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One of the few straight rock records ever issued on the mostly-folk Monitor Records label – a great 60s outing from Freeborne, a group with a sound that's as tripped-out as you might expect from the cover! Instrumentation is heavy on organ and guitars, both acoustic and electric, but there's also some cool percussion too – and interesting use of recorders, in a way that comes across with an ocarina-like charm! Vocals are somewhat soft, but have a dark undercurrent – and there's a really great folk-into-psyche sort of feel to the whole thing. Titles include "Images", "Land Of Diana", "But I Must Return To Frenzy", "Inside People", "Yellow Sky", "Peak Impressions & Thoughts", and "Visions Of My Own".

An absolute treasure trove of rare soul singles from Pied Piper Productions – a mid 60s Detroit soul operation that features Funk Brothers Jack Ashford, Joe Hunter, and Mike Terry – laying down sounds that rival the best Motown groovers of the period! The work is amazing throughout – soul cuts heavily focused on the groove and amazing lead vocals – recorded in ways that are similar to the best of Detroit at the time, but with some rawer aspects too – which makes for a massive package of Northern Soul gems! The package features both solo singers and great groups too – artists who include Lorraine Chandler, The Hesitations, September Jones, The Cavaliers, Willie Kendrick, Nancy Wilcox, and – heard here on rare singles and LP tracks that were originally released on labels like Karate, Kapp, Ruby and Giant – plus a number of recently unearthed titles that are seeing release for the first time ever! The set features 24 tracks in all, and the usual superb Kent notes and packaging – with titles that include "I Can't Hold On" by Lorraine Chandler, "Stuttering Sam" by September Jones, "Gambler's Blues" by Nancy Wilcox, "This Heart Is Lonely" by Rose Batiste, "Just Can't Leave You" by Tony Hesher, "Could It Be" by Micki Farrow, "I Fell In Love (Can't Help It)" by Freddy Butler, "He'll Be Leaving You" by The Pied Piper Players, "If Only You Knew" by Mike & Ray, "Time Changes Things" by Willie Kendrick, and "Lonely Too Long" by The Sandpipers.

A sweet instrumental tribute to the 70s soul genius of Thom Bell – plus the Delfonics and Stylistics as well – served up with lots of mellow keyboards from the mighty Bob Baldwin! Given that Bob's got a firm lock on soulful sounds of the 21st Century, he's a great choice to revive the music of Bell – helping to bridge the space of decades with his well-crafted lines on piano and keyboards – and with great guest work from artists who include Marion Meadows, Vivian Green, Will Downing, Paul Taylor, Ragan Whiteside, and Russ Freeman! Titles include "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "People Make The World Go Round", "Break Up To Make Up", "I'll Be Around", and "La La Means I Love You".

Definitely a classique set from Will Downing – soul that's both classic and classy, beautifully put together by a real master of the genre! We dig this set even more than some of Will's better-known records from back in the day – and the whole thing's got a smooth, soulful balance that's really wonderful – never cloying or cliched, with an easygoing flow that takes us back to 70s mellow work by Marvin Gaye, or some of the Isley Brothers' bedroom classics! Rex Rideout helped Downing on production for the set, and we can definitely hear his touch – on titles that include "Ride", "I Won't Stop", "Something Special", "Just Think About It", "Baby I'm For Real", and "Let's Make It Now".

Aerosmith at their most classic! At their peak, Aerosmith brought a hard rock edge to the more groove oriented boogie and blues rock influences. Toys In the Attic is most certainly one of their peaks, if not THE peak. Includes the all time greats "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion", plus "Big Ten Inch Record", "Uncle Salty", "Round And Round", "You See Me Crying", "Adam's Apple" and "No More No More".

Some of the biggest singles by British reggae giants Aswad! Don't Turn Around his pretty heavy with material from the mid-to-late 80s period – when they were at a commercial peak – blending Lovers Rock and were crossing over in a major way. Breezy, easygoing stuff – plus some great rootsier material, too. Includes "Don't Turn Around", "Back To Africa", "How Long" feat Yazz, "Three Babylon", "Fire" with Shabba Ranks, "Set Them Free", "Rainbow Culture", "Chasing For The Breeze", "Beauty's Only Skin Deep", "Shy Guy" with Easther Bennett and more.

Classic level greatness from Bobby Bare – with The Real Thing from 1970! At his peak – and we consider this to be peak material – Bobby Bare had an easygoing, laconic storyteller vocal style that's as great as any of his more celebrated peers – plus add a perfect mix Nashville Sound lushness and stripped-down country laid down by the best session musicians in the business and the recipe is pretty close to perfection! Includes: "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", "The Chicago Story", "Maggie (I Wish We'd Never Met)", "California Dreams", "Tulsa County", "Barbara Joy", and more.

Wow! The one-and-only album by Trinidadian combo Black Truth Rhythm Band – a completely incredible one at that – hypnotic Caribbean funky soul, jazz and wildly impressive musicianship all around by this group led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Oluko Imo. The record was made in the mid 70s era in which the Afro Funk sound was hitting it's peak – when African rhythms and James Brown style funk were being fused so furiously – but Black Truth Rhythm Band take a different approach, working more with sounds from African spectrum and the West Indies. It's really amazing stuff that takes unpredictable twists from stripped down rhythms, to jazzy guitars and cosmic synths – always with straight up brilliant playing by the group. A fusion of African rhythms, strains of Calypso and boundary free jazzy grooves that balance and exploratory sensibility with tight, irresistible rhythms. Soundway raises the bar once again! Titles include "Ifetayo", "You People", "Saved Musician", "Kilimanjaro", "Aspire", and "Umbala" – plus a bonus 7" single with the track "Imo".

Wow! The one-and-only album by Trinidadian combo Black Truth Rhythm Band – a completely incredible one at that – hypnotic Caribbean funky soul, jazz and wildly impressive musicianship all around by this group led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Oluko Imo. The record was made in the mid 70s era in which the Afro Funk sound was hitting it's peak – when African rhythms and James Brown style funk were being fused so furiously – but Black Truth Rhythm Band take a different approach, working more with sounds from African spectrum and the West Indies. It's really amazing stuff that takes unpredictable twists from stripped down rhythms, to jazzy guitars and cosmic synths – always with straight up brilliant playing by the group. A fusion of African rhythms, strains of Calypso and boundary free jazzy grooves that balance and exploratory sensibility with tight, irresistible rhythms. Soundway raises the bar once again! Titles include "Ifetayo", "You People", "Saved Musician", "Kilimanjaro", "Aspire", "Umbala" and the bonus track "Imo".

Built To Spill at their late 90s live peak – on the Keep It Like A Secret tour! 2013 version includes the previously unreleased bonus tracks "Forget Remember When" and "Now and Then".

A seminal session from one of the greatest large groups ever! This one captures the Clarke-Boland ensemble at the peak of their creativity – swinging hard in that tight firey way that was virtually their trademark during the late 60s. The players are a top-shelf mix of European and American jazz legends – coming together without ego, without attitude, and having a hell of a time working through groundbreaking arrangements from leader Francy Boland. Soloists include Sahib Shihab, Tony Coe, Dusko Goykovich, Ronnie Scott, Jimmy Woode, and Benny Bailey – and the tracks are all short, but swing like a mofo, with plenty of solo action in the mix. Titles include "Love For Sale", "November Girl", "All Through The Night", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", and "Bei Dir War Es Immer So Schon".

Some incredible early work from John Coltrane – 3 sessions recorded under the leadership of Paul Chambers, and even done before Coltrane's more famous work with Miles Davis! First up is material from the Imperial album Chamber's Music – led by Chambers, and one of the earliest small group sessions with Coltrane – a very spare batch of bass-heavy tracks with an incredibly relaxed groove. Chambers is at the full peak of his youthful talents, and solos quite a bit next to spare piano fills by Drew. Trane's tone is loud and raw, with more bluesiness than you'd expect – and we mean that in a good way! Titles include "Dexterity", "Trane's Blues", and "Eastbound". Added to these are 3 more tracks from a really wonderful Massachusetts session in 1956 – recorded for Transition Records – and featuring Coltrane and Chambers with Pepper Adams, Roland Alexander, and Donald Byrd – playing, long, bluesy, almost-improvised tunes that include "Trane's Strain", "High Step", and "Nixon Dixon & Yates Blues". Last up are more tracks from the album Whims Of Chambers – again recorded under Chambers' leadership, this time for Blue Note in 1956 – with a group that includes Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell, and Horace Silver. The writing is great, and the group has a nice dark edge that gives the session a slightly different sound than other Blue Note albums from the time. Chambers leads off with the bass on most tracks, kind of putting the work at an off-center pace that really gives it a fresh feel – and which makes it different from the straighter bop sound of his albums as a leader on Vee Jay. Tracks include "We Six", "Dear Ann", "Tale Of The Fingers", and "Omicron". CD features 11 tracks in all – quite possibly not all of the tracks from the albums, but the important Coltrane ones.

Devo brings their classic theory of De-Evolution to the Spuds of Seattle in 1981 – right around the time of the group's popular peak! Devo archivist Michael Pilmer (of Devo-Obsesso, ground zero for all things Devo on the web) purportedly found the tapes in a shoebox full of cassettes in Bob No 2’s home some years ago, which he immediately transferred it to DAT – and now we have this terrific document of Devo on the New Traditionalists tour. The set features a good portion of tracks from that album as well as live favorites from their earlier albums that are amazing to this day! Includes "Going Under", "Through Being Cool", "Jerkin' Back N' Forth", "Soft Things", "Planet Earth", "Whip It", "Super Thing", "Mongoloid", "Jocko Homo", "Smart Patrol/Mr DNA", "Girl You Want", "Gut Feeling", "Gates Of Steel", "Beautiful World", "Working In A Coalmine" and more.

Tight!! Lee Fields, one of the great criminally under appreciated funky geniuses of the 70s is back with another pounding, raw funk classic that still finds the man at the peak of his powers, decades after he first made mark on the funk landscape! This is Lee's first full length effort for Soul Fire, a label that we all know goes to painstaking lengths to carefully carry the torch lit by the People Records scene in the 70s into the future, and it's great to see a titan like Lee do amazing work for a great label that does it purely for the love! Lee is absolutely on fire on all 10 of these tracks, with a Godfather like delivery that knocks us out of our chairs every time, whether it's that fiery funk howl that we love so much, or a smooth, soulful glide on the occasional ballad. He's backed up by a bona fide funky orchestra at Soul Fire Studios that includes TONS of hot drums, propulsive percussion, and some driving conga work that steers things into an afro funk groove on several of the tunes. The group MVP, other than Lee himself, could be multi instrumentalist Leon Michels, whose work on flute, keys, tenor and baritone sax, as well guitar and bass not only helps keep the classic 70s feel going, but keeps things crackling at breakneck speed. This isn't newfangled funk revival, this is the real deal from one of the originators – a 33-minute funk maelstrom that will knock you right out of your chair, and have you restarting it the second it ends! Includes "Problems", "The Right Thing", "Rapping With Lee", "I Don't Know Where I'm Going", and "Honey Dove". Oh, if only all of our heroes remained this vital!

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more inviting – and to his credit, Flying Lotus keeps things as innovative as ever, while still giving this one just a bit more immediately appealing atmosphere. There's nearly always a compelling beat, whether it's abstract boom bap or bubbly and synthy, with heavy bass and thick waves of sound floating over. An incredible roster of guests contribute, too – including string-arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson, vocalists Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington and Radiohead's Thom Yorke, keyboardist Dorian Concept, and others – but there's little doubt that this is purely the Flying Lotus show. Greatness! Titles include "All In", "Sultan's Request", "See Thru To U" with Erykah Badu, "DMT Song" with Thundercat, "The Nightcaller", "Only If You Wanna", "Electric Candyman" with Thom Yorke, "Hunger" with Niki Randa, "Phantasm" with Laura Darlington, "Dream To Me" and more.

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more inviting – and to his credit, Flying Lotus keeps things as innovative as ever, while still giving this one just a bit more immediately appealing atmosphere. There's nearly always a compelling beat, whether it's abstract boom bap or bubbly and synthy, with heavy bass and thick waves of sound floating over. An incredible roster of guests contribute, too – including string-arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson, vocalists Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington and Radiohead's Thom Yorke, keyboardist Dorian Concept, and others – but there's little doubt that this is purely the Flying Lotus show. Greatness! Titles include "All In", "Sultan's Request", "See Thru To U" with Erykah Badu, "DMT Song" with Thundercat, "The Nightcaller", "Only If You Wanna", "Electric Candyman" with Thom Yorke, "Hunger" with Niki Randa, "Phantasm" with Laura Darlington, "Dream To Me" and more.

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".

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. 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".

Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge team up for this intriguing collaboration – one with a promising concept and they deliver on it in full – shadowboxing their way to a knockout! On the mic tip, Ghostface is in his comfort zone here – spitting lyrics laced with martial arts, mafia and supernatural imagery – and doing so with a furious flow and peak precision. Adrian Younge and his Venice Dawn group lay down the sounds – with dusty soul and funk, naturally – but what really pushes this one to a superior level are the unpredictable and ingenious nods to 70s Italian film scores, particularly in the giallo genre. Spooky, echoey keyboards and occasional angelic female backing vocals elevate the vibe and balance the grit. 12 tracks and no filler: "Beware The Stare", "Rise Of The Black Suits", "I Declare War" with Masta Killa, "Blood On The Cobblestones" with U-God & Inspectah Deck, "Rise Of The Ghostface Killah", "Murder Spree" with U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck and Killa Sin, "Enemies Around Me" with William Hart of the Delfonics, "The Sure Shot (Parts 1 And 2)", "Twelve Reasons To Die" and more. 2CD deluxe edition includes the full instrumentals on disc 2!

Let's get this straight. Merle Haggard SINGS "Okie From Muskogee" but he is not THE "Okie From Muskogee". Nevertheless, this is the record that put the honky in honky tonk. Merle sure pretended to not like hippies back in '69, and story has it he even refused an invitation to produce Gram Parson's GP album on the basis that Gram was just another damn dirty hippie. Of course that's just a story – Merle simply didn't fancy himself a producer. Okie From Muskogee is pretty much the definitive portrait of the Hag at his most reactionary, and if the ignorant politics of the title track gives us a few goosebumps along the way, it's well worth it to hear him perform some of his best tracks at the very peak of his career. Besides, what's an outlaw if he doesn't scare you a little? Many of the great ones are here, including "Mama Tried", "No Hard Times", "In the Arms Of Love", "If I Had Left It Up To You", "White Line Fever", "Blue Rock", "Okie From Muskogee", and a medley of "Swinging Doors", "I'm A Lonesome Fugitive", "Sing Me Back Home", and "Branded Man".

Iron Maiden's monumental Live After Death – a standard bearing live album in the metal realm – and a vital snapshot of the British heavy metal heroes at the peak of their powers! Maiden pretty much conquered the live metal world on this tour – and Live After Death features recordings from LA's Long Beach Arena and London's Hammersmith Odeon. Most of their their greatest songs to this point are represented, including "Aces High", "2 Minutes To Midnight", "The Trooper", "Revelations", "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner", "Powerslave", "Number Of The Beast" "Hallowed Be Thy Name", "Iron Maiden", "Children Of The Damned" and more!

Thumpingly playful, spacey and funky beatcraft from the J Dilla archives – a packed couple sides of short, instantaneously addictive material – great stuff that does the Dilla legacy proud! Lost Tapes, Reels & More is Dilla at his most insistent – with one memorable beat heavy blast after another. There's a lot of sampled vocal bits on this one, too, but beyond that, this is Dilla as beatmaker and producer – and in peak form! A very worthy release on Moodymann's Mahagoni label. 20 short(ish) tracks on 2 sides: "I'm Back Nick", "Dilla Beats II", "Token Jazz Hour", ""3 Round The Corner", "Here We Go Again", "Sessions 4", "73 Soundtrack", "Videogame 1", Clap 4 Me", "Aahhh", "Licking", "Still Laffin", "Go Get Em" and more.

Very groovy pop from the one-named Jefferson – a set that boasts some especially swinging production from the legendary John Schroeder! The style here is very much at the peak of Brit pop for the time – sung with a bit of warble on Jefferson's vocals, and supported by some bouncy arrangements from Lew Warburton that are really great – soaring and compressed, but not in the smoother style of later 70s UK pop – and still with the best sort of edge we love from more familiar English work of this sort. Titles are very well chosen – and include Alan Hawkshaw's "Love & The World Loves With You" – plus "Montage From How Sweet It Is", "Give A Little Love", "I Fell Flat On My Face", "Baby Take Me In Your Arms", and "City Girl".

A dream come true for all of us who ever loved the incredible songs of Kris Kristofferson at the peak of his craft – his late 60s and early 70s publishing demos – never before released versions of some of his best songs ever in the raw, unvarnished mode we always longed for! It's amazing stuff, including many tracks that would go on to be Kristofferson standards – numbers that got a little too clean and glossy on some of his own LPs and as recorded by others, which is what makes this compilation such a revelation. A genuine coup for our friends at Light In The Attic and a presentation of some of our favorite songs of the era by anyone – done raw and real, the way we always wanted to hear them! The set's produced by Mark Linn, who is responsible for the excellent Karen Dalton archival releases on the Delmore label, and he does similarly great work for Kris. It includes an excellent booklet with reminiscences by Dennis Hopper and Merle Haggard, full lyrics and notes from Kristofferson – plus rare photos and liner notes by Michael Simmons. Includes "Me And Bobby McGee", "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends", "Smile At Me Again", "Border Lord", "Just The Other Side Of Nowhere", "Slow Down", "If You Don't Like Hank Williams", "When I Loved Her", "Billy Dee", "Getting By, High And Strange" and more. 16 tracks in all.

Rare treats from the late 70s Black Ark archive – the Lee Scratch Perry-produced recordings of soulful singer Candy McKenzie! These numbers were recorded in 1977 when Scratch and Black Ark studios were in peak form – and sure enough, the production and musicianship is top notch and infused with some great oddball creative flourishes – but it's Candy's sweet, sweet vocals that push this over the top. Her voice is so lovely and so soulful, it's a shame that this material has been so tough if not impossible to find for so many years! Includes "Disco Fits", "Someone To Love Me", "Breakfast In Bed", "Walking In The Sun", "Jah Knows", "Ice Cream", "Sky At Night", "Keep Him Strong", "Tell Me A Lie" and "When The Big Day".

The stellar and rare Roscoe Mitchell recordings from the early years of the AACM – with all of the material from Nessa's mid 70s release as Old/Quartet – plus an incredible second disc featuring additional material that we've only seen in Nessa's great Art Ensemble 1967/68 box set! All tracks were recorded in 1967 by Roscoe's Art Ensemble quartet that included Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, Malachi Favors on bass, and Philip Wilson on drums – one of the first truly mature groups to emerge from the bubbling cauldron of the Chicago mid 60s avant garde. Mitchell plays alto, soprano, clarinet and flute – and this is one heck of a showcase of these players at an early creative peak! Disc one features the Old/Quartet material, with "Old", the half hour + "Quartet No 2", and "Solo". The second disc includes 2 epic length numbers: "Trio (Oh Susanna)" and "Quartet No 1", plus the shorter, but 4-part "Theme Statements" and "Tats-Matoes (Rehearsal)".

Motorhead tearing it up in the early 80s and arguably hitting their absolute peak – the final album with the classic trio lineup of Lemmy, Fast Eddie Clarke and Philthy Animal Taylor – capping off one of the most trailblazing periods for any band in rock & roll history! Iron Fist is as unrelenting and stubbornly gruff as the preceding Overkill and Ace Of Spades LPs, a loud and clear statement that this band was committed in full to the sound they created. Includes "Iron Fist", "Hert Of Stone", "I'm The Doctor", "Loser", "Shut It Down", "Speedfreak", "(Don't Need) Religion", "Bang To Rights" and more.

Lee Perry & The Upsetters – rolling them Music Bones in peak form here – stellar mid 70s Black Ark material from the master! This one totally delivers the goods: raw, gritty, funky jams cut at the Black Ark during the height of Perry's most creative period. Vin Gordon's trombone is pushed waaaay up to the front of the mix in these instrumental versions, which are basically dubs, though there's not too much in the way of echo drops and atom bomb reverb – but on this album that's just the way we like it, so we can feel every beat of the chunky rhythms! 15 tracks in all, including "Coco-Macca", "The Message", "Licky-Licky", "Quinge Up", "Raw Chaw", "Four Of A Kind", "Nah Go Run", "Mek It Soon" and "Voodoo Man".

Prince in near-peak form in the mid 80 – creatively, anyway! Parade is a brilliant stand-alone album, tough it doubles as a soundtrack to a film that flopped – standing today as one of our favorite Prince albums from the 80s! Includes the massively funky "Kiss", the closest Prince ever got to James Brown – and the whole album's got some great orchestral arrangements by Clare Fischer. Titles include "Christopher Tracey's Parade", "I Wonder U", "Under The Cherry Moon", "Girls & Boys", and "Anotherloverholenyohead".

Essential peak solo material from Diana – her aptly self-titled set from 1976, showing Ms. Ross stretching out stylistically with incredible style and with beautiful vocals! Diana '76 is among her best work of the 70s – and that's saying something! It opens with the gorgeous "Theme From Mahogany" – and given that this album's release was timed well with the movie, you could be forgiven to think it could be a quickie product to ride the film's commercial coattails. Not at all! In fact, this album is a major creative triumph – songs ranging from elegant balladry, to jazzy soul, to sultry disco. It's one of those rare few cases in which a great artists covers miles of stylistic territory and reins it all into a consistent whole. We always loved this album, but re-approaching after all these years, we think it's a real masterpiece! Titles include "Theme From Mahogany", "You're Good My Child", "Love Hangover", "Kiss Me Now", "After You", "Smile", "One Love In My Lifetime", and "I Thought It Took A Little Time". The folks at Motown/Hip-O Select are giving it the masterpiece love for this 2CD edition – with the original album plus 9 bonus tracks on Disc 1 – plus 15 more bonus tracks on Disc 2! Bonus tracks include non-album singles "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right (Single Version)" and "Together (Single Version)", single and alternate versions of the best album tracks, rare, unreleased sessions material that include a sweet cover of Elton John's "Harmony", "Go Where Your Mind Is", "Le Lo Li" and much more, plus an interview with Diana. 33 tracks on 2CDs plus a nice booklet..

An avant dancefloor work of genius by Arthur Russell – the frantically beat-heavy, sunny and psychedelic single "Let's Go Swimming" that's from 1986, but it's really a unique piece of work that exists out of place and time – here in 3 distinctive versions along with a previously unreleased Gem Spa Dub version of "Make 1,2"! "Let's Go Swimming" is peak creative moment for Arthur, an accessible dance track that sounds as brilliant today as ever. All 3 versions of the track are here: Arthur's own Gulf Stream Dub and Pupply Surf Dub – plus the Coastal Dub version mixed by Walter Gibbons. This great 2011 Audika release also includes the 11+ minute "Make 1, 2 (Gem Spa Dub)" – another great one with a bit of a jazzy future soul vibe to it.

A great live Santana set, recorded in Japan in '73 and never released on vinyl in the US! The band here is at their peak, and this set features a nice large lineup that includes Tom Coster, Richard Kermode, Doug Rauch, Armando Peraza, Jose Chepito Areas and Michael Shreve, plus Leon Thomas on vocals! Some tracks show the clear influence of Miles' electric jazz recordings from the same period, while others have a hardcore Latin percussion base, and as you can imagine there's no shortage of full on guitar pyrotechnics and jamming on all the band members' parts. Most of the group's tracks that have entered classic status are here, but the moments that shine the brightest are the lesser known numbers and extended passages where the group really gets into the groove! Includes "A 1 Funk", "Gypsy Queen", "Oye Como Va", "Yours Is The Light", "Batuka", "Xibaba", 'Waiting", "Free Angela", "Samba De Sausalito", "Mantra", "Kyoto", "Incident At Neshabur" and "Toussaint L'Overture".

One of the great mid 60s Supremes album – at a time when they could really do no wrong – and featuring a couple of their bigger hits! I Hear A Symphony was produced by the team of Holland & Dozier – and Holland-Dozier-Holland are the credited composers for most of it – plus a couple of the pop standards of the time. This is the Supremes at their heart-tugging mid 60s peak – with some of their best and best remembered treasures! Titles include "Stranger In Paradise", "I Hear A Symphony", "Unchained Melody", "Without A Song", "A Lover's Concerto", "My World Is Empty Without You", and "He's All I Got".

Standouts from Glenn Underground's peak-level Forgotton Art (Music)! "Shiloh (A King's Return)" pretty well encapsulates what we love most about Glenn's work from this period. It's got an unshakable dancefloor rhythm and a heavy bass groove – and kicked to a higher level with a beautiful jazzy horn passage. "We, The Party (Let’s Get Down)" is the equally hypnotic cut on the flip.

The great debut of Townes Van Zandt! On the level of pure songwriting, it's masterful – Townes was pretty much in peak form on that front even on the debut! The record is at it's best when it's at it's most intimate – simply letting his voice and acoustic guitar carry everything. There's some fairly adventurous production by Jack Clement & Jim Malloy, though – a bit out of character for Townes at his slightly later, more stripped down and iconic – but that's actually something we appreciate a lot more than we used to. Like the big budget studio recordings of Van Zandt's songs as covered by others, it goes to show just how sturdy and adaptable his songs are in different settings. Classic! Includes "For The Sake Of The Song", "Tecumseh Valley", "Many A Fine Lady", "Quick Silver Dadreams Of Maria", "I'll Be There In The Morning", "Sad Cinderella", "All Your Young Servants", "Sixteen Summers, Fifteen Falls" and more.

One of the best ever records by Townes Van Zandt – cut during his early 70s studio peak – and contrary to the title, a good 25 years before he passed away! He's again working with producer Jack Clement, but this record pares down the slicker and bigger production touches that seemed out of place on the earlier Clement-produced Our Mother The Mountain – with every single sound in service of the song. Towne's voice was never better than it is here and it includes some of his most enduring songs. Those include "Poncho & Lefty", "If I Needed You" and "Fraulein" – each as eternal as anything Townes would ever write or record – but everything here is excellent. Other tracks include "No Lonesome Tune", "Sad Cinderella", "Don't Let The Sunshine Fool You", his great and faithful cover of Hank Williams' "Honky Tonkin'" , "If I Needed You", "Heavenly Houseboat Blues" and more.

One of the best ever records by Townes Van Zandt – cut during his early 70s studio peak – and contrary to the title, a good 25 years before he passed away! He's again working with producer Jack Clement, but this record pares down the slicker and bigger production touches that seemed out of place on the earlier Clement-produced Our Mother The Mountain – with every single sound in service of the song. Towne's voice was never better than it is here and it includes some of his most enduring songs. Those include "Poncho & Lefty", "If I Needed You" and "Fraulein" – each as eternal as anything Townes would ever write or record – but everything here is excellent. Other tracks include "No Lonesome Tune", "Sad Cinderella", "Don't Let The Sunshine Fool You", his great and faithful cover of Hank Williams' "Honky Tonkin'" , "If I Needed You", "Heavenly Houseboat Blues" and more.

A record we'd never part with – and easily our favorite album ever from The Who! Quadrophenia represents the group at its peak from all perspectives – songwriting, performance, and even studio presence – as the album's got a sonic sensibility that few other albums of the time can match! The set's a concept record – a story, like Tommy – yet it remains incredibly lean, without any overcluttered rock opera feel – so much so that most tunes stand mightily on their own, but also have a dense sense of texture when taken together as part of the double-length album. And we'll also say that the record's one of the few extended sets we always end up breezing through from start to finish – almost surprised by the time it comes to a close – and often hitting repeat to hear the whole thing over again! Titles include "I Am The Sea", "The Real Me", "Cut My Hair", "The Punk & The Godfather", "Sea & Sand", "5:15", "Bell Boy", "Love Rein O'Er Me", and "Is It In My Head".

A great set of heavy psych by Brit axe-wielders Wicked Lady – the first of a two part anthology – featuring their formative late 60s and peak early 70s material! Wicked Lady is the power trio of guitarist and singer Martin Weaver, bass player Bob Jeffries and drummer Mad Dick Smith – who deliver raw, fuzzy and lumbering psych grooves – which sound fresh to this day! There's some acoustic moments that are heavier in mood than sound, and plenty of straight up electric heaviness, sans cliches. Amazing stuff! Includes the acoustic title track, plus "Run The Night", "War Cloud", "Wicked Lady", "Out Of The Dark", "Rebel", "Life And Death" and "Living On The Edge".

A record of incredible beauty from the great Leo Wright – and one that we'd never part with at all! Wright's one of those excellent players from the 60s who never really gets his due – largely because he was always hiding behind larger groups, and because he left the US in the decade for an extended stint in Europe. Still he cut some fantastic early work with both Dizzy Gillespie and Lalo Schifrin – and this album captures him right during the peak of that early period! The record features light lively backing from a quartet that includes Kenny Burrell on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums – and some tracks have a beautifully groovy sound that's slightly bossa, slightly soul jazz. One of the best of these is Wright's great cover of "A Felicidade", but the record contains many other great moments, like "The Wiggler", "Tali", "Sassy Lady", and "Dionysis".

A glittering assortment of grooves from the always-great Melting Pot Music label – served up here in a special limited sampler that features a few different versions of tunes, some unreleased tracks, and forthcoming numbers too! As you'd guess from Melting Pot, there's plenty of funky nuggets in the set – in styles that range from straight deep funk to processed beats to hip hop instrumentalism – but always at a level that's far beyond the conventional! Titles include "Walk With Us" by Dexter, "Rollin" by Hade X Gutta, "Droptop" by Tbrck, "New Fun" by Brzzvll & Stijn, "Pass It On" by Funkommunity, "Giscar" by Suff Daddy, "My Bike" by Aischa Traida, and "Early Bird" by Uhuru Peak.

Bunny Lee dub versions of classic Johnny Clarke vocal numbers – with the tracks stripped down to the drum and heavy bass – and that legendary voice hypnotically dropped in and out! Includes versions on numbers from some of Johnny's peak dancehall years of the mid 70s to early 80s – and it Includes "None Shall Escape The Dubment", "Moving Out Of Dubness", "Dread A Dub", "African Dub", "Satta Dub", "Dunza Dub", Legalize Dub", "Dreadlocks Dub", "Jah Jah In Dub" and more.

One of the rarest and greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time – the sly, funky and spiritual masterpiece He's Coming from 1971 – really the beginning of the funk years from Roy Ayers Ubiquity! This one's a totally solid mix of soulful jazz, jazzy soul and righteous funk – and it's straight up wonderful all the way through – with a groove that's hugely influential to say the least! Includes the amazing track "We Live In Brooklyn Baby", which has a slow sample bassline in the intro that's just incredible – plus groovy cuts like the spiritual funk classic Jesus Christ Superstar "He's a Superstar", "He's Coming", and "Sweet Tears". The lineup includes Sonny Fortune on soprano sax and flute and Billy Cobham drums and percussion, and the record's co-arranged by Harry Whitaker, who's also on keys and vocals – with other tracks include "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", "Ain't Got Time", "I Don't Know How To Love Him", "Sweet Butterfly Of Love" and "Fire Weaver". Amazing stuff, really a beautiful encapsulation of Roy Ayers in peak form!

Classic level greatness from Bobby Bare – with the complete The Real Thing and I Hate Goodbyes/Ride Me Down Easy records from 1970 and 1973 – plus a smattering of some his best ever recordings as bonus tracks! At his peak – and we consider this to be peak material – Bobby Bare had and easygoing, laconic storyteller vocal style that's as great as any of his more celebrated peers – plus the songs of friend and collaborator Shel Silverstein as well as songs by Tom T Hall, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Joe Shaver, Mickey Newbury and other legends to work with. Add to that a perfect mix Nashville Sound lushness and stripped-down country laid down by the best session musicians in the business and the recipe is pretty close to perfection! 24 tracks in all: "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", "The Chicago Story", "Ride Me Down Easy", "I'll Love The Hurt Out Of You", "(Margie's At) The Licoln Park Inn", "A Restless Wind", "Send Tomorrow To The Moon", "Poison Red Berries", "California Dreams", "Tulsa County", "I Hate Goodbyes", "Barbara Joy", "What's Your Mama's Name, Child", "A Train That Never Runs" and more.

The third album by Black Sabbath – the album that put the heavy in metal – one of the most influential rock albums of all time and a record that finds Sabbath at absolute peak perfection! This is the one that set the Sabbath style in stone, honing in the the heavy riffs, thundering drums and eerie mood perfectly. Includes the ultra classics "Sweet Leaf" and "Children Of The Grave", plus "After Forever", "Lord Of This World", "Solitude", "Into The Void" and the instrumentals "Embryo" and "Orchid".

Clarence Carter's first few years of Fame Studios singles – simply put, some of very best southern soul of this or any other period – both sides of each single Clarence cut with Rick Hall at Fame from 1966-1973! Recorded at the vaunted Muscle Shoals studio during the peak years of the facility and Clarence's career – what more can we say? The production and arrangements by Hall personify the sound and style of the southern soul era – and Clarence's capability to truly emote, as well as demonstrate a sly wit and unique personality – ultimately transcending all trends at the time! Absolutely essential material and it sounds as great as ever – with mastering direct from the Fame masters tapes too. Includes "Tell Daddy", "I Stayed Away Too Long", "Thread The Needle", "Too Weak To Fight", "Let Me Comfort You", "Back Door Santa", "Doin' Our Thing", "Take It Off Him And Put It On Me", "The Few Troubles I've Had", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "Funky Fever", "Snatching It Back", "Devil Woman" and more.

Deep and bluesy work from the all-star Ellington group of the late 50s – a beautifully recorded album that moves way past the simple cliché of its title! The set features a host of original tunes from Duke Ellington and other members of the group – and players include Jimmy Hamilton on tenor, Ray Nance on trumpet, Matthew Gee on trombone, and the wonderful Johnny Hodges on alto – playing here at the peak of his later powers. Titles include "Three J's Blues", "Smada", "C Jam Blues", "Sweet & Pungent", "Blues In Blueprint", "The Swinger's Jump", and "Blues In Orbit". CD features 8 bonus tracks too – including "Track 360", "Brown Penny", "Sweet & Pungent (alternate)", and "Pie Eye's Blues (alternate)".

Everybody Digs Bill Evans – or at least it certainly seems that way from the cover endorsements by Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, and Ahmad Jamal – but the real proof is in the record, and the set is a great one from Bill's classic years on Riverside! Evans is at the peak of his early powers here – working with a straightforward rhythm combo that features Sam Jones on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – but still hitting those beautifully fluid, beautifully spacious lines that set his playing apart from most who'd come before him. Tracks include 3 solo numbers – "Lucky To Be Me", "Peace Piece", and the very short "Epilogue" – plus trio tracks "Night & Day", "Minority", "Tenderly", and "Oleo". Includes the bonus track "Some Other Time".

The second album from Foreign Exchange – the formerally bi-continental project of North Carolina MC, and nascent soul singer Phonte of Little Brother, and transplanted Dutch producer Nicolay – who take an even deeper turn into spacey soul on Leave It All Behind! Given that Phonte is singing rather than rapping, you'd be tempted to say that Foreign Exchange has left hip hop behind, but hip hop is in the heart and soul – and the group was born of the idea of hip hop as an evolving art form – so rhymes or not, it's hip hop to us. The spacey, jazzy melodic groove here finds producer Nicolay in peak form – a nice balance between thumping bass, beats and mellow atmospherics, and the mood is impeccable. We're pretty much stunned at how well Phonte is developing as a vocalist, with laidback lead and overdubbed backing vocals that go back the heart & soul comment above. A left turn for a duo that was adventurous to begin, with an excellent move to the next level! Titles include "Daykeeper", "Take Off The Blues", "All Or Nothing/Coming Home For You", "I Wanna Know", "House Of Cards", "Sweeter Than You", "Valediction", "If She Breaks Your Heart", "If This Is Love", "Something To Behold" and "Leave It All Behind".

Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge team up for this most intriguing artist and producer/composer collaboration – one with a promising concept and they deliver in full – shadowboxing their way to a knockout! On the mic tip, Ghostface is in his comfort zone – spitting lyrics laced with martial arts, mafia and supernatural imagery – and doing so with a furious flow and peak precision. Adrian Younge and his Venice Dawn group lay down the sounds – with dusty soul and funk, naturally – but what really pushes this one to a superior level are the unpredictable and ingenious nods to 70s Italian film scores, particularly in the giallo genre. Spooky, echoey keyboards and occasional angelic female backing vocals elevate the vibe and balance the grit. 12 tracks and no filler: "Beware The Stare", "Rise Of The Black Suits", "I Declare War" with Masta Killa, "Blood On The Cobblestones" with U-God & Inspectah Deck, "Rise Of The Ghostface Killah", "Murder Spree" with U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck and Killa Sin, "Enemies Around Me" with William Hart of the Delfonics, "The Sure Shot (Parts 1 And 2)", "Twelve Reasons To Die" and more.

Freddie Hubbard at the peak of his 70s powers – and one of his finest albums of the decade! The record follows strongly in the tone that Freddie set at CTI on his mighty Red Clay set – long, drawn out tracks – done with lots of electricity in the rhythms, and a very cosmic approach to the solos! The groove is funky, yet easy – featuring playing that's very open and very soulful, by a group that includes Freddie, Ron Carter, George Benson, and Hubert Laws. Titles include "Keep Your Soul Together", "Spirits Of Trane", "Destiny's Children", and "Brigitte".

One of most essential hip hop albums of the 90s – arguably among the best ever – expanded nicely here with a bonus disc featuring the original 12" single versions! The Main Ingredient is a great title for the album, as this one finds Pete & CL working with the core essenses of their timeless hip hop sound. Pete Rock's soul and funk sample enriched sound at it's very best, and CL Smooth's rhymes in peak form as well. Absolute greatness! Disc One features the remastered original album, with the tracks "In The House", "Carmel City", "I Get Physical", "Sun Won't Come Out", "I Got A Love", "Escape", "The Main Ingredient", "Worldwide", "All The Places", "Tell Me", "Take You There", "Searching", "Check It Out", "In The Flesh", "It's On You", and "Get On The Mic". Disc Two features 14 versions from the original 12" singles releases, including "I Got A Love (Original 12" Remix)", "Take You There (Original 12" Remix)", "Get On The Mic (Original 12" Remix)", "Searching (Original 12" Remix)", "I Got A Love (Original 12" Remix Instrumental)", "Searching (Original 12" Remix Instrumental)", "We Specialize (Original Acapella)" and more. Also includes a 20 page booklet with extended artwork and liner notes by Pete Rock!

One of the few American releases cut by the legendary British trumpeter Dizzy Reece – and a great one! The album was strange for Blue Note, in that it was a joint US/UK session – featuring American players Donald Byrd and Art Taylor, along with great Brit players Reece, Tubby Hayes, Terry Shannon, and Lloyd Thompson. Hayes is especially excellent here, and the record captures him at the peak of his young imaginative powers. With a two-trumpet frontline held down by Byrd and Reece, Hayes' tenor solos cut through hard and clean, with a deep soulful sound that makes him the most sparkling player on the session. Titles include "Close Up", "Blues In Trinity", "Color Blind", and "Round Midnight".

Key recordings from Sonny's breakout year of 1954 – tracks from 2 different sessions, brought together into one album that packs a hell of a punch! The modernist Rollins tenor is at its early peak here – fresh, bold, and highly creative – yet equally concerned with the role of the ensemble as well. And with players like Kenny Dorham, Elmo Hope, Thelonious Monk, and Art Blakey helping things out, the sessions are both cookers all the way through! Titles include 4 by a group with Dorham, Hope, and Blakey – "Solid", "Movin Out", "Swingin For Bumsy", and "Silk N Satin" – plus 1 more by a quartet with Monk, Tommy Potter, and Art Taylor – the longer "More Than You Know".

T Rex's phenomenal second album since moving into a heavier glam mode, following the great Electric Warrior LP – still standing firmly as one of the best purely rocking, trashy fun rock & roll albums of the 70s! Marc Bolan's roots on spacier psyche folk melodies sort of float over beefier, fuzzier, sleazier hooks – a facet of the T Rex sound that always set them apart from the pack of more rote guitar rock guys & gals, and this peak material. Includes the eternal "Metal Guru" & "Telegram Sam", more classics like the title track, "Mystic Lady", "Baby Boomerang", "Ballrooms Of Mars", "Main Man" and more.

Near-peak material from T Rex – the still great Tanx – with the hard-charging heaviness, swaggery Bolan charisma and all around blazing rock & roll onslaught as crushing as ever! Includes "Tenement Lady", "Rapis", "Born To Boogie", "Life Is Strange", "Shock Rock", "Electric Slim & The Factory Hen", "Mister Mister", "The Street & Babe Shadow" and "Left Hand Luke".

Near-peak material from T Rex – the still great Tanx – with the hard-charging heaviness, swaggery Bolan charisma and all around blazing rock & roll onslaught as crushing as ever! Includes "Tenement Lady", "Rapis", "Born To Boogie", "Life Is Strange", "Shock Rock", "Electric Slim & The Factory Hen", "Mister Mister", "The Street & Babe Shadow" and "Left Hand Luke".

A beautiful 2CD set of long buried Townes Van Zandt recordings from the early 70s – a period that you can easily argue was his peak – even though few people were buying his records at the time! You get a pretty solid representation of 2 sides of the Townes sound on this great compilation from Omnivore. Disc One features alternate studio versions of some of our favorite songs – a good deal of which were produced by Cowboy Jack Clement at his Nashville studio in 1972 – plus a handful that Townes recorded in LA a year earlier. These have a sound that are fleshed out enough instrumentally, but without the horns, strings and some of the other grander aspects of the officially released album versions in hopes of breaking Townes through to a larger audience at the time. Ironically, it's the rawness and intimacy that Townes fans are drawn to – and that's what you get here! The second disc features demos that mostly feature just Townes's voice and acoustic guitar – and it's achingly beautiful! Despite the familiar track list, every song on this 2CD set is previously unreleased – and essential for longtime Townes fans and newbies alike! Includes "T For Texas", "Who Do You Love", "Sunshine Boy", "Pancho & Lefty" (an alternate 1972 mix without strings and horns), "Sad Cinderella", "Lungs", "Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold", "White Freight Liner Blues", "Two Hands" and more on the studio sessions disc – and the titles on the disc of demos includes "Heavenly Houseboat Blues", "Diamond Heel Blues", "Tower Song", "Hightway Kind", "Old Paint", "Standin'" and more. 28 tracks in all – and it features some excellent notes by Colin Escott.

One of the rarest and greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time – the sly, funky and spiritual masterpiece He's Coming from 1971 – really the beginning of the funk years from Roy Ayers Ubiquity! This one's a totally solid mix of soulful jazz, jazzy soul and righteous funk – and it's straight up wonderful all the way through – with a groove that's hugely influential to say the least! Includes the amazing track "We Live In Brooklyn Baby", which has a slow sample bassline in the intro that's just incredible – plus groovy cuts like the spiritual funk classic "He's a Superstar", "He's Coming", and "Sweet Tears". The lineup includes Sonny Fortune on soprano sax and flute and Billy Cobham drums and percussion, and the record's co-arranged by Harry Whitaker, who's also on keys and vocals – with other tracks include "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", "Ain't Got Time", "I Don't Know How To Love Him", "Sweet Butterfly Of Love" and "Fire Weaver". Amazing stuff, really a beautiful encapsulation of Roy Ayers in peak form!

Stunning live recordings from Albert Ayler's European tour of late 1966 – during a peak creative period for Ayler – while working with an incredible group! This excellent CD captures them in Stockholm for Swedish radio on November 10, 1966 – followed by an equally well documented set in Berlin from one week prior. The performances themselves are energetic throughout, and in turns elegiac, playful and all-out intense! It's awe-inspiring material with emotional depth – that facet enhanced a bit by the presence of a violin – by Dutch player Michel Samson, who is great here. Donald Ayler's trumpet communicates brilliantly with the violin and William Folwell's double bass. Beaver Harris holds it down on drums, while Ayler blazes away in the leader, taking the group into unpredictable movements. Greatness! Includes "Truth Is Marching In", "Omega (Is The Alpha)", "Our Prayer – Bells" and "Infinite Spirit – Japan" from Stockholm, juxtaposed with differing performances of those titles in Berlin, plus the riveting closer "Ghosts – Bells", also from Berlin.

Built To Spill at their late 90s live peak – on the Keep It Like A Secret tour! 2013 version includes the previously unreleased bonus tracks "Forget Remember When" and "Now and Then".

Everybody Digs Bill Evans – or at least it certainly seems that way from the cover endorsements by Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, and Ahmad Jamal – but the real proof is in the record, and the set is a great one from Bill's classic years on Riverside! Evans is at the peak of his early powers here – working with a straightforward rhythm combo that features Sam Jones on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – but still hitting those beautifully fluid, beautifully spacious lines that set his playing apart from most who'd come before him. Tracks include 3 solo numbers – "Lucky To Be Me", "Peace Piece", and the very short "Epilogue" – plus trio tracks "Night & Day", "Minority", "Tenderly", and "Oleo".

Tight!! Lee Fields, one of the great criminally under appreciated funky geniuses of the 70s is back with another pounding, raw funk classic that still finds the man at the peak of his powers, decades after he first made mark on the funk landscape! This is Lee's first full length effort for Soul Fire, a label that we all know goes to painstaking lengths to carefully carry the torch lit by the People Records scene in the 70s into the future, and it's great to see a titan like Lee do amazing work for a great label that does it purely for the love! Lee is absolutely on fire on all 10 of these tracks, with a Godfather like delivery that knocks us out of our chairs every time, whether it's that fiery funk howl that we love so much, or a smooth, soulful glide on the occasional ballad. He's backed up by a bona fide funky orchestra at Soul Fire Studios that includes TONS of hot drums, propulsive percussion, and some driving conga work that steers things into an afro funk groove on several of the tunes. The group MVP, other than Lee himself, could be multi instrumentalist Leon Michels, whose work on flute, keys, tenor and baritone sax, as well guitar and bass not only helps keep the classic 70s feel going, but keeps things crackling at breakneck speed. This isn't newfangled funk revival, this is the real deal from one of the originators – a 33-minute funk maelstrom that will knock you right out of your chair, and have you restarting it the second it ends! Includes "Problems", "The Right Thing", "Rapping With Lee", "I Don't Know Where I'm Going", and "Honey Dove". Oh, if only all of our heroes remained this vital!

The first taste of the Faithful Man album from Lee Fields & The Expressions – a living oracle of deep soul and at the very peak of skills in 2012 – seriously, the man and the band are completely incredible here! "You're The Kind Of Girl" gives us what we need from Lee – achingly soulful vocals dripping with experience and emotion and with a classic groove – but the Lee and band up the ante with some of the richest Truth & Soul production we've heard to date! There's some laidback psych soul touches in the guitar, some strings soar over the chorus, the horns have a unique style and keys are just as sweet. "It's All Over But The Crying" isn't a weepy as you might think, with Lee singing the tale of emotional demise. Later high points in a legendary life in soul!

Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge team up for this intriguing collaboration – one with a promising concept and they deliver on it in full – shadowboxing their way to a knockout! On the mic tip, Ghostface is in his comfort zone here – spitting lyrics laced with martial arts, mafia and supernatural imagery – and doing so with a furious flow and peak precision. Adrian Younge and his Venice Dawn group lay down the sounds – with dusty soul and funk, naturally – but what really pushes this one to a superior level are the unpredictable and ingenious nods to 70s Italian film scores, particularly in the giallo genre. Spooky, echoey keyboards and occasional angelic female backing vocals elevate the vibe and balance the grit. 12 tracks and no filler: "Beware The Stare", "Rise Of The Black Suits", "I Declare War" with Masta Killa, "Blood On The Cobblestones" with U-God & Inspectah Deck, "Rise Of The Ghostface Killah", "Murder Spree" with U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck and Killa Sin, "Enemies Around Me" with William Hart of the Delfonics, "The Sure Shot (Parts 1 And 2)", "Twelve Reasons To Die" and more.

Iron Maiden at their mid 80s peak – and along with Number Of Beast and Piece Of Mind, Powerslave completes one of the mightiest trilogies in metal history – pretty much cementing the Maiden legend! Kicking off with the incredible one-two punch of "Aces High" and "2 Minutes To Midnight" and closing up with the title track and the epic "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner", there's really no way to call this anything but a classic – but the remaining album tracks are among Maiden's finest, too! Those include killer instrumental "Losver Words (Big 'Orra)", "Flash OF The Blade", "The Duellists" and "Back In The Village".

Led Zeppelin at peak power – mixing hard rock bombast with deep, genuine love for blues and folk guitars! Houses Of The Holy is the essential the blueprint for countless imitators to come – but it's also got smarts, subtleties and creative ambitious that's just plain lost on the watered wannabes that floated up in Zeppelin's wake. Titles include "The Crunge", "Over The Hills & Far Away", "The Song Remains The Same", "The Rain Song", "Dancing Days", "Dyer Maker", "No Quarter", and "The Ocean".

The Ike & Tina Turner Revue shakes the foundation at Carnegie Hall on April Fools Day, 1971! There's a good reason for there being so many live albums by Ike & Tina – it's because they're damn great on stage – and this NYC set is a strong showcase for The Ikettes and The Kings Of Rhythm, too! The group was riding a peak wave of popularity around this time, and they cover a wide variety of songs in a set that's masterfully-paced – starting out slow and building up intensity as it goes! Titles include the Ikettes-led "Piece Of My Heart" and "Everyday People", the thunderous Tina intro "Doin' The Tina Turner", "Sweet Soul Music", "Proud Mary", "I Smell Trouble", "Ike's Tune", "I Want To Take You Higher", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", "Respect" and more.

The legendary rock instrumentalists update their first hit song this killer set from '64 – and better it! Walk Don't Run Vol 2 is a peak period effort from The Ventures – with gritty, groovy covers that show their range as well as any of their early-to-mid 60s albums. Much more than surf rock band, though their surf rock songs are as great as any – with organ soul flavored numbers, proto-garage and psych stormers and more. This is the group in full stride, and in full recognition that they were at the top of their game. Includes "The House Of The Rising Sun", "Diamond Head", "Night Train", "Peach Fuzz", "Rap City", "Night Walk", "One Mint Julep", "Pedal Pusher", "The Creeper", "Stranger On The Shore" and more. 12 tracks in all.

The legendary rock instrumentalists update their first hit song this killer set from '64 – and better it! Walk Don't Run Vol 2 is a peak period effort from The Ventures – with gritty, groovy covers that show their range as well as any of their early-to-mid 60s albums. Much more than surf rock band, though their surf rock songs are as great as any – with organ soul flavored numbers, proto-garage and psych stormers and more. This is the group in full stride, and in full recognition that they were at the top of their game. Includes "The House Of The Rising Sun", "Diamond Head", "Night Train", "Peach Fuzz", "Rap City", "Night Walk", "One Mint Julep", "Pedal Pusher", "The Creeper", "Stranger On The Shore" and more. 12 tracks in all.

Wonderful work from Dinah Washington – most of it cut in New York and Chicago in the early-to-mid 50s – peak stuff that splits a fairly even difference between her rollicking rhythm & blues mode and her jazzier vocal mode! The first half features the sassier r&b while the second half features the grander, jazzier Quincy Jones productions – which feature a who's who of incredible players! 22 tracks in all: "Fat Daddy", "Go Pretty Daddy", "TV Is The Thing","Feel Like I Wanna Cry", "Lean Baby", "Never Never", "Am I Blue", "My Man's An Undertaker", "Short Jon", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "A Foggy Day", "What A Great Sensation", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Darn That Dream", "I Diddle", "Wasn't It" and more.

An amazing collection of music – some of the hippest jazz to ever come out of the west coast scene, and a legendary pairing of trumpeter Bobby Bradford and saxophonist John Carter! Both players have really gone onto leave their mark in later years – but honestly, they almost reached the peak of their powers with these incredible early recordings – beautifully bracing modern jazz, of a sort that somewhat follows an Ornette Coleman lineage, but which also opens up into the new spirituality that was hitting the LA scene in the post-Coltrane years – almost a bridge between the Coleman/Dolphy generation, and the later Nimbus scene that would rise in the west! The music here is stark, simple, and quite organic – yet has an energy that's all its own – an amazing progression of rhythms and horn sounds, wrapped together beautifully through a killer set of original compositions. Carter plays alto, tenor, clarinet, and flute; Bradford is on trumpet, and rhythm players include Nate Morgan and Bill Henderson on piano, Henry Franklin and Louis Spears on bass, and Bruz Freeman and Leon Ndugu Chancler on drums. The set brings together material originally issued on the Seeking and Secrets albums for the Revelation label – but then also features lots more previously unreleased tracks – making the set more than 50% new material! Most titles are of the 1969/Early 70s vintage of the Revelation albums – but the set also features some beautiful 1979 duets between Carter and Bradford, with no other instrumentation at all. 22 tracks in all – and an instant treasure!

The original 10 inch pressing of this great collection of singles, b-sides and various odds and ends, pulled together in the middle peak of the Clash's career! Black Market Clash holds up incredibly well – it's blazing stuff recorded from '77 to '80 and issued to start that decade. 9 numbers in all, including "Capital Radio One", "The Prisoner", "Pressure Drop", "Cheat", "City Of The Dead", "Time Is Tight", "Bank Robber/Robber Dub", "Armagideon Time" and "Justice Tonight/Kick It Over".

The blistering "Fire" from Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – in a killer edit by Bastard Jazz DJ Colm K and an equally strong remix by Mr Scruff! The Colm K edit hits a peak in the opening seconds and stays aloft throughout – a heavy bass line and perfectly-paced, walloping drums underneath those impeccable ensemble horns. Hypnotic, indeed! Mr. Scruff's remix is incredible, too – tightly paced and ready for a thumping dancefloor, without ever getting in the way of the live sounding vibe of the Ensemble.

Led Zeppelin at peak power – mixing hard rock bombast with deep, genuine love for blues and folk guitars! Houses Of The Holy is essential the blueprint for countless imitators to come – but it's also got smarts, subtleties and a creative ambition that's just plain lost on the watered wannabes that floated up in Zeppelin's wake. Titles include "The Crunge", "Over The Hills & Far Away", "The Song Remains The Same", "The Rain Song", "Dancing Days", "Dyer Maker", "No Quarter", and "The Ocean".

Dee Jay and sound systems legend Joseph "Ranking Joe" Jackson – doing his thing at a peak level this stellar dawn of the 80s record for Greensleeves – with production by Junjo Lawes and backed by the mighty Roots Radics Band! The record was made after Joe had long been a live fixture on the Jamaican scene, and was actually hitting the road and bringing the sound system style to international audiences – and all the while making great records, too! This is one of 'em! Titles include "Step It Down Shephard's Bush", "Lift Up Your Frock", "Rub Sister Rub It", "Christine", "Spread Propaganda", "River Jordan", "Hooligan", "Sex Maniac", "Dreadlocks Time" and "Love It Like A Light Post".

Early 60s greatness from The Skatalites – Kingston recordings from 1963 & '64 – peak era material, but perhaps not amongst the best remembered – produced by King Edwards! It was cut during various sessions during that year+ long period featuring the legendary players – Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Lester Sterling, Ernest Raglin, Jackie Mitto, Drumbago, Charlie Organaire and others. 14 ska scorchers: "Jones Town Special", "Red China", "Jazz Ska", "African Queen", "What A Skandal", "Shank I Sheck", "Kingston 11", "Collie Foot", "Man About Town" and more.

Wow! Here's some really wonderful live material from Vince Guaraldi during a peak period of both productivity and creativity – and working in an excellent quartet setting during a two week engagement at the Old Town Theatre in Los Gatos, CA, in October of 1967! The period is quite notable – in the fall of '67 Vince had recently finished up his time at Fantasy Records and was preparing to record for Warner – keeping up a busy performance schedule and fearlessly spanning styles, putting his passionate, exuberant style of piano into each piece. This 2CD package features a pair of nearly 40 minute sets with longish takes on some great material – passionate, energetic and engaging performances of great Guaraldi originals "Nobody Else", "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" and "Linus & Lucy", an inspired, unpredictable version of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe" and an equally creative take on "Elenore Rigby", plus Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Once I Loved" and other great tracks like "Going Out Of My Head", "Theme From The Movie 'Exodus'" and "Autumn Leaves". The group features Eddie Duran on guart, Andy Acosta on bass and drums by Al Coster.

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

One of the last live appearances by Louis Armstrong – presented here in a really charming little album, issued in a small pressing by The National Press Club! The album's a great document of all the Armstrong charms in one package – as Louis talks as much as he plays – telling stories and speaking about the music on the first half of the set. The second half then features material recorded after Armstrong's passing – with Tyree Glenn and Tommy Gwaltney keeping up the vibe, especially on some of the spoken passages where Glenn talks about Louis! The sound quality is a bit "broadcast"-styled at the start – and titles include "Rockin Chair", "Royal Garden Blues", "Love For Sale", "Crazy Rhythm", and "It's Alright With Me".

Bass heavy funk from Arrington – picking up where that Slave groove left off, moving into a mode that's also picked up bits of 80s groove and old school rhythms. Titles include "Nobody Can Beat You", "You Meet My Approval", "Speak With Your Body", "Weak At The Knees", "Beddie Biey", and "Way Out".

The dreamy vocals and exotica arrangements of Exotic Dream by singer Ethel Azama and the "primitive" sounds of Mganga! by Tak Shindo – back-to-back in a single set! Ethel is a Hawaiian native jazz and cabaret singer from the 50s onward, gamely rolling with the exotica style of the time for this, her first LP – a nice mix of material that ranges from dreamy jazz pop with exotica flourishes, to more percussive gems. There's lots of vibes in the arrangements, which is something we never complain about, and the titles include "Two Ladies In De Shade Of De Banana Tree", "Shady Lady Bird", "Green Fire", "Speak Low", "Mountain High, Valley Low", "Nightingale", "Lazy Afternoon", "Autumn Leaves" and more. Tak Shindo turns in some of his best work ever on this "primitive" album of percieved jungle music – rawly rollicking percussion, eerie wordless vocals, effective use of woodwinds, replicated nature sounds and other evocative touches! Titles include "Mombasa Love Song", "Safari To Kenya", "Nyoba Festival", "Mganga!", "Mwanza Market Palce", "Port Of Trinkitat" and more. 24 tracks in all!

Seminal record from one of the most important hardcore bands to walk the earth – and DC underground classic that hit the scene like a lightning bolt to White House – that cover art speaks the truth! Bad Brains (the album) was originally issued on the then cassette-only ROIR label – this version restores the iconic original cover art and features 15 listed tracks – and adds an unlisted bonus cut! Titles include "Sail On", "Don't Need It", "Attitude", "The Regulator", "Banned In DC", "Jah Calling", "Supertouch/Shitfit", "Leaving Babylon", "Fearless Vampire Killers", "I", "Big Take Over", "Pay To Cum", "Right Brigade", "I Luv I Jah" and "Intro".

Seminal record from one of the most important hardcore bands to walk the earth – and DC underground classic that hit the scene like a lightning bolt to White House – that cover art speaks the truth! Bad Brains (the album) was originally issued on the then cassette-only ROIR label – -this version restores the iconic original cover art and features 15 tracks: Titles include "Sail On", "Don't Need It", "Attitude", "The Regulator", "Banned In DC", "Jah Calling", "Supertouch/Shitfit", "Leaving Babylon", "Fearless Vampire Killers", "I", "Big Take Over", "Pay To Cum", "Right Brigade", "I Luv I Jah" and "Intro".

An overlooked gem! The set's got Tony singing to some great mellow backings from the Ralph Sharon trio – nice and jazzy, with versions of "Rules Of The Road", "Green Dolphin Street", "When Lights Are Low", and "Speak Low".

Elmer Bernstein at his greatest – working here with the best mix of drama and energy he could bring to a film score during this golden age – a perfect blend of older orchestrations and a new sort of emotion that was perfect for the 60s! The score follows strongly off some of Bernstein's best from the late 50s – and has that amazingly evocative way of setting a new scene with each new tune – an almost-visual way of putting things forward that works quite strongly, even away from the film! Titles include "Speak Of The Devil", "Forbidden Room", "New Star", "The Producer Asks For A Divorce", and "The Carpetbagger Blues".

Elmer Bernstein at his greatest – working here with the best mix of drama and energy he could bring to a film score during this golden age – a perfect blend of older orchestrations and a new sort of emotion that was perfect for the 60s! The score follows strongly off some of Bernstein's best from the late 50s – and has that amazingly evocative way of setting a new scene with each new tune – an almost-visual way of putting things forward that works quite strongly, even away from the film! This great CD edition features a whopping 31 tracks in all – 21 numbers from the film, plus 10 more from the 1964 album, which offers a re-recording of the score. Titles include "Speak Of The Devil", "Forbidden Room", "New Star", "The Producer Asks For A Divorce", and "The Carpetbagger Blues".

An excellent bit of southern funk – very much in the early mode of Little Beaver, but with a sound that's even harder! James Knight is The Black Knight – leading a tight little combo with a raw funky 45 sound, heavy on the horns for backing, but with James' guitar right up front in the mix, jamming hard in a way that would have made Hendrix proud! The tracks are a mix of heavy funk numbers and more tripped-out jams – and Knight's vocals remind us a bit of Charles Wright in the old days, blaring out of the speakers with a bit of distortion and lots of soul, really driving home the quality of the songs. Titles include "Fantasy World", "Save Me", "Flyin High", "Funky Cat", "Uncle Joe", "Cotton Candy", and "Just My Love For You".

Surprisingly groovy work from Tony Blackburn – a guy most folks know for his famous DJ work in the UK, from the pirate radio years onwards – but also a singer who cut a fair number of cool singles – most of which are packaged here in this overstuffed set! Blackburn's got a voice that was great for speaking on radio – and his approach to pop is often touched with that same sort of depth – perfect for subtle drama on more driving numbers, or a simple sort of charm that works very well with the more laidback tunes too! Musical styles run a gamut of pop psych, mod, and cool compressed 70s Brit pop modes – all of the sort you're likely to hear from some of the bigger acts that Tony might have been spinning on the air. Titles include "It's Only Love", "Open Your Eyes", "Janie", "Chop Chop", "Happy", "If You Were A Dream", "Fairy Tales", "Dusty", "Cindy", "House Of Cards", "Don't Get Off That Train", "Green Light", "Winter Is Through", and "In The Night".

An unusual horror soundtrack from the great Roy Budd – one scored a few years after his better-known work in the UK, but done with a similarly top-shelf style! As you might guess from the title, the film's got a sense of humor – and Roy's music definitely echoes that as well – showing a bit of the sense of tension he perfected in earlier action films, mixed with surprisingly great dramatic passages that really flesh out the sound! A few playful passages with horns are offset by some wonderful numbers that seem to feature electric harpsichord – and titles include "Nancy Speaks", "The Vamp Show", "Invitation To A Blood Convention", "Mama Sends Vamps To Work", and "Bath Of Blood".

Hip work from both players – and Jarrett plays electric piano and soprano sax too – in a group that also features Sam Brown on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums. Titles include "Como En Vietnam", "Fortune Smiles", "The Raven Speaks", and "Grown Your Own".

One of Jerry Butler's funkiest moments of the 70s – served up in a fantastic soundtrack co-penned and arranged by the great Jerry Peters! Peters is best known for his hip work with a variety of soul acts in the studio, but he really steps out here for the score to Melinda – a lesser-known blacksploitation film from the early 70s, but one that boasts a heck of a great soundtrack! Peters approach here is a bit more baroque than some of his contemporaries – and he uses stepping strings equally alongside funky rhythms – creating a groove that's complicated, yet still plenty darn funky – and a sound that's as soulful on the mellower tunes as it is on the standout uptempo ones. Jerry Butler sings vocals on "Speak Truth To The People", "Tank's Theme", "Love is", and "Melinda Reprise" – but the instrumental tracks are even better, and inlcude the clavinet groover "Part III", the sitar-styled "Melinda Latino", and the cuts "Music For Tank's Boat", "The Blues (Dope Pusher's Theme)", and "I Can't Let You Go".

Previously unreleased material from the duo of Bobby Bradford and John Carter – two players who created ferocious energy together in their famous LA quartet of the late 60s and early 70s, but who here get at a completely different sound of their talents! In a way, the record really represents the growth that Carter had as a musician by this time – his wonderfully lyrical, evocative work on clarinet – which carries some echoes of Jimmy Giuffre's freeness on the instrument, but a more deeply personal quality as well – quite earthy and organic at times, with these really beautiful tones! Bradford's cornet really seems to follow suit strongly – beautifully blown, but at a level that's more intimate than we've heard from Bobby before – really wonderful phrasing that's free, but still always quite tuneful too. The set features a few tracks with solo clarinet, and one solo cornet – and titles on this second volume include "Woman", "Woodman's Hall Blues", "Sweet Sunset", "Swiss Account", "Les Masses Jigaboo", and "And She Speaks".

Strongly emotional and slowly simmering craft from Ty Causey – a veteran of the midwestern smooth, jazzy soul scene – and his efforts are as strong as ever here! There's an easygoing confidence in Ty's approach that he's carried for a while – and that continues in full effect here. His songs speak to straight forward, soulful truth, with a relaxed style and emotional and spiritual depth. The production is just as sweet – with a smooth soul pace, and subtly dexterous musicianship. Some guitar, a bit of flute or sax come into play with nice keys and percolating percussion. Includes "Must Be Magic", "Too Much Baggage", "Tap Into This Chemistry", "I'll Wait For You", "I'll Wait For You", "You'll Never Be Lonely", "False Faces", "Love Call", "A Reason Why", "Hot 2 Night", "The Limit of Love", "Bold And Beautiful".

Rondi Charleston's a heck of a great jazz singer – but also turns out to be a strong songwriter as well – with a depth that makes the record way more than just another collection of standards! Even better, Rondi's got a strong respect for an older jazz vocal tradition – which you can really hear in the inflections of her lyrics – in modes that echo singers like Annie Ross or Jackie Cain, with a similar blend of swing, sweet, and smartness! Dave Stryker plays guitar, and gives the album musical direction – and co-wrote a number of songs with Charlestone – including "DNA", "How The River Flows", and "The Wind Speaks". The set also features a great vocal take on Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" – and Jon Hendricks lyrics to Monk's "Reflections" and Randy Weston's "Babe's Blues".

A glorious relic of early 70s studio pop – and a record that's awash in unapologetic references to The Beatles and The Beach Boys! Chesapeake Jukebox Band were a short-lived collaboration between singer-songwriters Steve Sawyer and Freddie McFinn, who are working here with genius producer Ron Frangipone in the best compressed style of the legendary Record Plant studios. There's lessons here learned clearly from Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, George Martin, and some of the hipsters on the late 60s Warner scene – but an overall approach that's a bit more personal in the lyrics – which makes for a great combination with the loftier production of the album. At one level, there's also a spaciousness here that reminds us a bit of later work from the UK pop scene – but again, the whole thing's a bit more down to earth, in a way that we really like. Titles include "Sad Nite In Boston", "This Time", "Jennifer", "Love", "Until We Meet Again", "Daisies For The 8th Of May", "Fizbee's Tavern", and "The Door's Unlatched". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Don't Howdy Doody On Me", "Crime Of The Century", and "Don't Cry Your Eyes Out".

Really sweet later work from The Chi Lites – 2 classics on a single set! The sound on Heavenly Body is less Brunswick Chicago soul than before – and the group step along in warm and sophisticated backings that sparkle in the best Chi-Sound style – uptempo at some times, but sweet and mellow at others. The vocals are superb – easily adaptable to both sorts of settings, but especially great on the ballads – which really seem to benefit from the move away from some of the more cliched styles that the Chi-Lites were falling into during their last years on Brunswick. Eugene Record produced, and titles include "Love Shock", "Round & Round", "Heavenly Body", "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You", "Give Me A Dream", and a remake of "Have You Seen Her". Heavenly Body has the group hitting a whole new groove, but keeping things real in the vocal department! The album's got a great mix of ballads and groovers – similar to other Chi-Sound productions at the time – and the upbeat numbers follow nicely from the group's work on Mercury in the late 70s, more kicked up than their fragile ballads of the early 70s, but with great vocals nonetheless. Production is by Carl Davis with group leader Eugene Washington, and arrangements are by an old Brunswick crew who include Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders. Titles include "Whole Lot Of Good Good Lovin", "Tell Me Where It Hurts", "Me & You", "Never Speak To A Stranger", "Get Down With Me", and "Try My Side".

A dozen tracks – and a pretty expansive retrospective of the career of 70s funk stalwarts Chocolate Milk! The package starts with their early heavy funk days recording with Allen Toussaint, and it moves up to their smoother sounds of the early 80s – when the band was hitting more of a modern groove. Titles include "Girl Callin", "Action Speaks Louder than Words", "Running Away", "How About Love", "Who's Getting It Now", "Let's Go All The Way", "Take It Off", "Say Won'tcha", and "Blue Jeans".