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Nat plays with a group that's a bit more far-reaching than the classic Cannonball funk ensembles he cut his teeth on. Players include Ken McIntyre, Onaje Allen Gumbs, and John Stubblefield, and the tracks have a bit more of a spiritual quality to them, although they are not without some of the Adderley trademark funk sound. Includes a great version of Harold Vick's "Don't Look Back", plus "Funny Funny", "I Think I Got It", and "K. High".

We always think that it's unusual that after years and years of success in the early 70s with strong single solo artists, Motown really seemed to bank its hope for the 80s on a group soul sound that was part funk, part dancefloor, and part harmony soul. Fortunately, the label did a pretty good job with that sound – and Apollo are a strong example of the label's strength at the time. Gene Page, Wade Marcus, and others handled the arrangements – and tracks include "Astro Disco", "Apollo", "Never Learn", "Happiness", and "Space Cannibals".

Some consider this the worst point in Louis' career – when he was singing odd pop material for Decca, and had really left his jazz roots behind. We don't think it's that bad, though – and the album's got a wonderfully playful style that shows what a great entertainer Louis could be when he was up for the challenge. Gordon Jenkins did the arrangements, and the record features Louis' version of "Blueberry Hill" – plus the tracks "Chlo-e", "Jeannine", "Spooks!", "Trees", and "It's All In The Game".

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 titles include "Norwegian Wood", "Think For Yourself", "The Word", "Girl", "I'm Looking Through You", and "Run For Your Life"".

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!

Not necessarily a record of interviews – as the title might make you think – but one of Bruce's best records for Fantasy! The album's got some very edgey bits that approximate his live material, and which take the best part of his cleaner act, and transfer them well to record. Titles include "Dijinni In The Candy Store", "Enchanting Transylvania", "Interview With Dr Sholem Stein", "The Interview", "All Broadway Musicals Sound The Same, Especially The Baritones", and "The March Of High Fidelity".

Hipper than you might think, especially for Concord! Features percussion from Willie Bobo, guitar from Joe Diorio, trombone from Bob Brookmeyer, and Fender Rhodes from Arlette McCoy!

Beautiful bass work from 50s LA player Red Callender – heard here on this classic side recorded for the Modern imprint. Swingin Suite is easily one of Red's tightest sessions – a date that has Callender's basslines strongly leading a nonet of players that includes Harry Jones on trumpet, John Ewing on trombone, Willie Green on alto sax, and Buddy Collette on flute and tenor. Collette's lines have a nice sharp edge throughout, and soar out beautifully amidst the bigger backings – and although a "suite", the whole session's got a much more relaxed feel than that compositional title might make you think. Tracks include "On Again", "Greenery", "Pastel", "Dancers", "October Blue", "Bihari", "Skyline", and "Outlines".

Candido cut sooo many great Latin records over the years, spanning a wide range of styles, we have a hard time deciding which we love the best. We like to think this may be his best album from the early part of his career, specifically because it features the master conga player amidst a tight jazz lineup, who leave him plenty of room to solo and just plain get down doing his thing. Dick Hyman's on organ, Joe Puma's on guitar, and Ernie Royal's on trumpet, with George Duvivier and Charlie Persip in the rhythm section. 8 tracks in all, including "Afro Blue", "Caravan", "Softly But Blue", "Blue Lou", "Blue Prelude", "Bongo Baby", "Blue Dirge" and "Candido Cocktail".

An obscure later album from west coast soul group Chapter 8 – recorded after Anita Baker had left the group to move out on her own, but done for the mid 80s Beverly Glen indie, where Baker had also gotten her start as a solo act! The set's got a feel that's smooth and sophisticated – tighter even than the group's 70s album on Mercury – and most of the tracks focus on mellow modern and more adult-styled soul numbers that showcase the vocals of singers Valerie Pinkston and Gerald Lyles. Titles include "How Can I Get Next To You", "Don't Stop Loving Me", "How Is It Possible", "Love Loving You", "It's My Turn", and "Don't You Think It's Time".

A funky masterpiece from Bill Cosby – hardly the sort of record you might expect from all of his years on mainstream TV! This set was cut back when Bill was a much hipper cat on the LA scene – and it was the start of a brief all-instrumental run with his Badfoot Brown ensemble – a group who's not named in the notes on the record, but who offer up some seriously funky grooves! Bill supposedly plays keyboards himself – some really mad electric piano that's often repetitive, cyclical, and really hypnotic – a tripped-out style that's more funk than jazz, and which is easily one of the best parts of the record. But the rhythms are great too – equally hypnotic, and build up from bass, organ, guitar, and this whomping sort of drum part – echoing strongly in the background and really bringing a spooky feel to the set. Side one includes the amazing "Martin's Funeral" – sampled famously by Tribe Called Quest, and a 15 minute jam that's inspired by the funeral of Martin Luther King. Side two features "Hybish Shybish", an even longer track that's sort of an improvised jazz game – and which features tripped-out instrumental trading that's simply amazing. The whole record is really mindblowing – a messed-up jam session that's well worth the legend that's been built up around it over the years – and we're hard-pressed to think of another album like it! And as a special bonus, the package features these really long notes written by Bill Cosby himself – words that are as unusual as the music, and a side of him that's hardly been shown again.

Bobby Darin's last studio LP? We think so – and the record's a real lost chapter in his career. Bobby's kind of moving past the self-pity of his folksy years of the late 60s – stepping more strongly with a set of arrangements by Jimmy Haskell and Michael O'Martin, almost soul-like in quality, with an earthy touch to his vocals. Bobby always knew he would die an early death, and within a year of this one, he would pass away, almost quietly, and although it's a bit of a stretch to think that you can hear that in his voice, there's definitely something odd about the record. Tracks include "Sail Away", "I've Already Stayed Too Long", "Shipmates In Cheyenne", "Let It Be Me", and "My First Night Alone Without You".

Gil plays Jimi? Sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off pretty darn great – and it helps you forgive him for trying to convince the kids that he's not as old as his grey hair might make you think! As always with Evans, the key to the album is a beautiful balance between the strength of the players and vision of the arrangements – a hip mix of musicians who include Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, and both Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie on guitars! Arrangements are great too – handled by Tom Malone, Warren Smith, and Howard Johnson – all of whom make the album way more than just an instrumental reading of Jimi Hendrix tunes – and instead a great platform for improvisation that uses tunes that include "Up From The Skies", "Foxy Lady", "Gypsy Eyes", "Voodoo Chile", "Angel", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Castles Made of Sand".

One of the proudest moments of the New York Latin underground – a time when some of its best players wound up playing for Columbia, through a brief affiliation between Fania and the larger label! And although you might think that the album would totally sell out the group's best points, it's actually a great batch of cuts that mixes the All-Stars' strong salsa and jazz grooves with some nice club-oriented rhythms – a blend that was perfect to show the growing sophistication of the Nuyorican scene in the late 70s! All the right touches are still strongly in place – and the record features work from Pacheco, Roberto Roena, Mongo Santamaria, and Louie Ramirez, as well as guests Bob James and Eric Gale. Titles include "En Orbita", "Awake", "Juan Pachanga", "Steady", "Jubileo", and "Ella Fue".

Overblown for its time, and almost crushed under its own weight – but a record that's lasted surprisingly well over the years! Titles include "Sara", "Tusk", "Walk A Thin Line", "That's Enough For Me", "Brown Eyes", "Save Me A Place", and "What Makes You Think You're The One".

Aretha Franklin and electric piano – a really great combination that makes for a whole new level of soulfulness in the 70s! The album's one of Franklin's greatest of the decade – a deepening of the sound she first brought to Atlantic in the 60s, and a maturation of that groove – in a way that pushes Aretha strongly past cliches, and into some really great new territory! Arrangements here are by Arif Mardin and William Eaton – and most numbers feature small combo instrumentation at the core, with electric piano played by Aretha, Richard Tee, and Donny Hathaway. Titles include "If You Don't Think", "Oh Baby", "With Pen In Hand", "Let Me In Your Life", "I'm In Love", and "Every Natural Thing".

A portrait of Duke, done by Dizzy – and one that's got a whole different feel than you might think! Gillespie's working here with arrangements by a young Clare Fischer – who takes Ellington's themes and recasts them with an even deeper sense of color and tone – one that pushes the already-modern themes of the numbers into a whole new realm of sound, and uses the horn passages to carve things out a lot differently than Duke might have done! The result is a wonderfully striking session – one with familiar melodies that unfold in a whole new way – and which showcases some great phrasing from Dizzy, over rhythms by a combo that features Hank Jones, George Duvivier, and Charlie Persip – playing alongside a group of larger horns. Titles include "Perdido", "Caravan", "Upper Manhattan Medical Group", and "Chelsea Bridge".

A stone cold classic from Teddy Riley! Forget what you might think about the cliches of New Jack Swing, because this record is a landmark of modern soul, one of the freshest R&B albums from the 80s, and it still sounds great today. After starting things out with Wrecks N Effect, Riley moved over to Guy – who really made his hip-hop heavy New Jack sound work great, because they had much better vocal chops than earlier groups, and they could fuse a tight harmony to the funky sound in style that not only got them loads of airplay (and record sales!), but which inspired a whole generation of American soul. This first album's their best, and it includes lots of nice smooth jammers – like "Spend The Night", "Piece of My Love", "Teddy's Jam", "Groove Me", and "Goodbye Love".

One of the oddest Eddie Harris records for Vee Jay! One side's got a very young Muhal Richard Abrams doing the arrangements and playing piano, and features two great original tracks "Half & Half" and the extended "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah", which features chanting & percussion. The other side's an attempt to recap the success of "Exodus", with Eddie's tenor cutting it over some soundtrack stuff with a vocal group. Eddie's tone holds the whole thing together, though – and the album's nicer than you'd think!

Groovier than you might think – but that's what we've come to expect from Jimmie!

Amazing stuff from Isaac Hayes! Although Ike had first appeared on LP with the album "Introducing", this was the first record to really expose his true soul genius – and it was also the first release on Ike's successful sub-label at Stax, Enterprise Records. The record shows that for all the years Ike was working away on other folks' songs for Stax, he was carefully cooking up his own style of soul that would forever change the way we think about the music. Back in 1969, the album must have blown more than a few minds for its incredibly baroque approach to soul music – taking common elements like strings, piano, and funky rhythms, and stretching them out into long waves of sound that cycle over and over, working a sly subtle magic along with Ike's super-sexy vocals, and his monologue-heavy approach to popular tunes. The album features incredible remakes of pop hits "Walk On By" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – both of which run for over 10 minutes, and which completely transform the songs into something way more than simple radio fodder. Also features the psychedelic soul masterpiece "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic", which has this crazy funky piano, and a messed-up sound that would make even George Clinton weep!

Excellent work from this smooth Chicago vocal group! The album may well be the best the group ever recorded – and it features some stellar ballad work produced with a nice spacey tone, almost in a Rose Royce mellow mode – by Jerry Butler's Fountain Productions team and by Clarence Johnson, who brought the group up from the beginning! The real strength of the album, though, is the group's vocals – wonderfully harmonious, but with a rougher edge and a deeper soul than many other 70s groups of the same type. The album includes the massive semi-hit "Guess Who's Back In Town" – plus other good ballads like "How Do You Think You're Gonna Find Love", "Let's Work It Out", and "Distant Melody". The album also features some uptempo numbers – and other tracks include "Run & Tell That", "Dance A Thon", and "No Limit".

A masterpiece – one of 2 crazy albums in which Woody Herman's late band meets the Cadet arrangements of Richard Evans. You might think the combination wouldn't work – Woody's big band flourishes meeting up with Evans' compressed soulful grooves – but gosh, the record is simply incredible, and it's one that we'd never part with in a million billion years! Worth it alone for the version of Edu Lobo's "Pontieo", but there's lots of other nice stuff – like "I Say A Little Prayer", "Hush", "Keep On Keepin On", and "Light My Fire".

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".

Euro disco from Roberta Kelly – a set that looks like an American soul album from the cover, but which features backings from The Munich Machine and long-running arrangements from Giorgio Moroder! The record's got a similar feel to Moroder's work with Donna Summer – except that Roberta's not as strong of a singer, and sometimes gets lost, or perhaps "swept up", in the standardized rhythms of the set. Titles include "Trouble-Maker", "The Family", "Innocent", "Think I'm Gonna Break Someone's Heart Tonight", and "Love Power".

It's definitely winning time for Klique – as the trio grooves here with a lean, clean sound that's totally great! Despite the silly jumpsuits on the cover, the group actually have a pretty nice sound in the grooves – one that's kind of a poppy approach to the boogie, filled with plenty of nice hooks and riffing rhythms – all laid out with production that never gets too cluttered or cliched! The sound is simple, but that's it's strongest suit – and the album's got a nice focused quality overall. Titles include "Love's Dance", "It's Winning Time", "From Now On", "Better Times", "So In Love With You", "I Think You Know", "Middle Of A Slow Dance", and "You Brought My Love To Life".

Way more than just a "boogie" album – as you might think from the title – and much more a hard-hitting batch of funky tunes, mixed with some even cooler laidback numbers! The album follows heavily off the style of Wild & Peaceful – mixing together the group's older crack rhythms with some newer, hipper, jazzier inflections – making for an incredibly powerful sound that really opens them up. Titles include the massively funky "Jungle Jazz" – a jazzy follow up to "Jungle Boogie" – plus some spiritual numbers that have a cosmic soul jazzy feel, like the tracks "Cosmic Energy", "Ancestral Ceremony", and "Winter Sadness". The whole thing's great – and other titles include "Mother Earth", "Caribbean Festival", and "Ride The Rhythm".

Beautiful 60s sunshine pop from Gary Lewis – sunny melodies and grand pop orchestrations by Jack Nitzsche – and a record that's been terribly overlooked for decades! Gary Lewis & The Playboys had fairly successful run before Gary was called to active service, and he cut this solo work during brief leaves from the service. It may not be groundbreaking work, it's got hallmark soaring 60s psych pop arrangements and melodies, but it sure is sweet stuff, and we can't think of any reason it's been so deeply buried for the past few decades!

Hard to imagine that Julie London would ever have to ask anyone to make love to her – at least not when she looks as sexy as this on the cover! The album's a key early classic for Liberty – still very fragile, personal, and up-close enough to make you think you might just be able to jump inside the cover and spend the night with Julie! Russ Garcia handles the backings with great care – a bit of gentle strings here, some light jazz there – but always letting London's breathy vocals come up very high in the mix. Titles include "Go Slow", "Lover Man", "Body & Soul", "Snuggled On Your Shoulder", and "Make Love To Me".

A really nice set from Ian Matthews – who cut his teeth a few years earlier with Fairport Convention – and gets a little help here from fellow Fairporters Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson. Ian's warmth in the vocal department really glows here – and the sound overall brings in some sweet country rock and west coast folk rock as well as any Brit effort we can think of. Very good stuff! Tracks include "Desert Inn", "Hearts", "Never Ending", "Reno Nevada", "Hinge I", "Hinge II", "Southern Wind", Morgan The Pirate", "If You Saw Thro’ My Eyes" and more.

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".

New Order take a slightly sweeter turn for this mid 80s set – but still never lose the charm that won us from their first few records! There's a warmth here we might not have expected in the immediate post-Joy Division years – and a catchy tunefulness on some of the biggest crossover numbers on the set – yet, given the commercial dreck of the time, New Order are still way ahead of the pack – and from the perspective of these many years later, we're even more impressed at the way they manage to balance nascent pop sensibilities with some of the darker leanings of their roots. More than enough edgey guitar and moody basslines to please fans of the first two albums – on titles that include "Sunrise", "Elegia", "Love Vigilantes", "The Perfect Kiss", "Sub Culture", "Face Up", and "Sooner Than You Think".

A gem of an album from Randy Newman – a masterpiece of understated with from the mid 70s, and one of his most fully-conceived records for Warner Brothers! The album offers up a vision of the south, past and present, through Newman's eyes – eyes that are partially clouded by the distance of the scene seen from the vantage point of smoggy LA, but which still manage to pull out various strands of life with surprising poignancy. It's easy to write this one off as some sort of slap against the face of the backward south in the 70s, but Newman actually approaches his subjects with some sort of subtle tenderness – not nearly as mean as you might think on first listen, as evidenced by the beautiful orchestrations he penned for the sessions. Titles include "Birmingham", "Marie", "Rednecks", "Louisiana 1927", "Rollin", "Back On My Feet Again", and "Wedding In Cherokee County".

The 101 Strings organization matches up with a groovy percussion ensemble, for a sound that's like some of the good RCA percussion bachelor pad LPs from the 50's. Tracks include "Voodoo Moon", "Ski Run", "Dizzy Fingers", "Roller Coaster", and "Bats In The Belfry". We think you get the picture!

A stellar Latin groover from Johnny Pacheco & Pete Colde Rodriguez – rightfully dubbed a perfect combination – recorded in 1969 and released in 1971, and we can think of no reason to have delayed such a smoking set! It's one of the better albums in the successful series of them that Pacheco cut with vocalist Rodriguez – with styles that stick mostly in a traditional Latin mode, with a few salsa touches that would become much more pronounced in the 70s. Titles include "La Esencia Del Guaguanco", "Blanca", "Sin Cana Y Sin Platanal", "Sonero", "Mi Nuevo Amor", and "Lo Anoro". Nice cover, too – with the pair toasting and playing dice!

One of our favorite albums ever by Art Pepper – even if it isn't a proper album! The set features material recorded in the late 50s, pulled together to form an album in the early 70s – and overall, it's some of the best Art Pepper work on record we can think of. Pepper plays beautifully on 4 tracks with tenorist Warne Marsh, and the rest of the cuts features equally great accompaniment from the likes of Jimmy Bond, Dolo Coker, Philly Joe Jones, and Red Garland. The material on the album is far fresher than most of Pepper's so-called "classic" sessions, and it shows the edge and creativity of his alto playing in a way that few other albums ever do. We really recommend this one if you've ever been disappointed by another Pepper album – because there's a sharpness here that really comes through. Titles include "All the Things You Are", "What's New", "Autumn Leaves", and "The Man I Love".

Incredible! If you've ever wondered why people think Sonny Rollins is so great, you owe it to yourself to own this album, because it's one that stands as one of the best 5 that Rollins ever cut, and because it features him playing in a stripped-down raw setting that lets his full solo talent come to the forefront. The material was all recorded in 1957 as part of his famous Village Vanguard session for Blue Note, but it was unreleased until 1975, when Blue Note put out this double LP set of the tracks with great notes by Bob Blumenthal. Every cut's a winner, and Rollins plays in two different trio settings – one with Donald Bailey and Pete La Roca, the other with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones. It's all great, and will make you a fan of his for life!

If you think you know Boz Scaggs, think again – because this early Columbia album features a whole different sound! The Scaggs here is a really loose and soulful one – as Boz steps out of the freewheeling late 60s Bay Area scene with a really wonderful take on blue-eyed soul – an approach that's clearly informed by the sound of The Rascals and some of the New York scene, but which also has some tasty California touches that really transform the mood. Boz vocals are pure and straightforward – and the instrumentation on the set has a tight, but laidback sort of feel – no surprise, as Boz' band of the time was really great. There's a real Free Soul sort of feel to the record – and tracks include "Moments", "Downright Women", "Painted Bells", "Alone Alone", "Near You", "We Were Always Sweethearts", "Can I Make It Last", and "We Been Away".

Better than you might think – thanks to piano and organ from Jack Wilson!

Think what you want about Dinah Shore, she could serve up some pretty great vocals at her best moments – and this album is definitely one of those moments! The style here is laidback and late nite – with Dinah singing alongside backing from the trio of Andre Previn on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Frank Capp on drums – all working in an easygoing mode that comes across with a great small club feel. Previn's piano is especially nice – filled with light flourishes that illuminate the tunes nicely, but in a subtle way that's never too over the top – and usually touched with just a hint of sadness to fit the mood of the songs. Titles include "April In Paris", "Then I'll Be Tired Of You", "The Man I Love", "That Old Feeling", "It Had To Be You", "I'll Be Seeing You", and "If I Had You".

Recorded in the 70s, but a key document of the songwriting talents of George & Ira Gershwin – thanks to some timeless interpretations by the legendary Bobby Short! The style here is a bit less staid than you might think, and Bobby digs deep into the raspier side of his vocal range for some numbers – putting them forth with less of the polish than you usually get in this sort of "songbook" album – and almost recreating the intimacy of his famous live performances. Double-length album features a whopping 30 titles in all, some of which are oddly not by the Gershwins! Titles include "Love Walked In", "S Wonderful", "Feeling I'm Falling", "Drifting Along With The Tide", "A Foggy Day", "Feeling Sentimental", "Shall We Dance", "High Hat", and "Beginners Luck".

A mad bit of funk and jazz from Ben Sidran – much more tripped-out than his later work! Ben's got a great bunch of musicians on the album – with either Tony Williams or "funky drummer" Clyde Stubblefield on drums, and Phil Upchurch on bass, laying down a nice dark groove on the best cuts – often with an offbeat funky sound that's made the record a favorite for crate-diggers for years. Ben's on piano, grooving in a number of different hipster modes – from LA sleezy to New Orleans soulful – and his vocals, as always, are compelling and catchy. The set includes the nice long groover "Now I Live (And Now My Life Is Done)", a monster track with a great slow groove that's been sampled a number of times over the years – and other cuts include "Full Compass", "Play The Piano", and "Think Twice".

Early work from Smash – a group that included the core of DeBarge before they went onto bigger fame! Oddly, the album was first issued in Germany in 1977, but made its US debut here on Source – about time, too, as the record's a nice blend of funky tunes and the sweeter pop soul you'd expect from DeBarge. The funky tunes are actually pretty nice ensemble numbers – grooving in a harder edge than you'd think for the period, especially as so many groups were noodling a bit too much on the bass. Titles include "Pall Mall Groove", "Funk Freak", "Where's the Party", "Your Love", "Don't Waste My Time", and "Anyway".

Soaring, sweeping piano work from Paul Smith – a fluid player who was already known for his "liquid sounds" of the 50s, and who gets a great showcase here in a batch of bossa-inflected material! The style here is less straight bossa than you might think – and Smith really pushes the fluidity of his keys strongly – often taking off much faster, and with much more intensity than some of the Brazilian players of the era. In a way, the record has a "with strings" mode that's a bit like some MPS sides from the time – touches of Paul's virtuoso talents shining out from time to time, but a bit more restrained at others. Smith seemingly leads the orchestra, and titles include "The Girl From Ipanema", "So Nice", "How Insensitive", "More", and "One Note Samba" – plus the nice originals "Brazilian Detour" and "The Gnat".

Groovy groovy stuff from Dusty – and some of her best work! Forget the Memphis sessions, we think this early British material is her best stuff – and the album's got Dusty grooving along in perfectly soulful format, on lots of nice tunes like "24 Hours From Tulsa", "Wishin & Hopin", "Everyday I Have To Cry", "Something Special", and "Stay Awhile".

About as classic as you can get with the Staple Singers! The record was cut at that perfect moment when the group was forging an electric soul sound that would bring them high in the charts in the 70s – filled with all the righteousness of their gospel years, but also touched with elements like electric piano and funky rhythm, and a strong secular soulful groove. Features a nice funky version of "Who Do You Think You Are?", with a very samplable intro – plus "Respect Yourself", "This World", "We The People", and "I'm Just Another Soldier".

Titles include "Gonna Run", "The Band With No Name", "I'm Coming On", and "Think About The Times".

A surprisingly nice little set from Clark Terry – featuring arrangements by Oliver Nelson, and a pretty nice little group that includes Budd Johnson on tenor and Eddie Costa on vibes and piano. The material appears to be lifted from the musical All American – by the team of Charles Strouse & Lee Adams – although the notes, and certainly not the title, don't do much to indicate this. The best part of the set is Nelson – who manages to, here as always, take any sort of material and give it a really strong swingin – bouncing it up with a lot of soul, and creating plenty of space for some strong breakout solos. Titles include "What A Country", "Same Language", "The Fight Song", "Nightlife", and "It's Fun To Think".

Clark Terry's breezy trumpet is paired with Don Butterfield's tuba for a real "top and bottom" session of brassy jazz. The two of them are backed by a sharp rhythm section that includes Jimmy Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The set's got a lot of nice originals, and despite what you might think, this is actually one of Terry's harder sessions. Cuts include "Top N Bottom", "Mardi Gras Waltz", "Blues For Etta", and "Mili-Terry".

A strange little record – instrumental tunes arranged as a "symphony for soul", and mostly comprised of late 60s soul numbers! The whole thing was put together by Mort Garson – known better for his later moog work, but still sounding pretty nice here with some cool twists on the tunes that make them more enjoyable than you might think. The instrumentation includes strings, horns, and some nice use of organ in just the right places – and titles include "Happy Together", "Release Me", "Respect", "Hold On I'm Coming", "Hold What You've Got", "In The Midnight Hour", and "Searching For My Love".

A 70s soulful classic from the mighty Stanley Turrentine! Stan's not the bad "Mister T" on this set – he's more in a smooth, mellow mode – blowing over some nice soulful arrangements by Gene Page, ones that take the CTI funk approach, add in some strings, and create a bit of a Barry White sort of instrumental groove! The result is surprisingly great – a lot nicer than you might think – with plenty of slinky soulful numbers that have a subtle undercurrent of funk, and still feature some excellent and inventive blowing from Stan. Titles include "Midnight & You", "Blanket On The Beach", "I'm In Love", "Evil", "Pieces of Dreams", and "Deep In Love".

Nicer than you might think, for the vintage! Other players include Ron Carter on bass, Al Foster on drums, Jon Faddis on trumpet, and Marcus Miller on a bit of electric bass. Titles include "You Taught My Heart To Sing", "Hip Toe", "Spur Of The Moment", "It's About Time", and "No Flowers Please".

Fantastic Norman Harris production makes this one of the best-ever efforts from The Whispers at this time! Norman put together the incredible "Living Together (In Sin)", and plays some excellent guitar on the track – and he takes the sweet west coast harmonies of The Whispers into the realm of Philly Groove greatness. Other nice tracks include "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are", "Sounds Like A Love Song", and "In My Heart".

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".

Frank Zappa & The Mothers, live at the Fillmore East – showing the world they've got plenty of greatness to offer away from the studio! The band here is super-tight – with the ferocity of Chunga's Revenge, but still enough room between the jamming for some mad bits of dialog and vocals – which are then offset by great keyboards and saxes from Ian Underwood, electronics from Don Preston, and heavy drums from Aynsley Dunbar! There's a focus to the sound of the group here that really draws together all the strands from the previous few years – and titles include "The Mud Shark", "What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are", "Willie The Pimp", "Happy Together", "Lonesome Electric Turkey", and "Tears Began To Fall".

Double LP of underground hip hop from the Northwest, mostly Seattle, we think. While a good bit of it isn't all that memorable, there are a few stand out tracks, and all by groups who we just haven't heard from elsewhere. Sinsemilla drops a hyped track with a nice KRS-One-sample hook called "Drastic Measures", and Prose & Concepts "Higher Places", Union Of Opposites "Continuations" and the Crew Clockwise "A New Day" all have nice flows over mellow, jazzy beats.

A sweet and slightly Latinized album from Peggy – one that features backings based around a variety of acoustic and electric guitars, with arrangements by Dave Grusin, Dick Hazard, Bob Bain, and Billy May. The album's got more varied moods than you'd expect for such a project – and overall, there's some really wonderful songs that show Peggy at her maturing best! Titles include "Goodbye My Love", "Think Beautiful", "An Empty Glass", "Good Times", "Touch The Earth", and "Beautiful Beautiful World".

Why the heck don't they make records like this anymore? The whole thing's incredibly groovy – a blend of Sunshine Pop and vocal harmonies – put together with a high-art theory, but grooving with some really cool late 60s backings! There's a great drummer in the group who really makes the tunes kick – taking the mixed male and female vocals of the group and working them into tunes that sound way better than the Paul Klee inspiration might make you think. Things actually get a bit funky at times, and even when they don't, the whole album sparkles with the best Sunshine work from the time! Music is by Chuck Mangione and Roger Karshner – who also brings in some sweet electronic touches too! Titles include "Barbaric Classical Solemn", "Fear Of Becoming Double", "Self Portrait", "Long Hair Soulful", and "Pond With Swans". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Long Hair Soulful", in both vocal and instrumental versions!

An oft-overlooked gem from Parliament – released during the year 1976, and sometimes hidden between monster LPs like Funkentelechy and Mothership Connection – but every bit as great as those two classics! The album's got that tightened-up P-Funk sound that was working so perfectly at the time – still with all the fuzzy haired elements of earlier years, but presented with a bit more focus – and a powerhouse swing that really drives the tracks home with a funky groove on the bottom! There's a flowing sort of energy here that almost makes you think that the whole thing just emerged naturally from the brain of George Clinton – but all ensemble players have a strong hand in the action, and really get some great moments in on the set. Cuts include "Gamin' On Ya", "Do That Stuff", "Children Of Production", and "I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)".

Lost late Stitt – and a much more compelling album than you might think. The album's got a nice underground feel, despite the fact that it's a tribute to Ellington – with a core combo that features Stitt on alto and tenor, Gildo Mahones on piano, Allen Jackson on bass, and Clarence Johnston on drums – all augmented by the Bill Finegan String Ensemble, who give the album a shimmering finish that brings out some nice moods in Stitt's solos. Titles include "Cottontail", "In A Mellow Tone", "Jeep's Blues", and "Prelude To A Kiss".

A great batch of uptempo east coast soul from the Trammps – one of the tightest units working in the late 70s – a group that's marked from eternity by the enormity of their huge hit "Disco Inferno" – with a wonderful overall sound that's runs much deeper! This album is a testament to that ideal! Rich, warm, string-laden soul that's ripe for rediscovery! Tracks include "Stop & Think", "Save A Place", "Where Do We Go From Here", "Love Epidemic", "Trusting Heart", "Just Say The Word", "Promise Me", "Oh Haa Hey" and "Trammps Disco Theme".

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

Sweet soul from Marlena Shaw! Sweet Beginnings isn't as sweetly funky as some of her early stuff, it's actually a nice move into modern soul by this great jazz diva, and a record that was arranged and produced by Bert DeCoteaux. It's got a great remake of her classic "Go Away Little Boy", and it's got an excellent spoken part in which she kicks out her "little boy", then swoons as he begins to make love to her. That's kicked off by nicely mellow "Yu Ma", aand other tracks include "No Deposit, No Return", "Sweet Beginnings", "Johnny", "Walk Softly", "The Writing Is On The Wall", "Look At Me, Look At You" and "I Think I'll Tell Him".

A real treasure, and a record that may well be our favorite Jimmy Smith album for Verve – a masterful meeting of his smoking Hammond work with some swingingly sophisticated arrangements by Oliver Nelson and Claus Ogerman! Both Nelson and Ogerman bring a fuller spectrum of horn work to the album than heard on other Smith sides of the time – using an almost orchestral approach to the backings, one that pushes Jimmy even further into the stratosphere as he solos madly on the organ! But don't think that the larger backings are clunky at all – because they're not – and there's a surprisingly deep soul to all the proceedings on the album, making it one of the tightest, grooviest, and deeply soulful records that Jimmy cut after leaving Blue Note! The LP includes two very long cuts – killer versions of "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolf" and "Slaughter On 10th Avenue" – plus shorter takes on "Bluesette", "Women Of The World", and "Wives & Lovers" that are all plenty amazing too!

Heavy rocking, with some nice drums – the kind of record that's kept the Sons in more crates than you'd think over the years! The set's a massive 2LP jammer that really overflows with niceness – often done in a heartfelt, blues-tinged rock style that's got traces of Little Feat and The Steve Miller Band – but the album's best remembered for the few tunes that have some nice funky changes, like the drums and bass on "Rooftop", or the jazzy scatting riffing sound of the 15 minute track "Freedom", or the hard jamming organ and horns in "Hello Sunlight". Other tracks include "Everywhere", "1982 A", "Black & Blue Rainbow", and "Get High".

As warm and wonderful of a late 60s singer songwriter effort as we can imagine wanting to hear in the late 60s mainstream – so it's fitting that James Taylor was signed with the Beatles' Apple Records for this excellent self-titled album! The lyrics chronicle a troubled soul, but man, did James ever making encroaching personal horrors sound sweet at his best. We think he's at his best here, and titles include "Don't Talk Now", "Knocking 'Round The Zoo", "Carolina In My Mind", "Night Owl", "Rainy Day Man", "The Blues Is Just A Bad Dream" and more.

An obscure 7 track EP from Johnnie Taylor – almost a 12" single, but with more than enough going on to make us think of it as a full album! Johnnie's in prime Columbia Records form here – and the tunes are a mix of the "Disco Lady" style of his earlier hit for the label, plus some of the mellower southern soul of his roots! The set was recorded in both Detroit and Muscle Shoals – with Don Davis at the helm in the former, and Brad Shapiro in the latter – both of whom really help Taylor hit the heights with effortless ease here, all in a new sense of sophistication that he might never have found in his music, had he stayed at Stax! Titles include "She's Killing Me", "Pulling The Train", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "Play Something Pretty", "The Users", and "Love Account".

Stanley blows it sweet, mellow, and soulfully – in this wonderful post-CTI session from the 70s! The set features some swirling larger arrangements from Gene Page – done with a bit of the CTI sound lurking in the mix, but also a more complicated groove that almost takes on soundtrack-like proportions at times – a warmly-flowing groove that's lush without being soppy, and which really sets Turrentine up nicely for some sophisticated, mature solos on tenor. Stan's got some great company on the record – including Patrice Rushen on keyboards, David T Walker on guitar, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet – and although the set's laidback, it's a lot more soulful than you might think – almost like a hip mellow soul set from the time, but with tenor instead of vocals. Includes covers of the Earth Wind & Fire tunes "Reasons" and "That's The Way Of The World", plus the tracks "Touching You", "T's Dream", and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain".

While the title may claim that Dionne Warwick is "Just Being Myself", the sound of the set is something completely different – a surprisingly great album that has the lady working with the post-Motown production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland! There's a quality here that resonates strongly from the very first note – a bold move away from Bacharach to some of the more adult soul modes explored in the 70s – handled by HDH with full-on backings on some numbers, but with a more gentle Warwick-styled groove on others. The album's got a depth we never would have expected – especially from the slightly-soppy cover – and Dionne's manage to bring in all the strengths from earlier years, yet also recast them a bit with a fuller soul-based groove on the set. The album features the surprisingly funky "I'm Just Being Myself", which has some great sinister flute over skittish drums – plus the tracks "You're Gonna Need Me", "Come Back", "Don't Burn The Bridge", "Don't Let My Teardrops Bother You", and "I Think You Need Love".

A real classic from Lenny Williams – most likely his strongest solo album ever! By the time of this set, Lenny had been out of Tower Of Power for a few years, working on his own in the west coast scene. But the real genius here comes from producer/arranger Frank Wilson – once a key force at Motown, but here a key contributor to the album – creating a set of smooth groovers and wonderfully mellow tracks that bring out a warmly silky quality that we'd never heard in Lenny's vocals before! Includes the smooth ballads "Think What We Have" and "Cause I Love You", the latter a fantastic stretched out soul track that has Lenny in a Teddy Pendergrass mode that's miles ahead of his old work! Other tracks include "Midnight Girl", "Changes", and "You Got Me Running" – all key numjbers in this excellent set!

Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! 28 tracks in all, including "Knock On Wood" by Eddie Floyd, "Try A Little Tenderness" by Otis Redding, "Mustang Sally" and"Funky Broadway" by Wilson Pickett, "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" and "Soul Man" by Sam & Dave, "Sweet Soul Music" by Arthur Conley, "I've Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You", "Do Right Woman – Do Right Man",'Respect", "Baby I Love You", "Natural Woman" and "Think" by Aretha Franklin, "Show Me" and "Skinny Legs & All" by Joe Tex, "Tramp" by Otis & Carla, "Soul Finger" by the Bar Kays, "Memphis Soul Stew" by King Curtis and "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & The Drells.

Volume one of the legendary compilation of James Brown produced stuff that taught us to love his other work back in the 80's when it was released. We're not going to pretend that we had all the original stuff when we were kids, but we did have this great comp – which includes monster stuff by The JBs, Lyn Collins, and Maceo. This was a sampler's dream in the 80's, and it's still a listener's dream in this decade! Long out of print on wax, too! Tracks include "Gimme Some More" and "Pass the Peas" by the JB's, "Think (About It)" and "Rock Me Again & Again & Again & Again & Again & Again" by Lyn Collins, and "Damn Right, I Am Somebody (Part 1)" and "If You Don't Get It the First Time, Back Up and Try It Againm Party" by Fred Wesley & the JBs.

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"!

One of a handful of crucial early Aretha Franklin albums for Atlantic – and a key example of her genius pairing with arranger Arif Mardin! Instrumental backing is by a hard burning Memphis/Muscle Shoals lineup that includes Spooner Oldham on electric piano and organ, Tommy Cogbill on guitar, Andrew Love and Charles Chalmers on tenor, Wayne Jackson on trumpet, and Roger Hawkins on drums – and even Aretha herself gets to play a bit of piano on the set. But the really amazing thing here is the way that this core live mode of backing is also given some airier, loftier overtones by Mardin and co-arranger Tom Dowd – in a way that lifts up the tunes a bit more, and pushes them away from straight indie southern soul – into the range of greatness that made Franklin stand apart from most of her contemporaries. A key example of this is the album's seminal reading of "I Say A Little Prayer" – but all cuts are great, and other tunes include "Think", "A Change", "You're A Sweet Sweet Man", "I Take What I Want", "See Saw", "Hello Sunshine", and "You Send Me".

A breakout album for Janet, with prime New Jack, or should we say New Jill, Swing production from the then unstoppable Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Flyte Tyme production team. Includes "Control", "Nasty", "What Have You Done For Me Lately", "The Pleasure Principle", "When I Think Of You" and "Funny How Time Flies".

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's never been done this perfectly again! James Mason's a player who's know for a bit of keyboard work with other artists – but here, he's really working as a collective power – bringing together a brilliant ensemble that work as one to hit some sublime sounds – much in the way that Roy Ayers could work some key magic with his groups at the same time, but with a vibe that's very different too. Players include Ayers associates Justo Almario on saxes and Philip Woo on piano – and a young Narada Michael Walden adds some excellent drums to the record – a lot more powerful and funky than on most of his own albums! Lead vocals are by Clarice Taylor – who's got this unique voice that really makes the record – proud, but sensitive at the same time too – and Mason plays lots of Fender Rhodes, polymoog, Arp, and a bit of guitar. Titles include the breakbeat classic "Funny Girl", the monster groover "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the funky "Slick City", and the massive "Free" – but every cut's a winner, and others include "Mbewe", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Dreams". This is the kind of album that makes us proud to be in business!

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.

Not a live album – as you might think from the title – but a tight batch of tunes that shows the full funk and soul talents of the legendary Esther Phillips! The album's got a nicely dark undercurrent at times – a sound that's not as smooth as some of Esther's other Kudu albums from the 70s, with bits of R&B bubbling underneath the more contemporary arrangements. Backings are penned by Pee Wee Ellis and Gary King – and players include Bob James and Richard Tee on keyboards, Hubert Laws on flute, and Bernard Purdie and Steve Gadd on drums – the latter of whom provides a sublime beat on the album's standout funky number "Disposable Society" – one of those great little groovers that never did anything for Esther at the time of its release, but which has really gotten rediscovered in recent years! Other tracks include "Doing Our Thing", "Living Alone", "Can't Trust Your Neighbor With Your Baby", and "I Feel The Same".

Great little compilation that mixes together a non-stop run of funk and soul singles from various Polygram labels of the early 70s – including People, Spring, and others! The record's got some excellent bits – like "Jungle Fever" by Chakachas, "Fencewalk" by Mandrill, "From The Love Side" by Hank Ballard, "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More" by Barry White, "Think" by Lyn Collins, "Doing It To Death" by The JBs, "It's My Life" by The Mainstreeters, and "Parrrty" by Maceo. Plus, the whole thing feels like a live party, with a funky 45 DJ putting all the tracks together!