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Ruthless Cali group gangsta from Above the Law – the first and probably their best LP! A benchmark – one of the planks on the bridge between the earlier efforts from NWA, Eazy E and the click and the later Dre & Snoop heyday. Livin' Like Hustlers has a few tracks produced by Dr... read more

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The beginning of an empire! This was the first solo album cut by the now-famous Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds – cut after years of work in the music business that included stints in the groups Manchild and The Deele, and lots of production work for other LA soul acts. The record's kind... read more

Hardbop albums don't get any better than this – and although drummer Dave Bailey only recorded for a brief stretch as a leader, this session's one that shows that he was a heck of a force to contend with! The record's got an intensity that easily rivals the best by Art Blakey over at Blue... read more

Heavy duty hardbop – and one of three amazing Epic sessions cut by drummer Dave Bailey! The set grooves as massively as his One and Two Feet In The Gutter albums – and is recorded with a similar lineup that includes Horace Parlan on piano, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Charlie Rouse on... read more

Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".... read more

Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".... read more

Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".... read more

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30s tenor sides from Chu Berry – packaged here in a nice 50s LP that mostly features work done with the Stompy Stevedores combo, but also includes sessions Chu cut with the bands of Cab Calloway and Teddy Wilson! The Berry style at this point is warm, but soulful – arcing out with some... read more

30s tenor sides from Chu Berry – packaged here in a nice LP that mostly features work done with the Stompy Stevedores combo, but also includes sessions Chu cut with the bands of Cab Calloway and Teddy Wilson! The Berry style at this point is warm, but soulful – arcing out with some of... read more

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One of the better early bossa albums by Bonfa, and one that doesn't have the sleepy quality that you find on some of his other records. Luiz' guitar is backed by a nice little combo, and the tracks have a lively rhythm, with occasional vocals, and some nice flute solos from time to time. The... read more

A surprisingly great album by Booker T – recorded after his Memphis years with The MGs, and his duets with Priscilla – and done in a sweetly mellow style that has Booker emerging as a whole new style of songwriter! As with all the post-MG albums, Booker sings lead vocals on all tracks... read more

A surprisingly great album by Booker T – recorded after his Memphis years with The MGs, and his duets with Priscilla – and done in a sweetly mellow style that has Booker emerging as a whole new style of songwriter! As with all the post-MG albums, Booker sings lead vocals on all tracks... read more

The classic debut! Tracks include "More Than A Feeling", "Peace Of Mind", "Hitch A Ride", "Smokin", "Let Me Take You Home Tonight", and "Foreplay/Long Time".... read more

The classic debut! Tracks include "More Than A Feeling", "Peace Of Mind", "Hitch A Ride", "Smokin", "Let Me Take You Home Tonight", and "Foreplay/Long Time".... read more

Classic work from Brick – a group who went onto become surprisingly successful during the 70s with a hot Atlanta blend of funky soul and uptempo club grooves. The group has a feel that would be taken up heavily a few years later by LA funk combos – particularly those on the Solar label... read more

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Remix features Big Pun, Wyclef, Charli Baltimore, and Silkk the Shocker.... read more

The second album by this great French funk collective! The album's tighter than the group's first one – with lots of wah-wah guitar jamming, spaced out production, and some excellent soul vocals that must have been some of the best recorded in Paris in the 70s! The whole thing sparkles like... read more

A mixture of folksy and jazzy vocals from singer Susan Carter – part of the Laurel Canyon scene of the late 60s! Although Susan was one of the "Ladies Of The Canyon", she's got a sound here that's much more wider-ranging than that of Joni Mitchell – a unique mixture of jazz... read more

A mixture of folksy and jazzy vocals from singer Susan Carter – part of the Laurel Canyon scene of the late 60s! Although Susan was one of the "Ladies Of The Canyon", she's got a sound here that's much more wider-ranging than that of Joni Mitchell – a unique mixture of jazz... read more

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A jazz rock classic that still sounds pretty darn tasty today – forged on the heels of Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears, but with a sound that's leaner and meaner! The group's led by trumpeter Bill Chase – hence their name – and features lead vocals by GG Shinn and Terry... read more

A jazz rock classic that still sounds pretty darn tasty today – forged on the heels of Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears, but with a sound that's leaner and meaner! The group's led by trumpeter Bill Chase – hence their name – and features lead vocals by GG Shinn and Terry... read more

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... read more

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A mighty run of classic fusion from Stanley Clarke – some of his biggest albums for Columbia Records, packaged here in mini LP-styled sleeves in a 6CD slipcase! The package is a great one – especially given that some of these records aren't easy to find on CD – and it traces the... read more

Time Exposure has a lot of 80s electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout. Titles include "Play The Bass '10", "Heaven Sent You", "Speedball", "Future Shock" and the great title track.... read more

A trio of funky electric albums from Stanley Clarke's mid 80s R&B years – 1984's Time Exposure, ''85's Find Out and '86's Hideaway – in a 2CD set! Time Exposure has a lot of 80s electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout. ... read more

The original 10 inch pressing of this great collection of singles, b-sides and various odds and ends, pulled together in the middle peak of the Clash's career! Black Market Clash holds up incredibly well – it's blazing stuff recorded from '77 to '80 and issued to start that decade. 9... read more

Some of the most dancefloor-oriented work the Clash ever recorded – and though "Rock The Casbah" may well have been the biggest hit ever by the group it's a darn catchy little tune with a Middle East theme that was kind of kitschy at the time, but more relevant than ever now! "... read more

Includes the songs "The Magnificent Seven", "Hitsville UK", "Junco Partner", "The Leader", "Police On My Back", "Midnight Log", "The Call Up", "Washington Bullets", "Broadway", "Rebel Waltz", "Lo... read more

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A wonderful album of mellow soul tracks! The record is Lou Courtney's masterpiece – and it's a jam-packed set filled with great tracks that rank right up there with classic 70s work by artists like Marvin Gaye, Leroy Hutson, or Leon Ware! Leon Pendarvis handled most of the arrangements... read more

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Aggro hip hop/noise rock from Death Grips – one of the more surprising major label pick ups in years! Includes "Get Got", "The Fryer", "Lost Boys", "Black Jack", "System Blower", "Hacker", "Bitch Please", "F***... read more

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Donovan at his jazzy best – really picking up where Mellow Yellow left off, and pushing the jazz influences in his sound to deeper lengths! Mr Leitch is a million miles away from his Dylanesque early roots on the set – and is working in territory that's completely his own – a... read more

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Easily one of the headiest Donovan albums of the 60s – a record that moves past the simple psychedelic pop of earlier hits, and into a range of mind-expanding themes and styles! There's a cerebral quality here that seems to take hold even on the simpler, catchier tunes – a deeply... read more

Easily one of Donovan's most successful albums – but also a brilliant blend of folk and jazz that forged a bold new sound in the 60s! Part of the strength of the set comes from arranger John Cameron – an artist that we love for his jazz and easy work of the late 60s, and who's working... read more

One of the grooviest albums of the 60s – and the first album in Donovan's legendary run with producer Mickie Most! The sound here is light years away from the heavy Dylan of Donovan's first recordings – and is steeped in eastern influences that sparkle in both the songwriting and... read more

One of Donovan's greatest albums! This LP is a perfect blend of pop psychedelia – complicated little songs that sum more in a short space than some of Donovan's contemporaries could do in a single album side. Nearly every cut on here is a tiny little 3 minute gem – and tunes include... read more

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... read more

A sweet bit of modern funk from George Duke – working here in a mode that's definitely tighter and more soul-based than his trippier albums of the early 70s – but also in a groove that's pretty darn sweet! George wonderfully blends together his jazz roots and some of the wider soul... read more

A sweet bit of modern funk from George Duke – working here in a mode that's definitely tighter and more soul-based than his trippier albums of the early 70s – but also in a groove that's pretty darn sweet! George wonderfully blends together his jazz roots and some of the wider soul... read more

One of the great ones from the end of the 70s for George Duke – a ridiculously fertile period for Duke, which is a great thing – because he closed out the decade on a wave of excellent releases! On Follow The Rainbow, George is grooving just a bit more smoothly than before, and it's... read more

A funky concept album from George Duke! Guardians Of The Light is a full-on "musical fantasy" – with the story line laid out in the liner notes, yet still a bit difficult to follow – but we can't fault him for that when it's done in his masterful R&B-fusion-funk approach!... read more

A late 70s classic from jazzy funk master George Duke! Master Of The Game is an excellent mix of jazz, smooth soul, and Latin riffing – really a perfect blend of styles that shows not only how far George's sound had progressed throughout the 70s, it also charts the development of the... read more

A late 70s classic from jazzy funk master George Duke! Master Of The Game is an excellent mix of jazz, smooth soul, and Latin riffing – really a perfect blend of styles that shows not only how far George's sound had progressed throughout the 70s, it also charts the development of the... read more

An underappreciated soul set from George Duke for Epic – his Rendezvous from '84 – an engagement worth keeping! Given the mid 80s release date, you might be expecting a whole lot of programming and drum machine action – there's a bit of it, but this is a really lively set with... read more

Strings are king in this rare set from guitarist Herb Ellis and jazz violinist Stuff Smith – a date that's possibly more on Stuff's side of the spectrum, but which comes during a short by great run of Ellis work for Epic in the early 60s! Tracks are longer than you might expect –... read more

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Bouncy, beat-heavy soul from Five Star – really stepping out strongly on this self-titled set! The music's nothing new, and very familiar to fans of mainstream soul at the time – but the group really serve things up with a stronger edge than on previous releases – handling much... read more

Sweet poppy soul from Five Star – moving strongly here on a set that's got lots of early 90s new jack elements – including a fair bit of beats that really work well with the group's trading of male and female vocals! Things are plenty catchy throughout – not the deepest soul you... read more

The title definitely gets things right – as the sound here is plenty darn explosive – a nicely gritty groove that's even more soulful than some of Herman Foster's early 60s work with Lou Donaldson! The group's a trio – with Earl May on bass and Grassella Oliphant on drums –... read more

A rare killer from pianist Herman Foster – a player best known for his work in Lou Donaldson groups of the early 60s – but who cut some great material on his own! This set's a trio date, with a really bluesy undercurrent – heavy left-hand piano from Foster, with bass from Earl... read more

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Damn soulful work from Erma Franklin – the lesser-known sister of Aretha and Carolyn Franklin, working here on 60s sides cut for the Epic and Shout labels! Most of the material here was only issued as singles back in the day – so the set's an essential full-length overview of Franklin's... read more

A rare album by one of the great geniuses of the jazz trombone (forget JJ and Kai, we love Curtis Fuller!) Tight hard group, with a distinct modern edge, and a striking front line of trombone, guitar, and piano. With Walter Bishop Jr., Jimmy Garrison, and Les Spann. The tracks sparkle and gleam... read more

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One of the instant classic Wu Tang solo projects – Ghostface Killah's essential, early peak Ironman – and a a record that stands strongly among the best hip hop albums of the its era! Produced by The RZA at a point in which it seemed there was little he could do wrong. An absolute... read more

One of the instant classic Wu Tang solo projects – Ghostface Killah's essential, early peak Ironman – and a a record that stands strongly among the best hip hop albums of the its era! Produced by The RZA at a point in which it seemed there was little he could do wrong. An absolute... read more

Ghostface's second full length – maybe the most worthwhile Wu solo project, and the best of all them since the first wave of the Wu. Ghost's flow is raw as hell, furious and re-energized, and so startlingly poetic that we were completely blown away. The guests seem to feed off this huge... read more

The first true moment of genius from the legendary Curt Boettcher – an early 60s folk-rock set that's already overflowing with the warm harmonies and creative arrangements of his later classics! The Goldebriars boast some incredible vocals in the duo of Sheri and Dottie Holmberg – both... read more

The second fab album from Curt Boettcher's legendary Goldebriars group – even dreamier and more unconventional than the first, and filled with beautiful harmony vocals! As on the group's debut, singers Dotti and Sheri Holmberg take the lead on most of the tunes – but Boettcher's also... read more

A surprisingly huge soundtrack from the 60s – thanks partly to the main title theme, which is a variation on the same "Amen" theme that Curtis Mayfield would make big with The Impressions! Most of the record is prime Jerry Goldsmith scoring, though – wonderful instrumentals... read more

An unlikely contender to the throne of king of electro, this early 80s effort from Eddie Grant helps to prop him up there quite nicely. Heavy synth driven grooves bubble along nicely with that crisp Linn Drum sound, and though this album benefited from some wider pop appeal, there's more than a... read more

The coolest grooves we've ever heard from percussionist Henri Guedon – a really wonderful blend of Latin, Caribbean, and jazz-based influences – all filtered into a very special sound! There's plenty of percussion at the core, but there's also some sweet keyboards too – used... read more

The coolest grooves we've ever heard from percussionist Henri Guedon – a really wonderful blend of Latin, Caribbean, and jazz-based influences – all filtered into a very special sound! There's plenty of percussion at the core, but there's also some sweet keyboards too – used... read more

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One of Slide Hampton's greatest records of all time – a totally hip batch of tracks recorded with a large group that reminds us of some of Max Roach's ensembles of the early 60s! No surprise, Roach is a key part of the album – pounding away with frenzy on Hampton's 5-part "Drum... read more

Easily one of the best albums by Sugarcane Harris – thanks largely to Johnny Otis, who produced and arranged the set with the same messed-up, genre-crossing style of his own work! Given that Harris both played electric violin and sung in a raunchy bluesy style, it would take a genius like... read more

Essential work from one of England's greatest jazz players! Tubby Hayes is one of our favorite-ever tenor players – and although it's hard to describe just why he's so great, let's just say that we could put him up on a stage next to Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, and guess that Tubby... read more

A great album that Brit tenor giant Tubby Hayes recorded on a trip to the U.S. during the early 60's. The set's a great batch of hard bop tracks recorded during the same time that Epic was doing great stuff like the Dave Bailey LPs, or some of the Charlie Rouse solo records. Dave Bailey's on... read more

Killer soul from Heatwave – a tight little group who definitely made the UK proud at the end of the 70s! The album's a bit more obscure than the group's first few, but the sound is very much the same – a warmly grooving approach that's neither too disco, nor too sleepy – always... read more

The second album by Heatwave – and a great effort that's almost as perfectly sublime as the first! Despite their UK origin, these guys really give American late 70s soul a run for its money – hitting in a sweetly compressed sound that fuses the vocals, keyboards, and grooves together... read more

Man, these guys never seem to miss – and always come up with some great little tunes that snap along in a really compelling way! This album might be easy to overlook in favor of the band's bigger classics, but it's a stone winner all the way through – with a number of tunes that groove... read more

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A killer album of crossover soul from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul... read more

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Post-Labelle solo work from Nona Hendryx – and a set that very much shows that she's the one who brought all the raw funky power to the group! Unlike Patti Labelle's work from the same time, which was getting smoother and classier, Nona's work here is almost in the vein of rock music –... read more

An excellent collection of early work recorded under Johnny Hodges' name in the early years – sessions from 1938 and 1939, issued here on LP format in the mid 50s under LP format, with a nice cover by William Steig! The tracks are a great assortment of small group numbers that focus on... read more

An excellent album that features late 30s recordings by some of Duke Ellington's most famous sidemen! The groups on most of these are fairly similar – mostly small group sessions from the larger Ellington outfit – pulled out in ways that give a strong focus on the solo talents of the... read more

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One of the most starkly beautiful recordings in Paul Horn's career – with spiritually resonant, almost spine tingling solo flute and some chants, all recorded in the Taj Majal one day in April of 1968! It's really all about the atmosphere, as it would have to be given the location –... read more

Some of Bobbi Humphrey's greatest work of the post-Blue Note years – an album that's filled with soulful fusion tunes throughout, all with a great focus on her funky flute! Bobbi also sings a bit on the set, but in a way that's pretty darn great – wonderfully sweet at times, with a bit... read more

Some of Bobbi Humphrey's greatest work of the post-Blue Note years – an album that's filled with soulful fusion tunes throughout, all with a great focus on her funky flute! Bobbi also sings a bit on the set, but in a way that's pretty darn great – wonderfully sweet at times, with a bit... read more

A great mix of heavy funk and sweeter ballads from the Isley Brothers – and a record that's filled with two-part tracks that really let them stretch out and groove! The tunes have a bit more bass and keyboards than before – an approach that's even more electric than Isley funk of a few... read more

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too... read more

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too... read more

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too... read more