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Killer funky organ – and 100% Dynamite! Jackie Mittoo is one of the all-time great organists – as essential to Jamaica as Booker T was to Memphis, or Jimmy McGriff was to New York. He's legendary these days as the player who completely transformed the Hammond sound with his unique Jamaican instrumental style during his early years with the Skatalites, and on his later solo recordings for Studio One. This set's probably the first time Mittoo's work has been properly packaged and remastered – and the folks at Soul Jazz have done an amazing job of selecting just the right tracks for such a project. The whole thing wails along with a stone rocksteady groove – with plenty of nice drum parts and funky rhythm bits underneath Jackie's soulful organ. If you dug the label's 100% Dynamite series, you'll really dig this one – and the whole thing's very much in the same vein. Tracks include "Drum Song", "Reggae Rock", "Hot Tamale", "Killer Diller", "Black Organ", "Stereo Freeze", "Wall Street", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Juice Box", and "Killer Diller".

Killer funky organ – and 100% Dynamite! Jackie Mittoo is one of the all-time great organists – as essential to Jamaica as Booker T was to Memphis, or Jimmy McGriff was to New York. He's legendary these days as the player who completely transformed the Hammond sound with his unique Jamaican instrumental style during his early years with the Skatalites, and on his later solo recordings for Studio One. This set's probably the first time Mittoo's work has been properly packaged and remastered – and the folks at Soul Jazz have done an amazing job of selecting just the right tracks for such a project. The whole thing wails along with a stone rocksteady groove – with plenty of nice drum parts and funky rhythm bits underneath Jackie's soulful organ. If you dug the label's 100% Dynamite series, you'll really dig this one – and the whole thing's very much in the same vein. Tracks include "Drum Song", "Reggae Rock", "Hot Tamale", "Killer Diller", "Black Organ", "Stereo Freeze", "Wall Street", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Juice Box", and "Killer Diller".

Classic Studio instrumentals from the hottest house band in the history of Jamaican music! Alongside the Skatalites the Sound Dimension were responsible for crafting the tunes and rhythms that emanated from Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label from the very dawning of the reggae age, and what better group could you ask for, featuring Jackie Mittoo, Ernest Ranglin, Leroy Sibbles, Horsemouth Wallace, Vin Gordon and Cedric Brooks? Guaranteed to blow your mind, this set features the finest selection of Jamaican instrumental R&B around, with jaunty, easy skanking numbers with a nice dose of loping funk sprinkled throughout. 16 tracks in all, including "Heavy Beat", "Federated Backdrop", "Baby Face", "Love Land", "Full Up", "Upsetters Dream", "The Thing", "My Heart In Rhythm", "Man Pon Spot", "Holy Moses", and "Soul Shake"

A great set of purely classic level Studio One material – great stuff from the early 60s onward to around 1980 – and unfailingly amazing all the way through! Studio One opened up in the fall of '63, and soon after, the best of the best of Jamaican music greats of the time were wanting to record there for Coxsone Dodd. The set features the unstoppable rhythms of The Skatalites and timeless greatness from The Heptones, Maytals, Horace Andy, Lone Ranger, Freddy McKay, Wailing Souls, Willie Williams, Marcia Griffiths, Dub Specialist, Doreen Schaeffer, Ernest Ranglin and many more. 18 tracks in all: "Ball Of Fire" and "Fidel Castro" by The Skatalites, "I'm Your Man" by The Heptones, "Watch Your Step" by Freedy McKay, "Mr Music" by Pablove Black, "Sitting With Stupid" by Dub Specialist, "Let Me Hold You Tight" by Marcia Griffins, "Treat Me Bad" by The Maytals, "Everything She Want" by Lone Ranger and more.

Another great Studio One collection from the folks at Soul Jazz, this time highlighting the DeeJays! While heavyweights like Big Youth & U Roy never voiced tracks for the groundbreaking label, there's no shortage of first class toasting on this selection, and it's Studio One, so you know the rhythms are hot! Dennis Alcapone, Dillinger and Prince Jazzbo all come hard with tracks like "Power Version" and "Natty Kung Fu", and there's a few sweet numbers by less well known names like Prince Francis & Jah Jesco, plus a nice slice of history with Count Machuki's "More Scorcha". 16 burning tracks in all.

Another round of Studio One butter from the folks at Soul Jazz! By this point you're well informed about the status of Coxsone Dodd's Studio One operation as the cornerstone of so much Jamaican music, and Soul Jazz has approached the catalog from just about every angle, covering nearly all the bases before landing here on this dub set. The sly Island grooves are stripped down to their bare essentials, then given a tasteful bit of dubby gloss at the hands of Sylvan Morris, for a massive collection that'll rule your stereo like Studio One rocked the sound systems back in the day. 17 tracks in all, wrapped in a nice package that includes interviews with Morris and Dodd, and fully annotated as to which numbers the rhythms were originally cut as the backing for. Includes "Bionic Dub", "Sky Rhythm", 'Taurus Dub 2", "Hooligan", "Dub Rock", "Hi Fashion Dub", In Cold Blood Version" and "Feel The Dub".

Unhh!! Studio One plus funk, what more need we say?! Coxsone Dodd and company get down with the get down, and in this case, that's some pretty good company, with Sound Dimension, Cedric Brooks, Jackie Mittoo, Pablove Black, Alton Ellis, Vin Gordon and a whole mess of the baddest cats in Jamaica weighing in on this heavyweight batch of bouncing funk jams. The Studio One family delivers the funk in all flavors, whether it's covers of the jams that were getting rumps shaking stateside like "Melting Pot", "Shaft", "Funky Broadway" or "It's A Shame", or funkdafied rubs of established Studio One riddims and blazing originals like "007", "Music Answer", "Steady Beat", "African Descendants" or "Another Thing". 19 mighty tracks in all, wrapped up in the nice, nice Soul Jazz packaging, you know and love!

A cool collection of cookers from the legendary Studio One Records – pulled together here in a collection that bears the Ironsides name of one of its sub-labels, as a great indication of some of the obscure tracks included within! The collection features loads of gems from the earliest years of Studio One – a mix of rocksteady and early reggae cuts that have that wonderfully rootsy feel that was the label's calling card – a way of laying down instrumentation and vocals with a bottom-heavy sound that filters everything together beautifully – and comes out with a wickedly seductive groove. The set's overflowing with cuts we'd never heard before – and titles include "Three Mile Skank" by Lone Ranger, "Rasta Don't Stop No One" by The Stingers, "Nanny's Corner" by Don Drummond, "Danger In Your Eyes" by The Paragons, "Mother & Child" by Fabian Cooke, "Mark My Word" by Marcia Griffiths, "Another Night" by The Soul Sister, "I'm still Waiting" by Cornel Campbell, and "Jamrec Dub" by Pablove Black.

An excellent compilation that's very much in the spirit of the 100% Dynamite sets on Soul Jazz! This time, Soul Jazz dig through the vaults of the legendary Studio One catalog – some of the most important reggae and rocksteady ever recorded, virtually all of it produced under the tutelage of Clement "Coxone" Dodd. Much of this material has been floating around over the years, but we'd be hard pressed to think of a better collection of it – especially when considering the excellent fidelity of the set, which is way better than an of Dodd's own reissues of the material. Plus, the folks at Soul Jazz have gone out of their way to put together the tracks as an extremely well-thought out introduction to the music, not just a scattered batch of tunes that happened to be available. The set also includes a recent interview with Clement Dodd, plus loads of great rocksteady and early reggae tracks. Titles include "Surfin" by Ernest Ranglin, "Real Rock" by Sound Dimension, "Feel Like Jumping" by Marcia Griffiths, "Greedy G" by Brentford All Stars, "Village Soul" by Lennie Hibbert, "Ethiopia" by Cedric Brooks, "Crabwalking" by Prince Jazzbo, "Hot Milk" by Jackie Mittoo, "Badder Dan Dem" by Lone Ranger, and "Bobby Bobylon" by Freddy McGregor.

More burning instrumentals from Coxsone Dodd and his mighty crew at Studio One! Soul Jazz has already established Dodd and Studio One as a near household name in bad, bold island grooves, and this set of fiery instrumentals keeps up the pressure, with 16 burning numbers! All flavors of Jamaican soul get represented here, from spacey, mellow grooves at the hands of Jackie Mittoo, to mellow snapping clavinet numbers from Pablove Black, deep roots from Cedric Brooks or jaunty ska numbers from the Soul Vendors and the Skatalites. As usual, the packaging is in the deluxe vein that has graced previous chapters in the series, and this set includes "Gumbay Jump" by the Dub Specialist, "A Big Car" by Jackie Mittoo, "Joe Grazer" and "Sidewalk Doctor" by VinGordon, "Sound Almighty" by the Soul Defenders, "Black Wax" by Pablove Black, Dick Tracy" by the Skatalites, "Cousin Joe Pt 1" by Sugar Belly, and "Black Is Black" by Im & David, plus many more!

Fantastic! This set features reggae and rocksteady versions of American soul and funk tracks from the late 60s and early 70s – quite fitting, considering how much of Jamaican reggae began as an attempt to copy American hits for the local market. The set may well be the best-ever in the essential series of compilations by Soul Jazz Records – and like the others, it features some of the best cuts ever recorded for the Studio One catalog. There's a total of 18 cuts in all – and tracks include "Soulful Strut" by Sound Dimension, "Still Water" by Jerry Jones, "Express Yourself" by Leroy Sibbles, "Message From A Black Man" by The Heptones, "The First Cut Is The Deepest" by Norma Fraser, "Deeper & Deeper" by Jackie Mitoo, "I Don't Want To Be Right" by Alton Ellis, "No One Can Stop Us" by Willie Williams, "Queen Of The Minstrals" by The Eternals, "Don't Break Your Promise" by The Chosen Few, and "Is It Because I'm Black" by Senior Soul.

Another essential batch of Studio One Soul, every bit as great as the first! 18 more astoundingly great Jamaican renditions of soul and R&B numbers from the hands of Coxsone Dodd and his extraordinary stable of artists, some deeply soulful, and others with a more rootsy, raw grain to them. All flavors of reggae get represented here, but never departing from the soul theme, with dee jay numbers and dark dubs rubbing up against straight up renditions of numbers that are unafraid to pledge their allegiance to the great originals! Tracks include "Swing Easy" by the Soul Vendors, "Choice Of Colours" by the Heptones, "People Make The World Go Round" by Hortense Ellis, "Choice Of Music (Part 2)" by Jackie Mittoo and the Brentford Disco Set, "Thinking" by Ken Boothe, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by Tony Gregory, "Fool For Love" by Prince Jazzbo, "Fancy Pants" by Jackie Mittoo, and "Darker Block" by the Dub Specialist.

Unhh!! Studio One plus funk, what more need we say?! Coxsone Dodd and company get down with the get down, and in this case, that's some pretty good company, with Sound Dimension, Cedric Brooks, Jackie Mittoo, Pablove Black, Alton Ellis, Vin Gordon and a whole mess of the baddest cats in Jamaica weighing in on this heavyweight batch of bouncing funk jams. The Studio One family delivers the funk in all flavors, whether it's covers of the jams that were getting rumps shaking stateside like "Melting Pot", "Shaft", "Funky Broadway" or "It's A Shame", or funkdafied rubs of established Studio One riddims and blazing originals like "007", "Music Answer", "Steady Beat", "African Descendants" or "Another Thing". 19 mighty tracks in all, wrapped up in the nice, nice Soul Jazz packaging, you know and love!

Unhh!! Studio One plus funk, what more need we say?! Coxsone Dodd and company get down with the get down, and in this case, that's some pretty good company, with Sound Dimension, Cedric Brooks, Jackie Mittoo, Pablove Black, Alton Ellis, Vin Gordon and a whole mess of the baddest cats in Jamaica weighing in on this heavyweight batch of bouncing funk jams. The Studio One family delivers the funk in all flavors, whether it's covers of the jams that were getting rumps shaking stateside like "Melting Pot", "Shaft", "Funky Broadway" or "It's A Shame", or funkdafied rubs of established Studio One riddims and blazing originals like "007", "Music Answer", "Steady Beat", "African Descendants" or "Another Thing". 19 mighty tracks in all, wrapped up in the nice, nice Soul Jazz packaging, you know and love!

A beautiful illustration of the sound of Studio One Records – that unique quality that makes the legendary label one of the most soulful sources of Jamaican music ever! The package is a surprisingly great treat – one that's still amazingly essential, even if you've got other Studio One collections – as it really has an unusual approach – one that seems to get past all the sub-genres of Jamaican music, and focus on the core genius of Studio One! In that respect, there's a very deep soul vibe to most of these tracks – almost a Kingston echo of Memphis or Muscle Shoals, not in the style of music – which is usually early reggae or rocksteady – but in the way all the core elements of the tunes come together perfectly, even before the singer's great vocals come into the mix! Once again, Soul Jazz prove that they've got a magical set of ears – as you'll hear on this collection of tracks that includes "Happy Feelings" by Dub Specialist, "Live Up To Your Name" by Prince Lincoln, "Happy Valley" by Reuben Alexander, "There's A Fire" by Larry Marshall, "Rolando Special" by Roland Alphonso, "Homeward Bound" by Freddie McGregor, "Hip Hug" by Slim Smith, "Good People" by Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus, "Keep On Moving" by Lord Tanamo, "Trouble Maker" by Wailing Souls, "Call To Me" by Rita Marley, and "Double Minded Man" by Anthony Ellis.

A cool collection of cookers from the legendary Studio One Records – pulled together here in a collection that bears the Ironsides name of one of its sub-labels, as a great indication of some of the obscure tracks included within! The collection features loads of gems from the earliest years of Studio One – a mix of rocksteady and early reggae cuts that have that wonderfully rootsy feel that was the label's calling card – a way of laying down instrumentation and vocals with a bottom-heavy sound that filters everything together beautifully – and comes out with a wickedly seductive groove. The set's overflowing with cuts we'd never heard before – and titles include "Three Mile Skank" by Lone Ranger, "Rasta Don't Stop No One" by The Stingers, "Nanny's Corner" by Don Drummond, "Danger In Your Eyes" by The Paragons, "Mother & Child" by Fabian Cooke, "Mark My Word" by Marcia Griffiths, "Another Night" by The Soul Sister, "I'm still Waiting" by Cornel Campbell, and "Jamrec Dub" by Pablove Black.

Another essential batch of Studio One Soul, every bit as great as the first! 18 more astoundingly great Jamaican renditions of soul and R&B numbers from the hands of Coxsone Dodd and his extraordinary stable of artists, some deeply soulful, and others with a more rootsy, raw grain to them. All flavors of reggae get represented here, but never departing from the soul theme, with dee jay numbers and dark dubs rubbing up against straight up renditions of numbers that are unafraid to pledge their allegiance to the great originals! Tracks include "Swing Easy" by the Soul Vendors, "Choice Of Colours" by the Heptones, "People Make The World Go Round" by Hortense Ellis, "Choice Of Music (Part 2)" by Jackie Mittoo and the Brentford Disco Set, "Thinking" by Ken Boothe, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by Tony Gregory, "Fool For Love" by Prince Jazzbo, "Fancy Pants" by Jackie Mittoo, and "Darker Block" by the Dub Specialist.

Classic Studio instrumentals from the hottest house band in the history of Jamaican music! Alongside the Skatalites the Sound Dimension were responsible for crafting the tunes and rhythms that emanated from Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label from the very dawning of the reggae age, and what better group could you ask for, featuring Jackie Mittoo, Ernest Ranglin, Leroy Sibbles, Horsemouth Wallace, Vin Gordon and Cedric Brooks? Guaranteed to blow your mind, this set features the finest selection of Jamaican instrumental R&B around, with jaunty, easy skanking numbers with a nice dose of loping funk sprinkled throughout. 16 tracks in all, including "Heavy Beat", "Federated Backdrop", "Baby Face", "Love Land", "Full Up", "Upsetters Dream", "The Thing", "My Heart In Rhythm", "Man Pon Spot", "Holy Moses", and "Soul Shake"

It just doesn't stop! The heavyweight selectors at Soul Jazz brew up another chubby batch of blazing Studio One jams, delivering nothing but the classics this go 'round, just like the title says! Another chapter from Coxsone Dodd and crew showcasing the label and studio that laid the foundation for a huge swath of Jamaican music for generations to come, this set delivers 18 mighty, mighty reggae jams of all flavors, including the Skatalites "El Pussycat Ska", Sound Dimension "Rockfort Rock", the Heptones "Pretty Looks Isn't All", Lone Ranger "Automatic", Horace Andy "Fever", Burning Spear "Rocking time", Alton Ellis "I'm Just A Guy", Don Drummond "Confucious", Michigan & Smiley "Rub A Dub Style" and Johnny Osbourne "Sing Jay Stylee".

Another blast from Kingston's past, adding another piece to the Coxsone Dodd puzzle in Soul Jazz's ongoing Studio One series! This set collects Sugar Minott's formative days at Studio One, with his sweet soulful singing fully formed, but showcasing the dawn of the dancehall style, with Minott adding an altogether new twist to tried and true Studio One rhythms, laying the foundation for versioning, one of the cornerstones of modern reggae! His new lyrics and melodies breathe new life into classic tracks, including 'Vanity", "Please Be True", "Hang On Natty", "Jahovia", "Try Love", "Give A Hand", "Is It True", "Love Gonna Pack Up", "Give Me Jah Jah", "Party Time" and more! 17 tracks in all.

Sweet funky 70s work from Cannonball Adderley – a record that has him revisiting older tunes from his early soul jazz years – but in ways that give them a whole new electric vibe overall! The album's actually Cannonball's last full studio set, but it's also one of his greatest too – a very hip little record that features arrangements that are slightly bigger than before – almost a CTI sort of mode, with a similar CTI sense of space, sound, and timing! There's some great keyboards on the set – courtesy of George Duke and Mike Wolff – and other players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Airto on percussion, Sam Jones and Walter Booker on bass, and Louis Hayes and Roy McCurdy on drums. The keyboards lead off most numbers, but they're followed strongly by Cannon and Nat – both of whom open up wonderfully in the magical setting of the record! Titles include great new takes on "Sack O Woe", "Work Song", "Jive Samba", "74 Miles Away", "Walk Tall/Mercy Mercy Mercy", "Country Preacher", "Domination", and "This Here" – plus "Hi Fly" and "Hamba Nami".

A sweetly dreamy little album recorded by Daevid Allen away from Gong – working here with his drum-less group Euterpe, described in the notes as "an amazing bunch of catalunatics"! The record was recorded in a home studio in Majorca, and has a really relaxed feel – one that's somewhat spare and intimate, but with a lyrically sing-song sort of approach – one that only further pulls out the more playful side of Allen's vocals. Instrumentation includes mandolin, moog, bass, and guitar – and the approach is almost a prog folk move into the territory of Syd Barrett. Titles include "Children Of The New World", "Spirit", "Song Of Satisfaction", "Have You Seen My Friend", "French Garden", and "Wise Man In Your Heart". CD also features the bonus track "Euterpe Gratitude Piece".

A lesser-remembered album from America, and one with some surprisingly nice moments, too! The group here are still working with producer George Martin – but they're recording in Hawaii, with some tight studio help – and almost hitting that sound they helped inspire in so many others with their earlier records – a perfect warm, mellow, seventies mode that's mighty nice throughout! A few tunes almost bring in an undercurrent of funk – more of a bit of a punch at the bottom, with less of the fragile acoustic modes of before – although a few nice tracks still have those in place as well. Drummer Willie Leacox brings in a nice kick to the set – and titles include "God Of The Sun", "Sergeant Darkness", "Sarah", "These Brown Eyes", "Don't Cry Baby", "Hurricane", and "Now She's Gone".

Like some of the other issues on Trip, this set brings together some great sides that sort of fell between the cracks in an artist's career. These nice rarer sides by Gene Ammons seem to be recorded by Jug during the early 60's, when he was jumping around his contractual agreements with a number of labels, and recording sessions for just about everybody. The first LP features Jug in the studio with Howard McGhee (the set was briefly issued under his name, on Argo) and a guitarist we're pretty certain is Jake Fisher (from other issues of this material), for a cool laidback soul jazz session that's probably one of Jug's most open-ended from the time. The tracks are all long, with a lot of room for solo space, and a round mellow tone. Titles include "Housewarmin", "Nothin' But Soul", "Jivin Around" and "Jug & McGhee". The second set's a hard-hitting blowing session, cut very much in the mode of Gene's late 50s sides for Prestige – and with a very accomplished group of soul jazzers that includes Nat Adderley, Frank Foster, Bennie Green, and Frank Wess. The groove has a nice raw late night sound – and tracks are pretty long and open-ended. Titles include "Litty Ditty", "Sermonette", "Juggin Around", and "Jim Dog".

A pair of hard-wailing tenor albums on Verve – both of them great! Boss Tenors In Orbit is a studio album, but one that really has Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recreating some of the bold energy of their live shows – coming across with a vibe that's much more Prestige Records than Verve, thanks to the presence of the Don Patterson trio on the set! Backing is by Don on Hammond, Paul Weeden on guitar, and Billy James on drums – a nicely loose combo that really lets the tenorists stretch out and show their stuff. The cuts are mostly standard material – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long Ago And Far Away" – but the twin-tenor sound is great, and Patterson's free organ lines riff away nicely! On Boss Tenors, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love".

Excellent live work by The Association – quite different than their earlier pop hits, but still with the same great harmony feel! The style here is in the rougher, more guitar-based mode of albums like Birthday and Stop Your Motor – and the band really sounds great in this live setting, which helps us to understand just how much of their magical sound came from the group itself, and not just Warner Brothers studio tricks. The set's got 22 tracks in all – 2LPs worth of music – and titles include "Dream Girl", "Goodbye Columbus", "I'll Be Your Man", "Never My Love", "Seven Man Band", "Cherish", "Requiem For The Masses", "Are You Ready", "Just About The Same", and "Along Comes Mary".

David Axelrod takes on Handel's Messiah – and the result is an amazingly complex set of music – very similar to his earlier albums on Capitol Records, and his Warner work with the Electric Prunes! If you love the Axe, you'll find plenty to love here – spare, dark orchestrations, often with a subtle hint of funk in the rhythms, some jazzy flourishes, and this bold sense of studio majesty that marks Axelrod as one of the most inventive producers of his time! The sound's one that gave birth to a whole generation of hip hoppers and beatheads – and the proceedings are conducted by Cannonball Adderley, with a feel that's similar to other Adderley/Axelrod high-concept sets – like Soul Of The Bible or Soul Zodiac. Titles include "Overture", "Worthy Is the Lamb", "Behold Recitative", "Comfort Ye My People", and "And The Angel Said Unto Them".

A beautifully packaged reissue of this rare set from 1964 – an early example of the genius of Albert Ayler, recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out – especially when playing overseas – but recorded with the clarity of some of his studio albums for ESP – that sharp-edged sound that really highlights the groundbreaking style of his playing! The rest of the group here is equally great – and the quartet features Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – the latter of whom is almost completely freed up from rhythm at some points. Titles include "Angels", "CAC", "Infant Happiness", and "No Name". Also includes a bonus fold-out poster with a painting of Ayler!

Insanely wonderful work by Bacharach – in a way that we can hardly begin to describe (but we'll certainly try!) By the time this one was recorded – 1971 – Burt's reputation as a songwriter and arranger were so firmly established that he had an incredible amount of freedom in the studio. Here, working with tunes that were mostly well-worn, plus a new one or two – Burt comes up with an amazingly complex set of arrangements, opening up his tunes like little flowers, focusing on a particular instrumental tendril, and drawing it out into incredible lines of melody and color. Proof of this is the album's extended version of "Wives & Lovers", or its suite for orchestra, entitled "And The People Were With Her". All tracks are great – from Burt's intimate vocal on "Hasbrook Heights", to the jangly instrumentation of "Freefall", to the completely recast versions of hits like "One Less Bell To Answer", "April Fools", and "Mexican Divorce". CD features a bonus track – a rare mono version of "All Kinds Of People".

An incredible live recording by Burt Bacharach – and one that wasn't issued in the US! This early 70s concert is great proof that the Bacharach magic didn't come from any studio tricks – but from the genius of Burt himself – as the maestro's working here in a fantastic larger-than-life setting, one that offers slightly different takes on the magical tunes of his A&M years. The arrangements include a large instrumental group, plus strings and uncredited singers – and Burt himself delivers some wonderful vocals on a few tunes too. Titles include "Promises Promises", "The Look Of Love", "Walk On By", "Come Touch The Sun", "Bond Street", "Close To You", "A House Is Not A Home", and 2 nice medley tracks!

A soul record we'd put up there with some of our favorite ones that the city of Chicago produced in the early 70s – and it's literally a soul record – a beautiful gospel set by Pastor TL Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir, of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, on the city's south side! There's genuine spirit and passion in this record to make it an exceptional gospel record, but it's the deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that makes this one of the true, uh, holy grails of Chicago soul. The album was cut at the affordable Sound Market Studio, but behind the soaring, spirited lead and chorus vocal arrangements are players supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with legendary players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch in on the recordings. Raw drums, grooving organ, and incredible bass lines lay the foundation, but it's the voices that really shine on this completely wonderful, totally essential set! Includes "Like A Ship", "Wonderful", "It's Me O Lord", "Ever Since", "Nobody Knows", "Joyful Noice", "Medley...Dr. Watts Hymn & The Disciples Prayer" and "Blessed Quietness".

A fantastic bit of jazz funk fusion – and one of the landmark 70s albums produced by Larry Mizell! This is Gary Bartz's second (and most amazing) collaboration with Larry Mizell – a studio genius who could focus on the best talent of a jazz artist, then expand it using additional keyboards, percussion, and often a sweet bank of chorus vocals to give the tracks an extra soulful sound! By the time of this album, Larry had already worked to great fame with Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, and Johnny Hammond – and the record has him turning his talents towards Gary Bartz to unlock a whole hidden side of soulful expression that would never be matched again! The title cut – "Music Is My Sanctuary" – is a jazz fusion classic in anyone's book, and it features characteristic Mizell keyboards alongside Gary's soulful sax, augmented by a deep vocal chorus that's simply fantastic. Other highlights include "Carnaval De L'Esprit" and "Macaroni" – and the whole album's nice!

My God – they finally did it! After all these years of hearing about the legendary Smile album from The Beach Boys – hearing snippets on other albums, studio bonus tracks, re-recordings, and all the other sources they've dangled in front of us for decades – Capitol's finally gone and done what they never did back in the 60s – released the whole legendary set together, as one package – and in formats that even exceed anything that might have been issued back in the day! You've probably heard a good number of the songs here before – some as they were chopped up and included on Smiley Smile, 20/20, and other post-Pet Sounds albums by the group – and in some recent re-recordings by Brian Wilson. But trust us, they all sound amazing here together – in the original recordings, with sublime 60s studio production, and godlike arrangements by the young Brian Wilson. Titles include "Our Prayer", "Gee", "My Only Sunshine/You Are", "Cabin Essence", "Wonderful", "Surf's Up", "Holidays", "Vege-Tables", "Good Vibrations", "Love To Say Dada", "Do You Like Worms", "Barnyard", and "I'm In Great Shape". Plus, this hip box set has loads of cool bits – 2CDs that include the original album with 8 bonus tracks on the first disc – then a full bonus CD of "finished" work from the project – alternate takes, expanded versions, and more – including "Our Prayer Dialogue", "Surf's Up 1st Movement", "Vege-Tables (fade)", "Cool Cool Water (version 2)", "Heroes & Villains (children were raised)", and more. Box also comes with a poster, a 36 page booklet, and a button!

Another strong set by the Beastie Boys – who would obviously rather put out a very good album every five or six years, than a sub par album every year or two! Arguably, the Beasties broke all the of the ground that they ever will prior to 2004, but that doesn't mean that they're done making solid records. If To The 5 Boroughs is any indication, there's still quite a bit of life left in the Boys as they approach 40. Prior to each infrequent LP, we're worried that the post Paul's Boutique world of difficult, expensive sample clearance will kill the layers of pop pastiche sound bites that made P's B such a brilliant statement, and with this one we're once again very pleasantly surprised at what they're able to pull off. The soul and funk samples are still piled on in abundance (albeit with a more electro studio built backdrop), as are the block rockin' party rhymes, even if the tone's serious in spots. There are no attempts at funky jazz or punk rock this time – this may be the Beasties' most classifiable hip hop album. Add it to that ever growing list of good-to-great albums by aging artists who were coaxed back into the game in part by their feelings about post 9/11 politics. Tracks include the great throwback single "Ch-Check It Out", "Right Right Now Now", "3 The Hard Way", "It Takes Time To Build", "Rhyme The Rhyme Well", "Hey F**k You", "Triple Trouble", "Oh Word?", "That's It That's All", "All Lifestyles", "Shazam!", "An Open Letter To NYC" and more.

A crackling live set from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers! The recording is one of a few that Blakey made at Birdland – and it may well be the best, as it features his killer 1960 lineup with Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, and Bobby Timmons all in the group. Tracks are longer than the group's studio sides – with an incredible mix of fire and lyricism, soul and energy, showing the group at their best in a setting like this! This second volume includes the tracks "Night Watch", "The Summit", "High Modes", and "The Things I Love".

A classic early set featuring the Jazz Messengers back when the group still included Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, and Kenny Dorham – one of the earliest and purest versions of Blakey's hardbop vision, touched with the slightly exotic lyricism of Silver, which gives the tracks a wonderful edge. The playing is excellent throughout – and the album's the kind of live stormer that shows why the group were such a huge draw right out of the box, and why they performed as well (if not better) in a live setting than they did ain a studio one! Tracks include "Minor's Holiday", "The Theme", "Prince Albert", and "Deciphering The Message" – and the CD features 3 bonus tracks, all long, plus great remastering!

A fantastic bit of soul and house that was woefully overlooked at the time of its release – and one of our favorite albums of the past 25 years! The Blaze production team had been hitting the underground club scene hard for a few years with their raw New Jersey house singles – then Motown grabbed them in the studio, and had them cut this classic album of soul tracks that pays homage to a set of greats that runs from Leroy Hutson, to Donnie Hathaway, to Norman Harris, and a host of others – all with a sense of soulfulness and depth that goes way past their standard work for the clubs! The dancefloor tracks are great, but the album's also got some wonderfully mellow moments too – with tracks that include "So Special", "We All Must Live Together", "Missing You", and "Get Up". The CD version has the added bonus of being a bit of a "mini-opera" – with spoken bits that have a narrative quality, linking the tracks together in a way that didn't occur with the LP.

A fantastic bit of soul and house that was woefully overlooked at the time of its release – and one of our favorite albums of the past 25 years! The Blaze production team had been hitting the underground club scene hard for a few years with their raw New Jersey house singles – then Motown grabbed them in the studio, and had them cut this classic album of soul tracks that pays homage to a set of greats that runs from Leroy Hutson, to Donnie Hathaway, to Norman Harris, and a host of others – all with a sense of soulfulness and depth that goes way past their standard work for the clubs! The dancefloor tracks are great, but the album's also got some wonderfully mellow moments too – with tracks that include "So Special", "We All Must Live Together", "Missing You", and "Get Up".

Sublime sounds from Booker T & The MGs – the group's first five albums, laid out in one totally package! The progression in Memphis soul here is wonderful – as the package starts with the initial Green Onions set – a record that grew out of a famous jam from Book and the group in the studio – then moves through Soul Dressing, And Now, Hip Hug Her, and Doin Our Thing – records that get funkier and funkier at each new spin – showing how the group really tightened up their style, and helped transform the sound of instrumental soul in the process! Loads of great Hammond from Booker T, mixed with killer guitar from Steve Cropper – and a motherlode of great cuts that include "Green Onions", "Comin Home Baby", "Can't Be Still", "Home Grown", "Think", "Soul Jam", "Taboo", "One Mint Julep", "Plum Nellie", "Outrage", "Night Owl Walk", "Double Or Nothing", "Sunny", "Pigmy", "Slim Jenkins Place", "Hip Hug Her", "Soul Sanction", "The Beat Goes On", "Blue Or Green", "Ode To Billie Joe", "Never My Love", and "I Can Dig It". All albums in tiny LP sleeves too!

Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky with this one – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – but the grooves are even better than before, and the set includes loads of great original number written by the group – the kind of cool tunes they most likely cooked up while jamming live in the studio! These gems include the seminal "Hip Hug Her" – plus "Carnaby Street", "Booker's Notion", "Soul Sanction", "Double Or Nothing", and "Slim Jenkins' Place". But the covers are groovy too – and include a version of "Pigmy", plus "Groovin" and "Sunny".

A greatly expanded version of this recent classic of 21st Century soul – complete with a full bonus disc of material! The original set came out a few years back, and grabbed our ears instantly – work by one of the best new downtempo acts we've heard in years – a British outfit with a really solid sense of soul and jazz, one that pushes way past simple studio tricks and production flourishes! Most of the tracks on this set have great female vocals – sweetly drifting amidst the slow beats and keyboard riffs with an approach that's clearly influenced by current American indie soul, but which also moves beyond it, into a more abstract, cosmically-oriented mode. Loads of great mellow moments – and titles include "All In Good Time", "Mercy", "Surreal Moments", "Abstract Blue", "Cost Of Livin", "When It Came", "Lady Sings", and "Perfect Season". Bonus CD features 14 more tracks that include "Ghosts", "Freefall", "What Do You Do", "Think About You", "Metropolis (Unknown Quantity mix)", "Medusa (Dynamic Syncopation mix)", "Lady Sings (live)", "Metropolis (live)", and "Perfect Season (Break Reform rmx)".

A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out grooves as the album rolls on will pull you even further into the fold. Most tracks roll on with that improvised studio jamming style that James was hitting at the time – a pre-JBs mode that's not as long as later years, but which still makes you feel that there probably was plenty more recorded on the dates that didn't make it into the two-part versions of the tracks! And although James is singing on most numbers, the real focus is more on the band – hitting hard, vamping sharp, and grooving massively under shouted calls and directions from Brown. Titles include two great instrumentals – "Popcorn With a Feeling" and "Top of the Stack" – plus "Little Groove Maker Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Mother Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Mashed Potato Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Any Day Now", "You're Still Out Of Sight", and "I'm Shook" – as well as the great mellower number "If I Ruled The World" – redone here as an African-American anthem of pride and power!

A lost treasure from James Brown & The JBs – a vintage live performance from the early 70s, and one that captures the group at the height of their powers! The format here is very similar to the excellent Revolution Of The Mind set – a totally funky, totally righteous live performance that has James and the group even more energized than in the studio – working with the kind of razor-sharp intensity that made them a legendary funk act – leaping from tune to tune with nary a break at all! Bobby Byrd acts as the MC, and joins James for a bit of vocals – and the group at this point still includes Bootsy Collins on bass, plus loads of great guitar from Catfish Collins, and Fred Wesley on trombone and Jabo Starks on drums. Dave Matthews handled some of the arrangements – and titles include "Soul Power", "Sex Machine", "Bewildered", "It's A New Day", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Brother Rapp", "Super Bad", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag/I Got You/I Got The Feelin".

One of Oscar Brown's great ones, recorded live at the Cellar Door in Washington before an enthusiastic crowd of hipsters! The record's a beautiful mix of soul, jazz, and folk – in the same Chicago tradition that spawned Terry Callier (although Brown's style has a bit more of a "show" feel to it). There's a lot of great stuff on here, and most of it doesn't appear on Oscar's other albums in studio versions. Tracks include "Call of the City", "Muffled Drums", "Maxine", "Brother Where Are You?", and more! Backing's by a tight little combo that includes Floyd Morris and Phil Upchurch!

An excellent biker soundtrack – very different than the usual bag! For this one, Tony Bruno has come up with some great instrumentals – many of them jazzier than you'd think, and a few with some nice funky Capitol instrumental touches – not so much studio fuzz guitar, as they are groovy numbers that are a lot less hairy than the guys on screen in the movie! The change is a nice one – not as rockish as the regular biker soundtrack – although there are some vocal numbers too, done in the Tower/Sidewalk sort of style. Yet it's the instrumentals that really send us – and which make this album well worth seeking out! Titles include "Chase Of Death", "Goofin", "Bass Lake Run", "Hang On Tight", and "Al and Alice".

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

Stunning! Although many know Bobby Byrd as the longtime associate of James Brown, and although his singles do turn up from time to time on compilations, this one and only album by him is super-rare. The album's a live recording (although we've never been sure if it's not one of James Brown's "fake" live projects, with studio tracks and applause added in) – and it contains a killer batch of funky tracks like "I Need Help (I Can't Do It Alone)" (parts 1 & 2), "Funky Soul", "My Concerto", "You Got To Have A Job (If You Don't Work, You Can't Eat)", and "Hang Ups We Don't Need (The Hungry We've Got To Feed)". Loads of breakbeats, and a killer funky groove with Bobby singing in a style that's as great as James Brown's best funky stuff from the time, but with a darker edge to it. Classic stuff, and an unbelievable one to have on low-priced reissue!

An incredible record that was one of the highest points of Donald Byrd's career! The album's the third one he cut with producer/arranger Larry Mizell – and of all Byrd's work with Mizell, this one's the funkiest, the tightest, the most soulful, and the most perfectly realized vision of the smooth jazz funk sound that the team were aiming at. Every track is a winner – and the album glides along with a slippery sinewy groove, never pausing for a weak moment or a misplaced note, shimmering with pride in its own genius. Byrd's trumpet soars over the top, banking gracefully over waves of funky drums, spacey keyboards, and extremely well-placed vocals – all brought together perfectly by Mizell, with a tightly fused style that few people have ever been able to match in the studio since! Tracks include "Change (Makes You Want To Hustle)", "Dominoes", "Wind Parade", "Places & Spaces", and "Night Whistler".

Can opens up a bit with Unlimited Edition – expanding upon their earlier Limited Edition compilation – fleshing out that set of archival Can errata into a sprawling, boundless 70+ minute set of brilliant, yet largely unused genius from the group's earlier archives! Can is legendary for constructing their greatest studio material out of freewheeling studio experimentation, so it stands to reason that there was a whole heck of a lot of worthy material left out. Boy, was there ever! It's got bits from both the Mooney and Suzuki periods, as well as spacious Can instrumental material. It's made up largely of brief bits that didn't find their way into a whole piece, but there's some longer numbers, too – and one epic: the 17+ minute "Cutaway". Titles icnlde "Gomorrha", "Doko E", "The Anpress And The Ukraine Song", "TV Spot", "Mother Upduff", "Connection", "Fall Of Another Year", "Transcendental Express", "Ibis", "Blue Bag (Inside Paper)", "Musette", "EFS No. 10", "I'm Too Leise" and more.

Early genius from The Carpenters – a really tremendous little album, and one that's quite different than their soft rock hits of the 70s! There's a plenty playful feel to the set – energy that comes right off the best Sunshine Pop of late 60s A&M Records – to which this album is a perfect link – a mode in which the studio's as much a part of the sound as Richard and Karen's own contributions – wrapped up with a heavenly approach by producer Jack Daugherty. Tunes are simpler, sometimes more personal – and there's lots of nice basic music touches along the way – a piano here, sweet keyboard there, some gentle drums, and more – all to make the music sound totally groovy! If you've ever heard the Roger Nichols music for A&M, and wondered how he could have such a later link to this pair, this is the album to show you the way. Titles include "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing", "Your Wonderful Parade", "Turn Away", "All Of My Life", "Ticket To Ride", "Don't Be Afraid", "What's The Use", and "Someday".

The full scope of genius from the legendary Alvin Cash – not just his 60s gritty groovers, but a host of later funk tracks as well – all packaged into a beautiful book-styled package! Cash is one of our favorite Chicago artists ever – a dancer by trade, but a flamboyant personality who always managed to make his way center stage – whether live or in the recording studio! The set begins with early "twine" numbers from Alvin – some romping heavy soul tracks that have a very deep bottom, and a raw sound that's equal part R&B and Chicago soul – definitely tuned towards the dancefloor crowd that was a natural fit for Cash's energy. As the set moves on, it then picks up some wicked late 60s singles for the Toddlin Town label, and also includes some excellent early 70s groovers for Sound Stage Seven – some of Alvin's hardest, heaviest numbers ever. The set features work by Alvin Cash with The Registers, Hundred Dollar Bills, The Crawlers, and Scott Brothers Orchestra – and titles include "Keep On Dancing (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky 69", "Moanin & Groanin", "Doin The Creep", "It's Party Time", "Funky Washing Machine", "Alvin's Doin His Thing", "Funky Street", "Doin The Ali Shuffle", "Whip It On Me", "The Charge", "Boston Monkey", "The Philly Freeze", "Alvin's Boogaloo", "Let's Do Some Good Timing", "The Bump", "Twine Time", "Twine Awhile", "The Barracuda", and "You Shot Me Through The Grease".

An incredible album of Eastern instrumentation and funky rock breaks – served up as one of the headiest studio sessions to come from the LA scene of the late 60s! The Ceylieb People work in the same territory as Devil's Anvil or The Orient Express – a blend of fuzzy psychedelia with trippier influences from India and other points east – a sound that has the group mixing heavy drums and jamming guitar with lots of sitar, tamboura, and rootsy percussion! Songs are all instrumentals, and played with a really mind-expanding sort of groove – jamming throughout, and very sensitive to little shifts in sound and rhythm. The core combo is augmented by woodwinds from Jim Horn, guitar from Ry Cooder, and keyboards from Mike Melvoin – and titles include "Leyshem", "Zendan", "Becal", "Ddom", "Dyl", "Ralin", "Tygstl", and "Menyatt Dyl Com".

A killer album by the Chairmen of the Board! The record's their second – and although the "In Session" title, photos on the front, and liner notes all make it appear to be a live album, it's actually a studio session, with the same great Holland-Dozier-Holland production as the first! The album includes an amazing track called "All We Need Is Understanding", a jaunty groover with this funky organ at the beginning, and some killer vocals by General Johnson. It's one of the group's best tracks ever – and the record has plenty of other nice ones – like "Pay To The Piper", "Hanging On To A Memory", "When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me", and "Chairmen Of The Board". Plus, the record includes their great version of "Patches", which they wrote for Clarence Carter – already on their first album, but featured here again for some strange reason! Who cares, though – because we love the track! CD also features the bonus cut "Try My Love On For Size".

The first record from Cheeba in many years – and definitely his funkiest so far! The production of this one is right on the money – filled with sharp, funky, 70s-styled riffs – very much in the best blacksploitation style from back in the day! Years back, we'd always like Cheeba's records, but sometimes found them rough around the edges – yet this time around, he's totally got it right – perfect production, just the right amount of space in between the grooves, and key help from some younger session players who really make the whole thing come out right – like a recreation of some hip 70s studio band. Titles include "Paisley Garden", "Looing For My Brother", "Message Force Multipliers", "Extend The Knowledge", "The Denunciation", "Return From Exile", and "2nd & Cedar".

The first record from Cheeba in many years – and definitely his funkiest so far! The production of this one is right on the money – filled with sharp, funky, 70s-styled riffs – very much in the best blacksploitation style from back in the day! Years back, we'd always like Cheeba's records, but sometimes found them rough around the edges – yet this time around, he's totally got it right – perfect production, just the right amount of space in between the grooves, and key help from some younger session players who really make the whole thing come out right – like a recreation of some hip 70s studio band. Titles include "Paisley Garden", "Looing For My Brother", "Message Force Multipliers", "Extend The Knowledge", "The Denunciation", "Return From Exile", and "2nd & Cedar".

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

Ten years since his underground Headphone Masterpiece and Cody Chesnutt is finally back with a proper follow up – one that has a more fully-fleshed out production – and it’s pretty damn great! There's some striking differences in approach, but thankfully, the idiosyncratic creative bent remains! Where Headphones Masterpiece was a mind-bogglingly ambitious low fi bedroom production, this one was at least partially recorded at Willie Mitchell's legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, with a great group of studio musicians. This one is also more focused – and features a tight batch of 12 songs – as opposed to the sprawling double album debut. Cody's ear for classic southern soul craft informs this one – but his raw lyricism and great voice are still the focus, and that ultimately makes it another near-classic! We hope it won't take 10 years to make another record, but we're sure glad we finally got this one! Includes "'Til I Met Thee", "I've Been Life", "That's Still Mama", "Don't Follow Me", "Everybody's Brother", "Love Is More Than A Wedding Day", "Under The Spell Of The Handout", "Don't Wanna Go The Other Way", "Where Is All The Money Going", "Scroll Call" and more.

Ten years since his underground Headphone Masterpiece and Cody Chesnutt is finally back with a proper follow up – one that has a more fully-fleshed out production – and it's pretty damn great! There's some striking differences in approach, but thankfully, the idiosyncratic creative bent remains! Where Headphones Masterpiece was a mind-bogglingly ambitious low fi bedroom production, this one was at least partially recorded at Willie Mitchell's legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, with a great group of studio musicians. This one is also more focused – and features a tight batch of 12 songs – as opposed to the sprawling double album debut. Cody's ear for classic southern soul craft informs this one – but his raw lyricism and great voice are still the focus, and that ultimately makes it another near-classic! We hope it won't take 10 years to make another record, but we're sure glad we finally got this one! Includes "'Til I Met Thee", "I've Been Life", "That's Still Mama", "Don't Follow Me", "Everybody's Brother", "Love Is More Than A Wedding Day", "Under The Spell Of The Handout", "Don't Wanna Go The Other Way", "Where Is All The Money Going", "Scroll Call" and more.

The great self-titled Alice Clark LP on Mainstream plus earlier singles for Warner Brothers and unreleased tracks – the complete studio recordings from '68-72 – in one great set! There weren't many vocal albums on the Mainstream label during the early 70s, and this rare soul side is a real overlooked gem! Alice Clark has a rich soulful voice, with a style that sounds a bit like Esther Marrow, mixed with some of the lead vocalists in Voices Of East Harlem – a really right-on sort of sound that's totally great, and way hipper than most 70s chart soul! Arrangements are by Ernie Wilkins, who brings in a touch of jazz – but again, with a much hipper feel than most of his other backings – and most of the tracks are quite obscure, well-written tunes – of the sort of material you might expect to hear sung by Gil Scott-Heron or Donny Hathaway. Includes "Don't You Care", "Charms Of The Arms Of Love", "Maybe This Time", "Looking At Life", "Hey Girl", "Don't Wonder Why", "It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone", "Hard Hard Promises" and the rest from the classic and always sought self-titled album from 1972 – plus great earlier Warner Brothers singles "You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurts Me)" and "Heaven's Will (Must Be Obeyed)" from 1969, the previously unreleased "Before Her Time" and "You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurts Me)" instrumental, and more! 16 tracks in all.

A classic full-length album from The Coasters – one of the few the group ever cut for Atlantic Records – and a perfect illustration of everything that made them so great! Almost every cut here was penned by the team of Jerry Lieber & Mike Stoller – who were also working with the group in the studio, and giving this amazingly pyrotechnic approach to group harmony – one that moved way past the simple street corner modes of a few years before, and which brought all sorts of sinister and sharp changes to their music! The vocals come across with plenty of soul, and also a huge amount of dexterity and wit as well – so much so that just about nobody else could make these tunes shine so well as The Coasters on these vintage recordings. Titles include "Young Blood", "Searchin", "Lola", "I Must Be Dreamin", "One Kiss Led To Another", "Riot In Cell Block # 9", "Framed", "Smokey Joe's Cafe", "Turtle Dovin'", "Framed", and "Down In Mexico".

Mid 60s surf grooves from Jerry Cole – blazing guitar-led instrumentals, though this is not a simple, quickie cash-in on the surf trend – it's a actually a top notch taste of expert LA studio genius! Cole is a brilliant guitarist, and the Spaceman he assembled for the Surf Age record features the crème of the crop of LA studio geniuses from the period – including Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer, Steve Douglas and others. The mix of searing guitars with a raw rhythms with virtuoso musicianship really puts this record above and beyond most others! Includes "Surf Age", "Martian Surf", "Night Rumble", "Night Rumble", "Power Surf", "Bronze Surfer", "Jerry's Jump", "Deep Surf", "Racing Waves", "One Color Blues", "Ride-Um!" and more. CD includes 6 bonus tracks, too: "Boss Dance", "Super Charged", Drag Shot", "Wild Willys", "The Screamer" and more!

A pure statement of being and essence – and one of John Coltrane's spiritual masterpieces from the 60s! The 1965 recording was one of Trane's most adventurous so far – as it featured just one album-length track, building up out of relatively free expressions from Coltrane in the studio – initially in the spirit of Love Supreme, but much sharper-edged and unbridled overall – as if the meditative spirit of the previous recording had unlocked a sense of freedom that refused to be tied down to simple structures! The group is great – and features Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Donald Garrett on bass clarinet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – plus a bit of flute and percussion from Joe Brazil. The playing is much freer than on other albums of the time, but also has some introspective spiritual moments – clearly inspired by the Love Supreme recording, but taken a shade outside as well!

A hugely expanded version of this legendary album – one that features loads of unreleased tracks that show the whole thing coming together in the studio! The set's filled with soaring work from the legendary John Coltrane Quartet – a session that was incredibly far-reaching for the time, and which originally was unissued until after the time of Coltrane's death! The record's got the group really pushing forward strongly – hitting a Love Supreme mode, but also showing even some of the sharper edges that John would explore with the group after this one – a beautiful swan song to the lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Things soar with a hell of a lot of spirituality, yet never get too overindulgent to lose their groove – and titles include "Amen", "Dearly Beloved", "Ascent", "Attaining", and "Sun Ship". CD features complete takes of some tracks that were cut off on the original LP release, plus other versions that show a strong development of the music!

A sweet set of sounds from disco maestro Boris Midney – an artist who rarely recorded under his own name, but was the guiding force behind a great range of famous studio projects! The first half of the set features music from the Companion album – a set moves along in a way that's really a cut above the usual dancefloor groove – tight, lean grooves that draw a lot from just a little – never too overblown, in the way that mainstream disco might be – and instead this nicely compressed blend of tight drums, sweet keyboards, and other instrumental lines fused together in a way that works well with the spare vocals. Titles include "This Is A Test", "There's A Way", "Step On Out", "Living Up To Love", and "I Feel Delight" – plus bonus tracks "Living Up To Love (12" mix)", "Step On Out (12" mix)", and "Step On Out (rhythm track)". The second half features some great singles from Midney – real one-off projects, but offered in enough mixes to almost make for a full LP apiece! Titles include "Can He Find Another One (west side)", "Can He Find Another One (east side)", and "Can He Find Another One (inst west)" by Double Discovery; "Dddance (voc)", "Dddance (beats)", "Dddance (inst)", and "Dddance (alt mix)" by Boris Midney; and "Thanks For Loving Me" by Boris Midney.

A legendary run of music from the late, great Sam Cooke – almost all of his recordings for RCA Records, packaged here in one sweet little package! The scope of the set is wonderful – and almost something of a revelation, given that a number of these titles have never appeared on CD in the US before – making this collection a real discovery in soul music! Cooke first came out of the underground in the late 50s – and by the time he hit RCA, was really ready to take on new challenges – recording some key tracks that would help redefine the sound of soul for the 60s – and also working on some special album projects that expanded the range of work that he was handling – showing off some great sides of his talents. The set features the killer live album One Night Stand – recorded at the Harlem Square Club – plus the studio albums Cooke's Tour, Hits Of The 50s, Swing Low, My Kind Of Blues, Twistin The Night Away, Mr Soul, and Night Beat – all packaged in these cool little LP-styled sleeves!

A damn great little record from Clifford Coulter – a set that's much tighter and more soul-based than his earlier funk albums for Impulse Records – but which comes together beautifully, too – thanks to help from Bill Withers in the studio! Bill produced, and the record has this perfect sort of balance – never too slick or uptight, but really focused too – that great warm groove that Withers found with his own music at Columbia – but set up here as a perfect foil for Coulter's truly amazing voice! The singer's got a depth that comes through right away – on both the ballads and the groovers – and the record's one of those under-discovered gems that we've dug for years – proof that some really amazing soul music was coming out on major labels, between the hits. Withers plays lots of keyboards on the record – and titles "Another Day", "You And I Together", "Nothing In The World Is Free", "Don't Wanna See You Cry", "Magic Carpet Ride", "Maybe It's Better To Go", and "The Better Part Of Me".

Randy Crawford and Joe Sample – a mighty wonderful combination who've made some great studio sessions together – working here in an even more organic live concert setting! The album's got a stripped-down, back-to-basics approach – Joe just playing acoustic piano and working with a trio – and Randy stepping out in some old school jazz vocals – of the sort she didn't even record in her earlier days! The approach is wonderful – a great reminder that both artists have some mighty deep, soulful roots – and the track list is a good mix of older standards and cool soulful numbers, really recast nicely in this mode. Titles include "Street Life", "Last Night At Danceland", "Every Day I Have The Blues", "Feeling Good", "Tell Me More & Then Some", "Me Myself & I", and "One Day I'll Fly Away".

One of the most insanely wonderful soundtracks from the late 60's – filled with weird instrumental touches and sublimely groovy vocals that really match the mad spirit of the film! Although Bob Crewe's best known for his work as a producer for bigger names in the 60s, he really shines here on this set – stepping out with One of the most insanely wonderful soundtracks from the late 60s – filled with weird instrumental touches and sublimely groovy vocals that really match the mad spirit of the film! Although Bob Crewe's best known for his work as a producer for bigger names in the 60s, he really shines here on this set – stepping out with a mad mix of styles that blends 60s adult easy with spacier themes – using primitive electronics and odd studio tricks to capture the cartoony space landscape of Jane Fonda's world in the move. The Glitterhouse sing on a few cuts, in a great mod rock soundtrack mode – and the pacing, timing, and overall presentation of the music here is really great – an audio document that almost feels like a "sonic film" in and of itself! Tracks include "Barbarella", "Ski Ride", "Hungry Dolls", "Entrance Into Sogo", "The Pill", "Smoke (Viper Vapor)", "I Love All The Love In You", "The Labyrinth", "The Sex Machine", "The Chamber Of Dreams" and many more.

The first-ever release of this lost soul treasure – a rare session from a late 70s group from Tulsa, recording in LA at the studio of Sly Stone! The set's got a groove that's way more than you'd expect from any Oklahoma combo – a mature, modern soul sparkle that's totally great – almost the sort of vibe you'd find from some of the best groups of the time on labels like Elektra or Capitol, but handled here with a bit more indie charm overall! The tracks are all originals, and they balance out mellow steppers and tighter groovers nicely – which makes for an album that's amazingly deep in conception, and way more than just a slap-dash batch of tracks from the studio. We're sure that Sly would have been proud of the work here – and our hat's off to the folks at Lotus Land for finally getting this one released! Titles include "Funky Sounds", "Accept The Truth", "Keep On Smiling", "If You Dance Tonight", "I Love Everything About You", "On A Lovely Night Like This", "I Hope You'll Be", and an untitled track.

An incredible collection of work from the vastly-overlooked Geater Davis – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! Geater Davis is a tremendous singer from the south – but one who barely ever got his due back in the 70s – even though these recordings for the tiny House Of Orange label are every bit as amazing as work coming out for bigger labels like Stax or Hi Records! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit like Bobby Blue Bland, touched with the depth of feeling we love in James Carr, peppered with elements of other Memphis singers – all produced to perfection with a sound that's got a deep-burning soul that never lets up. This excellent collection features all tracks from Geater's rare album Sweet Woman's Love, plus additional singles from the time – all produced by Allen Orange, an overlooked genius in the southern studio scene of the 70s. Titles include "Don't Marry A Fool", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Love You", "I Know My Baby Loves Me", "I Can Hold My Own", "Cold Love (long version)", "I'll Get By", "I'll Play The Blues For You", "Breath Taking Girl", and a killer long take on "For Your Precious Love".

An incredible collection of work from the vastly-overlooked Geater Davis – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! Geater Davis is a tremendous singer from the south – but one who barely ever got his due back in the 70s – even though these recordings for the tiny House Of Orange label are every bit as amazing as work coming out for bigger labels like Stax or Hi Records! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit like Bobby Blue Bland, touched with the depth of feeling we love in James Carr, peppered with elements of other Memphis singers – all produced to perfection with a sound that's got a deep-burning soul that never lets up. This excellent collection features all tracks from Geater's rare album Sweet Woman's Love, plus additional singles from the time – all produced by Allen Orange, an overlooked genius in the southern studio scene of the 70s. Titles include "Don't Marry A Fool", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Love You", "I Know My Baby Loves Me", "I Can Hold My Own", "Cold Love (long version)", "I'll Get By", "I'll Play The Blues For You", "Breath Taking Girl", and a killer long take on "For Your Precious Love".

One of the best albums in years from altoist Jesse Davis – recorded in a relaxed, open-ended style that really unlocks some new magic in his horn! Davis' studio records are all quite nice, but this live date really takes him to places we've never heard before – a really old school exploration of alto modes that brings us back to Stitt or Criss, and shows a long-winded creativity we hardly knew that Jesse had. The rhythm section really helps the feel of the record, too – with a lot of humanity in the piano of Spike Wilner, mixed with the impeccable work of Peter Washington on bass and Billy Drummond on drums. Ryan Kisor's trumpet adds one more horn to the mix – and titles include "I'll Close My Eyes", "Piece Of The Apple", "Pray Thee/Beyond The Storm", "Journey From The Lighthouse", and "Body & Soul".

This stunning live set has been hailed by many as one of the finest moments of Miles' mid 60s career – music played with a frenetic energy that even blows away the famous studio sessions of the time! The group here is a landmark lineup – young modernists Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, and Tony Williams on drums – all reaching out to really increase their craft, and work through new ideas alongside Miles' trumpet. 5LP set features material recorded on December 22 and 23, 1965.

One of our favorite records ever from trombonist Steve Davis – a live date recorded at Smalls, and one that lets him stretch out a lot more than most of his studio albums! The setting is wonderful – an open-ended, easygoing quintet with great piano from Larry Willis – and a groove that is a nice change from some of the tighter modes that Davis often hits with his One For All compadres. As a result, Steve really takes some nice chances on the solos – and shows a range of his horn that impresses us even more than usual – and heck, we already think he's a great player! Altoist Mike DiRubbo brings a nice edge to the proceedings with some great solo work of his own – and the rest of the group features Gerald Cannon on bass and Willie Jones III on drums. Titles include "Spirit Waltz", "Nature Boy/To Wisdom The Prize", and "Daydream/Outro".

Quite an unusual date for vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon – one that has him singing with the group of Wilbur De Paris, in a mode that's a lot more trad than any of Jimmy's other records from the time! Turns out, that amazing voice is perfect for the setting – and Witherspoon really sounds wonderful here – ringing out with a full, rich style that most other trad male singers would never attempt – recorded beautifully for the session with top-shelf Atlantic fidelity, too – and more than a few echoes of their R&B approach in the studio! The group features Wilbur De Paris on trombone, Sidney De Paris on cornet, Omer Simeon on clarinet, and Sonny White on piano – and titles include "Careless Love", "Trouble In Mind", "Lotus Blossom", "Big Fine Girl", "Good Rollin Blues", and "When The Sun Goes Down".

Two post-CTI gems from Deodato – back to back on a single CD! Whirlwinds is sweet keyboard soul from Deodato – a set that steps off nicely from the strengths of his big hits on CTI, hitting a similarly flowing groove that's really great! The instrumentation here is a bit more expanded than before, but never in a way that buries the keyboards – and Deodato's right out front on a range of electric keys that get some great support from John Tropea's finely-honed work on guitar! Titles include "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "West 42nd Street", and a nice cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again". And heck, even the album's version of Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" manages to come off like a funk tune! Artistry is a live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin".

A fantastic bit of rare funk from Manu Dibango – originally scored for a film that starred Greg Morris, Ruby Dee, and Ossie Davis – but every bit as funky as Manu's own work of the time! The tunes are all very firmly in the best style of his earliest work of the 70s, with loads of great rhythms and choppy instrumentation – some tracks in the upbeat "Soul Makossa" mode, but others in a slower, snakier, funkier mode – one that he wasn't showing much on other studio albums by the end of the 70s. The whole thing's great – and just when we thought we knew everything there was to love about Manu Dibango, we turn up this sweet little gem from the 70s! Titles include "Go Slow Streets", "Motapo", "Jam Session", "Bokolo's Boogie", "Marnie", "Liberations Song", and "Blowin Western Mind".

Heavy funk from the legendary Bo Diddley – one of his amazing comeback albums from the early 70s for Chess, all of which are plenty darn great! For this set, Bo's traded in the scratchy guitar mode of his classic work for a sweeter, tighter funk-based sound – a groove that's supported strongly with electric studio arrangements from Wade Marcus – used here in very nice contrast to Diddley's rougher vocals and guitar! The style's got a bit more electric jazz touches than some of the other Chess blues funk records from the time – but the overall sound is still bound to please any funk fan – and titles include "Bite You", "Stop The Pusher", "You've Got a Lot Of Nerve", and the breakbeat classic "Hit Or Miss"!

Heavy funk from the legendary Bo Diddley – one of his amazing comeback albums from the early 70s for Chess, all of which are plenty darn great! For this set, Bo's traded in the scratchy guitar mode of his classic work for a sweeter, tighter funk-based sound – a groove that's supported strongly with electric studio arrangements from Wade Marcus – used here in very nice contrast to Diddley's rougher vocals and guitar! The style's got a bit more electric jazz touches than some of the other Chess blues funk records from the time – but the overall sound is still bound to please any funk fan – and titles include "Bite You", "Stop The Pusher", "You've Got a Lot Of Nerve", and the breakbeat classic "Hit Or Miss"!

Finally a strong full-length from Nu-Mark – the myriad strengths of which were amply hinted up via the epic 10" series that led up to it – and an album that packs plenty of diverse, timeless beatcraft and stellar guests on the mic! Nu-Mark's got a sharp, crisp edge with his beats – one that really seems to set a new sort of fire without ever being too overly-aware of its own style – often with these soulful undercurrents that help his music reach way past the usual, too! Vocals and rhymes are by a great batch of A-list talents – including Aloe Blacc, Charles Bradley, Bumpy Knuckles, Ernie Hines, Large Professor, J-Live, and Tiron – and one cut even features some sweet funky touches from Quantic. This deluxe CD edition features the album Disc 1. Disc 2 is a CD-ROM – featuring the instrumentals and acapella versions of most tracks, plus some bonus beats – with 32t tracks in all! tour and in-studio photos, the cover images from the Broken Sunlight 10-inch series and more! Disc 3 is a DVD – featuring the mini-film/video Nu-Conduit with live and behind the scenes footage. Amazing! Titles include "Oya Indebure", "Tropicalifornia", "Tough Break", "Feel The Way About It", "Vengeance Is Mine", "Dumpin Em All", "Our Generation (re-edit)", "When You Sleep", "Never Be Wrong", "Times Is Rough", and "Tonight".

Searing live work from Eric Dolphy – part of a series of recordings that set a whole new standard for live jazz recording! The record features Dolphy going even farther out than on his studio sides from the time – as the record features very long tracks performed by a crack group that includes Booker Little on trumpet, Mal Waldron on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums. Despite the length of the tracks, Dolphy isn't as far out as on later European live recordings – but the performance is a great example of his inventiveness within a mainstream structure, and the modernist tendencies of both Waldron and Little shine very brightly in the set. The concert was one of Little's last (and greatest) recordings – sometimes billed as a "memorial", even though he was still alive when it was done – and titles on this volume include "Aggression" and "Like Someone In Love".

Sort of a "house cleaning" album, one in which Prestige collected together a number of unissued Dolphy tracks after his death – but still a strong one, and in a way, the record features music that's even a bit more far-reaching than some of the studio albums on Prestige. Dolphy plays a solo bass clarinet version of "God Bless The Child"; he plays with Booker Little and Mal Waldron on "Status Seeking"; he's on flute in a quartet with Jaki Byard on "April Fool"; and he plays with a pickup Danish rhythm section on an alternate take of "Don't Blame Me".

One of our favorite albums ever by Kenny Dorham – and a really different session than his usual studio work! The album captures Kenny in a relaxed live setting, with a bit more dirt on his horn than usual – blowing with a tone that's much more open and a bit less poised – in the company of a really great group that features JR Monterose on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Bobby Timmons on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Arthur Edgehill on drums. The CD features a total of 17 tracks in all – titles from the original LP, plus rare extra material, and some bonus alternate takes – all remastered by Rudy Van Gelder. Titles include Dorham's boppish "Mexico City", plus other enigmatic compositions like "Monaco" and "Hill's Edge", and tracks that include "Round Midnight", "Riffin", "My Heart Stood Still", and "NY Theme".

One of the funkiest blacksploitation soundtracks of the 70s – a rare indie gem from Nat Dove & The Devils! Dove's got a style that's a lot rougher and rootsier than other soundtrack artists of the 70s – an approach that's more based in the modes of the indie funk underground of the time, and less in the more polished studio funk you'd find on bigger film releases. The grit in the grooves is wonderfully welcome here – and it's a quality that really sets this one apart from the pack, and keeps it in heavy rotation over the years! Most of the tracks on here are instrumentals, and a few of the cuts have vocals by Mary Love – and titles include "Joy", "Petey Wheatstraw", "Steve's Den", Junkie Chase", "Zombie March", "Ghetto Street USA", and "Loving You".

Mac really steps out on this one – pushing past his usual hip studio take on New Orleans soul, to a more expansive style that includes performances by a host of surprise guests like Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, PP Arnold, Graham Bond, and Doris Troy. That loping, trippy groove of John's is still firmly in place, shifted slightly – kind of a New Orleans meets post 60s London style. There's also a really unique, kind of mellow Cajun folk blues thing going on, and it balances a lot of really disparate elements in a fairly unified feel. It's sort of like Captain Beefheart playing lounge piano in a swamp – an ambitious style that you really have to respect and appreciate. Titles include "Craney Crow", "Black John The Conqueror", "Zu Zu Mamou", and "Pots On Fiyo" "Where Ya At Mule", "Familiar Reality", and more.

A pair of solo albums from actress Patty Duke – back to back on a single CD! Don't Just Stand There is surprisingly sweet pop from kid actress Patty – a set cut at a time when the right sort of studio backdrops could make just about any sort of voice into a hit record! The main maestro here is Arnold Goland – whose talents for a warm melody and jaunty rhythm really help Patty emerge as a singer without doing that much on her own – just serving up poppy lyrics with the same undercurrent of darkness you'd find in her screen appearances in film and TV – almost an eerie sense of loneliness, and a longing for the John Astin to come in her life! Titles include "Say Something Funny", "The End Of The World", "Don't Just Stand There", "Downtown", and "Why Don't They Understand". Patty is a record that reunites Duke with arranger Arnold Goland – whose pop talents in the studio work the same kind of magic with the singer that you'd find in some of the more impressive Brit female pop records of the time! Titles are a mix of different modes, all brought together nicely in the arrangements – and tunes include "The World Is Watching Us", "One Kiss Away", "Sure Gonna Miss Him", "Nothing But You", "Little Things Mean A Lot", and "Whenever She Holds You". CD also features two great tunes from the Billie film – "Funny Little Butterflies" and "Lonely Little In Between".

A great title for an equally great little record – one that marks a whole new stage of genius for Philly soul maestro Vikter Duplaix! Vikter's been making our world plenty brighter with his music for a number of years, but with this record he earns our respect even more – by smoothing out some of the rougher edges of earlier sides, and going for a focused, positive sound that's really tremendous! There's a sense of presence here that's undeniable – not just the role of a hip singer who showed up on many singles at the start of the century, but a focused artist committed to changing the world through the power of his music. Duplaix is working here with a number of different producers – most notably James Poyer, but also Michael Angelo Saulsberry, Ron Trent, Sebastian Arocha Morton, and Omar Edwards – but throughout the set, the sound is very unified and very personal, not the sort of scattershot, studio-hopping work that you'll get in most of the R&B mainstream these days. A few tracks here appeared on the earlier Stimulation EP – but the album's the full presentation of the message that started with that one – featuring 12 tracks that include "Make A Baby", "Pure", "Another Great Love Gone By", "A Life Worth Living", "For Life", "Stimulation", "The Way That I Feel", "In The Middle Of You", "I See The Sun", "Nothing Like Your Touch", "Fade It", and "Temple Of Thoughts".

Great stuff! Although a live album, Gratitude is one of Earth Wind & Fire's greatest from the mid 70s – a very tight batch of grooves that proves that Maurice White & Co. could play just as well on stage as they could in the studio – and the noise of the crowd going wild is enough to confirm that! And although a live set, the record's actually a bit half and half – with a few added studio tunes to keep the hits coming. Includes their classic version of Skip Scarborough's "Can't Hide Love", plus the mellow jams "Yearnin' Learnin'" and "Reasons", the funky "Shining Star", and a great cover of "Sun Goddess", which was also done by Ramsey Lewis with the group. Features a bonus live medley too – not on the original album!

Great stuff! Although a live album, Gratitude is one of Earth Wind & Fire's greatest from the mid 70s – a very tight batch of grooves that proves that Maurice White & Co. could play just as well on stage as they could in the studio – and the noise of the crowd going wild is enough to confirm that! And although a live set, the record's actually a bit half and half – with a few added studio tunes to keep the hits coming. Includes their classic version of Skip Scarborough's "Can't Hide Love", plus the mellow jams "Yearnin' Learnin'" and "Reasons", the funky "Shining Star", and a great cover of "Sun Goddess", which was also done by Ramsey Lewis with the group. Features a bonus live medley too – not on the original album!

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302".

The Ebonys sing about life, and a host of other groovy topics too – in this lost soul treasure from the 70s! The set is one of only two albums ever cut by The Ebonys – a consistently great group from the 70s, as is testified by their constant popularity in our racks! The quartet has a 3 man/1 woman harmony sound that's very hip – often applied to righteous themes worked out in a heavy soul mode, and which sounds just as great on the ballads as it does dancefloor numbers. This second album's got an even sharper edge than their debut – thanks to production and arrangements from Tony Camillo – who gives the album some great undercurrents of funk, and a slightly righteous style that reminds us of some of Norman Whitfield's best studio work of the time. Vocals are wonderful – with really great harmonies that balance out beautifully – in ways that are much more unified than other girl/guy soul groups. Titles include "Neighborhood Gossip", "Mr Me, Mrs You", "One Thing On My Mind", "Sing About Life", and "A Love of Your Own".

A nicely complicated little record – and one of the funkiest albums on the legendary Invictus label! The 8th Day group was a loosely-conceived batch of Detroit soul talents designed to cash in on a concept of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team – and they weren't just a studio project, as they included some wonderful talents that could make some great music when they wanted to! One of these was the amazing Detroit organist Lyman Woodard – who contributed the fantastic track "Cheba" to the album, an incredible organ groover that's unlike anything you've ever heard, rolling on with this pinched Hammond sound over congas, all-instrumental, and completely seductive! Another was Melvin Davis, who had recorded the song "Good Book" as a solo artist – but which was released here as if it was by the group. There's also a great guitarist in the group – unnamed due to the lack of liner notes – but who really shines on the funky tracks "Anythang", "Rocks In My Head", and "Heaven Is There To Guide Us", all with a fuzzed-out Detroit 70s groove! CD features the bonus tracks "Just As Long (single)", "I'm Worried (single)", "It's Instrumental To Be Free", and "You Made Me Over".

A mix of storming instrumentals and vocal tunes by The Eliminators – one of the great 60s studio creations tailor-made to rip it up on surf, drag and any kinda thematic grooves! This one includes some takes on the Liverpool sound, as well – and the players include a few soon-to-be legends like Leon Russell – who serves as the musical arranger here! A nice mix of groovy and seedy stormers. Includes "Can't Buy Me Love", "Twist And Shout", "Needles And Pins", "Classy Lotus Chassis", "Surfing Iguana", "Malibu Wipeout", "The Challenger", "Hillclimb Hilda", "Red Hot Scrambler – Go!" and more.

One of Duke's most popular albums of the 50s – but we won't hold that against him! The session's one of a number of 50s outings that revisit older classics with the new level of quality offered in the studio – and it's got a similar feel to some of Duke's work for Bethlehem around the same time, which was also done by producer Gus Wildi – tight, but never too facile – and a perfect demonstration of the great balance the Ellington orchestra had at the time. The group includes key players Ray Nance, Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, Juan Tizol, Harry Carney, Paul Gonsalves, and Jimmy Hamilton – and titles include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "Rockin In Rhythm", "Flying Home", "Happy Go Lucky Local", and "In The Mood".

A great solo record from Donald Fagen – tightly anchored by the best of his elegant jazz funk tendencies – and one that we're comfortable calling his best since The Nightfly! Shoot, we'll even go one step further and call this the best Steely Dan-related record since Two Against Nature. Sunken Condos is co-produced by frequent latter-day Dan collaborator Michael Leonhart, who put out a terrific record of his own on Truth & Soul a couple years prior, on top of serving as a go-to horn player for team Truth & Soul over the years. It's possible that working with a relatively youthful producer (Leonart was born the year that Pretzel Logic came out) has pushed Donald to raise the bar a bit, or perhaps he's been off the road long enough to take his time and deliver a stronger album in 2012. Whatever the reason – it's great stuff! They've put together a top notch studio band (naturally), and the slick groove sounds natural here, rather than shined to a high gloss, ala most Steely Dan and solo projects from Aja onward. We're so deep "in the tank" when it comes to Steely Dan that we're a pretty easy mark, but honestly, we can set aside our lifelong fandom to objectively tell you how good this one is! Titles include "Slink Thing", "I'm Not The Same Without You", "Memorabilia", "Weather In My Head", "The New Breed", "Out Of The Ghetto", "Miss Marlene", "Good Stuff" and "Planet D'Rhond A".

A brilliant criss-crossing of group from this cool trans-global group – a set recorded in London, but with roots in Venezuela, LA, and Ghana – served up with a sound that's even greater than the sum of its parts! Malcolm Catto recorded the record – and really helps bring a funky energy to the record, by working alongside lead studio help from Jack Yglesias of The Heliocentrics – pushing here into a space that's even more offbeat than the grooves of that group! There's loads of rich acoustic instrumentation – especially percussion – and Mulatu joins the record at one spot, furthering the exotic appeal of the set. Some tracks have an almost ethnographic vibes, while others are a bit more contemporary – although the overall sound is more than worthy of placement on the Soundway label. Titles incude "Arena", "Cumbacutiri", "Fly Through The Lightning To Speak With The Sun", "El Negrero", "Escape To The Palenque", "Manicero", "La Familia", and "Speak To The Spirit Of The Sea".

A brilliant criss-crossing of group from this cool trans-global group – a set recorded in London, but with roots in Venezuela, LA, and Ghana – served up with a sound that's even greater than the sum of its parts! Malcolm Catto recorded the record – and really helps bring a funky energy to the record, by working alongside lead studio help from Jack Yglesias of The Heliocentrics – pushing here into a space that's even more offbeat than the grooves of that group! There's loads of rich acoustic instrumentation – especially percussion – and Mulatu joins the record at one spot, furthering the exotic appeal of the set. Some tracks have an almost ethnographic vibes, while others are a bit more contemporary – although the overall sound is more than worthy of placement on the Soundway label. Titles incude "Arena", "Cumbacutiri", "Fly Through The Lightning To Speak With The Sun", "El Negrero", "Escape To The Palenque", "Manicero", "La Familia", and "Speak To The Spirit Of The Sea".