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Think what you want about the Pet Shop Boys, this tune's still got a simple charm that we love – one of the last gasps of early 80s British pop seeping into American club – and a nicely spoken lyric that still beat out most of what was going on in US pop at the time!

One of the more guitar-driven groups on the West End label at the end of the 70s – an outfit with a really great approach to cutting longer dancefloor grooves! Tracks on the album have a nice tight feel that's echoed strongly by the guitar and keyboard work on the tracks – not as spacey as you might think from the sci-fi cover of the record, but still with a strong cosmic groove nonetheless! The album includes the legendary break cut "The Mexican", served up here in a full version that's nearly 12 minutes long, and which has lots of nice congas and guitars! Other titles include "Main Man", "Don't Stop The Music", and "Super Max".

One of West End's best cuts from the early 80s! The cut's mostly instrumental, with some very tasty keyboards, and lots of nice jazzy touches over a tight 80s groove, augmented by vocals on the chorus. Great stuff – and one of the most sophisticated cuts to come out of West End!

Definitely up there with the best of 1997, this 8 track ep starts off with the amazing "Scapegoat", an interesting look at blaming the world, where Slug runs through a list of things that are causing strife in life. "Primer" has hilarious and insightful verses from the perspective of the dead-end life of a white trash trailer park resident beating up on his wife/baby mother with the chorus "I own the Camaro and the mobile home, so where you gonna go." "Multiples" is another highlight, a dedication to underground MC's, b-boys, graffiti writers, and DJs. Quality mid-west hiphop from the indie heydays.

A killer debut from Brick – the start of a massive run at the end of the 70s, a time when the group was easily one of the biggest acts to come out of the up-and-coming Atlanta scene! Like some other Atlanta acts of the time, Brick had a way of fusing older funky soul on a tighter modern groove – coming up with a sound that was nice and lean – perfect for these key transitional years of funk – with influences that were felt for years, in places as far away as the west coast! Case in point is the album's classic "Dazz" – one of those cuts that never gets old – nestled nicely in a lineup that also includes "Music Matic", "Here We Come", "Good High", "Brick City", and "Sister Twister".

An amazing debut from the John Carter/Bobby Bradford New Art Jazz Ensemble – one of the most powerful voices in jazz on the west coast at the end of the 60s! In a way, the quartet's sound is a culmination of the underground changes that had been bubbling under during most of the 60s on the LA scene – new ways of conceiving jazz after Ornette and Dolphy had first set the scene on fire at the start of the decade, but styles that weren't receiving nearly the exposure as some of the better-known avant work on the Chicago, New York, or European scenes. The style here definitely owes something of a legacy to Ornette in the way it reconceives rhythm and melody – and a bit to Dolphy in its freewheeling, free-thinking work on clarinet, flute, and alto by John Carter. Bobby Bradford's bracing trumpet lines really give the album a tremendous punch – and the rest of the group features Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman (brother of George and Von!) on drums. Titles include "Seeking", "The Village Dancers", "Sticks & Stones", "In The Vineyard", "Karen On Monday", and "Song For The Unsung".

The sounds are definitely convergent here – very individual strands from all the musicians, but each finding space to come together in a really beautiful way! The album's got a great balance between improvised moments and more compositional impulses – a balance that's not unlike that moment when modern jazz was reaching for new freedoms in the 60s, yet still able to come back to the idea of unified group energy – perhaps a bit like Ornette Coleman in his post-Atlantic years, or the work of the west coast underground. The players really have a great feel for each other – and the quartet features Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, Alexander Hawkins on piano, Dominic Lash on bass, and Harris Eisenstadt on drums – on titles that include "Assemble/Melancholy", "Remember Raoul", "The Taff End", "Slow & Steady", and "Oat Roe + Three By Three".

Galactic funk & synth soul from Dam-Funk – his epic full length debut Toeachizown for Stones Throw – and a record that should be a game changer for the southern Cali ambassador of cosmic funk beats, heavy bass and synth grooves! Dam-Funk is part throwback to the electro era – his vintage synths, bass and drum machine grooves are strongly rooted in the end of the 70s and first few years of the 80s vibe, but he's putting his own modern spin on the sounds, keeping it vital and fresh, and quite likely to be bitten by a bevy of superstar producers to come! Occasionally with slow jam or tripped out vocals, but with longer instrumental jams, Dam Funk's fusion of old school and future funk is in a cosmic realm of its own! Vinyl version was originally released as a 5LP set – and now it's available in separate volumes. Vol 2 includes: "Flying V Ride", "Candy Danciin'" feat Mark De Clive-Lowe, "Burn Straight Thru U", "10 West", "I Wanna Know" and "Rollin'".

The title's no lie – because the album is one of the shining jewels of Lou Donaldson's legendary funk years for Blue Note – that second period when he returned to the label at the end of the 60s, and really helped redefine the sound of soul jazz at the time! The format here is very much the same as other Donaldson classics from the time – like Hot Dog or Possum Head – in that the tracks are long, open, and plenty darn grooving – locked in some funky rhythms that feature Idris Muhammad on some very heavy drums! Other players are great too – and include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Melvin Sparks on guitar, and Lonnie Smith on Hammond – all cooking things up nicely on tracks that include "West Indian Daddy", "Donkey Walk", "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky", and "Hamp's Hump".

Heavy funk from the Mexican scene of the early 70s – a great little combo that blends together equal parts soul, rock, and jazz! Grupo Oz are clearly influenced by some of the jazzier groups going down on the west coast Latin scene of the time – and like many of those groups, they also bring in a good deal of heavy guitar as well – riffing along with the funky rhythms of the tracks in a heady Chicano brew! There's plenty of jamming on the set, but the main focus is on the rhythms – really rumbling around at the bottom end of the bass range, and topped by some tasty horns and the occasional soulful English language vocal! The best cuts almost get into a tripped-out groove, thanks to the album's fuzzy guitar – and titles include "Miss Thing", "Sneak", "ACG Groove", "Fly", "Oz Machine", "Robin's Song" and "A New Day".

The coolest chapter so far in the long-lost story of the He3 Project – wonderfully spiritual jazz sounds from the San Francisco scene of the early 70s – recorded with a wicked blend of instrumentation and vocals, and a really cosmic sound overall! The music isn't just the usual spiritual jazz of the time – nor the familiar funky sound from the other side of the Bay – and instead, it's kind of a tripped-out hybrid that's really unique – and often served up with a rough edge that makes the instrumentation even more compelling! Players include Hadley Caliman on tenor and flute, Joe West and Terry Mederios on guitars, and Herman Eberitzsch (the HE in the group's name) on Fender Rhodes, Echoplex, piano, and screwdriver. Vocals are from two members of The Waters – Maxine and Julia – although the overall vibe is more instrumental in the end. Titles include "Civilization", "The Massage", "Dark Angels", "Artesian Wells", "Shake A Leg Woman", "To Be True", and "This Is The Struggle".

The second outing from this west coast, tripped out, drugged up, funky jazz act – and arguably better than their first! The album's got a sound that will appeal to fans of the more progressive end of grooving – with plenty of long tracks that have the band jamming in a kick-back mode that's reminiscent of the style of some of the European jazz rock groups of the early 70s. Titles include "Sonia & Sony", "What's The Deal With Q?", "Brian Felix & The Trinity", "Are We Being Taped?", "Theme Song For Stereo Steve", and "4 Men With Beards".

Not much rock here, but a definite guitar-driven groove – that Ray Parker vamp cooked up in a long legacy of work for other artists – really sparkling here in the frontline of Raydio! The bass is pretty strong too, with that mainstream funk sound that was popping strongly from the west coast at the end of the 70s – a nice match for the guitar, and never as overdone as some of the other work of this nature. Tunes are all pretty darn catchy – more than enough to crossover, but without losing their cool – and titles include the megahit "You Can't Change That", plus "Rock On", "More Than One Way To Love A Woman", "What You Waitin For", "Honey I'm A Star", and "When You're In Need Of Love".

Sweet and sexy sounds from William Sheller – a rare French set from the early 70s – and a record we'd rank right up there with the best work by Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Claude Vannier! Sheller's got a similar groove here – a way of compressing the instrumentation right down to the core, and slipping it around slinky rhythms and spacey production – both of which make familiar instruments sound really way-out! There's also a bit of darkness to the set too – which comes from Sheller's process of recasting a mass structure into a new sort of vision – and a few points feature vocalizations alongside the way-out instrumentation. Titles include "Introit", "Ave Frater Rosae Et Aurae", "Lux Aeterna", "Hare Krishna", and "Souls Le Signe Du Verseau". Plus, there's some even groovier stuff at the end – a whole host of rare singers form Sheller, which feel like some of the best French sound library funk or soundtrack cuts of the period! These tracks are wonderful – and titles include "Couleurs", "Lands Of Shadow", "Generissimo", "Exctissimo", "Erotissimo", "My Year Is A Day", and "Living East Dreaming West".

Gentle, timeless folk songcraft from Cali singer/songwriter Mariee Sioux – lovely, lilting material rooted in the psych folk sound of the west coast at the end of the 60s/start of the 70s – though she also sounds right at home in the contemporary indie landscape! Acoustic guitar, mandolin, bass, a bit of pedal steel and some delicate keys and synth deliver the sound, though it's the angelic vocals and deft harmonies that really make the album the charmer that it is! Includes "Homepathic", "Ghosts In My Heart", "Old Magic", "Icarus Eye", "Swimming Through Stone", "White Fanged Foreverness", "Twin Song" and "Tule".

Incredible music from a very groovy Italian cartoon – the early 70s La Linea, based around a simple line figure with a very talkative approach to life! The CD brings together music and sound effects from the La Linea cartoons – including some prattling from the main character himself, set alongside groovy tunes that have lots of jazzy flourishes! Much of the work on the set was done by Franco Godi, who also handled the great Signor Rossi cartoon music – and the style here is a similar frenetic blend of jazz, scat vocals, bossa rhythms, and just about anything else that appealed to the cooler side of Italian listening at the end of the 60s! Titles include "Linea Cinque Ipaziente", "Linea Cinque Originale", "Sonatore Di Wild West", "Linea Cinque Bossa", "Baiubadu Breve", "Linea Cinque Chitarra", and "Trazom AW Edit". This pressing of the CD features 7 bonus tracks too – material that wasn't on the previous version!

The best music in years from RZA – the man who introduced styliized martial arts soundtrack funk to hardcore hip hop – and the soundtrack to his own damn stylized martial arts film, The Man With The Iron Fists! Musically, it's top notch! RZA's wise enough to contemporize his tried-and-true style rather than revisit it – with swelling soul strings and a crisper sound than the dusty Shaw Bros-sampling Wu Tang sound of past endeavors –and he's joined by a diverse roster of guests that includes Ghostface, Raekwon and other Wu veterans, Kanye, MOP, Pharoahe Monch, The Black Keys, Corrine Bailey Rae, Danny Brown and many more! Includes "The Baddest Man Alive" with The Black Keys, "Black Out" with Ghostface, MOP & Pharoahe Monch, "White Dress" with Kanye West, "Rivers Of Blood" with Wu Tang Clan and Kool G Rap, "Chains" with Corrine Bailey Rae, "The Archer" with Killa Sin, "Just Blowin' In The Wind" with RZA and Flatbush Zombies, "Your Good Thing Is About To End" by Mable John, "Built For This" with Method Man, Freddie Gibbs & Streetlife" and more.

Classic club from Karen Young – definitely one of the campier talents on the West End label, but still pretty soulful overall! The album's almost more in the mode of work on Prelude than West End – as tracks are all long, and roll along with a fair bit of instrumentation in the mix – still lots of vocals from Karen, but more of a focus on the overall groove too. The tracks are long, with titles like "God Knows I'm Just A Woman", "Where Is He", and "Bring On The Boys" – which should give you a feel for the set!

Killer work from the late 50's by Chet! Although Baker's trumpet playing in the early part of the decade became known as one of the trademark "cool" sounds of the west coast, he started to move towards a sound that was a lot more hardbop at the end of the decade – as you'll hear on this tasty album. The session's got a great (and unlikely) batch of players accompanying Chet – like firey young soul jazz pianist Bobby Timmons, modal grooving bassist Jimmy Bond, and cool tenorist Phil Urso. The set's a great one, and pushes Chet's sound way past the usual stereotypes. Titles include "Medium Rock", "Lucius Lu", "Revelation", and "To Mickey's Memory". Plus, this excellent reissue CD also adds a number of bonus tracks recorded by the same group, but not issued with the original album. Added titles include "Chippyin", "Line For Lyons (vocal version!)", and "Jumpin Off A Clef".

The title's no lie – because the album is one of the shining jewels of Lou Donaldson's legendary funk years for Blue Note – that second period when he returned to the label at the end of the 60s, and really helped redefine the sound of soul jazz at the time! The format here is very much the same as other Donaldson classics from the time – like Hot Dog or Possum Head – in that the tracks are long, open, and plenty darn grooving – locked in some funky rhythms that feature Idris Muhammad on some very heavy drums! Other players are great too – and include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Melvin Sparks on guitar, and Lonnie Smith on Hammond – all cooking things up nicely on tracks that include "West Indian Daddy", "Donkey Walk", "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky", and "Hamp's Hump".

A pair of 70s guitar classics from Eric Gale – back to back on a single CD! Ginseng Woman is a wonderfully strong effort from Gale – a player who'd done countless studio work on fusion sessions in the 70s, but who never really broke that strongly as a leader until this set! Gale's tone here is nicely compressed, but still has a warmth that comes from his use of a hollow-body – smooth enough to slide alongside the electric Bob James production, but with enough humanity to allow Gale's spirit to shine through nicely. Richard Tee plays organ on the set, some tracks have backing vocals, and the overall sound is sort of post-CTI, or Kudu-esque. Titles include "Red Ground", "Ginseng Woman", "Derabbit", "East End, West End", and "Sara Smile". Multiplication is a great late 70s fusion set from guitarist Gale working here with his CTI labelmate Bob James. In fact, except for the absence of Creed Taylor, this set is in many ways like a CTI session, with sidemen that include James, Steve Gadd and Anthony Jackson – and a full string and brass section, plus other players who you might not associate with that label, like Richard Tee, Alphonso Johnson and Ralph Macdonald. The groove is slightly mellow at times, almost like James' own work from the period – but which also shows a bit of a tight funk approach on the best cuts too. Titles include "Gypsy Jello", "Morning Glory", "Oh Mary Don't You Weep", "Thumper", and "Multiplication".

A deeper, spacier set from Shaolin Afronauts – and one that goes a bit further into the cosmos, as you might guess from the title and cover art – though it's still firmly rooted in timeless Afro Soul and Funk! Once again, the greatest West African soul, jazz and funk of the 70s provides the most vital inspiration for the group – but the Afronauts go further with the freewheeling jazzy atmosphere on this one – especially on the longer cuts. The majority of tracks run longer than 5 minutes, giving them plenty of evolutionary space to travel, over the funky bedrock that's paved underneath. The horns are fantastic – with nine credited players – along with stellar drums and percussion, guitar, bass, Hammond and Rhodes.Includes "Brooklyn", "Gayanamede Prelude", "Winds Across Gayanamede", "Los Angeles", "Quest Under Capricorn", "End Of A Sun", "Amhara", "Forests Of Io" and "Saturn's Dance". 9 tracks on the vinyl version.

One of our favorite Cal Tjader albums ever – and one of the first to have his vibes working alongside Fender Rhodes! The record's a surprising little set from the start of the 70s – one that almost has Cal picking up some of the New York sounds of a few years before, then mixing them up with a hipper west coast electric style in the end – a Fantasy Records vibe that meshes together a few different modes, and comes up with a rich new style in the process! There's a bit of vocals on the set – somewhat unusual for Cal Tjader, and often used to augment the soulfully snapping grooves of the best tunes – but even more amazing is the heavy use of Fender Rhodes, played here by the amazing Al Zulaica, who's work on the album really ranks right up there with the best early 70s keyboardists on the coast! Zulaica's piano is amazing next to Cal's warmly chromatic vibes – and other instrumentation includes saxes from Bill Perkins, flute from Mel Martin, trumpet from Luis Gasca, moog from Rita Dowling, and percussion from both Pete and Coke Escovedo. Titles include the killer "Aqua Dulce (Cool-Ade)", a fantastic version of "Gimme Shelter", a sublime of Clare Fischer's "Morning", and the cuts "Ran Kan Kan", "Descarga Cubana", "Curacao", and "Somewhere In The Night".

A beautiful stripped-down session that was recorded in the mid 60s, but not issued until the end of the decade, for some strange reason! Grant Green plays guitar in a laidback quartet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all working wonderfully together, in long spiralling lines that are filled with soul and a gentle, easy groove. The set is an odd mix of compositions with a "western" theme – like "I Can't Stop Loving You", "Wagon Wheels", and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" – but the players more than manage to make the session swing way past the origins of the material! Very tough to find, but an essential addition to any Grant Green collection!

The coolest chapter so far in the long-lost story of the He3 Project – wonderfully spiritual jazz sounds from the San Francisco scene of the early 70s – recorded with a wicked blend of instrumentation and vocals, and a really cosmic sound overall! The music isn't just the usual spiritual jazz of the time – nor the familiar funky sound from the other side of the Bay – and instead, it's kind of a tripped-out hybrid that's really unique – and often served up with a rough edge that makes the instrumentation even more compelling! Players include Hadley Caliman on tenor and flute, Joe West and Terry Mederios on guitars, and Herman Eberitzsch (the HE in the group's name) on Fender Rhodes, Echoplex, piano, and screwdriver. Vocals are from two members of The Waters – Maxine and Julia – although the overall vibe is more instrumental in the end. Titles include "Civilization", "The Massage", "Dark Angels", "Artesian Wells", "Shake A Leg Woman", "To Be True", and "This Is The Struggle".

Early soul jazz piano work from Takehiro Honda – recorded in a style that's quite different than most of his later albums! The sound here is full and rich – with Honda's work on the keys augmented by fuller backings arranged by Teddy Adams – all recorded in the US (we think), with a quality that's a fair bit like some of the best soul jazz coming out of LA at the end of the 60s! Honda plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the groove has a hiply vamping style that's always verging on funky, but which is a bit more laidback overall. The record echoes with plenty of the best influences from Les McCann, The Crusaders, Gerald Wilson, and other west coast soul jazz figures – and titles include "Greasy Spoon", "Sham Time", "Ain't Tell You A Good Way But", "Ain't It Funky Now", "What's Going On", and "Check Out Your Mind"

Late 50s jazzy recordings from Kenyon Hopkins – best known as a soundtrack composer, working some magic on the Rooms and Sound Of New York LPs – on a single CD! Rooms is one of those groovy late 50s pre-concept albums, with 10 pieces put together to portray moods via jazzy backing of trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax, bass, piano and percussion, conducted by Hopkins. Titles include "Alone", "Dreams", Escape", "Going", "Panic", "Daydream" and "The End". The Sound Of New York (A Music-Sound Portrait) is a whimsical kind of day-in-the-life, idealized and totally fun musical portrait of the Big Apple, with originals "The Sound Of New York", "East Side, West Side", "Coney Island Visit" and more with adaptations of New York themed material by Rodgers & Hart ("Manhattan"), Billy Strayhorn ("Take The 'A' Train)" and more, with groovy vocal sound bites. 22 tracks in all!

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".

A great step forward for the Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra – even better than their previous album, and a set that beautifully mixes together jazz, Latin, and African elements into one seamless groove! Percussionist Masta Conga is at the head of the group – leading the ensemble with a unique vision that's less of the overdone Afro Funk you might know from other contemporary combos – and more of a classic 60s blend of elements – especially that unique hybrid of Latin modes you'd get from west coast groups – like the Afro Latin Soultet or Afro Blues Quintet – both clear choices of inspiration, given this group's name! Yet there's also some 70s elements moving through the grooves too – thanks to great Fender Rhodes lines, and bits of other keyboards too – often used in these cool spare ways that work perfectly with the mix of funk and Latin in the rhythms, and occasional bits of strings as well. Most tracks are instrumental, although there are a bit of vocals on the set – and titles include "Requiem Pour Un Grooveur", "Petrof Sublimination", "Onze De France", "Gibbon's Dub", and "Dimension 7".

An album that definitely lives up to its title – as congolero Francisco Aguabella comes on hard, hitting strong throughout – and serving up a wicked blend of Latin, funk, and soul! The mid 70s set is a standout recording from Aguabella – done after he left the group Malo, and one of the best west coast takes on the modes that scene was changing up from New York at the time – really transforming the sound of contemporary Latin with a trans-genre vibe that was easily some of the most revolutionary music of the period. Rhythms are acoustic, but there's a nice dose of electric energy too, thanks to some sweet keyboards. Some cuts have English vocals, others are instrumental – and titles include "Hitting Hard", "I Wanna Know", "Cisco", "Image of a Star" and a nice version of Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte".

A pair of soulful gems from tenorist Gene Ammons – back to back on a single CD! The Soulful Moods is beautiful beautiful work from tenorist Gene Ammons – and an album that really demonstrates that during the 60s, one of Ammons' strongest suits was his work with a mellow tune or ballad! The tracks here are wonderfully laidback, but never sleepy – very soulful, and solidly put together in that Ammons-made gentle-blown way – using just a few notes to send the message out with a powerful punch, without ever overdoing things the way that a few of his tenor contemporaries might be tempted to do! The group's a great fit too – with the lovely Patti Brown on piano, plus bass from George Duvivier and bass from Ed Shaughnessy – and titles include "Two Different Worlds", "Skylark", "Three Little Words", "Street Of Dreams", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To". The second album is Nice & Cool, but not in a west coast way – and instead a set that's got Gene Ammons working some wonderfully soulful magic on a set of gentle ballads! The set's got a brilliant late nite sort of feel – one of those tenor albums that seems to sound even better in the space past midnight – as the warm glow from Ammons' horn seems to sparkle even more strongly in the dark – standing out with that stark, spare approach that always makes his ballad work so special – and unlike just about anyone else. The group here is nice and cool too – with Richard Wyands on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and JC Heard on drums – and titles include "Someone To Watch Over Me", "I Remember You", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Till There Was You".

One of the most creative albums ever from UK composer Neil Ardley – and that's saying a lot, given the complexity of his other work! The set's got a wonderful blend of jazz arrangements and some freer passages – scored by Ardley with some of his most sensitive, most beautiful music ever – almost as if the whole thing's an extended soundtrack for a passage in time – or at least a sonic journey that's filled with some wonderful twists and turns! There's definitely some jazz/rock elements in the music, but the main focus is jazz – and Ardley has that same strong sense of large charts and forward-moving rhythms that you'd find in the best early work of Mike Westbrook, particularly his albums for Deram. Players are a very familiar, and very top-shelf batch of British musicians – including Barbara Thompson, Dick Heckstall-Smith, and Don Rendell on reeds; Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther on trumpets; Derek Wadsworth on trombone, Frank Rocotti on vibes, and Stan Tracey on both piano and celeste. Ardley plays prepared piano, and Ivor Cutler makes a great guest appearance on one track – reciting "The Dong With A Luminous Nose" – and Norma Winstone sings on "Will You Walk A Little Faster". The title track – "A Symphony Of Amaranths" – is dedicated to Duke Ellington and Gil Evans – with a feel that more than lives up to both! LP features a bonus "outro" track too.

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label – and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove – sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind of sound you'd expect from Westbound in the early 70s! Austin's guitar is very much in the mode of Eddie Fisher, Eddie Senay, or other kicked-back jazz funk players from his generation – an approach that's probably got a bit of Hendrix somewhere back in the mix, but which is more focused on the tighter side of the funk and soul instrumental spectrum! The album's like finding a stash of rare funky 45s – loads of great short tracks with titles that include "Sex Plot", "Crazy Legs", "You Want It, You Got It", "Side Saddle", "Nanzee", "Pea Shooter", "Do Me Right", and "Shake Your Head".

A dark little western soundtrack from Luis Bacalov – one that's quite brooding overall, despite a rather catchy vocal tune on the title! There's some very odd instrumentation here – watery piano lines, floating bits of guitar, off-tuned strings – all used at different intervals, and in different ways – without as strongly of a unified feel as other albums of this nature. But it's those shifting sounds that make the record great – always creating an unsettling sort of mood, and one that's almost always in the darker, starker side of the spectrum. CD features a whopping 37 tracks in all – including 2 vocal renditions of the "Django" theme by Rocky Roberts, and 2 more by Roberto Fia – plus loads of instrumentals from the film!

One of our favorite Ray Barretto albums of the 60s – a real gem from the pre-Latin Soul years! The album's a clear attempt to cash in on the cash in on the James Bond craze of the time – issued by United Artists, who were releasing the Bond films, but also had Ray under contract during the period too. But despite that simple gimmick, it's a great little set – with a quality level that goes way beyond Bond soundtracks, or the usual from Barretto at the time! The tracks are all hard and groovy, with an excellent jazz feel – and some killer arranging from Ray that's right up there with the work he did for his legendary Charanga Moderna album! You may recognize the song titles – but their versions here are superb, and the album's filled with many many wonderful moments that step out with mad rhythms and great jazzy touches. Titles include "Mister Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", "OO7", "Search For Vulcan", "Thunderball", and "Goldfinger". Nice "spy" shot of Ray on the cover, too!

Tremendous work from Bilal – and further proof that his life on the indie side of the soul spectrum has been a very good thing! There's a crispness to the record that crackles right from the start – slight cosmic touches in the beats, but never too over the top – just enough to electrify the vocals and push Bilal past any sort of mainstream soul – and help him deliver the rich promise we first heard in his music so many years ago – but never found this fully formed during his major label stretch! There's some nice electric bits that percolate forth – moogy keys or sparkling samples – yet the vocals still have all the core warmth that's kept us coming back. Titles include "Astray", "Lost For Now", "West Side Girl", "Back To Love", "Longing & Waiting", and "Butterfly", which features a guest appearance from Robert Glasper!

The wild first album from Bloodstone – a much trippier affair than some of the group's later work, as you might guess from the image on the cover! There's a really heavy vibe going on with some of the tracks here – almost an echo of psychedelic soul from the Norman Whitfield camp, with perhaps some of the fuzzy guitars of the Westbound scene too – all a very different change from the sweeter harmonies Bloodstone would drop later in the 70s still a bit rough around the edges here, but in a great way! The album's got plenty of appeal for fans of heavy funk, and there's a definite righteous undercurrent to the music – as you'll hear on tracks like "This Thing Is Heavy", "Dumb Dude", "Lady Of The Night", "Friendship", and "Take These Chains".

Blowfly changes up his groove nicely for the 80s – taking on a tightly-stepping approach to funk that's clearly inspired by some of the changes on the west coast scene – using Zapp-ish rhythms in a mode that ends up working pretty darn well for his off-color spoken lyrics! There's almost a P-Funk quality to the record – especially as the themes get a bit more political and current events-ish than usual – trading the easy sex jokes for some other comic fare on tunes that include "Convoy", "Blowfly Vs. Darth Vadar", "The Incredible Fulk", and "The Insects Theme".

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

A beautiful tribute to the genius of trombonist/arranger Melba Liston – and a set that doesn't just copy her music, but really opens up a whole new spirit from its inspiration! Reedman Geof Bradfield composed all the tracks in the set, and puts things together with a spirit that's not unlike some of Melba's best arrangements for middle-sized groups – that way she had of making things tight, and rhythmically soulful – yet still allowing plenty of room for improvisation and individuality amidst the fuller picture of the tunes. Bradfield gets in plenty of great moments on tenor, soprano sax, and bass clarinet – and the rest of the group features Victor Garcia on trumpet and flugelhorn, Joel Adams on trombone, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ryan Cohan on piano, Clark Sommers on bass, and George Fludas on drums. Titles include "Central Avenue", "Dizzy Gillespie", "Detroit/Kingston", "Randy Weston", and "Homecoming" – and the set ends with vocals by Maggie Burrell on the tune "Let Me Not Lose My Dream".

Not west coast, but "best coast" jazz – a prime example of the way the Clifford Brown/Max Roach team helped to cook up the intensity of the LA scene of the 50s by infusing it with a bit of New York fire! The album takes off in the extended mode of Clifford's All Stars album – and like that one, features Max Roach on drums alongside a lineup of players that includes Herb Geller and Joe Maini on alto saxes, Walter Benton on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, and Curtis Counce on bass – all jamming together in really extended, side-long tracks that have plenty of space for creative solo work and free-flowing improvisation! The format's a very unusual one for the 50s – and a great side-stream to the better-known Brown/Roach albums – with the 2 long tracks "Coronado" and "You Go To My Head".

The last album in a legendary run of music from keyboardist Doug Carn – his final album for the Black Jazz label, and a set that pushes even farther than his previous efforts! Jean Carn isn't in the group this time around, but the set does feature a totally great twin-vocal approach – with singing by Joyce Green and John Conner, blending their voices together in a style that's right up there with the most righteous 70s jazz experiments by Horace Silver or Billy Gault! This vocal balance really brings a new sort of power to Carn's music – furthering the righteous spirit of earlier years with a hell of a lot of energy – also aided by great instrumental work from Ronnie Laws on tenor and soprano sax, Thurman Green on trombone, Calvin Keys and Nathan Page on guitars, and Big Black on percussion. Titles include the classic "Higher Ground" – plus "Adam's Apple", "Western Sunrise", "Chant", "Sanctuary", "The Messenger", and "Mighty Mighty".

Rondi Charleston's a heck of a great jazz singer – but also turns out to be a strong songwriter as well – with a depth that makes the record way more than just another collection of standards! Even better, Rondi's got a strong respect for an older jazz vocal tradition – which you can really hear in the inflections of her lyrics – in modes that echo singers like Annie Ross or Jackie Cain, with a similar blend of swing, sweet, and smartness! Dave Stryker plays guitar, and gives the album musical direction – and co-wrote a number of songs with Charlestone – including "DNA", "How The River Flows", and "The Wind Speaks". The set also features a great vocal take on Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" – and Jon Hendricks lyrics to Monk's "Reflections" and Randy Weston's "Babe's Blues".

A sweet set of sounds from disco maestro Boris Midney – an artist who rarely recorded under his own name, but was the guiding force behind a great range of famous studio projects! The first half of the set features music from the Companion album – a set moves along in a way that's really a cut above the usual dancefloor groove – tight, lean grooves that draw a lot from just a little – never too overblown, in the way that mainstream disco might be – and instead this nicely compressed blend of tight drums, sweet keyboards, and other instrumental lines fused together in a way that works well with the spare vocals. Titles include "This Is A Test", "There's A Way", "Step On Out", "Living Up To Love", and "I Feel Delight" – plus bonus tracks "Living Up To Love (12" mix)", "Step On Out (12" mix)", and "Step On Out (rhythm track)". The second half features some great singles from Midney – real one-off projects, but offered in enough mixes to almost make for a full LP apiece! Titles include "Can He Find Another One (west side)", "Can He Find Another One (east side)", and "Can He Find Another One (inst west)" by Double Discovery; "Dddance (voc)", "Dddance (beats)", "Dddance (inst)", and "Dddance (alt mix)" by Boris Midney; and "Thanks For Loving Me" by Boris Midney.

What's in the groove is plenty of funk – served up in an overstuffed package that includes all the tracks from The Counts' 2 albums on Aware, plus a few more bonus numbers! The best work here is from the mighty Love Sign album – quite possibly the most righteous work ever from The Counts, a move away from the heavier funk of their Westbound years, and a shift into some great jazz-based material! The vibe here draws heavily on the electric keyboard scene of the early 70s – with echoes of Lonnie Liston Smith's spaciness that trip through some of the album's best longer numbers – mixed with the harder grooves that The Counts first cut on their legendary singles in Detroit! Next up is work from the Funk Pump album – a record that's similar to Love Sign, but a bit more reigned-in, both in style and length of the tunes. There's a tight, bad-walking feel to most of the cuts on the set – one that almost comes across with a blacksploitation groove – especially as the album's basslines are all laid out in a hard-stepping groove, and topped off by plenty of wicked guitar work. Most cuts have vocals, and the lyrics have a Fatback-like love of the catchy chorus and funk-heavy theme! CD features 20 tracks that include the previously unissued "Chicken Pox" and "Counts Say Goodbye" – plus "The Munchies", "Count's Blues", "Jazzman", "Tecalli", "Flies Over Watermelon", "At The Fair", "I'm The Music", "Short Cut", "Sacrifice", "Love Sign", "Just You Just Me", "Funk", "Funk Pump", "Since We Said Goodbye", and "Dedicated Man".

Nice stuff – although very different than Stan's albums for Strata East – smoother and funkier, with a west coast Fantasy Records kind of groove overall! Vocals are by Loretta Divine and Charles B Fowlkes – and the album features work by Eddie Henderson, Julian Priester, and Cliff Coulter – all grooving together in a mode that's still soul jazz, but which takes on the tighter R&B-ish approach showing up in Henderson's work of the late 70s. Titles include "The Stoker", "I Am Waiting", "What Do I Do", and "Here I Am".

Rare hard funky soul from early 70s titans Damn Sam The Miracle Man – and some of the rawest, fiercest funk we've ever heard! Damn Sam is actually a group – spearheaded by vocalist OC Tolbert – a man with a roaring voice and righteous delivery that could tear through brick – and producer Jack Taylor. If not for the amazing funky 45 tracks "Damn Sam The Miracle Man", "Smash" and "BJ" – all of which appear on this long lost LP – they may have been obscure to even the most diligent crate diggers, an argument in favor of that format if there ever was one. The group is a real killer, with absolutely pummeling funky drums and snapping electric congas & bongo work on just about every track – plus soaring trumpet and sax work that counterbalance the fury of Tolbert's vocals nicely. Tolbert's history with gospel lends a genuine spiritual aspect to the frenzy, too – one of the sweetest raw funk tornadoes you could every hope to get swept up by! Other tracks include "Give Me Another Joint", "Let Me Be Your Only Man", "LA 26000", "Poor Mary", Music Makes You Feel Alright", "Rainy Night In Georgia", and "Sonny B".

Pretty great pop-psych from Daughters Of Albion – a set that mixes the sing-song nature of the tunes with some deeper LA production from Leon Russell – all in a great blend fo styles that's really made the album a standout over the years! The group's a duo – Greg Dempsey and Kathy Yesse, both of whom have such long hair, it's hard to tell who's who – both singers who come from a folksy background, yet bring in that mix of Sunshine Pop modes that so many post-folkies on the west coast were using at the time – a great ear for sweet harmonies and catchy tunes, but with an undercurrent of darkness too! Titles include "I Love Her And She Loves Me", "Still Care About You", "Yes Our Love Is Growing", "Candle Song", "Lady Fingers", "Sweet Susan Constantine", "Well Wired", and "John Flip Lockup". CD features two bonus tracks too – "Well Wired (mono 45)" and "Story Of Sad (mono 45)".

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 pair of killers from Dayton – two albums back to back on a single CD! First up is Dayton – the first album by this excellent 80s groove ensemble – and a key part of the Ohio funk scene of the end of the 70s! Forget the more famous funk acts you may know from Ohio, because Dayton's Dayton (can we say that?) were one of the sweetest, smoothest, tightest funk acts to come out of the entire midwest at the time – and the group had a hard-riffing, catchy-hooking sound that should have made them legends instantly. This album's got a great sound that mixes harmony vocals with modern soul use of bass and keyboards – blending the two aspects perfectly, without any of the painfully overwrought vamping and popping that could ruin other funk bands at the time – and from the very first note of the set, you can tell that Dayton's a class act, ready to go all the way! Titles include "Living For Today", "Dank", "Eyes On You", "Let Go", "So Glad", and "Tonight". Cutie Pie is one of the greatest albums ever from Dayton – the kind of bouncy, funky combo who really put Ohio soul on the map at the start of the 80s! The group's got a wonderfully tight ensemble style that mixes both male and female vocals with bumping bass and sweet jazzy keyboards – all very much in a mode that's similar to some of their Capitol label contemporaries – like BB&Q Band or Mystic Merlin – with perhaps just an undercurrent of the Roger/Zapp sound too. Titles include the groover "Cutie Pie", plus the tracks "Let Me Know", "Wanna Be Your Man", "You Lift Me Up", and "Fool Was He".

One of the most heartfelt film scores we've ever heard from Francesco De Masi – thanks to some great guitar work from the legendary Alessandro Alessandroni! There's a nice mix of moods in the soundtrack – some playful melodies that almost have a Nino Rota quality, offset by other moments that have the scene-setting quality of a western – all brought togther nicely in a round of short tracks that change mood easily as the set rolls on! Great remastering, and a bit of viola from Dino Asciolla too – and titles include "I Fiori Di Noe", "Ferace Destino", "Il Circo", "L'Amore Di Noe", "Noe", "Eroe Vagabundo", and "Il Tango Di Noe".

A sweet blend of west coast jazz and Brazilian rhythms – and one of our favorite records ever from trombonist Raul De Souza! The session's got a more soulful, jazzy feel than some of Raul's other dates from the 70s – not nearly as tight as his sets for Capitol, with an earthy undercurrent in the music, thanks to the production efforts of Airto, who spearheads the session. Horns are by JJ Johnson, with some slight echoes of his soul soundtrack work of the period – and other players include Ted Lo on keyboards, Richard Davis on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus a bit of guest alto sax from Cannonball Adderley on a few tunes. Titles include "Water Buffalo", "Dr Honoris Causa", "Canto De Ossahna", "Nana", "Festival", and "Chants To Burn".

A real lost treasure – and an incredible session that offers a real meeting of minds that's far more than you'd expect from the simple cover and title! The set is a later one for Vee Jay, and it brings together half of the Jazz Messengers with a batch of west coast players – in a groove that wonderfully mixes together different traditions and rhythms in jazz – and which steps out with a sound that's far more than the sum of its parts! Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller join a group headed by Buddy De Franco, and featuring Victor Feldman on piano and vibes, plus Victor Sproles on bass and Freddie Hill on trumpet. The sound of the group is quite unusual – and a lot lighter than you'd guess – giving Buddy plenty of room to solo in a breezy style that's grown tremendously since his 50s recordings – pushed along by some heavier soul from Art and the group. Titles include "Rain Dance", "Blues Bag", "Twelve Tone Blues", "Kush", and "Cousin Mary".

A quadruple-header of a set – four great albums together in one cool box! First up is the first album from the great Special Edition group of drummer Jack DeJohnette – a wickedly sharp record that's as equally tight on the reeds as it is on the drums! The album features brilliant work on tenor and bass clarinet from David Murray, and equally nice alto from Arthur Blythe – both criss-crossing and soaring out effortlessly in each others' company – amidst complex rhythmic impulses from DeJohnette on drums, and both bass and cello from Peter Warren. Jack also plays a bit of piano and melodica as well – and titles include "One For Eric", "Zoot Suite", "Central Park West", "India", and "Journey To The Twin Planet". On Tin Can Alley, the great Chico Freeman really shines with drummer Jack DeJohnette – lending his tenor, flute, and bass clarinet to the album – and helping make it a really reed-heavy affair! John Purcell's also in the frontline with Chico – playing alto, baritone, and flute – and in addition to Peter Warren's bass and cello, the album Jack DeJohnette also plays drums, congas, piano, and organ too! The range of instrumentation almost echoes some Chicago AACM roots at times – but with that tighter focus that musicians like Jack were bringing to their work at ECM – and titles include "Riff Raff", "The Gri Gri Man", "I Know", and "Pastel Rhapsody". Inflation Blues is a record that bristles with energy right from the start – spurred on by the creative rhythms that have always made Jack DeJohnette one of the most inventive drummers of his time! The group features a triple-threat lineup with Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Chico Freeman on tenor and soprano sax, and John Purcell on alto, baritone, flute, and clarinet – especially nice at points when the reedmen shift and turn with sharp edges learned from the earlier avant years, yet given a nice focus here under DeJohnette's leadership. Jack penned all original tunes for the set, and there's a depth to his writing that really marks a move forward – possibly some of his richest musical statements on record ever! Titles include "Ebony", "Inflation Blues", "Slowdown", and "The Islands". Album Album is a record that really dives deep with a rich mix of creative rhythms and inventive horn lines! The album still has Jack staying true to his more avant roots – working with tenor from David Murray, alto and soprano sax from John Purcell, baritone and tuba from Howard Johnson, and bass from Rufus Reid – a lineup that's a bit bigger than on other Special Edition albums, and which is used to fill in even more colors and deeper elements than before. Some of the tunes are wonderfully vivid in approach – and titles include "Festival", "Third World Anthem", "Zoot Suite", "Ahmad The Terrible", and "New Orleans Strut".

A great blend of early rock and monster movie aesthetics from The Dynamic Del-Aires – a north New Jersey group who only cut a handful of singles, but also managed a key appearance in The Horror of Party Beach before fading away into obscurity! Despite that short time in the record racks, though – the group is totally great – a combo that almost blows away the best of the Northwest, and certainly has their same sort of raw, rocking, instrumental-heavy approach – although some numbers also feature some cool vocals too! This package brings together the rare singles, the movie tracks, and even some unissued live and demo tracks too – all in a beautiful-looking package with lots of photos of the group in action. Titles include "Drag", "So Far So Long", "Zombie Stomp", "The Crawl", "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow", "Berserk", "Treble Rock", "Sing Sing Sing", "Someplace Else", and even a "Horror Of Party Beach" movie trailer!

Two post-CTI gems from Deodato – back to back on a single CD! Whirlwinds is sweet keyboard soul from Deodato – a set that steps off nicely from the strengths of his big hits on CTI, hitting a similarly flowing groove that's really great! The instrumentation here is a bit more expanded than before, but never in a way that buries the keyboards – and Deodato's right out front on a range of electric keys that get some great support from John Tropea's finely-honed work on guitar! Titles include "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "West 42nd Street", and a nice cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again". And heck, even the album's version of Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" manages to come off like a funk tune! Artistry is a live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin".

Like many of their Detroit contemporaries, the Detroit Emeralds made a move to up-tempo club sounds towards the end of the 70s – but also like some of the better groups in the city (like the Fantastic Four), the Emeralds had the vocal strength to make the move and still keep a bit of soul in their bag. Not that the record's one of their best, mind you, but it does have some merits, and the group's harmonies still hold out on the better cuts. Titles include "Let's Get Together", "Turn On Lady", "I Can't Seem To Forget", and "Treat Her Like A Lady".

More amazing work from the legendary Bob Downes – the British reedman/arranger/composer who's getting really rediscovered these days – represented here in a host of previously unissued tracks! Bob put together the package from his vaults, and we've got to say that the music here is every bit as wonderful as anything Downes released back in the day – and is perhaps overall maybe even more striking, as most of it is played by a trio that features Bob on flutes, tenor, alto, and soprano saxes, with Barry Guy on bass and Denis Smith on drums! There's a great groove on many numbers – kind of a modal, soulful bounce that really has us appreciating Guy's bass work from a whole new direction – especially since we've mostly known him as a more avant player. And Downes is as creatively as compelling as ever – even playing "simultaneous saxes" at one point in the record! Titles include "Seashore", "West Eleven", "Walkin Runnin Man", "Funky Groove (parts 1 & 2)", "Brasilian Beauty", and "Wavelength".

The "Angels" in the title are Hells Angels – as this is a pretty rough looking biker flick, pictured in a nice on the road image on the front cover! The music is actually a pretty diverse mix of rock songs by some lesser-known acts – the majority by hard-grooving group called East West Pipeline. Their tracks are pretty darn great – tight, fuzz guitar rockers with surprisingly sweet harmonies. Also includes cuts by Texas psych combo Fever Tree, Buffalo Springfield drummer Dewey Martin, Mark Eric and Rabbit Mackay. Titles include "Taking A Bath", "Angels Die Hard", "Something's Wrong", "Kern County Line", and "Questions" by East West Pipeline; "Death Is The Dancer" by Fever Tree; "Tendency To Be Free" by Rabbit MacKay; "I Want To Take You Higher" by Sylvanus; and "Indian Child" by Dewey Martin & The Medicine Ball.

Monumental Afro Soul from El Rego Et Ses Commandos – El Rego's best recordings from the late 60s to early 70s – a beautifully done compilation put together by Daptone and Frank Gossner, the deep digging West African music expert behind Voodoo Funk! Theophile Do-Rego is a legend in his native Benin, essentially credited as the godfather of Benin funk – but to date, he hasn't been celebrated around the world nearly as famously as the superstars of African music hailing from Nigeria and Ghana. That's something that can change really quickly if enough people pick up this truly great compilation of pioneering recordings. Singer El Rego and his excellent, diversely capable band – sax and flute by Baboni Oudou, sax by Michel Diogo, guitar by Oscar De Souza, trumpet by Emmanuel Ganssounou, guitar by Roger Coffi, tumba by Marcelin Kpohonon, additional vocals by Christian Agueh, and bass by band leader Paul Hounnou – take a tighter approach to funky soul. Just a couple tracks on this set roll past the 4 minute mark – which gives it a tighter soul sound, along with some Benin blues and some riveting JB-indebted vocal affections. We owe Voodoo Funk and Daptone big for putting this together! Includes "Feeling You Got", "Zon Dede", "E Nan Mian Duku", "Dkobime", "Dis-Moi Oui", "Djobime", "Hessa" (the centerpiece of the album, 3 minutes of Afro Soul perfection. . .the whole set is great, but this track is unforgettable), "Kpon Fi La", "Do Do Baya", "Vive Le Renouveau", "Achuta", "Cholera" and "Ke Amon-Gbetchea".

A nice early set from jazz guitar greats Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd – who would work together much more frequently in the years to come – but sharing a rare early 60s joint set on 1964's Guitar/Guitar! This is one of the earliest, if not the earliest pairings on record for these guys as a joint effort – and it's a really warm, engaging blend of Byrd's finger style acoustic playing and Ellis's clean electric eclecticism. The run through some nice jazzy blues and west coast breezy modes, a little bit of bossa, a touch of Chet Atkins style twang, and more – all of it pretty laidback and charming! Titles include "Se Todos Fossem Iquais A Voce", "Chung King", "Carolina In The Morning", "Three Quarter Blues", "Take Care Of Yourself", "Jazz 'N' Samba", "Oh, Lady Be Good", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "A Hundred Years From Today", "and "Bluesette".

Nice exotic jazzy numbers – titles include "Uskadar", "Misirlou", "Pende Patimata", "Mykonos", and "Baubles Bangles & Beads".

An unusual session from the great Clare Fischer – although probably his best-known record as well! Clare cut many other jazz sides in a smaller, more intimate setting – but this album features his full talents as a larger arranger – working with a hip ensemble, and turning in some great charts that really keep things on edge! Fischer plays both Fender Rhodes and piano – and the group's got some great west coast help from Bill Perkins and Warne Marsh on tenors, Gary Foster on alto, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all playing with a bit more sharpness here than usual. There's a nicely off-kilter edge – similar to that which you might hear in some of Clare's work with Cal Tjader – or some of his larger arranging projects for labels like MPS. Solos are out front on all tracks, and titles include "In Memoriam", "Bitter Leaf", "Calamus", and "Miles Behind".

Kim Fowley, an author? Stranger things have happened – and given Fowley's penchant for putting his finger in just about every pie that came within reach, the whole thing's no surprise at all! The book is a stunning account of Fowley's important years in the music business – working in the sometimes lowest reaches of the LA scene, yet sometimes hitting the highest heights too – all told in really interesting detail, with a pacing that's completely unique! At lots of points, it kind of feels like Kim's telling you the story of his life over a few dozen drinks at the bar – with all the tangents you might expect – but at other times, there's this lucidity that's right in line with the Fowley genius in the studio – that way of being and going crazy while still holding all your cool – summed up perfectly in these few lines near the end of the book: "Well this is my version of what happened to me. I don't know if it really happened or not, but I think it did. I'm holding back a lot of stuff because it's too overwhelming in its darkness and it would be a sad read."

About as classic as you can get for Aretha Franklin – a wonderful package that features 5 full albums for Atlantic Records – each packaged in a tiny LP-styled sleeve that reproduces the original cover! The work here is the stuff of legend – that key point when Franklin really got her groove together, thanks to help from producers Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin – who helped Aretha's amazing vocals find a place that not only transformed her career, but all of soul music as well! Every record in the set's a classic – and the package features I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You, Lady Soul, Aretha Now, Spirit In The Dark, and Live At The Fillmore West – with tracks that include "Respect", "Do Right Woman", "Save Me", "Good Times", "Groovin", "Chain Of Fools", "Think", "I Say A Little Prayer", "I Take What I Want", "One Way Ticket", "Honest I Do", "Spirit In The Dark", and lots more!

Brilliant basswork from Henry Franklin – one of the hippest cats handling his instrument on the west coast in the 70s – working here with a wicked ensemble of soulful, righteous players! Franlin's bass sets the tone of the record right from the very first note – but the album's a very collaborative effort, too – and features Oscar Brashear on trumpet, Charles Owens on tenor, Bill Henderson on soprano sax, Ndugu Chancler on drums, and Kirk Lightsey on both piano and flute! The legendary David Durrah plays piano on two tracks – his own "Waltz for "Boobuss" and "Venus Fly Trap" – and the Sisters Happiness sing vocals on the latter cut, too. Other titles include "Blue Lights", "Soft Spirit", and a version of Chick Corea's "What Was".

2 killers from organist Caesar Frazier – back to back on one CD! Hail Ceasar is a monster bit of funky jazz – filled with long tracks that all jam mightily, all at a level that matches or tops the best work coming out of Prestige or Blue Note Records at the time! The set is one of the rare few on the Eastbound jazz subsidiary of Detroit soul powerhouse Westbound Records – and it's the first to feature organist Ceasar Frazier as a leader – really grooving hard here with a Prestige-styled combo that includes Idris Muhammad on funky drums, Melvin Sparks on heavy guitar, and Houston Person on soulful sax – all produced with a gritty gritty edge by the legendary Bob Porter! The whole album's great – filled with incredible cuts that include a version of "Hicky-Burr", the first Bill Cosby theme – plus the tracks "Make It With You", "Running Away", "Hail Ceasar!", and "See-F". Ceasar Frazier 75 is a tightly grooving set that expands his sound a bit from the first! All the best elements are still in place here – including funky organ from Ceasar, production from jazz funk maestro Bob Porter, and a hip range of players that includes Horace Ott, Wilbur Bascomb, and Bernard Purdie. But the overall sound is somewhat shifted too – brought more into the tightly jamming jazz funk mode of the mid 70s – a bit richer and fuller overall, yet never in a way that's slick or sloppy – just more like some of the best later sides on Prestige or Fantasy from the same stretch. The record features a crazy version of the "Mighty Mouse Theme", a mellow take on the Isley's "Summer Breeze", Stevie Wonder's great "Living For The City", and the original "Funk It Down".

A legendary record – and one that's well worth all the anticipation it's gotten over the years! The set features rare, previously unreleased material done by Funkadelic during their classic years at Westbound Records – some songs, and some studio jams – of the sort the group were famous for, especially during their time at Westbound! The songs are totally great – massively funky numbers that rank right up there with classics of the Cosmic Slop years – and the jams are almost even better, a rare opportunity to hear the genius collective at work in the studio – without any edits at all to get in the way! We'd easily rank this set right up there with Free Your Ass or America Eats Its Young – and after years of waiting, it's great to have this wonderful collection finally out for the masses! Songs include "Heart Trouble", "Talk About Jesus", and "The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg" – and jams include "Vampy Funky Bernie" and "Slide On In".

One of the trippiest albums ever recorded by British pianist Michael Garrick – a set done with his Garrick's Fairground group – at a level that's almost a wilder abstraction of some of the other work he'd done at the end of the 60s! The album's an extended suite of shorter tracks – linked together thematically, and by the use of vocals from Norma Winstone, Betty Mulcahy, and others, plus a larger chorus – and with some even more compelling instrumental passages as well! The whole work almost feels like one of Mike Westbrook's more high-concept albums – especially given the use of vocals – and Garrick's own work on organ is augmented by Art Themen on saxes and flute, Henry Lowther on trumpet, Don Rendell on tenor and clarinet, Coleridge Goode on bass, and Trever Tomkins on percussion. Titles include "Blues", "Who Can Endure", "For We Are Lost", "I Have Torn Up", "Invocation", "The Waters Of Love", "To The Celebration", "What Is This Clamour", "I Will Speak I Will Say", and "Organ Improvisation. CD also features "Epiphany" and "Blessed Are The Peacemakers" – two smaller group tracks originally issued as a single, both with vocals by Norma Winstone, and both quite beautiful!

One of the greatest solo albums ever issued by Latin jazz trumpeter Luis Gasca – a set that really expands on his debut for Atlantic Records, and which brings in a whole host of early 70s west coast Latin influences! The style here is very laidback and open – a bit like some of the Chicano funk coming out of the LA scene at the time, but a fair bit more jazz oriented overall – with long lean solos from both Gasca on trumpet and Joe Henderson on tenor sax, set up in a half-electric set of rhythms laid out on guitar, organ, keyboards, bass, and plenty of percussion! Other players here are all top-shelf too – and include Carlos Santana, George Cables, Stanley Clarke, Coke Escovedo, and Lenny White. The album features 4 long tracks – "Spanish Gypsy", "Street Dude", "La Raza", and "Little Mama".

Some of the most hard-edged work cut by Stan Getz in the early years – a great reminder that he could really open up with the best of the bop world – and not just lay back and get mellow with an electric guitar! The setting has Stan working with some key west coast talents – including Wardell Gray on tenor, Sonny Criss and Willie Smith on alto, Charlie Shavers and Howard McGhee on trumpets, and Red Norvo on vibes – all players who stretch out with Stan on some longer open-ended tracks that really echo the west coast jam session mode of the time! Titles include "Hot House", "How High The Moon", "I Got Rhythm", and "Groovin High".

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". This great deluxe edition from Truth & Soul comes inside a beautifully done, 80-page booklet – full of rare photos of the band in action and behind-the-scenes – plus richly detailed notes.

Dark-edged, folk-tinged, and blues-drenched sounds from The Godz – one of the earthiest acts to record for the legendary ESP label – and one who had the same East Village power as The Fugs! The overall sound is nice and spare – rougher edged than some of the west coast work of this nature – kind of a folk blues aesthetic, filtered through trippier ideas – and recorded with the same haunting, moody elements as the first Pearls Before Swine album, but a lot more loose in the construction of the tunes – which almost feel improvised at times. Instrumentation includes acoustic guitar, violin, harmonica, maracas, and plastic flute – and titles include "Eleven", "Na Na Naa", "Turn On", "White Cat Heat", "1 + 1", and "Lay In The Sun".

A powerful set of free jazz that definitely lives up to its title – a hell-bent session of unbridled energy from this west coast quartet! Vinny Golia contributes some wonderful tenor, soprano sax, sopranino, and bass clarinet to the record – these deft, deep tones that really give the album a heck of a lot of soul – especially on some of the sparer moments, which have the spiritual feel of a 70s loft jazz session. Lisa Mezzacappa's basslines are often a key complement to Golia's reedwork – and the set also features some equally nice alto sax lines from Marco Eneidi, who definitely has the right feel for the record. Vijay Anderson completes the group on drums – and titles include "Lop-Sided Heels & Frayed Shoes", "Meteorites", "Inessential Melancholies", "Pendulum", "Deformities & Dischords", and "Everything Imaginable Can Be Dreamed".

Way more than just a Dexter Gordon album – and instead, an important historic document of the bop scene on the west coast! The 3CD set features the complete recordings from an Elks Auditorium concert in 1947 – lots of long jam session tracks that not only feature history "battles" between Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray, but also key work from trumpeter Howard McGhee, tenorist Bill Moore, and alto player Sonny Criss! The lineup shows the hardest side of the LA scene at the time – and although Savoy did issue edits of the material on some key albums, this set of almost 3 hours of music is the first time the whole thing's appeared like this. Titles include "Bopera", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Body & Soul", "Back Breaker", "The Hunt", "Bopland", "Bop After Hours", "Perdido", "Merry Go Round Blues", and "Blow Blow Blow".

The first entry into Savoy's amazing Hollywood Jazz Session series – and a live recording that spans both sides of the record with just one track! Wardelly Gray and Dexter Gordon go head to head in a lineup that also includes Howard McGhee on trumpet, Trummy Young on trombone, Barney Kessel on guitar, and Hampton Hawes on piano – all joining together to show that the west coast had a very hard bop sound going on back in the late 40s – a hard-burning way of trading solos, heard beautifully in an extended performance of "Byas A Drink"!

A jazz soundtrack double-header – one that features both the small combo and larger band version of the soundtrack to The Sweet Smell Of Success! The first half of the CD features the Chico Hamilton Quintet's album of music – a wonderful bit of cinematic jazz from the 50s. The combo was a key part of the LA scene at the time, but are oddly featured as a regular club act in the movie's New York setting – but we'll gladly forgive that geographic error, given that the music on the set is so great. The quality's a bit like some of the Hamilton Quintet work on World Pacific – but there's a slightly freer, more urgent feel here too – work that's sometimes somewhat driving, and beautifully blended from the guitar of John Pisano, clarinet of Paul Horn, cello of Fred Katz, piano of Carson Smith, and drums from Chico. Side one features a lot of short incidental cuts – like "Susan", "Cheek To Chico", "Jam", and "Night Beat" – and side 2 is an extended "Concerto Of Jazz Themes From The Soundtrack Of Sweet Smell Of Success". The second half of the CD features the full orchestral version of the Sweet Smell Of Success soundtrack – but done in a style that's almost as jazzy and swinging as the small combo one! Elmer Bernstein's at the helm here – and the music's a wonderful pastiche of modes that's right up there with his sublime score for The Man With The Golden Arm – done in a similar blend of driving jazz, somber moments, and some slightly more raucous touches! As with that album, the players are all great – and soloists on the album include Pete Candoli, Ted Nash, and Shelly Manne – west coast players despite the New York setting of the film, and playing here with a fair bit of grit in their groove. Titles include "The Street", "Hot Dogs & Juice", "Toots Shor's Blues", "Nite Spot Rock", "Love Scene", and "Out Of Darkness".

A lost classic, and a landmark blending of jazz and world music! The core of the group is that quintet of West Indian alto player Joe Harriott – one of the leading lights of the British jazz scene of the 60s, and a dedicated modernist who was as important to England as Ornette Coleman was to America. Harriott's group is expanded by the addition of John Mayer's quintet of Indian musicians, who play in tandem with Harriott's group in a swirling blend of styles and sounds. The sound is spacey and trippy, with more elements of Indian music, than of jazz, but Harriott still manages to get some nice playing in. The whole album is one long suite of tracks, and titles include "Contrasts", "Raga Megha", and "Raga Gaud-Saranga".

An obscure west coast soul set from Quinn Harris – a well-titled "mastermind" with a great ear for a gritty groove! The set's got a really unique sort of feel – not just straight funk, but not straight soul either – kind of a hip blend of modes that often includes some warmly jazzy touches next to deeper soul vocals from soul sister Lady Bianca! Harris directs the group, and plays sax, flute, piano, and organ – all of which are used to nice effect in an array of different modes – especially the flute, which is often mixed with a stepping bassline to create a blackspolitation sort of groove. There's a small horn section in the combo, and they play without cliche – just the right sort of coloring to shade in the tunes without overpowering them in the usual horn section way. Billy Street handles male vocals on a few other tracks in the set, and titles include "Stop Telling Me Lies", "All In The Soul", "We Got To Get Together", "Never Too Hard To Bear", "Doctor Of Love", and "This Summer". CD also features bonus 7" versions of "Stop Telling Me Lies" and "We Got To Get Together".

Amazing sounds from the SF scene of the 70s – previously unreleased work that really opens up a whole new chapter of jazz on the west coast! The HE3 Project is the brainchild of keyboardist Herman Ebertizsch – who plays lots of Fender Rhodes and moog on this sweet little record – really driving some amazing lines for a wickedly soulful group that also features Coke Escovedo on timbales and Linda Tillery and Johnny Lovett on vocals! Supposedly, these sessions were the genesis of the groove that Escovedo later laid down on Mercury Records – but the sound here is a lot more open-ended and funky – a beautiful combination of jazz and soul elements, put together in ways that are quite different than any other Bay Area acts of the time. Titles include "Rapture Of The Deep", "Funk Punk", "Appreciation", "Life Is A Tortured Love Affair", "Make It Sweet", "We All Have Our Own Lives", "In A Soft & Subtle Way", and "Easy Come Easy Go".

An amazing document of the legendary Jimi Hendrix – pulled together from private writings, vintage interviews, and other rare materials that really shed light on the genius of Jimi, and get way past some of the overwrought stereotypes of his all-too-short career! There's some great performance footage too, mixed with rare photos – and even some personal drawings, song drafts, postcards, and more – a mini-museum of vintage Hendrix – with lots of artifacts from his life behind the scenes.

A young group, but one with a great take on an older aesthetic in jazz – the chamber styles of the late 50s modern scene, recast here with a hell of a lot more energy than before! The group play together in differing formations – from trio to septet – and their vision here is really wonderful – hardly just a copycat of the more academic modes of the RCA or west coast scenes of the 50s, and instead a really great style that shows the evolution of that genre through other modern generations that include the AACM and loft jazz scene of the 70s. These guys are great, and really onto something good – and the lineup includes John Beard on guitar, David McDonnell on alto and clarinet, Nick Broste on trombone, Patrick Newbery on trumpet, Nate Lepine on flute, Greg Danek on bass, and Dylan Ryan on drums and vibes. Titles include "The Sparrow", "Italian Ice", "Lavender Panther", "Mahogany", "Red Dawn", and "Eyeball".

Pre-Motown work from Brenda Holloway – a host of rare west coast sides recorded for indie labels like Class, Donna, and Era! The package offers up an amazing look at this early point in Holloway's career – and shows a sound that's surprisingly right in line with her better-known Motown recordings – already very well-developed vocal lines that show a great degree of class, while still swinging out with a hell of a lot of soul! The styles are a bit more varied than in later years, but in a good way – showing Brenda to be quite a versatile singer, yet really holding onto her sense of self, no matter what the groove. There's great notes, photos, and label scans in the booklet – and the set includes material recorded under Holloway's own name, plus projects with other groups too. Titles include "I'll Give My Life", "Constant Love", "Suddenly", "Hey Fool", "Echo", "The Nursery", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "You're My Only Love", "I Never Knew You Looked So Good", "I Ain't Gonna Take You Back", and "Gonna Make You Mine".

Thelma Houston's first album for Motown – and the start of a tremendous run of music in the 70s! The set's a great mix of modes – with vocals from Thelma that definitely show her roots in gospel – and rich, mature backings that give Houston the same sort of star treatment that Diana Ross would get during her early solo years – or which Dionne Warwick was getting over at Warner! Like the latter, Thelma's got a great way of being smooth, yet still keeping it real – and the set sparkles with warm soulful backings by Artie Butler, Gene Page, and Michael O'Martian. Tracks include "What If", "Black California", "Blackberries", "And I Never Did", "And I Thought You Loved Me", "There Is A God", and "I'm Letting Go". CD features an insane amount of bonus tracks – 9 more numbers from singles and non-LP tracks – with titles that include "Nothing Left To Give", "I Ain't Going Nowhere", "No One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever", "Pick Of The Week", "I Want To Go Back There Again", and "I'm Just A Part Of Yesterday".

An amazing set that documents the early years of the Zamrock scene – the funk and psych informed Afro Rock pioneered by vocalist and African guitar legend Rikki Ililonga and his group Musi-O-Tunya in Zambia from 1973 to 1976 – and compiled beautifully in this great set from Now Again/Stones Throw! It's incredible stuff that blends fuzzed out guitar psychedelia, raw rhythms and brass-heavy funky soul. Ililonga's legacy is represented strongly on the record made by the group he founded, Musi-O-Tunya – who work with electric guitar, bass, sax, western and African drums and percussion – as well as the Zambia album, credited to Rikki Illilonga, in which he sings and plays all instruments except trumpet. The set also includes his Sunshine Love album, in which he sings and plays all instruments except bass and drums – and a it's got a rawer, bluesier psych soul approach overall. The CD version compiles most tracks from those albums plus Musi-O-Tunya's Wings Of Africa LP and bonus tracks from 7-inches from the time. 31 tracks on 2 CDs and comes a great, book-bound package with extensive liner notes by Eothen Alapatt and an interview of Ililonga by Eothen. Disc one includes Musi-0-Tunya tracks "Tsegulani", "Mpondolo", "Walk And Fight", "The Sun", "Dark Sunrise", "The Wings Of Africa", "Jekete Yamankowa" (Parts 1 & 2), "Mpulula", "Smoke" and more. Disc 2 features tracks from the Rikki Ililonga cuts "Sansa Kuwa", "Sheebeen Queen", "Stop Dreaming Mr D", "The Nature Of Man", "The Queen Blues", "Working On The Wrong Thing", "Sunshine Love", "Angel Black" and more.

Incredibly captivating work from the legendary Alexader Jodorowsky – a soundtrack that's beyond compare, penned for a movie to match – and issued famously as one of the key releases on Apple Records! Given the lack of distribution for the film, the record's become one of the few lasting relics of the bizarre El Topo project – filled with tunes penned by Jodorowsky that are as offbeat as the images on the screen! The movie's kind of a surreal western, with lots of trippy touches – and the soundtrack runs from straight numbers that echo an Italian spaghetti era, to others that have a playful almost circus-esque aspect, to others that come across with a weird mix of organic instrumentation and psychedelic inspiration. Titles aren't listed individually, which is great – because the whole thing works together as some brilliant sound collage – better absorbed as a whole, and with plenty of space for contemplation!

A really wonderful record – straight ahead, but oh so beautiful! Jordan's playing in a very relaxed setting – blowing openly on long tracks in this Japanese only session, working with a quartet that includes Reggie Workman, Freddie Waits, and a very hip Hank Jones, well worth saying hello to! Side one features the extended track "Vienna", a wonderfully soulful number with an open exploratory approach to Jordan's solo – never too out, but richly spiritual, in the tradition of his best 70s work. Side two features two other long tunes – standards ("Bohemia After Dark" and "Love For Sale"), but both done in the same rich spirit!

There's some bigger arrangements here than you'd usually get on a BB King album of the 60s – but they're used in a really great way that makes the album one of our favorites by King from his years at ABC! Johnny Pate arranged and produced, and he gives the whole thing a Chicago soul punch that's mighty nice – a mix of blues and soul that's not unlike some of the best Bobby Blue Bland work at Duke a few years before – and a blend that's really a lot like some of the best indie soul coming out of Chicago's west side in the late 60s too. The album's a killer all the way through, and it's great to hear BB in such a setting – on cuts that include "Dance With Me", "Heartbreaker", "I'm Not Wanted Anymore", "Having My Say", "That's Wrong Mama", "Now That You've Lost Me", "Until I Found You", and "Worried Dream".

Trippy Turkish rock from Erkin Koray – rarities and singles recorded in Istanbul, and every bit as brilliant as the work on his famous self-titled albums! The music is awash in a blend of buzzing, hypnotic folk sounds of Turkey – mixed with western and otherwise globally resonant psychedelia – a wicked blend that's right up there with the best Anatolian grooves of the time! It's wild stuff, but done with passionate vocals and tuneful melodism that's pretty amazing – English and American rockers who brought Middle Eastern errata into pop music made millions and became superstars for it, but we really must say, that creative reach works even more brilliantly in reverse! Includes "Mechul", "Kendim Ettim Kendim Buldom,", "Gun Dogmuyor", "Goca Dunya", "Kraller", "Cumbur Cemaat", "Hadi Hadi Ordan", "Dusunus", "Olmayinca Olmuyor" and "Sevdigim".

Loads of great guitar in this classic 60s western – sometimes twangy, sometimes driving, and sometimes mixed nicely with trumpet – all for a sound that really makes the score one of the best from the spaghetti western generation! There's a bold, fresh approach to the whole thing – a style that's really confident in its execution, and which really makes you feel like the film's striking out to some great new territory. We're honestly not that familiar with other work by Michele Lacerenza, but this one's a gem – and also features some chorus vocals from I Cantori Moderni, harmonica from Franco De Gemini, and trumpet from Michele himself! CD features a total of 24 tracks – including "Al Tramonto", "Caccia", "Inseguimento", "Leggende Del West", "Contro I Nemici", "Spiando Il Nemico", and "In Chiesa".

Some of the deepest soul to ever come from a Detroit label – a great run of singles cut by Denise LaSalle for the Westbound label – all of them pretty darn wonderful! Denise has roots that start in Mississippi, and she spent plenty of time in Chicago – so by the time she hit Westbound, she had a great interstate approach that really pulled some great styles together! In a way, these sides were crucial in helping push southern soul forward in the 70s – not just in the production, which was tight, but never too smooth – and which helped give her bluesy inflections a hip, modern sort of mode – one that was often well-suited to the subtle gender politics of the tracks too. Ace did a great job with this smoking set – and not only includes all the key singles, both a-sides and b-sides – but even throws in some great notes, and a few rare radio spots too! Titles include "Do Me Right", "Man Sized Job", "Trapped By A Thing Called Love", "Keep It Coming", "Here I Am Again", "My Brand On You", "What Am I Doing Wrong", "Don't Nobody Live Here", and "Your Man & Your Best Friend".

Tight and soulful blues from Little Milton – just the sort of record that helped him cross over to bigger audiences back in the day, and a set that still sounds plenty great all these many years later! The set was done in Chicago – arranged by James Mack, with backing vocals from Kitty & The Haywoods – and the sound is a sweet west side mix of rootsy and soulful elements – a blend that shows the same growing sophistication of the Malaco scene at the time, at a level that moves nicely away from college circuit blues cliches of the 70s. Milton's vocals are wonderful – raspy and appealing with a Tyrone Davis-like charm – and titles include "Friend Of Mine", "Don't Turn Away", "You're Gonna Make Me Cry", "It's All Bad News", "Sundown", "Bring It On Back", and "Baby It Ain't No Way".

A bit hipper and less bluesy than some of Taj's other work for Columbia – recorded with his Intergalactic Soul Messengers Band, and a sound that's slyly soulful – and flavored with reggae or otherwise Caribbean influenced rhythms! Music Keeps Me Together has a fairly loose feel, but still with a fluid groove – steering clear of the kitchen sink freewheeling approach that made some of his records kind of a test of endurance – just a fluid mix of soul, island rhythms, and bits rural string touches by Taj. Titles include "Roll Turn Spin", "West Indian Revelation", "My Ancestor", "Dear Ladies", and "Aristocracy".

An under-discovered vocalist from the 50s – the great Nancy Malcomb, a singer we'd rank right up there with Chris Connor's best at the time! Nancy's got a very jazzy approach to her work – no surprise, as she plays piano as well as she sings – with support here from a great small combo that includes Al Viola on guitar, Jim Anton on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums! The style is nicely laidback – considerably more so than other vocal albums on RCA for the time – with a relaxed, intimate approach that recalls some of the advances that Connor made for female singers in jazz right around the same time, delivered by Nancy with similarly great inflections on the vocals. Titles include "Make The Man Love Me", "Old Devil Moon", "Nobody's Heart", "Can't We Be Friends", "You Took Advantage Of Me", "Anything Goes", and "Mountain Greenery".

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

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

One of only two albums cut by the Four Souls group of drummer Lenny McBrowne – a really cooking combo that should have gotten greater exposure back in the day! The west coast group were clearly one of the hippest acts working on their scene at the time – as they've got a unique blend of soul jazz and modernism – one that cooks with Jazz Crusaders-like energy at points, but also has some sharper edges too – a bit in the vein of the wonderful JFK Quintet from the DC scene. Players in the group include Terry Trotter on piano, Don Sleet on trumpet, Daniel Jackson on sax, and Herbie Lewis on bass. Jackson's a real standout in the group – a player with a great edge and real sense of feeling, and one we'd love to hear more of. Titles include "Soul Sisters", "Invitation", "Dearly Beloved", "Lazinka's Tune", "Cerise", and "McBrowne's Galaxy".