One of the hippest 70s albums you could hope to find by Sheila Jordan – originally recorded for the East West label in Japan! The set features Sheila singing with a small group that includes Norman Marnell on tenor, Alan Pasqua on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums – and their mix of styles and directions gives the album a wide range of moods that aptly fits Sheila's enigmatic selection of tunes. The album features a slightly funky reading of the cut "Pearlie's Swine", which begins with a beautiful bassline from Brown – plus the tracks "Because We're Kids", "My Favorite Things", "Confirmation", "Why Was I Born", and "Inch Worm". CD

Maybe the most compelling volume in this excellent series – a set that unearths all sorts of unusual moments from Joni Mitchell's years on Asylum Records – a stunningly creative period when she was really opening up her music, and also bringing in a lot of inspiration from jazz as well! All the material here has never been issued – and the set features a long live 1974 set with Tom Scott & The LA Express, plus other live performances from the time – and tracks from rare sessions done with James Taylor, Neil Young, Graham Nash and David Crosby too! But maybe the best material here is the huge array of session tracks and demos – for the albums For The Roses, Court & Spark, and Hissing Of Summer Lawns – really letting you hear Joni's creative process at work as she explores early versions of dozens of tunes, some very different than the famous recordings. The whole thing comes with a big booklet of notes and images – and includes Joni discussing her music with Cameron Crowe! CD

Proof that Dannie Richmond had a lot more to offer than just his drumming with Charles Mingus! The album's a stunning post-Mingus set that shows Richmond in command of a hip group of Mingus-ites – but working in a style that has much of its own manners and quirks! The album features 2 Mingus tunes – as you'd expect from a Richmond album – but the delivery is quite different than when the tunes were in Charles' hands, and they come off with an offbeat sense of rhythm and timing that almost has the playful feel of some of Jaki Byard's best work. The rest of the group features Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Cameron Brown on bass – and titles include "Hi Jinks", "Dionysius", "Flying Colors", and "Peggy's Blue Skylight". CD

Cameron Pfiffner and Pat Millinger on saxophones and flutes, Pete Benson on Hammond B3, and Ted Sirota on drums. Tracks include "Mary Anne", "Odd Couple", "China Cat Sunflower", the originals "Dr. Midnight" and "Tetemetearri". CD

Great live material from Shepp – not out or crazy, but also not spiritual or hippy dippy, either. The record's kind of a perfectly soulful straight ahead set – in a mode that hints at the traditional direction Shepp would take at the time, but with a lot more interesting moments. The group's a quartet with Charles Greenlee on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums – and the tracks feature Shepp soloing with a lot of soul, and criss crossing styles from track to track. "U-jamaa" is a strong straight number – and the 3 other titles are "Lush Life", "Crucificado" and "Miss Toni". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last truly outside albums recorded by Archie Shepp in the 70s – a French performance that's very similar to the open-ended, freely-blown recordings he did for the BYG/Actuel label a few years before! The record captures Shepp in territory that's different than some of the more structured recordings and sets of standard material he'd soon be giving the world – and he blows tenor with unbridled energy on long live tracks – working with a very cool group that includes the great Charles Greenlee on trombone, plus Dave Burrell on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums! The band plays with a perfect style that matches freer soloing with soulful modal rhythms – and as a French-only release, it's one of the more obscure Archie Shepp sessions from the period. Titles include "Hipnosis", "U-Jaama", "African Drum Suite", and the amazing "Blues For Don L Duck". LP, Vinyl record album

Steve Slagle on alto sax and flute, Dave Stryker on guitar, Cameron Brown on bass, and Gene Jackson on drums – plus special guests Joe Lovano on tenor and Joe Locke on vibes. CD

Italian alto player Massimo Urbani is in some tremendous company here – working with a quartet that features Ron Burton on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums – a lineup who really make the album a standout in his career! The group's got a soulful swing that really brings out the best in Urbani's tone – allowing him to be free, but never too out – and keeping a strong sense of rhythm in most of the tracks – one that almost approaches soul jazz on the best numbers, thanks to the excellent work of Burton and Brown together – a really wonderful pair! Titles include "Tender Song", "Solar", "Diddy For Biddy", and "Rip The Ripper". CD

Kamasi Washington opens the door to a bit more collaboration here – while also really managing to stay true to the vision that he's given us on his previous instant-classic albums! In just a short span of time, Kamasi has become a saxophone voice for a generation – linking past traditions with some of the more forward-thinking elements of the west coast underground – and even the presence of some bigger names on the record doesn't knock Washington from his visionary path! The set's grounded with work from drummers Ronald Bruner and Tony Austin, and bass from Stephen Bruner too – a great lineup that also includes trombone from Ryan Porter and piano from Cameron Graves – both artists you'll know and love for their own great records from the LA scene. And since we've mentioned the guests, the most likely partners here are Terrace Martin and Andre 3000 – the latter of whom is at his spiritual, meditative best – the new vibe he released on his own album – and other guests include George Clinton, Patrice Quinn, BJ The Chicago Kid, and Thundercat – on titles that include "Road To Self", "The Garden Path", "Lesnanu", "Asha The First", "The Visionary", "Dream State", "Prologue", and "Interstellar Peace". CD

Kamasi Washington opens the door to a bit more collaboration here – while also really managing to stay true to the vision that he's given us on his previous instant-classic albums! In just a short span of time, Kamasi has become a saxophone voice for a generation – linking past traditions with some of the more forward-thinking elements of the west coast underground – and even the presence of some bigger names on the record doesn't knock Washington from his visionary path! The set's grounded with work from drummers Ronald Bruner and Tony Austin, and bass from Stephen Bruner too – a great lineup that also includes trombone from Ryan Porter and piano from Cameron Graves – both artists you'll know and love for their own great records from the LA scene. And since we've mentioned the guests, the most likely partners here are Terrace Martin and Andre 3000 – the latter of whom is at his spiritual, meditative best – the new vibe he released on his own album – and other guests include George Clinton, Patrice Quinn, BJ The Chicago Kid, and Thundercat – on titles that include "Road To Self", "The Garden Path", "Lesnanu", "Asha The First", "The Visionary", "Dream State", "Prologue", and "Interstellar Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

Kamasi Washington opens the door to a bit more collaboration here – while also really managing to stay true to the vision that he's given us on his previous instant-classic albums! In just a short span of time, Kamasi has become a saxophone voice for a generation – linking past traditions with some of the more forward-thinking elements of the west coast underground – and even the presence of some bigger names on the record doesn't knock Washington from his visionary path! The set's grounded with work from drummers Ronald Bruner and Tony Austin, and bass from Stephen Bruner too – a great lineup that also includes trombone from Ryan Porter and piano from Cameron Graves – both artists you'll know and love for their own great records from the LA scene. And since we've mentioned the guests, the most likely partners here are Terrace Martin and Andre 3000 – the latter of whom is at his spiritual, meditative best – the new vibe he released on his own album – and other guests include George Clinton, Patrice Quinn, BJ The Chicago Kid, and Thundercat – on titles that include "Road To Self", "The Garden Path", "Lesnanu", "Asha The First", "The Visionary", "Dream State", "Prologue", and "Interstellar Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool collection, and one that's got a very special focus – an imaginary soundtrack for the record-breaking British summer of 1976 – a searingly hot time that really pushed the nation to the brink! Bob Stanley's given us some great collections on Ace Records before – often with Pete Wiggs, or as Saint Etienne – and this set continues the very special vibe of those sets, by bringing together cuts that we never would have thought would work so well otherwise – a sublime mix of soul, rock, and pop – all glowing together with the warm vibe of the summer of 1976! Titles include "I'm Mandy Fly Me" by 10CC, "Walking So Free" by Spike Janson, "Sugar Shuffle" by Lynsey DePaul, "Liquid Sunshine" by John Cameron, "Not On The Outside" by Sylvia, "You Are My Love" by Liverpool Express, "You're The Song" by Hollywood Freeway, "Discover Me" by David Ruffin, "Stoned Out" by Simon Park, "Montreal City" by Azimuth, "Stay With Me" by Blue Mink, "Music" by Carmen McRae, "Rock N Roll Star" by Barclay James Harvest, "Fallin In Love" by Hamilton Joe Frank & Reynolds, "Inspiration Information" by Shuggie Otis, and "Miss My Love Today" by Gilbert O'Sullivan. Imagine the mixtape from Guardians Of The Galaxy, but done by a much hipper ear, and you'll get a good idea of this one! CD

A totally wonderful collection of work from Malaco Records – an imprint that's best known for its southern soul, blues, and gospel recordings – but one that's also got a fair bit of modern soul in its catalog as well! In fact, Malaco was really instrumental in helping move forward the torch of southern soul at a time when other bigger labels like Stax, TK, and Atlantic were really losing steam – and the cuts here are the cream of the crop from a time when Malaco was turning out some amazing sounds that rival the best modern soul from scenes in Chicago, New York, or Philly! If you only know the deep soul side of Malaco, you'll really be stunned here – and the set does a great job of pulling out some lesser-known recordings from the label, in the best Free Soul tradition. Over 80 minutes of music – with tracks that include "I Can't Do Enough For You Baby" by Tommy Tate, "Groovin" by Power, "I Need Your Love" by Patterson Twins, "Girl Overboard" by Dorothy Moore, "Get Up & Dance" by Freedom, "You Used To Be Mine" by Mosley & Johnson, "Make It With You" by Ruby Wilson, "I'm For Real" by King Floyd, "Give Me Your Love" by GC Cameron, "When Can We Do This Again" by ZZ Hill, "Let Your Love Rain Down On Me" by Jewel Bass, and "Pillow Talk" by Fern Kinney. CD

Slamming funky club from the 70s – as Kenny Dope re-presents some of the best tracks ever by Randy Muller – the creative genius behind BT Express, Brass Construction, and Skyy! Back in the day, Randy had a way of laying the horns alongside the bassline that was totally unique – an approach that was one of the first to link together funk and disco, and hit a groove that countless other groups tried to cop! For the collection, Kenny went back to Randy's original tapes and pulled out the strongest elements – inflecting the grooves with an edge that's even funkier and sharper than the originals, yet always preserving the classic sound of the tracks. CD features a mix-like format that includes a few shout outs – and a total of 11 tracks that include "Movin" and "Ha Cha Cha" by Brass Construction, "High" and "Here's To You" by Skyy, "Boogie's Gonna Get Ya" by Rafael Cameron, "I Surrender" by Funk Deluxe, "Changin" by Brass Construction, and "Express" and "Peace Pipe" by BT Express. CD

A heck of a collection – and one that really gets at the amazing array of free-thinking jazz that was brewing up on the European scene during the 70s! The set brings together over eight hours of music recorded during two years of this legendary festival – and each new disc has some great surprises along the way! There's some possibly more familiar material here – such as long improvisations that include a solo piano performance by Joachim Kuhn, two by a Mal Waldron trio with Jimmy Woode on bass and Allen Blairman on drums, one by a trio headed by pianist Yosuke Yamashita and with Akira Sakata on alto, two more by the duo of Peter Brotzmann on tenor and Han Bennink on drums, and a final two long improvisations by a great Archie Shepp gruop with Richard Greenlee on trombone, Dave Burell on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums! Yet that's only the tip of the iceberg – as there's a full CD of music by a group led by Hugo Heredia on saxes and flute – with Horace Parlan on piano, Dodo Goys on bass, Tullio D'Piscopo on drums, and Mandrake Ivanir Do Nascimento on percussion. And there's another CD that features an hour-long improvisation by a version of the Willem Breuker Kollektief with Leo Cuypers on piano, Maarten Van Norden on tenor, Boy Raaymakers on trumpet, and Bernhard Hunnekink and Willem Van Manen on trombones. There's also a very long track by a cool quartet headed by Polish alto giant Zbigniew Namyslowski – and one more by the French Machi Oul Big Band. There's also tracks by Riot, with Uli Beckerhoff on trumpet; Grumpff with Michael Schlaper on tenor and soprano, and Ekkehard Jost on baritone; Mumps with Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone and John Surman on tenor; and the Eddie Prevost Quartet with Geoff Hawkins on tenor and Gerry Gold on trumpet. And last but not least are two long trcks by the Czech group Celula Jazz Crew – with Laco Deczi on trumpet, Karel Ruzicka on electric piano, and Svatopluc Kosvanec on trombone. Phew – that's a lot of music, and the whole thing comes in a very cool 10" box set, complete with a booklet of notes, too! CD

An incredible collection of Stevie Wonder cover versions – different versions of familiar tunes, but ones that really manage to sparkle with all the righteous soul of the Stevie himself! It's been over a decade since DJ Spinna brought us the last version of his Wonder Of Stevie series – and during that time, he's managed to come up with a huge amount of great tracks that make the whole thing go way way deeper than before – not just cuts that copy the Wonder mode, but which seem to draw strong inspiration from its genius, and really soar to the skies! Much of the music here resonates with a charm that's located around the years of albums like Music Of My Mind and Innervisions, with all the jazzy currents that might imply – and some cuts are 70s vintage, others are more contemporary. Titles include "Bird Of Beauty" by US Atlantic First Navy Show Band, "It's My Pleasure" by Billy Preston, "Love's In Need Of Love Today" by John Minnis Big Bone Band, "As" by Tony Sherman, "Buttercup" by Jackson 5, "Have A Talk With God" by East St Louis Gospelettes, "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me" by Quincy Jones, "Golden Lady" by Reel People with Tony Momrelle, "If You Don't Love Me" by GC Cameron, "If She Breaks Your Heart Again" by Foreign Exchange, "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" by Black Sugar, "Go Home" by Jrod Indigo, and "Make My Water Boil" by David Ruffin. 2CDs – one of the cuts unmixed, one with the tracks in a continuous mix by Spinna! CD

An incredible collection of Stevie Wonder cover versions – different versions of familiar tunes, but ones that really manage to sparkle with all the righteous soul of the Stevie himself! It's been over a decade since DJ Spinna brought us the last version of his Wonder Of Stevie series – and during that time, he's managed to come up with a huge amount of great tracks that make the whole thing go way way deeper than before – not just cuts that copy the Wonder mode, but which seem to draw strong inspiration from its genius, and really soar to the skies! Much of the music here resonates with a charm that's located around the years of albums like Music Of My Mind and Innervisions, with all the jazzy currents that might imply – and some cuts are 70s vintage, others are more contemporary. Titles include "Bird Of Beauty" by US Atlantic First Navy Show Band, "It's My Pleasure" by Billy Preston, "Love's In Need Of Love Today" by John Minnis Big Bone Band, "As" by Tony Sherman, "Buttercup" by Jackson 5, "Have A Talk With God" by East St Louis Gospelettes, "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me" by Quincy Jones, "Golden Lady" by Reel People with Tony Momrelle, "If You Don't Love Me" by GC Cameron, "If She Breaks Your Heart Again" by Foreign Exchange, "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" by Black Sugar, "Go Home" by Jrod Indigo, and "Make My Water Boil" by David Ruffin. LP, Vinyl record album

A great early CTI session by George Benson, and one of the most stripped-down, straight-ahead funky records he did for the label! There's a sharpness here that's different than the larger feel of some of Benson 's later records – a sound that almost links back to his soul jazz roots in the 60s – played by a tight combo that features Benson on guitar, Clarence Palmer on organ, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus percussion from Michael Cameron and Albert Nicholson. There's a version of "So What" on here that's got to be one of the best funky takes of that standard ever – with great hard grooves on the intro – and on other cuts, the real genius is in the way the simple tracks are arranged to shift between darkly chromatic passages and slight bits of funk. Titles include "All Clear", "Ode To A Kudu", and "Somewhere In The East". Plus, the CD features 3 bonus tracks – alternate versions of "Ode To A Kudu", "Somewhere In The East", and "All Clear". CD

Brilliant later live work from jazz guitar great Kenny Burrell – recorded over 2 nights at Catalina's in Hollywood – and backed by some of Burrell's own favorite west coast players! Kenny covers a lot of stylistic territory here, including fresh takes on standards, energetic versions of a few Burrell originals, and some surprising twists and turns. Players include Justo Almario on tenor sax and flute, Tom Ranier on piano, Tony Dumas on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums, plus a few soulful vocal numbers featuring Barbara Morrison. The creative energy is on as high a level as the masterful playing. The audience is clearly eating it up! Titles include "Salty Papa", a very nice acoustic take on "Serenata", "Brush Magic", "Listen To The Daw", "Teach Me Tonight", "The Road To Love", "Crazy He Calls Me", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Confessin' The Blues", "Single Petal Of A Rose" and more. CD

Proof that blues rock can be turned towards a useful end – and a landmark album from one of the greatest Brit groups of the post-beat era! CCS (Collective Consciousness Society) were more of a studio project than anything else – but their first few records sparkled with a groove and energy level that surpassed most other work going at the time – thanks to large backings from arranger Johnny Cameron, of Brit Easy and soundtrack fame – working here with UK bluesman Alexis Korner in a format that mixed big funky backings with Korner's down-home blues rock! The Cameron touches really help get away from any blues cliches of the genre – and the inclusion of jazz players like Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, Kenny Wheeler, and Ray Warleigh makes for a really hip approach to instrumentation that goes way beyond simple studio support. Most tracks are instrumental, but the set does include some vocals – and the group scored a standout hit with the album's cover of "Whole Lotta Love", and followed up with other covers that include "Satisfaction", "Living In the Past", "Wade In The Water", and "Bom Bom". Also includes the original tracks "Waiting Song", "Dos Cantos", and "Lookin For Fun". LP, Vinyl record album

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 here with players that include British jazzmen Phil Seamen, Tony Carr, Ronnie Ross, and Harold McNair! The instrumental component of the album alone is worth the price of admission – as Cameron gently blends together moddish and trippy styles, alongside some folksier vocals and guitar from Donovan. But it's also Donovan's own extrapolation of styles of the time that really makes the album a masterpiece – a strange post-folk mode of expression that's almost a British counterpart to the genius of Simon & Garfunkel, but which is arguably darker and more intellectual. Apart from classic hits like "Museum" and "Mellow Yellow", the album also features some moodier brilliance on tracks that include "The Observation", "Hampstead Incident", "Sunny South Kensington", "Writer In The Sun", "Sand & Foam", and "House Of Jansch". LP, Vinyl record album

Notable sidemen include Cameron Brown, Idris Muhammad, Billy Drewes, Joey Baron, Toots Thielmans, Kenny Werner, Dave Douglas, and Mark Dresser. CD

The only full length album ever cut by this amazing Chicago girl group! The Lovelites first broke onto the charts with their stunning track "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad" – a sad slow tune about teen pregnancy, sung in a strange otherworldly style that's also quite soulful – with a catchy hook and a way of referring to the problem at hand that's vague, and makes for a strange approach to the material. That track, and the others on the set, are very different than the usual girl trio material – rougher, more honest, with a quality that's emotive, yet not overly drippy. Part of the thanks for this goes to arranger Johnny Cameron, who handled the tracks on the set – but a lot of the credit should also go to lead singer Patty Hamilton, who co-wrote some of the tracks, and who has a fantastic way of putting over the songs. Titles include "This Love is Real", "Certain Kind Of Lover", "Who You Gonna Hurt Now", "Shy Boy", "I've Got Love", "Gotta Let You Go", "Oh My Love", and "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad". LP, Vinyl record album

The only full length album ever cut by this amazing Chicago girl group! The Lovelites first broke onto the charts with their stunning track "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad" – a sad slow tune about teen pregnancy, sung in a strange otherworldly style that's also quite soulful – with a catchy hook and a way of referring to the problem at hand that's vague, and makes for a strange approach to the material. That track, and the others on the set, are very different than the usual girl trio material – rougher, more honest, with a quality that's emotive, yet not overly drippy. Part of the thanks for this goes to arranger Johnny Cameron, who handled the tracks on the set – but a lot of the credit should also go to lead singer Patty Hamilton, who co-wrote some of the tracks, and who has a fantastic way of putting over the songs. Titles include "This Love is Real", "Certain Kind Of Lover", "Who You Gonna Hurt Now", "Shy Boy", "I've Got Love", "Gotta Let You Go", "Oh My Love", and "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad". CD

A great early CTI session by George Benson, and one of the most stripped-down, straight-ahead funky records he did for the label! There's a sharpness here that's different than the larger feel of some of Benson 's later records – a sound that almost links back to his soul jazz roots in the 60s – played by a tight combo that features Benson on guitar, Clarence Palmer on organ, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus percussion from Michael Cameron and Albert Nicholson. There's a version of "So What" on here that's got to be one of the best funky takes of that standard ever – with great hard grooves on the intro – and on other cuts, the real genius is in the way the simple tracks are arranged to shift between darkly chromatic passages and slight bits of funk. Titles include "All Clear", "Ode To A Kudu", and "Somewhere In The East". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual early 70s live date – with long tracks that include "Perception", "Blues March", and "Bird Like" – plus work by Bill Hardman on trumpet, David Schnitter on tenor, Mickey Tucker on piano, and Cameron Brown on bass! CD

An unusual early 70s live date – with long tracks that include "Perception", "Blues March", and "Bird Like" – plus work by Bill Hardman on trumpet, David Schnitter on tenor, Mickey Tucker on piano, and Cameron Brown on bass! LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary funk set from late 70s Chicago – served up by our own Captain Sky, aka Daryl Cameron – an imposing figure who often worked in the same space-themed territory as the P-Funk empire in the mid 70s! The difference here, though, is that Cameron wrote, produced, and put the whole thing together himself – with help from a few friends in the studio – making the album a great homegrown attempt to rival the strength of the bigger funk ensembles of the period – something The Captain and crew do pretty darn well throughout! There's lots of heavy bass on the set – a strong precursor of modes to come – mixed with riffing guitar, sweet keyboards, and plenty of tight rhythms – on cuts that include the famous sample cut "Super Sporm" – a killer extended track with a great conga break, and a tight old school sample sound – plus "Now That I Have You", "Saturday Night Move-Ease", "Wonder Worm" and "Can't Stop Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Michael Musillami on guitar, Tom Christensen on tenor and alto saxophone, alto flute, english horn, and wood flute, Art Baron on trombone, bass recorder and didgeridoo, Peter Madsen on piano, Tom Beckham on vibraphone and marimba, Cameron Brown on bass, Michael Sarin on drums, and Satoshi Takeishi on percussion. CD

Great work from the Don Pullen-George Adams Quartet – a great post-Mingus group that features Adams on tenor and Pullen on piano – along with Dannie Richmond on drums and Cameron Brown on bass! The sound of these sides is really wonderful – as inventive and exploratory as some of Pullen's earlier work, yet carved out with a sense of rhythm and soulfulness that all players had clearly learned from Mingus – a focus that's really wonderful, and which takes this Blue Note gem far past some of the other Pullen/Adams collaborations in other settings. Titles include "A Time For Sobriety", "Mr Smoothie", "Just Foolin Around", and "We've Been Here All The Time". CD

Late work from avant tenor legend Dewey Redman – and surprisingly great, with all the best energy of his sides from older years! The album features Dewey playing in a trio with Cameron Brown on bass and Leon Parker on drums – plus guest appearances on about half the tracks by a young Joshua Redman, who really helps flesh out the sound of the set – at a point when he was just starting to let the world know about his talents. Redman senior is still the main attraction, though – blowing strongly on alto, tenor, and even a bit of musette – but also letting Joshua take all the horn parts on one track. Titles include surprisingly great readings of two standard ballads – "Everything Happens To Me" and "Imagination" – plus the tracks "Le Clit", "For Mo", and "O'Besso". CD

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Matt Cameron (Soundgarden & Pearl Jam) and John McBain (Monster Magnet, Queens Of The Stone Age). CD

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! As with the other set, the presentation here is wonderful – not just fantastic music we'd never have discovered otherwise, but also very detailed notes and an overall punch that few other funky compilations can match. Titles on this second vinyl volume include "Guess We'd Better Break Up Now" by Etta Cameron, "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by Philip Catherine, "Riff For Peggy" by Roland Thyssen, "We Love The Policemen" by Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo, "Smoke Signal" by Indian Sound Of Blackfoot, "Inner City Blues" by Leslie Kent, "Chewing Gum Delirium" by Free Pop Electronic Concept, "Akkerwinde" by Lieven, "Concerto For Right Foot & Orchestra" by George Hayes & His Philarpopic Orchestra, "Punktowiec" by Skleroptak, and "Soul Melody" by R Dero. LP, Vinyl record album

The first ever compilation of the best music made for MoWest – the eclectic, but still soulful cuts made when Berry Gordy Jr. relocated from Motown to the west coast in the early 70s – releasing cool and sometimes strange music with a soul background, yet toasted by LA sunshine! The MoWest subsidiary lasted just a few years, and gets overlooked in the canonization of Motown at it's most classic and revolutionary – but the legacy is pretty incredible. Funk, sunshine rock and soul fused adventurously by a stunningly diverse roster – late period Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons (who's comp-opening track is a slept on sunshine pop-soul classic), breezy-jazzy-soul from Odyssey, the sister funk of Sisters Love, a stunning solo left turn from Spinners singer GC Cameron and more great stuff from Syreeta, The Commodores, Suzee Ikeda, Thelma Houston and others. We've been dying for a well selected MoWest comp like this for years, and Light In The Attic stepped to the plate and knock it right out of the park. The songs choices are great, the notes are great. . .everything about it is a win. Essential! Includes "You're A Song (That I Can't Sing)" and "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" and "Broken Road" by Odyssey, "Don't You Be Worried" by The Commodores, "A Heart Is A House" Nu Page, "I Ain't Going Nowhere" by Thelma Houston, "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" by Suzee Ikeda, "You've Got To Make The Choice" and "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love and more. CD

Music from Henry Mancini, Peggy Lee, Titan, Ursula 1000, Pizzicato Five, Fatboy Slim, Dimitri From Paris, Koop Featuring Yukimi Nagano, Fantastic Plastic Machine, Arling & Cameron, Ludovic Navarre, Kinky, Chris Mancini & Lennart, Nicola Conte, Les Hommes, and Mocean Worker. CD

Rare Motown – a treasure trove of obscure singles, b-sides, and collectors favorites from the glory days of this Detroit soul powerhouse! The set was put together for the UK soul market – and as such, it features a wealth of tunes that go beyond the usual Motown collections in the US – really excellent tracks that conjure up a whole new picture of the label that goes way beyond the hits. There's loads of killers on here – the kind of top-shelf numbers that make you say "Hey, why wasn't this one a hit too?" – and titles include "Blackmail" by Bobby Taylor, "California Soul" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, "My Love For You" by Marvin Gaye, "Come See About Me" by Choker Campbell, "Take Me Back" by Freddie Gorman, "You Got Me Hurtin All Over" by Barbara Randolph, "Look What You Done Boy" by The Lollipops, "Tear It On Down" by The Originals, "Red Hot Love" by The Four Tops, "Don't Wanna Play Pyjama Games" by GC Cameron, "Way Over There" by Edwin Starr, "It Happens Every Time" by Barbara McNair, and "If I Could Give You The World" by Hearts Of Stone. 21 tracks in all! CD

An amazing collection of funky nuggets – one that's overflowing with hip soul, funk, and break tracks! The set's the second in a series put together by the staff of London's Soul Brother Records – and like the first, it features some of the most sought-after rare grooves and sample tracks from the 70s – a rich array of titles from a variety of different labels, all collected with a keen ear for the older tracks that are still breaking big well into the 21st Century! And since these guys also run a record store themselves, they've gone way past the obvious – and have chosen an all-essential batch of tunes that aren't easily available on the market, including some killer tracks from major labels that we've been waiting years to see reissued. Titles include "Oops Here I Go Again" by Edna Wright, "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More" by Kellee Patterson, "Sho Nuff" by Sly Slick & Wicked, "All I Want Is You" by Four Flights, "Live For Love" by GC Cameron, "I Feel So At Home Here" by Michelle Wiley, "Shake It Up" by The Vibrations, "My Music" by Samuel Jonathan Johnson, "Heaven" by Ruth Copeland, "It's Got To Be Mellow (1976)" by Leon Mellow, "Making Room For Love" by Alton McClain & Destiny, and "When We're Makin Love" by Denise LaSalle. LP, Vinyl record album

Post-Mingus work from reedman George Adams and pianist Don Pullen – three albums in a single set! Decisions is one of those key records that has George Adams and Don Pullen reinventing expectations of jazz for the 80s – both musicians with plenty of ear for the outside, but also coming back home with a well-rounded, deeply-rooted approach that's crucial in taking the American jazz legacy another step forward! Like some of their similar contemporaries, who could also be avant at times, and straight at others – Adams and Pullen have no concern with setting themselves in one camp or another – and not only flesh out the spirit of the record with both of those aspects of their playing, but also have some surprisingly bluesy undercurrents at times. The group features George Adams on tenor, Don Pullen on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – and titles include "Decisions", "Triple Over Time", "I Could Really For You", "Message Urgent", and "Trees & Grass & Things". Life Line is a strong outing from this key post-Mingus collaboration – and a record that really shows both Don Pullen and George Adams really coming into their own! Pullen's piano can have plenty of edges, as can Adams' tenor – but there's also some warmer, lyrical moments that really round things out – kind of a balance between righteous energy and deeper quietude that the musicians might have learned during their time with Charles Mingus – taken to a logical small group extension here. Adams also plays a bit of flute, which is especially nice – and the group also includes Cameron Brown on bass and Dannie Richmond on drums. Titles include "The Great Escape Or Run John Henry Run", "Seriously Speaking", "Soft Seas", and "Protection". Live At Montmartre is solidly soaring work from tenorist George Adams – recording live here with pianist Don Pullen, one of his best musical partners during the 80s! The album's got a bit more of a bite than some of the pair's studio sessions – a bit straighter overall, but recorded with a nice degree of energy, and some long tracks that really let both players open up nicely – in a combo that also features John Scofield on guitar, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums. The inclusion of Scofield's guitar changes up the group's sound in a nice way – adding in some more chromatic elements that really stand out – and titles include "IJ", "Flame Games", "Song Everlasting", and "Forever Lovers". CD

Open, swinging live work from the George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet – and a set that shows both the group's sense of jazz tradition, and their willingness to play with it on their own terms! The tracks here are all quite long, jamming numbers – built on lively rhythms from the bass of Cameron Brown and drums of Dannie Richmond, and featuring a mix of exploratory solos and more swinging moments from Adams on tenor and Pullen on piano. Titles include a great reading of the Mingus tune "Diane" – plus "The Necessary Blues", "Intentions", and "Solitude" – all of which are over 13 minutes long! CD

A strong outing from this key post-Mingus collaboration – and a record that really shows both Don Pullen and George Adams really coming into their own! Pullen's piano can have plenty of edges, as can Adams' tenor – but there's also some warmer, lyrical moments that really round things out – kind of a balance between righteous energy and deeper quietude that the musicians might have learned during their time with Charles Mingus – taken to a logical small group extension here. Adams also plays a bit of flute, which is especially nice – and the group also includes Cameron Brown on bass and Dannie Richmond on drums. Titles include "The Great Escape Or Run John Henry Run", "Seriously Speaking", "Soft Seas", and "Protection". LP, Vinyl record album

Connie Crothers on pinao, Lenny Popkin on tenor saxophone, Carol Tristano on drums, and Cameron Brown on ass. CD

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 introspective approach that has Donovan working in a world that's really all his own – less concerned with hit singles, and more focused on a personal journey in music, one that ties together many strands of music borrowed from Celtic, West Indian, jazz, and folk sources. Arrangers are John Cameron and John Paul Jones – and titles include "Get Thy Bearings", "Peregrine", "The Entertaining Of A Shy Girl", "West Indian Lady", "Jennifer Juniper", "Tangier", "The River Song", "The Sun Is A Very Magic Fellow", and "Hi It's Been A Long Time". CD

Beautiful work from bassist Charlie Haden and his Quartet West – a lovely look back at the styles and chanteuses of the 50s & 60s noirish jazz – with some lush strings accompaniment and guest vocalists including Cassandra Wilson, Melody Gardot, Norah Jones, Ruth Cameron and Diana Krall! It's the kind of thing that could come of hokey without a genuine love if the material in the mix, and the Haden & co. pull it off wonderfully. The quartet players include Ernie Watts on tenor, Alan Broadbent on piano and Rodney Green on drums. Includes "If I'm Lucky" with Melody Gardot, "Sophisticated Lady", "Today I Am A Man", "Ill Wind" with Norah Jones, "My Love And I" with Cassandra Wilson, "Theme From 'Markham'", "Angel Faces", "Goodbye" with Diana Krall, "Wahoo" and more. CD

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 catchy on the hooks, and recorded with a nicely flanged style on the vocals – so that they're compressed a bit, and slide nicely in alongside the beats and keys! The mighty Rod Tempterton's still handling a good deal of the arrangements on the set, and some of the backings are orchestrated by Johnny Cameron – almost in a late 70s update of his earlier funky style. Titles include the funky cut "Gangsters Of The Groove", plus "All I Am", "Dreamin You", "Party Suite", "Posin Til Closin", "Turn Around", and "Where Did I Go Wrong", a sweet little ballad. LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Lovano on saxophones and flute, Greg Osby on saxophone, Jason Moran on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums. CD

Maybe the most compelling volume in this excellent series – a set that unearths all sorts of unusual moments from Joni Mitchell's years on Asylum Records – a stunningly creative period when she was really opening up her music, and also bringing in a lot of inspiration from jazz as well! All the material here has never been issued – and the set features a long live 1974 set with Tom Scott & The LA Express, plus other live performances from the time – and tracks from rare sessions done with James Taylor, Neil Young, Graham Nash and David Crosby too! But maybe the best material here is the huge array of session tracks and demos – for the albums For The Roses, Court & Spark, and Hissing Of Summer Lawns – really letting you hear Joni's creative process at work as she explores early versions of dozens of tunes, some very different than the famous recordings. The whole thing comes with a big booklet of notes and images – and includes Joni discussing her music with Cameron Crowe! LP, Vinyl record album

Gary Crosby on contrabass, Joe Bashorun on piano, Orphy Robinson on vibraphone, Cameron Pierre on guitar, Mark Mondesir on drums, and Juliet Roberts and Leroy Osbourne on vocals. CD

Proof that Dannie Richmond had a lot more to offer than just his drumming with Charles Mingus! The album's a stunning post-Mingus set that shows Richmond in command of a hip group of Mingus-ites – but working in a style that has much of its own manners and quirks! The album features 2 Mingus tunes – as you'd expect from a Richmond album – but the delivery is quite different than when the tunes were in Charles' hands, and they come off with an offbeat sense of rhythm and timing that almost has the playful feel of some of Jaki Byard's best work. The rest of the group features Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Cameron Brown on bass – and titles include "Hi Jinks", "Dionysius", "Flying Colors", and "Peggy's Blue Skylight". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool take on the music of Charles Mingus – handled here by his old drummer Dannie Richmond, in a great small combo mode that's quite different than usual! The tunes are all pretty darn dynamic, but have a really different flavor – some very right drums from Richmond, who almost seems to have a bit more presence here than under the guidance of his old boss – and some especially nice horns from Ricky Ford on tenor and soprano sax, and Jack Walrath on trumpet and flugelhorn – both blowing in bold lines that would make Mingus proud, but also feeling plenty of their own selves as well. The remainder of the group features Cameron Brown on bass and Bob Neloms on piano – and titles include "Seven Words", "April Denise", "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion", and "Feel No Evil". CD features a bonus take on "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion". CD

Great live material from Shepp – not out or crazy, but also not spiritual or hippy dippy, either. The record's kind of a perfectly soulful straight ahead set – in a mode that hints at the traditional direction Shepp would take at the time, but with a lot more interesting moments. The group's a quartet with Charles Greenlee on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums – and the tracks feature Shepp soloing with a lot of soul, and criss crossing styles from track to track. "U-jamaa" is a strong straight number – and the 3 other titles are "Lush Life", "Crucificado" and "Miss Toni". CD

A later set from Archie Shepp and a real lost gem – quite different from his earlier works, especially the better known late 60s sessions – and a surprisingly nice album that runs through some truly excellent longer takes – filled with warmth and tenderness you wouldn't expect! Steam was recorded in early 1976, in a stripped down setting, with Cameron Brown on bass and Beaver Harris on drums. The group wonderfully rolls through Ellington's "Solitude", Shepp's "Steam", and the epic "A Message From Trane", a tremendous number written by the great Cal Massey – and Shepp plays both tenor and piano on the record. The CD reissue includes bonus tracks not on the original album – "Ah Leu Cha" and "52nd Street Theme". CD

Three great albums in one package! Steam is a later set from Archie Shepp and a real lost gem – quite different from his earlier works, especially the better known late 60s sessions – and a surprisingly nice album that runs through some truly excellent longer takes – filled with warmth and tenderness you wouldn't expect! Steam was recorded in early 1976, in a stripped down setting, with Cameron Brown on bass and Beaver Harris on drums. The group wonderfully rolls through Ellington's "Solitude", Shepp's "Steam", and the epic "A Message From Trane", a tremendous number written by the great Cal Massey – and Shepp plays both tenor and piano on the record. CD reissue includes bonus tracks not on the original album – "Ah Leu Cha" and "52nd Street Theme". Lover Man is an overlooked treasure from his years as a straight jazz musician – a time we come to appreciate more and more as the years go by! The Shepp heard here is one who's still got all the raw tone and bite of the old days, but also finds a way to swing things on a set of familiar standards – so that he's cutting these great raspy lines out of tunes you might already know – but which are taking on a whole new life in the process. The small combo also features Dave Burrell on piano – another player who could go out, but instead here hangs inside, yet uses all the knowledge of his reach to keep things interesting. A few of the tracks feature vocals from Anne Lowman – with Shepp alongside on tenor – and the rest of the group features Herman Wright on bass and Steve McCraven on drums. Titles include "Brand New World/Breaking A New Day", "My Funny Valentine", "Stars Are In Your Eyes", "Lush Life", and "Yesterdays". Something To Live For is a set of standards from Archie Shepp – but one that's done in a much less traditional way than you might expect – that new standard of returning to roots, but doing them differently that Shepp first began in the 70 – and which really colored the rest of his recording career in a really strong way! Shepp plays tenor, but also vocalizes on many tracks – almost more talking than singing at times, with a raspy, almost bluesy style – but not blues at all – an element that's warmed up by the sparkling trumpet and flugelhorn of Eddie Henderson, whose role in the lead is equally as important as Archie! The rest of the group features John Hicks on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – all players who make great contributions in more subtle ways – on tunes that include "You're Blase", "California Blues", "My Foolish Heart", "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", and "Something To Live For". CD

Great small combo work from Archie Shepp – still somewhere in the territory of his return to tradition in the late 70s, but played with a tremendously adventurous tone throughout! The group here features Amina Claudine Myers on some wonderfully expressive piano – an element that gives the record an even deeper degree of soul than usual – as Archie carves these sublime lines on soprano and tenor sax, alongside Cameron Brown on bass and Ronnie Burrage on drums. Titles include a great reworking of Shepp's "Kwanza" – plus "Tomorrow Will Be Another Day", "It's All Right", "Mama Rose", "Call Him", and "The Stars Are In Your Eyes". CD

Early Sinatra performances from The Lucky Strike Hit Parade, with titles that include "Tenderly", "Little White Lies", "Haunted Heart", "Lady From 29 Palms", "I'll String Along With You", "Civilization", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Pure fantasticness from the great Kamasi Washington – a set that's much more compact than his sprawling Epic, but which has an equally wonderful vibe overall! The album features material that Washington performed at the Whitney Biennial – to accompany paintings by his sister – but the whole thing stands alone beautifully, with that free-flowing, always spiritual vibe that's made Washington one of the strongest young jazz talents to emerge in recent years! The music resonates strongly with the work of some of his key LA contemporaries – like Ronald Bruner Jr, Miles Mosley, Cameron Graves, and Thundercat – all of whom perform in the large ensemble – helping Kamasi's tenor soar to the skies on waves of collaborative joy. Washington composed, arranged, and even produced the record himself – and in some ways, the tightness of the performance makes the whole thing even more satisfying than Epic – as we hope you feel too, on titles that include "Desire", "Humility", "Truth", "Integrity", "Knowledge", and "Perspective". CD

Truly tremendous work from saxophonist Kamasi Washington – a set that may well even blow away his groundbreaking Epic album – given the scope of soul and spirit in the music! As with the previous project, this one's double-length, but maybe feels even more fitted to the mode – as Washington leads this incredible ensemble that unifies a jazz group, orchestra, and choir – all at a level that might even top some of Alice Coltrane's early 70s albums for Impulse! There's a richness in vision here right from the start – music that knows what it is, where it's going, and what it can accomplish – very personal, but also very welcoming too – just the right sort of spirit to help get the nation back on track! Washington blows tenor throughout – and gets great help from Cameron Graves on piano, Brandon Coleman on organ and keyboards, and Miles Mosley on bass – whose work alone really seems to drive the proceedings! Titles include "Can You Hear Him", "Fists Of Fury", "Will You Sing", "Journey", "Street Fighter Mas", "The Space Travelers Lullaby", "The Psalmnist", "One Of One", and "The Invincible Youth". Comes with a bonus CD called The Choice – with the Kamasi-composed "The Secret Of Jinsonson", "Agents Of Multiverse" and "My Family", plus covers of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Ooh Child" – it's another 38 minutes of music hidden in the center of the cover! CD

A great selection of older Motown numbers – with a few newer tracks from the 70s! The selection of tunes is a bit strange – given that the film was film set in Chicago in the mid 60's, whick makes you think the kids would have been listening to Chicago tunes on local labels like Okeh, Brunswick, and other labels – but overall, it's still a decent set. The original tunes are pretty great – like the instrumental "2 Pigs and a Hog", which was an old sample back in the 80's – and the tracks "Haulin", "Sweet First Love", "Cold Blooded", and "Three AM", which feature music by Freddie Perren. Other older tunes include "Stop In The Name of Love" by The Supremes, "Baby Love" by The Supremes, "Fingertips" by Stevie Wonder, "My Girl" by The Temptations, "Reach Out I'll Be There" by Four Tops, "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" by GC Cameron, "Beechwood 45789" by The Marvelettes, and "Ooo Baby Baby" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. LP, Vinyl record album

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! Titles include "Funky Chimes" by Francis Coppieters, "My Chinese Girl Likes Kung Fu Fighting" by The Sumos, "Traveling On Rhythms" by Bud Hunga & His Diplomatic Music, "Pink Movement" by Experience, "Tiger Walk" by The Peter Laine Orchestra, "Faded Lady (inst)" by SSO, "Barabajagal" by The Flying Guitar, "Scratch My Back (parts 1 & 2)" by The Soul Scratchers, "Skylab" by Electronic System III, "Free Way Exit" by Guido Carnagy, "Guess We'd Better Break Up Now" by Etta Cameron, "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by Philip Catherine, "Riff For Peggy" by Roland Thyssen, "We Love The Policemen" by Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo, "Smoke Signal" by Indian Sound Of Blackfoot, "Inner City Blues" by Leslie Kent, "Chewing Gum Delirium" by Free Pop Electronic Concept, "Akkerwinde" by Lieven, "Concerto For Right Foot & Orchestra" by George Hayes & His Philarpopic Orchestra, "Punktowiec" by Skleroptak, and "Soul Melody" by R Dero. CD

Funky soundtrack tunes from the early 70s – a great mix of lesser known album cuts and a few other rare gems pulled from Universal's Soul Cinema series! The groove is wah-wah funk, fast riffing drums, tight "chase" theme grooves, and even a bit of soul – and tracks include "Monkey Hustle" by Jack Conrad, "It's Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" by GC Cameron, "Fat Poppadaddy" by Quincy Jones, "I'm Gonna Catch You" by The Hues Corporation, "The Boss" by James Brown, "Bus Stop" by Harry Betts, "King George" by Roy Ayers, "Give It To Me" by Isaac Hayes, "She Did It" by Barbara Mason & Monk Higgins, and "It Sure Is Groovy" by Gil Bernal. 13 cuts in all! CD

Second volume in this series of Motown compilations aimed at the dancefloor – and in spite of the tile, the material here is more soul than disco, but definitely more in the dance vein than the get your groove on side of things. Includes some sublime numbers like "Date With The Rain" by Eddie Kendricks and "Dancing Machine" by The Jackson 5 – plus "You Sure Know How To Love Your Man" by Willie Hutch, "No Matter Where" by GC Cameron, "Bad Weather" by The Supremes, "What Is A Heart Good For" by The Miracles, "I'm A Fool For You" by Undisputed Truth, "Chained" by Rare Earth, and "Law Of The Land" by The Temptations. LP, Vinyl record album

The sounds here aren't that unusual at all – and in fact, they're mostly pretty darn groovy – a superb selection of sound library funk from the glory days of the European scene – collected here together in support of the book of the same name! In case you're new to the scene – the Euro sound library world of the 60s and 70s was a place where extremely creative musicians could come together and create their own sort of grooves without a worry for placement on the record charts – as most of these cuts were locked in the vaults, then licensed briefly for use on radio, TV, or commercials – which led to a few of these gems getting some famous, but anonymous play on classic cop or crime shows at the time. The compilation brings together some of the best examples of this scene – loads of cuts that have been our favorites over the years – a whopping 20 tracks that include "Half Forgotten Daydreams" by John Cameron, "Funky Fanfare" by Keith Mansfield, "Weeping Eelgrass" by Mladen Franko, "Mild Maniac" by Peter Patzer, "Dream Number Two" by Roland Hollinger, "Soft Wind" by Gary Pacific Orchestra, "Tropicola" by Stringtronics, "Survivor" by Klaus Weiss, "La Dimonstrazione" by Daniele Patucchi, "Feeling Tense" by Stefano Torossi, "Xenos Cosmos" by Janko Nilovic, "Night Breeze" by Franco Micalizzi, and "Fancy Good" by Electric Machine. CD

One of the funkiest box sets we've ever seen – and amazingly issued by an American major label! The 4CD package is a treasure trove of funky work from a decade of Warner Brothers, Atlantic Records, and related labels – tunes pulled both from mainstream album releases and much more obscure 45s – all expertly collected here into a whopping batch of 91 tracks, all packaged in a cool little box with an 80 page booklet! This one goes way past some of the silly "decade" sets from Rhino, and really displays a new level of cool and connoisseurship – one that finally appreciates the rich depths of funky work at their fingertips, most of which has not been properly reissued in the US! Titles include "Almendra" by Macondo, "Goin Down" by Allen Toussaint, "Wah Wah Man" by Young Holt Unlimited, "Spinning Wheel" by Wade Marcus, "Hard Times" by Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters, "What's So Never The Dance (parts 1 & 2)" by Houseguests, "8 Days On The Road" by Howard Tate, "Getting Uptown" by United 8, "Wanoah" by Black Heat, "Let It Crawl" by Society's Bag, "Flute Thing" by Seatrain, "Try It Again" by Bobby Byrd, "Funky To The Bone" by Freddi Henchi & The Soul Setters, "Improve" by Darrow Fletcher, "Rien Ne Va Plus" by Funk Factory, "Gossip" by Cyril Neville, "Spreadin Honey" by Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, "Stoned Soul" by Artie Christopher, "Sexy Coffee Pot" by Tony Alvon & The Belaires, "Tampin" by The Rhine Oaks, "Jan Jan" by The Fabulous Counts, "Sing A Simple Song" by The Noble Knights, "It's All In Your Mind" by Soul Angels, "Funky John" by Johnny Cameron, "Don't Come Around Here Any More" by Mark Putney, "Keep On Dancing" by The Commodores, "Right On Brother (part 1)" by South Shore Commission, "Pop Popcorn Children" by Eldridge Holmes, and "The Deacon" by Brute Force. CD

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 introspective approach that has Donovan working in a world that's really all his own – less concerned with hit singles, and more focused on a personal journey in music, one that ties together many strands of music borrowed from Celtic, West Indian, jazz, and folk sources. Arrangers are John Cameron and John Paul Jones – and titles include "Get Thy Bearings", "Peregrine", "The Entertaining Of A Shy Girl", "West Indian Lady", "Jennifer Juniper", "Tangier", "The River Song", "The Sun Is A Very Magic Fellow", and "Hi It's Been A Long Time". LP, Vinyl record album

How can you resist an album with a picture of a baby on the cover with his hands and face covered in tattoos?! The set is maybe the biggest album in Lil Wayne's career – a set that was delayed a bit in the midst of big album leaks of the oughties – then really came on strong once it hit the record racks! Titles include the big hit single "Lollipop" – plus "Mr Carter", "Tie My Hands", "Mrs Officer", "Dr Carter", "La La", "You Ain't Got Nuthin", "Dontgetit", "Shoot Me Down", "Let The Beat Build", and "Got Money". LP, Vinyl record album

By this point in his career, Sonny hardly needed a tune up in his style – but the album's a great one from his post-Prestige years, and a real back-to-basics effort that recalls the genius of his work on Roost! The format is straight and simple – Stitt's tenor and alto fronting a quartet that includes Barry Harris, Sam Jones, and Alan Dawson – all playing in a way that puts Sonny in command on all tracks, blowing with an amazing tone that makes us want to throw away all his funk, organ, and electric outings, and just concentrate on these straight acoustic sides. Stitt has a way of blowing the reed like he's got his whole mouth moving into the sax – an earthy, human, and personal feel that first came out strongly in his work during the late 50s, but which has grown even more by this point – even if you couldn't hear the development on other sets. And given our love of funk and electric sides, we're honestly surprised we find ourselves championing a record like this from the early 70s – but it's a great one, and not to be missed if you remotely dig Stitt! Titles include "Tune Up", "Idaho", "Just Friends", "Groovin High", and "Blues For Prez & Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

Early 70s magic from Sonny Stitt – two albums recorded in 1972 for the Cobblestone label! First up is Tune Up – a great one from Stitt's post-Prestige years, and a real back-to-basics effort that recalls the genius of his work on Roost! The format is straight and simple – Stitt's tenor and alto fronting a quartet that includes Barry Harris, Sam Jones, and Alan Dawson – all playing in a way that puts Sonny in command on all tracks, blowing with an amazing tone that makes us want to throw away all his funk, organ, and electric outings, and just concentrate on these straight acoustic sides. Stitt has a way of blowing the reed like he's got his whole mouth moving into the sax – an earthy, human, and personal feel that first came out strongly in his work during the late 50s, but which has grown even more by this point – even if you couldn't hear the development on other sets. And given our love of funk and electric sides, we're honestly surprised we find ourselves championing a record like this from the early 70s – but it's a great one, and not to be missed if you remotely dig Stitt! Titles include "Tune Up", "Idaho", "Just Friends", "Groovin High", and "Blues For Prez & Bird". Constellation is all bop and all soul all the way through, and recorded with a tight quartet that features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums! The style's a bit like Sonny's work of the late 50s, but there's also a fluidity to the rhythm section that makes it a bit different too – a sound that's warm, open, and soulful – creating a space into which Stitt settles nicely and blows like mad. There's no gimmicks at all, just solid classic jazz skills – and titles include "Casbah", "Constellation", "By Accident", "Webb City", and "Topsy". CD