Very nice jazz-oriented material that has Sarah working with Jimmy Jones, one of her best accompanists, or John Malachi, who was in Billy Eckstine's band at the same time Sarah was with the group. All the tracks have nice small combo instrumentation – and Sarah keeps things nice and warm vocally, free to get a bit more intimate than usual in the album's casual setting. Titles include "All Of Me", "Lover Man", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "You Hit The Spot". CD

A surprising classic from the early 80s underground – a record that came to the world from the scene in Milwaukee, where neither the group nor the rest of the world would have expected the album to have such staying power over the decades! And yet, from the very first needle drop, it's hard to imagine otherwise – as the record's got this raw intensity that's not really punk, certainly not new wave – almost an American primitivist energy that really gets to the heart of the matter from the very first note – and goes on to deliver a non-stop testament of angst and longing, set to scratchy guitar and fast-riffing drums! Gordon Gano's vocals perfectly fit the spirit of the songs – and the set's full of classics that include "Blister In The Sun", "Kiss Off", "Add It Up", "Gone Daddy Gone", and "Prove My Love". 3LP version features a huge amount of bonus material on the second disc – demos of most tracks for the album, and live recordings from the same time – plus UK single tracks "Ugly" and "Gimme The Car" on the bonus 7" single! LP, Vinyl record album

A surprising classic from the early 80s underground – a record that came to the world from the scene in Milwaukee, where neither the group nor the rest of the world would have expected the album to have such staying power over the decades! And yet, from the very first needle drop, it's hard to imagine otherwise – as the record's got this raw intensity that's not really punk, certainly not new wave – almost an American primitivist energy that really gets to the heart of the matter from the very first note – and goes on to deliver a non-stop testament of angst and longing, set to scratchy guitar and fast-riffing drums! Gordon Gano's vocals perfectly fit the spirit of the songs – and the set's full of classics that include "Blister In The Sun", "Kiss Off", "Add It Up", "Gone Daddy Gone", and "Prove My Love". 2CD version features a huge amount of bonus material on the second disc – demos of most tracks for the album, and live recordings from the same time – plus UK single tracks "Ugly" and "Gimme The Car". CD

Mad mad funk, and the fantastic second LP by the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – the group that proved to everyone that LA could be just as funky as any other city in the 60s! The record draws strongly from the group's indie roots in the funky 45 scene – and the album's filled with short tracks that bump along in jagged rhythms, offbeat arrangements, and some slight touches of sweeter soul. Charles Wright is leading the group on vocals, and taking a stronger presence on these soul-based cuts – but as before, it's the strength of the overall group that really makes the album great – especially the bass work of Melvin Dunlap and the funky drums of James Gadson! Titles include some killer original tracks by the band – like "Do Your Thing", "Giggin' Down 103rd", "Phuncky Bill", "65 Bars & A Taste Of Soul", and "A Dance, A Kiss, & A Song" – plus great covers of "Something You Got", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", and "Knock On Wood". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best dates ever as a leader from trumpeter Joe Wilder – and one of the few to have a really relaxed, open sort of format! Joe's not tied up in gimmicks or larger groups here – and he really sparkles in the company of a quartet that features Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – players that really match Wilder's inherent sense of soul and lyricism, as he waxes some beautiful solos on the set. There's a nice sort of blueness in Joe's tone, but one that's never too forced or cliched – and titles include "Mad About The Boy", "Six Bit Blues", "Darn That Dream", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "My Heart Stood Still". CD

Nancy Wilson remakes American classics of the 20th century – taking a host of tunes from Gershwin, Ellington, Arlen, Porter, and Berlin – and remaking them in her sophisti-soul style of the 60s! She's got plenty of great help on the sessions – with arrangers that include Gerald Wilson, Jimmy Jones, and Billy May – plus accompaniment from players that include Cannonball Adderley, Hank Jones, and George Shearing. The collection features a total of 44 tracks in all – and titles include "Supper Time", "Sleepin Bee", "Secret Love", "My Ship", "Dearly Beloved", "Sophisticated Lady", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "All Of You", "Bewitched", "The More I See You", "Never Will I Marry", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "By Myself". CD

A beautiful solo set from this amazing Japanese avant pianist – with the original "On The Road", plus offbeat takes on "Greensleeves", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Let's Cool One", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed look at the production genius of Martin Rushent – a UK studio genius who started out in punk, then really helped the scene find new sounds and styles as the 80s moved in! Rushent is sometimes confused with the other great Martin of the period – producer Martin Hannett – and although his style is a bit different, there is a similarity – as Rushent, like Hannett, is a bit of an outsider, and really takes a fresh approach to recording the news music of the moment – never trying to drape it in older styles from previous eras, which really allows some of the crispness of the younger acts to really shine through! As the 80s move in, Rushent also shows a great ear for some of the right electronic touches, yet never in a way that was overly commercial – a balance that really comes out strongly on the second half of the set. As with other entries in this great producer series from Ace, the notes are fantastic – really digging deep into each track, with a 19 title set list that includes "Autonomy" by The Buzzcocks, "Hard Times" by Human League, "Homicide" by 999, "Hold On" by Ian Gomm, "Kiss Me Deadly" by Generation X, "Get A Grip On Yourself" by The Stranglers, "Tonight" by Rachel Sweet, "Guitar Beat" by The Raybeats, "I Could Be Happy (Martin Rushent rmx)" by Altered Images, "A Way You'll Never Be (12" version)" by Leisure Process, "Working Girl" by The Members, "Beneath The Blue Sky" by The Go Gos, "Breakfast" by The Associates, "Steamhammer Sam" by Intaferon, "Je Suis Passee (7" version)" by Hard Corps, "The Big Sweep (club mix)" by Then Jericho, and "Are You Receiving Me" by XTC. CD

The title doesn't give you much to go on – but take it from us, this is a great little compilation – one that's filled with rare jazz work from a variety of European soundtracks of the 60s and 70s! The range of tracks here is really great – and wide enough to include a few favorites, plus an even wider range of rare and obscure numbers – most of which are pulled from the catalog of EMI Italy, and include a number of tunes that have never been issued to the public before! And even better, there's a fair bit of work on here that's from soundtracks that aren't normally jazzy overall – but which feature one or two great jazz tracks, pulled out nicely here and intermingled with the rest of the top-shelf set. 18 tracks in all – 5 previously unreleased – with titles that include "Eva" by Michel Legrand, "A Place For Lovers (jazz suite)" by Manuel De Sica, "Spaghetti A Detroit" by Fred Bongusto, "Adulterio All'Italiana" by Armando Trovajoli, "Ballando Con Raquel" by Nino Rota, "This Is Life" by Piero Piccioni, "Sideslip (new edit)" by Berto Pisano, "Jazz Interlude" by Giorgio Gaslini, "That's Show" by Gianni Dell'Orso, "Monitor Jazz" by Carlo Rustichelli, and "Kiss Me Worren Please" by Bruno Nicolai. CD

A really wonderful collection – an important re-investigation of the unusual mix of sounds and styles on the New York scene in the years after disco – a time when funk, punk, hip hop, and art were all colliding at once – providing a really fresh antidote to the staid sounds of Studio 54! The "disco" in the title should be taken lightly – as these cuts didn't play at the slick uptown dance spots – but were instead the soundtrack for the cool spots happening downtown, as the previous loft culture morphed into clubs, in this very special blend of the energy of CBGB and the underground soulful dancefloors. The set list is filled with classics from this time – and titles include "Cavern" by Liquid Liquid, "Tell You Today (voc)" by Loose Joints, "Walking On Thin Ice (re-edit)" by Yoko Ono, "Over & Over" by Material, "Spasticus Autisticus (version)" by Ian Dury & The Seven Seas Players, "Kiss Me Again (original edit)" by Dinosaur, "Move" by Nicky Siano, "School Bell/Tree House" by Indian Ocean, "I Walk" by Don Cherry, "Voices Inside My Head" by Common Sense, and "Wheel Me Out" by Was Not Was. LP, Vinyl record album

Cambodian rock, pop and psychedelia from the 60s & 70s – compiled by the members of Dengue Fever, LA's modern torchbearers of rare prime rock era rarities from Cambodia! It's wonderful stuff – like a lot of the sounds from the pulpy garage rock era Asian underground, most tunes have love female vocals, but the instrumentation varies from raw r&b & kind of moddish influenced sounds, to more psychedelic electric guitar and hazy melodies, bits of funk, and strains that come closer to traditional Cambodian sounds. The tracks were culled for rare cassette tapes, and the sound quality is top notch! Titles include "Give Me One Kiss" by Dara Chom Chan, "Don't Speak", "Jombang Jet", "I Will Marry You" and more by Pan Ron, "Shave Your Beard", "Flowers In The Pond", "I Will Starve Myself To Death", "Cold Sky" and more by Ros Sereysothea. 12 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

Classy soul and killer grooves – a great helping of rare New York sides from the late 60s – all of which show a great evolution of the Uptown style from a few years before! Things are polished, but never too smooth or commercial at all – and instead, the music's got this quality of coming right from the heart of the music scene of the time – the cream of the crop, right from the top – and that includes singers, songwriters, and session help too! Vocals are mighty deep throughout – and the tracks all have a strong indie pedigree, as they're pulled from the labels Wand, Scepter, and Musicor – all imprints we always check out when digging for rare singles. As usual, Kent's gone way beyond expectations – not just with the track selection, but with full notes too – for a total of 24 tracks that include "Runaway Slave" by Joe Perkins, "That Girl" by Porgy & The Monarchs, "Kiss & Make Up" by The Inspirations, "I Don't Want Nobody To Lead Me On" by The Masqueraders, "Horsin Around" by Benny Gordon & The Soul Brothers, "Lonely Weatherman" by The Premiers, "A Man A Woman" by Chris Bartley, "I Just Gotta Have You" by Nella Dodds, "Knick Knack Patty Wack" by Lou Lawton, "No Jealous Lover" by Lois Lane, and "I'm Gonna Have A Party" by Ed Bruce. CD

The title here is very apt – as there's a reaching sort of vibe to the whole record – uplifting tunes from the farther reaches of the Numero catalog, all brought together in a way that really makes things soar! Genres shift nicely, and maybe the lack of description or cover notes is a good way of just making you trust the label and dive right in – something we've been doing for many years now! Tracks include "The Kiss" by Alex Johnson, "To Live In The Sea" by Masumi Hara, "Touch" by Calvin Keys, "Rain" by Bob Siebert, "Enchanted Pool Suite (prelude & part 1)" by Lenny White, "The Kiss" by Alex Johnson, "Thou Art With Me" by LaRhonda LeGette, "Past Life Regression" by ART Wilson, "Modulation Del Sol" by Ascending Wave, and "Gold Dust Twins" by Reach. LP, Vinyl record album

RCA issued these "Stereo Action – The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow" records to demonstrate how "stereo" worked. This is a compilation of instrumental tracks that do indeed float in and out of the stereo channels and it's a fun bunch of songs. Tracks include "Flight Of The Bumblebee" by Ray Martin & His Orchestra, "Expresso" by The Guitars Unlimited Plus 7, "Kiss Of Fire" by Bernie Green & His Orchestra, "Runnin Wild" by Dick Schory's Percussion & Brass Ensemble, and "Jericho" by Ray Martin. LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool take on the sound of Studio One – a package of late 60s themes from James Bond films and other soundtrack sources! The mix is maybe not that surprising, given the use of Jamaican music early on in the series – as part of the Dr No soundtrack – and maybe that global moment of understanding helped the groups back home in Kingston to reach for the skies with material like this! The whole thing is a fascinating document of two strands of Brit culture in these post-colonial years – with titles that include "James Bond Danger Man" by The Soul Brothers, "Pussy Galore" by Lee Perry & The Wailers, "Mr Flint" by The Soul Brothers, "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" by The Soul Brothers, "Hang Em High" by Jackie Mittoo, "From Russia With Love" by Roland Alphonso & The Studio One Orchestra, "Ball Of Fire" by The Skatalites, and "James Bond Girl" by The Soul Brothers. CD

Where the girls are is right here – served up in a beautiful blend of rare tracks from the mid 60s – almost all of them in a female group mode, at a time when that style was really hitting new heights in American popular music! The work here is a mixture of rock and soul, and almost all of it features female harmonies set to sublime pop production – modes that range from west coast dreamy to Brill Building groovy – all laid out in an extended track list that also includes a few never-issued tracks as well! This series has been running for quite some time, but it's always a great one – and we're amazed at how the folks at Ace keep turning up nuggets we never would have heard otherwise – all presented with wonderful sound, and full notes to support the whole collection – a lot more than you can say for dodgier sets on the market. Titles include "Billy Sunshine" by Evie Sands, "With A Kiss" by The Bluezettes, "Don't Forget" by The Murmaids, "That's The Way It Is" by The Sweet Three, "Moon Walking" by The Blossoms, "More Than A Friend" by The Wooden Nickels, "On A Rainy Night" by The Flowers, "What Did You Do Last Night" by The Drake Sisters, "I Can Tell I'm Losing Your Love" by Lena Calhoun & The Emotions, "You Better Stop It" by The Lovelites, "Ballyhoo" by Ramona King, "Bad Boy" by Christine Cooper, and "Baby I Miss You" by The Popsicles. CD

Includes "What A Wonderful World", "Hello Dolly", "Mack The Knife", "Kiss Of Fire", "La Vie En Rose", "Dummy Song", "Blueberry Hill", and more. CD

A millennial classic from Erykah Badu – a record that came along right as the current century was starting up, to show a soulful path that would keep things strong for many years to come! The album grabbed a bigger audience than Erykah's first, but still kept things strong – really focusing in on that amazing vocal style that made the singer such a unique talent – and which always had edges that were sharper, and runs that were deeper, than some of her contemporaries who might be able to trick a phrase with a bit of spirit, but never deliver the whole thing in the way that Badu can! Themes are both personal and hinting at her political turns to come – and titles include "Kiss Me On My Neck", "Didn't Cha Know", "My Life", "AD 2000", "Bag Lady", "In Love With You", and "Booty". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet slices of work from a hell of a jazz festival – the 1963 Antibes performances, served up here in some incredibly hip material! The set begins with early work from pianist Dollar Brand – whose trio sounds moody and amazing on "Antibes Jam", then gets joined the great vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin on a version of "Prelude To A Kiss". Next up is the soulful sound of tenorist Klaus Doldinger, whose group includes Ingfried Hoffmann on piano – on a sensitive reading of "Like Someone In Love", which really shows off Klaus' under-recorded ballad style. The great trombonist Eje Thelin follows – leading a quintet with Ulf Andersson on tenor and Lars Joesten on piano – on the very long "Antibes Jam". A Polish group follows with another long track – a sharp-edged take on "Well You Needn't", led by tenorist Jan Wroblewski in a quartet with Wojciech Karolak on piano. Last up is singer Sarah Vaughan – working with the Kirk Stewart Trio – on the titles "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "Tenderly", "A Taste Of Honey", and "Bill Bailey". CD

An enduring classic from James Brown – quite possibly the strongest of his late 70s albums, and a record that nicely balances the harder funk of the early part of the decade with a more sophisticated style that almost gets slightly jazzy at times! The vocals are planted strongly at the top of most tunes – really calling out the shots and directing the rhythms – even though they seem tight enough to keep snapping along on their own – and also noteworthy are some of the mellower numbers on the set, which are almost more compelling than some of the groovers! Titles include "Bodyheat", "What The World Needs Now", "Don't Tell It", "Kiss In 77", "Woman", "Wake Up And Give", and "I'm Satisfied". CD