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13 cuts, counting interludes, includes "Attitudes", "I-N-I","Mushroom Talk", 'Theramixx", "Hi Volume", "Mad MF's", "Sweet Therapy", "Hudz" and "Earthquake".

Album of clubby, uptempo stuff, recorded in Rio, and with a bit of a Brazilian feel to it. The tracks are long and fast, and include medleys of "Girl From Ipanema/Manha De Carnaval" and "Chove Chuva/Mas Que Nada", as well as a few other Brazilian tracks. There's also a version of "Mambo No. 5", which is the same one from the Ultimate Breaks compilation.

The quirky Sauter-Finegan ensemble lay down a weird set of tracks with their usual high level of performance and keen sense of wit! Tracks include "Madame X", "Sleepy Village", "Pictures From Sauter-Finegan Land", and "The Land Between". Great stuff from a group that never really ever gets its due.

An amazing chapter in the career of reedman Tony Scott – some key late 50s recordings done on the Swedish scene, issued here together for the first time, with a rare bonus track as well! Scott made some huge waves on the European scene in the 60s – thanks to important collaborations with overseas players, on work that ran from exotic to modal to world-jazz combinations – and this early set of performances really shows the birth of those more creative modes, as Tony's really working hard to break from some of the more boppish styles of his previous American albums! The core group is the trio of pianist Rune Ofwerman – with Gunnar Johnson on bass and Egil Johansen on drums – a combo with a fluid, open style that really sets Scott free on clarinet – a lot like his late 50s recordings to come with Bill Evans. Titles include "Blues For Ava" in both vocal and instrumental modes – plus "Swingin In Sweden", "Night In Tunisia", "Walkin", "I Can't Get Started", and "All The Things You Are".

An 80s collection, but one that's filled with gems from Gil Scott-Heron's legendary early years at Flying Dutchman – a time when he was recording some of his most impressively righteous material ever! The music's a hip mix of protest poetry and sweet jazzy numbers – played with great keyboard accompaniment from frequent partner Brian Jackson on nearly every track – plus help from Hubert Laws on flute and sax, and Bernard Purdie on drums. CD features 17 tracks in all – much more than the album – and titles include "Pieces of a Man", "Lady Day & John Coltrane", "Whitey on the Moon", "The Needle's Eye", "Home is Where the Hatred Is", "Did You Hear What They Said?", "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", "No Knock", "Sex Education Ghetto Style", "A Sign Of The Ages", "The Prisoner", and "When You Are Who You Think You Are".

Includes the tracks "September Song", "Carioca", "Frenesi", and "Special Delivery Stomp".

Dinah Shore's definitely got a bouquet of blues here – thanks to some backings that echo the moody, late nite image on the cover! The set's one of Shore's most blue-hued ever – a surprisingly beautiful little record that features orchestrations from Henri Rene, Frank DeVol, and Harry Zimmerman – all with styles that slightly echo older eras of jazz, but which never get too hokey, or resort to any easy cliches. In a way, there's almost a sharper modern edge going on amidst some of the more traditional modes – and Shore's vocals are a bit part of that, thanks to a wonderful recording style that has them right up front in the mix, coming across with incredible clarity. Titles include "Bouquet Of Blues", "Moanin Low", "Lonesome Gal", "Blues In The Night", "Born To Be Blue", "Memphis Blues", "What Can I Say After I'm Sorry", and "I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good".

Wonderful work by Nina – the kind of record that once made purists turn up their noses, but which is now being rediscovered as a unique jazz/soul crossover album, filled with loads of nice moments! The instrumentation's pretty darn interesting – and includes sitar, harp, Spanish guitar, and other odd percussion instruments. Includes Nina's nice version of "Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter", plus "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "Dambala", "Obeah Woman", and "The Pusher".

One of Nina's first for RCA – a mixture of jazz and soul tunes handled with some classy arrangements by Sammy Lowe, most of which feature nice electric bass work at the bottom by Gene Taylor! Taylor's bass gives the tracks a nice "dip" that's not exactly funky, but does provide a strong kick that keeps things moving along nicely – in a way that points towards the direction Nina would take in the 70s, and which makes this album a fair bit hipper than some of her Philips work! Nina's not as over the top as on other records, but still lays it out quite hiply – and tracks include "Consummation", "Go To Hell", "Love O Love", "It Be's That Way Sometime", "Turn Me On", and "Some Say".

Great work from this famous Italian maestro – sweeping, soaring instrumentals – but also a bit funky at times too! Ettore brings a real soundtrack approach to most numbers – fitting, given that most tunes here are film themes – and he uses full strings, plus some nicely isolated instrumentation at points, especially a bit of tinkling piano. Things are mostly straight, but there's a great funky break on his version of "The Godfather (part 2)" – and some sweetly gentle funk on "Once Is Not Enough" – another great warm number. Other titles include "The Big Hunt", "The Saddest Thing Of All", "Sheila Levine", "Incontro", and Stratta's own great "The Beginning Of Our Life".

Tavares chill things out nicely, definitely heading for the "new directions" in the title, and going for more of a mellow sound that was clearly going to help them reach new audiences in the post-disco years. The harmonies are as great as they always were in the early days, taking a nicely smoothed out approach in place of the somewhat gritter groove of some of the earlier work – moving fearlessly into the 80s groove with excellent results! Titles include "Mystery Lady", "Abra Ca Dabra Love You Too", "Maybe We'll Fall In Love Again", "The Skin You're In", "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me", "A Penny For Your Thoughts", "Got To Find My Way Back To You", and "Wanna Be Close to You". This CD edition has 4 bonus tracks: "Got To Find My Way Back To You (12" Dance Mix)", "A Penny For Your Thoughts (Single Version)", "The Skin You're In (Single Version)" and "Got To Find My Way Back To You (Single Version)".

Quite an unusual project from pianist Keith Tippett – a group that works in sparing, sensitive sounds – all at a level much gentler than other Tippett recordings of the time! There's a meditative, contemplative feel to the record – but one that's also inflected with some of the more experimental jazz modes you might expect from Keith – and instrumentation is heavy on percussion from Frank Perry, who's definitely got a Tibetan influence in his music. Other group members include Julie Tippetts on voice and sopranino recorder, Harry Miller on bass, and Keith Tippett on piano, recorder, harmonium, and maracas. Most tracks are long, emerging slowly from the farther reaches of sound – and titles include "Gentle One Says Hello", "Communal Travel", "Coda", "Fragment No 6", and "A Man Carrying A Drop Of Water On A Leaf Through A Thunderstorm".

With backings from Leonard DePaur – and titles that include "Strange Fruit", "Lamento Esclavo", "Partisian Song", "Oh Freedom", and "Cry The Beloved Country".

A modern soul gem produced by Lenny White! Though White lends a touch of jazzy sophistication to the set, it's a straight up dose of mainstream modern soul, with great ensemble vocals and crisp production over tight songs that should have landed Wax at the top of the radio. Somehow though they managed to only find success with some sought after singles years after the fact, but you can grab the whole album here! It's got all the hallmarks of the best of the era – chirping guitars, tasteful keyboards that sit just right in the mix, and rhythms and tempos on most of the tracks that veer between club oriented grooves and tight pop soul. 9 tracks in all, including "Can't Hide From Love", "Crazy In Love", "Playin' The Part", "The Right Time For Us", "Do You Believe In Magic", "Music's On The One", "When And If I Fall In Love" and "April Lady".

Excellent sounds from Charlie Wilson – aka "Uncle Charlie", the former lead singer of The Gap Band! Wilson's great here, and really finds a comfortable space that works well right from the start – never trying to be too young or too contemporary, and instead stretching out in these warm, wonderful lines that are an even deeper take on the best styles from his earlier years – especially on some of the midtempo groovers, which really make the album shine! There's some occasional electric touches on the vocals – not really processing, or auto tuning, but a vibe that recalls the funky power of the Gap Band on some of their old school jams – and Wilson really shows why he's still one of the best male soul singers of his generation – working here with a solid approach that few others could match. Titles include "A Million Ways To Love You", "Turn Off The Lights", "Our Anniversary", "My Love Is All I Have", "Whisper", "Say", and "I Still Have You".

One of the best sessions cut by Kai and JJ during the 50's, and a good live session with a lot looser feel than some of their studio sessions – which tend to be a bit restrained. The rhythm section features Dick Katz, Al Harewood, and Peck Morrison – but the main solos are held by Kai and JJ. 6 tracks "Funnybone", "Cornerstone", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Vista", "Birdland Festival" and "Bone Of Contention".

The classic first LP with Method Man, Ghost Face Killer, Raekwon, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and The Genius. The start of a generation, and of the hip hop enterprise that overshadowed a lot of the mid 90s! 12 tracks, including "Can It All Be So Simple", "Method Man", "Da Mystery Of Chessboxin", "CREAM", "Tearz", "Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin Ta F' Wit", "Protect Ya Neck", "Shame On A Nigga" and "Bring Da Ruckus".

A seminal classic from vocalist Michael Wycoff – thanks to some killer help from Webster Lewis – who not only produced the album, but also plays keyboards on the set! The album's got a bounce and bubble that's right up there with Lewis' best from the late 70s – but thanks to some rich vocals from Wycoff, it's also got a bit more depth too – especially on some of the mellower groovers which really sparkle wonderfully! Some moments are upbeat, others are nicely laidback – and Wycoff's rich range is given some great focus here, in a balance that makes for one hell of a great record all the way through. Titles include the stellar stepper "Looking Up To You", one of those anthemic cuts you'll recognize immediately – plus "Diamond Real", "Still Got The Magic", "Love Is So Easy", and "Love Conquers All".

RCA compilation featuring work by Esquivel, Perez Prado, Tito Puente, Xavier Cugat, and Russ Garcia. We're not sure if this stuff is exclusive to this album, but it's a great compilation anyway. Tracks include "Tampico" and "Sand In MY Shoes" by Tito Puente, "Night Music Must Fall" and "Oye Negra" by Xavier Cugat, "Guaglione" and "You're Driving Me Crazy" by Perez Prado, "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" and "Adios" by Esquivel, "Carioca" and "Baia" by Russ Garcia, "I've Got The World On A String" and "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" by Luis Arcaraz

Way more than just a disco collection – a great album with some had to get numbers you don't see much on vinyl any more. Includes "You Little Trustmaker" by the Tymes, "To Each His Own" by Faith Hope &Charity, "Am I Cold, Am I Hot" by Bill Harris, "What You Don't Know" by Charles Drain, "Honey Baby Theme" by Blood Hollins and Weldon Irvine, "Half Of Your Heart" by Zulema, "Are You Ready For This" by the Brothers, "So Much Love" by Destiny and "Is It Love" by the Choice Four.

A wonderful batch of tunes from the RCA catalog – funky jazz, heavy soul, and some killer groovers that really step out with a nice little vibe! The package does a great job of bringing together tracks from the far corners of the RCA empire in the late 60s and early 70s – and includes 14 tracks with an ultra hip sound and a really radical approach to the groove. Titles include "Messiah" by David Axelrod, "Night Thing" by Spontaneous Combustion, "Mama Soul" by Harold Alexander, "I Can't Keep From Crying" by Dierdre Wilson Tabac, "Hit The Road Jack" by Wild Bill Davis, "Yeh Yeh" by Lambert Hendricks & Bavan, "Skull Session" by Oliver Nelson, "Afrique" by Count Basie & Oliver Nelson, "Baby That's What I Need (Walk Tall)" by Esther Marrow, and "Head Start" by Tom Scott.

Featuring Ann-Margret, Ethel Ennis, Gale Garnett, Ketty Lester, Glenn Yarbrough, and more.

Finally!!! The notoriously elusive album that every digger spends hours combing the Easy Listening bins in search of. Of course, this one is in demand for the excellent sample cut "Harlem Hendoo", but it certainly isn't a one tracker thanks to composer Paul Griffin and arranger Teacho Wiltshire, as Hirt gets un-characteristically funky on tunes like "Honey Pot", "Mess Around", "Girl", and "Love Ya' Baby".

Some of the greatest work ever by The Main Ingredient – a selection of their singles for RCA records from the late 60s and early 70s – but one that goes way past just the hits, in order to fully trace the evolution of their heavenly vocal style! The trio started out as an already-great harmony act in the late 60s – a group who were even sweeter and more soaring than some of their contemporaries – making them perfectly placed to move into some of the more righteous harmony modes of the 70s – including some surprising turns towards more righteous, political material. The 22 track package is the greatest we've ever seen on the group – 15 pages of deeply detailed notes, in true Ace/Kent mode – plus singles that include three by The Insiders, "I'm Better Off Without You", "If You Had A Heart", and "I'm Just A Man" – as well as Main Ingredient singles that include "Black Seeds Keep On Growing", "California My Way", "Magic Shoes", "Everybody Plays The Fool", "You've Got To Take It If You Want It", "Girl Blue", "Happiness Is Just Around The Bend", "I Was Born To Lose You", "Brotherly Love", "You've Been My Inspiration", "I'm So Proud", "Spinning Around", "I'm Leaving This Time", "Rolling Down A Mountainside", "The Gold Old Days", and "Shame On The World".

A classic from Nina – the original recording of "Young Gifted & Black" – arranged by Weldon Irvine, who co-wrote the tune with her. The flip's got a nice version of an Aretha Franklin song – and both sides have quite an Aretha-style approach!

With Diamond D.

A very unique outing – a set that mixes the sweet harmonies of The Ames Brothers with wild backings from Esquivel! Most of the tracks are in Spanish, and have Esquivel doing a standard Latin sound, but which also approaches his own solo work in some of the more unusual moments!

Ann-Margret at her grooviest – singing the super-groovy theme from The Swinger – perhaps her greatest film appearance ever! There's a mod bounce to the album that goes way way beyond any of Ann's other albums of the period – thanks to arrangements from Marty Paich, Quincy Jones, and Johnny Williams – all of whom put a nice sort of lilt in the backings, and manage to capture Ann at her sexiest. The title tune "The Swinger" is worth the price of entry itself – as it's a catchy, guitar-twanging number delivered in an incredibly breathy mode – supported by 2 great instrumentals from the film as well, "Swinger's Holiday" and "Kelly's Dance". But even on more conventional numbers, Ann's got a great sound here – bringing whole new sexy life to tracks that include "I Wanna Be Loved", "By Myself", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "More", and "Cute".

A lost Burt Bacharach treasure – a bit later than classic vintage, but a wonderful album from the mature maestro – and sometimes overlooked, due to its status as a soundtrack! The work here is totally great – that mellow, easy-flowing style that Burt really perfected around the time of Living Together – served up here in a batch of sweet instrumental tracks, plus a few key vocal numbers with lyrics sung by Jackie DeShannon, Libby Titus, and Michael McDonald – all of whom slide down more into the Bacharach ethos than stand out as their usual selves – and we mean that in a good way! Titles include "I Don't Need You Any More", "In Tune", "If We Ever Get Out Of Here", "On The Beach", "I've Got My Mind Made Up", "Find Love", "Luisa", and "I Think I'm Gonna Fall In Love".

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.

A pretty darn nice set of tracks that has Luiz mellow moody guitar augmented by some breezy easy arrangements by Pete Spargo. The overall feel is less bossa than it is mellow pop instrumental – but there's a wonderfully airy quality on the best tracks, with guitar, piano, and some wordless vocals floating around very nicely. Titles include "Xavente", "Non Stop To Brazil", "Sanctuary", "Tijuca", "Giselle", and "On The Sand".

An amazing departure for David Bowie – hardly the kind of record you would expect from his oboe-filled tunes of a few years before – and really the start of the groundbreaking, earthshaking, reinventionist era of his genius! There's a spacious, soaring quality to Space Oddity that's every bit the kind of magical music you might hope for in a set recorded at the close of the 60s – a shift into new modes, new sounds that seem to suck up all the best influences in rock from the previous few years, but fuse it into a new cosmic vision for the next decade. And while others might stumble on cliche with the weight of such a task, Bowie pulls it off brilliantly – mixing his fuzzier feelings with some of his more personal leanings – and showcasing a newly deep sense of songwriting here that's really amazing. Some tunes have the sensitivity of work on Hunky Dory, while others burn with the fire of Man Who Sold The World – all in a balance that never sounds schizophrenic at all. Titles include"Space Oddity", "Memory Of A Free Festival", "God Knows I'm Good", "Cygnet Committee", and "Unwashed & Somewhat Slightly Dazed".

A brilliant soul album! That's right, we said SOUL album! Bowie was at the height of his Ziggy Stardust fame when this one was recorded – a drastic left-turn in styles, forged during a point in his American tour when he could take a break, head to Philly, plug in at the Sigma Sound Studios, and come up with some fantastic little soul tunes, thanks to help from Luther Vandross! The album sparkles with the best sound of Luther's early work – and you'll hear more than a bit of Luther's work on his own, and his tunes with Gregg Diamond on the set. Features the sublime tracks "Win", "Fascination", "Right", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", and "Can You Hear Me" – as well as the hits "Young Americans" and "Fame".

An amazing record – one that stands as one of Chico Buarque's greatest from the 70s! The set was recorded in Italy in 1970 – and features Chico singing lead vocals over backings handled by Ennio Morricone – all in a style that's a perfect blend of MPB with the best elements of the Italian scene of the time! The songs are all originals written by Chico – and have a light and dreamy samba/bossa feel, one that's inflected by the off-beat orchestral style of Morricone, and supported by vocals from I Cantori Moderni. The feel is halfway between Chico's work on RGE and some of the dreamier Morricone soundtracks of the time – and it's a wonderful thing to have a strong male lead vocal over backings from Morricone – a really rare thing for the time, with results that are tremendous. Titles include "Rotativa", "Samba E Amore", "Nicanor", "Tu Sei Una Di Noi", "In Te", "Ed Ora Dico Sul Serio", and "Quete E Quelle".

One of the best later albums by Chocolate Milk – a bit different than their earlier work with Allen Toussaint, but still bouncing along in a sweet 80s groove, with more than enough traces of their roots as a funky combo! Leo Nocentelli's sitting in on guitar, adding some nice licks to keep some tracks a bit more firmly grounded in tradition, despite some more modern production touches – and the album's got a compelling vibe that's partly pointed towards the boogie generation of the 80s, but with a heavier funk component overall! Titles include "Let's Go All The Way", "Like My Lady's Love", "Honey Bun", "Running On Empty", and a version of Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long".

One of the definitive Sam Cooke recordings of the 60s – never issued at the time, but one of the crucial sides that's provided a later look at his brilliance from the time. The session was recorded at the same vintage as Sam Cooke At The Copa – another live record that was issued during the 60s, and which some claim caused the repression of this one, a much livelier, harder, and soulful session, recorded way uptown, at the Harlem Square Club. The Sam you hear here is a much harder soul artist than the one at the Copa – working his way through some great versions of tracks that include "Cupid", "Chain Gang", "Feel It", "Bring It On Home To Me", and "Nothing Can Change This Love".

If there's anyone who earns the name "Mr Soul", it's gotta be Sam Cooke – given that records like these were crucial to getting the term of soul music out to the public in the 60s! The set's a great illustration of the way that Sam cooks up soul, too – as it mostly features familiar tunes, recast by Cooke with a new soul music approach – that deeper feeling he brings to the lyrics, while still holding up a professional polish that rivals the great singers of the decade before. Horace Ott handled the arrangements, with a great blend of strings and soul – and titles include "Smoke Rings", "I Wish You Love", "Little Girl", "Driftin Blues", "Send Me Some Lovin", and "Chains Of Love".

Very unique work from Dr Buzzard's Savannah Band – a set that bears all the unmistakeable touches of group leader August Darnell! The set's definitely got the older aesthetic that Darnell brought to his work at the time – possibly even more so than the group's first album – and it's also got a wonderfully acoustic approach to the music, one that uses older jazz inflections mixed with rootsier percussion – almost a late 70s club update of older swing and Latin modes! The tunes are beautifully penned too – most often starting out with a real sort of 30s or 40s style, then sweeping nicely into more of a 70s groove – but always without any sense of gimmick or trickery. Vocals are by the lovely Cory Daye, with a bit of help from Darnell – and titles include "Transistor Madness", "Organ Grinder's Tale", "Mister Love", "The Gigolo & I", "Nocturnal Interludes", and "I'll Always Have A Smile For You".

One of the coolest club combos of the 70s – the mighty Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – a group with a sound that's a lot tighter than their name! The group's probably best known for giving exposure to August Darnell in his pre-Kid Creole years – but they've also got a sound that's really all their own, and which draws strongly from all members of the group – making them way more than just another Darnell side project. Old and new styles come together wonderfully in the band's music – but the approach isn't just easy retro disco, and instead is often a warmer take on mainstream 70s disco modes – one that dips into the past to pull back the right elements to bring a bit more life to the sound. Arrangements are mostly by Stony Browder Jr, who co-wrote most of the tunes – and titles include "The Gigolo & I", "You Got Something/Betcha The Love Bug Bitcha", "Transistor Madness/Future DJ", "Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon", "Mister Love", "Sunshower", "Nocturnal Interludes", "Soraya/March Of The Nignies", "Auf Wiedersehen/Darrio", "I'll Play The Fool", and "Hard Times".

A strange film, but a great soundtrack! George Duning came up with an excellent batch of jazzy tracks for the film – and most of them swing hard and tightly, with strong jazzy solos, in a manner that's similar to some of Henry Mancini's best scores of the late 50s. A number of tracks have odd "Eastern" touches in the melody – mostly through the use of percussion – and this makes the jazzy tracks even nicer, and gives them a strange feel that's similar to some of the "east meets jazz" albums on Verve during the 60s. Titles include "Aberdeen Caper", "Gwenny Lee", "At The Namcock", "Groove For Suzie", and "Hit The Road To Dreamland" – and this great CD version features 29 tracks in all, with lots of rare bonus tracks!

Nice French edition of vintage material by Duke Ellington!

Nice French edition of vintage material by Duke Ellington!

A wealth of great work from vocalist Ethel Ennis – her full This Is Ethel Ennis album for RCA, plus a host of additional bonus tracks as well! The full album features Ethel's great vocals alongside dynamic backings from Sid Bass – music that's certainly jazz at the core, but which also has some of the more inventive flourishes that Sid was bringing to his own instrumental sides for RCA – not really tricks or gimmicks, but these great little touches that help keep things interesting throughout! Ethel's vocals are straightforward, but have a nice undercurrent of soul – more so than the usual RCA singers of the time – and titles include "Dear Friend", "An Occasional Man", "He Loves Me", "As You Desire Me", "Who Will Buy", "Night Club", "Love Don't Turn Away", and "When Did I Fall In Love". CD also features 10 more bonus tracks – additional RCA singles cut by Ennis with backings from Dick Hyman, Claus Ogerman, Marty Manning, and others. Titles include "Matchmaker Matchmaker", "I've Got That Feeling", "About Love", "We Could Learn Together", "San Juan", and "The Boy From Ipanema".

Features Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Arthur Blythe on alto and soprano, George Dadams on tenor and soprano sax, Masabumi Kikuchi on organ, Pete Levin on clavinet and moog, and Gil Evans on electric piano!