An unusual project from Butcher Brown – a set that was originally written as a hip hop project for MC Tennishu, and which only gets plenty of instrumentation from the Butcher Brown combo, in their best funky jazz mode – but also has an added large ensemble really bumping up the sound! There's still plenty of hip hop on the record, but instrumentation is all live jazz and in a mode that so many others tried to do years back, but maybe never got this right. Titles include "Lawd Why", "Breevin", "Cusian", "Unbelievable", "777", and "Git Along" LP, Vinyl record album

A heady set from these two longtime funk legends – Eric Krasno on guitar and Stanton Moore on drums – working in a tight trio that also features Eric Finland on Hammond, Wurlitzer, and Mellotron – all in a sharply soulful groove that definitely lives up to the legacy of both players! Krasno has a nicely sharp edge at times, which really rings out wonderfully in the lean setting – and although the trio get a few guest visits from Cory Henry, Branford Marsalis, and Robert Randolph, we like them best on their own. Titles include "Stay High", "Lost Cause", "Fever", "Nobody's Baby", "Carried Away", "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free", and "A Natural Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Butcher Brown move past their roots as a core funk combo here – opening the door to contributions from a whole host of guests, and moving even more strongly into the world of soul music than on their album with Triple Trey! There's an expansive sound here that seems to have the hardworking outfit finally getting their chance at more mainstream fame – not in a commercial way, but at a level that just opens up with the energies they've always had, given focus through contributions from Braxton Cook, Keyon Harrold, Jay Prince, Vanisha Gold, Julia Shuren, Nappy Nina, Pink Siifu, and others – on titles that include "This Side Of Sunshine", "Happy Hourrr", "Around For Awhile", "Pink Fur", "Run It Up", "Espionage", "I can Say To You", "Move (Ride)", "Turismo"- "Eye Never Knew", "Half Of It", "No Way Around It", and "DYKWYD". LP, Vinyl record album