Classic vocal group material from the 70s – a great little set that serves up the music in many different ways – mixing funky cuts with mellow moments, and interspersing some catchy numbers in between! The range of tracks here is fantastic – way more than a standard selection of this nature – as the work is from a number of different labels and a number of different scenes – a well-chosen array that really fits well together! Titles include "It's You Girl" by Universal Love, "That's Why" by Natural High, "Dancing To Your Music" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Something New About You" by Silent Majority, "Just Realized" by Reflection, "Oops It Just Slipped Out" by The Courtship, "Satisfactorize Your Mind" by Africano, "I'm No Better Than You" by The Fiestas, "She Calls Me Baby" by J Kelly & The Premiers, "You Only Get Out Of Love" by The Lost Generation, "Hey Pearl" by Prime Cut, "I'm A Scorpio" by Imported Moods, "Let Me In Your Heart" by Rising Sun, and "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower. CD

The power of music is strong indeed for the Miracles – really opening up here with some wonderful mid 70s harmonies, and working in a smooth California soul style that brings out the best in their vocals! The tracks are mellow to midtempo – a perfect pace for the group at this point – and the production really does a great job of fleshing things out without getting in the way. Loads of spacious numbers with a slightly righteous edge – and a set list that includes the tracks "Let The Children Play", "Gossip", "Can I Pretend", "Love To Make Love", and "Street Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful single from this incredible harmony group! The Festivals should have been as big as the Impressions, Artistics, or other Chicago groups of the time – as their sound was perfect – hitting on all burners, running high and low without ever missing a beat. Both cuts here are the group at their best – "Music" a tightly dancing groover, and "Always Love You" a sad, sweet mellow one that feels like a lost early Curtis Mayfield cut! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Amazing pressing of this one – plays at 45 rpm, and comes in a very special package – plastic heavy sleeve, with a special insert for the record! A bit mellower than some of Jones' 70s recordings, but in a great way – one that lets sax players Frank Foster and Pat LaBarbera weave these laidback introspective solos that are the album's greatest asset. Roland Prince is in the group on guitar, and he comps nicely and gently behind the horns. Titles include "Shitsu-Mon" and "Like Someone In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The Modern Jazz Quartet with a very noteworthy addition – the great Sonny Rollins, whose work on this record really makes it a cut above the usual MJQ outing for Atlantic! As on the quartet's previous Music Inn album with Jimmy Giuffre, the addition of a reed player really inflects their trademark sound with a new range of sounds and feelings – and Rollins himself cuts back on the hardbop influences, and shows some great restraint in matching some of the group's more modern modes. Sonny only plays on 2 of the album's 6 tracks – but that's enough to open it up nicely – and on other numbers, the MJQ begin in their usual mellower mode, but then seem to step things up with more boppish inflections, almost anticipating Rollins' arrival on the last 2 numbers. Sonny plays on the tunes "Bag's Groove" and "Night In Tunisia" – and other titles include "Midsommer", "Festival Sketch", "Yardbird Suite", and an opening medley. LP, Vinyl record album

A great set from that moment when sound library instrumentation was winnowed down from a larger group of studio musicians to usually just a composer and a keyboard – definitely the approach used in this all electric set! The groove certainly lives up to the title – most of these tracks are mellow, but they're also funky too – unusual slow-stepping cuts that are awash in 80s keyboards, basslines, and beats – almost erotic funk for the style of the decade, with some occasional darker soundtrack moments from time to time! Titles include "Slow Reactor 2", "Moody You", "Slow Business 1", "Threat To Research", "Slow Groovement", "Ion Exchanger", "Wave Motions", and "Scenic Vision 1". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little record that lives up to the name of the group – a record that's maybe jazz at the core, but served up in very cinematic ways – very much the spirit of the dark, moody image pictured on the cover! This isn't chase, crime, or cop music – but instead maybe the sounds you'd hear on the journey home after the battle – slow funk in the rhythms, peppered with great work on vibes, piano, and mellotron from Pierre Chretien – who also wrote, arranged, and produced the whole record too! Most tunes have a nice light melody over heavier drums and percussion on the bottom – never too over the top, but well-paced in a way that really makes this one stand out from the pack. Titles include "Les Corbeaux", "Eveil De La Cite", "Aube Sur La Ville", "Fleurs De Bitume", "Le Petit Cimetiere", "Apres Le Deluge", and "Illusions Perdues". LP, Vinyl record album

The group's no ensemble, but they're definitely analog – as the one-man combo Charif Megarbane handles a whole host of cool electric sources for the music – a mix of mellotron, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Farfisa, Moog, and other keys – mixed with an electric koto, flute, vibes, theremin, and field recordings too! There's also key use of acoustic guitar, which warms up and humanizes the sound wonderfully – as do the French vocals, which appear from time to time, and make the whole thing sparkle like some underground Parisian project from years back – almost building a bridge from the 70s Saravah scene forward to the music of Stereolab and Laetitia Sadier. The album's every bit as great as those two references would imply – and titles include "The Patterns Of A Hand", "Ainsi Souffle Le Vent", "Sens Dessus Dessous", "Passe Compose", "Les Orpailleurs", and "Octopolis". LP, Vinyl record album

Four sides of noisy, funky, stretched-out playing from Miles Davis – recorded at the Fillmore West, but with an intensity that matches some of Miles' crazy electric recordings from Japan during the early 70s! The music is a powerful blast of music that stretches out over the double-length set of the package – with a style that moves from heavy-duty avant playing, then back to more mellow grooving, then kicks it out nice and hard again – a heavy dose of rock mixed in with the fusion, but still plenty jazzy throughout. In all, the record is probably one of the most heavy-duty that the Miles electric group recorded in the 70s – and the lineup on the set features Steve Grossman on saxes, Chick Corea on electric piano, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto on percussion. Tracks include "Spanish Key", "Directions", "Masqualero", "It's About That Time", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Bitches Brew", "Willie Nelson", and "Sanctuary". CD

One of those key cases where Miles Davis took a familiar song and made it his own! The set's a live one, and features a famous 15 minute version of "My Funny Valentine" – played by Davis in a spacious, open sort of way – and one that has key hints of the modernism to come in his music, yet still rings out with some of his more easygoing late 50s appeal. The group here features George Coleman on tenor alongside the rhythm section of Herbie Hancock piano, Ron Carter bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all three of whom help Davis edge into darker territory, even when things are ostensibly sweet! Apart from the version of "My Funny Valentine", other titles include "All Blues", "All Of You", "I Thought About You", and "Stella By Starlight". Four & More is breakneck live work from Miles Davis – and proof that his famous 60s quintet wasn't only just about mellow and spacious sounds! The set was recorded at the same concert as the album My Funny Valentine – and while that one's mostly ballads, this one's mostly high tempo numbers that skip along with incredible ease – crackling with modern touches on the rhythm from Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – and featuring some really excellent work by George Coleman on tenor sax! Titles include "Four", "So What", "Joshua", and "Seven Steps To Heaven". CD

A great lost bit of mid 70s Motown – a pair of should-be classic albums by Dynamic Superiors – in a single set! Dynamic Superiors were a great harmony group with an east coast sound – quite different from the usual Motown combo in that their vocals were often allowed very free range, with less of the tightness of the usual Motown group soul album. Ashford & Simpson produced the record – with arrangements by Leon Pendarvis, Richard Tee, and Arthur Jenkins – and the whole thing's a sweet soul treasure that's got some excellent mellow soul cuts! Titles from the self-titled set include "One Nighter", "Don't Send Nobody Else", "Shoe Shoe Shine", "Star of My Life", and "Leave It Alone". Pure Pleasure is another sweet set – arranged with a bit more of a high stepping groove than some of the other Motown work of the time. Backings are handled by a range of talents that includes Paul Riser, William Eaton, Al Gorgoni, and Horace Ott – but the real charm is the way the group's innocent harmony style puts over the lyrics, all of which are very strong tunes written by the team of Ashford & Simpson. Titles include "Face The Music", "Hit & Run Lovers", "Deception", "Pleasure", "Nobody's Gonna Change Me", "Feeling Mellow", "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing", and "Don't Give Up On Me Baby". CD

A pair of classics from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! First up is Spirit – a big hit for the group – and a great album of smooth funky soul! Spirit is a perfect example of the way that Earth Wind & Fire could tighten things up, yet still keep them real – holding onto the deeply spiritual side that first made them great – but also focusing their energy towards a wider audience that showed their influence for years! Of course, with Charles Stepney helping out on production, it's hard to miss – and he's one of the few cats who could handle a blend like this so well. The compression in the band's playing is impeccable – with just the right mix of spacey spiritualism, sophisticated jazzy playing, and a straight ahead love of the soulful hook. Includes the instrumentals "Biyo" and "Departure", plus the vocal tracks "Earth Wind & Fire","Burnin Bush", "Spirit", "Imagination", and "Getaway", all produced to perfection by Maurice White and Charles Stepney! That's The Way Of The World may be Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and Afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth, Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid-70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". 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

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem – and as usual, the full tale of the group, the movie, and the music is told at length in the accompanying 16 page booklet! Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", "Theme From Brotherman", "No Place To Run", and "We Can Work It Out". CD

A trio of albums from pianist Hal Galper – one early, two later, and served up in a single set! Guerilla Band is electric piano genius from Hal Galper – one of his best non-acoustic albums ever, and a set that's filled with moody colors and changes! The album's a fair bit more dynamic than some of Galper's other albums from the 70s – with horns from the Brecker Brothers, guitar from Bob Mann, and tightly rhythmic work on the bottom that makes some of the best numbers hear all-out funky jams! There's a sharply angular feel to the record that's made it a favorite for beatheads for years – plenty of tunes that are ripe for samples, even when things get slightly mellow – and Galper's approach to the keys is really amazing, unlike any other player we can think of at the time! Titles include "Figure Eight", "Call", "Black Night", "Point of View", "Welcome To My Dream", and "Rise & Fall". Rebop is a gem of a later album from pianist Hal Galper – one that has him teaming up with tenorist Jerry Bergonzi, as both players really find a way to make the other sound great! Galper's always got a nicely spacious approach to the piano – using the spots between the notes in just the right way, which is great for Jerry, as he likes to fill them with well-placed, well-timed tenor elements that really make his horn sound great. The balance is a bit like that which Bergonzi brings up on some of his best sessions for Red Records – and the group also features Jeff Johnson on bass, and Steve Ellington on drums. Titles include "All The Things You Aren't", "Jackie-Ing", "Take The Coltrane", "Laura", and "It's Magic". On Just Us, the trio of pianist Hal Galper gets some great guest work here from tenorist Jerry Bergonzi – a rich-toned player who really seems to bring out a different vibe in Hal's music! Galper's touch on the keys seems to be extra-dexterous here – really spinning out these long, lively lines that are balance with the well-placed tones of Bergonzi – given gently swinging support from Pat O'Leary on bass and Steve Ellington on drums! Many of the tunes are standards, but opened up with all these great colors – and titles include "Just Us", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Stablemates", "Lover Man", "I'll Never Be The Same", and "Unforgettable". CD

Chico Hamilton in the 70s just can't miss – he's really changed loads from his mellow 50s work in LA, and has a tendency to go for a hard grooving sound – but also one that's slightly left of center than the work of most other 70s jazz drummers – and we mean that in a good way! This cooking set for Blue Note is a great example of that offbeat approach – a tight set of fusion tracks with a warm finish and an edgey approach to the rhythms – awash with some really compelling numbers that will have you hunting down the rest of Chico's work from the decade! The group's got a great mix of acoustic and electric musicians – including Steve Turre on electric bass, Arthur Blythe on alto, Rodney Jones on guitar, and Abdullah on congas – and titles include the massive groover "Abdullah's Delight", plus the cuts "Ode to Miles", "Sex Is A Cymbal", "Mr Sweets", "First Light", and "Adair". CD

Later work from reedman Wendell Harrison and the Tribe Records scene – a set that's got a slightly tighter feel than some of his earlier work, but still a relatively soulful vibe overall! Harrison leads the group on tenor, flute, and clarinet – but there's definitely a collective vibe to the music – which also features Harold McKinney on piano, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Ralph Jones on soprano sax – part of a shifting lineup of artists who change from track to track – including Leon Thomas and Pamela Wise, who each sing a bit on the record. Thomas appears on the great tracks "Where Am I" and "Love Dream", both of which have a great mellow soul jazz vibe – and other cuts get a bit more out, and have more of the soaring spiritualism that got the Tribe scene going in the early 70s. Other titles include "Tons & Tons Of BS", "Winter", and "He's The One We All Knew". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from reedman Wendell Harrison and the Tribe Records scene – a set that's got a slightly tighter feel than some of his earlier work, but still a relatively soulful vibe overall! Harrison leads the group on tenor, flute, and clarinet – but there's definitely a collective vibe to the music – which also features Harold McKinney on piano, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Ralph Jones on soprano sax – part of a shifting lineup of artists who change from track to track – including Leon Thomas and Pamela Wise, who each sing a bit on the record. Thomas appears on the great tracks "Where Am I" and "Love Dream", both of which have a great mellow soul jazz vibe – and other cuts get a bit more out, and have more of the soaring spiritualism that got the Tribe scene going in the early 70s. Other titles include "Tons & Tons Of BS", "Winter", and "He's The One We All Knew". CD

The first album to document a great new chapter in the career of drummer Billy Hart – his ultra-hip quartet with saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson – both younger players who have brought back a real edge to his music! The group has a very different feel than some of the other recent "revival" projects by older jazz drummers – and the focus here is extremely equal, if not even more heavily weighted towards, the younger members of the group. Turner's tenor has all the dark tones and edgey post-Shorter modes heard on his best albums under his own name – and Iverson's angular piano lines revel in a style that's almost in the legacy of Andrew Hill, but more swinging overall. Hart's rhythms are as fluid and complex as ever – making nice use of the cymbals on the fringe, but returning home to the core of the kit when a tighter groove is needed. Titles include "Mellow B", "Lorca", "Irah", "Lullaby For Mike", "Iverson's Odyssey", "Neon", "Charvez", and "Moment's Notice". CD

Diane Jenkins was one of a few singers who worked with the mighty Creative Funk ensemble in the 70s – and here, she steps out in a collection that brings together her rare singles for that group's label, all of which feature backings from Creative Funk themselves! The groove here is nicely wide-ranging – as Diane can deliver a mellow cut with a great deal of feeling, then step into a funkier number next – all with a voice that's got plenty of feeling, and which maybe sounds even better here in the indie, small label setting of the music than it would have were she snapped up by a bigger label! The set features both vocal and instrumental versions of "I Need You" – plus "Recycle", "Sweet Wine, Music, & My Imagination", "Anniversary", "Tow Away Zone", "I'm A Woman", and "Gee Baby What About You". CD

Fantastic stuff! This essential CD brings together two of Roland Kirk's best albums from the mid 60's (and two of his hardest to find on vinyl!) Rip, Rig, & Panic is mindblowing work from Roland Kirk – a record that really pushes the boundaries of his music even farther than some of his earlier, and excellent, albums for the Mercury label! Kirk's really stretching out here – finding a space in jazz that's uniquely his own – modern, yet playful – creative, yet never overindulgent – and perfectly balanced to find a whole new sound of soul for the 60s! Things never get too far outside, but Kirk's reedlines are always breaking out into fresh territory – incredible tenor parts, and also some amazing work on manzello and stritch too, both lesser-known reed instruments that Roland employs to incredible ends. Other group members fit his vibe perfectly – Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – each stepping quickly to catch the energy of each new twist and turn in Kirk's music. Titles include the sublime "From Bechet Byas & Fats" – plus "No Tonic Pres", "Rip Rig & Panic", "Mystical Dream", "Black Diamond", and "Slippery Hippery Flippery". Beautiful Edith is a bit mellower, but no less wonderful, and the record features some great early piano work by Lonnie Liston Smith. Titles include "Blue Rol", "No Tonic Press", "Rip, Rig, & Panic", "Slipper, Hippery, Flippery", "Stompin' Grounds", and "Mystical Dreams". CD

Two great chapters of work from this legendary soul group – one that started out in the late 50s with an R&B vibe, rose to great fame on Motown, then really hit their stride on the material featured on this set! Gladys was always a great singer, but she really seemed to move onto greatness in the 70s – especially on the Buddah Records material that begins this collection – music that has the group moving past familiar group soul modes, to a sophisticated territory that really let Knight become the sort of diva that nobody would have expected a few years before! There's a richness in her voice that's really wonderful – and that continues strongly on the second half, which collects material for Columbia Records – including some great mellow groovers, and even a few hits from later years too. Package features 37 tracks in all – and titles include "The Way We Were/Try To Remember", "On & On", "To Be Invisible", "The Need To Be", "Little Bit Of Love", "The Makings Of You", "Make Yours A Happy Home (alt mix)", "Come Back & Finish What You Started", "Midnight Train To Georgia", "I've Got To Use My Imagination", "Landlord", "Taste Of Bitter Love", "I Will Fight", "Bourgie Bourgie", "Save The Overtime", "Hero", "Kiss Away The Pain", "You're Number One", "Seconds", "Add It Up", "I Will Fight", and "Still Such A Thing". CD

Beautiful brown-eyed soul from the Ohio scene of the 70s – just the sort of record you might have expected to hear from East LA or Spanish Harlem back in the day – but even more amazing to come from Cleveland! The group are a Latin combo at the core, but they've soaked up plenty of soul influences from the late 60s and early 70s – bringing in bits of harmony soul, funk, and other hip touches to really expand their groove – in ways that are similar to the changes Joe Bataan and his contemporaries were going through at the time! There's a few funky instrumentals that get nicely tripped out, offset with some wonderful mellow soul numbers, and a few straighter Latin bits – all of which show a really amazing range for the group. As usual, Numero does a great job of bringing their whole story to light through the great notes – but even without them, we're plenty happy with the music on the set! Titles include "Loving You", "To Be Sure", "Here We Go Again", "Cold Wine", "Trivialities", "Just Call Me", and "Listen People". CD

Stellar Manhattans from the start of the 80s – and proof that the group could still hold strong, even at a point when soul music was really changing up around them! The sound is somewhat smoother than before, but never in a throwaway style – and as you might guess from the title, the record's a mostly-mellow affair that really hones in on the great ballad style that the group had perfected during their time at Columbia! The vocals are superb – not nearly as fragile as in the early days, but really still filled with a great sense of warmth and humanity – the group really maturing into a special space of their own. Arrangements are by James Mack, Benjamin Wright, Bert DeCoteux, and others – and titles include the hit "Shining Star", plus "It's Not The Same", "Just As Long As I Have You", "If My Heart Could Speak", "One Life To Life", "The Closer You Are", and "Girl Of My Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the only albums we've ever seen from Japanese guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo – and an unusual record that features very small, spare groupings – either solo, or with some slight accompaniment from a set of musicians that includes Bob Mover on alto, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and David Lee on drums! The approach is almost like Jim Hall at his mellow best – although Masuo's got a different style on the instrument, but one that's open and expressive, even when laidback – so that there's plenty of color and life throughout, even at the gentler moments. The pairing of Mover's alto with guitar is especially nice – and titles include "Swing 42", "Reminiscence", "West Side Highway", and "Washington Square Blues". CD

Two tracks from this great New York group – one who recorded during the very early years of disco for the Event label – and who only really got the appreciation they deserve in later years! "I Can See Him Loving You" has fast funk grooves that are wonderful and mixed with a touch of strings – almost Sigma Sound in approach, but with a more underground vibe! "What Did I Do Wrong" is billed to "Mayberry Music" – and has a nicely different vibe – a laidback, slow-stepping quality – almost sweet soul, but with a bit more polish – and a heartbreaking mellow groove that's really wonderful! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The electric years of Miles Davis have left a huge legacy in music – one that's referenced again and again, and continually revisited by generations of musicians, both young and old! Here, that legacy gets some especially nice treatment – by a group of artists who include some key collaborators with Miles in years back, plus other musicians too – in a project that even features two unreleased solo performance by Davis himself! Vince Wilburn Jr is the leader of the project, and players are almost far too many to mention here – so we'll just list a few – including Wallace Roney, Bernard Wright, Vernon Reid, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Donald Harrison, Marcus Miller, Jeremy Pelt, John Scofield, and Lenny White – all working in deeply layered territory that definitely pushes the older electric mode forward. Titles include "Over My Shoulder", "Hail To The Real Chief (long version)", "Mellow Kisses", "That You Dare Not To Forget", and "Bitches Are Back". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early moment from the legendary Austrian group Paternoster – sounds that predate their one and only cult-status album – originally created for the equally legendary film, Die Ersten Tage! The music here was never issued commercially at the time – and the release of these sounds adds a much-needed page to the slim book of Paternoster – especially since the creative flair of these songs really fleshes out our understanding of the group! As with their vocal music, most of the style here is slow, but jamming – kind of mellow prog, almost – but lighter, too – and with a moodier vibe, given the absence of lyrics – which lets the offbeat guitar parts do most of the speaking for the group. The whole thing's fragile, yet jagged – earthy, but cosmic – and the set features 30 tracks in all, appearing here on record for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool combo from the LA scene of the 70s – a tight funky group, topped with two female soul singers – all working together in a style that's got a wonderful mixture of warmer edges and grittier sounds at the core! The two female singers really give the set a unique vibe – as they help bring focus to the instrumentation of the group, with a lot more presence than the usual throw-in female vocals of the time – hardly the backing chorus mode of a disco record, and instead a great balance to the sharp guitar lines and keyboards from the musicians! We've not heard of any of the players in any other setting, but they're very good – clearly able to handle jazz if they want, but aimed here towards a sophisticated funk style that's equally great on the mellow steppers as it is on the more upbeat tracks. Titles include "Heavenly Feeling", "World Full Of People", "Do You Hear Me Talking To You", "Dreaming Our Lives Away", "A Thank You Song", "Fantasies & Dreams", and "I'd Like To Stay". CD features a bonus 7" mix of "I'd Like To Stay". CD

A very cool combo from the LA scene of the 70s – a tight funky group, topped with two female soul singers – all working together in a style that's got a wonderful mixture of warmer edges and grittier sounds at the core! The two female singers really give the set a unique vibe – as they help bring focus to the instrumentation of the group, with a lot more presence than the usual throw-in female vocals of the time – hardly the backing chorus mode of a disco record, and instead a great balance to the sharp guitar lines and keyboards from the musicians! We've not heard of any of the players in any other setting, but they're very good – clearly able to handle jazz if they want, but aimed here towards a sophisticated funk style that's equally great on the mellow steppers as it is on the more upbeat tracks. Titles include "Heavenly Feeling", "World Full Of People", "Do You Hear Me Talking To You", "Dreaming Our Lives Away", "A Thank You Song", "Fantasies & Dreams", and "I'd Like To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure if Arthur Ponder ever really got crowned prince on the Georgia scene of the early 80s – but given the class and quality of the tracks on this set, he definitely comes across like some sort of royalty! In truth, only a few of the songs here were ever issued at the time – a bit of solo material, and some that feature Arthur working with the group Sideshow – both of which have a modern soul update of older deep southern modes – killer vocals from Ponder in the lead, set to arrangements that are sometimes warm, sometimes mellow, and occasionally done with more of an upbeat groove! The package is the first-ever full length to showcase the music of Ponder – and titles include "Sexy Lady", "You Are The One For Me", "It's You Girl", "You Talk Too Much", "Lonely Girl", "If You Want My Love", "Let's Get Together For The Wrong We Have Done", and "Whatcha Gone Do About It". LP, Vinyl record album

The music of vibist Joel Ross just keeps getting better and better with each new release – and on this set, he showcases a strong balance of sounds – really able to push the edges at some points, while also managing a soulful swing at others too! There's some key work on the album from labelmate Immanuel Wilkins, whose alto sax has a sharpness that's a great counterpart to the warmer, more chromatic elements from Ross' vibes – and other members of the core group include Kanoa Mendenhall on bass, Jeremy Corren on piano, and Jeremy Dutton on drums – mostly working together throughout, although joined by the flute of Gabrielle Garo on a few tracks too. Titles include great remakes of the Coltrane tunes "Equinox" and "Central Park West", plus the originals "Early", "Nublues", "Mellowdee", "Chant", "Ya Know", and "What Am I Waiting For". LP, Vinyl record album

This Japanese group have certainly grown up a lot – and this beautiful album is their most mature in years! The combo is fronted by singer Ann Sally – whose English language vocals add a tremendous amount of sophistication to the record – snaking forth in a cool jazzy style that goes way past the easy bossa remake mode of earlier albums. Sally's voice is incredible, and it's mixed with a well-constructed set of backings by the group, music that is especially heavy in its use of Fender Rhodes! The track list is great, too – with wonderful remakes of Fred Neil's "The Dolphins", Flora Purim's "Light As A Feather", Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance", and Coltrane's "Naima". Sweet, mellow, jazzy, and wonderfully rich – the group's best album in years! Italian version of the album features 2 tracks not on the Japanese one – "Butterfly (Incognito rmx)" and "Sky (Soul Bossa Trio blue rmx)". CD

Great spiritual grooves from Web Web – a group who've always had a warm blend of electric and acoustic elements, but who take things further in this second collaboration with Max Herre – who brings in all sorts of keyboards and drum machine bits to the music! The core style is still jazz, with excellent tenor and flute from reedman Tonk Lakatos, whose presence really gives the album a soulful vibe – next to the core leading energy of Roberto Di Gioia, who works on a whole host of instruments – organ, mellotron, trumpet, guitar, piano, and even harp! There's other percussion in the group, warm basslines from Christian Von Kaphengst, and guest performances from a variety of others – including the great Carlos Nino on two tracks – all in a style that's got more of the warmth of Schema Records than the usual Compost sound. Titles include "La Planete Fantastique", "The Source Of All Things", "Perennial Journey", "Olobo", "Artist Unknown", "Look Beyond The Sun", and "Zutuma". CD

Great spiritual grooves from Web Web – a group who've always had a warm blend of electric and acoustic elements, but who take things further in this second collaboration with Max Herre – who brings in all sorts of keyboards and drum machine bits to the music! The core style is still jazz, with excellent tenor and flute from reedman Tonk Lakatos, whose presence really gives the album a soulful vibe – next to the core leading energy of Roberto Di Gioia, who works on a whole host of instruments – organ, mellotron, trumpet, guitar, piano, and even harp! There's other percussion in the group, warm basslines from Christian Von Kaphengst, and guest performances from a variety of others – including the great Carlos Nino on two tracks – all in a style that's got more of the warmth of Schema Records than the usual Compost sound. Titles include "La Planete Fantastique", "The Source Of All Things", "Perennial Journey", "Olobo", "Artist Unknown", "Look Beyond The Sun", and "Zutuma". LP, Vinyl record album

Wow, the cover alone should be more than enough to recommend this one – and the music inside definitely lives up to its promise – a fuzzy, freaky set of work from the German scene at the start of the 70s – by one of those groups who only ever recorded one album, but somehow managed to top the bigger catalogs of more famous acts! The set's got an approach that's different from some of the more progressive Krautrock of the time – as although Weed certainly hit hard rock territory, they also can lay back and enjoy some mellower moments, too – sometimes in the space of a single tune, in ways that really helps us appreciate their fiercer moments on guitar! Lyrics are all in English, and nicely pointed at times – on titles that include "Before I Die", "Weed", "Slowin It Down", "My Dream", and "Sweet Morning Light". CD

Mellow blues with a touch of jazz – a really great session cut by Jimmy Witherspoon, with backings by Bob Florence – played by a smallish group that includes Gerald Wilson, Herbie Harper, Earl Palmer, Gerry Wiggins, and Teddy Edwards! The sound here is nicely subdued – not that hokey, overdone blues-based mode used already as a "revival" of the genre in the early 60s – and instead a smokey, adult, sophisticated approach that was very much in keeping with Witherspoon's best talents, and that sound of his that paved the way for bigger crossover names in the 60s. Titles include "Blues Serenade", "Music Maestro Please", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Lover Come Back To Me", "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me", and "Just One More Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

The poetry of the title isn't lost on the group on the record – nor is the "sleep" reference that the famous phrase would imply – as the quartet work in much mellower territory than on some of the other Zorn-directed projects of this nature on Tzadik in recent years – often with a beautifully minimal and hypnotic vibe! The group features twin keyboards – organ from John Medeski, and piano and Fender Rhodes from Brian Marsella – both players who loop around each other in nice ways, and get these slight contributions from the guitar of Bill Frisell and drums of Kenny Wollesen – both musicians who really let the keys take the lead, almost like a small combo jam version of Terry Riley territory. Beautiful throughout – with titles that include "A Secret Twilight", "Eventide", "Introit", "Lacrimosa", and "Midnight Vespers". CD

An essential chapter of Miami soul – even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul – but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own – served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect – Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene – and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. But even above the 20 great tracks on the CD, the package is amazing too – filled with notes on each group, a special appendix on Miami soul, a rare indie label discography, and a wealth of great images and photos – all layered lovingly into a full-color, 32 page booklet! Numero have really outdone themselves with this one – and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package – more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers. CD

That's a sweet image on the cover – and the grooves inside are equally dynamic too – a really wonderful collection that's easily one of the most compelling in Numero's Eccentric Soul series! The work here all hails from the tiny San Antonio scene of the late 60s – but much of the music has a sound that's way different than you might expect from Texas soul – often with great harmonies that recall the best of the east coast groups of the time, and occasionally with a few brown-eyed touches that echo the style of East LA! There's a wonderfully heartbreaking feel to many of these tracks – and the set's heavy focus on mellower numbers is totally great – and gives the whole thing a wonderful late nite sort of vibe that's usually quite hard to find in compilations like this. As usual, Numero's done a great job with the notes and history of the label – but the music alone is more than enough – a heady brew of cuts that include "Little Girl Blue" and "Try Loving Me" by The Webs, "I Gotta Know" by Tonettes, "Give Your Love To Me" and "Ain't No Big Thing" by Little Jr Jesse & The Tear Drops, "Cry & Wonder Why" by Doc & Sal, "Must Be Alright" and "Hey It's Love" by The Commands, "She's Gotta Have Soul" by Bobby Blackmon & The Soul Express, and "I Can't Take No More" by Willie Cooper & The Webs. CD

An album that definitely lives up to the title promised by The Commodores – a record that takes all their raw funky energy of the early years, and fuses it into a new groove that would catapult the sextet to superstardom! The sound is commercial, but still has a pretty fresh sort of feel too – that quality the group brought to their work when breaking down so many boundaries in mainstream music – and finding fans in corners that few other funk groups might have touched! There's plenty of upbeat funk tracks in the mix, and even the mellower moments are still balanced nicely enough to avoid any of the cliches that Lionel Richie might have had during his solo years. Titles include "Why You Wanna Try Me", "This Love", "Been Loving You", "Lucy", "Saturday Night", "Lady (You Bring Me Up)", and "Oh No". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of funky classics from Faze-O – collected here with bonus tracks too! First up is their debut, Riding High – a spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"! The second album is a definite Good Thang from Faze-O – easily the masters of snakey funk at the end of the 70s! The set's got loads of great elements that echo the group's Riding High debut – a groove that never goes too far over the top, and which kicks back at a pace that so many others would copy a few years later – a vibe that's a bit Ohio, a bit Cali, yet crafted here with a vision that's totally unique to the band! Horns are a bit heavier than before, but there's still plenty of great keyboards too – and the vocals definitely recognize that they're the second star of the record, and usually defer to the rhythms on most numbers. Tracks include "Good Thang", "Party Time", "Space People", "Who Loves You", and "Funky Lady". Breakin The Funk is wicked funk from Faze-O – a group who seem even tighter than before on this smoking album – yet still hold onto all the laidback modes that made them so great in the first place! There's a lean quality here that really prefaces the direction so many funk acts would take a few years later – a way of compressing everything down on the rhythm, to get past some of the excesses of too-large funk groups, or some of the overblown qualities of the disco generation! Faze-O were definitely out front with this approach, and continue to craft it strongly here – and the album's got a few great mellow tracks too – a great illustration of the claim made in the liner notes – that "Faze-O music is carefully built in panels of melodic phases, to sensuously put you in a funky but heavenly mood of time and rhythm." Titles include "See You Through The Night", "I'm Thankful", "I Still Love You", "Let's Rock", and "Ya Ba Da Ba Duzie". Features bonus tracks – 7" single mixes of "Riding High", "Breakin The Funk", "Good Thang", and "Who Loves You". CD

Dreamy sounds from keyboardist Greg Foat – a set with a vibe that's very much in keeping with the cover image – which is a spot in Greece where Greg and the quartet recorded the music! Foat's keyboards are a bit more laidback than usual, and mixed with some very cool electronics – in a group that also features mellow guitar from Warren Hampshire, flute and bass clarinet from Sokratis Votskos, and drums from Ayo Salawu – a group who start slow at the beginning of the record, then really pick up the pace at the end! Titles include "Kiki's Tavern", "On The Rose Bush", and "Tsamykonos" – plus the long "Secret World" cut on side two, a number that soars into space with some nicely kicking drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A huge 80s moment for the Isley Brothers empire – a set that has Ernie and Marvin Isley stepping away from the main group with Chris Jasper – to reinvent their sound for the 80s! The record still has all the slinky soul and upbeat funk of the Isley material from the late 70s – but also pushes the groove in a slightly different way – often using leaner arrangements that are focused on beats, basslines, and keyboards – which only seem to make the warm vocals of the trio sound even more seductive in the end! There's that subtle sense of majesty that the group always had in their music at their height – an influence that might well come from the presence of Jasper – and the album's noteworthy for the wonderful "Caravan Of Love", a soulful spiritual tune that's kind of to 80s soul what The Impressions "People Get Ready" was to 60s soul! The album's got a good mellow harmony sound, and other titles include "Liberation", "I Can Hardly Wait", "Insatiable Woman", and "If You Believe In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin get a great new sound here – thanks to the vocals and acoustic guitar of Leon Bridges, who bring a whole new dimension to their music! The title and cover of the record are very well-put – as there's this open space to the record that's a bit different than previous outings by Khruangbin – still that aesthetic that lingers somewhere south, down near the border – but maybe more relaxed and letting itself flow down the road to some territory that's all its own – the marvelous vocals of Leon Bridges at the wheel, with the rest of the group well-tuned to make the journey with a warm dose of mellow soul. Titles include "Midnight", "C-Side", "Conversation", and "Texas Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin get a great new sound here – thanks to the vocals and acoustic guitar of Leon Bridges, who bring a whole new dimension to their music! The title and cover of the record are very well-put – as there's this open space to the record that's a bit different than previous outings by Khruangbin – still that aesthetic that lingers somewhere south, down near the border – but maybe more relaxed and letting itself flow down the road to some territory that's all its own – the marvelous vocals of Leon Bridges at the wheel, with the rest of the group well-tuned to make the journey with a warm dose of mellow soul. Titles include "Midnight", "C-Side", "Conversation", and "Texas Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Musical alchemy from Erkie Krivda – one of the reedman's best sets from the 70s, and a record that's full of open-ended lines! Krivda plays tenor, soprano sax, and flute – often in a freewheeling style that certainly draws influence from the fusion generation, but which has an acoustic setting here – in a group that features Gil Goldstein on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, Bob Moses on drums, and Ray Mantilla on percussion. With a rhythm section that solid, you can bet that the record's got a bold sort of energy – one that really seems to push Krivda's reeds nicely, even on some of the mellower tracks. Titles include "Valse Macabre", "Tzigine", "Husar", "Tears On A Golden Arm", and "Nocturnal Carnival". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just another soul group – as The New Birth are almost big enough to be their own sort of soul music village – complete with different neighborhoods along the way! Vocals are handled by the combined groups of The Mint Juleps and Now Sound – gals and guys that soar together wonderfully with backings from The Nite-Liters – who help give the record a righteous undercurrent at most points, which makes the whole thing sound way hipper than any other projects of this nature! Vernon Bulllock acts as the music director for the whole group – really pulling things together with a tightness that's outta sight – and leadership of the project comes from Harvey Fuqua – who arranged and produced as well. There's some massively heavy talent on board for this initial outing, and you can definitely hear it all come into play beautifully – a wonderful harmony of rich talents, without any egos or issues to get in the way. Vocals chance nicely throughout – sometimes a female lead, sometimes male – as do the grooves, which are funky one minute, and mellow the next! Tracks include "All The Way", "Pretty Words Don't Mean A Thing", "One Way Bus", "It's You Or No One", "Do The Funky Chicken", "The Unh Song", and "What'll I Do". Great reissue – with excellent sound, and very detailed notes! CD

A legendary album from The Ohio Players – a set that's famous not just for its sexy cover, but for the way the group managed to set a whole new standard for mainstream funk at the time! The group started out in the farther reaches of the Midwest underground, and previously had brought some nice psychedelic elements to their music – which here are more focused and folded into a sound that's wonderfully tight, yet still filled with plenty of imagination – a sense of funk that would be beaten down into a more formulaic mode by groups in years to come, but which here is still wonderfully fresh! Most folks go for their big hit "Love Rollercoaster", but we've always been partial to the smooth, mellow funky track "Sweet Sticky Thing", served up here in the cool long version, which has a groove that builds and builds – a completely sublime journey in sound! The whole album's great, though – and other cuts include "Honey", "Fopp", "Let's Love", "Ain't Givin' Up No Ground" and "Alone". LP, Vinyl record album

A great sense of righteousness and groove – the key mix that made the O'Jays so great back in the day – and which really helped put the Philly International enterprise on the map! The album's miles from the group's simple harmony soul roots – even though those were pretty darn great – and it blends together soaring backings with a sweet Gamble/Huff finish, and really makes some magic in the way the whole thing comes off. Titles include the great mellow ballad "Stairway To Heaven", the party groovers "Livin For The Weekend" and "I Love Music" – and the cuts "Unity", "You & Me", and "She's Only A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Four classics from this legendary Motown group – including 2 albums on CD for the first time ever! First up is What Love Has Joined Together – excellent work by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – recorded with a super-heavy vibe that's very different than his sweeter 60s work! The record has an amazingly large conception of arrangements – mostly handled by Smokey, and done in a complicated baroque harmony style that points forward towards his later Quiet Storm sound – but which isn't as laidback and compressed. Most tracks are covers, but they're redone fantastically – with better vocals than you could imagine – and titles include "What Love Has Joined Together", "My Cherie Amour", "If This World Were Mine", "This Guy's In Love", and "And I Love Her". Pocket Full Of Miracles is a great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "The Reel Of Time", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". Also features a great medley of "Something" and "Something You Got". One Dozen Roses is an early 70s set from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – and a set that mixes great new material with a few older gems from the previous decade too! The new cuts are fantastic – and have Smokey and the group continuing that mellower, more laidback harmony style that really knocks it out of the park – almost as if The Miracles were trying to challenge some of the younger sweet soul acts who were coming onto the scene. Titles include the older cuts "Tears Of A Clown" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" – plus "I Don't Blame You At All", "That Girl", "I Love You Dear", "No Wonder Love's A Wonder", and "When Sundown Comes". Flying High Together is excellent 70s work by Smokey and crew – sort of their way of showing the emerging east coast vocal stars how much talent they still had! The record has a sweet, slightly modern sound – with an approach that hints at Smokey's later Quiet Storm sound, but maybe a bit more laidback overall – set up with really great arrangements from both David Van De Pitte and HB Barnum. Titles include a killer reading of Stevie Wonder's "We Had A Love So Strong", plus "Got To Be There", "You Ain't Livin 'Till You're Lovin", "Flying High Together", "It Will Be Alright", and a cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD features bonus tracks "You've Got Me Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" and "Paper People". CD

The music of vibist Joel Ross just keeps getting better and better with each new release – and on this set, he showcases a strong balance of sounds – really able to push the edges at some points, while also managing a soulful swing at others too! There's some key work on the album from labelmate Immanuel Wilkins, whose alto sax has a sharpness that's a great counterpart to the warmer, more chromatic elements from Ross' vibes – and other members of the core group include Kanoa Mendenhall on bass, Jeremy Corren on piano, and Jeremy Dutton on drums – mostly working together throughout, although joined by the flute of Gabrielle Garo on a few tracks too. Titles include great remakes of the Coltrane tunes "Equinox" and "Central Park West", plus the originals "Early", "Nublues", "Mellowdee", "Chant", "Ya Know", and "What Am I Waiting For". CD

A great late 60s gem from pianist Horace Silver – and a great bridge between his earlier soul jazz for Blue Note, and some of his more righteous work to come in the 70s! At one level, the sound here steps off from classics like Serenade To A Soul Sister or The Jody Grind – but at another level, there's a more open approach to the music – one that has Horace sliding into new tones and colors, with a slightly lyrical undercurrent as well. As on some of his later dates, the mellower moments are often the most compelling – showing a newly mature side of Silver's talents, and a new love of space between the notes that really helps to break the mode of previous recordings! The group here features the great Bennie Maupin on tenor and flute, Randy Brecker on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Williams on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums – and titles include "Lovely's Daughter", "Risin Sun", "You Gotta Take A Little Love", "Down & Out", and "Brain Wave". LP, Vinyl record album

Reedman Dayna Stephens is always great – and this time around, he's got a very strong musical partner in the presence of guitarist Emmanuel Michael – a younger musician, but one whose sound really shapes the sound of the set! Michael has this way of careful tones and rich colors – which he can use slowly next to a mellow bassline, but also unfurl in a bolder way once things really take off – and it's clear that Stephens really values his contributions to the record, as he gets a lot of space to shine. The mixture of acoustic reeds and electric tones is great – although Dayna also plays some EWI on the album too – in a group that also includes some superb work from Kanoa Mendenhall on bass, and very thoughtful work on drums from Jongkuk Kim. Jeremy Pelt plays guest trumpet on a version of Wayne Shorter's "ESP" – and other tunes include "The Nomad", "Scrutiny", "Back Home", "Placate", "TE", and "Bubbly". CD

A great take on the score to the hit show My Fair Lady – heard here in one of the best jazz interpretations from the time! Billy Taylor really gets a great setting for the music here – one that moves past the more familiar small group takes on the tunes, and features soaring large group backings arranged by a young Quincy Jones! Jones really knows how to keep things groovy, and free from cliche – allowing plenty of space for Taylor to step out in fluid solos in the frontline, but also featuring lots of great horn work from players that include Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Don Elliott on Mellophone, Ernie Royal on trumpet, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, and Anthony Ortega on both alto and tenor! Titles include "Show Me", "Get Me To The Church On Time", "The Rain In Spain", "With A Little Bit Of Luck", and "On The Street Where You Live". LP, Vinyl record album

Throw away all your 70s electric funk records – because the classic sound is back, and fresher than ever! Yesterday's New Quintet is a side project from hip hop producer Madlib – and the group's firmly steeped in a love of the mellow funky sound of 70s labels like Kudu and CTI. Vibes collides with Fender Rhodes collides with sweet drumbeats collides with slight touches of turntablist production – for a sensational full LP debut that's one of the best new funky records we've heard in years! The sound is incredible – and these guys really do a heck of a lot more than just recreate an older style of music. They take all the hip hop/beathead love of 70s mellow jazz funk, and lift it firmly into the 21st Century with a whole new set of hooks and grooves! Titles include "Julani", "Papa", "Daylight", "Hot Water", "Sun Goddess", "Last Day", "Broken Dreams", "Life's Angles", "Keeper Of My Soul", and "Uno Esta". CD

A pair of killers from Cameo – back to back on a single CD! Cameosis is full-on frenetic funk from Cameo – one of the group's tightest albums, yet still without any of the too-slick sounds of later years! The sound here is amazing – and we always find ourselves wondering how a group of guys can hit such perfect grooves with just a bunch of basses, guitars, and keyboards – a totally on-the-money style that vamps, leaps, and jumps with energy throughout. The vocals are great too – bubbling up in the mix almost like another instrument – and the album's got a depth that so many other copycat funk records from the time just couldn't touch. Wonderful throughout – with tracks that include "Shake Your Pants", "Cameosis", "On The One", "We're Goin Out Tonight", and "Please You". Also features a bonus 7" mix of "Shake Your Pants". Feel Me is a great 80s groove from Cameo – but one that's still done in the group's best early funk ensemble mode! There's maybe a bit more emphasis on the basslines and keyboards than before, but the sound of the music is still wonderfully full and spontaneous – very much in keeping with the warmly collaborative look of the group on the cover, who really sound like they're having a hell of a lot of fun making the record! The rhythms have a razor-sharpness that just about nobody else can touch – and there's all these cool little instrumental flourishes that sneak into the mix and really keep things interesting – odd sounds on familiar instruments, moogy moments on keyboards, and even some vocal inflections that come as a nice surprise. There's two nice mellow cuts – "Feel Me" and "Is This The Way", which have a sweetly compressed harmony sound on the lyrics – and funky numbers include "Better Days", "Keep It Hot", "Roller Skates", and "Is This The Way". CD

A mid-80s classic from Cameo – one that showed the world that the group was still very much in the funky music game, even if their lineup had been reduced to a trio! Larry Blackmon's still at the head of the group – singing, drumming, and playing bass throughout – with plenty of support on keyboards and a variety of instruments from an army of session players called in for the record. The style's a bit less on the heavy funk tip of earlier Cameo records, but also steps along nicely in that mellower, midtempo groove that proved to be a great refuge for funk bands as the 80s wore on – a mode that's slightly romantic at times, but always handled with a bit of bounce at the bottom. Titles include "Word Up", "Candy", "She's Mine", "Don't Be Lonely", "Back & Forth", and "You Can Have The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredibly great work from The Dramatics – the kind of record that hits on all burners instantly, and just keeps on cooking all the way through! The set kicks off with the title funky cut "Shake It Well" – done in a mode that the group handle surprisingly well, thanks to some excellent vocals. These vocals only get better on following tracks, though – as the group kicks back, relaxes, and stretches into some amazing mellow tunes that rank with some of the best harmony soul of the late 70s! Part of the magic of the set is thanks to producer Don Davis – who had a hand in all of the best cuts, using that mix of rough and sweet that was always the best side of his 70s sound. Titles include "Come Inside", "Spaced Out Over You", "That Heaven Kind Of Feeling", "Ocean Of Thoughts & Dreams", "You Make The Music", "I Like Makin You So Happy", and "Music Is Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring grooves and mellow moments – a perfect blend of 70s soul styles, summed up here beautifully by Enchantment! The album's one of the group's greatest – and certainly one that's been very well-remembered around these parts – thanks to some rock-solid arrangements from Johnny Allen, who almost brings an indie soul vibe to the whole set – while still putting the whole thing together at a totally top-shelf level too! The harmonies are wonderful – especially on the ballads, like "Gloria" and "Sunshine" – and other tracks include "Sexy Lady", "Come On & Ride", "Thank You Girl For Loving Me", and "Dance To The Music". CD features 7 more bonus tracks – "Hold On (original 12" disco version)" – plus original single versions of "Call On Me", "Come On & Ride", "Hold On", "Gloria", "Dance To The Music", and "Sunshine". CD

A record that's maybe as famous for its cover art, done by comic legend Neal Adams, as it is for the music of The Groundhogs – who are really moving away here from the more blues-based work of their roots! The great Tony McPhee is on vocals and guitar, and also uses mellotron and harmonium in some really wonderful ways – and the sound here really has the group soaring with the sort of super-powered energy you might guess from the cover – a case of a British group tipping over nicely past their original inspirations, and finding a way to make hard rock magic that's very much all their own! Titles include "Wages Of Peace", "Music Is The Food Of Thought", "Bog Roll Blues", "The Grey Maze", "Earth Is Not Room Enough", and "Body In Mind". CD

A record that's maybe as famous for its cover art, done by comic legend Neal Adams, as it is for the music of The Groundhogs – who are really moving away here from the more blues-based work of their roots! The great Tony McPhee is on vocals and guitar, and also uses mellotron and harmonium in some really wonderful ways – and the sound here really has the group soaring with the sort of super-powered energy you might guess from the cover – a case of a British group tipping over nicely past their original inspirations, and finding a way to make hard rock magic that's very much all their own! Titles include "Wages Of Peace", "Music Is The Food Of Thought", "Bog Roll Blues", "The Grey Maze", "Earth Is Not Room Enough", and "Body In Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album of dark-hued vocals – sung by Johnny Hartman with a quality that's as smokey as the image of him with a cigarette on the cover! The album set a whole new standard for male vocal jazz in the 60s – and is a distillation and refinement of earlier ideas in music by Billy Eckstine, taken down to more personal and fluid levels by Hartman – and recorded here with great small group baking that includes Illinois Jacquet on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The vibe is very mellow, but never sloppy or sleepy – and titles include "Charade", "In The Wee Small Hours", "Stairway To the Stars", "Kiss & Run", "Our Time", "Don't You Know I Care", "If I'm Lucky", and "Don't Call It Love". CD

A beautiful album of dark-hued vocals – sung by Johnny Hartman with a quality that's as smokey as the image of him with a cigarette on the cover! The album set a whole new standard for male vocal jazz in the 60s – and is a distillation and refinement of earlier ideas in music by Billy Eckstine, taken down to more personal and fluid levels by Hartman – and recorded here with great small group baking that includes Illinois Jacquet on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. The vibe is very mellow, but never sloppy or sleepy – and titles include "Charade", "In The Wee Small Hours", "Stairway To the Stars", "Kiss & Run", "Our Time", "Don't You Know I Care", "If I'm Lucky", and "Don't Call It Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky fusion from 70s Japan – a really great set that's heavy both on Fender Rhodes, and on a range of choppy reed lines on tenor, soprano sax, and flute! The set's got a warm glow that's perfect for the CTI generation – with an equally apt sense of space, one that keeps the record from veering into any overdone fusion cliches, and which instead helps the group stay in just the right territory to bring out all the best soul in their music. There's a funky feel on most cuts, but even the mellow numbers have a hell of a lot of soul too – thanks partly to the keyboards, and even more to a brilliant execution of the whole set. Titles include "Funky Stuff", "Scratch", "Breeze", "Painted Paradise", "Funky Motion", "Gentle Wave", and "Four Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful mid 70s set from Gladys Knight & The Pips – a soundtrack date written and produced by Curtis Mayfield, who really helps bring a lot of depth to their music! Curtis really helps Knight and the group get out of some of their hit cliches of the 70s, and find some hipper space for the setting of the film – a mixture of some of the mellower tracks that Gladys' always sparkles on, mixed with some badder-stepping numbers that further deepen the groove – and which has kept the album alive over the years, thanks to some key hip hop samples. Tracks include the sublime "The Makings Of You", plus "Mr Welfare Man", "To Be Invisible", "Claudine Theme", "On and On", and "Hold On". LP, Vinyl record album

The electric years of Miles Davis have left a huge legacy in music – one that's referenced again and again, and continually revisited by generations of musicians, both young and old! Here, that legacy gets some especially nice treatment – by a group of artists who include some key collaborators with Miles in years back, plus other musicians too – in a project that even features two unreleased solo performance by Davis himself! Vince Wilburn Jr is the leader of the project, and players are almost far too many to mention here – so we'll just list a few – including Wallace Roney, Bernard Wright, Vernon Reid, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Donald Harrison, Marcus Miller, Jeremy Pelt, John Scofield, and Lenny White – all working in deeply layered territory that definitely pushes the older electric mode forward. Titles include "Over My Shoulder", "Hail To The Real Chief (long version)", "Mellow Kisses", "That You Dare Not To Forget", and "Bitches Are Back". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing set of music – two rare albums from Ohio funk legend Lou Ragland, plus bonus tracks, and a whole set of unreleased sessions too – a huge amount of new music, even if you've got some of the previous reissues! First up is the legendary Hot Chocolate album – one of the greatest lost funk records of all time! The group is not the British pop band, but an Ohio funk group led by the great guitarist Lou Ragland. The album's originally from Canada, which makes it super rare – and these guys are funky funky funky, and kick some major booty with a heavy guitar sound that's just great! Some of the cuts are instrumental, and some of them have some excellent soul vocals that are produced with a nice deep sound that's brought out nicely by the excellent quality of the reissue. The record's got a bit of Sly Stone, a bit of Grant Green, and a bit of Mike James Kirkland – with a tasty raw indie soul vibe – and the original album was only pressed up at 500 copies. Titles include "So Dam Funky", "Ain't That A Groove", "Sexy Moods Of Your Mind", "Messin With Sly", and "What You Want To Do" – plus 8 more tracks from the same vintage – "Good For The Gander" by Hot Chocolate, "I Travel Alone" and Big Wheel" by Lou Ragland, "Red Robin" and "I've Got Something Going On" by Volcanic Eruption, and "I Can't Take It" and "What The Doctor Prescribed" by Lou Ragland & Hot Chocolate. Next is The Conveyor – the second album from Lou Ragland, stepping out here in a great set of mellow soul tracks! The album's quite different from the heavy funk of the Hot Chocolate album – more of a message-oriented approach to soul, in the vein of similar 70s indie work by Mike James Kirkland. The arrangements are also bigger – not smooth, but ambitious, in a style that perfectly matches the higher vision Lou's going for in tracks like "Understand Each Other", "What Should I Do?", "The Next World", and "It's Got To Change". Conveyor also comes with bonus tracks too – "Tend To Your Business" by Wildfire, plus "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" and "I Didn't Mean To Leave You" by Lou Ragland. And last up is an incredible batch of unreleased material – maybe the biggest and best so far from Ragland – tracks that have this really ambitious quality that mixes soul, funk, and larger orchestrations – especially some light strings, which really expand the sound, and push the music into this righteous territory that reminds us a lot of the creative experiments in Chicago during the Cadet/Concept years! Lou's vocals are great, and the message is totally righteous – and even though the tape quality is slightly aged, the soulful vibe really comes through – on cuts that include "Understand Each Other", "It Ain't My Fault", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "Spend My Life Loving You", "Until I Met You", and "Brother Louie". Lovingly packaged by Numero – with a huge booklet of photos and history – and cool mini-LP sleeves too! CD

Really wonderful work from the Texas scene of the 60s – not the heady psych or garage usually associated with the state, nor the more Latin-inflected modes from the border – but instead a unique batch of music that feels more like work from either coast, and which comes across with a surprisingly soulful sound! The 60s scene in East LA is well-known as a hotbed of early Chicano soul – and plenty of Spanish Harlem groups also dug doo wop at the time too – and the Royal Jesters fit perfectly right into that spot – working like a garage band, but with a stunning approach to vocal harmonies that really rivals the underground soul acts of the time. Most of the best cuts are relatively mellow and laidback – ala Joe Bataan's sweet soul work – and a few other nice numbers bring in a romping party vibe to balance things out, with some of the festive qualities you'd expect from the crowd scene on the cover. Yet it's the soul tunes we love the most, and the album's filled with them – a heady collection of 28 tracks that includes "I've Got Soul", "I'm So Sorry", "Afro-lypso", "My Life", "Spanish Grease", "Back To You", "Just A Friend", "Theme For A Lonely Girl", and "Meet Me Down In Soulsville". CD

A great late 60s gem from pianist Horace Silver – and a great bridge between his earlier soul jazz for Blue Note, and some of his more righteous work to come in the 70s! At one level, the sound here steps off from classics like Serenade To A Soul Sister or The Jody Grind – but at another level, there's a more open approach to the music – one that has Horace sliding into new tones and colors, with a slightly lyrical undercurrent as well. As on some of his later dates, the mellower moments are often the most compelling – showing a newly mature side of Silver's talents, and a new love of space between the notes that really helps to break the mode of previous recordings! The group here features the great Bennie Maupin on tenor and flute, Randy Brecker on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Williams on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums – and titles include "Lovely's Daughter", "Risin Sun", "You Gotta Take A Little Love", "Down & Out", and "Brain Wave". CD