All Categories -- Recently Added  

Massively heavy sounds from A Bolha -- a Brazilian group who were previously known as The Bubbles, and backed up Gal Costa during the Tropicalia years -- but who work here in a fuzzy, bassy groove that's totally great -- definitely an heir to the headier sounds of the UK scene at the start of the... read more

Garage galore from The A-Bones -- one of the few groups who manage to get a sound like this right on the money -- with a searing edge that never fails to grab our ears! The approach here is stark, simple, and plenty darn effective -- plenty of raspy guitar and keyboard lines, driven by rattletrap... read more

A tremendous debut from Ace Spectrum -- a harmony quartet who never cracked the charts as much as some of their east coast contemporaries, but who were every bit as great as the bigger names on the east coast scene! The album's got a soaring sound that's strongly influenced by Philly, but recorded... read more

An obscure soul group, but a great one -- equally at home with a fragile harmony tune as they were with more uptempo groovers for the dancefloor! This one and only album from Act One is a perfect illustration of the best two sides of the east coast indie soul scene of the early 70s -- because some... read more

Rootiser material than usual for Prelude -- recorded with a mix of southern soul and modern groove styles, a great platform for the vocals of Gayle Adams, one of the label's best singers! A few numbers are definitely aimed at the dancefloor -- like the moogy groover "Love Fever",... read more

Wonderful work from one of the most compelling players on the Chicago scene of the past few years -- vibist Jason Adasiewicz, a player whose sound is really taking the instrument one step further in its evolution! The group here features some equally fresh-voiced Chicago talents too -- Josh Berman... read more

The second album from Chicago vibist Jason Adasiewicz and his Rolldown group -- giving us some of the best vibes-led jazz in years! The group features players from the Chicago scene that are truly at the forefront of an exciting wave of modern jazz in the city, and anywhere else on the planet --... read more

... read more

Originally, this set was issued as a double LP in the early 70s, pulling together sides Cannonball cut for Riverside and Capitol, but the set was subsequently split into 2 separate volumes, and this is the first of those. Touching on the many styles Adderley played throughout his career, though... read more

A great lost chapter in the Cannonball/David Axelrod story! The record features Cannon's classic quintet performing some longer, more serious works with orchestral backing -- and the sound is vaguely similar to some of Axelrod's "high concept" work for Capitol. The record features a... read more

One of Cannonball Adderley's late funky sessions for Fantasy -- and a record that still features some mighty heavy production from David Axelrod! The album's got that core groove that Axe and Cannon first crafted together at Capitol in the 60s -- but the sound here has some definite 70s touches... read more

A landmark album -- even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis -- and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to... read more

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... read more

... read more

Afro Funk from the New York scene -- served up by a combo who've taken Fela's inspiration to great new levels! The sound here definitely has roots in the grooves first grown in the 70s -- heavy percussion, hard-rolling rhythms, and a brace of horns soaring over the top -- tight on the head... read more

A look at the guest list of Alchemist's Chemical Warfare album will let you know how far reaching the respect is for Alc's brand of hip hop beatcraft -- featuring a who's who of legends and stars of the underground and mainstream territories -- including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kool G Rap, KRS-One,... read more

... read more

... read more

An excellent modern jazz set from tenor sax titan Eric Alexander -- who has truly grown into one of the best players of his generation -- and a killer set for the High Note label! There's always these, "whoa," moments on Alexander's records, where he's rolling along with an effective... read more

One of the lost funky albums on Flying Dutchman -- and a real tough one to find! Harold Alexander plays great flute and soprano sax, and he's joined by Neal Creque, who lays down some excellent soulful piano grooves on this live set from 1972. The record has only 3 tracks -- but they're all... read more

... read more

A fantastic bit of spacey soul -- and an amazing collaboration between the Mizell Brothers and vocalist Rance Allen! The set's quite different than Rance's earlier, rootsier work for Stax -- and instead has the soaring, joyous quality of some of the other great Mizell productions from the time on... read more

A beautiful mix of gospelly soul and heavy Memphis production -- and the kind of heavy soul album that made Rance Allen one of Stax's best new artists during the 70s! David Porter produced and arranged, and the album has some great electric keyboard work by Rance that provides a perfect... read more

A real back to basics set from Tony Allen -- much more strongly in his Afro Funk groove of the late 70s than other recent work, and recorded in Lagos with an earthy approach that's totally great! All the experiments and odd flourishes of recent sets have been stripped away -- and Allen returns... read more

Bossa guitar, dreamy orchestrations, and a wonderful American take on the Brazilian sound of the 60s -- served up with sparkling Capitol Records production in a set that's easily one of the greatest by guitarist Laurindo Almeida! Almeida's guitar is matched here with some lightly jazzy backings... read more

A whole new level of genius for Herb Alpert -- a record that's light years away from his earlier work with the Tijuana Brass, and which has the trumpeter stepping strongly into the world of smooth jazzy fusion! The title track here went platinum the minute it was released -- and became an end-of-th... read more

A fantastic album from Gerald Alston -- a tribute to the mighty Sam Cooke, but one that's sung with lots of Alston's own charm as well! We're normally not big fans of tribute sets like this, but the setting turns out to be a perfect one for Gerald -- a batch of classic tunes, recorded with a... read more

An uplifting blend of laidback, percolating spacey soul & jazz atmosphere with direct, resonant vocals from Michelle Amador! The sound is a mix of live instrumentation and programmed elements, and it's a natural synthesis -- and Michelle has the voice that works just as well in mellow club... read more

Ameega's a contemporary soul singer, but one with a real love for an 80s groove -- as you'll hear in this sweet second set! Amiga Lobo's the vocalist, arranger, and producer here -- and his groove is totally great -- a very authentic mix of beats, basslines, and keyboards that conjures up the best... read more

Gene Ammons gets the Cannonball Adderley treatment -- as he blows funky solos over an album arranged and conducted by David Axelrod, with a larger, fuller funky sound than some of his earlier work for Prestige! The overall sound's a bit smoother, but Axelrod's edge is still quite sharp, and the... read more

Dang! Poor Gene Ammons kept getting stuck with albums that had titles which referenced his prison time! Fortunately, the quality of this one's good enough to live past the stupid name -- and the record has Gene blowing with a larger group of west coast soul jazz players, arranged by Bobby Bryant,... read more

The first-ever issue of material recorded in Chicago in 1962 -- a rare session by pianist Dodo Marmarosa, one that was to be his last on earth! Dodo's working with a trio that includes Sam Jones on bass and Marshall Thompson on drums -- in a sad, almost bluesy style that's a wonderful maturation... read more

An incredible meeting of talents -- one we never would have expected in a million years, but which comes off beautifully throughout! The spacey genius of Amp Fiddler meets the Jamaican grooves of Sly & Robbie -- in a blend that's breathtaking -- one that takes all of Amp's crackling energy,... read more

Great LA soul jazz session featuring the deep Texas tenor of Curtis Amy and the funky organ of Paul Bryant! Also present is Roy Brewster, the great, under-recorded LA valve trombonist, whose playing here gives the session a nice round bottom. 5 long cuts, with earthy, bluesy solos, and a very... read more

Anacostia make the move to Tabu Records for this sweet second set -- and they seem to have picked up more of a groove along the way! The same elements as before are firmly in place here -- production by Charles Kipps, with supervision from Van McCoy -- but the groove is a bit more focused, in ways... read more

A mysterious blend of funky edits and vocal samples -- credited as "Anagram Jam"! The a-side takes a pulpy, fuzzed out psych funk guitar bit of a funk beat -- underneath a recognizable comedy figure's funky take on the alphabet! Side 2 takes a different bath, into Bollywood sample funk,... read more

Soulful house from the Ananda Project -- a nice blend of styles that works together well. Sensuous, slinky, and deeply grooving -- in the manner of recent work from Naked Music, and other leading lights on the NYC scene! Titles include "In", "Glory Glory", "Straight... read more

... read more

One of the few albums ever cut by singer Mildred Anderson -- a bluesy vocalist, but one with a strong touch of jazz as well! The format of this record really helps bring out the jazzier side of Mildred's music -- as it features small combo backing, with work from players that include Al Sears on... read more

A massive collaboration between Horace Andy and Ashley Beedle -- a well-titled second set in Strut's Inspiration series, and one that brings both artists into some really fresh, new territory! Andy handles most of the vocals, and Beedle's working rhythms that are somewhat in his Black Science... read more

An upbeat groover from 60s Brazil -- a highly percussive album that features work by Wilson Das Neves and Rubens Bassini! The record is an unusual one, in that it mixes the bossa harmony sound of groups like Tamba Trio or Os Cariocas with a harder, more percussive sound that owes something to the... read more

Two break-heavy groovers -- one selected by The Judge, the other by David Holmes! "Flight 2" has a really rattling style of percussion -- skittish drums underneath a darker, rumbling sort of instrumentation -- peppered with some odd guitar bits, blown-out vocal samples, and other... read more

A pretty huge, innovative step for Beans, Priest and Sayyid! Arrhythmia is all about the sound, and on that level it's a near masterpiece. Completely futuristic electronic washes are the trademark of the record -- the rhymes are for the most part laid back and part of the scenery. That's not to... read more

The most outwardly political album to date from Antibalas -- and quite possibly the funkiest one too! The set's got the group really grooving hard in their 70s Afro Funk-inspired vein -- jamming at a level that would make Fela Kuti blush -- working together with a fierce array of percussion, horns... read more

Apache's best track by far. A funny update of Bonnie & Clyde with the theme of male/female gangster equality! Produced by A Tribe Called Quest.... read more

First, we'll confess, we've been in love with the Aqua Teens since first stumbling upon it, bleary-eyed, on latenight cable tee vee a bunch of years ago. OK, with that said, take with however many grains of salt our word that this is the absolute funniest comedy Christmas album we've heard in... read more

Righteous soul, but with a wicked groove too -- a killer set from Aquarian Dream, made even better by some great Norman Connors production! In a way, Aquarian Dream were to Norman Connors what Ramp were to Roy Ayers -- in that the group wasn't really that dominated by Connors, but they did benefit... read more

Benchmark 80s electro -- and also part of the blueprint for the sound of west coast hip hop -- the groundbreaking work of Arabian Prince! Perhaps one of the most overlooked innovators of the west coast scene, Arabian Prince played an integral role in shaping the LA hip-hop sound, from the early... read more

Rootsy Brazilian jazz -- done Italian style! At one level, the group's a free-thinking assemblage that takes us back to the glory days of the Airto/Flora years -- working in an earthy style that has lots of organic touches, yet which also rises out of the ground with a strongly jazzy vibe. But at... read more

A bunch of mixes of Arrested Development's big single from '90 -- with that sureshot Sly Stone groove.... read more

A great 80s groove track, with a sound reminiscent of Arrington's best work with Slave, with a pumping midtempo groove.... read more

2 classics by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- back to back on one CD! At the time they were taking Paris by storm, the Art Ensemble recorded these brilliant albums -- both of which are some of their strongest early work, far more well-formed than any of their individual expressions recorded earlier... read more

A rare treasure from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- recorded as a supposed third album for Atlantic records in 1974, but unissued for years until the group released it on their own! The session is a live one, recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival -- and features the unique addition of Muhal... read more

A rare effort by the excellent Chicago vocal group -- with some tasteful strings in the mix this time out -- bring a sophisticated soul approach to their indelible vocals! The 1967 album features a tight rendition of the band's signature sweet/sour style -- perhaps with a bit more emphasis on the... read more

One of the grooviest records ever -- a sublime blend of African percussion, soulful orchestrations, and Dorothy Ashby's amazing electric harp! By the time of this landmark album, Dorothy had been knocking around the jazz world for a number of years, but it wasn't until she hooked up with Richard... read more

One of the grooviest Dorothy Ashby albums of the 60s -- a set that has her already-great jazz work on harp backed by Chicago soul arrangements from Richard Evans -- all in a blend that's somewhere in the territory of the Soulful Strings, but even groovier! And as an added bonus, Odell Brown even... read more

Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby -- a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam -- one of the forces guiding Dorothy's... read more

Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson's first album for Warner Brothers, and a real lost sleeper with a mellow soul approach that's really great! The album's got a style that might even be called a bit rootsy, kind of an intimate LA soul groove, with simple and elegant backings, and excellent but not... read more

Killer 70s grooves from Pakistan -- one of the weirdest soundtracks you'll ever hope to hear -- and an unusual blend of Indian influences, space-age electronics, and more! Most of the cuts here are heavy on guitar -- sometimes fuzzy and freaked out, sometimes played with a bit more of a sprightly... read more

... read more

Walloping funky soul from Kylie Auldist! "It's On" has a JBs inspired funk sound, but Kylie's resonant vocals have more of a mod soul groove than a piercing, raw funk vibe -- giving it a really nice balance! "Made Of Stone" is as hard grooving as any number we've heard from... read more

A relatively recent set from Patti Austin, but a great one too -- an album that has her working in warmly jazzy arrangements that are much more restrained than her soul work of a few years before! There's a relaxed, easygoing feel to the set -- one that's somewhat smooth, as you might expect from... read more

One of David Axelrod's oddest records, but still a darn great one! The whole album is sort of a concept album about slavery (hence the title "The Auction"), and it has some spiritual political vocals on a number of tracks -- but underneath is the usual great funky instrumentation of... read more

A great little album from Roy Ayers' early years with Polygram -- often overlooked amidst some of the bigger records in the catalog, but a very soulful set that's got some wonderful funky numbers! There's a really jazzy feel going on here -- Roy's nod back to his older roots in music, touched with... read more

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The... read more

Seminal early funk work from Roy Ayers! The record catches him at that perfect point when he was turning from a straight jazz player into a sinister force in 70s funk -- and the group on the session includes super-hip soul jazz giants like Charles Tolliver, Sonny Fortune, and Harry Whitaker,... read more

Doobie-doo doobie-doo! One of the catchiest Roy Ayers dancefloor tracks ever -- a bassy bumping thumper that wonderfully skirts the line between clubby and funky! The track's got female vocals singing along with the hook -- all in a mode that's quite similar to the most uptempo work by Ramp --... read more

A really great little album from Roy Ayers -- titled after a famous 60s pop hit, but with a much hipper feel than you'd expect! The group on the album features modernist soul jazz musicians like Herbie Hancock, Gary Bartz, Charles Tolliver, and Hubert Laws -- all of whom work nicely with Roy on... read more

A great set of straight jazz from Roy, recorded for Atlantic, and with a feel that's a lot edgier than some of his other work from the time! The groups on the record feature some of the hippest soul jazz players of the time -- including Charles Tolliver, Jack Wilson, Joe Henderson, Harold Land,... read more

Proof that Azymuth were one of the few groups who could keep things real at a time when most of their fusion contemporaries were sounding cloying and commercial! The album's got a well-rounded sound that really shows the group's roots in the 70s, and their wonderful evolution over the years --... read more

... read more

BAB are the "Big Apple Band" -- and although from Virginia, they've got more than enough funky grooves here to challenge the best of mid 70s New York! "Party & Get Down" is a sweetly smooth groover -- a bit of warm club in the mix, thanks to some slight strings alongside... read more

One of the best new Afro Funk albums we've heard in years -- a tremendous effort from percussionist Lekan Babalola, served up with a full bonus disc of remix material! The core grooves here are a fair bit jazzier than most other efforts of this type -- still with heavy percussion from Lekan, but... read more

A wicked set of funky steel drums -- a bad-stepping number from the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, and just the kind of hard funk cut we're always digging for on steel drum records! We hardly ever find gems this good though -- as "Pimp" has these slow-snapping drums that make the cut... read more

... read more

A nice one from Badu -- one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual... read more

Funky breaks and fuzzy guitars -- one of the most amazing albums to come out of the Turkish scene of the 70s -- and one with a sound that really defies categorization! Although the sweet image of a girl and guitar on the cover might make you think the record's a folk set, the overall production is... read more

Psychedelic folk rock from the Turkish scene of the 70s -- a real criss-crossing of styles, carried off with strong emotive effect by protest singer Selda! There's a powerful sound here that's completely without referent, but immediately gripping -- a blend of familiar and strange elements that... read more

... read more

An excellent early 70s set from Benny Bailey -- originally issued on Freedom, but recorded by Gigi Campi, with arrangements by Francy Boland -- and very much in the mode of work at the time on MPS. The session features Bailey as the lead soloist amidst bandmates from the Clarke-Boland Big Band --... read more

A really wonderful take on Porgy & Bess and other Gershwin standards by Pearl Bailey -- there's just something about her naturally rich, bluesy, husky tone on these tunes that's simply wonderful! The backing is often well measured, but, occasionally a bigger sound and chorus vocals kick in.... read more

A 60s LP that compiles older work by Chet -- all classic numbers from his first few years in the recording studio, when his sound was fresh, sincere, and incredibly amazing! The album features Chet singing on most numbers, working in small combo format on trumpet -- with players that include Russ... read more

Looking for classic Chet Baker vocal tracks? This is the stuff! 14 tracks of haunting vocals by a young Chet, sung with small groups from the LA scene, and featuring trumpet solos next to his vocals. Titles include "That Old Feeling", "Look For The Silver Lining", "There... read more

A classic album of vocal tracks from Chet Baker -- working here with a core group that features piano by Russ Freeman and flute by Bud Shank -- plus additional arrangements on some tracks by the likes of Johnny Mandel, Marty Paich, and Frank Campo. The album's classic Chet all the way through --... read more

Deep funk from down under -- and the stunning full length debut by The Bamboos! To date, the group's really only had 2 45s to their name -- but those records alone got The Bamboos plenty of attention -- making this record one of the most eagerly-anticipated sets we've stocked in years! The groove... read more

A tasty bit of political funk by one of the best groups on Stax! The record's got that heavy guitar-driven funk sound that was the group's calling card at the time -- but it's also infused with a righteous sense of social consciousness, clearly influenced by Curtis Mayfield and Sly Stone. The mix... read more

One of Gato Barbieri's better albums from the early 70s -- and like his other Latin-themed sessions, a swirling mix of soulful soloing, modal grooves, and unbridled emotion! Lonnie Liston Smith is playing piano on most cuts, and he's a perfect blend for Barbieri's horn -- giving it the same sort... read more

Amazing work from Gato Barbieri's legendary exploration of Latin American sounds for Impulse Records -- a set that's heavy on Cuban influences, thanks to arrangements from the mighty Chico O'Farrill! The sound is sublime -- a bit fuller than some of Gato's other albums in the run, but never with... read more

A nice return to form for Gato Barbieri -- still somewhat smooth, as in his later years -- but with some great Latin backings on a number of the tracks! Barbieri's tenor still has those sharp edges we love, and even when things get a bit more soul-based on some of the cuts here, the feel is still... read more

An amazing record -- one we'd easily rank right up there with some of our favorite 60s albums from Brazil -- including work by Baden Powell or Elis Regina! This session has echoes of the best of both of those artists, but also predates their key moments too -- a groundbreaking record that combines... read more

One of the greatest Brigitte Bardot albums you could ever buy -- some of the grooviest, sexiest work the famous French actress ever cut! The album's overflowing with excellent original material written by Bardot by Serge Gainsbourg and Francis Lai -- two of our favorite French composers of the 60s... read more

South Georgia Blues from Cecil Barfield -- mid 70s work recorded by field recorder George Mitchell -- emotive stuff from a blues singer/guitar player who sang the blues from very young edge, but was rarely recorded! The material was recorded in 1976, and released later in the decade with under the... read more

Wonderful early work from Ray Barretto -- proof that he was one heck of a hip cat, even at the start! The album's got an approach to Latin jazz that's certainly informed by the charanga sound of the New York scene in the early 60s -- but one that's also opened up a bit more to new ideas -- bits of... read more

Sweet mellow soul from Keith Barrow -- a great little 70s soul singer who began his career doing gospel work, and then moved on to cut some great secular LPs for Columbia. This one's his second, and it features some great smooth arrangements by Johnny Allen, with a few original tracks by the great... read more

A rare treat by Gary Bartz -- and very different than most of his other work! The album's a small group session -- with Charles Mims on piano, Curtis Robertson on bass, and Howard King on drums -- recorded with the feel of a looser soul jazz set on Black Jazz or Strata East. Mims' is great on... read more

Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz -- music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary -- and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip... read more

A landmark set of recordings -- both of Gary Bartz's Harlem Bush Music albums, back to back on one CD! After a few years as a modern-tinged soul jazz saxophonist, Bartz broke strongly into the 70s with this pair of sessions -- working in a mode that brought together rhythmic percussion, funky bass... read more

Basie's working here with his New Testament Band -- a new orchestra formed in 1952, after working briefly with an octet earlier in the year. The set documents the group's initial recordings for Verve/Clef -- all recorded between January and December in 1952. Players include Joe Newman, Charlie... read more

Very righteous work from Fontella Bass -- an album done after her time at Chess Records, and after her work in Paris with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- in a heartfelt, southern soul mode that's totally great! Fontella's back working with producer Oliver Sain, who first brought her fame back in... read more

... read more