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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".

One of the last great albums from James Brown! Not as totally sublime as Payback or some of the others from the 70s – but James is still working here with Fred Wesley and Dave Matthews – and many of the cuts retain the funk of a few years past. Case in point is the sublime "Funky President" – a super-dope track that mixes politics and funk, and which is one of our favorite James Brown tracks from the 70s. Other cuts include "All For One", "Check Your Body", "Reality", and "Further Up The Road".

The third and perhaps best album yet for Swiss beatcrafter and all around soundscape adventurer Dimlite! To date, Dimlite has colored from as broad of a sonic palette as just about anyone in the contemporary electronic scene – taking cues from classic art rock and experimental pop, psych and jazz, the sound that's not easy to pin down or predict where it will go next. It's also insistently engaging at all times, and feels purposefully hypnotic from for first second of each track. The beats are pretty heavy for the most part, too, often surround by bubbling synth and thick bass for a something of a future funk vibe. Includes "You Very Rich Believer", "Pour Some Blood, We Got This", "Blur, Blur, Blur, Blur, Blur", "Healing A Random Tyrant", "New, Better Pain", "Yes, Welcome", "Than Them", "Fridge Note", "One Of Uh Infinity's Countless Uh Tiny Cycles", "Heroine Roof" and more.

If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too.

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause".

Amazing sounds from The Stark Reality – an obscure group from the early 70s, but one who've really risen to fame over the years – thanks to their groundbreaking ear for new music, and their freewheeling way with a funky groove! This package brings together all the incredible work recorded by the group in the late 60s and early 70s – a mindblowing assortment of funky and fuzzy jazz tracks – almost all of which are graced by the offbeat vibes work of Monty Stark! Stark often adds a bit of distortion into his instrument, which makes for a very tripped-out approach to vibes – one that blends perfectly with the heavy funk of some of the rhythms, and the freaky guitar lines added to most tracks by a young John Abercrombie. Yet at other times, things are very laidback and chilled-out – balanced beautifully from track to track, in a way that illustrates the larger picture the group were always going for in their music. This massive package brings together everything Stark Reality ever recorded – their famous Discovers Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop album, the Acting Thinking Feeling live performance, the Roller Coaster Ride/1969 album, and lots of rare singles too – more than enough music to please any fan of the group, and blow the minds of anyone who's just getting a first taste. Titles include "Roller Coaster Ride", "On Being Black", "New World Generation", "Theme To Say Brother", "Dreams", "Clouds", "All You Need To Make Music", "Rocket Ship", "Cooking", "The Old Prospector", and "Junkman's Song". Great package too – with two LP-styled CD sleeves inside a larger case, plus a big booklet of notes and photos!

Amazing stuff from one of the coolest records ever! Both tracks were originally issued on the ultra-rare album Stark Reality Discover Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop – and both are some of the most tripped-out funk you'll ever hear! "Shooting Stars" has this mad slow funk approach that blends vibes with fuzzed-out guitar – stepping lightly over some skittish beats that really sound great. "Rocket Ship" is even more wild – with lots and lots of freaky guitar, giving way to funkier beats, vibes, and these odd sing-song lyics that are totally stoned out! Both cuts are great, and a mellow sampler's dream!

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause".

Wonderfully tripped out funk from one of the coolest groups ever! The Stark Reality were a one-off group who mixed together vibes, fuzzy guitar, funky bass, and some nicely choppy drums – originally in service of an album of children's songs, written by Hoagy Carmichael. These 2 tracks are some of the rarest work ever by the group – non-Carmichael tracks, written by group leader Monty Stark, and done in the same tripped-out funky style of work on the group's only album. "Too Much" is sweet mellow funk – with great skittish drums, sweet guitar, and some nice lyrics that kind of trip around the beats. "Red Yellow" is much wilder – lots and lots of fuzz, and a really tripped out noisy funk sound!

Tracks include "Nappy Heads", "Blunted Interlude", "Recharge", "Freestyle Interlude", "Boof Baf", "Temple", "How Hard Is It?", "Some Seek Stardom", "Refugees On The Mic", and "Living Like There Ain't No Tomorrow".

If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too.

Only a four track EP, but a record that packs the same solid punch as the full album from Sky Hi – and like that one, a smoking mix of funk and soul, served up with a very old school style! The horns here are especially nice – and often have these dark turns and twists that echo some of the growing sophistication of the group's arrangements – and of the excellent vocals of Dee Adams – a male singer who really helps give the record a solid, well-grounded approach – in a way that's quite different than the usual copycat funk of other singers in groups like this. Titles include "Numero Uno", "Reality Check", "Funk Til Dawn", and "Plan B".

Amazing sounds from The Stark Reality – an obscure group from the early 70s, but one who've really risen to fame over the years – thanks to their groundbreaking ear for new music, and their freewheeling way with a funky groove! This package brings together all the incredible work recorded by the group in the late 60s and early 70s – a mindblowing assortment of funky and fuzzy jazz tracks – almost all of which are graced by the offbeat vibes work of Monty Stark! Stark often adds a bit of distortion into his instrument, which makes for a very tripped-out approach to vibes – one that blends perfectly with the heavy funk of some of the rhythms, and the freaky guitar lines added to most tracks by a young John Abercrombie. Yet at other times, things are very laidback and chilled-out – balanced beautifully from track to track, in a way that illustrates the larger picture the group were always going for in their music. This massive package brings together everything Stark Reality ever recorded – their famous Discovers Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop album, the Acting Thinking Feeling live performance, the Roller Coaster Ride/1969 album, and lots of rare singles too – more than enough music to please any fan of the group, and blow the minds of anyone who's just getting a first taste. Titles include "Roller Coaster Ride", "On Being Black", "New World Generation", "Theme To Say Brother", "Dreams", "Clouds", "All You Need To Make Music", "Rocket Ship", "Cooking", "The Old Prospector", and "Junkman's Song". 6LPs, in a massive box, with a bonus 7" single, a download card, and 16 page book!

What can we say? The classic single from Doug E Fresh that introduced the world to Slick Rick and has been sampled and quoted more times than we can count!

Brick City vet and Artifacts affiliate Beneficience delivers a sharp set of hip hop in Concrete Soul for Ill Adrenaline – featuring an impressive roster of guests – but to Bene's credit, he's never overshadowed here! Guests include Lord Tariq, Masta Ace, Chubb Rock, Roc Marciano, El Da Sensei, D-Flow, Billy Danze, AG and more. Includes "YWE" with Lord Tariq, "Reality Vs Fiction" feat Masta Ace, "Cold Train" with Grap Luva & Rob-O, "Concrete Soul" feat Troo Kula of Brainwash 2000, "Masterful Method" with Chubb Rock, "Art Of War" with Billy Danze of MOP, "All Real" feat AG, "Metal Cuff Links" feat Nature,, "Somethin' Yall Can Roll Wit", "Under Constructuon, "Hood Cartel" with Roc Marciano and more.

The fourth nearly flawless album of heavy genius from Black Sabbath – featuring some of the mightiest rock riffs ever! Vol 4 is just the tiniest of notches below Master Of Reality and Paranoid in overall greatness – which is the tiniest of possible complaints given that those previous two albums are among the few truly perfect rock and roll albums ever recorded! But this one has "Supernaut". Enough said. Other titles include "Wheels Of Confusion", "Tomorrows Dreams", "Changes", "FX", "Snowblind", "Cornucopia", "Under The Sun" and more.

A legendary early set from percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett – and a really sublime blend of spiritual jazz and Latin rhythms! Mora's percussion is definitely at the core – but the set also features wonderful contributions from Vincent Bowens on tenor and soprano sax, Jerome LeDuff on berimbau, Alberto Nacif on quinto, and Detroit jazz legend Kenny Cox on piano! There's a balance here that really matches the best Strata East energy of the 70s – an open, flowing approach that's completely sublime, and very righteous too – even more so than anything Mora's done since the 70s – making this record one of his greatest achievements ever. Tersa Mora sings a bit of vocals at times – and titles include "Afra Jum", "Five AM", "Rumba Morena", "Samba De Amor", and "Cultural Warrior". CD has an insane amount of bonus tracks – 8 more than the original album – with titles that include "Old Man Joe", "Afra Jum", "Amazona", "Por Que Paro", and "El Morro".

Funky numbers from Tony Cook's Back To Reality recordings – 80s styled grooves with schooling in classic funk on Stones Throw! "The Rap" featuring The Kids is old school funky rap, with rhymes by The Kids! "What's On Your Mind?" features Tavell and some cosmic groove keys and is on more of synth soul tip.

Mac really steps out on this one – pushing past his usual hip studio take on New Orleans soul, to a more expansive style that includes performances by a host of surprise guests like Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, PP Arnold, Graham Bond, and Doris Troy. That loping, trippy groove of John's is still firmly in place, shifted slightly – kind of a New Orleans meets post 60s London style. There's also a really unique, kind of mellow Cajun folk blues thing going on, and it balances a lot of really disparate elements in a fairly unified feel. It's sort of like Captain Beefheart playing lounge piano in a swamp – an ambitious style that you really have to respect and appreciate. Titles include "Craney Crow", "Black John The Conqueror", "Zu Zu Mamou", and "Pots On Fiyo" "Where Ya At Mule", "Familiar Reality", and more.

A holy grail of funky music – and a rare gem from the DC scene of the 70s! Keyboardist Hilton Felton cut this wicked killer for his own tiny label – Hilton's Concept – and it's a very unique blend of jazz and funk modes, done with help from members of The Blackbyrds and Three Pieces! Felton plays Fender Rhodes, vibes, organ, and even some percussion on the record – grooving in this stretched-out, easygoing way that's unlike anyone else we can think of – often with fuller backings that might be at home on a soundtrack, but which have a much more open flow overall. Most tracks are nice and long, with plenty of sweet electric solo space – and titles include the classic "Bee Bop Boogie", a 9 minute groover with a monster break on the intro – plus "The Light Of Mankind", "Man For All Reasons", "Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need", "Love's Losers", and "Blues For a Weary Man".

A record from the Three Of Us – but one we remember best for the heavy keyboards of Hilton Felton! The set's even more stripped-down than some of Hilton's other funky classics from the 70s – an instrumental outing that features Felton on organ and Fender Rhodes, Johnathan Settel on drums, and David Mendenhall on guitar – a great player we've never heard before, but one who carves out some mighty sharp lines next to the keyboards! The drums are nice and tight, too – and occasionally augmented by a bit of bass or congas – and Hilton's got that wonderfully fluid groove that makes the tunes bristle with funky, soulful energy – every bit the best sort of groove you'd find in early 70s records by Charles Earland or Johnny Hammond – but even better, as there's a raw indie vibe going on too. Titles include "Here Comes David", "Music Shall Never Die", "Your Analysis", "Dream Come True", and "Maybe You'll Come Back To Me".

Massive work from Aretha Franklin's ultra-hip sister – singer Carolyn Franklin, a soul artist that we'd gladly trade for Aretha any time! Carolyn got her start in deep soul modes that were somewhat similar to Aretha's work on Atlantic – but she also worked with production that was a bit looser, freer, and more open to righteous influences than some of her sister's hit-bound sessions – and over the course of 4 albums for RCA she recorded some tremendously hip and funky tunes! This package is one of the first times that Carolyn's material has ever officially made it into the reissue years – and it brings together some of the best cuts from her RCA albums, including work arranged by Horace Ott, Wade Marcus, Bert De Coteaux, and other soul legends. There's a good deal of funk in the mix here – heavy bottoms on the tunes that really make them snap alongside the righteous vocals – and the package is easily one of the hardest-hitting sets of female soul you could ever hope to buy! 22 tracks in all – including "If You Want Me", "There I Go", "Ain't That Groovy", "Boxer", "Reality", "Chain Reaction", "Don't Wake Me Up In The Morning Michael", "Not On The Outside", "Boy I Love You", "You Are Everything", "Shattered Pride", "I Can't Help My Feeling So Blue", "As Long As You Are There", and "You Can Have My Soul".

A great bit of fusion from the start of the 70s – kind of a bridge between the late 60s "groovy" Japanese jazz, and some of the freer-thinking work to come! The group features excellent tenor from Takeru Muraoka, who plays with kind of a sharp edge that almost echoes more of the alto and soprano work of the generation – mixed with keyboards from Hiromasa Suzuki – who's plenty great on electric piano! Hiroshi Suzuki plays trombone, and the set's got some nice funky drums from Akira Ishikawa – who's always a treat. Overall, the set often has some of the same funky characteristics as some of the best late 60s electric jazz sets on Liberty Records in the US – on titles that include "Capricorn", "Something", "On A Sunny Day", "Some Other Night", and "Peaceful Planet".

The dizzyingly creative rhymer Homeboy Sandman's first full length for Stones Throw – an MC who makes no bones about his against the grain stylistic approach – and it's one of the rare hip hop albums of the past couple of years to benefit from sprawling list of producer credits! Homeboy Sandman's indefatigable vocal presence is his selling point, and he's served well by a diverse backdrop of beats – and he thrives in all them! Beats by Jonwayne, Oddisee, J57, Reality, RNTC, Oh No, 6th Sense and others. Includes "Rain", "Watchu' Want From Me?", "Sputnik", "Illuminati", "For The Kids", "Cedar & Sedgwick", "Mine All Mine", "Not Really", "Th Ancient","First Of A Living Breed", "Let's Get 'Em" and more.

A killer collection of work from one of the funkiest Japanese groups of the early 70s – billed as jazz rock in the title, but with a much deeper sound overall! Reedman Jiro Inagaki definitely comes from jazz roots, but has also picked up plenty of trippy touches from the late 60s too – fuzzy guitar, sweet keyboards, and an especially strong ear for the kind of heavy drums that folks like Lou Donaldson were using to push their instrumental work into a whole new dimension! The group here is often largeish, but still has the punch of a smaller funky combo – and the set brings together some of the most soulful albums from Jiro's rare Japanese-only albums – titles that include "The Ground For Peace", "Snap Shot", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "Twenty One", "Breeze", "Painted Paradise", "Sniper's Snooze", and "Express".

29 tracks in all, with quite a few guest appearances by rappers such as Keith Murray, Jay Z, Nas and others. Includes "Home Alone", "Did You Ever Think", "Ghetto Queen", "We Ride", "OnlyThe Loot Can Make Me Happy", "If I'm Wit You", "Half On A Baby", "What I Feel/Issues", "Reality", "Don't Put Me Out" and "I Believe I Can Fly".

That's London, Ontario – not London, England – which means that the group have an even more far-flung sound than you might expect! The album's a brilliant and overlooked gem from the Canadian scene of the 70s – really mindblowing music by a group who are equally great at grooving, and at taking things very far outside – mixing together modes that are sometimes highly rhythmic, other times very loose and freewheeling! We're really not familiar with any of the players from later projects at all – but they're clearly a very hip batch of younger musicians who come together and sparkle brilliantly for this rare set – with a mix of soprano and alto sax, wood flute, cello, piano, bass, funky drums, vibes, and even some other cool effects that really make the record a treat throughout! Titles include the funky gem "Destroy The Nihilist Picnic", plus much more outside material that includes "Time Is Of The Essence", "Edible Wallpaper", "Ron Martin Special With Mustard", "Spain Is For Old Ladies", and "Jazz Widow Waltz". CD also features the bonus track "The Potential Of Something Exquisite".

A funky session headed up by wayward P-Funkster Jerome Brailey – a cooking little record with a quality that's right up there with some of the other George Clinton projects of the time! George didn't have anything to do with this one – at least not from what we can tell from the notes – but the set's got that percolated groove that P-Funk virtually invented – a nice sense of syncopation that brings in a good roller skating feel to some of the cuts. Titles include the killer "Semi-First Class Seat" – plus "Reality", "One On One", "Will It Be Tomorrow", and "Don't Bust the Groove".

Probably the most hyped hip hop album by rock critics of the last decade – but don't hold that against Stankonia, because these ghetto grooves from planet P-Funk were exactly what world needed in 2000! The millenium blowout party jam feel throughout is surely a nice change of pace from all the doom and gloom out there, but they still manage to spit out enough reality to keep things feeling true – particularly in the playful battle of the sexes showdowns. Dre, Big Boi and Organized Noize continue to innovate, even if they are at the top of the charts – and we can't wait to see where they take it all next! Tracks include "Gasoline Dreams", "So Fresh, So Clean", "Ms. Jackson", "Spaghetti Junction", "I'll Call Before I Come" featuring Gangsta Boo & Eco, "B.O.B.", "Xplosion" featuring B-Real, "We Luv Deez Hoez", "Humble Mumble" featuring Erykah Badu, "Red Velvet", "Gangsta Sh*t", "Toilet Tisha" "Slum Beautiful", and "Stankonia (Stanklove)".

An insane bit of fuzzed-out funk! This is Parliament's rare first album – a trippy batch of tunes that come off of Clinton's experimentation in the Detroit soul scene, infused by the rock-heavy energy of the city at the time – and probably a heck of a lot of cannabis, too! The record is quite different than the slick funky sound of the group's later work for Casablanca – and has the psychedelic funk sound of the early work of Funkadelic, which was also recorded during the same period. The album's filled with funky classics – including "I Call My Baby Pussycat", "Little Ole Country Boy", "My Automobile", "Funky Woman", and "Nothing Before Me But Thang". CD features loads of bonus tracks too – 7 more numbers that include "Red Hot Mama", "Come In Out Of The Rain", "Unfinished Instrumental", "Loose Booty", "Breakdown (mono)", "Fantasy Is Reality", and "Breakdown (stereo unedited version)".

Fantastic jazz funk by one of the best bands in the genre! This is probably Pleasure's most sought-after album, and it includes the classic breakbeat cut "Bouncy Lady", which begins with a nice hard drumbreak, and ends the same way! The record has a tight, smooth, soulful feel – similar to the best stuff coming out of the west coast Fantasy records scene at the time. There's lots of nice Wayne Henderson production on the record – with his trademark talent for snapping the drums nice and tight, while keeping the grooves nice and mellow. Includes the cuts "What Is Slick", "Reality", "Plastic People", and a great cover of "Midnight At the Oasis"! Reissued on very heavy vinyl, in a beautiful cover – and way better than any other Fantasy/Prestige reissues we've had!

Sammy sings soul – not Sammy Davis Jr, but this ultra-hip Japanese singer from the early 70s – a female vocalist who works here with great backings from the Freedom Unity ensemble! The tunes are all numbers from American and British sources of the 50s and 60s – tunes you'd know from versions on labels like Stax or Atlantic, but redone here with some really groovy new inflections – including cool arrangements from Freedom Unity, with a nice blend of strings and soulful jazz elements – including some especially great keyboards and reeds on some numbers! Sammy sings in English, but with this unusual accent that really transforms the tunes – and titles include versions of "Hey Jude", "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know", "Summertime", "What Am I Living For", "House Of The Rising Sun", and "Nobody's Fault But Mine".

Funky grooves from Jiro Inagaki and his Soul Media combo – and some cool vocals from 70s Japanese singer Sammy – a pretty enigmatic talent who really makes her mark with this record! The album's less island-styled than you might guess from the title or cover – and instead, it mixes these spacious vocal passages with more forceful backings from Soul Media – a groove that's got the same blend of female lead and funkier elements that you might find in a Serge Gainsbourg/Jane Birkin project – although the lyrics here are mostly in Japanese! The set features a killer version of Aretha Franklin's "Rock Steady", with really wild vocals and drums – plus the cuts "Memories Of That Guy", "So High", "Wanderer's Lullaby", "The In & Outer Stomp & Shouter", "Nobody Loves Me", and "My Sweet Dolls".

A bold step forward for drummer Kendrick Scott – a set that bristles with way more sharp changes and soulful undercurrents than any of his previous work – and which almost feels nicely in the same vein as some of the best recent artists to step forth on Blue Note! The record is definitely jazz, but has a lot more going on, too – similar to recent records from Robert Glasper – and in addition to work on drums, Scott also sings a bit, and plays some keyboards – alongside main lines on Fender Rhodes from Taylor Eigisti, whose shimmering style really adds a lot to the set! The group also features tenor and bass clarinet from John Ellis, guitar from Mike Moreno, and bass from Joe Sanders – and Alan Hampton sings lead vocals on a few tracks too. Titles include "Cycling Through Reality", "Be Water", "Apollo", "Serenity", "Memory Of Enchantment", "We Shall By Any Means", and "Liberty Or Death".

Plenty of flavor here – a really well-crafted brew that's heavy with searing saxophone from Mike Selesia – mixed with other rootsy instrumentation in a very groovy way! Mike plays soprano, tenor sax, and flute on the set – clearly inspired by the John Coltrane generation, yet taking things in lots of different soulful directions too – a bit like Nathan Davis on some of his excellent self-released sets around the same time! Each track seems to showcase the horns in a different way, really giving the record a great sense of depth throughout – and overall, making it way more than just one of those rare albums with one good track. Other instrumentation includes piano, organ, Arp, guitar, tamboura, bass, congas, and drums – and Mike plays a cool tenor bassoon on two tracks too! Titles include "Eastern Raga", "Castle Spook (parts 1 & 2)", "Flavor", "Mr PC", "Brute Strength", and "Yusef's Way".

Two disco albums from Evelyn Thomas – back to back on a single CD, with tracks from an unreleased third album as well First up is I Want To Make It On My Own – a Casablanca stormer from Evelyn Thomas – a set that makes mighty full use of her strong vocals for the clubs, but which also features some quick-stepping production from Ian Levine! There's a nice polish to the record, but in an older sort of style – so that the lead singer is respected when the lyrics are flowing free, yet the tracks are also more than long enough to step out with plenty of longer disco modes too. A few tracks have some nice hooks that would more than make them stand on their own as soul singles – and titles include "I Want To Make It On My Own", "Back To Reality", "Thanks For Being There", and "It's The Magic Of Your Touch". Have A Little Faith In Me is filled with tight long tracks that work perfectly with the bold vocals of singer Evelyn Thomas – grooves that build up long before the lyrics come into the mix – in the best style of club classics on the AVI label! Ian Levine's at the helm once again – guiding Thomas in the studio – but the arrangements have an even tighter punch than before – a nice touch of Chicago groove from arrangers Danny Leake and Fiachra Trench. All titles are nice and long – and tracks include "My Head's In The Stars", "Love Isn't Just An Illusion", "Have A Little Faith In Me", and "No Time To Turn Around". CD features three unreleased bonus tracks that are all mighty nice – recorded after the second album, but never released – including the slinky groover "Sleaze", plus "Summer On The Beach" and "Love In The First Degree".

Exciting flute from the Japanese scene of the 70s – a wicked little set that's filled with funky numbers throughout! The backings are large, but often nice and tight – kind of a groove-ified version of the 60s approach to bigger band jazz albums based around a single soloist – a great choice here for flute man Yokota Toshiaki, whose lead lines are filled with soul, and mighty nice – almost a bit like Hubert Laws at the same time in the US! Most titles are covers – and the set includes versions of "Spinning Wheel", "Vehicle", "Travelin Band", "Little Green Bag", "Born To Be Wild", and "The Maltese Melody".

A bevy of beat-oriented abstractions from the man behind the Wagon Christ and Plug monikers, cut at the height of the Mo Wax driven headz era. You can call this downtempo, trip hop, abstract beats or whatever you like, but we know you know what we're talking about here – sampler science for the head nod set! 16 tracks in all, including "Rank Rink Ring", "Voyage Into The Unknown", "Fused Into Music", "No Turn Unstoned", "Reality Check", "Am I Still Dreaming?", "2001 Beats", "Original Soundmaster" and "Space Race".

A gem of a record from the Cali scene of the 70s – a set that brings together all the best soulful elements of the LA indie scene of the time – but with an edge that's a lot more forceful than any bigger label jazz of the time! There's a solid punch to the record right from the start – wicked drums from leader Al Williams, and massive bass from Leroy Vinnegar – who's at his funky best, and really gets the session going right from the start! Dwight Dickerson brings in some spiritual undercurrents on piano, as does Charles Owens on tenor – playing here in some of his most open, spiritual styles ever. Trumpeter Nolan Smith adds a nice bite to the set – and the album's filled with some original numbers that have kept us digging this one for years! Titles include "Eternal Question", "Desert Song", "Sandance", "This Masquerade", "Erik's Tune", and a version of "Impressions".

A really unique little record – and a wonderful cross-section of the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s! The album features work by three trios – hence the title – some avant, some straight, and all if it pretty great! First up are the Yosuke Yamashita trio – who really step outside on the tracks "Dore" and "Morkurin Gugan" – material that really demonstrates the sharp, free-thinking sound of the group. Next is work from a trio led by Itaru Oki, with some really bold trumpet lines – stretching out and carving great space over relatively open, free territory – on titles "Flying Into Space" and "Conversation With Water". The trio of Yuji Ono follows, grooving soulfully on some tracks instrumentally, joined by vocals from Kimiko Kasai on a few others – titles that include "Kenny's Mood", "Get Out Of Town", and "Autumn Leaves". Then, the best work of all – two long vocal tracks that feature Kasai singing hip and wordlessly, with combined backing from the groups of Oki and Ono – titles that include "Black Shadow Woman" and "Theme Of The Unknown People".

Includes "Hip Hop Ride", "Mad Props", "No Mercy", "Backstabbers", "No More Hard Times", "Put Me On", "Stayed Away", "Illy Filly Funk", "Grim Reaper", "Reality", "In The City", "People Round Town", and "What U Feel".

The fourth nearly flawless album of heavy genius from Black Sabbath – featuring some of the mightiest rock riffs ever! Vol 4 is just the tiniest of notches below Master Of Reality and Paranoid in overall greatness – which is the tiniest of possible complaints given that those previous two albums are among the few truly perfect rock and roll albums ever recorded! But this one has "Supernaut". Enough said. Other titles include "Wheels Of Confusion", "Tomorrows Dreams", "Changes", "FX", "Snowblind", "Cornucopia", "Under The Sun" and more.

A mighty great little record – a mixture of jazz and soul from the heavy talents of Hilton Felton – and a record that not only features some of his own great work on organ and keyboards, but some great contributions from other members of the DC scene of the 70s! In addition to help from The Blackbyrds in the core combo, and guest tenor from Andrew White, the set also features vocals from a young Angela Winbush on one track – singing backup on some others! But the core charm of the record comes from the grooves – the kind of upbeat, righteous sounds that we've always loved in Felton's keyboards – almost an extension of the Prestige Records jazz funk groove from the start of the 70s, with echoes of records by Funk Inc, Melvin Sparks, and Leon Spencer – but given a particularly hip east coast indie sort of spin! Titles include "Family & Friends", "Spreading Fever", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Family Reunion", "Clay's Way", and "The Power Of Love".

Funky, fuzzy, and outta site – a really wonderful set of extended psychedelic jazz numbers from twin tenorists Takeru Muraoka and Takao Uematsu! The set's billed as a live tenor "battle" on the cover – but it's hardly the sort of record that you'd hear from American players in this mode – no bebop jams, and instead some great soul and funk-influenced lines on the horns, served up over rhythm from a trio that features electric piano, electric bass, and drums from the mighty Motohiko Hino! There's a nice degree of fuzz on the saxes at times (are they using some effects pedals?) – and the long tunes really open up with a wicked groove that feels like some lost US jazz funk album from the early 70s. Titles include "Happy Birth", "Listen Here", "Hot Sunday", and "CC Rider".

Crucial early work from Rip Rig & Panic – a set that has the group getting some help from Don Cherry – father of the group's soon-to-be-famous vocalist Neneh Cherry! There's plenty of elements here that almost step out of Cherry's 70s European experiments – elements of world music and electronics mixed with a punky, funky, dubby style that also has elements of jazz. The sound is about as perfect as you can get for the early 80s experimental post-punk years – and titles include "Tax Sex", "Subversive Wisdom", "Storm The Reality Asylum", "Hunger", "Another Tampo Up The Arse Of Humanity", and "Here Gathers Namless Energy". 2013 remastered edition with 3 bonus tracks: "She Gets So Hungry At Night She Eats Here Jewelry", "You're My Kind Of Climate (12" Version)" and "Storm The Reality Asylum (12" Version)".

A landmark moment in the New York scene of the 70s – and a mindblowing document of the energy and lifestyle of the city's growing Latin scene at the time! The film combines live performances from the legendary Cheetah nightclub with amazing street footage – woven together in a rich tapestry of music and culture that documents the reality of life in Spanish Harlem at the time. Musicians featured include a veritable "who's who" of the New York Latin world – such as Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Cruz, Ricardo Ray, Bobby Valentin, and Hector Lavoe – but even without the music, the documentary footage alone makes the film an instant treasure! Approximately 86 minutes.

Heavy funk from Japan's Soul Media combo – and one of the group's great 70s outings with the engimatic Sammy on vocals! Sammy's got this raw, raspy style that might owe a bit to Janis Joplin at times – but also nods strongly to the work of the American underground at others – more than able to stretch out with the fierce sounds of the group on the record, especially when they take on some trippy or more freaked-out styles! The drums are often nice and bold, and the electric instrumentation is very well integrated with a tight horn section that gives the tunes plenty of punch – and title sinclude "After Noon", "On The Grass", "Wandering Birds", "Parajika", and "Hyakunen Tattara".

A tremendous burner from Japanese drummer Takeo Moriyama – a really freewheeling set that rolls out with the kind of post-Coltrane energy that may well make Moriyama the Japanese equivalent of Elvin Jones! The drums are fantastic throughout – but the real star of the set may well be reedman Tomoki Takahashi, who blows tenor on these long, inventive solos that really stretch out – but also has an ability to step back inside and groove rhythmically when needed – a balance that's definitely aided by the album's work on piano from Fumio Itabashi. The album features a very long, burning take on "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" – plus the cuts "Flush Up" and "Yellow Bear".

Modal, magical, and mighty soulful too – a killer 70s set from drummer Takeo Moriyama, and one that wonderfully mixes lyrical moments with some more freewheeling energy! Moriyama's got a perfect balance with the group – and the album has some especially nice work on piano from the great Fumio Itabashi – a player who can be bold one minute, personal the next, yet never lose his sense of presence or punch. Katsumi Odagiri serves up some excellent tenor and soprano sax, really shading in the grooves with a lot of soul – and in addition to work from Hideaki Mochizuki on bass, the record also features wonderful guest work on trombone from Shigeharu Mukai, a player whose sensitivity always brings another level to any session he joins. Titles include "Sunrise", "Hush A Bye", "North Wind", "Lover Man, and "Snow Tiger".

An amazing dip into the best years of Japanese jazz – that special time when the nation was really finding its own musical voice – and turning out some sounds that are still pretty darn incredible all these many years later! Despite the dates in the title, most of these tracks hail from the cusp of the 70s – the late 60s/early 70s stretch when things really took off in Japanese music, and players began to really experiment with new sounds and styles! All tracks here are groovers – and some have exotic elements that echo their Japanese origin, while others take on complex rhythmic modes, or use trippy electric touches – almost always with pretty darn soulful results. Titles include "Babylonia Wind" by Kiyoshi Sugimoto, "Blue Soul" by Modern Jazz Sannin No Kai, "Tabaruzaka" by Nobuo Hara & Hozan Yamamoto, "Like Miles" by Teramasu Hino, "Favela" by Kazuo Yashiro, and "My Favorite Things" by Sadao Watanabe.

A jazz dance delight! This rare 1975 album is a real gem – a set of slightly funky soul jazz and modal numbers by French saxophonist Jacques Pelzer, grooving around with the warmth of our favorite sessions on MPS! The group's a quartet – with Pelzer's daughter Micheline on drums and vocals – and the set's the kind of record that keeps us digging for rare jazz albums over the years, especially this sort of European one that we might have missed the first time around. Titles include "Simone", "Naima", "Face Reality", and "Song For Rene".

Billed as "an infant's friend in sound" these Soothing Sounds albums were issued in the early 60's as an electronic aid to mothers with new babies. In reality, though, the records are these amazing bits of early electronic music, put together by the legendary Raymond Scott (known best to the world for his famous cartoon music decades before!) Scott was an electronic music pioneer, and these albums were put together by him on his own contraptions, in conjunction with the Gesell Institute of Child Development. We can't say for sure how well the "science" of this one works, but the sound is amazing, and the reissue quality is excellent! Very nice image, very nice notes, and a great set of wild sounds!

Sublime bossa groovers from Italy! The first volume of this series was one of our favorite compilations that year it was released – and this second volume is equally as great! Schema groover Gerardo Frisina serves up a hand-picked batch of 16 tunes, mostly classic numbers from the late 60s and early 70s, pulled from the ranks of Italian soundtrack, jazz, and easy listening albums – all with a flair for making the bossa even groovier than it already is! Electric keyboards abound – and the rhythms run from dreamy to driving to slightly funky, always at the right pace for the material, and always making the set dance with delight! Titles include "Incontro All'Aereoporto" by Piero Piccioni, "Allora, Il Treno" by Bruno Nicolai & Edda Dell'Orso, "Avances" by Gerardo Frisina, "Wind" by Red Redford Sound System One, "Bossalonga" by Mustang, "Unreality Landscape" by Angel Pocho Gatti, "Susan Theme" by Daniele Patucchi, "Per Lei" by Stefano Torossi, and "Colpa Tua" by Giancarlo Gazzani.

Sublime bossa groovers from Italy! The first volume of this series was one of our favorite compilations that year it was released – and this second volume is equally as great! Schema groover Gerardo Frisina serves up a hand-picked batch of 16 tunes, mostly classic numbers from the late 60s and early 70s, pulled from the ranks of Italian soundtrack, jazz, and easy listening albums – all with a flair for making the bossa even groovier than it already is! Electric keyboards abound – and the rhythms run from dreamy to driving to slightly funky, always at the right pace for the material, and always making the set dance with delight! Titles include "Incontro All'Aereoporto" by Piero Piccioni, "Allora, Il Treno" by Bruno Nicolai & Edda Dell'Orso, "Avances" by Gerardo Frisina, "Wind" by Red Redford Sound System One, "Bossalonga" by Mustang, "Unreality Landscape" by Angel Pocho Gatti, "Susan Theme" by Daniele Patucchi, "Per Lei" by Stefano Torossi, and "Colpa Tua" by Giancarlo Gazzani.