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Spiritually and politically charged hip hop from Brother Ali – fueled by funky soul-styled production from Jake One! Ali has long been one of the stronger MCs when it comes to balancing strident and socially cognizant lyricism, and he's at his best here – and working with producer who... read more

Ahhh. . . Nice! Wonderful intelligent, spiritual rhymes, full of Islamic prayer references, blunt antagonist rhymes, a battle with the ugliest of inner demons and broken artist poverty all hugged by catchy bouncing hook filled choruses. And all the production is handled by Ant, a true autuer akin... read more

Smooth ensemble funk – somewhere between Earth Wind & Fire and Average White Band – not bad on the vocals, which are mostly sung harmony style, but lacking a bit of an edge on the grooves, which never really seem to catch. Titles include "Top 40 Band", "Soul... read more

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One of the youngest groups of the zydeco wave of the 70s – and one of the grooviest too! The group's got a solid swing and sense of soul that goes beyond most of their contemporaries – almost a deeper current of blues at most points, especially in the guitar – and even in some of... read more

Blam is right – an all-out batch of funky tracks from The Brothers Johnson – captured here right in the middle of their classic period with Quincy Jones! The Q's at the helm on production for the set, and the record's a great extension of their earlier efforts with the man – but... read more

Bass heavy funk from the Brothers Johnson and Quincy Jones. This track was the heavier b-side to their "Strawberry Letter 23" single, but is issued here as a double a-side promo, and while not as completely sublime as that track, it's a mighty commercial funk groove in its own right!... read more

Smooth jazzy soul from the Brothers – still sounding wonderful at this point, producing themselves for the record, and using the best parts of all those lessons they learned from Quincy Jones! The bass is a bit down in the mix for this album – a good move, considering that 1981 was... read more

Smooth jazzy soul from the Brothers – still sounding wonderful at this point, producing themselves for the record, and using the best parts of all those lessons they learned from Quincy Jones! The bass is a bit down in the mix for this album – a good move, considering that 1981 was... read more

A full performance from the 2011 Wels Festival curated by Peter Brotzmann – starring his crucial Chicago Tentet – a modern-day supergroup of giants of avant jazz! The lineup features saxes from Brotzmann, Ken Vandermark, and Mats Gustafsson – plus trumpet from Joe McPhee,... read more

The title sounds like an old R&B song from the 50s, but the album's a searing collaboration between three of the boldest improvisers in 70s European jazz – Peter Brotzmann on reeds, Harry Miller on bass, and Louis Moholo on drums! Although Miller and Moholo can have warmer moments when... read more

A heavy-duty, lavishly-illustrated ode to the art of Louis Armstrong! It's not a biography – but a beautiful, 250+ page collection of photographs, movie stills, Satchmo's own hand-written letters, collage art and more! It's been put together by Steven Brower, with a forward by Hilton Als... read more

Breakout brilliance from Bobby Brown – the album that really showed the world he could stand on his own strongly after leaving New Edition! Given the tight production from LA & Babyface, among others, the sound here is hardly cruel – and instead, the album's got a catchily... read more

A swirling blend of soul, funk, and jazzy grooves – and a super-rare album that we've never seen in the original! Supposedly, backing on the record is by the British Afro-Funk group Assagai – which sounds right to us, because there's a nice rolling conga groove on many of the tracks. ... read more

Features very early work with Chris Powell & His Blue Flames – on "Ida Red" and "I Come From Jamaica" – plus 3 longer Philly sides from 1956, with Billy Root on tenor and Sam Dockery on piano – on titles that include "Walkin", "Donna Lee"... read more

Early 50s material recorded by the late Clifford Brown – issued here in a classic "memorial" package slightly after his death in 1956! And while Brown never recorded much for Prestige – and never really as a leader – these sides are still a great example of his... read more

A classic "with strings" session from Clifford Brown – nearly as well-done and perfect as some of Charlie Parker's sides for Verve, handled here with perhaps a slightly sweeter touch, as Neal Hefti's the man on arrangements. The core group's the Brown/Roach combo, augmented by a... read more

Seminal west coast recordings by Clifford Brown – recorded in LA in 1954, with a mixture of hard bop and lyricism, in that sparkling mode that Brownie left as his indelible imprint on the west coast scene of the 50s! Players include Bob Gordon on baritone, Stu Williamson on trombone, Zoot... read more

Brilliant work by the team of Clifford Brown and Max Roach – a seminal hardbop album that was one of the few to bridge the east and west coast scenes! The set was recorded in LA under the joint leadership of Brown and Roach – and features the classic quintet lineup that included Harold... read more

A beautiful package of work from trumpeter Clifford Brown – his complete Emarcy master takes for work with three key singers in the 50s – Helen Merrill, Sarah Vaughan, and Dinah Washington! Brown's trumpet has a fluid, soulful style that's easily one of the most modern of the time... read more

Not west coast, but "best coast" jazz – a prime example of the way the Clifford Brown/Max Roach team helped to cook up the intensity of the LA scene of the 50s by infusing it with a bit of New York fire! The album takes off in the extended mode of Clifford's All Stars album –... read more

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Damn, is this a great record! The album's not only one of the best blacksploitation soundtracks ever recorded, it's also one of James Brown's funkiest outings of the early 70s! Nearly every cut's a winner, and James gets some very funky help from The JBs, who groove hard on the best instrumental... read more

A killer funky number from the late King years – hard, fast, and with an instrumental intensity that's hardly been matched since – and presented here in classic fashion – with 3 parts!... read more

A stone classic from Brother James – a wonderful 60s album build around the incredible track "Cold Sweat", served up here in a massive two-part version, and surrounded by a good range of material that really show James in a great variety of styles! The Godfather's vocals burst out... read more

A darn hard to find album by James – one with a tight soulful R&B groove that just about never lets up! Even on these early albums, James had a great raw sound, with a kind of funk that wasn't his trademark 70s sound, but which is still nice and tasty. Titles include "Shout &... read more

One of the few James Brown 12" singles ever, and a rare promo issue that features 2 cuts from James' Jam/1980s LP. Both cuts have an uptempo funk sound, and "The Spank" is a pretty decent attempt by James to capture the modern dancefloor.... read more

A great double-length album from James – filled with a wide range of cuts that are brought together only by his genius, creating an insane mix of grooves that's totally entertaining throughout! Features a long version of "Get On The Good Foot", plus other excellent bits like "T... read more

James Brown screams at the beginning of the record – "I'm Back! I'm Back!" – which is his proclamation that he was ready to take on a whole new generation of funk music – grooving with a new sound that was guaranteed to hit as big as it did in earlier years! The... read more

A great little album by James Brown – and very different than his other work! He cut this one with the groovy Dee Felice Trio – a jazz-based combo that he recorded on their own for King, on another very rare, very excellent record. The band's in similar form here, although not... read more

Part two's of two great James Brown tracks! "Gittin' A Little Hipper" is one of our favorite instrumentals from JB late 60's period, and it's got a great rolling groove to it, with a very tasty sax solo by Pee Wee! "Let A Man Come In" is a real stormer from James, and one that... read more

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... read more

A real killer from James Brown – and one of his most open-ended LPs of the early 70s! The record's got tracks that kind of go a lot further than those on many of James' other albums (except maybe Payback, which has loads of long cuts) – and it includes an extended 9 minute reading of... read more

A great lost album from James Brown – and totally funky! The record's got a super-hip cover that shows James standing in a blue room with three fine foxy ladies, and the words "I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me" are emblazoned across the top – and the whole thing's as... read more

Shouting storming uptempo funk from JB – and a track that really hints at his work at the end of the 70s! The cut screams dancefloor all over the place – and believe us, when James has bugs in his pants, he sure knows how to scream! Plus, this single also includes the oddly-numbered... read more

Funky funky funky! A nice one on King that shows the direction James Brown would take in the 70s – a bit harder and more funky than before, with even more of a focus on the instrumental talents of the ensemble! The band here is super-sharp – playing with that tightly focused, highly... read more

Quite possibly THE James Brown album of the mid 60s – a solid set of hard-grooving tracks, based around the monster title hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)"! The tune's one of those numbers that has been used a gajillion times over the years in commercials and promos – but which... read more

Quite possibly THE James Brown album of the mid 60s – a solid set of hard-grooving tracks, based around the monster title hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)"! The tune's one of those numbers that has been used a gajillion times over the years in commercials and promos – but which... read more

Funky! This oft-overlooked funky number features James shouting "pick up on this" a few times at the beginning – no instrumentation, just shouted vocals, in a great way that's excellent for dropping into a mix! The groove is in that bouncy style he was using in the 75/76 years,... read more

Both tracks are very nice, and the single is an excellent example of James at his strongest in the 60's. "If I Ruled The World" is a beautiful ballad soul cut, infused with the kind of subtle politics that James used before hitting his more radical days. "I Got The Feelin" has... read more

James Brown, proud and loud – a smoking 60s album that provides a great link between his earlier styles and his freer roots – with a brilliant blend of funk, soul, and a touch of raw R&B! Given the power of The Godfather at this point, there's no denying that even the older cuts... read more

A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out... read more

Further genius from James Brown at the start of the 70s – a record that's starting to show some of the more open-ended grooves he'd explore with the JBs on their own albums – longer, stretched-out tracks that are way more than simple funk and soul! There's a sense of freewheeling... read more

At the end of the 70s, James was combatting the disco movement by forging his own brand of dancefloor music – a super-heavy fusion of straight-on funk, but with a more up-tempo twist and extended in a style to compete with some of the hit 12" singles being issued at the time. This album... read more

One of the stranger James Brown albums from the 60s! The record is one of the only vocal albums he cut for the Smash label – and it was issued during a time when James was strangely contracted to two labels – King and Smash. His dual contract situation was that he couldn't record any... read more

An undisputed groover! The track's a killer uptempo one from James' later years on King – and it's got this amazing beat that snaps along at a full deep stride. Very nice stuff, and the kind of tight grooving that would show up later in his work with the JBs – done here earlier, with... read more

Great reissue of James' second set of tracks recorded live at the famous Apollo Theatre! We like this one way better than volume one, and find it to be a much heftier set of tracks – with a stunning array of sheer raw showmanship. This one's in a 2 LP format, with lots more room for The... read more

A late 70s effort from James, perhaps not as all out funkdafied as the rest of that era's output, but not a total sleeper either, with a few pretty darn funky moments. Includes the tasty cut "If You Don't Give a Doggone About It", done with the JBs, one that has a nice choppy "Doin... read more

Excellent funk from the JBs! The single – featuring parts 3 and 4 of the track – is a perfect example of the "party" style that James would use in the studio. Side one cuts right into the band, who've clearly already been jamming for a few minutes before the record starts. ... read more

Here's where things really started getting interesting for James Brown! The album was issued right around the same time as James' single "Out Of Sight" on Smash – and like that track, "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" was one of the first to use that "instruments on the... read more

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... read more

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... read more

Nice stuff from James! "Public Enemy" is a wonderful track, with a long spoken monologue that shows a great side of James' progressive ideas. Nice message about heroin, and a good backing with a mellow feel. "I Got A Bag Of My Own" is pretty nice too – a fast funky cut... read more

One of the last great albums from James Brown! Not as totally sublime as Payback or some of the others from the 70s – but James is still working here with Fred Wesley and Dave Matthews – and many of the cuts retain the funk of a few years past. Case in point is the sublime "Funky... read more

Subtitled "Live At the Apollo Vol 3", but waaay better than any of the earlier volumes, this monster 2LP live set has James and the JB's wailing away in a freewheeling live set of hard hard hard funky grooves. Excellent work by the band, and a great way to see how sharp they were out of... read more

Subtitled "Live At the Apollo Vol 3", but waaay better than any of the earlier volumes, this monster 2LP live set has James and the JB's wailing away in a freewheeling live set of hard hard hard funky grooves. Excellent work by the band, and a great way to see how sharp they were out of... read more

A bomb! The title of this one says it all – a burning anthem of pride and power, issued in 1969, at the end of one of the most troubling decades in America. James answers all the Uncle Tom cries from his critics – and comes up with "Say It Loud", an instant chant that was... read more

James Brown cooking it live – recorded (as the cover says) "live at home in Augusta, Georgia with his bad self"! The groove here is a nice extension of earlier Apollo modes – one that shows the increasing funkiness of the James Brown Band, captured with a raw power that few... read more

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One of the wilder James Brown instrumental LPs from the late King period. The James Brown Band is fronted by a heavy fuzzy guitar sound, which gives the LP a sort of rock-break feel, with nice fuzzy electric tones. All tracks are by James and Dave Matthews, and the record is sort of a second... read more

Easily one of the funkiest albums that James Brown ever recorded – and one of his few entries into the blacksploitation genre of the 70s! James really outdid himself for this one – working at a hard burning pace that had the JBs cooking up some killer funk for just about every number... read more

Easily one of the funkiest albums that James Brown ever recorded – and one of his few entries into the blacksploitation genre of the 70s! James really outdid himself for this one – working at a hard burning pace that had the JBs cooking up some killer funk for just about every number... read more

A rare TK Records effort from James Brown – very much in the best uptempo funk mode of the later Polydor years! The groove here is quite similar to those better-known efforts – grooves that are a bit quicker than a few years before, but still played in a core JB funky style –... read more

One of James' best, and a killer funky track with a great riff by the JBs! Both parts are excellent, and the track never stops grooving! The 45 mix is different than the LP, too!... read more

Super Bad is right! This is hard-hitting funky James – from the badass cover right down to the extended tracks on the record, which point the way towards the hard live jamming of the classic Payback years! Everything wonderful is in place on the set – from the band's grooves at the... read more

The cover says it all: a painting of James, kicking back on a couch with a disco Godfather outfit on, while two topless girls dance in front of him – clearly, the old days are past! Still, despite this trashy effort to be a clubtime player, James still manages to funk things up a bit –... read more

One of James Brown's earliest full albums for King Records – and a set that kicks off with his monstrous reworkin of the tune "Think" – originally recorded by the Five Royales, but recast here by James as the blueprint for all the funky goodness in years to come! That track... read more

A slammin' set of heavy R&B numbers from James Brown – combined in here with some other nice tracks from King Records artists of the time! The set almost has the same feeling as some of the James Brown Show albums – in that James is presented with other hard-hitting artists of his... read more

Later stuff from the JBs and James, but still pretty good! "If You Don't Give" is a remake of an earlier track, done here with slightly more modern production.... read more

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A range of essays on the music, influence, and cultural significance of the late John Coltrane – easily one of the key forces to have shaped our taste here at Dusty Groove! The book offers a number of differing perspectives, some with an academic tone, some a bit more political – and... read more

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An unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful lineage of avant talent in the 60s, stated boldly here, given Brown's amazing talent on the record! The album's filled with hard, soulful... read more

Quite obscure later work from Maxine – done in a style that's partly like her classic uptown soul work for Wand, but which also has some more down-home and rootsy moments – in an approach that was clearly intended to make her come across as more of a hard soul singer! Arrangements are... read more

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Author Mick Brown chronicles the fascinating, tragic world of the Phil Spector – the most fascinating figure in American pop music history – thanks to both his unrivaled genius and artistry, his fabled reclusiveness and ultimately, real life crime noir tragedy. From his epic work with... read more

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The first ever album from smoothly soulful jazz guitarist Norman Brown – produced by Norman Connors, and a really nice, tight set that stands up as a shining example of what smooth jazz could and should have been in the early 90s! The tight sound and the crisp, clean production is near... read more

After starting his career out with his funky group The Organizers, Odell Brown moved into a phase where he would act as the lead soloist in front of larger funky groups – like the one that appears on this record. The band was put together by Gene Barge, and they have a great soulful Cadet... read more

The first LP by this stormin' organ jazz combo from Chicago, featuring the great Odell Brown on organ, Artee (Duke) Payne on alto, and Thomas Purvis on tenor. Includes loads of great tracks, like their originals "Enchilada Joe", "Raising the Roof", and "A Cool... read more

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One of the last albums ever from the legendary Oscar Brown Jr – a set that features the famous vocalist working with daughter Maggie Brown – in a setting that's one of the most jazz-based that Oscar's used in years! Backing us by a hip small combo – and Oscar brings a hell of a... read more

Oscar Brown's score for a hip play that he wrote (one of his many plays!) – performed by him, Sivuca, and Jean Pace. Despite the "show" quality of the material, this actually stands simply as a great Oscar Brown Jr. LP, and the production is nice and intimate, and sounds just like... read more

Oscar Brown moves into a funky 70s mode – working here with some great soul-based arrangements by Chicago soul legend Richard Evans! There's lots of funky clavinet grooving on the record by Tennyson Stephens and Marvin Yancy – and other players include Chess/Cadet session groovers,... read more

A sweet bit of funky jazz vocals from Oscar Brown Jr – recorded during his early 70s stay at Atlantic Records, in a style that's very different than his early work! The tracks are all still original numbers by Oscar – penned with that clever bad-rapping approach to the lyrics that... read more

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Surprisingly nice work from Peter Brown – a groover who still managed to hit on all burners after his early years at TK Records! Brown's definitely got a crossover feel here – clubby rhythms, but topped with vocals that belie his look on the front – and which, along with the... read more

Get down with the sound of Peter Brown – one of the funkiest white cats on the Miami soul scene of the 70s! Peter originally hailed from the Chicago area, but he got the call down to Miami with his classic club groover "Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me" – a compelling blend of... read more

Sweet 80s disco from Peter Brown – proof that man still wants to get funky, even after most of his contemporaries had long left the dancefloor! The style here is as compellingly crossover as before – lots of lively rhythms that percolate with pop-inflected hooks – soul at the... read more

The second album from disco superstar Peter Brown – and a batch of tracks that's a bit less clubby than before! Brown's emerging here more as a fully-fledged pop singer in his own right – showing at least a bit of confidence by putting himself on the front cover this time around, even... read more

Many years after his huge club hit "Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me?", but still a nice club groover, with more of an 80s jazzy feel and some nice production assistance from Jellybean Benitez.... read more

A sweet, smooth stepper from the great Randy Brown – and a record that's got the same sublime mix of mellow grooves and earthy vocals that you might find on some of Tyrone Davis' best late 70s work for Columbia! Tunes are all plenty darn fresh – written by the team of Homer Banks and... read more