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A classic little album that's every bit as groovy as its cover – served up by vibist Dave Pike, and one of the first true expressions of his talents! The set's a standout early American date that predates Pike's later experiments for MPS – done in a great blend of soul jazz and some tighter Atlantic Records influences – all served up by a hip group of players that includes Billy Butler on guitar, Clark Terry and Marty Sheller on trumpets, and Grady Tate on drums – plus Herbie Hancock making a rare appearance on organ! There's a great little bounce to most numbers – not really funk, but a blend of soul instrumental and more contemporary jazz styles – in a way that takes a Blue Note groove more towards the jukebox audience. Titles include "When I'm Gone", "Devilette", "Sweet Tater Pie", "Blind Man Blind Man", and "Sunny".

A beautifully-drawn sci-fi strip from the great Jerry Robinson – material that's even more vibrant than Jerry's famous 40s work on comic books – thanks in part to the lavish style of this volume! Jet Scott was a short-lived continuity strip – one that mixed rocket stories with earthbound action – but the quality is very top-shelf – with adult scripting from Sheldon Stark, and superb draftsmanship by Jerry Robinson – ink and pen that almost rivals Milton Caniff for its characterization and use of space. The book presents all Sunday strips in full color, and dailies in black and white, oversize too – and also features some additional text pieces to frame the material, and rare sketches as well. 253 pages, and an oversize hardcover.

Wonderful wonderful wonderful – and one of the best albums we've ever heard of modern bossa and soundtrack grooves! For years, Nicola Conte has been a seminal force in the new Italian scene – working as a DJ, promoter, producer, and sometimes recording artist under the odd 12" single. This album marks his first full effort – and after years of bubbling under in the Italian scene, Nicola emerges as one of the most perfect-formed artists we've heard in years. The whole album's a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes – put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes for the last 5 years. The record features great mixes from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully – with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that you'll find stuffing the listening stations at the megastores! Tracks include "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Trappola Mortale", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "Bossa Per Due".

The genius of Nicola Conte gets the remix treatment – in this wonderful new album that steps off heavily from his massive Jet Sounds set of a few years ago! If you know know Nicola, he's the wunderkind behind the Schema label – and, probably more than anyone in the world right now, one of the few producer/musicians who can really handle a retro-sounding groove. Conte's steeped in classic jazz, soundtracks, and bossa nova – all of which come into play in his music – and this set has him working with a host of able talents who help to take his unique creative vision even farther than before! This double 10" package is totally cool – with a total of 5 tracks from the full LP, laid out over double DJ-friendly vinyl. Each track takes on a whole new life, as lots of new elements are added to the music, and most of the tracks are almost completely remade – and titles include "Jazz Pour Dadine" remixed by The Dining Rooms, "Arabesque" done by Micatone, "Forma 2000" reformed by Les Gammas, "Dossier Omega" redone by Espen Horne, and "Trappola Mortale (traffic replay) done anew by The Freeform Arkestra.

A classic little album that's every bit as groovy as its cover – served up by vibist Dave Pike, and one of the first true expressions of his talents! The set's a standout early American date that predates Pike's later experiments for MPS – done in a great blend of soul jazz and some tighter Atlantic Records influences – all served up by a hip group of players that includes Billy Butler on guitar, Clark Terry and Marty Sheller on trumpets, and Grady Tate on drums – plus Herbie Hancock making a rare appearance on organ! There's a great little bounce to most numbers – not really funk, but a blend of soul instrumental and more contemporary jazz styles – in a way that takes a Blue Note groove more towards the jukebox audience. Titles include "When I'm Gone", "Devilette", "Sweet Tater Pie", "Blind Man Blind Man", and "Sunny".

Truly one of the most essential reggae albums of all time, and without a doubt one of our top dub albums – if you don't own it, you need to! Basically a collection of dubs of rhythms for some of Pablo's most popular productions as vocal cuts on 45s that had rocked the sound systems, this set features a mighty rockers rhythm team and mixing courtesy Errol Thompson and King Tubby. All solid tracks: "Keep On Dubbing", "Stop Them Jah", "Young Generation Dub", "Each One Dub", "555 Dub Street", "Braces Tower Dub", "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown", "Corner Crew Dub", "Skanking Dub", "Frozen Dub" and "Say So".

A later date from altoist Richie Cole – the player who first grabbed our attention during his Muse Records years of the 70s! The set features Vic Juris playing guitar – an old labelmate from the Muse years – and the mix of guitar and alto in the frontline makes for some unusual grooves that open up a whole new side of Cole's sound – one that's still plenty sharp on the edges when it wants to be, but which also has almost more of a rhythmic pulse than before! Other instrumentation includes Lou Forestieri on piano, Ed Howard on bass, Tommy Campbell on drums, and Ray Mantilla on percussion – and titles include great versions of West Side Story tunes like "Cool & Jet Song", "Maria", "Something's Coming", "I Feel Pretty", and "Somewhere".

One of the grooviest albums ever cut by Papa John Creach – a set that mixes his bluesy roots with some stoner funk and rock elements from the early 70s! Creach is on vocals and violin, and working here with a host of famous luminaries – including Grace Slick, Carlos Santana, Paul Kantner, and Jerry Garcia – each of whom definitely leave their mark on the record! Yet despite all these famous names, the record's got a pretty unified feel – and the best cuts have a nicely messed-up funk sound that we really like a lot – kind of in a Blue Thumb sort of blend, with a mix of rootsy elements and wilder electric ones and plenty of funky rhythms at the bottom. Titles include "Soul Fever", "String Jet Rock", "The Janitor Drives A Cadillac", "Plunk A Little Funk", and "Papa John's Down Home Blues".

Sweet disco and soulful jazz – the only album we've ever seen from Copeland Davis, a great talent on the piano, and a mellow soul singer with a clear inspiration from Marvin Gaye! The album's a pretty unusual one – in that the overall groove is instrumental, mostly tight rhythms and strings with Copeland playing piano over the top – but a few cuts have Copeland singing as well – in this great sexy style that really adds a lot to the record. The approach is a bit rough at times, but it's kind of a rough version of slickness, which makes for a compelling set, and gives the album a few nice underground clubby numbers! Titles include "Look What We've Found", "Morning Spring", "So In Love", "Jet", and "No Arms Can Ever Hold You".

Sweet disco and soulful jazz – the only album we've ever seen from Copeland Davis, a great talent on the piano, and a mellow soul singer with a clear inspiration from Marvin Gaye! The album's a pretty unusual one – in that the overall groove is instrumental, mostly tight rhythms and strings with Copeland playing piano over the top – but a few cuts have Copeland singing as well – in this great sexy style that really adds a lot to the record. The approach is a bit rough at times, but it's kind of a rough version of slickness, which makes for a compelling set, and gives the album a few nice underground clubby numbers! Titles include "Look What We've Found", "Morning Spring", "So In Love", "Jet", and "No Arms Can Ever Hold You".

Rare work from British easy maestro Ron Goodwin – one of England's most important orchestral talents of the 50s and 60s! Disc one of the set features Goodwin's instrumental singles of the 50s – many of which were done in a style that's similar to some of Les Baxter's pre-exotica work for Capitol. Like Baxter, Goodwin came from a more traditional style of mood music, but was also willing to work in farther-reaching modes – and would pick up traces of some of the more ambitious easy styles of his time. The second disc features Goodwin's soundtrack work of later years – much of which was done in highly dramatic styles that often supported historical narratives, war stories, and other films of an epic nature. Together, the 2CD set makes for a great look at Goodwin's oft-neglected work – and is packaged with a great set of notes and a huge amount of tracks! Titles include "Concetta", "Red Cloak", "The Melba Waltz", "Messenger Boy", "Jet Journey", "Tropical Mirage", "Josita", "Wagon Train", "Aces High", "Departure", "Frenzy", "Decline & Fall", "Cafe Royal Waltz", "Return My Love", and "When Eagles Dare". 53 tracks in all!

Diplo's back as Major Lazer – which is now a full-fledged all star project – and still steeped in big, boundary-busting, floor-shaking dancehall influences – with appearances by Santigold, Bruno Mars, Vybes Kartel, Amber from Dirty Projectors, Elephant Man, Wyclef, Shaggy, Opal, Ms. Dynamite, Flux Pavilion and more! There's a real love for genuine digital dancehall and diverse avant dancefloor, but with some tricked out atmosphere all its own and wildly unpredictable, yet still infection vibe that's pure Diplo. Titles include "You're No Good", "Jet Blue Jet", "Jah No Partial", "Scare Me", "Jessica", "Keep Cool", "Sweat", "Bubble Butt", "Reach For The Stars", "Mashup The Dance", "Watch Out For This (Bumaye)", "Playground" and more.

A late 70s dancefloor soul set from Mascara – an album and group that's notable for a number of reasons – most importantly for being a pre-solo star showcase for the great Luther Vandross! Mascara is an interesting international joint effort – with instrumental tracks recorded in Munich and the vocals in Englewood, NJ – co-produced by UK DJ Chris Hill. Luther is one of 3 lead singers along with Ula Hedwig and David Lasley. It's got an all purpose dancefloor groove to it that's hard to resist – and the singing by all three is really strong! Luther was on the verge of a massive breakthrough at this point, which was between his legendarily crucial work with Young Americans-era Bowie and the start of his great solo career. Speaking of Young Americans, Mascara's take on "Golden Years" is early in this set, which also includes the medleys "See You In LA" and "Jet Plane Ride", plus "If You Don't Want To Be In My Life", "I Feel So At Home Here" and "Comin' Home Baby". This first ever CD release includes 3 bonus tracks: "See You In LA (Radio Version)", "Jet Plane Ride (Radio Version)" and "It's Cool (Radio Version)".

Sugar sweet pop rock from Paul McCartney & Wings – much more adventurously arranged than most of McCartney's post Beatles releases, Wing-ed or not – and to our ears (and many others), it's also his best post-Beatles album! There's plenty of rave up rock & roll leading into to the sugary, un-shakable choruses, no doubt the secret weapon, but the songs are pretty great! Titles include "Band On The Run". "Bluebird", "Jet", "Mrs Vanderbilt", "Let Me Roll It", "Mamunia", "No Words", and the sublime "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five".

The West Side Story score – but handled here by the great Oscar Peterson Trio – in ways that really push the tunes past their Broadway roots! The approach is tight, soulful, and filled with strong lines from Peterson on piano – plus bass by Ray Brown and drums from Ed Thigpen – that classic trio from the early 60s that came together in different ways than Oscar's group of the 50s. The set features an especially nice long take on "Jet Song" – plus versions of "Something's Coming", "Somewhere", "Tonight", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty".

Oscar Peterson takes on two famous scores – back to back on a single CD! West Side Story features music from the famous musical – but handled here by the great Oscar Peterson Trio – in ways that really push the tunes past their Broadway roots! The approach is tight, soulful, and filled with strong lines from Peterson on piano – plus bass by Ray Brown and drums from Ed Thigpen – that classic trio from the early 60s that came together in different ways than Oscar's group of the 50s. The set features an especially nice long take on "Jet Song" – plus versions of "Something's Coming", "Somewhere", "Tonight", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty". Porgy & Bess is less an interpretation of Porgy & Bess than an extrapolation of its themes – one that lets the Peterson trio recraft the music into their own! Given that the Porgy & Bess theme had been explored heavily by many other jazz albums of the late 50s – due to the release of the film at the time – Peterson clearly knows he's got to take a different approach here, and manages to dissect the tunes in really unique ways – bringing in gentleness where it wasn't before, and finding space for new music between notes that are already familiar. Of course, it helps a lot that he's got Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – as the album's almost a three-pronged melodic attack – with great versions of titles that include "Summertime", "I Got Plenty O Nuttin", "I Wants To Stay Here", "Oh Lawd I'm On My Way", "Bess You Is My Woman Now", and "Bess Oh Where's My Bess".

A Brit easy gem from the great Les Reed – one of the massive talents working in England's instrumental scene during the 60s, and an arranger who's got a hipper flair for a tune than most! Les does a great job here with a set of sunny groovers – mostly standards, including a few with a sparkly bossa finish. There's a slight bit of electricity in the instrumentation, and the record has a groove that's as free as the cover's photo of a big jet! Titles inlcude "Sway", "Poinciana", "Spanish Harlem", "A Man & A Woman", "Copacabana Girl", "Meditation", "Quiet Nights", and "Our Day Will Come".

A groovy soundtrack to this hip surf film directed by Bruce Brown – filled with great little instrumentals that go way past the obvious! Brown had previously used jazz players for some of his films – including Bud Shank, who cut some great stuff for earlier soundtracks – but this set's got him working with The Sandals, a younger guitar-driven group with a cool style of scoring – partly surf instrumentals, but partly mod and groovy too! The Sandals move way past the stock surf riffs of chart surf groups – and they really do a great job with the changing moods and scenes of the film – fitting the many scenes of surfing on the screen. Titles include "Jet Black", "TR 6", "Scrambler", "6 Pak", "Driftin", "Good Greeves", and "Decoy".

An album that not only broke the bossa big in the US – but a set that also really helped transform the sound of the organ in jazz! Not only is the record a key meeting of bossa rhythms and jazz organ – transplanted hugely to the US after a big initial Wanderley run in 60s Brazil – but the set also features some of the cleanest organ lines to ever hit these shores – a big difference from the heavier flutter that some of the US organists were using a few years before, and a sharp shift towards cleaner keyboard sounds for the rest of the decade. Instrumentation's nice and spare – mostly bass and percussion, plus a bi tof flute and guitar – and titles include the massive hit "Summer Samba", plus "Rain", "Beach Samba", "Song Of The Jet", "Cried, Cried", and "Girl From Ipanema".

A pretty incredible compilation of Cambodia Rock – the best one we've come across – classic original Khmer Rock from scene pioneer Sinn Sisamouth and many more! The set as an effort to present this fun, groovy and yes, spectacular Cambodian Rock as it was originally heard by the people in its pre-Pol Pot heyday – before the original vinyl releases were hidden away and eventually circulated via low quality cassette bootlegs – and it sounds great! Awesome stuff all around, much of it with a raw garage psych vibe with fuzzed out guitars, heavy drums, woozy organ and male & female lead vocals – always with a groovy rhythm. Includes "Do You No Wrong Again" by Thra Kha Band, "Khnyom Jah Karake" by Tet Somnang & Meas Samon, "Pros Chang Reiy" and "Pail Loung Rom (Go To Dance)" by Pan Ron, "Jet Snaeh Theang Nov" and "Yuvachon Yuvatey Samai Tmai (New Generation Youth" by Sinn Sisamouth & Ros Dereysothea, "Duang Netra" and "Satt Thee Thuy" by Sinn Sisamouth, "Bong Rau Roub Khnyom" by Ros Sereysothea, "Youm Os Tirk Pnake" by Pov Vannary and more. 19 tracks on 2LPs in a nice gatefold sleeve with fairly extensive notes on the back cover and inside the gatefold.

A great little set from Ahmad – laidback, mellow, with a slowly spiralling groove that's slyly funky at times. Ahmad's playing acoustic piano and clavinet on the record – and arrangements are by Bones Howe, Richard Evans, Ahmad, and Mike Melvoin. A few tracks feature a larger group with more electric horns or strings – and about half the album's played by a sextet that includes Calvin Keys on guitar. Tracks include "Jet", "Festival", "Dynamo", "Sumayah", and a nice version of "Black Cow"!

Diplo's back as Major Lazer – which is now a full-fledged all star project – and still steeped in big, boundary-busting, floor-shaking dancehall influences – with appearances by Santigold, Bruno Mars, Vybes Kartel, Amber from Dirty Projectors, Elephant Man, Wyclef, Shaggy, Opal, Ms. Dynamite, Flux Pavilion and more! There's a real love for genuine digital dancehall and diverse avant dancefloor, but with some tricked out atmosphere all its own and wildly unpredictable, yet still infection vibe that's pure Diplo. Titles include "You're No Good", "Jet Blue Jet", "Jah No Partial", "Scare Me", "Jessica", "Keep Cool", "Sweat", "Bubble Butt", "Reach For The Stars", "Mashup The Dance", "Watch Out For This (Bumaye)", "Playground" and more.

This ain't your father's easy listening – because the collection features some wonderful numbers from the current Japanese underground – a great selection of mellower dancefloor tracks that show the rich blend of acoustic and electronic modes that have been creeping into work from the Japanese scene! There's a few numbers on here by artists we already know and love – but even more importantly, the set features some great tracks by artists we've never been able to track down before – once locked in the high-priced, low-access import channels from Japan – now nicely contained in this sweet little 14 track set! Titles include "Jazz In You" by Slowly, "Proude Bridge" by Studio Apartment, "Welcome A Ball" by Dazai Yuri Sextet, "At The 6th Street" by Super Soul System, "Waiting For" by Butter Finger, "Go Forward" by Jet Set Productions, "Fly" by MOK, and "Vocalise" by Jazztronik.

An incredible collection of work from the great Johnny Copeland – way way way more stuff from the early years than we ever knew he recorded! Johnny's one of the few Texas singers of his generation who kept the flame burning brightly over the decades – but it's this stuff that's still his best work – amazing southern soul tracks handled in a mode that's unlike anything else – no Memphis or Muscle Shoals cliches here, and instead a really deep, personal approach to the music that makes tremendous use of Copeland's vocals! There's some slight undercurrents of blues at points, but the music is definitely soul – sometimes inflected with jazz on the mellower cuts, ala a Duke/Peacock recording – although the tracks here were for the Jet Stream, Wet Soul, and Wand labels – mixed here with a number of previously unreleased tracks. The 2CD package really hones in on Johnny's greatness – and serves up a whopping 43 tracks recorded between 1965 and 1971 – titles that include "The Invitation", "Why Don't You Make Up Your Mind", "Somebody's Been Scratchin", "Every Dog's Got His Day", "Wizard Of Art", "I Waited Too Long", "The Hip Hop", "Four Dried Beans", "Mother Nature", "You're Gonna Reap Just What You Sow", "Dedicated To The Greatest", "I Wish I Was Single", "Danger Zone", and "Slow Walk You Down".

Beautiful reeds throughout – a sensitive yet striking mix of flutes and clarinet – the former played by Michel Edelin, the latter by Jacques Di Donato, who also handles a bit of soprano sax as well! The instruments often fold over each other nicely as the tunes begin – fluttering in waves of sound that are pushed forward by the rhythmic intensity of Jean Jacques Avenel on bass and Simon Goubert on drums – but also able to find some quieter, more contemplative space at times too. The album's one of the most lyrical we've ever heard on the Rogue Art label, yet still has that highly creative and independent spirit that we like on the company's other discs too. Titles include "Tristezza Della Diva", "Black Snow", "Witches", "Jet Lag", "Tales Of Seven Lizards", "Bailes De Tango", and "Simon's Bubbles".

The second great set from The Specials – music once billed as "revival ska" – but which has arguably gone onto have a bigger impact than the first wave of the genre! There's a rough edged quality to the music that's totally great – a rude boy aesthetic filtered through the post-punk generation – perfect for the spare, earthy Two Tone production – and just right for a post-colonial London, looking for new ways to express itself! The studio work is as great as the core grooves from the band – lots of odd echoes and cool effects – kind of a Brit take on Kingston dub, served up beautifully to abstract the tunes. So many others ruined this approach in later years with weaker work – but here's a chance to hear it perfectly in an original conception! Titles include "International Jet Set", "Enjoy Yourself", "Stereotypes", "Holiday Fortnight", and "I Can't Stand It".

Titles include "Some Kind Of Nature", "On Melancholy Hill", "Broken", "Plastic Beach", "To Binge", "Pirate Jet", "Rhinestone Eyes", "White Flag", "Stylo", "Superfast Jellyfish", and "Empire Ants".

Excellent work from Greyboy – his first album in years, and well worth the wait! The set shows considerable growth in his style – yet should still also be extremely pleasing to fans of his older work, as he's kept the commitment to mixing heavy hip hop beats with tight funky jazz, and only expanded the mood to incorporate a lot of new influences. The mood of the album is nice and dark – and although a few tracks feature hip hop lyrics from Main Flow, the real strength of the set is in the instrumental grooves – augmented here by guest appearances by Dave Pike and Elgin Park. Titles include "Ghetto Boogie", "Mastered The Art", "Hold It Down", "Marrakesh", "Dealin With The Archives", "Bath Music", "Logan's Run", "Smokescreen", and "Mastered The Art (Nicola Conte Jet Sounds rmx)".

The second great set from The Specials – music once billed as "revival ska" – but which has arguably gone onto have a bigger impact than the first wave of the genre! There's a rough edged quality to the music that's totally great – a rude boy aesthetic filtered through the post-punk generation – perfect for the spare, earthy Two Tone production – and just right for a post-colonial London, looking for new ways to express itself! The studio work is as great as the core grooves from the band – lots of odd echoes and cool effects – kind of a Brit take on Kingston dub, served up beautifully to abstract the tunes. So many others ruined this approach in later years with weaker work – but here's a chance to hear it perfectly in an original conception! Titles include "International Jet Set", "Enjoy Yourself", "Stereotypes", "Holiday Fortnight", and "I Can't Stand It".

The 5th volume in this great series is bigger than ever! Back when volume 1 first came out, the idea of modern bossa dancefloor tunes was a strange concept – now, thanks to the work of the Schema crew, in releases like this one, the groove is here to stay – and strongly! The set offers a 13 track overview of the best of recent years – mostly groups from Europe, and all firmly in the Schema Records style. Most tunes are remixed versions, and titles include "Mastered The Art (Jet Sounds rmx)" by Greyboy, "On Line" by Marcos Valle, "O Preguicoso" by Intuit, "Salsin" by Amalgamation Of Soundz, "Penso Ascoltando" by Mondomo, "Meu Samba (Nicola Conte's bossa ahead rmx)" by Eli Goulart & Banda Do Mato, "Puutarhassa (Milk Snickars ext version)" by Pekka Streng, "Good Morning As Usual (Senor Coconut rmx)" by Snooze, "Existentialism (Milano bossa mix)" by The Dining Rooms, "In The Mood For Bossa (alt)" by S-Tone Inc, "Dance Naked Under Palmtrees" by Mo Horizons, and "Honesty" by Soulstance. Plus, the CD version also features a bonus disc – with all 13 tunes mixed live by Luciano Cantone!

Pretty great work from the team of Lorenzo Tucci and Lucxa Mannutza – two artists we normally associate with much straighter jazz material, but who really take off here together! The format is still definitely jazz, but the energy is quite free a times – just drums and effects from Tucci, and shifting piano, Fender Rhodes, and Hammond from Luca Mannutza – played in these really flowing lines that sparkle amidst Lorenzo's energy on the drums – all in ways that are inside enough to swing, but in ways that really go beyond conventional jazz! The format is a wonderful development for both players – and really helps us appreciate their rich talents even more than before – hardly a trick or gimmick, and instead a compelling collaboration that almost makes us feel like ECM has collided with Schema Records. Titles include "Jet Lag", "Jungle & Space", "Lunar", "Moon Boots", "The Voyager", "Avaria", and "Inception".

Genius work from one of our favorite artists! Both tracks sparkle with the kind of retro-jazzy intensity that we've come to expect after Conte's brilliant Jet Sounds LP – a perfect blend of classic bossa grooves and modern dancefloor production, in a mode that blows away all the competition! "New Standards" has a strong bassy bossa beat – with a warmly lyrical trumpet solo over the top, sweet soulful, and very well played! "Tema Per Hi-Fi" has some great vibes and piano – grooving away in a mode that feels like it was lifted from some classic Quincy Jones soundtrack on Mercury!

A deeply effective set from Bonobo! North Borders has beats that are as compelling as any in Bonobo's canon – often thumping pretty hard – paired with gorgeous electronic sound washes and really deft use of vocal samples and guest singers. The mix of compelling beats and lighter, more ethereal atmosphere is a nice touch – and the use of voices, whether sampled or sung by a guest, really brings in an uncommon emotional depth. Includes "First Fires" with Grey Reverend, "Emkay", "Don't Wait", "Cirrus", "Heaven For The Sinner" with Erykah Badu, Towers" with Sjerdene, "Jets", "Antenna", "Know You", "Ten Tigers", "Sapphire", "Transits" and "Pieces" feat Cornella.

A deeply effective set from Bonobo! North Borders has beats that are as compelling as any in Bonobo's canon – often thumping pretty hard – paired with gorgeous electronic sound washes and really deft use of vocal samples and guest singers. The mix of compelling beats and lighter, more ethereal atmosphere is a nice touch – and the use of voices, whether sampled or sung by a guest, really brings in an uncommon emotional depth. Includes "First Fires" with Grey Reverend, "Emkay", "Don't Wait", "Cirrus", "Heaven For The Sinner" with Erykah Badu, Towers" with Sjerdene, "Jets", "Antenna", "Know You", "Ten Tigers", "Sapphire", "Transits" and "Pieces" feat Cornella.

Enigmatic sounds from UK reedman Lol Coxhill – a really cool collaboration with Morgan Fisher – who adds in his own tape manipulation, guitar, and piano next to Coxhill's work on soprano sax – plus a bit of carillion too! The style's even more spacey and laidback than Lol's 70s duets with Steven Miller – but has a similarly hypnotic quality – proof that Coxhill was always trying to go way beyond jazz, and way beyond some of the standard free modes of his contemporaries – always interested in shaping sounds to new ends – with fascinating results that make the album a corker! Titles include "Slow Music", "Matt Finish", "Jetsam", "Flotsam", "Vase", and "Que En Paz Descanse". CD features a bonus sound collage titled "Play Quiet" – with work by Gavin Bryars!

A tremendous debut from this overlooked late 60s group from the UK – a powerhouse that would later go onto fuel bigger groups like Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Uriah Heep! This initial outing has a surprisingly soulful feel at times – still very rockish in the presentation, but with a style that's still tipping out of the Brit beat group years too – so that even when things are freewheeling and almost progressive, you can still feel some bluesy undercurrents in the vocals and keyboards! John Glascock handles bass, Ken Kensley keyboards – and both sing as well, along with guitarist Joe Konas. Drummer Lee Kerslake completes the group – and titles include "Radio Show", "Farthing Man", "I Never Knew", "Towards The Skies", "Looking Glass", and "Candles Getting Shorter". 2CD set features the full original mono and stereo mixes of the album – plus bonus tracks that include "Somewhere In The Stree", "Baby's Rich", "Real Love Guaranteed", and a great cover of The Beatles' "Hey Bulldog".

One of the few secular soul albums ever cut by Genobia Jeter – a gospel singer who broke into R&B with this smooth mid 80s effort – a mix of tracks handled by different producers, taking Genobia from mellow quiet storm numbers into more club-oriented groovers. Hubert Eaves handles some of the most uptempo work on the set, and Genobia also gets backing from Robert Wright and Lesette Wilson, both of whom use a similar keyboard-driven groove to Eaves' sound. Titles include "Together", "Sunshine", "Peace Of Mind", "Take A Look", "All Of My Love", and "We Got Love". CD features four bonus tracks – an edit, remix, and dub of "Together" – plus an instrumental take on "All Of My Love".

Titles include "Aqualung", "My God", "Slipstream", "Locomotive Breath", "Wind UP", and "Mother Goose".

A bit of old, and a bit of new – and includes some great live material on the second half, including the extended "By Kind Permission Of" and "Dharma For One" – and the great "Christmas Song". Other titles include "Bouree", "Song For Jeffrey", "Love Story", "Wondering Again", "Up The Pool", "From Later", and "Nursie".

Jethro Tull's classic prog album–or is it a parody of a prog album? The LP-length "song", filled with dense lyrics, alternates between hard rock, English folk, and classical.

A 60s set from Memphis bluesman BB King – but one put together with a very distinct Chicago touch as well! The set's produced by Johnny Pate, and recorded live with a vibe that's similar to King's classic recording at The Regal – but it's almost got even more of a soulful punch, thanks to backing from a cool small combo that includes Bobby Forte on tenor, Kenneth Sands on trumpet, Duke Jethro on Hammond, and Louis Satterfield on bass! BB's vocals are great – in his best early form – and the tunes are bluesy, but also smoke with a nice degree of soul – and almost some jazzy touches at times from the tenor and organ. Titles include "Don't Answer The Door", "Blind Love", "Tired Of Your Jive", "Night Life", "Buzz Me", and "Waitin On You". CD features two bonus tracks – "Goin Down Slow" and "Sweet Sixteen (parts 1 & 2)" – both additional live numbers.

Singer and harpist Carol Kleyn's Takin' The Time album from 1980 – and a pretty remarkable step up from her Love Has Made Me A Stranger record of a few years earlier! While the preceding album carried more of a late 60s mood – though one that felt right at home on the mid 70s folk fringe – this one has a warm, laidback and somewhat otherworldly West Coast folk rock vibe. Carol's voice leads the way, and her harp is often right out front, too, but there's lot going on! Speaking of fringe-y, Bobby "Enlightening Beam Of Axonda" Brown is the producer here – but the record is actually quite accessible. Another really strong and worthy reissue from Drag City! Includes "Takin' The Time", "Jethro", "She Lost Her Crown", "Sailor Like Me", "Could Be Me", "Tides And Crazy Moons", "Missy Robin", "Intermission", "How Long Till Forever" and "Prayer".

A rare second chapter to Mobley's famous Workout album – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until the mid 80s – and even then, only momentarily on vinyl! The session's a great one – a quartet outing with a structure that's similar to Hank's classic Soul Station record, but which is a bit more fluid and free-thinking overall! The long tracks give Mobley plenty of room to open up on his solos – really commanding the record with his deeply soulful tone and strong sense of timing. Other players include Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums (plus Grant Green on one track) – and titles include "Out Of Joe's Bag", "I Should Care", "Getting & Jettin", "Hank's Other Soul", and "Three Coins In A Fountain".

The only Atlantic Records session from the Quartette Tres Bien – and a set that's got a bit more punch than some of their records for Decca! The groove here still features the compelling percussion/piano lineup of the combo – with Percy James on bongo and conga, Albert St James on drums, and Jeter Thompson on piano – and the playing has a strong focus on the piano work by Thompson, with a good mix of soul jazz and lyrical styles! Includes the original track "Bully", plus versions of "Work Song", "Caravan", "Three O'Clock In The Morning", and "I Never Knew".

Frank Zappa's amazing tribute to the sounds of LA that inspired him in his youth – not just the early rock and roll of the late 50s, but the way the music was picked up and given a home by the scene in East LA! There's a surprising amount of nascent soul elements in the music here – especially the early harmony groups, who Frank's clearly paying tribute to with The Jets – sometimes dealing with subject matter that goes way beyond what most of those groups would have touched – but other times, right in line with the most heartfelt sounds of the 60s! Titles include "Deseri", "How Could I Be Such A Fool", "Cheap Thrills", "No No No", "Anyway The Wind Blows", "Stuff Up The Cracks", and "Jelly Roll Gum Drop".

An amazing document of this important southern scene – a key rockumentary from the 80s, with a strong focus on the flowering of music in Athens, Georgia! Athens really just burst briefly as a scene in the US at the start of the decade – but went onto have a huge impact on music for years to come – thanks to work from groups like The B-52s, REM, Pylon, and a host of great lesser-knowns featured here. Titles include a rare recording of "Dream" by REM, plus "Pretty" by Love Tractor, "Hi" by Time Toy, "Stop It" by Pylon, "His & Hearse" by BBQ Killers, "Crazy Hazy Kisses" by Flat Duo Jets, "Golden" by Dreams So Real, "Elephant Radio" by The Squalls, "Swan Swan H" by REM, and "Na Na Na Na" by The Squalls. CD/DVD package features the the soundtrack on CD for the first time ever – plus 5 bonus tracks! DVD features the full film plus bonus tracks!

The birth of ska – served up in a host of hard-edged classics from the early years – great Jamaican tracks that sound a lot more like soul music than most later incarnations of the genre – no surprise, given that many of these cuts were crafted from the strong influence of American radio on the Kingston airwaves! The rhythms are definitely what you'd call ska, but the vocals often have a deeper approach than we're used to in later work of the genre – heavily tilted towards the soul and R&B side of the spectrum, especially when more than one singer is featured on a track – and often mixed with razor-sharp instrumentation that packs the punch of a vintage funky 45! Titles include "Valley Of Green" and "Take Your Time" by Jackie Opel, "Men Alone" by The Deacons, "Lonely & Blue Boy" by Ferdie Nelson, "Sweet Dreams" by Bibby & The Astronauts, "Snake In The Grass" by Larry Marshall, "Ten Virgins" by The Angelic Brothers, "Everyday" by The Avalons, "My Darling Josephine" by Joe G Henry, "Dream For Tomorrow" by Al & The Vibrators, "Fresh Out Of Love" and "Someone" by The Jetts, and "Never Too Young To Learn" by Andy & The Avalons. 40 tracks in all!

The laid back classic, finally back on vinyl! The Digables certainly weren't the first or the most innovative hip hop group to rely upon cooled out jazz for the backbone of their sound. In fact without Tribe Called Quest's second album, Digable Planets probably wouldn't even have existed, at least not in anything close to the same form. What they did do though was pave the trail blazed by Tribe and De La with pure gold – and Blowout Comb is their shiniest ride! Loads of tripped out arrangements on live instruments (a huge step after the largely sampled debut), layer upon layer of groovy vocals in addition to the easy rhymes of Butterfly, Ladybug and Doodlebug, and even an appearance by Jeru. Probably the catchiest jazz-rap fusion record of the 90s, not that there's anything wrong with that! Tracks include "The May 4th Movement Starring Doodlebug", "Black Ego", "Dog It", "Jettin", "Borough Check", "Highing Fly", "Dial 7", "The Art Of Easing", "K.B.'s Alley", "Graffiti", "Blowing Down", "9th Wonder", and "For Corners".

A contemporary project from Jeter Thompson – of the legendary Quartette Tres Bien!

One of the few secular soul albums ever cut by Genobia Jeter – a gospel singer who broke into R&B with this smooth mid 80s effort – a mix of tracks handled by different producers, taking Genobia from mellow quiet storm numbers into more club-oriented groovers. Hubert Eaves handles some of the most uptempo work on the set, and Genobia also gets backing from Robert Wright and Lesette Wilson, both of whom use a similar keyboard-driven groove to Eaves' sound. Titles include "Together", "Sunshine", "Peace Of Mind", "Take A Look", "All Of My Love", and "We Got Love". CD features four bonus tracks – an edit, remix, and dub of "Together" – plus an instrumental take on "All Of My Love".

A rare second chapter to Mobley's famous Workout album – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until the mid 80s – and even then, only momentarily on vinyl! The session's a great one – a quartet outing with a structure that's similar to Hank's classic Soul Station record, but which is a bit more fluid and free-thinking overall! The long tracks give Mobley plenty of room to open up on his solos – really commanding the record with his deeply soulful tone and strong sense of timing. Other players include Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles include "Out Of Joe's Bag", "I Should Care", "Getting & Jettin", "Hank's Other Soul", and "Three Coins In A Fountain".

"Sex! Drugs! Mellotrons!" This issue of Prog has a cover feature on the Moody Blues – plus an Alan Parsons exclusive, Focus on their classic Moving Waves (and turning down George Martin!), Richard Thompson, on his new work, Greg Lake on the relationship dynamics of ELP, plus Marillon, Caravan, Family, Blue Oyster Cult, Nick Harper, Umphrey's McGee, Thumpermonky, Neal Morse, Jethro Tull, Todd Rundgren and much more! Also includes a free CD with over an hour of contemporary prog – woth Amplifier, Giltrap/Wakeman, Gandalf's Fist, Aeon Zen, Big Big Train, Sanguine Hum, Von Hertzen Brothers and more.

2 exotica classics on one CD! Quiet Village is an undisputed classic in the exotica field, and the record that yielded Denny his biggest hit – the title reworking of "Quiet Village", written by Les Baxter a few years earlier. The rest of the record's pretty darn nice, too – with Denny's trademark piano/percussion style firmly in place – and we can't think of a better way to start off a collection of exotic 50s tunes. Titles include "Sake Rock", "Martinique", "Tune From Rangoon", and "Pagan Love Song". Enchanted Sea is another great classic by Denny – with a nice approach that has sort of a drifting South Seas feel! The record is one of his last good ones for Liberty, and has lots of nice tracks like "My Isle Of Golden Dreams", "Beyond The Reef", "Flotsam & Jetsam", and "Cross Current". Nice sexy cover, too!

Peter Gabriel gets a bit bolder and more confident here in his solo role – coming out with some of the bite of his Rael character from years back, but with a tighter, more focused mode that's pretty darn great! You can hear the early touch of the styles that would wander too strongly into the wrong territory a decade later – but here, things are all pretty darn fresh – wrapped around song themes that feel like very new ones for Gabriel, in ways that almost have you feeling him pick and choose the topics as the record moves on. Production is tight, but never too uptight – and titles include "On The Air", "DIY", "Exposure", "Animal Magic", "Flotsam & Jetsam", "Perspective", and "White Shadow".

One of our favorite tunes ever from Jethro Tull – a cool jazzy number that's almost more Herbie Mann or Harold McNair than the usual Tull groove! The bluesy bottom really drops out of the group's sound – and instead a hip bassline sets the tune up nicely for some sweet solo flute, and these catchy lyrics that are some of the most hook-heavy that Ian Anderson's ever sung! Limited pic sleeve EP also features "Witch's Promise", "Life Is A Long Song", and "Teacher (UK version 2013 mix)".

Beautiful early work from Jethro Tull – a formative set that really has the group deepening both their themes and their music! Titles include "A New Day Yesterday", "Back To The Family", "Fat Man", "Reasons For Waiting", "Nothing Is Easy", and the classic instrumental "Bouree".

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

Singer and harpist Carol Kleyn's Takin' The Time album from 1980 – and a pretty remarkable step up from her Love Has Made Me A Stranger record of a few years earlier! While the preceding album carried more of a late 60s mood – though one that felt right at home on the mid 70s folk fringe – this one has a warm, laidback and somewhat otherworldly West Coast folk rock vibe. Carol's voice leads the way, and her harp is often right out front, too, but there's lot going on! Speaking of fringe-y, Bobby "Enlightening Beam Of Axonda" Brown is the producer here – but the record is actually quite accessible. Another really strong and worthy reissue from Drag City! Includes "Takin' The Time", "Jethro", "She Lost Her Crown", "Sailor Like Me", "Could Be Me", "Tides And Crazy Moons", "Missy Robin", "Intermission", "How Long Till Forever" and "Prayer".

An incredible batch of hillbilly boogie tunes from the 50s, and a stray couple of honky tonk and outlaw jukebox gems from the 60s & 70s – a fantastic sampler of rockabilly and country nuggets put together by the saints at Bear Family – at an incredible price, to boot! The Bear Family label has been exhaustively compiling this kind of thing for decades now, God bless 'em, and they're celebrating their 33rd Anniversary with a series of CDs featuring 33 tunes for an unbelievably friendly price. A real gift to all of us who've shelled out hundreds of dollars for those completist Bear Family box sets over the years! Features fly-by-night obscurities, great stuff from cult heroes, rare ones by legends, and each and every track is a jewel. Includes an uptempo Cash style reading of "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" by Johnny Seay, the jarring "Border City Call Girl" by Ben Hewitt, "Big Family Trouble" by Skeets McDonald, "The Girl Can't Help It" by Rusty York, "The Fool" by Sanford Clark, "Houn' Dog" by Homer & Jethro, "All I Can Do Is Cry" by Johnny Bond, "Don't Stop Now" by Roy Hall, "Juke Joint Boogie" by Freddie Hart, "First Class Second Class Woman" by Eddie Cletro, "Candy & Women" by Bill Haley and tons more!

A deeply effective set from Bonobo! North Borders has beats that are as compelling as any in Bonobo's canon – often thumping pretty hard – paired with gorgeous electronic sound washes and really deft use of vocal samples and guest singers. The mix of compelling beats and lighter, more ethereal atmosphere is a nice touch – and the use of voices, whether sampled or sung by a guest, really brings in an uncommon emotional depth. Includes "First Fires" with Grey Reverend, "Emkay", "Don't Wait", "Cirrus", "Heaven For The Sinner" with Erykah Badu, Towers" with Sjerdene, "Jets", "Antenna", "Know You", "Ten Tigers", "Sapphire", "Transits" and "Pieces" feat Cornella. Limited 7 X 10" box set edition for Record Store Day 2013.

A brilliant recording from this seminal group – recorded by Conny Plank in his famous studio – and featuring Manfred Schoof and Kenny Wheeler on trumpets, Peter Brotzmann and Evan Parker on tenor, Gunter Christmann and Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, and Alexander Von Schlippenbach on accordion!

A key moment in the career of Esther Phillips – and a record that really has her shaking off the rougher bluesy styles of the earlier years, and pointing the way towards strong jazz success in the 70s! The album's definitely burnin, but with a sophisticated vibe too – as Esther works with backing from a small combo that includes Jack Wilson on piano, Richard Tee on organ, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Cornell Dupree on guitar – a lineup that almost hits the same vibe as her later work on CTI/Kudu – and which brings out a new depth in Esther's vocals that's simply amazing! There's a heartbreaking quality to most of the numbers – a mix of roots and class, depth and poise – all served up in a style that's unlike any other singer before or since. Titles include "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream", "And I Love Him", "Shangri-La", "I'm Getting Long Alright", and "Please Send Me Someone To Love".

Spooky sounds from pioneering French composer Pierre Schaeffer – 5 Etudes De Bruits (1948) on one side and Etude Aux Objets (1959) on the other! Visionary experimental sound manipulation from an early pioneer. 5 Etudes De Bruits includes "Edude Aux Chemins De Fer", "Edude Viloette", "Etude Noire" and "Etude Pathetique". Etude Aux Objets includes "Objets Exposes", "Objets Etendus", "Objets Multiplies", "Objets Lies" and "Objets Rassembles".

Excellent instrumental electronics, with a sort of pulsing progressive sound that's like the best stuff by Tangerine Dream, and with a cool bubbling feel to it. Tracks include "Cybernaut", "Jetsex", "Timewhys", "Riversong", and "Aurora". Very groovy, very moogy, and a nice bit of hippy dippy trippy electronics.

One of the boldest records we've ever heard from bassist Per Zanussi – quite possibly because it features a thirteen-member ensemble – exploding out with a heck of a lot of power! Despite their size, though, the sound can be incredibly lean – at times because it seems like every member is moving as one, handling the same note or tone at the same time – at others, because they step back and take scope of their performance while unfolding it – that contemplative way that we've heard on some of Zanussi's smaller-group recordings. Per's sonic sensitivity is present throughout – and other players include Oyvind Braekke on trombone, Erik Hegdal on baritone, Klaus Holm on alto and clarinet, Mikko Innanen and Martin Kuchen on alto, Jonas Kullhammar on tenor, Kjetl Moster and Jorgen Mathisen on tenor and clarinet, and Gard Nilssen on drums. Titles include "Balance/Sinawi", "All Wrath", "Ghibli", "Johnny Just Drop", "Zoanthropy 2", and "Body & Zeuhl".

A lost Latin cooker from Alfredito Linares – recorded in Peru during the early 70s, but with a vibe that's right up there with the best New York albums from the Latin Soul scene of the late 60s! Like other South American sets from the time, this one holds onto a groove that American Latin acts had already discarded – a tight mix of boogaloo and other soulful styles that are very heavy on the rhythms – played by a small combo with a joyous, energetic vibe! There's loads of dark piano lines dipping and turning alongside the rhythms – really giving the record a sinister undercurrent – and the horn parts are tight, but never dominate too much – leaving room for the Spanish language vocals over the top. Titles include "Boogaloo Girl", "Guaguanco En Onda", "Recuerdame", "Pa Juga Nama", "A Los Timbaleros", "La Salsa Va A Comenzar", and "Macchu Picchu". CD also features 2 bonus cuts – "Yo No Soy Guapo" and "Sujetate La Lengua".

A rare second chapter to Mobley's famous Workout album – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until the mid 80s – and even then, only momentarily on vinyl! The session's a great one – a quartet outing with a structure that's similar to Hank's classic Soul Station record, but which is a bit more fluid and free-thinking overall! The long tracks give Mobley plenty of room to open up on his solos – really commanding the record with his deeply soulful tone and strong sense of timing. Other players include Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles include "Out Of Joe's Bag", "I Should Care", "Getting & Jettin", "Hank's Other Soul", and "Three Coins In A Fountain".