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Amazing stuff from Ahmed Abdul-Malik -- one of the early 60s most enigmatic jazz talents! Malik was Thelonious Monk's bassist for a few years, but by the time of this record, he was working in a very sophisticated cross-cultural mode -- pulling together many different strands of jazz and Eastern... read more

An essential reissue of an essential roots album! A mid 70s landmark of harmony roots, the Abyssinians' Satta Massagana, aka Forward To Zion, is hard to beat for hardcore, spiritual roots delivered over hypnotically pulsing rhythms, and Heartbeat ups the ante by digging deep for some excellent and... 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

A masterpiece of east coast harmony soul -- and worth it for the title cut alone! Ace Spectrum are always pretty great, but on this album, they really bust out of the box with some of the most wonderful harmonies they've ever recorded -- set to impeccable arrangements by Patrick Adams, who hits... read more

The second chapter in a mighty 70s trilogy from Ace Spectrum -- a killer set recorded for Atlantic Records, and easily some of the best group soul issued by the label in the decade! Ace Spectrum change things up a bit here from the obvious -- hitting a variety of modes that move between tightness... read more

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Beatiful soul from one of Chicago's greatest female soul artists! Barbara Acklin was not only a great singer, but she also wrote an incredible batch of tracks during her years at the Brunswick label -- most of which were sung by her, and some of which became huge hits for other artists. This set... 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

Rare rocksteady from Glen Adams and Val Bennett -- a beautiful and soulful vocal and instrumental rhythm rediscovered by Pressure Sounds! "She's So Fine" has a raw, moving Bunny Lee production at the core, but it's the vocals from Glen Adams that really push it into sublime territory --... read more

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Tremendous work from saxophonist Pepper Adams -- quite possibly one of his most hard-blowing sets on record! The album's a live date, recorded at the legendary Five Spot -- and the group here is a swinging one with plenty of soul jazz touches -- a combo that includes a young Bobby Timmons on piano... read more

One of the greatest Cannonball Adderley albums from the Riverside years -- a completely smoking live date recorded in San Francisco, often with long tracks that really let the group open up and do their thing! The lineup here is that classic one that first grabbed attention -- the group with... read more

A hardbop classic from Cannonball Adderley -- and one of his harder to find albums from the Riverside days! The set has Cannon playing without his usual group, in the context of an all-star batch of players that includes Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb -- who he worked with in his time... read more

Sweet funky 70s work from Cannonball Adderley -- a record that has him revisiting older tunes from his early soul jazz years -- but in ways that give them a whole new electric vibe overall! The album's actually Cannonball's last full studio set, but it's also one of his greatest too -- a very hip... read more

Sweet funky 70s work from Cannonball Adderley -- a record that has him revisiting older tunes from his early soul jazz years -- but in ways that give them a whole new electric vibe overall! The album's actually Cannonball's last full studio set, but it's also one of his greatest too -- a very hip... read more

One of the coolest, baddest, funkiest albums Cannonball Adderley ever recorded -- a massive suite of tunes based on the signs of the Zodiac, produced to perfection by David Axelrod, and featuring some hip recitations from the mighty Rick Holmes! The double-length set is completely compelling all... read more

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A tremendous combination of Latin roots and contemporary grooves -- the mixing of the Puerto Rican scene with a definite influence from West London -- resulting here in a really righteous batch of tracks! The set's the brainchild of Afronaut, and features a bit of his own work, plus contributions... read more

Titles include "Love Is A Gamble", "You Are My Trophy", "That's The Way It Is", "Somebody Messed Up (parts 1 & 2)", and "Drifting Apart".... read more

Miriam Aida really knocks our socks off with this set -- a classic-styled album of jazz vocals that's quite different than some of her previous Brazilian-tinged work! Aida really captures a cool sort of 50s/60s groove here -- a hip-walking approach to female jazz vocals that packs a lot more punch... read more

Really lovely work from Miriam Aida -- a set of contemporary recordings, but with Brazilian roots that go decades deep! Miriam has this light vocal approach that's really wonderful -- soft, but never too airy to lose its soul -- and mixed here with very well-selected instrumentation that's often... read more

Toshiko Akioshi makes a trip back to the Japanese jazz scene in the early 60s -- for this great little session that has her meeting up with "old pals" from previous years -- including Sadao Watanabe on alto sax, Akira Miyazawa on tenor, and Hideo Shiraki on drums! The reunion is a really... read more

The Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band plays tribute to their experiences on the European scene -- with a well-written set of tracks recorded in big band format. Toshiko takes the lead on "Remembering Bud", a great tune dedicated to the pianist who first inspired her style -- and the... read more

A second great performance from the Akioshi/Tabackin Big Band's performance at Newport in 1977 -- and one we like even more than the first! The sound here is totally great -- hard, focused, and flowing with a magical energy that made this group one of the few large jazz bands to flourish strongly... read more

A very different album than usual from Jan Akkerman -- but in a really nice way! The album's not nearly as guitar-heavy and rock-leaning as some of Jan's other sets from the 70s -- and has a bubbling sort of soul-based finish, one that's arranged by Akkerman with some help from Mike Gibbs -- and... read more

One of the funkiest soundtracks we've ever heard from Alessandro Alessandroni -- a set that clearly shows he'd been listening to the score for Shaft, as well as a host of 70s sound library music too! There's lots of great Italian cop/crime grooves on the set -- done at an understated level that's... read more

A long-overdue session of ballads from modern tenor giant Eric Alexander -- a player we've always loved for his soaring, leaping lines on soul jazz sets -- but who also has just the right tone to carry off an album of mellow tunes and ballads! Alexander's tone reminds us a lot of the Sonny Rollins... read more

Pure brilliance from tenor giant Eric Alexander -- one of the few modern players we'd put on a par with our favorites from older years! Alexander's got a depth of tone and sense of poise that's simply wonderful on the set -- one that's never staid, but which continues to grow beautifully over the... read more

Live Monty Alexander set from the mid 70s, featuring his groovy group with Ernest Ranglin on guitar, Eberhard Weber on bass, and Kenny Clare on drums. The bass playing's especially good, and there's lots of nice round funky moments in some of the best tracks. Titles include "Feel Like Making... read more

A beautiful later set from Lorez Alexandria -- produced by Houston Person, and put together with a sensitivity that really stands out! Although Lorez always sparkles on tunes that swing, she really rises to the occasion even more here on the ballads -- really gentle tunes that are taken in a... read more

Always-great work from singer Lorez Alexandria -- still sounding wonderful, even at this late date! Her presentation's a bit earthier than before, but no less poised than on earlier sessions -- with the same sense of space and timing that's always made her one of our favorite jazz singers! And as... read more

The second album by this excellent all-female San Francisco jazz combo -- a live date that's even more cooking than their debut! As before, there's a sweetly breezy style to the record -- that hip SF sound of the 70s -- with echoes of Braziliana and soul amidst the group's jazzier leanings -- all... read more

A cool little book that brings together years and years of Miles Davis news, interviews, and features from Downbeat Magazine -- a collection that distills Davis appearances in the magazine from the 40s through the 90s, saving you a heck of a lot of work looking up the articles on their own! The... read more

A guide to essential Old School Rap & Hip Hop from team at the indespensible All Music Guide -- featuring more than 500 music reviews of important records by Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC, NWA, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and so much more -- plus reviews on soul and funk LPs that were... read more

The massive All Music Guide To Rock -- The Definitive Guide To Rock, Pop And Soul (3rd Edition) -- featuring reviews of thousands and thousands albums as rated and reviewed by the exceptional All Music Guide writers! The book is an encyclopedia of pop music from the 50s to the early 00s -- and an... read more

One of the few great Christmas jazz albums recorded in recent years -- one with a classic sound that takes us back to 60s holiday jazz from Blue Note and Prestige! Harry Allen's working here in a no-nonsense mode with organ, guitar, and drums backing him up -- a lean and clean sound that really... 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 return to Stax by Rance Allen -- his first album for the label after a stellar set for Capitol, and a much smoother set than before! Rance has learned from his work with Larry Mizell on Capitol, and is using a warmer glide on his tracks on this set -- arrangements mostly done by producer Henry... read more

An amazing array of Afro Funk from the legendary Tony Allen -- 4 of his greatest albums ever, packaged together in a single set! The work here was all recorded hot on the heels of Tony's key years with Fela Kuti -- and shares a very similar approach to the groove -- long, stretched out passages... read more

Trumpety genius from Herb Alpert -- a cut that gave him one massive hit to close out the 70s, and a tune that crossed over big into clubs, radio, and plenty of shag-carpeted rec rooms too! And hey, it worked for BIG, right?... read more

Vintage piano work from some boogie woogie giants -- most of it cut before there was even a Delmark Records to issue the material! A good deal of these sides were cut in Chicago in 1939 -- a point when older styles of piano were coalescing into the tightly vamping, highly rhythmic mode that was... read more

A soul jazz classic from Gene Ammons -- the kind of session that easy made him "boss" on tenor -- with a tone and conception that few other players could touch! The set is done in a style that's laidback, but never too loose -- bouncing along in that "with conga" style of... read more

Gene Ammons gets the Cannonball Adderley treatment -- as he blows funky solos over an album arranged and conducted by David Axelrod! Brasswind has a larger, fuller funky sound than some of his earlier work for Prestige -- and it works very well! The overall sound's a bit smoother, but Axelrod's... read more

2 lesser-known Gene Ammons albums for Prestige -- back to back on one CD! First up is Got My Own, a more laidback set than usual from Ammons' early 70s stretch on Prestige -- but a record that nicely gets back to that big-toned tenor sound he used often on ballads from earlier years! The combo... read more

A more laidback set than usual from Ammons' early 70s stretch on Prestige -- but a record that nicely gets back to that big-toned tenor sound he used often on ballads from earlier years! The combo mixes both electric piano and organ -- the former from Hank Jones, the latter from Ernie Hayes -- and... read more

A nice little album -- featuring some of the sides that Gene Ammons cut "off contract" for Chess/Argo during the early 60s, and ones that feature him paired with Sonny Stitt, his longtime partner in legendary tenor battles from the 50s. The two horns aren't really locked in combat here,... read more

Great boogie from Amuzement Park -- a group that should have lasted longer than they did! "Groove Your Blues Away" is a snapping little jammer that builds up wonderfully -- bass hooking you in, snippets of horn adding soul, and ensemble vocals that really send the tune over the top! A... read more

Two albums back to back from Carl Anderson -- an overlooked singer from the early 80s, finally getting his due! Absence Without Love is a wicked little set from Anderson -- a singer who first found fame on the state, later sung in a spiritual world, but does an especially great job here! Anderson'... read more

Fred Anderson celebrates his birthday in the company of another avant tenor talent -- reedman Kidd Jordan, who joins Anderson on the album's extended title improvisation -- which is referred to as an update of the Dexter Gordon/Wardell Gray "Chase" battle of the late 40s! As you'd expect... read more

Fred Anderson celebrates his birthday in the company of another avant tenor talent -- reedman Kidd Jordan, who joins Anderson on the album's extended title improvisation -- which is referred to as an update of the Dexter Gordon/Wardell Gray "Chase" battle of the late 40s! As you'd expect... read more

Wild! Long before she was a hipster poet, and even longer before she was the Poet Laureate, Maya cut this early album of calypso tracks for Liberty -- with a rootsy sound that's actually pretty darn nice! Maya wrote a larger number of the tracks, and backing is by Tommy Tedesco on guitar and Al... read more

Anti Pop Consortium is back after a lengthy hiatus -- and it's a blast -- laser cauterized funk beats, squealing synth funk, and innovative rhymes from Beans, Blaize, Hi Priest and Sayyid! The crew is in a unique position for this comeback record, in that they can pick up pretty close to where... 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

Vanessa serves up a contemporary gospel batch of Christmas tunes -- but also works here with some arrangements that are more traditional than some of her regular albums of the time. Titles include "Christ The Lord", "Drummer Boy", "Go Tell It On The Mountain", "Ch... read more

High-stepping disco from Arpeggio -- an album of longer tracks with a really soaring feel! The groove here is tight, but never schmaltzy -- with arrangements and production by Simon Soussan, and an overall feel that's more powerfully driven by the instrumentation in the set than the group's sweet... read more

One of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago's all-time classics! If you've ever bought an Art Ensemble album and said "Hmm, what's all the fuss about?", get this one. It'll change your mind. The band is in perfect form -- and hits an incredible blend of free thinking modernism and soulful... read more

A seminal bit of funky Afrojazz from the DC scene of the 70s! The album features work by percussionist Okyerema Asante, and also includes sax work by Plunky Nakabinde -- best known as the leader of the group Oneness Of Juju. Plunky's influence can really be felt strongly on the set -- and 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

By this point, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson are firmly holding the foreground as artists in their own right after many years of acting as songwriters for other soul and R&B hitmakers, and this self produced album continues in their tradition of sophisticated soul and rich balladry. With a... read more

Excellent work from Ashford & Simpson -- with some modern soul groovers that are among the best they ever did! The album includes their original reading of "Top Of The Stairs", a great sexy soul duet that was later done by Collins & Collins -- and it's also got a fantastic... read more

Funky African work from Fred Fisher -- a Nigerian trombonist who crafted his own unique groove at the end of the 70s! Fred both sings and plays trombone -- the latter with a Fred Wesley-like soulfulness -- and his rhythms here are really wide-ranging, and embrace a host of new styles coming into... read more

The old school Attica, with a sound that mixed Nu Soul, Nu Jazz, hip hop, breakbeat and even a bit of jungle into a Headz-y downtempo brew. Some of the best the "trip hop" scene had to offer.... read more

Snapping beats and a really great 80s groove make "Checking You Out" one of Aurra's best tracks! The tune starts out slow, in a way that's perfect for bringing up out of a mix -- then the vocals come in with some nice electro undercurrents -- really making for a catchy appeal to the tune!... read more

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label -- and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove -- sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind... read more

One of the rarest and greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time -- the sly, funky and spiritual masterpiece He's Coming from 1971 -- really the beginning of the funk years from Roy Ayers Ubiquity! This one's a totally solid mix of soulful jazz, jazzy soul and righteous funk -- and it's straight up... 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 masterpiece -- and don't pass it up! Sure, the date's a bit later than some of Roy's classic work, but the record's got a sound like no other -- with a slow mellow jazzy style that shows Roy working at the height of his powers! There's some wonderful spacey production on the record -- bringing... read more

One of the jazziest bits of Afro Funk we've heard in a long time -- thanks to some excellent work on piano and keyboards by group leader Funsho Ogundipe! Funsho's not content to just copy some Fela-inspired groove -- and although there's definitely a skittish sense of Nigerian rhythms in these... read more

A beautiful set from the Canadian scene of the 60s -- proof that there were plenty of fresh ideas in jazz up north, if you knew where to look! The group's led by Nick Ayoub on tenor -- blowing with a bold sort of imagination, undercut by this lyrical sensibility that really grabs us -- kind of a... read more

Second LP from Nas's rhyming partner, from the days before Jay Z decided to take QB down a notch. Pretty much overlooked but not a bad effort, and nearly as dope as his first album. Includes "I'm Known", "How Ya Livin", "The Payback", "Pieces Of A (Black)... read more

Excellent bit of west coast Latin fusion -- featuring an all star band that includes such massive talents as Pete Escovedo, George Muribus, Paul Jackson, Lenny White, Coke Escovedo, and Victor Pantoja. The groove is nice and smooth, with a Bay Area early 70s sound on the production tip -- and in a... read more

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Not one filler track on this strong debut LP from one of the dopest female MC's in a while. And without the soft porn gimmicks MC's too often use to get over. Tracks include "True Honey Buns", "I Confess", "Word Play", "UKNOWHOWWEDU", "3 Tha Hard... read more

Balkan Beats galore -- a sweet set of remixes handled by Nickodemus, Dub Gabriel, and others -- all in a mode that follows strongly in the spirit and strengths of the originals! As with the core BBB grooves, the rhythms here are pretty contemporary, but the instrumentation carries echoes of older... read more

Nothing but good, and it's all pretty darn great -- an amazing array of wonderful music from the mighty Hank Ballard! The set starts with Hank's key early years with The Midnighters -- at a time when the group were cutting some mighty raunchy R&B -- then it moves up to Ballard's surprisingly... read more

An excellent album by one of the greatest Brazilian funk bands ever! Band Black Rio were the stuff of legends back in the 70s -- an all-funky powerhouse, with inspiration from American groups like Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players, but a uniquely Brazilian approach that also threw in some added... read more

2 killers from The Bar-Kays -- a heavy funk spectacular all the way through! First up is Gotta Groove -- amazing work from the new version of The Bar-Kays -- a group who reformed to become a combo as heavy as any of the best funky groups from Detroit, LA, or New York at the time! There's a style... read more

One of the best instrumental records to come out of Memphis, and a real kicker by the funky band that went down with Otis Redding in the tragic plane crash in 1968! The leadoff track is the group's amazing hit "Soul Finger", a stormin' instrumental with a wailing brassy sound that... read more

Searing live work from Gato Barbieri -- a brilliant little album that follows on the spirit of his other Latin America sessions for Impulse! The format here is similar to those studio outings -- an organic blend of percussion, keyboards, and sax -- all bubbling together in a highly rhythmic mode... read more

A great Ray Barretto album from 1972 -- one that beautifully showcases the master percussionist as he effortlessly shifts between Latin soul and 70's salsa styles! The group's nice and lean -- with Adalberto Santiago on vocals, Papy Roman on trumpet, Louis Cruz on piano, and the great Andy... read more

Two of Ray Barretto's earliest albums, both recorded for the Riverside label at the start of his career! Latino has 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

Sublime 70s work from Kenny Barron -- a record that really has him stretching out strongly from his roots in the 60s, and sounding almost even more inventive than on some of his later material as well! Kenny's playing a fair bit of keyboards on the set -- showing a wonderful sensitivity for... read more

Funky wonderfulness from Gary Bartz -- one of his hip sets from the early 70s recorded with his NTU group -- a very righteous blend of soul, jazz, and funky elements! Huber Eaves plays some great electric piano on the record -- and so does Bartz, alongside his usual soprano and alto sax -- and the... 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 key early pairing of saxophonist Gary Bartz and producer Larry Mizell -- working here together before their more famous collaboration on Capitol Records, in a sound that's even more freewheeling and open-ended! Bartz still has a bit of an edge in his horn here -- the style laid down heavily on... 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

Classic Chicago soul from this hard hitting diva who predated Aretha Franklin's Atlantic soul sides by a few years, and who sang with as much fire and fury as the Atlantic soul sister. This early LP is a great set of hard soul tracks with razor sharp Chess production, and a strong batch of tracks... read more

A rare 1970 set from Italian tenorist Gianni Basso -- a set that's easily one of the greatest examples of his talents we've ever heard! Basso's tone on tenor is amazing -- blown with a sense of freedom that's breathtaking, with odd phrasings and voicings that are extremely personal -- almost in... read more

Stunning soul from the great Joe Bataan -- a really groundbreaking mix of modes that's right up there with the best of the Spanish Harlem scene of the late 60s! The album is Joe Bataan's debut for the Fania Records label -- and the start of an incendiary run of Latin classics that forever changed... read more

A real turning point for Joe Bataan -- and the beginning of his funky Latin sound of the 70s! The album was one of the first in Joe's "Salsoul" style -- a sweet blend of Latin rhythms, late 60s Latin soul influences, and some of the hipper styles bubbling through the NuYorican scene. A... read more

A landmark album from Joe Bataan -- so great, that it made the entire record company change its name! The record has Joe really bursting out after his seminal Latin Soul work of the late 60s -- blending Latin rhythms and American soul into a whole new style of music -- one that Joe called "Sal... read more

Fantastic funkiness! Although Les Baxter's best known for his easy listening work in the late 50's/early 60's, this 1969 biker flick soundtrack is a motherlode of funky funky tracks, and a veritable cornucopia of breakbeats! Highlights include the classics "Hogin' Machine" and "Hot... read more

One of the rarest albums by Les Baxter -- and one of the best! The record features an excellent batch of "space exotica" tracks, set amidst some very lively arrangements, all packaged in one of the greatest album covers of the 50s! Les' writing and leading are as excellent as always,... read more

The last true classic from the masters of the 80s groove genre -- a post-Capitol effort for Elektra, but one that's still awash in great keyboards and snapping electro beats! Some of the jazzier sound from the past is gone here, but in its place is a leaner, cleaner sound that's still a fair bit... read more

A harmony heaven way to enjoy the Holiday! The group's version of Christmas has to be one of the best-ever recorded in rock and roll -- and given the undercurrent of sadness that was coming forth in their non-Holiday hits of the period, the style here is perfect to fit the melancholy mood of the... read more

Late 90s Beasties remixes featuring Prince Paul's take on "Root Down", Ad Rock's remix of "Countdown" and the drum & base remix of "Intergalactic" -- plus "Smoke The Pipe" and"Scratching Battle".... read more

Funky breaks and loops -- reportedly put together by Madlib, which is no surprise to us, as the flavor of the single is very much in the vein of the recent Yesterday's New Quintet album! Like that one, this set is very much in a classic jazz funk mode -- with bits of 70s electric CTI-type grooves... read more