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Spare set of moody out pieces, played by a trio that includes Andrews on reeds, Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, and Nat Adderley Jr. on piano – adding a surprisingly nice sound to the album. Titles include "Vamos Para Casa", "Danca Das Kashala E Sarhanna", and "Um Girrasol".

No honking here, as Sil Austin takes his deeply soulful tenor sax, and turns it to a set of creamy late-nite tracks – all done over some very "pretty" backings, ala the Verve strings work of Ben Webster or Lester Young. Most cuts have voices in with the orchestrations – and titles include "I'll Walk Alone", "Call me", "Ruby", "My Mother's Eyes", "Stardust", "Prisoner Of Love", and "Sweet Slumber".

Buckshot Shorty w/the Cocoa Brovaz, Heltah Skeltah & the Originoo Gun Clappaz. 9 edited tracks total including "Down By Law", "Watch Your Step", "Illa Noyz", "Blackout", "Rugged Terrain" and "Go For Yours".

Early, early work from the Heavies, with their original singer Jay Ella Ruth, working a tight funky groove that's very much like a slicked up James Brown sound, rather than the poliched modern soul vibe they'd move towards later.

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

Seminal work from one of the 70s greatest groups! The band had always been great at love songs and uptempo numbers – but this record has them moving into more righteous area, picking up on some of the more socially conscious soul of their generation that had been working its way up the charts. The album features excellent production by Chi-Lite Eugene Record, who also wrote a lot of the material – plus arrangments by Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders. Great stuff all around, with the righteous social tunes "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to The People", "Trouble's A Comin", and "We Are Neighbors" – plus classic love songs "Have You Seen Her" and "Love Uprising", which are still kind of the band's strongest point. Loads more great stuff on this one, the album that helped the second wave of Chicago soul break out into the international market!

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song".

A great high-concept composition from Duke Ellington – one that rivals the earlier brilliance of his Liberian Suite! Like that one, vocals are a key part of this long-form work – a special performance done for the Century Of Negro Progress Exposition in Chicago in 1963 – with an all-star cast that includes Jimmy Jones both at the piano and conductor's stand; Joya Sherrill on vocals with the Irving Bunton Singers, Jimmy Grissom, Jimmy McPhail, and Lil Greenwood; Billy Strayhorn on celeste, Juan Amalbert on conga, and other familiar Ellingtonians in the larger group! The tunes have a mix of gospel and folk roots, turned towards more modern Ellington compositional modes – and almost all numbers feature vocals, including one with narration by Ellington himself. Titles include "Will You Be There", "Come Sunday", "David Danced", "Montage", "My Mother My Father", "My People", "The Blues Ain't", and "What Color Is Virtue". CD features 25 tracks in all – the first-ever appearance on CD of the entire performance!

Damn! We sure dug the previous Fantastic Souls funky 45 on Kay Dee, but this one's a straight up monster! An eight piece combo, the Fantastic Souls are a deep enough roster bring a furiously paced, heated intensity as well have enough space for solos and more dynamic interplay. The drums are nice and heavy, the guitars vamp nicely, the horns are perfectly punchy, plus a nice bit with some bongos. On Part 2, it's stripped down and driven even more by the incredible percussion.

Essential reissue of one of the greatest funk albums ever! This is the great LP of hard funky cuts that perfectly sums up the Fatback style that you've heard so much about – but which you can't find on much of their late 70s albums! The whole album is filled to the brim with loads of great hard funk cuts, with cool crowd noises and a non-stop groove all the way through. Monster cuts, including "Nija Walk", "Fatbackin", "Soul March", "Soul Man", "Kiba", "Clap Your Hands", and lots more!

The first new music by Bill Fay in decades – and it's wonderful stuff – just a beautiful set of songs that balance hauntingly subtle sounds with more enigmatic touches! Bill's voice and piano are front and center for the most part here. The lyrics are poetic, but unpretentious – covering life, love, loss and the big issues we deal with – in a really artful way. Producer Joshua Henry does a great job of creating a stirring sound, without layering anything on too thickly, so not to bury the intimate charm of the songs – and using a subtle backing vocal choir, some lovely strings and additional keys at times. Includes "There Is A Valley", "Big Painter", "The Never Ending Happening", ", "The Healing Day", "City Of Dreams", a wonderfully spare cover of Wilco's "Jesus, Etc.", "This World" featuring Jeff Tweedy (speaking of Wilco), "Empires", "The Coast Man Can Tell" and more.

The first new music by Bill Fay in decades – and it's wonderful stuff – just a beautiful set of songs that balance hauntingly subtle sounds with more enigmatic touches! Bill's voice and piano are front and center for the most part here. The lyrics are poetic, but unpretentious – covering life, love, loss and the big issues we deal with – in a really artful way. Producer Joshua Henry does a great job of creating a stirring sound, without layering anything on too thickly, so not to bury the intimate charm of the songs – and using a subtle backing vocal choir, some lovely strings and additional keys at times. Includes "There Is A Valley", "Big Painter", "The Never Ending Happening", ", "The Healing Day", "City Of Dreams", a wonderfully spare cover of Wilco's "Jesus, Etc.", "This World" featuring Jeff Tweedy (speaking of Wilco), "Empires", "The Coast Man Can Tell" and more.

Hard-burning funk with a really wicked little intro! "Get Down People" starts with this really vamping squishy keyboard part that sounds totally great – one that's all tightly compressed and cut in with the grooves – then keeps on burning with fuller horns, guitar, and voices come into the mix! The track's a really great little party funk number – with a breakout sax part in the middle, and a nice little break near the end! "Do What You Like" starts out complicated, but then falls into a mad little slow funk groove that's heavy on the keyboards, lined up next to a snapping little drum bit!

Sunny wonderfulness from one of the grooviest vocal groups of all time! This is Free Design's legendary album for children – referred to in the title as "very important people" – and it's a strangely hip set of tracks designed to get the kids to open up in a groovy late 60s kind of way. Given that the Free Design always sounded like a bunch of hippy kids, the setting is perfect for them – and they dreamily make their way through a great set of nearly all original tracks that sparkle with an innocent charm that's slyly deeper than you'd guess from the kid-orientation of the set! Original titles include "Love You", "Kites Are Fun", "Daniel Dolphin", "Ronda 'Go Round", "Bubbles", "Little Cowboy", and "Scarlet Tree". CD features 2 bonus tracks – both outtakes from "For The Love Of Your Lips", a Chapstick commercial!

The classic debut from one of the weirdest concept groups of the 60s – a mime rock band brought together by producer Lew Futterman – who'd also worked on some killer funky jazzy sessions with Brother Jack McDuff! The style here is psychedelic pop through and through – and although the group didn't speak, they do sing (is that really mime?) – and work in a groovy sing-song blend of reeds and rockish rhythms, one that definitely has some of the same sharp changes and funky undercurrents you'd find in Futterman's jazz projects – although honed down here into much shorter Sunshine tunes! The album's a very unique little record – and oddly the group flourished for years. But somehow this first record has a charm that's really undeniable – and is maybe still their best effort ever. Titles include "White Winged Doves","Dream Of Tomorrow", "Pray For Rain", "How Does It Feel To Be Free", "I Ride To Nowhere", "Come & See Me", and "Jelly Jam".

One of Joe Henderson's greatest albums ever – a real treasure from his electric years at Milestone Records, and a set that showed he really had a lot more to offer for the scene of the 70s! The sound here is quite different than Joe's earlier work for Blue Note – a style that's sometimes soaring, sometimes mellow – but always moving forward with a tremendously fluid approach to the tenor sax. Joe's sense of phrasing and timing is impeccable – quite subtle at times, with these dark notes that hang beautifully in air on the ballads – and some sharper-edged qualities that really burst out strongly on the more upbeat tunes. The group's a great one too – and features Herbie Hancock on both acoustic and electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus additional trumpet by Mike Lawrence on 2 tracks. Titles include "Black Narcissus", "Isotope", "Afro-Centric", "Forsight & Afterthought", and "Power to The People".

What? A brand new album from Jimi Hendrix? Didn't he, uh, check out a few decades ago? Well, turns out that the Experience folks have found some amazing work on the vaults – really incredible tracks that are way more than just a rehash of previous releases, aren't demo recordings at all – and are instead some wonderful work that really comes together well as a long-overdue full album! The set's a stunning smoker through and through – filled with the kind of deft guitar work that made Jimi a legend right from the start – and stuffed into tunes that pack as much of a punch as any of the famous Hendrix singles that have kept spinning for so many years. All tracks are studio recordings, all previously unreleased – and titles include new songs like "Somewhere" and "Hear My Train A Comin", plus studio takes of "Inside Out" and "Bleeding Heart" – and lots more great tracks that include "Earth Blues", "Let Me Love You", "Izabella", "Crash Landing", "Easy Blues", and "Mojo Man".

What? A brand new album from Jimi Hendrix? Didn't he, uh, check out a few decades ago? Well, turns out that the Experience folks have found some amazing work on the vaults – really incredible tracks that are way more than just a rehash of previous releases, aren't demo recordings at all – and are instead some wonderful work that really comes together well as a long-overdue full album! The set's a stunning smoker through and through – filled with the kind of deft guitar work that made Jimi a legend right from the start – and stuffed into tunes that pack as much of a punch as any of the famous Hendrix singles that have kept spinning for so many years. All tracks are studio recordings, all previously unreleased – and titles include new songs like "Somewhere" and "Hear My Train A Comin", plus studio takes of "Inside Out" and "Bleeding Heart" – and lots more great tracks that include "Earth Blues", "Let Me Love You", "Izabella", "Crash Landing", "Easy Blues", and "Mojo Man".

One of the greatest albums ever from The Impressions – and a set that takes their work to a whole new level, by bringing in an even more righteous sound! The core elements of the group's 60s genius are all in place here – compositions from Curtis Mayfield, arrangements from Johnny Pate, and sublime harmonies from the group. But there's also something extra too – a new level of consciousness that's creeping into the music, hinting at the more righteous subject matter of later years – but with a much more subtle approach. All tracks are great – and titles include "See the Real Me", "Woman's Got Soul", "We're In Love", "Can't Work No Longer", and "Emotions".

A truly amazing album – unlike anything Eddie Kendricks ever did before, or since – and one of those records that really helped shape the sound of soul in the 70s! The music is as rich and powerful as the image on the cover – with some righteous undercurrents that really mark the time and place of the record, yet also help it transcend so many other standard soul modes of the period too! Arrangements are wonderfully complex – as you'll hear on the classic groovers "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind" and "Date With The Rain" – each very different numbers, but both a showcase for Kendricks' wonderful vocal approach. Other titles include the progressive "People Hold On" – plus "I'm On The Sideline", "Day By Day", "If You Let Me", "Let Me Run Into Your Lonely Heart", and "Someday We'll Have A Better World".

A truly amazing album – unlike anything Eddie Kendricks ever did before, or since – and one of those records that really helped shape the sound of soul in the 70s! The music is as rich and powerful as the image on the cover – with some righteous undercurrents that really mark the time and place of the record, yet also help it transcend so many other standard soul modes of the period too! Arrangements are wonderfully complex – as you'll hear on the classic groovers "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind" and "Date With The Rain" – each very different numbers, but both a showcase for Kendricks' wonderful vocal approach. Other titles include the progressive "People Hold On" – plus "I'm On The Sideline", "Day By Day", "If You Let Me", "Let Me Run Into Your Lonely Heart", and "Someday We'll Have A Better World".

A later album from the Last Poets – recorded after their classic run in the 70s, but still pretty nice overall! The record's a bit of an unusual one, in that it shows a bit of the creeping "street" element that the Poets would absorb into their work after being dubbed as the "Godfathers Of Rap" during the early years of hip hop. The record's not really a hip hop set, but it's definitely got a bit more of a street soul vibe, thanks to Celluloid production from Bill Laswell – who certainly shows some of his association here with the hip hop related projects on the label. Laswell mixes in bits of street funk and electro with the Poets' older style of jazzoetry – and the lyrics are sometimes a bit more song-structured than before, with a few more choruses than in the earlier days of free-flowing lines. Titles include "Hold Fast", "What Will You Do", "Parting Company", and "This Is Your Life".

A very nice bit of spacey funky jazz from sax player Azar Lawrence, and one of the great earlier productions by Skip Scarborough, with a feel that's very similar to Gary Bartz's work with Larry Mizell! Azar plays a mix of funk and spiritual soul jazz – and he's got some great electric backing by Patrice Rushen, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, Mtume, and Lee Ritenour. The whole thing's got a great Fantasy Records funk groove – and includes many nice titles like "Theme For A New Day", "Kickin Back", "Canticle For The Universe", "Gratitude" and a great take on Scarborough's "Can't Hide Love".

On Sophisticated Lady, Julie London's got her hair up, and is wearing a classy gown – so you can bet that the feel of the record definitely follows through with the "sophisticated" promise of the title! Things are as mellow as on London's early classics for Liberty, but there's a bit more of an orchestrated feel too – fuller backings that couch her lovely vocals in a near-perfect array of strings – usually quite gentle, and often breaking away to give Julie that personal, solitary space that usually has her singing at her best. Titles include "Make It Another Old Fashioned Please", "Sophisticated Lady", "Remind Me", "You're Blase", "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most", and "Absent Minded Me". For The Night People is mature, mellow, and totally wonderful – clear proof that Julie London was still making great music well into the 60s! The album's got a simple, unassuming charm – very much in the late nite mode you'd guess from the title, with spare backings from Don Bagley that often have a key guitar line in the mix – working along with London's vocals in the same style as the mid 50s – but with a different feel overall – a bit more mature and world-wise, which makes for a perfect fit for tunes that include "I Got It Bad", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Am I Blue", "I'll Never Smile Again", "Can't Get Out Of This Mood", and "When The Sun Comes Out".

A mindblowing bit of psych from the late 60s – and a record that has way more to offer than just the usual fuzzy guitar, thanks to key use of moog, theremin, and tape tricks! There's a really freaky feel to the record from the start – a quality that's hipper than most of the underground at the time, almost an ironic take on the usual – sometimes through thoughtful lyricism, other times via a more experimental music approach that almost hints at some 70s prog and post-prog styles – yet presented here in much shorter form, without any overindulgence at all! The record's one that really transcends its time – a compelling little set that offers plenty more than just its existence as a rare relic – and which actually features many tunes that would make perfect covers for the contemporary scene today. Titles include "That's Another Story", "Machines", "This Is It", "This May Be Goodbye", "That's Another Story", "Woody Woodpecker", "Paul In Love", and "Sex & Violence". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Rose Colored Glasses", "The Music Never Stops", and "Nobody Knows".

Two lost smokers from vibes legend Johnny Lytle – back to back on a single CD! The Soulful Rebel is lost early 70s set from Lytle – totally funky, but in a way that's very different than his famous 60s work! The album's got a sweet electric groove that comes not only from Johnny's vibes, but also from the sweet Hammond and Fender Rhodes of Billy Nunn, and the smoking guitar of David Spinozza – who really wails away here, and brings in a cutting edge to the tunes that's a lot sharper than some of his later work! Lytle's vibes are wonderful throughout – filled with that sense of space, soul, and timing that's always made him one of the grooviest players ever on the instrument – and this time around, he seems to have an even greater ear for unusual tones – in a way that makes the album sparkle strongly throughout! The rhythms are smoking, too – with Ron Carter on electric bass, Jozell Carter on funky drums, and Ray Barretto on congas – cooking things up righteously on the album's funky tunes. Highlights include the stone smoker "Gunky", a great remake of "The New Village Caller", and a reworking of "Lela" – plus the extended "Soulful Rebel Suite" – mighty nice! People & Love is one of Johnny Lytle's most righteous albums ever – a soaring, spacious set that's almost to Lytle's career what Gears was to Johnny Hammond's! Of course, Lytle's groove here is different – no Mizell production, and a mellower feel overall – but the unbridled space of 70s Milestone is definitely a key influence here – and Johnny stretches out here like never before! The players are all pretty hip – and include Daahoud Hadi (aka Butch Cornell) on electric piano and organ, Marvin Cabell on flute and tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Betty Glamann on harp, and Jozell Carter on drums – all perfect mates here for Johnny's spiritual exploration of sound with his vibes – in ways that are almost more amazing than work from Bobby Hutcherson or Roy Ayers at the time! Titles include an amazing original called "Libra", plus "Tawhid", "Where Is The Love", "Family", and a version of "People Make the World Go Round".

The early 70s last hurrah for the Mamas & The Papas – who still deliver rich harmonies and a surprisingly creative breadth of styles on this long-delayed final album! The Cali rock scene, and the world at large, were both quite different in 1971 than they were in the late 60s – and to the Mamas & The Papas credit, they're really not out to replicate past glories. The vocals are still sweet and soaring, and there's an upbeat vibe, but it's a more laidback one. It's got a bit of an early 70s soft rock vibe, which we love! Includes "People Like Us", "Pacific Coast Highway", "Shooting Star", "European Bluebody", "I Wanna Be A Star", "Step Out", "Snowqueen Of Texas", ""No Dough", Blueberries For Breakfast" and more. This Now Sounds CD edition has a bunch of bonus tracks: "No Dough (Honeymoon) (Alt. Mix)", "April Anne", "Andy's Talkin' Blues (Demo)". "Revolution On Vacation (Alt. Mix)", "Me And My Uncle (Jack Of Diamonds)" and more.

If you can forgive the title of this one, you'll find it to be a very groovy record! The album's a killer batch of funky instrumentals ("black sound") recorded in Italy in 1972 by Augusto Martelli ("white people") – and it's got the groove and swing of some of the best Italian soundtracks from the time, no surprise, as Martelli had his hand in a few from that era! The package is a nice one – with a thick booklet, notes in Japanese, but some good images of Martelli and album covers – and the music is really great, with some excellent sax and flute work that takes the tracks into a jazzier mode than usual for this sort of thing! Loads of great percussion too – and titles include "Loco Love Motor", "Mondo No", "Krypto Blues", "Ma ne Vale La Pena", "90th Compleanno", and "Sara Stato Il Futuro".

If you can forgive the title of this one, you'll find it to be a very groovy record! The album's a killer batch of funky instrumentals ("black sound") recorded in Italy in 1972 by Augusto Martelli ("white people") – and it's got the groove and swing of some of the best Italian soundtracks from the time, no surprise, as Martelli had his hand in a few from that era! The music is really great, with some excellent sax and flute work that takes the tracks into a jazzier mode than usual for this sort of thing! Loads of great percussion too – and titles include "Loco Love Motor", "Mondo No", "Krypto Blues", "Ma ne Vale La Pena", "90th Compleanno", and "Sara Stato Il Futuro".

A great record with a really great little lineup – rock-solid players who come together wonderfully under the vision of the leader! Christian McBride's really found a way to focus his energy in recent years – and this quintet set is great proof of that – a refining of all the ideas he put forth a decade or more ago, but delivered with a lot more punch here – partly due to the album's well-chosen lineup as well. In addition to Christian on bass, the set's got stellar vibes from Warren Wolf – a player we always love – plus alto from Steve Wilson, piano from Peter Martin, and drums from Carl Allen – all working together on a set of tracks that are mostly original – and which have a soulful sparkle that really stands out. Titles include "Listen To The Heroes Cry", "Ms Angelou", "Gang Gang", "Unusual Suspects", "The Movement Revisited", and "New Hope's Angel".

A thick, photo heavy book dedicated to the greats of Latin rock – from the creative firestorm that burst from the 60s San Franisco Haight scene, up to Santana's surprise commercial juggernaut Supernatural in the late 90s. The book goes far deeper Santana, though, with reminiscences from a number of pivotal figures, and reintroduction to greats such as Malo, Azteca and many more, plus the funkier side of things with Mandrill and others. Definitely not an academic tome, either, this is a visual feast for both fans and neophytes. Large, kind of coffee table style paperback, beautifully illustrated with tons of amazing photographs (black & white). Forward by Carlos Santana.

A contemporary riff on benchmark 70s soul jazz and funky fusion from French producer Medline – who reimagines classics by Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and others! It's good, solid stuff – reinterpreting the material in a way that's very mindful of its influence on classic hip hop – with some tighter beats and other nods to classic 90s hip hop production – but it's done with an emphasis on live instrumentation that's pretty great! Medline plays most of the instruments himself, with lots of Afro percussion and jazzy flute – with guest vocals on a number of tunes by Roni Alkekengi. Includes "A New Day", "People Make The World Go Round", "Wind Parade","Expansion" and "Everybody Love The Sunshine" with Roni Alkekengi, "Eboness", "Red Clay" and more.

One of Morrissey's first big tracks as a solo act – backed her with a live version of "People Are The Same Everywhere" – all pressed up on a sweet limited edition picture 45!

The self-titled debut of Mostly Other People Do The Killing – an exciting NYC quartet that manages to both celebrate and skewer jazz traditions, blending the past with modern experimentalism – and also making simply exciting records that are a joyful blast! These guys have chops, dexterity and smarts – but they somehow strip all pretenses down to the bone and make viscerally enjoyable compositions. Players include bassist Moppa Elliot, trumpet from Peter Evans, Jon Irabagon on sax, and drums by Kevin Shea. Titles include "Elliot Mills", "Between Panic And Desire", "Good Intent", "Moanin", the 13+ minute "Aspers" and more.

One of the last great funk albums from King Records! People Are Together was cut in the early 70s, but it's done with a crackling sharp sound that's very much in the mode of the best late 60s James Brown albums for the label! Mickey Murray is from Augusta, GA – James Brown's hometown – and his approach is similar to James' at times, but it's also got more of a southern funk groove too – a bit like the great combination you'll hear in Lee Fields' music, which is a perfect fit for the album's raw, rootsy production! The record includes a great funky cut called "The Buzzard", plus other nice ones like "Explosive Population", "People Are Together", "Going Back To Alabama", "Fat Gal", and "I Wanna See My Baby".

One of the last great funk albums from King Records – a set recorded in the early 70s, but done with a crackling sharp sound that's like the best late 60s James Brown albums for the label! Mickey Murray is from Augusta, GA – James Brown's hometown – and his approach is similar to James' at times, but it's also got more of a southern funk groove too – a bit like the great combination you'll hear in Lee Fields' music, which is a perfect fit for the album's raw, rootsy production! The record includes a great funky cut called "The Buzzard", plus other nice ones like "Explosive Population", "People Are Together", "Going Back To Alabama", "Fat Gal", and "I Wanna See My Baby".

Nickodemus logically follows up his warm and breezy Sun People album with the more cosmically-lit follow up Moon People – once again bringing a wealth of global influences and instrumentation to his unique style of spacey dancefloor soul! He's joined by the legendary Afrika Bambaata and other great vocal guests – including Sammy Ayala, Kissey Asplund and Kathrin DeBoer of Belleruche – which elevates the creative mix of beats and eclectic instrumentation quite nicely! That said, the instrumental backdrops are quite hypnotic on their own – cosmic soul beats and atmosherics flavored by flutes, Eastern string accents, horns, steel drums and much more – depending on the needs of the particular track. Includes "Under The Volcano" with Navegante, "Moon People" feat The Real Live Show, "Nights Of Balaur", "Alkebulan" feat Afrika Bambaata, "Peaceful Island Earth" feat Kathrin DeBoer, "The Nuyorican Express" feat Candela Allstars, "Mirage" with Kissey Asplund, "Conmigo (Hallex Remix)" feat Sammy Ayala, "Vino People" and more.

An overlooked 60s pop gem from Kenny O'Dell – a great mix of twangy vocals and Sunshine Pop production – all served up with a really unique sort of sparkle! In another world, Kenny might have been a country singer – but here, he's working with some cool Cali backings that push O'Dell far from his Bakersfield roots – into the sound of sunny late 60s LA, with some great guitar, organ, and vibes in the backings. Titles include "Beautiful People", "Kentucky Woman", "Sunshine Dreamin", "Massachusetts", "You'll Break Me Yet", and "Next Plane To London". CD features lots of bonus tracks too – including "Springfield Plane", "Bless Your Little Heart", "Join The World", "Happy With You", "Groovy Relationship", "No Obligations", and "I Could Love You".

A great groover from Don Patterson – cut in a trio format, with an open-ended style that lets the players kick back and play, in the sort of free and easy setting you'd hear in a hip small club. Patterson's organ is backed by his usual drummer Billy James, and 4 of the album's 5 tracks feature tenor work, either by Booker Ervin or Sonny Stitt. The last track, "Theme For Dee", is a spare mellow ballad that features mostly just organ by Patterson, with some subtle drum fills by James. The other tracks groove a bit harder, and include "Love Me With All Your Heart", "42639", and "Sentimental Journey".

An important and overlooked British ensemble of the late 60s – a group who were contemporaries of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble and AMM, but who never fully received the same sort of attention! The People Band have a relatively loose approach to improvisation – one that's sometimes a bit warmer and more personal than some of their UK contemporaries – definitely driven by freedom, but also still hanging onto an inherent sense of soul that almost recalls the AACM a bit more than anything else. As with a group like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, the players switch up instruments a fair bit – really trading sounds and notes in a spontaneously creative way – with Mel Davis on piano, trombone, and cello; Terry Day on drums and alto sax; Lyn Dobson on tenor; Mike Figgis on flugelhorn and acoustic guitar; Frank Flowers on bass; Russell Hardy on piano and keyboards; Eddie Edem on congas and trumpet; Terry Holman on bass and one string thingaphone; and George Khan on tenor and flute. Titles include "Home Trio", "Conduction", "Skip To Part 3", and "Conduction 3". CD features the full album originally issued on the Transatlantic label, plus a few bonus tracks.

An excellent album of work from this important Czechoslovakian underground group! The set's got some of their best work, and good notes on their history and importance. Titles include "The Wondrous Mandarin", "Look At You, All Sound Asleep", "Past My Window", "Constipation", and "Toxica".

A great one from Mike Reed and his People Places & Things group – a clear, crisp statement of Chicago modernism at its best – not just modes from Reed's own generation, but from the 50s and 60s as well! Reed's an amazing player on his own – but we especially love the way that he's gone back into Windy City tradition, and found a way to re-introduce a special blend of Chicago jazz – that crucial pre-AACM, post-bop style that would often swing, but have really freewheeling solos too – a mode that really went onto influence American jazz in general once Chicagoans moved onto the New York scene in the 60s. The horns here are key to the approach – really deft work on alto from Greg Ward and tenor from Tim Haldeman – plus some great guest cornet from Josh Berman. Most tracks are piano-less, which allows for even freer reed work – but Craig Taborn guests on piano on two numbers – and the great bass of Jason Roebke holds the set together solidly throughout. Titles include versions of Roscoe Mitchell's "Old" and John Jenkins' "Sharon" – plus the tracks "Warming Down", "The Ephemeral Words Of Ruth", "House Of Three Smiles", and "The Lady Has A Bomb".

Although vocal arranger Howard Roberts (not the guitarist) made some nice funky records in his time, this is a fairly traditional batch of spirituals, augmented by African production, and packaged in a style that's designed to appeal to the white liberal – even though the conception of the project is fairly authentic. Roberts himself plays tenor on the session, and the overall sound is sort of a mix between a Max Roach vocal project and one of the Art Blakey drum ensemble records. Titles include "Hold On", "Sinner Man", "Steal Away", and "Let My People Go".

A really unique funky gem – and a near-legendary single from Scorpio & His People! "Unforgiven" has a brilliant blend of deep funk and falsetto vocals – stepping slowly over the top with a surprising amount of power, while the band turns, dips, and chugs along heavily at the bottom – all with a bad-strutting groove that's heavy on the bassy end of the spectrum – which makes for a great contast to the lyrics! "Theme From Movietown Sound" has a similar blend, but a different groove too – thanks to these heavy piano lines that roll back and forth with the rhythms!

A jazzy dancefloor classic from Pal Joey! During the late 80s, lots of UK producers and groups were working in a nu jazz mode – mixing older jazz styles with newer rhythms and production, in a mode that often was called acid jazz, but which also moved into other camps. In the US, though, few groups were making such a stab at a nu style – save for Soho, whose "Hot Music" was one of the first new American underground cuts to really bring back that classic jazz flavor. The cut's a totally catchy one, worked around riffing hi-hit and snare fills, looped over and over, in a mode that's certainly been copped a lot lately by French producers! "Dance" is another number from the Pal Joey universe – a bit more familiar house overall, but still filled with lots of funky touches the give things a very classic feel!

A jazzy dancefloor classic from Pal Joey! During the late 80s, lots of UK producers and groups were working in a nu jazz mode – mixing older jazz styles with newer rhythms and production, in a mode that often was called acid jazz, but which also moved into other camps. In the US, though, few groups were making such a stab at a nu style – save for Soho, whose "Hot Music" was one of the first new American underground cuts to really bring back that classic jazz flavor. The cut's a totally catchy one, worked around riffing hi-hit and snare fills, looped over and over, in a mode that's certainly been copped a lot lately by French producers! "Dance" is another number from the Pal Joey universe – a bit more familiar house overall, but still filled with lots of funky touches the give things a very classic feel!

One the all time great funky albums of the 70s – a mad little record with a sense of rhythm and timing that was years ahead of its time! The Soul Searchers (along with Chuck Brown) later became known for their heavy-hitting Go Go work at the end of the decade – but here, they're a really free-thinking outfit with a lot of jazz in their funk – and a willingness to change up the beats and timings in ways that push the record miles ahead from an average funk outing. Tracks swirl around with an amazing intensity – supported by guitar work from Brown, organ from Hilton Felton, and some really great horns from Don Tillery and Lloyd Pinchback. The album features a wonderful remake of "Think" – plus the great originals "1993", "Soul To The People", "Blowout", and "We The People".

Modern funky Latin Soul from Spanglish Fly! "Think" is a cover of the old school R&B staple best remembered for the killer James Brown version from the early 60s – masterfully remodeled here as a fresh live Latin Soul with vocals by Erica Ramos and a great mix of Latin percussion and horns. "Let My People Bugalu" on the flip is just as great, a lively boogaloo from the NYC combo.

Uptempo east coast club soul – not entirely disco, and more like the indie work of the immediate generation before – a time when groups were picking up their groove a bit more than before, creating some lean, soulful tempos for the dancefloor! Arrangements are by Bert DeCoteaux and Charlie Cailello – both of whom bring a lot more professional polish to the record than you might expect – kind of a New York take on the Philly sound of the early 70s, and one that must have been mighty popular on the Boroughs dancefloors a the time! Titles include "Wanna Spend My Whole Life With You Baby", "Liberated Lady", "You're The Girl That I Love", "Flippin A Coin", "Never Get Enough Of Your Love", and "Gotta Get Back With You". CD features 12 tracks in all – including "Just Making Love" and "Why You Wanna Make Me Lonely".

An excellent double-length set from Horace Tapscott's Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra – an extremely righteous ensemble that was one of the hippest things going on the LA jazz scene of the 70s! The vibe is free and spiritual, but it also has a wonderful groove pulsating underneath many of the tracks – that heir to the Impulse Records style that Tapscott and other Nimbus Records artists carried on well into the early 80s. The group here features some of Tapscott's Nimbus labelmates – including Sabir Matteen and Billy Harris on tenor saxes, Linda Hill on piano, Adele Sebastian on flute, Roberto Miranda on bass, and Jesse Sharps on soprano sax – and in a way, the album's almost a live summation of all the mighty talents brewing on the Nimbus label at the time! Tracks are all quite long, and titles include a great version of Sebastian's "Desert Fairy Princess", plus "Macrame", "Future Sally's Time", "Noissessprahs", "Village Dance", "LTT", and "Lift Every Voice".

A classic set of psychedelic soul from this fantastic 60s group! The record is one of the groundbreaking albums the Temps cut with producer Norman Whitfield – and it's a landmark session that perfectly showcases what Whitfield's full-on, guitar-heavy, bassy-bottom style could do for the group! A few mellow cuts hearken back to earlier days – but there's some excellent moments that really let the new sound shine – soaring out with trippier touches that are totally great! Highlights include the storming cut "I Can't Get Next To You", a trippy remake of "Hey Jude", the original "Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down", and the haunting "Message From A Black Man" – one of the most righteous moments ever in late 60s Motown!

The most notable thing about this single is that Two Kings in A Cipher were Ron Lawrence (know then as Amen Ra) and D Dot Agellettie (known then as D.O.P) who later went on to produce lots of Puffy's hits. And of course, D Dot Angelettie is now better know as The Mad Rapper. "Movin On 'Em" was a minor hit with a second-rate vocal style trying to immitate Rakim and King Sun, in both delivery and 5-Percenter subjects.

A mighty strong late effort from U-Roy – a record that features a solid roster of legendary and contemporary guests – and one that shows that The Originator can still deliver a fresh, timeless original record even this late in the game! U-Roy is classic-era toaster who sounds perfectly at home in a contemporary setting, so it stands to reason that the mode here would be mix of classic and new rhythms. It works really, really well and The Originator is fine and fresh form! Includes "Love Questions" with Marcia Griffiths, "Pray For Di People", "Border Line" feat Chezidek, "Call On Jah" feat Harrison Stafford, "Cheating Girl" feat Ernest Wilson, "Ebony Eyes" feat Winsome Benjamin, "Pumps And Pride" with Tarrus Riley, "Reason With Jah" feat Horace Andy, "Ungrateful Girl" with Richard Robinson and more.

A smoker from this hip Chicago trumpeter – quite possibly his best album to date, and a record that sparkles with original compositions from Whitted! All tracks are by Pharez, and they're warmly presented by a great group that also included Eddie Bayard on tenor and soprano sax, Bobby Broom on guitar, Ron Perrillo on piano and Fender Rhodes, Dennis Carroll on bass, and the kicking Greg Artry on drums – a player whose energy here really snaps into a great groove. The set's a great example of the soulful straighter jazz going on in Chicago – a whole world of music that's often not as exposed to the world as the city's avant scene, but which is equally impressive. Titles include "Sad Eyes", "Freedom Song", "Another Kinda Blues", "Watusi Boogaloo", "If They Could Only See", and "Venture".

One of the hipper benefit records of the early 80s – with exclusive live performances by The Clash, The Specials, Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, The Who, Rockpile, Wings, Pretenders, Queen, and Rockestra – a group with Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend, Robert Plant, and Dave Edmunds!

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

Amazing sounds from San Basilio De Palenque – a unique cultural crossroads on the coast of Colombia! The town was the first free slave community in the Americas – a distinction it's held for centuries – and continues to have strong ties to Africa, partly because of its roots, partly because of its longtime isolation from the rest of Colombia. As a result, the music is a very unique hybrid – very heavy on traditional modes, but evolved into very different directions too – and only marginally influenced by some of the more familiar Colombian styles. The sounds here are especially rootsy – given that they were recorded as part of a documentary project, which is also included in the package – and are easily some of the deepest ethnographic recordings that Soul Jazz has ever released! The music is heavy on percussion instruments and chanting – and the collection features music by Estrellas Del Caribe, Son Malagana, Santiago Ospino, Manuela Torres, Sikito, Curramberos De Gamero, and To Ane E Lo Memo Sexteto. 5 LPs in a very heavy box – with a DVD of the film as well!

A gal-themed set from the great Soft Sounds series – one that features some incredibly groovy work from the late 60s – a hip mix of Sunshine Pop, psyche rock, and more! The female vocals really tie the tunes together nicely – especially as a number of singers seem to share similar modes when approaching their music – echoes of earlier folk, touches of vocal jazz, and occasional sweet sounds that really flesh things out nicely. Most of the backings are groovy enough to almost be funk at points – especially when percussion kicks up, or basslines really get going – and there's also some freakishly fuzzy moments that really stand out too! As with other volumes, there's some great track-by-track notes on the tunes – and titles include "Psychedelic Movement" by The Ravelles, "Green Plant" by Amanda Ambrose, "The Aquarians" by The Aquarians, "If I Didn't Want To See You Anymore" by Morningstarr, "See The Farmer" by Bunches A Good, "The Lady Barber" by Lynn Castle, "What Do You Do When You've Lost Your Love" by Guardians Of The Rainbow, "Flowers In The Air" by Sally Eaton, "Billy Sunshine" by Sugar Townes, "All I Dream" by Estelle Levitt, "In The Middle Of The Night" by The Pipe Dream, and "Meditation 1968" by Ellen Margulies.

A really unique little album from Cannonball's all-great late years at Capitol – a session that features some strong influences from Brazilian music – "The Happy People"! Airto plays on the set, and contributed the great groover "The Happy People" – a long bit of funky samba that features George Duke on electric piano, and percussion and vocals by Airto himself! The rest of the album's pretty darn great too – with some long tracks that have a more open-ended groove than the usual Cannon funk – featuring more piano by Duke, percussion by Airto and King Errison, cornet by Nat Adderley, and guitar by David T Walker. Produced by David Axelrod, with arrangements by Axe, George Duke, and Nat – and tracks that include "Ela", "Maria Tres Filhos", and "Savior". How can you miss?

Seminal work from one of the 70s greatest groups! The band had always been great at love songs and uptempo numbers – but this record has them moving into more righteous area, picking up on some of the more socially conscious soul of their generation that had been working its way up the charts. The album features excellent production by Chi-Lite Eugene Record, who also wrote a lot of the material – plus arrangments by Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders. Great stuff all around, with the righteous social tunes "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to The People", "Trouble's A Comin", and "We Are Neighbors" – plus classic love songs "Have You Seen Her" and "Love Uprising", which are still kind of the band's strongest point. Loads more great stuff on this one, the album that helped the second wave of Chicago soul break out into the international market!

An obscure group vocal number from the later years of Stax – a mixed male/female harmony group who sings with a style that's somewhere in the neighborhood of Friends Of Distinction, or maybe early work by New Birth. The overall sound is pretty hip, and pretty righteous – especially on "Happy Human People", a great little number with a groove that's more underground California than Memphis soul!

Really nice work from The Four Tops – proof that they were still going quite quite strong after Motown! The album's got a hip sound that shows the group moving through a wider range of emotions than we ever remember – crafting rich deep harmonies that still stand apart from the big wave of sweet soul quartets of the early 70s, and which sparkle with all the emotion that Levi Stubbs' voice had to offer. Includes their great theme to Shaft In Africa, the track "Are You Man Enough" – plus loads of other great ones like "I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind", "It Won't Be The First Time", "Sweet Understanding Love", "Too Little, Too Late", "Peace Of Mind", and "Main Street People".

Marvelous work from Mostly Other People Do The Killing – and a record that's quite different from its cheesy looking cover! The quartet never fail to amaze us with their creative energy – and this time around, they're paying homage to that moment in 80s jazz when the underground was brimming up in the mainstream – that great point when creative musicians were finding wider exposure on labels like Columbia, Novus, or Blue Note – yet still serving up sounds that were true to their roots. The cheesy packaging is a nod to the visual aesthetics of the time – and the music is a great contrast, which was not uncommon for the period – lots of sharp reeds from Jon Irabagon, percolatedly soulful trumpet riffs from Peter Evans, snapping percussion from Kevin Shea, and these warm, round, deep lines on acoustic bass from Moppa Elliott – who also wrote and produced the set. Titles include "Sayre", "President Polk", "Can't Tell Shipp From Shohola", "Hearts Content", "Jersey Shore", and "Dexter, Wayne, & Mobley".

A rarity from the early 90s funky underground by Bus People Express – who were alternately working as Soul Saints during this period – and they would soon trailblaze the contemporary funk scene as Poets Of Rhythm! "Augusta Georgia (Here I Come)" starts out with stripped-down drums and some gritty call and response group vocals, before the guitar and bass come storming in. Reminiscent of James Brown at his rawest and grittiest, ala Motherlode! "South Carolina" has a slower cooking style with some southern funky soul swagger, as you might guess from the title. A prescient blast of modern funk to come!

Seminal work from one of the 70s greatest groups! The band had always been great at love songs and uptempo numbers – but this record has them moving into more righteous area, picking up on some of the more socially conscious soul of their generation that had been working its way up the charts. The album features excellent production by Chi-Lite Eugene Record, who also wrote a lot of the material – plus arrangments by Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders. Great stuff all around, with the righteous social tunes "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to The People", "Trouble's A Comin", and "We Are Neighbors" – plus classic love songs "Have You Seen Her" and "Love Uprising", which are still kind of the band's strongest point. Loads more great stuff on this one, the album that helped the second wave of Chicago soul break out into the international market!

Miles Davis in the early 80s – but still sounding pretty darn great, and somehow managing to take some of his best elements from the 70s and refine them into a slightly more focused groove! The tracks here are shorter than before – no side-long jams at all – but they definitely bristle with slight undercurrents of noise, and have some unbridled rhythms that make for a good sense of energy. Added to these are a few more (then) contemporary touches – a very slight update of Miles' older funk, but never in a slick or commercial way – and still cerebral enough to show the world that Davis wasn't selling out late in the day. Miles plays a bit of keyboards in addition to trumpet – and other players include Bill Evans on saxophones, John Scofield on guitar, Marcus Miller on bass, and Al Foster on drums. Titles include "Come Get It", "It Gets Better", "Speak", "Star People", "U N I", and "Star On Cicely".

A real standout from Ray Davies and crew – heavy-hitting here with guitars that seem a bit more amped up than usual, and a slight post-punkish groove that's almost a reinvention of the group's sound for an 80s new wave market! The album's a surprisingly hard rocker in parts, and has a darkness that's a nice change from some of the late 70s Kinks material – but also shows Ray still able to come up with some more tender numbers in just the right spots. Tracks include "Add It Up", "Destroyer", "Yo Yo", "Art Lover", "Better Things", "Killer's Eyes", "Around The Dial", and "Give The People What They Want".

One of the best of Les McCann's 70s Atlantic recordings, and one that captures him with a lot of fire and funkiness – and none of the looser modes of other recordings from the time! Les sings on about half the cuts – but the focus is still quite strongly on his funky jazz, which makes even the vocal numbers work well here – giving them a punch that puts the lyrics in very nice formation. Includes a nice long version of "What's Going On", with backing vocals by The Persuasions; a funky instrumental called "Shamading" that has some excellent clavinet work; and a few other vocal tracks with backup vocals by Eugene McDaniels, like "Let It Lay", "Talk To The People", and Stevie Wonder's "Seems So Long". Also features the funky instrumental "North Carolina" – one of Les' best funky tracks from the 70s, with a really messed up keyboard sound!

A contemporary riff on benchmark 70s soul jazz and funky fusion from French producer Medline – who reimagines classics by Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and others! It's good, solid stuff – reinterpreting the material in a way that's very mindful of its influence on classic hip hop – with some tighter beats and other nods to classic 90s hip hop production – but it's done with an emphasis on live instrumentation that's pretty great! Medline plays most of the instruments himself, with lots of Afro percussion and jazzy flute – with guest vocals on a number of tunes by Roni Alkekengi. Includes "A New Day", "People Make The World Go Round", "Wind Parade","Expansion" and "Everybody Love The Sunshine" with Roni Alkekengi, "Eboness" and "Red Clay".

Arizona funk from George Bowman and his Memphis Soul – recorded at Phoenix's Audio Recorders studio in the late 60s – completely unreleased until now by Numero! "Don't Down Me People" is purely funky on a couple levels, most notably via the JB-schooled vocals by guitarist/singer/songwriter Mr. Bowman, along with some horn blasts and staggering drums. Those drums purportedly come courtesy of Rodney Brown of Dyke & The Blazers, which certainly makes some sense. The guitar dynamic is what really stands out, though – the riff is unshakable!

Marvelous work from Mostly Other People Do The Killing – and a record that's quite different from its cheesy looking cover! The quartet never fail to amaze us with their creative energy – and this time around, they're paying homage to that moment in 80s jazz when the underground was brimming up in the mainstream – that great point when creative musicians were finding wider exposure on labels like Columbia, Novus, or Blue Note – yet still serving up sounds that were true to their roots. The cheesy packaging is a nod to the visual aesthetics of the time – and the music is a great contrast, which was not uncommon for the period – lots of sharp reeds from Jon Irabagon, percolatedly soulful trumpet riffs from Peter Evans, snapping percussion from Kevin Shea, and these warm, round, deep lines on acoustic bass from Moppa Elliott – who also wrote and produced the set. Titles include "Sayre", "President Polk", "Can't Tell Shipp From Shohola", "Hearts Content", "Jersey Shore", and "Dexter, Wayne, & Mobley".

One of the last great funk albums from King Records – a set recorded in the early 70s, but done with a crackling sharp sound that's like the best late 60s James Brown albums for the label! Mickey Murray is from Augusta, GA – James Brown's hometown – and his approach is similar to James' at times, but it's also got more of a southern funk groove too – a bit like the great combination you'll hear in Lee Fields' music, which is a perfect fit for the album's raw, rootsy production! The record includes a great funky cut called "The Buzzard", plus other nice ones like "Explosive Population", "People Are Together", "Going Back To Alabama", "Fat Gal", and "I Wanna See My Baby".

A wicked groove from the Pacific Northwest underground of the early 70s – a collaboration between vocalist Shirley Nanette and the wild guitarist Hanc Swarn! "All Of Your Life" has these monstrous funky drums on the bottom – then mixes Shirley's righteous vocals with Hanc's cool guitar solo lines – really tripped-out, almost in an Eddie Fisher way, and merged beautifully alongside the lyrics! "People Are Thinking" is even more mysterious – with an exotic, almost Eastern groove – thanks to angular reed work next to the vocals!

Nickodemus logically follows up his warm and breezy Sun People album with the more cosmically-lit follow up Moon People – once again bringing a wealth of global influences and instrumentation to his unique style of spacey dancefloor soul! He's joined by the legendary Afrika Bambaata and other great vocal guests – including Sammy Ayala, Kissey Asplund and Kathrin DeBoer of Belleruche – which elevates the creative mix of beats and eclectic instrumentation quite nicely! That said, the instrumental backdrops are quite hypnotic on their own – cosmic soul beats and atmosherics flavored by flutes, Eastern string accents, horns, steel drums and much more – depending on the needs of the particular track. Includes "Under The Volcano" with Navegante, "Moon People" feat The Real Live Show, "Nights Of Balaur", "Alkebulan" feat Afrika Bambaata, "Peaceful Island Earth" feat Kathrin DeBoer, "The Nuyorican Express" feat Candela Allstars, "Mirage" with Kissey Asplund, "Conmigo (Hallex Remix)" feat Sammy Ayala, "Vino People" and more.

Two great slices of work from The Tymes – each of them different! First up is the Trustmaker album from 1974 – soaring soul from The Tymes – arguably their biggest album ever, and a key RCA Records soul set from the 70s! Like others at the time, the group get a hip new style here with help from the Sigma Sound Studios – working with Richie Rome arrangements, conducted by group member Billy Jackson – in a level that really brings a new sort of sophistication to their sound! The upbeat tunes were the biggest hits, but we're also fans of the mellower moments here too – which remind us of the more harmony-oriented roots of the group, and show that they still had plenty of their own soul to offer, even amidst the Philly setting. Titles include the huge hit "You Little Trustmaker", plus "Someway Somehow, I'm Keepin You", "The Crutch", "Are You Lookin", "Innerloop", "Ms Grace", and "North Hills". Next up is the People album from 1969 – warm, wonderful harmony work from The Tymes – a set that features lots of familiar tunes, but redone in really great ways by the group! The harmonies are the key here – as the group's vocals are totally sublime – cascading magnificently amidst some fuller arrangements that might have been aimed at a crossover market, but which hardly ever dampen their soul at all. Jimmy Wisner handled production, and brings in a gentle swing to some of the tunes – a groove that's certainly made one track, their title version of "People", a big fave down in the Carolinas over the years. Other tracks include "City", "For Love Of Ivy", "Look Of Love", "God Bless The Child", "Make Someone Happy", "The Love That You're Looking For", and "The Way Of The Crowd".

A real classic from the 70s AM soft rock/soul scene – and a record that's surprisingly rewarding this many years later! Gino's working here in territory that's a bit similar to contemporaries like Paul Williams or Nick DeCaro – material that's well-penned, softly sung, and produced with a spacious approach that's studio, but never too slick overall. There's a personal sense here that's quite surprising, especially given Gino's look on the cover – and the record's a fair bit hipper than we might have admitted back in the 70s (or even the 80s and 90s!) Tracks include "People Gotta Move", "Lady", "Son Of A New York Gun", "Jack Miraculous", "Jo Jo", "Powerful People", "Felicia", The Work Verse" and more.

Volume one of the legendary compilation of James Brown produced stuff that taught us to love his other work back in the 80's when it was released. We're not going to pretend that we had all the original stuff when we were kids, but we did have this great comp – which includes monster stuff by The JBs, Lyn Collins, and Maceo. Classic JB production stuff, with 13 great tracks, including a bonus CD cut that's not on the original LP (which is out of print, by the way.) This was a sampler's dream in the 80's, and it's still a listener's dream in this decade! Tracks include "Same Beat" by the JBs, "Parrty" by Maceo, "If You Don't Get It The First Time" by the JBs, "Take Me Just As I Am" by Lyn Collins, "Rock Me Again & Again & Again & Again" by Lyn Collins, "Hot Pants Road" by The JBs, "Mama Feelgood" by Lyn Collins, "Think" by Lyn Collins, and "Gimme Some More" by The JBs!

One of the best-ever compilations of James Brown work – and the second slammin' hard compilation of great tracks from the People label. This one's got some more obscure stuff (including 2 unreleased tracks), and material by Bobby Byrd, Vicki Anderson, Maceo, Marva Whitney, Hank Ballard, and more! The groove's tight and hard, and tracks include "Do Your Thing", "Cross The Track", "I Know You Got Soul", "From The Love Side", "What Do I Have To Do To Prove My Love To You", and the massive "Message From the Soul Sisters", and incredible track with a great sample! Also includes 2 CD bonus cuts, one of which is the insanely great "Super Good (parts 1&2)" by Vicki Anderson (recording as Myra Barnes).

This is a late 60's reissue of an early 60's album originally titled In A Minor Groove. These tracks show Dorothy at her early best, and jamming (yes, that's right, jamming) on the harp along with her quartet that included Frank Wess on flute, Herman Wright on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. And while the idea of a harp/flute lineup might sound a bit snoozy to you – this isn't some west coast poofy session, but a nicely soulful batch of tracks that shows that the right group can make any set of instruments swing! Titles include "Rascality", "Taboo", "Yesterdays", and "It's A Minor Thing".

Moody vocals from the Jankowski Singers – a hip ensemble led by pianist Horst Jankowski, with a floating dreamy sound that's very much in the best MPS easy mode! The tracks on the set are as haunting as the "nightpeople" in the title might imply – harmonic, yet slightly off-kilter – and easy, yet with an undercurrent of 70s slink that makes everything feel a bit stranger than it otherwise might. The title track – "Nightpeople Only" – is a real gem, and worth the price of the record alone – but the rest of the set is pretty wonderful too, with a cool blend of male/female chorus vocals, Jankowski's piano and keyboards, and some sweetly compressed flugelhorn solos from Ack Van Rooyen. Other tracks include "Didn't We", "Let's Make A Day", "With Two Eyes", "Light My Fire", and "Lady Eve". CD also features lots of bonus tracks too – 9 more numbers that include "Heideroslein", "Ach Wie Ist's Moglich Dann", "Dreamflight", "Pink Balloon", "So Wie Heut", "Like A Ruby In The Street", and "Du Du Liegst Mir Im Herzen".