the group's later fame on Mercury. Titles include "Nature's Miracle", "The Message", "I'll Always Love You", "Let Me Back In", and "I Can't Seem To Forget You". CD

An early cooker from Richard Groove Holmes – and one of the most important Hammond jazz sets to come out of the west coast at the time! At a point when most folks think the east has a lock on the instrument, Groove bursts forth here with a great hard-edged sound – proof that the LA scene didn't just go for cool jazz and the occasional hardbop date – and the start of a great run of records that would have Holmes sounding great all through the 60s! The lineup is nicely unusual, too – with guitar from Chicagoan George Freeman, then on the west coast – and a key part of Holmes' group for years – and trombone from the excellent Lawrence Tricky Lofton, a player who rarely recorded, but made some great sides with Carmell Jones. The group also features Les McCann on piano, a nice combo with the organ – plus Ben Webster on tenor and Ron Jefferson on drums. Titles include "Good Groove", "That Healin' Feelin'", "Them That's Got", and "Deep Purple". CD

The amazing debut of those most hyperactive of the Native Tongues, the short-lived, ultra fresh Leaders Of The New School! Busta & Co. splintered apart after just two albums, but this will always be a shiny trophy in the mantle with the all time freshest East Coast hip hop. It sounds great to this day, particularly those Eric "Vietnam" Sadler cuts. Tracks include "Case Of The P.T.A.", "Too Much On My Mind", "What's The Pinocchio Theory?", "Sobb Story", "Sound Of The Zeekers @#^**?!", "Feminine Fatt", "Transformers", "Show Me A Hero", "Trains, Planes & Automobiles", "Teachers, Don't Teach Us Nonsense!", "My Ding-A-Ling", and "Where Do We Go From Here?". CD

A very hip album of vocal jazz – recorded by the underground singer Barbara Long, a righteous east coast talent who cut a very small amount of work during the 60s. This set's got Long backed by a small group that includes Booker Ervin, Billy Howell, and Nat Phipps – and Ervin's tenor solos, some of the few he ever played with a singer, are very much in his classic style. The set list features some great obscure numbers – and titles include "Where Is Lonesome", "Largo To Oscar", "Gee Baby", "Swan Lake", "Serenade", and "It's Heaven". CD

Excellent work from this amazing west coast spiritual jazz ensemble – a large collective led by pianist Horace Tapscott, and one that's overflowing with key talents from the Nimbus Record scene at the time! The group performed often at the IUCC in LA, but always seemed to deliver something different with each new concert – not the same material, but explosive, expressive new ideas that really showcase the boundless genius of Tapscott and all the players involved – a scene that was often overlooked at the time, in favor of work from the east coast and Europe – but which finally gets its due here! The large lineup includes work from Linda Hill on piano, Adele Sebastian on flute, Sabir Mateen and Dadisi Komolafe on tenors, Roberto Miranda on bass, and Juana Nash on trumpet – most of whom you'd know from albums of their own – and in keeping with the message-oriented quality of the music, the set also features some vocals from Hill and Sebastian, and especially great vocals from Juan Gray. Titles include "Nation Rising", "Faith", "Horacio", "Carnival", and "Dance Of Blessing Happiness & Praise" – all nice and long! CD

Four classics from this legendary Motown group – including 2 albums on CD for the first time ever! First up is What Love Has Joined Together – excellent work by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – recorded with a super-heavy vibe that's very different than his sweeter 60s work! The record has an amazingly large conception of arrangements – mostly handled by Smokey, and done in a complicated baroque harmony style that points forward towards his later Quiet Storm sound – but which isn't as laidback and compressed. Most tracks are covers, but they're redone fantastically – with better vocals than you could imagine – and titles include "What Love Has Joined Together", "My Cherie Amour", "If This World Were Mine", "This Guy's In Love", and "And I Love Her". Pocket Full Of Miracles is a great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "The Reel Of Time", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". Also features a great medley of "Something" and "Something You Got". One Dozen Roses is an early 70s set from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – and a set that mixes great new material with a few older gems from the previous decade too! The new cuts are fantastic – and have Smokey and the group continuing that mellower, more laidback harmony style that really knocks it out of the park – almost as if The Miracles were trying to challenge some of the younger sweet soul acts who were coming onto the scene. Titles include the older cuts "Tears Of A Clown" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" – plus "I Don't Blame You At All", "That Girl", "I Love You Dear", "No Wonder Love's A Wonder", and "When Sundown Comes". Flying High Together is excellent 70s work by Smokey and crew – sort of their way of showing the emerging east coast vocal stars how much talent they still had! The record has a sweet, slightly modern sound – with an approach that hints at Smokey's later Quiet Storm sound, but maybe a bit more laidback overall – set up with really great arrangements from both David Van De Pitte and HB Barnum. Titles include a killer reading of Stevie Wonder's "We Had A Love So Strong", plus "Got To Be There", "You Ain't Livin 'Till You're Lovin", "Flying High Together", "It Will Be Alright", and a cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD features bonus tracks "You've Got Me Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" and "Paper People". CD

A classic set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

Very nice stripped-down set by Tony Scott – one of the most overlooked reed players of the 50s, and an artist who ventured into much more hippy-dippy oriented material during the 60s. The set supposedly features "both sides" of Scott's work – but it's really only a simple batch of clarinet tracks, performed in the company of 2 different quartets: one with Mundell Lowe, Teddy Kotick, and Shadow Wilson; the other with Dick Garcia, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson. The guitar/clarinet sound works very nicely throughout – and titles include "East Coast, West Side", "Counterpoint Pleasant", "Star Dust", and "Cry Me A River". CD

A sweetly funky little set from Sonny Stitt – one of his hippest albums ever, and a rare date cut for Ahmad Jamal's short-lived record label! The sound here is a great combination of the late 60s tone that Sonny forged on other east coast indies – and some of the hipper, more open rhythms he'd later hit on the Jazz Masters label in Detroit on his work with Eddie Russ – a sound that's quite unique, and which is a fair bit different than the funk-based Stitt dates for Prestige around the same time. Players here are quite unusual too – Herbie Hancock on piano, organ, and Fender Rhodes – plus Ted Sommer on vibes, and guitar by either Gene Bertoncini, Howard Collins, or John Pizzarelli – depending on the track. Rhythm is by Ron Carter on bass and Grady Tate on drums – and the arrangements by Dave Ward have a nicely fresh approach to soul jazz – one that really keeps things interesting throughout! Titles include "Sunny", "My Idea", "Jason's Blues", "Out Of This World", "Opus 1", "When Sonny Blows Blue", and "Mac Arthur Park". CD

One of THE landmark hip hop albums – and the full length debut of great Tribe Called Quest! We hardly need to tell you about this classic – but it will always bear repeating. De La Soul might have kicked the door open on leftfield, anything goes artistry about a year or so earlier, but their friends and fellow Native Tongues Tribe's debut was a crucial reminder that the east coast was spinning out of one of the greatest creative growth spurts in hip hop history at the time. Pure excellence. Tracks include "Luck Of Lucien", "Footprints", "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo", "Bonita Applebaum", "Can I Kick It?", "Rhythm (Devoted To The Art Of Moving Butts)", "Mr Muhammad", "Description Of A Fool" andmore seminal, jazzy middle school tracks! 25th anniversary edition – remastered, with bonus tracks "Footprints (rmx with Ceelo Green)", "Bonita Applebum (Pharrell Williams rmx)", and "Can I Kick It (J Cole rmx)". New 2015 remaster – beautiful sound! CD

One of the few funky albums ever cut as a leader by Larry Willis – a super-hip keyboard player who's best known for his work with Jackie McLean and Hugh Masekela, but who sounds even better as a leader! This album's a gem all the way through – with a free-thinking soulful sound that's head and shoulders above the rest of the work on Groove Merchant at the time. Players include Harold Vick, Roland Prince, and Eddie Gomez – and the overall groove is an incredible array of soulful rhythms, played by Larry on electric piano, in a mode that makes the record feel like a lost gem from Strata East or Black Jazz. Includes the cuts "Out On The Coast", "153rd Street Theme", "Inner Crisis", and "Bahamian Street Dance". CD

Damn funky work from the west coast scene of the late 60s and early 70s – just the kind of tracks to dispel the idea that too much sun or cannabis might have left the Cali scene a bit weak! Instead, these cuts are right on the money, stone funky throughout, and light years from any sort of California connotations you may have – no west coast jazz, smooth AOR, or breezy Bay Area – and much more of the grit and groove that was brewing up on funky 45s from all points east! Drums are heavy, guitars are sharp, and vocals are super-righteous – filled with the kind of messages that you could only get across on the sort of small label releases that make up most of this set – and which also include a few unreleased tracks appearing here for the first time ever. As usual with BGP, the package is as superb as the music – great sound, detailed notes, and a wonderful track selection that includes "Earthquake" by Rulie Garcia, "Hang Up (part 1)" by Warm Excursion, "Pickin Cotton" by Johnny Talbot & De-Thangs, "If She Wants To Go" by Choice Of Colors, "Just Ain't My Day" by The Entertainers IV, "The Git Down (parts 1 & 2)" by Little Johnny Hamilton & The Soul Pack, "Strike" by Union, "I'm Gonna Speak Out" by Eddie Horan, "The Man" by Jesse & Anita, "Check Me Out" by Little Denise, "The Sneak" by The Douzer, "You Don't Know The Damage You've Done" by Vernon Green & The Medallions, and "Tuned In Turned On" by Alvin Robinson. CD

Brilliant work by the team of Clifford Brown and Max Roach – a seminal hardbop album that was one of the few to bridge the east and west coast scenes! The set was recorded in LA under the joint leadership of Brown and Roach – and features the classic quintet lineup that included Harold Land on tenor, Richie Powell (Bud's brother!) on piano, and George Morrow on bass. The mix of Roach's heavy full-on drumming and Brown's lyrical beauty is beyond compare – and Land's angular and sensitive tenor lines provide a perfect link between the two. Titles include classics like "Parisian Thoroughfare", "The Blues Walk", "Daahoud", "Jordu", and "Joy Spring". CD

Brilliant work by the team of Clifford Brown and Max Roach – a seminal hardbop album that was one of the few to bridge the east and west coast scenes! The set was recorded in LA under the joint leadership of Brown and Roach – and features the classic quintet lineup that included Harold Land on tenor, Richie Powell (Bud's brother!) on piano, and George Morrow on bass. The mix of Roach's heavy full-on drumming and Brown's lyrical beauty is beyond compare – and Land's angular and sensitive tenor lines provide a perfect link between the two. Titles include classics like "Parisian Thoroughfare", "The Blues Walk", "Daahoud", "Jordu", and "Joy Spring". CD

Perhaps the most heavenly of all the Chi-Lites albums, with soaring harmonies leaping all over beautiful Chicago soul production, and loads of great heartbreaking stories unfolding as the whole thing spins away! A true masterpiece from the Chicago scene – and filled with loads of wonderful moments that almost seem to be the group's answer to some of the growing wave of harmony soul coming from the east coast at the time. Includes the excellent title track, plus "Just Two Teenage Kids", "Too Late To Turn Back Now", "Someone Else's Arms", "You Smiled The Same Old Way", "My Heart Just Keeps On Breakin'", and "Love Comes In All Sizes". Nice cover, too, with a skyline shot of Chicago around the same time that Bob Newhart was working there as a shrink! CD

What we once thought might've been a short-lived, if rewarding east coast team up of Wu Tang's Inspectah Deck and Boston heroes 7L & Esoteric has gone on to be one of the longest running later career supergroups this side of Run The Jewels! Old and mid school styled funky/sci-fi/vintage comic book style like we haven't heard since Doom left us, paired with some icey cool bits of synth and other and fresh touches on the production side – nicely setting up Deck's rhymes, still spitting sharp and smart after all these years. Includes "Czarchimedes' Death Day", "Blast Off", "All That For A Drop Of Blood", "Mama's Basement", "Frenzy In A Far Off Land" with Frankie Pulitzer, "Czarsenic", Gate Crasher" with Logic, "Sirens" and "Helicopter" Godfather Don & Kool Keith and more. CD

Lost loft jazz work from trumpeter Ted Daniel – an important force on the east coast scene of the time, but one who was never as well-recorded as his contemporaries – which makes a set like this a real treasure! The group here is Ted's Energy Module ensemble – a group who really live up to their name, with searing work on tenor from Daniel Carter, plus lots of spiritual elements from Oliver Lake on alto, soprano sax, and flute – played in a very open-ended, freewheeling style – which also makes strong use of Richard Pierce on bass and Tasuya Nakamura on drums. All tracks are quite long – and very expressive – and the group takes on work by key contemporaries like Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, Dewey Redman, and Sunny Murray – as well as some of Daniel's own tunes. Ted plays flugelhorn too – and also gets amazing sounds out of a French hunting horn and Moroccan bugle – and titles include "The Probe", "Ghosts", "Jiblet", "Innerconnection", and "Entering/Congeniality/Pagan Spain". CD

A fantastic classic from the Cali scene of the early 90s – one of the key records that had the west coast going head to head with some of the smarter acts back east – a great balance to the up and coming genius of Wu Tang and Brand Nubian! There's a similar sense of message and play going on here – rhymes from Mikah 9, PEACE, Aceyalone, and Self Jupiter – set to beats that bounce nicely, but never in a way that undercuts the lyrics – nicely crisp production with assist from the Earthquake Brothers. Titles include "Inner City Boundaries", "Shammy's", "Everything's Everything", "Park Bench People", "Mary", "Cornbread", "Way Cool", "Heavyweights", "Pure Thought", "Hot Potato", and "Six Tray". CD

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". CD

A heartbreaking classic from Terry Huff and his Special Delivery group – a hip 70s harmony soul ensemble who deliver some wonderful backup on the set! The record's a stone east coast classic from way back – arranged and conducted by Al Johnson, with a vibe that's a slightly more polished take on the harmony modes used by George Kerr over at All-Platinum – still never slick or commercial, but that great indie blend of heartbreaking vocals and deeper male sensibilities. Terry Huff has a high-end vocal approach that's great – never cloying or too-sweet, but nicely crackling and almost in a Ralfi Pagan mode at points. Huff wrote most of the songs, and titles include "Poochie", "The Lonely One", "When You're Lonely", "I Destroyed Your Love", "That's When It Hurts", and "Why Doesn't Love Last". (In case you didn't notice, this guy's pretty broken up about love!) CD also includes the bonus tracks "Come Back With Love (parts 1 & 2)", plus instrumental and 45 versions of "The Lonely One". CD

A great little album from this overlooked singer – an east coast vocalist from the 50s, working here on one of the few sessions she ever recorded! Teal's got an exotic look on the cover, but the presentation of the music is right up there in the best mainstream jazz modes of the time – and unlike some of the other small combo vocal work on Bethlehem in the 50s, this album has the fuller feel of the sorts of records you might hear on a label like Capitol or Verve at the time. Ted Steele handles the arrangements – and is also credited with discovering Teal in Atlantic City – and the backings are a mix of jazzy flourishes and larger strings – never poppy or overdone. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "El Cumbanchero", "Deed I Do", "For You My Love", "Who's Sorry Now", "Let's Fall In Love", and "Easy To Remember". CD also features three bonus alternate takes! CD

Great pre-Columbia album by The Manhattans, originally recorded in the early 70s for the King-related DeLuxe label! The set features a stellar set of harmony soul tracks that show the transition from the group's early Carnival sides to their modern Columbia ones – and the Manhattans are in a dope east coast Super Fly mode – like contemporaneous indie groups like The Modulations, The Montclairs, or Soul Generation. There's sort of a mix of material, with some sweet soul tunes, and some heavier tracks, but there's plenty of good cuts to make this one worth searching out. Tracks include "I Can't Stand for You To Leave Me", "Do You Ever?", "Back Up", "Million to One", "Fever", "The Picture Became Quite Clear", "With These Hands", "If My Heart Could Speak", "It's The Only Way", "Rainbow Week", and "Cry If You Wanna Cry". 22 cuts in all! CD

2 of Sunny Murray's classic sides for the BYG label, on one CD! Sunshine is one of Sunny's rarest from the time – and a full-on session that features Lester Bowie, Arthur Jones, Roscoe Mitchell, Archie Shepp, Kenneth Terroade, Dave Burrell, and Malachi Favors. The large group wails mightily, with a spiritual edge that's a bridge between Murray's New York avant roots and some of the late 60s work of the AACM. Side one features the extended "Flower Trane", and side two contains "Real" and "Red Cross". Even Break is one of the best-ever BYG/Actuel sessions, and one that has the unlikely pairing of east coast avant players Sonny Murray and Byard Lancaster, with Art Ensemble Of Chicago bassist Malachi Favors! Murray plays drums, and reads a bit of poetry, while the band wails behind him in powerful turgid lines of hard free jazz that represent all there is to say about the freedom of the Paris jazz scene in 1969. 4 long tracks – "Invisible Blues", "Complete Affection", "Giblets – Part 12", and "An Even Break". CD

Nas' debut LP masterpiece Illmatic – a record that will probably stand forever as one of the greatest hip hop full lengths of its time! Nas has had some creative ups-and-downs over the years, but nothing can take away the impact of this damn near perfect slice of east coast street hop – truly one of the great, filler free, beginning-to-end classics with not a wasted second! Part of the strength of the record is the top-shelf choice of production – work from DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock and Q-Tip – all of whom help the young Nas really find his voice with the right sort of vibe – on titles that include "NY State Of Mind", "Life's A B***h", "Half Time", "One Love", "Memory Lane", "Represent", "The World Is Yours", and "It Ain't Hard To Tell". CD

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". CD

A legendary album from alto genius Art Pepper – a set in which he meets up with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of the time – Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – a trio of players who really help send the album over the top! There's maybe a bit more of a crackle in the rhythms here than on some of Art's other 50s records – which makes for a classic meeting of east and west coast scenes, and some especially nice raspy lines from Pepper – delivered at that level that always made his music of this period so nicely complex – outwardly cool, but with some seething energy at the core. Titles include a definitive take on Art's classic "Straight Life" – plus "Waltz Me Blues", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "Star Eyes". CD

A classic set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

A classic set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

A classic set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's strongest trio sides of the late 50s, and a key link in a string of excellent recordings for Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside! The lack of a piano really opens up the style of the set – letting Sonny explore freely on his solos, while Brown's bass and Manne's drums do more than enough to keep the rhythms going on their own. Solos aren't as "out" as on the Village Vanguard sessions, but certainly every bit as inspired – and titles include "I'm An Old Cowhand", "Solitude", "Come, Gone", "Way Out West", and "Wagon Wheels". CD features 3 bonus tracks! CD

Really wonderful work from the Texas scene of the 60s – not the heady psych or garage usually associated with the state, nor the more Latin-inflected modes from the border – but instead a unique batch of music that feels more like work from either coast, and which comes across with a surprisingly soulful sound! The 60s scene in East LA is well-known as a hotbed of early Chicano soul – and plenty of Spanish Harlem groups also dug doo wop at the time too – and the Royal Jesters fit perfectly right into that spot – working like a garage band, but with a stunning approach to vocal harmonies that really rivals the underground soul acts of the time. Most of the best cuts are relatively mellow and laidback – ala Joe Bataan's sweet soul work – and a few other nice numbers bring in a romping party vibe to balance things out, with some of the festive qualities you'd expect from the crowd scene on the cover. Yet it's the soul tunes we love the most, and the album's filled with them – a heady collection of 28 tracks that includes "I've Got Soul", "I'm So Sorry", "Afro-lypso", "My Life", "Spanish Grease", "Back To You", "Just A Friend", "Theme For A Lonely Girl", and "Meet Me Down In Soulsville". CD

Some of the best work ever from legendary trumpeter Woody Shaw – and honestly, a batch of music that may well be one of the best runs at a label by any jazz musician, period! Woody first came on the scene as a sharp talent from the east coast in the 60s – playing with a drive and fire that really set a whole new tone for the trumpet – one different from predecessors like Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, or Freddie Hubbard. And although he was already great on records for Blue Note and other labels, he really exploded as a leader with these sides for Muse – stretching forth with dynamic energy and boundless imagination – sometimes in a setting that was as spiritual as work on Strata East, sometimes in a straighter mode that put Shaw right up there with the best trumpeters of decades past. This Muse Records work has always been scattered and spotty on the reissue market, but is finally collected together here in one place – a stunning set of albums that includes The Moontrane, Love Dance, Little Red's Fantasy, Concert Ensemble At The Berliner Jazztage, In The Beginning, Iron Men, Setting Standards, Solid, and Imagination. The set features all tracks from these sessions – including bonus material not on the original LPs – plus very detailed notes and information, in the true Mosaic Records fashion! CD

The only full album ever cut by Benny Troy – a blue-eyed soul talent who's right at home in the Philly club setting of the album! Sure, Benny looks a bit cheesy on the cover – but the set's a great example of the way that the Philly scene was able to take an older singer and find a new way for them to soar in the right soulful setting – thanks to production from Billy Terrell, who also wrote most of the songs – with help from arrangers John Davis and Joe Renzetti in the studio. The best cuts are some of the funky clubby ones – and titles include Benny's classic "I Wanna Give You Tomorrow", which soars along with this wonderful electric sitar and a soaring east coast vibe – plus "Put Some Music In Your Soul", "Tearin Me To Pieces", "I've Always Had You", and "Ecstasy Passion & Pain". CD features bonus tracks - "Calm Before The Storm", "Stranger In Paradise (7" version)", "I Wanna Give You Tomorrow (7" version)", and "I Wanna Give You Tomorrow (disco 7" version)". CD

That's a sweet image on the cover – and the grooves inside are equally dynamic too – a really wonderful collection that's easily one of the most compelling in Numero's Eccentric Soul series! The work here all hails from the tiny San Antonio scene of the late 60s – but much of the music has a sound that's way different than you might expect from Texas soul – often with great harmonies that recall the best of the east coast groups of the time, and occasionally with a few brown-eyed touches that echo the style of East LA! There's a wonderfully heartbreaking feel to many of these tracks – and the set's heavy focus on mellower numbers is totally great – and gives the whole thing a wonderful late nite sort of vibe that's usually quite hard to find in compilations like this. As usual, Numero's done a great job with the notes and history of the label – but the music alone is more than enough – a heady brew of cuts that include "Little Girl Blue" and "Try Loving Me" by The Webs, "I Gotta Know" by Tonettes, "Give Your Love To Me" and "Ain't No Big Thing" by Little Jr Jesse & The Tear Drops, "Cry & Wonder Why" by Doc & Sal, "Must Be Alright" and "Hey It's Love" by The Commands, "She's Gotta Have Soul" by Bobby Blackmon & The Soul Express, and "I Can't Take No More" by Willie Cooper & The Webs. CD

Heavenly New Jersey soul from the All Platinum/Stang stable of Sylvia Robinson stars. There's 16 great tracks on here by some of the best (and lesser known) of the 70's east coast male vocalists, like George Kerr, Larry Saunders, Phillipe Wynne, and Derek Martin, plus obscure 70's stuff by better known talents like Chuck Jackson and Donnie Elbert. Great stuff, and all with the All Platinum sound behind it. CD