Yusef Lateef's one and only album for the Charlie Parker label – cut during a period when he's been making real waves in the jazz scene with work on Prestige and Savoy! The set's a bit more straight ahead than some of Lateef's more exotic sides of the time – focusing on his work on tenor, and going for a soulful hardbop approach that relatively upbeat and swinging, with traces of the work that Lateef was doing in the Cannonball Adderley group of the time. Players on the album include Vincent Pitts on trumpet, John Horman on piano, Ray McKinny on bass, and either George Scott or Clifford Jarvis on drums – and all tunes save two are originals, with titles that include "Outside Blues", "Blue Rocky", "Introlude", "Train Stomp", and "Trudy's Delight". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual album for Yusef Lateef – and that's saying quite a lot, given how quirky most of his work can be! The session has Lateef exploring both rootsy and modern modes – working in a unique quartet that features George Arvanitas on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and legendary New Orleans musician James Black on drums and assorted percussion. Arvanitas has an excellent style with a very dark edge, and his playing is augmented strongly here by Workman's exploratory basslines, and Black's creatively rhythmic way of approaching the percussion. The whole thing's a very moody session, with a subdued sound, and a nice edgey approach to the material that differs nicely from some of Lateef's other recordings – an earthy feel that grabs the listener from the very first track. Yusef plays flute, tenor, and other wind instruments – and tracks include "Psychicetmotus", "Medula Sonata", "Semiocto", and a version of Satie's "First Gymnopedie". CD

An essential collection of work from one of the hippest funk groups of the 70s – the mysterious Wood Brass & Steel, who also participated in the legendary Skullsnaps record! The first part of the set features an unreleased album that the group recorded for the All-Platinum label in 1973 – music that's hard and funky, but which also shows a strong current of jazz as well – the kind of material that has the group very much in the best Earth Wind & Fire territory of the period, with a sense of righteous perfection that should have made them huge – had the album not stayed in the vaults! The set includes their fantastic "Hey What's That You Say" – which was later reworked as "It's A New Day" for the Skullsnaps album – plus a few more cuts that later appeared on the Brother To Brother debut album – titles that include "Trespassing", "Let's Take A Stroll", "Jermilah", "If He Can Do It She Can Do It", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "A Love Of My Own". Next is the self-titled Wood Brass & Steel album – a legendary bit of east coast funk from the 70s – by a group who'd go on to have a huge influence both in the worlds of hip hop and house! Wood Brass & Steel feature two key players who later became part of the Sugarhill Records house band, and later the On-U Sound collective – Doug Wimbush and Skip McDonald – but the set's got a much fuller, more soulful vibe than work from those later projects – nice use of horns, as hinted at in the title – but not in a way that make these guys a brassy funk band either! Instead, there's a smooth groove throughout – one that comes up from the rhythms first, with a wonderful quality that's years ahead of its time – never disco, but not afraid of some faster rhythms that point the way towards underground club to come. The whole thing's the kind of funky lost gem that makes us happy to do what we do – and it's had long life over the past few decades, thanks to the rich variety of tunes on the set. Titles include the classic cut "Funkanova", an uptempo jazzy instrumental that continued to be a club favorite throughout the house years – plus loads of other good cuts, too, like "WBS Theme", "Welcome To The Party", "Same Ol Me", "Working On A Dream", and a version of "Always There". Hard & Heavy is the incredibly rare second album from Wood Brass & Steel – the mighty funk group we've loved for years for their landmark debut from the mid 70s! This sophomore set is from a few years later, and has the group honing their groove even more – working with these righteous currents in their music that expand the sound into territory that's almost a bit like Roy Ayers at times! As with Ayers, the vocals are often layered into the rhythms – sometimes sung by group members with this soulfully flowing current that has a subtle, sublime sort of vibe – and which works perfectly for the message in the music. Tunes are often in the faster side of midtempo – but never conventional club or disco at all – and there's this really special quality to the whole record, one that even tops the unique vibe of their first album. The original album was very briefly issued by Sugar Hill, during a time when the label was mostly doing hip hop – and is impossibly hard to find in the original pressing. Titles include "Open Up Your Heart", "Be Yourself", "Long Live Music", "Space Walk", "Fly With Music", "Superstar", and "Are You Busy". CD

An incredible collection – and one that fills in a crucially under-documented side of the New York dancefloor generation – the wealth of special mixes and edits that were made for that city's important DJs for their own use in clubs! The package sorts through a mountain of never-issued acetates, and goes way past conventional disco or rare club collections – to showcase the special mixing talents these DJs brought to their re-presentation of the material – which was usually done on tape, then pressed onto acetate discs for their own private use! Those rare treasures are brought forth here – in a beautiful package that's also overflowing with fantastic notes that finally give this lost history its due – all handled by Al Kent – who's a hell of a mixer himself, as well as an underground club historian. Vinyl part 2 features five full records – all with lots of space for the tracks to stretch out – and titles include "My Number's Up (Tee Scott rmx)" by The Salsoul Orchestra, "The Love Bug Done Bit Me Again (David Todd rmx)" by Skyliners, "LA Sunshine (Robert Ouimet rmx)" by Aura, "Love Has Come My Way (Jim Burgess rmx)" by Tony Valor Sound Orchestra, "Handsome Ma (Bobby DJ Guttadoro rmx)" by Sparkle Tuhran & Friends, "Love Thang (Tee Scott rmx)" by First Choice, "Burn Me Up (Jellybean Benitez edit)" by Kay Gees, "Love Is The Message (Tee Scott rmx)" by Brooklyn Express, "Changes (Jellybean Benitez rmx)" by Chain Reaction, "J'Ouvert (Frank Sestito rmx)" by John Gibbs & The Jam Band, "By The Way You Dance (Bobby DJ Guttadaro rmx)" by Bunny Sigler, "It's Good For The Soul (Walter Gibbons disco madness version)" by Salsoul Orchestra, and "It's A Better Than Good Time (Walter Gibbons rmx)" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. LP, Vinyl record album

Think you've heard everything on Motown? Think again – because this sweet little set is filled with unissued 60s recordings by some of the best male singers on the label! The collection is a soul fan's dream come true – as the music here represents some real lost corners of Motown, with sounds that span almost the full stretch of the 60s – and really show the label's greatness at work – because if most of these tracks were recorded by other labels, they would have been pushed as potential hits! There's great work from artists who were just starting out, surprising moments from big names at the time, and a few entries we wouldn't have guessed without looking at the notes – and titles include "Headin North" by Shorty Long, "Only On The Weekend" by The Headliners, "Satisfaction Is Guaranteed" by Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, "Safety Zone" by Marv Johnson, "Hold On To Me" by The Spinners, "Show Me You Can Dance" by The Hit Pack, "Tell Me How To Forget A True Love" by Johnny Bristol, "Mojo Hannah (studio)" by Marvin Gaye, "I Wanted To Cry" by Bruce Channel, "I'm Gonna Make It To The Top" by Freddie Gorman, "This Ole Heart" by The Quails, "The Night We Called It A Day" by The Four Tops, and "Just Your Love" by Ivy Jo. CD

BB King live at the Cook County Jail in Chicago – and given the amount of great live shows going on in the institution during the early 70s, the jail must have been one hell of a place to be incarcerated! This classic features BB King entertaining the prisoners with a wickedly sharp blues set – done, like most prison live shows, with an edge that's often missing from more conventional concerts – plenty gritty, both on the vocals and guitar, with a sound the Chicago audience must have loved! Titles include "How Blue Can You Get", "Worry Worry", "Sweet Sixteen", "The Thrill Is Gone", "Please Accept My Love", and "Every Day I Have The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual album for Yusef Lateef – and that's saying quite a lot, given how quirky most of his work can be! The session has Lateef exploring both rootsy and modern modes – working in a unique quartet that features George Arvanitas on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and legendary New Orleans musician James Black on drums and assorted percussion. Arvanitas has an excellent style with a very dark edge, and his playing is augmented strongly here by Workman's exploratory basslines, and Black's creatively rhythmic way of approaching the percussion. The whole thing's a very moody session, with a subdued sound, and a nice edgy approach to the material that differs nicely from some of Lateef's other recordings – an earthy feel that grabs the listener from the very first track. Yusef plays flute, tenor, and other wind instruments – and tracks include "Psychicetmotus", "Medula Sonata", "Semiocto", and a version of Satie's "First Gymnopedie". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking set from Yusef Lateef – one that mixes together a number of different soul jazz styles! In a way, Atlantic records tried to handle Yusef Lateef in the same way they did Roland Kirk – by creating recordings that either let him express himself strongly as an arch-modernist, or those that focused on his solo talents in material that was a bit more funky and soulful. This album's got a bit of both – as side one has Yusef playing with slightly electric groups on short tracks that feature vocal backings by the Sweet Inspirations, and side two features Yusef playing with the Cologne Radio Orchestra, conducted by William Fischer, on an extended work called "The Symphonic Blues Suite". We dig the shorter tracks better, and those titles include "Nocturne", "Buddy & Lou", and "Down In Atlanta". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic moment from Yusef Lateef – and a set that's one of the most unique in his mighty long catalog! The album was recorded in Lagos, and has Lateef working with a host of Nigerian musicians – a bit of a follow-up to the Hikima record he did for the Nigerian Cultural Center in the US – but maybe even rootsier and more rhythmic overall! Yusef plays tenor, flutes, and other instruments – and the rest of the group is almost all percussive – providing this earthy backdrop for the reed passages, which are especially strong when Lateef blows tenor, standing proudly out front in the lead. The rhythms are fantastic throughout – and titles include "Akima", "Drama Village", "Muomi", "Curved Spacetime", "Ruwa Maizurufi", and "Blues In The Adaji". CD

An amazing legacy in music from Mike Cooper – a British musician who started out in the world of folk blues, but never ended up moving towards some of the rockish modes of his contemporaries – instead finding his very own sort of special space in the freedom allowed by the Dawn Records label! The set begins with the very spare Oh Really – a set that has Mike Cooper mostly on guitar and vocals, in a style that's part Piedmont, part Delta blues – but also given a more folksy spin, and graced with Cooper's unusual vocals – almost making the whole thing feel like a spare acoustic version of Canned Heat territory – with titles that include "Maggie Campbell", "Saturday Blues", "Electric Chair", "Crow Jane", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry". Do I Know you is a record that follows up with a sound that's maybe a bit fuller than Mike Cooper's debut, but still relatively spare – with Mike on acoustic guitar and slide guitar, Harry Miller on bass (really great bass, by the way!), and Poor Little Anne on a bit of vocals. Miller brings these deep tones to the record that really transform things – and titles include "Do I Know You", "Start Of A Journey", "First Song", "Theme In C", and "The Link". Trout Steel is a beautiful set from the British scene at the start of the 70s – a record that's got a fairly folksy tone, but lots of jazzy currents as well! The set was issued on the seminal Dawn Records label – and really shows that imprint's commitment to the left side of the spectrum – as Mike Cooper's vocals and acoustic guitar come into play with more guitar from Stefan Grossman – plus alto sax from Mike Osborne, tenor and soprano from Alan Skidmore, piano from John Taylor, and bass from the late Harry Miller – all key players on the UK avant jazz scene of the time! The mix of these players with Cooper's core inspiration is not unlike some of the most progressive material coming from Island Records – or, even better, the special jazzy moments on records by Tim Buckley or Tim Hardin – company that Cooper could very easily keep, given the strength of his songwriting. Titles include "Don't Talk Too Fast", "On My Way", "Hope You See", "Weeping Rose", "Trout Steel", "I've Got Mine", "That's How", and "Pharoah's March". Places I Know blends Cooper's acoustic guitar and rootsy vocals with some very compelling arrangements from Mike Gibbs – the British jazz talent who was already known for his larger ensemble creations at the time, but who works here in these really subtle ways – to inflect Cooper's core inspirations with just some slight instrumental colors, tones, and phrases on most numbers – while Cooper brings in the core Machine Gun Co group on a few more. The result is a record that's way more than familiar folk – and arguably a lot hipper than most of the British acid folk of the time, too – on titles that include "Night Journey", "Paper & Smoke", "Country Water", "Time To Time", "Goodbye Blues Goodbye", and "Places I Know". The Machine Gun Co album is a partner record to Places I Know – recorded in the same sessions, but with tracks that are longer, and even more openly expressive – all with backings from the sweet Machine Gun Co quartet, a group with some especially nice electric piano from Alan Cook! Heavy use of that instrument really works against some of the folksier elements in Cooper's music – with these blocks of warm sound and color that really illuminate the tunes, and almost unlock a new level in the vocals. Cooper plays a bit of electric guitar at times – and titles include "So Glad That I Found You", "Lady Anne", "Midnight Words", and "Song For Abigail". CD also features songs from singles – "Your Lovely Ways (parts 1 & 2)", "Time In Hand", and "Schaabisch Hall". CD

Dexter Gordon soars on tenor in this great 1964 date with Tete Montoliu on piano, Benny Nielsen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and he also vocalizes a bit on a version of the Benny Green tune "I Want To Blow Now" – next to other tunes that include long takes on "Body & Soul", "Satin Doll", and "King Neptune". Dex also introduces the set with a bit of patter too! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from this overlooked singer – an east coast vocalist from the 50s, working here on one of the few sessions she ever recorded! Teal's got an exotic look on the cover, but the presentation of the music is right up there in the best mainstream jazz modes of the time – and unlike some of the other small combo vocal work on Bethlehem in the 50s, this album has the fuller feel of the sorts of records you might hear on a label like Capitol or Verve at the time. Ted Steele handles the arrangements – and is also credited with discovering Teal in Atlantic City – and the backings are a mix of jazzy flourishes and larger strings – never poppy or overdone. Titles include "Autumn Leaves", "El Cumbanchero", "Deed I Do", "For You My Love", "Who's Sorry Now", "Let's Fall In Love", and "Easy To Remember". CD also features three bonus alternate takes! CD

Includes "Hummingbird", "How Blue Can You Get", "Caldonia", "Sweet Sixteen", "Ain't Nobody Home", "Why I Sing The Blues", "The Thrill Is Gone", and "Nobody Loves Me But My Mother". LP, Vinyl record album

The definitely got the title right here – as BB King is plenty great, and already a powerhouse in these early years of his career! King sprung forth from the Memphis scene almost fully-formed – and in addition to his famous guitar work, he was also a hell of a singer who could bring a new sort of soulful presence to blues music – able to croon with the charm of a jazz singer in the right moments, join with a doo wop group at others, yet come on with the power of a bluesman whenever he stepped in front of the mic! This great album has BB in all these modes – recorded with brilliantly bold sound – and titles include "I Had A Woman", "Sweet Sixteen", "Someday Baby", "I'm Gonna Quit My Baby", and "I Was Blind". CD features 8 bonus tracks – including "Down Now", "Bim Bam", "Young Dreamers", "Shotgun Blues", "Woman Don't Care", and "Broke & Hungry" – some in rare unissued takes. CD

BB King at his late 60s best – working here in the company of producers Johnny Pate and Quincy Jones, and serving up a great blend of blues and soul in the process! The set's less a "best of", than a collection of ABC work that doesn't seem to be on the other full albums of the time – mostly produced by Johnny Pate, with those great Chicago soul touches that helped his work with King really cross new boundaries – and finally give BB the kind of full, forceful approach that Bobby Blue Bland had been getting for years. The Quincy Jones cuts are two from the soundtrack to For Love Of Ivy – both pretty groovy, with a socking soul punch – and titles on the full album include "Tired Of Your Jive", "Don't Answer The Door", "The BB Jones", "Paying The Cost To Be The Boss", "All Over Again", "I Don't Want You Cutting Off Your Hair", "Sweet Sixteen", "Meet My Happiness", and "You Put It On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A 2 CD set that features two of the more enigmatic Atlantic Records jazz sides from the 70s! Case Of The 3 Sided Dream is a great 70s album by Roland Kirk – one that features him working on a lot of short tracks, in a pretty crazy style! A number of the tracks feature Kirk's uniquely quirky reed style in full effect – often processed with added studio techniques, in a very nice way. And along side that mode, the album's also got a beautiful warm side, with great writing, and a level of sensitivity that's sometimes missing from Kirk's earlier records. Lots of good tracks, including "Freaks For The Festival", "Echoes Of Primitive Ohio and Chili Dogs", "Dream", "Horses", "Side Four", "Portrait Of Those Beautiful Ladies", and "Conversation". Part Of The Search is one of Yusef Lateef's more ambitious albums for Atlantic – kind of a "history of jazz" in styles and expressions, performed with a large set of players that runs the gamut of talents available at the time. The set includes lots of tunes in rawer modes than you'd expect for Yusef – including Kansas City jazz, R&B, and even doo wop! Titles include "Soul's Bakery", "Oatsy Doatsey", "Big Bass Drum", "In The Still Of The Night", "Superfine", "Strange Lullaby", and "Rockhouse". CD

A beautifully haunting set by Yusef that marked his move to Prestige, and a sophistication of the Eastern-tinged jazz style that he developed during his years with Savoy. The tracks on here feature Yusef playing tenor, flute, and argol – with backing by a group of Detroit musicians that includes Hugh Lawson, Wilbur Harden, and Oliver Jackson, all frequent bandmates of Lateef. The tracks have a beautiful quality to them that mixes soulful jazz playing with Eastern approaches to arrangements, and they're unlike anything else we could describe (except, perhaps, some of Lateef's other LPs from the time!). Titles include "Meditation", "Love & Humor", and "Buckingham". CD

A stone classic from Teena Marie – one of her magical self-produced efforts for Motown! The record's a winner all the way through – with a depth to the vocals and backings that are steeped in the 70s styles of Minnie Riperton and Chaka Khan. A few tracks get a bit upbeat funky, but overall, it's the mellow ones we like the best. Titles include "I Need Your Lovin", "Young Love", "First Class Love", "Irons In The Fire", "Chains", "You Make Love Like Springtime", and "Tune In Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky genius from a mighty unique group – one who've drunk deep on the classic steel band sounds of the 70s, but who've also refined that groove with a contemporary funk approach too! The group's the brainchild of Bjorn Wagner – who you might know from The Mighty Mocambos – and the sound here is every bit as well-crafted as that combo, but with the difference of steel drums in the mix! The drums provide most of the melodic elements, while the funky backings kick things up nicely – all at a level that's maybe even funkier than some of the best funky steel drum albums of the 70s – especially across the space of the entire album. Titles include "Xxplosive", "Touchdown", "Burn", "Real Hot", "Hoola Hoop", "1 Thing", "Crockett Theme", "Bocas Del Dragon", "Bushfire", and "I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

Evelyn Champagne King will always be most popularly remembered for her massive disco pop crossover hits of the late 70s, but she progressed really nicely throughout the 80s, keeping up with the evolving dancefloor soul sounds of the times – and Face To Face is a lean, clubby electro soul and funk flavored set with catchy hooks and sweet vocals by Evelyn! The production duties are split almost evenly between the team of Leon Sylvers, Foster Sylvers & Joey Gallo and Andre Cymone – both of which embrace synth and programming, with Cymone's coming off a bit clubbier – but all of it nicely frames Evelyn's lovely vocals. Includes "Action", "Face To Face", "Shake Down", "Telll Me Something Good", "Don't It Feel Good", "Makin' Me So Proud", "Givin' You My Love (What Cha Gonna Do With It)", "Teenager" and "Let's Get Crazy". LP, Vinyl record album

An ambitious larger group album from Yusef Lateef – and one that's carried off with all the genius of his smaller group sessions from the time! Yusef himself is working with a variety of reed instruments – including tenor sax, oboe, flute, and argol – amongst a larger horn section that also features Josea Taylor on bassoon, Tate Houston on baritone sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Clark Terry and Richard Williams on trumpet. Rhythm is by the trio of Joe Zawinul piano, Ben Tucker bass, and Lex Humphries drums – and although the horn arrangements are complicated, they're always soulfully swinging – never too academic, and really done on a way that just expands the mixture of exoticism and hardbop expressed on other Lateef albums! Titles include "Iqbal", "Apathy", "Summer Song", "Revelation", and "The Centaur & The Phoenix". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Jungle Fantasy" and "Titora" – both taken from The Many Faces Of Yusef Lateef album, and done with added percussion and background voices! CD

A fantastic lost slice of work from reedman Yusef Lateef – a performance recorded at the legendary Ronnie Scott's club in London, with backing from a trio that features the wonderful Stan Tracey! Tracey was a committed modernist who really helped shape the sound of the UK scene at the time – and his pairing here with Lateef is wonderful, as Stan seems to bring out some of the most spiritual, most exotic sounds from the saxphonist – shaping the music with his own creative and angular work on piano. Yusef blows flute, tenor, shenai, and xun – and overall, the whole thing's got a vibe that really takes us back to the brilliance of his late 50s sessions for Savoy – done with the same mix of modernism, exoticism, and soul. Titles include "Song Of Delilah", "Last Night Blues", "Yusef's Mood", "Angel Eyes", and "Blues For The Orient". LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual album for Yusef Lateef – and that's saying quite a lot, given how quirky most of his work can be! The session has Lateef exploring both rootsy and modern modes – working in a unique quartet that features George Arvanitas on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and legendary New Orleans musician James Black on drums and assorted percussion. Arvanitas has an excellent style with a very dark edge, and his playing is augmented strongly here by Workman's exploratory basslines, and Black's creatively rhythmic way of approaching the percussion. The whole thing's a very moody session, with a subdued sound, and a nice edgey approach to the material that differs nicely from some of Lateef's other recordings – an earthy feel that grabs the listener from the very first track. Yusef plays flute, tenor, and other wind instruments – and tracks include "Psychicetmotus", "Medula Sonata", "Semiocto", and a version of Satie's "First Gymnopedie". CD

Sublime work from Yusef Lateef – and proof that he could be exotic and swinging at the same time! The three "faces" of the set are Lateef's work on tenor, flute, and oboe – each of which get a few tracks to themselves – as Lateef works with a core Detroit group of Hugh Lawson on piano, Herman Wright on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums – to further refine the already great sound of his earlier albums for Savoy! Tunes are set up in such a way as to vary the instrumentation without varying the mood too much – making for a record with many voices, but a really unified sound overall – and one that's incredibly soulful on the best numbers. Ron Carter joins the group on cello on a few tracks, and Lawson even plays a bit of celeste on the set as well. Titles include "Lateef Minor 7th", "Salt Water Blues", "Adoration", and "Quarantine". LP, Vinyl record album

BB King at his late 60s best – working here in the company of producers Johnny Pate and Quincy Jones, and serving up a great blend of blues and soul in the process! The set's less a "best of", than a collection of ABC work that doesn't seem to be on the other full albums of the time – mostly produced by Johnny Pate, with those great Chicago soul touches that helped his work with King really cross new boundaries – and finally give BB the kind of full, forceful approach that Bobby Blue Bland had been getting for years. The Quincy Jones cuts are two from the soundtrack to For Love Of Ivy – both pretty groovy, with a socking soul punch – and titles on the full album include "Tired Of Your Jive", "Don't Answer The Door", "The BB Jones", "Paying The Cost To Be The Boss", "All Over Again", "I Don't Want You Cutting Off Your Hair", "Sweet Sixteen", "Meet My Happiness", and "You Put It On Me". CD

The rare second album from Clydie King – recorded at a time when she was lending her backing vocals to artists like The Rolling Stones, Steely Dan, and Humble Pie – but a set that firmly puts Clydie in the lead! King's got an amazing style of singing – deep and raspy at one moment, with key southern soul roots – yet also totally tight and together, too – with a focus that really shines on the album's more upbeat tracks – groovers that almost have an east coast club vibe at times, quite similar to material that Clydie recorded with the group Brown Sugar! Titles include "Rushing To Meet You", "Loving You Is So Easy", "Steal Your Love Away", "Punish Me", "Our Love Is Special", and "Morning Sun". CD

A great look at the post-Motown work of Teena Marie – her 80s years on Epic Records, a time when she was charting big with a wonderfully seductive approach to soul! Marie's definitely in charge of her groove here – writing, arranging, and producing most of the work on the set – making her as much of a studio whiz as a female soul singer, a rare distinction in her field – and another layer of Teena's talents that always helped set her apart from the rest. The vibe here is a bit different than the Motown years – a bit more beats and 80s keyboards – and we especially love the mellower cuts, which gave Marie some great quiet storm play back in the day. Titles include "My Dear Mr Gaye", "Just Us Two", "Ooo La La La (12" version)", "Sugar Shack (ext club)", "If I Were A Bell", "Stop The World", "Fix It (12" version)", "Stop The World", "Shadow Boxing", and "Casanova Brown". CD

Duo recordings of standards made famous by Charlie Parker, with titles including "Moose The Mooche", "Ornithology", "Billie's Blues", "Yardbird Suite" and more. CD

A collection of cuts that's way hipper than you might expect – partly the hard rock promised in the title, but also served up in all these really weird and wild ways that more than live up to the unusual spirit of the Finnish scene of the 70s! At the time, Finland was a surprising hotbed of creative recording activity – farther reaches in jazz, inside grooves in fusion, and a strong legacy of rock groups who were really picking up the fuzz and power that UK groups had unleashed at the end of the 60s! There's plenty here that would stand perfectly right next to the headiest guitar hero groups of that generation – but there's also differences at times, too – like a cool, compressed production style that often makes for some really great sonic play overall – and heavy drums that almost get into some funky passages at points. And of course, the lyrics are all in Finnish, which makes these tracks sound even cooler than they might in English – served up on a well-chosen set list that includes "Superkingi" by Jigsaw, "Palaa" by Yellow, "Rokkilauaja Vain" by Danny, "Uskontunnustus" by Woodoo, "Pikku Nainen" by Hard Rock Sallinen, "Plastic Maailma" by Paroni Paakkunaien, "Kivistdan" by Sulo's Rock Band, "Vieras Sateesta" by Apostolit, "American Look" by Haikara, and "Hideko Tojo" by Apollo. LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record from this overlooked Windham Hill team – pianist Barbara Higbie and violinist Darrol Anger – working here in an open live setting that really lives up to the best spirit of the label! Both instruments are used in very fresh ways – moving through that new acoustic underground generation into modes that are more open to new phrasing and concepts, yet without any of the colder, quieter styles you'd hear from ECM records of a similar generation. Instead, there's this subtle sense of brightness, but one that's never too cloying or sentimental – as the players work with a quintet that also includes Mike Marshall on mandolin and guitar, Todd Phillips on bass, and Andy Narell on a bit of steel drums. Titles include "Egrets", "Egypt", "Brann St Sonata", "Pumpkin Time", "Duet", "Tideline", "Near Northern", and "Daughter Of Cups". CD

A pretty hard rocking set of soul instrumentals from Gene Barge – a sax soloist with a honking King Curtis type sound, and a talent who was also doing a fair bit of producing and arranging for Chess during the 60s! This set is one of the few that Gene cut on his own, and is a loping set of tunes with his sax up front, and larger group grooving in different modes based around teen dances of the time. Titles include "The Monkey Time", "Twine Time", "Fine Twine", "The Jerk", "The In Crowd", "I Feel Fine", "It's All Over Now", and "Come See About Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely righteous mix of jazz and African percussion – put together by drummer Art Blakey at a time when he was riding high with the Jazz Messengers, but also was willing to work on great experiments like this! The album's years ahead of its time – and arguably opens the door for countless spiritual jazz projects like this in the 70s, more proof that Blakey was a groundbreaking artist who was always opening doors for others! Blakey's own work on drums is joined by percussion from Montego Joe, Chief Bey, Garvin Masseux, James Ola, Folami, Robert Crowder, and Solomon Ilori – the last of whom would record his own record for Blue Note – and the rest of the group features Yusef Lateef on flute and tenor, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and the great Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass – a great choice for the record, given that he was mixing together similar modes on his own records of the time. Titles include "Tobi Ilu", "Love, The Mystery Of", and "Obirin African". CD

An amazing departure for David Bowie – hardly the kind of record you would expect from his oboe-filled tunes of a few years before – and really the start of the groundbreaking, earthshaking, reinventionist era of his genius! There's a spacious, soaring quality to Space Oddity that's every bit the kind of magical music you might hope for in a set recorded at the close of the 60s – a shift into new modes, new sounds that seem to suck up all the best influences in rock from the previous few years, but fuse it into a new cosmic vision for the next decade. And while others might stumble on cliche with the weight of such a task, Bowie pulls it off brilliantly – mixing his fuzzier feelings with some of his more personal leanings – and showcasing a newly deep sense of songwriting here that's really amazing. Some tunes have the sensitivity of work on Hunky Dory, while others burn with the fire of Man Who Sold The World – all in a balance that never sounds schizophrenic at all. Titles include"Space Oddity", "Memory Of A Free Festival", "God Knows I'm Good", "Cygnet Committee", and "Unwashed & Somewhat Slightly Dazed". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work as a leader from Don Braden – a set that was one of his last before moving onto bigger-label fame, and one that's very firmly rooted in the soul jazz underground! Don's got a really classic sound on his tenor – blowing with focus, poise, and a hell of a lot of soul – at times taking us back to older Houston Person records from a few decades before, but also burning with more fire too – especially on the numbers that leap strongly forward with some great rhythms from Kevin Hays on piano, Joris Teepe on bass, and Cecil Brooks III on drums. Brooks produced the set, keeping all edges sharp – and titles include "The Break", "Hillside", "A Blue Spree", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Landing Zone", "Nightline", and "Amsterdam Jam". CD

Like Dave Brubeck's legendary Time Out set? Try this one – a great record that takes off from the concept of the first, but which goes in some very fresh new directions – using the same great group with Paul Desmond on alto, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums! Dave's still working out some nutty time signatures here – but apart from the science, the thing that really makes the record cook is Desmond's alto – icy, edgey, floating, and always a treat – almost even more amazing in the space of some of these offbeat numbers. Titles include "Maori Blues", "Far More Drums", "Bluetee", "Far More Blue", and "It's A Raggy Waltz". CD features 2 bonus tracks "Slow & Easy" and "It's A Raggy Waltz (live at Carnegie Hall)". CD

A great lost album from Jerry – and a key link in the hip Chicago scene that produced Terry Callier and Oscar Brown Jr! Sure, you might think of the album as a silly "cash in on the folk craze" effort – but Jerry keeps it soulful throughout, and thanks to some wonderful arrangements by Phil Moore III, the record stands out as one of the most compelling in Butler's early years. Jerry sings with a sophisticated style that turns the simple folk songs into compelling vocal numbers with a nice jazzy finish – and the backings are suitably varied from track to track, in a way that really spices up the album wonderfully. The album's got a bit of Terry Callier, a bit of Nina Simone, and a wonderfully large dose of Iceman soul! Titles include "Strawberries", "Eighteen Hammers", "Red Dress", "Who's Gonna Be Your Man", "Little Ole Lite", "When I Lost My Baby", and "Such A Feelin". LP, Vinyl record album

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD

Plenty of echoes of Chess, King, and Atlantic Records here – a late 60s live performance by the Chambers Brothers – but one that's already retro-styled towards modes from earlier in the decade, and styles from the R&B years of the 50s! As with all the group's Vault LPs, the sound here is much rougher than the more psychedelic soul of their Columbia albums – a mode that's plenty darn righteous, and which is presented on live tracks for side one, but which also features more studio material and a few original compositions on side two. Titles include "Blues Get Off My Shoulder", "I Got It", "Shout", "There She Goes", "Seventeen", "Rained The Day You Left", and "So Fine". CD

A massive collection of work by the great Sam Cooke – featuring 30 tunes in all, and spanning the range of his full career – from his early roots in gospel music, to the incredibly powerful soul tunes he cut shortly before his untimely death. The set's got most everything you'd ever want to hear if you're looking for an overview of Sam's work – with titles that include "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Another Saturday Night", "Good Times", "Having A Party", "Sugar Dumpling", "Ain't That Good News", "Nothing Can Change This Love", "Little Red Rooster", "I'll Come Running Back To You", "What A Wonderful World", "Cupid", "Chain Gang", "Summertime", and "Only Sixteen". CD

Very weird bit of stoner rock with a slight soul edge, and kind of a rock version of the Isaac Hayes baroque approach to pop covers. Danny Cox performs a number of Dylan and Beatles tunes – like "Dear Prudence", "My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Baby Blue", "Hey Jude", "Just Like A Woman", and "Day In The Life" – all with small group backing on guitars and steel guitar, and kind of a "back to the country" rock approach. Not really a soul record, or really our bag, but an obscure oddity, and produced and arranged by Gary Usher. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing blend of astral jazz and atmospheric orchestral soundscapes – composed and directed by coronetist Rob Mazurek! Exploding Star Orchestra is an apt name, but it's more of a bright and glorious explosion than a calamitous one – a sweeping couple of soundtracky suites that's the culmination of a couple years of work by Mazurek and a major contribution from Nicole Mitchell on flute – plus Jeb Bishop on trombone, Corey Wilkes on flugelhorn, Jeff Parker on guitar, John McEntire on marimba and tubular bells, John Herndon on drums, Jim Baker on piano & ARP, Jazon Adasiewicz on vibes, Matthew Lux on bass, Mike Reed on drums, percussion & saw, and others. It's part informed improvisation, part boundary free composition, and pretty wonderful all the way through! We expected something special, but this one goes above and beyond. Following the Frequency project by about 6 months, this is the second near classic avant garde jazz album on Thrill Jockey in a relative short stretch! 2 multi-part titles: The 70s style soul jazz groover "Sting Ray And The Beginning Of Time" (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 – Psycho-Tropic Electric Eel Drum and Part 4), "Cosmic Tomes For Sleep Walking Lovers" (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 – Fifteen Wais Towards A Finite Universe, and Part 5) – and the mellow, piano led centerpiece "Black Sun". CD

A sweet overview of the early years of Aretha Franklin's career – her formative days at Columbia Records, when she was working in a variety of styles before heading over to bigger fame at Atlantic! Even at this early stage, Aretha's one hell of a singer – and, despite what folks who listen to Jerry Wexler might say, this early Columbia work is pretty darn amazing throughout – steeped in a number of different modes, with bits of jazz, R&B, and early soul sewn together beautifully throughout. The double-length set is filled with key early moments from Aretha – and titles include "Don't Cry Baby", "Lee Cross", "Skylark", "One Step Ahead", "Evil Gal Blues", "Take A Look", "Runnin Out Of Fools", "People", "Try A Little Tenderness", and "Take It Like You Give It". LP, Vinyl record album

Gerardo Frisina always seems to give us joyful sounds – but this time around, that might be the case more than ever – as the album's overflowing with all sorts of lively rhythms that are peppered with jazz-based instrumentation! Things are less hard-driving than some of Frisina's earlier work – which allows more space for things to seep into the grooves in a really nice way – warm Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ, and sweet solos on saxes, flute, and trumpet! As always, Frisina's the maestro at the helm – working rhythms both acoustic and electric – but there's also a fair bit of guest players who provide the live instrumentation – on tracks that include plenty of Gerardo's own songs, plus takes on tracks by Joao Donato, Waltel Branco, and Yusef Lateef. Titles include "Misterioso", "Hombre", "Naquela Base (new blend)", "On Again (album version)", "Hechizo Magico", "Dansi Na/Mahaba", "Parkview Theme", "Duende", and "Africa (Brazil)". CD

A never-issued studio session from the 70s – one that has Stan Getz working with a really superb group that includes Joanne Brackeen on electric and acoustic piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all exploring the kind of territory that we loved on Stan's classic mid 70s albums on Columbia! The set's on Steeplechase, but this isn't one of those EU live albums with long takes of standards – and instead, the group have a warm, intimate, really cohesive style that's completely great – almost a bridge between Stan's Captain Marvel album and the Concord sessions to come. Titles include some really great song choices – versions of Milton Nascimento's "Cancao Do Sal" and Kenny Wheeler's "Quiso" – plus the classic tune "Litha" by Chick Corea, which Stan recorded so wonderfully in the past. Other titles include "Blue Serge", "I Remember Clifford", and "Lady Sings The Blues". CD features three bonus alternate takes too! CD

A really wonderful album of obscure jazz recordings from the Chicago scene of the 70s – way more than just the usual school band record, as the tracks here are mostly originals, and performed by a very inventive group of musicians! Governor's State University was a very hip place at the time – a public college at the end of the main train line running through the south side of Chicago – which made the school a place of great opportunity and expression for the city's African-American community. Rather than a junior college, GSU had higher levels of learning – and had an especially strong jazz program, as you'll hear in this set – which features both sextet performances and work by a larger ensemble – both imbued with some of the best creative legacy of the Chicago scene. Things never go far outside, but there's definitely a deeper understanding of musical reaches taking place here – and the core quartet features Walter Henderson on cornet, John Pate on piano, Eugene Vineyard on tenor, Ronald Askew on guitar, Jeff Simon on bass, and Curtis Prince on drums. These players are in the larger group – which also features William Howell and Gerald Myrow on trombones, Vincent Carter and Steele Seales on saxes, and Kenneth Brass and Melvin Williams on trumpets. Titles include "Crabmeat", "Song For Suzanne", "Keishaz", "Give It One", "Listen Here", and "Spanish Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

An early moment of genius from the great Grant Green – a set that's a real standout from his other Blue Note albums of the time – even though all of those are plenty darn great as well! Grant's working here with an unusual group – Yusef Lateef on tenor and flute, making a rare Blue Note appearance, and playing with a very soulful, very hardbop edge – and the excellent Jack McDuff on Hammond – a musician who wouldn't show up more at the label for a few more years! Tracks are nice and long, with an open, loping rhythm that's perfect for all three soloists – thanks to Al Harewood on drums, who really helps open things up for Green. Titles include "Grantstand", "My Funny Valentine", "Blues In Maude's Flat", and "Old Folks" – all done in nicely relaxed takes. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic straight session by Joe Henderson – cut during his early years, when he was breaking out of the box with a heck of a lot of fire! Kenny Dorham's subdued lyricism complements Joe's impassioned playing over the angular, yet still-swinging rythm section of Andrew Hill, Eddie Kahn and Pete La Roca. The track "Pedro's Time" reflects Joe's fascination with Latin-flavored pieces (as evidenced by Joe's previous effort Page One, and his work on Dorham's Una Mas), while pieces like "Teeter Totter", "Our Thing" and "Back Road" play with time and structure in subtle ways. CD includes a bonus alternate take of "Teeter Totter (alternate take)". CD

A classic straight session by Joe Henderson – cut during his early years, when he was breaking out of the box with a heck of a lot of fire! Kenny Dorham's subdued lyricism complements Joe's impassioned playing over the angular, yet still-swinging rythm section of Andrew Hill, Eddie Kahn and Pete La Roca. The track "Pedro's Time" reflects Joe's fascination with Latin-flavored pieces (as evidenced by Joe's previous effort Page One, and his work on Dorham's Una Mas), while pieces like "Teeter Totter", "Our Thing" and "Back Road" play with time and structure in subtle ways. CD includes a bonus alternate take of "Teeter Totter (alternate take)". CD

Late work from the great Billie Holiday – the kind of mature set that made Verve Records such a perfect home for the singer in the 50s! Where other labels might have pushed too much to try to get Billie into more commercial, or more straightforward modes – Verve just relaxes into the kind of small combo sound that usually had the singer at her best – pairing Holiday with a great lineup that includes Harry Edison on trumpet, Ben Webster on tenor, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and Barney Kessel on guitar. The songs are short and focused – with Billie at the top of her form on familiar standards like "Comes Love", "Darn That Dream", "Body & Soul", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and "Embraceable You". This deluxe reissue features 3 takes of "Comes Love", new notes, great sound, and a cool looking package! CD

Jazz bass great Dave Holland working in an inspired flamenco steeped setting – and it works very well! Holland holds the rhythm on wonderful way, and having the bass so prominent keeps the set somewhat grounded in jazz rather than straight flamenco. The great guitarist Pepe Habichulela leads the guitars, with Josemi and Carlos Carmona also on guitar, Israel Pirrina and Juan Carmona on cajon and percussion. Titles include "Hands", "Subi La Cuesta", "Camaron", "The Whirling Dervish", "Bailaor", "Joyride", "My Friend Dave". CD

The album that rocked a million dorm rooms back in the 60s – and for good reason, too – given that the title track is a side-long, totally jamming monster – the kind of track that was really revolutionary at the time, and which still has a hell of an impact all these many years later! "In A Gadda Da Vida" was shortened to a single – with the big hook intact – but this classic album version runs for 17 minutes in length, and has the group doing all these cool jams with their instruments – all the animals in the garden of Eden talking to each other (or at least that's what our addled teenaged minds always thought!) Shorter tracks are mighty nice too – a heady, heavy brew of Hammond and fierce guitar from Erik Brann, on cuts all penned by group leader Doug Ingle. Titles include "Termination", "My Mirage", "Flowers & Roses", and "Most Anything You Want". CD

The album that rocked a million dorm rooms back in the 60s – and for good reason, too – given that the title track is a side-long, totally jamming monster – the kind of track that was really revolutionary at the time, and which still has a hell of an impact all these many years later! "In A Gadda Da Vida" was shortened to a single – with the big hook intact – but this classic album version runs for 17 minutes in length, and has the group doing all these cool jams with their instruments – all the animals in the garden of Eden talking to each other (or at least that's what our addled teenaged minds always thought!) Shorter tracks are mighty nice too – a heady, heavy brew of Hammond and fierce guitar from Erik Brann, on cuts all penned by group leader Doug Ingle. Titles include "Termination", "My Mirage", "Flowers & Roses", and "Most Anything You Want" – plus live and single versions of the title track. CD

Heads or tails, it's a winner every time – as the record's one of the last clear moments of genius from keyboardist Bob James in the 70s! The sound here is stepping out a bit more from Bob's earlier sides on CTI, but there's still plenty of great keyboard work to make the album worth seeking out – as well as that unusual James approach to rhythm, which often makes tunes come across with lots of angular moments and darker corners, no matter how smooth the overall production might sound. Other players here include Richard Tee, Ralph MacDonald, Randy Brecker, Alphonso Johnson, and Steve Gadd – and titles include the seminal break track "Night Crawler", plus "Heads", "We're All Alone", "I'm In You", and "One Loving Night". LP, Vinyl record album

Saxophonist Gisle Roen Johansen's been working on the Norwegian scene since the mid 90s, but this is his first set as a leader – a really well-crafted, large-format record that shows that he was clearly brewing up plenty of new ideas before stepping into the studio at the head of his own group! Johansen plays saxes, keyboards, and composed the long pieces on the set – with a core group that mixes guitar with both electric and acoustic basses, in a way that creates plenty of tonal activity alongside the reed lines – balanced out with voice work on two of the album's tracks, but in a wordless way that works nicely with the instrumentation! Two of the three cuts also have some pedal steel, furthering the sonic texture from the guitar – at a level that maybe nods a bit to some of the older Bill Laswell projects – and titles include "Morrasol", "Jon", and "Kveldsragg". LP, Vinyl record album

The overdue debut as a leader for reedman Josh Johnson – once part of our scene here in Chicago, but also a musician with a wide range of experience that includes work with Leon Bridges, Jeff Parker, and Marquis Hill! Yet despite those ties, Josh breaks out here as a musician with a vibe that's completely his own – doubling up on other instruments at times, and working with contributions from Gergory Uhlmann on guitar, Anna Butterss on bass, and Aaron Steele on drums – in a fluid mix of live instrumentation, effects, and other touches – not as edited as some of the work on International Anthem, but also not a conventional jazz record either. We're hoping to hear plenty more from Johnson to come – but right now we're really digging the cuts that include "Western Ave", "Eclipsing", "Bowed", "Nerf Day", "856", "Return Recoil", and "False Choice". Japanese pressing features the bonus track "Western Ave (extended play)". CD

A tight little groover from Wynton Kelly – one of a few mid 60s gems done for Verve in a style that's harder-hitting and more focused than some of Kelly's other work! The record's got an approach that's a bit pop, but plenty darn soulful too – a style that focuses the already-great Kelly approach to the keys, and brings it into territory explored by Ramsey Lewis and Ray Bryant – kicking up the rhythms with lots of playful touches, including extra guitar by Kenny Burrell and conga from Candido, and even an added steel band on one number! The record's got a few mellower ballads that recall the lyrical Kelly mode of the past – but most is upbeat and very grooving – with titles that include "South Seas", "Not A Tear", "It's All Right", "Kelly Roll", "Moving Up", and "Escapade". CD

A tight little groover from Wynton Kelly – one of a few mid 60s gems done for Verve in a style that's harder-hitting and more focused than some of Kelly's other work! The record's got an approach that's a bit pop, but plenty darn soulful too – a style that focuses the already-great Kelly approach to the keys, and brings it into territory explored by Ramsey Lewis and Ray Bryant – kicking up the rhythms with lots of playful touches, including extra guitar by Kenny Burrell and conga from Candido, and even an added steel band on one number! The record's got a few mellower ballads that recall the lyrical Kelly mode of the past – but most is upbeat and very grooving – with titles that include "South Seas", "Not A Tear", "It's All Right", "Kelly Roll", "Moving Up", and "Escapade". CD

One of the best-remembered albums from the Atlantic Records run of the legendary Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a set that stands as Kirk's answer to all the hipper soul currents that were taking place at the time – including some that were being issued by singers on Atlantic Records! The album is mostly instrumental, but Roland has this way of singing through his reeds at times, especially his flute – really bringing an earthy sense of personality to the whole thing – as he mixes his acoustic lines on flute, tenor, and other reeds with work from Richard Tee on electric piano, Mickey Tucker on organ, Billy Butler on guitar, and Dick Griffin on trumpet. There's a few vocal spots from other singers – Cissy Houston sings on two great cuts – and titles include remakes of "Never Can Say Goodbye", "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me", "My Girl", and "Ain't No Sunshine" – plus some other nice originals by Roland, including Blacknuss", "Which Way Is It Going", and "One Nation". CD