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Two disco albums from Evelyn Thomas – back to back on a single CD, with tracks from an unreleased third album as well First up is I Want To Make It On My Own – a Casablanca stormer from Evelyn Thomas – a set that makes mighty full use of her strong vocals for the clubs, but which also features some quick-stepping production from Ian Levine! There's a nice polish to the record, but in an older sort of style – so that the lead singer is respected when the lyrics are flowing free, yet the tracks are also more than long enough to step out with plenty of longer disco modes too. A few tracks have some nice hooks that would more than make them stand on their own as soul singles – and titles include "I Want To Make It On My Own", "Back To Reality", "Thanks For Being There", and "It's The Magic Of Your Touch". Have A Little Faith In Me is filled with tight long tracks that work perfectly with the bold vocals of singer Evelyn Thomas – grooves that build up long before the lyrics come into the mix – in the best style of club classics on the AVI label! Ian Levine's at the helm once again – guiding Thomas in the studio – but the arrangements have an even tighter punch than before – a nice touch of Chicago groove from arrangers Danny Leake and Fiachra Trench. All titles are nice and long – and tracks include "My Head's In The Stars", "Love Isn't Just An Illusion", "Have A Little Faith In Me", and "No Time To Turn Around". CD features three unreleased bonus tracks that are all mighty nice – recorded after the second album, but never released – including the slinky groover "Sleaze", plus "Summer On The Beach" and "Love In The First Degree".

A memorable set from Mushroom – captured live at San Francisco's Tip Top Inn in March of 2000! The set promised to channel the creative spirit of leftfield Brit jazz figures of the 70s, such Keith Tippett, Chris McGregor and Ian Carr – and dare we say so, they pretty much nail it! Recorded by drummer Pat Thomas, the group features Jeff Palmer on bass, Marc Capelle on trumpet, Carroll Ashby on trombone, Davie Mihaly on percussion, Jon Sanders on keys and Erik Pearson on guitar and sax. The titles are a trip, too: "No Anagrams Found by Recursive Algorithm", "I've Never Understood The Importance Of Club DJs, They Seem Like The Lowest Link In The Chain, Like A Fluffer On A Porn Site", "Loft Hawk", "Blues For An Airplane" and more. 9 in all, and the set runs north of an hour long.

A gracious and soulful gospel jazz effort from Don Byron – a set inspired by Thomas Dorsey and Sister Rosetta Tharpe – and he serves both proudly! The set includes a number of Dorsey compositions, plus some nice takes on traditional "Didn't It Rain", Eddie Harris's "Sham Time" and a few other solid interpretions. Also includes the standout Don Byron original "Himmm". Byron plays clarinets on a few numbers, on top of always warm and inventive saxes, with DK Dyson singing, Xavier Davis on piano and backing vocals, Brad Jones on bass and backing vocals and Pheeroan Aklaff on drums – with guests Brandon Ross, Vernon Reid, Dean Bowman, Ralph Alessi & JD Parran. Includes "Highway To Heaven", "When I've Sung My Last Song", "It's My Desire", "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", "Hide Me In Thy Bosom", "I've Got To Live The Life I Sing About In My Song", "When I've Done My Best" and more.

A record with a title that sounds like it should be something of a bachelor pad release from the title, but which is instead a good old fashioned, no holds barred, open-ended jazz session from trumpeter Buck Clayton! All tracks are nice and long – way more than usual for big label jazz at the time – and Clayton's trumpet is lineup alongside those of Joe Newman and Joe Thomas, plus other players who include Woody Herman on clarinet, Urbie Green and Benny Powell on trombones, Julian Dash and Al Cohn on tenor, Charlie Fowkes on baritone, Freddie Green on guitar, and Sir Charles Thompson on piano. Titles include "Moten Swing", "Sentimental Journey", "How Hi The Fi", and "Blue Moon".

A brilliant testament to the collaborative strengths of reedman Lol Coxhill – an artist who's always been willing to take chances, and frequently does so in the company of other important avant musicians – usually spurring them onto new levels of creativity in the process! This set brings together a number of long improvised performances from the last decade of Coxhill's career – and each track on the record features a different partner – one with Hugh Davies on "invented instruments", which sounds pretty great – plus another with John Russell on guitar, another with Henry Lowther on trumpet, and one more with Pat Thomas on keyboards. Coxhill rounds out the set with a beautiful solo number – and each track on the set has a very distinct flavor!

Wonderfully sensitive work from the quartet of pianist Axel Donner – a group who play here with a timeless quality that makes the record feel like some lost indie American album from the 70s! Donner can have a sharp tone when he wants, but he's also penned some really wonderful tunes for the set too – numbers that serve up sublime colors, not just from his own piano, but from the tenor and flutes of Thomas Klemm! The rest of the combo features Wolfgang Musick on bass and Diester Ehrhardt on drums – and the set also features guest flughelhorn from Joachim Hesse and percussion from Mario Wurzebesser – both of whom nicely expand the sound on a few key cuts. Titles include "Samba", "Latin Eyes", "Fur Michele", "Silver Mood", "St Michel", and "Fast Live".

Seminal 70s work from Sarah Webster Fabio – an amazing blend of poetry and music, and incredibly hip all the way through! Fabio's got a depth that goes beyond other commercial poets of the time – a righteousness that's right at home in the spiritual jazz scene of the 70s, and which is supported here by some great backings on guitar, bass, and percussion – plus some especially evocative saxophone, played by Denianke (Leon Williams) on some of the best tracks. The voice of Thomas Fabio joins Sarah on some of the numbers – with a brooding, echoey feel that's really great – and titles include "Eclipse", "Interrogation", "Together To The Tune Of Coltrane's Equinox", and "A Black Girl's Mean Ol Low Down Blues".

A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – both players of Gryce's same postwar generation, and coincidentally recording for Mercury at the same time. Although the groove here is definitely different – less emphasis on the bottom, and more on the top – not just Gryce's wonderfully raspy alto, but also the trumpet of Richard Williams too. All other players are great as well – and Eddie Costa brings in some sweet vibes – in a lineup that also features Richard Wyands on piano, and either Reggie Workman or George Duvivier on bass, and either Walter Perkins or Bob Thomas on drums. Tracks include "Reminiscing", "Gee Blues Gee", "Blue Light", and "Night In Tunisia".

A really great change for saxophonist Nathan Haines – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given how much we already liked him before! The set's a straight jazz outing – of the kind that really lets Haines' strengths on reeds shine forth beautifully – soaring out soulfully in ways that are quite different than his more groove-oriented recordings – yet still equally soulful! Nathan's tenor is wonderful – as deep in tone and rich in feeling as some of the greats of the 60s generation – yet informed with a slight spiritual sense of phrasing as well, even though the overall production and setting is downright classic. The group's a quartet – with Kevin Field on piano, Alain Koetsier on drums, and Thomas Botting on bass – and titles include the Haines' originals "Realisation", "Universal Man", "Ancestral Dance", "The Poet's Embrace", and "Consequence" – plus a version of Roy Brooks' "Eboness".

A really great change for saxophonist Nathan Haines – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given how much we already liked him before! The set's a straight jazz outing – of the kind that really lets Haines' strengths on reeds shine forth beautifully – soaring out soulfully in ways that are quite different than his more groove-oriented recordings – yet still equally soulful! Nathan's tenor is wonderful – as deep in tone and rich in feeling as some of the greats of the 60s generation – yet informed with a slight spiritual sense of phrasing as well, even though the overall production and setting is downright classic. The group's a quartet – with Kevin Field on piano, Alain Koetsier on drums, and Thomas Botting on bass – and titles include the Haines' originals "Realisation", "Universal Man", "Ancestral Dance", "The Poet's Embrace", and "Consequence" – plus a version of Roy Brooks' "Eboness".

A hell of a great live set from pianist Hampton Hawes – thanks especially to the other members of the trio! Hawes is at his free, open, 70s best on the piano – but bassist Cecil McBee really takes the record to the next level – spinning out these amazing lines that are as rhythmic as they are melodic – often crafted with that rounded tone that was his important calling card during this stretch! Drummer Roy Haynes is a bundle of energy – bursting out in surprising ways, occasionally in counterpoint to the piano and bass – and the whole thing cooks nicely on a set of extended tracks. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "Blue Bird", "St Thomas", and "Spanish Mood".

One of our favorite albums ever from Eddie Jefferson – one of the last sessions he ever recorded as a leader, and a stone cooker through and through! The arrangements here are by Slide Hampton, who hits a really soulful groove for the set – one that moves away from some of the more experimental modes of other Jefferson dates of the 70s, and hits a snapping, swinging style that moves Eddie back to his hippest modes of the 60s. Hampton plays trombone in the group, and other players include Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Richie Cole on alto, Junior Cook on tenor, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, and Harold Mabern on piano and electric piano. Leon Thomas produced the record, and Joyce Lawson guests as the female voice on a remake of "Moody's Mood For Love". Other titles include a killer version of Duke Pearson's "Jeannine" that is probably worth the price of the album alone – and there's also "Benny's From Heaven" and "Freedom Jazz Dance", both of which are great, too – plus "Summertime", "Exactly Like You", and "Night Train".

One of our favorite albums ever from Eddie Jefferson – one of the last sessions he ever recorded as a leader, and a stone cooker through and through! The arrangements here are by Slide Hampton, who hits a really soulful groove for the set – one that moves away from some of the more experimental modes of other Jefferson dates of the 70s, and hits a snapping, swinging style that moves Eddie back to his hippest modes of the 60s. Hampton plays trombone in the group, and other players include Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Richie Cole on alto, Junior Cook on tenor, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, and Harold Mabern on piano and electric piano. Leon Thomas produced the record, and Joyce Lawson guests as the female voice on a remake of "Moody's Mood For Love". Other titles include a killer version of Duke Pearson's "Jeannine" that is probably worth the price of the album alone – and there's also "Benny's From Heaven" and "Freedom Jazz Dance", both of which are great, too – plus "Summertime", "Exactly Like You", and "Night Train".

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".

Massive early work from Hubert Laws – and a set that really shows some more the more Latin and soul sides of his talents! Tracks here have a tight punch throughout – with some great New York 60s rhythms that feature a young Chick (then called "Armando") Corea on piano, then a much more Latin-tinged player – vamping, stomping, and grooving alongside Hubert's lead lines on flute! The rest of the group includes Richard Davis on bass and Bobby Thomas on drums – and the tunes are as groovy as they sound – with titles that include "Bimbe Blue", "Miss Thing", "All Soul", and "Black Eyed Peas & Rice".

An amazing version of this one – the core soundtrack really expanded with a lot of extra from the film, not just the record – and presented here as a 2CD set with loads of extra source music, alternate takes, and cues as well! The core version of Happy Ending is a real slice of genius from Michel Legrand – one of his brilliant late 60s soundtracks, not as well remembered as, but cut during the same period as The Thomas Crown Affair. The soundtrack is probably best remembered for the incredible theme "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" – sung here in 2 versions by Michael Dees, and also served up in a nice instrumental take as well. But overall, the whole record is pretty darn great – not as out and out groovy as some of Legrand's other work, but with a great mix of moody, jazzy, and atmospheric – handled with some really great instrumental touches that are all Legrand, all the way! Titles include "Smooth Sailing", "Collage", "Diamonds Are Forever", "Floating Time", "Hurry Up N Hurry Down", and "Whistle While You Swing". 2CD version features all the material unearthed for that very limited MGM box set a few years ago, a total of 48 tracks in all – with other gems that include "Soft Sell", "Till Death Do Us Part/That Trapped Feeling", "Bahama Blues", "The Stripper", "Reconciliation", and "It Ought To Be Forever".

Straight live funky piano by Mance, recorded here bith bassist George Tucker and drummer Bobby Thomas in a live "after hours" setting. Tracks include "In The Dark", "The Host", "Caribe Blues", and "That's Where It Is!".

Pat Martino in one of his greatest settings – live, in front of the kind of an audience where he could really open up! The set's a great marker of the growth that Pat experienced as the 70s approached – taking all the lessons he'd learned from his years gigging it up in the soul jazz underground, and using them to forge a more expansive, more cosmic approach to jazz. The tracks on the set are all quite long – with backing by a trio that features electric piano from Ron Thomas, and an overall sound that's exploratory, but never too out or trippy. Titles include "Special Door", "The Great Stream", and an excellent reading of "Sunny".

One of the most outside sets we've heard from Rob Mazurek in years – a combination of his own cornet and work on ring modulator – creating a blend of jazz and electronics that's really mindblowing! Mazurek's not alone in his creative expressions – as he's joined here by a group group of players that mixes musicians from Rob's Chicago and Brazilian scenes – including Nicole Mitchell on flute and piccolo, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Mauricio Takara on cavaquinho, Guilherme Granado on keyboards and electronics, Thomas Rohrer on rabeca and C melody sax, Carlos Issa on guitar, and John Herndon on drums – a really unique lineup that lives up to all their promise with the rich sounds on the set. Most tracks are quite long – and titles include "Galactic Ice Skeleton", "Skull Caves Of Alderon", and "Keeping The Light Up".

One of the most spiritual albums to come from the young AACM movement in Chicago – a session that's somewhat equal in expression to some of the best post-Coltrane work on Impulse Records! Maurice McIntyre plays here with a sound that's already fully formed – an approach to the tenor that's as searingly human as that of Pharoah Sanders or Albert Ayler – but which is also played with a sharpness at times that recalls a young Marion Brown. The rest of the group is equally well-matched – a tremendous array of talent from the Chicago scene, with Malachi Favors on bass, Thurman Barker and Ajaramu on drums, Leo Smith on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Stubblefield on soprano sax, and Amina Claudine Myers on piano. George Hines vocalizes a bit on a few tracks – singing in a spiritual tone that's somewhat like Leon Thomas, but much freer and more abstract – and the album beautifully balances shorter musical statements with a fuller suite on side two – showing the deeper, more ambitious expressions that were starting to well up in the AACM. Titles include the tremendous "Humility In The Light Of Creator", plus "Hexagon", "Kcab Emoh", "Pluto Calling", "Life Force", and "Suite – Ensemble Fate". CD also features a bonus version of the title track!

A Windy City classic – from Vee Jay Records! The MJT grooves like nobody's business, thanks to a core rhythm group that includes Harold Mabern on piano, Walter Perkins on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass! Add to the mix a young Frank Strozier on alto, fresh from Memphis (he made the trip to Chi-town with buddy Harold Mabern), and the smoking trumpet of Willie Thomas, and you've got one of the tightest combos to never make it in the big time – a killer little group that was almost a Chicago secret back in the day, but one that's well worth discovering if you've got any sort of a love for hardbop or soul jazz! This oft-overlooked gem is one of the best hardbop albums to ever come out of Chicago, and it's got some great originals by Mabern – like "Richie's Dilemma" and "Make Everybody Happy" – plus a nice version of Booker Little's "Sweet Silver".

One of the best-kept secrets of the hardbop era! This amazing group – formed in Chicago in the late 50's by ex-Memphis players Walter Perkins on drums, Harold Mabern on piano, and Frank Strozier on alto – has always been one of the best groups ever to sum up the meaning of the phrase "hard bop" – as they play with tight bop lines, but mix in longer, more relaxed playing, and some very soulful phrasing. Strozier especially is amazing, and Mabern's piano lines are as warmly lyrical and richly complicated as on his later work on Prestige – and the group also features the great Willie Thomas on trumpet and Bob Cranshaw on bass. The team of Cranshaw and Perkins is amazing – MJT, Modern Jazz Two, who really make the album cook – freely grooving with incredible rhythms, which makes Strozier sound almost better than on any other sessions from the time. Titles include "Branching Out", "Lil' Abner", "Raggity Man", and "To Sheila".

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!

A rich document of the talents of Huey Piano Smith – a set that not only features some of his classic work for Ace Records in the US, but which also includes some key performances on other folks' records too! Huey's piano is at the forefront of most of the tracks here, even when the vocals aren't his own – and the set's awash in hard-grooving early New Orleans soul – very heavy on the sort of triplet piano lines that drove that city's sound! Titles include "She's Coming Home" by Curley Moore, "It Was A Thrill" by Pearl Edwards, "Somehwere" by Benny Spellman & Gerri Hall, "Ending Of Love" by Norman Williams, "Chittlins" by Jesse Thomas, "Blow Wind Blow" by Junior Gordon", "Walking Down The Street" by The Bobbetts, "Barbara" by The Clowns, and "Rockin Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu" and "Don't You Just Know It" by Huey Piano Smith & The Clowns.

The great late 60s record from Peruvian rockers The (St Thomas) Pepper Smelter! Soul & Pepper is a batch of fuzzy, organ-heavy groovers – with a few strong covers and some worthy originals by the band. It has a pretty tight late 60s feel – one that's informed by their garage and freakbeat forbears from around the world – along with some uniquely South American sounds. They take on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", "Strange Brew" and "Hey Joe" – and they put a unique spin on those classic tunes – but the group's originals are pretty great, too! Other tracks include "Pepper's Boogaloo", "Answer", and the wild "Betty Boom, Little Monster Doggie and Peggie At The Witches Castle". They sing in English on most tracks – and this great CD version has 3 bonus cuts – including a Spanish version of "Stormy", plus the instrumentals "Un Nuevo Verano" and "Outside Woman Blues".

Trumpeter Rex Stewart heads a great lineup of players from the Fletcher Henderson band – including Joe Thomas and Taft Jordan on trumpets, Benny Morton and Dicky Wells on tormbones, Buddy Tate and Hilton Jefferson on saxes, and Red Richards on piano!

One of the strangest covers we've seen in years – and a perfect fit for this obscure session of unusual grooves! Drummer Bubbha Thomas is working here in a mode that's kind of an electrified 70s take on the Texas showband style of earlier years – a mode that has the core funky combo augmented by electric keys and moog in just the right places! The tunes on the set are all instrumentals – jamming along in a sweet little style that mixes funky jazz with some of the rougher touches of the indie 45 scene – letting the band stretch out on extended solos on most cuts, but still keeping the rhythms very tight and in the pocket! In a way, the approach almost feels like some of the funkier work on Tribe Records from Detroit, especially on tracks that have more ambitious solo work. Players include Doug Harris on flute and tenor, Ronnie Laws on tenor, John Henderson on electric piano, and a young Hugh Ragin on trombone – and titles include "Herbs Of Life", "Sweet Ray", "Famous Last Words", "Country Fried Chicken", and "Survival Song".

A landmark album from one of the greatest European pianists ever! Stan Tracey first made his mark in the Brit bop scene of the late 50s – breaking out with a fresh style that was infused with modern touches of Monk and Tristano – certainly some of the most striking on his side of the Atlantic at the time. By the time of this 1965 album, he'd honed his sound brilliantly – and is working here in quartet formation on a set of original tunes based around Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood. Don't be put off by the source of the album's inspiration, though – as there's no "jazz meets poetry" here, just straight jazz in a fresh modern vein – played by a group that features wonderfully edgey tenor by Bobby Wellins, arcing perfectly with Tracey's angular lines on piano! Drums are by Jackie Dougan, bass is by Jeff Clyne, and the album's one of the key British jazz treasures of the 60s! Titles include "AM Mayhem", "Starless & Bible Black", "Cockle Row", "No Good Boyo", "Penpals", and "Llareggub".

A spiritually-resonant set from vocalist Dwight Trible – one of the greatest jazz singers of the past few decades! Trible's got a depth that few others can match – a quality that takes us back to the glory days of Leon Thomas with Pharoah Sanders, or Joe Lee Wilson on the Paris scene of the 70s – but heard only on a handful of albums under his own name, plus work with the Build An Ark collective and Life Force Trio! Cosmic reminds us of everything we loved about Dwight's Living Water album a few years back, and this one may be even stronger – sung with a yearning, soaring, soul-shaking voice that's perfect for both the original material, and a few well-chosen classics. Trible is backed by a stellar group of musicians that includes John Beasley on piano and organ and George Harper on tenor sax – and titles include "Speak To Us Of Love", "I've Known Rivers", "In The Beginning GOD", "Love Is Forever", "Little Afrika", "Algeriangeles", "Hyku For Peace/Come Ye", "It's All About Love" and a glorious take on the Five Stairsteps soul classic "Ooh Child"!

Vier is Thomas Freier on sax, Juergen Dahmen on piano, Walfried Boecker on bass and Axel Kroell on drums.

Perfect pivotal Bobby! The record still has the raspy southern soul edge of earlier albums, but it benefits from some great smooth funky backing, laid down at Muscle Shoals with a host of legendary studio giants like Clayton Ivey, Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson, and Truman Thomas. Includes killer funky stepper "You're Welcome, Stop On By", which has been sampled and covered many times over the years – plus "I Don't Wanna Be Hurt By Ya Love Again", "Let It Hang Out", "Lookin For A Love", "Doing It My Way", and "Don't Let Me Down".

A crucial look at the Chicago scene in the 1980s – and the first collection to really get at the roots of that city's legendary house music scene! Although later labels – like Trax or DJ International – became known as global forces for dance music in the 80s, the big wave of new sounds from the Windy City was really started by a much smaller company – the tiny Mitchbal label, and related Chicago Connection Records! This wonderful package really does a great job of bringing the Mitchbal contribution to light – with lavish notes, almost Numero-style, that fully detail the way the label mixed unique strands on the scene – British imports, new wave rhythms, and a younger generation of soul musicians still looking for an outlet in the post-disco years. These forces, and more, all came together to make the mighty sound of Mitchbal – featured here in a collection of the label's rare singles, some unreleased tracks, and other essential bits. 2LP package features some of the best club cuts – 8 tracks that include "Fantasy (inst)" by Z Factor, "The Jackin Zone" by Risque Rhythm Team, "Fast Cars" by Z Factor, "I Got Broke Breakdancing (inst)" by MC Ghee, "Shake Your Body" by Jeanette Thomas, "I Am The DJ (jazzy mix)" by Z Factor, "Do Dat Stuff (dance mix)" by Mitchbal & Larry Williams, and "I Like It (club)" by Libra Libra.

Amazing grooves from a legendary pair of labels – the ultra-funky Perception and Today Records, home of some killer sounds from the New York scene at the start of the 70s! The labels had a great ear for up-and-coming soul – especially with some of the younger groups rising up at the time – and they also used their magic to refresh the sounds of some older artists, particularly jazz musicians, who took on an ultra-funky approach at Perception – one that's made their work for the label some of the most in-demand over the years! Drums are heavy, bass is nice and fuzzy, and many of the cuts have a righteous sound that really takes off from the most progressive soul, funk, and jazz of the late 60s – pushing hard with an even heavier 70s vibe. Titles on this first part of the vinyl edition include "Brother" by Adam Wade & Johnny Pate, "Too Sad To Tell" by Debbie Taylor, "Chitlins & Chuchifritos" by Joe Thomas, "Naturally Good" by Bartel, "You & I" by Black Ivory, "I Can't Get No Higher" by The Eight Minutes, "You Owe It To Yourself" by JJ Barnes, "Get Some Of This" by Madhouse, "Honey Buns" by Bobby Rydell, "Gingele" by Astrud Gilberto, and "One Life" by The Albert.

Massive sounds from the Dopebrother Studio – home to some of the funkiest Kenny Dope productions of the past few years! The grooves here are mostly older nuggets from the 70s – rare funk, soul, and club numbers – mixed by Kenny and the Undercover Brother in ways that really bring up the funkiest energy of the tunes – lots of hard drums, great breaks, and crisp instrumentation that actually sounds way more dope than if you were spinning a copy of an original funky 45! Most tracks on here have only ever been issued as singles, so the full length collection makes for a great way to dig into all these massive grooves in one place – at a price that's pretty damn hard to beat. Plus, there's even a few unreleased tracks on here too – sure to please even the folks who already own a few of the singles! Titles include "How You Gonna Do It (Undercover Brother edit)" by Lenis Guess & The Raw Soul, "Foxfire (Dopebrother rmx)" by Kenny Smith & The Fox Fire Band, "Party & Get On Down (Undercover Brother edit)" by BAB, "Creative Happiness" by Steve Marshall, "I Can't Dance (Undercover Brother edit)" by Jimmy James Thomas, "We Got To Get Together" by The Masterminds with Lady Bianca, "Your Chicken Ain't Funky Like Mine" by Dirty Red Morgan Group, "Skunkie (Undercover Brother edit)" by Kenny Smith & The Maximum Feeling, "Waiting At The Station" by Jimmy James Thomas, "Do What You Like (Undercover Brother edit)" by 400 Years Of What, and "It's Over Now (Undercover Brother quiet storm mix)" by Manzel.

Spiritual soul and spoken word with instrumental inflections – a perfect illustration of the righteous sound of the Flying Dutchman label at the start of the 70s! The imprint was famously home to Gil Scott Heron, Lonnie Liston Smith, Leon Thomas, and other hip cats at the time – but also recorded a fair bit of work that was even more progressive and political – including key records from forces helping to carry the legacy of Civil Rights well into the 70s! This package offers up a perfect blend of those modes – great jazz tracks that carry the legacy of John Coltrane forth even further, and political records that were often more powerful than anything in the press at the time. Titles include "Sais" by Lonnie Liston Smith", "Nevertite" by The Esoteric Circle, "The Creator Has A Master Plan" by Louis Armstrong and Leon Thomas, "Lament For John Coltrane" by Bob Thiele Emergency, "Friends & Neighbors" by Ornette Coleman, "Sit Down" by Carl B Stokes with Oliver Nelson, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, "The Giant Is Awakened"b y Horace Tapscot, "Gonna Get Some Right Now" by Chico Hamilton", and "We're Threatening The Oppressors" by Angela Davis.

Rare rock from the Golden Triangle scene of Southeast TX in the late 60s and early 70s – a well-curated overview of the stylistically sprawling material being cut at Mickey Rouse's Lowland Recording Studio in Beaumont! Texas rock of the late 60s and early 70s justifiably brings to mind acts like The 13th Floor Elevators and The Bubble Puppy – tripped out psychedelia in other words, but Texas is huge, and there was a heck of a lot more going on than just the best remembered cult favorites. The music coming out of just the Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Texas "triangle" chronicled here was incredibly diverse. It includes proto TX boogie rock that's a clear precursor to early ZZ Top, harmony flavored numbers that sound closer to Cali than they do The Lone Star State, one track that somehow fuses CS&N with The Beatles and does so with prominent cowbell in the mix (and it's good!!!), punchy psych grit, and swaggering country rock with some twang in the strings that feels a bit more profoundly Texan. You don't need our word that The Numero Group has devoted some serious attention to detail – with a large booklet of notes, photos and histories, plus the impressive Lost In The Golden Triangle "family tree" of the regional musicians involved – as if discovering these long buried regional relics wasn't impressive enough already. Beautiful! 28 tracks on the 2LP version...6 more than on the CD! "Trash One" by the Lowland Studio Band, "Live My Life Today" by Insight Out, "Simple House" by Mother Lion, "Love Of The Morning" by Circus, "Take A Look At Your Friends" by Next Exit, "You Know I Love You" by Roy Briggs & Alton Tew, "Calling Me Home (Demo)" by Donald Thomas and more, plus the LP only tracks "Lizard" by Lowland Studio Band, "Let Me Listen" by Sage, "Groundhog Day" by Boot Hill and more.

A second turn in the Movements series on the Perfect Toy label – some of the most blazingly funky 45s you'll hear – put together by the Tobias Kirmayer of Tramp Records! Once again we're floored by how great all of this stuff sounds – some of the deepest, tightest funk material we've ever heard – with snapping drums, perfectly timed horn blasts – and some hard psychedelic soul touches of organ and wailing vocals – while never falling short of unfailingly funky! 15 great tracks: "If It Feels Good" by Phil Flowers, "There's A Wrinkle In Our Time" by 1984, "Don't Chain My Soul" by Carlton Basco, "My Mind Set Me Free Pt 1" by House Guests, "Now Is The Time" by Sisters Love, "Southern Fried Chicken Pts 1 & 2" by Bill Thomas & The Fendells, "Warm Daddy's Choice" by River Front Band, "Bring Out Yourself" by Emperors Soul 69, "Bahama Soul Stew" by Funky Nassau, "Motherless Child" by Harmonica Paul, "Arabian Funk" by Ray Anthony and more!

Synth heavy rarities and vintage electronics flavored gems from a pioneering roster of both revered and lesser-remembered experimental heavies – including Peter Thomas, Bruno Spoerri, Klaus Weiss, Jacky Chlard, Ilaiyaraaja and others – complied by Andy Votel! Votel has the utmost love and respect for the material, and the selections are top notch – electronic and experimental pop, funky synth prog, pulsing soundtrack soundscapes and more – no less mind-melting post millenium as it all must have been when originally recorded! Great music from some of the brains behind Can, Hawkwind, Soft Machine, Niagara, Nucleus and more. 16 tracks in all: "Sound Of Wetness" by Suzanne Ciani, "Evarella 2073" by Peter Thomas, "Surf" by Saratoga Space Messengers", "Baustellenmusik" by Bruno Spoerri, "Atari Corporate Tag" by Suzanne Ciani, by "Yaaro Sonnaangalaam" by Ilaiyaraaja, "Gods Of Norse" by Cybotron, "Les Scandales" by Jacky Chalard & Dynastie Crisis, "Splot" by Karl Jenkins & Soft Machine", Rod Hunter's synth take on the funky break classic "Apache" and more.

Way more than the greasy mess you'd expect from the title – and instead, one of the coolest collections we've heard in years! The set's something of a sampling of the sounds of Trunk Records – but actually features loads of selections that have never been on CD before, or issued by the label at all – presented in a really playful way that has sound library grooves sliding into jazzy vocals into spoken bits, obscure electronics, kids records, commercials, and more – the really great range of sounds we've come to love Trunk for over the years! We've been following the label with keen interest since their very first record – almost 20 years ago – and this cool compilation definitely lives up to all we've come to expect. 30 tracks in all – and titles include "Mute 4" by Basil Kirchin, "The Snake" by Maximillian, "Gurney Slade" by Max Harris, "Basic Hip' by Del Close & John Brent, "The Lost Souls Of Saturn" by Russ Garcia, "Bring Back The Cat" by Terry Thomas, "Temple Bells" by Frank Hunter, "Sports Activities" by Wisbey & Jonny Trunk, "The Foggy Dew" by Shirley Collins, and "Star Eyes" by Carole Crevelling.

Heavy heavy funk from the Louisiana scene of the late 60s and 1970s – and a great collection that really gets past the dominance of the New Orleans sound! The set moves way past the Crescent City to uncover a wealth of great bits recorded in smaller studios located in Shreveport, Lake Charles, and a variety of tiny scenes in the southwest side of Louisiana – and the result is a great batch of tunes with a really gritty, down-n-dirty sound! There's a wealth of great funky styles in the set – including James Brown-inspired jammers, southern soul burners, and some other great modes that show that Louisiana's got a heck of a lot more to offer than just New Orleans funk. Titles include work from the Anla, Murco, Soul International, Goldband, and Tic Toc labels – a total of 22 cuts that include "Soul Time" by Ernest Thomas, "Soul Feeling (parts 1 & 2)" by Eddy G Giles, "Soul Brothers Testify (part 1)" by Chester Randles Soul Senders, "Soul Power" by Abraham & The Casanovas, "Put It On" by Count Rockin Sidney with The Dukes, "Fix It" by Clifton White & His Royal Knights, "Miss Hard To Get" by Dennis Landry, "No Sad Times" by Johnny Truit, "Black Water Gold" by African Music Machine, and "I Got A Groove" by JJ Callier.

Funky breaks from the Stax Records – the legendary Memphis label that's had as much of an influence on the sound of hip hop as any northern company! The set brings together 19 tracks that are immediately recognizable for their use in modern hip hop – all heavy funk numbers with a solid southern groove – filled to the brim with burning horns, searing guitars, rumbling bass, and heavy funky drums! Tracks on the set have been sampled over the years by the likes of Wu Tang, Brand Nubian, Dilated Peoples, De La Soul, and others – but they also stand out equally well as funky tunes on their own, whether or not you've got an ear for who used them later. Great funky southern soul all the way through – with tracks that include "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines, "Black" by The Mar-Keys, "Tramp (inst)" by Otis & Carla Band, "Make This Young Lady Mine" by The Mad Lads, "The Devil Is Dope" by The Dramatics, "In The Hole" by The Bar-Kays, "I'll Play The Blues For You (part 1)" by Albert King, "Soul Girl" by Jeanne & The Darlings, "Itch & Scratch (part 2)" by Rufus Thomas, "Drumbeat" by Jim Ingram, "Crop Dustin" by Steve Cropper, "After Laughter" by Wendy Rene, "Memphis Sunrise" by The Bar-Kays, "Girl I Love You" by The Temprees, and "As Long As I've Got You" by The Charmels.

Brand new, indeed – music from a time when the Swedish jazz scene was really overflowing with fresh ideas – many of them home grown, and some of them a local answer to modern trends from the US and other parts of Europe at the time! The scope of music here is really wonderful – as some musicians really stretch out, and start to carve the kind of modern edge that's made Scandinavian jazz some of the freshest of the 60s – while others refine some older Swedish ideas in jazz, but inflect them with groovier 60s touches that are definitely appreciated by our ears! As with other sets in this series, the track list is wonderful – a whopping 4CDs, with 67 titles in all – many of which we haven't seen on other reissues at all – in a handsome slipcase with a big booklet of notes and photos too. Includes work by Monica Zetterlund, Bernt Rosengren, Staffan Abeleen, Gals & Pals, Bengt Frippe Nordstrom, Eje Thelin, Thomas Fehling, Jazz Doctors, Jan Johansson, Knud Jorgensen, Lars Sjosten, Nils Lindberg, Lars Lystedt, Arne Domnerus, Swedish Modern Jazz Group, Kurt Lindgren, and many others!

A killer album from Newk's prime years at RCA – almost a return to basics, done in that fantastic understated style of Rollins' 1964 sessions! The album features Sonny working with Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter or Bob Cranshaw on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums – and a bit of welcome additional cornet from Thad Jones. Tracks are mostly jazz standards, but done with an incredible poise on the solos – completely transforming the tunes with Rollins' rich imagination! Titles include "52nd St Theme", "Round Midnight", "Four", "Afternoon In Paris", "St Thomas", and "I Remember Clifford".

Tasty small group work from Groove – with Mr Holmes himself on organ, and the great Larry Willis on electric piano – coming up with a twin electric organ/piano sound that's similar to the one that Groove used on his Comin On Home LP for Blue Note. The difference here is that things aren't as funky as on the Blue Note record – more in the style of the mellow soul of some of the other Groove Merchant albums, with a sweet use of percussion and guitar next to the keys – in a nice laidback kind of groove! Titles are mostly covers – like "St Thomas", "American Pie", and "Who Can I Turn To" – but the lineup also includes two Holmes originals, "Catherine" and the jazzy "Fingers", which is a nice little cut!

Cosmic jazzy genius from Bubbha Thomas & The Lightmen – the kind of a record that sounds like it should have come out of Detroit or Chicago in the early 70s – and not the Texas scene from which the group hailed! The Lightmen have a vibe that reminds us a lot of The Pharoahs or some of the Tribe Records collective – a willingness to mix free-thinking jazz expression with tighter grooves and funkier rhythms – stepping out in an instrumental vibe that still has plenty of funky 45 touches, but which also sits nicely alongside the most cosmic work coming out from Impulse at the time! The title cut "Energy Control Center" has an electric spacey quality that reminds us of Sun Ra at his best – and other tunes soar out with a brilliant post-Coltrane sense of freedom evident in work on saxes, flute, and piano. Titles include "Wench", "Cold Bair", "Leo", "Jupiter's Child", and "The Phantom".

One of the most outside sets we've heard from Rob Mazurek in years – a combination of his own cornet and work on ring modulator – creating a blend of jazz and electronics that's really mindblowing! Mazurek's not alone in his creative expressions – as he's joined here by a group group of players that mixes musicians from Rob's Chicago and Brazilian scenes – including Nicole Mitchell on flute and piccolo, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Mauricio Takara on cavaquinho, Guilherme Granado on keyboards and electronics, Thomas Rohrer on rabeca and C melody sax, Carlos Issa on guitar, and John Herndon on drums – a really unique lineup that lives up to all their promise with the rich sounds on the set. Most tracks are quite long – and titles include "Galactic Ice Skeleton", "Skull Caves Of Alderon", "Keeping The Light Up", "Passing Light Screams", and "Voodoo & The Petrified Forest".

Pere Ubu captured in their early prime – here in a long-lost live show that's finally reaching the light of day! The group are brilliant right from the very first note – crackling with all that rawness that's always made their earliest releases some of the most striking from the American scene of the late 70s – not really punk, not really arty, and undeniably unique – thanks to frenetic instrumentation, and captivating work by frontman David Thomas! The recording quality is surprisingly great – clear enough to pull out the brooding basslines, while still allowing us to wallow in the fuzz of the guitars – and titles include "Cloud 149", "Modern Dance", "Real World", "Over My Head", "Life Stinks", "Final Solution", "Humor Me", "My Dark Ages", "Laughing", and "Street Waves".

Lonnie Liston Smith is really tightening up his groove on this one – bringing a bit more funk into the mix, and creating that amazingly sweet glide in his keyboard sound! The record's still steeped in the righteous influences of years past, but it brings the message out to a bigger audience – letting soul flow into the jazz-based tunes in the same way that Norman Connors was doing at the time – and creating the same sort of warm glow through a mix of earthy percussion and electric keys. Vocals on most numbers are by Donald Smith, who has a great approach that has the depth of Leon Thomas but the warm focus of Michael Henderson – and he's a perfect fit for Lonnie's well-crafted tunes on the set! Titles include the nicely breaking "Devika", plus "A Chance For Peace", "Colors of The Rainbow", "Visions Of A New World", and the killer mellow track "Summer Nights", a very warm electric piano cut, with a nice sort of "Summer Madness" feel!

A wild and wonderful double-header – two rare Pakistani soundtracks on a single CD! First up is Dekha Jaye Ga – a totally cool little soundtrack that's filled with weird electronics and lots of funky grooves! The style's almost like taking familiar Bollywood moods into outer space – as the rhythms are somewhat like those you might find in 70s Indian cinema, but the added electronics and offbeat instrumentation has a really otherworldly-feel – especially given the use of production techniques to further abstract elements like keyboards and guitar – almost like you might find in the space age 60s work of German maestro Peter Thomas! There's plenty of fuzz on the guitar at times, which makes for a great mix with the earthy beats in the rhythms – and given how wild the music sounds, we can only imagine the way the film looks on the screen in the cinema. Titles include "Music", "Too Ney Kaha", "Mahkey Hain Yeh", "Too Bhi Piala Chum", and "Pyar Kabhi Karna". Uf Yeh Beevian features killer 70s grooves from Pakistan – one of the weirdest soundtracks you'll ever hope to hear – and an unusual blend of Indian influences, space-age electronics, and more! Most of the cuts here are heavy on guitar – sometimes fuzzy and freaked out, sometimes played with a bit more of a sprightly feel – and always mixed up with some really offbeat rhythms – which themselves are often tricked up in weird ways – echoey production, flattened decay, and other odd touches that really make all things sound strange and wonderful! There's vocals on the record too, but these fit in perfectly next to the offbeat instrumentation – further increasing the spaced-out qualities in the music. A real treasure from the Finders Keepers camp – with titles that include "Aesi Chalo Na", "Mera Mehbob Hai", "Zinda Rahe", "Per Kahin Ankh", "Dilbar Dilbra", and "Mere Hote Howe".

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more.

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 legendary album from this tenor genius from Chicago – a hell of a player who emerged in the same generation as Clifford Jordan, John Gilmore, Eddie Harris, and Johnny Griffin – yet never fully got his due! The album's easily one of the most sharp-edged for the Bethlehem label – and has the power of a rare Blue Note or Prestige date from the same time – thanks partly to Harold's sharp bite in the tone of his tenor, and partly to an ultra-hip lineup that includes Charles Davis on baritone sax, Julian Priester on trombone, Phillip Wright on piano, Thomas Williams on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums. The set really showcases that mix of modern and soulful that was the best side of the Chicago scene at the start of the 60s – a vibe you'd find from a group like the MJT+3 or the Gene Shaw Quintet on Argo – even more of a surprise here on the mostly-cool Bethlehem label. Ousley penned some great originals for the record – and titles include "Porter's Groove", "Struttin To Truckin", "Paris Sunday", "Decvachan", and "Dell A Von".

Pere Ubu captured in their early prime – here in a long-lost live show that's finally reaching the light of day! The group are brilliant right from the very first note – crackling with all that rawness that's always made their earliest releases some of the most striking from the American scene of the late 70s – not really punk, not really arty, and undeniably unique – thanks to frenetic instrumentation, and captivating work by frontman David Thomas! The recording quality is surprisingly great – clear enough to pull out the brooding basslines, while still allowing us to wallow in the fuzz of the guitars – and titles include "Cloud 149", "Modern Dance", "Real World", "Over My Head", "Life Stinks", "Final Solution", "Humor Me", "My Dark Ages", "Laughing", and "Street Waves".

A great live date – and one that features the sublime saxophone talents of the amazing Pony Poindexter! Pony was one of those players who was fine in the US, but really started to open up on the European scene – and this rare live date from 1964 shows Poindexter stretching out wonderfully in the company of some players from Paris! The date's co-led with guitarist Rene Thomas, and features the great George Arvanitas on piano, plus alternating bass from Michel Gaudry and George Lucas, and drums from Jean Louis Vitale and Michel Delaporte. The sound's pretty good, although occasionally sometimes rough around the edges – but Pony's solos on alto and soprano sax come through loud and clear – on titles that include long takes of "Jive Samba", "All Blues", "Marmaduke", "Buzzy", "Big P", and "Bongo Bop".

A stone classic from New Orleans reedman Pony Poindexter – a set that's steeped in tradition, but also has a groovy feel too – and a date that features Pony on both alto and soprano sax! The latter instrument is especially nice, played with echoes of earlier Crescent City modes, but updated strongly with more of a modal 60s energy – almost a Coltrane-like inspiration, but in very different ways than Trane might offer up. Other players on the date are great too – and include Booker Ervin's tenor at is soulful 60s best, plus Gildo Mahones on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Jimmy Smith on drums – all working with some very unusual rhythms that really make the set stand out from other Prestige dates of the time! Titles include "Happy Strut", "Gumbo Filet", "Front O Town", "Back O Town", "French Market", and "Creole Girl". But almost even better, the set also features 8 more bonus tracks – all previously unissued! Three are from the sessions for Gumbo – but the rest are from an unusual 1963 date that features the tenor of Booker Ervin with the organ of Larry Young and drums of Jerry Thomas – a really cool small combo group in the vein of Young's early Prestige work. Additional titles include "Wade In The Water", "Autumn Leaves", "Old Folks", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Absotively Posalutely", and "Blue & Sentimental".

2 funky classics from the legendary Pretty Purdie! Purdie Good is Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of the early 70s – tightly vamping rhythms that draw heavily from Purdie's monstrous drums – and which also offer solo showcase space for Harold Wheeler on electric piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Tippy Larkin on trumpet, and Charlie Brown and Warren Daniels on tenor. Rhythm is augmented by Gordon Edwards on Fender bass and Norman Pride on congas – and the grooves hit a variety of modes that show that Purdie could sometimes be a more open-thinking rhythmatist than his funky contemporary Idris Muhammad. Titles include great instrumental versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Montego Bay", plus the originals "Wasteland", "You Turn Me On", and "Purdie Good". Shaft is a full funky session from master drummer Bernard Purdie – a set that expands out his previous Prestige vibe, and almost goes for a soundtrack scope to match the record's Shaft title! The set leads off with a great take on the Isaac Hayes hit – one that follows in the same fully-flowing, slow-building mode as Ike's – but which comes across here as an instrumental with some great solo work from Houston Person – playing here almost in a Stanley Turrentine sort of mode! Other tracks continue the hip mix of jazz and larger backings – and feature a lineup of players that includes Neal Creque on electric piano, Gerry Thomas and Danny Moore on trumpets, Willie Bridges and Houston Person on tenors, Billy Nichols and Lloyd Davis on guitars, Gordon Edwards on Fender bass, and Norman Pride on congas. The sound is warm without ever sounding too smooth – and Purdie's funky drums at the bottom ensure that most tunes are nicely lively. Titles include "Shaft", "Butterfingers", "Summer Melody", "Changes", "Way Back Home", and "Attica".

A full funky session from master drummer Bernard Purdie – a set that expands out his previous Prestige vibe, and almost goes for a soundtrack scope to match the record's Shaft title! The set leads off with a great take on the Isaac Hayes hit – one that follows in the same fully-flowing, slow-building mode as Ike's – but which comes across here as an instrumental with some great solo work from Houston Person – playing here almost in a Stanley Turrentine sort of mode! Other tracks continue the hip mix of jazz and larger backings – and feature a lineup of players that includes Neal Creque on electric piano, Gerry Thomas and Danny Moore on trumpets, Willie Bridges and Houston Person on tenors, Billy Nichols and Lloyd Davis on guitars, Gordon Edwards on Fender bass, and Norman Pride on congas. The sound is warm without ever sounding too smooth – and Purdie's funky drums at the bottom ensure that most tunes are nicely lively. Titles include "Shaft", "Butterfingers", "Summer Melody", "Changes", "Way Back Home", and "Attica".

The second Folkways album from trumpeter Charles Shaw – and even more wonderful than the first! This one changes up the groove a bit – still sticking in Shaw's spiritual jazz vein at times, but also tripping things out a bit more with use of electric guitar and the ultra-cool "bag flute" – which is almost like a wah-wah sort of reed instrument, and which makes for some really funky moments! The electric touches are totally great – and mix with rougher acoustic jazz elements in ways that remind us of earlier 70s work from Luther Thomas and Joe McPhee – also both avant players who could show a funky side like this at times. Shaw plays trumpet, flugelhorn, and the bag flute – and other instrumentation includes guitar from James Greggo and Tom Lee Harris, alto from Brian Ross, tenor from Glenn Spears, bass from Ronnie Boykins, and drums from Art Blakey Jr. Titles include "Kid Zorro", "Postage Paid", "Mr Zip", "Chain Reaction", and "Melted Soul".

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". CD features three bonus tracks – a live recording of "Um Um Um" and "Damn Nam" – plus a take on "Night In Tunisia".

A very cool set! This one comes in a hardcover book-like package – and not only includes the main record, but two full other records as well! Across 110th Street is one of the best blacksploitation soundtracks of the early 70's – not only for the great title cut by Bobby Womack, "Across 110th Street", but for the excellent hard-hitting instrumentals by J.J. Johnson, which are perfectly in the groove of the blacksploitation generation! Lots of wah-wah guitar, funky keys, and tight riffing by the band – especially on the cuts "Harlem Clavinette", "Hang On in There", and "Harlem Love Theme". Also features "Do It Right" and another vocal version of "Hang On In There", both by Bobby. Facts Of Life features Bobby Womack at the height of his powers – perfectly balancing southern soul roots and 70s soul polish – with an amazing sound that was unlike anyone else at the time! The set was recorded at Muscle Shoals, but has a quality that goes way beyond any of the standard modes from the studio – almost as if Bobby brought a special sort of magic to the sessions that made everyone rise above the sometimes too-familiar work they were giving to the bigger names who were traipsing through the studio. Of course, a big part of the success of the album comes from Womack's amazing vocal delivery – that style that's raspy, yet warm – and which is a perfect fit for the well-penned tunes on the set. Titles include "I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You", "Nobody", "If You Can't Give Her Love Give Her Up", and a very cool version of "The Look Of Love". Looking For A Love Again is perfect pivotal Bobby! The record still has the raspy southern soul edge of earlier albums, but it benefits from some great smooth funky backing, laid down at Muscle Shoals with a host of legendary studio giants like Clayton Ivey, Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson, and Truman Thomas. Includes killer funky stepper "You're Welcome, Stop On By", which has been sampled and covered many times over the years – plus "I Don't Wanna Be Hurt By Ya Love Again", "Let It Hang Out", "Lookin For A Love", "Doing It My Way", and "Don't Let Me Down".

Way more than you might expect! Once again, comic historian Craig Yoe blows us away with the breadth of his knowledge – as the book's a huge range of anti-war images that span the space of a century – from early drawings by Daumier and Thomas Nast, to expressionist work by George Grosz, and underground moments from Robert Crumb and Art Spiegelman! 190 pages, softcover and large, with mostly black and white, but also some color images too.

A crucial look at the Chicago scene in the 1980s – and the first collection to really get at the roots of that city's legendary house music scene! Although later labels – like Trax or DJ International – became known as global forces for dance music in the 80s, the big wave of new sounds from the Windy City was really started by a much smaller company – the tiny Mitchbal label, and related Chicago Connection Records! This wonderful package really does a great job of bringing the Mitchbal contribution to light – with lavish notes, almost Numero-style, that fully detail the way the label mixed unique strands on the scene – British imports, new wave rhythms, and a younger generation of soul musicians still looking for an outlet in the post-disco years. These forces, and more, all came together to make the mighty sound of Mitchbal – featured here in a collection of the label's rare singles, some unreleased tracks, and other essential bits. 3CD package features a full bonus mix CD, plus a whopping 24 tracks that include "Fantasy (inst)" by Z Factor, "Shake Your Body" by Jeanette Thomas, "When I Hear The Music" by Mitchbal & The Housemasters, "The House Is On Fire" by Dezz & Grant, "Do Dat Stuff (dance mix)" by Mitchbal & Larry Williams, "I Am Music (inst)" by Libra Libra, "That's The Beat" by Risque Rhythm Team, "Fast Cars" by Z Factor, "More Than Just A Dance (backyard mix)" by Rique Rhythm Team, "I Got Broke Breakdancing (inst)" by MC Ghee, and "I Can't Forget" by Mr Lee.

Ok, we're as sick of tribute albums as the rest of you – but this is a great one! Not only is it a wonderful hommage to the great Brian Wilson – but unlike other attempts, it's done a super job of selecting individuals and groups that are sensitive enough to interpret his amazing work! The set's got a total of 27 tracks – with a wonderful focus on later material and some non-hit album favorites that we've always dug heavily. Titles include "Almost Summer" by Kim Fowley, "Anna Lee The Healer" by High Llamas, "Stevie" by St Etienne, "Heroes & Villains" by Malcolm Ross, "Caroline No" by The Aluminum Group, "Go Away Boy" by The Pearlfishers, "Lonely Sea" by Eric Matthews, "Ne Dis Pas" by Souvenir, "Wind Chims" by Katrina Mitchell & Bill Wells, "Pet Sounds" by Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra, and the fantastic "Endless Harmony" by the legendary Free Design!

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

A brilliant overview of the depth and breadth of indie music in the UK during the late 70s and early 80s – most of it from labels so tiny, they make Rough Trade, Factory, and Creation look like the majors! A few of the artists here went onto become well-known, but the rest all remained quite obscure – and all of them are represented by initial singles issued on tiny imprints – most of them the kind of small-press 7" singles that were suddenly in heavy circulation in the punk and post-punk years. The styles here are a blend of experimental funk, industrial, and post-punk modes – similar to that served up on other Soul Jazz compilations of this period, but with a special focus on the DIY nature of the tiny labels. And that aspect is further enforced in the great notes – which not only offer up tune by tune tales of the releases on the set, but also tell the bigger picture of record labels and distribution during these years! Yet even without that special focus, the music here is more than great enough – and the set's a much needed revival of tracks that include "Shake The Foundations" by Glaxo Babies, "The Fish Needs A Bike" by Blurt, "Everything's Roses" by Fire Engines, "Slice 1" by The Naffs, "Ain't You" by Kleenex, "All Your Life With Me" by APB, "Looking From The Cooking Pot" by Russ McDonald, "Let's Build A Car" by Swell Maps, "You Can Choke Like That" by Biting Tongues, "Every Day I Die" by Frantic Elevators, "Fight For Peace" by Icon AD, "Tight As A Drum" by Thomas Leer, "The Slide" by Artery, "Spirit Of Youth" by The Last Gang, and "Distant Dreams (part 2)" by Throbbing Gristle.

Mellow soul heaven – and one of the greatest compilations of this style we've ever heard! This is exactly the kind of laidback, tripped-out soul we totally love – a host of rare ballads and love songs pulled from the 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – sometimes by groups who are better known for funky tracks, other times by overlooked harmony groups and solo singers who rival the greatness of east coast artists like The Moments or Whatnauts! And while the music is totally great on its own – the sort we're usually content to have someone slip us on a dodgy CD – the whole package is even more incredible – a huge 80 page book that features loads of photos, record images, and notes on these obscure giants – really a Numero-level sort of presentation for these amazing tracks. Titles include "I Don't Think I'll Ever Love Another" by Darling Dears, "Slippin Around" by Thomas East, "Since You've Been Gone" by Little Janice, "Love" by Black Conspirators, "What Am I Waiting For" by Black Exotics, "Who Do You Think You're Fooling (part 1)" by Symphonic Four, "I'll Find A True Love" by Lee Bonds, "Young Girl" by Jazzie Cazzie & The Eight Sounds, and "Is It Me You Really Love" by Black Velvet. A really great 2LP package, too, with the book housed nicely in the center!

Classic New Orleans soul galore – two full albums back to back on one CD! The compilation isn't really the "blues" promised in the title – but a great little collection of New Orleans soul, featuring loads of great tracks from the earliest years of the genre! The sound here is often somewhat stripped-down and rootsy – not that "fake" New Orleans sound that took over from the 70s onwards (especially when many of the artists were recording in LA!) – but the original real deal, with simple, but tremendously effective rhythms that are often heavy on piano, used in a hard-rolling way on the upbeat tunes – and in a lightly-stepping level on the gentler numbers. CD features 24 tracks in all – both volumes 1 and 2 of the series – with titles that include "Over You" and "Every Day" by Aaron Neville, "It's Won't Be Me" and "Please Don't Leave" by Lee Diamond, "Ooh Poo Pah Doo (parts 1 & 2)" by Jessie Hill, "Hello My Lover" by Ernie K Doe, "Scoop Scoobie Doobie" by Jessie Hill, "T'Aint It The Truth" by Ernie K Doe, "Whip It On Me" by Jessie Hill, "Ruler Of My Heart" and "Cry On" by Irma Thomas, "Lipstick Traces" by Benny Spellman, "Wanted $10000 Reward" by Ernie K Doe, "It Will Stand" and "Country Fool" by The Showmen, "I Did My Part" by Irma Thomas, and "Fortune Teller" by Benny Spellman.

Raw rompers from the Louisiana scene of the late 50s and early 60s – a more R&B twist on the sort of material covered in the great Boppin By The Bayou series from Ace! The package features some wicked rare singles, mixed with even more obscure unreleased tracks – all pulled together to showcase a style that's kind of like a grittier take on the sound of New Orleans – bits of rock and blues mixed in with the soul – all folded together with stomping rhythms that never know when to quit – and which really send home the tunes' raw vocals, sharp tenor, and tight guitar lines! The package features almost 30 tracks in all, plus great notes too – and titles include "Go Go Cat" by Flo, "Crazy About Love" by Elizabeth, "Rocky" by Rockin Sidney & His All Stars, "I Don't Care" by Tabby Thomas, "Honey Bee" by Blue Charlie, "Pretty Little Dolly" by Mad Dog Sheffield, "Sound The Bell" by Clarence Garlow, "Cool Down Baby" by Jerry Morris, and "I Wanna Know I Know Now" by Big Chenier.

Heavy heavy funk from the Louisiana scene of the late 60s and 1970s – and a great collection that really gets past the dominance of the New Orleans sound! The set moves way past the Crescent City to uncover a wealth of great bits recorded in smaller studios located in Shreveport, Lake Charles, and a variety of tiny scenes in the southwest side of Louisiana – and the result is a great batch of tunes with a really gritty, down-n-dirty sound! There's a wealth of great funky styles in the set – including James Brown-inspired jammers, southern soul burners, and some other great modes that show that Louisiana's got a heck of a lot more to offer than just New Orleans funk. Titles include work from the Anla, Murco, Soul International, Goldband, and Tic Toc labels – a total of 22 cuts that include "Soul Time" by Ernest Thomas, "Soul Feeling (parts 1 & 2)" by Eddy G Giles, "Soul Brothers Testify (part 1)" by Chester Randles Soul Senders, "Soul Power" by Abraham & The Casanovas, "Put It On" by Count Rockin Sidney with The Dukes, "Fix It" by Clifton White & His Royal Knights, "Miss Hard To Get" by Dennis Landry, "No Sad Times" by Johnny Truit, "Black Water Gold" by African Music Machine, and "I Got A Groove" by JJ Callier.

One of the best-kept secrets of the hardbop era! This amazing group – formed in Chicago in the late 50's by ex-Memphis players Walter Perkins on drums, Harold Mabern on piano, and Frank Strozier on alto – has always been one of the best groups ever to sum up the meaning of the phrase "hard bop" – as they play with tight bop lines, but mix in longer, more relaxed playing, and some very soulful phrasing. Strozier especially is amazing, and Mabern's piano lines are as warmly lyrical and richly complicated as on his later work on Prestige – and the group also features the great Willie Thomas on trumpet and Bob Cranshaw on bass. The team of Cranshaw and Perkins is amazing – MJT, Modern Jazz Two, who really make the album cook – freely grooving with incredible rhythms, which makes Strozier sound almost better than on any other sessions from the time. Titles include "Branching Out", "Lil' Abner", "Raggity Man", and "To Sheila".

A pair of killers from Dave Pike – early work in a tremendous career in music! First up is Bossa Nova Carnival – a sublime set of bossa nova numbers, all written by the bossa pianist Joao Donato! Joao doesn't actually play on the record, but his compositions here are enough – as they help Pike find a new sense of space and pulse in his music – rhythms that really unlock his vibes towards their grooviest ends for the first time ever on record. Most numbers are heavily modal – a great mix with the bossa setting – and the album also features key work from Clark Terry on flugelhorn, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Chris White on bass – whose loping lines really help shape the overall sound of the record. Also features lots of nice percussion – and titles include "Ginha", "Samba Lero", "Sono", "Carnival Samba", "Sausalito", and "Melvalita". Limbo Carnival isn't some early 60s gimmick session, designed to cash in on a dance craze – and instead, it's a wonderful early Latin set from the great vibist Dave Pike! In fact, given the strength of the grooves here, it would be plenty darn hard to do any limbo action to this one – because the rhythms are bouncy, modal, and very very groovy – served up by Pike on vibes, in a lineup that includes Ray Barretto on conga, Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass, and Leo Wright on flute and alto – plus a few other straight jazz players like Jimmy Raney on guitar and Tommy Flanagan on piano. Tracks include "Mambo Bounce", "Matilda", "Cattin Latin", "St. Thomas", and a strange groovy version of "La Bamba".

A wealth of spiritual blessings from the incredible Pharoah Sanders – a saxophonist who learned key lessons from John Coltrane, then really ran with his inspiration after his too-early death! The tracks here are all pulled from Sanders' sublime recordings for Impulse Records – amazing work that really helped redefine the sound of soulful jazz for the 70s – by adding in a spiritual undercurrent that really pushes the whole Love Supreme agenda forward strongly – not just through Pharoah's wonderfully raspy lines on tenor, but also via work here from Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Leon Thomas on vocals, and Idris Muhammad and Norman Connors on drums. Every track is great – and the collection is perfectly put together to illustrate the most heavenly side of Sanders' music – with titles that include "Colors", "Astral Traveling", "The Gathering", "Memories Of Lee Morgan", "Upper Egypt & Lower Egypt (edit)", "The Creator Has A Masterplan (edit)", "Wisdom Through Music", and "Hum Allah Hum Allah Hum Allah".

Some of the richest sounds we've heard from trumpeter Tomasz Stanko in years – played by his New York Quartet on a double-length record that really shines with some wonderful colors! Some tunes have the moody, atmospheric quality of other Stanko records on ECM – but others are a bit more straighforward and swinging – and balance things out nicely, in ways that really make us appreciate all the extra room in the 2CD set. Group members include David Virelles on piano, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Gerald Cleaver on drums – and titles include "Assassins", "Dernier Cri", "Mikrokosmos", "Song For H", "April Story", and "Faces".

Amazing grooves from a legendary pair of labels – the ultra-funky Perception and Today Records, home of some killer sounds from the New York scene at the start of the 70s! The labels had a great ear for up-and-coming soul – especially with some of the younger groups rising up at the time – and they also used their magic to refresh the sounds of some older artists, particularly jazz musicians, who took on an ultra-funky approach at Perception – one that's made their work for the label some of the most in-demand over the years! Drums are heavy, bass is nice and fuzzy, and many of the cuts have a righteous sound that really takes off from the most progressive soul, funk, and jazz of the late 60s – pushing hard with an even heavier 70s vibe. Titles include "Brother" by Adam Wade & Johnny Pate, "Too Sad To Tell" by Debbie Taylor, "Chitlins & Chuchifritos" by Joe Thomas, "Naturally Good" by Bartel, "You & I" by Black Ivory, "I Can't Get No Higher" by The Eight Minutes, "You Owe It To Yourself" by JJ Barnes, "Get Some Of This" by Madhouse, "Honey Buns" by Bobby Rydell, "Gingele" by Astrud Gilberto, "One Life" by The Albert, "Surrender" by Black Ivory, "Wishful Thinking" by JJ Barnes, "You've Just Been Bitten" by Bartel, "Every Brother Ain't A Brother" by Joe Thomas, "Submission" by Tyrone Washington, "Boogie" by Bartel, "Alligator" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Rock Steady" by Julius Brockington, "Find The One Who Loves You" by The Eight Minutes, "A Possibility" by Wanda Robinson, and "Heritage Hum" by James Moody.

A German disco extravaganza – and a much-needed look at one of the strongest 70s club outlets next to the US! At first glance, the mix of Germany and disco might seem like an unlikely fit – but the German scene gave the world some key disco hits back in the 70s, as well as a huge variety of underground and lesser-known gems! The German approach was often a bit heavier on electronics than the American one – modes that were slightly pulled from prog and fusion that was bubbling around earlier in the decade, then fused into a cleaner, leaner, more rhythmic groove – and often topped with vocals in English, sometimes by American vocalists living overseas. Even the older German instrumentalists got in on the act – and the 70s saw both jazz and easy players hitting a disco groove with a new approach to their music! This great collection – put together by the folks who gave us The In Kraut – showcases all these aspects of the scene, and brings together a few hits with a lot more obscure gems – many of which we've never seen on this side of the Atlantic before. Titles include "Opium" by Peter Thomas, "Philodendron" by Veronika Fischer, "Illegal Toys" by Alfie Khan Sound Orchestra, "Lovemachine" by Supermax, "You've Got The Power (parts 1 & 2)" by Su Kramer, "Fashion Pack" by Amanda Lear, "Weider Zusammen" by Marianne Rosenberg, "Sex World" by Berry Lipman, "Get On The Funk Train (part 1)" by Munich Machine, "I Can't Move No Mountains" by James Last, "Treat Me Like A Woman" by Jackie Carter, "Feedback Brother" by Peter Herbholzheimer Rhythm Combination & Brass, "Disco Cisco" by Carsten Bohn's Bandstand, and "Love In A Sleeper" by Silver Convention.

A heady batch of right up there with some of the grooviest sets we've heard from the Finders Keepers scene! It's filled with offbeat tracks from a range of global and temporal sources – international grooves, tripped-out production, and secret musical corners of the universe – all brought together beautifully by Dom Thomas, without any care for simple labels or easy to peg genres! There's a fair bit of funk in the mix – although not the kind you'd hear on American radio in the 70s – and there also appear to be some cool European 80s grooves too – balancing out some of the psyche elements with some colder keyboards and beats! The vinyl version features 9 unmixed tracks on 2LPs, and titled "Algerian Rock", "Am Er I Ca", "Project A", "Seoul Fuzz", "Fox And Raven", "She's My Girl", "Bombalien" and "Parisian Route".

A warm set of soulful 60s numbers from Eddie Harris – almost a ballad album at times, but with a groovier feel overall! The album features a great group that has Harris on acoustic tenor or Varitone sax – warmed up by the piano of Cedar Walton, bass of Ron Carter, and drums of Bobby Thomas. Walton's presence here is especially strong – a nice pairing with Eddie, given the inherently lyrical lines in both players. Titles are familiar, but come off with a very personal vibe – and tunes include "My Funny Valentine", "If Ever I Would Leave You", "The Tender Storm", and "On A Clear Day". Great stuff – with a very solid vibe!

Wonderful work from the twin-reed combo of Bernd Konrad and Hans Koller – a record that really takes off from some of Koller's free music experiments of the 70s! The group is a very cohesive one – with Konrad on soprano and baritone, and Koller on tenor and sopranino – alongside violin by Didier Lockwood, piano by Christoph Spendel, bass by Thomas Stabenow, and drums by Martin Bues – and the overall feel here is strongly fascinated with textures of sound amidst the more angular reed interplay, in a way that's still relatively structured, but often flows into darker corners of more abstract expression. Core titles include "Jeannerette", "Nordlicht", "Phonolith 1", "Traumtanzer", and "Aufwartsregen" – and the CD also features 3 additional tracks recorded by Konrad and Koller in 1994!

A surprisingly great new album from Gwen McCrae – one that has her returning to hit territory of years back, and re-recording older Miami soul hits from the 70s! The sound is far better than we could have hoped for – very much in the older spirit of the TK label, thanks to production by George Perry and Henry Stone that keeps things simple, and which doesn't clutter up the tunes with too many modern flourishes. The musicians are all great too – and include Perry, Little Beaver, Latimore, and Timmy Thomas – the last two of whom also sing on the record! Gwen's not only singing her own hits here either, but tracks by other TK artists like Betty Wright, Paulette Reaves, and Bobby Caldwell – performed very nicely here in versions that are almost as great as the originals. Titles include "Jazz Freak", "What You Won't Do For Love", "Rock Your Baby", "Why Can't We Live Together", "90% Of Me Is You", "Clean Up Woman", "Honey Honey", "You Gotta Love Me", "Rockin Chair", "Misty Blue", and "Party Down".

The "Sunrise" in the title here is especially well-placed – because this live performance by Sun Ra has a beautifully glowing quality – one that unfolds musically as the set rolls on, moving through a day's course of music in different moods and dimensions! Ra initiates the proceedings with some gentler inside piano, but as the set gets moving, the other group members leap into the fray – pushing a tremendous energy into some of Ra's original compositions – then stepping back for a more peaceful, contemplative exploration of older themes in jazz – played in that "across the 20th century" mode that took hold of The Arkestra strongly during this decade. Group members here include Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, Noel Scott, Michael Ray, and Danny Thomas – and the concert is very well recorded, with numbers that include "Cocktails For Two", "Lightnin", " "Light From A Hidden Sun", "Pin Points Of Spiral Prisms", "Silhouettes Of The Shadow World", "Queer Notions", "Big John's Special", and "A Helio-Hello & Goodbye Too".

Mellow soul heaven – and one of the greatest compilations of this style we've ever heard! This is exactly the kind of laidback, tripped-out soul we totally love – a host of rare ballads and love songs pulled from the 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – sometimes by groups who are better known for funky tracks, other times by overlooked harmony groups and solo singers who rival the greatness of east coast artists like The Moments or Whatnauts! And while the music is totally great on its own – the sort we're usually content to have someone slip us on a dodgy CD – the whole package is even more incredible – a huge 80 page book that features loads of photos, record images, and notes on these obscure giants – really a Numero-level sort of presentation for these amazing tracks. Titles include "I Don't Think I'll Ever Love Another" by Darling Dears, "Slippin Around" by Thomas East, "Since You've Been Gone" by Little Janice, "Love" by Black Conspirators, "What Am I Waiting For" by Black Exotics, "Who Do You Think You're Fooling (part 1)" by Symphonic Four, "I'll Find A True Love" by Lee Bonds, "Young Girl" by Jazzie Cazzie & The Eight Sounds, and "Is It Me You Really Love" by Black Velvet.

Synth heavy rarities and vintage electronics flavored gems from a pioneering roster of both revered and lesser-remembered experimental heavies – including Peter Thomas, Bruno Spoerri, Klaus Weiss, Jacky Chlard, Ilaiyaraaja and others – complied by Andy Votel! Votel has the utmost love and respect for the material, and the selections are top notch – electronic and experimental pop, funky synth prog, pulsing soundtrack soundscapes and more – no less mind-melting post millenium as it all must have been when originally recorded! Great music from some of the brains behind Can, Hawkwind, Soft Machine, Niagara, Nucleus and more. 16 tracks in all: "Sound Of Wetness" by Suzanne Ciani, "Evarella 2073" by Peter Thomas, "Surf" by Saratoga Space Messengers", "Baustellenmusik" by Bruno Spoerri, "Atari Corporate Tag" by Suzanne Ciani, by "Yaaro Sonnaangalaam" by Ilaiyaraaja, "Gods Of Norse" by Cybotron, "Les Scandales" by Jacky Chalard & Dynastie Crisis, "Splot" by Karl Jenkins & Soft Machine", Rod Hunter's synth take on the funky break classic "Apache" and more.

Fantastic electric work from the great Joe Henderson – one of his most free-wheeling sets for Milestone, and one of his best as well! The album's got a much more open, fluid groove than some of Joe's earlier electric sets – one that has Henderson working through longer tunes that almost have a Gary Bartz-ish sense of soul. Joe plays flute, soprano, tenor sax, and percussion – and also manages to do a bit of vocalizing on the record too – singing in a cool, angular mode that almost has traces of Andy Bey. Other players include Larry Willis on electric piano, echoplex, and ring modulator – plus James Ulmer and John Thomas on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Art Jenkins on percussion. There's even a slight touch of funk on a few of the tracks – but not in a way that's overdone – again in keeping with the gentler soulful mode you'd expect from Bartz. Titles include "Tress Cun Deo La", "Me Among Others", "Song for Sinners", "Bwaata", and "Turned Around".

Includes tracks by Pearl Dickson, Mae Glover, Lucille Bogan, Lillian Miller, Memphis Minnie, Lottie Kimbrough, Lulu Jackson, Rosie Mae Moore, Elvie Thomas, and Geeshie Wiley.