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A killer album of Afro Funk – with a very unusual origin! In the wake of Manu Dibango's big hit (and some kind of failure to register the copyright), many many versions of "Soul Makossa" were recorded and released, some good, some bad. This album is a good example of that situation – kind of a quickie project issued by Mainstream Records to cash in on the hit – but it's also an amazing bit of lost funk, and a record that's lasted for years in the hearts of beatheads! The group's a studio combo headed by Richard Fritz – and includes funky drummer Paul Humphrey, organist Charles Kynard, and guitarist David T Walker – all players we can trust to keep things groovy. The record does include a version of "Soul Makossa" that's pretty great – but even better is the breakbeat classic "House Of The Rising Funk", apparently the same version of the track that was issued on a 45 under the name The Chubukos. Other nice ones include "Kissing My Love", "Hot Mud", "Get It", "Hot Doggin", and "Let Me Do My Thing".

A wonderful wonderful soul album from the great Gene Chandler – quite possibly our favorite work ever from this under-acknowledged Chicago singer! Chandler's way past his "Duke Of Earl" years on this record, and is hitting his stride as one of Chicago's best soul singers of the late 60s – working with a style that's harder than ever before – and a bit more sophisticated, too – with touches of that masculine maturity that Walter Jackson helped to bring to the scene. Carl Davis produced, and backings are by Sonny Sanders and Gerald Sims – providing a great Chicago groove over tunes penned by Curtis Mayfield, Billy Butler, and Otis Leavill – as well as Davis, Sanders, and Sims – all representing the unusual depth in Windy City soul at the time. Tracks include "To Choose", "Nothing Can Stop Me", "You Can't Hurt Me No More", "The Girl Don't Care", "Good Times", "Here Come The Tears", and "Fool For You".

Urban radio from the inside – the third volume in Marcus Chapman's very detailed memoirs – covering his important late 90s years at Chicago's WGCI! Unlike other books of this nature, which are usually just history – and ancient history at that – Chapman's volume really digs deep, not just into specifics of life in the radio business, but in the music business in general – with many very personal stories, and a fair bit of editorializing as well! The detail that Chapman uses is wonderful – really recreating this key period in urban radio in ways we might not have expected – and usually with a level of class and consideration that goes way past the sexy image on the cover. 283 pages, softcover.

A rare and beautiful treasure from Chicago's Phil Cohran and his legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble – material recorded at the end of the 60s, but only issued here for the first time ever! The sound on the record is amazing – much deeper, and more forceful than anything else we've ever heard from Cohran – almost in Sun Ra Arkestra territory at times, given the group's out-there playing, and bold collective action! The lineup is similar to other Cohran recordings from the time – Phil on cornet, Henry Gibson on congas, Pete Cosey on guitar, Louis Satterfield on bass, Charles Williams on alto, Don Myrick on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, and Aaron Dodd on tuba – a group that's a wonderful bridge between the two important Chicago generations headed by Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire. Armageddon is an extended piece, divided up into five different musical acts – conceived by Cohran in the late 50s, and recorded here in 1968 – with some great help from The Spencer Jackson Family on the leadoff track "Motherless Child". Other titles include "Creation Of The Beast", "The Warning", "The Window", and "Armageddon" – a clear reference to the power of the atom bomb!

A brilliant tribute to the late Malcolm X – served up by Chicago's legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble! The record's got an even farther-reaching sound than the group's self-titled effort – a flowing style that unfolds as their tribute to Malcolm rolls on – starting spare and earthy at first, then picking up a fuller, prouder, much more righteous groove as things really get going! As before, there's plenty of heavy percussion at the bottom of most tracks – topped by complicated horn passages that often verge on the exotic – and which have a tremendously captivating sound. The ensemble's led by the great Phil Cohran, who played with Sun Ra for a bit, and also plays cornet on the record – the rest of the group includes Charles Williams, Don Myrick, Louis Satterfield, Pete Cosey, Henry Gibson, Willie Woods, and Aaron Dodd – a lineup of players who also worked with Sun Ra, The Pharoahs, and Earth Wind & Fire! The LP's a suite of 4 tracks dedicated to Malcolm X, each capturing a period of his life, "Malcolm Little", "Detroit Red", "Malcolm X", and "El Hajj Malik El Shabazz".

A great set from Chicago's Joan Collaso – one of the hippest vocalists working today in the Windy City! There's a soulful swing to the record that grabs us right from the get-go – thanks to a killer take on "My Favorite Things" – done in an open-ended spirit that owes plenty to the John Coltrane legacy! Other tunes are quite nice too – and really pick up a great sense of rhythm that keeps things fresh – a hip sort of swing that makes the whole record feel like some lost soul jazz treasure from years back. Tunes are familiar, but they're really recast nicely – and Joan and the combo take things into mighty lively territory – on cuts that include "My Favorite Things", "Ooo Whee", "Return To Paradise", "Peel Me A Grape", "You've Changed", "Here's To Life", and "In A Sentimental Mood".

While we have more or less dismissed a lot of the Celluloid world music productions from the 80s in the past, we look back now and realize that was pretty much just purist snobbery. This Laswell produced album of funky afro grooves doesn't have the same hard African funk that we dig so much about Dibango's early work, but it's more than just a respectable outing, and the 80s electro feel that's creeping in on a number of tracks sounds even better today. Most of the cuts are mid to down tempo, with playing that's a bit more smooth from Dibango's sax, and when you look at the crew Laswell assembled, it's quite the all star cast: Herbie Hancock, Bernie Worrell, Wally Badaru and Aiyb Deng alongside Dibango's Soul Makossa Gang. Four lengthy tracks: "Pata Piya", "Electric Africa", "Echoes Beti" and "L'Arbre A Palabres".

Monumental Afro Soul from El Rego Et Ses Commandos – El Rego's best recordings from the late 60s to early 70s – a beautifully done compilation put together by Daptone and Frank Gossner, the deep digging West African music expert behind Voodoo Funk! Theophile Do-Rego is a legend in his native Benin, essentially credited as the godfather of Benin funk – but to date, he hasn't been celebrated around the world nearly as famously as the superstars of African music hailing from Nigeria and Ghana. That's something that can change really quickly if enough people pick up this truly great compilation of pioneering recordings. Singer El Rego and his excellent, diversely capable band – sax and flute by Baboni Oudou, sax by Michel Diogo, guitar by Oscar De Souza, trumpet by Emmanuel Ganssounou, guitar by Roger Coffi, tumba by Marcelin Kpohonon, additional vocals by Christian Agueh, and bass by band leader Paul Hounnou – take a tighter approach to funky soul. Just a couple tracks on this set roll past the 4 minute mark – which gives it a tighter soul sound, along with some Benin blues and some riveting JB-indebted vocal affections. We owe Voodoo Funk and Daptone big for putting this together! Includes "Feeling You Got", "Zon Dede", "E Nan Mian Duku", "Dkobime", "Dis-Moi Oui", "Djobime", "Hessa" (the centerpiece of the album, 3 minutes of Afro Soul perfection. . .the whole set is great, but this track is unforgettable), "Kpon Fi La", "Do Do Baya", "Vive Le Renouveau", "Achuta", "Cholera" and "Ke Amon-Gbetchea".

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem – and as usual, the full tale of the group, the movie, and the music is told at length in the accompanying 16 page booklet! Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", "Theme From Brotherman", "No Place To Run", and "We Can Work It Out".

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem. Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", and "We Can Work It Out".

John, aka Johnny Frigo, who's best known to our set for the rare dynamite jazz dance sides he recorded later on, and to the jazz world at large for his work as a bassist, leads a small group on this rare, early full length for Mercury as as a leader on his first instrument – the violin! It's a pretty sweet set, and really not at all the token late 50s swing set you'd expect from the title, and owes as much or more to the bop scene at the time. Frigo's lead violin gives the tunes kind of a cinematic sweep – and he's accompanied by Dick Marx on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Norm Jeffries on drums and others. Tracks include "What A Difference A Day Made", "Polka Dots And Moon Beams", "Blue Orchids", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Is Love Good To Me" and more.

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes".

Srong work from Boris Hoff (tenor and soprano sax, sine tones and harmonium), Steven Hess (drums and electronics), Keefe Jackson (contrabass clarinet & tenor sax) and Juun (piano) – recorded at Chicago's Experimental Sound Studios in April of '10. Slow building atmosphere and tense interplay from exceptional players on the aptly named Creative Sources label. Includes 2 long pieces: "Public" (29+ minutes) and "Personal" (12+ minutes) and the shorter middle piece "Social" (nearly 6 minutes).

A killer late 60s Chicago blues set from Earl Hooker – one of his best! Earl is one of the great blues slide guitarists, and his tone is captured so incredibly well here – songs recorded at Chicago's Sound Studios with impeccable players. Earl sings on "Anna Lee" and "You Don't Want Me", does some conversing with Andrew Odom on the great title track. Louis Meyers contributes some great harmonica on "Anna Lee", with Carey Bell on vocals and harmonica on "Love Ain't A Plaything". Geno Skaggs is on bass, Joe Willie Perkins the keys and Levi Warrens on drums. Other songs include "Off The Hook", "You Don't Love Me" and "Earl Hooker Blues".

The second album from Chicago's great raw soul torch carriers JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – their debut for Bloodshot, and a record that's gonna catapult them to the forefront of the live soul scene, in the Chi and everywhere else! The group's proved over the past couple years, via their raw, yet propellant debut album, some great singles, and furious live show schedule, that they're poised to deliver in a bigger way. On Want More they do that and, uh. . .a bit more! JC's a rare singer who can both shout out in a gritty funk mode and coo with charisma on slower soul anthems, and the group delivers on both fronts, too. Producer Jimmy Sutton captures them perfectly. The core group features Billy Bungeroth on guitar, Kevin Marks on drums & percussion and Ben Taylor on bass. Includes "Want More", "Everything Will Be Fine", "I Got High", their great cover of "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart", "Baaadnews", "I Can See Everything", "Sister Ray Charles", "Awake" and more.

There's some bigger arrangements here than you'd usually get on a BB King album of the 60s – but they're used in a really great way that makes the album one of our favorites by King from his years at ABC! Johnny Pate arranged and produced, and he gives the whole thing a Chicago soul punch that's mighty nice – a mix of blues and soul that's not unlike some of the best Bobby Blue Bland work at Duke a few years before – and a blend that's really a lot like some of the best indie soul coming out of Chicago's west side in the late 60s too. The album's a killer all the way through, and it's great to hear BB in such a setting – on cuts that include "Dance With Me", "Heartbreaker", "I'm Not Wanted Anymore", "Having My Say", "That's Wrong Mama", "Now That You've Lost Me", "Until I Found You", and "Worried Dream".

An excellent set by BB King – one of his best from the 60s, and a smoking live set recorded at Chicago's legendary Regal Theatre! The enthusiasm at the venue shows that BB's Memphis-honed style is a perfect fit for the electrified Chicago sound of the 60s – and the recording really brings out some wonderful responses from the audience – making the record a blues equivalent of James Brown's famous Live At The Apollo set! The record features introductions by Chicago DJs Pervis Spann and E Rodney Jones – and tracks include "Every Day", "Please Love Me", "Worry Worry", "Woke Up This Morning", "Help The Poor", and "You Upset Me Baby".

A great little set of Latin jazz – and one of the strongest albums ever from flute man Hubert Laws! At the time of this recording, Laws was playing with Mongo Santamaria's group – and for this second solo outing, he borrows a lot of grooves from Mongo's bag – and also hits a few tasty lines of his own – mixing in even more of those great soul jazz inflections that always made his solos on the Santamaria records for Columbia some of the real highlights of the time. The groove is wonderful throughout – and other players include Chick Corea on piano, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Garnett Brown on trombone, Benny Powell on tenor, and Bobby Thomas on drums. There's some killer tight Latin numbers with a groovy 60s feel – like "Bloodshot", "Let Her Go", "Baila Cinderella", and "No You'd Better Not" – plus some other tasty jazz numbers like "Mean Lene" and "Strange Girl".

One of the first bold statements to come from Chicago's AACM underground of the 60s – a tremendous debut effort from the young Roscoe Mitchell! The album's got a "sense of the new" feel that's as gripping as anything recorded by ESP or Impulse around the same time – a rule-breaking, freely-creative approach to jazz that builds strongly off the changes already wrought by Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, and Archie Shepp! The format is somewhat like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago at times – with measured horn work from Mitchell on alto, clarinet, and recorder, Maurice McIntyre on tenor, Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Lester Lashley on trombone (as well as a bit of cello). Some tracks – like the brilliant "Sound" – offer a slow-building exploration of tones and textures – while others, like the blues-joke "Little Suite", or the harmelodic "Ornette", show a wry sense of humor that would become a Chicago avant hallmark as the years went on! CD also features bonus alternate takes of "Sound" and "Ornette".

The first we've heard from Chicago's Omega McBride – and a solid little EP with with a unique vibe! McBride has a flow that reminds us a bit of vintage, pre-superstar Kanye West – as does the lyrical odes to real life issues – but beyond that, the sound here isn't exactly like anything else we've heard recently. The production has more of a spacey club soul feel, but the rhymes are firmly rooted in unpretentious hip hop. 5 tracks on the EP: "State Of Mind", "Number To My Phone", "It Feels Good To Be Home", "Had Your Chance""and "Message In A Bottle".

A very cool little 45 bag – kind of a combination of canvas record bags and old-school handhelds! The bag is made out of heavy cotton, gusseted to form a box shape, so that the bag can hold about 50 45s when fully expanded – with a zipper on the edge, and a handle on the top – just right for compactly carting around your funky 45s! And not only that, but the handsome diamond PPU logo's on the front – in glorious yellow on the bag's brown canvas.

A very cool little 45 bag – kind of a combination of canvas record bags and old-school handhelds! The bag is made out of heavy cotton, gusseted to form a box shape, so that the bag can hold about 50 45s when fully expanded – with a zipper on the edge, and a handle on the top – just right for compactly carting around your funky 45s! And not only that, but the handsome diamond PPU logo's on the front – in glorious gold on the bag's cream canvas.

Chicago's long-living, always great zine Roctober takes a look at the 80s – through the wholy unique Roctober lens that shows this oft-maligned and/or nostalgia prone decade in a totally great way! The Livin' In The 80s Issue has interviews with lost 70s/80s funkster Captain Sky Glenn, Danzig, Boyd Rice, Curtom Records' Eddie Thomas, PiL, Stax Record historian Rob Bowman, TSOL, The Zero Boys, French diva Helena Noguerra, Japanese group sound legends The Golden Cup, The Knots, Plus Daniel Lanois, The Cheepskats, Clara & Chris Ware on Tiny Tim, Ernie Kovacs, Electric Prunes, Joe Strummer, The Romantics, comics, obits, reviews, and unpublished photos of Black Flag, Bad Brains, Misfits and more!

The Chicago R&B coverage includes an in depth exploration of Chicago's local after school TV show Soul Train show – which ran from 1970-1979 – and a conversation with Chicago's radical Sounds of Black. Plus 30 pages exploring all aspects of truck driving music including lengthy interviews with Jerry Reed and Joe Stampley. Also features Dave Dudley, Red Sovine, Del Reeves, Red Simpson, Stompin' Tom Connors, CW McCall, Starday Records, Sweet Charles Sherrel and more. Plus Flavor Flav interviewed by Nardwuar, Incredible Stage Wrestling, Joe E., and tons of comix and countless reviews.

This issue features a fantastic interview with the Dirty Wurds, one of Chicago's greatest blues-based 60s garage bands! Also featuring interviews with peter Bagge, Al Aronowitz, and Unknown Hinson, plus features on Andy Kaufman, Chicago Stoner rock, comic book history and much more. Plus numerous comix and detailed, insightful remembrances of Richard Tepp, Ray Charles, Arthur Kane, Richie Cordell, Johnny Ramone, Russ Meyer, Greg Shaw and more. Also includes bonus CD!

A nice photographic history of Our Town's Lake Shore Drive – which the author's hail as Urban America's Most Beautiful Roadway, and awe shucks, we're kinda proud! As lifelong Chicagoans, we can almost take the view for granted. . .especially if you get trapped there in a blizzard or during The Taste. Flipping through this and seeing the great historic and contemporary shots, we're loving it all over again, though. Hardcover, 208 pages.

An excellent obscure Mongo Santamaria album – and one that features a nice jazzy groove played by one of Mongo's best groups ever! The band features Joao Donato, the famous Brazilian pianist, doubling up on trombone on a number of tracks – something you never hear on his Brazilian albums! Other players include Pupi Legaretta on violin, Jose Chombo Silva on tenor, and Rolando Lozano on flute – plus percussion from Willie Bobo on timbales. The album's a live one – with some great Latin jazz energy – and titles include the tasty "Descarga At The Blackhawk", plus "Bluchanga", 'Sabor", and "Bacoso".

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".

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child".

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child".

Given that the Soulful Strings were really just a studio side project of the Chi soul arranger Richard Evans, it seems sort of strange to have them cut a live LP, but the session, recorded at Chicago's London House, works quite well, and has a bit more lively feel than some of their classic studio recordings. The group includes Phil Upchurch on guitar, Bobby Christian on vibes, and Lennie Druss on woodwinds – and tracks include a version of "Listen Here", plus "Oboe Flats", "There Was A Time", "Pavane", and "MacArthur Park".

Incredible acoustic folk guitar and vocals from Chicago's Riley Walker – which actually sounds like comes from the late 60s/early 70s British scene! Riley sings and is accompanied on double bass and drums on "Clear The Sky" and the flipside "Joni's Tune" is a solo instrumental. Both are timeless, but definitely feel like they were influenced by some of our favorite Brits, including Nick Drake and Bert Jansch. Honestly, it's truly good enough bring up names that legendary for comparsion. Beautiful stuff!

The funk-tinged, pyschedelic soul album from Muddy Waters – one that irritated many a blues purist in its day – but it's finally reaching its earned status as a leftfield gem! You know, in the immediate years after this one (and similar funky blues albums on Chess/Cadet) was released, it was downplayed as a cheap attempt to sell out Muddy's classic blues sound. These days, it's treasured by many of us as a unique funky session that merged the best of Chicago's funk, soul, and blues worlds – taking Muddy's sound way past earlier records and into uncharted waters. It's similar to some of the work on Chess at the time by Bo Diddley and Etta James – and it includes lots of nice updated groovers like "I'm A Man", "I Just Want To Make Love to You", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Same Thing", "She's All Right", and "Tom Cat". Arrangements are by Charles Stepney, too!

The funk-tinged, pyschedelic soul album from Muddy Waters – one that irritated many a blues purist in its day – but it's finally reaching its earned status as a leftfield gem! You know, in the immediate years after this one (and similar funky blues albums on Chess/Cadet) was released, it was downplayed as a cheap attempt to sell out Muddy's classic blues sound. These days, it's treasured by many of us as a unique funky session that merged the best of Chicago's funk, soul, and blues worlds – taking Muddy's sound way past earlier records and into uncharted waters. It's similar to some of the work on Chess at the time by Bo Diddley and Etta James – and it includes lots of nice updated groovers like "I'm A Man", "I Just Want To Make Love to You", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Same Thing", "She's All Right", and "Tom Cat". Arrangements are by Charles Stepney, too!

The funk-tinged, pyschedelic soul album from Muddy Waters – one that irritated many a blues purist in its day – but it's finally reaching its earned status as a leftfield gem! You know, in the immediate years after this one (and similar funky blues albums on Chess/Cadet) was released, it was downplayed as a cheap attempt to sell out Muddy's classic blues sound. These days, it's treasured by many of us as a unique funky session that merged the best of Chicago's funk, soul, and blues worlds – taking Muddy's sound way past earlier records and into uncharted waters. It's similar to some of the work on Chess at the time by Bo Diddley and Etta James – and it includes lots of nice updated groovers like "I'm A Man", "I Just Want To Make Love to You", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Same Thing", "She's All Right", and "Tom Cat". Arrangements are by Charles Stepney, too!

A legendary night at Chicago's Checkerboard Lounge – when The Stones, in town for some shows out in Rosemont, sat in with their hero Muddy Waters! First and foremost – we're in Muddy's wheelhouse here – it's his show, and he sounds great, even this late in the game! The Stones, who are hardly ever better from the early 80s onward than when they're in hard blues homage mode, provide stellar support, and they may very well instigate Muddy and his band to bring their best, which they handily do! Also in action are Muddy's own great band and other guests, including John Primer, Rick Kreher, Earnest Johnson, Ray Allison and Mojo Buford – plus Junior Wells, Buddy Guy (who does some singing on the set, along with Mick and Muddy), Lefty Dizz and Nick Charles. The whole thing sounds great, and this 2LP edition also includes a DVD of the live show – and titles include "Sweet Little Angel", instrumental takes on "Country Boy" and "Baby Please Don't Go", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Mannish Boy", "Got My Mojo Workin'", "One Eyed Woman", "Clouds In My Heart", "Champagne And Reefer" and more.

Incredible third coast salsa from the late 70s – amazing stuff from the orquestras of Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label – made by singers and players in Chicago's Puerto Rican community of the period that stands up just as well today! Chicago salsa, unlike more nationally popular styles, was rooted in the city's rich Puerto Rican community. They cover material adapted from traditionals and more, done with less pan-Caribbean derived sounds than the Cuban-rooted salseros of NYC and Miami. As fondly remembered as the players of the Chicago salsa scene are by the older Puerto Rican community, records by Orquestas La Justicia, La Solucion, Juventad Tipica '78, Tipica Leal '79 and others are terribly hard to find. Not only has Numero managed to compile a terrific batch of songs, the sound quality is impeccable, too! Titles include "Plena Matrimonial" by Ebirac All-Stars featuring La Calandria & Ramito, "Stone Flower", "Alegre Jibarito", "Guaguanco Coroco" and more by La Justicia, "Afro Theme" and "Ano Nuevo Y Reyes" by Juventud Tipica '78, "A Bailar Son Montuno", "El Gordo Y El Flaco" and "Mini Minoso" by La Solucion, "Mozambique" by La Solucion featuring Mongo Santamaria, "Donde Estabas" by Tipica Leal '79 and more, plus the bonus "Ebirac Radio Spot". The booklet is lavish, too – full of notes and photos that that make it all the more revelatory – providing a historical perspective that can't be overpraised!

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind.

Quite possibly the most beautiful record we've ever seen from the folks at The Numero Group – and that's saying a lot, given the quality of all their top-shelf releases! This beautiful edition features a hardcover book of vintage black and white photographs taken on Chicago's south side in the mid 70s – images of patrons and proprietors from long-lost nite spots that include Perv's House, Pepper's Hideout, The High Chaparral, and The Showcase Lounge – all the kind of clubs that were likely to feature the sort of Chicago funk and soul that Numero's been reissuing for the past few years! The images are amazing – a really rare look into the community that supported this sort of music – caught far far from the mainstream, in placed that were almost even private, compared to more well-travelled entertainment outlets. Photographs come from the collection of Michael Abramson – and are beautifully reproduced on LP-sized pages, in a book that also features some vintage flyers, posters, and business cards from the clubs! And if that's not enough, Numero also throws in some great notes of their own, and a bonus 2LP set with music that includes "I'm A Streaker Baby" by Arelean Brown, "No Better Time Than Now" by Ricky Allen, "The Same One" by Malcolm Simmons, "You Made Me Suffer" by Andrew Brown, "This Is My Prayer" by Lady Margo, "It's A Dream" by Little Ed & The Soundmasters Band, "I Sayed That" by Slim Willis Band, "Bring It Down Front" by Hugh Hawkins, "Womans Lib" by Lucille Spann, "Gimmie Some Of Yours" by Artie White, "Baby" by Walter Butterball Davis, "Is It Because I'm Black (inst)" by Syl Johnson, "Goose Walk" by Little Mack, "Young Blood" by Detroit Jr, "California Lady" by James Kinds & Stack, and "I Learned My Lesson" by Willie Davis. The albums are packaged in their own Numero-like cover – then nestled in a slipcover with the book – a hell of a sweet set at this price, and it also comes with an introduction by Nick Hornby!

Seminal soul from one of Chicago's greatest labels in the 60s – the One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus imprints, plus tracks from related Toddlin Town too – home to some of the best indie work at the time! The quality here is right up there with the best you'd hear from Chess, Okeh, or Brunswick in the 60s – no surprise, since the pair of labels shared lots of similar talents with the bigger companies – as well as session men, songwriters, and producers too! The full scope of Chicago soul is really covered here – upbeat groovers for the dancefloor, heartfelt ballads with great harmonies, and some of the harder-edged bluesy numbers that really helped put One-Der-Ful on the map! There's also some key early examples of funk – proof that in the 60s, Chicago was one of the hippest scenes in the world – and the set comes with 2 CDs, nestled in a hardback booklet of notes and photos – with a whopping 50 tracks in all. Titles include "Tired Of Being Lonely" by The Sharpees, "Without You" by The Ulti-Mations, "That's How It Is" by Otis Clay, "Keep On Dancin" by Alvin Cash, "The Funky Judge" by Bull & The Matadors, "I Get A Groove" by Thomas East & The Fabulous Playboys, "Damper Down" by Bobby Davis, "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell, "Come Back Home" by Beny Turner, "Master Key" by Harold Burrage, "If I Could Live My Life All Over" by Dorothy Prince, "You Told A Lie" by Johnny Sayles, "New Girl" by The Accents, and "Don't You Worry" by Joe & Mack.

Stellar soul singles on Brunswick – nearly all of which come from the prime mid-to-late 60s period at the legendary Chicago label – with Jackie Wilson, Billy Butler, Barbara Acklin, Gene Chandler, Erma Franklin, Lavern Baker and many more! There's a tight focus here on mid-to-late 60s Brunswick – all of them great – and many are quite rare. There are some modest or regional hits in the set, but most might have been forgotten if not for the devotion of the Northern Soul scenes to come. It's got a number of uptempo stormers, midtempo groovers and some sweet surprises. Soul galore, indeed! Includes "Soul Galore" by Jackie Wilson, "Have More Time" by Marvin Smith, "Oh Linda" by Leroy Taylor, "I'll Bet You" by Billy Butler, "There Was A Time" by Gene Chandler, "Sweet, Sweet Revenge" by Alvin Valentine, "A Strange Way" by The Loreleis, "Just Ain't No Love" by Barbara Acklin, "I'm The Only One To Do It" by Lavern Baker, "California Montage" by Young-Holt Unlimited and many more.

During the late 60s and early 70s, the Brunswick label was one of the greatest soul outfits working in Chicago. And of all the great contributions made by the label, perhaps the best was their great run of male soul singers – culled from Chicago's rich scene at the time, and featuring a mix of the city's harder and classier soul styles. This excellent 24 track set brings together some wonderful singles from that rich legacy of music – including many tracks by artists who recorded for Brunswick, but who never issued any full LPs! Titles include "We're Not Happy" by Wales Wallace, "Can I Change My Mind" by Mighty Doug Haynes, "Another Time, Another Place" by The Persuaders, "A Woman Needs To Be Loved" by Cicero Blake, "The Sweetest Thing" by Channel 3, "I Never Had It So Good" by Walter Jackson, "Saving My Love For You" by Mister T, "Where The Lillies Grow" by Sidney Joe Qualls, and "Contract On Your Love" by Chuck Bernard. Like finding a rare stash of singles – a dream!

A brilliant tribute to the late Malcolm X – served up by Chicago's legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble! The record's got an even farther-reaching sound than the group's self-titled effort – a flowing style that unfolds as their tribute to Malcolm rolls on – starting spare and earthy at first, then picking up a fuller, prouder, much more righteous groove as things really get going! As before, there's plenty of heavy percussion at the bottom of most tracks – topped by complicated horn passages that often verge on the exotic – and which have a tremendously captivating sound. The ensemble's led by the great Phil Cohran, who played with Sun Ra for a bit, and also plays cornet on the record – the rest of the group includes Charles Williams, Don Myrick, Louis Satterfield, Pete Cosey, Henry Gibson, Willie Woods, and Aaron Dodd – a lineup of players who also worked with Sun Ra, The Pharoahs, and Earth Wind & Fire! The LP's a suite of 4 tracks dedicated to Malcolm X, each capturing a period of his life, "Malcolm Little", "Detroit Red", "Malcolm X", and "El Hajj Malik El Shabazz".

Gritty gritty gritty! This live set of soul jazz tracks was recorded in Chicago's Cook County Jail on Friday the 13th, 1972 – and we can hardly think of a darker place to record a soul jazz album! Side one features the aptly-named "Freedom Suite", an extended groover played by Jimmy McGriff, and a 2-guitar group that includes George Freeman and Odonel Levy – and side two has Lucky Thompson playing in a soulful group with Cedar Walton on electric piano, on the tracks "Green Dolphin Street" and "Everything Happens To Me". A pretty incredible event to be recorded – trust us, we drive by the prison a fair bit on the way to work!

It's nice to hear a new MC these days that rhymes largely on beat and can create thought provoking rhymes that go beyond the sort of lowest common denominator topics of ass and money you hear not just on the radio and in the club, but even on supposedly undeerground records. Chicago's own Diverse rhymes over simple, tight beats, with a mellow jazzy feel, and gets remixed by fellow traveller J Rawls of the Lone Catalysts on the flip.

Amazing work from one of Chicago's best indie labels of the 60s – a wealth of wonderful soul that easily ranks with some of the best work at Chess or Vee Jay at the time! USA's a label that's also known for work in the rock and blues field, but the company had a marvelous ear for soul back in the day – and was often able to grab key Windy City talents before they broke big – or others who were already great, but finally found the right sort of treatment they needed at USA – a care with production and presentation that often rivals some of the beautiful presentation that Curtis Mayfield was bringing to his Impressions recordings or work with other artists – lots of deep soul roots, but also the tightness and sophistication that made Chicago so great at the time. The package features 36 rock-solid tracks – and titles include "Hot Spring Water" by Billy The Kid Emerson, "Come On In" by Detroit Jr, "A Lonely Boy" by Lee Wilson, "Step It Up" by Al Perkins, "I'll Wait For You" by LC Cooke, "No Appreciation" by Tut Sutton, "Taunting Love" by Frankie Newsom, "Just Being Careful" by Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters, "What You Don't Know" by Oscar & Anita, "Sweet Little Woman" by McKinley Sandifer, and "You Gotta Pay Dues" by Chris Campbell.

One of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago's all-time classics! If you've ever bought an Art Ensemble album and said "Hmm, what's all the fuss about?", get this one. It'll change your mind. The band is in perfect form – and hits an incredible blend of free thinking modernism and soulful soloing, peppered with a healthy dose of humor. The tracks are shortish, and very tight – and titles include "Jackson In Your House", "Song For Charles", "The Waltz", and "Get In Line".

A killer set from Adegoke Steve Colson – easily some of the most spiritual music he ever recorded, and a standout gem in the second wave of Chicago's AACM! Colson's the pianist in the group, leading an ensemble in sounds that stretch from the open spirituality of the Strata East scene from earlier in the 70s, to some of the more free-thinking moments put forth by the AACM – particularly in the way the melody interacts with the rhythms. In addition to Steve's piano and flute, the set features key vocals from Iqua Colson, plus flute and tenor from Wallace McMillian, sopranino sax and bass clarinet from Douglas Ewart, more reeds from Joseph Jarman, bass from Reggie Willis, and percussion from Dushun Mosley. Overall, tracks have kind of a free, loft jazz sort of approach, but the album kicks off with one really great groover – the jazzy scatting track "Lateen", which features great vocals by Iqua, and kind of a modal dancing approach that's really great! Other titles include "For Paul", "Temple At Dendera", "Triumph Of The Outcasts, Coming", and "Unknown".

A great little set of Latin jazz – and one of the strongest albums ever from flute man Hubert Laws! At the time of this recording, Laws was playing with Mongo Santamaria's group – and for this second solo outing, he borrows a lot of grooves from Mongo's bag – and also hits a few tasty lines of his own – mixing in even more of those great soul jazz inflections that always made his solos on the Santamaria records for Columbia some of the real highlights of the time. The groove is wonderful throughout – and other players include Chick Corea on piano, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Garnett Brown on trombone, Benny Powell on tenor, and Bobby Thomas on drums. There's some killer tight Latin numbers with a groovy 60s feel – like "Bloodshot", "Let Her Go", "Baila Cinderella", and "No You'd Better Not" – plus some other tasty jazz numbers like "Mean Lene" and "Strange Girl".

Sweet 70s electric work from Jimmy McGriff – material that's different than his grittier grooves of the 60s, but still plenty darn great! The style's clearly influenced by CTI – as Jimmy's using electric piano as much as organ – and is getting some fuller support in the backings from Brad Baker and a host of great studio players. The sound is still plenty darn funky though – a soundtrack-styled approach that has Jimmy's keyboards soaring over the lush backdrops – still with plenty of rhythm, and elements that include choppy guitar and some nice work from a horn section. Joe Thomas solos a fair bit on tenor and flute – and the whole thing sounds like some nice lost cop show soundtrack! Titles include "It Feels So Nice (Do It Again)", "Please Don't Take Me Out", "Mean Machine", "Pogo's Stick", and "Overweight Shark Bait".

A great lost bit of funk – and a pretty mysterious record, too! The record came out hot on the heels of Manu Dibango's big original version of "Soul Makossa" – and while it's got a groove that definitely leans towards Afro Funk, it's also got plenty of Caribbean touches too – a wicked blend of funk and island styles that's almost like The Beginning Of The End at some of the best moments – but with a touch of New York underground as well! We've never been entirely sure if the group wasn't just a Winley Records studio project – maybe The Rimshots under another name – but whatever the case, the record's a damn funky classic – filled with lots of original-sounding grooves that make the whole thing well worth tracking down. Titles include a version of "Soul Makossa", with a groove that's harder than the original – plus "Skin N Soul", "Good Groove", "Mozambique", "Finger In It", "Dance Girl", and the extended "Bahamas Melody".

One of the tightest, most soulful performances we've ever heard from Nicole Mitchell – a set that has her really hitting with an even more righteous sound than before! The session's a live one, recorded at Chicago's Velvet Lounge – and Nicole's in wonderful territory that's somewhere between the freer modes of the AACM, and some of the more spiritual sides of the post-Coltrane generation – carried off with a depth that almost reminds us of some of our early 70s favorites on Impulse Records. Players here include Jeff Parker on guitar, Josh Abrams on bass, David Young on trumpet, David Boykin on tenor, Tomeka Reid on cello, and Marcus Evans on drums – and Nicole herself plays flute, alto flute, and piccolo. Ugochi Nwaogwugwu sings on 3 of the album's tracks – and titles include "The Creator Has Other Plans For Me", "Life Wants You To Love", "Cause & Effect", "February", "Thanking The Universe", "Love Has No Boundaries", and "Black Unstoppable".

A richly ambitious work from flautist Nicole Mitchell – an artist who gets better and better with each new album, expanding her vision and growing into a role that clearly makes her one of the most important next-generation members of Chicago's AACM! The album's a suite of tracks for Nicole's expanded Black Earth Ensemble – a group made up of a variety of players from the Chicago scene, augmented by vocals on a number of tracks – for a richly spiritual sound that takes us back to the most ambitious soul jazz recordings of the 70s. There's a wonderful interplay here between gentle moments and bolder statements – and Mitchell's flute and vocals are supported by strong sax work from David Boykin, as well as other instrumentation that includes trumpet, cello, violin, trombone, bass, and the usual wide range of percussion and added instruments you'd expect from an AACM session like this! Titles include "Time For Change", "Wondrous Birth", "Curbside Fantasee", "In The Garden", "Skating", "For Daughters Of Young Love", "Wanna Make You Smile", and "Future's Meditation".

Chicago's brass-heavy Mucca Pazza – remixed by Greenwood Rhythm Coalition and Jon Kennedy! GRC's remix of "Tube Sock Tango" is very nicely reworked here – given some tropical percussion flavor – with some otherworldly keyboards adding kind of an eerie vibe, without messing up MP's playful charm. Also includes Jon Kennedy's beathead funk take on "Boss Taurus" and the brief closing cadence "Coolashell".

Two tasty cuts by one of Chicago's best vocal groups ever! Both tracks were written by Leroy Hutson – and "Can This Be Real" was one of the group's bigger hits! Heavenly soul, and produced with a great sound.

One of Mongo's biggest records of the early 70s – and an important early side for Atlantic Records! Moving to Atlantic from Columbia, Mongo hipped things up even more – picking up on important trends in soul, rock, and the Latin underground of the time. Atlantic gave Mongo the freedom to open things up a bit more – and fill his grooves with a bit more funk, jazz, and Chicano soul than heard on earlier albums. The result is a wonderful blend of styles that crackles with electricity from track to track. Arrangements are by Mongo's longtime partner, Marty Sheller – and titles include "Hip Hug Her", "Sunshine Of Your Love", "Hold On, I'm Coming", "On Broadway", and "In A Gadda Da Vida", which is a real trip!

Sweet fusiony work by Mongo Santamaria – the New York Latin sound inflected with major label jazzed-up electricity, in the style that was also employed by Ray Barretto and the Fania All Stars at the same time. Mongo's working here with a great group of CTI players – including Bob James, Eric Gale, and Hubert Laws – and the record includes a nice electric remake of "Watermelon Man", plus the cuts "Afro Cuban Fantasy", "Jamaican Sunrise", "Jai Alai", and "Sambita".

Curtis Mayfield graces the front cover – a film funk and soul focused issue #38 of Wax Poetics! This issue features a great piece on Curtis and the Superfly legacy, with Re:Discovery section profiles of soundtracks from Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man to John Carpenter's Assault On Precinct 13 and more, the resurrected Brotherman soundtrack to the never-made film from Chicago's Final Solution, a profile of Black Dynamite composer Adrian Younge, Gangs On Film from the South Bronx of 1979 documented in 80 Blocks From Tiffany's, articles on library music, Iceberg Slim, the funk era animation of Ralph Bakshi, Spike Lee, Numero's Light On The Southside and much more! This definitely going on our top shelf of favorite issues of Wax Poetics!

Incredible third coast salsa from the late 70s – amazing stuff from the orquestras of Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label – made by singers and players in Chicago's Puerto Rican community of the period that stands up just as well today! Chicago salsa, unlike more nationally popular styles, was rooted in the city's rich Puerto Rican community. They cover material adapted from traditionals and more, done with less pan-Caribbean derived sounds than the Cuban-rooted salseros of NYC and Miami. As fondly remembered as the players of the Chicago salsa scene are by the older Puerto Rican community, records by Orquestas La Justicia, La Solucion, Juventad Tipica '78, Tipica Leal '79 and others are terribly hard to find. Not only has Numero managed to compile a terrific batch of songs, the sound quality is impeccable, too! Titles include "Plena Matrimonial" by Ebirac All-Stars featuring La Calandria & Ramito, "Stone Flower", "Alegre Jibarito", "Guaguanco Coroco" and more by La Justicia, "Afro Theme" and "Ano Nuevo Y Reyes" by Juventud Tipica '78, "A Bailar Son Montuno", "El Gordo Y El Flaco" and "Mini Minoso" by La Solucion, "Mozambique" by La Solucion featuring Mongo Santamaria, "Donde Estabas" by Tipica Leal '79 and more, plus the bonus "Ebirac Radio Spot". The booklet is lavish, too – full of notes and photos that that make it all the more revelatory – providing a historical perspective that can't be overpraised!

A rare and beautiful treasure from Chicago's Phil Cohran and his legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble – material recorded at the end of the 60s, but only issued here for the first time ever! The sound on the record is amazing – much deeper, and more forceful than anything else we've ever heard from Cohran – almost in Sun Ra Arkestra territory at times, given the group's out-there playing, and bold collective action! The lineup is similar to other Cohran recordings from the time – Phil on cornet, Henry Gibson on congas, Pete Cosey on guitar, Louis Satterfield on bass, Charles Williams on alto, Don Myrick on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, and Aaron Dodd on tuba – a group that's a wonderful bridge between the two important Chicago generations headed by Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire. Armageddon is an extended piece, divided up into five different musical acts – conceived by Cohran in the late 50s, and recorded here in 1968 – with some great help from The Spencer Jackson Family on the leadoff track "Motherless Child". Other titles include "Creation Of The Beast", "The Warning", "The Window", and "Armageddon" – a clear reference to the power of the atom bomb!

Not "Soul Makossa", but also not a bad album of afro funk featuring Manu Dibango's usual squealing soprano sax, plus Fender Rhodes and vibes. Recorded in Jamaica, with a bit of a Carribean feel, and the tracks "Frozen Soul", "Doctor Bird", and "Full Up".

An amazingly seductive album from Stan Getz! The record features Getz's tenor blowing breezily away, amidst sophisticated arrangements with touches of dark easy scoring, post-bossa Brazilian writing, and early CTI production. Claus Ogerman arranged the whole set, and the overall feel is very similar to From The Hot Afternoon, which has Paul Desmond blowing in a similar style to arrangements by Don Sebesky. The core group features some hip players – like Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall, and Ron Carter – and the larger backing has the "voices" you'd guess from the title. Tracks include "Once", "Darling Joe", "Midnight Samba", "Little Rio", "Infinidad", and "Where Flamingo's Fly".

Great spacey grooves from Chicago's enigmatic Incredible Fly! "Want The Body" is a midtempo dancefloor track – kind of a gentle boogie number, and one with some really great moogy bits rising and falling in the mix alongside the catchy vocals! "The Incredible Fly's Rap" is done in the same groove, with similar instrumentation, but it also features some spoken bits by the Fly in the middle!

One of the coolest, sexiest, most straight up irresistible French rock & roll albums we've heard in years – a great self-titled gem from Liminanas on Chicago's Trouble In Mind label! Drums, bass, woozy organ and percussion are at the core of the sound – with a raw, neo-classic garage psyche vibe, but it's the sultry, somewhat pulpy mood that sets them apart from the pack. Marie Liminana brings the spare, perfectly effective drums & percussion, while Lionel Liminana does all kinds of groovy stuff – guitar, bass, sitar, melodica, piano, organ and percussion – with special guests sharing vocal duties on alternate tracks. The Liminanas don't hammer away like underground garage kids around the world, they're more into setting a mood, but that doesn't compromise the raw and exhilarating edge. Titles include "The Darkside", "Je Ne Suis Pa Tre Drogue", "Chocolate In My Milk", "Mountain", "Berceuse Pour Clive", "Tears", "Tigre Du Bengale", "Got Nothin To Say" and more.

Killer electric piano work from the mighty Mike Longo – recorded at a time when he was definitely at the height of his powers! The album sports a rare Mainstream Records appearance from James Moody – who was a frequent partner of Longos on sessions at the time – particularly on some of Dizzy Gillespie's funky records – which bear a lot of similarity to the sharp-edged grooves on this one! The rhythm section is wonderfully tight, and a big part of the success of the set – as they keep things grooving with a slightly sharper edge than some of Longo's other records – thanks to bass from Ron Carter, drums from Mickey Roker, and even a bit of extra congas from Dizzy Gillespie, of all people! Other players include Moody on alto, tenor, and flute – plus Virgil Jones on trumpet and Curtis Fuller on trombone. Titles include "Just To Let You Know", "A Piece Of Resistance", "The Awakening", "Pass It", and "Bitchin".

A great Latin boogaloo set from Ray Lugo & his Boogaloo Destroyers – fulfilling Lugo's longtime ambition of modern take a the mix of Latin soul, rhythm & blues and more that were so inspiring to Lugo's childhood in NYC! Lugo is a veteran of the modern Afro Funk scene – having cut his teeth the the excellent Kokolo group – so the Boogaloo Destroyers isn't all that surprising of a stylistic leftturn, as all we've heard from Lugo suggest a depth of understand of myriad soulful styles. Here they cover classics by Mongo Santamaria, Hector Rivera, Roberto Valentin and others. Includes "Soy El Rey", "Swingy Boogaloo", "Combo", "At The Party", "Me And You Baby (Picao Y Tostao)", the excellent original cut "Lugo's Boogaloo", "My Shingaling", "El Bantu" and more.

A killer early album by Mongo Santamaria – almost an equal blend of jazz and Latin rhythms, and a great illustration of the unique contribution that he was making to both types of music back in the 60s! Mongo's group here is filled with some really great horn players – Nat Adderley on cornet, Marty Sheller on trumpet, Ronnie Capers on alto sax, and Pat Patrick on baritone – really hitting a hard-edged groove that's as filled with soul jazz solo inflections as it is with Mongo's great work on percussion! The reeds bring a sharp edge to the record that keeps on going throughout – pushing the set with a lot more soul than other Latin sides from the time, particularly those in the charanga mode. Most tracks are short and feisty, and titles include "Skins", "Fatback", "Dot Dot Dot", "Corn Bread Guajira", "Para Ti", "Sweet Tater Pie", and "Tacos".

Trumpeter Corey Wilkes and a great group pay homage to Miles Davis at Chicago's legendary Velvet Lounge in May of 2010! Miles' spirit and soul are in each note here, but the group doesn't set out to simply cover the material – these are fresh, yet deeply influenced perspectives. It kicks off with a slow-building take on the Jerome Kern-penned "Yesterdays" that feels like Miles' late 60s style, and it works really well. The pieces are each pretty spacious and it's great that way – you don't want 'em to end! Kevin Nabors is on tenor, Greg Spero on keys, Junius Paul on bass, Xavier Breaker on drums and Kahil El Zabar on percussion. Includes "Yesterdays", "It's About That Time", "Tutu" and "So What/In It's Right Place" – running 15 to 26+ minutes each.

Stellar dancefloor soul from Dego – the first ever solo album from one half of the pioneering, longstandingly brilliant 4 Hero – thwarting trendiness with ease and crafting a set that's fully lives up to the 4 Hero-ic legacy! It's nice to have a full scale solo effort from Dego, not only because, ya know, he's so damn good – but it gives us a bit of hindsight about just what he may have personally brought to the table with 4 Hero, Silhouette Brown and other collaborative projects. The beat is prominent, keys come in soul jazzy washes or bright and spacey electro tones, and it’s all profoundly soulful. Speaking of soul and the spirit of collaboration, the guests are top notch – and include Sharlene Hector, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Silhouette Brown partner Kaidi Tatham, Nia Andrews, Obenawa and others. Includes "Start A New" feat Sharlene Hector, "Sparkling Minds" with Georgia Anne Muldrow, "Da Fuzz" feat Lordamercy, "All That She Knows" feat Obenewa, "Monday Blues", "Not Bother Talking It", "Dego's Dancehall Cry", "Not In My Disco", "Late Night Fright", "The Monarch" and more.

One of the earliest records on the Montuno, and one of the best too – a killer batch of Latin jazz numbers that really sets a whole new standard for the 70s! Al Santiago's at the helm of the session, and he guides the musicians with all the care of his older recordings from back in the day – allowing for plenty of open, descarga-like instrumentation – yet also bringing in a nice set of focus, too. Players include Johnny Almendra on timbales, George Haskins and Gilbert Colon on piano, John Purcell on baritone sax, Dave Chamberlin on flute and trombone, and Mike Ortiz and Charlie Affelt on trumpets. There's some great mambo numbers in the set – and titles include a "Dizzy Gillespie Medley", "Gone City", "Muneco", "Co Co My My", "Mientras Yo Viva", and "Con Sandunga".

A killer set from Adegoke Steve Colson – easily some of the most spiritual music he ever recorded, and a standout gem in the second wave of Chicago's AACM! Colson's the pianist in the group, leading an ensemble in sounds that stretch from the open spirituality of the Strata East scene from earlier in the 70s, to some of the more free-thinking moments put forth by the AACM – particularly in the way the melody interacts with the rhythms. In addition to Steve's piano and flute, the set features key vocals from Iqua Colson, plus flute and tenor from Wallace McMillian, sopranino sax and bass clarinet from Douglas Ewart, more reeds from Joseph Jarman, bass from Reggie Willis, and percussion from Dushun Mosley. Overall, tracks have kind of a free, loft jazz sort of approach, but the album kicks off with one really great groover – the jazzy scatting track "Lateen", which features great vocals by Iqua, and kind of a modal dancing approach that's really great! Other titles include "For Paul", "Temple At Dendera", "Triumph Of The Outcasts, Coming", and "Unknown".

A great mix of grooves from Chicago's Scientific Map – well-crafted songwriting blended with more cosmic touches, and coming off unlike anything we've ever heard before! At some points, the set's got a straightforward drive that makes you think it's going for a bit of a crossover indie vibe – but at others, there's a much deeper soul that comes into play – and the shift between the two modes really keeps things interesting – especially given the lean production, and nice touch of fuzz on the keyboards and guitar! Anthony Nicholson recorded the album, but it's much more in the vein of previous work by vocalist Matt Hudson – and titles include "Saturn Return", "Roll It Into Romance", "Keep Sleeping", "Vijay Singh", "Photo 78", and "Slow 5".