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Solo piano from Dollar Brand – and more proof that he's one of the few players who can handle such a format with the same sort of fullness you might normally expect from a trio! Brand's work has a wonderfully rhythmic quality here, and a righteous element too – one that fits the "new nations" spirit of the title – the rising sense of power and identity in independent Africa, paid tribute to beautifully in a host of original compositions! There's less of the light, loping sounds that you might find on other Brand albums of the 70s – and at points, the music gets quite complex, emotionally – which makes the record a great one to turn to if you want to get past some of Brand's more familiar modes. Titles include "Thaba Nchu", "The Trial", "Liberation Dance", "Biral", "Anthem For New Nations", and "The Wedding Suite". CD

Laura Branigan gets some help here on arrangements from Harold Faltermeyer – who makes things a bit funkier than you might expect – although still very much in the kind of poppy style he used famously on some big 80s soundtracks! The mode works well for Laura – whose approach is always on the soulful side of pop, but still filled here with all the sense of drama that made Branigan huge on the charts at the time. Titles include "Heart", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "The Lucky One", "Self Control", and "Satisfaction". Titles include "The Lucky One (John Robie mix)", "The Lucky One (Jack White mix)", "Self Control (12" version)", and "Satisfaction (special dance mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Kenny Barron on piano! CD

With Jim McNeely on piano, John Lockwood on bass, and David Calarco on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

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The Brothers Johnson are hardly out of control on this mid 80s set – as the album's got a tight groove that shows the duo are still going strong long past their 70s fame! As before, there's a bit of bounce on the bottom – that bassy groove that the pair first crafted back in their Quincy Jones days, topped with some sweet keyboards too – and punched up a bit on the rhythms, in styles that are in keeping with the changes in soul at the time. There's a nice degree of warmth on some of the best numbers here – and titles include "Lovers Forever", "Do You", "Let's Try Love Again", "Out Of Control", "Save Me", "Tokyo", and "It's All Over Now". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most soulful club tracks we can remember from the mid 80s – and a cut with a hook that just won't quit! 12-inch, Vinyl record

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Three vocal gems in a single set! First up is It Might As Well Be Love – a record that's a perfect example of the way that Ann Burton really stands out among the field of female jazz vocalists – as an artist who's both able to continue a classic legacy, yet also bring all sorts of special inflections and expressions of her own to really transform the music! At first glance, the record's in familiar territory – with combo backing from Mike Renzi on piano, Jay Berliner on guitar, Buster Williams on bass, and Grady Tate on drums – but the choice of material and Ann's execution really take the album into something fresh, different, and really unique – that little something extra that always makes Burton's more obscure albums always worth seeking out! Titles include "Sooner Or Later", "After You", "I Like You You're Nice", "Humpty Dumpty Heart", and "What'll I Do". That's All is an easygoing live set from vocalist Ann Burton – one that has her working with the trio of pianist Rob Agerbeek, and which features a few guest appearances from Mark Murphy! The whole thing's got an approach that makes you feel like you're right in the club with Ann – as Rob's trio handle a few titles instrumentally, then Ann steps in for vocals, and Mark Murphy makes a surprise appearance at the end. Recording quality is great – clean and clear, but never too much so to lose the spontaneity of the performance – and Ann herself is especially wonderful in the way she slides easily into the tunes, and sings them with a lively punch that really gives them a bit of new life. Titles include "Dreamer", "Blue Bossa", "Time Was", "My Gentleman Friend", "My Buddy", "I Wish I Were In Love Again", and "That's All". New York State Of Mind is wonderfully laidback vocal work from Ann Burton – a richly talented singer who really sounds best in a setting like this! The album's got Burton working with a trio – Grady Tate on drums, Buster Williams on bass, and sweet acoustic and electric piano from Michael Renzi. Burton interprets the tunes here with a classic care that's rare for a vocalist of her generation. The set was produced by Helen Merrill, which might well account for an approach that works so sympathetically with warm vocals. Titles include "You Started Something", "All Too Soon", "Never Never Land", "Come In From The Rain", and "I Can Dream, Can't I?" CD

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Charlie Byrd on guitar, Joe Byrd on bass, and Chuck Redd on drums. CD

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Six (!) singles came from this album, "You Might Think", "Magic", "Drive", "Hello Again", "Why Can't I Have You", & "Heartbeat City". Produced by Robert John 'Mutt' Lange. LP, Vinyl record album

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Two whole albums with just Ron Carter on bass and Jim Hall on guitar! CD

A surprisingly strong set of previously unreleased Johnny Cash – recorded with producer Billy Sherrill, mostly in 1984, but with a couple sessions from '81 – and it's honestly as great, and a heck of a lot better than a bunch of Johnny's music that actually DID see commercial release during the 80s! Our favorite Billy Sherrill productions are ones like this, where he's providing a clean, polished backdrop for hardscrabble honky tonk heroes, without compromising their gritty nature. He worked that kind of magic for Johnny Paycheck and George Jones, and it works just as well for Johnny. Johnny's voice is as rich and booming as ever – and it includes a couple duets with June Carter, and one with fellow Highwayman Waylon Jennings. Includes the great title track, "Baby Ride Easy", "She Used To Love Me A Lot", "After All", "I'm Movin' On", "If I Told You Who It Was", "Call Your Mother", "I Drove Her Out Of My Mind", "Tennessee", "Rock And Roll Shoes", "Don't You Think It's Come Our Time", "I Came To Believe" and a bonus Elvis Costello mix of "She Used To Love Me A Lot". CD

The raw, mesmerizing debut of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds! On From Her To Eternity, Cave stalks and staggers right along the line between the aggro caterwaul of The Birthday Party and the haunting moodiness of later records with the Bad Seeds – and it's as distinct and exciting as ever after all these years! The looseness of the Bad Seeds sound is big part of what makes it so amazing, with spare backdrops that always carry the promise of noisy menace to come, and it's all the more exciting with it does – and Cave's mournful, angry testifying is in near peak form here. Includes "Avalanche", "Cabin Fever!", "Well Of Misery", "From Here To Eternity", "Saint Huck", "Wings Off Flies" and "A Box For Black Paul". DVD features 5.1 DVD-audio surround mix and bonus videos! CD

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Sweet, tight, and right on the money – a stellar bit of soul from Champaign – one of those great 80s groups who never seemed to get their due, but managed to make some really wonderful music right from the start! The album's got a slightly heavier production tip than before – arrangements from James Newton Howard that link Champaign a bit more to the sound of their mid 80s contemporaries – especially some of the other groups on Columbia. Yet there's also a healthy core to the album that comes from the group's own contributions – their continued strong sense of songwriting and performance, which makes their overall sound a lot less reliant on outside help than other groups of the period. Titles include "This Time", "Off & On Love", "Be Mine Tonight", "Mardi Gras", "Capture The Moon", "Woman In Flames", and "Intimate Strangers". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool record from the young Jackie Chan – a special Japanese only 45rpm picture disc – in a picture sleeve too! LP, Vinyl record album

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A really unique record, one that seems to mix some of the spacey sounds of the electronic ambient world of the early 80s underground with more tuneful, song-based modes of the post-punk generation – all at a level that seems to move effortlessly between both sorts of styles! There's certainly plenty of 80s keyboards on the set, and plenty of drum machine percussion – but the mood shifts from upbeat and catchy to more laidback and spacey – sometimes with vocals, sometimes all instrumental with a very cosmic vibe! Titles include "I Wash My Hair With Limes", "Entrance Of The Deacon", "She Dreams Of Golden Gloves Dancing", "Big Buck Meets The Perpendicular Fish", and "The Surface Of The Water". 2LP reissue features a full album of bonus unreleased tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

A genius idea – almost like the World Sax Quartet, but even more groundbreaking, in that the group unites 2 older players (Alvin Batiste and Jimmy Hamilton) with 2 younger players from the forefront of modern jazz (John Carter and David Murray). The result is wonderful – a record that will forever change your expectations of the sound of the clarinet in jazz, and which shows that reed work from a variety of generations can be equally influential across a variety of scenes. Titles include "Clariflavors", "Groovin High", "Sticks & Bones", "Sweet Lovely", and "The Washington Square Park Episode". LP, Vinyl record album

A strong 80s set from Gene Clark – with guest vocals from Chris Hillman and Thomas Jefferson Kaye – and titles that include "Something About You Baby", "Rain Song", "Made For Love", "Feel A Whole Lot Better", and "Vanessa". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice funky electric groover from Stanley Clarke's mid 80s R&B years! Time Exposure has a lot of period electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout! A brilliant mix of 80s fusiony future funk with jazz precision – definitely a funky highlight from this period in Clarke's career – and those bass lines are just unreal! A pretty eclectic roster of guest musicians play on this one, including tenor sax player Ernie Watts, fellow bassist Louis Johnson of Brothers Johnson, singer Howard Hewitt and rock guitar guru Jeff Beck. Titles include "Play The Bass 10", "Are You Ready (For The Future)", "Heaven Sent You", "Time Exposure", "Speedball", "Future Shock", "Spacerunner", "I Know Just How You Feel" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of funky electric albums from Stanley Clarke's mid 80s R&B years – 1984's Time Exposure, ''85's Find Out and '86's Hideaway – in a 2CD set! Time Exposure has a lot of 80s electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout. Titles include "Play The Bass '10", "Heaven Sent You", "Speedball", "Future Shock" and the great title track. Find Out follows somewhat similar territory, an 80s synth funky set with a few surprising twists – including an electro/funk/old school rap cover of "Born In The USA"! Other tracks include "Find Out", "The Sky's The Limit", "Stereotypica" and "Psychedelic". Hideaway makes a move towards more delicate synth soul for Clarke – who assembles an impressive guest list that includes Stanley Jordan, Herbie Hancock and Stewart Copeland. Titles include a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed", plus "My Love, Her Inspiration", "Where Do We Go", "Old Friends" and "When It's Cold Outside". CD

Otis Clay recorded live in Japan – working before a very appreciative audience, and hitting grooves that are right up there with his best 70s work on Hi Records! The sound is a bit looser than Hi – which is a nice change – and Clay's really in command on the set, leading the group with a strong sense of personality, and serving up great vocals with a strong deep soul feel. The grooves are filled with classic Memphis soul moments – and titles titles include "Hard Working Woman", "Ellie", "Trying To Live My Life Without You", "His Precious Love", "Love & Happiness", "Here I Am Baby", and "Love Don't Love Nobody". LP, Vinyl record album

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A rare later date from tenor giant Arnett Cobb – and one of the few to match the groove of his Prestige Records sessions! There's an easygoing groove here that takes us back to the brilliantly understated soul of Cobb's Party Time Records – as the set's got a similar laidback rhythm vibe – with piano from Junior Mance, bass from George Duvivier, and drums from Panama Francis – all players who really keep things cool, while Cobb steps out with some well-blown solos in the lead. The album also features a bit of guest work on two tracks from Joe Newman on trumpet and Al Grey on trombone – and titles include "Cheatin On Me", "Blues For Lisette", "Keep On Pushin", "Stardust", and "Deep River". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Making Contact", "Peggy's Kitchen Wall", "Nicaragua", "Dust & Diesel", "If I Had A Rocket Launcher", "Lovers In Dangerous Time", and "Maybe The Poet". CD

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The group's led by percussionist Nicolas Vivas, and features three trumpets, piano, tres, bass, and more percussion – plus vocals from Willie Gonzalez and Eddie Santiago! Titles include "Detalles", "Tu", "Que Maravilla Fue Sntirte", and "Paso La Vida Pensando". LP, Vinyl record album

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The title's an apt one, as the set's a great batch of back-to-basics work from Larry Coryell – a player who first started out bold and strong in the 60s, and never really had a time to lay back in a more relaxed set like this! There's still a spacious approach that really marks the Coryell approach to guitar – but Larry's never too dramatic, nor too noodly here – and instead often hits a nicely soulful mode that's right at home in the Muse Records setting. Other players include Albert Dailey on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and Julie Coryell sings vocals on one track, a version of "It Never Entered My Mind". Other titles include "Glorielle", "Good Citizen Swallow", "Twelve & Twelve", and "No More Booze Minor Blues". CD

Duo recordings of original compositions by Coryell and Keane, with titles that include "Brazilia", "La Pluie", "A Piece For Larry", "At The Airport", "Waltz No 6", "Just Like Being Born", "Logical Solution", "Warm Weather", "Patty's Song", and "Lines". LP, Vinyl record album

A warmly jazzy album from Gal Costa – much more so than you'd expect from her slightly creepy white face on the cover! There's a fair bit of keyboards in the instrumentation – usually stepping around with a relatively mellow feel, which lets Gal concentrate on ballads and gently soulful numbers – all put together by a variety of arrangers who include Lincoln Olivetti, Paulo Ramiro, Luizinho Avelar, and Cleberson Horst. The sound is light years from the Tropicalia generation, but Gal more than proves herself to be a good interpreter in any situation. Titles include "Nada Mais", "Ave Nossa", "Vaca Profana", "Tililingo", "Cabeca Feita", and "Chuva De Prata". LP, Vinyl record album

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Features work from John Doe, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, and Dave Alvin – on titles that include "Past All Dishonor", "Frankie Silver", "Time Stands Still", "Heart From The Sun", "When The Rain Comes Down", and "Sanctuary". LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of nice DJ work by D.St. using records like "Crazy Cuts", "Escapades of Futura 2000", "Wild Style", "Zulu Groove" and lots of goofy samples. 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the indie soul killers of the early 80s – one of the few early albums cut for Prelude by James "D Train" Williams, one of the best male vocalists of his time! All the tracks were produced and arranged by keyboardist Hubert Eaves – and that aspect is one of the main reasons for the quality of the album, as Eaves brings a strong jazzy sensibility to the grooves, and works with Williams in a truly collaborative way that was unusual for the time. Tracks include "You're The Reason", "Something's On Your Mind", "I Treasure Your Pleasure", "Thank You", and "I'll Do Anything". LP, Vinyl record album

With Brian Lemon on piano, Len Skeat on bass, and Allan Ganley on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

The decoy here might be in the rhythms, which are often electric, but still played live – handled by Robert Irving III on many tracks, with a cool 80s fusion sound that's mighty nice! The style of the album's a nice change from the Miles groove of the 70s – a bit leaner, with almost a Weather Report influence at times, but far less jamming – and still prone to the darker tones that always make Davis' music of these later years surprisingly good. Al Foster handles acoustic drums on some tracks, and other players include Bill Evans on soprano sax and Mino Cinelu on percussion – on titles that include "Decoy", "Robot 415", "Code MD", "Freaky Deaky", "What It Is", "That's Right", and "That's What Happened". LP, Vinyl record album

The Dazz Band must have been on plenty of jukeboxes by this point in their career – hitting hard with that catchy, synth-heavy groove that marked most of their Motown years! The album's got all the catchy pop elements you might guess from the time – not as classically funky as the group in their roots, with lots of emphasis on the keyboards and guitar – that crossover Motown soul mode of the mid 80s. Titles include "So Much Love", "Dream Girl", "She's The One", "Heartbeat", "Let It All Blow", "Undercover Lover", and "Main Attraction". LP, Vinyl record album

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With Martin Taylor on guitar, Alex Shaw on piano, Ronnie Rae on bass, and Cleark Tracey on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a wonderful run of sounds – the debut album from Dead Can Dance, and a set that's maybe more linked to the larger world of 4AD Records than some of their later material! All the moody touches we love are already in place – those amazing ancient-sounding vocals of Lisa Gerrard, and that blend of exotic percussion and European string instrumentation that works surprisingly well – yet there's also elements that echo a bit of the Factory Records groups, and maybe other 4AD work – stronger drum patterns at points, and maybe a bit more coldness in the production. That blend makes for a record that's a great step after hearing Joy Division or groups of that nature – and titles include "Musica Eternal", "A Passage In Time", "East Of Eden", "Threshold", "The Fatal Impact", "Fortune", and "Ocean". LP, Vinyl record album

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A sweet soccer comedy from the 80s Italian scene – one that's scored with a fair bit of electric elements, but also a fair bit of percussion as well! The story's set in Brazil, and the music is this cool combination of more familiar 80s keyboard modes with samba-influenced percussion – often lively, colorful grooves that are matched by the keyboards doing these sonic waves that almost feel more like they could have come from a brass or woodwind instrument! The mood is playful and upbeat throughout – and this first-time vinyl issue of the material features 20 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rare sessions issued by Blossom Dearie on her own small label – with titles that include "Hey John", "Someone's Been Sending Me Flowers", "Bruce", "Inside A Silent Tear", "The Riviera", and "You Have Lived In Autumn". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really dives deep with a rich mix of creative rhythms and inventive horn lines! The album still has Jack DeJohnette staying true to his more avant roots – working with tenor from David Murray, alto and soprano sax from John Purcell, baritone and tuba from Howard Johnson, and bass from Rufus Reid – a lineup that's a bit bigger than on other Special Edition albums, and which is used to fill in even more colors and deeper elements than before. Some of the tunes are wonderfully vivid in approach – and titles include "Festival", "Third World Anthem", "Zoot Suite", "Ahmad The Terrible", and "New Orleans Strut". LP, Vinyl record album

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A huge one for Depeche Mode – an album that laid the ground work for pretty much all their big records to come! The album's one that moved them from being just another electro group in the post-punk years to pop giants, with a sense of songcraft that helped them rise to become one of the more enduring acts of this scene – with surprising longevity in their catalog, thanks to a record like this! The group hit it both hard and sweet on classics "Master & Servant" and "Blasphemous Rumors" – plus the huge crossover hit "People Are People" – and cuts that include "Something To Do", "Lie To Me", "Stories Of Old", "If You Want", and "Somebody". LP, Vinyl record album

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The second of Dio's twin masterpieces – a second album knockout that followed Holy Diver by a single year! The biggest difference this time out is the addition of full time keyboard player Claude Schnell to the band, making Dio a quintet – but what the keyboards do NOT do is air out the heaviness. This remains a headbanging classic, with songs as heavy as any in the Dio canon. Like they did on Holy Diver, the band balances a melodic sensibility with heavy rock in a way that would prove hugely influential – we can't imagine the quietly melodic to massively heavy transitions on Metallica's Master Of Puppets LP could've been what they are without the opening minute of the title track here, but this whole thing is a win – with "We Rock", "Mystery", Breathless", "I Speed At Night", "One Night In The City", "Evil Eyes", "Eat Your Heart Out" and "Egypt (The Chains Are On)". CD

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An overlooked early 80s gem from Thomas Dolby – a beautifully mellow album that comes across with less of the quirky pop touches of his earlier work! The Dolby heard here is almost in an Eno/Green World mode – mixing electronics with evocative lyrics – at a level that's a few notches up from soundscape mode, but which is also as concerned with the overall colors and shapes of the music as it is with the lyrics. But the lyrics themselves are the biggest surprise – often quite personal and intimate, with a Prefab Sprout-esque pop quality from time to time, but stronger soul qualities overall. And to our groove-tuned ears, Dolby's electronics here are really a cut above – echoing with some electro styles, but also in a more sophisticated mode that transforms Kraftwerk into more effective pop. Titles include "Dissidents", "The Flat Earth", "Screen Kiss", "White City", "Mulu The Rain Forest", "I Scare Myself", and "Hyperactive". CD

An overlooked early 80s gem from Thomas Dolby – a beautifully mellow album that comes across with less of the quirky pop touches of his earlier work! The Dolby heard here is almost in an Eno/Green World mode – mixing electronics with evocative lyrics – at a level that's a few notches up from soundscape mode, but which is also as concerned with the overall colors and shapes of the music as it is with the lyrics. But the lyrics themselves are the biggest surprise – often quite personal and intimate, with a Prefab Sprout-esque pop quality from time to time, but stronger soul qualities overall. And to our groove-tuned ears, Dolby's electronics here are really a cut above – echoing with some electro styles, but also in a more sophisticated mode that transforms Kraftwerk into more effective pop. Titles include "Dissidents", "The Flat Earth", "Screen Kiss", "White City", "Mulu The Rain Forest", "I Scare Myself", and "Hyperactive". LP, Vinyl record album

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Post-August Darnell work by Dr Buzzard's Savannah Band – no longer using the "original" in their name! There's still a retro-styled feel here overall – with some of the swing-esque modes of earlier albums, but also a bit of rockabilly as well – an element that kind of diminishes the soul component of the record. Cory Daye is on vocals on most tracks, and titles include "Lucky Day", "Forever", "Do That Girl", "Missing On Highway 33", and "Bass Bottle Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by Jesse Saunders. 12-inch, Vinyl record

"AM-PM" has that classic old-school freestyle lyrics over heavy beats sound. Produced and cowritten by Kurtis Blow. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Titles include "Tell Me When It's Over", "Bullet With My Name On It", "Armed With An Empty Gun", "The Medicine Show", and the great "John Coltrane Stereo Blues". LP, Vinyl record album