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8 tracks from the New Jersey Drive Soundtrack including a couple not available elsewhere. Tracks include OC & Organized Konfusion "You Won't Go Far", Mad Lion "Own Destiny", Jeru "Invasion", Black Moon & Smiff-N-Wessun "Headz Ain't Ready", Biz Markie "Nobody Beats the Biz", Naughty By Nature "Connections", E. Bros "Funky Piano", Funkmaster Flex & Big Kap "Flip Squad's in the House."

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". Includes mono and stereo mixes of the whole album!

An incredible bit of southern funk – the first landmark LP by Archie Bell & The Drells, and the first big burst of energy from the Texas scene of the 60s! The album's incredible – with Archie up front on rough-hewn vocals, the band grooving in a mad tangle of guitar, bass, and drums, and some super-fierce horn work by the TSU Tornadoes! You've no doubt heard the band's classic "Tighten Up (part 1)", but this album also includes the incredible "part 2" to the track – which takes the groove a million miles higher! And the whole album's equally great – filled with other tight soul gems that include "A Thousand Wonders", "I Don't Want To Be A Playboy", "Give Me Time", and "When You Left Heartache Began".

An incredible bit of southern funk – the first landmark LP by Archie Bell & The Drells, and the first big burst of energy from the Texas scene of the 60s! The album's incredible – with Archie up front on rough-hewn vocals, the band grooving in a mad tangle of guitar, bass, and drums, and some super-fierce horn work by the TSU Tornadoes! You've no doubt heard the band's classic "Tighten Up (part 1)", but this album also includes the incredible "part 2" to the track – which takes the groove a million miles higher! And the whole album's equally great – filled with other tight soul gems that include "A Thousand Wonders", "I Don't Want To Be A Playboy", "Give Me Time", and "When You Left Heartache Began".

Wonderful work from Brook Benton – and the kind of record that always gets overlooked in discussions of southern soul, but which is proof that Benton's always been a key force in the genre! Brook virtually invented the style with his earlier country soul recordings – and by the time of this 1970 set, he's in perfect form vocally – and working under some wonderfully sophisticated arrangements by Arif Mardin. The result is the kind of cross-genre record that Brook could do effortlessly – and which should have made him huge, but instead kind of got him left behind by all the other folks who were copping his style. Yet with the strength of a record like this, we'll take that overlooked fame as still OK – because the set's a gem just waiting to be discovered by later generations like us! Rhythm's by the Dixie Flyers – augmented by jazz players that include King Curtis, Pepper Adams, and Joe Newman. Titles include "Aspen Colorado", "For Lee An", "Whoever Finds This, I Love You", "Don't It Make You Wanta Go Home", and "Let Me Fix It".

One of our top 10 dub albums of all time! This album bridges the gap between the the low-fi, down and dirty excursions of the 70's dub era, and the later high tech dub revolution brought on by On-U, Mad Professor and Jah Shaka. The rhythms here are all first rate, drawn mostly from their Chill Out LP with a few from Red, fueled by Sly and Robbie and a cast of regulars from the Island/Mango stable. Sly & Robbie also handle the production duties, and there's no shortage of fat grooves and unrelenting rhythms, then taken to the next level with deep space echo drops and 21st century sound effects and tape edits. Includes "Ion Storm", "Big Spliff", "Boof'N'Baff'N'Biff", "Puffed Out" and "Android Rebellion". This CD reissue's been newly remastered, with 3 additional dubs as bonus tracks: "Cool Off", "Destination Unknown" and "Fire & Brimstone".

An amazing step sideways for London's Zoot Money – a move from mod to psych, with a trippy quality that's quite different from his jazzy sound a few years before! The group's got legendary fame – not just for the shift in styles by Zoot, but also for the fact that it features key work from a young Andy Summers – later of The Police – who works here with some great tones on guitar, and plenty of fresh ideas in all the songs he penned on the record! Money's vocals are wonderful – almost as if Georgie Fame were singing on a psych album – which is as unusual and compelling as you might think. These sessions were recorded in the late 60s, but mostly unissued at the time – but really rank with the best of the early Syd Barrett or Kevin Ayers generation – with titles that include "Coffee Song", "Madman Running Through The Fields", "This Island", "High Flying Bird", "Four Firemen", "Soma (parts 1 & 2)".

Wicked stuff – and 2 tracks that offer a whole new take on the modern sound of deep funk! "Creation" is a weird little offbeat number that snaps along the beats, blasts them with horns, and almost goes for a Chicago Brunswick sort of style! There's a bit of strings lilting along with the grooves, and even some vibes that seem to sneak out from time to time! The vibes come in even more strongly on the flipside – making "Behind The Blue Curtains" sound somewhere between the work of Lionel Hampton on Brunswick, and some of the recent instrumental funk from the Madlib side of the spectrum!

A landmark album from pianist Michael Garrick – one of the sublime recordings he made with vocalist Norma Winstone in the late 60s and early 70s! Garrick's approach is really unique – a flowing, almost modal approach that spirals out in a joyously dancing groove – not nearly as chunky or standard as styles from American jazz, but working in the freer rhythms being explored on the European scene of the time. Winstone's vocals are a perfect accompaniment for this approach – as she sings in a moody style that's often wordless, and which fits nicely next to flowing piano and sax lines on the set. Players include Don Rendell, Coleridge Goode, Art Themen, and Garrick himself – and titles include "Troppo", "To Henry, A Son", "Lime Blossom", "Sons Of Art", and "Overtones Of A Forgotten Music".

Two rare ones from the 60s London jazz scene – back to back on a single CD! First up is a tremendous little record – a rare meeting between Ellington tenorist Paul Gonsalves and Brit reed genius Tubby Hayes – a set that's cut very much in the best spirit of some of Hayes' free-thinking classics on Fontana Records! The grooves are open, and beautifully-executed – and both sax players sound sublime – Gonsalves with that raspy tone that you'll know from Ellington dates, but cut loose much more here – and Hayes with that powerful sense of depth that's always made him one of our favorite saxophonists! The rest of the group is quite nice too – and players include Stan Tracey on piano, Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, and Keith Christie on trombone. Titles include "Tupa", "Amber Mood", "Pedro's Walk", "Baby Blue", "Mini Minor", and "Souraya". Johnny Scott takes over the CD on the second half – turning in an EMI Studio 2 classic with London Swings – a date that's done with largeish charts, but a great sense of rhythm throughout! The players in clude Ian Hamer and Ray Davies on trumpets, Ronnie Ross and Duncan Lamont on saxes, John Marson on harp, Don Lusher on trombone, and Alan Branscombe on piano – and the tunes offer up a cascading mix of large charts and individual instrumental voices, occasionally filled in by a bit of strings. Titles include "London By Night", "Greek Street Soho", "Let's All Go Down To The Strand", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Knocked Em In The Old Kent Road".

Good stuff (if you coulda found it) from Kansas City Jammers – their Got Good (If You Get It) album from the early 70s – plus a full unreleased album on disc two – a mix of harmony enriched folk rock of the Crosby, Stills Nash & Young school and more driving, if loosely rollicking psych touches. Nice stuff with a post hippie soulfulness, made all the better for the excellent vocal harmonies and overall solid songwriting! Disc One features the 1971 Got Good (If You Get It) album – featuring "For A Sign". "Live In Harmony", "Messiah", "For Father" "Chess Piece", "Hairy Tongued Turtle", "Midnight Watch", "Fall", "Fingers. Foot & Fade" and more. Disc Two of great CD edition on Lion includes a full unreleased second album. 14 tracks including "Sing Me That Rock And Roll", "Wind In The Willows", "Rain", "Peter Pan", "Messiah (Live)", "Sunfighter", "I'm Your Hero" and more.

Trippy Turkish rock from Erkin Koray – rarities and singles recorded in Istanbul, and every bit as brilliant as the work on his famous self-titled albums! The music is awash in a blend of buzzing, hypnotic folk sounds of Turkey – mixed with western and otherwise globally resonant psychedelia – a wicked blend that's right up there with the best Anatolian grooves of the time! It's wild stuff, but done with passionate vocals and tuneful melodism that's pretty amazing – English and American rockers who brought Middle Eastern errata into pop music made millions and became superstars for it, but we really must say, that creative reach works even more brilliantly in reverse! Includes "Mechul", "Kendim Ettim Kendim Buldom,", "Gun Dogmuyor", "Goca Dunya", "Kraller", "Cumbur Cemaat", "Hadi Hadi Ordan", "Dusunus", "Olmayinca Olmuyor" and "Sevdigim".

Definite gold from Liquid Blue – an obscure indie group from the 70s, but one with a tight sound that should have made them huge! The style here is partly soul and funk, partly smoother AOR crossover material – but served up with a nice indie vibe that still keeps things fresh, and which makes the album feel more like a blue-eyed soul effort than anything else! There's a warm So-Cal vibe to the whole thing – rhythms heavy with keyboards and tight guitar bits – and the vocals are often compressed down nicely into the mix, making for a mighty smooth groove overall. Titles include "Ain't That What You Want", "Papa Do Right", "Girl Of A Million Dreams", "Abuse Me", "Go For It", and "Big Money".

A beautiful swirling instrumental album that features the classic "Love's Theme", the cut that made Barry a multi-millionaire, and which firmly established his sophisticated orchestral soul style as one of the trademarks of the 70s! This is the ultimate in 70s soul class – from the cover that features Barry standing with ladies by the pool, to the complicated rhythms and sweet patterns of sound that made the record an instant classic. Includes some nicely funky cuts, like "What a Groove", "Baby Blues", and the sweet "Midnight and You".

Sure, you've heard it a million times – but it's still a fantastic soundtrack! Mancini's whimsical scoring was a perfect touch for this classic Peter Sellers film – and it's made even better by the LA group of musicians who play the music, including Plas Johnson, Pete Jolly, Shelly Manne, Jack Sheldon, and Larry Bunker. The "Pink Panther Theme" should be familiar enough to you, but there's loads of other nice numbers – like "Something For Sellers", "Piano & Strings", "The Village Inn", "The Tiber Tiwst", and "Cortina". Lots of jaunty jazz numbers – with clever breakaway solos in the Mancini mode!

A rare album that Rusty Evans cut as Marcus for the Kinetic label – a beautifully produced set of lushly-accent psych folk – in a great package filled with demos, alternate versions and outtakes – in a 2CD set from Lion! Evans may be best remembered for his San Fransisco Sound production work, late 60s psychedelia that's a perfect encapsulation of the Haight-Ashbury scene of the time. His material as Marcus (which is his real first name) bridged that vibe with gentler folk rock touches, with lots of great acoustic instrumentation and flute in mix. His fragile, quivery vibrato vocals are laidback and unique, as is the spriritually trippy lyricism! Disc One features the original LP, followed by acoustic demos and alternates with the studio band. Includes "(We'll All) Go Together", "Time Of Our Time", "Grains Of Sand", "Royal Maze", "Color Song", "Children Of Aquarius", "Royal Maze", "High Priestess" and more. Disc Two is a full disc of alternate versions and outtakes – many of them quite different than versions that made the album – and often just as great! 42 tracks on 2CDs.

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".

Think that Ennio Morricone only made music for soundtracks? Guess again – because this groovy little set features a whole host of tracks that the maestro recorded with singers in the early 60s – great postwar pop numbers that already show his creative touch on the charts! Most of the music here is a bit more straightforward than Morricone's later soundtrack material, but still pretty darn sublime – Italian vocals, cool instrumentation, and lots of sweet production techniques that bring in moody, echoey, and mellow touches that definitely let you know you're in the hands of Ennio. Titles include "Corri Corri" by Gianni Morandi, "La Tua Stagione" by Tony Del Mnaco, "Queelo Che Conta" by La Cuccagna, "Faccio Finta Di Dormire" by Edoardo Vianello, "Se Fatto Tardi" by Helen Merrill, "La Donna Che Vale" by Alberto Lionello, "Arianna" by Nora Orlandi, and "Perdono" by Catherine Spaak.

The first record in years from these Afro Funk giants – but don't hold it against them, as the whole thing's pretty darn wonderful! There's a rich, vibrant sound here that really lives up to the group's legacy from years back – and production is right on the money to keep things right – recorded in Paris with a relatively stripped-down quality – just right for bringing all the tight rhythms of the set right to the foreground, without any overdone mass market cliches to hold things back! Even the appearances of a few famous guest stars can't get in the way of the energy of the Orchestre – and this new album should be more than proof that the originators are still alive and well. Titles include "Pardon", "Von Vo Nono", "Oce", "Koumi Dede", "Tegbe", "Lion Is Burning", "Ne Te Fache Pas", and "Gbeti Madjro".

A stunner! High Plains Drifter collects material from the mighty Lee Perry during the crucially creative and fertile period between 1968 & 1973 – in which he founded the Upsetter imprint and had some chart success. It was such a productive period, resulting in hundreds of singles and a number of albums, that a whole bunch of incredible music made during it has been pretty badly overlooked over the years! This set on the always great Pressure Sounds puts together 20 of those – many of them simmering with quite a funky sound! Killer organ grooves and smoking rhythms highlight numbers by Val Bennett, The Mellowtones, The Ethiopians, Junior Byles and, of course, the amazing Upsetters! Glen Adams and Winston Wright handle those organs, sax by Tommy McCook, bass by Aston Barrett, trumpet by Bobby Ellis and other legendary instrumentalists, plus Lee Perry on percussion and production. Includes "Val Blows In" by Val Bennett & The Upsetters, "Boss" by Count Sticky & The Upsetters, "High Plains Drifter", "The Man With No Name" and "Amigo" by The Upsetters, "It's Growing" by Busty Brown & The Upsetters, "What's Wrong With You" by The Bleechers, "He Don't Love You" by The Silvertones, "Awake" by The Ethiopians, "A Big Joke" by Lee Perry & The Upsetters, "Rockfort Psychedelion" by Count Sticky & The Upsetters, "Iniquity Workers" by The Faithful Brothers, "Rip Up Festival '71" by Junior Byles & Righteous Upsetters and more.

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Like Brothers", and "Find Yourself". CD features a HUGE amount of bonus tracks too – titles that include "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", "No", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "I'm A Young Man", "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", and a 1969 version of "So Much Trouble In My Mind".

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Like Brothers", and "Find Yourself".

Krondon, Phil the Agony, and Mitchy Slick are back as Strong Arm Steady, with close cohort Xzibit rhyming on a track – with loads of allstar support from Planet Asia, Chamillionaire, Madlib, Dilated Peoples, Talib Kweli, Juvenile and more! Tracks include "The Movement" feat Planet Asia, "U Ain't Me" with Chamillionaire, Ras Kass & Xzibit, "Co-Operation" feat Dilated Peoples, "Clean Up" with Saukrates & Black Thought, plus production by Madlib, "Streetlights" with Talib Kweli, "Dirty Dirty" feat Juvenile and more. 15 tracks in all.

One of the coolest collections of Beatles work by Brazilian artists in this hip series from Discobertas – a set that features groundbreaking material penned by the group in 1968 – a few tracks from famous albums, but also some real obscurities too – including some key compositions from emerging solo projects too! The range of songs here is great – way more than just Beatles' hits covered by other artists – and instead that deep contemplation of the greatness of the fab four that held Brazilian music fast in the years of the big MPB boom – which makes the album almost a return to the influence that the group had on Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and others. These recordings are all new, and the set is a huge batch of 21 titles that include "Cosmically Conscious" by Alexandre Crof, "Not Guilty" by Alvin L, "Badge" by Ramirez, "Sour Milk Sea" by Paulo Ricardo, "Lady Madonna" by A Bolha, "Singalong Junk" by Jullie, "Thingumybob" by Victor Biglione Trio, "Pepperland" by Robertino De Recife, "Step Inside Love" by Zelia Duncan, "Junk" by Regina Machado, and "Across The Universe" by Raimundo Fagner.

Blue Note Now – and Blue Note Then – a cool little set that mixes contemporary grooves from the Blue Note catalog with some of the older gems that made the label great back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s! In truth, some of the contemporary cuts go back more than a few years – but come together nicely on CD1, to show the way the label's really grown in the past decade or two – moving into great soulful territory with tracks like "Little B's Poem" by Quasimode, "Freedom Dance" by Lionel Loueke, "It's All Over Your Body" by Jose James, "Black Radio" by Robert Glasper Experiment, "Soin Something" by Soulive, and "Time After Time" by Cassandra Wilson. CD2 features loads of older killers – including "Feel Like Makin Love" by Marlena Shaw, "Harlem River Drive" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Kathy" by Horace Silver, "Adams Apple" by Wayne Shorter, "Afrodisia" by Kenny Dorham, "Black Byrd" by Donald Byrd, and "Speedball" by Lee Morgan.

A funky mod party throughout – and a wicked package of grooves we would have never tracked down on our own! The folks at London's New Untouchables have selected 25 of their favorite fuzzed-out 60s numbers for this set – a genre-busting batch of tracks that swings together mod jazz, sunshine pop, 60s R&B, French funk, British beat, and a host of other styles – all in the endless pursuit of a tripped-out 60s groove! The package is as wonderful as you might hope – and comes complete with some nice notes on the well-chosen batch of trippy tracks. Titles include "Nowhere To Run" by Les Lionceaux, "Mary Mary" by The Strangers, "You'd Better Be Going Now" by Zoot, "Hard Headed Baby" by Driftin 5, "Going Going Gone" by Phil Wainman, "I Think I'm A Man" by Chopper, "Hey Hey Bunny" by Los Gatos Negros, "Billy Sunshine" by Judi Scott, "Hip Hip Hurray" by The Snap Shots, "Mess Around" by Marmalade, "No No No" by Ola & The Janglers, "All You" by Sonny Burke Quartet, and "Easy To Know" by Gentle Influence.

The first two volumes in this legendary series – back to back in one set! Volume 1 is an amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. Volume 2 compiles the stylistically varied music coming from the emergent West Indian and African communities of 50s and 60s London – far more than just the topical, and often quite whimsical calypso tunes of the era! Calypso is well represented, but the set includes strains of jazz, percussive instrumentals that veer towards native Trinidad and Nigeria, and loads of Caribbean grooves! It's all exceptionally bright – with some lovingly, and knowingly, naive vocals that are as sweet as they are wise. A truly wonderful compilation. Essential! 20 tracks in all: "Calypso Be" by Young Tiger, "Yolanda" by Ambrose Campbell, "Calypso Blues" by Mona Baptiste, "My Wife's Nightie" by Lord Kitchener, "Ominara" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Gerrard Street" by King Timothy, "ET Mensah's Rolling Ball" by West African Swing Stars, "West Indian Drums" by Russ Henderson, "Gbonimawo" by Rans Boi's Ghana Highlife Band and more!

Important work from Robert Fripp and the brothers Peter & Michael Giles – recorded a year before the first King Crimson album with a mad sound that's somewhere in between Bowie's early Deram recordings, and some of the Syd Barrett work with Pink Floyd! Although Fripp's guitar figures nicely in the sound of the group, the overall style is much more whimsical and heavily arranged than any of his later work – done with a playful blend of strings and piano, and also some surprising jazz undercurrents from time to time. There's none of the overblown modes of the early King Crimson sound – and if anything, the record's a charmingly understated set that's ripe for rediscovery by ears trained on newly revived strands of 60s music! Titles include "The Sun Is Shining", "One In A Million", "Saga Of Rodney Toady", "North Meadow", "Call Tomorrow", "Digging My Lawn", "Erudite Eyes", and "The Crukster".

A killer debut from Rasputin Stash – a funky group who work with all the long-haired inspiration you'd expect from their name! The groove is a mix of guitars and tight horns – undercut by the kind of heavy basslines that later made the group a good fit for Curtom Records, and lots of cool percussion touches that pepper the bottom of the rhythms nicely – with a pretty spontaneous feel! At times, there's almost a Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band vibe to the record, but mixed with some of the trippier influences of the Westbound crew – especially on the guitar – and like those artists, these guys have no trouble at all dipping into a touch of rock here and there to trip out their groove. Titles include "Mr Cool", "You Are My Flower", "Dookey Shoe", "I Want To Say You're Welcome", "Take Me On Back", and "Freaks Prayer".

A treasure trove of Brit sound library work – most of it from the legendary KPM 1000 Series, plus assorted bits from the Conroy label as well! The work here leans heavily towards funky jazz – those fuzzy, hard-driving tunes that always made KPM sides a key choice for action films and cop shows – and which have made digging through sound library records such a delight all these many decades later! The compilers did a really wonderful job with this set – creating a feel that's a bit different than the usual sound library collection – because although funky overall, the package also features some jazzy moments too – key cuts that are interspersed with the action moments to create a really fleshed-out sense of mood and feeling. Plus, the set list is huge – 25 tracks in all, running for well over 70 minutes – truly the treasure trove we promised at the start of this review, with titles that include "Soul For Sale" and "Tycoon" by Keith Mansfield, "Block Buster" and "Head In The Clouds" by Johnny Pearson, "Loco Motion" and "Soul Foot Strut" by Dave Gold, "Traffic" and "Challenger" by Alan Hawkshaw, "Short Cut" by James Clarke, "Heavy Traffic" by James Cameron, "Speculation" by David Lindup, "Vegas To LA" by Dick Doerschuk, "Tough Assignment" by Chris Gunning, "Speedway" by Nick Ingman, "String Boogie" by Brian Bennett, and "The Double Take" by Steve Gray.

Yipes! This one made everyone a bucket of money – especially Quincy Jones, whose new Qwest imprint the record was one of the first to grace. George has come a long way from his roots with Jack McDuff here – but in a way that kind of has us impressed, as he's grooving away slickly on guitar, laying down some smooth vocals that we never would have imagined from his mid 60s recordings. Includes the massive hit "Give Me The Night", a cover of "Moody's Mood", and the tracks "Star Of A Story (X)", "Midnight Love Affair", "What's On Your Mind", and "Dinorah, Dinorah". The sound of a million supermarkets and elevators during the 80s!

A stunner! High Plains Drifter collects material from the mighty Lee Perry during the crucially creative and fertile period between 1968 & 1973 – in which he founded the Upsetter imprint and had some chart success. It was such a productive period, resulting in hundreds of singles and a number of albums, that a whole bunch of incredible music made during it has been pretty badly overlooked over the years! This set on the always great Pressure Sounds puts together 20 of those – many of them simmering with quite a funky sound! Killer organ grooves and smoking rhythms highlight numbers by Val Bennett, The Mellowtones, The Ethiopians, Junior Byles and, of course, the amazing Upsetters! Glen Adams and Winston Wright handle those organs, sax by Tommy McCook, bass by Aston Barrett, trumpet by Bobby Ellis and other legendary instrumentalists, plus Lee Perry on percussion and production. Includes "Val Blows In" by Val Bennett & The Upsetters, "Boss" by Count Sticky & The Upsetters, "High Plains Drifter", "The Man With No Name" and "Amigo" by The Upsetters, "It's Growing" by Busty Brown & The Upsetters, "What's Wrong With You" by The Bleechers, "He Don't Love You" by The Silvertones, "Awake" by The Ethiopians, "A Big Joke" by Lee Perry & The Upsetters, "Rockfort Psychedelion" by Count Sticky & The Upsetters, "Iniquity Workers" by The Faithful Brothers, "Rip Up Festival '71" by Junior Byles & Righteous Upsetters and more.

Rare rock from Rotomagus – a heavy group from France – the complete discography of the group, and a completely fresh discovery to us! The sound is loose, ragged and raw on the unreleased album demo that's covers the first half of the anthology – which only enhances the power of it. Singer Alain Fontaine sings, screams and wails in English – fascinatingly, he is a good singer, but shrieks his head off with abandon on some killer songs here. The band is just as strong, showing command of rhythm and with strong solos as well as bashing away with intensity. In some ways, it's a late 60s-style heavy psych album, but played at breakneck speed, rugged soul and with little effort to tidy anything up. The second half is much different – featuring singles the group cut for Polydor, CBS and other labels – far less raucous and more French pop psych-indebted, and those numbers are great, too! They work as well in frenzy as they do with trippy harmonies – very impressive! Titles include "Laureline", "Little Green Man", "Fighting Cock", "Shout Now", "I Dig Life", "The Flufluting Flatmul" and more from the unreleased demo album, plus the rare singles "Le Haut Du Pave", "Nevada", "Eros", "Madame Wanda", "Laureline", "The Sky Turns Red" and more.

Nice Baby Washington package, and waaay better than the cheap CD put out in the U.S. by the Collectables label. 28 tracks in all, and loads of her great singles recorded for the Sue label in the 60's. Includes, of course, "That's How Heartaches Are Made", one of those beautiful ones that still surprises us even though we've heard it a million times. Also with "There He Is", "Your Fool", "No Tears", "You Are What You Are", and lots more.

Overlooked genius from Hampton Hawes – one of a number of excellent albums made during a late 60s stint on the European scene – and a set that really has Hamp pushing forward from his previous albums in the US! The tracks are wonderfully fluid – set fire with that Hawes style that was already magical at the start, but which really seemed to find a new sort of energy overseas – possibly here because of the excellent rhythms from Jimmy Woode on bass and Art Taylor on drums – also two players who were really coming into their own at the time. Hampton's got this great blend of lyricism and soulful swing – one that feels a bit like some of the MPS projects that Woode was recording at the time with other players, and which makes the album a real treasure in Hawes' catalog. Every cut save one is an original – and titles include "Sonora", "Blues Enough", "Black Forest", "Spanish Steps", and "Dangerous". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Blues For Bud", "Children's Play", "They Say It's Wonderful", and alternate takes of "Black Forest" and "Spanish Steps".

The first record in years from these Afro Funk giants – but don't hold it against them, as the whole thing's pretty darn wonderful! There's a rich, vibrant sound here that really lives up to the group's legacy from years back – and production is right on the money to keep things right – recorded in Paris with a relatively stripped-down quality – just right for bringing all the tight rhythms of the set right to the foreground, without any overdone mass market cliches to hold things back! Even the appearances of a few famous guest stars can't get in the way of the energy of the Orchestre – and this new album should be more than proof that the originators are still alive and well. Titles include "Pardon", "Von Vo Nono", "Oce", "Koumi Dede", "Tegbe", "Lion Is Burning", "Ne Te Fache Pas", and "Gbeti Madjro".

Kind of an offshoot of the Marc Moulin world of the early 70s – the self-titled album from Plus, a group made up of musicians from the funky combo Placebo! The vibe is much more open than with Placebo, but still shares lots of that group's great talent for mixing together jazz, funk, and trippy bits of prog – yet all in a way that's never too overindulgent, and always with a nice punch on most of the cuts! Drums are great, keeping things very interesting – and the horn passages run from Afro-styled lines with a nice exotic quality, to straighter jazz rock – augmented by some gritty vocals from time to time. Titles include "The Search", "Gimme Some More Of That", "What Did You Do", "Open Letter", "Put Everything Together" and "Enjoy Yourself".

This one's a kistchy comedy period piece – but the music is all-60s, all the way! The score was written by the great Armando Trovajoli – and he had no qualms about using as much Hammond organ, electric guitar, and other 60s easy psyche elements in this film about a visit by Beelzebub to ancient Rome. The music is performed by I Marc 4, and many of the tracks have groovy vocal refrains or choruses, giving the songs a hip go-go swinging sound! Great stuff all around, and the reissue comes with a gazillion extra tracks! Titles include "Legati Pacis", "Maddalena", "Adramelek", "Il Filo Dei Giorni", ""L'Attesa", "Moto Perpetuo", and "Quant'e Bella Giovinezza".

A great overview of the prog rock explosion in early 70s Italy – a scene that was really brimming over with top-shelf music – most of which never made it to our shores at the time! The Italian prog artists had a tightness that was different than some of their contemporaries on the European scene – and at some levels, they were probably closest to the best and biggest of the Brit prog groups – given the inherent tunefulness of most of these tracks, and the impeccable musicianship – played here in ways that are full and filled with flourishes, but which also have a good sense of economy too. The set's overflowing with key cuts, and comes with a booklet with notes in Italian – and a CD that features 18 tracks that include "Generale" by PFM, "Via Beato Angelico" by Perigeo, "Culto Disarmonico" by Delirium, "Orizzonti Iontani" by Gli Alluminogeni, "Fiori E Colori" by Le Orme, "Lucifero" by Metamorfosi, "Degli Uomini" by Museo Rosenbach, "Nu Gatto Come Nu Lione" by Canzoniere Del Lazio, and "I Cavalieri Del Lago Dell'Ontario" by New Trolls.

An amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader.

A sharp early 60s session from the Duke Ellington group – one that seems to draw strongly on the best late 50s work for Columbia Records, but which also seems to add in an extra crackle too! The tunes are relatively short, but the group pack plenty of punch in the small space – especially on the more rhythmic numbers, which almost seem to borrow a bit from Basie's bag – yet with more of the sophistication you'd expect on the Ellington horns. The work of Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums is especially strong on this session – but there's loads of great interplay from reedmen who include Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Russel Procope, Harry Carney, and Paul Gonsalves – plus trumpet from Bill Berry, Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes, and Harold Baker. Titles include "Taffy Twist", "Flirtbird", "Smada", "What Am I Here For", "Boo Dah", "Black & Tan Fantasy", and "I'm Gonna Go Fishin".

A lost treasure from the mid 80s Chicago rock scene – the self-titled, self-released first record from Green – with ultra catchy power pop melodies and an excitability that's as infectious as anything that came out of the Chi and other midwestern cities at the time! Green has both a sweetness and rawness that's in line with indie groups that made bigger waves nationally – and might be altogether better. Please don't take us for shameless home team flag wavers here, Green was the real thing, we can't think of a reason beyond bad luck that this record isn't mentioned in the same breath as other great records by groups such as The Replacements. And unlike some of our favorite albums from Chicago underground rock bands of the time, the lean, clear, but no frills production sounds just right to our ears. A total gem ripe for discovery! Titles include "Gotta Getta Record Out", "She's Not A Little Girl Anymore", "Technology", "Baby Why?", "If You Love Me", "For You", "Hurt You", "She, Probably", "Big In Japan" and more. This CD version includes 7 bonus tracks originally from the The Name Of The Band Is Green EP, which was never on CD before now, with EP versions of some album tunes plus "Something About You", "Autograph" and "Away From The Pulsebeat".

Hard grooving, heavily grooving South American rock from Miguel Y El Comite (Miguel & The Committee) from the early 70s – led by Miguel Livichich, who made waves a bit earlier with El Syndikato! The percussion drives the sound pretty well, but the vocals are nicely out front in the mix, where they should be, as their charismatic and inviting as can be – with a nice fuzzed out guitar sound and a killer bass sound. Includes " Para Hacer Musica, Para Hacer...", "No Va Mas (Ya)", "Mi Sol", "Que Me Importa", "Junto Al Mar", "No Ves Que No Cabe", "Candombe Triste", "Hiroshima (1945)", Rompan Todo" and more.

Rare rock from Rotomagus – a heavy group from France – the complete discography of the group, and a completely fresh discovery to us! The sound is loose, ragged and raw on the unreleased album demo that's covers the first half of the anthology – which only enhances the power of it. Singer Alain Fontaine sings, screams and wails in English – fascinatingly, he is a good singer, but shrieks his head off with abandon on some killer songs here. The band is just as strong, showing command of rhythm and with strong solos as well as bashing away with intensity. In some ways, it's a late 60s-style heavy psych album, but played at breakneck speed, rugged soul and with little effort to tidy anything up. The second half is much different – featuring singles the group cut for Polydor, CBS and other labels – far less raucous and more French pop psych-indebted, and those numbers are great, too! They work as well in frenzy as they do with trippy harmonies – very impressive! Titles include "Laureline", "Little Green Man", "Fighting Cock", "Shout Now", "I Dig Life", "The Flufluting Flatmul" and more from the unreleased demo album, plus the rare singles "Le Haut Du Pave", "Nevada", "Eros", "Madame Wanda", "Laureline", "The Sky Turns Red" and more.