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A timeless take on Cali psych from Maston! It's a pretty sweet take on classic styles – rolling from rawer, eerier takes on the melancholy sunshine of Pet Sounds to even moodier songcraft – with tripped out, though melodic vocal material and some cool instrumentals alike. While the influences standout pretty strongly, the mix of sunny and eerier sounds is quite unique – and like everything we've heard on the Trouble In Mind label, it's expertly crafted and built to last! Includes "Stange Rituals", "(You Were) In Love", "Messages", "Looks", "Young Hearts", "Judge Alabastser", "Flutter", "Mirror" and "Night".

Jacco Gardner covers Billy Nicholls' "Always On My Mind," The Resonars cover Fairport Convention's "It's Alright Ma, It's Only Witchcraft," MMOSS covers the Everly Brothers' "Cathy's Clow "and Maston takes on the Kinks classic "I Go To Sleep."

One of the coolest, sexiest, most straight up irresistible French rock & roll albums we've heard in years – a great self-titled gem from Liminanas on Chicago's Trouble In Mind label! Drums, bass, woozy organ and percussion are at the core of the sound – with a raw, neo-classic garage psyche vibe, but it's the sultry, somewhat pulpy mood that sets them apart from the pack. Marie Liminana brings the spare, perfectly effective drums & percussion, while Lionel Liminana does all kinds of groovy stuff – guitar, bass, sitar, melodica, piano, organ and percussion – with special guests sharing vocal duties on alternate tracks. The Liminanas don't hammer away like underground garage kids around the world, they're more into setting a mood, but that doesn't compromise the raw and exhilarating edge. Titles include "The Darkside", "Je Ne Suis Pa Tre Drogue", "Chocolate In My Milk", "Mountain", "Berceuse Pour Clive", "Tears", "Tigre Du Bengale", "Got Nothin To Say" and more.

A timeless take on Cali psych from Maston! It's a pretty sweet take on classic styles – rolling from rawer, eerier takes on the melancholy sunshine of Pet Sounds to even moodier songcraft – with tripped out, though melodic vocal material and some cool instrumentals alike. While the influences standout pretty strongly, the mix of sunny and eerier sounds is quite unique – and like everything we've heard on the Trouble In Mind label, it's expertly crafted and built to last! Includes "Stange Rituals", "(You Were) In Love", "Messages", "Looks", "Young Hearts", "Judge Alabastser", "Flutter", "Mirror" and "Night".

A cabinet full of psychedelic wonders from Dutch genius Jacco Gardner! Jacco carries a torch from some of the more swirling psych era sounds from around the world – getting a little bit of assistance on the drums – but he otherwise wrote, produced, and plays everything on this excellent record himself. There's a lot going here, so that's mighty impressive! Reminiscent of some of our favorite late 60s psych that blends gentle melodies with thick atmosphere – with echoey vocals, organ, harpsichord and more. Nice! Includes "Clear The Air", "The One Eyed King", "Puppets Dangling", "Where Will You Go", "Watching The Moon", "Cabinet Of Curiosities", "The Riddle", "Lullaby", "Help Me Out", "Summer's Game", "Chameleon" and "The Ballad Of Little Jane".

A cabinet full of psychedelic wonders from Dutch genius Jacco Gardner! Jacco carries a torch from some of the more swirling psych era sounds from around the world – getting a little bit of assistance on the drums – but he otherwise wrote, produced, and plays everything on this excellent record himself. There's a lot going here, so that's mighty impressive! Reminiscent of some of our favorite late 60s psych that blends gentle melodies with thick atmosphere – with echoey vocals, organ, harpsichord and more. Nice! Includes "Clear The Air", "The One Eyed King", "Puppets Dangling", "Where Will You Go", "Watching The Moon", "Cabinet Of Curiosities", "The Riddle", "Lullaby", "Help Me Out", "Summer's Game", "Chameleon" and "The Ballad Of Little Jane".

Fantastic French pop from Liminanas – two cuts that sound wonderful on a 45! "La Fille De La Lingne 15" mixes Serge Gainsbourg-like spoken vocals with a dipping, turning guitar line – moving slow with a mix of twang and psych, which really fits the lyrics! "Mobylette" has a fuzzier feel overall – almost like the French pop that Stereloab might have thrown us back in their early days – but somehow more authentic too!

An earnest, often largely orchestrated gospel-ish album This Lusty Land is his earliest inspirational foray. If you only know ol' Ern from "Sixteen Tons" and the Davy Crockett theme, or from his appearance as a Branson, MO dwelling ghost on the Simpsons, you're really missing out on a singular vocal talent – a man who cut some of the greatest hillbilly pop and proto-rockabilly vocal tunes ever! 12 tracks in all: "John Henry", "Trouble In Mind", "Chicken Road", "The Rovin' Gambler", "In The Pines", "Nine Pound Hammer", "The Last Letter", and more.

Quite an amazing little record – and one that definitely lives up to its title! The set's one of the most intimate ever recorded by Lightning Hopkins – done in a style that's equally folk as it is blues – with Hopkins playing guitar and singing, but in a very relaxed, laidback style that also feels more conversational at points – especially when he breaks out from singing to do a bit of speaking. The approach is wonderful – just right for the aging talents of this legendary Texas musician – on cuts that include "The Gambling Life", "Mama & Papa Hopkins", "Trouble In Mind", "Get Off My Toe", "75 Highway", "Short Haired Woman", "So Long Baby", and "Bottle Up & Go".

A trio of classics from the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra! First up is the initial Presenting album – great music by one of the hippest large American ensembles of the late 60s – almost a US equivalent to the groovy sound of the Clark Boland Big Band over in Europe! Trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis had already made some great music together on their own – but once they came together in a record like this, they really found a great new direction for their energy – a bold musical force that's strong enough to also encompass the rich talents of players who include Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Joe Farrell on tenor, Jerome Richardson on soprano sax, Richard Williams on trumpet, Bob Brookmeyer and Tom McIntosh on trombones, Hank Jones on piano, and Richard Davis on bass! The sound is full, but never overwhelming – and like the Clark Boland group, this one has a great way of breaking open to allow key soloists to have some great space on their own – a modern approach, and one that still never has the band losing its groove. Titles include "ABC Blues", "Mean What You Say", "Three & One", and "Once Around". The next album was recorded live in the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis home turf at the Village Vanguard! The group at this point was a freshly-created outfit filled with some of the best large group jazz soloists of the time – players that included Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels, Pepper Adams, Richard Williams, and Bob Brookmeyer – not to mention Jones and Lewis themselves! The style here is very much in the mode that the Clarke Boland Band was crafting in Europe during the same period – a redefinition of the larger jazz group, in a way that allowed it to swing with the dynamic energy and soul of some of the smaller combos of the 60s. And while the Jones/Lewis group had many years over which to hone their craft, they've never sounded better than on these initial recordings – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Samba Con Getchu", "A That's Freedom", "Bachafillen", and "Little Pixie". On the last album in the set, Ruth Brown joins the big band of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis – in a set that's a real standout in the career of all three artists! Thad and Mel already have a pretty great groove going at this point – a large ensemble approach to jazz, yet one that's swingingly soulful – very much on a par with some of Gerald Wilson's hip work of the same time at time. And adding in Ruth Brown's vocals is a great choice – as she not only needs a great showcase like this for her amazing voice, but also because she really helps unlock a soulful sort of energy that the group always had in their instrumental music. The approach is a bit like some of Etta Jones' best 60s recordings – a nice shift for Brown – and titles include "Black Coffee", "Fine Brown Frame", "You Won't Let Go", "Trouble In Mind", and "Be Anything (But Be Mine)".

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Like Brothers", and "Find Yourself". CD features a HUGE amount of bonus tracks too – titles that include "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", "No", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "I'm A Young Man", "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", and a 1969 version of "So Much Trouble In My Mind".

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Like Brothers", and "Find Yourself".

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Now Brothers", and "Find Yourself". This version is overflowing with bonus tracks – 9 more than the original album, pulled from singles on GSF and Mercury – with titles that include "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", "I'm A Young Man", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "No", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", and "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)". 18 tracks on the CD.

Stellar material that Ike Turner produced in just a couple years for Modern Records – in many cases, with Ike also given the songwriting credit – New Orleans & LA recordings from '63-'65! Ike was one incredible vessel of pure musical talent and ingenuity – overshadowed badly by that red hot hell of a public and private life. That's a shame for a number of reasons, but the work speaks for itself. What's most incredible here, is that other voices speak for their own immense talent as well as Ike's work behind the scenes. It's get great, rare material by Ike & Tina Revue & Kings Of Rhythm members and others. 27 tracks in all: "Darkest Hour", "I Smell Trouble", "Feel So Good" and more by Jimmy Thomas, "All In My Mind" by Tina Turner, "In Love" by Jackie Brenston & The Ikettes, "That's All Right" and "You're So Fine" by Vernon Guy, "Think" by Bobby John & The Ikettes, "Walking Down The Aisle" by Ike Turner & The Ikettes and more.

A monster set of work by one of the funkiest guitar players ever! Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones recorded a number of sides for Prestige Records during the early 70s – but this rare gem came out after all those, in 1975, on the tiny Joka label, and never really got into proper circulation at the time – making it one of THE indie jazz funk classics of the 70s! The album's actually one of Boogaloo's best – and has a rougher edge than his Prestige albums – heard to great effect on the two standout funky cuts, "Sweetback" and "Confusion" – both of which are stunners that feature Jones really ripping away on the guitar! The whole set's nice, though – and other tracks include "You've Got It Bad Girl", "Trouble In Mind", and "Jamaica Farewell".

Rare work by Cannonball – recorded live in Europe in the early 60s, and only ever issued there until the release of this CD in the US! The set features live material performed by Cannon's amazing group that included Joe Zawinul on piano, Yusef Lateef on reeds, Nat Adderley on cornet, and the rhythm section of Sam Jones and Louis Hayes – all grooving together perfectly for the set, with a fluid mix of hardbop, soul jazz, and slight exotic traces that are completely sublime! Titles include "P Bouk", "Gemini", "Work Song", "Trouble In Mind" and "Dizzy's Business".

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

Giorge may have switched the "e" in his name, but that's not the only thing that makes him stand out – because the album's something of an underground classic from the 80s, even though it's issued on a major label! Pettus is a great singer with a really mature feel – a quiet storm vocalist who really sparkles on the mellow cuts, and manages to sing with a deeply expressive feel that offsets any of the stiffer rhythms in the background. The album features some production by Kashif, who's probably a good comparison to Pettus – and titles include "My Night For Love", "Can You Wait", "I'm Good For You", "One Track Mind", "Trouble In Paradise", and "Make It Right".

One of the most legendary albums of jazz funk ever recorded! Rufus Harley was a saxophone player who also picked up the bagpipes for a few excellent 60s albums for Atlantic Records – and although those records are great, this 1972 independent album is a real mind blower! By the time of this set, Rufus had really stretched out – both creatively and spiritually – working his standard bagpipe jazz groove into a much trippier sound, one that explored the tonal and modal properties of the instrument. Not only that, Rufus got a lot funkier than ever before – working here with organist Bill Mason, a sonic contemporary of Leon Spencer and Charles Earland – and the resultant mix of organ and bagpipes creates a monstrous sound that's unlike anything we can describe! The album's a mixture of Sufi and Biblical statements – fused into long funky jazz tracks, stretching out into some incredible grooves. Includes the classic "Malika", plus the cuts "Etymology", "Hypothesis", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen", done in a great heavy version! CD also features a bonus 10 minute jam not on the original album!

A unique mid 60s Chess session from Muddy Waters – one with a very different feel than usual, and a good dose of soul too! As you might guess from the title, Muddy gets some full backings on this set – not exactly a large brass section, but a set of Chicago soul-styled backings handled by Gene Barge and Charles Stepney – grooves which, when mixed with his own bluesy guitar and vocals, creates a feel that's a bit like some of the Little Milton Chess work from the same time. Titles include "Hard Loser", "Going Back To Memphis", "Trouble In Mind", "Sweet Little Angel", and "Take My Advice".

2 early Capitol classics by Lou Rawls – back to back on one CD, and perfectly paired throughout! Black and Blues is quite possibly the first truly great Lou Rawls album for Capitol – an all-out swinging jazz session done with arrangements by Onzy Matthews, in a mode that firmly helped put the Lou Rawls sound on the map! The tracks are mostly older numbers from a long lineage of blues and R&B – but with hipper 60s touches by Matthews in the backings, Lou really swings the work into a whole new territory – moving older, clunky compositions into more adult, more mature modes that aren't nearly as sad or downtrodden as their roots! Titles include "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water", "Roll Em Pete", "Kansas City", "World Of Trouble", "Trouble In Mind", "Strange Fruit", and "Six Cold Feet Of Ground". Tobacco Road was a real breakthrough for Lou – a set that again paired him with arranger Onzy Matthews, and which even more deeply explored the unique space between jazz, soul, and the blues that became Rawls' prime territory back in the 60s! Matthews' backings are hip and jazzy throughout – filled with bold horn touches from players that include Lou Blackburn, Curtis Amy, Sonny Criss, and even Horace Tapscott – who's playing trombone here instead of his more familiar piano. Ray Crawford's guitar underscores a good number of the tracks here with that clean, lean, single-note style of his – but Lou is the clear star throughout with his deeply-voiced lyrics of older familiar tunes. Titles include his landmark reworking of "Tobacco Road", plus "Summertime", "Stormy Weather", "Rocking Chair", "Ol Man River", "St Louis Blues", and "Sentimental Journey". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" and the previously unissued "Gloomy Sunday".

Wonderful sounds from the great John Carpenter – one of those records that reminds us that his music is often just as important as the images he puts on the screen! Carpenter's music for The Fog follows nicely in his work for other films – particularly Halloween – in that it's got this slow-building style that often makes great use of keyboards – often used sparely, with a really spooky sort of energy – and even more space, and at slower speed than his other horror soundtracks! The style really fits the "fog" theme of the film – and this 2CD version features the 2000 remix of the soundtrack album, plus 1980 score cues – and a bonus interview with Jamie Lee Curtis too. Titles include "Matthew Ghost Story", "Tommy Tells Of Ghost Ships", "Reel 9", "Blake In The Sanctuary", "Number 6", "Walk To Lighthouse", "Dane", "Andy's In Trouble", and "The Fog Enters Town".

Sublime southern soul from one of the greats! James Carr is right up there with the best of the 60s – Otis Redding, Arthur Conley, Joe Tex, and others – but he never made it as big as them because of personal troubles and bad planning on the part of his label and management. Fortunately, his genius has been kept alive by record collectors everywhere – for whom this rare gem is a holy grail! The album features 11 tunes that sum up the best of the south in the 60s – all sung by James with his unbelievably heartbreaking voice. Titles include "The Dark End Of The Street", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "A Woman Is A Man's Best Friend", "I'm A Fool For You", "Stronger Than Love", "More Love", and "Sowed Love & Reaped A Heartache".

An incredible record – quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique – written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him – done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love – all of which were very much on the mind of Marvin during his troubled years of the mid 70s. The whole thing's beautifully put together – superbly orchestrated with just the right funky touches, and even a sweet bit of electronics to give the set a nice edge. An amazing album – one of those soul records that goes deeper and deeper than you ever thought pop music could go – filled with great tracks that include "I Want You", "After the Dance", "Come Live With Me", and "Since I Had You". Genius – pure genius!

An incredible record – quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique – written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him – done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love – all of which were very much on the mind of Marvin during his troubled years of the mid 70s. The whole thing's beautifully put together – superbly orchestrated with just the right funky touches, and even a sweet bit of electronics to give the set a nice edge. An amazing album – one of those soul records that goes deeper and deeper than you ever thought pop music could go – filled with great tracks that include "I Want You", "After the Dance", "Come Live With Me", and "Since I Had You". Genius – pure genius!

The Alone Together project from producer, beatmaker and instrumentalist Karriem Riggins – who's a brilliant jazz drummer, when that's what he wants to do – and he's also a beat-heavy hip hop production guru when duty calls! Alone Together finds Karriem wearing his hip hop instrumentalist hat, and he wears it very well – in a way that reminds us a bit of fellow Detroit-raised maestro J Dilla. Karriem's pedigree as a live drummer informs his MPC 3000 experimentation very nicely, too – as he holds an insistent jazzy soul beat underneath boundless sampler atmosphere. Alone Together has 34 tracks in all: "Round The Outside", "Moogy Foog It", "Orbitz", "Forward Motion", "Esperanza", "Africa", "Double Trouble", "Ding Dong Bells", "Belle Isle Reprise", "Tom Toms", "Because", "Boy Is Doin It Right", "Back In Brazil", "Live At Berts", "Voyager 5000", "Matador", "Bring That Beat Back (Next Time)", "J Dilla The Greatest" and more.

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

The Alone sides of the Alone Together project from producer, beatmaker and instrumentalist Karriem Riggins – who's a brilliant jazz drummer, when that's what he wants to do – and he's also a beat-heavy hip hop production guru when duty calls! It finds Karriem wearing his hip hop instrumentalist hat, and he wears it very well – in a way that reminds us a bit of fellow Detroit-raised maestro J Dilla. Karriem's pedigree as a live drummer informs his MPC 3000 experimentation very nicely, too – as he holds an insistent jazzy soul beat underneath boundless sampler atmosphere. On vinyl, Alone Together is separately released in halves – and Alone features 17 tracks: "Round The Outside", "Moogy Foog It", "Orbitz", "Forward Motion", "Esperanza", "Africa", "Double Trouble", "Ding Dong Bells", "Water", "Double Trouble and more.

If the supermarket still sounded this funky, they'd never have any trouble getting us to do the shopping – thanks to the wonderfully groovy sound library tunes served up on this CD! The collection's a great reminder of the days when Muzak could still sound plenty darn wonderful – an instrumental soundtrack to shopping that was very much in line with the best film and TV themes of the period – fuzzy guitar, burning Hammond, and more – all set to subtly funky rhythms that were more than enough to help keep the mood bright as the shoppers moved down the aisles with their carts! All tracks here are from the UK Rediffusion sound library – an under-tapped source of great bits that's similar to DeWolfe or KPM, but much less familiar. Most numbers are by the cream of the crop of the Brit Easy scene – and although most tracks are originals, there's also a few surprising covers too. Titles include "Take Eight" by Pete Moore, "The Cutter" by Vic Flick Sound, "Some Other Time" by Alan Moorehouse, "Hold Tight" by Howard Blaikley Orchestra, "Flash" by Val Merrall, "Next Of Kingsleigh" by Harry Stoneham, "Cat Walk" by Pete Moore, "Spoofin" by Tony Evans, "John & Paul" by Tony Osborne, "Cubanana" by Vic Flick Sound, "Friendship Train" by Rosetta Hightower, "Solar Wind" by Pete Moore, and "Soul In Space" by Harry Stoneham. 25 tracks in all – and great notes too!