Tremendous work from the Spanish scene of the 60s and early 70s – way more than just a batch of obscure jazz cuts, and instead a true testament to this very vibrant musical community! The package brings together some really special tracks from Spanish labels like Edigsa, Ensayo, Hispavox, and others – and really shows that in Spain at the time, there was musical growth that was every bit as strong as in better-known scenes in Germany, France, and Italy – a really rich step forward from American inspiration of the postwar years – into a world of freshly inventive rhythms, really imaginative solos, and some key local touches that really made the music sparkle! Not all players here are of Spanish origin, as the set also shows the key crossroads the scene was offering at the time – a wealth of wonderful hardbop, soul jazz, and modal numbers that include "El Cant Dels Ocells" by Catalonia Jazz Quartet, "Movimiento" by Lou Bennett, "Psique" by Juan Carlos Calderon, "Tema Per Alicia" by Jazz Group, "Asteriscs" by Nits De Jazz Al Jamboree, "Bosnia Calling" by Dusko Goykovich, "Israel" by Modern Jazz Sextet, "Rememberance To Madrid" by Elia Fleta, "Marcha De Los Dioses" by Tino Contreras, and "Laberinto (2nd part)" by Vlady Bas. CD

A really cool collection – one that's maybe best summed up by the word "ecstatic" in the title – as the package presents a blend of work from artists who easily skirt both the spiritual and secular side of soulful music, united together with a very joyous, uplifting vibe in their sound! This isn't classic gospel from the years when you might hear a guitar or organ behind a small group of harmonizing vocals – and instead, much of this work was created at a time when soul music had already been going strong for years – and while gospel might have initially helped in the formation of soul, it's clear that things are also moving the other direction in these tracks – as many of these artists borrow from the power of righteous soul styles, and use it to inflect their joyous message with a great new energy! Titles include "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright" by Keith Barrow, "Is There Anybody Here" by The Alvin Darling Ensemble, "Trouble's Brewin" by The Meditation Singers, "Satisfied" by Andre Crouch & The Disciples, "Let Your Feet Down Easy" by Dorothy Norwood, "If You Believe Your God Is Dead" by Swan Silvertones, "The Upper Way" by The Violinaires, "Elijah" by Roscoe Robinson, "Till I've Got This Feelin Of Love" by Dyson's Faces, and "Nothing Can Stop Me Now" by Destiny. CD

A far-reaching look at soul, R&B, funk and proto rock legends covering the Lennon-McCartney songbook – as diverse and impressively put together as Ace's great previous entry in the Black America Sings series that covered Dylan! Come Together comes together terrifically – with early rock & soul stars like Chubby Checker, Fats Domino & Little Richard, stellar groups like The Vibrations, Main Ingredient & New Birth, the great ladies of the era including Aretha Franklin, Maxine Brown and Linda Jones and many more! None simply record Beatles' songs from a more soul-based perspective, there's real heart and unique touches across the board here. Great Stuff! "Back In The USSR" by Chubby Checker, "Ticket To Ride" by Wee Wee Walker, "Let It Be" by Aretha, "Lady Madonna" by Junior Parker, "Get Back" by Main Ingredient, "The Long And Winding Road" by New Birth, "Yesterday" by Linda Jones, "Day Tripper" by Otis Redding and more. 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, "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