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A great album that Roy Ayers cut after his co-led record with Fela Kuti – and one with the same sort of hard-driving Afro-Funk grooves that you'd find in Fela's classic recordings! The songs are shorter than Fela's, and with more of Roy's usual smooth jazzy production style – but the overall influence is very much in the Afro-Funk vein, and the album's sort of a "part 2" to the Music Of Many Colors set that was cut a few years before. William Allen worked on the record with Roy – playing choppy Afro-Funk bass, and arranging and producing a lot of the material with Roy and Jaymz Bedford – and the record also features a host of extra percussion players, as well as some vocals by the lovely Sylvia Striplin. Includes the great groover "Africa, Center Of The World", plus "The River Niger", and a great remake of "Third Eye", which was on Everybody Loves The Sunshine, but is redone here with a heavier sound!

A great album that Roy Ayers cut after his co-led record with Fela Kuti – and one with the same sort of hard-driving Afro-Funk grooves that you'd find in Fela's classic recordings! The songs are shorter than Fela's, and with more of Roy's usual smooth jazzy production style – but the overall influence is very much in the Afro-Funk vein, and the album's sort of a "part 2" to the Music Of Many Colors set that was cut a few years before. William Allen worked on the record with Roy – playing choppy Afro-Funk bass, and arranging and producing a lot of the material with Roy and Jaymz Bedford – and the record also features a host of extra percussion players, as well as some vocals by the lovely Sylvia Striplin. Includes the great groover "Africa, Center Of The World", plus "The River Niger", and a great remake of "Third Eye", which was on Everybody Loves The Sunshine, but is redone here with a heavier sound!

A great little album from Roy Ayers' early years with Polygram – often overlooked amidst some of the bigger records in the catalog, but a very soulful set that's got some wonderful funky numbers! There's a really jazzy feel going on here – Roy's nod back to his older roots in music, touched with some of the sharper styles of the 70s generations – especially in the rhythms, which are starting to have that snapping sound that was the Ayers trademark in the 70s. Vibes ring out wonderfully throughout – often getting more space than vocals – and other instrumentation includes soprano sax from George Braith, keyboards from Harry Whitaker and Leon Pendarvis, and drums from Bernard Purdie. Bits of strings slide in nicely, showing a deeper sound to Roy's arranging skills – and titles include the funky break classic "The Boogie Back", a sweet reading of "Feel Like Makin' Love", with all the right electric effects to get the best out of the song's mellow righteous vibe – and the great cuts "Fishika", "Sensitize", "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "When is Real Real?", and "Change Up The Groove".

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Very righteous, and with a cool dope jazzy groove!

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

Roy Ayers in a seductive mid 80s mode – his first for Columbia – and a record with some incredibly nice moments that blow away most of his contemporaries! The synth soul and drum machine era might seem like an odd fit for Roy's jazzy vibes, but it actually works really well here! You could argue that few players with a such profound jazz funk pedigree could pull off an 80s modern sound so succussfully – and we'd argue that Roy Ayers is indeed one of the few! If synths and programmed drums aren't your thing, this record is actually more heavily-weighted with laidback jazzy soul, with plenty of vibes and the usual warm sexy vocals from Roy. Includes the funky classic "Poo Poo La La", which has a great little monologue in it – plus "I Can't Help It", "Compadre", "Sexy, Sexy, Sexy", and "Love Is In The Feel". This 2012 FTG CD includes 3 bonus tracks: "In The Dark (7" Version)", "Poo Poo La La (Edit)" and "Love Is In The Feel (7" Version)".

Pure magic from the height of Roy Ayers' classic 70s run on Polydor – a record that's filled with warm, jazzy grooves – all served up in that unique style that Roy was forging at the time! The album perfectly balances dancefloor tracks with mellower numbers – stepping out one minute with a funky groove on the bottom, then sliding into some slinkier laidback styles that are equally great. William Allen handles the arrangements with Roy, and does the strings himself – and also plays some monstrous bass on most numbers, which really brings up the rhythms from the bottom! Titles include the killer groovers "Sweet Tears", "When Is Real Real", "Let's Do It", and "Freaky Deaky" – and the warm mellow cuts "You Came Into My Life", "Kiss", and "Melody Maker".

One of Roy Ayers' best-remembered albums of the 70s – a sublime blend of mellow numbers and some of his more club-oriented grooves of the time – all wrapped together with a genius that we can only describe as Ayers-like! The album's a beautiful example of the balance that Roy was striking in his work at the time – because alongside some of the more upbeat, catchy numbers, there's other tracks that are a fair bit more laidback, and almost abstract at times – a wonderful extrapolation of that sensitive Ayers blend of jazz and soul, with key emphasis on the vibes and keyboards. Titles include the massive groover "Running Away" – which you'll recognize from a key sample history over the years – and club cuts "Cincinnati Growl", "Fruit", "Sanctified Feeling", and "Stranded In The Jungle" – plus the more laidback cuts "Gotta Find A Lover", "I Still Love You", "Lifeline", and "This Side Of Sunshine".

One of Roy Ayers' best-remembered albums of the 70s – a sublime blend of mellow numbers and some of his more club-oriented grooves of the time – all wrapped together with a genius that we can only describe as Ayers-like! The album's a beautiful example of the balance that Roy was striking in his work at the time – because alongside some of the more upbeat, catchy numbers, there's other tracks that are a fair bit more laidback, and almost abstract at times – a wonderful extrapolation of that sensitive Ayers blend of jazz and soul, with key emphasis on the vibes and keyboards. Titles include the massive groover "Running Away" – which you'll recognize from a key sample history over the years – and club cuts "Cincinnati Growl", "Fruit", "Sanctified Feeling", and "Stranded In The Jungle" – plus the more laidback cuts "Gotta Find A Lover", "I Still Love You", "Lifeline", and "This Side Of Sunshine". CD also features a bonus track – the 12-inch version of "Running Away"!

An incredible album by Roy Ayers – but one that's often overlooked because it was a rare indie effort issued between Roy's years at Polydor and Columbia! The session's Roy's only full album for Uno Melodic – the label he formed to showcase the talents of Sylvia Striplin, Ladies Of The Eighties, and others – and it's done in a snapping, boogie-styled groove that's very similar to the work by other Uno acts at the time. There's still plenty of the late Polydor Roy in the mix too – especially on the album's mellower numbers, which glide along nicely with all the right jazzy touches we love in a classic Ayers groove! Highlights include the excellent "Chicago", a really dark funk track with a mad descending groove; the Fela-styled "Black Family"; the warmly jazzy "Lots Of Love", an instrumental with vibes along strings; and the bass bumping "Everybody", a wicked later funk number! Other tracks include "And Then We Were One", "DC City", "Drive", and "Fast Money" – all great too!

An early bit of sexy soul from Roy! "Magic Lady" is a smooth mellow tune with a nice little groove – keyboards, vibes, and gentle drums stepping around each other in a catchy style – as Roy's magical vocals cry out to his magic lady! "No Question" is harder and funkier – a nice beat at the beginning, snapping a groove to attention that's peppered with moog and hard vibes!

An archetypal album by Roy – and one that really shows him at the turning point! Gone are the trippier jazz funk moments of earlier albums – and in their place are some tight grooves and wonderfully spacey soul. Roy hits the dancefloor with one of his first uptempo funk numbers "Brother Green", a catchy groover with lots of clavinet, and the massive "Life Is Just A Moment", a storming 2-part number that rolls along with a pounding almost house-like groove. "Mystic Voyage" shows the sweet jazzy side of Roy – as it's a vibes-heavy instrumental with a light stepping groove, perfect for the mellow direction he'd take on other records. The album also features some great off-beat funk numbers that recall earlier albums – including the break-heavy "Spirit Of Doo Doo", plus "Funky Motion" and "The Black Five".

An archetypal album by Roy – and one that really shows him at the turning point! Gone are the trippier jazz funk moments of earlier albums – and in their place are some tight grooves and wonderfully spacey soul. Roy hits the dancefloor with one of his first uptempo funk numbers "Brother Green", a catchy groover with lots of clavinet, and the massive "Life Is Just A Moment", a storming 2-part number that rolls along with a pounding almost house-like groove. "Mystic Voyage" shows the sweet jazzy side of Roy – as it's a vibes-heavy instrumental with a light stepping groove, perfect for the mellow direction he'd take on other records. The album also features some great off-beat funk numbers that recall earlier albums – including the break-heavy "Spirit Of Doo Doo", plus "Funky Motion" and "The Black Five".

Produced by Roy Ayers and DJ Smash.

An oft-overlooked funky soul gem from the incredible Roy Ayers – taking turns with both uptempo material and more smoothed out soul sounds – all done with Roy's trademark jazzy approach to the dancefloor! No Stranger To Love is a sly, and often funky set that deserves to be mentioned with his more famous dancefloor ready work of the late 70s – and if it gets an extra point two for the incredibly cool cover photo, the slow burning grooves more than deliver on the promise! The album does a really nice job of rolling out both the sultry jazzy soul and the funkier Ayers modes, with sweet strings in spots, Roy's incomparable vibes, bass and keyboard grooving, and vocals that set the mood for both the slow jams and the funky stuff! Includes the extended mellow number "Don't Let Our Love Slip Away", one of Roy's better downtempo moments, plus great stuff like "Don't Stop The Feeling", plus "What You Won't Do For Love", "No Stranger To Love/Want You", "Shack Up, Pack Up, It's Up (When I'm Gone)", "Don't Hide Your Love".

Seminal early funk work from Roy Ayers! The record catches him at that perfect point when he was turning from a straight jazz player into a sinister force in 70s funk – and the group on the session includes super-hip soul jazz giants like Charles Tolliver, Sonny Fortune, and Harry Whitaker, running through short hip soul tracks that were very different than the style of music they were laying out on albums of their own. Roy's on organ, piano, vibes, and vocals – and he also handles the arrangements, with extra help on strings by William S Fischer, whose usual dark touches come across very well here. The album features some great soul covers – like "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Day Dreaming" – plus the original tracks "Cocoa Butter", "Rhythms of Your Mind", and "Red Black & Green".

Seminal early funk work from Roy Ayers! The record catches him at that perfect point when he was turning from a straight jazz player into a sinister force in 70s funk – and the group on the session includes super-hip soul jazz giants like Charles Tolliver, Sonny Fortune, and Harry Whitaker, running through short hip soul tracks that were very different than the style of music they were laying out on albums of their own. Roy's on organ, piano, vibes, and vocals – and he also handles the arrangements, with extra help on strings by William S Fischer, whose usual dark touches come across very well here. The album features some great soul covers – like "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Day Dreaming" – plus the original tracks "Cocoa Butter", "Rhythms of Your Mind", and "Red Black & Green".

One of the greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time – and one of the rarest! The record is right in the same vein as Roy's groundbreaking He's Coming LP – a righteous mix of soul jazz, subtle funk, and some of the cosmic wisdom that Roy was spreading among the jazz funk underground – all wrapped up beautifully, but never in a way that's like commercial soul of the time. There's a few instrumental tracks on the album, plus some vocal ones that show that off-beat male/female style that Roy would use more famously in later tracks like "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" or his work with Ramp. Players include Harry Whitaker on electric piano, Edwin Birdsong on organ, Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Jumma Santos on congas – and titles include a version of Nat Adderley's "Hummin", done as "Hummin In The Sun", and very much in the Ramp vein. Also features instrumental cuts "The Fuzz", which has Roy's vibes toned way up, and the cool mellow "The Painted Desert", a really offbeat slow jazz number. The group also does a great job with Edwin Birdsong's "Pretty Brown Skin", picking up the song as a really anthemic groover that gives the record a nice kick! CD also includes the rare 45-only track "He Gives Us All His Love" – originally done for the movie Cold Turkey.

A really great little album from Roy Ayers – titled after a famous 60s pop hit, but with a much hipper feel than you'd expect! The group on the album features modernist soul jazz musicians like Herbie Hancock, Gary Bartz, Charles Tolliver, and Hubert Laws – all of whom work nicely with Roy on the album's expansive approach to the music. The set features a great version of Jobim's "Wave" – done like we've never heard it before – plus the original cuts "What The People Say", "Lil's Paradise", and "A Rose For Cindy".

One of the best early soul albums by Roy Ayers! Roy's working here with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edwin Birdsong, William Allen, Harry Whitaker, and other hip players – a perfect crew to forge Roy's unique blend of jazz and soul. This is perhaps the first record to really have Roy stretching out in this mode – moving more fully away from funky jazz, into a ream of vocal tracks that would make him one of the most unique artists of the 70s. This mid 70s period of Roy's career was remarkably fertile, creatively as well as for sheer productivity – and Tears To A Smile is one of them that shows some the most artistic growth, and also a deeper sense of soul! Features righteous cuts like "2000 Black", "Ebony Blaze", "Time & Space", and "A Tear To A Smile" – plus the mellow "Magic Lady", and a great remake of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way Of The World".

One of Roy Ayers' greatest albums of the 70s – a set that tightens up the groove from previous Polydor productions, yet still keeps all the soul intact! The record picks up the style begun with the Mystic Voyage album, and pushes it to some slightly tighter territory – a more focused Roy Ayers sound that's totally great, and which makes the album sparkle wonderfully throughout! All aspects of Roy's talents are perfectly balanced here – his warm vocals and jazzy vibes, his uptempo grooves and mellower rhythms – played to perfection by a hip lineup of players that includes Philip Woo on electric piano, Justo Almario on tenor sax, and Steve Cobb on drums. Edwin Birdsong guests a bit on the record – bringing in a nice edge to a few tunes – the album's got a really unique dark undercurrent, even in smoother moments – that subtle Roy Ayers' approach that's always made him one of our all-time favorite artists. Titles include the wonderful jazz-tinged "Searching", a great midtempo stepper that we really love; the funky break track "The Memory", a righteous number that feels like work from earlier records; the clubby classic "One Sweet Love to Remember"; and the sweet instrumental "Vibrations", which has a mellow kickback feel! Other tunes include "Higher", "Domelo (Give It To Me)", "Baby I Need Your Love", and "Better Days".

A great little album from Roy Ayers – a very funky record that's almost all instrumental all the way through! The sound is a bit in the vein of Roy's Live At Montreux set – but funkier overall, thanks to some very heavy rhythms on the bottom – and an approach to the tunes that's short, tight, and very much on the money! In addition to Roy's great vibes, the set also features Harry Whitaker on electric piano, Jimmy Owens and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpets, Garnett Brown on trombone, and Dennis Davis on drums and percussion – all very hip players who really help Roy find the mix of jazz and funk he was going for at the time. Dee Dee Bridgewater sings a bit of vocals on the record, joining Roy on the sublime spiritual track "Love From The Sun" – but most other tracks on the album have a more instrumental approach. The record includes a great remake of Leroy Hutson's track "Giving Love", sung more famously by Voices of East Harlem, and it's also got a nice funky cover of the hit "Brother Louie" – plus the tracks "The Morning After", "Des Nude Soul", "Virgo Red", "Love From The Sun", and "I Am Your Mind".

A far-reaching early gem from Roy Ayers – a set that's much more jazz-based than his later work, and a record that has him touching base with the Blue Note and Strata East sides of the jazz spectrum! The lineup here is incredibly hip – a mix of players that includes a young Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Harold Land and Joe Henderson on tenor, Jack Wilson on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass – not to mention Roy himself on some mighty great vibes! There's a surprising spiritual undercurrent to the music – pointing the way towards jazz to come in the 70s – and titles include "Glow Flower", "Ayerloom", "Virgo Vibes", and "In The Limelight" – plus an early take on Charles Tolliver's "The Ringer".

Roy Ayers in a tight mid 80s funk mode – commanding a modern vibe really well, especially with his vibes so prominent in the sound! Although the sound's a step or two more modern than the Polydor years, Roy still sounds great – and he grooves nicely on this batch of tracks that mix his older jazz funk style with an 80s groove sound that has slight touches of electro. This mix of modes is really unique for the time, with Roy embracing the new school without completely letting go of his trailblazing personal approach. Jean Carn sings lead vocals on the cut "Can I See You", and the album also includes the nice stepper "Programmed For Love", plus "Virgo", "Night Flyte", and "For You", a smooth mellow cut that's got great vocals by Roy! This 2012 FTG edition features the rare single versions as bonus tracks – 6 in all, including "Programmed For Love (12" Extended Version)", "Hot (12" Version)", "Hot (Dub Mix)", "Slip N' Slide (7" Version) and more.

Talk about a meeting of the minds – a pair of ultra-amazing classics from the team of Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – back to back in a single set! At the time of Step Into Our Life, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a smooth soulful style that was pushing the genre onto whole new levels, while still keeping firm roots in jazz – a rare blend that few other artists could handle this well! This initial debut from the pair seems to be much more dominated by the spirit of Roy Ayers' work at the time – particularly the mellow jazzed up work he was laying down on albums like Vibrations and You Send Me – a wicked sound that's rooted in modern soul modes, but filled with plenty of warm jazz elements too. The album's got wonderful vibes and electric piano from Roy – and tracks include "Step Into Our Life", "Lovers Should Always Be Together", "No Deposit No Return", "Ooh Baby", and "For Real". Prime Time is a funky classic from the team of Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson – both at the top of their game here, and effortlessly mixing together jazz, funk, and soul! The record really seems to embrace the best of both artists' styles – some of the bassy groovers that Wayne did so well himself, and while producing for other artists – and those snakey, soulful numbers that we love so much in the late 70s work from Roy Ayers – ultra-sophisticated, but still plenty darn grooving – and some of the most sensual soul you'll ever hope to hear. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Weekend Lover", "Thank You Thank You", "Can You Dance", "It Ain't Your Sign It's Your Mind", "You Make Me Feel Like Rockin With Ya", "Have Your Way", and "Million Dollar Baby".

A great album recorded in 1963 for Atlantic – one of our favorite ever! Jack Wilson's one of our favorite piano players, and we rave about him all the time on these pages – and one of the reasons why we love him so much is that he was often accompanied by Roy Ayers, who started out his career playing vibes in his group! The pair together are a dream, and this album is arguably their best effort – filled with moody modal cuts, and lots of lyrical interplay that hits these beautiful high points, then dives into pits of darkness. Titles include "Harbor Freeway", "De Critifeux", "Corcovado", "Jackleg", and "Nirvana & Dana".

A brilliant set of straight jazz material from Roy Ayers – a set recorded for Atlantic at a time when he was working for the label in Herbie Mann's group – but done in a much more righteous groove that really points the way towards Roy's growth in the 70s! The lineup changes a bit throughout the set – but all cuts feature Herbie Hancock on piano, who helps give the record a solid modal groove that works great with the sound of Roy's vibes – and other players include Buster Williams and Ron Carter on bass, Sonny Sharrock on guitar, and Freddy Waits and Bruno Carr on drums. There's a bit of added strings and woodwinds at points – already showing Ayers' ear for larger, more ambitious sounds – and the whole record's arranged by the ultra-hip William Fischer. Titles include the classic "Daddy Bug", plus "Bonita", "I Love You Michelle", "Emmie", "Shadows", "It Could Only Happen With You", and "Look To The Sky".

A great little album by Roy Ayers – one that features none of his hits, but which has great examples of both sides of Roy's talents at the time. The dancefloor side of Roy kicks in with "Love Will Bring Us Back Together", an extremely catchy groover that's very much in the mode of "Running Away", with plenty of choppy funky riffs, and a good soul base at the core. Even better, though, is the mellow spacey side of Roy – which shows up wonderfully in the cuts "Is It Too Late To Try" and "If You Love Me" – two overlooked gems that float along in a perfect blend of jazz and modern soul, with great breathy vocals and vibes, very much in the spirit of stuff on the You Send Me album.

"Freaky Deaky" is one of Roy's better club groovers from the late 70s – one that begins with an incredibly long conga riff, then rolls into the popped bass and funky vamping of Roy's more uptempo work. The chorus is quite catchy, and the whole thing runs along with plenty of American Promise! Equally great is "You Came Into My Life" – a warm, sensuous, mid-tempo number with a wonderful sound – darkly turning notes, chromatic vibes, and sexy chorus vocals – everything we love about Roy's work!

Roy Ayers in a seductive mid 80s mode – his first for Columbia – and a record with some incredibly nice moments that blow away most of his contemporaries! The synth soul and drum machine era might seem like an odd fit for Roy's jazzy vibes, but it actually works really well here! You could argue that few players with a such profound jazz funk pedigree could pull off an 80s modern sound so succussfully – and we'd argue that Roy Ayers is indeed one of the few! If synths and programmed drums aren't your thing, this record is actually more heavily-weighted with laidback jazzy soul, with plenty of vibes and the usual warm sexy vocals from Roy. Includes the funky classic "Poo Poo La La", which has a great little monologue in it – plus "I Can't Help It", "Compadre", "Sexy, Sexy, Sexy", and "Love Is In The Feel".

One of the greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time – and one of the rarest! The record is right in the same vein as Roy's groundbreaking He's Coming LP – a righteous mix of soul jazz, subtle funk, and some of the cosmic wisdom that Roy was spreading among the jazz funk underground – all wrapped up beautifully, but never in a way that's like commercial soul of the time. There's a few instrumental tracks on the album, plus some vocal ones that show that off-beat male/female style that Roy would use more famously in later tracks like "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" or his work with Ramp. Players include Harry Whitaker on electric piano, Edwin Birdsong on organ, Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Jumma Santos on congas – and titles include a version of Nat Adderley's "Hummin", done as "Hummin In The Sun", and very much in the Ramp vein. Also features instrumental cuts "The Fuzz", which has Roy's vibes toned way up, and the cool mellow "The Painted Desert", a really offbeat slow jazz number. The group also does a great job with Edwin Birdsong's "Pretty Brown Skin", picking up the song as a really anthemic groover that gives the record a nice kick!

Doobie-doo doobie-doo! One of the catchiest Roy Ayers dancefloor tracks ever – a bassy bumping thumper that wonderfully skirts the line between clubby and funky! The track's got female vocals singing along with the hook – all in a mode that's quite similar to the most uptempo work by Ramp – and the tune may well be best known for it's famous sample use by Tribe Called Quest on their classic "Description Of A Fool"!

One of Roy Ayers' greatest albums of the 70s – a set that tightens up the groove from previous Polydor productions, yet still keeps all the soul intact! The record picks up the style begun with the Mystic Voyage album, and pushes it to some slightly tighter territory – a more focused Roy Ayers sound that's totally great, and which makes the album sparkle wonderfully throughout! All aspects of Roy's talents are perfectly balanced here – his warm vocals and jazzy vibes, his uptempo grooves and mellower rhythms – played to perfection by a hip lineup of players that includes Philip Woo on electric piano, Justo Almario on tenor sax, and Steve Cobb on drums. Edwin Birdsong guests a bit on the record – bringing in a nice edge to a few tunes – the album's got a really unique dark undercurrent, even in smoother moments – that subtle Roy Ayers' approach that's always made him one of our all-time favorite artists. Titles include the wonderful jazz-tinged "Searching", a great midtempo stepper that we really love; the funky break track "The Memory", a righteous number that feels like work from earlier records; the clubby classic "One Sweet Love to Remember"; and the sweet instrumental "Vibrations", which has a mellow kickback feel! Other tunes include "Higher", "Domelo (Give It To Me)", "Baby I Need Your Love", and "Better Days".

One of Roy Ayers' greatest albums of the 70s – a set that tightens up the groove from previous Polydor productions, yet still keeps all the soul intact! The record picks up the style begun with the Mystic Voyage album, and pushes it to some slightly tighter territory – a more focused Roy Ayers sound that's totally great, and which makes the album sparkle wonderfully throughout! All aspects of Roy's talents are perfectly balanced here – his warm vocals and jazzy vibes, his uptempo grooves and mellower rhythms – played to perfection by a hip lineup of players that includes Philip Woo on electric piano, Justo Almario on tenor sax, and Steve Cobb on drums. Edwin Birdsong guests a bit on the record – bringing in a nice edge to a few tunes – the album's got a really unique dark undercurrent, even in smoother moments – that subtle Roy Ayers' approach that's always made him one of our all-time favorite artists. Titles include the wonderful jazz-tinged "Searching", a great midtempo stepper that we really love; the funky break track "The Memory", a righteous number that feels like work from earlier records; the clubby classic "One Sweet Love to Remember"; and the sweet instrumental "Vibrations", which has a mellow kickback feel! Other tunes include "Higher", "Domelo (Give It To Me)", "Baby I Need Your Love", and "Better Days".

It's like a dream come true – 13 previously unissued recordings by Roy Ayers, all from the height of his glory years on Polydor! Roy's work from this time is some of our favorite ever – a burning blend of jazz, soul, and funk – handled with impeccable charm, and a level of soul that few other artists of the time ever matched. Roy's genius was strongly documented at the time by a series of excellent Polydor albums – but there was also a heck of a lot of great material that never saw the light of day, and which is every bit as great as the classics that we've come to know and love over the years. Hearing this set is incredible – like upping our already-massive appreciation of Roy's talents, and like finding a lost corner of soul music history that nobody's ever heard before. The tunes are all amazing – a great blend of jazzy soul, mellow soul, and dancefloor groovers – and the package is only the tip of the iceberg, from what we've been told! The full album does a great job to not cross over too much with the 12" singles previously issued in this "Virgin" series – and titles include "What's The T", "I Really Love You", "Sugar", "Mystery Of Love", "Green & Gold", "Brand New Feeling", "I Did It In Seattle", "I Just Wanna Give It Up", "Together Forever", "Boogie Down", "I Am Your Mind", and a great alternate version of "Mystic Voyage"!

A far-reaching early gem from Roy Ayers – a set that's much more jazz-based than his later work, and a record that has him touching base with the Blue Note and Strata East sides of the jazz spectrum! The lineup here is incredibly hip – a mix of players that includes a young Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Harold Land and Joe Henderson on tenor, Jack Wilson on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass – not to mention Roy himself on some mighty great vibes! There's a surprising spiritual undercurrent to the music – pointing the way towards jazz to come in the 70s – and titles include "Glow Flower", "Ayerloom", "Virgo Vibes", and "In The Limelight" – plus an early take on Charles Tolliver's "The Ringer".

Talk about a meeting of the minds! At the time of this album, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a smooth soulful style that was pushing the genre onto whole new levels, while still keeping firm roots in jazz – a rare blend that few other artists could handle this well! This initial debut from the pair seems to be much more dominated by the spirit of Roy Ayers' work at the time – particularly the mellow jazzed up work he was laying down on albums like Vibrations and You Send Me – a wicked sound that's rooted in modern soul modes, but filled with plenty of warm jazz elements too. The album's got wonderful vibes and electric piano from Roy – and tracks include "Step Into Our Life", "Lovers Should Always Be Together", "No Deposit No Return", "Ooh Baby", and "For Real".

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Very righteous, and with a cool dope jazzy groove!

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

A great track from Roy Ayers – and one that's often overlooked! The cut's a smooth mellow stepper, with a nice jazzy vibe, and a wonderful monologue from Roy at the beginning (he's trying to pick up a girl). The cut got kind of buried on the Love Fantasy LP – so it's extra nice to have on this rare original promo single!

A cool collection of work from one of our favorite artists ever – literally one of the guys whose music was so great, it inspired us to start Dusty Groove! The package brings together a really hip assortment of Roy Ayers' best work for Polydor in the 70s – really incredible tracks that merge together jazz, soul, and funk at a level that nobody else can touch – not just the sum of the parts, but a sublime fusion that's completely Ayers-like, and which has gone onto inspire countless other folks over the years – even though nobody else can ever do it this well! The track selection is great – way hipper than the usual best-of on Roy – and titles include "And Don't You Say No", "Moving Grooving", "Come Out & Play", "Magic Lady", "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "Vibrations", "Tear To A Smile", "When Is Real Real", "Together", "He's A Superstar", and "He Gives Us All His Love".

A cool collection of work from one of our favorite artists ever – literally one of the guys whose music was so great, it inspired us to start Dusty Groove! The package brings together a really hip assortment of Roy Ayers' best work for Polydor in the 70s – really incredible tracks that merge together jazz, soul, and funk at a level that nobody else can touch – not just the sum of the parts, but a sublime fusion that's completely Ayers-like, and which has gone onto inspire countless other folks over the years – even though nobody else can ever do it this well! The track selection is great – way hipper than the usual best-of on Roy – and titles include "And Don't You Say No", "Moving Grooving", "Come Out & Play", "Magic Lady", "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "Vibrations", "Tear To A Smile", "When Is Real Real", "Together", "He's A Superstar", and "He Gives Us All His Love".

A late 80s effort for Columbia from the legendary Roy Ayers – his third and final album for the label from the early-to-mid 80s – a time that found Roy applying his classic smooth, jazzy soul style to a more profoundly modern vibe – and it works as well on this set as it did on any of his Columbia efforts of the period, if not better! Roy was never shy about embracing innovation, and here he's blending straight up 80s smooth soul with jazzy vibes galore, as well as some post-Future Shock electro touches, particularly on the dancefloor ready title track – but this the mellow, sultry numbers that really make this one a win. Titles include "I'm The One", "Don't You Ever Turn Away", "Let Me Love You", "Marlon", "Word", "Crack Attack", and "I Once Had Your Love". This 2011 CD edition from Soulmusic.com includes the bonus "I'm The One (Extended Dance Mix)".

The genius of Roy Ayers knows no end – and as this set of unreleased work from the 70s proves, Roy was always working at top form back in the day – even above and beyond his classic albums from the time! The grooves here are tremendous – funky, soulful, jazzy, and every bit as wonderful as the work that Roy did for his classic albums on Polydor – and in a way, the whole set's even tighter and heavier than any of Roy's full LPs, because it's a distillation of his sound from the time, hand-picked from the vaults with an ear towards the kind of timeless grooves that have been a huge influence on many worlds of music for years! You've never heard any of these tunes before, but we can promise you'll love them every bit as much as Roy's tracks on albums like Coffy, Vibrations, Mystic Voyage, and other classics – and the quality of the set only further pushes our jaw-dropping respect for the man! Titles include "Holiday", "Kwajilori", "I Am Your Mind (part 2)", "Touch Of Class", "Third Time", "Come To Me", "Wide Open", "Funk In The Hole", "Liquid Love", "Tarzan", "Sunshine (demo)", and "I Like The Way You Do It To Me".

A classic from Cannoball and producer-partner David Axelrod – truly great stuff and maybe even better than the Zodiac set Cannonball did for Capitol! The formula is similar to that one – with David Axelrod producing, electric keyboards by Hal Galper and George Duke, spacey solos by Cannonball and Nat Adderley, and some very hip recitations by Rick Holmes on love, sex, and the zodiac! Holmes is best known as the chappie who cut "Remember To Remember" years later with Roy Ayers – but this album's got a similar "wisdom and knowledge" feel that's pretty wonderful. Titles include "Aquarius: Humanity Plus", "Cancer: All Sides", "Leo: Rosebud", "Aries: Damn Right", "Gemini: Ecstasy", and "Virgo: For Pam".

The only album ever from Allspice – but a hell of an incredible soul record – and one that's kept the group's name strong with collectors and rare groove fanatics for years! The album's on of the best Fantasy Records productions by Wayne Henderson and his At Home team – and like some of the others, is handled with a groove that's tight, yet plenty sophisticated too – light years from mainstream disco or common club of the late 70s, and instead informed by plenty of jazz and deeper ideas as well! The vibe is perfect – as heavenly and righteous as some of the best Roy Ayers club tracks of the time – which proves to be a perfect foil for the Allspice style of mixing male and female vocals – which again is often done in an Ayers-like mode. The sound is sublime throughout – one of those real treasures that should have been a huge record in the 70s, but was barely pressed up at all – and quickly forgotten about by the record company. Yet even after all these years, the whole thing sounds amazing – one of those albums we'd never part with at all! Titles include the groovy "Slipped Away", the funky stepper "Hungry For Your Love" – and loads of other great tunes that include "Love Fire", "Destiny", "She's A Lady", "I Don't Know", and "Give It Time".

Righteous soul, but with a wicked groove too – a killer set from Aquarian Dream, made even better by some great Norman Connors production! In a way, Aquarian Dream were to Norman Connors what Ramp were to Roy Ayers – in that the group wasn't really that dominated by Connors, but they did benefit a lot from his groundbreaking work in the jazz funk field – getting a level of sophistication in their sound that's really wonderful – and mixed with almost equal parts soul, funk, and jazz in the instrumentation! Vocals are often in a harmony mode – again in the manner of Ramp – and there's a classy yet cosmic sound to the record that we totally love. (And there's also one more Roy Ayers-like connection in the vocal department – since the group features Sylvia Striplin, who later recorded for Roy's Uno Melodic label!) The album's got a number of nice groovers with a strongly off-beat sound – and titles include "Friends", "It Ain't Whatcha Say", "You're A Star", "Play It For Me", and "Gentle Thoughts".

Recorded after he left Roy Ayers' group, and with a different feel than the stuff he did in the early 70's, this track is Edwin Birdsong's big funk hit, and a tough one to find, too! The cut's got a snapping groove that's in a tight rollerskate funk mode – very nice all the way through, and always a treat for us!

A fantastic record – one of Birdsong's rare early ones, with a messed-up approach to funk that he rarely matched again! The album was cut at the time Birdsong was working with Roy Ayers – but it was produced by Birdsong himself, and he also handled all the keyboards on the set. The group's a stripped-down combo, without the slicker sound of some of his later work – and there's a fuzzy funk approach to most of the best tracks, with lots of guitar and bass. Titles include "If I Ever", "Any Color", "Rising Sign (Funky)", "Flow Through My Heart", "Turn Around Hate (Communicate)", "I Love You Michelle", "Tune From Callicoon", and "Last Exit Before The Toll".

A long-overdue 3rd album by Sheree Brown – her first work since the early 80s, when she cut two landmark albums for Capitol! Sheree's an equally skilled vocalist and guitarist – and works in a territory informed by Minnie Riperton, Roy Ayers, Patrice Rushen, and Lesette Wilson – all of whom were predecessors and contemporaries to Sheree's original sound! And although there's been a span of 2 decades since we last heard from Sheree, she's hardly missed a beat – going for a sweetly seductive blend of soul and jazz that's totally great – wrapped up in a lean production style that's actually almost better than her Capitol work! Titles include "I Love You", "I'd Rather Be In Love With You", "Day Crazy", "I Just Don't Get It", "Why Oh Why", "Sometimes", "Mother Drum", and "When Water Flows".

Smooth modern duets from one of our favorite ladies in soul music! Jean Carne's a heck of a singer – with a career that stretches back to early soul jazz recordings with (then) husband Doug Carn, to solo recordings on Philly International in the late 70s, to appearances on records by other artists – sessions from the 70s, 80s, and 90s in which Jean lent her vocals to a wealth of great recordings! This great collection focuses on work in that category – uncollected sides from a three decade period, brought together in one album that shows just how great Jean can sound when she's singing with other artists. Many of these titles are quite hard to find otherwise, and haven't even shown up on other collections of Jean's work – and tracks include "Good Thng Goin On" with Billy Paul, "Holdin On" and "Dreams Of Tomorrow" with Dexter Wansel, "Keep In Touch" and "The Look Of Love" with Grover Washington Jr, "Lean On Me" with Nathan Heathman, "If You Don't Know Me By Now" with The Temptations, "Love Is Beautiful" with Universe, "Star Flower" with Lonnie Liston Smith, "Let's Stay Together" with Bobby M, "I'm Back For More" with Al Johnson, "You Might Be Surprised" with Roy Ayers, "Mother Of The Future" with Norman Connors, and "Valentine Love" with Michael Henderson. Also features the bonus solo track "Trust Me" – never on CD before!

One of Norman Connors' first true soul albums – a real shift from his earlier work in the spiritual jazz mode, and a sublime blend of styles! The record still shows plenty of traces of Norman's earlier roots – as he blends together jazzy influences with smoother mid 70s production – getting help from some great vocal talents to flush out his sound, kind of in the same way that Roy Ayers was doing at the time. Features the big hit "Valentine Love" with vocals by Jean Carn and Michael Henderson, plus some great fusiony funk cuts like "Saturday Night Special" and "Kwasi", and a good version of "Maiden Voyage"!

An album led by pianist Aaron Diehl – but a set that also features some especially great vibes from Warren Wolf – one of our favorite players on the instrument in the past decade or so! Wolf's tones ring out beautifully – with that richness he really brings to his own albums, and hasn't spared a bit with Diehl – a style that really has great ways of expanding out Aaron's initial impulses on piano, and giving the record a lyrical quality that almost takes us back to 60s collaborations between Jack Wilson and Roy Ayers! Other quartet members include David Wong on bass and Rodney Green on drums – and titles include "Generation Y", "The Cylinder", "Stop & Go", "Single Petal Of A Rose", and "Blue Nude".

Wicked keyboards from Ronnie Foster – and a set that really steps forward from his previous two Blue Note albums! The record really has Ronnie moving into a more rounded soul space – singing along with his keyboards, in ways that may well be aimed at making Foster the next Stevie Wonder – although still with some of the hipper, quirkier touches that make his music so great! The lineup of players is very top shelf – almost more of a CTI/Kudu session, with George Benson and Joe Beck on guitar, Mtume on congas, and lots of heavy bass from William Allen and Gary King. Foster wrote all the cuts – save for a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Tuesday Heartbreak" – and titles include "Funky Motion", which was covered by Roy Ayers – plus "Cheshire Cat", "Fly Away", "Heartless", and "Like a Child".

Wicked late 70s work from Ronnie Foster – a rare Columbia outing that's arguably better than his earlier sides for Blue Note! There's more of a soul vibe than before in the music – but in a way that's really foregrounded, and without some of the back/forth wavering that Foster had in his groove during previous sets. Jerry Peters produced the record, and gives it a solid, confident style that's right up there with the best soul/fusion sides on Columbia at the time – and the lineup of players features great contributions from Roy Ayers on vibes, Ndugu Chancler on percussion, Harvey Mason on drums, and Alphonso Johnson on bass. Foster himself did all the arrangements – and both sings and plays a mix of keyboards that come off sounding pretty darn great. Titles include "Midnight Plane", "Happy Song", "Why Don't You Look Inside", "I Want To Bring My Love Home", "Nassau Bay", "Shooting Star", and "Easier Said Than Done". 3 bonus single mixes on this great CD: "Midnight Plane, Pt 1 (US 7" Single)", "Midnight Plane, Pt 2 (US 7" Single)" and "Midnight Plane 12"" Single).

A lost bit of funky vibes and Fender Rhodes – one of those few records that's as sublime as it is rare – like work by Billy Wooten or Lyman Woodard! The Bobby Hamilton Quintet were an obscure combo from upstate New York – but they've lived on in our hearts (and ears!) with this rare gem from the 70s – a killer set that features Bobby on Rhodes, vocals, and percussion; Mike Gipson (aka Brother Fundi) on vibes, percussion, and electronics; and additional trumpet, tenor, and percussion – used to just the right effect in these totally great arrangements. Most of the tunes on the album are instrumentals – with a very cool, ultra-hip soul jazz approach that's somewhere between the very early Polydor work of Roy Ayers, and the funky electric grooves of the Nineteenth Whole – and the tracks are long, and have a really deep, soulful feel! Titles include "Pearl", "Priscilla", "In The Mouth Of The Beast", "Roll Your Own", and "Dream Queen".

Fantastic work from one of the most unique talents in jazz! Rufus Harley plays bagpipes – yes, that's right, bagpipes – in a modal Coltrane-esque way that's simply got to be heard to be believed. He uses the drone capability of the instrument to explore reed patterns in the same way that Coltrane did, inspired a bit by Eastern sounds, especially Indian music, but also working in an Afro-centric mode that reclaims the bagpipes as an instrument rooted in the middle east (where it was first picked up by soldiers during the crusades, and brought north to Scotland.) The whole thing might sound incredibly silly, but when you hear the music, you'll be convinced – and this CD is set up to do just that. The collection takes 9 tracks from Rufus glory days at Atlantic Records during the late 60s – and features Harley not only on bagpipes, but on tenor, soprano, and flute – playing in groups that feature players like Roy Ayers, Herbie Mann, Sonny Stitt, James Glenn, and Don Patterson. Titles include "Feelin Good", "Flute Bag", "Taurus The 20th", "More", "Sufur", and "Pipin The Blues".

A great little solo set from Gene Harris – and a perfect example of that magical time after he'd left the Three Sounds, but hadn't yet hit the more standard styles of later years – a period when Harris was really experimenting with a wide range of keyboards and sounds! The set has arranger Jerry Peters weighing in – bringing some of his own quirky touches into play with Gene's wonderful work on keyboards – which includes plenty of Fender Rhodes and moog, as well as other keys of the time too. Funky titles include "Koko & Lee Rose", "Funky Business", "Rushin Roulette", "HRD (Boogie)", and "Gettin Down Country" – and the set's got a great mellow moody soul track called "Prayer 76", with a bit of a Roy Ayers feel.

Sweet 70s grooves from Bobby Hutcherson – an overlooked mid 70s gem for Blue Note – done in a style that's a bit more laidback than some of his other work for the label! The group here is similar to that used on the Waiting album – and Emmanuel Boyd turns in some great tenor and soprano sax, really underscoring the deeper sounds of Bobby's vibes. But this time around, there's also lots of sweet keyboards from Larry Nash – who plays Fender Rhodes with some warmer elements that unlock a great mellow side of Hutcherson's playing – almost giving the record a Roy Ayers vibe at times! Titles include "Later Even", "Same Shame", "Love Can Be Many Things", and "Song For Annie".

An amazing record – quite possibly the best ever by Chicago soul legend Leroy Hutson! The whole thing's a smooth soul masterpiece beyond compare – a stunning blend of great songwriting, sexy vocals, and buttery production that rank it up there with the best work of 70s giants like Marvin Gaye, Leon Ware, or Roy Ayers. Leroy's got a voice that's both warm and mellow, yet incredibly honest at the same time – and the songs on the record show a range of colors and emotions that perfectly fit his unique style. Features mellow "Cool Out", the funky "Lucky Fellow", the sweet "All Because Of You", and the sublime cuts "It's Different" and "Can't Stay Away". The whole thing's great – and is one of the crowning achievements of the Chicago soul scene!

An amazing record – quite possibly the best ever by Chicago soul legend Leroy Hutson! The whole thing's a smooth soul masterpiece beyond compare – a stunning blend of great songwriting, sexy vocals, and buttery production that rank it up there with the best work of 70s giants like Marvin Gaye, Leon Ware, or Roy Ayers. Leroy's got a voice that's both warm and mellow, yet incredibly honest at the same time – and the songs on the record show a range of colors and emotions that perfectly fit his unique style. Features mellow "Cool Out", the funky "Lucky Fellow", the sweet "All Because Of You", and the sublime cuts "It's Different" and "Can't Stay Away". The whole thing's great – and is one of the crowning achievements of the Chicago soul scene!

One of our favorite soul albums ever – a complete masterpiece from the mighty Leroy Hutson, easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s! The album's got a warmth that's amazing, yet also still manages to groove all the way through – hitting a subtle, almost mellow vibe that's like Marvin Gaye or Roy Ayers at their best – but somehow even better because the album's a lot less familiar than their work, and has a freshness that grabs us again and again over the years! Hutson arranged and produced the whole set himself – and the scope of his talents in the studio is amazing – tight on the rhythms, but broadly expansive on the other instrumentation – with a mix of intimacy and class that few other records from the 70s could ever hope to match. Perfect all the way through, and filled with genius cuts that include "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "I Think I'm Falling In Love", "Love to Hold You Close", "Flying High", "I Do I Do Want To Make Love To You", "Blackberry Jam", and "Sofunkstication".

One of our favorite soul albums ever – a complete masterpiece from the mighty Leroy Hutson, easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s! The album's got a warmth that's amazing, yet also still manages to groove all the way through – hitting a subtle, almost mellow vibe that's like Marvin Gaye or Roy Ayers at their best – but somehow even better because the album's a lot less familiar than their work, and has a freshness that grabs us again and again over the years! Hutson arranged and produced the whole set himself – and the scope of his talents in the studio is amazing – tight on the rhythms, but broadly expansive on the other instrumentation – with a mix of intimacy and class that few other records from the 70s could ever hope to match. Perfect all the way through, and filled with genius cuts that include "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "I Think I'm Falling In Love", "Love to Hold You Close", "Flying High", "I Do I Do Want To Make Love To You", "Blackberry Jam", and "Sofunkstication".

A jazzy soul masterpiece from Webster Lewis – light years away from the rougher funk he cut at the start of the 70s! The album's beautifully put together – almost perfect at all points, at a level that we'd rank right up there with the best work by Leroy Hutson, Roy Ayers, or other contemporary maestros in the studio. Unlike some of the more commercial artists of his generation – who also came to soul through jazz – Webster doesn't push the hooks too hard, nor try too much for a hit. And instead, he's more than happy to stay in his own righteous space – with a sound that's smooth, but never slick – tight, but not uptight. He's got some great help on the record – including keyboards from Herbie Hancock and Skip Scarborough, guitar from David T Walker, and percussion from Willie Bobo – all of whom keep things cool. Vocals are handled by a number of singers, including Webster himself – and titles include "Bout The Love", "Let Me Be The One", "Love Won't Harm No One", "El Bobo", "Kemo Kemo", "A Quiet Thing", and "Flying High". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Reach Out" and "Boston".

Webster Lewis takes off wonderfully here – finding a completely unique groove that's equal parts club, soul, and fusion! The album's almost as sublime as Roy Ayers' best from the time – and has a similar balance that's perfectly done – a depth of thought that goes way beyond conventional club, and a willingness to bring in lots more complicated elements from various jazz sources. Webster's keyboards are nicely out front in the set – and there's some great vocals by a female chorus who sweeten up the sound nicely, but not in ways that are too commercial or cliched. The whole thing's great – a righteous masterpiece through and through – and tracks include "Hideaway", "There's A Happy Feeling", "Touch My Love", "Believe In Yourself", "Barbara Ann", and "Loving". CD features 4 bonus tracks too "Wee Church", "Japanese Umbrella", "Spirit Of Love", and "Touch My Love (alt mix)".

The second album from UK soul trio Loose Ends and the one that really helped them breakthrough! Like their previous album, So Where Are You was produced by Philly producer Nick Martinelli, but this one finds the group tightening up the groove into a more focused modern soul style – mid 80s period production. Dancefloor friendly, but with a focus on the tight focus on the traded male & female lead vocals and really strong songwriting – co-written by the group. Includes "Magic Touch", "A New Horizon", "So Where Are You?", "Golden Years", "Silent Talking", "Hangin' On A String", "Give It All You Got", "The Sweetest Pain" and more. This Soulmusic.com CD edition includes 5 bonus track – including a version of "Magic Touch" featuring Roy Ayers on vibes! Others include "Hangin' On A String (The Twilight Firm All Night Mix)", "Hangin' On A String (Frankie Knuckles Club Mix)", "Golden Years (UK 12" Single Mix).

A wonderful record by Bobby Lyle – and a genius blend of jazz, soul, and lots of other righteous sounds! Lyle started out as a keyboardist, but this album really has him taking off as a vocalist too – working in a sweet Roy Ayers-styled groove – one that blends mellow rhythms with warmly jazzy inflections – with roots in fusion, yet a tighter soul finish overall! Lyle's still got a few keyboard flights – of the sort heard on The Genie – but with Wayne Henderson at the production helm, things are a bit tighter overall – given a really wonderful focus that makes Bobby sound better than ever. Titles include the great funky number "Groove (Ain't No Doubt About It)", the warm stepper "Good Inside", and cool keyboard grooves like "Star Traveler", "Missing Your Love", and "Inner Space".

A stone classic from Bobby Lyle – and a record that really has him stepping out strongly, both as a keyboardist and a singer! Bobby's strength at this point is undeniable – and he's got a perfect sense of balance that rivals contemporaries like Roy Ayers or Webster Lewis – both of whom work in a similarly jazzy groove! Lyle plays some great Fender Rhodes on the set – plus other more way-out keyboards too – and production is by the At-Home team, who really know how to bring in a strong sense of focus to the grooves, while still letting the best jazzy elements flourish. Titles include "Space Place", "Stop Running Away From Love", "Getting Into Love", "Dream Lady", "Stop Running Away From Love", and "For Love".

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

Very groovy stuff – and one of Herbie Mann's best records from the 60s! In a way, this album's very similar to some of the best Verve "groovy experimental" albums from the same period – like some of Cal Tjader's Eastern/Latin work – and it features Herbie playing with a wide range of instrumentation that includes oud, zither, harp, and lots of eastern percussion – really adding some great elements to the jazzy tunes. Keeping things real, though, are some key musicians – Roy Ayers on vibes, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, and Julian Priester on trombone – plus wicked rhythm from Reggie Workman on bass, Bruno Carr on drums, and Patato Valdez on percussion. Tracks are very groovy – with a mixture of jazz and exotic instrumentation – and titles include "Turkish Coffee", "Odalisque", "Uskudar", "Eli Eli", and "Dance Of The Semites".

Herbie Mann's going for a bit of a Memphis soul groove on this album – but he handles the work with his own sort of flair, and takes the style in a whole new direction! Unlike other sessions of this nature, Herbie didn't just fly down to Memphis and cook up a standard batch of tracks in the studio – and instead, he produced the whole thing himself, and is working in a mode that uses southern soul as a starting point, but which also takes off in some of the headier, trippier directions of Mann's Embryo imprint on Atlantic. Players here include Roy Ayers on vibes, George Bohannon on trombone, Sonny Sharock on guitar, Miroslav Vitous on bass, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and the groove is plenty darn funky throughout, with lots of long tracks that almost seem to have a dose of 70s soundtrack funk in the mix! The cut "Memphis Two Step" is a great little funk track with a monster drum break at the beginning that really gets the track grooving – and other titles include "Soul Man", "Guinnevere", "Acapulco Rain", "Kabuki Rock", and "Down On The Corner".

Herbie Mann's opening plenty of windows with this one – and plenty of doors too – really letting some new influences come to his music, thanks to the presence of Sonny Sharrock on guitar and Roy Ayers on vibes! The album's one of Herbie's wildest from the 60s – and the mix of vibes, flute, and guitar is very very nice – a great blend that really gives a strong showcase to both younger players. Ayers' vibes are especially wonderful – similar to his own soulful Atlantic albums of the period – and Sharrock's guitar isn't as crazy as in later years, but has this sharp edge that's really different than usual for most of his jazz contemporaries. The album features great covers of "There Is A Mountain" and "If I Were A Carpenter" – plus surprisingly bold tunes that include Wayne Shorter's "Footprints", Charles Tolliver's "Paper Man", and Ayers' own "Windows Opened".

Smooth soulful jazz from Harvey Mason – one of his strong 70s winners for the Arista album, and a record that really brings a new level of class to his sound! There's less of the grit in the grooves than you might expect from the down-home reference of the title – and in a way, the record's a similar shift to well-produced R&B as Michael Henderson or Norman Connor's work from the same time – a soaring, fluid groove that's still supported by solid jazz instrumentation, but which also has a nice dose of soul in the mix! Players here are a real all-star lineup – with talents that include Dorothy Ashby, George Benson, Ronnie Foster, Bob James, and Phil Upchurch – and most cuts have vocals, by The Waters and others. But possibly best of all is the production – which is by Harvey, and really wonderful – sophisticated and smooth, but never slick – a really careful balance that really puts him right up there with Norman Connors or Roy Ayers! Titles include "Pack Up Your Bags", "Till You Take My Love", "Funk In A Mason Jar", "What's Going On", "Set It Free", "Space Cadets" and "Freedom Either Way". This expanded edition from Soulmusic.com includes 2 bonus tracks: "Pack Up Your Bags (US Single)" and "Till You Take My Love (Original 12" Mix – UK Single)".

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's never been done this perfectly again! James Mason's a player who's know for a bit of keyboard work with other artists – but here, he's really working as a collective power – bringing together a brilliant ensemble that work as one to hit some sublime sounds – much in the way that Roy Ayers could work some key magic with his groups at the same time, but with a vibe that's very different too. Players include Ayers associates Justo Almario on saxes and Philip Woo on piano – and a young Narada Michael Walden adds some excellent drums to the record – a lot more powerful and funky than on most of his own albums! Lead vocals are by Clarice Taylor – who's got this unique voice that really makes the record – proud, but sensitive at the same time too – and Mason plays lots of Fender Rhodes, polymoog, Arp, and a bit of guitar. Titles include the breakbeat classic "Funny Girl", the monster groover "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the funky "Slick City", and the massive "Free" – but every cut's a winner, and others include "Mbewe", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Dreams". This is the kind of album that makes us proud to be in business!

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

A mindblower from Menagerie – yet another deep musical chapter in the rich career of Lance Ferguson – an artist we loved for his early club work, then dug as a funk maestro with The Bamboos, now able to hit spiritual jazz sounds with this wonderful new group! The set's got a feel that's more in the Build An Ark/Carlos Nino camp than anything else we've heard on the Tru Thoughts label – and Menagerie's a very cool ensemble with Ferguson on guitar, plus tenor, flute, trumpet, soprano sax, Fender Rhodes, and lots of percussion – and added vibes from Roy Ayers on one key track! Vocals are great – sung by Lance and female singers together, in a mode that recalls some of Ayers' more righteous moments of the 70s – and the album's a stunner all the way through – way deeper than we were expecting. Titles include "They Shall Inherit", "The Chosen", "Jamahlia", "Leroy & The Lion", "The Quietening", and "There Will Come Soft Rains".

A mindblower from Menagerie – yet another deep musical chapter in the rich career of Lance Ferguson – an artist we loved for his early club work, then dug as a funk maestro with The Bamboos, now able to hit spiritual jazz sounds with this wonderful new group! The set's got a feel that's more in the Build An Ark/Carlos Nino camp than anything else we've heard on the Tru Thoughts label – and Menagerie's a very cool ensemble with Ferguson on guitar, plus tenor, flute, trumpet, soprano sax, Fender Rhodes, and lots of percussion – and added vibes from Roy Ayers on one key track! Vocals are great – sung by Lance and female singers together, in a mode that recalls some of Ayers' more righteous moments of the 70s – and the album's a stunner all the way through – way deeper than we were expecting. Titles include "They Shall Inherit", "The Chosen", "Jamahlia", "Leroy & The Lion", "The Quietening", and "There Will Come Soft Rains".

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)".

A landmark in 70s jazz and Latin – one of 2 legendary sets cut during the decade by composer/arranger Bobby Vince Paunetto – easily one of the most unique voices of his generation! Bobby's got an approach to melody that's all tied up in the rhythms – one that has most of the instruments in the group vamping along with the grooves, while solos take off in wonderful flights that soar to the skies on waves of sound and soul – echoing a sense of joy and life that few other albums of the period can match, and hitting a groove that's complex, yet instantly moving and deeply personal. Players include Tom Harrell on trumpet, Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax, Billy Drewes on soprano sax, and Bobby himself on vibes – sounding wonderful throughout the album, matching the 70s brilliance of Roy Ayers or Bobby Hutcherson! Also features percussion by Manny Oquendo, Jerry Gonzale, and Milton Cardona – and titles include "Osiris", "Fenway Funk", "In Time's Time", "Spanish Maiden" and "Brother Will". Essential!

Great lost funky soul material from one of the few non-rap acts on Sugarhill. The group maintain a very strong jazzy club sound – with a bit of a Wayne Henderson/At Home groove, and a nice polished finish. Some tracks even have a strong positive vibe, and the kind of righteous mellow soul that follows in a Leroy Hutson/Roy Ayers tradition. Songs are all in a good midtempo groove, and they've got some excellent hooks! Includes the breakdance cut "We Got The Funk", plus "Tell Me What You See", "Today It Snowed", "You're Welcome", and "People Get On Up".

One of the most soulful Sun Ra albums ever – very much on the Lanquidity tip, and done with a great mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation! The vibe here is really mellow, spiritual, and warm – and the album actually feels a lot more like a session recorded for the Strata East label than it does for Saturn! Keyboards pervade the session – electric piano and organ drifting around in moody, laidback lines – augmented by occasional vibes, bits of guitar, and some wonderfully well-blown sax solo work by Marshall Allen and John Gilmore! The title track "Sleeping Beauty" runs for all of side two of the album – and it's an amazing little number that mixes instrumental passages with some great mellow Roy Ayers-styled vocals. "Door Of The Cosmos" is a bit of a groover, and even gets a bit funky at times – and the album also features the laidback spacey number "Springtime".

One of the greatest albums of all time – a masterpiece of moody soul, spacey vocals, and jazzy vibes – all produced by the legendary Roy Ayers! Ramp take their name from the anagram Roy Ayers Musical Productions – and in a way, the group's the summation of all the genius that Roy had been cooking up on his own albums of the 70s – served up at an even higher level than before! The group boasts a unique two-female vocal style – sung together in a mode that had been used on Roy's own albums, but never this fully – all supported by some complex jazzy instrumentation, very heavy on the vibes and keyboards! Nearly every cut is fantastic – and the album has a strange off-kilter vibe that's totally amazing, and which has captivated soul fans for years – a blend of mellow and upbeat, complicated and straightforward that's totally great. Titles include the massive cut "Daylight", sampled famously over the years, plus "American Promise", "Come Into Knowledge", "I Just Love You", and the band's great cover of "Everybody Loves the Sunshine", done in a way that's strangely both similar and different than Roy's own version!

One of the best-ever Sonny Sharrock albums – and one of the few that really captures the fresh genius of his approach! The set was recorded in New York during the period when Sonny had just come out of Herbie Mann's group with Roy Ayers – but the sound is far far different than the lightly groovy records that Sonny cut with Herbie, more of a free expression of Sharrock's dark musical vision, filtered through the politics and progressive ideas of the time. The set was recorded in New York, with Dave Burrell on piano, Milford Graves on drums, and wife Linda on voice – and unlike on other albums, Linda doesn't get in the way too much, either, and her voice is a perfect accompaniment to the dark sound of the session. Side one features the tracks "Black Woman" and "Peanut", and side two has the band joined by Teddy Daniel on trumpet, and playing the tracks "Bialero", "Blind Willy", and "Portrait Of Linda In Three Colors, All Black".

One of the best-ever Sonny Sharrock albums – and one of the few that really captures the fresh genius of his approach! The set was recorded in New York during the period when Sonny had just come out of Herbie Mann's group with Roy Ayers – but the sound is far far different than the lightly groovy records that Sonny cut with Herbie, more of a free expression of Sharrock's dark musical vision, filtered through the politics and progressive ideas of the time. The set was recorded in New York, with Dave Burrell on piano, Milford Graves on drums, and wife Linda on voice – and unlike on other albums, Linda doesn't get in the way too much, either, and her voice is a perfect accompaniment to the dark sound of the session. Side one features the tracks "Black Woman" and "Peanut", and side two has the band joined by Teddy Daniel on trumpet, and playing the tracks "Bialero", "Blind Willy", and "Portrait Of Linda In Three Colors, All Black".

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!

Massive massive work from Starship Orchestra – a trio of talents from the Norman Connors universe, but one who get some heavy help in the studio from arrangers Bobby Lyle, McKinley Jackson, and Jerry Peters! There's a real Aquarian Dream sound at play here – all the best energy of Connors' soulful years of the mid 70s, fused into a jazzier vibe overall – played to perfection, yet without any commercial touches at all – a really amazing thing for a major label album of the time! We've loved this record for years, and easily rank it right up there with the most sophisticated grooves of the time – like the best from Roy Ayers or Leroy Hutson, with some echoes of James Mason's wonderful album too. One cut has lead vocals from Joe Saulter – and other players include Lyle and Peters on keyboards, Wah Wah Watson and Paul Jackson on guitars, Don Myrick on saxes, and Louis Satterfield and George Bohannon on trombones. The whole thing's perfect – and titles include "You're A Star", "The Genie", "All Those Things", "Serious Business", and "New York New York".

A killer side project from Roy Ayers – recorded right around the same time as the Ramp album, but with a different feel over all – proof that the Ayers empire was really exploding at the end of the 70s! The vibe here is quite similar to some of Roy's own albums over at Polydor – a great balance between upbeat groovers and mellower steppers – all done with a nice undercurrent of jazz, thanks to some sweet keyboards from Philip Woo and saxes from Justo Almario – both of who played often with Ayers as well. The vocals are especially great – wrapped up warmly along the rhythms, mixing the male/female leads of Jimmy Haslip and Sylvia Cox with some additional backing vocals from group members – creating a righteous ensemble sound that's totally wonderful, and very much in the Roy Ayers spirit. Titles include "Spread It", "If You Wanna See The Sunshine", "The Five Flies", "Midnight After Dark", and "Love Is Love".

One of the most soul-based albums in Michal Urbaniak's catalog – a session originally done with TK records during the height of their dancefloor years, fitted up with some really great clubby grooves! The sound here is a mix of fusion and soul – done in a way that still gives Urbaniak plenty of room to solo on violin, sax, and keys – but which also sets up a warmer groove overall and really lets the vocals come center stage. Urszula Dudziak sings on about half the tracks – and other vocals are by Kenyatta and Calvin Brown – and the jazzy inflections of the tune really set this apart from lots of the other Miami disco on Marlin, giving the record a much deeper feel overall, and a quality that's held up very nicely through the years! Dark edges mix with warmer moments nicely, almost in a Roy Ayers way – and titles include "A Day In The Park", "Just A Funky Feeling", "Body Rub", "Ecstasy", "Creation", and "Want's Ta Make You Feel Good".

Latiny tracks from Gerald Wilson – but done with his usual tight LA soul jazz groove! Wilson swings, as always, and leads a band of LA players with a fabulous mix of styles. The set's got Harold Land, Anthony Ortega, Laurindo Almeida, Roy Ayers, Teddy Edwards, and Jimmy Woods – to name but a few – and the performances are fantastic as each individual member surrenders to the larger aims of the group. Not that Wilson's totally blotting out their individual talents, though, as the record's filled with tiny eruptions of sound from individual members as they crash through a groovy set of tracks that includes "La Mentira", "The Serpent", "Man Of La Mancha", and "The Golden Sword". Great stuff, very dramatic, and very jazzy!

Possibly the best-ever collection of blacksploitation grooves we've ever seen – a really comprehensive package that not only manages to cover the classics, but which also digs deep enough to come up with lots of fresh bits too! The set really sets a new level for the Soul Jazz label – and is carried off with enough authority towards Black Action films as the label's legendary efforts towards a host of less mainstream genres – truly an achievement for the label's crew, not to mention a heavier bonus for our funky listening pleasure! There's way more here than just a slapped-together batch of tunes from the early 70s – as the set's very carefully put together to showcase a wide range of sounds, along with notes that really get at the social and political power of both the music and the films. 2CD package features a massive color booklet inside the slipcase – and features 34 tracks that include "Shaft In Africa" by Johnny Pate, "Down & Out In New York City" by James Brown, "Wilford's Gone" by The Blackbyrds, "Run Fay Run" by Isaac Hayes, "Theme From Black Belt Jones" by Dennis Coffey, "Willie Chase" by JJ Johnson, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Charley" by Don Costa, "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch, "Blacula" by Gene Page, "Theme From Cleopatra Jones" by Joe Simon, "Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile" by Isaac Hayes, "Sweetback's Theme" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Aragon" by Roy Ayers, "Strung Out" by Gordon Staples, "Easin In" by Edwin Starr, "The Bus" by Solomon Burke & Gene Page, "Make A Resolution" by The Impressions, "Ed & Digger" by Cotton Comes To Harlem, "Las Vegas Strut" by Jack Ashford, "Lay It On Your Head" by Don Julian, and "Zombie March" by Nat Dove & The Devils.

Not classic disco – but a wealth of 80s soul – packed into a double-length set that's overflowing with R&B gems from the years beyond disco! Most tunes are still pretty clubby – not in an underground way, but with some of the styles of the more important soul modes of the time – those ways of hitting a groove with plenty of midtempo rhythms, sweet stepping moments, and even a bit of boogie too! Titles include "Middle Of The Night" by Body, "Passion From A Woman" by Krystol, "In The Dark" by Roy Ayers, "Rock Steady" by The Whispers, "Ain't Nothin Goin On But The Rent" by Gwen Guthrie, "Don't Let Go Of Me" by Mike & Brenda Sutton, "If You Can Do It I Can Too" by Meli'Sa Morgan, "Strip This Heart" by John Adams, "Back To Love" by Evelyn King, and "Falling In Love" by Sybil.

A spiritual jazz classic – one of the rarest albums of its type from the 70s! This legendary session was recorded by Roy Ayers' keyboardist Harry Whitaker – working here as the leader of the Black Renaissance group, a one-shot ensemble that featured Woody Shaw on trumpet, Azar Lawrence on saxes, Buster Williams on bass, and Mtume on percussion. The session was cut in New York in 1976, but only issued on a rare album that came out briefly in Japan. Yet somehow, the quality of the work and the depth of soulfulness have created a strong aura about the session – making it an oft-cited influence by a generation of DJs and soul jazz listeners. The album only features 2 long tracks – both of them strong ensemble numbers that build modally searching grooves in a Strata East-like style, peppered with voices, both sung and spoken, in a hip, socially conscious mode. Both tracks – "Black Renaissance" and "Magic Ritual" are excellent, on a par with the best 70s spiritual soul jazz!

This album was such a big hit for Herbie that it's easy to forget the sheer raw power of the group – a mighty quartet that included Roy Ayers on vibes, and both Sonny Sharrock and Larry Coryell on guitars – jamming with a hard but ragged edge, and getting some tighter backing here by a hip Memphis soul rhythm section! The groove is great, with a heavier, funkier approach than Herbie was using on previous albums – and the tunes are all nice and long, with plenty of room for really great instrumental interplay! Titles include "Hold On, I'm Comin", "Chain Of Fools", and "Memphis Underground".

One of the best Herbie Mann albums from the 60s, and a very cool live set that features some great guest work by Rufus Harley – playing his usual crazy soul jazz bagpipes – plus nice work by Roy Ayers and Reggie Workman. Added to the mix are some crazy Middle Eastern percussionists – and the tracks are nice and long with a hauting modal feel. Titles include "Wailing Dervishes", "Flute Bag", "In the Medina", and "Armenian Lullaby".