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One of the best records ever from Don Nix – a legendary figure whose work on the Memphis scene of the 60s touched countless of rock and soul artists – recording here with a nicely tight sound at Muscle Shoals! Like some of his contemporaries, Nix made the move from Memphis to Muscle... read more

A great little album from O Terco – a later album from the group, but one that still has them sounding plenty wonderful! As before, there's a progressive vibe to the music – a mixture of jazz and rock that really comes through well in the mature, fusion-based instrumentation of the... read more

Dirty's biggest radio hit, still as catchy and crazy as the day it came out, with help from the Neptunes and Kelis.... read more

Dirt Dog's 2nd album is a little more schizophrenic, twisted, and under the influence than his first. It sounds a little more inspired by Rick James and Flavor Flav, as raw dog as a hip hopper can shimmy without getting arrested. Tracks include "Cold Blooded", "Rollin Wit You",... read more

Ol' Dirty Bastard...Osiris...Big Baby Jesus...what can we say? Whether ODB had really fallen off the deep end or if it was just an act, this is still one of our favorite Wu-Tang related LP's – with more energy and sense of humor than most, and featuring the best hip hop singing since Biz... read more

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Bird does a guest spot with the DC area big band then known as The Orchestra. This 80s issue was the first time this concert performance had been released, and has Parker soloing nicely over a set of standards: "Fine & Dandy", "These Foolish Things", "Light Green"... read more

Fred Parris, the ex-lead singer of the old Five Satins doo wop group, leads a new group through some nice modern soul stuff with that sort of updated harmony soul sound. The record is similar to some of the other good modern soul albums on Elektra at the time, and includes the tracks "I'll Be... read more

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Probably one of the most controversial records to be issued on Elektra at the end of the 60s – a rough-edged batch of hippie dippy tracks that shares a fair bit of energy and humor with The Fugs! The tunes here are perhaps a bit more focused than the work of The Fugs, but the group explore... read more

Tracks include "Joy", "2 AM", "Good To You", "Love is The Power", "Can We Be Lovers", and "I'm Ready".... read more

One of most essential hip hop albums of the 90s – arguably among the best ever – expanded nicely here with a bonus disc featuring the original 12" single versions! The Main Ingredient is a great title for the album, as this one finds Pete & CL working with the core essenses of... read more

The 1992 CLASSIC jazzy soulful hip hop album from one of the best producers in hip hop! You get a whole 18 tracks ranging from laid back smooth molasses tracks to sing along party bouncers. How could your collection be complete without this?!! Tracks include the unforgettable "They... read more

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A smooth jazzy classic from Pieces Of A Dream – and a real standout from the early 80s scene! The core trio of Curtis Harmon on drums, James Lloyd on keys, and Cedric Napoleon on bass are produced by Grover Washington with a fuller feel than usual – taking the piano trio approach of... read more

The debut of a genius group that would forever transform the sound of electric jazz in the 80s – and a brilliant set that few others could match at the time! Pieces Of A Dream first snuck onto the scene with a sound that was refreshingly subtle at the time – almost a back-to-basics... read more

Jazzy wonderfulness from Pieces Of A Dream! "Warm Weather" is definitely warm – a breezy fusion number with a midtempo groove – lots of keys flowing over gentle drums, and some great soul vocals to really send the tune home!... read more

The group's second album – a nicely laidback album of soul and jazz tracks, produced by Grover Washington Jr with that clean and perfect sound he was getting on his own albums at the time. Includes the group's classic slammer "Mt Airy Groove" – a great old school hip hop... read more

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14 tracks in all, including "Fat Bottomed Girls", "You're My Best Friend", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Somebody To Love", "Play The Game", "Flash", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions".... read more

With the classics "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" – plus "Sheer Heart Attack", "Spread Your Wings", "All Dead All Dead", and "Get Down Make Love".... read more

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14 cuts, including "Flipmode Iz Da Squad", "Get The Money & Dip", "Wild For Da Night", "Flipmode Enemy #1", "Take It To the Streets" and "we Getz Down (rmx)".... read more

Titles include "Pressure Dem", "Dem A Murderer", "Dance Hall Scenario", "Ya Can't Test Me Again", "Ghetto Gospel", "Born Again Black Man", and "Hey Mr Rude Boy", with Brand Nubian.... read more

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One of the weirdest Beatle-related projects of the 60s – and one of the most abstract, as well! The album's got kind of an odd concept – in that it purports to be a rediscovery of rare baroque music roots of famous Beatle tunes by Lennon & McCartney – recorded with offbeat... read more

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Really beautiful work from the team of Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan – hardly the sort of stuff we might have heard from the players a decade or two before – and a sophisticated batch of tunes that has them stretching out in rich musical directions! There's little of the boppish roots of... read more

A tremendous live performance from the group co-led by Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan – two players who really bring a lot to each other's music! There's a mode here that really blows us away – a careful, sensitive approach that allows each horn player to hit their most lyrical moments... read more

A sweeeeeet groover by Patrice Rushen – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and... read more

Brilliant work – one of the records that not only broke Patrice out of the jazz funk ghetto, but which also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s – really pushing the use of jazzy elements that would help take R&B to a new level with bigger... read more

Nothing Posh about this one – as the album's an all-out all-access affair! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in a sublime blend of 70s jazz funk and Minnie Riperton-esque soul! The whole album's... read more

Not a bad bit of modern soul, in a style that's kind of in the same camp as Denise Williams or Cheryl Lynn. Sylvia's got a voice that clearly has a lot of range, but she doesn't always use it to best effect – especially on a few numbers that have her trying a bit too hard to be emotive. ... read more

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An early 80s set from Tom Scott, and proof that he could still make an electric jazz album sound more soulful than most of his mainstream contemporaries! There's a really great sense of balance here – production that's certainly polished, but instrumentation that's never sleepy at all –... read more

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The third album by this Leon Ware side project – and possibly the best! The album's got a tight, funky sound right from the get-go – kind of a perfect 80s groove that never showed up on the group's previous records, but which really seemed to be the sound they were waiting for! And as... read more

A real standout set from the 80s years of trumpeter Woody Shaw – a solidly burning live set that blows away most of his studio work from the time! The album's noteworthy first of all for the presence of Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – whose soulful spiritual approach of the period... read more

A brilliant date from the later years of Woody Shaw – an album that equally shows Woody's own talents, and those of his key group of younger players too! Shaw's trumpet is perfect in both modes here – the hard-blown righteous numbers Woody first gave the world from his start, and the... read more

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A surprising late folk entry in the Elektra Records catalog – recorded in the early 70s, and with some sublime production from the great Gary Usher! The sound is definitely contemporary folk, as promised in the title – but there's more of a singer/songwriter sensibility too –... read more

A power pop classic! Titles include "Now & Then", "Every Girl", "I Don't Wanna Hear It", "Three Times", "In My Arms Again", and "Too Late".... read more

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A great back to basics session from organist Jimmy Smith – recorded live in the early 80s, but with a freewheeling small combo sound that takes us back to his Blue Note years! The group on the album's a quartet – with Jimmy on both piano and organ, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Johnny... read more

A lean little set from Jimmy Smith's back to basics years of the early 80s – an album that's recorded in a relatively old school soul jazz mode! Jimmy's mostly playing Hammond here – but also uses a bit of Arp strings at times – and the rest of the group members include George... read more

A lean little set from Jimmy Smith's back to basics years of the early 80s – an album that's recorded in a relatively old school soul jazz mode! Jimmy's mostly playing Hammond here – but also uses a bit of Arp strings at times – and the rest of the group members include George... read more

A treasure trove of unreleased material from the Stalk Forrest Group – one full album, other bonus tracks, and their only ever single – all compiled together in a sweet set that documents the pre-history of Blue Oyster Cult! These guys aren't as sinister as in their BOC years, but... read more

Titles include "Sugar Daddy", "Don't Be Afraid", "Love Walks Out", "Blessed Is The Man", "Kick That Habit", and "Save Black Music".... read more

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Stereolab's third album for Elektra – continuing their wondeful brand of space age pop in the 90s, and still some of the most exciting music to come from a major label at the time! Titles include "Spark Plug", "Les Yper Sound", "Tomorrow Is Already Here", "M... read more

Stereolab's second for Elektra, following strongly on their debut for the label – and one of their best ever! Mars Audiac Quintet is a brilliant batch of space age pop tunes, inflected with the genius ear for 60s classics that's always made the band so compelling to us, but done in a fresh... read more

Sure, it's the group's major label debut – but it's also a stunning pop album that blows away most of its generation! Instead of being swallowed in the maw of Warner Brothers, Stereolab take up the challengs of greater professionalism – and hone their skills to an impeccable edge,... read more

The fiery debut of the Stooges! It isn't quite the out-there masterpiece that Fun House would be, and it's not quite as aurally blistering as Raw Power (we might be able to blame producer John Cale for this) but it's still one of the most powerful rock records of the era! Iggy & the boys... read more

The fiery debut of the Stooges! It isn't quite the out-there masterpiece that Fun House would be, and it's not quite as aurally blistering as Raw Power (we might be able to blame producer John Cale for this) but it's still one of the most powerful rock records of the era! Iggy & the boys... read more

The follow up to "Do The James" with real nice mid-tempo late 80's production, representing the fun, less serious side of hip hop, along the lines of Stezo and Special Ed. With production by the legendary Paul C McKasty.... read more

Swamp Dogg's on the cover, riding a giant rat out of the ghetto – an image that definitely hints at some of the politics on the record! The album's one of Swamp's key classics from the early 70s – recorded at a time when he was still super-sharp – and when the character was a... read more

Swamp Dogg's on the cover, riding a giant rat out of the ghetto – an image that definitely hints at some of the politics on the record! The album's one of Swamp's key classics from the early 70s – recorded at a time when he was still super-sharp – and when the character was a... read more

We can remember a time when Keith Sweat records were pretty ubiquitous, but on vinyl at least, they're getting harder and harder to come by. This second album by Sweat may be largely commercial, but it's a solid affair all the way through, with Sweat turning in a consistently vibrant performance... read more

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The masterful debut of Television! Marquee Moon is indisputably one of best records to come out of late 70s NYC . It's truly a singular achievement – one of the few records that seems to be on every rock literati's list of the all-time-bests – and actually deserves every bit of praise... read more

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They may be one-album wonders – but Trussel were a strong group who cut this enduring soul classic at a fortunate time when Elektra was really trying to break into the modern soul market. The record's got a nice midtempo jazzy groove, augmented by production by Fred Wesley, and a sound that... read more

She's back, with another dose of ear candy for those of you who didn't get enough first time around. Timbaland's absent in the producer's seat, but the ghost of his sound is there as Missy Elliott lends a hand on most tracks, with a spare, heavily hip hop influenced vibe. We're not going to... read more

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One of the best ever records from Twennynine – produced and arranged by Lenny White & Larry Dunn– jazzy modern soul at it's dawn of the decade finest! Twennynine With Lenny White is way at the front of the pack of a lot of the 80s groove elements to follow in its wake – with... read more

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A killer side project from Roy Ayers – recorded right around the same time as the Ramp album, but with a different feel over all – proof that the Ayers empire was really exploding at the end of the 70s! The vibe here is quite similar to some of Roy's own albums over at Polydor –... read more

The landmark first album by this legendary 70s soul group – and one with a feel that's much different than their later work! The style here is much more strongly righteous than their sweeter soul of the mid 70s – with a pronounced gospel influence that focuses most strongly on the... read more

The great early double album from Tom Waits – getting into full on charismatic drunken bluesy poet mode – essentially working live in the studio, and embracing his wit and way with a sly monologue as brilliantly as he'd done to this point. Brilliant vintage waits and a loose, yet... read more

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A smooth smooth classic from Grover! Titles include "Winelight", "Let It Flow", "In The Name Of Love", "Take Me There", "Just The Two Of Us", and "Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba)".... read more

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An overlooked soulful gem from Michael White – one of his smoother albums, but with a tight sound that really makes the whole thing great! The set was produced by George Duke, and it's got the same feel as some of Duke's best work of the time – soaring, soulful, with a style that... read more

An overlooked soulful gem from Michael White – one of his smoother albums, but with a tight sound that really makes the whole thing great! The set was produced by George Duke, and it's got the same feel as some of Duke's best work of the time – soaring, soulful, with a style that... read more

Not only a great follow-up to the first Echoes Of An Era session, but also a standout 80s performance from Nancy Wilson – quite possibly her best of the decade! The setting is nice and laidback – a live date with a core combo that features Joe Henderson on tenor, Chick Corea on piano,... read more

An important early record from Yello – only a 4 track ep, but one that had a huge influence on modern dance! The standout cut here is "Bostich" – a great little track that's spare, electronic, and has snapping beats, catchy vocals, and this dark sound that fit perfectly with... read more

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Titles inlcude "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner", "Accidentally Like A Martyr", "Nighttime In The Switching Yard", "Tenderness On The Block", and "Veracruz".... read more

Recorded live at the Reggae Sunsplash festival in 1981, with a tremendous line up paying tribute to Bob Marley: Steel Pulse ("Sound System" & "Handsworth Revolution"), Rita Marley & I Threes, the Melody Makers & the Wailers, Eek A Mouse with the Wailers, Denis Brown... read more

Includes tracks by Uncle Willie's Brandy Snifters, John & Penny Cohen with Bob Mamis, Mother Bay State Entertainers, the Spontaneous String Band, Stu Jamieson's Boys, and others.... read more