All Categories — LPs  

One of James Brown's earliest full albums for King Records – and a set that kicks off with his monstrous reworkin of the tune "Think" – originally recorded by the Five Royales, but recast here by James as the blueprint for all the funky goodness in years to come! That track really sets the scene for the record – and James follows up with some other harder, sharp-edged tunes – offset by a few more deep-burning mellower soul tracks. Other titles include "You've Got The Power", "If You Want Me", "So Long", "Baby, You're Right", "I'll Go Crazy", "Good Good Lovin", and "I Know It's True". Reissued with the great original cover, too!

The funkiest album ever recorded by Lyn Collins – one of the few sock-soul divas working with James Brown who got a chance to cut a full LP! The album's got Lyn shifting between heavy funk numbers and mellower soul cuts – really pushing things to the max with an incredibly deep take on a few older favorites, plus some killer new numbers – all produced to funky perfection by James Brown, with dead-on backing by the JBs! Includes her great version of "Think", a funky sample cut that never gets old – plus the cuts "Things Got To Get Better", "Women's Lib", and the funkiest version ever of "Fly Me To The Moon".

Easily Lonnie Smith's biggest hit for Blue Note – a key record in defining the sound of late 60s soul jazz! Lonnie's working here with an all-star group that includes Melvin Sparks, Lee Morgan, and David Fathead Newman – and the core combo is expanded by some additional Latin percussion (including work by Pucho on timbales!), which really makes the tunes groove nicely! Tracks are long, with complicated rhythms – and soulful yet sophisticated solos to match – and titles include the seminal "Son Of Ice Bag", a great cover of "Think", and the tracks "Slouchin", "Call Of The Wild", and "Three Blind Mice".

A damn legendary record from the last years of Chess Records – and for good reason, too! Archie Whitewater were a group that was years ahead of its time – a rock combo, but one with real genre-crossing sensibilities that made them perfect for the experimental styles at the Cadet/Concept side of Chess – the same slice of the musical universe that gave us Rotary Connection and important productions from Charles Stepney! The sound here has some surprisingly soulful elements at times – especially the instrumentation, which features some great break moments that get nice and funky, and strands of soulful jazz and blues that really make the music way different than most other groups we can think of – or maybe a bit like a rare elite who shared such visionary territory with Archie Whitewater, such as Shades Of Joy on their first Fontana record. The keyboards and sax lines are as great as the drums – and the vocals have a melancholy undercurrent that's a really refreshing change from some of the overly-postured modes you'd get from other groups in 1970. Titles include the sublime sample cut "Cross Country" – but there's loads of other nice ones with the same stripped-down "Dusty Fingers" sort of groove – and other titles include "Life Is A River", "Home Again", "Lament For The Walking Dead", "Seacoast", "Country To the City", "Friends & Neighbors", and "Mist Of The Early Morning".

A folk funk classic from the early 70s – and a weird little record that has a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The arrangements are quite soulful, almost funky at times – with a righteous undercurrent that reminds us of Richard Evans or Charles Stepney at Cadet Records. But the vocals – by singer Barbara Massey – have a flanged-out quality that's clearly overdubbed, creating a double-voiced sound that's almost a bit like Brasil 66! This mix of modes is really great – completely unique, and sublime throughout – with a vibe that was years ahead of its time, and which is finally beginning to get some recognition these many years later. Arrangements are by the pair, but Deodato also had a hand in the record too – and the core combo of musicians includes Grady Tate on drums, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Sam Brown on guitar – alongside more guitars from Ernie and keyboards and piano from Barbara. Tracks include "Searching the Circle", "Do You Know", "For You", "Play With Fire", "My Love & I", "Satisfied", and "Prelude" – plus a wild remake of "Somebody to Love"!

A landmark leaping-off point for The Beatles – and a record that really paved the way for countless new ideas to come! The mix of catchy pop and freer ideas here is really wonderful – tunes that introduce a whole new mature world in mainstream music – yet manage to have all the catchy complexity of the earlier years too. Production, songwriting, and delivery is superb – and this version features 14 songs that include "Drive My Car", "Norwegian Wood", "Nowhere Man", "Think For Yourself", "The Word", "What Goes On", "Girl", "I'm Looking Through You", and "Run For Your Life"".

One of the rare few records recorded by a young Andy Bey and his sisters! The group was an obscure jazz harmony trio formed by Andy in his earlier years – and it features him on piano, joining with the vocals of his two sisters Salome and Geradine Bey – in a soulful, moody style that's unlike anything else we can think of! Their three heavenly voices are backed by Kenny Burrell's guitar, Milt Hinton's bass, and Osie Johnson's drums, and there's lots of room around the arrangments for the Beys to stretch out and sing beautifully. Includes a haunting arrangment of "Round Midnight", plus "God Bless The Child", "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Solitude", and the "Love Medley".

One of the hippest records ever to come out of Chicago – the sole recording by Boscoe, a group who was even more obscure and experimental than contemporaries like The Pharoahs or Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Like those groups, Boscoe has a very unique, very visionary approach – one that's not content just to echo the standard post-Coltrane modes that other spiritual jazz groups around the country were hitting – but which instead moves into territory that touches on the darker sides of funk, soul, and spoken word of the time – all with a message that's incredibly powerful, and conception that's wonderfully fresh throughout! The group's lineup features tenor, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, and drums – but they way they're put together is often far different than other funky combos – and it's clear that the group had as much of a sensibility about the overall sound of their record as they did their freer grooves. At times, there's a righteousness here that recalls the best of the early Westbound Records scene from Detroit – but there's an even higher agenda too, which is more in keeping with the spiritual aspriations of their Chicago contemporaries, and which really show up in the lyrics. The whole album's a masterpiece from start to finish – unlike anything that we can think of, still ripe for rediscovery today, and just the kind of set that makes us prouder than ever of our Chicago heritage! Titles include "We Ain't Free", "Money Won't Save You", "Now and Den", "He Keeps You", "I'm What You Need", and "Writin' On The Wall".

Great reissue of James' second set of tracks recorded live at the famous Apollo Theatre! We like this one way better than volume one, and find it to be a much heftier set of tracks – with a stunning array of sheer raw showmanship. This one's in a 2 LP format, with lots more room for The Godfather and his band to stretch out and groove in the great way that they do when they play live. Tracks include "Bring It Up", "Let Yourself Go", "Think" (in duet form), a great version of "There Was a Time", "It May Be The Last Time", "I Feel Good (I Got You)", "Prisoner Of Love", "Out Of Sight", "Try Me", "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World", "Lost Someone","Thanks", "Let Yourself Go", "Cold Sweat", "I Feel Alright", and "Please, Please, Please". Very nice stuff!

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".

Terry Callier's first album – recorded in 1964 when he was a wee teen hanging around Chicago's folk scene! As the title indicates, the album's definitely got a folk-styled sound – but also as the "new" implies, it's got a sound all it's own, fresh and free – and that sound is the genius that is Terry Callier! This is very stripped down material, very dark and brooding – a good chance to hear Terry before he hit the Chess studios and they backed him up with a lot of orchestrations (although we love the orchestrations, too.) The material has a soulful spiritual feel, and is sung with a lot of passion over acoustic guitar. Think of Nina Simone's folksier stuff from the same time, if you need a reference. Tracks include "900 Miles", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "It's About Time", "Promenade In Green", and "I'm A Drifter".

A nice 6 song mini LP/EP scorcher from Portsmouth, NH garage rockers The Connection! Seven Nights To Rock is a hook-filled blast – with a tight, no frills and no-nonsense style inspired by the greatests 60s garage sounds – and a tuneful delivery that's above and beyond so many of their contemporary peers. The group not only has a great ear for hooks, but the ability to pull them off with a mix of raucous rock and sweeter harmonies. Fun stuff! Includes "Seven Nights To Rock", "I Think She Digs Me", "Comes 'N Goes", "Bad To Worse", a cover of The Ramones rarity "Yeah Yeah" and in another cool nod to The Ramones – the Connection original "Gonna Leave You" features production by Ed Stasium – producer/engineer of some the Ramones most treasured material!

One of the greatest grooves from the legendary Desco Records years – a brilliant album of modern Afro Funk done by The Daktaris – in a groove that's just as hard-hitting as any of Fela's work from the 70s! The album was one of the first to bring back an older African style to current funk – and even years later, it's still one of the best examples of the sound – a razor-sharp session that helped set the stage for better-known Antibalas work to come! Percussion and guitar is super-heavy throughout – produced with that bare-bones Desco style, and handled in a way that makes you think the record might be some treasure from mid 70s Nigeria – a trick the label tried to pull when it was released! Cuts include a cover of Fela's "Upside Down", James Brown's "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose", and the originals "Super Afro-Beat", "Daktari Walk", "Voodoo Soul Stew", and "Quiet Man Is A Dead Man".

An amazing step sideways for London's Zoot Money – a move from mod to psych, with a trippy quality that's quite different from his jazzy sound a few years before! The group's got legendary fame – not just for the shift in styles by Zoot, but also for the fact that it features key work from a young Andy Summers – later of The Police – who works here with some great tones on guitar, and plenty of fresh ideas in all the songs he penned on the record! Money's vocals are wonderful – almost as if Georgie Fame were singing on a psych album – which is as unusual and compelling as you might think. These sessions were recorded in the late 60s, but mostly unissued at the time – but really rank with the best of the early Syd Barrett or Kevin Ayers generation – with titles that include "Coffee Song", "Madman Running Through The Fields", "This Island", "High Flying Bird", "Four Firemen", "Soma (parts 1 & 2)".

The third album in an amazing early run from The Delfonics – the kind of work that set a whole new standard for group soul in the 70s! A number of the tracks here had already risen to fame before the album's release as singles – and these are mixed with some additional tracks that are woven together in a near-perfect symphony of sound! The mighty Thom Bell arranged most of the numbers here – save for 2 by Anthony Dorsey – and the group's heavenly harmonies are in amazing form on both mellow ballads and a few more righteous numbers. Titles include "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", "Funny Feeling", "Over & Over", "Baby I Love You", "When You Get Right Down To It", "Delfonics Theme", "Trying To Make A Fool Of Me", "I Gave To You", "Down Is Up Up Is Down", and "Think About Me".

Ed OG's nice debut, with a slightly jazzy touch on the production and literate, intelligent lyrics. We really couldn't get with "Bug A Boo", but besides that, this first LP's solid from start to finish, from the days when that wasn't so uncommon. Drop the needle on this and head back in time to a day when backpacker wasn't necessarily a derogatory term, a beat wasn't a straight loop of a common sample, and rhyme skills included being able to follow the beat, which was typically at least a little bit funky. With the now classic "Be A Father To Your Child", plus standout tracks like "I'm Different", "Speak Upon It", "I Got To Have It" and "Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto". 12 tracks in all, also includes "Gotta Have Money", "Feel Like A Nut", "She Said It Was Great", "Dedicated To The Right Wingers", 'Let ME Tickle Your Fancy" and "Stop (Think For A Moment)".

A totally great project from Bryan Ferry – completely unlike anything that he or Roxy Music have ever done in the past – even though the whole thing is a tribute to the glory days of the group! The tunes are all famous 70s tracks by the group, but they're redone here as jazz instrumentals – not just jazzy takes on the music of Roxy, but work with a much older vintage – really 20s-styled versions of the tunes – with instrumentation that's completely faithful, as is the production – so that you'd honestly think you're listening more to a collection of older 78s from the days of acoustic recording – even though the songs are oddly familiar. The vintage jazz mode prevails so much that the core melodies of the tunes aren't even apparent at first – they kind of sneak up on you with a nice sense of surprise, and only after a bit do you actually catch the song – but even then, marvel at the way that the older melody has this sinister sound that still comes through amidst the blend of trombone, clarinet, guitar, and skittish rhythms. A brilliant set – far more charming than we would have expected – and titles include "The Bogus Man", "Love Is The Drug", "Do The Strand", "Don't Stop The Dance", "Virginia Plain", "This Island Earth", and "Avalon".

Great work by the team of Brigitte Fontaine and Areski Belcam – two of the most enigmatic talents you'll ever hear on record! The album's the only one they ever recorded that wasn't issued by the Saravah label – and it's a fantastic blend of otherworldly vocals with spare instrumentation that includes electric piano, flute, bandoneon, and percussion – wrapped together wonderfully with a haunting sound that's just amazing. Even if you don't understand French, the sound and style of the voices are more than enough to keep you captivated – and the album is some of the most indescribably beautiful music we can think of! Titles include "Le Borgais", "L'Abeille", "Les Petites Madones", "Le 6 Septembre", and "Ragilia".

A legendary bit of funk, from one of the most overlooked guitarists ever! George Freeman's got a sound and a style unlike any other player we can think of – an approach to funky guitar that's often got a really hard touch on the strings, and which gets nice and noisy at the best funky moments. Freeman's probably best known for the few obscure records he cut with Groove Holmes, but this album's his out and out masterpiece – a rare one-off session cut in the funky Philly scene and supervised by DJ Sonny Hopson – and featuring a rare mix of players that includes Cesar Frazier on organ and Charles Earland on Arp! The mix of organ and Arp is really incredible – especially on the side-long jammer "Franticdiagnosis", which runs for nearly 20 minutes, and is one of the most messed-up funky jazz jams of the 70s! Other players include Von Freeman on tenor sax and Dave Hubbard on alto flute – and the album features the legendary jazz dance track "The Bump", plus the cuts "Free-Man" and "God Bless The Child".

A classic deep soul set from ZZ Hill – done for the Mankind label, with production from Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams and Quin Ivy – recorded down at Muscle Shoals, with a sound that's one of the best that Hill ever received! There's a rootsy, personal feel to most of the record – in a mode that works great with ZZ's slightly crackling vocals – and which avoids some of the overdone cliches that were already creeping into some of the southern soul work of the time. The record's also got a unique feel in that it's billed as "Blues At The Opera" – and has a slight story-type structure – with some spoken bits between a few of the tunes, and an approach that's a bit more unified than some of the other records of this type at the time. Titles include the excellent funky number "I Think I'd Do It" – ZZ's lasting break classic – plus "Second Chance", "Faithful & True", "Hold Back", "Early In The Morning", and "A Man Needs A Woman".

Lightnin Hopkins at his best – a set that rings out with all his bold electric tones on the guitar, yet which also has the moody, stripped-down feel of a blues recording from a few decades before! The electricity really does a lot to deepen the tone – both in the echo from Hopkins' guitar, and in the way his vocals stretch out in the same space! There's no other backing at all – which makes for a moody feel, and a quality that lives up to the "folk" in the title – yet Lightnin also gives the whole thing a crackling sort of energy that's also very much in the best postwar blues mode. Titles include "Sick Feelin Blues", "Blues For My Cookie", "My Baby's Gone", "Lightnin's Special", "Nothin But The Blues", and "Don't Think Cause You're Pretty".

One of our favorite soul albums ever – a complete masterpiece from the mighty Leroy Hutson, easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s! The album's got a warmth that's amazing, yet also still manages to groove all the way through – hitting a subtle, almost mellow vibe that's like Marvin Gaye or Roy Ayers at their best – but somehow even better because the album's a lot less familiar than their work, and has a freshness that grabs us again and again over the years! Hutson arranged and produced the whole set himself – and the scope of his talents in the studio is amazing – tight on the rhythms, but broadly expansive on the other instrumentation – with a mix of intimacy and class that few other records from the 70s could ever hope to match. Perfect all the way through, and filled with genius cuts that include "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "I Think I'm Falling In Love", "Love to Hold You Close", "Flying High", "I Do I Do Want To Make Love To You", "Blackberry Jam", and "Sofunkstication".

``A heady set from mid 70s South Korea – the debut album from a mighty edgey little trio! The album's not nearly as psych as some of the other Korean efforts from the period – as the group's got a tight groove on most numbers, with a definite funk influence on the drums and bass – mixed nicely with heavy use of fuzz guitar, and Shin's weirdly soulful vocals! The set's not really a funk album, but it's not really funky rock either – kind of a unique hybrid, and a very original little set – especially when you throw the oddness of the Korean vocals into the mix. Titles include "Lady", "I Do Not Know", "Rising Sun", "I Love You", "Long Long Night", and "I Think There Was Someone Else".

They might be borrowing her band, but they sure can't dampen her soul – because Sharon Jones is strongly back in action, and sounding funkier and more deeply soulful than ever! Given that Sharon wasn't singing back in the 60s, it's hard to think we'd be calling her the real deal – but in a world of crossover classic-copping soul singers, or slightly rewarmed older acts, Jones is a true treat through and through – the kind of soul singer whose work still recalls the best era of the funky 45 underground! The mighty Dap-Kings are in full force here – snapping along the groove with a range of classic soul influences – styles borrowed from Memphis, Miami, Muscle Shoals, and more – all sifted down to some of the tightest grooves any singer ever had the chance of working with! The production is amazing – as sharp-edged as the music – and handled by Bosco Mann with a sound that's as faithful to the roots as the cover might imply. Titles include "100 Days 100 Nights", "Tell Me", "Be Easy", "Nobody's Baby", "When The Other Foot Drops Uncle", "Something's Changed", "Keep On Looking", "Answer Me", and "Humble Me".

Not the US group Kaleidoscope, but a Mexican one – very fuzzy and tripped out, with English language lyrics all the way through! The production is nice and muddy – in just that right psyche way to make the vocals lay on top of the guitars lay on top of the basslines – which gives the record a really heady, brooding sort of quality – making things seem probably even darker than the group intended when first recording, with a nicely spooky feel all the way through! Organ is a key part of this heady brew – often bubbling up from the bottom, but never quite breaking through the fuzz – and the vocals have this stark, echoey feel that almost reminds us of early Jonathan Richman, but without the naivete. Titles include "I Think It's All Right", "Let Me Try", "Hang Out", "I'm Crazy", "A New Man", "A Hole In My Life", and "I'm Here He's Gone She's Cryin".

One of the greatest female soul albums of the 60s – an obscure session cut by singer Anna King, produced to perfection by James Brown! The sound here is very much in keeping with James' best work of the time – deep deep deep soul, with a solid grounding in the indie traditions of the time, and some ultra-tight backing by James and the rest of his famous group. Bobby Byrd joins Anna on a great tune called "Baby Baby Baby", and all other tracks are sung solo – in a mindblowing style that should have been enough to make Aretha give up singing forever! Titles include "Come & Get These Memories", "If You Don't Think", "I Don't Want To Cry", "Sittin In The Dark", "Come On Home", and "Make Up Your Mind".

An amazing new sound from Kokolo – one that takes their Afro Funk groove, and turns it on a host of James Brown classics – all with a result that's completely unique! The album's hardly a copycat of James' original style – and instead, it reworks his funky favorites with a complicated approach to rhythms – one that shows a rich criss-crossing between JB and Fela modes, almost an echoing amplification of the 70s influences that were passing back and forth between the US and African funk scenes! The vocals are something else entirely – as rhythmic as the grooves, with a quality that isn't as all-out soulful as James – but in a good way, as this helps them simmer down nicely with the instrumentation, and throw in a whole new level of counterpoint to the music. We're honestly stunned – quite surprised and impressed at this turn that Kokolo has taken, reaching forward for a sound that nobody else has touched. Titles include versions of "Mind Power", "The Popcorn", "Soul Power", "The Grunt", "Think", "Bring It Up", and "It's A New Day".

Fantastic French funk – a record that's unlike any other deep funk combo we can think of – because Caroline Lacaze sings in her native language instead of English! The grooves are stepped in the best funky 45 styles of the late 60s, but the vocals also echo the more soulful sound of the French pop of the time as well – making the record a sweet hybrid that really stands out from the pack – and which will certainly help freshen up any collection of contemporary funk! Caroline's sung before on projects with the Mighty Mocambos, and she gets strong support from them on this debut set of her own – a stone smoker that include "Soultempo", "Je Reste", "Toujours Lui", "Laisse Tomber", "Ici", "Minutes D'Insouciance", and "En Route Madame".

The amazing second album from the Lijadu Sisters – and even more amazing than the first! Like their debut, there's a sound here that's unlike anything else we can think of from the 70s African scene – but the groove is even more complex, and has a truly unique quality that's almost impossible to describe in words! Instrumentation is often nicely rootsy – with very earthy percussion at the bottom, light guitar, snaking sax lines, and some occasional electric touches on the more funky numbers – all in service of the sisters' unique back/forth vocal styles – not really harmonies, not really call-and-response – but somewhere in between! The whole record's wonderful, with a charm that's undeniable – and titles include "Osupa I", "Orin Aro", "Dibe Nuwa", "Iya Mi Jowo", and "Bayi L'Ense".

One of the first full albums on Motown – and a rockin batch of soul tracks from Martha Reeves and The Vandellas! The title cut – "Come & Get These Memories" – is a stone winner that virtually defines the sound of early Motown – and other tracks are all pretty great too, with nary any filler in the bunch, just great Holland/Dozier/Holland compositions to keep things going! Holland & Dozier produced, and titles include "Can't Get Used To Losing You", "This Is When I Need You Most", "A Love Like Yours", "Tears On My Pillow", "To Think You Would Hurt Me", "There He Is", "Jealous Lover", and "Old Love".

A classic set of soul jazz from Chicago – a rare indie date recorded in the early 80s, but with a tight and swinging feel that's more 70s jazz funk than you might think! Corky's on Yamaha keyboards, and he's backed by a hip group of Chicago players that includes Curtis Prince on drums, Artee Duke Payne on saxes, and Stephen Harris on guitars – all working together in a tightly rhythmic sound with some slight spiritual undercurrents – almost in the same territory as James Mason on his legendary record from a few years before! As with that set, there's a bit of polish here, but never too much – a balance that makes the record a wonderfully mature record with a depth that keeps it going for years. Byron Woods sings lead vocals on the album's jazz dance classic "Searching For Soul" – and a few other tracks feature Theresa Davis on lead vocals. Other titles include "Everything Must Change", "Open Wide", "Passion", "Jive Mama T", "Off C", and "Mirror Mirror".

An underground gem from Gwen McCrae – and the record that first set the tone for her dancefloor classics for Atlantic in the 80s! The album has Gwen shaking off some of the southern soul of her roots – stretching the genre out to hit notes that are much more in tune with modern soul of the time – a warmly sophisticated approach that uses Gwen's vocals to best effect on a variety of adult themes, but which also kicks in some great midtempo and mellow grooves on the set. A perfect example of this is the album's sublime stepper "All This Love I'm Givin" – a track that works perfectly on the dancefloor, yet which also has a heck of a lot of deep soul too – and the rest of the album follows in a similarly sublime sort of groove. Other titles include "I Can Only Think Of You", "I Found A Love", "Maybe I'll Find Somebody New", "The Melody Of Life", and "The Joy".

A built-to-last effort from MED, hence the title – a classic hip hop styled set with sharp rhymes and great production – straight up hip hop on Stones Throw that's straight up solid! As long as we've welcomed verses from the rhymer formerly known as Medaphoar, it's actually kind of a shock to think about it and realize that Classic is only his second proper album. It's a strong one – no filler whatsoever, with production by Madlib on 10 of 14 tracks – plus Georgia Anne Muldrow, Oh No, Alchemist and Karriem Riggins on the remaining joints. Guests include Talib Kweli, Oh NOo, Planet Asia, Kurupt and Aloe Blacc. Includes "Int'l", "Where I'm From" feat Aloe Blacc, "Too Late", "War & Love" feat Oh No, "Classic" feat Talib Kweli, "Get That" feat POK, "JWF", "Roll Out" feat Planet Asia & Kurupt, "Blaxican", "Outta Control" feat Hodgy Beats, "Flying High", "Medical Card", "1 Life 2 Live" and "Mystical Card".

Oh how we love this album – and we think it may well be the best album ever from Charles Mingus! The set was recorded in that magical Mingus year of 1957, but oddly not released until 1962 – missing some of the initial frenzy of his discovery during the Atlantic and Columbia years. But the album's actually a treasure that predates the better-known latter sides – with a sharpness and intensity that Mingus hardly ever matched again! The group is one of his strongest ever – with Shafi Hadi on alto, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Bill Triglia on piano. There's a slight Latin vibe, as you might expect from the title – but it's very slight overall, and most of the tunes are in that sharply angular, fully expressive style that flowered most strongly for Mingus in the late 50s. There's not a wasted moment of music on the whole album – with tight solos and incredible rhythms that dominate every second of the extended tracks – and titles include "Dizzy Moods", "Flamingo", "Los Mariachis", "Ysabel's Tabel Dance", and "Tijuana Gift Shop".

One of Hugo Montenegro's greatest soundtracks ever – and one of the grooviest 60s scores we can think of! The album's filled with incredible jazzy tracks – darkly tinged, but bubbling, upbeat, and wonderful – the kind of hard-driving numbers that make a soundtrack like this so great, and which you rarely find in such strong form overall. A few tunes are standards, but even these are handled well – and titles include "Lady In Cement", "Jilly's Joint", "Kit", "The Shark", "Yale's Pool Room", "Ruby's Burlesque", "Again", and "Tony's Theme".

A jazz classic if there ever was one – and the best-selling album ever by Lee Morgan, thanks to the use of the title track in a car commercial! Sure, you've probably heard "The Sidewinder" enough that you think you know the album already – but the rest of the tunes really open up past that groover, into a realm of lyrical, soulful playing that's simply tremendous! The group on the record features Joe Henderson on tenor, Barry Harris on piano, Bob Crenshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the album rolls along with a sense of perfect power that is every bit Blue Note at its best! Titles include "Sidewinder", "Gary's Notebook", "Hocus-Pocus", and "Totem Pole".

One of greatest moments of genius by pop vocals eccentric Harry Nilsson – the classic early 70s "story" album The Point – perhaps is most imaginative work! The Point is a weird tale of a kid whose head was differently shaped than the rest of his townsfolk (hey, we're not making this up!), which leads him to go on a Yellow Submarine-esque psychedelic odyssey to sort out his identity and feelings! In the end, everything ends up all happy and sweet, but not before Nilsson lays down some very cool, very groovy tracks over nice off-beat instrumentation arranged and conducted by George Tipton. Titles include "Everything's Got 'Em", "Me And My Arrow", "Poli High", "Think About Your Troubles", "Life Life", "Are You Sleeping?", "POV Waltz" and more. This reverent 2012 vinyl reissue from Get On Down includes a reproduction of the original 11.5" X 11.5" full color comic storyboard by Gary Lund – with the lyrics printed in the gatefold. Beautiful!

Beastly salsa from Orquesta El Macabeo – a record that bursts out with power right from the start – soaring forth at a level that almost knocks out most classic salsa records we can think of! This youthful group just keeps getting better and better with each new release – and this set is definitely the greatest they've given us to date – a non-stop burst of musical creativity all the way through – put together with all the raw energy and jazzy spontaneity that so few groups can get this right these days. The vocals carry a lot of punch, too – and really send the whole thing home nicely – on titles that include "El Sueno", "La Dieta", "Swing", "Alacran", "La Noche", "La Conga", and "Lluvia Con Sol".

A wild collection of rare tracks from this legendary group of the Tropicalia scene – a few outtakes and live tracks, but also some cool commercials, and collaborations with Caetano Veloso too – all brought together in a set that's a great complement to their famous albums of the late 60s! Maybe the most striking are a series of spots the group did for Shell gasoline – work we can't help but think they did with an ironic twist – and the set also features tracks with Veloso, "Marcianita" and "A Voz Do Morto" – plus "Balada Do Louco (outtake)", "Gloria Ao Rei Dos Confins Do Alem (live)", "Panis Et Circensis (live)", "E Proibido Poibir (live)", "Ando Meio Desligado/Nao Fez Marola (long)", "Caminhante Noturno (Franca 1969)", and "Baemacumba (Franca 1969)".

An insanely wonderful album! Shuggie Otis is the son of Johnny Otis – the LA R&B maestro who was moving heavily into funk at the end of the 60s – and he has this tripped out, super-dope guitar style that he played to strong effect on Johnny's albums of the late 60s and early 70s, and on his first two solo albums, which were kind of bluesy in tone. For this album, though, he shocked the world by moving into a stripped-down mode that pairs his guitar with spare drum machine rhythms, flanged-out deeply soulful vocals, and one of the most laidback conceptions of funk you'll ever hear. The album's a landmark – one of those gems that's unlike anything else you can think of, but which will redefine your concept of what you want in a record for years to come. Every track's a winner – and the whole thing's a perfectly unified batch of tunes that includes instant classics like "Inspiration Information", "Island Letter", "Aht Uh Mi Hed", "XL 30", and "Rainy Day".

A largely unheard psychedelic gem from the end of the 60s – originally private pressed by the group of suburban NY teenagers responsible for the wild sound! There's a cosmic rock groove and a bit of doe-eyed innocence in these cute odes to mind expansion – with freewheeling guitars, hand percussion, keys and a conversational vocal style that sounds like a wildly tripping, speak-singing Neil Young! Titles include "Flower", "Nostalgia Trip", "Reflections", "Do You Think About Me?", "White Light", "Relax", "My Lonely Friend", "Andrea", and "The Goodnight Song". Super heavy-vinyl reissue comes in a very cool cover with a bonus booklet – and also includes a bonus single too!

Heavy dubs from a fairly unsung producer Phil Pratt – a set recorded at Channel One at the end of the 70s/start of the 80s –backed by the mighty rhythms of Sly & Robbie and other key figures in some of the greatest Jamaican music! This is some of the most adventurous dub we can think of from that time, yet it doesn't go too far off the experimental deep end – with acres of infectious echo and some tripped out atmosherics. Ron Brian is on guitar, Bobby Kalphat & Ansel Collins on keys, Tommy McCook & Herman Marquis on horns. Includes "Dial-M-For Murder", "Danger UBX", "Stinger", "Beware Of This Rass Dub", "Chase A Crooked Shadow", "Don't Watch My Size", "Walking Razor", "Wonder Woman Dub", "Bad Boy Dub" and "Jam Up".

Massive work from one of the funkiest drummers of all time – the legendary Bernard Pretty Purdie, stepping out here in a batch of instrumentals that may well be his greatest album ever! Bernard's drums are right up front in the mix – leading off all tunes with a full, funky, echoey sort of approach that's unlike anything else we can think of – and certainly different from any other late 60s albums of this type! The production is totally great – and has a way of pulling out some of the weirdest aspects of the music – which itself features guitar from Billy Butler and Eric Gale, bass from Bob Bushnell, tenor and flute from Seldon Powell, and organ and piano from Richard Tee – who also handled all the arrangements on the set! The centerpiece is the hit single "Funky Donkey", but just about every track's a groover in its own way – and titles include "Soul Drums", "Bill's Groove", "Jimmy's Back", "Testifyin", "Modern Jive", "Blow Your Lid", "Bee N Tee", and "Soul Bossa Nova".

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause".

Amazing sounds from the legendary Rodriguez – the brilliant 70s singer who had a groove that was equal parts soul, funk, rock, and folk – and an overall approach that was pretty darn unique! Most numbers here have some acoustic guitar over slightly funky rhythms – perfectly scored to work with Rodriguez's raspy soul vocals, which have an undeniably heartfelt style – somewhere in a space between Terry Callier and early Jose Feliciano, but very much its own mode too! Titles include "Sugar Man", "Cause", "I Wonder", "Like Janis", "Jane S Piddy", "I Think Of You", "Inner City Blues", and "Sandrevan Lullaby Lifestyles".

A gritty, genuinely soulful debut from the team of Miles Bonny and beatmaker Brenk Sinatra – and one of the best underground soul-skewing full lengths yet from Mr. Bonny and Melting Pot! With the exception of some guitar, S3 is a 2-man operation – Brenk on the beats and Bonny on vocals and fluegelhorn. It's got a stripped to the essentials vibe that reminds us of some of favorite sounds of classic hip hop soul. Really strong stuff! The beats carry a raw soul and hip hop funk vibe and it's given some added depth thanks to strong, hazy vocals by Miles – along with his solid work on flugelhorn. Titles include "Seein' Doe", "Chakal", "Don't Stop", "Sprinkle", "Dr. Strange", "All I Know", "10 Minutes", "Let It Rain", "Rain Don't Stop Me Now", "Lystics", "Really", "Get This Money", "Stars Shine" and "Moving On" and in a nod to classic hip hop albums, a series of "skits" – but don't think those are filler – these little interludes are purely musical and indispensable!

If you think that Pharaoh Sanders' genius as a leader first blossomed during his post-Coltrane years on Impulse, you owe it to yourself to check out this early album for ESP – a startlingly great session that offers a whole new side of his talents! The album features 2 side-long tracks – each of them great in their own ways, both in ways that are far different from the later Sanders sound on Impulse! Pharoah's tone here isn't nearly as raspy as on his more famous sides – it's more straightforward, almost Coltrane-esque – and as the long tracks unfold, there's almost a Sonny Rollins-like sense of spontaneous invention, especially on "Bethera", which takes up all of side two. And while we love the spiritual sensibilities of Sanders' classic albums, we also really like the pointedness of this one – not just because it shows a young Pharoah already possessed of greatness not infused by Coltrane, but also because the album's a mostly-inside session that's a real standout in the ESP catalog! The group's unusual too – and features Stan Foster on trumpet, Jane Getz on piano, William Bennett on bass, and Marvin Patillo on percussion. Tracks include "Bethera" and "Seven by Seven".

One of the greatest soul records of all time – and an album that we'd never part with! Gloria Scott only ever recorded this one full LP – but that's more than enough, as the whole thing's a masterpiece – produced by Barry White with the best of his 70s approach, and featuring songs written by lesser-known White protege, Tom Brock! Nearly every single cut's a classic – a mixture of deep soul, mellow soul, and slight traces of funk – all gliding effortlessly together with White's stone cold production, and Gloria's instantly captivating vocals. Titles include "Love Me, Love Me, Love Me, or Leave Me, Leave Me, Leave Me", "I Think Of You", "That's What You Say", and "Too Much Lovemakin" – and the whole thing's great!

One the all time great funky albums of the 70s – a mad little record with a sense of rhythm and timing that was years ahead of its time! The Soul Searchers (along with Chuck Brown) later became known for their heavy-hitting Go Go work at the end of the decade – but here, they're a really free-thinking outfit with a lot of jazz in their funk – and a willingness to change up the beats and timings in ways that push the record miles ahead from an average funk outing. Tracks swirl around with an amazing intensity – supported by guitar work from Brown, organ from Hilton Felton, and some really great horns from Don Tillery and Lloyd Pinchback. The album features a wonderful remake of "Think" – plus the great originals "1993", "Soul To The People", "Blowout", and "We The People".

Vocal jazz, but with plenty of tripped-out touches – hardly what you'd expect from a Norwegian group with plenty of Christian leanings! That's Why were one of the key groups to reform the sound of church music in Norway at the end of the 60s – and work here with a unique hybrid of jazz fusion, folk, and these wonderful scatting harmonies that really make the music sparkle – almost a Free Design sort of energy, but even more complicated overall! Given that the lyrics are Norwegian, you'll miss most of the spiritual messages in the tunes – but that gives you an even greater chance to focus on the cool interplay between electric piano, acoustic guitar, soaring vocals, and core modal rhythms – a wonderful blend that's unlike anything else we can think of. Titles include "Noe Annet", "Dyp Av Nade", "Udoyeleg", "Mattheus 25", "Tiden", "Children Of The Future Age", and "Den Oppstadne".

A rare slice of power pop from the end of the 70s – just the kind of indie label gem that makes the genre so great! In a world where so many other groups were getting punky or quirky, The Toms keep things tight and right – really focusing on catchy melodies and well-penned rhythms – delivered with a simple, straightforward approach that's free from gimmicks, but plenty darn compelling. Lyrics are pretty fresh, but also have a sort of "instant classic" feel – making you wonder if you'd heard the songs before, given the way they grab you right away. Titles include "Let's Be Friends Again", "You Must Have Crossed My Mind", "Other Boys Do", "The Door", "It's Needless", "The Flame", "Think About Me", and "Better Than Anyone Else".

Very nice spacey soul from the late 70s Columbus, Ohio scene by Norman Whiteside's Wee – a mindblowing mix of jazz funk sophistication, harmony vocals and electric keyboard led psychedelic soul! Whiteside started Wee after the dissolution of Capsoul Records, where he was an important figure to say the least – and here he's working with a great group of Columbus players harmony vocals in the frontline, backed by some great jazzy arrangements, with slight touches of a Mizell groove. Many of the tracks have a mellow midtempo feel, and some really innovative use of electric keyboards and flanged production on the vocals. A fantastic rediscovery from the fertile 70s Ohio scene! This stellar Asterisk reissue of the 9 track original Owl LP extends the tracklist to 20 songs – including a bunch of previously unreleased tracks – with "I'm All Changed", "Alone", "Put It In Real Good", "Leavin You Alone", "Try Me" (album and 45 versions), and "Find Me, Love Me", "Stay", "Trying To Tell You How I Feel", "I Luv You", "Do You Know", "I Think I Am In Love With You" and more. Vinyl version features 1 bonus track – and a really amazing package with a cool insert too!

An excellent bit of funk – and one of those records that folks were digging for way back in the days when folks were hardly digging for obscure funk records! The album's centerpiece is the classic "Seven Minutes of Funk", a biiiig sample cut from the early days (think EPMD), and a beautiful slow track that's in a class by itself when it comes to funk. Other tunes are in a more stock ensemble funk mode, but still quite nice – and titles include "New Yorkin", "I'm Hurt", and a version of "Fly Away Love Bird", which was cut by Larry Saunders, who was also on the Soul International label.

A masterpiece of smooth jazzy funk – and super-hip session headed up by the young keyboardist Bernard Wright! Wright's working here with an insider crowd of jazz funk players that includes Bobby Broom, Dave Grusin, Marcus Miller, and Don Blackman, whose funky style is very similar to Wright's. The record sort of picks up the groove where some of the Fantasy Records sessions of the 70s left off – mixing together jazz and soul into a captivating blend that's made even better by Dave Grusin's tight production. And despite what you might think about the crap that Grusin headed up later in the 80s, the early days of the GRP label were amazing years for jazz funk. Includes Don Blackman's sample classic "Haboglabotribin", a nice version of Weldon Irvine's "Music Is The Key", and the cuts"Just Chillin' Out", "Master Rocker", and "Bread Sandwiches". Great all the way through, though – and a record that still delights us year after year!

Sample funk spun from records rescued by The Numero Group – edited by white label production crew Shoes without Numero's consent – which was then seized by Numero at the pressing plant, they bootlegged the bootleg, and release it here legitimately as Eccentric Breaks & Beats! The breakbeat funk aware will recognize the packaging for its parody of the Ultimate Breaks & Beats series – and however you feel about the politics of grey market music – creatively, this thing is a total win! Numero takes such impeccable care with their reissues, from the masters to the notes and packaging, we actually never really thought of the music as sample material – funky as the funkiest of their ouvre is! That's a testament to the curators of Numero, as the singers, players and producers of the original material are of paramount importance and we think of them individually when we listen to those compilations. Shoes, on the other hand (. . .or foot), heard potential for hypnotic, swirling psych funk blends and spins an undeniably creative set to suit. Titles include "Give Me Another Day", "Not Ready For School", "John Goodman Is Too Cool To Cry", "Peopleibrium", "Feel What Lies Behind You", "Saving Mr Billy's Soul", "Cosmic Clock", "Which Jesus Am I", "Everything" and more.

Part soul music, part Caribbean sounds – and a much-needed look at the lover's rock genre in reggae – that unique blend of Jamaican rhythms and American soul that took place in the British scene of the 70s and 80s – and created some pretty amazing records overall! There's definitely echoes here of the reggae styles you'd know from big Kingston recordings of the 70s – but there's also a mellower, more laidback mode as well – yet one that's warmed up a bit by more soul-styled production – creating a sound that's almost linked to some of the American midtempo soul that was playing big on the steppers scene. Once again, our hat's off to Soul Jazz for doing such a great job with the project – pulling together excellent work from overlooked recordings – and finding a way to help send it all home with great notes and track selection. Titles on this second vinyl volume include "Stop & Think It Over" by Full Wood, "Caught By Love" by Christine White, "Paradise" by Jean Adebambo, "People Make The World Go Round" by The Cool Notes, "Thinking Of You" by Candy McKenzie, "We've Got One" by Wendy Walker, "Even Though You're Gone" by Louisa Mark, and "Goodbye My Love" by The Sadonians.

Funky funky funky – way more so than you might think from the hokey title! The set's overflowing with rare instrumentals pulled from the indie label and funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – very much in the spirit of the Super Funk compilations on BGP, but almost harder-hitting, as the groove's completely without vocals overall – and the range of material is even more obscure than some of the usual BGP/Ace bits! The combos on the set range from rocking R&B combos to early funky jazz outfits – and the recording quality on most of these tracks is nice and rough and ready – with just the right edge to send over these cuts even more! Titles include "More Soul" by Ron Buford, "Ninety Eight Cents Plus Tax" by Detroit City Limits, "Chocolate Cherry" by Joe Tex Band, "Humpin" by Frank Armstrong & The Stingers, "Stokin" by Leon Ferguson & The Groove Tones, "Thing" by Lowell Fulsom, "Sundance (part 1)" by Lorenzo Holden, "Put Your Weight On It (part 1)" by Fillmore Street Soul Rebellion, "Roly Poly Mickey Lolich" by The Fans, and "Bad On Bad" by Chet Ivey & His Fabulous Avengers.

It's a bit hard to imagine the words "Thai" and "country" in the same place – but one listen to this set will show that the title's definitely got the right idea! The work here is oddly rootsy, yet has a modern feel too – a blend of acoustic instrumentation and some more pop-oriented production, used to create a very weird hybrid of South Asian sounds – music that's unlike anything else we can think of! Molam is a regional folk music of Thailand, often based around the khene – a strange bamboo "mouth organ" with some very odd sonic properties. Yet there's also a sense of variation in the music that's really documented here – shifting styles of expression that reflect different regional cultures poised to enter the mainstream with the addition of guitar and keyboards too. Vocals are as wild as the instrumentation – and titles include "Chiwit Sao Molam (Life Of A Molam Woman)" by Kwanjai Kalasin Yuk Patana, "Ruk Mai Somwong (Broken Heart-So Let's Dance)" by Sabaithong Powpuri, "Pua Mao Mea Mao (Husband Drunk, Wife Drunk)" by Unknown, and "Lam Phun Eun Sai (I Call For You)" by Tome Me Malai.

A massive fourth volume to this totally great series – and quite honestly, maybe the funkiest so far! Compiler Tobias Kirmayer really knows his stuff – after years of recording and reissuing great music on his own Tramp label – and if anything, his time in the funky underground has only given him a sharper ear for rare singles and lost soulful nuggets – as you'll hear in this wonderful compilation! The set's overflowing with killers from the late 60s and early 70s – and most of them are numbers we've never seen reissued before – quite a feat, given how many funk collections have shown up over the years. Snowboy bills the set as a "high-quality collection of obscenely rare" funk and soul 45s – and he's totally right about all of that – although we'll also add that musically, it's pretty darn great too! Titles include "Sticks & Stones" by Dino & The Dell-Tones, "Shakers & Movers (parts 1 & 2)" by Carl Westmoreland, "Talk About Soul" by Rudy Tee & The Reno-Bops, "Discotheque Soul (edit)" by Ricky Williams, "Hey Rugh Nut" by Zodiacs, "Hipster" by C Forture & J Brinson, "I Don't Think We Are Going Back Again" by Soul Brothers Inc, "Machine Gun" by Odyssey Group, "Night Club" by The Dave Harris Trio, "Honky Games" by Iris Bell with the Jive-Ettes, and "Booty Whip (unreleased acetate version)" by Bro Byron.

A mindblowing follow-up to the first Saharan Cellphone collection – and like that one, a set that's comprised of music from underground sources in contemporary Mali – pulled from the memory cards of local cellphones! Don't think that the music's tinny or amateurish, though – as the music here really represents a strong subculture expressing itself in very modern ways – recordings that rival most of the harder-edged African work we've heard in recent years, just circulated on phones instead of records! Styles range from hip hop to more familiar Mali modes – and titles include "Peguele" by DJ Mopao, "Hwa Heda" by Cheba Wassila, "Souveniram" by Kouedede, "Anar" by Mdou Moctar", "Imidiwane Friday" by Mouma Bob, and "Soul Tamashek" by Lakal Kanaye.

Incredible sounds from Burma – a really under-tapped musical legacy, finally brought forth by the always-great efforts of Sublime Frequencies! The sound here is unlike anything else we've ever heard – a very weird mish-mash of Southeast Asian elements, but always moving away from our expectations just when we think we've got a handle on it! There's some soulful vocals that remind us a bit of recordings from the subcontinent – but at other times, there's some very noisy, very percussive passages that remind us of the intense side of Indonesian gamelon – and at still other points, there's the weird sort of cultural crossroads that you'd get in frequently passed-through territories like Vietnam or Cambodia. But this hardly even gets at the surface of the whole thing – and as usual, you're best just putting your ears in the hands of Sublime Frequencies – as they blow your mind with cuts that include "Burmese Golden Drum" by Bo Hein, "Really Strange & Weird Things" by Sein Sah Thin, "Beautiful Town" by Mar Mar Aye, "Elephant Dragon" by Luan Moe, "Good Time" by Yi Yi Thant/Aung Heina, and "The Tune Of The Second Entertainment" by Yangon Sein Kyi Moe.

Church rock from 60s Quebec – a surprisingly great set of work that's way better than you might think from the concept! French Canada has always been strongly Catholic place – but it's also one that's pretty creatively inspired, too – so it's no surprise that in the wake of Vatican 2, lots of younger musicians were trying to find a way to get the message across – but in cool, groovy styles that really show the changes in sounds at the time! Some of these cuts are as freaky and fantastic as those heard on psych compilations from the Mucho Gusto label – and others have a cool funky approach – with lots of weird rhythms and offbeat instrumentation that's hardly what you'd expect to hear when walking into a church – and more in line with some of the more experimental rock-mass work from the US. Titles include "Raconte Moi" by Les Nocturnes, "Pierre" by Michel Conte, "Dieu Ne Se Mange Plus" by Jacques Michel, "Rappelle Toi Seigneur" by Steve Fiset, "Si Tous Les Hommes Voulaint" by Touladi & Gilles Jerome, "Ma Petite Esperance" by Les Messageres De Joi, "J'Ai Grand Desire De Votre Amour" by Les Allegros, "Gloire A Toi Tu Viens Nous Sauver" by Operation Jeunesse, and "Alleluia" by Pierre Labelle & Rene Angelil.

A great new album from this 70s Afro Funk legend – work that shows that Gydeu Blay Ambolley hasn't lost a bit of his groove over the years! There's a really great approach to the album that keeps things fresh – a sound that's lean and stripped-down, and not overproduced at all – creating a vibe that almost makes you think the record came from some Ghanian studio in the 70s! Gyedu Blay handles lead vocals and tenor, and the set features loads of tight percussion that bubbles along beautifully in an Afro Funk groove – plus tight horns on the top, and a bit of fuzzy guitar to give things a nice edge. Lyrics are nice and sharp, and titles include "Afrika Yie", "Game", "Bad Bad Boy", "Blakk Man Dey Suffer", "E Dey Walk For Ground", "Viktims", and "O Maame O Papa".

One of the rarest records ever recorded by this legendary percussionist! The set is presented as if it's as exotic as Sabu's Sorcery album – but thanks to a lineup of strong instrumentalists, the session's much more in a Latin jazz mode than the goofy photo on the cover might make you think. The group features congas by Ray Barretto, vibes and trombone by Jack Hitchcock, baritone sax by Cecil Payne, tenor by Gene Allen, and bass by Oscar Pettiford. Most tracks are long, and very jamming – and titles include "Safari", "Nadenga", "Ubas", and "Dawn".

The bracing debut of Public Image Itd! First Issue is seriously one of the most stunning post punk albums of its time – and we think it's light years ahead of the Sex Pistols in terms of boundless creativity and originality. Given that the Pistols disintegrated mere months before First Issue was issued, this album is all the more amazing for how hugely different Public Image is – different from Lydon's own earlier revolutionary punk act and different from absolutely everything else on the late 70s landscape. The dissonant, driving post punk guitars and sneering vocals are recognizable, sure, but the dubby textures and more angular touches are so far outside the box and so hugely influential that it's hard to fathom myriad post punk acts existing without it. Vital!

Swamp Dogg-style funky soul, produced and arranged by Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams, who also wrote most of the songs on the record. The album was recorded in Georgia, with a Muscle Shoals kind of sound, but which is also touched with a lot more overt politicism than your average southern combo from the time – especially on tracks like "Call Me N_gger" and "The Freedom Under Certain Konditions Marching Band". Other tracks include "I Dig Black Girls", "Who Do They Think They Are?", and "Sweet Bird Of Success". Definitely aiming at ruffling some feathers!

A heck of a discovery – early recordings Townes Van Zandt cut in mid 60s Nashville – a couple of years before his official solo debut, and a soul shakingly beautiful mix of his country folk blues storytelling and some more rollicking numbers that work exceptionally well! One of the things that's most striking about it is how wise and knowing his songs and his voice are this early in his game, with the more intimate voice and guitar numbers sounding great. The few songs with busier instumentation work, too, and that's even more surprising give the Townes loner folk ouvre. We didn't think there could be much Townes left unreleased, especially of this quality! Titles include "Black Widow Blues", "Maryetta's Song", "Hunger Child Blues", "Black Jack Mama", "When Your Dream Never Dies", "Big Country Blues", "Gypsy Friday", "Colorado Blues", "Black Crow Blues" and more.

A monster bit of funk that's unlike anything else we can think of! Beginning Of The End hailed from The Bahamas, but don't hold that against them – because instead of being a Caribbean cliche, they took the best part of the island rhythms, and used them to forge an incredible approach to funk! They've got a choppy sound that's the result of some incredibly dexterous guitar, bass, and drums – and which you'll recognize instantly from their one-time hit "Funky Nassau", a killer funk track that never gets old, no matter how many bands cover it over the years! That gem kicks off the album, which then rolls into the monster funky "part 2", which is even better! Other titles are equally wonderful – and include "Come Down", "Surrey Ride", "Monkey Tamarind", and "In The Deep". Essential – and one that you'll be spinning for years!

The lone early 70s masterpiece from Gary Higgins! Red Hash is monumental on a few fronts, one huge one being how far his influence reached despite the album spending so many years as a rarity, beloved by the relative few who've heard it. Seriously. . .we can think of a few icons of the indie folk 90s & 00s whose music simply would not exist if not for this record, but Red Hash is incredible on it's own terms. Post 60s psych folk at it's finest! Includes "Thicker Than A Smokey", "It Didn't Tak Too Long", "Windy Child", "Telegraph Towers", "I Can't Sleep At Night", "Cuckoo", "Stable The Spuds", "Unable To Fly", 'Looking For June" and more.

A funky holy grail – one of the rarest of the rare, and the only album ever cut by funky guitarist Carl "Sherlock" Holmes! Carl's work on the guitar is incredible – fast riffing and jazzy, with a style that's dirtier and messier than some of his 70s jazz funk contemporaries, but which also lays back on a few tracks so that Carl can deliver a sweetly soulful vocal. The album's a real blend of styles, all handled pretty darn well – from the hard funk of "Black Bag" and "Investigation", to the Latin jamming of "Modesa", the fast grooving of "Get Down Philly Town", and the mellow soul of "Think It Over" and "Your Game". Great stuff – and a real treat to finally have reissued!

A masterpiece of Latin jazz – and one of the truest expressions of the genre we can think of! The album's quite unique, especially for the time – a spare, stripped-down presentation of Latin-influenced jazz – a sound that has its roots in the cubop experiments of a decade before, but which comes off here with even more dynamic energy! Sabu's sound is quite different from the more staid styles of the cha cha/charanga generation at the time of this recording – and thanks to his own heavy conga, percussion from Louie Ramirez, trumpet from Marty Sheller, and alto sax from Bobby Porcelli, the whole album bristles with electricity and excitement. The horn solos are given plenty of room to do their thing – space you might find more on Blue Note or Prestige – and Sabu adds in some great sparer percussion bits too. Titles include "The Oracle", "Breakin' It In", "Flipping", "Nica's Dream", "Otra Vez", and lots lots more great ones!

One of the earliest albums ever from Swamp Dogg – and one of the best as well! The set was cut down at Capricorn Studios in Macon, and has a wicked blend of southern funk and deep soul that Swamp never hit this well ever again – a quality that almost makes us think the album was more of a serious effort than some of his later recordings – which always seemed to hide the real soul depth of Jerry Williams beneath some tongue in cheek elements. Not so here, though – as the record has a straight ahead deep soul quality that features Swamp's vocals crackling with the best of his contemporaries – and belting out some wickeder messages on the album's funkier tunes. Mr Dogg supervised the whole thing – from conception to production to performance – and titles include "Total Destruction To Your Mind", "I Was Born Blue", "Redneck", "Synthetic World", "Dust Your Head Color Ed", and "The Baby Is Mine".

Talib Kweli references has reputation as the concious rap torch carrier – and the perceived restrictions therein on Prisoner Of Concious – and delivers some of his best tracks in years. With a guest appearance by Nelly and featuring appearances by as varied a guest list as Miguel, Curren$y, Busta Rhymes and Kendrick Lamar, you might think he's casting his net too wide, but it's actually pretty consistent! Even on tracks that flirt with a commercial radio ready sound, Kweli's pen is as sharp and his flow as busy as ever. Solid work from one the more active legends in the game. Includes "Human Mic", "Turnt Up", "Come Here" feat Miguel, "High Life" with Rubix Cube & Bajah, "Ready Set Go" feat Melanie Fiona, "Hold It Now", "Push Thru" feat Curren$y, Kendrick Lamar & Glen Reynolds, "Hamster Wheel", "Delicate Flowers", "Rocket Ships" feat Busta Rhymes, "Upper Echelon", "Favela Love" feat Seu Jorge and "It Only Gets Better" feat Marsha Abrosius and more.

Some of the most brilliantly baroque work ever recorded by Marcos Valle – an obscure 1970 album that collects together tunes from a few of his odd soundtrack experiments of the late 60s, plus a few others that are in a very similar vein! Marcos is really going over the top here – breaking way way out from his bossa roots, into a mode that has him pushing the envelope of Brazilian music to unheard of heights, with equal parts groove and sophistication, hardly ever matched by any other artist since! Things are funky one minute, groovy the next, and subtly sophisticated at other points – a completely captivating blend that's one of the best illustrations of Valle's genius we can think of. Titles include "Quarentao Simpatico", "Ele E Ela", "Dez Leis", "Freio Aerodinamico", "Os Grilos", "Suite Imaginaria", and "Esperando O Messias".

Man, if Sesame Street sounded this groovy, we'd still be at home, sitting on the couch watching TV! Think of the album as kind of an alternative take on the Sesame Street sound of the early days – one that went past the easy multiculturalism of Gordon and Maria, into a style that was much more righteous – and handled in a socking 70s soul mode! The group are a vocal quintet with a solid harmony sound – working here in a blend of funk, soul, and mellower numbers – initially recasting versions of Sesame Street hits, but eventually moving into some of their own numbers on the second side of the album. Highlights include the group's own funky classic "The Cat Walk" – a loping slow funk groover that we've loved for years as a funky 45, and which is worth the price of the album alone – plus their snapping drum remake of the Sesame classic "Come On & Get It". Other tracks include "Soul Children Flower Children", "Time Will Tell", "It's Love I Feel Inside", and "What Happened To The Vows We Made" – plus versions of "Sesame Street" and "Rubber Duckie".

Mellow soul heaven – and one of the greatest compilations of this style we've ever heard! This is exactly the kind of laidback, tripped-out soul we totally love – a host of rare ballads and love songs pulled from the 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – sometimes by groups who are better known for funky tracks, other times by overlooked harmony groups and solo singers who rival the greatness of east coast artists like The Moments or Whatnauts! And while the music is totally great on its own – the sort we're usually content to have someone slip us on a dodgy CD – the whole package is even more incredible – a huge 80 page book that features loads of photos, record images, and notes on these obscure giants – really a Numero-level sort of presentation for these amazing tracks. Titles include "I Don't Think I'll Ever Love Another" by Darling Dears, "Slippin Around" by Thomas East, "Since You've Been Gone" by Little Janice, "Love" by Black Conspirators, "What Am I Waiting For" by Black Exotics, "Who Do You Think You're Fooling (part 1)" by Symphonic Four, "I'll Find A True Love" by Lee Bonds, "Young Girl" by Jazzie Cazzie & The Eight Sounds, and "Is It Me You Really Love" by Black Velvet. A really great 2LP package, too, with the book housed nicely in the center!

The one-and-only record by Anonymous – a mid 70s Indianapolis group who only ever pressed up a few hundred copies – and now it's one of best and most desired private press gems of its time! It's got a great sound that bears the influences of some of the great California combos of the period – think The Byrds and Crosby Stills Nash & Young – with great lead and harmony vocals and brilliant acoustic guitar work. What's most remarkable is that their songs and performances live up to those groups – it really seems like the only thing that held them back was the lack of a big production budget, promotion and distribution. Talent-wise, they have the goods! A really solid, timeless set. Includes "Who's Been Foolin'?", "J Rider", "Up To You", "Shadow Lay", "Pick Up And Run", "We Got More", "Sweet Lilac" and "Baby Come Risin'". This first ever licensed re-release feature liner notes by Aaron Milenski of Acid Archives.

Big Star's amazing Third (or 3rd if you please) – one of the best one-time lost rock albums of the 70s, if not ever – a record that was tough to find for years before finally becoming an acknowledged classic! How this could have ever been thought of as anything less than essential is a mystery. There's this weary quality to the vocals and songwriting of Alex Chilton that's sublime – paired with a raw, rocking underbelly – and finished with strings, horns and other Memphis-y accents. You could think that it all sounds like an ill fit – but no, it's glorious! This vinyl version from 4 Men With Beards features the original cover and original mixes of the 1978 release. Tracks include "Stroke It Noel", their great cover of the Velvets "Femme Fatale", "Thank You Friends", "Jesus Christ", "Holocaust", "Blue Moon", "Take Care" and more.

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "You've Got The Power", "I Found Someone", "I Want You So Bad", "Please Don't Go", and "Think".

Killer jazzy grooves from the French jazz house scene – and hands down one of our favorite albums of the 00s! St Germain take a Blue Note 70s sound as their base – with lots of sweet Hammond riffs, mellow Fender Rhodes licks, funky flute lines, and spacey percussion – then they add in some tight soulful house rhythms, with a very deep deep deep groove! The result is some of the best jazzy house of their time – and the record is the kind of album designed to put Blue Note back on the map as one of the most groove-committed jazz majors in the world. Killer stuff all around – and with the tracks "So Flute", "Montego Bay Spleen", "Latin Note", "Rose Rouge", "La Goutte D'Or", "Pont Des Arts", "Sure Thing", and "What Do You Think About . . ."

Massive mixes from the legendary John Morales – one of the key talents for really opening up the sound of New York dancefloors at the end of the 70s! The mixes here were all cut by John back in the day – all for special play in the clubs, and never commercially issued at the time – which makes the package one hell of a musical discovery – like finding your way back onto an underground dancefloor in the waning years of disco – when a handful of mixers like Morales were still finding some rich new energy in the scene! Most tracks are quite long, and have all their best elements expanded out by John – but in ways that really avoid some of the later "look at me" styles that mixers would use in the next generation. Vinyl part 1 features some very extended mixes – "Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up (M+M keep on doin it mix)" by Barry White, "Was That All It Was (M+M South Philly groove mix)" by Jean Carn, "If You Know Like I Know (M+M Teddy know best mix)" by Teddy Pendergrass, and "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own (M+M stepping out the door mix)" by Sandy Barber.

The sound of spiritual jazz from the European underground of the 60s and 70s – a really rich music-making scene that's every bit as impressive as the one going on in the US – as you'll hear from this amazing set of tracks! As with the first volume in the series, the collection is filled with modal jazz and other groovers – mostly long tracks that really stretch out, yet still always have a tight sense of rhythm – one that makes the music completely infectious right from the start! It might be tempting to think of European jazz of this sort as kind of a copy of a US mode – but instead, it really happened simultaneously – as younger players were really pushing past the styles of previous years – and drawing not only on American jazz for inspiration, but also a range of different post-colonial modes particular to the European scene – bits of African, Latin, Brazilian, and other styles that really helped influence their approach. And in a way, it might even be said that the Europeans of the 60s had a much looser approach to rhythm, one that really allowed for experiments like these – and which, in turn, went back to have an influence on the American side as well. Titles include "Temple Dancer" by Michael Garrick, "Communion" by Erich Kleinschuster, "Archangelo" by Raphael, "Africa Freakout" by Barney Wilen, "Corrida" by Nicolai Gromin, "Duke & Trane" by Hiekki Sarmanto, "Nana Imboro" by Wroblewski Jazz Quintet, "Las Morillas De Jaen" by Pedro Iturralde, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, and "Candy Clouds (part 2)" by Hans Dulfer & Ritmo Natural.

A wicked album of Latin Soul tunes – recorded by Harvey Averne, one of the heaviest hitting producers of the New York scene of the late 60s! The album's one of the few that Harvey issued under his own name, and it features him on piano and vibes, working with arrangements by Marty Sheller, and a tight batch of studio players who cook up the grooves in a classic Fania/Tico style! The album's got some very groovy originals – like "The Micro Mini", "You're No Good", "My Dream", and "You Mess My Mind Up" – plus some sweet little covers, like "The Think Drink Theme", "The Word", and "Wishing & Hoping" – all of which come off like some of Willie Bobo's best work of the time!

The eerie synth-stoked score for Halloween 3 – featuring tripped out, cosmic horror keyboard compositions for a flick that cast off the lurking "shape" for cyborgs, witchery and masked faces that melt into piles of insects! Whatever you might think of the movie – or even if you don't want to see damn thing – the soundtrack is completely excellent! The sound is great – and nearly, if not wholly analog synth-based, and recorded to 24-track tape – therefore perfectly suited to vinyl listening! Titles include "Chariots Of Pumpkins", "Starker And Marge", "Robots At The Factory", "The Rock", "Challis Escapes", "South Corridor", "Goodbye Ellie" and more.

Sweet British harmony soul from this overlooked 70s group – a really wonderful record that continues some of the best mellow group styles of the earlier part of the decade! Dave Collins – of Dave & Ansel Collins fame – is a member of the trio – but the sound here is more in keeping with the best New Jersey group modes than any of his earlier hits – a wonderfully fragile mode that has the voices hanging in air, coming together in sublime late night harmony sounds! A few numbers get slightly more uptempo, but the record's a pretty ballad-heavy one overall – and tracks include "Indebted To You", "Never Lose Never Win", "Why Can't We Be Lovers?", "Think I'll Leave This Song Just Like It Is", "Hogtied", "Chase A Miracle", and "Cold Steel".

Betty Davis was one of the nastiest ladies in 70s soul – and this is one of her greatest albums – a killer batch of funky tracks all the way through! Betty has a sound like nobody else – and she takes heavy drums, throbbing bass, and ripping guitars – all as a hard and funky backing for raunchy, raspy vocals that are belted out with a slinky, sexy sort of sound! Davis' vocals are unlike anyone else we can think of – easily some of the most badass work you'll ever find on record – and the tracks are a mix of hip themes about sex, gal power, and struttin your stuff – all delivered by a righteous woman who can definitely do just that! The album features the classic break tracks "If I'm In Luck I Might Get Picked Up" and "Steppin in Her I Miller Shoes", but every cut is a funky monster – including "Ooh Yea", "In The Meantime", "Your Man My Man", and "Anti Love Song". A great one if you dig hard female soul, heavy funky guitars, or both at the same time!

A group with a great blend of old and new modes – a mix of rootsy sounds from their native Mali, and some more focused guitar lines that really help revolutionize their music! The notes bill Alkibar Gignor as a "garage rock band" – and while we think that's a bit of a stretch, as there's not that much rock in their music, there is a nicely gritty style of production that really helps them keep their edge – a slightly muddy mode that's a great contrast from some of the "too clean" Mali recordings out there in recent years! The vocals get distorted at times, and the guitar workouts almost verge on fuzz – even though they spin out in clear lines that are much more Malian than Anglo – and the drums have a bumping quality under the vocal interplay, bringing an unexpected vibe to the record. Titles include "Adounia", "Lahidou", "Aniya", "Adibara", "Tamala", and "Dakou".

The first of BBE's forays into current hip hop – and a wonderful debut in the series! The album started as a breakbeat project from Detroit's Jay Dee, but soon morphed into a full-on hip hop album – complete with real instrumentation on Fender Rhodes, trumpet, keyboards, and drums, with lyrics on about half of the tracks. Features great remakes of "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd), plus the cuts "Rico Suave Bossa Nova", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It".

What can we say? This is one of the greatest albums of all time! The record's got a sound that's completely unique – as crack LA garage punk rock meets Hollywood baroque production, and the result is an amazing bit of loud guitar noise backed by strings and horns, all graced by the godlike vocals of the great Arthur Lee. Forever Changes is a milestone in rock – an incredibly bleak document about insanity, escape, and the coming revolution that never happened. Think of all the best moments of Wild In The Streets, Zabriske Point, and Invocation of My Demon Brother rolled into one – and you'll only have a tiny slice of the picture! A record that will haunt us until the day we die – filled with incredible songs like "Alone Again Or", "Old Man", "Daily Planet", "Red Telephone", and "Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale".

A holy grail of funky music – the one and only album ever cut by Marie Queenie Lyons, a heck of a hard soul single who's best known for her rare funky 45s! The album is stunning – every bit as great as any of Marie's singles, and with an incredibly unified sound that should have made the album an instant soul classic as soon as it was released. Think Marva Whitney, Vicki Anderson, Lyn Collins, and other sock-soul divas – and you've only got part of the picture! Plus, some of the tracks on the set were written by a young Don Pullen, who supposedly also played on the record – in a rare funky appearance in his pre-avant jazz days. Includes a funky remake of "Fever", plus the cuts "I Don't Want Nobody To Have It But You", "Your Key Don't Fit Anymore", "You Used Me", "Daddy's House", "See & Don't See", "Your Thing Ain't No Good Without My Thing", "I Want My Freedom", and "Try Me".

Really hip work from Italian flautist Gino Marinacci – a player with a sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of, recording here in a group that really matches the best side of his talents! Gino plays a bass flute – which has a nice low-end, rumbling sort of sound – quite different than some of the higher-toned flutes usually used in jazz, and mixed here with trombone work from Dino Piana, which makes for a nicely bottom-heavy record that's really great. Other players include Antonello Vannucchi on piano and organ and Angelo Baroncini on guitar – and the rhythms on the record are often as unique as Marinacci's sound – not quite modal, not quite bossa, not quite soul jazz – but with cool elements of all of them. Arrangements are by Marinacchi and Vannucchi, but Piero Piccioni also arranged one tune too – and titles include "Idea", "Metropoli", "Club Privato", "Comunicativa", "Dialogo", "Intesa", and "Un Volto Una Storia".

Raw North Mississippi blues from Fred McDowell – some of best of the 60s – or any other era! Recorded on portable equipment in 1964 and 1965 sessions in Como and Holy Springs, MS and Berkeley, CA – and capturing the buzz of his guitar and grain in his voice so beautifully! A couple tracks feature a second guitar, and just one has additional voices, allowing McDowell to hook you on his own – and he doesn't let go. Fantastic stuff. Includes "I Ain't Gonna Be Bad No More", "Where Were You", "Do My Baby Ever Think Of Me", "Bull Dog Blues", "Red Cross Store Blues", "You Got To Move", "I Wish I Was In Heaven Sittin Down", "Frisco Lines", "I Looked At The Sun" and more. 12 tracks in all.

Weird and wild sounds from contemporary Bogota – music that's got a very old school quality at its core, yet which also mixes in plenty of experimentation with the rhythms! Think of this as an old Colombian record with analogue electronics and sound samples – or some other-worldly sounds from the left side of the Peruvian scene – still with plenty of Latin elements at the core, especially in the grooves – but done with some really cool keyboards, tape tricks, and other nice bits! Titles include "Fiesta", "Guarach UFO", "Desesperanza", "Salsa Caliente", and "Salsa Del Zombie".

Oh how we love this album – and we think it may well be the best album ever from Charles Mingus! The set was recorded in that magical Mingus year of 1957, but oddly not released until 1962 – missing some of the initial frenzy of his discovery during the Atlantic and Columbia years. But the album's actually a treasure that predates the better-known latter sides – with a sharpness and intensity that Mingus hardly ever matched again! The group is one of his strongest ever – with Shafi Hadi on alto, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Bill Triglia on piano. There's a slight Latin vibe, as you might expect from the title – but it's very slight overall, and most of the tunes are in that sharply angular, fully expressive style that flowered most strongly for Mingus in the late 50s. There's not a wasted moment of music on the whole album – with tight solos and incredible rhythms that dominate every second of the extended tracks – and titles include "Dizzy Moods", "Flamingo", "Los Mariachis", "Ysabel's Tabel Dance", and "Tijuana Gift Shop".