All Categories — All Formats  

Captain Sky is sort of a bargain-basement version of Bootsy Collins. He plays lots of heavy bass riffs, lays down long funk tracks with wicked vocals and trippy space funk lyrics – but somehow he's never worthy of a ride on the mothership. The record's not a bad one, and it's an interesting example of the huge space-funk influence the work of George Clinton had on the soul underground during the late 70s. Not that anyone did it nearly as good as the P-Funk crew, but there were always a host of folks like Captain trying their best. Tracks include "Moonchild", "Fearless", "Cream & Sugar", "Rebirth", "Hero", and "Ker-Runch".

Galactic funk & synth soul from Dam-Funk – his epic full length debut Toeachizown for Stones Throw – and a record that should be a game changer for the southern Cali ambassador of cosmic funk beats, heavy bass and synth grooves! Dam-Funk is part throwback to the electro era – his vintage synths, bass and drum machine grooves are strongly rooted in the end of the 70s and first few years of the 80s vibe, but he's putting his own modern spin on the sounds, keeping it vital and fresh, and quite likely to be bitten by a bevy of superstar producers to come! Occasionally with slow jam or tripped out vocals, but with longer instrumental jams, Dam Funk's fusion of old school and future funk is in a cosmic realm of its own! Vinyl version was originally released as a 5LP set – and now it's available in separate volumes. Vol 5 includes: "Come On Outside", "The Sky Is Ours", "New Frontiers", "Spacecapades", "Fantasy" and "Keep Lookin' 2 The Sky".

Soaring soul from The Futures – a Philly group who'd already worked for years in the underground before cracking the racks with this debut LP in 1975 – schooled strongly in their best vocal modes from previous singles, and ready to unleash the best side of their sound on the world! The set's got a perfectly put-together style that's much more like some of the Philly vocal work on Atlantic of Philadelphia International at the time – although also not as commercial, thanks to a righteous undercurrent in the group's presentation and overall aesthetic – hinted at by their image on the cover! Arrangements are by David Van DePitte and Wade Marcus, who also echo a bit of Detroit styles too – particularly the righteous blend of The Temptations towards the end of their Motown years. The Futures are equally great on mellow cuts and stormers – and titles include Castles", "Do Unto Others", "Ninety Days (In The House Of Love Correction)", "I Had A Dream", "Love Will Be Around Forever", and "Super Love".

Soaring soul from The Futures – a Philly group who'd already worked for years in the underground before cracking the racks with this debut LP in 1975 – schooled strongly in their best vocal modes from previous singles, and ready to unleash the best side of their sound on the world! The set's got a perfectly put-together style that's much more like some of the Philly vocal work on Atlantic of Philadelphia International at the time – although also not as commercial, thanks to a righteous undercurrent in the group's presentation and overall aesthetic – hinted at by their image on the cover! Arrangements are by David Van DePitte and Wade Marcus, who also echo a bit of Detroit styles too – particularly the righteous blend of The Temptations towards the end of their Motown years. The Futures are equally great on mellow cuts and stormers – and titles include Castles", "Do Unto Others", "Ninety Days (In The House Of Love Correction)", "I Had A Dream", "Love Will Be Around Forever", and "Super Love". Plus, the CD features 7 bonus tracks – duets with Barbara Mason on "We Got Each Other" and "Make It Last" – plus "No One Could Compare", "Grade A Woman", "The Way Of A Woman In Love", "Castles (single version)", and "You Better Be Certain".

Wicked electro grooves from Kavinsky – five mixes of the cut "Protovision", but brought together here with the fuzzy frenzy of a John Carpenter soundtrack! The initial version is a great instrumental – with some guitars from Raw Man that have a really classic 80s vibe – mixed with some heavy and sweet electro beats! Sugar Tongue Slim steps in with vocals on the second one, then other remixes open up the groove in some really great ways!

A kind of twisted, but totally groovy collection of oddball pop & rock from Rodd Keith, aka Rod Rogers – the king of the song poem – a collection of mostly small combo singles recorded between 1963 & 1974! On top of being the go to guy for folks to have someone turn their often terrible poetry and lyrics into real life records, Rodd & his groups recorded all kinds of organ steeped, totally catchy tunes with far out hallucinogenic lyrics. The singing ranges from pop combo harmonies to loungey crooning, and the Rodd's work on organ & piano rolls with a little bit of blue eyed funk to more of an austere pop & rock groove – and the songs are just weird enough to still work as glorious pop tunes. Really cool stuff from an ultimately tragic character, who left far too few recordings with his personal brand of strangeness! Includes tunes credited to Rodd Keith, Rodd Keith & The Raindrops, Rod Rogers & The Singing Strings and other combos. 26 tracks including "Lettuce & Lace", "You Only Wnat To Hurt Me", "Saucers In The Sky", "My Living Doll", "Don't Be A Dope", "Magic In Her Eyes", "Merry Go Down", "Ravens", "Next Time", "Ship For Home" and much more.

The third in a really great run from Rhythm Heritage – a group who continued to hold up a strong level of instrumental quality, despite the fact that they'd topped the charts, and were smack right in the middle of the LA studio scene at the time! Part of the credit goes to producer/arranger Michael Omartin – who also plays keyboards on the album, giving it one of its best characteristics – but the whole assortment of talents is pretty darn great too, and includes work by Victor Feldman, Ray Parker, and The Waters – who bring in some nice soulful vocals on a few cuts. Keeping their success with TV themes, the group do a great job with "Theme From Starsky & Hutch" on this one – taking the tune in a nice moogy sort of way – and other cuts include "Float On By", "Hedge Hog", "Skippin", "Language Of Love", "Holdin Out", and "Sail Away With Me".

A strong statement from drummer Dylan Ryan and Sand – Dylan's trio with guitarist Timothy Young and bassist Devin Hoff. This is in a more paired down setting than we've heard Dylan in recently and it's damn strong stuff! Chicago-bred musician Ryan has never been one to heed stylistic boundaries – mixing up free jazz and avant rock into a unique, compelling sound. Now a citizen of LA, he's sounding as fresh as ever. The rhythmic interplay between Ryan and Hoff is equally invigorating in tightly walloping arrangements and the looser ones, and Young's fiery electric guitar is awesome to behold – particularly on the feedback-flavored rave ups. Includes "White Nights", "Barocco", "Psychic Journey", "Mayan Sun", "White Magic", "Soft Rain On A Dead Sea", "Time Stalkers", "Translucent Spheres", "Dreamspell" and "Sky Bleached".

The Staple Singers are cooking on all burners at this point – and it's hard to stop them with that much power – a soaring, searing sort of energy that definitely earns them a place in the sky! The set's a totally strong batch of gospelly soul tracks – produced by Al Bell with that great early 70s Stax deep soul sound – at a point that's still without the sort of cliche that might hold back material of this type in later years. Instrumentation is by Clayton Ivey on Hammond, Barry Beckett on keyboards, and Jimmy Johnson and Eddie Hinton on guitar – and titles include "Getting Too Big For Your Britches", "Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday", "Something Ain't Right", "My Main Man", "Blood Pressure", "Who Made The Man", "Back Road Into Town", and "If It Ain't One Thing It's Another". CD features 4 bonus tracks – "Oh La De Da", "I Like The Things About You", "Respect Yourself", and "I'll Take You There".

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".

Sublime work from the Temptations – still recording here with Norman Whitfield, who's really opening up his bag on most of the record – and taking the group into expansive territory that was barely hinted at in their early work! The album's got some incredible tracks in the Whitfield mode – long numbers that build and build, opening up into long righteous soul grooves with more than a bit of funk – a hard-rolling style that the harmonies really work wonderfully to match – giving Motown some of its most powerful sounds of the time! The best cuts include the album's 9 minute reading of "Love Can Be Anything", it's 12 minute version of "Smiling Faces Sometimes", and the cuts "Just My Imagination", "Man", and "Ugena Za Ulimwengu".

Sublime work from the Temptations – still recording here with Norman Whitfield, who's really opening up his bag on most of the record – and taking the group into expansive territory that was barely hinted at in their early work! The album's got some incredible tracks in the Whitfield mode – long numbers that build and build, opening up into long righteous soul grooves with more than a bit of funk – a hard-rolling style that the harmonies really work wonderfully to match – giving Motown some of its most powerful sounds of the time! The best cuts include the album's 9 minute reading of "Love Can Be Anything", it's 12 minute version of "Smiling Faces Sometimes", and the cuts "Just My Imagination", "Man", and "Ugena Za Ulimwengu".

The long-overdue debut album by The Underwolves – one of London's hippest combos, working in a unique territory that lies somewhere in between the realms of NuSoul, drum n bass, and the jazzy grooving that you'd expect to find on Compost Records. The set's way more than just a batch of dance tracks – as the lyrical interplay and spiritualism of the tracks takes the material to the next level, showing the group to be a strong underground soul collective with the potential of already-established acts like Attica Blues, with whom they share a sense of exploration in the worlds of dub and hip hop rhythms, or Silent Poets, with whom they share a sense of wonder, beauty, and poetry in their subject matter. There's a freshness to the set that's undeniable – and which means that you'll probably be hearing the album, and hearing from the group, for a long time to come! Titles include "Shaken", "Thin", "Prema Redentor", "Unexpected Days", "Stay Awhile", "Under Your Sky", and "Bird Song".

Incredible acoustic folk guitar and vocals from Chicago's Riley Walker – which actually sounds like comes from the late 60s/early 70s British scene! Riley sings and is accompanied on double bass and drums on "Clear The Sky" and the flipside "Joni's Tune" is a solo instrumental. Both are timeless, but definitely feel like they were influenced by some of our favorite Brits, including Nick Drake and Bert Jansch. Honestly, it's truly good enough bring up names that legendary for comparsion. Beautiful stuff!

Classic Latin-tinged fusion on Capitol – recorded with a smooth soulful style that's right up there with the best of the Capitol Rare generation! Caldera mixes together nice jazzy saxes with guitars, percussion, and some great keyboard work by Eduardo Del Barrio – all produced by the group with a sweet arching style that's very much in the Brazilian fusion style of the time – a wonderful blend that also gets a dose of California warmth, which is just the right element to send the whole thing home nicely! Tracks include the classic "Sky Islands", plus "Pegasus", "Carnavalito", "Triste", and "Ancient Source".

A tremendously beautiful album – and a righteous anthem of power and growth that seems to open itself up to us more and more over the years! Earth Wind & Fire are at their height here – mixing together soul and funk with a set of influences that includes African percussion and Brazilian jazz – then blending the whole thing effortlessly into a cosmic sound that's simply breathless! "Keep Your Head To The Sky" is a song of pride that became an instant underground classic; "Zanzibar" is an incredible reworking of Edu Lobo's famous composition, turning the Brazilian baroque track into a spacey groover that soars on for 13 minutes; and "Evil" is a great tune that features the electrified Kalimba that became the band's sonic and legal trademark over the years! Other titles include "The World's A Masquerade", "Clover", and "Build Your Nest".

Classic Latin-tinged fusion on Capitol – recorded with a smooth soulful style that's right up there with the best of the Capitol Rare generation! Caldera mixes together nice jazzy saxes with guitars, percussion, and some great keyboard work by Eduardo Del Barrio – all produced by the group with a sweet arching style that's very much in the Brazilian fusion style of the time – a wonderful blend that also gets a dose of California warmth, which is just the right element to send the whole thing home nicely! Tracks include the classic "Sky Islands", plus "Pegasus", "Carnavalito", "Triste", and "Ancient Source".

Classic Latin-tinged fusion on Capitol – recorded with a smooth soulful style that's right up there with the best of the Capitol Rare generation! Caldera mixes together nice jazzy saxes with guitars, percussion, and some great keyboard work by Eduardo Del Barrio – all produced by the group with a sweet arching style that's very much in the Brazilian fusion style of the time – a wonderful blend that also gets a dose of California warmth, which is just the right element to send the whole thing home nicely! Tracks include the classic "Sky Islands", plus "Pegasus", "Carnavalito", "Triste", and "Ancient Source".

Donny Hathaway's soulful daughter makes a long-overdue return – bringing us her first album in over a decade! The wait's been more than worth it, though – as its clear that Lalah's matured strongly over the years – coming up with a rich, soulful sound that shows that she's got a lot more to offer than just a sweet voice with a famous last name. Of course, the production help is a big part of the the set too – as Lalah's working with talents that include Mike City, Chris Parks, Vivian Sessoms, and Rex Rideout – all of whom help to give the set a sound that's professional, yet laidback and mellow. Titles include "Better & Better", "If U Ever", "In The End", "Your Favorite Song", "Back Then", "How Many Times", and "Boston".

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

With Wayne Shorter and Dave Liebman on soprano sax, Richie Beirach on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Titles include "After The Rain/Naima", "India/Impressions", and "Mr PC".

Excellent trippy pop-psychedelia from Gabor Szabo! The record's a bit less jazz than some of his other efforts, with more of that faked-out "eastern"production that you'd get on efforts like these – with occasional voices behind his guitar. Titles include "The End Of Life", "White Rabbit", "Saigon Bride", "Twelve Thirty", "To Sir With Love", and "Are You There?"

Two classics from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on one CD! Last Days & Time is Earth Wind & Fire's first album for Columbia Records – the start of a really legendary run during the 70s! The sound here is a bit tighter than their first two for Warner Brothers – a groove that has funk and soul taking a bit more precedence over the jazz of their roots – but all in a blend that's completely fresh and unique, and which takes all the righteous energy of the past, and focuses it here even more strongly! And while the groovers are great, there's also a few sweet numbers that are almost even better – some slightly mellow tracks that don't hit that commercial ballad sound of the group's later years – and which almost have an earthy, organic feel overall. The whole thing's tremendous – truly essential work by the group at their best – and titles include "I'd Rather Have You", "They Don't See", "Make It With You", "Remember The Children", "Mom", "Power", and "Time Is On Your Side". Head To The Sky is a tremendously beautiful album – and a righteous anthem of power and growth that seems to open itself up to us more and more over the years! Earth Wind & Fire are at their height here – mixing together soul and funk with a set of influences that includes African percussion and Brazilian jazz – then blending the whole thing effortlessly into a cosmic sound that's simply breathless! "Keep Your Head To The Sky" is a song of pride that became an instant underground classic; "Zanzibar" is an incredible reworking of Edu Lobo's famous composition, turning the Brazilian baroque track into a spacey groover that soars on for 13 minutes; and "Evil" is a great tune that features the electrified Kalimba that became the band's sonic and legal trademark over the years! Other titles include "The World's A Masquerade", "Clover", and "Build Your Nest".

2 Eric Kloss albums back to back on a single CD – both under-discovered, and both totally great! Sky Shadows is one of the late 60s killers for Prestige by reedman Kloss – sublime material that was every bit as great as some of the bigger-name work for the label, but never really got its due! Kloss is sharper and more focused here than in later years – starting with a hardbop groove, but really reaching out with some inventive sounds of his own, and some great changes from the group! The inventive ensemble features Pat Martino on guitar, Jaky Byard on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – and titles include "Sky Shadows", "January's Child", "The Girl With The Fall In Her Hair", and "In A Country Soul Garden". In The Land Of Giants is a crackling bit of modernist free play, with a very soulful edge – and the group includes Booker Ervin, Jaki Byard, Richard Davis, and Alan Dawson all joining Kloss as he hits his mid-period "exploratory" stage. His alto is super-crisp here, and although he's reaching out a bit more than on earlier albums, he never manages to lose the swing that made him sound so great right out of the box. Tracks include "So What", "When Two Lovers Touch", and "Sock It To Me Socrates".

Rare rock from Rotomagus – a heavy group from France – the complete discography of the group, and a completely fresh discovery to us! The sound is loose, ragged and raw on the unreleased album demo that's covers the first half of the anthology – which only enhances the power of it. Singer Alain Fontaine sings, screams and wails in English – fascinatingly, he is a good singer, but shrieks his head off with abandon on some killer songs here. The band is just as strong, showing command of rhythm and with strong solos as well as bashing away with intensity. In some ways, it's a late 60s-style heavy psych album, but played at breakneck speed, rugged soul and with little effort to tidy anything up. The second half is much different – featuring singles the group cut for Polydor, CBS and other labels – far less raucous and more French pop psych-indebted, and those numbers are great, too! They work as well in frenzy as they do with trippy harmonies – very impressive! Titles include "Laureline", "Little Green Man", "Fighting Cock", "Shout Now", "I Dig Life", "The Flufluting Flatmul" and more from the unreleased demo album, plus the rare singles "Le Haut Du Pave", "Nevada", "Eros", "Madame Wanda", "Laureline", "The Sky Turns Red" and more.

An interesting project from Elliott Sharp – a set that mixes his older downtown sounds with some surprising rootsy elements – all in a blend that really helps his music stretch out strongly! Sharp's guitar work is still incredible – whether arch and arty, or acoustic and bluesy – and the album features a mix of instrumental workouts and vocal numbers – with lyrics sung by Tracie Morris, Eric Mingus, and Joe Mardin. Hubert Sumlin plays some guest guitar, and Curtis Fowlkes adds a bit of trombone – and titles include "Fade To Noir", "This House Is For Sale", "Endless Path", "Banking Blues", "I Blame You", and "Off The Hook".

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

Rare rock from Rotomagus – a heavy group from France – the complete discography of the group, and a completely fresh discovery to us! The sound is loose, ragged and raw on the unreleased album demo that's covers the first half of the anthology – which only enhances the power of it. Singer Alain Fontaine sings, screams and wails in English – fascinatingly, he is a good singer, but shrieks his head off with abandon on some killer songs here. The band is just as strong, showing command of rhythm and with strong solos as well as bashing away with intensity. In some ways, it's a late 60s-style heavy psych album, but played at breakneck speed, rugged soul and with little effort to tidy anything up. The second half is much different – featuring singles the group cut for Polydor, CBS and other labels – far less raucous and more French pop psych-indebted, and those numbers are great, too! They work as well in frenzy as they do with trippy harmonies – very impressive! Titles include "Laureline", "Little Green Man", "Fighting Cock", "Shout Now", "I Dig Life", "The Flufluting Flatmul" and more from the unreleased demo album, plus the rare singles "Le Haut Du Pave", "Nevada", "Eros", "Madame Wanda", "Laureline", "The Sky Turns Red" and more.

Beautiful work from Seung-Hee – a vocalist who splits her time between Korea and North America, and who has a scope of sound that really lives up to her global stance! Seung-Hee has a really classic approach – not 50s torch, but that really inventive period of the 70s, when female jazz vocalists were really breaking free – finding new ways to inflect their notes, and often adding their own words too – in ways that made the music even more expressive than before! Seung-Hee's got a great way with a tune, and turns in some excellent compositions here – including a few set to music by Bill Evans and Charlie Haden – often with that freewheeling mix of breezy and soulful styles that we love in our favorite European jazz vocalists from years back. This album's a great step forward for the singer – and may well put her in a lineage that includes the best work by singers like Sheila Jordan, Monica Linges, and Karin Krog. Titles include "Sketc Part 2", "I'll Be Here", "Winter & Then", "Valparaiso", "An Elliptical Note", "By The Sea", "Visions", and a version of Edo Lobo's "Pra Dizer Adeus".

A lost treasure from the post-Krautrock years of the German scene – a lesser-known album on the Sky Records label – more famously home to Moebius and Rodelius – both of whom would be a good comparison for this album as well! Dorothea Raukes handles all the music on waves of keyboards and synth – great layers of spare, rhythmic lines that interweave in nice minimalist ways – yet often have a bit more bite than the usual sounds on Sky. In fact, there's a quality here that almost echoes some of our favorite electronic European soundtracks of the period – but which is maybe even better, as the tracks are longer, and offer up plenty of room for exploration! Titles include "Der Grosse Atem", "Intercity Rheingold", "Auf Engelsflugeln", "Unter Tage", and "Deutscher Wald".

The first album in years from this favorite Brazilian funk combo – and less of a straight album than a collection of different recordings from all the time we haven't heard from them! Funk Como Le Gusta are tighter than ever – still strongly inspired by American funk and soul, and able to fuse it into a groove that's slightly contemporary – but way better than the usual mainstream R&B from Brazil! There's a lean quality here on most of the tracks – instrumentation that's still mostly live, and definitely linked to the contemporary deep funk underground at points – while getting even bolder production at others. Titles include "Balacobaco", "Sweet Ronie Song", "Putz", "Muchacha Fantastica", "Ire", and "Preludio Do Sol".

A stunning disco classic from Dan Hartman – maybe an unlikely talent for the dancefloors, given his image on the cover – but an artist who definitely went onto shape the sound of the clubs at the end of the 70s! The album's got the Hartman groove really hitting hard, and right on the money – a tightly compressed approach to disco that really lays heavily on the hooks – in a style that's similar to where Peter Brown was going at the time, with a similar compressed sensibility that gets past any of the fluff that was drowning others in the disco generation! In fact, it could well be argued that the approach here really helps focus a dancefloor sound towards the modes of the 80s – while still allowing for the fluid soul of the disco years too – a style that's summed up perfectly in the album's extended classic "Vertigo/Relight My Fire", which features famous vocals by Loleatta Holloway! Other titles are all sweet too – and include "Free Ride", "I Love Makin Music", "Just For Fun", "Love Strong", and "Hands Down".

A stunning disco classic from Dan Hartman – maybe an unlikely talent for the dancefloors, given his image on the cover – but an artist who definitely went onto shape the sound of the clubs at the end of the 70s! The album's got the Hartman groove really hitting hard, and right on the money – a tightly compressed approach to disco that really lays heavily on the hooks – in a style that's similar to where Peter Brown was going at the time, with a similar compressed sensibility that gets past any of the fluff that was drowning others in the disco generation! In fact, it could well be argued that the approach here really helps focus a dancefloor sound towards the modes of the 80s – while still allowing for the fluid soul of the disco years too – a style that's summed up perfectly in the album's extended classic "Vertigo/Relight My Fire", which features famous vocals by Loleatta Holloway! Other titles are all sweet too – and include "Free Ride", "I Love Makin Music", "Just For Fun", "Love Strong", and "Hands Down". CD features some nice bonus tracks too – "Boogie All Summer (single)", "Relight My Fire (single)", "Hands Down (12" version)", "Hands Down (Hands Up)", "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)", and "Vertigo/Relight My Fire (progressive instrumental rmx)".

The first ever compilation of Indonesian psychedelia from AKA is a great one – fuzzy prog and funk steeped jams that the group tore up throughout the 70s – as cool as any single artist global rock compilations we've seen in quite a while! The group formed in Surabaya, East Java and went on to record a slew of albums throughout the 70s, but never really busted out big in it's time. Now's a great time for the world to catch up! They sing in English, and the songs are really exciting, changing tempos as they roll along incredibly, with a sound built around drums, bass, keys and guitars. Lead singer and keyboard player shines pretty brightly, but each group member sings and kills it in their own realms. Amazing! Includes "Do What You Like", "Glenmore", "Reflection", "We've Gotta Work It Out". "Cruel Side", "Groovy", "Mr Bull Doc", "Shake Me", "Crazy Joe", "Open Doors", "Sky Rider" and the CD bonus track "AKA Untuk Mu". 15 in all.

Obscure album by Lorez, with a mix of jazz and pop stuff, and arrangements (mostly) by pianist Ronell Bright. Bright plays in the group backing Lorez, as does the great tenor player Teddy Edwards. The legendary Paul Gayten produced, and the track list includes "Play Me The Blues", "Comet In the Sky", "Psychedelic Bag", "Nonchalantly", "Talk About Cozy", and "Endless".

A real treat for the 2001 generation! Apollo 100 takes Bach's "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring", and gives is a jazzy electric keyboard reading – kind of a perfect bit of fluffy pop for a generation that was already digging the classical/easy experiments of the Swingle Singers and Walter Carlos. Not all the material is classically oriented, but most of the tracks have some very nice keyboard work. Titles include "Jazz Pizzicato", "Evil Midnight", and "Reach for the Sky".

The collected work of a mighty trippy group from the Indian scene – a psychedelic combo who worked in the 70s, but who had the same sort of edge you'd hear from the American and British scenes of the late 60s! In truth, there's a fair bit of Anglo influence going on in the music – not just in the English language lyrics, but also in the way the guitars come together with stretched-out, soaring brilliance – flying eight miles high to the sky in a heady brew of freak and fuzz – and turning this approach to some surprising soundtrack numbers too! Production is perfect for the band's vibe – often spacing things out in a really cool way – with some slightly primitive modes that also remind us of the South American psych scene of a few years before. Now Again did a brilliant job with the package – bringing together a host of the group's best tracks from the mid 70s, and a bonus 20 page booklet with full notes on the group, and some very cool photos and ephemera. The whole thing even features a few unreleased numbers – and titles include "Obsession 77", "Sunshine Day", "Butterfly Version 1", "Theme From The Godfather", "Theme From The Fox", "Windmills Of Your Mind", "Booboo Lullaby", "Man You're Not Number One", "Travel On", "Gesthemene", and "Foxy Lady".

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 double-length set from Mario Biondi – and a record that really shows him growing a lot as a singer! Biondi's still got all the raspy charm we loved in his work for Schema Records, but he also seems to have a deeper sense of soul here too – especially on the ballads and mellower cuts, which really help expand the palette past the snapping jazzy grooves we've always loved in Mario's music – and which could honestly have him hitting the heights of some of the best American singers from years back. The blend of soul and jazz in the vocals is wonderful – and instrumentation is mostly jazzy, with that sense of groove that works perfectly with Biondi's approach. The "due" in the title refers to the fact that Mario's got a key partner on every track – either a special Italian jazz musician, or guest singer – and titles include "Won't You Come Back", "Under That Sky", "Mother Earth", "Where Are You", "Every Time I Think Of You", "Dreaming", "Free", "What's Happening Brother", and "In The Sun".

Black Sabbath going strong – very much in their own space by this point in their career, setting a sound that countless others would try to follow – but never match for fierceness like this! The fuzz is definitely turned up to 11, the rhythms move at a breakneck speed, and Ozzy's vocals have all the mean, sinister sounds that set a generation on fire – plenty of energy to fill up long tracks that include "Megalomania", "Hole In The Sky", "Symptom Of The Universe", "Supertzar", "Am I Going Insane", and "The Writ".

No need for a leap of faith where Bluey's concerned – as we've been loving his music with Incognito for many many years, and we're more than happy to hear the man on his own! The vibe here is every bit as soulful and righteous as the best Incognito work – but there's also a more personal sound, too – especially since Bluey's on lead vocals on every track – quite a change from before, as he often lets other singers take the lead! Turns out, Bluey's a hell of a lead singer on his own – with this warm and slightly raspy style that really fits in wonderfully with the grooves – which are heavy on Bluey's own guitar, plus keyboards and other instrumentation from Ski Oakenfull and Richard Bull. If you like Incognito as much as us, there's plenty to love here – and titles include "Stronger", "Leap Of Faith", "Sky", "Keep Myself Together", "Ain't Nobody's Business", "Got To Let My Feelings Show", and "Live Like A Millionaire".

A sweet bit of electric funky jazz from Tom Browne – a bit tighter and with more of an 80s groove than some of his earlier work, but still pretty darn nice! Tom's always great – blowing over the top in spare, but well-placed trumpet solos – and the backing on the album shifts between a number of different soulful fusion modes that are all handled pretty strongly, without the traps that other artists would fall into on a record like this. Lead vocals on some of the tracks are by Frank Floyd, Margie Barnes, or Keith John – and the album includes the sweet jazzy groover "Come For The Ride", plus "Fungi Mama/Rebopafunkadiscolypso", "My Latin Sky", "A Message", "Charisma", "Naima", "Lazy Bird", and "Bye Gones".

Heavy ballads from Peabo Bryson – a perfect sampling of the style he did so well back in the day, including a few of his famous duets with Roberta Flack and Natalie Cole as well! The set's overflowing with mellow jams from Peabo – the kind of laidback numbers that really helped him lock in his style, and help define a whole new level of maturity for the male voice in soul music. Titles include "What You Won't Do For Love", "Feel The Fire", "I'm So Into You", "Tonight I Celebrate My Love", "All My Love", "Show & Tell", "She's A Woman", "You're Looking Like Love To Me", and "Reaching For The Sky".

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

Wobbly sounds from Casino Vs Japan – loads of great low fi electronics that really take us back to that key 90s moment when so many folks were rediscovering the sound of the analogue generation! The music here comes from a few years after that moment, but still shares the same love of shapes and textures that made the rediscovery so great – and if anything, the lack of immediacy allows these guys to just lay back and find their own space – often letting the tunes just take form slowly, without any overdone qualities – giving the whole thing a really personal feel that's still quite vibrant all these many years later! Almost like a post-rock version of the Sky Records sounds from the German scene of the late 70s/early 80s – with tracks that include "It's Very Sunny", "Metrobolt", "Dielectric Saints", "The Larp", "Medery", "Warm Windows", and "Theme".

Majestic Motown from the 70s – an almost-overlooked record, but a surprisingly sophisticated gem that's well worth discovering again! The album's definitely soul at the core, but embraces so many other rich styles too – and at points, almost feels like some of the most ambitious material of the Cadet/Concept scene in Chicago – especially given the full orchestrations on the tracks, handled by Jimmy Haskell and Jerry Long! Leonard Caston's the real genius behind the record, though – and works here to provide great support for co-vocalist Carolyn Majors – who trades leads back and forth with him, and is sometimes showcased on tracks that really let her heavenly vocals take off! The whole thing's great – and titles include an early version of the cut "I'll Keep A Light In My Window", which was later recorded by other groups – plus "Child Of Love", "There's Fear", "Satisfied Mind", "Let There Be Love", "No One Will Know", and "Say You Love Me True". CD features loads of bonus tracks too – 9 more numbers that act as a great second chapter to the album – titles that include "Mother's Son", "What About The Price", "If I Can", "We're Together", "I've Got To Fly", "Don't Let", and "I'm Flying Your Sky".

A trio of funky electric albums from Stanley Clarke's mid 80s R&B years – 1984's Time Exposure, ''85's Find Out and '86's Hideaway – in a 2CD set! Time Exposure has a lot of 80s electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout. Titles include "Play The Bass '10", "Heaven Sent You", "Speedball", "Future Shock" and the great title track. Find Out follows somewhat similar territory, an 80s synth funky set with a few surprising twists – including an electro/funk/old school rap cover of "Born In The USA"! Other tracks include "Find Out", "The Sky's The Limit", "Stereotypica" and "Psychedelic". Hideaway makes a move towards more delicate synth soul for Clarke – who assembles an impressive guest list that includes Stanley Jordan, Herbie Hancock and Stewart Copeland. Titles include a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed", plus "My Love, Her Inspiration", "Where Do We Go", "Old Friends" and "When It's Cold Outside".

A very nice album that features sort of a "best of" sampling of Alice's solo recordings for Impulse in the immediate 5-year period after John Coltrane's death. The tracks are a lovely mix of smaller groups and larger spiritual ensembles – and players include Jimmy Garrison, Pharoah Sanders, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, and Cecil McBee. There's a lot of nice tracks on here that don't show up that often on vinyl – and titles include "Blue Nile", "I Want To See You", "Sita Ram", "Oh Allah", "Andromeda's Suffering", "Lovely Sky Boat", and "Galaxy In Turiya".

A should-be Cali country rock classic by Chris Darrow – and a real rare gem of a record we'd put right up there with the best of its kind! Multi-instrumentalist Darrow might be best known to psych enthusiasts – as he was a founding member of Kaleidoscope – but as a session player, he's worked with an eclectic roster of major players that includes Frank Zappa, Gram Parsons, Leonard Cohen, Sly Stone, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and others. His solo work is akin to some other great, but better-known Cali country rockers, and honestly, we'd rate this record up against the aforementioned Mr. Parsons – it's really that good – but with more eclectic instrumentation. Catchy songs that are well sung and expertly-crafted – with Chris playing guitars, mandolin, dobro, fiddle and just about anything else with strings on it – and some light percussion, too! Other players include Ed Black, Loren Newkirk, Arnie Moore and Mickey McGhee – plus a sweet group of backing vocalists that includes Jennifer Warren. Titles include "Beware Of Time", "Lovers Of Sleep Abed Tonight", "Shawnee Moon", "Move On Down The Line", "Song For Steven", "Cocaine Lil", "Alligator Man", "Keep On Trying", "New Zoot", "The Show Must Go On", "The Sky Is Not Blue Today" and "We Can Both Learn To Say I Love You".

Horns, harmonica, and more – all wrapped up beautifully in the hands of soundtrack maestro Francesco De Masi! The core music for Arizona Colt is done with these soaring brass parts that really recreate the scope of the scene – bursting forth in full, yet gentle modes that really stretch out for the sky – intercut with mellower, more isolated sounds on harmonica from Franco DeGemini or guitar from Alessandro Alessandroni! I Cantori Modern sing just a bit on the record – especially on two vocal versions of the theme, sung by Raoul – and the CD features a whopping 31 tracks in all, with great remastering – and titles that include "Gordon Guitar", "Agguato Al Passo", "Sentieri Misteriosi", "Arizona Ferito", "Attesa E Dolore", "Arizona Colt", "Jane E Arizona", and "Preludio Strip Tease E Fuga".

Mindblowing work from French film composer Francois De Roubaix – an artist who's perhaps gotten more credit in recent years for his electronic sounds, but who's featured here in a fantastic batch of vocal numbers too! Many of these tracks have that great messed-up funky style of the era of Gainsbourg, Jean-Claude Vannier, and Michel Colombier – bouncing bass, psyche-inspired instrumentation, and lots of weird production that trips things out in these subtle, wild ways. Vocals are sung by a host of different artists, and the styles vary up nicely too – but the whole thing's really unified with that sense of madness we've always loved in the instrumental work of De Roubaix! Titles include "Les Poupons" by Olivier & Louis De Funes, "Le Rapace" by Los Incas, "Loin" by Joanna Shimkus, "Just Be Cool" by Fire Exit, "Mon Ami Thia" by Serge Reggiani, "Chacun Son Homme" by Brigitte Bardot & Annie Giradot, "Pour Qui Pourqui" by Nicoletta, "My Sky Is Blue" by Alice Herald, "Un Peu Beaucoup Passionnement" by Vaea Sylvain, "La Ballade Du Heros" by Farid, and "Avec Des Cubes" by Chapi Et Chapo. 24 tracks in all – and some very copious notes!

An interesting little record – with kind of a crossover California soul feel overall – recorded with Rene Hall arrangements that echo a few rootsy modes at times, mixed in with fuller orchestrations that step a bit back towards Jackie's earlier years on Imperial – a surprisingly nice blend, with a fresh sound for the 70s. The album features a number of great tracks co-written with Jimmy Holiday – a fellow Imperial talent – and titles include "Mediterranean Sky", "Sooner Or Later", "What Was Your Day Like", "Livin On The Easy Side", "Brighton Hill", and "When Morning Comes Again".

Italy from the sky, served up in a wonderful 60s soundtrack from Francesco DeMasi – a really unique record that moves past most of the familiar genres of the period! The cover looks a bit cartoony, but the music is much more serious overall – yet never try or boring, as you might expect from a travelogue film – and instead touches with these beautiful scene-setting elements that also have occasional moments of whimsy – and groovy enough sounds that there's no attempt at realism or localization in the music either. A really great discovery, and a real standout in the long career of DeMasi – with cuts that include "Nebbie Sulla Palude", "Altalena Party", "Nuvole Nel Cielo", "Filessi Nella Laguna", and "Little Bar". CD has 4 bonus tracks too!

The lyrically focused set in the 2 Stepping Stones compilations from DJ Krush – part remix album, part retrospective – featuring Company Flow, Black Thought & Malik B of the Roots, Mos Def, Aesop Rock, Zap Mama and others! Lyricism kind of finds Krush in his most hip hop reverent game, naturally – but he runs the gamut of possibilities within the genre. Krush never battles the MCs for track supremacy as many of the superstar producers of the day do. He's laying proper groundwork for the mic styles, yet still laying down his experimental funk signature – and the wide variety of vocalists gives him ample opportunity to show his unrivaled breadth! Tracks include "Only The Strong Survive (Bon mix)" feat CL Smooth, "Vision Of Art (Vib mix)" feat Company Flow, "Zen Approach (Cradle mix)" feat Black Thought, "Kill Switch (Beep mix)" feat Aesop Rock, "Song For John Walker (Sticky mix)" feat Anticon, "Danger Of Love (Gray-Sky mix)" feat Zap Mama, "Shinjiro (Harsh mix)" feat Mos Def and more.

A crucial record that introduced most folks to Nick Drake in the early 80s – a cool compilation drawn from his first 2 Island albums – and pretty darn rare! Tracks include "Cello Song", "Northern Sky", "Three Hours", and "Fly".

Just like the title says, two bad, bad Dee Jays plying their trade over niced up rhythms from Junjo Lawe – with all star backing that includes Flabba Holt, Sly & Robbie, Style Scott, Santa Davis, Sowell, Chinna Smith, Bo Pee, Bingy Bunny, Gladstone Anderson, Ansel Collins, Steelie, Winston Wright, Sky Juice, Skully Sims and others! 10 tracks in all, including "Can't TakeAnother World War", "Another One Bites The Dust", "Talk About Run", "Sweet Sweet Matilda", "Special Request To All Prisoner", "Dance It Have Fe Nice", "Gal Pon The Front Line", "Jack Spratt", "Tribute To General Echo" and "Hey Mr DJ".

An overlooked fusion set from the mighty Muse Records – an early 80s date recorded under the leadership of keyboardist Mitch Farber, and featuring work from Randy Brecker on trumpet, Gary Campbell on tenor and soprano, and Steve Khan on guitar! Given the players, there's almost a major label fusion feel to the set, although the overall sound is more open and laidback – not slick at all, and a nice reminder that in the farther corners of jazz in the early 80s, fusion didn't always have to be focused on commercial hits. Rhythm is from Mark Egan on bass, Danny Gottlieb on drums, and Sammy Figuera on percussion – and titles include "Monuments", "Sky Dance", "The Chooser", "Lonely Promises", and "Starclimber". CD also features the bonus track "Theme From Travels" – recorded in 1990.

A big, warm sunshine psychedelic pop set from John Carter and the Flower Pot Men – built around the richly groovy Brian Wilson styled gem "Let Go To San Francisco" – featuring a number of tunes credited to the Flower Pot Men proper and a slew of related material! Listen To The Flowers Grow features a bunch of sweet summer of love style pop gems – including demos and previously unreleased bits buy the Flower Pot Men and their circle of cast members, related projects and pseudonyms – including work credited to John Carter, the Ministry Of Sound, Haystack, Dawn Chorus and more. Titles include "What's The Matter With Juliet" (demo), "Rain, Rain, Rain" (Ministry Of Sound/John Carter vocal), "Let's Go To San Francisco Pt 1", "Let's Go To San Francisco Pt 2", "A Walk In The Sky", "Am I Losing You", "A Man Without A Woman", "You Can Never Be Wrong", "Letter To Josephine" (as Haystack), "A Night To Be Remembered" (as Dawn Chorus) and more!

One of the few straight rock records ever issued on the mostly-folk Monitor Records label – a great 60s outing from Freeborne, a group with a sound that's as tripped-out as you might expect from the cover! Instrumentation is heavy on organ and guitars, both acoustic and electric, but there's also some cool percussion too – and interesting use of recorders, in a way that comes across with an ocarina-like charm! Vocals are somewhat soft, but have a dark undercurrent – and there's a really great folk-into-psyche sort of feel to the whole thing. Titles include "Images", "Land Of Diana", "But I Must Return To Frenzy", "Inside People", "Yellow Sky", "Peak Impressions & Thoughts", and "Visions Of My Own".

The Funk Ark floats mighty high on this sweet little set – charting a course on the sea of grooves with strong currents of African and Latin rhythms in the mix! The group are a funk combo at the core, but they've got a great ear for all sounds global – complex rhythms, unusual instrumental inflections, and a forward-moving groove that's able to pull in plenty of different strands, and keep things funky throughout! Funk Ark work here with sweet production from Adrian Quesada, who helps them find just the right sort of vibe in the studio – with the crisp crackle of some of his own work – and titles include "Road To Coba", "High Noon", "Riconcito", "Wayward Bill", "El Rancho Motel", and "Green Tree Yellow Sky".

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". This expanded edition includes the B-side tracks "God Is Love" and "Sad Tomorrow".

A second chapter of excellent jazzy soul from the HE3 (Herman Eberitzch III) Project – killer stuff recorded from 1974 to 1977 at Different Fur Studios in San Francisco – with a sound that blends intense, yet sultry disco era live soul with both jazzier and funkier sounds! HE is on piano, Rhodes, synths – and the vibe on Chapter Two has moments of jazz funk reminiscent of the previous Chapter One set from Family Groove – but others that have a straight up, live and direct modern live soul feel, and others that are straight up jazzy. It's all great stuff – and alternate group lineups throughout include vocalists Johnny Lyvett, Linda Tillery and Wendy Hass, trombone player Sheldon Bermont, sax players Robert Olivera and Jerry Vejmoja, percussionist John Mingo Lewis, guitarist Pat Duffy, drummer Amadeus Barrios and others. Includes "Thesis On Love", Soul Support", "From Africa To Oakland", "Try A Different Road", "It Came From The Clear Blue Sky", "Sashay Sahay", "She Got You By The Hook', "I Know You", "Inspiration", "Make It Sweet", "Hop Skip & Jump", "Summertime" & "High Life".

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

An inventive project from Hot Peas & Butta and Big Pimp Jones – one that's similar to some of the soundtrack-styled funk we've heard before from the latter act – but with a vibe that's definitely deeper, too! The music here is written for an imaginary thriller – based around a secret government project – and the results are quite similar to the grooves you might hear on some classic 70s soundtrack for a film with a equally-compelling plotline! Drums are heavy, and there's lots of bold deep funk energy at the core – but there's also some richer sounds too – touches of orchestrations here and there which really shade things in nicely, and make you feel like the record is more of a high-budget studio recording than a simple deep funk effort. Titles include "Terror Mountain Showdown", "Night Over The Harbor", "Battle In The Sky", "Epilogue Of Chaos", "Descending Upon Monsters", and "The Military's Kiss". Comes with a bonus 7" single – feature three more tracks not on the CD!

A beautiful little record – one of those really unique, really sensitively soulful sessions of jazz that were coming out of the Japanese scene in the 70s – quite different than work you'd hear from any other point of the globe! The group's led by bassist Yoshio Ikeda – who has a way of carefully setting things up from the bottom – rolling out these warm acoustic lines that set the scene for the album's work on piano from Aki Takase, flute from Masami Nakagwa and Tamami Koyake, trombones from Shigeharu Mukai and Tadanori Knakawa, trumpet from Hitoshi Okano, and soprano and tenor from Suetoshi Shimizu – instruments that are spun out in these long, lyrical lines that are extremely beautiful – and as evocative as the title fo the record! Titles include "Down To The Sea", "After Image", "Anemophilous Flower", and "Rising Into The Sky".

A pretty cool LP – a promo-only collection of the Isley's biggest numbers on CBS, packaged up with a cover that's a parody of the famous sex self-help book of the late 60s. 8 numbers from their mid 70s prime: "That Lady", "What It Comes Down To", "Summer Breeze", "Live It Up", "Midnight Sky", "Need A Little Taste Of Love", "Fight The Power" and "Hope You Feel Better Love".

Mid 70s genius from the Isley Brothers – a record that has them firmly hitting their superstar mode with a fantastic blend of mellow soul and guitar-heavy funk! The record's got a sense of class, care, and poise that's head and shoulders above most of the group's contemporaries – an ability to rock out one minute, then slow things down for a beautiful ballad the next – all while maintaining enough credibility to still hold onto older fans, yet also reach out to a much bigger audience in the mainstream. Titles include the sublime "Ain't I Been Good To You (parts 1 & 2)", a long track with a sinister bassline and a dark groove that really makes it great, a great cover of "Hello It's Me" that's even better than the original, and the key mellow cuts "Lover's Eve" and "Brown Eyed Girl" – plus "Live It Up (parts 1 & 2)", "Need A Little Taste Of Love", and "Midnight Sky (parts 1 & 2)". CD also features a bonus track – "Live It Up", recorded live on the Dinah Shore TV show!

An expanded version of the first Jafrosax album – one that drops the price on their expensive Japanese debut, and brings in a few bonus remix tracks as well! The set has Jafrosax mixing keyboards, beats, and a bit of sax with some great guest vocals from Vikter Duplaix, Yukimi Nagano, Gagle, Sonya Rogers, and others – a style that shifts from instrumental to lyrical modes with a fluid, spacious feel – picking up a lot of London vibes along the way, and exploding with a righteous 21st Century soul feel that's really great! Titles include "In The Morning", "Wait & See", "Hi Tech Jazz", "Free", "Room In Your Heart", "Going To The Sky", "Drawn 2 U", "Rollin", and "Shin Ku Kan" – plus bonus remixes "Drawn 2 U (Studio Apartment rmx)" and "In The Morning (Faze Action Present Orto rmx)".

Neither pop nor fusion – but a great little record that reminds us why we love William Kurk so much! There's definitely some of the jazzy styles promised by the title, but they're mixed in with Kurk's inventive approach to soul music – warm instrumentation wrapped around compelling lyricism, but in a bouncy, playful way that's light years from the usual! This time around, there's a slight echo of 80s ideals – not so much in the music, which still has lots of 70s warmth – but in the criss-crossing of modes, and in the way that acoustic and electric elements are used together to create a really full sound. Titles include "9 by 3", "Revenge Of Mega Man", "Star Of The Sky", "All Of The Time", "Moonrise", "2012", and "Dragon Force".

The first-ever western soundtrack from Angelo Francesco Lavagnino – and a real standout from the start! The music's got plenty of subtle drama, and lots of action just waiting to burst forth at every little twist and turn – a quality that's sometimes quietly explosive, sometimes more direct – and always put together with a level of care and class that goes way beyond the usual! Lavagnino's still got a few older Italian modes in his use of horns – especially on a few of the more melodic numbers – but he also shows a great sense of space in his larger scoring, creating a musical landscape to match the open sky in the images of the film. CD features 16 remastered tracks from the film – plus 7 more bonus tracks too – and titles include "Pianure", "West Can Can", "Lotta Nel Fango", "Incendio Al Ranch", "Momento Difficile", and "Dramma Nel Canyon".

A really nice batch of early 80s soul from Loose Ends – one of the best remembered groups who were making strong soul music in Britain in the period – and who actually recorded this excellent first album at Philadelphia's Alpha Studios! Making the record in Philly was a wise decision – the sounds range from classic level slow jams, to solid modern soul to touches of electro and more dancefloor geared groovers – and it sounds like work of deft scene veterans rather than a full length debut for the group! The songs were written by the band who, at that time, included Jane Eugene, Carl McIntosh and Steve Nichol. Tracks include "Hangin On A String", "Choose Me", "Music Takes Me Higher", "Dial 999", "Tell Me What You Want", "A Little Spice", "So Much Love", and "Let's Rock". This great Soulmusic.com CD edition has wealth of bonus tracks: seven in all, including "In The Sky (UK Single – Long Version)", "Only A Day Away", "No Stranger To Darkness (UK Single)" and more.

Bill Cosby introduces this hip little live set from the John Mayall group – which is fitting, as there's definitely a bit of an LA groove on the set! Mayall's still in very bluesy territory, but he also gets some great soul jazz support too – from players who include Charles Owens on flute and soprano sax, Ernie Watts on tenor, and even the great Fred Jackson on baritone! Keef Hartley adds in some mighty heavy drums, but the group's further expanded by even more American players too – including Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Freddie Robinson on guitar – both players who definitely leave their mark on the set. There's some great electric piano too – and titles include the classic "Keep Our Country Green" – plus "Christmas 71", "Things Go Wrong", "Do It", "Moving On", "Red Sky", "Reasons", "High Pressure Living", and "Worried Mind".

A heck of a lot of music for one mighty nice price – a fan-selected collection of the best tracks from Frank McComb, packaged here with a bonus disc of rare material too! Frank's always been very plugged in to his followers – and for this collection, he went to his audience and asked them to pick their favorites – the kind of killer soul tracks that have made McComb one of the true underground soul legends of the modern age – a one-man powerhouse who's been able to create some of the best soul music we've heard in years, yet all without the help of a major label or distributor! The set features two full CDs of "favorites", plus a bonus CD with nine more cuts that are "shorties" and instrumentals pulled from Frank's vaults – all delivered with the sweet keyboard lines you'd expect. Titles include "The Bar On 55th & Hough", "White Line In The Sky", "Watching The One You Love", "King Of The Open Road", "Gotta Find My Way", "All You Need Is Love", "Morning Glory", "V 12", "Somebody Like You", "Cupid's Arrow", "Characters Of Our God", "Future Love", "Intimate Time", "Shine", and "The Thing I Failed To Do". 39 tracks in all!

Rare treats from the late 70s Black Ark archive – the Lee Scratch Perry-produced recordings of soulful singer Candy McKenzie! These numbers were recorded in 1977 when Scratch and Black Ark studios were in peak form – and sure enough, the production and musicianship is top notch and infused with some great oddball creative flourishes – but it's Candy's sweet, sweet vocals that push this over the top. Her voice is so lovely and so soulful, it's a shame that this material has been so tough if not impossible to find for so many years! Includes "Disco Fits", "Someone To Love Me", "Breakfast In Bed", "Walking In The Sun", "Jah Knows", "Ice Cream", "Sky At Night", "Keep Him Strong", "Tell Me A Lie" and "When The Big Day".

The Miracles move to Columbia Records – and pick up a whole new groove in the process – a much richer sound than previous records on Motown, with a soaring style that really works great for the harmonies! Billy Griffin's vocals are really coming into their own – as is his songwriting, too – evidenced by some of the more complicated elements in the mix, and the blend of full arrangements and tight rhythms that almost have a Philly feel overall! The change is a great one for the group – and not only helps them beat some of their best late Motown moments, but also points the way towards a heck of a lot of 80s soul too. Titles include "Too Young", "The Bird Must Fly Away", "Love Crazy", "Spy For Brotherhood", "A Better Way To Life", "Women", and the Isley-like "I Can Touch The Sky". CD features three bonus tracks – "Spy For The Brotherhood (single)", "Spy For The Brotherhood (special version)", and "Women (single)".

An overlooked groover from The Miracles – a late 70s set for Columbia Records, and one that's got a sparkling sound throughout! The album really has the group hitting some great modern soul modes for the set – arrangements by David Foster that push them forward even more, and which work equally well on the uptempo tunes as they do on the few mellower numbers too. The style is lush, but never overdone – just right for the vocal interplay of the group, with a quality that's a bit like late 70s Jacksons – but better. Titles include "Love Doctor", "I Can't Stand It", "Hot Dance", "Mean Machine", "Sad Rain", "Reach For The Sky", and "The Magic Of Your Eyes".

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.

Nova Bossa Nova is a group made up of a number of musicians that you'll recognize – like drummer Guilherme Franco, trumpeter Claudio Roditi, tenorist Bob Mintzer, and accordionist Eddie Monteiro – and this recent session is a nice batch of jazzy bossa tracks with a light breezy feel to them. Many of the tracks are originals by bassist Alberto Beserra, but there's also a few classics by Carlos Lyra and Johnny Alf. Titles include "The Bird", "Jazz Influence", "New Hope", "Jaquitiba", and "Sky & Sea".

Pan-African rhythms from Ray Stephen Oche – topped with some great jazzy elements as well! The set's one of Ray's classics from the Paris scene – a set that draws heavily from his Nigerian roots, yet also takes full advantage of the wider cultural vibe going on in France at the time – echoes of free jazz in the instrumentation, righteous soulful elements in the vocals, and a complicated rhythmic approach that brings in plenty of funk from the other side of the Atlantic as well! The album's a killer all the way through – and tracks include "Kano City Sky", "Ayipe Assa", "At The Jazz Fountain", "Ada Ode", "Trumpet Calls The People Of Nigeria", "Peace Upon Kenemaland", and "Down Beat Special".

A wild set of early 70s leftfield folk from Caroline Peyton – a freewheeling batch of tunes that's a little bit more out there than the warmer, sunshine folk soul of the later Intuition album – but a unique gem that's a great showcase for Caroline's stunning voice, and the songwriting of partner Mark Bingham. The duo's creative origins trace back to a hippie commune outside of Bloomington, Indiana – and the tunes often feel like an unselfconscious, artier riff on the Cali folk scene of the time. The arrangements are built around the voice, and piano on many of the tracks. Unconventional, but warm and true – well worth a late discovery. Original album tracks include "The Sky In Japan Is Always Close To You", "Pull", "Don Beggs", "Tuna", "Engram", "Sweet Misery", "Hook", "Gone For A Day" and more. The Numero/Asterisk reissue goes the extra mile with liner notes by Edd Hurt, lots of photos, and bonus tracks including "Breathe (Live)", "Alll This Waiting", "Paths Of Light", "White Teeth" and enhanced video footage – "Call Of The Wild" and "Fishing Blues" live at the Hummingbird Café, in Bloomington, Indiana.

A wonderfully different score by the great Piero Piccioni – filled with loads of bubbling understated grooves on organ, electric piano, and wah wah guitar! The soundtrack has all the sophistication of Piccioni's best work – but it's also got a mellow moody groove that's just great, and which reminds us of some of our favorite tracks in the Mighty Mellow series of compilations. As usual, the whole thing's extremely well packaged and reissued by the folks at Easy Tempo – with a set of 20 tracks that includes "Katmandu", "Starless Sky", "Inventions", "It's Possible", "Nights To Come", "New Ways To Live", and "Love Will Find A Way".

Titles include "On The Run", "Money", "Us & Them", "Any Colour You Like", "Brain Damage", "The Great Gig In The Sky", and "Time".

Quasimode are definitely cooking on this sweet little set – picking up a rich array of influences they've never had before – including bits of Latin rhythms, and some soul music as well! A few of the cuts feature vocals – but in ways that are more straight soul than the group's previous experiments with jazz singers – yet the backings are still tightly jazzy, and played mostly live, in a bold flurry of trumpet, tenor, trombone, piano, bass, and drums – plus some occasional Fender Rhodes as well! The Latin elements really help expand the sound, and flesh out the positive vibe of the record – a soaring, sunny vision that reminds us of the jazzy joy we first found in the music of Monday Michiru. Most of the album's still instrumental, and titles include "Febre Samba", "Summer Madness", "Another Sky", "Leaving Town", "Soul Cookin", "Let's Get Down Together", "El Paso Twist", and "Still In The Night". Also features a bonus DVD – with the video for "Summer Madness", and concert footage of the tracks "Relight My Fire", "No More Sadness", and "The Man From Nagpur" – plus bonus footage as well!

A totally great live set from Quasimode – and one that really returns the combo to the core brilliance of their first few records from Japan! The setting is completely unfurled and unbridled – the main quartet soaring away in a fast flurry of piano, bass, and percussion – always with a modal groove, and handled with plenty of soul – and topped throughout with tight horns from the Brassmode quartet – whose tenor and trumpet lines are especially nice, and really help deepen the soul of the music! There's only a bit of keyboards to bring in some slight electricity – but overall, things are mostly acoustic, very jazzy, and played live – with energy that even tops the group's recent studio albums. Two tracks feature vocals – and titles include "Febre Samba", "Another Sky", "The Man From Nagpur", "All Is One", "Relight My Fire", "El Paso Twist", and "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose".

The first album on Saturn! Despite the futurism that the title of the set might imply, the material on this LP is actually some of Sun Ra's earliest, and dates back to the years when the Arkestra was first beginning to make itself heard in Chicago. That doesn't stop the material from being amazing, though, as these prime early tracks really show how strong Ra's vision was, even when it was being applied to material that might look more simple on the surface. Titles include "El Is A Sound Of Joy", "Medicine For A Nightmare", "Sunology", "Advice To Medics", and "Portrait Of The Living Sky".

Nothing too peaceful here – at least not in a sleepy sort of way – as The Rascals are really hitting on all burners, and starting to mix a bit of funk in with their groove! The record's a great extension of the group's last work on Atlantic – and it takes that already-righteous territory, and furthers it a bit more with some heavy rhythms on the bottom, and nicely jamming guitar work on the top! There's a great sense of soul that informs the whole album – even at some of the more rockish points – and titles include the excellent side-long cut "Peaceful World", a long instrumental workout with a nice slow bubbling funky sound that's almost in the style of Chicano rock. The albumf eatures guest work from jazz players like Hubert Laws on flute, Alice Coltrane on harp, Garnett Brown on trombone, Joe Garrell on tenor sax, and Joe Newman on trumpet – and other titles include "Little Dove", "Visit To Mother Nature Land", "Happy Song", "Icy Water", "Sky Trane", and "In & Out Of Love".

Chicago's long-living, always great zine Roctober takes a look at the 80s – through the wholy unique Roctober lens that shows this oft-maligned and/or nostalgia prone decade in a totally great way! The Livin' In The 80s Issue has interviews with lost 70s/80s funkster Captain Sky Glenn, Danzig, Boyd Rice, Curtom Records' Eddie Thomas, PiL, Stax Record historian Rob Bowman, TSOL, The Zero Boys, French diva Helena Noguerra, Japanese group sound legends The Golden Cup, The Knots, Plus Daniel Lanois, The Cheepskats, Clara & Chris Ware on Tiny Tim, Ernie Kovacs, Electric Prunes, Joe Strummer, The Romantics, comics, obits, reviews, and unpublished photos of Black Flag, Bad Brains, Misfits and more!

Chicago Soul/New York Underground issue. Songwriter/manager Bernice Williams recalls the early days of Gene Chandler/The Du-Kays, and the true story of "Duke of Earl"; Northern Soul legends the Conquistadors tell tales of 1960s West Side Chicago teenage R&B (plus the first soul Jesus concept album); Do "The Chimp" with Chicago 60s garage rocker/R&B singer Jerry Mundo; H. Dwight Thompson tells tales of 70s NYC punk with the Heat and Klaus Nomi's first band! Relive the early Hip Hop parties of the Disco Fever nightclub; Nardwuar meets Jay-Z and N*E*R*D*; plus great interviews with Chris Montez and Doug Randle, and amazing tributes (by those who knew them) to Lux Interior, Michael Jackson, Billy Lee Riley, Sid Lavarents, Sky Saxon and (sadly) more. And amazing comix about Lennon, Danzig, Hagar, record store clerks, hot dogs, riots, and much more by the best underground cartoonists on earth! 120 pages.