A killer compilation – one that's every bit as wild and wooly as the famous image on the cover! The set came out in the mid 70s, and it's a perfect summation of all the greatness that Funkadelic had given the group in just a few short years – their brilliant way of blending together soul, funk, and psychedelic influences pulled from all parts of the Detroit scene – working under the leadership of George Clinton to craft a sound that few folks would ever be able to touch – even though thousands would try over the years! Every cut on the set is a killer – the kind of tight, short cuts that the group served up on singles – and which still blew away more than most other full album sides of the time! Titles include "I Got A Thang, You Got A Thang, Everybody's Got A Thang", "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On", "Cosmic Slop", "Funky Dollar Bill", "I Wanna Know If Its Good To You", "I'll Bet You", "Loose Booty", "Can You Get To That", and "A Joyful Process". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful! Shawn Phillips started his career as a shaggy folk rocker with a bit of a jazzy twinge – but this album collects odd bits and pieces that were left off of earlier albums, and works perfectly as a record that shows a whole new side of his genius! The album shows Phillips as a master of the funky jazz groove – and although he's still singing on some of the songs, he also lets loose with a number of instrumental cuts, laid out in a tight well-produced mode that puts them up there with some of the best work coming out on labels like Fantasy or Blue Note during the mid 70s. The centerpiece of these is the massive long cut "We Came To Say Goodbye", which builds and builds over the course of 15 minutes, with cool keyboards, great guitar, and the kind of tightly compressed grooves you'd expect to find on a Headhunters album (no surprise, since Headhunters Mike Clark, Bill Summers, and Paul Jackson are on the cut!) Other instrumental tracks include "Prelude To A Leaving" and "Italian Phases" – and strong vocal numbers include "Parisian Plight 1" and "Your Eyes". (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of soul, a bit of jazz, and some nice funky touches at the bottom – a killer little set from the great Spanky Wilson! Wilson's got a really unique place in music – at one level a soul singer with enough sophistication to rival the sound of Marlena Shaw or Nancy Wilson – but at another level, an artist capable of really letting loose – hitting heavier, funkier modes that neither of those singers could ever touch! This set may well be Wilson's masterpiece – put together with excellent production and arrangements from the great HB Barnum – here coming off a great run of work for other artists in the 60s, and focusing all that experience on making Spanky sound great. Titles include "If I Could", "You", "Don't Mess With Bill", "Light My Fire", "Sunshine Of Your Love", "Hurtin", and "The Love That A Woman Should Give To A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of soul, a bit of jazz, and some nice funky touches at the bottom – a killer little set from the great Spanky Wilson! Wilson's got a really unique place in music – at one level a soul singer with enough sophistication to rival the sound of Marlena Shaw or Nancy Wilson – but at another level, an artist capable of really letting loose – hitting heavier, funkier modes that neither of those singers could ever touch! This set may well be Wilson's masterpiece – put together with excellent production and arrangements from the great HB Barnum – here coming off a great run of work for other artists in the 60s, and focusing all that experience on making Spanky sound great. Titles include "Kissing My Love", "If I Could", "You", "Don't Mess With Bill", "Light My Fire", "Sunshine Of Your Love", "Hurtin", and "The Love That A Woman Should Give To A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Well, it's not Jaws – but it's still pretty darn groovy – a very cool set of tracks that features some long, lush orchestrations from the great John Barry – plus some sublime disco sounds from Donna Summer! The first half of the record features Barry's extended "Return To The Sea – 2033 AD" – a side-long track that really builds nicely, and has John finding some even more expressive modes than in other mid 70s soundtracks. Then side two really lets loose with the great "Theme From The Deep (Down Deep Inside)" by Donna Summer – a tune that's got this beautifully building groove that's almost like her best early cuts, ala "I Feel Love" – a great use of Summer's vocals on a nicely funky groove. The set also features a slower Donna Summer vocal take on the cut – billed as "A Love Song" – with these cool keyboard lines that feel like they're lifted from an Italian 70s soundtrack – and Barry also turns in his own instrumental version as well. Beckett sings the funky "Disco Calypso" tune too! (Soundtracks, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Mann hits the discos – but given the flute player's roots in jazz, the set's more of an electric funk outing overall! Herbie's working here with his Family of Mann group – that cool combo that features lots of work on keyboards from Pat Rebillot, who also handled the arrangements for the set – in a wicked blend of Mann's flute and his own keyboard lines – supported with some nicely funky rhythms from Steve Gadd on drums and Tony Levin on bass! Disco touches are added by a bit of congas from Ray Barretto, and some sweet female soul vocals that come in on the choruses – in a mode that's a bit like the work on Kudu Records at the time. Titles include "Pick Up The Pieces", "Guava Jelly", "High Above The Andes", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Mediterranean", "Lady Marmalade", and "Hi-Jack". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure set from the Detroit scene of the early 80s – a jazz record, but one with a nice current of soul – thanks to work on both bass and vocals from Reginald "ShooBeeDoo" Fields! Wendell Harrison recorded the record, and also plays tenor on the record – but the set's very different than most of his music, both of the 70s and 80s – because Fields has an offbeat style that's very much his own, and which really seems to tie the rest of the musicians on the record to his sharp energy on the bass! That instrument is used in both acoustic and electric modes – and things sometimes get loose, open, and slightly free – then balanced out with straighter, more soulful passages. In addition to tenor from Harrison, the set also features Billy McCoy on electric piano, Tani Tabal on tablas and drums, and Allen Barns on additional tenor. Pamela Wise sings on "Ancient Egyptian Rhythms" – and other titles include "The Wagon Walk", "The Morning Sun", "Reminiscing", and "Shoo Will Be Back In Due Time". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album