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An early 60s Columbia classic from Johnny Williams – a rare album of stereo-heavy instrumentals done in a style that's quite similar to the RCA Stereo Action series of the time – with lots of unusual instrumentation, and a wide-ranging sound that leaps back and forth from speaker to speaker! There's plenty of jazzy interplay in the music – similar to Williams' 60s soundtrack work – and the large array of woodwind, brass, and rhythm players includes west coast jazzmen like Pete Candoli, Shelly Manne, Jimmy Rowles, Larry Bunker, and others. Titles include "The Varsity Drag", "Fascinatin Rhythm", "Johnny One Note", "An Occasional Man", "Sunny Disposish", "Buckle Down Winsocki", and "My Heart Belongs To Daddy".

An excellent album that features late 30s recordings by some of Duke Ellington's most famous sidemen! The groups on most of these are fairly similar – mostly small group sessions from the larger Ellington outfit – pulled out in ways that give a strong focus on the solo talents of the session leader – and as with other packages in this series, the fidelity is much better than the original singles, and accompanied with full notes on the music! Titles include "Rexatious" and "Lazy Man's Shuffle" by Rex Stewart; "Echoes Of Harlem", "Swing Pan Alley", and "I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me" by Cootie Williams; "The Rabbit's Jump", "Pyramid", and "Jitterbug's Lullaby" by Johnny Hodges; and "Caravan" and "Stompy Jones" by Barney Bigard.

One of the greatest crime jazz TV soundtracks ever – a searing batch of tracks from the pen of Johnny Williams! The work on the set is possibly more famously known from the Shelly Manne album of small combo performances – but this original soundtrack is possibly even more exciting, as Williams uses some great twists and turns in the larger orchestrations – creating really evocative moody passages, yet still sticking to a jazzy approach overall. There's some soaring tunes that groove in a nicely compressed way – moving much more into a 60s mode, and leaving the cliches of 50s crime jazz behind – and overall, we've gotta say that this one may be Williams' finest soundtrack moment ever! Packaged with a very cool cover image, and featuring tracks that include "The Black Knight", "Fireside Eyes", "The King Swings", "Shy Youth", "Far Out Place", and "Cyanide Touch".

Diamond Head is a great early score from Johnny Williams – penned for a film set in Hawaii, with a cast that includes Charlton Heston, James Darren, and George Chakiris! Williams' score is a mix of tropical themes, dramatic modes, and a number of groovier-styled tunes – music that's a bit more like some of his work for 60s comedies, with slight twists and turns that keep things interesting. And even the dramatic tunes, while done with a fair bit of strings, show a much lighter approach than most other work of the time – and these tunes are offset by others that use woodwinds in a really great way, almost with a snakeily evocative style that you might find in the lighter moments of a TV drama. Titles include "Luau Dance", "Sloan Strolls", "Catamaran", "Diamond Head Theme", "Mei Chen", and "Manoalani".

A sock-soul set of material from Larry Williams and Johnny Watson – and one that really updates their older groove for the Northern Soul generation! The album's pretty amazing – hardly anything you might expect from any of Williams' earlier work, and drenched in the charms that Johnny Watson discovered in the 60s, and expanded in the 70s – but set to rhythms that are as hard-grooving from a soul perspective as any of the best work on the Okeh label at the time! Arrangements are by Arthur Wright and Melvin Jernigan, who hit a very natural vibe that lets Larry and Johnny trade lines back and forth wonderfully – in a very personal, almost spontaneous way that's very different than better-known male soul duos of the 60s – and the record is a key lost link in Watson's career, one that really lets you hear him tightening things up before his superstar years of the 70s. Titles include the killer classic "Two For The Price Of One" – plus "Too Late", "Aint' Gonna Move", "Keep On Lovin' You", "Takin No Chances", "A Quitter Never Wins", and "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch".

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! Features bonus mono single tunes – "The Ambushers", "Love Every Day", "Where Angels Go Trouble Follows", and "I Wanna Be Free".

The very first recordings of Chicago bluesman Tail Dragger – recorded back in the early 80s, with that great rootsy sound that city's scene still had at the time! You can definitely hear a bit of polish since the early electric days, but overall the sound is nice and raw – and a great change from more commercial blues of the time – thanks especially to the raw, raspy style of singing that Tail Dragger uses – and the sharp instrumentation from Johnny B Moore and Jesse Lee Williams on guitars, and Eddie Jewtown Burks on harmonica. Titles include "So Ezee", "Where Did You Go", "Ain't Gonna Cry No Mo", "Don't You Want A Good Man", "Stop Lyin", and "Tail's Tale".

Duke Ellington and Mary Poppins? Sounds like a terrible combination – but it's actually pretty darn great! You see, the key words in the title are "plays with" – as Duke takes the core score of the film and, working with Billy Strayhorn, comes up with some groovy little tunes that really depart from the originals – and become perfect backdrops for the modern Ellington genius of the 60s. Solo work on the set is by Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Cootie Williams, and Harry Carney – and overall, the album's got that nice punchy feel of Ellington's other Reprise sides – and makes especially nice use of the modal quality of some of the tunes from the film. Titles include "Jolly Holiday", "The Life I Lead", "I Love To Laugh", "Stay Awake", "Chim Chim Cheree", and "Feed The Birds".

Duke Ellington and Mary Poppins? Sounds like a terrible combination – but it's actually pretty darn great! You see, the key words in the title are "plays with" – as Duke takes the core score of the film and, working with Billy Strayhorn, comes up with some groovy little tunes that really depart from the originals – and become perfect backdrops for the modern Ellington genius of the 60s. Solo work on the set is by Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Cootie Williams, and Harry Carney – and overall, the album's got that nice punchy feel of Ellington's other Reprise sides – and makes especially nice use of the modal quality of some of the tunes from the film. Titles include "Jolly Holiday", "The Life I Lead", "I Love To Laugh", "Stay Awake", "Chim Chim Cheree", and "Feed The Birds".

One of Ellington's greatest albums of the 60s – and a record tinged with Eastern themes and darkly angular modern arrangements. The group here features Ellington stalwarts Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, Cootie Williams, Mercer Ellington, and Rufus Jones – and the players work together tightly to craft the suite of tracks based on Ellington's impressions of recent travels through the Mid and Far East during the 60s. Titles include "Tourist Point Of View", "Isfahan", "Depk", "Mount Harissa", "Amad", "Agra", and "Blue Pepper".

A nice late Blue Note change from Herbie Hancock – a very different album than his previous sets for the label – in that it features a slightly larger group, and a sound that really points the way towards his directions in the 70s! There's a slightly ambitious feel to some of these cuts – not in a way that's over-arranged, but just a new sort of thinking for Herbie's kind of groove – a mode that's partially informed by the seriousness of 60s jazz soundtracks, but which also has the beginnings of some more righteous modes of expression too. Players are all great – and include Joe Henderson on tenor and flute, Johnny Coles on flugelhorn, Garnett Brown on trombone, Hubert Laws on flute, Jerome Richardson on bass clarinet, Buster Williams on bass, and Tootie Heath on drums. Herbie plays both acoustic and electric piano – using the latter here in one of his first recordings on the instrument – and titles include "Firewater", "I Have A Dream", "The Prisoner", and "He Who Lives In Fear".

BB King not just live, but well-recorded in the studio too – in this classic ABC set that showcases both sides of his talents! Side one is the live set – and it's arguably better than any of the previous other concert recordings he did for the label – with a tighter, moodier feel that's almost more small club – with backing from a combo that features Charlie Boles on Hammond, Patrick Williams on trumpet, and Lee Gatling on tenor. Live titles include "Just A Little Love", "Sweet Little Angel", "Don't Answer The Door", and "Please Accept My Love". Side two is studio material, with some mighty sweet arrangements by Johnny Pate that almost bring a bit of funk into the mix at times – particularly on the drums which really groove things along! Herbe Lovelle handles the drum kit, and overall things are leaner than any previous Pate work with King – nice and raw, on cuts that include "I Want You So Bad", "Friends", "Get Off My Back Woman", and "Why I Sing The Blues". CD features an unusual bonus track – "Get Myself Somebody", co-written with Maya Angelou!

Way way more than just a simple "jazz meets Broadway" session – as Shelly's working here with vocals by Jack Sheldon & Irene Kral, and arrangements by soundtrack maestro Johnny Williams – in a style that completely recasts the score! The album's got a really dynamic kind of range – one that's purely phonographic, and not just a weak attempt to capture Broadway on wax. Jack and Irene perform the work with a style that's personal and intimate, and Williams' arrangements have a swinging 60s flair that's totally great – and made even better by players that include Don Sleet, Russ Freeman, and Charlie Kennedy. Titles include "I'm An Ordinary Man", "Why Can't The English", "Ascot Gavote", "Show Me", "The Rain In Spain", and "You Did It".

A sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. CD features two bonus tracks – "Simple (single vocal)" and "Simple (inst)".

Switched On funk from Mr Chop! Here's an homage to the innovative Moog-based LPs of the late 60s and early 70s – though the the great UK analog studio wiz Mr Chop is also doing it hard and heavy – it's not a light, airy and bubbly keyboard groove experience – this is spacey, fuzzy avant funk at its modern finest! Produced and engineered by Mr Chop and the players are like-minded geniuses – Malcolm Catto on drums, Coz Litter on bass, guitar, vocoder and more, Glyn Williams on clavinet, Moog, Hammond and Rhodes, Johnny Pop on Hammond organ and Mark Brunley on modular synth. The set includes some covers of funk and avant rock like you've never heard them before, and it's great all the way. Titles include "Hung-Up", "Root Down (And Get It)", "Breakthrough", "Givin Up Food For Funk", "Blow Your Head", "Deep Gully", "Greedy G", "Happy Birthday", "Vitamin C" and "Cortex".

A pretty strange concept for an album – a bunch of LA jazz players get together and do versions of songs usually associated with the south! This penchant for swinging tunes from unusual sources was one of Pell's strongest 50s tricks, though, and he makes it come off pretty well with a group that includes Tommy Tedesco on guitar, Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Marty Paich on piano, and Med Flory on baritone sax. Arrangements are by Flory, Paich, Bob Florence, Bill Holman, and Johnny Williams – and titles include "Shi Me Sha Wabble", "Sugar Foot Strut", "Jazz Me Blues", "Blues", "Paper Doll", and "Ballin The Jack".

Interviews with songwriter Paul Williams (focussing on his soundtracks to Phantom of the Paradise and The Muppet Movie), Chicago R&B radio legend La Donna Tittle, Chuck Dukowski (Black Flag, CD6), blues guitarist Walter Trout (Canned Heat), pop vocalist April March, Franco-genius Bertrand Burgalat, Mecca Normal, and Nardwuar versus Afrika Bambaataa. Plus Jobriath, Def Leppard, a lushly illustrated history of Studio One, archival Pedro Bell cartoons, Johnny Cash, Fats Domino, Voivod, Syd Barrett, Arthur Lee, Johnny Thunders, and over 1000 poorly written record reviews!

One of our favorite-ever albums from Mel Torme – a set that sparkles with the same smooth swing as his best late 50s dates for Bethlehem records! Like those sets, this one features Torme's voice really taking off over some tight jazzy charts – arranged by Johnny Williams, Shorty Rogers, and Dick Hazard – all in styles close to those used previously by Marty Paich. But almost even better is the New York theme of the record – surprising, given the anti-NYC vibe of Torme's classic "California Suite" – but perfect, too, as it really ties the whole thing together wonderfully – creating this beautiful picture of the Big Apple in the postwar years. Titles include the greatest version of "Sunday In New York" you'll ever hear – plus "Let Me Off Uptown", "Autumn In New York", "New York New York", "Manhattan", and "My Time Of Day".

A rare funk album from west coast legend Larry Williams – very different than his heavy R&B of the late 50s, or the brief soul comeback he had with Johnny Guitar Watson in the 60s – and instead a heavy groover with a trippy Cali sound! The record's got a sharp groove right from the start – a vibe that's a bit similar to some of the best Johnny Watson funk of the period – a slight jazzy undercurrent in the instrumentation, with wicked guitar and keyboard bits dancing around each other in the rhythms – often mixed with vocals that have a cool sort of electric feel, and topped with some great horn work from Fred Wesley on trombone and Maceo Parker on alto sax! Rudy Copeland plays keyboards on the album alongside Williams, the the set's got a bit of the feel of Rudy's lost Funky Blindman set – and in a way, also echoes the best strutting, sexy modes of Bootsy Collins too. The album's a surprising gem all the way through – a real lost chapter in Larry's career, and the kind of set that might have broken bigger, had he not died mysteriously a few years later. Titles include "Funky Force", "The Resurrection Of Funk", "One Thing Or The Other", "ATS Express", "How Can I Believe", and "Can't Dance To The Music (If It Ain't Got Funky Rhythm)".

Funky 45s galore – a treasure trove of rare singles all pulled from the legendary Brunswick Records! The label's probably best known for its string of hits and big albums in the late 60s and early 70s – but during that time, the company also cut some killer material that never got the credit it was due – sublime soul and furious funk that easily stands with the best Chicago work coming out at the time! Some of the artists here scored big with hits for Brunswick, but most of them are folks you might not know at all – at least not from these recordings, which are all pretty darn rare – and hardly the stuff you'll find on other Brunswick compilations – or other rare soul sets for that matter too! Titles include "Do The Whoopie" by Sugar Pie DeSanto, "Your Love Controls My World" by Johnny Williams, "Stay With Me Baby" by BW & The Next Edition, "Tell Me" by Rocky Roberts & The Airedales, "You Brought Out The Good In Me" by Otis Leavill, "Do The Tighten Up" by Major Lance, "Chip Off The Old Block" by Johnny Jones & The Casual, "Come Over To My Side" by Billy Butler, and "Getting Nowhere Fast" by Floyd Smith.

A funk and soul treasure trove – wicked rare work from the legendary Brunswick label – most of it only issued on 45s back in the 60s and early 70s, and not reissued on CD! The package is a stunner – a real surprise that shows us there's plenty to dig for at Brunswick when you get past the hits – some wonderful Windy City soul from the late 60s, and gritty New York cuts that balance things out nicely too – and which definitely show a harder-edged side of Brunswick than you'd guess from the label's better-known tracks. There's some great obscurities here – the kind of cuts that we'd normally only find on rare 45s – like "It's Gonna Be Good" by Johnny Jones & The King Casuals, "Baby It's Time" by Marshall & The Chi-Lites, "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by Johnny Williams, "You Are" by Bobby Reed, "I Want Something To Remember You By" by Marvin Smith, "How Can You Say Goodbye" by Sidney Joe Qualls, "Once You Fall In Love" by Eddie McLoyd, "Karate Boogaloo" by The Emperors, and "Talk A Little Louder" by Wales Wallace – plus rare Brunswick material by folks you'd normally associate with other labels – like "Sweet Temptation" by Isaac Hayes, "Easy Evil" by Walter Jackson, "Since You've Been Gone" by Major Lance, and "Try Some Of Mine" by Little Richard.

An essential chapter of Miami soul – even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul – but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own – served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect – Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene – and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. Numero have really outdone themselves with this one – and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package – more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers. 2LP version features a great 12 x 12 fold out color insert in the middle – and includes 4 bonus tracks – instrumental versions of "Play With Fire" by The Rollers, "True Love Don't Grow On Trees" by Helene Smith, and "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers – plus the cut "Frenchy The Tickler" by Johnny K Killens & The Dynamites.

The birth of Miami soul, and a beautifully done document of the rare Deep City label – home to Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, and Betty Wright in the years before Alston and TK Records! Way before Miami soul started cracking the charts at the start of the 70s, Deep City was already putting the best parts in place – working with a tight roster of artists and an equally tight in-house band that rose from the ranks of Florida A&M's Marching 100 band – razor-sharp instrumentalists who helped forge a groove worthy to rival the sounds of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and even the best of Detroit at the time – given that some of the work here has a much sweeter soul sound than other 60s southern soul. As usual, the Numero team have done an incredible job with the package – pulling out rare photos, personal stories, and just the right amount of information to breathe new life into the Deep City label and help it live anew. Titles include "Paralyzed" and "Good Lovin" by Betty Wright, "Am I A Good Man" by Them Two, "Someone To Fulfill My Needs" and "I Love You Baby" by The Moovers, "I Am Controlled By Your Love" and "Willing & Able" by Helene Smith, "Good Thing (part 1)" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "It's My Baby" and "The Upset" by Paul Kelly, and "Stay Away From My Johnny" by Freda Gray & The Rocketeers. 2LP version features 6 bonus tracks – all instrumental – including "Good Lovin (inst)", "I Love You Baby (inst)", "Darling I'll Go (inst)", and "Am I A Good Man (inst)" by The Deep City Band – and "Stay Away From My Johnny (inst)" and "Good Thing (part 2) (inst)" by The Rocketeers.

Rare soul galore, but great soul too – a smoking selection of rare nuggets from the late 60s, including a fair bit of cuts that have never been on CD before! The package seems to be nicely heavy on talents from the Chicago scene – which is A-Ok with our Windy City ears – but also features great bits from down south and out west too – and the tunes step and soar along with grooves that break way past obvious 60s modes, and show that there's a continued great run of music to be discovered from this really amazing time! The whole thing's great – not a bit of filler at all – and titles include "I'm Stuck On You" by The Poets, "Just What Do You Plan To Do About IT" by Little Jerry Williams, "You Never Do Right" by The Fi-Dels, "Soon As Darkness Falls" by Roscoe Shelton, "Wonderful Nite" by Ruby Andrews, "All I Need" by June Conquest, "I Can't Hear You" by Betty Everett, "New Guy" by The Dynettes, "My Love Is Gone" by The Shadows, "Good Lovin Man" by Delores Hall, "The Night The Angels Cried" by Johnny Dynamite, "If There's Anything Else You Want" by Roddie Joy, "That I Love You" by Paul Johnson, and "I'm Walking Away" by Denise Chandler.

Massive mixes from the mighty Tom Moulton – a huge package that not only includes some classic lost and rare mixes from the 70s, but also previously unreleased Moulton mixes, appearing here for the first time ever! If there's anyone who's ever been well-suited to reworking a Philly groove, it's Tom – given his long standing association with the soul scene in the City Of Brotherly Love – and his crucial role in pushing soul tracks into the clubs during the 70s. As with most of Tom's best work, the mixes here are richly faithful to the originals – and never try to overstate themselves at all, just focus on the best elements, and bring them to the forefront of the groove! This totally cool package features 31 mixes in all – pressed up as eight 12" EPs – most with four tracks each, leaving plenty of room for very long mixes! Titles include Moulton mixes of "Jam Jam Jam" by People's Choice, "I Don't Love You Anymore" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, "Intro/My Love Don't Come Easy" by Jean Carn, "Trusting Heart" by The Trammps, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Let's Groove" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Dirty Ol Man" by Three Degrees, "Slow Motion" by Johnny Williams, "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders, "The Devil Made Me Do It" by Robert Upchurch, "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays, "See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls, and "Love Epidemic" by The Trammps.

Insanely wonderful early work from Charlie Mariano – some of the freshest, cleanest alto sax work of its time! The album's one of Charlie's strongest early efforts – a no-nonsense quartet session that features rhythm by the trio of John Williams, Max Bennett, and Mel Lewis. Charlie's tone is impeccable – somewhere between Lee Konitz and Charlie Parker, with that back bay Boston blend of soul and modernism, making the city one of the best scenes for alto players in the 50s. Titles include "Blues", "Floormat", "I Heard You Cried Last Night", "Johnny One Note", and "King For A Day".

Late 70s recordings from rural Florida – but a wealth of music that feels like it could come from decades before – all packaged with a huge 224 page hardcover book that's worth the price of the collection alone! The volume's a wonderful illustration of the continued local nature of American music – sounds that are deeply rooted to a time and place, and only brought to our ears by the hard work of ethnographers willing to spend time in the field with recording technology. Usually, such sounds can be presented in oblique packages, or circulated amongst collectors almost by accident – but a set like this really gives the music a new sort of focus – by offering up not only two CDs' worth of beautifully restored recordings, but also adding in a huge book's worth of notes on the artists, their local scenes, and the music within. The package features 53 tracks in all – material by Johnny Brown, Richard Williams, Ella Mae Wilson, Willie Gillard, Emmett Murray, Moses Williams, and others – divided up into one disc each of secular and sacred recordings – in the most beautiful package so far from the folks at Dust To Digital!

Massive mixes from the mighty Tom Moulton – a huge 4CD package that not only includes some classic lost and rare mixes from the 70s, but also a whopping 17 previously unreleased Moulton mixes, appearing here for the first time ever! If there's anyone who's ever been well-suited to reworking a Philly groove, it's Tom – given his long standing association with the soul scene in the City Of Brotherly Love – and his crucial role in pushing soul tracks into the clubs during the 70s. As with most of Tom's best work, the mixes here are richly faithful to the originals – and never try to overstate themselves at all, just focus on the best elements, and bring them to the forefront of the groove! 4CDs, 31 tracks, and Moulton remixes of "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays, "Dirty Ol Man" by Three Degrees, "Trusting Heart" by The Trammps, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by People's Choice, "Nights Over Egypt" by The Jones Girls, "I Don't Love You Anymore" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Year Of Decision" by Three Degrees, "Slow Motion" by Johnny Williams, "The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "She's A Winner" by The Intruders, "Trammps Disco Theme/Zing Went The Strings" by The Trammps, "Let's Groove" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "The Devil Made Me Do It" by Robert Upchurch, "Love Is The Message" by MFSB, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, and "See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls.

Ann-Margret at her grooviest – singing the super-groovy theme from The Swinger – perhaps her greatest film appearance ever! There's a mod bounce to the album that goes way way beyond any of Ann's other albums of the period – thanks to arrangements from Marty Paich, Quincy Jones, and Johnny Williams – all of whom put a nice sort of lilt in the backings, and manage to capture Ann at her sexiest. The title tune "The Swinger" is worth the price of entry itself – as it's a catchy, guitar-twanging number delivered in an incredibly breathy mode – supported by 2 great instrumentals from the film as well, "Swinger's Holiday" and "Kelly's Dance". But even on more conventional numbers, Ann's got a great sound here – bringing whole new sexy life to tracks that include "I Wanna Be Loved", "By Myself", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "More", and "Cute".

Cash's fourth volume of stark, sparely-arranged studio recordings for producer/set list provider Rick Rubin. As Johnny gets on in the years his always haunting voice, like Bob Dylan's, is weighted by age, but the heavily-breathed delivery only adds to the ghostly quality of the increasingly dark tunes. With this fourth set in the series we're far past being surprised by the choice of material – this time Cash conjures up spiritual takes on Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus", Trent Reznor's "Hurt", Lennon/McCartney's "In My Life", and more traditional material like Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and the eternally underrated Marty Robbins' "Big Iron". You can't forget that Cash's pen is still pretty sharp, too, as the really spooky imagery in the title track and others testify. The accompaniment includes the great Randy Scruggs, Beck/Tom Waits guitarist Smokey Hormel, Marty Stewart, Glen Campell, and backing vocals by Nick Cave and Fiona Apple. Another great one from the greatest!

Did Ellington ever record in concert and it not be great? This wonderful double-length set from the 60s is key proof of his genius in an unfettered live setting – recorded in Paris in 1963 with plenty of dark edges! The tracks are short overall, but Duke's really at the head of the group on piano – playing with those angular, modern tones he picked up in the post Money Jungle years – and clearly in charge of the group from the keyboard, not the podium. Horn players include Harry Carney, Ray Nance, Lwarence Brown, Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges, and Paul Gonsalves – all bringing in some special tones and unique performances to an extended set list that includes both Ellington standards and a few lesser-known numbers. Titles include "Rockin In Rhythm", "Concerto For Cootie", "Suite Thursday", "Tone Parallel To Harlem", "Bula", "Cop Out", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "Theme From Asphalt Jungle", and "Star-Crossed Lovers".

The start of funky funky Herbie Hancock! This album's the first to feature Herbie really breaking away from his straight jazz work – moving into a groove that's nice and funky, using electric piano along with acoustic, to forge the sound that he'd develop famously over the 70s. The album's got a harder, heavier sound than some of his straight electric ones – and it features a larger group with soloists that include Johnny Coles on trumpet and Joe Henderson on tenor – plus some sweet basslines from Buster Williams – all led by Herbie into a tight soul jazz flurry of excellent tracks! Includes the cuts "Fat Mama" and "Wiggle Waggle", both sample favorites, plus "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" and "Lil Brother". Classic stuff, and one of his best records ever!

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".

A pretty great funk album from Jimmy – and very different than his other jazz work at the time! The record was produced and arranged by soulster Larry Williams, and most tracks have these raspy vocals that we're not sure are Larry's or Jimmy's. But whatever the case, the sound is great – and the tracks work well as messed-up funk numbers with a slight jazzy edge. We might compare the album to some of Larry's work for Okeh during the late 60s, or to later Johnny Hammond albums that feature vocals. Titles include "Number One", "Love Is Mission Impossible", "Zodiac Song", "Recession Or Depression", and "Jimmy Smith Is The Midnight Cowboy".

A completely sublime collection of spiritual jazz numbers from the 70s – put together by the legendary Kev Beadle, one of the first cats to spin the music with Gilles Peterson on the UK scene! The package is a great mix of essentials from years back, plus some under-discovered nuggets from the American underground – all with a nice emphasis on the grooves and rhythms – in a way that you might have heard back at Dingwalls on a Sunday afternoon! The set's a great reminder that music can be progressive and groovy at the same time – and the whole thing's overflowing with righteous treasures that include "Jessica" by Roy Porter, Namaste" by Seeds Of Fulfillment", "In Every Way" by Reverie, "Open Your Mind" by Southern Energy Ensemble, "Flying Colors" by James Williams, "Dipping" by Johnny Walker, "Here Comes The Family" by Peter Giger's Family Of Percussion & Archie Shepp, "Brotherhood" by Kamal Abdul Alim, "Sun Shower" by Byron Morris & Unity, and "Freedom Road" by The Pharoahs.

The start of funky funky Herbie Hancock! This album's the first to feature Herbie really breaking away from his straight jazz work – moving into a groove that's nice and funky, using electric piano along with acoustic, to forge the sound that he'd develop famously over the 70s. The album's got a harder, heavier sound than some of his straight electric ones – and it features a larger group with soloists that include Johnny Coles on trumpet and Joe Henderson on tenor – plus some sweet basslines from Buster Williams – all led by Herbie into a tight soul jazz flurry of excellent tracks! Includes the cuts "Fat Mama" and "Wiggle Waggle", both sample favorites, plus "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" and "Lil Brother". Classic stuff, and one of his best records ever!

An excellent collection of early work recorded under Johnny Hodges' name in the early years – sessions from 1938 and 1939, issued here on LP format in the mid 50s under LP format, with a nice cover by William Steig! The tracks are a great assortment of small group numbers that focus on Hodges' tremendous tone on alto sax – recorded with Ellingtonian players that include the Duke himself, as well as Cootie Williams, Harry Carney, Sonny Greer, Lawrence Brown, and Billy Taylor. Titles include "Empty Ballroom Blues", "Jeep's Blues", "Good Gal Blues", "Skunk Hollow Blues", "Hodge Podge", and "Rent Party Blues".

Sublime Hammond from Johnny Smith – a pair of early albums for Riverside, back to back on a single CD! Black Coffee is one of Johnny Hammond's first albums – and a cooking little live set that really has the organist working with some early raw power! The group's a trio, but they seem to burn differently than some of the other organ combos of the time – maybe with that fluid sensibility that Johnny brought to his keys, and which would later open up in even more famous ways. The core group features Eddie McFadden on guitar and Leo Stevens on drums – but they're joined by Seldon Powell on tenor for more than half the album, who really opens things up with his tremendous playing – and shows at an early state that Johnny Hammond always knows the right way to use a horn player. Titles include "Monterey Theme", "Far Away Places", "I Remember Clifford", "He's A Real Gone Guy", and "Rufus Toofus". Mr Wonderful is a record that definitely lives up to its title – reminding us not only that Johnny Hammond Smith is one hell of an organist, but also a great leader with a really unique feel for a groove! The set's noteworthy not just for Johnny's own work on Hammond, but also for the presence of a young Houston Person – blowing tenor here in a way that's breathtaking right from the start – a bold, soulful tone that's a perfect fit for the group – which also includes trumpet from Johnny Williams and guitar from Eddie McFadden. The set includes a lot of tasty originals by Johnny – like "Cyra", "Lambert's Lounge", "Departure", and "Opus 2" – and already shows the way that Hammond was complicating his groove from that of other players of the time!

Amazing! This is a perfectly-constructed compilation of funky abstract downtempo grooves – in a style that evokes the classic work of David Axelrod, and a million lost 70s soundtrack composers! The vibe is very serious – with complex jazzy grooves shifting slowly about, but always staying pretty darn funky. Titles include "Funky Chimes" by Lee Arnold Trio, "Fine & Funky" by David Mensah, "Rosa Mae" by Mary Lou Williams, "Rain Rain Go Away" by Bob Azzam, "Brazilian Greens" by Laurindo Almeida, "Los Caballos" by Alice Coltrane, "Mellow Funk" by Floyd Morris, "It Seems That Way" by The Returners, "Bass In Action #7" by Tonio Rubion, "Head In My Clouds" by Johnny Pearson, "Al's Blues" by Sound Prospect, and "Filigree Funk" by King Ant. 17 tracks – and all great and rare!

Blood & Fire dips into their excellent catalog of fine, fine reggae and pulls together an outstanding little compilation of some of the best tracks from the catalog! This nicely priced set focuses on vocal numbers, all voiced by top notch artists, showcasing the breadth of great music cut during the golden era of Jamaican music that makes up the body and soul of Blood & Fire's dynamite releases! 18 tracks in all, including "Fire Fe The Vatican" by Max Romeo, "Storm" by Gregory Isaacs, "Children Of Jah" by the Chantells, "Problems" by Horace Andy, "Rent Man" by Black Uhuru, "Chant Down Babylon" by Sylford Walker, 'Go Down In Silence" by Prince Alla, "Man Next Door" byDennis Brown, "Fight It To The Top" by Michael Prophet, "Every Knee Shal Bow" by Johnny Clarke, "At The Feast" by the Congos, "Yes Yes Yes" by Errol Holt, "Jah Jah The Conqueror" by Linval Thompson, "Give Jah Praise" by WIlli Williams, "Deliver Me From My Enemies" by Yabby You, "Judgement Time" by Junior Ross & The Spear, "Bandulu" by Cornell Campbell and "Remember Me" by Junior Byles & Rupert Reid.

A totally great little compilation – rare late 70s/early 80s tracks pulled from the collection of the Parry Music sound library – put together with an especially strong focus on electronics! There's a great retro/future feel to the whole thing – one that definitely lives up to the title – and the electric touches run from spare 70s analogue elements to some wider 80s keyboard sounds – really balanced out nicely to keep a good sense of variety throughout! Titles include "Drone No 1" and "Remote Control" by Harry Forbes, "The Beginning" by Johnny Hawksworth, "New Invention" by Nino Nardini, "Poseidon" by Paul Williams, "Bio Rhythm" by Paul Kass, "Dawn Light" by Robin Artus, "Integrator" by Hermann Langschwert, "Future Directions" by Rick Miller, and "Sonic Rhythm" by Barry Schleifer.

Formative work from Duke Ellington – an insane amount of crucial recordings from the 30s, package together here with copious notes, session information, personnel, and wonderful sound! The music shows Ellington really coming into his own – working with his Famous Orchestra of the time, and creating initial recordings of tunes that would go onto transform a generation – finding a great way to mix together the modern inflections of the whole ensemble, with important solo voices of players like Johnny Hodges on alto sax, Cootie Williams on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Juan Tizol on valve trombone, and Harry Carney on alto and baritone sax! The package brings together seminal 78rpm sides for labels that include Brunswick, Columbia, and Master – and although there are some alternate takes in the set, there's also a stunning amount of different songs recorded during these years – laid out in the package on 11 CDs features a total of 252 tracks in all. As usual, the presentation is superb – and a great reminder that these Mosaic boxes are even more essential for material from the 78rpm era than they are for the LP jazz of later years!

The Grevious Angel himself, legendary country rock inventor Gram Parsons gets the cover nod here – for a great feature story – plus a free CD of songs that inspired him! Also includes an exclusive interview with Ray Davies, Mick Ronson remembered by Morrissey, Simple Minds, Jane Birkin, Pete Seeger, Family, Joe Cocker and more – plus Uncut's 2013 album preview. The Honky Tonk Heroes CD features tracks by Johnny Cash, The Louvin Brothers, Hank Williams, The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, George Jones and more.

Late 70s recordings from rural Florida – but a wealth of music that feels like it could come from decades before – all packaged with a huge 224 page hardcover book that's worth the price of the collection alone! The volume's a wonderful illustration of the continued local nature of American music – sounds that are deeply rooted to a time and place, and only brought to our ears by the hard work of ethnographers willing to spend time in the field with recording technology. Usually, such sounds can be presented in oblique packages, or circulated amongst collectors almost by accident – but a set like this really gives the music a new sort of focus – by offering up not only two CDs' worth of beautifully restored recordings, but also adding in a huge book's worth of notes on the artists, their local scenes, and the music within. The package features 53 tracks in all – material by Johnny Brown, Richard Williams, Ella Mae Wilson, Willie Gillard, Emmett Murray, Moses Williams, and others – divided up into one disc each of secular and sacred recordings – in the most beautiful package so far from the folks at Dust To Digital!

The birth of Miami soul, and a beautifully done document of the rare Deep City label – home to Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, and Betty Wright in the years before Alston and TK Records! Way before Miami soul started cracking the charts at the start of the 70s, Deep City was already putting the best parts in place – working with a tight roster of artists and an equally tight in-house band that rose from the ranks of Florida A&M's Marching 100 band – razor-sharp instrumentalists who helped forge a groove worthy to rival the sounds of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and even the best of Detroit at the time – given that some of the work here has a much sweeter soul sound than other 60s southern soul. As usual, the Numero team have done an incredible job with the package – pulling out rare photos, personal stories, and just the right amount of information to breathe new life into the Deep City label and help it live anew. CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Paralyzed" and "Good Lovin" by Betty Wright, "Am I A Good Man" by Them Two, "Someone To Fulfill My Needs" and "I Love You Baby" by The Moovers, "I Am Controlled By Your Love" and "Willing & Able" by Helene Smith, "Good Thing (part 1)" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "It's My Baby" and "The Upset" by Paul Kelly, and "Stay Away From My Johnny" by Freda Gray & The Rocketeers.

A lost funky organ groover – and a rare one too! Bobby Forrester may not look like a funky cat, but this set grooves like some of the best early 70s work by Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, and Groove Holmes – hitting hard with some really funky tracks that have made the album a must-have with collectors for years. The sound here is really great and nicely stripped down – Bobby grooving on Hammond with drums by Johnny Kirkwood and guitar by Elijah Williams Jr – all coming together in a totally solid sound that has plenty of funky riffs, nice drums, and soaring organ lines! Includes the classic groover "Uncle Funky", a great cover of "Sanford & Son Theme", and the cuts "Blues For Razz", "Don't Misunderstand", and "Funky Fly".

A funky treasure – finally unleashed! Bucktown was one of the best of the mid 70s indie blacksploitation films – thanks to some great starring work from Fred Williamson and Pam Grier – but for years, the soundtrack's never been available as an individual release. Now, this tasty heavy-vinyl set makes all the film's wonderful grooves finally available – presented in a great style that includes all the shorter moodier bits, the fuller longer funky tracks, and even a bit of sound effects and dialogue! The music was penned and conducted by Johnny Pate – of Shaft In Africa and Brother On The Run fame – and the tunes are a great blend of funky soundtrack styles that include full on big band, sparer snapping instrumentals, and even a few nice tunes with great use of moog! Titles include "Chase", "Stepping", "Bar Fly", "Check In", "Freeze", "Love Theme", "Call It In", "Sneaking It In", and "Spin".

They're not kidding about the title on this one – although they might have added "weirdest" to the name, too! The songs here are all familiar ones, especially if you dig rare grooves from the 60s and 70s – but the versions you'll hear are definitely unusual – often some pretty obscure takes on funk and soul numbers, plus a few bits from other styles too – done up in even funkier versions than before, partly because the production is even rawer, but also because the overall execution is too! Latin vibes mix up with soulful rhythms, deep funk solos, and even some freaky fuzzy psyche-inspired moments – and titles include "Purple Haze" by Johnny Jones & The King Casuals, "Jungle Fever" by Afrosound, "Bang Bang" by Fruko & Sus Tesos, "Pastime Paradise" by Ray Barretto, "Cloud Nine" by Mongo Santamaria, "I Turn My Camera On" by Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra, "Light My Fire" by Ebony Rhythm Band, "Scorpio" by Johnny Frigo, "Rat Race" by Antibalas, and "The Next Message" by The Mighty Mo & Winchester Seven.

They're not kidding about the title on this one – although they might have added "weirdest" to the name, too! The songs here are all familiar ones, especially if you dig rare grooves from the 60s and 70s – but the versions you'll hear are definitely unusual – often some pretty obscure takes on funk and soul numbers, plus a few bits from other styles too – done up in even funkier versions than before, partly because the production is even rawer, but also because the overall execution is too! Latin vibes mix up with soulful rhythms, deep funk solos, and even some freaky fuzzy psyche-inspired moments – and titles include "Purple Haze" by Johnny Jones & The King Casuals, "Jungle Fever" by Afrosound, "Bang Bang" by Fruko & Sus Tesos, "Pastime Paradise" by Ray Barretto, "Cloud Nine" by Mongo Santamaria, "I Turn My Camera On" by Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra, "Light My Fire" by Ebony Rhythm Band, and "The Next Message" by The Mighty Mo & Winchester Seven.

Some of the best work ever from one of the most under-acknowledged jazz arrangers of the 50s! Johnny's probably best known for his recordings with Stan Kenton in the early part of the decade – but when he moved out on his own, he developed a tremendous sound that was even richer, even more full of color and tone than Kenton's own – and which was often done without any arch-modern tones, yet still fresh and free of cliché. The group on the set is wonderful too – with Charlie Mariano, Bill Holman, and Richie Kamuca on saxes – plus other players that include Frank Rosolino, Stu Williamson, and Marty Paich. Titles include "Waltz Anyone", "Turn Aboot", "Band Aide", "Dimples", and "Burrito Borracho".

An unlikely pairing – but that's what makes it so great! Mulligan and Hodges come together in this rare Verve set from the late 50s – an inspired combination of talents that really work some magic together. Hodges' tone is in the lead in our ears, always wonderful, especially in a set of open-ended tracks like this – but Mulligan's sweet and careful blowing works surprisingly well as a foil, giving the set a nice bottom, and a good overall approach. Backing is by a trio that features Claud Williamson, Buddy Clark, and Mel Lewis – and titles include "Bunny", "Back Beat", "What's The Rush", and "18 Carrots For Rabbit".

Upbeat, jazzy, and swinging – two great albums from Mel Torme's years at Verve! I Dig The Duke I Dig The Count is an album dedicated to the music of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, set to some very upbeat, jazzy backings from Johnny Mandel! The album's quite swinging at points – and given the choice of material, Mel really breaks from the familiar – stretching out nicely to reach the spirit of the famous leaders, but always with that tremendous sense of tone! Titles include "Down For Double", "I'm Gonna Go Fishin", "I Like The Sunrise", "Reminiscing In Tempo", "Oh What A Night For Love", and "In The Evening". On Swings Shubert Alley, Mel Torme takes on the sound of Broadway at the start of the 60s – but he does so in a very groovy way, thanks to hip backings from the amazing Marty Paich! The style here is as swinging and jazzy as the work that Mel and Marty cut together on the Bethlehem label in the late 50s – and the tracks have a nice sort of groove, and an overall lean feel – a sound that takes the music far from its Broadway roots! Players include Art Pepper on alto, Stu Williamson on trumpet, Bill Perkins on tenor, and Frank Rosolino on trombone – all bringing a nice sense of themselves to the set. Titles include "Lonely Town", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Old Devil Moon", "Hello Young Lovers", "Too Close For Comfort", and "Just In Time".