A killer selection of Spanish female pop – music that echoes British and French female work of the time, but which often has a different vibe as well! Part of that difference is the Spanish language of the lyrics, which seems to encourage some differences in the rhythms – but there's also some nice shifts in production, arrangements, and overall presentation – as the music moves from 60s soul-inspired mod modes, through 70s perfect pop gems, to some later numbers that show a bit of an influence from the dancefloor! Actually, most of these tracks are pretty upbeat and grooving, and would be right at home in a set for dancers – in a heady lineup of 24 tracks from artists who include Los Antifaces, Marion, Soledad Miranda, Teresa Maria, Franciska, Marian Conde, Elvira, Dolly, Eros, Nena Catherine, Doris Y Rossie, and others you're not likely to find in your local record racks! Titles include "Mas" by Enterprise, "Si Un Chico Fuera Yo" by Marion, ""Mairandote" by Suzie, "Mucho Mas" by Teresa Maria", "No, No, No" by Elvira, "Listen Here" by Dolly, "Casa Forte" by Doris Rossie and lots more. LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible third coast salsa from the late 70s – amazing stuff from the orquestras of Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label – made by singers and players in Chicago's Puerto Rican community of the period that stands up just as well today! Chicago salsa, unlike more nationally popular styles, was rooted in the city's rich Puerto Rican community. They cover material adapted from traditionals and more, done with less pan-Caribbean derived sounds than the Cuban-rooted salseros of NYC and Miami. As fondly remembered as the players of the Chicago salsa scene are by the older Puerto Rican community, records by Orquestas La Justicia, La Solucion, Juventad Tipica '78, Tipica Leal '79 and others are terribly hard to find. Not only has Numero managed to compile a terrific batch of songs, the sound quality is impeccable, too! Titles include "Plena Matrimonial" by Ebirac All-Stars featuring La Calandria & Ramito, "Stone Flower", "Alegre Jibarito", "Guaguanco Coroco" and more by La Justicia, "Afro Theme" and "Ano Nuevo Y Reyes" by Juventud Tipica '78, "A Bailar Son Montuno", "El Gordo Y El Flaco" and "Mini Minoso" by La Solucion, "Mozambique" by La Solucion featuring Mongo Santamaria, "Donde Estabas" by Tipica Leal '79 and more, plus the bonus "Ebirac Radio Spot". The booklet is lavish, too – full of notes and photos that that make it all the more revelatory – providing a historical perspective that can't be overpraised! CD

A huge amount of 12" singles, stuffed into one mighty nice 4CD set – maybe not the greatest of all time, but still pretty darn wonderful overall! The set does an especially great job of looking at a late 70s moment when some of the hipper soul artists were able to get the extra space of a 12" single to really open up their sound – grooves that move past the shorter space of a 7", and really do plenty in the process – often in ways that are much more interesting than some of the overplayed disco of the time. There's 43 long grooves on the set – all 12" singles – and titles include "Space Age" by Jimmy Castor, "You Are A Star" by Aquarian Dream, "Flashlight" by Parliament, "Good Times" by Chic, "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure, "I Should've Loved Ya" by Narada Michael Walden, "Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside, "You're My Occupation (ext)" by Chaz Jankel, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "And The Beat Goes On" by the Whispers, "You Got The Floor" by Arthur Adams, "Do It Any Way You Wanna (Tom Moulton mix)" by People's Choice, "Do What You Wanna Do" by T-Connection, "Twilight (inst)" by Maze, "You + Me + Love" by Undisputed Truth, "More Bounce To The Ounce (parts 1 & 2)" by Zapp, "Now That We Found Love (disco mix)" by Third World, "Hi Tension" by Hi Tension, "Dancing In Outer Space" by Atmosfear, "Money's Too Tight To Mention" by Valentine Brothers, "Searching" by Change, and "Running Away" by Roy Ayers. CD

The kind of record that makes us mighty proud to live in the Windy City – and a long-overdue look at the wealth of rare club, disco, and soul cuts bubbling in the Chicago underground at the end of the 70s! During the early part of the decade, the city was widely known for some super-huge soul acts – and in the 80s, house would raise Chicago to international fame – but in the space between, the city kept on putting out some really wonderful music – wicked little cuts issued on small indie labels, most of which never got any circulation outside the midwest! The Mr Peabody crate-digging team's collected together the best of the best from these overlooked years – and also threw in a few of their own edits too – furthering the dancefloor potential of some of the best rare nuggets. 2LP version features 8 cuts – including "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again" by Carmen Amez – plus seven Mr Peabody edits – versions of "Too Far Gone" by LaJohn & Sheela, "The Challenge" by Billy Hinton, "The Composer" by Fantasie, "Running To A Disco" by Lonnie Givens, "Bass Come Back" by The Moore Brothers, "Disco Ball" by Brighter Side Of Darkness, and "Your Love Is In The Pocket" by Premonition. LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly great little album – recorded on the occasion of the Ensemble's third decade in music, and a record that sounds a lot better than we remember! At the time of release, we kind of "pooh poohed" this one because of its divergence from some of the group's other styles – some tracks are straighter, more composed, and less improvised; others use a larger sound palette, and go for themes that are almost sentimental and nostalgic at times. Yet somehow, going back to this one, we're stunned at how interesting we find the whole thing – as each track seems to offer up a new surprise, and the series of musical visions expressed shows how much the group had grown during their time together. Includes the wonderful "Prayer For Jimbo Kwesi", the percussive jammer "Third Decade", the sonorously-wonderful "Bell Piece", and the tracks "Walking In The Moonlight", "Zero", and "Funky AECO". LP, Vinyl record album

The full scope of genius from the legendary Alvin Cash – not just his 60s gritty groovers, but a host of later funk tracks as well – all packaged into a beautiful book-styled package! Cash is one of our favorite Chicago artists ever – a dancer by trade, but a flamboyant personality who always managed to make his way center stage – whether live or in the recording studio! The set begins with early "twine" numbers from Alvin – some romping heavy soul tracks that have a very deep bottom, and a raw sound that's equal part R&B and Chicago soul – definitely tuned towards the dancefloor crowd that was a natural fit for Cash's energy. As the set moves on, it then picks up some wicked late 60s singles for the Toddlin Town label, and also includes some excellent early 70s groovers for Sound Stage Seven – some of Alvin's hardest, heaviest numbers ever. The set features work by Alvin Cash with The Registers, Hundred Dollar Bills, The Crawlers, and Scott Brothers Orchestra – and titles include "Keep On Dancing (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky 69", "Moanin & Groanin", "Doin The Creep", "It's Party Time", "Funky Washing Machine", "Alvin's Doin His Thing", "Funky Street", "Doin The Ali Shuffle", "Whip It On Me", "The Charge", "Boston Monkey", "The Philly Freeze", "Alvin's Boogaloo", "Let's Do Some Good Timing", "The Bump", "Twine Time", "Twine Awhile", "The Barracuda", and "You Shot Me Through The Grease". CD

A huge step forward for the mighty, expansive Exploding Star Orchestra – having recruited free jazz trumpet titan Bill Dixon as a band member and featured composer, if not the de facto leader – on this incredible second album for Thrill Jockey! The previous Exploding Star Orchestra set balanced a fiery, unpredictable intensity with a 70s style pulp soundtrack groove – while this one has more delicate and sublime moments at the outer edges, while ratcheting up the intensity all the more when the spirit hits! The group is made up of mainstays from the genre defiant Chicago scene – with group harbinger Rob Mazurek on coronet, Nicole Mitchell on flute, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jeff Parker guitar, Jim Baker on piano, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes and tubular bells, Matthew Lux on bass, Jon Herndon on drums, Damon Lock with a spoken text read, and others. Heavy, spacious and truly beautiful! Titles include 3 long pieces that add up to over an hour all together, with the Dixon compositions "Entrances/One" and "Entrances/Two", and the killer centerpiece "Constellations For Innerdelight (For Bill Dixon)" composed by Rob Mazurek. CD

Soundtrack to one of the most quintessential Chicago films – with in-character vocals by Elwood and Jake, plus appearances by James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest releases ever from the Okka Disk label – a legendary set that stands as a great testament to the global improvising scene that exploded in Chicago during the 90s! Back in the early years of FMP, nobody would have thought to use the name "Peter Brotzmann" and "Chicago" in the same context – but by the time of these recordings, the legendary reedman had been spending quite a bit of time in the Windy City – working strongly alongside that decade's fresh generation of improvisers, at a level that also helped Brotzmann discover new energy in his music too! The lineup here is great – both octet and tentet groups that operate in an improvising orchestra tradition – with players that include Ken Vandermark on tenor and bass clarinet, Mars Williams on tenor and alto, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Mats Gustafsson on baritone and fluteophone, Joe McPhee on pocket cornet and valve trombone, Fred Lonberg Holm on cello, Kent Kessler on bass, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake on drums and percussion, and Brotzmann himself on tenor, clarinet, and tarogato. The set features three different live recordings, and one long studio set recorded over two days – a fantastic collection of music. Titles include "Burning Spirit (For Kazuka Shiraishi)", "Other Brothers", "Old Bottles No Wine, "Aziz", "Foolish Infinity", "Immediate Music", "Makapoor", "Foolish Infinity", "Other Brothers" and "Divide By Zero". CD

A nice collection of Buarque's songs either sung by him or by others and they include "Pedro Pedreiro", "Roda-Viva", "Construcao" and "Partido Alto" performed by Caetano Veloso, "Folhetim" sung by Gal Costa, and "A Banda" by Nara Leao, plus many more! LP, Vinyl record album

Pure beauty! In October of 1998, Misha Mengelberg made an historic visit to Chicago – a rare trip programmed to coincide with a showcase of Dutch jazz that featured him and the Ab Bars trio, playing at Fred Anderson's legendary Velvet Lounge. The trip was notable in that it also became the occasion for Mengelberg to record some fantastic material – part in the studio (with Kent Kessler, Hamid Drake, Fred Anderson, Fred Lonberg-Holm, and others), part during the live session which transpired on the second day of his trip. This excellent double CD set from Hat Art brings together the recordings, and is a great glimpse into the interplay between the ever-growing Chicago avant scene and the larger legacy of European free jazz! The studio work is pretty darn great, but the real treat is the live set – as Misha plays solo on a few lovely tracks – like "Chicago Solo" and "Round Midnight" – and in a beautiful duet with Ab Bars on tenor, on a haunting reading of "Body & Soul". The set really captures the range of Misha's rich talents – and the inclusion of some jazz standards like "Off Minor" and "Eronel" gives the CD a well-rounded feel. CD

A huge package of work from a time when the Jewel/Paula label was a strong force in underground soul – an imprint whose home base was down in Louisiana, but who also had a reach that went up to the Windy City as well! The material here is on the deeper side of the spectrum – some New Orleans modes mixed with other southern soul styles – often recorded with nicely earthy production that really makes the singers come across at their best! Titles include "I Can't Stand To See You Go" by Joe Valentine, "Messed Around & Fell In Love" by Ricky Allen, "Nothing Takes The Place Of You" by Toussaint McCall, "What Is Love" by Jimmy Dobbins, "Cover Me" by Ted Taylor, I Want Everyone To Know" by Fontella Bass, "My Baby's Gone" by Wallace Brothers, "You've Got Me Tamed" by Clay Hammond, "Loosen These Pains & Let Me Go" by Albert Washington, "We Got A Good Thing Going" by Roscoe Robinson, and "Sweet Little Woman" by McKindley Sandifer. CD

Artists include Cajmere, Dajae, Hard Corey & Wray, Outhere Brothers, Workin' Happily, Green Velvet, and Jump Chico Slam. CD

Pierre Dorge pays tribute to the late reedman John Tchicai – a frequent musical partner over the years, and a player who's shaped the sound of countless others on both sides of the Atlantic! Tchicai got his start with Archie Shepp on the New York scene of the 60s, but moved over to Denmark by the end of that decade – and ended up having a good deal of interaction with guitarist Pierre Dorge in years to come, including performances on some of the best sessions by the New Jungle Orchestra! This album really recalls those great ones – as Dorge chooses tunes that seem to have an especially spiritual flavor, and evoke Tchicai in ways that most of the group's recent work might not have – using especially strong passages from reed players who include Jakob Mygind on tenor and soprano, Anders Banke on tenor and bass clarinet, and Morten Carlson on tenor and taragot. Titles include "Mozombo", "A Rufous Mot Mot", "Jungle Sketches", "Autobahn Tchicai Zwei", "Lucianus In Congo", and "Tjak Tjaka Tchicai". CD

Really righteous work from the Chicago scene – a very hip album that features some especially nice guest work on flute from Nicole Mitchell! The group is headed up by percussionist Hamid Drake, who really sounds great here – almost more relaxed and organic in his handling of drums and tablas than on other records – really settling into a sound that recalls the glory days of the earlier AACM scene. Other players are well-matched for this vibe – and include Ernest Dawkins on tenor and alto, Daniel Carter on saxes and clarinet, Sabir Mateen on saxes and bass clarinet, and Greg Ward on alto and clarinet – all players whose reeds work together beautifully, with tight formations at some points, and much freer solo sounds at others. Titles include "Bindu #2 For Baba Fred Anderson", "Remembering Rituals", "Born Upon A Lotus", "Bindu #1 For Ed Blackwell", and "Do Khyentse's Journey 139 Years & More". CD

Eternal soul from Marvin Gaye in both its classic form AND in a contemporary light – on a nice little 10-inch single! Side 1 features the original 7-inch single mono versions of "What's Going On" and "God Is Love" – both as mindblowing today as ever – not only just because it documents the incredible moment Marvin moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was innovating an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. Side 2 features new versions of "What's Going On" with contemporary hip hop soul hero BJ The Chicago Kid and a remix – both of which are surprisingly solid given the historical heft of the originals, but we really gotta hand it to BJ The Chicago Kid for approaching the contemporary remodel/"duet" with the utmost care and respect! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". CD

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". This great deluxe edition from Truth & Soul comes inside a beautifully done, 80-page booklet – full of rare photos of the band in action and behind-the-scenes – plus richly detailed notes. CD

Some of the coolest music we've ever heard from Tomeka Reid – a soundtrack for a film based on the Chicago school of imagist painting in the 60s – nicely scored with music from the windy city itself! Reid composed the different selections on the soundtrack – most of which are different themes for Hairy Who artists, such as Ed Paschke, Ray Yoshida, Jim Nutt, and others – and the music features Reid's cello and the percussion of Adam Vida, plus some slight vocalizations at a few haunting moments! The music is surprisingly tuneful at most points – and quite beautiful as well – and titles include "Jizz & Jazz", "Hairy Shoes", "Tin Eared Tenor", "Dappled Pleasure Dress", "O Number I", "The Design & The Dilemma", and "Snooper Trooper". CD

A massive issue from Roctober this time around – filled with a wealth of information on unusual novelty and comedy records – plus lots of other odd vinyl too! There's a huge amount of interviews here – with Jimmy Lynch The Funky Tramp, Mr Lee, Neil Hamburger, Dave Alvin, Dr Demento, The 1985 Chicago Bears, Rappin Duke, and others – plus bits on Richard Pyror, Pedro Bell, Brother Dave Gardner, Andy Kaufman, and Jack White's Third Man Records – plus a massive stand up records discography, and loads lots more! Massive reviews and other bits too – and easily the best musical bang for your magazine buck. Magazine

A very cool, very unusual relic from the Chicago advertising scene of the 60s – a document issued by the Agency recording studios, a spot in the city's downtown – featuring narration from Frank Sweeney, as he takes you through a whole host of ads and jingles recorded by the company! Includes compositions by Johnny Frigo, Sid Siegel, and others – and vocals from Ken Nordine, Js With Jamie, Len Dressler, and others. Lots of very cool 60s commercials! LP, Vinyl record album

An instrumental album from this Chicago trio that includes Jeff Parker on guitar, Tatsu Aoki on bass, and David Pavkovic on drums. At times, the sound is almost funky, with a groove that's nicely laid down by Pavkovic's drums. At others, the record's a bit more open-ended, with less of a jazz-oriented sense of playing. Parker's plays in a warm chord style that recalls some of the more soulful work by John Abercrombie in the late 60s or early 70s. Titles include "Pep", "Go Free", "Thrive", "Chicago Cool", and "Quick Pay". CD

20 tracks from Screamin' Jay Hawkins & the Chicken Hawks, the Shallows, the Sunsets, the Symphonics, Freddie Scott, the Popular Five, Tony Rice & the Overtones, the Serenadettes, Fender Guitar Slim, the Clovertones & the Furness Brothers. CD

Incredible third coast salsa from the late 70s – amazing stuff from the orquestras of Carlos Ruiz and his Ebirac label – made by singers and players in Chicago's Puerto Rican community of the period that stands up just as well today! Chicago salsa, unlike more nationally popular styles, was rooted in the city's rich Puerto Rican community. They cover material adapted from traditionals and more, done with less pan-Caribbean derived sounds than the Cuban-rooted salseros of NYC and Miami. As fondly remembered as the players of the Chicago salsa scene are by the older Puerto Rican community, records by Orquestas La Justicia, La Solucion, Juventad Tipica '78, Tipica Leal '79 and others are terribly hard to find. Not only has Numero managed to compile a terrific batch of songs, the sound quality is impeccable, too! Titles include "Plena Matrimonial" by Ebirac All-Stars featuring La Calandria & Ramito, "Stone Flower", "Alegre Jibarito", "Guaguanco Coroco" and more by La Justicia, "Afro Theme" and "Ano Nuevo Y Reyes" by Juventud Tipica '78, "A Bailar Son Montuno", "El Gordo Y El Flaco" and "Mini Minoso" by La Solucion, "Mozambique" by La Solucion featuring Mongo Santamaria, "Donde Estabas" by Tipica Leal '79 and more, plus the bonus "Ebirac Radio Spot". The booklet is lavish, too – full of notes and photos that that make it all the more revelatory – providing a historical perspective that can't be overpraised! CD

Funky soul from Detroit – the second foray into the uber-rare and unreleased funk treasures recorded at Dave Hamilton's Motor City studio – and an even deeper look at what's turning out to be one of the greatest long-buried funk catalogs to come to light in recent years! The collection includes some singles released on Hamilton's own TCB and other imprints, some that were licensed to other labels, plus a wealth of unreleased material. There's straight ahead funk vocals and instrumentals, and numbers that have more of a freewheeling, adventurous vibe – albeit with a raw funk backdrop! Includes numbers by The Deacons, Prophet & His Disciples, Chico & Buddy, Billy Garner, OC Tolbert, Little Ann, Dave Hamilton himself, The Webb People, The Pepper and more. 22 tracks in all: "A Drop In The Bucket" by The Deacons, "You Fool, You Fool Pt 1" by Prophet & His Disciples, "A Thing Called The Jones" by Chico & Buddy, "The Bad Things (You Said To Me)" by The Barrino Brothers, "Ghetto Stride" by Dave Hamilton, "Who" by Jackie Dee, "Love Bandit" by OC Tolbert, "Simon Says' by The Future Kind, "Clap Your Hands" by The Tokays, "I'm Sending Vibrations" by The Webb People and more. CD

Funky soul from Detroit – the second foray into the uber-rare and unreleased funk treasures recorded at Dave Hamilton's Motor City studio – and an even deeper look at what's turning out to be one of the greatest long-buried funk catalogs to come to light in recent years! The collection includes some singles released on Hamilton's own TCB and other imprints, some that were licensed to other labels, plus a wealth of unreleased material. There's straight ahead funk vocals and instrumentals, and numbers that have more of a freewheeling, adventurous vibe – albeit with a raw funk backdrop! Includes numbers by The Deacons, Prophet & His Disciples, Chico & Buddy, Billy Garner, OC Tolbert, Little Ann, Dave Hamilton himself, The Webb People, The Pepper and more. 22 tracks in all: "A Drop In The Bucket" by The Deacons, "You Fool, You Fool Pt 1" by Prophet & His Disciples, "A Thing Called The Jones" by Chico & Buddy, "The Bad Things (You Said To Me)" by The Barrino Brothers, "Ghetto Stride" by Dave Hamilton, "Who" by Jackie Dee, "Love Bandit" by OC Tolbert, "Simon Says' by The Future Kind, "Clap Your Hands" by The Tokays, "I'm Sending Vibrations" by The Webb People and more. CD

Way more than just a typical collection of rare funk and soul – as the selections here not only meet the stunningly high standards of the BGP label – but they've also been sampled in more recent years for hip hop records and other contemporary recordings! Essentially, you've got the best of both worlds – vintage funk from the late 60s and early 70s – brought together in a great collection – and work that's gone onto form the blueprint for contemporary urban sounds as well – which means you'll probably recognize some or part of most of these songs from their use in more contemporary recordings. Nearly every cut's been sampled at least more than once – and titles include "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Chick A Boom" by Pazant Brothers, "Eva" by Jean Jacques Perry, "Walk Tall" by Cannonball Adderley, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Bouncy Lady" by Pleasure, "Tramp" by Lowell Fulson, "Take Yo Praise" by Camille Yarbrough, "Thinking Single" by The Counts, "Different Strokes" by Syl Johnson, "Ike's Mood" by Isaac Hayes, "What A Man" by Linda Lynell, and "Smokey Joe's La La" by Googie Rene. Funky funky! LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare gospel recordings from the Chicago scene of the 70s – all served up on a family of labels that were tied together in the same way as some of the indie soul and funk labels of the time! Producer Harold Freeman recorded most of this music, at a time between big opportunities for gospel acts on larger labels – and the work includes some much bigger names who'd later go onto great fame, and some key Chicago artists who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – represented here with recordings that appeared on the Righteous, Peace, and Michael record labels. The 2CD set is a fantastic look into this small local scene – presented with very detailed notes on Freeman and his recordings – in support of a batch of 46 tracks that includes work by the Gospel Sensationals, Inspirational Singers, Rev Maceo Woods, James E Lenox, Brother Ed Smith, Wings Of Heaven Choir, Sammie Cheatham, Voices Of Cosmopolitan, Reba Harris, Pearl McGhee, Windy City Four, and many others! CD

A really great collection of work that sets the scene for the London Underground of the 60s – that heady cultural scene that was about to burst forth and shower the world with a huge range of new music that would influence listeners for decades to come! This package isn't that music – in that most of the artists here are American, mixed with contributions from a few key Brit talents too – and the whole thing works together to showcase the sorts of sounds that were a bit inspiration on the generation that would then inspire many others to come – a mad mix of modern jazz, electronic music, avant classical, groovy vocal, and even some compelling beat/poetry recordings too – all packaged together in an overstuffed 3CD set that makes for a hell of a journey in music! Artists include Ornette Coleman, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Charles Mingus, Daphne Oram, Modern Jazz Quartet, Aldous Huxley, Cecil Taylor, John Cage, Eric Dolphy, Annie Ross, Sun Ra, Gyorgy Ligeti, Allen Ginsberg, Jimmy Smith, Luciano Berio, John Coltrane, Chico Hamilton, Alexis Korner, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Albert Ayler, Joe Harriott, and many others. CD

A surprisingly great little album – recorded on the occasion of the Ensemble's third decade in music, and a record that sounds a lot better than we remember! At the time of release, we kind of "pooh poohed" this one because of its divergence from some of the group's other styles – some tracks are straighter, more composed, and less improvised; others use a larger sound palette, and go for themes that are almost sentimental and nostalgic at times. Yet somehow, going back to this one, we're stunned at how interesting we find the whole thing – as each track seems to offer up a new surprise, and the series of musical visions expressed shows how much the group had grown during their time together. Includes the wonderful "Prayer For Jimbo Kwesi", the percussive jammer "Third Decade", the sonorously-wonderful "Bell Piece", and the tracks "Walking In The Moonlight", "Zero", and "Funky AECO". CD

A fantastic soundtrack recorded in the immediate post-Tropicalia years – featuring some of the best early 70s work by Chico Buarque, Nara Leao, Maria Bethania, and others! The cover has a mad image with Buarque, Leao, and Bethania in top hats and shiny uniforms – and the music follows up with a similarly lively spirit – samba-esque, with other touches of rock and jazz production that give the work an expansive and trippy feel. Roberto Menescal handled the arrangements – and titles include "Cacada" by Chico Buarque, "Mais Uma Estrela" by Nara Leao, "Soneto" by Orquesta De Cordas, "Soneto" by Nara Leao, "Partido Alto" by MPB-4, "Formosa" by Nara Leao & Maria Bethania, "Baioque" by Maria Bethania, and "Cantores De Radio" by Chico, Naria, and Maria together! LP, Vinyl record album

Personnel includes Wild Bill Davison, Yank Lawson, Max Kaminsky, Jimmy McPartland, Eddie Miller, Art Hodes, Clarence Hutchenrider, George Wein, Milt Hinton, Ikey Ronbinson, Barrett Deems, Truck Parham, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Baba Brooks, The Upsetters, Bobby Aitken, The Upsetters, Sir Lord Comic, Shenley Duffus, King Edwards Group, Eric Morris, Ronald Wilson, Douglas Brothers, Lester Sterling, and Duke White. CD

A 70s indie club classic – and the only album we've ever seen from Maryann Farra & Satin Soul! The group have a sound that's equal parts Brunswick Chicago soul and New York early disco groove – a combination that's brought out even more by the production talents of disco maestro Tony Valor and Chi-soul genius Eugene Record! The tunes groove along in a really rich style of arrangement – often using sweeping strings over tighter rhythms – sometimes hitting the loping midtempo groove you'd expect from Brunswick records at the time, yet also going for some of the faster, freer rhythms that were cropping up on the east coast indies of the time. Some tracks have a tight dancefloor feel – like "Never Gonna Leave You", "Do Those Little Things", and "Just A Little Timing" – while others have a beautiful soul groove – like "You Got To Be The One" and "Living In The Footsteps of Another Girl" – which both have a sound that feels like it was lifted from a lost Barbara Acklin or Chi-Lites album! The set also includes a female soul remake of "Stoned Out Of My Mind" that's almost worth the price of the record alone! CD also features a bonus cut – the single version of "Never Gonna Leave You". CD

Majestic male soul from Brunswick Records – the label who recorded some of the best material ever from singers like Gene Chandler and Jackie Wilson, and who also gave lots of other singers a great shot too! This set moves way past obvious Brunswick hits, and includes loads of lesser-known singles that are totally great – some funky, some laidback, and lots of them very very groovy – in that totally hip Chicago soul mode that Brunswick did so well. There's a number of artists here who only recorded briefly for Brunswick, before hitting fame elsewhere – and others who are remembered for the few rare gems they left behind at the label – all brought together here in a wonderful 25 track set. There's plenty of surprises throughout – and titles include "Doing The Feeling" by Alvin Cash, "Contract On Your Love" by Chuck Bernard, "I'll Bet You" by Billy Butler, "Sweet Sweet Revenge" by Alvin Valentine, "Hold On" by Marvin Smith, "This Melody Is For My Baby" by Ben Monroe, "Sweet Temptation" by Isaac Hayes, "Wrapped Up In Your Warm & Tender Love" by Richard Parker, "A Mean Thing" by Donald Height, "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by Johnny Williams, "You Got Me Walking" by Cicero Blake, "Once You Fall In Love" by Eddie Mcloyd, "Just A Thing Called Love" by John Parker, and "You Are" by Bobby Reed. CD

A well-titled set from one of the greatest soul groups to ever come from Chicago – a sublime quartet who had a way of voicing their tunes that was really head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries! This killer record showcases The Artistics' genius right from the start – mixing in some deeper soul modes than you might expect from the Windy City side of Brunswick Records – yet still keeping the Chicago contingent firmly in place thanks to production by Carl Davis, arrangements by Sonny Sanders, and a wonderful set of material written by the likes of Eugene Record, Floyd Smith, Marvin Smith, and Gerald Sims. The vocals are wonderful – rawer at some moments than others, which really gives the album a great sense of personality – and titles include their hit "You Left Me", plus "The Other Side Of Sadness", "Fading Memories", "Man With Feeling", "Have No Pity", and "Ain't That The Way It Goes". CD features two bonus tracks – "You Make Me Happy" and "Nothing But Heartaches". CD

One of the boldest statements on record from trombonist Jeb Bishop – and a really great reminder of his key contributions to the Chicago avant scene at the start of the century! Jeb's a master of subtle shape and sound on his instrument, but he can also play with a fiercer frenzy – which is definitely the case here, and he moves between a trio and quartet lineup – alongside Kent Kessler on bass, Tim Mulvenna on drums, and Jeff Parker on guitar! The match of Parker and Bishop happens on four of the album's seven tracks, and has an especially strong resonance – tuneful at times, fuzzier at others – although the trio tracks are pretty darn incredible, and have us really remembering the greatness of Kessler and Mulvenna too. Titles include "Mirror Image", "The Umbrella", "Piggly Wiggly", "Pond", and "Flex Time". CD

Really sweet later work from The Chi Lites – proof that the group were still going strong long after their initial chart hits! The sound here is less Brunswick Chicago soul than before – and the group step along in warm and sophisticated backings that sparkle in the best Chi-Sound style – uptempo at some times, but sweet and mellow at others. The vocals are superb – easily adaptable to both sorts of settings, but especially great on the ballads – which really seem to benefit from the move away from some of the more cliched styles that the Chi-Lites were falling into during their last years on Brunswick. Eugene Record produced, and titles include "Love Shock", "Round & Round", "Heavenly Body", "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You", "Give Me A Dream", and a remake of "Have You Seen Her". LP, Vinyl record album

A really bold step forward for Chicago tenor genius Isaiah Collier – and maybe the first record to showcase his emergence as a multi-instrumentalist instead of just a spiritual jazz musician! There's clearly a lot of improvisation going on here – not just from the larger ensemble, which includes Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Julian Reid on keyboards, and Michael Damani on guitar – but also from Collier, who effortlessly shifts between saxes, flute, vocals, and keyboards without any overdubs or additional production at all! A few moments are tight and funky, others are much more experimental – a blend that that's really great, and which continues the unique spirit into which Collier has evolved in recent years. The record also features some key vocal contributions from the great Jimetta Rose – and titles include "Never Back Down", "Eggun", "Village Song", "Retreat", "Parallel Universe", and "The Last Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare set from the Chicago scene of the early 70s – put together by a group who are the "American family" promised in the title, but who have a lot more to offer than just the kiddie soul of the time! The members of the group have a nice range of ages and styles – which maybe makes the music come across with the depth of groups like Voices of East Harlem or The Stairsteps – more mature, sometimes righteous currents that are a real surprise – and captured here with instrumentation that's a nicely lean take on east coast styles of the time – that grittier approach that always made records on the Perception label so great! Titles include two nice cuts by Patrick Adams – "Loneliest Girl In Town" and "Find the One Who Loves You", plus others by the producer James L Porter – "Oh Yes I Do" and "Time For a Change" – and the titles "Next Time I'll Be Good", "I Can't Get No Higher", "I Can't Wait", and "Take My Love Don't Set Me Free". CD features four bonus tracks – "Here's Some Dances", "Will You Still Be Mine", "Let's Sign A Peace Treaty", and "Looking For A Brand New Game". CD

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

Sublime early work from the legendary Tal Farlow – the kind of sides that show by he was one of the most important jazz guitarists of the 50s! The bulk of the 2CD set features LA sessions recorded for Norman Granz during Farlow's early years at Verve – dates from 1954 and 1955 that often feature Tal's hollow body guitar right out front in the mix, over backing from Gerald Wiggins, Claude Williamson, Red Mitchell, Chico Hamilton, and others. One session features some added horn work by Bob Enelvoldsen, Bill Perkins, and Bob Gordon – and the package features 29 mid 50s titles that include "Tal's Blues", "Little Girl Blue", "Autumn In New York", "I Like To Recognize The Tune", "I Remember You", "It's You Or No One", "Tenderly", "Lullaby Of The Leaves", "Tea For Two", "This Is Always", "Walkin", "Will You Still Be Mine", and "Lorinesque". Added to these are a handful of earlier tunes recorded when Tal was in the Red Norvo trio – really beautiful work that features Farlow's guitar next to bass from Charles Mingus and vibes from Red! Titles include "Godchild", "This Can't Be Love", "Move", "Swedish Pastry", and "Cheek To Cheek". CD

Righteous soul from late 60s Chicago – a killer collection of early singles from the great Darrow Fletcher – only a youngster at the time, but already working at a level that's as strong as most of his older contemporaries! Darrow's got this soaring voice that really sends us every time we hear him sing – a style that's possibly a bit like Jackie Wilson, but both deeper and lighter at the same time – very unique, especially in these early years – and perfect for helping Fletcher stand out from the pack! The grooves here are nice and deep – socking hard in the best Chi-town styles of the time, with the sort of punch you'd get on the best One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus recordings – with arrangements by Mike Terry, Phil Wright, Burgess Gardner, and others. Tracks were originally issued on a variety of labels – Groovy, Jacklyn, and Genna – and titles include "The Pain Gets A Little Deeper", "Hope For Love", "No Limit", "Now Is The Time For Love (part 1)", "My Judgement Day", "Little Girl", "What Have I Got Now", "What Good Am I Without You", "That Certain Little Something", and "Gotta Draw The Line". LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous soul from late 60s Chicago – a killer collection of early singles from the great Darrow Fletcher – only a youngster at the time, but already working at a level that's as strong as most of his older contemporaries! Darrow's got this soaring voice that really sends us every time we hear him sing – a style that's possibly a bit like Jackie Wilson, but both deeper and lighter at the same time – very unique, especially in these early years – and perfect for helping Fletcher stand out from the pack! The grooves here are nice and deep – socking hard in the best Chi-town styles of the time, with the sort of punch you'd get on the best One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus recordings – with arrangements by Mike Terry, Phil Wright, Tom Tom, and others. Tracks were originally issued on a variety of labels – Groovy, Jacklyn, Uni, Congress, and Genna – and titles include "The Pain Gets A Little Deeper", "Now Is The Time For Love (parts 1 & 2)", "What Have I Got Now", "What Is This", "Gotta Draw The Line", "My Young Misery", "Infatuation", "When Love Calls", "My Judgement Day", "Sitting There That Night", "Changing By The Minute", "What Good Am I Without You", "We Can't Go On This Way", and "That Certain Little Something". CD

Maybe the most righteous music we've ever heard from keyboardist Robert Glasper – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given his legacy of albums over the years! This project feels different than the previous Black Radio releases by Glasper – different than his initial blending of jazz modes and contemporary soul – and maybe more strongly driven by mission and purpose, with a quality that really comes through right from the very first note! Glasper's piano and keyboards still have that strong sense of shape we love so much – but they're maybe more heady and serious, and really set a fantastic tone for the album's many contributions from important voices like Esperanza Spaulding, BJ The Chicago Kid, Amir Sulaiman, Lalah Hathaway, Common, Posdnuos, Q Tip, Gregory Porter, Ledisi, HER, and others – a lineup who really elevate the already-sublime tone of the record. We've always found inspiration in the music of Robert Glasper – but it's also an amazing thing to see him rise to an almost statesman-like position with a project like this – on titles that include "Black Superhero", "Shine", "Why We Speak", "Better Than I Imagined", "Everybody Love", "It Don't Matter", "Heaven's Here", "Forever", and a surprisingly strong cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". LP, Vinyl record album

One gal, three guys, and a sublime album of harmony soul – one of those fantastic early 70s sets from the Independents – a Chicago group we'd stack right up there next to the best from the east coast! Maurice in the title is Maurice Jackson – who'd earlier recorded the track "Lucky Fellow" – later done by Leroy Hutson, and recorded here by the group in a fantastic version too! Chuck in the title is Chuck Jackson, who co-produced the set with Marvin Yancey – an early effort from the soul production duo who'd later help Natalie Cole and others hit great fame – working here at the start of his career, to guide singers Helen Curry and Eric Thomas to great heights. The whole record is wonderful – a definite "cut above" harmony soul set with all the sophisticated styles that the Chicago scene had to offer at the start of the 70s – thanks also to arranging genius on the set from Richard Evans, Tom Tom Washington, and Floyd Morris. In addition to "Lucky Fellow", other titles include "It's All Over", "No Wind No Rain", "I Found Love On A Rainy Day", "The Same Old Way", "It's All Over", and "In The Valley Of My World". CD features three bonus tracks – "Let This Be A Lesson To You", and two versions of "Arise & Shine". CD

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". CD

A 50s Fantasy album that brings together 2 earlier 10" jazz sessions – one by Mulligan and one by Desmond, both unusual outings for the players. Side one features Gerry Mulligan working with a strong early group – Chet Baker on trumpet, Chico Hamilton on drums, and Carson Smith on bass – on 4 tracks recorded in San Francisco, and 4 others recorded slightly later in LA. The tunes are short, piano-less, and have that fluid 50s Mulligan groove – and titles include "Turnstile", "Limelight", "Carioca", "Bark For Barksdale", and "Line For Lyons". Side two is a session that features 4 tracks with Paul in a quintet with Dick Collins on trumpet and Dave Van Kriedt on tenor sax – working without a piano, and in a fluid-grooving style that recalls a lot of the Gerry Mulligan style of the time. The other 4 tracks from the set are even more unique – and have Desmond blowing dreamily over a "with voices" chorus – done with the Bill Bates singers in a style that's warmer than similar work by Charlie Parker, and which really points the way towards some of the Desmond solo genius of the 60s. Titles include "Jeruvian", "Garden In The Rain", "Misty Window", "Winky", "Soon", and "Will I Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful Chicago club steeped grooves from Anthony Nicholson – who brings more than that to the vibe of Year Of The Rebel – with guests William Kurk, Chester Gregory, Felena, J Rod Indigo and others! The beat is center stage, with keys and other elements that reflect 70s fusion and jazz, some Latin rhythms, and more – anchored by soul, thanks in no small part to the guest vocalists. Includes "Getaway" feat Felena, "Children Speaks" feat William Kurk, "Rebel 6 (Automation)", "Lost & Found (Inner Fusion), "Comfort Zone" feat J Rod Indigo, "Treavelin Song (Sonic Sensitivity)" and more. CD

Very striking sounds from a very striking quartet – one that brings Austrian pianist Elisabeth Harnik into play with the Chicago sounds of Dave Rempis on alto, Fred Longberg-Holm on cello, and Tim Daisy on drums! The tracks are all long, and have a very freely improvising quality – fast-thinking, instant creation by improvisers who are hardly new to the game – three players who know each others strengths instantly, and merge together with Harnik here at a really breathtaking level! Titles include "Ohrenkratzer", "Penggaruk Telinga", and "Mimikaki". CD

An incredible full length album from The Spaniels – one that's mostly still in the group's older doo wop mode, but which also shows them picking up a bit of the Atlantic Records group sound of the early 60s! Many tracks make strong use of The Spaniels' classic vocal approach – especially the great lead vocals of Pookie Hudson – but there's also a number of tunes that change the rhythms up a bit, and seem to show the light influence of Latin and Brazilian rhythms that were showing up in east coast doo wop during the time, most notably in the work of The Drifters. The blend is really great – and makes the record far more than just a straight set of doo wop from Chicago – and instead, the record's a great precursor of Chi-town group soul to come from The Impressions and others – a 60s legacy from which The Spaniels were sadly excluded! Titles include "I Know", "Bus Fare Home", "Heart & Soul", "Crazy Baby", "Everyone's Laughing", "Little Joe", "The Posse", "I Lost You", "Baby Sweets", and "So Deep Within". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the first-ever album to be issued under the name of the great Charles Stepney – even though the artist/musician/producer/songwriter had a huge role in the careers of Chicago contemporaries like Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, and Earth Wind & Fire! This set brings together recordings that Stepney made on his own, often in his home studio – many of which are songs that never saw the light of day on some of his bigger-name projects, next to others that feature melodies you might recognize, but done in these sweet jazzy instrumentals that are totally great! Most of the set features Charles on a variety of keyboards Rhodes, piano, and even some cool moogy bits – plus some vibes from time to time – often set to spare early electric drum machine rhythms – in a style that makes you feel like you've stumbled upon Timmy Thomas doing an all instrumental jam session in the early 70s. Given that Stepney first got his start as a jazz musician – playing piano and vibes on some great early 60s sessions – the keyboard work is superb, and the record stands as a completely different testament to his genius – with titles that include "Funky Sci Fi", "Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Daddy's Diddies", "Rubie Charles", "Notes From Dad", "Black Bold", "Gimme Some Sugar", "No Credit For This", "Imagination", "Look B4U Leap", "Mini Mugg", "Denim Groove", and "That's The Way Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

A truly incredible collection – even more wonderful than we might have guessed from the title and cover – and both of those are already pretty darn appealing! This package might well be the most comprehensive we've ever seen on the early days of punk in England – a package that goes way past the big names, way past the classic cuts, and really digs deep into the huge explosion of indie labels that fueled the scene – creating a legacy of rare singles and amazing sounds that the British scene hadn't seen in years! If you dig the Sex Pistols or Clash, there's dozens of other tunes here to love – some by artists you'll know from later fame, represented here on very early tracks – and lots more from acts who maybe only gave the world a handful of brilliant singles. The presentation is as stunning as the music – 111 tracks on 4CDs, inside a heavy 64 page book-style jacket – with page after page of notes on each song and band, and lots of images as well. Consider this whole thing an overdue primer on all the punk you missed – even if you lived back in the day – and lose yourself in the huge array of tracks by groups who include The Radiators From Space, Puncture, Some Chicken, The Panik, The Only Ones, Suspects, Tueway Army, The Boys, Acme Sewage Co, Raped, Bazoomis, Menace GLC, Sids, Rudi, Art Attack, Angelic Upstarts, Mean Street, Poison Girls, Chelsea, Demon Preacher, Leyton Brothers, The Dole, Riff Raff, The Tights, Social Security, Nicky & The Dots, No Way, The Wall, Hollywood Brats, Disco Zombies, Spizzoil, Horrorcomic, The Cravats, and lots lots more! CD

A fantastic follow-up to the legendary Home Schooled collection from Numero Group – and, like that one, a set that focuses on the surprisingly great genre of kid soul that flourished in the 70s – in the wake of bigger groups like the Jackson Five, Sylvers, and 5 Stairsteps! These groups are all from similar territory – mostly comprised of younger members, but who work with an undeniably great sound overall – grooves as sharp as most of their adult counterparts in the indie soul field – and maybe a lot more energy and enthusiasm in their music – which makes for tracks that are wonderfully upbeat, positive, and overflowing with goodness! Most of the work here is from the early 70s – and, as always with Numero, the set is presented in a very thoughtful manner – with some great notes and wonderful sound quality overall. There's a few of our favorite Chicago groups on here, mixed with loads of other artists we've never heard before – and titles include "Runnin Wild" by Scott Three, "You Got Me Believing" by Leonard Kaigler, "Guessing Games" by Jimi Hill, "I Want A Little Girl" by The Bennetts, "Everywhere You Go" by The Next Movement, "Because I Love You" by Brighter Side Of Darkness, "It's Time For Love" by Soul Emotions & Co, "The Other Guy" by Mighty Mustangs, "Love Got A Piece Of Your Mind" by Five Ounces Of Soul, "Funky Breakdown" by Little Man & The Inquires, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by The Brothers Rap, "I'm Free No Dope For Me" by The Dynamics, and "Girl Why Do You Want To Take My Heart" by Magical Connection. CD

Key club cuts from the second generation of the industrial scene – that 80s moment when the music moved from the noisy, experimental territory of the Throbbing Gristle underground to a more mainstream world where the previous sonic breakthroughs were mixed with beats and lyrics to create some surprisingly danceable tracks! Here in Chicago, we had Wax Trax to thank us for introducing us to lots of this music – but on the other side of the Atlantic, some of these groups were getting plenty of play both on radio and in nite spots – using darker beats and basslines to surprisingly great effect. The package is maybe worth it alone for "Yon Yonson" by the Dave Howard Singers – a cut we thought nobody in the world remembered – and the 3CD package features 44 titles in all, with work from Attrition, Meat Beat Manifesto, A:Grumh, Lead Into Gold, Nocturnal Emissions, Test Dept, SPK, Front 242, Renegade Soundwave, Severed Heads, Age Of Chance, Laibach, Neon Judgement, The Weathermen, Section 25, Die Krupps, MAD, Legendary Pink Dots, Son Of Sam, Esplendor Geometrico, Hunting Lodge, Borghesia, Alein Sex Fiend, and others! CD

With selections by Nina Simone, Chris Norman and Suzi Quatro, Chico Hamilton, Sonny & Cher, Chuck Berry, The Doors, David Bowie, Clarence Carter, Seals & Crofts, James Gang, Blood Sweat & Tears, Taj Majal, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of vintage exotica – with work by Les Baxter, Martin Tenny, Webley Edwards, Yma Sumac, Chick Floyd, Bas Sheva, Tak Shindo, and many others! CD

Features work by Geraldo Vandre, Leny Eversong, Maria Odette, Elis Regina, Chico Buarque, Paulinho Da Viola, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant creative leap for singer/rhymer/producer Anderson Paak as a solo star – release months after his standout, near show-stealing moments on Dr. Dre's Compton record! .Paak's proved himself a stellar collaborator many times over by the time Malibu dropped, and here he proves a stellar host – but make no mistake, Malibu is his show, and a REALLY strong one. Contemporary hip hop soul with grit and heart – with appearances by BJ The Chicago Kid, Robert Glasper, Rapsody, The Game, Talib Kweli and more on the mic, plus guest production by Madlib, Hi-Tek and others. Includes "The Bird", "Heart Don't Stand A Chance", "The Waters" with BJ The Chicago Kid, "Put Me Thru", "Without You" feat Rapsody, "Room In Here" feat The Game & Sonyae Elise, "Celebrate", "Come Down", "Your Prime", "The Dreamer" with Talib Kweli & Timan Family Choir and more. 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

Groundbreaking Latin Jazz – and an essential 2LP set! The album brings together classic work for Norman Granz' Verve and Clef labels in the cubop mode – including Dizzy Gillespie's Manteca Suite, Machito's Afro-Cuban Suite, titles by Chico O'Farrill, and others recorded in 1949 and arranged by Rene Hernandez. Players include Machito, Charlie Parker, Diz, Mario Bauza, Eddie Bert, Flip Phillips, Chano Pozo, and Jos Mangual – and the quality of the work unifies the sessions wonderfully, even though they were recorded separately over a 5 year period. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early Fantasy LP, one that features Gerry Mulligan working with a strong early group – Chet Baker on trumpet, Chico Hamilton on drums, and Carson Smith on bass – on 4 tracks recorded in San Francisco, and 4 others recorded slightly later in LA. The tunes are short, piano-less, and have that fluid 50s Mulligan groove – and titles include "Turnstile", "Limelight", "Carioca", "Bark For Barksdale", and "Line For Lyons". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from this massively overlooked 70s soul singer! The set's one of a rare few albums cut by Sidney Joe Qualls – a fantastic talent who's probably better known for his work behind the scenes, and as a songwriter, than he is as a voice on his own. The session is produced with a style that kind of mixes Brunswick Chicago soul with rootsier southern elements – stepping proud in the 70s territory of Johnnie Taylor or Tyrone Davis, but sounding way way better here, and with a much more independent vibe. Plus, the album boasts some incredible material – original tunes written by the likes of Sam Dees, Clifford Davis, George Davis, and others. Titles include "Shut Your Mouth", "Run To Me", "I Enjoy Loving You", "Please Help Me", "Can't Get Enough of Your Love", and "The Next Time I Fall in Love". CD

2 lost classics by Sun Ra on one CD! Visits Planet Earth features music that was recorded by The Arkestra in Chicago in 1957 and 1958. Some of the tracks are from the same session as the Sound Of Joy LP, and a few others were from sessions later in the year. Ra plays piano and "solar piano", and the group's got some added percussion and tympani. Along with the usual suspects, James Spaulding also sits in with the group on a few tracks, playing both alto and flute. Titles include "Eve", "Overtones Of China", "Two Tones", and "El Viktor". Interstellar Low Ways is a record that features material was recorded in 1959 and 1960, but unissued until the mid 60's. Ra plays piano, chimes, and gong, and the tracks have a nice laid back spacey feel, with some ensemble vocals chanted by the group. Ronnie Boykins also plays the space gong on one cut, which sounds very nice. Cuts include "Somewhere In Space", "Space Loneliness", "Space Aura", and "Interplanetary Music". CD

Curtis Mayfield is a hell of a singer – as most folks know from his work in the Impressions, and his later solo classics of the 70s – and he's also a hell of a songwriter too, one who was very generous with his magical material, right from the start! Back in the 60s, Curtis was sharing his songs with other up-and-coming soul singers on the Chicago scene – some of whom he was also producing in the studio, as well – and as the decade moved into the 70s, others were soon picking up Mayfield's tunes – both for their ability to deliver a personal message, and for the larger political agenda that was always in the music too! This really well-done collection brings together two dozen of Curtis' best songs, handled by other folks – mostly from the 60s and early 70s, but with a few surprises from later years too – all supported with a really great collection of notes and other information too. Titles include "Man's Temptation" by the Jackson 5, "Behind The Curtains" by Jan Bradley, "Rainbow (alt)" by Gene Chandler, "Monkey Time" by The Miracles, "I'm So Proud" by Main Ingredient, "Give Me Your Love" by Barbara Mason, "That's What Love Will Do" by The Gaylads, "Never Stop Loving Me" by Keni Burke, "I've Been Trying" by Jerry Butler, "Queen Majesty" by The Techniques, "It's All Over" by Walter Jackson, "Mama Didn't Lie" by The Orlons, "He Will Break Your Heart" by Freddie Scott, "People Get Ready" by Dionne Warwick, "Need To Belong" by Isaac Hayes, "Make Me Believe In You" by Patti Jo, "Let's Do It Again (single edit)" by The Staple Singers, "Look Into Your Heart (single edit)" by Aretha Franklin, and "The Makings Of You" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. CD

Brilliant work by a singer we know little about – but who really sparkles on this session! Singer Laurie Allyn was making something of a name for herself on the Chicago scene of the mid 50s when she was courted by Mode Records, and brought to LA for this rare studio session – but unfortunately the label went out of business not long after the tunes were recorded, and the album never saw the light of day at the time! The quality of the music is tremendous – higher than even the other Mode vocal sessions, and done with a depth and feeling that we'd rank with a rare few others from the 50s. Marty Paich handled arrangements on the record, and Laurie's backed by a core group that includes Al Viola, Red Mitchell, Mel Lewis, and Paich – plus larger horns and additional strings on a number of tracks. And although we always appreciate Paich's arrangements, the charm here is mostly Laurie's own – as she sings with a sultry sensitivity to the material that really transforms the familiar tunes into deeply personal statements. That quality's a rare one, even for a well-known singer – and we're extra happy that this great session's finally seen the light of day at last! Titles include "Easy Living", "You're So Bad For Me", "You Go To My Head", "All I Need Is You", "Paradise", "Take Me In Your Arms", and "That's What A Woman Is For". CD

A brilliant creative leap for singer/rhymer/producer Anderson Paak as a solo star – released months after his standout, near show-stealing moments on Dr. Dre's Compton record! .Paak's proved himself a stellar collaborator many times over by the time Malibu dropped, and here he proves a stellar host – but make no mistake, Malibu is his show, and a REALLY strong one. Contemporary hip hop soul with grit and heart – with appearances by BJ The Chicago Kid, Robert Glasper, Rapsody, The Game, Talib Kweli and more on the mic, plus guest production by Madlib, Hi-Tek and others. Includes "The Bird", "Heart Don't Stand A Chance", "The Waters" with BJ The Chicago Kid, "Put Me Thru", "Without You" feat Rapsody, "Room In Here" feat The Game & Sonyae Elise, "Celebrate", "Come Down", "Your Prime", "The Dreamer" with Talib Kweli & Timan Family Choir and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With that whip in her hand, we're not gonna argue with Fontella Bass about her New Look in the photo – and we can definitely say that the whole classic album definitely lives up to her hip, powerful stance on the cover! Fontella's a singer who started in gospel, later sung jazz, but who really comes into her stride here – mixing St Louis roots with Chicago 60s soul in a completely sublime batch of tracks all the way through! To most folks, Fontella's remembered for a few reasons – her Aretha Franklin-styled hit "Rescue Me" (often mistaken for Aretha herself), or the fact that she married Art Ensemble member Lester Bowie. But back at the start, Fontella was a heck of a great little soul singer – capable of a wide variety of modes, all of which are included here! Some tracks are as sophisticated and classy as Marlena Shaw at the time, others are downright rootsy – with more of a deep soul southern mode – and in addition to the seminal hit "Rescue Me", other titles include "Come & Get These Memories", "Soul Of The Man", "Oh No Not My Baby", "How Glad I Am", "Our Day Will Come", and "I'm A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing document of a unique musical moment – an entire jazz festival, virtually dedicated to Peter Brotzmann himself! The legendary Brotzmann not only curated the festival – filling it with some of his key collaborators and musical contemporaries – but he also plays on a fair bit of the titles here, too – in different groupings that reflect not only his long history in the European avant scene, but also his ties to Chicago, and his work with Japanese improvisers too! The package is wonderful – the next best thing to being at this exclusive event in person – and the set features 5CDs worth of music from the festival, with performances by Sonore (with Brotzmann, Ken Vandermark, & Mats Gustafsson), Chicago Tentet with John Tchicai, solo work by Jeiji Haino, the Hairy Bones quartet with Brotzmann and Toshinori Kondo, the Full Blast Trio, the DKV Trio, Caspar Brotzmann Massaker, and various other groupings with players who include Jeb Bishop, Joe McPhee, Mars Williams, Jason Adasiewicz, Nasheet Waits, Masahiko Satoh, Bill Laswell, and many others. CD

A mad mix of Latin and funky rhythms – a 70s classic from the Belgian group Chakachas! The album's best known for its title hit "Jungle Fever" – an insane cut that features heavy drums, choppy guitar, and a stop/start action that's peppered with sounds of female pleasure! The track was a worldwide hit, and continues to be a funky classic today – thanks to a heavy sample history, and a life in playlists worldwide – but the rest of the album's pretty darn great too, and even weirder. Some tracks mix easy Euro grooving with heavy conga, others have kind of an LA Chicano funk approach, and still others throw in some mad horns to complicate matters with nice jazzy riffing. Really great throughout – and maybe one of the best funky albums to ever come out on a major label! Titles include "Jungle Fever", "El Canyon Rojo", "Chica Chica Bau Bau", "Eso Es El Amor", "Ay Mulata", "Cha Ka Cha", "Latin Can Can", and "Yo Soy Cubano". CD

A Chicago blues trifecta – and the first time ever that Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, and Little Waters ever worked together! The set's got a raw power that definitely lives up to the title – a wicked mix of raw guitars, rough rhythms, and some wonderfully soulful vocals – all served up in a style that has the modes of each different player stepping forth into the limelight from track to track, but with the others shouldering forth themselves to challenge the lead! The mix of Bo's twang and Muddy's grit is mighty nice – and Little Walter helps bring a soulful focus that really holds the whole thing together. Titles include "I'm A Man", "Who Do You Love", "Bo Diddley", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "My Baby", "Long Distance Call", and "You Don't Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Collects small group work recorded with Charles Mingus, Red Norvos, Chico Hamilton, and others – 58 tracks total! CD

One of the most ambitious albums ever from Rob Mazurek – and a set that really continues the legacy of community building and world healing that's become such an important part of his music! Rob's a player who was great at the start – a hell of a trumpeter, and a great experimentalist with electronics – but in recent years, he's matured to become a real messenger for the farther, future reaches of jazz – with an energy that makes a collaborative project like this come off in a way that might never have occurred in the hands of any other musician! Mazurek is at the head – director, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist too – and the large lineup is filled with heavyweights from the Chicago scene that Rob helped shape over the past few decades – plus others as well – players who include Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Nicole Mitchell on flutes, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joel Ross on vibes, Jaimi Branch on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ingebrigit Haker Flate on bass, and Chad Taylor, John Herndon, and Mikel Patrick Avery on a variety of drums and percussion. There's a richness here that tops other Exploding Star Orchestra performances – and more of a focus, too – so that the whole thing comes together as even more than the sum of its mighty parts, as one of the best International Anthem releases to date. Titles include "Galaxy 1000", "Parable Of Inclusion", "Autumn Pleiades", "Minerals Bionic Stereo", "Dimensional Stardust", "Abstract Dark Energy", and "The Careening Prism Within". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first bold statements to come from Chicago's AACM underground of the 60s – a tremendous debut effort from the young Roscoe Mitchell! The album's got a "sense of the new" feel that's as gripping as anything recorded by ESP or Impulse around the same time – a rule-breaking, freely-creative approach to jazz that builds strongly off the changes already wrought by Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, and Archie Shepp! The format is somewhat like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago at times – with measured horn work from Mitchell on alto, clarinet, and recorder, Maurice McIntyre on tenor, Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Lester Lashley on trombone (as well as a bit of cello). Some tracks – like the brilliant "Sound" – offer a slow-building exploration of tones and textures – while others, like the blues-joke "Little Suite", or the harmelodic "Ornette", show a wry sense of humor that would become a Chicago avant hallmark as the years went on! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first bold statements to come from Chicago's AACM underground of the 60s – a tremendous debut effort from the young Roscoe Mitchell! The album's got a "sense of the new" feel that's as gripping as anything recorded by ESP or Impulse around the same time – a rule-breaking, freely-creative approach to jazz that builds strongly off the changes already wrought by Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, and Archie Shepp! The format is somewhat like the Art Ensemble Of Chicago at times – with measured horn work from Mitchell on alto, clarinet, and recorder, Maurice McIntyre on tenor, Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Lester Lashley on trombone (as well as a bit of cello). Some tracks – like the brilliant "Sound" – offer a slow-building exploration of tones and textures – while others, like the blues-joke "Little Suite", or the harmelodic "Ornette", show a wry sense of humor that would become a Chicago avant hallmark as the years went on! CD also features bonus alternate takes of "Sound" and "Ornette". CD

Features Chick Corea on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Lenny White on drums – on titles that include "Space Circus", "After The Cosmic Rain", "Captain Senor Mouse", "Theme To The Mothership" and "The Game Maker". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the first-ever album to be issued under the name of the great Charles Stepney – even though the artist/musician/producer/songwriter had a huge role in the careers of Chicago contemporaries like Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, and Earth Wind & Fire! This set brings together recordings that Stepney made on his own, often in his home studio – many of which are songs that never saw the light of day on some of his bigger-name projects, next to others that feature melodies you might recognize, but done in these sweet jazzy instrumentals that are totally great! Most of the set features Charles on a variety of keyboards Rhodes, piano, and even some cool moogy bits – plus some vibes from time to time – often set to spare early electric drum machine rhythms – in a style that makes you feel like you've stumbled upon Timmy Thomas doing an all instrumental jam session in the early 70s. Given that Stepney first got his start as a jazz musician – playing piano and vibes on some great early 60s sessions – the keyboard work is superb, and the record stands as a completely different testament to his genius – with titles that include "Funky Sci Fi", "Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Daddy's Diddies", "Rubie Charles", "Notes From Dad", "Black Bold", "Gimme Some Sugar", "No Credit For This", "Imagination", "Look B4U Leap", "Mini Mugg", "Denim Groove", and "That's The Way Of The World". CD