Recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound, the studio referenced in the title of the album, and presented in a wonderful cover image that has Cher standing outside the tiny facility with a host of legendary studio players that include Eddie Hinton, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett, and Roger Hawkins! Sonny's also standing in the crowd in the photo, but he's as in the background as he is on this set – as Cher's singing alone in a soul-styled mode that's befits the setting of the album. Titles include a funky take on "I Walk On Guilded Splinters", plus "For What It's Worth", "Cry Like A Baby", "Save The Children", "Do Right Woman", and "Dock Of The Bay". Plus, the 2LP set features a huge amount of bonus tracks – 11 more numbers from a whole second Muscle Shoals album, but which was never issued – with titles that include "Momma Look Sharp", "Chastity's Song", "It Gets Me Where I Want To Go", "Easy To Be Hard", "I Believe", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "The First Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Bill Frisell goes to Nashville – and finds a whole new outlet for his tremendous talents on guitar! The record's definitely got some of the elements you'd expect – some dobro from Jerry Douglas on another of tracks – plus bits of banjo, mandolin, and even some harmonica – but the whole thing is often in a very Frisell-familiar mode, with a sense of color, space and sound – just given a bit of a Nashville pitch! Robin Holcomb sings on three of the album's 14 tracks – and titles include "Family", "Pipe Down", "Go Jake", "One Of These Days", "Brother", "Mr Memory", "Gimme A Holler", "Shucks", and "The End Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Curtis Mayfield's lasting classic – and an album that the world will remember forever! Apart from being his hugely successful entry into the blacksploitation soundtrack field, this album's also a monster set of grooves that includes some of Curtis' funkiest work ever – a record that works as well as a 70s soul album as it does a hip action film score! The track list alone reads as a who's who of 70s funk – filled with gems that include "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Little Child Runnin' Wild", "Give Me Your Love", and "Superfly" – and the rest of the set is equally great, essential listening throughout! Plus, this set also features a whole bonus LP – one that brings together extra tracks, unreleased cuts, alternate versions, instrumental versions, and even some cool radio promotional spots – with the "Check Out Your Mind" instrumental studio jam, the full-length version of the instrumental "Junkie Chase", the demo version of "Ghetto Child", and lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

A blistering album of Latin funk – a set that's got a lean vibe but a very classic sound – one that's put together in the same mode as the excellent run of funky 45s from the long-running Original Gravity label! Nestor Alvarez is Neil Anderson – who handles drums, guitars, keyboards, percussion, and plenty more too – layered in with contributions from funky horn combo The O'Gees, and added keyboards, trumpet, trombone, and flute – depending on the cuts. And despite the one man activity at the core, the sound is very live, and very real – especially as the presence of the others really expand out the groove – and make the whole thing feel like a fresh take on the late 60s world of Latin soul and Latin jazz! Titles include "Joanna", "Un Bucanero Mas", "Original Gravity (parts 1 & 2)", "Melting Pot", "En Candela", and "El Ladron En La Noche". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set in the short run of classics that Carl Anderson cut for Columbia Records in the 1980s – albums that never cracked the charts that strongly at the time, but which have gone on to be remembered well over the years! On this record, Anderson nicely balances a tight groove with some looser, more personal vocals – in the process avoiding some of the stiffer cliches of the Columbia hitmaking crowd of the time – and reminding us that the label could still come up with classy, well-rounded soul efforts like this! Titles include "Let's Talk", "Can't Stop This Feeling", "Love On Ice", "Girl I Won't Take No", "Saving My Love For You", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", and "What Will Happen Now". Bonus cuts include "Let's Talk (UK rmx)", "Light Me", and "Can't Stop This Feeling (12" ext version)". CD

Crucial early work from Bob Andy – a run of solo tracks recorded for Studio One after Bob split with The Paragons – collected together here as a single set that really brings a new soulful standard to Jamaican music in the second half of the 60s! There's a great mix of modes going on here – and it's great to hear work like this from the days when the genre was just feeling its way – trying out new rhythms, fresh instrumental elements, and sweet lyrical twists – all in pursuit of the kind of groove that would live on for years! Bob's got a subtle sort of poetry in his music – as you'll hear on cuts like "Desperate Lover", "Life Could Be A Symphony", "I've Got To Go Back Home", "Going Home", "Feeling Soul", and "Crime Don't Pay". CD

Crucial early work from Bob Andy – a run of solo tracks recorded for Studio One after Bob split with The Paragons – collected together here as a single set that really brings a new soulful standard to Jamaican music in the second half of the 60s! There's a great mix of modes going on here – and it's great to hear work like this from the days when the genre was just feeling its way – trying out new rhythms, fresh instrumental elements, and sweet lyrical twists – all in pursuit of the kind of groove that would live on for years! Bob's got a subtle sort of poetry in his music – as you'll hear on cuts like "Desperate Lover", "Life Could Be A Symphony", "I've Got To Go Back Home", "Going Home", "Feeling Soul", and "Crime Don't Pay". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare material from Dave Bailey – a set that's filled with fire, soul, and imagination – recorded as part of the drummer's amazing (and amazingly short) early 60s run as a leader! The date smokes with the same sort of energy as Dave's great "Gutter" albums for Epic – a groove that's part Blue Note, part Prestige, and carried off with so much precision, we wonder why Bailey never recorded more as a leader. Players are all wonderful – Kenny Dorham's on trumpet, Curtis Fuller's on trombone, Frank Haynes is on tenor, and Tommy Flanagan's on piano. Ben Tucker provides excellent basswork, and proves that him and Bailey were one of the best hardbop rhythm teams ever! Cuts include "Grand Street", "Osmosis", "Soul Support", and "An Oscar For Oscar". CD features 5 bonus tracks – alternates of "Grand Street", "Osmosis", "Like Someone In Love", "BMT Express", and "Soul Support". CD

A great step forward for The Bar-Kays – an album that actually has them taking on a few mellower moments, amidst the heavy funk you might expect – yet all without softening their groove at all! The album's very much in the best spirit of the group's Mercury debut – still recorded in Memphis, with production that's tight, but never uptight – enough to firmly put the group at the top of the funk superstar scene of the mid 70s, yet never sell out the rich Memphis groove that first got them going! Titles include "You Can't Run Away", "Let's Have Some Fun", "Can't Keep My Hands Off You", "Whatever It Is", and "Shut the Funk Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of Mercury Records gems from the Bar-Kays – back to back in a single set! First up is Too Hot To Stop – a pivotal album from The Bar-Kays – a key post-Stax set, but one that's still very firmly grounded in Memphis funk! The groove definitely shows a bit more polish than before – the same sort of shift the Ohio Players made after moving to Mercury Records – but as with the Players at their best, there's still plenty of sharp edges and deeply funky moments on the record – and if anything, the shift has really given The Bar-Kays a way to evolve their sound past some of the heavier modes of the early days, without losing any of the appeal of their groove! Some cuts have some great keyboards – almost producing a spacey funk feel at points – and titles include "Too Hot To Stop (part 1)", "You're So Sexy", "Cozy", "Spellbound", "Whitehouseorgy", and the nice mellow track "Summer Of Our Love". Flying High is a killer too – a great step forward for The Bar-Kays – an album that actually has them taking on a few mellower moments, amidst the heavy funk you might expect – yet all without softening their groove at all! The album's very much in the best spirit of the group's Mercury debut – still recorded in Memphis, with production that's tight, but never uptight – enough to firmly put the group at the top of the funk superstar scene of the mid 70s, yet never sell out the rich Memphis groove that first got them going! Titles include "You Can't Run Away", "Let's Have Some Fun", "Can't Keep My Hands Off You", "Whatever It Is", and "Shut the Funk Up". CD

A real killer from Gato Barbieri – part of an excellent run of early 70s sessions for the Flying Dutchman label! The album was recorded live, and it's one of those real cookers that have him sounding a heck of a lot like Pharoah Sanders – blowing with these sharp, soulful tones – and really stretching out in this amazingly spiritual way – quite different than some of his more mainstream playing in later years, and his freer sounds of the 60s. The group features Pretty Purdie on drums, Sonny Morgan and Na-Na on percussion, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Lonnie Liston Smith on piano – and Smith lays out these modal spiraling lines that really work wonders with a groove – and Gato solos over them in searing ripping blasts of sound, never going too far out, but hitting that great soulful mode that made Sanders' best work so great. Titles include "El Pampero", "Mi Buenos Aires Querido", and "El Arreiro" – and all tracks are long. CD

A real killer from Gato Barbieri – part of an excellent run of early 70s sessions for the Flying Dutchman label! The album was recorded live, and it's one of those real cookers that have him sounding a heck of a lot like Pharoah Sanders – blowing with these sharp, soulful tones – and really stretching out in this amazingly spiritual way – quite different than some of his more mainstream playing in later years, and his freer sounds of the 60s. The group features Pretty Purdie on drums, Sonny Morgan and Na-Na on percussion, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Lonnie Liston Smith on piano – and Smith lays out these modal spiraling lines that really work wonders with a groove – and Gato solos over them in searing ripping blasts of sound, never going too far out, but hitting that great soulful mode that made Sanders' best work so great. Titles include "El Pampero", "Mi Buenos Aires Querido", and "El Arreiro" – and all tracks are long. LP, Vinyl record album

Two early calypso albums on Capitol Records – both pretty unique! First up are some of the first-ever recordings by Harry Belafonte – material recorded in 1949, with Pete Rugolo backings that are really amazing – as jazzy and modern as anything Rugolo did for other singers of the time, with only a hint of calypso in the rhythms. Belafonte sounds quite different on the sides than in later years – still with those tremendous vocals, but almost more of a jazz singer at points – which is a really surprising discovery! This aspect's supported strongly by the choice of tunes – which includes "Deep As The River", "Farewell To Arms", "Close Your Eyes", "The Didn't Believe Me", and "I Still Get A Thrill". Next up is a full album of straighter calypso material by Lord Flea & His Calypsonians – but one that also has a bit of a Capitol Records groove! Flea plays acoustic guitar and sings, and percussion is nice and tight – but there's also a fuller sense of space on the record, one that really sets it apart from other 50s efforts of this type – kind of a Capitol clarity that really adds a lot of charm. Titles include "Out De Fire", "Mister Give Me De Rent", "It All Began With Adam & Eve", "Jump In The Line", "Run Run Run", "Love", and "Monkey". CD

An incredible run of music from one of the grooviest soul groups of all time – a combo who started out down in the Texas scene with some very upbeat dancing soul singles in the 60s, who then moved to work in the Philly studios in the 70s, where they really opened up their groove! The set features work from both the group's early albums for Atlantic Records and their great second chapter at Philadelphia International – quite a career, given that they recorded for two of the greatest soul labels of the 60s and 70s – in a massive batch of work that's included here, with bonus material too! The Atlantic work starts out nice and raw, and pretty funky too – then gets warmed up in the best way possible as the label has them working with Gamble & Huff, before then leaving to record for the Philly duo's own International label in the 70s. The huge box features the full albums Tighten Up, I Can't Stop Dancing, There's Gonna Be A Showdown, Dance Your Troubles Away, Where Will You Go When The Party's Over, Hard Not To Like It, and Strategy – and CD5 is a full set of bonus tracks, with titles that include "Dog Eat Dog", "Deal With Him", "A World Without Music", "Love At First Sight", "Archie's In Love", "Wrap It Up", "I Wish", "Get It From The Bottom", "Old People", "Let The World Know You Got Soul", and "I Can't Face You Baby". Box features 79 tracks in all – and a big booklet of notes! CD

Hamilton Bohannon was completely unique in the world of soul and funk. He had a tight uptempo style that was sort of pre-disco and club oriented, yet which also had lots of choppy elements that made the groove a lot different than other artists of his time. Hard to pin down, but this selection of 14 tracks will give you more than enough of a good picture of his work – especially as it includes many rare gems, like "Foot Stompin Music", "South African Man", "Run It On Down Mr DJ", "Bohannon's Beat", and "You're The One". Also features his wonderful smooth steppin classic "Thoughts And Wishes", but we think the mix on here is different from the one on the original album. CD

A killer debut from Brick – the start of a massive run at the end of the 70s, a time when the group was easily one of the biggest acts to come out of the up-and-coming Atlanta scene! Like some other Atlanta acts of the time, Brick had a way of fusing older funky soul on a tighter modern groove – coming up with a sound that was nice and lean – perfect for these key transitional years of funk – with influences that were felt for years, in places as far away as the west coast! Case in point is the album's classic "Dazz" – one of those cuts that never gets old – nestled nicely in a lineup that also includes "Music Matic", "Here We Come", "Good High", "That's What It's All About", "Brick City", and "Sister Twister". LP, Vinyl record album

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

One of the more legendary albums on Blue Note from the label's classic run – and for many folks, the quintessential album from guitarist Kenny Burrell! Burrell had been playing for a number of years, and had been already recorded by Blue Note on some other excellent records – yet here, there's really something different going on – a bit more of a groove, and a harder edge from Kenny's guitar – augmented with superb work from a group that features Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Major Holly on bass, Bill English on drums, and the great Ray Barretto on congas! The vibe is fantastic, and Turrentine's horn has a raspy edge that's beautiful – while the whole record moves with a very rhythmic groove – thanks to Ray's extra percussion contribution on the bottom! Titles include the classic groover "Chittlins Con Carne", an early jazz dance classic – plus "Soul Lament", "Wavy Gravy", and "Mule". CD

Donald Byrd in a sweet electric mode – as you'd guess from the title! The set was recorded right before Byrd's legendary run with Larry Mizell in the early 70s – and the electric approach is a bit different here – a style that blends Byrd's wonderful trumpet lines with the larger ensemble mode Blue Note sometimes used in the late 60s, but with a spacey, stretched-out feel that's mighty nice! The album's somewhat similar to Byrd's Kofi set – but possibly a bit more open overall – and players here include Duke Pearson on electric piano, Jerry Dodgion on alto and sopranos ax, Frank Foster on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Hermeto Pascoal on flute, Wally Richardson on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and Airto on percussion. Pearson produced, and probably arranged too – given a slight Brazilian undercurrent to the grooves – and titles include "Estavanico", "Essence", "The Dude", and "Xibaba". CD

A landmark batch of work from the British jazz scene – the complete early run of recordings from Colosseum, maybe the greatest jazz-rock group of their time! The combo grew out of earlier work in the beat group generation – informed strongly by American jazz and R&B, but already on the forefront of the new prog generation – driven by the mighty drums of Jon Hiseman and topped with the sax and reed work of Dick Heckstall-Smith – both fantastic players who really gave the group their grounding! The lineup shifts a bit throughout this set, and maybe gets even better as the records go on – with later work from Chris Farlowe on vocals, whose soulful style is a perfect match to the groove-heavy sound of the group. Back in the days when we didn't like prog at all, and were more focused on jazz and funk, we still had a very soft spot for Colosseum – and it's no surprise that some of these records are always found in the collections of funk fanatics around the world. The 6CD set features the full albums Those About To Die Salute You, Valentyne Suite, Grass Is Greener, Daughter Of Time, and Colosseum Live – almost all of which are presented here with bonus tracks – alongside a full bonus CD of rare studio and live recordings too! There's also a huge booklet of notes – and this package is the comprehensive take on this legendary group. CD

The first album in a legendary run of vocal jazz classics on Atlantic Records – and a set that really helped Chris Connor move to a new level of expression in her music! The sound here is much richer than Connor's previous recordings for Bethlehem – and the small combo jazz backings have been replaced by fuller orchestrations by Ralph Burns – done in a cool, edgey sort of way that really pushes Chris into newly sophisticated territory! The sound's on a par with the best June Christy/Pete Rugolo collaborations on Capitol – and the group's filled with some great jazz players, including Zoot Sims, John Lewis, Milt Hinton, and Oscar Pettiford. Titles include "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "My April Heart", "He Was Good to Me", "Where Are You", and "Get Out Of Town". LP, Vinyl record album

Although The Contours will be forever known for their perpetual oldie "Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)", they're also an excellent soul group with a hard raw sound, and a lot more to offer than you'd expect! This 25 track compilation of the group's sublime Motown work really includes some of their best cuts – loads of tight little groovers that perfectly sum up the group's heavy Detroit groove. Titles include "You Get Ugly", "Can You Do It", "Come On And Be Mine", "Searching For A Girl", "Baby Hit & Run", "Pa, I Need A Car", "Gonna Win You Back", "Move Mr Man", "Look Out For Stop Sign", "It's So Hard Being a Loser", "It Must Be Love", and 2 versions of "Do You Love Me". CD

All the great early albums from Creation Rebel – plus their excellent comeback too! The set begins with Dub From Creation – not just the debut album from Creation Rebel, but also a set that marks the first studio work from the young Adrian Sherwood – part of the long On-U Sound legacy to come, and a wealth of other wonderful music! There's a spareness here that's great – maybe a bit less dark than later Sherwood projects, but no less stark – with melodica and keyboards weaving nicely amidst the dubby rhythms! Titles include "Basic Principals", "Dub Fusion", "Liberation", "Rising Star", "Vision Of Creation", and "Creation In A Iration". Next is Close Encounters Of The Third World – 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". Rebel Vibrations features early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". Starship Africa is a brilliant Creation Rebel effort for On-U Sound from the dawn of the 80s – landing in the futuristic dub spacecraft that is their Starship Africa – percussion heavy and spaced out ingenuity from Adrian Sherwood & co! Tripped, echoey atmospherics that's cast as a soundtrack to movie that doesn't exist, the music is forward thinking, boundary busting dubby grooves exists out of time and sounds great to this day. Includes "Starship Africa" (Sections 1-5) and "Space Movement" (Sections 1-4). On Psychotic Jonkanoo, Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". From 2023, Hostile Environment is the first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less moody – just something that seems to let the work of the group come through with energy that's wonderfully warm and organic, while still resonating with plenty of touches that will make longtime label fans proud! Vocals are shared between Charlie Eskimo Fox and Mr Magoo, and the set also features guest appearances from Prince Far I and Daddy Freddy – on titles that include "That's More Like It" "Jubilee Clock", "Swiftly", "Stonebridge Warrior", "Crown Hill Road", "The People's Sound", and "Whatever It Takes". CD

Barbara Acklin's first album – and a landmark of Chicago soul that firmly established Acklin as one of the city's best writers and new female singers! Acklin had a classy sound that was different than some of her raw soul sisters in the city – but although she was classy, she also didn't have any of that little girl stuff that you might hear from singers like Denice Chandler or Barbara Mason. Instead, she had an approach that mixed a real soul vocal with more sophisticated material, in a manner that worked well with the evolving blueprint for the Brunswick Chisoul sound. Carl Davis and Eugene Record do a perfect job producing Barbara's songs, all forged nicely into the loping soul groove that set Chicago apart from other cities in the late 60s. Includes the big title track "Love Makes A Woman" – plus "Be By My Side", "Your Sweet Loving", "Come and See Me Baby", and a great cover of "The Look of Love"! LP, Vinyl record album

A huge collection of work from the second chapter in the career of long-running New Orleans soul singer Johnny Adams – work after his initial rise to fame on the SSS International label, from a time when he was working with producer Senator Jones, in a groove that nicely updated an older deep soul style! In later years, Adams would emerge as a more traditional artist, but here he's doing a great job of working with larger charts alongside his well-crafted vocals – in a style that's not unlike that used by Johnnie Taylor and Tyrone Davis in the late 70s too – a more sophisticated take on southern soul, and one that seems to push some of Adams' vocals even more than before! Most of the work was recorded at the Seasaint studios in the late 70s – and titles include "Nothing Takes The Place Of You", "After All The Good Is Gone", "Feel The Beat", "Chasing Rainbows", "It's Been So Long", "Think About You", "Your Love Is All I Need", "Baby Baby I Love You", "She's Only A Baby Herself", "Stay With Me & Stay In Love", "I Don't Want To Cry", and "Memories". 2CD set features 30 tracks in all – including the live cuts "Lost Mind", "Road Block", and "I Cover The Waterfront". CD

A cool collection of very unusual grooves from Argentine composer/guitarist Rodolfo Alchourron – part of a generation of groundbreaking musicians in his homeland that also included Lalo Schifrin and Gato Barbieri – yet unlike those artists, a talent that never achieved greater global fame! The first album here – the initial Santa Y Clarificacion set – is very much like something Lalo Schifrin might do, but even more offbeat – as it's a weird blend of jazzy instrumentation, funky rhythms, and spacious sounds that would definitely be right at home in a film score – yet which stretch out even more in the expanded space of the album's long tracks! Instrumentation includes Organ, tenor, alto, flute, and some great electric bass and drums – really romping at the bottom, and driving the tunes along wonderfully. There's a bit of wordless vocals at a few spare points – breezily grooving along – on titles that include "Clarificacion", "El Stanabancos", "No Divaguen", "Melopea", and "Pajaros Sueltos". The second album – Santa Y Clarificacion – has a similar groove, but one that goes out even more – almost a touch more of a fusion influence at points, although there's still some great horn charts that continue a soundtrack vibe. Horns cascade beautifully, falling into some great chord changes and washes of color that really warm things up – and titles include "Vals Trunco", "Esas Dos Cosas Benditas", "Casi Un Tango", "Vals En La Muy Sostenido", and "Algunos Dias Alguna Noches". CD

One of our favorite early 70s Harry Mudie sides, filled with moody instrumental soul reggae numbers from pianist Gladstone Anderson! The sound is great – done with a wonderful rolling soulful vibe that wouldn't be out of place on Brunswick or Cadet soul single from Chicago – and the album grooves along nicely with some sophisticated, soulful arrangements laid over top some easy skanking Jamaican grooves! If you're hip to Jackie Mittoo's funky burning organ, you need to get down with Gladdy's mellow groovin' piano! 10 tracks in all, including "It May Sound Silly", "Portrait Of Inga", "Reggae Delight", "Feel Like Dancing", "Leaving Rome" and "Crazy Skank". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully sweet and jazzy from the lovely Isabelle Antena – recording here under her own name, but still very much in the mode of the French trio from which she emerged! The record actually came about during the later years of Antena – at a time when the group was still recording sporadically, and still working very much in the spirit of the bossa and jazz styles of their debut. On this set, Isabelle steps forward a bit more as a lead singer, and the overall groove shows a bit more of a love of soul – blended together here with the jazz influences in a way that's very similar to the best side of Sade in her early years, but also handled here with a leaner, more personal indie style. There's a great 80s pop vibe running through the set – one that makes for some nicely catchy numbers, as well as a few dancefloor tracks. Titles include "Seaside Week Enhd", "Ten Minutes", "How Can They Tell", "Magic Words", "Sois Pop", "La Vie Est Trop Courte", and "Easy Street". Expanded package features rare b-sides, demos for Island Records, and more – titles that include "Blow The World Away", "Don't Think About It", "Mummy's Not A Home Tonight", "Behind The Door", "Time To Work", "Be Pop (12" mix)", "Life Is Too Short (new dance 12" mix)", and demos of "Be Pop", "Achilles", and "Mummy's Not At Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A really breakout moment for The Artistics – and the start of a really sublime run with the great Brunswick Records! The group had already broken a bit on Okeh a few years before – securing a top spot on the Chicago scene with their bouncy northern soul groove – a love of rhythm that made them as much a favorite on dancefloors as they were with fans of harmony soul. But on this sweet set, things come together even better than before – thanks to strong leads by singer Marvin Smith, who brings a real sense of personality to the group's harmonies – and wonderful Brunswick studio help that includes Sonny Sanders arrangements and Carl Davis production. The whole thing's wonderful – and tracks include the hit "I'm Gonna Miss You", plus "On & On", "Sweeter Than Sugar", "Hope We Have", "Girl I Need You", "You're Wonderful", and "Love Song". CD features a great bonus track – "The Chase Is On". CD

Darn solid work from Ashford & Simpson – one of the duo's biggest albums for Capitol Records, and a great set from their 80s run for the label! The groove here is a bit more heavy on keyboards and beats than before, but the pair still keep things plenty soulful with their positive, upbeat approach to the music – rich, full, and always steeped in soul! The title track, "Solid", is one of the most-remembered tunes from the duo – and other cuts include "Outta The World", "The Jungle", "Honey I Love You", "Babies", "Cherish Forever More", and "Tonight We Escape". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant set of straight jazz material from Roy Ayers – a set recorded for Atlantic at a time when he was working for the label in Herbie Mann's group – but done in a much more righteous groove that really points the way towards Roy's growth in the 70s! The lineup changes a bit throughout the set – but all cuts feature Herbie Hancock on piano, who helps give the record a solid modal groove that works great with the sound of Roy's vibes – and other players include Buster Williams and Ron Carter on bass, Sonny Sharrock on guitar, and Freddy Waits and Bruno Carr on drums. There's a bit of added strings and woodwinds at points – already showing Ayers' ear for larger, more ambitious sounds – and the whole record's arranged by the ultra-hip William Fischer. Titles include the classic "Daddy Bug", plus "Bonita", "I Love You Michelle", "Emmie", "Shadows", "It Could Only Happen With You", and "Look To The Sky". CD

An amazing set of tracks from one of our favorite artists ever – a whopping 33 track, 2CD compilation of some of the best of Roy's work for Polydor! Given the title, you can expect a very hip bent to the tracks picked for the set – lots of righteous politics and hip cultural themes bubbling underneath the funky and jazzy grooves that were Roy's forte during the 70s. And while we treasure just about every single track that Roy recorded for Polydor (re-release all the albums – please!), we also have to say that we probably couldn't have come up with a better 33 tracks if we'd picked them ourselves! Titles include "The Old One Two", "Life Is Just A Moment (part 2)", "The Memory", "Hey Uh What You Say Come On", "Running Away", "Searching", "We Live In Brooklyn Baby", "Coffy Is The Color", "Sweet Tears", "Red Black & Green", "No Deposits No Return", "The Third Eye", "Sweet Tears (disco)", "Africa Center Of The World", "Our Time Is Coming", "Destination Motherland", "Fever", "What You Won't Do For Love", "Thank You Thank You", "Can't You See Me (12" mix)", "Baby You Give Me A Feeling", "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", and "Love From The Sun". CD

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever – and also one of his deepest, too! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo – and the amazing energy of the rest of the group too. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Very righteous, and with a cool dope jazzy groove! CD

A great little album by Roy Ayers – one that features none of his hits, which means lots of fresh material – and which has great examples of both sides of Roy's talents at the time! The dancefloor side of Roy kicks in with "Love Will Bring Us Back Together", an extremely catchy groover that's very much in the mode of "Running Away", with plenty of choppy funky riffs, and a good soul base at the core. Even better, though, is the mellow spacey side of Roy – which shows up wonderfully in the cuts "Is It Too Late To Try" and "If You Love Me" – two overlooked gems that float along in a perfect blend of jazz and modern soul, with great breathy vocals and vibes, very much in the spirit of stuff on the You Send Me album. Other cuts include "I Wanna Feel It", "Leo", "Take Me Out To The Ball Game", and "Simple & Sweet" – all nice too! LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet 80s groover from the mighty Azymuth – a set that's early in their run of albums during the decade for Fantasy Records, and one that offers up a nice adaptation of the groove from their early Brazilian classics! Tracks are nice and lean, and acoustic percussion is blended with keyboard work at a level that really opens up the sound – and which makes Azymuth so different from so many other fusion outfits recording in the US during the time – as does the occasional use of wordless vocals, and that really special sense of rhythm that the group deliver so well! The set includes the classic ten minute "Last Summer In Rio" – a great Fender Rhodes number that was once a huge steppers cut in Chicago – plus the great tracks "The House I Lived In", "What Price Samba", and "May I Have This Dance". CD