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Breezy, off kilter melodies, acoustic and electronic folk psychedelia from The Long Lost! This album is really one of the sweeter surprises from Ninja Tune in a while -- and definitely a left turn for the label as well as Alfred Darlington, elsewhere known as Daedelus. The Long Lost is the duo of Alfred Darlington and his wife Laura -- and she does most of the singing in a fragile, kind of hushed style that's the lilting counterpart to some breezy beatcraft, acoustic guitar, plinking keys and other atmospherics in the sound. There's always and almost eerie melody going on in the tunes, but those melodies are very effective, and stir the emotions a little bit, with some bossa influences here and there. Titles include "The Art Of Kissing", "Amiss", "Overmuch", "Past Perfect", "Ballroom Dance Club", "Siren Song", "Colour", "Regrets Only", "Cat Fancy", Woebegone", "Finders Keepers", "Domestics", "Awash" and more.

Lost underground folk from Peter Walker -- recorded in 1970, and a wonderful mix of freewheeling, imaginative folk guitar improvisation and other instrumentation, with off kilter sounds on the outer fringes. Walker also does an impressive job of bringing in some hypnotic elements of Eastern folk sounds, some tabla, flute, sax, and other bits that give it a global reach and touch of psychedelia. It was recorded at Levon Helm's legendary home studio in Woodstock, and this is a truly exciting record for Tompkins Square to bring to view! Titles include "Meditation Blues", "Camel Ride", "City Pulse", "Missing You", "102nd Psalm" and "Mellow Time".

A long-lost session from Chicago tenorist Fred Anderson -- recorded in the early 90s, but only just released! The album's a treasure from a time when Anderson wasn't as well-documented as he's been in recent years -- and it's got a beautifully open sort of sound -- just a spare trio, with the great Malachi Favors on bass and Arajamu on drums. Anderson's tone is wonderful -- deeply soulful, and almost more focused than on some other records -- burning with a low flame intensity that reminds us of similar late 60s moments from Albert Ayler or Kalaparusha -- points when they're more inside than usual, but in a great way. Favors' bass work is a treat, as always -- and gets plenty of space to shine here -- and in a way, it may well be the understated drums of Arajamu that make the whole session click so nicely. Titles include "Ode To Clifford Jordan", "Wandering", "Our Theme", "Saxoon", "Three On Two", "Bernice", "The Strut Time", and "Malachi's Tune".

A lost chapter in the career of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- an obscure early 70s album, issued by the mostly-blues Paula Records label in Louisiana, and one of the hardest to find albums in their catalog! The album features 3 long tracks -- "Chi-Congo", "Enlorfe", and "Hippparippp" -- played in an open and inventive style that recalls the best of the group's work in Paris at the end of the 60s. The core group of Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors, Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, and Don Moye manage to get their hands on more instruments than you'd hear from the entire percussion section of an orchestra -- and with amazing results!

The long unseen film Les Stances A Sophie -- the reason for the Art Ensemble Of Chicago's avant garde classic soundtrack that's one of our favorite albums of all time -- and a worthwhile film that's been lost for nearly 40 years! Les Stances A Sophie is kind of a post French New Wave era film with a feminist perspective, and directed by Moshe Mizrahi -- a hip reflection of late 60s Parisian gender politics, fashion, art and culture -- centered around the character of Celine, played by Bernadette Lafont, and her relationship with the more bourgeois Phillippe, played by Michel Duchaussoy. The movie itself is energetic, well photographed in vibrant color, and features wall-to-wall music by the great Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- who appear in the film performing at a nightclub, and whose music is indeed nearly as much a character as any of the actors on screen! The feature is 91 minutes, with optional English subtitles, and includes an informative booklet featuring an interview with the director, a nearly half hour long interview with the Art Ensemble's Joseph Jarman, and the Art Ensemble's performance scene from the film as a separate feature.

A killer full length debut from Baby Charles -- one of the most soulful deep funk combos we've heard in a long time! The group have been bubbling under for a few years with a handful of singles, but this set really shows the full range of their powers -- and comes off like some lost indie soul set from years back! Dionne Charles is a heck of a great lead singer -- belting out the tunes here with enough raw power to match any of the other current deep funk divas on the scene -- and the rest of the group is plenty tight with their rhythms -- knowing just when to come on hard, and when to kick back a bit. Titles include "Treading Water", "Invisible", "Comin From A High Place", "Step On", "Hardman To Please", "Back Of My Hand", "This Time", and "The Sphinx".

A lost classic of the spiritual soulful Detroit/Tribe jazz scene! Initially issued on the Gem Eye label in 1974, in a pressing of only 1000, the record's done nothing but increase in legend since -- and for good reason too! The groove picks up in the same domain as the better Art Ensemble Of Chicago records of the late 60s and early 70s -- with the rubbery funk electric bass lines and celestial groove of the funkier moments, but deeper sounds of more spiritual points too. Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave plays in a beautiful ensemble, packed with Tribe labelmates -- Wendell Harrison on tenor sax & percussion, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Harold McKinney on electric piano. Roy Brooks and Billy Turner are on drums and percussion, and the expansive vibe is fleshed out with the help of Lorenzo Brown on bongos and Daryl Dybka on mini Moog. The record includes Belgrave's beautiful epic "Space Odyssey", which has a long flowing cosmic groove, nice electronics, and haunting trumpet solos. Other cuts include "Gemini II", "Marcia's Opal", "Glue Fingers (Parts I & II)", and "Odoms Cave". A focused, but still wonderfully loose set of spacey 70s soul jazz!

A lost classic of the spiritual soulful Detroit/Tribe jazz scene! Initially issued on the Gem Eye label in 1974, in a pressing of only 1000, the record's done nothing but increase in legend since -- and for good reason too! The groove picks up in the same domain as the better Art Ensemble Of Chicago records of the late 60s and early 70s -- with the rubbery funk electric bass lines and celestial groove of the funkier moments, but deeper sounds of more spiritual points too. Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave plays in a beautiful ensemble, packed with Tribe labelmates -- Wendell Harrison on tenor sax & percussion, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Harold McKinney on electric piano. Roy Brooks and Billy Turner are on drums and percussion, and the expansive vibe is fleshed out with the help of Lorenzo Brown on bongos and Daryl Dybka on mini Moog. The record includes Belgrave's beautiful epic "Space Odyssey", which has a long flowing cosmic groove, nice electronics, and haunting trumpet solos. Other cuts include "Gemini II", "Marcia's Opal", "Glue Fingers (Parts I & II)", and "Odoms Cave". A focused, but still wonderfully loose set of spacey 70s soul jazz!

A massively jamming LP of funky jazz -- recorded in 70s Rio by British bank robber Ronnie Biggs! Ronnie's story -- including his fugitive status in Brazil -- was the inspiration for the tracks on the set -- and although he was the producer of the set and tells a bit of his story, the real stars are the jazzy combo featured throughout -- a frenetic ensemble that includes Guilherme Vaz on piano and keyboards, Nivaldo Ornellas on reeds, and Aureo De Souza on some very funky drums. Tracks are long and very hard-jamming -- almost a mix of Brazilian fusion with some of the harder-edge styles that were coming out of the UK scene at the time. And although the album was recorded as a soundtrack, it very much stands on its own as a lost fusion masterpiece! Titles include "London 63", "Conspiracy", "Robbery", "Mailbag Blues", "Escape", "Matilda's Waltz", and "New Dawn".

One of the coolest Compost sets we've heard in a long time -- a stunning batch of work that really lives up to its title! While there's a bit of jazz here, the overall style is more cinematic than anything else -- with strong echoes of 60s and 70s European soundtrack modes, served up beautifully in a host of horns handled by Wigald Boning -- with additional instrumentation from Roberto Di Gioia and Christian Prommer! There's a warm feel to most of the tunes, and a fresh one too -- sounds that aren't in the usual easy retro modes you might expect, and which show a sort of sensitivity we normally don't expect from Compost -- a depth and charm that really impresses us. Titles include "Lost In London", "Ballade Pour Alexa", "Kobra Dance", "Happy Day", "Mali", "Avalanche", "Modern Talking", "Sotheby's", "Bossa Beirut", and "Statement Break".

Brilliant work from this long-lost Barry White protege! Tom Brock was one of the leading lights in Barry's stable of sweet mid 70s soul talents -- a great writer who contributed songs to the legendary Gloria Scott album, and a heck of a great mellow soul singer on his own -- with a style that's right up there with work by Leon Ware, Leroy Hutson, and some of our favorite 70s soul heroes! This album's the only one that Brock ever recorded -- a great blend of mellow soul tunes, ballads, and a few tracks that have a nicely kicking Barry White-styled funk sound to them. White produced and arranged with Gene Page -- and the whole album's great -- the kind of mellow soul treasure you'll play again and again and again over the years! Includes the massive "I Love You More & More", plus "There's Nothing In This World That Can Stop Me From Loving You", "Shake Me Wake Me", "Naked As The Day I Was Born", "If We Don't Make It, Nobody Can", "Have a Nice Weekend Baby", and "The Love We Share".

Sweet electric funk -- in a very trippy style! Before Donald Byrd hooked up with Larry Mizell and started recording his smooth fusion grooves of the mid 70's, he recorded this gem -- kind of a "lost" album that has Donald working in an open-ended electric sound -- one that's clearly inspired by the experiments of Miles Davis, but which has a generally funkier feel overall! The tracks are very long -- with lots of spiralling keyboard and trumpet solos -- and the hip players on the set include Bobby Hutcherson, David T Walker, Wilton Felder, and Harold Land. We love the tracks on this set -- especially "The Emperor" and "The Little Rasti", which are both over 15 minutes long, and have a haunting spacey sound that's a departure from Donald's usual work!

Fantastic material from one of the few through-and-through modernists in bebop! Teddy Charles always marched to a completely different drummer -- even in these early 10" recordings, 3 of which are compiled on this long-overdue disc! We'd put him in a bop-era experimentalist camp, along with other lost players like Gil Melle, John LaPorta, and Hal McKusick -- and the 16 tracks on this CD are a great way to dip into his rich body of work from the 50s. All the material here has been super-hard to find over the years, and was only originally issued on rare 10" LPs. The general lineup on most tracks is Charles on vibes, plus either guitar or piano, bass, and some occasional drums. Players include Hall Overton, Jimmy Raney, Kenny O'Brien, and Dick Nivison -- and titles include "Edging Out", "This Is New", "Decibels", "Metalizing", "Mobiles", and "Antiphony".

A legendary lost album from Brazilian songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Lula Cortes and Ze Ramalho -- recorded in Brazil in the mid 70s -- blending avant psychedelia, rugged acoustic rhythms, and an enormous free spirit with delicate melodic touches and lilting jazzy elements! As is the case with the work of the best, most adventurous Brazilian artists of the time, it's a difficult sound to describe. It's a very atmospheric blend -- sung and chanted vocals are no more or less important than any of the other elements -- which include classical acoustic and fuzzy electric guitar, piano, organ, flute, sax and a range of percussion. It's free and psychedelic, but just reigned in enough to keep it tense and exciting. Pure greatness -- hopefully bound to achieve some long overdue recognition! Tracks include "Trilha De Sume", "Culto A Terra", "Bailado Das Muscarias", "Nao Existe Molhado Igua; Ao Pranto", "Raga Dos Raios", "Nas Paredes Da Pedra Encantada", "Regato Da Montanha", Trilha De Sume" and more! New reissue version has way better sound than before -- and reproduces all the cool graphics of the original cover.

One of the true soul jazz classics of the 90s! Although Andrew Cyrille is better known for some of his more "out" material, we totally dig this 1992 album -- because it's got a sweeping spiritual feel, and a very soulful groove that recalls 70s work by players like Billy Harper or Marvin Hannibal Peterson! Tracks are long and very open-ended, but never go too far out -- just progress along with a great sense of vision, courtesy of a group of players that includes Hannibal on trumpet, Oliver Lake on soprano and alto sax, Adegoke Steve Colson on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Cyrille on drums. The group is impeccably tight, and the whole thing sounds like a lost session from Strata East -- with just the right mix of outside soloing and inside grooving -- and titles include "Soul Brother", "The Prophet", "Shell", "Tap Dancer", "South Of The Border Serenade", and "Where's Nine".

One of our favorite Paul Desmond records of all time -- a set of understated brilliance that really lets him display his genius! Desmond at this time had been lost in some other sets that respected his talents, but didn't offer the greatest proof that he'd been growing as an artist -- and this live album presents his magical alto work in a totally unfettered setting, with just guitar, bass, and drums backing him up. The spare sound is simply sublime -- as Desmond's alto floats in air, magically picking notes out of nowhere, and illuminating the empty space with notes that seem to fall from the heavens. Titles include "Manha De Carnaval", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Wave", "Wendy", and "Take Five" -- all done in nice long takes!

Two burners lifted from the Walkover album by Jukka Eskola -- both of them sweet electric jazz with lots of Fender Rhodes! "Jova" feels like a lost Freddie Hubbard track from the CTI years -- a long, spacious groove that has the keyboards setting a perfect scene for Jukka's great trumpet lines -- a bit more muted than Freddie's, but still plenty darn soulful! "Chip N Charge" has the bass right up front in the groove -- stepping along with a slow funk style that's totally great -- and with some added horn help from Timo Lassey on baritone sax!

The debut album from Flying Lotus -- kind of a funkier, tighter, and more focused sound then the outer realm swelling vibes of the subsequent Los Angeles LP and the addendum EPs -- very compelling, and strong little set. The beats splinter off and the rhythms are jittery and unpredictable, but he never takes away from a compelling, head nodding vibe over all. Very nice stuff from a beatmaker who gets better and better. Titles include the title track, "Sao Paolo", "Bad Actors", "Orbit Brazil", "Shifty", "Babble", "Pet Monster Shotglass", "Unexpected Delight" with future Long Lost chanteuse Laura Darlington, and more.

Wonderful stuff -- and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here -- suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch out!) Although the album was thought of as a no-brainer quickie at the time -- and predicted to fail so that Anna wouldn't get any cash from it -- the record is an extremely well-crafted one, filled with extremely personal songs that also have a warm soulful finish, in the style of Marvin's work on the LP I Want You (which is kind of a nice bookend to this one -- as it was an extended love poem to the young girlfriend that caused him to split up with Anna!) Hard and soulful, the record's a searing testimony to the relationship between Marvin and Anna, and a painful document of the troubles between them -- set to some mellow grooves that are easily some of Marvin's greatest of the 70s! The set's filled with great "lost" Marvin Gay songs, too -- like "Sparrow", "When Did You Stop Loving Me", "Anger", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You", and "Time to Get it Together".

One of the grooviest records ever from the lovely Astrud Gilberto -- a session that beautifully mixes her usual bossa nova with bits of Sunshine Pop and other hip late 60s grooves -- all in a mode that really takes off a lot more than other Gilberto albums on Verve! The style here is really wonderful -- upbeat, soaring, and joyous on most of the best numbers -- a real transformation of Astrud's usual groove, and a great departure from too familiar bossa nova material. The record's been a little bit lost to the shifting sands of time -- possibly because it's not as iconic as it might be -- but we totally love it, and really consider it one of Gilberto's best moments ever in the studio. Arrangements are by Albert Gorgoni -- and titles include a fantastic long jamming version of the track "Beginnings" that sounds completely different from the Chicago hit, and which is a stunning dancefloor groover! The album also includes an English version of "Canto De Osshana" called "Let's Go", plus a groovy uptempo version of the Bee Gee's "Holiday", and the great cut "Love Is Stronger Than We" from the soundtrack to A Man & A Woman. Other tracks include "Think Of Rain", "A Million Miles Away Behind The Door", "Don't Leave Me Baby", and "Summer Sweet (part 1, part 2 to be continued)".

Previously unreleased gems from the legendary Vince Guaraldi -- early 70s work recorded for Charlie Brown cartoons, most of it a fair bit funkier than the already-reissued soundtracks from the 60s! These sides are from the period when Peanuts was hipping things up a bit -- and Vince's music definitely shows that trend -- bringing in bits of funk, slight electric moments, and other sweet touches that take the music a long way from Charlie Brown Christmas! Most of the groups here are either trios or quartets -- and alongside Vince's work on piano and keyboards, other players include Mike Clark of the Headhunters on drums and Tom Harrell on trumpet. Vince also sings a bit on two numbers -- "Joe Cool" and "Little Birdie" -- both in a raspy style that's almost a bit like that of Bob Dorough or Jack Sheldon on Schoolhouse Rock! Other tracks include "Play It Again Charlie Brown", "Motocross", "Incumbent Waltz", "Peppermint Patty", "African Sleigh Ride", and "There's No Time For Love Charlie Brown". And despite the fact that the title says "cues", the tunes here are all full-length jazz numbers!

One of the greatest lost funk records of all time! The group is not the British pop band, but a funk group led by the great guitarist Lou Ragland. The album's originally from Canada, which makes it super rare -- and these guys are funky funky funky, and kick some major booty with a heavy guitar sound that's just great! Some of the cuts are instrumental, and some of them have some excellent soul vocals that are produced with a nice deep sound that's brought out nicely by the excellent quality of the reissue. The record's got a bit of Sly Stone, a bit of Grant Green, and a bit of Mike James Kirkland -- with a tasty raw indie soul vibe. The original album was only pressed up at 500 copies -- so this reissue is even more essential, because original copies trade hands for over $1000! Titles include "So Dam Funky", "Ain't That A Groove", "Sexy Moods Of Your Mind", "Messin With Sly", and "What You Want To Do".

A lost treasure from the overlooked late 70s jazz years at Columbia! The album's got Freddie Hubbard working with arranger Claus Ogerman on some expansive tracks that go beyond his earlier work in the decade -- sometimes blowing mellow notes over larger orchestrations, other times working in a surprisingly lean groove that has some really soulful touches! The approach shifts from track to track, but all titles are long, and the overall effect is really great. Al Jarreau guests on a sweet vocal version of "Little Sunflower", and other players on the set include Joe Farrell and Tom Scott on reeds, and Chick Corea, who plays most of the keys on the set. Titles include "Lazy Afternoon", "This Dream", "Brigitte", and "The Love Connection".

Righteous hip hop from Infinito 2017! Infinito struggles against senslessness and negatively as sharply as any concious cat we can think of -- but he respects the art and craft of hip hop enough to focus on the rhymes and the beats as much as his moral outrage. Thanks to his art he doesn't fall into the trap of pure preachiness -- this a good hip hop album! Tracks include "Ben Bay", "Senseless Violence", "A Free Man's Soul", "Tha 1 (Who Overstands)", "Heavens Gate (Mound Builders)", "Tape Deck Recording", "State Of The World" feat LIFE Long & Mr Skurge, "Darnell (remix)", "9:27 PM (The Day I Lost)", "A Way To Be", "What About The Black Holocaust" and more.

Euro disco from Roberta Kelly -- a set that looks like an American soul album from the cover, but which features backings from The Munich Machine and long-running arrangements from Giorgio Moroder! The record's got a similar feel to Moroder's work with Donna Summer -- except that Roberta's not as strong of a singer, and sometimes gets lost, or perhaps "swept up", in the standardized rhythms of the set. Titles include "Trouble-Maker", "The Family", "Innocent", "Think I'm Gonna Break Someone's Heart Tonight", and "Love Power".

Excellent solo work by Lowrell Simon -- once a singer with Lost Generation, but opening up a whole new style of Chicago soul here on his own! The album's a tasty batch of smooth soul tracks with a midtempo club groove -- not disco, but with the kind of large production and loping groove that you'd find in a good Barry White album -- hitting all the right mellow funky moments at once! The prime example of this is the killer "Mellow Mellow Right On" -- offered up here in two long parts that take up most of side two of the album. Other nice ones include a version of Lowrell's "Overdose Of Love", plus the tracks "Out Of Breath" and "Smooth & Wild".

Amazing lost funk from Sabu Martinez -- rare work recorded in Sweden in the early 70s, and some of his heaviest work ever -- as great, if not better than, his legendary Afro Temple album! The tunes are all long and very jamming -- fierce Latin funk numbers that feature Sabu on a range of percussion instruments -- alongside lots of electric piano, plus sax and flute from Swedish jazzman Bernt Rosengren -- who's pretty great too! In addition to congas, Sabu also handles talking drums, gong, and bongos -- plus a range of other percussion effects too -- all heard to great form on the 17 minute jammer "Burned Sugar", plus the cuts "Bernt" and "Mambollo".

Spare, crackling and soulful folk material from singer and guitarist Niela Miller -- an under acknowledged figure in the 50s & 60s folk & folk rock canon -- whose 1962 acetate of 50s recordings are now issued officially by the lost recordings saviors at Numero! Much of the lore around Neila leads to her melody for the incredible, soul shaking tune "Baby Don't Go To Town", which is effectively argued as a vital cog in the wheel that turned and turned throughout the 60s, eventually evolving into Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" -- but historical significance to other artists aside, Miller's a vital force here all on her own. A figure in the NYC folk scene, Niela works in the solo rural blues inflected side of the folk sound, never sounding less than purely authentic. She dips into a deep well of emotion without compromising on a spiritual strength, and this a worthy rescue effort by the folks at Numero! Titles include "Down Hearted Man", "Baby Don't Go To Town", "Too Long Blues", "You Gotta Know To Love", "Daddy Went To Jail", "Hushabye Blues", "Mean World Blues", "Goodbye New York", "Goodbye Blues" and "Jenny Gal".

One of the most revolutionary players to ever handle a trombone -- finally summed up in the full scope of his genius! Grachan Moncur III may not be as well-known a name as some of his more famous contemporaries -- like Archie Shepp or Jackie McLean -- but his mid 60s recordings were crucially important to modern jazz, not only that of Shepp and McLean, but the entire "new thing" generation! Moncur was one of the first players to realize that as much as the trombone was a musical instrument, it was also equally powerful as kind of a sonic engine -- a way to craft dark and deep tones and colors, shading in an area of jazz that had previously been unexplored. And on top of Moncur's groundbreaking playing, he was also an equally skilled writer -- and contributed his own compositions to a number of important 60s jazz sessions. This beautiful box set brings together more than a few of those sessions -- Moncur's own lost Blue Note albums Evolution and Some Other Stuff, as well as Jackie McLean's seminal sides One Step Beyond, Destination Out, Hipnosis, and the bulk of 'Bout Soul. The set features 25 tracks in all -- a wealth of lost modern jazz -- all packaged in a 3CD slipcover, along with a booklet on the music. Great stuff -- and long overdue!

Quintessential 70s pop soul -- with arrangements and production by Van McCoy, in an updating of his earlier uptown soul style, filtered through a bit of an AM radio disco twist. Melba's vocals are fine, but as always, she kind of leaves us a bit cold in the long run. Tracks include "The Way You Make Me Feel", "The Greatest Feeling", "Mighty Clouds Of Joy", and "Ain't No Love Lost".

Fantastic Lee Morgan album that was recorded in 1966, but only ever came out on vinyl in 1984, when this great session was unearthed as part of a brief "lost classics" series by Blue Note. The record has an amazing modal groove that's quite different from some of Morgan's other funkier sessions, and it features incredibly mature playing by a group that includes Hank Mobley, Cedar Walton, and Billy Higgins. The centerpiece of the set is a long version of Cal Massey's great cut "Pilgrim's Funny Farm", and other nice ones include "The Rajah" and "Is That So". Great great stuff, and one that's quite hard to find on wax!

A great little album of boogaloos and hard Latin tracks -- one of the few rare gems on the long-lost Speed label. The set features the work of the Orquesta Olivieri, led by trumpeter Herbie Olivieri, and featuring more trumpet, piano, and percussion, plus lead vocals by Angelo Jiminez and Felix Pipe Pagan. About half the album is straight boogaloo -- as you'd guess by titles like "Don't Be Shy", "African Guajira", "Wabble With Boogaloo", and "A Swingin Combination" -- and the rest is driving Latin, with that great late 60s small combo sound!

A lost treasure of rare soul from the Chicago scene -- the unreleased album by Pieces Of Peace -- a combo with ties both to the late 60s soul of Twinight Records and the early 70s grooves of The Pharoahs! This set was initially recorded by The Pharoahs' Scarab label, but never issued at the time -- and it shows a tremendous growth from the earlier hard funk styles of the Pieces -- a move into fuller, more complicated modes that often had the same righteous blend of jazz, soul, and spirituality as Earth Wind & Fire! The production here is great, and the tapes haven't suffered at all for all their years on the shelf -- and if anything, the album's even more explosive now than if it was issued at the time -- given how long we've had to wait. The reissue is beautiful too -- probably better done than any original wax might have been -- thanks to careful curation from Josh (DJ Shadow) Davis, Dante Carfagna, and Rob Sevier -- the latter of whom turns in some Numero-styled notes that really tell the full story of the group. Titles include "Cease Fire", "Pollution", "Flunky For Your Love", "I Still Care", "Peace & Blessings", and "Yesterday's Visions".

A lost treasure of rare soul from the Chicago scene -- the unreleased album by Pieces Of Peace -- a combo with ties both to the late 60s soul of Twinight Records and the early 70s grooves of The Pharoahs! This set was initially recorded by The Pharoahs' Scarab label, but never issued at the time -- and it shows a tremendous growth from the earlier hard funk styles of the Pieces -- a move into fuller, more complicated modes that often had the same righteous blend of jazz, soul, and spirituality as Earth Wind & Fire! The production here is great, and the tapes haven't suffered at all for all their years on the shelf -- and if anything, the album's even more explosive now than if it was issued at the time -- given how long we've had to wait. The reissue is beautiful too -- probably better done than any original wax might have been -- thanks to careful curation from Josh (DJ Shadow) Davis, Dante Carfagna, and Rob Sevier -- the latter of whom turns in some Numero-styled notes that really tell the full story of the group. Titles include "Cease Fire", "Pollution", "Flunky For Your Love", "I Still Care", "Peace & Blessings", and "Yesterday's Visions".

Stunning 50s modern jazz -- long overdue for reissue! The CD features 2 long-lost albums -- Modern Music From Philadelphia by The Brothers Sandole, and The Clarinet Artistry of John La Porta. The Sandoles were one of the least-known and least-appreciated groups working on the east coast during the 50s. Dennis and Adolphe Sandole had an incredible talent for writing -- and in the short time they recorded together, they served up some amazing tracks with a wonderful group sound that recalls some of the Mingus Jazz Workshop recordings with John La Porta. The whole thing's amazing -- and titles include "Drums", "Wings Over Persia", "Grenadine", "Boys From Istanbul", "Arabu", "The Tamaret", and "Magic Carpet". The second set of material on the CD features clarinet tracks by John LaPorta -- an important east coast modernist who was a key part of Charles Mingus' mid-50s recordings, and who was as important to east coast modernization of the clarinet as Jimmy Giuffre was to the west coast scene. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Dirge For Dorsey", and "Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea".

A lost later party funk number on Salsoul -- the only tune we've ever seen by Rayy Slyy on the label, who may well be Ray Latney, listed as the writer of the tune. There's almost a Prince-like approach here at times, especially when Rayy gets a bit falsetto on vocals -- but arrangements are by Frankie Beverly and Al Johnson (how did Rayy ever get them to agree to work together?) -- so the overall groove is relatively solid.

One of Lonnie Smith's rarest albums -- and one of the most obscure records on the landmark Kudu label! The set is one of Smith's most far-reaching from the 70s -- a bit in the mode of his earlier records for Blue Note, but with a slightly sweeter quality that shows the shift to Kudu -- where Lonnie's Hammond had lost none of its grooving power! Tracks are all quite long -- and build from the jamming approach that Lonnie first developed at Blue Note -- a club-trained groove that has the mighty organ leading off each track, but still leaving plenty of other space for other players too -- including Dave Hubbard on tenor, Danny More on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, and Billy Cobham on drums -- as well as Grover Washington on flute, who also helped a bit with arrangements on the record. The centerpiece of the album is a 17 minute long version of Sly Stone's "Stand" -- and other tracks include "I Feel The Earth Move", "Hola Muneca", and "Mama Wailer".

Soul folk in style, soul folk in identity -- this early Stax album has The Staple Singers working in a style that perhaps owes a bit more to their gospel roots than some of their other work from the mid 70s. Steve Cropper produced, and the record's got plenty of nice Memphis soul licks to keep the songs nice and hip -- a fact that's not lost on Mavis and Pops, who rise to meet the Stax sound nicely! Titles include "The Ghetto", "Long Walk To DC", "This Year", "I See It", "People, My People", "Slow Train", and "The Weight". CD also features 2 bonus tracks -- previously unissued titles "The Lady's Letter" and "Pop's Instrumental".

A soaring batch of boogie from the Sunburst Band -- the group's long-awaited second album, and just as incredible as the first! Dave Lee's really gone all out for this session -- dipping back into his classic references to feature vocals by older club singers that include Norma Jean and Lucy Martin of Chic, Taka Boom, and even Linda Clifford -- while still getting the group to groove in that instant-classic blend of clubby rhythms and jazzy riffs! The sound is incredible -- like finding some lost indie disco album from the end of the 70s -- steeped in soulful production, and coming across as a stone winner on every single track! Imagine the excitement you felt when you first heard Incognito -- and at that, you've only got a small bit of the sound! Titles include "Twinkle", "We Will Turn You On", "Until The End Of Time", "Fly Away (parts 1 & 2)", "Far Beyond", and "Just Do It".

Mid 60s sunshine pop from Tinkerbell's Fairydust -- psyche era tunes from the UK that's been a long lost legend for many years -- purportedly manufactured by Decca in 1969 but never officially issued! with really groovy harmonies that give it in extra lift, but still with with a pretty gritty small combo sound on the bottom end. A nice mix of Cali style harmonies and the boundary free psyche era pop sound of the era. Really nice stuff! Titles include "Twenty Ten", "Majorine", "The Worst That Could Happen", "In My Magic Garden", "Never My Love", "Lazy Day", "Every Minute Every Day", "Whole World" and "Happy", plus 9 bonus tracks, including material by group members credited to Tommy Bishop's Ricochets and The Rush.

Made In Italy, despite what the title claims -- but that's OK with us, as the album's a sweet lost groover from the best years of the Italian scene! Keyboardist Amadeo Tommasi delivers some wonderfully jazzy numbers here -- played on both electric and acoustic keys, and often with this subtle sound library groove that's really great -- a mix of 70s electric jazz with some more of the scene-setting modes you'd be used to from a sound library record -- yet all done with a surprising amount of depth overall! The songs are all long enough to be standout jazz numbers on their own, and Tommasi's keyboards remind us a lot of the sublime 70s recordings made by Romano Mussolini in a similar mode. Titles include "Citta Notte", "Kid's Club", "Lalo", "Greenwich Village", "Nord Sud", "Hard Power", "Black Rock", "Tensione Sociale", and "Murder".

Made In Italy, despite what the title claims -- but that's OK with us, as the album's a sweet lost groover from the best years of the Italian scene! Keyboardist Amadeo Tommasi delivers some wonderfully jazzy numbers here -- played on both electric and acoustic keys, and often with this subtle sound library groove that's really great -- a mix of 70s electric jazz with some more of the scene-setting modes you'd be used to from a sound library record -- yet all done with a surprising amount of depth overall! The songs are all long enough to be standout jazz numbers on their own, and Tommasi's keyboards remind us a lot of the sublime 70s recordings made by Romano Mussolini in a similar mode. Titles include "Citta Notte", "Kid's Club", "Lalo", "Greenwich Village", "Nord Sud", "Hard Power", "Black Rock", "Tensione Sociale", and "Murder".

Long lost post disco soul from Trilark! Trilark keeps the tight, smoothed out and soaring groove of late 70s club soul in the mix here, a really sweet and gleamingly funky batch! Every song here's got a great hook -- if the early 80s era was a bit more forgiving to groups that carried the torch for the late 70s sound, this one could have been huge! Tracks include "Face The Music", "Love You Up", "Mr. Fantasy", "Check It Out", "Love Never Looked Better", "You And I", "Sweat It Out" and more.

A great two disc representation of DC's mighty, mighty Trouble Funk -- a titanic hour long live set on one disc, and the group's great early singles on the other! As vital as it was to the funk culture of early 80s DC and outlining areas, the call-and-response go go funk sound never spread nearly as far as it should have gone. Trouble Funk were a prime innovator, building upon the deep, heavy JB's and spacey Parliament eras of funk with crisper horn charts and these greatly swirling, post disco keyboards -- and created some of the hardest grooving party jammers ever. The first disc reissues a long lost early 80s live record -- an hour long, four part monster of gig ("Part A", "Part B", "Part C" and "Part D") that's just a wildly swinging funk jam session, complete with long, elastic groovers and frenzied audience participation. Amazingly, the formula carried just as well into the studio -- as disc two assesses! It's another hour long party, this time featuring 8 of Trouble Funk's most essential singles. "Super Grit", "E Flat Boogie", "Hollyrock", "Roll With It", "Latin Funk", "Get Down With Your Get Down", "Trouble Funk Express" and "So Early In The Morning". Two hours of the best of Trouble Funk -- for a great price!

A wicked album of dancefloor jazz funk -- featuring the vocals and keyboards of Lesette Wilson, an excellent player who's worked on dozens of albums as a studio musician, but only ever got to cut a few sides under her own name! The album's got a warm soulful finish -- right up there with the best funky fusion of the late 70s and early 80s, and made even better by Lesette's smooth yet honest vocal approach. The standout cut on here is "Caveman Boogie" -- a monster groover with some funked-up Patrice Rushen-styled keyboards -- but the whole album's equally great, a treasure trove of lost tunes that makes the album essential in any groove collection! The track list also includes a great cover of Herbie Hancock's "Ai No Corrida", plus the tracks "Saturday Night Groovin", "Elaine", and "Traveling Song". CD also features a great bonus cut -- "Look Into Tomorrow".

42 rare gems from the Motown vaults -- an incredible treasure trove of unreleased material! The package follows beautifully on the heels of the first Cellarful Of Motown volume -- but also manages to go even deeper, and get beyond the better-known "lost" Motown tracks, into a realm of soul music treasures that we never would have expected! The whole thing's great -- overflowing with tunes so great, you'll find yourself scratching your head as to why Motown never issued these back in the 60s -- and will turn towards the label with a whole new level of respect for all the greatness they still managed to record underneath their more familiar hits. The 2CD set also comes with a great booklet that offers track-by-track notes on the tunes -- and a selection of cuts that includes "Take My Hand" by Dalton Boys, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Eddie Holland, "All Day All Night" by Earl Van Dyke, "A Woman Just Won't Do Right" by Shorty Long, "I've Gotta Get Away" by Tommy Good, "Show Girl" by The Vows, "I Can't Get Along Without You" by The Monitors, "I Hope You Have Better Luck Than I Did" by The Marvelettes, "My Heart" by Tammi Terrell, "Where Is the Love" by Rita Wright, "Those DJ Shows" by Patrice Holloway, "Rescue Me" by Blinky, "I Can't Go On Sharing Your Love" by The Isley Brothers, "Choo Choo Train" by Little Lisa, "In The Dark" by The Creations, "Love Trouble Heartache & Misery" by Hatti Littles, "Positively Absolutely Right" by The Temptations, and "Let's Talk It Over" by Marv Johnson.

A killer little set that's as heavy as it sounds from the title -- a wealth of rare material pulled from the studio of Detroit producer Dave Hamilton -- a good deal of it previously unreleased! Hearing this set is like finding a pile of rare 45s stuffed in the back corner of a long-lost record shop -- because although much of the work was never issued, it crackles with the intensity of the best funky 45s -- lots of funky drums, offbeat guitar, and raspy soul vocals -- produced with a real edge to all the work, so that all of the hardest elements of the tunes really come through in the mix! The work that was issued here came out on the TCB, Tayster, and New Day labels -- and although the artists are often not well known, the work's got a really unified feel -- thanks to the funky vision of Dave Hamilton. CD features 20 tracks in all -- including "Brand New Girl (part 1)", "You're Wasting My Time (parts 1 & 2)", and "I Got Some (parts 1 & 2)" by Billy Garner; "The Grown Folks Thing" by OC Tolbert, "Party Time" by James Carpenter, "Going To The Moon" by Dave Hamilton, "Funky Trip" by Johnny Walker, "The Devil Is Gonna Get You" by The Future Kind, "Just A Mistake" by The Barrino Brothers, "Hunchin" by Gip Roberts, "Bump With Me" by The Webb People, "Sweet Thing (part 1)" by Bobby Dee, and "Can You Dig It" by Chico & Buddy.

The golden age of Dutch Folk lasted a pretty long time -- at least to guess from the dates in the title -- but that large space seems more than filled with wonderful music, as you'll hear on this massive 2CD introduction! As the notes point out, most of this music evolved in virtual obscurity -- hidden from the mainstream by 70s waves of prog, punk, glam and disco -- working quietly in modes that start with the Brit folk explosion at the end of the 60s, then evolve into even more gentle, acoustic styles as the 80s came along. The package features a whopping 43 tracks, with song-by-song notes that spell out the full scope of the work included -- and although the music is more folk than funky, it's still quite a revelation to our ears. Titles include "I'd Rather Be A Dove" by Booze Hoister Band, "Luxe Kempen" by Sistrum, "De Potsenmaker" by Herman Erbe, "Fugles" by Jarje, "Happiness & Tears" by Jan Duindam, "Een Boer Ging Naar De Wei" by Fungus, "It Gefang" by Irolt, "Symptoms Of Summer" by Mayfly, and "Soldaat" by Deining.

A supposed blacksploitation soundtrack from the Fantasy Productions house -- grooves from the pool of players who laid down the sounds on Secret Stash's fantastic Porno Groove compilation -- and reputed to be a score for the very little seen and long lost Mad Dog's Hustle from 1974! The music is credited to The Upstroke -- the same unidentified musicians from behind Fantasy's Porno Grooves -- and in a similar fashion to the porno soundtrack style, they're working very much in the appropriate idiom, but with a unique twist. Here it's the mid 70s blacksploitation funk & soul sound, with strains of Curtis Mayfield (particularly in the vocal tunes) and other great soul cinema composers, but stretching out and doing things within it that we've never heard before. It's a mix of vocal cuts and funky instrumentals -- with rawer interplay and seemingly improvised guitar and horns solos that are straight up killer! It's in the smaller combo side of the spectrum, without the strings and bigger arrangements of the bigger budgeted blacksploitation films of the time, which just gives it a more direct energy. Some are sultry and slow cooking, others full on funky. The players identities are a mystery, but the way they work together and play off each other is natural and truly excellent. Here's hoping the Fantasy Productions vaults Secret Stash cracked open runs long and deep! Titles include "Make It Hustle", "Baby, Baby, Baby", "Party In Harlem", "Puppy Love", "Harlem Summer", "Comin' To Getcha", "Lennox Ave Rastas", "Lataesha's Cue", "Revenge", "East Side Strut", "Grover's Cue". "Always And Forever", "The Rumble", "Afrucan Child" and "Pushed Too Far".

Quite possibly one of the greatest funk compilations ever -- and we're not just saying that because we're from the Midwest! The genius compilers at Jazzman spent years scouring the smaller cities of the American hinterlands -- tracking down obscure musicians, long-lost labels, and nearly-gone master tapes -- all to bring together 23 bits of rare funk that bristle with the same energy and excitement as the day they were first recorded! The package is incredible -- not only filled with incredible tunes that somehow manage to push the boundaries and redefine our understanding of classic funk from the time, but also doing so in a package that's filled with liner notes that offer more information on the artists than probably their own mothers know! Plus, the set's also got some previously unissued numbers as well -- making it a must-have for any funk fan, even if you've somehow managed to track down original copies of some of these choice bits! Titles include "Whip It" by The New Establishment In Soul, "Let's Do It Today (full version)" by The Us, "Pushin To The Top" by Markus Kelly & The Impassions, "Sissy Walk" by Billy Ball & The Upsetters, "Tell Her" by Fred Williams & The Jewels Band, "The Hatch" by The TMGs, "Boots Groove" by The Soul Tornados, "Po Boy's Dream" by Illinois Connection, "It's Not You For Me (live)" by Billy Joe Holloman, "Funky In Here" by Dayton Sidewinders, "Master Groove" by Henry Peters & The Imperials, and "A Day In The Life" by Chocolate Snow.

A second great dip into the arty New York scene of the punk, post-punk, and no wave years -- and one that goes even farther than the first volume of New York Noise! This time around, Soul Jazz have gotten past the the obvious markers of the scene -- and have dug deep to come up with some especially great nuggets lost in the shifting sands and record racks of the time. The vibe is a bit noisier than before, but there's still a fair bit of groove-conscious tunes -- a great blend of experimental, arty, and post-punk party -- really capturing the openly creative spirit of New York at the time. Our hats are off to Soul Jazz for going beyond those slightly bigger names who issued full albums -- as they've really made an effort here to pull out tracks by groups you always hear mentioned, but who mostly just recorded the odd single or compilation track -- usually for smaller and long-defunct labels. As always with Soul Jazz, the package features great notes on the music -- and a total of 16 tracks that include "Ungawa (part 2)" by Pulsallama, "Hunter Gatherer" by Mofungo, "Not Bite" by Red Transistor, "Black Box Disco" from the soundtrack to Vortex, "Back Downtown" by Certain General, "Drastic Classicism" by Rhys Chatham, "Radio Rhythm (dub)" by Clandestine with Ned Sublette, "Move It Time" by Gliroius Strangers, "Tiger Stripes" by Felix (with Arthur Russell & Nicky Siano), "My Hands Are Yellow" by Del-Byzanteens (with Jim Jarmusch), "Tanajura" by Don King, "Sham Shack" by UT, and "I Am Not Seeing That You Are Here" by Jill Kroesen.

A cool compilation of rare psychedelia from the Australian scene, mostly from the early years of the 70s -- demonstrating with definitive results that the Oz underground was just as wild and groovy as those in US or UK! The Past & Present label has well mined the vaults of the psyche scenes of year in their series of lost psyche sets, and this down under set more than lives up -- with numbers by Long Grass, Flake, Isherwood, Doug Parkinson In Focus and more. Includes "Under The Silent Tree" by Flake, "Warrant" by Ash, "No Need To Cry" by Dave Miller Set, "Don't Think Twice" by Helium, "Willy The Weeper" by Isherwood, "The Gully" by Healing Force, "Stay With Me" by Headband, "Tables Turn" by Chook and more. 20 tracks in all!

This is the kind of funk they've been hiding from you all these years -- the real deal, the heavy stuff, the type of work that's made driving around the country looking for rare 45s so worthwhile! This material's the kind that makes a trip like that happen -- super-rare funk from Texas, dug up by the Jazzman posse, and given the stamp of approval by DJ Shadow! The package is a perfect introduction to the lost heritage of Texas funky work -- as it not only includes 21 searing tracks of funk (some of the best we've heard compiled in a long time!), but it also features a breakdown of the different scenes in the state, and a full set of notes on each tune, complete with an image of the original 45! The whole thing's unbelievable -- as well researched as it is hard and funky, and a delight to the ears throughout. Titles include "Give Everybody Some" by Mickey & The Soul Generation, "Sissy Strut" by Joe Bravo, "Soul Pot" by The Soul Ones, "Every Man For Himself" by The Road Runners, "Super Funk" by Vern Blair Debate, "Soul Pride" by Little Joe & The Latinaires, "I Turn You On" by Latin Breed, "Funky Stuff" by Little Jr Jesse & His Teardrops & The Tears, "Funky Chick" by The Majestics, and "Do Your Thing (parts 1 & 2)" by Zapata.

Spacey, funky, and wonderful! During the 60s and 70s, the Iron Curtain prevented most of us from hearing some of the fantastic sounds that were cooking in Eastern Europe -- where obscure jazz funk combos were grooving away in styles that were very different than those heard in the US and Western Europe. There's no easy way to describe the music, because it was so varied and inventive -- but this excellent set of 10 rare Czechoslovakian tracks should go a long way to filling in some of the gaps in this lost history! Many of the tracks on the set have a fantastically baroque sound -- sort of a mix of MPS crossover styles, and David Axelrod-type "big picture" production ventures -- and they begin with wild washes of sound that soon settle into a harder funky groove. Keyboards collide with voices mix with guitars punctuated by drums sealed with basslines -- and the whole thing's chopped apart by some funky frenetic sax work. That's only part of the picture, though -- and although we can't come up with the words to describe the set adequately, it's one of the freshest compilations we've heard in years, filled with excellent grooves to take our listening to a whole new level! Titles include "The Lost Sheep" by SHQ, "Proklamation" by Milan Svoboda, "The Third Eye" by The Keyboard Conclave, "The Earth" by Jiri Stivin, "Nijana" by Jana Koubkova, and "Life's Little Games" by Karel Ruzicka.

A sweet collection of early 70s female post folk revival material -- independent and long lost recordings from unknowns that used folk and psychedelia as offerings to each singer's idiosyncratic muse -- and another incredible collection of deeply sought rare tunes from the Numero Group! Numero really blows us away with their ability to seek out and lovingly reissue lost recordings -- and package them in beautiful and insightful collections -- and this one is as impressive as anything they've done to date. It features singer songwriters from sleepy midwestern Illinois and Minnesota, to the enlightened, heightened Bay, and points between and beyond -- with songs from records originally pressed in runs of 500 to 5000. The thick booklet includes a page of notes for each artist in the collection, really rich stuff with photos, original single/album art, etc. The music is warm, groovy and sincere as can be, much of it surprisingly timeless! 14 tracks in all: "A Special Path" by Becky Severson, "Cricket" by Collie Ryan, "Sunlight Shadow" by Linda Rich, "Engram" by Caroline Peyton, "And I A Fairytale Lady" by Carla Sciaky, "Window" by Judy Kelly, "Dedication" by Mary Perrin, "Rain" by Marj Snyder, "Wildman" by Ginny Reilly, and a cover of the Stones/Marianne Faithful treasure "Sister Morphine" by Ellen Warshaw.

Brilliant stuff -- and long overdue! The Jazzman label has been responsible for some of the best funky 45s we've stocked over the past decade -- as they've continually reissued rare gems lost between the shifting sands of time, working through a mixture of tunes that's very expansive, running from funky jazz, jazzy soul, sound library grooves, and even one great tune pulled from an advertisement for forklifts! The Jazzman reissues have all been in limited quantity -- and it's no surprise that we've sold out of most of them as soon as they've been released -- which is why this 12-track, CD-only retrospective is so essential to listeners with a funky earful! The package brings back the best dozen tunes from the Jazzman reissue series -- tunes that we're continually asked for, but can hardly get on reissue anymore -- and together, the package is a beautiful blend of tunes that goes way beyond the average funky 45 collection, a mind-blowing package that will have your speakers singing in delight! Titles include "What Is Wrong With Groovin" by Letta Mbulu, "Send In The Clowns" by Lorez Alexandria, "Brasilian Beat" by Los Brasilios, "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" by Kathleen Emery, "Nightingale" by Dee Felice Trio, "Ophis Le Serpentaire" by Vincent Geminiani, "Morning Broadway" by Keith Mansfield, "Ya Ya" by Frank Motley, and "Les Electroniciens" by Bruno Spoerri.

Wonderful stuff -- and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here -- suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch out!) Although the album was thought of as a no-brainer quickie at the time -- and predicted to fail so that Anna wouldn't get any cash from it -- the record is an extremely well-crafted one, filled with extremely personal songs that also have a warm soulful finish, in the style of Marvin's work on the LP I Want You (which is kind of a nice bookend to this one -- as it was an extended love poem to the young girlfriend that caused him to split up with Anna!) Hard and soulful, the record's a searing testimony to the relationship between Marvin and Anna, and a painful document of the troubles between them -- set to some mellow grooves that are easily some of Marvin's greatest of the 70s! The set's filled with great "lost" Marvin Gay songs, too -- like "Sparrow", "When Did You Stop Loving Me", "Anger", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You", and "Time to Get it Together". Expanded CD features the famous 12" instrumental version of "A Funky Space Reincarnation" -- plus a full set of 12 bonus alternate mixes produced by the likes of Mocean Worker, Easy Mo Bee, Leon Ware, Marcus Miller, Prince Paul, Bootsy Collins, Slaam Remi, and The Randy Watson Experience -- including "Anger (alt extended)", "Here My Dear (alt mix)", "Time To Get It Together (alt extended mix)", "Falling In Love Again (alt version)", "I Met A Little Girl (alt version)", "Sparrow (alt version)", and "Anna's Song (inst -- alt version)".

A lost classic, and a landmark blending of jazz and world music! The core of the group is that quintet of West Indian alto player Joe Harriott -- one of the leading lights of the British jazz scene of the 60s, and a dedicated modernist who was as important to England as Ornette Coleman was to America. Harriott's group is expanded by the addition of John Mayer's quintet of Indian musicians, who play in tandem with Harriott's group in a swirling blend of styles and sounds. The sound is spacey and trippy, with more elements of Indian music, than of jazz, but Harriott still manages to get some nice playing in. The whole album is one long suite of tracks, and titles include "Contrasts", "Raga Megha", and "Raga Gaud-Saranga".

2 more Jackson 5 classics -- plus bonus tracks! Third Album is (of course) the group's third album, and the boys are still hitting strong and staying long, with the same power as their first two records! The record includes their sweet, sweet rendition of "I'll Be There", plus the groovy "Goin Back To Indiana", and other nice ones like "Mama's Pearl", "Darling Dear", "Can I See You In the Morning", and a nice version of "Ready Or Not (Here I Come)". Maybe Tomorrow is a great early album by the Jacksons -- with a monster batch of cuts arranged by Gene Page and The Corporation, with a soulful groove that they definitely lost on later albums. The highlight is the funky "It's Great To Be Here", which is an excellent lesser-known track that's got a good breakbeat! Other tracks include their hit cover of "Never Can Say Goodbye", plus "Honey Chile", "I Will Find A Way", "Petals", "The Wall", and "She's Good". CD also includes 2 bonus cuts -- "Sugar Daddy" and "I'm So Happy".

Beautiful stuff -- some of the greatest work by Warne Marsh that you could ever hope to find! During the late 50s, Marsh had a tone that was incredible -- similar to that of Lee Konitz, but imbued with the soul of players like Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson. Unfortunately, the strength of this tone was usually lost on most of the studio sides that Marsh participated in at the time -- which is why we're huge fans of this rare release from the Wave label. The tracks were recorded by Peter Ind, Konitz's onetime bassman, and a budding sound engineer during the late 50s. Ind recorded some of the best material by the Tristano school at the time -- catching them in laidback settings that often showed them at their best. That's exactly what you'll hear here, as Marsh blows with a comfortable group -- stretching out on long improvisations that beat most of what you'd hear on record by him at the time. Ind did a great job of capturing his tone and the mood of the set -- and the CD is filled with great long tracks, like "Summer Session", "Easy Beat", "Change Around", and "Get Together".

A lost classic of the spiritual soulful Detroit/Tribe jazz scene! Initially issued on the Gem Eye label in 1974, in a pressing of only 1000, the record's done nothing but increase in legend since -- and for good reason too! The groove picks up in the same domain as the better Art Ensemble Of Chicago records of the late 60s and early 70s -- with the rubbery funk electric bass lines and celestial groove of the funkier moments, but deeper sounds of more spiritual points too. Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave plays in a beautiful ensemble, packed with Tribe labelmates -- Wendell Harrison on tenor sax & percussion, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Harold McKinney on electric piano. Roy Brooks and Billy Turner are on drums and percussion, and the expansive vibe is fleshed out with the help of Lorenzo Brown on bongos and Daryl Dybka on mini Moog. The record includes Belgrave's beautiful epic "Space Odyssey", which has a long flowing cosmic groove, nice electronics, and haunting trumpet solos. Other cuts include "Gemini II", "Marcia's Opal", "Glue Fingers (Parts I & II)", and "Odoms Cave". A focused, but still wonderfully loose set of spacey 70s soul jazz!

One more example of what the hip hop world lost with the passing of Big L. An extra-nice collection of some of Big L's best freestyles and live tracks over the years, compiled from mixtape and live radio performances. One of the best is the long track ("Back 2 Back") where Big L trades verses back and forth with, and brings out the best in, Jay Z. Tracks include "Hardpack (Live From 125)", "Stretch Debut", "Don't Front", "C.O.C. Style", "Back 2 Back (Jay-Z 95)", "139 - Tony Touch", "ATL Sh*t", "Round Up -- Doo Wop", and more.

A handful of stellar remixes of material from Build An Ark's excellent Dawn album -- nice work that keeps the spiritual grooves and soaring atmosphere in the forefront -- but each remixer pairs their own style to the sounds very well! Daedelus's touch works nicely with the Build An Ark vibe -- bringing his spacey, soul stirring electronic vibe to "In Her Smile", and a soft focus, lilting folk vibe to the Long Lost remix of "You Yourself Hold The Key To The Universe". Ark aural vibe maker Carlos Nino & Jesse Peterson bring a loose, spacey dynamic to their remix of "Morning Glory", the Ras G & Afrikan Space Program remix of "Dawn" is bass rattling club funk, the Nu Waves remix of "When Anscestors Speak" by GB & A Race Of Angels brings astral atmosphere and more heavy tone bass to the track, and the set closes with the live at the Temple Bar version of "Welcome".

Sweet electric funk -- in a very trippy style! Before Donald Byrd hooked up with Larry Mizell and started recording his smooth fusion grooves of the mid 70's, he recorded this gem -- kind of a "lost" album that has Donald working in an open-ended electric sound -- one that's clearly inspired by the experiments of Miles Davis, but which has a generally funkier feel overall! The tracks are very long -- with lots of spiralling keyboard and trumpet solos -- and the hip players on the set include Bobby Hutcherson, David T Walker, Wilton Felder, and Harold Land. We love the tracks on this set -- especially "The Emperor" and "The Little Rasti", which are both over 15 minutes long, and have a haunting spacey sound that's a departure from Donald's usual work!

Dark and moody folk-psyche from the American underground -- a record once included on a list of "Top Ten Records Most Likely To Be Owned By A Serial Killer"! We're not sure if the set's as nasty as that might imply -- as there's actually a heartfelt, almost earnest quality to the vocals -- a slightly bluesy undercurrent, mixed with acoustic and electric guitar riffs -- and almost spoken at times -- or maybe not spoken, kind of "exclaimed" -- as if the lyrics were coming to singer Thorn Oehrig right at the time he was recording them! All this makes for a great sense of reflection on the record -- quite different than the posturing you might normally get on such a record -- especially given that some of the tunes get really tripped out, with some really weird guitar parts. The set was recorded in 1980, but really feels like some lost biker psyche outsider set from the late 60s or early 70s -- with heavy themes of drugs, death, and loneliness -- all recorded with a rough-edged quality that further underscores the feelings in the music. Titles include "Limousine Ride", "Billy Bad Billy", "Red Dog", "Old Charlie Polecat", "Old Time Feeling", "How Long", and "Just For Today".

A legendary lost album from Brazilian songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Lula Cortes and Ze Ramalho -- recorded in Brazil in the mid 70s -- blending avant psychedelia, rugged acoustic rhythms, and an enormous free spirit with delicate melodic touches and lilting jazzy elements! As is the case with the work of the best, most adventurous Brazilian artists of the time, it's a difficult sound to describe. It's a very atmospheric blend -- sung and chanted vocals are no more or less important than any of the other elements -- which include classical acoustic and fuzzy electric guitar, piano, organ, flute, sax and a range of percussion. It's free and psychedelic, but just reigned in enough to keep it tense and exciting. Pure greatness -- hopefully bound to achieve some long overdue recognition! Tracks include "Trilha De Sume", "Culto A Terra", "Bailado Das Muscarias", "Nao Existe Molhado Igua; Ao Pranto", "Raga Dos Raios", "Nas Paredes Da Pedra Encantada", "Regato Da Montanha", Trilha De Sume" and more! New reissue version has way better sound than before -- and reproduces all the cool graphics of the original cover.

A rare 70s session from keyboardist David Durrah -- a player who's probably best known for his contribution to other folks' work on labels like Black Jazz or Tribe Records, but who sounds equally great here on his own as a leader! The group features heavy keyboards from Durrah, over some wonderfully complex rhythms -- all in just the sort of spiritual vibe you'd hope for, as David's Fender Rhodes and other keys stretch out beautifully over a set of long jams handled by a combo with Calvin Keys on guitar, Alex Foster on tenor and soprano sax, Don Pate on bass, and Buddy Williams on drums. The album's a gem through and through -- the kind of lost treasure we're amazingly pleased to have discovered after all these years -- and it definitely lives up to all the promise you'd expect from Durrah's other work! Titles include "Angelic Streams", "Skippin The Blues", "Subway Dance", "Hole In The Pocket", "African Violet", and "Sweet Diane".

A super-hip batch of soul jazz tracks by Albert Toodie Heath of the Heath Brothers -- working here on a rare session as a leader, with a sound that's right up there with the Heath Brothers' early work for Strata East!! The lineup is incredible -- as Heath is joined by players that include Don Cherry, Buster Williams, Mtume, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, and Ed Blackwell -- all coming together for a session that's nearly lost to the history books, but which is one of the strongest spiritual jazz sessions of the late 60s! Herbie plays all acoustic piano throughout, and the tracks are long, leaping, and loping -- with stretched-out spiritual solos from Jimmy Heath and Don Cherry -- and a proud and righteous sound that's extremely free-spirited without going too far out! Titles include "Baraka", "Maulana", "Dunia", and "Kamili".

Excellent solo work by Lowrell Simon -- once a singer with Lost Generation, but opening up a whole new style of Chicago soul here on his own! The album's a tasty batch of smooth soul tracks with a midtempo club groove -- not disco, but with the kind of large production and loping groove that you'd find in a good Barry White album -- hitting all the right mellow funky moments at once! The prime example of this is the killer "Mellow Mellow Right On" -- offered up here in two long parts that take up most of side two of the album. Other nice ones include a version of Lowrell's "Overdose Of Love", plus the tracks "Out Of Breath" and "Smooth & Wild".

Amazing lost funk from Sabu Martinez -- rare work recorded in Sweden in the early 70s, and some of his heaviest work ever -- as great, if not better than, his legendary Afro Temple album! The tunes are all long and very jamming -- fierce Latin funk numbers that feature Sabu on a range of percussion instruments -- alongside lots of electric piano, plus sax and flute from Swedish jazzman Bernt Rosengren -- who's pretty great too! In addition to congas, Sabu also handles talking drums, gong, and bongos -- plus a range of other percussion effects too -- all heard to great form on the 17 minute jammer "Burned Sugar", plus the cuts "Bernt" and "Mambollo". CD also features the bonus "Polyvox Jam (parts 1 & 2)" -- plus the short spoken cut "Education".

A seminal LP of dub confrontation, where London Sound System commander Fatman pits the then up and coming Prince Jammy against relative unknown Crucial Bunny for a massive rhythm battle! Jammy and Bunny go nuts flexing their dub techniques on hard and heavy rhythms cut at Channel One and Harry J's by an all star cast of the usual suspects that includes Sly and Robbie, Fully Fullwood, Ranchie McLean, Santa Davis, Skully Sims, Jackie Mittoo, Chinna Smith and others, who keep the proceedings raw and rootsy. This long lost selecter's choice dub album features the 8 numbers of the original release, including "Jammys A No Fool", "Jammys On The Move", "Jammys A Shine", "Jammys A Satta", "Bunny Is Crucial", "Bunny Na Jest", "Bunny A Warrior" and "Bunny No Easy", plus the CD adds four excellent bonus tracks, previously only released as dub plates: "Feel Jammys Spirit", "Jammys Too Bad", "Wild Wild Bunny" and "How Bunny Feels".

Righteous Ra from the end of the 70s -- one of the most soulful albums ever by the Sun Ra Arkestra, and a lost treasure that's got some nice funky moments! The vibe here is very much in the Lanquidity/Disco 3000 mode -- an extrapolation of styles best known from the Space Is The Place era, tightened up into more of a groove at some points, but also relaxed and more reflective at others. Our favorite track on the set is "UFO", a snapping bit of funk that comes as a real surprise from Sun Ra -- and a tune that's got some nicely noisy guitar jamming alongside straighter electric rhythms -- all topped off by vocals from the group and some really strong horn work! The tune's a great party funk number that shows the Arkestra at its most joyous -- and other tracks include "On Jupiter", which has a great blend of light vocals, spacey moog, and snakey sax -- plus the side-long "Seductive Fantasy", a laidback number that unfolds with a really gentle grace.

A lost classic from the legendary Tribe Records label of Detroit -- home to some of the most groundbreaking soul jazz of the early 70s! This set is one of the more "out" sessions on the legendary Tribe label from Detroit -- and one that features many of the label's great players, like Wendell Harrison, Marcus Belgrave, Charles Moore, and Ranelin himself. The tracks are long and progressive, with distinct political overtones that work well with the avant playing of the set. Titles include "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". Plus, this reissue also features 3 previously unissued bonus tracks -- "He The One We All Knew (extended)", "Time Is Running Out (extended)", and "The Time Now Is For Change (outtake)".

Whomp! It's a stormer! Killer killer killer! No kidding, this album's a monster -- and it's one of the heaviest slices of funk we've heard in ages! Pardon the exclamations, but we're telling the truth -- and this classic by the Sugarman Three is a must-have for any fan of funky jazz and jazzy funk. The group's usual lineup has been expanded to a hard, heavy sextet -- with organ, tenor, guitar, flute, and percussion all going to town like a house on fire, or (more appropriately) like the best of the lost little combos that we usually sell on funky 45s! The drummer's totally sock-solid, and the organ and guitar riffs wail so hard your windows will break (Dusty Groove not to be held responsible for damage!) Every cut's a winner -- and this will be the best present your ears have had all year! Titles include "Soul Donkey", "Chicken Half", "Double Back", "Pull My Cart", "Out A Sight", "So Long Donkey", "Turtle Walk", "Mullin Around", and more. Great stuff!

Mid 60s sunshine pop from Tinkerbell's Fairydust -- psyche era tunes from the UK that's been a long lost legend for many years -- purportedly manufactured by Decca in 1969 but never officially issued! with really groovy harmonies that give it in extra lift, but still with with a pretty gritty small combo sound on the bottom end. A nice mix of Cali style harmonies and the boundary free psyche era pop sound of the era. Really nice stuff! Titles include "Twenty Ten", "Majorine", "The Worst That Could Happen", "In My Magic Garden", "Never My Love", "Lazy Day", "Every Minute Every Day", "Whole World" and "Happy".

Long lost post disco soul from Trilark! Trilark keeps the tight, smoothed out and soaring groove of the late 70s club soul into the mix here, a really sweet and gleamingly funky batch. Every song here's got a great hook -- if the early 80s era was a bit more forgiving to groups that carried the torch for the late 70s sound, this one could have been huge! Tracks include "Face The Music", "Love You Up", "Mr. Fantasy", "Check It Out", "Love Never Looked Better", "You And I", "Sweat It Out" and more.

Wonderful! This is a lost bit of New Jersey funk on the Turbo label, featuring a group that includes Doug Wimbish and Skip McDonald before they became part of the Sugarhill house band, and then part of the On-U Sound collective. The album's a great mix of warmly soulful instrumental grooving -- with some tracks that have a tight uptempo feel, and others that are slower and harder, but equally jazzy. The whole thing's the kind of funky record that you'd love to find while digging through the crates -- and it's had long life over the past few decades, thanks to the rich variety of tunes on the set. Includes the classic cut "Funkanova", an uptempo jazzy intrumental that continued to be a club favorite throughout the house years -- plus loads of other good cuts, too, like "WBS Theme" and a version of "Always There".

Cosmic hip hop, moody keyboard funk, tripped out bits of strings, brass, rubbery bass grooves and gritty beats from Sa-Ra's uber creative partner Shafiq -- and a record that rivals the best work of Sa-Ra proper! We long suspected that En'A Freek Ka would be a gem, and it does not dissappoint -- going much deeper than we thought! The synth funk, cosmic keys, and splintering beats are here, but there's lots of fleshed out instrumentation in the mix that kicks it all a step deeper -- lots of keys, soul jazz horns, and more, overall an a little grittier than the usual Sa-Ra vibe. Shafiq's voice floats in and out in kind of a cosmic narrator mode, and guests include Bilal, Jimetta Rose, Count Bass D, Om'Mas Keith & Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner and others. Titles include "Nirvana", The UN Plan", "Cheeba" feat Bilal, "Lil Girl", "Lost & Found" feat Jimetta Rose & Bilal", "No Moor", "All Dead", "Major Heavy" feat Sonny Coates & Count Bass D, "Evil Man", "Changes" feat Om'Mas Keith Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, ":ove Still Hurts", "Egypt", "Rebel Soldier" and more.

Cosmic hip hop, moody keyboard funk, tripped out bits of strings, brass, rubbery bass grooves and gritty beats from Sa-Ra's uber creative partner Shafiq -- and a record that rivals the best work of Sa-Ra proper! We long suspected that En'A Freek Ka would be a gem, and it does not dissappoint -- going much deeper than we thought! The synth funk, cosmic keys, and splintering beats are here, but there's lots of fleshed out instrumentation in the mix that kicks it all a step deeper -- lots of keys, soul jazz horns, and more, overall an a little grittier than the usual Sa-Ra vibe. Shafiq's voice floats in and out in kind of a cosmic narrator mode, and guests include Bilal, Jimetta Rose, Count Bass D, Om'Mas Keith & Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner and others. Titles include "Nirvana", The UN Plan", "Cheeba" feat Bilal, "Lil Girl", "Lost & Found" feat Jimetta Rose & Bilal", "No Moor", "All Dead", "Major Heavy" feat Sonny Coates & Count Bass D, "Evil Man", "Changes" feat Om'Mas Keith Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, ":ove Still Hurts", "Egypt", "Rebel Soldier" and more.

A killer full length debut from Baby Charles -- one of the most soulful deep funk combos we've heard in a long time! The group have been bubbling under for a few years with a handful of singles, but this set really shows the full range of their powers -- and comes off like some lost indie soul set from years back! Dionne Charles is a heck of a great lead singer -- belting out the tunes here with enough raw power to match any of the other current deep funk divas on the scene -- and the rest of the group is plenty tight with their rhythms -- knowing just when to come on hard, and when to kick back a bit. Titles include "Treading Water", "Invisible", "Comin From A High Place", "Step On", "Hardman To Please", "Back Of My Hand", "This Time", and "The Sphinx".

Excellent lost live work by Art Blakey -- playing here with one of the best-ever versions of the Jazz Messengers! The frontline is held down by Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, and Lee Morgan -- the firey trio who put Blakey's group on the map as one of the best-ever hardbop ensembles of the 50s and 60s! The quintet is playing here before a very live audience, at the Olympia in Paris, during a time when the Jazz Messengers were having a very fruitful relationship with the city. This 2CD set features some excellent long tracks -- including 12 minute versions of Timmons' "So Tired", Morgan's "Yama", and Shorter's "The Summit" -- plus a version of "Close Your Eyes", which the group always did well! Other tracks include "Blues March", "Moanin", "Noise In The Attic", "It's Only A Paper Moon", and "Dat Dere".

A much different album than you might expect from the cover -- hardly the funky 70s set implied by the Big Fun-styled cover -- and instead a lost slice of work from his groundbreaking late 60s years! The set was recorded in 1967, but unissued until Miles late 70s time away from the studio -- hence the cover, which attempts to contemporanize the record -- and the music is very much in the dark moods and sharp tones of Filles De Kilimanjaro, and features a somewhat similar group! The core quintet of Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums handles the first half of the set -- but the group's then expanded to include Chick Corea on electric piano along with Herbie on keys -- and Ron Carter steps out so that Dave Holland can bring some more modern tones to the bass. Tracks are all somewhat long, and titles include "Capricorn", "Water Babies", "Sweet Pea", and "Two Faced".

A rare 70s session from keyboardist David Durrah -- a player who's probably best known for his contribution to other folks' work on labels like Black Jazz or Tribe Records, but who sounds equally great here on his own as a leader! The group features heavy keyboards from Durrah, over some wonderfully complex rhythms -- all in just the sort of spiritual vibe you'd hope for, as David's Fender Rhodes and other keys stretch out beautifully over a set of long jams handled by a combo with Calvin Keys on guitar, Alex Foster on tenor and soprano sax, Don Pate on bass, and Buddy Williams on drums. The album's a gem through and through -- the kind of lost treasure we're amazingly pleased to have discovered after all these years -- and it definitely lives up to all the promise you'd expect from Durrah's other work! Titles include "Angelic Streams", "Skippin The Blues", "Subway Dance", "Hole In The Pocket", "African Violet", and "Sweet Diane".

Rare early 70s Dutch psych prog -- early work from Earth & Fire -- with some pop psychedelia learned tunes, but with a trippy, unconventional groove! The female vocals and some lighter overall sounds keep it away from the heavier or more lumbering sounds of the era, with organ, mellotron and flute in the instrumentation. Wild stuff that came out on Polygram in the Netherlands at the time! Titles include "Carnival Of The Animals". "Ebb Tide", "Storm And Thunder", "In The Mountains" and the side-long epic "Song Of The Marching Children". Bonus tracks on the CD include "Storm And Thunder", "Lost Forever", "Memories" and "From The End 'Til The Beginning".

The debut album from Flying Lotus -- kind of a funkier, tighter, and more focused sound then the outer realm swelling vibes of the subsequent Los Angeles LP and the addendum EPs -- very compelling, and strong little set. The beats splinter off and the rhythms are jittery and unpredictable, but he never takes away from a compelling, head nodding vibe over all. Very nice stuff from a beatmaker who gets better and better. Titles include the title track, "Sao Paolo", "Bad Actors", "Orbit Brazil", "Shifty", "Babble", "Pet Monster Shotglass", "Unexpected Delight" with future Long Lost chanteuse Laura Darlington, and more.

Wonderful stuff -- and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here -- suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch out!) Although the album was thought of as a no-brainer quickie at the time -- and predicted to fail so that Anna wouldn't get any cash from it -- the record is an extremely well-crafted one, filled with extremely personal songs that also have a warm soulful finish, in the style of Marvin's work on the LP I Want You (which is kind of a nice bookend to this one -- as it was an extended love poem to the young girlfriend that caused him to split up with Anna!) Hard and soulful, the record's a searing testimony to the relationship between Marvin and Anna, and a painful document of the troubles between them -- set to some mellow grooves that are easily some of Marvin's greatest of the 70s! The set's filled with great "lost" Marvin Gay songs, too -- like "Sparrow", "When Did You Stop Loving Me", "Anger", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You", and "Time to Get it Together".

A rare funky treasure -- lost live material from Grant Green's hippest years at Blue Note -- presented here for the first time ever ! The set's an incredibly smoking one -- with loads of long tracks that really stretch out in a hard-hitting, bottom-heavy funky mode -- no surprise, considering that Idris Muhammad's on drums, as part of a lineup that also includes Ronnie Foster, Houston Person, and Clarence Thomas! The groove here is a bit more Prestige jazz funk than Blue Note -- the kind of rough-edged and spontaneous vibe that Rusty Bryant, Leon Spencer, and others cooked up during the early 70s on some of their best classics for that label -- but Green's a perfect person to catch the spirit of that wildfire, and jams long and nicely here on 8 tracks that include "Farid", "Jan Jan", "One More Chance", "Patches", "I Am Somebody", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Bottom Of The Barrel", and "Walk On By".

Incredible work by the great Eddie Harris -- an album that was initially recorded for Vee Jay during his early tenure at the label, but not issued for years! The album's one of Eddie's greatest from the time -- a really far-reaching blend of soul jazz, hardbop, and some of the more exotic influences running through the Chicago scene from whence he came. Two tracks on the album are especially long groovers -- "Cuttin Out" and "Shakey Jake" -- both in the 15 minute mark, and extended jammers with Ira Sullivan on trumpet, Bunky Green on alto, and Melvin Rhyne on organ. The first two tracks on the set feature Eddie in a lineup with Willie Pickens, Raphael Don Garrett, and Ira Sullivan -- on the modal groovers "The Dancing Bull" and "Antidote". And the last 4 tracks on the CD are pulled from the album "Half & Half" -- an 8 track release that initially featured 4 tunes with Eddie blowing with a vocal group, and these other 4 that have him working with a very hip group that includes Charles Stepney on piano, Melvin Jackson on bass, Joe Dorio on guitar, and Marshall Thompson on drums. Titles include "Half & Half", "KC Blues", "Lawrence Of Arabia", and "Yea Yea Yea".

A lost treasure from the overlooked late 70s jazz years at Columbia! The album's got Freddie Hubbard working with arranger Claus Ogerman on some expansive tracks that go beyond his earlier work in the decade -- sometimes blowing mellow notes over larger orchestrations, other times working in a surprisingly lean groove that has some really soulful touches! The approach shifts from track to track, but all titles are long, and the overall effect is really great. Al Jarreau guests on a sweet vocal version of "Little Sunflower", and other players on the set include Joe Farrell and Tom Scott on reeds, and Chick Corea, who plays most of the keys on the set. Titles include "Lazy Afternoon", "This Dream", "Brigitte", and "The Love Connection".

Lost Latin genius from Sabu Martinez -- a previously-unreleased session cut in Sweden during the mid 70s! The combo here is a unique ensemble of Swedish jazz players and Latin percussion -- handled not just by Sabu, but also with some help from his two sons as well -- all in a wicked blend of saxes, flute, and trombone -- plus some great electric piano as well! Sabu drives the grooves with some massively heavy congas, and also throws in lots of odd percussion and sound effects too -- and all tracks are long, jamming, and very very funky -- with a vibe that almost takes off even further than some of the Latin funk coming out of the US a few years before. The combo, Maldito Primitivo, never recorded a full album, but jammed together in Stockholm for years -- and this set's a well-recorded document of a smoking live set -- the only thing to ever be released by the group! Titles include "Organo Oriental", "Maldito Primitivo", "Hot Salsa", and "Blues En Latin". CD also features the tracks "Guajira Plaza Colon Puerto Rico" and "Introduction For The Program".

Lost Latin genius from Sabu Martinez -- a previously-unreleased session cut in Sweden during the mid 70s! The combo here is a unique ensemble of Swedish jazz players and Latin percussion -- handled not just by Sabu, but also with some help from his two sons as well -- all in a wicked blend of saxes, flute, and trombone -- plus some great electric piano as well! Sabu drives the grooves with some massively heavy congas, and also throws in lots of odd percussion and sound effects too -- and all tracks are long, jamming, and very very funky -- with a vibe that almost takes off even further than some of the Latin funk coming out of the US a few years before. The combo, Maldito Primitivo, never recorded a full album, but jammed together in Stockholm for years -- and this set's a well-recorded document of a smoking live set -- the only thing to ever be released by the group! Titles include "Organo Oriental", "Maldito Primitivo", "Hot Salsa", and "Blues En Latin".

The long awaited return of a true jazz genius! Marc Moulin is famous among groove hounds for his 70s keyboard work -- sort of a European answer to Herbie Hancock's electric period, recorded on records under Moulin's own name, and with the group Placebo. Moulin's been lost to our ears for decades -- but this great new set is a stunner, the kind of fresh French Blue Note session that resembles the work of Booster, St Germain, or Erik Truffaz! The tracks mix up Moulin's work on keyboards and synthesizers with jazzy solos on tenor, trumpet, guitar, Hammond organ, and flute -- acoustically grooving over Moulin's rhythmic progressions, mixing real jazz expression with some contemporary beats. Titles include "Organ", "Theo", "Bottle", "Into The Dark", "In My Room", and "Tenor".

A strong second set from Musique -- finally getting a chance to appear on their own albums, after the horror of the cover of their first one! The group's lost Jocelyn Brown by this time -- but singers Denise Edwards, Mary Seymour, and Gina Taylor more than do a great job of holding onto the groove -- and with added help from Patrick Adams, who helped make their first album so great, the tunes soar along at a level that's right up there with the best of the Prelude disco scene! The tracks are long, with lots of nice Adams touches, and the titles include "Glide", "Number One", and "Love Massage". CD features bonus mixes too!

Whomp! It's a stormer! Killer killer killer! No kidding, this album's a monster -- and it's one of the heaviest slices of funk we've heard in ages! Pardon the exclamations, but we're telling the truth -- and this classic by the Sugarman Three is a must-have for any fan of funky jazz and jazzy funk. The group's usual lineup has been expanded to a hard, heavy sextet -- with organ, tenor, guitar, flute, and percussion all going to town like a house on fire, or (more appropriately) like the best of the lost little combos that we usually sell on funky 45s! The drummer's totally sock-solid, and the organ and guitar riffs wail so hard your windows will break (Dusty Groove not to be held responsible for damage!) Every cut's a winner -- and this will be the best present your ears have had all year! Titles include "Soul Donkey", "Chicken Half", "Double Back", "Pull My Cart", "Out A Sight", "So Long Donkey", "Turtle Walk", and "Mullin Around". Great stuff!

A lost treasure from pianist Horace Tapscott -- material recorded live at the legendary Lighthouse club, done with a very hip group of players from the Nimbus Records scene! The tracks are quite long throughout -- and often start with Tapscott musing into the groove with solo piano, soon joined by group members who include Reggie Bullen on trumpet, Gary Bias on alto sax, Roberto Miranda and David Bryant on bass, and George Goldsmith on drums. Tapscott's piano has plenty of sharp edges throughout, but these introductory moments also show his more contemplative side as well -- making the long tracks a wonderfully rich portrait of his musical talents. Titles include "Acirfa", "Dem Folks", "I Remember Clifford", "Leland's Song", and a shorter take on "Acirfa".

Insane! This lost bit of avant funk was recorded live in St Louis in 1973 -- part of the Black Artists Group scene that was the city's answer to Chicago's AACM movement of the late 60s. Alto player Luther Thomas heads up the group, which features Charles Shaw on drums, JD Parran on reeds, Marvin Horne on guitar, Eric Foreman on bass -- plus guest work from AACM visitors Joseph and Lester Bowie! The set kicks off with the 20 minute monster track "Funky Donkey" -- an unbridled funky jam that mixes tight fast rhythms with skilled way-out solos, very much in the mode of "Nation Time" from Joe McPhee's album of similar vintage. The cut's a stone monster -- and it's backed here by two other long tracks, "Una New York" and "Intensity", both of which have a more avant feel, but an equally exciting mix of styles.

A different groove than usual from Keb Darge -- not the deep funk we're used to seeing associated with his name, but a killer selection of rare R&B and rockabilly work -- co-compiled here with Cut Chemist! Turns out both Keb and Chemist are longtime fans and collectors of the genres, and they really know their stuff -- digging here as deep into 50s material as they might usually do with 60s and 70s soul and funk. But even without the high-end collector pedigree, the set's a great one -- way more than just obvious older numbers -- and filled with ultra-rare tracks that are as hard-grooving and gritty as they are obscure! As with other BBE compilations, the sound here is great -- a very welcome antidote to all the dodgy rockabilly sets on the market -- and Keb also includes some great liner notes too, offering up a unique London perspective on these older American sounds. 2CD set features a whopping 37 tracks in all -- including "All I Can Do Is Cry" by Wayne Walker, "Chick Chick" by Junior Dean & The Avalons, "Cottonpickin" by Mickey Hawks & The Night Raiders, "Stressed Up" by Kick Em Jenny, "Juicy Fruit" by Rudy Greene, "Sadie Green" by Big T Tyler, "Stampede" by The Scarlets, "Fever" by Carlos & The Bandidos, "Shorty The Barber" by Lou Millet, "That'll Get It" by The Imps, "Long Time Dead" by Jack Rabbit Slim, "Don't Have A Heart Left To Break" by High Noon, and "Hot Dog" by Corky Jones.

Quite possibly the most beautiful record we've ever seen from the folks at The Numero Group -- and that's saying a lot, given the quality of all their top-shelf releases! This beautiful edition features a hardcover book of vintage black and white photographs taken on Chicago's south side in the mid 70s -- images of patrons and proprietors from long-lost nite spots that include Perv's House, Pepper's Hideout, The High Chaparral, and The Showcase Lounge -- all the kind of clubs that were likely to feature the sort of Chicago funk and soul that Numero's been reissuing for the past few years! The images are amazing -- a really rare look into the community that supported this sort of music -- caught far far from the mainstream, in placed that were almost even private, compared to more well-travelled entertainment outlets. Photographs come from the collection of Michael Abramson -- and are beautifully reproduced on LP-sized pages, in a book that also features some vintage flyers, posters, and business cards from the clubs! And if that's not enough, Numero also throws in some great notes of their own, and a bonus 2LP set with music that includes "I'm A Streaker Baby" by Arelean Brown, "No Better Time Than Now" by Ricky Allen, "The Same One" by Malcolm Simmons, "You Made Me Suffer" by Andrew Brown, "This Is My Prayer" by Lady Margo, "It's A Dream" by Little Ed & The Soundmasters Band, "I Sayed That" by Slim Willis Band, "Bring It Down Front" by Hugh Hawkins, "Womans Lib" by Lucille Spann, "Gimmie Some Of Yours" by Artie White, "Baby" by Walter Butterball Davis, "Is It Because I'm Black (inst)" by Syl Johnson, "Goose Walk" by Little Mack, "Young Blood" by Detroit Jr, "California Lady" by James Kinds & Stack, and "I Learned My Lesson" by Willie Davis. The albums are packaged in their own Numero-like cover -- then nestled in a slipcover with the book -- a hell of a sweet set at this price, and it also comes with an introduction by Nick Hornby!

Another great mix of old and new grooves from the folks at Manchester's Fat City Records -- put together with no concept other than the fact that the tunes are favorites of the Fat City crew! As with other volumes, the compilation is a wicked mix of tracks from funk, hip hop, reggae, and other sources -- most of them rare versions not easily available, including b-sides, 12" mixes, and other long-lost goodies. The album's like finding a mixtape made by one of your hipper DJ friends -- and one with quite a collection of rare wax as well -- and tracks include "I'm A Winner" by Smoked Sugar, "Dangerous" by Conroy Smith, "RU Ready For Nova" by Nova Cain, "Superjock" by Reuben Bell, "Just Passin Through" by Aim, "What I'm Feelin (Rae & Christian rmx)" by Nightmares On Wax, "Home Sweet Home" by Substantial, "Peckings" by Ballistic Brothers, "I Can Do My Thing" by Martin Brew, "Them That's Not" by J Live, and "Me & Me Princess" by Lightning Head.

One of the grooviest Christmas albums we've ever stocked -- a package that's full of unusual Holiday gems, yet which never trades obscurity for the festive spirit of the season! Like the first 2 volumes in the series, this one really digs deep -- moving past familiar favorites into a range of long-lost tunes from the vaults of a variety of labels -- some by bigger names, others by artists as obscure as the tunes! But throughout this pursuit of the unusual, the album never sacrifices the warmth and good spirit that makes Holiday music so great -- and if anything, these tunes seem to light our Christmas stars even brighter because they're fresh and unusual, and restore our faith in the music of late December! And just in case you feel you're getting a bit off track on the set, the compilers have thrown in a few more familiar numbers to hold you in line -- making for a well-rounded 24 track package that includes the cuts "Christmas Time Is Here Again" by The Flirtations, "Gee Whiz It's Christmas" by Beginning Of The End, "I Remember Christmas" by The Stridells, "Close Your Mouth It's Christmas" by Free Design, "Snowfall" by Singers Unlimited, "Christmas Morning" by Rhys O'Brien, "Peace At Last" by Rotary Connection, "A Christmas Toast" by Bing Crosby, "White Christmas" by Candy Store, "Soulful Christmas" by James Brown, "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of Year" by Andy Williams, "Goin Home" by Bobby Sherman, "Ring Those Christmas Bells" by Peggy Lee, "Snow" by Nilsson, "Song Of Santa Claus" by Luiz Henrique, and "Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas" by The Staple Singers.