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Livin' the "Bon Bon Vie", with this classic uptempo groover from T.S. Monk! You'd hardly guess that this guy was Thelonious Monk's son – but who cares about his roots when the album grooves so hard? This Monk plays drums, not piano, but the best tracks on the record have a tight keyboard funky soul sound that's virtually a blueprint for 80s groove – lots of jazzy elements that warm things up nicely, and a catchy rhythmic pulse that never quits! The standout cut is the classic "Bon Bon Vie", a dancefloor groover that will never die, and a huge sample for Public Enemy – but the album also includes many other great cuts, like "House Of Music", "Hot Night In The City", and "Last Of The Wicked Romancers".

An 80s groove classic – and a killer bit of Captiol Records soul from High fashion! Of all US major labels, Capitol was probably putting out the best soul in the early 80s – and this is a tight modern batch of up-tempo tracks, right up there with other contemporary classics on the label, like work by BB&Q Band, Taste Of Honey, and TS Monk! The tunes all manage to have a great groove without sounding cheesy – thanks to some nice jazzy touches in the arrangements, good hooks in the songs, and some great soulful vocals. Very, very nice – and nearly every cut's a winner! Tracks include "Feelin Lucky Lately", "Next To You", "Hold On", "When The Lover Strikes", "I Want To Be Your Everything", and "You're the Winner".

An 80s groove classic – and a killer bit of Captiol Records soul from High fashion! Of all US major labels, Capitol was probably putting out the best soul in the early 80s – and this is a tight modern batch of up-tempo tracks, right up there with other contemporary classics on the label, like work by BB&Q Band, Taste Of Honey, and TS Monk! The tunes all manage to have a great groove without sounding cheesy – thanks to some nice jazzy touches in the arrangements, good hooks in the songs, and some great soulful vocals. Very, very nice – and nearly every cut's a winner! Tracks include "Feelin Lucky Lately", "Next To You", "Hold On", "When The Lover Strikes", "I Want To Be Your Everything", and "You're the Winner".

An overlooked gem from the killer soul years at Capitol Records – the only record we've ever seen from Pyrymyd, a group with grooves as angular as their name! The tunes have a mix of bassy funk and clubby rhythms – that sweet 80s groove style that nobody seemed to do better than Capitol at the time – as heard to best effect from artists like BB&Q Band or TS Monk, both labelmates who'd make a good comparison to the Pyrymyd sound! There's some tight horns on the top of the arrangements, which warms things up nicely – and lead vocals are by Van Ross "Sonny" Redding – who often gets harmony support in the background, with a bit of an Earth Wind & Fire vibe. Titles include "All I'll Ever Need", "Shake It Down", "Fly To Paradise", "I'm Yours Forever", "We've Got Love Together", and "Mr Music Man".

A pair of gems from High Fashion – back to back on a single CD! Feelin Lucky is an 80s groove classic – and a killer bit of Captiol Records soul from High fashion! Of all US major labels, Capitol was probably putting out the best soul in the early 80s – and this is a tight modern batch of up-tempo tracks, right up there with other contemporary classics on the label, like work by BB&Q Band, Taste Of Honey, and TS Monk! The tunes all manage to have a great groove without sounding cheesy – thanks to some nice jazzy touches in the arrangements, good hooks in the songs, and some great soulful vocals. Very, very nice – and nearly every cut's a winner! Tracks include "Feelin Lucky Lately", "Next To You", "Hold On", "When The Lover Strikes", "I Want To Be Your Everything", and "You're the Winner". Make Up Your Mind offers up more sweet modern soul tracks from High Fashion – a short-lived combo who cut a few high quality sides for Capitol at the beginning of the 80s, part of that imprint's strong commitment to R&B at the time. The group here features lead vocals by Alyson Williams, caught at a very young point in her career, plus other leads by Eric McClinton, who's on most of the best tracks on the set. At their best, the group hits a smooth stepping modern sound that's really nice – a toned-down approach for the clubs, infused with a bit of quiet storm soul. Titles include "Show Me", "A Little More Time", "Pump On The Pipe", "Just A Little More Love", "Love", and "Make Up Your Mind".

Amazing stuff from Ahmed Abdul-Malik – one of the early 60s most enigmatic jazz talents! Malik was Thelonious Monk's bassist for a few years, but by the time of this record, he was working in a very sophisticated cross-cultural mode – pulling together many different strands of jazz and Eastern music, forging them into a very unique sound. Unlike some of Malik's other records, which featured a style that was very heavy on Middle Eastern instrumentation, this one's got a very even blend of jazz, and features excellent work by Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Calo Scott on cello, Eric Dixon on tenor, and Andrew Cyrille on drums. Malik himself plays bass and oud, and the record's got a snaking mix of jazz and exoticism that's roughly similar to Yusef Lateef's work on Savoy, or some of Sun Ra's work from the time. Titles include "Nights On Saturn", "La Ibkey", "The Hustlers", and "Oud Blues".

A rare album by Ahmed Abdul-Malik – the bass player best known for his work with Monk, and for some of his groundbreaking experimental sessions that mixed together jazz music and Eastern influences! This album is one of Malik's greatest – a combination of both his modern and experimental sides, a mixture of off-key hardbop and odd instrumentation that includes cello, oud, and lots of extra percussion. The fantastic Tommy Turrentine plays trumpet on one cut, Richard Williams plays on all others – and the percussionists include Chief Bey, Montego Joe, and Andrew Cyrille! Titles include "The African Bossa Nova", "Wakida Hena", "Communication", "Suffering", and "Nadusilma".

Warm, mellow, and completely sublime – the mighty America at the height of their powers – working with a quality that nobody else can match! The trio wrap together all the best ideas that were bubbling under in the LA scene of the late 60s – vocal harmonies, studio perfection, and even touches of rootsy instrumentation – yet find a space to work all these elements together in a rich sound that's completely unique – amazingly understated at times, despite a near-perfect level of production! The whole album's great – even their original version of "Muskrat Love" – nestled in here next to "Rainbow Song", "Submarine Ladies", "Molten Love", "Green Monkey", and "Goodbye".

2 rare slices of exotica by Les Baxter – back to back on one CD! The first half of the set features material from the album Ports Of Pleasure – a dreamy exploration of south sea ideals that's got a more lightly drifting quality than some of Baxter's more percussive exotica albums, and which is awash in dreamy soundscapes penned by Les himself! The orchestrations are large and bold throughout – mixing strings and woodwinds almost in a soundtrack-y mode – but always with the light sense of interplay that makes Baxter's work so great. Titles include "Monkey Dance Of Bali", "Pearls Of Ceylon", "Tahiti A Summer Night At Sea", "Hong Kong Cable Car", "Tramp Steamer To Singapore", "Harem Silks From Bombay", and "Sidewalk Cafes Of Saigon". The Sacred Idol is a real standout set from the end of Les Baxter's run at Capitol Records – originally scored for a film that was never released, but a great set of tracks that more than stands strongly on its own! The theme here is a Mexican/Latin American one – explored by Baxter with his trademark blend of larger orchestrations and lighter exotica touches – often swirling around in an extremely evocative mode that makes us wish the film had been issued to the public, and at a few key moments even hinting at the funkier modes that would follow on some of Les' later work for other labels. Titles include "Aqueducts", "Gardens Of The Moon", "Pyramid Of The Sun", "Temple Of Gold", and "Procession Of The Princes".

A rare rare jam from Willie Bobo – a lively little set with a really mod groove! This pre-Verve album has Willie working in a variety of styles – from straight Latin jazz to a mode that's got some groovier 60s touches – emphasized by a bit of electric guitar on a few numbers, and by snapping dancefloor rhythms on a few of the others. Tracks are all short and hard, with a groove that's quite different than the Latin soul styles of Willie's more famous work for Verve. The group's not named in the notes, but there's some pretty nice sax work on a few of the cuts – as well as plenty of that great guitar! Titles include "Twist The Monkey's Tail", "Get Crackin", "The Hip Monkey", "Timbale Groove", "Go Go Go", "Be's The Other Way", and "Ala Bobo".

Bombay the Melbourne way – a funk, disco and Bollywood loving collective from the Aussie scene – they're no pretenders, either! The group does a great job with Indian cinema-enamoured, though diverse tapestry of 70s funky soundtrack influences – the lead up 45 was a gem and the full length delivers in full on the promise. The vocalists – Parvyn Kaur Singh (as The Mysterious Lady) and Schourov Bhattacharya (as The Tiger) – really help get it over thematically, but the band is excellent. Horns, funk & psych keys, tabla, sitar mandolin and dilruba at the core – plus some guest violins and percussion. A win from the reliable Hope Street label! Includes "Monkey Fight Snake", "You Me Bullets Love", a funky cover of unlikely advert/pop culture-invading "Jaan Pehechan Ho", "Sote Sote Adhi Raat", "Mahindra Death Ride", "Oh Sajna", "Dacoit's Choice" and "Phone Baje Na".

Modern classics from Bongo-Logic – a group with a great flair for mixing the new and the old! There's plenty of jazz in this set – thanks to work from Art Webb on flute – but there's also a charanga groove going on too – with violin dancing strongly around the piano lines from Joe Rotundi – arranged with lots of fresh touches throughout. Jazz elements share the space equally with charanga styles – especially on the two Monk numbers "Straight No Chaser" and "Round Midnight" – and the production style is right on the money for the music. Titles include "Los Musicos", "Luna Blanca", "Bongo-Licious", "Soncachao", "Corta La Cana", and "Sister M".

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great. But if you're thinking that the CD is just a Monkees rehash, it's not – because there's very little work here that was associated with the more famous group – and instead, the collection really gets at the jangly genius of the Boyce & Hart sound, a style that should have sparkled strongly on its own in the 60s, but which was unfortunately always eclipsed by their work for other artists. Looking at the great photos in the CD's well-done booklet, it's clear that Boyce and Hart have a hell of a lot of charm – and that charm comes through brilliantly in the set's collection of 24 numbers pulled from their 3 albums for A&M Records. Titles include "For Baby", "Sometime She's A Little Girl", "Girl I'm Out To Get You", "Where Angels Go", "The Ambushers", "Love Every Day", "Teardrop City", "Pretty Flower", "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Six & Six", "Alice Long", "PO Box 9847", and "Strawberry Girl".

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! Features bonus mono single tunes – "The Ambushers", "Love Every Day", "Where Angels Go Trouble Follows", and "I Wanna Be Free".

Ah, yes, it's a sunshine day, alright – and this batch of groovy, polyester 70s TV pop fits just right! God help us for admitting this, but these goofy, well arranged, dumb fun numbers from the Brady Kids 70s LPs are a heck of a good time, and a pretty true distillation of 70s vanilla pop sounds. It ain't nearly as glorious as the best stuff from the Monkees or the Partridge Family as real pop art, nor does it need to be. Like Jonny Bravo, they they fit the suit just fine! Includes "It's A Sunshine Day", "We Can Make The World A Whole Lot Brighter", the very Brady cover of cheese classic "American Pie", "Keep On", "Merry Go Round", "Candy (Sugar Shoppe)", "Truckin' Back To You", "We'll Always Be Friends"

A brilliant mix of Afro and deep funk styles – the kind of grooves you'd get if Fela Kuti hung out with The Meters in the late 60s! Budos Band recall the genius of 90s deep funk combo The Daktaris – and have a similar love of older African rhythms touched by a newer indie funk sound – a complexity in the group's well-arranged horn parts, but a simplicity to their rhythms that makes the album cook like some of our favorite classics from years back. Sax and trumpet lines are mixed nicely with heavy percussion and a fair bit of organ at the bottom – creating a murky groove that has a bit of New Orleans in the mix, but also has most of the instruments stepping along with the rhythm – in a very cool take on the Africa 70 sound. Tracks are all instrumental, and all incredible – and the record's one of the freshest we've heard from the deep funk underground in years – a second-generation set that gets way past simple copycat funk and into its own unique groove! Titles include "Budos Theme", "Ghost Walk", "King Charles", "Eastbound", "Across The Atlantic", "Up From The South", "TIBWF", and "Monkey See Monkey Do".

A beautifully sensitive album from Donald Byrd – quite a change from his better-known jazz funk work of the 70s and early 80s – and part of a back-to-basics move he made in part of that latter decade! The album's very much in the best straight mode of the Landmark Records label scene of the time – Byrd blowing strong and soulfully in the company of a key combo that features Kenny Garrett on alto, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums – all players who really bring a lot of fire to the record, and almost push Byrd back to his pre-electric 60s years on Blue Note. Mike Daugherty plays synth on two tracks – using the instrument in gentle, string-like ways – but overall the record is proudly acoustic at most moments. Titles include "Harlem Blues", "Fly Little Byrd", "Voyage A Deux", "Sir Master Kool Guy", and "Blue Monk".

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".

Rondi Charleston's a heck of a great jazz singer – but also turns out to be a strong songwriter as well – with a depth that makes the record way more than just another collection of standards! Even better, Rondi's got a strong respect for an older jazz vocal tradition – which you can really hear in the inflections of her lyrics – in modes that echo singers like Annie Ross or Jackie Cain, with a similar blend of swing, sweet, and smartness! Dave Stryker plays guitar, and gives the album musical direction – and co-wrote a number of songs with Charlestone – including "DNA", "How The River Flows", and "The Wind Speaks". The set also features a great vocal take on Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" – and Jon Hendricks lyrics to Monk's "Reflections" and Randy Weston's "Babe's Blues".

Really beautiful vocal work from Corinne Chatel – spare tunes that mostly feature overdubbed vocal passages, sung wordlessly, often with a very musical feel – yet one that's quite offbeat too! There's a quality here that really reminds us of some of our favorite Meredith Monk work from years back – really imaginative, and never gimmicky at all – with an approach that's very abstract, yet somehow all makes complete sense too – logic that's all its own, yet really beautiful overall! Titles include "Call", "Les Sirenes", "Heartbeats", "Berceuse", "Angels Vocalizing", "Awakening The Goddess", and "South India".

Rare solo material from pianist Leo Cuypers – a really wonderful set that gives us a chance to hear his talents in a completely unfettered setting! We know Cuypers best from some of his efforts in groups, and it's a great change to hear him here on his own – working through some amazing original compositions that are filled with life and feeling! At some points, he's got all the wit, energy, and sharp edges of contemporary Misha Mengelberg – but at other times, there's this lyrical cohesion to his music that almost reminds us of the most tuneful moments of Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett – an obvious great range of sounds to come from one player in such a small space – which makes the album possibly the greatest illustration of Cuyper's genius we've ever heard. Titles include "Lovely Rita", "Monk's Raus", "Het Cowboylied Van Ome Piet", "One Million Dollar Song", "Tristano Song", and "Lovely Rita". CD also features 3 long bonus tracks too!

Another one of the famous live sets that Eddie Lockjaw Davis & Johnny Griffin cut together during the early 60s – recorded at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem, with a very lively audience, and a twin tenor frontline that was quite popular while it lasted! Davis & Griffin groove soulfully and in a modern mode – playing versions of Monk's "In Walked Bud" and Tadd Dameron's "Our Delight", as well as Davis' hard-grooving, darkly-tinged original "Beano".

A strange mix of material – but some great work overall! Most of the record features Miles Davis recording with a quintet that includes Thelonious Monk on piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – on longer versions of "The Man I Love" (in 2 takes), "Swing Spring", and "Bemsha Swing". These sides have a great bop/modern approach that's a nice extension of the styles that Jackson and Davis were playing on Blue Note in earlier years. Also added to the set is one number from 1956 – a version of "Round Midnight" recorded in early sessions with John Coltrane on tenor, and the Red Garland Trio on rhythm – different than the rest of the tracks, but still quite nice!

Smoking stuff – and one of Bill Doggett's best albums away from the King record label! The style here is even tighter than on King – somewhere in a space between 60s soul jazz and soul instrumental modes – with Doggett's organ right out front in the mix, stepping along some great short little numbers! The record's nice and playful – and at times feels like an Atlantic instrumental set – on cuts that include "Hot Fudge", "Soul City", "Monkey", "One Fine Day", "The Worm", "Fingertips", and "Soul Zone".

The first full-length set from the enigmatic Italian groover Doktor Zoil – part of the mod retro underground of the past few years, and an artist who really caught our ears with his playful 7" singles! The tracks on this set have a bouncing La Douce sort of party approach – often taking older retro elements, and spinning them out into newer tracks that bubble with a warm dancefloor energy – and a keen sense of humor that's a real delight! The Doktor's often singing in a goofy wordless style that bounces along with the grooves nicely – and tracks include "Here Comes The Doktor", "Sppky", "I Don't Believe", "La Banda", "Kammamuri's Dream (parts 1 & 2)", "Barber Shop", "Groovy Monkey", "Besame Mucho", and "Samba Supervip".

Hard to go wrong with a set like this – because in our opinion, just about every track recorded by Fela is a "best" – which makes the collection a massive batch of goodness all the way through! Every track here is presented in its original extended version – a dozen massive slices of Afro Funk, which packaged together equal the equivalent of at least 5 or 6 separate albums by Fela – another factor that makes the collection a great one! The 2CD set is filled with gems that helped redefine the sound of funk, soul, and world music back in the 70s – titles that include "Monkey Banana", "Everything Scatter", "Expensive Sh*t", "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am", "Underground System (part 2)", "Sorry Tears & Blood", "Colonial Mentality", "Yellow Fever", "He Miss Road", "Black Man's Cry", "Mr Follow Follow", and "Na Poi". Also features a bonus DVD – with Fela's 1984 performance at the Glastonbury Festival, and an interview too!

A great Serge Gainsbourg album from 1973 – one that we'd rank right up there with his best work! The record's got a slinky funky groove that's right in a perfect post-Melody Nelson mode – music written by Serge, and played by a hip small combo that includes lots of great guitar from Alan Parker and sweet electric keyboards and organ from the great Alan Hawkshaw – both of whom really help keep the sound great! Many tracks have that mellow funk groove that's become the best-remembered Gainsbourg sound over the years – and as with many of his other albums of the time, this one's brimming over with potential samples and riffs to steal. Titles include "Panpan Cucul", "Sensuelle Et Sans Suite", "Pamela Popo", "Titicaca", and "Par Hasard Et Pas Rase". Nice cover, too, with Serge pictured amidst a bunch of photographs of monkeys!

Tremendous work from Johnny Griffin – one of those players whose talents never dimmed at all – and who's blowing here with all the same sharp intensity he first brought to his initial work in the 50s! The date's a tight acoustic session – with Johnny's bold tenor firmly in the lead, let loose on these amazing solo lines that never seem to dim in terms of soul and introspection – backed with just the right amount of rhythm and care by the trio of Ronnie Mathews on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Keith Copeland on drums. Griff's the clear star of the session, but Mathews is mighty nice too – and titles include "A Monk's Dream", "The Way It Is", "Fifty Six", "I Should Care", and "When We Were One".

A beautiful solo record from pianist Ulrich Gumpert – quite different than some of the more offbeat or avant sounds he recorded with other players – and instead, a great illustration of his more personal, poetic style on piano! Parts of the record resonate strongly with Gumpert's recordings of Erik Satie material for Nato Records – very spare and careful, with notes that come slowly, yet fit perfectly next to each other. Yet different points of the record show a more freewheeling style – echoes of Monk or other modernists, yet still with a great sense of space and sound. Tracks are all originals, and titles include "Iphigenie", "N Tango Fur Gutti", "Hier Und Anderswo", "Dave", and "Corinth Ritzen Roller".

One of the few records ever cut by this fantastic alto player from the mid 50s! Henry most famously worked with Monk, but his albums as a leader are great – and this one features Kenny Dorham, Kenny Drew, Wilbur Ware, and Art Taylor, all components of a totally solid Riverside lineup. Titles include "Orient", "Active Ingredients", "Checkmate", and "Free Flight".

Quite possibly the best album ever from funky maestro Monk Higgins! The record's got some of his tighest work of the time – with plenty of tight breaks, nice keyboards, and soulful sax riffs – and Monk is going full-out on the arrangements, in the manner that he used for his best late Blue Note work with The Three Sounds or Blue Mitchell. The group's listed as "The Specialties" on the cover, and they vamp along nicely, like some of Monk's funky groups from the late 60s funky 45 days. Titles include "Gotta Be Funky", "Big Water Bed", "Up On The Hill", "Last Flight To Dallas", and "Libra's Way".

Nice one! This obscure blacksploitation soundtrack features a hip Monk Higgins score for a Pam Grier film that's supposedly "Hotter than Coffey and meaner n' Foxy Brown". Having seen the film, we don't know if we'd totally agree with that assessment, but the music's strong enough, and the soundtrack's right up there with the best of its kind. Barbara Mason sung the title track and a few more vocal numbers – like "I'm In Love With You", "Good Man Is Gone", and "Sheba Baby" – all in the mode of her hipper work during the time, but the best cuts are the instrumentals, of course! Check out "The Shark", "Speedboat", "Heavy Shot", and "Breast Stroke", a necessary theme in any Pam Grier film!

Nice one! This obscure blacksploitation soundtrack features a hip Monk Higgins score for a Pam Grier film that's supposedly "Hotter than Coffey and meaner n' Foxy Brown". Having seen the film, we don't know if we'd totally agree with that assessment, but the music's strong enough, and the soundtrack's right up there with the best of its kind. Barbara Mason sung the title track and a few more vocal numbers – like "I'm In Love With You", "Good Man Is Gone", and "Sheba Baby" – all in the mode of her hipper work during the time, but the best cuts are the instrumentals, of course! Check out "The Shark", "Speedboat", "Heavy Shot", and "Breast Stroke", a necessary theme in any Pam Grier film!

Two Verve albums from Johnny Hodges – both relatively obscure, and both pretty darn great! The Eleventh Hour is an overlooked gem from Johnny Hodges – a 60s session that hearkens back to the "with strings" Verve mode of the 50s – but one that also updates the approach strongly, thanks to some well crafted arrangements by Oliver Nelson! Nelson's work in the jazz backings for soloist mode during the 60s was some of the best of the big band genre – and although his work here is much more in the mellow tone mode than his backings for players like Jimmy Smith and Lou Donaldson, Hodges is still getting top shelf treatment, some really wonderful washes of sound and color that show that his tone is still very much alive! A nice preface to the pair's classic set for Flying Dutchman – and with tracks that include "Something to Live For", "Don't Blame Me", "Warm Valley", "The Eleventh Hour", "Guitar Amour", and "You Blew Out The Flame In My Heart". Sandy's Gone is a set that has the sweet alto sax of Johnny Hodges working with great arrangements from Claus Ogerman – a mode that's a bit more groovy and 60s than some of Johnny's previous work – in a setting that offers up a nice change for his sound! Claus is in fine form here – swinging with the same style as his own instrumental records for RCA in the 60s – echoes of his German roots, especially in the use of bass at the bottom – which gives even some of the gentler tunes a nice kick we're not used to hearing in Johnny Hodges material. Johnny's got a sound that's soulful, yet sweet too – almost pop, but still very strongly rooted in jazz – on titles that include "Again", "Sandy's Gone", "Monkey Shack", "Scarlett O'Hara", "Candy's Theme", and "Follow Me".

Definitely a soulful tapestry here – as the trio of Edna Wright, Shellie Clark, and Carolyn Willis are at the height of their 70s powers – soaring forth in a massive trio mode, and one that really rewrites the sound of girl group soul for the 70s! There's a bouncy, upbeat groove to the record – kind of a pre-disco approach, but one that's still strongly rooted in the best Detroit soul mode of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team too – balanced with just the right sort of force that makes the trio sound great, and all without any of the cliches that this sort of group might hit a few years later! Titles include the Honey Cone classics "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (parts 1 & 2)" and "Want Ads", plus the tracks "VIP", "The Day I Found Myself", "Stick Up", "Don't Count Your Chickens", "All the Kings Horses", and "How Does It Feel". CD features the bonus track "We Belong Together (single version)".

James Hunter at the Daptone Studios – working here with Bosco Mann production, and a sound that's much rawer than before! James has always had one hell of a voice, but this time around he also gets a bit more bite in his music too – a funky undercurrent that's more late 60s soul than some of the earlier sounds of the decade on previous albums – almost representing the same righteous evolution in Hunter's music that so many artists themselves experienced back in the day! The new punch is wonderfully placed – and may well finally get Hunter the kind of exposure he needs – appreciation from the soul underground for his wonderful vocals, and a groove that's got plenty of deep funk and New Orleans soul elements. Titles include "Gold Mine", "Drop On Me", "Minute By Minute", "Chicken Switch", "So They Say", "If I Only Knew", "Look Out", and "Let The Monkey Ride".

The groovy combo The Jazz Modes were one of the 50's strangest groups – but their work is always entertaining, and a lot more filled with soul than you'd expect! The band is fronted by French horn player Julius Watkins and saxophonist Charlie Rouse – and Rouse's pre-Monk tenor is nice and gutsy, even at moments when it seems like the group's getting a little too "high concept"! Add to the mix the earthy piano of Gildo Mahones, and the combo's definitely got a groove – even on a set like this, which is comprised of tracks from Frank Loesser's musical A Most Happy Fella – all transformed by the group's approach, and taken as mostly instrumental numbers, save for one that features wordless voice by Eileen Gilber. Titles include "Joey Joey Joey", "Dont' Cry", "Happy To Make Your Acquaintance", "Warm All Over", and the obligatory "Standing On The Corner".

The album that catapulted Jurassic 5 from the underground! Quality Control is one of the great hip hop albums, a record that's filled with great tracks, yet flows along as the ultimate headphones experience. The rhymes by Zaakir, Chali 2na, Akil, and Marc 7even are top notch in group dynamics and the solo shots, and the record has some of the best production Cut Chemist & Nu-Mark ever put down. Tracks include "How We Get Along", "Contact", "Quality Control", "World Of Entertainment (Woe Is Me)", "The Influence", "Monkey Bars", "Quality Control", "Twelve", "Contribution", "The Game", "Improvise", "Swing Set", "Jurass Finish First", and more.

Smoking early work from the legendary Freddie King – most of it recorded during years he had a strong connection to the Chicago electric blues scene, where he really honed his craft to perfection! The work here is definitely blues, but King's vocals bring a soulful inflection to the songs that's undeniable – and although his hard-riffing style would later be copped by countless imitators on later cheesy blues albums, the presentation here is still breathtaking – really raw, and recorded by King with this clear, sharp sound on the guitar that seems to knock out all other elements when Freddie takes a solo! The package is one of the first to really dig deep into these crucial years for King – and brings together 54 tracks all recorded as singles for King Records – complete with full notes, and even information on the original releases too. Titles include "In The Open", "Texas Oil", "Come On", "Just Pickin", "I Hear Jingle Bells", "Hideaway", "Look Ma I'm Cryin", "King A Ling", "Driving Sideways", "Meet Me At The Station", "Monkey Donkey", "Surf Monkey", "The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist", and "Manhole".

A rare slice of work by Roland Kirk from his early years – a great live set recorded in Europe in the mid 60's – done in a looser mode than his studio sessions from the time! Kirk's playing his usual array of incredible horns – tenor, stritch, flute, nose flute, and manzello – with an international group that features Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pederson on bass, and J.C. Moses on drums. In the setting, there's more of a hardbop feel to the material than on some of Kirk's studio sets – but given Roland's penchant for unusual phrasing, twin-reed blowing, and general free-thinking overall, the sound is pretty unique overall! Titles include "Mingus-Griff Song", "The Monkey Thing", and "On the Corner of King and Scott Streets".

Way more than just "abstractions" – as the set's a very focused batch of some of the larger ideas that John Lewis had about jazz – explored beautifully here away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! The album has Lewis working with frequent partner – and fellow third stream conceptualist – Gunther Schuller – and also features great guest work from Ornette Coleman on alto, Joe Wilder on trumpet, Jim Hall on guitar, and Scott LaFaro on bass – all very different talents at the forefront of jazz at the time, helping bring a wider range of voices than you might normally get on a John Lewis project. Titles include "Abstraction", "Variants On A Theme of Thelonious Monk", and "Piece For Guitar & Strings".

Excellent little small combo record, cut by this obscure funky jazz group for 20th Century – and probably the only thing they ever did! The album's got a number of tight short cuts, played by organ, vibes, and guitar – and titles include "Soul Samba", "Mad Hatters Stomp", "Soul Sister", "Monkey Children", "All Soul", and "That Sanctified Thing". Very very nice, and more like an album you'd find on Sue than one that you'd find on 20th Century – with a heavy duty sound that's almost in the funky 45 mode!

Madlib invades Blue Note! He gets free reign of the catalog for this mix of sampler genius and live band interpretations, too, as/with Ahmad Miller, Yesterdays New Quintet, Malcolm Catto, Medaphoar, and others from the Stones Throw camp. This one's truly a conceptual triumph, if there ever was such a thing – one of the greatest hip hop producers alive, given carte blanche with the source beats of the century! Madlib's Blue Note crates are heavily weighed in the mid 60s through mid 70s electric beats that often get the shaft in mainstream jazz round-ups, but floor the beathead world into overdrive. Re-interpretations, remixes, and revisions are spliced seamlessly with the source samples, creating a whole new world where hip hop and late model live funk not only co-exists with classic Blue Note jazz, but it actually draws a linear transition between the 2 genius art forms. Beautiful stuff – if the album isn't the most original idea to come along all of these years into the hip hop & jazz underground, it's certainly one of the most perfectly realized projects of its kind, ever! It's one for the time capsule – pure funky sample wizardry by any standard! Includes Monk Higgins' "Slim's Return" interpreted by Ahmad Miller and DJ Lord Such on cuts, "Donald Byrd's "Distant Land", "Ronnie Foster's "Mystic Bounce", Yesterday's New Quintet's adaptation of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints", Madlib Invazion's "Funky Blue Note", the Joe McDuphrey Experience take on Horace Silver's/Herbie Hancock's "Peace/Dolphin Dance" and lots more.

A set of performances dedicated to Thelonious Monk – yet music that's quite far from anything by Monk that we've ever heard before! Yet there's also a definite Monkish inspiration going on here – a sense of space and timing that resonates in different, often drawn-out ways – performed by the group's twin pianos, handled by Ufuk and Bahar Dorduncu – and percussion by Francois Volpe and Sebastien Cordier. The result is more avant compositional than jazz, yet the performance here is key too – on performances of compositions that include Oliver Schneller's "Resonant Space", Guillermo Gregorio's "Construction In Four Parts", Fabrizio Rat Ferrero's "L'Abito Non FaIl Monaco", and Stefan Wirth's "Standards".

Wonderfully tight work from Mandrill – a real standout from the years at Arista – and a set that seems to take all the key instrumental energy of the Polydor years, and focus it on a soulful groove that's even more soaring than before! The energy is wonderful – very much like the best Earth Wind & Fire ensemble sound at the time, with perhaps a Fatback-ish funky element at the bottom – and there's some surprising elements from track to track that really create a great sense of variety and depth – way more than you'd find from some of the group's contemporaries. A few moments get nice and spacey, too – and titles include "Gilly Hines", "Holiday", "Closer To You", "Funky Monkey", "Happy Beat", "Love One Another", and "Can You Get It". CD features two bonus tracks too – 7" single versions of "Funky Monkey" and "Can You Get It".

A killer diller of a live set from Brother Jack McDuff – a cut that burns with energy that almost beats his studio 60s classics for Prestige! The group is one of Jack's best ever – a lineup that includes the twin tenors of Red Holloway and Harold Vick, plus incredibly sharp guitar from a young George Benson, and some of the most unique soul jazz drum work you'll ever hear – courtesy of the amazing Joe Dukes. Despite their individual strengths, which might make this whole thing an ego-fest – all players fit perfectly into place on the album's hard wailing batch of groovers, and groove together with a sympathetic energy that's simply amazing! Titles include a great remake of "Jive Samba", plus "Dink's Blues", "Grease Monkey", "Passing Through", and "Vas Dis". This is the kind of thing live recording equipment was made for!

A killer tribute to the music of Herbie Nichols – played by a committed batch of modernists who are clearly inspired by his genius! Misha Mengelberg's in the group on piano – and his angular lines on the keys have plenty of Nichols and then some – lots of Misha's own inventive inflections, but given a bit more focus than usual, in ways that really make the session a standout in his career at the time. Other group members are wonderful too – Steve Lacy, playing soprano sax in ways that almost recall his Monkish moments of the late 50s – George Lewis, blowing inside one moment, open and free the next – and rhythm players Arjen Gorter on bass and Han Bennink on drums. Mengelberg arranged – and titles include the Nichols tunes "Terpsichore", "Step Tempest", "Hangover Triangle", "Spinning Song", and "House Party Starting" – plus "Change Of Season" and "The Happenings".

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki".

An excellent pairing of funk talents – the tight trumpet of Blue Mitchell, and the super-soulful backings of Monk Higgins! Higgins has a groove that was schooled in the funky 45 underground of Chicago – and here, he really finds a great way to pick things up for Mitchell – relieving him of the duties of being a leader on his own, and coming up with tight jams that then let Blue step out as the main solo talent! Other players include Paul Humphrey on drums, Anthony Ortega on tenor, Jim Horn and Ernie Watts on flute, and Monk Higgins himself on organ, tenor, and piano! The whole thing's a great jam, and includes many tasty cuts, like "Deeper In Black", "Jo Ju Ja", "Blue On Black", "Monkin Around", and "Keep Your Soul".

They definitely got the title right on this one – as the set's a solid batch of soulful instrumentals all the way through – one of our favorites from the great Willie Mitchell! Willie's got a lot more bite here than on some of his famous warmer productions in the 70s – a gritty Memphis soul instrumental style that's pretty close to the best of its kind over at Stax Records – complete with tight, punchy drums on the bottom – and a sweet mix of organ, tenor, guitar, and trumpet in the lead! Nothing's ever too forced, and there's a groove that's laidback, but right on the money – on titles that include "San Ho Zay", "Monkey Jump", "Strawberry Solo", "Hideaway", "Up Hard", "The Horse", and "Grazing In The Grass".

Monk's alone in San Francisco – playing solo piano throughout, with that thoughtful, introspective approach to his work that we really love! Most of the tunes here are Monk originals or standards that Thelonious has played before at least a few times on record – but the solo setting almost has him pulling the tunes apart slowly – contemplating their components, then stepping through them with new inspiration as he puts them back together. Titles include "Blue Monk", "Pannonica", "Remember", "Reflections", "Bluehawk", "Everything Happens To Me",a nd "Round Lights". CD features 1 bonus track.

One of our favorite Thelonious Monk albums ever – a bare bones, no nonsense session that's filled with great work from tenorist Charlie Rouse! The record's filled with everything that's great about the Monk/Rouse team in these years – an incredible interplay between sax and piano, served up over the sorts of angular tunes that Monk had been putting forth for years, but somehow at a level that's even more perfect, more "Monkish" than before! Other members of the group are Butch Warren on bass and Ben Riley on drums – and titles include "Lulu's Back In Town", "Memories Of You", "Brake's Sake", "Stuffy Turkey", and "Shuffle Boil".

Beautiful Columbia work from Thelonious Monk – a record that has as much warmth and charm as it does visionary modernist moments! A number of the tunes are standards, not Monk compositions – and they're done here with a sense of depth and joy of exploration that's really wonderful – a transformative energy that opens them up magically – and which sits them strongly next to the few original tunes by Thelonious on the set. The tenor sax of Charlie Rouse is a joy throughout – angular and fluid, but also personal and soulful as well – and Monk's piano has some especially timeless edges on the mellower tracks. Titles include "Liza", "I Love You", "That Old Man", "Pannonica", "Teo", and a nice take on "April In Paris".

Beautiful Columbia work from Thelonious Monk – a record that has as much warmth and charm as it does visionary modernist moments! A number of the tunes are standards, not Monk compositions – and they're done here with a sense of depth and joy of exploration that's really wonderful – a transformative energy that opens them up magically – and which sits them strongly next to the few original tunes by Thelonious on the set. The tenor sax of Charlie Rouse is a joy throughout – angular and fluid, but also personal and soulful as well – and Monk's piano has some especially timeless edges on the mellower tracks. Titles include "Liza", "I Love You", "That Old Man", "Pannonica", "Teo", and a nice take on "April In Paris". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – alternate takes of "April In Paris" and "Pannonica" – plus "Just You Just Me/Lisa".

A classic outing of solo piano by Thelonious Monk – a format that wasn't used often, but which always made for some really compelling work! Monk in this mode is often different than the bolder leader of a trio or larger group – and there's a more introspective quality to the record that we really like – a sound that's sometimes tentative, then sometimes pushing forward with strength – almost more human than on some of his other efforts of the late 50s. John Coltrane makes a surprising appearance on the last track – "Monk's Mood" – and other titles include "April In Paris", "Ghost Of A Chance", "Functional", "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You", "I Should Care", "'Round Midnight", and "All Alone". Features bonus track "Round Midnight".

A classic outing of solo piano by Thelonious Monk – a format that wasn't used often, but which always made for some really compelling work! Monk in this mode is often different than the bolder leader of a trio or larger group – and there's a more introspective quality to the record that we really like – a sound that's sometimes tentative, then sometimes pushing forward with strength – almost more human than on some of his other efforts of the late 50s. John Coltrane makes a surprising appearance on the last track – "Monk's Mood" – and other titles include "April In Paris", "Ghost Of A Chance", "Functional", "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You", "I Should Care", "'Round Midnight", and "All Alone". CD features 1 bonus track.

A massively expanded package of music – filled with previously unreleased gems! The 2CD set features a landmark collaboration between John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk – two generations of jazz modern, working here to create some really incredible music! The core of this material is from the pair's work issued on the amazing Monk's Music album for Riverside – but the expanded collection also features lots of additional work from the same period too – including some unusual and alternate studio moments too! Other players vary from track to track – and include Gigi Gryce on alto sax, Ray Copeland on trumpet, Coleman Hawkins on additional tenor, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Titles wonderful versions of "Ruby My Dear", "Trinkle Tinkle", "Nutty", "Well You Needn't", "Crepescule With Nellie" and "Monk's Mood" – plus some alternate versions, false starts, and more – all wrapped up with notes and reflections from original producer Orrin Keepnews.

The pair of great pianists don't play together – but are featured on a side apiece of the record, pulled from their Savoy recordings of the 50s. The album's most notable for the work of Nichols – some of the few sides he ever cut, and along with his two Blue Note LPs, and one for Bethlehem, a key to understanding his rare and short-lived talent for modern improvisation. The Nichols sides feature Chocolate Williams on bass, plus a bit of vocals, Shadow Wilson on drums, and (possibly) Danny Barker on guitar. Titles by Herbie include "Who's Blues", "Nichols & Dimes", "My Lady Gingersnap", and "Good Story Blues". The Monk sides are cut with the Gigi Gryce Quartet – and include "Shuffle Boil", "Brake's Sake", and "Nica's Tempo".

The one astounding studio album of proto punk/abrasive psych genius from the Monks – a true masterpiece if their ever was one, a record that's been ripped off by myriad more famous groups in both the mainstream and rock underground of the past 40 years! The group's status as discharged G.I.'s informs some of spewed vitriol, but beyond that there's little connection to any trends or scenes, the Monks are true originals in a world of imitators, and that adds a layer of excitement to an already mind blowing listen. The album's wild organ washes, primitive drums and guitar, and harsh, bizarre vocal rants prefigured everything from the Stooges, to Rocket From The Tombs, to the more predictable punk stuff that arrived 18 years later – yet it still grooves. Outrageous and incredible! 12 tracks in all: "Monk Time", "Shut Up", "Boys And Boys And Girls And Girls", "Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy", "I Hate You", "We Do Wie Du", "Drunken Maria", "Blast Off", "That's My Girl" and more.

An excellent early Rudy Ray Moore album – with tasty musical backing on just about every number, and some great routines that are extremely tight. The backing's not totally funky, but it does give Rudy's party humor a really strong approach – especially on his classic presentation of "Petey Wheatstraw – The Devil's Son-In-Law", which is done here in a nice extended version. Other tracks include "Have You Seen My Mule", "The Big Shipwreck", "Mop Bucket", and "Pool Shooting Monkey".

Tight grooves from this group who definitely live up to their name – a combo who's rooted in jazz, but equally adept at a rich range of other styles too! The New Cool Collective work with a tight brace of horns – including sax and flute from leader Benjamin Herrman – plus sweet keyboards, guitar, bass, and plenty of percussion – all to underscore the unusual mix of modes you'll find on the record – bits of Latin, rocksteady, surf, and straight funk – all played with a retro-styled vibe throughout! There's a bit of soulful vocals on the record, but the main focus is instrumental – and titles include "Snarky", "The Donkey", "Ogun", "12 Monkees", "The Bouncer", "Frankie & Gracie", "Como Camina", and "Sanctification".

Groovy late 60's record in which the great Latin bandleader takes his style into a whole new bag, baby! Some of the stuff on here is straight Latin, but most of the cuts are weird Latin soul instrumentals, with a range of material that includes Brazilian stuff (Deodato's "Cabo Frio" and Luiz Bonfa's "O Ganso"), pop stuff ("Theme from the Monkees" and "On My Mind"), and other nice ones like "Tamara", "San Remo Sunset", and "Ate Parece". There's a number of tracks on here written by Deodato, and there's also a lot of organ on the LP. We've kind of surmised that Deodato might be playing on here, but we're not sure!

A Spanish group, but one with a sound that's heavy on Afro Funk – served up here in a culturally criss-crossing way that really lives up to the enigmatic title! There's some exotic moments that definitely echo the ancient strains you'd hear in Ethiopian and Egyptian funk – mixed with other elements that show more of a Nigerian influence as well – all filtered together, and served up with some occasional Latin and contemporary touches too! Almost all the instrumentation is acoustic – with lots of percussion and horns – but the group also make great use of riffing guitar and organ too – on cuts that include "Aracnido", "Pajaritos", "La Oportunidad", "Judias Comen Habas", "Rio Niger", and "Que Bonitas Son Las Flores".

Wild funk from guitarist Freddy Robinson – hardly the "bluesology" you'd guess from the title! Sure, Freddie started his career as a blues guitarist on early Chess sessions – but during the early 70s, he cut some monster funky recordings for Stax, recordings that had a bluesy guitar in the middle, but some nice funky rhythm backing him up! The great Monk Higgins had a hand in most of the recordings – which is why they sounded so nice, and which is why they deserve a lot more credit than the sleepy "bluesology" title would imply. There's a nice batch of previously unissued material on here – plus tracks from Robinson's LPs Off The Cuff and At The Drive In. Titles include "Off The Cuff", "The Creeper", "Sister Hot Pants", "Black Fox", "Good Feeling", "I Remember", "House Hunting", "Here Comes Your Good Thang", "Changing Dreams", and a very dope version of "River's Invitation".

A dual milestone issue for Roctober – the 50th issue and 20th anniversary – a 140-page extraganza which both reminisces on the past 2 decades of Roctober coverage and looks to the future! Includes items on 60s, 70s & 80s Chi vocal combo The Green Berets, Lou Christie, Don Cornelius, Klaus Nomi. Tommie Wix & Them Good Biscuits, Breakfast With Boone, Nardwuar Vs Odd Future, one man's adventure as one of the little remembered New Monkees and much, much more.

Wow! Here's leftfield singer-songwriter Biff Rose's rare late 70s Roast Beef album – financed and produced by Mike Nesmith of The Monkees and supposedly recorded in a single sitting – pretty cool stuff from one of the most idiosyncratic cats of his era! Titles include "Home Is Just As Good As Anyplace", "She Said", "Anxious Moments", "Time Was Very Long Ago", "I'd Rather Be With You Than Alive Or Dead", "Afraid To Fall In Love Again", "Be Happy (Smile While You Can)", "We Were Only Fourteen" and more.

The score to RZA's major motion picture directorial debut (and just how cool is it to be writing that)!– Whatever the creative and/or financial fate of the movie Man With The Iron Fists, RZA's score with collaborator Howard Drossin is a classic! You already know that RZA is a genuine student of Hong Kong and Hollywood martial arts music and movies – and if you don't know this, he's also a hell of a soundtrack composer! His work for Ghost Dog is one of our favorite hip hop-based soundtracks ever made – and Man With The Iron Fists lives up to that legacy. It's a bigger, more grandly-composed soundtrack than Ghost Dog – with tense strings and an epic, Hollywood-ready sweep – but it still feels totally and truthfully like a RZA record! Collaborator Drossin has worked on some great action scores over the past decade and he proves to be an excellent partner. Includes an "Opening Titles" makeover of the Wu classic "Shame On A N***a", plus "Jungle Village", "Emperor's Gold", "The Brothel", "Rodent Fight", "Alley Fight", "Snake Charmer", "Shipwrecked", "The Temple Monks", "Face Off", "The Man With The Iron Fists", "The Last Battle", "All Iron And No Rust" and more.

Wow! This is one of Sonny Sharrock's rare early recordings, recorded in France shortly after he had been playing with Herbie Mann. The groove's kind of crazy, and it's amazing that Sonny jumped out so soon after leaving the sort of pop-jazz environs he was in with Herbie – but hey, lots of players got to France in the 60s, and completely let their bag open up – so why not Sonny? Wife Linda's on vocals on the session, and they're backed up by Beb Guerin on bass and Jacques Thollot on drums. Titles include "27th Day", "Soon", and "Monkey Pockie Boo".

A bit bluesy, a bit funky, and pretty raunchy all the way through – as you might expect from the name of the group! The group are a Johnny Otis side project from the late 60s – and the record's got lots of the weird funky touches of Johnny's own work of the time, all done at a nicely stoned-out style!. No players are named on the album – but vocals are by "The Mouth", guitar is by "Prince Wunnerful", and drums and piano are by "The Hawk", all of which leads us to believe that the record was cut by players with bigger status, who had something to hide! Titles include "Big John Jeeter", "The Signifyin' Monkey (parts 1 & 2)", "Hey Shine", and "Two Girls In Love (With Each Other)". Raunchy wraparound cover too – with a very Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers image!

An incredible relic of the righteous underground of the late 60s from the Spirit House Movers – and one of the few classic albums on the Jihad label! The group was a vocal group of sorts – sometimes singing, sometimes rapping in a Last Poets-styled way – often doing both at the same time, in a mode that was really compelling and extremely powerful! Fronted by Leroi Jones, actually Amiri Baraka, on the first word music record he ever did that was completely devoted to the style. His spoken words are the lead instrument, and he's accompanied by a great group of singers – including Freedy Johnson, Leonard Cathcart, Aireen Eternal, Gilbert Monk and Yusef Iman – and some spare percussion. Titles include "Mishap", "Beautiful Black Women", "Miss Natural Soul", "Form Is Emptiness", "Nineteen Sixty Something", and "Unity".

A surprisingly nice set that brings together Clark Terry and Thelonious Monk! Given Terry's bright approach to jazz, it's a bit hard to imagine him and Monk working well together – but at the time of this session, Clark still had a fair bit of an edge – with roots in a number of modern styles of the 50s, and a flair for crafting a compelling line on his horn. The set's got a number of nice originals – and titles include "In Orbit", "Pea Eye", "Argentina", "One Foot In The Gutter", and "Buck's Business". (Also issued under the name Clark Terry In Orbit.)

2 LP set that brings together the best moments from 4 different Clark Terry albums on Riverside – Serenade To A Bus Seat, Duke With A Difference, In Orbit, and Top and Bottom Brass. he's playing in a variety of groups here, but the overall feel is straight hard bop. Players include Thelonious Monk, Sam Jones, Art Taylor, Johnny Griffin, and Philly Joe Jones. Titles include "Cruising", "Digits", "Top N Bottom", and "Let's Cool One".

A great take on the music of Charles Mingus – played by a combo with a nicely different flavor than the originals! The combo has a soulful, hardbop sort of energy – yet still also manages all the sharp changes, twists, and turns that make Mingus' music so great – a wonderful blend that almost feels like a 60s Blue Note session dedicated to Charles' music – although oddly, few artists were ever doing sets like that at the time! The lineup features killer trumpet from Jukka Eskola – a player we already love – plus alto and baritone from Mikko Innanen, tenor from Jussi Kannaste, drums from Andre Sumelius, and Hammond from Mikko Heleva. Obviously, the use of organ with Mingus compositions is quite a twist – but a great one too, and it really makes the tunes come alive in new ways! Titles include "Ecclusiastics", "Jump Monk", "Pithecanthropus Erectus", "What Love", "Jelly Roll", and "Fables Of Faubus".

A landmark album from one of the greatest European pianists ever! Stan Tracey first made his mark in the Brit bop scene of the late 50s – breaking out with a fresh style that was infused with modern touches of Monk and Tristano – certainly some of the most striking on his side of the Atlantic at the time. By the time of this 1965 album, he'd honed his sound brilliantly – and is working here in quartet formation on a set of original tunes based around Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood. Don't be put off by the source of the album's inspiration, though – as there's no "jazz meets poetry" here, just straight jazz in a fresh modern vein – played by a group that features wonderfully edgey tenor by Bobby Wellins, arcing perfectly with Tracey's angular lines on piano! Drums are by Jackie Dougan, bass is by Jeff Clyne, and the album's one of the key British jazz treasures of the 60s! Titles include "AM Mayhem", "Starless & Bible Black", "Cockle Row", "No Good Boyo", "Penpals", and "Llareggub".

Tremendous comeback work from Randy Weston – arguably the series of albums that set the tone for his great return to fame in the 90s! The 3CD set features Weston's albums Caravan, Well You Needn't, and The Last Day – tributes to Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and his own work on piano – played at a level that's deeper and more complex than any Randy Weston albums from years past! The setting is spare throughout – really just bass and percussion backing on most numbers, but even then at a very low level – so that the strongest focus is always on Weston's keys, and his highly rhythmic way of addressing a tune. Players include Jamil Nasser on bass and Idris Muhammad and Eric Asante on drums and percussion. Titles include "Misterioso", "Well You Needn't", "Caravan", "Heaven", "Chromatic Love Affair", "C Jam Blues", "Ganawa In Paris", "Night In Medina", "Berkshire Blues", "African Night", and "The Last Day".

A great 70s session by Randy, and one that's really gotten lost in the shifting sands of time! The session is solo piano, played in a beautifully soulful manner, filled with lots of changing lines and rhythms in a cool jazz style that shows a lot of Randy's fascination with African styles of music. Titles include "Sister Gladys", "Three Pyramids & The Sphynx", "Ode To Om Kel Thoumt", and "Monk Steps".

An incredibly groovy album – filled with instrumental tracks that shift between funky big band and groovy 60s soundtrack – all arranged by Mike Nesmith and Shorty Rogers! The feel here is like that of some of Rogers' other groovy late 60s instrumental one-off albums – like his hot rod, dune buggy, or surf-orchestra sides – and Nesmith brings in a slightly cynical tone that manifests itself in the choice of some of the instrumentation for the tracks, and the overall setting of the record. Think Monkees instrumentals gone groovier, and you've got part of the picture – but there's also plenty of snippets of Sunset Strip hip and Warner Brothers longing for the past too! Titles include "While I Cried", "Don't Cry Now", "Tapioca Tundra", "Nine Times Blue", "Carlisle Wheeling", and "You Told Me".

A brilliant album that would forever change the way the organ was used in jazz! The set's the greatest contribution ever from organist Larry Young – a lean and modal session recorded with help from a young quartet that includes Woody Shaw, Joe Henderson, and Elvin Jones – all leaping and loping with Larry's free-thinking work on the Hammond – stretching things out into spiritual grooves that belie Young's fascination with Coltrane's sound of the time, and his freer fusion work of later years! The Hammond had never sounded soul mighty before – freed from the task of thumping out a deeper rhythm, and let loose to explore the same space carved out by Shaw and Henderson's horns! Titles include a classic reading of Woody's "Moontrane", plus "Zoltan", "If", "Beyond All Limits", and "Monk's Dream". Great great stuff, and one of the best-ever Blue Note sessions!

A much-needed look at a key force in Italian disco – the legendary Baia Degli Angeli, a club that was as important to Europe as the Paradise Garage was to New York! The set features a hardcover book that's loaded with full color images, photos, and essays on the club – packaged beautifully with a 16 track CD in the back cover. And the CD itself is almost worth the price of admission – a great selection of numbers that played strongly on Angeli's dancefloor in the late 70s, most of which have a spacey electronic quality that links them strongly to some of the best underground club of New York at the time. The CD's mixed together in a way that recreates the feel of the legendary floor – and titles include "Midnight Madness" by Don Ray, "Zone" by Rhythm Makers, "Don't You Know Who Did It" by John Forde, "Pazuzu" by Tony Silvester & The New Ingredient, "Surprise" by Andre Gagnon, "Sweet Lady" by Chain Reaction, "Timing Forget The Timing" by Black Devil, "Magnifico Mambo" by Five Letters, "Come On & Rock" by Needa, "Point Zero" by Voyage, "Un Habit En La Bemol" by Flashback Roger Gravel, and "Monkey Star" by Arpadys.

A great batch of songs by legendary New Orleans R&B and soul producer Dave Bartholomew – recorded by a sprawling line-up of soul, pop, R&B and rockers – another revelatory set in the Ace Records series of songwriter compilations! The numbers here stretch back to the 50s and continue up to the end of the 60s/start of the 70s – with Bartholomew-penned tunes done here by Fats Domino, Shirley & Lee, Elvis Presley, Johnny Burnette, Brenda Lee, Georgie Fame, Bobby Charles, Tami Lynn, Bobby Mitchell, Dave Bartholomew himself and many more! 25 tracks in all: "The Fat Man" by Fats Domino, "Ain't Gonna Do It" by The Pelicans, "Blue Monday" by Georgie Fame & The Blue Fames, "Sick And Tired" by Neville Grant, "One Night Of Sin" by Tami Lynn, "The Big Beat" bh The Del Vikings, "The Monkey" by Dave Bartholomew and many more.

One of the greatest songwriting partnerships of the 60s – featured here in a great mix of soul, rock, and vocal numbers from the time – including a fair number of unusual versions of hits from the team of Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil! Weil's got a style that's sometimes a bit deeper than her contemporaries – and when mixed with Barry's strong sense of punch in a tune, has a way of bringing some surprising sophistication to pop music – little emotive moments that peek out from more hook-heavy numbers – but all without ever sounding lachrymose or overblown. As part of that quality, lots of these tunes have some great New York-styled production – that uptown balance of emotion and class – and as with other titles in Ace's excellent songwriter series, the notes alone are almost worth the price of admission – given all the historical detail, cultural commentary, and cool images. Titles include "New World Coming" by Mama Cass, "Love Is Only Sleeping" by The Monkees, "Angelica" by Scott Walker, "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" by Gene Pitney, "Love Him" by Doris Day, "Good Good Lovin" by Bobby Hebb, "You Baby" by Len Barry, "Born To Be Together" by The Ronettes, "This Is A Love Song" by Bill Medley, "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" by The Happenings, "Shape Of Things To Come" by Slade, and "Proud" by Johnny Crawford.

Digital music in a physical realm – a great little project that collects together a range of groundbreaking sounds from the online music scene – then puts them together in a well-presented compilation! The music here is all pretty darn fresh – a wicked batch of 21st Century soul, hip hop, nujazz, and more – all the sort that might have been issued on labels like Compost or Sonar Kollektiv a decade ago, but which hardly makes it on record these days! Yet thanks to the great efforts of Heavenly Sweetness, these grooves are getting some great exposure – almost like catching a great slice of Gilles Peterson's radio show. 2CD package features both volumes 1 & 2 – 29 titles that include "Drum Talking" by Mo Kolours, "Grandma" by Bobby Blunt, "Fall In Love" by Badbadnotgood, "Hold On" by KRTS, "Una Peripecia" by Buddy Sativa, "Journey Through My Mind" by Bug, "Conflict Of A Man" by Erimaj, "Kalimba Song" by Abjo, "Controlled Feelings" by Opolopo Voltage, "Where You Gone" by INT, "Journey To The Shore" by Dopegems, "Muscles" by Bonnie Banane, "Freak Out" by Natronix, "YBMJ" by Monkeyrobot, "Dealing" by Up High Collective, "Paintball" by Monster Sneaker, and "All Matter" by Modlee & Vlooper.

An incredible look at an obscure Detroit soul label – a tiny little company, but home to some really great funk and soul! The Big Mack label ran somewhat sporadically through the 60s and into the early 70s – but during that time, it managed to cut some incredible tunes with a really unique feel – work that had a rougher edge than most of the Detroit soul on the bigger labels and indies – often with an earthy quality that's miles and miles from Motown! Label owner Ed McCoy had a great ear for male singers, instrumental combos, and vocal groups – but as the 60s rolled on, he also picked up a few hip female acts as well – and throughout the whole stretch, he had a way of producing a tune that we can only describe best as slightly messed up – a sound that's often slightly tripped up, oddly spacious, and which makes the elements of the music fall into each other with a crashingly intense kind of sound! Far from being a mess, this approach only seems to cook things up more – giving an edge to tracks that might have sounded more lackluster with conventional production – and further electrifying these obscure utterings from the Detroit underground. As with other Numero collections, the work here is wonderfully worth discovering – and presented with full notes, photos, and a history of the label. CD features 19 tracks that include "Bui Bui" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "Get It Right" by Soul President, "Crooked Woman" by Edd Henry, "Fever" by Essence, "If You Feel It" by Ms Tyree Sugar Jones, "The Feeling Is Mutual" by Manhattens, "I See Her Pretty Face" by The Grand Prix's, "Let's Give Our Love A Try" by Mae Young, "I'll Be On My Way" by Bob & Fred, "Mini Skirt" by The Sleepwalkers, "Monkey Time Shine" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "The Man Puts Sugar In My Soul" by Mae Young, "You Drive Me Crazy" by The Grand Prix's, "Got To Have It" by Soul President, and "Your Replacement Is Here" by Edd Henry.

An incredible look at an obscure Detroit soul label – a tiny little company, but home to some really great funk and soul! The Big Mack label ran somewhat sporadically through the 60s and into the early 70s – but during that time, it managed to cut some incredible tunes with a really unique feel – work that had a rougher edge than most of the Detroit soul on the bigger labels and indies – often with an earthy quality that's miles and miles from Motown! Label owner Ed McCoy had a great ear for male singers, instrumental combos, and vocal groups – but as the 60s rolled on, he also picked up a few hip female acts as well – and throughout the whole stretch, he had a way of producing a tune that we can only describe best as slightly messed up – a sound that's often slightly tripped up, oddly spacious, and which makes the elements of the music fall into each other with a crashingly intense kind of sound! Far from being a mess, this approach only seems to cook things up more – giving an edge to tracks that might have sounded more lackluster with conventional production – and further electrifying these obscure utterings from the Detroit underground. As with other Numero collections, the work here is wonderfully worth discovering – and presented with full notes, photos, and a history of the label. LP features 20 tracks that include "Bui Bui" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "Get It Right" by Soul President, "Crooked Woman" by Edd Henry, "Fever" by Essence, "If You Feel It" by Ms Tyree Sugar Jones, "The Feeling Is Mutual" by Manhattens, "I See Her Pretty Face" by The Grand Prix's, "Let's Give Our Love A Try" by Mae Young, "I'll Be On My Way" by Bob & Fred, "Mini Skirt" by The Sleepwalkers, "Monkey Time Shine" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "The Man Puts Sugar In My Soul" by Mae Young, "You Drive Me Crazy" by The Grand Prix's, "Got To Have It" by Soul President, and "Your Replacement Is Here" by Edd Henry. LP also features a bonus track not on the CD – "I'll Be On My Way (inst)" by Bob & Fred.

The Enjoy Records Story – but from the early days, when the label was a powerhouse outlet for R&B, blues, and early soul music – years before they also started cutting hip hop as well! The tracks here are all a great illustration of the keen ear of the imprint, and their strong focus on a few key acts who could really knock it out of the park – music that made Enjoy a key player at the start of the soul years of the 60s – even though some of its best artists went onto later fame at bigger labels. The collection is the best we've ever seen on Enjoy during these seminal years – and features a whopping 36 cuts that include "People Sure Act Funny" by Titus Turner, "Hoop & Holler" by Riff Ruffin, "I Believe To My Soul" by Louis Jones, "What Ya Gonna Do" by Noble Watts & June Bateman, "Get It" by Jay Dee Bryant, "Let's Do The Boston Monkey" by Les Cooper, "Don't Lie" by Sammy Taylor, "Sad Song" by The Channes, "Long Time No See" by Ronnie & The Manhattans, "Hot Potato" by The Rinky Dinks, "Ain't Nobody's Business" by Mary B, "It Hurts Me So" by Elmore James, "Soul Twist" by King Curtis, and "What Shall I Do" by Gladys Knight & The Pips.

A cool compilation – and one that's much hipper than you'd guess from the Ibiza sticker on the cover! Instead of the usual sunny Spanish grooves, this one's filled with deeply spiritual tracks and hipper sounds from the left side of the club underground – some of our favorite artists from both sides of the Atlantic and Pacific, sifted out nicely by Daniel Pencoba with a really sensitive approach overall! The sound's laidback, but never in a chillout way – and titles include "Dawn" by Build An Ark, "Brown Sugar" by Dal Green, "Home" by Bing Ji Ling, "Once You're Near Me" by Kutiman, "Love Is To Blame" by Yukihiro Fukutomi with Isabelle Antena & Ernesto, "I'll Be Your Wings (M&D rmx)" by Invisible Session, "Reversed (Circle Research rmx demo)" by Elizabeth Shepherd, "Neil Diamond" by Bucky Johnson, "Life Angles" by Yesterdays New Quintet, and "Oasis" by Carlos Nino & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson.

Killer funky stuff! Dean Rudland put together this tasty set of lost funk tracks from the many labels currently making up the BGP/Ace catalog – and the groove runs through 15 tracks of hard heavy soul, fuzzy funky instrumentals, and slammin groovy grooves. A few tracks on the set might be on other reissues you have – but there's plenty of other nice ones that don't show up elsewhere, and that are packaged in a great way with the rest of the set. Titles include "You" by Spanky Wilson, "Afro Mania" by Preston Epps, "New Beginning" by Sonny Costanzo, "Marriage Is A State Of Mind" by Dave Hamilton, "Gimme Shelter" by Cal Tjader, "One Monkey Can't Stop The Show" by Jacqueline Jones, "Loose & Juicy" by The Pazant Bros, "Light My Fire" by Tammi Lynn, "Chili Mac" by Preston Love, "Brother, You Know You're Wrong" by Idris Muhammad, and "Mighty Mouse" by Caesar Frazier. 15 tracks – and a very nice set!

Rare gems from the funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – and maybe the most smoking volume in this all-great series so far! The sound is hard and heavy right from the start – very much in the best mode of the funky 45 reissues we've been hearing from Tramp in recent years – right up there with the deepest funk you'd get from labels like Ace/Kent or Jazzman on their best compilations! And although other volumes have all been great, there's a special sort of magic this time around – an edge that really shows the evolution of Tramp's ear for picking a groove – and deep notes that also show their growing knowledge of the most obscure cuts from back in the day. We can guarantee there's plenty here you don't already have in your record collection – and titles include "Funky Screw" by Lee Fields, "Soul Chicken" by Bobby Allen & The Exceptions, "Ease It On In" by Sunrize, "Deepest Sympathy" by Theodis Ealey, "Tend To Your Business (parts 1 & 2)" by Wildfire, "Pat's Rubber Band" by Alley Pat, "Puttin It On Your Mind" by Jimmy Ellis, "Nobody Loves Me Like My Baby" by Jimmy Gilford, "99/44 100 Pure Love" by Al Reed, and "Monkey In A Sack" by Lil Buck & The Top Cats.

Rare gems from the funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – and maybe the most smoking volume in this all-great series so far! The sound is hard and heavy right from the start – very much in the best mode of the funky 45 reissues we've been hearing from Tramp in recent years – right up there with the deepest funk you'd get from labels like Ace/Kent or Jazzman on their best compilations! And although other volumes have all been great, there's a special sort of magic this time around – an edge that really shows the evolution of Tramp's ear for picking a groove – and deep notes that also show their growing knowledge of the most obscure cuts from back in the day. We can guarantee there's plenty here you don't already have in your record collection – and titles include "Funky Screw" by Lee Fields, "Soul Chicken" by Bobby Allen & The Exceptions, "Ease It On In" by Sunrize, "Deepest Sympathy" by Theodis Ealey, "Tend To Your Business (parts 1 & 2)" by Wildfire, "Pat's Rubber Band" by Alley Pat, "Puttin It On Your Mind" by Jimmy Ellis, "Nobody Loves Me Like My Baby" by Jimmy Gilford, "99/44 100 Pure Love" by Al Reed, and "Monkey In A Sack" by Lil Buck & The Top Cats.

The next set in the stellar Next Stop Soweto series from Strut Records – highlighting rare South African sounds – this one infused with the western party music influences of funk, soul and organ drenched grooves of all kinds! Volume 1 in the series concentrated on the lively township jive sounds, this one gets gritty and funky – American funk, soul and R&B drenched organ grooves are more prominent in the sound – combining with regional traditions masterfully and coming out feverish and ready for the dancefloor! Includes material from the small, but exciting South African soul scene by groups The Klooks and The Anchors, mbaqanga numbers liberally infused with soul and funk by the Mgababa Queens and Mahotella Queens, jazzier funk from The Heshoo Beshoo Group and much more! 22 tracks on 2LPs: "Khubani" by JK Mayengani & The Shingwedzi Sisters, "Blockhead" by The Monks, Nkuli's Shuffle" by The Klooks, "Come With Me" and "Funky Message" by The Heroes, "Last Time" by The Anchors, "I Am There" by The Grasshopers, "Saduva" by Gibson Kente, "Wozani Mahipi" by Mahotella Queens and more.

The most loving tribute to Philadelphia International that we've ever seen – a massive 10CD box set that also features a 60 page booklet, a full Philly International discography, and a huge amount of great tracks from the legendary label – over 12 hours of music in all! The track list is wonderful – put together by Ralph Tee, of Expansion Records fame – with a great ear for the full range of Philly sounds, not just the hits – which means that in addition to work by The O'Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, MFSB, and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – the set also features work by The Ebonys, Bobby Bennett, Robert Upchurch, Love Committee, Kaleidoscope, Monk Montgomery, Norman Harris, Frantique, The Dells, Silk, The Ethics, The Futures, Carolyn Crawford, and others! Great stuff all the way through – and a bargain at this price.

A massive treat from the Chicago scene – a dozen jazzy classics, put together with a feel for the kind of cut that's always played big on the Chi-town steppers scene! Lots of other stepping jazz CDs feature mostly newer tracks, but this one's great in that it includes a bunch of late 60s soul jazz tunes – some killer tracks from the Chess/Cadet scene, mixed with other smoother grooves from the 70s. Titles include "The Look Of Love" and "Who Dun It" by Monk Higgins, "Soul Vibration" by Dorothy Ashby, "The Stepper" by Soulful Strings, "Count Down" by Dave Baby Cortez, "Midnight Plane" and "Windy City" by Rodney Franklin, "The Love You Give To Me" by Webster Lewis, "I Feel Like Loving You Today" by Donald Byrd & 125th Street NYC, "Think About It" by Odell Brown, "Love's Victory" by Ronnie Laws, and "Hole In The Wall" by The Packers.

A damn classic entry in the Super Breaks series from BGP – one that's filled with crucial sample cuts from the old school – some really wonderful funky nuggets, brought together here as a great reminder of the tracks that first got us digging back in the day! There's less of the totally obscure numbers here than you might find on other Super Breaks volumes, but things aren't totally mainstream either – and the compilers have not only done a great job of pulling together tracks that were really important for hip hop, but have also managed to put a really fresh spin on the music altogether – reminding us once again that even in the age of digital music, nothing beats a well-done compilation! Titles include "Shifting Gears" by Johnny Hammond, "Mary Mary" by The Monkees, "Scratchin" by Magic Disco Machine, "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor, "Africano" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Apache" by Incredible Bongo Band, "Got To Get A Knutt" by New Birth, "Get Up & Dance" by Freedom, "Super Sporm" by Captain Sky, "Who Is He & What Is He To You" by Creative Source, "Funky President" by James Brown, "Blow Your Head" by The JBs, "Johnny The Fox" by Thin Lizzy, "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man" by Dyke & The Blazers, "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis, and "Get Ya Some" by Melvin Sparks.

A damn classic entry in the Super Breaks series from BGP – one that's filled with crucial sample cuts from the old school – some really wonderful funky nuggets, brought together here as a great reminder of the tracks that first got us digging back in the day! There's less of the totally obscure numbers here than you might find on other Super Breaks volumes, but things aren't totally mainstream either – and the compilers have not only done a great job of pulling together tracks that were really important for hip hop, but have also managed to put a really fresh spin on the music altogether – reminding us once again that even in the age of digital music, nothing beats a well-done compilation! Titles include "Shifting Gears" by Johnny Hammond, "Mary Mary" by The Monkees, "Scratchin" by Magic Disco Machine, "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor, "Africano" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Apache" by Incredible Bongo Band, "Got To Get A Knutt" by New Birth, "Get Up & Dance" by Freedom, "Super Sporm" by Captain Sky, "Who Is He & What Is He To You" by Creative Source, "Funky President" by James Brown, "Blow Your Head" by The JBs, "Johnny The Fox" by Thin Lizzy, "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man" by Dyke & The Blazers, "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis, and "Get Ya Some" by Melvin Sparks.

A great little entry into a genre that got way too overdone and way too cluttered by the end of the 80s – but which was surprisingly fresh at the time of this initial release! The set pays tribute to the late Thelonious Monk, but does so by moving way past his modern jazz roots – and allowing for participation by a variety of artists in a number of different fields. Hal Willner masterminded the set, and does a great job of making unlike artists work well next to each other – really expanding on famous numbers by Monk, but never getting too goofy overall. Titles include "Functional" by Randy Weston, "Four In One" by Todd Rundgren & Gary Windo, "Thelonious" by Bruce Fowler, "Criss Cross" by Shockabilly, "In Walked Budd" by Terry Adams & Roswell Rudd, "Evidence" by Steve Lacy & Elvin Jones, "Ba-Lu-Bolivar-Ba-Lues-Are" by Was Not Was, "Ask Me Now" by Steve Lacy & Charlie Rouse, "Monk's Mood" by Sharon Freeman, "Round Midnight" by Joe Jackson, and "Friday The Thirteen" by Bobby McFerrin and Bob Dorough. There's plenty of other great Lacy work on the set too – and even if you're put off by the presence of non-jazzers on the set, the album's worth it alone for the Lacy tracks!

Rough and raw grooves – way more than you might guess from the "twist" reference in the title! The sound here is more R&B than anything else – lots of heavy drums, honking sax, burning organ, and riffing guitar – but there's also some echoes of Latin rhythms, rockabilly raunch, and some 60s soul elements too – all percolating together wonderfully in a way that sounds like somebody blew the dust off a gritty pile of 45s, then filled them up to blast away in a decades-old jukebox in a tavern on the other side of the tracks! The CD version of Twistin Rumble Vol 2 collects many of the tracks from Twistin Rumble Volumes 3 & 4 vinyl – with plenty of rare gems – including "Switch Me" by Hector & The Frogmen, "The Frog" by Lonnie Brooks, "Georgia Slop" by Big Al Downing, "Who's Number One" by Ambrose Donald, "Beyond The Shadow Of A Doubt" by Sonny Day, "I'm Gonna Spend My Money" by Poor Boys, "Aunt Molly" by Billy Emerson, "Make Love To Me" by The Royal Premiers, "Do The Whip" by Skip Cole, "Can Your Monkey To The Dog" by The Golden Catalinas, "Stronger Than Dirt" by The Ardels, "Wah Wabble" by The Debelaires, "Madame Bootie Green" by Sonny Forrest, "Black Crack" by The Shardells, "The Ostrich" by The Primitives, "Shake Your Body Girl" by Larry Williams, "Slauson Shuffletime" by Round Robin and "Soul Finger" by Oscar & The Majestics. 29 tracks in all.

James Hunter at the Daptone Studios – working here with Bosco Mann production, and a sound that's much rawer than before! James has always had one hell of a voice, but this time around he also gets a bit more bite in his music too – a funky undercurrent that's more late 60s soul than some of the earlier sounds of the decade on previous albums – almost representing the same righteous evolution in Hunter's music that so many artists themselves experienced back in the day! The new punch is wonderfully placed – and may well finally get Hunter the kind of exposure he needs – appreciation from the soul underground for his wonderful vocals, and a groove that's got plenty of deep funk and New Orleans soul elements. Titles include "Gold Mine", "Drop On Me", "Minute By Minute", "Chicken Switch", "So They Say", "If I Only Knew", "Look Out", and "Let The Monkey Ride".

A treasure box of early 60s R&B 45s – a top shelf collection of singles cut for the King & Federal labels from 1960 to 1964 – amazing numbers from Hank Ballard, Freddy King, The Drivers, Little Bobby Moore, Willie Dixon & The Big Wheels, Johnny Guitar Watson, Carol Ford, Little Willie John and more. Early 60s soul and rollicking R&B sides to rival the best and most exciting sounds of the era – compiled by DJ Mr Fine Wine, most of which have never been reissued before now! Includes "Gibble Gobble" by Willie Wright & His Sparklers, "Broadway" by Hank Ballard, "What Makes You So Cold" by Lulu Reed, "My Nerves" by Little Willie John, "The Slummer The Slum" by The 5 Royales, "I Don't Know About You" by Lloyd Nolan, "Where You At Jack" by Little Mummy,, "That's It Man" by The Valentines, "Mind Your Own Business" by Eugene Church, "Regardless" by Charles Brown, "Texas Oil" by Freddie King", "One Zippy Zam" by Roy Mildton & His Orchestra, "Mom, Won't You Teach Me To Monkey" by Little Emmett Suttoon, "Hog Killin Time" by Eddie Kirk and more.

A treasure trove of rare soul and R&B 45 numbers from the King & Federal catalogs – featuring some big names and lesser-remembered singers – absolutely fantastic stuff, most of which have never been issued on CD before! King & Federal at it's most exciting. Compiled by DJ Mr Fine Wine, it includes "Marsanova" by Hank Marr, "The Buggy Ride" by Rudy Ray Moore, "The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist" by Freddy King, "What's Your Name" by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, "Run Baby" by Carol Ford, "Steam Roller" by Mickey Baker, "Monkey Tonight" by Eddie Kirk, "Fun Fun" by Lloyd Nolen, "Shout Bamalama" by Otis Redding, "I Say, I Love You" by Johnny Watson and more.

The complete Okeh label recordings of Billy Butler – Jerry Butler's lesser-known brother, but an even more grooving artist on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s! Billy's work at Okeh is easily some of the best of the all-great imprint – tracks that step, slide, and groove along in a flurry of tight-edged Chi-soul rhythms – nearly all of which are produced by the legendary Carl Davis, with arrangements from Johnny Pate and Riley Hampton! Billy's in the lead on vocals, but nearly all numbers have a strong harmony soul component too – support from The Four Enchanters or Chanters – in a mode that echoes The Impressions' style of the time somewhat, but which also carries more of the Butler-family emotive quality, thanks to the stronger lead. This is the first time all this material has ever been brought together so well – and the package features great notes and a number of previously unissued titles as well – including some rare versions and instrumentals that are sure to get some play from Northern Soul listeners. Titles include "Found True Love", "Lady Love", "Gotta Get Away", "Can't Live Without Her", "Right Track", "Boston Monkey", "Does It Matter", "Fighting A Losing Battle", "To Be Or Not To Be", "Singing The Blues", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry".