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It seems like when this came out, critics, promoters, and even DJs liked to drop the term "Trip Hop" whenever possible, and this album was held up as the watershed mark. A few years down the line and it still holds up, but as an instrumental hip hop LP, as much as a rock album (Shadow's gone on to show his true colors with subsequent efforts) or anything else. Cinematic and epic in scope, this LP as much as anything else helped resurrect the career of David Axelrod, though some of us were hip to him all along, but Josh Davis is clearly a fellow traveller in the coloristic approach he uses, that never forgets the funk. Includes "Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt", "The Number Song", "Changeling", "What Does Your Soul Look Like (pts 1 & 4)" and "Midnight In A Perfect World".

The first album by 8th Day – a record with a bit of a complicated pedigree, but a massive amount of 70s Detroit soul as well! The set was supposedly compiled to cash in on the group's hit single "She's Not Just Another Woman" – reportedly recorded by 100 Proof Aged In Soul, but issued under the name 8th Day, so that it wouldn't compete with the group's other hits on the charts! But after that cut took off, Holland-Dozier-Holland needed a group to back it up, so they assembled some lesser-known, but strong, Detroit soul talents to record this album. Unlike the group's second album, which is a much funkier affair overall, this one sounds a lot like 100 Proof – with a raspy southern-tinged soul approach, filtered through some tighter, more full-on HDH arrangements that really give the whole thing a great sort of punch! A great album if you dig the Invictus/Hot Wax soul sound – and titles include "I'm Worried", "Enny Meeny Miny Mo", "You've Got To Crawl Before You Walk", "Just As Long", and "She's Not Just Another Woman". Features the bonus tracks "She's Not Just Another Woman (single)", "Eeny Meeny Miny Mo (inst)", "If I Could See The Light In The Window", and "If I Could See The Light In The Window (inst)".

A massively beautiful little record from Nostalgia 77 – one that really knocked our socks off, and that's saying a lot, because we really liked their last album too! The sound here is much jazzier than before – strung out over some funky beats and samples, but played by a larger group that includes some excellent work on saxes and flute, plus these massive acoustic basslines that roll out over the tunes and create a sinister, soulful sort of sound. Alice Russell sings a bit on the record, but honestly the main focus here is on the instrumentation – and the instrumentation is totally great! Given the album's strong reliance on acoustic bass, and the wonderfully angular horn parts, there's a sound here that almost makes us imagine what it would have been like had Charles Mingus got the chance to record for Mo Wax! Titles include "You & Me", "The Garden", "Freedom", "Seven Nation Army", "After Ararat", "Cheney Lane", "Green Blades Of Grass", and "The Hunger".

Hard-ripping genius from Agent Orange – one of the group's first moments on wax, and arguably one of their greatest, too! The set's everything you'd ever want from an LA hardcore record from the glory days – tight, fast, simple, and completely effective – the kind of music that America did best, right at a time when the punk rock flag was failing in other parts of the globe – just guitar, bass, and drums – but played with an energy that set fire to a whole new generation! Includes the classic "Everything Turns Grey", a great remake of "Miserlou", and the cuts "Living In Darkness", "A Cry For Help In A World Gone Mad", "No Such Thing", and "Too Young To Die".

Raw early Beatles – recorded in Hamburg at the beginning of the 60s when they were backing up singer Tony Sheridan – surprisingly well-preserved recordings, assuming that no one knew that this little backing band was going to take over the entire pop music world in a few years! We actually really dig the stripped-down, fairly rudimentary, though nicely rollicking Beatles instrumentation here – with charismatic vocals by Sheridan as well as some nice early Beatles compositions and vocals. The original release of this material may have been a post-breakout cash grab, but the music holds up really well and it's very much worthy! Includes "Ain't She Sweet", "Cry For A Shadow", "Let's Dance", "My Bonnie", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Ruby Baby", "Why", "Nobody's Child", "Ya Ya" and more.

It's been quite a few years since we last heard from Black Mighty Wax – but it's definitely been well worth the wait – as these guys are deeper and more sophisticated than ever, with a range of sounds we never would have expected on the last release! Soul styles are still very much at the front of their mix – and the record features vocals from a range of great singers who include Sarah Jane Morris, Neffa, Ricardo Phillips, Lily Latuheru, Silvia Donati, and others – set to grooves that still sparkle with the same keyboard elements that have always made Black Mighty great – but which also have more acoustic touches from time to time, and a rhythmic variation that goes way past the usual Irma groove! Titles include "Shake Your Heart", "We The Family", "Let Me Go", "Pull Down", "Follow That Fellow", "Riverside", and "Nightdriver" – and the CD features a few bonus remixes too!

Rhymes and production from Detroit's Black Milk! The best cuts have solid, unpredictable and funky beats – rollicking, anthem style backdrops from the rhymes of Black Milk and guests such as Phat Kat, Guilty Simpson, Ty & Kory and others. Titles include "Popular Demand", "Sound The Alarm" feat Guilty Simpson, "Insane", "Lookatusnow" feat Phat Kat, "U" feat Ty & Kory, "Shut It Down", "So Gone", "Play The Keys", "Three+Sum", "Luvin' It", "One Song" and more.

An amazing achievement for Ruben Blades – a full suite of tracks conceived and composed by Ruben as a "disco drama" on wax! The work isn't the disco-styled album you might think from this description – and is more of a mini-opera or concept album by Blades, one that features ambitious arrangements from Louie Cruz, Marty Sheller, and Carlos Franzetti – using strings and more standard Latin backings to expand the tunes tremendously, and make the whole album work with the full drama it requires. There's a few spoken bits on the set, which give way to some great songs – and the album also has a few instrumental passages. Willie Colon produced and supervised the whole effort – and tracks on this second part include "Epilogo", "El Velorio", "Manuela Despues", "El Entierro", "Hay Que Viver", and "Maestra Vida".

Very, very dope LP by this London studio funk jazz genius. While half the scene's been messing around with blunted beats and weak stuff, Chris Bowden's composed a suite that has the sound of a great blacksploitation soundtrack or a classic album on Curtom. Lots of heavy grooves weaving in and out of deep string arrangements, with hard sax solos cutting in from time to time. A monster piece of wax, and perfect for kickin' back in the wee hours.

Damn, is this a great record! The album's not only one of the best blacksploitation soundtracks ever recorded, it's also one of James Brown's funkiest outings of the early 70s! Nearly every cut's a winner, and James gets some very funky help from The JBs, who groove hard on the best instrumental cuts, plus Lyn Collins, who sings a sock version of "Mama Feelgood" that's worth the price of the record alone! Includes the classic "Down & Out in New York City", plus "Blind Man Can See It", "Sportin' Life", "The Boss", "Dirty Harri", and "Chase".The original on wax, with the split middle gatefold cover! One of James' best records from the 70's, and includes the cuts "Sportin' Life", "The Boss", "Down & Out in New York City", "Blind Man Can See It", and lots more good grooves. This is the original pressing – with a split die-cut gatefold cover in the middle!

Genius work from Solomon Burke – the kind of all-out, no-nonsense soul album that made Atlantic Records one of the strongest forces in the genre during the 60s! If you've ever bought one of Solomon's weaker recent albums, you owe it to yourself to check this one out – as it's a brilliant batch of tunes, 12 in all, with not a dud in the lot! The vocals are incredible, production is sublime, and the style is a teetering blend of country, gospel, R&B, and soul – never duplicated so well again on wax. Titles include "Can't Nobody Love You", "Goodbye Baby", "Cry To Me", "If You Need Me", "Just Out Of Reach", "You're Good For Me", "Someone To Love Me", and the incredible "He'll Have To Go".

Killer deep soul from James Carr – a landmark set that features 28 tracks pulled from his famous years at the Goldwax label! Carr's Goldwax recordings nearly died when they came out – hardly reaching the audience of contemporaries like Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett – but as years have progressed, these sides have become the treasures of soul collectors, and have thankfully hit the status of "classic" that they were due for! This set is one of the first times these tunes have been legitimately made available in a good package – and it's about time too, because the whole thing's excellent! Carr's voice is incredible, and the arrangements are great – with none of the hoke that you'd sometimes get in weaker acts of the time. Titles include "I'm A Fool For You", "A Losing Game", "Lovable Girl", "Love Attack", "She's Better Than You", "That's What I Want To Know", "You Don't Want Me", and "Lover's Competition".

James Carr is really maturing here – stepping forth with a sound that's every bit as great as his early Goldwax singles, yet also hitting a newly sophisticated vibe that helps take southern soul to a whole new level! Recordings were done both in Memphis and Muscle Shoals – and in addition to opening up a few more bluesy sounds in his style, James also brings in some of the more adult modes that he'd really help inspire in other singers in years to come – that open, honest attitude that really comes through in the more heartbreaking numbers. Titles include the classic "Dark End Of The Street" – plus "You Don't Want Me", "Hit & Run", "Bring Her Back", "Stronger Than Love", "More Love", "Gonna Send You Back To Georgia", "The Word Is Out", and "What The World Needs Now Is Love".

Sublime southern soul from one of the greats! James Carr is right up there with the best of the 60s – Otis Redding, Arthur Conley, Joe Tex, and others – but he never made it as big as them because of personal troubles and bad planning on the part of his label and management. Fortunately, his genius has been kept alive by record collectors everywhere – for whom this rare gem is a holy grail! The album features 11 tunes that sum up the best of the south in the 60s – all sung by James with his unbelievably heartbreaking voice. Titles include "The Dark End Of The Street", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "A Woman Is A Man's Best Friend", "I'm A Fool For You", "Stronger Than Love", "More Love", and "Sowed Love & Reaped A Heartache".

The stellar remix version of DJ Shadow's early 00s masterpiece Private Press – made for the Japanese market and never released in the US – featuring remixes, b-sides and more – with mixes or appearances by Unkle, Roots Manuva, Mos Def, Z Trip and others! 14 tracks in all: "Six Days (Soulwax mix)", "GDMFSOB" (Unkle Undcensored) feat Roots Manuva, "Walkie Talkie" (extended radio edit), "Six Days" (rmx) feat Mos Def, "Mashin On The Motorway" (radio edit), "Right Thing" (Z-Trip 'Get The Party Off Mix' In Three Parts) and more. CD is enhanced, featuring videos for "Walkie Talkie" and "Six Days".

From the title, to the cover, to the gritty grooves way down in the wax – this has got to be one of the funkiest Blue Note albums ever – a real landmark from the legendary Lou Donaldson! The set kicks off with a hard and heavy groove from the very first note – thanks to some super-tight drumming by a young Idris Muhammad – still billed under his birth name of Leo Morris on the sleeve, but already hitting the kit with that snapping post-Popcorn style that would revolutionize funky jazz in years to come! Donaldson's plenty smoking himself on electrified alto sax – played with that great mix of flatness and echo that you'd hear in Eddie Harris' albums of the same time – and the rest of the lineup is equally cooking, with Melvin Sparks on guitar, Charles Earland on organ, and Ed Williams blasting away on funky trumpet! Titles include killer remakes of "It's Your Thing" and "Who's Making Love" – plus Donaldson originals "Hot Dog" and "Turtle Walk" – all nice and long, and with a really raw sound!

A heavy record with a heavy pedigree – a smoking set of funky instrumentals, all recorded directly to tape, then pressed directly on heavy colored wax! The trio has a hard-burning sound that takes us back to the Prestige records jazz funk sound of the early 70s – the sort of groove you might have heard from Leon Spencer or Melvin Sparks – with Mike Flanigin on sweet Hammond, Jake Langley on smoking guitar, and Kyle Thompson driving the whole thing with some mighty fierce drums! Titles are mostly originals – and include "The Turtle", "Malibu Classic", "KC", "Moto Guzzi", and "Leon's Thing". 6 killer tracks on the vinyl version.

Also includes "Flight Of The Bumble Bee", excerpts form "Tristan & Isolde", "Qigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs)", and "Carmen Fantasy".

An overlooked gem from the glory days of the west coast surf scene – the standout set from The Fantastic Baggys, a group who are also known for their backup work with Jan & Dean! There's a very Jan & Dean vibe going on here – right down to the backings from Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew – but the overall sound's a bit looser, too – a bit less iconic, and almost a bit less perfect – in ways that make for a lot of charm as the album rolls along! The set's almost worth it alone for the track "This Little Woody" – and other titles include "Big Gun Board", "Alone On The Beach", "Surfer Boy's Dream Come True", "When Surfers Rule", and "Wax Up Your Board".

A spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"!

A spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"!

Gritty underground hip hop from Lil Fame & Termanology – working to together as Fizzyology! Fizzyology the album has production by Lil Fame (as Fizzy Womack), DJ Premier , Alchemist, Statik Selektah and J-Waxx – and appearances by Busta Rhymes, Freeway, Bun B and others. Strong stuff – with tracks that roll from tense and ominous to raw funk – and with sharp rhymes all the way. Includes "After Midnight", "Fizzyology", "Hustler's Ringtone" feat Bun B, "From The Streets" feat Freeway, "Play Dirty" feat Busta Rhymes & Styles P, "It's Easy", "Too Tough For TV", "Pray For Me" feat Kira, "Lil Ghetto Boy" feat Lee Wilson and more. 2CD bonus tracks: "Crazy" feat MOP and "Thuggaton".

A smoking little set from Flaming Ember – a rock group at the core, but one who has plenty of blue-eyed soul in the mix – thanks to great production from Greg Perry, and strong arrangements from HB Barnum and McKinley Jackson – all of whom give the record a vibe that's right up there with the best Hot Wax/Invictus soul sets of the time! There's a nice amount of fuzz in the grooves – that post-Motown style that uses lots of great bass and guitar alongside core Detroit soul modes – and although the vocals have more of a rockish approach, the instrumental undercurrent is a great mix of funk, rock, and soul! Titles include the sweet soul ballad "Sunshine", plus the cuts "Ember Blues", "1200 Miles From Heaven", "Livin High Money Low", "Gotta Get Away", "Heart On Lovin You", "Stop The World & Let Me Off", and "Ding Need Dong". CD features bonus tracks – "Robot In A Robot's World", "If It's Good To You It's Good For You", "If It's Good To You It's Good For You (inst)", "Heart On Lovin You (long version)", and "Stop The World & Let Me Off (long version)".

A stone classic from Flaming Ember – a combo with a sound rooted in rock, but filled with plenty of soul too – making they a key funky crossover act in the early 70s! These guys borrow the best of Motown soul and the best of the jazzier rock groups of the time – and often use lots of raw congas in with their percussion – which keeps things grooving with plenty of soulful inflections. There's some nice psych production at times – a bit like the best Norman Whitfield modes at the start of the 70s – and titles include "Flashbacks & Reruns", "The Empty Crowded Room", "Going In Circles", "Westbound #9", "Spinning Wheel", and "Shades Of Green". CD features three bonus tracks – "Filet De Soul", "Don't You Wanna Wanna", and "Desert Village".

The last Honey Cone album for Hot Wax Records – and a set that's still very much at the top of their game! As with other artists from the Holland-Dozier-Holland stable of hits in the 70s, Honey Cone have a massive amount of force behind their groove – so much so, the record might still be great even if the vocals were nothing special – but fortunately, the trio of Edna Wright, Shellie Clark, and Carolyn Willis bring plenty to the table too – a great sense of individual soul and all-together harmonies! Titles include "Who's Lovin You", "Stay In My Corner", "I Lost My Rainbow", "Ace In The Hole", "Sittin' On a Time Bomb", and "A Woman's Prayer". CD features great bonus tracks too – "It's Better To Have Loved & Lost", "Ace In The Hole (single version)", "If I Can't Fly", "Somebody Is Always Messing UP My Good Thing", and "The Truth Will Come Out".

Tremendous sounds from Honey Cone – easily one of the most hard-hitting girl groups in soul music – thanks to some funky funky backings on these early 70s tracks! The trio work in a mode that was first forged by female soul groups in the 60s – yet really push things forward with a righteous groove that totally kicks ass – lots of funk at the bottom, burning soul at the core, and soaring vocals that really take off wonderfully throughout! And while there's been plenty of collections of Honey Cone work over the years, this one may well be the best – thanks to a massive 22 track set list, and a really well-chosen batch of tracks that includes "When Will It End", "Want Ads (long version)", "While You're Out Looking For Sugar", "Take Me With You", "If I Can't Fly", "Stay In My Corner", "Woman Can't Live By Bread Alone", "Innocent Til Proven Guilty", "Sitting On A Time Bomb", "Who's It Gonna Be", "Stick Up", and "The Feeling's Gone".

Definitely a soulful tapestry here – as the trio of Edna Wright, Shellie Clark, and Carolyn Willis are at the height of their 70s powers – soaring forth in a massive trio mode, and one that really rewrites the sound of girl group soul for the 70s! There's a bouncy, upbeat groove to the record – kind of a pre-disco approach, but one that's still strongly rooted in the best Detroit soul mode of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team too – balanced with just the right sort of force that makes the trio sound great, and all without any of the cliches that this sort of group might hit a few years later! Titles include the Honey Cone classics "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (parts 1 & 2)" and "Want Ads", plus the tracks "VIP", "The Day I Found Myself", "Stick Up", "Don't Count Your Chickens", "All the Kings Horses", and "How Does It Feel". CD features the bonus track "We Belong Together (single version)".

The second album by Honey Cone – and the one that really broke them out of the box! The record's got a groove that gets going right from the start – a sense of upbeat, soulful energy that really shows why the Honey Cone approach was so different than most of the girl groups who came before them – a groovier, more righteous style that shows that the ladies are very much in charge – and able to send things over the top with their unified energy! Production is great – very rumbling and bold, which further helps the groove – and titles include the huge hit "Want Ads" – a pre-disco cut that pointed the way towards future female soul groups of the mid 70s – plus "Deaf Blind Paralyzed", "Sunday Morning People", "My Mind's On Leaving", "We Belong Together", and "Blessed Be Our Love". CD features two bonus tracks – "Want Ads (unedited version)", and "The Day I Found Myself (single version)".

A brilliant early set from Honey Cone – and a perfect illustration of the way the trio really moved past simple girl group modes of the 60s! There's a bold, proud, righteous tone to the record right from the start – thanks to these soaringly soulful vocals from the girls, and these fuzzy arrangements from Tony Camillo – who seems to borrow a bit from the more righteous modes of Norman Whitfield at Motown, then give things a bit more of a girl soul twist! The combination is amazing, and the album's rock-solid all the way through – filled with great original tunes that really keep a unified feel throughout – and titles include "Are You Man Enough", "Take Me With You", "Girls It Ain't Easy", "While You're Out Looking For Sugar", "The Feeling's Gone", "Sunday Morning People", and "Take My Love".

An obscure little funky group from Detroit, one with a tight ensemble sound that's very much in the Earth Wind & Fire mode – complete with a really great horn section, plenty of bass-heavy grooves a the bottom, and a relatively spiritual feel that comes through strongly on the best tracks! There's a slight jazzy finish to some of the cuts too, a deeper sound that makes Hunt's Determination stand out strongly from their contemporaries – even some of the better-known groups of the time. And although indie, there's a real polish to the whole record – a well-conceived sound that comes off beautifully from start to finish, and which has always made this one a standout for collectors! Titles include "Loneliness", "Danceland", "Problems", "Number One Lady", "I Got My Nut", and "Where The Funk Comes From".

Massively funky work from the mighty Weldon Irvine – sublimely cosmic and filled with soul throughout! The vibe here is a bit more focused than on some of Weldon's earlier albums – a moody blend of electric keys, heavy percussion, and some slight bits of jazzy solo work by trumpeters Charles Sullivan and Everett Blood Hollins, and saxophonist Sonny Fortune – both players who really help the album find some soulful structure! The album's all-instrumental, and has Weldon really taking off on the keyboards – not just using them for main solos, but also dropping in cool noisy bits and analogue effects that really sound great – almost out-Herbieing Herbie Hcock for the record, and turning in some of his biggest classics on wax! Titles include the massive sample cut "We Gettin' Down", plus "Jungle Juice", "Blast Off", "Softly", "Power & The Glory", "Yasmin", and "Pogo Stick".

Dreamy hip hop funk from underground production mainstay Kankick – and one that finds him going deeper into a jazz funk inspired realm than ever before – yet still delivering the hazy hip hop beatcraft he made his name on a decade or so earlier! Beats are prominent in the Kankick vibe, often with bit of static attached – a prominent feature of his work that often gives it a fresh from the crates vibe. This particular set pairs that tried-and-true approach with bits of jazzy keys, piano, synth and other sample-centric elements. Title include "The Bomb Butterfly", "Black Women Candle Wax", "This Is A World Export", "Ngiht Time Beauty", "C'mon Love, Let's Dance", "Take My Hand", "Warped Daze", "The Tribes Chant", "Can't Escape Space (Love Quakes)", "Warped Dayz", "Continued Togetherness" and more.

A massive exploration of the music of Kashmere Stage Band – the legendary Texas funk combo whose work has been pushed heavily over the years by Wax Poetics, Stones Throw, and many others! The double-length set goes even deeper than any of the vinyl reissues of work by the group – and features some previously unreleased tracks, alternate takes on their funkiest numbers, and a full 10 extra live tracks never heard before! The Kashmere groove is incredible – blasting horns, scratchy guitars, and funky drums – all wrapped super-tight around a range of original material and some more familiar numbers – all recast here in super-heavy funk mode! Studio tracks (Disc One) include "All Praises", "Thank You", "Scorpio (extended)", "Do Your Thing", "Headwiggle", "Do You Dig It Man", "Getting It Out Of My System", "Zero Point (parts 1 & 2)", "Boss City", "Burning Spear", "Take Five", and "Keep Doing It". Live tracks (Disc Two) include "Zero Point", "Don't Mean A Thing", "Thank You", "Ain't No Sunshine", and "All Praises" and more. – and the set also features a huge amount of detailed notes and photos. This expanded deluxe edition includes a bonus DVD featuring the short films Texas Jewels: The Making of Texas Thunder Soul and Prof and his Band: A Documentary by Charles Porter from 1973 – plus a performance by the Kashmere Stage Band on the 1972 special Jazz: Yesterday, Today, Forever. Also includes updated liner notes in a full color 40 page booklet.

Fantastic live stuff from the classic early period of Kool & the Gang! The set swings mightily with a sound that's hardly matched on some of their studio albums, and the band proves that their tightness isn't just a batch of studio tricks as they blow away the crowd at the Sex Machine night club. There's lots of great live jamming here, and some of their best early cuts like "Let The Music Take Your Mind", "Who's Gonna Take The Weight", "Funky Man", and more. This is a very nice reissue pressing, with a cool gatefold wraparound cover, and some very heavy funky wax! Another one that we never thought we'd see again on vinyl – now out for the masses at a nice nice price.

An amazing little book, and one hell of a lifelong research project – a huge volume that documents deep details about the American underground of vanity, or "private" press records – obscure pieces of wax that were usually just pressed up by an artist for their own pleasure – but which have gone onto reach the status of legend over time! The format is a genre unto itself – even though the music style can vary widely – and the lavish book brings together a huge amount of rare covers and images, along with notes on the recordings – plus hundreds of reviews, an essay on the format, and even biographies of collectors and enthusiasts who've helped unearth this lost American treasure! Also comes with a download for dozens of tracks – and book is over 500 pages, in color, with a very heavy cover!

A standout set from the great Laura Lee – a deep soul singer with power to rival the greatness of Aretha Franklin, but one who's also got a funkier punch to her music too! The album's a great blend of late 60s female southern and tight 70s bad sister funk – a style that's a bit like that of Gwen McCrae at her early best, but handled here with a fuller vibe that's right in keeping with the best modes of the Invictus/Hot Wax scene from the Holland Dozier Holland team! Vocals are wonderful throughout – and the album features the breakbeat classic "Crumbs Off The Table" – plus "Guess Who I Saw Today", "If I'm Good Enough To Love (I'm Good Enough To Marry)", "Rip Off", "You've Got To Save Me", and "Workin & Lovin Together". CD features bonus tracks – "Crumbs Off The Table (single re-edit)", "I'll Catch You When You Fall", and "I Can't Hold Out Much Longer".

An excellent batch of hard soul grooves from the great Laura Lee! This one was her first for the Hot Wax label – and it's got the raw quality of her earlier singles for labels like Chess, with a hard vocal style that's very much in the Aretha Franklin/Fontella Bass camp – plus some arrangements that have that bouncing soulful quality that the Staple Singers were using on Stax at the time! There's lots of horns in the mix, and some congas as well, which gives the album a bit of a different twist – kind of an earthy undercurrent that works great with the vocals. Includes the great title cut "Women's Love Rights" – plus "I Don't Want Nothin' Old (But Money)", "Wedlock Is a Padlock", "Her Picture Matches Mine", and "Two Lovely Pillows". CD features a bonus track – "Since I Fell For You (mono commercial single edit)".

Wonderfully weird sounds from Lucifer – a record cut during the powerhouse 70s soul years of the Invictus/Hot Wax label, but done with a sound that's much more bluesy and rootsy than any other work for the company! Vocals are by Eugene Smith, who has a cool sort of Bay Area vibe – laidback, and almost folksy at points – snaking easily over the album's backings, which often have this gentle funk approach – but again with a pretty laidback style! Tony Camillo handled some of the arrangements on the record – and brings in some fuller backings that are mighty nice, yet which still suit Lucifer's style strongly – and titles include "Have You Heard", "In A Garden", "Bloodshot Eyes", and "Don't You (Think The Time's A Comin')". CD features the bonus track "What I Am".

Way way more than just a simple "jazz meets Broadway" session – as Shelly's working here with vocals by Jack Sheldon & Irene Kral, and arrangements by soundtrack maestro Johnny Williams – in a style that completely recasts the score! The album's got a really dynamic kind of range – one that's purely phonographic, and not just a weak attempt to capture Broadway on wax. Jack and Irene perform the work with a style that's personal and intimate, and Williams' arrangements have a swinging 60s flair that's totally great – and made even better by players that include Don Sleet, Russ Freeman, and Charlie Kennedy. Titles include "I'm An Ordinary Man", "Why Can't The English", "Ascot Gavote", "Show Me", "The Rain In Spain", and "You Did It".

Modern blue-eyed soul from Kendra Morris on Wax Poetics Records – and it delivers in full on the promising couple of Wax Po singles leading up to this solid full length! If the title Banshee brings to mind a shrill spooky cry, fear not – because Kendra is a natural, truly soulful singer! There's a nice live band feel to the record, too – with core backing of guitar, drums bass and spacey keys – plus occasional violin and other additional instrumentation. A win! Titles include "Waiting", "The Plunge", "Old Photos", "Right Now", "Today", "How You Want It", "If You Didn't Go", "Concrete Waves", "Here", "Banshee" and more.

Modern blue-eyed soul from Kendra Morris on Wax Poetics Records – and it delivers in full on the promising couple of Wax Po singles leading up to this solid full length! If the title Banshee brings to mind a shrill spooky cry, fear not – because Kendra is a natural, truly soulful singer! There's a nice live band feel to the record, too – with core backing of guitar, drums bass and spacey keys – plus occasional violin and other additional instrumentation. A win! Titles include "Waiting", "The Plunge", "Old Photos", "Right Now", "Today", "How You Want It", "If You Didn't Go", "Concrete Waves", "Here", "Banshee" and more.

Fuzzy Texas work from the 60s – music that's got a mighty strong influence from Bob Dylan – but which is done with a sound that's way more garagey than Bob would have every attempted! There's a vibe here that almost offers an early look at the Dallas scene that gave the world some headier psych – a style that still has one foot in folk rock, but another even more strongly pointed towards reverb and distortion – often with really cool results! Tunes are mostly originals, and mix jingle jangle leanings with some darker tones – on titles that include "A Public Execution", "Cryin Inside", "Lie Beg Borrow & Steal", "Look At The Sun", "Promises Promises", "Do The Best You Can", and "Maid Of Sugar Maid Of Spice".

A great album filled with hard breaks, tight choppy guitars, and a deep funky sound. This is one of the best early albums by the Nite Liters, and it's filled with great grooves like "Funky-Doo", "Stinkin Charlie", and "K-Jee" – but just about every track is a funky winner! These guys fit right in between The Meters & The JBs – and in our book, they're one of the best instrumental funk acts of the 70s! The album's like finding a pile of rare funky 45s, all pressed onto the same piece of wax!

A stone burner from 100 Proof Aged In Soul – a group who really take off with this tight second record! The album's a classic from the days when soul music ruled AM radio on both sides of the tracks – and the rest of the album is equally great – packing that tight post-Motown punch that made the Hot Wax label one of the best proponents of Detroit soul in the 70s! Arrangements are by a huge amount of early 70s heavyweights – McKinley Jackson, Paul Riser, and HB Barnum – and the set was produced by General Johnson and Greg Perry, in a style that soars along with the Chairmen Of The Board albums of the time. Titles include "Words", "I Don't Care If I Never Get Over You", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Ghetto Girl", "Nothing Sweeter Than Love", and "Don't You Wake Me". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch", "If I Could See The Light In The Window (version 2)", "My Piece Of The Rock (vocal)", "My Piece Of The Rock (inst)", and "I'm Mad As Hell (parts 1 & 2)".

Volume 9 in the Paul Nice Drum Library series of heavy, hard-to-find drums compiled from myriad resources – drums, drums and more drums for the funky beat connoisseur! More than 20 drum breaks on 2 sides of wax.

The early 90s classic by The Pharcyde – the group's high water mark – and one of the greatest hip hop albums of the era! Along with Del and the Souls Of Mischief, Pharcyde were one of the few West Coast units to achieve any kind of widespread popularity using the uniquely loopy, funhouse kinda of vibe of De La Soul, Black Sheep and Tribe Called Quest in their lighter moments. This has always been a tough one to find on wax, particularly in the high quality 2 LP incarnation, so we're thrilled to see this one back on the market! Features the classics "Passing Me By", "Soul Flower", "Ya Mama", "I'm That Type Of Ni@*a", "Officer", "4 Better Or 4 Worse", "Return Of The B-Boys", and lots more!

Incredibly messed-up funk – a 70s instrumental classic that's delighted our ears for years! The set's got a cosmic sound that mixes together conventional guitar-based funky with some weird electronic touches at times – going for a fuzzed-out moogy quality that really deepens the groove – and which goes even further on those tunes that push the basslines all the way into the red! The group's headed by McKinley Jackson, and features some ex-members of Parliament – all coming together in a full, rich sound that almost has traces of soundtrack sophistication at times – yet which manages to come across with the burning energy of a funky 45! The album includes the classics "Funky Toes" and "Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic" – plus the group's legendary take on "Free Your Mind", a sample classic from years back! Great stuff if you dig a fuzzy Westbound sort of funk groove – and other tracks include "Church", "The World We Live In", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Speak On It", and "Politician's Theme". Features bonus tracks "Love Machine (parts 1 & 2)".

A great groove from singer Gregory Porter – the first tune that really brought him to our attention – making a debut appearance here on vinyl! The original of "1960 What" is plenty great – running for over 12 minutes, and building in this jazzy groove that's really wonderful – topped by vocals from Porter that almost rank with some of Gil Scott-Heron's best in the 70s! The remix tries for a bit more of a contemporary rhythm – nice enough, but we're more than happy just to have the original version on wax.

Another tasty batch of short firey Latin tracks from Tito's immediate post-RCA years! The cuts are a nice mix of mambo jazz numbers and guarachas, with a few cha chas thrown in – and they all have that tight raw sound that made Tito's Tico work so much better than most of his 50s stuff. Here's your chance to hear the master bandleader in action – especially on the cuts "Samba-Roco", "Agua-Nile", "Vaya Puente", "Timbalero", and "Chino". Tough to find on wax!

Second single off Ras Kass's second LP. No one's better than Ras Kass in giving up-to-the-minute, hilarious, intelligent commentary on the current state of hip hop or America in general – with puchlines that still hold up on the third or fourth listening. And the production is as nice as the rhymes.

Raucous R&B-flavored rock instrumentals by The Rumblers – the second great compilation of their early-to-mid 60s material put together by Ace UK – and a superior one! It's got more of their great Downey singles from the period, along with previously unreleased gems. The rhythms rumble, alright – and they're nice and raw, too – but even more appealing is the way the sax and guitars play off of each other so brilliantly! The tracks on Rumblin' & Rare seems to have a bit more of a focused vibe than on the previous comp – we're guessing because the group really found and honed in on their sound, come '63 or so – but whatever the reason, it's incredible stuff! 24 tracks in all – many of of which were previously unreleased! Includes "Boss Drums", "Poor Boy", "Wockytok", "Slippin'", "Rumblin' & Stumblin'", "Saxwax", "Walkin' With The Boss", "Till Always", "Wedgee", "Charger", "The Nervous Set", "Lost Weekend", "Sweet Potato" and more.

Music beyond description – a unique blend of disco, funk, avant garde, and dub – the wonderful world of the late Arthur Russell! Russell was a bass player by trade, but he was schooled in both classical and Eastern music forms – and brought an incredibly fresh vision to his work in New York in the late 70s and early 80s. To some, Russell was a groundbreaking disco pioneer – with an offbeat production style and unique conception of rhythm. To others, Russell was a performance artist and avant garde musician – working in circles that included Phillip Glass, David Byrne, and Robert Wilson. This mix of modes was very much a part of the post-disco, post-punk sound of New York at the time – and nobody summarized it (or allowed it!) better than Russell himself. This excellent set from Soul Jazz is one of the first to truly give him his due – and it brings together a large amount of his disco-related projects, plus a few more introspective numbers cut under his own name. The sound is incredible – unlike anything you could categorize – especially on the Russell-titled numbers – and as always with Soul Jazz, the whole thing's beautifully packaged, with rich notes on the music and the person behind it! Titles include "Go Bang (Francois K mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Wax The Van" by Lola, "Is It All Over My Face (Larry Levan mix)" by Loose Joints, "In The Cornbelt (Larry Levan mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Pop Your Funk" by Loose Joints, "Schoolbell/Treehouse (Walter Gibbons mix)" by Indian Ocean, and "Let's Go Swimming (Walter Gibbons mix)", "A Little Lost", "In The Light Of The Miracle", and "Keeping Up" by Arthur Russell himself!

Music beyond description – a unique blend of disco, funk, avant garde, and dub – the wonderful world of the late Arthur Russell! Russell was a bass player by trade, but he was schooled in both classical and Eastern music forms – and brought an incredibly fresh vision to his work in New York in the late 70s and early 80s. To some, Russell was a groundbreaking disco pioneer – with an offbeat production style and unique conception of rhythm. To others, Russell was a performance artist and avant garde musician – working in circles that included Phillip Glass, David Byrne, and Robert Wilson. This mix of modes was very much a part of the post-disco, post-punk sound of New York at the time – and nobody summarized it (or allowed it!) better than Russell himself. This excellent set from Soul Jazz is one of the first to truly give him his due – and it brings together a large amount of his disco-related projects, plus a few more introspective numbers cut under his own name. The sound is incredible – unlike anything you could categorize – especially on the Russell-titled numbers – and as always with Soul Jazz, the whole thing's beautifully packaged, with rich notes on the music and the person behind it! Titles include "Go Bang (Francois K mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Wax The Van" by Lola, "Is It All Over My Face (Larry Levan mix)" by Loose Joints, "In The Cornbelt (Larry Levan mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Pop Your Funk" by Loose Joints, "Schoolbell/Treehouse (Walter Gibbons mix)" by Indian Ocean, and "Let's Go Swimming (Walter Gibbons mix)", "A Little Lost", "In The Light Of The Miracle", and "Keeping Up" by Arthur Russell himself!

A really compelling little set from Satisfaction Unlimited – a group we only know from this one corker of a record on the Hot Wax label! The style's a bit in some of the harmony modes of the east coast scene of the time – yet like most Hot Wax/Invictus work, there's also a bit of an odd twist too – a quality that's hard to peg in words, but which is sometimes slightly trippy, other times warmly soulful – almost a Cali indie sort of vibe – with a bit of sunshine that breaks through amidst some of the darker, heavier themes of the record. There's plenty of great numbers with a catchy vibe that could have almost gotten these guys the radio play of some of the RCA groups of the time – and titles include "Time For Us", "Think of The Children", "Bright City Lights", "Let's Change The Subject", "Come On Back", and "Why".

An incredible record – the kind of album that only Blue Note could put out, and an instant classic that will sound wonderful forever! The album's truly one of the great ones – one of those Blue Notes that still makes you stop and pause when you hear it, even though you've heard it a million times in Starbucks and places like that. Horace Silver is working here at the height of his powers – lyrical, free, yet also damn soulful, in a style that makes for some of the most evocative jazz-based grooves cut to wax at the time. Carmell Jones is in the group, and plays some of his best trumpet ever – and Joe Henderson really drives the whole session home with some incredible tenor work. Other group members include Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – and titles include the instantly famous "Song For My Father", plus "Que Pasa", "The Kicker", and "Calcutta Cutie".

An incredible record – the kind of album that only Blue Note could put out, and an instant classic that will sound wonderful forever! The album's truly one of the great ones – one of those Blue Notes that still makes you stop and pause when you hear it, even though you've heard it a million times in Starbucks and places like that. Horace Silver is working here at the height of his powers – lyrical, free, yet also damn soulful, in a style that makes for some of the most evocative jazz-based grooves cut to wax at the time. Carmell Jones is in the group, and plays some of his best trumpet ever – and Joe Henderson really drives the whole session home with some incredible tenor work. Other group members include Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – and titles include the instantly famous "Song For My Father", plus "Que Pasa", "The Kicker", and "Calcutta Cutie".

Moogy, groovy, and really wonderful stuff – a set of rare private recordings made by the team of Scott Ludwig and Maximillian Crook, both electric inventors and very groovy musicians in their own right! The pair have a bit of a connection to Del Shannon – who used their Musitron instrument on the chorus of his hit "Runaway" – and a few of these tracks were actually produced by Shannon himself, in later years away from pop fame. But over and above that brief connection to mainstream pop, this work more than stands out on its own – and crackles with a sound that's simple, yet intense – almost a 60s garage rock aesthetic applied to electronic instrumentation, with a result that's got the appeal of some of Bruce Haack's work, but none of the child-like themes. Ludwig's playing the Sonocon and Crook is on the Musitron – both instruments of their own invention, and with a fuzzed-up approach to analogue electronics – and the CD features a range of material from in-home recordings and a rare live date! Titles include "Beeswax", "Our Electronic Bag", "Space Child", "Hero", "Punk Walk", "Firefighter's Theme", "The Diamond", "Runaway", "Caravan", "Hawaiian Vibes", and "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight".

The eponymous LP by the Sugarhill Gang – with some of the most infectious late 70s/early 80s grooves ever laid to wax! This is one of the first-ever full-length hip hop albums – cut on the success of the massive "Rapper's Delight" single! The record purports to feature percussion by Tito Puente – and it's also got live instrumentation by Keith LeBlanc on drums, Skip McDonald on guitar, and Sylvia Robinson on vibes. Features a 5 minute version of "Rappers Delight", plus "Rappers Reprise", "Passion Play", "Sugarhill Groove", and "Here I Am".

A modern soul gem produced by Lenny White! Though White lends a touch of jazzy sophistication to the set, it's a straight up dose of mainstream modern soul, with great ensemble vocals and crisp production over tight songs that should have landed Wax at the top of the radio. Somehow though they managed to only find success with some sought after singles years after the fact, but you can grab the whole album here! It's got all the hallmarks of the best of the era – chirping guitars, tasteful keyboards that sit just right in the mix, and rhythms and tempos on most of the tracks that veer between club oriented grooves and tight pop soul. 9 tracks in all, including "Can't Hide From Love", "Crazy In Love", "Playin' The Part", "The Right Time For Us", "Do You Believe In Magic", "Music's On The One", "When And If I Fall In Love" and "April Lady".

One of the dueling cover story ssues of Wax Poetics – headed by great features on classic rap legend Big Daddy Kane, blue-eyed soul hero Daryl Hall, upstart hip hop gamer Joey Badass and progressive jazzy soul singer Jose James! Solid, worthy choices one and all – and pretty much every artist featured in Issue 54 could just as easily be on the cover! Includes interviews with Steely Dan's Donald Fagen, an extremely rare interview with Jimmy Spicer, plus pieces on Laura Nyro, Ghetto Brothers, Bobby Caldwell, Clams Casino, Nosaj Thing and Keyboard Kid. As always, it's got both both classic and comparably rarely seen photos, shots of old school cover and inner label art and more. Another essential issue!

Hip hop legend, soundtrack composer, actor/director and straight-up modern day Renaissance Man RZA graces the front cover of Wax Poetics – with the ascendant future soul guru Jesse Boykins III covering the back! This excellent and eclectic issue of Wax Po also has features on Detroit drummer/producer Karriem Riggins, William Hart of The Delfonics, Pacific Northwest jazz funk legends Pleasure, Bryan Ferry, Nite Jewel, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Gaslamp Killer, Bay Area hip hop boss Mac Dre and much more!

A pretty great multiple cover feature issue for Wax Poetics – this one with Lenny Kravitz on the front and Dam-Funk on the back – plus equally prominent features on Sade and Flying Lotus! Wax Poetics has always been a celebration of soul, funk, hip hop, jazz and otherwise crate diggers fodder – be they underground of not entirely forgotten heroes – or pop culture takeover engineers – and this issue personifies that as strongly as ever! It's also got pieces on Betty Wright, Gary Bartz, Quantic & Alice Russell, Cody Chesnutt, Thundercat, Jamire Williams, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Jamire Williams – plus NYC's 70s Roller Boogie scene and more – and as always, it's filled with great photographs of each and every figure!

Wax Poetics goes nearly all hip hop for this issue – covering original game-changers and the best contemporary revisionists alike – with cover features on Nas, Danny Brown, Master P and his No Limit legacy, and Shabazz Palaces! Wax Poetics, tasked with following up their decade milestone issue, pulls that off brilliantly here. It's got one of the best, realest interviews with Nas we've ever read, a great look at Master P's No Limit and the Beats By The Pound production empire, a resurgent El-P, the legendary Kurtis Blow, Killer Mike, Oddisee, THEESatisfaction, Cities Aviv, modern jazz great Robert Glasper and much more!

The Africa Issue of Wax Poetics – with Fela on the front cover and Tony Allen on the back – plus pieces on The Rail Band, Orchestra Baobob, Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo, Soundway's Ghana Special and so much more! You know Wax Poetics is going to go deep, and Issue 39 doesn't disappoint – from the pivotal Afro funk & soul of the cover artists to the Cuban-influenced vibe of Senegal's Orchestra Baobob, the griot sounds of the Rail Band and well beyond – loaded with photographs we've never seen before (always a big draw to Wax Po) – Re:Discovery items on Mams & Hart, Buari's Disco Soccer and more, plus pieces on African vinyl collector Voodoo Frank, Shafiq of Sa-Ra, a Record Rundown of from African rhythms champion DJ Rich Medina and lots more!

A great one from Franz Waxman – a score penned for a lesser-known movie, but done with all the vibrant colors we've always loved in his work! There's a definite jazz current to the music, but there's also some sentimentality mixed in as well – the same sort of balance that you'd find in an Elmer Bernstein score of the time – with a very evocative, very seductive mix of modes that lives extremely well away from the images on the screen! Titles include "Detroit Theater", "Two Up On Me", "Sharon/Sharon Proposes", "The Surprise", "Man & Wife", and "Korea War" – and the CD also features some rare bonus tracks, including the great Sammy Cahn number "Love Is A Career".

A mix of dramatic moments and slight exotic themes from Franz Waxman – penned for an early 60s film that starred Yul Brynner as Taras Bulba and Tony Curtis as his son! Waxman's music has a gloriously full sort of sound – every bit the best Hollywood mode for an action epic like this – with enough ancient themes to trump some of the similar efforts coming out of the European film scene at the time. Instrumentation is heavy on strings and woodwinds, often arranged with great complexity amidst the drama – and titles include "The Black Plague", "Tara's Pledge", "No Retreat", "Leaving Home", "Chase At Night", "The Sleigh Ride", "The Birth Of Andrei", and "The Ride To Dubno".

A really stunning little record – way more than we expected – and our expectations were already pretty darn high! The album's contemporary – and features legendary Delfonics lead singer William Hart working with younger studio whiz Adrian Younge – who gives the whole thing the feel of some lost Delfonics tapes from the early 70s! Younge really unlocks the darkness that was always present in the group's music, but didn't always show up this well – that great sound they were hitting after the initial three LPs, when the themes got even stranger, and the trio moved way past simple love songs and pop hits. Hart's vocals are tremendous – instantly recognizable, and often supported by harmonies that keep them in just the right sort of old school focus – a sound that leaves us breathless throughout, and which makes for a really incredible album. Titles include "True Love", "To Be Your One", "Stand Up", "Party's Over", "Lover's Melody", "Life Never Ends", "Just Love", "So In Love With You", "Silently", and "Enemies".

A really stunning little record – way more than we expected – and our expectations were already pretty darn high! The album's contemporary – and features legendary Delfonics lead singer William Hart working with younger studio whiz Adrian Younge – who gives the whole thing the feel of some lost Delfonics tapes from the early 70s! Younge really unlocks the darkness that was always present in the group's music, but didn't always show up this well – that great sound they were hitting after the initial three LPs, when the themes got even stranger, and the trio moved way past simple love songs and pop hits. Hart's vocals are tremendous – instantly recognizable, and often supported by harmonies that keep them in just the right sort of old school focus – a sound that leaves us breathless throughout, and which makes for a really incredible album. Titles include "True Love", "To Be Your One", "Stand Up", "Party's Over", "Lover's Melody", "Life Never Ends", "Just Love", "So In Love With You", "Silently", and "Enemies".

Finer moments from Frank Zappa, but some lost moments too – given that all the tracks on the set are previously unreleased – and are pulled from both live and studio recordings during Zappa's formative late 60s/early 70s stretch! The package is a real treasure trove – a reward to fans of Frank who've waited so long for music like this – sounds to rival some of the most groundbreaking music from Zappa's years at Verve and Reprise, with incredibly deft instrumental interplay – often a bit more improvised in the live tracks than on the full albums of the time! The sound quality is pretty nice, especially given that a few of these tracks are from near-lost tapes or cassettes – and the package is very well-done – with super-heavy vinyl, and notes on all the tracks. Titles include "Sleazette", "The Walking Zombie Music", "Music From The Big Squeeze", "The Subcutaneous Peril", and "Pumped & Waxed".

Raw soul, heavy funk, snotty rock, and raucous R&B – all pulled from the legendary record collection of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy! The sounds here are the sorts that went onto form the blueprint for The Cramps – and the package is overflowing with rare gems that are hand-picked by the pair – the kind of underground, indie singles that have always made record-digging so great – plucked up by Lux and Ivy in the years before most of us even started searching for wax! The cool 10" set features two dozen tunes – and titles include "Drive Daddy Drive" by Little Sylvia, "Stormy Weather" by The Five Sharps, "Rock A Bongo Boogie" by Terry Snyder, "Red Headed Flea" by The Caps, "Chickie Run" by Homer Denison Jr, "99 Chicks" by Ron Haydock & The Boppers, "Baby Brother" by Bill Carter & The Rovin Gamblers, "Service With A Smile" by The Kuf-Linx, "Imagination" by The Quotations, "Tongue Tied" by Betty McQuade, and "The Vulture" by Ronny Ray's Playboys.

The title definitely gets it right – as the set's filled with post-Motown gems from Detroit – a wealth of wonderful sounds from the Hot Wax/Invictus labels – almost all of it produced by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team! The music here represents the next evolution of Detroit soul in the years after the initial wave of Motown – music that still carries a lot of the spirit of before, and some of the style (given that HDH were working for the company) – but which also pushes things forward with a prouder, more righteous sound as well! The CD features a heady 23 tracks in all – with titles that include "Trapped In A Love" by Barrino Brothers, "Something New About You" by Silent Majority, "Let's Change The Subject" by Satisfaction Unlimited, "Tighten Him Up" by Eloise Laws, "Nothing Sweeter Than Love" by 100 Proof, "Only Time Will Tell" by General Johnson, "Deeper & Deeper" by Freda Payne, "Just As Long" by The 8th Day, "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Honey Cone, "Two Can Be As Lonely As One" by Danny Woods, and "Bright City Lights" by Satisfaction Unlimited.

Funky Japanese soundtracks galore – served up by the legendary DJ Muro! Muro's a name we can really trust for mixes of rare American funk and soul – but this time around, he turns his talents towards his homeland, and comes up with an incredible blend of rare Japanese grooves pulled from film scores – the kind of cool cuts we've been digging in the Hotwax & Trax series we've stocked from Ultra Vybe – but all filtered down into one sweet little set by Muro! The package has a whopping 38 tracks in all – all funky, and filled with loads of great beats, basslines, keyboards, and guitar – kind of a perfect distillation of the best cuts from a wide range of rare soundtracks – many of which have been reissued on CD over the years, but which are now out of print. The notes and titles are all in Japanese – but take it from us, the grooves are more than enough – and the set features over 70 minutes of rare funk!

Raw tunes from the late 50s and early 60s – a smoking collection of rare rockers, raunchy R&B, and some early soul numbers too – all served up in a totally sweet 10" vinyl package! The set's from the same folks who gave us the excellent Beat From Badsville series – and like those great collections, this one's got a vibe that takes us back to some of the Stompin sets from earlier years, and which also makes us feel like we've discovered some hipster jukebox from many decades back – stocked with vintage wax with a mighty nice edge! Titles on this volume include "Old Man Mose" by Rod Willis, "The Devil Sat Down & Cried" by Savannah Churchill & The Striders, "Action" by Lance Fortune, "St James Infirmary" by Otto Bash, "Shadrack" by Golden Gate Quartet, "Cross Over The Bridge" by The Chords, and "Snake Dance Boogie" by Roy Hogsed.

A wonderful little collection of Japanese female pop from the 70s – most of it pretty darn funky too! There's a sexy, slinky groove to most numbers here – a style that's somewhere between French pop of the late 60s, and the sorts of material we've come to love on Crippled Dick reissues over the years – and like tunes from both of those sources, the music here has plenty going on even if you don't understand the language – loping rhythms, cool production, and a catchy kind of groove that hangs on nicely well past the words! As with other titles on the Ultra Vybe label, most of the text here is in Japanese – including artists and titles – but we can promise that the CD is filled with 18 tracks you probably don't have in your collection elsewhere, and comes with a nice booklet full of vintage photos!

More burning instrumentals from Coxsone Dodd and his mighty crew at Studio One! Soul Jazz has already established Dodd and Studio One as a near household name in bad, bold island grooves, and this set of fiery instrumentals keeps up the pressure, with 16 burning numbers! All flavors of Jamaican soul get represented here, from spacey, mellow grooves at the hands of Jackie Mittoo, to mellow snapping clavinet numbers from Pablove Black, deep roots from Cedric Brooks or jaunty ska numbers from the Soul Vendors and the Skatalites. As usual, the packaging is in the deluxe vein that has graced previous chapters in the series, and this set includes "Gumbay Jump" by the Dub Specialist, "A Big Car" by Jackie Mittoo, "Joe Grazer" and "Sidewalk Doctor" by VinGordon, "Sound Almighty" by the Soul Defenders, "Black Wax" by Pablove Black, Dick Tracy" by the Skatalites, "Cousin Joe Pt 1" by Sugar Belly, and "Black Is Black" by Im & David, plus many more!

One of the deepest-digging entries in the Super Funk series so far – a blistering batch of underground singles that serve up some of the roughest funk of their generation! We'll be honest in saying that we'd only heard a few of the tracks here before – and our hats are off to BGP for taking this already-great series and making it go even deeper – far past familiar funk classics that usually get showcased on the label, and much more into the realm of the crate-digging underground, or the ebay-rarity stratosphere! A handful of cuts here are previously unreleased – never even issued on wax back in the day – and the rest are all pretty darn hard to find too, and all plenty darn great from a musical perspective. The package features a whopping 21 tracks in all – including a rare 1970 funky remake of "Twine Time" by Alvin Cash, plus "Home Brew" by Miles Grayson, "Just Sitting" by Smithstonian, "Can't Get Enough" by 87th Off Broadway, "Hi Off Life" by Eternal Flames, "Give Me Another Chance" by The Uniques, "Hold On" by Lorenzo Holden, "Free The Soul Man" by La May & Company, "Little Boy Blue" by The Phillips Brothers, "You'd Be Good For Me" by Jeanette Jones, "Who Done It? Who Drained The Pool?" by Big Daddy Green, "Low Rider (Deuce & A Quarter)" by Smokey Wilson, "Can't Buy Soul" by Hebrew Rogers, "Shake A Leg" by Jackie Wilson, "Face To Face" by The Explosions, and "Turn Around & Go" by Lee Bernard.

One of the deepest-digging entries in the Super Funk series so far – a blistering batch of underground singles that serve up some of the roughest funk of their generation! We'll be honest in saying that we'd only heard a few of the tracks here before – and our hats are off to BGP for taking this already-great series and making it go even deeper – far past familiar funk classics that usually get showcased on the label, and much more into the realm of the crate-digging underground, or the ebay-rarity stratosphere! A handful of cuts here are previously unreleased – never even issued on wax back in the day – and the rest are all pretty darn hard to find too, and all plenty darn great from a musical perspective. The package features a whopping 21 tracks in all – including a rare 1970 funky remake of "Twine Time" by Alvin Cash, plus "Home Brew" by Miles Grayson, "Just Sitting" by Smithstonian, "Can't Get Enough" by 87th Off Broadway, "Hi Off Life" by Eternal Flames, "Give Me Another Chance" by The Uniques, "Hold On" by Lorenzo Holden, "Free The Soul Man" by La May & Company, "Little Boy Blue" by The Phillips Brothers, "You'd Be Good For Me" by Jeanette Jones, "Who Done It? Who Drained The Pool?" by Big Daddy Green, "Low Rider (Deuce & A Quarter)" by Smokey Wilson, "Can't Buy Soul" by Hebrew Rogers, "Shake A Leg" by Jackie Wilson, "Face To Face" by The Explosions, and "Turn Around & Go" by Lee Bernard.

Rare Japanese jazz treasures – reworked here by a host of the country's hippest producers! The set is a wicked follow-up to the core Japanese Jazz series from Wax Poetics – and like that one, this package features a host of hard-to-find cuts from the 60s and 70s Japanese scene – funky fusion, hammering hardbop, and more – but all really transformed in the hands of these contemporary talents! There's definitely a core jazz root to most tracks – but the grooves also open up with lots of 21st Century influences – pushing the music into territory that's almost what you'd hear on Gilles Peterson's radio shows – or some of the more compelling ends of the modern global underground. The nice-looking package has notes that are almost entirely in Japanese – but we can say that this volume features production work by Shuya Okino, Kudo, Black Cow, Grooveman Spot, Toshio Matsuura, Muro, Kuniyuki Takehashi, and Eitetsu Takamiya.

Rare Japanese jazz treasures – reworked here by a host of the country's hippest producers! The set is a wicked follow-up to the core Japanese Jazz series from Wax Poetics – and like that one, this package features a host of hard-to-find cuts from the 60s and 70s Japanese scene – funky fusion, hammering hardbop, and more – but all really transformed in the hands of these contemporary talents! There's definitely a core jazz root to most tracks – but the grooves also open up with lots of 21st Century influences – pushing the music into territory that's almost what you'd hear on Gilles Peterson's radio shows – or some of the more compelling ends of the modern global underground. The nice-looking package has notes that are almost entirely in Japanese – but we can say that this volume features production work by DJ Mitsu The Beats, Kaoru Inoue, Kza, Root Soul, 9dw, Kan Sano, Calm, and Yukihiro Fukutomi.

A beautiful slice of Japanese jazz from the 70s – grooves that mix together older bamboo flute sounds with modern styles – bits of funk, modal, and fusion that work perfectly with the warm tones of the flute! The blend is completely seductive – very Japanese, but with a really universal appeal – and as you'd guess, most of these cuts never made it out to the rest of the world at the time – so we've got the cats at Wax Poetics Japan to thank for bringing them all together in a killer set like this! There's plenty of funky numbers on here that really make the set worth getting – a real musical discovery, as you'll hear on cuts that include "Eli's Coming" by Singers Three, "Left Right" by Richard Pine & Company, "See See Rider" by Singers Three, "Blue" by Takeshi Inomata & The Sound Limited, "Loving You" by George Ohtsuka, "Negative & Positive" by Minoru Muraoka, and "Judy's Samba" by Seiichi Namakura Quintet.

Sweet female pop from Japan – most of it recorded in the mid 70s, and pulled together in a package that's similar to some of the soundtrack-related collections that Hotwax & Trax have done for the Ultra Vybe label! The sounds here are a bit smoother than those on the soundtrack set, but equally compelling – a blend of Western pop modes of the time with some uniquely Japanese touches – often set to instrumentation that includes lots of keyboards and some occasional funky rhythms. There's a surprisingly soulful feel to a number of the tunes, one that gets past the Japanese-only lyrics – and speaking of that, the notes and titles are all in Japanese so we can't tell you more – but the music's pretty compelling!

A key early album by Albert Ayler – but darn hard to find in any format! Recorded in Copenhagen in 1963, with a European trio that has Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, this material represents some of Ayler's first on wax. The tracks are long, with a number of messed-up renditions of standards, which he never does much on later albums. It's essential listening from a standpoint of experiencing an early, pivotal developmental stage of one of the most brilliant jazz figures of time – and historical perspective aside, it's flat out incredible stuff! Titles include "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Summertime", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "C.T." – plus, there's also a short introduction by Ayler himself!

Tasty collection of funky soul tracks by this great singer who recorded briefly in the early 70s for the Hot Wax label. The set includes her legendary breakbeat track "Crumbs Off The Table", sample more than once over the years – plus other titles like "Woman's Love Rights", "Love & Liberty", "Since I Fell For You", "Rip Off", and "Guess Who I Saw Today".

One of the few sessions ever cut as a leader by LA drummer Stan Levey – as tight a set of west coast bop as you'll ever find on the Bethlehem label, featuring a sextet with Conte Candoli on trumpet, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Sonny Clark on piano, getting his start on wax here before his more famous days in New York! Tracks are mostly all over five minutes long, with short and tight solo work by the horn players – and titles include "Hit That Thing", "Tiny's Tune", "Blues At Sunrise", "Grand Stan", and "Angel Cake".

A very different record than Oliphant's other one for Atlantic, which was a funky organ/guitar album with a famous breakbeat – but equally fantastic! This one (which we actually like a lot more) is a moody set of tracks played by a small group that includes Harold Ousley on tenor and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Ousley's sound is amazing, and he hits these wonderful moments on some of the solos that will just blow you away. He almost never gets his due on wax, and this record is certainly one of his finest moments. Hutcherson's pretty darn great, too, and lays out some haunting lines on the vibes that match his best Blue Note playing. Titles include lots of originals by Ousley, including "Haitian Lady", "Mrs. O", "The Descendant", and "One For The Masses". Nice stuff, and one that hardly ever turns up!

During the early 60s, the team of Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Johnny Griffin was one of the most exciting unions in jazz. The two tenorists came from two different camps – Davis, the gutsy R&B soloist, Griffin, the hardbop powerhouse with a flair for the modern. Their pairing was an incredible stroke of genius and luck, and the albums they waxed – like this one – feature an approach hardly ever matched again by a two-tenor band. One of the best features of the group was their dedication to opening up the works of Monk into a freer blowing style – and they do so nicely on this album's two long takes of "Epistrophy" and "Well, You Needn't", both recorded live at the legendary Minton's Playhouse in Harlem (site of some of the band's best recordings.) Junior Mance heads up the soulful rhythm section that also includes Larry Gales and Ben Riley.

Rare Charlie Feathers work from Memphis – recorded for Goldwax in 1962, but mostly unissued until this set! Only the cut "Deep Elm Blues" came out on the Holiday Inn label – and other tracks are all previously unissued – "Love Never Treated Me Right", "Nobody's Darlin But Mine", and "The Side Wind" – all in a cool pic sleeve pressing!

A great set of Stevie's best tracks for Motown! 3 LPs deep, with 40 tracks in all, mostly from the late 60s, with a handful of numbers from the early 70s, including a few goodies that are getting tougher to find on wax. Includes "Hey Love", "Angie Girl", "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday", "Down To Earth", "I'd Cry", "Fingertips (part 2)", "Castles In The Sand", "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", "Nothing's Too Good For My Baby", "You Met Your Match", "Never Had A Dream Come True", "My Cherie Amour", "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer", "If You Really Love me", "Something Out Of The Blue", "Do Yourself A Favor", "I'd Be Fool Right Now", "Thank You Love", "Ain't That Asking For Trouble", "A Place In The Sun" and loads more!

An excellent collection of funky tracks – with a groove that's slightly different than the usual comp! This set focuses on funky rock tracks that have been sampled over the past decade – moving past the soul and jazz racks to find some tasty grooves that you might have missed had you not been willing to expand your horizons further! And if the sound of the package might be enough to put you off if you're a funk fan, don't worry – because this one's filled with heavy beats, riffing guitars, and more funky grooves that you could hope to find in a van full of dodgy wax! There's a few soul tracks thrown in to open up the groove, but even those are far in the leftfield style. Titles include "Elegy" by Colosseum, "Down By The River" by Buddy Miles, "Tiger" by Brian Auger, "Vitamin C" by Can, "Aquarius" by Headhunters, "Life is Just A Passing Paradise" by Santana, "Indian Ropeman" by Julie Driscoll, "The Mexican" by Babe Ruth, "Yellow Sunshine" by Yellow Sunshine, "If You Lose Your Woman" by Zoo, and "Your Love Been So Good To Me" by Ruth Copeland.

A very different sound here than the first volume in the series – one that goes strongly for a later take on R&B influenced soul jazz! There's a strong groove here for the steppers on the Windy City scene – a blend of jazzy soul and smoother jazz that's set together nicely without the too-slick spots that always clutter up other collections – and which represents the few modern tracks that were able to penetrate the mostly-dusty steppers scene back in the day. Production and overall instrumentation is relatively electric, even in the percussion, but there's always a few nice acoustic touches to round things out on the best tracks. Titles include "Mama Dadu" and "L'Amour" by Vodu 155, "Piano Groove" by Piano Negro, "Can We Try Again" by Braxton Brothers, "Soul Manifesto" by Rodney Jones, "Tik Tok (inst)" by Lorenzo Smith, "Laid Back" by Jerald Daemyon, "Modern Life" by Tom Saviano, "Pacific Love" by David Patterson, "Cycles Of Re-Elevation" by Michael McEvoy, "Forever's A Long Long Time" by Orquestra Wax, "Groovin In The Midnight (inst)" by Maxi Priest, and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" by Grant Green.

Beautiful work from the Art Ensemble – and one of their undisputed classics! The record features some of the most perfectly realized moments the band ever cut to wax, with a blend of whimsical multi-instrumental improvisation, and a strong sense of the spiritual tradition in jazz. The album features one long piece – "Reese & The Smooth Ones" – and it's a stunning array of spontanteous instrumentation, with a jagged sound that never stops reinventing itself!

Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby – a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam – one of the forces guiding Dorothy's more spiritual sound at the end of the 60s, clearly opened up in a way that's not unlike the direction of Alice Coltrane's work, but a lot more focused and a lot more funky! Ashby not only plays her usual jazz harp, but also koto as well, and even sings a bit too – and the larger group directed by Evans features work by Stu Katz on vibes and kalimba, Lenny Druss on flutes, and Cash McCall on guitar – all in a groove that's really a precursor to the Earth Wind & Fire generation of the Chicago scene! Titles include the amazing break "The Moving Finger" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Dust", "Joyful Grass & Grape", "Heaven & Hell", "Wax & Wane", "Shadow Shapes", "For Some When Young", "Myself When Young", and "Drink".

Angela's looking a bit uptight on the cover, but the set's got a wonderfully smooth feel overall – thanks to production from George Duke! Duke brings a nice sense of warmth to the record – one that's greatly appreciated at this point in Bofill's career, and which helps her hang onto the more jazz-inflected sounds she first brought to wax at the end of the 70s. A few tunes are a bit crossover-oriented, but never too much so – and backing vocals on the set are by Howard Hewett and Shirley Jones. Tracks include "First Time", "Midnight Shine", "Tell Me Tomorrow", "Woman's Intuition", "I Don't Wanna Come Down", "Generate Love", and "You're On".

Genius work from Solomon Burke – the kind of all-out, no-nonsense soul album that made Atlantic Records one of the strongest forces in the genre during the 60s! If you've ever bought one of Solomon's weaker recent albums, you owe it to yourself to check this one out – as it's a brilliant batch of tunes, 12 in all, with not a dud in the lot! The vocals are incredible, production is sublime, and the style is a teetering blend of country, gospel, R&B, and soul – never duplicated so well again on wax. Titles include "Can't Nobody Love You", "Goodbye Baby", "Cry To Me", "If You Need Me", "Just Out Of Reach", "You're Good For Me", "Someone To Love Me", and the incredible "He'll Have To Go".

Contemporary chica from this hip New York combo – great sounds that echo with a really timeless feel! The instrumentation here is right on the money – bouncy percussion, sweet electric guitar, outer space keyboards, and a perfect production approach that really ties the whole thing together – and makes you feel like you've dipped into some lost collection of South American wax from the 60s! The guitar is especially nice, with some occasional surfy touches – and titles include "L'Age D'Or", "Papageno Electrico", "Number 17", "Depresion Tropical", "El Carnicero De Chicago", and "Danza Del Millonario".

Surf guitar hits the drag strip – as Dick Dale makes the same move as most of his Cali contemporaries of the 60s – shifting his groove from waxed boards and woodies over to the world of hot rods! The sound's still pretty much the same, though – smoking instrumentals filled with Dale's amazing lines on guitar – a way of hitting the instrument that was a lot harder, heavier, and more frenetic than most other surf/instro players of the period – with a raw bite that arguably sets the scene for hard rock in the part of the decade to come! Vinyl version features 14 tracks rom Dale's hot rod recordings for Capitol – with cuts that include "50 Miles To Go", "Nitro Fuel", "Surf Buggy", "Firing Up", "Taco Wagon", "The Victor", "Mag Wheels", "Wild Wild Mustang", and "Night Rider".

A spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"!