... LP, Vinyl record album

RTJ come on with the force of a hurricane on the very first track – and don't let up throughout the course of this completely sharp 4th LP – a record that may owe plenty to the spirit of 2020, even if just as an antidote to what ails us! EL P and Killer Mike sound more urgent than ever before – clearly brimming over with energy and a sense of message – so much so that the album's guests almost dim in comparison – although we do appreciate the work from Mavis Staples, 2 Chainz, Greg Nice, DJ Premier, and Pharrell Williams! The record is full of sharp samples and production modes that punch with the force of a fist – and titles include "Out Of Sight", "Holy Calamafuck", "Goonies Vs ET", "Walking In The Snow", "Ju$t", "Yankee & The Brave", "Never Look Back", "Ooh La La", "A Few Words For The Firing Squad", and "Pulling The Pin". LP, Vinyl record album

El-P and Killer Mike finally deliver a killer duo record! We knew that this one would be a win, considering how great the El-P produced RAP Music album by Killer Mike turned out to be, how versatile the El-P futuristic production vibe is and how timelessly inventive each rapper is on their own. They didn't team-up to coast on their reputations, though, as Run The Jewels is nearly as great as anything either one has done in the preceding couple of years. Includes "Run The Jewels", "Banana Clipper" feat Big Boi, "DDFH, "Sea Legs", "No Come Down", "Get It", "Twin Hype Back" feat Prince Paul as his Handsome Boy alter-ego Chest Rockwell, "A Christmas F**king Miracle" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

RTJ come on with the force of a hurricane on the very first track – and don't let up throughout the course of this completely sharp 4th LP – a record that may owe plenty to the spirit of 2020, even if just as an antidote to what ails us! EL P and Killer Mike sound more urgent than ever before – clearly brimming over with energy and a sense of message – so much so that the album's guests almost dim in comparison – although we do appreciate the work from Mavis Staples, 2 Chainz, Greg Nice, DJ Premier, and Pharrell Williams! The record is full of sharp samples and production modes that punch with the force of a fist – and titles include "Out Of Sight", "Holy Calamafuck", "Goonies Vs ET", "Walking In The Snow", "Ju$t", "Yankee & The Brave", "Never Look Back", "Ooh La La", "A Few Words For The Firing Squad", and "Pulling The Pin". CD

The second round from the Run The Jewels supergroup duo of El-P & Killer Mike – bigger, bolder and better than the debut! The production is more densely layered and the rhymes are meaner – especially Killer Mike's limber, charismatic flow, which served so strongly by El-P's progressive, classic boom bap-inspired production – and El-P is no slouch on the mic, either! The guests bring their A games, too – and the titles include "Jeopardy", "Oh My Darling Don't Cry", "Close Your Eyes" with Zach De la Rocha, "Lie, Cheat, Steal", "Early" feat Boots, "Love Again (Akinyele Back)", "Crown" feat Diane Coffee, "Angel Duster" and more. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool reworking of the fourth album from Run The Jewels – one that opens up their sound to the world of Latin music, by inviting in a whole host of different artists to really transform the tunes! In some cases, these changes are subtle, with tracks that still sound a fair bit like the originals – at other times, they're huge, with live instrumentation and fresh production that really take off in all sorts of directions – leaving Killer Mike and El-P to act as the hosts of one massive musical party! Titles include "Nunca Mirar Hacia Atras (Bomba Estero's version)", "Ju$t (Toy Seletah version)", "El Suelo Debajo (Son Rompe Pera's version)", "Goonies Contra ET (Danny Brasco & Nick Hook's version)", "Caminando En La Nieve (Orestes Gomez & Nick Hook's version)", and "Fuera De Vista (Trooko's version)" – includes a second disc of instrumentals! CD

A very cool reworking of the fourth album from Run The Jewels – one that opens up their sound to the world of Latin music, by inviting in a whole host of different artists to really transform the tunes! In some cases, these changes are subtle, with tracks that still sound a fair bit like the originals – at other times, they're huge, with live instrumentation and fresh production that really take off in all sorts of directions – leaving Killer Mike and El-P to act as the hosts of one massive musical party! Titles include "Nunca Mirar Hacia Atras (Bomba Estero's version)", "Ju$t (Toy Seletah version)", "El Suelo Debajo (Son Rompe Pera's version)", "Goonies Contra ET (Danny Brasco & Nick Hook's version)", "Caminando En La Nieve (Orestes Gomez & Nick Hook's version)", and "Fuera De Vista (Trooko's version)" – includes a second disc of instrumentals! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful reunion of Pharoah Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas – and a set that captures a lot of the same energy as the pair's previous record – Karma! Thomas' vocals are in wonderful form for the set – stretching out soulfully on the extended classic "Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah" – a title that has much of the same grace and power as "The Creator Has A Master Plan. The rest of the players on the date include Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Cecil McBee on basses, and Idris Muhammad and Roy Haynes on drums – and unusually enough, each of the double bassists and drummers gets their own channel of sound to work with! The other long track on the album is the extended "Sun In Aquarius" – which is a bit more outside, but still pretty great! CD

A beautiful set of work from this legendary pianist – material that's issued here for the very first time, but which may well top some of the most important albums in Art Tatum's catalog! As with his classic 20th Century material, the setting here is a live one – the Blue Note club in Chicago, where Art is working with a trio that features Slam Stewart on bass and Everett Barksdale on guitar – a really cool group in that it features no drums at all, which is maybe no surprise, given the inherently rhythmic pulse that Art brings to the material! The whole thing is great – crisp, clear, and full of imagination – and the expanded package also features great notes that really benefit the recordings – a huge amount of tracks that include "Air Mail Special", "What Does It Take", "Crazy Rhythm", "Tea For Two", "The Man I Love", "Where Or When", "Night & Day", "Body & Soul", "Laura", "Humoresque", "Dark Eyes", "Judy", "Tabu", and "Lover". CD

A definite set of crown jewels from the Big Crown label – especially as most of these gems were only ever around as funky 45s – some now gone forever, and all compiled on this nicely-priced full length set! The package shows the real evolution of Big Crown in recent years – as they have moved from just the funk and soul of their roots into a range of other styles too – including a bit of garage, Latin Soul, and other modes too! Titles here reflect that change in a great way – and titles include "Veolodrome" by Surprise Chef, "The Otherside" by Bobby Oroza, "Grateful" by El Michels Affair & Black Thought, "Joy & Pain (Pete Rock rmx)" by Lady Wray, "So Low" by Synthia, "The Healer" by Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, "Ain't That The Way" by Holy Hive, "Trip To Japan" by The Shacks, "Awkward (take 2)" by El Michels Affair meets Liam bailey, "Beri Cinta Waktu" by Thee Marloes, and "Love & Flowers" by Les Imprimes. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funky sounds from TK Records – a Miami soul powerhouse that most folks know for some big disco hits in the 70s, but a company that also cut some killer 45s in the years before that time! Much of the work here is from the earlier funky 45 years of the TK empire – including singles issued on the Glades, Alston, and Cat labels – plus a few later tracks that show just how committed the company was to more unusual, more developing styles of funk – even when they were making big cash on their disco hits. The whole thing is fantastic – and filled with plenty of rare funky breaks that you'll recognize from samples – with titles that include "Funky Yolk" by Arnold Albury & The Casuals, "Nobody But You Babe" by Clarence Reid, "Cramp Your Style" by All the People, "Mashed Potato Popcorn" by Freddie & The Kinfolk, "Let's Take A Break" by Milton Wright, "Cutting Room (Hot Pants)" by Oceanliners, "Miss Hot Stuff" by Clarence Reid, "Lay It On Me" by Willie Johnson, "Let Me Be Your Lover" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "Cosmic Funk" by Mad Dog Fire Department, and "Don't Waste My Time" by Jerry Washington. CD

A great little set that really looks at the wide range of sounds handled by Miami's TK Records powerhouse in the 70s – a label that's famous for its big disco hits, but which also had a lot more to offer, too! There's definitely some clubby cuts on the collection, but most of those are nicely past the TK hits of the time – and interspersed here with other numbers that shows the label's great commitment to deep soul, where they were flying the flag strongly after labels like Atlantic or Stax had dropped the ball. There's also some surprisingly smooth, sophisticated cuts – showing the modern soul shift the label was making – and which no doubt would have suited them very strongly into the 80s, had they kept up their 70s steam. Titles include "Secret Lover" by Paulette Reeves, "Ebony Affair" by Timmy Thomas, "That's What I Get" by Beginning Of The End, "Fly" by The Stylistics, "What Do We Do About Our Love" by Leon Debouse, "Can't Do Without You" by Eddie Horan, "Somebody's Gettin It" by Ted Taylor, "That Woman" by Wilson Pickett, "Tonight Is The Night" by Betty Wright, "Put Pride Aside" by Latimore, "People Fall In Love" by Foxy, and "Tired Of Hiding" by Jackie Moore. CD

The deepest sound of the legendary TK Records label in the 70s – music that shows the way the company was really helping to transform the sound of southern soul in the decade, and also open the door to a whole new range of styles too! The tracks here definitely have a mellow groove, but they're never sleepy – just set apart from the more disco-oriented hits on TK, thanks to a sophisticated approach to instrumentation and arrangements – at a level that still makes most of these cuts stand head and shoulder above mainstream soul of the time! You'll know a few artists from earlier, straighter material – and will discover a number of other rarer, much more obscure TK talents – in a great set list that includes "Confusion" by Leno Phillips, "Keep Her Happy" by Phillip Wright, "I Got Bills To Pay" by Johnny K, "Thousand Years" by Brand New, "If You Want My Love" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "You Can Be A Lady" by JP Robinson, "Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do" by Betty Wright, "Sleep On Dream On" by Raphael Munnings, "Tears Of The World" by Robert Moore, "The Silence That You Keep" by Milton Wright, "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower, and "Love Insurance" by Gwen McCrae. CD

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Two Pharoah Sanders classics – back to back on a single CD! Tauhid is one of the first moments of genius from a young Pharoah Sanders – a set that builds on the energy of John Coltrane's Love Supreme generation – but takes it in a much more expansive direction! The album's got a sense of majesty that's years ahead of its time – righteous, positive, spiritual jazz that flows out with a timeless power, and a quality that almost out-Coltrane's Coltrane! All tracks are long, expressive, and freely flowing – building with a very organic sense of energy – totally free from any gimmicks or cliche. Players include Dave Burrell on piano, Henry Grimes on bass, and Sonny Sharrock on guitar – and Pharoah plays alto, tenor, and piccolo – and even vocalizes a bit. The album begins with the amazing "Upper & Lower Egypt" – which is a perfect illustration of the two sides of Pharoah's genius – free/out & spiritual/modal – and other titles include "Japan", and "Capricorn Rising". Jewels Of Thought is a wonderful reunion of Pharoah Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas – and a set that captures a lot of the same energy as the pair's previous record – Karma! Thomas' vocals are in wonderful form for the set – stretching out soulfully on the extended classic "Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah" – a title that has much of the same grace and power as "The Creator Has A Master Plan. The rest of the players on the date include Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Cecil McBee on basses, and Idris Muhammad and Roy Haynes on drums – and unusually enough, each of the double bassists and drummers gets their own channel of sound to work with! The other long track on the album is the extended "Sun In Aquarius" – which is a bit more outside, but still pretty great! CD

A beautiful set of work from this legendary pianist – material that's issued here for the very first time, but which may well top some of the most important albums in Art Tatum's catalog! As with his classic 20th Century material, the setting here is a live one – the Blue Note club in Chicago, where Art is working with a trio that features Slam Stewart on bass and Everett Barksdale on guitar – a really cool group in that it features no drums at all, which is maybe no surprise, given the inherently rhythmic pulse that Art brings to the material! The whole thing is great – crisp, clear, and full of imagination – and the expanded package also features great notes that really benefit the recordings – a huge amount of tracks that include "Air Mail Special", "What Does It Take", "Crazy Rhythm", "Tea For Two", "The Man I Love", "Where Or When", "Night & Day", "Body & Soul", "Laura", "Humoresque", "Dark Eyes", "Judy", "Tabu", and "Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes Queen/Queen II/Sheer Heart Attack/A Night At The Opera/A Day At The Races/News Of The World/Jazz/The Game. CDs are packaged in LP style jackets. CD

The title says "soul standards", but the music here is anything but – not familiar hits or well-worn classics, but instead a great array of lesser-known gems from the TK Records powerhouse of Florida soul! The music here really spans the spectrum of the excellent work that TK was doing at the time – and moves between southern soul, a bit of funk, and some of the more modern elements that TK was hitting at the time – bringing a new sort of sophistication to the southern scene. There's a few familiar cuts here, mixed with a lot more rare gems – and titles include "Jazz Freak" by Paulette Reaves, "You're The Song I've Always Wanted To Sing" by Timmy Thomas, "Gettin With My Baby" by Leon Debouse, "You Made Me Want To Dance" by Irene Reid, "Love The Way You Love Me" by Eddie Horan, "How Long" by Brandye, "Caught In The Act" by Facts Of Life, "Puttin It Down To You" by Jackie Moore, "You Can't See For Lookin" by Betty Wright, "Living For Today" by Jimmy Briscoe & The Beavers "Rock" by The JBs, "Best Part Of A Man" by Wilson Pickett, and "Let's Straighten It Out" by Latimore. CD

James Brown plays organ on this one – an early effort to showcase various other artists that he was producing at the time, and who traveled with him on the road – all those great singers that The Godfather would give time to on his stage – the sorts of artists who would later get more exposure on record once James launched the People Records label! Arrangementsd are by James Brown and Nat Jones – and titles include "Strung Out" and "Stop And Think It Over" by James Crawford, "This Is My Story" by the Jewels, "Satisfaction" and "The Dog" by Baby Lloyd, and "Nowhere To Run" and "Don't Mess With Bill" by Vicki Anderson. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever by this hip jazz ensemble – and one of their most unique! The record has the band grooving hard through two incredible suites of Latin music – Gary McFarland's "Latin Kaleidoscope" and Francy Boland's "Cuban Fever" – each of which takes up a side of the record, both driving the band to new solo heights with a very hip edge! Players include the usual cream of the crop of European jazz residents – like Sahib Shihab, Dusko Goykovich, Jimmy Deuchar, Phil Woods, Tony Coe, and Benny Bailey – and the tracks include "Uno Graso De Areia", "A Rosa Negra", "Olhos Negros", "Cara Bruja", and "Fiebre Cuban". Wonderful all the way through – and always a treasure! One of the shining jewels in the crown of MPS – and a Gilles P classic all the way through! CD

The long hinted at full duo effort from Danger Mouse & Black Thought – which despite the title arrives with no shortcuts taken by either party – they got to the highest level after decades of grinding and stellar play! Danger Mouse hasn't produced a straight-up, classic-schooled gritty hip hop album in quite a while and he couldn't have a finer foil than Black Thought – and guest spots include an archival verse from Danger Mouse's late partner MF Doom, appearances by Raekwon, Run The Jewels, Kid Sister and others. Titles includes "Cheat Codes", "Sometimes", "Darkest Part" with Raekwon & Kid Sister, "No Gold Teeth", "Belize" with the late great MF Doom, "Aquamarine" with Michael Kiwanuka, "Identical Death", "Strangers" with A$ap Rocky & Run The Jewels, "Violas And Lupitas" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A really formative album – not just as part of the key second chapter of alto genius Lou Donaldson, but also as the start of a huge generation of jazz funk grooves to come! The key element here is drummer Idris Muhammad – working in the group of Donaldson, but under his birth name of Leo Morris – and still already graced with that fantastic sense of rhythm that has him stretching out the beats, and creating grooves that would push the 60s soul jazz generation into more electric funk modes in the decade to come! The record's a perfect bridge between the two generations – with long tracks that draw plenty from Idris' drums and Lou's alto – plus work from Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Lonnie Smith on organ, and the young George Benson on guitar – still hard and soulful, in that style he had been using in the 60s group of organist Jack McDuff. If you know the heavily sampled side of Lou Donaldson's work, you'll know the greatness you're getting here – on cuts that include "Dapper Dan", "Midnight Creeper", "Bag Of Jewels", and "Love Power". CD

Tracks include "Willowcrest", "Flight Of Fancy", "Bebop Treasure Chest", "Here And Now", and "Jewels" – the last with guest vocals from Julie Andrews. CD

A landmark bit of avant prog psych from the American underground of the late 60s – the astral mindblower that is God Bless The Red Krayola & All Who Sail It! This second album is the group's early masterpiece – a brilliant, jarring psychedelic work of genius! It's got the strangeness of the Parable LP, but Mayo & the boys have a way with strange melody that escaped the earlier album. It's often buried under the astral wierdness and abrasive tendancies, but it nevertheless casts a spooky glow throughout! Tracks inclcude "Ravi Shankar: Parachutist", "Leejol", "Night Song", "Green Of My Pants", "The Jewels Of The Madonna", "Tina's Gone To Have A Baby", "Say Hello To Jamie Jones", and "Coconut Hotel". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album by Pharoah Sanders – one of his later albums for Impulse, but one of his best! The record has Pharoah grooving in a strongly modal style – working up long passages of rhythm, piano, and percussion that really build on the promise delivered in earlier tunes on records like Jewels Of Thought and Tauhid – that strong sense of flow that was possibly Sanders' greatest contribution to the world of spiritual jazz – over and above his own work on tenor sax! The tunes never go too far out, and have a really joyous feel that we totally love – opening Pharoah up with that bright spirit that makes some of his 70s work so great, really pushing him past the darkness of the immediate post-Coltrane years. Other players include Joe Bonner on piano, Calvin Hill on bass, Michael White on violin, and Michael Carvin on drums – and titles include the tremendous track "Greeting To Saud", plus "Elevation", "Spiritual Blessing", "Ore Se Re", and "The Gathering". CD

A fantastic album by Pharoah Sanders – one of his later albums for Impulse, but one of his best! The record has Pharoah grooving in a strongly modal style – working up long passages of rhythm, piano, and percussion that really build on the promise delivered in earlier tunes on records like Jewels Of Thought and Tauhid – that strong sense of flow that was possibly Sanders' greatest contribution to the world of spiritual jazz – over and above his own work on tenor sax! The tunes never go too far out, and have a really joyous feel that we totally love – opening Pharoah up with that bright spirit that makes some of his 70s work so great, really pushing him past the darkness of the immediate post-Coltrane years. Other players include Joe Bonner on piano, Calvin Hill on bass, Michael White on violin, and Michael Carvin on drums – and titles include the tremendous track "Greeting To Saud", plus "Elevation", "Spiritual Blessing", "Ore Se Re", and "The Gathering". CD

Beautiful Roost material from Sonny Stitt – solid, mature, and extremely well-placed lines on the alto sax – all caught at a level that's higher than most of his contemporaries were dising out at the time! The boppier side of Stitt's roots is nicely suppressed here – and in its place is a focused and deeply personal approach to the music – one that's wonderfully complemented by the "New Yorkers" combo of Hank Jones on piano, Shadow Wilson on drums, and Wendell Marshall on bass. The record's one of the jewels in the crown of his Roost catalog – and titles include "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Engos, The Bloos", and "Bloosey". LP, Vinyl record album

A great slice of New Orleans soul from the 70s – a record that replicates the "Indian" culture in the Mardi Gras scene – and which is most notable for featuring work by The Meters as well! The groove here is kind of Meters-styled funk, mixed with some fuller New Orleans mode – as the core Wild Tchoupitoulas group get a nice kick at the core – which makes their lyrics and calls come off even better than in a live setting! The album also gets kickass production from Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn – and is one of the crowning funk jewels in Toussaint's crown for the 70s. Tracks include "Brother John", "Indian Red", "Hey Hey", "Hey Mama", "Meet De Boys On The Battlefront", and a version of "Hey Pocky Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly one of the greatest funk compilations ever – and we're not just saying that because we're from the Midwest! The genius compilers at Jazzman spent years scouring the smaller cities of the American hinterlands – tracking down obscure musicians, long-lost labels, and nearly-gone master tapes – all to bring together 23 bits of rare funk that bristle with the same energy and excitement as the day they were first recorded! The package is incredible – not only filled with incredible tunes that somehow manage to push the boundaries and redefine our understanding of classic funk from the time, but also doing so in a package that's filled with liner notes that offer more information on the artists than probably their own mothers know! Plus, the set's also got some previously unissued numbers as well – making it a must-have for any funk fan, even if you've somehow managed to track down original copies of some of these choice bits! Titles include "Whip It" by The New Establishment In Soul, "Let's Do It Today (full version)" by The Us, "Pushin To The Top" by Markus Kelly & The Impassions, "Sissy Walk" by Billy Ball & The Upsetters, "Tell Her" by Fred Williams & The Jewels Band, "The Hatch" by The TMGs, "Boots Groove" by The Soul Tornados, "Po Boy's Dream" by Illinois Connection, "It's Not You For Me (live)" by Billy Joe Holloman, "Funky In Here" by Dayton Sidewinders, "Master Groove" by Henry Peters & The Imperials, and "A Day In The Life" by Chocolate Snow. CD

The title's no lie – because the album is one of the shining jewels of Lou Donaldson's legendary funk years for Blue Note – that second period when he returned to the label at the end of the 60s, and really helped redefine the sound of soul jazz at the time! The format here is very much the same as other Donaldson classics from the time – like Hot Dog or Possum Head – in that the tracks are long, open, and plenty darn grooving – locked in some funky rhythms that feature Idris Muhammad on some very heavy drums! Other players are great too – and include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Melvin Sparks on guitar, and Lonnie Smith on Hammond – all cooking things up nicely on tracks that include "West Indian Daddy", "Donkey Walk", "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky", and "Hamp's Hump". CD

The title's no lie – because the album is one of the shining jewels of Lou Donaldson's legendary funk years for Blue Note – that second period when he returned to the label at the end of the 60s, and really helped redefine the sound of soul jazz at the time! The format here is very much the same as other Donaldson classics from the time – like Hot Dog or Possum Head – in that the tracks are long, open, and plenty darn grooving – locked in some funky rhythms that feature Idris Muhammad on some very heavy drums! Other players are great too – and include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Melvin Sparks on guitar, and Lonnie Smith on Hammond – all cooking things up nicely on tracks that include "West Indian Daddy", "Donkey Walk", "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky", and "Hamp's Hump". LP, Vinyl record album

A really formative album – not just as part of the key second chapter of alto genius Lou Donaldson, but also as the start of a huge generation of jazz funk grooves to come! The key element here is drummer Idris Muhammad – working in the group of Donaldson, but under his birth name of Leo Morris – and still already graced with that fantastic sense of rhythm that has him stretching out the beats, and creating grooves that would push the 60s soul jazz generation into more electric funk modes in the decade to come! The record's a perfect bridge between the two generations – with long tracks that draw plenty from Idris' drums and Lou's alto – plus work from Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Lonnie Smith on organ, and the young George Benson on guitar – still hard and soulful, in that style he had been using in the 60s group of organist Jack McDuff. If you know the heavily sampled side of Lou Donaldson's work, you'll know the greatness you're getting here – on cuts that include "Dapper Dan", "Midnight Creeper", "Bag Of Jewels", and "Love Power". LP, Vinyl record album

Long live tracks from Stan Getz – captured at one of his strongest points in the 70s, and working with a quartet that includes Richie Beirach on piano, Dave Holland on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drum s! The feel here is a great extrapolation of the sound of Getz's seminal Sweet Rain sessions – tunes that spiral out with a style that's free and open-ended, yet never "outside" – just allowing Getz to blow magically with his incredible tone, shifting sound into ever-changing shapes and many-colored jewels! Titles include "Litha", "Invitation", "Fiesta", "Lucifer's Fall", and "Spring Is Here". CD

Great new collection of the fantastic magical work of the great Harper's Bizarre. One of the jewels in the crown of the LA studio scene of the late 60's, this superb pop group was sort of a mix of Brian Wilson-style vocals, soundtrack kitsch, and Now Sound instrumentation – with lots of little Warner bits like Van Dyke Parks and Randy Newman thrown in. Great 14 track comp, with some of the best LP cuts, like "Come to the Sunshine", "Biggest Night of Her Life", "Witchi Tai To", "Poly High", and "Happyland". Crazy and wonderful. CD

Beautiful Roost material from Sonny Stitt – solid, mature, and extremely well-placed lines on the alto sax – all caught at a level that's higher than most of his contemporaries were dising out at the time! The boppier side of Stitt's roots is nicely suppressed here – and in its place is a focused and deeply personal approach to the music – one that's wonderfully complemented by the "New Yorkers" combo of Hank Jones on piano, Shadow Wilson on drums, and Wendell Marshall on bass. The record's one of the jewels in the crown of his Roost catalog – and titles include "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Engos, The Bloos", and "Bloosey". CD

A great slice of New Orleans soul from the 70s – a record that replicates the "Indian" culture in the Mardi Gras scene – and which is most notable for featuring work by The Meters as well! The groove here is kind of Meters-styled funk, mixed with some fuller New Orleans mode – as the core Wild Tchoupitoulas group get a nice kick at the core – which makes their lyrics and calls come off even better than in a live setting! The album also gets kickass production from Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn – and is one of the crowning funk jewels in Toussaint's crown for the 70s. Tracks include "Brother John", "Indian Red", "Hey Hey", "Hey Mama", "Meet De Boys On The Battlefront", and a version of "Hey Pocky Way". CD

Tracks by The Cookies, Little Eva, Carole King, The Ronettes, The Permanents, The Lullabyes, Patty Livingston, The Spandells, The Jewels, Caroline Day, Idalia Boyd, and The Cinderellas. CD

The dark, innovative, head crushing classic by Cannibal Ox – perhaps the signature LP of fairly brief, but legendary Def Jux era! Vordul and Vast Aire from the Atoms Family crew twist metaphors and create dark visuals of NYC and outer space with ease on one of the most forward thinking hip hop albums in quite some time – produced by El-P, who we thought of at the time as the underrated MC and producer of underground faves Company Flow – long before he broke big with Run The Jewels! Tracks include "Atom" with Alaska and Cryptic from Atoms Fam, the single "Iron Galaxy", "Raspberry Fields", "Straight Off The D.I.C.", "Vein", "The F Word", "Stress Rap", "Battle For Asgard" with LIFE Long and C-Rayz Walz from Stronghold, "Painkillers", "Ridiculoid" with El-P, "Pigeon" and more. CD