An early pairing of composer Andrzej Korzynski and director Andrzej Zulawski – a Polish duo who show that groovy vampire films aren't just the stuff of the southern European scene in the 70s! Korzynski's music for the movie is really wonderful – starting with a wicked fuzzy funky theme that feels like it's lifted right out of Vampyros Lesbos – and followed by other groovy tracks that are often heavy on electric bass at the bottom – used to set a scary mood on the spookier numbers, and create an upbeat groove on the swinging ones! This limited 10" release only sports 9 tracks, but they're all pretty great – and the whole thing is almost like a condensation of the best elements you'd find in much longer soundtracks with a lot of filler in between. Titles include the main title theme and reprise, "Tango", "Dworek", "Lapanka", "Szpital" (parts 1 and 2), "Na Strychu", and "W Instyucie". LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning early work from one of our favorite reggae groups ever – the mighty Toots & The Maytals, a key link between the soul styles of the Jamaican scene of the 60s, and the righteous years to come! There's a groove to the Maytals music that nobody else seems to get this right – or this tight – a fantastic criss-crossing of rhythms that's often nicely stripped-down, and which seems to set fire to the vocal interplay between Toots and the rest of the group – in a way that's as vocally explosive as the instrumentation at the core! Sure, these guys can harmonize as well as the rest of their contemporaries – but they've also got an even greater talent for trading back and forth, which seems to make every one of their tunes an instant groove. Titles include "Pee Pee Cluck Cluck", "Loving Spirit", "Dr Lester", "Gold Silver", "Koo Koo", "Revival Reggae", "Thy Kingdom Come", "One Eyed Enos", "A Time To Love", "9 O'Clock", "Know Me Good", "Got To Feel", "Feel So Good", and "Give Peace A Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer funky organ – and 100% Dynamite! Jackie Mittoo is one of the all-time great organists – as essential to Jamaica as Booker T was to Memphis, or Jimmy McGriff was to New York. He's legendary these days as the player who completely transformed the Hammond sound with his unique Jamaican instrumental style during his early years with the Skatalites, and on his later solo recordings for Studio One. This set's probably the first time Mittoo's work has been properly packaged and remastered – and the folks at Soul Jazz have done an amazing job of selecting just the right tracks for such a project. The whole thing wails along with a stone rocksteady groove – with plenty of nice drum parts and funky rhythm bits underneath Jackie's soulful organ. If you dug the label's 100% Dynamite series, you'll really dig this one – and the whole thing's very much in the same vein. Tracks include "Drum Song", "Reggae Rock", "Hot Tamale", "Killer Diller", "Black Organ", "Stereo Freeze", "Wall Street", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Juice Box", and "Killer Diller". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first records ever as a leader from funky drummer Idris Muhammad – a set that was cut right at the same time Idris was burning up the kit on his classic jazz funk sessions with other Prestige label players! The groove here is tight, funky, and very much in the mode that Muhammad laid down for other bigger soloists – a solid, socking sound that was the early 70s inheritance of the "Popcorn" funk groove of the late 60s. Players here are all great – and include Melvin Sparks on guitar, Harold Mabern on electric piano, and Virgil Jones on trumpet – and tracks include great covers of "Express Yourself" and "Super Bad", plus "Wander" and "Soulful Drums". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring grooves and scatting vocals – a wonderful collaboration between this hip fusion combo and singer Rachel Gould, and one that's right up there with the best German grooves of the Glucklich generation! Rachel only sings on a few of the album's tracks, but those sparkle beautifully with a breezy sort of soul that's totally great – and other instrumental titles have a different sort of appeal, but one that's wonderful too – well-played keyboards and guitar, without some of the fusion excesses of the 70s – served up in lean grooves that bring in a great mix of Brazilian and funky jazz styles. The set's got a warmly appealing sound throughout – but not one that's at all like US fusion of the time – still quite adventurous, and really set free to groove in a joyous sort of way! Titles include "Mystic Latin", "Movin Seconds", "Vom Regen Bogen", "Short Funky", "Congress Of Dreams", "Cyklus III", and "Anticipated Joy". LP, Vinyl record album

Drums galore from the great Sandy Nelson – an artist who was one of the most hard-burning talents on the kit, back in the day – with a propulsive quality that makes a record like this take off right from the very first note! As with so many of Sandy's instrumental classics from back in the day, there's no record of the players on the date – but they've got to be some of LA's top-level studio talents, as there's some excellent saxophone solos on the set – and some especially great guitar! At a time when guitar-heavy instrumental rock albums were king, Sandy managed to bring the drums center stage – while still also holding onto the kinds of sounds you'd love from those groups too – all arranged by Rene Hall with a mighty sharp groove. Titles include "Drums A Go Go", "Whittier Blvd", "Do The Boomerang", "Soul Drums", "The Clapping Song", "Boot Leg", and "Casbah". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best soul records to come out on the Paula label in the early 70s – one with a number of beautifully soulful moments – and a few surprisingly funky ones, too! Although Bobby Patterson did a lot of work for other singers, this is one of the few albums he actually cut under his own name – and it's a lasting testament to his talents as both a singer and writer. It's got a nice mix of southern soul ballads and more uptempo tracks, and loads of original compositions by Bobby! Includes "This Whole Funky World is a Ghetto", "If You Took A Survey", How Do You Spell Love", "Make Sure You Can Handle It", "I Just Loved You Because I Wanted To", "Right On Jody", "Quiet! Do Not Disturb", and "I Get My Groove From You". LP, Vinyl record album

Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of the early 70s – tightly vamping rhythms that draw heavily from Purdie's monstrous drums – and which also offer solo showcase space for Harold Wheeler on electric piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Tippy Larkin on trumpet, and Charlie Brown and Warren Daniels on tenor. Rhythm is augmented by Gordon Edwards on Fender bass and Norman Pride on congas – and the grooves hit a variety of modes that show that Purdie could sometimes be a more open-thinking rhythmatist than his funky contemporary Idris Muhammad. Titles include great instrumental versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Montego Bay", plus the originals "Wasteland", "You Turn Me On", and "Purdie Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of the early 70s – tightly vamping rhythms that draw heavily from Purdie's monstrous drums – and which also offer solo showcase space for Harold Wheeler on electric piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Tippy Larkin on trumpet, and Charlie Brown and Warren Daniels on tenor. Rhythm is augmented by Gordon Edwards on Fender bass and Norman Pride on congas – and the grooves hit a variety of modes that show that Purdie could sometimes be a more open-thinking rhythmatist than his funky contemporary Idris Muhammad. Titles include great instrumental versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Montego Bay", plus the originals "Wasteland", "You Turn Me On", and "Purdie Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive work from one of the funkiest drummers of all time – the legendary Bernard Pretty Purdie, stepping out here in a batch of instrumentals that may well be his greatest album ever! Bernard's drums are right up front in the mix – leading off all tunes with a full, funky, echoey sort of approach that's unlike anything else we can think of – and certainly different from any other late 60s albums of this type! The production is totally great – and has a way of pulling out some of the weirdest aspects of the music – which itself features guitar from Billy Butler and Eric Gale, bass from Bob Bushnell, tenor and flute from Seldon Powell, and organ and piano from Richard Tee – who also handled all the arrangements on the set! The centerpiece is the hit single "Funky Donkey", but just about every track's a groover in its own way – and titles include "Soul Drums", "Bill's Groove", "Jimmy's Back", "Testifyin", "Modern Jive", "Blow Your Lid", "Bee N Tee", and "Soul Bossa Nova". This new edition includes 8 bonus tracks, with a couple rare 45 tracks and more that have never been released – all soulful & funky – well paired with the Soul Drums album! Bonus tracks are in stereo, and include "Alexander's Rag Time Band", "Genuine John", "Soul Clappin", "If You Never Cried", "Stop" and "Time Is Tight". Also comes with a nice booklet with new liner notes, and choice quotes from Purdie's peers and those he influenced, from Galt MacDermot to Large Professor. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive hit and creative triumph for Salt N Pepa – a record that was both maybe their biggest ever, and which had the duo working with Spinderella at a level that also bridged both hip hop and R&B! Although there were some younger up-and-comers on the scene at the time, Salt N Pepa had already honed their craft, matured a bit, and were able to serve up just the right hook-heavy blend of hip hop and a touch of R&B – mixing both freewheeling fun with some feminist positivity and maybe just a touch of social consciousness in all the right ways. Titles include their classics "Whatta Man and "Shoop" – plus "Groove Me", "No One Does It Better", "Step", "Heaven Or Hell", "Big Shot", "Sexy Noises Turn Me On", "Somma Time Man", "I've Got Aids (PSA)", and "Break Of Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent double-length live set from Gil Scott Heron – recorded right in the middle of his classic years on Arista Records, and with an extended groove that shows just how great he could be in a concert setting! Many of these tracks are quite long, with both instrumental solos and a more freewheeling vibe from Gil – who seems to put even more power into the sorts of messages that always make his music so wonderful. The group features flute from Vernon James and tenor from Ron Holloway – and Gil himself plays plenty of great keyboards, including Fender Rhodes – which brings a very fluid vibe to his vocal presentation. Tracks include "We Almost Lost Detroit", "B Movie", "Better Days Ahead", "Washington DC", "Shut Em Down", "Winter In America", "Angola Louisiana", "Johannesburg", and a great 15 minute take on "The Bottle". LP, Vinyl record album

A contemporary record, but one we'd rank right up there with the moodiest, most exotic African funk albums of the 70s – especially the gems we've discovered through the Ethiopiques series! These guys play in a style that certainly references Ethiopian reeds and keyboard work of the 70s, but with a groove that's even funkier too – an understanding of the possibilities of a deep funk combo, but expressed through a much richer, more organic vibe – so that nothing's ever forced or faked at all, and the music is wonderfully captivating throughout. Production is perfect for this sort of set – and titles include "Pinch Of The Death Nerve", "Viking Of 5th Avenue", "Cave Of Brahma", "Night Of The Sorcerer", and "Suur Toll". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great rare gospel albums from the modern soul generation – a time when the music had some of its strongest secular styles in the grooves – so much so, you might be hard-pressed to imagine these guys singing in a church! In fact, most of these tracks would be right at home in the clubs – as Soul Liberation have this upbeat modern soul approach that's wonderfully groovy – and which is made even better by their righteous lyrics – which often soft-pedal the religious message, but still use its current to give the music a strong sense of spirit – which is then matched by the equally uplifting sense of groove! Titles include "Send Me", "Heavenly Places", "Put On The Whole Armor", "Who Are You", "It Won't Go Away", and "Touch Me Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A totally fantastic record, and one we'd put right up there next to some of the best soulful hardbop albums on bigger labels of the 60s – even though the set hardly ever saw much circulation back in the day! As you can guess from the cover, the quintet hails from San Francisco – and they work here with a boldly creative vibe that really reflects the energy they were bringing to their club dates in the Bay Area – leadership by pianist Al Tanner, with smoking tenor from Roy Henderson, and a mix of flute and trumpet from George Alexander – both done in these really great ways. Edwar Williams handles bass, and perhaps the biggest name here is drummer Smiley Winters, who would later go on to more avant fame – yet it's the group together as a whole who work so well, often with the cohesive energy and individual voices of the Horace Silver quintet at its best. Titles include the massive modal number "Kuba" – plus "Rolon's Groove", "Bronson's Blues", "The Magi", "Poor Me", and "Zaltanica" – most nice and long. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever made as a leader by tenorist Don Wilkerson – a hell of a talent who was usually working in the background of the Ray Charles band, but got this chance to step out as a leader for Blue Note – in a session that's also one of the rarest on the label! Brother Don plays lean and mean, in a nice tight group that features Grant Green on guitar, Sonny Clark on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums – all of whom give Wilkerson a freer setting than he ever got working with Ray Charles – a groove that's right in the best soul jazz pocket of early 60s Blue Note! The groove has a freer edge than on some of Wilkerson's few other albums, with touches that almost reach a Latin sound at times – an influence most likely from Green's exotic work on guitar, and Higgins' wonderfully free rhythms. Titles include "Pigeon Peas", "Camp Meetin", "Jeanie Weanie", and "Dem Tamborines". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky gem from Hammond hero Reuben Wilson – one of the last great organ players to emerge from the 60s soul jazz scene – and a musician who seemed to have a great ear for funky currents right from the start! Part of the album's charm is the drums of Idris Muhammad (aka Leo Morris) – who brings a sound here that's similar to his famous late 60s work with Lou Donaldson – and the group also features a few nice Donaldson-styled touches from Grant Green on guitar, helping merge the groove here with some of his own great Blue Note dates from the time. The rest of the lineup features Lee Morgan on trumpet and George Coleman on tenor – a rare funky date for a player like Coleman – and titles include the funky cuts "Hot Rod" and "Love Bug", plus other groovers like "Back Out", "Stormy", and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy soul from the great Spanky Wilson – an album that explodes with energy right from the start – in a groove that definitely lives up to the title! Spanky's got a great mix of funk and class on this set – a punch in the rhythms at points, yet also a poise in the way she delivers the lyrics – a blend that's a bit like Marlena Shaw in her earlier years – and set to some killer arrangements from the great HB Barnum! Barnum gives the record all the cool punch of his great 60s work with Lou Rawls – and nearly all the material was written by the obscure Howlett Smith – an excellent lost writer who had a real talent for coming up with cool little soul songs that rise above the usual bag of his generation. This material works great for Spanky, and together, the pair, along with Barnum, cook up a unique lost soul treat! Titles include "Apartment 101", "On The Morning After", "The Other Girl", "You're Gonna Miss Me", "Love Has Me By The Hand", and "Mighty Great Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

Just a short record, but one that brings together three tracks from Wilfred Trevor Woodley – a very cool pianist from Trinidad & Tobago, and one who effortlessly mixes together soulful jazz with just the right amount of elements from the Caribbean! "The Lone Pilgrim" is a great cut that has offbeat reeds, riffing guitar, and some nicely subtle use of steel drums – all of which makes for a really great sense of tone and color! "Uhuru" has a deeper spiritual jazz vibe – nicely raspy tenor blended with warm keyboards over a mighty nice bassline! And "Stickman" builds with almost a Latiny groove – nice percussion and guitar, and a bit more steel pans – topped with tenor and keyboards! LP, Vinyl record album

The Grasso Brothers definitely know how to boogie – and they more than prove themselves with a wicked selection of rare tracks from the deepest years of the underground! The set's a killer collection right from the start – pulled from vintage 12" singles, albums, and even some funky 45s – with a groove that begins in the best boogie modes of the indie club scene, then soars to the skies in a range of fresh, creative styles – new variations on funky club modes of the 70s, taken to newer heights in the freedom of the post-disco years. There's some wicked cuts here we never would have discovered otherwise – and titles include "A Better Day" by Sharon Johnson, "Done Been" by Kenny Pierce, "We Know How To Boogie" by Those Good Intentions, "Dance To Freedom" by Sherman Hunter, "Stone Luv" by Roller Disco, "Plastic People (G&D edit)" by Living Color, "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Gospel Seekers, "Love Ain't Just A Physical Thing" by Carol Meriwether, and "Ain't No Doubt About It" by William Barlak. LP, Vinyl record album

El Michels return again to the Wu-Tang chambers – and the results this time might even be better than before! Wu-Tang forged their initial sound out of a love of offbeat samples and unusual funk – so it's only fitting that one of the hippest funk groups around strip the music right down to its roots – performing new live interpretations with their wickedly sinister groove – all at a level that makes the whole thing a slow funk masterpiece from start to finish! El Michels has always been one of the few real standouts in the deep funk scene – and it's records like this that keep us loving them so much. And even though the set features vocals from Lee Fields on two tracks, and Lady Wray on one more – the instrumental groove is what dominates and draws our ears, on tracks that include "Tears", "Sipped Up", "Shadow Boxing", "Iron Man", "4th Chamber", "Shaolin Brew", "Drums For Sale", "Verbal Intercourse", "Tearz", and "Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin Ta F Wit". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers – still grooving hard in the early 70s, with a nice mixture of Latin funk and sweet 70s jazz grooving. The group's as strong as ever – and still features the amazing Pazant Brothers, as well as William Blivins on vibes, Harold Alexander on flute, and Leo Williams on guitar. The best cuts have an uptempo groove that's right in the NuYorica vein – but even the mellower cuts have a strong dose of jazz and soul, very much in the vein of groups like Ocho. Features a version of Neal Creque's "Cease the Bombing", Kenny Burrell's "Chitterlings Con Carne", and a nice mellow version of Coltrane's "Naima". Also includes the great originals "Inside The Corn" and "Hard Hats"! LP, Vinyl record album

About as classic as you can get for Sonny Rollins during the 50s – from the cover right down to the incredible solos on the set! The album's got Rollins really stretching out – still not finding the freer trio mode of his Vanguard session, but still bringing in plenty of fresh ideas in both his phrasing and the construction of his tunes – way more than just the roots of his (still excellent) years as a boppish player. The group's nice and loose – with Wynton Kelly on soulful piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all able to snap into a groove when needed, but also letting Rollins really lay back into a solo too. Titles include the sublime "Asiatic Raes", plus "Namely You", "Tune Up", "Wonderful Wonderful", and "Blues For Philly Joe". If you've ever needed a record to convince you how great Rollins is, this might just be the one! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff – and one of the greatest records ever by Brazilian keyboardist Antonio Adolfo! The album was recorded at the end of the 70s, and has a sound that's a lot like the best fusion work by Azymuth – a great mix of jazz and funk, plus more dynamic Brazilian elements – all wrapped together in a way that a rare few hybrids do this well! There's great keyboards right up front in the mix – and the backing has some tight percussion that crackles along and gives the album a heavy bottom and a great groove. The album was originally only issued on the tiny Artezanal label – but it feels like a lost gem from the classic funk years at Fantasy Records – internationally funky, far past just a Brazilian music gem. Titles include the massive break cut "Cascavel", plus other nice tracks like "Viralata", "A Marcha", "Assanhada", "Vermelhinho", and "Brincadeira Em Mi Bemol". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked early work from Azymuth – one of the albums that the group recorded when they were really starting to take off on the global scene – burning strong with a soulful fusion vibe, lots of Brazilian rhythm currents, and always hitting all the right notes in their music! The sound here is still relatively spare, and sublimely reliant on the keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who plays Fender Rhodes, organ, and percussion on the set. Ivan Conti handles the main percussion, though – a great mix of tight work on the drum kit and rootsier, Airto-like elements that are totally great – and the whole thing's driven along nicely by bass and guitar from Alex Malheiros – a perfectly fused lineup that really hits their own groove on the set. Guests include Aleuda on percussion and vocals, Gordinho on surdo, and Doto on repinique – and titles include "Papasong", "Outubro", "Maracana", "Un Amigo", "Carta Pro Airto", and "Dear Limmertz". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz record, but one with a vibe that's all its down – and a sound that definitely echoes some of the tropical elements hinted at in the title and on the cover! Laurent Bardainne is a saxophonist who blows with a really rich sound – nicely soulful, and with a raspy, laidback quality that's really seductive – set up here amidst a mix of acoustic and electric elements, including great percussion, occasional keyboards, and just the right electric basslines to trip things along in a sweet midtempo groove! The mix of jazz soloing and nods to global elements takes us back to similar French albums of the 80s – and most of the set is instrumental, although there are occasional vocals from guests, next to great use of outside sound recordings too. Titles include "Singing", "Eden", "We Try", "Serpent Kaa", "Gobules Rouges", "Dance For Eternity", "Welcome", and "Meilleur". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard live work from Dave Brubeck's legendary quartet – recorded overseas right at the time they were first breaking big on Columbia Record – and with a creative modern energy that shows them right about to leap into Time Out territory! The tunes here are mostly familiar, but given wonderfully fresh readings, thanks to Dave's sense of timing – augmented with the creative rhythms of Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass – and topped with the always-sublime work of Paul Desmond on alto sax! The recording quality is wonderful – and titles include "Watusi Drums", "For All We Know", "One Moment Worth Years", "The Duke", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Two Part Contention", and "The Wright Groove". LP, Vinyl record album

An Italian funk double-header – a sweet little set from the end of the 60s, and one that features killer cuts from both Sandro Brugnolini and Stefano Torossi! We love either artist on their other own records, but there also seems to be something about putting them together here that makes them even better than before – certainly funkier, as the album's full of the kind of sharp, hard-grooving titles that first made us fall in love with sound library records in the first place! The date of the album's 1969, and both musicians make nice use of psych elements in their instrumentation – adding a bit of fuzz, wah-wah, or trippy guitar in just the right spaces – never going over the top, or getting too indulgent – but just moving in a groove that's tightly jazz funky at the bottom, and maybe a bit freaky at the top. Wonderful work throughout – and titles include "Sweet Beat", "Repetition", "Starter", and "Makkaresh" by Stefano Torossi – and "Wawa", "Motuproprio", "Polyphony", and "Flyer" by Sandro Brugnolini. LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of Bobby Caldwell – a blue-eyed soul singer who borrowed just the right amounts from AOR and R&B! Bobby's got a voice that's really great, and wrapped up warmly amidst keyboards and larger arrangements that all come across with a very cool compressed style – almost as if Caldwell discovered that midtempo and mellow style on some of the Earth Wind & Fire albums from a few years before, and used it as inspiration to craft a classic groove that's very much his own! The set features Bobby's huge classic "What You Won't Do For Love" – but the whole album's great, and other titles include "Special To Me", "Can't Say Goodbye", "My Flame", "Love Won't Wait", "Come To Me", "Down For The Third Time", "Take Me Back To Then" and "Kalimba Song", another nod to Maurice White and crew, to be sure! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album of contemporary jazzy grooves – a set issued at the start of the century, and one of the first to really get a blend of classic elements right – after so many others were foundering around in too-remixed, too-programmed work in the 90s! For years, Nicola Conte was a seminal force in the new Italian scene of the 90s – working as a DJ, promoter, producer, and sometimes recording artist under the odd 12" single. Yet this album marks his first full effort – and after years of bubbling under in the Italian scene, Nicola emerged as a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes – put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes to reinvent older jazz, funk, and bossa. The record features great mixes from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully – with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that usually cluttered the dance racks Tracks include "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Trappola Mortale", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "Bossa Per Due". LP, Vinyl record album

An early part of the On-U Sound legacy, even if the set wasn't issued on the label – a key effort by Creation Rebel that features recording work done both in London and Kingston, layered together in a beautifully dubby way! The sound here is definitely underground – full of message-oriented lyrics from Crucial Tony, who sings in a style that definitely earns him his name – with great melodica and organ flowing through the mix next to Lizard's bass – topped with added horn work from The Arabs in all the right spots! The production is superb – flat on the drums, wide on the sides, which makes for a really wonderful groove – on titles that include "Know Yourself", "Conspiring", "Creation Fever", "Natty Conscience Free", and "Joyful Noise". LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin are well on their way to becoming superstars with this set – a package that revisits scraps of songs they'd never been able to work just right in the past, and has a way of making them all shine freshly in a very different light! Sure, the funk trio at the core are still in place – but the music has this more expansive quality, and almost a sunny vibe that fits the image of the window on the cover – as things are warmed up with a bit of smoothness that really complements their groove – almost a nod to mellower soul at times, which will really surprise listeners of some of their other work. Yet at the same time, Khruangbin never stop reworking themselves – either through collaborations with others, or fresh projects like this – with tracks that include "May Ninth", "Three From Two", "Juegos Y Nubes", "Todavia Viva", "Pon Pon", "Farolim De Felgueiras", and "Les Petits Gris". LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin are well on their way to becoming superstars with this set – a package that revisits scraps of songs they'd never been able to work just right in the past, and has a way of making them all shine freshly in a very different light! Sure, the funk trio at the core are still in place – but the music has this more expansive quality, and almost a sunny vibe that fits the image of the window on the cover – as things are warmed up with a bit of smoothness that really complements their groove – almost a nod to mellower soul at times, which will really surprise listeners of some of their other work. Yet at the same time, Khruangbin never stop reworking themselves – either through collaborations with others, or fresh projects like this – with tracks that include "May Ninth", "Three From Two", "Juegos Y Nubes", "Todavia Viva", "Pon Pon", "Farolim De Felgueiras", and "Les Petits Gris". LP, Vinyl record album

Larry Manteca's the name of the group, not a single guy – and over the course of the past decade, they created all the wonderfully groovy instrumentals on this set – new recordings, but handled with a style that really goes back to Italian soundtrack and sound library gems from the past! The instrumentation features lots of great flute, played with a jazzy vibe that's sometimes exotic – a quality that's also echoed by the strong use of percussion in the group – sometimes in an earthy way, sometimes more in that 70s way when a conga might slide nicely right into a more electric groove! There's plenty of great organ and keyboards on the set – including the cool "marimba piano" – on titles that include "Tuareg Road", "Around The Island", "Love & Bones", "Hanuman", "Ritual", and "Zombie Mandingo". LP, Vinyl record album

Jiro Inagaki's definitely in the groove here – hitting hard with a sweet electric vibe, on a set that's easily one of his funkiest albums ever! The set's got a wicked mix of jazz and funk that's right up there with the best on 70s CTI or Kudu – but maybe even leaner overall, given the focused nature of the tunes – and their strongly rhythmic approach! Jiro's on both tenor and soprano sax, and also handles arrangements with Norio Maeda – and the set's especially heavy on Fender Rhodes and electric bass, carved up nicely by sweet guitar lines that almost have a Joe Beck sort of sound. Many tracks are originals, and all are definitely in a tight 70s mode – really stepping forward from some of the more formative funky years of Jiro's previous albums. Titles include "Joie De Vivre", "Crazy Medicine", "That's How I Feel", "Blue Blood", "Raven Speaks", and "Samba Chimba". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". Features a great 16 page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever from Luiz Bacalov – a set that's filled with sex and slink, but which also has a great sense of groove as well – blending bossa jazz, mod moments, and all the best styles of the late 60s Italian scene! The music is mostly acoustic, but has a really great way of using sustained notes on flute – which creates this dreamy vibe that's almost electric, especially when offset by acoustic basslines, percussion, and piano – all used at a level that's right up there with the best from Morricone or Trovajoli at the time! There's also wonderful drifting vocals in the mix – courtesy of Nora Orlandi – and titles include "Round Nassau", "Swingin Easy In Tanganika", "Rio Zona Sul", "L'Amica", and "Taxi Cab 67". Features two bonus tracks – "L'Amica (ripresa)" and "The Bitter Truth (inst)". LP, Vinyl record album

A Caribbean group, but one with a much heavier groove than most – much more of a West African vibe overall, with a very heady mix of percussion, bass, and other heady elements! There's a mixed-up, dubby approach to the music that almost recalls Cymande at times – core musical ideas taken nicely far from their roots – not in a way to make them more commercial, but just to shake things up, recombine then, and come up with a sound that's wonderfully unique! The whole thing is every bit as funky as you might expect, and really criss-crosses scenes and styles with a blend of percussion, guitars, flute, kalimba, keyboards, and Arp. The production is great – nice and moody, with just the right current of echo – and all titles were penned by lead singer Oluko Imo, with tracks that include "Ifetayo", "You People", "Saved Musician", "Kilimanjaro", "Aspire", and "Umbala". This edition also features the bonus track "Imo". LP, Vinyl record album

James Alexander Bright joins forces here with Groove Armada's Tom Findlay – and the result is a set of grooves that partly have an 80s boogie sort of vibe, and partly reflect that sunnier, hazier sound that we've loved from the LA underground scene in recent years! Beats, basslines, and keyboards rule the sound – and vocals are often processed and layered right down in the mix, sounding pretty electric too – working well with the sparkle of the set, on titles that include "Flowers", "Leave It All Behind", "Slow Dance", "When I Look Into The World", "Space & Time", and "NY Disco". LP, Vinyl record album

We don't know much about Bill Brown and his group – but they're a fantastic lost act from the 70s, and one who have a fantastic way of mixing warm soul harmonies with some very sharp grooves! The rhythms are pretty upbeat on most tracks, but the vibe is before the disco and club years – that special moment when funk musicians were able to move quick, and never lose their groove – and singers like Bill were able to slide into the mix and really soar with their vocals! We've never heard any of these cuts before, and the whole thing is like discovering a lost chapter of 70s soul that we'd completely missed – one that we'd rank right up there with some of the hippest east coast group soul of the time. Titles include "Bip Bam (parts 1 & 2)", "Stay Off The Moon", "Sock It To The Landlord", "Rainbow", "Time After Time", "Fool-Ology", "Love Under The Apple Tree", and "Dreamworld Fantasies". Also includes an instrumental of "Time After Time" – and a Billy Wilson version of "Fool-Ology". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip live date from Kenny Burrell – recorded with a trio that includes Richard Davis on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – both of whom help Kenny find a groove that's a bit lighter and more fluid than usual! The rhythms here are quite gentle, almost spare at times – and always touched with Haynes' great sense of lyricism. Kenny's guitar lines are right out front, freely flowing with plenty of warm chromatic hues, and styles that echo a bit more modernism than we've heard in other work of his from the late 50s. Titles include "Well You Needn't", "Trio", "All Night Long", and "Soft Winds". LP, Vinyl record album

A wailer! This rare 1955 album is one of Donald Byrd's first records as a leader – recorded for the tiny Transition label in Boston, but with a hardbop groove that's right up there with his early work for Savoy and Blue Note. The record is practically a Jazz Messengers session – as it features Art Blakey on drums, Horace Silver on piano, Hank Mobley on tenor, and Doug Watkins on bass – and it's also got the unique aspect of a two-trumpet frontline, as the young Joe Gordon joins Donald on the instrument for the session. Tracks are long and open-ended – with incredibly well-crafted playing that really keeps the set fresh, despite the young age of Donald at the time. Titles include "El Sino", "Doug's Blues", "Hank's Tune", and "Hank's Other Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing too comfy here, as drummer Tim Carman kicks up a gritty groove right from the very first note – working next to the organ of Ken Clark and guitar of Steve Fell – all in a stripped-down style that partly aims for the glory days of Hammond hero work on Prestige Records in the 60s, but which also maybe has a bit of a soul instrumental vibe as well! Tim's drums are nice and tight, leaving Clark's fingers on the keys and feet on the bass to really open things up – flowing and glowing with all these great changes, on titles that include "Cookin With Gran", "Southpaw", "If You've Got It Flaunt It", "First Mind", "Do That Thing", "Dumpty Dumb", and "Chicken Noodle Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the funkiest album ever recorded by saxophone legend Nathan Davis – a sweet little session with plenty of electric touches! The sound here differs greatly from Davis' 60s work on the European scene – his amazing albums for MPS and Polydor – and the record's awash in funky drum breaks, rolling basslines, keyboard solos, and plenty of searing work on soprano, tenor, alto, and flute by Nathan himself! There's a spare, stripped-down brilliance to this album that makes it one of our favorite indie jazz albums ever – a sense of groove that's apparent from the very first note, but also a righteous vision for arranging and composition that easily puts the set right up there with the best on the Strata East or Black Jazz labels! A few funky standouts on the record have been sampled heavily over the years, but the whole thing's great through and through – and titles include "Tragic Magic", "New Orleans", "African Boogie", "Stick Buddy", and "Bahia". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty nice message cut from Eric Dunbar – slightly offbeat, but in a really great way that makes the plea for saving the younger generation that much more powerful – as Eric Dunbar sings over some warmly jazzy backings with a nice midtempo groove! "Freeway" is the title cut from Eric's famous rare groove album – and has an even harder, more righteous vibe overall – with some wicked clavinet right down in the rhythms! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A sweet little record that's bristling over with that future past sort of vibe that makes the Star Creature label so great – 80s electronic elements coming into play with a more contemporary sort of groove – lean, mean, and right on the money all the way through! E Live is definitely a master on the keys – able to bring some jazzier elements into his lines here – as he steps out strongly in a mostly instrumental setting over some bassy beats and heady basslines – on titles that include "Mood Swing", "I Feel It", "Friday Night Flight", "Cadillac Breeze", "Traffic Jam", "Stranger Dayz", "You Got Me", "City Girl", "Slapadelic", and "Wise Up Rise Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The American debut of The English Beat – aka the UK group The Beat, who'd been making some big waves with import 45s on the 2Tone label, the burst forth on our US market with a slight shift in name, due to another group hogging their original moniker on our side of the Atlantic! That bit of backstory hardly need matter, though – as the group wear their English loud and proud here, setting off a huge ska revival as they blend Jamaican roots with London attitude in the post-punk years – stacking up a set of classics that continue to groove many turntables all these many years later. Titles include "Mirror In The Bathroom", "Hands Off She's Mine", "Twist & Crawl", "Big Shot", "Best Friend", and "Jackpot". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest work ever issued by the great Georgie Fame – a 4-track EP that features all instrumental tracks with Georgie on the Hammond – serving up a unique groove that really spoke to the changing London scene of the time! The rhythms here are part of the package, and definitely echo some of the new immigrants and their styles arriving in West London – while Fame's solos on organ also show plenty of influence from American players too, both in the jazz and soul instrumental modes! Titles include "Rik's Tune", "JA Blues", "Orange Street", and "Stop Right Here". 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the greatest British funk albums of the 70s – if not all time! FBI may have an American reference in their name, but back in the day, they were the leading lights of the London soul scene – and one of the few groups who could blend together jazz, soul, and funk influences with the same sort of depth and tightness you might get from Kool & The Gang at their best! As with that group during their crucial mid 70s years, there's a style here that's really stretching out – not just copycat funk, but a really deep, personal approach to the groove – such that the mellow tracks have rhythms that are as infectious as the uptempo ones – and the whole record has this sense of righteous soul and almost spirituality – really tying things together beautifully, and making this classic way more than just a typical 70s soul album! A true treasure throughout – well worth all the praise its received over the years – with cuts that include "Love Love Love", "Talking About Love", "FBI", "The Time Is Right To Leave The City", "Bad Deal", and "Let Me Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

An album-length monster from Fela Kuti – and a cut that has him still burning strong in the final years of his too-short life! The cut "Overtake Don Overtake Overtake" is a funky monster – spanning both sides of the record with a choppy drawn-out groove that features a cool spacey electric piano solo, sad wailing sax, and some catchy vocals on the hook – all with a core acoustic vibe that shows no traces of Fela and the group leaning into 80s technology, as so many of their contemporaries were doing. The track's right up there with Fela's best work ever – and the later, more obscure origin of the album makes it tougher to find than some of the earlier records too! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

Derrick Harriott may sing Jamaican reggae, but he does so here with plenty of help from American soul – as half the record features songs from the US 60s scene, including some Motown and southern soul gems – all retooled nicely for the sound of young Kingston! Derrick produced the set himself, and gets the groove just right for that warmly crackling vocal style of his – getting help from Bobby Ellis and Boris Gardinier on the arrangements – in a lineup that features Earl Chinna Smith on guitar, Winston Wright on organ, and Val Bennett on tenor sax. Titles include "It's Alright", "I'm Not Begging", "You Really Got A Hold On Me", "Have Some Mercy", "Sitting ON Top", "Close To Me", "Standing In", and "Long Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Gritty work from John Lee Hooker – a set recorded at the end of the 60s in Paris, at a time when that city was playing host to some of the hippest blues work of the decade! The style here is very much like John Lee Hooker of a decade before – simple, stark, and unadorned – with a slinky, dirty groove at the bottom of most tracks – vamped along by just a bit of bass and drums. The recording quality is a bit better than the old days, but never too slick or commercial – and Hooker's vocals are right out front with a real sense of presence and power. Titles include "I Feel Good", "Baby Baby", "Dazie Mae", "Stand By", "Going Home", and "Looking Back Over My Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Gregory Isaacs kicks back with a spliff on the front cover – earning himself some well-earned relaxation after turning out this tasty set of tracks from the 70s! The record's not a collection of earlier singles, and instead features new recordings all arranged by Alvin Ranglin – with laidback backings from The Revolutionaries, whose gentle groove is just the right match for that magical flow that Isaacs brings to his righteous vocals! The whole thing is homegrown, but in the best warm underground Kingston way – with titles that include "Willow Tree", "Special Guest", "Look Before You Leap", "Freedom", "No Speech", "Tear Drops", and "My Number One". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 30 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey". LP, Vinyl record album

The first new music we've heard in years from Afro Funk giant Orlando Julius – wonderfully paired here with the always-great Heliocentrics! Orlando's definitely in the lead here – singing, playing tenor, and contributing percussion to the overall groove of the group – which leans a bit more towards a 70s African vibe than some of their other releases, yet still retains all their wonderful style of psychedelic funk! Some of the rhythms have an Ethiopian sense of slinkiness, while others hit more of a full-on Nigerian groove – and the whole thing's never forced, never gimmicky, and instead just the right sort of setting for Julius to re-emerge as a true giant of his generation. Titles include "Buje Buje", "Love Thy Neighbor", "Aseni", "Sangodele", "Jaiyede Afro", "Omo Oba Blues", "In The Middle", and "Be Counted". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest bits of funk we've heard from the South African scene of the 70s – a record that mixes in plenty of currents from spiritual jazz, with a vibe that's very similar to the albums by Oneness Of Juju from the same time! The set's got this very universal appeal – earlier South African jazz modes blended with changes in 70s funk and soul – almost like a looser take on the music of Earth Wind & Fire, but with more focus on the instrumental elements overall! And those elements are great all the way through – with work from Dick Khoza on percussion, alongside lots of tenor, trumpet, trombone, and electric piano by a very jazzy lineup – plus vocals from Edger Dirgole too. Most tracks are nice and long, and really find their groove right from the start – on titles that include "Chapita", "Zumbwe", "African Jive", "Lilongwe", and "WD 46 Mendi Road". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of Japanese soul from the end of the 80s – and one that's got a surprising connection to Prince as well – given the man himself wrote some of the tracks, and also appears on the record himself! Apart from Kahoru's Japanese vocals, the Prince tracks are totally Prince numbers – in that he wrote, produced, and performed all the instrumentation – on both "Mind Bells" and "Bliss" – which were then topped by vocals from Kahoru – in a way that's a totally great blend of city pop modes and Prince's funky groove! Other tracks are pretty great too – and feature arrangements that are equally soulful – on titles that include "Dreamer", "Wild Generation", "In The Rain", "Time The Motion", "Silent Blue", and "Everything's All Right". LP, Vinyl record album

A great blend of funky jazz and wooden flute – the Japanese shakuhachi reed instrument, blown by Kifu Mitsuhashi here – then mixed with some larger backings that almost have a CTI Records sort of groove! The approach is similar to some of the best 70s projects from Hozan Yamamoto – and like those, updates older Japanese styles with just the right dose of jazz – never getting in the way of the soulful lines from the lead instrument, but also really warming things up nicely with Fender Rhodes, bass, guitar, and drums – in wonderful arrangements put together by Kiyoshi Yamaya. Titles include "Yagi Bushi", "Yosakoi Bushi", "Hokkai Bon Uta", "Kuroda Bushi", "Otemoyan", and "Mamuro Gawa Ondo". LP, Vinyl record album

The first ever career-spanning look at the music of legendary vocalist Asha Puthli – a singer who's maybe best known for her 70s club work on the European scene, but who also has a much wider range of expression – which you'll discover here! There's definitely some of the soul-based work that's made Asha a favorite with the rare groove scene over the years – but the set also includes early work with rock bands, and even a few experimental jazz numbers that predate her recordings for the discos! The double-length set is a delight throughout – a package that's really opened our eyes to sides of Asha's music we never knew – and titles include performances with Ornette Coleman on "What Reason Could I Give" and "All My Life", work with Charlie Mariano on "Mirror", vocals with The Surfers on "Sound Of Silence" and "Sunny", and with The Savages on "Pain" – plus solo tracks that include "Lies", "Right Down Here", "We're Gonna Bury The Rock", "Mister Moonlight", "1001 Nights Of Love (reprise)", "Music Machine", "Peek A Boo Boogie", "Devil Is Loose", "Space Talk", "I'm Gonna Dance", and "One Night Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Question Mark & The Mysterians – even more obscure than the first, and harder and heavier too! There's an energy and brashness here that's undeniable – like the group have really gotten their isht together – and found a way to push past the simple melodic groove of their debut! All the best elements from that set are still in place – the cool organ, Question Mark's almost-conversational vocals – and the garagey production that makes the guitars sound great. But there's also a focus that comes through strongly – like the combo were really finding the right way to interact – no doubt after a string of club performances on the strength of their singles! Titles include a long take on "Shout", plus "Do You Feel It", "Smokes", "Hangin On A String", "Got To", "I'll Be Back", and "Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing album from Sun Ra – a set that's got some of the same soulful focus as Space Is The Place, and a really surprising sense of groove on many moments! The record's actually a bit funky – if you can believe it – and was recorded with electric keyboards, bass, and guitar (played by the mysterious Disco Kid) – at the studios of Bob Blank, at a time when he was really able to capture the many strands of music that would come together in a performance, then find just the right way to put them over on record! The album was originally dismissed by many Sun Ra fans for being a funk sell-out album – but over the years, it's become a prized album for its cosmic sense of soul and great focus of the group's more far-reaching ideas – and at some level, it's probably the sound that most people imagine the Arkestra to have when they're first starting out, rather than the more avant material that dominates most of their catalog. The whole thing is wonderful – and titles include "That's How I Feel", "Where Pathways Meet", "Twin Stars of Thence", and "There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful contemporary bit of sweet soul – a tune that dips and swells in a mighty nice way, with a slow funk groove at the bottom, and these heartbreaking vocals from Marietta Smithover the top! "Suns Of Marvin" is faster and funkier, and instrumental – with a great drum/bass/riffing guitar line that feels like some rare funky 45 from back in the day – right down to the gritty production that really sends things over the top! Nice vibes solo in the middle, too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The killer debut of Keith Sweat, and a record that really set a whole new tone for mainstream soul at the end of the 80s! Teddy Riley's definitely got a hand in the sound here – adding drums and some production – all with a sweet bumping groove that works great for Keith's vocals – very new jack, but maybe a little bit more too! The rhythm is center stage on most tracks – and titles include "Make It Last Forever", "Something Just Ain't Right", "Tell Me It's Me You Want", "Right & Wrong Way", "How Deep Is Your Love", and "In The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album in Leon Thomas' classic run of albums for the Flying Dutchman label – and one of the most unique as well! There's a tighter feel here than some of Thomas' more free-flowing spiritual jazz sessions – but the sound is hardly commercial at all, either – and still has loads of the righteous power that Leon brought to his music, plus some strong bluesy currents too! Arrangements are by Glen Osser, who goes for a sophisticated soul groove – but one that can be funky at all the right points – and the mighty Neal Creque adds in some sweet electric piano lines, which definitely keep things hip. Titles include the funky classic "It's My Life I'm Fighting For", the modal groover "Just In Time To See The Sun", and the tracks "Got To Be There", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", "Balance Of Life (Peace Of Mind)", and "What Are We Gonna Do?" LP, Vinyl record album

There's plenty of funky steps here, thanks to a lean 70s fusion groove – served up by a Japanese combo who are heavy on keyboards and guitar! There's almost a CTI-like vibe to the record at times, especially as the rhythms are nice and spacious, and avoid any of the full-on fusion modes that can come from a record that's too jamming – and instead really lets the elements of the instrumentation really find their best place in the groove! There's a horn section on the record, but used in ways that are nicely punctuated – just to augment the sound at all the right moments, yet never overwhelm. Titles include "Morning", "Moderato", "Largo", "Dream Of Love", and "Dance Ritual Of Fire" – all themes from classical, but really transformed via funky jazz – again another influence from CTI! LP, Vinyl record album

A really great project from singer David Walters – a set that tries to reimagine a 21st Century creole culture – linking diaspora roots into a new sort of groove, all with plenty of help on production from Bruno Patchworks! There's a warmth to most of these tracks that draws us in right away – and although some rhythms are clubby, the spirit here is different than earlier sort of projects along these lines by Osunlade or some of his contemporaries – as instead of the beats, the lyrics go first, and everything else follows – with Walters really setting a different tone for each track, as he moves between cultural roots and references, while Patchworks helps find the right focus with his instrumentation and production. The set features guest appearances from Seun Kuti and Ibrahim Maalouf – and titles include "Fo Bouger", "Bwe Dlo", "Manye", "Krye Mwen", "Mama", "Musik", "Pa Le", "Abo", "Soleil Kreyol", and "Mesi Bondye". LP, Vinyl record album

Ultra-hip soul from the 70s – a brilliant collection of underground tunes that represents some of the best of the decade's indie scene! The title says "modern", but the groove here is also pretty darn deep – as many of the tracks on the set have nice touches of southern soul, despite the smoother 70s production overall. Vocals are extremely heartfelt, and most tracks are in a mellow or midtempo pace – making for a really wonderful batch of tunes that moves away from the more uptempo and clubby sounds you might hear on other modern soul compilations. This special LP pressing brings together tracks from the CD series – a number of which were never issued on vinyl, even back in the day – and two unreleased tracks appear here for the first time ever! Titles include "Gotta Be Loved (part 2)" by Herman Davis, "Never Felt This Way Before" by The New Experience, "Go Away" by The Hestitations, "Momma Had A Baby" by Street People, "Do You Really Love Me" by Darondo, "I Don't Play Games" by Nightchill, "Just A Little Ugly" by Gail Anderson, "It's The Same Old Story" by Act 1, "Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right" by The Mayberry Movement, "Shake Off That Dream" by Eddie Billups & The CCCs, and "If There Were No You" by The Natural Resources. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Azymuth – rare demo recordings done at the home studio of keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami, in the short space before the group issued their legendary debut! The tracks here are as much jazz funk as they are the later modes that Azymuth would put forth – killer instrumentals that are really driven by great keyboard lines from Bertrami, who'd already been making music in other formats for years – and who works here on Fender Rhodes, Arp, Clavinet, Hammond, and a range of other keyboards too! The drums are fantastic, too – handled by a young Ivan Conti, who gets help on percussion from an early fourth member of the group, Ariovaldo Contesini – and as you might guess, the incredible basslines of Ivan Mamao Conti really help the whole thing groove. All material is very well-recorded – these aren't rough or unfinished tracks at all – and the whole thing should just be thought of as a first chapter for the group, right before they started putting out their famous records. Titles on this first volume include "Prefacio", "Castelo", "Melo Do Cuica", "Xingo", "Laranjeiras", "Eqiupe 68", and "Unknown Song For Mario Telles". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the greatest record we've ever heard from Ethio keyboard legend Hailu Mergia – a sweet set of jazz recorded in the mid 70s, with a vibe that still sounds fantastic after all these years! The groove here is the sort that so many other contemporary groups have been picking up on recent recordings – unusual slow-stepping rhythms, mixed with exotic keyboard lines that often run up and down the scale – sometimes feeling more like some sort of cosmic current than the work of a set of fingers on the keys – even when the group move into some more soul-based modes! The whole thing is wonderful – just the right touches from horns and guitar – and titles include "Gumegum", "Ou OU Ta", "Aya Belew Belew", "Tezeta", "Endegena", and "Zengadyw Derekou". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky treasure from the 70s – a record that hardly made waves at the time, but which has lived on strongly for years – thanks to a great sample history and key interest from generations of groove diggers! Mighty Ryeders have a sound that's clearly influenced by Earth Wind & Fire – funk with a good dose of jazz, often done with some righteous undercurrents in the lyrics – but their groove is also a bit more rough-edged too, sharing some funky 45-levels of excitement, and showing a great ear for sharply jazzy changes! This last aspect has really helped the group's sound stay fresh over the years – and the album's a treasure trove of killer cuts – from the famous "Evil Vibrations", right on down through other gems like "The Mighty Ryeders", "Let There Be Peace", "Lovely", "Help Us Spread The Message", "Fly Away With Me", "Sar Children", and "I've Really Got The Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

The Japanese scene had plenty of great artists in the 70s, but few were as fantastic as Tatsuro Yamashita – a singer who effortlessly captures some of the more soulful currents of the American scene at the time, has a way of forging a really universal groove! The production, instrumentation, and arrangements are top-shelf – in the more soulful side of the AOR spectrum, but not nearly as too-polished as chart hits of the year 1980 – and certainly served up with all the right sort of warmth in the instrumentation, which continues to create all sorts of jazzy currents throughout! Tracks include "Silent Screamer", "Rainy Day", "Clouds", "Kissing Goodnight", "Door Into Summer", "Ride On Time", and "Daydream". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". This stunning version adds in some killer bonus tracks – 6 never-heard cuts from the Milestone vaults, including "Song For My Family", "Funky Native", "Detroit Rainbow", "Can't We Smile (alt)", and slow and fast versions of "A Child's Love". LP, Vinyl record album