A pair of rare 80s soul albums from the Windy City – presented here as a double-length collection, given that the groups were essentially the same act! First up is the debut of Maxx Traxx, an excellent 80s groove combo from Chicago – one of the city's last great indie acts in the years before the house generation – and an outfit who comes across with an incredibly tight sound that should have made them huge! The set cooks along in a really great way – bubbling with bass and keys like a BB&Q band album, but also sporting some really strong vocals from the group – coming together in great harmonies at surprising moments – which makes for a set that's a lot deeper than you might think at first. The ballads are as great as the groovers – and titles include "Time Has Come", "Tell Me", "You & I", "Let's Have A Party", "Don't Touch It", "To Be With You", and "Living Without You". Next is the album Reachin For It by Third Rail – a real lost group from the early 80s Chicago scene – but a great one! It's our guess that these guys never made it bigger because they were stuck on a tiny indie in the years after the big companies departed the Windy City – the sound is almost in the Omni mode, in that the group's a larger ensemble funk outfit, given an 80s groove spin, with some great post-Earth Wind & Fire styled instrumentation supporting the rhythms, and sweet compressed vocals that step out nicely. Titles include "Reachin For It", "If You Want It", "Just Had To Tell You", "Let Me Love You", and "Living Without You". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant early sounds from Jimmy Jam – rare late 70s material that has a very different sound than his slicker 80s work with Terry Lewis! The style here is a wonderful blend of sweet soul and righteous jazzy funk – a lot warmer than Jimmy's later beat-heavy style – and served up with loads of sweet keyboards alongside the soaring harmony vocals! Jimmy himself plays Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and other keys – but what we really love about the record is the vocals – these harmonies that are as fragile as New Jersey soul from the early part of the decade, but often turned towards more complicated cuts that have lots of jazzy riffing in the rhythms! The work's never been issued before, and is one of the greatest discoveries we've heard so far from the Numero Group – that's really saying a lot, given all their other releases. The vibe is almost like the Moments or Whatnauts recording for Black Jazz records – and titles include "I Don't Know Why", "My Love Is Like A Fire", "The Wonder Of It All", "No One Else Can Do It To Me Baby", "Virgin Lady", and "When You're Touching Me". CD

Brilliant early sounds from Jimmy Jam – rare late 70s material that has a very different sound than his slicker 80s work with Terry Lewis! The style here is a wonderful blend of sweet soul and righteous jazzy funk – a lot warmer than Jimmy's later beat-heavy style – and served up with loads of sweet keyboards alongside the soaring harmony vocals! Jimmy himself plays Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and other keys – but what we really love about the record is the vocals – these harmonies that are as fragile as New Jersey soul from the early part of the decade, but often turned towards more complicated cuts that have lots of jazzy riffing in the rhythms! The work's never been issued before, and is one of the greatest discoveries we've heard so far from the Numero Group – that's really saying a lot, given all their other releases. The vibe is almost like the Moments or Whatnauts recording for Black Jazz records – and titles include "I Don't Know Why", "My Love Is Like A Fire", "The Wonder Of It All", "No One Else Can Do It To Me Baby", "Virgin Lady", and "When You're Touching Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge recorded legacy of this underground Chicago group – a set that features their full three albums, lots of other material, and a huge booklet of notes – at a level that's even heftier than some of their other packages! The set features the full albums Panda Park, To Everybody, and Critical Band – plus a full album of unissued Peel Session material, and another full album of singles, EP material, and outtakes – all accompanied by a 68 page book that features interview material, lots of images, and plenty more! LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool grooves from Tony Palkovic – an artist who's kind of a one man soul band in himself – playing keyboards and guitar over drum machine riffs – on these tracks that are laidback, soulful, and instrumental – almost serving up a smoother take on the territory of 80s electro soul! All the elements gel together beautifully – nothing's too forced, or ever stiff – and Tony clearly likes to find a groove in the studio, then spin it out with just a few key elements – which almost seems to underscore the quality of the songs even more. Titles include "Day To Day", "Hoping For A Better World", "Born With A Desire", "Breath Of Sound", "Electric Heart", and "Better Than Before". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool grooves from Tony Palkovic – an artist who's kind of a one man soul band in himself – playing keyboards and guitar over drum machine riffs – on these tracks that are laidback, soulful, and instrumental – almost serving up a smoother take on the territory of 80s electro soul! All the elements gel together beautifully – nothing's too forced, or ever stiff – and Tony clearly likes to find a groove in the studio, then spin it out with just a few key elements – which almost seems to underscore the quality of the songs even more. Titles include "Day To Day", "Hoping For A Better World", "Born With A Desire", "Breath Of Sound", "Electric Heart", and "Better Than Before". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully packaged to include 75 calls over 16 compact discs, edited by Scharpling & Wurster, an 108-page hardcover book with cover art by Joe Matt that features essays by Patton Oswalt, Julie Klausner, Damian Abraham and more. With additional swag: USB drive with all of the calls plus 4 hours of bonus material, Fold-out map of Newbridge, and Philly Boy Roy & Timmy von Trimble Paper Dolls. CD

Fantastic sounds from Jackie Shane – a Canadian soul singer who's achieved a bit of recent fame, due to her legacy as an underground trans figure – but an artist who'd already be a winner, even without such a fascinating back story! Fortunately, both sides of Jackie's life are included here – a stunning array of rare soul singles from the late 60s, alongside a heavy package of notes, photos, and other bits of Shane's unusual story – all given the wonderful Numero Group treatment! These guys have a way of digging out stories even where you might not expect them – so in the case of Jackie, their efforts are extra-important – and the heavy weight of the record really seems to emphasize that fact – as the whole thing's really a double-whammy of Numero genius. But again, even without all of that, the whole thing's more than essential for any fan of underground soul – especially female soul – half the set features her rare singles, the other lost live work – with titles that include "Sticks & Stones", "Cruel Cruel World", "Comin Down", "In My Tenement", "Send Me Some Lovin", "I've Really Got The Blues", "Stand Up Straight & Tall", "Cruel Cruel World", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "Any Other Way", "Shotgun", "I Don't Want To Cry", and "Money". CD

A beautiful lost record from the 70s – recorded by a singer from Harlem, but attending a Quaker school in Pennsylvania – which makes for a wonderfully cool blend of sounds and styles on the set! There's almost an acoustic core to the record, but the set also uses just the right amount of bass as well – next to piano that has some jazzy undercurrents, and which has the record coming across somewhere in the folksy soul territory of Terry Callier – recorded with a very similar sense of sophistication in both the songs and the performances! Shira's voice is great – very personal, and just right for the material – and titles include "Fingerpainter", "Cool Dude", "Here I Stand", "I Want To Lay With You", "Lights Gleam Lonely", "Touch Of Blue", "Gimme Magic", and "In An Open Field". LP, Vinyl record album

An overdue full length set from the great Helene Smith – a Miami singer who recorded for a number of small labels in the 60s, in a style that mixes deep soul leads with some wonderful sweet soul presentation! Helene's best known for the title cut, which has gotten some great play in recent years, thanks to a reissue – but the whole body of work here is great – and some of the cuts feature early production work from talents who'd later form the backbone of TK Records in the 70s, including Willie Clarke and Clarence Reid. Titles include "Sure Thing", "Pain In My Heart", "You Got To Do Your Share", "Thrills & Chills", "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle", "China Melody", "Gossip Don't Worry Me", "True Love Don't Grow On Trees", and "I Am Controlled By Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A trippy little combo with a distinct post-Coltrane feel – stretching out here wonderfully, on a hip little session on a homegrown label! The group hail from the unlikely spot of Las Vegas – but they've got a deeply spiritual sound that rivals the best work on the coasts in the early 70s – a very searching, righteous sort of groove – crafted beautifully from the tenor sax lines of Rick Davis, and the sweet Fender Rhodes of Ron Feuer! The album's filled with long, exploratory tracks – tunes that are free, but never too much so – and the mixture of electric keys and tenor works nicely throughout – giving the album a really unique and unified feel that sets it apart from other small jazz sets of its type. All tunes are originals by the group – and titles include "Vibrations", "Starship", "Spirit Free", and "Isis Unveiled". CD features 3 bonus tracks too – "Horizon", "Starship (alt)", and "Dear Latin Friend". CD

A rich legacy of soul from a Virginia singer of the 70s – one who recorded most of these sides for the tiny Shiptown label, in a wonderful mix of deep soul and more sophisticated styles – all brought together here to make for a long-overdue full length collection of Barbara Stant's music! As with most Numero collections, even though some of the tracks saw the light of day on 7" singles, they're still pretty darn obscure – which makes the package a real window into an overlooked singer with a voice that rings out loud and proud throughout – great on the mellow cuts, and gritty on the funkier numbers – served up here on titles that include "That Man Of Mine", "I'm Going To Outfit You Baby", "My Mind Holds On To Yesterday", "I Found Me A Real Man", "Unsatisfied Woman", "He's Still Your Man", "Baby I Love You", "Shadow Of Your Footsteps", and "Hung On". LP, Vinyl record album

You won't find Joyce Street in the Country Music Hall Of Fame, but she's the kind of singer who definitely could have been huge, had she ever hit the big time – yet maybe one who's even more fascinating on this series of singles recorded for a variety of small labels in the 70s – all the kind of heartfelt, honest work that's very different than the arena-filling music of the outlaw generation! Joyce has a voice that recalls some of our favorite female country singers to emerge in the 60s, and hearing this work is like catching one of them before they were picked up by a major label – recording with a real since of sincerity that definitely does justice to her music. Titles include "Life Ain't Worth Livin", "Back Streets Of The City", "Love In My Heart", "California You're Slippin", "Mississippi Moonshine", "Woman Do Something Nice", and "That Man Of Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing musical discovery – the lost second album from 24 Carat Black – recorded right after the band's legendary debut for Stax Records, but unissued for over 30 years! All the righteous styles of the group's famous Ghetto Misfortune's Wealth classic are fully in place here – and if anything, the record has an even headier feel overall – really complicated sounds that are often deeply spiritual, but still have that snaking, bassline-driven, slow funk quality that we love in the group! The tunes each feel like mini-symphonies in soul – and although the themes center more around love than politics, they're done in a way that goes way past any sexy soul cliches of the time. The group is amazingly laidback – slow-stepping into each tune with a care and confidence that's amazing – and letting the cuts come into their own organically, but always with a mystical sense of order. Numero have done a wonderful job excavating this work – remastering the tapes for great sound, and telling the full story of the group and their too-short career. Titles include "The Best Of Good Love Gone", "I'll Never Let You Go", "Gone The Promises Of Yesterday", "I Begin To Weep", "I Want To Make Up", and "I Don't Love You". CD

A Chicago group who never hit the big time during their short run at the start of the 80s – but one who definitely know how to groove! There's a vibe here that really lives up to the "togetherness" in the group's name – a way of coming together with a tight, sharp sound throughout – but one that's never too slick, just surprisingly strong for such an underground funk group from the Windy City! And although the music is upbeat, the style is less disco than it is the kind of faster funk that percolated strongly in the underground scene in the pre-house years – almost more akin to some of the best indie club work coming out of the east coast, but with a very unique vibe too. As usual with Numero, the set does way more than just bring this lost music to light – it also tells the tale of the Universal Togetherness Band, and their never-flagging sense of energy and inspiration during their short but important run. Titles include "Ain't Gonna Cry", "Try Try Try", "My Sentiment", "Real Thrill", "Once In A Lifetime", "Call For Love", "I Want You", and "Taken By Love". CD

A fantastic follow-up to the legendary Home Schooled collection from Numero Group – and, like that one, a set that focuses on the surprisingly great genre of kid soul that flourished in the 70s – in the wake of bigger groups like the Jackson Five, Sylvers, and 5 Stairsteps! These groups are all from similar territory – mostly comprised of younger members, but who work with an undeniably great sound overall – grooves as sharp as most of their adult counterparts in the indie soul field – and maybe a lot more energy and enthusiasm in their music – which makes for tracks that are wonderfully upbeat, positive, and overflowing with goodness! Most of the work here is from the early 70s – and, as always with Numero, the set is presented in a very thoughtful manner – with some great notes and wonderful sound quality overall. There's a few of our favorite Chicago groups on here, mixed with loads of other artists we've never heard before – and titles include "Runnin Wild" by Scott Three, "You Got Me Believing" by Leonard Kaigler, "Guessing Games" by Jimi Hill, "I Want A Little Girl" by The Bennetts, "Everywhere You Go" by The Next Movement, "Because I Love You" by Brighter Side Of Darkness, "It's Time For Love" by Soul Emotions & Co, "The Other Guy" by Mighty Mustangs, "Love Got A Piece Of Your Mind" by Five Ounces Of Soul, "Funky Breakdown" by Little Man & The Inquires, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by The Brothers Rap, "I'm Free No Dope For Me" by The Dynamics, and "Girl Why Do You Want To Take My Heart" by Magical Connection. CD

Fantastic female funk – a set of grooves that's way more natural than you might guess from the beehive in the title – the harder sound of 60s soul and early 70s funk – all pulled together from a host of rare 7" singles from back in the day! The set's got Numero breaking past the range of a single label or local scene – to pull together the best bits from all over, as a massive collection of all-female funky grooves! Titles include "You Got Me Under Your Spell" by Mae Young, "Good Things' by Pearl Dowell, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear" by Marva Whitney, "Hot Pats (part 1)" by The 20th Century, "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "Save The Children" by Lolla Collins, "Come Back Boy" by The Ba-Roz, "Second Avenue" by Sonics Band, and the Chicago classic "I'm A Streaker Baby" by Arelean Brown. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic female funk – a set of grooves that's way more natural than you might guess from the beehive in the title – the harder sound of 60s soul and early 70s funk – all pulled together from a host of rare 7" singles from back in the day! The set's got Numero breaking past the range of a single label or local scene – to pull together the best bits from all over, as a massive collection of all-female funky grooves! Titles include "You Got Me Under Your Spell" by Mae Young, "Good Things' by Pearl Dowell, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear" by Marva Whitney, "Hot Pats (part 1)" by The 20th Century, "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "Save The Children" by Lolla Collins, "Come Back Boy" by The Ba-Roz, "Second Avenue" by Sonics Band, and the Chicago classic "I'm A Streaker Baby" by Arelean Brown. LP, Vinyl record album

Numero Group does it again – and manages to pull together all the best bits from the crucially overlooked powerpop scene in the Land Of Lincoln – a wealth of wonderful groups from the 70s and 80s, all of whom recorded great indie sounds in Illinois! Sure, you've heard of Cheap Trick, and maybe The Kind – but Illinois was also home to handfuls of other great groups – many of whom never found national fame, due to lack of access to the kind of A&R that groups on the coast were getting. The sound here is wonderful – razor sharp guitars, super-tight drums, and tuneful lyrics that still burst forth with plenty of power – a great reminder that not all the hot energy of the late 70s was going into punk rock. As usual, Numero's overdone themselves with the package – lots of info on the groups, and the kind of stylish package that even goes way beyond most of the original records too. Titles include "At Practice" by Band Jocks, "Get Away" by Julian Leal, "I Wanna Make You" by Prettyboys, "Midnight Girls" by Eyz, "Where Are You Now" by Tom Orsi, "More & More" by Lay Z, "See You Tonight" by Contra-Band, "Kyle" by Loose Lips, "Total Insanity" by The Kind, "So Lifelike" by The Jerks, and "I Have Always Loved You" by Paul. CD

Numero Group does it again – and manages to pull together all the best bits from the crucially overlooked powerpop scene in the Land Of Lincoln – a wealth of wonderful groups from the 70s and 80s, all of whom recorded great indie sounds in Illinois! Sure, you've heard of Cheap Trick, and maybe The Kind – but Illinois was also home to handfuls of other great groups – many of whom never found national fame, due to lack of access to the kind of A&R that groups on the coast were getting. The sound here is wonderful – razor sharp guitars, super-tight drums, and tuneful lyrics that still burst forth with plenty of power – a great reminder that not all the hot energy of the late 70s was going into punk rock. As usual, Numero's overdone themselves with the package – lots of info on the groups, and the kind of stylish package that even goes way beyond most of the original records too. Titles include "At Practice" by Band Jocks, "Get Away" by Julian Leal, "I Wanna Make You" by Prettyboys, "Midnight Girls" by Eyz, "Where Are You Now" by Tom Orsi, "More & More" by Lay Z, "See You Tonight" by Contra-Band, "Kyle" by Loose Lips, "Total Insanity" by The Kind, "So Lifelike" by The Jerks, and "I Have Always Loved You" by Paul. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing world of music – rare funk, soul, reggae, and other grooves from Belize – all beautifully compiled in the rich Numero Music style! We're really stunned by the set – as we had no idea at all that Belize had anything going on at this level – and the collection is an amazing surprise to our ears, filled with new delights at each turn, and clearly marking Belize as a new funky capitol on our ever-expanding map of musical understanding. Numero really outdid themselves with this package – going far beyond their already-great collections of work from the Bandit and Capsoul labels – to dig up a range of tracks that have never really made it out to the world at large, but which bubble over with influences from American funk and soul at the time. The notes are great, and the booklet's got plenty of excellent images to back up the writings – but the music is the real star of the set, and is presented on 16 tracks that include "More Love Reggae" and "Boogaloo A La Chuck" by Lord Rhaburn, "Theme From The Godfather" and "Backstabbers" by The Professionals, "Can't Go Halfway" and "Shame Shame Shame" by The Harmonettes, "Things Are Going To Work Out Right" and "Rated G" by The Web, "Funky Jive (parts 1& 2)" by Soul Creations, and "Long Time Boy" by Nadia Cattouse. CD

Heavy funk from the Bahamas – a whole bunch of groups that will show you that Nassau had a lot more to offer than The Beginning Of The End! The groove here is totally wonderful – somewhat like American funk of the late 60s and early 70s, but served up with some very unusual rhythmic patterns too – a bit Jamaican at times, but certainly not reggae – and somewhat sunny and Caribbean styled, but not in a way that's cheesy or filled with any hokey island-styled stereotypes. Instead, the tunes are deeply funk and soulful – grooving with plenty of dark edges and gritty instrumentation that's often heavy on the guitar. Many numbers have vocals, and those are great too – and as usual with the Numero label, the whole thing's put together with amazing notes and packaging, so that you get a full history lesson and a heck of a lot of photos to support the music too! Titles include "Gonna Build A Nation" by Cyril Ferguson, "Mustang Sally", "I Am The Man For You Baby", and "Funky Fever" by Jay Mitchell, "Theme From Shaft" by Esquires LTD, "Gimme Some Skin (inst)" by Frank Penn, "Words To My Song" by Dry Bread, "People Won't Change" by Willpower, "Take Five" by Ozzie Hall, "Watcha Gonna Do Bout It" and "The Time For Loving Is Now" by Mustangs, "Honesty Is The Best Policy" by Gospel Chandeliers, and "Don't Touch That Thing" by Sylvia Hall. CD

Incredible third coast salsa from the late 70s – amazing stuff from the orquestras of Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label – made by singers and players in Chicago's Puerto Rican community of the period that stands up just as well today! Chicago salsa, unlike more nationally popular styles, was rooted in the city's rich Puerto Rican community. They cover material adapted from traditionals and more, done with less pan-Caribbean derived sounds than the Cuban-rooted salseros of NYC and Miami. As fondly remembered as the players of the Chicago salsa scene are by the older Puerto Rican community, records by Orquestas La Justicia, La Solucion, Juventad Tipica '78, Tipica Leal '79 and others are terribly hard to find. Not only has Numero managed to compile a terrific batch of songs, the sound quality is impeccable, too! Titles include "Plena Matrimonial" by Ebirac All-Stars featuring La Calandria & Ramito, "Stone Flower", "Alegre Jibarito", "Guaguanco Coroco" and more by La Justicia, "Afro Theme" and "Ano Nuevo Y Reyes" by Juventud Tipica '78, "A Bailar Son Montuno", "El Gordo Y El Flaco" and "Mini Minoso" by La Solucion, "Mozambique" by La Solucion featuring Mongo Santamaria, "Donde Estabas" by Tipica Leal '79 and more, plus the bonus "Ebirac Radio Spot". The booklet is lavish, too – full of notes and photos that that make it all the more revelatory – providing a historical perspective that can't be overpraised! CD

Not much of a cover photo, but one of the most amazing collections so far from the Numero Group – a richly archival project that finally brings to light the lost efforts of the short lived Tap Records label! Tap was the brainchild of Jeremiah Yisrael – an ambitious producer, and legendary perfectionist – so much so that he often put more effort into these indie productions than you'd find at bigger label projects of the time! Most material here dates from the years 1981 and 1982, and the music is a mix of club, modern soul, boogie, and a bit of hip hop – nearly all of which hardly got any exposure at the time. The booklet not only tells the tale of the label and Yisrael's career, but also Numero's efforts in resurrecting these lost tapes from a very moldy near-death experience – a narrative that's almost as exciting as the music in the package. And the package is pretty great too – not only because of the 24 page, full color booklet – but also because of the supplemental book that reproduces lost sheet music and studio notes from the Tap sessions. Amazing stuff throughout – well worthy of another deep bow for the Numero team – with a total of 14 tracks that include "Breakout" and "We've Had Enough" by Arnie Love & The Lovettes, "Invisible Wind" and "Guilty" by Jackie Stoudemire, "Missy Missy Dee" by Missy Dee & The Melody Crew, "So Nice" by Annette Denvil, "Rub A Dub Dub" by The Fabulous 3 MCs, "Don't Stop Dancin" and "Run Away Hide From Love" by Jackie Stoudemire, and "Breakout" by Magnetism. Also features two tracks from 1971 – "Does He Really Mean It" and "Love Which Way" by Bonnie Freeman. CD

Sample funk spun from records rescued by The Numero Group – edited by white label production crew Shoes without Numero's consent – which was then seized by Numero at the pressing plant, they bootlegged the bootleg, and release it here legitimately as Eccentric Breaks & Beats! The breakbeat funk aware will recognize the packaging for its parody of the Ultimate Breaks & Beats series – and however you feel about the politics of grey market music – creatively, this thing is a total win! Numero takes such impeccable care with their reissues, from the masters to the notes and packaging, we actually never really thought of the music as sample material – funky as the funkiest of their ouvre is! That's a testament to the curators of Numero, as the singers, players and producers of the original material are of paramount importance and we think of them individually when we listen to those compilations. Shoes, on the other hand (. . .or foot), heard potential for hypnotic, swirling psych funk blends and spins an undeniably creative set to suit. Titles include "Give Me Another Day", "Not Ready For School", "John Goodman Is Too Cool To Cry", "Peopleibrium", "Feel What Lies Behind You", "Saving Mr Billy's Soul", "Cosmic Clock", "Which Jesus Am I", "Everything" and more. CD

The Numero Group takes a great step backwards – returning to the capital city of Ohio, Columbus – to mine the same soul and funk treasure trove of their Capsoul collection! The music here comes from the same scene – and often from Capsoul or related labels – and the set offers up a stunning array of rare gems, many of which were never even pressed on record – all showing Columbus to be one of the funkiest, grooviest cities in the US during the early 70s! Lots of the work here has that same heavy groove that we love from the Capsoul collection – and since that initial Numero foray into the compilation business, the label has only become more skilled at unearthing and presenting great sounds like this. The package features notes on both the music and the project of researching it – plus a long appendix on the local labels featured, along with photos and label scans too! Titles include "Woe Is Me" by Kool Blues, "I Need Your Love" by Chandlers, "Funky Disposition" by Dean Francis & Soul Rockers, "Lose The One You Love" by Soul Partners, "Look In The Mirror" by Vondors, "Hysteria" by Four Mints, "This Is The Way That I Am" by La Fez, "When He's Gone" by Associated Press, "Excuse Me Miss" by Jupiter's Release, and "I've Been Trying" by Love Maximum. CD

A huge document of work from LA's Consolidated Productions – a company you might not know by name, but one who issued work on a number of tiny indie labels – including City Lights, Simco, Space, Velvet, Angel Town, and many other labels! The set is heavy on 60s soul in a variety of styles – and features group harmonies, deep soul singers, and even some instrumental work too – all with qualities that are very much in the best modes that the Chicago scene was recording at the time – sophisticated, but gritty too – and with a vibe that's way past the 60s soul hits you'll find on mainstream compilations! You'll recognize a few names here – including Gene Russell, later of Black Jazz fame – and there's a fair bit of obscure artists too – in a set list of 28 tracks that include "Misery" by The DeVelles, "Cool It Baby" by BB Carter, "I'm Mad" by Spider Walker, "Money Man" by LA Untouchables, "I Got To See My Baby" by Lee Jones, "Jet Set" and "Doin The Snake Hips" by Gene Russell's Trio, "Don't You Fool Me" by Ann Stacy, "My Lover" by Marilyn Calloway & The 4 Silvertones, "Lighten Up Baby" by Ty Karim, "Turkey Trot" by Dynamic Duo & The Penguiness, "False Pride" and "Prove It" by Lee Harvey, and "So Called Friend" by Billy Williams. LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

An essential chapter of Miami soul – even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul – but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own – served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect – Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene – and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. But even above the 20 great tracks on the CD, the package is amazing too – filled with notes on each group, a special appendix on Miami soul, a rare indie label discography, and a wealth of great images and photos – all layered lovingly into a full-color, 32 page booklet! Numero have really outdone themselves with this one – and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package – more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers. CD

Funky soul from Witchita, Kansas – an unlikely locale, but home to some really great music – courtesy of the Smart brothers, and their ultra-hip club! This wonderful entry in the Eccentric Soul series from Numero really brings that lost scene to life – telling the tale of the brothers, their club, and some of the wickedly funky artists that graced their stage – a host of obscure groups, singers, and instrumentalists who really made Kansas cook, back in the day! The groove here is plenty darn hard – as raw as some of the best funky 45s you might find from points north, warmed up with occasional southern soul elements – and always produced with rough-and-ready vibe that gets to the heart of the grit right away. The set comes with a beautiful 28 page booklet – filled with vintage photos, in support of the Smart story, told by Dante Carfagna and Rob Sevier – but even without this added feature, the CD itself would be wonderful – essential listening for fans of all things funky! Titles include "Herbie's Bag" by John Smart's Band, "Mercy Baby" by Tim Jacob, "Dedicated To You" by Hard Road, "Let Me Be Your Christmas Toy" by Chocolate Snow, "Smart" by Smart Brothers, "I Was Made To Love Her" by Theron & Darrell, "I'm Not Ashamed" by Baby Neal & The Smart Brothers, "Everybody Needs Somebody" by LT & The Soulful Dynamics, "Don't Hate Let's Communicate" by Kenneth Carr with John Smart's Band, "It's Your Love" by Theron & Darrell, and "Let It Be" by Chocolate Snow. CD

An incredible peek into a near-lost chapter of Chicago soul – the tiny Bandit label, home to The Majestic Arrows, one of the greatest indie harmony groups of the midwest in the 70s – plus a few other excellent soul artists! As with the other Eccentric Soul volume from Numero, this one offers far more than just an assortment of rare singles – and instead really digs deep to tell the true story of this tiny indie soul label. The music alone is totally great – as the set features a wealth of harmony soul tracks by The Majestic Arrows, plus other funk and soul tracks by Johnny Davis, Altyrone Deno Brown, and Linda Balintine – but the package is equally noteworthy – filled with the storied details of the unusual and exotic practices and lifestyles of the Bandit Records posse. The set features 17 full tracks – including "One More Time Around", "Another Day", "Doing It For Us", "Love Is All I Need", "Going To Make A Time Machine", "We Love Together", "The Magic Of Your Love", and "I'll Never Cry For Another Boy" by The Majestic Arrows; "We Have Love" and "Bring Back The One I Love" by The Arrows; "If You Love Me" and "Sweet Pea" by Altyrone Deno Brown; "You're A Habit Hard To Break" and "Glad About That" by Linda Balintine; and "You've Got To Crawl To Me" and "Boogedy Boogedy" by Johnny Davis. Plus, the set also features 3 rehearsal takes of tunes by the Majestic Arrows! CD

A treasure trove of funk and soul from one heck of a great little label – Columbus, Ohio's short-lived Capsoul imprint – only around for 5 years in the 70s, but home to a great flurry of indie singles! We first caught onto the label's brilliance with their funky classics "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies and "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss – but as this set wonderfully demonstrates, the label's got a heck of a lot more to offer – and all of it great! The label's brilliance has been masterfully unearthed by the crate-digging team at Numero Records – who've brought together 19 of the best Capsoul singles in a beautiful package that really tells the story of the tiny imprint, getting at the details and struggles that faced independent soul in the marketplace of the 70s. Way more than just a set of old singles, the set's a rich document of indie soul in one of the near-forgotten corners of the Midwest – filled with great tunes that may well have you booking the next flight you can find to Columbus! Titles include "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss, "Pure Soul" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Without Love" by Ronnie Taylor, "You're All I Need To Make It" by Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum, & Durr, "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Too Far Gone" by Four Mints, "I Want To Be Ready" by Kook Blues, "Go On Fool" by Marion Black, and "Number One" by Bill Moss. Updated version features new mastering and additional notes – plus the bonus track "All I Need To Make It" by The Capsoul Group. CD

The birth of Miami soul, and a beautifully done document of the rare Deep City label – home to Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, and Betty Wright in the years before Alston and TK Records! Way before Miami soul started cracking the charts at the start of the 70s, Deep City was already putting the best parts in place – working with a tight roster of artists and an equally tight in-house band that rose from the ranks of Florida A&M's Marching 100 band – razor-sharp instrumentalists who helped forge a groove worthy to rival the sounds of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and even the best of Detroit at the time – given that some of the work here has a much sweeter soul sound than other 60s southern soul. As usual, the Numero team have done an incredible job with the package – pulling out rare photos, personal stories, and just the right amount of information to breathe new life into the Deep City label and help it live anew. CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Paralyzed" and "Good Lovin" by Betty Wright, "Am I A Good Man" by Them Two, "Someone To Fulfill My Needs" and "I Love You Baby" by The Moovers, "I Am Controlled By Your Love" and "Willing & Able" by Helene Smith, "Good Thing (part 1)" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "It's My Baby" and "The Upset" by Paul Kelly, and "Stay Away From My Johnny" by Freda Gray & The Rocketeers. CD

That's a sweet image on the cover – and the grooves inside are equally dynamic too – a really wonderful collection that's easily one of the most compelling in Numero's Eccentric Soul series! The work here all hails from the tiny San Antonio scene of the late 60s – but much of the music has a sound that's way different than you might expect from Texas soul – often with great harmonies that recall the best of the east coast groups of the time, and occasionally with a few brown-eyed touches that echo the style of East LA! There's a wonderfully heartbreaking feel to many of these tracks – and the set's heavy focus on mellower numbers is totally great – and gives the whole thing a wonderful late nite sort of vibe that's usually quite hard to find in compilations like this. As usual, Numero's done a great job with the notes and history of the label – but the music alone is more than enough – a heady brew of cuts that include "Little Girl Blue" and "Try Loving Me" by The Webs, "I Gotta Know" by Tonettes, "Give Your Love To Me" and "Ain't No Big Thing" by Little Jr Jesse & The Tear Drops, "Cry & Wonder Why" by Doc & Sal, "Must Be Alright" and "Hey It's Love" by The Commands, "She's Gotta Have Soul" by Bobby Blackmon & The Soul Express, and "I Can't Take No More" by Willie Cooper & The Webs. CD

Killer soul from the Forte label of Kansas City – a tiny imprint, but a really great one too – and a company with an especially strong ear for the funkier side of the spectrum! This Numero set really gets back to the greatness that first made us fall in love with their collections in the first place – and brings together a really wonderful batch of rare singles that work perfectly as a whole album – no filler, no trans-genre stepping, and just a rock-solid batch of soul cuts that you'd have to dig deep in the American underground to find this strongly! The package is wonderful – plenty of notes, photos, and the usual Numero sense of history – but even without all that, the music is more than enough – a smoking pile of singles that includes "Whtever You Do" by Gene Williams, "I'm Gonna Get Your Thing" by Lee Harris, "Baby Your Love Is Amazing" by The Four Darlings, "I'll Never Be Satisfied" by Tony Ashley & The Delicates, "Baby Be Good" by The Rayons, "With Fun In My Life" by James Whitney, "Reaching For Our Star" by Sharon Revoal, "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear" by Marva Whitney, and "Cry Night & Day" by The Fantasticks. CD

A glorious batch of unearthed soul and funk from the early 70s central Ohio scene – the storming singles of Prix label – culled from ultra rare 45s plus previous unreleased gems! Prix was the imprint started to release work captured at Columbus's Harmonic Sounds studios commercially – pummeling funk, uptempo harmony soul, some heavy organ groovers and beyond – work by the Royal Esquires, Eddie Ray, Joe King, Marion Black and others. Most of the tracks were cut in the first few years of the 70s – at a time when when central Ohio was producing soul and funk as mighty as the bigger midwestern cities of Detroit, Memphis and Chicago – standing just as tall even if it didn't get over as well in the marketplace! 19 tracks in all – 11 of which were issued as Prix 45s in the early 70s, plus 8 more tracks that were never officially released – culled from finished masters, demos and other studio material that was only recently discovered! Titles include "Wait A Minute", "You Got Me" and more by Eddie Ray, "Mystic" and "Mister Kidneys" by OFS Unlimited, "Speak On Up" and "Your My Everything" by Joe King, "Ain't Gonna Run" by Royal Esquires, "Listen Black Brother" by Marion Black, "Melon Jelly" by Soul Ensemble, "I'm Gonna Gitcha" by Chip Willis & Double Exposure and more, plus 4 "extended play" bonus tracks by Eddie Ray, Harmonic Sounds Band and Penny & The Quarters. CD

Heavy funk from the Florida scene, and a set that brings together some real killers from the much-lauded Saadia label – an imprint that followed on the scene after the earlier Deep City label, and which definitely set the tone for all sorts of funky 45s from TK Records to come! There's some players here you'll know from later fame – and they're set up on really raw, gritty cuts that more than live up to the funky 45 fame that has made Saadia one of the real indie greats from the south back in the day – a definite top-shelf label presented here in an all-killer, no-filler collection! Titles include "Right On Brother" and "Cold Sweat" by Brother Williams, "Do Right Man" and "Blind Man" by Little Beaver & The Rocketeers, "It's All Lover" and "Good Things" by Pearl Dowell, "Just Can't Help Myself" and "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by Robert Moore, "Super Funky" by Thunder Lighting & Rain, "Do Right Man" by Sam Baker, and "Somebody Done Took My Baby & Gone" by Joey Gilmore. LP, Vinyl record album

A great look at an obscure indie soul label from the Cleveland scene at the end of the 60s – and a company that's definitely a cut above, given that it released some early O'Jays singles in the years before their crossover fame in the 70s – and members of that group also wrote a fair bit of singles for the label too! Besides a tie to the O'Jays, the Saru label also had a tight, well-chosen roster – one that really helped make Cleveland a hotbed for sweet soul at the time – easily competing with the hippest singers and groups from Philly, New York, and New Jersey – thanks to a string of excellent 45s on both the Saru imprint, and related Horoscope Records! As usual with Numero, the whole package is filled with fantastic details and photos that are as compelling as the music itself – and as for the music, this time around the Numero folks really get to the heart of the matter with a non-stop array of excellent material – not unreleased tapes, but killer 45s that really show Saru as a hell of a great soul label during its short run of records. Titles include "For The Rest Of My Life" and "Tears Don't Care Who Cry" by The Out Of Sights, "I Believe" and "Are You Man Enough" by Sir Stanely, "Stand In For Love" and "Love's Needed" by Pandella Kelly, "Come Back Boy" and "The Last Time" by The Ba-Roz, "Bound" and "I Remember You" by Ponderosa Twins, "Just To Be With You" and "Got To Make It Right" by Elements, "Can't Make It Without You" by Michael Bell, "Got To Get My Broom Out" by David Peoples, "Just To Be With You" by Bobby Dukes, and "Now He's Home" and "Shattered Man" by The O'Jays. CD

Numero's Eccentric Soul series focuses on a well-named label – the tiny Shoestring company, who must have operated on a shoestring budget – given that most of its work hardly made it out of the Southern Illinois scene in which they worked! Yet the label's home of Alton, Illinois was also not far from St Louis – and these tracks have a tighter, urban vibe than you might expect – some surprising boogie groovers in the mix, and sharp arrangements and a well put-together groove on most of these cuts that's very different than the usual sort of soul music you might expect from a tiny label. Part of that's the date – a number of these tracks come together from the post-disco years, and have a well-crafted 80s vibe – in a set list that includes the tracks "Let Yourself Go" and "I Need You So" by Jimmie Green, "You're All The Woman I Need" and "Disco Fever" by Howard Neal, "We've Got It Made" by The James Family, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "You Keep Holding Back On Love" by Carletta Sue, and "Dance" by Jimmie Green. LP, Vinyl record album

Numero's Eccentric Soul series focuses on a well-named label – the tiny Shoestring company, who must have operated on a shoestring budget – given that most of its work hardly made it out of the Southern Illinois scene in which they worked! Yet the label's home of Alton, Illinois was also not far from St Louis – and these tracks have a tighter, urban vibe than you might expect – some surprising boogie groovers in the mix, and sharp arrangements and a well put-together groove on most of these cuts that's very different than the usual sort of soul music you might expect from a tiny label. Part of that's the date – a number of these tracks come together from the post-disco years, and have a well-crafted 80s vibe – in a set list that includes the tracks "Let Yourself Go" and "I Need You So" by Jimmie Green, "You're All The Woman I Need" and "Disco Fever" by Howard Neal, "We've Got It Made" by The James Family, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "You Keep Holding Back On Love" by Carletta Sue, and "Dance" by Jimmie Green. LP, Vinyl record album

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A double-length collection of work from two obscure Atlanta soul labels – the Tragar and Note imprints, both run by local producer Jesse Jones! Back in the day, Atlanta wasn't nearly as big of an outlet for soul records as it's become in recent years – so Jones' labels were key in showcasing under-exposed local talent in the city, a range of soul groups, solo singers, and funk combos – all produced here with a really fresh sound! Nearly every track here is super-obscure – and there's few southern soul cliches to get in the way of the music – no overdone blues, no Hotlanta disco, no Muscle Shoals copies – just honest-to-goodness indie soul at its best – full of life, vitality, and personality – all presented with the usual deep-digging Numero look at the artists in the notes. The package is one of the biggest Numero collections so far – and really tells the tale of this crucially overlooked scene – a key link between more familiar southern styles and rising Northern modes, all with a personality of its own. Titles include "All Because of You" and "Down In The Country" by Tee Fletcher, "The Hump" and "Tipping Strings" by The Knights, "Somebody Got A Help Me" and "Love is So Mean" by Richard Cook, "Ain't That Sharp" by Young Divines, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Messing Around" by Bobby Owens & The Diplomats, "Shake Daddy Shake" and "Try" by Eula Cooper, "Tumbling Down" by Langston & French, "You Got A Spell On Me" by Bill Wright, "Now That I'm Wise" by Nathan Wilkes, and "Nitecap" by L Daniels. LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length collection of work from two obscure Atlanta soul labels – the Tragar and Note imprints, both run by local producer Jesse Jones! Back in the day, Atlanta wasn't nearly as big of an outlet for soul records as it's become in recent years – so Jones' labels were key in showcasing under-exposed local talent in the city, a range of soul groups, solo singers, and funk combos – all produced here with a really fresh sound! Nearly every track here is super-obscure – and there's few southern soul cliches to get in the way of the music – no overdone blues, no Hotlanta disco, no Muscle Shoals copies – just honest-to-goodness indie soul at its best – full of life, vitality, and personality – all presented with the usual deep-digging Numero look at the artists in the notes. The package is one of the biggest Numero collections so far – and really tells the tale of this crucially overlooked scene – a key link between more familiar southern styles and rising Northern modes, all with a personality of its own. Titles include "All Because of You" and "Down In The Country" by Tee Fletcher, "The Hump" and "Tipping Strings" by The Knights, "Somebody Got A Help Me" and "Love is So Mean" by Richard Cook, "Ain't That Sharp" by Young Divines, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Messing Around" by Bobby Owens & The Diplomats, "Shake Daddy Shake" and "Try" by Eula Cooper, "Tumbling Down" by Langston & French, "You Got A Spell On Me" by Bill Wright, "Now That I'm Wise" by Nathan Wilkes, and "Nitecap" by L Daniels. LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from a label that was way out in the Cleveland scene of the 60s – but which bristles with some of the best energy of Detroit and Chicago at the time! The tiny imprint never cracked the big time, but not for lack of quality – as the cuts here have a sharp blend of deep soul vocals and tight arrangements – of the sort that we've always loved in the best smaller Chicago indies of the late 60s – particularly the kind of labels that were operating in the shadows of Chess and Brunswick. A core group of artists recorded most of this music – and make for a very unified feel throughout – especially given that even some of the numbers with solo singers still really maintain a group soul sort of vibe. And the overall quality of the package takes us back to the earliest days of projects like this from the Numero Group – right down to the very detailed story of the label's unique place in 60s soul music. Titles include "There's No You" by The Occasions, "Demanding Man" and "Two Can Make It" by The Sensations, "She Didn't Know" by Sammy Jones, "Ain't That A Heartache" and "Baby Don't Go" by Norman Scott, "You're Not Loving A Beginner" by Jesse Fisher, "How long Will It Last" by The Soul Notes, "Why" by The Springers, and "Party At Lester's" by Lou Ragland & His Bandmasters. 2CD set – with 40 tracks and a great booklet! CD

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind. CD

With selections by Timeless Legend, Tippie Washington, Forbidden Blackness, Ira Allen, Ti-Fri, Young Underground, Wendy Harris, Spaded Jade, Final Analysis, Capris, Greg Foust, and Brother's Rap. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer killer compilation – the sort we've been dying to own for years! It's a well known fact that there's plenty of funky nuggets hidden amidst 70s gospel recordings – massive grooves and break-heavy tracks that rank right up there with the best indie funk from the same time. Yet tracking down these tunes has always been plenty tough – given that most gospel records sold in different circles, had different distribution, and often are less easy to decipher for the crate digger than more conventional funk and soul. Enter the folks at Numero – who have really gone all out this time around, and dug through piles and piles of rare gospel records to come up with a whopping batch of great tracks! This set is definitely ground zero for getting into funky gospel – and it's filled with far more obscure work than the Soul Gospel set on Soul Jazz – all indie numbers from small labels that only got minor distribution at the time. As usual with Numero, the notes and package match the soulful depth and righteousness of the music – and the set is one of the most perfectly wrapped-up genre compilations we've ever seen! 18 tracks in all – with titles that include "I Thank The Lord" by Mighty Voices Of Wonder, "This Old World Is Going Down" by The Modulations, "Look Where He Brought Us" by The Apostles Of Music, "Thoughs (sic) Were The Days" by LaVice & Company, "Bad Situation" by 5 Spiritual Tones, "God Been Good To Me" by Mighty Walker Brothers, "O Yes My Lord" by Voices Of Conquest, "We Don't Love Enough" by Triumphs, "Heaven On Their Minds" by Sam Taylor, "God Will Dry My Weeping Eyes" by Horace Family, and "I Call Him" by Masonic Wonders. CD

Hardly the gospel of your father's generation – and hardly even the gospel of previous Numero releases either – as the set's a wonderfully offbeat batch of tracks that definitely lives up to the "apocryphal" in the title! Production sounds and musical styles go way past the mainstream – and lots of these numbers feel like secular soul from the definite left end of the spectrum in the 70s – especially the mellower cuts, which have a trippy quality that comes from weird instrumentation and unusual studio work – often matched by vocal presentation that's anything but spiritual, and which feels more like Darondo overall! These tunes are a real discovery – a deeper level of unusual gospel recordings than even the funk and or soul sides featured on other compilations – all pulled from the hinterland of self-released albums and singles from back in the day. As usual, Numero's done as great of job with the notes and packaging as they have with the music – really telling the full tale of this unusual stream of music – in a smoking set that features "That's All I Need" by Sensational Saints, "A Message Especially From God" by Robert Vanderbilt & The Foundation Of Souls, "Come Holy Spirit" by God's Band, "Faith" by Soul Superiors, "Can't Run This Race Alone" by Flying Eagles Gospel Singers, "Searching For The Truth" by Dwain Vinyard, "Get Involved" by Jonah Thompson, and "I Hear You Calling" by Francis Reneau & The Mission Singers. CD

A set that steps out with a Curtis Mayfield reference in the title, but which goes into much heavier territory all – black rock, often mixed with a bit of funk, in the best tradition of some of the Hendrix-inspired groups who rose up at the start of the 70s! If you know the trippy psychedelic style of Merda, you'll get part of the vibe here – but as usual with Numero, the span is much wider-ranging overall – and the label's done a great job of uncovering a range of obscure African-American acts from the 70s who were firmly committed to the headier, heavier, fuzzier, freakier side of the spectrum! Titles include "I Can't Believe" by Flying Wedge, "Sweet Poison" by Iron Force, "Message To Planet Earth" by Solid Gold, "Ringing Bells (part 2)" by The Young Senators, "Rolling Love (part 2)" by Three Days Ahead, "It's A Dream" by Little Ed & The Soundmasters Band, "Funky Music" by The Basement, and "Chrystal Illusion" by Creative Unlimited. LP, Vinyl record album

Rare rock from the Golden Triangle scene of Southeast TX in the late 60s and early 70s – a well-curated overview of the stylistically sprawling material being cut at Mickey Rouse's Lowland Recording Studio in Beaumont! Texas rock of the late 60s and early 70s justifiably brings to mind acts like The 13th Floor Elevators and The Bubble Puppy – tripped out psychedelia in other words, but Texas is huge, and there was a heck of a lot more going on than just the best remembered cult favorites. The music coming out of just the Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Texas "triangle" chronicled here was incredibly diverse. It includes proto TX boogie rock that's a clear precursor to early ZZ Top, harmony flavored numbers that sound closer to Cali than they do The Lone Star State, one track that somehow fuses CS&N with The Beatles and does so with prominent cowbell in the mix (and it's good!!!), punchy psych grit, and swaggering country rock with some twang in the strings that feels a bit more profoundly Texan. You don't need our word that The Numero Group has devoted some serious attention to detail – with a 35-page booklet of notes, photos and histories, plus the impressive Lost In The Golden Triangle "family tree" of the regional musicians involved – as if discovering these long buried regional relics wasn't impressive enough already. Beautiful! 22 tracks in all: "Trash One" by the Lowland Studio Band, "Live My Life Today" by Insight Out, "Simple House" by Mother Lion, "Love Of The Morning" by Circus, "Take A Look At Your Friends" by Next Exit, "You Know I Love You" by Roy Briggs & Alton Tew, "Calling Me Home (Demo)" by Donald Thomas and more. CD

Numero does it again – unleashing an amazing batch of work for the first time ever – all packaged in a very limited Record Store Day set! The collection features material that was pressed up at the tiny Boddie pressing plant in Cleveland – a wonderful range of local artists from the late 60s through the mid 80s – all served up with the usual Numero flair! The set's a rich discovery of sounds we'd never have heard otherwise – and although it's slanted heavily towards rare funk and soul, there's also some compelling indie rock sides too – especially some homegrown, dark-toned sounds from the 80s – clearly influenced by the styles in the UK underground. The set features 17 tracks in all – including "Don't Stop Smiling" by Jus Us, "Just A Dream" by Imperial Wonders, "Love Is On The Way" by Bill Spoon, "Let Me Go" by The Harmonics, "I'm Gonna Treat You Good" by The Donations, "Good For The Gander" by Hot Chocolate, "Woman You're Gonna Pay For This" by Wicked Lester, "The Voyage Of The Nautilus" by Russell Potter, and "Snakepit" by Berlin West. LP, Vinyl record album

A warm and wonderful collection of sweet soul cuts from the east coast scene – packaged with a cover that recalls a famous bootleg series from East LA from years back, but presented here with all the quality you'd expect from the Numero Group! These tracks are all nicely mellow and laidback – the kind of slow-stepping soul music that really lets the vocals flow, especially when the group is a harmony soul outfit – which is the case for most of the acts here! If you dig classic Philly ballads and New Jersey soul from the early 70s, you'll find plenty to love here – on cuts that include "I Almost Blew My Mind" by The Positive Sounds, "Let's Do It Over" by The Summits, "Our Love" by The Edge Of Daybreak, "Me" by The Chapells, "One Is Enough for One" by Jack & The Mods, "Gotta Go Home" by Mixed Breed, and "Till The End Of Time" by Al Glover & Gloria. LP, Vinyl record album

The title here is very apt – as there's a reaching sort of vibe to the whole record – uplifting tunes from the farther reaches of the Numero catalog, all brought together in a way that really makes things soar! Genres shift nicely, and maybe the lack of description or cover notes is a good way of just making you trust the label and dive right in – something we've been doing for many years now! Tracks include "The Kiss" by Alex Johnson, "To Live In The Sea" by Masumi Hara, "Touch" by Calvin Keys, "Rain" by Bob Siebert, "Enchanted Pool Suite (prelude & part 1)" by Lenny White, "The Kiss" by Alex Johnson, "Thou Art With Me" by LaRhonda LeGette, "Past Life Regression" by ART Wilson, "Modulation Del Sol" by Ascending Wave, and "Gold Dust Twins" by Reach. LP, Vinyl record album

Gary, Indiana is maybe best known as the hometown of the Jackson 5 – but the city also had plenty of other soul singers back in the day – as you'll discover on this really well-done collection of tracks! The set's titled after the Chicago Skyway, a huge industrial structure that links the south side of the Windy City with Gary – and that link is a key one, as many of the artists here have a resonance with Chicago soul too – working with qualities that are often a bit more sophisticated than usual, and not as directly aimed at the charts or the dancefloor – a really special breed of soul music that makes for a wonderfully rich collection! As usual with Numero, the package is as great as the track list – and titles include "Trouble" by General Lee & Lost Weekend, "Sweet Jo-Ann" by El Anthony, "Main Squeeze" by Nate Evans, "So I Can Make This Change" by The Krash Band, "Bridge Of Love" by Lost Weekend, "Give Your Love To Me" by Wilton Crump, "Don't Be Afraid" by Sky's The Limit, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "You Just Be You" by Into New Dimensions, "I Need Your Love" by Billy Foster, "Pleasure" by General Lee, "Night Music" by Billy Foster, "The Look On Your Face" by Nate Evans & Mean Green, and "We've Been In Love Too Long" by El Anthony. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool soundtrack, and one that offers up a weird and wonderful mix of modes from the mid 60s – bits of surf guitar, garage rock, country, and more – all brought together in a wonderfully evocative mode that hardly needs the images of the offbeat film on the screen! The whole thing is a really great dip into a 60s underground that's not often as well represented in the world of compilations and reissues. Titles include "Tropic Waters" by Steve Waltner, "Melody On The Moon" by The Travelers, "Crying Guitar" by Johnny Blue, "Walk Through The Valley" by Kay Johnson, "Far Away" by Ron Heiss & The Low Notes, "Tarantula" by Jody Reynolds, and "Lost Horizon" by Tommy Dae's High Tensions. LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool soundtrack, and one that offers up a weird and wonderful mix of modes from the mid 60s – bits of surf guitar, garage rock, country, and more – all brought together in a wonderfully evocative mode that hardly needs the images of the offbeat film on the screen! The whole thing is a really great dip into a 60s underground that's not often as well represented in the world of compilations and reissues. Titles include "Tropic Waters" by Steve Waltner, "Melody On The Moon" by The Travelers, "Crying Guitar" by Johnny Blue, "Walk Through The Valley" by Kay Johnson, "Far Away" by Ron Heiss & The Low Notes, "Tarantula" by Jody Reynolds, and "Lost Horizon" by Tommy Dae's High Tensions. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds from the Kansas City scene of the late 70s – a wealth of power pop work from the tiny Titan label – all brought together in one of the most brilliant packages we've ever seen from the Numero Group! Like most Numero releases, there's a great story behind this set – a tale of bounced checks, interstate culture, and a cadre of great groups who would have been huge – had they recorded this music out on the coast! Titan's way more than just a tiny label that managed to put out some killer singles back in the day – it's a pop powerhouse that shows just how much under-discovered genius the American scene can hold – music that really helps break down simple understandings of late 70s rock, especially when presented this well. The 2CD set features 42 tracks and a 40 page booklet – a great counterpart to Numero's Yellow Pills set – filled with notes on Titan, a complete discography, and a wealth of wonderful photos that really make this unique scene come alive. Titles include "Shark" and "Real Life Saver" by Gary Charlson, "No Way Baby" and "I Wanna Be" by Arlis, "It's Your Heart Tonight" and "Radio Heart" by Secrets, "Please Change Your Mind" and "Baby It's You" by Boys, "Rock N Roll Song" and "Radio City" by Bobby Sky, "The Last Song" by JP McClain & The Intruders, "Cry" and "Didn't Like It Anyway" by Gems, "Coit Tower" and "Drink A Toast" by Millionaire At Midnight, and "I Think About You" by Scott McCarl. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really tremendous batch of dark-themed tunes from the American underground of the 70s – a treasure trove of under-discovered acts who were all inspired by the deeper brooding of the Led Zep and Black Sabbath generation! Unlike later manifestations from the indie scene, the work here isn't really heavy metal – and instead has this more complex approach – ready and able to spin out their own tales and stories in the space of a full length concept album, guided by their own unique myths and mysteries – even though most of these tracks only ever saw the light of day on 7" singles, as the bands mostly never got the chance to serve up a full-length set. Leave it to Numero to do a perfect job of bringing this underground together through their vivid notes and great images for the set – and no surprise, there's some occasional funky touches on a few of the tunes – especially on the drums. This is the kind of stuff the stoners in your high school wish they were hip enough to know about – and titles include "Warlord" by Wrath, "Twelve O'Clock Satanial" by Air, "Sealed In A Grave" by Triton Warrior, "Dark Days" by Space Rock, "Sweet Child" by Gorgon Medusa, "Cry For The Newborn" by Hellstorm, "Tasmania" by Stoned Mace, and "Seance" by Wizard. CD

A wonderful collection of obscure solo acoustic guitar tunes from the mid 60s up to the dawn of the 80s – beautiful work from a slew of players we've never heard of – but we'd put right up there with Fahey and Basho in the way they reach from the back porch to the cosmos with just their fingers and some strings! One thing we love about this set, and the Numero Group releases to date, is how deep they dig and what beauty they unearth, somehow with impeccable sound quality. Some tunes are starkly beautiful, some chime on fairly intently, some do both those things and more – and it's very heartening and instantly appealing stuff – wordless tunes that carry a lot of sensitivity and emotion! The 40 page booklet features detailed notes and bio material for each track, plus an introduction by Numero's Rob Sevier and essays by Dan Lambert and Jim Ohlschmidt. Titles include "Beginning" by Dana Westover", "Raga In D" by Ted Lucas, "Sailor's Dream" by Scotte Witte, "Flight" by George Cromarty, "Diagonal" by Richard Crandell, "Baha Dream Songs" by Daniel Hecht, "Delta Freeze" by Jim Ohlschmidt, "No More School" by Stephen Cohen, "Strawberry Man" by Mark Lang, "Warm River" by Bread Chequer, "One Forty Eight" by Swayne Canna and more. CD

One of the most enigmatic records we've ever gotten from the Numero Group – especially since they usually go out of their way to tell the full story of most of their releases! This set purports to be the never-issued soundtrack from a 60s film titled You're Not From Around Here – but none of the film details, director, or writer show up with an internet search – leading us to believe that the label just felt that the whole thing was a great story to serve up some twang-heavy rarities from the underbelly of early 60s rock and roll. Turns out, they were plenty darn right – as the package alone is a dream – a cool octagonal box with a replica poster and a very cool look – housing a record full of rare rockers that include "A Song For Mary" by Gene Sikora, "First Love" by Bailey's Nervous Kats, "Spacewalk" by Nicky Roberts, "Wandering" by The Expressos, "Lonely Walk" by Alvie Self, "Somewhere Down The Line" by Shelley Duncan, "Haunted After Midnight" by Slim Martin, "16.88" by Hayden Thompson, "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Have Wings & Fly" by Buzz Clifford, "Tomorrow's Gone" by Charlie Megira, and "Ebb Tide" by Houston & Dorsey. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most enigmatic records we've ever gotten from the Numero Group – especially since they usually go out of their way to tell the full story of most of their releases! This set purports to be the never-issued soundtrack from a 60s film titled You're Not From Around Here – but none of the film details, director, or writer show up with an internet search – leading us to believe that the label just felt that the whole thing was a great story to serve up some twang-heavy rarities from the underbelly of early 60s rock and roll. Turns out, they were plenty darn right – as the package alone is a dream – a cool octagonal box with a replica poster and a very cool look – housing a record full of rare rockers that include "A Song For Mary" by Gene Sikora, "First Love" by Bailey's Nervous Kats, "Spacewalk" by Nicky Roberts, "Wandering" by The Expressos, "Lonely Walk" by Alvie Self, "Somewhere Down The Line" by Shelley Duncan, "Haunted After Midnight" by Slim Martin, "16.88" by Hayden Thompson, "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Have Wings & Fly" by Buzz Clifford, "Tomorrow's Gone" by Charlie Megira, and "Ebb Tide" by Houston & Dorsey. LP, Vinyl record album

A soul record we'd put up there with some of our favorites produced in Chicago during the early 70s – a gospel album from Pastor TL Barrett, but one that's gone on to legendary status among funk and soul collectors over the years! Barrett works here with his Youth For Christ Choir, of Mt. Zion Baptist Church – a south side ensemble that's filled with genuine spirit and passion, aimed towards lofty ideals – but set up with some deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that keep things razor sharp throughout! The album was cut at the affordable Sound Market Studio – but behind the soaring, spirited lead and chorus vocal arrangements are players supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with other Chess players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch on the sessions too. Raw drums, grooving organ, and incredible bass lines lay the foundation, but it's the voices that really shine on this completely wonderful, totally essential set! Titles include "Like A Ship", "Wonderful", "It's Me O Lord", "Ever Since", "Nobody Knows", "Joyful Noice", "Medley/Dr. Watts Hymn & The Disciples Prayer" and "Blessed Quietness". LP, Vinyl record album

Southern hillbilly soul from Fern Jones – a minister, church singer and songwriter with a real feel for the secular shake of 50s Sun Records, honky tonk, and shout blues – a pure evangelical with a worldly groove! Fern worked the gospel circuit of tent and church shows for many, many years – but only recorded two albums, this one for Dot/Paramount. Fern sings in the torch country style of Patsy Cline, often with spare rockabilly-styled guitar and drums backbeat. This album is probably most noteworthy for the classic song "I Was There When It Happened" – co-written by Fern Jones and made famous by Johnny Cash. It's especially legendary because it was the only gospel number Sam Phillips allowed Cash to include on his first LP. But Fern's album is more than worthy of a late discovery – she's a true pioneer, fearlessly blending the Lord's work with the Devil's music – at a time when such poles were anathema for most artists, fans, and record labels alike! Original album tracks include "You Ain't Got Nuthin'", "I Do Believe", "Be Thankful You're You", "I Ain't Got Time", "Let Tomorrow Be" – plus the bonus tracks "When I Meet You", "By And By", "I Don't Care What The World May Do" and "This World Is Not My Home". CD

Haunting guitar work from Branko Mataja – a player with roots in Belgrade, but who recorded these tracks while living in California during his later years – all in a mode that's filled with longing for his homeland! The material is pulled from two different albums – one recorded in the 70s, one in the 80s – both of which focus on older traditional songs from Yugoslavia, but handled by Branko in an otherworldly style that often uses electric guitar and echo to really break with any sense of tradition! The tunes are lovely – often mixing very deft work on the strings with the nicely atmospheric mood created by the production – all at a level that's unlike anything you might have expected to hear coming from the SoCal scene in the 70s. Titles include "Tesko Mi Je Zaboravit Tebe", "Tamo Daleko", "Cija Li Je Livada", "Kafu Mi Draga Ispeci", "Duboko Je More", "Zapletnicki Cacak", and "Susti Bagrem Beli". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant early sounds from Jimmy Jam – rare late 70s material that has a very different sound than his slicker 80s work with Terry Lewis! The style here is a wonderful blend of sweet soul and righteous jazzy funk – a lot warmer than Jimmy's later beat-heavy style – and served up with loads of sweet keyboards alongside the soaring harmony vocals! Jimmy himself plays Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and other keys – but what we really love about the record is the vocals – these harmonies that are as fragile as New Jersey soul from the early part of the decade, but often turned towards more complicated cuts that have lots of jazzy riffing in the rhythms! The work's never been issued before, and is one of the greatest discoveries we've heard so far from the Numero Group – that's really saying a lot, given all their other releases. The vibe is almost like the Moments or Whatnauts recording for Black Jazz records – and titles include "I Don't Know Why", "My Love Is Like A Fire", "The Wonder Of It All", "No One Else Can Do It To Me Baby", "Virgin Lady", and "When You're Touching Me". CD

Rare late 60s psychedelia from blue collar Rockford, Il – a totally great lost album of pop psych tunefulness from Pisces – who had an incredible knack for experimental sounds that weave in and out of the hallucinatory pop structure! The group centered around core players Jim Krein and Paul DiVenti, and a number of the tunes have fragile, beautiful lead vocals by Linda Bruner, bringing in a bit of Velvets style stark, haunting loveliness – and most of the tracks languished unreleased all this time! This is essentially the first real release of almost all of the tunes, and the best shot at finding an adventurous audience any of it has ever had! We think this stuff would have been hugely influential had it found an audience in its time, hell, it sounds to us like it actually did influence countless groups, even though that's hardly even possible! There's a tunefulness at the center that bears the fruits of the experimental pop sounds that came from benchmark scenes of the era, from Haight Ashbury to Abbey Road – but the found sound ephemera, tape manipulations, and tripped out atmospherics really bring in some far out vibes! An essential discovery from Numero that's as exciting, insistently groovy and eclectic as any of the rock oriented stuff they've dug up to date! Titles include "Dear One", "Children Kiss Your Mother Goodnight", "Motley Mary Ann", "Say Goodbye To John", "The Music Box", "Like A Hole In The Wall Where The Rat Lives", "Elephant Eyes", "Circle Of Time" and more – plus the "extended play" bonus tracks "A Flower For All Seasons" and "In The Summer A Grape Grows". CD

An amazing set of music – two rare albums from Ohio funk legend Lou Ragland, plus bonus tracks, and a whole set of unreleased sessions too – a huge amount of new music, even if you've got some of the previous reissues! First up is the legendary Hot Chocolate album – one of the greatest lost funk records of all time! The group is not the British pop band, but an Ohio funk group led by the great guitarist Lou Ragland. The album's originally from Canada, which makes it super rare – and these guys are funky funky funky, and kick some major booty with a heavy guitar sound that's just great! Some of the cuts are instrumental, and some of them have some excellent soul vocals that are produced with a nice deep sound that's brought out nicely by the excellent quality of the reissue. The record's got a bit of Sly Stone, a bit of Grant Green, and a bit of Mike James Kirkland – with a tasty raw indie soul vibe – and the original album was only pressed up at 500 copies. Titles include "So Dam Funky", "Ain't That A Groove", "Sexy Moods Of Your Mind", "Messin With Sly", and "What You Want To Do" – plus 8 more tracks from the same vintage – "Good For The Gander" by Hot Chocolate, "I Travel Alone" and Big Wheel" by Lou Ragland, "Red Robin" and "I've Got Something Going On" by Volcanic Eruption, and "I Can't Take It" and "What The Doctor Prescribed" by Lou Ragland & Hot Chocolate. Next is The Conveyor – the second album from Lou Ragland, stepping out here in a great set of mellow soul tracks! The album's quite different from the heavy funk of the Hot Chocolate album – more of a message-oriented approach to soul, in the vein of similar 70s indie work by Mike James Kirkland. The arrangements are also bigger – not smooth, but ambitious, in a style that perfectly matches the higher vision Lou's going for in tracks like "Understand Each Other", "What Should I Do?", "The Next World", and "It's Got To Change". Conveyor also comes with bonus tracks too – "Tend To Your Business" by Wildfire, plus "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" and "I Didn't Mean To Leave You" by Lou Ragland. And last up is an incredible batch of unreleased material – maybe the biggest and best so far from Ragland – tracks that have this really ambitious quality that mixes soul, funk, and larger orchestrations – especially some light strings, which really expand the sound, and push the music into this righteous territory that reminds us a lot of the creative experiments in Chicago during the Cadet/Concept years! Lou's vocals are great, and the message is totally righteous – and even though the tape quality is slightly aged, the soulful vibe really comes through – on cuts that include "Understand Each Other", "It Ain't My Fault", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "Spend My Life Loving You", "Until I Met You", and "Brother Louie". Lovingly packaged by Numero – with a huge booklet of photos and history – and cool mini-LP sleeves too! CD

Really wonderful work from the Texas scene of the 60s – not the heady psych or garage usually associated with the state, nor the more Latin-inflected modes from the border – but instead a unique batch of music that feels more like work from either coast, and which comes across with a surprisingly soulful sound! The 60s scene in East LA is well-known as a hotbed of early Chicano soul – and plenty of Spanish Harlem groups also dug doo wop at the time too – and the Royal Jesters fit perfectly right into that spot – working like a garage band, but with a stunning approach to vocal harmonies that really rivals the underground soul acts of the time. Most of the best cuts are relatively mellow and laidback – ala Joe Bataan's sweet soul work – and a few other nice numbers bring in a romping party vibe to balance things out, with some of the festive qualities you'd expect from the crowd scene on the cover. Yet it's the soul tunes we love the most, and the album's filled with them – a heady collection of 28 tracks that includes "I've Got Soul", "I'm So Sorry", "Afro-lypso", "My Life", "Spanish Grease", "Back To You", "Just A Friend", "Theme For A Lonely Girl", and "Meet Me Down In Soulsville". CD