Rare Brazilian funk from the early 80s – served up here on a range of tracks that originally appeared on Brazil's unique 7" compacto format at the time! The smaller records were the nation's equivalent to 12" singles up north – and most spun at 33rpm, which allowed more space for the sorts of boogie rhythms and funky flow taking place here! There's plenty of elements that echo the sound of 80s soul in the US – with the beats, keyboards, and electro elements you might expect – but as with Brazilian soul from the decade before, there's also plenty of cool homegrown touches too. Titles include "Estou Livre" by Tony Bizarro, "Velho Guerreiro" by Rubao Sabino, "Break Mandrake" by Electric Boogies, "Ve Se Me Esquese" by Tony Blue, "Ta Dando Mole Ze" by Cassiano, "Dance Com A Gente" by Let's Dance, "Ve Se Decide" by Tim Maia, "Macaco Pesado" by Newton Drinckwater, and "Super Amor" by Gaby Do Whiskadao. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the coolest collection of soundtrack work we've ever heard, and maybe one of the most obscure as well – given that the tracks here were all done for Belgian films of the 60s and 70s, and include some rare work from composers you might know from bigger name European movies! There's a very jazzy vibe to many of these numbers – and the set echoes some of the great jazz and funk collections on the same label – with a similarly well-chosen batch of cuts that are balanced out beautifully, and presented in the kind of package with notes that let you know that these guys really know what they're doing! The whole thing's great, and very groovy – and titles include "Les Trucs Du Miroir" by Kryzstof Komeda, "Nach Shift" by Alain Pierre, "Boloero Pour Denise" by Jean Mari Bigman, "Poursuite Sur Les Dunes D'Ostende" by Francois De Roubaix, "Jonny's Theme" by Rocco Granata, "Theme 19" by Pieter Verlinden, "De Discotheek" by Bert Paige, "Courage Fuyons" by Vladimir Cosma, "Dancing" by Martial Solal, and "Tu M'Tapes Sur Les Nerfs. CD

Maybe one of the coolest collection of soundtrack work we've ever heard, and maybe one of the most obscure as well – given that the tracks here were all done for Belgian films of the 60s and 70s, and include some rare work from composers you might know from bigger name European movies! There's a very jazzy vibe to many of these numbers – and the set echoes some of the great jazz and funk collections on the same label – with a similarly well-chosen batch of cuts that are balanced out beautifully, and presented in the kind of package with notes that let you know that these guys really know what they're doing! The whole thing's great, and very groovy – and titles include "Les Trucs Du Miroir" by Kryzstof Komeda, "Nach Shift" by Alain Pierre, "Boloero Pour Denise" by Jean Mari Bigman, "Poursuite Sur Les Dunes D'Ostende" by Francois De Roubaix, "Jonny's Theme" by Rocco Granata, "Theme 19" by Pieter Verlinden, "De Discotheek" by Bert Paige, "Courage Fuyons" by Vladimir Cosma, "Dancing" by Martial Solal, and "Tu M'Tapes Sur Les Nerfs. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. (Hip Hop, Funky Compilations) CD

A really great collection of work from De-Lite Records – one that goes way way past the bigger hits on the label from Kool & The Gang and the Kay-Gees! Instead, this one really digs deep – and comes up with rare 45s for a host of artists that we didn't even know recorded for De-Lite – obscure but great material that shows just how tied to the east coast scene the label was before it starting hitting the charts and the clubs! There's lots here you'll be hard-pressed to track down otherwise – and titles include "The Story Of Our Love" and "It Really Hurts Me Girl" by The Carstairs, "Super Soul Music" and "I Got To Get Close To You" by Yvonne Daniels, "Darling Baby" and "I Wish It Would Rain" by Beverly Hammonds, "I Need You" and "I'll Always Love You" by Felton Burks, "I Smell Trouble" by Johnny De'Vigne, "Love Making" and "When A Woman Loves A Man" by Jean Battle, and "I Saw You There" and "Keep Away" by The Appointments. (Soul, Funky Compilations) LP, Vinyl record album

A European disco world that's ripe for rediscovery – one that's much more obscure than better-known club work from Germany, France, and Italy – but which may well be even groovier than the work from those three scenes! The package is a great complement to some of the funk and jazz sets on the Sdban label – and like those, it really digs deep – to uncover a vast array of music from the small nation – which was clearly a hotbed of groovy activity in the 70s, at a level that none of us realized at the time! The tunes here mix together funk and pop, soul and disco – all in ways that criss-cross strongly with more familiar modes of the period – but often have an offbeat quality, and sometimes a surprising sense of humor that comes through in the mostly English lyrics in the lead. 2CD set features 30 tracks – and titles include "Ethereo Disco" by R Roland, "King Kong" by Carl Watson, "Baby Won't You Turn Me On" by Charles Watson, "Sexy" by Lovedream, "La Gomme" by L2, "Cool & Get Up" by Quartz, "I'm Free" by Steve, "Groovin To The Music" by Flame, "Queen To The Pharoah" by Marianne, "Feel So Glad" by Dan Davis, "Ivro De Vie" by Kevin Moraine, "Be My Love Tonight" by CC Band, "Strange How You Move" by Venus, and "Bubblegum" by Bubble. CD

A European disco world that's ripe for rediscovery – one that's much more obscure than better-known club work from Germany, France, and Italy – but which may well be even groovier than the work from those three scenes! The package is a great complement to some of the funk and jazz sets on the Sdban label – and like those, it really digs deep – to uncover a vast array of music from the small nation – which was clearly a hotbed of groovy activity in the 70s, at a level that none of us realized at the time! The tunes here mix together funk and pop, soul and disco – all in ways that criss-cross strongly with more familiar modes of the period – but often have an offbeat quality, and sometimes a surprising sense of humor that comes through in the mostly English lyrics in the lead. Part 1 of the vinyl series features 16 tracks – and titles include "Ethereo Disco" by R Roland, "King Kong" by Carl Watson, "Baby Won't You Turn Me On" by Charles Watson, "Sexy" by Lovedream, "La Gomme" by L2, "Cool & Get Up" by Quartz, "I'm Free" by Steve, "Groovin To The Music" by Flame, "Queen To The Pharoah" by Marianne, "Feel So Glad" by Dan Davis, "Ivro De Vie" by Kevin Moraine, "Be My Love Tonight" by CC Band, "Strange How You Move" by Venus, and "Bubblegum" by Bubble. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from the Belgian scene of the 70s – a really mad mix of sounds and styles, and a really revelatory set overall! Few people might use the words "Belgium" and "funk" in the same sentence – but that may well change after this sweet set gets a few spins – as the whole thing's a stunning array of groovers that not only match the best jazz, funk, and sound library tracks from other European scenes in the 70s – they also do a great job of taking on the best America had to offer too! Belgium was no stranger to soul and funk – given its fervent 60s soul collectors scene, and the nation's role as a crossroads in Europe – which left it open to plenty of influence from visiting musicians, including American artists as well. You can definitely hear all that coming into play here – as the work is nicely fresh, and very free of overdone cliches or easy references – as these guys all take the best bits that might have influenced them, and jumbled them up into something really new. The scope of sounds is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Tramway" by Mad Unity, "Sunshine Star" by Open Sky Unit, "Gimme Some More Of That" by Plus, "Funky" by Andre Brasseur, "Avenue Louise" by Black Blood, "Music & Co" by Les Helions, "Balek" by Placebo, "Librium" by Chicken Curry & His Pop Percussion Orchestra, "Top Less" by Alex Scorier, "Stories" by Chakachas, "Ostinato Bass" by Rene Costy, "Memories" by Amadeo, "Viva Boma" by Cos, "Pop In Three" by The Rapture, "Smoke" by Leo Cavallo, "Marakesh" by Hein Huysmans Kwintet, "One For You" by Doug Lucas, "Put Everything Together" by Plus, "Lord Funk" by Super Funk Special, and "Humpty Dumpty" by Placebo. CD

Fantastic funk from the Belgian scene of the 70s – a really mad mix of sounds and styles, and a really revelatory set overall! Few people might use the words "Belgium" and "funk" in the same sentence – but that may well change after this sweet set gets a few spins – as the whole thing's a stunning array of groovers that not only match the best jazz, funk, and sound library tracks from other European scenes in the 70s – they also do a great job of taking on the best America had to offer too! Belgium was no stranger to soul and funk – given its fervent 60s soul collectors scene, and the nation's role as a crossroads in Europe – which left it open to plenty of influence from visiting musicians, including American artists as well. You can definitely hear all that coming into play here – as the work is nicely fresh, and very free of overdone cliches or easy references – as these guys all take the best bits that might have influenced them, and jumbled them up into something really new. The scope of sounds is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Tramway" by Mad Unity, "Sunshine Star" by Open Sky Unit, "Gimme Some More Of That" by Plus, "Funky" by Andre Brasseur, "Avenue Louise" by Black Blood, "Music & Co" by Les Helions, "Balek" by Placebo, "Librium" by Chicken Curry & His Pop Percussion Orchestra, "Top Less" by Alex Scorier, "Stories" by Chakachas, and "Ostinato Bass" by Rene Costy. LP, Vinyl record album

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! Titles include "Funky Chimes" by Francis Coppieters, "My Chinese Girl Likes Kung Fu Fighting" by The Sumos, "Traveling On Rhythms" by Bud Hunga & His Diplomatic Music, "Pink Movement" by Experience, "Tiger Walk" by The Peter Laine Orchestra, "Faded Lady (inst)" by SSO, "Barabajagal" by The Flying Guitar, "Scratch My Back (parts 1 & 2)" by The Soul Scratchers, "Skylab" by Electronic System III, "Free Way Exit" by Guido Carnagy, "Guess We'd Better Break Up Now" by Etta Cameron, "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by Philip Catherine, "Riff For Peggy" by Roland Thyssen, "We Love The Policemen" by Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo, "Smoke Signal" by Indian Sound Of Blackfoot, "Inner City Blues" by Leslie Kent, "Chewing Gum Delirium" by Free Pop Electronic Concept, "Akkerwinde" by Lieven, "Concerto For Right Foot & Orchestra" by George Hayes & His Philarpopic Orchestra, "Punktowiec" by Skleroptak, and "Soul Melody" by R Dero. CD

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! As with the other set, the presentation here is wonderful – not just fantastic music we'd never have discovered otherwise, but also very detailed notes and an overall punch that few other funky compilations can match. Titles on this second vinyl volume include "Guess We'd Better Break Up Now" by Etta Cameron, "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by Philip Catherine, "Riff For Peggy" by Roland Thyssen, "We Love The Policemen" by Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo, "Smoke Signal" by Indian Sound Of Blackfoot, "Inner City Blues" by Leslie Kent, "Chewing Gum Delirium" by Free Pop Electronic Concept, "Akkerwinde" by Lieven, "Concerto For Right Foot & Orchestra" by George Hayes & His Philarpopic Orchestra, "Punktowiec" by Skleroptak, and "Soul Melody" by R Dero. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic soul, with a slight touch of funk – all served up in a limited vinyl-only package that really does justice to the longstanding legacy of the Free Soul series from Japan! The tunes here are upbeat, soaring, and very much on the positive side of soul music from back in the day – and although most of these tracks are more obscure than the big hits of the 70s, they've achieved greater fame over the decades – thanks in part to use as samples, and through great collections like this one! Titles on this volume include "We've Only Just Begun" by Frank Cunimondo Trio with Lynn Marino, "Don't You Care" by Alice Clarke, "Misdemeanor" by Foster Sylvers, "We've Gotta Find A Way Back To Love" by Freda Payne, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Reid Inc, "You Light Up My Life" by Judy Roberts, "I Think I'll Call It Morning" by Gil Scott Heron, "Girl Overboard" by Dorothy Moore, "Love Each Other" by Leon Thomas, "Run Away" by Salsoul Orchestra with Loleatta Holloway, and "Am I The Same Girl" by Barbara Acklin. LP, Vinyl record album

A really great return to form for the Free Soul series – one that mixed together key tracks from a variety of hip 70s soul and jazz labels – including Flying Dutchman, Brunswick, and TK – all with an assortment of grooves that really work well together! As with the classic Free Soul sets, all the titles here were chosen by Toru Hashimoto – a man who's taught us plenty about music over the decades – and the long package runs for over 80 minutes, with a sublime assortment of cuts that include "Girl Overboard" by Dorothy Moore, "Misdemeanor" by Foster Sylvers, "Am I The Same Girl" by Barbara Acklin, "What Am I Going To Do" by Reid Inc, "My Baby's Got ESP" by Four Below Zero, "You Light Up My Life" by Judy Roberts, "You Got To Be The One" by Marilyn Farra & Satin Soul, "My Baby Just Cares For Me" by Nina Simone, "Love Land" by The Lost Generation, "Jolie" by Latimore, "I Think I'll Call It Morning" by Gil Scott Heron, "We've Only Just Begun" by Lynn Marion with Frank Cunimundo Trio, "Don't You Care" by Alice Clarke, "Let Your Love Rain Down On Me" by Jewel Bass, "Changin" by Sharon Ridley, and "Love Each Other" by Leon Thomas. CD

A pretty fantastic selection of rare disco tracks from the American underground – all of them infused with a spiritual message, but served up with grooves that go head to head with some of the best underground club of the time! The mix of positive energy and upbeat grooves is wonderful – and if you've ever heard the Clark Sisters club classic "You Brought The Sunshine", then you'll definitely know the spirit of these tunes! If you're worried about the message being one that you're not into, don't – because there's sort of a universal spirit going on here – one that gets past conventions of the church, and which really goes for a general uplifting message that's totally great – almost a precursor to some of the positive house in more recent decades. And speaking of house, there's less of that here than you'd expect – as most of the instrumentation and production are strongly in the best New York underground modes from the disco years – with less of any 80s or electro soul elements. Titles include "I Believe" by Calvin B Rhone, "Imitations" by Johnson Family Gospel Singers, "Change" by Wisdom, "On That Other Shore" by Harrison Jones & The Voices Of Harmony, "I've Been Converted" by The Converters, "Ain't No Way To Do Wrong" by New Creation, "Take It To The Streets" by Prophecy, "Let The Lord Come In Your Life" by Wisdom, "Keep The Fire" by Paradise, and "Jesus Is On The Mainline" by Mr Jesse R McGuire. CD

Mad music from the Dutch scene of the 70s – music recorded either in The Netherlands, or the Dutch part of Belgium – pulled together here in a collection that's filled with ear-opening funky gems! The music here isn't straight soul, funk, or jazz – but rather criss-crossing musical styles that often have a little bit of each – often with these qualities that remind us of better-known soundtrack or folk-funk songs from the time – but which take on very different qualities, given the difference in language! There's plenty of great drums throughout, loads of killer keyboards, and basslines that can make just about any sort of song a funky nugget – and as with other titles on the Sdban label, the whole thing's a real revelation – a gateway to music that we never would have discovered otherwise – but now find that we can't live without. Titles include "Eva's Pakje" by Jimmy Frey, "Zomerliefde" by Laurentius, "Onheil" by Lamp & Lazerus, "Gemendg Gevoel" by Herman De Bruycker, "Wie Weet" by Spectrum, "Het Oink Beest" by Elly & Rikkert, "Maan Dag" by Daan Broos & Dapokaster, "Nooit Meer" by Josine Van Dalsum, "Handicap 2000" by Daan Broos, "Het Huis Van Wilde Tederheid" by Luk Bral, and "Hollandse Taal" by Moeder En Haar Jongens. LP, Vinyl record album

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A much-needed look at the Dutch jazz scene in the 50s and 60s – a spot in Europe that was turning out some really fantastic modern material – at a level that's every bit as great as better-known work coming from France, Germany, and Scandinavia at the time! Many of the players here quickly became giants who would dominate on the Dutch scene for years to come – and even at this early point, their work is wonderful – occasionally graced with guest work from American players, but already more than great enough on its own – and filled with a mix of sharp rhythms, new ideas, and impeccable instrumentation throughout. As with other Sdban titles, the presentation is wonderful – not just a great set list, but an overall feel that makes the package as hefty as the music inside. Titles include "Four On Six" by Kwartet Martin Verlinden, "So Why" by Kwartet Leo Meyer, "Amsterdam Blues" by Diamond Five, "Lady Elisabeth" by Tony Vos Quartet, "Blues For Eddy" by Red & Brown Brothers, "Sem" by Frans Elsen, "Relaxin With Rhythme" by The Rhythme All Stars, "Mensen Van Morgen" by Herman Schoonderwalt, "Wives & Lovers" by Rita Reys & Oliver Nelson, "Comin Home Baby" by Trio Tony Vos, "Sing Sing Sing" by Leddy Wessel with Jack Van Poll, "Blues Minor" by Boys Big Band, and "Afro Blues" by Herbie Mann with Wessel Ilcken Combo. CD

Jazzy goodness galore – a set of really well-chosen tracks that we're not sure we've ever seen reissued before – mostly from obscure sources that might well have remained underdiscovered otherwise! Jazz is at the key, but there's also some soulful vocal moments too – and most tracks are long, and have a vibe that's a nice change from funky jazz or spiritual modes – even though there's still plenty of soulful energy throughout the set! Instrumentation is both electric and acoustic, and styles change up nicely – in ways that make each new track a great discovery, even if you've got ears that are well-trained on years of record digging. Titles include "On Dit" by Sara Alexander, "On A Winder's Day" by Afrodisax, "For You" by Dave Plaehn, "Pre-Stretch Warm Up" by Rick Panzer, "Du Ar Frisk" by Roger Ekman, "Philosophy" by Anne Marie Giortz, "Sengakuji" by Urban Hansson, and "Alcohol" by Rene Van Helsdingen. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing look at the early years of Sly Stone – a hip array of rare projects Sly recorded with other artists, plus a few pre-Columbia gems of his own! The package is beautifully put together, and the vibe here is definitely a great precursor to the famous sound of Sly with the Family Stone in the late 60s – a perfect illustration of his early ear for funky rhythms and some of the most righteous soul of his generation! And oddly, even artists who usually sound far from Stone come out definitely sounding a bit Sly-like here – and the package features the usual Ace great notes, to help you understand where all this great music's coming from. Titles include "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "I'm Going Home (part 1)" and "Home Sweet Home (part 2)" by Joe Hicks, "You're The One (parts 1 & 2)" by Little Sister, "Life & Death In G & A" by Abaco Dream, "I'm Just Like You" by 61X, "Underdog" by The Beau Brummels, "Can't She Tell" by Billy Preston, "LSD" by Freddie & The Stone Souls, "Stanga" by Little Sister, "I Remember" by Sly & Billy Preston, "Superfunk" by Freddie & The Stone Souls, and the cuts "For Real (demo)", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Life Of Fortune & Fame", "You Really Got Me (demo)", and "I Ain't Got Nobody" by Sly Stone himself! (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD