Bear Family (Germany), Late 50s/Early 60s.
The fingersnap here is the key – as all the cuts here have a nicely romping kind of groove – a sweet sense of rhythm that's bound to get your toes tapping as much as your fingers are snapping – thanks to a nice sense of space between the notes! The music is from a variety of ...
(Rock CD)
Ballister (Dave Rempis/Fred Lonberg Holm/Paal Nilssen Love)
Smash & Grab
Aerophonic, 2023.
Brilliant work from this well-matched trio of improvisers – a group who definitely smash and grab in a highly sonic way – thanks to cello and electronics from Fred Lonberg-Holm, drums and percussion from Paal Nilssen Love, and alto, tenor, and baritone saxes from the great Dave Rempis! ...
(Jazz CD)
Cadillac (UK), 1972.
Mike Westbrook live, and also a bit more stripped-down than on some of his earlier albums – less of the high concept presentation overall, and more in the mode of the sharper edges of the British scene of the time! The tracks are all longish, and nicely open at points – flowing with a ...
(Jazz CD)
Bear Family (Germany), 1950s/1960s.
The shadow of Hank Williams still looms large in country music well into the 21st Century – but it had an especially strong force in the years after his too-early death – as you'll hear here in a great selection of covers, tributes, and other songs that continue the short-but-strong ...
(Folk/Country CD)
Blitzen, 1960s/1970s.
Christmas means love, but it also means plenty more too – given that there's a whole host of different themes covered in this collection – a batch of soulful Christmas numbers that goes way past the obvious! There's a few here you might know, but lots more that we're not sure have been ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Locutor/Peace & Rhythm, 2002. 2LP (reissue)
The first full album from Bio Ritmo – a contemporary Latin combo with a smoking, jazzy sound! The group have a tightness that reminds us of mid 70s Fania Records – or some of the best indie label albums coming out of the Puerto Rican scene – lots of heavy rhythms at the bottom, ...
(Latin LP)
Trad Vibe (France), 2023.
A contemporary funk set, but one that's awash in plenty of the 80s touches you might guess from the cover – slapping bass, sweet keyboards, tight beats, and even some great vocoder moments on the vocals! Mofak's got a groove that's great, right from the start – a sharp focus on core ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Jazz Detective, Mid 60s. 2CDs
Very cool work from vibist Cal Tjader – sounds that are different than some of the larger arrangements and concepts of his Verve Records albums of the mid 60s, and material that appears here for the first time ever! The set features a range of appearances that Tjader made on radio in Seattle ...
(Jazz CD)
Relative Pitch, 2023.
Susan Alcorn has certainly become one of the most striking jazz musicians in recent years – and one of the few artists to ever use pedal steel in the context of free improvisation and more avant sounds! Yet here, Alcorn is also working in territory that has a bit more structure – using ...
(Jazz CD)
Expansion (UK), 2023.
That's almost an Earth Wind & Fire-styled image on the cover – and the Brit Funk Association definitely live up to the spirit of that scene – which is maybe no surprise, given that group members have a legacy that goes way back for many years on the UK soul scene! There's a warmth ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Astigmatic (Poland), 1972.
Beautiful improvised work from legendary Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko – work that's much more powerful and bracing than the atmospheric recordings he would do for ECM in later years! The work here comes right at a key moment for free jazz on the European scene – and Stanko works with ...
(Jazz CD)
Dead Oceans, 2023. 2LP
A massive live album from this funky trio – a double-length set, and one that they get all to themselves after splitting a long run of live records with other artists during most of 2023! While we liked those records, we're very happy to have Khruangbin on their own – stretching out in ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Philips/Universal (Japan), 1964.
Tremendous early work from Karin Krog – a great example of her rich vocal talents and creative energy, recorded well before her more experimental sessions of the 60s! Even at this early date, Karin's got a strong commitment to improvisation and unique phrasing – a style that really ...
(Vocalists CD)
Trojan/Harlem Shuffle (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
A heady helping of rare singles from the farther reaches of the indie scene in early reggae – labels that include Duke, Grape, Splash, High Note, Explosion, and JJ – all tiny companies that are now part of the larger Trojan Records empire! The work here is nicely varied – as many ...
(Reggae LP)
National/Think (Japan), Mid 60s. (reissue)
Very cool work from Mighty Sparrow – a calypso set, but one cut at a time when the music was fading from the mainstream – which allows Sparrow to keep things nice and raw, and deliver lyrics that have the same sort of bite as some of the best island sounds from the early days! Many ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Stax/Craft, Late 60s/Early 70s.
An incredible addition to the rich legacy of Stax Records – a collection of rare tracks, almost all of which appear here for the first time ever – a set that represents recordings done by all the great songwriters who were working for Stax at the time, most of whom were also recording ...
(Soul LP)
BMM (France), 2023.
A really lovely soundtrack from Forever Pavot – contemporary, but with some of the best touches of our favorite French film scores of the late 60s – a blend of sentiment and subtle instrumentation, light melody and occasional groove – all handled with excellent keyboards, flutes, ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Gondwana (UK), 2023.
We love the music of Chip Wickham – a very soulful reed player who easily moves between spiritual and modal modes – sometimes grooving, sometimes a bit more open – and always working with a fantastic sense of color and tone! Here, Chip plays both flute and tenor sax – the ...
(Jazz LP)
How Do You Are (Germany), Late 70s/Early 80s.
The second killer set in this series – a wonderful blend of AOR hits and soulful singers – wrapped up in a stunning style that's a great subgenre in itself! Many of the tunes here are familiar, but served up in versions you might not know at all – done by soul artists who were ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Jazz Detective/Elemental, Mid 60s. 2LP
60s Ahmad Jamal in the studio is already pretty darn great – but live, his group is even more amazing – as the pianist is able to stretch out more, and take a lot more chances too – not just in the way he's striking the keys of the piano, but also working with the fantastic ...
(Jazz LP)
Cherry Red, Late 70s/Early 80s. 5CD
A massive look at the huge legacy of North American punk in the late 70s – culled together from scenes in New York, Ohio, Boston, and LA – plus other surprising spots around the country – as artists were working separately, but together, to completely reinvent both the sound of ...
(Rock CD)
Freedom/ORG, 1970. (reissue)
Stunning duets from these key improvisers – a set recorded in Paris, and done with a stripped-down and freely playful vibe that's very much like some of the best AACM material of the time! Wadada Leo Smith blows trumpet, Marion Brown is on alto – and both players bring percussion into ...
(Jazz LP)
Schoolly D/Get On Down, 1986. (reissue)
A seminal hip hop record from the 80s – early work from Schoolly D, from a time when he was repping the streets of Philly like nobody else – and really reinventing the whole hip hop game, from performance down to production! The record is a pure hip hop classic, from the Schoolly D ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Prestige/Craft, 1957. (reissue)
A landmark late 50s album on Prestige Records – one of the label's key efforts to bring together some of the best talents in the hardbop business, and really let them loose on the kind of extended passages that weren't being recorded a few years before! The Cats here are all quite hip ones ...
(Jazz LP)
Strata East/P-Vine (Japan), 1969. 2LP (reissue)
One of the most ambitious albums ever recorded from Clifford Jordan – a totally righteous little effort that was the first installment in the legendary Dolphy Series on the Strata East label! The set has Jordan working with a larger group than usual – an all-star array of players that ...
(Jazz LP)
Madlib Invazion, 2023.
There's plenty of drums and percussion on this sweet set of funky instrumentals – played both by Dan Hastie and Terin Ector, who also each handle bass, guitar, and keyboards too – an approach that makes for a very tight, wonderfully unified vibe on the set! The only other ...
(Sound Library LP)
Discus (UK), 2023.
Percussion duets between Tony Oxley and Stefan Holker – with electronics by the latter – all served up at a level that reminds us why Oxley has been such an important improvising talent on the drums over the course of his many decades in music! As with the best improvisers, Tony is ...
(Jazz CD)
Red Lightnin/Good Time Records (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
Really great early work from guitarist Earl Hooker – and a set that also feature some soulful sides by Jody Williams too! The bulk of the album features Hooker laying down that amazing guitar sound that always made him so distinct, and such a key precursor to funk as well – working in ...
(Blues CD)
Discus (UK), 2023.
A record that crackles with spiritual energy right from the start – a mixture of strongly rhythmic structures and more open improvisations, all handled at a level that really seems to bring out the best of the musicians involved in the project! There's some London ties to the set, and the ...
(Jazz CD)
TSGW (Japan), 2023.
A really wonderful record, and one that's very different than any sort of piano trio album we've ever heard – as there's this richly textural quality to the album that has all the elements resonating in a very special way, with an overall sonic palette that's beautiful! Sure, there's piano ...
(Jazz CD)
Parlophone/Lion, 1971. (reissue)
An incredible concept album from the South African scene of the early 70s – a record that mixes rootsy percussion with plenty of freak and fuzz – all in a style that seems to take UK psychedelic inspirations and forge them into a very unique Johannesburg expression! Acoustic elements ...
(Rock LP)
Jazzman (UK), Late 60s/1970s/1980s/1990s.
A wonderfully wide-ranging tribute to the great John Coltrane – served up here in a whole host of tracks recorded after his too-early death, each of which take his musical message in different directions! The sound is certainly spiritual – in keeping with the different volumes in this ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Resonance, Mid 60s. 3LPs Gatefold
Unreleased live work from Les McCann – recorded at a time when the soulful giant was really breaking it up in clubs around the country, and just about to unleash a whole new righteous side of his talents! The tracks here resonate strongly with some of the earlier Pacific Jazz live work that ...
(Jazz LP)
Atlantic/Nature Sounds, 1968. (reissue)
An early album as a leader from the great Roy Ayers – a set that captures the vibes man at a time when he'd been working on the west coast soul jazz scene, and was stepping into even greater fame in the group of Herbie Mann! Yet this set is definitely Roy's own – kind of an ...
(Jazz LP)
R&B Records (UK), 1958.
A really unusual moment from the young tenor Tubby Hayes – a live date recorded at the familiar Flamingo nightclub, a spot Tubby played often in London – but featuring a group who appear here on record in contrast to some of the smaller combo work that Hayes was recording in the studio! ...
(Jazz CD)
National/Think (Japan), 1963. (reissue)
A calypso set, but not the sort that you'd know from big crossover records of the late 50s – as the Mighty Sparrow works here with that jazzy blend of horns and rootsy rhythms that kept a strong edge in his music, and made his sounds as important on the pre-reggae scene in London as they were ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Choice/Candid, 1972. (reissue)
Overlooked 70s work from Jimmy Giuffre – a hip trio session that has all the free elements of his earlier recordings, but possibly an even greater focus on tone! Jimmy plays a range of reeds here – tenor, clarinet, and flute – and he works with bass and drum accompaniment, but ...
(Jazz LP)
Centering/Aum Fidelity, 2023.
A fantastic volume put together by bassist William Parker, and one that shows his larger connection to cultural activity in general – as it features Parker interviewing four key artists, most of whom are represented here in ways that go far beyond music! The subjects within include ...
(Book)
Cadet/Universal (Japan), 1969.
An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, ...
(Soul CD)
Prestige/Craft, 1957. (reissue)
Fantastic early work from Gil Evans – emerging here in this early session as an already far-thinking modernist. The tracks are shorter and less ambitious than some of Evans' work on Impulse, but the group is excellent – and even in a shorter format, the conception of the work still ...
(Jazz LP)
Cherry Red (UK), Mid 80s. 3CD
A amazing look at the British indie scene during one of its greatest stretches – the mid 80s period when it seemed like new labels and new bands were springing up every week! The 2CD set takes its name from the influential C86 collection put together by NME at the time to showcase some of ...
(Rock CD)
Atlantic/Big Pink (South Korea), 1979.
A sweet little set from the Jeremy Spencer Band – a record that might have had more of a singer/songwriter vibe, or an AOR approach, had it been recorded a few years before, but which instead comes off here in a really unique blend of rock and disco! There's plenty of guitar leads on the ...
(Rock CD)
Elektra/Big Pink (South Korea), 1978.
A gem of a record from the mid 70s west coast scene – a really overlooked set from vocalist Laura Allen, recorded with a wonderfully breezy, soulful sound! Laura's got a voice that's perfect if you dig singers like Linda Lewis or Maria Muldaur, particularly the former – a bit jazzy at ...
(Vocalists CD)
Expansion (UK), 2023.
A contemporary gem from Paulette McWilliams – the Chicago singer who was part of Rufus before Chaka Khan, worked with Luther Vandross, and who's given the world decades of great contributions after cutting her rare solo debut on Fantasy Records in the 70s! This set shows Paulette very much ...
(Soul CD)
India Navigation/Luaka Bop, 1977. 2CD
One of the most fantastic Pharoah Sanders albums – and one that we'd rate head and shoulders above most of his other work! You rarely see this one, which is a shame, because it's not only a beautiful spiritual masterpiece, but it's also got a sound that's very unique, and a nice shift from ...
(Jazz CD)
Far Out (UK), 2023.
A set that's mostly solo from guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento – yet one that's not like the solo Brazilian guitar records from years back, as Fabiano handles a range of different instruments, often overlaying them during the course of a performance – so that he works here with a ...
(Brazil CD)
Light In The Attic, 1979.
The final album from Betty Davis – and a killer cap to her stunning run of female funk classics in the 70s! The album was recorded at the end of the decade, but has a sharpness that's every bit as great as her earlier work for the Island and Just Sunshine labels – grooves that are more ...
(Soul CD)
Nacional, 2023.
A contemporary collection, but one that really hearkens back to the brown-eyed soul of the Texas scene in the late 60s and early 70s – a moment when local groups were picking up on some of the vibes of East LA – reveling in the rich history of Texas soul and blues, but mixing it with ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
IPS/Corbett vs. Dempsey, 1969/1976. 2CD Gatefold
One of the rarest albums ever from percussionist Milford Graves, and one of the most intense as well – a completely unbridled live performance that features saxes from Hugh Glover and Arthur Doyle! Glover and Doyle are amazing together – and with that trademark raspy tone, Doyle's set ...
(Jazz CD)
Tribe/P-Vine (Japan), 1974. (reissue)
One of the key records from the Detroit Tribe Records scene of the 70s – a masterful blend of spiritual jazz and deeper ideas, and maybe the greatest record ever cut by trumpeter Marcus Belgrave! The set was originally issued on the Gem Eye label in 1974, in a pressing of only 1000, the ...
(Jazz LP)
Madlib Invazion, 2010. (reissue)
Originally the first release in the Madlib Medicine Show series – this one is a full scale collaboration with no nonsense rapper Guilty Simpson – sort of a prelude to Guilty's OJ Simpson LP with Madlib in the production booth! The set is a pretty sharp confluence of Guilty's heavy-toned ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Universal (France), 2023.
A record as powerful as the image on the cover – and a set that strongly continues the personal and political legacy of British rapper VV Brown! The set works very strongly as a whole, to examine issues of race in contemporary England – and Brown mixes hip hop lyrics with sung vocals, ...
(Hip Hop CD)
MCA, 1980. (reissue)
The last album in the classic run of Steely Dan – the final taste we'd have of the group until their surprising revival in the 90s! Gaucho picks up beautifully where Aja left off – warmly produced with a deep undercurrent of jazz, but perhaps a bit more down to earth feel at times too ...
(Rock LP)
Soul Jazz (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. 2LP Gatefold
Sun Ra, Parliament, and other soul and jazz acts famously took us into space back in the day – and in the wake of their journeys, countless other artists elected to take the trip too – soaring to the cosmos on a blend of beats, basslines, keyboards, and vocals – all elements that ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Salem/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1957.
Rare early work by Johnny Pate – the great jazz bassist who later went onto great fame as an arranger at ABC in the 60s, where he handled all of the classic work by the Impressions – then did some great funky soundtrack material in the 70s! The style here is very different – as ...
(Jazz CD)
Discos Fuentes/Vampi Soul (Spain), 1974. (reissue)
One of the funkiest Colombian records we've ever heard – a set that really resonates strongly with some of the Latin funk experiments taking place up in the US at the time, and one that has a vibe that's very different than some of the cumbia and other styles you'd be more likely to hear on ...
(Latin LP)
Vertigo/Big Pink (South Korea), 1970.
A bit of a change from the fragile, folksy tones of the first album from Jimmy Campbell – a set that's got some heavier instrumentation, and a feel that's a bit more rocking overall! Jimmy still shows some of his sensitive side on the set, but only on a few tracks – leaving others to ...
(Rock CD)
Outta Sight (UK), Late 60s/1970s.
A great entry in this wonderful series – a set that's full of rare 7" singles from the late 60s and early 70s, but with a vibe that's very different than other collections of this nature! As with previous volumes, the sound is warm and uplifting – not heavy funk or deep soul, but ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Cherry Red (UK), 1984. 2CDs
Super-groovy work from The Bluebells – a Scottish group who should have been one of the bigger acts from the British Isles in the 80s, but who broke up before ever getting the shot they deserved! There's plenty of smart songwriting here – and a production approach that's in the ...
(Rock CD)
Ace (UK), Early 70s.
A set that really digs deep into the British scene of the early 70s – a package pitched around the idea of opening acts for supergroups at a rock festival, and one that serves up a whole host of groups who never fully got their due on our side of the Atlantic at the time! These aren't ...
(Rock CD)
Kent/P-Vine (Japan), 1967. (reissue)
One of THE all time classics of funky blues – a record built around Lowell's huge single "Tramp" – a massive tune that spawned a whole generation of answer tunes! "Tramp" kicks off the set with a stone break that's worth the price of the album – then Lowell ...
(Blues LP)
Astigmatic (Poland), 2019.
The spirits here are way more than Slavic – as Eabs continues its strong run of genre-breaking work in jazz – music that's often a bit hard to pin down as it moves through a range of sounds, styles, and sonic approaches! There's certainly some jazz at the core, but there's also a ...
(Jazz LP)
Astigmatic (Poland), 2023.
A set that's even more searing and sonically intense than the debut of this genre-hopping group – served up in this bracing blend of electric and acoustic instrumentation that almost takes us back to the 90s experiments on Axiom Records from the Bill Laswell generation! there's plenty of ...
(Jazz CD)
Rockashacka (Japan), Mid 70s.
Glen Brown rhythms, King Tubby mixing, and a set of really wonderful dubs – all pulled from unreleased tapes from the vaults – and served up with a superb sound throughout! These aren't throwaway cuts – as the core elements are from the roots years of Brown's music – with ...
(Reggae LP)
Philips/Universal (Japan), 1964.
Make ours Swedish Style too! This set's one of the best early albums by Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund – one of our favorite singers ever, and one of those rare European lovelies who could sing in English with the best of American vocalists, but who could also pick up on the changes in ...
(Vocalists CD)
Ariola/Sony (Japan), 1979. (reissue)
A sweet masterpiece of 70s AOR from Japan – served up by Tatsuro Yamashita, who was easily one of the most soulful male singers on the scene in the years before city pop! The record's got a jazzy vibe that's great, and which really fits the R&B-inspired midtempo rhythms – almost as ...
(Japanese LP)
Blitzen, 1960s/1970s.
Lots of jazzy Christmas gems here – including a few that we've never seen before on CD! These cuts do a great job of sticking to the melody of the original tune, while also adding in some special solo flair as well – still festive, but with a fresh vibe too – one that really ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Warner, 1970. 3LP Gatefold (reissue)
Maybe the greatest album ever from Van Morrison – and a set that broke into a whole new side of his talents! Van's producing himself on the record – not really in the conventional role as a producer, but in a way that has him really writing most of the album as he goes along in the ...
(Rock LP)
Past Due, Late 70s.
A massive batch of underground club from Richie Weeks – an artist who managed to get a few key records issued back in the day, but who also kept on working strongly in the studio to create a wealth of wonderful work that's only seeing the light of day well into the 21st Century! Every track ...
(Soul CD)
Blitzen, 1960s/1970s.
Christmas is funky here, and in more ways than you might expect – as the package covers a great range of sources and styles, and even includes a few funky gospel numbers from the season! There's plenty here that we haven't seen on other Holiday sets – and the 25 track collection ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Blue Note (Japan), 1962.
One of the only two vocal jazz albums that the Blue Note label recorded back in the day – and a haunting batch of tracks from a young Sheila Jordan! The style here is quite different than that of Jordan's later, more experimental records – and this early session shows her as an ...
(Vocalists CD)
BBE (UK), Late 60s/1970s/Early 80s. 2CDs
A soaring collection of rare jazz from the Tokyo scene – all music originally recorded by the Japanese branch of Columbia Records – the same imprint that put out some exclusive and very hip Japanese-only albums from Miles Davis, Roy Ayers, and Herbie Hancock! The musicians here are all ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Cellar Live, 2023.
A definite funky Christmas from keyboardist Adam Shulman – a player who handles Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and organ here – plus additional keyboards as well! Yet despite the many keys, this isn't some Herbie Hancock-styled set – as the groove is lean, and the record has a small ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Hilton's Concept/P-Vine (Japan), Mid 70s.
A holy grail of funky music – and a rare gem from the DC scene of the 70s! Keyboardist Hilton Felton cut this wicked killer for his own tiny label – Hilton's Concept – and it's a very unique blend of jazz and funk modes, done with help from members of The Blackbyrds and Three ...
(Jazz CD)
Because (France), 2023.
A fantastic pairing of these two contemporary French acts – coming together here in a style that's even greater than the sum of their parts! The set is full on with all sorts of fuzzy elements and funky rhythms – a range of keyboards and other instruments from Pascal Comelade, more ...
(French CD)
Z Records (UK), 2023. 2CDs
One of the coolest projects we've ever heard from the mighty Dave Lee – and that's saying a lot, given all the excellent records he's given us under the name of Joey Negro, Sunburst Orchestra, and other related projects! Here, Dave mixes his keen ear for funky club with some of the great ...
(New Grooves CD)
Milford Graves & Don Pullen
Nommo
SRP/Superior Viaduct, 1966. (reissue)
Groundbreaking early work from drummer Milford Graves and pianist Don Pullen – a set of long, free improvisations that were originally issued on Graves' Self-Reliance Productions label! The music is even more striking than sounds from the time on the ESP label – and also really ...
(Jazz LP)
Salsoul/Soulmusic.com (UK), Late 70s. 3CD
An insane array of Christmas disco classics – all wrapped up in a single package! The set features both the original 1976 mix and 1992 Tom Moulton mix of the legendary Christmas Jollies set by the Salsoul Orchestra – one of the Salsoul label's biggest-selling albums – originally ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Jive/Get On Down, 1993. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
An East Bay classic from Spice 1 – and a great little record from that time before the west coast became a bit too much West Coast! There's a thuggish, early gangsta vibe that runs through the whole set – but as with some of the more enduring Cali hip hop of the time, the set's got a ...
(Hip Hop LP)
NRG Discs (UK), 2023.
A record with a plain white cover, but a sound that's mighty rich – served up by a hip London collective led by drummer Chiminyo, and featuring very soulful contributions from Axel Kaner-Lidstrom on trumpet, James Mollison on tenor, David Mrakpor on keyboards and bass, and Wonky Logic on bass ...
(Jazz LP)
Ancient Archive Of Sound (UK), 2023.
Reedman Nat Birchall digs deep for this masterful set – creating timeless music that easily stands next to the work of some of his key ancestors in jazz – especially musicians of the generation of John Coltrane! The set is one that has Birchall layering his tenor, soprano, and baritone ...
(Jazz LP)
Demon (UK), Late 70s/1980s.
A massive batch of mixes from dancefloor maestro John Luongo – a set that's heavy on cuts from the 80s in many styles, and which has some other surprises in the mix as well! Luongo was one of those talents who did a great job of bringing underground dancefloor modes to a more mainstream ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Gearbox (UK), 1964.
Almost from the start of his career, tenorist Johnny Griffin was heading overseas, delivering searing live performances like this – working as a solo horn player with a pickup group, at a level that was often even more powerful than some of his studio work back home! And here, the combo is ...
(Jazz CD)
SRP/Superior Viaduct, 1966. (reissue)
Groundbreaking early work from drummer Milford Graves and pianist Don Pullen – a set of long, free improvisations that were originally issued on Graves' Self-Reliance Productions label! The music is even more striking than sounds from the time on the ESP label – and also really ...
(Jazz LP)
Masabumi Kikuchi Sextet
Matrix
Catalyst/Trading Places (Italy), 1977. (reissue)
One of the best albums ever from Japanese pianist Masabumi Kikuchi – a set that continues his development as a wonderfully expressive player on his instrument, but one that also opens up with a bit more bite at times, too – thanks to the presence of some sharp-edged contemporaries! The ...
(Jazz LP)
As Shams/We Are Busy Bodies (Canada), 1975. (reissue)
Saxophonist Mike Makhalemele is in great company here – blowing these long, soulful lines in a combo that has plenty of mellow grooves – keyboards from Jabu Nkosi and bass from Sipho Gumede – both players who really know how to lay back, open up a groove, and let Mike do all the ...
(Jazz LP)
Brainfeeder, 2023. 3CD
A long-overview testament to the genius of Miguel Atwood Ferguson – a string player whose work has graced countless other great spiritual jazz projects from the west coast scene, and one who finally gets a chance to showcase his beautiful sense of creation in all its glory! The massively ...
(Jazz CD)
HHBTM, 2023.
The B-52s never gave us a Christmas record – but Fred Schneider tries to correct that fact many years later with this sweet set of Holiday grooves – a really playful album that's got all the charms we love so much in Fred's famous work with that 80s group! The vibe here is nice and ...
(Holiday Music LP)
Selva (Brazil), Mid 80s.
Never-issued work from these two giants of Brazilian soul – excellent material that really should have seen release back in the day, but which is maybe even more of a treasure presented here at long last! The set's got a warm modern soul glow – the sort of 80s material that Marcos ...
(Brazil LP)
Trojan/Doctor Bird (UK), Mid 70s. 2CD
Really cool work from the UK reggae scene of the early 70s – a set of obscure early albums from the hands of British producer Dennis Bovell – issued in a series of unassuming packages that were done to appear as obscure Jamaican imports – from the stripped-down packaging to the ...
(Reggae CD)
Ace (UK), Late 50s.
You might know Ace Records as home to a fair bit of jazz, funk, and soul reissues over the years – but right from the start, the label's also had a keen ear for rockabilly – and can boast a decades-long devotion to the music, with releases that have really blown us away! This set digs ...
(Rock LP)
Victor/Lawson (Japan), 1969. Gatefold (reissue)
A fishy little record from saxophonist Akira Miyazawa – but a great one too, and an indication that he was probably one of the greatest modernists on the Japanese scene of the time! The set's built around four long tracks – all played with a main focus on the tenor, handled here in a ...
(Jazz LP)
Tico/Craft, Late 60s. 2LP Gatefold
A massive batch of boogaloo gems – all wrapped up in one mighty package! Tico Records was one of the first great New York indie labels to focus on Latin music in the postwar years – and by the time of the huge late 60s boom in the world of Latin Soul, the label were definitely in a ...
(Latin LP)
Colemine/Remined, 1969. Gatefold
Raw funky blues from the Cleveland scene – unreleased recordings from the obscure singer Fred Davis, who hardly ever set his music to wax back in the day! The album's got a gritty blend of blues inflections and soulful expressions – similar to some of the hippest west side work from ...
(Blues LP)
Rockashacka (Japan), Late 70s/1980s.
A killer collection of reggae remakes of famous soul and funk tunes – all served up from a later generation of the scene, which makes a nice change from some of the more ska and rocksteady collections of this nature! It's no secret that Jamaican music was initially given a strong inspiration ...
(Reggae CD)
Sugar/Decca, 1960s/Early 70s.
A cool collection of vocal songs from the world of soundtrack maestro Ennio Morricone – many of which are more unusual than some of his bigger themes, and brought together here as a great addition to the Segreto series! The work runs from the early 60s to the early 70s – and the ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Blue Note, 1967. (reissue)
A pivotal session from the late 60s – one that has Jackie McLean pulling things back a bit from his "new thing" period, and turning towards the spiritual soulful groove that would characterize his early 70s work! The album bristles with excitement – still very much informed ...
(Jazz LP)
Habibi Funk (Germany), Late 70s/Early 80s.
One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Westbound/ORG, 1972. (reissue)
Maybe the funkiest album ever cut for the legendary Westbound label in Detroit – and that's saying a lot, given that the company was the initial home to Funkadelic! Yet on this stunning full length set, The Counts maybe do that famous group one better – pushing aside their vocals for ...
(Soul LP)
P-Vine (Japan), Early 90s.
The never-issued second album from Main Source – and a set that's a very worthy successor to their classic Breaking Atoms! As with that record, the production here is superb – Large Professor at his best, with all the right sort of early 90s jazz influence in the samples, balanced with ...
(Hip Hop CD)
Blue Note, 1957. (reissue)
A real hard-burner from Kenny Burrell – a set that was recorded for Blue Note in the guitarist's early career, but not issued by the label until the 70s – and even then only in Japan! Kenny's got the sharp edge and strong sense of leadership you'll hear on his classic Midnight Blue ...
(Jazz LP)
Rittor (Japan), 2015.
One of the most essential discographies we've ever seen – mostly because we own almost none of the records in the book, which makes it an essential volume to use for digging in the crates! This time around, the folks at Rittor – who've given us other great record books over the years ...
(Book)
Orange House/Lawson (Japan), 1979. (reissue)
Noriyo Ikeda has a look on the cover that's maybe a bit more understated than some of her contemporaries, but comes across on the set with a really vibrant quality – using jazz as much as soul to craft her wonderful vocals, in ways that make for an album that's rich in feeling, even past the ...
(Japanese LP)
We Want Sounds (UK), 1970s.
Japanese pianist Yuji Ohno started out in jazz, but soon had a role in so many different styles on his scene during the 70s – arranging for singers, doing soundtrack material, and serving up work in a whole host of different contexts – many of which are included in this mighty nice set! ...
(Jazz CD)
Crown/P-Vine (Japan), Late 50s. (reissue)
Seminal sounds from Elmore James – a classic album that brings together material recorded in California, New Orleans, and Chicago – all with an amazing focus on Elmore's stunning talents on electric guitar! The music here mixes sides that have tight band backing with some smaller combo ...
(Blues LP)
RGS (Argentina), 1973.
A stunningly expansive project from Argentine jazz genius Jorge Lopez Ruiz – one that takes off in even more ambitious territory than his Bronca Buenos Aires album from a few years before! Ruiz plays all sorts of great Fender Rhodes throughout, leading a larger group that mixes tenor, alto, ...
(Jazz CD)
Omnivore, Early 60s. 2LP
Early genius from the legendary pianist Hasaan – an artist most people know for his famous Atlantic album with Max Roach, but who steps out here in a set of earlier material that's completely amazing! The set begins with six trio tracks – performed in a group with Henry Grimes on bass ...
(Jazz LP)
Far Out (UK), 2022.
A really lovely little record – one that feels like an instant classic in the world of MPB – the sort of long-overdue new release by a Brazilian artist that we hope we'll be hearing plenty from in years to come! As with the elite list of our Brazilian favorites of the past 20 years, ...
(Brazil LP)
P&L, 2023.
Mayer Hawthorne's looking a bit cheesy on the cover, but sounding pretty darn great within – really sparkling with those mellow soul elements that have just gotten better and better with each new release, at a level that's a plenty strong musical answers to any of the haters out there! There' ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Awesome Tapes From Africa, 2023.
A wonderful live set – and one that really reflects the rebirth of a legend! Ethiopian keyboardist Hailu Mergia cut some fantastic records back in the day, but had spent years driving a cab in Washington, DC – before the reissue of some of his older gems led the musician to come back ...
(Global Grooves CD)
Creative Consciousness/We Want Sounds (UK), 1973. (reissue)
A fantastic record – and one of those rare moments when an avant group can serve up a bit of funk! This lost bit of work was recorded live in St Louis in 1973 – part of the Black Artists Group scene that was the city's answer to Chicago's AACM movement of the late 60s. Alto player ...
(Jazz LP)
International Anthem, 2023.
Incredibly lovely piano and vocals from Thandi Ntuli – served up here with lots of special touches from spiritual master Carlos Nino – who helped create the proceedings as a very organic meeting of minds and hearts on the shores of sunny California! Thandi's got a soulful way of both ...
(Jazz CD)
Potions, 2023.
Short instrumentals from drummer Harry James – produced in a way that often has a slight hip hop influence at times, but mostly in the way the other instruments are layered into the mix! Harry's drums are often live, and nicely crackling – and there's some great use of piano on the ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note, 1960. (reissue)
One of the key classics from the hardbop years of Blue Note – the kind of album that really set the label apart from the rest at the time! Soul Station is a deceptively simple album that has tenor giant Hank Mobley playing standards and originals in a quartet with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul ...
(Jazz LP)
Blitzen, Late 50s/1960s/Early 70s.
Country music Christmas in all its glory – served up here in a whole host of tracks that mix bigger names with lesser-knowns, familiar songs with some unusual numbers that really keep things interesting! The themes here have a lot more to do with just daddy and drinking – and the ...
(Holiday Music CD)
United Artists/Esoteric (UK), 1970. 2CD
A record that has Family very much at the top of their game – and working in a format that some of their contemporaries were trying on record at the time – serving up one side of live material, and one set in the studio! Although the group are sometimes linked to the prog scene of the ...
(Rock CD)
As Shams/We Are Busy Bodies (Canada), 1976. (reissue)
Twin-tenor magic from South African saxophonists Winston Mankunku Ngozi and Mike Makhalemele – working together here with backing from a sweet electric combo that features Trevor Rabin on guitar! The groove is open and fluid – the band just vamping and opening things up, to let Ngozi ...
(Jazz LP)
Sugar/Universal (France), 1973. 2LP (reissue)
A fantastic soundtrack that's maybe even more legendary than the unusual animated film for which it was created – a funky French classic that stands strong in the best tradition of work by Serge Gainsbourg, Jean-Claude Vannier, and Michel Colombier! No surprise, Alain Goraguer is part of the ...
(Soundtracks LP)
A&M/Verve, 1989. (reissue)
A really back to basics album from trumpeter Don Cherry – or maybe a set that goes back to basics that Don didn't even have, given that most folks initially heard him in the freewheeling group of Ornette Coleman! The album's straighter than his work with Ornette, and also different than his ...
(Jazz LP)
Potions, 2023.
A jazz records of sorts, but a funk one as well – recorded mostly by Gerald Bailey on a variety of instruments, and with an intimate vibe that really reflects the creative process! The tunes often have a nice kick, with some really great drums – and are short and melodic, with key ...
(Jazz LP)
Trojan/Doctor Bird (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s. 2CD
One of the most obscure Trojan Records collections of the 70s – maybe in part because it looks more like an airline promotional album than it does a collection of rare reggae nuggets! Yet the set is definitely the latter – a Trojan LP that brings together earlier singles recorded by ...
(Reggae CD)
Strut (UK), 1980s.
A brilliant batch of electronic, cold wave, and post-punk tracks – all drawn from the farther reaches of the Swiss underground of the 80s – a scene that was far more secret than those in the UK, Germany, or other European hotbeds of electronic experimentation! We'd heard only a few of ...
(Rock CD)
Record Kicks (Italy), 2008. (reissue)
Slammin Hammond from Trio Valore – a really old school combo with a sweet mix of mod and funky rhythms! The group features heavy drums from Steve White – with a groove that stretches back to his many years on the hip side of the UK scene – and remaining trio members include Damon ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Catalyst/Trading Places, 1976. Gatefold (reissue)
A warm set of groovers from Flip Nunez – a San Francisco-based pianist with a great Latin tinge, working here in a fantastic setting that makes for one of his greatest recordings! The album was recorded in SF in 1976, and it's got the laidback groove of some of the best sides coming from the ...
(Vocalists LP)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, Mid 80s. 2CD
The second chapter of the underground Boston legacy of Dredd Foole & The Din – a strong stretch of material from a time when Dredd was working with the Volcano Suns! Early Din-related material had Mission Of Burma providing the instrumentation – and the shift here to Volcano Suns ...
(Rock CD)
Verve, 1961. Gatefold (reissue)
Milt Jackson joins the Oscar Peterson Trio – helping the group to hit some great new space with his magical work on vibes! Jackson's got an open, airy feel – an approach that almost lets Peterson punctuate the tunes a bit more with his piano – while the pair get strong rhythmic ...
(Jazz LP)
Liberty/Esoteric (UK), Late 60s. 3CD
A pair of classic albums from this unique British group – packaged with lots of bonus material too! First up is the Sea Shanties debut – a freaky, fuzzy set from High Tide – a record that some folks know for its groundbreaking use of electric violin, but one that's equally great ...
(Rock CD)
Atlantic/Soulmusic.com (UK), 1970s. 7CDs
In the early 70s, The Spinners did something that was really wonderful for their music, and instantly made them one of the greatest groups of their generation – they stopped recording for Motown in Detroit, and made the move to Philly to work with the great Thom Bell – the ...
(Soul CD)
Verve, 1960. Gatefold
An album that's often overlooked amidst some of the bigger "songbook" Verve sessions by Ella Fitzgerald – yet a really special record that shows off a side of Ella that's not ever captured this well on other records! The record was also initially billed as tied into the book and ...
(Vocalists LP)
A&M/Esoteric (UK), 1970. (reissue)
The Move are looking a bit fuzzier here than in their earlier years – and they're sounding a bit fuzzier too, but in a way that's totally great! The group's down to a quartet, which seems to bring even more focus on the great vocals of Carl Wayne, and heady guitar of Roy Wood! There's a ...
(Rock LP)
Mango/Universal (France), 1979. 2LP (reissue)
A seminal set from Linton Kwesi Johnson – the record that maybe pushed him over the top, and really marked him as one of the strongest new voices in reggae at the end of the 70s! Linton's a poet, not a singer – but his style is also more focused and clear in comparison to some of the ...
(Reggae LP)
El (UK), 1950s. 4CDs
A set that showcases a surprising contribution that Andy Warhol made to American music in the postwar years – graphic work done years before his time as a Pop Art icon, or his relationship with the Velvet Underground – from years when Warhol was a more conventional illustrator, and ...
(Jazz CD)
Jazzaggression (Finland), 2023.
Misha Panfilov takes on the sound library style of the 70s – and as with all of his other projects, the results are completely top shelf all the way through – wonderfully funky, yet handled in a style that's a nice change from Misha's work in other modes as well! Tunes are short and ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Trojan/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1976. (reissue)
One of those great "mystery" projects from Dennis Bovell – a record that was originally designed to look like some obscure import from Kingston, but which was actually Bovell and crew working in a top shelf UK answer to righteous roots modes of the 70s! Tracks are full of righteous ...
(Reggae LP)
Tribe/P-Vine (Japan), 1975. 2LP
A massive double-dose of unissued material from the sessions for the legendary Vibes From The Tribe album – with a focus on some especially funky tracks! Trombonist Ranelin was one of the key figures in the city's Tribe Records scene – and Vibes From The Tribe is one of the greatest ...
(Jazz LP)
Ropeadope, 2023.
The legendary Headhunters are still in mighty great shape after all these years – different in lineup, but still a sublime showcase for the work of Mike Clark on drums and Bill Summers on percussion – two of the core Headhunters who first worked with Herbie Hancock back in the 70s! The ...
(Soul CD)
Antone's/New West, 1998. (reissue)
A later performance from blues harmonica great Lazy Lester, but one that's got all the same great energy as his famous early work for the Excello label! There's plenty of grit in the grooves here – a set that's nicely under-produced, with a great backroom vibe – Lester blowing harp and ...
(Blues LP)
Chocolate Star, 1976.
Never-heard live work from Gary "Chocolate Star" Davis – a set that's got a nice raw edge, and a surprising club vibe that's very different than some of his other material from the time! The tracks often stretch out, and mix together funky rhythms, vibes, and keyboards – with ...
(Soul LP)
Eden Roc/Transversales Disques (France), 1973. (reissue)
A really haunting bit of early electronics by Jean Michel Jarre – the soundtrack for the film Les Granges Brulees from the early 70s! The work here has a very different sound than Jarre's later music – not nearly so neat and tidy, with lots of rough edges, and shorter tunes that have a ...
(Soundtracks LP)
International Anthem, 2023.
The second set from Resavoir – a project headed by Chicago producer/musician Will Miller, an artist who's had a lot of experience in the higher reaches of the hip hop scene – but who here gives himself over to much more personal, introspective modes! Yet the album's not a solo effort ...
(Jazz CD)
Columbia/Easy Tempo (Italy), 1974.
A wonderful set of funky Latin grooves from Chakachas – an album that was recorded around the same time as their classic Jungle Fever record, but which is much more obscure overall! The set was originally only issued in Europe, and has a groove that's very similar to Jungle Fever – a ...
(Soul CD)
Pulsar/Big Pink (South Korea), Late 60s.
A fantastic set from a singer who really should have gotten bigger fame at the time – an artist who played keyboards with Doug Sahm, and definitely absorbed some of that Texas brew of sounds – but who also has a soulful style that's very much his own when he steps out in the lead! Part ...
(Rock CD)
Cadet/Verve, 1970. (reissue)
Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby – a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam – one of the forces guiding ...
(Jazz LP)
Jive, Early 90s.
A remix-heavy version of a record that may have the year 1993 permanently locked into its title – but a set that's got more than enough strength to survive strongly over the decades – the first great statement from Cali giants Souls Of Mischief, and a record that would set the tone for ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Cabal/Altercat (Germany), 1975. (reissue)
One of the hippest records ever cut by pianist Enrique Villegas – very different than his early material, and a set that's got this strong, stretched-out, and highly spiritual vibe – thanks in very large part to his musical partner on the date, saxophonist Ara Tokatlian! In many ways, ...
(Jazz LP)
Solar/Robinsongs (UK), Early 80s. 3CD
A massive collection of work from Lakeside – one of the leading lights of the Solar Records label in the early 80s, and one of the label's key groups in helping to redefine funk in the decade! Lakeside take the large ensemble funk format of the late 70s, and give it a leaner, cleaner groove ...
(Soul CD)
Express/Universal (Japan), 1969. (reissue)
The debut album of the legendary pianist Masahiko Sato – a musician who's got a way with a piano that's unlike anyone else we can think of – almost creating these sinister moments at times, which are balanced by occasional moments of warmth, amidst a very groundbreaking sense of freedom! ...
(Jazz LP)
Viva/Big Pink (South Korea), 1967.
A lost gem from the LA scene of the 60s – a set that was originally cast as an exploitation of the heady Sunset Strip scene, but which actually features a fair bit of excellent work by the young JJ Cale! Cale arranged and produced the set, and wrote some tunes too – and the record ...
(Rock CD)
Nodlew/P-Vine (Japan), 1973.
One of the most beautiful records to come out of the early 70s – a tremendous indie effort from a young Weldon Irvine! Irvine put this album together as sort of a musical "time capsule" of his generation – an effort to capture the era's thoughts, feelings, and emotions ...
(Jazz CD)
Nodlew/P-Vine (Japan), 1972.
Landmark early work from the legendary Weldon Irvine – recorded way back when he was first coming to fame with Nina Simone, but done as an obscure indie effort for his tiny Nodlew label! The set's a wicked batch of keyboard-heavy funk – at a level that's similar to some of the best ...
(Jazz CD)
Strata East/Harvest Song, 1974.
A totally fantastic record from tenorist Clifford Jordan – maybe his most sophisticated session ever, and an album that was originally intended for release on Strata East in the mid 70s, but which has never seen the light of day before! Here, Jordan expands on the spiritual modes of classics ...
(Jazz CD)
Tramp (Germany), Late 70s/Early 80s.
A great entry in this always-killer collection of rare funk and soul – a series that somehow manages to keep on delivering ultra-rare nuggets, even at a time when there's been so many other compilations from so many other labels over the years! Our ears are always trained to appreciate the ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Rickey Calloway/Funk Night, 2023.
Amazing work from Rickey Calloway – an overlooked soul singer with a resume that goes back to the 70s, and one who's definitely kept the spirit of James Brown alive and well with music like this! In a world of young singers trying for a classic vibe, Rickey's the real deal – and served ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Trova/RGS (Argentina), 1967.
A very cool split album from pianist Enrique Villegas – and one that's nicely different than some of his other records from the time! Side one features a long tribute to Thelonious Monk – a blended medley of "Bemsha Swing", "Round Midnight", and "Blue Monk ...
(Jazz CD)
Def Jam, 1988. 2LP (reissue)
The massive second album by PE – and the one where where the hit their full creative stride, and their politics and philosphy hit at full force – moving Public Enemy from an imposing threat to both the hip hop and pop music status quo to a straight up cultural phenomenon! There's ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Marlow (Canada), 2023.
A heavenly bit of spiritual jazz from this cool Canadian combo – a lean group, but one who manage to deliver this soulful flow that almost makes you think they're a much larger ensemble! Pierre Chretien handles the Fender Rhodes and songwriting, and he's really got a magical ear for a tune ...
(Jazz CD)
Folkways/Smithsonian, 1976. (reissue)
An incredible album, and very unique! Sarah Webster Fabio was a hip 70s poet with a very righteous sound – and she's working here with funky backings by a tight group that includes family members, in a style that's similar to early 70s work by artists like Wanda Robinson and Camille ...
(Soul LP)
EMI/Want Some (Germany), 1977. Gatefold (reissue)
A record as earthy as you might expect from its cover – a rare 70s gem from the Kenyan scene, and one that mixes some killer funky nuggets with a few more straightforward tunes! There's lots of driving rhythms on the album, and snakey guitar that criss-crosses in a great way underneath the ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Wenha/P-Vine (Japan), 1981.
A weird and wonderful album from Tribe Records giant Wendell Harrison – an obscure electric set from the start of the 80s! There's still a strongly spiritual feel on the record, but Wendell also adds some Fender Rhodes and vocals to his work on tenor and flute – bringing in the same ...
(Jazz CD)
Electric Cowbell, 2023. Gatefold
A second set of abstractions on Brazilian references from Fachada – and like his first, a record that has a lean vibe overall, and a funky blend of keyboards, percussion, and some well-chosen guest instrumentation! The set is plenty soulful, but never too smooth – and although much of ...
(New Grooves LP)
RGS (Argentina), 1966.
A lost mid 60s session from famous Argentine bassist Jorge Lopez Ruiz – maybe even more compelling than some of his other albums of the decade, in that the entire set is based on his own compositions! Ruiz is a hell of a bassist and an equally great leader – and works here with this ...
(Jazz LP)
Jagjaguwar, 2023.
We're already huge fans of Jamila Woods – partly because she reps our hometown of Chicago, but mostly because her previous records have been so great – yet right from the very first note of this set, we're falling in love all over again, and at a much deeper level than before – ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Rockers International/Onlyroots (France), 1978. (reissue)
A lean and spooky little set from the Rockers All Stars – put together with killer production from Augustus Pablo and Everton Da Silva! The vibe here is in the moodiest territory that Pablo might explore on albums under his own name – and although the father is providing help, it's ...
(Reggae LP)
Jazz Is Dead, 2023.
An all-instrumentals set of tracks from the Jazz Is Dead duo of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – but one that also has some ties to their previous projects as well! The set features some material written with Jean Carne, who doesn't sing at all – and some written with Lonnie ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Beat (Italy), 1972.
A wonderful and overlooked soundtrack by Morricone – done for a western, but with a tone that's very different than most of his other spaghetti work! The main theme to the film has a very cool and groovy approach – almost in the gentle bossa mode at times, with a slightly jangly theme ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Victor/Omnivore, 1979.
A great little record from Art Pepper – four long tracks that really have him stretching out on alto – but in a way that's maybe a bit different than some of his more burning albums on the Galaxy label at the time! The group here follows from some of the previous Artist House ...
(Jazz CD)
GDM/Beat (Italy), 1963/1966.
Two groovy Ennio Morricone scores from the 60s – both of them pretty darn great! La Trappola Scatta A Beirut is a hip spy thriller from the time – done with some bold, jazzy inflections on the instrumentation – and styles that echo American and British thrillers of a similar ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Atlantic/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1970. (reissue)
An incredible step forward for 60s soul singer Gene McDaniels – so much so, that most folks hearing this album can't believe he's the same guy who recorded for Liberty Records a few years before! The album's incredibly righteous right from the start – and has a genre-busting quality ...
(Soul LP)
Soul Jazz (UK), 1970s/Early 80s. 2LP
A really cool collection – one that's maybe best summed up by the word "ecstatic" in the title – as the package presents a blend of work from artists who easily skirt both the spiritual and secular side of soulful music, united together with a very joyous, uplifting vibe in ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Verve, 1973. (reissue)
An incredible album of Latin funk – the only-ever record from this west coast combo headed by the legendary Benny Velarde! Benny's a name that you might recognize from earlier, straighter Latin dates for Fantasy – or for countless studio work during the 70s – but here, he's ...
(Latin LP)
Studio One, 1970.
The album may not have been much of a Money Maker for Studio One Records – given that it's one of the rarest in their catalog – but it stands as a key illustration of the label's genius, and just how far away they were from most of their contemporaries! The set's a bit of a split ...
(Reggae CD)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1976. (reissue)
Loads of great keyboards here from Hiromasa Suzuki – working in a mode that's somewhere between earlier funky jazz, and the tighter Japanese fusion of the late 70s! The style here is never too smooth, yet Suzuki really manages to blend some great elements together – his own keys, lots ...
(Jazz LP)
Fania/Craft, 1983. (reissue)
Willie and Hector really open things up here on this excellent early 80s session – going for longer tracks that really expand upon their classic sound of the 70s! There's a very ambitious approach to the music – with more passages that shift between vocals and instrumentation than ...
(Latin LP)
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 1980.
A long-overdue second dive into the tapes of Fred Anderson's searing performance in Milwaukee in 1980 – a brilliant document of a group that was not recorded often, and who shine here in a way that really illuminates the genius that Anderson was capable of in the decade before the world began ...
(Jazz CD)
Great Jones/Shimmy Disc, 1989. 2LP
A really wonderful later project from the legendary poet Allen Ginsberg – a set put together by Hal Willner, and one that may well be better than any of his previous efforts to blend together words and music! The tunes often still have that hypnotic quality of Ginsberg's earlier recordings, ...
(Spoken Word LP)
Mr Bongo (UK), 1970s/2023.
Miche's at it again – and he's somehow managed to top the great sound of the first volume in the series – digging deeper into the past, coming up with more soulful numbers overall, then throwing in just the right touch of Brazilian grooves to even things out! As before, there's no ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1970. (reissue)
A killer funky group from early 70s Japan – a slightly large ensemble, but one with some really heavy drums at the bottom – plus some great use of organ and electric guitar! There's a tight brace of horns at the top – flute, tenor, trumpets, and trombone – but the rhythms ...
(Jazz LP)
WRWTFWW (Switzerland), 1989.
Daisaku Kume did a fantastic job with the music for this excellent film from Takeshi Kitano – serving up a fair bit of the keyboard sounds that you'd know from his work in the famous fusion group T-Square, but in a way that's nicely different than those records too! There's definitely lots ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Red (Italy), 1985. Gatefold (reissue)
A tremendous little record from Bobby Watson – one of the brightest young artists in jazz back in the 80s! The album features Watson grooving with the Italian Open Form Trio for the session – but all players come together with the cohesiveness of some of Watson's best work with Curtis ...
(Jazz LP)
Profile/Get Down, 1993. 2LP (reissue)
An important early 90s moment for Run DMC – as the set has one of the first big major hip hop acts of the 80s, retuning themselves slightly for the new decade – in part by opening the door to added guests and producers for the record! The core energy that makes the trio so great is ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Light In The Attic, Late 60s/Early 70s. 2LP
The coolest collection of work we've ever seen from Nancy Sinatra – a package that goes way past her 60s hits to include a host of lesser-known gems, non-LP singles, rarities, and even a few unissued tracks as well – all presented in a lavish setting that's as vivid as the image on the ...
(Vocalists LP)
Freestyle (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s.
Crucial cuts from The Investigators – a UK lovers rock group, but one who borrow plenty from American soul as well – as you might guess from their look on the cover, which almost makes them appear like some east coast indie act from the early 80s! The rhythms are definitely reggae on ...
(Soul LP)
Mustevic/Finders Keepers (UK), 1976. (reissue)
One of a few rare gems issued on the 70s Mustevic label run by drummer Steve Reid – a player on the session here, but as a sideman working under the leadership of bassist David Wertman – who really delivers this amazing blend of larger concept and freewheeling improvisations from all ...
(Jazz LP)
Nodlew/P-Vine (Japan), 1968/1980s.
Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and ...
(Jazz CD)
Fremeaux & Associates (France), 1961. 3CDs
A legendary lineup of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers – heard here on an extended set of concert performances done in France at the start of the 60s! As on the Blue Note live albums by the group, there's a special sort of energy going on here that pushes past the already-great studio material ...
(Jazz CD)
George Burton/Porge, 2023.
A mighty fresh Christmas album from pianist George Burton – one that goes way past familiar territory, with an unusual mix of tunes next to familiar Holiday favorites – and served up with a mix of sounds and styles that really sets things apart from the pack! George plays acoustic ...
(Holiday Music CD)
Athens Of The North (UK), 1980s/Early 90s. 2LP Gatefold
Fantastic work from the UK soul scene – music from a time when some of the bigger names overseas were starting to grab interest on US charts, but were only the tip of the iceberg next to some of the overlooked artists on this set! If you dig the sounds of Loose Ends, Soul II Soul, and Mica ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Mad About Records (Portugal), 1979. (reissue)
Funky club from 70s France – a great blend of disco, jazz funk, and slightly warmer soul – all served up by keyboardist Christian Gaubert with vocals but the ultra-sweet Last Exit group! Gaubert's style is right up there with the best European club at the time – tight rhythms, ...
(Soul LP)
Soul Jazz (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
A much-needed look at the funky Miami scene of the late 60s and early 70s – the new powerhouse of southern soul, after the slowdown in the scenes in Memphis and Muscle Shoals! The Miami sound was harder, tighter, rawer, and faster than that of other southern outlets – based around a ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Paisley Park/Legacy, 1991.
A big new chapter for Prince in the 90s – his first set with the New Power Generation, and a record that definitely has him amping up his game for the decade! There's maybe a bit more sampling here, and a groove that certainly has one ear open for the younger sound of R&B at the time ...
(Soul CD)
Ace (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s.
Blue-tinged work for those days when your heart is breaking and your soul is aching – a really wonderful batch of tracks that are heavy on those late 60s/early 70s moments when male singers were starting to open up a bit and let their emotions show! The vibe here is very different than Bobby ...
(Rock CD)
MPS (Germany), 2023.
Tremendous work from the mighty Ed Motta – an artist who never lets us down, and who just keeps getting better as the years move on! Back in the 20th Century, Ed asked us to move his records from our Brazilian section to Neo Soul – a move that was wise on his part, as Motta has become ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Fame/Kent (UK), Early 70s.
Genius early work from Candi Staton – one of her first few gems recorded at Fame Studios with producer Rick Hall – and a set that packs the punch of some of the best female soul of the time! The groove here is stripped-down, raw, and ready – at a level that even Aretha Franklin's ...
(Soul CD)
LRK (UK), 2023.
Toronto-based Aphrose is a hell of a soul singer – an artist with a voice rich enough to crack the mainstream, but a more laidback way of putting over a tune that makes her music sound even more personal overall! The album's almost at throwback to a time when we were regularly discovering ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Mag/Vampi Soul (Spain), 1968. (reissue)
The cover image here will give you a great idea of the vibe of the record – as Melochita was a comedian as well as a Latin musician, and brings a great sense of playful wit to the album! A number of cuts feature vocals that have this really odd, almost cartoony style that's totally great ...
(Latin LP)
No Business (Lithuania), 1985.
Never-issued work from this amazing group – a live performance recorded near Boston, and one that shows just how much players like Roy Campbell were helping to introduce more spiritual energy to the avant scene after the 70s! Roy blows trumpet, flugelhorn, and flute here – working on ...
(Jazz CD)
Amigo/Mad About Records (Portugal), 1973. (reissue)
A brilliant batch of grooves from this early 70s Swedish ensemble – a group who mix together spiritual jazz and fusion styles, and have a sound that's a lot deeper than most of their contemporaries on the European scene at the time! A few tracks have lyrics in English, but sung in a roughly ...
(Jazz LP)
Atco/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1966. (reissue)
A landmark set of grooves by this excellent Detroit group – a trio who recorded for the local indie Karen, but got a much bigger boost towards fame when their record was picked up by Atlantic! The set's one of the killer 60s Motor Town sets produced by Ollie McLaughlin – and like the ...
(Soul LP)
Fame/Kent (UK), Late 60s.
Wonderful early work from deep soul singer Candi Staton – early southern work, and done with a very different vibe than the clubbier cuts she'd deliver at the end of the 70s! Fame Records giant Rick Hall produced, and the whole thing was recorded with the kind of raw hard sound that Muscle ...
(Soul CD)
Knitting Factory, 2013. 2LP (reissue)
One of the hippest entries in the Red Hot series so far – a set of tracks dedicated to the legendary Fela Kuti – felled by AIDS after years of influential grooves – still being felt strongly by the rich array of artists collected in the set! Most tracks are contemporary, but ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Jazzman (UK), 2023. 2LP
One of the deepest-digging entries in this wonderful series – a set that explores the wealth of spiritual jazz issued on small indie labels in the 70s – material that's sometimes referred to as "private", although that's really just a factor of how little circulation these ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Jazzman (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s.
Greasy Mike's at it again – and while he might not make any dates by flashing his vinyl collection to the gals on the street, he more than wins us over with his cool collection of rare and offbeat gems from the glory days of the 7" single! This time around, the tunes are all by female ...
(Rock LP)
Soul Jazz (UK), 2008.
A beautiful book on the dancehall scene in Jamaica – one that's done in a different style than some of the other Soul Jazz books – which are often focused more on album cover art! This book's got a very different approach – and is more an art book with photos of the dancehall ...
(Book)
Regrooved (Netherlands), 1976. Gatefold
Never-heard live work from the legendary Junie Morrison – a funky legend who worked both in the Ohio Players and in the P-Funk empire of George Clinton – heard here in a smoking live setting in Michigan, right around the time of his classic solo records for Westbound! The format is ...
(Soul LP)
Tribe/P-Vine (Japan), 1974. (reissue)
One of the most righteous albums ever issued by the always-righteous Tribe Records label of Detroit – a really collective effort, one that features ensemble vocals and spiritual jazz – all pulled together by pianist Harold McKinney! The album showcases a group named Voices Of The ...
(Jazz LP)
International Anthem, 2023.
A sublime blend of jazz and organic sounds from multi-instrumentalist Bex Burch – a record that sounds as if it might have come from the studio of Carlos Nino, but which almost has a more personal, poetic sort of quality! There are some sounds of nature here – including bird calls from ...
(Jazz CD)
Sublime Frequencies, 2023. 2LP Gatefold
A beautiful set of ragas on the rudra veena – a sitar-like instrument, but one that has a deeper sound overall, and an additional resonator on the bottom – all of which makes for a really wonderful sound throughout! The album's billed as the first recording of a female musician on the ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Island (UK), 1976. (reissue)
A strong debut effort from one of the finer British roots acts – the mighty Aswad, a group who were big on the UK shores, but never got the same sort of international circulation as their peers Steel Pulse! Like many UK groups of the time, Aswad are nicely self-contained, different than the ...
(Reggae LP)
Cherry Red (UK), Late 70s. 2LP
32 nuggets from the farther reaches of the British scene in the early years of punk rock – music that goes past some of the bigger names of the time, and which presents an especially English take on the raw sounds that were shaking things up on both sides of the Atlantic as an antidote to the ...
(Rock LP)
On-U Sound (UK), 2023.
The first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less ...
(Reggae LP)
Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
A very different album than most of the other records issued on the Flying Dutchman label at the start of the 70s – not funk, or jazz, or soul material – and instead a stunning hard rock monster that's every bit as revolutionary as titles in those other genres on the label! The group ...
(Rock LP)
Young, 2023.
Sampha's a singer who's always hard to peg, but one who grabs you right away – with a voice that's one of the most unique, distinct, and powerful in contemporary soul music – and which deserves to be heard in all its brilliance on a record like this! We're not sure how to describe what ...
(Neo Soul CD)
United Dairies/Souffle Continu (France), 1984.
A legendary bit of noise from the United Dairies label of Stephen Stapleton – a set that combines his own experimental sounds with some contributions from the avant French scene as well – all at a level that shows how that sometimes-overlooked 70s generation ended up having a bit impact ...
(Rock CD)
Ace (UK), Mid 90s. 2LP
Fuzzy guitars, analog electronics, moody production, and slightly sinister vocals – all elements you'll find in abundance here, in this well done look at UK work from a generation when the US scene was dipping into modes that were later dubbed "post-rock" – and helped to ...
(Rock LP)
Stax/Craft, Late 60s/Early 70s.
A deep soul take on the sound of Christmas – served up here in a range of classic Holiday cuts from the legendary Stax Records! The set's nicely different than the previous Stax Christmas set, and features some tunes from later in the label's run – some of those cool singles that they ...
(Holiday Music LP)
Mag/Munster (Spain), 1968. (reissue)
Rough-edged rock and roll from the Peruvian scene of the 60s – a set cut at a time when the scene was still very much in love with the R&B-influenced style of the UK beat groups, and less concerned with some of their later, more psychedelic directions! There's a nicely garagey quality to ...
(Rock LP)
Next Plateau/Mercury, 1993. 2LP (reissue)
A massive hit and creative triumph for Salt N Pepa – a record that was both maybe their biggest ever, and which had the duo working with Spinderella at a level that also bridged both hip hop and R&B! Although there were some younger up-and-comers on the scene at the time, Salt N Pepa had ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Egrem/Future Rootz, 1977. (reissue)
A totally cool Cuban gem from the 70s – one of those wicked little records from a time when the scene in Havana were mixing together all sorts of styles, and really coming up with a fantastic blend of modes that never got much exposure on our American market at the time! The set's got this ...
(Latin LP)
MPS (Germany), 1967. Gatefold (reissue)
An incredible album – and one of the most groundbreaking blends of jazz and global music ever recorded! Reedman Tony Scott plays here with a little-known group of Indonesian jazz players – brought together in a special project for MPS/Saba records, in a blend of modal jazz elements and ...
(Jazz LP)
Midi/We Want Sounds (UK), 1984.
A pivotal album in the career of Ryuichi Sakamoto – a set that got wide global circulation right at a time when he was a rising star on the screen as much as a surprising international music star as well – of the sort who became a key global representative for all the changes that had ...
(Japanese CD)
Finders Keepers (UK), 1971.
An early pairing of composer Andrzej Korzynski and director Andrzej Zulawski – a Polish duo who show that groovy vampire films aren't just the stuff of the southern European scene in the 70s! Korzynski's music for the movie is really wonderful – starting with a wicked fuzzy funky theme ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Rhino, 1970s/1980s/1990s/2000s/2010s. 2LP
A mighty tribute to one of the coolest bands to emerge from the American underground of the late 70s – and one of the few who were able to both end up on a larger label, and yet still continue the genius that made them such a powerful presence on the arty, edgy Ohio scene from which they ...
(Rock LP)
Mondiophone/Endless Happiness (Italy), 1972. (reissue)
A 70s sound library record, but one that's also very different than most – as Christian Zysset put together the whole thing more as a jazz record with long, extended tracks – instead of the more typical batch of shorter themes and songs! The set's got a largeish group who stay together ...
(Sound Library LP)
Concord, 2023.
A heady set from these two longtime funk legends – Eric Krasno on guitar and Stanton Moore on drums – working in a tight trio that also features Eric Finland on Hammond, Wurlitzer, and Mellotron – all in a sharply soulful groove that definitely lives up to the legacy of both ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Roulette/Life Goes On, Mid 60s. (reissue)
Maybe one of the most authentic records ever cut by John Berberian – an American musician, but one who delivered great work on the oud during the 60s – including some projects that were often a bit psychedelic in nature! This set's a bit more straightforward, but equally great – ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Nadja/Octave (Japan), 1975.
A great early album from pianist Kunhiko Sugano – a set that has the leader working in a relaxed live setting, in a small Japanese club that also features a conga added to his usual trio! Most numbers begin with an introspective introduction from Sugano – those lyrical lines he does so ...
(Jazz CD)
South Of North (Netherlands), Early 90s.
A mighty nice combination of sounds – nice and lean, recorded both live and in a home studio – then wrapped together with that special sort of magic that Ronald Langestraat brings to his albums! At the time of the date, Langestraat was playing daily in the Apollo Hotel in Amsterdam ...
(Jazz LP)
Thrill Jockey, 2022.
The first-ever solo album from Doug McCombs – the well-known bassist with a huge legacy that includes work in Eleventh Dream Day and Tortoise – finally getting a chance to shine in the spotlight on his own! The vibe here is more like Doug's work in Brokeback, but even more open and ...
(Rock CD)
Trova/Altercat (Germany), 1978. (reissue)
One of the coolest 70s albums we've ever heard from the always-cool Jorge Lopez Ruiz – a set that expands out from his earlier jazz work with a flurry of wonderful sounds and styles, set up in a much more ambitious vibe overall! Yet despite the sophistication of the setting, the work is also ...
(Jazz LP)
Baal/P-Vine (Japan), Late 70s. (reissue)
Raw funk from 70s Singapore – but a bunch of cats who really get their sound right! The album's got a surprisingly sharp edge – thanks to raspy guitars that work perfectly with the group's English language vocals – themselves sung with a nice sort of sharpness that makes the ...
(Soul LP)
Stax/Omnivore, 1969. (reissue)
An obscure bit of late 60s Stax! Steve Cropper's working away from the MG's here, in a mode that's slightly similar, but which has his guitar upfront in the mix on a batch of Memphis-style instrumentals – kind of his own take on the groove he was laying down with Booker T, but with a lot ...
(Soul LP)
Beat (Italy), 1973.
One of the first great Italian cop movies of the 70s – and a superbly-scored film with a really wonderful soundtrack! The DeAngelis brothers are clearly drawing heavily from an American tradition initiated by Lalo Schfrin – using heavy guitar, funky undercurrents, and even some ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Rockashacka (Japan), Late 70s/Early 80s.
Delroy Witter's the producer, a key underground talent on the London scene during those big years of homecrafted reggae records – and he gets help here from a range of wonderful singers who really bring out the most soulful currents of the lovers rock promised in the title! The set's a well-d ...
(Reggae CD)
Blue Note/Mosaic, Early 60s. 7CD set
Pivotal work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – eleven full albums recorded by the young jazzman as a leader, together showing a really incredible scope of his talents in just a few short years in the studio! The Blue Note albums here already show an incredible evolution – from initial ...
(Jazz CD)
Octopus/Holy Basil (Italy), 1971. (reissue)
A legendary sound library album on the famous Italian Octopus label – and a set that's maybe one of the most unusual to be recorded by Amadeo Tommasi! The music is filled with all sorts of weird sounds and production elements – almost taking the experiments of the musique concrete ...
(Sound Library LP)
As Shams (South Africa), Mid 70s.
There's less disco here than you might expect, as the group's a very jazzy one – with tenor and flute from South African jazz legend Basil Coetzee, working next to the organ and drum machine of Pops Mohamed as he creates a very cool, unique groove! The music's an extension of other South ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Jazzaggression (Finland), 1973.
A wonderfully raw keyboard trio session from the Norwegian scene of the early 70s – served up by a group led by Christian Reim, who you may know from more modern jazz-styled material, but who's in a killer funky group here! Reim plays Fender Rhodes and organ next to the guitar of Rickard ...
(Jazz LP)
Chulo/Daptone, 2023.
A contemporary record, but one that hearkens back to the glory days of the Latin diva albums of the 50s and 60s – wonderfully expressive vocals from Maria Raquel, a singer who makes her debut here, yet somehow feels as if she's been making music for many many years! The arrangements are a ...
(Latin LP)
Stax/Jackpot, 1968. (reissue)
Booker T & The MGs – definitely doing their thing on this late 60s cooker – and moving their instrumental sound into a whole new range than before! The album has a very groovy feel – nice and tight, with especially great organ and guitar lines – often tuned towards 60s ...
(Soul LP)
South Of North (Netherlands), 2022.
Ronald Langestraat has been in more jazz-based territory in the past, but here he adds in a bit more rhythm and opens up a groove – quite a surprise for this octogenarian musician! Ronald sings on many tracks, with this cool raspy voice that slides in and out of the grooves nicely – as ...
(Jazz LP)
P&M/Easy Tempo (Italy), 1974.
A really wild little funky record – one that's got very obscure origins on the Argentine scene of the 70s, and which serves up an unusual blend of soul, funk, and sound library modes! The tunes have plenty of wicked basslines, heavy drums, and riffing guitar – all of which draw ...
(Sound Library CD)
Cuca/Numero, Mid 60s.
A really cool Canadian group from the 60s – an all-native lineup of members from the Tsimshian Nation – but working here in a raw garagey style that's totally great! The drums are lean and powerful, guitar follows suit, and vocals often have a surprisingly charming quality – ...
(Rock LP)
CCP/Freestyle (UK), 1983. (reissue)
A South African soul set from Gloria Weems, but one that feels like some of the best of the New York scene at the time – especially the underground indie work that was letting a lot of electro soul elements come into the mix! The bass pedal elements are great, and the drum machine rhythms ...
(Soul LP)
Stax/Jackpot, 1967. (reissue)
Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky with this one – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – but the grooves are even better than before, ...
(Soul LP)
No Business (Lithuania), 1987.
A never-issued performance recorded in Tokyo in the mid 80s – searing duets between German reed giant Peter Brotzman and drummer Sabu Toyozumi! We love Sabu's records from the 80s, and his sense of timing and space really seems to open Brotzmann up here – with a vibe that's almost more ...
(Jazz CD)
Guruguru Brain (Netherlands), 2023. 2LP Gatefold
A really cool collection of cuts from the contemporary underground in Singapore – new music, but work that often resonates with some of our favorite funky global tracks of the 60s and 70s! Think "sitar funk", and you'll start to get the vibe of the set – as there's some of ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Touch & Go, 1991. (reissue)
The seminal second album from Slint, and the group's swan song too – yet a record that would go on to have a huge impact for years to come, virtually setting the tone for many other 90s projects from a variety of other scenes! The Louisville quartet really knock it out of the park here ...
(Rock LP)
Blue Note, 1965. Gatefold (reissue)
One of the greatest Blue Note albums of all time – a record that's even better than the look of it's cover – which is already pretty darn classic! Hank Mobley had been making records for Blue Note for a number of years before this set – but Caddy For Daddy is one in which he ...
(Jazz LP)
Solid State/Big Pink (South Korea), Late 60s. (reissue)
An obscure set from Hammond genius Jimmy McGriff, but a great one too – nicely different than his earlier work for Sue Records, and done at a level that really shows his growth at the end of the 60s! The record's one of those unusual Sonny Lester productions that seem to open up McGriff's ...
(Jazz CD)
Otava/Svart (Finland), 1969.
The first-ever album as a leader from Finnish saxophonist Eero Koivistoinen – an amazing debut that's filled with sharp notes and soaring rhythms! The style here is slightly modern, but also filled with a tremendous sense of soul – a deeply creative vibe that takes off from the hippest ...
(Jazz CD)
Impulse, 2023.
Not the first album from this fantastic group, but a set that's their initial outing for Impulse Records – the old home to John Coltrane, Sun Ra, and Pharoah Sanders – and a very fitting place for their boundless sense of expression! The group really seem to have upped their game for ...
(Jazz CD)
Blue Note/Third Man, 1956. (reissue)
Genius early work from the legendary Thad Jones – one of his greatest albums ever, and a sublime tribute to his talents on the trumpet! Jones has a groove here that definitely fits in nicely with the title – some of the more contemplative, expressive modes of his native Detroit scene ...
(Jazz LP)
Stax/Jackpot, 1965. (reissue)
A great little record from Booker T and group – often overlooked amidst the range between Green Onions and Melting Pot, but a very strong album of soulful Memphis instrumentals all the way through! Book's organ is bubbling hot, and the band's tight rhythm style works in a perfect laid-back ...
(Soul LP)
Creative Funk/Essential, Early 70s.
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 ...
(Soul CD)
Beat/Musica Per Immagini (Italy), 1976. (reissue)
A wonderful sound library set from the great Piero Umiliani – and a record that's filled with some of his coolest electronics ever! The feel of the record is very much in keeping with the image on the cover – kind of sci fi, but kind of playful too – a wonderful blend of ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
A landmark recording – one of a handful of early documents of the avant garde LA scene, featuring a nimble quartet headed up by the inventive frontline of John Carter on reeds and Bobby Bradford on trumpet, over the fluid rhythm team of Tom Williamson on bass and Chicago expatriate Bruz ...
(Jazz LP)
Days Of Delight (Japan), 1976.
A never-issued live performance from the legendary Japanese drummer Motohiko Hino – recorded live in concert, originally by the Three Blind Mice label – yet a date that's a lot more freewheeling than most of the more familiar studio material from TBM! All the tracks are long, soaring, ...
(Jazz LP)
Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1969. Gatefold (reissue)
A fantastic record – and a really mindblowing mix of spiritual jazz and electronics! The set is an amazing collaboration between trumpeter Don Cherry and pioneering electronic musician Jon Appleton – one of those rare meetings of the minds that goes far deeper than you'd expect! On ...
(Out Sound LP)
Slash/Rhino, 1982. 2CD
A surprising classic from the early 80s underground – a record that came to the world from the scene in Milwaukee, where neither the group nor the rest of the world would have expected the album to have such staying power over the decades! And yet, from the very first needle drop, it's hard ...
(Rock CD)
Editions Hawara (France), Early 80s.
A really unusual Austrian project from vocalist Linda Sharrock – the singer best known for her work with avant guitarist Sonny Sharrock, but a hell of a vocalist here on her own! Linda's plenty soulful – as much so as on her best American work – and she's got lean backings from ...
(Soul LP)
Colemine, 2023.
Live funky performances, but with plenty of inspiration from the world of hip hop production and samples – served up by Grimez with a rotating cast of players who really keep things fresh! The grooves are nice and lean at most points – plenty of live drums and tight basslines, used in ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Pony Canyon (Japan), 1989. 2LP Gatefold
Brilliant live work from legendary Japanese saxophonist Akira Miyazawa – one of the first players on his scene in the 60s to forge something fresh and new – still going very strong here on this concert performance from the end of the 80s! The tracks are nice and lean – played by ...
(Jazz LP)
Dandelion/Trading Places, 1971. Gatefold (reissue)
The second album from the enigmatic Bridget St John – and a slightly more expanded version of the sound explored on her debut! Bridget's still very much in a folk-inspired sound here – but like the work of Nick Drake and some of her contemporaries on the British scene, this album has ...
(Rock LP)
Sahel Sounds, 2023.
Very underground work from Malian guitarist Bounaly – a musician whose work first appeared on a Whats App compilation, and makes its first ever full length appearance on this set! The album was recorded live, with a very gritty vibe – long tracks that have Bounaly's electric guitar ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Quartet (Spain), 1972.
A surprisingly sensitive soundtrack from Piero Piccioni – especially given that it was done for an early 70s comedy that starred the great Alberto Sordi! The style here is maybe more in that early 60s Italian style of composers like Carlo Rustichelli and Nino Rota – light, lovely ...
(Soundtracks CD)