Sade's last LP from the early 90s before she went into her brief recording and performing hiatus. Like the preceding records, the approach is heavy on the jazz side of things, with a crisp, spare touch on the production and a wonderfully soulful feel to the songwriting. At this point she no longer had to work to break into the charts, but that didn't stop her and her band from coming up with a great batch of material that managed to be easily accessible without losing any of the sublime grace that set her apart. Includes "No Ordinary Love", "Cherish The Day", "Feel No Pain", "I Couldn't Love You More", "Like A Tattoo", "Kiss Of Life", "Pearls", "Bullet Proof Soul" and "Mermaid". CD

Sade's last LP from the early 90s before she went into her brief recording and performing hiatus. Like the preceding records, the approach is heavy on the jazz side of things, with a crisp, spare touch on the production and a wonderfully soulful feel to the songwriting. At this point she no longer had to work to break into the charts, but that didn't stop her and her band from coming up with a great batch of material that managed to be easily accessible without losing any of the sublime grace that set her apart. Includes "No Ordinary Love", "Cherish The Day", "Feel No Pain", "I Couldn't Love You More", "Like A Tattoo", "Kiss Of Life", "Pearls", "Bullet Proof Soul" and "Mermaid". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little live set by Sade – done with the subdued warmth of her later work, but also featuring a few key songs from earlier years! There's a nicely understated quality to the record, in keeping with Sade's own presence – and we're quite pleased to hear how these songs hold up away from the studio. Titles include "Smooth Operator", "Jezebel", "Cherish The Day", "No Ordinary Love", "Flow", "Is It A Crime", "Kiss Of Life", "Slave Song", and "The Sweetest Taboo". CD

A sweet little live set by Sade – done with the subdued warmth of her later work, but also featuring a few key songs from earlier years! There's a nicely understated quality to the record, in keeping with Sade's own presence – and we're quite pleased to hear how these songs hold up away from the studio. Titles include "Smooth Operator", "Jezebel", "Cherish The Day", "No Ordinary Love", "Flow", "Is It A Crime", "Kiss Of Life", "Slave Song", and "The Sweetest Taboo". CD

Zoot Sims blows it nicely on this open-ended live set recorded in Copenhagen – a batch of tracks with the same sort of long, free space for solos as other dates done on that scene by American tenor stars! No surprise, Kenny Drew's backing Zoot up with some tremendous rhythm accompaniment – working here with a trio that includes Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – just about the best backing a player like Sims could have hoped for on the date! All the tracks here move well past the 5 minute mark – with most approaching 10 – and Zoot's ability to solo strongly in an extended fashion is very firmly in place. Titles include "Groovin High", "Too Close For Comfort", "Blue Hodge", "Morning Fun", "All The Things You Are", "It's All Right With Me", and "In The Middle Of A Kiss". CD

A record from a time when Siouxsie and the group were almost a cult unto themselves – working in an aesthetic that so many others were copying, but always with a voice that's strongly their own! It's clear that these guys don't need to try for any crossover club hits, or a more radio-friendly refinement of their sound – because by the early 90s, the legion of Banshees fanatics were more than willing to gobble up anything the group had to offer – which only seemed to have them rising more to the challenge, and continuing to produce strong work. Titles include "Drifter", "Cry", "Kiss Them For Me", "Silly Thing", "Got To Get Up", "Softly", "The Ghost In You", and "Little Sister". Cassette

If you only know Meatloaf from his late 70s work with Jim Steinman, prepare to be amazed – as this early album for Motown's Rare Earth label is a completely different set altogether – filled with soulful elements that take the man's mighty voice in directions we never would have guessed! The set's a collaboration with female singer Shaun Murphey, aka Stoney – another talent from the Detroit scene, and working with Meatloaf in that effortless blend of soul, rock, and some funky psychedelic touches that some of their best Motor City contemporaries were doing at the time – but maybe even better! The record's got a tremendous sound, even without Meatloaf's later fame – and was put together with some great arrangements from David Van DePitte and Tom Baird – on titles that include "Jessica White", "Lady Be Mine", "Jimmy Bell", "Sunshine", "Game Of Love", "Kiss Me Again", It Takes All Kinds Of People", and "She Waits By The Window". LP, Vinyl record album

About as classic as you can get for the early Supremes – a set that has the group really hitting hard on all levels, thanks to production from the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, plus a bit of help from Smokey Robinson – all of whom really help push the Supremes out of simple girl group soul – into the realm of Motown genius they would nearly rule for years to come! Tunes are by HDH, Norman Whitfield, and Smokey – top-shelf songwriting that further enforces the strength of the set – with that mix of poise and class, yet soul and feeling that always graced the group at their best. Titles include the sublime "When The Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes", plus the classics "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Baby Love", and the tracks "Come See About Me", "I'm Giving You Your Freedom", "Your Kiss Of Fire", "Ask Any Girl", and "A Breath Taking Guy". CD

Allen Toussaint's complete recordings for Warner – a trio of classic albums from one of the greatest forces in Crescent City soul, plus rare live tracks – in a perfect 2CD set! Includes the complete Life Love & Faith, Southern Nights and Motion albums – from a creatively fruitful 70s period when Toussaint was mixing a bit of funk into the heavy soul mix, and even some mellow LA soul touches – coming up with a blend of styles without ever betraying his New Orleans roots! New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, Zig Modeliste, Art Neville and George Porter Jr factor in to the Life Love & Faith and Southern Nights sessions, along with LA sessions all stars like Richard Tee, Victor Feldman, Paulinho Da Costa, Larry Carlton and producer Jerry Wexler on the Motion sessions – this this excellent Rhino CD anthology also include 10 previously unreleased live records! Titles include Soul Sister", "Victims Of The Darkness", "Am I Expecting Too Much", "Out Of The City", "Goin Down", "Electricity", "Fingers & Toes", Southern Nights", "Basic Lady", "Last Train", "Worldwide", "You Will Not Lose", "When The Party's Over", Motion", "Night People", "Just A Kiss Away", "Declaration Of Love", "Viva La Money" and more from the studio recordings, plus "Touch Of Love", "Brickyard Blues", "What Is Success", "Shoo-Ra", "Last Train" and more live tracks! CD

A massive treasure from the P-Funk empire – an unreleased George Clinton project during his glory days on Westbound Records! The group features Gary Shider in the lead on vocals – with support from other US Music members, and a fair bit of the current Funkadelic lineup too – musicians who played on the legendary America Eats Its Young sessions, recorded at the same time as this one! The sound is incredibly sinister – even more tripped-out, fuzzy, and psychedelic than most regular Funkadelic work – with lots of dark moments, and basslines that are sure to blast out your speakers – courtesy of Cordell Mosson. Other group members chime in with Shider, too – in the best Clinton-directed style of the time – and the whole thing has a massive ensemble feel that's wonderful, and right up there with the well known Westbound P-Funk recordings of the time. Why this one wasn't released is a real mystery to us – but we're mighty thankful to finally have it out! Titles include "This Broken Heart", "Baby I Owe You Something Good", "Be What You Is", "I Miss My Baby", and "Rat Kiss The Cat On The Naval". LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

A career-spanning collection of work from The Violent Femmes – the group's own evolution, put together by the band itself – and one that mixes key album cuts with b-sides, demos, and even live material too! The set includes all the best cuts from the early albums on Slash, and lots of other goodies too – with titles that include "Country Death Song", "Gordon's Message", "Gimme The Car", "Blister In The Sun", "Gone Daddy Gone", "36 24 36", "Lies (live)", "Degradation", "I Hate The TV", "America Is", "Old Mother Reagan", "Kiss Off (live)", "Johnny (live)", "I Held Her In My Arms", "Jesus Walking On Water", "Out The Window", "Dance MF Dance", "Degradation", "Black Girls", and "Vancouver (live)". LP, Vinyl record album

Adam Wade is fantastic here – a singer with a sound that could easily rival Nat King Cole or Johnny Mathis, but who also gets a slightly deeper current of soul! Arrangements are full and rich – often with a bit of vocals behind Wade's lead – but the sophisticated charts never get in the way of the more personal touches, which really help the tunes sparkle with a nice sort of imagination, and occasional touches of jazz. Titles include "Gloria's Theme", "We Kiss In A Shadow", "My Reverie", "I Have Dreamed", "For You", and "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry". LP, Vinyl record album

The title is maybe a bit un-prophetic – given that a few years later, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton would hardly be together – but the record's a great one from that wonderful stretch when the pair could really make magic singing together on record! The tunes are all original numbers – some by Dolly, some by Porter – new material that makes the album every bit as strong as solo efforts by either singer, and which show that these RCA duo sessions weren't just filler material in the catalog! Titles include "Love's All Over", "Take Away", "Lost Forever In Your Kiss", "Looking Down", "Poor Folks Town", "Ten Four Over & Out", and "You & Me Her & Him". LP, Vinyl record album

A really compelling album from trumpeter Jack Walrath – just the sort of effort that gets us to take a lot closer work at his other work as a leader! The album's got a very ambitious sort of feel – a core combo backed by larger strings – all in a range of unusual rhythms and exotic styles, way more than we might usually expect for a Muse Records session of this vintage! The core group features Walrath on trumpet, Carter Jefferson on tenor and soprano sax, Michael Cochrane on piano, Anthony Cox on bass, and Ronnie Burrage on drums – augmented by a fuller batch of strings conducted by Don Sickler, with a very dark feel that's almost a more sinister approach to Claus Ogerman's territory with other jazz players. Tracks are all long and complicated – and titles include "Faith", "Jump Monk", "The Serpents Kiss", "Gagaku", "Adagio For Strings & Organ", and "Blues In The Guts". 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". CD features 8 more bonus tracks too – including mono single takes on "65 Bars", "Do Your Thing", and "A Dance A Kiss & A Song" – and the previously unreleased tracks "Poverty Stricken Chicken", "Happy Feet", and "You've Lost That Lovin Feelin" – plus "Bottomless" and the long version of "Do Your Thing". CD

Includes the songs "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning", "Time On My Hands", "Early Autumn", "Prisoner Of Love", "When I Fall In Love", "Willow Weep For Me", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Chelsea Bridge", "My Funny Valentine", "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me", and more. CD

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes Faith No More, Megadeth, Kiss, Steve Vai, and more. Cassette

A stunningly soulful Holiday set – one that goes way past the overplayed Christmas soul tunes of the 70s and 80s, and which has a lot fresher feel than a Christmas Slow Jams set as well! Most of the numbers here are contemporary, and are a mix of Neo Soul artists from the underground, and a few favorite voices from years past – all represented in a batch of tracks that are mighty darn great, and will help your December listening get way past "This Christmas" and Motown Holiday records! Titles include "Give Me A Star" by Bebe & Cece Winans, "Christmas At My House" by Rahsaan Patterson, "Thank You" by Ledisi, "Christmas Day" by Frank McComb, "It's Not Really Christmas" by Trina Broussard, "A Love Letter Christmas" by R Kelly, "Christmas Time Is Here" by Jeffrey Osborne, "Cold Winter In The Ghetto" by Lonnie Hill, "December 25th" by Rosie Gaines, "Christmas Love & You" by Will Downing, "A Kiss For Christmas" by Luther Vandross, and "Christmas Of Emotions" by Eddie Sea with Shauntia Toussaint. CD

A set of really wonderful tracks from the best years of Creation Records – including "Murders The Hope Of Women" by Momus, "Shine On" by House Of Love, "In A Mourning Town" by Biff Bang Pow, "Cut Me Deep" by The Jasmine Minks, and "Kiss At Dawn" by Nikki Sudden & The Jacobites. LP, Vinyl record album

Fab Philadelphia soul on 4 CDs – a massive package of work that really serves up the best from the legendary empire of Gamble & Huff, plus a host of other great Philly numbers too! The package is a great look at the full spectrum of sound in Philly during the 70s – not just the key tracks on the Philadelphia International label, but also cuts that Gamble & Huff had produced for other artists at the end of the 60s, key Sigma Sound sessions for other labels, and some of the classic club tracks that crossed over big and inspired countless imitations! The set is immense – 4CDs, 71 songs, and a 64 page booklet of rare photos and new essays – all priced nicely enough to appeal to both Philly newcomers and longtime collectors. Plus, since Sony BMG's handling Philly International now, there's a good range of titles from a variety of labels – and titles include "Love Is Here" by The Futures, "Slow Motion (part 1)" by Johnny Williams, "Sunshine" by The O'Jays, "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You" by Wilson Pickett, "Expressway To Your Heart" by Soul Survivors, "I'm Stone In Love With You" by The Stylistics, "Be Thankful For What You Got (part 1)" by William DeVaughan, "Dirty Ol Man" by Three Degrees, "It's Forever" by The Ebonys, "Enjoy Yourself" by The Jacksons, "Free Love" by Jean Carn, "Kiss & Say Goodbye" by The Manhattans, "Let's Groove" by Archie Bell, "Billy's Back Home" by Billy Paul, "Picture Us" by Bunny Sigler, "Then Came You" by The Spinners, "Close The Door" by Teddy Pendergrass, "It's Gonna Take A Miracle" by Deniece Williams, and "See You When I Get There" by Lou Rawls. CD

A wonderfully groovy set – every bit as great as you might guess from the title and the cover – and the very first installment in the now-legendary Mood Mosaic series! The set's one of the few to bring together tunes from the groovier side of the spectrum at the end of the 60s – work from British, French, American, and German sources – all awash in a great blend of funky, easy, and pop-oriented modes! There's a nicely trippy feel throughout – and titles include "Hascisch Party" by George Garvarenz, "Kiss This" by Claude Denjean, "Acka Raga" by Shocking Blue, "Mas Que Nada" by Luiz Enriquez, "En Melody" by Serge Gainsbourg, "Love For Sale" by Marian McPartland, "Batucada" by Phil Crewe, "Marins Armins Amant Ou Maris" by Michel Legrand, and "Sitar Beat" by Klaus Doldinger. CD

A 70s soul treasure chest! This excellent CD sorts through some incredible lost sides on the Atlantic catalog of the 70s – and it features an amazing selection of work by artists who only ever cut singles or one-off LPs for the label and its subsidiaries. The overall groove is sweet, mellow, and very soulful – and titles include "Just My Way Of Loving You" by Garland Green, "Let Me Show You" by Larry Wu, "I'm So Happy" by Prince Phillip Mitchell, "Come On, Let Me Love You" by Moses Smith, "Save Your Love For Me" by Vivian Reed, "Kiss My Love Goodbye" by Bettye Swann, "The Rising Cost Of Love" by Darrow Fletcher, "Baby Don't Hold Your Love Back" by Bridge, "You're Too Hot To Hold" by Barbara Lynn, "You Got The Best Of Me" by Ronn Matlock, "Love Bandit" by Patti & The Lovelites, and "Got To Get You Back" by Sons Of Robin Stone. 24 cuts in all – with loads of rare stuff! CD

One of the smaller labels to get featured on this excellent series of rockabilly gems – and a collection that also shows that the music could quickly take off in points that were far from Tennessee and other southern scenes! All the cuts here are from the catalog of the tiny Crest Records label in LA – and they've all got the kind of hard-edged, raw-ripping quality that we love on other volumes in this legendary series – one that's been a constantly rewarding one over the years, and a great antidote to all the dodgy, poorly-done CDs that usually focus on music like this! There's a few names here who broke big later on other labels, and the set also maybe has a bit of Bakersfield influence – but of the pre-country, hillbilly boogie variety – on a set of 32 titles that include "IOU" by Jack Lewis, "Let's Coast Awhile" by Bo Davis, "Stack A Records" by Tom Tall & His Tom Kats, "Do I" by Bill Great Dane, "What I Like Most Of All" by Don Thomson & The Desert Stars, "Can You Bop" by Tom Wilson, "Spotlight" by Frank & Ernie, "The Grave" by Tony Casanova, "Ummm Kiss Me Goodnight" by Buddy Love, "Night Shift" by Norm Skyler, and 'You Bet Your Little Life" by Marty Cooper. CD

A great look at the bright world of female soul in Japan during the 80s – a time when the nation was hitting some of its greatest heights of the postwar years – and was coming up with a magical musical groove to follow! While disco reigned in American clubs in the late 70s, the style really took off in Tokyo during the following decade – maybe mixed a bit with European and 80s club styles, but still unabashedly as upbeat and bubbling as American work of previous years – all to showcase a range of female singers whose style really matches the groove! The music takes off a bit from that shift into soul by Japanese jazz singers in the 70s – but is much farther than that mode overall, especially once the beats and keyboards get going. The package does a great job of being faithful to this legacy – and includes notes on each song and artist, along with album covers too. Titles include "Wanna Kiss" by Hitomi Tohyama, "Dancin" by Junko Ohashi, "Dress Down" by Kaoru Akimoto, "I'm In Love" by Aru Takamura, "Broken Eyes" by Mariko Tone, "TNT" by Rie Murakami, "Love Is A Work Of Mind" by Ra Mu, "Mystical Composer" by Kikuchi Momoko, and "Sky Restaurant" by Yumi Seino. CD

Who better to spend Halloween with than Lux and Ivy of The Cramps – a pair who almost act like it's the last day of October all year long! Lux and Ivy are well-known as collectors of strange and offbeat 45s from the late 50s and early 60s – and that period also coincides with a great run of horror rock, monster novelties, and other spook-oriented singles – the sorts that are almost like the audio equivalent of catching a schlocky film on the late late show, or sitting at the drive-in watching some low-budget monster movie! The package features a whopping 50 tracks in all – tunes that are maybe more funny and groovy than downright scary – but that's OK with us, because the whole thing's great. Titles include "He's A Vampire" by Archie King, "She's My Witch" by Kip Tyler, "Cannibal Stew" by Jerry & Mel, "Graveyard" by Leroy Bowman & The Arrows, "Beware" by Bill Buchanan, "Voodoo Kiss" by Don Sargent & The Buddies, "Rock N Bones" by Elro Dietzel & The Rhythm Bandits, "The Cave (part 1)" by Gary Spider Webb, "Strollin Spooks" by Ken Nordine, "The Rockin Ghost" by Archie Bleyer, "The Mummy's Bracelet" by Lee Ross, "Swamp Girl" by Kay Martin, "The Spook" by The Tomkos, "Mr Ghost Goes To Town" by The Five Jones Boys, and "The Fang" by Nervous Norvus. CD

An interesting album for Gene Ammons – one that was issued in the late 60s with a very sexy-looking cover, but which actually features recordings of much earlier vintage! The sides on the set were recorded in 1950, and they've got a sound that's moody, echoey, and which shows the soulfulness that Ammons had at this early period – a rich contribution to the tenor sound at the time – caught by a young Chess Records with plenty of dark overtones that makes the material differ somewhat from Gene's dates of the time for Prestige. Titles include "Once In A While", "It's The Talk Of The Town", "My Foolish Heart", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Can Anyone Explain", and "It's You Or No One". LP, Vinyl record album

If this is the army, sign us up – because these guys make the Kiss Army look like a bunch of wussies! Ginger Baker's at it again in post-Cream years – rocking harder than on some of his own funky albums, but also keeping a jazzy edge that makes for some pretty nice tracks on the set. One of the best of these is the moodily grooving "Inside Of Me", which steps along with a slinky style that we really dig. Other tracks have a more full on feel, and vocals, of course, but there's still some nice mellow moments in the set. Titles include "Mad Jack", "4 Phil", "Since Beginning", and "Memory Lane". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record from the glory days of the acid folk scene in the UK – a set served up by Clive Palmer, who you might know from work in Incredible String Band and Wizz Jones – sounding even more enigmatic here at the helm of a trio who were produced by the legendary Ralph McTell! The style is light years from the more traditional sounds of some of Ralph's music – very moody and dark, with instrumentation that comes from guitar, recorder, and a variety of other instruments – including the unusual dulcitar, which was invented by trio member John Bidwell! Lead vocals are from Clive and Mick Bennett – alternating on different tracks, and harmonizing with a very eerie vibe, one that's further expanded by the unusual production modes too. A few tracks add in other elements, but just lightly – really keeping the solitary, spooky vibe of the record intact. Titles include "Evening Air", "Serpent's Kiss", "Wade In The Water", "Soft Touches Of Love", "Music Of The Ages", Spirit Of Love", and "Sweet Slavery". CD

One of the weirdest moments we've ever heard from early rocker Eddie Cochran – but one of the coolest too! The record has less of the raw rock material that you might know from Eddie's greater fame – and it mixes his core rockabilly modes with some fuller pop backings from Johnny Mann, who even brings in his chorus for backup vocals on a number of tracks – creating this unusual interplay with Cochran's vocals that you don't hear on some of his other records! Yet there's also still all the elements we love from Eddie's music, too – that undeniable sneer and undercurrent of sinister energy, which makes for a really great contrast with the production, almost ironic at times. Titles include "One Kiss", "Cradle Baby", "Undying Love", "Mean When I'm Mad", "Completely Sweet", "Sittin In The Balcony", and "Stockings & Shoes". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "East St. Louis Toodle-O", "In A Sentimental Mood", "Stompy Jones", "Prelude To A Kiss", "C Jam Blues", "Sentimental Lady", "Take The "A" Train", "Satin Doll", "In A Mellow Tone", "Solitude", "Mood Indigo", and "Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue". CD

Maceo Pinkard wrote plenty of classic tunes in the pre-War years – and here, they're performed by drummer Sticks Evans & The Broadway Recording Orchestra and featuring such vocalists as Delores Andrews (who we learn on the back cover "likes big men and tiny dogs"), Daisy Banks, Vic Carlo, and The Edgar Battle Singers! Titles include plenty of classics – including "Sugar", "Them There Eyes", "Gimme A Little Kiss Will Ya Huh", "Why Do You Torture Me?", "Mammy O Mine", and "Let's Have A Show Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from the great Bobby Fuller – not the early Texas tapes that have recently been the stuff of much interest on the market – but instead the well-crafted singles he cut in Los Angeles – working at the Mustang label with pop maestro Bob Keane! These tunes are still plenty raw, and the fierce, raspy tone of Fuller's guitar is very much upfront in the mix – hugely powerful, even when there's no other element stepping forth in the lead – and still pretty important, even when the group starts adding some vocals! The package presents all the Mustang singles in rare mono mixes for the first time together in one place – and a number of the tracks here are actually different recordings than the better-known stereo tracks, supported with the kind of great notes and high sound quality we always love from the Now Sounds label – and the set includes a few related tracks by Jay Horton and the Randy Fuller Four. Titles include "These Memories Of You", "Our Favorite Martian", "Wolfman", "Let Her Dance", "Thunder Reef", "I Fought The Law", "Love's Made A Fool Of You", "My True Love", "I Trip On You Girl", "Little Annie Lou", "You Kiss Me", "Never To Be Forgotten", "The Things You Do", and "Don't Ever Let Me Know". CD

Tremendous work from the great Bobby Fuller – not the early Texas tapes that have recently been the stuff of much interest on the market – but instead the well-crafted singles he cut in Los Angeles – working at the Mustang label with pop maestro Bob Keane! These tunes are still plenty raw, and the fierce, raspy tone of Fuller's guitar is very much upfront in the mix – hugely powerful, even when there's no other element stepping forth in the lead – and still pretty important, even when the group starts adding some vocals! The package presents all the Mustang singles in rare mono mixes for the first time together in one place – and a number of the tracks here are actually different recordings than the better-known stereo tracks, supported with the kind of great notes and high sound quality we always love from the Now Sounds label – and the set includes a few related tracks by Jay Horton and the Randy Fuller Four. Titles include "These Memories Of You", "Our Favorite Martian", "Wolfman", "Let Her Dance", "Thunder Reef", "I Fought The Law", "Love's Made A Fool Of You", "My True Love", "I Trip On You Girl", "Little Annie Lou", "You Kiss Me", "Never To Be Forgotten", "The Things You Do", and "Don't Ever Let Me Know". CD

A beautiful album of dark-hued vocals – sung by Johnny Hartman with a quality that's as smokey as the image of him with a cigarette on the cover! The album set a whole new standard for male vocal jazz in the 60s – and is a distillation and refinement of earlier ideas in music by Billy Eckstine, taken down to more personal and fluid levels by Hartman – and recorded here with great small group baking that includes Illinois Jacquet on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The vibe is very mellow, but never sloppy or sleepy – and titles include "Charade", "In The Wee Small Hours", "Stairway To the Stars", "Kiss & Run", "Our Time", "Don't You Know I Care", "If I'm Lucky", and "Don't Call It Love". CD

Titles include "Foolin' Myself", "My Day", "A Sailboat In The Moonlight", "Jeep's Blues", "Love In Swingtime", "Prelude To A Kiss", "The Jeep Is Jumpin", and "Pyramid" – 21 tracks total. CD

Sweet Japanese fusion from saxophonist Toshiyuki Honda – grooving with a tight, smooth, and soulful feel that matches the best of the genre from the time – a style that really makes the record a classic from this golden era of Japanese fusion! The album's got large R&B-inspired funky jazz arrangements from Chikara Ueda, and features some nice keyboard work by Larry Williams – plus a soulful vocal from Pauline Wilson on the album's take on "Havana Candy". Other tracks are instrumental, and titles include "747 Wind Flight", "Sao Paulo", "Burning Waves", "All Night Rendezvous", "Thunder Kiss", and "Just A Dream Away". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great lost psych albums of the late 60s – a record recorded at a moment when once-staid labels like RCA were willing to try something new – but not really able to do anything with the music they helped to create! That's definitely the case here, as this album from The Id is one that you're almost more likely to see with a cutout hole than listed on any radio playlists or charts at the time – a real shame, as these guys have a freak-flying quality that's nicely unbridled, and mixed with a few more up-close tuneful moments that really create a record with a great sense of depth. There's plenty of cuts here that resonate with some of the best of the Bay Area scene – including the work of labelmates Jefferson Airplane – and titles include "Boil The Kettle Mother", "Butterfly Kiss", "Wild Times", "The Rake", "Stone & Steel", "Just Who", and "Baby Eyes". Great package – features all new remastering, and a full album of never-heard instrumental tracks! CD

The first breakaway effort from the trio of Ernie Isley, Chris Jasper, and Marvin Isley – a set that's got an even leaner groove than some of the Isley Brothers material from years before! The group really hit their stride right away – stepping out in a sweet array of funky rhythms that have some definite 80s touches on the beats, yet which still share all the best Isleys elements overall! Guitar parts are especially sharp – that carved in soul sound that showed up in most Isleys projects from the early 70s onwards – and the vocals have a great sense of warmth and soul, especially on the mellower tunes in the set, which turn down some of the more hook-heavy rhythms heard on other tracks. Titles include "Serve You Right", "Sex Drive", "Love Is Gonna Last Forever", "Kiss & Tell", "I Can't Get Over Losin You", "Look The Other Way", "Break This Chain", and "Broadway's Closer Than Sunset Blvd". LP, Vinyl record album

Harry James a long way from the swing years – and sounding pretty darn great overall! First up is the album Today – a hip 1960 swinger that features the trumpet of Harry James in front of some tight arrangements from Ernie Wilkins and Bob Florence, both talents who know how to update an older band sound strongly – with a leaner, cleaner groove than James ever got in the old days! Harry's solos are strong and bright, and he also gets some help from players who include Willie Smith on alto sax, Jack Perciful on piano, and Ray Sims on trombone. Titles include "Undecided", "End Of Town Blues", "King Porter Stomp", "Ensemble", "Jersey Bounce", and "Lester Leaps In". On Harry James Plays Neal Hefti, Hefti does a great job of updating Harry's older swing style – and the backings here have a solid 60s bounce that's a lot groovier than you ever might have expected from a James record a few decades back! There's a great sense of dynamism in the rhythms here – clearly the same groove that Hefti brought to Basie, but tilted slightly different here – with enough room for James to take the lead on his solos. Titles include "The Creeper", "Mister Johnson", "Tweet Tweet", "Koo Koo", "Rainbow Kiss", and "Hot Pink".. CD

Most of the tracks on this 2 LP set are not from Jones' solo records but rather songs under the direction of others, mainly John Coltrane but also Frank Foster and Sonny Rollins. Some of the Coltrane titles are the drum solo from "Pursuance", "Impressions", "Your Lady", and "Vigil". Other titles are Foster's "Shiny Stockings" and "We Kiss In A Shadow" with Rollins. There are of course several other all star players who turn up on these songs such as McCoy Tyner, Richard Davis, Jimmy Garrison and Rashied Ali. LP, Vinyl record album

Two slices of vintage funk, both very different – one by DNA, one by Parliament – performed in very different versions here, by a group that features Ken Vandermark on saxes and guest work from Joe McPhee on tenor! Vandermark's Marker combo is one that's more than deft enough to swing the balance between no wave and P-Funk – with twin guitars from Andrew Clinkman and Steve Marquette – plus keyboards from Macie Stewart and drums from Phil Sudderberg – topped with work from the leader himself on tenor and baritone. The presence of McPhee – a jazzman who himself also has a bit of a history in funk – only furthers the intensity of the performance – as the group deliver these short, tight takes on the cuts "Egomaniac's Kiss" (by DNA from the No New York compilation) and the George Clinton classic "Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples". 12-inch, Vinyl record

A key second chapter in the long and wonderful career of Joni Mitchell – a set that brings together the four albums she recorded for the Asylum label in the mid 70s – a post-Blue period that really had Joni opening up and exploring a lot in her music – including a jazzier side of the spectrum that never showed up as strongly before! First up is For The Roses – a sometimes-overlooked album in the career of Joni Mitchell – but a set that's every bit as great as the two huge hits that bracket it! Joni's really finding a great way forward, sounding more mature, and bringing some jazzier currents into her music – thanks in part to help from reedman Tom Scott and bassist Wilton Felder of The Crusaders – and a style of songwriting that's sometimes more fluid than before, and often a lot more biting too! Titles include "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "For The Roses", "Barbangrill", "Cold Blue Steel & Sweet Fire", "Let The Wind Carry Me", "Lesson In Survival", and "Judgement Of The Moon & Stars". Court & Spark is a key record in the second chapter of Joni Mitchell on record – a set that has both her vocals and her overall music style flowing with all these amazing touches you might not have heard a few years before – jazzier currents in her music that really set the album apart from earlier work in Joni's career! Mitchell responds to the music with soaring vocals that are completely wonderful, and nicely changed up in character from tune to tune – given backing by a host of great jazz and studio players who include Tom Scott on reeds and Joe Sample on keyboards! Titles include her classic version of "Twisted" – a redone version of the old Annie Ross track – plus the classic hit "Help Me", and "Just Like This Train", "Car On A Hill", "Court & Spark", "Down To You", "Free Man In Paris", and "People's Parties". Miles Of Aisles is the first-ever live album from Joni Mitchell – and a record that sounds a fair bit different than a concert set might have during the Reprise years – as Joni's got plenty of help from Tom Scott & The LA Express, who bring a tight yet intimate vibe to the proceedings! Joni's definitely a superstar at this point – as you might guess from the size of the amphitheater on the cover – but she's also got an even stronger ability to come across with a personal, pointed style – one that's very different than the overblown hype of so many other 70s live albums. The set includes a few tracks not yet on albums, and a nice mix of material – including the live version of "Big Yellow Taxi" that ended up as a hit single – and the cuts"You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "Blue", "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "Both Sides Now", "Real Good For Free", "Jericho", "Circle Game", "Cactus Tree", "The Last Time I Saw Richard", "People's Parties", and "Woodstock". Hissing Of Summer Lawns is a further step forward in the career of Joni Mitchell – a record that not only continues the jazzier currents she explored in the 70s, but also brings in a whole bunch of different modes as well – so much so, it's almost as if Joni's daring anyone to still call her a folk singer with the album! The themes are wonderfully sophisticated, as is the songwriting – the king of material that would keep Mitchell strong for decades, while so many of her contemporaries faltered – as you'll hear on the tracks "In France They Kiss On Main Street", "Sweet Bird", "Shadows & Light", "The Boho Dance", "Don't Interrupt The Sorrow", "The Jungle Line", and "Edith & The Kingpin". CD

An album that really takes the "beat" in its title seriously – as the set's got plenty of heavy drums, right from the start – and at a level that's very different than the usual Italian sound library set of the time! The vibe is more rock than jazz or easy – and the heavy drums are topped by guitar turned up with plenty of fuzz – almost a psych take on the "shake" or "jerk" modes of the European instrumental scene of the late 60s – but with some funky currents in the rhythms that would be right at home in Memphis soul too! Titles include "Love For Phone", "Lamento Beat", "Mangusta", "Avocadro", "Cortante", "Giantollo", "Kiss For Flavia", and "Povero Capellone". LP, Vinyl record album

A searing standout from Mountain – a studio album, but one that also really captures some of the freewheeling energy that made the group such a great live act at the time – especially given that the studio sessions here are mixed with a bit of improvisation from a live concert too! The double-headed team of Leslie West and Felix Pappalardi are very firmly in charge – the latter with loads of heavy bass, the former with that fuzzy guitar that mixes so well with the heavy drums of the group and titles include "Flowers Of Evil", "King's Chorale", "One Last Cold Kiss", "Crossroader", and "Pride & Passion" – plus a long improvisation that blends together "Dream Sequence Guitar Solo/Roll Over Beethoven/Dreams Of Milk & Honey/Variations/Swan Theme" – and a live take on their classic "Mississippi Queen". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Charlap on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass, and Bill Stewart on drums – performing an all-Ellington program that includes "Jump For Joy", "In A Sentimental Mood", "C Jam Blues", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "Love You Madly". CD

A great introduction to the music of a criminally neglected figure in British Pop music – the wonderful Louis Philippe, an artist whose sound was always a bridge between the sunshine pop of the 60s and the smart singer/songwriter sounds of the later British scene! The High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan put the package together – and if you know Sean's music, you'll find plenty here to love – as both he and Philippe have an ear trained on Brian Wilson and Burt Bacharach, but refitted for more contemporary modes for the 21st Century – and in Louis' case, there's also a heady contribution from French pop, which means that the cuts here have lyrics in both French and English. The set focuses mostly on material issued after Philippe's early records for El/Cherry Red – and titles include "Sweet Dollar Bill", "Boxing Clever", "Delta Kiss", "Wild-Eyed & Disheveled", "Lights Were Dancing On The Ceiling", "L'Hiver Te Va Bien", "I Can't Own Her", "An Ordinary Girl", "I Picked A Flower In Ispahan", and a great remake of "Wichi Tai To". LP, Vinyl record album

The masterpiece by one of the greatest genuine rock bands of all time – finally remastered! Let It Be veers all over the place, or at least as much as jangly rock music can, in the best way possible. Includes the pseudo twangy opener "I Will Dare", with the distinctly midwestern hardcore of the group's earlier years showing up on "We're Coming Out" and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", and Westerberg's great heart-on-sleeve, ragged balladry appearing for the closers. Like the Meat Puppets and X, the 'Mats really found themselves after they shed the rigid rules of punk rock, and developed into something every bit as genuine. They followed the rock songbook just enough to keep their work warm and familiar, but with way too huge and hard-pounding heart to ever seem even the least bit derivative. Hell, they even make Kiss's "Black Diamond" sound sincere! Other tracks include "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Seen Your Video", "Gary's Got A Boner", "Sixteen Blue" and "Answering Machine". CD

A record that will blow your mind – way different than you might expect from the cover! Sure, Pee Wee was a bit of a traditionalist on his instrument – the clarinet – but he's working here in a starkly modern way that almost recalls some of the best 50s work of Jimmy Guiffre, or some of the earlier sides by Steve Lacy. There's still a swing-based approach to the tunes, but they're handled in a spare style that features equal interplay between Russell, trombonist Marshall Brown, bassist Russell George, and drummer Ronnie Bedford – a great player who really makes the album sparkle! The tracks include a couple of Thelonious Monk titles – "Ask Me Now!" and "Hackensack" as well as a couple of Marshall Brown originals – "Licorice Stick" and "Calypso Walk". Other titles are Ornette Coleman's "Turnaround", Coltrane's "Some Other Blues" and Ellington's "Prelude To A Kiss". CD

Easily one of the best of the Bond-alike albums of "spy" grooves from the 60s – handled by Brit easy maestro Roland Shaw, with a sound that's in keeping with the best soundtrack work of the time! Shaw's got a jazzy mode here that really opens up some of these tunes – letting the horns and piano come into play a bit more on a few numbers, and differing the songs a lot from their more famous versions used in the films. The package has a great kitschy cover, plus a cool montage of film scenes on the back – and titles include "The Saint", "The Ipcress File", "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold", "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", "Man From Uncle", "Our Man Flint", and "I Spy". LP, Vinyl record album

Steam may never have hit the big time – maybe because of their dripping look on the cover – but they will forever be remembered for their classic hit on this album, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye". All cuts arranged by Paul Leka – and other titles include "I've Gotta Make You Love Me", "New Breed Now Generation", "One Good Woman", "Love & Affection", and "Come On Home Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great return to form from Angie Stone – a singer that we maybe have taken for granted a bit over the years, but who can still really knock it out of the park with a record like this! The set's a great example of mainstream R&B at its best – tunes that are heartfelt and captivating, and wonderfully well put-together – music that's a key part of the rich legacy served up on Angie's other records, but which has a freshness that makes it more than worth the wait since her last album too! Musiq Soulchild makes a great guest appearance on "The Gym" – and other cuts include "Kiss You", "Love Is Real", "Good Man", "All I Need", "High", "Love The Feeling", and "Old Thang Back". CD

A still-searing moment of genius from Johnny Thunders – a record that captures the New York giant at a time when he still retained all the best intensity he brought to his work in the New York Dolls and Heartbreakers – yet at a level where he's also almost ready to burst out as a bigger solo act on his own! As has been well-documented elsewhere, Thunders habits always managed to get in the way of his path to success – but here, he's definitely moving forward with a nice sense of focus – heading up the set himself, but opening the door to a whole host of well-chosen guests – including Phil Lynott, Chrissie Hynde, Steve Jones, and Paul Cook. The set begins with a surprising take on "Pipeline" – then rolls into tracks that include "Great Big Kiss", "Ask Me No Questions", "Subway Train", "Downtown", "London Boys", and "Daddy Rollin Stone". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late date from Ben Webster – one that has the tenorist working with a Dutch rhythm section that features Cees Slinger on piano, Jacques Schols on bass, and John Engels on drums – stretching out nicely on long tracks that include "Prelude To A Kiss", "Drop Me Off At Harlem", and "One For The Guvnor". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late recording from Ben Webster – working here in Paris with some wonderful help from the trio of pianist George Arvanitas! George's rhythm duo is wonderful – the bold bass of Jacky Samson and hip drums of Charles Saudrais – both players who bring a really fresh feel to the record, and help Webster find a hip setting in these later years of his life – a sprightly groove that's great for his aging, raspy tone on tenor sax. Arvanitas' piano is nicely restrained, leaving Ben to be the key solo star of the album – and titles include "Hal Blues", "Johnny Come Lately", "I Want A Little Girl", "Ash's Cap", "Autumn Leaves", and "Prelude To A Kiss". CD features 3 bonus alternate takes too. CD

One of their best ones, and a tight set of Ellington tracks that works perfectly with their multi-horn style. Oliver Lake, Julius Hemphill, Bamiet Bluiett, and David Murray split up the arrangements, and the tracks include "Lush Life", "Come Sunday", "Prelude To A Kiss", and 2 different versions of "Take The A Train". CD

A weird and wonderful collection from Warner Brothers – with tracks that include "War Song" by Neil Young with Graham Nash, "Strutter" by Kiss, "Vegetables" by The Beach Boys, "The 68 Nixon" by Denver Boise & Johnson, "Sweet Revenge" by Ted Nugent, "Cosmic Debris" by Frank Zappa, "A 200" by Deep Purple, "Atlantic Liner" by Chunky Novi & Ernie, "We've Been Waiting" by Graham Central Station, and "Dr Horowitz" by Terry Melcher. 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. LP, Vinyl record album

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