An album of incredible beauty – and one of the key early sides that Wayne Shorter cut for Blue Note! It's nearly impossible to describe the genius of these records without playing them – and upon playing, all words disappear in the brilliance of Shorter's incredible tone, solo imagination, and writing! There's a nascent soulfulness here that would emerge quite strongly across the field of jazz in the late 60s and early 70s – bubbling forth here on the session, with a sound that we could only call Shorter-archetypal – and return to again and again over the years, as proof that few players ever measured up as greatly at such a young age! The group's a quintet with Herbie Hancock on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and the set list includes "Speak No Evil", "Infant Eyes", "Witch Hunt", and "Wild Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Etiquette catalog of the garage rock pioneers The Sonics – with the Here Are The Sonics and Boom LPs, plus a third LP of rarities! Here Are..is the debut of the mighty, maniacal Sonics – one of the most raucous rock & roll albums ever! Here they unleashed a fury on r&b and older rock & roll cover tunes – plus incendiary originals such as "The Witch", "Psycho" and "Strychnine" – in a way that was in a lot of ways unprecedented, and became hugely influential. How much roaring rock do you need? You need this much!!! Other tracks include "Do You Love Me", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Boss Hoss", "Money", "Walking The Dog", Nighttime Is The Right Time", "Good Golly Miss Molly" and more. Boom also finds 'em blasting at their best – a mostly-noisy, guitar-driven, garage-drenched sound that also sometimes slides into surprisingly more soulful territory too! The group are way more than just another gritty garage combo – and have a rough-edged sense of excitement that easily matches some of the best early work of bigger UK groups of the 60s – especially given The Sonics' clear love for American R&B and soul. Titles include "Cinderella", "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark", "Let The Good Times Roll", "He's Waitin", "Louie Louie", "Jenny Jenny", "Don't You Just Know It", and "Shot Down". Also includes Volume 3 – a 10 track LP of alternate versions, non-album singles and live tracks – plus 36 page booklet and a poster! LP, Vinyl record album

Four incredible albums from Hammond legend Brian Auger – a key link between jazz and the headier sounds of the UK scene at the end of the 60s! First up is Open – one of the amazing early albums from the team of Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger – kind of a next-generation to the Brit beat group sound of the mid 60s – one that moves beyond simple R&B modes, to bring in more sophisticated soul and jazz touches! Driscoll's vocals are amazing – some of the boldest belted out in the British scene at the time – and Auger's Hammond work really cooks throughout – at a level that easily makes him one of the best UK organists to hit the scene, amidst some very heady company in the 60s. There's a few bluesy moments, but our favorites are the funky ones – especially the group's reading of "Season Of The Witch", which is tremendous. Other cuts include "In & Out", "Black Cat", "Goodbye Jungle Telegraph", and "Break It Up". Definitely What is a landmark batch of funky organ work that made big waves in both the rock and jazz worlds at the time! Auger's really stretching out here – getting past the simple R&B of his roots, and going into a bubbling funky style that's clearly touched by chromatic inspirations from Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith – both of whom are referenced by some of the song structures on the set. The album's filled with killer organ-based instrumentals – some lean and stripped down, others full and rich – and all of them coming across with a richly soulful sound that you'd hardly expect from a member of the British rock scene! Titles include "Day In The Life", "Red Beans", "Definitely What!", and his classic "Bumpin' On Sunset". Streetwise is filled great funky grooves by the legendary Trinity group – featuring excellent keyboard work by Brian Auger, recorded during the period when he was really beginning to stretch out a bit, and hit a much more open-ended kind of sound. Julie Driscoll is still on vocals, singing in her raw sound, but Brian's Trinity group gets a fair number of nice instrumental moments on the set – which are greatly appreciated! Titles include the classic and sample laden "Light My Fire", "Czechoslovakia", "Finally Found You Out", "In Search Of The Sun", "Ellis Island", "I've Got Life", and "Save The Country". Befour is the third album from Brian Auger & The Trinity – and the first to feature the group recording without vocals from Julie Driscoll! The sound here is just as soulful as before – a tight take on American soul jazz and funky soul of the 60s – pushed along by Auger's mighty work on the Hammond organ, and featuring (this time around) some male lead vocals, which seem to give the album an even deeper feel than earlier work! Auger's included some great covers of American tunes like "I Want To Take You Higher", "Listen Here", and "Maiden Voyage" – all redone with some great Brit beat group touches – and the album also features a great take on Faure's "Pavane", and Auger's own "Just You Just Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Mark Fry was just a young lad when he recorded this album – as you might guess from the cover – a Brit staying in Italy, where he cut this rare gem that's gone onto legendary status over the years – a set that's maybe circulated in far more unofficial copies than its original release! The style is a bit hard to peg – not the traditional folk of the UK scene of the time, but equally acoustic overall, and touched with some occasional older instrumentation – yet delivered with a much trippier vibe, maybe even more in a mode that points towards more addled sounds that would emerge later in the next decade. The structure is great – with some poetic "Dreaming With Alice" passages between most songs – and titles that include "Mandolin Man", "Down Narrow Streets", "The Witch", "A Norman Soldier", "Lute & Flute", and "Roses For Columbus" – all beautifully dark, yet dreamy. LP, Vinyl record album

Nice stuff from Pat Williams! Although known for mostly groovy 60s stuff (ala his legendary Verve and soundtrack work), this album features Williams hitting more of a 70s jazz funk groove, with a nice electric edge. The tracks are long, and the solos are played by Tom Scott and Marvin Stamm (mostly) – and the rest of the group includes Mike Melvoin on keyboards, John Guerin on drums, and Larry Bunker on percussion. Cuts include "And on the Sixth Day", "The Witch", and "Mr. Smoke". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set to feature the Bill Evans Trio with the great Scott Lafaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Listening to the set we're reminded of what always brings us back to Evans' playing – a quality that's often described as moody, but which is really is quite spry and lively throughout this set, without ever giving up its lyrical approach. Titles are mostly standards – but really transformed by the touch of the trio – and tunes include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Autumn Leaves", "Witchcraft", "When I Fall In Love", "Peri's Scope", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Spring Is Here", "Some Day My Prince Will Come", and "Blue In Green". LP, Vinyl record album

A really amazing set of recordings, and a fantastic lost chapter in the career of legendary percussionist Milford Graves – material recorded in his home basement studio in the months before his classic album Babi – and done in a style that's often more freewheeling and unbridled than that famous record! Graves is fantastic throughout – but maybe even more mindblowing is saxophonist Arthur Doyle, who appears throughout on the first half of the album – blowing tenor with that incredible tone of his, unlike anyone else – then spelling a bit for flute – as he and Graves work in a trio with Hugh Glover on additional percussion and a klaxon as well! The set then features duo material for most of the second half – with Glover switching to tenor, and sounding amazing – as Graves continues his mindblowing improvisations on drums and percussion – all capped off by a single solo performance that ends the double-length album of unreleased sessions. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet one! Both sides are recorded during the period when Garland switched from soul to blues – but "IOU" is still a great track, and kind of a heartfelt spoken number that says "thanks to mom!" in a way that only Garland could make us appreciate! Recorded at Muscle Shoals, too. 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the most progressive bands on the Chicago scene of the time – with some great trippy touches, including "screaming" billed to one band member! Tracks are nice and long – with titles that include "Spiders In Neals Basement", "The Monster Bride", "Witches Theme & Dance", and "A Brief Message From Your Local Media". LP, Vinyl record album

The tenor of Stan Getz meets the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan – and then they switch things around for half of the record, as Stan picks up the baritone and Mulligan takes on tenor! Gerry always seems to open up whole new sides of his playing when sharing the leader spotlight with another star – and here, in the company of Getz, he hits a shimmering, sparkling sound that's really great, and filled with feeling. Stan's wonderful too – very much in his best mid 50s Verve period – working in a groove that's deep and laidback, with a strong undercurrent of warmth – thanks to familiar rhythm backing from the trio of Lou Levy on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. Titles include "Anything Goes", "Ballad", and "That Old Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set from saxophonist Jowee Omicil – dedicated to a slave uprising in 18th Century Haiti, but served up with a righteous vibe that's very progressive and 70s overall! The music is spiritual, but also very loose and avant – as Omicil switches between woodwinds and trumpet, and works with lean backing from Fender Rhodes, bass, and drums! The vibe is almost like that of vintage AACM projects – with a spontaneously creative approach that's very organic, and very personal – and Omicil has a great way of picking just the right instrument at just the right moment to shift the mood and really illuminate the music. Titles include "Call To Warzone", "AmBusKad", "KaLaLou Free", "Trace", "Bashquiat Intro", and "Spirit Yo Bak". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of a groovy switch for this great and under-recognized singer – a set that updates his sound with some 60s swingers that include "I Can See For Miles", "Mr Dream Merchant", "Hard To Believe", "Lelainia", "Woman Woman", and "Let's Go To San Francisco". LP, Vinyl record album

A searing live performance from Hammond legend Shirley Scott – much more on fire and longspun than her work in the 60s on Prestige Records – and an amazing showcase for the bold tenor talents of the great George Coleman! Coleman's always one of those players who seems to hit an extra something special when blowing live – and that's definitely the case here, as the richness of his tone and dexterity of his imagination – qualities that also really seem to inspire Scott on the organ as well! Unlike earlier dates, Shirley's handling all the basswork herself on the pedals of the Hammond – which only seems to open up and solidify her sense of rhythm – and the trio features excellent work on drums from Bobby Durham, whose loose touch is perfect. Titles include "Blues By Five", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Like Someone In Love", "Impressions", "Witchcraft", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – and Ernie Andrews guests on vocals on a few tracks too, including "Girl Talk" and "Don't Mess Around With Jim". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky sounds from Dan Ubick of Connie Price & The Keystones – and a killer set in this excellent sound library series from Madlib! As with the other volumes, the music has a strong nod to the classic 70s era of sound library funk, but also updates the work strongly too – in this case with the psychedelic funky elements that you'd guess from Dan's previous experience – served up in heavy drums from Connie Price that are often ready for hip hop samples – and colored with strings from Ubick at times, almost at a level that has a slight nod to David Axelrod! Other instrumentation includes guitars, bass, and keyboards – and tunes include "Snakes In The Walls", "El Escorpion", "The Return", "Antenna Up", "Flip Of A Switch", "Spanish Moss", "Black Coffee", "Gris Gris", "Hearts Of Darkness", and "Fly Swatter". LP, Vinyl record album

The only solo album ever recorded by Maurice White – an upbeat and soulful set that's right up there with his best 80s work in Earth Wind & Fire! Like that group at the time, White's hitting a rhythmic side that's more electronic at points – letting beats and keyboard bits stand in for the previously-acoustic drums and percussion – yet all in a way that still retains that great EWF style of soul! Things are tight, but never too slick or commercial – and although the songs are catchy, they're never nearly as cloying as some of the other mainstream soul from the time. There's some surprisingly sweet moments that really show a new side of Maurice's talents, and titles include "Switch On Your Radio", "Stand By Me", "Sea Of Glass", "I Need You", "Invitation", "Lady Is Love", "The Sleeping Flame", and "Children Of Afrika". LP, Vinyl record album

Nancy Wilson sings lots of familiar tunes and is accompanied by Gerald Wilson and his big band orchestra. Tracks include "The Song Is You", "Satin Doll", "Bewitched", "Suffering With The Blues", "Someone To Watch Over Me", "The Best Is Yet To Come", "Send Me Yesterday", "All My Tomorrows", and "Blue Prelude". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collection from a time when the Italian scene was really on fire – getting past some of the more standard modes of Italo Disco of the 80s, and really stepping forward with some of the most soulful, uplifting sounds of house music! Given the way the earlier Italian work influenced the grooves in Chicago and New York clubs, the cultural exchange makes even more sense going the other way around – and the well-chosen cuts on this set represent the cream of the crop from this moment – really well-conceived, well-produced cuts that have a surprisingly soulful vibe throughout. Titles include the previously unreleased cuts "London (orig mix)" by Ricky Montanari & Davide Ruberto, and "Melt The Sun" by Ivan Iacobucci – plus "Let's Face The Music" by Night Communication, "Switch Back" by Green Baize, "Get Up" by Mental Detector, "So In Love With You (club)" by Sound Set, "Make My Move (Tira dub)" by Workin Happily, "Give You Myself (Ethos Mama dub)" by Sima, and "In Total Darkness (irregular dub)" by More Heavy Soul. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds for fans of funk and rock alike – music from the freaky, fuzzy 70s scene in Zambia – a place where styles effortlessly criss-crossed to really produce something new and unique! The work here is often heavy on fuzz guitars, but also has some wickedly soulful basslines and drums – so that although the tunes can be psych-styled, they're also pretty darn funky too – often at a level that's a bit like the Nigerian Afro Funk of the time, but much grittier and more righteous! The quality of the music and scene is explored in depth in the package – which includes a very detailed booklet of notes and photos – all to support the selection of music, which may well be the hippest so far from the Now Again label – and that's really saying a lot, if you know their other titles! Titles on volume 2 include "Really" by Crossbones, "History Of Man" by Amanaz, "Poor Man" by Five Revolutions, "Hold On" by Ngozi Family, "Katonga" by Musi-O-Tunya, "Request To God" by Oscillations, "Mpundu" by Tinkles, "Otenta" by Dr Footswitch, "Mad Man" by Born Free, "SM" by Mike Nyoni, "Hot Do" by Jesper Siliya Lungu, "I'm Not Made Of Iron" by Chrissy Zebby Tembo, "Umbwalwa Ne Chamba" by Peace, "Umwana Wakusanga Mung'Anda" by Fire Balls, and "See The Storm" by Salty Dog. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set to feature the Bill Evans Trio with the great Scott Lafaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Listening to the set we're reminded of what always brings us back to Evans' playing – a quality that's often described as moody, but which is really is quite spry and lively throughout this set, without ever giving up its lyrical approach. Titles are mostly standards – but really transformed by the touch of the trio – and tunes include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Autumn Leaves", "Witchcraft", "When I Fall In Love", "Peri's Scope", "What Is This Thing Called Love", "Spring Is Here", "Some Day My Prince Will Come", and "Blue In Green". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic vocal set from Ella – filled with standards from the Rodgers & Hart songbook – including "Isn't It Romantic", "My Romance", "Spring Is Here", "Thou Swell", "Bewitched", "Blue Moon", "A Ship Without A Sail", "I Could Write A Book", and "Where Or When". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Marsh first came onto the scene as a modernist in the 50s, he's one of the few players of his generation who really held strong to his initial sound, continuing to craft records of understated genius for years to come. And while this album's not his best-ever, it's certainly a nicely little outing – with Marsh laying down angular tenor solos, and backing by Hank Jones, George Mraz, and Mel Lewis. Titles include "Hank's Tune", "Switchboard Joe", "Victory Ball", and "One For The Band". LP, Vinyl record album

The bass of Christian McBride has maybe never sounded this bold and clear before – set up in an album of bass duets with Edgar Meyer, a musician whose style complements McBride's in a mighty nice way! The title's question definitely gets answered on the record – as both players switch back and forth between melody and rhythm – doing a really great job of opening up the sound while still swinging too – with a quality that's really rich and soulful, thanks to a superb job of recording! Each musician plays piano on two different tracks – meaning that four out of fifteen have piano/bass duets – and titles include "Canon", "Philly Slop", "Solar", "Barnyard Disturbance", "Green Slime", "Lullaby For A Ladybug", and "Tennessee Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Dangerous MC's" featuring Snoop Dogg & Busta Rhymes, "I Really Want To Show You" featuring Nas with K-Ci & Jo-Jo, "Rap Phenomenon" featuring Redman & Method Man, "Tonight" featuring Mobb Deep, "Let Me Get Down" featuring Missy Elliott, Craig Mack, & G-Dep, "Come On" featuring Sadat X, "Big Booty Hoes" featuring Too $hort, "Dead Wrong" featuring Eminem, "Notorious B.I.G." and "Would You Die For Me" featuring Lil Kim & the artist formerly known as Puff Daddy, "Biggie" featuring Junior M.A.F.I.A., "Can I Get Witcha" featuring Lil Cease, "Who Shot Ya", and "If I Should Die Before I Wake" featuring Ice Cube, Beanie Sigel, & Black Rob. LP, Vinyl record album

Oscar pays tribute to Frank – but he uses his keys, not his voice – to come up with some great renditions of tunes from Sinatra's classic Capitol years! It's true that Peterson was known to vocalize on some sessions (most notably on his tribute to Nat King Cole, recorded a few years later) – but this album is straight trio grooving, with Peterson skipping soulfully over the keys of the piano, abetted by Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – in a wonderfully-crafted set of tunes that includes "Witchcraft", "Come Dance With Me", "You Make Me Feel So Young", "All Of Me", "It Happened In Monterey", and "The Tender Trap". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful mix of soul jazz, funky rhythms, and even more experimental moments – a truly tremendous effort from LA drummer Roy Porter, and the first set issued under the name of his Sound Machine group! The groove here is really unconventional – filled with unusual timings, phrasings, and changes that push it way beyond more familiar jazz funk of Prestige, Fantasy, or CTI – yet still all very much in the pocket, with a righteously soulful vibe that's incredible! The cover's inspired by Roy's son's love of motocross – and one number even features a bit of motorcycle sound effects along with the grooves! The rest of the tracks are heavier on the horns, and feature some wonderful arrangements that are filled with soul and style – always a bit edgey, and never too slick or straightforward. Titles include the classics "Funky Twitch" and "Hip City", plus "Drums for Daryl", "Ooh-La-La", and the legendary "Jessica", a really beautiful number! Comes with a great bonus 45 – the Kenny Dope remix of "Jessica", and a vocal version of the same tune! LP, Vinyl record album

A soundtrack as important to the sound of Sinatra on Capitol Records as High Society – maybe even more so, as it features seminal readings of Rogers & Hart standards "Bewitched", "I Could Write A Book", "The Lady Is A Tramp", and "There's A Small Hotel". Arrangements by Nelson Riddle, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Totally cool Jimmy Smith album that has him playing a lot of funky groovy versions of TV and Film themes, like "Goldfinger", "Theme From The Munsters", "Theme From Man With the Golden Arm", and "Theme From Bewitched". Oliver Nelson leads a large band and does the arrangements, and Jimmy's in fine fine form, with hard solos that come out wailing over the top of the orchestrations. LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent funky work – both new and old, with a feel that's perfect for fans of messed-up rock breaks! Side one is new breaks and loops by DJ Pete Hothead – all with a nice sinister feel to them – and side two includes such great lost breaks as "Switchblade Theme" by Ralph Carmichael, "Sour Soul" by Pool Pah, "Aladdin's Story" by The Glimmer Twins, "Have It Or Grab It Or Go" by Gershon Kingsley, and more! One of our favorites, and with a nice messed up loud sound! LP, Vinyl record album

Glen returns to work with Jimmy Webb – the brilliant songwriter who gave Glen big hits with "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "Witchita Lineman" back in the 60s. By the time of this 1974 recording, Jimmy had been through a lot of life – and was actually writing songs that were even more honest and gripping than in earlier years. He'd also become a heck of an arranger – and even though that work was often lost on Jimmy's own albums, mostly because Jimmy wasn't much of a singer, it sounds great here, as Glen's vocals really open up Jimmy's songs like few other singers could manage at the time! Titles include "Just This One Time", "Ocean In His Eyes", "The Moon's A Harsh Mistress", "Adoration", "It's A Sin", "I Keep It Hid", and "You Might As Well Smile". A brilliant record – the kind of underground major label gem that makes you realize that the 70s wasn't such a bad time! LP, Vinyl record album

Silly title – but a great album, with Cugie playing relatively straight Latin versions of 60s pop hits. A few of the tunes are a bit silly, but there's less of the goofiness that "caricatures" might imply. Titles include "Papa Loves Mambo", "Night Train", "Fly Me to The Moon", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Desafinado", "The Continental", "Witchcraft", and "I've Got The World On A String". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Take It Easy", "Witchy Woman", "Lyin' Eyes", "Already Gone", "Desperado", "One Of These Nights", "Tequila Sunrise", "Take It To The Limit", "Peaceful, Easy Feeling", and "Best Of My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful 60s album from Duke Ellington – one that features some of his more popular numbers, as you'd guess by the title – but captured in these sublime, sophisticated arrangements that really reflect the genius sound of his group during the later years! The tracks are familiar, and the arrangements are maybe never too way out – but they're also these mini-masterpieces in color and tone – carried off by a fantastic group of all-stars who've matured and grown as much as the Duke himself – Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson on trumpets, Lawrence Brown and Buster Cooper on trombones, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet, Johnny Hodges on alto, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, and Harry Carney on piano. There's a darkness in Duke's piano that's maybe missing from earlier versions of this material – that great modern undercurrent of the late years – and titles include "Black & Tan Fantasy", "The Twitch", "Perdido", "Solitude", "The Mooche", "Creole Love Call", "Take The A Train", and "Sophisticated Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

The Flying Mojito Brothers didn't record in the 70s – but they love to take older records from the decade, mix them up, and create something really new in the process – contemporary cuts that are filled with echoes of classic AM Radio – but at a level that's often very much in the background, so that the funk and club touches of the Bros really dominate in the lead! The duo's edits have gotten great attention online, and are presented here in a limited package for DJ work – with titles that include "Do It Again", "Carry On", "Mudbone", "Riders On The Storm", "Tonight's The Night", "Union Man", "Keep On", "Nighttime In The Switching Yard", "Gold Dust Woman", and "Arizona Desert". LP, Vinyl record album

The tenor of Stan Getz meets the baritone sax of Gerry Mulligan – and then they switch things around for half of the record, as Stan picks up the baritone and Mulligan takes on tenor! Gerry always seems to open up whole new sides of his playing when sharing the leader spotlight with another star – and here, in the company of Getz, he hits a shimmering, sparkling sound that's really great, and filled with feeling. Stan's wonderful too – very much in his best mid 50s Verve period – working in a groove that's deep and laidback, with a strong undercurrent of warmth – thanks to familiar rhythm backing from the trio of Lou Levy on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. Titles include "Anything Goes", "Ballad", and "That Old Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

Grant Green's last session as a leader – and although the tracks are a bit slicker than earlier work, the album's still pretty darn nice. The tracks are long in a CTI-type funky jazz mode, with arrangements by Mario Sprouse, and a nice little Latin feel to some of the best numbers. Green's solo ability is still quite good – and on the more uptempo tunes, he solos with that versatility and amazing dexterity that you'd find on his best earlier sessions. Other tracks have him in a mellower, more chromatic and Wes Montgomery-inspired mode – and titles include "Empanada", "Three Times A Day", "Nighttime In The Switching Yard", "Easy", and "Wave". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, working here with the young Chicago group Manchild – a funky soul outfit that was one of the city's last big new acts of the 70s. The band never really broke the charts that strongly – and on their funky cuts, they sound a bit too much like a copycat version of other successful 70s funk groups. However, they really do a nice job on the ballads – like most of the Chi-Sound groups from the late 70s – and they come off with a nice compressed vocal approach that reminds us of the best work of Switch during the same time. Includes a surprisingly good version of "Takin It To The Streets", plus "Especially For You", "We Need We", and "These Are The Things That Are Special To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The other side of Jimmy Smith is a mellow side – as this album's nearly all ballads and standards, set to moody late night orchestrations by Johnny Pate. Jimmy's playing is very very nice – and in a relaxed introspective mode that he hadn't really been allowed since some of his Blue Note sessions. Pate's got more of rep for funk and soul, but he does a pretty nice job here – and Jerome Richardson plays some nice flute on many tracks. Titles include "My Romance", "Nobody Knows", "My Way", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?", and "Bewitched". LP, Vinyl record album

An early moment of genius from Warren Zevon – the kind of record that really set his talents part from the singer/songwriter generation that came before – and made Zevon a key part of a new era of much darker songsmiths! Zevon manages to weave in all these strange moody elements while still delivering songs that are tuneful – often with studio talent that goes back to an earlier generation of LA polish, but which manages to have a bit more edge here in Warren's company. The lasting highlight of the record is probably the oft-played "Werewolves Of London" – but the whole thig is filled with gems – titles that include "Accidentally Like A Martyr", "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner", "Nighttime In The Switching Yard", "Tenderness On The Block", "Veracruz", and "Lawyers Guns & Money". LP, Vinyl record album

The world of girl groups might seem cliched to some – but if you know where to look, you'll find a host of really amazing material – and that's definitely the case in this well-chosen set, a superb Ace Records package that's overflowing with material that goes way past the obvious! At some level, Ace are approaching the style in the reverse way of more mainstream collections – not starting with hits, then trickling down to obscurities – and instead pulling together unusual bits from a variety of indie labels that might have gotten otherwise overlooked, including a few cuts that were never issued at the time, mixed here with rock and soul gems from singles on labels like Keetch, Challenge, Bang, Mira, and Etiquette. As with their CD-length dips into the music, the quality here is superb – with 14 titles that include "Chu Sen Ling" by The Bermudas, "My Little Baby" by The Witches, "Tossin A Ice Cube" by The Hollywood Chicks, "Chico" by Linda Laurie, "A Dumb Song" by The Delicates, "Baby That's Me" by The Carolines, "Don't Worry About Me Baby" by Mayalta Page, "You May Be Holding My Baby" by The Pussycats, "I Wanna Know Right Now" by Carol Slade, "Sweet Kind Of Loneliness" by The Darlettes, and "My Baby Looks But He Don't Touch" by Carol Connors. LP, Vinyl record album

A totally wonderful compilation – and a fantastic way to dip into the world of Japanese city pop – a genre that most of us missed back in the day, in large part because most of these records never made it to the record racks in the US! As fans know, the movement was a huge crest of creative activity in Japanese music – a way of refining some of the best modes begun in the 70s by artists like Haruomi Hosono and Ryuichi Sakamoto (both of whom have a hand in some of the tracks here) – and mixing in some of the long love of American soul, funk, and jazz that had been brewing up for years. There's definitely a lot of soul inspiration on these cuts, even though lyrics are in Japanese – and the music also has some nice electric fusion moments too – although more of the sounds are from beats, keyboards, and basslines. Titles include an early cut by Pizzicato Five, "Boy Meets Girl" – plus "Love Sick" by Mari Iijima, "Pub Casablanca" by Osamu Shoji, "Tropical Love" by Teresa Noda, "Scandal Night" by Miharu Koshi, "Heartbeat" by Miho Fujiwara, "Tonkachi" by Atsuko Nina, "Bewitched" by Naomi Akimoto, "A Soka" by Susan, "Suiyoubi Madeni Shinitaino" by Yukako Hayase, and "Business Man (part 1)" by Makoto Matsushia. LP, Vinyl record album

The groovy Brit piano player lays down a set of standards like "Bewitched", "Canadian Sunset", and "Stardust" – plus some groovier stuff like "Voodoo Moon", "Miserlou", and "Inka Dinka Doo". LP, Vinyl record album

Tony Allen never lets us down – and even though he recorded this set well into the first decade of his "comeback" years, an album like this still has the same sort of fresh, urgent feel that got him noticed again by a whole new generation of fans! There's definitely lots of Allen's roots with Fela in the music – the kind of Afrobeat grooves that Tony first helped invent back in the 70s – but as with some of his other recent records, there's also a strong willingness to play with tradition, too – mixing in unusual sounds and patterns that really keep things interesting, and which show why Allen's probably been the best ambassador of Afrobeat styles in the 21st Century! Vocals are by Allen and a few other singers over the course of the set – and the band's a super-tight combo with some especially great keyboards from Claude Dibongue. Titles include "Secret Agent", "Ijo", "Switch", "Celebrate", "Ayenlo", "Pariwo", "Nina Lowo", "Atuwaba", and "Alutere". LP, Vinyl record album