A massive set of music – and one that includes all the rare Palm label recordings made by reedman Byard Lancaster in Paris during the 70s! First up is Us – a set that features a really freewheeling trio brought together under the leadership of reedman Byard Lancaster – a group ... LP, Vinyl record album
An overlooked 70s funky nugget from Tribe – a very cool group who are equal parts funk and equal parts club – and who work in a mode that mixes up the best aspects of both! The tunes are mostly uptempo and grooving, but have a way of avoiding obvious disco moves – and instead ... LP, Vinyl record album
Funky madness from one of the greatest soundtrack composers of all time – the mighty Lalo Schifrin, one of the few guys who could fit bossa, jazz, electronics, and funk into one single tune – and make the whole thing come out like magic! If you only know Lalo from his more famous ... LP, Vinyl record album
The Us here is a really freewheeling trio brought together under the leadership of reedman Byard Lancaster – a group that features the great AACM drummer Steve McCall, who you'll know from his work in another trio, Air – and bassist Sylvain Marc, who plays an electric version of his ... CD
Great early work from jazz singer Al Jarreau – live tracks recorded in Washington, DC – and done with a laidback style that's a nice change from some of his studio work on Warner Brothers! The group is small – just a trio, with Fender Rhodes from Tom Canning – and Al's got ... LP, Vinyl record album
One of Terry Riley's trippiest albums ever – a sublime batch of minimal grooves played only on a Yamaha organ! The album was recorded at the end of the 70s, but it's got a feel that's pure late 60s all the way – long lines on the keyboard inspired by Indian music, performed by Riley ... LP, Vinyl record album
A mighty sweet criss-crossing of cultures – as the vibes and percussion of the legendary Mulatu Astatke come into play with the work of Israeli Afro Funk band Hoodna! Hoodna clearly make a nod to the elder giant at times – playing with more Ethio modes than on other records, blending ... LP, Vinyl record album
A cool collaboration between West African drummer Miki N'Doye and a host of Norwegian jazz musicians from the 70s – a set that features plenty of percussion, as the jazz players double up on a variety of drums and other instruments as well! The vibe is great – definitely more African ... CD
Ambient sounds, but informed by house music and techno – which makes for music that's very different than mellower ambient work of the decade before! By the end of the 80s, the term "ambient" had been painted a bit poorly by mainstream new age recordings – yet as the 90s ... LP, Vinyl record album
A silly little funk album – but a nice one! Soul Dog were an obscure little group who were trying for sort of a "funky trucker" kind of image – probably the only group in America trying to fit in that label! The band mixes tight funky arrangements with sort of a P-Funk sense ... LP, Vinyl record album
A great addition to the classic work of The Remains – the legendary hard-rocking Boston combo who recorded famously for Epic Records in the 60s! This set features all sorts of unissued material from the group – some non-US singles, demos, and extra cool studio rehearsal work – ... LP, Vinyl record album
Rare work from Henry Horne – an unreleased album from the early 80s, filled with rare boogie tracks and sweet 80s grooves! The group's an obscure Philly outfit who never managed to find fame – yet they've got a tight sound that's right up there with the best in the indie soul scene of ... LP, Vinyl record album
Very cool electronic work from Norman McLaren – sounds created at midcentury, to accompany some of his avant animated films – all done with a really playful quality that's a great match for the images on the screen! At a time when so many other electronic pioneers were moving into ... CD
A trio of albums from this legendary gospel group – some of which were never issued in the US – all brought together in a single set! First up is the German-only album It's A Happy Day – a set that's a bit of a "best of" from the earliest years of the Edwin Hawkins ... CD
When these guys say "stage band", they aren't kidding – as the group's got so many members, there's barely room left on the stage for the instruments! That doesn't stop the record from being plenty darn funky, though – as the sound is right, tight, and outta site – ... LP, Vinyl record album
A classic indie cooker from Sugar Billy – a bit funky, a bit clubby – and a really great batch of grooves done in a pre-disco mode! The tracks are all pretty darn upbeat – somewhat warmer than the funk of Fatback or Kool & The Gang, but still with a nicely rough-edged feel ... CD
The offbeat look of the guy on the cover is very fitting for the offbeat sound of this set – a really cool collection of rare and unusual singles that fall between the cracks of more familiar styles from the time – tunes that are very far from the charts and pop hits of the late ... CD
A 70s soul classic – and the closest that Gil Scott-Heron ever came to having a hit! The album's best known for its anthemic classic "Johannesburg" – one of the first popular tunes to really push the cause of a free South Africa – but the whole album's a winner, filled ... LP, Vinyl record album
A full length set that expands nicely on the original "Garden Of Eve" tune – maybe the biggest song ever from Chicago soul singer Yvonne Gate – a cut that has this nicely snapping boogie groove, and a vibe that should have really sent her over the top! The package features ... LP, Vinyl record album
Standout solo work from Mavis Staples – a set that really expands the Stax sound nicely with a bit of strings to sweeten up the groove! Steve Cropper's at the production helm, and there's still enough grit in the grooves to remind us we're down in Memphis – but the choice of tunes and ... LP, Vinyl record album