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First single from All City featuring their best track by far, "Metro Theme", with some nice mellow Pete Rock-style production.

A sweet little collection that goes way beyond basic bossa nova – as it offers up tunes from a host of different vintages, in different styles of the genre – including some surprising gems from recent years too! Vintage material is blended nicely with cuts from Far Out and a few other current labels – and together, the tracks show the strong evolution of bossa nova into the 21st Century – way past the basic sounds at the start. There's a number of tracks on here we've never heard before – and titles include "The Girl From Ipanema" by Paula Santoro, "O Nosso Amor" by Vanja Orico, "Agua De Beber" by Xavier Osmir, "Meu Samba Torto" by Clara Moreno, "How Insensitive" by Simao Morto, "Rio Bahia" by Joyce, "Wave" by Victor Assis Brasil, "Mas Que Nada" by Rio Combo, "Dindi" by Paula Santoro with Hugh Burns, "So Danco Samba" by Gustavo Marques, and "Salve Dom" by Armando Marcal. 32 tracks on 2CDs – quite a deal!

A sprawling compilation of the folk rock, Brit blues, jazzy songcraft, oddball comedic and otherwise boundlessly fresh music from the roster of Transatlantic Records in the 60s & 70s! It's a mix of the still revered and largely forgotten – and the quality is high on both sides of that spectrum! Includes numbers by Bert Jansch, The Dubliners, Ralph McTell, Gerry Rafferty, Pentangle, Gryphon, The Purple Gang, Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias, Stefen Grossman and many more. 42 tracks on 2CDs: "Ye Jacobites By Name" by The Johnstons, "Wild Rover" by The Dubliners, "Streets Of London" by Ralph McTell, "Come Sing Me A Happy Song. . ." by Bert Jansch, "The Handsome Meadow Boy" by Dransfield, "Mother Nature's Son" by Gryphon, "Sign On The Dotted Line" by Gerry Rafferty, "Summertime Blues" by Mick Farren, "In Time" by Pentangle and many more.

When we were impressionable little arty tykes, this was one of our favorite soundtracks. It's got some beautiful Satie-esque tracks that feature solo piano by Vladimir Cosma, plus some weird Euro electronic stuff that has a nice cold feel to it. Also features a few tracks from the opera "La Wally", but we always skipped over these. Titles include "Voie Sans Issue", "Gorodish", "Promenade Sentimentale", "Metro Police", and "Lame De Fond".

A wonderful overview of soundtrack work from some of Francois Truffaut's greatest films – all scored by Georges Delerue, a composer who Truffaut felt was his greatest collaborator! Delerue's genius with Truffaut is a little hard to sum up in words – because, like the films, the music has a kind of subtle magic that isn't exactly earth-shattering – but which somehow manages to find a space quietly close to the heart, and then work in beautiful and gentle ways. The recordings begin with early Truffaut classics like Tirez Sur Le Pianiste and Jules Et Jim, and work their way through 60s and 70s gems that include La Peau Douce, L'Amour A Vingt Ans, Un Belle Fille Comme Moi, and Les Deux Anglaises Et Le Continent. The set's capped off by music from some of Truffaut's early 80s standout films – including Le Dernier Metro and Vivement Dimanche – and as usual for this series, there's a great set of notes to accompany the huge amount of music on the disc!

A killer set of grooves – and one of our favorite-ever soundtracks! The album's an incredible blend of swirling strings and mod French rhythms – a perfect 60s backdrop for the film, and a record that's unlike anything else we can think of! Some tunes have a really groovy jerk-style rhythms, but others have a more sweeping style that's equally great – and together, the tunes make for a perfect blend of music, one that makes the album an all-killer, no-filler record! Titles include the massive "Clara's Jerk" – which has some Pierre Henry-like electronics, and a very cool groove – plus "Leslie's Jerk", "Sortie Metro", "Generique", "Top Cover Girl", "Ballade Dans Paris", "Baiser", "Kam-Tcha-Tka", and "Ballet Photo Rouge".

A sweet funky set from the 70s – originally recorded as a sound library session, but handled by Italian soundtrack maestro Alessandro Alessandroni! You might know Alessandroni's music best from the 60s, and this set is a later updating of the same groove – one that brings in a bit more electric keyboards, some bouncier basslines, and drums that snap nice and hard on the funky numbers – then lay back on the sweet mellow moments. A few cuts have vocals – ala I Cantorni Moderni – and the whole thing has a warm, sexy 70s groove that's right up there with the best Italian work of the scene from the time. Titles include "Femminismo", "Collettivo", "La Metropoli", "Pubblica Informazione", "Prima Eta", and "Ultimo Soggiorno". Very groovy stuff! CD features 5 bonus tracks too – never issued before!

Fantastic sounds from the Australian scene of the early 80s – spare electronic work from Ash Wednesday and related projects – all a surprisingly great entry in the lost world of minimal wave! Most numbers here are stark and spare, but undeniably tuneful – the core charm we love at the point when groups like Human League or Cabaret Voltaire started getting a bit more focus, yet were still light years from being commercial. Like the music of both of those groups, the styles here lean heavily on the best analogue sounds forged in the decade before, filtered down to a basic essence, and redirected with tuneful lines and some moody vocals. Given that most of what we know from Australia at the time is guitar-heavy rock and noise, the set's a real revelation – and features 20 tracks that include "Psychotic Reaction", "A Circuit Like Me", "Bad Timing", "Sex I", and "A Living Person" by The Metronomes; "Boom Boom Baby", "Eighteen Creature", and "The Galvanized Garden Of Inner Peace" by Modern Jazz; "Useless Information" and "Radiation Injection" by Thealonian Music; and "Love By Numbers" and "Boring Instrumental" by Ash Wednesday.

Soulful vocals, synths and orchestral pop from Beauty Room on Far Out! Beauty Room features joint production and songwriting by singer Jinadu and synths maestro Kirk Degiorgio – the latter a Far Out veteran at this point, and an artist whose creative evolution has been a joy to follow! They work in some pretty diverse influences, from classic folk soul to modern avant pop – and an approach that's more about soulful songcraft than exercises in mood and atmosphere. Jinadu's soul-steeped voice has a lot to do with that, but the instrumentation is and production are top notch. Synth, Rhodes, guitars, bass and drums at the core – plus some very nice use of strings, courtesy of the Metropole Orchestra and strings arranger Paul Buckmaster. Includes "We Can't Throw You Away", "Shadows Falling", "All In My Head", "But For Now", "Walking The Fine Line", "One Man Show", "So Far", "The Last Calling", "Heaven Is In Your Mind" and "No Rejections". 11 tracks on the CD.

Nocturnal boombap from Blockhead – a sleepless, samples and electic-beats heavy survey of an after hours metropolis – finding Blockhead as insistently inventive and timeless in approach as ever! We love that Blockhead's work kind of exists in it's own world, yet clearly shows love for NYC life – and the globally diverse soundscapes strongly represent both that great urban landscape and Blockheads inner genius. Includes "Never Forget Your Token", "Creeps Crouchin", "Panic In Funkytown", "Meet You At Tower Records", "Escape The Meadow", "Smoke Signals", "Midnight Blue", "Snapping Point", "Beyond Reach" feat Baby Dayliner and "The Robin Byrd Era".

Wobbly sounds from Casino Vs Japan – loads of great low fi electronics that really take us back to that key 90s moment when so many folks were rediscovering the sound of the analogue generation! The music here comes from a few years after that moment, but still shares the same love of shapes and textures that made the rediscovery so great – and if anything, the lack of immediacy allows these guys to just lay back and find their own space – often letting the tunes just take form slowly, without any overdone qualities – giving the whole thing a really personal feel that's still quite vibrant all these many years later! Almost like a post-rock version of the Sky Records sounds from the German scene of the late 70s/early 80s – with tracks that include "It's Very Sunny", "Metrobolt", "Dielectric Saints", "The Larp", "Medery", "Warm Windows", and "Theme".

Amazing work from guitarist Charlie Christian – an artist who only recorded for a few short years before an untimely early death – but a player whose work went onto have a huge impact on both the guitar and jazz music in general for years to come! Charlie's playing has a sharp edge that's undeniable – an approach to the guitar that's definitely jazz, yet also finds a place for bluesy inflections too – in styles that no doubt influenced later players like Grant Green or Tal Farlow – and which may have also been an inspiration to electrified bluesmen in the 50s, too. This package brings together a huge amount of Christian's crucial sides for the Columbia label – material that features his raw electric instrument in the company of the Benny Goodman sextet, where Charlie could really shine – and a bit in Benny's larger group too. The package also features raw material that has Christian playing with Count Basie & Lester Young, and the Metronome All Stars – plus detailed notes too. 98 tracks in all – and a much better design than the previous box – with each CD in a smaller sleeve inside the box.

Mad funky genius, a revolution in sound indeed! This lost album of funky piano craziness by the Duke of Burlington seems like it might be a sound library album or production music set, but it goes way beyond even the best of those! Lots of breakbeats, funky riffs, and groovy bass stuff with a heavy heavy piano sound, plus a nice dose of fuzzy guitar and some very hard driving drums that keep the whole thing nice and fresh! Some of these cuts have been sampled a lot over the years, and the best tracks are totally amazing little funky masterpieces, but even the ones that aren't as snapping are still great! A dozen tracks in all, including "Indian Fig", "Black Panther", "Flute For President", "Jungle Duke", "Hammer Strokes", "Metronome", and "Sensorial".

Fab vocal work from the Golddiggers – the female backing singers who would sing in variety numbers with Dean Martin on his weekly TV show! Although the girls were usually in the background on Dean's show, they take center stage here – swinging their way through a mix of 60s mod tracks and a few older-styled numbers. The album's got a great version of "Montage" from How Sweet It Is, a nice take on "59th Street Bridge Song", plus "The Kumquat Tree", "It's Fun To Be Young", and "It Seems Like Yesterday".

Quite a rare set from this important Swedish player – one recorded in Sweden by Metronome, but issued here in the US on the short-lived East-West imprint of Atlantic. The tracks all feature Gullin on baritone sax – in a variety of settings that range through quartet, quintet, sextet, octet, and big band. As always, Lars pulls far more out of the instrument than any of his contemporaries could hope to – and the backing he gets from Swedish modernists like Arne Domnerus, Rune Ofwerman, Bert Dahlander, and Sven Ake Persson really help keep things moving along at a strong pace. Titles include "Half Nelson", "Ma", "Yesterdays", "Like Someone In Love", and "After 8pm".

A very groovy set of pop-jazz guitar tunes – originally recorded by Metronome Records in Sweden, but issued here by Atlantic. The core of the recording is Gustafsson's guitar trio, but the record also features some larger backing by Georg Riedel that have a nice airy feel to them. While the record isn't totally funky, it's got a nice slightly funky easy sound that's very nice. Includes a good version of "California Soul", plus "Waltz A Nova", "The Look Of Love", "Witchita Lineman", and "Me On The See Saw".

A beautiful second album from Idea 6 – the cool Italian combo who first blew our minds with their excellent Metropoli set! The style here is similar to that great album – a recasting of older Italian jazz modes from the 60s – the mix of hardbop and modalism that flourished during some of that scene's best postwar years, served up here in a mix of younger and older players with a great degree of sensitivity for each other. The album's produced by maestro Paolo Scotti – and has all the care for classic touches as his other great projects in recent years – and the lineup features Gianni Basso on tenor, Guido Pistocchi on trumpet, Dino Piana on valve trombone, and Andrea Pozza on piano. Guests include Francesca Sortino on vocals and Anibale Modoni on vibes – both of whom bring in a slight bit of Schema energy – and titles include "OM Blues", "Tempura 4/4", "Junior Is Back", "Dance Of The Crickets", "Mr GB", "Tune Up", and "Bell's". Includes a bonus DVD too – with an intro and interview with the group – plus videos of the tunes "Tune UP", "Mr GB", and "Bell's".

One of the greatest records we've heard from Al Jarreau in years – a set that features his incredible vocals backed by the Metropol Orkest – a large ensemble who help the legendary singer find a whole new sort of groove! The bold backings are really wonderful – full and flowing, with loads of warm jazz energy that seems to push Al's vocals even more than before – giving them a force that's hardly what you might expect from the aging Jarreau, and really helping to recover that jazzy core that's always made his singing so special. Many of the tunes here are older numbers, but really given an unusual twist in the process – overflowing with a live, ebullient quality that comes through from the very first note. Titles include "Flame", "Agua De Beber", "Cold Duck", "Jacaranda Bougainvillea", "We're In This Love Together", "Midnight Sun", "Something That You Said", "After All", "Spain", and "Scootcha Booty".

The richest album we've heard so far from vocalist Tom Lellis – a well-done set that has the overlooked singer backed strongly by the Metropole Orchestra! Given the setting, the album reminds us a bit of recent Verve dates from Mark Murphy – a sound that's timeless, yet not in any sort of easy too-standard way – very fresh charts for the orchestral backings, and heartfelt lyrics from Lellis that are never lost in the larger setting. Some tunes sparkle with creative changes in the vocals, while others are delivered in straighter ballad modes – both forms that Tom handles perfectly – and titles include "Mountain Flight", "Milton's Moment", "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Love Is", "Straight Up & Down", and "Taken To Heart".

A soaring groove from The Magicians – sweet "Faith & Understanding", served up with a bassline that bounces the whole thing along strongly – and some great vocals on the chorus that almost make the tune feel like a Metros number! "Rising Higher" is a tune that soars as well – a really upbeat, positive track from Marva Holiday – with this cool production on the vocals that kind of compress them against the groove in a really unique way!

Features Ella Fitzgerald on vocal performances of "April In Paris", "Party Blues", and "Every Day I Have The Blues" – with Count Basie backing. Also features a jam session version of "Billie's Bounce" – with Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, Tal Farlow, Zoot Sims, and others – and a solo piano take on "Lady Fair" by George Wallington.

A sweet disco circus from Metropolis – one of the many studio groovers from 70s disco maestro Thor Baldursson – who handles all the arrangements on the set! The great Tom Moulton produced with Thor – and gives the record a rich, clubby, disco feel that's mighty nice – and vocals are by The Sweethearts trio – which features Barbara Ingram in the lineup! There's some surprisingly great tracks on the set – tunes that have a deeper soul than some of Thor's other projects, and which evenly balance out the grooves with a few more laidback moments – making for a really well-rounded album on Salsoul. Titles include "Here's To You", "New York Is My Kind Of Town", "I Love NY", "Was That All", and "Go Get It". CD features bonus tracks – "I Love New York (original Tom Moulton 12" long mix)" and "I Love New York (original Tom Moulton 12" short mix)".

A killer cut by The Metros – one of Detroit soul's best secrets in the 60s! The track is amazing – dipping, turning, and soaring with this groove that even knocks out most Motown classics – and it's backed here by an equally great number, making for one hell of a 45!

One of the greatest Northern Soul albums ever – completely great all the way through, and filled with songs that have been burning up dancefloors for years! The vocals are incredible – soaring harmonies that hold together perfectly, even when the grooves are hard and heavy – and the instrumentation is great too – handled by the Pied Piper team, who were kind of a Motown offshoot that featured Jack Ashford on vibes and percussion, Dave Hamilton and Ray Monette on guitar, and Joe Hunter on piano. Hunter and Ashford handled the arrangements – with a pitch-perfect sound that's completely sublime – sweet and grooving at the same time, and put together with the same kind of care you'd find at Motown – but with all the harder-edge qualities that always made indie work from Detroit so great. Every cut is a winner, and the set is the only full album ever done by the group – with cuts that include "Egyptian Love", "Till The End Of Time", "Since I Found My Baby", "Sweetest One", "Unlucky Sun", "I'll Never Forget You", "Do The Pied Piper", and "I'm With You All The Way". Great reissue – fully remastered from the original tapes – with new liner notes too!

Raw, pummeling and with everything louder than everyone else – here's Motorhead blowing out eardrums live in England! No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith endures as one of the great hard rock live albums in part because it serves as something of an early greatest hits set – from a period in which the band was most famous for being so infamous– and also because a couple songs here blow the studio versions right outta the water! All the early classics: "Ace Of Spades", "Overkill", "Motorhead", "The Hammer", "Iron Horse", "No Class", "Stay Clean", "Metropolis" and more.

The Remixes are great – tunes that show a loving, understanding appreciation of Nilovic's original music – thanks to a well-selected batch of talents on the set! Most of the numbers hardly veer much from the great grooves that Janko first penned – as they're all awash in the best acoustic elements and electronic moments without going too far into abstract, contemporary territory – as can happen in some too-remixed projects we've heard of late. Titles include "Spacial Special" remixed by Minimatic, "African Boost" remixed by Kid Loco, "Summer Breeze" remixed by The Big Knife, "Escape To Chelsea" remixed by Casbah 73, "Tandoori Flock" remixed by Patchworks, "Leslie's Back" remixed by DJ Day, "New Post Scriptum" remixed by Metropolitan Jazz Affair, and "Vocal Improvisations" remixed by Cucumber.

Two wonderful versions of the Gershwin classic "Summertime" – both of them very offbeat! The Old Metropolitan take has lots of horns, and a brooding bassline that really creates a lot of darkness – initiating the track for the first minute or so along with the vocals, before the horns blast out, and more towards trad jazz cacophony near the end! Dave Harris takes the tune with some soulful piano – stepping along the melody with a sweet waltz-like formation, to set up a great groove for sweet female vocals in the lead!

Early live work from Baden Powell – a set recorded for Elenco in Brazil, but done with some of the best stripped-down, intimate modes of his later European recordings! Baden's acoustic guitar is firmly in the lead on most tracks, and the sound is almost solo, in a way – as the added piano of Oscar Castro Neves and drums of Victor Manga are really just used to color in the spare lines on Powell's guitar. There's a warmly jazzy sensibility to some of the tunes – and titles include "Astronauta", "Tempo Feliz", "Preludio Em Re Menor", "Valsa De Euridice", "Samba De Uma Nota So", "Berimbau/Choro Para Metronomo", and "Lamento".

A striking solo set from Phillipe Baden Powell – much bolder and more expressive than his previous album – even though the overall feel is a lot more stripped-down too! Baden's got a very sharp approach to the keys of the piano – working here in a range of tones that's really breathtaking – a stark palette of sounds that's recorded with just the right sort of depth to let all of his most subtle touches come through. As befits his roots, the tunes are a mix of Brazilian numbers and jazz standards – plus a few original compositions as well – and titles include "Canto Triste", "Consolacao", "Prologue", "The Meantime", "Loro", "Choro Para Metronomo", "Ending", "Giant Steps", and "Vista Chinesa".

Way more than just a sweet beat – because everything about these grooves is great – a rich array of jazzy tracks from Polish reedman Jan Ptasyn Wroblewski, cut in a style that rivals the best European jazz sides of the late 60s – but also done with an occasional soundtrack vibe as well! The core combo is backed with some fuller orchestrations – but always in a way that just augments the sharp instrumentation from Jan and the other players – a lineup that also features some great piano, organ, and harpsichord – alongside bass, drums, and percussion! At times, there's a Verve 60s groovy feel to some of the backings – but the sharpness of the musical ideas really keeps things interesting – and Jan's one hell of a soulful player when he wants to be. Titles include "Jesien", "Bitwa O Grzede", "Dziewcynha Tanczaca", "Sweet Beat", "300 Kilometrow Przed Nami", and "Nie Pozaluje Pan". CD also features 14 more bonus tracks added to the original album – loads more vintage gems from the Polish Radio vaults, including "Trawa", "Tata Lata", "Tylko Spokoj", "Tango Nieforme", and "Stopniowanie".

One of the coolest sets the Numero Group has ever released – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given their already-mighty catalog! Although the label issued a previous dip into the enigmatic Boddie Recording company of Cleveland, this massive package brings together a whopping 57 tracks from the Boddie studios and related labels – many of which have never been reissued before, even by Numero – and all of which offer up a mindblowing microcosm of the American scene in the 60s and 70s – a wealth of rare funk, soul, psych, gospel, and more – all of it the kind of gritty material that 45 collectors die for! But just as cool as the music is the package itself – a heavy box with a flap that fits around five LPs, two booklets, flyer reproductions, and even a Boddie greeting card! There's loads of rare photos, band information, studio details, and more – billed by Numero as a "self-contained record industry" in one box. Musically, the whole thing's right on par with other Numero releases – maybe even above them, given the wide range and depth of the collection – and artists include Bo & The Metros, Inter Circle, King James Version, Ricky Hodges, Jackie Russell, Angela Alexander, Frankie Pighee, Chantells, AC Jones, Harvey Hall, Headlines, Modern Detergents, Penny North, JC Akins, Little Anthony Mitchell, Gospel Fabulators, Royal Kings, Corinthian Singers, Brother Bill, Victory 5, and many more.

Goldmine's second great volume of rare Detroit soul, featuring extremely hard to find tracks like "Yes I Love You Baby" by The Dynamics, "We Still Have Time" by The Metros, "Candle" by Doni Burdick, "Looking For A Woman" by Brooks Bros, "Go Down" by Highlights, "Arabia" by Royal Playboys (vocal version), "Soul Food" by Johnny Rogers, and "We Go To Pieces" by Forest Hairston. Lots lots more, with 22 cuts in all!

Unusual sounds abound – not the trippy psych you might expect from the cover, but not that far off either – just skewed in a completely different style, from a great range of scenes! The package digs deeper than most we've ever heard – past obvious touchstones in music, to uncover some unique cross-genre sounds and modes that are pretty hard to categorize! Most of these tracks are from obscure private press records, European releases, or other unusual sources – and instead of the usual hippy-era dates, lots of these cuts are from the late 70s and 80s – yet still retain this mellow sort of warmth – a spirit that was born in the folk funk generation, yet which has evolved quite differently, and sometimes with electronic touches too. Titles include "House On The Rock" by Rob Mehl, "Basshoven" by George Oban, "Transformation" by Jeff Liberman, "Safe & Sound" by David Astri, "Catching A Wave" by Steve & Teresa,. "C'Etait Un Beau Dimanche" by Daniel Mathieu, "Metropolis" by Walter Hawkins, and "Formentera Sunset Clouds" by Iasos. 2CD version – one CD unmixed, the other a mix of tracks from the set!

Relatively recent soul tracks, but mostly with a classic feel – given that many of the tracks on the set were cut by artists who broke big in the 60s and 70s! The package is a really unique collection – titles from the past decade or two, recorded by older soul artists in a mode that mixes vintage styles with more contemporary production – yet all in ways that are light years from the mainstream R&B you'd hear on the charts! The set's great proof that a great voice never dies, and it also includes a few younger artists who definitely draw inspiration from the older crowd too – and many of the cuts are from the recent Motorcity recordings, showing a real UK love of classic Detroit styles. Titles include "Soul Searching" by Barbara Randolph, "Don't Wait Around" by The Elgins, "No Need To Explain" by GC Cameron, "Back In Circulation (metropolitan soul mix)" by Sweet James Epps, "Crying Shame" by Lynda Laurence, "Love Still Lives In My Heart" by The Originals, "Prime Time Lover" by Linda Griner, "Too Great A Price To Pay" by Bettye Lavette, "My World Will Never Be The Same" by Gina Foster, "Got To Win You Back" by The Contours, "I've Seen The Light" by JJ Barnes, and "Hurt The One You Love" by David Ruffin.

Amazing stuff from No Wave legends DNA – 32 tracks from long out of print singles, EPs and live recordings – many on CD for the first time ever! DNA was one of the most uproarious acts in that increasingly legendary NYC scene – featuring Arto Lindsay's scratchy guitar and haggard banshee wail of a lead vocal presence, those primitive Bowery funk keyboards by Robin Krutchfield, and thumping, metronomic bass and drums by Tim Wright and Ikue Mori. The band's songs rarely marched past the 2 1/2 minute mark or so, getting in-and-out for a quick catharsis. These tracks trace the range of the under-recorded group perfectly, from the raw punk squall of the early singles to the funkier, sinister post disco sound later on. Amazing, awe inspiring stuff from a scene that keeps on belching greatness! Great notes and photos, here too! Includes "You & You", "Egomaniac's Kiss", "Not Moving", "Size", "New Fast", "New New", "Young Teenagers Talk Sex", "Police Chase", "Cop Buys A Donut", "Nearing", "Low", "Brand New", "Horse", "Forgery", "A New Low" and tons more!

Amazing stuff from No Wave legends DNA – a vinyl set that features material that wasn't on the CD collection of the same name! DNA was one of the most uproarious acts in that increasingly legendary NYC scene – featuring Arto Lindsay's scratchy guitar and haggard banshee wail of a lead vocal presence, those primitive Bowery funk keyboards by Robin Krutchfield, and thumping, metronomic bass and drums by Tim Wright and Ikue Mori. The band's songs rarely marched past the 2 1/2 minute mark or so, getting in-and-out for a quick catharsis. These tracks trace the range of the under-recorded group perfectly, from the raw punk squall of the early singles to the funkier, sinister post disco sound later on. Amazing, awe inspiring stuff from a scene that keeps on belching greatness! Great notes and photos, here too! Includes "You & You", "Egomaniac's Kiss", "Not Moving", "Size", "New Fast", "New New", "Young Teenagers Talk Sex", "Police Chase", "Cop Buys A Donut", "Nearing", "Low", "Brand New", "Horse", "Forgery", "A New Low" and tons more! 37 tracks in all – with vinyl-exclusive tunes "Pompeii", "Shrinking Thing", "Drinking Water", and 2 live titles from CBGBs.

Stereolab's third album for Elektra – continuing their wondeful brand of space age pop in the 90s, and still some of the most exciting music to come from a major label at the time! Titles include "Spark Plug", "Les Yper Sound", "Tomorrow Is Already Here", "Metronomic Underground", "Cybele's Reverie", "Anonymous Collective", and "Slow Fast Hazel".

One of the best funky tracks by this weird little 60s group! "Mongoose" begins with a popping bass getting all harmonic, drums riffing around underneath, with a mix of bass drum and percussion that give the track a very striking break! The tune has lots of hollow spots that let the drums come forward – all getting very nice, and very funky!

Very weird soundtrack to this equally weird film that mixes Shakespeare and religion, and which was directed by Patrick McGoohan! Most tracks have a funky folksy style – with lots of guitar, mixed acoustic and electric, as you'd expect to hear in the work of White or Havens. There are a few nice slightly funky moments with a good acoustic guitar in the front – but the best part of the tracks are the introductions, and they're generally made stupid by the vocals. Titles include "Catch My Soul (part 3)", "Chug A Lug", "Run Shaker Life", and "Put Out The Light".

A great collection of some of the less-collected work by Clifford Brown – 1953 recordings done in Europe for the Metronome and Vogue labels, plus a date for Prestige with Tadd Dameron's band! Although Brown's work for Blue Note and Pacific Jazz has been well documented and presented over the years, this set is the first to do such a good job with some of these other sides – bringing to light some impeccable work from a key point in Brownie's career! Sides feature Brown working with the Swedish All-Stars led by Quincy Jones, Gigi Gryce & Orchestra, the Gigi Gryce-Clifford Brown octet, and a Parisian quartet with Henri Renaud, Pierre Michelot, and Benny Bennett. The set features 31 tracks in all – and titles include "Scuse These Blues", "Brown Skins", "Goofin With Me", "Choose Now", "Theme Of No Repeat", "Hello", "All Weird", "Strictly Romantic", "Baby", "No Start No End", "I Can't Dream Can't I", and "Conception".

A nice squelchy track from the dawn of Detroit techno, by Doug Craig and Juan Atkins.

The lasting testament of trumpeter Tony Fruscella – a great talent whose powers only flourished briefly on vinyl, and never so brightly as on this LP! The set's a well-composed one – gently grooving numbers arranged and written by Phil Sunkel, played by Tony and a group that includes Allen Eager on tenor sax. Eager's another talent who's not always represented as strongly as he should be on record – and this session is as great an appearance for him as it is for Fruscella. Titles include "Muy", "Old Hat", "Raintree Country", "Let's Play The Blues", and "Metropolitan Blues".

One of the greatest records we've heard from Al Jarreau in years – a set that features his incredible vocals backed by the Metropol Orkest – a large ensemble who help the legendary singer find a whole new sort of groove! The bold backings are really wonderful – full and flowing, with loads of warm jazz energy that seems to push Al's vocals even more than before – giving them a force that's hardly what you might expect from the aging Jarreau, and really helping to recover that jazzy core that's always made his singing so special. Many of the tunes here are older numbers, but really given an unusual twist in the process – overflowing with a live, ebullient quality that comes through from the very first note. Titles include "Flame", "Agua De Beber", "Cold Duck", "Jacaranda Bougainvillea", "We're In This Love Together", "Midnight Sun", "Something That You Said", "After All", "Spain", and "Scootcha Booty".

Reissue of a rare Teddy Charles album that also featured Booker Little and Booker Ervin. The album features the inventive vibist caught live in New York at a Metronome sponsored gig featuring Mingus alums Mal Waldron, Booker Ervin and Booker Little. The set includes one expansive Charles original, "Take Three Parts Jazz", a Little original "The Confined Few", Ervin's "Scoochie" and Waldron's "Cycles", along with a few standards. The music is fantastic, and is a mix of modernist modal themes with rich soul jazz playing. Ervin and Little are fantastic, and their sharp edgey sounds are a perfect contrast with Charles' moody vibes. Very little of Teddy Charles' work, which ranged from introspective avant garde pieces with Jimmy Giuffre to more swing based collaborations with Mingus, has been documented, this piece showcases his New Directions Quartet in a unique setting, with inspired guests.

Some of the boldest, most expressive work we've heard from Edu Lobo in years – a beautiful recording with the Metropole Orchestra, who help Lobo regain all the lofty power of his early 70s years! The arrangements here are full, and full of feeling too – lead vocals by Lobo soaring over the top of his sublime compositions, pushed onward strongly with the full orchestrations of the ensemble –and given some great jazzy undercurrents by the flute and sax work of Mauro Senise! We always like Edu, but the album's a real return to the qualities that first made us fall in love with his music so many years ago – and is continuing proof that the Metropole Orchestra really know how to bring new energy to an artist. Titles include "Vento Bravo", "Canto Triste", "Casa Forte", "Zanzibar", "Ave Rara", "Choro Bandido", "A Bela E A Fera", "Frevo Diabo", and "Danca Do Corrupiao".

Avant vocal work from Demetrio Stratos – a performer whose style has roots in older Dada voice experiments of the early 20th Century, but which really pushes into bolder, wilder territory too! Demetrio never sings, but instead gets sounds from his voice that are almost instrument-like or sound-effects at times – recorded here with overdubbing and a bit of added synthesizer from Paolo Tofani – in ways that are magically weird and wonderful. A few points have the voice taking on some slightly familiar qualities, but most sounds are relatively abstract, although still quite beautiful. Titles include "Segmenti" in four parts on side one, plus "Mirologhi 1 & 2", and "Metrodora".

Totally essential! Not only is the a-side one of the great lost soul hits of the 60's, but the b-side's got a totally uptempo funky instrumental, with a monster break that spawned an entire genre! Check youtube for the fascinating documentary of the "Amen Break".

This great series keeps on redefining itself! While previous volumes have focused on funky, jazzy, and Latiny cuts – this fab 8th volume features a beautiful blend of tracks with a spare easy feel, and an exploration into the Italian minimalist groove – that ethereal, almost otherwordly style heard on some of the dreamiest soundtracks by Ennio Morricone! There's a floating, lilting groove here that's as lovely as the lady on the cover – and the set's overflowing with a whopping 21 titles in all – including "Tema Di Barbara" by Alberto Baldan Bembo, "Bai Des Anges" by Walter Rizzati, "A Ciascuno Il Suo" by Luis Bacalov, "To Jean" by Berto Pisano, "I Tuoi Sospiri" by Bruno Nicolai, "Metropoli" by Gino Marinacci Ensemble, "La Famiglia Nicotera" by Piero Piccioni, "Running Fire" by Lou Stein, and "Tema B" by Paolo Vasile.

Hard-burning soul from the great stretch of the 60s – that magical latter half of the decade when the genre really exploded – and turned out thousands of amazing tracks on smaller indie labels! This package pulls together some of the best groovers of that generation – all hand-picked by Northern Soul expert Kev Roberts, and served up here with fidelity that's a lot better than most of the beat up 45s we've got in our collection! And with a massive 31 tracks on the set, the whole thing's a heck of a great deal too – with cuts that include "Do You Love Me Baby" by The Masqueraders, "Change Your Ways" by Willie Kendrick, "I Need You" by Shane Martin, "I Got My Heart Set On You" by The Toys, "Let's Get Back Together" by The Honeybees, "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" by The Gentlemen Four, "Tightrope" by Inez & Charlie Foxx, "In The Long Run" by Curtis Blandon, "I Got What It Takes" by Brooks & Jerry, "One In A Million" by Maxine Brown, "Walk Like A Man" by Johnny Moore, and "I'll Always Need You" by Dean Courtney.

Kent's second volume of this great series of rare soul recorded for the RCA label in the 60's, featuring 24 cuts that came out mostly as singles (with a few rare LP cuts thrown into the mix.) Loads and loads of great 60's soul, including "Dance Little Girl" by The Cavaliers, "Love Is So Wonderful" by Dean Courtney, "Movin' Too Slow" by The Exciters, "You Only Live Twice" by Lorraine Chandler, "My Imagination" by The Metros, "Can't Let You Go" by The Geminis, "American Dollar" by Willie Kendrick, and lots lots more. Loads of unreleased tracks, and a great set of notes!

A sweet collection of grooves from the legendary Salsoul label – easily one of the hippest imprints on the New York scene of the 70s! Salsoul's grooves go way beyond the usual disco – crafted with roots that go back to soul and salsa of the earlier part of the decade – and often mixed to perfection with a sound that holds up strongly, even on a crowded dancefloor! This package features ten of the best-remembered gems from the label – most in long mixes that echo their strong popularity as 12" single – titles that include "Doctor Love" by First Choice, "Runaway" by The Salsoul Orchestra with Loleatta Holloway, "Jingo" by Candido, "Dreamin" by Loleatta Holloway, "By The Way You Dance" by Bunny Sigler, "Love Is You" by Carol Williams, "Dance A Little Bit Closer" by Charo, "I Love New York" by Metropolis, and "Rio De Janeiro" by Gary Criss.

A striking soundtrack for this Italian horror film – not really a zombie flick exactly, but one with a very similar bent – scored by the great Stelvio Cipriani with loads of cool keyboards and rhythms! The horror mode's definitely of the John Carpenter generation – which means that Cipriani does a great job of balancing action and space throughout – using his instrumentation sparingly at just the right moments – then surging forward to really move things along! Titles include "Sustain", "I'll Find My Way To You", "L'Attesta", "Metropolis", "Agguato", "Incubo", and "Masquerade". CD also features 18 more bonus tracks – all previously unreleased!

An incredible document of the growth of the European jazz scene in the postwar years – a set recorded in Berlin, but featuring a host of the best players from all over the continent! The mix of musicians here is wonderful – similar to some of the great boder-crossing experiments from Saba/MPS a few years later – but still wonderfully fresh in this setting – as modern jazz giants from the other side of the Atlantic come together with amazing clarity of sound – and a host of fresh ideas that really set them apart from their contemporaries in the US! The set features a driving take on "Haitian Fight Song" with Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, Arne Domnerus on alto, Hans Koller on tenor, and both Martial Solal and Tete Montoliu on piano. Other numbers include a version of "Am I Blue" with vocals by Monica Zetterlund, "Blue Monk" by a Montoliu trio, "Hittin The Blues" with vibes by Fats Said and guitar from Franco Cerri, "Gone With The Wind" with Arne Domernus on alto and Ronnie Ross on baritone, "3 + 3" with Domerus and ross – plus Koller on tenor and Cerri on guitar, and "Avertissez-Moi" by a larger group with Martial Solal on piano, Koller on tenor, Domerus on alto, Goykovich on trumpet, and Sadi on vibes!

Really hip work from Italian flautist Gino Marinacci – a player with a sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of, recording here in a group that really matches the best side of his talents! Gino plays a bass flute – which has a nice low-end, rumbling sort of sound – quite different than some of the higher-toned flutes usually used in jazz, and mixed here with trombone work from Dino Piana, which makes for a nicely bottom-heavy record that's really great. Other players include Antonello Vannucchi on piano and organ and Angelo Baroncini on guitar – and the rhythms on the record are often as unique as Marinacci's sound – not quite modal, not quite bossa, not quite soul jazz – but with cool elements of all of them. Arrangements are by Marinacchi and Vannucchi, but Piero Piccioni also arranged one tune too – and titles include "Idea", "Metropoli", "Club Privato", "Comunicativa", "Dialogo", "Intesa", and "Un Volto Una Storia".

The Remixes are great – tunes that show a loving, understanding appreciation of Nilovic's original music – thanks to a well-selected batch of talents on the set! Most of the numbers hardly veer much from the great grooves that Janko first penned – as they're all awash in the best acoustic elements and electronic moments without going too far into abstract, contemporary territory – as can happen in some too-remixed projects we've heard of late. Titles include "Spacial Special" remixed by Minimatic, "African Boost" remixed by Kid Loco, "Summer Breeze" remixed by The Big Knife, "Escape To Chelsea" remixed by Casbah 73, "Tandoori Flock" remixed by Patchworks, "Leslie's Back" remixed by DJ Day, "New Post Scriptum" remixed by Metropolitan Jazz Affair, and "Vocal Improvisations" remixed by Cucumber.

A sublime second set of work from Orgasmo Sonore – even hipper than their first, and again a wonderful reworking of soundtrack modes from the Italian scene of the 70s! Compositions here are by Ennio Morricone, Stelvio Cipriani, Piero Piccioni, and others – but the group makes the music very much their own – by transforming the tunes with tighter, funkier instrumentation – almost giving the songs a small combo sort of feel, while still retaining all the majestic charm of the originals! The approach is mindblowing – easily one of the best contemporary experiments of this nature we've ever heard – and the record is pleasing both to ears that love vintage soundtracks, and to those that dig funky instrumentals too. Titles include "Too Risky A Day For A Regatta", "Incubi Ricorrenti", "Metropolis", "Summertime Bossa", "Volto Di Donna", "Pillage", "Les Dunes D'Ostende", "Un Ombra Nell'Ombra", "La Sconda Caccia", and "Pearls".

The one and only album ever cut by The Winstons – an obscure mixed-race soul combo who had roots in Otis Redding's touring band, and who hit big with a soul Grammy in 1969 for the title track to this one, "Color Him Father". The cut's an amazing document of its time, a sweet little story-song about a boy who's lost his dad in the war (Vietnam?), and who grows to love the new guy that his mom is dating. Sounds sappy, but it's one of the most compelling soul singles of the 60s – and is always a treat to hear. The other big cut on the record is the classic breakbeat track "Amen Brother", which is an instrumental reading of the gospel standard, done in a fast-funk style that's been sampled for years – both by hip hoppers and by drum n bass producers! Other tracks include "The Chokin Kind", "The Greatest Love", "Everyday People", and "Only The Strong Survive". This Fuel CD edition has 4 bonus tracks: "Love Of The Common People", "Wheel Of Fortune", "Say Goodbye To Daddy" and "Mama's Song"

The one and only album ever cut by The Winstons – an obscure mixed-race soul combo who had roots in Otis Redding's touring band, and who hit big with a soul Grammy in 1969 for the title track to this one, "Color Him Father". The cut's an amazing document of its time, a sweet little story-song about a boy who's lost his dad in the war (Vietnam?), and who grows to love the new guy that his mom is dating. Sounds sappy, but it's one of the most compelling soul singles of the 60s – and is always a treat to hear. The other big cut on the record is the classic breakbeat track "Amen Brother", which is an instrumental reading of the gospel standard, done in a fast-funk style that's been sampled for years – both by hip hoppers and by drum n bass producers! Other tracks include "The Chokin Kind", "The Greatest Love", "Everyday People", and "Only The Strong Survive". This LP has 2 bonus tracks – "Love Of The Common People" and "Say Goodbye To Daddy".

Wobbly sounds from Casino Vs Japan – loads of great low fi electronics that really take us back to that key 90s moment when so many folks were rediscovering the sound of the analogue generation! The music here comes from a few years after that moment, but still shares the same love of shapes and textures that made the rediscovery so great – and if anything, the lack of immediacy allows these guys to just lay back and find their own space – often letting the tunes just take form slowly, without any overdone qualities – giving the whole thing a really personal feel that's still quite vibrant all these many years later! Almost like a post-rock version of the Sky Records sounds from the German scene of the late 70s/early 80s – with tracks that include "It's Very Sunny", "Metrobolt", "Dielectric Saints", "The Larp", "Medery", "Warm Windows", and "Theme".

Maybe our favorite album ever from singer Helen Merrill – certainly from the early days – and a unique outing cut for MGM's excellent Metrojazz label! The set's got a more laidback sound than Merrill's previous records – and a definite bluesy undercurrent too – one that comes through strongly in the piano and arrangements of Jimmy Jones, and in the tremendous tenor work from Frank Wess – whose playing on the record gives the set a soulful quality we're not used to hearing with Helen! Tunes all follow the theme of the title – but are done in really inventive ways, especially when Wess gets a chance to solo – and titles include "Blues In My Heart", "The Blues", "The Thrill Is Gone", "You've Got A Date With The Blues", "The Meaning Of The Blues", and "Vous M'Ebloussez".

A sublime second set of work from Orgasmo Sonore – even hipper than their first, and again a wonderful reworking of soundtrack modes from the Italian scene of the 70s! Compositions here are by Ennio Morricone, Stelvio Cipriani, Piero Piccioni, and others – but the group makes the music very much their own – by transforming the tunes with tighter, funkier instrumentation – almost giving the songs a small combo sort of feel, while still retaining all the majestic charm of the originals! The approach is mindblowing – easily one of the best contemporary experiments of this nature we've ever heard – and the record is pleasing both to ears that love vintage soundtracks, and to those that dig funky instrumentals too. Titles include "Too Risky A Day For A Regatta", "Incubi Ricorrenti", "Metropolis", "Summertime Bossa", "Volto Di Donna", "Pillage", "Les Dunes D'Ostende", "Un Ombra Nell'Ombra", "La Sconda Caccia", and "Pearls".

Michal Urbaniak's third Fusion set for Columbia – very fittingly titled, considering what a huge influence his playing had on the genre! The album's a very tight batch of groovers – soaring and spacious, but never overindulgent – sometimes featuring scatting vocals by wife Urszula Dudziak, and also sporting strong rhythms from drummers Gerald Brown and Steve Gadd – both of whom really bring a nice solid bottom to the set, and help keep things focused! Yet then again, Urbaniak's always been one of the more focused players of his generation – especially on American recordings like this. There's lots of keyboards and electric grooving in the mix – and titles include "Chinatown", "Bloody Kishka", "Cameo", "Stretch", "Metroliner", "Roskana", and "Kuyaviak Goes Funky".

One of the rarest Newport albums ever issued – a split LP that features a side apiece by two of the coolest talents of the late 50s! Side one features work by the Randy Weston trio – with Weston on piano, George Joyner on bass, and GT Hogan on drums – performing great Weston originals that include "Machine Blues", "Hi Fly", "Beef Blues Stew", and an excerpt from the great "Bantu Suite"! Even groovier is work from the quartet of vibist Lem Winchester – a combo that also includes piano from Ray Santisi, bass from John Neves, and drums from Jimmy Zitano. The set is one of the few times that Winchester recorded away from Prestige Records in his all-too-short career – and the cover even bills him as "Patrolman Lem Winchester", with a picture of him in a police hat – a reference to his day job. Winchester titles include "Now's The Time", "Take The A Train", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams".