All Categories -- All Formats  

A great little album by this jazzy soul harmony quartet! The record is their first on Elektra, and has a slightly more modern sound than earlier years -- but it retains all the best parts of their Fantasy recordings -- and is perhaps even better than them, because it has less tracks in which the group is goofing around, and more in which they're going for a straight soulful sound! Augie Johnson of At-Home Productions produced, so the record still has that Wayne Henderson jazzed-up groove -- and the group features female vocals by Miki Howard, plus the usual three male harmony sound -- a wonderful blend that's unlike anything else we can think of. Includes their nice version of "Superwoman", plus the tracks "Close To Me", "Georgy Porgy", "Black Beauty", and "I Feel It's Real".

Love the groove here -- a very unique take on harmony soul, and one that's steeped in jazzy roots, but carried off with a classy 80s groove! Credit really goes to group member Augie Johnson, who also produced the whole thing -- getting this great mix of soul and funky fusion put together perfectly -- all with these complicated elements that really push the vocal parts past any obvious territory -- a wicked sound that really sets Side Effect apart from the rest. Miki Howard's leads are bold and proud, but the male harmonies are a key component of the record too -- and the whole thing's got just the right blend of polish and soul to keep Side Effect a favorite of ours for many years. Titles include "Take Me As I Am", "My Way", "Attitudes", "You Can Do It", "Music Is My Way Of Life", "Forever My Love", and "I Want To".

A long-overdue collection of work by one of the greatest funky soul groups of the 70s -- the mighty mighty Side Effect, a combo who cut some killer albums for Fantasy at the end of the decade! Side Effect were unique in that they had a harmony style with its roots in jazz, yet worked in a mode that was clearly directed by the jazz funk styles of the time -- particularly the funky At Home production sound of Crusaders member Wayne Henderson, who mentored the group heavily during their time at Fantasy. Together, Henderson and Side Effect crafted some really wonderful mellow soul grooves -- sweet steppers with a nice midtempo bounce, and a warm feel for west coast soul. The 17 tracks on this set really represent some of the best work the group recorded at the time -- all-great tracks from 4 different albums, compiled together with a good set of notes! Titles include "Open Up Your Heart", "Oh Baby", "SOS", "Always There", "Spend It On Love", "Keep That Same Old Feeling", "There She Goes Again", "Never Be The Same", "She's A Lady", "I Know You Can", "Cloudburst", "Watching Life", "Falling In Love Again", "I Like Dreaming", "Keep On Keepin On", and "Finally Found Someone".

Wonderful work from Side Effect -- a sweet little record that really has the group changing things up nicely from their Fantasy years! Production is still by Augie Johnson, and has a really strong Wayne Henderson/At-Home Productions vibe -- lots of jazz in the mix, which warm things up beautifully, and gives the group a mature grounding that really sets them apart from their contemporaries. The vocals are quite complex at points -- way more than standard harmony soul -- and the mix of three male and one female voice really breaks away from other girl-plus-guys records of this nature. Sublime throughout -- with cuts that include the great mellow groove "Midnight Lover", plus "Do It", "Make You Mine", "It's Got To Be Love", "Reggae Dancin", and "The Loneliest Man In Town".

Side Effect's first album on Fantasy -- and a great batch of jazzy soul tunes that showcases their tight harmony style! Wayne Henderson produced, and the group's filled with west coast jazz funk masters, like Ronnie Laws, Joe Sample, Spider Webb, Arthur Adams, and others. Lots of nice ensemble harmonies, and a good jazzy soul sound that's in keeping with Henderson's At-Home imprint. Tracks include "Oh Baby", "There She Goes Again", "Spend It On Love", "Tree Of Love", "Checkin It Out", and "I Love You So Much".

Sweet and funky soul from the San Francisco scene of the 70s -- rare work recorded in the 70s, but not issued until now! The group are very much in the best tradition of those in the Fantasy Records scene of the time -- with the sweet jazzy feel of Pleasure, the tightly stepping groove of Side Effect, and the warm modern soul touches that were often heard in the best Oakland acts, produced with a warm sensitivity that's kept the music fresh over all the years! The group's quite large, and has a variety of different instrumental styles -- shifting from jazzy to funky to mellow with a classic 70s ensemble feel. Titles include "Always", "Is It Love", "Never Going To Be", "As Long As We're Together", "I Just Want To Tell You", "Don't Take Your Love Away", and "It's Alright Tonight".

Classic style funky soul from Daptone supergroup the Menahan Street Band -- featuring members of the Dap-Kings, El Michels Affair, and Budos Band -- and a killer guest vocal by Charles Bradley! "The Telephone Song" sounds like a lost soul nugget, from the gritty 70 style instrumentation to the old school telephone sound effect that kicks it off -- with Charles's achingly soul vocals in full control. The flip side is essentially the instrumental version, titled as "Tired Of Fighting" as it appears on the Menahan Street Band's Make The Road By Walking. The very embodiment of the neo classic funky soul sound!

Smooth jazzy soul from this massively overlooked group from the 70s! Although many know their bigger recordings on Sussex, these Polydor sides are much more appealing to us, and have a nice jazzy soul sound that's similar to work of groups like Side Effect -- with a mixture of harmony soul and more complicated arrangements, touched by a bit of funk, and some more sophisticated modern soul production. This LP includes an excellent funky cut called "Funky Luvah", plus the tracks "Pass The Feelin On", "Turn On To Music", "Don't Be Afraid", and "I Want Ya (Loving Me)".

A pretty catchy bit of Miami club from the late 70s -- and an album that sounds a heck of a lot better than you might think from its silly pink cover! The group's actually got a strong acoustic sound underpinning their grooves -- with some excellent percussion underneath the best tracks, and some vocals that almost hit a scatting harmony range that reminds us of Side Effect or the LA Boppers. There's a definite Latin bent to some of the better tunes too -- almost hitting in a Kid Creole style, but without the retro touches. Titles include "Mademoiselle", "Tena's Song", "Ready For Love", "Get Off", and "It's Happening".

Sweet! Not only is this the CD debut of this great 80s title, butit's loaded with bonus material, too! Sure, for the longest time the purist reggae lover side of us wants to dismiss this is a largely commercial crossover record, but the electro loving side of us can't get enough of the title track, which was also covered to great effect by Rocker's Revenge. Much of the rest of the record hews closer to traditional reggae and Caribbean grooves, but with a great modern electro influence showing through in spots. This CD includes the 8 original tracks off the LP, including "Walking On Sunshine", "Living On The Front Line", "The Front Line Symphony" and "Dancing In Guyana", plus the 6 minute "American version" of "Walking On Sunshine", an extended edit of "Say I Love You", the Nigerian version of "Say I Love You" entitled "Wipe Mo Nfe E" and parts 1 and 2 of the 12" version of "Nobody's Got Time" by the Coach House Rhythm Section! There's also a fab bonus DVD with live concert footage of Eddy in Buenos Aires in 1982 and in Milan in 1979!

Sublime work from this jazzy harmony combo -- a really unique group who took older vocal modes and fused them onto tight modern soul grooves! This set may well be the best-ever from the group -- a perfectly produced album done with Augie Johnson of At Home Productions -- with a warmly sparkling vibe that's right up there with the best At Home work for Creative Source or Side Effect -- both groups who'd be a good comparison to this one! There's a few upbeat funk numbers that are pretty sweet, but the best cuts are usually the laidback, mellower ones -- which really have LA Boppers hitting their stride. Titles include the killer cut "Watching Life" -- a smooth mellow groover, and one of their best tracks -- plus "Saturday", "Funk It Out", "Life Is What You Make It", "You Did It Good", "Is This The Best", and "Are We Wrong".

Pure sing jay delight over seminal digital rhythms! This expanded edition of Nitty Gritty's solid Turbo Charged album for Jammy's features the heavyweight 80s posse from Jammy's in full effect -- Steely and Clevie plus Wayne Smith and of course, Jammy himself. There's a ton of crucial 80s dancehall tracks included here, with Nitty Gritty's rough but mellow vocals that lean nicely on the singing side of the sing jay equation. 14 tracks in all, including 2 rubs of "Gimme Some A Your Something" (both digital and human rhythms), plus "Turbo Charge", 'Ram Up The Dance", "Rub A Dub A Kill You", "Cry Cry Baby", "Down In The Ghetto", "Don't Want to Lose You", "Hog In A Minty", "Run Down The World", "Man In A House" and "False Alarm".

Let there be funk, and plenty of it -- a massive helping of heavy grooves from the 70s -- including some key tracks by some of the funkiest groups of the time! The collection starts with gems from the Fantasy Records vault, then moves out into a range of other labels too -- and it's got a great focus on break-heavy numbers that should easily be recognized from famous sample usage over the years! Titles include "Message From The Meters" by Funk Inc, "The Same Thing" by Sly & The Family Stone, "New Orleans" by Idris Muhammad, "Positive Thing" by Mandrill, "Rated X" by Kool & The Gang, "Let There Be Funk" by Patrice Rushen, "Yes We Can Can" by Pointer Sisters, "Hair" by Graham Central Station, "Funky Force" by Larry Williams, "Give Up The Booty" by Jimmy Smith, "You've Got To Do Your Best" by Pazant Brothers, "Marching In The Streets" by Harvey Mason, and "Potential" by Jimmy Castor. LP version features 3 bonus tracks -- "Lez Git Stoopid" by Space Cadets, "Funky Bunch" by Ice, and "Life Is What You Make It" by Side Effect.

Soul and gospel, gospel and soul -- a beautiful marriage in music that's summed up perfectly in this sweet little set! It's no secret that gospel music had plenty of influence on soul back in the early days -- but as the genre went on, soul ended up throwing a mighty sound back at gospel too -- so that by the late 60s, both musics were pretty well tied together in styles, themes, and spirit! This collection digs even deeper than the already-great first volume from Soul Jazz -- and brings together a wide range of work that illustrates the powerful effect that soul had on gospel back in the late 60s and 1970s -- righteous lessons learned from the secular side of the spectrum, folded back to make the spiritual even hipper than before! As always with Soul Jazz, plenty of care went into the set -- and the music is provided with an extremely thoughtful track list that goes way past the obvious -- as well as a good set of notes to back up the choices. Plus, the tunes here are often quite funky -- almost making the package a "gospel funk" collection! 20 tracks in all -- including "We Should All Thank The Lord" by The Lovers Of God, "I'll Keep A Light In My Window" by NYCC, "Why Am I Treated So Bad" by Sweet Inspirations, "Let Him Come In" by Howard Lemon Singers, "Keep Trying" by Mildred Clark, "Dead End Street" by Clara Ward, "Since I've Been Born Again" by Martha Bass, "You'd Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Do Your Thing" by Marion Gaines Singers, "Praise His Name" by The Stovall Singers, "Let Them Talk" by Meditation Singers, "When Will It End" by The Sensational Cymbals, and "After The Rain" by Pastor TL Barrett.

This is the kind of compilation we love to hear -- an all-positive batch of righteous soul tunes from the 70s! Classics and lesser-known numbers intermingle nicely in this brilliant batch of tunes -- a soaring selection of cuts that sparkle wonderfully next to each other -- grooving with a mellow soul feel, and steeped in a sweet blend of keyboards, funky rhythms, and deeply soulful vocals. The set's got a spirit-lifting feel that's simply sublime -- the kind of grooves that are bound to restore your faith in life, love, and music! Titles include "Love From The Sun" by Roy Ayers, "It's Your World" by Gil Scott Heron, "The Way We Live" by Raw Soul Express, "Spread Love" by Al Hudson & The Soul Partners, "Set It Out" by Detroit Emeralds, "Another Life" by Caesar Frazier, "Let There Be Peace" by Mighty Ryders, "Always There" by Side Effect, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Ring My Bell" by Rance Allen, and "Express Yourself" by New York Community Choir.

One of the greatest Saturn albums! This one has Ra playing clavioline and echoey "cosmic side drums" with a great spacey sound that was probably arrived at through some primitive reverb and echo techniques! The overall effect is everything you'd imagined about Sun Ra -- a mixture of hardbop, soul jazz, and some spacey musings that are definitely out of this world! Titles include "Moon Dance", "Voice of Space", and "Adventure Equation". Beautiful blue and white image on the front cover, with that stark Saturn Records look -- and a very cool sound overall!

Always-great work from the team of Ashford & Simpson -- the kind of a record that has them at the top of their game, even though they'd changed their overall sound over the years! The vibe here is more in an 80s groove mode than some of the duo's Warner albums, but they've still got an undeniable talent for a massive hook -- the kind that makes even the simplest tunes really go over the top. Plus, they're just about one of the only male/female duo teams that you can hear on record and actually believe that both singers are on the same page! Titles include "Side Effect", "Experience", "It's A Rush", "High-Rise", "Still Such A Thing", "It's Much Deeper", "I'm Not That Tough", and "My Kinda Pick Me Up".

13 classic jazz funk tracks -- a perfect summation of the sweet funky fusion sound coming out of Fantasy Records in the 70s! The set brings together a number of classic tracks, including a few that haven't been reissued that easily before -- and overall, the feel is a bright and sunny blend of funky rhythms, electric solos, and warm and soulful production. Titles include "Always There" by Side Effect, "Future Now" by Pleasure, "Happy Music" by The Blackbyrds, "You're Gonna Lose Me" by Freddie Hubbard, "Straight To The Bank" by Bill Summers, "The Hump" by Patrice Rushen, "River's Invitation" by Hank Crawford & Jimmy McGriff, "Rock Creek Park" by The Blackbyrds, "I Need You Girl" by Three Pieces, and "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" by Stanley Turrentine.

A damn incredible package of work from Daryl Hall & John Oates -- one that's got way more than just the stock greatest hits you'd find on other box sets, and which is filled with loads of rare moments alongside the classics! There's a vibe here that's really wonderful -- an approach that really unlocks the more soulful side of the Hall & Oates sound -- especially since the collection begins with a fair bit of pre-fame recordings, and also includes some rare live tracks from the mid 70s -- plus a number of other previously unreleased gems too! Hits are still out in full effect, but they only comprise about half the material here -- making the set list a great journey between the fresh and familiar -- all wrapped up with a great booklet that has lots of rare photos and commentary on each track by the duo. 16 previously unreleased tracks, and 74 tracks in all -- with cuts that include "I Need Your Love" (by The Masters), "Girl I Love You" (by The Temptones), "Perkiomen", "Fall In Philadelphia", "Lady Rain (live)", "Camellia", "The Woman Comes & Goes", "I Don't Wanna Lose You (7" rmx)", "Don't Go Out", "Possession Obsession (live)", "So Close (live)", "Storm Warning", "Have You Ever Been In Love (demo)", "I Want Someone (live from Daryl's house)", "Dreamer (72-09 redux)", "Heartbreak Time", "Las Vegas Turnaround", "She's Gone", "Love You Like A Brother", "Did It In A Minute", "Go Solo", "Kiss oOn My List", "Crazy Eyes", and lots lots more!

Mato refigures some benchmark hip hop singles as reggae groovers! The a-side is Mato Vs The Beastie Boys -- with the Beasties' "Intergalactic" is given an uptempo ska backdrop, rollicking along with some real rhthmic heat -- and the inimitable B-Boy vocals in full effect. The flip is Mato Vs Public Enemy on "Bring The Noise" -- slowed down a bit, more of a headnodder anthem with <ato's applied reggae groove -- rather than the revolutionary call of the PE original!

A brilliant collection of smooth soul -- featuring many unreissued tunes! The set dips into the rich (and under-remembered) legacy of modern soul produced for the WEA family of labels during the late 70s and early 80s, featuring LP gems that possibly never became super-huge hits, but which have had fantastic lasting power, and are still some of the big favorites of the groove scene today! Titles include "I Can't Forget About You" by Ronn Matlock, "Midnight Lover" by Side Effect, "Spoiled" by Ben E King, "Loving You" by Donald Byrd, "Riding High" by Faze O, "Funky Sensation" by Gwen McCrae, "Sweet Rain" by Dee Dee Bridgewater, "Sandman" by Undisputed Truth, "How Long" by Debra Laws, "Paradise" by Leroy Hutson, "Remind Me" by Patrice Rushen, "Warm Weather" by Pieces Of A Dream, and "Move Me No Mountain" by Dionne Warwick.

A totally whacked out record of cool tracks about robots put together by monster genius Forrest Ackerman and sound experimenter Frank Coe! The album has a really wonderful sci-fi feel -- one that's often stark and simple, a bit like that of some of Bruce Haack's earliest albums -- with spare electronics used boldly alongside other primitive sound effects! The first half features Forrest reading "The Tin Age Story" a spooky piece about a robot, complete with sound effects and percussion -- and the rest features two longer tracks -- "Robo Rock" and "Tone Tales From Tomorrow" -- both with spare electronic instrumentation from Coe!

A stellar sampler of atmospheric psyche funk instrumental genius in the modern sound library Disposable Music subscription series -- featuring instrumentals from Vampires Of Dartmore on one side credited to the Crime Sound Orchestra -- and Ackermann/Thusek's Science Fiction Dance Party on the other! The Vampire side features the tripped out funky basslines, ominous yet groovy effects, heavy drums and pulp funk instrumental grooves straight from Dracula's cabinet! The Science Fiction Dance Party sounds like that and more -- mad groovy funk rock sounds galore! Includes "Crime Sound" (#s 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 & 10) by Crime Sound Orchestra and "Science Fiction" (#s 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 & 10" by Ackerman/Thusek

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s -- a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general -- and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record -- expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision -- and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! Players include Wayne Shorter, Lenny White, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Jack DeJohnette, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, and John McLaughlin -- and tracks include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down".

A wild mix of soundscapes and electronics -- with an ethnic groove over the top, broken-down fuzzed out keyboards in the middle, and speaker-blowing percussion at the base (or should we say bass!) The mysterious Doctor L mixes things up like a Jamaican mad scientist dubmaster -- and the overall effect is very similar to recent work on the French Comet label, like stuff by Bum Cello, or some of the wilder tracks on Tony Allen's Black Voices LP. In fact, Allen makes an appearance on the record -- but he's kind of buried amidst all the beats and bass. Less funky than spacey and spooky -- but pretty compelling nonetheless. Titles include "The Big Band", "Untasty Whisper", "Psycho On The Bus", "Dark Days Are Over", and "Modular Riverside". An ep -- but with 10 tracks!

An incredible collection of work by El Kinto -- a short-lived but crucially important group in the Uruguay rock scene of the late 60s -- finally given their due in this overstuffed deluxe CD package! El Kinto were a seminal link between the beat group sounds of the earlier South American scene, and some of the headier, tripper work to come in the psychedelic years -- and their music was an unusual blend of local roots and more ambitious rock -- served up in styles that were somewhat different than the candombe music of other artists on the scene. Core rock instrumentation was often augmented by a bit of Latin percussion -- used in a way that created a nicely earthy feel at the bottom of most of the tunes, which was in contrast to the cleaner, but also somewhat spare use of guitars on the top. There's a criss-crossing sensibility here that's not unlike Brazilian Tropicalia at times -- although clearly not as politically motivated, nor as culturally radical -- and what really blows us away about these tunes is the overall sense of sound -- a simple, but extremely effective placement of all the simplest elements, to create music without easy comparison (even though we've been trying for the last few lines!) Group members include percussionist Ruben Rada and South American rock legend Eduardo Mateo -- and the package features 16 tracks by El Kinto -- plus 6 more by related artists The Knights, Aldo Y Daniel, and Roberta Lee. The whole thing's done in beautiful Soul Jazz-style packaging -- with a huge extra booklet inside a slipcase alongside the CD. Titles include "Jose", "Mejor Me Voy", "Estoy Sin Ti", "Muy Lejos Te Vas", "Esa Tristeza", "Don Pascual", "Damelo", "Pippo", "Yo Volvere Por Ti", "Como El Brillo Del Sol", "La Felicita", and "Penas De Sal".

Wonderful funky fuzzy moogy! The cover proclaims that this is the "first album of electronic rock" -- and although we don't know how true that is, the record's a nice batch of moogy covers -- featuring tracks like "Grazin In the Grass", "Aquarius", "Penny Lane", "Windmills Of Your Mind", and "Both Sides Now". Even odder, though, is the fact that the record features Eddie Higgins, that great white hope of Chicago jazz, playing the moog! The whole thing's got a great sound that's really strange, with lots of fuzzy effects, and other strange production elements thrown into the mix. Always exciting, and a real lost moogy gem!

A really nice record from Jamal's later years at Argo/Cadet, when the label was mixing up his usual trio format with some interesting settings -- in this case, a 15 piece string section, which is added to the trio of Jamal, Jamil Nasser, and Vernel Fournier -- to great effect! The strings don't make the album lose its swing -- and if anything, Jamal is more open, and more complicated than on some of his earlier sides for the label. Includes a great version of McCoy Tyner's "Effendi" -- plus the tracks "Strange", "Concern", "Invitation", and "Then I'll Be Tired Of You".

The Jonzun Crew's breakdance classic. No singing on this one, just six minutes of electro perfection and a touch of vocoder effects.

Great stuff from the girls who first put Barry White on the map! The record is the group's second -- and by this point, Barry had developed that tight snapping drum sound that made his orchestral albums work so well. You'll hear it to good effect on most songs on the LP, which have a great groove that's in the best Barry White mode of the 70s -- but which kind of dominates the girls' vocals a bit. Not that anyone should complain that much, as it's the overall package that's always made Barry's albums sound so great -- but we do wonder how the group felt when they had to sit out the first track, which was the instrumental "Love's Theme", a song that went onto become Barry's biggest song ever, and which probably sold the album a lot more than the vocal tracks. Still, you can hardly detect a note of disharmony -- and the album soars from track to track, through titles like "Under The Influence Of Love", "Say It Again", "Yes, We Finally Made It", and "It May Be Winter Outside".

Amazing work from French film composer Michel Magne -- a set of more serious compositions, but all of which still have the great ear for odd sounds and subtle humor we love in his soundtracks! The centerpiece of the set is his "Musique Tachiste" suite from 1959 -- an extended composition that features voices, instruments, and noises all coming together in a really wonderful way! Christiane Legrand handles the "voix chantee" -- a wordless singing vocal -- and Jaqueline Dano does the "voix expression", the more dramatic one in the set. Piano is by Paul Castanier, who figures heavily -- and other instrumentation includes vibes from Geo Daly, plus some spare but effective use of odd noises that really come off well. After that selection, the CD moves onto a series of 1968 recordings in which pianist Martial Solal plays the music of Magne -- set to arrangements from the legendary Jean-Claude Vannier! The sound is amazing -- jazzy, but always veering outside -- not just on Solal's trademark angular piano lines, but also in Vannier's complex shifting colors in the backdrops! Titles include "Air Liquide", "Rose Des Vents", "Clair Obscur", and "Organique". The CD features 2 more rare experimental works -- "Echellses Mobiles" from 1970, and "Mozart En Afrique" from 1972. The whole thing's great -- never too cerebral or academic, and always with a nice sense of wit.

A full length album that brings together 2 different earlier 10" sessions by Manne -- groundbreaking work in a freer mode than most of what was going on in LA during the mid 50s! Side one features material from The Three -- a 10" session that featured Manne on drums, Shorty Rogers on trumpet, and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor, clarinet, and baritone. The trio work their way -- bass and piano-less -- through tunes that include "Pas De Trois", "Flip", "Abstract No 1", and "Steeplechase". Side two features material from The Two -- an even freer session, with Manne on drums and Russ Freeman on piano -- no other accompaniment, and sounding quite revolutionary for the time! Titles include "Billie's Bounce", "The Sound Effects Manne", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Speak Easy".

Amazing lost funk from Sabu Martinez -- rare work recorded in Sweden in the early 70s, and some of his heaviest work ever -- as great, if not better than, his legendary Afro Temple album! The tunes are all long and very jamming -- fierce Latin funk numbers that feature Sabu on a range of percussion instruments -- alongside lots of electric piano, plus sax and flute from Swedish jazzman Bernt Rosengren -- who's pretty great too! In addition to congas, Sabu also handles talking drums, gong, and bongos -- plus a range of other percussion effects too -- all heard to great form on the 17 minute jammer "Burned Sugar", plus the cuts "Bernt" and "Mambollo".

A rare meeting between percussionist Sabu Martinez and reedman Sahib Shihab -- both American players, but working here in a really unique European setting! The tracks are filled with great percussion from Sabu -- that legendary groove he first laid down on Blue Note and Alegre albums years back -- handled here in a more open, searching sort of way, with a range of great percussion effects in the mix -- thanks to the presence of some additional percussionists as well. Sahib Shihab plays both sax and flute -- blowing lines that fall into the more exotic side of his talents -- quite different than his straighter jazz work, and a great reminder that he can really have a deep conception, when heard in the right setting. Overall, the sound is quite spare -- heavy on percussion, with a bit of bass -- then giving way to reeds from Shihab -- and titles include "Nus", "A Memo To Art Blakey", "The Distorted Sioux Indian", "Ghandi's Candies", "Arroz Con Leche", and "Sondagsbladet" -- which is a bonus trio track from 1967, featuring sax from Christer Boustedt instead of Shihab.

Mad music from Jean-Pierre Massiera -- the legendary producer who was steeped in the hippest sounds of the French scene of the 60s, then moved to Quebec to forge a wild style that was all his own! Jean-Pierre rarely ever issued work under his own name -- and instead recorded under a host of pseudonyms, or in projects with other artists -- which made for an ever-shifting array of new names, new sounds, and unusual records -- a good deal of which are collected here in this set! The package really focuses on the freakiest side of Massiera's sound -- the fuzzy, electric qualities that were first picked up from a European scene that included early prog, analog electronics, and hip pop experiments by folks like Pierre Henry or Jean-Claude Vannier -- moved well into Massiera's own territory over the course of recordings like this -- with lots of weird studio tricks, odd effects, and other hip bits. There's a really funky feel to many of the tracks here -- that psyche-funk groove you might find on other Finders Keepers collections -- and Andy Votel has written some very copious notes for the package, fully detailing Jean-Pierre's massive (and massively weird!) musical legacy. 18 tracks in all -- including "Space Woman" by Herman's Rocket, "Onomatopaeia" by Human Egg, "Bizarre" by Les Chats Renaissance, "Visitors" by Visitors, "Ivresse Des Profondeurs" by SEM Studios, "L'Eletrocute" by Jesus, "Itubo Del Anno" by Basile, "Mao Mao" by The Starlights, "Pop Or Not" by Chico Magnetic Band, "Kriminal Theme" by Les Maledictus Sound, "Egg" by Atlantide, "Sing Sing" by Chris Gallbert, and "Secret La Vielle Dame" by Afterlife.

Spare, crackling and soulful folk material from singer and guitarist Niela Miller -- an under acknowledged figure in the 50s & 60s folk & folk rock canon -- whose 1962 acetate of 50s recordings are now issued officially by the lost recordings saviors at Numero! Much of the lore around Neila leads to her melody for the incredible, soul shaking tune "Baby Don't Go To Town", which is effectively argued as a vital cog in the wheel that turned and turned throughout the 60s, eventually evolving into Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" -- but historical significance to other artists aside, Miller's a vital force here all on her own. A figure in the NYC folk scene, Niela works in the solo rural blues inflected side of the folk sound, never sounding less than purely authentic. She dips into a deep well of emotion without compromising on a spiritual strength, and this a worthy rescue effort by the folks at Numero! Titles include "Down Hearted Man", "Baby Don't Go To Town", "Too Long Blues", "You Gotta Know To Love", "Daddy Went To Jail", "Hushabye Blues", "Mean World Blues", "Goodbye New York", "Goodbye Blues" and "Jenny Gal".

Oh No is back as Dr No -- following up the stellar Middle Eastern rooted Oxperiment set with an even better batch of hip hop instrumentals spun from global funk, jazz & psychedelia -- the raw, funky and intoxicating beatcraft of Dr No's Ethiopium! Before the Oxperiment, we felt Oh No was one of the more underrated figures on Stones Throw -- but given the keys to the a vault full of Turkish, Lebanese and Greek rarities as a springboard he really shot into the upper echelon of innovative producers at Stones Throw, or anywhere else in the boundary busting hip hop funk underground. He steps out even further with Ethiopian -- this time with access to Stones Throw/Now Again guru Egon's collection of rare funk, jazz & psychedelic rock LPs from 60s & 70s Ethiopium -- a consistent, head nodding funky hip hop trip with Oh No's personal stamp now instantly identifiable despite the sprawling pool of sounds used to craft it. It's not only a fantastic sound in its own light, it's increasingly influential -- remember, Mos Def utilized Oh No's and his bro Madlib's explorations on his return-to-excellence Ecstatic LP -- and this might be the Dr's most effective script yet! 36 instrumentals, most on the shorter side, allowing lots of terrain to be covered in just under an hour. Titles include "Pardon Me", "Madness", "The Funk", "Carnival", "Problematic", "Fuego Tribe", "Midnight Missions", "The Pain", "Questions", "Fresh Bacon", "Melody Mix", "Excalibur", "Electronic Monsters", "Drive By", "Loopadors" and more.

Oh No is back as Dr No -- following up the stellar Middle Eastern rooted Oxperiment set with an even better batch of hip hop instrumentals spun from global funk, jazz & psychedelia -- the raw, funky and intoxicating beatcraft of Dr No's Ethiopium! Before the Oxperiment, we felt Oh No was one of the more underrated figures on Stones Throw -- but given the keys to the a vault full of Turkish, Lebanese and Greek rarities as a springboard he really shot into the upper echelon of innovative producers at Stones Throw, or anywhere else in the boundary busting hip hop funk underground. He steps out even further with Ethiopian -- this time with access to Stones Throw/Now Again guru Egon's collection of rare funk, jazz & psychedelic rock LPs from 60s & 70s Ethiopium -- a consistent, head nodding funky hip hop trip with Oh No's personal stamp now instantly identifiable despite the sprawling pool of sounds used to craft it. It's not only a fantastic sound in its own light, it's increasingly influential -- remember, Mos Def utilized Oh No's and his bro Madlib's explorations on his return-to-excellence Ecstatic LP -- and this might be the Dr's most effective script yet! 36 instrumentals, most on the shorter side, allowing lots of terrain to be covered in just under an hour. Titles include "Pardon Me", "Madness", "The Funk", "Carnival", "Problematic", "Fuego Tribe", "Midnight Missions", "The Pain", "Questions", "Fresh Bacon", "Melody Mix", "Excalibur", "Electronic Monsters", "Drive By", "Loopadors" and more.

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)".

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)".

Sublime magic from Annette Poindexter -- one of the lesser-known singers to work for the Twinight label, but a tremendous talent with an incredible voice! "Wayward Dream" has that perfect Chicago soul mix of sweetness and sophistication -- still with a gentle groove at the bottom that keeps things moving in a very subtle, but effective sort of way -- as strings slide in alongside Annette's vocals, in a way that reminds us of some of Ruby Andrews' best from the same period. The tune builds beautifully, with a deep sense of pride -- and it's backed by the equally great "Mama", another tune that uses strings in a wonderfully soulful way alongside the vocals!

Probably the best-remembered solo album from David Porter -- one half of the famous Hayes/Porter team that ruled Stax Records in the 60s, although not as successful as an artist on his own as Isaac Hayes! Porter's style is a lot more adventurous -- and this album's a wonderful illustration of that fact -- an offbeat mix of dialogue, sound effects, and straighter soul vocals -- put together as kind of a "suite", with a really unified feel. Like Hayes' baroque symphonies in soul, David's obviously trying to stretch past shorter song forms -- and we really love his creative chances on the record. Titles include the legendary "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" -- which has been sampled many times over the years -- plus the tracks "Human", "Pretty Inside", "Storm In the Summertime", "When You Have To Sneak", and "If I Give It Up I Want It Back".

A great reunion between these legendary British jazz talents -- one that shows they've lost none of their creativity over the years! The album features two different quintet sessions -- one with Don Rendell in the lead on saxes (clarinet, soprano sax, and tenor), alongside Michael Garrick on piano and Mark Bassey on trombone -- the other with Rendell on flute, alto, and tenor, with Ian Carr on trumpet and flugelhorn, and the great Robin Jones on drums. The material is relatively laidback, but there's still plenty of sharp edges -- that modern approach to hardbop that Rendell and Carr brought to British jazz at the start of the 60s -- played here with a bit more restraint, but a sound that's still quite spirited overall. Titles include "Linger With Lester", "Pause & Effect", "Bernie's Tune", "Penthouse Serenade", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "Smoke Screen", "Afterthought", and "Struttin With Some Barbecue".

Groovy, jazzy space soul soundscapes from Finland's Teddy Rok Seven -- led by Teppo Makynen -- who's worked with like minded scenesters Nu Spirit Helsinki and Five Corners Quintet -- but steps out with an amazingly strong full length! The sound is a bit tough to pin down -- it's all very trippy in a 70s soul jazz way, but still very cohesive, with pronounced influences like Herbie Hancock and George Duke in the mix -- but it's filtered through a kind of late model Schema club jazz aesthetic, with some great nods to spacey hip hop and club connoisseurs! Nicola Conte fans, don't let this one slip underneath the radar -- this a strong generator of that aesthetic -- but with a unique, jazzy sound all it's own! Teppo presides over the sound on keys, programming and percussion, with wonderful accompaniment on vibes, keys, bass, trumpet, fluegelhorn, flutes bells and layered off-kilter echoey sounds and effects! Tracks include "The Beginning", "Feel" featuring Okou, "Askaa!", "King Abdissa", "Space & Echoes", "Damn Straight", "Steady", "Around The Clock" and more.

A brilliant batch of funk soul tracks -- deep deep tunes from the late 60s and early 70s -- all hand-selected by the folks at soul-sides.com! The collection is the sort that trys to go way past the obvious -- and although a few tracks are familiar, it does a great job of bringing together the music in a way that makes each track illuminate the next -- setting themes, tones, and modes together with a subtle, but effective edge that really pays off. Some of the tracks have been on other reissues before, but compiler Oliver Wang is no stranger to the soul market these days -- and he's gone out of his way to make sure the package has a strong payoff for both new listeners and older collectors alike! Titles include "Live & Let Live" by Jimmy Jones, "Morning Sunrise" by Weldon Irvine, "Masterpiece" by Clarence Reid, "Keep My Baby Warm" by Charles May & Annette May Thomas, "Time & Place" by Lee Moses, "No More Sad Songs" by Amanda Ambrose, "Jealous Guy" by Donny Hathaway, "Piece Of My Heart" by Erma Franklin, "Lovin You" by Johnny Guitar Watson, "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by William Bell, and "Ordinary Guy" by Joe Bataan.

A fab collection of novelty numbers from the late 50s and early 60s -- all recorded during the glory days of the monster rock and roll trend! There's a tone here set by Bobby Pickett's classic "Monster Mash", but which goes way past the obvious to include a great range of lesser-known numbers -- many recorded for tiny indies of the period, and done with some madly echoing production and ultra-spooky sound effects. Rock and roll is the dominant genre, but there's also some nice entries from the jazz and R&B sides of the spectrum too -- brought together in a brilliant 28 track package that blows away any other horror-based set we've seen on the market! All legit, and presented with great notes on the music -- and titles that include "Rockin In The Graveyard" by Jackie Morningstar, "Feast Of Mau Mau" by Screamin Jay Hawkins, "Screamin Ball" by The Duponts, "Drac's Back" by Billy DeMarco, "Midnight Stroll" by The Revels, "I'm The Wolfman" by Round Robin, "Monster Party" by Bill Doggett, "Mr Werewolf" by The Kac-Ties, "My Son The Vampire" by Allan Sherman, "Nightmare Mash" by Billy Lee Riley, and "Frankenstein's Party" by The Swingin Phillies.

One of the maddest soundtracks you'll ever buy -- a strange mix of folksy tunes, sound effects, and odd noisy bits -- recorded for the equally odd film of the same name! The record is impossible to describe accurately, but it's a really dark one -- strangely fragile at some moments, with a sing-song intensity that almost makes it feel like some of the late 80s pagan folk efforts of David Tibet. Side 1 features some of the more song-based numbers. Side two is the incidental soundtrack grooves. Titles include "Chop Chop", "Corn Riggs", "Appointment WithThe Wicker Man", "Searching For Rowan", "Hobby Horse", "Summer Is A-Cumen In", and "Maypole". 16 tracks in all!

A darkly-grooving killer from pianist Horace Parlan -- and one of our favorite Blue Note albums ever! Although Parlan's always a great player on other sides for the label, this album has him stepping out with an extra edge that's really amazing -- working with brothers Tommy and Stanley Turrentine to craft some tunes that roll with the propulsive energy of the best Blue Note hardbop sides, but which also have some edgier moments, and almost point the way towards some of the new thing experiments that would transform the work of Jackie McLean! All players are still quite straight, but they've got a way of putting together tones and textures that's really wonderful -- heard to famous effect on the album's early version of Booker Ervin's track "Skoochie" -- but soaring all the way through on titles that include "On The Spur Of The Moment", "Ray C", "Al's Tune", and "Pyramid".

Boy, does the heavy slab psychedelic sludge grooves of Blue Cheer ever sound wonderful, even more than 40 years since it originally walked the earth! Outsideinside hit not too long after the classic Vincebus Eruptem, and damned if we can determine why it's not as celebrated as the debut. That fuzzed out stomp of a sound is back in full effect, as are the titanic drums and an overall sound that uses an electric blues influence as a springboard into heavy cosmic space. Includes their ferocious cover of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" plus "Feathers From Your Tree", "Just A Little Bit", "Gypsy Ball", "Come And Get It", "The Hunter", "Babylon" and "Magnolia Caboose Babyfinger".

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s -- a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general -- and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record -- expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision -- and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! Players include Wayne Shorter, Lenny White, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Jack DeJohnette, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, and John McLaughlin -- and tracks include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down".

Part one of Joe Gibbs African Dub series, featuring super-heavy spaced out dubs of Gibbs' solid gold rocker's rhythms. Underrated mixologist Errol T provides an ample helping of dub sauce, and somehow he manages to sound just this side of gimmicky when dropping in all those weird sound effects of dogs barking and sirens, but with those chubby Gibbs riddims thundering along underneath, it doesn't matter much what kind of sound effects get thrown in. Crazy fat smoked out grooves featuring: "African Dub", "Universal Dub", Midnight Movie", "Ghetto Skank", "Lime Key Rock", "Lover's Serenade", "Treasure Dub", "Schooling The Beat", "Campus Rock", "Half Ounce", "Worrier", and "East Africa".

Adrian Sherwood meets the Sugarhill (and On-U) house drummer for this album of dubby heavy beats. Doug Wimbish and Skip McDonald fill out the group on this set of heavy 80s beats with more than a touch of Sherwoods signature spacey effects and heavy synth work from Leblanc too. An obscure and great sidebar to the whole mid 80s crossover scene, and an album that presaged the whole "Headz" phenomenon that would hold sway a decade later. Includes "Major Malfunction", "Heaven On Earth", "Object-Subject", "I'll Come Up With Something" and "You Drummers Listen Good". CD features the bonus tracks "Einstein Mad (dub)", "Mechanical Movements (dub)", "Old Beat Master (mix)", and "Tick Of Time (inst)".

Amazing lost funk from Sabu Martinez -- rare work recorded in Sweden in the early 70s, and some of his heaviest work ever -- as great, if not better than, his legendary Afro Temple album! The tunes are all long and very jamming -- fierce Latin funk numbers that feature Sabu on a range of percussion instruments -- alongside lots of electric piano, plus sax and flute from Swedish jazzman Bernt Rosengren -- who's pretty great too! In addition to congas, Sabu also handles talking drums, gong, and bongos -- plus a range of other percussion effects too -- all heard to great form on the 17 minute jammer "Burned Sugar", plus the cuts "Bernt" and "Mambollo". CD also features the bonus "Polyvox Jam (parts 1 & 2)" -- plus the short spoken cut "Education".

Mad music from Jean-Pierre Massiera -- the legendary producer who was steeped in the hippest sounds of the French scene of the 60s, then moved to Quebec to forge a wild style that was all his own! Jean-Pierre rarely ever issued work under his own name -- and instead recorded under a host of pseudonyms, or in projects with other artists -- which made for an ever-shifting array of new names, new sounds, and unusual records -- a good deal of which are collected here in this set! The package really focuses on the freakiest side of Massiera's sound -- the fuzzy, electric qualities that were first picked up from a European scene that included early prog, analog electronics, and hip pop experiments by folks like Pierre Henry or Jean-Claude Vannier -- moved well into Massiera's own territory over the course of recordings like this -- with lots of weird studio tricks, odd effects, and other hip bits. There's a really funky feel to many of the tracks here -- that psyche-funk groove you might find on other Finders Keepers collections -- and Andy Votel has written some very copious notes for the package, fully detailing Jean-Pierre's massive (and massively weird!) musical legacy. 18 tracks in all -- including "Space Woman" by Herman's Rocket, "Onomatopaeia" by Human Egg, "Bizarre" by Les Chats Renaissance, "Visitors" by Visitors, "Ivresse Des Profondeurs" by SEM Studios, "L'Eletrocute" by Jesus, "Itubo Del Anno" by Basile, "Mao Mao" by The Starlights, "Pop Or Not" by Chico Magnetic Band, "Kriminal Theme" by Les Maledictus Sound, "Egg" by Atlantide, "Sing Sing" by Chris Gallbert, and "Secret La Vielle Dame" by Afterlife.

One of the tightest, most soulful performances we've ever heard from Nicole Mitchell -- a set that has her really hitting with an even more righteous sound than before! The session's a live one, recorded at Chicago's Velvet Lounge -- and Nicole's in wonderful territory that's somewhere between the freer modes of the AACM, and some of the more spiritual sides of the post-Coltrane generation -- carried off with a depth that almost reminds us of some of our early 70s favorites on Impulse Records. Players here include Jeff Parker on guitar, Josh Abrams on bass, David Young on trumpet, David Boykin on tenor, Tomeka Reid on cello, and Marcus Evans on drums -- and Nicole herself plays flute, alto flute, and piccolo. Ugochi Nwaogwugwu sings on 3 of the album's tracks -- and titles include "The Creator Has Other Plans For Me", "Life Wants You To Love", "Cause & Effect", "February", "Thanking The Universe", "Love Has No Boundaries", and "Black Unstoppable".

One of the best early albums from the legendary Moondog -- a set that got wider circulation than his first few releases, and really helped expand his reach beyond New York City! Moondog's still at his simple best here -- working in a blend of rhythmic percussion, stringed instruments, flute, and other rootsy instrumentation -- all with echoes of Eastern styles, but served in a way that definitely has more of a touch of American exotica! All numbers are played by small groups -- or even solo by Moondog -- and any vocalizations take on almost an instrumental feel -- sliding in alongside sound effects, animal noises, and other obscure utterings. The album's almost the art world equivalent of Martin Denny -- but has a lot more depth than easy kitsch -- and is still tremendously powerful stuff all these years later! Titles include "Caribea", "Big Cat", "Frog Bog", "To A Sea Horse", "Surf Session" and "Trees Against The Sky".

One of the best early albums from the legendary Moondog -- a set that got wider circulation than his first few releases, and really helped expand his reach beyond New York City! Moondog's still at his simple best here -- working in a blend of rhythmic percussion, stringed instruments, flute, and other rootsy instrumentation -- all with echoes of Eastern styles, but served in a way that definitely has more of a touch of American exotica! All numbers are played by small groups -- or even solo by Moondog -- and any vocalizations take on almost an instrumental feel -- sliding in alongside sound effects, animal noises, and other obscure utterings. The album's almost the art world equivalent of Martin Denny -- but has a lot more depth than easy kitsch -- and is still tremendously powerful stuff all these years later! Titles include "Caribea", "Big Cat", "Frog Bog", "To A Sea Horse", "Surf Session" and "Trees Against The Sky". This reissue is the original version of the record that was also issued as Moondog on Prestige.

One of the most incredible African collections we've ever heard -- almost more amazing than the African Scream Contest set from the same label! The package focuses on work by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou -- a group who really live up to their name, by bringing in a host of complicated rhythms to their music -- including the "sato" groove, which is kind of a modern funky take on older voodoo modes! Production is often echoey -- in ways that dub out the bass and drums nicely -- and make the guitar parts sound nice and sinister -- the vocals too, for that matter, even though we can't ever understand the lyrics. The music was originally recorded for a variety of different labels, but is brought together here beautifully -- and the great vinyl version has loads of notes inside the gatefold and on the inner sleeves that not only tells the tale of the group, but also that of all the labels -- then follows the whole thing up with a discography as well -- a real labor of love that's as much of a visual treat as it is a sonic delight. Titles include "Se We Non Nan", "Ako Ba Ho", "Mi Ni Non Kpo", "Assibavi", "Mi Homlan Dadale", "Iya Me Dji Ki Bi Ni", "Mawa Mon Nou Mio", and "Koutoulie".

A darkly-grooving killer from pianist Horace Parlan -- and one of our favorite Blue Note albums ever! Although Parlan's always a great player on other sides for the label, this album has him stepping out with an extra edge that's really amazing -- working with brothers Tommy and Stanley Turrentine to craft some tunes that roll with the propulsive energy of the best Blue Note hardbop sides, but which also have some edgier moments, and almost point the way towards some of the new thing experiments that would transform the work of Jackie McLean! All players are still quite straight, but they've got a way of putting together tones and textures that's really wonderful -- heard to famous effect on the album's early version of Booker Ervin's track "Skoochie" -- but soaring all the way through on titles that include "On The Spur Of The Moment", "Ray C", "Al's Tune", and "Pyramid".

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".

Groovy, jazzy space soul soundscapes from Finland's Teddy Rok Seven -- led by Teppo Makynen -- who's worked with like minded scenesters Nu Spirit Helsinki and Five Corners Quintet -- but steps out with an amazingly strong full length! The sound is a bit tough to pin down -- it's all very trippy in a 70s soul jazz way, but still very cohesive, with pronounced influences like Herbie Hancock and George Duke in the mix -- but it's filtered through a kind of late model Schema club jazz aesthetic, with some great nods to spacey hip hop and club connoisseurs! Nicola Conte fans, don't let this one slip underneath the radar -- this a strong generator of that aesthetic -- but with a unique, jazzy sound all it's own! Teppo presides over the sound on keys, programming and percussion, with wonderful accompaniment on vibes, keys, bass, trumpet, fluegelhorn, flutes bells and layered off-kilter echoey sounds and effects! Tracks include "The Beginning", "Feel" featuring Okou, "Askaa!", "King Abdissa", "Space & Echoes", "Damn Straight", "Steady", "Around The Clock" and more.

Strange and groovy pop psychedelia -- compiled by Bevis Frond for the Volume 4 in the Fairytales Can Come True series -- a mix of lumbering, stoned out grooves and more melodically spirited stuff -- great stuff all the way! Some of the stuff here is so grand and epic it's hard to imagine how they could have fallen by the wayside for so many years, but such was the post Pet Sounds and Sgt Pepper landscape of layered pop psyche atmospherics -- and the more laidback tunes get in your system just as effectively. 20 tracks in all: "The Blue Sound Of Love" by Alan Dell, "Changes In Our Time" by Colin Giffin, "Lonely Man" by Justin's Timepiece, "Letter To Josephine" by Haystack, "Latisha" by Dave Berry, Six Angels & Three Girls by Modus Vivendi, "She Does" by Plastic Penny, "Morning" by Jack Carter and much more.

A groundbreaking album -- not only for Cannonball Adderley, but for the jazz concerto format, used to strong effect here in this excellent modernist composition by John Benson Brooks! The album's based on a number of historical and mythical southern themes -- and although it gets a bit hokey at times, the work of Adderley and Art Farmer on the solo sections really opens up the piece and gives it a deep sense of soul. The setting is a drummer-less small group, with Barry Galbraith on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Brooks on occasional piano -- and themes include "The Loop", "Trampin", "Little John Shoes", "Milord's Calling", and "Rufus Playboy".

Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd -- sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s -- and feature Bobby working in that incredibly tight, incredibly fast-grooving mode he first forged with James -- heard to best effect on some key live recordings, and served up here in some equally great studio sides that feature help from Fred Wesley and Brown. A few other cuts keep the funky fire burning with some surprisingly nice Miami touches -- with Clarence Reid on production, but Bobby more than strongly in the mix on some great vocals. There also appears to be a few tracks from later years -- featuring Byrd with singers Vicki Anderson and Martha High, plus a group that also includes Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley -- and 2 more that are later live numbers. The set features 11 tracks in all, and is a great counterpart to Bobby's one and only album for the King label -- with tracks that include "Never Get Enough", "Hang It Up", "Back From The Dead", "The Way To Get Down", "Feel Good Friday", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Let Me Know", and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind".

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s -- a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general -- and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record -- expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision -- and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! Players include Wayne Shorter, Lenny White, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Jack DeJohnette, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, and John McLaughlin -- and tracks include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". CD features one bonus track -- "Feio" -- nearly 12 more minutes of electric goodness!

Hazy funk beatcraft from Shafiq Husayn of Sa-Ra Creative Partners -- with a little help from Bilal and Fatima on vocals -- plus remixes by Nottz & Mark Declive-Lowe on this teaser EP for his En A-Free-Ka album! "Cheeba" has a grittier hip hop funk vibe than the recent Sa-Ra work for Ubiquity, and it's cool that Shafiq isn't just doing Sa-Ra 2 for his side solo work -- but it's still got echoes & effects, just smokier than it is spacier. Nottz actually brings a spacey vibe to "Cheeba" rmx. "Lil' Girl" has a rumling bass groove under Fatima's vocals and some tripped out programming and Rhodes. "Nirvana" is another gem, with a busier beat Mark Declive-Lowe remix to close.

Pre-Cluster work from Kluster -- the trio of Conrad Schnitzler, Hans-Joachim Rodelius, and Dieter Moebius! The material here is somewhat similar to the earliest, proggiest Cluster recordings -- but it's also a bit noisier too -- two side-long tracks that are awash in swirling waves of sound -- lots of electronics mixed with studio effects, guitar parts, and cool keyboards! Connie Plank engineered, and the two titles are "Zwei-Osterei" -- parts 1 and 2. CD also features a bonus track -- "Live At The Weiner Festwochen Alternativ 1980" -- played by Moebius, Rodelius, and Joshi Farnbauer.

An ultra-cool little soundtrack -- one written for a creepy 60s Italian film about a haunted planet! The score is stark, spare, and really gripping -- right up there with the best of American horror work from the darkest edges of the 60s -- and done in a style that uses offbeat orchestrations with just a bit of electronic sound effects -- often blurring the two together so that it's hard to tell where the electronics begin and end! The whole thing's quite tense and moody -- and supported here by excellent production, and a cool booklet with images from the creepy film. Titles include "Main Title", "Crazy Crew", "The Living Dead", "Inside The Starship", "Evil Spirits", and "Battle On Planet Aura".

A rare meeting between percussionist Sabu Martinez and reedman Sahib Shihab -- both American players, but working here in a really unique European setting! The tracks are filled with great percussion from Sabu -- that legendary groove he first laid down on Blue Note and Alegre albums years back -- handled here in a more open, searching sort of way, with a range of great percussion effects in the mix -- thanks to the presence of some additional percussionists as well. Sahib Shihab plays both sax and flute -- blowing lines that fall into the more exotic side of his talents -- quite different than his straighter jazz work, and a great reminder that he can really have a deep conception, when heard in the right setting. Overall, the sound is quite spare -- heavy on percussion, with a bit of bass -- then giving way to reeds from Shihab -- and titles include "Nus", "A Memo To Art Blakey", "The Distorted Sioux Indian", "Ghandi's Candies", "Arroz Con Leche", and "Sondagsbladet" -- which is a bonus trio track from 1967, featuring sax from Christer Boustedt instead of Shihab.

A wonderful solo set from the great Joe McPhee -- the dazzling Alto -- which finds the free jazz veteran working on both alto sax and alto clarinet on this live set captured in NYC in spring '09! A sort of sibling to the equally strong Soprano, released on Roaratorio a bit earlier, this one with McPhee paying tribute to other artists on 4 of the 5 longish pieces, including jazz great Ornette Coleman, painter Alton Pickens, poet Steve Dalachinsky, and perhaps most creatively, drummer Warren Smith. Dynamic, eneregetic and arresting sounds from McPhee, still incredibly sharp and effective as he approaches 70-years-old! Includes "Lower East Side Shout (For Alton Pickens)", "Old Eyes (For Ornette Coleman)", "WIS (For Warren Smith)", "Soul Of A Poet (For Steve Dalachinsky)" and "Take The V Train".

Classic early work from George Shearing -- the MGM sides that first made American audiences sit up and take notice of his mighty talents and cool new sound on the piano! The classic Shearing style is already in full effect here -- a sublime blend of spacious piano lines, gentle vibes, and moody guitar -- all years ahead of their time in terms of subtlety and understatement. Vibes are handled by Marjorie Hyamas, and guitar by Chuck Wayne -- and the quintet's completed by John Levy on bass and Denzil Best on drums. CD features 24 tracks in all -- far more than the original 50s LP on the cover image -- and titles include "Rosea Of Picardy", "I'll Remember April", "The Breeze & I", "In A Chinese Garden", "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", "Conception", "Move", "For You", "As Long As There's Music", "Nothing But D Best", "Good To The Last Bop", "November Escape", "How's Trix", and "Little White Lies".

Sensual soundtracks from German maestro Peter Thomas -- very groovy music recorded for two sex-ed films of the late 60s! The sounds here are every bit as wonderful as those we've come to love in Thomas crime and sci-fi scoring -- lots of cool 60s instrumentation on keyboards, funky drums, guitar, and horns -- mixed up with odd production effects, weird vocal bits, and larger orchestrations that never get in the way of the core grooves -- yet really help take things to the next level! This material is a really under-discovered side of Thomas' career -- but stands equally well next to his better-known gems -- and given that the sexy films are titled The Perfect Marriage and Every Night Of The Week, you can bet there's plenty of slinky bedroom action going on in the grooves. The package is beautiful -- with full color images, and notes in English and German -- and the CD features 24 tracks in all, with titles that include "Love Maker", "Big Love", "Teach Me Teacher", "The Grand Day", "Hurdy Gurdy", "The World's History", "Cin Cin Mon Marie", "First First Love", "The Marriage", "Coitude Melanchodelic", "Shaker", "Playboy", and "Gisela's Seduction".

Psychedelic folk rock from the Turkish scene of the 70s -- a real criss-crossing of styles, carried off with strong emotive effect by protest singer Selda! There's a powerful sound here that's completely without referent, but immediately gripping -- a blend of familiar and strange elements that really gives the record an other-worldly quality, and which is further enhanced by the echoey production used throughout! As with other excellent reissues of Turkish music in this series, the album is supported by notes in English, historical photos, and a number of bonus tracks from earlier singles -- an amazing document of an artist who was never that well known outside her native land, partly because the repressive government forbid her to travel for many years! CD features 20 tracks in all -- and titles include "Bundan Sonra", "Utan Utan", "Karaoglan", "Gardasim Hasso", "Maden Dagi", "Bulbul", "Gesi Baglarinda", "Cemberimde Gul Oya", and "Tatli Dillim".

A monster set of work by one of the funkiest guitar players ever! Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones recorded a number of sides for Prestige Records during the early 70s -- but this rare gem came out after all those, in 1975, on the tiny Joka label, and never really got into proper circulation at the time -- making it one of THE indie jazz funk classics of the 70s! The album's actually one of Boogaloo's best -- and has a rougher edge than his Prestige albums -- heard to great effect on the two standout funky cuts, "Sweetback" and "Confusion" -- both of which are stunners that feature Jones really ripping away on the guitar! The whole set's nice, though -- and other tracks include "You've Got It Bad Girl", "Trouble In Mind", and "Jamaica Farewell".

East Germany goes into space! This fantastic compilation is a batch of cool and groovy tracks lifted from East Germany sci-fi films of the 60s and 70s -- and if this is what's out there in space, sign us up for the next rocket trip! The tunes are a mix of mod 60s grooves, weird keyboard and guitar effects, funky beats, and other cosmic-influenced sounds that make the set fresher than most any other soundtrack compilation we've heard in years. There's some cool vocals, great sound effects, and an overall feel that shows a side of space that will never exist again! Includes work by Andrez Markowski, Karl Ernst Sasse, Gunther Fischer, and others -- and the package looks totally totally great! 33 tracks in all.

One of Steve Lacy's more complicated albums of the 80s -- material recorded as part of a stage performance in Geneva, complete with costumes, scenery, and lighting effects! The spoken parts of Irene Aebi figure strongly on some of the tracks -- but others are more wrapped around reed efforts from Lacy on soprano and Tina Wrase on soprano, sopranino, and bass clarinet. Other instrumentation includes harpsichord and accordion, which are handled in a very rhythmic way alongside the bass and percussion. The set's a double-length performance -- and titles include "Divided", "Divorce Letter", "Cannonade", "Straight Path", "The Cry", "Rundown", and "Dark & Handsome".

Really evocative work from Roscoe Mitchell -- playing here in a spare trio setting that's totally great! Mitchell handles a wealth of reeds -- soprano sax, alto, tenor, flute, and piccolo -- plus a bit of percussion -- and other players include Harrison Bankhead on bass and cello, and Vincent Davis on drums and more percussion -- very well-suited musicians here to match Mitchell's extremely poetic approach to sound! Some numbers have a dark, deep-down sort of feel -- really ruminating at the bottom of the reed tones -- while others burst out freely with much stronger energy, showing that Mitchell can still let loose when he wants to, even this late in his career. The balance recalls all the genius of the AACM scene in the 70s -- and the double-length set gives the players plenty of room to express themselves. Titles include "Ruddy", "Vermillion", "When The Wind Blows", "Poem", "Flash", "From Red To Rusk", "Parched Plain", "They Danced", "Ride", "Yellow Night", "Sway", and "Here We Go".

One of the best early albums from the legendary Moondog -- a set that got wider circulation than his first few releases, and really helped expand his reach beyond New York City! Moondog's still at his simple best here -- working in a blend of rhythmic percussion, stringed instruments, flute, and other rootsy instrumentation -- all with echoes of Eastern styles, but served in a way that definitely has more of a touch of American exotica! All numbers are played by small groups -- or even solo by Moondog -- and any vocalizations take on almost an instrumental feel -- sliding in alongside sound effects, animal noises, and other obscure utterings. The album's almost the art world equivalent of Martin Denny -- but has a lot more depth than easy kitsch -- and is still tremendously powerful stuff all these years later! Titles include "Caribea", "Big Cat", "Frog Bog", "To A Sea Horse", "Surf Session" and "Trees Against The Sky".

Amazing early work from Pierre Henry -- a perfect illustration of why he's one of the most important composers of the 20th Century! The work is filled with odd electronics, production effects, and a strangely atmospheric sensibility overall -- lots of space age sounds, but from the dark side of the moon -- noisy at times, creepingly at the edge of hearing at others -- always keeping us on our toes. The titles give you a good idea of the feel -- "Micro Rouge 1", "Fantasia", "Tam Tam Concret", "Batterie Fugace", "Antiphonie", and "Vocalises".