A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". CD

There's nothing standard about this set – as Joe Henderson always brings something special to a recording session – especially at this point in his career! The album has a wonderful format – Joe's unique tenor tone set up beautifully alongside the bass of Rufus Reid and drums of Al Foster – no piano or other horns at all, just an open, swinging combo with a really great sense of energy! Joe's bold lead really sets the tone for most numbers – and a few tracks are compositions that Henderson recorded famously early in his career, recast here with a whole new sound and heightened sense of maturity. Titles include "Blues In F (aka In N Out)", "Blue Bossa", "Inner Urge", "Body & Soul", and "Take The A Train". Also features a bonus alternate of "Body & Soul". CD

An obscure set of solo tunes from modernist Andrew Hill – originally recorded for the Japanese East West label in 1975, and a very different side of Andrew's music than his Blue Note work of the 60s – but one that's equally great!. Hill's playing a grand piano – with a complex approach to chords that's really compelling – this sense of flow and majesty that we really love, as Andrew tries out some sharp edges at points – but still retains some of that soulfulness he rediscovered as the 70s approached. There's a darkness to the material that we didn't always hear in Hill's other sides – and the intimacy of the recording shows that his talents are still extremely rich at this point in his career. Titles include "Naked Spirit", "Rambling", "Vision", "Clayton Gone", and "Insanity Riff". CD

One of our favorite soul singers on the LA scene of the 60s – served up here in a complete run of his legendary singles for the Minit label! Jimmy Holiday never fully got his due back in the day – partly because he was a successful songwriter who was often working behind the scenes – but he's a hell of a singer with a style that's rooted in the south, but given some hipper, more sophisticated touches on the west coast – with almost the same mix of the rough and the smooth you'd find in the best Minit label recordings by the young Bobby Womack! Jimmy's very much his own man, though – a standout talent that really gets his due here in a mindblowing batch of music. The b-sides are every bit as wonderful as the a-sides – and given Holiday's knowledge of a tune from the ground up, he really has a great way of putting over the lyrics. The package features two duets with female singer Clydie King – "Ready Willing & Able" and "We Got A Good Thing Goin" – plus 24 more tracks that include "I'm In Love With You", "Baby I Love You", "Turning Point", "The Beauty Of A Girl In Love", "Spread Your Love", "Everything Is Love", "Yesterday Died", "A Man Ain't Nothin Without A Woman", "I'm Gonna Move To The City", "In The Eyes Of My Girl", "Everybody Needs Help", "Baby Boy's In Love",a nd "I Wanna Help Hurry My Brothers Home". CD

Pivotal work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – eleven full albums recorded by the young jazzman as a leader, together showing a really incredible scope of his talents in just a few short years in the studio! The Blue Note albums here already show an incredible evolution – from initial hardbop crackle at the best level of the label, to a slight shift into new thing territory that marks a more experimental side of Freddie's work that would take off later in the 60s. There's also two Impulse Records releases in the package – the completely sublime sextet outing of The Artistry Of Freddie Hubbard – a great date with Curtis Fuller on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and John Gilmore on tenor – making a rare appearance in the studio away from the Sun Ra Arkestra! The other Impulse album is titled Body & Soul – and has Hubbard amidst a larger group of modernists on most tracks, with these incredible Wayne Shorter arrangements – then in a small group with shorter on tenor and Eric Dolphy on alto and flute. Blue Note albums include Breaking Point, Blue Spirits, Open Sesame, Going Up, Hub Cap, Ready For Freddie, Hub Tones, and Here To Stay – with players who include Tina Brooks, Jimmy Heath, and Wayne Shorter on tenors; McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, and Herbie Hancock on pianos; Paul Chambers, Sam Jones, and Reggie Workman on basses; and James Spaulding making a key early appearance on alto and flute. 70 long tracks in all – and a very detailed booklet of notes with rare photos! CD

Both classic albums from Luther Ingram – issued back to back on a single CD! I've Been Here All The Time is a tremendous little set from Luther Ingram – proof that the singer had way more to offer than just his famous southern soul singles! The record's got a really deep feel from the start – kind of a slow-burning sound that moves way past easy soul music styles, and offers up Ingram as one of the most mature singers of his generation. The Bar-Kays handle some of the backings, and they're also quite good here too – much rootsier at times than on their own records, but still with a hint of funk as well. Titles include "Ghetto Train", "I'll Just Call You Honey", "Since You Don't Want Me", "I'll Love You Until The End", "Be Good To Me Baby", "Ain't That Loving You", and "You Were Made For Me". The second album is wonderful mellow soul from Luther Ingram – and a record that gave the south one of its greatest soul anthems of the 70s! "If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right" is one of those genre-defining tunes – a slow-burning track that shows a new level of maturity for southern soul in the 70s – sweetly sad vocals from Luther right out front of the mix, supported with bubbling backings that ooze sex throughout – and a message of pride in the face of love that had an undeniable impact on a whole generation. The rest of the album's equally great – done with slightly fuller backings at times, and a more familiar Memphis soul groove at others – a perfect showcase for the mighty talents of Ingram at this high point of his career. In addition to "If Loving You Is Wrong", other titles include "Dying & Crying", "I Remember", "I Can't Stop", "Love Ain't Gonna Run Me Away", and "I'll Be Your Shelter". 21 tracks in all – and 14 pages of detailed notes and photos! CD

Stunning live work from piano genius Ahmad Jamal – still very young at this point, but already working with the fluid sense of imagination that would only unfold even more in the 60s! As with most of Jamal's live dates of the time, the balance of lyrical energy on the keys and rhythmic sensitivity at the core is fantastic – given sublime support from Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums – a trio who were as unique in their own way as the three piece combo of Ramsey Lewis was as well – although in a completely different style. The tunes are all familiar, but given these really fantastic readings – and titles include "April In Paris", "I'll Take Romance/My Funny Valentine", "Falling In Love With Love", and "The Second Time Around" – plus the Jamal original "Night Mist Blues". CD

Really fantastic music from pianist Ahmad Jamal – a set of tracks that's a really nice change from some of the recordings he was doing for Chess Records in the early 60s, and which definitely point the way towards the more stretched-out performances to come on Impulse Records! As the title implies, the setting is live – and Jamal really stretches out here on a number of tunes – working with a free-flowing sense of lyrical beauty that's even more stunning than in the shorter space of a studio cut – really skilled with that ear for tone and timing that made his work such a fresh voice on the piano scene at the time, and a subtle hint at righteous modes to come in the following generation. Chuck Lampkin is on drums throughout, and one set features Richard Evans on bass, the other Jamil Nasser – on long takes of "Bogota", "Minor Adjustments", "All Of You", "Squatty Roo", "Keep On Keeping On", "Minor Moods", "Lollipops & Roses", "Tangerine", and "But Not For Me". CD

Queen of Soul is right! Heck, on these early albums, Etta practically invented soul – or at least invented a deep soul style of singing that would be taken up by countless other female singers during the 60s, but rarely matched with this kind of brilliance. Straight up beautiful stuff! The arrangements are uncredited, but we think they're probably by Riley Hampton – who did so much of Etta's other wonderful work in the early 60s. The recordings for sure took place at points between '62 and '64, mostly in Chicago, with couple in New York and one in Nashville. One other thing that is crystal clear about the sessions is that she had access to the very best musicians and the best sound possible – all you need is a listen to know that! The album's an all-solid, all-soul record with loads of obscure tunes and not a bit of filler! Titles include "Flight 101", "Bobby Is His Name", "Breaking Point", "Mello Fellow", "Do Right", and "Somewhere Out There". This first ever proper CD release is loaded with excellent bonus material – recordings from the same early-to-mid 60s period – 13 of them "You Got Me Where You Want Me", "Only Time Will Tell", "Pushover". "You Can't Talk To A Fool", "Would It Make Any Difference To You", "Pay Back", "Tomorrow Night", "I Can't Hold It Any More" and more. 23 tracks in all! CD

A different groove than usual from The JBs – but still pretty darn nice, and way better than just about all the other funky combos on the market! It's the late 70s, and James Brown's head is a bit addled – he thinks he's the guy who invented disco, and he starts turning his extended funky sound towards the clubs. By this point, Fred and Maceo had left him, so he's working here with a new version of the JBs, one that still includes Jimmy Nolan on guitar and Sinclair Pickney on sax – and although the new band's not the same as the old, they're a surprisingly good funk band nonetheless, and the album's still more of a funk album than you'd guess from the title. In fact, if the record didn't have JBs in the title, most folks would probably thing it was some great lost band! Lots of uptempo funk tracks, similar to those on James' albums from the time – and Martha & The Lazers sing vocals on a few tracks. Titles include "JBs Disco", "Night Train Disco", "A Little Bit Of Disco", and "Soul Of The Disco". CD

A record with a killer combination at the core – the tenor of Jonas Kullhammar and Hammond work of Steiner Nickelsen – both players who take this familiar pairing and really find a way to make something new! Yet that's also often the point of some of the best records on Kullhammar's Moserobie label – that sense of play with older modes and ear for newer ideas – qualities that are carried forth by the work of other quartet members Havard Stubo on guitar and Johan Holmegard on drums. This isn't your father's tenor/organ record to be sure – as you'll hear on titles that include "Paris", "The Wild East", "Stratos", "Domedagen", and "Cai Shen Calypso". CD

Exactly the kind of record that's got us digging Japanese trio sessions from the 70s so much – a set that's filled with lots of warm, soulful sounds, creatively compelling changes, and fresh rhythms that really keep the tunes interesting! There's a slight undercurrent of funk on most numbers, but never too much – as the set still preserves all the best lyrical lines of pianist Kichiro Sugino, who steps beautifully around the bass of Kishio Kitahara and drums of Mitsaki Katayama – a perfectly-hinged trio who soar plenty on the record – more than enough to earn the "flight" in the title! This one's really a cut above – filled with wonderful energy, and never a dull moment throughout – a real gem that's waiting to be re-discovered by the 21st Century generation. Titles include "Unknown Point", "Arizona High Way", "It's Over", "Louis", and "First Flight". CD

KC & The Sunshine Band may have been a chart-topping act during the disco generation, but the Florida funky group have a heck of a lot more to offer than just their hits – as you'll hear in this massive and well-done collection that features 55 tracks in all! The group were formed in the heady early 70s years of Miami funk – and brought together some of the best tropical and soul elements that were brewing in that city at the time – all with a lean vibe that mixed live percussion with riffing guitars, sharp horns, and a completely infectious groove – often topped with catchy lyrics that really went right to the point. This big 3CD set features the group's best work for TK Records, plus other material done for Epic and Jay Boy too – with titles that include "Sound Your Funky Horn", "Why Don't We Get Together", "I Get Lifted", "So Glad", "Come To My Island", "I Betcha Didn't Know That", "Stand Up", "Love Me", "Summer Nights", "I'm A Pushover", "That's The Way I Like It", "Do You Wanna Party", "I Will Love You Tomorrow", "Sho Nuff", "I'm Your Boogie Man", and lots lots more – including some rare mixes too! CD

A standout set from keyboardist Neil Larsen – a record that crossed over big back in the 70s, and which still sounds pretty darn great in the 21st Century! Larsen's keys here are kind of a more mainstream take on territory Bob James was exploring a few years before – arguably hipper at this point that some of James' own recordings, and recorded in a relatively lean setting with guitar, bass, drums, and percussion – plus a bit of tenor or trumpet from time to time. The keyboards glide along gently on the spacey numbers, and get a bit more bite on some of the funkier ones – always with a good sense of space that means that Neil's never jamming too much, or getting in the way of his groove. Titles include the classic "Sudden Samba" – plus "Jungle Fever", "Red Desert", "Emerald City", "Last Tango In Paris", "Windsong", and "Promenade". CD

A nice little bit of bop from LA – a tightly-crafted mid 50s date for the Bethlehem label – featuring drummer Stan Levey at the head of a great group of horn players! The album features some standout work from Dexter Gordon on tenor – making a rare appearance here as a sideman – and the frontline of the sextet also features Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone – both well-matched players, especially at this point in their careers. The group's completed by Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Lou Levy on piano – and there's a bit more bite on some tracks than the usual Bethlehem set. Titles include "Diggin For Diz", "Ruby My Dear", "Tune Up", "Stanley The Steamer", and "This Time The Drum's On Me". CD

One of the key records from the Cadet/Concept scene in late 60s Chicago – a tremendous collaboration between pianist Ramsey Lewis and arranger Charles Stepney – and the kind of record that took soul and jazz to a whole new level! Ramsey on his own is great enough at this point – but add in Stepney's touch, and the record becomes something really brilliant – a blend of soaring strings, groovy rhythms, and spaciously stepping piano lines – all held together with a tremendous amount of creative imagination! The group here features a young Maurice White on drums and Cleveland Eaton on bass – both hitting a groove that's quite different than the Ramsey Lewis Trio sound of years back, with a lot more space, a lot hipper rhythms, and just the right sort of groove to match Stepney's sophisticated touches. The piano gets a bit electric at times, but is mostly acoustic overall – and titles include a great version of Minnie Riperton's "Les Fleur", a funky version of "Mighty Quinn", and the cuts "Afro Boogaloo Twist", "Maiden Voyage", "Ode", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", "Only When I'm Dreaming", and "Eternal Journey". CD

A brilliant and beautiful album from Damon Locks – even more powerful than his Where Future Unfolds album, and that's saying a heck of a lot! The record proclaims part of its mission in its title – and is maybe the first set we've heard to point the way forward creatively after the dark days of 2020 – reclaiming the future for the present, as Locks works with a stunning array of Chicago-based talent – including Angel Bat Dawid on clarinet, Ben LaMar Gay on cornet and melodica, Dana Hall on drums, and Arif Smith on percussion! There's no other instruments in the core of the combo – but Locks adds in plenty of electronics and sound samples, including both musical moments and all these many found voices which are woven through the record alongside vocals by a sextet of singers – a chorus who rise up and give the whole thing a heavenly vibe that's completely mindblowing! While so many others are doing a decent job of reworking a 70s jazz spirit, Damon's giving us the future to come – the kind of visionary work we always knew he was capable of, but which is now finally getting the chance to exist on record. Titles include "The People Vs The Rest Of Us", "Keep Your Mind Free", "Movement & You", "Now", and "The Body Is Electric". CD

A surprisingly great Shelly Manne album from the early 60s – one that follows a format that has Shelly playing in duo format ("2"), trio ("3"), and quartet ("4") – hence the title! The duo track is incredible – a spare duet with Coleman Hawkins called "Me & Some Drums" – improvised between Manne and Hawkins, stretching for 6 minutes, with a sound that's a high point in the career of both players! The trio work features Shelly with Eddie Costa on vibes and piano and George Duvivier on bass – and the quartet sides bring Hawkins back, alongside Hank Jones' piano and more bass by Duvivier. The whole thing's great – as much for Hawkins as it is for Manne – and titles include "The Sicks Of Us", "Slowly", "Take The A Train", "Lean On Me", and "Me & Some Drums". CD

A great 80s showcase for the piano of Ronnie Mathews – captured here at a really under-recorded point in his career! The album's got Ronnie leaping into the fray right from the start – with some of those harder edges from his 60s years, mixed with lots more of those lyrical lines that have kept him a favorite of ours for years – a mix of hard edge and warmer, soulful elements that's right up there with some of Cedar Walton's best trio material – and matched by some great work from Ray Drummond on bass and Kenny Washington on drums! Tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Song For Leslie", "Once I Loved", "I Should Care", and "Susanita". CD

The first-ever full length album from vibist Max Beesley – and a much-needed expression of some of the deeper ideas that he's always had in his music! Max was an artist who first started making waves during the earliest years of acid jazz on the UK scene – but like the best of his contemporaries, he's really grown a heck of a lot since then – to a point where he's able to deliver a cinematic funky jazz masterpiece like this – a record that's got plenty of his own great work on vibes, amidst heavy drums, funky basslines, and sweet keyboards – all set up in larger arrangements that have a sense of majesty we never would have expected in Beesley's music! Titles include "Saturn's Dust", "We'll Always Have Yesterday", "Fire", "Sergio's Bag", "Ice", "Snake Oil", and "Zeus". CD

One of the best of the early 60s comeback albums by the legendary bop trumpeter Howard McGhee – and a record that really has the player finding a whole new groove in his music! At this point, Maggie's got a fantastic tone that was missing from his earlier records, filled with pain and raw emotion – but also measured with a maturity that gives his solos an incredible sense of economy that delivers a whole hell of a lot with just a few simple notes – a balance that comes through beautifully here, maybe even more so than on any other record by Howard from the time! He's playing here in a great group that includes Roland Alexander on tenor, Bennie Green on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Pepper Adams on baritone – and tracks include "Dusty Blue", "Groovin High", "Cottage For Sale", "Flyin Colors", and "With Malice Towards None". CD

A very apt title – as Jackie McLean sits in for a soulful session with the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Jones, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – all "old bottles" at this point in their career, but working together beautifully to brew some very mellow "new wine"! The album's easily one of the best in the trio's run of the time – as Jackie's alto sax really helps flesh things out a bit more than usual – and moves the album past the trio sound of their other records. McLean gets plenty of space to do his thing on the longer tracks – and the piano of Jones, bass of Carter, and drums of Williams have a solid, soulful approach that's really wonderful. Titles include 2 McLean originals titled "Appointment In Ghana Again" and "Little Melonae Again", both remakes of older tunes – plus "Confirmation", "Bein Green", and "Round Midnight". CD

One of Charles Mingus' excellent albums for the Bethlehem label – recorded during that magical year of 1957, a real turning point in his career! There's a sharpness here to Mingus' musical vision that hadn't shown up in previous years – a refinement of ideas expressed for Savoy and Prestige on previous sessions, drawn with tighter tension, and a bolder sense of spirit and emotion throughout. The group's a well-chosen batch of modernists – with Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Clarence Shaw on trumpet, and the surprising addition of Bill Evans on piano – sounding a fair bit bolder here than elsewhere. Titles are almost all Mingus originals with a great balance of modern structures and freer solo moments – and tracks include "Conversation", "West Coast Ghost", "Fifty First Street Blues", "East Coasting", and the sublime "Celia", which Mingus and Hadi performed in the film Shadows by John Cassavettes. CD reissue also features bonus alternate takes of "East Coasting" and "Memories Of You". CD

Beautifully-recorded material by the great Wes Montgomery – some fairly open-ended tracks recorded for French radio in the 60s – with guest work from tenorist Johnny Griffin on a number of tunes! The core group here is great enough on its own – as Wes' guitar is backed by superb piano from Harold Mabern – who's really opening his flow at this time in his career, and makes for some really imaginative collaboration here with Montgomery – and the rest of the combo features tight rhythm from Arthur Harper on bass and Jimmy Lovelace on drums. The addition of Griffin is a nice surprise – especially as Montgomery wasn't often playing with tenor in a small group setting by this point – and titles include "Twisted Blues", "Blue N Boogie/West Coast Blues", "Full House", "To wane", "Jingles", "Impressions", "Four On Six", and "Round Midnight". CD

Lee Morgan on the hippest side of his 60s talents – working here in a style that's really stretching out, and in the same territory as similar unreleased gems from the time – like Tom Cat or Sonic Boom! The group here is very inventive – Jackie McLean on alto, Larry Willis on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – players who really represent the left side of Blue Note, but not as out as the "new thing" crowd – with a really creative approach to both the rhythms and the solos, commanded by Morgan's rich imagination at this point in his career. All tunes are great, and titles include "Zip Code", "Infinity", "Miss Nettie B", "Growing Pains", and McLean's fantastic "Portrait of a Doll". CD

A trio of albums from the great David Murray! Ming is beautifully arranged work from David Murray – an important early large group recording, one that really helped point the way to some of his later genius! The session features Murray leading an all-star octet that includes Henry Threadgill on alto, Olu Dara on trumpet, Butch Morris on cornet, George Lewis on trombone, Anthony Davis on piano, Wilbur Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on percussion. Tracks are a very hip set of original compositions that display an incredible range of soulful feeling and expression – and which open a door to a whole new chapter of Murray's career. Titles include "Ming", "Dewey's Circle", "Jasvan", "The Fast Life", and "The Hill". Sacred Ground is a beautifully spiritual set that really reminds us of the promise we first heard in his music decades ago! Murray's working here with a lean, soulful ensemble that includes Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – all in a groove that has plenty of sharp edges, but which is also nicely inside – very focused, and with a sense of depth that's really wonderful! All tracks are originals by Murray – penned with the sensitivity of an older soul jazz recording – and two numbers feature lyrics by Ishmael Reed, sung by Cassandra Wilson on guest vocals. Titles include "Sacred Ground", "Transitions", "Family Reunion", "The Prophet Of Doom", "Believe In Love", and "Banished". Lucky Four is a gentler set than some of David Murray's other US dates from the time – but in a really great way that nicely gets at the more sensitive side of his work on tenor and bass clarinet! There's a bit of a hardbop groove to the album, but also a bit more freedom too – a style that never goes that far out, but which reminds us through subtle cues that most of these players have a longer legacy in more avant-oriented work. The group features Dave Burrell on piano, Wilbur Morris on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums – and Burrell especially echoes a range of influences here – almost pulling from older eras of jazz in the way that Jaki Byard used to – an approach that's often echoed by Murray in his horn. Titles include "Valley Talk", "Chazz", "As I Woke", "Abel's Blissed Out Blues", "Sharing", and "As I Woke". CD

One of the weirdest, wildest albums ever from Nurse With Wound – and a set that's completely different than most of their other material too! The album's got a feel that really lives up to the cover – sort of a parody of 50s lounge music, filtered through the sensibility of mid 80s British industrial – which means that the sounds come from an array of different elements – including original records, old tapes, live performance, and lots of electronics and production twists – which really abstract all the elements into this mad sort of bachelor pad nightmare! There's still plenty of the noise we love in NWW, but also a surprising sense of humor – not one that goes for easy jokes, but which like Current 93 at this point, is really beginning to find its aesthetic and hone its skills. The bulk of the record features the maddening "You Walrus Hurt The One You Love" – and the rest is "Great Balls Of Fur", billed as the last performance of Murray Fontana! Great 2CD version features a whole bonus disc of rare materials recorded at the same time – including "Elderly Man River", "Chicken In Drag", "Yoko's Anniversary", "It Just Ain't So", and "Excerpt From Pricksongs". CD

An incredible pairing of talents – and a record that proves once again that the vibes of Roy Ayers are maybe one of the most powerfully soulful forces in the universe! It's no surprise that Roy's old records have formed the building blocks of key hip hop tracks over the years – and year, Ayers serves up vibes alongside fresh production from Oh No – in a set of all instrumental tracks that are overflowing with sweet vibes from the master, plus a blinding array of beats, samples, and other great production elements! Tracks are short and to the point, yet still deliver plenty – and titles include "Another Two 4", "Ice Cold Coolers", "Penthouse Elevators", "Intended Mayhem", "Short Tempers", "Dead Ringers", "Unbeautiful", "Leeches" and "Problems & Solvers". CD

Wicked work by pianist Horace Parlan – and one of his most stunning Blue Note sessions ever! The album was first recorded in 1963, but then kept on the shelf for years – seeing only brief release as part of a Booker Ervin package in the late 70s, and finally coming out with the proper cover and lineup at some point in the 80s! Why Blue Note waited so long is a mystery, because the album's a gem throughout – almost more important, and more starkly modern than any of Parlan's other work for the label. Booker Ervin leads the frontline on tenor, alongside Johnny Coles on trumpet, Grant Green on guitar, and the rhythm section of Butch Warren and Billy Higgins. Parlan's choice of material is fantastic – with a number of Africanist tracks that feature unique rhythmic patterns that really push the soloists! Titles include "A Tune For Richard", "Dexi", "Home Is Africa", "Kucheza Blues", and "Back From The Gig". CD

Free jazz, and lots lots more – a lost nugget from an especially creative period in the Dutch scene, headed up by cellist Tristan Honsinger! At some level, the music echoes other improvised work by Honsinger – but at others, it also reflects the criss-crossing of genres and scenes that were taking place during these key years – a point after which free jazz had established itself, post-punk had opened up new waves of expression, too-prog tendencies had settled down, and the higher art world had opened their arms to embrace them all! The songs are both instrumental, and feature occasional vocals from Tiziana Simona Vigni – whose role with the sextet is not unlike some of Irene Aebi's performances with Steve Lacy, although maybe a bit more freewheeling and open-ended – more in a Recommended Records vein – a label that might have been a good home for this set, were it not issued by Data Records. In additional to Honsinger on cello and additional voice, the record also features Toshinori Kondo on trumpet, Jean-Jacques Avenel on bass, Sean Bergin on saxes, and Michael Vatcher on percussion – on titles that include "Quandro Era Estate", "Picnic", "Violets", "Teeth", "Orient Express", "Laly", "Romy", and "After The Rain". CD

If this is disco, point us in the direction of Studio 54! The album's one of Ra's greatest from the 70s – recorded in Italy in 1978, and featuring some incredibly otherworldly keyboards that are some of his most enigmatic on record! This hugely expanded version features a whopping 12 tracks in all – the complete performance that originally spawned the album, all of which is as delightful as the 3 tracks that were originally issued on vinyl. Finding all this extra Ra material from the 70s – over 2 hours of music – is like finding a time machine – and the well-done package comes with great notes and excellent sound. Original tracks from the album include "Disco 3000", an incredible workout on synthesizer, with a tiny bit of drum machine, a little "Space Is The Place" breakdown, and all of the wild sound you'd expect from a Sun Ra album – plus more long tracks – the sweetly soulful "Friendly Galaxy", a great soul jazz number, and "Dance Of The Cosmo Aliens", which has spooky organ, frenetic bass, and somber percussion! Additional material includes "Echoes Of The World", "Sun Of The Cosmos", "Geminology", "Sky Blues", "We Travel The Spaceways", and "Spontaneous Simplicity" – all played by a group that includes John Gilmore on tenor, Luqman Ali on drums, Michael Ray on trumpet, June Tyson on vocals, and Sun Ra on piano, organ, moog, and rhythm machine. CD

Fantastic material from Sun Ra – a never-heard 1972 performance at Slugs, and one that captures the group at their most spiritual point! The core of the set is the track "I Roam The Cosmos" – one of the more obscure Ra compositions, and a title that appears here for the first time on any record – folded together with bits of "Astro Black" and "Discipline 27 II" – in a wonderfully extended single musical performance – stretching for 51 minutes long, and filled with righteous vocal moments alongside some great solos too! The groove is great – kind of a slow dipping and turning rhythm – showcasing recitations by June Tyson and Sun Ra – with lots of room for soulful work from Marshall Allen on flute and alto, Danny Davis on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Kwame Hadi and Akh Tal Ebah on trumpets, and Danny Ray Thompson on baritone – plus lots of drums and percussion. Really beautiful stuff – as deeply spiritual as the best of the Impulse Records artists, circa 1972 – and appearing here for the first time ever! CD

A pair of early albums from soul singer Rockie Robbins – back to back on a single CD! First up is his self-titled record from 1979 – a really nice album of smooth soul tracks – the first set by singer Rockie Robbins, and a masterful effort from the Chicago soul production team of Richard Evans and Johnnie Pate! Evans and Pate handle the work with their best care of the 70s – fitting the tunes to the modern soul style demanded by the material, but also keeping things real at every level, and throwing in that nice little Chicago swing that always makes their best work bounce! Titles include "I Can Hardly Wait", "If I Ever Lose You", "When I Think Of You", "I Love You Only", "Be Ever Wonderful", and "Don't Deny Me". Next is You & Me – great work from the wonderful Rockie Robbins – a smooth soul singer who cut some great sides at the start of the 80s, but who hardly ever gets his due! Bobby Martin's working with Rockie on this effort – giving the set that warmly gliding mode that made Martin's productions some of the best in late 70s mainstream soul – a sound that's clearly informed by Philly, but which also has room for mellower, and more sophisticated modes as well. Tracks include a number of Sam Dees compositions – "Hang Tough", "After Loving You", "Girl I'm Gonna Get Ya", and "For The Sake Of A Memory" – plus the tracks "Together", "Point Of View", "Lost In Love Again", and "I Never Knew". CD

Mindblowing work from tenorist Sonny Rollins – a set of recordings that we'd rank right up there with his groundbreaking Village Vanguard sessions for Blue Note! As with those recordings, the setting here is live, and a trio – Sonny blowing with incredible imagination in the very open space of the tunes, many of which are very long – with accompaniment from the wonderful bassist Henry Grimes on all numbers, and a shifting lineup of very hip drummers – Pete LaRoca on most tracks, sometimes replaced by Joe Harris or Kenny Clarke. The huge package features a wealth of live tracks, including some material that has been bootlegged before – concerts from 1959 in Stockholm, Zurich, Aix-En-Provence, Frankfurt, and Laren – all presented here with superb sound, voluminous notes, and through cooperation with Sonny Rollins himself. Titles include "Lady Bird", "But Not For Me", "Cocktails For Two", "I Want To Be Happy", "Oleo", "Paul's Pal", "Love Letters", and "I've Told Every Little Star" – but as always with live Sonny Rollins at this point in his career, it's not the melodies, but what he does with them – which is amazing! CD

A southern funky nugget from Sho-Nuff – issued at an early 80s point when the Malaco label was open to other modes besides just blues and deep soul! The record's got a tight clubby crackle that feels like something from the New York indie scene of the time – a lean groove that's very post-disco – and which has snapping basslines and keyboard bits mixing well with the group's use of two different lead singers, each with a different range! These two voices rise together in a great way, then trade off too – which creates a playful lyrical vibe that really matches the upbeat spirit of the music. Titles include "Tonite", "It's Alright", "Smile", "Let's Love", "What Am I Gonna Do", and "Dancin Funn". CD

A very unusual album for Wayne Shorter – recorded right around that 1970 point when Duke Pearson was exploring formats for Blue Note artists that included larger, often electric arrangements, pointing the way towards some of the later 70s soul jazz work on labels like Kudu or CTI! This set, produced by Pearson, features Shorter as the main soloist on tenor and soprano sax – in a very hip group that includes Dave Friedman on vibes, Gene Bertoncini on guitar, Ron Carter and Cecil McBee on bass, and both Billy Hart and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Tracks are long and complicated, with searching soulful arrangements that are part post-Miles fusion, part early 70s indie soul jazz – but balanced nicely without any sense of overindulgence at all. Shorter's soprano work is very nice, and much more angular than his playing on tenor – and titles include "Wind", "Joy", "Storm", and "Calm". CD

Excellent work by Lonnie Smith – a free-flowing album of long jazzy grooves that's kind of an extension of his Blue Note albums, touched with more of the electricity of his 70s playing! There's some killer rhythms on the album – courtesy of drummers Jamey Hudad and Ben Riley, and electric bassists Ron Carter and Ralphe Armstrong – and Lonnie's on organ grooving alongside a young Joe Lovano, who plays some killer tenor and soprano sax – and the album's got these really long, open cuts that definitely hint at the more spiritual look of the cover. Titles include the 15 minute jammer "Spirits Free", plus "Afrodesia", "Favors", "Straight To The Point", and "The Awakening". CD

Excellent work by Lonnie Smith – a free-flowing album of long jazzy grooves that's kind of an extension of his Blue Note albums, touched with more of the electricity of his 70s playing! There's some killer rhythms on the album – courtesy of drummers Jamey Hudad and Ben Riley, and electric bassists Ron Carter and Ralphe Armstrong – and Lonnie's on organ grooving alongside a young Joe Lovano, who plays some killer tenor and soprano sax – and the album's got these really long, open cuts that definitely hint at the more spiritual look of the cover. Titles include the 15 minute jammer "Spirits Free", plus "Afrodesia", "Favors", "Straight To The Point", and "The Awakening". CD

Terrell Stafford's one of those musicians who started out great, and just seems to keep on maturing over the years – to a point where a record like this really stands as such a strong testament to his power as both a player and a leader! The music has a sense of majesty to fit the image of Stafford on the cover – well-penned tunes, played by a great lineup of players who clearly want to rise up and follow Terrell's lead – really bringing their all to their solos, while also holding tight to formation to realize the larger thematic qualities of the tunes. Players include Tim Warfield on tenor and soprano, Bruce Barth on piano, David Wong on bass, Johnathan Blake on drums, and Alex Acuna on percussion – on titles that include "Blood Count", "Wruth's Blues", "Mia A Mia", "Between Two Worlds", and "Manaus At Dusk". CD

Quite a compelling album from the great and sometimes-overlooked Al Stewart – a set that really showcases the evolution in both his songwriting and subject matter – all at a level that seems wonderfully unconcerned with any sort of chart hit or commercial crossover! At this point, Al's kind of the perfect step beyond the earlier version of Brit singer/songwriters you would have found on labels like Harvest or Vertigo – steeped both in a creative sense of subject matter that seems influenced by Dylan, with an ability to spin out narratively unusual tunes that also get way past folksy cliches too – and which are delivered here with well-arranged, well-produced backings – but again, at a level that seems quite far from chartbound. Al's wonderful vocal style is a big part of the album's strength – really individual, and a sound we can fall in love with, no matter what the setting. Titles include "Warren Harding", "Roads To Moscow", "Last Day Of June 1934", "Nostradamus", and "Post World War Two Blues". CD

Rare early material from one of the hippest singers on 70s Motown – the heavenly Syreeta, best known for her seminal work with Stevie Wonder – heard here in the years before, on a rare single and a huge amount of never-issued tracks! Syreeta first worked for Motown under the name of Rita Wright – but apart from a 1967 single on Gordy, and a handful of compilation tracks in recent years, almost all her work for the label at the time appears here for the first time ever – a massive 18 of the collection's total 24 tracks – offering up a huge look at the early days of this wonderful talent! Even at the start, Syreeta's got a style that's hipper than most – righteous currents that point the way towards the 70s, and set her apart from some of the other female singers on the label – with a vibe that's completely sublime. We're really not sure why these cuts have been hidden for so long – because on any other label, they'd be hit material – especially given that production his handled by giants like Hal Davis, Stevie Wonder, Ashford & Simpson, and the Holland-Dozier-Holland team. One of the coolest sets of female soul you'll buy in a long, long time – with titles that include "Bad Boy", "Ain't I Gonna Win Your Love", "Beware Of A Stranger", "Love Child", "Since You Came Back", "Mind Body & Soul", "May His Love Shine Forever", "Something On My Mind", "That's What He Told Me", "It Don't Mean Nothin To Me", "Give Back The Good Things", "Can You Feel It Babe", "Save The Country", "Hurtin Me", "Love My Lovin Man", and "Where There's A Will There's A Way". CD

A pair of crucial Cecil Taylor sessions from the 60s – both of which show the free-thinking pianist working amidst some larger arrangements! First up are three tracks from the Gil Evans album Into The Hot – all tunes written by Cecil Taylor – a very bold move for Evans, given Taylor's strongly out reputation even at this point in his career – and possibly even more bold, given that Taylor's on the tracks playing piano, alongside players who include Archie Shepp on tenor, Jimmy Lyons on alto, Henry Grimes on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – plus work on one track from Ted Curson on trumpet and Roswell Rudd on trombone. The material's fantastic, and is a key part of Taylor's work at the time, and shows a very different setting for his piano – a bit of tension with the larger Evans group, in a way that's almost more compelling than his own early dates as a leader – on the titles "Pots", "Bulbs", and "Mixed". Next is the Unit Structures album – one of a rare few albums done by pianist Cecil Taylor for the Blue Note label in the 60s – some of the most outside work recorded for the imprint at the time! The word "structures" here is perhaps a bit misplaced – as the work has a strong sense of freedom with the soloists – who operate based on a system of energy and impulses described by Taylor in the notes, at a level that's maybe one of his most inventive, ambitious expressions of the decade! The whole lineup is great – with especially strong horn work from Eddie Gale on trumpet, Jimmy Lyons on alto, and Ken McIntyre on alto, oboe, and bass clarinet – and Taylor's piano gets accompaniment from two groundbreaking bassists – Henry Grimes and Alan Silva – plus drums from Andrew Cyrille. Given the lineup, and the format, the whole thing almost feels more like one of the BYG/Actuel avant sessions than Blue Note in the 60s – and titles include "Steps", "Enter Evening (Soft Line Structure)", "Unit Structure/As Of A Now/Section", and "Tales (8 Whisps)". CD

Bop, ballads, and lots more too – played by reedman Lucky Thompson at a time when he was really picking up some new ideas on the European scene! As with contemporaries like Sonny Criss or Benny Bailey, Thompson was great before he hit the continent – but then came back from Europe a completely changed man – a musician whose sense of expression had evolved strongly in a very short time – to a point where the music on these recordings from 1959 and 1960 is quite different than his American records from a few short years before! Part of the change might come from pianist Michael Naura – who's on all these sides, and is one of the hippest cats working in Germany at the time – but you can already hear Lucky opening up his tone and his inflections, especially on the numbers that feature soprano sax. Other players include Jimmy Gourley on guitar, Hans Koller on tenor, and the great Wolfgang Schulter on vibes – on titles that include "The World Awakes", "Brother Bob", "Yesterdays", "Deep Passion", "Thin Ice", and "Summertime". CD

Some of the greatest work ever recorded by Allen Toussaint – his legendary Toussaint album for Scepter (aka Whisper To A Scream) – plus some rare late 60s singles that have never been on CD before! The core album is amazing – Allen Toussaint's first big move as a solo act, and the start of some great fame that would blossom even more strongly in the 70s! This indie effort has a rougher edge than Allen's later albums at Warner Brothers – a sly, wicked slow funk approach that's a real transformation of the older New Orleans groove for a hipper, more contemporary 70s audience. The instrumentation is relatively lean – with lots of nice organ and piano lines alongside slow-stepping and vamping rhythms – and the set was actually recorded in LA, but still has very strong roots in New Orleans! Titles include the classic "From A Whisper To A Scream", plus "Working In A Coal Mine", "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", "What Is Success", "Either", "Pickles", and "Louie" – a few of which are hip piano instrumentals! 17 track CD completes the genius of this point in Toussaint's career – by adding in some killer funky singles – including "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Gotta Travel On", "We The People", "I've Got That Feelin Now", "Tequila", and "Hands Christiananderson". CD

A rare non-Blue Note 60s date as a leader from Stanley Turrentine – recorded for Impluse when his (then) wife Shirley Scott was contracted to the label – and featuring the talents of both players on some very groovy tracks! The quartet features both Stan's tenor and Shirley's Hammond – with bass by Ron Carter and drums from Mack Simpkins – all in an easy-going groove that recalls some of the best Turrentine/Scott pairings on Prestige! There's a quality here that's relaxed, but never lazy – professional, but never slick – and the album's great proof that although both players could be great on their own, they often sounded even better together at this point in their careers. The album features a cool version of "On a Clear Day", which Shirley always manages to kick into a nice groove – plus the tracks "Good Lookin Out", "Let It Go", "Sure As You're Born", "T'Aint What You Do", and "Ciao Ciao". CD

As pure a distillation of McCoy Tyner's lyrical vision as one could ever hope for – a brilliant early standout session for the pianist as a leader! McCoy is backed up here by the energetic drumming of Elvin Jones – with whom he shares a natural empathy from their many years together under Coltrane – as well as the incomparable bass of Ron Carter, and the spirited tenor of Joe Henderson – both players who make the quartet date explode with a fresh sense of imagination – the kind of work that has McCoy stepping out strongly from the shadows of The Great One, into a hip space of his own. The set glistens with 5 Tyner originals – including "Passion Dance", "Four By Five", "Contemplation" and "Search for Peace" – all of which point towards new directions in the post-Coltrane years! CD

A trio of overlooked albums from UK group Vinegar Joe – packaged here with bonus tracks as well! First up is the group's debut, Vinegar Joe – a record with a UK blend of roots rock and deeper blues currents – but served up in that 70s style that takes all the best elements way past their familiar incarnations! The group sports two singers – a young Robert Palmer and female vocalist Elkie Brooks – and although Palmer would soon emerge as a more pop-oriented artist, he's got plenty of soulful chops here – but maybe still only second to Elkie, who soars out with the sort of inspiration that must have touched Janis Joplin as well. Titles include "Circles", "Leg Up", "See The World", "Never Met A Dog", "Live A Little Get Somewhere", and "Avinu Malkenu". Next up is Rock & Roll Gypsies – a record with a really wonderful sound – tight, but never too polished – maybe that UK love of American soul inspirations that folks know more famously in work by artists like Joe Cocker or Traffic, but which is served up here with a really unique feel by the overlooked Vinegar Joe! The group sports a fantastic lead female vocalist in Elkie Brooks, who'd later go on to make some great records on her own – and a young Robert Palmer rounds out the lyrics with a quality that's so different than his later work, and maybe even more soulful overall. Titles include "Falling", "It's Gettin To The Point", "Buddy Can You Spare Me A Line", "Angel", "No One Ever Do", "Forgive Us", and "Charley's Horse". Last up is Six Star General – the third album from Vinegar Joe, and a set that we're not sure got the same global circulation as the earlier albums – which is a real shame, as the group here are maybe even more focused on their sound than before! By this point, Robert Palmer has left the group, but the wonderful Elkie Brooks is still in the lead on guitar – and the group have impeccable instrumentation from Jim Mullen on guitar, Keef Harley on drums, and Mike Deacon on keyboards. Titles include "Proud To Be", "Black Smoke Rising From The Calumet", "Let Me Down Easy", "Fine Thing", "Lady Of The Rain", and "Dream My Own Dreams". Also features bonus tracks "Speed Queen Of Ventura", "Long Way Round", and single versions of "Black Smoke Rising From The Calument" and "Rock & Roll Gypsies". CD

A rare and unusual chapter in mid 60s Blue Note – the debut of tenorist Tyrone Washington, an up-and-coming talent from the hip New Jersey scene of the time! Washington's name may not have lasted long in the jazz annals, but at this important point in his career, he's working with a young Woody Shaw – also part of the Jersey scene – and together, the pair really make the album cook – stretching out with a soulful, spiritual sound that really points the way towards the indie scene of the 70s! Shaw's voice is a big part of the record, but Tyrone's still definitely in command – blowing his tenor with these quick flurries of notes that are somewhere in the Coltrane school, yet arguably moving already past him too – kind of a post-Coltrane vibe in the year before the great one passed away. Washington also wrote all of the album's 6 tracks – really fresh numbers that burn with intensity, and make the album as creatively inventive as some of the best Jackie McLean Blue Note sides from the time. In addition to Woody Shaw's trumpet, other players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Kenny Barron on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a very hip lineup who really make magic on cuts that include "Yearning For Love", "Ethos", "Soul Dance", "Positive Path", and "Song Of Peace". CD

One of Bobby Watson's more urgent-sounding albums from the 80s – a quartet session recorded with an Italian rhythm trio – in a style that mostly features Watson blowing in the lead – really holding the session together with the strength of his own imagination – that boundless sense of creativity he always had at this point in his career! The rest of the group features Piero Bassini on piano, Attilio Zanchi on bass, and Giampiero Prina on drums – and it's great to hear Watson really opening up in a very different way, and in a very different group – than some of his better-known American records of the time. Titles include "Round Trip", "Blue In Green", "Ceora", and "All The Things Of Jo Maka". CD

The secular sounds of the great Spencer Wiggins – fantastic material cut for Fame and Sounds Of Memphis in the late 60s & early 70s – rawly emotional southern soul that sounds incredible to this day! Some tunes have a more keyboards and rhythm backed sound, others have a punchier, grittier, top shelf southern soul sound – all with Wiggins in great form vocally! From emotionally resonant intimacy to a gritty howl, his voice is a mighty instrument, and it's given a range of great songs to work with here – rare singles and previously unreleased gems alike! "I'm At The Breaking Point", "We Gotta Make Up Baby", "I Can't Be Satisfied", "Double Loving", "Soul Machine". "Love Attack","Cry To Me", "Hit And Run", "Water", "Love Works That Way", "Feed The Flame" and more. 22 tracks in all. CD

Pure magic from saxophonist Barney Wilen – captured here at a point when his powers were really back in full force, and when he seemed to be at his most soulful when handling a gentle, easygoing sort of tune! The ballads in the title are definitely out in full force – served up in a mixture of famous French melodies, past and present – so that older postwar melodies are mixed with more contemporary moments from Michel Legrand – with a lyrical vibe that's really emphasized by the superb work on piano for the set by Michel Grallier! The rest of the group is great, too – and players include Sangoma Everett on drums, and Riccardo Del Fra on bass – the last of whom you might know from some fantastic albums with Chet Baker in later years. Wilen blows tenor and a bit of soprano – and titles include "L'Ame Des Poets", "Une Ete 42", "My Way", "Once Upon A Time", "Sous Le Ciel De Paris", "Syracuse", and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life". CD features new mastering, and four bonus tracks – alternate takes of tunes on the album! 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

A funky soul instrumental classic – all the way through! The team of Eldee Young and Redd Holt first came to prominence with Ramsey Lewis' first Chicago trio, then branched out on their own as a jazz act – but by the time of this set, they'd picked up a hipper, funkier late 60s sort of soul groove – and were working with larger backings and a nice deal of extra bass! The pianist in the group is the super-dope Ken Chaney – a player who uses space as much as he uses notes – providing a cool counterpoint to the funky and jazzy riffing of the Young/Holt bass/drum combo. The album includes the landmark track "Soulful Strut" – with tinkling piano over funky backings mixed with sweetened strings – and other tracks include "Funky Is As Funky Does", "Baby Your Light Is Out", "Who's Making Love", "Ain't There Something Money Can't Buy?", "Be By My Side", and "Please Sunrise". A high point in the Chicago soul scene – with backings by Willie Henderson! CD

A really rare side of the legendary De-Lite Records – served up here in a range of obscure 45s before the company exploded into bigger fame with the success of Kool & The Gang! The work here puts De-Lite right on the same level as important indies on the east coast at the turn of the 70s – and shows an especially strong ability to capture the best group styles of the period – from the sublime harmony styles being crafted in New Jersey and Philly, to some of the growing funky styles in the pre-disco years! The set's a much-needed look at this early part of the label – and also features titles on the related Red Coach label too – in a wonderful package of 25 tracks that includes "I'll Never Let You Get Away" by Universal Mind, "So Long Sweet Little Girl" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "I'm At The Breaking Point" by The Trumains, "Girl (part 1)" by Philadelphia Ambassadors, "Gotta Let Some Sunshine Into My Life" by The Exceptionals, "I'll Always Love You" by The New Cymbals, "So Fine" by The Fiestas, "The Story Of Our Love" by The Carstairs, "Love You Can't Shake It" by Reggie Saddler & The Jammers, "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "Back On The Road Again" by Richmond International, and "Love Foundation" by Electrified Action. CD

A classic compilation gets upgraded in a mighty nice way – as a huge tribute to the many years of soul and funk we've gotten from the Ace/Kent label in London! Back at the start of the 80s, the company was one of the first to properly repress rare American soul, and do it the right way – not only with top-shelf sound quality, but also a strong sense of history that has had us learning as much about 60s and 70s soul from their compilations as we've found ourselves loving the music! The original On The Soul Side album was one of the first Kent titles from the early years – but here, it's expanded to a whopping 26 titles, with great sound and detailed notes – all to present over two dozen tracks that really show the farther reaches of 60s soul beyond Motown and the big chart hits. Titles include "Boy Watcher" by Ginger Thompson, "Baby I Love You" by Jimmy Holiday, "Dr Love" by Bobby Sheen, "Love & Desire" by Patrice Holloway, "A Lot Of Love" by Homer Banks, "It's What's Underneath That Counts" by June Jackson, "Point Of No Return" by Gene McDaniels, "Fortune Teller" by Benny Spellman, "It Was Easier To Hurt Her" by Garnet Mimms, "The Record" by HB Barnum, "Love Is A Hurtin Thing" by Lou Rawls, "Nothing Left To Do But Cry" by Merry Clayton, "The Man Who Don't Believe In Love" by Marv Johnson, "What You Gonna Do" by Bobby Womack, "Nobody Treats You The Way I Do" by The Magnificent Men, "Gonna Fix You Good" by Little Anthony & The Imperials, "It Will Stand" by The Showmen, "What's A Matter Baby" by Timi Yuro, "Ready Willing & Able" by Jimmy Holiday & Clydie King, and "Trick Bag" by Earl King. CD

A really heady collection of cuts – one that starts with jazz, and moves into a whole host of other righteous styles too – all to sum up a 70s mode that's as much about empowerment as it is peace! Think of the cuts here as being in the much farther reaches past the styles initiated by Impulse Records and the Coltrane generation – to a point where the artists here aren't just copying modal and spiritual jazz styles, but infusing them with all sorts of new inflections of their own – at a level that makes the whole collection a really wonderful discovery! As with previous volumes, there's titles here we never would have heard otherwise – and this CD features tracks from both Vols 5 and 6 of the vinyl version – titles that inlcude "Algunas" by Jimmy McGary, "Bless Your Soul" by Lucky Brown & The SGs, "Night In Tunisia" by A La Ala, "Cataracts" by Musica Orbis, "Januschka" by Frederic Rabold, "Little Boogum" by Federico Cervantes, "No Outlet" by Beaver College Modern Jazz Orchestra, "Night Eagle" by Cleveland Jazz All Stars, "Zimbabwe" by Ron Wilson Trio, "Shanti" by Jazz Yatra Sextett, and "One More For The Road" by Dahle Scott CD

Raw, raunchy sounds – all pulled together from a time before soul and rock even existed! Most of the work here is from the classic catalog of King Records – a killer imprint in the postwar R&B market, and a company who wasn't afraid to do what it took to make a knockout record! In the case of these tracks, the singers often hit some fairly suggestive material – often hidden in early 50s innuendo, but barely so – with a vibe that's often nastier than even the most hardcore rockabilly sounds to come! The music here has its roots in blues, but is inflected with plenty of jazz, and the presence of the singers often point the way towards soul music – especially the James Brown crowd that would later rise at the same label. Titles on this volume include "Keep On Churnin Till The Butter Comes" by Wynonie Harris, "Drill Daddy Drill" by Dorothy Ellis, "The Coffee Grind" by Hank Ballard, "Silent George" by Lucky Millinder with Myra Johnson, "Rocket 69" by Todd Rhodes with Connie Allen, and "Chocolate Pork Chop Man" by Pete Guitar Lewis. CD

The legendary Chess Records is best known as a home to important blues, soul, and gospel records from the postwar years – but back in the 50s, the label also did a pretty great job with the harder side of the rock and roll spectrum too! Maybe that's no surprise, given that the Chess Brothers always had a great ear for new and unusual music – to a point where they sometimes issued work that wasn't recorded in their Chicago studios, which is the case with a fair bit of the cuts on this collection – many of which hail from points farther south, from territory that was bristling with new energy from rockabilly pioneers at the time! There's a few more familiar Chess artists mixed in here with more obscure artists who only issued singles for the label – and the massive 33 track package comes with very detailed notes on all the tracks within. Titles include "Run Rose" by Billy Miranda, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" by Don & Bob, "The Story Of My Life" by Big Al Downing, "So Long Goodbye" by JC Hill, "Baby Bye Bye" by Dickie & The Gees, "Make Believe Wedding Bells" by Dick Glasser, "I Found My Girl" by The Kents, "6:15" by The Galaxies, "I Am Ready" by Bobby Dean, "See You Soon Baboon" by Dale Hawkins, "No More" by Bobby Charles, and That's All You Gotta Do" by Jack Ford. CD

Bring on the sun if it burns this strongly – as we're more than happy to get extra toasty in the light of such wonderful tracks as these! The set's a stunning look at the massive musical shift on the UK scene in the year of 1967 – a time when psych was certainly making its influence felt, but groups were also opening up in all these other sorts of ways too – really getting past the jaunty rhythms and catchy lyrics of a few years before – and instead somehow managing to make all these amazing things happen in just the space of a short 7" single! Some of the artists here are artists who were making more mainstream music a few years earlier, others are new acts that would soon become superstars, and a few more are genius groups who burst out strongly, then disappeared from view – all brought together in a great 3CD package, with 79 tracks in all, and very detailed notes. Artists include The Herd, Idle Race, Dave Davies, John Williams, Svensk, Universals, Australian Playboys, Tony Rivers, Great Uncle Fred, Artwoods, 23rd Turnoff, Vocal Point, Zombies, Nirvana UK, Lisa & Francesca, The Mirage, Virgin Sleep, Accent, Our Plastic Dream, David Bowie, Living Daylights, John's Children, Episode Six, Orange Bicycle, The Poets, Genesis, Crocheted Doughnut Ring, Piccadilly Line, Scott Henderson, Made In Sheffield, Caleb, and many others! CD

A really wonderful project that was years in the making – a mix of American club and Brazilian elements – put together by a group that includes members of Azymuth and Banda Black Rio, as well as the legendary Arthur Verocai! Jose Roberto Bertrami's the strongest contributor here – and the music really echoes that great late 70s/early 80s point when the Azymuth fusion groove crossed over into tighter, funkier territory – coming off here with a sound that's got really universal appeal and a wickedly classic vibe overall – like some unusual cross-breeding of Brazilian grooves and Salsoul Records! Vocals are by Mia Mendes and Marcina Arnold, but the instrumentation is even better than the lyrics – filled with jazzy touches, blended with bits of strings, and perfectly produced all the way through. Really tremendous stuff – one of the freshest records we've heard from Far Out in years – with titles that include "Mystery", "Keep Believing", "Dead Dance", "The Last Carnival", "A Disco Supreme", "Vendetta", and "Don't Cha Know He's Alright". 2CD set features 8 more bonus remix tracks too! CD

A wonderful collection of work from Brenda Holloway – one that really digs deep to find some overlooked gems from her 60s years at Motown – including 8 previously unissued tracks! The core of the collection features The Artistry Of Brenda Holloway album – a late 60s UK-only recorded issued by Tamla, and one that features rare singles from Holloway that weren't on any other albums – kind of a special overseas package dedicated to those early UK soul fans who helped Motown explode so strongly at a global level. Holloway's vocals are wonderful – as careful a mix of class and soul that you'd find from the best Motown artists of the period – served up at a solo lead level that's only matched by Mary Wells on the label at the time, and which really seems to point the way towards a solo direction that Diana Ross would later take on her own. In addition to the 16 track album, the CD also features 8 more gems from the Motown vaults – making for a set that's all-great, no-filler, and filled with properly finished killers that should have made much bigger waves at the time. Titles include "Together Til The End Of Time", "I'll Be Available", "Hurt A Little Every Day", "Where Were You", "I've Got To Find It", "Operator", "I'll Always Love You", "Just Look What You've Done", "Mr Lifeguard", "After All That You've Done", "The Love Line", "Can't We Be Strangers Again", and "Just Another Lonely Night". CD

An overlooked gem from Rick James' classic early run for Motown – a set that maybe didn't chart as big as some of his other records for the label, but which stands strongly today as a well-crafted batch of mellow funky soul! James has a bit less of the bass-heavy riffs here than you'd expect – and instead, the record has kind of a laidback, almost dreamy feel at times – still upbeat, but with the kind of relaxed, glowing vibe you'd be more likely to find from Teena Marie around this point – a really nice contrast with the more familiar hit sounds you'd know from Rick! We actually really like these mellower groovers – which are almost like some of Johnny Watson's Caribbean-tinged grooves – and the production augments the tunes with a bit of sound effects, which really furthers the paradise garden feel of the tunes. Titles include "Mary Go Round", "Summer Love", "Big Time", "Don't Give Up On Love", "Getting It On In The Sunshine", and "Island Lady". CD features a previously unreleased demo of "Gypsy Girl", and a previously unreleased extended version of "Big Time". CD

Essential funk in a single set – three killer albums from James Brown's legendary backing group! First up is Food For Thought – the classic first album by The JBs – James Brown's Fred Wesley-led backing band, and the force behind most of his greatest records of the early 70s! The band are incredible at this point – sharper, harder, and funkier than just about any other combo around – and that includes all the thousands of groups in the funky 45 underground who were always trying to copy their sound, but never got things this right! Not only are the rhythms the stuff of legend – but the use of the instruments is far far above the norm – as can be heard on the mindblowing "The Grunt", which was sampled heavily by Public Enemy to great fame – and which features a saxophone solo that sounds more like a whistling tea kettle! The set collects some of the group's best early singles, and includes all of the short little funky cuts that made them a legend right out of the box – "Pass the Peas", "The Grunt", "These Are The JBs", "Hot Pants Road", "Wine Spot", "To My Brother", "Blessed Blackness", "Theme From King Heroin", "Escapism (parts 1 & 2), and "Gimme Some More" – all together here in one tight little album of massive funky hard beats and breaks! Doing It To Death is an incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter segues between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker". Last up is Damn Right I Am Somebody – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. The grooves then kick in – with the same heavy funk as on earlier records, but also a nice nod towards experimental production – from strange fade ups and fade downs, to stark time and rhythm changes, and even bits of electronics used to create some very cool moments in the grooves! The whole thing's as dead funky as can be, and is stuffed with insane classics like "Blow Your Head", "Same Beat", "Damn Right I am Somebody", "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'", and a great cover of Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love to Ball"! CD

A classic run of records from Waylon Jennings – brought together in a single package! First up is Lonesome Onry & Mean – a pivotal album for Waylon Jennings – the record where he really found the new direction that would finally get him the fame he deserved – delivered in a way that's free from all the later cliches, and which also ties Waylon pretty strongly to the hipper currents of the underground – especially that point where singer/songwriter genius intersected with country! The production is his own, and vastly different than the late 60s records – even though we love those to death too – and that magical Jennings vocal approach does fantastic things to tunes by Steve Young, Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson, and others! Titles include the fantastic "Lonesome Onry & Mean", plus "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues", "Freedom To Stay", "Lay It Down", "You Can Have Her", "Pretend I Never Happened", "San Francisco Mabel Joy", "Sandy Sends Her Best", and a great take on "Me &Bobby McGee". Honky Tonk Heroes is genius material from Waylon Jennings – one of those career-defining records from the early 70s that completely put him on top, and heralded a whole new generation in country music! The set's maybe equally noteworthy as a showcase for the up-and-coming Billy Joe Shaver, who wrote much of the songs on the record – and it's also a great showcase for the important production talents of Tompall Glaser, who really gets the spirit of the music right! Titles include great versions of "Honky Tonk Heroes", "Old Five & Dimers Like Me", "Ride Me Down Easy", "Black Rose", "Willy The Wandering Gypsy & Me", "Omaha", and "Ain't No God In Mexico". This Time is one of those Waylon Jennings records from a time when he could do no wrong – fighting the stronger powers at RCA to really find his voice – recording at the studio of Tompall Glaser, with great production help from Willie Nelson – who was enjoying his own transformation at the time too! As with the previous two gems from this period, the choice of material and presentation is great – songs by Willie, JJ Cale, and Billy Joe Shavers – in a set of titles that include "Heaven Or Hell", "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way", "This Time", "Pick Up The Tempo", "If You Could Touch Her At All", "Walkin", "Slow Rollin Low", "Louisiana Woman", and "Slow Movin Outlaw". Ramblin Man is Waylon Jennings at peak mid 70s perfection! Ramblin' Man fits in stylistically with the gruff honky tonk hero mode he first fully realized a couple albums earlier, but he's still fiercely blazing trails here, pairing his gruff lead vocals with sweeter female harmonies on some tracks, changing the groove from laidback swagger to fast-paced honky tonk, working in some tender ballads with the gruffer numbers...Waylon at his best. Starts up with the eternal title track and equally classic "Rainy Day Woman" and hardly lets up in greatness from there, with "Cloudy Days", "The Hunger", "It'll Be Her", a great cover of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider", "Memories Of You And Me", "Amanda" and more. Features bonus tracks too – "Laid Back Country Picker", "The Last One To Leave Seattle", "Big Big Love", "Got A Lot Going For Me", "The Last Letter", and "The One I Sing My Love Songs To". CD

The lost legacy of a Twin Cities group who gave the world two great singles back in the day – but also left behind a lot of other excellent material that never saw the light of day! Joker's Wild sound a lot like you might guess from their look on the cover – psychedelic, but down to earth too – that smaller city vibe from a point when garage rock groups were learning how to really play their instruments, write great songs, and expand their sound with a better understanding of the studio – all of which really marks the work on this set! The lineup is lean, and the sound is nice and raw throughout, but surprisingly tuneful too, thanks to strong production – and titles include rare singles "All I See Is You" and "Echo" – plus "Copper Penny", "Good Time", "Hard Road", "I See You", "Stranger", "Witch", "That Man's Not You", "River", "Dissatisfied", "American Dream", "Peace Man", "Park Music", and "Have You Ever Loved Somebody". CD

A beautiful trio set – one that seems to resonate as strongly with the bass work of George Mraz as it does with the lyrical genius of the great Hank Jones! The recording quality is superb, and all the elements of the group's performance seem to hang in air at a level that's even more breathtaking than if you were able to hear the whole thing in person – and along with Mraz and Jones, the great Kenny Washington is superb on drums – really at that point in his career when his special talent in a group like this was starting to hit its stride. Titles include "Interlude", "Wind Flower", "Recorda Me", Blue Monk", "Round Midnight", "I'll Remember April", "Interface", and "A Child Is Born". CD

It's been quite awhile since the last High Llamas album – and in that time, the genius of Sean O'Hagan seems to have distilled even more – to a point where all those great elements he was able to layer together on previous records come out with a spare focus that maybe makes the whole thing even more wonderful! The album's as completely charming as its title and title track – and maybe seems to even borrow a bit from the coolest currents of the Japanese indie scene in the 90s, while also letting Sean's wonderful vocals warm things up – every bit as great as when we first fell in love with his music in Microdisney, but maybe even better with age. The record features guest appearances from Bonnie Prince Billy, Rae Morris, and Fryars – and titles include "Hey Panda", "Sisters Friends", "Hungriest Man", "The Water Moves", "Yoga Goat", "Stone Cold Slow", "The Grade", and "Fall Off The Mountain". CD

A trio of classic albums from The Muscle Shoals Horns – with bonus tracks too! First up is Born To Get Down, by a group who were definitely born to get down – as they'd proved before on countless funk and soul sessions in the south – and as they prove once again with this masterful album on their own! The style here is surprisingly well-formed – not just horn players getting to shine in the lead, but a soul group with a tightness that matches some of the hippest, most sophisticated groups of the time – working here with really well-crafted rhythms that often hit an excellent midtempo groove, and avoid any disco-era cliches. Muscle Shoals legend Barry Beckett helps the group out on keyboards, arrangements, and production – and trumpeter Harrison Calloway turns out to be a surprisingly great singer in the lead. Titles include "Born To Get Down", which has a nice keyboard break in the middle, plus "Bump De Bump Yo Boogie", "Give It To Me", "Open Up Your Heart", "Where I'm Coming From", and "Break Down". Doin It To The Bone is a killer album from the Muscle Shoals Horns – and way more than just a set of studio players stepping out for some time in the spotlight! Sure, the MSH had worked on hundreds of sessions by this point – but there's also a sense of ownership and leadership they never had before – a real sense of trying something fresh, and really making the album all their own! To that respect, they certainly use their horns – but also work in plenty of vocals, too – and definitely emphasize the rhythms, which often have this cool compressed vibe that's very much in the best Earth Wind & Fire style – especially on the midtempo numbers that really make the album a killer. Production is by Barry Beckett, who goes for a nicely modern soul approach – and of all the horns, Harrison Calloway is probably the lead talent here – handling most of the arrangements, songwriting, and vocals. Titles include "What's Goin Down", "Dance To The Music", "I Just Wanna Turn You On", "Addicted To Your Love", "Beware Of The Rip Off", and "Keep On Playing That Funky Music". Last up is Shine On – an early 80s set from the mighty Muscle Shoals Horns, but one that cooks every bit as much as their funk classics from the 70s! At some level, this album may well be the group's funkiest – but in a style that's got some of the best 80s qualities in the grooves – the kind of tight basslines and sweet keyboard lines that marked some of the best work of the time – mixed with the group's sublime horn lines, which provide these jazzy inflections that really warm things up in a brilliant way! Most of the rhythms are nicely right in the middle – neither too uptempo, nor too head-noddy – and the whole thing's a really overlooked gem that's a standout funky set from the time. Titles include "Celebrate Recreate Participate", "She Was Once My Woman", "Shoalin", "More Than Ever Now", and "Don't Bust Yo Bubbles". 2CD set features bonus tracks – 7" mixes of "Born To Get Down", "Bump De Bump Yo Boodie", "Where I'm Coming From", and "She Was Once My Woman" – plus "I Just Wanna Turn You On (12" mix)". CD

A record that really lives up to its title – as it comes on with a sound so strong, so fierce, it can certainly be called an "attack"! The dub here isn't just the lazy-stepping, head-nodding variety – but very much on point and on the money – with the studio used almost as an additional instrument alongside the core rhythmic elements – which themselves have the best Channel 1 power of the studio's glory days in the 70s! And the lack of any vocals somehow makes the whole thing even more powerful – giving the spare instrumentation a hell of a lot of focus, in ways that so many later dub-imitators always tried to reach, but never did this well. Titles include "Semi Classical Natty Dub", "Skyjuice & Festival Dub", "Everybody Dubbin", "Dub For Marcus Garvey", "Is Dub I Deal With", "Dub Development", and "Musical Dub Attack". CD

An electronic masterpiece from Klaus Schulze – a set that's inspired by the famous novel Dune, but which has a landscape that's all its own – thanks to Klaus' incredible way of putting sonic elements together! As with most of his best from the 70s, the tracks here are very long, and build slowly, almost dreamily – using plenty of electronics and keyboards, but with some slight exotic elements in the phrasing to hint at the narrative in the book – but abstracted nicely, maybe in ways that Dead Can Dance would take up later, in a different style. Arthur Brown provides a small bit of vocals at one point, and there's some additional cello too – but overall, most of the sounds come from Klaus – on titles that include "Dune" and "Shadows Of Ignorance". CD features the bonus track "Le Mans". CD

A really great little funky record – even if it's a bit of a mystery in the record racks at times! This group were one of a number to use the name Smoke during the 70s – but at some point they were forced to change their name to Black Smoke, and you'll see the record listed both ways, but with the same cover. The band's a mixed ensemble of funk players – and they've got a sound that begins with a bass-heavy Average White Band groove, but moves into some more sophisticated playing with plenty of jazz funk touches. No surprise that the album's produced by Wayne Henderson, who handled some of the best jazz funk of the 70s – and in a way, the group probably sounds more like Pleasure (who Henderson also produced) than anyone else. The album features the extremely catchy soul tune "What Goes Around Comes Around", which has sweet ensemble vocals riffing along in a jazzy groove – plus the tracks "Screamin", "There It Is", "Freedom Of The Mind", and "Turn This Thing Around". CD

A beautiful album from Idrissa Soumaoro and L'Eclipse – one recorded during a time of great political unrest in Mali, and a set that was never commercially issued – but just originally given away by the Malian Association for the Blind! The album's got all the power of earlier albums from the heyday of 70s Mali music – including Soumaoro's previous group, Les Ambassadeurs Du Motel – many of whom had fled by this point – and Idrissa's snakey guitar lines hold together the larger mix of percussion and vocals from the Eclipse group – which seems to feature some younger singers with a really great range. Overall, the recording style is better than you'd expect for such an under-circulated album – but the sound is still nice and raw, especially on the percussion and vocals. Titles include "Djama", "Fama Allah", "Beni Inikanko", "Nissodia", and "Ben". CD