An unusual side project by Stewart Copeland of The Police! LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure album – but one that features tenor solos from Al Cohn, alto from Hal McKusick, and trumpet from Nick Travis! LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by featured guest Stanley Clarke, with sidemen that include Alphonso Johnson on bass, Todd Cochran on keyboards, Paul Jackson on guitar, Ndugu Chancler on drums, and Randy Kerber on keyboards and synths. LP, Vinyl record album

Funky disco and rare soul compiled by Al Kent – Disco Love 2 on BBE – once again going a lot deeper into the soulful underground of the late 70s and coming back up with some incredibly fresh rarities! Al Kent hails from Glasgow, but we honestly couldn't tell you where most of the singers and groups on the set are from – but we can tell you it's a great batch of underground tunes, some soaring and straight up disco, others with a more thumping, rawer or funkier groove – all of it perfectly pitched to the dancefloor. Includes "Joey's Tune" by Plazza Suite", "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own" by Sandy Barber, "I've Got The Need" by Spooky & Sue, "I Can Make It On My Own" by Vessie Simmons, "Make Love To You" by Scarbrough, "When Did You Stop" by The J's and more. 8 long unmixed numbers on the 2LP version. LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Sweet Sixteen", "Rock Me Baby", "Woke Up This Morning", "You Upset Me Baby", "Sneakin Around", "Sweet Little Angel", "Bad Case Of Love", and "Ten Long Years". LP, Vinyl record album

Howlin Wolf sings the blues, and comes across in a way that influences an entire generation too – with that raw, raspy sound that made the singer a perfect blend of delta roots and contemporary sounds that were bubbling up in the postwar years! These tracks have a spare, simple, stark style that's still a lot more powerful than most of the records that tried to copy Wolf's modes in later years – mindblowing guitar work from Willie Johnson, harmonica lines that weave the whole thing together, and tremendous vocals that would shake the paint off your walls, even without any other instrumentation! Titles include "Crying At Daybreak", "Twisting & Turning", "Brown Skin Woman", "Morning At Midnight", "Backslide Boogie", "House Rockin Boogie", "Keep What You Got", and "Worried About My Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early collection of upbeat 60s soul from Ace/Kent Records – featuring 16 cuts by The Rocky Fellers, Benny Gordon, Rosco Robinson, Shirelles, Maxine Brown, Young Holt Trio, Jackie Wilson, Isley Brothers, Chuck Jackson, Artistics, Roy Head, and The Esquires! LP, Vinyl record album

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One of two albums produced by Rudy Ray Moore – the other being The Sensuous Black Man – which define the art of making love from a gender-based perspective. Like Rudy's Sensuous Black Man, The Madam's version features one side of "instructional" dialogue – very XXX-rated, in bitchy mode that verbally orders a man to make love to a woman properly. Side two features "Rap Session", kind of a Q&A session in which The Madam lays down a bit more knowledge about sex over some bluesy music. There's plenty of bits on here that have been sampled over the years – and the record was a big one in the early mixes of the Chicago house scene. LP, Vinyl record album

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Rudy Ray Moore takes the White House – or at least tries to – in this cool 1972 album that must have been a great antidote to the campaigns of Richard Nixon and George McGovern! The set starts with Rudy running his way through a whole bunch of campaign issues – including "Free Love" and "Mary Wanna" – all delivered in faux politico mode, with a crowd cheering him on, and an introduction that features music from "Exodus"! The rest of the set is a bit more typical Dolemite material – almost even more raunchy than the presidential mode – and other titles include "Dance Of The Freaks", "Bulldaggers", "Good Pussy Lil", and "Sit In Your Mama's Lap". Language is raw – so be warned! LP, Vinyl record album

Rudy Ray Moore cut some mighty raunchy records in his time – but this one may well the be the raunchiest, and maybe the funkiest too! The album's an instruction of "the proper way to make love to a lady" – but done in true Rudy Ray style, with very down-to-earth language that really takes off from the first few sentences – serving up an array of explicit descriptions and references to body parts that make the most hardcore hip hoppers seem like they're singing nursery rhymes! The music is wonderful, too – very funky congas and drums, pounding away behind the vocals, with some funky guitar touches too – all at a level that really makes the raw lyrics move. Parental Guidance is highly recommended – but that's also part of the pleasure of the record, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Features early work by Howling Wolf, Joe Hill Lewis, Walter Horton, Bobby Bland, Willie Nix, and Junior Parker! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little live set from BB – rawer than some of his studio work at the time, and with a bit freer playing. Titles include "Please Love Me", "Sweet Little Angel", "Let Me Love You", "Rock Me Baby", "3 O'Clock Blues", and "Woke Up This Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

Rudy Ray Moore's second album, and almost hipper than the first – thanks to some key musical backings from The Fillmore St Soul Rebellion! The vibe here is as rough and raw as you'd expect – a no-holds-barred version of party records, with Rudy using plenty of language hardly heard this strongly on record again until the hip hop generation. The music's often mixed a bit lower than the vocals, but is still present enough to make things sound funky – and titles include the classic "Mr Big Dick", plus "The Gorillas Are Coming", "California Poetry", "Hurricane Anne Meets Dolemite", and "40 Pounds of Chitlings". Language is raw – so be warned! LP, Vinyl record album

A great early collection on Ace/Kent Records – with soulful tracks by Timi Yuro, Jimmy Holiday, Exciters, Showmen, Bobby Sheen, Garnet Mims, O'Jays, Patrice Holloway, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

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Later work from the great Johnny Otis – but a set that still keeps the vibe of his classic material – with Johnny on vocals, vibes, and piano – plus Shuggie Otis on guitar, and vocals from Barbara Morrison, and Delmar "Mighty Mouth" Evans! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer early release on the UK Kent Records – already at the top of their game with their choice in rare soul! The set's overflowing with gems – and features work by Garland Green, Lee Charles, Jeanette Williams, Diane Newby, The Blue Notes, Lenny Welch, Shirley Lawson, The Marriots, Patti Austin, Trends, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from ZZ! Although you always see vinyl of ZZ's later work, it's always pretty hard to find this great stuff from the old days – when ZZ was working in a style that mixed southern soul with some funky blues, and which stands along with some of the best deep soul of the late 60s. Titles include "Happiness Is All I Need", "Hey Little Girl", "I Found Love", "What More", "That's It", "Everybody Has To Cry", and "If I Could Do It All Over". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure late 60s session that has R&B genius Roy Milton fronting a small group led by Johnny Otis, and featuring a young Shuggie Otis on guitar! The set's packaged in a "roots of rock" sleeve to cash in on the kids, but it's a pretty nice little set with a stoner R&B sound. Johnny wrote a number of tracks – like "Hush", "Whiskey Drinkin Woman", and "Charleston Boogie" – and the group reprises some of Roy's standards like "So Tired", "Early In The Morning", and "RM Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard-hitting early work from Ike & Tina Turner – raw, unbridled, and surprisingly tight – yet without any of the cliches or overdone righteousness that marred their later years! Tina's still singing here often as part of the backing group, stepping out for a soulful lead at times, but also very much in touch with her supporting sisters – and there's a number of tunes that have a really nice focus on Ike's raw and raspy guitar work, which we always like a lot! All tunes are Ike Turner originals – freshly voiced tracks, and none of the crossover covers that the pair later included in their work – and titles include "Hard Times", "I Don't Need", "Chicken Shack", "Gonna Have Fun", "It's Crazy Baby", "Am I A Fool In Love", "Don't You Blame It On Me", and "Hurt Is All You Gave Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer early Ace/Kent compilation, put together for the UK 6T's soul club – with work from Candy & The Kisses, Lee Charles, Chuck Jackson, George Tindley, Diane Lewis, Brenton Wood, Jack Montgomery, Honey Bees, Nella Dodds, Johnny Copeland, Big Maybelle, The Esquires, and The Moods! LP, Vinyl record album

An early treasure from a great tradition in soul music – one of the first few compilations from Ace/Kent Records – issued way back in the early 80s, and still a treasure trove of great 60s soul after all these years! As you'd guess from the title, the tracks here are all upbeat and uptempo – numbers brought together for the Northern Soul audience in the UK, but which also represent a great sampling of underground soul from the US in the 60s! Many of these numbers mix rough-edged vocals with more tightly-crafted instrumentation – and the collection features a total of 16 tracks that include "Lay This Burden Down" by Mary Love, "You Just Cheat & Lie" by ZZ Hill, "Good Taste Of Love" by Danny Monday, "Wanting You" by Jimmy Bee, "Can It Be Me" by Mel Williams, "Hole In The Wall" by The Other Brothers, "Talkin Woman" by Lowell Fulsom, "What Kind Of Man Are You" by Jackie Day, "Country Girl" by The Johnny Otis Show, "Everybody Needs Love" by Willie Gauff & The Love Brothers, and "My Baby Needs Me" by Yvonne Baker. LP, Vinyl record album

With featured soloists including Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Milt Bernhart, Ray Wetzel, Bob Cooper, Lennie Niehaus, Bill Holman, Lee Konitz, Kent Larsen, Bill Perkins, Jack Sheldon, Richie Kamuca, Jerry McKenzie, San Noto, Gabe Baltazar, Dick Hypde, Bud Shank, and John Lowe. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from the Steve Lacy Quintet – the formative group that featured Lacy on soprano sax, alongside Steve Potts on alto, Irene Aebi on violin and cello, Kent Carter on bass, and Oliver Johnson on drums! The record's got a very artful feel – and really has Lacy moving past some of the freer modes of a decade before – working with occasional vocals from Aebi, and a good sense of structure overall – one that has each group member contributing equally to the formation of the tunes. Tracks are longish, and titles include "Blues", "No Baby", "Troubles", and "The Whammies" LP, Vinyl record album

Features Branford Marsalis on tenor and soprano sax, Kenny Kirkland on piano, Kent Jordan on flute, and Ron Carter on bass. Titles include "Melancholia", "Lazy Afternoon", "Stardust", and "For All We Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Prime modern work from the great Paul Bley – a pianist who was really expanding his sound at this time – to a level that would soon make him a legend around the globe! The European date is a great chance to hear Bley really opening things up – playing freely, with an amazing command of the keyboard – faster flurries of notes at times than you might hear on his 70s material, but with an equally sensitive ear for space and sound – all balanced by perfect work from Kent Carter on bass and Barry Altschul on drums! There's an instantly haunting quality to the music – which is all unique original material from Bley's scene – titles that include his own compositions Bley's "Pablo" and "Mazatlan", plus Annette Peacock's "Both" and "Cartoon", and Carla Bley's "Start". LP, Vinyl record album

Disco sounds from the Caribbean scene of the 70s – a really unique mix of regional styles with the kind of rhythms that were coming from New York and Philly at the time! The groove here is really unique – even different than some of the reggae or African disco numbers of the time – as the sunny style of Trinidad & Tobago and other islands turns out to be a perfect fit for clubby elements – mixing riffing instrumentation with playful lyrics that would have been right at home in older musical modes, but which are tuned just right here to match the energy of the disco generation. And these cuts have an appeal that goes way beyond any sense of novelty or gimmick – often served up with a soulfulness that meets or beats mainstream US disco of the period. Hats off to Cultures of Soul for bringing all these great grooves together – on a set that includes "Dance With Me" by Odessey One, "Feel Like Dancing" by Levi John, "Instant Funk" by Merchant, Be Yourself" by Mighty Duke, "The Rebels" and "Living On A String" by Wild Fire, "Peace Without Love" by Ronnie Butler And The Ramblers, "Rockers Delight" by Prince Blackman (a nicely simmering Jamaican funk take on "Rappers Delight"), "Got To Have You" by Joanne Wilson, "Disco Music" by Trinadad Troubadours – plus the bonus tracks "Got To Have You (Whiskey Barons Rework)" and "Dance With Me (Al Kent Version)" by Odessey One. LP, Vinyl record album

A bit later than some of Lowell Fulsom's funk work for Kent Records – but a set that's almost more vintage overall! The album's recorded for the short-lived Big Town imprint – a late 70s venue that took older R&B artists back to the sounds of a few decades before – never too rootsy, thanks to the style of production – but with less attempt to crossover to a contemporary audience than the artists might have used on another label. There is a fair bit of heavy guitar in the 70s – a kind of post-blues revival feel that comes on loud and clear, and which sounds especially great on the title track "Lovemaker", which almost has a funky "Tramp" groove at the bottom! Other cuts include "Bending Like A Willow Tree", "Get The Cash & Let The Credit Go", "My Mind Is Trying To Leave Me Too", "When Things Go Wrong", and "I Am Not Worried". LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

With Fred Hersch on piano, Kent McLagan on bass, and Tom Rainey on drums and percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album – a late 60s classic meeting of the brain trust of the avant garde jazz scene in New York, recorded for the young JCOA label – and put forth as one of their early attempts to prove that musicians could be in charge of the means of production! Michael Mantler provided the core composition, and directs the group – but the lineup is a who's who of forces who'd record for ESP, Impulse, and other labels – with bold solos from Don Cherry on cornet, Gato Barbieri on tenor, Larry Coryell on guitar, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Cecil Taylor on piano, and Pharoah Sanders on tenor – in a larger lineup of players who also include Steve Marcus, Andrew Cyrille, Reggie Workman, Alan Silva, Carla Bley, Beaver Harris, Charles Davis, Robert Northern, Kent Carter, and many other key avant musicians! Titles include "Communications 8", "Communications 9", "Communications 10", and "Communications 11".' LP, Vinyl record album

With production by Rakim, Clark Kent, DJ Premier, Mighty VIC, TR Love, Big Jaz, 45 King, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Nice, nice, nice New York hip hop from Keith Murray – his one and only full length on Def Jam! The album features production by Clark Kent, Rockwilder, Pete Rock and others and it's just the kind of no nonsense street hop we love around here. Keith rocks it like Nas in a way – he's all about soulful introspection with rhymes that go way beyond call-and-response hoopty rockers and party blasters. His style on the best cuts are definitely of the hard street mentality, but Keith has a genuine thoughtfulness that makes him a lot more complicated than the typical street rhymer – and bely his reputation as a violent hothead. The beats are tight and carefully crafted, and catchy enough to get play with the commercial jams. It's the kind of album that will still sound nice years from now – hardly a trendy concession to be found. Cuts include the great single "Candi Bar", "Carnage", "Oh My Goodness", "Christina", "Say Whaatt" featuring Redman, "Child Of The Streets" (Man Child)", "On Smash" with Busta Rhymes and more, plus some sharp skits with Jamie Foxx. LP, Vinyl record album

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, Teen Queens, BB King, and more! LP, Vinyl record album