An overlooked album from the legendary Nina Simone – recorded in Paris in the early 80s, and not circulated as much as some of her records from the 60s and 70s – but every bit as compelling in its own sort of way! Nina's working here with a greater array of global elements than on previous recordings – very much in that way that the French scene was embracing sounds from the Caribbean and African cultures in these post-colonial years, and using them to forge a wealth of wonderful new styles in the studios of Paris. The approach is still jazz-based, but with lots of earthy percussion, including some handled by Nina with her own piano work – a mode that's not foisted on Simone by another producer, but arranged and conceived by the lady herself. Lyrics are in French and English, and titles include "I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive", "They Took My Hand", "Stop", "Liberian Calypso", "Vous Etes SEuls Mais Je Desire Etre Avec Vous", "Fodder In Her Wings", "Thandewye", "Heaven Belongs To You", and "Le Peuple En Suisse". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a sound that's as swirly as its cover – a record that's loaded to the brim with fuzzy guitar and dreamy organ lines – and served up in a style that makes the whole thing one of the most treasured albums from the short-lived psych years on Mainstream Records! The group hail from Boston, but they've almost got the heady sound of some of the trippiest Texas groups of the period – effortlessly mixing garagey grit with heavier psychedelic elements – on titles that include "Trip To The Zoo", "Please Don't Set Me Free", "The Flight", "Mommy & Daddy", "Symphonic Psychedelia", "Crystalescent Heaven", and "One More Heartache". And heck, even their cover of "Gloria" is pretty darn wild! LP, Vinyl record album

Ebo Taylor at his finest – stepping out here in a wicked set of work from the 70s – filled with upbeat rhythms, sweet instrumental touches, and a heck of a lot of soul! There's a bubbling undercurrent in the rhythms that's almost Caribbean at times, yet the overall groove is a lot sharper too – a warm blend of percussion, guitar, and some mighty sweet keyboards – often peppered with bits of saxophone lines, and topped with lyrics that move nicely along with the groove. Rhythms are mostly in a midtempo mode – a few steps mellower than traditional Afro Funk – which furthers the unique feel of the record, and seems to only deepen Ebo Taylor's soulful intentions! Titles include "Heaven", "Ohye Atar Gyan", "Bra", "Saana", and "Amponsah". LP, Vinyl record album

A blistering live set from the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe – an artist who may be a gospel singer, but was also a huge influence on soul and rock music too – thanks to an incredible vocal range, and a way of playing the electric guitar that influenced countless others! This 1966 live set has Rosetta captured at a time when she was well aware of her influence on newer styles of music – and maybe working even harder than usual to top them, commanding the stage with a presence that's incredible – just guitar and vocals, but with a righteous power that would blow most other large ensembles away! Titles include "Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air", "Down By The Riverside", "Sit Down", "Moonshine", "This Train", "Didn't It Rain", "Go Ahead", "Bring Back Those Happy Days", "Beams Of Heaven", and "Two Little Fishes Five Loaves Of Bread". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from this legendary duo – singers Martha Wash and Izora Armstead – better known by their later name as The Weather Girls, but already pretty darn great here as Two Tons! The pair first famously sang backup for Sylvester in the Bay Area, but quickly stepped out on their own, due to their vocal strengths – already full formed here, and given some mighty sharp studio help from supersoul producer Harvey Fuqua! Fuqua was really hitting his clubby style at this time, which really lets the girls' vocals soar – in a way that's similar to their later Weather Girls work, but maybe a bit more tied here to the Bay Area soulful style of the Fantasy Records scene. Titles include "Gone Away", "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven", "Do You Wanna Boogie", "Just Us", "Got The Feeling", "Taking Away Your Space", and "One-Sided Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest soundtracks we've ever heard from the mighty Piero Umiliani – a sparkling set that's filled with jazzy scatting, mod instrumentation, and loads of other wonderful 60s touches throughout! The music has that special Italian sound that's built on bossa that you'll find in some of the coolest soundtracks from Umiliani's generation – and like the rest, it really takes off in its own unique direction – with soaring, seductive sounds that live quite vibrantly away from the screen! The whole thing's right up there with bossa jazzy classics like Sweden Heaven & Hell or La Matriarca. LP, Vinyl record album

A third healthy dose of music from the early years of the Jamaican scene – work that's a direct precursor to the trio group soul mode of the rocksteady years, and which provides a great bridge into the way that American soul music went on to have such a strong influence on reggae! The "doo wop" in the title is key here – as these tracks are definitely heavy on harmonies and lighter on instrumentation – very much tied to American expressions of the genre, and delivered by artists who'd both go on to later fame, and disappear in the shifting sands of time. Titles include "My Heaven" by Alton & Eddie, "Sweet As An Angel" by Jiving Juniors, "First Time We Met" by Annette & Shenley, "Dream Girl" by Ricketts & Rowe, "Don't You Know" by The Moonlighters, "I'll Always Call Your Name" by Belltones, "Never Go Away" by Wilfred Jackie Edwards, "Change Of Mind" by Higgs & Wilson, and "I've Done You Wrong" by The Blues Busters. LP, Vinyl record album

A heavy duty set of rare rock and funk tracks from around the globe – very much the sort of work we've grown to love through the many years of reissues from the Now Again label – the reissue-based arm of the legendary Stones Throw imprint! Now Again has turned us on to more bands than we can count – and they expand that tradition by adding in some obscure groups here with other well-chosen material – including some of the African funk and psych they've really helped introduce to the world in the 21st Century! Titles include "The Out Station" by Image, "Down By The Ocean" by Heaven, "Know Yourself" by Ed Whiting & Joe Lano, "I Am Selfish" by Eye Q, "I Know" by Groep 1850, "Digging" by Trevor McNamara, "December Sequel" by Pat's People, "Let Me Try" by Kaleidoscope, and "Io Prego E Preghero" by Christophe. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing second foray into the world of punk rock 45s – and the British chapter to the previous American volume from Soul Jazz! Like the first set, the track selection here is superb – no overdone punk "oldies" or overplayed classics – and instead a great range of work from the lower levels of the late 70s British underground – including a fair bit of tracks from artists who never got to cut a full length album! There's also a great ear for music that goes past any simple punk cliches – songs that are smarter than the usual lot, have a good sense of perspective, and often offer up a sort of commentary on the quickly-evolving music in some way or another. The notes are great – super-thorough and filled with cover images for each single, plus other info too – and titles include "Wot's For Lunch Mum" by The Shapes, "I Wanna Be Free" by The Rings, "Neutron Bomb" by Art Attacks, "Sick Of You" by The Users, "Mucky Pup" by Puncture", "White Night" by The Lines, "You're Driving Me" by The Cravats, "Real Shocks" by Swell Maps, "Johnny Doesn't Want To Go To Heaven" by The Killjoys, "Power Cut" by The Jermz, and "East Sheen" by O Level. LP, Vinyl record album

A really wicked compilation, of the sort that BBE first started doing back in the day – a mix of records that spans both scenes and generations, yet which come together with a beautifully integrated vibe! There's a warmth here that's undeniable – currents of jazz, Brazilian, acoustic soul, and more – all wrapped up with a sunny vibe that really makes the whole thing soar wonderfully, as strange musical bedfellows really find a great space to play together that's full of imagination, spirit, and plenty of soul! Titles include "Factory Rhythms" by Jr Quintet, "Life" by Bugs Beddow, "I Had A Friend" by Peter Gallway, "Palavras" by Caixa Cubo, "Mystery Of You" by Jeff Scott, "Place In Space" by Joe Thomas, "Heaven" by Crosswind, "Como Aprendi A Soportar Tus Inseguridades, "Easter Suite (edit)" by John Standefer & Friends, "California (Shawn Lee mix)" by Kirk Reed, "Make The Call (ext version)" by MF Robots, "Smile Upon Your Brother" by Ambassador College Band & New World Singers, and "I Know (demo version)" by Astronauts Etc. LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous entry in this wonderful series – a set that proudly proclaims its contents with the "NOW" on the cover! Back when the Spiritual Jazz series first started on the Jazzman label, the music was mostly relegated to material of the John Coltrane generation and the generation that followed – but in the past decade or so, there's been a huge explosion in new artists that explore the deeper, more righteous currents of jazz – music that's pulled in from the farther reaches of free improvisation, to righteous, message-oriented styles that often mix modal rhythms with more exploratory solo passages. Yet this new generation is hardly slavish to the sounds of Impulse Records – as they've really moved beyond, and have used a globe's worth of influences and new 21st Century concepts to bring fresh spirit to the music – opening things up in ways that have made this new movement one of our greatest sources of inspiration in recent years. This double-length entry is a fantastic overview of the sounds that are currently reshaping the planet – and titles on volume 2 include "Flute Song" by Wildflower, "Slow Sweet Burn" by Abeeku, "Palms To Heaven" by The Cosmic Range, "Nova" by Menagerie, "Avo's Tune" by Teemu Akerblom Quartet, "Paris" by Jonas Kullhammar, "Vessels" by The Jamie Saft Quartet, "What Do I Tell My Children Who Are Black "by Angel Bat Dawid, "Trane's Groove" by Carla Marciano, "For Coltrane" by Steve Reid Foundation, "Empty Streets" by Vibration Black Finger, and "Memory Ritual" by The Pyramids. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from John Prine – his Atlantic debut, done at a time when he was emerging from the second generation of the Chicago folk scene – with a style that set the tone for countless singer/songwriters in years to come! The record has immediate appeal to ears tuned towards hip country, folk, and the more personal side of rock at the time – as Prine sings his material with a wry wit that's simultaneously heartbreaking, with support from the great Reggie Young on guitar and Bobby Emmons on organ – plus work on two tracks from scenemate and soon-to-be-star Steve Goodman on guitar. Titles include the seminal "Hello In There" – a tune that's hard to believe was written by a 24 year old – plus "Six O'Clock News", "Sam Stone", "Donald & Lydia", "Illegal Smile", "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore", and "Far From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A great record – and the kind of lost soul that has group collectors digging through the used bins year after year! Smoke hailed from Kansas City, and they were sweet harmony group in the mode of many of their east coast contemporaries. The record was recorded in 1976, but has a sound that's more 1972 or 1973 – with some uptempo righteous cuts, and some heavenly floating ballads that really hit the best sort of group soul harmony heaven! The record appears to have been recorded in Chicago – as the engineer is Paul Serrano, and the arrangements were handled by Benjamin Wright. Tracks include "I Can Feel Your Love (Comin' Down On Me)", "Cream Of The Crop", "I'm So Lonely", "Have I Really Lost You", and "Don't Take Your Love". A smooth groove classic through and through! LP, Vinyl record album

Delicate dissonance, bruised beauty, and hazy noise pop – all in one of the best rock albums ever made – the amazing first album from the Velvet Underground and Nico! The album's the stuff of legend – and for good reason, too – a surprising slab of vinyl that barely set the world on its ear when first issued back in the mid 60s – yet a record that's gone onto have an influence felt for decades to come – arguably one of the most important rock records of all time. There's a really sinister edge to the record, even when things are sweet – and the range of subject matter and handling here is brilliant – from the dream pop slice of heaven "Sunday Morning", the melodic bitterness of "Femme Fatale", the massive White Light-esque freakout "European Son", and the sublime "Heroin" – quite possibly the inspiration for generations of drug use to come. The whole thing's a classic – with wonderful vocals from both Nico and Lou Reed – and titles include "Venus In Furs", "Run Run Run", "Black Angel's Death Song", "I'll Be Your Mirror", and "All Tomorrow's Parties". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit stark, but that's because this live set follows on the studio album Wish – and has the group playing live in America, really hitting the crowd with plenty of their catchier tunes from the time, and a few older classics too! The vibe is definitely early 90s Cure – which means that the star presence of Robert Smith is somehow stronger than anyone might have guessed at the start, yet still completely unlike most mainstream artists – and titles include "Doing The Unstuck", "Just Like Heaven", "Fascination Street", "Tape", "Open", "High", "Pictures Of You", "A Night Like This", "Trust", "The Walk", "Let's Go To Bed", "Friday I'm In Love", "In Between Days", "Never Enough", "Cut", "End", and "From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea". LP, Vinyl record album

A biker soundtrack to end all biker soundtracks – one that shares plenty of elements with better-known entries in the genre, but which also has some really wild and offbeat moments! As with most of the short-lived motorcycle soundtrack era, the vibe here is much more rock than other film scores of the time – written and performed by Don Gere, with a variety of styles that echo some of the fake groups that were often thrown together for bigger biker films – but sometimes with looser, weirder elements that really deliver the kind of sounds that we always expected on other biker soundtracks, but which were instead buried under piles of b and c-grade psych. Instead, Don really serves up the goods here – especially on some of the more fuzzy Satanic ritual tracks, which also have some great sound effects – and which then have you embracing some of the straighter rock tracks, almost as a relief. Titles include "Werewolves On Wheels (Main Theme)", "Mount Shasta Home", "Ritual", "Ritual 2", "The Devil's Advocates", "One Foot In Heaven", "Burning Grass", "Tarot", "Tarot Trail", "Dust Bowl", "Ritual 3", and "Werewolves On Wheels (End Theme)". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most righteous music we've ever heard from keyboardist Robert Glasper – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given his legacy of albums over the years! This project feels different than the previous Black Radio releases by Glasper – different than his initial blending of jazz modes and contemporary soul – and maybe more strongly driven by mission and purpose, with a quality that really comes through right from the very first note! Glasper's piano and keyboards still have that strong sense of shape we love so much – but they're maybe more heady and serious, and really set a fantastic tone for the album's many contributions from important voices like Esperanza Spaulding, BJ The Chicago Kid, Amir Sulaiman, Lalah Hathaway, Common, Posdnuos, Q Tip, Gregory Porter, Ledisi, HER, and others – a lineup who really elevate the already-sublime tone of the record. We've always found inspiration in the music of Robert Glasper – but it's also an amazing thing to see him rise to an almost statesman-like position with a project like this – on titles that include "Black Superhero", "Shine", "Why We Speak", "Better Than I Imagined", "Everybody Love", "It Don't Matter", "Heaven's Here", "Forever", and a surprisingly strong cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from Donny Hathaway – a 70s soul giant who burned brightly for just a few years, then was taken away from us all too soon! In our book, Donny is every bit a giant of the decade as Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield – and you'll hear work here that easily matches the best of both, topped with some of the musical complexity that made Hathaway such a budding talent in the studio – ready to give his gifts to so many, and be shared with the world! Every cut's a gem – and titles include "The Ghetto", "Giving Up", "Someday We'll Be Free", "To Be Young Gifted & Black", "A Song For You", "What's Going On", and "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" – as well as Hathaway's Holiday classic "This Christmas" – maybe the tune that most people know the best. Also features famous duets with Roberta Flack on "Where Is The Love", "The Closer I Get To You", "You've Got A Friend", "Back Together Again", and "You Are My Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing step forward for the young Etta James – a singer who was delivering a raw, shouting form of R&B just a few years before – but who here ascends into soul music heaven with her famous work on the album! The title cut is the stuff of legend – played and played, again and again over the years – but the whole record's wonderful, and handled with this new level of soul sophistication by arranger Riley Hampton – the great Chicago talent who'd reach similar heights in his charts for singers that include Lorez Alexandria and Walter Jackson. Hampton's dark use of strings brings out a whole new side of James' brilliance – a quality that raised Etta James up out of the R&B ghetto, and forever put her into the legions of legendary 60s soul stars! Titles include the perennial classic "At Last", plus "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Tough Mary", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Anything To Say You're Mine", and "Trust In Me". Includes 4 bonus tracks – "My Heart Cries", "Spoonful", "It's A Crying Shame", and "If I Can't Have You". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard rock perfected! It's around Led Zeppelin IV that you can easily say that the group moved up from being incredibly great to flat-out legendary – really in a class by themselves, although maybe they'd already reached that point with the sublime sounds of the previous three records! There's a darkness here – and a sense of magick too – an eerie new energy that still has all the balls-out rock power of before, but which has the group moving into this heady territory that's really all their own. Every song is a classic – and tracks include "Black Dog", "Stairway To Heaven", "Rock And Roll", "Misty Mountain Hop", "When The Levee Breaks", "Going To California", "Four Sticks", and "Battle Of Evermore". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly strong collection of country cuts from a very unusual scene – material recorded for the tiny Cuca Records label in Wisconsin – a company who was more likely to open their doors to just about anyone, than they were to carefully pick who got to record in their studio! Yet because of that approach, Cuca was able to capture some fantastic sounds that would have otherwise been lost to more commercial concerns – music that here represents an underground of country singers and late rockabilly acts from the scene in southern Wisconsin – all artists with the kind of twang and subject matter you'd be much more likely to discover down in Tennessee! As usual with Numero Group, the record is as musically great as it is culturally compelling – put together with plenty of care, and a stunning set list that includes "Happy Don't Last Forever" by Nancy Lee Jordan, "Little Hero" by Dixie Drifter, "Cardinal" by John D Curnow, "Six Foot Down" by Gene Ski & The Troubadours, "There's A River" by Sam Podnay, "Hello Houston" by Johnny Madrid, "Wanderer" by The Lavenders, "Challenge" by Larry Phillipson, "Run Little Girl" by Harrison Two, "Heaven Help The Working Girl" by Janet Kaye, "Trouble Sweet Trouble" by Curley Fields & The Kentuckians, and "When I See You" by Rog Winters & The Plainsmen. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of rare gospel tracks from the postwar years – done with the same thoughtful choice of cuts that Mississippi has been bringing to its compilations of soul and blues, but with a leaner approach overall! The collection digs deeper than the big names of the time, and has a strong focus on the kinds of group harmonies that were also having a big impact on soul music – heard especially well in some of the smaller groupings here. Titles include "Love Hides All Faults" by The Holy Light Jrs, "Beams Of Heaven" by Church Of To-Morrow, "Lord You Are My Burden Brother" by The Hubbard Heavyweight Gospel Singers, "When The Gates Swing Open" by Joyful Souls Of Dallas, "Trouble Of The World" by Soul Revivals, and "I Thank the Lord" by Dynamic True Tones. LP, Vinyl record album

Raw and rumbling gospel sounds from the Designer Records vaults – real and resonant southern gospel from Reverend Douglas Bell & Th Stage Cruisers! Heavy vocals & sermonizing with swirling organ and wailing keyboards along with the impassioned vocals. As with the material on the Together compilation, the material is well produced, with bluesy, gritty immediacy. Titles include "Nuclear Blast", "Bitter And The Sweet", "I Got To Make Heaven My Home", "Hard Love Affair", "I Got A Home", "I'll Fight Goliath", "How Many Miles To Heaven", "What You Need From The Lord" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue return for Khari and Jiva – the kind of pairing that first won us over to neo soul many years back – and sounding equally wonderful here! The album begins with a reworking of the James Mason classic "Good Thing" – and it only gets better and better from there – moving through the positive, sophisticated sort of music that Jiva gave us right from the start – that farther side of the contemporary soul spectrum where people are still making thoughtful, well-crafted sounds! The set includes vocals from Brenda Nicole Moorer, Cleveland Jones, Linsdey Webster, and Lizz Wright – and titles include James Mason tunes "Good Thing" and "Sweet Power Your Embrace" – plus "Show Me The Way", "Heaven's Design", "North Node", "Hard Times", "Capricorn City", and "Warm Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzy folk soul survivor Terry Callier returns to Mr Bongo with Hidden Conversations – with Terry's soul searching lyricism, warm vocals, and mood setting acoustic guitar paired with laidback production by trip hop pioneer Robert Del Naha of Massive Attack! The styles work pretty well together – Terry's way with a song and his performances are built ready to soar, even at their most stripped down and spare, and his voice and guitar are leading lights of the production, over spacey keys and trippy beats. Terry sings, speaks, scats, and tells stories wonderfully, and we're as proud as ever to have him as our Chicago-to-the-cosmos soul sage! Titles include "Wings", "Sunset Boulevard", "Hidden Conversations", "The Hood I Left Behind", "Once I Dreamed Of Heaven", "Fool Em I Fool R U", "Rice And Beans – Grace", "Jessie And Alice", "John Lee Hooker" and "Live With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible return to form for Billy Harper – and a landmark album recorded at the end of the 80s, when we'd all but given up on him! The session returns Billy to the majesty of his 70s work – placing him in the setting of long tracks, modal rhythms, and spiritual motivation – the uniquely Harper territory first forged with Lee Morgan and Max Roach, sounding better than ever here, with all the confidence of his youth. The group's a quintet – with Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Francesca Tanksley on piano, Clarence Seay on bass, and Newman Baker on drums – working perfectly as a unit, with a power level that's simply amazing. Harper's the main star, reaching towards the heavens with some incredible solos – but he also clearly knows that he wouldn't be able to do what he does without the great level of support he's getting from the rest of the group. Tracks include "Destiny Is Yours", "If One Could Only See", "Groove From Heaven", "The One That Makes The Rain Stop", and "East West Exodus". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a group who've matured tremendously in the time that they've been giving us music – and who almost seem ready here to take on the legacy of their musical father – the late Kelan Phil Cohran! There's a complexity to the horn work here that's even deeper than before – amazing tones and textures from trumpets, trombones, euphonium, and sousaphone – all balanced with these sonic currents on guitar, bass, and electronics – instruments used in subtle ways, but to strongly shape the brass elements with maybe more spiritual overtones than in previous years – almost as if the group is growing, and getting even more serious about their message – with echoes that stretch back to the work of Cohran, and maybe Sun Ra's Arkestra, the world of Strata East, and even the tonal colors of Oliver Nelson at his best. Titles include "Heaven & Earth", "Midnight", "Now", "Morning Prayer", "Purple Afternoon", "Lead The Way", "Synapsis", "Royalty", "Solstice", and "Sri Neroti". LP, Vinyl record album

Mia Joy blends layered, dreamy atmosphere and strongly personal songwriting with such surehanded craft on Spirit Tamer, it's hard to believe it's only her first album! The vibe is the kind of softly layered, gently expansive guitar and synth atmosphere that's a bit reminiscent of classic 4AD and Creation label heroes and heroines, but in Mia's hands it's in the service of personal songwriting, which never gets lost under the airy sound or hazy mood. Such a strong debut! Includes "Spirit Tamer", "Ye Old Man", "Heaven Forbid", "Across Water", "See Us", "Saturn", "Sword (I Carry)", "Phone Home", "Candle Prayer", "Haha" and "Last Night Together (Arthur)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest studio projects from the early years of the On-U Sound label – a record that's maybe a bit more subtle overall than some of the Tackhead and Mark Stewart projects of the time, but which has an equally similar genre-busting quality! The vibe here is nice and lean – with plenty of bass and effects from Crocodile, on darkly moody tunes that are only partly reggae in inspiration, and which also have plenty of the same elements you might hear on some of Jah Wobble's best early solo projects – with plenty of Adrian Sherwood effects and echo to keep things spooky and moody throughout! Annie Anxiety and Shara Nelson each sing on a track on the record – but most of the set is instrumental, and has this wonderful spare interplay between the instruments, served up in dubby heaven. Titles include "Crocodile's Court", "Savanna Prance", "Meander", "Igloo Inn", "Missing Brazilians", "Gentle Killers", and "Frequency Feast". LP, Vinyl record album

Mighty nice work from UK soul singer Natasha Watts – a contemporary artist, but one who's got a nicely crackling approach to her music – at a level that maybe takes us back to that great moment when British soul was really finding its own way forward at the start of the 90s! As with some of the best work from that era, Natasha has a way of being personal yet upbeat – a different pitch than US soul singers, with this flow that seems inspired slightly by jazz, yet delivered with a strongly soulful groove! Production includes work from Dave Doyle, Toni Economides, Ziggy Funk, and Mike Patto – the last of whom plays keyboards – and titles include "I Do I Did I'm Done", "Heaven Sent", "Brighter Days", "Feels Like Sunshine", "Not What You Think", and "I Am Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest sets we've ever seen on Spanish Harlem – a collection that goes way past the Latin Soul hits, to dig deep in the uptown underground at the end of the 60s! The package is compiled with gems from the Fania catalog, but rally moves past the obvious – going for some of the more obscure artists who recorded singles for some of the smaller Fania-held labels – and often focusing on tunes that drew more from late 60s soul and funk than they did from any Latin rhythms of the time. The singers are especially wonderful – and often hit a vibe that's right up there with some of Joe Bataan's best of the period – richly soulful, but often deeply personal too – never as polished as chart soul, and often showing a grittier, more realistic style that's totally great – especially when mixed with instrumentation as tight as this! Titles include "Reflections Of My Life" by 125th Street Candy Store, "On Old Broadway" by 107th Street Stickball Team, "Don't Be Afraid" by Lebron Brothers, "Central Park" by Harvey Averne Dozen, "Heaven" by Tito Ramos, "Your Smile" by Parris, "Some Lonely Heart" by Ronnie Marks, "There's No Girl" by Olivieri, "Maria Maria" by King Nando, "Already Satisfied" by Tony Middleton & Bobby Matos, "Nitty Boo Boo" by The Nitty Sextette, "Lonely Has Been My Day" by Ralphie & The Latin Lovers, "I'm Gonna Leave You" by Russell Cohen & The New Yorkers, and "Ain't No Big Thing" by Ralfi Pagan. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic breaks – all the way through – the kind of sharp funky nuggets that have had a rich new life, thanks to their use in hip hop and club tracks in recent years! This may not be the most underground stuff in the world to those out there who've been digging through crates for funk and soul for the past ten years, but it is an exquisite compilation that features some of the best funky tracks used as samples by hip hoppers, nearly every one of them a famous cut that you'll probably recognize in a minute! Titles include "I Like It" by The Emotions, "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "Hard Times" by Baby Huey, "Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth" by 24 Carat Black, "Kool Is Back" by Funk Inc, "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines, "Heaven & Hell" by 20th Century Steel Band, "Unhooked Generation" by Freda Payne, "Papa Was, Too" by Joe Tex, "Just A Groove In G" by Wilbur Bascomb & The Zodiac, "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William De Vaughn, and "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds. 18 cuts in all! LP, Vinyl record album

The Kay Bank studios were located in the Twin Cities during the 60s – quite far from the oceans on both coasts, and even from the Great Lakes mentioned in the title – yet that didn't stop them from turning out a surprisingly great array of surf rock singles at the time! The music here resonates strongly with both the warmer surf instrumentals down in Cali, and some of the guitar instrumentals from the Pacific Northwest – recorded with just the right amount of echo to bring out the best in the driving guitar lines and bass – and often urged on strongly by some mighty nice drums! As you can guess, the tracks within are plenty rare – and although a few were issued as small indie label singles, most of the material here never came out at the time – served up in a set of tracks that includes "Disintegration" by The Readymen, "Caliente" by The Marauders, "Heaven's Devil" by The Boss Tweeds, "Girl Don't Tell Me" by The Satisfactions, "Za Boo" by The Valients, "Bird Gasp 65" by The Trashmen, "Little Queenie (inst)" by The Furys, "Surf Beat" by The Chancellors, and "80 Foot Wave" by The Vaqueros. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early chapter in the long legacy of Human League and Heaven 17 – a group of musicians who'd partly go on to form the latter, recently departed from the former – yet still working strongly in the dark, electronic style of the earliest releases from the Sheffield scene! There's plenty of moody analogue sounds going on here – and as a cassette only release back in the day, the whole thing is a key slice of that cold wave underground of the early 80s, even though its members reached later fame – definitely working in territory that's more avant and electronic at times, but with more rhythmic instrumentals as well! Titles include "Music To Kill Your Parents By", "Decline Of The West", "Honeymoon In New York", "A Baby Called Billy", "Wipe The Board Clean", "Uptown Apocalypse", and "The Optimum Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer rare gem from the 70s – served up in this warm mellow take on funky soul, with plenty of jazzy licks in the mix too! The production is great – cool and compressed, so that the vocals are folded nicely onto the grooves – which are mostly in this midtempo mode that chugs along in a really unified pace throughout the record – almost making the whole thing feel like some funky suite of tracks that work together as a unit! The vibe is almost a bit in the Sugar Billy mode – indie funk that's nicely away from the mainstream, and with a groove that's more pre-disco overall – on a great set of tracks that include "You Must Be From Heaven", "Rainbow Men", "Freeway", "Love Rope", "Super Love", and "Save The Young Ones". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Evans is working with a really wonderful trio here – one that features Gary Peacock on bass and Paul Motian on drums – both budding young modernists who help Evans reach some new sounds on the set! The record starts out with a groove that's perhaps more inside than you'd expect – but it then quickly moves into the sort of sensitively-played numbers that really made Evans a key force in jazz during the early 60s – supported by equally personal work from Peacock and Motian, who both clearly feel free to move beyond common piano trio cliches. Tracks include "Dancing In The Dark", "Always", "Little Lulu", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Everything Happens To Me", and "For Heaven's Sake". LP, Vinyl record album

To fans of the group Rush, the title of this record has a very different meaning than the common one – and, no surprise, pianist Brad Mehldau is actually referencing that song by the group here – which he performs on the record, along with some of their other work – and adds in his own music too – all in pursuit of this amazing blend of spirituality informed by progressive rock! The concept is one that's a bit hard to describe in words, and it's also kind of a mindblowing surprise from Mehldau – music we never would have expected from any of his previous records! There's still a current of jazz on the album, but there's all sorts of other things going on too – a guitar solo on one number, heavy drums on another, and even a vocal contribution from Cecile McLorin Salvant, who also sounds nothing like usual. In addition to remakes of "Tom Sawyer" and "Jacob's Ladder", the set also features the titles "Maybe As His Skies Are Wide", "Herr Und Knect", "Cogs IN Cogs", "Voy Correndo Te Encontrar/Racecar", and "Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

Great later work from The Paragons – the Jamaican vocal group who are probably best-remembered for their early work in the rocksteady years, but who here deliver a well-crafted batch of roots reggae material, all under the production genius of Bunny Lee! The set's laidback in all the right ways – with gentle grooves from The Agrovators, who capture some of the mellower modes of the early years – while updating the sound with more righteous elements that bring a very different vibe to the sweeter soul vocals! The themes are nicely different than before, too – and titles include "That All I Want", "Come A Little Closer", "A Place Called Zion", "Heaven & Earth", "Positive Movements", "Life Spoilers", and "Dirty Streets". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a guy who looks like a priest on the cover, but the sounds within are much more the stuff of hell than heaven – surprisingly raw work from a group who were years ahead of their time in the way they handled their guitars! Royal Aircoach aren't just another lost garage band from the 60s – because at times, they've got a nastiness that could rival the Velvet Underground – and a proto-punk sense of lean energy that feels like American underground work from decades to come! Don't get us wrong, there's definitely a lively 60s spirit in the music – but the fact that most of the tracks here never saw release at the time is a great testament to the power of the sounds within. Tracks include the rare Flying Machine single "Webs Of Love" and "Wondering Why" – plus rare tracks "Wrapped Up In Your Mind", "Lies Ain't Right", "Waking Skies", "Wax Theory", "Death Of Man", "Looking Out", and "When I Return". LP, Vinyl record album

It's been many years since Ural Thomas recorded his first soul single – and if anything, the passage of time has only made his voice sound even more wonderful – with a contemporary richness that we never would have heard back at the start! The set's not the first "comeback" album that Ural has cut with his younger group, The Pain – but it may well be the one that pushes him over the top, and gets the singer the sort of newfound global attention he finally deserves after all these years! Titles include "Heaven", "Gimme Some Ice Cream", "Second Dimension", "Apple Pie", "Ol Safiya", "El Ey Em Eh", "Do You Remember The Times", "Hung Up On My Dream", and "My Favorite Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A really key album in the early run of Yes – yet a set that's also nicely different too! The record is the first to feature keyboard genius Rick Wakeman joining the group – a player whose talents would really elevate their sound – but the record also has this nicely intimate vibe at moments, too – with shorter tracks that introduce the talents of each players – which are then matched with the kind of complex, soaring numbers that the group could always do so well! Roger Dean turns in the first of his legendary covers for the group, and the whole thing's a mini-masterpiece – with titles that include their classics "Roundabout" and "Long Distanced Runaround" – plus "Cans & Brahms", "We Have Heaven", "Mood For A Day", "Heart Of The Sunrise", "South Side Of The Sky", and "The Fish". LP, Vinyl record album