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Bob Dylan and his great band whip up a moody, yet darkly humorous Tempest – and while the overall greatness of his records came down just notch or two after Love And Theft – this one goes the other way and comes pretty damn close to his late-era peaks! Lyrically, it's definitely better than the past couple records – with verse after verse of poetic storytelling – which is carried all the more effectively by his weathered rasp. Sound-wise, Dylan is as indebted as ever to pre-rock rhythm & blues, but there's some nice fuzzy electrified arrangements, too – and it's all played by a stellar band that's been with him for a long time now, one perfectly-suited for the style: guitarists Charlie Sexton & Stu Kimball, BR5-49 fiddler and steel guitarist Donnie Herron, bassist Tony Garnier, drummer George Receli, and a most noteworthy guest in Los Lobos' David Hidalgo on accordion. Includes "Duquesne Whistle", "Soon After Midnight", "Narrow Way", "Long And Wasted Years", "Pay In Blood", "Scarlet Town", "Early Roman Kings", "Tin Angel", "Tempest" and "Roll On John". This deluxe limited CD edition includes a 60-page bound notebook with dozens of rare vintage magazine covers – produced exclusively for this edition.

Freewheeling work from Japanese drummer George Otsuka – leading a trio here with pianist Hideo Ichikawa, a really great player who works with some of the soul jazz touches of American players of the 60s, but who also opens up with a more loosely expressive mode that points the way towards Japanese trio sessions of years to come! The album's got a nice balance of straight ahead and more exploratory modes – a bit like that of Steve Kuhn during the same stretch – but with a great sound that's definitely the group's own! The whole thing's great – very enigmatic and compelling – and titles include a 14 minute reading of "Green Dolphin Street", plus "Blues By Five", "Lament", and "Hot Cha".

Page three in the early chapter of drummer George Otsuka – and a record that has him stretching out even more than before! Back in the 60s, Otsuka was easily one of the most expressive leaders in Japan – an artist who held all the tightness that the scene had embraced earlier in the decade – yet who could really stretch out in ways that pointed towards Japanese piano trio freedom to come in the 70s! This album's a perfect example of the richness of Otsuka's skills – bold and modern some moments, yet swinging the next – lyrical at points, yet never sleepy – and always driven with this sense of majesty that few of his contemporaries on the scene could match. The group features sublime work on piano from Hideo Ichikawa and bass from Masaoki Terakawa – on titles that include "Sea View", "Breeze Brook & Birds", "Last Summer", and "The Things We Did Last Summer".

Deadlier than Dracula – and a lot funkier too! This is the original soundtrack for the classic blacksploitation horror flick starring the baaadest Drac ever to grace the screen of all those shabby downtown theaters that were still around in the 70s – a wicked batch of wah wah tunes penned by Gene Page – and featuring a lot of groovy keyboards as well! The set's got a few vocal numbers, sung by 21st Century Ltd and The Hues Corporation, but it's the instrumentals that really steal the show– and there's plenty of great ones here that rank with the best blacksploitation work of the decade – hard and funky groovers that have kept this one flying out of the crates for many many years. Titles include Blacula (The Stalk Walk)", "Blacula Strikes!", "Heavy Changes", "Movin'", "Run Tina Run!", "Firebombs", "I'm Gonna Catch You", "Finding Love, Losing Love" and "Good To The Last Drop".

A cool collection of space-themed club tracks from Gene Page – and possibly one of his greatest albums of the 70s – dispite a gimmicky approach! There's a tightly soaring feel to most of the cuts that's Page at his best – arranging fully with styles borrowed from Barry White, but also hitting with a bit of Philly inspiration too – never too over the top, and never too commercially driven as you might expect from the concept. There's some great moogy bits on the record – and plenty of great session players who include David T Walker and Wah Wah Watson on guitars, Jack Ashford on percussion, and Ernie Watts on alto sax. Great Phillinganes sings a bit on the record – and titles include "Star Trek", "Close Encounters", "Saturn", "Dancin In The Sky", "I Feel Like I've Been Livin", "Beyond The Hole Space", and "I Sho Like To Ride On Your Star".

A pair of great albums from one of the coolest soul arrangers of the 70s – back to back on a single CD! Close Encounters is a cool collection of space-themed club tracks from Gene Page – and possibly one of his greatest albums of the 70s – dispite a gimmicky approach! There's a tightly soaring feel to most of the cuts that's Page at his best – arranging fully with styles borrowed from Barry White, but also hitting with a bit of Philly inspiration too – never too over the top, and never too commercially driven as you might expect from the concept. There's some great moogy bits on the record – and plenty of great session players who include David T Walker and Wah Wah Watson on guitars, Jack Ashford on percussion, and Ernie Watts on alto sax. Great Phillinganes sings a bit on the record – and titles include "Star Trek", "Close Encounters", "Saturn", "Dancin In The Sky", "I Feel Like I've Been Livin", "Beyond The Hole Space", and "I Sho Like To Ride On Your Star". Love Starts After Dark is a wonderfully well-rounded set from superstar arranger Gene Page – quite possibly his most fully-formed album as a lead act on his own! The set's got some great standout groovers – the kind of club cuts that have the vibe that Gene was doing well for so many others – and it's also got some mellow moments served up with a depth that's almost unexpected – thanks partly to some great vocals from Merry Clayton, Phyllis St James, and Charmaine Sylvers – all of whom help the album shine. Tracks are penned by Leon Ware, Leon Sylvers, Ray Parker Jr, and Joe Sample – and titles include "With You In The Night", "Second Time Around", "Put A Little Love In Your Lovin", "Love Starts After Dark", "You Are The Meaning Of This Song", and "I Wanna Dance".

A travel-themed set from Patti Page – and a pretty darn great one at that! Patti nicely shakes off some of cliches here – working with full, jazzy backings, and often hitting sounds that are a bit more mature than on her familiar pop numbers – modes that nicely match the global scenes and locales featured in most of the tunes. And while the gimmick is a relatively common one for 50s vocal dates, the mix of worldly tunes really does wonders with Patti – making the set a real standout in her Mercury catalog. Titles include "Mississippi Mud", "South Of The Border", "Aautumn In Rome", "Just A Little Bit South Of North Carolina", "Basin Street Blues", "Let's Get Away From It All", and "Under Paris Skies".

Produced by Timbaland.

One of Joe Henderson's first true moments of greatness – a landmark session recorded with a quintet that includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums! LaRoca's very free on the drum kit, and gives the set a rhythmic looseness that's a bit of a hint at some of Joe's 70's recordings – and that style's even further supported by Tyner's long flowing lines on piano, and Dorham's sparkling work on the trumpet! Includes the classic reading of Kenny's "Blue Bossa", plus the titles "Recorda-Me", "Jinrikishna", "La Mesha", and "Homestretch".

One of Joe Henderson's first true moments of greatness – a landmark session recorded with a quintet that includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums! LaRoca's very free on the drum kit, and gives the set a rhythmic looseness that's a bit of a hint at some of Joe's 70's recordings – and that style's even further supported by Tyner's long flowing lines on piano, and Dorham's sparkling work on the trumpet! Includes the classic reading of Kenny's "Blue Bossa", plus the titles "Recorda-Me", "Jinrikishna", "La Mesha", and "Homestretch".

Deadlier than Dracula – and a lot funkier too! This is the original soundtrack for the classic blacksploitation horror flick starring the baaadest Drac ever to grace the screen of all those shabby downtown theaters that were still around in the 70s – a wicked batch of wah-wah tunes penned by Gene Page, and featuring a great bit of keyboards as well! The set's got a few vocal numbers, sung by 21st Century Ltd and The Hues Corporation, but it's the instrumentals that really steal the show here – and there's plenty of great ones here that rank with the best blacksploitation work of the decade – hard and funky groovers that have kept this one grooving in the crates for many many years. Titles include "Blacula Strikes", "The Stalkwalk", "Movin", "Run Tina Run", "Firebombs", and "Good To The Last Drop".

An excellent album of Barry White-styled instrumentals – put together by Barry's right hand man Gene Page, and produced by Barry himself! The record's one of the best that Page ever cut – apart from his seminal blacksploitation soundtracks – and it's very much in the mode of White's Love Unlimited Orchestra albums from the same time, although perhaps with less of a string section. Players are an all-star cast of LA studio groovers that includes David T Walker, Wah Wah Ragin, Ernie Watts, Wilton Felder, and others – and tracks are mostly originals by Page and White. Titles include "Jungle Eyes", "She's My Main Squeeze", "I Am Living In A World Of Gloom", "Satin Soul", and "To The Bone".

A lot raunchier than La Wanda ever was as Aunt Esther on Sanford & Son! This record is for "adults only" and features lots of "street humor". Apparently, the meaning of the word "sucker" is exploited to the highest level. Some of the titles of her comedy pieces are "Hoe House Blues", "Ring Dang Do", "Darkie", "Open Drawer Whores", "Suck It Dry", "Karate Monkey", "The Hoe'in Game", and some more tame titles such as "Crazy House", "Bus Driver", and "The Buggy Ride".

The start of a great run from the trio of Japanese drummer George Otsuka – a player who really brings an imaginative style to the piano trio mode! Otsuka's got a way of stretching out while also swinging – a bit more conventional here than on later records, but still already quite distinct – in ways that make him one of the freshest drummers on the Japanese scene of the time – without some of the too-showy modes of the generation before. The trio's got a great sort of punch – thanks to bold lines on piano from Hideo Ichikawa – a hell of a player, and one who really makes these early Otsuka records sparkle. Titles include "Page 1", "Potato Chips", "Blues For Alice", "Theme", and "Bye Bye Blackbird".

British disco tunes from Larry Page – kind of in a mode that's like work by Cecil Holmes & The Soulful Sounds from the mid 70s, a mixture of blacksploitation funk and smoother Barry White-styled tunes. The overall sound of the album's higher than you'd expect – and there's plenty of nice numbers with a satin soul disco finish! Titles include "Rampage", "I'm Hooked On You", "Erotic Soul", "Chasing", "Body Movement", and "Touch".

Patti Page is definitely in the land of hi-fi here – sounding a lot groovier than on some of her other 50s albums, thanks to some really wonderful arrangements by Pete Rugolo! Pete swings things hard here – with the same dramatic flair and playful turns of his own instrumental albums on Mercury – creating a setting that brings a lot more life into Patti Page than you might expect! There's lots of dynamic horn work on most numbers – bursting out and blasting forth with a quality that really helps direct the sound of the vocals – and titles include "Nevertheless", "A Foggy Day", "My Sin", "Love For Sale", "The Lady Is A Tramp", and "I Didn't Know About You".

A guide to essential Old School Rap & Hip Hop from team at the indespensible All Music Guide – featuring more than 500 music reviews of important records by Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC, NWA, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and so much more – plus reviews on soul and funk LPs that were instrumental in the creation of hip hop, from ESG, The Emotions, Gil Scott-Heron, Marva Whitney and many more! The book is divided into 2 parts, The Roots Of Rap and Digging In The Crates, and organized alphabetically. Paperback, 166 pages, with several reviews per page.

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too!

A wonderful collection of work from Balla Et Ses Balladins – one of the leading group on the Guinean scene during its "authenticite" years of the 60s and 70s – presented here in a massive 2CD package of their work for the Syliphone label! The group have a really wide-ranging approach to their grooves – a sound with space for both modern and traditional elements of African music, as well as some of the Cuban touches that were showing up in the scene during the 60s. The rhythms here are always pretty lively, crafted out of heavy percussion and guitar lines – and most numbers have vocals in French. As with others in the Syliphone Years series, this collection is beautifully done – with a 44 page booklet that features extensive notes in both French and English, as well as color images of the group and it's orignal records. 2CD set features 28 tracks in all – including "Toure", "JRDA", "Belebele", "N'Na Soba", "Kaira", "Sakhodougou", "Tara", "Sara 70", "Nyo", "Ancien Combatant", "Sankaran Ka", and "Yadhai Gere".

My God – they finally did it! After all these years of hearing about the legendary Smile album from The Beach Boys – hearing snippets on other albums, studio bonus tracks, re-recordings, and all the other sources they've dangled in front of us for decades – Capitol's finally gone and done what they never did back in the 60s – released the whole legendary set together, as one package – and in formats that even exceed anything that might have been issued back in the day! You've probably heard a good number of the songs here before – some as they were chopped up and included on Smiley Smile, 20/20, and other post-Pet Sounds albums by the group – and in some recent re-recordings by Brian Wilson. But trust us, they all sound amazing here together – in the original recordings, with sublime 60s studio production, and godlike arrangements by the young Brian Wilson. Titles include "Our Prayer", "Gee", "My Only Sunshine/You Are", "Cabin Essence", "Wonderful", "Surf's Up", "Holidays", "Vege-Tables", "Good Vibrations", "Love To Say Dada", "Do You Like Worms", "Barnyard", and "I'm In Great Shape". Plus, this hip box set has loads of cool bits – 2CDs that include the original album with 8 bonus tracks on the first disc – then a full bonus CD of "finished" work from the project – alternate takes, expanded versions, and more – including "Our Prayer Dialogue", "Surf's Up 1st Movement", "Vege-Tables (fade)", "Cool Cool Water (version 2)", "Heroes & Villains (children were raised)", and more. Box also comes with a poster, a 36 page booklet, and a button!

Although we've been fans of Andy Bey for years (ever since his early 60s recordings with Andy & The Bey Sisters), we've got to admit that we're stunned at how successful his recent revival has been! This CD is probably the main reason for Andy's success – as it's a compelling batch of jazz vocal tracks that show Andy reinventing himself for a whole new generation of jazz listeners. The backing's by a nice small group that includes Gary Bartz, with whom Andy recorded extensively in the 70s – and the album includes a haunting reworking of Nick Drake's amazing song "River Man", plus a version of Dori Caymmi's "Like A Lover", Monk's "Straight No Chaser", and the moody "Dark Shadows", which was a page from Earl Coleman's songbook.

Brand New Heavies back in action – and sounding every bit as great as always! The group still has that sublime mix of soul, jazz, and funk that's made them so great right from the start – a mode that's steeped in classic influences from the 60s and 70s, yet finds a way to come out sounding really fresh and unique on every track! Instrumentation is razor-sharp, and mostly live – and vocals are by N'Dea Davenport, Jan Kincaid, Dawn Joseph, and Simon Bartholomew – creating a nice mix of personalities that make the record feel even more joyously collaborative than ever – almost as if the group's borrowed a page from the Incognito book – and the great way that combo has of coming together. The sound is warm and flowing throughout – never stiff or commercial – and titles include "Heaven", "Turn The Music Up", "Do You Remember", "On The One", "Sunlight", "Forward", "Addicted", and "A Little Funk In Your Pocket".

Brilliant work from this long-lost Barry White protege! Tom Brock was one of the leading lights in Barry's stable of sweet mid 70s soul talents – a great writer who contributed songs to the legendary Gloria Scott album, and a heck of a great mellow soul singer on his own – with a style that's right up there with work by Leon Ware, Leroy Hutson, and some of our favorite 70s soul heroes! This album's the only one that Brock ever recorded – a great blend of mellow soul tunes, ballads, and a few tracks that have a nicely kicking Barry White-styled funk sound to them. White produced and arranged with Gene Page – and the whole album's great – the kind of mellow soul treasure you'll play again and again and again over the years! Includes the massive "I Love You More & More", plus "There's Nothing In This World That Can Stop Me From Loving You", "Shake Me Wake Me", "Naked As The Day I Was Born", "If We Don't Make It, Nobody Can", "Have a Nice Weekend Baby", and "The Love We Share".

A heavy-duty, lavishly-illustrated ode to the art of Louis Armstrong! It's not a biography – but a beautiful, 250+ page collection of photographs, movie stills, Satchmo's own hand-written letters, collage art and more! It's been put together by Steven Brower, with a forward by Hilton Als – and it's a wonderful tribute to Armstrong – and a very unique, personal look at his life and career. It's been compiled from tape-box collages, scrapbooks, photographs, manuscripts, and other archived materials from the Louis Armstrong House Museum, at Queens College – and what a treasure trove this is!

A tremendous solo act from GC Cameron – a singer who first rose to fame in The Spinners, but who really sounds wonderful on his own! GC's moved away from The Spinners here – into a wide range of styles that show him ready to take on most of the rest of the competition! He's working here with the best of the best of Motown – production from Stevie Wonder and Willie Hutch – and arrangements by both, plus Paul Riser, Gene Page, James Carmichael, and Frank Wilson – all of whom really give their best to the record, and show that Motown was putting plenty of effort into making GC one of the next big stars of the 70s. We're not sure why things never took off as strongly for Cameron, but whatever the case, the album's a great step for the solo artist – on cuts that include "If You Don't Love Me", "Tippin", "All In Love Is Fair", "If You're Ever Gonna Love Me", "Come Get This Thang", "I'm Gonna Give You Respect", and "Let Me Down Easy". CD features an insane amount of bonus tracks – 13 more tracks that include "Act Like A Shotgun", "Girl I Really Love You", "I'm Gonna Get You (parts 1 & 2)", "Don't Wanna Play Pajama Games", "You Are That Special One", "Have I Lost You", "Time", "Topics", and "No Matter Where".

The last album in a legendary run of music from keyboardist Doug Carn – his final album for the Black Jazz label, and a set that pushes even farther than his previous efforts! Jean Carn isn't in the group this time around, but the set does feature a totally great twin-vocal approach – with singing by Joyce Green and John Conner, blending their voices together in a style that's right up there with the most righteous 70s jazz experiments by Horace Silver or Billy Gault! This vocal balance really brings a new sort of power to Carn's music – furthering the righteous spirit of earlier years with a hell of a lot of energy – also aided by great instrumental work from Ronnie Laws on tenor and soprano sax, Thurman Green on trombone, Calvin Keys and Nathan Page on guitars, and Big Black on percussion. Titles include the classic "Higher Ground" – plus "Adam's Apple", "Western Sunrise", "Chant", "Sanctuary", "The Messenger", and "Mighty Mighty".

One of the first great adventure strips of the 30s – presented here in a beautiful oversize volume! Roy Crane's artwork on Captain Easy is tremendous – a magnificently thin line at times, yet full of rich feeling that's augmented by the coloring of the strip – often almost water-color like, with echoes of Frank King's Sunday strips – and set up in these really inventive panel breakdowns that really shift from the usual grid style of the time! The blend almost makes the whole thing feel like an action-based take on the Sunday page style of Gasoline Alley or Polly & Her Pals from the 20s – with all the wonderful images and over-the-top graphic quality that might imply. 128 pages, full color, and in these cool heavy cardboard covers!

One of the first great adventure strips of the 30s – presented here in a beautiful oversize volume! Roy Crane's artwork on Captain Easy is tremendous – a magnificently thin line at times, yet full of rich feeling that's augmented by the coloring of the strip – often almost water-color like, with echoes of Frank King's Sunday strips – and set up in these really inventive panel breakdowns that really shift from the usual grid style of the time! The blend almost makes the whole thing feel like an action-based take on the Sunday page style of Gasoline Alley or Polly & Her Pals from the 20s – with all the wonderful images and over-the-top graphic quality that might imply. 140 pages, full color, and in these cool heavy cardboard covers!

Killer work from Betty Davis – one of the most impressive female funk talents ever! If you ever needed a definition of funk, this record may well be it – snapping drums, sharp-edged guitars, and sex-filled basslines that slink and slide all over the bottom of the grooves – a perfect setting for Betty's incredible vocals – which themselves have a smokey, raspy quality that's completely unique! At times, Davis is almost speaking, but at others she's practically screaming – belting out the lyrics in a way that makes you feel like you're sharing some space with her at the end of the bar as she gets more and more wound up about issues and people who are on her mind. And as if the vocals weren't enough, the backings are incredible too – filled with drum breaks and basslines that few other albums can match – all wrapped around badass tunes that include "Shoo-B-Doop & Cop Him", "He Was A Big Freak", "70's Blues", "Git In There", "Special People", "Don't Call Her No Tramp", and "Your Mama Wants Ya Back". Expanded CD features new remastering, a deluxe 32 page booklet, and 4 previously unreleased bonus tracks that include Record Plant rough mixes of "70s Blues", "Git In There", "He Was A Big Freak", and "Don't Call Her No Tramp".

The first full length in a few years from world class turntablist DJ Kentaro – and a pretty diverse set of floor-shaking instrumentals – plus a number vocal cuts with a strong roster of guests. Kentaro is a sharp producer/artist on top of the turntablist skills, crafting well-paced full scale listening experiences – and he's wise enough to stay true to his inspirations rather than chase trends. Includes "Kikkake" feat DJ Krugh, "Higher", "Step In" feat Foreign Beggers, "Big Timer" feat MC Zulu, "Lapis Lazuli", "Crossfader" feat Kid Koala & D-Styles, "Next Page (Dora) feat C2C and more.

The first full length in a few years from world class turntablist DJ Kentaro – and a pretty diverse set of floor-shaking instrumentals – plus a number vocal cuts with a strong roster of guests. Kentaro is a sharp producer/artist on top of the turntablist skills, crafting well-paced full scale listening experiences – and he's wise enough to stay true to his inspirations rather than chase trends. Includes "Kikkake" feat DJ Krugh, "Higher", "Step In" feat Foreign Beggers, "Big Timer" feat MC Zulu, "Lapis Lazuli", "Crossfader" feat Kid Koala & D-Styles, "Next Page (Dora) feat C2C and more.

One of Lamont Dozier's true 70s classics – an amazing album of baroque soul with an undeniable groove – kind of the best aspects of Detroit soul, wrapped up together! The arrangements here are fantastic – a mix of strings and soul that surpasses any of Lamont's previous albums, and which holds together perfectly throughout. The whole thing's orchestrated by McKinley Jackson, Gene Page, and Paul Riser, who all do a perfect job of keeping the realness in Lamont's vocals, while expanding the palette of expression to soul classic possibilities! Titles include "All Cried Out", "Let Me Start Tonight", "Put Out My Fire", "Shine", "I Wanna Be With You", and "Thank You For The Dream".

One of the best of John Fahey's Takoma records of the late 60s – and made up of some great Fahey recordings that he made with other musicians – including some great ones with Fahey accompanied by his alter ego Blind Joe Death! Some of the tracks are folk & blues guitar tunes that are as easygoing and charming as they are adventurous – and others go into more of spooky Eastern raga inspired direction – and some tunes do both! Includes "Bottleneck Blues", "Bill Cheatum", "Lewisdale Blues", "Bean Vine Blues", "A Raga Called Pat Part III", "A Raga Called Pat Part IV", "Train", "Je Ne Me Suis Reveillais Matin Pas En May", "The Story Of Dorothy Gooch Part I", "Nine-Pound Hammer" and "Lonesome Valley".

Fantastic stuff – and a record that may well be the greatest ever from the mighty Serge Gainsbourg – high praise indeed, considering the greatness of Gainsbourg's other music! The album is one long suite built around a spare, electric bass-driven theme – a slow funk riff that's been sampled countless times over the years, and which has gotten the album continuous play on both sides of the Atlantic for many many years. The mighty Jean-Claude Vannier handles the arrangements, and Serge mutters the lyrics over the top, in a raspy loud whisper – while the funky rhythms dart in and out of odd washes of sound, and unusual eerie sounds. There's a very strong soundtrack feel to the album, as waves of music envelop the lyrics – tripped out in funky beats that have become legendary over the years, thanks to some very famous samples! Titles include "En Melody", "Cargo Culte", "Ballade De Melody Nelson", "Valse De Melody", "Ah! Melody", and "L'Hotel Particulier". Wonderful US version too – with a 40 page deluxe booklet that features extensive notes on the album – and a 1971 interview with Gainsbourg!

It's been a couple years since we last saw a Galactic Zoo Dossier, but Plastic Crimewave, a great group of contributors and publisher Drag City have delivered the best yet – 100+ pages of both legendary and deep underground psych obsessions! It's got interviews with Arthur Brown, Rodriguez, Black Widow, Susanjacks & Craig McCaw of Poppy Family and more – and hand-drawn (natch!) In Memorium section of heroes departed since #8 – Bert Jansch, Gil Scott-Heron, Eugene McDaniels, Alex Chilton and more – and page after glorious b&w page of psych coverage and comics. Pieces on Bob Segar, Moody Blues, Texas Acid Punk, Quo, "Psychedelicanada" and more! Also comes with perforated sheets of trading cards – dozens of "Astral Folk Goddesses" and "Damaged Guitar Gods". Also includes a free CD with 23 tracks by The Revelation, Mainlier, The Goblins, Results, The Joy Poppers, Roscoe, Mission Sisters and many more.

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks – with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous record. The record shows a sexy side of Marvin that would stun fans of his 60s work – very adult, very warm, and very preoccupied with desire and love. In a way, this sort of full-on love fest was a big payoff for all the folks who'd hung onto his simpler expressions of affection in the earlier years – sort of like getting let into the bedroom after spending years on the front porch! The record was produced by both Marvin and Ed Townsend – and the arrangements by David Van DePitte, Rene Hall, and Gene Page are smooth and seductive all the way through. Includes slow jam classics like "You Sure Love To Ball", "Distant Lover", and "Let's Get It On" – plus "Come Get To This", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", and "If I Should Die Tonight".

Marvin Marvin Marvin – just when we thought you couldn't impress us any more, you took it to the next level! Trouble Man is a heck of a wonderful surprise from an artist that most folks really only knew as a singer – a fantastically funky blacksploitation soundtrack, conceived and composed by Marvin himself – and served up with some occasional vocals that work beautifully with the album's cool instrumental grooves! The set's easily one of Gaye's most righteous records ever – almost a second chapter to What's Going On, but more instrumental – and like that classic set, it really shows the whole new range of vision that Marvin was able to work in the studio. Gaye gets a bit of arranging help on some tracks from Gene Page and JJ Johnson – and the album's filled with great cuts – including the landmark "T Plays It Cool", plus other gems like "Don't Mess With Mister T", "Main Theme From Trouble Man", "The Break In", and "T Stands For Trouble". Very funky, very sophisticated, and very soulful!

Marvin Marvin Marvin – just when we thought you couldn't impress us any more, you took it to the next level! Trouble Man is a heck of a wonderful surprise from an artist that most folks really only knew as a singer – a fantastically funky blacksploitation soundtrack, conceived and composed by Marvin himself – and served up with some occasional vocals that work beautifully with the album's cool instrumental grooves! The set's easily one of Gaye's most righteous records ever – almost a second chapter to What's Going On, but more instrumental – and like that classic set, it really shows the whole new range of vision that Marvin was able to work in the studio. Gaye gets a bit of arranging help on some tracks from Gene Page and JJ Johnson – and the album's filled with great cuts – including the landmark "T Plays It Cool", plus other gems like "Don't Mess With Mister T", "Main Theme From Trouble Man", "The Break In", and "T Stands For Trouble". Very funky, very sophisticated, and very soulful!

THE lasting classic from Gloria Gaynor – the record that contains her tremendous hit "I Will Survive", and a great batch of disco grooves overall! The album's got a simple, honest sort of approach, despite its release in an era of overblown dancefloor sets – and arranger Freddie Perren does a great job of balancing all the elements here – hitting strong on the rhythms, but mixing in bits of strings from Gene Page and others – all in a sound that's round, warm, and surprisingly soulful, despite the big crossover fame of the hit on the record. In addition to a nice long take of "I Will Survive", other tracks include "Anybody Wanna Party?", "Please, Be There", "I Said Yes", and "You Can Exit".

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". This great deluxe edition from Truth & Soul comes inside a beautifully done, 80-page booklet – full of rare photos of the band in action and behind-the-scenes – plus richly detailed notes.

One of the instant classic Wu Tang solo projects – Ghostface Killah's essential, early peak Ironman – and a a record that stands strongly among the best hip hop albums of the its era! Produced by The RZA at a point in which it seemed there was little he could do wrong. An absolute high water mark for Ghostface and the entire Wu Tang empire. This incredible limited edition version from Get On Down really raises the bar for audiophile CD reissues – it's unbelievable! The CD is a 24K gold disc – encased in a heavy duty box – pretty much a full sized cigar box, actually – with a full color 48 page hardcover book inside, with extended artwork, lyrics and additional liner notes. Titles include "Winter Warz", "Daytona 500", "Motherless Child", "Soul Controller", "Wildflower", "Poisonous Darts", "Fish", "Camay", "Black Jesus", "The Faster Blade", "260", "Assassination Day", "Box In Hand", "After The Smoke Is Clear" and "All That I Got Is You".

Not experienced? Well, this album will help push you over the top – as it's done for decades of listeners from the heyday of young Jimi Hendrix all the way up to the present! The set's a classic through and through – a blueprint not just for the genius of Hendrix, but for generations of guitar heroes to come – as you might expect with a lineup that includes "Hey Joe", "Manic Depression", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Fire", "Third Stone From The Sun", "Are You Experienced", and "Purple Haze".

The Jimi Hendrix Experience at their most classic! Tripped out bluesy cosmic rock ferocity and great songs, too – firing on all cylinders here on the middle record of their ultra epic three LP series of unimpeachable greatness. Titles include "EXP", "Up From The Skies", "Spanish Castle Magic", "Castles Made Of Sand", "She's So Fine", "One Rainy Wish", "Bold As Love" and more.

A cool sci-fi story from two of the three brothers who created Love & Rockets – a tight little tale about robot culture, with a vibe that's like some of the best work from the early years of the magazine! The drawings here are most strongly in the famous style of Gilbert Hernadez, but you can also feel the influence of Mario as well – and the high-quality printing has the black and white images really popping off the page, wrapped up in a nice color hardcover! 126 pages, with bonus notes as well.

Thelma Houston's first album for Motown – and the start of a tremendous run of music in the 70s! The set's a great mix of modes – with vocals from Thelma that definitely show her roots in gospel – and rich, mature backings that give Houston the same sort of star treatment that Diana Ross would get during her early solo years – or which Dionne Warwick was getting over at Warner! Like the latter, Thelma's got a great way of being smooth, yet still keeping it real – and the set sparkles with warm soulful backings by Artie Butler, Gene Page, and Michael O'Martian. Tracks include "What If", "Black California", "Blackberries", "And I Never Did", "And I Thought You Loved Me", "There Is A God", and "I'm Letting Go". CD features an insane amount of bonus tracks – 9 more numbers from singles and non-LP tracks – with titles that include "Nothing Left To Give", "I Ain't Going Nowhere", "No One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever", "Pick Of The Week", "I Want To Go Back There Again", and "I'm Just A Part Of Yesterday".

A very cool book – not just a biography on Quincy Jones, but one that's filled with photos, letters, and other things from his personal collection – plus some very cool "artifacts" as well! The volume's put together like a mini-museum of Q's life – and features pull-out treasures from different periods of his life – little surprises that are hidden in envelopes and jackets, to be discovered as you turn the page – making the reading of the book almost like an archeological dig into Jones' rich career! The artifacts are reproduced wonderfully – record covers, letters, and lots more – all in full color, in this oversized book that's every bit as visually enjoyable as an old Quincy Jones record! 140 pages, hardcover – but with lots more inside to expand the page count too.

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

A career-spanning BB King anthology in a heavy-duty box – nicely representative of his roots and evolution over the decades – and including a great 64-page, hardback booklet of essay and photos! The CDs are chronological – with Disc One covering 1949-1964, Disc Two taking care of the rest of the fertile decade of the 60s, Disc Three spanning 1970-1983 and Disc Four from 1984 to 2003. Ladies & Gentleman. . . , simply put, has to be our favorite of all the BB King retrospectives we've seen. His styles over the years are so well consolidated, and the material that's chosen is so prime – from the early talking blues, to the show-stopping 60s electric blues, to the best of late career highlights – it's hard to find much fault! Even the packaging is handsome – and it's got 77 songs on 4CDs: "When Your Baby Packs Up", "Three O'Clock", "You Upset Me Baby", "Night Life", "The Thrill Is Gone", "Lucille", "Why I Sing The Blues", "Nobody Loves Me But My Daughter", "Chains And Things", "Guess Who", "Ghetto Woman", "Let The Good Times Roll (Live)", "Into The Night", :When Loves Comes To Town", "I'm Moving On", "Caldonia", "Ten Long Years", "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" and many, many more.

Very nice record of lost soul from LA, recorded for Hanna-Barbera, who are much better known as purveyors of cartoons, not music! We don't know much about Jean, but she's got a lovely voice, and the setup for the record – which is an intimate live setting – gives her perfect space to groove around a lot. She's backed by a tiny combo that has Pete Jolly on piano, Howard Roberts on guitar, Hal Blaine on drums, and Emil Richards on percussion. Shorty Rogers and Gene Page did the arrangements, and they did a nice job coming up with tight jazzy backings that have a bit of an uptown sound, but which sound a lot harder because of the live setting. Great stuff, and a record we almost never see! Tracks include "All I Really Want To Do", "Just My Style", "England Swings", "Watermelon Man", and "I Got You".

The last album of the 70s by Little Feat – and it's a strange one! On one hand, Little Feat is revisiting some of their country rock and New Orleans-inspired roots of years past – as well as the self-conciously oddball humor. But they're also working in a tighter, leaner and cleaner studio sound than on the previous albums. Includes "Down On The Farm", "Six Feet Of Snow", "Front Page News", "Wake Up Dreaming", "Be One Now", "Kokomo", "Perfect Imperfection" and more.

A beautiful testament to the T-909 drum machine – and almost more of a book than a drawing! The package comes with two totally cool color flexi-disc, and a 20 page booklet that features exceprts from Joe's larger treatise on the rhythm phenomenon – with some great phtos and drawings too! Schoolly D narrates the beats, with cuts by DJ 7L!

Nice obscure one by this lost girl soul group from the 70's! The Jackson 5 wrote and produced "What's Your Game", and it's got a very tight mellow 70's soul groove, with almost a Curtom sound, and a feel that's surprisingly deep for The Jacksons at the time. Gene Page arranged the flip side, and it's also got a nice 70's feel, in keeping with his strongest work from the time.

Perhaps the most beloved of albums by Mercury Rev – and also their most unique! This is a band that was just about the least predictable group to appear on a major label during the early 90s "alternative" feeding frenzy – certainly one of those great bands whose influence and impact extends far beyond however many records they sold at the time. Deserter's Songs has textures picked up from classic ornate pop, waltzy numbers and dreamy atmosphere to spare– paired with off kilter vocals and a freewheeling, creative sensibility. A classic! Includes "Holes", "Tonite It Shows", "Endlessly", "I Collect Coins", "Opus 40", "Hudson Line", "The Happy End (The Drunk Room)", "Goddess On A Hiway", "The Funny Bird", "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp".

Neek The Exotic's Comin' In Piles EP – with guests Bumpy Knuckles, B-1, Satchel Page and Large Professor! Titles include "Get The City Warm" feat Bumpy Knuckles & Satchel Page,"Comin' In Piles" with B-1, "One Speed All Out" with Satchel Page, "Real Deal Hop Hop", "Overseas With Officials" with Large Pro, plus a quartet of instro versions.

One of the most incredible African collections we've ever heard – almost more amazing than the African Scream Contest set from the same label! The package focuses on work by Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou – a group who really live up to their name, by bringing in a host of complicated rhythms to their music – including the "sato" groove, which is kind of a modern funky take on older voodoo modes! Production is often echoey – in ways that dub out the bass and drums nicely – and make the guitar parts sound nice and sinister – the vocals too, for that matter, even though we can't ever understand the lyrics. The music was originally recorded for a variety of different labels, but is brought together here beautifully – complete with a 44 page, full color booklet that not only tells the tale of the group, but also that of all the labels – then follows the whole thing up with a discography as well – a real labor of love that's as much of a visual treat as it is a sonic delight. Titles include "Se We Non Nan", "Ako Ba Ho", "Mi Ni Non Kpo", "Assibavi", "Mi Homlan Dadale", "Iya Me Dji Ki Bi Ni", "Mawa Mon Nou Mio", and "Koutoulie".

We're not entirely sure about the "incident" mentioned in the title – clearly front page news back in the day – but we can say that the album's a sweet little groover with a nice mod bounce – a set that features lots of great organ and piano from the mighty Marty Paich, working here with a snappy, syncopated groove that's right in line with Jimmy Bowen's mid 60s Reprise Records production style! The album's a sweet standout from Reprise at the time – mighty nice, and put together with a very solid feel – way more than just your typical 60s easy instrumental record – with some slight use of guitar to justify the "rock" in the title! Tunes include "The Cat", "Gotta Go", "The Proud Camel", "The Thing", "Promise Her Anything", and "Watermelon Man".

The debut full length from Pete Rock & CL Smooth – and a bonafide hip hop classic if there ever was one – one of the best ever! Pete Rock's trademark mix of heavy soul, jazz & funk beatcraft pretty much set the bar to a level that's been impossible to top ever sense. On top of being a front-to-back perfect album, Mecca & The Soul Brother has one of the great singles of the era, in "They Reminisce Over You (TROY)". What more can be said, really? An absolute essential! Disc 1 includes the original full length album. Titles include "Return Of The Mecca", "For Pete's Sake", "Ghettos Of The Mind", "Soul Brother #1", "Wig Out", "Anger Of The Nation", "Can't Front On Me", "The Basement" feat Heavy D, Rob-O, Grap & Dida, "If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right", "Skinz" feat Grand Puba and more. 16 tracks in all. Disc 2 features a wealth of bonus tracks, including 12" versions, remixes, acapellas, instrumentals and exclusives, including "It's Not A Game (Original 12" Version)", "Lots Of Lovin (Remix)" "They Reminisce Over You (TROY)" (Remix, Vibes Mix, and Instrumental versions), "Straighten It Out (Instrumental Version)". 15 tracks of bonus material. Comes in a heavy duty, beautiful deluxe box with a 20 page book with notes by Brian Coleman, Dante Ross, Pete Rock & CL Smooth and a full sized poster!

A beautiful book of vintage hard rock album covers – starting in the late 60s, and running through the early 80s – all to provide a perfect showcase of the best images of the genre from the vinyl generation! The book's got way more than pictures, though – as each oversize page includes not just a full color album image, but a short essay on the image as well – along with dates of release, and art credits too – all showing that the authors have really done their work in putting the whole thing together. The cover is nice and heavy – with almost a black velvet sort of look – and the book is 263 pages, and nice and heavy too!

A lost porno soundtrack from Bernard "Pretty" Purdie – and one of his greatest records ever! The album's amazing – a sweet batch of soulful funk, almost better put together than any of Purdie's more famous albums for Flying Dutchman or Prestige – with a mix of tight drums, sweet electric piano, and even some occasional lead vocals from Sandi Hewitt – who really adds a lot to the record! The album's got some monster funky cuts – the most noteworthy of which is "Hap'nin", a mad break track that really has Bernard going crazy on the drums! Other cuts include "Pass Me Not", "Lialeh", "Touch Me Again", "Conscious", and "Easy".

One of the heaviest funk records ever to come out of Indy in the 70s – a super-dope batch of ensemble grooving with plenty of odd twists and turns! At one level, the group work in a familiar Earth Wind & Fire-styled vibe – mixing heavy bass, funky rhythms, and lots of great horns – but at another level, the sound is a bit freer, and often hipper – coming across with jazzier influences on many tracks, and an overall style that's got some really righteous undercurrents! A number of tracks here are laidback and spacey – almost cosmic in approach, but a bit more love-oriented in subject matter – served up with some cool watery production that makes the guitar and keyboards really sound great, and some nice use of soprano sax to give the best tunes a nicely sharp edge! Titles include "You Got Action You Got Me", "Lil's Place", "Put A Smile On Time", "Thought My Love Was Free", "Can't Do Without You", and "Everybody's Chippin". Great new CD version – with 20 page book, and the bonus tracks "Laying & Playing", "Be Yourself", and "You Pay For What You Get".

A dual milestone issue for Roctober – the 50th issue and 20th anniversary – a 140-page extraganza which both reminisces on the past 2 decades of Roctober coverage and looks to the future! Includes items on 60s, 70s & 80s Chi vocal combo The Green Berets, Lou Christie, Don Cornelius, Klaus Nomi. Tommie Wix & Them Good Biscuits, Breakfast With Boone, Nardwuar Vs Odd Future, one man's adventure as one of the little remembered New Monkees and much, much more.

One of the more righteous albums from the early years of Diana Ross' solo career – a set that really has her moving past the familiar Motown groove of previous years, into a vibe that really shows the label's new California influence! The tracks here often feature expansive arrangements that mix soul and larger orchestrations – arranged by Gene Page, James Carmichael, Gil Askey, and Michael Randall – all of whom preserve the class that Diana's always had in her music, while still also opening things up to some of the more thoughtful elements of 70s soul. The album includes a nice medley of Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus a version of "Imagine", and the tracks "Leave A Little Room", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "All Of My Life", and "Touch Me In The Morning". Expanded CD version is amazing, too! CD 1 features the full original album, plus 5 more previously unreleased bonus tracks – alternate versions of "Touch Me In The Morning", "All Of My Life", "Leave A Little Room", and "We Need You". Then, CD 2 features the stunning To The Baby album – a previously unreleased effort that's appearing here for the first time ever, really continuing the vibe of Touch Me In The Morning! Titles include "A Wonderful Guest", "Young Mothers (alt)", "Part Of You", "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "To The Baby", "A Wonderful Guest", "Imagine/Save The Children", and "Brown Baby (alt)" – plus two more bonus tracks, "When We Grow Up" and "Kewpie Doll".

A record that might be easy to write this off as a mistake or inessential session – but thanks to some great arrangements by HB Barnum, Paul Riser, and Gene Page, plus great vocals by the groups, the record shines as much as any other Motown set from the time! The vocals are traded back and forth nicely between the groups – with the guys dominating some moments, the gals others, but never in a kitschy way. Includes a lot of Motown standards redone – like "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Try It Baby", "I Second That Emotion", and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" – but also includes a tasty version of "Funky Broadway", which has some great fuzzy guitar work!

A great little album of modern soul, cut by Johnnie Taylor years after his early raw Stax recordings, and about half a decade after his hit with "Disco Lady". The record's a surprising treat, and has Johnnie singing with smooth slick arrangements, in a warm mellow style, given a nice edge by the bluesy roots in his vocals. Gene Page handled the arrangements, and there's some great mellow steppers – like "What About My Love", "I'm So Proud", and "Don't Wait". Also features a few slap-bass tracks like "I Need A Freak" and "Just Ain't Good Enough" – but stick with the mellow stuff.

Yeah, THIS is the Nick Tosches we want! Tosches has a way of chronicling the diseased, mobbed up underbelly of the 20th Century music rackets that's simply unrivaled – it's gut level brilliant and street smart writing like no one does anymore. Save The Last Dance For Satan is a more fleshed out and newly spun continuation of material published more than a decade ago as Hipsters And Hoodlums in Vanity Fair (boy, mainstream magazine content sure has changed a bunch since 2000) – chronicling the sleaze and criminality at the core of the 50s & 60s music biz. It's great! His best stuff has often read with the sweaty, intoxicating allure of seedy pulp storytelling, so it's with the utmost pleasure to see his work put out by Kicks Books - which literally puts Tosches' work in just that kind of old school hip pocket paperback! He joins Andre Williams (whose "Jailbait" single is mentioned early in this book as the badass antidote to mid 50s candy-coated rock & roll that it most certainly was) and Sun Ra at Kicks. A couple of Tosches' more recent books have been a tough slog – more about his own near obsessive search for impossibly hidden subjects than anything else – but this slim 120 page tome is the opposite – it has us slobbering for more!

A giant-sized tribute to the fanzine movement! The book is devoted to DIY zines from the 70s onward – not just the iconic underground music journals – all the great personal and passionate self-published subcultural screeds. Teal Triggs' book is beautiful, served well by the oversized format (13.4 x 9.5 inches) and in full color – with more than 750 illustrations. It's heavy with shots of zine covers and page scans, with loads of rarities celebrated – from Punk and Search And Destroy up to Bust and Giant Robot – even some pages devoted to webzines. Paperback, 256 pages.

Two mellow jams from Mr T – back to back on a single CD! On Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Stanley Turrentine blows it sweet, mellow, and soulfully – in a wonderful post-CTI session from the 70s! The set features some swirling larger arrangements from Gene Page – done with a bit of the CTI sound lurking in the mix, but also a more complicated groove that almost takes on soundtrack-like proportions at times – a warmly-flowing groove that's lush without being soppy, and which really sets Turrentine up nicely for some sophisticated, mature solos on tenor. Stan's got some great company on the record – including Patrice Rushen on keyboards, David T Walker on guitar, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet – and although the set's laidback, it's a lot more soulful than you might think – almost like a hip mellow soul set from the time, but with tenor instead of vocals. Includes covers of the Earth Wind & Fire tunes "Reasons" and "That's The Way Of The World", plus the tracks "Touching You", "T's Dream", and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain". Use The Stairs is a near-forgotten date from 1980 – recorded at a time when Stanley Turrentine was still steeped in the fuller arrangements picked up during his CTI years – blowing beautifully as a soloist in the larger setting! The sound here is plenty darn hip – thanks to arrangements from Wade Marcus, who keeps the proceedings more in the soul side of the spectrum than the smooth jazz one. And as always, Turrentine almost sounds better here than in a small group – blowing with a "voice" that's tremendous, and which speaks volumes in a very small space. Other players include Cedar Walton on piano, Gene Bertoncini on guitars, Phil Bodner on reeds, and Grady Tate on drums – and titles include "Tomorrow", "The Lamp Is Low", "Till The Very End", "Jordu", "On A Misty Night", and "Pay The Price".

At some level, we have to admit, we've always been a shade disappointed in this record, no matter how many times we go back to it. It must be that the music doesn't quite live up to what the Efram Wolff cover image implies is within, and perhaps it's that Walker hasn't fully brought himself up to speed with the times to get with the hip righteousness that was going on in the Detroit scene of the early 70s. But there's a few ringers here, with some numbers arranged by Willie Hutch, Gene Page and James Carmichael, and Walker was hip enough to include a Leon Ware penned number, so though this album falls somewhere between Walker's signature gutbucket R&B sound that put himonthe charts and the heavy soul you'd hope for, it's got a few nice moments. Includes "It's Alright, Do What You Gotta Do", "Soul Clappin'", "Gimme that Beat (parts 1 & 2)" and "Peace & Understanding Is Hard To Find".

A real sweet soul gem from Nancy! The record has her working with arrangements and production by Gene and Billy Page – who give the record a great smooth 70s soul finish, and a feel that's a lot more unified than some of her other efforts from the decade. Nancy sings some great versions of "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" and "Come Get To This", plus the original tracks "Houdini Of The Midnight Hour", "Like A Circle Never Stops", "Boogeyin All The Way", and "Happy Tears".

An excellent album of funky electric jazz – and possibly the best one that Phil Woods cut with his European group! The quartet's a very hip group that's way hipper than its clunky name – with Gordon Beck on electric piano and organ, Daniel Humair on percussion and drums, and Henri Texier on bass, flute, and African percussion – all instrumentalists who dip heavily into the deep bag of their mighty talents for the date, helping to push Phil's music into some very cool new territory! The album cooks a lot harder than Woods' previous MGM date with the Rhythm Machine group in Europe – and has a really freewheeling vibe, and a sound that's almost outside at points. All tracks are long, with a modal electric approach that's very nice – and funky in the best parts – and titles include "Chromatic Banana", "Ultimate Choice", "The Last Page", and "The Day When The World".

An amazing tribute to London's Acid Jazz label – an imprint that's had an undeniable influence on all the things we do here at Dusty Groove! The massive package is way more than just a collection of the label's classics – and instead, it offers up a range of sounds that influenced the acid jazz scene in the UK at the end of the 80s – and others that go on to show the development of funk and soul in London as the 90s moved on. The package features a 52 page hardcover book, filled with Acid Jazz artwork and images; another 20 page book with the story of the label; a DVD with an interview and video footage of Snowboy, James Taylor Quartet, and other label stars; a 7" single with two unreleased tracks – "Never Stop" by The Brand New Heavies with Jan Kincaid and "Rock Steady (inst)" by The Brand New Heavies; and 4CDs worth of music with songs by Alice Clark, Small Faces, Dinosaur L, Charles Earland, Mark Murphy, The Quick, Jose Feliciano, Pharcyde, Forest Mighty Black, Mr Scruff, Paul Weller, Gang Starr, One Creed, Humble Souls, Tribe Called Quest, Nuyorican Soul, Soho, Ballistic Brothers, and many others. 65 tracks in all – and that's just the music!

One of the coolest African collections we've seen in years – a beautiful assortment of untapped grooves from the 70s, put together with a massive booklet that sets a whole new standard in packaging! The grooves here are different from other Afro Funk collections of the time – definitely more in the raw and psychedelic territory promised by the title, and filled with hard-edged vocals that surely know how to scream! There's still plenty of funk in the rhythms, but the execution is often quite unusual – less directly influenced by American soul, and very much off in its own direction. Lots of choppy guitar, too – and the set comes with a massive 42 page booklet filled with full color images and loads of notes. Titles include "Gbeti Madjro" by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou, "Mi Ma Kpe Dji" by Picoby Band D'Aborney, "Mi Kple Dogbekpo" by Lokonon Andre & Les Volcans, "Oya Ka Jojo" by Les Volcans De La Capital, "Ou C'Est Lui Ou C'Est Moi" by Vincent Ahehehinnou, "Wait For Me" by Roger Damawuzan, "Leki Santchi" by Napo De Mi Amor Et Ses Black Devils, "Ye Nan Lon An" by Orchestre Super Jheevs Des Paillotes, and "Houiou Djin Nan Zon Aklumon" by Discafric Band.

15 years of music from the Syliphone label – a key factor in the musical shift during Guinea's first few decades of independence – and home to the new "authenticite" policy of merging older roots and modern musical touches! The styles here are a great overview of the best sounds in Guinea during this period – played by a host of national orchestras on the scene – some well-known from other reissue collections, some reaching our ears for the first time here. There's a nicely complicated style to some of the music here, especially as the tracks move into the 70s – with horn passages that are particularly great, often with odd notes and a very other-worldy sound – cast out alongside more straightforward rhythms on percussion and guitar. Many numbers have vocals, but the instrumental passages get almost equal prominence even in these tunes – and the 2CD set features a beautiful 44 page booklet with wonderful notes on the music! 28 tracks in all – including "Soumba" by Kebendo Jazz, "Diaraby" by Balla Et Ses Balladins, "Soundiata" by Keletigui Et Ses Tambourinis, "Koukou Befo" by Orchestre De Beyla, "PDG" by Orchestre Du Jardin De Guinee, "Nana" by Soumbory Jazz, "Were Were" by Horoya Band, "Zimai" by Palm Jazz, "Fabara" by Syli Authentic, "Ziko" by Nimba Jazz, and "Festival" by Le Simandou De Beyla.

Bernardo Bertolucci in music and pictures – presented here with a 32 page booklet filled with images from his films! The CD offers up a full range of themes from famous Bertolucci movies – and includes "Cha Cha Cha Cantato" by Piero Piccioni, "Vecchia Hollywood" by Ennio Morricone, "Chi Pi Felice Di Me" by Georges Delerue, "Il Conformista" by Augusto Martelli, "Splash" by Ennio Morricone, "Why Did She Choose You" by Gato Barbieri, "Tema Di Ada" by Ennio Morricone, "The Last Emperor" by John Williams, "Little Buddha" by Ryuichi Sakamoto, and "La Tragedia Di Un Nomo Ridiculo" by Ennio Morricone.

Possibly the best-ever collection of blacksploitation grooves we've ever seen – a really comprehensive package that not only manages to cover the classics, but which also digs deep enough to come up with lots of fresh bits too! The set really sets a new level for the Soul Jazz label – and is carried off with enough authority towards Black Action films as the label's legendary efforts towards a host of less mainstream genres – truly an achievement for the label's crew, not to mention a heavier bonus for our funky listening pleasure! There's way more here than just a slapped-together batch of tunes from the early 70s – as the set's very carefully put together to showcase a wide range of sounds, along with notes that really get at the social and political power of both the music and the films. 2CD package features a massive color booklet inside the slipcase – and features 34 tracks that include "Shaft In Africa" by Johnny Pate, "Down & Out In New York City" by James Brown, "Wilford's Gone" by The Blackbyrds, "Run Fay Run" by Isaac Hayes, "Theme From Black Belt Jones" by Dennis Coffey, "Willie Chase" by JJ Johnson, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Charley" by Don Costa, "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch, "Blacula" by Gene Page, "Theme From Cleopatra Jones" by Joe Simon, "Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile" by Isaac Hayes, "Sweetback's Theme" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Aragon" by Roy Ayers, "Strung Out" by Gordon Staples, "Easin In" by Edwin Starr, "The Bus" by Solomon Burke & Gene Page, "Make A Resolution" by The Impressions, "Ed & Digger" by Cotton Comes To Harlem, "Las Vegas Strut" by Jack Ashford, "Lay It On Your Head" by Don Julian, and "Zombie March" by Nat Dove & The Devils.

An incredible document of a key genre in 50s jazz on record – the jam session tradition, recorded beautifully for Verve records by the legendary Norman Granz! The idea of a jam session was nothing new at the time, of course, but it was mostly a live phenomenon – known to players from concerts and club dates, or presented on vinyl by Granz, in his celebrated Jazz At The Philharmonic sessions. These dates mark a move into the studio by Granz – one that captures the same sort of energy and unique pairings of musicians that went down in the live sessions, with the added benefit of studio technology to make the work sound even clearer, and more intimate. The 5CD set brings together all 9 Jam Session albums – packaged beautifully in a slipcase with original album cover art, and a full 72 page booklet on the musicians, sessions, and titles included. Players include nearly everyone who might have worked for Verve in the 50s – Benny Carter, Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Buddy DeFranco, and countless others – and titles include "Jam Blues", "Funky Blues", "Apple Jam", "Blues For The Count", "Jamming For Clef", "Rose Room", "Blue Lou", and "Lullaby In Rhythm" – all in very long versions!

Cooler than ice – and cooler than just about any other label collection we've ever seen – a massive collection of work from the legendary Artic label, home to some of the best Philly grooves in the late 60s and early 70s! The package not only includes 6CDs, but also features 6 funky 45s as well – each of which features an unissued gem from the label – all wrapped up in a really well-done cover that comes with a 48 page booklet, and lots of vintage photos! There's never been a label overview like this one before – and the CDs feature every single issued by the company, both a and b-sides – a project that took the folks at Jamie many years to produce, but which has been well worth the wait. The music is wonderful throughout – great female soul, some soaring group tracks, and even a few funky nuggets too – way more than we ever knew that Arctic ever recorded. In addition to early efforts from later stars like Barbara Mason or Kenny Gamble, the set also features music by Honey & The Bees, The Ambassadors, The Combo Kings, The Rotations, Teddy & The Fingerpoppers, Three Strangers, Billy Floyd, Jack & Jill, The Temptones, Kenny Hamber, Herb Johnson, Winfield Parker, Lane Relations, Volcanos, Della Humphrey, Royal Five, and many others. The set's six 7" singles are amazing too – a dozen tracks that have never been heard before – including "He's Got To Love Me" and "Catch Him Love" by Barbara Mason, "I'm At My Best When I'm Down" and "The Rock" by The Combo Kings, "It Takes Two" and "Fat Daddy" by Kenny Gamble, "No Doubt About It" and "Lover Boy" by The Tiffanys, "Doctor Love" and "I Only Have Eyes For You" by The Ambassadors, and "I Love You Just The Same" and "Fallin Star" by Winfield Parker.

An Italian horror extravaganza – a set devoted to the films of Dario Argento, and the music that went with them! The set's a distillation of a previous hardcover edition – and features a nicely-done 32 page booklet filled with gripping images from Argento's classic spooky films of the 70s and early 80s – and the CD features loads of great creepy music, with 16 cuts that include "Placcaggio" and "Ninna Nanna In Blue" by Ennio Morricone, "Profondo Rosso" and "Mad Puppet" by Goblin, "Inferno" by Keith Emerson, "Suspiria" and "Tenebre" by Claudio Simonetti, "Steel Grave" by Steel Grave, "Trauma" by Pino Donaggio, and "Dark Dreams" by Signor Wolf – a tribute track added to the package!

One of the deepest digs we've ever seen into the rich array of grooves from Colombia – a double-length page that covers a much wider range of sounds than you might expect! Colombia's unusual amongst Latin American nations, in that it's got kind of a "crossroads" sort of role – a place where other South American sounds come into contact with music from North America, the Caribbean, and even Africa as well – resulting in some mighty heavy styles that are perfectly summed up on these 2CDs! The package is way more than just an armchair look at Colombia – and is heavy on the sorts of funk and offbeat grooves we've come to expect from the Analog Africa label – a key imprint in bringing the sounds of the globe to Anglo groove diggers like us. Rhythm is definitely at the core – as promised in the title – but the package also has plenty of great notes to help us understand the rich cultural history as well. Titles include "Calambre" by Conjunto Barbacoa, "Lumbalu" by Calixto Ochoa & Los Papaupas, "Schallcarri" by Grupo Abharca, "El Caterete" by Wganda Kenya, "Enyere Kumbara" by Julian Y Su Combo, "Wasamaye" by Wasamaye Rock Group, "Bajo El Troupillo Guajiro" by Sexteto Manaure, "Pegale A La Nalga" by Fuentes All Stars, "Juipiti" by Grupo Folclorico, "Shakalode" by Wganda Kenya, "Santana En Salsa" by Crecencio Camacho, "La Motilona" by Los Alegres Diablos, "Pajaro Madrugador" by Alfredo Gutierrez, "La Bulla" by Los Curramberos De Guayabal, "Busca La Careta" by Andres Landero, "La Cascada" by Pianonegro, "Eco En Stereo" by Sonora Dinamita, "La Veterana" by Peyo Torres, "Lluvia" by Sonora Tropical, and "Agoniza El Magadlena" by Ramiro Beltran. 32 tracks in all – and it comes in a great hardbound package with a 60-page booklet.

One of the deepest digs we've ever seen into the rich array of grooves from Colombia – a double-length page that covers a much wider range of sounds than you might expect! Colombia's unusual amongst Latin American nations, in that it's got kind of a "crossroads" sort of role – a place where other South American sounds come into contact with music from North America, the Caribbean, and even Africa as well – resulting in some mighty heavy styles that are perfectly summed up on this LP! The package is way more than just an armchair look at Colombia – and is heavy on the sorts of funk and offbeat grooves we've come to expect from the Analog Africa label – a key imprint in bringing the sounds of the globe to Anglo groove diggers like us. Rhythm is definitely at the core – as promised in the title – but the package also has plenty of great notes to help us understand the rich cultural history as well. Titles on this first volume of the vinyl include "Calambre" by Conjunto Barbacoa, "Lumbalu" by Calixto Ochoa & Los Papaupas, "Schallcarri" by Grupo Abharca, "El Caterete" by Wganda Kenya, "Enyere Kumbara" by Julian Y Su Combo, "Wasamaye" by Wasamaye Rock Group, "Bajo El Troupillo Guajiro" by Sexteto Manaure, "Pegale A La Nalga" by Fuentes All Stars, "Juipiti" by Grupo Folclorico, and "Shakalode" by Wganda Kenya.

An amazing collection of funky 45s – packed inside a vintage-style case, with a heavy book, and download codes for every song in the set! The price is high, but you get a hell of a lot of value for the package – almost like spending $250 to start a funky 45 collection to rival longtime collectors – a heck of a bargain when you consider it that way! Each song is unique to the set – rare soul and funk gems that have not appeared on other Numero compilations or 45s – presented here as a unique collection that continues Numero's tireless digging of the American soul underground of the 60s and 70s. Some 45s are in pic sleeves, and the book features a page on each single, with details on the song, photos, and more – all in glorious color, and wrapped up in a hardcover as handsome as the 45 case. Limited to only 1500 copies – and one of those sets you'll treasure for years!

A download-only version of the Numero Omnibus – no vinyl, but a beautiful booklet, and download code for all 90 tracks in the 45 collection! The price is high, but you get a hell of a lot of value for the package – the digital version of a funky 45 collection to rival longtime collectors – a heck of a bargain when you consider it that way! Each song is unique to the set – rare soul and funk gems that have not appeared on other Numero compilations or 45s – presented here as a unique collection that continues Numero's tireless digging of the American soul underground of the 60s and 70s. The book features a page on each single, with details on the song, photos, and more – all in glorious color, and wrapped up in a hardcover emblazoned with gold text!

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.

A compilation of Ghana music like we've never seen before – and straight up beautifully put together by Soundway – 70s sounds that fused regional traditions with boundary free soul, rhythm & blues, and rock! Ghana in the 1970s was in a transition from a more prosperous, and less militarily tenuous culture, and the music at the time is really wonderful. This collection of obscure album tracks and singles from the time feature many smaller combo groups, rather than large scale dance bands, with highlife jazz & soul, guitar and percussion based Afrobeat, and Ghana traditions fused with international styles wonderfully. Fantastic stuff that sits proudly up there with the great Nigeria Special sister series from Soundway! The vinyl box set version has 2 tracks on on the CD version or digital download, and 2 more tracks previously only available on the CD version of the Ghana Soundz compilation: 37 tracks on 5 LPs, plus a 12 page booklet with rare photos and history: "Kai Wawa" by The Mercury Dance Band, "Din Ya Sugri" by Cristy Azuma & Upper International, "Nya Asem Hwe" by City Boys Band, "Edinya Benya" by Hedzoleh Soundz, "Odo Mmera" by Pa Steele's African Brothers, "Wompe Masem" by African Brothers International Band, "Akampanye" by The Sweet Talks, "You Can Go" by Bokoor Band, "Owuo" by Sawaaba Soundz, "Sisi Mbon" by Honny & The Bees Band and more.

A fantastic package that explores the full range of genius on the legendary avant label BYG/Actuel – one of the most important European imprints at the end of the 60s! Actuel was home to some of the best avant garde jazz coming out of Paris in the late 60s and early 70s – an especially important document of the post-68 revolution in European music – at a time when so many American players where showing up in France, and finding great opportunities in the new freedoms of the scene! The package features seminal sides from US avant musicians – like Steve Lacy, Anthony Braxton, Clifford Thornton, Don Cherry, Jimmy Lyons, Archie Shepp, Sonny Sharrock, Sunny Murray, Grachan Moncur III, and The Art Ensemble Of Chicago – and it also features work by European musicians like Claude Delcloo and Jacques Coursil, plus genre-busting work by MEV and Gong as well. The 3CD box features a 48 page book – with lots of great illustrations, and notes from Thurston Moore and Byron Coley – and the set features 26 long tracks in all!

Mellow soul heaven – and one of the greatest compilations of this style we've ever heard! This is exactly the kind of laidback, tripped-out soul we totally love – a host of rare ballads and love songs pulled from the 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – sometimes by groups who are better known for funky tracks, other times by overlooked harmony groups and solo singers who rival the greatness of east coast artists like The Moments or Whatnauts! And while the music is totally great on its own – the sort we're usually content to have someone slip us on a dodgy CD – the whole package is even more incredible – a huge 80 page book that features loads of photos, record images, and notes on these obscure giants – really a Numero-level sort of presentation for these amazing tracks. Titles include "I Don't Think I'll Ever Love Another" by Darling Dears, "Slippin Around" by Thomas East, "Since You've Been Gone" by Little Janice, "Love" by Black Conspirators, "What Am I Waiting For" by Black Exotics, "Who Do You Think You're Fooling (part 1)" by Symphonic Four, "I'll Find A True Love" by Lee Bonds, "Young Girl" by Jazzie Cazzie & The Eight Sounds, and "Is It Me You Really Love" by Black Velvet. A really great 2LP package, too, with the book housed nicely in the center!

One of the best compilations of New Orleans funk we've ever seen! Sure, the reissue market is always filled with stuff from the Crescent City – but so many New Orleans compilations are cheapo knock-offs, designed to cash in on the drunk Jazz & Heritage crowd, or they're simplistic sets with the same 10 tracks over and over again. This wonderful batch of tunes was put together by the folks at Soul Jazz – legendary for their work in putting together serious compilations to please the novice and expert alike – and it's got some of the best overall work we've ever seen in trying to pin down New Orleans funk. Sure, there may be a few cuts on here that you've got on other sets – but there's also a lot that you won't have, and the quality of the production makes even the familiar material sparkle again. Titles include "Hercules" by Aaron Neville, "Big Chief (part 1)" by Professor Longhair, "Tell Me What's On Your Mind" by Cyril Neville, "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further" by Lee Dorsey, "Hand Clapping Song" by The Meters, "Here Come The Girls" by Ernie K Doe, "Free, Single, & Disengaged" by Huey Piano Smith, "Dap Walk" by Ernie & The High Notes, "Mama Roux" by Dr John, "Love Lots Of Lovin" by Lee Dorsey & Betty Harris, "I've Got Reasons" by Mary Jane Hooper, "Gatur Bait" by The Gaturs, "Hip Huggin" by Robert Parker, and "Can I Be Your Squeeze" by Chuck Carbo. 24 tracks in all!

Dust To Digital moves across the Atlantic Ocean – and brings the same great skill to African music they've already brought to blues, folk, and gospel! This package is amazing – 100 rare 78rpm recordings, appearing here on CD for the first time ever – not just wonderful music, but music that's wonderfully put together – with detailed notes that really blow us away as much as the sounds on the discs! The beautiful thing is that these guys not only know how to pick the best tracks, but that they also know what the music is about – and can prove it with a lavish 112 page book that features very rich information on all the obscure recordings – an archival feat that's a real bargain at this price. Heck, some guys would spend an entire career just to excavate and annotate this much great music – yet it's all in a day's work for this legendary label. And we haven't even told you about the actual music yet – but trust us, it's wonderful – the kind of mindblowing 78-era tracks that will really open up your understanding of global sounds!

The first ever compilation of the best music made for MoWest – the eclectic, but still soulful cuts made when Berry Gordy Jr. relocated from Motown to the west coast in the early 70s – releasing cool and sometimes strange music with a soul background, yet toasted by LA sunshine! The MoWest subsidiary lasted just a few years, and gets overlooked in the canonization of Motown at it's most classic and revolutionary – but the legacy is pretty incredible. Funk, sunshine rock and soul fused adventurously by a stunningly diverse roster – late period Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (who's comp-opening track is a slept on sunshine pop-soul classic), breezy-jazzy-soul from Odyssey, the sister funk of Sisters Love, a stunning solo left turn from Spinners singer GC Cameron and more great stuff from Syreeta, The Commodores, Suzee Ikeda, Thelma Houston and others. We've been dying for a well selected MoWest comp like this for years, and Light In The Attic stepped to the plate and knock it right out of the park. The songs choices are great, the notes are great. . .everything about it is a win. Essential! Includes "You're A Song (That I Can't Sing)" and "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" and "Broken Road" by Odyssey, "Don't You Be Worried" by The Commodores, "A Heart Is A House" Nu Page, "I Ain't Going Nowhere" by Thelma Houston, "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" by Suzee Ikeda, "You've Got To Make The Choice" and "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love and more.