A funky soul double-header – one that features live material both by Osaka Monaurail and the legendary Marva Whitney! The set starts out with a few tracks by OM – playing in that razor-sharp, James Brown-inspired groove that we love so much – easily the greatest contemporary JB-driven funk we can think of! Singer Ryo Nakata throws in a bit of vocals over the group's instrumental grooves – but then steps aside so that Marva Whitney can take center stage for the remaining three-fourths of the album – singing with the same raw fury as on her recent studio set with Osaka Monaurail! The sound here is incredible – easily some of the best funk-revival work we can think of, and the sort of record that should make Marva plenty proud after all these years. Titles include "New New Type Thing", "Evil", "I Made A Mistake", "It's My Thing", "Your Love Was Good For Me", "Things Got To Get Better", "What Do I Have To Do", and "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear". (Soul, Deep Funk) CD

A really unique album from pianist Jon Batiste – a set that's straight jazz at some points, a bit Crescent City at others, but always with a feel that's very individual – and one of the freshest new styles we've heard in years! Jon's instrumental tracks are wonderful – full of rich feeling and color that comes not just from his own work on piano and other keyboards, but also from the quintet's instrumentation – which occasionally features tuba used in this unusual bassy-bottom mode – alongside great alto from Eddie Barbash. Some numbers are vocal tracks – with lyrics that are personal, and surprisingly powerful – usually relatively simple, but integrated with the instrumentation at a level that's very different than the usual jazz vocal mode. Titles include "It's Alright", "Lonely Cry In Manhattan", "D Sharp Movement 1", "The Spirit Is With Us", "Express Yourself", "Let God Lead", "San Spirito", and "Naima's Love Song". (Jazz, Deep Funk) CD

Some of the deepest, heaviest work we've ever heard from the Budos Band – as you might guess from the album's dark title and cover! There's a bit of a heavy metal look to the package, but the sounds within are still the righteous funk we've always loved from Budos – yet are also inflected with a very slight bit of trippy elements this time around – a touch of fuzz on the guitar, or cosmic echoes on the keyboards – which really balance out strongly with the group's bold horns and razor-sharp drums! The slight changes make for a more sinister sound than before, and show that these guys continue to be one of the most forward-thinking funk bands around – never content to just rest on the laurels of their great musicianship, but always leaping ahead with new ideas. Titles include "Shattered Winds", "Black Hills", "Magus Mountain", "Into The Fog", "The Sticks", "Burnt Offering", and "Turn & Burn". CD

A strong step forward from Breakestra – really moving out of the deep funk underground here, but never losing the groove that got them there in the first place! The set's got a depth that goes beyond most of the group's other work – way more than just a funky cover band sort of feel, and instead a really unified approach to grooving that lets in space for stronger influences from a range of older styles of music. Mainman Miles really surprises us on vocals, coming off here with a wonderful blue-eyed approach to funk that takes us back to key rock/soul crossover moments of the late 60s – but with none of the overdone hype of that generation, and more of a funky 45 groove overall! Drums are razor-sharp and super-tight throughout – still giving most of the album a deep funk approach – and titles include "Gotta Let Me Know", "Stand Up", "Hiding", "Burgundy Blues", "You Don't Need A Dance", "At The End Of The Day", "The Getting To It", "Show & Prove", "Keep On Playin", "Recognize", "Hit Tha Flo", "Family Rap", and "How Do You Really Feel". CD