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Rare solo material from pianist Leo Cuypers – a really wonderful set that gives us a chance to hear his talents in a completely unfettered setting! We know Cuypers best from some of his efforts in groups, and it's a great change to hear him here on his own – working through some amazing original compositions that are filled with life and feeling! At some points, he's got all the wit, energy, and sharp edges of contemporary Misha Mengelberg – but at other times, there's this lyrical cohesion to his music that almost reminds us of the most tuneful moments of Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett – an obvious great range of sounds to come from one player in such a small space – which makes the album possibly the greatest illustration of Cuyper's genius we've ever heard. Titles include "Lovely Rita", "Monk's Raus", "Het Cowboylied Van Ome Piet", "One Million Dollar Song", "Tristano Song", and "Lovely Rita". CD also features 3 long bonus tracks too!

Out of the wreckage of Cream came some very hip grooves! Ginger Baker was the hippest of the group's 3 members – and although he's often credited by soul fans for his work with Fela, he should also get a hats off for his work with the group Air Force – essentially a 10-piece (which seems to have been expanded beyond even that number for this set) that came up with some of the most monstrous art funk jamming we've heard! At its base, the group's in the jazz rock mode – with players that include Brit jazz luminaries Phil Seamen, Harold McNair, and Graham Bond, plus rockers like Baker, Steve Winwood, Denny Laine, and Rick Grech. The tracks are all long groovers in a post-beat group mode – and the best tracks have a jamming sound that's pretty over the top! It's full of the propulsive, Afro-influenced bass and percussion, some wild, jazz funk flute and sax, plus amazing work on violin, guitar and occasional, ephemeral vocals. Awesome stuff – one of the best and most innovative live albums of the era! Titles include "Da Da Man", "Aiko Biaye", "Do What You Like", "Doin It", and "Don't Care". It's about time this thing arrived on CD!

Hard driving work by Ted Curson! Jubilant Power is a pretty apt title for the set – played with a celebratory fire – combining the freer loft-style playing of his late 70s American work, with some of the tighter grooving rhythmic approaches of his early 70s sides in France. Chris Woods, a frequent partner from the Paris years, is in the group on alto and flute, cutting lines that match Curson's as well recallung the tenor of Bill Barron during the 60s. Other players include Andy Laverne and Jim McNeely on piano, Nick Brignola on alto sax and flute, Bob Merigliano on drums and Sam Jacobs on conga. Excellent stuff! Titles include "Marjo", "Song Of The Lonely", "Reava's Waltz", "Airi's Tune", "Searchin For The Blues" and "Ted's Tempo".

Insanely wonderful music from Andrew Hill – a lean, stripped-down session that has Hill working at his firey best – in a space that's somewhere between the "new thing" recordings of Jackie McLean, and the brooding brilliance of Andrew's later Smokestack session! The group here has some key figures fleshing out the sound – a young Joe Henderson, blowing tenor with a very edgey quality – the very versatile Richard Davis on bass – and the great Roy Haynes on drums, very much at his most fluid interpretation of rhythm! The whole set's pretty darn great – one of the more mindblowing Blue Notes you'll ever hope to buy – and tracks include "Pumpkin", "Subterfuge", "Cantarnos", and "McNeil Island".

Hubert Laws hits an 80s groove here – but the shift doesn't seem to dampen his soul at all! At some points, the rhythms are a bit more pronounced than before – bouncy and funky at points, with a slight nod to the clubs – yet other points still have that soft, airy finish that made Laws' flute such a big hit earlier in the 70s – mixed here with some nice vocals from Rod McNeill and Eloise Laws too. Most of the album's still instrumental, though – and other players include Bobby Lyle on acoustic piano, Randy Waldman on Fender Rhodes, Nathan East on bass, and Ndugu Chancler on drums. Titles include "Stay With Me", "Morning Star", "Life Cycles", "Gonna Be Happy", "Make It Last", and "Happy Anniversary".

A great step forward for Gianmarco Liguori – an album that's got a much deeper, more texture-based sound than some of his previous work – almost an experimental ECM mode for the 21st Century! Gianmarco's sound really lives up to the "musical directions" promised on the cover – served up in a heady brew of his own guitars and electronics – with added piano and Fender Rhodes from Murray McNabb, and trumpet and percussion from Kim Paterson – all elements that are used softly, and layered heavily – so that the sounds are often abstracted far from their source – yet still retain all their musicality, and still have a bit of swing as well! Titles include "Indian Milk", "Primitive Nightmare", "Cosmic Protrusion", "Energy Wind", "Path To The Fortress", and "Duga 3".

A beautiful title, and a record that really lives up to it too – filled with evocative piano lines from Murray McNabb – a really great player with a strong sense of flow! The session's an overlooked one – finally out now – and it's got the feel of some lost classic from the Bill Evans school, although maybe with a bit more bite – given that Murray's got an inherent modal groove to his work on the piano, especially when rhythms kick in strongly – from Ron McClure on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums. Tunes are all McNabb originals – and are some really beautiful compositions that ring out with soul and feeling throughout – real gems that include "Instant Bossa", "Dark Windows", "Recurring Dream", "The Long Walk Home", "Memorial", and "Song For The Dream Weaver".

The amazing debut of Ronnie McNeir – a 70s soul maestro we'd rank right up there with Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson, or Leon Ware – but one who's possibly even more impressive, given that he cut this record when he was only 22 years old! The album's quite heavy on keyboards – played by Ronnie underneath his wonderful vocals – with jazzy touches that give the record a strongly mature sound, almost in the realm of Stevie Wonder at points, especially Stevie's sound right at the end of the 60s. But Ronnie's also very much his own man too – and puts together the album with a great deal of thought – a few recurring musical themes between some tunes, and even bits of dialogue which serve to unite the different tunes, and almost make the record a mini-symphony of soul! The songwriging is beautiful too – numbers that have a deeply personal feel, but without any common cliches – often a righteous undercurrent that creates a spiritual vibe that links things together wonderfully. There's a depth here that goes way beyond common soul albums of the time – and the album's a real treasure of 70s soul – the kind we'd never part with! Titles include "In Summertime", "Young Girl", "Daddy's Coming Home", "Girl You're Gonna Lose Your Groove", "Keep Your Hands Off My Lady", "Extra Extra", "Gone Away", and "I'm So Thankful".

A killer album of modern soul from ex-Dramatics singer LJ Reynolds! The album's in a modern Detroit mode all the way through – with top-shelf production by Reynolds, Don Davis, and Ronnie McNeir – and Ronnie, who'd been lost to the industry for a few years, also re-emerges as a writer on the songs "Southern Pearl", "Lonely Superstar", and "Ain't No Woman Like My Baby". The real standout, though, is the amazing cut "Key To The World", a killer steppers track that has a hook that won't quit, and this wonderful brassy finish that gives the track a really triumphant sound that works perfectly with the righteous lyric. The track's been a fave on the Chitown steppers scene for years – and for good reason!

A pair of classic early 80s soul albums from ex-Dramatics singer LJ Reynolds! The self-titled '81 set is killer material in a modern Detroit mode all the way through – with top-shelf production by Reynolds, Don Davis, and Ronnie McNeir/ Ronnie, who'd been lost to the industry for a few years, also re-emerges as a writer on the songs "Southern Pearl", "Lonely Superstar", and "Ain't No Woman Like My Baby". The real standout, though, is the amazing cut "Key To The World", a killer steppers track that has a hook that won't quit, and this wonderful brassy finish that gives the track a really triumphant sound that works perfectly with the righteous lyric. LJ Reynolds' sounds great on '82's Travelin', too – stepping even more strongly away from his work with The Dramatics, and emerging as one of the best male soul acts of the early 80s! The production on this one is split between Reynolds and Don Davis, in a mode that's contemporary, but which allows LJ plenty of space for old school vocal expression – that far-reaching style of singing that always made him stand out strongly from the pack! There's a sublime mellow version of Aretha Franklin's "Call Me" on the set – and other tracks include "Words", "Trust In Me", "Say You Will", "You & Me", "Let Me Satisfy You", and "Fast Action"…

David Ruffin at Warner Brothers – a very good thing, thanks to some sublime production from Detroit soul legend Don Davis! As with other key productions in the 70s, Don pitches Ruffin with a sound that's smooth, but still has a great sense of humanity – a style that's a bit like late 70s Marvin Gaye and Leon Ware, and which proves to be a perfect fit for David – giving him a new sense of focus here that's totally great! Those classic Ruffin vocals sound wonderful here – flowing, glowing, and getting a sense of warmth without getting too slick. A few cuts feature backup vocals from Leon Ware and Ronnie McNair, and female singer Laverna Mason brings in some great duets that really help deepen the sound of the record! Titles include "Love Supply", "I Wanna Be With You", "I Got A Thing For You", "Don't You Go Home", "Can We Make Love One More Time", and "All I Need".

The music of Horace Silver is magically presented here by drummer Hideo Shiraki – grooving nicely in the same exotic approach to soul jazz you'd find on Silver's best Blue Note sides of the late 50s! Shiraki's always had a bit of a Jazz Messengers approach in his music – at least at this point in his career – so it's no surprise that he does such a great job with Silver's music – recreating some of the best grooves made famous by Horace at Blue Note, but also bringing a bit of his own flavor to the tunes too. One of the ways he does this is by expanding the sound slightly, as group's a sextet – with Hidehiko "Sleepy" Matsumoto on tenor and flute, Akira Fukuhara on trombone, and Hisaya Omata on trumpet – all providing a nice three-tiered frontline that then breaks out into solo formation. Pianist Joe Sera handles Horace's role on the tunes – and titles include "Senor Blues", "The Preacher", "Blowing The Blues Away", "Filthy McNasty", "Doing The Thng", and "Swinging The Samba".

One of the few live recordings ever done by Horace Silver during his Blue Note years – a real surprise, considering what a crowd pleaser he was at the time! The set catches Horace working with that great quintet that graced most of his best early Blue Notes – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Junior Cook on tenor, Gene Taylor on bass, and the always-amazing Roy Brooks on drums. The groove is tight tight tight, and the live set crackles with the same sort of energy as the live sessions by the Jazz Messengers on Blue Note – rolling soul jazz, but with a bit of a lyrical touch to flesh things out. Because of the live setting, tracks are a bit longer than the usual Silver session – which makes for freer soloing, and a bit of a rougher edge that keeps things lively throughout. Titles include "The Gringo", "Filthy McNasty", and "Doin' The Thing".

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones.

Sublime soul all the way through – a tremendous set of modern and mellow cuts from the end of the 70s and start of the 80s – all put together with a really beautiful feel! There's a perfect balance here – between mainstream and underground, laidback and grooving – the classiest sort of soul from the time, and work that's light years away from both disco dancefloors and chart-oriented cuts. Expansion Records' Ralph Tee put the package together, and his approach here really takes us back to the time when the label first started catching our ear with their subtle, sophisticated approach to soul. Many tracks here haven't been reissued before, and even those that have sound wonderful in the company of the rest. Titles include "If You're Ready" by Beau Williams, "Let's Go All The Way" by Gayle Adams, "The Good Side Of Love" by Ronnie McNeir, "We're In Ecstasy" by Hubert Laws, "Evening Of Love" by Main Ingredient, "It's Alright With Me" by Patti Labelle, "Say You Love Me Girl" by Breakwater, "Never Had A Love Like This Before (inst)" by Tavares, "Here We Go Again (parts 1 & 2)" by Isley Brothers, "I Want To Be Where You Are" by Ronnie Dyson, "Can You Find The Time" by Champaign, "How Do You Take Your Love" by Major Harris, and "What About My Love" by Damaris Carbaugh.

Smoking soul from the Cincinnatti scene – a massive amount of work we've never heard before – no surprise, since the set features lots of unreleased tracks! Most of the music here came from the Fraternity label – and most of the artists are blue-eyed soul singers hitting a funkier sort of vibe – one that's got occasional bits of funky rock in the mix, with echoes of the headier sounds going on in Detroit! Upbeat moments mix nicely with darker undercurrents – and most music comes from the Cinci songwriting/producing team of Wayne Perry and Randy McNutt – who also perform here a bit too. While there's been no shortage of soulful sounds from Ohio to find release in the past few years, this stuff really has a unique vibe – largely done with a tightly-arranged, highly-energetic vibe that stands out right away. Titles Includes "Mr Bus Driver", "Gimme The Green Light", "Right Or Wrong", and "Get 'Em While They're Hot" by Wayne Perry; "Gonna Have A Good Time" by Little Flint, "Pain" by The Boys In The Band, "Little Bit Of Lovin'" by Wood-I with Wayne Perry, "Waiting For You" by The Hometown Band, "I Like Skin" by Rick Bam Powell, and "Souled Out" by Soul Limited.

Plenty of 80s grooves here – plus a few great 70s numbers – one of the more contemporary volumes of the Steppin Across The USA series! As with previous volumes, the focus here is on tracks that play well on underground dancefloors – especially here in the Windy City, where the Steppers sound still reigns supreme! Most tracks are mellow or midtempo – sliding along on percolating beats, warm keyboards, and just the right touch of soulful vocals – often a shade just away from commercial, but with enough of the best elements to keep things real. Titles include "Yours (12" mix)" by Shai, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Ian Foster, "Missing You" by Chris Walker, "Groovin" by Collage, "Red Lights" by Curiosity Killed The Cat, "Make It Funkier" by Information Society, "Take You Down To Love" by Patrice Rushen, "This Feeling Must Be Real" by Skool Boyz, and "U Send Me Swingin (silky smooth 12" mix)" by Mint Condition. Also features the 70s tracks "I'm Your Lover" by Ronnie McNeir, "Wish You Were Here" by Free Life, and "Can We Pretend" by Bill Withers – a great bit of acoustic soul!

Easily one of Donovan's most successful albums – but also a brilliant blend of folk and jazz that forged a bold new sound in the 60s! Part of the strength of the set comes from arranger John Cameron – an artist that we love for his jazz and easy work of the late 60s, and who's working here with players that include British jazzmen Phil Seamen, Tony Carr, Ronnie Ross, and Harold McNair! The instrumental component of the album alone is worth the price of admission – as Cameron gently blends together moddish and trippy styles, alongside some folksier vocals and guitar from Donovan. But it's also Donovan's own extrapolation of styles of the time that really makes the album a masterpiece – a strange post-folk mode of expression that's almost a British counterpart to the genius of Simon & Garfunkel, but which is arguably darker and more intellectual. Apart from classic hits like "Museum" and "Mellow Yellow", the album also features some moodier brilliance on tracks that include "The Observation", "Hampstead Incident", "Sunny South Kensington", "Writer In The Sun", "Sand & Foam", and "House Of Jansch".

One of the few albums cut as a leader by trumpeter Henry Lowther – a great player on the British scene of the end of the 60s, but one who mostly labored in the service of other groups at the time! Lowther emerges here as an extremely visionary leader – one with a scope of expression and embellishment to match the work of some of his Deram labelmates at the time – especially Mike Westbrook and John Surman. For the album, Lowther plays both trumpet and violin – working in a group that includes tenor, bass clarinet, percussion, and some sparing, but beautiful use of electric piano – just enough to tipple along with the tunes in a lyrical way, and never too much to over-electrify things past the gentler notes of the acoustic instruments. The keyboardist for the set is the lesser-known Mike McNaught, and his work on the session is really wonderful – and the whole album has a gentle approach that's really great, and proof of the depth that was going on in the younger side of the British scene of the time. Titles include "Puppet Song", "Between", "Trav'lling Song", and "Plaything".

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones.

A killer session that matches the talents of American drum genius Philly Joe Jones with some of the leading lights in British jazz! The set was recorded in London in 1968, at that perfect moment when the Brit jazz scene was turning towards new ideas of modernism, but hadn't yet strayed too far from the tight swing that characterized most of its playing since the postwar years. Philly leads a group that includes Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Chris Pyne on trombone, Pete King on alto, and Harold McNair on tenor and flute. King and McNair are some of our favorite players ever, rarely reissued on CD or LP – and the set gives them plenty of free reign to solo madly in a bop-heavy environment. Titles include "Gone Gone Gone", "Trailways Express", "Mo Joe", and "Ladybird".

Souvenirs and memories – music that's mostly of more recent vintage, but which features a host of artists you'll know from way way back! The music here is mostly from the end of the 80s and start of the 90s – despite the wider date range in the title – and most tracks feature older Detroit soul singers, making a fresh stake with some slightly contemporary styles, at least for that time – yet still mostly sticking to the classic modes that made them so great in the first place! The approach is that used heavily by the Motorcity label at the time – and offers a great new showcase for talents that were sadly overlooked at the time. Titles include "Wholeheartedly" by Ronnie McNeir, "Surrender" by Bettye Lavette, "Man Up In The Sky" by Johnny Bristol, "Separation" by Pat Lewis, "Memories & Souvenirs" by Freda Payne, "Romantic Number" by Billy Griffin, "Real True Loving" by Edwin Starr, "Moment Of Weakness" by Syreeta, "All Over The World" by Chuck Jackson, and "Standing Still" by The Monitors.

One of the funkiest records ever cut for the mighty MPS label – and a unique session that definitely lives up to the "soul time" promised in the title! The set features a unique combination of American soul vocals and European funky jazz – a hybrid formed in late 60s Germany as Baltimore-born singer Dee Dee McNeil started working with South African drummer Barry Window – who's got a hell of a funky talent for hitting a groove! The pair were making big waves in the German clubs, then came to the attention of MPS – who hooked them up with hip jazz players like Barney Wilen on tenor, Joel Vandroogenbroeck on organ, and Ronald Bryer on guitar! The result is a very very groovy little record – funky on some key tracks, and burning with mod soul on others – a brilliant blend that's way better than most of the other expatriate work cut on the Euro scene of the 60s – and definitely worth the legendary status its hit over the years. Dee Dee mostly takes the lead on vocals, but some cuts feature surprisingly nice duets with Barry – and titles include the landmark break cut "Get Out Of My Life Woman", plus "Midnight Hour", "Hold On I'm Coming", "It's Alright", "Funky Broadway", "Soultime", and "Summertime".

A really great overview of the career of Eddie Jefferson – one that begins with his first few vocal singles of the 50s, and follows him through album work for Riverside and Prestige in the 60s! Jefferson's contribution to jazz is tremendous – as he was one of the first to set lyrics to solos by famous players of the time, giving them deeper meaning with his own new lyrics and his warmly raspy vocal presentation of the material. Here, he's working with a top-shelf array of jazz players who really appreciate his work – including Seldon Powell, Clark Terry, Charles McPherson, Barry Harris, Johnny Griffin, and James Moody – the last of whom was a longtime friend and collaborator of Jefferson. Titles include "Soft & Furry", "Old Shoes", "Baby Girl", "Come Along With Me", "There I Go There I Go Again", "Filthy McNasty", "Mercy Mercy Mercy", "Now's The Time", "Things Are Getting Better", and "Disappointed". Great notes and session information too!

Two amazing sets from Harold McNair – a fantastic London 60s flute player with a really sharp edge! The self-titled Harold McNair has the leader working in a tight combo with some nice offbeat sounds – including a lot of breathy, soul-toned notes that remind us a fair bit of Roland Kirk – but which also showcase some of Harold's West Indian roots! (McNair was part of the same great West Indian influx of jazz musicians that also gave England Joe Harriott and Dizzy Reece.) The group features Harold mostly on flute, plus a bit of tenor – alongside Bill LeSage on piano, Spike Heatley on bass, and Tony Carr on drums – and titles include the seminal groover "The Hipster" – worth the price of the record alone – plus "Mento", "Indecision", "The Cottage", and "Mini Blues". Flute & Nut features the flute of Harold McNair alongside some sweet arrangements from John Cameron – with whom Harold worked famously on Donovan sessions in the 60s! Many tunes are McNair originals, and Harold's flute is definitely in the lead – but we also love the grooves that Cameron brings on board – a sweet blend of soulful jazz and sound library styles – all of which gives the album a similar feel to Roland Kirk's work with the Benny Golson group on Mercury. Titles include "Burnt Amber", "Herb Green", "Nomadic Joe", "Barnes Bridge", and "The Umbrella Man".

An unbelievably fantastic album, and perhaps the greatest one that Dom Um Romao ever did! Dom recorded this one in America with a blend of Brazilian and New York musicians – creating an incredible sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! We'd place this record next to the best electric work by David Axelrod, the dopest funk on CTI, and a rare few other jazz funk albums from the 70s – and the whole thing's completely sublime all the way through! Includes the spare spacey groover "Dom's Tune", the lively dancer "Cinnamon Flower", the jazzy "Family Talk", a great version of "Ponteio", and a take on Sivuca's "Adeus Maria Fulo" with Joao Donato on electric harpsichord! Loads of samples, and players include Joe Beck, Dom Salvador, Sivuca, Mauricio Smith, Portinho, Richard Kimball, and Lloyd McNeill.

An incredible set of Brazilian jazz – one of the few albums that percussionist Dom Um Romao recorded as a leader, and sublime all the way through! The record's got a wonderful blend of funky fusion and Brazilian percussion – and features a group from two continents that includes Sivuca on organ, Dom Salvador on electric piano, Joe Beck on guitar, Jerry Dodgion on alto sax, Lloyd McNeill on flute, and Mauricio Smith on tenor, soprano, and flute. Includes the percussion jammer "Shake (Ginga Gingou)", the modal groover "Wait on the Corner", and the lively scatting tune "The Angels" – but the whole album's great, and other tracks include "The Salvation Army", "Kitchen", and "Lamento Negro".

One of the few American albums cut by saxophonist Chris Woods – a wonderfully talented player who cut some of his best work in Paris during the early 70s! The album captures some of the charm of Woods' best European records – with a lightly dancing groove on the best tracks, one that hints at his strong propensity for playing in modal lines, a trait he shared with Nathan Davis, a contemporary on the European scene, and a slightly similar player. Woods here is a bit more rootsy than Davis, though – working in an easily soulful setting, with pianist Jim McNeely, plus trumpet, bass, and drums. Woods plays flute and alto – and tracks include "Monsieur Le Bois In Paris", "What That", "Modus Operandi", and a nice version of "Scufflin Along". CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes of tracks from the album!

One of the funkiest records ever cut for the mighty MPS label – and a unique session that definitely lives up to the "soul time" promised in the title! The set features a unique combination of American soul vocals and European funky jazz – a hybrid formed in late 60s Germany as Baltimore-born singer Dee Dee McNeil started working with South African drummer Barry Window – who's got a hell of a funky talent for hitting a groove! The pair were making big waves in the German clubs, then came to the attention of MPS – who hooked them up with hip jazz players like Barney Wilen on tenor, Joel Vandroogenbroeck on organ, and Ronald Bryer on guitar! The result is a very very groovy little record – funky on some key tracks, and burning with mod soul on others – a brilliant blend that's way better than most of the other expatriate work cut on the Euro scene of the 60s – and definitely worth the legendary status its hit over the years. Dee Dee mostly takes the lead on vocals, but some cuts feature surprisingly nice duets with Barry – and titles include the landmark break cut "Get Out Of My Life Woman", plus "Midnight Hour", "Hold On I'm Coming", "It's Alright", "Funky Broadway", "Soultime", and "Summertime".

One of our favorite tunes ever from Jethro Tull – a cool jazzy number that's almost more Herbie Mann or Harold McNair than the usual Tull groove! The bluesy bottom really drops out of the group's sound – and instead a hip bassline sets the tune up nicely for some sweet solo flute, and these catchy lyrics that are some of the most hook-heavy that Ian Anderson's ever sung! Limited pic sleeve EP also features "Witch's Promise", "Life Is A Long Song", and "Teacher (UK version 2013 mix)".

A later date from drummer Mel Lewis – and a great reminder that he could still make some wonderful music when away from his big band with Thad Jones! The set's a quintet outing, with a surprisingly fluid feel for rhythm – one that almost has Mel coming across like some of the hip young players of the Muse Records scene of the time, especially in the way he skips along the drum kit with a breezy sort of groove! Players include Dick Oatts on alto, soprano, and flute, John Mosca on trombone, Jim McNeely on piano, and Marc Johnson on bass – all players with a strongly lyrical sensibility to match the groove that Lewis is going for in his rhythms. Titles include "Giving Way", "Blue Note", "Audrey", "Warm Valley", and "John's Abbey". LP originally issued on the Gatemouth label, but issued here on CD by Landmark – with a bonus alternate take of "Blue Note".

One of the greatest lost treasures on Motown – the rare third album from Ronnie McNeir, an artist who did plenty for the label back in the 70s, but only managed to ever get this one record released! The set's a gem – arguably his best record ever – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of his RCA and Prodigal sets. And like those records, this one's a sweet soul spectacular – written, arranged, produced, and performed by Ronnie – with the tight, warm, all-together quality that makes him an equal to Leon Ware back in the day – and which makes this record almost a great counterpart to Ware's Musical Massage set for Motown – another one-off album that's become the stuff of legend! The songs are amazing – totally fresh and deeply personal, but never in a cloying or commercial way – perfectly balanced on top of some gently grooving rhythms, spare keyboards, and soulful undercurrents that are a perfect example of the maturity that Detroit soul was hitting in the 70s. A young Ray Parker Jr plays lead guitar, but most other instruments are by Ronnie – and titles include "My Love Is Coming Down", "Funky Situation", "Selling My Heart To The Junkman", "Say You Will", "Goodbye After Sunday", and "It Won't Be Long". And while the core record alone would be enough to celebrate, Expansion's also done and dug out another 7 bonus tracks from the Motown vault of the 70s – material that Ronnie recorded for other albums that never materialized, every bit as great as the main stuff here! The discovery of this material is incredible – and makes for an overstuffed CD that's sure to get McNeir's name back out there again. Bonus tracks include "Start Over As Your Man", "Betcha I'll Prove", "Dream Come True", "For Those Who Don't Believe", "Just You Babe", and "I Can't See Myself Without You".

One of the few live recordings ever done by Horace Silver during his Blue Note years – a real surprise, considering what a crowd pleaser he was at the time! The set catches Horace working with that great quintet that graced most of his best early Blue Notes – with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Junior Cook on tenor, Gene Taylor on bass, and the always-amazing Roy Brooks on drums. The groove is tight tight tight, and the live set crackles with the same sort of energy as the live sessions by the Jazz Messengers on Blue Note – rolling soul jazz, but with a bit of a lyrical touch to flesh things out. Because of the live setting, tracks are a bit longer than the usual Silver session – which makes for freer soloing, and a bit of a rougher edge that keeps things lively throughout. Titles include "The Gringo", "Filthy McNasty", and "Doin' The Thing". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Cool Eyes" and "It Ain't S'posed To Be Like That".

Live London recordings from the trio of pianist Pat Smythe – a player you might know from his work with Joe Harriott in the 60s – joined here by a great guest star – the American tenor giant Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The setting is very open and fluid – longer live tracks that allow Eddie to really stretch out on his solos – in that maturing mellower tone that he really mastered in the latter half of the 60s – an approach that's even more subtle than his earlier records on Prestige, but which really yields a hell of a lot, once it draws you in! And although Pat's billed as the star here, the tunes are clearly a showcase for Davis' tenor talents – on long readings of "Days Of Wine & Roses", "I'll Never Be The Same", and "If I Were A Bell". Note that although Harold McNair is listed on the cover, he doesn't appear until volume 2!

A Phil Woods album that's as upbeat and colorful as its cover – one of those great overlooked later recordings by Phil, of the sort that always make digging through his catalog so rewarding! Woods has a great sense of swing here – but one that's never too formulaic or forced – a very organic, spontaneous groove that seems to come strongly from company that includes Brian Lynch on trumpet, Jim McNeely on piano, Steve Gilmore on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums. Titles include the groovy "CK's Bossa", plus "Peer Pressure", "Song For Sisyphus", "Souvenir", and "Ballad For Hank".

One of the most old school volumes of this always-great series – a set that features mostly obscure soul singles from the late 60s and early 70s – many of which we've never had on reissues before! The groove here is more in the style that Chicago Steppers used back in the day – the mellow soul that first burned brightly in the mid 60s, then continued to supply the scene with some great music as years went on. And because of that mode, many of the tracks here have a great late nite feel – not exactly sweet soul, but not too far away either – thanks to some great vocals. Titles include "I Made Up My Mind" and "I'm Not Ready To Settle Down" by The Cheers, "I Love You More" by Lee Williams & The Cymbals, "Feel Kind Of Bad" by The Radiants, "You've Said It All" by Steve Karmen Orchestra, "Pull Together" by Nite Liters, "Here I Am Baby" by Barbara McNair, "Stay A While With Me" by Sharon Ridley, "Here I Am & Here I Stay" by Sonji Clay, "Stealing Watermelons" by Chambers Brothers, and "Got No One" by Delcardos.

Donovan at his jazzy best – really picking up where Mellow Yellow left off, and pushing the jazz influences in his sound to deeper lengths! Mr Leitch is a million miles away from his Dylanesque early roots on the set – and is working in territory that's completely his own – a beautiful blend of folk, psychedelic, and jazz-based modes – handled with simple charm throughout, and performed by a group that includes funky sound library genius Alan Hawkshaw on piano, and the great Harold McNair on flute! The title track "Barabajagal" is one of Donovan's most amazing tunes of all time – a funky little number that dances around with some great heavy drums, and which also features guitar by a young Jeff Beck! Other titles include "The Love Song", "Trudi", "Atlantis", "Superlungs My Supergirl", "I Love My Shirt", and "Pamela Jo". The CD features a huge amount of bonus tracks too – including "Stromberg Twins", "Snakeskin", "Lauretta's Cousin Laurinda", "The Swan", "Runaway (demo)", "Palais Girl (demo)", "Sweet Beverley (demo)", "New Years Resolution", and "A Poor Man's Sunshine".

Insanely wonderful music from Andrew Hill – a lean, stripped-down session that has Hill working at his firey best – in a space that's somewhere between the "new thing" recordings of Jackie McLean, and the brooding brilliance of Andrew's later Smokestack session! The group here has some key figures fleshing out the sound – a young Joe Henderson, blowing tenor with a very edgey quality – the very versatile Richard Davis on bass – and the great Roy Haynes on drums, very much at his most fluid interpretation of rhythm! The whole set's pretty darn great – one of the more mindblowing Blue Notes you'll ever hope to buy – and tracks include "Pumpkin", "Subterfuge", "Cantarnos", and "McNeil Island". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – alternate takes of 2 tracks on the album.

Tight funky group soul from Fayetteville, NC's Mellow Madness – formed by youth educators Frank McNeil & Malachi Sharpe in the late 70s or early 80s – amazing stuff culled from unreleased master tapes and mixed by Kenny Dope! We must say right off that while there's a few fairly measured soul jams here, for the most part, it's way too energetic and funky to be described as "mellow". We ain't gonna complain about that, and we doubt you'll want to either! It's got some heavy hitting, yet still pretty easygoing post disco funk with hard drums – and lots of good-natured dancefloor soul –recorded apparantly in the early 80s, but with more of a mid 70s feel. Amazing stuff – the couple of singles we'd heard previously whetted the appetite for a more comprehensive compilation of material and Kay Dee has delivered really a great one here! The Includes "Save The Youth", "Mellow Madness", "Memories Of You", "Gone", "Struggles Of Life", "Gone (Kenny Dope Vibes Mix)", "Love On My Mind" and "Mellow Madness (Instrumental)".

An incredible set of Brazilian jazz – one of the few albums that percussionist Dom Um Romao recorded as a leader, and sublime all the way through! The record's got a wonderful blend of funky fusion and Brazilian percussion – and features a group from two continents that includes Sivuca on organ, Dom Salvador on electric piano, Joe Beck on guitar, Jerry Dodgion on alto sax, Lloyd McNeill on flute, and Mauricio Smith on tenor, soprano, and flute. Includes the percussion jammer "Shake (Ginga Gingou)", the modal groover "Wait on the Corner", and the lively scatting tune "The Angels" – but the whole album's great, and other tracks include "The Salvation Army", "Kitchen", and "Lamento Negro".

15 jazzy groovers, with a sound and a feel that you haven't really heard in other comps before (except for the now hard-to-find Priceless classic.) Tight hard modal tracks, with lots of strident rolling piano lines, cool flute and sax solos, and free-wheeling rhythm sections. Cuts include "The Hipster" by Harold McNair, "Clean Up" by Harold Alexander, "JM Cobra" by Dan Seepers Soul, "Mr. Buzz" by The Flying Dutchmen, "Love for Sale" by Kanako Higuchi, "Orange Boom" by Jazz Hip Trio, and the great "Howlin' For Judy" by Jeremy Steig, a great Beastie Boys sample classic!

7 jazzy groovers, with a sound and a feel that you haven't really heard in other comps before (except for the now hard-to-find Priceless classic.) Tight hard modal tracks, with lots of strident rolling piano lines, cool flute and sax solos, and free-wheeling rhythm sections. Cuts include "The Hipster" by Harold McNair, "Clean Up" by Harold Alexander, ", "Orange Boom" by Jazz Hip Trio, and more,

A great step forward for Gianmarco Liguori – an album that's got a much deeper, more texture-based sound than some of his previous work – almost an experimental ECM mode for the 21st Century! Gianmarco's sound really lives up to the "musical directions" promised on the cover – served up in a heady brew of his own guitars and electronics – with added piano and Fender Rhodes from Murray McNabb, and trumpet and percussion from Kim Paterson – all elements that are used softly, and layered heavily – so that the sounds are often abstracted far from their source – yet still retain all their musicality, and still have a bit of swing as well! Titles include "Indian Milk", "Primitive Nightmare", "Cosmic Protrusion", "Energy Wind", "Path To The Fortress", and "Duga 3".