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A great document of an amazing blues tradition – bottleneck guitar, offered up here in a host of original 78s from the 30s! The style is one that was co-opted often in later years, but is presented here at its roots – with a nice, gritty feel overall – and use of the mode that's still pretty darn fresh, and free of cliche. Side one features tracks by Casey Bill Weldon – including "Hitch Me To Your Buggy", "Back Door Blues", "Lady Doctor Blues", "The Big Boat", and "Go Ahead Buddy" – and side two features cuts by Kokomo Arnold, including "Salty Dog", "Feels So Good", "Busy Bootin", "The Twelves", and "I'll Be Up Someday". Great Robert Crumb cover – and the usual detailed Yazoo notes!

A great document of an amazing blues tradition – bottleneck guitar, offered up here in a host of original 78s from the 30s! The style is one that was co-opted often in later years, but is presented here at its roots – with a nice, gritty feel overall – and use of the mode that's still pretty darn fresh, and free of cliche. Side one features tracks by Casey Bill Weldon – including "Hitch Me To Your Buggy", "Back Door Blues", "Lady Doctor Blues", "The Big Boat", and "Go Ahead Buddy" – and side two features cuts by Kokomo Arnold, including "Salty Dog", "Feels So Good", "Busy Bootin", "The Twelves", and "I'll Be Up Someday". Great Robert Crumb cover – and the usual detailed Yazoo notes!

Features some nice post-CTI work by Joe Farrell on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – plus electric and acoustic piano from Bill Mays. Titles include a nice version of Moacir Santos' "Coisa No 10", plus "Revelation", "Assured Expectation"," Gentle Rain", and "No Exit".

An unusual bit of female pop – recorded down in Memphis at American studios by Tommy Cogbill! At some level, Angeline's got a style that's a bit like Dusty Springfield – mostly pop, but with a soulful undercurrent – one that might not come out as strongly otherwise, but which definitely takes flight in the hands of Cogbill. The overall sound's not as soulful as Dusty, but there's certainly some elements of that trend – as well as some echoes of country that run through a few of the tunes. Titles include "Keep On Keeping A Man", "Let Me Be Yours Until Tomorrow", "The Sound Of Love", "What's A Matter Baby", "Different Worlds", and "Until It's Time For You To Go".

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

The best in years from Dwele – who honestly has yet to really make any kind of a creative misstep – and Greater Than One is one of his greatest records to date! Detroit singer and producer Dwele has long balanced a love for classic soul of the Donny Hathaway school with contemporary, though wisely trend-skirting production – and he does that once again here. There's a more focused feel, and really strong, insistent songs this time out, too. Of course Dwele's voice is the greatest selling point, and it's layered beautifully throughout! Includes "Greater Than One Less Than Three", "Going Leaving", "Takes22Tango", "What You Gotta Do" with Raheem DeVaughn, "What Profit", "Obey", "Must Be" feat J Tait, L'Renee & Black Milk, "Swank" and "Patrick Ronald" feat Monica Blaire, "Frankly My Dear (I'm Bennett I Ain't Innit)" and more.

Cali mic veteran Planet Asia – paired up producer Gensu Dean! A tight, purposefully trend-skirting collaborative effort from a duo concerned with making high quality music that'll stand the test of time. Tracks include "Thoroughest", "Bar Mitzvah", "Chochise", "Faces O The Dollar", "Chuck Berry" feat Shawn Pen, "Listen", "Reflections", "Thyself" with David Banner & Tragedy Khadafi, "Do What I Want" with Larina & Washey Choir and more.

Funky b-boy classic! Sure, Malcolm was a blood-sucking vampire who was hungry enough to exploit any trend he could get his hands on – but in this case, he did all right, and came up with an album that stands the test of time in the breakdance crates. Includes the classics "Buffalo Gals" and "Double Dutch".

A reimagined version of the legendary Yellow Pills compilation on Numero – 20 songs from the original compilation, plus two bonus tracks, new liner notes, and lots of cool sleeve scans, photos, and more! Forget everything you know about rock music in the late 70s – all the punk rock and new wave that's been immortalized over the years – and get ready to discover a whole new world of power pop! At the time, the power pop underground was as important to some ears as the artier and angrier work coming out of the east coast and UK – and the power pop world was one that could co-exist a bit more peacefully with mainstream rock, while still offering a great opportunity for bands on various local scenes. The work here has echoes of more famous acts of the time – like The Cars, The Kings, or The Knack – but it's also got a bit more of a home-grown, punk rock edge – one that comes through beautifully in the guitar parts, vocals, and unabashed hooks of the tunes. The set's a follow-up to the original Yellow Pills set by zine publisher Jordan Oakes – and it delves deeper than even that one, with a real focus on work from the end of the 70s, and acts that never had great chart success overall. Titles include "High School" by Tommy Rock, "She's Hi Fi" by The Trend, "There Goes My Heart Again" by The Kids, "Not My Girl Anymore" by The Bats, "All I Want" by The Colors, "Domestic/Imported" by The Toms, "Sunshine USA" by Randy Winburn, "One In A Million" by Luxury, "She's The Girl" by The Tweeds, "Rave It Up" by Colors, and "Hey Little Girl" by The Kids.

One of the first albums to ever issue recordings made at the Newport Jazz Festival – quite a big hit, and the beginning of a real trend in jazz! The set's also some great work by Duke – free to perform in a setting that's not bound by some of the time restrictions of earlier years, which lets him offer up three long tracks with a great deal of sophistication over previous recordings. Titles include "Jeep's Blues", "Diminuendo & Crescendo In Blue", and "Newport Jazz Festival Suite".

One of countless late 50s albums cut in the "Jazz meets Broadway" trend (Jimmy and group play tunes from Meredith Wilson's score to The Music Man) – many of which are better than you might think! This one features Giuffre working in slightly larger groups than usual for the time – mostly horns with rhythm, and with players that include Al Cohn, Joe Wilder, Sol Schlinger, and Art Farmer. And while we'd rather hear Jimmy working through these numbers in trio format, the angularity of the arrangements makes for a nice take on the tunes (and we'll admit that we actually do like the musical!) Titles include "Marian The Librarian", "The Wells Fargo Wagon", "Iowa Stubborn", "Gary Indiana", and "It's You".

A treasure for all jazz fans worldwide! As is known to many, the great Blue Note label often recorded more material than it could issue on a regular basis – and some of the label's best bits often got lost in the cracks, and never saw the light of day! Over the past 30 years, many of these lost albums have come out on their own – but there's still been a lot of great single tracks that have never been issued before. This CD corrects that trend, by bringing together a sumptious batch of single titles from groups that are hardly (or never) represented in Blue Note's regular line of releases. You'll get Charlie Rouse leading a quintet on the track "One For Five"; Tadd Dameron heading up a large group on "Bevan Beeps", "The Elder Speaks", and "Aloof Spoof"; Sonny Stitt wailing with Dexter Gordon on "Lady Be Good"; Fred Jackson playing tenor with John Patton and Grant Green on "Cowbell Boogie"; Ike Quebec blowing with The Three Sounds on "Blues On Trial", and Herbie Hancock leading a very hip 2-guitar group on the track "Don't Even Go There". Like finding a time machine, this CD will introduce you to a world of jazz history you never even imagined!

Sweeter studio Miles Davis from the 80s – a record that takes the 70s electric experiments and fuses them into a sound that's got a lot more R&B influence than before! The style is a bit poppy at times, but never in a way that's too slick – and often, Davis is using his muted trumpet to state lines boldly in ways that still have a greater sense of depth and craft than most of his contemporaries. A few tracks show some of the gritty New York rock/funk trend of the time, while others are lighter and more lyrical – and titles include covers of "Time After Time" and "Human Nature" – Miles' attempt to find standards in contemporary pop – plus the tracks "Katia", "You're Under Arrest", "Ms Morrisine", and "One Phone Call/Street Scenes".

One of the first albums to ever issue recordings made at the Newport Jazz Festival – quite a big hit, and the beginning of a real trend in jazz! The set's also some great work by Duke – free to perform in a setting that's not bound by some of the time restrictions of earlier years, which lets him offer up three long tracks with a great deal of sophistication over previous recordings. Titles include "Jeep's Blues", "Diminuendo & Crescendo In Blue", and "Newport Jazz Festival Suite".

A very unusual album from Max Roach – and one that continues his great 50s trend of seeking out some of the freshest players in jazz! The set's a rare trio outing for Max – and it features some incredible piano work by a musician named Hasaan – a player we only know from this set, but who's a cooking modernist with a vibe that ranks him right up there with postwar greats like Thelonious Monk, Randy Weston, and Herbie Nichols! With references like those, you can bet there's plenty of sharp edges in the piano – but the tunes also have a subtle, soulful feel too – a sense of humanity that's really wonderful. The album includes the tracks "Off My Back Jack", "Almost Like Me", "To Inscribe", "Pay Not Play Not", and "Din-Ka Stret", all written by Hasaan.

A landmark album from The Spinners – one that has the Detroit vocal group making a hip trip to the Philly scene – picking up a whole new sound and rich new energy in the process! A few years later, working in Philly studios would be common for many artists – but this self-titled Spinners set really helped launch the trend – and for good reason, too – given the strength of the production and arrangements from the legendary Thom Bell! Bell's at his best here – helping the group reach whole new territory in their wonderful harmonies – and backing them up with some of the best musicians the Sigma Sound Studios had to offer. The album's overflowing with hits – like "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)" and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" – but it's also got some excellent lesser-known material too, like the extended "I Could Never (Repay Your Love)" and "We Belong Together". Other cuts include "Ghetto Child", "Just You & Me Baby", "I'll Be Around", and "Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind".

We love Frank Strozier – and think he's one of the greatest talents in jazz – period! This long-overdue CD brings together two of Frank's early 60s sessions for the Jazzland label – both of them gems that have lain under-discovered for years. Long Night is an excellent example of the maturity and modernism that was coming out of the Chicago jazz scene as it hit the early 60s – and it features Strozier's soulful alto in the company of some of the city's best players, like pianist Chris Anderson, drummer Walter Perkins, bassist Bill Lee, and baritonist Pat Patrick, playing here away from Sun Ra's group! The title track alone is an incredibly fantastic composition, full of moodiness and incredible reed work – but the rest of the record's great, too, and features excellent originals like "The Need For Love", "The Crystal Ball", and "Pacemaker". March Of The Siamese Children continues the trend – with a sound that goes far beyond the hardbop and soul jazz in which Strozier first cut his teeth – into a mode that's angular and exploratory, yet also still warmly expressive – filled with a richness of sound that holds up fantastically year after year. Titles include "March Of The Siamese Children", "Our Waltz", "Hey Lee", "Lap", "Extension", and "Something I Dreamed Last Night".

A landmark album from The Spinners – one that has the Detroit vocal group making a hip trip to the Philly scene – picking up a whole new sound and rich new energy in the process! A few years later, working in Philly studios would be common for many artists – but this self-titled Spinners set really helped launch the trend – and for good reason, too – given the strength of the production and arrangements from the legendary Thom Bell! Bell's at his best here – helping the group reach whole new territory in their wonderful harmonies – and backing them up with some of the best musicians the Sigma Sound Studios had to offer. The album's overflowing with hits – like "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)" and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" – but it's also got some excellent lesser-known material too, like the extended "I Could Never (Repay Your Love)" and "We Belong Together". Other cuts include "Ghetto Child", "Just You & Me Baby", "I'll Be Around", and "Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind".

A kick ass harmony soul record from Chicago! 21st Century were part of a young soul group trend that had come out of the city – and which included bigger stars like The 5 Stairsteps and Brighter Side Of Darkness – but the album really doesn't focus on their youth so much as it does on their strong vocal harmonies. Some tracks have kind of a heavy righteous Temptations-ish sound, which the band does well – but the really great cuts are spacey and mellow, which works perfectly for the group's falsetto vocalizing. Includes the stellar "Remember The Rain", plus "Child", "Tricks Are Made for Kids", "If By Chance", "You're My Only World", and "Mirror Mirror".

Trend-setting vocal work from Oscar Brown Jr – one of the hippest singers of his generation, and a vocalist who really took things to the next level in the 60s! Brown's got a sound that's partially influenced by the vocalese of Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks, and other singers of the 50s – but his groove here is also a bit more fluid and lyrical too – thanks to some great lyrics penned by Oscar, some of which went on to become classics over the years. Like his predecessors, many of the tunes chosen by Brown got their start as jazz instrumentals, but sparkle anew here with fresh lyrics that really liven them up a lot – tales of sin and soul and a lot more, often delivered with a good sense of wit. Titles include great vocal versions of "Dat Dere", "Work Song", and "Afro-Blue", plus some of his great original compositions, like "Brown Baby", "But I Was Cool", and "Rags and Old Iron". The arrangements are great, with a nice jazzy sound – and the group includes the excellent Floyd Morris on piano! CD features 5 bonus tracks that include "Straighten Up & Fly Right", "Forbidden Fruit", "World Of Grey", "Mr Kicks", and "Hazel's Hips".

A great idea for a compilation – a really cool set that focuses on the best days when jazz and rock were really combined together – that stretch in the late 60s and early 70s when horns were equally blended with guitars, in a groove that was plenty powerful overall! Some of the numbers here are familiar giants of the genres, and others are a bit surprising – and together, the music really does a great job tracing this evolving trend through its growth in the 70s! Titles include "Killing Floor" by Electric Flag, "Get It On" by Chase, "What Is Hip" by Tower Of Power, "Hold On" by Memphis Horns, "Mercy Mercy Mercy" by The Buckinghams, "Gonna Fly Now" by Maynard Ferguson, "Some Skunk Funk" by Brecker Brothers, "Vehicle" by Ides Of March, "In The Stone" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Non Pacem" by Azteca, "Goldmine" by Sons Of Champlin, and "New York" by Dreams.

Trend-setting vocal work from Oscar Brown Jr – one of the hippest singers of his generation, and a vocalist who really took things to the next level in the 60s! Brown's got a sound that's partially influenced by the vocalese of Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks, and other singers of the 50s – but his groove here is also a bit more fluid and lyrical too – thanks to some great lyrics penned by Oscar, some of which went on to become classics over the years. Like his predecessors, many of the tunes chosen by Brown got their start as jazz instrumentals, but sparkle anew here with fresh lyrics that really liven them up a lot – tales of sin and soul and a lot more, often delivered with a good sense of wit. Titles include great vocal versions of "Dat Dere", "Work Song", and "Afro-Blue", plus some of his great original compositions, like "Brown Baby", "But I Was Cool", and "Rags and Old Iron". The arrangements are great, with a nice jazzy sound – and the group includes the excellent Floyd Morris on piano!

One of countless late 50s albums cut in the "Jazz meets Broadway" trend (Jimmy and group play tunes from Meredith Wilson's score to The Music Man) – many of which are better than you might think! This one features Giuffre working in slightly larger groups than usual for the time – mostly horns with rhythm, and with players that include Al Cohn, Joe Wilder, Sol Schlinger, and Art Farmer. And while we'd rather hear Jimmy working through these numbers in trio format, the angularity of the arrangements makes for a nice take on the tunes (and we'll admit that we actually do like the musical!) Titles include "Marian The Librarian", "The Wells Fargo Wagon", "Iowa Stubborn", "Gary Indiana", and "It's You".

Hip hop lifers and genre-defiant pop art blenders The Beastie Boys deliver the Hot Sauce – either their 8th or 9th album in 25 years, depending on how you count the Mix Up instrumentals set – and it sounds to us like a return to the good times hip hop funk style-hopping that the Boys flaunted so brilliantly in the period from Check Your Head to Hello Nasty! Hot Sauce was initially solicited as Part 1 to be followed by a Part 2, but the album was put on hold while Yauch battled cancer, which gave the Beasties plenty of time to finess the material and release it as the definitive project we have here. It's solid stuff and a Beastie Boys album through-and-through – and they're as immune to trends as ever. Guests include Nas, Santigold and Switch. Tracks include "Make Some Noise", "Nonstop Disco Powerpack", "Too Many Rappers (New Reactionaries Version)" with Nas, "Lee Majors Comes Again", "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" feat Santigold, "Tadlock's Glasses", "The Lisa Lisa/Full Force Routine", "Here's A Little Something For Ya" and more.

The first full length in a few years from world class turntablist DJ Kentaro – and a pretty diverse set of floor-shaking instrumentals – plus a number vocal cuts with a strong roster of guests. Kentaro is a sharp producer/artist on top of the turntablist skills, crafting well-paced full scale listening experiences – and he's wise enough to stay true to his inspirations rather than chase trends. Includes "Kikkake" feat DJ Krugh, "Higher", "Step In" feat Foreign Beggers, "Big Timer" feat MC Zulu, "Lapis Lazuli", "Crossfader" feat Kid Koala & D-Styles, "Next Page (Dora) feat C2C and more.

The first full length in a few years from world class turntablist DJ Kentaro – and a pretty diverse set of floor-shaking instrumentals – plus a number vocal cuts with a strong roster of guests. Kentaro is a sharp producer/artist on top of the turntablist skills, crafting well-paced full scale listening experiences – and he's wise enough to stay true to his inspirations rather than chase trends. Includes "Kikkake" feat DJ Krugh, "Higher", "Step In" feat Foreign Beggers, "Big Timer" feat MC Zulu, "Lapis Lazuli", "Crossfader" feat Kid Koala & D-Styles, "Next Page (Dora) feat C2C and more.

Rare late 70s Afro soul from Cameroonese bassist and singer Brigth Engelberts – insistent, hypnotic and danceable grooves that points the way to myriad trends in soul in the decade to come, well beyond easily categorizable Afro funk & soul! Some numbers have a punchier, hypnotic rhythmic dynamic, others steer a bit closer to a psych soul vibe! The groove is fairly tight, with Engelberts backed by keys, drums, congas & other percussion, and some horns, and it's plenty funky! Titles and singing are in English, and include "Civilisation In The World", "Free Me Now", "Get Together", "Let Me Near Them Say", and "Shifty Hand Woman".

Sweet KPM funk from the 70s – a set that features the legendary "Big City Suite" from David Gold, plus 20 other groovers from rare KPM sound library albums of the time! Gold's suite is really great – a hip mix of keyboards, wah wah guitar, and strings – all wrapped together warmly in a portrait of a city from a variety of angles, in a variety of moods. The work's almost an update of 50s city-symphony albums, but is put together here with a much hipper 70s soundtrack mode – lots of subtle elements that really keep things interesting! Other tracks offer up a mix of jazz, soundtrack, and sound library funk – hand-picked from KPM classics like Jazzrock, Synthesis, Sounds Of The Times, Trendsetters, and other legendary albums – really packed in here with a huge amount of cuts that are totally great! Titles include "Good Vibrations" and "Trial Of Strength" by Keith Mansfield, "Testing Time" by David Lindup, "Four O'Clock Earthquake" and "Smokey Joe's Dilemma" by John Cameron, "Watchful Eye" by James Clarke, "Sunshine Special" and "Get Ready Get Set Fly" by Alan Hawkshaw, "Open Roads" by Nick Ingman, "Go Getter" by John Cameron, "City Airscape" and "City Police" by David Gold, and "Lap Of Honour" by Clive Hicks.

Finally, a sweet compilation of some of the best numbers from latter day Motown girl group High Inergy – sunny soul that shines especially brightly with the benefit of hindsight! They managed to hit the charts early on, but it's pretty easy to see how these ladies could be unjustly overlooked in the grand scheme. They signed the Motown in the later 70s, after the Supremes and other formative girl groups had long ago finished blazing the trails, plus Motown was at a real crossroads in terms of it's honoring its iconic history, while still navigating contemporary trends. Meanwhile, High Inergy recorded some wonderful stuff – with some late disco era string-laden production as well as tender ballads – both focusing on the sweet vocals and songcraft, rather than trying too hard to be trendy. The original albums may have been hit & miss, but Expansion does a terrific job of treasure hunting – every track here is lovely! 20 tracks in all: Includes "Lovin' Fever", "First Impressions", "I'm A Believer", "Goin' Thru The Motions", "Cold This Be Love", "Devotion", "Just A Touch Away" feat Smokey Robinson, "Somebody, Somewhere", "Hold On To My Love" feat Switch, "All Of You", "Journey To Love". "He's A Pretender" and more.

Dilla beats and an allstar roster of guest Detroit MCs – and a strong debut full length from Ruff Draft Records! Posthumous releases by favorite departed figures can be a dicey proposition – and much to our relief, Rebirth Of Detroit delivers – with both high quality beats & rhymes, and positive mojo! Dilla didn't cop to current trends in his time on earth (except for the ones he started in the first place) so it stands to reason that the beats he had in the can before he departed would hold up strongly years later – and they do! The guests here bring their A-games, plus full respect and admiration for Dilla. Includes "The New Installment", "Detroit Madness" with Phat Kat, "Big Things" with Esham, "Let's Pray Together" with Amp Fiddler, "Requiem" with Allan Barnes of The Blackbyrds, "My Victory" with Boldy James, "Do It For Dilla Dog" with Illa J and Frank Nitt, "Jay Dee's Revenge" with Danny Brown and cuts by DJ Dez, "Houseshoes Was Spinnin'" with Quelle Chris and more.

Solid roots from Junior Kelly! Piece OF The Pie finds Junior Kelly in as fine of form as we've heard him years – delivered with a timeless sound that's perfectly comfortable in a contemporary setting – neither catering to contemporary trends or bowing to overt throwback traditionalism. His voice is full of soulful spiritiual resonance, too. Very nice stuff! Includes "Rock, Rock, Rock", "Creator", "Piece Of The Pie", "Heads Up", "Been There", "Save Your Soul", "Fly Away", "Bun Babylon", "Lots Of Herbs", "Still A Hold Faith", "Win Or Lose", "Go Round Dem" with Lion Face, "Dem A Wonder" with Smiley, "Don't Say No" with Mark Wonder and more.

A beautiful set of jazz album cover art from the 50s and 60s – hardcover, in full color, and packed with hundreds of classic images! The title's a reflection of the strong scope of material – work from both the east and west coast scenes, pulled from labels like Prestige, Atlantic, Riverside, Pacific Jazz, and Contemporary – all known for their great sense of cover design – as well as amazing music! In many cases, the covers are grouped together to show thematic elements from a specific designer – and in others, they show the different labels each reflecting the others with some very cool trends for representation. Images are all shot from original copies of LPs – including some UK issues which belie the British origins of the compilers (also known for their famous Blue Note volume) – and the hefty book is 10" square, which will nestle nicely next to your collection of rare early jazz albums! 222 pages, hardcover, in full color.

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

An overlooked record in the grand scheme – which is unforgivable in our book! This self-titled album Prince's second LP, and already his vision is becoming a little more focused, and you could really hear the seeds of his later efforts – and really remarkable, unique, and fascinating record that stands up with some of his best work, and bucks all late 70s trends and cliches in pop, soul and funk. In some ways this is one of our favorite Prince LPs, as it has a kind of intimacy that was lacking on later LPs, or maybe it's because the hit "I Wanna Be Your Lover" has such a mad groove! "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" has the sly sound that would run throughout the rest of Prince's better work for years to come and Chaka Khan would later cover "I Feel for You" and hit large with it in the 80s. Also includes "Sexy Dancer", "With You" and "When We're Dancing Close And Slow".

A pair of post Philly International gems from Lou Rawls on Epic – Now Is The Time from '82 and Close Company from '84 – in a single set! Now Is The Time is a solid soul effort from Lou, still working wonders here in the early 80s on a record that stands the test of time surprisingly well! The production doesn't overdo it with period production flourishes, with some sweeping arrangements on some numbers and more of an easygoing vibe on others. Titles include "Kiss Me One More Time", "Let Me Show You How", "Ain't That Love Baby", "This Love" and "Back To You". Close Company features a fair bit of production from Dexter Wansel, in a way that continues the groove from a few years before! The sound's got a smooth, sophisticated feel that works great with Lou's maturing vocals – and the overall feel is right up there with the best classy soul coming out on Epic at the time – work that's really stood the test of the time because it never gave in too much to commercial trends. Titles include "Close Company", "All Time Lover", "In The Middle Of The Night", "Pretty Eyes", "Forever I Do", "Ready Or Not", and "Say It Again". 17 tracks in all on the CD.

The Rolling Stones doing their thing on the Some Girls tour – live at Fort Worth's Will Rogers Memorial Centre in the summer of 1978! Now remembered as a classic, Some Girls was a bit of divisive record for both Stones die-hards and rock fans in general, circa '78 – with some trendy pop and disco touches, as well as more of a gleaming production aesthetic. The live show was something else, though – it was on this date, anyway – which is a manic, swaggery blast! It's got a bunch of Some Girls material, as well as some other classic Stones songs – including "Let It Rock", "All Down The Line",, "Honky Tonk Women", "Star Star", "When The Whip Comes Down", "Respectable", "Love In Vain", "Tumbling Dice", "Beast Of Burden", "Miss You", "Shattered", "Happy", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Brown Sugar", "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and more. This 2LP version also includes the full-length concert DVD!

DJ Wrongtom takes on the canon of Roots Manuva – giving some dubby Caribbean flavor to Roots Manuva's modern UK hip hop classics! There's not much in the way of consessions to trendy dubstep here, and that approach works very well! Includes the new track "Jah Warriors" feat Ricky Ranking, plus Roots revisits with fresh riddims, including "Butterfly Crab Walk", "Chin Up", "Worl' A Mine", "Son Of Bodda", "Motion 82", "Rebuff", "Lick Up Ya Foot" and more.

Head-nodding, truth-telling soulful hip hop from underground Chi producer/MC Thaione Davis – who we actually hadnt heard much from in the previous couple of years – so it's good to have him back! Even though it's been a minute since he's checked in with us, this is actually Thaione's 9th album. He's not only a long-running independent hip hop Chi presence, he's also one of our most consistently high quality players – he gets better and better! He's sharp enough of a lyricist and wise enough of a producer to make music that's built to stand the test of time – skirting trends in favor of truth and soul. Most cats don't do it like this anymore. Good to have you back, Thaione! Includes "Conflict Resolution", "Control", "Hold Me Down", "Galaxie's A Problem" feat 80's Babies, "The Joys Of Life & Pain" with Race of Primeridian, "2 Finger Peace Sign" with Adad, "Everything is Everything", "Anythingthatbenefit", "Hypnotize", "Demonstrating Literature", "8 Bit Analysis" and more – plus the CD only bonus track "No Reciprocal".

Bonus mix features beats by Lord Finesse.

Chicago deep house player & producer Glenn Underground's deepest and most soul jazz-steeped effort to date! We really thought Glenn stepped up his game pretty decisively on the previous full length for his Strictly Jaz Unit label – and Forgotten Art is another major leap forward. This is modern instrumental club music at it's most soulful, jazz aware and able – the beats and rhythms drive the sound, but there's so much vibrant, live energy here – keys, horns and eclectic percussion in particular. Classic dance music from 70s jazz & disco to benchmark house influences flow in and out, but it's also profoundly contemporary without copping to current trends – in other words, it's straight up built to last. Nah, Glenn. . .we won't forget this one! Titles include "Strumming & Thinking", "Forgotten Art (Music)", "Safe At Home", "Robots & Bumblebees (A Tribute To Patrick Adams)", "Shiloh (A King's Return)", "Silent Pimp (Peace In My Place)", "Tabernacle", "What's Next" and "Peace For Nippon (Japan)",

The first full length compilation from NYC Trust – including cuts from limited vinyl releases and some previously unreleased bits – with tracks by Greenwood Rhythm Coalition, Midnight Lab Band, Frente Cumbiero, Doctor Stereo and Beverly Road All Stars! It's modern dancefloor grooves with global roots – the kind that eschews trends, yet has a contemporary feel. It was mostly recorded from 2009-2012, and built to last – this will still sound fresh a decade down the road! Includes "Secret Stash (Fumaca Jazz Remix)", "Over Easy's: and "Guajira '78" and more by Greenwood Rhythm Coalition, "Pavita" and "Unconvention" by Frente Cumbiero, "Moonwalking", "The Forgotten Chant (Revisted by Los Fulanos)" and more by Midnight Lab Band, "La Cumbia Perdida" by Doctor Stereo, "Murder She Wrote" by Beverley Road All Stars and more.

Brand new, indeed – music from a time when the Swedish jazz scene was really overflowing with fresh ideas – many of them home grown, and some of them a local answer to modern trends from the US and other parts of Europe at the time! The scope of music here is really wonderful – as some musicians really stretch out, and start to carve the kind of modern edge that's made Scandinavian jazz some of the freshest of the 60s – while others refine some older Swedish ideas in jazz, but inflect them with groovier 60s touches that are definitely appreciated by our ears! As with other sets in this series, the track list is wonderful – a whopping 4CDs, with 67 titles in all – many of which we haven't seen on other reissues at all – in a handsome slipcase with a big booklet of notes and photos too. Includes work by Monica Zetterlund, Bernt Rosengren, Staffan Abeleen, Gals & Pals, Bengt Frippe Nordstrom, Eje Thelin, Thomas Fehling, Jazz Doctors, Jan Johansson, Knud Jorgensen, Lars Sjosten, Nils Lindberg, Lars Lystedt, Arne Domnerus, Swedish Modern Jazz Group, Kurt Lindgren, and many others!

Clarence Carter's first few years of Fame Studios singles – simply put, some of very best southern soul of this or any other period – both sides of each single Clarence cut with Rick Hall at Fame from 1966-1973! Recorded at the vaunted Muscle Shoals studio during the peak years of the facility and Clarence's career – what more can we say? The production and arrangements by Hall personify the sound and style of the southern soul era – and Clarence's capability to truly emote, as well as demonstrate a sly wit and unique personality – ultimately transcending all trends at the time! Absolutely essential material and it sounds as great as ever – with mastering direct from the Fame masters tapes too. Includes "Tell Daddy", "I Stayed Away Too Long", "Thread The Needle", "Too Weak To Fight", "Let Me Comfort You", "Back Door Santa", "Doin' Our Thing", "Take It Off Him And Put It On Me", "The Few Troubles I've Had", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "Funky Fever", "Snatching It Back", "Devil Woman" and more.

A killer set of hardbop from the legendary Hank Mobley – recorded during the initial Mobley run at Blue Note, and a keen document of his amazing power on the tenor sax! The album's got a tightness that's almost impossible to believe – a summation of all the best bop trends of the 50s, rolled into a freewheeling and soulful expression, guided by Mobley's always-sharp ear for a groove. The group's great too – and Art Blakey is on drums, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and a young young Freddie Hubbard plays trumpet. All tracks are nice and long, with a firey hardbop sound, deeply held in place by Mobley's soulful tone on the tenor! Titles include "My Groove Your Move", "Baptist Beat", and "The Breakdown". CD features one more bonus track!

An all star hip hop project on Stones Throw – music by the core Quakers trio of Invada Records partners Katalyst & 7Stu7, plus a cat billed as Fuzzface (actually Geoff Barrow of Portishead) – featuring a sick lineup of guests including Guilty Simpson, Jonwayne, Aloe Blacc, Buff1, Diverse, Botty Brown, Phat Kat, Frank Nitty, MED, Prince Po, Finale and more! The Quakers set out with the simple goal of of making the kind of hip hop record they'd want to listen to, trends be damned . . .and it's damn good! Heavy beats and sinister bass lines are a common thread, but this a celebration of depth and diversity in the leftfield hip hop idiom – 41 fairly brief tracks that flow impeccably well and with standout rhymes from an impossibly strong roster of guests. Includes "Big Cat" with Synato Watts, "The Lo", "Sidewinder" with Buff1, "Dark City Lights" with Frank Nitty, "War Drums" feat Phat Kat & Guilty Simpson, "Rock My Soul" feat Prince Po, "Rock My Soul" feat Prince Po, "Sign Language" feat Aloe Blacc, "Oh Goodness" feat Finale and much more.

One of Mongo's biggest records of the early 70s – and an important early side for Atlantic Records! Moving to Atlantic from Columbia, Mongo hipped things up even more – picking up on important trends in soul, rock, and the Latin underground of the time. Atlantic gave Mongo the freedom to open things up a bit more – and fill his grooves with a bit more funk, jazz, and Chicano soul than heard on earlier albums. The result is a wonderful blend of styles that crackles with electricity from track to track. Arrangements are by Mongo's longtime partner, Marty Sheller – and titles include "Hip Hug Her", "Sunshine Of Your Love", "Hold On, I'm Coming", "On Broadway", and "In A Gadda Da Vida", which is a real trip!

Get ready to discover a fantastic new soul music talent! Jill Scott's the best thing we've heard in years – and she's a perfect example of the killer NuSoul trends that have been forged in the past few years by artists like D'Angelo, Mshell N'degocello, or N'Dambe (but Jill doesn't have an apostrophe mark in her name!) The record's a totally seductive blend of warm instrumentation, subdued funky beats, and immensely captivating soul vocals. The whole thing's awash in Fender Rhodes, giving it a spacey soul sound that will make the record a classic for years to come! Titles include "The Way", "Do You Remember", "Long Rain", "Love Rain", "Honey Molasses", "Slowly Surely", "Watching Me", and "He Loves Me" – but it's allllll good! The LP includes a remix of "Love Rain" featuring Mos Def!

Starpoint's getting a bit loose and free with their fashions on the cover of this one – but the grooves themselves are tighter than ever! If anything, Starpoint seems to be a lot more confident than before – working in a mode that's completely free from late 70s trends, but which also doesn't fall into the traps of others of their generation – a sound that's electric and funky, yet also plenty darn soulful too. Renee Diggs' vocals are completely great on the album – bringing in a depth that's really appreciated, and giving the group a much more well-rounded sound than so many other all male ensemble funk acts of the time. Ballads and mellower numbers are every bit as great as the groovers too – and titles include "All Night Long", "Get Your Body Up", "Bring Your Sweet Lovin Back", "Show Me", "I Can Give You Love", and "It's You".

Later than Barry's classic years, but some nice material that often gets overlooked! As the 80s approached, Barry changed his style slightly – and hit a smooth modern soul groove that was still closely related to a lot of trends he invented in the early 70s, but which also had a slicker production sound that compressed the grooves a bit. The result may not be as popular with beatheads, but it works great for steppers – as you'll hear on the mellow cut "Ooo . . . Ahh" on this album. Other tracks include "Tell Me Who Do You Love", "You're My High", "Let Me In & Let's Begin With Love".

A trio session – but a killer! Unlike some of Byard's earlier trio work from the 60s, this one's a pretty compelling set – with some very trippy influences, and a strange mix of 60s grooving, Eastern rhythms, and trad jazz themes. Jaki plays piano (and guitar on one track!) – and his trio features Ornette's bassist David Izenzon on bass, plus Elvin Jones on drums and tympani! Titles include "Trendsition Zildijian", "Sunshine", "Cast Away", and "Chandra".

Top shelf Dilla beats from the archives – and a strong debut full length from Ruff Draft Records! Posthumous releases by favorite departed artists can be a dicey proposition – and much to our relief, Rebirth Of Detroit delivers – with both high quality beats and positive mojo! Dilla didn't cop to current trends in his time on earth (except for the ones he started in the first place) so it stands to reason that the beats he had in the can before he departed would hold up strongly years later – and they do Includes "Detroit Madness", "Big Thangs", "My Victory", "Do It For Dilla Dawg", "Jay Dee's Revenge", "Houseshoes Was Spinnin'", "Dillatroit", "Center Of The Movement" and more.

A early 90s set from George Jackson – really moving stuff from the southern soul legend, songs with depth and emotion and played with vitally by a band – a pretty strong batch for Jackson, working in something of a timeless mode rather than bowing the to studio trends or trickery of the era! As diverse and adaptable of a soulful songwriter as George is, he sticks with a solid sax & trumpet accented southern style here, and it serves him quite well! Titles include "Struggling Lady", "Heart To Heart Collect", "If It's Love You're Trying To Fight". "I Want That Love Back", "Put On Me What You Put On Him", "Café Woman" and "Club House Blues".

The one astounding studio album of proto punk/abrasive psych genius from the Monks – a true masterpiece – and a record that's been ripped off by myriad more famous groups in both the mainstream and underground rock landscape of the past 40 years! The group's status as discharged G.I.'s informs some of spewed vitriol, but beyond that there's little connection to any trends or scenes – the Monks are true originals in a world of imitators – and that adds a layer of excitement to an already mind blowing listen. The album's wild organ washes, primitive drums and guitar, and harsh, bizarre vocal rants prefigured everything from the Stooges, to Rocket From The Tombs, to the more predictable punk stuff that arrived 18 years later – yet it still grooves. Outrageous and incredible! "Monk Time", "Shut Up", "Boys Are Boys And Girls Are Choice", "Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy", "I Hate You", "We Do Wie Du", "Drunken Maria", "Blast Off!", "That's My Girl", "Cuckoo", "Love Can Tame The Wild", "He Went Down To The Sea" and more – the first 12 tracks are the original LP release – followed by later singles and a live track. Light In The Attic's reissue has better sound than we've ever heard for this material, and a great booklet of notes and photos.

The third in the surprisingly strong Brownswood Electric series – in which Gilles Peterson carefully peruses the leftfield electronic underground and puts together some of the best, brightest and most worthy of discovery! We love both the eclecticism and the overall uniqueness of each track here. Gilles not only has excellent taste in modern sounds, but he has a great ear for odder, genre-defying material that avoid temporary trendiness. It's got some dancefloor ready neo-house, tripped out hip hop indebted instros, spacey keyboard textured tunes and more. Includes "Makin' Magic" by Krampfhaft, "Tiny Concrete Block" by Kidsuke, "Nothing" by Lost Twin, "Tride & Tride" by Anushka, "Girl" by Aftawerks, "Bootney Farnsworth" by Metabeats, "Hot Rain" by Pomrad, "Kick It VIP" by Frank Rodasm, "Never Been (Electr*c VIP" by Dub Phixion feat Fox and more.

Hip hop lifers and genre-defiant pop art blenders The Beastie Boys deliver the Hot Sauce – either their 8th or 9th album in 25 years, depending on how you count the Mix Up instrumentals set – and it sounds to us like a return to the good times hip hop funk style-hopping that the Boys flaunted so brilliantly in the period from Check Your Head to Hello Nasty! Hot Sauce was initially solicited as Part 1 to be followed by a Part 2, but the album was put on hold while Yauch battled cancer, which gave the Beasties plenty of time to finess the material and release it as the definitive project we have here. It's solid stuff and a Beastie Boys album through-and-through – and they're as immune to trends as ever. Guests include Nas, Santigold and Switch. Tracks include "Make Some Noise", "Nonstop Disco Powerpack", "Too Many Rappers (New Reactionaries Version)" with Nas, "Lee Majors Comes Again", "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" feat Santigold, "Tadlock's Glasses", "The Lisa Lisa/Full Force Routine", "Here's A Little Something For Ya" and more.

Stellar dancefloor soul from Dego – the first ever solo album from one half of the pioneering, longstandingly brilliant 4 Hero – thwarting trendiness with ease and crafting a set that's fully lives up to the 4 Hero-ic legacy! It's nice to have a full scale solo effort from Dego, not only because, ya know, he's so damn good – but it gives us a bit of hindsight about just what he may have personally brought to the table with 4 Hero, Silhouette Brown and other collaborative projects. The beat is prominent, keys come in soul jazzy washes or bright and spacey electro tones, and it’s all profoundly soulful. Speaking of soul and the spirit of collaboration, the guests are top notch – and include Sharlene Hector, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Silhouette Brown partner Kaidi Tatham, Nia Andrews, Obenawa and others. Includes "Start A New" feat Sharlene Hector, "Sparkling Minds" with Georgia Anne Muldrow, "Da Fuzz" feat Lordamercy, "All That She Knows" feat Obenewa, "Monday Blues", "Not Bother Talking It", "Dego's Dancehall Cry", "Not In My Disco", "Late Night Fright", "The Monarch" and more.

Brilliant weirdness from Frank Zappa in the late 70s – and a pretty bold mix of oddball humor and challenging compositions! Studio Tan starts out with the 20-minute "The Adventures Of Gregory Peccary" – with studio-manipulated comic narration and dialogue that's all about slaying disposable trends on one level – but on a deeper level, it's really poetic and alliterative. Add to that the bizzarro musical backdrop and what you have is an overlooked work of genius. Also includes the tracks "Lemme Take You To The Beach", "Revised Music For The Guitar And Low Budget Orchestra" and "RDNZL".

A sterling collection of soul tunes compiled by legendary UK DJ Richard Searling – heavy on sweet symphonic soul numbers from the 70s and tightly crafted groovers from the 80s! Searling has a deep affinity for mellow soul nuggets with lightly soaring horns, grooved out vocals and keys. It's all well in tune with the Expansion standard of a genuine soul presentation – with little regard for passing trends and straight up love for soul music from the 60s through the 80s! 17 tracks in all: "You'll Never Get My Love" by Mike Jemison, "Fly Now Pay Later" by the Intrigues, "Why Are You Crying" by Bobby Boyd, "Just What I Had In Mind" by Gary Taylor, "After Hours" by Charlie Mitchell, "Let Yourself Go" by Friends Of Distinction, "You Hit My Love" by Hari Paris, "I Just Found Out" by Freddie Hughes & The Chevelles, "Inside My Love" by Memphis, "Expect A Miracle" by Gina Foster and more!