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The Bar-Kays' last album for Stax – most likely recorded in earlier years – and a surprisingly funky set that still holds onto the group of the group's earlier 70s work, while also pointing the way towards the future! The overall sound isn't nearly as slick as in the Mercury years, and the album still makes good use of heavy guitar on the grooves, as well as some of the jazzier instrumental flourishes (especially on trumpet) that set the group apart from the rest of the funky pack. Tracks are all quite long, and still heavily focused on funk – and titles include "Holy Ghost", in two versions, plus "Monster", "Feelin Alright", "Mean Mistreater", and "Money Talks".

One of the harder to find 50s sessions from LA jazz brothers Pete & Conte Candoli – a twin-trumpet album with rhythm from Jimmy Rowles, Howard Roberts, Max Bennett, and Frank Capp. The tracks are a clean extension of mid 50s LA cool jazz – blown with a bit more edge, and perhaps a looser feel than some of the brothers' earlier work – and nicely swinging overall. Titles include "Splanky", "Rifts For Rosie", "Doodlin", "Blueing Boogie", and "Richard Diamond's Blues".

Aggro hip hop/noise rock from Death Grips – one of the more surprising major label pick ups in years! Includes "Get Got", "The Fryer", "Lost Boys", "Black Jack", "System Blower", "Hacker", "Bitch Please", "F*** That", "Hacker" and more.

A smashing second set from Everything But The Girl – a record that has the duo stretching out a bit more from the straight jazz leanings of their Eden debut – yet still sticking strongly in a mode that has their music moving with lots of classic influences! The songwriting is still top-shelf – not afraid to show its emotions, yet never over-mired in them either – a beautiful balance that really comes through in the vocals of Tracey Thorn. Production is a bit more mainstream, yet still light years away from the clunk of most mid 80s pop – and titles include "When All's Well", "Ugly Little Dreams", "Shoot Me Down", "Are You Trying To Be Funny", "Sean", "Anytown", and "Ballad Of The Times". 2CD book-style package is amazing – with tracks from singles that include "Kid", "Heaven Help Me", and "Pigeons In The Attic Room" – demos of "Angel", "Ugly Little Dreams", and "Are You Trying To Be Funny" – and BBC recordings of "This Love", "Ballad Of The Times", and "Are You Trying To Be Funny".

An oft-quoted, classic old school track from one of rap's pioneering MC's, essential to any hip hop collection, that ought to need no introduction from us. Gets a place in the history books too for the early appearance of Russell Simmons as producer.

MF Doom and Madlib, two of the most ubiquitous characters in underground hip hop – hell, perhaps THE most ubiquitous characters in underground hip hop, pair up for an outing on Stones Throw! "Money Folder" is Doom's real showpiece of the couple of tracks here. Metal Face kicks his gravelly, atomically charged word bombs over some really hot start & sto(m)p beats by 'Lib. "America's Most Blunted" is the DJ's game, with a string of strange samples and soundtrack vibe with a Cut Chemist feel. Madlib's knob twirlin' and wheel spinnin' on the two main cuts and remixes is much more in his funk beats and wacked samples guise than the mad jazz vibe he's been rocking on other recent projects.

A key album of 80s southern blues from Bobby – done in the slightly electrified, slightly modern style that was coming out of the Jackson scene at the time – in a way that helped find a home for so many artists after the decline of southern soul in the 70s! Material like this made Bobby a huge hit on the small club circuit of the time – and the tracks have plain and simple themes of a man's needs and his aims of getting them. Bobby himself handled arrangements, and titles include "Gotta Have Money" (a remake of his older hit), "Party Down", "Natural Born Lover", "She Caught Me With My Pants Down", "She's So Fine", and "Mojo Boogie".

24 tracks of heavy deep soul from Bettye Swann – a great female soul singer from the 60s who's rarely ever gotten her due! There have been some cheaply done reissues of Bettye's work over the years, but this is the first time a full set of her best work has been put together with a good set of notes, good mastering, and an expanded track list that also includes a number of previously unissued tunes! Titles include "I Will Not Cry", "Make Me Yours", "What Is My Life Coming To", "Our Love", "Don't Look Back", "The Dance Is Over", "What Can It Be", "Don't Wait Too Long", and "The Heartache Is Gone". If you've been looking for a new female soul voice to turn you on, Bettye's right up your alley!

Fantastic Norman Harris production makes this one of the best-ever efforts from The Whispers at this time! Norman put together the incredible "Living Together (In Sin)", and plays some excellent guitar on the track – and he takes the sweet west coast harmonies of The Whispers into the realm of Philly Groove greatness. Other nice tracks include "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are", "Sounds Like A Love Song", and "In My Heart".

Mighty funk & hip hop from Buffalo's Pseudo Intellectuals and Scott Down & DJ Cutler! "No Money Mo Problems" is a rugged & raw hip hop number from Pseudo Intellectual – with a jazz funk bass groove at the heart of it, and a conversational flow from the MCs. The funky hip hop remix "Blue Collar Funk" spun by SD & DJ C is a straight funky number at the core – cut up with heavier drums and hip hop vocal bits. It's a busy, disjointed funk jam in the best sense of the word!

Two stormers from Antibalas! "Dirty Money" is one of their boldest cuts in years – a tune that leaps right out of the grooves, right from the start – thanks to plenty of searing Afro Funk rhythms, and even moreso to a wicked Hammond part that burns beautifully for the first minute or so – working out sounds that are incredibly fresh and powerful! "AWOL" has more horns in the lead, and a great funky bassline at the core – a bad-stepping little number that's equal parts Afro and Funk!

Rarely are such "meeting of the minds" sessions worth any fuss at all – but in this case, the masterful talents of the players turn what should be a snoozy "common denominator" session into a modernist classic that still crackles with excitement after all these years! The real success factor here is Ellington, who was hitting a point in his career when he was really beginning to experiment again – as you'll hear in the beautifully angular piano lines that he lays next to Mingus' bass and Roach's lively drums. The set's nearly all originals, and titles include "Money Jungle", "Le Fleurs Africaines", and "Wig Wise". Very nice!

Produced by Hank Shocklee, Carl Ryder and Eric Sadler, aka the Bomb Squad.

The original version of this track that went on to be huge for Simply Red – done here by The Valentine Brothers, who wrote the cut in a sweet 80s groove harmony style that really holds up over the years!

Super-dope, super-slow funk from The Expressions – a really great change from the usual deep funk groove! "These Moments" slinks along like some 70s mellow soul instrumental b-side – still plenty funky, but moving at a pace that's never too over the top, with instrumentation that slowly grooves instead of rips along in quick riffs. There's a nicely breaking guitar over the track's stepping bass – and rhythm that hangs there perfectly in mid-air! "Money Is King" is slightly faster, but still quite laidback – guitar strutting out wonderfully next to a bit of strings – almost making the whole thing sound like some badass soundtrack theme!

A nice little funk album from Eddie – one that shouldn't work, but does nicely, thanks to a unique approach to the groove! Eddie's still playing plenty of electric sax on the set – and is going for a sound here that's equal parts soul jazz, modal groove, and down and dirty funk! The album kicks off with the catchy vocal number "I Need Some Money", which features a chugging Varitone groove in the background. Other cuts mix up funk and soul, and add in touches of the "electric rhythm machine", which was heard on a few earlier Harris albums for Atlantic. Very strange, but strangely nice – and with the cuts "Bumpin", "Get On Down", "Carnival", "That's It", and "Time To Do Your Thing".

One of the sweetest tunes we've ever heard with "Money" in the title – a wicked groove from the duo of Terri Walker and Nicole Wray – set to this tippling piano bit that takes us back to a Barbara Acklin single on Brunswick! There's a perfect old school approach to the cut – and the vocals traded back and forth really emphasize the tune's wonderful hook. And on the flipside, the instrumental version has this wicked riffing guitar and really lets the piano stand out – almost a Young-Holt to the Acklin on the main side!

A wonderful set from Zoot Money – a solo project, away from his big band – recorded with a soulful groove that's right up there with the best 60s work by Georgie Fame! That's no surprise, though, given that Money and Fame were both key parts of the Brit scene of the time – absorbing the best elements of American soul and jazz vocals, and turning them into something entirely unique – a bit mod at points, with British inflections, but in ways that were always very different than the rockers of the generation who were busy mining American blues. Money's vocals have a very Fame-like rasp here – incredibly charming, especially amidst the record's hip blend of jazz and rock instrumentation, with some key trippy touches at points. Titles include "Soma", "What Cha Gonna Do Bout It", "Deadline", "Just A Passing Phase", "Coffee Song", "Let The Music Make You Happy", and "Problem Child".

One of the greatest blacksploitation soundtracks of the 70s – and one of the rarest too! The album's a crowning achievement for the mighty Don Julian – an artist who's best known for his earlier LA soul with The Larks, but who steps out here with a hip, hard-grooving sound that's really amazing – kind of a small combo take on the bigger orchestrations you might hear in other films of the time – served up with lots of heavy drums and sharp-edged guitar in the mix! The rhythm section is especially great – bad-walking along with a blend of bass, drums, and congas – and other instrumentation includes flute, sax, and trombone – plus guitars from both Arthur Wright and Julian. Titles include the massive 10 minute title cut "Savage" – plus "Lay It On Your Head", "Where I'm Coming From", "My Favorite Beer Joint", "It's A Sad Song", and "Janitizio". As the cover says – "On the Streets, Or On the Sheets, He's a Savage!".

A great step forward for PJ Morton – an artist we've followed right from his start in the Neo Soul underground, and one who still sounds great here in the context of a much bigger label! The album's sure to get PJ plenty of exposure, yet it's still put together with that nicely crackling sort of energy that's always made his music so great – a mode that's sometimes a bit more funky than some of his male soul contemporaries, but in a way that's never gimmicky – and instead underscores all the earnest, honest vibe he brings to his lyrics. And Morton really maintains that slightly raspy quality in his vocals – a mode of singing that echoes classic eras without ever copying their style at all. The set features guest appearances from Stevie Wonder and Busta Rhymes – and titles include "Only One", "Never Get Over You", "Hard Enough", "Heavy", "Work It Out", "Trade It All", "First Sight",a nd "Motions".

The standout set from Donna Allen – a real up-and-comer in 80s soul music, and a singer who'll always be remembered for this gem of an album! The record's got a positive, upbeat groove that works perfectly with Allen's vocals – a style that's bit lighter and more fluid than some of the more commercial soul of the time, yet still very much right on the money in the hook department – often served up with the kind of keyboards and basslines that would have been used with other artists a few years before. The album's mellower cuts really let Allen open up and show her vocal range – and titles include "Daydreams", "Satisfied", "Sweet Somebody", "Serious", "Wild Nights", "Bit By Bit", and "Another Affair". CD features bonus tracks – "Serious (12" ext)", "Satisfied (12" long)", "Sweet Somebody (12" rmx)", "Serious (single)", "Satisfied (single)", "Sweet Somebody (single)", and "Serious (12" delirious mix)".

A holy grail of 70s African Funk – and not just for the unusual look of the cover! The set's a really unique one – almost rootsier than most of the better-known Ghanian grooves of the time, but funkier too – with a brilliant blend of raw percussion, quirky basslines, and some smoking horn parts that are a lot more American soul and funk than the usual 70s African groove! The whole thing's stunning all the way through – a record that totally informs an understanding of its generation, yet in ways that no other record can touch. Wonderful all the way through, with not a bit of filler – and all cuts are right on the money for any fan of African funk! Titles include "Toffie", "Fa No Dem Ara", "This Hustling World", "Kwaakwaa", and "Akoko Ba".

Amazing sounds from one of the best funky combos anywhere – ever! Antibalas have certainly risen to fame in the years since we first heard their Afro-styled grooves – working famously in the Fela musical, and reaching generations of ears with their own brilliant records. Yet throughout it all, they've always stayed true to their sound – and, if anything, are even sharper, tighter, and funkier than before – all extremely adept not only at playing their instruments, but at hitting the right sort of sound to cut through all the BS that was holding back funky Afro grooves for years! Part of that sound comes from superb Daptone production by Gabriel Roth – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean and full of energy. But the core credit really goes to the group – who never cease to amaze us here – and continually come up with fresh sounds on their keyboards and horns – and inventive rhythms to match! Titles include "Dirty Money", "The Rat Catcher", "Ari Degbe", "Ibeji", "Sare Kon Kon", and "Him Belly No Go Sweet".

The most outwardly political album to date from Antibalas – and quite possibly the funkiest one too! The set's got the group really grooving hard in their 70s Afro Funk-inspired vein – jamming at a level that would make Fela Kuti blush – working together with a fierce array of percussion, horns, keyboards, and guitars to jam up a groove that stretches back to the best days of the African-styled funk of the classic years. The whole thing's wonderful – every bit as essential for any fan of 70s Fela as it is for the current deep funk underground of which Antibalas are a part – and if you had any fear that their move to a semi-major label would hurt them, rest assured that they sound better than ever! Titles include "Big Man", "Obanla'e", "Elephant", "Sister", "Pay Back Africa", and "Who Is This America Dem Speak Of Today?" Also features the bonus track "Money Talks".

Great stuff! From Motown songwriters to world-class superstars, the trip was a well-deserved one for Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford – and this album's perhaps their crowning achievement in sophisticated club soul! The record's got a great groove that offers a more soulful version of disco than most of the competing albums on major labels at the time – a perfect summation of the care and craft that Ashford & Simpson had always put into their music right from the start! The pair handle all production on the record, and also contributed all the songs too – and the whole thing's so wonderfully tight, right, and on the money, the album soars to the top even before the vocals come into the mix. Titles include more than a few club classics, like "Found A Cure", "Stay Free", and "Nobody Knows" – plus the cuts "Dance Forever", "Crazy", "Follow Your Heart", and "Finally Got To Me".

The first album by Atlantic Starr – a tight set of modern soul tunes with a very different feel than their later work! Part of the credit goes to Bobby Eli – who arranged and produced the set, giving it a feel that's almost late Philly – tight, sophisticated, and right on the money at all the best points! There's a number of sweet mellow ballads with lead vocals by Sharon Bryant, and other tracks that groove in an uptempo way that points towards more of the group's 80s work – a great mix of modes that makes for a really well-developed album right out of the gate. Titles include "Gimme Your Lovin", "The Love I Never Had", "Visions", "Keep It Comin", "Stand Up", "Where There's Smoke There's Fire", "We Got It Together", and "Being In Love With You Is So Much Fun".

Great grooves from Aurra – a group with a sound that's rooted in the late 70s funk of Slave, but which is given a whole new life at Salsoul by fearless leader Stephen Washington! The album's tight and right on the money at the very first note – heavy on bass, but not in a way that's ever overdone – and sparkling much more strongly from the vocal contributions of Curt Jones and Starleana Young – two singers who really know how to open up while holding a groove! The whole thing's great – polished and tight, but never slick or commercial – and a perfect summation of the 80s groove at its best. Titles include "Baby Love", "Such A Feeling", "Undercover Lover", "You Can't Keep On Walking", and "One More Time". CD features bonus tracks "Such A Feeling (orig Shep Pettibone 12" mix)", "Such A Feeling (orig Shep Pettibone 12" mix part 2)", "Such A Feeling (orig Shep Pettibone 12" mix part 3)", "Such A Feeling (orig single)", and "Baby Love (orig Shep Pettibone 12" inst)".

An incredible album by Roy Ayers – but one that's often overlooked because it was a rare indie effort issued between Roy's years at Polydor and Columbia! The session's Roy's only full album for Uno Melodic – the label he formed to showcase the talents of Sylvia Striplin, Ladies Of The Eighties, and others – and it's done in a snapping, boogie-styled groove that's very similar to the work by other Uno acts at the time. There's still plenty of the late Polydor Roy in the mix too – especially on the album's mellower numbers, which glide along nicely with all the right jazzy touches we love in a classic Ayers groove! Highlights include the excellent "Chicago", a really dark funk track with a mad descending groove; the Fela-styled "Black Family"; the warmly jazzy "Lots Of Love", an instrumental with vibes along strings; and the bass bumping "Everybody", a wicked later funk number! Other tracks include "And Then We Were One", "DC City", "Drive", and "Fast Money" – all great too!

Pure brilliance from start to finish – especially the second side of the record, which has a continuous run of tunes that's very unique – and still completely sublime all these many years later! The album shows the fracturing ideas of the group, but crafted together with a unity you won't find on The White Album or Let It Be – still a way of making it all gel together beautifully, as the fab four stretch their wings to find new ways of being. Added instrumentation is used wonderfully – never overdone, but with orchestral passages that can really hammer home the best musical moments – and titles include "I Want You", "Because", "You Never Give Me Your Money", "Golden Slumbers", "The End", "Her Majesty", "Polythene Pam", and "Sun King".

An iconic early cover image from The Beatles – with iconic early music to match! The tunes are short, tuneful, and undeniably great – that sound that instantly set the group apart from just about all of their contemporaries. Titles include "It Won't Be Long", "All My Loving", "Hold Me Tight", "Roll Over Beethoven", "You Really Got A Hold On Me", "I Wanna Be Your Man", "Money", "Little Child", and "Devil In Her Heart".

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

A beautiful little soundtrack for this late John Wayne western – scored by Elmer Bernstein in a wonderfully expressive way – with a quality that goes way past the usual entries in the genre! There's almost a slight undercurrent of sentimentality to the music – not in a cloying way, but with a quality that seems to reference the entire history of the western with sensitive ears – in a way that the film almost seems to do with its story, as well – carrying things forward without too much drama, but this subtle depth that really makes the music special! The recording quality is excellent, and Bernstein's scoring shows some instrumental modernity he wouldn't have had a few years before – complex use of subtle elements that really comes through in the production. Titles include "Born To Hang", "Necktie Party", "Smoke", "New Money", "Surrounded", "Thickening Plot", "Billy Joe", "Train", and "Venture".

Modern classics from Bongo-Logic – a group with a great flair for mixing the new and the old! There's plenty of jazz in this set – thanks to work from Art Webb on flute – but there's also a charanga groove going on too – with violin dancing strongly around the piano lines from Joe Rotundi – arranged with lots of fresh touches throughout. Jazz elements share the space equally with charanga styles – especially on the two Monk numbers "Straight No Chaser" and "Round Midnight" – and the production style is right on the money for the music. Titles include "Los Musicos", "Luna Blanca", "Bongo-Licious", "Soncachao", "Corta La Cana", and "Sister M".

The Beatles had Abbey Road – and Booker T & The MGs had McLemore Ave, the main street running outside the Stax studios, and a fitting title for the album that has them playing tunes from The Beatles' incredible Abbey Road album. If you've ever thought that Abbey Road was a soft-rock lowpoint in the Beatles' career, consider how many soul and jazz artists either covered the whole album, performed songs from it, or referenced it in their album covers. This little gem is proof that the compositions already had a life of their own within a short time of the release of the record – as Book and crew take the Beatles' tunes to whole new heights, working them together into a complicated batch of grooves that really pushes past their earlier work on Stax. Who knows, perhaps The Beatles were just the kick that Book needed – we can't ever tell the whole story, but we can say that the record marks a strong turning point for the group, and is well worth having for a variety of reasons. Titles include "The End", "You Never Give Me Your Money", "Because", "I Want You/She's So Heavy", and "Polythene Pam".

One of the hippest records ever to come out of Chicago – the sole recording by Boscoe, a group who was even more obscure and experimental than contemporaries like The Pharoahs or Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Like those groups, Boscoe has a very unique, very visionary approach – one that's not content just to echo the standard post-Coltrane modes that other spiritual jazz groups around the country were hitting – but which instead moves into territory that touches on the darker sides of funk, soul, and spoken word of the time – all with a message that's incredibly powerful, and conception that's wonderfully fresh throughout! The group's lineup features tenor, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, and drums – but they way they're put together is often far different than other funky combos – and it's clear that the group had as much of a sensibility about the overall sound of their record as they did their freer grooves. At times, there's a righteousness here that recalls the best of the early Westbound Records scene from Detroit – but there's an even higher agenda too, which is more in keeping with the spiritual aspriations of their Chicago contemporaries, and which really show up in the lyrics. The whole album's a masterpiece from start to finish – unlike anything that we can think of, still ripe for rediscovery today, and just the kind of set that makes us prouder than ever of our Chicago heritage! Titles include "We Ain't Free", "Money Won't Save You", "Now and Den", "He Keeps You", "I'm What You Need", and "Writin' On The Wall".

A tremendous bit of harmony soul from Chicago – one of the few cases where the Windy City really gave the east coast a run for its money – and the landmark album from teen soul quartet Brighter Side Of Darkness! Although young, Brighter Side managed to bring a depth to their work that was way more than kiddie soul – a heartfelt, heartbreaking quality that was all adult, no matter how youthful the themes – and their vocals are a perfect contrast to the fuller arrangements from producers Clarence Johnson and Johnny Cameron. The set contains the group's classic "Love Jones", still one of the best fragile harmony tracks of the early 70s – plus loads of other great numbers like "I Owe You Love", "I'm A Loser", "Just A Little Bit", and a superb remake of "Summer Ride".

Quite possibly THE James Brown album of the mid 60s – a solid set of hard-grooving tracks, based around the monster title hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)"! The tune's one of those numbers that has been used a gajillion times over the years in commercials and promos – but which never sounds better than here, on James' original version – one of those cuts that never gets old! The hit's also nicely offset by a number of other more obscure numbers that make the album really worth tracking down – titles that include "I Can't Help It (I Just Do Do Do)", "Good Good Lovin", "I've Got Money", "Three Hearts In A Tangle", "You've Got The Power", and "Love Don't Love Nobody" – all on the rougher side of the JB spectrum.

Quite possibly THE James Brown album of the mid 60s – a solid set of hard-grooving tracks, based around the monster title hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)"! The tune's one of those numbers that has been used a gajillion times over the years in commercials and promos – but which never sounds better than here, on James' original version – one of those cuts that never gets old! The hit's also nicely offset by a number of other more obscure numbers that make the album really worth tracking down – titles that include "I Can't Help It (I Just Do Do Do)", "Good Good Lovin", "I've Got Money", "Three Hearts In A Tangle", "You've Got The Power", and "Love Don't Love Nobody" – all on the rougher side of the JB spectrum.

Great work from the man with the money on his suit! "Diff'rent Strokes" has a nice hard soul sound, with lots of vocals, and a sound that's very similar to Syl Johnson's big track of the same name. The real groover, though, is "The Charge", which has a raucous shouting sound, and a crazy cowbell that slams through the whole thing – madness!

A landmark session that gathered together just about every hip British jazz and jazz/rock musician of the time – and brought them together into one super-cool orchestra of sound! Robert Fripp produced the record, and Keith Tippett is the overall music director – but the album's got a feel that's much more in the avant side of the UK jazz spectrum – particularly the trippier side of the Deram/Decca label of the late 60s – like work by Mike Westbrook or Mike Gibbs! The lineup is huge – with Elton Dean and Dudu Pukwana on alto sax, Alan Skidmore and Gary Windo on tenor, Ian Carr and Mongesi Fesa on trumpets, Mark Charig on cornet, Nick Evans and Paul Rutherford on trombone, Keith Tippett on piano, Brian Godding on guitar, Robert Wyatt and John Marshall on drums, and Maggie Nicholls, Julie Tippett, Mike Patto, and Zoot Money on vocals – plus lots of strings as well!

A landmark session that gathered together just about every hip British jazz and jazz/rock musician of the time – and brought them together into one super-cool orchestra of sound! Robert Fripp produced the record, and Keith Tippett is the overall music director – but the album's got a feel that's much more in the avant side of the UK jazz spectrum – particularly the trippier side of the Deram/Decca label of the late 60s – like work by Mike Westbrook or Mike Gibbs! The lineup is huge – with Elton Dean and Dudu Pukwana on alto sax, Alan Skidmore and Gary Windo on tenor, Ian Carr and Mongesi Fesa on trumpets, Mark Charig on cornet, Nick Evans and Paul Rutherford on trombone, Keith Tippett on piano, Brian Godding on guitar, Robert Wyatt and John Marshall on drums, and Maggie Nicholls, Julie Tippett, Mike Patto, and Zoot Money on vocals – plus lots of strings as well!

The first album ever from The Chambers Brother – a much rootsier set than the psychedelic soul that later earned them fame in the 60s! The set's heavy on influences from folk, blues, and gospel – and pitches the group more towards the crossover college scene than the mainstream soul crowd – thanks to an appreciatively rootsy style of production that really has the vocals and acoustic instrumentation presented without any other augmentation. Tracks were recorded live at The Unicorn in Boston and the Ash Grove in LA – and most numbers are covers, with versions of "Summertime", "Your Old Land", "It's All Over Now", "Reconsider Baby", "People Get Ready", "Tore Up", and "Money".

A pair of great ones from this overlooked soul group from Illinois! Modern Heart is wonderful work from Champaign – a really self-contained group, and one who really rise above the rest of the early 80s soul scene! The album's got a tightness that's hard to beat – yet a sound that's never too slick or commercial either – kind of that best balance you'd find more in late 70s mainstream soul work, save for the fact that any upbeat numbers here have more of an 80s groove style than a disco one. The mellow tracks balance things out nicely, and show a deeper songwriting sound from the group than we might have expected – further testament to the strength of the album, along with the group's own arrangements and production. Titles include "Cool Running", "Party Line", "Try Again", "Let Your Body Rock", "Get It Again", "Love Games", and "Walkin". Woman In Flames is sweet, tight, and right on the money – a stellar bit of soul from Champaign – one of those great 80s groups who never seemed to get their due, but managed to make some really wonderful music right from the start! The album's got a slightly heavier production tip than before – arrangements from James Newton Howard that link Champaign a bit more to the sound of their mid 80s contemporaries – especially some of the other groups on Columbia. Yet there's also a healthy core to the album that comes from the group's own contributions – their continued strong sense of songwriting and performance, which makes their overall sound a lot less reliant on outside help than other groups of the period. Titles include "This Time", "Off & On Love", "Be Mine Tonight", "Mardi Gras", "Capture The Moon", "Woman In Flames", and "Intimate Strangers".

Razor-sharp funk from The Chapparals – an Atlanta group from the 70s, and one with a great balance of ensemble grooving and deeper soul roots! There was really something special in the Atlanta scene at the time – an approach to large group funk that was different than most northern scenes, and which could still come across with a lean sort of energy, even when hitting tight on the money for the dancefloor! These guys are a perfect summation of that groove – and the album's a blistering blend of bassy rhythms and tight instrumentation – including some mighty sweet keyboards that snake wonderfully alongside the guitar and horns, sometimes with some wild moogy touches that are almost P&P funk. The whole thing's great – one of those albums that's rare, but mighty satisfying too – and titles include "Juicy Fruit", "Shake Your Head (parts 1 & 2)", "Stop Cheating On My Lady", "Country Girl", "Hittin It", "Jam Around The World", and "The Brew".

The first record from Cheeba in many years – and definitely his funkiest so far! The production of this one is right on the money – filled with sharp, funky, 70s-styled riffs – very much in the best blacksploitation style from back in the day! Years back, we'd always like Cheeba's records, but sometimes found them rough around the edges – yet this time around, he's totally got it right – perfect production, just the right amount of space in between the grooves, and key help from some younger session players who really make the whole thing come out right – like a recreation of some hip 70s studio band. Titles include "Paisley Garden", "Looing For My Brother", "Message Force Multipliers", "Extend The Knowledge", "The Denunciation", "Return From Exile", and "2nd & Cedar".

The first record from Cheeba in many years – and definitely his funkiest so far! The production of this one is right on the money – filled with sharp, funky, 70s-styled riffs – very much in the best blacksploitation style from back in the day! Years back, we'd always like Cheeba's records, but sometimes found them rough around the edges – yet this time around, he's totally got it right – perfect production, just the right amount of space in between the grooves, and key help from some younger session players who really make the whole thing come out right – like a recreation of some hip 70s studio band. Titles include "Paisley Garden", "Looing For My Brother", "Message Force Multipliers", "Extend The Knowledge", "The Denunciation", "Return From Exile", and "2nd & Cedar".

Ten years since his underground Headphone Masterpiece and Cody Chesnutt is finally back with a proper follow up – one that has a more fully-fleshed out production – and it’s pretty damn great! There's some striking differences in approach, but thankfully, the idiosyncratic creative bent remains! Where Headphones Masterpiece was a mind-bogglingly ambitious low fi bedroom production, this one was at least partially recorded at Willie Mitchell's legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, with a great group of studio musicians. This one is also more focused – and features a tight batch of 12 songs – as opposed to the sprawling double album debut. Cody's ear for classic southern soul craft informs this one – but his raw lyricism and great voice are still the focus, and that ultimately makes it another near-classic! We hope it won't take 10 years to make another record, but we're sure glad we finally got this one! Includes "'Til I Met Thee", "I've Been Life", "That's Still Mama", "Don't Follow Me", "Everybody's Brother", "Love Is More Than A Wedding Day", "Under The Spell Of The Handout", "Don't Wanna Go The Other Way", "Where Is All The Money Going", "Scroll Call" and more.

Ten years since his underground Headphone Masterpiece and Cody Chesnutt is finally back with a proper follow up – one that has a more fully-fleshed out production – and it's pretty damn great! There's some striking differences in approach, but thankfully, the idiosyncratic creative bent remains! Where Headphones Masterpiece was a mind-bogglingly ambitious low fi bedroom production, this one was at least partially recorded at Willie Mitchell's legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, with a great group of studio musicians. This one is also more focused – and features a tight batch of 12 songs – as opposed to the sprawling double album debut. Cody's ear for classic southern soul craft informs this one – but his raw lyricism and great voice are still the focus, and that ultimately makes it another near-classic! We hope it won't take 10 years to make another record, but we're sure glad we finally got this one! Includes "'Til I Met Thee", "I've Been Life", "That's Still Mama", "Don't Follow Me", "Everybody's Brother", "Love Is More Than A Wedding Day", "Under The Spell Of The Handout", "Don't Wanna Go The Other Way", "Where Is All The Money Going", "Scroll Call" and more.

Excellent early work by The Chi-Lites – work that instantly soars above that of most of their contemporaries – with that incredible Windy City soul sound forged by the group's Eugene Record and producer Carl Davis! The groove is wonderful – free and easygoing, yet tight and right on the money too – lighter than the dancefloor styles of Detroit, a bit more sophisticated too – yet never apt to fall into all of the overly-emotive styles of the east coast too. This balance is what makes the group so wonderful – and really comes through on this early album – a treasure trove of songs penned by Eugene Record too! Titles include "Let Me Be The Man My Daddy Was", "Give It Away", "What Do I Wish For", "My Whole World Ended", "24 Hours Of Sadness", and "To Change My Love".

The legendary 1970 recordings Alex Chilton made at Ardent Studios – recorded in a brief moment after the bust up of the Box Tops and before the debut of Big Star – and a truly powerful precursor to that most iconic of soulful Memphis rock acts! For the longest time, the 1970 sessions were something of a rock & roll holy grail – having been oft-discussed, if rarely heard, by Chilton and Big Star diehards. In the mid 90s, Ardent Records finally released the heart of this collection as 1970 – and here it's done up with even more love and respect by Omnivore, which over the course of just a handful of releases has become one of the very best deep digging reissuers of great, should-be classic soul & rock treasures. The vibe swings from stripped down, soulful rock that sometimes flirts with country rock – those songs featuring gruff, bluesy vocals from Chilton that belie his actual youth, just as greatly as his vox for The Box Tops – to gentler soul pop numbers that truly prefigure the Big Star sound to come. The collection features 20 tracks: all of the material from the long out of print 1970, plus other songs from the period, including demos (these are raw in the right kind of way, as finished as we'd ever want to hear them) and some original mono mixes. Great liner notes by Bob Mehr, a living encyclopedia of Memphis musical knowledge. Includes "Free Again (Original Mono Mix)", "Come On Honey", "Something Deep Inside", "I Can Dig It", "The EMI Song (Smile For Me)", "Every Day As We Grow Closer/Funky National", "I Wish I Could Meet Elvis", "All We Ever Got From Them Was Pain", "Sugar, Sugar/I Got That Feeling", "All I Really Want Is Money", "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and more.

The legendary 1970 recordings Alex Chilton made at Ardent Studios – recorded in a brief moment after the bust up of the Box Tops and before the debut of Big Star – and a truly powerful precursor to that most iconic of soulful Memphis rock acts! For the longest time, the 1970 sessions were something of a rock & roll holy grail – having been oft-discussed, if rarely heard, by Chilton and Big Star diehards. In the mid 90s, Ardent Records finally released the heart of this collection as 1970 – and here it's done up with even more love and respect by Omnivore, which over the course of just a handful of releases has become one of the very best deep digging reissuers of great, should-be classic soul & rock treasures. The vibe swings from stripped down, soulful rock that sometimes flirts with country rock – those songs featuring gruff, bluesy vocals from Chilton that belie his actual youth, just as greatly as his vox for The Box Tops – to gentler soul pop numbers that truly prefigure the Big Star sound to come. 12 tracks on the vinyl version – plus great liner notes by Bob Mehr, a living encyclopedia of Memphis musical knowledge. Includes "Free Again (Original Mono Mix)", "Come On Honey", "Something Deep Inside", "I Can Dig It", "The EMI Song (Smile For Me)", "Every Day As We Grow Closer/Funky National", "I Wish I Could Meet Elvis", "All We Ever Got From Them Was Pain", "All I Really Want Is Money", "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and more.

Four classic albums by this hip UK group – all with rare bonus tracks too! First up is the wonderful Dad Man Cat – our favorite record by one of the best funk records to ever come out of England! On this great debut album, Corduroy are a tight funky combo, with an organ and clavinet mod sound that still holds up damn well over the years. Their songwriting is great, and the groove on the set push way past the stock acid jazz riffing of the early 90s. Best example of this is "Skirt Alert", a cut that begins with an amazing drum break, then grooves into a Brazilian-inflected funk number, in the manner of Earth Wind & Fire's use of the idiom. Other tracks include "Chowdown", "How To Steal The World", "Electric Soup", "Money Is", and "Six Plus One". CD also features six bonus demo tracks! High Havoc is a real shift for Corduroy, who are opening their sound a lot here from earlier releases – showing that the group was way more than just one of London's many retro funk combos at the beginning of the 90s. The set includes the sublime track "Something In My Eye", a breezy bossa number that would almost put Brasil 66 to shame, and which we can guarantee will have you hitting the repeat button on your CD player again and again! Other tracks include "The Corduroy Orgasm Club", "Breakfast In Love", "Nobody Move", "Very Yeah", "Clearing Up Music", "Lovely Lonely & Loaded", and "The Frighteners". CD features 9 more bonus tracks – some previously unreleased! Next is Out Of Here – a record that's still heavily steeped in the 60s territory of previous releases, but one with a bit more of a mod feel overall! There's lots of heavy Hammond and guitar in the mix, and the vocals have a warm appeal too – kind of a blue-eyed soul take on mod London modes – served up here with a sound that's arguably tighter and more soulful than lots of current work of this nature! Corduroy was always a group that never fully got its due – and with records like this under their belt, they were easily one of the hippest acts on the Acid Jazz imprint at the time. Titles include "Don't Wait For Monday", "Practice What You Preach", "Magic Carpet", "January Woman", "Mini", "Motorhead", "Along The Rooftops", "End Of The Rainbow", and "Red Mercury". CD features 7 more bonus tracks – a number of unissued demos! Last up is Quattro – Live In Japan 1994 – a great little live set from Corduroy – recorded late in their career, but with the stripped down funky feel of their best early work! The album was recorded in Japan – but the groove is pure London jazz funk all the way, with a tight mix of keyboards and riffing guitars, electrically grooving in a very soulful way. Includes versions of "Skirt Alert", "Something In My Eye", "Mini", "Money is", "London, England", "Electric Soup", "E Type", "The Frighteners", and "Chow Down".

A massive set from Nigeria's CS Crew – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The bass is super-heavy on these grooves – way more so than on other Afro Funk records of the time, and in ways that easily match, if not beat, the early best by Fatback Band and Kool & The Gang – grooves that have amazing dexterity that few others could match, yet which always come through right on the money every time! The bass dips, turns, soars, and drops magically on each number – setting things up strongly for the group's riffing guitar, sweet keyboard lines (including a big of moog!), and few horn moments – which themselves often come across more like an American group than a Nigerian one. Vocals have this rough approach – often part of the rhythm more than anything else – and titles include "Love Is Peace", "Freaky Funkyfied Fix", "Bread Power", "Doin The Good Thing", "I've Found Love", "Last Day", and "Dig In With Time".

A massive set from Nigeria's CS Crew – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The bass is super-heavy on these grooves – way more so than on other Afro Funk records of the time, and in ways that easily match, if not beat, the early best by Fatback Band and Kool & The Gang – grooves that have amazing dexterity that few others could match, yet which always come through right on the money every time! The bass dips, turns, soars, and drops magically on each number – setting things up strongly for the group's riffing guitar, sweet keyboard lines (including a big of moog!), and few horn moments – which themselves often come across more like an American group than a Nigerian one. Vocals have this rough approach – often part of the rhythm more than anything else – and titles include "Love Is Peace", "Freaky Funkyfied Fix", "Bread Power", "Doin The Good Thing", "I've Found Love", "Last Day", and "Dig In With Time".

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

A stone pop soul winner from DeBarge – the kind of record that made the group a heck of a lot of money back in the 80s, and which sounds surprisingly great to our ears today! The record features lots of electro arrangements – fuzzy keyboards and bass pedals grooving around in a way that's got traces of "street" electro, mixed with some super-smooth LA production, and used brilliantly by the group in a family-based pop harmony way that stretches back to some of the great 70s groups of the same style – like The Sylvers or the Stairsteps. A heck of a lot nicer than we remember, and pretty great all the way through – with tracks that include "I Like It", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "All This Love", "I'm In Love With You", "Can't Stop", "It's Getting Stronger", and "Life Begins With You".

A stone pop soul winner from DeBarge – the kind of record that made the group a heck of a lot of money back in the 80s, and which sounds surprisingly great to our ears today! The record features lots of electro arrangements – fuzzy keyboards and bass pedals grooving around in a way that's got traces of "street" electro, mixed with some super-smooth LA production, and used brilliantly by the group in a family-based pop harmony way that stretches back to some of the great 70s groups of the same style – like The Sylvers or the Stairsteps. A heck of a lot nicer than we remember, and pretty great all the way through – with tracks that include "I Like It", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "All This Love", "I'm In Love With You", "Can't Stop", "It's Getting Stronger", and "Life Begins With You".

Great grooves from Debo Band – a contemporary combo, but one who's steeped in older Ethiopian modes – particularly the best 70s sounds inspired by artists like Mulatu, Mohammad Ahmed, and Tilahun Gessesse! The album may well be the funkiest set ever issued by Sub Pop – and has a hard-rolling power that rivals classic sounds you might hear on the Ethiopiques series – sent home especially well by the sax lines of Danny Mekonnen, and amazing vocals of Bruck Tesfaye – an artist who's really got his sound just right! Other instrumentation is right on the money, with some occasional touches of funkier elements – but usually just the right sort of classic Ethiopiano percussion, horns, and strings to make the music come out beautifully. Titles include "And Lay", "Asha Gedawo", "Habesha", "Abassel", "DC Flower", "Not Just A Song", "Ney Ney Weleba", and "Akale Wube".

Great grooves from Debo Band – a contemporary combo, but one who's steeped in older Ethiopian modes – particularly the best 70s sounds inspired by artists like Mulatu, Mohammad Ahmed, and Tilahun Gessesse! The album may well be the funkiest set ever issued by Sub Pop – and has a hard-rolling power that rivals classic sounds you might hear on the Ethiopiques series – sent home especially well by the sax lines of Danny Mekonnen, and amazing vocals of Bruck Tesfaye – an artist who's really got his sound just right! Other instrumentation is right on the money, with some occasional touches of funkier elements – but usually just the right sort of classic Ethiopiano percussion, horns, and strings to make the music come out beautifully. Titles include "And Lay", "Asha Gedawo", "Habesha", "Abassel", "DC Flower", "Not Just A Song", "Ney Ney Weleba", and "Akale Wube".

Raw funk from Diazpora – a contemporary cut, but one with the same sort of gritty edge you'd expect from the Tramp label's usual rare funky 45s! "Non Sports" has an odd title, but an incredible groove – a right-on-the-money blend of fast drums, blasting horns, and riffing guitars – backed by the even greater "Kate", which has this romping groove, and a nice dose of organ – almost like a Meters' cut, but lots weirder with these strange horn passages!

Ed OG's nice debut, with a slightly jazzy touch on the production and literate, intelligent lyrics. We really couldn't get with "Bug A Boo", but besides that, this first LP's solid from start to finish, from the days when that wasn't so uncommon. Drop the needle on this and head back in time to a day when backpacker wasn't necessarily a derogatory term, a beat wasn't a straight loop of a common sample, and rhyme skills included being able to follow the beat, which was typically at least a little bit funky. With the now classic "Be A Father To Your Child", plus standout tracks like "I'm Different", "Speak Upon It", "I Got To Have It" and "Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto". 12 tracks in all, also includes "Gotta Have Money", "Feel Like A Nut", "She Said It Was Great", "Dedicated To The Right Wingers", 'Let ME Tickle Your Fancy" and "Stop (Think For A Moment)".

A plenty groovy little record – an obscure indie soul set from the Detroit scene of the early 80s, served up in a nice blend of modern grooves and mellower moments! The vocals are really great on some numbers – with soaring harmonies that really bring a lot out of the tunes, especially on some of the more laidback ones – giving the record a sense of depth and fullness that often matches that of bigger known groups from the time. The whole thing was arranged and produced by Jim Roach – and titles include "Dream Machine", "Escape", "You Are My Lucky Star", "I Love You Girl", and "Money's Only Paper".

A nice collection of Fatback's later work – featuring 14 tunes the group cut for the Event label, once they smoothed out some of the sharper edges of their earlier funky stuff for Perception. The tracks aren't the hardest the group ever cut – save for the breakbeat classic "Let's Do It Again" – but they're a pretty tasty blend of bass-heavy funk designed to storm the dancefloor. Titles include "Is This The Future?", "Spanish Hustle", "Can't You See", "Yum Yum (Gimme Some)", "Gotta Get My Hands On Some Money", "Backstrokin", "Angel", and "King Tim III (Personality Jock)", which is often cited as the first rap record!

One of the best new soul records we've heard in years – a tremendous accomplishment for the mighty Lee Fields, and a set that's quite different than any of his other work! We've always loved Lee's funk and deep soul sides, but this album's something new altogether – almost done in the hard-edge, downtempo mode of the east coast harmony scene of the late 60s and early 70s – like some of the best group soul work coming out of New Jersey or Philly, with some super-dope production and instrumentation that's really amazing! The grooves follow strongly in the same laidback style as recent El Michels work – no surprise, given the El Michels connection to the music – with beats that are hard, but slow – and instrumentation that's funky, but in a mellow sort of way. Lee's vocals are as deep as ever – very much trained in the James Brown tradition, but turned here towards a really unique groove that makes us completely reevaluate his talents – an amazing achievement not just for Fields, but also for the whole Truth & Soul/El Michels crew! An instant classic – with tracks that include "My World", "Ladies", "Expressions Theme", "Honey Dove", "Money I$ King", "Love Comes & Goes", "Do You Love Me", and "Last Ride".

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 great spacey groove! "Your Best Friend" has an airy, spaced-out sort of feel – one that almost reminds us of some of the best Cali soul in recent years – a bit abstract, but right on the money – and with the vocals flanged out wonderfully next to the beats! "Look Around" has a bit more punch, but still some cool spacey modes too – a great cascading of sound that wraps up Lorett's vocals beautifully! When's the album coming? We're sure it's going to be a humdinger!

A new wave crossover classic from The Flying Lizards – one of the quirkiest groups of their era! The group were European, but have a sound that resonates strongly with the most playful post-disco work of the New York scene of the time, particularly the acts on Ze Records – a groove that mixes equal part punky and clubby rhythms, often topped with lyrics that are cold, but clever, done in the same ironic arty style of Cristina, or Devo. This album's the group's standout opus – and features their classic covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money" – as well as originals "The Flood", "TV", "The Window", and "Russia". CD also features "Money (single edit)".

A darker record later repressed on Ninja Tune – with lots of messed up beats, noisy fills, and sounds that collide and slip around one another. Think of electronica played by a young Money Mark, and you've got half the picture – then throw in crunchy production and blasted-out sound. Some tracks have oblique lyrics, and titles include "Check Fraud", "Pneumonia", "Staring At The Dashboard", "Hitting A Wall", "Truth In The Laughing Gas", "Fool", and "Word Of Advice" featuring Doom.

One of Aretha's undisputed classics – a seminal session that furthered her deep soul agenda with key backings from Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd! The Sweet Inspirations provide sublime backing vocals behind Franklin's maturing delivery of the lyrics – and the music is by an all-star group of players that includes Spooner Oldham, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Johnson, King Curtis, Tommy Cogbill, Roger Hawkins, and even Eric Clapton! Cuts include "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", "Chain Of Fools", "Money Won't Change You", "Come Back Baby", and "Ain't No Way". CD includes 4 bonus tracks "Chain of Fools (unedited version)", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (mono single version)", "Since You've Never Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) (mono single version)", and "Ain't No Way (mono single version)"!

No hangin out here – because these guys are tighter than ever, and right on the money from the very first note of the set! A snapping drum break opens up the album – followed by a wickedly stepping bassline, a rolling conga part, and a vamping dance between Hammond and tenor sax – all to set the scene for a batch of grooves that's easily one of the finest ever from this Indy combo! The album's got a sharpness and tightness that balances beautifully between funky jazz and instrumental soul – a territory that's a bit like Kool & The Gang at times, but which has a much more jazz-based approach on the solos. The big cuts include "Smokin' At Tiffany's" and "Dirty Red" – and other tracks include a sweet cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Give Me Your Love", plus "We Can Be Friends", "I Can See Clearly Now", and "I'll Be Around".

"Step Off" may not have been as big of a hit as other work from Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – but the cut's a great one nonetheless, with a darkly dipping "For The Love Of Money" bassline that's totally great! The O'Jays must have winced when Furious Five ripped off the tune – but the groove's so great, you can easily forgive them! (Oddly, for some reason, on this single Sylvia decided not to give Flash the top billing.)

A great little album of short groovy cuts from Dizzy – and actually quite hard to find on vinyl! Despite a title that sounds a bit flowery, the grooves are nice and hard – and Dizzy's playing here with a combo that includes James Moody, Kenny Barron, Billy Butler, and Candido. The sound isn't as funky as the records that Dizzy would later cut for Perception, but it's getting pretty close at times – especially on the tunes that have a nice Latin soul feel. Titles include "Summer Samba", "Bang Bang", "Mas Que Nada", "Tequila", "Winter Samba", and "Get That Money Blues".

Sweet electric piano grooving from Vince Guaraldi – previously unreleased material from the early 70s, but easily one of his greatest later albums! Vince works here both on Fender Rhodes and clavinet, plus a bit of Hammond organ and acoustic piano as well – and the tunes have a stretched-out, groovily flowing feel that's arguably even better than his electric work for Warner Brothers at the end of the 60s! The group's a trio – with Mike Clark on drums and Koji on bass – and some titles feature additional sax and flute from Vince Denham. But Guaraldi's the star of the show on all numbers – really stretching out on the keys, and mixing his older lyrical sensibility with an even more spacious quality allowed him by the different phrasing of the electric piano. Some of the tracks were recorded live, others in the studio – but there's a very unified feel throughout, and although unreleased, this album is a key part of Vince's genius that really needs to be heard! Titles include "Charlie Brown Blues", "Oaxaca", "We've Only Just Begun", "Something", "You're A Good Sport Charlie Brown", "You Never Give Me Your Money", and "Watch What Happens".

A stunning disco classic from Dan Hartman – maybe an unlikely talent for the dancefloors, given his image on the cover – but an artist who definitely went onto shape the sound of the clubs at the end of the 70s! The album's got the Hartman groove really hitting hard, and right on the money – a tightly compressed approach to disco that really lays heavily on the hooks – in a style that's similar to where Peter Brown was going at the time, with a similar compressed sensibility that gets past any of the fluff that was drowning others in the disco generation! In fact, it could well be argued that the approach here really helps focus a dancefloor sound towards the modes of the 80s – while still allowing for the fluid soul of the disco years too – a style that's summed up perfectly in the album's extended classic "Vertigo/Relight My Fire", which features famous vocals by Loleatta Holloway! Other titles are all sweet too – and include "Free Ride", "I Love Makin Music", "Just For Fun", "Love Strong", and "Hands Down". CD features some nice bonus tracks too – "Boogie All Summer (single)", "Relight My Fire (single)", "Hands Down (12" version)", "Hands Down (Hands Up)", "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)", and "Vertigo/Relight My Fire (progressive instrumental rmx)".

An amazing collection of music – and essential to any collection of blacksploitation soul and funk, even if you own the original Shaft album on Stax! Disc 1 features the original film score for the Shaft movie, not the record issued by Stax – so although Isaac Hayes handled the music, it's different from what you might have on record – and features a great array of vocal tracks and shorter funky sound cues – all with rhythm by The Bar-Kays and The Movement! Titles on disc 1 include "Bumpy's Theme", "I Can't Get Over Losin You", "Reel 4 Part 6", "Source No 1 6M1C", "Source No 2 7M1A", "Shaft Strikes Again/Return Of Shaft", "Shaft's Pain", "Rescue/Roll Up", "Love Scene Ellie", "Harlem Montage", "Shaft's First Fight", and "Title Shaft". Disc 2 features the killer soundtrack to Shaft's Big Score – written by Gordon Parks, and played with full funky style by Dick Hazard, who's getting a bit of help from the mighty Tom McIntosh. The tracks seem to include everything issued on the original LP, plus a bit more – with titles that include "Symphony For Shafted Souls", "9M3", "Funeral Home", "Don't Misunderstand", "Fight Scene", "Ike's Place", "First Meeting", "Smart Money", and "Blowin Your Mind". That disc and all of disc 3 features music from the Shaft TV series – some really under-exposed music that's totally great too, but almost with more of a crime/cop sort of style – although also with some cool moody moments too. Some of this music was done by Johnny Pate, and titles include work from the episodes The Executioners, The Killing, Hit Run, The Cop Killers, and The Kidnapping. 3CD set also features 2 bonus tracks from a single – "The Men" and "Type Thang".

A pair of mid 70s classics from Heawave – Too Hot To Handle & Central Heating – in a 2CD set with bonus tracks! Too Hot To Handle is a killer album of crossover soul – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the sample classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super Soul Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love". The CD includes 4 bonus tracks: alternate versions of "Boogie Nights", plus "Special Offer" and "Slip Your Disc To This". Central Heating is another great effort that's almost as perfectly sublime as the first! Despite their UK origin, these guys really give American late 70s soul a run for its money – hitting in a sweetly compressed sound that fuses the vocals, keyboards, and grooves together wonderfully! The album hits equally well on all burners – with some key mellow cuts, and a few funkier upbeat numbers. Titles include loads of classics – like "Mind Blowing Decisions", "Star Of A Story", "Send Out For Sunshine", "Mind Blowing Decisions, "The Groove Line", "Central Heating", "Leavin For A Dream" and more. 2 bonus tracks: remixes of "Mind Blowing Decisions" and "The Groove Line".

A soaring standout from Michael Henderson – proof that his move from jazz bassist to lead soul star was a great one! The album's got a tight groove that's right on the money – a style that's rooted in funky jazz, yet delivered with some straight soulful lyrics too – balancing things out perfectly for an audience that Henderson never would have hoped to reach a few years before! The overall format is very much in the style of the Norman Connors blend of jazz and funk – where Henderson got his start as a singer – and the vocals are nicely mixed with some great instrumental lines, too. Titles include "Reach Out For Me", "Wide Receiver", "I Don't Need Nobody Else", "Prove It", and "Ask The Lonely".

A really amazing live set from Jimi Hendrix – recorded in Berkeley at a very fervent time in that city's scene – which spins out in some amazing interplay between the musicians on the stage, and the rapturous fans in the audience! Hendrix is right on the money throughout – ripping through guitar lines that remind us that there's few out there who can still touch his genius in this stretch – and the show's recorded with just the right focus on Jimi to really make his power resonate strongly throughout! The set features the full second set of the May 30 performance from 1970 – presented in order, in its entirety, with beautiful mastering. Titles include "Pass It On", "Hey Baby", "Foxy Lady", "Purple Haze", "Star Spangled Banner", "Hey Joe", "Stone Free", and even an introductory part that's pretty compelling!

A really amazing live set from Jimi Hendrix – recorded in Berkeley at a very fervent time in that city's scene – which spins out in some amazing interplay between the musicians on the stage, and the rapturous fans in the audience! Hendrix is right on the money throughout – ripping through guitar lines that remind us that there's few out there who can still touch his genius in this stretch – and the show's recorded with just the right focus on Jimi to really make his power resonate strongly throughout! The set features the full second set of the May 30 performance from 1970 – presented in order, in its entirety, with beautiful mastering. Titles include "Pass It On", "Hey Baby", "Foxy Lady", "Purple Haze", "Star Spangled Banner", "Hey Joe", "Stone Free", and even an introductory part that's pretty compelling!

One of the most compelling later albums on Philly International – a killer mix of jazzy numbers that have a very different style than most of the other Philly work at the time! Even though Leon Huff had been banging around in soul music for about 15 years – most famously as half of the Philly soul superteam Gamble & Huff – this 1980 LP was his first effort as an artist, instead of producer. In Chicago, the big highlight is the jazzy stepping track "I Ain't Jivin, I'm Jammin" – which grooves along with a sweet two-step piano sound that's still quite popular on the dancefloor – but the record is filled with nice tracks including "Tight Money", which was done earlier by Reuben Wilson, the funky "Your Body Won't Move If You Can't Feel The Groove", the breezy instrumental "No Greater Love", "Tasty", "This One's For Us" and "Latin Spirit".