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Although the cover of the record includes a picture of Eddie's wife, Dinah Washington, and the "Friend" in the title would seem to imply that she's on the album, the set's really just a bunch of hard jazz cuts that showcase Eddie's screaming tenor sax, and which don't include Dinah's vocals. Not that that's a problem, though, because the record's a great one, and it's a good peek at player who was one of the biggest in Chicago during the 50's, and who had a loud hard R&B sound, in a mode that was similar to other Chicago players, such as Gene Ammons and Red Prysock. The record's got a number of originals by Chamblee, plus a few tracks written by Julian Priester and Dinah Washington (but did she really write them?). Titles include "Back Street", "Strollin Sax", "Village Square", and "Swing A Little Taste".

A soulful 70s set from Cheo Feliciano – cut-above salsa done in close collaboration with songwriter C Curet Alonso, who wrote most of the songs on the set! Bobby Valentin handles arrangements – and the groove here has that joyous, upbeat style of his own work at the time – pushed forward strongly with basslines from Bobby, plus Ray Barretto on congas, Vinnie Bell on guitar, Dave Carey on vibes, and Larry Harlow on piano. The core combo's nice and tight, and gives the album a personal feel that matches the tunes nicely – and titles include "Nabori", "Salome", "Guaguanco Te Dedico", and "Hace Furo", a nice jazzy mambo track.

A great spacey groove! "Your Best Friend" has an airy, spaced-out sort of feel – one that almost reminds us of some of the best Cali soul in recent years – a bit abstract, but right on the money – and with the vocals flanged out wonderfully next to the beats! "Look Around" has a bit more punch, but still some cool spacey modes too – a great cascading of sound that wraps up Lorett's vocals beautifully! When's the album coming? We're sure it's going to be a humdinger!

A fantastic sextet session recorded in 1961, shortly before Booker Little's death – and filled with all the promise and power he ever packed into his playing! There's a sharp, angular groove to many of the numbers here – that mix of modern and hardbop that was cresting best in the early 60s Blue Note generation – and which echoes some of the work that Little had done with Max Roach in the years before this date. The lineup's filled with great players to help Book realize his strongest musical vision – Julian Priester on trombone, George Coleman on tenor, Don Friedman on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – and although the set's issued on the sometimes-staid Bethlehem label, it's got all the sharper edges of an early 60s date on a label like Impulse or Candid! Titles include "Matilde", "Booker's Blues", "Forward Flight", and "Victory and Sorrow". CD features two bonus tracks – alternate versions of "Looking Ahead".

Tight and soulful blues from Little Milton – just the sort of record that helped him cross over to bigger audiences back in the day, and a set that still sounds plenty great all these many years later! The set was done in Chicago – arranged by James Mack, with backing vocals from Kitty & The Haywoods – and the sound is a sweet west side mix of rootsy and soulful elements – a blend that shows the same growing sophistication of the Malaco scene at the time, at a level that moves nicely away from college circuit blues cliches of the 70s. Milton's vocals are wonderful – raspy and appealing with a Tyrone Davis-like charm – and titles include "Friend Of Mine", "Don't Turn Away", "You're Gonna Make Me Cry", "It's All Bad News", "Sundown", "Bring It On Back", and "Baby It Ain't No Way".

A great collaboration between Oscar Brown Jr. and the breezy Brazilian singer Luiz Henrique! Henrique was one of Brown's "discoveries", as was Sivuca, who also plays and arranges on the LP – gracing it with his classic bossa/jazzy kind of groove. The whole thing's an excellent mix of Brown's raw vocal style with Henrique's light lilting Brazilian one – and the record's a lost crossover of styles that totally bears a new listen! Cuts include loads of originals, either by the individual members or written in collaboration. With "Listen to Me", "Finding a New Friend", "Barra Limpa", "Nothin' But a Fool", and "Dawn Comes Again".

A fantastic sextet session recorded in 1961, shortly before Booker Little's death – and filled with all the promise and power he ever packed into his playing! There's a sharp, angular groove to many of the numbers here – that mix of modern and hardbop that was cresting best in the early 60s Blue Note generation – and which echoes some of the work that Little had done with Max Roach in the years before this date. The lineup's filled with great players to help Book realize his strongest musical vision – Julian Priester on trombone, George Coleman on tenor, Don Friedman on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – and although the set's issued on the sometimes-staid Bethlehem label, it's got all the sharper edges of an early 60s date on a label like Impulse or Candid! Titles include "Matilde", "Booker's Blues", "Forward Flight", and "Victory and Sorrow".

A set cut by this fantastic vocal harmony trio as the roots era faded and gave way to dancehall's preeminence, though you'd hardly guess it from this excellent set. Linval Thompson keeps his game up as producer, with the mighty Roots Radics delivering the rhythms that are sweet, tight and right, just like the Meditations soaring harmonies! This reissue includes the 10 tracks of the original album, plus the 12" mix of "No More Friend" for 11 numbers in all, which also include "Fuss & Fight", "Carpenter Rebuild", "Talk Of The town", "Jack On Top", "Book Of History" and "Big City".

A sweetly dreamy little album recorded by Daevid Allen away from Gong – working here with his drum-less group Euterpe, described in the notes as "an amazing bunch of catalunatics"! The record was recorded in a home studio in Majorca, and has a really relaxed feel – one that's somewhat spare and intimate, but with a lyrically sing-song sort of approach – one that only further pulls out the more playful side of Allen's vocals. Instrumentation includes mandolin, moog, bass, and guitar – and the approach is almost a prog folk move into the territory of Syd Barrett. Titles include "Children Of The New World", "Spirit", "Song Of Satisfaction", "Have You Seen My Friend", "French Garden", and "Wise Man In Your Heart". CD also features the bonus track "Euterpe Gratitude Piece".

A return to Stax by Rance Allen – his first album for the label after a stellar set for Capitol, and a much smoother set than before! Rance has learned from his work with Larry Mizell on Capitol, and is using a warmer glide on his tracks on this set – arrangements mostly done by producer Henry Cosby, used to kick Rance's sound up to a smoother modern soul kind of sound. The overall groove isn't as spacious as his work on Capitol, but the record's still pretty darn nice – and given Rance's always-great vocals, we tend to love just about anything he does. Titles include "Stand Up For Love", "I Belong To You", "Joy", "Security", "California Gold", "I Found A Friend", and "The Wheel Of Life".

A pair of mid 70s album by Bobby Bare – the ambitious, concept-driven Hard Time Hungrys – and the easygoing The Winners & Other Losers – two worthy efforts from one the most unique voices and personalities of his era! Both albums are heavy with songs written by Bare family friend and frequent songwriting partner Shel Silverstein. Johnny Cash gets all the mainstream attention for collaborating with Shel on "A Boy Named Sue", but Shel and Bare have a far richer collaborative history together. Home For The Hungrys tells the story of the impoverished, with the title track, "Back Home In Huntsville Again", "Bottles And Boxes", "Truck Driver, Truck Driver", "The Unemployment Line" and more. The Winners And Other Losers is simply a great batch of tunes, sans concept, with the enduring "Drop Kick Me Jesus", "My Better Half", "Keeping Rosie Proud Of Me" and more. 24 tracks in all.

Biz's second LP from 1989 – what can we tell you about the Biz that you don't already know? As far as we're concerned there's a lot of MC's that could learn a lesson or two from the Biz, and producers too. Good time middle school hip hop, with nice sample based production and a great sense of humor, that makes us nostalgic for the late 80s early 90s glory days of hip hop. 13 tracks in all, with the cuts "Spring Again", "Just A Friend", "A Thing Named Kim", "The Dragon", "Things Get A Little Easier", "I Hear Music", "Biz In Harmony", "Check It Out" and more.

Biz's second LP from 1989 – what can we tell you about the Biz that you don't already know? As far as we're concerned there are a lot of MCs that could still learn a lesson or two from the Biz, and producers too! Good time mid school hip hop, with nice sample based production and a great sense of humor, that makes us nostalgic for the late 80s early 90s glory days. 13 tracks in all, with the cuts "Spring Again", "Just A Friend", "A Thing Named Kim", "The Dragon", "Things Get A Little Easier", "I Hear Music", "Biz In Harmony", "Check It Out" and more.

Deep southern soul from vocalists Chuck Brooks, Joe Wilson and George Soule – a both gritty and and some sweeter material cut at Malaco Studios, mostly in the early-to-mid 70s – with some rare 45 numbers, and others that were never issued at all! The Chuck Brooks tracks are wonderful and show a real range, from funky, stripped down numbers to bigger productions that still have plenty soulful grit to them! The Joe Wilson tunes are just as strong – with a heavy bottom end to the rhythms, organ and vamping soul guitar in the mix, and uniquely emotive vocals from Chuck. The set's closed out by a trio of tunes by George Soule, solid, moody, a mix of soul, a bit of southern rock & pop, and Motown ballad influences. Really incredible stuff! Includes "Loneliness (Is A Friend Of Mine)", "Baby Please Don't Set Me Free", "You Can't Be In Two Places At The Same Time", "Once Up A Love Affair" and more by Chuck Brooks, "(Don't Let Them) Blow Your Mind", "Sweetness", "When A Man Cries", "Our Love Is Strong", "Don't Look Back", "Go On And Live", "Walking Away From True Love" and more by Joe Wilson, "Talking About Love", "The Easiest Think I've Ever Done" and "That's Why I'm A Man" by George Soule. 25 tracks in all!

Billed on the back as a "dynamic new singer", Marilyn's got a style that makes you feel like she's stepped off a stage – nice and swinging, with a bit of a showy approach, but relatively restrained overall. Arrangements have a nice bit of jazz, and were put together and conducted by Bob Florence – and titles include "Will He Like Me", "The Gentleman Is A Dope", "Like Love", "Cross Your Heart", "On The Other Side Of The Tracks", "Dear Friend", and "Since I've Been To You".

A cooker from this Chicago living legend – and proof that the passage of time hasn't dimmed the talents of Eddie Campbell at all! Eddie's firmly in the lead on vocals and guitar – plus a bit of harmonica, too – and the setting is mostly stripped-down, with the kind of no-nonsense contemporary blues production you'd expect from Delmark – almost a back-to-basics mode that really fits the music. Lurrie Bell guests on a few tracks – and titles include "Brownout", "I Do", "Call My Mama", "I Don't Understand This Woman", "Boomerang", "Starlight", "All My Life", "Skin Tight", and "My Friend".

Sublime southern soul from one of the greats! James Carr is right up there with the best of the 60s – Otis Redding, Arthur Conley, Joe Tex, and others – but he never made it as big as them because of personal troubles and bad planning on the part of his label and management. Fortunately, his genius has been kept alive by record collectors everywhere – for whom this rare gem is a holy grail! The album features 11 tunes that sum up the best of the south in the 60s – all sung by James with his unbelievably heartbreaking voice. Titles include "The Dark End Of The Street", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "A Woman Is A Man's Best Friend", "I'm A Fool For You", "Stronger Than Love", "More Love", and "Sowed Love & Reaped A Heartache".

What can we say? This is the ultimate Miles Davis album – the one that includes so many songs that we've heard way too much in Starbucks, in retail stores, or at a friend's house who claims to be a "jazz expert", but is really a yuppie dilettante. Yet somehow, over all the years, and all those playings, the record manages to still sound fantastic – a truly inspirational piece of music that's long deserved all the attention it gets! The legendary group on the album includes John Coltrane on tenor, Cannonball Adderley on alto, Bill Evans on piano, and Paul Chambers on bass – working with Miles in a relatively modal style, with brilliant rhythm changes and a wonderful sense of space. The whole thing's sublime – and titles include "Blue In Green", "All Blues", "So What", and "Freddie Freeloader".

Two post-CTI gems from Deodato – back to back on a single CD! Whirlwinds is sweet keyboard soul from Deodato – a set that steps off nicely from the strengths of his big hits on CTI, hitting a similarly flowing groove that's really great! The instrumentation here is a bit more expanded than before, but never in a way that buries the keyboards – and Deodato's right out front on a range of electric keys that get some great support from John Tropea's finely-honed work on guitar! Titles include "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "West 42nd Street", and a nice cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again". And heck, even the album's version of Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" manages to come off like a funk tune! Artistry is a live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin".

A wonderful album of hip jazzy vocals from Urszula Dudziak – an amazing singer who was sort of Poland's version of Flora Purim! Like Flora, Urszula had a fierce scatting and riffing style that broke way past the work of earlier female jazz singers – and she always applied this style to some wonderfully catchy arrangements and tight grooves, using the voice as a heavily fused-up instrument. Also like Flora, Urszula had some good help from her husband – Polish jazz legend Michal Urbaniak, who produced and played on the album, along with friend of the family, the wonderful altoist Zbigniew Namyslovski. Tracks include a great version of Komeda's "The Cats", plus the tracks "Moontag", "Future Talk", "Klick", "Quiet Afternoon", and "Double Bounce".

Arranged by Van McCoy – with tracks that include "I'm Ready For A New Love", "Keep Me Baby", "Don't Pity Me", "You Never Were My Friend", "Find What You Need", and "People In Love Oughta Be Together".

Modern avant pop from Brooklyn with love for the 80s post-punk and post-disco gamechangers – dancefloor ready acts from Liquid Liquid to ESG to Tom Tom Club – though done with a hooky, contemporary vibe! It's irresistible stuff to us – we couldn't shrug it off, even if we tried to. Lovely feminine vocals and a breezy pace keeps the Friends vibe inviting all the way through, though underneath that is a diverse bed of instruments and influences. Friends draws from the same pool of influences as a ton of their hip peers, but to us, Friends pull it with a lot more charm. Titles include "Friend Crush", "Home", "A Life", "Ruins", "Proud/Ashamed", "Sorry", "A Think Like This", "Ideas On Ghosts", "Stay Dreaming" and "Mind Control".

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". This great deluxe edition from Truth & Soul comes inside a beautifully done, 80-page booklet – full of rare photos of the band in action and behind-the-scenes – plus richly detailed notes.

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

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. We expected a blues & soul covers set when we first heard that this project was in the works – and while the prospect of these 2 fellows working together on the classic Americana songbook sounds like a pretty good idea to us – we're actually all the more impressed with this all originals take on classic styled craft. A bit of blues and blues rock, a bit of gospel, and a bit of southern styled folk soul – and a bunch of great songs! It's a full band set up for the most part, too, as opposed to a spare duos set – and the titles include "Don't Look Twice", "I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone", "We Can't End This Way", "You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend), "I Ride At Dawn", "Get Up!", "She Got Kick", "Blood Side Out" and "All That Matters Now".

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. We expected a blues & soul covers set when we first heard that this project was in the works – and while the prospect of these 2 fellows working together on the classic Americana songbook sounds like a pretty good idea to us – we're actually all the more impressed with this all originals take on classic styled craft. A bit of blues and blues rock, a bit of gospel, and a bit of southern styled folk soul – and a bunch of great songs! It's a full band set up for the most part, too, as opposed to a spare duos set – and the titles include "Don't Look Twice", "I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone", "We Can't End This Way", "You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend), "I Ride At Dawn", "Get Up!", "She Got Kick", "Blood Side Out" and "All That Matters Now". Deluxe edition comes with a bonus making-of DVD with additional live versions of a few of the tunes!

The first full length collaboration between blues, soul and rock slide guitar eclecticist Ben Harper and harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite – and it's win for both – with a vibe that's rooted in many traditions, but feels right at home in both Harper's and Musselwhite's wheelhouses. We expected a blues & soul covers set when we first heard that this project was in the works – and while the prospect of these 2 fellows working together on the classic Americana songbook sounds like a pretty good idea to us – we're actually all the more impressed with this all originals take on classic styled craft. A bit of blues and blues rock, a bit of gospel, and a bit of southern styled folk soul – and a bunch of great songs! It's a full band set up for the most part, too, as opposed to a spare duos set – and the titles include "Don't Look Twice", "I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone", "We Can't End This Way", "You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend), "I Ride At Dawn", "Get Up!", "She Got Kick", "Blood Side Out" and "All That Matters Now".

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

A really nice later set from legendary Texas blues titan Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins – done up for the Jewel label with a bit of the spark that was missing from the hit & miss work he did earlier in the decade for Bluesville! Blue Lightnin' also has a down and dirty style in spots, too – such as on the sinister "Back Door Friend" – the kind of thing that might have put off the academic market his previous label was shooting for! Other titles include "Found My Baby Crying", "Move On Out" (parts 1 & 2), "Fishing Clothes", "Gamblers Blues", "Wig Wearing Woman", "Last Affair", "Daddy Was A Preacher", "Jail House Blues", "I Hate I Got Married", "Lovin' Arms" and more.

A great and rare solo guitar record by Lena Hughes – issued here by Tompkins Square – a label that's put out some of the best fingerstyle guitar folk releases in recent memory – in both the contemporary and archival realms! Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar is an archival release in their Long Gone Sound Series – and it's one of best yet! Lena, born in 1904, was rural Missourian amateur guitarist and mainstay at Ozarks area folk festivals. This record is her one-and-only known album – and though she's also remembered as a fine fiddler and banjo player, it finds her focusing on flat top guitar in the tradition of 19th century parlor music. Warm and wonderful stuff – as inviting as anything we've heard on Tompkins Square. Includes "Pearly Dew", "Under The Double Eagle", "Letter Edged In Black", "Blue Heaven", "Galloway Bay", "You Are The Only Star Of My Blue Heaven", "Spanish Fan-Dango", "Kentucky Moon Waltz", "Silver Treads Among The Gold", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and"Cedar Brook Waltz".

A great and rare solo guitar record by Lena Hughes – issued here by Tompkins Square – a label that's put out some of the best fingerstyle guitar folk releases in recent memory – in both the contemporary and archival realms! Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar is an archival release in their Long Gone Sound Series – and it's one of best yet! Lena, born in 1904, was rural Missourian amateur guitarist and mainstay at Ozarks area folk festivals. This record is her one-and-only known album – and though she's also remembered as a fine fiddler and banjo player, it finds her focusing on flat top guitar in the tradition of 19th century parlor music. Warm and wonderful stuff – as inviting as anything we've heard on Tompkins Square. Includes "Pearly Dew", "Under The Double Eagle", "Letter Edged In Black", "Blue Heaven", "Galloway Bay", "You Are The Only Star Of My Blue Heaven", "Spanish Fan-Dango", "Kentucky Moon Waltz", "Silver Treads Among The Gold", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and"Cedar Brook Waltz".

Sparkling modern soul from the lovely Phyllis Hyman – and an album that has the singer picking up the wonderfully smooth groove that had become the Philly International sound of the mid 80s. This format works surprisingly well for Phyllis – quite possibly more so than it did even for longer-running artists on the label – as it gives her a great showcase for the more sophisticated and adult sort of themes that were really emerging in her music, the kind of classy soul that Hyman helped forge strongly at the time. Titles include the great numbers "Old Friend", "Ain't You Had Enough Love", "If You Want Me", "Living All Alone", and a nice version of "What You Won't Do For Love".

One of the greatest jazz rock albums to come out of the British scene at the end of the 60s – a record that's filled with tight changes, bluesy overtones, and some wonderfully choppy moments – all played by a legendary lineup that includes Terry Smith on guitar, John Healing on organ, and Dick Morrissey and Dave Quincy on saxes and flute! Healing sings on a number of the tracks, but the vocals never dominate too much – and instead often let the instrumentation really take center stage, showing off the group's chops at their progressive best. Titles include some great long groovers like "What Did I Say About The Box, Jack?", "What Can A Friend Say", and "The Promised Land" – as well as shorter numbers that include "I'm Reaching Out On All Sides", "Woman Can You See", and "Raise The Level Of Your Conscious Mind". CD features 2 bonus tracks – 7" versions of tunes on the album!

The first in the Lost Scrolls series of unreleased J Dilla recordings – and a pretty strong representation of Dilla's strength son a few different levels – with a couple cuts featuring Dilla on the mic , a prime level (almost) instrumental, plus a nice one with rhymes by his brother Illa J with friend and favorite Detroit player Frank Nitt! Yancey family friend Nitt put the project together, and he's off to a good start here. So few are the posthumous releases of music by departed heroes and heroines that are worthy of their legacies, that it's all the more gratifying! This is a promising first look at the Lost Scrolls! Includes "Dewitt To Do It" and "Smack A B**ch" both with rhymes by Dilla, "The Throwaway" by The Yancey Boys (J Dilla & Illa J) featuring Frank Nitt joining Illa J on the rhymes, plus the Dilla instrumental "Ruff And Rugged".

Incredible vocals from Jan & Dean – a set that really has the duo taking off wonderfully – with soaring harmonies that are even better than before! The pair were already great from the start, but their singing really hits the limit here – often working with a bit less backings than on other albums, which means that there's even more creative arrangements on the vocals – and a lot more vocal parts taking the place of instruments – a bit like some of the more pyrotechnic east coast vocal groups from a few years before. Titles include "Linda", "Surfin", "Mr Bass Man", "Surfin Safari", "When I Learn How To Cry", "The Gypsy Cried", "The Best Friend I Ever Had", and "Rhythm Of The Rain".

A sweet set of grooves from this cool Italian combo – served up with just the sort of retro style you'd guess from the cover! There's a strong influence here from older soundtrack modes – particularly Italian ones – no surprise, given that the album's on the film score reissue Cinedelic label, and really fits in with some of their classic work! The group take on a few older Italian soundtrack themes, and add in their own songs too – and they definitely have some of the Brazilian elements promised by their name, but in addition to bossa and samba, this also means some fuzzy psych as well – some of the heavier modes of the 70s generation, touched with a bit of cop/crime funk from the Italian scene of that era too. Vocals are in English and Italian – and titles include great remakes of "Metti Una Sera A Cena", "Femina Ridens", and "Goodby My Friend" – plus "Doping 2000", "La Donna Dei Miei Guai", "Gira Gira", "Clavinet Et Chase", "Drugs & Violence", and "Deep Throat".

A sweet set of grooves from this cool Italian combo – served up with just the sort of retro style you'd guess from the cover! There's a strong influence here from older soundtrack modes – particularly Italian ones – no surprise, given that the album's on the film score reissue Cinedelic label, and really fits in with some of their classic work! The group take on a few older Italian soundtrack themes, and add in their own songs too – and they definitely have some of the Brazilian elements promised by their name, but in addition to bossa and samba, this also means some fuzzy psych as well – some of the heavier modes of the 70s generation, touched with a bit of cop/crime funk from the Italian scene of that era too. Vocals are in English and Italian – and titles include great remakes of "Metti Una Sera A Cena", "Femina Ridens", and "Goodby My Friend" – plus "Doping 2000", "La Donna Dei Miei Guai", "Gira Gira", "Clavinet Et Chase", "Drugs & Violence", and "Deep Throat".

Some of the deepest soul to ever come from a Detroit label – a great run of singles cut by Denise LaSalle for the Westbound label – all of them pretty darn wonderful! Denise has roots that start in Mississippi, and she spent plenty of time in Chicago – so by the time she hit Westbound, she had a great interstate approach that really pulled some great styles together! In a way, these sides were crucial in helping push southern soul forward in the 70s – not just in the production, which was tight, but never too smooth – and which helped give her bluesy inflections a hip, modern sort of mode – one that was often well-suited to the subtle gender politics of the tracks too. Ace did a great job with this smoking set – and not only includes all the key singles, both a-sides and b-sides – but even throws in some great notes, and a few rare radio spots too! Titles include "Do Me Right", "Man Sized Job", "Trapped By A Thing Called Love", "Keep It Coming", "Here I Am Again", "My Brand On You", "What Am I Doing Wrong", "Don't Nobody Live Here", and "Your Man & Your Best Friend".

A rare document of a short-lived slice of the King Kong myth – a Saturday morning cartoon in which Kong was the friend of some little kids in the jungle, and a much less threatening force than when climbing the Empire State Building! The soundtrack offers capsulized episodes of the show – with music by Jules Bass & Maury Laws, plus narrated adventures by Bob McFadden, voices from the show, and even a bit of sound effects! Adventures include "Under The Volcano", "Dr Who", "The Treasure Trap", and "The African Bees" – as well as nice versions of the cool theme song!

Money, minks, and a diamond tiara – whatever Julie wants, it's pretty well laid out in the album's cover image! The set's a slinky swinger that definitely follows in the spirit of the title track "Whatever Lola Wants" – that postwar vampy sort of groove that Peggy Lee was doing so well over at Capitol – a natural fit here for Julie London, given the naturally sensuous quality of her singing! The backings have just the right sort of sexy bounce for the themes – and London sexes it up even more than usual, really adding some great life to tunes that include "Love For Sale", "Why Don't You Do Right", "My Heart Belongs To Daddy", "Take Back Your Mink", "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend", and "An Occasional Man".

A great little album from Pat Lundy – an enigmatic talent who crops up a number of times over the years – but always on different record labels, and always with a slightly different sound and style! This album's one of Pat's best – and has her working in a sophisticated soul style that's a lot like Marlena Shaw, with but some deep soul undercurrents too – a really great blend that was way ahead of its time when first issued back in 1973 – and a set that's still unlike most other records we can think of! Burt Keyes handles the arrangements, and he gives the whole thing a great sense of class right from the start – but also knows how to hit some funkier moments too, which really let Lundy unlock the bolder side of her vocals. Titles include "Only Love Spoken Here", "What Is Love", "Friend Of Mine", "Love Child", "He's The Father Of My Children", "No More Tears To Cry", and "I've Never Been A Woman Before".

An incredibly captivating album of female soul – unlike anything else we can think of! Side one features a suite of tracks that details an ill-fated love affair in 4 modes: Introduction, Hoping, Final Attempt, and The Next Time – all done in a mode that mixes standard southern soul with these deeper monologues delivered by Tami in between each track! Lynn performs the work in a starkly intimate style that sends chills down our spine – and which makes you feel like you're listening in on her talking to her best friend – very cool, very personal, and deeper than most other work of its type. Side two is back on the regular tip – with shorter songs overall – but Tami does a pretty good job its range of mellow southern ballads and a few more uptempo numbers. Titles include a version of Andre Williams "Mojo Hanna", plus "Ain't No Soul", "One Night Of Sin", "Love Is Here & Now You're Gone", and "That's Understanding".

Lovely vocals from British singer Millicent Martin – working here in an easygoing mode with lush backdrops from Tony Osborne! Millicent's big fame at the time was her key appearance in The Boy Friend – and she's definitely got a style here that echoes the era of that show – not an older style of singing, but kind of a rich approach that's different than other late 50s singers. Tony's backings balance things out nicely – never too overdone, and really letting Martin's rich vocals take the lead on all the tracks – as full and fluid as the strings in the backdrops themselves. Titles include "Dream", "The Song Is Ended", "In The Blue Of The Evening", "Imagination", "Sand In My Shoes", and "When Your Lover Has Gone".

One of the 2 terrific records ex-Fairport Convention singer-songwriter Ian Matthews cut for the Vertigo label in the early 70s – built around Matthews wonderful vocals and acoustic guitars, but with a tighter rhythmic backdrop the the typical post folk trope! The key here is warmth – particularly in Ian's vocals, which carries over on some great little tunes! Tracks include "Tigers Will Survive", "Midnight On The Water", "Right Before My Eye", "Hope You Know ", "Please Be My Friend ", "House Of Unamerican Blues Activity Dream", and "The Only Dancer". Also includes the bonus track "Devil In Disguise".

Early work from Topeka, KS psychedelia and garage-tinged rockers Morning Dew – mixing hooky guitar rocker with a fuzzy sound and charisma to spare – a collection their mid-to-late 60s singles and unreleased material! We were hipped to the group via their fantastic At Last LP cut for Roulette a little later, but this earlier work cuts nearly as deep. There's just the right amount of grit to the recordings, balanced by a knack for catchy rockers and charismatic vocals. 19 tracks in all! Includes "No More" (unreleased alternate version), a cover of "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone", "Look At Me Now", "Be A Friend", "Go Away", "Sycamore Dreamer", "Sing Out", "Young Man", "Cherry Street" and more. 14 tracks in all.

Music that really made the career of drummer Paul Motian – work that firmly established his power as a leader in the 70s, and showed the world that he had a huge range of music to offer beyond his initial fame with Bill Evans! Motian works here both on percussion and a standard drum kit – often in ways that intertwine rhythmic and melodic elements, in the freer structures that ECM helped unleash in the 70s – modes that often show a spiritual side to Paul's music that would have been unexpected a decade before – wrapped up in the company of some fresh young talents from the underground! Players on the dates include Keith Jarrett on piano, Leroy Jenkins on violin, Becky Friend on flute, Charles Brackeen on tenor and soprano sax, Joe Lovano on tenor, Bill Frisell on guitar, Billy Drewes on alto and tenor, David Izenzon and Charlie Haden on bass, and Sam Brown on guitar – and the 6 CD set features the full albums Conception Vessel, Tribute, Dance, Le Voyage, Psalm, and It Should've Happened A Long Time Ago.

A great little set from One Way – post disco Detroit dancefloor soul of the first order! There a crisp, tight bubbling sound that's pretty wonderful – and warm in the spots where so many records of the period and cold and mechanical. The tunes bounce along nicely with production from Al Perkins, and some nice bass work by Kevin McCord. The album includes the nicely snapping funky tune "Hold It" – plus "Pull Fancy Dance/Pull". "Burn It", "Your Love Is All I Need", "He Is My Friend", "Get Up", and "Show Me" – plus bonus track "Let's Talk".

The long-overdue release of an album that should have been a Neo Soul classic! The team of Otis Cooper and Shugg David recorded this gem of a set back in the mid 90s along with help from longtime friend and producer Raphael Saadiq – but due to shifting priorities at the major label, the set was shelved and is only now finally seeing the light of day! Despite the wait, though, the album bristles with electricity and has a totally fresh sound – bubbling over with the warmth and soul of the best Saadiq production work of the time, and hitting a vibe that's almost in the same mode as his own recent Ray Ray recordings. But even more charming are the talents of Otis & Shugg – two down-to-earth vocalists who work in a style that's nicely free of cliché, and which really shows them setting a tone that would be followed by many other make singers in the Neo Soul years to come. Titles include "Right On Track", "Fantasy", "If You Want It", "My First Mistake", "Round & Round", "Indiana", "This Is My Phone Call", and "Something Inside Of Me".

A largely unheard psychedelic gem from the end of the 60s – originally private pressed by the group of suburban NY teenagers responsible for the wild sound! There's a cosmic rock groove and a bit of doe-eyed innocence in these cute odes to mind expansion – with freewheeling guitars, hand percussion, keys and a conversational vocal style that sounds like a wildly tripping, speak-singing Neil Young! Titles include "Flower", "Nostalgia Trip", "Reflections", "Do You Think About Me?", "White Light", "Relax", "My Lonely Friend", "Andrea", and "The Goodnight Song" – plus bonus tracks that include demos and live recordings!

Brilliant work from Sun Ra – and one of his rarest LPs! This double LP set was recorded with only a quartet – John Gilmore on tenor, Michael Ray on trumpet, Luqman Ali on drums, and Ra on keyboards. The album's got a number of tracks that are relatively straight – at least for Ra – and which are played with a wonderful edge that makes them instantly compelling, sounding almost like obscure indie soul jazz sides from the east coast underground of the mid 70s. The feel on most numbers is very different than Ra's usual work, and the record sparkles with a genius that makes us wish someone would get the Horo catalog reissued sometime soon! Includes the sublime vocal tune "When There Is No Sun", plus the original tracks "The Horo", "Moon People", "Rome At Twilight", and "Friend & Friendship" – plus a very nice cover of "My Favorite Things"!

Minnie's last LP – or at least the last LP released while she was alive – and a wonderful batch of jazzy modern soul cuts that gives a good indication of the direction that Minnie might have gone in the 80s. The album's got plenty of great guest players – including Minnie's longtime fan/friend Stevie Wonder, plus Phil Upchurch, Jose Feliciano, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and many others – and production is handled by the usual Rudolph/Riperton team, with help from Henry Lewy. Includes the great track "Memory Lane", which gets endless airplay here in Chicago, plus the beautiful ballad "Never Existed Before", and the cuts "I'm A Woman", "Lover & Friend", and "Return To Forever".

2 incredible albums from 70s soul legend Minnie Riperton – back to back on one nicely-priced CD! Stay In Love is is one of the key albums of Minnie's career – recorded when she was at the height of her power, forging a whole new soul sound that mixed her incredible voice with jazzy modern arrangements that were a few years ahead of most of the other singers at her level. The album's subtitled "A Romantic Fantasy Set To Music", and it features a swirling mix of ballads and uptempo tunes – all with a sexy sound, and some of the most seductive vocals that Minnie ever recorded. Includes the club groover "Young Willing & Able", plus "Can You Feel What I'm Saying?", "Gettin' Ready for Your Love", "Could It Be I'm In Love", and the great "Stick Together", written with Stevie Wonder. Minnie was the last album released before Riperton passed away from a tragic early death – and it's a wonderful batch of jazzy modern soul cuts that gives a good indication of the direction that Minnie might have gone in the 80s! The album's got plenty of great guest players – including Minnie's longtime fan/friend Stevie Wonder, plus Phil Upchurch, Jose Feliciano, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and many others – and production is handled by the usual Rudolph/Riperton team, with help from Henry Lewy. Includes the great track "Memory Lane", which gets endless airplay here in Chicago, plus the beautiful ballad "Never Existed Before", and the cuts "I'm A Woman", "Lover & Friend", and "Return To Forever". 17 tracks on one CD!

One of the strongest albums by Rockie Robbins – and they're all pretty darn great – thanks to some sweet production and arrangements from the team of Skip Scarborough and Jerry Peters! Skip and Jerry bring a nice sense of smoothness to Rockie's Chicago-forged sound – expanding his sound with fuller arrangements than before, and creating a style here that's tight and professional, yet never slick or poppy. Titles include "Time To Think", "I Believe In Love", "My Old Friend", "Look Before You Leap", "Give Our Love A Chance", "An Act Of Love", "I'll Turn To You", "For You For Love", and "Talk To Me".

An overlooked Sonny Rollins set from the early 80s – one that has him recording with a fair bit of guitar, but still staying very much in his best form as an improviser! The group here features both Bobby Broom on electric guitar, and Yoshiaki Masuo on acoustic and electric – both players who get in plenty of sound during the set, but always as a follow-up to Rollins' bold tenor voice in the lead. Remaining group members include Bob Cranshaw on electric bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and although the electric strings might normally make for a smooth sort of record, Sonny's sharper sound still brings plenty of edge – even when the rhythms of a few tunes get a bit bright. Titles include "My Little Brown Book", "Reel Life", "McGhee", "Rosita's Best Friend", and "Best Wishes".

Billed as "an infant's friend in sound" these Soothing Sounds albums were issued in the early 60's as an electronic aid to mothers with new babies. In reality, though, the records are these amazing bits of early electronic music, put together by the legendary Raymond Scott (known best to the world for his famous cartoon music decades before!) Scott was an electronic music pioneer, and these albums were put together by him on his own contraptions, in conjunction with the Gesell Institute of Child Development. We can't say for sure how well the "science" of this one works, but the sound is amazing, and the reissue quality is excellent! Very nice image, very nice notes, and a great set of wild sounds!

A pretty great little project – a surprising turn for Slakah The Beat Child – working here as the leader of this groovy little group! The music has a lot less "beat" than before – and plenty of the warm sunny tones you might guess from the cover – a beautiful blend of soul and solid songwriting, with a genre-crossing approach that could well make these guys huge in years to come! Tunes are very well-written – and inflected by core instrumentation that often includes sweet violin, cello, and flute – which make for a great addition to Slakah's acoustic guitar, and the nicely punctuated rhythms that really get things going. The album's a great surprise – one of those special discoveries you'll be proud to get in on early – and titles include "Dream On", "Speed Of Time", "The Other Side Of Tomorrow", "Dear Lucy", "Keep Breathing", "Call Me Your Friend", "Beneath It All", and "Perfect Summer".

A pretty great little project – a surprising turn for Slakah The Beat Child – working here as the leader of this groovy little group! The music has a lot less "beat" than before – and plenty of the warm sunny tones you might guess from the cover – a beautiful blend of soul and solid songwriting, with a genre-crossing approach that could well make these guys huge in years to come! Tunes are very well-written – and inflected by core instrumentation that often includes sweet violin, cello, and flute – which make for a great addition to Slakah's acoustic guitar, and the nicely punctuated rhythms that really get things going. The album's a great surprise – one of those special discoveries you'll be proud to get in on early – and titles include "Dream On", "Speed Of Time", "The Other Side Of Tomorrow", "Dear Lucy", "Keep Breathing", "Call Me Your Friend", "Beneath It All", and "Perfect Summer".

A seminal early recording from one of our favorite reed players ever! In the late 1950s, the young Frank Strozier came up to Chicago from Memphis, along with his longtime friend, pianist Harold Mabern. The two of them both settled nicely in the city's MJT+3 combo, where they proceeded to recorde some incredible hardbop sessions for Vee Jay. During that same time, Strozier began to emerge as a strong soloist and a competent leader in his own right, and Vee Jay gave him a much-needed crack at this debut album. The session's a perfect showcase for Strozier's lyrical beauty, and given the quality of the work, it's a wonder he was never more famous. The group's a quintet, and Strozier's ably teamed with Booker Little, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. Titles include "WK Blues", "Waltz Of The Demons", "Runnin", and "Off Shore".

A great little set from Sylvester – 3 sides recorded live in San Francisco, one more recorded in the studio! All the sides have a complicated approach to the groove – larger orchestrations that really show Syl pushing his conception of soul to the max, sounding really wonderful, and almost a bit jazzy on the best tracks – much more than the colder dancefloor act of later years, and with a depth of soul that should have made him rank right up there with some of the more righteous soul geniuses of the 70s. Tracks include "Body Strong", "Blackbird", "Happiness", "Lover Man", "You Are My Friend", "Can't Stop Dancing", "In My Fantasy", and "Sharing Something Perfect Between Ourselves".

After Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker came head to head with James Brown in the mid 70s, they broke off and formed the Horny Horns contingent – a tight funky backing section that's featured on a number of late 70s funk sessions, and which also recorded some extremely nice numbers on their own! This first album has the group working with George Clinton and Bootsy, who was a friend of Fred and Maceo from the old days – and who could really use the tight playing of some James Brown-trained musicians to smooth out their groove. This album was the group's first – and it's still their best – forging a massive new funk sound with the best elements of the old JBs fused through Clinton and Bootsy's P-Funk filter. Includes the monster funk cut "Fourplay" – a standout classic that features a funky break, hard solos, and all the other elements you'd need to make a great funky instrumental. Other tracks include "Between The Sheets", "Peace Fugue", and a version of "Up For The Down Stroke".

A massive blend of funk, soul, and gospel – from a small side label in the TK Records universe of the 70s! The sound is like some of the best soul LPs on TK from the time, and the arrangements have a nice warm feel – plenty of sweet Miami elements in the music, especially in the rhythms, which really know how to groove! The King James Version is comprised of five female singers, working with the warmth and depth you might get with Voices Of East Harlem – and they're arranged by keyboardist Gloster Williams, who also wrote some of the material, and delivers these solid lines that really hold the whole thing together. Most of the tracks have a distinct vocal lead, with harmony backing in the style of The Sweet Inspirations – and the album's honestly the sort of set you'd expect to hear on Atlantic Records in the early 70s – given the depth and feeling in the music. Titles include "What Good Is A Song", "There's Not A Friend", "Touch My Life", "No, Not One", and "Get Ready For This".

Robert Wyatt in brilliant form in the late 90s – and with quite an all star line up! Here Wyatt is joined by Eno, Phil Manzanera, Philip Catherine, Paul Weller and Evan Parker amongst others. It's wonderful stuff in some of his more pastoral, elegantly furnished style – certainly among his better work of the later years. Titles include "Heaps Of Sheeps", "The Duchess", "Maryan", "Was A Friend", "Free Will & Testament", "September The Ninth", 'Alien", "Out Of Season", "A Sunday In Madrid", "Blues In Bob Minor" and "The Whole Point Of No Return".

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.

A heady batch of soul from the Nashville scene – music from a place normally associated with country and western, but a surprisingly great source for funky sounds in the late 60s! Most of the cuts here appear to come from the Sound Stage Seven family of labels – music that still holds its southern roots, but which also has a feel that's a bit more upbeat, and sometimes more northern than other work of the time – especially given that the set's heavy on groovers for the dancefloor! Titles include "That One" by Fantastics, "Just Another Heartache" by Little Richie, "Breakaway" by Valentines, "Me & You" by The Fantastics, "Lover Come Back" by Jackie Beavers, "Suzy's Serenade" by Bob Wilson, "You're Gonna Need Me" by Ted Ford, "I Still Love You" by Ann Sexton, "Til I Get It Right" by Willie Hobbs, "If You Really Need A Friend" by Bobby Foster, and "Shake Off That Dream" by Eddie Billups.

An excellent collection of rare regional gospel recordings from the 60s through the 80s – all of them with a timeless feel that really fits other collections of this nature from Mississippi Records! Despite the vintage of the tracks, most of them have a very spare sound – just vocals and a bit of instrumentation, usually guitar or organ – a raw, rootsy approach that's completely sublime, and which shows that the best gospel modes are still going strong, as long as you know where to look! The voice is supreme in most numbers – and titles include "Time Has Made A Change" by Southern Jubilees, "Ain't It Sweet" by Southland Missionary Singers, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" by Fantastic Voices Of Joy, "What Time Is It" by Ethel Profit, "Up Above My Head" by Rev R Henderson, and "Your Close Friends" by Ike Gordon.

An excellent album of vocals that's one of the best vocal jazz sessions ever cut on Bethlehem! It's also one of the rarest, and comes packaged in a cool purple, white, and black cover with Connelly stretched out in a montage of some very Laura Petrie-ish images! The backing's by a hip group led by Russ Garcia, and featuring Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Mariano, Bill Holman, and Pete Candoli. Tracks include "Gentleman Friend", "Alone Together", "That Old Black Magic", "Why Shouldn't I", and "Trav'lin Light".

Tracks include "Work That Body", "We Got To Work It Out", "When You Touch Me", and "Just Be A Friend". Music by Sunship, with Bernard Wright on keyboards!

Much more of a hard rock affair than the group's third LP – kind of a return to the heavy guitars of Da Capo after the baroque beauty of Forever Changes – but a stone winner nonetheless! Arthur Lee's genius is still firmly in place, and although there's a back to basics rock feel on the record, it's still touched by the madness that haunted earlier records – and crackles with a drugged-up intensity that would still make it a hell of an album, even if it was the only one the band ever recorded! Titles include "Robert Montgomery", "I'm With You", "Your Friend & Mine – Neil's Song", "August", "Always See Your Face", "Talking In My Sleep", "Nothing", and "Dream".

Spiritual sounds for the dancefloor – a completely compelling mix of disco and gospel modes, served up here with some of the best-ever examples of the style! Given the decades of crossing between the secular and spiritual worlds of soul music before the disco years, the blend is hardly a surprise – especially since so many disco singers had their roots in the church. But what is a surprise is how great the music works together – how the soaring spirit of one genre works perfectly with the tight rhythms of another – giving these tunes a lofty, righteous quality that goes far beyond the usual emptiness of disco lyrics. There's a mighty message on most of these numbers, and the groove is pretty damn great too – as you'll hear on cuts that include "I Need You (Joey Negro edit)" by Ricky Womack & Christian Essence, "I'll Keep Holding On" by The Young Delegation, "Awake O Zion" by Elbernita Clark, "I Am Gold" by Linda Evans, "Overdose Of The Holy Ghost" by The Clark Sisters, "No Cross No Crown" by Gloster Williams & Master Control, "He Lives" by The Young Delegation, "A Better Day" by Sharon Johnson, "Message To The People" by Shirley Caesar, "Lead Me" by Ronia La Vee, "He's My Friend" by Rahni Harris & Family Love, and "Love Is The Message (Joey Negro edit)" by Dan Greer.

Tight electric fusion from Billy, with some funky drumming, and some tracks that are a bit more subdued. John Scofield is on guitar, Richard Davis plays bass, and Billy drums, plays moog, and handled most of the arrangements. With "Life & Times", "Siesta", "Earthlings", and "Song For A Friend".

One of the harder to find Sammy records, and one of the best! Sammy takes Mel Torme's drippy "California Suite", an extended work about how great California is – and he turns it into an extended chat between Sammy and a friend in a bar in New York City, with twists and turns that are way jazzier, and way hipper than Mel's version, which features a whiny woman playing the part of the New Yorker. Side two of the record features some great sensitive versions of Mel Torme tunes – like "Welcome To The Club", "A Stranger Called The Blues", and "Willow Road". Arrangements by Marty Paich, too – one of Mel's best arrangers!

Super hard to get import pressing of R Kelly's second LP, the one that really broke him out of the box and catapulted him to super-stardom. Some of the commercial radio ready R&B slow jams and modern soul numbers here have become so ubiquitous it's easy to forget that this LP set a benchmark that's not really been matched by too many contemporary male soul vocalists since. With huge hits like "Bump N' Grind" and "Your Body's Callin'", plus "Sex Me", "Back To The Hood Of things", "Summer Bunnies", "I Like The Crotch On You", "Homie Lover Friend", "Freak Dat Body" and more.

A 7-inch single commemorating Willie Nelson's 80th birthday – and his faith in and use of a particularly herbal remedy! Includes the Heroes album version of "Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die" with fellow aficionado Snoop Dogg, plus longtime friend and collaborator Kris Kristifferson and Willie acolyte Jamey Johnson. It's a fun track, but the real keeper is the flipside – Willie Nelson's previously unreleased solo version. Willie's often at his best when he's recorded in sparer, lonelier settings, and that's true for this track, too.

An incredible double-length set from Soul Jazz – a collection of Latin tunes that's easily as important as their groundbreaking NuYorica collection from a decade before! Like that one, most of the work here is from the 70s – and showcases a time in New York Latin when the music was really opening up to new changes – not just the Latin Soul modes picked up in the previous decades, but also new elements of jazz, funk, disco, and even some more traditional styles from Cuba and Puerto Rico. The grooves aren't just standard Latin, but often have some very surprising bits in the mix – funky instrumental riffing, soulful vocals, and more – all often in a mode that's perfect for the dancefloor! 2CD set features 23 tracks in all – with titles that include "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Louie Ramirez, "Tighten Up" by Al Escobar, "Snidely Whiplash" by The Alexander Review, "Joe Cuba's Madness" by Joe Cuba, "Control" by Ismael Quinones, "Abidjan" by Ray Barretto, "Porcupine" by Nature Zone, "Soul Makossa" by Johnny Zamot, "No Nos Pararan" by La Charanga 76, "Sorongo" by Cortijo, "Mala Calunga" by Johnny Sedes, "Angustia Maternal" by Willie Colon, "Mai Kinshasa" by Jose Mangual, "Shoot The Pump" by J Walter Negro & The Loose Jointz, "Mi Mambo Conga" by Eddie Palmieri, "Om Marrero" by Seguida, "Alex Mambo" by Machito, "Dancin & Prancin" by Candido, "El Bollinski En D7" by Charlie Santiago & Eddie Montalvo, "Doug's Room" by Mauricio Smith, and "I Had A Friend" by The Family Affair.

Spiritual sounds for the dancefloor – a completely compelling mix of disco and gospel modes, served up here with some of the best-ever examples of the style! Given the decades of crossing between the secular and spiritual worlds of soul music before the disco years, the blend is hardly a surprise – especially since so many disco singers had their roots in the church. But what is a surprise is how great the music works together – how the soaring spirit of one genre works perfectly with the tight rhythms of another – giving these tunes a lofty, righteous quality that goes far beyond the usual emptiness of disco lyrics. There's a mighty message on most of these numbers, and the groove is pretty damn great too – as you'll hear on cuts that include "I Need You (Joey Negro edit)" by Ricky Womack & Christian Essence, "I'll Keep Holding On" by The Young Delegation, "Awake O Zion" by Elbernita Clark, "I Am Gold" by Linda Evans, "Overdose Of The Holy Ghost" by The Clark Sisters, "No Cross No Crown" by Gloster Williams & Master Control, "He Lives" by The Young Delegation, "A Better Day" by Sharon Johnson, "Message To The People" by Shirley Caesar, "Lead Me" by Ronia La Vee, "He's My Friend" by Rahni Harris & Family Love, and "Love Is The Message (Joey Negro edit)" by Dan Greer.

Classic level greatness from Bobby Bare – with the complete The Real Thing and I Hate Goodbyes/Ride Me Down Easy records from 1970 and 1973 – plus a smattering of some his best ever recordings as bonus tracks! At his peak – and we consider this to be peak material – Bobby Bare had and easygoing, laconic storyteller vocal style that's as great as any of his more celebrated peers – plus the songs of friend and collaborator Shel Silverstein as well as songs by Tom T Hall, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Joe Shaver, Mickey Newbury and other legends to work with. Add to that a perfect mix Nashville Sound lushness and stripped-down country laid down by the best session musicians in the business and the recipe is pretty close to perfection! 24 tracks in all: "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", "The Chicago Story", "Ride Me Down Easy", "I'll Love The Hurt Out Of You", "(Margie's At) The Licoln Park Inn", "A Restless Wind", "Send Tomorrow To The Moon", "Poison Red Berries", "California Dreams", "Tulsa County", "I Hate Goodbyes", "Barbara Joy", "What's Your Mama's Name, Child", "A Train That Never Runs" and more.

Titles include "Hello There", "Gidon's Bible", "Fairweather Friend", "Charlemagne", "Bring It On Up", and "Amsterdam".

The cover's a bit weak, but the music is mighty strong – a killer collection of James Carr's 60s Memphis soul for the Goldwax! As you'll hear right from the start, Carr had a quality level that easily rivaled greats like Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett – whether on the kind of heartbreaking ballads that fans always love, or on the harder-edged numbers that we especially love in James' music! The whole thing feels like an expanded set of 60s classics from Stax Records – and titles include "She's Better Than You", "Let It Happen", "Adorable One", "There Goes My Usta Be", "A Woman Is A Man's Best Friend", "Love Attack", "These Ain't Raindrops", and "I'm A Fool For You".

What can we say? This is the ultimate Miles Davis album – the one that includes so many songs that we've heard way too much in Starbucks, in retail stores, or at a friend's house who claims to be a "jazz expert", but is really a yuppie dilettante. Yet somehow, over all the years, and all those playings, the record manages to still sound fantastic – a truly inspirational piece of music that's long deserved all the attention it gets! The legendary group on the album includes John Coltrane on tenor, Cannonball Adderley on alto, Bill Evans on piano, and Paul Chambers on bass – working with Miles in a relatively modal style, with brilliant rhythm changes and a wonderful sense of space. The whole thing's sublime – and titles include "Blue In Green", "All Blues", "So What", and "Freddie Freeloader".

A live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin".

A wealth of great work from vocalist Ethel Ennis – her full This Is Ethel Ennis album for RCA, plus a host of additional bonus tracks as well! The full album features Ethel's great vocals alongside dynamic backings from Sid Bass – music that's certainly jazz at the core, but which also has some of the more inventive flourishes that Sid was bringing to his own instrumental sides for RCA – not really tricks or gimmicks, but these great little touches that help keep things interesting throughout! Ethel's vocals are straightforward, but have a nice undercurrent of soul – more so than the usual RCA singers of the time – and titles include "Dear Friend", "An Occasional Man", "He Loves Me", "As You Desire Me", "Who Will Buy", "Night Club", "Love Don't Turn Away", and "When Did I Fall In Love". CD also features 10 more bonus tracks – additional RCA singles cut by Ennis with backings from Dick Hyman, Claus Ogerman, Marty Manning, and others. Titles include "Matchmaker Matchmaker", "I've Got That Feeling", "About Love", "We Could Learn Together", "San Juan", and "The Boy From Ipanema".

A great record from Aretha! She performs with James Cleveland & The Southern California Community Choir for two LPs worth of some super gospel material. The tracks include "Mary, Don't You Weep", "How I Got Over", "Precious Memories", "Wholy Holy", "Never Grow Old", "Climbing Higher Mountains", and "You've Got A Friend".

Jerry Goldsmith serves up some great bold sounds for this dramatic western with Charles Bronson – music that uses a striking horn passage in the lead and some deft rhythms at the bottom – really pushing the action forward with a nice degree of intensity! Yet the approach is also never too overdone or prone to cheesy drama – as Goldsmith hits a perfect balance that keeps things compelling throughout – sometimes through the use of odd tones and sounds that add a nicely unsettling feel. Titles include "Here They Come", "A New Friend", "Free Ride/Hot Stove", "The Trestle", "Who Are You", "No Word Yet", and "Last Battle". CD adds in a film version of "Here They Come", an alternate mix of the "End Credits", and the track "Four Styles".

An excellent set of hardbop tracks – originally recorded under the leadership of trombonist Willie Wilson – but also issued under the names of Duke Pearson and Freddie Hubbard over the years! The set was cut in 1961 for the Jazztime label – and really crackles with electricity, and has a straight hardbop sound and a smoking New York groove – every bit as great as the best Blue Note work of the time, but with a raw edge that drives it even further. The group is top-notch, too – and features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Duke Pearson on piano, Thomas Howard on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums – plus the obscure Willie Wilson on trombone, a great player who was a friend of Pearson, and whose only recorded work is on this album. Tracks have a lively well-crafted sound, and titles include "Lex", "Blues For Alvina", "Apothegm", and "Minor Mishap". CD features 5 bonus alternate takes too! Note that this material was also issued by Prestige – under the title Dedication, with Pearson's name as the leader.

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

A really great overview of the career of Eddie Jefferson – one that begins with his first few vocal singles of the 50s, and follows him through album work for Riverside and Prestige in the 60s! Jefferson's contribution to jazz is tremendous – as he was one of the first to set lyrics to solos by famous players of the time, giving them deeper meaning with his own new lyrics and his warmly raspy vocal presentation of the material. Here, he's working with a top-shelf array of jazz players who really appreciate his work – including Seldon Powell, Clark Terry, Charles McPherson, Barry Harris, Johnny Griffin, and James Moody – the last of whom was a longtime friend and collaborator of Jefferson. Titles include "Soft & Furry", "Old Shoes", "Baby Girl", "Come Along With Me", "There I Go There I Go Again", "Filthy McNasty", "Mercy Mercy Mercy", "Now's The Time", "Things Are Getting Better", and "Disappointed". Great notes and session information too!

Lots of classics – including "Candle In The Wind", "Funeral For A Friend", "Bennie & The Jets", "Social Disease", "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", "Harmony", "Jamaica Jerk-Off", and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

A largely unheard psychedelic gem from the end of the 60s – originally private pressed by the group of suburban NY teenagers responsible for the wild sound! There's a cosmic rock groove and a bit of doe-eyed innocence in these cute odes to mind expansion – with freewheeling guitars, hand percussion, keys and a conversational vocal style that sounds like a wildly tripping, speak-singing Neil Young! Titles include "Flower", "Nostalgia Trip", "Reflections", "Do You Think About Me?", "White Light", "Relax", "My Lonely Friend", "Andrea", and "The Goodnight Song". Super heavy-vinyl reissue comes in a very cool cover with a bonus booklet – and also includes a bonus single too!

Pharrell is back working in the seemingly earnest, modern hip hop soul croon of his huge single "Frontin'" from a couple years back – letting his fellow superstar producer friend Kanye West handle the rap part! Gnarls Barkley has raised the bar pretty high in summer 2006 for synth happy, hip hop soul – but Pharrell has once again created a big, hooky confection with a deep bass bounce, and an ultra memorable hip hop/pop/soul groove!

Elvis Is Back – back from the Army, that is – pictured on the front cover in civvies, but on the back and inside in his military uniform! The package is a nice welcome home to the King – with lots of photos on the inside of the gatefold cover, and a set list that includes "Soldier Boy", "Reconsider Baby", "The Girl Of My Best Friend", "Thrill Of Your Love", "Such A Night", and "Dirty Dirty Feeling".

Tracks include "Moment With Minnie", "Perfect Angel", "Memory Lane", "Lovin You", "Here We Go", "Inside My Love", "Love & Friend (live)", "You Take My Breath Away", "Woman Of Heart & Mind" and "Adventures In Paradise".

A great batch of late 60s soft rock from the Sunshine Company – a group cut from the same cloth as the Millenium, Fifth Dimension and others of the elk, with perhaps a little bit darker of an edge. Includes "Up, Up And Away", "I Need You", "Just Beyond Your Smile", "Rain", "Happy", "I Just Want To Be Your Friend", and more!

More sweet and smooth than muddy – but that's what we'd expect from James Taylor during these classic years! Titles include "You've Got A Friend", "Riding On A Railroad", "Highway Song", "You Can Close Your Eyes", and "Soldiers".

Kind of an obscure session by Ammons – most likely recorded in that jumble of contracts and conflicting label arrangements in the early 60s – a time when Jug actually did some of his best work! There's no players listed on the notes – which is sometimes typical for these early 60s sides (although not usually the ones on Prestige), and overall, the spirit is in keeping with the "preachin" title – as Jug blows his way over small combo organ backing, in a very churchy kind of soul jazz mode. Titles include "The Prayer", "The Light", "What A Friend", "Sweet Hour", and "Yield Not".

Mindblowing work from the legendary Hank Ballard – a set cut years after his initial fame with The Midnighters, when he was working with James Brown in some very hip, funky, territory! James produced the record, and penned most of the tunes – and he does a really great job of bringing out the nasty, sinister qualities in Hank's vocals – sharper here than even in the 50s R&B era, and perfectly suited for the mix of politics and personal themes in the tunes! Backings are by the James Brown Band of the late 60s – and the whole thing's one of the funkiest albums The Godfather ever had a hand in! CD features the full original album, plus 6 more bonus singles – with tunes that include "How You Gonna Get Respect", "Funky Soul Train", "Unwind Yourself", "Blackenized", "From The Love Side", "Butter Your Popcorn", "Come In Wit It", "With Your Sweet Lovin Self", "Which Way Should I Turn", "You're So Sexy", "Woman Is A Man's Best Friend", and funky remakes of "Annie Had A Baby", "Teardrops On Your Letter", and "Finger Poppin Time".

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