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The complete Okeh label recordings of Billy Butler – Jerry Butler's lesser-known brother, but an even more grooving artist on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s! Billy's work at Okeh is easily some of the best of the all-great imprint – tracks that step, slide, and groove along in a flurry of tight-edged Chi-soul rhythms – nearly all of which are produced by the legendary Carl Davis, with arrangements from Johnny Pate and Riley Hampton! Billy's in the lead on vocals, but nearly all numbers have a strong harmony soul component too – support from The Four Enchanters or Chanters – in a mode that echoes The Impressions' style of the time somewhat, but which also carries more of the Butler-family emotive quality, thanks to the stronger lead. This is the first time all this material has ever been brought together so well – and the package features great notes and a number of previously unissued titles as well – including some rare versions and instrumentals that are sure to get some play from Northern Soul listeners. Titles include "Found True Love", "Lady Love", "Gotta Get Away", "Can't Live Without Her", "Right Track", "Boston Monkey", "Does It Matter", "Fighting A Losing Battle", "To Be Or Not To Be", "Singing The Blues", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry".

A deep deep deep collection of work from Arthur Conley – one that really shows the true spectrum of his mighty soul talents – and which goes way past his few overplayed hits of the 60s! The focus here is on slow-burners and mellow groovers – tunes that really bring out the depth of Conley's southern soul vocals – a richness that's right up there with his one-time mentor Otis Redding, recorded brilliantly at the legendary Fame studios! The label-spanning collection brings together material for the Atlantic, Fame, Jotis, Ru-Jac, and Capricorn labels – and has the usual top-shelf Ace Records presentation of detailed notes with vintage photos and label scans as well. Titles include "Let's Go Steady", "God Bless", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "There's A Place For Us", "Take Me", "Where You Lead Me", "Stop Knocking", "I Want Your Love", "Otis Sleep On", "Put Our Love Together", "Let Nothing Separate", and "Walking On Eggs".

Two of the fantastic ABC albums by the Impressions, with not a bit of filler, and 24 excellent songs from the years 1963 and 1964. Beautiful early Chicago soul that ranges from fragile ballads to swingin' party cuts. Tracks include "You've Come Home", "It's All Right", "Sad, Sad Girl & Boy", "Woman Who Loves Me", and "I'm So Proud". Excellent throughout, and a real tribute to Curtis Mayfield's greatness, even at this tender young age.

A tremendous second step for Chicago soul legend Walter Jackson – packaged here with a huge amount of bonus tracks as well! The core album is a sublime mix of new tunes and re-imagined standards – and a set that takes Walter Jackson into even more sophisticated soul territory than before! The record is proof that the up and coming soul artists of the 60s had a key place alongside the more established mainstream acts on the other side of the fence – as Walter's working here with arranger Riley Hampton to re-cast a number of familiar tunes in his cool Iceman soul mode – changing the themes, rhythms, and inflections of the tracks for a more contemporary soul market – and also interspersing them with a few great new songs of his own! The approach is amazing – far better than even Jerry Butler or Chuck Jackson's work in a similar idiom – and the album features the sublime hit "Welcome Home", plus the Van McCoy tunes "Suddenly I'm All Alone", "Still At The Mercy Of Your Love", and "The Magic's Gone" – alongside versions of "Moon River", "Let It Be Me", "Imagination", and "My Funny Valentine". Added to the original album are 7 more rare tracks pulled from singles – some of the true gems in Jackson's 60s career for Okeh – with titles that include "Deep In The Heart Of Harlem", "Cold Cold Winter", "That's When I Come To You", "Special Love", "One Heart Lonely", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", and "The Folks Who Live On The Hill".

Unbelievably beautiful work – and possibly the greatest album ever from the mighty Walter Jackson! Jackson was one of the best singers to come out of the Chicago soul scene of the 60s, and his Okeh recordings are a perfect example of the city's sophisticated approach to Iceman soul – as perfected by Walter, Jerry Butler, and (later) Garland Green. The arrangements are by Riley Hampton, and they have a cold fragile beauty that lingers somewhere between a Scott Walker album and Riley's earlier work with Lorez Alexandria – and the no-filler selection of songs is one of Jackson's best ever– a range of work that really show his deep talents, and his maturing approach to a tune – proud, powerful, and a new level of adult sophistication in soul. Titles include the amazing title cut "Speak Her Name" – plus "Corner In The Sun", "My One Chance To Make It", "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom", and "Not You". This expanded CD makes the original album ever better – and adds in a full batch of 10 bonus tracks – some of which are unissued, others of which are rare singles from Jackson's later Okeh years, plus rare Epic sides. Bonus titles include "No Butterflies", "Ad Lib", "The Look Of Love", "The Bed", "Forget The Girl", "My Ship Is Coming In", "Road To Ruin", and "Just One Smile".

A wonder batch of rare Motown material from Detroit singer Marv Johnson – a vocalist who started out working for Berry Gordy in the late 50s, recording the some of the first material to be released on the Tamla Motown label, and recorded all of the terrific material on this set for Motown from the mid 60s to the start of the 70s! Johnson didn't find his way into the historical canon the way many of the great solo singers and groups he helped pave the way for, but he's no less worthy! This set from Kent UK includes all the tracks from the I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose LP plus previously unreleased numbers numbers and rare mono single mixes – really beautiful stuff and a vital rediscovery of Marv's overlooked work at Motown! Titles include "I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose", "I'm Not A Plaything", "Why Do You Want To Let Me Go", "Bad Girl", "I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You)", the previously unreleased gems "There Goes A Lonely Man", "Understanding", "Farewell Is A Lonely Sound" and more, plus mono versions of several album tracks. 26 tracks in all!

Two great slices of work from vocalist Thelma Jones – her late 60s singles for the indie Barry label, and her tighter work for Columbia recorded nearly a full decade later! The first half of the set has Jones hitting hard in a tight Northern Soul mode – a socking 60s approach to the groove that's got echoes of deep soul on the vocals, but which also often bumps along with a tight sense of rhythm on the bottom – sometimes even a bit of funk as well! Titles from these years include Jones' excellent original take on "House That Jack Built" – a tight funky version that's way better than Aretha Franklin's – plus the cuts "Stronger", "Never Leave Me", "Gotta Find A Way", "I Won't Give Up My Man", "Mr Fix It", and "Give It To Me Straight". The second half of the set features material from Jones self-titled 1978 album for Columbia – a sweet blend of southern and modern soul, with some fantastic arrangements by Bert DeCoteaux, who also produced the set in a wonderful way that lets Jones retain the deeper qualities of her vocals, but also glide nicely on some warmer modern touches. There's a really unified feel to the whole record, and tracks are a range of work by 70s songwriting greats that include Sam Dees, Leon Ware, Grey & Hanks, and Gamble & Huff. Features the excellent single "How Long", plus "I Can Dream", "Salty Tears", "Stay Awhile With Me", "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love", and "Now That We Found Love". 22 tracks in all – and a long-overdue collection!

Some of the greatest work ever recorded by Allen Toussaint – his legendary Toussaint album for Scepter (aka Whisper To A Scream) – plus some rare late 60s singles that have never been on CD before! The core album is amazing – Allen Toussaint's first big move as a solo act, and the start of some great fame that would blossom even more strongly in the 70s! This indie effort has a rougher edge than Allen's later albums at Warner Brothers – a sly, wicked slow funk approach that's a real transformation of the older New Orleans groove for a hipper, more contemporary 70s audience. The instrumentation is relatively lean – with lots of nice organ and piano lines alongside slow-stepping and vamping rhythms – and the set was actually recorded in LA, but still has very strong roots in New Orleans! Titles include the classic "From A Whisper To A Scream", plus "Working In A Coal Mine", "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", "What Is Success", "Either", "Pickles", and "Louie" – a few of which are hip piano instrumentals! 17 track CD completes the genius of this point in Toussaint's career – by adding in some killer funky singles – including "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Gotta Travel On", "We The People", "I've Got That Feelin Now", "Tequila", and "Hands Christiananderson".

This series keeps on getting better and better – and this fourth installment may well be the best illustration to date of the birth of soul music! As hinted by the title, the collection features tracks from the late 50s and early 60s that marked a key transition from earlier R&B and blues into soul music – work that pulled a bit more strongly from the church than some of its predecessors, and which also put over a groove that was a bit more sophisticated, sometimes a bit more polished – all to set the stage for the huge soul music explosion to come later in the 60s! A number of the artists here are familiar from R&B years, but they're represented by tracks that show a real change in their styles – and others are known from later successes, but stand out here with early work that's a lot more formative – making them a perfect choice for the collection. CD features 24 tracks in all – including "Come On & Stomp" by Marv Johnson, "Lil Valley" by The MMs & The Peanuts, "Bossa Nova Baby" by Tippie & The Clovers, "Irresistible You" by Bobby Peterson, "Take Your Heart" by Betty Willis, "Puff" by Kenny Lynch, "Jack Be Nimble" by The Intruders, "A Clock That's Got No Hands" by Della Reese, "I Came Running" by Wade Flemons, "You'd Be Crying Too" by The Matadors, "The Gypsy Said" by The Fiestas, "Please Don't Cry Anymore" by Ketty Lester, "Pretty Little Girl Next Door" by Bobby Day, and "Trouble I've Had" by Clarence Ashe.

Lost soul from a massively overlooked source – the mighty LA indie Double Shot Records, best known for their fuzzy rock classics, but also a hotbed of tripped-out soul! Given that Double Shot's 2 biggest artists of the late 60s were Count Five ("Psychotic Reaction") and Brenton Wood ("Oogum Boogum Song"), you can imagine that the label would be equally well suited to handle mod 60s guitars and sweet soul vocals – and on most of the tracks on this set, you'll be hearing them at the same time! The set's a really massive batch of tunes – a wonderful discovery to our ears, as we'd only ever heard the odd rare single on the label, and had no idea that there was so much great work – nor that it would sound so great! The CD features a total of 26 tracks in all, pulled from the Double Shot singles of the late 60s – with tracks that include "Push Me Baby" and "Jelly" by The Bagdads, "What Is Soul" and "The International Love Song" by The Real Thing, "Four Piece Funky Nitty Gritty Junky Band" and "Everybody's Got A Hang Up" by Bobby Freeman, "Gotta Keep Talkin" and "Coming In Out Of The Rain" by Maurice Rodgers, "The Neck" and "Trouble" by Kent & The Candidates, "Sugar Sugar" by Shirley, and "Trouble" by Foxy.

Tremendous soul from a massively overlooked label – the GWP imprint on the New York scene of the late 60s – home to a wealth of rare soul nuggets, just waiting to be discovered! The package is wonderful through and through – a great mix of male and female soul work, some with a sweet groove, some with a funkier undercurrent – all top-shelf productions all the way through, kind of a hipper update of the earlier uptown sound of New York – taken into even more sophisticated territory for the 70s! Vocals are superb, and the arrangements are ultra-cool – handled by Larry Banks, George Kerr, Teacho Wilshire, and Ed Bland. The package offers up full notes, and some great images too – and titles include "Here It Comes" and "Detour" by The Persians, "Without Your Love" by Bobby Penn, "My Life Is No Better" by Larry Banks & Jaibi, "Go Away" by The Hesitations, "Never Gonna Let Him Know" by Debbie Taylor, "So Much In Love" by The Exceptions, "You Got Me" by Jaibi, "Don't Let Your Mind Go Wild" by Benny Gordon, "Happiest Girl In The World" by Plus 4, "Stop" by Debbie Taylor, "I Don't Care What He's Done" by The Devonnes, "All In My Mind" by Benny Gordon, "Changes" by Lilly Fields, and "You Hit Me" by Alice Clark.

Way more than a set of cover versions – a well-chosen batch of 24 rare soul singles that embrace the sweet group soul style used by The Impressions! Some of the artists on the set share some alliance with The Impressions – either because they're from Chicago, or because they've got help from Chicago talents – but the bulk of the material is from non-midwestern sources, and shows the long reach of the sweet harmony style pushed by Curtis Mayfield, Fred Cash, and Sam Gooden on their legendary 60s sides for ABC. Titles include "In Love In Vain" by The Voice Masters, "Come Home Baby" by The Sonics, "I'm Gonna Tell The World" by The Dontells, "Especially For You Baby" by The Four Puzzles, "I've Been Taken For A Ride" by The Saints, "Out Of My Life" by The Expressions, "I Want My Baby" by The Presidents, "What You Gonna Do" by The Brilliants, "In The Sunshine" by The Marvellos, and "Bout My Baby" by The Enjoyables.

Harmony soul – our favorite kind of soul – served up in a sublime batch of 24 rare tunes from the late 60s and early 70s, presented in an all-legit package with great sound and well-done notes! As with the first volume, there's a strong influence here from mid 60s Impressions – a crackling vocal approach that's honest, personal, and heartfelt – and never too smooth, even when the sound is sweet and warm. There's also a few well-chosen female group soul tunes on the set – nicely offsetting the mostly-male approach to harmony with some key cuts that remind us that the girls could often go a deep in the genre as the guys. The whole thing floats along on a heavenly cloud of vocals and lightly-done backings – perfect late nite listening, and a must-have set for any fan of the genre! Titles include "Keep On Trying" by The Invincibles, "Chapel Bells Are Calling" by The Insiders, "You're Gonna Make It" by The Festivals, "Daydreamer" by CC & Company, "I Like The Way You Love Me" by Foxy, "So Glad You're Home" by The Superbs, "Things Will Be Better" by The Just Brothers, "I'm Still Here" by The Notations, "Never Will I" by The Magnificent Seven, and "Someone Else's Arms" by Channel 3.

Not really blues, but not really soul either – a wonderful mix of modes that's come to be known as the popcorn sound of the early 60s! The style's hardly "pop" at all – and instead, these tunes are plenty gritty throughout – more like numbers you'd hear blasting out of a backroom jukebox, or on the decks of some deep soul DJ dedicated to serving up a rough-edged groove! Lots of these numbers might be called post-R&B – as they still have some of the styles of the 50s, mixed with the tighter punch of the newborn soul sound – and the set's a wonderful illustration of this magical moment in music, finally getting some credit after all these years. CD features loads of tracks we'd never heard before – and titles include "Don't Knock It" by Sinner Strong, "You Lied" by Marva Josie, "Mr Lonely" by Freddie North, "When You See Me Hurt" by Carl Lester & The Show Stoppers, "Well I Done Got Over It" by Bobby Mitchell, "I'm Comin Home" by Bobby John, "I Ain't Talkin" by Pat Hunt, "This Little Lester" by James Wayne, "Why Oh Why" by Austin Taylor, "Rockin Bed" by Valerie Carr, and "I'm Hurted" by Mamie Perry.

Clarence Carter's first few years of Fame Studios singles – simply put, some of very best southern soul of this or any other period – both sides of each single Clarence cut with Rick Hall at Fame from 1966-1973! Recorded at the vaunted Muscle Shoals studio during the peak years of the facility and Clarence's career – what more can we say? The production and arrangements by Hall personify the sound and style of the southern soul era – and Clarence's capability to truly emote, as well as demonstrate a sly wit and unique personality – ultimately transcending all trends at the time! Absolutely essential material and it sounds as great as ever – with mastering direct from the Fame masters tapes too. Includes "Tell Daddy", "I Stayed Away Too Long", "Thread The Needle", "Too Weak To Fight", "Let Me Comfort You", "Back Door Santa", "Doin' Our Thing", "Take It Off Him And Put It On Me", "The Few Troubles I've Had", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "Funky Fever", "Snatching It Back", "Devil Woman" and more.

Massive work from Aretha Franklin's ultra-hip sister – singer Carolyn Franklin, a soul artist that we'd gladly trade for Aretha any time! Carolyn got her start in deep soul modes that were somewhat similar to Aretha's work on Atlantic – but she also worked with production that was a bit looser, freer, and more open to righteous influences than some of her sister's hit-bound sessions – and over the course of 4 albums for RCA she recorded some tremendously hip and funky tunes! This package is one of the first times that Carolyn's material has ever officially made it into the reissue years – and it brings together some of the best cuts from her RCA albums, including work arranged by Horace Ott, Wade Marcus, Bert De Coteaux, and other soul legends. There's a good deal of funk in the mix here – heavy bottoms on the tunes that really make them snap alongside the righteous vocals – and the package is easily one of the hardest-hitting sets of female soul you could ever hope to buy! 22 tracks in all – including "If You Want Me", "There I Go", "Ain't That Groovy", "Boxer", "Reality", "Chain Reaction", "Don't Wake Me Up In The Morning Michael", "Not On The Outside", "Boy I Love You", "You Are Everything", "Shattered Pride", "I Can't Help My Feeling So Blue", "As Long As You Are There", and "You Can Have My Soul".

Jimmy Lewis was (and is) one of the underrecognized southern soul talents of the 70's. This great new CD from Kent features his classic (and rare) Totally Involved LP, plus 11 extra unreleased tracks that are as great as anything from that LP. The vibe is righteous and grooving, and Jimmy's raw voice sounds great on cuts like "Message to the Ladies", "It Ain't What's On the Woman", "Is That Any Way To Treat A Lady", "Stop to Start", "When Love Is Gone", and "Still Wanna Be Black". Great stuff, and a massive tribute to a great artist!

One of Rudy's best from the time – featuring some incredibly raw shouted party dialogue, backed by some great soulful instrumentation. The music makes the whole thing groove nicely, even though it's a bit more buried in the mix than on albums like Sensuous Black Man. A few tracks have guest vocals by Lady Reed – and titles include "That's My Watch", "The Marines", "Hit Her With A Rock", "Sell It Girls", and "Dangerous Dan".

Two great ones from the glory days of the Flying Dutchman label! "Lady Day & John Coltrane" is not only one of the catchiest grooves that Gil Scott Heron ever recorded – it's a tremendous tribute to the redemptive power of jazz, underscored by a great jazzy sound as well! "See Saw Affair" is a standout from the one album ever cut by Cesar – a tune that's jazzy and funky, but with a lot of Latin elements too – and some great soul vocals by Linda Tillery!

The first Motown full length record by the Spinners – Original Spinners from '67 – followed by an impeccably well-chosen collection of bonus material! It's excellent stuff – an overlooked album with some very hard to find Motown work by this early version of the legendary Spinners – with lead vocals by Bobby Smith and Edgar Edwards. The tracks have a mixture of sweet and raw harmonies – crafted with an elegantly soulful sound that would later take the group way over the top during the 70s, and which here sounds sublime next to some of the group's Motown contemporaries! The first 12 tracks on this excellent Kent compilation are the Original Spinners tracklist – including "Sweet Thing", "I Cross My Heart", "I'll Always Love You", "Truly Yours", "Like A Good Man Should", "For All We Know", "How Can I", "It Hurts To Be In Love", "Nobody Else But You", "Where Is That Girl", "Tomorrow May Never Come" and "That's What Girls Are Made For". Most of the 14 bonus tracks are previously unreleased masters – revelatory stuff from earlier in the 60s – formative, yet beautifully realized recordings with productions by Harvey Fuqua and Ivy Joe Hunter! Titles include "Darling", "Words Can't Describe", "12 O'Clock", "Just Another Guy", "We're Gonna Be More More Than Friends" and more.

Nice Baby Washington package, and waaay better than the cheap CD put out in the U.S. by the Collectables label. 28 tracks in all, and loads of her great singles recorded for the Sue label in the 60's. Includes, of course, "That's How Heartaches Are Made", one of those beautiful ones that still surprises us even though we've heard it a million times. Also with "There He Is", "Your Fool", "No Tears", "You Are What You Are", and lots more.

Incredible work from one of the greatest deep soul labels ever – the legendary Goldwax Records, a smaller company that languished in the shadows of Stax and Hi Records during their glory years! Like so many small labels in cities that were important to soul music, Goldwax seemed to have an amazing talent for picking up all the bits that Stax and Hi left behind – recording artists who were every bit as good as the bigger stars from Memphis, but who also seemed to benefit even more from the personal sound, and richer recording quality they got from the label. The most legendary figure to record for Goldwax was James Carr, and the work on this set follows very much in Carr's tradition – a deeply burning, extremely heartfelt approach to southern soul – one that even leaves some of the bigger names of the scene in the dust! The set features 24 tracks in all, including a number of unreleased tracks – and it's packaged with a great set of notes on this legendary imprint! Titles include "I Never Loved A Woman" by Spencer Wiggins, "Crying Baby Baby Baby" by Percy Milem, "Welcome Home Baby" by Barbara Perry, "Peace Of Mind" by The Ovations, "Country Style" by Dorothy Williams, "Good Times" by George & Greer, "Toddlin" by Gene Bowlegs Miller, "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More" by Wee Willie Walker, "When You Look In The Mirror" by Eddie Jefferson, "The Side Wind" by The Lyrics, "Darling" by The Vel Tones, and "A Man Needs A Woman" by OB McClinton.

Heartbreaking soul from King Records – a really great side of the label's output – but one that hardly ever gets its due, given the King reputation for blues and funk! The work here is wonderful, though – every bit on a par with the best ballad soul and tear-swept tunes from the east coast indie scene of the 60s – served up with lots of slow-moving instrumentation, deep harmony vocals, and production that really seems to increase the melancholy of the music! A few names here are ones you'd not normally associate with the style, and others are great discoveries from the rich catalog of King Records – a much-needed package that's filled with rare gems! Titles include "Have No Fear" by Ricky Lyons, "Why" by James Duncan, "I Need You" by The Snapshots, "Tell the Whole World" by June Sims, "Too Much For Me To Bear" by Barbara Burton & The Messengers, "Here Comes The Hurt" by Hank Ballard, "Buddy Boy" by Charles Spurling, "Your Love Was Good For Me" by Marva Whitney, "Fran" by Thomas Bailey, "My Pillow Stays Wet" by James Duncan & The Duncan Trio, "My New Love" by Lynn Davis, and "A City Called Loneliville" by Dee Dee, Joseph, & David.

Overlooked Northern Soul from the west coast – a great batch of burners from San Francisco, and proof that the city had almost as much going on as Detroit! As you might guess from the "hitsville" in the title, there's a sound here that owes plenty to Motown – tight instrumentation alongside real soul vocals – all wrapped up with production that helps bring out the best elements of both, and focus it into a soaringly uptempo groove! But unlike Motown, most of the work here is much more obscure – lesser-known west coast singers and groups who really shine brightly, and who make the set a great discovery in 60s soul. Many tracks are from the indie Villa label – and titles include "Is It All Gone" and "Trust In Me" by The Magicians, "I Can't Jerk" by Ozz & The Sperlings, "Is It Love Baby" and "Why Did Our Love Go" by The Tandells, "We Got To Keep On" by The Casanova II, "I'll Always Love You" by The Performers, "Double Cookin" by The Checkerboard Sauares, "You Gotta Git" by Lonnie Hewitt, "You Can Forget It" by Sisters Three, "Times A Wastin" by The Fuller Brothers, "Why Would You Blow It" by Claude Huey, "I Can't See Your Love" by The Ballads, and "You're A Winner" by Harold Andrews.

Beautiful set of some of the gems to come out of the New York uptown soul sessions from the mid and late 60's – including "My Neighborhood" by Billy Byers, "Sugar" by The Jive Five, "The Hurt" by Freddie North", "Welcome to Dreamsville" by Sammy Ambrose, "In My Tenement" by Roosevelt Grier, and loads of other great tracks by Jimmy Radcliffe, Brooks O'Dell, Lonnie Satin, and other artists slaving away in the uptown studios to create these little gems of lost soul! The sound is crystal-perfect – and the interplay between vocals and arrangements show the counterpoint of the uptown genre working 100%!

Kent's second volume of this great series of rare soul recorded for the RCA label in the 60's, featuring 24 cuts that came out mostly as singles (with a few rare LP cuts thrown into the mix.) Loads and loads of great 60's soul, including "Dance Little Girl" by The Cavaliers, "Love Is So Wonderful" by Dean Courtney, "Movin' Too Slow" by The Exciters, "You Only Live Twice" by Lorraine Chandler, "My Imagination" by The Metros, "Can't Let You Go" by The Geminis, "American Dollar" by Willie Kendrick, and lots lots more. Loads of unreleased tracks, and a great set of notes!

The complete recordings of a great, overlooked lady of 60s LA soul – Jackie Day, who recorded a beautiful strong string of singles for Modern, Paula, Specialty and other labels – compiled here in this essential set from Kent UK! Jackie's voice is soaringly beautiful, and she's also the credited co-writer and many of these songs, with saxophonist and arranger Maxwell Davis – whose work here is also really great. Many of the numbers are upbeat, danceable mid-to-late 60s soul of the utmost quality – heavy drums, punchy brass, guitar grooves piano and sweet female backup vocals. Includes "Before It's Too Late", "Oh, What Heartaches", "Long As I Got My Baby", "Without A Love", "Step Aside", "Guilty", "What Happened', "Free At Last". "What Kind Of Man Are You?", "What's The Cost?", "Naughty Boy", "I Dig It The Most" and more. 20 tracks in all.

A long-overdue look at one of the greatest vocal groups on the southern scene of the 60s – the amazing Ovations, a trio with a sound like nobody else! The group were noted for a strong love of the music of Sam Cooke – and they worked in the years after Sam's death in a blend of sweet and smooth harmonies that were not only a loving tribute to the Cooke genius, but which also show the way that Sam's style might have changed in the 60s. Lead vocalist Louis Williams has a warm and crackling vocal mode that's very much in the Sam Cooke mode, but the use of additional harmonies from the group really changes the overall sound quite a bit – making for a warmer, smoother style that's very much the group's own, especially when it's being pushed by some heavier Memphis soul touches. The CD features 26 tracks in all, plus great notes on the group – and titles include "I've Gotta Go", "Don't Cry", "I Miss You Baby", "You Had Your Choice", "Happiness", "I'm Living Good", "Qualifications", "It's Wonderful To Be In Love", "You & Tom", "Won't You call", "Peace Of Mind", and "I Know You Don't Want Me".

A brilliant testament to the righteous power of soul music in the civil rights era – and key proof that even a subtle message could do a lot back in the day! The package presents the work in roughly chronological order – starting from a time when politics had to be peddled softly, and moving towards a time when things could be a bit more explicit – showing a great evolution of themes of pride and power, offered up in tunes both familiar and obscure. The collection is way more than a "hip hits of the 60s" sort of set – and acts almost as a mini-documentary of the contributions of soul music to civil rights – supported by a great set of notes and photos in the booklet. We're especially happy to see the track "Have You Ever Seen The Blues" by Yaphet Kotto – alongside 22 more titles that include "Blues For Mr Charlie" by Lou Gosset & Joe Lee Wilson, "The Ghetto" by Homer Banks, "We're A Winner" by The Impressions, "When Will We Be Paid" by The Staple Singers, "Oh Lord Why Lord" by Parliament, "Message From A Black Man" by The Spinners, "Run Charlie Run" by The Temptations, "Cryin In The Streets (parts 1 & 2)" by George Perkins & The Silver Stars, "Free At Last" by Jackie Day, "Someday We'll All Be Free" by Donny Hathaway, and "The Prayer" by Ray Scott.

Amazing treasures from the legendary Fame Records – 5 unique 7" singles, packaged together in an old magnetic tape-style box, which indicates how deep they had to dig in the vaults to get these gems! There's a great mix of southern soul and nascent rock here – and titles include "Slippin Around With You" and "I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind" by Art Freeman, "I Hope They Get Their Eyes Full" by Boy, "The Girl That Radiates That Charm" and "Hot Toddy" by Jimmy Ray Hunter & The Del Rays, "You Might As Well Forget Him" by Jimmy Hughes, and "Keep On Talking" and "Take A Good Look" by James Barnett.

Sweet sounds from the soulful 70s – a massive batch of music that definitely earns the "masterpiece" in the title! The collection focuses on one of our favorite styles of the 70s – that warmly grooving mode that came to be known as "modern soul" – partly in contrast to the faster styles of Northern, and partly because there was a tightness of production and sophistication of arrangements that really pushed the whole groove forward! Work here is from a range of different scenes, and it's all pretty darn great – and all pretty darn obscure, too – no too-familiar tracks to clog up your listening, and instead a real discovery of gems that need to be rediscovered. Titles include "Go Away" by The Hesitations, "Pity A Fool" by Barbara Brown, "Sugar Love" by Pat Livingston, "Didn't I" by Darondo, "A State Of Mind" by James Carpenter, "This Man's Arms" by Loleatta Holloway, "So Much Love To This" by The Sweetens, "I Never Could Have Made It" by Jesse Davis, "What More Can I Ask For" by Betty Gouche, "Shake Off That Dream" by Eddie Billups & The CCs, "The Feeling Is Gone" by Rose Batiste, and "You Won't Be True" by Gloria Lucas.

Crisply-tailored, yet soulful and groovy mod jazz from the 60s – a slew of great numbers by Byrdie Green, Johnny Lytle, Mark Murphy, Reuben Wilson, The Nightbeats, The Cals, Billy Larkin, Johnny Hammond Smith, Byrdie Smith and more! Lots of great stuff here, from names synonymous to moddish jazz and others that nicely fit that mold for a bit – cats like Buddy Guy, for instance. A sweet, sweet set from the passionate compilers at Kent UK! Includes "The Real Thing" by Troy Dodds, "Finders Keepers" by Floyd White, "Rod Run" by The Reuben Wilson Quartet, "Talkin' About Love" by Tobi Lark, "Screamin'" by Jack McDuff, "Double Love" by The Cals, "Tricky Too" by Gus Jenkins, "Fever" by Buddy Guy, "Work Song" by Clint Stacy, "My Beat" by George Stone, " It's Like Love" by Mark Murphy, "The Village Caller" by The Johnny Lytle Trio and more.

A stunning selection of Chicago soul – with many many rare singles from the legendary Okeh label, one of the best-ever for the Chi-soul sound! Titles include "End Up Crying" by The Vibrations, "Let Me Show It To You" by The Fundamentals, "You Can't Take It Away" by Azie Mortimer, "Yesterday Is Gone" by The Variations, "Hello Heartaches, Goodbye Love" by Joyce Davis, "Can't Live Without Her" by Billy Butler, "You're Gonna Be Sorry" by The Opals, "Cool Breeze" by Gerald Sims, "Memories" by The Triumphs, and "After You There Can Be Nothing" by Walter Jackson.

Possibly the best document you could ever hope to find of the inventive guitar skills of Derek Bailey – a CD that brings together his seminal In Whose Tradition album with rare bonus tracks and unreleased numbers too! The core of the record features Bailey playing solo – both acoustic and electric – using the guitar less like an instrument than as a tool for exploring sound – both those coming from his own hands, and those which echo forth in the space around him! Two more tracks feature Anthony Braxton on flute and sopranino sax, and two others have Bailey in a trio with Kent Carter on bass and John Stevens on drums – and the long CD features tracks that include "Tunnel Hearing", "Rehearsal Extract (area 7)", "Six Fairly Early Pieces", "In Whose Tradition", "Postscript", "A Bit Of The Crust", and "The Last Post (morning)".

A full performance from the 2011 Wels Festival curated by Peter Brotzmann – starring his crucial Chicago Tentet – a modern-day supergroup of giants of avant jazz! The lineup features saxes from Brotzmann, Ken Vandermark, and Mats Gustafsson – plus trumpet from Joe McPhee, trombone from Johannes Bauer and Jeb Bishop, tuba from Per Ake Holmlander, cello and guitar from Fred Lonberg-Holm, bass from Kent Kessler, drums from Paal Nilssen-Love and Michael Zerang – and guest work on trumpet from Toshinori Kondo, koto from Michiyo Yagi, guitar from Yoshihide Otomo, and reeds from Akira Sakata! These added Japanese players really help expand the sound – and memorialize the tragedy at Fukushima, to which the show was dedicated – and part of the proceeds for the DVD will go. Performance is 105 minutes, in color, with special bonus interview material.

Chicago stepping taken to the next level – in this great follow up DVD to the first Chicago Steppers package! This one's actually a lot better done than the first one – better production values, better image quality, and an overall more classy level of presentation – all of which is good, because the moves here are more complicated than the first time around. In addition to regular instructional footage, the DVD features an interview with legendary DJ Herb Kent – the 50s and 60s soul legend whose career was revived in the 90s steppers scene. Music is by Bobby Hutton, Marzette Griffith, and others – and the DVD also provides introduction to steppers clubs like the 50 Yard Line, Taste Entertainment Center, and others.

A key event in the Chicago Steppers scene – the World's Largest Steppers Contest, held in 2004 and hosted by Chitown DJs Ramonski Luv, Joe Soto, and Herb Kent! The DVD presents the contest pretty much as it happened – with introductions by the luminaries, then performances of some of the best contestants, all captured in glorious color on the floor of the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency. The footage is sometimes a bit rough, but that also makes it a key documentary of this important local soul music scene!

One of Freddie Hubbard's wildest records ever – a really unique experiment with electronics, and a set that sounds way different than his other albums for Atlantic, Blue Note, or CTI! The key factor here is experimentalist Ilhan Mimaroglu – who adds lots of electronics and processed sounds to the set – blended with Freddie's more soulful lines on trumpet – to create a style that's almost a jazz version of musique concrete! In fact, at times, you forget that Hubbard's playing at all, as the wash of noise overtakes the force of some of his solos – and titles include "Threnody For Sharon Tate", "The Crowd", and "What A Good Time For Kent State".

One of Freddie Hubbard's wildest records ever – a really unique experiment with electronics, and a set that sounds way different than his other albums for Atlantic, Blue Note, or CTI! The key factor here is experimentalist Ilhan Mimaroglu – who adds lots of electronics and processed sounds to the set – blended with Freddie's more soulful lines on trumpet – to create a style that's almost a jazz version of musique concrete! In fact, at times, you forget that Hubbard's playing at all, as the wash of noise overtakes the force of some of his solos – and titles include "Threnody For Sharon Tate", "The Crowd", and "What A Good Time For Kent State".

Two different sets of "saxophone special" recordings from Steve Lacy – each representing a key shift in his style on the European scene of the early 70s, and capturing him before he'd stratified things into the more standard Lacy modes that would come! The first half of the set has Lacy working with a great lineup that features lots of offbeat guitar from Derek Bailey – really sounding wonderfully here next to Steve's soprano sax – plus Steve Potts on alto and soprano, Kent Carter on amplified bass, and John Stevens on percussion. Sounds are sharp and short, often with the energy of some of Lacy's solo performances – but sonically expanded in a quintet setting – and titles include "38", "Flakes", and "Revolutionary Suicide". The second half features a performance from the following year – again with great guitar from Bailey and saxes from Potts – plus additional saxes from Trevor Watts and Evan Parker, and some electronics from Michel Waisvisz, which is a very nice touch. Titles include "Staples", "Dreams", "Swishes", "Sops", and "Snaps". CD features two album's worth of material – and also features the bonus alternate version of "Snaps".

A great blend of choppy reeds, soaring keys, and romping rhythms – handled here by an extremely inventive 70s group! Listen is the brainchild of reedman Mel Martin – who plays soprano sax, tenor, flute, and piccolo on the record – but it also features some wicked keyboards and steel drums from Andy Narrell, who sounds way better here than in his later new age years. Martin's got a really sharp-edged sort of sound – almost in the 70s Steve Grossman mode, especially on soprano, or maybe a bit like early Dave Liebman – nicely cutting alongside rhythms from bassist Dave Dunaway and drummer George Marsh, both of whom bring their own creative touches to play, while still making things groove nicely. Titles include "A Tribute To Clark Kent", "Aural Hallucination", "The Mosquito Steps Out", "Gazpacho Sabroso", "Jesse's Theme", and "Dance For Denica".

Amazing rare grooves from Tommy Stewart – the Atlanta studio wizard who cut some of the hippest club tracks in the south at the end of the 70s! This package digs way deeper than even Tommy's classic self-titled album – to feature some obscure and unreleased material that show the tremendous power of Stewart in the studio – the kind of energy that made him a one man powerhouse to rival some of the bigger teams turning out grooves at the major labels! As with his classics, all the tunes here have a great funky feel – not really disco, but more upbeat funk, turned towards the dancefloor – served up with lots of sharp edges on the rhythms that keep things mighty nice – and which avoid any too-familiar cliches of the time. In a way, Stewart's groove is a bit like the grittier club from P&P up north – as you'll hear on this set that features the cuts "Night Flight", "Beyond Love", "Hot Box", and "Everything's Made For Love" by Stewart – plus great collaborations with vocalist Stevo on "Pay The Price", "Universal Love", "Party Night", "Starry Eyes", "Livin For The City", "Jammin", and "Messing UP A Good Thing". Also features two Al Kent remixes, too!

A great idea for a session – and one of our favorite albums from the legendary America free jazz series! Mal Waldron is working here with the legendary Steve Lacy French quintet of the 70s – the ensemble that featured Steve Potts on alto, Kent Carter on bass, Noel McGhee on drums, and Irene Aebi on cello (not vocals!) Waldron's soulful and introspective work on piano provides a perfect grounding for the sometimes flighty group – and his gently-placed work on the keys acts as a strong foil for Lacy's more unbridled work on soprano sax. Side one of the record features a 20 minute version of Waldron's "Vio" – and side 2 features two Lacy compositions, "Jump For Victor" and "Blue Wee".

The dancefloor just got a whole lot funkier – thanks to an incredible selection of rare disco and club tracks from the best years of the genre! The set list here is really amazing – the kind of tunes that rarely turn up this easily, and never in such a cohesive package – and our hats are off to compiler Al Kent for putting together such a wonderfully tasty set! Most numbers here are from the mid to late 70s – and showcase a soulfully grooving approach to disco – one that's free from the cliches of the mainstream side of the genre, and which features plenty of real soul vocals alongside uptempo funky instrumentation that usually features a few odd twists and turns! Most numbers are edited by Al Kent, sometimes in very subtle ways, and include "cover ups" billed to other artists – and the package essentially brings together material from Kent's previous CD series of the same name – but with revised track order, wonderful packaging, and a bonus poster! Limited vinyl 1 features the tracks – "Love Is All Around" by Sizzle, "I've Been Searching" by Arts & Crafts, "Get Ready" by Allan Harris & Perpetual Motion, "Sweet Jazz Music" by Panache, "To Be With You" by Jimmy Sabater, "Funkathone" by The People's Workshop, "Just Friends" by Silver Platinum & Gold, and "Why In The World Do They Keep On" by Executive Suite.

Brazilian grooves old and new – a really surprising selection of work from the Candid and Choice record labels – showing a commitment to bossa that we never expected! Most of the tracks here are recent vintage – recorded in the past decade or so, and mixed with a few older gems – and all have an approach that's heavy on the jazz we expect from Candid, yet which also serves up the goods in a style that's every bit what we might expect from a Brazilian-based label! Vocals are mostly in English, but sometimes in Portuguese – and instrumentation is mostly acoustic, with a fair bit of percussion and guitar that really help drive home the Brazilian flavor of the tunes. Titles include "Arrastao" by Monica Vasconcelos, "In The Still Of The Night" by Clare Teal, "Blue Moon" by Jacqui Dankworth, "I Concentrate On You" by Stacey Kent, "The Gentle Rain" by Irene Kral, "Beatrice" by Ingrid Laubrock, "Com A Perno No Mundo" by Guinga, and "Para Raio" by Nois4.

Rare gems from the funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – and maybe the most smoking volume in this all-great series so far! The sound is hard and heavy right from the start – very much in the best mode of the funky 45 reissues we've been hearing from Tramp in recent years – right up there with the deepest funk you'd get from labels like Ace/Kent or Jazzman on their best compilations! And although other volumes have all been great, there's a special sort of magic this time around – an edge that really shows the evolution of Tramp's ear for picking a groove – and deep notes that also show their growing knowledge of the most obscure cuts from back in the day. We can guarantee there's plenty here you don't already have in your record collection – and titles include "Funky Screw" by Lee Fields, "Soul Chicken" by Bobby Allen & The Exceptions, "Ease It On In" by Sunrize, "Deepest Sympathy" by Theodis Ealey, "Tend To Your Business (parts 1 & 2)" by Wildfire, "Pat's Rubber Band" by Alley Pat, "Puttin It On Your Mind" by Jimmy Ellis, "Nobody Loves Me Like My Baby" by Jimmy Gilford, "99/44 100 Pure Love" by Al Reed, and "Monkey In A Sack" by Lil Buck & The Top Cats.

Rare gems from the funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – and maybe the most smoking volume in this all-great series so far! The sound is hard and heavy right from the start – very much in the best mode of the funky 45 reissues we've been hearing from Tramp in recent years – right up there with the deepest funk you'd get from labels like Ace/Kent or Jazzman on their best compilations! And although other volumes have all been great, there's a special sort of magic this time around – an edge that really shows the evolution of Tramp's ear for picking a groove – and deep notes that also show their growing knowledge of the most obscure cuts from back in the day. We can guarantee there's plenty here you don't already have in your record collection – and titles include "Funky Screw" by Lee Fields, "Soul Chicken" by Bobby Allen & The Exceptions, "Ease It On In" by Sunrize, "Deepest Sympathy" by Theodis Ealey, "Tend To Your Business (parts 1 & 2)" by Wildfire, "Pat's Rubber Band" by Alley Pat, "Puttin It On Your Mind" by Jimmy Ellis, "Nobody Loves Me Like My Baby" by Jimmy Gilford, "99/44 100 Pure Love" by Al Reed, and "Monkey In A Sack" by Lil Buck & The Top Cats.

One of the best-ever compilations of funky work on BGP – and even better than their other Super Breaks sets! This one features some totally rare killers – not only from hard-to-find funky 45s, but also from obscure studio tapes that have never been properly issued! The set's a funky fanatic's dream, and pushes past the usual Ace/BGP line, into territory more reserved for the likes of Keb Darge and Ian Wright, on smaller labels. A large number of the tracks are from the catalogs – released and unreleased – of Westbound and Kent – and titles include "Gotta Get Me A Job" by Ann Alford, "Here Comes The Judge" by Larry & Tommy, "Soul Power" by The Houston Outlaws, "Freedom & Justice" by The Pace-Setters, "I Got To Have You" by Little Ann, "Soul Funk" by Chico & Buddy, "Skunk Juice" by The Pazant Brothers, "I Love You" by The Motivations, "Hook & Boogit (parts 1 & 2)" by Abraham & The Casanovas, "Motor City" by The Counts, and "Groove" by Dave Hamilton. 20 cuts in all!

In the tradition of Schoolhouse Funk, this album features tunes recorded by a number of different no-name college jazz bands of the late 60s – although the vintage of the set (1969) means that it contains less funk and more straight ahead jazz. Highlights include a version of "Corcovado" from Marilyn Walton of Elmhurst College, the funky soul jazz track "Brother John L" by U Of Missouri New Jazz Septet, and the driving big band number "Gribbenes", by the Kent State Band – plus "Autumn Leaves" played by Lloyd Miller!

Our favorite volume so far in Kent's tribute to the legendary UK Sue label – and a great little collection that's overflowing with soulful tracks from the 60s! The premise is a bit obscure to most American listeners – as the CD brings together tracks that were licensed to UK indie Sue Records, for English release in the 60s – but the music more than speaks for itself, no matter what the setting! Sue did a mighty fine job of moving past the hits, and brought a heck of a lot of great American indie soul over the Atlantic back in its day – as you'll hear in this fab 25 track set that includes the cuts "Gimme Gimme" by ZZ Hill, "Don't Mess With My Man" by Irma Thomas, "Stronger" by Thelma Jones, "Crying Days Are Over" by The Kelly Brothers, "What Did You Tell This Girl Of Mine" by OV Wright, "Believe In Me" by Jerry Butler, "That Did It" by Bobby Bland, "Incense" by the Anglos, "Your Red Wagon" by Donnie Elbert, and "Before It's Too Late" by Jackie Day.

R&B, gritty blues, and some killer tenor talents – a wicked collection of vintage masters from legendary indie United Records! Musically, the package is very much on a par with Ace/Kent collections of this type – the sort that might feature material from King or Modern/RPM Records from the same vintage – and our hat's off to Delmark for doing such a great job of bringing back these crucially overlooked sounds from Chicago! Titles include "Cool Leo" by Leo Parker", "Cut That Out (alt)" by Junior Wells, "Organ Grinder" by Jimmy Coe, "Walking Home" by JT Brown, "Let's Get High" by Morris Pejoe, "Crazy Walk" by Tab Smith, "In The Dark" by Grant Jones, "Nona" by Paul Bascomb, "Goodbye" by The Pastels, "Tiny's Boogie" by Tiny Grimes, "Sophisticated Lady (alt)" by Jimmy Forrest, and "Come In The Room" by Robert Anderson.

Two rare ones from the 60s London jazz scene – back to back on a single CD! First up is a tremendous little record – a rare meeting between Ellington tenorist Paul Gonsalves and Brit reed genius Tubby Hayes – a set that's cut very much in the best spirit of some of Hayes' free-thinking classics on Fontana Records! The grooves are open, and beautifully-executed – and both sax players sound sublime – Gonsalves with that raspy tone that you'll know from Ellington dates, but cut loose much more here – and Hayes with that powerful sense of depth that's always made him one of our favorite saxophonists! The rest of the group is quite nice too – and players include Stan Tracey on piano, Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, and Keith Christie on trombone. Titles include "Tupa", "Amber Mood", "Pedro's Walk", "Baby Blue", "Mini Minor", and "Souraya". Johnny Scott takes over the CD on the second half – turning in an EMI Studio 2 classic with London Swings – a date that's done with largeish charts, but a great sense of rhythm throughout! The players in clude Ian Hamer and Ray Davies on trumpets, Ronnie Ross and Duncan Lamont on saxes, John Marson on harp, Don Lusher on trombone, and Alan Branscombe on piano – and the tunes offer up a cascading mix of large charts and individual instrumental voices, occasionally filled in by a bit of strings. Titles include "London By Night", "Greek Street Soho", "Let's All Go Down To The Strand", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Knocked Em In The Old Kent Road".

A brilliant album from the overlooked reedman Rudolph Johnson – his second session for the Black Jazz label, and even better than the first! There's a soaring, searching quality to the record that Johnson never had before – a way of handling his tenor with a tone that Coltrane would have envied, and which sparkles with some of Rudolph's most soulful 70s contemporaries – like Sonny Fortune or Andrew White! The tunes are almost all originals, and have this depth of vision that really holds us rapt throughout – a way of digging in and continuing to find new meaning throughout the course of Johnson's solos – with superb rhythm backing from the trio of Kirk Lightsey on piano, Kent Brinkley on bass, and Doug Sides on drums. Lightsey is wonderful too – maybe his best performance on record – and titles include the sublime numbers "The Highest Pleasure", "The Traveler", "Time and Space", and "The Water Bearer".

A huge amount of music – in a set that features a wealth of vintage work from Steve Lacy – some of it issued here for the first time ever! Lacy plays soprano sax on all tracks in the set – and the package has him working with some key European players – including an early formation of the group that would become his dominant structure by the end of the decade. The first three tracks are presented here for the first time ever – material recorded in 1968 with Enrico Rava on trumpet, Karl Berger on vibes, Aldo Romano on drums, and Kent Carter on bass – a lineup that's every bit as wonderful as you might expect – especially the trumpet and vibes! Titles from this session include "The Sun" and "The Way". Next is 1968 Rome recordings that originally appeared on a Roratorio album – material that features Irene Aebi on voice on two titles, plus electronics from Richard Teitelbaum – an artist we're normally used to hearing with Anthony Braxton – on titles that include two takes of "The Way", plus two improvisations. Next is group material from a 1973 session in Zurich, which originally appeared on the Quark label – "The Woe – The Wax", "The Wage", "The Wane", and "The Wake" – performed with Steve Potts on alto, Kent Carter on bass, Irene Aebi on cello, and Oliver Johnson on drums. The set features one more previously unissued number recorded in 1967 – "Chinese Food", another improvisation with electronics from Teitelbaum and voice from Irene Aebi.

Seminal sounds from cornet player Bobby Bradford – a date recorded in the UK in the early 70s, but with all the free-thinking and imaginative energy as his best sessions in LA! The group pits Bobby's horn against three young modernists – Trevor Watts on alto and soprano sax, Kent Carter on bass, and John Stevens on drums – all working in these long-flowing, very rhythmic numbers that lie somewhere between Bradford's work with John Carter, and the early 60s sound of Ornette Coleman. The alto/cornet interplay is especially nice – very mesmerizing over the course of the album's very long tracks – and Watts turns out to be a great musical partner for Bobby. Titles include "Love's Dream", "Coming On", and "Roswita's Dance". CD features bonus tracks ""She", "HM Louis 1", and an alternate take of "Coming On".

Amazing rare grooves from Tommy Stewart – the Atlanta studio wizard who cut some of the hippest club tracks in the south at the end of the 70s! This package digs way deeper than even Tommy's classic self-titled album – to feature some obscure and unreleased material that show the tremendous power of Stewart in the studio – the kind of energy that made him a one man powerhouse to rival some of the bigger teams turning out grooves at the major labels! As with his classics, all the tunes here have a great funky feel – not really disco, but more upbeat funk, turned towards the dancefloor – served up with lots of sharp edges on the rhythms that keep things mighty nice – and which avoid any too-familiar cliches of the time. In a way, Stewart's groove is a bit like the grittier club from P&P up north – as you'll hear on this set that features the cuts "Night Flight", "Beyond Love", "Hot Box", and "Everything's Made For Love" by Stewart – plus great collaborations with vocalist Stevo on "Pay The Price", "Universal Love", "Party Night", "Starry Eyes", "Livin For The City", "Jammin", and "Messing UP A Good Thing". Also features two Al Kent remixes, too!

The dancefloor just got a whole lot funkier – thanks to an incredible selection of rare disco and club tracks from the best years of the genre! The set list here is really amazing – the kind of tunes that rarely turn up this easily, and never in such a cohesive package – and our hats are off to compiler Al Kent for putting together such a wonderfully tasty set! Most numbers here are from the mid to late 70s – and showcase a soulfully grooving approach to disco – one that's free from the cliches of the mainstream side of the genre, and which features plenty of real soul vocals alongside uptempo funky instrumentation that usually features a few odd twists and turns! Most numbers are edited by Al Kent, sometimes in very subtle ways, and include "cover ups" billed to other artists – and the package essentially brings together material from Kent's previous CD series of the same name – but with revised track order, wonderful packaging, and a bonus poster! There's a whopping 45 tracks in all – with cuts that include "Love Is All Around" by Sizzle, "I've Been Searching" by Arts & Crafts, "Get Ready" by Allan Harris & Perpetual Motion, "Sweet Jazz Music" by Panache, "To Be With You" by Jimmy Sabater, "Funkathone" by The People's Workshop, "Just Friends" by Silver Platinum & Gold, "Why In The World Do They Keep On" by Executive Suite, "Dancing Free" by Hot Ice, "Doing Our Own Thang" by Al Tanner, "Fear" by Arthur King, "Party Together" by Superbs, "How Can I Tell Her" by Curtis, "Giving It All To You" by Cheryl Berdell, "We've Got It" by Sylvano Santorio, and "Sound Of Disco Rock" by Stringfield Family.

The dancefloor just got a whole lot funkier – thanks to an incredible selection of rare disco and club tracks from the best years of the genre! The set list here is really amazing – the kind of tunes that rarely turn up this easily, and never in such a cohesive package – and our hats are off to compiler Al Kent for putting together such a wonderfully tasty set! Most numbers here are from the mid to late 70s – and showcase a soulfully grooving approach to disco – one that's free from the cliches of the mainstream side of the genre, and which features plenty of real soul vocals alongside uptempo funky instrumentation that usually features a few odd twists and turns! Most numbers are edited by Al Kent, sometimes in very subtle ways, and include "cover ups" billed to other artists – and the package essentially brings together material from Kent's previous CD series of the same name – but with revised track order, wonderful packaging, and a bonus poster! Limited vinyl 2 features the tracks "Dancing Free" by Hot Ice, "Doing Our Own Thang" by Al Tanner, "Fear" by Arthur King, "Party Together" by Superbs, "How Can I Tell Her" by Curtis, "Giving It All To You" by Cheryl Berdell, "We've Got It" by Sylvano Santorio, and "Sound Of Disco Rock" by Stringfield Family.

Not just Rock N Roll, but a classic collection of doo wop, R&B, and more! The original Rock N Roll Dance Party was a key collection in the late 50s – one that helped push the best R&B artists on the Modern/Kent label to a wider audience, thanks to a more mainstream cover! Features work by Etta James, Joe Turner, Joe Houston, The Jacks, The Cadets, and Marvin & Johnny!

A great testament to the continued relationship between German reedman Peter Brotzmann and the Chicago underground jazz scene – summed up perfectly in this surprisingly long-running Chicago Tentet – a group that not only features Brotzmann and key Windy City musicians, but also some folks from other scenes who frequently interact in our fair town! Brotzmann's got this majestic lead on the record – blowing boldly on tenor, alto, b flat clarinet, and tarogato – and getting great reed accompaniment from Ken Vandermark, Mats Gustafsson, and Joe McPhee – alongside trombones from Jeb Bishop and Johannes Bauer, tuba from Per Ake Holmlander, cello and electronics from Fred Lonberg Holm, bass from Kent Kessler, and double drums from Michael Zerang and Paal Nilssen-Love. All of these players are very familiar with each other, and really work wonderfully here – moving through three long improvised passages, all performed live, but with a cohesion that's amazing – even more so when you consider how global the unit actually is. Titles include "To Walk In", "To Love In", and "To Sleep In".

Nice stuff from MC Hi-Fidel and DJ Crucial! FF has a skewed storytelling sensibility that keeps you in it – and the solid beatcraft that keeps it all rolling along nicely. Tracks include "Diamonds" feat Black Spade, "Jimmy", "Whisky And Dristan", "Deer Hunter", "Isabel And Future", "Manther" feat Kent Cyclone, "Big Bang Theory", "Patty Farmington" feat Serengeti, "Small Victories" feat Pigeon John & Mathias, "The Thin Wall", "Fortitude" and more.

A striking session from Steve Lacy – one of his most powerful albums from 70s Paris! We're tempted to think that this one was called "wordless" because Irene Aebi's on the record, but doesn't sing – and instead plays cello with a quintet that includes Lacy on soprano, Ambrose Jackson on trumpet, Kent Carter on bass, and Jerome Cooper on drums – and the record is a very early realization of Lacy's European sound, more tied to the BYG/Actuel years than later recordings. The album's quite free overall – pretty fierce stuff, especially as the performance moves on – and titles include "Name", "The Breath", "Prologue A Life On Is Way", "Bone", and "The Way".

The heavy bag here is a bluesy one – as Lowell Fullsom's working in territory that's got a lot of rootsy, almost southern blues in the mix – but which still cracks out at times with his hipper, more funk-tuned groove! There's a few tracks on here that hearken towards the "Tramp" groove from his Kent years – like "Lady In The Rain" and "Sleeper" – both of which have a nicely funky undercurrent and vamping guitar that really snaps along with the rhythm. Other numbers have a straighter blues feel, but one that still has a sinister approach that goes way past cliches for the college crowd – showing Lowell to be firmly in charge, no matter what the setting. Tracks include "Sleeper", "Lady In The Rain", "Man Of Motion", "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "Look At You Baby", "Trouble Everywhere", and "This Feeling". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Stoned To The Bone", "Every Second A Fool Is Born", and "Lonesome Christmas".

One of Steve Lacy's great late 70s recordings for Hat Hut – a searing live performance that was one of his boldest efforts from the time! The group here are a quintet of familiar players – Steve Potts on alto and soprano sax, Irene Aebi on cello and voice, Kent Carter on bass, and Oliver Johnson on drums – all working together as a tremendously cohesive unit, with a dexterously angular feel on most of the numbers. Titles are all quite long, and with lots of choppy saxophone interplay – and Aebi performs a piece by Brion Gysin on the track "Dreams" 2CD set seems greatly expanded from the original album – and titles include "Raps", "The Way", "The Breath", "Stamps", "Bone", "Life On Its Way", and "Name".

Mid 70's live album by Rudy Ray Moore, and one of the few records of his that we've seen that isn't on Kent. There's a band backing him up, but they're sort of in the background, and you can't hear them that well because Rudy's thundering voice is booming out over tracks like "Hell Of A Blow Job", "Crack Me Some Nuts", "Grow By The Minute", and "Fast Black".

Rare late 60s work from the big band of trombonist Mike Barone – a player best known for his work in the Trombones Unlimited group, but who had an even more far-reaching sound with this ensemble! The material here is quite modern at times – charts that are filled with complicated timings, unusual tones, and styles that go way past popular big band at the time – a legacy that seems to draw strongly from Stan Kenton, but which also shows some nice influences from 60s jazz soundtracks as well. The material was mostly recorded live at the legendary Donte's Jazz Club – home to Mike's band one night a week in 1968 – but the CD also features some studio material too, although recorded live in that setting as well. Players include Barone on trombone, Larry McGuire and Buddy Childers on trumpet, Bill Perkins on alto and flute, Lou Ciotti on tenor, Jack Nimitz on baritone, and Med Flory on alto sax. Most arrangements are by Barone, and titles include "Peachy", "Perk Up Jack", "Real Neal", "Somewhere Along The Way", "The Monster", "Two For The Road", "More Than You Know", and "Waltz This".

Compilation of the earlier years of Deep Purple. Twelve tracks, including "Hey Joe", "Hard Road (Wring That Neck)", "Kentucky Woman", "The Shield", "Hush", "The Bird Has Flown", and "Mandrake Root".

The first full length in a few years from world class turntablist DJ Kentaro – and a pretty diverse set of floor-shaking instrumentals – plus a number vocal cuts with a strong roster of guests. Kentaro is a sharp producer/artist on top of the turntablist skills, crafting well-paced full scale listening experiences – and he's wise enough to stay true to his inspirations rather than chase trends. Includes "Kikkake" feat DJ Krugh, "Higher", "Step In" feat Foreign Beggers, "Big Timer" feat MC Zulu, "Lapis Lazuli", "Crossfader" feat Kid Koala & D-Styles, "Next Page (Dora) feat C2C and more.

The first full length in a few years from world class turntablist DJ Kentaro – and a pretty diverse set of floor-shaking instrumentals – plus a number vocal cuts with a strong roster of guests. Kentaro is a sharp producer/artist on top of the turntablist skills, crafting well-paced full scale listening experiences – and he's wise enough to stay true to his inspirations rather than chase trends. Includes "Kikkake" feat DJ Krugh, "Higher", "Step In" feat Foreign Beggers, "Big Timer" feat MC Zulu, "Lapis Lazuli", "Crossfader" feat Kid Koala & D-Styles, "Next Page (Dora) feat C2C and more.

Wonderful work from this hip Japanese ensemble – a largeish group who draw on big band modes from earlier generations, yet find a youthful way to create rich new colors, tones, and timings! The set's got a really beautiful reed-heavy approach – one that has all the poetry you might expect from the title – with echoes of Kenton or Gil Evans sorts of arrangements, yet often turned towards the sharper tones of the post-Coltrane generation – and mixed with offbeat rhythms that further push the edges of the tunes. There's also a good number of trumpet and trombone parts, plus lots of great percussion – and titles include "Ladiga", "Divine Gift", "Trivial Chief", "Never Say Die", and "Bold & Able". 2CD set features 7 more bonus tracks too!

A beautiful set of solo piano work by Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou – pulled from one of the CDs in the Ethiopiques series of compilations, and probably the most delicately melodic material in the series! Pianist-composer Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou has an extraordinary personal history – she is a daughter of the heralded Ethiopian intellectual the Kentiba Guebrou, and lived many years as a nun who recorded rarely, and then only as a means to serve the poor. The solo piano compositions in this set were culled from rare albums recorded in the early 60s and 70s, plus a few later recordings from the early 90s. The music is gorgeous and difficult to describe – sweetly somber, melancholy, and befitting the solo performances. Titles include "Presentiment", "The Homeless Wanderer", "The Last Tears Of The Deceased", "Mad Man's Laughter", and "A Young Girl's Complaint".

A great and rare solo guitar record by Lena Hughes – issued here by Tompkins Square – a label that's put out some of the best fingerstyle guitar folk releases in recent memory – in both the contemporary and archival realms! Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar is an archival release in their Long Gone Sound Series – and it's one of best yet! Lena, born in 1904, was rural Missourian amateur guitarist and mainstay at Ozarks area folk festivals. This record is her one-and-only known album – and though she's also remembered as a fine fiddler and banjo player, it finds her focusing on flat top guitar in the tradition of 19th century parlor music. Warm and wonderful stuff – as inviting as anything we've heard on Tompkins Square. Includes "Pearly Dew", "Under The Double Eagle", "Letter Edged In Black", "Blue Heaven", "Galloway Bay", "You Are The Only Star Of My Blue Heaven", "Spanish Fan-Dango", "Kentucky Moon Waltz", "Silver Treads Among The Gold", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and"Cedar Brook Waltz".

A great and rare solo guitar record by Lena Hughes – issued here by Tompkins Square – a label that's put out some of the best fingerstyle guitar folk releases in recent memory – in both the contemporary and archival realms! Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar is an archival release in their Long Gone Sound Series – and it's one of best yet! Lena, born in 1904, was rural Missourian amateur guitarist and mainstay at Ozarks area folk festivals. This record is her one-and-only known album – and though she's also remembered as a fine fiddler and banjo player, it finds her focusing on flat top guitar in the tradition of 19th century parlor music. Warm and wonderful stuff – as inviting as anything we've heard on Tompkins Square. Includes "Pearly Dew", "Under The Double Eagle", "Letter Edged In Black", "Blue Heaven", "Galloway Bay", "You Are The Only Star Of My Blue Heaven", "Spanish Fan-Dango", "Kentucky Moon Waltz", "Silver Treads Among The Gold", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and"Cedar Brook Waltz".

Great early work from Johnny Keating, not the hokey sound of the "high road" you might expect from the cover, and instead a well-crafted batch of large ensemble tracks that really shows Keating deepening his sound! There's echoes here of some of the best modern work on the west coast scene of the 50s – the legacy of Kenton's tones and colors, taking into nicely swinging territory – and tracks are played by differing groupings of Keating's players from cut to cut. Titles include "Loch Ness Monster", "Kiltie", "Double Scotch", "Tam O Shanter", "Headin North", and "Down South Blues" – all originals by Keating!

Genius, pure genius! If you've ever wondered why folks think Stan is so great, check out this landmark set of postwar modern swing tunes – some of the most groundbreaking work of its generation, and proof that there was still a lot of room to grow within the big band format. June Christy provides some icy vocals on a few numbers, and other strong players on the set include Vido Musso, Boots Mussulli, Kai Winding, Eddie Safranski, and Shelly Manne. Arrangements are by Pete Rugolo, Gene Roland, and Stan – and titles include "Artistry In Bass", "Artistry In Percussion", "Fantasy", "Come Back To Sorrento", "Soothe Me", "Opus In Pastels", and "Artistry In Bolero".

One of the hippest Stan Kenton albums of the 60s – a set of original compositions by Dee Barton – Stan's drummer at the time, and a composer to rival the great ones who contributed to the Kenton group of the 40s and 50s! Barton's work here is totally great – modern, but never too academically so – that perfect balance of swinging and thinking that marks some of the best Kenton albums over the years. All numbers are awash in those great Kenton tones and colors we love so much – and the group here features Mike Price on trumpet, Dick Shearer on trombone, Ray Reed on alto & flute, Mike Altschul on tenor, and Don Bagley on bass – as well as Kenton on piano and Barton on drums. Titles include "Man", "Lonely Boy", "Singing Oyster", "Dilemma", "Three Thoughts", "A New Day", and "Woman".

A great example of the Kenton powerhouse in action – a 90 minute double-live recording that really set a new standard for jazz sets of its type! The album features a side apiece dedicated to each of the three acts – one by Kenton's orchestra, one by Christy on vocals, and one by the Four Freshmen – the latter two supported by Kenton's group on their own sides, then joining together for a final fourth side that features all artists together. The approach is a great one – very vibrant, and certainly crowd-pleasing – and titles include "Artistry In Rhythm", "My Old Flame", "I Want To Be Happy", "Midnight Sun", "Day In Day Out", "Angel Eyes", and "Love For Sale".

A pretty hip set of big band arrangements – very much along the lines of early 50s Stan Kenton, with a tight swing, but a nicely modern undercurrent as well! The arrangements, as the title indicates, are all by Gerry Mulligan – and in addition to the piano of Elliot Lawrence, players include Al Cohn and Hal McKusick on saxes, Nick Travis on trumpet, Eddie Bert and Paul Sheldon on trombones, Buddy Saunders on bass, and Don Lamond on drums – all players with a great ear for mixing up tightness on the heads, and a more laidback groove during the solo moments. Tracks are short and angularly arranged – and titles include "But Not For Me", "Happy Hooligan", "My Silent Love", "Mullenium", and "Bweebida Bwobbida".

A beautiful little record from singer/guitarist Bruce Lewis – a virtually unknown talent who worked in the northern Kentucky scene of the 80s, and who steps out here with a very unusual sound! Lewis sings with a nice touch of 80s augmentation – not commercial, but kind of electric – pushed into a level that sometimes adds vocal percussion next to his guitar, but in these warm ways that really reflect the intimacy of this self-released album. His guitar playing is great – mighty deft, but understated too – and with this spacious quality around the vocals that almost has Lewis going for a rougher-hewn version of the big George Benson recordings of the mid 70s. Other instrumentation includes percussion – both live and electric – and jazzy touches on tenor and keyboards too – but always used in ways that are more sparing than any mainstream music of the time. Titles include "The Beatles", "Tenor Madness", "Questar", "Your Love Is Here", "Maybe Tomorrow", and "Bay Street".

Two wonderful sessions from pianist Nils Lindberg – easily one of the most important Swedish modernists at the start of the 60s! The first half of the CD features a jazz symphony, commissioned by Swedish TV for a European broadcast in 1963 – and penned by Lindberg with a really amazing depth of tone and musical ideas! There's kind of an initial Kenton-esque approach to tone and color, especially in the way the reeds come together – but the whole thing opens up with a spacious swing, and really extensive sort of vision – really going beyond simple 50s modes, and maybe coming closer to some of the best large-form works of the 60s by Americans like Oliver Nelson or Gary McFarland. Key players include Lars Gullin on baritone, Jan Allan on trumpet, Ake Persson on trombone, Rolf Billberg on alto, Harry Backlund on tenor, and of course Lindberg on piano. Next is another unusual TV performance – Jazz From Studio A, a 1961 live date that features a small combo with the mighty Benny Bailey on trumpet, plus Ake Persson on trombone, Rolf Billberg on alto, Bjarne Nerem on tenor, and Georg Ridel on bass. Tunes are mostly familiar, but swung with a nice edge – some of the modern tones you'd expect from the horn players, pushed out strongly through Lindberg's nice arrangements. Titles include "What's New", "Topsy", "I Remember You", and "Straight No Chaser".

A full blown duets album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables –co-headlining a straight-up beautiful set of tunes once sung by The Everly Brothers! They're not going for the hits here, rather taking on some of the more unusual Everly originals and covers – which include tunes written by Kris Kristofferson, Jackie Edwards, John Denver, King/Goffin and others. As longtime fans of The Everlys at their wierdest and most adventurous, we can't recommend this enough! Billy & Dawn clearly love the songs, and deliver with genuine warmth and affection – and go all in with the production, too! It's sweet and intimate, yet beautifully textured with steel, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, harmonium, flute, cello and keyboards – even a sousaphone and tuba! It's mostly got some leftfield country charm, but there's a chugging rocker or 2 in the mix, too. Titles include "Breakdown", "Empty Boxes", "Milk Train", "What Am I Llivng For", "My Little Yellow Bird", "So Sad", "Omaha", "Poems, Prayers And Promises", "Just What I Was Looking For", "Kentucky" and more.

A full blown duets album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables – co-headlining a straight-up beautiful set of tunes once sung by The Everly Brothers! They're not going for the hits here, rather taking on some of the more unusual Everly originals and covers – which include tunes written by Kris Kristofferson, Jackie Edwards, John Denver, King/Goffin and others. As longtime fans of The Everlys at their wierdest and most adventurous, we can't recommend this enough! Billy & Dawn clearly love the songs, and deliver with genuine warmth and affection – and go all in with the production, too! It's sweet and intimate, yet beautifully textured with steel, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, harmonium, flute, cello and keyboards – even a sousaphone and tuba! It's mostly got some leftfield country charm, but there's a chugging rocker or 2 in the mix, too. Titles include "Breakdown", "Empty Boxes", "Milk Train", "What Am I Llivng For", "My Little Yellow Bird", "So Sad", "Omaha", "Poems, Prayers And Promises", "Just What I Was Looking For", "Kentucky" and more.

Seminal 80s groove from 70s Miami soul star Gwen McCrae – reinventing herself here for the new decade with a totally different sound! The album's best known for the amazing club track "Funky Sensation" – one of those tracks that crossed over big, and had a huge influence in countless scenes – as the tune burned big on all fronts, including the worlds of disco, hip hop, and even roller skating! Other tunes follow in a similar format – with lots of nice snapping rhythms, thanks to arranger/composer/producer Kenton Nix – who really manages to break Gwen out of the standard Miami soul groove! The whole thing's great, and other titles include "Poyson", "All My Love", "No Deposit/No Return", "Movement", and "Have A Good Time".

Two great examples of Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band – back to back on a single CD! First up is Concert Jazz Band 63 – the sound of Gerry Mulligan in the early 60s – and one of the best records by his larger than usual Concert Jazz Band! Given Gerry's piano-less experiments of the 50s, it's surprising to actually have him as the pianist on this session – hitting the keys with a nice light touch, so that the larger horn section can take over most of the tunes – a beautifully-arranged ensemble who have a feel that's lighter than some of the groups of the 50s – such as the Kenton ensemble – yet one that's equally modern at times! The lineup is wonderful – with Clark Terry and Nick Travis on trumpets, Willie Dennis and Bob Brookmeyer on trombones, and Gene Quill, Gene Allen, and Eddie Caine on saxes – plus guitar from Jim Hall, bass from Bill Crow, and drums from Gus Johnson. Titles include "Big City Life", "Bridgehampton South", "My Kind Of Love", "Pretty Gypsy", "Bridgehampton Strut", and "Big City Blues". The second album features great large group material from Gerry Mulligan – and a record that definitely defines the sound of his famous Concert Jazz Band of the early 60s! The group features a four part sax section – headed by Mulligan, with other players that include Zoot Sims on tenor, Gene Allen on baritone, Gene Quill on alto, and Dick Meldonian on alto – and the set also features work by Nick Travis and Conte Candoli on trumpets, and Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone and trombone – shading in some nice colors to the group's tone-heavy approach! Titles include "Out Of This World", "Sweet & Slow", "Bweebida Bobbida", and "Manoir Des Mes Reves".

An overlooked 60s pop gem from Kenny O'Dell – a great mix of twangy vocals and Sunshine Pop production – all served up with a really unique sort of sparkle! In another world, Kenny might have been a country singer – but here, he's working with some cool Cali backings that push O'Dell far from his Bakersfield roots – into the sound of sunny late 60s LA, with some great guitar, organ, and vibes in the backings. Titles include "Beautiful People", "Kentucky Woman", "Sunshine Dreamin", "Massachusetts", "You'll Break Me Yet", and "Next Plane To London". CD features lots of bonus tracks too – including "Springfield Plane", "Bless Your Little Heart", "Join The World", "Happy With You", "Groovy Relationship", "No Obligations", and "I Could Love You".

Landmark early recordings by Phil Ochs – the demos that predate his first album, which were recorded live to reel-to-reel, many with spoken intros – and he's clear-toned and strident as ever here! It's remarkable stuff, and a even a bit chilling now, given how relevent so many Phil's songs even decades later– as topical as they were at the time, the struggles at their core go on and on. However you feel about his views, there's just no denying the strength and passion, and he's as charming as he is righteous here. Some songs ended up being recorded professionally for later albums, but a good deal of it is didn't appear until after Phil passed away. 25 in all: "The AMA Song", "The Ballad Of Davey Moore", "On My Way", "Lou Walsh", "Hazard, Kentucky", "I'll Be There", "The Power And The Glory", "How Long", "Bobby Dylan Record", "Talking Airplane Disaster", "Spanish Lament", "Don't Try Again" and more.

An oft-overlooked gem from Parliament – released during the year 1976, and sometimes hidden between monster LPs like Funkentelechy and Mothership Connection – but every bit as great as those two classics! The album's got that tightened-up P-Funk sound that was working so perfectly at the time – still with all the fuzzy haired elements of earlier years, but presented with a bit more focus – and a powerhouse swing that really drives the tracks home with a funky groove on the bottom! There's a flowing sort of energy here that almost makes you think that the whole thing just emerged naturally from the brain of George Clinton – but all ensemble players have a strong hand in the action, and really get some great moments in on the set. Cuts include "Gamin' On Ya", "Do That Stuff", "Children Of Production", and "I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)".

An oft-overlooked gem from Parliament – released during the year 1976, and sometimes hidden between monster LPs like Funkentelechy and Mothership Connection – but every bit as great as those two classics! The album's got that tightened-up P-Funk sound that was working so perfectly at the time – still with all the fuzzy haired elements of earlier years, but presented with a bit more focus – and a powerhouse swing that really drives the tracks home with a funky groove on the bottom! There's a flowing sort of energy here that almost makes you think that the whole thing just emerged naturally from the brain of George Clinton – but all ensemble players have a strong hand in the action, and really get some great moments in on the set. Cuts include "Gamin' On Ya", "Do That Stuff", "Children Of Production", and "I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)".

Ahhhhh . . . By this point, George Clinton and the P-Funk team were on top of the world! The record is a masterful dose of slick mothership jamming – perfectly woven together with that tightly compressed style that really served Clinton's production work well. The tracks are long, but never too loopy – and thanks to help from the Bernie Worrell, Jerome Brailey, Gary Shider, and the Horny Horns, the album stays very tight instrumentally all the way through! Loads of Parliament classics, including "Bop Gun", "Funkentelechy", "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk", and the massive "Flash Light", which we've heard a million times, but which never ceases to amaze us!

Incredibly hip big band work from trumpeter Herb Pomeroy – proof that the Boston influence in the 50s was a very good force in modern jazz! The group here is large, but the sound is often quite lean – done with an open focus on the strongest soloists in the group – players who include Joe Gordon on trumpet, Jacki Byard and Boots Mussulli on saxes, and Ray Santisi on piano. The style is swinging and modern, but never too academic or Kenton-styled – and the driving solos on the record are quite heartfelt, and never hokey. Great stuff all around, with titles that include "Blue Grass", "Wolafunt's Lament", "Theme For Terry", "Less Talk", "Big Man", "Feather Merchant", "Our Delight", and "Aluminum Baby".

A killer album from Johnny Richards – possibly the best he ever cut! The album sparkles with all the intensity he brought to Stan Kenton's Cuban Fire album – with bits of Latin, jazz, and some of the modernist scoring that Kenton, Richards, and Pete Rugolo were using at the time. However, the main thing about this album is that it swings like a mo-fo – moving past any tricks and gags to hit a strong jazz mode, with excelelnt solo work by players like Frank Socolow, Gene Quill, and trumpeter Burt Collins. Willie Rodriguez brings some nice Latin percussion to the set – and titles include "Cimarron", "Eyes", "Nipigon", and "The Ballad Of Tappan Zee".