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An incredible double-length set from Soul Jazz – a collection of Latin tunes that's easily as important as their groundbreaking NuYorica collection from a decade before! Like that one, most of the work here is from the 70s – and showcases a time in New York Latin when the music was really opening up to new changes – not just the Latin Soul modes picked up in the previous decades, but also new elements of jazz, funk, disco, and even some more traditional styles from Cuba and Puerto Rico. The grooves aren't just standard Latin, but often have some very surprising bits in the mix – funky instrumental riffing, soulful vocals, and more – all often in a mode that's perfect for the dancefloor! 2CD set features 23 tracks in all – with titles that include "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Louie Ramirez, "Tighten Up" by Al Escobar, "Snidely Whiplash" by The Alexander Review, "Joe Cuba's Madness" by Joe Cuba, "Control" by Ismael Quinones, "Abidjan" by Ray Barretto, "Porcupine" by Nature Zone, "Soul Makossa" by Johnny Zamot, "No Nos Pararan" by La Charanga 76, "Sorongo" by Cortijo, "Mala Calunga" by Johnny Sedes, "Angustia Maternal" by Willie Colon, "Mai Kinshasa" by Jose Mangual, "Shoot The Pump" by J Walter Negro & The Loose Jointz, "Mi Mambo Conga" by Eddie Palmieri, "Om Marrero" by Seguida, "Alex Mambo" by Machito, "Dancin & Prancin" by Candido, "El Bollinski En D7" by Charlie Santiago & Eddie Montalvo, "Doug's Room" by Mauricio Smith, and "I Had A Friend" by The Family Affair.

One of the greatest New York groups of the early 80s – and a key link in the post-disco, post-punk, and no wave scenes of the time! Konk had an incredible sound that featured a stripped down blend of bass, live percussion, and horns – all grooving together in a style that sat somewhere between Kid Creole and ACR – but without the kitsch of the former, or the darkness of the latter! The bass dominated on most tracks – rolling out amidst the drums and congas, and setting a pace that was picked up strongly by the group's tight work on horns. Most tracks are acoustic, save for the bass – and the vocals are kept at a minimum to allow for the strongest focus on the tunes rhythmic progressions! As usual, Soul Jazz have done a tremendous job of recounting the group's history in a wealth of notes, interviews, and photos – and this well-done package is the first ever proper reissue of the group's work! Titles include "Machina Jam", "Baby Dee", "Elephant", "Soka Loka Moki", "Love Attack", "Konk Party", and "Your Life". Plus, the set also features bonus tracks "Konk Party (DJ tools)" and "Baby Dee (live)".

A sprawling collection of classic Fania – featuring a pretty adventurous set of salsa, boogaloo, Afro-Latin, funkier numbers and all around incredible material put together by our friends at Strut Records – going beyond the classics! It features numbers by many of the most iconic names on Fania – Johnny Pacheco, Joe Bataan, Ray Barreto, Willie Colon, Bobby Valentin, Hector Lavoe and more – loosely chronicling the stylistic genesis at Fania during the time period, but compiled with an ear to the dancefloor rather than academia. A great set of classics on an uber-iconic label, put together by one of our favorite contemporary labels! 19 tracks on the 2LP version: "Dakar, Punto Final" by Johnny Pacheco, "Mercy Mercy Baby" by Ray Barretto, "Anacaona" by Cheo Feliciano, "Quimbara" by Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco, "Bomba Carambomba" by Sonora Poncena, "Pedro Navaja" by Willie Colon & Ruben Blades, "Cuando Despiertes" by Fania All Stars feat Celia Cruz and more.

Late 50s jazzy recordings from Kenyon Hopkins – best known as a soundtrack composer, working some magic on the Rooms and Sound Of New York LPs – on a single CD! Rooms is one of those groovy late 50s pre-concept albums, with 10 pieces put together to portray moods via jazzy backing of trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax, bass, piano and percussion, conducted by Hopkins. Titles include "Alone", "Dreams", Escape", "Going", "Panic", "Daydream" and "The End". The Sound Of New York (A Music-Sound Portrait) is a whimsical kind of day-in-the-life, idealized and totally fun musical portrait of the Big Apple, with originals "The Sound Of New York", "East Side, West Side", "Coney Island Visit" and more with adaptations of New York themed material by Rodgers & Hart ("Manhattan"), Billy Strayhorn ("Take The 'A' Train)" and more, with groovy vocal sound bites. 22 tracks in all!

A heavy-hitting batch of salsa from the legendary Fania Records catalog – and a collection that's almost more on fire than the first volume in the series! As before, the tracks here showcase the best sounds of New York's glory days for Latin music – that point in the 70s when the scene was exploding anew with a fresh sense of power and pride – and really hitting the best elements of the groove that was starting to be known as salsa! The package digs a bit deeper than before, and features some great lesser-known gems – and like other titles from the revived Fania, the packaging and presentation is superb. Titles include "El Remolon" by Cabrerita, "Timbalero Mayor" by Menique, "Payaso" by La Muralla, "Resignacion" by Gilberto Cruz, "Don Anastacio" by Javier Vazquez, "Arenque" by Alfredo Vargas, "Nosotros" by Monguito Santamaria, "Catano" by Justo Betancourt, "La Fiera" by Kako & Azuquita, and "Dejame En Paz" by Johnny Colon.

Featuring Pete Rock & CL Smooth.

Seminal club tracks from the New York underground at the end of the 70s – a host of killer singles from the Spring, Vanguard, and Posse labels – all in a fantastic blend of boogie, disco, electro, and soul! The work here is easily some of the most sophisticated to come out of the east coast club scene at the time – a real return to indie genius after disco broke heavily in the mainstream, almost a reinvention of the groove with a host of new elements! Some of these tunes will be familiar, but they're presented here in their full extended versions next to others that have been un-reissued for years – making the set an essential batch of tunes that really gets at the best sound of New York from these years! 10 long tracks in all – including "Over Like A Fat Rat" by Fonda Rae, "It Ain't No Big Thing" by Rainbow Brown, "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All)" by Jimmy Spicer, "Charley Says (Roller Boogie Baby)" by King Tim III, "Wired For Games" by C-Bank, "Rockin It" by MC Flex & The FBI Crew, "Electric Kingdom" by Twilight 22, "Is This The Future" by Fatback, "Love Hangover" by Players Association, and "You Keep On Making Me Hot" by Busta Jones.

Vintage work from this overlooked group from the New York scene of the 80s – an all-star lineup that features Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Marion Brown on alto sax, Billy Bang on violin, Sirone and Fred Hopkins on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! The tracks are long, and there's a loose, open feel that recalls the loft jazz generation – but an overall sound that shows the new strength and focus that some of these players were really hitting at the time – that sharper vision that you'd get during the early years of Black Saint/Soul Note – yet presented here in a style that's much more spontaneous overall! Brown and Bang are especially nice – some of the sharpest corners of this sextet – and titles include a great reading of "Goodbye Porkpie Hate", plus "Joann's Green Satin Dress" and "Amanpondo".

An album that definitely lives up to its title – as congolero Francisco Aguabella comes on hard, hitting strong throughout – and serving up a wicked blend of Latin, funk, and soul! The mid 70s set is a standout recording from Aguabella – done after he left the group Malo, and one of the best west coast takes on the modes that scene was changing up from New York at the time – really transforming the sound of contemporary Latin with a trans-genre vibe that was easily some of the most revolutionary music of the period. Rhythms are acoustic, but there's a nice dose of electric energy too, thanks to some sweet keyboards. Some cuts have English vocals, others are instrumental – and titles include "Hitting Hard", "I Wanna Know", "Cisco", "Image of a Star" and a nice version of Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte".

A blend of jazz funk and rawer informed grooves from Harold Alexander – and actually a step into more polished vibes thanks to some Arif Mardin arrangements and a new home at Atlantic Records! Although some of the earlier records cut by reed player Harold Alexander may have been more accurately described with the title Raw Root, this one stands up a lot better today than we remembered it! It has a pretty tight electric sound, and good Atlantic soul grooves running through it – with Alexander on flutes & saxes, Joe Boner in on keyboards, Ricard Davis on bass and Brian Beaks on drums on the bulk of it, with altered personnel on "De Black Musician" and "Lady Euphoria" (which also include vocals by Tequila). Soulful backing vocals credited to Something Different and some guitar by Junior Hanson and some spacey synth by Billy Allessi. Other tracks include "Country Soul", "Raw Root", "New York Sister", and "Street Life".

Lost Latin funk from the Bay Area scene of the 70s – and an album that may well blow away better-known work by groups like Malo, Azteca, or El Chicano! The album's near-perfect right from the start – and brings in plenty of New York elements to the groove, thanks to the inclusion of a heady amount of jazz alongside the soul, Latin, and funk elements in the grooves! The legendary Teo Macero produced and arranged – and really takes a lot of care in the studio to focus the overall energy of the tremendous talents on the record – players who include Hadley Caliman on flute and tenor, Steve Marcus on soprano sax, Benny Velarde on timbales, and Francisco Aguabella on congas – plus the trio of Cesar, Mark Levine, and Merl Sanders on keyboards. Most numbers have this really full, flowing groove – jazzy, but with a strong emphasis on the rhythms – and often touched with some great work on guitar that echoes the Santana-inspired sound of the generation, yet never in a rock way at all. Linda Tillery sings vocals on a few numbers, but the main focus is definitely instrumental – and the whole album's great – with cuts that include "See Saw Affair", "Azucar", "Descarga", "The Devil & Montezuma", "Gotta Get Away", and "Bridges".

A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, tenor against bass and drums, working freely with less rhythmic constraints than before, searching for new sounds and new modes of expression, working through changes in a style first proposed by Sonny Rollins, but taken to new intensity by the New York underground of the 60s. That sound is summed up here perfectly by Ayler, Gary Peacock, and Sunny Murray – working together with an edgey brilliance, on classic tracks that include "Ghosts: First Variation", "Ghosts: Second Variation", "The Wizard", and "Spirits".

A split set of soundtracks – both penned for films directed by Jean-Louis Bertuccelli! Richard Rodney Bennett really charms us with his score for L'Imprecateur – easily one of his most carefully creative film pieces of the 70s – and really nicely balanced between space and sound, in ways that have the subtle drama of the film welling up beautifully as the music unfolds! The instrumentals from the film are presented in two smaller "suites" – with tracks that include "New York", "Le Bus", "Ecoute", "La Vueve", "Le Cafe", "Retour A La Lumiere", and "L'Accident". Next is Gabriel Yared's music for Interdit Aus Moins De 13 Ans – written five years after Bennett's score, but done with a similarly evocative feel! Instrumentation has a bit of an 80s quality at times – but not in a cheesy way – more in the sonically sensitive qualities that you might find in a Wim Wenders score of the decade. Titles include "L'Autre Rive", "Louis Et Lucie", "La Nuit De Noel", and "Scene D'Amour".

A searing debut from Black Heat – one of the best funk acts to record for Atlantic during the 70s, and a tight little group with a sound that's a mixture of New Orleans funk and New York heavy! The album's got a bit of vocals – figuring in on about half the tracks – but the main focus here is definitely instrumental – with a strong emphasis on choppy guitar, sweet organ licks, and cooking horn solos on trumpet, tenor, and flute – the last two of which are played by David Newman – not normally a member of the combo, but a great guest for this session! The sound is very tight, but never slick – and often recorded with an earthiness that recalls some of the best indie label funk of the period – like the kind of grooves you might find over at Perception/Today – with all the trippiness that might imply. Titles include "Chip's Funk", "Wanoah", "Barbara's Mood", "Chicken Heads", "The Jungle", "Send My Lover Back", "Honey Love", and "Time Is Gonna Catch You".

Reedman Thomas Borgman's in some really great company here – bassist Wilber Morris and drummer Reggie Nicholson – both of whom really open up on the album's very long tracks! The set was recorded live at the end of the 90s, but may not have been issued until now – and it features a really masterful performance that's filled with slow-building energy and really rich feeling – a sound that almost takes us back to the relaxed creative vibe of the New York loft jazz generation! Borgman blows with lots of elliptical energy – and the drums and bass really help to break him out of the box – creating their own shifting souls that enliven the performance greatly. Titles include "Nasty & Sweet", "We Went That Way", "Wilber's Mood", and a shorter take of "Nasty & Sweet".

A classic album that mixes trumpet and voices in a swirling soulful sound that worked very well for Byrd's career! Byrd's sparkling trumpet fronts a tight septet that includes Hank Mobley, Herbie Hancock, and Kenny Burrell – and which is backed by arrangements by Coleridge Perkinson and Duke Pearson. The sound is beautiful and spiritual, with a sound that mixes Blue Note hardbop with a style that would later show up on labels like Strata East, or in the experiments of Max Roach and Billy Harper. The tracks are long and moody, and the vocal group never gets in the way, but instead backs Byrd in a way that lets him hit new heights, and which gives him a stronger sense of voice. Includes the classic "Christo Redentor", plus "Chant", "The Black Disciple", and "Elijah".

Massive work from Calibro 35 – a group we've been digging on obscure overseas releases – stepping out here on their first American record, and easily their funkiest album to date! The sound is wonderful – still filled with the older Italian soundtrack references that got the group's music going in the first place – but also driven by a much tighter sound at the bottom, especially on the drums – which really drive the tunes strongly! Other instrumentation includes loads of keyboards – especially clavinet-type riffs that fit the group's 70s cop/crime mode perfectly – and titles include "Uh Ah Brrr", "Thank You & Goodbye", "New Delhi Deli", "New York New York", "Italian Band From BBQ", "Rain On Concrete", and "A Massacre At Dawn".

An amazing debut from the John Carter/Bobby Bradford New Art Jazz Ensemble – one of the most powerful voices in jazz on the west coast at the end of the 60s! In a way, the quartet's sound is a culmination of the underground changes that had been bubbling under during most of the 60s on the LA scene – new ways of conceiving jazz after Ornette and Dolphy had first set the scene on fire at the start of the decade, but styles that weren't receiving nearly the exposure as some of the better-known avant work on the Chicago, New York, or European scenes. The style here definitely owes something of a legacy to Ornette in the way it reconceives rhythm and melody – and a bit to Dolphy in its freewheeling, free-thinking work on clarinet, flute, and alto by John Carter. Bobby Bradford's bracing trumpet lines really give the album a tremendous punch – and the rest of the group features Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman (brother of George and Von!) on drums. Titles include "Seeking", "The Village Dancers", "Sticks & Stones", "In The Vineyard", "Karen On Monday", and "Song For The Unsung".

A sweet and smooth batch of modern soul tracks – arranged and produced by Tony Camillo, and the only album we've ever seen by this obscure east coast group! The set's got a really nice jazzy flourish – part New York club, part mellow studio soul – and the overall presentation of the set is wonderful, with a solid sound that's right up there with the big name groups of the time. Plenty of great instrumental touches in the mix – popping along on an uptempo groove on cuts like "Doin' The Dog", "Nasty Street", and "Gimme Your Love" – and bubbling in a sweet mellow vibe on tracks that include "Mr. Me, Mrs. You", "I Don't Ever Wanna Love Nobody But You", and "I Will Never Stop Lovin' You". Very nice!

A smooth later groover from Crown Heights Affair – a lot more 80s sounding than the group's classic work, but in a way that's actually totally great! CHA were never shy of hitting a mainstream sound – and early in the group's career, they traded harder funk for smoother disco – making a move that suited them well in later years. This set's got a brilliant sheen that really works wonderful for the group – tight production from Bert DeCoteaux in a style that's almost an update of earlier Philly modes – mature and sophisticated on the vocals and use of strings, but also with a funkier undercurrent at the bottom to keep with a New York De-Lite kind of sound. Titles include "You Gave Me Love", "Sure Shot", "I Don't Want To Change You", "You've Been Gone", "Use Your Body & Soul", and "Tell Me You Love Me".

The group were certainly doing something right – as this album has Joe Cuba's sextet at the top of their game, easily showing why they were one of the best groups on the New York scene of the 60s! The album's a pivotal one in the development of Latin Soul – as it sports the incredible track "El Pito" – one of those Latin jammers that grabbed everyone right away, and which has barely ever been matched since! The album's also got some great use of English language lyrics – crucial to the unique crossover sound that Joe was forging, and a real bridge between Spanish and African American Harlem in the 60s. Titles include "My Wonderful You", "El Pito (I'll Never Go Back To Georgia)", "Pruebalo, OK?", "Bochinchosa", "Incomparable", and "Clave Mambo".

An obscure but excellent session – recorded at the end of the 70s with some of the best players in the New York salsa underground! The music is extremely vibrant – and the styles of the tracks range from hard Afro-Cuban percussion grooving to tight Latin jazz in a classic mode – with instrumentation that ranges from pachanga-styled flute and violin, to some harder-jamming grooves with a lot more piano in the lead. Production has that raw, but clear sound that we love so much in the Latin Percussion albums of the time – a groove that's very different than that of Fania or Tico – and Sonny Bravo plays piano, Rene Lopez is on trumpet, Nicky Marrera is on timbales, Dick Meza plays flute, Eddie Montalvo plays conga, and Mario Rivera is on saxes. Includes great Latin Jazz versions of "Tune Up", "Manteca", and "April In Paris" – plus "Jo Ca Nic", "Son De La Loma", and "Konkoina".

An incredible full album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! The group's a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky!

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 4LP box set edition is amazing – coming in a beautiful hand-pulled silkscreen box – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes an oversized booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence.

Classic 60s soul jazz from Lou Donaldson – and one of the first albums that has him working with Grant Green on guitar and Baby Face Willette on organ! Both players were discovered by Lou and brought to New York for Blue Note – a move that not only helped give the Donaldson sound a really soulful edge on a few key records, but which also helped jump-start the careers of both heavy-hitting players! Green's guitar is always a treat next to Lou's well-crafted lines on the alto – and Willette's organ brings a nicely unbridled quality to this session, giving it a rougher edge than the usual Blue Note. The cover's great too – and tracks include "Cool Blues", "Watusi Jump", and "Here 'Tis".

An extremely righteous bit of soul jazz – originally issued in a very small pressing by Folkway Records, at a time when the label was doing some great underground recordings! The sound is loose and free – spiritually building in a manner that recalls the work of Ahmed Abdul Malik, Phil Cohran, and some of the AACM – and the album has a style that's exploratory, but never goes too far out, or loses its sense of rhythm and swing. Tracks are longish, and the core group features soprano sax and Korean reeds by Bilal Abdurahman and vibes by Ameen Nuraldeen – plus guest work on bass by James Smith, and appearances by a lot of different world percussion players. There's a nice Eastern feel to some of the tracks, and titles include "Mevlana", "Ti Ti", "Sun Flower", and "Bent El Jerusalem".

Modern rock/funk, with sort of a New York downtown sound, and touches of the 80's days at Celluloid. The group has electric funky basslines, and some guest keyboards on tracks by Bernie Worrell, but the sound is mostly avant rock funk, instead of straight-on funky stuff. Tracks include "Flash", "Oricinal Cin-Dee", "Voices", "Can You Dig It", and "New Rage".

Good album by this female-male-female soul trio, with a lot of tracks written and arranged by Van McCoy, with the good New York soul sound that he was laying down with groups like this in the days before he hit the disco. Zulema's on vocals, and she also wrote a few tracks. Cuts include "God Bless The World", "I Worship The Very Ground You Walk On", "Heavy Love", "I Was There", and "We Can Change The World".

Rare funk from the New Orleans scene of the late 70s – work by an obscure combo with a great ear for the dancefloor! The overall sound is much more like music coming from Chicago, Detroit, or New York at the time – a post-Earth Wind & Fire style of funk that's got lots of tight ensemble grooving and vocals, on rhythms that are equally balanced between boogie and disco! Despite the obscure nature of the record, it's got a wonderfully professional feel – all top-shelf all the way through, like something that could have been issued on Columbia Records during the same stretch – with a warmly jazzy undercurrent that makes for a much greater depth than you might expect! Instrumentation includes great keyboards and bits of horns/ Titles include "I Don't Know Why", "Dr Music", "For The Love Of Disco", "There Must Be An Answer", "We Are Somebody", "Nowhere To Run", and "All We Have Is A Song". This Japanese CD edition also includes 3 more previously unreleased tracks: the 1975 recording of "I Don't Know Why", plus "Make A Change" and a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" from that same year – and "Our Love's Gone By" and the 1975 version of "There Must Be An Answer", both previously released on rare 45s.

A well-titled album from one of the funkiest New York groups of the 70s – and proof that Fatback could still hit a heavy groove, even when tightening things up a bit! The style here is still firmly in the live jamming mode of their roots – captured well in the studio, in a style that's never too slick, nor too "easy" in the choices of rhythms or arrangements. Titles like "Double Dutch", "Spank The Baby", "Duke Walk", "Cosmic Woman", and "Love Street" hint at the street funk style that first got the group going – and although the sound's a bit more professional than before, all the best elements are still very much in place! Other titles include "NYCNYUSA", "A Changed Man", and "Soul Finger".

A new wave crossover classic from The Flying Lizards – one of the quirkiest groups of their era! The group were European, but have a sound that resonates strongly with the most playful post-disco work of the New York scene of the time, particularly the acts on Ze Records – a groove that mixes equal part punky and clubby rhythms, often topped with lyrics that are cold, but clever, done in the same ironic arty style of Cristina, or Devo. This album's the group's standout opus – and features their classic covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money" – as well as originals "The Flood", "TV", "The Window", and "Russia". CD also features "Money (single edit)".

A wicked dip into Colombian music – focused around the work of two true giants of the scene! CD1 features 21 massive tracks from Fruko – one of the hardest-hitting artists working in Colombia in the 70s – often in a sound that starts out in New York salsa, but takes all these weird little twists and turns as it adapts to the local rhythms! Joe Arroyo's tracks start where Fruko's leave off – pushing the groove even more with a bolder, more confident Colombian style – still filled with some great jazzy riffs that you'd hear in salsa, but moving into some especially nice tropical touches too! The production on the material for both artists is great – often filled with some sweet studio tricks – and the booklet features notes on the artists, plus images of lots of vintage album covers too. 38 tracks in all – with tracks billed to each artist separately, or The Latin Brothers, La Verdad, or Afrosound – on titles that include "El Preso", "El Violento", "Tu Sufriras", "La Pintosa", "Ocho Dias", "El Esclavo, "Tifit Hayed", "San Juan De Puerto Rico", "Palenque", Pobre Naci, "El Son Del Caballo", "Baila Simon, "Musa Original", "Matigua", "Vuelve", "Son Apretao", and "En Barranquilla Me Quedo.

Early work from Gwen Guthrie – produced by Sly & Robbie, but with a sweet modern soul sound that's got a lot less of their influence than you'd guess! The sound is much more New York than Jamaica – and that's probably due to some great instrumental backing on keyboards by the likes of Harry Whitaker, Bernie Worrell, and Wally Badarou – all massive talents that bring a nice sweet jazzy sound to the best cuts on the record. There's a definite 80s sing-song groove going on – in that not-yet-top-of-the-charts soul sound that you'd hear on the better small urban stations at the time – moving back and forth nicely, in a strong link between the mainstream and the underground clubs! Tracks include "Hopscotch", "Seventh Heaven", "Oh What A Life", "Younger Than Me", and a nice cover of Sly Stone's "Family Affair".

Early work from Gwen Guthrie – produced by Sly & Robbie, but with a sweet modern soul sound that's got a lot less of their influence than you'd guess! The sound is much more New York than Jamaica – and that's probably due to some great instrumental backing on keyboards by the likes of Harry Whitaker, Bernie Worrell, and Wally Badarou – all massive talents that bring a nice sweet jazzy sound to the best cuts on the record. There's a definite 80s sing-song groove going on – in that not-yet-top-of-the-charts soul sound that you'd hear on the better small urban stations at the time – moving back and forth nicely, in a strong link between the mainstream and the underground clubs! Tracks include "Hopscotch", "Seventh Heaven", "Oh What A Life", "Younger Than Me", and a nice cover of Sly Stone's "Family Affair". CD features 3 bonus tracks too – "Padlock (Larry Levan special mix)", "Hopscotch (Larry Levan rmx inst)", and "Peanut Butter (Larry Levan special mix)".

Hmmm....we're not sure if this is the same Harlem River Drive that recorded with Eddie Palmieri, but we've got to assume that they are, as we can't imagine 2 bands using the same name at the same time, and both apparently from New York. "Need You" has also got a sound that's kind of a progression from the famous album by the group, with a shift from Latin funk to Latin disco – in the kind of groove that Eddie Drennon was moving to at the same time. The track's a vocal groover, with a nice catchy soul hook. "Overtime" is a bit more straight funk – but with a heavy bottom sound that's also in the Harlem River Drive style.

The darkly brooding image of Hampton Hawes on the front cover of this one is a real standout in the mostly-sweet cover lineup of the Contemporary label – but it's also a great indication of the sound of the record, which is something different than most of its contemporaries! Hawes is working here at his top-shelf early best – stepping around the keys of the piano with a sense of grace and spaciousness – but also a hard-hitting, highly rhythmic mode on the left – a bit soul jazz at times, mixing earthy elements with the sweeter, lyrical moments in his solos. Rhythm is by the team of Red Mitchell and Chuck Thompson – and titles include "Yesterdays", "Blues For Jacque", Stella By Starlight", "Steeplechase", "Round Midnight", "Autumn In New York" and "Section Blues".

Two excellent early albums from Shirley Horn – back to back on a single CD! Travelin Light is one of the greatest jazz vocal albums of the 60s, and probably the greatest album ever by Shirley Horn! The session's got a beautiful lively sound, with extremely interesting arrangements by Johnny Pate, and a flute/piano/guitar sound that works perfectly with Shirley's lovely voice. The material is a great mix of lesser-known songs, sung with a maturity and honesty that will make your heart break. We love this one way better than any of Shirley's recent albums, and we can't recommend it highly enough! Titles include "Sunday In New York", "Yes, I Know When I've Had It", "Someone You've Loved", "I Could Have Told You", "Travelin Light", and "Don't Be On The Outside". Horn Of Plenty is hip stuff from Shirley Horn – very mature and swinging jazz! The set features the sharp early vocals of Shirley Horn nicely set up with some larger backings – hip arrangements handled by Quincy Jones, Thad Jones, and Billy Byers – with all the groovy 60s punch you can imagine from a lineup like that! And although Horn later became well known for some gentler, mellower cuts, we're huge fans of her singing like this – which has a righteous power that really tops some of the vocalists from the previous generation. Titles include "Wee Small Hours", "That Old Black Magic", "The Great City", "On The Street Where You Live", and "Let Me Love You".

Fantastic! This is the kind of soul that we still collect vinyl for and are all the more thrilled to see officially reissued by careful curators such as those at Kent UK! Freddie Hughes is one of the great lost voices of the 60s, and this sparkling album of soulful tunes is a real gem – loaded up here with incredible bonus tracks recorded in earlier duo sessions! He's not the same singer as the Freddie Hughes from Chicago – and he hailed from San Francisco, a very unlikely source for such great soul music. The session was recorded with Lonnie Hewitt (Cal Tjader's funky piano player) in SF – but it's got that perfect New York Wand/Scepter "deep soul meets uptown" sound. The tracks are mostly written by Hughes or Hewitt – and they are all pretty amazing, filled with hooks that just don't quit, and some heartbreaking verses that match the work of writers like Curtis Mayfield or Garland Green. Titles include "Send My Baby Back", "He's No Good", "Tonight I'm Gonna See My Baby", "You're My Everything", "Natural Man" (the Aretha classic remodeled for a male perspective) and "I Gotta Keep My Bluff In" and bonus tracks "Love Can't Be Understood" and "My Baby Came Back". Earlier in the decade, Freddie sang in San Francisco duos Casanova II with Wylie Trass and The Soul Brothers with Ken Pleasants. This CD includes "Maybe They're Right", "Love's Philosophy", "I Was A Fool" and "We Got To Keep On" by Casanova II, plus "Let Our Love Go On", "Love's Philosophy" (Pts 1 & 2), "Where's My Baby" and more by The Soul Brothers, many previously unreleased. One more bonus track: "Do The Philly" on the Music City label, credited to The Music City All Stars.

A landmark New York session from Dollar Brand – recorded in the late 70s, with a larger group than usual! Brand spins out some really magical African-tinged jazz grooves – stretching forth in his usual modal mode, but augmented by a great set of horn parts that includes work by Don Cherry, Carlos Ward, and Hamiett Bluiett. Rhythmically, the album is incredibly strong as well – as it features bass work by Johnny Dyani, percussion by Claude Jones and John Betsch, and drums by Roy Brooks – working here at the height of his spiritual powers. One track on the album gets quite free, and titles include "Sister Rosie", "Jabulani" and "Hajj".

A record that really lives up to its title, given the sweet Philly grooves of the set – a real surprise, given that the album was recorded in Germany! The session's a rare studio project in the early years of the German disco scene – and comes off with the best soulful styles that were bubbling up in the US at the time – clubby instrumental grooves that are filled with soaring strings and tight rhythms – yet served up in ways that are never too overdone! In fact, if you slapped some obscure US label on this one, folks would be more than willing to believe that the set's some underground corner from the New York scene – quite a surprise for a record that was initially cut just for sound library usage. Titles include "City Train", "Alaska Flight", "Skyline", "Night Shift", "Full House", "Star Shot", "Rush Hour", "Sun Ship", and "Flash Point".

A record that really lives up to its title, given the sweet Philly grooves of the set – a real surprise, given that the album was recorded in Germany! The session's a rare studio project in the early years of the German disco scene – and comes off with the best soulful styles that were bubbling up in the US at the time – clubby instrumental grooves that are filled with soaring strings and tight rhythms – yet served up in ways that are never too overdone! In fact, if you slapped some obscure US label on this one, folks would be more than willing to believe that the set's some underground corner from the New York scene – quite a surprise for a record that was initially cut just for sound library usage. Titles include "City Train", "Alaska Flight", "Skyline", "Night Shift", "Full House", "Star Shot", "Rush Hour", "Sun Ship", and "Flash Point".

A groovy little record from the Count Buffalos group – an ensemble we know mostly for their heavier funk of the early 70s and late 60s – but who here step out in a clubbier mode with some sweet touches of disco! The group's still a jazz one at its core – but they've also added in bits of chorus vocals, keyboards, and some strings – all to come up with a sound that's somewhere in a New York club style of the late 70s – with a strong instrumental focus overall, one that still has some jazzy solos – but plenty of emphasis on the groovy rhythms too! Titles include a few numbers with Japanese titles – plus versions of "Baby Elephant Walk", "High School Cadets", and "C'Est Si Bon" – all done as disco groovers!

An overlooked early session from multi-instrumentalist Michael Gregory Jackson, recording here with a trio of great horn players in a wonderfully sensitive sound! The record's approach is a perfect illustration of the maturity on the New York avant scene in the late 70s – a real change from the more frenetic modes that ESP was recording a decade before, with some thoughtful, almost pensive points that really round out the record beautifully. Jackson plays mostly guitar, but also vocalizes a bit and plays marimba, percussion, wood flute and other instruments – and he's joined by Oliver Lake on flute and saxes, Wadada Leo Smith on trumpets, and David Murray on tenor sax. Some tracks get nice and bold, while others hold back wonderfully – and titles include "Oliver Lake", "Clarity", "A View Of This Life", "Prelueoionti" and "Iomi".

Queen of Soul is right! Heck, on these early albums, Etta practically invented soul – or at least invented a deep soul style of singing that would be taken up by countless other female singers during the 60s, but rarely matched with this kind of brilliance. Straight up beatiful stuff! The arrangements are uncredited, but we think they're probably by Riley Hampton – who did so much of Etta's other wonderful work in the early 60s. The recordings for sure took place at points between '62 and '64, mostly in Chicago, with couple in New York and one in Nashville. One other thing that is crystal clear about the sessions is that she had access to the very best musicians and the best sound possible – all you need is a listen to know that! The album's an all-solid, all-soul record with loads of obscure tunes and not a bit of filler! Titles include "Flight 101", "Bobby Is His Name", "Breaking Point", "Mello Fellow", "Do Right", and "Somewhere Out There". This first ever proper CD release is loaded with excellent bonus material – recordings from the same early-to-mid 60s period – 13 of them "You Got Me Where You Want Me", "Only Time Will Tell", "Pushover". "You Can't Talk To A Fool", "Would It Make Any Difference To You", "Pay Back", "Tomorrow Night", "I Can't Hold It Any More" and more. 23 tracks in all!

Ha! This one really takes us back! The set was a massive breakthrough for August Darnell – one of his biggest hits since his day with Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, with an equally appealing approach to the dancefloor. Tracks mix early 80s New York club styles with Darnell's mad retro/exotic take on the world – coming out with a sound that's slightly hokey, but equally catchy! Includes the hits "Annie (I'm Not Your Daddy)", "I'm A Wonderful Thing Baby", and "Stool Pigeon" – plus the cuts "Imitation", "I'm Corrupt", "No Fish Today", and "Loving You Made A Fool Out Of Me".

Steve Kuhn at his funky best! Over the years, you may have seen Steve's name turn up on collections of hip funky tunes from the early 70s – but probably have never been able to find the right record that offers that same sound. Well, search no further, because this is the record – and it's a real gem! The album was recorded live in New York – with an acoustic quartet that include George Mraz on bass, serving up some incredibly warm, round, and soulful lines that give nearly every track on the record a great groove. Titles include "Raindrops Raindrops", "Gloria", "The Child Is Gone", "The Real Guitarist", "Thoughts Of A Gentleman", and "Chicken Feathers".

A lost treasure – one of the few albums ever cut by this fantastic Latin Jazz ensemble, an ultra-hip group led by congolero Juan Amalbert, with a modal vibes/piano groove that's simply wonderful! The combo were one of the hippest early 60s Latin acts – and took equal part inspiration from the New York Latin and the east coast soul jazz set, forging a groove that was different than many other Latin groups – with a free blend of styles that created a magically dancing sound. A few tracks on the album feature some guest alto work by Bobby Capers – and titles include "Ain't Dat Right", "Blue Moon", "April Afternoon", "Polly's Delight", and a great cover of "Summertime".

The most polarizing of John Lennon's post Beatles ouvre – the strident, Spector-produced, sprawling mess that is Some Time In New York City – a record that has too much of every idea John & Yoko had at the time, which makes it all the more fascinating after all these years! Angry, self-righteous and quite often brilliant – feminist anthems backed by Wall Of Sound pop, an ode to John Sinclair in the mold of a country rock tune – wild stuff from a superstar! Include "Woman Is The Ni**er Of The World", "Sister, Oh Sister", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Attica State", "New York City" and more.

Early 50s greatness from Charlie Mariano for Prestige – sessions that are mostly done in an octet format – wonderful stuff that we'd rank right up there with some of his best work of the decade! This 10-inch LP is subtitled New Sounds From Boston – which is quite appropriate – as the soulfulness of the solos and the overall arrangements sound a good half-decade ahead of their time! Charlie's solos are terrific, but he's a generous leader – with plenty of space for standout moments by a group that features Joe Gordon on trumpet, Sonny Truitt on trombone, Jim Clark on tenor, George Myers on baritone, Glenn Glennon on drums, Jack Lawlor on bass, and Roy Frazee on piano. Includes 2 sessions masters each of Mariano's own "Boston Uncommon" and "The Wizard" – plus "Tzoris" and "Autumn In New York". Also includes "Mariners" and "Aviary" – the former in a sextet setting and the latter a quintet.

The Diamond Touch here is from Gregg Diamond – who brings a real Bionic Boogie feel to this album for George McCrae – a sound that shifts slightly from the Miami soul approach of earlier records, moving George up to New York for the session, and coming up with a strong disco groove overall! The approach is a bit smoother and more polished than some of McCrae's earlier work, but still manages to keep a similar rhythmic focus – and although George never steps out too strongly on any tracks, the Diamond Touch keeps the overall sound pretty strong throughout. Titles include "Givin Back The Feeling", "Nothing But Love", "Love In Motion", "Loved & Lost", "Dance In A Circle", "Cut The Rug", and "Dancin Through The Storm". Includes two bonus tracks – "Love In Motion (single)", and "Givin Back The Feeling (single)".

Searing early work from Joe McPhee – quite possibly his hardest-hitting recording of the 70s, even if the material wasn't properly issued until 25 years later! The performance was done for radio station WBAI in New York – and it features McPhee, Clifford Thornton, and Byron Morris coming together in an experimental setting that also includes some earlier taped performances by McPhee alongside the live work by the group! There's an energy here that rivals the most aggressive avant work on Impulse Records at its best – a soaring, righteous sound that's got an undercurrent of social change and politics, as you'd find in classics by Archie Shepp or Marion Brown. The remaining members of the group include Mike Kull on piano and Harold E Smith on percussion, and McPhee plays trumpet as well as tenor – on titles that include "Black Magic Man", "Nation Time", "Song For Lauren", "Message From Denmark", "Harriet", and "The Looking Glass 1".

The second Stax album from Mel & Tim – and even better than the first! Although the pair are probably best known for their soaring soul singles at the end of the 60s, by the time of this 1973 record, they'd matured wonderfully – hitting some deeper, more heartfelt modes that are mighty nice – and a perfect fit for the sophisticated level of production that Stax was putting down at the time! There's still some slight sweet soul undercurrents – but with an overall presentation that's much more Memphis than New York, the sound is nice and deep – lots of Muscle Shoals instrumentation that includes keyboards from Barry Beckett, guitar grooves from Jimmy Johnson, and some perfectly balanced rhythms that keep things on the downlow throughout! Titles include the break-heavy version of "Yes We Can Can", plus "Keep The Faith", "Making Love Is My Thing", "Forever In a Day", "That's The Way I Want To Live My Life", "Same Folk", and "Oh How I Love You".

Ahhh, good ol' Mel & Tim – possibly our favorite soul duo ever, and a really dynamic pair that carve some great new territory away from the path set by Sam & Dave! The album's a bit of a comeback for the duo, as you'd guess from the title – even though it was only recorded a few years after their initial work for the Bamboo label. There's a stylistic shift that marks a second chapter in the Mel & Tim groove – as they move away from the New York uptown sound, and go for more of a gritty southern sound – thanks to help from producer/arrangers Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins. The set list is filled with loads of great southern soul tunes – penned by composers who include Phillip Mitchell, Isaac Hayes, Dan Penn, and Homer Banks – on the titles "Heaven Knows", "Wrap It Up", "Don't Mess With My Money My Honey Or My Woman", "Carry Me", and a great cover of "I'm Your Puppet". CD reissue includes the bonus tracks "Forever In A Day", "It's Those Little Things That Count", "The Same Folk", and "Yes We Can-Can".

A pair of killers from this legendary group! High On Music is one of the funkiest albums ever from The Memphis Horns – that super-tight instrumental combo headed by Andrew Love on tenor and Wayne Jackson on trumpet! Both players had years in the Memphis soul scene under their belt by the time of this set – and instead of just going for familiar modes, they wisely try to reach for a whole new groove – bringing in a bit of New York funk from the time, particularly the tighter ensemble sound of the Fatback generation. Booker T still handles production, which ensures a link to Memphis roots – and there's some great keyboards, which underscore the horns nicely. Titles include "Freedom Train", "Get It Up", "80 Proof Red", "Move Your Feet", "Keep On Doin' It", "Crystal Mellow", "Love's Mood", and "Beale Street Shuffle". On Get Up & Dance, The Memphis Horns expand their groove – still serving up their great blend of funky soul horns, but also adding in a bit of vocals too! The core focus of the album is still instrumental – based around that amazing sound led by Memphis soul legends Andrew Love and Wayne Jackson – but given the dancefloor orientation of some of the best tracks here, vocals are a perfect blend for the sound – lyrics that never dominate too much, but which have a great way of underscoring the groove! Singers include DJ Rogers, Lani Groves, Deniece Williams, and James Gilstrap all sing on the record – and titles include "Just For Your Love", a smooth mellow stepper that's pretty darn catchy – plus "Love Is Happiness", "Get Up And Dance", "Memphis Nights", "What The Funk", "Don't Abuse It", "Keep On Smilin", and "Waitin For The Flood".

Genius work from trumpeter Blue Mitchell – one of his most solid sides as a leader from the 60s, and a well-deserved treasure in the Blue Note catalog! The album's quite different than the straight soul jazz of Blue's early days on Riverside – or the more arranged dates of the late 60s – and it features him moving in a soulful, lyrical, modal style – quite similar to Horace Silver in conception, but with a fresh execution that's mighty nice – and which marks Mitchell as one of the fresher trumpet voices of his generation! The whole group's great, too – and the lineup includes Junior Cook on tenor, Blue's old bandmate from Horace Silver's group – plus Harold Mabern on piano, who really helps shape the sound of the record, Gene Taylor on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Tracks include gems from Mitchell, Jimmy Heath, and Tom McIntosh – titles that include "Bring It Home To Me", "Blues 3 For 1", "Port Rico Rock", and "Ginger Bread Boy".

Killer work from a very unique little group – the short-lived union of bassist Red Mitchell and saxophonist Harold Land – heard here in one of the hippest dates from the LA scene of the early 60s! Mitchell's a well-known name from more straight ahead sides of the 50s, but working here with Land he really hits a great groove – that harder sort of soulbop sound that was coming out of LA for a few brief years in the 60s – played with a sense of tightness and fire that matched the best work of the time in New York! The whole group here is great – and the amazing Carmell Jones is in the group on trumpet, alongside Frank Strazzeri on piano and Leon Pettis on drums. The solos are great, and the writing is too – with some lively lyrical original compositions that include "Comara", "Pari Passu", "Catacomb", and "Triplin Awhile". A great bridge between Land's earlier sessions under his own name, and his later partnership with Bobby Hutcherson!

A monstrous bit of jazz funk from drummer Alphonse Mouzon – spacey tracks in a choppy style that reminds us a bit of some of the best European fusion albums from the period, but with a harder groove overall! Mini Moog and ARP trip out the sound throughout, but the underlying rhythms are nice and heavy. Lee Ritenour's on guitar, and he gets a lot of play on the record – but the main groove is Alphonse's heavy funky snakefoot! Al's drums and percussion are furiously frenetic, and he also plays a lot of keyboards – and other players include Tom Scott on tenor, Dave Grusin on clavinet, Victor Feldman on bongos and congas, and Charles Meeks on bass. A few tracks have vocals – by Marty McCall, Jackie Ward, and Caroline Willis – as well as Alphonse himself and the album's also got two very nice break-oriented tracks – "Snake Walk" and "New York City" – both with nice hard drums! Titles include a number of other good fusion groovers, like "Without A Reason", "Just Like the Sun", "Before You Leave", "Just Like The Sun", and "Mouzon Moves On".

A monstrous bit of jazz funk from drummer Alphonse Mouzon – spacey tracks in a choppy style that reminds us a bit of some of the best European fusion albums from the period, but with a harder groove overall! Mini Moog and ARP trip out the sound throughout, but the underlying rhythms are nice and heavy. Lee Ritenour's on guitar, and he gets a lot of play on the record – but the main groove is Alphonse's heavy funky snakefoot! Al's drums and percussion are furiously frenetic, and he also plays a lot of keyboards – and other players include Tom Scott on tenor, Dave Grusin on clavinet, Victor Feldman on bongos and congas, and Charles Meeks on bass. A few tracks have vocals – by Marty McCall, Jackie Ward, and Caroline Willis – as well as Alphonse himself and the album's also got two very nice break-oriented tracks – "Snake Walk" and "New York City" – both with nice hard drums! Titles include a number of other good fusion groovers, like "Without A Reason", "Just Like the Sun", "Before You Leave", "Just Like The Sun", and "Mouzon Moves On".

Pure insanity from the mighty Mulatu – one of his few American albums from the 60s! The record's an incredible blend of New York Latin and some of the more Afro-styled grooves Mulatu explored more freely on his Ethiopian recordings – served up in a jazzy style that has plenty of vibes in the mix, and lots of percussion at the bottom! The record is a treasure throughout – other-worldly, yet still very hip and swinging – a mysterious bridge between Latin America and Africa, suspended on waves of wonderful sound! Titles include "Shagu", "Mascaram Setaba", "Almaz", "Mulatu's Hideaway", "Askum", "Playboy Cha Cha", and "One For Buzayhew".

Spiritual sounds from New Zealand trumpeter Kim Paterson – a player best known for work in the Mike Nock group – stepping out here with a widely expansive vision as a leader! Paterson's got plenty of help here – a large, shifting lineup that really makes for a well-crafted batch of tracks – often handled in a mode that offers a core sense of soul with some freer, modern elements – a bit like some of our favorite work on the New York scene of late, with similar spiritual leanings at the root of the sound – even though the overall execution might be a bit more straight ahead. Paterson gets a lead trumpet solo on every track – and other instrumentation includes keyboard, soprano sax, tenor, guitar, piano, and even a bit of strings – on titles that include "Catharsis", "5th House", "Nick's Groove", "To You With Love", "Sheriar's Dream", "Daaman", and "Time".

A full three albums by the legendary Pyramids – all packaged together in one complete set, with a bonus video too! The Pyramids recorded three key records during the 70s – each of them an underground classic, all served up in a wonderful bit of spiritual soul jazz with a really cosmic feel! The group are heavy on percussion and reeds – blending congas and assorted other percussion instruments with soprano sax, alto, and flute – all in a captivating sound that builds up nicely over the course of the album's two long tracks! The music is very organic – never too forced, nor never too far out – and there's a majestic quality to the whole thing, one that really lives up to the group's name and image on the cover. And although the ensemble hail from Ohio – hardly a spot you'd peg for spiritual jazz in the 70s – they're a key link between the early 70s avant movements in Chicago and St Louis, some of the hip grooves in Detroit's Tribe Records scene, and the growing loft jazz movement in New York. The reeds are especially nice – alto sax from Idris Ackamoor and flute from Margo Ackamoor – and all other group members play percussion, and vocalize too – singing along with some of the tunes in chanting, chorus formation, which adds an even further element of soul to the mix. Includes the full albums Lalibela, King Of Kings, and Birth Speed Merging – with bonus video content of The Pyramids Live On KQED in 1975.

A great bit of soul from Clarence Reid – otherwise known as Blowfly – and a key album in the Miami scene at the end of the 60s! Clarence is working here in a very classic Atlantic records style of soul – with all the rootsy southern elements of the previous southern work at Memphis and Muscle Shoals, but handled with a well-produced sound that has elements of New York Atlantic. Most of the album's in a tight funky soul mode – with bits of Sly Stone or Charles Wright showing up a lot on the grooves – and cuts include the single "Nobody But You Babe", plus "Doggone It", "Get Back", "Tear You A New Heart", "Fools Are Not Born", and "Send Me Back My Money". There's also a goofy photo on the front – proving that Clarence Reid was better off behind a mask as Blowfly!

A great bit of soul from Clarence Reid – otherwise known as Blowfly – and a key album in the Miami scene at the end of the 60s! Clarence is working here in a very classic Atlantic records style of soul – with all the rootsy southern elements of the previous southern work at Memphis and Muscle Shoals, but handled with a well-produced sound that has elements of New York Atlantic. Most of the album's in a tight funky soul mode – with bits of Sly Stone or Charles Wright showing up a lot on the grooves – and cuts include the single "Nobody But You Babe", plus "Doggone It", "Get Back", "Tear You A New Heart", "Fools Are Not Born", and "Send Me Back My Money". There's also a goofy photo on the front – proving that Clarence Reid was better off behind a mask as Blowfly!

Another great issue from Roctober – one that includes interviews with Neon Leon (great lost New York punk figure), Fred Anderson and Hamid Drake, James Brown, and numerous obscure but amazing Brazilian musicians. Melvin Van Peebles critical discography. Jake Austen and Chris Ware on vaudeville/minstrel legend Bert Williams. The history of Black All Girl Jazz orchestras in the 1930s and 1940s. Archival Pedro "Funkadelic" Bell articles and comics from his early 1970s college newspaper. Comics and articles about Aliyaah, Jimi Hendrix, Jackie Mittoo, Sun Ra, Funkadelic, and Black skinhead Reggae. And, believe it or not, more!

An incredible record and very unique – cut around the same time as Arsenio's rare boogaloo album for Tico Records! Like that session, this one has a style in which Arsenio is featured in a larger group – playing with a raspy edge that really steps out in front of the fuller instruments and voices! The group's a great one – playing here with a few early Latin Soul touches, and in a way that mixes together different modes in a really unusual approach to the grooves. Arsenio's sound is still quite rootsy, but the larger backings are quite tight – and often done with a nod to more popular soul modes of the time. The whole thing was put together by producer Bert Berns, with arrangements by the great Artie Butler – and it's got a freewheeling New York groove that's as close to Latin Soul as Arsenio ever came! Includes Latin Soul versions of "Hang On Sloopy" and "La Bamba", plus the tracks "La Yuca", "Tres Marias", "Randy", "Vaya P'al Monte", and "El Elemento Del Bronx", a groovy guaguanco track!

Music beyond description – a unique blend of disco, funk, avant garde, and dub – the wonderful world of the late Arthur Russell! Russell was a bass player by trade, but he was schooled in both classical and Eastern music forms – and brought an incredibly fresh vision to his work in New York in the late 70s and early 80s. To some, Russell was a groundbreaking disco pioneer – with an offbeat production style and unique conception of rhythm. To others, Russell was a performance artist and avant garde musician – working in circles that included Phillip Glass, David Byrne, and Robert Wilson. This mix of modes was very much a part of the post-disco, post-punk sound of New York at the time – and nobody summarized it (or allowed it!) better than Russell himself. This excellent set from Soul Jazz is one of the first to truly give him his due – and it brings together a large amount of his disco-related projects, plus a few more introspective numbers cut under his own name. The sound is incredible – unlike anything you could categorize – especially on the Russell-titled numbers – and as always with Soul Jazz, the whole thing's beautifully packaged, with rich notes on the music and the person behind it! Titles include "Go Bang (Francois K mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Wax The Van" by Lola, "Is It All Over My Face (Larry Levan mix)" by Loose Joints, "In The Cornbelt (Larry Levan mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Pop Your Funk" by Loose Joints, "Schoolbell/Treehouse (Walter Gibbons mix)" by Indian Ocean, and "Let's Go Swimming (Walter Gibbons mix)", "A Little Lost", "In The Light Of The Miracle", and "Keeping Up" by Arthur Russell himself!

Music beyond description – a unique blend of disco, funk, avant garde, and dub – the wonderful world of the late Arthur Russell! Russell was a bass player by trade, but he was schooled in both classical and Eastern music forms – and brought an incredibly fresh vision to his work in New York in the late 70s and early 80s. To some, Russell was a groundbreaking disco pioneer – with an offbeat production style and unique conception of rhythm. To others, Russell was a performance artist and avant garde musician – working in circles that included Phillip Glass, David Byrne, and Robert Wilson. This mix of modes was very much a part of the post-disco, post-punk sound of New York at the time – and nobody summarized it (or allowed it!) better than Russell himself. This excellent set from Soul Jazz is one of the first to truly give him his due – and it brings together a large amount of his disco-related projects, plus a few more introspective numbers cut under his own name. The sound is incredible – unlike anything you could categorize – especially on the Russell-titled numbers – and as always with Soul Jazz, the whole thing's beautifully packaged, with rich notes on the music and the person behind it! Titles include "Go Bang (Francois K mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Wax The Van" by Lola, "Is It All Over My Face (Larry Levan mix)" by Loose Joints, "In The Cornbelt (Larry Levan mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Pop Your Funk" by Loose Joints, "Schoolbell/Treehouse (Walter Gibbons mix)" by Indian Ocean, and "Let's Go Swimming (Walter Gibbons mix)", "A Little Lost", "In The Light Of The Miracle", and "Keeping Up" by Arthur Russell himself!

Not just 70s New York salsa, but a range of different styles – all packaged together with a focus that's mostly aimed at the Latin dancefloor ! Most of the work here is still relatively rootsy – pulled from the Salsa International/Mary Lou Records catalog – with a sound that's got a bit more grit than contemporaneous work from labels like Fania or Vaya. But that doesn't stop the music from being great – and the racks here really roll out with a very vibrant feel throughout! Titles include "I Regret" by Orchestra Capri, "Aprendelo Como Yo" by Bobby Quesada, "Puerto Rico Guaguanco" by Orchestra Tentacion, "Descarga 72" by Willie Rodriguez, "Salsa Tropical" by Orchestra Capri, "A La Memoria Del Muerto" by Dominica, "Sono Mi Guaguanco" by Raphie Martiniez, "Los Que Lloran Son Los Ninos" by Willie Rodriguez, and "Something Right" by Cucaracha Brass.

Wonderfully catchy work from the team of Peggy Scott and JoJo Benson – easily one of the grooviest soul duos of the 60s! Peggy and JoJo were kind of the Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell of southern soul – recording for Shelby Singleton's SSS International label in Nashville, with a sound that's a lot deeper than some of the Motown or New York male/female duos – yet with a groove and way with a hook that made them even catchier than most of their contemporaries! JoJo goes deep, and Peggy soars over the top – and the pairing works perfectly on the playful lyrics of the tunes, with a raw quality that's way beyond the simple pop you might imagine. The package features some of the best SSS cuts by the pair, plus a few solo Peggy tunes too – and titles include "We Were Made For Each Other", "Soul Shake", "Lover's Holiday", "Pickin Wild Mountain Berries", "Til The Morning Comes", "Eternally", "Sugarmaker", "Lover's Heaven", and "Let's Spend A Day Out In The Country".

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

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

Soaring soul from Marlena Shaw – her last recording for Blue Note, and a set that points the way towards her bigger fame to come at Columbia Records! Like some of her previous sets, there's definitely still some jazzy elements in the mix – yet the overall sound is much more fully soulful, thanks to arrangements and production from Bert DeCoteaux and Tony Silvester, who both bring in a rich sound that's similar to some of the indie dancefloor soul coming out of Philly and New York at the time – with backings that are a great blend of funk and strings, perfect for Shaw's unique blend of the sophisticated and soulful. Marlena handles this mode better than anyone else, and we think this set's easily one of her strongest records ever – even more so than some of her later dates too. Titles include the wonderful "Think About Me", a solid stepping seventies soul track that is (or should have been) an instant classic – plus "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", "Take My Body", "No Hiding Place", "Love Has Gone Away", "You & Me", "It's Better Than Walkin Out", and "Be For Real".

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child".

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child".

A sweet early album from Sister Sledge – a great transformation of an earlier girl soul sound into a fuller, more mature disco mode for the 70s – all served up with a freshness that's quite appealing if you only know their later hits! Production is by Tony Silvester and Bert De Coteaux – and the style is very much in the Philly mode of the time (even though the album was recorded in New York) – a full sound on the more upbeat numbers, but a warm and gentle approach on the mellower numbers – especially some of the great harmony tracks that really stand out in the set! Most titles were co-written by Gwen Guthrie and Patric Grant – but the album also includes tunes by Patrick Adams and Thom Bell & Linda Creed too. Titles include "Circle Of Love", "Give In To Love", "Cross My Heart", "Love Don't You Go Through No Changes On Me", "Don't You Miss Him Now", "Pain Reliever", and "Fireman".

Jimmy Smith and Stanley Turrentine go head to head in a great little set for Blue Note – spare quartet grooving, with lots of room for soulful solos! Turrentine's simply great at this point – playing with a raspy edge on the bottom of his tone, sounding dark and mysterious – not nearly as sweet as in later years. Smith is wonderful too – still with traces of the rough experimental approach to the Hammond that he used in his first few Blue Note sides, but with a bit more of a defined and swinging sound. Titles include "Stone Cold Dead in the Market", "Red Top", and "Picknickin'".

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".

Uptempo east coast club soul – not entirely disco, and more like the indie work of the immediate generation before – a time when groups were picking up their groove a bit more than before, creating some lean, soulful tempos for the dancefloor! Arrangements are by Bert DeCoteaux and Charlie Cailello – both of whom bring a lot more professional polish to the record than you might expect – kind of a New York take on the Philly sound of the early 70s, and one that must have been mighty popular on the Boroughs dancefloors a the time! Titles include "Wanna Spend My Whole Life With You Baby", "Liberated Lady", "You're The Girl That I Love", "Flippin A Coin", "Never Get Enough Of Your Love", and "Gotta Get Back With You". CD features 12 tracks in all – including "Just Making Love" and "Why You Wanna Make Me Lonely".

Frankie, Frankie – OW! Take a broken down synth, some crazy vocals, and a rich sense of imagination – and you've got one of the seminal groups of the New York scene of the early punk years. Suicide were a seminal bridge between earlier prog underground sounds and the art-rock punk styles that were coming out of New York in the late 70s. With this one landmark album, the band completely dismantled the cold German prog synth of groups like Kraftwerk, La Dusseldorf, and Tangerine Dream – and created a wild sound of spare anguish that brought a whole new dimension to punk rock. Ok, maybe we're going out on a limb – but this record has got to be one of the top 50 "must have" rock albums of all time. Includes the cuts "Ghost Rider", "Rocket USA", "Johnny", "Frankie Teardrop", "Che", and "Cheree" – plus the unreleased remix of "Cheree".

Pete Terrace challenges Pete Rodriguez for the title of "King Of The Boogaloo" in this live set recorded at Chez Jose in New York! The album's got a few tracks that say boogaloo, but which aren't – but that's still ok with us, because the bulk of the set is a hard grooving batch of uptempo groovers that would make anyone proud – and the record's easily one of Pete's best from the 60s! Includes covers of "El Pito", "At The Party", and "Bang Bang" – plus Marty Sheller-penned originals like "Do The Boogaloo", "I'm Gonna Make It", "Here Comes Pete", and "No! No! No!". Pete's vibes sound mighty nice, and the pianist in the group is nice and firey!

One of the excellent albums cut by conga player Patato Valdez for the Latin Percussion label – and a tight stripped-down jam session with a very traditional Afro-Cuban feel! The groove is pure New York Latin – with the wonderful "return to basics" sound that LPV was pioneering at the time. Valdez is in great form on the conga – and other players include Virgilo Marti, Nelson Gonzalez, Bobby Rodriguez, and Alfredito Rodriguez. Titles include "La Ambulancia", "Canto A Chango", "To Y Van Hecho", and "Como Suena Mi Son". Tracks are very long, spare, and with a heavy conga groove!

A recent set, but one that captures the David S Ware Quartet in all their glory – almost a pure return to the compelling spiritualism the group first grabbed us with back at the start of the 90s! The performance is very open and expressive – all of Ware's most righteous ideas brought into keen focus, with key collaborative efforts from Matthew Shipp on piano, William Parker on bass, and Guillermo E Brown on drums – all working together here in ways that almost make us feel like we've stumbled across some small pressing from a New York label in the early 80s! (And given the very limited run of this set – this album's bound to have a similar sense of rarity years from now.) Tracks are very long – and titles include "Ganesh Sound", "Theme Of Ages", "The Stargazers", "Lithuanian Whirl", and "Surrendered".

Quite possibly the greatest Larry Young album of the post-Blue Note years – and a massive bit of funk that totally redefines his sound! Larry's working here with his hip group Fuel – an ensemble that features Laura Logan on lead vocals, giving the tunes a real focus through her lyrics – and letting them pack a bit more punch too, since her voice sounds a lot like Betty Davis at the time! Larry's keyboards are forceful, but never too over the top – and he's notched things down a bit to focus on the overall groove of the set – still keeping things adventurous on the keys, but also working in a mode that's much more heavily jazz funk! The album's one of THE essential electric jazz sets of the 70s – and features the classic break cut "Turn Out the Lights" – plus other great tracks that include "Floating", "Fuel for the Fire", "I Ching", "H+J=B (Hustle + Jam = Bread)" and "New York Electric Street Music".

Quite possibly the greatest Larry Young album of the post-Blue Note years – and a massive bit of funk that totally redefines his sound! Larry's working here with his hip group Fuel – an ensemble that features Laura Logan on lead vocals, giving the tunes a real focus through her lyrics – and letting them pack a bit more punch too, since her voice sounds a lot like Betty Davis at the time! Larry's keyboards are forceful, but never too over the top – and he's notched things down a bit to focus on the overall groove of the set – still keeping things adventurous on the keys, but also working in a mode that's much more heavily jazz funk! The album's one of THE essential electric jazz sets of the 70s – and features the classic break cut "Turn Out the Lights" – plus other great tracks that include "Floating", "Fuel for the Fire", "I Ching", "H+J=B (Hustle + Jam = Bread)" and "New York Electric Street Music".

The most free-thinking Larry Young album of the 60s – and that's saying a lot, considering the rest of his work! The session's quite an unusual one – with two drummers in the group, grounding a sextet that features Larry on organ, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Herbert Morgan on tenor sax, and the great Eddie Gale on trumpet! The tracks are all quite long, open, and flowing – richly organic, and kind of an extension of the groove first laid down by Young on Unity – pushed into more spiritual, late-Coltrane territory. The sound is amazing – incredibly majestic, and on a par with the most far-reaching jazz on Impulse Records of the late 60s – a real standout for Blue Note, and for Young, who wouldn't record this way again until the 70s! Titles include "Falaq", "Seven Steps To Heaven", "Of Love & Peace", and "Pavanne".

It's a little-known fact that Memphis had a huge influence on the sound of late 50s/early 60s soul jazz – probably because most of the city's best players had to leave and go either to Chicago or New York to make their name. This set's a great reminder of that fact, as it brings together an important batch of players, most of them only freshly departed from Memphis at the time of the session – an assemblage that includes Frank Strozier, Phineas Newborn, Booker Little, Louis Smith, George Coleman, and Calvin Newborn. The tracks are long open-ended blowing session tunes – very different than the usual format for just about every player involved, which also makes for quite a striking record. Titles include very long takes on "Blue N Boogie", "Star Eyes", "After Hours", and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be".

Amazing grooves from a legendary pair of labels – the ultra-funky Perception and Today Records, home of some killer sounds from the New York scene at the start of the 70s! The labels had a great ear for up-and-coming soul – especially with some of the younger groups rising up at the time – and they also used their magic to refresh the sounds of some older artists, particularly jazz musicians, who took on an ultra-funky approach at Perception – one that's made their work for the label some of the most in-demand over the years! Drums are heavy, bass is nice and fuzzy, and many of the cuts have a righteous sound that really takes off from the most progressive soul, funk, and jazz of the late 60s – pushing hard with an even heavier 70s vibe. Titles include "Brother" by Adam Wade & Johnny Pate, "Too Sad To Tell" by Debbie Taylor, "Chitlins & Chuchifritos" by Joe Thomas, "Naturally Good" by Bartel, "You & I" by Black Ivory, "I Can't Get No Higher" by The Eight Minutes, "You Owe It To Yourself" by JJ Barnes, "Get Some Of This" by Madhouse, "Honey Buns" by Bobby Rydell, "Gingele" by Astrud Gilberto, "One Life" by The Albert, "Surrender" by Black Ivory, "Wishful Thinking" by JJ Barnes, "You've Just Been Bitten" by Bartel, "Every Brother Ain't A Brother" by Joe Thomas, "Submission" by Tyrone Washington, "Boogie" by Bartel, "Alligator" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Rock Steady" by Julius Brockington, "Find The One Who Loves You" by The Eight Minutes, "A Possibility" by Wanda Robinson, and "Heritage Hum" by James Moody.

Amazing grooves from a legendary pair of labels – the ultra-funky Perception and Today Records, home of some killer sounds from the New York scene at the start of the 70s! The labels had a great ear for up-and-coming soul – especially with some of the younger groups rising up at the time – and they also used their magic to refresh the sounds of some older artists, particularly jazz musicians, who took on an ultra-funky approach at Perception – one that's made their work for the label some of the most in-demand over the years! Drums are heavy, bass is nice and fuzzy, and many of the cuts have a righteous sound that really takes off from the most progressive soul, funk, and jazz of the late 60s – pushing hard with an even heavier 70s vibe. Titles on this first part of the vinyl edition include "Brother" by Adam Wade & Johnny Pate, "Too Sad To Tell" by Debbie Taylor, "Chitlins & Chuchifritos" by Joe Thomas, "Naturally Good" by Bartel, "You & I" by Black Ivory, "I Can't Get No Higher" by The Eight Minutes, "You Owe It To Yourself" by JJ Barnes, "Get Some Of This" by Madhouse, "Honey Buns" by Bobby Rydell, "Gingele" by Astrud Gilberto, and "One Life" by The Albert.

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

A very different side of the sound of Fania Records – tracks that draw heavily from the club and disco rhythms of the New York scene of the 70s, but serve up the music with a sweet little Latin twist! The set really illustrates the evolution of Latin Soul from the 60s – showing a generation of artists who were equally willing to draw from the styles of their African-American contemporaries on the scene, but in different ways than the Latin artists of a decade before! Most tracks still have a fair bit of Latin percussion in the mix (it's no secret that Latin rhythms were a big influence on 70s disco) – and the selection of cuts is really wonderful – way past the obvious, and in ways that are different than other collections of this nature, including the Nuyorica classics on Soul Jazz. Titles include "Waterbed" by LTG Exchange, "Dance Dance Dance" by Orquesta Novel, "To Be With You" by Jimmy Sabater, "Good Times" by Charanga 76, "Salsa" by Louie Ramirez, "Mambo Rock" by Seguida, "Afro Hustle" by Lou Perez, "Call Me" by Joe Bataan, "Es Un Demonio Ella" by Fausto Rey/Larry Harlow, "My Love Supreme" by Milton Hamilton Crystalized, "Wata Wasuri" by Tito Puente, and "Johnny's No Good" by WRLC.

A killer batch of boogaloo material – but not from the usual sources! Although boogaloo is a genre normally associated with the New York scene at the end of the 60s, the music here all hails from Peru and represents a great new sound – music inspired by the Nuyorican originals, but which often take things into whole new directions! The Peruvian approach to boogaloo is a bit looser than the New York one – a bit more open and free, and often heavily touched by jazz music as well, resulting in a sound that's also got plenty of hard-jamming descarga elements too! Given the racial makeup of the Peruvian scene, there's a bit less soul influence going on too – lyrics are more often in Spanish, and less inspired by the Harlem sound – but the overall rhythms still share plenty with the Latin soul styles of New York, and provide a great foil for some of the jazzy instrumentation. This package is a massive discovery in music – one that goes way beyond some of the few Peruvian Latin titles from the time that have been reissued – and it's overflowing with amazing work that's totally new to our ears! Titles include "Vives Boogaloo" by Charlie Palomares, "Baby Boogaloo" by Nilo Espinosa, "Hilton's Descarga" by Los Hilton's, "El Pito" by Alfredo Linares, "Guayaba" by La Sonora De Lucho Macedo, "Que Rico Sabor" by Al Valdes, "Ensueno" by Mario Allison Y Su Combo, "Yo Traigo Boogaloo" by Alfredo Linares, "Juan Jose" by Nico Estrada, "Do The Boogaloo" by Nilo Espinosa, "Guajira" by Al Valdes, "El Diablo" by S Montez Y Sus Guantanameros, and "Clap Your Hands" by Tito Chicoma.

A killer batch of boogaloo material – but not from the usual sources! Although boogaloo is a genre normally associated with the New York scene at the end of the 60s, the music here all hails from Peru and represents a great new sound – music inspired by the Nuyorican originals, but which often take things into whole new directions! The Peruvian approach to boogaloo is a bit looser than the New York one – a bit more open and free, and often heavily touched by jazz music as well, resulting in a sound that's also got plenty of hard-jamming descarga elements too! Given the racial makeup of the Peruvian scene, there's a bit less soul influence going on too – lyrics are more often in Spanish, and less inspired by the Harlem sound – but the overall rhythms still share plenty with the Latin soul styles of New York, and provide a great foil for some of the jazzy instrumentation. This package is a massive discovery in music – one that goes way beyond some of the few Peruvian Latin titles from the time that have been reissued – and it's overflowing with amazing work that's totally new to our ears! 2LP set features a whopping 26 tracks that include "Vives Boogaloo" by Charlie Palomares, "Baby Boogaloo" by Nilo Espinosa, "Hilton's Descarga" by Los Hilton's, "El Pito" by Alfredo Linares, "Guayaba" by La Sonora De Lucho Macedo, "Que Rico Sabor" by Al Valdes, "Ensueno" by Mario Allison Y Su Combo, "You Traigo Boogaloo" by Alfredo Linares, "Juan Jose" by Nico Estrada, "Do The Boogaloo" by Nilo Espinosa, "Guajira" by Al Valdes, "El Diablo" by S Montez Y Sus Guantanameros, and "Clap Your Hands" by Tito Chicoma.

A second amazing set of grooves from the Peruvian scene of the 60s – upbeat Latin sides that easily rival the greatness of work at the time from New York, Colombia, or Puerto Rico! The Peruvian approach is a bit different than the rest – often a hybrid of outside influences, recast slightly with some local flavor – in ways that make these tunes sound a fair bit different than 60s Latin on Fania or Tico – which makes for a very fresh sound throughout! Instrumentation includes trumpet, guitar, vibes, and plenty of percussion – often recorded with a sharp-edged quality that uses a bit of echo as well. The package features a whopping 28 tracks in all, plus full notes in Spanish and English – and titles include Humo" by La Sonora De Lucho Macedo, "El Diri Bop" by Tito Chicoma, "Las Guitarras Tropicales" by Silvestre Montez, "El Conductor" by Carlos Munoz, "Arroz Con Coco" by Pedro Miguel, "Boogaloo Del Perro" by Enrique Delgado, "Descargando" by Mario Allison, "Mulata Rumbera" by Compay Quinto, "Aqui" by Tito Chicoma, "Ciquita Bonita" by Luis Duran, "Dejen Bailar Al Loco" byMelochita, and "Guajira Boogaloo" by Coco Lagos.

Massive mixes from the legendary John Morales – one of the key talents for really opening up the sound of New York dancefloors at the end of the 70s! The mixes here were all cut by John back in the day – all for special play in the clubs, and never commercially issued at the time – which makes the package one hell of a musical discovery – like finding your way back onto an underground dancefloor in the waning years of disco – when a handful of mixers like Morales were still finding some rich new energy in the scene! Most tracks are quite long, and have all their best elements expanded out by John – but in ways that really avoid some of the later "look at me" styles that mixers would use in the next generation. This 2CD set features all instrumental mixes by Morales – a great complement to the vocal version package – with titles that include instrumental versions of "Only You" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Is It All Over My Face" by Loose Joints, "Was That All It Was" by Jean Carn, "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own" by Sandy Barber, "Ride On The Rhythm" by Mahogany, "First Time Around" by Skyy, "Do it To The Music" by Raw Silk, "Hit & Run" by Loleatta Holloway, "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" by The Jones Girls, "I Want You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Can't Have My Love" by Hamilton Affair, and "I Want Your Lovin" by Curtis Hairston.

Massive mixes from the legendary John Morales – one of the key talents for really opening up the sound of New York dancefloors at the end of the 70s! The mixes here were all cut by John back in the day – all for special play in the clubs, and never commercially issued at the time – which makes the package one hell of a musical discovery – like finding your way back onto an underground dancefloor in the waning years of disco – when a handful of mixers like Morales were still finding some rich new energy in the scene! Most tracks are quite long, and have all their best elements expanded out by John – but in ways that really avoid some of the later "look at me" styles that mixers would use in the next generation. 3CD set features 24 tracks, some very extended mixes – "Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up (M+M keep on doin it mix)" by Barry White, "Was That All It Was (M+M South Philly groove mix)" by Jean Carn, "If You Know Like I Know (M+M Teddy know best mix)" by Teddy Pendergrass, "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own (M+M stepping out the door mix)" by Sandy Barber, "Hit & Run (M+M I ain't sharing mix)" by Loleatta Holloway, "Only You (M+M you got what I need mix)" by Teddy Pendergrass, "I Want You (M+M breakdown beat mix)" by Marvin Gaye, and "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else (M+M I don't wanna do it mix)" by The Jones Girls.

Massive mixes from the legendary John Morales – one of the key talents for really opening up the sound of New York dancefloors at the end of the 70s! The mixes here were all cut by John back in the day – all for special play in the clubs, and never commercially issued at the time – which makes the package one hell of a musical discovery – like finding your way back onto an underground dancefloor in the waning years of disco – when a handful of mixers like Morales were still finding some rich new energy in the scene! Most tracks are quite long, and have all their best elements expanded out by John – but in ways that really avoid some of the later "look at me" styles that mixers would use in the next generation. Vinyl part 2 features some very extended mixes – "Hit & Run (M+M I ain't sharing mix)" by Loleatta Holloway, "Only You (M+M you got what I need mix)" by Teddy Pendergrass, "I Want You (M+M breakdown beat mix)" by Marvin Gaye, and "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else (M+M I don't wanna do it mix)" by The Jones Girls.

A treasure trove of rare spoken word material, plus a few songs as well – all pulled together with the same Civil Rights vibe as the first volume in the series! The package is an amazing historical document – and features a lot of key parts from 60s speeches, plus earlier political moments, righteous religious messages, and a few songs that help put the whole thing in perspective! The audio presentation works strongly almost as a sound collage – although each passage is very discreet – and titles include "The Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison, "Brown V Board Of Education" by Thurgood Marshall, "Sticks & Stones" by Sugarchile Robinson, "Black Pilots Mission To Italy" by William Campbell, "Don't Let Me Be Wrong" by Eloise Wilson, "Address To Congress 1939" by Mary McLeod Bethune, "Father I Stretch Forth My Hands" by Rev CL Franklin, "Blacks Vote In South Carolina 1948", "These New York Neighbors" by Babs Gonzalez, and "The Day Of Registration" by Fannie Lou Hamer.

Way more than just "hits" – given that this hip box set features tracks from every single 12" released by the legendary P&P family of labels – a massive amount of underground dancefloor work from the late 70s and early 80s, and a set that gives new meaning to the word discography! If you know even just a bit of the P&P sound, you'll know you've got a revolutionary listening experience in store – music that goes way beyond conventional club and disco, with lots of weird little twists and turns – in both the instrumentation and production, which often use these cool little homemade spacey touches! Vocals are often right in synch with the offbeat grooves – and just about every cut on here is massively funky, too. Package features work by Cloud One, Milton Floyd, Sons Of Darkness, Jesse Gee, Scoopy, Rudy Stuart, Little Scotty, Henry Brooks, Fly Guy, Ahzz, Super Jay, Otis Turner, Sherod, The Destiny Orchestra, Bobby Mann, and many others – from singles that originally appeared on labels like Queen Constance, La Shawn, Land Of Hits, Golden Flamingo, Heavenly Star, Clarence, Destiny, Mr Brown, P&P, Sound Of New York, and others. 185 songs, on 15 CDs, packaged in cool slim sleeves in a tight box set – over 18 hours of music, and all of it great!

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful girl group and solo sounds from vaults of Red Bird – that wonderful label founded by songwriting giants Lieber & Stoller in the 60s – stereo masters from '64-'66! The label came out of the girl group boom earlier in the decade, so some of the material blew up big on the charts while a great deal of it fell by the pop wayside. The thing is, ALL of it wonderful – sweet, soaring pop soul majesty from some of the best songwriters and loveliest voices of their time! Great singles by The Goodies, The Jelly Beans, The Ad-Libs, Ellie Greenwich, Evie Sands, The Butterflys, The Charmettes, The Young Generation and more – stuff that truly rivals The Wall Of Sound! Include "The Dum Dum Ditty" by The Goodies, "The Kind Of Boy You Can't Forget", "I Wanna Love Him So Bad" and "How Fine Can One Guy Be" by The Jelly Beans, "The Boy From New York City" and "I'm Just A Down Home Girl" by The Ad-Libs, "You Don't Know" and "Another Boy Like Mine" by Ellie Greenwich, "I Can't Let Go" and "Take Me For A Little While" by Evie Sands, "Gee Baby Gee" by The Butterflys, "The Hideaway" by The Young Generation, "He's So Easy To Love" by Roddie Joy and more..