A well-timed Greatest Hits set for The Commodores – because it came out in 1978, and captures the group at their best early prime! This is the stuff that made the group great long before they lapsed into cliches and soft adult contemporary pap – and a number of tracks here have a fair bit of funk in the mix, something that will come as a surprise if you only know the group's later hits. Titles include "Brick House", "Fancy Dancer", "Slippery When Wet", "Machine Gun", "Just To Be Close To You", "Too Hot Ta Trot" – and yes, ok, the record does include "Three Times A Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A super-funky set – two vintage albums from Con Funk Shun – back to back on a single CD! The self-titled Con Funk Shun album is quite different than their later, better known hits! The group sure knew how to slap that bass, even back on this first album for Mercury – but then again, they – along with other big Mercury groups like The Ohio Players – were pioneering the bass-heavy sound that would influence countless bands over the next decade in soul. This first album's actually one of the group's best, with some nice rough edges that we like even more than the smoother sound of later albums. And oddly, some of our favorite cuts are the mellower ones – like the smooth jazzy instrumental "Foley Park", which has a nice moogy solo in the middle. Other good mellow cuts include "Another World", which almost has a "Summer Madness" quality to it, plus "Forever Just Ain't Long Enough" and "Never Be The Same". Secrets is a great early album from Con Funk Shun – a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze – done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and beyond – honest, intimate, and at times just more focused in the vocals department than both the funky soul groups of the time and the quiet storm singers of the approaching early 80s – and still doesn't spare the bass, horns and funky interplay! High points include the closing instrumental "Indian Summer Love" and funky centerpiece "Ffun" –plus "Doowhachawannadoo", "Who Has The Time", "Secrets", "Tear In My Eye" and "I'll Set You Out OK". CD also features a bonus track – "Ffun (12" version)" – a clubby killer! CD

A great early album from Con Funk Shun – a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze – done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and beyond – honest, intimate, and at times just more focused in the vocals department than both the funky soul groups of the time and the quiet storm singers of the approaching early 80s – and still doesn't spare the bass, horns and funky interplay! High points include the closing instrumental "Indian Summer Love" and funky centerpiece "Ffun" –plus "Doowhachawannadoo", "Who Has The Time", "Secrets", "Tear In My Eye" and "I'll Set You Out OK". LP, Vinyl record album

A great quartet date from guitarist Larry Coryell – quite laidback at times, but pretty darn soulful too – thanks to a rhythm section that features Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums! Coryell's not as dynamic with his guitar lines as in years back, but that's ok with us – because he takes on a fluid groove next to Kenny's piano almost making the album feel like a Barron album at times, with added guitar. Titles include "The Duke", "Nefertiti", "Floyd Gets A Gig", "The Sorcerer", "Yesterdays", and "Apathy Rains", which is a duet between Kenny and Larry. Includes the bouns track "All The Things You Are". CD

The group were certainly doing something right – as this album has Joe Cuba's sextet at the top of their game, easily showing why they were one of the best groups on the New York scene of the 60s! The album's a pivotal one in the development of Latin Soul – as it sports the incredible track "El Pito" – one of those Latin jammers that grabbed everyone right away, and which has barely ever been matched since! The album's also got some great use of English language lyrics – crucial to the unique crossover sound that Joe was forging, and a real bridge between Spanish and African American Harlem in the 60s. Titles include "My Wonderful You", "El Pito (I'll Never Go Back To Georgia)", "Pruebalo, OK?", "Bochinchosa", "Incomparable", and "Clave Mambo". LP, Vinyl record album

The Cure get taken into dancefloor territory – but that's OK, given that most of these tracks are from the years when the group was already moving into clubbier sounds after the raw style of their post-punk beginnings! Yet Robert Smith continues to find the right way to bring melancholy to a groove – as you'll hear on the album's remixes of "In Between Days", "The Caterpillar", "Why Can't I Be You", "Pictures Of You", "Hot Hot Hot", "Never Enough", "A Forest", "Lovesong", "The Walk", "Close To Me", "Lullaby", and "Fascination Street". Cassette

An overlooked gem from this great pianist – one of his few dates as a leader, and maybe the boldest of them all – as the session really soars with a heck of a lot of spiritual energy! The vibe here is maybe more in the Muse Records side of the spectrum than Strata East, but that's OK with us as the whole thing really soars with all this searching, modal energy – delivered by a very cool group that features Carter Jefferson on soprano and tenor sax, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums! Cheryl Alexander sings on one track – giving the record a slightly soulful vibe. Titles include "Dues We Have To Pay", "Black Raspberry", "I Love You", "Gee Monetti", and "Autumn Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album by Eddie Daniels – and loads better than most of his later work! About half the tracks feature Daniels playing clarinet, which is OK – but the best ones have him on tenor, working away in a lyrical modal mode that's really great. The rhythm's by a trio that includes Roland Hanna, Richard Davis, and Mel Lewis – and the album has that oddball soul jazz sound you'll find on other Prestige titles at the time by players like Jaki Byard or Eric Kloss. Titles include "Felicidad", "That Waltz", "Love's Long Journey", and "The Spanish Flee". CD

The first album by Eddie Daniels – and loads better than most of his later work! About half the tracks feature Daniels playing clarinet, which is OK – but the best ones have him on tenor, working away in a lyrical modal mode that's really great. The rhythm's by a trio that includes Roland Hanna, Richard Davis, and Mel Lewis – and the album has that oddball soul jazz sound you'll find on other Prestige titles at the time by players like Jaki Byard or Eric Kloss. Titles include "Felicidad", "That Waltz", "Love's Long Journey", and "The Spanish Flee". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great ones from Ian Dury – a record that goes way beyond simple quirky rock, and explodes with some wonderful jazzy touches! The sound here is totally great – very much in the sway of Chaz Jankel's musical direction, and filled with great bits on sax, keyboards, and guitar that have a fair bit more warmth and soul than Dury's original records. There's actually less standout hits here – but that's ok, because the record has a really unified feel overall – strongly in the funky arty dancefloor mode that you might expect from some of the Ze Records camp. Titles include "Dance Of The Screamers", "Inbetweenies", "Quiet", "Sink My Boats", "Don't Ask Me", "This Is What We Find", and "Uneasy Sunny Day Hotsy Totsy". CD

One of the great ones from Ian Dury – a record that goes way beyond simple quirky rock, and explodes with some wonderful jazzy touches! The sound here is totally great – very much in the sway of Chaz Jankel's musical direction, and filled with great bits on sax, keyboards, and guitar that have a fair bit more warmth and soul than Dury's original records. There's actually less standout hits here – but that's ok, because the record has a really unified feel overall – strongly in the funky arty dancefloor mode that you might expect from some of the Ze Records camp. Titles include "Dance Of The Screamers", "Inbetweenies", "Quiet", "Sink My Boats", "Don't Ask Me", "This Is What We Find", and "Uneasy Sunny Day Hotsy Totsy". LP, Vinyl record album

Earth Wind & Fire cut this one a few years before the actual turn of the century – but that's a-ok with us, because Maurice White & company were always years ahead of their time! The record steps nicely off the modes used by EWF during the 80s – the tighter, more focused approach to the groove that showed up on their later Columbia sides, but which was still quite a bit better than most of their contemporaries – especially the legions of groups who grew up to copy their sound through the years! Production and percussion are a bit 90s-sounding, but surprisingly undated years later – thanks to a continuing commitment to righteous themes and jazz-based flourishes in the tunes – as well as some nice use of kalimba interludes to give the record occasional earthy moments! Philip Bailey still holds sway on some of the mellower ballads – and titles include "Even If You Wonder", "Sunday Morning", "Blood Brothers", "Divine", "Honor The Magic", "Super Hero", "Just Another Lonely Night", "Love Across The Wire", and "Chicago Blues". CD

A real standout in the Bill Evans catalog for Riverside – and that's saying a lot, given how important all of his Riverside albums are! The core session's a rare quintet outing for Evans – one that breaks the mode of the usual trio format by adding in Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Jim Hall on guitar – alongside rhythm players Percy Heath on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – already a unique enough match for Evans' talents. In a way, the record's one of those sessions that Riverside would sometimes do – pairing a key new voice as a leader with others in an all-star group – but in another way, it's also a return to the sound that first brought Evans' to a wider audience in the 1957 and 1958 years – when he was working in non-trio groups with more famous players – adding his unique piano stylings to their (then) better-known solo modes. The pairing of Evans and Hall has been beautifully documented on other records – and sounds equally great here – but the real treat is Freddie Hubbard's horn, which often lays back on most of the tracks, then bursts in with a brashness that really ignites some of the tunes! He's playing a bit muted here, trying to go for that Miles/Evans combination from the late 50s – but that's plenty ok with us, as we love those records a lot. Titles include "When You Wish Upon A Star", "You & The Night & The Music", "I'll Never Smile again", "You Go To My Head" and the Evans original, "Interplay". This double-length set also expands the original Interplay album with even more material from another group session in 1962 – a set recorded also with Philly Joe Jones on drums and Jim Hall on guitar – plus Ron Carter on bass and Zoot Sims on tenor. Titles include "Time Remembered", "Loose Bloose", "Fun Ride", "There Came You", "Fudgesickle Built For Four", and "My Bells". CD

An amazing shift for Family – the group's first album after Rick Grech left for Blind Faith – and a set that has the group really reinventing their sound! The vocals of Roger Chapman are maybe even more dynamic and upfront than ever before – really finding that special sort of spirit that made him one of the most unique talents on the British scene of the time – but maybe the most unusual aspect of the record is the presence of new group member Poli Palmer – who brings in all these cool new sounds on keyboards, flute, and vibes! Those elements create a richness in the sound that wasn't there before – one that seems to give the vocals of Chapman even more focus than usual – on titles that include "Drowned In Wine", "Some Poor Soul", "Love Is A Sleeper", "The Cat & The Rat", "A Song For Me", "Wheels", "Stop For The Traffic Through The Heart Of Me", "Hey Let It Rock", and "93's OK J". LP, Vinyl record album

Maynard Ferguson cut an undue number of excellent records in his early years – and this smoking set is definitely part of that group! At the time, Maynard was one of the few cats trying to find a way to move the larger band forward in jazz – finding ways to groove like Basie, but also add in some higher ideals, too – all with a surprisingly soulful current that definitely earns the title, and hints at his funky work to come in the 70s! Here, things are more shaded in blue tones and given a nice rhythmic kick – and as always with Maynard, the choice of band members is great – as the lineup features Charlie Mariano on alto, Don Rader on trumpet, Phil Bodner on reeds, Richard Davis on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums – working with strong creative energy on titles that include "What'd I Say", "Baltimore Oriole", "I Believe To My Soul", "I've Got A Woman", and "Alright OK You Win". CD

A nice little Chicago group single from the old days! The Four Blazes were a lot rawer than some of their Chitown contemporaries, but that's ok with us – especially as the songs on this single seem to work better with less polished harmonies! 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" CD

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" LP, Vinyl record album

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" LP, Vinyl record album

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" CD

Very interesting work from Chico Hamilton – one of his most compelling albums of the 50s! The three "faces" of Chico are as follows: his vocals, his solo percussion, and his quintet. Forget the vocals, because they're just OK (and Chico hardly embarked on a singing career after this one) – and focus on the percussion and quintet sides, because they're totally amazing! The percussion tracks have Chico playing solo, with a really haunting sound to them. There's not a lot of tricks, or pyrotechnics, and his work in this respect almost points the way to later recordings by Andrew Cyrille. The quintet sides are great, too – as this is the point at which Chico's got Eric Dolphy and Dennis Budimir in the group, both of whom draw a good edge on Chico's popular sound of a few years previous. Titles include "No Speak No English Man", "Miss Movement", "Trinkets", "Happy Little Dance", and "Newport News". LP, Vinyl record album

Less of a jazz album than some of Eddie's other records – but that's ok with us! As a soul album, the record's actually pretty darn great – arranged and produced by Richard Evans with a late Chicago soul approach that has Eddie's funky sax stepping amidst some larger orchestrations and some occasional female vocal choruses. There's still plenty of cool Harris touches on the material – like odd instrumentation that creeps in from time to time, making for an exotic feel – and titles include "The Loneliest Monk", "Theme For The Foxy Ladies", "You Stole My Heart", "I'm Tired Of Driving", "You Are The One", "Two Times Two Equals Love", and "What's Wrong With The World Today". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of solos, finely crafted by Hemphill with a great deal of soul and emotion. Hemphill put together the whole album himself, and he claims that it is "dimensional solo music postured from the expressive blues idiom". Sounds about right to us, and album's one of our favorites by him from the time. Titles include "Hotend", "Countryside", "OK Rubberband", "Dirty Row", and "Antecedent". 2CDs strong. CD

Groove Holmes and Gerald Wilson – a wonderful combination on this late 60s session – in a style that's everything great about mainstream LA jazz at the time! Wilson really has a way with the charts on the session – and although the group is large, they've got a lean, clean sound that bounces along nicely – slightly funky at times, always soulful at others – a perfect backdrop for the well-played Hammond lines that Groove brings to the set! The album's not as much of an all-out organ wailer as some of Holmes' albums for Prestige – but that's a-ok with us, because Wilson's group features some other great players too – including Dennis Budimir on guitar, Tony Ortega and Arnie Watts on saxes, and Paul Humphrey on drums! Titles include "Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife", "High Blues Pressure", "Listen Here", "Oklahoma Toad", "Rhythm & Groove", "In & Out", and "Isole Natalie". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure little live set – recorded at the end of the 70s, at a time that makes it some of Sonny Stitt's last work on record! The format is straight and boppish – with some lyrical touches, and a strong open solo mode that goes well with the live setting. Stitt seems to dominate a bit more than Jackson, but that's ok with us – as he's in his best "back to basics" format of the 70s. The rest of the group features Gerald Price on piano, Don Moses on bass, and Bobby Durham on drums – and titles include "Loose Walk", "Star Eyes", "SKJ", and "Parking Lot Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from jazz singer Etta Jones – an effort cut around the same time as her better-known records for Prestige, but one that's maybe done with an even hipper sound overall! Etta's nicely laidback, and hits that soulful, singing mood that makes her so great right from the start – a bit offbeat, but in the best way possible – as Jones brings older bluesy inflections into play with more contemporary ideas – all set to wonderful instrumentation from a cool group that features Junior Mance on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Joe Newman on trumpet, Frank Wess on tenor, and Mike Manieri on vibes. The song choices are great – and the balance between steppers and mellow cuts is perfect – on titles that include "Swinging Shepherd Blues", "All Right OK You Win", "Moon Man", "Did I Remember", "Lonely Crowd", and "I Was Telling Him About You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really early record by a young, fresh-faced George Jones – his full length debut, actually – released in 1957 by Starday, not too long after his debut appearance at the Grand Ole Opry! George had been recording some artistically promising, if underselling singles for a couple years prior, including the now legendary rockabilly sides (on which he was billed as "Thumper" Jones), but this was his first full length showcase as a rising country singer. The title is pure showbiz, as George wouldn't be a big star for a couple more years. He was ready, though! The songs are great, and he wrote or co-wrote most of 'em – and oh man, that VOICE – this is where the legend begins, people! Includes the early classic "Why, Baby, Why", and a whole bunch of great tunes, including "You Gotta Be My Baby", "Ragged But Right", "It's OK", "Still Hurtin'", "Boat Of Life", "Let Him Know", "Play It Cool" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A sprawling extended album that had a bit of a legendary status before it was ever released – in part because Kanye West recorded part of the record in the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta while it was closed down during the pandemic! The set brings forward some of the spiritual themes of the album's predecessor, but also has some sharper hip hop edges overall – and some of the anger that reflects the changes that were taking place in Kanye's personal life at the time – reflected in a few of the album's more intense tracks, which are usually some of the best. Titles include "Jail", "God Breathed", "Hurricane", "Off The Grid", "Jonah", "Ok Ok", "Praise God", "Believe What I Say", "24", "Remote Control", "Moon", "Heaven & Hell", "Keep My Spirit Alive", "Donda", and "New Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Ok, so you might be sick of hearing "Stand By Me" over and over on oldies stations, but Ben's one of the greatest soul singers of the 60s, and checking out this greatest hits set, you'll be surprised at how many great songs he sung that you might not know! Nice ones include "That's When It Hurts", "Around the Corner", "How Can I Forget", "Young Boy Blues", "I (Who Have Nothing)", and the incredible "Amor". LP, Vinyl record album

Niceness from Evelyn King to cap the end of the 70s! She's really in great form here – stepping out with some fully clubby backings, and working with the mighty T-Life, who's really got a great ear for her groove! The style's a bit less disco than previous albums – some simpler soul at points, mixed with other upbeat modes that hearken a bit more towards the sound of the dancefloor in the early 80s – almost a precursor to that decade's groove at points. Evelyn's vocals are proudly soaring throughout – never too over the top, and always right on the money – and tracks include "Music Box", "I Think My Heart Is Telling", "Out There", "It's OK", "No Time For Fooling Around", and "Make Up Your Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

Two killers from 70s keyboard legend Marc Moulin – both very much in the spirit of his work with Placebo! "Mona Call" is a fast-stepping number that's awash with all sorts of great Fender Rhodes lines – served up in that cool, chomping style Moulin does so well – and peppered with some great reed solos too! The keys continue strongly on "Waterfall" – a number in a similar tempo, and one that feels almost like a part 2 to the main cut – which is a-OK with us! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A treasure trove of work from the European scene – recordings that were unissued at the time, but which feature fantastic performance by American soloists done for Austrian radio! The core group is led by trombonist Eich Kleinschuster – a player from Vienna who never got much notice on our side of the Atlantic, but who was a fantastic host for visiting musicians in a series of broadcast concerts done by the Austrian radio – with Erich as the leader, and a fair bit of work on piano and Fender Rhodes from the mighty Fritz Pauer – a talent you'll know from some key MPS Records sessions of the period! And the vibe here is very much like MPS at its best – a great meeting of talents, at a level that rises everyone else involved – which makes these sessions superb throughout, no matter the soloist. This Volume 3 features three great tracks with trumpeter Carmell Jones – "And Things Will Change", "Fantangolin", and "The J Dance" – and three more with trumpeter Art Farmer – "Eau Sauvage", "Red Jeans", and "Alisarb". There's also six great tracks with trombonist Slide Hampton, who also helps with arrangements – on titles that include "New World", "Spain", "Ok Persson", "Wide Slide", "Soulsides", and "TEE". LP, Vinyl record album

Very experimental work from this loose Canadian collective of the late 60s – but a set that's filled with some surprisingly cool touches too! The album's almost more of a "happening" in the studio at times – with free-flowing energy between jazz musicians, rockers, poets, electronocists, and more experimentally sonic scientists – shifting styles quickly from track to track, but occasionally hitting some straighter, funkier moments that are totally great – almost a more tripped-out version of some of the French electronique work we love so much from the 60s – and a record that's mindblowingly beautiful in its sense of freedom and creativity. The whole thing's a sonic trip through incredibly fresh territory – never too overindulgent, and beautifully balanced both in sound and execution. Titles include "Ode A L'Affaire", "J'Ai Perdue 15 Cents Dans Le Nez Froid", "Finale", "Viens Danser Le OK La", "Agnus Dei", "Desafinado", "She's Leaving Home", and "Intermezzo". LP, Vinyl record album

It takes a record like this one to remind us just what a magical crossover time the post-disco, post-punk days of the early 80s could be! Take two white guys from Denmark – Tim Stahl and John Guldberg – give them a drum machine and some funky beats, and out comes the breakdance classic "White Horse", which was one of the more sinister dancefloor numbers of its time. Sure, it's super-kitschy, but it hit pop-and-break crowd bigtime, and had kids from The Bronx to Bed-Stuy ripping up linoleum everywhere, and dragging it out into busy sidewalks where they could block off traffic! The other tracks on the album aren't as great, but ok electro pop – and titles include "Sunshine Reggae", "Elevator Boy", "Slowmotion Girl", and "Walking In The Sunshine". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Little Willie John's greatest cuts! "Talk To Me" is a sublime early soul number – and was the inspiration for countless singers in years to come, all beating Willie's time while he was in jail! "Spasms" has more of a hard R&B feel – and that's a-ok with us! 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Seemed like Joe was always in a mambo mood at the time he was making these sides for Tico – but that's A-OK with us, as the record's a corker – tight little grooves in Joe's best percussion/piano format! A few tracks even have some vibes, which makes for a nice sound – and titles include "Gee", "Way Marie", "Why Don't You Doo Right", "El Baion", and "Kismet". LP, Vinyl record album

The official full length debut from Lupe Fiasco – another wholly unique Chicago MC who's gotten the runaround from seemingly every major label in the biz – and a record that lives up to the long-building hype! Frankly, we were scared almost immediately when we heard the description "skate rap" applied to "Kick, Push" – only to find our fears unfounded. Lupe's only going to be himself – which is what makes him such a strong MC (other than the masterful breath control) – and that individualistic approach is proving to be Chicago's gift to mainstream hip hip. The Neptunes provide one of their best productions of the past couple years for "I Gotcha" – but the soundtracky productions by Soundtrakk (natch) are even better. Other tracks include "Real" feat Sara Green, "Just Might Be OK" feat Gemini, "Kick, Push", "The Instrumental" feat Jonah Matranga, "He Say She Say" feat Gemini & Sarah Green, "Sunshine", "Daydreamin'" feat Jill Scott, "The Cool" (produced by Kanye), "Hurt Me Soul", "Pressure" feat Jay-Z, "American Terrorist" feat Matthew Santos, "The Cool", "The Emperor's Soundtrack" and more! CD

The official full length debut from Lupe Fiasco – another wholly unique Chicago MC who's gotten the runaround from seemingly every major label in the biz – and a record that lives up to the long-building hype! Frankly, we were scared almost immediately when we heard the description "skate rap" applied to "Kick, Push" – only to find our fears unfounded. Lupe's only going to be himself – which is what makes him such a strong MC (other than the masterful breath control) – and that individualistic approach is proving to be Chicago's gift to mainstream hip hip. The Neptunes provide one of their best productions of the past couple years for "I Gotcha" – but the soundtracky productions by Soundtrakk (natch) are even better. Other tracks include "Real" feat Sara Green, "Just Might Be OK" feat Gemini, "Kick, Push", "The Instrumental" feat Jonah Matranga, "He Say She Say" feat Gemini & Sarah Green, "Sunshine", "Daydreamin'" feat Jill Scott, "The Cool" (produced by Kanye) , "Hurt Me Soul", "Pressure" feat Jay-Z, "American Terrorist" feat Matthew Santos, "The Cool", "The Emperor's Soundtrack" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

The official full length debut from Lupe Fiasco – another wholly unique Chicago MC who's gotten the runaround from seemingly every major label in the biz – and a record that lives up to the long-building hype! Frankly, we were scared almost immediately when we heard the description "skate rap" applied to "Kick, Push" – only to find our fears unfounded. Lupe's only going to be himself – which is what makes him such a strong MC (other than the masterful breath control) – and that individualistic approach is proving to be Chicago's gift to mainstream hip hip. The Neptunes provide one of their best productions of the past couple years for "I Gotcha" – but the soundtracky productions by Soundtrakk (natch) are even better. Other tracks include "Real" feat Sara Green, "Just Might Be OK" feat Gemini, "Kick, Push", "The Instrumental" feat Jonah Matranga, "He Say She Say" feat Gemini & Sarah Green, "Sunshine", "Daydreamin'" feat Jill Scott, "The Cool" (produced by Kanye) , "Hurt Me Soul", "Pressure" feat Jay-Z, "American Terrorist" feat Matthew Santos, "The Cool", "The Emperor's Soundtrack" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Curtis Mayfield's still very firmly on track with this set – recording in his new hometown of Atlanta, but also working with Chicago talents like Rich Tufo and Morris Jennings – all in a warm mellow groove that's totally great! The style's a bit more contemporary than the Curtom years, but never too much so – and there's more than enough warmth in the instrumentation to match Mayfield's still-great vocals on the lyrics. The tunes are decidedly less political – more about love and romance – but that's ok with us, because they're the sort of themes that Curtis first started with back in the early years of his career. Titles include "Summer Hot", "Still Within Your Heart", "Hey Baby", "Nobody But You", and "If You Need Me". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Jimmy McGriff – a swingin' groovy live set, with a tight combo that races through a good bunch of material – and sounds a lot better than the live groups on some of Jimmy's Sue albums from the time. The whole thing was recorded in Newark, NJ – the home of pure organ grooves – at the legendary Front Bar. Includes the good originals "Upper Ground" and "Frugal Bugle", plus some nice soulful covers. LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy McGriff picks up a few more keyboards than straight Hammond organ – but that's ok with us, given the great results of the set! The album's got McGriff working on electric piano and clavinet alongside the organ – plus supporting arrangements from Brad Baker, in that fuller, Kudu-styled approach to jazz funk that Groove Merchant used strongly in the mid 70s – a slightly smoother sound than before, but still plenty darn great, and definitely filled with more than enough jazz to keep things real! Pat Rebillot plays some additional keyboards on the album – in that funky style he used well at the time – and there's almost a spacey Fantasy Records quality to some of the best numbers here! Titles include the incredible tripped out break cut "Space Cadet", plus "Love Is My Life", "Sweet Love", "Big Booty Bounce", "Red Beans", and "Cakes Alive". CD

Jimmy McGriff picks up a few more keyboards than straight Hammond organ – but that's ok with us, given the great results of the set! The album's got McGriff working on electric piano and clavinet alongside the organ – plus supporting arrangements from Brad Baker, in that fuller, Kudu-styled approach to jazz funk that Groove Merchant used strongly in the mid 70s – a slightly smoother sound than before, but still plenty darn great, and definitely filled with more than enough jazz to keep things real! Pat Rebillot plays some additional keyboards on the album – in that funky style he used well at the time – and there's almost a spacey Fantasy Records quality to some of the best numbers here! Titles include the incredible tripped out break cut "Space Cadet", plus "Love Is My Life", "Sweet Love", "Big Booty Bounce", "Red Beans", and "Cakes Alive". LP, Vinyl record album

An unlikely meeting of talents, but a great one – as Buddy Miles' rougher groove comes into contact with the sublime 70s production talents of Johnny Bristol – who makes the whole album groove beautifully! Buddy's sound is a lot warmer than before, but that's A-OK with us, as by the mid 70s, his funky rock groove was beginning to wear a bit thin – so we really applaud his making the move into some super stone mellow soul with Bristol! And if that's not enough, HB Barnum is also handling the arrangements here – setting Buddy up with some slightly funky backings that share some traces of Barnum's blacksploitation soundtrack work of the period – and which make for a record that's far more super-dope than you might expect! A real treasure throughout – the kind of musical surprise that helps us get up out of bed in the morning! Titles include "Pull Yourself Together", "We Got Love", "All The Faces", "I'm Just A Kiss Away", "Got To Find Ms Right", "Wants & Needs", and "Pain". LP, Vinyl record album

It's Dance Time, Memphis style – thanks to a hip album of instrumentals from the great Willie Mitchell! This one's actually a bit rougher around the edges than some of Willie's other work, with strong guitar and groovy organ, very much in a Booker T & The MGs mode! The tracks groove along with a sound that's more Stax than Hi – which is ok by us, as the feel is nicely raw and raunchy! Titles include "Morning After", "Buster Browne", "Poinciana", "Twine Time", "Apple Jack", and "Wiggle Rock", "Fever", "Woodchopper's Bal" and more. CD

Rare slices of work from Mdou Moctar – material collected from tapes recorded between 2017 and 2020, often featuring the group in a range of different settings in their native Niger! The work throughout is filled with the sublime guitar of Mahamadou Souleymane – but the shift in setting makes for a strong sense of variety, especially as some of the titles feature more guitar lines than vocals, which is always OK with us! Titles on this first volume include "Imouhar (drum machine version)", "Chismiten (drum machine version)", and live takes of "Sibidoul", "Layla", "Afrique Victime", and "Afelan". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare slices of work from Mdou Moctar – material collected from tapes recorded between 2017 and 2020, often featuring the group in a range of different settings in their native Niger! The work throughout is filled with the sublime guitar of Mahamadou Souleymane – but the shift in setting makes for a strong sense of variety, especially as some of the titles feature more guitar lines than vocals, which is always OK with us! Titles on this second volume include "Azawad", "Ibitilan"," Nakane Dish", "Iblis Amghar", "Chimoumounim", and "Asdikte Akal". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent later work from Frank Morgan – the legendary LA altoist who first burned brightly in the bop generation, then came back to make really rich recordings like this! The set's got Frank in some really great company – a hip sextet that features Joe Henderson on tenor, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a sweet modern jazz lineup that ensures that the record's filled with sharp changes and deep colors – arguably a lot more so than some of Morgan's later revival sessions – with a vibe that's much more like some of Hutcherson or Henderson's best from the 80s. Titles include "Old Bowl New Grits", "Starting Over", "Reflections", "OK", and "Black Narcissus". CD features a bonus track – "Caravan". CD

They got that title right, because with decades of performances on the strip, Wayne certainly earned the name of "Mr Las Vegas"! However, Newton oddly never recorded a live album in Vegas during his years working for Capitol – so this collection is oddly one of the few non-live packages in Capitol's Vegas Centennial Collection – and instead features studio work from Wayne's early albums for the label. But that's ok with us, because we love the jazzy pep of these sides – a pop-heavy, playful approach to tunes that follows nicely off Bobby Darin's style at the time – no surprise, as Wayne got a lot of help at the start from Bobby. The package does feature 2 live tracks, but recorded in Hollywood – "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You" and "Mack The Knife" – alongside studio tunes "Danke Schoen", "As Long As I'm Singing", "Strangers In The Night", "Wives & Lovers", "More", "Call Me Irresponsible", "LOVE", "I've Got The World On A String", and "Charade". CD

A brilliant bit of work from the UK scene of the early 80s – a group formed out of the ashes of The Prefects, and driven strongly by the uniquely bristling energy of frontman Robert Lloyd! The record's got lots of fantastically jagged moments – punk into post-punk, but without the freer frenzy of The Fall – maybe more the well-rooted basslines of Gang Of Four, although the style of The Nightingales is very different! Lloyd's vocals and presence are wonderful – and the songs are laced together with all these fast, jagged guitar lines that are fantastic – a bit like those from the Ron Johnson label scene to come. Tracks include "Blood For Dirt", "Start From Scratch", "One Mistake", "It Lives Again", "Joking Apart", "Yeah, It's OK", "Under The Lash", "Blisters", "Don't Blink", "Elvis The Last Ten Days", and "Make Good". CD

A very cool group, and one who are every bit as groovy as they look on the cover – a hip early 70s Indonesian quartet, and one who mix together equal parts rock and funk – but all with a very trippy sound throughout! These guys are incredible – an under-discovered group who've clearly drunk deep of some of the best Anglo influences of the time, but also then come up with a unique hybrid of their own – singing English at times, Indonesian at others – and mixing up fuzzy guitars with freaky rhythms in styles that are often a few years behind the rest of the world – more late 60s funky than you might expect from the date of the tracks, but in a way that's A-OK with us! The groove and the group are plenty playful throughout – and titles include "Come On You dance", "Rock & The Sea", "Jakarta City Sound", "Haai", "Let Us Dance Together", "Indonesia My Lovely Country", "Bye Bye", "Mengapa Begini", and "Kampung Halaman". CD

A very cool group, and one who are every bit as groovy as they look on the cover – a hip early 70s Indonesian quartet, and one who mix together equal parts rock and funk – but all with a very trippy sound throughout! These guys are incredible – an under-discovered group who've clearly drunk deep of some of the best Anglo influences of the time, but also then come up with a unique hybrid of their own – singing English at times, Indonesian at others – and mixing up fuzzy guitars with freaky rhythms in styles that are often a few years behind the rest of the world – more late 60s funky than you might expect from the date of the tracks, but in a way that's A-OK with us! The groove and the group are plenty playful throughout – and titles include "Come On You dance", "Rock & The Sea", "Jakarta City Sound", "Haai", "Let Us Dance Together", "Indonesia My Lovely Country", "Bye Bye", "Mengapa Begini", and "Kampung Halaman". LP, Vinyl record album

The "trip" here is a mellow one – not the soaring, spacey style you might expect in a long line of drug-reference titles for Art Pepper albums – but that difference is a-ok with us, because Art's really hitting some great new territory here, thanks to a hip trio that includes George Cables on piano! Tracks are long and stretched out – but in a way that's gently exploratory, and focused on a really warm sense of tone – in a mode that we might liken slightly to Stan Getz at his best moments from the same period, particularly the groove he developed in his post-Sweet Rain years. Other members of the quartet include David Williams on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – and tracks include "The Trip", "Sweet Love Of Mine", "Song For Richard", "Red Car", and "The Summer Knows". CD features 1 bonus track! CD

The "trip" here is a mellow one – not the soaring, spacey style you might expect in a long line of drug-reference titles for Art Pepper albums – but that difference is a-ok with us, because Art's really hitting some great new territory here, thanks to a hip trio that includes George Cables on piano! Tracks are long and stretched out – but in a way that's gently exploratory, and focused on a really warm sense of tone – in a mode that we might liken slightly to Stan Getz at his best moments from the same period, particularly the groove he developed in his post-Sweet Rain years. Other members of the quartet include David Williams on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – and tracks include "The Trip", "Sweet Love Of Mine", "A Song For Richard", "Red Car", and "The Summer Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

The "trip" here is a mellow one – not the soaring, spacey style you might expect in a long line of drug-reference titles for Art Pepper albums – but that difference is a-ok with us, because Art's really hitting some great new territory here, thanks to a hip trio that includes George Cables on piano! Tracks are long and stretched out – but in a way that's gently exploratory, and focused on a really warm sense of tone – in a mode that we might liken slightly to Stan Getz at his best moments from the same period, particularly the groove he developed in his post-Sweet Rain years. Other members of the quartet include David Williams on bass and Elvin Jones on drums – and tracks include "The Trip", "Sweet Love Of Mine", "Song For Richard", "Red Car", and "The Summer Knows". CD features 1 bonus track! CD

The title says "57", but the music's from a few years before – yet that's OK with us, because Bud Powell always has a sound that's instantly timeless no matter what the year! The album brings together sides from Verve dates in 1954 and 1955 – one featuring Art Blakey on drums and Lloyd Troutman on bass, the other featuring Max Roach and Percy Heath. Given the presence of the strong drummers, there's a drive here that's a bit harder than on some of the other Verve dates – a highly rhythmic component that often brings a real focus to some of the more upbeat numbers, but which lays back nicely on the mellower ones to let Powell hit some especially dark notes. Titles include "Deep Night", "That Old Black Magic", "Round Midnight", "Thou Swell", and "Tenderly". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Radiohead's greatest albums, and probably our favorite – where they boldly dove into stranger, more deeply atmosheric moodcraft than anything they'd released to date! Their follow-up to OK Computer, which was an instant classic for the band, graced with lofty songwriting and impactful lyrics, Kid A is a stunning departure – embracing electronic textures and murky effects over anthemic guitar rock. Any record that achieves the kind of popular success as this one without compromising on the creativity is to be cherished – it's a rare achievement! Includes "Everything In Its Right Place", "How To Disappear Completely", "In Limbo", "Idioteque", "Morning Bell", "Motion Picture Soundtrack", "The National Anthem" and more. CD

Ok, so it's not the kind of record you'd normally find in a pile of funky 45s – but once Tribe Called Quest called our attention to the great bassline at the beginning, there was no turning back for "Walk On The Wild Side"! "Perfect Day" is nice too – an overlooked number by Lou with a sweet finish, and a really dark center. 7-inch, Vinyl record

An amazing moment for singer Dianne Reeves – the first in a long line of excellent records for the Blue Note label – and a wonderfully tight blend of jazz and soul, put together at a level that instantly pushed Reeves into the territory of previous giants like Phyllis Hyman and Marlena Shaw! Like both of those singers, Dianne's got roots in jazz, but also pushes towards more of an R&B vibe at times – but never in a way that's commercially aimed at the charts, especially in comparison to some of her contemporaries. There's a really rich feel to the whole album – thanks to help from George Duke, who produced and played keyboards – alongside other musicians like Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Ndugu Chancler on drums. Titles include "Chan's Song (Never Said)", "I'm OK", "Sky Islands", "Harvest Time", "Yesterdays", and "Better Days". CD

Ok so she's got a Grammy – but that makes us love her even more! Jill Scott is one of the greatest soul artists to emerge in the past decade – and this second album avoids the usual "sophomore slump" by showing a whole new side of her talents! Disc one is a great live set – showing that Jill's organic talent isn't the product of studio trickery, and can conjure up as much warmth in person as it can on disc. The backing is tight, jazzy, and with a different finish than you might be accustomed to from Jill's first LP – less hip hop beats and more real funk drumming, a fuller group instrumental sound with lots of nice solos, and over it all, incredible vocals from Jill! The set's got smoking live versions of "One Is The Magic #", "A Long Walk", "Love Rain", "Getting In The Way", "Fatback Taffy", "He Loves Me", and "Do You Remember". CD

The Shadows on their own, without Cliff Richard – but that's OK with us, as it means that we get to hear plenty of great guitar work from Hank Marvin, and drums and pepiano from Brian Bennett! LP, Vinyl record album

A late 50s stormer from Japanese drummer Hideo Shiraki – caught here at a great point in his early career! The album's got a bit more of a swing-based feel than some of Shiraki's later sides – a bit more Verve-like energy than Blue Note style – which is a-ok with us, because the sound of the set is so great! But even more than Hideo's work on drums, the real star of the album is almost saxophonist Akira Miyazawa – who gets in some great solo moments on nearly every track, blowing tenor with a great sense of soul that really lights up the record and makes things shine. Titles include "The Man I Love", "Moritat", "Night In Tunisia", "Drum Boogie", "Around The World", and "I Got Rhythm". CD