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Groovy tunes compiled by the folks who brought us the Soft Sounds For Gentle People compilations of lost late 60s pop psychedelia! He & She takes a novel approach and digs up the deepest nuggets by guy-girl combos – full of deep sinking hooks, bright counterpart harmonies, and trippy lyricism – most done in a buzzing Cali sunshine sound! It's full of great tunes by seldom heard groups – with a big sunshine sound! 22 tracks in all: "Hippy Dippy Funky Monkey Double Bubble Sitar Man" by The Hubbels, "Up Here" by Tony and Siegrid, "Time" by Kathy And Larry, "Circus" by Friend And Lover, "Taxicab" by Bunky And Jake, "Big Dsaddy Blues" by St George And Tana, "Sheridan Square" by Smokey And His Sister, "Rock N Roll Gypsies" by Gypsy Trip and more!

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace". CD also features four bonus tracks – "Jazz Carnival (full original mix)", "Avenida Das Manguerias (SS translation by Theo Parrish)", "Jazz Carnival (Yambee rework by Ashley Beedle & Yam Who)", and "Codsall Juniors" by Mark E.

Warm, wonderful, and incredibly far-reaching in scope – possibly the most ambitious record cut by Azymuth in recent years – a perfect blend of jazzy fusion, Brazilian rhythms, and some of the London broken beat culture that the group have come into contact with through their label, Far Out. The sound is clean and spare – a dance between percussion and keyboards that reminds us how great Azymuth can sound when they keep things simple. A few cuts have vocals, but the overall approach is instrumental – and the record features production and programming by Roc Hunter, and was recorded by Kirk Degiorgio. Titles include "Tempo Classico", "Em Marica", "Partido Novo", "Sudade Do Doutor", "Nome Dele E Joan", "Algoado Doce", and "Rede De Espera". CD has 12 tracks in all.

A brilliant new vision for the legendary Banda Black Rio – the pioneering samba, soul and funk combo that broke so much ground in the 70s and remain vital to this day – led here by William Magalhaes, in a mode that celebrates decades of the best Brazilian music, while fearlessly moving it forward! William's father Oberdan Magalhaes was a driving force behind the original Banda Black Rio, and we couldn't really imagine a more appropriate new vision for the group than his son's. William wrote or co-wrote each track and he sings, plays keys and synth, guitar, bass, drums and more. The expansive group brings a depth of percussion, horns, strings and vocals – delivering timeless and dexterous jazzy Brazilian funk and dancefloor soul. The guest list includes classic and contemporary greats like Seu Jorge, Elza Soares, Marcio Local, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and others! Includes "Louis Lane" with Seu Jorge & Mano Brown, "Super Nova Samba Funk (9 No Samba)", "America Do Sul", "Isabela" feat Elza Soares and Cesar Camargo Mariano, "Samba Nova", "Quem Vem La" feat Marcio Local, "Deixa Estar" feat Aleh, "Lindos Olhos" feat Seu Jorge and Don Pixote, "Paname" feat Pyroman, "Final Feliz", "Irere" feat Gilberto Gil, "Aos Pes Do Redentor" feat Caetano Veloso and more. 16 tracks on the CD version.

Soulful vocals, synths and orchestral pop from Beauty Room on Far Out! Beauty Room features joint production and songwriting by singer Jinadu and synths maestro Kirk Degiorgio – the latter a Far Out veteran at this point, and an artist whose creative evolution has been a joy to follow! They work in some pretty diverse influences, from classic folk soul to modern avant pop – and an approach that's more about soulful songcraft than exercises in mood and atmosphere. Jinadu's soul-steeped voice has a lot to do with that, but the instrumentation is and production are top notch. Synth, Rhodes, guitars, bass and drums at the core – plus some very nice use of strings, courtesy of the Metropole Orchestra and strings arranger Paul Buckmaster. Includes "We Can't Throw You Away", "Shadows Falling", "All In My Head", "But For Now", "Walking The Fine Line", "One Man Show", "So Far", "The Last Calling", "Heaven Is In Your Mind" and "No Rejections". 11 tracks on the CD.

The first record we've heard from this Japanese collective in many years – and a set that definitely marks a real maturation in their music! The album was inspired by the tragic events of the 2011 nuclear catastrophe in Japan – and shows a decidedly deeper side of J's Bee's music – one that has a lot more jazz than before, and a strong ear for earthy soundscapes – almost an ECM-like quality that's mixed with a few of their more conventional groove! These guys aren't aiming for the dancefloor this time around – and instead, the whole album is woven together as a rich tapestry – with strong thought for the way the sounds and songs emerge, letting all the messages resonate strongly. The set features some especially great sax solos and Fender Rhodes – plus soulful vocals from Yuko Kawasaki – on titles that include "Lights", "Strange Supper", "Blind In The Rye", "Chuck It All", "Laika Blanca Music", "Angel Puke", and "Under The Sun".

Beautiful new work from Joyce – possibly her best album in years! The lovely Brazilian singer/guitarist blows away all the newcomers in the modern bossa field – and shows the world that she's still one of the strongest talents of her generation. The album's got a stronger jazz component than some of her other recent albums, quite driving, in the mode of classic albums like Agua E Luz and Feminina – and Joyce's voice, guitar, and songwriting skills are top-notch all the way! An instant classic – one that will have you shelving all your faked-out remixed, Nu Brazil albums for the real thing! Titles include "Bota De Sete Leguas", "Azul Bahia", "Forcas D'Alma", "Na Casa Do Villa", "Quatro Elementos", "The Band On The Wall", and "Samba Da Silvia".

A beautiful album from Joyce – one of the few older Brazilian artists whose recent albums sound as good as their old ones! The record is a sparkling set of newly recorded tracks, all handled perfectly by Far Out – one of the few labels that really knows how to make a Brazilian recording these days. Joyce's lovely voice and guitar are backed by a jazzy combo that features husband Tutty Moreno on drums, plus additional guitar, bass, flute, sax, and percussion. The record includes a lot of great new material, and Joyce's voice is in better form than we've heard in years – especially than on her larger-label recordings. Titles include "Hard Bossa", "Zoeira", "Crianca", "London Samba", "Todos Os Santos", "Novelo", and "Vatapa". (CD comes with 2 more tracks than the LP.) Great cover, too!

Sweet work from Joyce – a very intimate album that really reminds us of her classics from years back! Most of the set just features Joyce's vocals and guitar – but as you'll know if you love her as much as we do, that alone is enough to make the record wonderful – a slyly seductive blend that few other artists could carry off this well! The style is rooted in bossa, but inflected with jazz – and yet carried off with an individual style that nobody else can touch. Titles include "Adeus America", "Puro Ouro", "Vela No Breu", "Manha No Posto 6", "Viva Meu Samba", "Rio Meu", and "Mascarada".

A gem of a record from the lovely Joyce – a set recorded during the same key stretch as her early 80s albums for EMI – yet much more obscure! The album's got the same brilliant blend of jazz and bossa phrasing as her classics Agua E Luz and Feminina – and really brings Joyce's beautiful vocals to the forefront, with a strong focus on that fluid, jazzy style we totally love! Acoustic guitar is key to the instrumentation, yet there's also a few electric touches on keyboards – yet used quite softly, so that the presence of Joyce really dominates the record – but with a power that's greater than some of her more solo sets. Wonderful throughout –a nd with cuts that include "Nacional Kid", "Curioso", "Baracumbarra", "Tardes Cariocas", "Luz Do Chao", and "Ela".

A contemporary set, but one that's unlike any other recent Brazilian recording we can think of – given the very unique vibe that Mauricio Maestro is going for! You might know Mauricio from his mid 70s work with Joyce on Visions Of Dawn – and although this set is a recent recording, it has a same sort of classic feel overall. The sound here has deep rhythms and folksy touches – a warm acoustic mode, but topped with some slight electricity and larger arrangements – a bit like some of the more creative sounds in the Brazilian underground during the post-Tropicalia years – yet with a richness that takes it much farther too! Maestro handled the arrangements, and he brings in a jazz-tinged quality that's not unlike the Milton Nascimento generation – yet the overall approach is earthier too, and vocals are handled by Mauricio, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, and Kay Lyra – swirled up with a bit of light string backings that really help the record soar to the skies! We'd rank this one right up there with classics from the 70s by Joyce or Edu Lobo – but we also recognize that it's very much it's own record too. Titles include "Jungle Bells", "Agua Clara", "Canto Do Paje", "Todos Os Santos", "Ciclo Da Vida", "Ouvindo Estrelas", "Upside Down", and "Horizonte".

Always-lovely work from Sabrina Malheiros – serving up a sublime blend of Brazilian roots and soulful overtones – a style that's easily made her one of the best artists on the Far Out label over the years! Sabrina's got a family lineage that traces back to Azymuth – and the music here has the similar blend of fusion instrumentation, earthy Brazilian percussion, and soaring American soul that you'll find in the best classics by that group – all with the added special spark that comes from her sweet vocals too! Production and arrangements are by Daniel Venom Maunick, who brings in a slight dose of Incognito soul too – really making for a record that's quite possibly the best we've heard from Sabrina so far – and that's saying a heck of a lot. Titles include "Lirio De Venus", "Bobeira", "Opara", "Candeia", "Fragil", "Can't Hide Love", "Primeira", and "Paranoia".

A sweet contemporary set from Brazil – one that's got a blend of airy vocals, heavier rhythms, and some nicely offbeat production! The sound is sometimes sharp, and sometimes a bit more atmospheric – almost in a space between older Trama Records gems and some of the more experimental rock we've been hearing from Brazil in more recent years – especially when the use of electronics gets nice and noisy! The style's quite a change from the smoother style of most previous records of Far Out – and the set's got the sense of experimentation you'd find in some of the most adventurous Tratore recordings. Titles include "Brasilia Grafitti", "Looking Asa Sul Feeling Asa Norte", "Roriz 2010", "Macumba", "Bofe Story", and "Diogo's Lament".

An incredible record from Marcos Valle – maybe our favorite-ever of his recent-revival years! The sound here is sublime – a warm blend of funky rhythms, bossa roots, and larger orchestrations – all very much in the spirit of those legendary albums that Valle recorded for EMI/Odeon right at the start of the 70s – soaring, sophisticated, and never without a groove! Valle did all the arrangements for the set, but gets some great help on strings and horns from Jesse Sedoc – whose touches are really a key part of the Odeon-styled sound here – and a number of the tracks feature female vocals duetting with Marcos' lead, in a mode that's just like his classic work with Anamaria! Titles include "Prefixo", "Vamos Sambar", "Novo Acorde", "1995", "Esphera", "Eu Vou", "Papo De Maluco", and "Baiao Maracatu".

A great solo set from Heidi Vogel – a vocalist you may know from previous work with the Cinematic Orchestra – stepping out here in a bossa-heavy set that's a perfect fit for the Far Out label! Heidi's style is deeper and more expressive than before – not a voice as part of larger instrumental backdrops, but a lyrical presence first and foremost – often supported with lighter instrumentation that echoes an older bossa era – with strong use of acoustic guitar, light percussion, piano, bass, and cello – all with very melancholy shades of sound. There's a light glow to the record that's really beautiful – mellow, yet soulful enough to have some subtle power – and the set also features guest vocals on two tracks by Cleveland Watkiss, and guest piano on two other numbers by Austin Peralta. Titles include a nice version of Joao Donato's "The Frog" – plus "Inutil Paisagem", "Chelsea Bridge", "Love Dance", "Bonita", "Juazeiro", "Black Narcissus", "Copacabana", and "Modinha". CD also fatures three remix numbers – "Black Narcissus (Cinematic Orchestra rmx)", "Black Narcissus (Emanative rmx)", and "Turn Up The Quiet (IG Culture rmx)".

60s bossa and samba treasures compiled by Nicola Conte – Vol 3 in the wonderful, eye-opening and ear-pleasing Viagem series on Far Out – featuring the deepest cuts of the series to date! This third set features gems by Dalmo Castello, Bossa Trio, Claudia, Vera Brasil, Luiz Carlos Sa, Werther, Kazinho and more – from a wider span of material, with recordings ranging from the early 60s up until around 1970, bossa and samba jazz heavy numbers, some quite soaring and others with more rumbling Afro rhythms. It's groovy material, but passionate and often political – deep stuff, and including some numbers we've never heard before, which is always an exciting thing around here! Titles include "Fora De Hora" by Dalmo Castello, "Voce Que Nao Vem" by O Trangulo, "Sem Fim" by Marisa Baroso, "Chegar De Brigar" by Henrique Benny, "Macumba" by Claudia, "Copa 70" Brasil 40 Graus, "LItoral" by Werther, "Tema Em Do" by Bossa Trio and more. 18 tracks in all.

A fresh, breezy and brilliant compilation of rare Brazil – wonderful material from the early 60s through the end of the decade – the fourth in the Viagem series compiled by Nicola Conte, and it's the best yet! Viagem celebrates the jazzier side of 60s Brazil – bossa, samba and rawly rhythmic Afro-Brazilian grooves inspired by the best and freshest jazz of the US and European scenes. It's deep stuff, too – with a lot of great material we're hearing for the first time! We always expect the moon from Nicola Conte – whether it's his own modern, though classic jazz-inspired grooves – or in his role as a masterful, generous compiler. The man delivers every damn time! Includes "So Balanco" by 7 De Ouros, "Consolacao" by Myrzo Barroso, "Outra Vez" by Bossa Jazz 3, "Balumba" by Anilza Leoni, "Cute" by Bwana Trio, "Ponto De Vista" by As Compositoras, "Batucada Surgiu" by Marcos Moran, "Saudade Vem Correndo" by Bossa Nova + 5, "Te Quero Assim" by Rosana Tapajos, "Gusto Do Que E Bom" by Shirley E O Tuca Trio, "Pandeiro Triste" by Betinho Do Vibraphone and more. 17 tracks in all.

One of the more far out-sounding records we've heard on Far Out Records – a wild one from Rio's Dos Cafundos! It's a sometimes funky, sometimes noisy, but always evolving sound – with raw tropical funk mixed with diverse strains of noise rock and jazz, a la Zorn and Zappa. It's never predictable, even if they proudly wear myriad influences on their sleeves! It's got lots of great acoustic and electric guitar work, plus heavy drums and percussion, flutes, violin and more in the mix. There's a lot going on here that would make the group sound right at home on Ipecac Records as much as they do on Far Out – but the Brazilian roots are still very strong! Includes "Coriza", "Disse Me Disse". "Tupraca", "Carnica (O Barao Da Birosca)", "Carranca", "Un -Berum" and the 5-part epic title track.

One of the best new recordings in years from Brazilian reedman Leo Gandelman – a set that's got a lean, mean groove that's just right for the album's mix of samba, bossa, and jazz! Leo's right out front in the arrangements on saxes – but there's also a really unified groove on the set too – that old school bossa nova way of packing all the instruments together on the rhythms, creating this soaring sound that seems to unlock some of the most expressive solos we've heard from Gandelman in awhile. Some points have a slight dose of soul jazz energy too – as you might guess from the look of the cover – and the set also comes packaged with bonus video footage of most tracks too. Titles include "Luz Azul", "Sinal Vermelho", "Nego Ta Sabendo", "Vip Vop", "Reza", "Camisa 7", and "Alma Cubana".

Pure brilliance from the lovely Joyce – an album that sparkles wonderfully throughout – in just the way we love from her older classics! The passage of years hasn't dimmed her beauty at all – and both Joyce's vocals and acoustic guitar work are sublime – lively, but in a really subtle way – with plenty of jazz inflections, and a mix of bossa roots that goes way beyond just about any other artist who tries to work in territory like this! Even after decades of recording, Joyce has this really unique, really sublime approach to her music that makes her records unlike anyone else's – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Puro Ouro", "Estado De Graca", "Aquelas Cancoes Em Mim", "Claude Et Maurice", "Quero Ouvir Joao", and "Tudo".

A beautiful collaboration between two of our favorite Brazilian artists ever – the lovely Joyce and bossa piano legend Joao Donato – both of whom have held onto all of their best early charms of their music! The session's definitely got a Joyce flavor upfront, as she's the main vocalist – but Donato's piano is a strong factor too – pulsating wonderfully with those warmly-crafted rhythms he's always done better than anyone else – that unique stop/start groove first forged in the 60s, heard best on his 70s work, and resurrected here to provide a fresh new setting for Joyce! Arrangements are by Donato and Joyce, and by Jesse Sadoc, who plays trumpet in the group – and the production's got a slightly rootsy quality, without any too-slick modes that might hurt the intimacy of a special session like this. Titles include "Amazonas No 2", "Feminina", "Aquarius", "Chama O Donato", "Tardes Caricas", "Caymmi Visita Tom", and "Amor Nas Estrelas".

A pair of hard-wailing tenor albums on Verve – both of them great! Boss Tenors In Orbit is a studio album, but one that really has Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recreating some of the bold energy of their live shows – coming across with a vibe that's much more Prestige Records than Verve, thanks to the presence of the Don Patterson trio on the set! Backing is by Don on Hammond, Paul Weeden on guitar, and Billy James on drums – a nicely loose combo that really lets the tenorists stretch out and show their stuff. The cuts are mostly standard material – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long Ago And Far Away" – but the twin-tenor sound is great, and Patterson's free organ lines riff away nicely! On Boss Tenors, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love".

Groundbreaking Italian prog from Area – the Arbeit Macht Frei, Cautio Radiation Area, Crac!, Area(A)zione, Maledetti and Event '76 albums – all from the crucial early-to-mid 70s years – in a 6CD box set on Cramps! The debut Arbeit Macht Frei features a tripped out blend of lingering 60s psychedelia with jazzier prog and folkish melodies, all done as uniquely as any combo of the time. Includes "Luglio, Agosto Stettembre (Nero)", "Consapevolezza", "240 Chilometri" and more. Cautio Radiation Area is even more impressive – a mad mix of out jazz, hard jamming, and even more experimental touches that include quite a bit of noise. Titles include "Cometa Rossa", "Lobotomia", "Brujo", and "ZYG". Crac! continues on this path, with even more far out vocals and a strangely joyous take on far-reaching 70s prog. Tracks include "Magalopoli", "Nervi Scoperti", "Area 5", "Implosion" and more. Are(A)azone is the group's 4th album – a collection of alternate versions of songs from previous records plus a 15 minute hard jamming tune called "Are(A)zione", and a free jazz interpretation of "The International". Maledetti goes further with the out jazz – and features guest soprano sax work from Steve Lacy. Includes "Evaporazione", "Gerontocrazia", "Scum", "Caos (Parte Seconda)" and more. Event '76 closes with "Caos II Parte (1)", "Caos II Parte (2)" and "Event '76". Comes in a great oversized package with a nice booklet – notes in Italian.

A really top-shelf album from Justo Betancourt – a perfect illustration of the power of his vocals at their height! The set's got a really classic 70s salsa feel – a horn-heavy groove that almost effortlessly flows from a combo of strong players, topped by majestic vocals from Justo – stretching out soulfully with these wonderful inflections, timings, and turns that go far beyond the simple lyrics of the tunes. The record's almost a casebook study in the way that the Fania singers of the 70s could be completely expressive without resorting to any sort of over-emotive cliches – a new level of Latin masculinity in song, served up here with impeccable arrangements by Javier Vazquez. Titles include "Pa Bravo Yo", "Psicologia", "Oyeme Cantar", "Guaguanco Ta Moderno", "Adios Felicidad", "Catano", and "Una Audiencia Muerta".

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".

It took far too long for Cappadonna's Pillage LP to drop – finally hitting the streets in the late 90s – and it serves as one of the best Wu related efforts of the last couple years of the decade! The hazy, ominous and pulp cinema Wu sound is trotted out with continued relevance and strong rhymes from Cappa – with the title track, "Slang Editorial", "Run", "Blood On Blood War", "Supa Ninjaz", "Dart Throwing", "Young Hearts", MCF, "South Of The Border", "Everything Is Everything", "Black Boy" and more. 16 tracks in all, with a majority of the production handled by RZA with his Wu Elements.

The first record from Cheeba in many years – and definitely his funkiest so far! The production of this one is right on the money – filled with sharp, funky, 70s-styled riffs – very much in the best blacksploitation style from back in the day! Years back, we'd always like Cheeba's records, but sometimes found them rough around the edges – yet this time around, he's totally got it right – perfect production, just the right amount of space in between the grooves, and key help from some younger session players who really make the whole thing come out right – like a recreation of some hip 70s studio band. Titles include "Paisley Garden", "Looing For My Brother", "Message Force Multipliers", "Extend The Knowledge", "The Denunciation", "Return From Exile", and "2nd & Cedar".

Funky genius from Con Funk Shun – a pair of late 70s albums – together in a single set! Loveshine finds the group working under the production helm of Skip Scarborough, who seems to give them an even sharper edge than usual! The album's filled with those tightly compressed rhythms that Skip was so great in producing back in the 70s – grooves that seem to make more out of doing less – and which have a sense of space and timing that's totally impeccable. There's a few light jazzy touches at times too – bits of flute, sax, and organ that bring in a nice sense of depth, and which takes it far past easily classified funk! Titles include "So Easy", "Shake & Dance With Me", "When The Feelings Right", "I Think I Found The Answer", "Wanna Be There", "Can't Go Away", "So Easy", and "Magic Woman". Con Funk Shun really hit a tight groove Candy – late 70s dancefloor funk at its finest – and a turning point for the group that set the scene for 80s grooves to come! The killer group vocals, thumping funk bass and punctuating horn blasts are in full effect, and the group is also starting to work more with synthesizers and electronic sound washes – the spacey touches blending perfectly with their tried-and-true funk. A great batch of tunes, well-produced by the group and Skip Scarborough, and ear-pleasing tunes all the way – sparkling with a great blend of bassy funk and smooth ballads! Tracks include "Fire When Ready", "Chase Me", "Not Ready", "Da Lady", "Candy" and "(Let Me Put) Love On Your Mind", "Main Slice" and "Images".

Samba jazz, but lots more too – a set that's got plenty of dark edges amidst the warmer rhythms – which makes for one of the most compelling albums we've heard so far from drummer Duduka Da Fonseca! The group's a quintet, with some especially nice work on tenor from Anat Cohen – whose tone really helps flesh out the sound of the record, and bring in a strong sense of depth – amidst some lighter sounds from Guilherme Monteiro on guitar and Helio Alves on piano. Lenoardo Cioglia rounds out the combo on bass – and titles include "O Guarana", "The Peacocks", "Rancho Das Nuvens", "Sabor Carioca", "Depois Da Chuva", and "Melancia".

One of the most obscure 60s jazz sessions on ESP – a really free outing from pianist Lowell Davidson, working here in a trio that includes Gary Peacock on bass and Milford Graves on drums! Davidson's approach to the keys is quite far out, especially for the time – very much in the mode of Cecil Taylor, but possibly even more open-ended than Taylor's work up to this point. He doesn't get lost in the open spaces, though, thanks in no small part to the intuitiveness of his players. Really wonderful stuff that's loose, angular and engrossing all the way! Tracks are all longish originals – and titles include "L", "Ad Hoc", "Strong Tears", "Stately 1", and "Dunce".

A pair of action soundtracks from Georges Delerue – both mighty darn nice! Cent Mille Dollars Au Soleil is from a cool early 60s thriller with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Lino Ventura – done by Delerue with music as bold as the action in the story, but balanced out nicely with some leaner, more evocative passages that hint at the direction Georges would take in years to come. The main theme recurs often, creating a nice sense of elliptical energy in the music – and tracks include "Quartier Arabe", "Mitch Mitch", "L'Enlisement", "Une Nuit Marocaine", and "L'Appel Du Desert". Next is a film from 20 years later – Les Morfalous – but also starring Belmondo, and scored by Delerue with surprisingly subtle touches – far less of the schlocky electronic music that was often used in other 80s thrillers. A few tunes are a somewhat bold, but mostly the style is spare and tense – orchestrations held back to a minimum, and some nice accordion lines that step out gingerly to feel the space of the music. Titles include "Objectif GMC", "C'Est L'Aventure", "Helene", "Piege Au Cimetiere", and "Les Morfalous".

As you might imagine, we're huge fans of any artist with Dusty in their name – but these guys have a really special sound we've been digging since their start! The record may well be the best we've heard so far from this cool German project – one rooted in the core contributions of Christoph Doepke, but which features loads of live guest instrumentation to really flesh out the sound – taking things into territory that includes a bit of Afro Funk, jazzy fusion, and Neo Soul – a nice sense of variety, but all without ever making the album sound too scattered or all over the map! Instead, Dusty has a great way of doing everything just the right way – with a solid vibe that almost takes us back to the best years of the Schema or Compost labels. Titles include "Mood Matters", "Danse Macabre", "Seventy Three", "Longing Lingers", "Cultura", "Mozafrique", "Colors Per Minute", and "Under The Same Drum".

A triumphant little soundtrack to the second Dr Phibes film – one that's arguably more expansive and redemptive than the first, with less of the dark-edged horror touches! The style here is relatively orchestral, but drops down to contemplative moments from time to time – sparer passages that usually focus on a single instrument and theme, almost in a way that reminds us of some of the Italian soundtrack modes from the time. The overall length of the tunes is quite short – and the CD features a whopping 29 numbers, most of which are less than 2 minutes in length. But together, these shorter tracks work beautifully as a "suite" – stretching out and shifting nicely through the whole soundtrack, in a way that's far less kitschy and a lot more sophisticated than you'd expect! Titles include "Inscripto", "Serpentes", "In Catacumbas", "Apere Gregem", "Decorans Sepulcrum", "Tutus Est?", "Phibes Restimulatus", and "Nox Mala Bakeri".

Quite a rare set from this important Swedish player – one recorded in Sweden by Metronome, but issued here in the US on the short-lived East-West imprint of Atlantic. The tracks all feature Gullin on baritone sax – in a variety of settings that range through quartet, quintet, sextet, octet, and big band. As always, Lars pulls far more out of the instrument than any of his contemporaries could hope to – and the backing he gets from Swedish modernists like Arne Domnerus, Rune Ofwerman, Bert Dahlander, and Sven Ake Persson really help keep things moving along at a strong pace. Titles include "Half Nelson", "Ma", "Yesterdays", "Like Someone In Love", and "After 8pm".

Maybe the best work so far from trumpeter Matthew Halsall – and a wonderful continuation of the spiritual vibe he's been giving us for the past few years! Halsall's a real up-and-comer – a trumpeter with a spiritual sensibility that rivals the best players on 70s Impulse or Strata East sessions – working with a fluid, open quality that's unlike any other contemporary musicians we can think of! There's depth of sound to the record that rivals the best spiritual sessions from Build An Ark – or from Halsall's frequent partner and labelmate, Nat Birchall – whose tenor makes parts of the album sparkle as much as Matthew's trumpet. Other musicians include Rachael Gladwin on harp – an instrument used heavily on the record, in a cool Alice Coltrane-like way – plus Lisa Mallett on flute, Adam Fairhall on piano, and Holly Simpson on violin. Titles include "The Sun In September", "Finding My Way", "Sailing Out To Sea", "Mary Emma Louise", and "Fletcher Moss Park".

The coolest chapter so far in the long-lost story of the He3 Project – wonderfully spiritual jazz sounds from the San Francisco scene of the early 70s – recorded with a wicked blend of instrumentation and vocals, and a really cosmic sound overall! The music isn't just the usual spiritual jazz of the time – nor the familiar funky sound from the other side of the Bay – and instead, it's kind of a tripped-out hybrid that's really unique – and often served up with a rough edge that makes the instrumentation even more compelling! Players include Hadley Caliman on tenor and flute, Joe West and Terry Mederios on guitars, and Herman Eberitzsch (the HE in the group's name) on Fender Rhodes, Echoplex, piano, and screwdriver. Vocals are from two members of The Waters – Maxine and Julia – although the overall vibe is more instrumental in the end. Titles include "Civilization", "The Massage", "Dark Angels", "Artesian Wells", "Shake A Leg Woman", "To Be True", and "This Is The Struggle".

An early showcase for the talents of Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino – a smoking set that showcases his talents in two different settings! The album begins with a quintet that features Hino with Takeru Muraoka on tenor and Hiromasa Suzuki on piano – working through a great open-ended take on "Shadow Of Your Smile", with a long edgey solo from Hino! Next, the set features two larger ensemble numbers – with the core players of the quintet, plus added horns and guitar – all used together in some of Terumasa's best early style of arranging – complex and modern, yet never too far out – and instead a bold vision of jazz, filled with rich tones and colors – on versions of Hino's composition "Night Dreamer", and the tune "Slobber".

An obscure date from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and tenorist Benny Golson – but some really great work from both players! The format here is relaxed and very open – long tunes that allow both players to really stretch out on their solos with tremendous grace and imagination. And despite the low price and simple packaging of the set, the quality of both the music and recording is easily on a par with the best 80s work by Hubbard and Golson – and is a masterful meeting of both artists! The group's a quintet, with more additional great talent – including Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums – hitting the kit with a great sense of energy that really drives the session. Titles include a great acoustic reworking of Hubbard's classic "Povo", presented in a way that's still surprisingly funky – plus "Double Bass", "Sad To Say", "Far Away", "Gypsy Jingle Jangle", and "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing".

Suburban LA psychedelia from the dawn of the 70s – the rare self-titled album from The Human Zoo! The Human Zoo started out as The Circus, eventually cutting this underappreciated album for Accent Records. Even in a freewheeling, anything goes era of Cali rock, The Human Zoo have a pretty far reaching vibe – from stripped down guitar based garage psyche, to more of a pummeling, fuzzed out take on blue eyed R&B, to looser, roomier grooves. Titles include "IT's Got To Be", "Na-Na", "Funny", "Late To My Resurrection", "Stone Sassy Fox", "The Human Zoo", "The Time Was Over" and more.

Sublime genius from funky flute player Bobbi Humphrey – a record we'd rank right up there with her classic Blacks & Blues set – and like that one, another fantastic collaboration with producer Larry Mizell! The groove here is tremendous throughout – a heady mix of Bobbi's flute, Larry's keyboards, and some additional work from Jerry Peters, Skip Scarborough, and other 70s funky jazz legends – all coming together in a large lineup that works together with an amazingly tight and stripped-down groove – a sound that seems to flow effortlessly from the breeze, but which was the long result of careful work in the studio by Larry Mizell and his brother Fonce, who also helped on arrangements. Humphrey is in excellent form – blowing with a tone that's hard, crisp, and very soulful – and the spacey keyboards and gentle grooves lift her flute way out into the cosmos, yet never push things too far! Every cut's a winner – and titles include "You Make Me Feel So Good", "Please Set Me At Ease", "Uno Esta", "The Trip", "Fancy Dancer", and "Mestizo Eyes".

A soaring set of solo piano from Weber Iago – music that bubbles and flows with a beautifully spontaneous quality – almost in the mode of a lost ECM session from the 70, but with all the warmth we've come to love from the Adventure Music label! The set may well be the best so far in the label's piano masters series – and presents Weber Iago at a level that's wonderfully compelling – spinning out these original tunes that are filled with deft changes and surprising angles, yet which always have a sense of soulful color and personal timing that really keeps things from getting overindulgent. Titles include "Stairway To Us", "It Dawned On Me", "Mirrors", "From I To Z", "Carmela", and "Happiness Is A Choice".

The final proper album by The Jam! The Gift is a far more diversely soul-steeped set of tunes than anything they'd done up to this point – and in hindsight, it feels more like a starting point for Paul Weller's career to come than a final album for The Jam! While they're working more soul influences into the formula, there's still a devotion to insistently catchy hooks that they'd sported since the beginning. A classic that really deserves a lot more respect than it gets in some circles! Includes "Happy Together", "Ghosts", the nice "Psychedelic Shack"-styled "Precious", "Just Who Is The 5 O'Clock Hero", "Running On The Spot", "Circus", "The Planner's Dream Gone Wrong", "Carnation", the great Motown-homage and superhit "Town Called Malice" and "The Gift". This great 2CD 30th anniversary edition has bonus disc of singles, B-sides and most excitingly a bunch of previously unreleased demos! 15 tracks on Disc 2: "Beat Surrender", "Shopping", "Move On Up", "Stoned Out Of My Mind", "Carnation (instrumental demo)", "Shopping (aka Paul's demo)", "Solid Bond In Your Heart (demo)" and more.

A far-reaching set of hard-to-find 60s & 70s recordings by the great Etta James for Chess/Cadet – ranging from vibrant funk to slow cooking R&B, stripped down brassy blues and string accented jazzy numbers – diverse stuff held together by all around impeccable craft and the flat out amazing singing of Etta! The recordings were cut from the mid 60s to early 70s for the most part, and made in Chicago, Muscle Shoals, Nashville, New Jersey and LA. Such a sprawling collection would bog down a lesser singer, but in this case it shows just how versatile Etta James is, even if the records didn't always hit the charts. 24 tracks in all: "Only A Fool", "Seven Day Fool", "You're A Fool" (Etta slays a lotta fools in this set), "Fire", "My Man Is Together", "Let Me Know", "Nobody But You", "Take Out Some Insurance", "Sweet Memories", "Do Right", "Can't Shake It" and many more.

A fantastic lost album from one of the 60's most under-rated female singers – done in a style that's far hipper than Barbara's work for Atlantic! The set's got a vibe that's totally great – proud and righteous – stepping out in a mode that shakes off the sweetness of Barbara's earlier records, and grooves into a much more mature 70s-styled groove – handled perfectly by producer Ollie McLaughlin! Although Barbara and Ollie hailed from Detroit, the set was actually recorded in Chicago at the end of the 60s – with arrangements by Mike Terry, and a sophisticated groove that has some of the bounce of records by JoAnn Garrett or Marlena Shaw at the time. Every cut is a winner – and the album's a no-filler gem that we treasure in our soul collection! The record includes of great tracks, including "Baby That's A No No", "Break Away", "Anyway", "You Made Me A Woman", "Oh, Be My Love", "How Can I Tell", and "Slip Away". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "That's The Way I Like It", "Ask The Lonely", and "Why Did It Take You So Long".

A set of performances dedicated to Thelonious Monk – yet music that's quite far from anything by Monk that we've ever heard before! Yet there's also a definite Monkish inspiration going on here – a sense of space and timing that resonates in different, often drawn-out ways – performed by the group's twin pianos, handled by Ufuk and Bahar Dorduncu – and percussion by Francois Volpe and Sebastien Cordier. The result is more avant compositional than jazz, yet the performance here is key too – on performances of compositions that include Oliver Schneller's "Resonant Space", Guillermo Gregorio's "Construction In Four Parts", Fabrizio Rat Ferrero's "L'Abito Non FaIl Monaco", and Stefan Wirth's "Standards".

Brilliant sounds from trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff – a rare live set that captures the modern jazz giant at the height of his powers! The set was recorded around the same time as Albert's famous Now Jazz Rammwong record – and it's got a very similar feel, with lots of elements from Eastern and Indian music styles – touches of the exotic intertwined with modal rhythms, soulful solos, and some occasional freer jazz moments! The blend of sounds is completely captivating, and the recording quality is excellent – sharp enough to make the whole thing feel like some lost Saba/MPS gem from these incredibly creative years in German jazz. In addition to Mangelsdorff's trombone, the set also features tenor and soprano sax from Heinz Sauer, alto from Gunter Kronberg, bass from Gunter Lenz, and drums from Ralf Hubner – on titles that include "Sakura Waltz", "Raknahs", "Now Jazz Ramwong", "Oakaka", "Theme From Pather Panchali", "Burungkaka", and "Far Out Far East".

Massive music from Monomono – and a set of Afro Funk put together with a wonderful criss-crossing of sounds! The style here isn't just the familiar grooves you might expect – and instead, there's almost a post-colonial vibe going on – an ear towards London, and another towards Jamaica – bringing in basslines that give some tracks a great dubby energy, and which almost puts the record in the same territory as the best by Cymande! There's a blend of darkness and light on many tracks – some moody undercurrents that really draw us in, then redemptive vocal passages, often in English, which really tie the whole thing together beautifully. Monomono could have been huge at the time – and they did reach out pretty far with their few recordings – but it almost feels like their music has been waiting for the 21st Century to finally get the appreciation its due! Titles include "Find Out", "Lida Lou", "Kenimania", "Give The Beggar A Chance", "Ema Kowa Lasa Ile Wa", and "The World Might Fall Over".

A (completely) terrific and (totally) powerful jazz funk trio set from Galactic drummer Stanton Moore – even if we don't know why all the tunes have parenthesis! There's no question that the set is emphatic – with Moore just killing it on the kit – backed just as dexterously Robert Walter on B3, toy piano and clavinet, and Will Bernard on guitar. There's a bottom heavy groove that we just love, with complex, unpredictable changes, but nothing that's too far out there. Jazzy funk & instrumental rock(ish) jams with loads of space for the players to breathe and do their thing without ever wearing out their welcome. This might be Stanton's best to date. Tracks include "(Late Night At The) Maple Leaf", "(Proper) Gander", "Wissons (Of Vu)", "Over (Compensatin')", "(Who Ate The) Layer Cake, "(Here Come) The Brown Police" and more!

Mushroom join with legendary trumpeter Eddie Gale – in a set of work that's easily some of the group's greatest so far! The usual tripped-out jamming style is pushed a bit to the background here – and Mushroom seem to take Gale's presence very seriously, and try to create a more complicated, more thoughtful set of tunes for the record. There's still plenty of keyboards, and a bit of fuzzy guitar – but the overall sound is more open and spacious, allowing plenty of room for stretched-out trumpet lines from Gale – plus some nice use of vibes, marimbas, and percussion. Titles include "Selling Oakland By The Pound", "Border Crossing", "Peace", "The Spirit", and "I Don't Need To Fight To Prove I'm Right I Don't Need To Be Forgiven".

A landmark of 70s Afro-styled jazz – and the first album by this famous underground collective! Oneness of Juju were a Washington DC-based group that grew out of the ashes of the Juju avant jazz ensemble – formed in the culturally rich African-American community of DC in the 70s, with spiritual and political aspirations that stretched far beyond the average funky combo. This first album is a masterful blend of percussion, jazz, and a slight bit of funk – alternating vocal tracks with harder-hitting jazz instrumentals, all held together under the leadership of sax player Plunky Nakabinde – a reedman whose work here alone is worth the price of admission – laid out nicely alongside some great percussion, Fender Rhodes, and wonderfully worm vocals on a few tracks. The album's one of the greatest independent soul jazz albums of the 70s – and it's filled with great tracks, such as the breakbeat classic "African Rhythms" and "Liberation Dues" – plus "Kazi", "Funky Wood", "Don't Give Up", "Poo Too", and "Incognito". CD features nice bonus tracks – "F#", "Don't Give Up (45 version)", "Got To Be Right On It (45 version)", "Nooky", and "Plastic (45 version)".

Great work from Japanese reedman Yoshio Otmo – a player we know from only a handful of 70s records, but who we really love! Otmo – also spelled Ohtmo on some records – has a way of carving out lines that are sharp, yet warm at the sametime – a nice sense of soulfulness that never pushes things too far, yet still has a lot more of an edge than mainstream reedmen on the US scene – a balance that's almost a bit like Joe Farrell at the time, yet with a different vibe too – especially since Yoshio's horns are alto and soprano. This cooker has some great long tracks that feature both electric and acoustic piano in a quartet – and titles include "As A Child", "Happy Talk", "Sentimental Steps", "All In Love Is Fair", and "In A Little Spring Waltz".

Just a few of the songs here are from the 60s, and many of the rest are written by Gaetano Partipilo himself – and mixed with a few Brazilian numbers as well – all to round out a wonderfully rich sounding album that really lives up to the best Schema tradition! Instrumentation is mostly live jazz – played by Gaetano on alto sax, as well as Nicola Conte on guitar, Pietro Lusso on Fender Rhodes, Pasquale Bardaro on vibes, and Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet – but maybe best of all are the vocals, which shift a bit over the course of the record, and include raspy soul lines from MR Natural, and warmer female vocals from Alice Ricciardi, Heidi Vogel, and Rosalia De Souza. Half the tracks are instrumentals, and the mix of modes really makes the album great – never settled too far into one comfortable corner, and really taking the listener on a great journey overall! Titles include "Essa Mulher", "Se Voce Pensa", "Beyond The Days", "Jive Samba", "Right Now", "13 Death March", "Wall & Water", "Atras Da Porta", "The Sticks", "Moon Flower", and "Ocean Dance".

A full three albums by the legendary Pyramids – all packaged together in one complete set, with a bonus video too! The Pyramids recorded three key records during the 70s – each of them an underground classic, all served up in a wonderful bit of spiritual soul jazz with a really cosmic feel! The group are heavy on percussion and reeds – blending congas and assorted other percussion instruments with soprano sax, alto, and flute – all in a captivating sound that builds up nicely over the course of the album's two long tracks! The music is very organic – never too forced, nor never too far out – and there's a majestic quality to the whole thing, one that really lives up to the group's name and image on the cover. And although the ensemble hail from Ohio – hardly a spot you'd peg for spiritual jazz in the 70s – they're a key link between the early 70s avant movements in Chicago and St Louis, some of the hip grooves in Detroit's Tribe Records scene, and the growing loft jazz movement in New York. The reeds are especially nice – alto sax from Idris Ackamoor and flute from Margo Ackamoor – and all other group members play percussion, and vocalize too – singing along with some of the tunes in chanting, chorus formation, which adds an even further element of soul to the mix. Includes the full albums Lalibela, King Of Kings, and Birth Speed Merging – with bonus video content of The Pyramids Live On KQED in 1975.

Very resonant sounds from this unique quartet – a lineup that features piano and accordion from Fred Van Hove, vibes from Els Vandeweyer, and percussion from both Paul Lovens and Martin Blume! The mix of vibes and piano is already great enough – quite free, and ringing out with spacious notes on both ends – and the addition of the pair of percussionists really opens up the sound, especially as both players are far from any rhythmic needs – and instead interact more with the percussive notes of the other instruments. The set features four different numbers, all improvised – "H1", "H2", "H3", and "H4".

An amazing set of music – two rare albums from Ohio funk legend Lou Ragland, plus bonus tracks, and a whole set of unreleased sessions too – a huge amount of new music, even if you've got some of the previous reissues! First up is the legendary Hot Chocolate album – one of the greatest lost funk records of all time! The group is not the British pop band, but an Ohio funk group led by the great guitarist Lou Ragland. The album's originally from Canada, which makes it super rare – and these guys are funky funky funky, and kick some major booty with a heavy guitar sound that's just great! Some of the cuts are instrumental, and some of them have some excellent soul vocals that are produced with a nice deep sound that's brought out nicely by the excellent quality of the reissue. The record's got a bit of Sly Stone, a bit of Grant Green, and a bit of Mike James Kirkland – with a tasty raw indie soul vibe – and the original album was only pressed up at 500 copies. Titles include "So Dam Funky", "Ain't That A Groove", "Sexy Moods Of Your Mind", "Messin With Sly", and "What You Want To Do" – plus 8 more tracks from the same vintage – "Good For The Gander" by Hot Chocolate, "I Travel Alone" and Big Wheel" by Lou Ragland, "Red Robin" and "I've Got Something Going On" by Volcanic Eruption, and "I Can't Take It" and "What The Doctor Prescribed" by Lou Ragland & Hot Chocolate. Next is The Conveyor – the second album from Lou Ragland, stepping out here in a great set of mellow soul tracks! The album's quite different from the heavy funk of the Hot Chocolate album – more of a message-oriented approach to soul, in the vein of similar 70s indie work by Mike James Kirkland. The arrangements are also bigger – not smooth, but ambitious, in a style that perfectly matches the higher vision Lou's going for in tracks like "Understand Each Other", "What Should I Do?", "The Next World", and "It's Got To Change". Conveyor also comes with bonus tracks too – "Tend To Your Business" by Wildfire, plus "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" and "I Didn't Mean To Leave You" by Lou Ragland. And last up is an incredible batch of unreleased material – maybe the biggest and best so far from Ragland – tracks that have this really ambitious quality that mixes soul, funk, and larger orchestrations – especially some light strings, which really expand the sound, and push the music into this righteous territory that reminds us a lot of the creative experiments in Chicago during the Cadet/Concept years! Lou's vocals are great, and the message is totally righteous – and even though the tape quality is slightly aged, the soulful vibe really comes through – on cuts that include "Understand Each Other", "It Ain't My Fault", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "Spend My Life Loving You", "Until I Met You", and "Brother Louie". Lovingly packaged by Numero – with a huge booklet of photos and history – and cool mini-LP sleeves too!

An all new effort from legendary avant jazz drummer Steve Reid & company – one that mixes his compelling heaviness with some groovy experimental electronics – courtesy of Kieren Hebden (Fourtet)! We'll come right out with the blunt honesty and tell you that a Steve Reid/Fourtet collaboration didn't sound to us like the most appealing joint effort in the world – and we were dead wrong. This is a wonderful album! Hebden is simply one of the ensemble here, adding occasional pulsing lines, synthy tones, and wavy effects without burden – melding with a muscular core of soul jazz and jazz funk improvisers in far more natural groove than we anticipated. Another stunner for Soul Jazz! Players include Boris Netvetaev on keys, John Edwards on bass, Chuck Henderson on soprano sax, Nathaniel Catchpole on tenor sax, Neil Kleiner on tenor and percussion, and Tony Bevan on bass saxophone. Tracks include "Lugano", "Drum Story", "Bridget", "For Coltrane", "Blind Tom", "Which One?", "Lion's Of Juda", "It Cannot Be True" and "Unity".

A pair of classic early 80s soul albums from ex-Dramatics singer LJ Reynolds! The self-titled '81 set is killer material in a modern Detroit mode all the way through – with top-shelf production by Reynolds, Don Davis, and Ronnie McNeir/ Ronnie, who'd been lost to the industry for a few years, also re-emerges as a writer on the songs "Southern Pearl", "Lonely Superstar", and "Ain't No Woman Like My Baby". The real standout, though, is the amazing cut "Key To The World", a killer steppers track that has a hook that won't quit, and this wonderful brassy finish that gives the track a really triumphant sound that works perfectly with the righteous lyric. LJ Reynolds' sounds great on '82's Travelin', too – stepping even more strongly away from his work with The Dramatics, and emerging as one of the best male soul acts of the early 80s! The production on this one is split between Reynolds and Don Davis, in a mode that's contemporary, but which allows LJ plenty of space for old school vocal expression – that far-reaching style of singing that always made him stand out strongly from the pack! There's a sublime mellow version of Aretha Franklin's "Call Me" on the set – and other tracks include "Words", "Trust In Me", "Say You Will", "You & Me", "Let Me Satisfy You", and "Fast Action"…

The coolest music we've heard so far from this fantastic funky talent – served up here in an ultra-cool package that also offers up four different cover images over two separate pieces of music! Sammi's got a name that's a bit unwieldy, but he serves up the groove with a sound so tight, we almost feel like we're back in the glory days of a good Quincy Jones funky soundtrack – thanks to a tight punch that Samuelsson brings to his large lead ensemble, which often moves here with the sharper sound of a much smaller funky combo! The arrangements are amazing – and the grooves run between styles that include touches of 70s Afro Funk, European-styled MPS jazz funk, and the promised blacksploitation modes mentioned above. Instrumentation is wonderful throughout – and honestly, there's nobody out there making music like this at the moment – and certainly nobody who gets the sound so right, tight, and on the money as Sammi! Titles include "Afromars", "1st Man From Iceland", "Ethiopian", "Afrobit", "Fola", "Peace", "Dubnotic", and "Ekki Stela Afrika Folkinu".

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". CD also features bonus interview tracks!

One of the best-ever Sonny Sharrock albums – and one of the few that really captures the fresh genius of his approach! The set was recorded in New York during the period when Sonny had just come out of Herbie Mann's group with Roy Ayers – but the sound is far far different than the lightly groovy records that Sonny cut with Herbie, more of a free expression of Sharrock's dark musical vision, filtered through the politics and progressive ideas of the time. The set was recorded in New York, with Dave Burrell on piano, Milford Graves on drums, and wife Linda on voice – and unlike on other albums, Linda doesn't get in the way too much, either, and her voice is a perfect accompaniment to the dark sound of the session. Side one features the tracks "Black Woman" and "Peanut", and side two has the band joined by Teddy Daniel on trumpet, and playing the tracks "Bialero", "Blind Willy", and "Portrait Of Linda In Three Colors, All Black".

Beautiful early 70s Muscle Shoals recordings from Bobby Sheen – songs cut at Fame, Widget and Broadway Sound studios in the famed city – material that sounds as great to us as much of the best southern soul of the era! Bobby had been cutting terrific material as far back as the 50s, recording for Phil Spector with Bob B Soxx & The Blue Jeans, plus The Robins and other groups, on top of stellar singles of his own. He headed on out to Muscle Shoals in the early 70s, looking for greener pastures in a thriving soul scene – and creatively, he found it! A few excellent singles were leased to Warner Brothers, great stuff that could have busted out big, and sadly didn't. A number of these mid-to-late 70s tracks are seeing release for the first time ever, and all of it is great and truly ripe for discovery all these years later. Titles include "Too Many To Fight", "Tryin' To Get To You", "Payback", "Don't Make Me Do Wrong", "Give It Up", "It Ain't Easy Being Your Fool", "I'm Sorry", "She Hit Me From The Blind Side" and more. 17 tracks in all.

An amazing document of righteous soul jazz – the full recordings for Horace Silver's United States Of Mind trilogy – done in collaboration with singers Andy and Salome Bey! The sound is completely different from Silver's work of the 60s – very righteous and message-oriented, with lyrics that often express social and political issues of the time – but which are delivered by the singers in a hip style that takes them far beyond their era – so much so, in fact, that all three albums are really only being appreciated to their fullest years later! Most of the recordings feature smaller combo instrumentation from groups that have Silver playing mostly electric piano – alongside musicians that include Randy Brecker, George Coleman, Houston Person, Idris Muhammad, Harold Vick, and Cecil Bridgewater – and overall, the tunes almost feel more like work that would have been issued on the Strata East label, instead of the usual Blue Note grooves of the time. Wonderful to have back out again – especially in this complete version, which features 28 tracks on 2CDs! Titles include "Big Business", "The Happy Medium", "Won't You Open Up Your Senses", "Soul Searchin", "All", "From The Heart Through The Mind", "Total Response", "Cause & Effect", "Wipe Away The Evil", and "Peace".

A really great quartet that works together beautifully here – bass from Joelle Leandre, trombone from Sebi Tramontana, violin from Carlos Zingaro, and drums from Paul Lovens – all well-trained players for open improvisations like this – coming together in ways that recall some of the best FMP live work from the 70s! The music is free, but never without consideration – sounds that come out of nowhere, yet somehow fit perfectly together – although in ways that go far beyond conventional jazz, even that of the avant variety. The set features five tracks – titled "Sudo 1", "Sudo 2", and so on!

A beautiful lost slice of British jazz, recorded during the crucial period before some of the scene's players went too far off the deep end! John Surman partners here with composer/leader John Warren, for a large group recording that sounds similar to some of the best early Mike Westbrook recordings. The album's comprised of a suite of 5 tracks, all played by a large group in a style that shows the best British modernist tradition of the 60's. The ensemble playing is dark and moody – but always tight at all moments. The group's soloists – like Surman, Mike Osborne, Barre Phillips, Kenny Wheeler, and others – soar out of the arrangements in tightly constructed, brilliantly realized solos that stand as some of their best work. Titles include "With Terry's Help", "We'll Make It", "The Dandelion", "The Picture Tree", and the "Tales Of The Algonquin" suite.

Maybe the most smoking collaboration so far between The Dynamites and vocalist Charles Walker – a singer who only seems to sound younger and younger with each new record – driven on by the sharp funky sounds of the group! Walker's got a way of stretching out a note that's rooted in 60s deep soul styles – yet also has a compactness that fits in well with The Dynamites' hip blend of Hammond, trumpet, guitar, and saxes – all stepping out with a beautifully soulful vibe on the album's host of original tracks! Titles include "Wakie Wakie", "I Just Want To Know", "Love Is Only Everything", "Please Open Up The Door", "So Much More To Do", and "Yours & Mine", which features a guest appearance from Bettye Lavette!

Puerto Rican salsa from Zaperoko – a group who weave together strands of traditional rhythms into a sweet new groove! The album's got a rock-solid feel right from the start – the mix of tradition and contemporary energy that makes some of these 80s Montuno sessions so great – with a depth of feeling that's far more than you might expect from the record's slightly cheesy cover. Lead vocals are from Frankie Rodriguez, who has an especially heartfelt feel on some numbers – and the group is quite heavy on percussion, which really steps out and jams on some of the best tunes. Titles include "El Zaperoko", "Azucar Con Aji", "La Olla", "Sigan La Clave", "No Quedo Ni El Gato", and "Se Lo Que Es Rumba".

A sweet little collection that goes way beyond basic bossa nova – as it offers up tunes from a host of different vintages, in different styles of the genre – including some surprising gems from recent years too! Vintage material is blended nicely with cuts from Far Out and a few other current labels – and together, the tracks show the strong evolution of bossa nova into the 21st Century – way past the basic sounds at the start. There's a number of tracks on here we've never heard before – and titles include "The Girl From Ipanema" by Paula Santoro, "O Nosso Amor" by Vanja Orico, "Agua De Beber" by Xavier Osmir, "Meu Samba Torto" by Clara Moreno, "How Insensitive" by Simao Morto, "Rio Bahia" by Joyce, "Wave" by Victor Assis Brasil, "Mas Que Nada" by Rio Combo, "Dindi" by Paula Santoro with Hugh Burns, "So Danco Samba" by Gustavo Marques, and "Salve Dom" by Armando Marcal. 32 tracks on 2CDs – quite a deal!

A totally great collection of grooves with a real range of material – nearly all fresh to our ears, and the kind of record that really makes us sit up and take notice! The set's got a loose approach to the selections – in that it features tracks from American and European sources, and easily blends together tunes from soul, jazz, funk, and easy records – but that's what makes it so great, and so fresh, as the tracks stand wonderfully back to back, sounding like a hip club night at some far-away place, the kind of all-great set that has you keep getting out of your chair, walking up to the DJ, and saying "Sorry to bother you again, but what's that track you're playing?" Titles include "Creative Musicians" by Lyman Woodard, "Stop" by Lonette, "Shabazz" by Rhoda Scott, "Don't Boom Boom" by Lillian Hale, "The Barracuda" by Leonard King & The Soul Messengers, "Questions (parts 1 & 2)" by Pat Stalworth, "Concentrate" by Willie Tee, "Mabusso" by Orchester Ambros Seelos, "Jumping" by Charlie Antolini, and "Highway 101" by John Barry.

Possibly the greatest installment so far in this wonderfully groovy series – a set of hard-swinging soul jazz tracks from the 60s – most of them the sort you might find blasting out of a jukebox in the backroom of some southside bar! Heavy Hammond, tremendous tenor, and gritty guitar lines abound – all upbeat and groovy, almost funky at times – served up in 2 or 3 minute installments from a batch of rare 45s! There's echoes here of the instrumental grooves that play big on the popcorn soul scene, but other work is more jazz-based overall – and although a few tunes have vocals, the biggest focus here is on instrumental numbers. Wonderful stuff throughout – and a collection we'll be playing for years! Titles include "Bash Dance" by Bobby Donaldson, "Arabian Jerk" by The Merits, "La La La La La" by Afro Blues Quintet, "Take Off Your Shoes (part 1)" by Booker T Averhart & The Mustangs, "Hung Over" by The Martinis, "Senor Blues" by Dee Clarke, "Sweet Bread" by Miles Grayson Trio, "All Around The World" by Chuck Higgins, "COD" by Albert King, "Fredrick's Dream" by Kenny Rice & Leo's Five, and "Tam-A-Rind" by Hank Jacobs & The TKOs.

One of the funkiest gospel collections you'll ever hope to own – and an amazing document of the criss-crossing styles going down at the legendary Jewel Records! Jewel didn't just record gospel, but handled a fair bit of soul, funk, blues, and jazz – all of which seems to bubble forth in these amazing recordings – tracks that easily represent some of the hippest, coolest gospel sides of the late 60s and early 70s – the kind of work we've dug for years in its ability to easily cross over to the secular scene, thanks to wicked grooves underneath the vocals! And the vocals are pretty darn great too – work by singers who could have been huge in the mainstream world, had they broken from the spiritual realm – really belting out with the best of the southern soul scene of the time. The package features a whopping 41 tracks in all – with tracks that "Don't Forget The Bridge" by Mighty Songs Of Glory, "There's A Creator" by Roscoe Robinson, "Trouble's Brewin" by The Meditation Singers, "Brotherly Love" by BP's Revolution, "I'm Trying To Be Your Friend" by Soul Stirrers, "Far Away From God" by Armstrong Brothers, "Golden Gate" by Traveling Echoes, "He's A Friend" by Dorothy Norwood, "Watch That Rogue" by Silver Gate Quartet, "You've Got To Serve Somebody" by Bill Moss, and "The Upper Way" by The Violinaires.

An astounding collection of Japanese jazz from the end of the 60s – some of the hippest, most vibrant music in the Tokyo scene – and some of the most far-reaching too! The tracks here rival the best Impulse or ESP Records work of the time – really stretching out to find a new voice in jazz – using all the new freedoms of the time to craft tremendously creative solos – yet often still finding a way to make things swing, too! Each track is very long – and the players represent the cream of the crop of the Japanese underground at the time – including some players caught right at the start of very rich careers. Titles include "Mijimasu" by the trio of pianist Masahiko Sato with tenorist Akira Miyazawa, "Mina's Second Theme" by the trio of pianist Yosuke Yamashita, "My Favorite Things" by the quartet of tenorist Akira Nishimura, "On Green Dolphin Street" by tenorist Hidehiko Matsumoto, "Hey Jude" by pianist Takehiro Honda, "Passion Dance" by altoist Kosuke Mine, "Memphis Underground" by drummer Takeshi Inmata, and a long jam session track with Fumio Nanri on trumpet, Junko Mizuno on clarinet, Yuzuru Sera on piano, and George Kawaguchi on drums.

Left coast rhythm & blues from Kent "Boogaloo" Harris & his inner circle of LA family & friends – late 50s & 60s treasures from Boogaloo & His Gallant Crew, The Francettes, The Harris Sisters, Eddie Bridges, Fay Ross, The Lon-Genes, The Valquons and many more! Harris was the songwriter, label head, record shop keeper and sometimes singer at the center of a vibrant scene – which indeed included family members as well as friends. His sisters performed and recorded as The Harris Sisters, Marcene "Dimples" Harris stepping out as a headliner, plus many more excellent associated acts over the years. It's got some jumping late 50s style R&B and more grandly orchestrated numbers, though still rooted in rhythm. 25 tracks in all, including a handful of previously unreleased gems – though even the biggest movers here have been overlooked for far too long! Titles include "Big Fat Lie" by Boogaloo & His Gallant Crew, "Long Lean Lanky Juke Box" by Dimples Harris & here Combo, "Double Locks" by Johnny Gosey, "So Far Away" by Rooty Poots, "Our Love Is Like The Sea" by The Lon-Genes, "Don't Just Stand There" by Cry Baby Curtis, "You Ain't Right' by Faye Ross and more.

A wild collection of extraterrestrial country, pulp, pop, r&b and even some doo wop influenced tunes from the outerspace fringes of 60s & 70s Nashville & beyond – largely from the brain bananas of Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan! We knew that Jack & Misty recorded some fairly far out countryish gems as a duo – but this crazy set really opens our minds to how wild they were as writers, producers & arrangers! It truly rivals Joe Meek's productions when it comes to pulpy themes and unpredictable stylistic range – while carrying a weird, earthier rustic & rural groove. Jack & Misty sing and play often throughout, as themselves and under pseudonyms – and they recruited friends and peers as singers and players for the others. Far more than just an exercise in strangeness – the songs are good enough to stand out as more than novelties, and some of the most respected Nashville session players of the past half century can be found in the notes. You get electrified banjo, sax, and organ in the same wild tunes – any questions? The majority of songs were cut between the fertile period between 1965 and 1974 – with a few going back earlier & later – a whopping 30 tracks in all! "Strange New World" by Jacqueline Hyde & The Moonfolk, Time Machine" by Joel Mathis, "Skellykins" by Rusty Diamond, "I'm Hung Up On You" by Rusty Diamond, "Hit Me One More Time" by Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan, "Let's Have A Hayride" by Maryanne Mail, "New World" by The Jack Blanchard Group, "Monkey See, Monkey Do" by Brad Wolfe, "Dance Of The Living Dead Chickens" by Jack Blanchard and more!

Essential work from the African scene of the 70s – a collection of tracks that goes way beyond the more familiar grooves of Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango! The set may well be the deepest so far we've heard from the always-amazing Soundway Records – a package that digs into a wealth of under-heard music from early 70s Nigeria, all of it beyond simple stylistic definitions and overplayed world music cliches! Many of the grooves here are wonderfully unique – odd fusions of styles that include highlife, jazz, soul, Afrobeat, and other regional influences – sifted and shaken together, and spilled out in the studio with a really fresh sort of feel. Rhythms are at the core of most numbers here, but even those are often unfamiliar – skittish, soulful, and often somewhat playful – and the other instrumentation on the tracks is great too, and often resonates with some of the odd sounds and tunings we love in work on the Ethiopiques series. 2CD set features 26 tracks that include "Okwuke Na Nchekwube" by Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National, "Nekwaha Semi Colon" by The Semi Colon, "Osalobua Rekpama" by Sir Victor Owaifo & His Melody Maestros, "Onwu Ama Dike" by St Augustine & His Rovers Dance Band, "Feso Jaiye" by The Sahara All Stars Of Jos, "To Whom It May Concern" by Tunji Oyelana & The Benders, "Akula Owu Onyeara" by The Funkees, "Koma Mosi" by The Harbours Band, "Belema" by Opotopo, "Asiko Mi Ni" by Nigerian Police Force Band, "Alabeke" by Dan Satch & His Atomic 8 Dance Band, "Blak Sound" by Leo Fadaka & The Heroes, "Arraino" by Popular Cooper & His All Beats Band, "Ugali" by Tony Benson Sextet, "Akpaisong" by Etubom Rex Williams & His Nigerian Allstars, "Eguae Oba" by Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7, "Torri Wowo" by Godwin Ezike & The Ambassadors, "Buroda Mase" by Bola Johnson & His Easy Life Top Beats, "I Want A Break Thru" by The Hykkers, and "Eguae Oba" by Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7.

The sweet sound of 70s Blue Note – a really wonderful stretch for the label, and a time when the company was stretching out in a range of sublimely soulful directions! This period's probably best known for the influence of Larry Mizell on some of the label's key players, but it's also got plenty more to offer too – Brazilian influences in the rhythms, electric undercurrents in the instrumentation, and some especially soulful vocals on some of the best-remembered tracks. Old players are born anew, new players rise to lofty heights, and the whole thing's an amazing discovery in jazz – filled with key tracks that do a better job of summing up 70s Blue Note than our few worlds ever could! 20 tracks in all – including "Chicago Damn" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Koko & Lee Roe" by Gene Harris, "Love So Far Away" by Donald Byrd, "Fun House" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Cheshire Cat" by Ronnie Foster, "Kumquat Kid" by Eddie Henderson, "People Make The World Go Round" by Bobby Hutcherson, "In Pursuit Of the 27th Man" by Horace Silver, "You're Everything" by Carmen McRae, "Route" by Moacir Santos, "Sassy Soul Strut" by Lou Donaldson, "Always There" by Ronnie Laws, "Essence Of Mystery" by Alphonse Mouzon, and "Motherland" by The Waters.

A tremendous set of music – the deepest so far in this amazing series – filled with rare tracks that we've never been able to track down in the original! The grooves here are totally great – lots of modal rhythms and exotic instrumentation – pulled from a time when the European jazz scene was really coming into its own – a key 60s moment when overseas artists were really breaking free from a straight American influence in jazz – and stretching out in unique ways of their own! There's lots of influence from Eastern and other global sources – mixed with beautifully-crafted solos that really further the level of expression of the tunes. The set list is wonderful – way past the European classics of vol 2 – and titles include "Pro Forma 1" by Babs Robert, "Mongolia" by Palle Mikkelborg, "Unknown" by Jeff Gilson, "Vasvirag" by Binder Quintet, "Macedonian Fertility Dance" by Dusko Goykovich, "Samba Miaou" by Full Moon Ensemble, "Barrio Chino" by Dennis Wiley, "Haze's Dance" by Antithesis, "Suite" by Louis Xavier, "Odins Oga" by Jan Allan Quintet, "Aisha" by Yoki Freund, and "Variations On The Azerbajian Mugam Chargiakh" by Crescendo Quintet.

A well-done overview of underground Neo Soul from the US – one that features some of the best work we've been stocking over the past few years! The scope here is really great – with a very careful focus on the individual artists, and the tracks chosen – at a level that's far better than most of the cheapo Neo Soul collections out there on the market. Many of these folks are ones that we sell in full LP form, but this set's a great way to dip into their work at a lighter level – with a total of 16 tracks that include "Fell In Love" by Antoinique, "Let Love In" by Trace Ellington, "If" by Heston, "Just Because" by Conya Doss, "U Told Me" by Monet, "Ivory Moon" by Rhian, "I Found Love" by Emerald Jade, "You Know What Happens" by Alison Crockett, "Like No Other" by Maya Azucena, "Love Serenade" by Marlon Saunders, "Darkside" by Mayron, and "Honeydew" by Geno Young.

One of the most far-reaching sets of UK jazz we've heard from the mid 60s – the recording debut of pianist Peter Lemer, working here in a quintet that also features a young John Surman! The leadoff track is a version of Carla Bley's great "Ictus" – and the style of the work definitely echoes that early 60s generation that Bley was a part of – a darker, more angular approach to modernism than previous years – yet still without the completely unbridled freedoms to come. Most titles are fairly elliptical – circling around a specific territory of tones and rhythms at the core, while some of the other players open up in freer solos – and other players in the group include Nisar Ahmad Khan on tenor, Tony Reeves on bass, and John Hiseman on drums. Surman plays baritone, soprano sax, and bass clarinet – and titles include "Carmen", "In The Out", "Enahenado", "Flowville", "City", and "Ictus".

This one's the score to an obscure comedy that starred Shirley Maclaine, Alan Arkin, Peter Sellers, and Michael Caine – and which was directed by Vittorio DeSica, working here in a far cry from The Bicycle Thief! Despite the goofy nature of the film, most of the tracks are in the range of Ortolani's more serious work – mostly orchestral and slower numbers. However, there's a few nice groovy tracks – nothing totally wonderful, but done here with a light 60s bounce that makes them stand out from the rest of the pack! Titles include "Three For A Dance", "Lover's Funeral", "They Told Me", "Marie Theresa", and "What To Do?"

A gem of a set from a singer who should have been much bigger back in the 50s – served up with the same sort of small combo backings you'd get on the Chris Connor albums for Bethlehem! Marlene Cord is a hell of a singer on her own – with a voice that's never hokey, yet full of feeling – and able to inflect things with a knowledge of jazz, but in ways that never go too far over the top – just perfectly balanced with a subtle power that's really amazing. Yet she sounds even better alongside the music on the date – creative Chicago backings from a quartet that features Dick Marx on piano, Johnny Frigo on bass, Mike Simpson on flute, and Jerry Slosberg on drums. The flute's an especially great element – underscoring the vocals with some great blue tones – and titles include "I'm Thru With Love", "I Remember You", "I Got It Bad", "Lights Out", and "This Love Of Mine".

One of our favorite all-time records, and a real lost album on Blue Note! Eddie Gale leads this group of righteous singers and musicians through five fantastic tracks of soulful chanting and hard jazz playing that never goes too far out, but always threatens to break free of its own chains – soaring to the skies on wings of freedom and spirituality! Gale's trumpet rings hard and loud, and the vocal arrangements never verge on sentimentality, but manage to convey a ton of soul with an incredibly righteous approach that's never been duplicated again! Imagine Donald Byrd's vocal group albums recorded for Strata East – or a hipper version of Billy Harper's Capra Black – and you've only got part of the picture! Titles include "The Rain", "Fulton Street", "The Coming Of Gwilu", and "A Walk With Thee".

The greatest so far from this soulful Chicago group – a combo who are making big waves way beyond the Windy City, thanks to the tremendous vocals of JC Brooks! The album bursts out with a power the group have never had before – a tightness and focus that shows that these guys are definitely the real deal – and have definitely found their own unique voice in a world of copycat soul and funk – a groove that's completely contemporary, yet firmly rooted in the best bits of the past too – as fresh a change to funk and soul as some of the rootsier styles normally associated with Bloodshot Records! Brooks is a hell of a frontman in a live setting, but doesn't always come across this well on record – and the album may well be the first to really show the singer at his best. Titles include "Howl", "Married For A Week", "Rouse Yourself", "Security", "Ordinary", "Control", "Cold", and "River".

Early jazz rock from Bob Downes Open Music – composed and arranged by Downes and not a far cry stylistically as the Electric City LP that came out just a bit earlier – a mix of charged, drum heavy movements and airier flute led tapestries! The mood shifting dynamic makes the record pretty exciting, as does the stellar musicianship and imaginative compositions that fearlessly resist categorization. Downes plays different flutes plus sax, bels and tam tam, with Dennis Smith and John Stevens on drums, Harry Miller on bass and Chris Spedding on guitar. Titles include "Dream Journey: "A Score For Blind Sight By The Ballet Rambert", "Integration", "Contact", "Ghosts In Space", "Sesert Haze" and "Electric City".

Kurt Elling turns his talents towards the music of the Brill Building – completely transforming a host of pop and soul classics in the process! The songs are familiar, but the music's got all the careful balance of some of Elling's best records in recent years – definitely jazz all the way through, with sparkling arrangements that really work beautifully with Kurt's unique vocals – in ways that push these tunes way past their roots, and show how strongly Elling can bring new feelings out of a song – even with numbers that are much more iconic than his usual fare. Titles include "So Far Away", "Shoppin For Clothes", "A House Is Not A Home", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "On Broadway", "Come Fly With Me", and "You Send Me".

A kind of twisted, but totally groovy collection of oddball pop & rock from Rodd Keith, aka Rod Rogers – the king of the song poem – a collection of mostly small combo singles recorded between 1963 & 1974! On top of being the go to guy for folks to have someone turn their often terrible poetry and lyrics into real life records, Rodd & his groups recorded all kinds of organ steeped, totally catchy tunes with far out hallucinogenic lyrics. The singing ranges from pop combo harmonies to loungey crooning, and the Rodd's work on organ & piano rolls with a little bit of blue eyed funk to more of an austere pop & rock groove – and the songs are just weird enough to still work as glorious pop tunes. Really cool stuff from an ultimately tragic character, who left far too few recordings with his personal brand of strangeness! Includes tunes credited to Rodd Keith, Rodd Keith & The Raindrops, Rod Rogers & The Singing Strings and other combos. 26 tracks including "Lettuce & Lace", "You Only Wnat To Hurt Me", "Saucers In The Sky", "My Living Doll", "Don't Be A Dope", "Magic In Her Eyes", "Merry Go Down", "Ravens", "Next Time", "Ship For Home" and much more.

An amazing new setting for the flute of Nicole Mitchell – the ultra-cool Ice Crystal quartet, which features sublime interplay between Mitchell and vibist Jason Adasiewicz! The blend of vibes and flute is mindblowing – and used here with the sense of space, soul, and sound that you'd get in some of the best 60s "new thing" recordings – an aspect of avant expression that Nicole's never touched like this before – even given her already wide palette of far-reaching styles! Other moments have a more spiritual approach – especially when the deep tones of bassist Josh Abrams come into play a bit more, and seem to brign out a whole new side of the drums of Frank Rosaly. The whole thing's another feather in the cap of Mitchell – one of those players who really makes us proud to call ourselves Chicagoans – as do the other members of the group – and titles include "Yearning", "Today Today", "Diga Diga", "Expectation", "Sunday Afternoon", and "Fred Anderson" – which features a spoken word passage by Calvin Gantt.

We love Frank Strozier – and think he's one of the greatest talents in jazz – period! This long-overdue CD brings together two of Frank's early 60s sessions for the Jazzland label – both of them gems that have lain under-discovered for years. Long Night is an excellent example of the maturity and modernism that was coming out of the Chicago jazz scene as it hit the early 60s – and it features Strozier's soulful alto in the company of some of the city's best players, like pianist Chris Anderson, drummer Walter Perkins, bassist Bill Lee, and baritonist Pat Patrick, playing here away from Sun Ra's group! The title track alone is an incredibly fantastic composition, full of moodiness and incredible reed work – but the rest of the record's great, too, and features excellent originals like "The Need For Love", "The Crystal Ball", and "Pacemaker". March Of The Siamese Children continues the trend – with a sound that goes far beyond the hardbop and soul jazz in which Strozier first cut his teeth – into a mode that's angular and exploratory, yet also still warmly expressive – filled with a richness of sound that holds up fantastically year after year. Titles include "March Of The Siamese Children", "Our Waltz", "Hey Lee", "Lap", "Extension", and "Something I Dreamed Last Night".

Brilliant work as a leader from McCoy Tyner – and easily one of his most righteous albums ever – a true batch of spiritual gems that really takes the John Coltrane legacy one step further! Most numbers build with a modal vibe that's more Impulse Records than Blue Note – and players on the set include Alice Coltrane on harp, Gary Bartz on alto, Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – a wonderful lineup that really holds tightly to the soaring, soulful energy that Tyner spins from his piano – a mode that's never too far out or avant, yet which stretches to the skies with a heavenly vision. The whole thing's wonderful – and tracks include "Message From The Nile", "The Wanderer", "Survival Blues", and "His Blessings".

Smoking 60s soul from the Memphis scene – and quite possibly the best collection so far in this Goldwax series! The cuts here come from a point when the Memphis sound had really come together – grown in earlier years by labels like Goldwax and Stax on the local scene, now spilling out strongly to influence generations around the world. And although most of the Goldwax recordings on this collection never got the circulation enjoyed by other Memphis imprints, they definitely follow in spirit to some of the bigger hits of the time. The mix here is about 2/3 soul, with touches of country and funk on some of the other singles – although still a pretty hip variant on those genres too – and like the other volumes, this one presents both a and b-sides of all Goldwax singles, in numerical order. Titles include "Love Me Tonight" by Carmol Taylor, "Lonely Man" by Spencer Wiggins, "He Called Me Baby" by Jeannie Newman, "You Name It I've Had It" by Willie Walker, "She's About A Mover" by Percy Milem, "A Message To Young Lovers" by James Carr, "It's My Life" by Timmy Thomas, "You Had Your Choice" by The Ovations, "Soul City USA" by Spencer Wiggins, "Ticket To Ride" by Wee Willie Walker, "That's The Way Love Turned Out For Me" by James Carr, "Love Me Tonight" by Carmol Taylor, and "He's Too Old" by Spencer Wiggins. 56 tracks on 2CDs!

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

A great later sleeper from Brian Auger – a record that's much deeper and more soulful than some of his earlier work – and done in a soaring style that's really great! Alex Lighterwood sings as much as Auger plays the keys here, but that's ok with us – because he fuses his voice very nicely with organ, electric piano, and moog – creating a spacily soulful quality that's produced with a nice flanged-out style! Some tracks are funky, others are more laidback – and the set's a great illustration of how far Auger had come in just a few years. Titles include the spacey "Thoughts From Afar", the fast-jamming "The Big Yin", a Latin-tinged instrumental "Something Out Of Nothing", plus "Future Pilot" and "Brain Damage".

All the early albums from Barclay James Harvest, plus a huge amount of tracks from singles and radio performances here – all adding up to an incredibly rich document of this seminal British group! Barclay maybe never had the huge crossover success as some of their contemporaries, but their sound here is brilliant throughout – a mode that goes way past mainstream prog and psych, with some tremendous instrumentation that really packs a hell of a lot of punch – never going too far out, or getting too overindulgent – yet really fusing so much into a tight little package. The set features the full albums Their First Album, Once Again, And Other Short Stories, and Barclay James Harvest – plus BBC Top Gear tracks, an early single, Bob Harris sessions, and more – a whopping 69 titles in all!

Two club corkers by Black Ivory – back to back on a single CD! The self-titled Black Ivory album is a pivotal set for the group – released at a time when Black Ivory, like so many other east coast vocal groups, was making the transition away from an older sweet soul style to a more sophisticated club vocal sound. The group's producing themselves here – and we're guessing that most of the real work is being done by Leroy Burgess, although Patrick Adams still appears to be working with the group on the string and horn arrangements – giving things just the right sort of underground disco twist to make things groove! The record includes the great club track "Walking Downtown (Saturday Night)", a longtime fave around Chicago – plus "White Wind", "Making Love In My Mind", "Could This Be Magic", "Longer Ride", and "Can't You See". Hangin Heavy is filled with killer grooves from Black Ivory – a trio who've really come a long way here since their roots – stepping out with proud, soulful tones that are a perfect fit for the upbeat grooves of the set! There's still a touch of fragile harmonies at times – but overall, the group have a much more mature, adult vibe – set to tight late 70s club arrangements from Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess – both of whom stay far away from any mainstream disco cliches, and really hit a sweet underground vibe for the set! Titles include the classic club track "Mainline", plus "Peace & Harmony", "Get Down (Comin' Down)", "You Turned My Whole World Around", and "Rest Inside My Love".

A great set on Porter Records featuring all the tracks from the first two albums by hip funky fusion titans Catylast – the complete Catalyst and Perception albums from the early 70s put together for Complete Recordings Vol 1! The first 6 tracks on the anthology are made up of the the first album, originally released on Cobblestone – one that finds Catalyst in a groove that was unlike most of their contemporaries. The sound was often jazzier than some of the tighter funk artists on labels like Kudu or Prestige, with some deeply spiritual leanings in the solos – but also a style that was still pretty tight and focused, not as far out as some of the headier groups on the Strata East label. There's loads of great choppy rhythms and tight-edged grooves on the record – thanks to Fender Rhodes from Eddie Green, reeds from Odean Pope, bass from Al Johnson, and drums and percussion from Sherman Ferguson. Skip Drinkwater produced the session at Sigma Sound, and it's definitely got some of his hallmark appreciation of rhythm in the mix – on titles that include "Ain't It The Truth", "New Found Truths", "East", "Catalyst Is Coming", "Jabali", and "Salaam". The remaining numbers feature the complete Perception album – another great one, with a lineup that included Billy Hart on percussion, Eddie Green on electric piano, and Odean Pope on tenor and flute. The real highlight, though, is Pat Gleason on arp, who adds a lot of cool dark moody touches to the group's fusiony playing. It's a stellar mix of soul jazz and edgy electric playing, far and away one of the best albums ever to be released on Muse at the time. It's been exceptionally rare over the years, too! Tracks include "Celestial Bodies", "Got To Be There", "Uzuri", and "Perception".

An excellent CD of contemporary spiritual jazz excursions from this former member of Sun Ra's Arkestra. While Catlett's earliest pedigree is in Latin jazz, his many years spent with Ra have infused his music with a far reaching sensibility, well understood by his bandmates Craig Taborn and Rodney Whitaker on this disc, who are also joined by many of Detroit's other young lions to fill out some of the larger arrangements on a few numbers. Taborn is at his most Tyner-esque in these post-Coltrane lyrical numbers, 13 in all, including "Iron Master", "Vital Force", "The Other Side Of The Mask", "Cultural Warrior" and "El Morro".

Amazing music – at an equally amazing price! The set features every studio album ever recorded by Serge Gainsbourg – monumental sounds that completely transformed the world of French music in the 60s and 70s, and have gone on to have a global impact well into the 21st Century! The sounds here are amazing right from the start – a mix of jazz, Latin, and other hip modes – all set to playfully sinister lyrics by Serge – which get even better as the 60s move on, and Gainsbourg dips into fuzz, funk, and other amazing elements to push out some far frontiers in his music! The 70s sees some great electronics, classic collaborations with Sly & Robbie, and gives way to some surprisingly great 80s material towards the end of Serge's too-short career. Box features 14 albums on 12 CDs – with records that include Du Chant A La Une, No 2, L'Etonnant Serge Gainsbourg, No 4, Gainsbourg Percussions, Initials BB, Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg, Histoire De Melody Nelson, Vu De L'Exterieur, L'Homme A Tete De Chou, Aux Armes Et Caetera, Mauvaises Nouvelles Des Etoiles, Love On The Beat, and You're Under Arrest.

A cool little set from reedman Benjamin Herrman – even cooler than his work with The New Cool Collective! The album's packaged in a DVD-style case, and has a very cinematic feel – core sounds from a combo led by Herrman, and featuring lots of Hammond and guitar – but then backed by richer strings from the City Of Prague Orchestra, who shade things in with a sweet soundtrack sort of vibe –a great blend of jazz and grooves that likes somewhere in a space between Lalo Schifrin and Johnny Mandel – with rich sounds that perfectly skirt the late 60s/early 70s era! Totally great stuff – the deepest work we've heard from Herrman so far – and titles include "He'll Never Get Her", "Sara Sunbathing", "Room 1618", "Barcelona Daybreak", "She Wants Out", and "Sara Said Yes".

Really lovely work from Hamilton De Hollanda – the third entry in his Brasilianos series, and possibly the most compelling so far! Hamilton plays a 10 string mandolin with effortless ease – spinning out rich tones and colors that go far beyond traditional Brazilian use of a bandolim – and working in spacious territory that also includes harmonica from Gabriel Grossi, guitar from Daniel Santiago, bass from Andre Vasconcellos, and drums from Marcio Bahia. There's plenty of jazz inflections – and in ways, the album's almost like some of the best ECM sessions of this time from the late 70s – those few that really got the mix of modes right. Titles include "JK Proibido", "Prece Ao Santo Ceu", "Primeiras Ideias", "Saudades De Brasilia", "Saudades Do Rio", "Guerra E Paz", "Caos E Harmonia", and 'A Marcha Dos Candangos".

A great set from Rebbie Jackson – a batch of 80s groovers that's way different than work from siblings Michael or Janet – and done with a percolating sort of vibe that's quite different from some of the core projects of the rest of the Jacksons universe! Wayne Henderson handled most of the production for the set, and brings in a nice sense of class that pushes the work far from too-commercial soul – that strong balance that always makes his name on a record one key reason to check it out! There's still a bit of Jackson influence on the vocals – as Rebbie gets help from Michael, Tito, and Randy Jackson – alongside additional guest vocals from Gary Glenn, Patryce Banks, Maxie Anderson, and The Weather Girls. Titles include "Centipede", "Play Me", "Open Up To My Love", "Hey Boy", "Come Alive It's Saturday Night", "Ready for Love", and "A Fork In The Road". CD features bonus tracks "Eternal Love (single)", "I'm Just Gonna Love You", "Play Me (12" version)", "Play Me (12" inst)", "Come Alive It's Saturday Night (ext mix)", "Centipede (12" mix)", and "Centipede (12" inst)".