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Moody mellow vocals and lots of spare sounds – a really compelling collaboration between singer Greta Aagre and keyboardist Erik Honore! Honore plays a variety of instruments on the record, but his best contribution here is "samples" – bits of sound that are usually filtered down from acoustic sources, and delivered with a slightly skittish feel – never over the top, but kind of textural – in a way that nicely offsets the warmer qualities of Greta's vocals. Most tunes are relatively atmospheric, and draw energy from contributions on trumpet, guitar, and percussion from a few different guest musicians – on titles that include "Rope", "Before Betrayal", "Year Of The Bullet", "Move To Strike", "Home", "Stateline", and "Birth Mark".

A beautiful second record from Abiah – warmly wonderful material that's as sensitive as a singer/songwriter set, yet also has a deep sense of soul as well! Vocals and piano are wonderfully intertwined – in a mode that has the depth of jazz, yet the focus of soul music as well – often handled at a gentle pace, but with a flow that really holds us rapt throughout – with an acoustic vibe that's somewhere in a space between Bill Withers and Joan Armatrading. Abiah is an artist who previously recorded for Universal under his first name, Jeremiah – but he sounds even more wonderful here, and the shift to using his last name is definitely a good choice for this next chapter in his music. Titles include "This Time", "Goodbye", "Foolish Heart", "September", "Turn The Light On", and "Life As A Ballad".

Strong dancefloor funk from ADC Band – one of the tightest combos of their generation, and a group who manage to skirt the worlds between 80s club and more jamming funk. There's a much smoother sound here than the group had in their roots, and the focus here is on plenty of bass and keyboards, but a few tracks also feature a bit more guitar. Vocals are by the group in a shifting lineup – including leads from Kaiya Matthews and James Maddock, plus chorus vocals from all the rest. Titles include "Hot Box", "Nuclear Funk Out", "Our Thought", "Super Freak", "Brother Luck", "Celebrate", and "Nothing You Can Do".

Smoking grooves from an incredible group – the amazing Afro Blues Quintet, a combo with a sound like no other! These guys were never one for stardom, but during the mid and late 60s, they burned up the west coast scene with an incredible blend of vibes, piano, and reeds – often kicked up nicely with some hard-rolling rhythm work that gave their tracks a similar mod groove to classics by Johnny Lytle, Ramsey Lewis, or Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers! But the real difference with the ABQ (if we can call them that!) is that they had a really spacious approach to their sound – never putting too much into the mix, and instead using the space between the notes every bit as much as the notes themselves. The grooves are great, and since most of this work has never been reissued, the set's totally fresh to the ears of most listeners! As usual, the folks at BGP have done a great job with the notes – and the set features 22 tracks from the group's Mira, Surrey, and Crestview recordings – titles that include "Monkey Time", "Freaks", "La La La", "Southside Habit", "Mirror Image", "Afro Rock", "Evening Of The Beast", "Spartacus", "Candie Luv", and "Our Mambo".

One of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! Flora Purim joins in here on both vocals and percussion – and the rest of the group features Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards and harmonica, Jorgte Fattoruso on drums, and David Amaro on both electric and acoustic guitars – shifting nicely between both instruments in a way that further underscores the blended vibe of the record! Most of these tracks are Airto classics – like "Tombo in 7/4", "San Francisco River", "Romance Of Death", "Ringers", and "Wind Chant" – and the record has a very sweet CTI production style, but is still rough enough around the edges to keep things nice and real!

A contemporary take on the sounds of mid-Century – a very cool batch of tracks that leans heavily on 50s exotica, 60s electronica, and lots of other odd bits – all filtered together in cool production with a really playful feel! The set's somewhere between some of the older retro sounds on the Irma La Douce label, and some of the colder work in recent years by groups who've been inspired by Italian crime and horror soundtracks – although Akron's work is a bit warmer overall. Titles include "Rabbits In Orbit", "A Glimpse Of Hell", "Frog War Chant", "Robot Grind", "Memory Hole", and "Picabu".

A really sweet trio set from Barry Altschul – and one that lets him stretch out beautifully on a wide range of percussion! In addition to traditional drums, Altschul handles quica, bowed cymbals, waterphone, shakers, bells, cymbals, wood block, and lots more on the record – also getting some percussive performances from his mates in the trio – trombonist Ray Anderson and bassist Mark Helias! Anderson's trombone really provides some great glue to hold the performance together – some bold, soulful lines that easily move between free passages and more swinging moments. Titles include "Con Alma De Noche", "Irina", "Be Out S'Cool", and "Brahma".

Classic Jug, playing in a laidback open-ended blowing session, with other strong Prestige players – like Coltrane, Jerome Richardson, Paul Quinichette, Art Taylor, and Mal Waldron, who always seems to be the driving force between most Prestige sides like this. The album has only 4 tracks, and they're all long and nice and soulful. The titles are "Blue Hymn", "The Real McCoy", "Cheek To Cheek", and "That's All".

Nice and rarely seen trio side from under-recorded Chicago pianist Anderson. He plays here with Bill Lee and either Walter Perkins or Philly Joe Jones on drums, in a trio that made the core of the rhythm section on Frank Strozier's excellent Jazzland date, Long Night. The group is in fine form here, running through both standards and originals, and though Anderson's name isn't as well known as many other pianists, it ought to be, and he was no stranger to other Windy City jazz greats such as Johnny Griffin. Imagine a cross between Bill Evans and Elmo Hope, and you might get a picture of where he's coming from, though Anderson's voice is all his own, weaving some nice sinuous lines on a set that leans heavily on ballads here, including "You'd Be Nice To Come Home To", "My Funny Valentine" and the originals "See You Saturday" & the title track.

A masterful set of recordings from Chicago soul chanteuse Ruby Andrews – tunes she cut for Zodiac Records between 1967 and 1973! Ruby could handle any soul style her producers threw her way, be it driving dancefloor stompers or pure torch balladry, but she had a way of infusing everything she did with a great sense of emotion. It's the same kind of emotive, deep soul sweep that was buried so heavily in Curtis Mayfield's recordings – perhaps it's the Chicago factor! Whatever the case, this is wonderful stuff – essential to anyone interested in the best late 60s/early 70s female soul! 28 tracks in all: "Uh! Uh! Boy, That's A No No", "Help Yourself (Lover)", "Whatever It Takes To Please You", "Tit For Tat", "Good N' Plenty", "Can You Get Away", "Let's Get A Groove Going On", "Just Loving You", "The Love I Need", "Come To Me", "Wonderful Night", "Away From The Crowd", "Didn't I Fool You", "You Ole Boo Boo You", "All The Way" and lots more.

The start of a beautiful relationship between the Art Ensemble Of Chicago and the DIW label – a Japanese imprint who brought the group back to full prominence in the years after they stopped recording for ECM! DIW also let the group really do their own thing, too – almost moving back to some of their best 70s modes in a recording like this – nicely mixing up many different strands of musical influences, all in a very open space that leaves plenty of room for more sensitive moments. The only change might be the increasing presence of some of Lester Bowie's brassier modes – which bring a straighter groove at a few points – but the offbeat reed work of Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell more than offset those moments. Titles include "Charm #10", "Dancer", "We Bop", "Galactic Landscape", "RMR", and "Way Way Down Yonder".

Why these guys never got over bigger is beyond us! Between A Rock And A Hard Place is filled with dope rhymes, timeless beats, and a mellow, tuneful vibe that's as strong as just about anything we can think of from that fertile early-to-mid 80s scene. Titles include "Lower Da Boom", "Cummin' Thru Ya F**kin Block" feat Redman, "Drama", "Dynamite Soul", "C'Mon Wit Da Git Down" (plus the remix feat Busta Rhymes), "What Goes On?", and "Wrong Side Of Da Tracks". A couple of bonus tracks on this 2013 CD version: "Dynamic Soul II (Lip Service Remix)" feat Mad Skillz and "It's Gettin Hot (Remix)".

A landmark set from the German prog scene – the first amazing utterance of Ash Ra Tempel, and a standard-setting album that few others could ever hope to match! The sound here builds beautifully – coming out of abstract, noisy territory, then finding shape as the record goes on – a perfect blend between the instruments and new studio modes that really help the textures and tones come to the forefront! The group features Klaus Schulze on drums and electronics, Manuel Gotsching on guitar, and Hartmut Enke on bass – and Conny Plank worked the knobs, to help the whole thing come together like magic! Each song takes up a side of the record – and titles include "Amboss" and "Traummaschine".

Sublimely satisfying work from Ashford & Simpson – a stone killer from the height of their late 70s glory days on Warner Brothers! The pair are working together wonderfully at this point – wrapped up in that blend of upbeat soul and righteous undercurrents that made them a real cut above in mainstream soul – getting great help from arrangers William Eaton, Paul Riser, and Al Gorgoni – all of whom know how to hit that perfect Ashford & Simpson balance between tightness, class, and soulful spontaneity! Backings are always filled with lots of jazzy touches, too – the kind of sophisticated soul elements other would cop from the pair in years to come – and titles include "Over & Over", "It's You", "If You're Lying", "Couldn't Get Enough", "Destiny", "So So Satisfied", and "Tried Tested & Found True". CD features 4 bonus tracks – "Over & Over (12" disco mix)", "Over & Over (Simphouse M&M mix)", "Tried Tested & Found True (12" disco mix)", and "Tried Tested & True (Simphouse M&M mix)".

This haunting EP brings you more of Atmosphere's signature tortured, playful, catchy songs of relationships and introspection. This EP is a tad bit more polished than their previous efforts, but Slug still harnesses the dark, bitter, nonchalant anger down inside him that spews forth these catchy rhymes that sound somewhere between yelling, rhyming and singing all at the same time, while remaining very intelligent and sarcastic. The ANT production on these tracks really shines and has definitely matured since his Overcast efforts. Tracks include "Between The Lines", "Like Today", "Tears For The Sheep", "Don't Ever F*cking Question That", "It Goes", "Aspiring Sociopath", and a second LP of instrumentals for the DJs!

Sweet 80s grooving from one of Salsoul's best acts of the post-disco years – a group with a groove that comes up right from the bottom, thanks to a great ear for a funky bassline! The sound is nice and lean – but all still mighty live, with a lot of spontaneous energy in the instrumentation – and none of the too-programmed rhythms that could hurt a project like this! Steve Washington plays bass, arranges, produces, and heads up the conceptual side of things – and vocals alternate between male and female leads in a really great way – creating this warm, almost family-like approach to the sound. The whole thing's wonderful – tight and soulful, in a mode that should have made these guys climb higher on the charts – and titles include "Are You Single", "Forever", "Send Your Love", "Living Too Fast", and "Keep Doing It". CD features two bonus tracks – original single versions of "Are You Single" and "Living Too Fast".

One of a few records cut by this surprisingly popular Australian group – temporary ex-pats to the US scene, featuring Errol Buddle on tenor and Bryce Rhode on piano, two of the country's greatest jazz players of the 50s and 60s. Given the sympatico between the Aussie and LA mode of the 50s – this Hollywood-recorded session fits right in with other styles of the Bethlehem catalog at the time. Tracks are short and tightly arranged – and tunes include "So Nice", "Few Get It", "That Old Feeling", "Koala", and "Lover Man".

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

An incredible album by Roy Ayers – but one that's often overlooked because it was a rare indie effort issued between Roy's years at Polydor and Columbia! The session's Roy's only full album for Uno Melodic – the label he formed to showcase the talents of Sylvia Striplin, Ladies Of The Eighties, and others – and it's done in a snapping, boogie-styled groove that's very similar to the work by other Uno acts at the time. There's still plenty of the late Polydor Roy in the mix too – especially on the album's mellower numbers, which glide along nicely with all the right jazzy touches we love in a classic Ayers groove! Highlights include the excellent "Chicago", a really dark funk track with a mad descending groove; the Fela-styled "Black Family"; the warmly jazzy "Lots Of Love", an instrumental with vibes along strings; and the bass bumping "Everybody", a wicked later funk number! Other tracks include "And Then We Were One", "DC City", "Drive", and "Fast Money" – all great too!

The third album from Aztec Camera – and the one that showed the world they were way more than just an 80s Brit pop fluke! This one's got a great balance between the sweetness of their earlier work and some more chart-bound modes that really helped put the group on the map – a balance that's a bit like the sound that Style Council was hitting at the same point – yet less soul-based overall. Titles include "One & One", "Killermont Street", "More Than A Law", "How Men Are", "Everybody Is A Number One", and "Somewhere In My Heart". 2CD version features a cool book-style cover, great notes, and a full CD of bonus tracks that includes "Bad Education", "The Red Flag", and live versions of "I Threw It All Away", "Pillar To Post", and "Killermont Street" – as well as some mixes from singles!

Warm, wonderful, and incredibly far-reaching in scope – possibly the most ambitious record cut by Azymuth in recent years – a perfect blend of jazzy fusion, Brazilian rhythms, and some of the London broken beat culture that the group have come into contact with through their label, Far Out. The sound is clean and spare – a dance between percussion and keyboards that reminds us how great Azymuth can sound when they keep things simple. A few cuts have vocals, but the overall approach is instrumental – and the record features production and programming by Roc Hunter, and was recorded by Kirk Degiorgio. Titles include "Tempo Classico", "Em Marica", "Partido Novo", "Sudade Do Doutor", "Nome Dele E Joan", "Algoado Doce", and "Rede De Espera". CD has 12 tracks in all.

A mid 60s spy soundtrack by Luis Bacalov – and a mighty one it is! OSS-77 Operazione Fior Di Loto has sequences ranging from a heavy, dramatic sweep, to strings & keys-spun tension, loungey jazz, eerie organ, bits of bossa and beyond – in other words, a pitch perfect and full scale Euro espionage adventure soundtrack! Fine, fine work from soundtrack master Bacalov! Include the opening and closing themes, with 20 sequences on the title "Oss-77 Operazione Fior Di Loto" in between.

A real sleeper – and one of the treasures of the Arista Freedom series! The album's a rare meeting between Argentine tenor player Gato Barbieri and South African pianist Dollar Brand – a true global meeting of the jazz minds, and a recording that's stronger than most of the work either player was recording at the time! The format is incredibly spare – just tenor and piano, plus some occasional cello work by Brand – dark and angular, but also filled with small flowers of hope, flowering in the spontaneous presence of these two great minds. Tracks are long, with a free flowing quality that's infused with soul and spirit – and titles include "Hamba Khale", "Aloe & The Wildrose", and "To Elsa".

A nice set from these latter day Detroit free music explorers, with a spiritual vibe and a varied approach to improvisation that isn't afraid to groove at moments, but also involves some nice textural dynamic playing in a very post AACM mode. Anthony Holland plays reeds, Tani Tabal tablas and trap drums and Spencer Barefield a variety of guitars. 3 lengthy pieces and 1 shorter one: "Inbetween Song", "Roscoe Mitchell – Clouds Taking Pictures Of Birds", the 6-part "Transdimensional Space Window Suite" and "Dawudaphone Dance".

Early work from The Beach Boys, but Brian Wilson's genius is already starting to show – tucked in between some more obviously poppy numbers that first put the group on the map! The album obviously features the big title hit, but there's some other great gems here that are much lesser known – our favorite of which is "The Lonely Sea", an incredible number filled with sadness and longing, and a real precursor to the Pet Sounds years! Other titles include "Finders Keepers", "Lana", "Farmer's Daughter", "Noble Surfer", "Stoked", "Surfin USA", "Miserlou", "Shut Down", and "Let's Go Trippin".

The Beatles for sale, but never in a commercial way at all – early proof of the group's great balance between mainstream appeal and sounds that still stick to the frontiers of rock and roll! The tunes are short, and heavy on influences from American R&B – yet the Fab Four are already crafting their new sound strongly, and have a melodic brilliance that's hard to deny! Titles include "Eight Days A Week", "Words Of Love", "Honey Don't", "Every Little Thing", "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party", "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby", "I'm A Loser", "Rock & Roll Music", "I'll Follow The Sun", "Mr Moonlight", and "No Reply".

The Beatles for sale, but never in a commercial way at all – early proof of the group's great balance between mainstream appeal and sounds that still stick to the frontiers of rock and roll! The tunes are short, and heavy on influences from American R&B – yet the Fab Four are already crafting their new sound strongly, and have a melodic brilliance that's hard to deny! Titles include "Eight Days A Week", "Words Of Love", "Honey Don't", "Every Little Thing", "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party", "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby", "I'm A Loser", "Rock & Roll Music", "I'll Follow The Sun", "Mr Moonlight", and "No Reply".

Great contemporary sounds from Brazil – a collaboration between Nina Becker and Marcelo Callado – done with a really playfully creative feel! Nina's sung recently with Orquesta Imperial, and Marcelo's the drummer in Caetano Veloso's recent group – and the record definitely has echoes of both of those worlds – very creative songwriting, thoughtful interplay between acoustic and electric instrumentation, and a freshly crispy sensibility on the production – which keeps a gentle edge to most of the tunes. Titles include "Cade Voce", "Blues", "Futuro", "Nuvem", "Packing To Leave", and "Essa Menina".

Socking soul from the 60s – a record with American roots and a very groovy British sound! The set was the second full length album from Madeline Bell – an American singer transplanted to the mod UK scene of the 60s, where she really flourished in a rich career of hit singles, endless session work, and later fame with the group Blue Mink. The tunes on this set are a wonderful bridge between Madeline's two worlds – and have a sound that's a lot like the uptown soul coming out of the US at the time – sweet and smooth arrangements, topped by deeper soul vocals that make for a wonderful juxtaposition. Arrangements are by British talents Arthur Greenslade, Ian Green, and Keith Mansfield – and titles include "Step Inside Love", "Hold It", "Help Yourself", "After All Is Said & Done", "For Your Pleasure", and "It's Up To You". CD features bonus singles too – 6 more tracks that include "Thinkin", "Go Ahead On", "How Much I Do Love You", "What'm I Supposed To Do", and "We're So Much In Love".

A split set of soundtracks – both penned for films directed by Jean-Louis Bertuccelli! Richard Rodney Bennett really charms us with his score for L'Imprecateur – easily one of his most carefully creative film pieces of the 70s – and really nicely balanced between space and sound, in ways that have the subtle drama of the film welling up beautifully as the music unfolds! The instrumentals from the film are presented in two smaller "suites" – with tracks that include "New York", "Le Bus", "Ecoute", "La Vueve", "Le Cafe", "Retour A La Lumiere", and "L'Accident". Next is Gabriel Yared's music for Interdit Aus Moins De 13 Ans – written five years after Bennett's score, but done with a similarly evocative feel! Instrumentation has a bit of an 80s quality at times – but not in a cheesy way – more in the sonically sensitive qualities that you might find in a Wim Wenders score of the decade. Titles include "L'Autre Rive", "Louis Et Lucie", "La Nuit De Noel", and "Scene D'Amour".

Two bold soundtracks from Elmer Bernstein – back to back on a single CD! First up is The Shootist – a late John Wayne western, but scored with a very classic feel – that driving, dramatic, very Americanist mode that Bernstein brought to his best action scores for the west in the 60s – where each new tune feels like a rich, fresh theme – even though there's a great sense of variety in the record! As with the best Bernstein, the orchestrations are always lean and focused – never too overblown, and able to pack just the right punch for the specific mood of the moment. Titles include "Shootout", "Farewells", "Ride", "Attack", "Pain/Promise", and "Sweeney". Next is The Sons Of Katie Elder – a great 60s western with Dean Martin in the lead next to Wayne – given a soundtrack by Bernstein that showcases some of the lighter elements that Martin brings to his performance – not comedic, but a nice balance to the usual John Wayne modes. The title track is served up in a vocal version by Johnny Cash, and John Wayne narrates "Texas Is A Woman" – alongside other tracks that include "The Elders Fight", "Trouble In Town", "Return To Town", "Memories Of Clearwater", and "Hastings Ranch".

A later MPS session that features some incredibly mellow guitar/bass duets between Gene Bertoncini and Michael Moore. Bertoncini's guitar is at the forefront, and Moore's playing is mostly to back him up as he solos virtuostically on titles like "Pavane", "Pensativa", "Eleanor Rigby", and "Prelude In D Minor".

A pair of Italian comedy soundtracks – both put together with a very unique feel! The scores on both sets is by the trio of Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi, and Vince Tempera – well known from edgier work on other soundtracks – but coming across here with some really unusual elements – including some plunky rhythms on main themes, mixed with melancholy melodies – plus isolated instrumental passages that really run the gamut – clearly changing to fit the whimsy of different scenes. There's a huge amount of material in the set – 62 tracks between both soundtracks, most of them relatively short and playful – and the set also comes with a DVD that features interviews with the composers.

A great little follow-up to the first Black Devil album – a dubbier take on some of the same tunes, served up in a way that's almost more compelling than the original! As before, there's a real early 80s groove going on here – a style that's somewhere between UK post punk electronica, and some of the electro disco work coming out of other European scenes – all delivered without gimmick or cliche, and less of the "trash" elements that you might associate with other recent retro work of this nature. The core album presents dub takes on 6 tunes – "The Devil In Us", "On Just Foot", "Coach Me", "An Other Skin", "Constantly No Respect", and "I Regret The Flower Power". CD also features 6 more collaboration/remix tracks – done with Unit 4, Elitetechnique, Black Mustang, and In Flagrenti!

A stone classic from Black Heat – the group's second album, and even tighter than their first! The group's size has dropped a bit between albums – but that only helps them cook even more – dropping a bit of the horn section from before, which allows even more emphasis on their razor-sharp rhythms! There's a slight hint of Afro Funk in some of the rhythms – and the keyboards cook with lots of sweet clavinet lines – mixed with a production style that features some bubbling electronic elements that remind us a lot of that crazy "magic bag" that was used by the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band. That group might be a good point of comparison, but the band also shares a lot of Kool & The Gang's ensemble funk style – especially on their cover of "Love The Life You Live" – which they burn here beautifully! Other tracks include "Super Cool", "M&M's", "Rapid Fire", "You Should Have Listened", "Times Have Changed", and "Check It All Out".

A killer debut from Black Slate – one of the leading lights in British reggae at the start of the 80s – and a group with a warmly soulful sound! Black Slate have a great way of sounding smooth, but never too slick – a balance between their laidback energy and the mellow production modes of the set – all of which give them a vibe that's a bit like the best of Third World in the late 70s, although less commercial overall. The album's got a wonderfully warm appeal – and were it on Island Records, would have undoubtedly cracked the charts on this side of the Atlantic too. But it's also that overseas obscurity that makes it a bit more of a gem overall. Titles include "Amigo", "Sticks Man 80", "Boom Boom", "Romans", "Thin Line Between Love & Hate", and "Freedom Time". CD also features bonus tracks – "Black Slate Rock (12" version)", "Amigo (single)", and "Boom Boom (single)".

One of our top 10 dub albums of all time! This album bridges the gap between the the low-fi, down and dirty excursions of the 70's dub era, and the later high tech dub revolution brought on by On-U, Mad Professor and Jah Shaka. The rhythms here are all first rate, drawn mostly from their Chill Out LP with a few from Red, fueled by Sly and Robbie and a cast of regulars from the Island/Mango stable. Sly & Robbie also handle the production duties, and there's no shortage of fat grooves and unrelenting rhythms, then taken to the next level with deep space echo drops and 21st century sound effects and tape edits. Includes "Ion Storm", "Big Spliff", "Boof'N'Baff'N'Biff", "Puffed Out" and "Android Rebellion". This CD reissue's been newly remastered, with 3 additional dubs as bonus tracks: "Cool Off", "Destination Unknown" and "Fire & Brimstone".

Nicely-structured performances between pianist Ran Blake and guitarist David Knife Fabris – done with plenty of free-thinking elements, including those bold-ringing tones that we've always loved in Blake's recordings – yet still based around some relatively tight song structures overall! Most numbers are relatively short, but benefit from that fact – as they let Fabris bring in a flurry of chromatic sounds from his instrument, and Blake hit those almost bell-like notes on the piano – often doing a lot with just a little. And the setting sometimes has one player handling all the work on a track, then shifting to the other on the next one – and coming together on duets on others. Titles include "Watch What Happens", "Desafinato", "My Cherie Amour", "Sontagism", "Driftwood", "In Pursuit", "Cry Wolf", and "Shlof Manyn Kind".

One of the many albums that the Jazz Messengers recorded live at Birdland, and one that features a transitional lineup for the band that has new guard players Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, and old guard player Hank Mobley on tenor. Everyone grooves in a very hard fashion – and the set's an excellent link between the raw mid 50s version of the Messengers, and the groundbreaking 1960 edition. The set list of this first volume includes "Hipsippy Blues", "Justice", "Just Coolin", and a nice version of "Close Your Eyes".

Pounding! This is the long-awaited re-release of a lost session that Blakey recorded in 1958, with a triple-drum rhythm group that included himself, Philly Joe Jones, and Roy Haynes – plus some additional conga work by Ray Barretto. Unlike other Blakey "drum orgy" sessions, though, this one's got a much straighter jazz feel – with plenty of solo space for trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Bobby Timmons. The drums work together in fantastic interplay – with Haynes' lyricism, Blakey's crackle, and Jones' raw power all providing perfect complement to each other while Morgan solos freely out front as the only horn (a role that he rarely ever got to take!) The set also includes 2 amazing other tracks that feature only bass and drum (not drum n bass!) interplay between Blakey and the late Paul Chambers – making for a total of 8 incredible tracks in all, with titles that include "Lee's Tune", "Blakey's Blues", "Lover", and "Drums In the Rain". Great stuff, and with notes by Kenny Washington, too!

One of Bley's best records from the 60's, and a great session recorded in Rome with Barry Altschul on drums and Mark Levinson on bass. We think of this era in Bley's career as sort of his middle period, after some important time spent with Ornette, one of the few pianists Coleman ever used, and Jimmy Giuffre, as we as Sonny Rollins, all of whose influence had made an impact on Bley, as a performer, writer and leader. The playing is wide open, but with a keen sense of group interplay and a wonderful dynamic between the three, a post free sensibility that was very progressive but never too noisy or oblique. The tracks include Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin", Annette Peacock's "Both", Carla Bley's "Ida Lupino" and "Albert's Love Theme", and Bley's own "Mazatalon".

A really unique chapter in the career of percussionist Willie Bobo – a rare one-off album for Blue Note – done with a sweet Cali vibe all the way through! Bobo plays his usual percussion, but also sings a bit too – in this charming style that's never too overdone – a deeply personal approach that sounds great next to the album's electric arrangements – all in a vibe that mixes Latin with 70s funk and fusion – all with that beautiful 70s Blue Note balance between polish and poise, groove and soul! The range of sounds is mighty nice – and titles include "Suitcase Full Of Dreams", "Wacky Tobacky", "Dreamin", "Keep On Walkin", "Funk De Mambo", and the "Kojak Theme".

The best album so far from this up-and-coming Colombian group – a great mix of rootsy elements and more electronic production – served up in the forward-reaching style we've come to love in recent projects from the Soundway label! Bomba Estereo are easily one of the most contemporary groups to hit the imprint of late – and they've got no trouble at all moving between upbeat, soulful styles and more earthy levels of instrumentation – all fused together with the kind of warmth and joy we might expect in some of the older productions from Luaka Bop, but with a bit more edge too. Titles include "Bosque", "Bailar Conmigo", "Pa Respirar", "Mozo", "Pajaros", "Pure Love", and "Caribbean Power".

Fred Bongusto comes up with a plenty playful score for this goofy 80s film – the story of civilization, but from the perspective of a loser! The music moves between serious scoring and more whimsical numbers – the latter of which feature more of the 80s elements, especially keyboards, that you might expect from the date – especially on the clubby-grooving main theme. Other instrumentation is a mix of electric and acoustic – sometimes the former aping the latter – and this deluxe reissue features 28 tracks that include "Super Torneo", "Tema D'Amore Excalibur", "Fantozzo Antico", "Regata Super", "Super Maratona", "Super Shimmy", and "Super Jazz Club".

A great little record from Booker T and group – often overlooked amidst the range between Green Onions and Melting Pot, but a very strong album of soulful Memphis instrumentals all the way through! Book's organ is bubbling hot, and the band's tight rhythm style works in a perfect laid-back mode to push the group way past the stock grooves of earlier albums – thanks to great work from the rest of the combo too. There's some mighty nice rhythm changes on this one, and a good range of non-pop tunes like "Night Owl Walk", "Chinese Checkers", "Soul Dressing", "Tic Tac Toe", "Outrage", "Home Grown", "Big Train", "Jelly Bread", and "Plum Nellie".

Arguably one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time – and the key flowering of the partnership between David Bowie and Mick Ronson! The guitars here are heavy – so much so that the record's always crossed over big with crowds who are always suspicious of Bowie's artier work of the 70s – and represented a crucial moment when his groundbreaking music also found a large mainstream audience as well. And despite the fact that Ziggy's an androgynous space rocker with a spurious pedigree, the manufactured posturing of the album's come to be taken quite literally over the years – a vivid text of alienation, expression, and redemption – served up beautifully over a host of classic tracks that include "Five Years", "Soul Love", "Moonage Daydream", "Suffragette City", and "Ziggy Stardust" – all further proof of Bowie's 70s ability to slide in wherever he wanted with ease!

A great lost performance from David Boykin's Expanse group – one of the boldest forces in Chicago underground jazz a few years back! The lineup here is great – with Boykin on tenor, Nicole Mitchell on flute, Josh Abrams on bass, James Baker on piano, and Myron Cherry on drums – working together beautifully in a tribute to the late Hazel Boykin – at a level that arguably has more structure and force than even other great Boykin recordings of the time! The interplay between tenor and flute is wonderful – very complex, but also deeply soulful, and quite organic – and David's especially great, blowing with that spiritual power that really made us sit up and take notice when he first came onto the scene. Titles include "His & Hers", "1/20/03", "Eli Whitney", "Gates", and "Big & Fine".

One of Braxton's great records for BYG, and like the other one, a very cool session that has Braxton playing in a vibe that shows his AACM roots much more clearly than a lot of other sessions. He's playing here with a number of other Chicago expatriates, including Leroy Jenkins, Steve McCall, and Leo Smith – and between them, the four players handle a huge amount of string, reed, percussion, and keyboard instruments, switching off and on in a warmly experimental sound that characterizes the best work of the Chicago avant garde from the time. Tracks include "The Light On the Dalta", "Simple Like", and one of Braxton's weird symbol compositions. Ironically, this French session from the late 60's still stands as one of the best ways to witness the budding Chicago avant garde!

An excellent session for BYG! Anthony Braxton is recorded here with a number of other Chicago AACM players, including Steve McCall, Leroy Jenkins, and Leo Smith. The instrumentation includes an amazing range of oddball sound sources, including Hohner Organ, sirens, logs, mouth organ, sound machine, and chimes, and the set's played with all the sense of humor and adventure you'd expect from some of the young AACM players. The record begins with the extended "Composition No 1", which is a fairly free piece; then it moves into a nice solo by Braxton, and then a set of "small compositions", which have some excellent horn interplay between Braxton and Smith. The LP ends with a cool spoken piece by Braxton called "This Time...". Wild stuff, and a great record from his early period.

Some of the earliest work of Jacques Brel – and some of the best as well! The collection is a massive overview of Brel's first recordings in the mid 50s – all original compositions that marked not only a new generation for songwriting in France, but a revision of the role of the male singer as well! Brel is at once sardonic and emotive – carefully balanced between up-close observation and a slight sense of distance that shows in the wit he brings to the topics of his tunes. Arrangements are often simple and stylish – shifting strongly to fit the spirit of the songs, making for a slightly un-definable quality to the overall album – but in a way that also keeps things interesting. The work was recorded between 1953 and 1956, with backings by Andre Grassi, Michel Legrand, and Andre Popp – and the CD features a whopping 34 tracks that include "La Bastille", "La Haine", "Grand Jacques", "Il Pleut", "S'Il Te Faut", "A Deux", "Les Gens", "Saint Pierre", "Quand On N'A Que L'Amour", "La Foire", "Le Troubadour", "C'Est Comme Ca", "L'Accordeon De La Vie", and "L'Ange Dechu".

Smooth ensemble funk – somewhere between Earth Wind & Fire and Average White Band – not bad on the vocals, which are mostly sung harmony style, but lacking a bit of an edge on the grooves, which never really seem to catch. Titles include "Top 40 Band", "Soul Power", "Funk Footin", "Cindy", "Mean Child", and "Let It Live".

The title sounds like an old R&B song from the 50s, but the album's a searing collaboration between three of the boldest improvisers in 70s European jazz – Peter Brotzmann on reeds, Harry Miller on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums! Although Miller and Moholo can have warmer moments when working in British Ogun modes, they're definitely well-matched here with the young Brotzmann's energy – very freewheeling on both of their instruments, and rising to Peter's challenge to find new sounds at just about every twist and turn of the record! Titles include "Long Time Service", "Kucken und Drucken", "Schnell Im Biss", and "The Nearer The Bone The Sweeter The Meat".

Brilliant work by the team of Clifford Brown and Max Roach – a seminal hardbop album that was one of the few to bridge the east and west coast scenes! The set was recorded in LA under the joint leadership of Brown and Roach – and features the classic quintet lineup that included Harold Land on tenor, Richie Powell (Bud's brother!) on piano, and George Morrow on bass. The mix of Roach's heavy full-on drumming and Brown's lyrical beauty is beyond compare – and Land's angular and sensitive tenor lines provide a perfect link between the two. Titles include classics like "Parisian Thoroughfare", "The Blues Walk", "Daahoud", "Jordu", and "Joy Spring".

James Brown, proud and loud – a smoking 60s album that provides a great link between his earlier styles and his freer roots – with a brilliant blend of funk, soul, and a touch of raw R&B! Given the power of The Godfather at this point, there's no denying that even the older cuts have a punch that few others could match – making for a record that feels mighty darn unified, despite the stretch of time between a few of the recordings. Titles include the funky gems "Ain't That a Groove (pts 1 & 2)", "The Scratch", "Is It Yes or Is It No", and James' great version of "The Bells" that's always been one of our favorites – plus Just You & Me", "I Love You Yes I Do", "Come Over Here", and "I Don't Mind". The cover also comes with an "autographed" photo of James on the back with the text "James Brown Fans – Frame This 8 x 10 Picture" – and an image that says "Soul Brother #1 Is Peeking At You Thru The Key Hole"!

The first ever album from smoothly soulful jazz guitarist Norman Brown – produced by Norman Connors, and a really nice, tight set that stands up as a shining example of what smooth jazz could and should have been in the early 90s! The tight sound and the crisp, clean production is near perfect – and the performances bring genuine emotion and real soul. Players include Herman Jackson and Ziggy Linsey on keys, Paulinho DaCosta on percussion, Ronnie Laws on soprano sax and Chuck Morris on drums. Titles include "Stormin'", "Just Between Us", "East Meets West", "Love's Holiday", a nice take on the Stevie Wonder classic "Too High", "Something Just For You", "Here To Stay", "Moonlight Tonight", "Sweet Taste" and "Inside".

The entirety of Kenny's first 3 sessions for Blue Note together on one 2 disc set. Arguably some of Kenny Burrell's best work! Unlike some of Kenny's other sessions, which hide his guitar in arrangements that are a bit too complicated – this one's a nicely stripped-down album that sets his hollow electric in a group with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Kenny Clarke on drums, and Candido on conga. The tracks are nicely laidback, and Kenny hits some nice deep grooves on cuts like "Fugue N Blues", "Takeela", and "Delilah". Plus, the album also includes a totally cool percussion-only track – "Rhythmorama", which is a duet between Kenny Clarke and Candido! This CD adds the entire session to include the album issued as Kenny Burrell Volume 2 which featured Frank Foster's tenor on numbers like "Moten Swin", "Cheeta" and Phinupi. K.B. Blues, an early 10" side that included the title track (with an alternate take also included here), "Nica's Dream" and "Out For Blood" with tenor man Hank Mobley, is also included.

An insanely wonderful bit of Latin funk! The groove is super heavy, and falls somewhere in between NuYorican soul and Chicano Power rock – with a sound that's pretty close to Black Sugar, but a little bit more psychedelic, due to the heavy guitars and keyboards in the grooves. Hard congas take the lead on most of the tracks – especially the cut "Chapumbambe", which starts with a nice break! Other tracks include "Tema De Bwana", "Motemba", "La Patada", and the massive Latin soul cut "Lolita".

Very early work from Charlie Byrd – a cool little record that has him playing at his home turf of the Showboat club in DC, and working with a group that includes a fair bit of horn players! The style's quite different than Byrd's better-known Brazilian work of the 60s, or his lusher large group sets – as tunes move between small combo club grooving and some more ambitious modes that are almost 50s chamber jazz. Ginny Byrd sings on two tracks, but others are instrumental – and players include the mighty Buck Hill on tenor, plus T Carson on piano, Keter Betts on bass and cello, Bobby Felder on valve trombone, and Kenneth Pasamanick on bassoon. Titles include "Tri X", "Blue Turning Grey Over You", "Byrd's Word", "Conversation Piece", "Top's Tune", "Buck's Hill", and "Don't Explain".

Excellent transitional album by Byrd – transitional in that it marks the difference between his hard soul jazz funky recordings from the 60's and his easier electric recordings from the early 70's. Donald's playing in a sweet mellow style, with beautiful strident reaching solos that float over soul jazz arrangements for a larger group that includes Duke Pearson on electric piano, Frank Foster on tenor, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, and Joe Chambers on drums. 4 long tracks – "Weasil", "I Love the Girl", "Fancy Free", and "The Uptowner".

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".

A spacey album of keyboard duets between Joe Chambers and the great Larry Young! The album was recorded shortly before Larry passed away, and it features him and Chambers on a number of different keyboards – electric, acoustic, and organ – plus additional drums by Chambers on a few tracks. The overall sound is very spare – much more laidback than the hard-jamming fusion of Larry's Arista years, and a wonderful coda to Young's career. Titles include "Message from Mars", "Rock Pile", "The Orge", and "Mind Rain".

Classic Chappottin tracks from the 60s – material done in a host of key Cuban modes – all with tight trumpet on the top, and great vocals from singers who include Miguelito Cuni, Cheo Marquetti, Rene Alvarez, and Gina Martin! The change in vocalists really keeps things fresh – especially as the album moves between upbeat groovers and mellower tracks with a more melancholy quality. Titles include "Oriente", "No Vengas Por Mi", "Amor Verdadero", "No Puedes Dejarme", "Transnochando", and "Cienfuegos".

Nice moody set of tracks written by Duke Ellington, and played by a trio that features vibist Teddy Charles, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and pianist Hall Overton. All three men are committed modernists, and they play here without drums, and with a lot of space to lay down some dark edgey arrangements of tracks like "The Mooch", "Sherman Shuffle", and "Main Stem". Moody stuff, with a very spooky sound at times, and some excellent interplay between the vibes and piano.

The first record from Cheeba in many years – and definitely his funkiest so far! The production of this one is right on the money – filled with sharp, funky, 70s-styled riffs – very much in the best blacksploitation style from back in the day! Years back, we'd always like Cheeba's records, but sometimes found them rough around the edges – yet this time around, he's totally got it right – perfect production, just the right amount of space in between the grooves, and key help from some younger session players who really make the whole thing come out right – like a recreation of some hip 70s studio band. Titles include "Paisley Garden", "Looing For My Brother", "Message Force Multipliers", "Extend The Knowledge", "The Denunciation", "Return From Exile", and "2nd & Cedar".

The first record from Cheeba in many years – and definitely his funkiest so far! The production of this one is right on the money – filled with sharp, funky, 70s-styled riffs – very much in the best blacksploitation style from back in the day! Years back, we'd always like Cheeba's records, but sometimes found them rough around the edges – yet this time around, he's totally got it right – perfect production, just the right amount of space in between the grooves, and key help from some younger session players who really make the whole thing come out right – like a recreation of some hip 70s studio band. Titles include "Paisley Garden", "Looing For My Brother", "Message Force Multipliers", "Extend The Knowledge", "The Denunciation", "Return From Exile", and "2nd & Cedar".

Funky grooves from Basque country – an unlikely location, but one that turns up some surprisingly great work from this sharp-edged little combo! The Cherry Boppers have a name that might be a little hokey, but they hooked us in right from the start with their tight version of classic funk – one that swings nicely between the grit of the funky 45 generation, and some of the sharper modes of the mid 60s mod years – a blend the group uses to keep things fresh throughout the record, in a blend of heavy sax, flute, Hammond, and guitar! Things are almost all instrumental here – and titles include "Play It Again Funk", "Black Lolita", "Groovy Groovy", "Midnight Walkers", "Blues De Los Colores", "El Cairo", and "Four Little Catties".

Great grooves from The Cherry Boppers – way more than you'd expect from the cover! We'll be honest in saying that these guys have a name and look that sometimes puts us off at first glance – but digging into their music, the sound is totally great – a tight blend of Hammond and horns, handled with equal parts jazz and soul – and a bad-stepping set of rhythms that lie somewhere between mod soul and 60s soul jazz! The sound is funky, but not in the usual deep funk way – more a London late 60s mode – and titles include "Flyin High", "Hey", "The Harvest", "Two Sides Of The Groove", "Deep Down Inside", and "Humo En El Ambiente".

A glorious relic of early 70s studio pop – and a record that's awash in unapologetic references to The Beatles and The Beach Boys! Chesapeake Jukebox Band were a short-lived collaboration between singer-songwriters Steve Sawyer and Freddie McFinn, who are working here with genius producer Ron Frangipone in the best compressed style of the legendary Record Plant studios. There's lessons here learned clearly from Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, George Martin, and some of the hipsters on the late 60s Warner scene – but an overall approach that's a bit more personal in the lyrics – which makes for a great combination with the loftier production of the album. At one level, there's also a spaciousness here that reminds us a bit of later work from the UK pop scene – but again, the whole thing's a bit more down to earth, in a way that we really like. Titles include "Sad Nite In Boston", "This Time", "Jennifer", "Love", "Until We Meet Again", "Daisies For The 8th Of May", "Fizbee's Tavern", and "The Door's Unlatched". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Don't Howdy Doody On Me", "Crime Of The Century", and "Don't Cry Your Eyes Out".

One of the first-ever albums to feature the music of Suzanne Ciani – and one of the wildest, too! The set was originally pressed up in a tiny 50 copy run – as part of an art exhibit in Brussels to feature a sound sculpture collaboration between Ciani and another artist – filled with loads of weird, wild, offbeat electronics by Suzanne – including some cool processed vocal passages, and loads of spare, stark sounds that work together as a beautiful collage – moving from noise to notes to noise and back again! The sound is very dark throughout – quite different than the new age sounds that Ciani would record a few decades later.

A trio of cool cop soundtracks from Stelvio Cipriani – all brought together in a beautiful package with a really unified feel! Cipriani's easily one of our favorite Italian composers for the cop/crime genre – as he's got a way of bringing sensitive sounds into play with driving action – in ways that are different from Morricone, Piccioni, or any of his other contemporaries! These tunes have a great balance between careful strings, warm themes, and more pointed action – often hanging their sound on a key element, such as a keyboard line, or off-tuned piano – and moving carefully forward with a really great ear for space and timing. Things are never sleepy, even when spacious – and the tunes ring out with a heavenly quality that could almost sanctify the acts of crime for which they were initially scored. CD features 3 tracks from La Polizia Sta A Guardare, 3 from La Polizia Chiede Auto, 9 from La Polizia Ha Le Mani Legate, and 9 more bonus tracks from the films – including some previously unreleased numbers. A really wonderful package too – with great graphics, notes in English, and a really beautiful look overall!

Killer cuts from The Clovers – and a great illustration of the way that Atlantic Records could really bring something special to a vocal group! The Clovers recorded for other labels – both before and after this stretch – but the style here is still their best, an upbeat approach to R&B that really gets the most out of their vocals – and allows individual leads to soar out between the tight harmonies! Lots of tunes are plenty playful – almost in a Coasters mode, but a bit less goofy – and titles include "Love Bug", "All About You", "So Young", "Down In The Alley", "Nip Sip", "I I I Love You", "In The Morning Time", "Your Tender Lips", "Fool, Fool, Fool", and "Wishing For Your Love".

One of the most heartbreaking stories we've ever read from Daniel Clowes – penned with a sense of pathos we never would have expected during his Ghost World years! The book has a great format – long sideways, like a newspaper comic strip – and Clowes' pages alternate between panel narratives and rectangular close ups – all delivered in vivid color, and that increasingly tight line he's been using in later years. The whole thing's as striking as the cover – and the book is 78 pages, full color, and hardcover.

Full throttle fusion from Billy Cobham, the kind of stuff we once winced at because of the really over the top moments of heavy, heavy jamming, but that we find ourselves more sympathetic to these days, probably for the more sublime moments that poke through the onslaught here and there, including some nice spacey tracks. The Brecker brothers are up front, and the group has the tight electric approach you'd guess, with some easier grooves sliding in between the full on moments, and even a bit of funk, too. Includes "Solarization", "Lunarputians", "Total Eclipse", "Bandits", "Moon Germs","The Moon Ain't Made Of Green Cheese", "Sea Of tranquility" and "Last Frontier"

A rare and beautiful treasure from Chicago's Phil Cohran and his legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble – material recorded at the end of the 60s, but only issued here for the first time ever! The sound on the record is amazing – much deeper, and more forceful than anything else we've ever heard from Cohran – almost in Sun Ra Arkestra territory at times, given the group's out-there playing, and bold collective action! The lineup is similar to other Cohran recordings from the time – Phil on cornet, Henry Gibson on congas, Pete Cosey on guitar, Louis Satterfield on bass, Charles Williams on alto, Don Myrick on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, and Aaron Dodd on tuba – a group that's a wonderful bridge between the two important Chicago generations headed by Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire. Armageddon is an extended piece, divided up into five different musical acts – conceived by Cohran in the late 50s, and recorded here in 1968 – with some great help from The Spencer Jackson Family on the leadoff track "Motherless Child". Other titles include "Creation Of The Beast", "The Warning", "The Window", and "Armageddon" – a clear reference to the power of the atom bomb!

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

A classic – and virtually the blueprint for all spiritual soul jazz recordings of the 70s! John Coltrane's at a perfect point here – balanced between the modal hardbop of earlier years, and the freer soloing of his last few recordings. He links the traditions together with a majestic sense of power and spirituality, twisting and turning his way through a tightly woven suite of tracks that's played to perfection by the quartet of Coltrane on tenor sax, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Movements include "Acknowledgement", "Resolution", "Pursuance", and "Psalm".

Ravi Coltrane's first album for Blue Note – put together here with production help from Joe Lovano, who also plays a bit of guest tenor too! The album's got a really dark edge – and really works strongly in those edgier sides of the spectrum – those modes that Coltrane's developed best in the past decade or so – which are almost more saxophonic elements of a maturing Wayne Shorter than they are those of his famous father! Ravi's got a good sense of space between his notes – never bridging the gaps with flurries of sound, and instead making these bold statements that swing together nicely, with help from a lineup that includes Geri Allen and Luis Pedromo on piano, James Genus and Drew Gress on bass, and EJ Strickland and Eric Harland on drums. In addition to tenor from Lovano on two tracks, the set also features some guest trumpet from Ralph Alessi – on titles that include "The Change My Girl", "Spirit Fiction", "Klepto", "Roads Cross", "Cross Roads", "Yellow Cat", and "Check Out Time".

Amazing stuff – and one of Chris Connor's greatest records for Atlantic! There's a depth to this set that passes some of her others from the time – partially because the album features a very hip set of tunes, written by Ornette Coleman, Norman Mapp, John Lewis, Peggy Lee, and others – and partially because the album has some sublime arrangements by Al Cohn that easily shift between darkness and swinging brilliance – all with that perfect sense of balance that Connor brought to her best sessions. Titles include "I'm Gonna Go Fishin", "Jump For Joy", "Night Bird", "Opportunity Please Knock", "Milano", "Day Dream", "Free Spirits", and a great version of "Lonely Woman"!

A rare early soundtrack from Bill Conti – penned for an obscure Italian film in the years before his 70s blockbuster film scores – and done with a groovy groovy sound that's really outta sight! The style is much more mod than we've ever heard from Bill – funky in parts, and playful in others – with all the best range of instrumentation we're used to hearing from Italian composers of the time – a role that Conti fits perfectly with this sweet little score! The mood varies nicely from track to track – usually moving between upbeat numbers and mellower groovers – and there's a few great jazzy moments that stretch out longer than usual for this sort of score. 17 tracks in all – including a few renditions of the vocal number "Juliette"!

Sublime work from Alaide Costa – a beautifully mature album from the late 80s, and one that has her working with a host of great guest help from the Milton Nascimento camp, and the jazzier side of the MPB spectrum! In addition to vocals from Milton on one cut, the set also features appearances by Rique Pantoja on keyboards, Gilson Peranzzeta on piano, Wagner Tiso on piano, Ivan Lins on vocals, Cristovao Bastos on piano, Paulinho Da Viola on vocals, Sebastiao Tapajos on guitar, and Toninho Horta on vocals and arrangements! The music is spare, but has this depth that works perfect with Alaide's rich vocals – often just a few instruments echoing out alongside Costa's lead, with the balance between fullnest and restraint that you'd find in the best recordings by Nascimento or Lins. Titles include "Absinto", "Amiga De Verdade", "Quem Sabe", "Estrada Do Sertao", "Cinema Antigo", "Mais Que A Paixao", and "Morrer De Amor". CD features two bonus tracks – "Dois Coracoes" and "Teu Simples Nao".

A damn great little record from Clifford Coulter – a set that's much tighter and more soul-based than his earlier funk albums for Impulse Records – but which comes together beautifully, too – thanks to help from Bill Withers in the studio! Bill produced, and the record has this perfect sort of balance – never too slick or uptight, but really focused too – that great warm groove that Withers found with his own music at Columbia – but set up here as a perfect foil for Coulter's truly amazing voice! The singer's got a depth that comes through right away – on both the ballads and the groovers – and the record's one of those under-discovered gems that we've dug for years – proof that some really amazing soul music was coming out on major labels, between the hits. Withers plays lots of keyboards on the record – and titles "Another Day", "You And I Together", "Nothing In The World Is Free", "Don't Wanna See You Cry", "Magic Carpet Ride", "Maybe It's Better To Go", and "The Better Part Of Me".

The group were certainly doing something right – as this album has Joe Cuba's sextet at the top of their game, easily showing why they were one of the best groups on the New York scene of the 60s! The album's a pivotal one in the development of Latin Soul – as it sports the incredible track "El Pito" – one of those Latin jammers that grabbed everyone right away, and which has barely ever been matched since! The album's also got some great use of English language lyrics – crucial to the unique crossover sound that Joe was forging, and a real bridge between Spanish and African American Harlem in the 60s. Titles include "My Wonderful You", "El Pito (I'll Never Go Back To Georgia)", "Pruebalo, OK?", "Bochinchosa", "Incomparable", and "Clave Mambo".

A Latin classic from the word "bang"! This album was the one that busted Joe Cuba out of the Latin ghetto – into the sound of 60s soul, early funk, and beyond. The record's a stone winner – filled with boogaloo tracks delivered by Joe's firey young sextet, a killer ensemble that was setting the Latin world on its ear at the time. The title track – "Bang Bang" – is one of those tracks that you'll recognize from a million references, but which never sounds as good as it does on this impeccable version from Joe. The whole album follows in a similar suit – blending Latin, jazz, and soul with effortless ease – shifting between English and Spanish lyrics in a genre-busting style that really captures all the freshness of the era. The whole thing's great, and titles include "Asi Soy", "Alafia", "Triste", "Mujer Divina", "Oh Yeah", "Sock It To Me", and the "Bang Bang" follow-up, "Push, Push, Push". Great, hard, and a heck of a lot of fun!

A wicked double-header – a pair of rare French vampire soundtracks, packaged together in a single CD! First up is Fascination – a totally cool score from Philippe D'Aram – one that's heavy on electronics, amidst the usual horror movie moods – which gives the music a cold, stark feel that's really amazing – incredibly spooky at points, and nice and spacey at others! D'Aram doesn't just use the usual familiar moog and Rhodes elements – and instead seems to be working with early sample-type textures – using blocks of sound in these slow-building ways that are almost an electronic equivalent of a Phantom Of The Opera-type organ – especially at points when dark voices filter in to the mix, alongside acoustic elements on tuned instruments. Titles include "La Louve", "Apparation Du Chateau", "Bizarre Cult 2", "L'Amour Des Deux Filles", "Death Brigitte", and "La Valse Grincante". Next up is Requiem Pour Un Vampire – a Pierre Raph soundtrack for a really moody film – and one that's scored with music that's surprisingly sensitive at times too! There's a mix of dark and sweet here that really creates a great sort of tension – a mix between light acoustic instrumentation and some heavier sounds in the background – and really offbeat styles of tuning, and of putting the sounds together for the record! The music often features little snippets of sound effects – which pop out in a nice sense of surprise – reflecting the interplay of drama and sensuality in the film's images – and as the set moves on, the arrangements get fuller, and darker too. Titles include "Dominique's Organ", "Jade Vampyre", "Crimson Gates", "Steps To Eternal Youth", "Jade Lake", "Crimson Pond", and "Sad Clowns In The Cornfield".

Easygoing samba sounds from Mano Decio Da Viola – an overlooked 70s gem, but a set that stands with the best of Mano's bigger contemporaries in the samba scene! Mano's vocals have this raspy, personal feel – almost as if he's speaking instead of singing at some points – although there's plenty of singing interplay between his lyrics, lead acoustic guitar lines, and the percussion that drives most of the tunes from the bottom. Titles include "Santos Em Outros Tempos", "Herois Da Liberdade", "Obsessao", "Encontro Marcado", "Passaro Do Cantua", "Dona Santa Rainha Do Maracatu", and "Comando Geral".

Pure genius – Bobby D's first LP – and nicely balanced between rockers and straight vocal numbers! Includes "Splish Splash", "Action Speaks Louder Than Words", "Don't Call My Name", "So Mean", and "Wear My Ring".

Miles Davis' last studio session before a few years of seclusion – and a really monumental effort, probably the baddest of the electric period! The album does a great job of capturing the energy of the frenzied live sets from that time, and matching it with Teo Macero's cut and paste editing, and wizardry at the mixing console. The side long piece "He Loved Him Madly" is a minimalist epic, while "Calypso Frelimo" alternates between mad afro-percussion driven jams and spacey wah-wah trumpet interludes. The rest of the album is divided up into more succinct shorter funky pieces, like classic "Rated X", with Miles basically just leaning on an electric organ over a hyper funk beat, and the bluesy "Honky Tonk" which opens with an incredibly funky burping electric piano break!

Way more than just a simple version of work from Porgy & Bess – and instead, a key collaboration between Miles Davis and Gil Evans – done with a sound that really transforms the tunes! True, the work here is all based on George Gershwin's original compositions – but through his inventively modern arrangements, Gil Evans really pushes the familiar numbers to a whole new place – and Miles glides over the top with some especially shimmering solos! Titles include "Summertime", "The Buzzard Song", "I Loves You, Porgy", and "Fishermen, Strawberry, & Devil Crab".

A beautiful collaboration between Miles Davis and the great Gil Evans – and perhaps the most perfectly realized of all their projects! The album's got a wonderfully unified feel – as it begins with long compositions that have a distinct Spanish-tinge (and not a Latin-tinge, which is an important distinction to the way the album progresses.) Evans' arrangements have a majesty that takes the songs to the next level – working them as lush, lively backings for Davis' equally majestic trumpet solos, some of the finest he ever recorded with large group backing. Wonderful all the way through – and with the tracks "Concierto De Aranjuez", "Saeta", "The Pan Piper", and "Solea".

A beautiful collaboration between Miles Davis and the great Gil Evans – and perhaps the most perfectly realized of all their projects! The album's got a wonderfully unified feel – as it begins with long compositions that have a distinct Spanish-tinge (and not a Latin-tinge, which is an important distinction to the way the album progresses.) Evans' arrangements have a majesty that takes the songs to the next level – working them as lush, lively backings for Davis' equally majestic trumpet solos, some of the finest he ever recorded with large group backing. Wonderful all the way through – and with the tracks "Concierto De Aranjuez", "Saeta", "The Pan Piper", and "Solea". In a special box, with the full CD – and a limited edition t-shirt by The Thread Shop!

One of the harder to find Sammy records, and one of the best! Sammy takes Mel Torme's drippy "California Suite", an extended work about how great California is – and he turns it into an extended chat between Sammy and a friend in a bar in New York City, with twists and turns that are way jazzier, and way hipper than Mel's version, which features a whiny woman playing the part of the New Yorker. Side two of the record features some great sensitive versions of Mel Torme tunes – like "Welcome To The Club", "A Stranger Called The Blues", and "Willow Road". Arrangements by Marty Paich, too – one of Mel's best arrangers!

One of the greatest albums we've heard from Ernest Dawkins in years – and one of the straightest, too! The set's got a hardbop fury we've not always heard from Dawkins – a tight, soulful energy that's spun out beautifully by the local group in the set – a lineup that includes Ernest on alto and tenor, Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Willerm Delisfort on piano, Junius Paul on bass, and Isaiah Spender on drums. Other tracks add in bits of percussion, and Hammond on one tune – and while the music still has all the sharp edges you'd know from Dawkins' time in the AACM, the overall execution feels more like a killer Blue Note or Prestige date from the 60s – particularly in the interplay between trumpet and sax. Titles include "Afro Straight", "United", "Central Park West", "Footprints", "Old Man Blues", and "Juju".

A really well-penned western score from Francesco De Masi – put together in ways that are even richer and more vivid than usual! The tunes are short, but really work some scene-setting magic in just a short space – leaning heavily on the full range of soundtrack drama while mixing in key western elements – and almost acting as a link between the spaghetti western generation and the previous era of Hollywood scoring. Instrumentation features great harmonica from Franco De Gemini, and a few vocal bits from I Cantori Moderni – and tracks include "Where Are The Killers", "Johnny Revenge", "Wishville", "Sibyl Murder", "Bloody Sunset", and "Over Death" – plus 13 more bonus tracks too!

Jackie DeShannon serves up some wonderful renditions of popular tunes from the 50s and 60s – stepping aside from her usual role as songwriter, and singing sweetly to some great arrangements from George Tipton! The style is somewhere between 60s pop and more sophisticated vocals – often sharing the best elements of both at the time, and offering a side of Jackie's talents that isn't often captured this way on record. The song choices are especially nice – making the record way more than just a "filler" set – and titles include "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody", "Are We Dancing", "Everything Under The Sun", "Merry Go Round In The Rain", "No Easy Way Down", "Dream", "Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me", and "It's All In The Game". CD adds 9 more tracks from the album New Image – a similar set of standards and covers with arrangements by Marty Paich – and a set of titles that includes "A Proper Girl", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "The Carnival Is Closed Today", "I'll Be Seeing You", "That's The Name Of The Game", and "Poor Someone".