The last album in the legendary run of records from Ginger Baker and the brothers Adrian and Paul Gurvitz – a heck of a power trio, but one that comes across in a very different way than Baker's famous work in Cream! If anything, Ginger's drums have more of a funk current than before – a really powerful driving force at the bottom, while Adrian riffs around all over the top and edges of the tunes with these well-crafted guitar lines that don't even need a solo to find their voice – wickedly emphasizing the vocals on tunes that include "Flying In & Out Of Stardom", "Neon Lights", "Mystery", "Thirsty For The Blues", "My Mind Is Healing", and "Smiling". LP, Vinyl record album

Fuzzy and genuinely well-crafted private press grooves from the Emerson brothers – with crazy good hooks, some surprisingly solid musicianship – and songs that range from straight-up catchy, though fuzz-drenched rock, to funk and soul! Donnie Emerson is the lead singer, guitarist and bass player, along with some synth – and on the best tunes, he's got a confident, laidback and warm style on vocals that truly doesn't feel the voice of a kid still in his teens – with brother Joe on drums and other friends on backing vocals here and there. Here's a record that profoundly transcends the private press novelty and the goofy jumpsuits they're rocking on the front cover! Includes "Good Time", "Give Me The Chance", "Baby", the instrumental groover "Feels Like The Sun", "Love Is", "Don't Go Lovin' Nobody Else", "Dream Full Of Dreams" and "My Heart". CD

A rock/soul outing from Gale Force – a group comprised of brothers Len and Ken Gale, hence the name! The set's an odd one – as it was produced by Wayne Henderson during the height of his glory days at Fantasy, and features keyboards by Bobby Lyle – so you'd guess that it would have some sort of a jazz funk component. But overall, it's a pretty strict rock outing – although not without some soulful charms – as the brothers seem to pick up the Fantasy Records groove where Creedence left off – going for compressed and rhythmic tunes that almost have a Steve Miller style at times. Titles include "Reach On Out", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Amourena", "Turn On The Blue Lights", and "Let My Love In". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the fullest, freakiest sounds we've ever heard from Karl Hector & The Malcouns – and a set that almost has the contemporary combo resonating with some of the older psych and fuzz that often gets reissued on the Now Again label! JJ Whitefield – of Whitefield Brothers/Poets Of Rhythm fame – is at the helm of the group, and also handles the production – and the whole thing is a deep shift from the sharper, funkier style of his early material – as this record's really awash in fuzz and long, languorous space – drawing elements from older funk, jazz, and global elements, and pushing them all through a mighty cool psych-styled filter. Marja Burchard sings some cool wordless vocals on the record, but most of the focus here is instrumental – with great organ, vibes, moog, and plenty of fuzzy guitar. Titles include "Crawling Through Your Mind", "Hymnins (extended)", "Inhale/Exhale", "Mother Seletta", "Dekagon", and "Asteroid". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Melodic psychedelia from 70s Iran – an incredible full scale anthology of recordings by guitarist and vocalist Kourosh Yaghmaei from the pre-revolution years – and an absolute treasure! Kouroush often recorded with his brothers – Kourosh singing lead and playing guitars or bass – with Kamran Yaghmaei on guitars and backing vocals and Kambiz Yaghmaei on keys and backing vocals. Other players contribute drums, bass and occasional additional elements – harmonica or horns on few tracks. The sound is a really wonderful amalgam of western garage, psych and strains of funk with native Iranian modes and tempos. The songs here sink in on an emotional level without us knowing a word of the language – the passionate vocals work wonderfully in that regard – but musically, it's innovative stuff that's nicely tripped out and heavily rhythmic, without compromising the melodic sensibility. The heavy duty 3LP set features 21 tracks in all – in a sweet 6 panel gatefold with a 24 page booklet – featuring extensive notes and photos, with Kourosh's story told in autobiographical detail. Like other recent Now Again packages, it's really beautifully done! Titles include "Gol E Yakh", "Dar Enteha", "Paiz", "Leila", "Del Dareh Pir Misheh", "Shirin Joon", "Ghazal", "Mosafere Shahre Baran", "Saghe", "Niyayesh", "Saraabe Toe", "Baroona", "Khaar", Bachehaye Khoobe Koocheh" and more. (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Grand Funk, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Black Sabbath, Allman Brothers Band, Edgar Winter Group, Mountain, Santana, Uriah Heep, Mott The Hoople, Brownsville Station, Alice Cooper, and Focus. LP, Vinyl record album

Fuzzy and genuinely well-crafted private press grooves from the Emerson brothers – with crazy good hooks, some surprisingly solid musicianship – and songs that range from straight-up catchy, though fuzz-drenched rock, to funk and soul! Donnie Emerson is the lead singer, guitarist and bass player, along with some synth – and on the best tunes, he's got a confident, laidback and warm style on vocals that truly doesn't feel the voice of a kid still in his teens – with brother Joe on drums and other friends on backing vocals here and there. Here's a record that profoundly transcends the private press novelty and the goofy jumpsuits they're rocking on the front cover! Includes "Good Time", "Give Me The Chance", "Baby", the instrumental groover "Feels Like The Sun", "Love Is", "Don't Go Lovin' Nobody Else", "Dream Full Of Dreams" and "My Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Four heavy classics from Buddy Miles – all together in a single set! First up is Expressway To Your Skull – a super tripped-out blend of rock, funk, and soul – easily one of Buddy Miles' most mindblowing albums – and a classic that never lets up at all! Buddy's leading the whole group on drums – really kicking things large from behind the kit – while the rest of the group jams in a heavy style that's got plenty of fuzzed-out guitar and jazzy horn riffs – virtually a blueprint for countless other rock funk groups that copped Buddy's style in years to come. The drums alone are worth the price of admission – but the whole album's so right, tight, and outta sight that it's been a favorite in our crates for years! Titles include "Train", "Let Your Lovelight Shine", "Don't Mess With Cupid", "Funky Mule", and "Wrap It Up". Electric Church is filled with bluesy soul from Buddy Miles – an album that was half-produced by Jimi Hendrix, and which showcases the really crowd-pleasing side of Miles' sound! Tracks are a mix of soul covers and original numbers – done in a mode that puts plenty of guitar out front in the mix, and which uses Buddy's screaming vocals a bit more than his heavier drums. Horns are used on most numbers to give them a bit of southern soul inflection, and titles include a great live jamming take on "Wrap It Up", the funky "Destructive Love", and the cuts "Cigarettes & Coffee", "Miss Lady", "Texas", and "My Chant". Them Changes is a landmark album of crossover funk – fuzzed out rock, soul, and jazzy licks all coming into play together – held totally tight by drummer Buddy Miles, the undisputed king of his scene! Buddy's drums are super-heavy – holding down his Freedom Express group with a heavy jazz-rock sound that would soon have a huge influence on other groups. Includes Buddy's original version of "Them Changes" – a tune that was instantly covered by everyone at the time – plus the cuts "Memphis Train", "Your Feeling Is Mine", "Dreams", and "Down By The River". Last up is We Got To Live Together – pure crossover genius from Buddy Miles – a great mix of funky soul and rockish touches – and the kind of record that easily put Buddy in the same camp as Sly Stone or The Isley Brothers with mainstream audiences of the time! Tracks here are a bit longer and more jamming than work by either of those two artists – with the kind of heavy guitar and horns that played heavily to the Fillmore crowd – but the overall sound of the record is a fair bit more soulful and even funkier than some other Miles' efforts from the earlier years too, with plenty of his tight drums in the mix! Titles include a great 12 minute reading of the title track "We Got To Live Together" – plus "Take It Off Him & Put It On Me", "Runaway Child", "Walking Down The Highway", and "Easy Greasy". (Soul, Rock) CD

Melodic psychedelia from 70s Iran – an incredible full scale anthology of recordings by guitarist and vocalist Kourosh Yaghmaei from the pre-revolution years – and an absolute treasure! Kouroush often recorded with his brothers – Kourosh singing lead and playing guitars or bass – with Kamran Yaghmaei on guitars and backing vocals and Kambiz Yaghmaei on keys and backing vocals. Other players contribute drums, bass and occasional additional elements – harmonica or horns on few tracks. The sound is a really wonderful amalgam of western garage, psych and strains of funk with native Iranian modes and tempos. The songs here sink in on an emotional level without us knowing a word of the language – the passionate vocals work wonderfully in that regard – but musically, it's innovative stuff that's nicely tripped out and heavily rhythmic, without compromising the melodic sensibility. The heavy duty 3LP set features 21 tracks in all – in a sweet 6 panel gatefold with a 24 page booklet – featuring extensive notes and photos, with Kourosh's story told in autobiographical detail. Like other recent Now Again packages, it's really beautifully done! Titles include "Gol E Yakh", "Dar Enteha", "Paiz", "Leila", "Del Dareh Pir Misheh", "Shirin Joon", "Ghazal", "Mosafere Shahre Baran", "Saghe", "Niyayesh", "Saraabe Toe", "Baroona", "Khaar", Bachehaye Khoobe Koocheh" and more. (Global Grooves, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A really groundbreaking set, and one that goes past all the southern rock cliches you might know – to find that special place in southern music where elements of soul, rock, funk, and country all come together – served up here in the hands of some key artists from the end of the 60s and the start of the 70s! Given that the Soul Jazz label usually digs deep into the worlds of reggae, soul, and global styles, we can really trust them on a musical journey like this – one that almost completely rewrites this generation of southern rock as you may know it from a mainstream perspective – especially the sort put forth in music magazines and classic rock radio! As usual, the presentation and notes are great – and titles include "If Love Was Money" by Dan Penn, "Out In The Woods" by Leon Russell, "Be What You Want To" by Link Wray, "Please Be With Me" by Cowboy, "Stone Fox Chase" by Area Code 615, "Hush" by Joe South, "Smokies" by Barefoot Jerry, "I Walk On Guilded Splinters" by Cher, "Ain't Wasting No Time" by The Allman Brothers, "Papa Won't You Let Me Go To Town" by Bobbie Gentry, "Thirteen" by Big Star, "Big D" by Waylon Jennings, "I'm Leaving Here Tomorrow Mama" by Billy Vera, "I Forgot To Remember To Forget" by Travis Wammack, and "Polk Salad Annie" by Tony Joe White. (Funky Compilations, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The oft-covered Bob Dylan songbook never sounds so soulful – classic interpretations of Dylan's canon from a great, far reaching roster of black artists – from the the ever-stirring Staple Singers, southern soul heroes Howard Tate and OV Wright, charismatic country soul from Brook Benton, great gender role perspective flipped versions by Nina Simone and Patti LaBelle, a funky tamborine take by Con Funk Shun and much more! It's another excellent entry in the Songwriter Series from Ace Records, extra excellent in that it takes an obvious hero of 60s Songwriter – and actually pulls together songs that'll take you by surprise for their depth – whether you treasure Dylan, deep 60s & 70s solo & group R&B, funk, folk soul...or all of the above! Includes "Blowin In The Wind" by OV Wright, "Girl From The North Country" by Howard Tate, "The Man In Me" by The Persuations, "Lay lady Lay" by The Isley Brothers, "Emotionally Yours" by The O'Jays, "All Along The Watchtower" by Bobby Womack, "Maggie's Farm" by Soloman Burke, "Mr. Tamborine Man" by Con Funk Shun and more. 20 tracks in all. (Soul, Rock) CD

Nice bit of funky fusion from these 2 German brothers. Rolf plays electric clarinet on this session, and it sounds nice and sharp next to his brother's organ and alto solos. Volker Kreigel's playing guitar, and at this point, he's still playing with a lot of tightness, and less of the rock-like playing that marred some of his later work. The set was recorded in Hamburg, in 1968, and released in the 70's by Claude Delcloo on one of his French labels. Includes the cuts "Night Time Girl", "Going West", "Rocking Chair To The Moon", "I'm A Jew", and "Getting The Point". (Jazz, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A trippier version of Khruangbin than we're used to – but that's maybe no surprise, given that the whole album's a dub version of the Con Todo El Mundo record – with all the best funky currents of that sweet set, and some wilder modes as well! Drums and bass really get a great workout – and the production isn't the usual Jamaican-inspired dub, but a mode that's maybe partly got a David Axelrod quality – as these guys use the instrumental moments to open up into all these dark, moody corners – while still keeping things nicely funky overall. Titles include "With All The World", "Sisters & Brothers", "How I Love", "Four Of Five", "Hasta El Cielo", and "Order Of Operations". Also includes bonus Scientist mixes on a 7" single – "Rules (Scientist dub)" and "Como Te Quiero (Scientist dub)". (Deep Funk, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredibly groovy album – filled with instrumental tracks that shift between funky big band and groovy 60s soundtrack – all arranged by Mike Nesmith and Shorty Rogers! The feel here is like that of some of Rogers' other groovy late 60s instrumental one-off albums – like his hot rod, dune buggy, or surf-orchestra sides – and Nesmith brings in a slightly cynical tone that manifests itself in the choice of some of the instrumentation for the tracks, and the overall setting of the record. Think Monkees instrumentals gone groovier, and you've got part of the picture – but there's also plenty of snippets of Sunset Strip hip and Warner Brothers longing for the past too! Titles include "While I Cried", "Don't Cry Now", "Tapioca Tundra", "Nine Times Blue", "Carlisle Wheeling", and "You Told Me". (Now Sound, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A set that really expands the legend of Factory Records – the famous label who gave the world New Order, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, and other important post-punk bands – as the set focuses on the equally legendary Hacienda nightclub, which the label opened in Manchester in 1982! Manchester was already a city with a hell of a music scene – but at the Hacienda, all sorts of sounds and styles mixed together – in a spirit that was similar to some of the energy on the New York scene at the time, particularly at a club like Danceteria – where the quest for the new took clubbers way past standard genre designations! The Fac 51 in the title was Factory's way of giving the club a catalog number that was in keeping with its record releases at the time – and the beautiful package features plenty of information on the club and the scene – along with 65 tracks by artists who include Gang Of Four, Section 25, Defunkt, Heaven 17, Medium Medium, The Birthday Party, Kurtis Blow, Shalamar, Barry Gray, Simple Minds, Rockers Revenge, 23 Skidoo, Royal Family & The Poor, Josef K, John Cooper Clarke, Stockholm Monsters, Swamp Children, Iggy & The Stooges, Sugarhill Gang, Laura Lee, Temptations, Trio, Bow Wow Wow, Valentine Brothers, Soft Cell, The Associates, Loose Joints, Suicide, Pale Fountains, and many others. CD

Pure crossover genius from Buddy Miles – a great mix of funky soul and rockish touches – and the kind of record that easily put Buddy in the same camp as Sly Stone or The Isley Brothers with mainstream audiences of the time! Tracks here are a bit longer and more jamming than work by either of those two artists – with the kind of heavy guitar and horns that played heavily to the Fillmore crowd – but the overall sound of the record is a fair bit more soulful and even funkier than some other Miles' efforts from the earlier years too, with plenty of his tight drums in the mix! Titles include a great 12 minute reading of the title track "We Got To Live Together" – plus "Take It Off Him & Put It On Me", "Runaway Child", "Walking Down The Highway", and "Easy Greasy". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Earl McGrath looks pretty darn cool on the cover, and from all reports he was a pretty darn cool guy in the 70s too – head of Rolling Stones Records, and friend and confidant to some very hip folks in the music industry! After Earl passed, a closet full of unreleased tapes was discovered at his home – really wonderful material by artists big and small, brought together here in a treasure trove of tracks that give us a whole different look at the 70s! Given the obscurity, most titles are demo recordings with lean instrumentation – but that quality makes the work by big stars even more interesting, and really delivers the best work of the special singer/songwriters that McGrath would always champion. Titles include "Cocaine Cowboy" and "Gonna California" by Terry Allen, "California" by Mark Rodney, "Baby Come Closer" and "Dry In The Sun" by Hall & Oates, "Funky But Chic" by David Johansen, "Tension" by Jim Carroll, "Oh La La" by Shadow, "Christopher" by Michael McCarty, "Holy Commotion" by Paul Potash, "Sail Away" by Jabor, "Invisible Lady" by Johnny Angel, "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" by Blood Brothers Six, and "Salt Showers" by Len & Betsy Green. LP, Vinyl record album

Both full Warner Brothers albums by this excellent group – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Vehicle – the debut album from Ides Of March – a group who will forever be known for the jazzy grooving title hit – "Vehicle", a brassy driving number that seems as if it's always being used in some sort of car commercial (which must net these guys a lot of royalties!) – but which is usually mistaken by others for being the work of Blood Sweat & Tears! Like BST, Ides Of March have a really driving sound here – pushing forward with heavy drums, sharp bits of brass, and a great early jazz rock sound that's way better than most work by the competition in years to come! Tracks include "Vehicle", "Wooden Ships", "Home", "Bald Medusa", "One Woman Man", and "Symphony For Eleanor".. Next is Common Bond – a great second set from Ides Of March – proof that the jazz rock combo had a lot more going on than just their famous single! The sextet hailed from the same scene as early Chicago (Chicago, of course!) – and have here a sound that shares plenty of the jazzy flourishes of that better-known group – blasting trumpet lines that soar, dip, and turn alongside the more uptempo tunes, and shade in the mellower ones. But there's also a more personal approach to this set overall, one that comes from the rough vocals of James Michael Peterik and some of the surprisingly heartfelt lyrics to a few of the album's best tunes – not entirely the height of early 70s singer/songwriter material, but also not that far either. Titles include the funky "Superman", plus "LA Goodbye", "Mrs Grayson's Farm", "Friends Of Feeling", "We Are Pillows", "Freedom Sweet", and "Tie Dye Princess", an extended number that runs for over 11 minutes. CD

One of the coolest concepts ever for a 60s rock record – and maybe one of the standout sets from The Turtles! The album is set up as a "Battle Of The Bands" – one that has the group pretending to be a different ensemble from track to track on the record, either Natures Children, Fats Mallard & The Bluegrass Fireball, The Bigg Brothers, The LA Bust '66, and many other fake combos – all in a way that offers up a brilliant commentary on rock music in the late 60s! The effortlessness with which the group approaches the songs is fantastic – each number could have been a hit for the individual groups, were they real. One of our favorite tracks is the incredible "I'm Chief Kamanawanalea", played by the Royal Macademia Nuts – which has an incredible funky breakbeat all the way through! Another nice one is the funky cut "Buzzsaw", which has a fuzzy guitar groove that sounds a lot like "Tramp" – and other titles include "Surfer Dan", "The Last Thing I Remember", "Elenore", "You Showed Me", "Food", and "Chicken Little Was Right". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest concepts ever for a 60s rock record – and maybe one of the standout sets from The Turtles! The album is set up as a "Battle Of The Bands" – one that has the group pretending to be a different ensemble from track to track on the record, either Natures Children, Fats Mallard & The Bluegrass Fireball, The Bigg Brothers, The LA Bust '66, and many other fake combos – all in a way that offers up a brilliant commentary on rock music in the late 60s! The effortlessness with which the group approaches the songs is fantastic – each number could have been a hit for the individual groups, were they real. One of our favorite tracks is the incredible "I'm Chief Kamanawanalea", played by the Royal Macademia Nuts – which has an incredible funky breakbeat all the way through! Another nice one is the funky cut "Buzzsaw", which has a fuzzy guitar groove that sounds a lot like "Tramp" – and other titles include "Surfer Dan", "The Last Thing I Remember", "Elenore", "You Showed Me", "Food", and "Chicken Little Was Right". LP, Vinyl record album

Two rare slices of work from Little Richard – both from more unusual periods in his career! The set begins with some early 60s tracks from a time when Richard wasn't with any big label, and was doing some tracks on his own – four titles that he licensed to Atlantic Records for issue on 7" singles – none of which did well, which makes these some of his most obscure tracks of the 60s! The rest of the work here is from Little Richard's great comeback stretch on Warner Brothers – best known for three great funky albums with production from Bumps Blackwell – and presented here with single versions of those album tracks, plus one non-LP release too! Titles include "Hole In The Wall", "Travelin Shoes", "It Is No Secret", "Freedom Blues", "Greenwood Mississippi", "Shake A Hand", "Money Is", "Nuki Suki", "Dancing In The Street", "Green Power", and "Somebody Saw You". (Soul, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album