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Genius work from Les Baxter – two of his best albums for Capitol, back to back on one CD! Ritual Of The Savage is one of those must-have albums from the 50s – a super-huge record upon its initial release, and an album that pushed the genre of exotica far further than most others at the time! Before this record, most attempts at exotica were simple instrumental pop, colored with slight worldly instrumentation – or too-dreamy recordings, putting over a sleepy version of life on the islands. Enter Les Baxter, who had an amazing ear for sounds, rhythms, and arrangements – one that was the first to record this sort of music in a way that was sonically evocative, and could stand on its own without other referents. Instrumentation is often conventional, but used oddly here – and Baxter's original compositions are all pretty darn great – playful without being goofy, and nicely mixing Latin and Pacific rhythms at the bottom. Titles include "Busy Port", "The Ritual", "Coronation", "Jungle Jalopy", and Les' original version of "Quiet Village". Heck, even the cover is gorgeous – with a brilliant blue illustration of some guy putting the moves on a woman amidst spooky tribal relics! The Passions is a really obscure box set recording – done as Les Baxter's classic exploitation of "a woman's passions", using vocalist Bas Sheva in the role of the tormented female! Shiva's got a bold, evocative style that's not unlike Yma Sumac – and she sings here wordlessly, as an added instrument on top of Baxter's orchestrations – playing the role of the inner psyche of woman, on titles that include "Lust", "Terror", "Joy", "Hate", "Ecstasy", and "Despair"! The whole thing's a mini docu-drama in sound – beautifully recorded in a flurry of red, blue, and other chromatic hues – not as exotic as Baxter's other work from the 50s, but equally great as a modern sonic psychoanalytic text!

One of the hippest groups of the Nigerian scene of the 70s – presented here in two classic albums, back to back on a single CD! Chapter One is a landmark set of African grooves – very unusual in both conception and execution – with a feel that's unlike anything we can think of! There's definitely a rock influence in the set, but the music isn't rock at all – it's a very dark, almost dubby groove at points – and a bit more straightforwardly funk at others – almost a post-colonial style that clearly comes from a London influence, given to the group by a previous association with Ginger Baker. Rhythms are quite tight, and the bass is as strong as the drums – mixed up nicely with riffing guitar, and moody vocals that color the whole thing nicely. Titles include "Preacherman", "Time To Face The Sun", "We Are Out Together", "Chant To Mother Earth", "Miss Sagitt", "Beware", and "We Gonna Have A Party". Phase II is a critical next step for the group – music that's even deeper than before, but a bit funkier too! There's clearly some touches here of other African funk of the time – especially in the way the guitar parts groove with the rhythms – although those heavy Blo basslines from before are still nicely in place, as are some of the fuzzier production elements too. Titles include "Whole Lot Of Sh*t", "Atide", "Blo", "It's Gonna Be A Good Day", "Native Doctor", and "Don't Take Her Away From Me".

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great. But if you're thinking that the CD is just a Monkees rehash, it's not – because there's very little work here that was associated with the more famous group – and instead, the collection really gets at the jangly genius of the Boyce & Hart sound, a style that should have sparkled strongly on its own in the 60s, but which was unfortunately always eclipsed by their work for other artists. Looking at the great photos in the CD's well-done booklet, it's clear that Boyce and Hart have a hell of a lot of charm – and that charm comes through brilliantly in the set's collection of 24 numbers pulled from their 3 albums for A&M Records. Titles include "For Baby", "Sometime She's A Little Girl", "Girl I'm Out To Get You", "Where Angels Go", "The Ambushers", "Love Every Day", "Teardrop City", "Pretty Flower", "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Six & Six", "Alice Long", "PO Box 9847", and "Strawberry Girl".

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

A really wild little album – and exactly what it says in the title: hard rock from the Middle East! The album takes eastern instrumentation on oud, bouzoki, tamboura, and accordion – and fuses it with some hard grooving bass, guitar, and drums – all hitting heavy late 60s acid-tinged modes, and making for a perfect blend with the exotic instrumentation! The album's arranged and directed by Felix Pappalardi, and has some of the nice funky rock touches of his own work – not to mention a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! Titles include "Wala Dai", "Kley", "Besaha", "Treea Pethya", "Hala Laya", "Selim Alai", and "Isme".

An incredible concept album from the end of the 60s – the only set we've ever seen by The Family Tree, but a record of baroque brilliance that sits beautifully with some of the best of its generation! The session was recorded at the same time as Nilsson's classic Aerial Ballet – with the same arranger, producer, studio, and session musicians – and it's got a similarly spacious feel that goes way beyond conventional pop. George Tipton's backings are simply breathtaking – a majestic filling out of the group's initial ideas for the record, blending core Sunshine Pop tunes with strings, horns, piano lines, and more – all produced to perfection. Titles include "Birthday/Dirgeday", "Sideshow", "Any Other Baby", "Simple Life", "Slippin Thru My Fingers", "Lesson Book Life", "Nine To Three", "Miss Butters", and "The Underture". CD also features the bonus tracks "Keepin A Secret", "Do You Have The Time", "She Had To Fly", and "He Spins Around".

A great little album from vocalist Dana Gillespie – one that's done in a style that's much sweeter than some of her later work, and which features superb arrangements by the great Mike Vickers! Vickers really has an ear for a record like this – and mixes bits of folk with more pop/baroque backings that turn the tunes on nice little corners that bring out the sweetest side of Dana's young voice at the time. The style is kind of a mix of mainstream mid 60s female Brit pop with some of the trippier touches of the American post-folk singers of the period – not exactly sunshiney, but definitely in the same camp. Titles include "Foolish Seasons", "Can't You See I'm Dreaming", "No No No", "He Loves Me He Loves Me Not", "You Just Gotta Know My Mind", "Tears In My Eyes", "Life Is Short", and "Souvenirs Of Stefan".

A warm, southern-inflected batch of bluesy sunshine rock from Dale "The Hawk" Hawkins – best known for gifting the world with his Chess original version of "Suzie Q" back in the late 50s – a big step away from the r&b steeped rockabilly he made his name on a decade earlier! LA, Memphis & Tyler, Texas is a catchy title and kind of a good hint at the sound – which has a breezy late 60s California vibe, but it's laid down with Memphis style horn backings and swampy guitars. Dale's vocal delivery is his most effervescent ever – and the players include James Burton, Spooner Oldham, the Memphis horns and even Taj Mahal! Tracks include "LA-Memphis-Tyler", "Heavy On My Mind", "Joe", "Houndog", "Back Street", "La-La La-La", "Candy Man". "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town", "Little Rain Cloud" and more.

With a name like this, you'd expect Lollipop Shoppe to be a sweet California band with a sunny pop feel – but instead, they've got a really nasty, nicely gritty sort of feel – kind of Sunset Strip garage rock turned towards more manic modes, a bit like early Love at their best! There's a raw power here that's simply wonderful – hardly what you'd expect from the usual groups on Uni Records at the time – and more the style you'd be likely to find from some small indie set out in the hinterlands. Guitars are raw and rugged, vocals are sung with a heartbreaking intensity – and a clear bit of craziness – and the rough-edged production really suits the group's sound wonderfully. Titles include "You Must Be A Witch", "It's Makin It", "I'm Gonna Be There", "It's Only A Reflection", "It Ain't How Long", and "Don't Close The Door On Me". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Someone I Know" and "Through My Window".

Dreamy vocals, catchy tunes, bossa rhythms – it's gotta be Claudine Longet! During the late 60s, Claudine first warmed ears in America with a lovely take on the gentle sounds of the Astrud Gilberto era – a French-accented approach to mellow vocal pop, often touched with a bit of jazz or Brazilian rhythms in the arrangements, and often delivered on a pillow of sensuous sound by master arranger Nick DeCaro! Claudine got her fair share of bad press in later years, but on this set she's at the height of her early brilliance – working with a lighter-than-air approach to vocals, and a simple, almost naive style that makes even the lyrics of familiar tunes resonate with youthful freshness. CD features 25 tracks from Claudine's years at A&M Records, including some great non-LP tracks – titles that include "Hurry On Down", "Hello Hello", "White Horses", "The Look Of Love", "Small Talk", "Snow", "I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You", "Creators Of Rain", "A Man & A Woman", "Meditation", "Both Sides Now", and "Walk In The Park".

One of the coolest albums ever from the mighty Keith Mansfield – an arranger best known for his sound library work, but one who steps out beautifully here on a rare commercial album for CBS! The set's way more than just the batch of late 60s pop tunes that you might guess from the Beatles' reference in the title – as Keith really transforms most tunes with his hip approach to the grooves, and also manages to throw in a few gems of his own composition as well! The bottom of most numbers is plenty darn jaunty – funky at the best moments – and instrumentation includes some great Hammond and hard-edge piano lines that really send the tunes home. Titles include the killer "Soul Thing", used by Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill, and "Boogaloo" – both originals by Mansfield – plus the tracks "Everlasting Love", "Whiter Shade Of Pale", "Moanin", "Walk On By", "Lovin Things", "Reach Out", "Rainbow Valley", and "Take Five". CD also features 8 bonus tracks that Keith arranged for Maynard Ferguson, Salena Jones, Love Affair and Alan Haven – including "Love For Sale", "Am I The Same Girl", "The Serpent", and "Soul Confusion".

Classic live material from Fred Neil – originally issued as the 1971 LP Other Side Of This Life – now better-than-ever with ultra-rare early tracks! The original album version was one of the rawest recordings made by Fred Neil – featuring one side of live tracks, and another of unusual studio material! The first side of the album has Fred playing in a spare setting up in Woodstock – working in a small club, and doing great versions of tracks that include "The Dolphins", "Other Side Of This Life", "Roll On Rosie", "Everybody's Talkin", and "Sweet Cocaine". The sound is nice and rootsy, with some 12 string guitar work that's totally great. It also features an assortment of studio tracks that have Fred working with guests that include Les McCann, Vince Martin, and Gram Parsons – on titles that include "Felicity", "Badi Da", "Come Back Baby", and "Ya Don't Miss Your Water". It now includes the tracks "Linin' Track", "The Sky Is Falling" and "That's The Bag I'm In", from the lost Hootenanny: Live At The Bitter End, from 1963, plus "Raindrops Falling" from 1964!

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

Sweet folksy pop from the glory days of A&M! Evie has a voice that's emotive in a folk rock way, but which is here produced with smoother west coast arrangements that are more in an LA mode. The overall sound of the album is very hip – with that cool late 60s approach that never gets picked up by oldies stations, and which is only the province of records like this, odd mis-shots in the pop economy that often got cut out as soon as they were produced, shunned by an uncaring record buying public. Titles include "Crazy Annie", "It's This I Am", "Shadow Of The Evening", "Close Your Eyes, Cross Your Fingers", "Any Way That You Want Me", "One Find Summer Morning", and "I'll Hold Out My Hand". Also includes the bonus track "Maybe Tomorrow".

The one and only solo album by Mario Telles – brother of the better-known Sylvia Telles, but an equally great bossa singer on his own! This rare date from the 60s features some wonderful arrangements by Baden Powell, Moacir Santos, and Astor Silva – all of whom bring Mario into some very Elenco-like territory – a blend of fuller strings and lighter bossa instrumentation, all touched with just the right amount of sadness! Some of the tunes are penned by Telles himself, and others are some great early Baden Powell/Vinicius De Moraes collaborations – beautiful material that really fits the mood of the music, as you'll hear on tracks that include "So Por Nao Saber", "Tem Do", "Aurora Do Amor", "Tristeza Vai Embora", "Dorme Em Paz", "Pra Que Chorar", "Bom Dia Amiga", and "Cavalho Marinho".

A rare full album from The Tradewinds – a wonderful harmony pop group with a Sunshine Pop feel! The Tradewinds have a style that's heavily in a Beach Boys mode – sunny California harmonies on the vocals, and a sort of post-Pet Sounds approach to songwriting – one that makes for some really compelling songs in the set! The group's best known for their "New York's A Lonely Town" hit, but the whole album is great – filled with inventive songs, compelling vocals, and cool arrangements from Jimmy Wisner and Artie Butler – two very groovy talents. Titles include "Mind Excursion", "Bad Misunderstanding", "Only When I'm Dreamin", "Small Town Bring Down", "To Be With You", "Little Susan's Dreamin", and "Huggin In The Hall". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" and "Hard Life".

An excellent bit of LA pop with a nice bossa groove! Triste Janero were a lost combo that mixed Sergio Mendes-ish grooves with some nice vocalization that's slightly in the vein of Free Design. The overall mix of tracks includes some nice bossa groovers, plus other well selected pop material, given a great reworking with the Triste Janero sound. Light, breezy 60s sunshine pop buffed with a sweet bossa sheen – it's exactly the kind of thing we love around here, and a great big shout out has to go out to the wonderful people at the Rev Ola label for lovingly issuing this lost gem on CD – for the first time ever! It includes a stunning bossa version of Nilsson's "Without Her", plus "Rene De Marie", "A Beginning Dream", "In The Garden", "Today It's You", "Somba De Orphia" and the super-extended "TJ Blues", which is a long jazzy groover with nice Hammond. Wonderful!

No jumble here, as the collection's a really well-done batch of tracks – all rarer-than-rare psychedelic gems from the UK scene of the late 60s, a good deal of which have never been issued before! There's a real nuggets-like sound to the set – plenty of fuzz guitar, flanged-out vocals, and trippy productions – but there's also some sweeter elements too, a few echoes of Sunshine Pop that help keep the set from just being a rehash of familiar psych modes – and which makes it a tremendous new discovery in sound! The notes are as full, detailed, and thoughtful as the track selection – and titles include "Friends & Mirrors" by Five's Company, "You Can Run" by The Majority, "Do What You Must" by Tintern Abbey, "What's The Rush Dillbury" by Paradox, "Delighted To Meet You (demo)" by Honeybus, "Meet Me At The Fair" by The Penny Peeps, "Mary Ann With The Shaky Hand (demo)" by Opal Butterfly, "Time Machine Man" by The Majority, "Like The Day Goes" by Paradox, "Flying High" by Rupert's People, "You & Me Baby" by Obscured Rays, and "Into My Life She Came" by The Penny Peeps.

Fab early work from unsung British studio genius John Carter – 2 albums from his Ministry Of Sound group in the 60s! Carter's best known for his later, more baroque productions – but here he's working in a great blend of jangle pop and trippier influences – almost the British equivalent of some of the hipper LA groups of the time, but with bits of Hollies and Kinks-era pop in the mix as well! Tracks are relatively short and straightforward – based around catchy choruses, but often hitting on deeper themes, especially on the later work represented on the set. The 2CD package features the full tracks from the albums Men From The Ministry (1966) and Midsummer Nights Dreaming (1968), plus 11 more bonus singles from the group's Sunny Records sessions of the time. Titles include "I'm Coming Home", "Something Very Good", "Goodbye To Rosalie", "White Collar Worker", "In The Sky", "Sequin Sally", "Rain Raiin Rain", "Roberto Billow", "Love Equals Love", "Memory", "Turn Around", "Time & Motion Man", "Sunday In The Park", and "Magic People".

Some great work that will completely redefine your ideas about calypso music – especially if they're mostly relegated to cliches about Harry Belafonte! The tracks here were all recorded by Rupert "Lord Invader" Grant in New York during the late 40s and early 50s – and done with a rough-edged quality that really lives up to the dynamic promise of the title! Most tunes are heavy on acoustic percussion underneath the vocals – used starkly and strongly to underscore the brash lyrics of the songs. CD features 17 tracks that include "Chicago Chicago", "New York Subway", "Out The Fire", "Ten Thousand To Bar Me One", "Cousin Family", "When You Hear I Die", "Labor Day", and "Brown Girl In The Ring".

The first couple of Fred Neil records for Capitol from 1966 to 1967 – the classic self-titled and the lesser remembered, but still quite strong Sessions – back-to-back and as great as ever! Fred is one of the 60s most underrated singer/songwriters – and his early Capital work is among the best places to start with his work – as it's got a rough folksy quality that's really wonderful, and very much in the spirit of Tim Hardin, with whom we'd draw the closest comparison to Neil at the time. This set kicks off with the sublime "The Dolphins" – one of those tracks that's lived far longer than his own music, and which has had the benefit of a number of more famous recordings, but which sounds no better than in Neil's own hands. Other tracks from the the self-titled album include the original version of "Everybody's Talkin" – again far superior to the later one – plus the cuts "Sweet Cocaine", "Green Rocky Road", "Everything Happens", and "Badi-Da". The Sessions album is also a treat, and has the singer/songwriter playing in a very relaxed studio vibe – with some spare backing, and edgy playing that opens up a side of him that we've rarely heard elsewhere. Supposedly, the session was largely improvised, and designed to recreate the feel of his legendary live shows. The tracks are fairly long, and include titles like "Felicity", "Please Send Me Somebody To Love", "Looks Like Rain", and "Fools Are A Long Time Coming". 17 tracks and 80 minutes of music in all on this CD from Rev-Ola!

Glorious power pop from South London – driving work from the Exits! The spectre of early Elvis Costello hovers over The Exits, particularly in the vocal department – but the uber catchy hooks and buzzing guitars have more of an all purpose sheen. Strong stuff from the power pop underground of the end of the 70s! 13 tracks in all: "The Fashion Plague", "Cheam", "Fool To Fall In Love", "Holiday Shots", "We Broke Up Today", "School Of Intrigue", "Index Linked", "Mood Walk", "Revolt Into Style", "This Toytown Word", "Chantelle" and more.

A great look at the Decca years of Peggy Lee – a time when the singer was working away from Capitol Records – where she'd initially begun in the 40s, and would return to great fame in the 60s! Peggy's sides at Decca are often quite unique – rooted in the older style of jazz vocals of her early years, yet often open to great experimentation in the rhythms, phrasing, production, and instrumentation! While never totally over the top, there's a sense of creativity to these tracks that's quite marked – a willingness to go beyond simple pop, and really try something new at times. The CD features 27 titles at all, all of the albums Black Coffee and Songs In An Intimate Style, plus other singles as well – including a number of tracks never available on CD! Titles include "Johnny Guitar", "Summer Vacation", "How Strange", "Be Anything", "River River", "Moon Flowers", "Who's Gonna Pay The Check", "This Is A Very Special Day", "That's What A Woman Is For", "Sisters", "Lover", "Let Me Go Lover", "Where Can I Go Without You", and "Ring Those Christmas Bells".

Creepy, strange and oddly beautiful late 60s eccentricity from Mort Shuman – a song writer and pivotal behind-the-scenes cat who's been credited for translating the Jacques Brel stuff that Scott Walker sung, as well as for bringing Brel to Broadway! This album is a very trippy kind of coldly social and personal commentary piece – with Shuman hissing and huskily cooing his way through songs and poetry in a style that's almost more like a sound collage at points – really tying him to the hipper sides of the American and French scenes of the time. Titles include the hypnotic and disturbing "Born 1969/Hallelujah Chorus", "Mon Enfance", "To Katie", "She Ain't Nothing", "Caramels", "Sonatina", "Wait A Minute", "Free At Last", "Song For Old Lovers", and "My Death".

A groovy bossa gem from the glory days of A&M Records – an ultra-hip group recorded with production by Sergio Mendes! The feel here is a lot like that of Brasil 66 – bossa rhythms, sunny CA instrumentation, and lovely female vocals – in this case sung singularly, by the lovely Gracinha Leporace – aka Mrs Mendes! Instrumentation is arguably even better than on Brasil 66 records – with wonderfully groovy organ lines from Manfredo Fest, who plays Lowrey organ instead of the usual Hammond. A really essential slice of bossa nova – and a record we'd never part with! Filled with wonderful tunes that include "Gentle Rain", "Up Up & Away", "Wave", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", "Cacao do Sal", "Veleiro", "Saiupa", and "Nana".

A classic album of 50s mood music – partially for its famous cover image of Jayne Mansfield on the telephone! But the music's pretty great too – less of the swinging, dynamic sounds you might guess from the "bachelor" in the title – and more in the mellower, romantic style of earlier 50s instrumentals – with full strings from Henri Rene that swirl and shimmer nicely throughout! Other instrumentation includes piano from Buddy Cole, and guitar from Barney Kessel – and titles include "Easy To Love", "I'm Confessin", "For The Very First Time", "Somebody's Wrong", "Time On My Hands", and "Dinner For One Please James".

A really bold step forward for this cool Chilean combo of the late 60s – a set that still has all the raw garagey energy of their previous work, yet which also has them taking a lot more chances in the studio too! The album has this great core sound that's heavy in twang and fuzz – yet also frequently couches the music in larger ideas around the frame of the songs – not exactly Sgt Peppers material, but with a trippy aesthetic that really echoes the generation! At their core, these guys are still Anglo-inspired rockers, but it's great to hear what they're percolating on their own as well. Titles include "Civilizacion", "Obertura En Sol Mayor", "A Margarita", "La Tierra De Las Noches Largas", "Rodolfo Valentino", and "Postal No 56".

Beautiful work from Benjamin Biolay – easily one of our favorite French artists of the 21st Century – even though we've been following his work since the previous one! Benjamin's got a sound that's just perfect if you, like us, dig an older generation of French work by artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, Michel Polnareff, and others from that magical late 60s moment when French pop really found its own sound. Biolay's got a way of sliding in the sinister next to the groovy – often with vocals that are spoken as much as sung – and produced to perfection by his own strong ear for unusual combinations of sounds. Benjamin helped launch the career of many other great French acts in the past decade or two – but we still love his own work the best – and an album like this definitely lives up to that faith. Titles include "Venganza", "Marlene Deconne", "Personne Dans Mon Lit", "Confettis", "La Fin De La Fin", "L'Insigne Honneur", and "Tresor Tresor".

Beautiful work from Benjamin Biolay – easily one of our favorite French artists of the 21st Century – even though we've been following his work since the previous one! Benjamin's got a sound that's just perfect if you, like us, dig an older generation of French work by artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, Michel Polnareff, and others from that magical late 60s moment when French pop really found its own sound. Biolay's got a way of sliding in the sinister next to the groovy – often with vocals that are spoken as much as sung – and produced to perfection by his own strong ear for unusual combinations of sounds. Benjamin helped launch the career of many other great French acts in the past decade or two – but we still love his own work the best – and an album like this definitely lives up to that faith. Titles include "Venganza", "Marlene Deconne", "Personne Dans Mon Lit", "Confettis", "La Fin De La Fin", "L'Insigne Honneur", and "Tresor Tresor".

Bold bass saxophone sounds from the overlooked Helmut Brand – a German player of the postwar years, and one with a sense of tone and texture to rival that of Gerry Mulligan at his west coast best! The work here is all previously unreleased, but shows Brand as one of the key reed innovators of the German scene at the time – right up there with the experiments of Hans Koller, especially in the way that Helmut can work fresh tones in with a strong sense of soul and swing! Many of these cuts feature trumpeter Conny Jackel joining in the frontline – folding his horn in with Brand's to create a cool wash of color – and a few other numbers feature Helmut alone as the lead soloist in a quartet, one with Roland Kovac on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Bami", "Nordlicht", "Yesterdays", "Salute To Lars Gullin", "Love For Sale", "Berlin Calling", and "Sum".

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more.

One of the great ones! No kidding, Jaki Byard was an amazing talent in the 60s – and records like this one are rare treasures to be sought-after by any serious jazz fan. Byard had an incredible range of talents and influences – and, like his frequent bandmate Roland Kirk, he could often run through all of them in a very short stretch, packing each song with a wealth of feeling, technique, and sheer raw fun. This album's a darn tough one to find on vinyl – and it's reissued here with a previously unissued track. The group includes Byard on piano and alto, plus Jimmy Owens, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins. Tracks include "Spanish Tinge", "Olean Visit", "Geb Piano Roll", "Snow Flakes", and "On The Spot". Also includes the previously unissued "Snow Flakes".

One of the first great moments from this legendary 60s ensemble – a brilliant pairing of American and European players – heard here in one of their pre-MPS sessions! Group founder Gigi Campi is well-placed at the helm – as both producer and supervisor – giving the ensemble the vital energy that made them different from so many other groups of previous years – a quality that almost has them hitting like a small combo, especially on the breakout solo moments on the set. Players include Benny Bailey and Idrees Sulieman on trumpets, Sahib Shihab and Derek Humble on reeds, and Fats Sadi on vibes – not to mention core rhythms from Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. The group's inventive style of writing and arranging is already in place – and titles include "Long Note Blues", "Speedy Reeds", "Sonor", and "Om Mani Padme Hum".

A wonderfully complicated soundtrack – one with many moods, and some really great work overall! The set starts out a bit strangely – pushing the "concerto" aspect with some overly-dramatic classically-styled themes – but as the work unfolds, a range of different influences come into play – including some jazzier themes, some sparer instrumental ones, and a few really nice lighter and groovy numbers that almost have a love comedy sort of approach – one that's much more in keeping with the 1970 date of the film! Instrumentation on these gets nicely electrified, and titles include "Tema Di Barbara", "Seduzione E Incubo", "Sweet Barbara", "Thorpe Overture", "Isabel & Tom", "Cercando Un Fantasma", "90 Miles To London", "Good Night Anthony", and "Georgy & Mamie". CD features much better art than the previous version – and a total of 11 more bonus tracks – which makes for a mighty sweet package!

A sweet duo groover from Delegation – easily the group's most obscure album, but also one of their best! The set's got loads of great keyboards and basslines – much more electric than the mode used on the group's earlier records, but handled with a great deal of class – never clunky at all, and instead a lean groove that really holds onto the funky soul of previous years! There's a classy air to the album – as you might guess from the cover – and the set easily rivals some of the best of the leaner 80s soul mode of the time – and maybe even tops some of the best, too. A really great set overall – with tracks that include "Gonna Bring The House Down", "Tell Her", "I Figure I'm Out Of Your Life", "What Took You So Long", and "No Words To Say". CD features bonus tracks – "It's Your Turn (single mix)", "Can We Get It Back", "What Took You So Long (single mix)", "It's Your Turn (12" ext mix)", and "It's Your Turn (inst)".

A pivotal moment for Bob Dylan – and maybe one of THE albums of the 60s! The newly-electrified Dylan really takes off here – putting more punch and bit into his already-strong lyrical approach – and twisting things in amazing ways that still leave us breathless all these many years later! And sure, the album gave Bob a few hits – which are nestled in here next to headier tunes that work together perfectly. Titles include "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ballad Of A Thin Man", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "From A Buick 6", "Desolation Row", "Highway 61 Revisited", and "Queen Jane Approximately".

Remixes and rare tracks from the mighty Gerardo Frisina – easily our second favorite Italian groover next to the mighty Nicola Conte! The set's a great counterpart to some of Frisina's other full albums on Schema – because it not only presents a few previously unreleased tracks, it also offers up some of Gerardo's great remix work for other artists in recent years! Frisina's got a great way of imbuing a current track with a classic Latin vibe – mixing acoustic percussion, driving rhythms, and jazz-based instrumentation together with incredible sharpness and energy – a no-nonsense approach to a groove that shows that's almost a distillation of the best older elements. This approach is heard wonderfully on Gerardo's own tracks "Tokyo's Dream (07 version)", "Alborado", "Es Diferente", "Calle De Candela (vibes version)", and "Zanja" – but it also comes through on remix tracks that include "Swing Low Sweet Cadillac (G Call remix)" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Dis-ka-ndombe" by Jorge Graf, "Black Forrest Stomp" by Hipnosis, "Windly Coast" by Idea 6, "Guarapiranga" by Toco, "Stardust From Tomorrow (dissociated mood version)" by Sun Ra, and "Ghetto Stomp" by Combo Moderna.

One of the greatest moog albums ever – all original sounds and tunes from the legendary Bruce Haack! Haack had spent most of the 60s doing small label kiddie records on his own, but this late 60s gem on Columbia is probably his best known work – a masterpiece of short and groovy little songs that are heavy on analogue electronics and special effects! There's a really fuzzy feel to most of the work here – heavy echo and reverb that give the album a very dark feel, even when the songs are a bit light and playful. Haack's lyrics are great too – quite conceptual, with a spiritual undercurrent that's surprisingly great – and which adds a further layer of meaning to the set! The whole thing's a bit like the Silver Apples, but more experimental – and there's a love of sound, shape, and texture that Haack never matched again on later albums. A key predecessor to Suicide, Stereolab, and countless others – with titles that include "Electric To Me Turn", "Cherubic Hymn", "Program Me", "War", "Incantation", "Angel Child", "Super Nova", "Requiem", "Song Of The Death Machine", and "National Anthem To The Moon". CD features the previously unreleased "Electric To Me Turn (alternate version)", and a Canadian radio interview interspersed with songs!

One of the most roosty albums on Blue Note – and a fairly straight session of African percussion tracks by Solomon Ilori and his Afro Drum Ensemble! Unlike similar albums by Art Blakey, this one lacks any strong sort of jazz component – and really just features fairly straight African tracks, with heavy percussion, and touches of highlife grooves. The record features guitar by Jay Berliner, bass by Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and flute by Hosea Taylor – plus work by Montego Joe, Garvin Masseux, Chief Bey, and Robert Crowder, who often show up on other 60s sessions of this nature. Titles include "Follow Me To Africa", "Tolani", and "Ise Oluwa". Plus, the CD also features 3 very long bonus tracks – much more stretched out and open-ended, but also with more of a jazz component as well – thanks to trumpet from Donald Byrd, tenor and flute from Hubert Laws, and piano from Coleridge Perkinson – who was the musical director of both sessions! These tracks are all previously unreleased – and all are numbers that run on for more than 11 minutes, with titles that include "Gbogbo Omo Ibile", "Agbamurrero", and "Igbsei Aiye".

The cover's a bit gimmicky, but the album's a stone classic – a wicked later Motown moment from the Jackson 5 – and one that has them working with the super-grooving team of Holland-Dozier-Holland! Brian Holland handles production work for the team, and although his touches only appear on about half the record, he really helps the Jacksons hit that wickedly righteous groove that was the trademark HDH sound over that the Invictus label – a bassy, bottom-heavy Detroit sound with just a bit of psychedelic funk as well! Additional production is by Mel Larson & Jerry Marcellino – and titles include "Forever Came Today", "Moving Violation", "You Were Made Especially For Me", "Honey Love", "Body Language", "All I Do Is Think Of You", and "Breezy". CD also includes a bonus track – "Forever Came Today (disc-o-tech version)".

A pretty odd little record from Gloria Jones – a great soul singer back in the 60s when she was pounding out the hard northern numbers, but not so great here, where she's in an odd style that mixes disco with a hard soul approach, and just doesn't work. The "Reunited" in the title refers to Gloria and Ed Cobb – her producer on earlier records, and the force behind this effort. Gloria had previously spent time working in the group T Rex and was married to the late Marc Bolan – and she dedicates the painful number "Sixty Minutes Of Making Love" to their time together. Features a remake of Gloria's original hit "Tainted Love", plus "Body Heat", "The Touch Of Venus", and "I'm Going To Run Away With Him Tonight".

The sound of global soul in the 21st Century – and an amazing set from the soon-to-be legendary Seu Jorge! Jorge's possibly best known for his appearances in films over the past few years – like The Life Aquatic or City Of God – but take it from us, he's one of the greatest living artists working in modern music – and has a sound, sense, and charm that will knock down barriers and boundaries all over the world! Unlike previous efforts, this album's incredibly spare – done in a style that often just features Jorge's vocals next to acoustic guitar, percussion, cavaquinho, and a bit of light keys. But that doesn't mean that the record's a sleeper – because it's got an incredibly full sound – an energy and excitement that pulses from the very first note, and which is carried off almost entirely by Seu Jorge himself! Even on the sparer, mellower tunes, the vocals have a power that's simply tremendous – transcendent of language, and reaching out in this really magical way. Titles include the sublime groover "Tive Razao", plus "Chatterton", "Mania De Peitao", "So Gonca", "Bem Querer", "Bola De Meia", and "Fiore De La Citta". Plus, the US pressing has 2 bonus remixes – "Mania De Peitao (jamais plus jamais mix)" and "Tive Razao (voltair mix)" – both quite nice, and not "dance" at all, but really just extrapolations of the original tunes!

An undisputed classic – and a key turning point in the career of Roland Kirk! The set has Roland leading a large group of musicians through a haunting batch of complicated tracks that clearly illustrate his much-heralded concept of Black Classical Music – a mixture of jazz, older rhythms, and modern ideas influenced by a history of musical expression. The approach is vaguely similar to work by the AACM, but more straightforward in parts, and always touched with Roland's strong sense of imagination and humor. Players are all quite hip – and titles include "Black Mystery Has Been Revealed", "Hot Cha", "I Waited For You", "Quintessence", "IX Love", and the "Expansions" suite.

Sweet soulful flute from the great Hubert Laws – gliding high here in a great session from his post-CTI years! The album's a bit more soul-based than some of Hubert's earlier dates – but that change is a great one, and really helps Laws find some rich new energy – a focus in the grooves that also really seems to set his flute free on its solo lines too – wonderfully fluid in the company of other players who include Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Roland Bautista on guitar, and Ronnie Laws on saxes. Debra and Eloise Laws add in some sweet backing vocals – and titles include "Music Forever", "Land Of Passion", "We're In Ecstasy", "Heartbeats", "The Key", and "We Will Be".

Sweet soulful flute from the great Hubert Laws – gliding high here in a great session from his post-CTI years! The album's a bit more soul-based than some of Hubert's earlier dates – but that change is a great one, and really helps Laws find some rich new energy – a focus in the grooves that also really seems to set his flute free on its solo lines too – wonderfully fluid in the company of other players who include Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Roland Bautista on guitar, and Ronnie Laws on saxes. Debra and Eloise Laws add in some sweet backing vocals – and titles include "Music Forever", "Land Of Passion", "We're In Ecstasy", "Heartbeats", "The Key", and "We Will Be". CD features a bonus single edit of "Land Of Passion".

Sweet soundtrack grooves from Brit maestro Geoff Love – two late 70s albums back to back in a single package! First up is Star Wars & Other Space Themes – a set that has Love really cashing in on the sci-fi cinema boom of the mid 70s – leaping off with the lead theme to Star Wars, but then sounding even groovier on a host of other cuts from previous years – a sweet range of numbers that's often heavy on Brit influences – arranged with some nice funky touches by Nick Ingman, with almost a KPM vibe at times! Titles include "UFO", "Barbarella", "Space 1999", "March", "Thunderbirds", "Dr Who", "Mars The Bringer Of War", and "Star Trek". Nick Ingman's the arranger on Close Encounters – and helps give the record a disco vibe that's quite different than the usual sci fi set – a groove that clearly stems from Ingman's great sound library work of the 70s – touched here with plenty of clubby rhythms and some especially great keyboards at times. The whole thing's funkier than you might expect – and titles include "Close Encounters", "Flight Fantastic", "Space Patrol", "Solar Sailor", "The Omega Man", "Star Wars", "Time Machine", and "Blake's 7".

A great criss-crossing of grooves from the early 80s – a set that bubbles with a mixture of Latin rhythms, African inspiration, and some great jazzy Fender Rhodes! Pierre's style almost has a mixed-up, cross-Caribbean sort of vibe – that wonderful mode when things get extrapolated from their roots, and taken into new territory to find their own sort of space! Some of the best numbers here have a jaunty, playful approach to rhythm – one that's kind of pre-world music, with a more earnest sense of exploration. Titles include "Week End", "Pa Oublier Parapluie", "A Bientot", "Reveil Sonne", and "La Tendresse" – and CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Lady Californie" and "Juste Un Moment".

We give up! Just when we thought the gravy train had stopped running, the last train to skaville pulls into the station with 16 jaunty numbers fusing ska and rocksteady with a healthy dose of Jamaican soul at the hands of Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Brothers under the guidance of Coxsone Dodd! After the Skatalites busted up in the mid 60s, Dodd set about assembling a new house band, bringing Mittoo and a number of the original members of the Skatalites, including Lloyd Brevett and Roland Alphonso, together with some of the new, younger talent, and the fine folks at Soul Jazz have assembled a mighty, mighty set of their finest moments. But as Coxsone says in the liner notes, let's "Cut the chatter and spin the platter"! Includes "James Bond", "Voodoo Moon", "Chicken & Booze", "Hpney Pot", "Mr Flint", "Dr Ring Ding", "Got My Boogaloo", "Home Made", "Sufferer's Choice" and "Hot & Cold".

A lost western score from Ennio Morricone – directed with some nice musical flourishes by the great Bruno Nicolai! The work's got the feel of some of Morricone's more famous spaghetti western scores – with some great moody passages that hint at the offbeat instrumentation of his horror work, coupled with more driving action-related tunes that have a more driving feel overall – and together, these tunes weave a very visual tapestry of sound – possibly even more compelling than the actual film! Titles include "Viva La Revolucion", "Tepepa E Price", "A Meta Strada", "Una Povera Casa", "Consegna Delle Armi", and "Tradimento Secondo". New CD version features a whopping 28 tracks in all – over 70 minutes of music!

Plenty of exotic themes in this lesser-known Italian western score from the 60s – bits of flute, bits of whistling, and even some vocals from I Cantori Moderni! Mellower moments are nicely juxtaposed with more dramatic ones – underscoring the mix of romance and drama that follows the story of the film. I Cantori appear on more of the former – singing somewhat quietly and sweetly, with a very warm finish – in ways that are a bit different than their other work of the time, and almost sentimental at points. Alessandro Alessandroni handles the whistles and guitar in the work – and Bruno Nicolai handles the larger orchestrations. This CD reissue really augments the previous soundtrack from CAM – adding in lots more bonus tracks, especially some more orchestral ones. Titles include "Tema Dolores", "Allegro Chuchillo", "La Sfida", "Il Mondo Di Chuchillo", "Mulini A Vento", "Viaggio", "Espanto En El Corazon", "Duello", "Verso Il Texas", and "Fuga Dall'Ovest".

A great little soundtrack for the film Marcia Trionfale – composed by Nicola Piovani – one that deftly blends some disparate moods! The film combines an Italian military barracks setting with forbidden romance, which you'd think would be a difficult juggling act for the composer – but he pulls it off masterfully! The main revolving theme is incrediby melodic and memorable, too, making this one well worth this first time CD release! Includes "Marcia Trionfale", "Naja", "Un Fante Quando E Morto Fa Ancora Tre Salti", "Military Music", "Violenza Privata", "Riuscire Con L'Audacia", "I Poeti Dell'Odio", "Madrepatria", "Pizzapop" and "Epilogo Trionfale".

A striking solo set from Phillipe Baden Powell – much bolder and more expressive than his previous album – even though the overall feel is a lot more stripped-down too! Baden's got a very sharp approach to the keys of the piano – working here in a range of tones that's really breathtaking – a stark palette of sounds that's recorded with just the right sort of depth to let all of his most subtle touches come through. As befits his roots, the tunes are a mix of Brazilian numbers and jazz standards – plus a few original compositions as well – and titles include "Canto Triste", "Consolacao", "Prologue", "The Meantime", "Loro", "Choro Para Metronomo", "Ending", "Giant Steps", and "Vista Chinesa".

An amazing set of music – two rare albums from Ohio funk legend Lou Ragland, plus bonus tracks, and a whole set of unreleased sessions too – a huge amount of new music, even if you've got some of the previous reissues! First up is the legendary Hot Chocolate album – one of the greatest lost funk records of all time! The group is not the British pop band, but an Ohio funk group led by the great guitarist Lou Ragland. The album's originally from Canada, which makes it super rare – and these guys are funky funky funky, and kick some major booty with a heavy guitar sound that's just great! Some of the cuts are instrumental, and some of them have some excellent soul vocals that are produced with a nice deep sound that's brought out nicely by the excellent quality of the reissue. The record's got a bit of Sly Stone, a bit of Grant Green, and a bit of Mike James Kirkland – with a tasty raw indie soul vibe – and the original album was only pressed up at 500 copies. Titles include "So Dam Funky", "Ain't That A Groove", "Sexy Moods Of Your Mind", "Messin With Sly", and "What You Want To Do" – plus 8 more tracks from the same vintage – "Good For The Gander" by Hot Chocolate, "I Travel Alone" and Big Wheel" by Lou Ragland, "Red Robin" and "I've Got Something Going On" by Volcanic Eruption, and "I Can't Take It" and "What The Doctor Prescribed" by Lou Ragland & Hot Chocolate. Next is The Conveyor – the second album from Lou Ragland, stepping out here in a great set of mellow soul tracks! The album's quite different from the heavy funk of the Hot Chocolate album – more of a message-oriented approach to soul, in the vein of similar 70s indie work by Mike James Kirkland. The arrangements are also bigger – not smooth, but ambitious, in a style that perfectly matches the higher vision Lou's going for in tracks like "Understand Each Other", "What Should I Do?", "The Next World", and "It's Got To Change". Conveyor also comes with bonus tracks too – "Tend To Your Business" by Wildfire, plus "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" and "I Didn't Mean To Leave You" by Lou Ragland. And last up is an incredible batch of unreleased material – maybe the biggest and best so far from Ragland – tracks that have this really ambitious quality that mixes soul, funk, and larger orchestrations – especially some light strings, which really expand the sound, and push the music into this righteous territory that reminds us a lot of the creative experiments in Chicago during the Cadet/Concept years! Lou's vocals are great, and the message is totally righteous – and even though the tape quality is slightly aged, the soulful vibe really comes through – on cuts that include "Understand Each Other", "It Ain't My Fault", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "Spend My Life Loving You", "Until I Met You", and "Brother Louie". Lovingly packaged by Numero – with a huge booklet of photos and history – and cool mini-LP sleeves too!

Roctober strikes again with another fantastic issue of music wisdom and knowledge from the far side of the spectrum! This time around, the spotlight's on Zory Zenith & Zolar X – who are covered in unusual detail – but our Dusty Groove ears are most tuned to the articles on Archie Bell, Kraftwerk, and Bernie Worrell. Yet as usual, we find our eyes straying all over the issue – captivated by features on oddball artists we'd never heard before, and drawn in by the always-great reviews, comics, and smaller bits in the magazine! Other features include It's The Law, Hall Of Dynamic Greatness, Gaybot, Nardwuar Vs Tommy Chong, and Willie Restum.

New wave opera space elf Klaus Nomi (Bowie collaborator), remembered by friends and fans. The story of Sylvester ("Mighty Real", "Do Ya Wanna Funk"), with listeners guide, bibliography and amazing fotos. Esquerita centerfold. Chicago r&b eccentric Bo Dudley interviewed. Mayo "Red Crayola" Thompson talks at length. Shonen Knife interviewed. Acid jazz legends Pharaohs tell it like it is. Sammy Davis Jr. Chili mix reviewed by Mark Robinson. Plus: Eazy E, Fountains of Wayne, eight shining Shebrews, Ricky Wilson, Queen, Peter Allen, Liberace.

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous acoustic moments are replaced with more electric instrumentation overall, but never in a way that seeks to dampen Gil's message, nor push him into easy commercial territory. Instead, the tighter rhythms seem to really hammer home some of the lyrics – most famously in "Angel Dust", which almost touched a wider audience than the drug itself – and equally nicely on cuts that include "Cane", "Angola,Louisiana", "Show Bizness", "Better Days Ahead", and "Madison Avenue".

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous acoustic moments are replaced with more electric instrumentation overall, but never in a way that seeks to dampen Gil's message, nor push him into easy commercial territory. Instead, the tighter rhythms seem to really hammer home some of the lyrics – most famously in "Angel Dust", which almost touched a wider audience than the drug itself – and equally nicely on cuts that include "Cane", "Angola Louisiana", "Show Bizness", "Better Days Ahead", and "Madison Avenue".

Spy themes galore – a full CD of famous James Bond tunes, paired with a whole bonus CD of additional work from Brit maestro Roland Shaw! Back in the 60s, Shaw recorded a host of great spy-styled sets for Decca – two albums of work with Bond on the cover and in the title, and two more with additional spy and secret agent themes! The best of that work's packaged together here, in an ultra-cool 2CD set that features 37 tracks in all – a good number of which were penned by John Barry for original Bond films, then redone by Roland in ways that are swinging 60s, with lots of mod instrumental moments – including some great guitar amidst all the horns. Titles include "Twisting With James", "You Only Live Twice", "Chateau Fight", "Pussy Galore's Flying Circus", "Thunderball", "Dawn Raid On Fort Knox", "Dr No's Fantasy", "James Bond Theme", "Diamonds Are Forever", "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", "Bond Below Disco Volante", "The Saint", "I Spy", "The Avengers", "Theme From The Man From Uncle", "Casino Royale", and "Mission Impossible".

2 LP set filled with spy themes conducted by Brit bandleader Roland Shaw, with a very groovy Phase 4 sound. Titles include "Mr Kiss-Kiss, Bang-Bang", "The Saint", "The Avengers", "Ipcress File", "Our Man Flint", "James Bond Theme", "Diamonds Are Forever", "Casino Royale", and lots more! Very weird cover, too – with some "women as targets" images on the front and back.

A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, Ake Persson on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Joe Harris on bongos, and Kenny Clarke on drums – all coming together here with a groove that's really groundbreaking – a style that's sweet and soulful, but rhythmically revolutionary too! The tracks are all long and grooving – with the kind of dancing jazz tone that you'd expect from the Saba/MPS label during the mid 60s – a big change from the Argo label that originally issued the record. But that's no surprise, either, as the session was actually recorded in Europe by Gigi Campi – the man behind the CBBB albums on MPS – with a feel that's quite similar to other Shihab classics, like Companionship or Seeds. The whole thing's great – one of Shihab's most wonderful records, and totally worth owning – and titles include "Lillemor", "Please Don't Leave Me", "Waltz For Seth", and "Herr Fixit".

A beautiful, beautiful little record – as righteous and soulful as some of the best spiritual jazz classics of the 70s – and arguably even rarer, as it was only issued on a tiny label from Atlanta! Solar have a sound that uses 3 female lead vocalists in chorus formation – one that comes across with the righteousness of Roy Ayers' best use of such a style, but which is taken even further in a wave of soul jazz expression – in a mode that reminds us a lot of the work of Dee Dee Bridgewater or Jean Carn singing together on key early records by Norman Connors, Carlos Garnett, or Mtume! The vocals share equally with the instrumentation on the set – delivering a message that's rich and positive, but never cliched or hokey. Instrumentation includes flute, soprano sax, piano, and some great percussion – and playing is inside, but exploratory – definitely in a post-Coltrane vein. Titles include "Rejoice", "Vanity", "Living For The Most High", "Faith For My Mind", and "It's A New Day". Really great stuff – and right up there with the classics of spiritual soul jazz!

A beautiful, beautiful little record – as righteous and soulful as some of the best spiritual jazz classics of the 70s – and arguably even rarer, as it was only issued on a tiny label from Atlanta! Solar have a sound that uses 3 female lead vocalists in chorus formation – one that comes across with the righteousness of Roy Ayers' best use of such a style, but which is taken even further in a wave of soul jazz expression – in a mode that reminds us a lot of the work of Dee Dee Bridgewater or Jean Carn singing together on key early records by Norman Connors, Carlos Garnett, or Mtume! The vocals share equally with the instrumentation on the set – delivering a message that's rich and positive, but never cliched or hokey. Instrumentation includes flute, soprano sax, piano, and some great percussion – and playing is inside, but exploratory – definitely in a post-Coltrane vein. Titles include "Rejoice", "Vanity", "Living For The Most High", "Faith For My Mind", and "It's A New Day". Really great stuff – and right up there with the classics of spiritual soul jazz!

Sweet beats from this cool French duo – a pair who've got that same sort of genre-jumping quality we've loved in French grooves since the days of MC Solaar! The approach here is mostly hip hop, but there's strains of Neo Soul, jazzy funk, and more – shifting the vibe nicely from track to track, but always with a nicely cohesive feel. Some cuts – billed as "samba rap" or "rap bossa" – show a nice Brazilian influence – and titles include "Byrd", "Avolta", "Dance Me", "Kool Out", "Now That I Know You", "Oedeep", "One More Time", and "So Tired".

We've always loved the music of Jimi Tenor – but recently, he seems to get better and better with each new record – hitting a spiritual, soulful depth we never would have expected years ago! This album's one of his best efforts ever – and feels more like some lost 70s Euro/African rarity – as you might expect from the compelling cover! All the jazz elements of previous Tenor projects are in place – but there's also more of a pan-global influence going on – especially in the complicated percussion that graces most tracks, and which provides a wonderful counterpart to instrumentation that includes tenor, flutes, and piano from Jimi – plus trumpet from Julla Eskola and Tero Lindberg, trombone from Jay Kortehisto and Heikki Tuhkanen, and guitar from Kalle Kalima. Tracks are long, and have a feel that's somewhere between Strata East and Parisian Afro jazz experiments of the 70s – and titles include "Universal Love", "Afroeuropean", "Eternal Mystery", "Africa Kingdom", "Dance Of The Planets", "Curtain Of Steel", and "Starstuff".

We've always loved the music of Jimi Tenor – but recently, he seems to get better and better with each new record – hitting a spiritual, soulful depth we never would have expected years ago! This album's one of his best efforts ever – and feels more like some lost 70s Euro/African rarity – as you might expect from the compelling cover! All the jazz elements of previous Tenor projects are in place – but there's also more of a pan-global influence going on – especially in the complicated percussion that graces most tracks, and which provides a wonderful counterpart to instrumentation that includes tenor, flutes, and piano from Jimi – plus trumpet from Julla Eskola and Tero Lindberg, trombone from Jay Kortehisto and Heikki Tuhkanen, and guitar from Kalle Kalima. Tracks are long, and have a feel that's somewhere between Strata East and Parisian Afro jazz experiments of the 70s – and titles include "Universal Love", "Afroeuropean", "Eternal Mystery", "Africa Kingdom", "Dance Of The Planets", "Curtain Of Steel", and "Starstuff".

The funkiest version we've ever heard of this great Bruce Lee soundtrack – one that brings together all the sweet instrumental moments by Peter Thomas, with sound that's much better than any other reissue! While previous versions have taken the music along with the dialogue, this gem of a set does a great job of isolating all the instrumental grooves – finally showcasing Thomas' excellent funky backings for Lee's onscreen antics, and also throwing in some sweet mellower moments that haven't appeared on other soundtrack releases too! The package is great, too – with English and German notes on the film and music, plus cool images too – finally telling the whole story behind one of the grooviest martial arts soundtracks ever. 20 tracks in all – including "The Amulet", "Hard Drugs", "Girl Loves Cheng Li", "Mukuri", "Big Boss Theme", "Big Boss & His Gang", "Blood & Dead Friends", and "EKG".

One of the greatest soundtracks we've ever heard from Piero Umiliani – an incredibly groovy record from the very first note! The score's got a fantastic mix of groovy scoring, jazzy bits, and cool little vocals – spare organ lines that set the tune on most numbers, stepping basslines to set the rhythms, and scatting lyrics from I Cantori Moderni – a group who make the act of counting to 5 sound incredibly cool! The feel is quite similar to Umiliani's sublime Sweden Heaven & Hell soundtrack (and at one point, you even can hear the guy with the funny voice from "Mah Na Mah Na") – and the music is exactly the kind of wonderful stuff that first got us digging Italian film scores so many years ago. This great reissue adds a bunch of previously unreleased tracks to the original – a whopping 34 tracks in all – 14 from the original album, plus 3 stereo bonus cuts, and another 17 mono tunes. Titles include a few versions of the main theme, plus "Titoli Coda", "Luna Di Piero Agosto", "Bambola Omicida", "Interludio Azzurro", "Cinque Bambole", and "Danza Jazz Moon".

An unusual 60s comeback for singer Margaret Whiting – and a set that firmly established her as both a country singer, and a singer of jazz! The set's got full backings from Arnold Goland – often done in a way that carries a slight undercurrent of Nashville – not full-blown country, but the kind of country pop that you might hear from a singer like Kay Starr crossing over big. Other cuts echo some of the better Brit girl modes of the time – such as work by Petula Clark – and these are maybe some of the best, and really seem to open up the best vocal side of Whiting. Titles include "The Wheel Of Hurt", "The World Inside Your Arms", "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me", "Time After Time", and "Nothing Lasts Forever". CD features 13 more bonus tracks from singles – including "Where Was I", "Love's The Only Answer", "At The Edge Of The Ocean", "Love Has A Way", "Life Goes On", "I'll Tell Him Today", and "Can't Get You Out Of My Mind" – plus two German tracks as well!

Beautiful work from Cassandra Wilson – a record that's every bit as great as some of her best from previous years – and one that also has a new sort of vibe, too! There's a quality to the set that's nicely laidback – a feeling that comes from the album's strong use of acoustic guitar, which gently lopes along with textures that are perfect for unlocking new shades in Wilson's vocals – a mode that's every bit as righteous as before, but even more personal, too! Fabrizio Sotti handles the guitar – and plays two solo numbers too – and the small group instrumentation also features some gentle percussion from Mino Cinelu and Lekan Babalola. Titles include "Almost Twelve", "O Sole Mio", "Red Guitar", "No More Blues", "Passion", and "When Will I See You Again".

The sound of The Beatles, completely re-imagined by a host of hip acts from Brazil – a stunning lineup that includes some under-discovered talents from the younger generation, plus a few key artists from earlier years as well! As you'd guess from the "69" in the title, most of the tracks here are from the final years of the group – a fair bit of material from Abbey Road – opened up and given a whole new sort of energy here – showing the rich inspiration the fab four were still able to provide, even at the end! Beatles music has been a crucial influence on Brazil, from the 60s Jovem Guarda and Tropicalia scenes onward – and the work here really shows the range of influences, extrapolated through really creative instrumentation, vocal arrangements, and production techniques. The whole thing's hardly another "tribute to" session – and instead is more like an extended poem inspired by the work of John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Titles on this third volume include "Here Comes The Sun" by Joyce, "Something" by Flavio Venturini & Aggeu Marques, "Polythene Pam" by Autoramas, "The End" by Milton Nascimento, "Mean Mr Mustard" by Joao Donato with Paula Morelenbaum, "Because" by Aretha, "Golden Slumbers" by Elis Regina & Milton Nascimento, "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" by Pouca Vogal, and "Her Majesty" by Silvia Machete.

An essential look at the key years of the Chicago house scene – the time when the city's musicians were carving out a whole new space in sound! Although early house first began as an extension of some of the later modes of disco and 80s club, influences from European post-punk and post-disco work soon crept into the mix, and pushed the Chicago artists to work in a darker, edgier sound that was completely unique! The work from this period is filled with stark, spare electronics – not the cheesy kind that showed up often in New York electro records, but intense analogue bits that had a really dark, dystopic space age sort of quality – laid out over harsh beats and bass, and often presented with no additional vocals at all. For the collection, Soul Jazz do a great job of picking out the best of the early acid house scene in Chicago (the key recordings before the term got picked up overseas, and used to make some very dodgy dance music at the end of the 80s) – and then they go on to pull together some of the best strands of the house revival in Chicago in the early 90s, including key work from the Cajual label. 2 CD set features 17 tracks in all – including "This Is Acid" by Maurice, "Do You Want To Percolate" by The Sweat Boyz, "Beyond The Clouds" by Mr Fingers, "Go Wild Rhythm Track" by Virgo, "Acid Crash" by Tyree, "Dum Dum (part 2)" by Fresh, "Acid Bass" by Roy Davis Jr, "Phuture Jacks" by Phuture, "I've Lost Control" by Sleezy D, "Take Me Higher" by Virgo Four, "Acid Over" by Tyree, "Box Energy" by DJ Pierre, "Video Clash" by Lil Louis, "Explorer" by Green Velvet, "Like This" by Two Of A Kind, "Acid Tracks" by Phuture, and "Downfall" by Armando.

An essential look at the key years of the Chicago house scene – the time when the city's musicians were carving out a whole new space in sound! Although early house first began as an extension of some of the later modes of disco and 80s club, influences from European post-punk and post-disco work soon crept into the mix, and pushed the Chicago artists to work in a darker, edgier sound that was completely unique! The work from this period is filled with stark, spare electronics – not the cheesy kind that showed up often in New York electro records, but intense analogue bits that had a really dark, dystopic space age sort of quality – laid out over harsh beats and bass, and often presented with no additional vocals at all. For the collection, Soul Jazz do a great job of picking out the best of the early acid house scene in Chicago (the key recordings before the term got picked up overseas, and used to make some very dodgy dance music at the end of the 80s) – and then they go on to pull together some of the best strands of the house revival in Chicago in the early 90s, including key work from the Cajual label. 2LP set features 8 tracks in all – including "This Is Acid" by Maurice, "Do You Want To Percolate" by The Sweat Boyz, "Beyond The Clouds" by Mr Fingers, "Go Wild Rhythm Track" by Virgo, "Acid Crash" by Tyree, "Dum Dum (part 2)" by Fresh, "Acid Bass" by Roy Davis Jr, and "Phuture Jacks" by Phuture.

An amazing collection of electronic music from the German scene of the 70s – easily one of the most exciting, innovative musical worlds of the past century! There was really something special going on in Germany at the time – a confluence of hippie rockers, serious proggers, urban punks, and academic electronicians – all coming together to completely destroy previous (or current) generic conceptions – and make mindblowing music that's still more revolutionary than most sounds from decades to come! This fab second collection of German electronic rock from Soul Jazz digs even deeper than the first – and features a few famous names mixes with some even more important talents from the underground – all packaged together with the rich notes and historical detail that make their compilations so great. Titles include "Le Jardin" by Rodelius, "A Morning Excuse" by Amon Duul II, "Base & Apex" by Eno, Moebius & Rodelius, "In A Sacred Manner"by Gila, "Himmelblau" by Wolfgang Reichmann, "Co Co Pino" by DAF, "Sun & Moon" by Michael Hoenig, "Emphasis" by Harald Grosskopf, "China" by Electric Sandwich, "Zeebrugge" by Asmus Tietchens, "Krautrock" by Faust, "Gibli" by Niagara, "Electric Day" by You, "Die Weisse Aim" by Sergius Golowin, "Danger Cruising" by Pyrolator, "Sundance Chant" by Gila, and "Als Hatt Ich Das Alles Schon Mal Gesehen" by AR & Machines.

An amazing collection of electronic music from the German scene of the 70s – easily one of the most exciting, innovative musical worlds of the past century! There was really something special going on in Germany at the time – a confluence of hippie rockers, serious proggers, urban punks, and academic electronicians – all coming together to completely destroy previous (or current) generic conceptions – and make mindblowing music that's still more revolutionary than most sounds from decades to come! This fab second collection of German electronic rock from Soul Jazz digs even deeper than the first – and features a few famous names mixes with some even more important talents from the underground – all packaged together with the rich notes and historical detail that make their compilations so great. Vinyl version part 2 features tracks that include "China" by Electric Sandwich, "Zeebrugge" by Asmus Tietchens, "Krautrock" by Faust, "Gibli" by Niagara, "Electric Day" by You, "Die Weisse Aim" by Sergius Golowin, "Danger Cruising" by Pyrolator, "Sundance Chant" by Gila, and "Als Hatt Ich Das Alles Schon Mal Gesehen" by AR & Machines.

DJ Mitsu takes on the legendary Black Jazz label from the 70s – and serves up a sublime mix of spiritual and funky jazz classics from some of the company's greatest records! Mitsu's one of the few cats we could trust with a project like this – and as with his Fender Rhodes mixes from a few years back, this one really respects the core essence of the tunes – yet also finds a way to make them flow beautifully into one another – a 28 track blend of magical music that stands as a great testament to the soulful, spiritual depth of the Black Jazz catalog! There's no tricks or gimmicks at all – just sweet sounds galore – and titles include "Listen Here" and "For Heaven's Sake" by Gene Russell, "Soft Spirit" and "Plastic Creek Stomp" by Henry Franklin, "Infant Eyes" and "Revelation" by Doug Carn, "Little Dance" and "Time & Space" by Rudolph Johnson, "Aunt Lovely" and "Shaw Neeq" by Calvin Keys, "Magic Wand Of Love" and "Maiden Voyage" by Kellee Patterson, "Mode For DD" and "Slinky" by The Awakening, "Trip One" and "Power House" by Chester Thompson and "Funky Mama Moose" by Roland Haynes.

A deep dip into forgotten, politically-motivated Americana from the impressive diggers at Omni – and a surprisingly strong collection of material from singers who served as the American right's response to the largely left-of-center folk singers of the mid-to-late 60s – and we're not gonna lie to you, reactionary conservatism never sounded so groovy! It's pretty amazing stuff – not only serving as an answer to the left's protest song ideals, but it's full of well-crafted, well-produced, creatively worthy songcraft. It features multiple tracks by 3 artist – pulling together rare songs from 45 EPs by Janet Greene, album and 45 tracks by Vera Vanderlaan, and the rare Cry, The Beloved Country album by Tony Dolan. Given just how far social, political and musical culture has progressed in the decades since, it's easy to listen to these songs, and their warnings of insidious Commie threats and other supposed left wing terrors waiting to happen, as a bit of a novelty item – but on the other hand, there's plenty of contemporary parallels to consider. While some of the songs border on self-parody, others are actually reasonable and pretty fair-minded – and nearly all of it is irresistibly listenable! Includes "Fascist Threat", "Commie Lies", "Poor Left Winger", "Run" and more by Janet Greene; "Abolish, Abolish!", "Cuba Will Be Free", "Cry, The Beloved Country", "Remember Bloody Budapest", "Harry Pollitt", "New York Times Blues" and more by Tony Dolan; "Freedom Is A Hammer", "Hello World", "Stand Up And Be Counted", "Red Fire" and more by Vera Vanderlaan. 29 tracks in all – and it includes a detailed booklet with bios and artist facts, as well as some fascinating right-of-center newsletter stills, shots of rally posters, etc. from the period.

The first two volumes in this legendary series – back to back in one set! Volume 1 is an amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. Volume 2 compiles the stylistically varied music coming from the emergent West Indian and African communities of 50s and 60s London – far more than just the topical, and often quite whimsical calypso tunes of the era! Calypso is well represented, but the set includes strains of jazz, percussive instrumentals that veer towards native Trinidad and Nigeria, and loads of Caribbean grooves! It's all exceptionally bright – with some lovingly, and knowingly, naive vocals that are as sweet as they are wise. A truly wonderful compilation. Essential! 20 tracks in all: "Calypso Be" by Young Tiger, "Yolanda" by Ambrose Campbell, "Calypso Blues" by Mona Baptiste, "My Wife's Nightie" by Lord Kitchener, "Ominara" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Gerrard Street" by King Timothy, "ET Mensah's Rolling Ball" by West African Swing Stars, "West Indian Drums" by Russ Henderson, "Gbonimawo" by Rans Boi's Ghana Highlife Band and more!

The Movements series is back for a third volume and it's moving much deeper – the raw, smoldering funk of the previous sets is accompanied this time with groovy rare soul and jazz – and it's probably the best of the three Movements to date! Compiler Tobias Kirmayer has long showed a tremendous ear for funk & jazz rarities and this compilation is totally top notch – focus for the most part on 60s & 70s nuggets, many privately released and never really introduced to a large audience – featuring combos from around the US, a couple cuts born of the German jazz scene, a rare Italian soundtrack number and more! Titles include "Something Else" by The Iris Bell Trio featuring Butch Miles, "Backlash" by The Fats Gains Orchestra, "Let's Get Together" by The Echomen, "Angel Food" by The Port Angels (the lone recent recording and a tune that fits perfectly with the old school funky soul), "Grito Pidiendo" by Ernesto Cardenal, "Hello, Quincey" by Orchestra Luis Enriquez, "Song For My Father" by The Joe Viera Sextett, "The Serpent Speaks" by Solar Plexus and more. 11 tracks in all.

The sound of spiritual jazz from the European underground of the 60s and 70s – a really rich music-making scene that's every bit as impressive as the one going on in the US – as you'll hear from this amazing set of tracks! As with the first volume in the series, the collection is filled with modal jazz and other groovers – mostly long tracks that really stretch out, yet still always have a tight sense of rhythm – one that makes the music completely infectious right from the start! It might be tempting to think of European jazz of this sort as kind of a copy of a US mode – but instead, it really happened simultaneously – as younger players were really pushing past the styles of previous years – and drawing not only on American jazz for inspiration, but also a range of different post-colonial modes particular to the European scene – bits of African, Latin, Brazilian, and other styles that really helped influence their approach. And in a way, it might even be said that the Europeans of the 60s had a much looser approach to rhythm, one that really allowed for experiments like these – and which, in turn, went back to have an influence on the American side as well. Titles include "Temple Dancer" by Michael Garrick, "Communion" by Erich Kleinschuster, "Archangelo" by Raphael, "Africa Freakout" by Barney Wilen, "Corrida" by Nicolai Gromin, "Duke & Trane" by Hiekki Sarmanto, "Nana Imboro" by Wroblewski Jazz Quintet, "Las Morillas De Jaen" by Pedro Iturralde, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, and "Candy Clouds (part 2)" by Hans Dulfer & Ritmo Natural.

The sound of spiritual jazz from the European underground of the 60s and 70s – a really rich music-making scene that's every bit as impressive as the one going on in the US – as you'll hear from this amazing set of tracks! As with the first volume in the series, the collection is filled with modal jazz and other groovers – mostly long tracks that really stretch out, yet still always have a tight sense of rhythm – one that makes the music completely infectious right from the start! It might be tempting to think of European jazz of this sort as kind of a copy of a US mode – but instead, it really happened simultaneously – as younger players were really pushing past the styles of previous years – and drawing not only on American jazz for inspiration, but also a range of different post-colonial modes particular to the European scene – bits of African, Latin, Brazilian, and other styles that really helped influence their approach. And in a way, it might even be said that the Europeans of the 60s had a much looser approach to rhythm, one that really allowed for experiments like these – and which, in turn, went back to have an influence on the American side as well. Titles include "Temple Dancer" by Michael Garrick, "Communion" by Erich Kleinschuster, "Archangelo" by Raphael, "Africa Freakout" by Barney Wilen, "Corrida" by Nicolai Gromin, "Duke & Trane" by Hiekki Sarmanto, "Nana Imboro" by Wroblewski Jazz Quintet, "Las Morillas De Jaen" by Pedro Iturralde, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, and "Candy Clouds (part 2)" by Hans Dulfer & Ritmo Natural.

Plenty of 80s grooves here – plus a few great 70s numbers – one of the more contemporary volumes of the Steppin Across The USA series! As with previous volumes, the focus here is on tracks that play well on underground dancefloors – especially here in the Windy City, where the Steppers sound still reigns supreme! Most tracks are mellow or midtempo – sliding along on percolating beats, warm keyboards, and just the right touch of soulful vocals – often a shade just away from commercial, but with enough of the best elements to keep things real. Titles include "Yours (12" mix)" by Shai, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Ian Foster, "Missing You" by Chris Walker, "Groovin" by Collage, "Red Lights" by Curiosity Killed The Cat, "Make It Funkier" by Information Society, "Take You Down To Love" by Patrice Rushen, "This Feeling Must Be Real" by Skool Boyz, and "U Send Me Swingin (silky smooth 12" mix)" by Mint Condition. Also features the 70s tracks "I'm Your Lover" by Ronnie McNeir, "Wish You Were Here" by Free Life, and "Can We Pretend" by Bill Withers – a great bit of acoustic soul!

A great batch of early 70s grooves from Thailand – all produced by Theppabutr Satirodchompu – and it's one of the best compilations of Thai music we've ever stocked! By focusing on the work of one legendary producer – over the span of just a few years – the set has nicely cohesive vibe. That said, it's a quite expansive sound! Revolving vocals and melodies make it as hypnotic as can be –- and the instrumentation is fantastic. Raw drums, bells and other hand percussion lie underneath bursts of horns, woozy organs and other textures. It's beautifully put together by the Zudrangma label and compiler Maft Sai – with a thick booklet and top-notch sound. Titles include "Lam Yao Salab Teoy", "Siang Toey Jak Jai", "Lam Pleanr Caroen Jit", "Keun Pen Ken Faai" and more by Banyen Rakkaaen, "Lam Plearn Kiew Bao", "Lam Plearn Ha Fan" and more by Chanpen Sirithep, "Lam Plearn Sam Jang Wa" by Sumalee Pongkate, "Tid Kiew Tiew Krung" by Porn Tawan, "Hug Al Bor" by Roeid Petchsiam and more. 17 tracks in all.

A massive collection of ska instrumentals – all the real deal from the initial 60s start of the genre – and all pulled from the legendary Top Deck catalog! There's a crisp, raw edge to these tracks that nobody else was able to ever match again – a sinister vibe that comes from the bold production style, cool compressed rhythms, and soulful sax and trumpet solos that really make these numbers cook! Given that the set's all instrumental, the vibe here is a lot different than most ska revival work too – almost more in a 60s soul instrumental mode – with great traces to the inspiration of the genre. Titles include "Shot In The Dark" and "Determination" by Roland Alphonso, "China Town" and "China Clipper" by The Skatalites, "Scattered Lights" and "Red Is Danger" by Tommy McCook, "Warlock" by Jackie Mittoo, "Love In The Afternoon" by Don Drummond, "Live Wire" by Lyn Taitt & Jackie Mittoo, "Yogi Man" and "Red Is Danger" by Johnny Moore, "Shock Resistance" by Baba Brooks, "Lawless Street" by King Sporty & The Skatalites, and "Ti Pi Tin" by Raymond Harper.

Some of the wildest sounds we've ever heard from Iran – a wealth of wonderful grooves that show that there was plenty happening in that unique scene before the Ayatollah came in and clamped down on Western culture! Styles really intertwine nicely throughout – mixing funk with pop with psych, disco, and even some soundtracky styles that feel a bit Bollywood at points – all coming across with a really cool, groovy, and other-worldly sound that has us loving the whole thing all the way through! The folks at Guerssen have done a great job with the package – adding enough good notes and quality sound to ensure that this one's not just a knockoff – and instead features a great range of well-chosen tracks, put together beautifully. Titles include "Setareh" by Azita, "Aroos Khanom" by Amir Rassaie, "Zandooni" by Farzin, "Bi Vafa" by Kambiz, "Safar" by Hassan Shamaizadeh, "Ey Vatan Iran" by Emad Ram, "Ghebleh" by Nooshafarin, "Gholake Cheshat" by Simin Ghanem, and "Rahgozar" by Morteza.

Some of the wildest sounds we've ever heard from Iran – a wealth of wonderful grooves that show that there was plenty happening in that unique scene before the Ayatollah came in and clamped down on Western culture! Styles really intertwine nicely throughout – mixing funk with pop with psych, disco, and even some soundtracky styles that feel a bit Bollywood at points – all coming across with a really cool, groovy, and other-worldly sound that has us loving the whole thing all the way through! The folks at Guerssen have done a great job with the package – adding enough good notes and quality sound to ensure that this one's not just a knockoff – and instead features a great range of well-chosen tracks, put together beautifully. Titles include "Setareh" by Azita, "Aroos Khanom" by Amir Rassaie, "Zandooni" by Farzin, "Bi Vafa" by Kambiz, "Safar" by Hassan Shamaizadeh, "Ey Vatan Iran" by Emad Ram, "Ghebleh" by Nooshafarin, "Gholake Cheshat" by Simin Ghanem, and "Rahgozar" by Morteza.

Bold bass saxophone sounds from the overlooked Helmut Brand – a German player of the postwar years, and one with a sense of tone and texture to rival that of Gerry Mulligan at his west coast best! The work here is all previously unreleased, but shows Brand as one of the key reed innovators of the German scene at the time – right up there with the experiments of Hans Koller, especially in the way that Helmut can work fresh tones in with a strong sense of soul and swing! Many of these cuts feature trumpeter Conny Jackel joining in the frontline – folding his horn in with Brand's to create a cool wash of color – and a few other numbers feature Helmut alone as the lead soloist in a quartet, one with Roland Kovac on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Bami", "Nordlicht", "Yesterdays", "Salute To Lars Gullin", "Love For Sale", "Berlin Calling", and "Sum".

Stereolab's third album for Elektra – continuing their wondeful brand of space age pop in the 90s, and still some of the most exciting music to come from a major label at the time! Titles include "Spark Plug", "Les Yper Sound", "Tomorrow Is Already Here", "Metronomic Underground", "Cybele's Reverie", "Anonymous Collective", and "Slow Fast Hazel".

Essential Afro reggaefrom Ivory Coast pioneer great Alpha Blondy – 1984's standard bearing Cocody Rock! The title track and defining anthem "Cocody Rock" was cut at Tuff Gong and sort of paved the way for African reggae to come. A number of the tracks feature backing by the group Solar System and the whole thing is great. Titles include "Cocody Rock", "Tere", "Super Powers", "Interplanetary Revolution", "Fangandan Kameleba", Bory Samory" and dub versions of "Cocody Rock" and "Tere".

Heavy electro work from Suzanne Ciani – an artist who peaked a bit later than some of her sound library contemporaries – which means she was able to contribute music experimental films, record productions, and video games – and not just the usual mainstream outlets! Ciani's electronics here are a great mix of modes – both analogue and digital – and her sounds often have a darkness that's really compelling, especially when you consider the ways some of them were used in areas that reached some larger audiences – really cool little spooky bits that underscore the more potent ways that electronic sounds were often used in the 70s generation. The music is light years beyond the playfulness of Perry & Kingsley – and has none of the softness of Ciani's later new age sides – a great revelation that will hopefully get her the recognition she deserves. Titles include "Atari Video Games Logo", "Princess With Orange Feet", "Paris 1971", "Live Buchla Concert 1975", "Sound Of Wetness", "Eighth Wave", "Liberator Atari TV Spot", "Pop & Pour Coca Cola Logo", and "Lixiviation".

A pivotal moment for Bob Dylan – and maybe one of THE albums of the 60s! The newly-electrified Dylan really takes off here – putting more punch and bit into his already-strong lyrical approach – and twisting things in amazing ways that still leave us breathless all these many years later! And sure, the album gave Bob a few hits – which are nestled in here next to headier tunes that work together perfectly. Titles include "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ballad Of A Thin Man", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry", "From A Buick 6", "Desolation Row", "Highway 61 Revisited", and "Queen Jane Approximately".

Vocal magic from Ella Fitzgerald – a pair of 60s Verve albums, back to back on a single CD! On Ella Sings Broadway, Fitzgerald sings songs from the great white way – but in a style that makes the tunes completely her own! Marty Paich turns in some great jazzy arrangements for the set – and the tunes are far more swinging than the usual showtunes you might expect – stripped of all their stage-bound drama, and retooled by Paich as these tight little vehicles for Ella's amazing vocals! The album's arguably more expressive than even some of Fitzgerald's previous songbook sessions – even though most work comes from the same American stage mode – titles that include "Hernando's Hideaway", "I Could Have Danced All Night", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Guys and Dolls", "If I Were A Bell", "No Other Love", and "Steam Heat". They're not lying with the title to Rhythm Is My Business – as Ella's singing to backings from the great Bill Doggett – who cooks up some of the liveliest rhythms Ella ever received from Verve! The style is still similar to other Verve records of the time – with that magnificent Fitzgerald vocal style transforming familiar tunes and standards – but the groove is much more upbeat, and Ella swings it hard in a style that really takes us back to her earlier years. Titles include "Runnin Wild", "No Moon At All", "Laughin On The Outside", "I Can't Face The Music", and "Rough Ridin".

Rahsaan Roland Kirk takes on "other folks music" – that is, a host of tunes penned by other jazz artists – but as you'd expect, there's a really personal feel to the record overall – one that definitely makes the music Kirk's own by the end of the set! The album's a bit more subdued than some of his previous records, but no less creative – as there's a wonderfully understated quality to the record that really cements its charm – that undeniable Kirk genius at work, amidst an inventive lineup that includes Truty Pitts on electric piano, Hilton Ruiz on acoustic piano, Gloria Agnosti on harp, Richard Williams on trumpet, Roy Haynes on drums – and Roland himself on a great range of reeds – including tenor, flute, manzello, stritchaphone, reed trumpet, and harmonica! Titles include a great reworking of Frank Foster's "Simone", plus versions of Hilton Ruiz' "Arrival" , Trudy Pitts' "Anysha", Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee", and Kirk's own "Water For Robeson & Williams".

Maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from bassist Nilson Matta – a set that mixes Brazilian jazz modes with a much more complex approach – all in a style that offers up a really rich reworking of the famous soundtrack to the film Black Orpheus! The original score by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfa is augmented by key passages from Matta himself – and other moments feature just spare percussion and cuica, in ways that recall the almost-ethnographic quality of the the original film recording. Yet together, these elements are all interwoven into a rich musical tapestry with a shimmering sense of sound – pulled together from diverse contributions by artists who include Kenny Barron on piano, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Anat Cohen on clarinet, Guilherme Monteiro on guitar, Anne Drummond on flute, and Leny Andrade on vocals. Titles include "Batucada", "A Felicidade", "Samba De Orfeu", "Repinique Interlude", "Ascend My Love", "Violao Interlude", "Hugs & Kisses", "Um Nome De Milher", and "Frevo De Orfeu".

An amazing album that's probably one of the most unified albums that George Clinton ever recorded! The band's rawer style has been firmed up and economized – but a lot of the best elements are still in place, including a strange approach to vocals that has male and female voices interacting and counterbalancing in a similar style to that heard on some of Roy Ayers' best work from the early 70s. Clinton's begun introducing a lot of elements of Funkadelic into the group – but the tracks are still short and very tight, with a focussed approach to both funk and lyrics that really makes the album stand up to repeated listenings over the years. The album begins with the sublime "Chocolate City", a surprisingly political number that has these incredible jagged piano lines that echo away madly – then it rolls into other great numbers like "Side Effects", "What Comes Funky", "If It Don't Fit, Don't Force It", and "I Misjudged You". CD includes 3 bonus tracks – "If It Don't Fit Don't Force It (alternate)", "I Misjudged You (alternate)", and "Common Law Wife (previously unreleased)".