A fantastically soulful album from Jorge Ben – one of his greatest records ever, and a key part of Brazilian music in the 70s! The album marks an earthier shift for Jorge – a sound that's still rooted in the samba influences of the 60s, but which also takes on a bit more soul at the bottom – thanks to rhythmic contributions from Trio Mocoto, who work here famously to help Ben shape the overall feel of the set! There's still a bit of larger orchestrations at moments, but these are used sparingly just to sweeten the sound – leaving the main force of the music to come from Jorge's guitar, and the cuica, percussion, and tamborim of the trio. The vocals are wonderful too – slightly raspy, and with a bit more feeling than we ever remember Jorge having on record – sometimes a bit intimate, yet always with an undeniable presence throughout. One of those records that still sends chills up our spines, year after year – with tracks that include "Oba La Vem Ela", "Ze Canjica", "Pulo Pulo", "Apareceu Aparecida", "Terezinha", "Mulher Brasileira", "Forca Bruta", "O Telefone Tocou Novamente", and "Charles Junior". CD

Three full albums from this tremendous singer – all in a single set! Morning In Paris is very early work from South African singer Sathima Bea Benjamin – recorded in Paris in 1963, with backing by longtime partner Abdullah Ibrahim, plus additional piano and production by Duke Ellington! The album was cut around the same time as Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) did his famous Reprise album in Paris with Ellington – and it's got a similar mix of modern and moody styles – with Sathima singing in a mellower tone than we're used to from her later records, over extremely spare backing that often has the piano barely stepping in, and which also features some nice plucked violin work from Svend Asmussen – acting almost as the bass on a few tracks! Billy Strayhorn also sits in on this extremely unusual session – and titles include "The Man I Love", "Soon", "Lover Man", "I Should Care", "I Could Write A Book", and "Darn That Dream". Lovelight is always-great work from Sathima Bea Benjamin – one of the hippest jazz vocalists of the 80s, working here in a highly spiritual mode that sounds a lot more like records from many years past! There's a warmly gentle glow to the whole set – thanks to instrumentation from Larry Willis on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Higgins on percussion, and Ricky Ford on tenor sax – all coming together in ways that are filled with unusual rhythms, odd turns of phrases, and just the right sort of unconventional accompaniment to fit the Africanist themes of Sathima's music at its best. A few numbers are more traditional, but even these have a nicely sensitive feel – and offer plenty of room for Willis to solo. Titles include "Winne Mandela Beloved Heroine", "African Songbird", "Gift Of Love – For Duke", "Music", and "You Are My Heart's Delight". Southern Touch is a set that's maybe a bit more of a straight jazz vocal record than some of Sathima Bea Benjamin's earlier material – but that might also be because the great Kenny Barron is part of the group on piano – supporting Sathima's great voice with the help of Buster Williams on bass and Billy Higgins on drums! Tunes are mostly standards, but it's great to hear them opened up with Benjamin's unique phrasing – that voice that was raised up on more righteous material in earlier years, and which still seems to bring some of that power to tunes that include "Street Of Dreams", "Lush Life", "One Alone", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "I've Heard That Song Before". CD

Very early work from Jose Roberto Bertrami – the keyboardist who rose to fame with Azymuth in the 70s, but who's working here in an all-acoustic bossa mode! In keeping with Bertrami's later talent for an unusual groove, the album's got a feel that's slightly different than the other bossa records of the time – styles that are sometimes less percussive, but still quite flowing – and which are graced by a depth of tone and color that's really wonderful! At some points, Bertrami almost hits modes that are straighter jazz – with traces of Horace Silver or other American players in the mix – even though the tracks are nearly all numbers by Brazilian composers. Titles include "Balansamba", "Taluhama", "Lilos Walts", "Dorme Profundo", "Impulso", and "Da Me". CD

Big Maybelle's got a new bag – and we like it! This tasty set was cut for the tiny Rojac label in between Maybelle's earlier years at Savoy and later albums on Brunswick – and it's got a swinging, 60s mod sort of style that's pretty darn groovy, baby! The arrangements are by Bob Gallo, and most of the tracks are 60s pop and soul standards – but Maybelle sings them with a gusty, sincere style – and brings a really great approach to the album – almost giving it the feel of some of the best Tangerine label albums from the decade. Titles include "Eggplant That Ate Chicago", "I Can't Control Myself", "Coming On Strong", "Mellow Yellow", "96 Tears", "Eleanor Rigby", and "Black Is Black". Kind of nutty, but it kind of works! CD

Just tenor and drums, coming together beautifully – the former from Binker Golding, the latter from Moses Boyd – a contemporary London duo who step out here in a soulful, almost spiritual mode! The music is loose, and very exploratory – yet never too free to swing – and always has this sense of rhythmic cohesion that almost seems to come more from Golding's tenor than it does from the drums of Boyd – although both players seem to shift back and forth in terms of centering the performance. The recording quality is wonderful – with this stark, crisp feel that almost takes us back to 70s New York loft jazz performances of this nature – and titles include "The Creeper", "Retox", "ESU", "No Long Tinges", and "Black Ave Maria". CD

Early early work by Paul Bley – years before he picked up the synthesizer, and years before he became the moody modernist he was in the 70s! The album's a relatively straight batch of tracks, but does have a touch of modernism – an early example of the sharp sounds that Bley would fully forge in alter years. The lineup is nice, too – with either Percy Heath or Peter Ind on bass, both players who clearly feel Bley's intentions – and Al Levitt on drums. Tracks are mostly standards, but they're done by Bley in a way that's fresh and sprightly – and titles include "My Heart", "Topsy", "I Want To Be Happy", "Autumn Breeze", and "My Old Flame". CD

Maybe the most ambitious album ever recorded by Blu – a cool collaboration with Nottz that takes the duo's work into even more righteous territory than before – as you might guess from the album's cover and title! The title's reference to the homeland is very well-pointed – as the songs have a thematic unity that links past greatness with contemporary struggles, all delivered with a sense of focus and cohesion that almost makes the whole record feel like a lost nugget from the glory days of the early 90s scene! Guests include G Kidd, Scienze, Ayun Bassa, Black Shakespeare, and many others – on titles that include "Mama", "Marcus Garvey", "Mungu", "Jina Langu", "Kuwakaribisha", "Baba", and "Matunda Marufuku". CD

Four lost albums from David Blue – a really compelling singer/songwriter, ripe for rediscovery! First up is These 23 Days In September, recorded for Reprise – a really moody little record from David Blue – a folksy singer who's got a style that definitely lives up to the melancholy promise of his name! Blue's definitely an artist with a difference – working in the familiar mode of vocals and acoustic guitar, but with an edge and distinctness that really sets him apart from the folkies of a few year before – that sense of different that really set apart a new wave of contemporaries, like Leonard Cohen, Fred Neill, or Tom Rapp. Titles include "These 23 Days In September", "The Sailor's Lament", "Scales For A Window Thief", "You Will Come Back Again", "Slow & Easy", and "The Grand Hotel". Stories is an overlooked early set on Asylum – the kind of really special singer/songwriter material that really set the label apart at the start of the 70s! David Blue has this compelling vocal style that's moody, but down to earth – inflected here and there with guitar contributions from Ry Cooder, who's understated, but really brings out some special qualities in the tunes. Jack Nitzsche adds in some light strings at points – but overall, things are pretty spare and personal – and titles include "Looking For A Friend", "Another One Like Me", "Sister Rose", "The Blues", "Come On John", "Marianne", and "Fire In The Morning". Nice Baby & The Angel shows David Blue really starting to get some star power in his mix – a fuller set, produced by Graham Nash – with work from Nash on guitar, plus more guitar from Dave Mason and David Lindley – in a nice mix of roots elements, but which never overwhelm that unique sense of songwriting and vocals that set David Blue apart from the rest. Titles include "Darlin Jenny", "Troubadour Song", "Train To Anaheim", "True To You", "On Sunday Any Sunday", and "Outlaw Man". On the cover of Cupid's Arrow, David Blue might look a bit cheesy, what with his open shirt and all – but he's definitely the real deal, and very down to earth in his singer/songwriter approach – with a quality that's only underscored by the lineup on the set – a group that features Levon Helm on drums, Jesse Ed Davis on guitar, David Lindley on mandolin and slide, and Barry Goldberg on piano and organ, and also handling production of the album too. The shift from David's roots is a bit like that taken by other contemporaries who once started in more folksy territory, then found a new way to grow in the west coast singer/songwriter scene – and that means that things are more electrified, but still quite far from mainstream music – with original tunes from Blue throughout, and titles that include "I Feel Bad", "Maria Maria", "Primeval Tune", She's Got You", "Tom's Song", and "Run Run Run". CD

Heady and heavy work from Billy Bond and La Pesada Del Rock & Roll – a guitar heavy group from Argentina, and one with plenty of blues rock overtones! The guitars are definitely turned up to 11 here – jamming with an intensity to match some of the best hard rock sides from Peru reissued by the Lazarus label in recent years – and like those sets, there's a sound here that's an intensification of earlier beat group modes – taken into much harder territory for the 70s. The production is great – earthy, trippy, and a little bit spooky – and the album's got an oddly unsettling feel, one that's familiar at first, but then increasingly estranged as the record moves on. Quite compelling, and with 16 tracks that include "Dueno De Tu Piel", "El Parque", "Buen Dia Senor Presidente", "Divertido Reventado", "Salgan Al Sol", "La Maquina", "Voy A Ver Un Amigo", "Para Que Nos Sirven", and "La Marcha De San Lorenzo". CD

A sweet set of 70s spiritual jazz from Argentine tenor player Chivo Borraro – one of his best albums of the time, and a really wonderful session with lots of nice touches! The record features Borraro playing keyboard effects, in addition to his usual tenor – and it also features some additional keyboards by Fernando Gelbard, who plays both Fender Rhodes and ring modulator on the album, working things wonderfully as he did on his own albums of the time. This wealth of keyboards gives the album a spacious feel – keys soaring out into space, creating platforms for solo work on sax, and a space to showcase the talents of Stenio Mendes, who plays the 12-stringed craviola on the album. There's lots of post-Coltrane exploration to the record – and titles include "Mi Amgio Tarzan", "Cancion De Cuna Para Un Bebe Del Ano 2000", "Lineas Torcidas", and "La Invasion De Los Monjes". CD also features two bonus tracks – "Intro/Mi Amigo Tarzan" and "Mi Amigo Tarzan (alt take)". CD

A magical bit of music from Chicago free spirit David Boykin – a CD ep that features one extended track, the 16 minute "Diasporadiation", a really cosmic number with a classic 70s spiritual feel! The group on the set is a quintet with Boykin on saxes, Nicole Mitchell on piccolo, and Jim Baker on piano – plus additional drums and cello – and the track builds nicely over the course of the CD, with some really great solo work from both Mitchell and Boykin! CD

A record with a freaky sort of cover, but one that's got this very laidback, down to earth vibe – almost like a small funk combo taking on territory from 70s AOR, but serving things up with a much looser, easygoing sort of style! The vocals are great – blue-eyed soul, and compressed down into the instrumentation, which includes keyboards, guitar, and light strings – plus occasional flute and trumpet – all handled with this stripped-down vibe that almost makes you feel like you're sitting in with a big label act like America or Hall & Oates as they're cooking up some mellow soul tracks in the studio. Titles include "Rialto Winds", "Gift Of Life", "Peach Optimo", "Hanging On", "NyNy", "I Will Be", and "Too Yung". CD

An obscure Polish date from the great Gustav Brom – the Czech bandleader known for his great grooves for MPS and Supraphon! The styles here are something of a mixed bag – with some tunes that are straight swinging big band, mixed with a few others that show more of the jazz rock influence that Brom's become famous for over the years. Obviously, these latter tracks are the ones that really catch our ears – especially the funky "U Jazu Pod Mostem", which has a real MPS-like feel, and some great funky piano and sax – or "Malovane Sane", which has lots of electric guitar jamming around at the bottom of the groove! Other tracks include "American Patrol", "Chanson D'Amour", "Bogdan Boogie", and "Mahalia". CD

A 10th Anniversary performance by the Chicago Tentet – a wonderful group that's become the fruitful union of saxophonist Peter Brotzmann with a younger generation of players who were working heavily on the Chicago scene at the time! Back when the group first started, it was something of an experiment – but over the following decade, the ensemble won great attention for their playing, and for good reason too – considering the solo contributions of players like Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson on reeds, Joe McPhee on trumpet and tenor, Johannes Bauer on trombone, Kent Kessler on bass, and Paal Nilssen Love on drums – all working under the visionary leadership of Peter Brotzmann! The tracks are all somewhat long and open-ended – almost more spacious than on other Chicago Tentet records, with a freely improvised feel. Titles include "Ten By Ten", "Little By Little", and "Step By Step". CD

An amazing document of one of Peter Brotzmann's greatest albums from the time – a set that includes the album on CD, plus a book of photos taken during its creation! The record features spare duets between him and percussionist Han Bennink – recorded in the Black Forest, in a very nature-oriented setting that often has Bennink playing on rocks, sticks, and whatever else he could find – even some water, which sounds especially amazing! Han turns in some of his most inventive percussion ever – and proof that he's easily one of the most creative musicians on the European scene! There's a real focus on sound and feeling on the album – an organic sensibility that's quite different from other Brotzmann sessions, and which often comes across with a surprisingly gentle feel – and the album's a perfect example of the FMP formula at its best, when applied with the right sense of freedom. The whole thing comes in a softcover book with a fantastic presentation – loads of photos that were taken on the way to the forest where the set was recorded, then during the recording of the material too – really beautiful images that live up to the aesthetic of the cover art. The book also features an introductory essay – and the whole thing is 120 pages, with the CD inside the cover – black and white images throughout. CD

A rare chapter of James Brown's career – material recorded for producer Henry Stone in the early 90s – at a time when James himself was without a major record contract! Most of these tracks were recorded by Stone, but unissued for years – which is a bit of a surprise, as the overall quality is quite good – very much in the modern funk mode that Brown was forging back in the 80s! And sure, the work here isn't in the same mode as Brown's classics on King or Polydor, but the sound is still pretty great – with beats and instrumentation that are relatively modern, but an overall groove that's quite tight and right, and plenty of room for James' incredible vocals in the lead! Most tracks feature Brown as the lead singer, but there's also a few with vocals by Venisha Brown or Yamma Brown – and one track has James singing a duet with Bobby Byrd! Titles include "Becha Bottom Dollar", "Funk On Ahh Roll", "Respect Me", "God Is Good", "Peace In The World", "I Wanna Be Loved On The 1", "Motivation (rmx)", "Say It Again", and "I Got To Feel It". CD

A legendary bit of fuzzy funk from James Brown – an important collaboration with the mighty Dave Matthews, who brings a more tripped-out feel to the record than some of James' other King sessions of the time! Matthews adds in lots of psych-influenced guitar – used very different than the scratching riffs of the other JB material of the late 60s – in ways that almost make the record a second chapter to Dave's Grodeck Whipperjenny album – a gritty blend of funk, soul, and psych – all with some nice touches by the James Brown Band! All tracks are co-written by Brown and Matthews, and all are instrumental – and titles include "Can Mind", "Don't Mind", "Bob Scoward", and "Just Enough Room for Storage". CD

BT Express are speeding it up a bit from the first album – hitting more of a disco vein, as would be their due, since they were one of the key groups in inventing the genre! The core ensemble funk sound is still firmly in place, with loads of great horns arranged by the enigmatic Carlos Ward, a jazzy talent who always brought a nice edge to the group's albums. Titles include the tasty funk cut "Devil's Workshop", which has a similar feel to "Express" – plus the massive "Peace Pipe", a very catchy number that's always been a favorite in Chicago – along with the great tracks "Discotizer", "Give It What You Got", "Whatcha Think About That?", and "Close To You". CD also features five bonus tracks – single versions of "Peace Pipe", "Give It What You Got", "Close To You", and "Whatcha Think About That" – plus a 10 minute disco mix of "Peace Pipe" on CD for the first time! CD

Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd – sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s – and feature Bobby working in that incredibly tight, incredibly fast-grooving mode he first forged with James – heard to best effect on some key live recordings, and served up here in some equally great studio sides that feature help from Fred Wesley and Brown. A few other cuts keep the funky fire burning with some surprisingly nice Miami touches – with Clarence Reid on production, but Bobby more than strongly in the mix on some great vocals. There also appears to be a few tracks from later years – featuring Byrd with singers Vicki Anderson and Martha High, plus a group that also includes Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley – and 2 more that are later live numbers. The set features 11 tracks in all, and is a great counterpart to Bobby's one and only album for the King label – with tracks that include "Never Get Enough", "Hang It Up", "Back From The Dead", "The Way To Get Down", "Feel Good Friday", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Let Me Know", and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind". CD

The first four albums from this crucial group – along with four more CDs of rare live material too! First up is the self-titled Cactus – the first album from this legendary group – an important American hard rock powerhouse, driven by the famous rhythm duo of Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums – both of whom roll out of the gate here with amazingly frenetic energy! They're maybe only topped by the guitar work of Jim McCarty, whose searing lines are clearly learned from blues inspirations, then turned up in both speed and power – to match the vocals and harmonica of Rusty Day! There's nothing going on here that sounds like blues rock at all – even though the set begins with a cover of "Parchman Farm" – next to other titles that include "My Lady From South Of Detroit", "No Need To Worry", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", and "Let Me Swim". On One Way Or Another, Cactus are totally at the top of their game – and the guitar of Jim McCarthy really sets the record on fire, right from the very first note – at a level that should have made Jim one of the real guitar hero legends of his generation! Yet there's also power from the whole group going on too – tight rhythms from the team of Carmine Appice and Jim Bogert, the latter of whom starts to bring in his own vocals a fair bit more, offering backup to the raspy lead of Rusty Day. And while there's a few currents that show their older influence from blues, the sound here is massively hard rock all the way through – making the record a great illustration of the way that slavish blues rock gave birth to a fresh new jamming sound in a matter of just a few short years. Titles include "Rockout Whatever You Feel Like", "Song For Aries", "Feel So Bad", "Rock N Roll Children", and "Hometown Bust". Restrictions is next, and despite the title, there's no restrictions at all – as Cactus seem to be even more confident, more able to stretch their wings and fly than ever before – even adding in some extra piano and keyboards at points to the core guitar-heavy sound of the quartet! All the group's best elements are very firmly in place – searing guitar, righteously confident vocals, and a strutting sensibility that makes this early 70s album way ahead of the game in terms of territory that so many bigger groups would later copy for their own classic records. Titles include "Guiltless Glider", "Evil Alaska", "Sweet Sixteen", "Bag Drag", "Restrictions", and "Mean Night In Cleveland". Ot N Sweaty is a record that's got a bit of a shift in the classic Cactus lineup – as the group's still driven strongly by the work of Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass, but get guitar power from Werner Fritzschings, who's a pretty amazing player – next to some added keyboards from Duane Hitchings, and vocals from Peter French – a singer who's ballsy power might be even more in line with the group than their previous lead singer! The album's got an unusual approach in that side one was recorded live, side two in the studio – each with a nicely different flavor as a result – on titles that include "Swim", "Our Lil Rock N Roll Thing", "Bedroom Mazurka", "Telling You", "Bad Stuff", and "Bringing Me Down". 8CD set is overflowing with great material – bonus tracks added to three of the four albums in the collection, than a further 4CDs worth of live material – titled Fully Unleashed – The Live Gigs Vols 1 & 2. The live material is great – and really shows the tightness of the group at their best! CD

A lovely album from the legendary Terry Callier – another spacious set of gorgeously composed soul for Mr. Bongo! Lookin' Out was largely recorded in the Chicago area, with players that sit in with Terry in his residences at the Green Mill, and the easy, jazzy feel reflects it. What really makes the album special, though, is the return to the mesmerizing, hypnotic style of songs that Terry pioneered in the mid-to-late sixties. Terry's voice and phrasings are as great as ever – and the backings are often acoustic and quite mellow, built around sweet guitar, bass, light strings, synth and horns. This record hearkens to his contemplative records for Cadet as well as, if not more, than his other recent efforts, and you really outta know by now that that's the Terry groove we love most! 17 tracks in all: "Jazz, My Rhythm & Blues", "Midnite Mile", "Africa Now", "Lookin' Out", "Stripper", "Blues For Billie Holiday", "What About Me", and "Faithful". CD

A lost treasure on the legendary Palm Records label – that famous French avant jazz imprint owned by pianist Jef Gilson, and which issued some of the most creative albums on the scene in the 70s! This set is maybe one of the most obscure – a record that's noteworthy not only for important early work from later composer Butch Morris on cornet, but also for the really unusual interplay between the musicians – a quartet that features Jean Charles Capon on cello, Philippe Mate on tenor, and Serge Rahoerson on drums! There's a loose, open feel going on – but a vibe that's different than some other piano-less groups of this nature – maybe in part because Capon seems to have a lot of presence with his cello, almost directing the proceedings at times – and also because the layering of elements always seems to have an inherent structure, even when relatively free. Titles include "Complainte", "Mode De Fa/Salegy Drums Solo", "Orly Ivato", "Blues For Guy Labory", and "Spanish Cake Walk". CD

The Black Jazz recordings of Doug Carn are always a revelation – some of the most powerful, progressive work on the American underground of the early 70s – music that got Carn into way more record collections than you might expect! The sound here is a perfect summation of Doug's early genius – his own work on organ and keyboards, never overdone and mixed perfectly with a righteous array of acoustic sounds from Rene McLean on alto and tenor and Olu Dara on trumpet – both players who soar to the skies on waves of energy begun by Carn! Wife Jean Carn sings on a number of tracks – with this heavenly style that's mighty righteous – every bit as soulful as her later work at Philly International, but in a very different way. The set includes Doug's great reading of "Naima" – plus other wonderful cuts that include "Power & Glory", "Feel Free", "Jihad", "Fatherhood", and "God is One". CD

A fresh new chapter of the long legacy of drummer Joe Chambers – a key instrumental force in the hipper reaches of the Blue Note label in the late 60s, but an artist who seems to finally be catching up with his own work as a leader after all these years! Joe is every bit as wonderful here as on his famous recordings, and his more recent dates for Blue Note – a wonderfully inventive percussionist, and an inherently rhythmic player who's got this ability to spin sounds out in all these different directions, yet always make things feel wonderfully unified too. His group on the set has excellent vibes from Michael Davidson, almost recalling Joe's work with Bobby Hutcherson – and other players include Caoilainn Power on alto, Andres Vial on piano, Eli Miller Maboungou on ngoma drums, and Ira Coleman on bass. Titles include "Dance Kobina", "Intermezzo", "Gazelle Suite", "City Of Saints", "Moon Dance", "Power To The People", and "Caravanserai". CD

Two rare European records from Freddy Cole – best known to most of us in the US as a jazz singer! One More Love Song is surprisingly soulful set from Freddy – quite different than some of the straighter jazz vocals he's cut over the years! This rare gem was recorded in The Netherlands in the mid 70s – and features backings from Jerry Van Rooyen and Tony Noite, both of whom mix jazzy inflections with fuller orchestrations – helping to bring Cole's rich background into a whole new light! Freddy's voice still has that wonderful trademark rasp – familiar to, yet quite different than brother Nat – and the use of some smoother soul modes makes for a really great contrast. Titles include "One More Love Song", "I Loved You", "I Need You So", "Still Wanna Be With You", "Isn't She Lovely", and "Here Is Where Your Love Belongs". Right From The Heart has Freddy Cole taking on a mix of adult ballads and some groovier numbers – set to arrangements by John Gally, Hennie Bekker, and Steve Gray – and recorded in London with a nicely mature feel. There's a bit of polish to the production, especially on the more upbeat cuts – but the mellower numbers still have Cole singing in a great old school mode. Titles include "The Girl From The Piano Bar", "To Be With You", "Teach Me Tonight", "Summer Love", "Somewhere Down The Line", and "Right From The Start". CD

A package that looks like a tape box, and which includes a whole host of never-heard tracks from the great Glenda Collins – a stunning female singer who worked with UK production genius Joe Meek back in the 60s! Glenda recorded a few key tracks that were issued as singles – soaring numbers that take her magnificent vocal approach and give it all the cool, crisp, electric touches that made Meek's production so great – touches that are given plenty of space here to roam around, as the box features all sorts of studio outtakes, alternates, backing tracks, and more – almost giving Collins the sort of treatment that the Beach Boys have gotten with some of the box sets that highlight all the cool variations of Brian Wilson's work in the studio. The set features 64 tracks in all – titles that include "I Lost My Heart At The Fairground", "Baby It Hurts", "Feel So Good", "Lollipop", "Thou Shall Not Steal", "Been Invited To A Party", "It's Hard To Believe It", "Don't Let It Rain On Sunday", and lots lots more – including jingles, French tracks, and more – all with very copious notes on the material. CD

Baba Commandant serves up a wonderful blend here – tight Afro Funk mixed with rootsier elements from mandingue – all at a level that really makes the album stand out from the pack! There's some especially great performances on ngoni and balafon, both instruments that get some key placement on the album's leaner tracks – which have the fuller sound of the driving numbers step back slightly, but all without ever losing the groove! The recording quality is great – never too polished, and the music is put forth in a way that makes the whole thing feel like some under-discovered nugget from years past – with titles that include "Wariko", "Semayala", "Afro Mandingo", "Serejugu", and "Chasser Les Sachets". CD

Four late 60s gems from Perry Como – all records that really have him pushing beyond his pop style of the 50s! First up is Lightly Latin – one of the most sublime albums we've ever heard from Perry Como – a set that definitely takes its Latin lightly, and instead really goes for the best sort of mellow side of the Como sound! There's definitely a few bossa touches in the mix – a bit of acoustic guitar or light percussion – but they're added in very sparely, and couched with a beautifully subtle wall of sound from arranger Nick Perito, who works here with a lot more understatement than on some other records. Como's vocals are very far from pop – and the album brings out his maturing style wonderfully with a spacious, soft-toned style of production. Titles include "Dindi", "Once I Loved", "Stay With Me", "How Insensitive", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Baia", and "Manha De Carnaval". Next is Perry Como In Italy – one of the most haunting albums we've ever heard from Perry Como – a session recorded in Italy during the mid 60s – featuring arrangements by Nick Perito, and backing vocals by the Alessandro Alessandroni Singers! The tunes include a fair bit of older Italian numbers – some sung in the language of their origin, some in English translations that we've come to know on this side of the Atlantic – and Como takes them all with a sad-tinged style that makes the album one of his moodiest ever – a record that oozes melancholy with every song, and which has a late nite, heartbreaking appeal that goes beyond even the understanding of language. The set's a great one to convey the popularity of Italian work on the American market in the 60s – and Como carries off the session even better than some of the more likely singers on the scene during the period. Titles include "Souvenir D'Italie", "Forget Domani", "Anema E Core", "One Day Is Like Another", "Arrivederci Roma", "Oh Marie", and "E Lei". Look To Your Heart is the kind of record that moves so far beyond familiar pop vocalizations, it's almost like Perry's in a universe all by himself! The words seem to just be sneaking out of the singer's voice – these mutterings that are almost to himself, which makes his readings of the tunes feel even more personal than you might expect – even amidst larger backings from Nick Perito – like Como is off to the side of the room, ruminating on love lost and life lived! That quality comes through tremendously on the eerie "Father Of Girls" – a tune that's worth the price of admission alone – and other titles include "Try To Remember", "Look To Your Heart", "In These Crazy Times", "Sunrise Sunset", and "When You're In Love". Seattle is a record that has Perry Como taking on a bit of a country tinge at times – working with Chet Atkins production that almost seems as if the singer is trying to match the Dean Martin spirit of the late 60s, right down to phrasing that feels a bit like ol Dino himself! A few other cuts have more familiar Como modes, with backings by Nick Perito – and titles include the lively title cut "Seattle", plus "Happiness Comes Happiness Goes", "Together Forever", "Sunshine Wine", "Deep In Your Heart", "Hearts Will Be Hearts", "Turnaround", and "Beady Eyed Buzzard". CD

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

Stellar early 70s work from John Dankwork – in a 2CD set! Full Circle is simply one of the greatest albums we've ever heard from the Brit maestro – a big band album as in earlier years, but one done with lots of hip 70s touches! The feel here is halfway between that of sound library grooving and some of the larger group 70s sessions on MPS – often funky at times, but with freshly modern solo work that breaks out from the larger ensemble nicely to accentuate the mood of the tunes. Players include Alan Branscombe on vibes, John Taylor on piano, Joe Moretti on guitar, and Kenny Wheeler on trumpet – and tunes include Mike Vickers' "Eleven Plus", Mike Gibbs' "A Family Joy" and "Triple Portrait", Keith Jarrett's "Grow Your Own", and Dankworth's "Academy One" and "Earthman". Also features a nice bass-y take on "You Are Too Beautiful". Lifeline is another great one – also reminding us of some of the larger MPS projects of the same time. The tracks have a bit of an electric glow in the basswork and production, but the main focus is on acoustic big band grooving – with breakout solos, and some tighter ensemble passages. Includes the sweet suite "Lifeline", which has a few funky moments – plus"Tomorrow's World", "WRVR", and "Fighting The Flab". Players include Don Rendell, Tony Hymas, Ken Gibson, and Dankworth himself. CD

A beautifully sensitive soundtrack for this early film from the team of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill – very different than most of the other western music of the time – which is a fitting accompaniment to the unique actions of the pair onscreen! There's a fair bit of acoustic guitar in the instrumentation, used in ways that are sometimes warmer and more sentimental than you'd expect – played with a subtle sort of character that really comes through in this well-done reissue of the music – and which gets even better when groovier elements on piano or horns come into the mix. Things build nicely as the set moves on, with a very vivid feel throughout – and titles include "Remember", "Il Carro Al Fiume", "Assalto Alla Diligenza", "Ranch Di Parker", "Trinity E Bambino A San Jose", and "Trinity Stand Tall". CD

Four classic albums from Jackie DeShannon – all in a single set! First up is Me About You – sophisticated Jackie at her best – working with great arrangements from Jack Nitzsche and Nick DeCaro – both cats from the California scene we can really trust for "cut-above" pop work like this – music that goes way past the simple sounds of DeShannon's start – into cool adult territory that really makes the album great. Jackie's vocals are surprisingly soulful in the setting – even more so than before – and the tunes include lots of gems, including versions of Van Dyke Parks' "High Coin", John Sebastian's "Didn't Want To Have To Do It", and Tim Hardin's "Baby Close Its Eyes". Also includes "I Keep Wanting You", "Me About You", and "Nicole". Next is Laurel Canyon – heady work from Jackie DeShannon's later years in 60s pop – an album with themes and styles that go way beyond her earlier recordings – as you might guess from the hip Laurel Canyon reference in the title! Jackie's working here in a mode that's much more strongly in a singer-songwriter style than before – with arrangements and backings that are a lot more organic, and less pop-tuned than ever – almost in a Laura Nyro approach on some numbers. As usual, a good portion of the tracks were written by Jackie herself – including "Holly Would", "Come & Stay With Me", "LA", "Too Close", and "Laurel Canyon" – and the album also features a few well chosen tracks by other writers too, like "Bitter Honey" by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols, "I Got My Reason" by Barry White, and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson. Put A Little Love In Your Heart is quite possibly the last great hit from singer Jackie DeShannon – an album built around the righteous spirit of the title track – filled with really wonderful original tunes penned by Jackie and soul singer Jimmy Holiday! The album may well be the best to explore the space between pop and soul that often characterized Jackie's work – and the overall sound is somewhat similar to some of Dusty Springfield's best pop/soul work from the same stretch. 10 of the album's 12 tracks are originals by Holiday and DeShannon – all set to soaring orchestrations by James Langeford, which often have a pronounced influence from the sound of Atlantic Records in the late 60s! Titles include "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "You Are The Real Thing", "River Of Love", "Movin", "You Can Come To Me", "You Have A Way With Me", and "I Let Go Completely". To Be Free is an interesting little record – with kind of a crossover California soul feel overall – recorded with Rene Hall arrangements that echo a few rootsy modes at times, mixed in with fuller orchestrations that step a bit back towards Jackie's earlier years on Imperial – a surprisingly nice blend, with a fresh sound for the 70s. The album features a number of great tracks co-written with Jimmy Holiday – a fellow Imperial talent – and titles include "Mediterranean Sky", "Sooner Or Later", "What Was Your Day Like", "Livin On The Easy Side", "Brighton Hill", and "When Morning Comes Again". CD

A classic set of jazz vocals from Blossom Dearie – recorded at Ronnie Scott's nightclub when she was living in London during the 60s! The set's got a nice intimate feel, and is one of Blossom's best-ever jazz recordings – a bit more live and hip than some of her Verve material, with backing from Jeff Clyne on bass and Johnnie Butts n drums. The record has little of the cocktail sound that marred some of her other releases, and more of the swinging jazz piano and vocals that you find on her best work. Blossom's voice is as unique as always, and the set's got some great groovy numbers, like "I'm Hip", "Once Upon A Summertime", "When In Rome", and "The Shape Of Things". Very nice vibe, with a good live feel and lots of interaction with the audience! CD features the bonus track "Cornflower Lavender Wallflower Blue (mono)". CD

Four full albums from the great Martin Denny – presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is the initial Exotica album – the birth of a sound and the birth of a legend – Martin Denny's first album in the Exotica series, and a record so great it named an entire genre! Denny certainly didn't invent the tropical style of easy listening that came to be known as "exotica" in the 50s – but with a record like this, he delivered the goods better than anyone else – by taking away all the too-sweet styles of Hawaiian music, and serving up a stripped-down, jazzy kind of sound! The album features Denny's classic original quartet – with Arthur Lyman on vibes and Augie Colon on bongos – and titles include "Stone God", "Jungle Flower", "Busy Port", "Lotus Land", and his hit recording of "Quiet Village". Exotica 2 is the second album in Denny's legendary Exotica trilogy – a set of records that provided the extreme definition of the small sub-genre that today has become the stuff of legend! Denny's still working here in his classic format – a small group with heavy piano lines, playful percussion, and some birdcalls sung by the members of the group! The set's a mix of strange songs from strange sources, all given the sublime Denny twist – and titles include "Singing Bamboos", "Escales", "August Bells", "Ebb Tide", "Rush Hour In Hong Kong", and "Soshu Night Serenade". Exotica 3 is sublime late 50s work from Martin Denny – his third album under the Exotica banner, and almost a deeper and weirder album than the other two! The sound here is extremely haunting – even more freed from conventional melody than the rest, and very fixated on the tonal possibilities that could be produced from Denny's unique grouping of percussion, piano, bass, and vibes. There's few tricks or gimmicks on the set – just a spare and other-worldly approach to music that's totally great! Titles include "Manila", "Mama Iti E Papa E", "Bamboo Lullaby", "Ringo Oiwake", "Moon Of Manakoora", "Congo Train", and "Beautiful Kahana". Quiet Village is an undisputed classic in the exotica genre – and the record that yielded Martin Denny his biggest hit! The title track "Quiet Village" was originally written by Les Baxter, but it was Martin Denny's approach that really managed to send the tune over the top – using spare percussion, rhythmic piano, and just the right amount of vibes and bird calls to give the track a really haunting feel. That approach is echoed throughout the set – with shifting instrumentation that includes celeste, bongos, marimbas, and marimbula as well! Titles include "Quiet Village", "Paradise Found", "Sake Rock", "Martinique", "Tune From Rangoon", and "Pagan Love Song". CD features bonus tracks too – "Llama Serenade" and "The Enchanted Sea" and more. CD

An organ bossa classic from the legendary Eumir Deodato – one of his strongest albums from his early years in Brazil! There's a very jazzy feel to the set all the way through – thanks to a tightly arranged group that not only features the organ and percussion you might expect from such a date, but which also features some great horn work as well! Trombone, tenor, and baritone sax all get in some nice licks – and Deodato's organ cooks wonderfully throughout, often with a quick-stepping bossa jazz sound that really keeps things lively. Titles include "O Sol Nascera", "Samba Do Dom Natural", "Terra De Ninguem", "E Bom Parar", and "Ataque". CD

Mighty nice material from the earliest years of Jackie DeShannon – a full unreleased album for Liberty, plus a bunch of other rare tracks too! The album is fascinating – as it's a tribute to Ray Charles, and has Jackie not singing her own songs, as she would do famously later – but instead taking on tunes from the Ray Charles songbook, especially heavy on the Atlantic years – which come across with this soulful style that's really a change for Jackie! And sure, she's always had a current of soul in her music – but here, she has raspy vocals on a number of cuts, almost echoing Etta James – and great arrangements that really fit the vibe. Ray Charles titles include "Night Time Is The Right Time", "Georgia On My Mind", "I'll Drown In My Own Tears", "Ain't That Love", "Hallelujah I Love Him So", and "What'd I Say". The bonus material is also heavy on soulful styles too – in part because a number of them were recorded with great R&B producer Clyde Otis – and the set features a total of 24 tracks, with other titles that include "Wishin Won't Get It", "I Must Be Dreaming", "Shed A Tear", "Don't You Feel Sorry For Me", "Gonna Search", and "Nothing Can Stop Me". CD

One of the great groups of the Detroit soul scene at the end of the 60s – but an act who never got the full fame of contemporaries like The Four Tops or Temptations! That didn't stop the Detroit Emeralds from being a hell of a vocal act, though – as they've got a mixture of tight harmonies and raw soul that's completely wonderful – and which finally gets full exposure here in a well-done selection of all their singles for the Westbound label! The imprint might be best known as the home for trippy soul by Funkadelic and Ohio Players – yet during the same classic stretch, Westbound also handled this hip Detroit trio to perfection – taking their 60s-schooled harmonies, and giving them a more sophisticated spin for the 70s – really letting the vocals take off as the group demonstrates their Dells-like power, and moving the arrangements of the tunes past overdone Motown styles of the decade before. The result is some of the hippest harmony soul you'll ever hope to hear – all presented here with the wonderfully deep Ace/Kent Records presentation – with 23 tracks that include "If I Lose Your Love", "Things Are Looking Up", "Lee", "Wear This Ring With Love", "Feel The Need In Me", "Whatcha Gonna Wear Tomorrow", "I Think Of You", "Rosetta Stone", "Set It Out", "Til You Decide To Come Home", "I'll Never Sail The Sea Again", "There's Love For Me Somewhere", "You're Gettin A Little Too Smart", and their classic "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms". CD

A rare set from vibist Walt Dickerson – one of the most compelling jazz musicians to ever lay hold of a set of vibes! The album was originally issued as a Japanese-only session by the Why Not label in the mid 70s, and it features Dickerson playing on 5 tunes that have a slightly different feel than a lot of his other work from the time. First up is "Sky", which features some electric bass work by Jamaaladeen Tacuma, which makes for a more full-on sound than you usually get with Dickerson. Next up is "Awareness", an extremely haunting solo track that features this incredible tone on the vibes. The last three tunes feature a trio with Wilbur Ware on bass and Edgar Leon Bateman on drums – and Ware's bass work brings out a swing in Dickerson's vibes that we rarely ever hear. Titles include "Key Of Wisdom", "Yesterdays", and "I Love You". Essential work for any fan of this enigmatic vibist – and great to have back out again! CD

A rare Japanese-only album from this 70s AOR legend – a set issued after Ned Doheny's big album for Columbia Records, but a set that feels as if it came just a few years after! During a generation where most folks were relying on streamlined production and instrumentation, Doheny still crafts things here with a really warm feel that works beautifully with his well-penned tunes, and his special approach to blue-eyed soul – easygoing Cali-style at its best, served up on a set of all-original material! Titles include "Love's A Heartache", "Back To The World", "Til Kingdom Come", "Follow Your Heart", "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me", "Heartbreak In The Making", and "Life After Romance". CD features five bonus tracks – including acoustic versions of "Get It Up For Love", "If You Should Fall", "Postcards From Hollywood", and "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me" – plus "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me (TV mix)". CD

A really great entry in this excellent series – one that not only features lots of great Fender Rhodes from Brazilian jazz legend Joao Donato, but also vocals from Loren Oden on almost every track – which makes the whole thing feel like a fantastic hybrid of Joao's genius with a righteous approach to spacey soul! Oden sounds maybe even better here than ever before – singing jazzily, and drifting in and out of the instrumentation – which often has a more dynamic lead in the mix, with lots of work on a variety of instruments from Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – upbeat, but just a few shades short of funk, which works perfectly for the way that Donato slides his Rhodes in and out of the tunes. Titles include "Forever More", "Sua Beleza E Beleza", "Desejo De Amor", "Aquarius", "Nao Negue Seu Coracao", "Liaisons", and "Adrian Ali & Gregory". CD

Drummer Hamid Drake has appeared on countless records over the years – even some as spare as duo improvisation sessions – yet this album is a long-overdue first solo effort from Drake, and one that allows us to hear his sensitive touch on the kit even more than before! Drake's always been a very musical percussionist – able to get all sorts of sounds out of a simple drum kit, in ways that almost feel as melodic as they do rhythmic – not in any sort of Krupa-like style, as Hamid's definitely a free improviser – but with a warmth and understanding of these familiar elements, unlocked in a really personal way! That's the approach used here on all the tracks – a loving set of dedications dedicated to contemporaries who include Don Cherry, Milford Graves, Paul Lovens, Fred Anderson, Adam Rudolph, and others. CD

One of the few albums we've ever seen by keyboardist Hubert Eaves – a great player whose work crops up on some of our favorite 70s soul jazz and jazz funk sides, but who rarely got a chance to lead his own group! Fortunately, he did get the chance to cut this one – as the session's a real doozy – sweet mellow fusion, handled very soulfully, with a kicked-back feel that's right up there with the most righteous soulful fusion of the time. Players include Mtume, John Lee, Reggie Lucas, Malachi Thompson, and Rene McLean – and Cheryl Alexander sings vocals on the track "Under Standing". A great blend of laidback funk and soulful grooves – in the manner of Bobby Lyle at his best – and titles include "Slow Down", "Painful Pleasure", "Call To Awareness", and "Flead Dancing". CD

Excellent pre-Columbia work from trumpeter Don Ellis – a live date recorded with Tom Scott on saxes and Dave Mackay on piano – presented here in its entirety for the first time ever! The groove here is every bit as hard as on Ellis' funky classics for Columbia – but more acoustic overall, and bottomed with some great Latin percussion from Alan Estes on timbales and Chino Valdes on congas. Many tracks have a slightly exotic feel – a mode that uses conventional jazz instrumentation with slightly Eastern phrasing, in a way that sounds really great alongside the modal rhythms of the tunes. Titles include Scott's "With Respect To Coltrane" and "Blues For Hari" – plus "Slippin N Slidin", "Bali Dancer", "Sadness Shouldn't Go To Sleep", "It's A Snap", "The Squeeze", and "Turk's Works". CD

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the rhythms – that sweet groove that shows up in the best beach music classics – and which The Entertainers really have a lock on for this set! But there's also a warmer, more seductive feel going on too – a groove that fits in nicely with some of the early 80s modern soul work of the indie underground – and which helps get this album past any overdone cliches you might expect from the Carolinas – especially on some of the numbers that have a nicely compressed, almost poppish approach to the vocals. There's a depth here that makes the record way more than just a bunch of simple steppers for the dancefloor – and titles include "Hot On A Thang", "Pour Your Little Heart Out", "It's Not What You Got", "I'm Leavin", "In This Moment", "I Won't Cry Anymore", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Livin For The Summer", "Kidnapper", and "I'm In Love With You". CD

A never-heard album from this excellent Detroit vocal group – recorded for Motown at the end of the 60s, but appearing here for the first time ever – and compiled with lots of bonus tracks from the vaults! The Fantastic Four never hit the bigger heights of some of the big Motown male groups of the 60s – but in some way, especially at this time in the label's history, they were a much more cohesive, organic ensemble – one that's a bit like The Originals in their strong commitment to great harmonies, and ability to always hold onto their own sort of personality, even amidst the larger Motown production machine. As with most great "lost" projects, we're not sure why this record never saw the light of day – because every aspect is great, from the vocals down through the arrangements and instrumentation – and although a few shorter singles came out over the years the rest of the set is wonderful – and matched here by another 13 rare bonus tracks, including many other unreleased singles! Titles include "A Little Too Much", "We Can Work It Out", "Take Him Back If It Makes You Happy", "You Turn Me Around", "I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love Again", "How Big Is Your Heart", "It Keeps Raining Down Tears", "In A Bad Way", "Fan The Flame", "I Shall Not Be Moved", "Double Cross", and "Loving You Is Hurting Me". CD

Never-issued music from a really legendary group – titled in a way that's similar to their famous 60s record for Atlantic Records – but a batch of live material recorded in Sweden with an equally sublime sort of feel! Art Farmer works here on flugelhorn alongside guitarist Jim Hall – a brief but important pairing in 60s modern jazz – especially when combined with the talents of Steve Swallow on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – four artists who make for a really revolutionary quartet, as they explore the space of sound, and the space between the notes, in ways that still sound as revolutionary now as they did when recorded back in 1964! Titles include "Theme For Jobim", "Sometime Ago", "Waltz Hot", "Birk's Works", "I Love You", and "Bilbao Song". CD

A rare gem from keyboardist Hilton Felton – and one of the few albums issued on his own Hilton's Concept label! The set's got a super-sweet stripped-down feel – Hilton on organ and electric piano, backed by drums, bass, percussion, and some slight guitar – in a lineup that shifts slightly from track to track, but always keeps things lean and groovy! The album's got some killer funky numbers – like the chunky "Here Comes David", which has a nice rattling groove, and the extended mellow soul cut "Dream Come True", which blends keys and guitar with a bit of vocals, making for a nice tripped out soul style! Other tracks include "Your Analysis", "Music Shall Never Die", and "Maybe You'll Come Back To Me". CD

A surprise hit for Richard Dimples Fields – and one of those albums that seems to turn up in just about every collection of records from the 80s! Although Fields first got his start turning out self-produced soul albums, and you'd expect him to sound a lot slicker here, recording for MCA's Boardwalk imprint, the record's still got a nice down-home feel that almost makes it feel like an indie soul record, despite the fact that Richard is going for a smooth modern sound on most cuts. Our standout favorite is the classic "She's Got Papers On Me", Richard's entry into the Barbara Mason/Shirley Brown song cycle ("you got my man", "he's your man, but he's my lover", etc) – one that takes the view of the man, but which has a sassy female monologue coming in at the end, telling him off! Other tracks include "I Like Your Lovin", "Let Me Take You In My Arms Tonight", "Let The Lady Dance", "In The Still Of the Night", "I've Got To Learn To Say No", and "Don't Ever Take Your Love". CD

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem – and as usual, the full tale of the group, the movie, and the music is told at length in the accompanying 16 page booklet! Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", "Theme From Brotherman", "No Place To Run", and "We Can Work It Out". CD

The coolest record so far from this totally great combo – a live recording done on the home turf of the Greg Foat Group – the Playboy Club in London! The retro venue really fits the slinky, sexy vibe of the group's music – and although we already loved these guys before, this album has a really special sort of feel – with loads of wonderful keyboard lines from Greg on Hohner Electra piano, Elka Rhapsody, Hammond L 100, and Mutron Phaser – almost always distorted with a nice degree of fuzz, but still a straight ahead approach, and some great undercurrents of fuzz too! The group also features tenor and trumpet – which sometimes sound distorted, ala Varitone modes – and the overall sound feels like some lost jazzy club combo from the late 60s, really tripping out in a very comfortable space. We'd easily stack this one next to our favorite funky Fender Rhodes records from back in the day – and titles include "By The Grace Of God I Am", "Ingen Reklam", "Funky Fanfare", "Madrid", and "Mr Minor". CD features two bonus tracks – "Finky Minky" and "Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag". CD

A really unusual group, with a vibe that's wonderfully hard to peg – partly funky, maybe a bit jazzy, and with some prog and blues rock elements in the mix too – yet all served up in a blend that's very much the group's own! There's a number of tracks that almost feel like they began as studio jams, which then have "singer" Richie Hamilton kind of speaking some lyrics that are often muted a bit next to the riffing guitar, bass, and drums – while a few other tracks have a stronger instrumental vibe, with very strong guitar work from Frank Vandenkloot. Eric Tagg makes a great appearance on Fender Rhodes on the cut "Friends" – and other titles include "Victim Of The Past", "What Is Man", "I'll Never Let You Go", and "Necernomicon". CD

A cool quartet with some very groovy vocals – a combo who seem to take some great inspiration from Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 – as well as other hip vocal groups of the 60s! The lineup features one gal and three guys – often with the gal singer in the lead, supported by warm harmonies from the male singers – all grooving to their own instrumentation, played on organ, guitar, and drums! This lean approach is mighty nice – and has the group soaring through a cool mix of soul and pop material that's all pretty upbeat and lively – given a few 70s touches on the keyboards at times, and coming across with a spontaneous feel that almost makes you feel like you're catching the combo in a club. Titles include "Dream A Dream A Day", "Scarborough Fair", "Summertime", "I Thank You", "More Today Than Yesterday", "What The World Needs Now", "Let's Make It One World", and "Day Dreaming". CD

A brilliant record from tenorist Ken Fowser – a player who seems to grab our attention more and more with each new record – both as a soloist and as a rock-solid leader who always brings something special to a session! Ken dedicates this record to the inspiration of pianist Harold Mabern – and you can really feel a lot of Mabern's warmth and soul flowing through the record – as the tunes bristle with the kind of soulful imagination that we always loved in Mabern's music from years back – even though they're all originals by Ken, with piano handled beautifully by Tadatka Unno! This might be the first time we've ever heard Unno on record, but we're already in love – and the rest of the group features Josh Bruneau on trumpet and flugelhorn, Vince Dupont on bass, and Joe Strasser on drums. Titles include "This That & The Other Thing", "Moving Forward", "Three For Leathers", "Morning Light", "Firefly", "The Instigator", and "Without Saying". CD

One of the few straight rock records ever issued on the mostly-folk Monitor Records label – a great 60s outing from Freeborne, a group with a sound that's as tripped-out as you might expect from the cover! Instrumentation is heavy on organ and guitars, both acoustic and electric, but there's also some cool percussion too – and interesting use of recorders, in a way that comes across with an ocarina-like charm! Vocals are somewhat soft, but have a dark undercurrent – and there's a really great folk-into-psyche sort of feel to the whole thing. Titles include "Images", "Land Of Diana", "But I Must Return To Frenzy", "Inside People", "Yellow Sky", "Peak Impressions & Thoughts", and "Visions Of My Own". CD

A rare soundtrack for a very offbeat 70s documentary – one that more than lived up to its title by showing footage of sexual acts of a wide variety of different creatures – including frogs, kangaroos, rhinos, monkeys, and others – each of whom was given some very special scoring attention by composer Gerald Fried! Each track has a slightly different feel – as Fried is clearly watching the documentary footage, then composing the music – with all sorts of instrumental flourishes and odd effects that must have been a wonder next to the animal porn onscreen! The CD features 25 tracks in all – and titles include "Aphids", "Snails", "Buffalo Birth", "Rattlesnake", "Chimp Lullaby", "Trout Eggs", "Cheetah Chase", and "Primal Ooze". CD

It's hard to stop the Blastfighter when he's got music like this to back him up – an assortment of sounds served up by Fabio Frizzi – in a style that uses some of the instrumentation of his better-known horror work, but in a very different way! The buzzword here is "action" – and the best cuts have a throbbing rhythm driven by drum machines, and washes of 80s keyboards over the top – then guitars, basslines, and whatever touches are needed to move things forward – with an occasional rest on a cut that's a bit more mellow, but never sleepy at all! If you dig 80s action scores, you'll find plenty to love here – and there's a lean, compact vibe that gives the whole record a very unified feel. CD

A harmony group with a great ear for beats – at a level that really makes Front Page one of those acts who were really transforming the sound of older soul styles in the early 90s! Two decades before, these guys would be stepping along in mellow territory of New Jersey soul – but here, they're using the best elements of the new jack generation alongside their vocals – percolating rhythms that at first might seem out of place for sweet soul, but which kick things along nicely, and often with a lot more warmth than this sort of material would have sounded a few years before! Titles include a great remake of "You Make Me Feel Brand New" – plus "Good Stuff", "Somethin About Your Lovin", "On My Way Back", "Something U Can Appreciate", and "Come To Poppa". CD

Very nice work from Lowell Fulsom – strongly in the mode of his Tramp album for Kent, with a mix of blues and 60s soul, coming together in a sock-hard style that's much better than a lot of Fulsom's other work for other labels! Arrangements are by Rene Hall and Maxwell Davis – the latter of whom does a surprisingly great job on giving up a sharper edge than we remember in his other work. About half the set's straight blues, but the half that's not is nice and funky – including the "Tramp" follow-up "I'm A Drifter", a nice cover of "Funky Broadway", and the cut "Let's Go Get Stoned". Other titles include "Feel So Bad", "I Cried", "The Letter", "Tomorrow", and "Mellow Together". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Blues Pain" and "I Wanna Spend Christmas With You". CD

Searing, soulful energy from this overlooked Japanese combo of the 70s – a crack quartet led by drummer Ryojiro Furusawa, working here with some great guest work on trombone from Shigeharu Mukai! The tunes are often very simple, but with a groove that's totally great – a bit of a modal vibe at times, and some spiritual jazz undercurrents at others – really making the record feel like some lost Strata East album, thanks to electric piano lines from Toshiyuki Daitoku and some tenor and soprano sax from Tomoki Takahashi. Most tunes are long, and very openly grooving – and titles include "Yellow Cherry", "You Wanna Rain", "For Heavens Sake", "Snake Walk", and "Acoustic Chicken". CD

A sexy soundtrack to a mid-70s film written and directed by Serge Gainsbourg – and starring Jane Birkin and a young Gerard Depardieu! The feel here is very much in the spirit of Serge's work of the time – especially that recorded with Birkin – but in a way, it's almost even better, because the soundtrack setting has most of the tunes stripped down to their barest elements – with a simplicity not heard in Gainsbourg's music since Melody Nelson! Instrumentation includes some great "watery" piano bits that kind of float over the main rhythmic theme – but other tracks get a bit more rockish, with heavy bunker rock-styled guitar, and a few more use a bit of banjo – but in a weirdly syncopated way. The score features a few great variations on the classic "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus" – and the "Ballade De Johnny-Jane" is a great instrumental that stands as one of Serge's most compelling themes from the 70s! Other tracks include "Banjo Au Bord Du Styx", "Joe Banjo", "Le Camion Jaune", and "L'Abominale Strip-Tease". CD

A trio of albums from pianist Hal Galper – one early, two later, and served up in a single set! Guerilla Band is electric piano genius from Hal Galper – one of his best non-acoustic albums ever, and a set that's filled with moody colors and changes! The album's a fair bit more dynamic than some of Galper's other albums from the 70s – with horns from the Brecker Brothers, guitar from Bob Mann, and tightly rhythmic work on the bottom that makes some of the best numbers hear all-out funky jams! There's a sharply angular feel to the record that's made it a favorite for beatheads for years – plenty of tunes that are ripe for samples, even when things get slightly mellow – and Galper's approach to the keys is really amazing, unlike any other player we can think of at the time! Titles include "Figure Eight", "Call", "Black Night", "Point of View", "Welcome To My Dream", and "Rise & Fall". Rebop is a gem of a later album from pianist Hal Galper – one that has him teaming up with tenorist Jerry Bergonzi, as both players really find a way to make the other sound great! Galper's always got a nicely spacious approach to the piano – using the spots between the notes in just the right way, which is great for Jerry, as he likes to fill them with well-placed, well-timed tenor elements that really make his horn sound great. The balance is a bit like that which Bergonzi brings up on some of his best sessions for Red Records – and the group also features Jeff Johnson on bass, and Steve Ellington on drums. Titles include "All The Things You Aren't", "Jackie-Ing", "Take The Coltrane", "Laura", and "It's Magic". On Just Us, the trio of pianist Hal Galper gets some great guest work here from tenorist Jerry Bergonzi – a rich-toned player who really seems to bring out a different vibe in Hal's music! Galper's touch on the keys seems to be extra-dexterous here – really spinning out these long, lively lines that are balance with the well-placed tones of Bergonzi – given gently swinging support from Pat O'Leary on bass and Steve Ellington on drums! Many of the tunes are standards, but opened up with all these great colors – and titles include "Just Us", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Stablemates", "Lover Man", "I'll Never Be The Same", and "Unforgettable". CD