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Brazilian, atmospheric, psych, Krautrock.

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

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

Spare sonic textures and mellow musical moments from Eivind Aarset – a great session for ECM, and maybe one of his most compelling records in years! This ECM album has a feel that's a bit warmer than some of Aarset's previous work for the Jazzland – not in a way that's commercial at all, given that the music is still pretty darn abstract – but just somehow more organic – in ways that almost feel acoustic at points, even though most of the instrumentation is electric – possibly because of these bass-heavy shapes that often move at the back and bottom of the mix. Eivind plays guitars, electronics, samples, and percussion – with help from Jan Bang on dictaphone and additional samples – on titles that icnlude "The Beauty Of Decay", "Homage To Greene", "Black Silence", "Close", "Reactive", and "The Whispering Forest".

Incredible work from the obscure African Music Machine – a southern funk combo led by bassist Louis Villery – a legendary batch of funky singles, finally brought together as a full album! The band has a very unique sound that involves a lot of rolling bubbling basslines, spacey organ grooves, tight choppy guitar riffs, and punchy horn blasts – almost with the African elements promised in the title, but served up with a deeper funk sound all the way through! In a way, the group's a bit like Cymande or some of the other 70s hybrid ensembles – yet they've got a lot less dub, a much more direct funky groove, and plety of raw southern elements in the mix as well! This is the funky 45 material we first cut our teeth on back in the day – and the original singles are legendary! Includes massive cuts like "Black Water Gold (Pearl)", "A Girl In France", "Never Name A Baby (Before It's Born), "Making Nassau Fruit Drink", "Camel Time", "The Dapp", "Tropical", and "Mr. Brown".

A sublime debut from German prog outfit Agitation Free – a set that's definitely free of agitation, and one that spins out in these long, winding lines with lots of Eastern influences! There's a bit of drone to some of the grooves, but never in a sleepy or sloppy sort of way – and in addition to familiar prog instrumentation on guitar, keyboards, and percussion, there's also some added ethnic elements as well, and even a bit of steel guitar, zither, and live tape work too! Tracks are longish and nicely organic, and although there's some vocals on the record the whole thing's much more of an exploratory instrumental affair – very much like some of the best early work on Brain. Titles include "You Play For Us Today", "Sahara City", "Ala Tul", "Pulse", "Malesch", and "Rucksturz".

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 sweet funky set from the 70s – originally recorded as a sound library session, but handled by Italian soundtrack maestro Alessandro Alessandroni! You might know Alessandroni's music best from the 60s, and this set is a later updating of the same groove – one that brings in a bit more electric keyboards, some bouncier basslines, and drums that snap nice and hard on the funky numbers – then lay back on the sweet mellow moments. A few cuts have vocals – ala I Cantorni Moderni – and the whole thing has a warm, sexy 70s groove that's right up there with the best Italian work of the scene from the time. Titles include "Femminismo", "Collettivo", "La Metropoli", "Pubblica Informazione", "Prima Eta", and "Ultimo Soggiorno". Very groovy stuff! CD features 5 bonus tracks too – never issued before!

The standout set from Donna Allen – a real up-and-comer in 80s soul music, and a singer who'll always be remembered for this gem of an album! The record's got a positive, upbeat groove that works perfectly with Allen's vocals – a style that's bit lighter and more fluid than some of the more commercial soul of the time, yet still very much right on the money in the hook department – often served up with the kind of keyboards and basslines that would have been used with other artists a few years before. The album's mellower cuts really let Allen open up and show her vocal range – and titles include "Daydreams", "Satisfied", "Sweet Somebody", "Serious", "Wild Nights", "Bit By Bit", and "Another Affair". CD features bonus tracks – "Serious (12" ext)", "Satisfied (12" long)", "Sweet Somebody (12" rmx)", "Serious (single)", "Satisfied (single)", "Sweet Somebody (single)", and "Serious (12" delirious mix)".

A fantastic collection of unreleased material by mid-to-late 60s psych pop songwriter genius Tandyn Almer – who's probably best know for penning the eternally great "Along Comes Mary" for The Association – but we sure didn't know how great of a performer he was on his own! The 15 track record was cut for his publisher Davon Music, who circulated it to insiders at the time, looking to sell the songs – but what they should have done was found a label and released it. Fuzzy guitars, raw drums and great keyboards, excellent background harmonies – and the good-natured, melodic quality that attracted groups like the Association to Tandyn! Sundazed has long been a favorite source of rewarding 60s and 70s reissues, but they really deserve some bigger love for releases like this one – which is a first-ever commercial release. It feels like a complete, finished production for the most part – and not at all like a bunch of demos. Psych pop greatness! Includes "Find Yourself", You Turn Me Around", "Anything You Want", "About Where Love Is", "Face Down In The Mud", "I Get High", "Bring Your Own Self Down" (by The Purple Gang)", "Where Will They Go", "Sunset Strip Soliloquy" and more.

The major label debut of Amuzement Park – almost more obscure than the indie set that preceded it, and kind of in a different mode altogether! There's still a boogie groove to most of the set, but the group are also funking things up a bit more – possibly following a Minneapolis influence, and bringing some new wave basslines and sharper-edged keyboards into the tunes. Tracks are catchy, and often a bit poppy – and titles include "Gotta Dance", "Music Makers", "This Love", "APB", "Didn't You Know", and "Squeeze Me".

Amazing sounds from one of the best funky combos anywhere – ever! Antibalas have certainly risen to fame in the years since we first heard their Afro-styled grooves – working famously in the Fela musical, and reaching generations of ears with their own brilliant records. Yet throughout it all, they've always stayed true to their sound – and, if anything, are even sharper, tighter, and funkier than before – all extremely adept not only at playing their instruments, but at hitting the right sort of sound to cut through all the BS that was holding back funky Afro grooves for years! Part of that sound comes from superb Daptone production by Gabriel Roth – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean and full of energy. But the core credit really goes to the group – who never cease to amaze us here – and continually come up with fresh sounds on their keyboards and horns – and inventive rhythms to match! Titles include "Dirty Money", "The Rat Catcher", "Ari Degbe", "Ibeji", "Sare Kon Kon", and "Him Belly No Go Sweet".

Not Afrobeat, but Astrobeat – a unique hybrid of older funk modes and contemporary cosmic touches – all served up beautifully by Ariya! The album definitely echoes older modes from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – particularly the chugging rhythms and tightly vamping instrumentation that you might know from the work of Fela or Tony Allen – but there's also some more 21st Century elements on the keyboards, which have a crackling bit of electricity that goes beyond the usual electric piano used back in the day – and which really helps give the record a different feel. Don't get us wrong – because nothing here is too slick, overproduced, or remix-heavy – the music is definitely Afro Funk at the core, just inflected in some really sweet ways – and served up mostly instrumental, on cuts that include "Blood In The Water", "Turncoat", "Future Ancestors", "New Frontiers", "Towards Other Worlds", and "Old Ground".

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Very righteous, and with a cool dope jazzy groove!

Maybe the best record we've ever heard from Cosmic mainman Daniele Baldelli – and definitely a set that really lives up to the funky side promised in the title! Baldelli's got a much deeper groove here than ever before – a great ear for tight elements on the basslines, mixed with jazzy work on keyboards and guitar – all woven into a groove that's every bit as club-worth as his other music, yet a lot more warm and soulful overall! It's almost like Daniele's going back to discover a disco generation he might have missed the first time around – with a retro style that's hard to distinguish from the original, a lot like Joey Negro and some of his Sunshine Band work. Titles include "Mellow Game", "Good Day", "What Da Funk", "Voltage Groove", "Synthesized Honey", "Break Loose", "Drive Me Crazy", and "Fontainebleau".

A sweet instrumental tribute to the 70s soul genius of Thom Bell – plus the Delfonics and Stylistics as well – served up with lots of mellow keyboards from the mighty Bob Baldwin! Given that Bob's got a firm lock on soulful sounds of the 21st Century, he's a great choice to revive the music of Bell – helping to bridge the space of decades with his well-crafted lines on piano and keyboards – and with great guest work from artists who include Marion Meadows, Vivian Green, Will Downing, Paul Taylor, Ragan Whiteside, and Russ Freeman! Titles include "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "People Make The World Go Round", "Break Up To Make Up", "I'll Be Around", and "La La Means I Love You".

A folk funk classic from the early 70s – and a weird little record that has a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The arrangements are quite soulful, almost funky at times – with a righteous undercurrent that reminds us of Richard Evans or Charles Stepney at Cadet Records. But the vocals – by singer Barbara Massey – have a flanged-out quality that's clearly overdubbed, creating a double-voiced sound that's almost a bit like Brasil 66! This mix of modes is really great – completely unique, and sublime throughout – with a vibe that was years ahead of its time, and which is finally beginning to get some recognition these many years later. Arrangements are by the pair, but Deodato also had a hand in the record too – and the core combo of musicians includes Grady Tate on drums, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Sam Brown on guitar – alongside more guitars from Ernie and keyboards and piano from Barbara. Tracks include "Searching the Circle", "Do You Know", "For You", "Play With Fire", "My Love & I", "Satisfied", and "Prelude" – plus a wild remake of "Somebody to Love"!

A fantastic bit of jazz funk fusion – and one of the landmark 70s albums produced by Larry Mizell! This is Gary Bartz's second (and most amazing) collaboration with Larry Mizell – a studio genius who could focus on the best talent of a jazz artist, then expand it using additional keyboards, percussion, and often a sweet bank of chorus vocals to give the tracks an extra soulful sound! By the time of this album, Larry had already worked to great fame with Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, and Johnny Hammond – and the record has him turning his talents towards Gary Bartz to unlock a whole hidden side of soulful expression that would never be matched again! The title cut – "Music Is My Sanctuary" – is a jazz fusion classic in anyone's book, and it features characteristic Mizell keyboards alongside Gary's soulful sax, augmented by a deep vocal chorus that's simply fantastic. Other highlights include "Carnaval De L'Esprit" and "Macaroni" – and the whole album's nice!

Beautifully percolated grooves from Basic Soul Unit – spare and electronic, yet still surprisingly soulful too – almost like some of the gentler sounds that came around in the second generation of Chicago house, but informed by a 21st Century soul vibe as well! Most numbers have keyboards moving around beats in a really great way – and there's some acid electric touches that are subtle, but which bring a nice sort of retro energy to the set – some moogy brilliance that only gets better and better as the record moves on – almost with a Larry Heard feel in some of the best moments! Titles include "Let Go", "Backseat Lover", "Mind Forest", "Intersection", "All Over Me", "This", "Across The Room", and "Clouds".

Beautifully percolated grooves from Basic Soul Unit – spare and electronic, yet still surprisingly soulful too – almost like some of the gentler sounds that came around in the second generation of Chicago house, but informed by a 21st Century soul vibe as well! Most numbers have keyboards moving around beats in a really great way – and there's some acid electric touches that are subtle, but which bring a nice sort of retro energy to the set – some moogy brilliance that only gets better and better as the record moves on – almost with a Larry Heard feel in some of the best moments! Titles include "Let Go", "Backseat Lover", "Mind Forest", "Intersection", "All Over Me", "This", "Across The Room", and "Clouds".

A great live date from Batacumbele – a double-length album that really lets the group open up, stretch out, and do their thing! Given that Batacumbele's all about complicating the percussion patterns of their rhythms, the album's live, extended jams are perfect for demonstrating their best musical skills – a rich array of sounds on congas, timbales, bata, bongos, and other percussion instruments – providing the core grooves for instrumentation on keyboards, trumpets, tenor, and trombone! Most tracks have some sort of vocals, but the focus is often mostly on the instrumentation – and titles include "May Day", "Elegua", "Muevete", "La Tia", "Danzonete", "Calabo Y Bambu", "Hot Blood", and "Batacumbele Te Saluda".

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

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

Not what you might expect when shopping for African music – unique electronic sounds from Cameroon musician Francis Bebey – as heavy on keyboards as other 70s work is on guitar! There's still plenty of acoustic elements in the mix though, too – lots of earthy percussion at the bottom, which links some of these tracks to other styles of the time – even though some of the more unusual tunes here have these great electronic sounds that almost feel like they came from the late 70s German underground! The mix of modes is breathtaking – as if Moebius and Roedelius recorded with musicians from Lagos – shaking off the colder sounds of the Conny Plank side of the spectrum, to come up with a warm new style that's really unique! Titles include "La Condition Masculine", "Sahle", "The Coffee Cola Song", "Super Jingle", "Pygmy Love Song", "Agatha", "Catching Up", and "Divorce Pygmee".

Maybe the greatest record we've ever heard from Beggar & Co – a set that sparkles strongly from a host of excellent guest work – not just from Incognito, but also from some key American musicians as well! The groove is tighter than ever – and very much in the 70s-inspired style that's always made us love the group – a wonderfully warm blend of jazz, funk, and soul that comes off with the feel of a lost treasure from way back! The set's got a positive, upbeat sound throughout – and titles include "If You Really Love Me", "Victoria Park", "Summer Is Here At Last", "While The City Sleeps", "New Beginnings", "Rise", "Yesterday's Gone", and "Changes".

A massive collection of work from Beggars Opera – Vertigo Records giants who work here with a heck of a lot of great work on organ! The set features a fair bit of music from each of the group's four albums – Act One, Waters Of Change, Pathfinder, and Get Your Dog Off Me – plus some single tracks too – all wrapped together as a 2CD set that really shows a great progression in the group's style – from tripped-out and jamming, to tighter and more song-based – yet always with a soaring sort of energy in the end. The keyboards alone have a strength to rival Rick Wakeman's best work for Yes – and titles include "Passacaglia", "Memory", "Raymond's Road", "Festival", "Impromptu", "Fox", "The Witch", "Pathfinder", "Sarabande", "Think", "Time Machine", "Lament", and "Working Man".

Compelling work by this Chicago combo – a really unique ensemble led by a trombonist with a wide range of skills! Big James claims James Brown as a big inspiration, but he also came of age in the Chicago blues scene – which is where his horn-heavy combo has mostly found a home, playing their own Windy City variant of rootsy funk! There's definitely a blues bent to the music, but the sound is quite different than most other contemporary groups on the scene, too – not just because James' trombone is firmly in the lead, but also because the group have a great ear for strong funk and deep soul roots too. Titles include a cover of the P-Funk gem "Qualified 2 Satisfy" – plus original tunes "Da Coldest Man I Ever Knew", "Low Down Dirty Blues", "Never Loved Any 1 Like U", "A Happy Fool", and "Da Best Love I Never Had".

Far reaching modern salsa and Latin grooves from Bio Ritmo – perhaps their best stuff yet! The group has been impressive all along, but they've progressively gotten better and better, really developing into one of the most exciting and least pigeonhole-able modern groups out there. The diverse elements flow naturally, which is really not an easy thing to pull off for a group that clearly cherishes Latin and Latin-American musical forbears very deeply. They brilliantly blend 70s salsa and Latin funk with a heavy, raw rhythmic and percussive underbelly, impassioned lead and group vocals, terse brass blasts, weird bits of keyboards and other unpredictable touches that firmly root them in the here and now. Titles include "La Verdad", "Dina's Mambo", "La Muralla", "Carnaval", "Majadero", "Verguenza", "Caravana Del Vejigante" and "Lola's Dilemma".

The deepest album to date from saxophonist Nat Birchall – a set that's steeped in all the spiritual elements of his previous records, yet also stretches forth into rich new dimensions as well! Birchall's reeds have this complexity we've never heard before – soaring, searching in these really bold styles – while also still holding onto the core modal energy we've always liked in his music – a quality we've always liked to the best post-Coltrane sounds on Impulse Records! And indeed, there's a majesty and vision to this album that takes us back to Pharoah Sanders at his greatest – or maybe Joe Henderson blowing with Alice Coltrane – as Birchall soars to the skies on tenor and soprano sax – in a lineup that includes piano, vibes, bass, and lots of great percussion elements too. Tracks include "The Black Ark", "Dream Of Eden", "World Without Form", "Divine Harmony", "Return To Ithaca", and "Principle Of Beauty".

Birds, brass, and plenty of grooves – two sublime UK sound library sets, back to back on a single CD! "Birds" here is used in the UK slang for women – and the combo sports wordless female vocals sliding along with the grooves – sneaking in and out of the brassier bits on the top with a "yeh yeh" sort of chorus approach, but one that's pretty musical overall! The best part of the music, though, is below the birds and the brass – the bottom, which is often quite funky, and has a soundtrack-styled sort of groove – rolling bass, snapping drums, bits of keyboards – all used in the best gently funky ways of the glory days of the Brit Easy scene. Most of the work here is the brainchild of arranger Keith Roberts – a lesser-known UK sound library figure, one who did a bit of work on Scott Walker's fourth album, but who really shines brightly here on his own. Titles include "Sort Of Soul", "Return To Montana", "Sunspot", "All Souled Out", "Time Key", "Pop Off The Tops", "New Dawn", "Melanie", "Sugar Sugar", "Funky Splanky", "The Kung Fu Kid", "Mexico Fiesta", "Fritzy Baby", and "Swamp Water".

A great focus for the Bill Black Combo – an album of bluesy tunes that seem to bring out a bit more soul than usual in their music – at least for this time in the group's history! Many of the numbers are older tracks that fall into the category of crossover blues – tunes played more by jazz artists than gritty bluesmen, which make them a good fit for the instrumental style of the combo – tuned a bit more towards the bluer side of the spectrum by the group's electric guitar and bass, and topped with some especially nice work on horns. Titles include "Basin Street Blues", "I'll Never Be Free", "Birth Of The Blues", "Peter Gunn", "Weary Blues", "St Louis Blues", and "Blues In The Night".

No need for a leap of faith where Bluey's concerned – as we've been loving his music with Incognito for many many years, and we're more than happy to hear the man on his own! The vibe here is every bit as soulful and righteous as the best Incognito work – but there's also a more personal sound, too – especially since Bluey's on lead vocals on every track – quite a change from before, as he often lets other singers take the lead! Turns out, Bluey's a hell of a lead singer on his own – with this warm and slightly raspy style that really fits in wonderfully with the grooves – which are heavy on Bluey's own guitar, plus keyboards and other instrumentation from Ski Oakenfull and Richard Bull. If you like Incognito as much as us, there's plenty to love here – and titles include "Stronger", "Leap Of Faith", "Sky", "Keep Myself Together", "Ain't Nobody's Business", "Got To Let My Feelings Show", and "Live Like A Millionaire".

A pair of soundtracks from Claude Bolling – both pretty darn great! La Gitane is a really fresh one from Claude – a score that echoes both his ear for acoustic swing of the 30s, and his blend of mixing jazz and classical modes – yet all the tracks somehow come across with a feel that's different than Bolling's usual bag – surprisingly spontaneous at times, especially on the numbers that feature acoustic guitar in the lead – and often filled with little twists and turns that you'd never find in Claude's non-soundtrack work. Titles include "Hubert Florence Et Elsa", "Hubert Et Mona", "Hold Up", "Poursuite", "Caramba", "Theme De Mona", and "Les Gitans". Le Leopard is of similar vintage, and shows a lot more of an 80s approach to instrumentation overall – bits of keyboards mixed in with evocative orchestrations – a blend of strings, horns, and electric modes – all done with a great deal of warmth and feeling. A few moments even veer a bit towards funk – or at least as close as you might come in a Bolling soundtrack – and titles include "Les Camions Moustiques", "Les Camions Monstres", "Le Lac De Feu", "Generique Fin", and "Pauline Et Nick Denver".

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".

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

Soaring work from guitarist Michael Boothman – a record that's probably more in a soul instrumental mode than a jazz one – but which is plenty darn great, thanks to help from a variety of top-shelf talents! Boothman's working here with Leon Pendarvis – who plays keyboards on the record, and arranged the fuller backings for the record – ones that mix Boothman's guitar with some especially great wordless vocals from singers who include Lou Courtney and Edna Holt – singing alongside the strings with a sweetly scatting mode that's pretty great! There's a slightly tropical feel to some of the tunes here – which, mixed with a bit of jazz and the sophisticated backings from Pendarvis, almost puts the record in the territory of Jon Lucien – although obviously with less of a lyrical focus overall. Titles include "Heaven", "Song For My Soul", "Saying It With Music", "Diego Shuffle", and "Scorpio Stew".

Soulful fusion from The Brecker Brothers – a set that's one of their standout efforts from the 70s – and a record that went onto influence a whole generation of jazz musicians too! The album features the twin horns of Randy & Michael Brecker, along with alto by David Sanborn, keyboards by Don Grolnick, and guitar by Steve Khan – but one of the things that really makes the album great is the vocal arrangements, which were handled by Luther Vandross, who also sings on the album along with Patti Austin! The set's got a great soulful feel – with some wonderful mellow groovers that have a sweet 70s sound – titles that include "Lovely Lady", "Night Flight", "Slick Stuff", "What A Miracle Can Do", "I Love Wastin Time With You", "Keep It Steady", "Grease Piece", and "Dig A Little Deeper". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "If You Wanna Boogie (single version)", and "Slick Stuff (single version)".

Seminal work from The Brecker Brothers – 6 of the group's best albums, plus the two Blue Montreux live albums – packaged together in one very cool set, in tiny LP-like sleeves! The self-titled Brecker Brothers album is the first super effort from the team of Randy & Michael Brecker, whose twin-horn frontline forged a very popular sound in the mid 70s – some really well-crafted numbers, done with a strong smooth approach that still sits well after all these years! Back To Back features the twin horns of Randy & Michael Brecker, along with alto by David Sanborn, keyboards by Don Grolnick, and guitar by Steve Khan – but one of the things that really makes the album great is the vocal arrangements, which were handled by Luther Vandross, who also sung on the album along with Patti Austin. The set's got a great soulful feel – with some wonderful mellow groovers that have a sweet 70s sound! Don't Stop The Music is a stone classic from The Brecker Brothers – working with touches of club and disco grooves to give an even smoother edge to the jazz funk of the pair. And thanks to some solid soloing that's not afraid to go for the easy spots, the album's a lot more solid than an number of sound-a-like copycat LPs to come out at the time! Heavy Metal Be Bop is tight and funky jamming, with a bit more guitar here than on some of their other records – hence, possibly, the title! Keyboards and guitar jam strongly, but Randy and Michael still get in plenty of space for their solos – pushing their jazz licks with the jamming intensity that might normally be relegated to guitar heroes in the rock world. On Detente, the Brecker's are still rooted in jazz, but definitely step out with plenty of soul in the mix too – vocals from DJ Rogers, Carl Carlwell, Luther Vandross, and others – all of whom really add a lot to the set! On Straphangin, the BBs manage to groove with a sharpness and depth that most of their smoother fusion contemporaries just weren't hitting – an edge that reminds us of the deeper roots these guys had before they started hitting the mainstream! Last up are the live fusion classics Blue Montreux Vols 1 & 2 – both recorded as a unique live all-star outing by a group of Arista's best jazz players at the time! The group's an octet, but plays together in differing formations throughout the record – with Warren Bernhardt on keyboards, Michael Brecker on saxes, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Steve Jordan on drums, Steve Khan and Larry Coryell on guitars, Tony Levin on bass, and Mike Maineri on vibes – the last of which really make for some of the best numbers on the album!

A brilliant reworking of older gospel themes – beautifully recast here through the cosmic talents of King Britt, in an album that's quite possibly his most interesting work to date! For the session, Britt's taking older acapella vocals and tambourine rhythms from New Orleans evangelist Sister Gertrude Morgan – originally recorded in 1969, but expanded tremendously here through use of additional keyboards, percussion, and a surprising amount of acoustic instrumentation! Britt's got his usual drum patterns and electronics in the mix, but there's also a fair bit of slide guitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar, and even a bit of lap steel on the set – all of which makes for a sound that's as folksy as it is modern – really opening up a whole new chapter in Britt's career! Titles include "Let's Make A Record", "Living Bread", "Devil's Music", "Power", "New World In My View", "Unceremonious", and "I Was Healed By The Wounds".

Reissue of JB's wildest album, with a crazy cover that shows him running away from the devil, and great gatefold inner photo with him standing amidst a bunch of declarations of "Hell". Weird mix of music, but includes the epic 13 minute version of "Papa Don't Take No Mess", as tight and jamming as any cut from Doin' It to Death or The Payback.

A masterpiece of funky soul – and one of the greatest albums of the early 70s! It all comes together on this one – funk, soul, politics, and production – and the record is still one of the clearest examples of James Brown's genius that you'll ever find! Recorded during the same sessions as the JBs album Damn Right I Am Somebody – Payback has the group backing James with amazing intensity, playing on and on for very long stretches, improvising jams that perfectly match the vocals, which are often as improvised as the music. The most famous example of this style at work is "The Payback", which begins with a simple head arrangement, then has James riffing off on politics and power, letting the band come in at just the right moment, dropping solos that are still some of the best ever recorded on a funk album. The rest of the album's equally great, and even though most tracks run close to 10 minutes, and the album's a 2LP set, most of the material stays fresher than any 3 minute funk record we've ever heard. Some tracks are separated by these cool voices that rise up as seques – and titles include "Stone To The Bone", "Mind Power", "Take Some Leave Some", and "Shoot Your Shot".

A masterpiece of funky soul – and one of the greatest albums of the early 70s! It all comes together on this one – funk, soul, politics, and production – and the record is still one of the clearest examples of James Brown's genius that you'll ever find! Recorded during the same sessions as the JBs album Damn Right I Am Somebody – Payback has the group backing James with amazing intensity, playing on and on for very long stretches, improvising jams that perfectly match the vocals, which are often as improvised as the music. The most famous example of this style at work is "The Payback", which begins with a simple head arrangement, then has James riffing off on politics and power, letting the band come in at just the right moment, dropping solos that are still some of the best ever recorded on a funk album. The rest of the album's equally great, and even though most tracks run close to 10 minutes, and the album's a 2LP set, most of the material stays fresher than any 3 minute funk record we've ever heard. Some tracks are separated by these cool voices that rise up as seques – and titles include "Stone To The Bone", "Mind Power", "Take Some Leave Some", and "Shoot Your Shot".

A classic killer from trumpeter Tom Browne – a smoking set that still has all the jazz funk touches of his earlier records, yet which also picks up a bit of an electro vibe as well! The move here is a bit like that taken by some of Browne's labelmates on GRP at the time – particularly Bobby Broom and Bernard Wright – and offers up a great mix of jazzy roots and some of the newer sounds hitting the streets in the early 80s – a vibe that's maybe one of the first moments when older genres of music were beginning to show an influence from hip hop! Maurice Starr handles most of the production, and really makes things tight throughout – but Tom himself does a great job of keeping things interesting with the solos, augmenting the electric vibe with some rock-solid acoustic playing. Titles include "Rockin Radio", "Angeline", "Brighter Tomorrow", "Never My Love", "Mr Business", "Cruisin", and "Feel Like Makin Love". CD features bonus tracks – "Bye Gones (12" version)", "Rockin Radio (special 12" mix)", and "Cruisin (dub)".

This was one of the biggest-selling jazz albums of all-time in Australia – so it's no surprise that it was issued in the US, although in a slightly shorter form than the original double LP. The session features Australia's biggest (and best) reed player, Don Burrows, and his classic 70's quartet that featured the great guitarist George Golla. The music here is very nice, and the set includes a few groovy and funky tracks that perfectly sum up the Aussie 70's jazz sound. Titles include "Sweet Emma", "The Gentle Rain", "Velhos Tempos", and "Maybe Today".

Massive work from Calibro 35 – a group we've been digging on obscure overseas releases – stepping out here on their first American record, and easily their funkiest album to date! The sound is wonderful – still filled with the older Italian soundtrack references that got the group's music going in the first place – but also driven by a much tighter sound at the bottom, especially on the drums – which really drive the tunes strongly! Other instrumentation includes loads of keyboards – especially clavinet-type riffs that fit the group's 70s cop/crime mode perfectly – and titles include "Uh Ah Brrr", "Thank You & Goodbye", "New Delhi Deli", "New York New York", "Italian Band From BBQ", "Rain On Concrete", and "A Massacre At Dawn".

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".

The Black Jazz recordings of Doug Carn are always a revelation – some of the most powerful, progressive work on the American underground of the early 70s – music that got Carn into way more record collections than you might expect! The sound here is a perfect summation of Doug's early genius – his own work on organ and keyboards, never overdone and mixed perfectly with a righteous array of acoustic sounds from Rene McLean on alto and tenor and Olu Dara on trumpet – both players who soar to the skies on waves of energy begun by Carn! Wife Jean Carn sings on a number of tracks – with this heavenly style that's mighty righteous – every bit as soulful as her later work at Philly International, but in a very different way. The set includes Doug's great reading of "Naima" – plus other wonderful cuts that include "Power & Glory", "Feel Free", "Jihad", "Fatherhood", and "God is One".

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

Amazing work from John Carpenter – still a dedicated soundtrack composer long into his film career – and always a master of spare, spooky electronics! The instrumentation here is a bit evolved from some of his earliest classics – different keyboards and electronics developed during the 80s – but the overall approach is still very similar, and co-performed with Allan Howarth, who always gives Carpenter's music the right sort of careful balance! Carpenter does a lot with just a little – never making things overblown, especially in the way that some of his contemporaries might do – and titles include "Transient Hotel", "Wake Up", "Underground", "A Message", "Return To Church", and "The Siege Of Justiceville". This limited edition on orange & black vinyl comes with an exclusive 12 x 12 lithograph & a poster of the cover art.

Early genius from The Carpenters – a really tremendous little album, and one that's quite different than their soft rock hits of the 70s! There's a plenty playful feel to the set – energy that comes right off the best Sunshine Pop of late 60s A&M Records – to which this album is a perfect link – a mode in which the studio's as much a part of the sound as Richard and Karen's own contributions – wrapped up with a heavenly approach by producer Jack Daugherty. Tunes are simpler, sometimes more personal – and there's lots of nice basic music touches along the way – a piano here, sweet keyboard there, some gentle drums, and more – all to make the music sound totally groovy! If you've ever heard the Roger Nichols music for A&M, and wondered how he could have such a later link to this pair, this is the album to show you the way. Titles include "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing", "Your Wonderful Parade", "Turn Away", "All Of My Life", "Ticket To Ride", "Don't Be Afraid", "What's The Use", and "Someday".

A killer set from Cashmere – and a batch of music that definitely turns us on! The album's got a lean, mean groove that's mighty nice – a tight, keyboard-driven approach to 80s soul – but one that's also held together beautifully by lead vocals from Dwight Dukes, who was previously a member of Heaven & Earth! Dukes has this sweet falsetto mode that works perfectly with the cuts – and on many numbers, he gets vocal support from Dean Williams, whose deeper style really helps ground the tunes nicely – making for a blend that only gets richer as the album rolls on. Groovers dominate the styles, but there's a few nice laidback numbers too – and the contrast makes for the same energy that always made a record by Heaven & Earth so great. Titles include "Contemplation", "Try Your Lovin", "Inner Feelings", "Let The Music Turn You On", and "Do It Anyway You Wanna". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Do It Anyway You Wanna (12" version)", "Let The Music Turn You On (single)", "Try Your Lovin (single)", "Do It Anyway You Wanna (inst)", "Try Your Lovin (12" inst)".

A wonderful follow-up to the first Montreux Summit album – and like that classic, a groundbreaking assemblage of some of the best jazz musicians of the 70s! The format here is slightly different – with more of a focus on smaller groupings of musicians, but still with a really fresh ear for unusual combinations – especially with players you're not always likely to hear together – all stretching out on some sweet longer tracks. Tunes include a version of "Moontrane" with Woody Shaw on trumpet, Dexter Gordon on tenor, Slide Hampton on trombone, and George Duke on Fender Rhodes; "Two Part Invention" with Bob James on piano and Hubert Laws on flute; "Kanon For Flutes", with work by Bob Militello and Thijs Van Leer on flutes, alongside Bob James on Fender Rhodes, Eric Gale on guitar, and Peter Erskine on drums; "Red Top" with Dexter Gordon and Stan Getz on tenor, and Maynard Ferguson and Woody Shaw on trumpet; "Rites Of Darkness" with George Duke on Fender Rhodes, Bob James on keyboards, and Steve Kahn on guitar; "Be Cool" with James on Fender Rhodes, Duke on keyboards, Bobbi Humphrey and Hubert Laws on flute, and Eric Gale and Steve Kahn on guitar; and a sweet take on James' "Night Crawler" – with Stan Getz on tenor, Bobbi Humphrey and Hubert Laws on flute, Eric Gale and Steve Kahn on guitars, and Bob James himself on Fender Rhodes!

Everybody's favorite "cuchi-cuchi" girl shows her musical side in this trashed-out Salsoul set from the end of the 70s! Charo, apart from being well-built, sensual, and not ashamed to show it, is also a pretty decent guitarist, in a Spanish/flamenco mode. She plays a bit on the album – especially on her version of "Concierto De Aranjueuz", but most of the tracks are disco tunes, done with orchestrations by John Davis. Titles include "Ole Ole", "Stay With Me", "Hot Love", and (of course!) a version of the "Love Boat Theme"!

The third album from the mighty Chase – proof that the group was still going strong several years after their groundbreaking debut! The grooves here are almost tighter than before – a bit more complicated instrumentally, with some of the trumpets backed off a bit, to leave more room for great lines on guitar and keyboards – really stretching out over the propulsive groove of the rhythms. There's still some vocals on the record, but they seem a bit more on the backburner than on the group's earliest efforts – and titles include "Close Up Tight", "Twinkles", "Weird Song #1", "Run Back To Mama", and "Bochawa".

Ten years since his underground Headphone Masterpiece and Cody Chesnutt is finally back with a proper follow up – one that has a more fully-fleshed out production – and it’s pretty damn great! There's some striking differences in approach, but thankfully, the idiosyncratic creative bent remains! Where Headphones Masterpiece was a mind-bogglingly ambitious low fi bedroom production, this one was at least partially recorded at Willie Mitchell's legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, with a great group of studio musicians. This one is also more focused – and features a tight batch of 12 songs – as opposed to the sprawling double album debut. Cody's ear for classic southern soul craft informs this one – but his raw lyricism and great voice are still the focus, and that ultimately makes it another near-classic! We hope it won't take 10 years to make another record, but we're sure glad we finally got this one! Includes "'Til I Met Thee", "I've Been Life", "That's Still Mama", "Don't Follow Me", "Everybody's Brother", "Love Is More Than A Wedding Day", "Under The Spell Of The Handout", "Don't Wanna Go The Other Way", "Where Is All The Money Going", "Scroll Call" and more.

Ten years since his underground Headphone Masterpiece and Cody Chesnutt is finally back with a proper follow up – one that has a more fully-fleshed out production – and it's pretty damn great! There's some striking differences in approach, but thankfully, the idiosyncratic creative bent remains! Where Headphones Masterpiece was a mind-bogglingly ambitious low fi bedroom production, this one was at least partially recorded at Willie Mitchell's legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, with a great group of studio musicians. This one is also more focused – and features a tight batch of 12 songs – as opposed to the sprawling double album debut. Cody's ear for classic southern soul craft informs this one – but his raw lyricism and great voice are still the focus, and that ultimately makes it another near-classic! We hope it won't take 10 years to make another record, but we're sure glad we finally got this one! Includes "'Til I Met Thee", "I've Been Life", "That's Still Mama", "Don't Follow Me", "Everybody's Brother", "Love Is More Than A Wedding Day", "Under The Spell Of The Handout", "Don't Wanna Go The Other Way", "Where Is All The Money Going", "Scroll Call" and more.

That's a pretty darn goofy cover for this early 80s Italian soundtrack – a record that's done with some pretty goofy music to match! The great Stelvio Cipriani serves up plenty of his trademark keyboards – but this time around, they're used in a way that's more playful than some of his previous sensual scores for 70s romantic films – never too offbeat, but with a mix of whimsical themes and a few more mellow moments that recall the older sound of Cipriani. CD features 14 tracks in all!

Dark and moody folk-psych from the American underground – a record once included on a list of "Top Ten Records Most Likely To Be Owned By A Serial Killer"! We're not sure if the set's as nasty as that might imply – as there's actually a heartfelt, almost earnest quality to the vocals – a slightly bluesy undercurrent, mixed with acoustic and electric guitar riffs – and almost spoken at times – or maybe not spoken, kind of "exclaimed" – as if the lyrics were coming to singer Thorn Oehrig right at the time he was recording them! All this makes for a great sense of reflection on the record – quite different than the posturing you might normally get on such a record – especially given that some of the tunes get really tripped out, with some really weird guitar parts. The set was recorded in 1980, but really feels like some lost biker psyche outsider set from the late 60s or early 70s – with heavy themes of drugs, death, and loneliness – all recorded with a rough-edged quality that further underscores the feelings in the music. Titles include "Limousine Ride", "Billy Bad Billy", "Red Dog", "Old Charlie Polecat", "Old Time Feeling", "How Long", and "Just For Today".

A trio of sex film soundtracks from 70s England – but done in a way that's a lot classier than you might expect! The sounds here aren't the usual bump-n-grind you might expect from US porno – and instead, the tunes are really great soundtrack numbers, penned with a distinct undercurrent of sound library work of the period – sweet jazzy moments, soft erotic themes, electric touches, and some subtle funky bits too – mostly used in very short cues for the film, but occasionally stretched out to more song-long levels as well. The package is a great discovery – given that we haven't seen the films or heard the music at all – and it features a whopping 34 tracks that include "Heavy Keyboard", "Tight For Time", "Tricky Hand", "On Stage", "Bicycle Girl", "Home Again", "Fiona's Theme", "You Turn My Legs To Water", "The Tension Mounts", and "House Of Straw".

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.

A surprisingly groovy little set – one of a few outings cut by singer Ruth Copeland – kind of an enigmatic figure in the early P-Funk years! The approach here is more rock than soul, but there's definitely some funky undercurrents too – of the sort that have always made Copeland a favorite with break freaks over the years – thanks to help on the album from Dennis Coffey, Eddie Hazel, Bernie Worrell, and George Clinton! Ruth arranged, performed, and produced the core part of the album herself – but the production style is surprisingly strong – with a use of space and strings that almost shows a bit of Axelrod influence at times, although more skewed towards the Detroit soul scene that Copeland called home. Titles include the classic "Your Love Been So Good To Me", which starts with a very fuzzy electric break, and "I Got a Thing For You Daddy", which has some great spacey guitars on the intro – plus "Child of the North", "No Commitment", "A Gift of Me", and "The Music Box". CD features three bonus tracks too – single versions of "The Music Box", "A Gift Of Me", and "No Commitment".

Four classic albums by this hip UK group – all with rare bonus tracks too! First up is the wonderful Dad Man Cat – our favorite record by one of the best funk records to ever come out of England! On this great debut album, Corduroy are a tight funky combo, with an organ and clavinet mod sound that still holds up damn well over the years. Their songwriting is great, and the groove on the set push way past the stock acid jazz riffing of the early 90s. Best example of this is "Skirt Alert", a cut that begins with an amazing drum break, then grooves into a Brazilian-inflected funk number, in the manner of Earth Wind & Fire's use of the idiom. Other tracks include "Chowdown", "How To Steal The World", "Electric Soup", "Money Is", and "Six Plus One". CD also features six bonus demo tracks! High Havoc is a real shift for Corduroy, who are opening their sound a lot here from earlier releases – showing that the group was way more than just one of London's many retro funk combos at the beginning of the 90s. The set includes the sublime track "Something In My Eye", a breezy bossa number that would almost put Brasil 66 to shame, and which we can guarantee will have you hitting the repeat button on your CD player again and again! Other tracks include "The Corduroy Orgasm Club", "Breakfast In Love", "Nobody Move", "Very Yeah", "Clearing Up Music", "Lovely Lonely & Loaded", and "The Frighteners". CD features 9 more bonus tracks – some previously unreleased! Next is Out Of Here – a record that's still heavily steeped in the 60s territory of previous releases, but one with a bit more of a mod feel overall! There's lots of heavy Hammond and guitar in the mix, and the vocals have a warm appeal too – kind of a blue-eyed soul take on mod London modes – served up here with a sound that's arguably tighter and more soulful than lots of current work of this nature! Corduroy was always a group that never fully got its due – and with records like this under their belt, they were easily one of the hippest acts on the Acid Jazz imprint at the time. Titles include "Don't Wait For Monday", "Practice What You Preach", "Magic Carpet", "January Woman", "Mini", "Motorhead", "Along The Rooftops", "End Of The Rainbow", and "Red Mercury". CD features 7 more bonus tracks – a number of unissued demos! Last up is Quattro – Live In Japan 1994 – a great little live set from Corduroy – recorded late in their career, but with the stripped down funky feel of their best early work! The album was recorded in Japan – but the groove is pure London jazz funk all the way, with a tight mix of keyboards and riffing guitars, electrically grooving in a very soulful way. Includes versions of "Skirt Alert", "Something In My Eye", "Mini", "Money is", "London, England", "Electric Soup", "E Type", "The Frighteners", and "Chow Down".

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

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

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".

A brilliant testament to the collaborative strengths of reedman Lol Coxhill – an artist who's always been willing to take chances, and frequently does so in the company of other important avant musicians – usually spurring them onto new levels of creativity in the process! This set brings together a number of long improvised performances from the last decade of Coxhill's career – and each track on the record features a different partner – one with Hugh Davies on "invented instruments", which sounds pretty great – plus another with John Russell on guitar, another with Henry Lowther on trumpet, and one more with Pat Thomas on keyboards. Coxhill rounds out the set with a beautiful solo number – and each track on the set has a very distinct flavor!

A great little Brazilian group from the 70s – one who continues the harmony styles of Sergio Mendes in the 60s, but takes the music into some groovy new directions! The sounds here are more samba than bossa – with guitar and percussion dancing nicely together in the rhythms as group members sing sweetly over the top – and both piano and keyboards adding in some nicely jazzy inflections to the groove, often with the more sophisticated phrasings you might expect in some of the EMI/Odeon work from earlier in the decade. Sivuca joins the group on both accordion and moog (!) – and the whole thing's got a sweetly-grooving style that's totally great! Titles include "Estatutos De Gafiera", "Loteca", "Amor Em Jacuma", " Iboru Iboya", "Beijo Baiano", "O Trem Atrazou", "Asa Branca", and "Fogo Pago".

Far more than just a full album from keyboard wiz and producer Mark De Clive-Lowe – a much-needed collection of his various remixes, small label recordings, and small projects from the past few years – pulled from a variety of labels around the globe, and packaged into one overstuffed set! The tunes all have different lives and histories, but they're linked together here by Mark's wonderfully spacey sound and cosmic musical vision – a key force in 21st century soul, heard to positive effect on every tune on the collection. Titles include "Pan Africa (Melodious rmx)" by Danilo Perez, "Life Mirrors" by Beatless, "Africa (Restless Soul mix)" by Meitz, "No Fusion Generation (rmx)" by Til Bronner, "Return To Paradise (rmx)" by Shirley Horn, and the tracks "Relax Unwind", "Move On Up (Opaque rmx)", "The Way It Goes", "Day By Day (DJ Spinna rmx)", and "Nites Like These" – all by Mark.

Really unique work from Lynsey De Paul – a 70s British pop singer, but one who has a strangely dark and spooky sound overall! Her style here is maybe a bit like Jane Birkin – sexy, but cold too – and often compressed into the instrumentation so that her vocals always have a sense of whispering about them, even when she's singing. Many cuts here are nice and mellow – a slinky style that works well with Lynsey's approach – but even the groovers have a weird feel that's mighty nice. Titles include "Call Me", "Sugar Shuffle", "Love Bomb", "Crystal Ball", "Hungry For Love", "Tigers & Fireflies", "Losin The Blues For You", "Rock Bottom", and "Martian Man". 2CD set features 29 tracks – including some unreleased numbers!

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 pair of soundtracks from legendary composer Georges Delerue – beautiful work for Bernardo Bertolucci's Le Conformiste (Il Conformista) from 1970 – and the lesser-remembered, but again quite beautiful La Petite Fille En Velours Bleu from 1978! Le Conformiste has a few modes, ranging from sparely stirring winds and strings, to eerie bits of keyboards to old school waltzy backdrops and back. The mix of gentle sounds and tenser moments is very compelling! Titles include "Generique Debut", "Hotel Palais D'Orsay", "OK Bull", "Fiacre", "Il Conformista", "Anna, Ester Et Marcello","Valzer Del Conformista", "Gravita' Estrema", "Tango Di Rabbia" and many more. La Petite Fille En Velours Bleu has a smaller scale vibe, but it's ultimately nearly as great – with some lovely strings and breezy goodness to spare. Titles include "Theme De Laura", "La Deposition", "Danse Des Nostalgiques", "Mike", "L'Accident", "Le Bar Des Allies", "La Petite Fille En Velours Bleu" and more. 29 tracks in all.

A pair of soundtracks for films by Jean-Pierre Melville – back to back on a single CD! First up is L'Aine Des Ferchaux – scored by Georges Delerue with a strong sense of drama, maybe even more than you're used to expecting from a Melville film – although given the need for "American" tones in the music, the drama's perhaps well-placed! Delerue's already got that great ear for rich feeling with very subtle tones – and balances things out nicely with a more more restrained, more "adult" numbers. Titles include "Manhattan Deux Hommes", "A La Dimitri", "La Route", "Slow Du Desespoir", and "Maudet Et Ferchaux". Un Flic is more the Melville you might expect – an excellent crime film from the early 70s, scored by Michel Colombier with a great mix of jazz and moodier, mellower elements! The score begins with a sweet vocal track – "C'Est Ainsi Que Les Choses Arrivent", sung by Isabell Aubret – then moves through some beautifully blue tunes that are simply tremendous overall. Titles include "Un Monsieur Distingue", "Chez Luce", "Night Club Trois Heures Du Matin", "Chaussee D'Antin", and "Pre Hold-Up".

A relatively contemporary score from the great Eric Demarsan – who we love for his work in the 60s – yet a soundtrack that's also handled with the same sense of space and somberness he brought to his music for the films of Jean-Pierre Melville! Most numbers here have a slow-growing sort of energy – keyboards mixed with larger orchestrations, but often used in a relatively subtle way – and marked by some key tenor sax solos by Archie Shepp on some of the album's best tracks – used in ways that break out with a bit more free emotion than the rest of the score. Titles include "Piano Droit", "Pigalle By Night", "Alice Et Nadir", "Les Visions Troubles", "Les Belles Histoires", "Un Frere", and "Frissons Rouges".

While we have more or less dismissed a lot of the Celluloid world music productions from the 80s in the past, we look back now and realize that was pretty much just purist snobbery. This Laswell produced album of funky afro grooves doesn't have the same hard African funk that we dig so much about Dibango's early work, but it's more than just a respectable outing, and the 80s electro feel that's creeping in on a number of tracks sounds even better today. Most of the cuts are mid to down tempo, with playing that's a bit more smooth from Dibango's sax, and when you look at the crew Laswell assembled, it's quite the all star cast: Herbie Hancock, Bernie Worrell, Wally Badaru and Aiyb Deng alongside Dibango's Soul Makossa Gang. Four lengthy tracks: "Pata Piya", "Electric Africa", "Echoes Beti" and "L'Arbre A Palabres".

An incredible full album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! The group's a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky!

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 4LP box set edition is amazing – coming in a beautiful hand-pulled silkscreen box – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes an oversized booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence.

The legendary meeting of the two biggest Brazilian keyboard talents of the 70s – Joao Donato and Eumir Deodato – coming together in beautifully funky formation! The sound is a great blend of the moody electric work of Donato's classic Quem E Quem album, and some of the fuller, funkier grooves on Deodato's work for CTI – served up here in a double-keyboard blend with help from a host of great guest musicians! Other players include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Romeo Penque on flute, Mauricio Einhorn on harmonica, and Michael Gibson on guitar – plus plenty of percussion from Airto and Ray Barretto, who both join in to round out this all star session. Tracks are nicely long, and very jamming at times – and titles include the funky "Whistle Stop", plus "Where's JD", "Capricorn", "Nightripper", and "Batuque".

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".

A clunky title, a so-so cover, a later recording date – and yet, the record's wonderful overall – a surprisingly funky effort from British reedman Bob Downes! The album is Bob's tribute to funky sounds oif the 60s and 70s – and although it includes a few tracks penned by Downes back in the day, the music was recorded in the past decade or so – yet done with a surprisingly classic feel overall – one that really serves the funky style of the music very well! The group is very stripped-down – just a trio with electric bass and keyboards, plus Downes on tenor, alto, flute, soprano sax, and even a bit of vocals – the kind of shouted, James Brown-chorus type – which are processed here to give them a really offbeat sound. The whole thing's pretty great – and you can bet that if this was a small label pressing from the US scene of a few decades back, it would be changing hands for a pretty penny. Titles include "Afro Swing", "Happy Funk", "A Man Without A Woman", "Pow Wow", "Funky Groove", "Hottin Up", "C'Mon Baby", and "You're Funkin Good".

American sounds, but forged in Sweden – a surprisingly great batch of work from expatriate Jack Downing – including some rare singles, previously unreleased tunes, and even some live material too! Downing clearly picks up some of the folk rock styles of the post-Dylan generation – but he's also got this rough, raspy style of singing that's much more garagey at points than any folkies in the US – a weird sort of hybrid that only gets more interesting as the music here moves into the early 70s! The package brings together a full album recorded for RCA in Sweden, singles for Karusell, RCA, and CBS, and some live material recorded for Swedish radio too – 37 tracks that include "No Man's Land", "Out My Light", "Muddy Water", "Queen Jane Approximately", "Branded Man", "Only Dadd That'll Walk The Line", "The Kind Of Words", "Greenback Dollar", and "Going To California".

A wonderful album from George Duke – and one of our favorite records from his legendary years at Columbia! George Duke's always had plenty of Brazilian elements in his music – but this album really brings them all together – offering up a perfect blend of Duke's keyboards and Cali soul with some key additions from the Rio scene of the time – a mix of singers and musicians who really help round out the sound and authenticate George's ears for Brazilian music! The album was actually recorded down in Rio – and features great contributions from Simone, Milton Nascimento, Roberto Silva, Toninho Horta, and Airto – all working beautifully under Duke's leadership, on cuts that include "Brazilian Love Affair", "Cravo E Canela", "Brazilian Sugar", "Sugarloaf Mountain", "Ao Que Vai Nascer", and "I Need You Now". CD features a single edit of "Brazilian Love Affair".

A much-needed look at one of our favorite instruments ever – the irreplaceable Fender Rhodes keyboard! The Rhodes has a sound that's unlike anything else – and has become a favorite of musicians over decades of use – as you'll hear in the film's interviews with Deodato, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Patrice Rushen, Ramsey Lewis, Dave Grusin, Rodney Franklin, Joe Sample, Jerry Peters, Les McCann, Maurice White, Ronnie Foster, D'Angelo, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and other jazz and soul legends – an incredibly large roster for a project like this! The film was partially put together by Gerald McCauley – a keyboardist himself – and it shows a love and respect of the Rhodes that really comes through. Almost 2 hours long, in color, with a special "Rhodes Scholars" feature.

The second incredible album from Dyson's Faces – one of those underground 70s groups that should have been huge! The set's got a soaring sound that's even more righteous than the group's debut – a quality that glows wonderfully with the quartet's mix of male and female voices – a sound that almost reminds us a bit of Voices Of East Harlem at times. Backing is by the Hard Times Band – a tight combo who groove hard on the more uptempo numbers, and lay back nicely on the mellower ones – just throwing in some licks here and there on guitar or keyboards next to the warmer harmony vocals. The voices are an especially great part of the record, and really sparkle with a sound that's even fresher than most other groups from the time – a sound that shows that Dyson's Faces wasn't just one of those funk groups who happened to also be able to sing – but a strongly committed soul outfit who really put a lot of energy into their music! Titles include "This Time It's Gotta Be Love" in both vocal and instrumental versions – plus "Till I've Got This Feelin Of Love", "Try Me Baby", "You & Me", "Working My Way To Something Better", and "Cry Sugar" – as well as "Welcome To All This Love Again" and "Don't Worry About The Jones", which both appeared on the group's first album.

A great little groover from keyboardist Charles Earland – and an album that definitely lives up to its title! There's plenty of street sounds going on here – lots of modern R&B modes that echo the changing styles of early 80s soul music, especially on the east coast! And as part of that, there's a good deal of vocals on the record, alongside Charles' keyboards – work by singers who include Larry Hancock, Bruce Gray, and Sheryl Kendrick – each of whom adds plenty to the record, working over jazzy grooves nicely scored by Earland. Titles include "Be My Lady", "Take Me Away", "Feels So Good To Me", "Burning Devotion", "Tell Me What It Is", and "Go All The Way". CD features a bonus track – "Be My Lady (7" mix)".

2 early 70s sessions from Billy Eckstine – both recorded for Stax Records! First up is Senior Soul – a well-titled set not only given Billy's age, but also because of the surprisingly soulful undercurrent to the record – an extension into the genre even greater than Eckstine's previous recordings for Motown – and proof that he was really trying to stretch out towards new audiences at the time! Artie Butler handled the backings, and he uses a groove that's pretty full, but never overwhelming – more ebullient soul than some of Eckstine's more familiar jazz – with backing vocals and bright horns, yet still plenty of space for Billy to do his thing. The best numbers have Eckstine coming across with the 70s cool of Grady Tate on his vocal sides – and titles include "Thank You For The Moment", "A Song For You", "A Man Who Sings", "Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday", "I Believe In Music", and "Living Like A Gypsy". If She Walked Into My Life is extremely compelling stuff – and you've really got to give Billy credit for reinventing himself like this! The album features Billy's deep deep voice amidst arrangements by Artie Butler, Jimmy Jones, Mike Melvoin, and Billy Byers – sort of a blend of Grady Tate sophisti-jazz, and Scott Walker baroque, with a moody mellow sound that would make either of them proud. Titles include "The Taste Of My Tears", "I Am Yours", "Maybe This Time", "The Very Thought Of You", and "All In Love Is Fair".

A nicely complicated little record – and one of the funkiest albums on the legendary Invictus label! The 8th Day group was a loosely-conceived batch of Detroit soul talents designed to cash in on a concept of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team – and they weren't just a studio project, as they included some wonderful talents that could make some great music when they wanted to! One of these was the amazing Detroit organist Lyman Woodard – who contributed the fantastic track "Cheba" to the album, an incredible organ groover that's unlike anything you've ever heard, rolling on with this pinched Hammond sound over congas, all-instrumental, and completely seductive! Another was Melvin Davis, who had recorded the song "Good Book" as a solo artist – but which was released here as if it was by the group. There's also a great guitarist in the group – unnamed due to the lack of liner notes – but who really shines on the funky tracks "Anythang", "Rocks In My Head", and "Heaven Is There To Guide Us", all with a fuzzed-out Detroit 70s groove! CD features the bonus tracks "Just As Long (single)", "I'm Worried (single)", "It's Instrumental To Be Free", and "You Made Me Over".

An excellent reissue of funky work by this obscure European combo – a favorite with grooveheads for years because of their unique mix of funk, exotica, and strange studio touches! In a way, these guys are kind of like a collision between Mandingo, Chakachas, and Serge Gainsbourg – with lots of nice conga work, breathy wordless vocals, funky flute, and sexy tribal grooving. The set includes their classic slow funk cut "La La La", plus the tracks "King Kong", "Streaking A Gogo", "Wild Groove", "Bantu", "Please Love Me", "Girl Safari", "Brigitte Bardot", and "Music For A Playboy".

A pair of surprisingly sweet albums from the Elgart brothers – back to back on a single CD! Girl Watchers is maybe the grooviest album ever from the team of Les & Larry Elgart – as you can probably guess from the title! The set's awash in groovy tunes from the late 60s – not just the fab title cut, but a host of other sweet numbers that are given an inventive new take on the Elgart horn style! The style is pretty great – kind of a 60s update of older big band modes – lean at points, full at others – and given some sweet Bobby Scott arrangements on some of the album's best tracks. Titles include "Music To Watch Girls By", "That's Life", "The Spy With A Cold Nose", "Girl Watchers", and "Girl Talk". Wonderful World Of Today's Hits is way more than you'd guess from the title – as the arrangements are by Bobby Scott, and have this sweet mix of jazz and 60s mod – often worked in ways that really reboot familiar numbers of the time – with that soulful undercurrent that makes Bobby's own music so great. Teo Macero produced, and really knows how to bring out the best shimmering sounds in the horns – and titles include "The Bobo", "Torino", "When I Look In Your Eyes", "Spanish Eyes", "To Sir With Love", and a wild take on "Ode To Billie Joe", with some surprisingly fuzzy guitar!

Extremely heady work from the French scene of the early 70s – and hardly the Latin Rock album you might guess from the title! Ergo Sum have a sound that's as contemplative as their name – a slow-building, almost brooding blend of jamming, jazzy work on flute, Fender Rhodes, organ, guitar, violin, bass, and drums – all topped by the distinctive vocals of Lionel Ledissez, who's got a raspy, rough-edged appeal that almost sounds like Cat Stevens gone to seed! The lyrics are all in English, which adds to the appeal of the record – and the flute and keyboard parts are handled by Jean Guerin. Titles include "Night Road", "John's Nightmare", "Faces", "Second Rebirth", and "Albdion Impressions". As with all Lion reissues, the production is wonderful – lots of notes and photos on the music, plus bonus tracks that include "Mexico (inst)", "It's Me", "Tijuana", and "All's So Comic".

Rare grooves from Evans Pyramid – a sweet set of cosmic disco from the end of the 70s – recorded with a lean, almost spiritual vibe – quite similar to some of the great tracks reissued in the Soul Cal series! There's a definite ear for the dancefloor here – lots of upbeat rhythms, touched with sweet keyboards riffs, and layered with vocals that are almost an afterthought – yet have their own sort of message at the right moment. The group's the brainchild of Andre Evans, an artist whose huge legacy of music business work includes stints with Dyke & The Blazers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and Tribe – as well as a host of key album sessions as well – but the sound is unlike any of those references, and has this great stripped-down late 70s club vibe throughout. The rare album is offered here with unreleased bonus tracks – and titles include "Rubber Band", "Never Gonna Leave You", "Dip Drop", "No I Won't", "Soul Petrol", and "Dance A Thon".

Rare grooves from Evans Pyramid – a sweet set of cosmic disco from the end of the 70s – recorded with a lean, almost spiritual vibe – quite similar to some of the great tracks reissued in the Soul Cal series! There's a definite ear for the dancefloor here – lots of upbeat rhythms, touched with sweet keyboards riffs, and layered with vocals that are almost an afterthought – yet have their own sort of message at the right moment. The group's the brainchild of Andre Evans, an artist whose huge legacy of music business work includes stints with Dyke & The Blazers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and Tribe – as well as a host of key album sessions as well – but the sound is unlike any of those references, and has this great stripped-down late 70s club vibe throughout. The rare album is offered here with unreleased bonus tracks – and titles include "Rubber Band", "Never Gonna Leave You", "Dip Drop", "No I Won't", "Soul Petrol", "I Got A Rush For You", "Dance A Thon", and "Sugar Stop".

Rare funk from the New Orleans scene of the late 70s – work by an obscure combo with a great ear for the dancefloor! The overall sound is much more like music coming from Chicago, Detroit, or New York at the time – a post-Earth Wind & Fire style of funk that's got lots of tight ensemble grooving and vocals, on rhythms that are equally balanced between boogie and disco! Despite the obscure nature of the record, it's got a wonderfully professional feel – all top-shelf all the way through, like something that could have been issued on Columbia Records during the same stretch – with a warmly jazzy undercurrent that makes for a much greater depth than you might expect! Instrumentation includes great keyboards and bits of horns/ Titles include "I Don't Know Why", "Dr Music", "For The Love Of Disco", "There Must Be An Answer", "We Are Somebody", "Nowhere To Run", and "All We Have Is A Song". This Japanese CD edition also includes 3 more previously unreleased tracks: the 1975 recording of "I Don't Know Why", plus "Make A Change" and a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" from that same year – and "Our Love's Gone By" and the 1975 version of "There Must Be An Answer", both previously released on rare 45s.

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek".

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek".

A great introduction to the awesomely funky music of Hilton Felton – an artist who's got a heck of a lot to offer, and who issued some amazing albums on his own great label during the 70s! Felton's a real original – a multi-talented guy, an inspirational businessman, and an all-around warm fellow whose collaborative spirit really comes through in these recordings – a killer collection of longform jams from his ultra-rare LPs! Felton's music has a way of layering the keyboards right over the rhythms, then blending the two together seamlessly as the tunes cook up their groove – a really rare style that's somewhere in the same territory of Lyman Woodard on his legendary Saturday Night Special album – which might be one of the fest records we could even begin to compare to these great tracks. Titles include "Be Bop Boogie", "Dream Come True", "Spreading Fever", "Your Analysis", and "Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need".

A holy grail of funky music – and a rare gem from the DC scene of the 70s! Keyboardist Hilton Felton cut this wicked killer for his own tiny label – Hilton's Concept – and it's a very unique blend of jazz and funk modes, done with help from members of The Blackbyrds and Three Pieces! Felton plays Fender Rhodes, vibes, organ, and even some percussion on the record – grooving in this stretched-out, easygoing way that's unlike anyone else we can think of – often with fuller backings that might be at home on a soundtrack, but which have a much more open flow overall. Most tracks are nice and long, with plenty of sweet electric solo space – and titles include the classic "Bee Bop Boogie", a 9 minute groover with a monster break on the intro – plus "The Light Of Mankind", "Man For All Reasons", "Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need", "Love's Losers", and "Blues For a Weary Man".

A record from the Three Of Us – but one we remember best for the heavy keyboards of Hilton Felton! The set's even more stripped-down than some of Hilton's other funky classics from the 70s – an instrumental outing that features Felton on organ and Fender Rhodes, Johnathan Settel on drums, and David Mendenhall on guitar – a great player we've never heard before, but one who carves out some mighty sharp lines next to the keyboards! The drums are nice and tight, too – and occasionally augmented by a bit of bass or congas – and Hilton's got that wonderfully fluid groove that makes the tunes bristle with funky, soulful energy – every bit the best sort of groove you'd find in early 70s records by Charles Earland or Johnny Hammond – but even better, as there's a raw indie vibe going on too. Titles include "Here Comes David", "Music Shall Never Die", "Your Analysis", "Dream Come True", and "Maybe You'll Come Back To Me".

Fantastic! Easy Tempo scores again with this beautiful rerelease/repackaging of Gianni Ferrio's lost score for the film Una Farfalla Con Le Ali Insanguinate. The music has lots of spare spooky keyboards, with a slow building sound that's similar to Francis Lai's best soundtrack work, and a warm wash of sound that's very similar to some of Morricone's best stuff – like La Donna Invisible. Don't go looking for funky breaks on this one, but if you love cool swirling Euro soundtrack material, this set's an amazing piece of work, and it's been repackaged with the usual sexy Easy Tempo look. God, we love their stuff! Tracks include "Concerto Blues", "Soliloquio", and "Inutile".

A great little score from that time when Italian westerns were able to mix in equal parts humor and action – served up here in a buddy film that's got a bit of a Butch & Sundance vibe! The music is maybe more 60s playful than you'd expect – still often sweeping in a western style, but often underscored with comedic elements that correspond to some of the more offbeat action on the screen. Even the tenser moments have a sort of comedy quality – and feel more like heist-style numbers than the usual western styles – but that could also be due to the groovier modes normally used by Gianni Ferrio. This expanded edition features a heck of a lot of tracks – way more than any previous version – including vocal numbers by Lilian Terry and by the team of John Ireson and Wayne Parham. Titles include "Falling In Love With A Pretty Girl", "Young Man Go West", "Two Not So Peaceful Brothers", "Monty & Ted", "Let's Keep Our Fingers Crossed", and "Working Hard".