One of the most unique soul records you'll ever own – a tremendous little set from the mighty Milton Wright! Milton's probably best known for his first album, Friends & Buddies, but this set is arguably even greater – an even more personal, unusual session that blends wonderfully written songs, heartfelt vocals, and some really offbeat production techniques! There's a bit of an acoustic vibe to the set at times – guitar gently grooving alongside Milton's vocals – but the set also has a jazzy tinge too, with hip inflections amidst the arrangements that created a really sophisticated pattern of sounds for the record. Things start somewhat mellow, but quickly get grooving – bringing in bits of keyboards and more electric guitar to warm things up, and hitting a sublime style that's unlike anything else we can think of. Wright's vocals often have a spaced out feel that's in keeping with the album, but the album's hardly laidback – and has a great sense of focus throughout. Titles include "Be With Me", "She Can Have Anything She Wants", "Dance Have Fun", "Magic Music", "You Like To Dance", "Let's Take A Break", "All I Know Is That I Have You", and "Leave Me Alone". CD

Killer soul from the Forte label of Kansas City – a tiny imprint, but a really great one too – and a company with an especially strong ear for the funkier side of the spectrum! This Numero set really gets back to the greatness that first made us fall in love with their collections in the first place – and brings together a really wonderful batch of rare singles that work perfectly as a whole album – no filler, no trans-genre stepping, and just a rock-solid batch of soul cuts that you'd have to dig deep in the American underground to find this strongly! The package is wonderful – plenty of notes, photos, and the usual Numero sense of history – but even without all that, the music is more than enough – a smoking pile of singles that includes "Whtever You Do" by Gene Williams, "I'm Gonna Get Your Thing" by Lee Harris, "Baby Your Love Is Amazing" by The Four Darlings, "I'll Never Be Satisfied" by Tony Ashley & The Delicates, "Baby Be Good" by The Rayons, "With Fun In My Life" by James Whitney, "Reaching For Our Star" by Sharon Revoal, "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear" by Marva Whitney, and "Cry Night & Day" by The Fantasticks. CD

Groovy, moddish, magnificent and sunny girl pop from The Land Of The Rising Sun – pummeling drums, jumping arrangements and groovy vocals from the mid-to-late 60s Japanese scene! This is fantastic stuff, any kitch or novelty appeal you might be expecting is kind of muted by the exceptional quality and excellent performances – but it is flat out fun! As the title states, strains of pop, beat & bossa – plus mod & psychedelic fuzz – and the vocals girl group vocals are bright, rocking, playful or sultry or innocent depending on the groove! 25 tracks in all: "Black Room by Jun Mayuzumi, Sharock No 1" by Mie Nakao, "Nagisa No Tenshi" by Mieko Hirota, "Hatsu Koi No Letter" by Miki Obata, "Bazazz Tengoku" by The Cupids, "Aeba Suki Suki" by Margaret With Bunnys, "Nukui Aitsu" by Mika Nohira, "Kiiro No Sekai" by J Girls and more. CD

A very different picture of the British scene than you might know from the worlds of classic rock and chart hits of the early 70s – as this collection focuses on a really special sort of sound that hints at the bleaker, less satisfying sides of English life – often with a slightly sinister quality that might come as a big surprise! The package is a follow-up to previous gems from compilers Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – like the compilations English Weather and State Of The Union – and like those, there's a wonderfully unified vision to the whole package – almost a mini-sociology statement, but one that's completely fun – given the fantastic range of music chosen for the album. Tracks are a non-stop surprise all the way through – as glammy bits mix with offbeat pop, catchy prog, and plenty of other tunes that maybe defy any sort of generic description altogether! Titles include "Rod" by Matchbox, "Kill" by Mike McGear, "Part Of The Union" by The Brothers, "The Hertfordshire Rock" by Ricky Wilde, "Sailing" by Sutherland Brothers Band, "And The Fun Goes On" by Lieutenant Pigeon, "War Against War" by Pheon Bear, "Roly Pin" by Roly, "Stardust" by David Essex, "What Ruthy Said" by Cockney Rebel, "Why Am I Waiting" by Robin Goodfellow, "Urban Guerilla" by Hawkwind, "Londonderry" by Phil Cordell, and "Cut Loose" by Stud Leather. CD

Miche's at it again – and he's somehow managed to top the great sound of the first volume in the series – digging deeper into the past, coming up with more soulful numbers overall, then throwing in just the right touch of Brazilian grooves to even things out! As before, there's no unifying label or scene to these tracks – they're just brought together in celebration of a really joyous, positive, uplifting vibe – one possessed by each track alone, but which really steps out strongly as they all resonate together! Titles include "Save The Best For Last" by Alice Cohen & Fun City, "You & Me" by Mark Meadows, "Take To The Sky" by Mixed Generation Enterprize, "I Like What She's Doing" by Billy Boomer, "Straight Forward" by PJ City, "Realize" by Maxwell, "High On You" by Freedom, "Blow My Mind" by The Lost Family, "As" by The Family Tree, "A Luz Que Brilha Meu Viver" by Banda 22, "Misterio Brilhante" by Ze Da Lata, "Then I Reach Satisfaction" by Eleventh Commandment, and "Dame Solamente Amor" by Rogers Mitchell. CD

Nice hard swingin' quintet session, with a good late 60's groove. Nat Adderley borrows brother Cannonball's pianist Joe Zawinul, and Joe Henderson sits in on tenor. The set was recorded live, with the same sort of relaxed funky groove as the Cannonball live sets from the time. Cuts include "Fun", "Lavender Woman", "Painted Desert", and "On My Journey Now". Nice stuff, and the kind of material that Atlantic probably won't reissue anytime in the near future. CD

Def Jux's funky party band Chin Chin returns – spacey, 70s inspired club funk and synthy grooves galore! The core Chin Chin trio of keys, strings, drums, percussion & vocals but they really flesh these jams out in the studio – going all in with loads of horns and additional percussion, guitars and more. Unpretentious and groovy fun all around. Titles include "The Flashing", "Stay", "Moments", "It's OK", "Peteredactyl", "Go There With You", "That's Where I'll Be", "The Fancing", "GG And The Boys" and "Hotter Than Hot". CD

Right On! Quite possibly the heaviest, baddest music ever laid to tape, this set offers up over 6 hours of some of the deepest, darkest free jazz, afro funk, fist in the air post-modern musique concrete to sprout from Miles' horn and crew! This box closes the door on the studio side of what may be the most influential studio jams wrought at the turn of the 70s, issuing the unedited original takes of the material that Miles and Teo Macero would parse down and edit into On The Corner and Big Fun, plus some material that made it out on various compilations later issued on Columbia, and best of all, a dozen never before released tracks! The core group here is Miles, Michael Henderson, Mtume, Al Foster and Reggie Lucas, but Dave Liebman, Carlos Garnett, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Jack Dejohnette, Pete Cosey, Badal Roy, Bennie Maupin and John McLaughlin, as well as a number of other players, are all featured, which isn't surprising when you consider the ground covered here! The groove here is unstoppable funk, as on the nearly 20 minute jam that is the unedited full take of "On The Corner" and drawn out renditions of "Mtume", "Turnaround", "Ife" and "Helen Butte/Mr Freedom X", but the vibe veers in other directions too, as with the breezy "Maiysha", the multilayered "Calypso Frelimo" and the spacious "He Loved Him Madly". There's 31 tracks spread out over the 6 discs, ther unissued gems include "Hip-Skip", "Chieftain", "What They Do", "Peace" and "Mr Foster", and as you'd expect, the box is extra deluxe, with a thick booklet full of notes and some great quotes from the band, and a sweet metallic box to hold it all together! Vote Miles! CD

A really sweet soundtrack to an earlier Spaghetti Western flick – 1965's Una Barra Per Lo Sceriffo, composed by Francesco De Masi! As with most of these 60s western gems, this one opens with a very cool theme – "A Lone And Angry Man", sung in English and with kind of a fun, almost loungey charisma to the vocals, which is a nice balance to the galloping, wild west instrumentation! The tracks that follow range from sweeping string sections to spare acoustic guitars, often with clip-clopping percussion and horns on the grander numbers – that sublime spaghetti mode that was always very different than the drama of American westerns, and which makes a set like this so great. CD features 15 tracks in all – a few of which feature chorus vocals by I Cantori Modern. CD

A key later album from Dion – and a set that shows a newly maturing style in his music! The album was something of a follow-up to Dion's huge single "Abraham Martin & John" – the bittersweet track that was a surprise late 60s hit for the singer – and which allowed him to explore much more introspective space on this album. The style is extremely folksy throughout – with a lot of acoustic guitar next to Dion's vocals, which are themselves often recorded with a slightly echoey, almost watery quality. There's definitely echoes here of Tim Buckley and Tim Hardin, but the record's got its own soul as well – thanks to a newly fragile quality in Dion's voice. Titles include "Abraham Martin & John", "Sisters Of Mercy", "Both Sides Now", "Sun Fun Song", "He Looks A Lot Like Me", "The Dolphins", and "You Better Watch Yourself". CD featuers the bonus track "Daddy Rollin". CD

A mid 70s masterpiece of heavy space rock from Hawkwind – one of their best albums ever! The sci fi errata that was always such crucial element to Hawkwind's ouvre is of course, still here in force, but the heavier, more insistent and lumbering groove really serves them well – spacey, hard rocking fun from legendary group that sounds as great here as they ever would on a studio album! Includes "The Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear In Smoke)", "D-Rider", "Web Weaver", "Goat Willow", "Paradox", "Lost Johnny" and more. With 4 bonus tracks. CD

It's definitely a computer world when you're inside the mind of Kraftwerk – the machine made man, given a wonderful showcase here for the new decade! The sound is maybe a bit leaner and even more electronic than before – with the introduction of some digital elements, and a mix of beats and keyboards that was already showing the nascent hip hop scene that the German quartet were still ahead of the pack when it came to grooves like this! Did these guys invent electro soul? Hearing a record like this it's hard not to think so – thanks to tracks that include "Computer Love", "Computer World", "Pocket Calculator", "Home Computer", "Numbers", and "It's More Fun To Compute". CD

Ed Motta knocks it out of the park with this one – taking things in an even more soulfully classic direction than on his killer AOR album – and giving us key proof that he's one of the most important soul singers of the 21st Century so far! Ed's got a way of opening doors wherever he goes – as part of a huge global legacy he's left in the past decade or soul – and this time around, he's opening the doors to a classic style of studio production from the LA scene – the kind of warm soul that works perfect for Motta's incredible voice, and which makes the album one of the best he's ever given us! Ed plays Fender Rhodes in the small combo backing here – and is working with a key group of jazz musicians that includes Patrice Rushen and Greg Phillingaines on keyboards, Hubert Laws on flute, Rickey Woodard and Charles Owens on tenor, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums – a stunning lineup that makes for amazing sounds throughout. All lyrics are in English, and Ed effortlessly blends jazz and soul on original titles that include "Captain's Refusal", "Forgotten Nickname", "The Owner", "A Town In Flames", "Good Intentions", "Hypochondriac's Fun", "Heritage Deja Vu", "Overblown Overweight", and "Reader's Choice". CD

A trio of key albums from the Pink Fairies – served up with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Never Never Land – the fantastic debut of the Pink Fairies – easily one of the shaggiest, headiest bands on the UK scene at the start of the 70s – and a group who rose from the ashes of the equally important Deviants! The record's an unusual mishmash of modes – a set that confidently swaggers between psych, hard rock, and maybe even a bit of proto-punk – very confident in its approach, and coolly compressed in the production, but never in the slick style that would dominate British rock more strongly in the mid 70s. The Fairies aren't afraid to let their freak flag fly, but they're also clearly moving past hippiedom too – on titles that include "War Girl", "Do It", "Say You Love Me", "Tack One Side Two", "Thor", "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout", and "The Dream Is Just Beginning". What A Bunch Of Sweeties is filled with freaky fuzz from the Pink Fairies – a seminal UK group who were maybe trapped in a space between late psych and early glam – and somehow equally important to both! There's lots going on in the set – modes that are as offbeat as styles put forth by The Fugs in the late 60s, but a lot sharper overall from a musical perspective – especially in the way the group uses great guitar work and a few catchy numbers to sew the whole thing together – on titles that include "Portobello Shuffle", "Marilyn", "Pigs Of Uranus", "Walk Don't Run", "X-Ray", "I Went Up I Went Down", and "I Saw Her Standing There". Kings Of Oblivion is maybe the most fully-formed album from the legendary Pink Fairies – and a set that's got some really searing guitar from Larry Wallis – a melodic genius whose sound really holds things together, and gives the group a stronger focus than ever before! The guitar lines seem to bring out and amplify all the ideas the group were going for before – and maybe give the group a sense of darkness that they never fully reached – not hard rock cliche, but this tightness that's also completely individual – maybe like early Thin Lizzy at their best, yet in a completely different way. Titles include "I Wish I Was A Girl", "City Kids", "When's The Fun Begin", "Chromium Plating", "Street Urchin", and "Chamber Maid". Bonus tracks include "Going Down", "Walk Don't Run (first version)", "War Girl (alt mix)", "The Snake", "Do It (single mix)", "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout (alt mix)", "Well Well Well (alt mix)", "City Kids (alt)", and "Hold On (single)". CD

Prince got tagged to do the music for the big breakout Batman film from Tim Burton – and the performances here are definitely not the stuff of The Dark Night – and in fact, maybe nothing like you'd expect from Batman at all – even though the music does make a nod or two towards the cowled crusader with some samples! It's clear that Prince just had a fun time putting the whole thing together – and like many other star soundtracks from the 90s, the feel of the music is very much its own thing – which is probably why the record was such a hit, and maybe has had a lot more endurance than the film! Titles include "The Future", "Electric Chair", "Vicki Waiting", "Partyman", "Scandalous", and "Batdance". CD

Almost a "greatest hits" of greatest hits albums – one of those collections that almost sold more copies than all the full albums by the artist – forever earning Sly & The Family Stone a place in record collections around the globe! All the hits are here, laid out back to back in all their righteous goodness – never a single spot of filler, and all-classics, all the way through! Titles include "Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin", "Life", "Everyday People", "I Want To Take You Higher", "Everybody Is A Star", "Dance To The Music", "Hot Fun In The Summertime", and "Sing A Simple Song". All funky – all classic! CD

The second album from the young Iggy Pop and The Stooges – and the record where the whole thing really comes together – a set that was an instant legend, even though it hardly sold many copies at the time! Instead, the album's like work by the Velvet Underground – probably every copy that was sold went into the hands of someone who took the music as a key influence, then went on to create something amazing of their own – drawing key inspiration from Iggy's vocals, the guitar work of Ron Asheton, and the overall frenzy of the album's approach. Titles include the paranoid genius of "TV Eye", the romping "Down On The Street", the insane "Fun House", and the cuts "Loose", "Dirt", "1970", and "LA Blues". CD

The second album from the young Iggy Pop and The Stooges – and the record where the whole thing really comes together – a set that was an instant legend, even though it hardly sold many copies at the time! Instead, the album's like work by the Velvet Underground – probably every copy that was sold went into the hands of someone who took the music as a key influence, then went on to create something amazing of their own – drawing key inspiration from Iggy's vocals, the guitar work of Ron Asheton, and the overall frenzy of the album's approach. Titles include the paranoid genius of "TV Eye", the romping "Down On The Street", the insane "Fun House", and the cuts "Loose", "Dirt", "1970", and "LA Blues". Disc 2 features over an hour of rare outtakes, alternate versions and mixes – some of the best moments from the notoriously rare Rhino Handmade Fun House box set from a few years back! Includes alternate takes of "TV Eye", "Loose", "Lost In The Future", "Down On The Street", "Slide (Slidin' The Blues)", "Fun House", "1970" and more! CD

A record that no home should be without – and a stunning set that still carries all the raw power it did way back in 1969! The album's an apocalyptic vision of the future – a future it helped to shape, give its influence over the years – and from start to finish, the whole thing is brilliant – from the raw energy of the band, to the sneering lyrics of Iggy Pop, to the perfect production by John Cale – who's opening up a whole new side of his genius with his studio work here. The set begins with the boldly declarative "1969" – maybe one of our favorite Stooges songs ever – then moves into the landmark "I Wanna Be Your Dog", over to the ten minute freakout of "We Will Fall", to the classic "No Fun", through the cuts "Real Cool Time", "Ann", "Not Right", and "Little Doll". Imitated by many, but never done this well again – and a record that will most likely still be blowing the minds of our grandkids! CD

A massive double-header – one that features the first two Sylvester albums for Fantasy Records! First up is the self-titled Sylvester – a reworking of his older groove into one that we love more than any other that he ever used – a smooth modern soul style, not really disco, but with a driving approach that would certainly have worked well in the clubs! You gotta give Syl credit here – as it would have been easy for him to turn up the camp a lot in the 1977 disco days – but instead he's sticking strong to his soul impulses, and has come up with a wonderful album of tracks that's like the first Luther album – one that you can enjoy whatever your take on the man, without any introduction to his person or persona. Of course, a big part of the credit also goes to Harvey Fuqua – who's reemerged here from his years at RCA to produce the record – showing his always strong ability to seek out new talent, and bring out the best in them. Titles include "I Tried To Forget You", "Tipsong", "I Been Down", "Loving Grows Up Slow", "Never Too Late", and "Over & Over". Step II is probably Sylvester's biggest album for Fantasy – and for good reason too! The set pushes onto the dancefloor a bit more than before – often with some slight keyboard touches that hint at the Patrick Cowley years, but with none of the coldness of those records at all. The great Harvey Fuqua's producing here with Syl, and the sound is rich and bold – an even more prideful statement than Sylvester's first album on Fantasy. Two Tons Of Fun deliver some great backup vocals, and Cowley lays down a bit of keyboards – and titles include the all-time disco classic "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real", plus "Dance (Disco Heat)", "Just You & Me Forever", "Grateful", and "I Took My Strength From You". CD

A huge run of music from this legendary psychedelic band – all served up here in a single set! First up is their Part 1 album – the initial uttering from the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – a group with a heady sound that definitely lives up to their name! There's less "pop art" going on here than just trippy psych – served up at a level that makes the group one of the best bigger label examples of the style at the time – and definitely a lot more edgey than some of their labelmates on Warner. Jimmy Bowen produced, but really keeps all the edges intact – and titles include the completely insane "Help I'm A Rock" (actually about a rock calling for help!) – plus "Shifting Sands", "1906", "Transparent Day", "Here's Where You Belong", and "If You Want This Love". Next is Volume 2 – the amazing second album from this ultra-cool group – a set that's even weirder and wilder than their debut! The trio are maybe one of the few who really live up to the farthest expectations of the psych generation – as they're really open to let their minds fly in their choice of lyrics, instrumentation, and overall presentation of the record – which hardly seems the sort to yield any sort of singles at all, even though a few of the tunes are downright catchy! Instead, the whole thing's put forth as a dark statement on late 60s society – with a sound that's as heavy as the subject matter, and not afraid to really pus all the freak and fuzz as far as it can go! Quite surprising, even for the Reprise label – and tracks include "Queen Nymphet", "Tracy Had a Hard Day Sunday", "In the Arena", "Smell of Incense", "Suppose They Gave A War & No One Comes", "Overture Wcpaeb (part 2)", and "Carte Blanche" – which supposedly they were given in recording the album! Next is Child's Guide To Good & Evil, the third album in the continuing genius of the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – a group who are certainly as experimental as their name would imply, but who can also come across with some warmer Sunshine Pop touches too! And it's that which makes the group so wonderful – the blend of freak and sweet, of fuzz and fun – all given a special shape in the studio through the genius of producer Jimmy Bowen, whose work here with Bob Markley is superb – and very much open to the best freedoms that Warner was offering its creative talents at the time! The song titles are equally superb – and titles include "A Child's Guide To Good & Evil", "Ritual #1", "Anniversary of World War III", "Eighteen Is Over The Hill", "As Kind As Summer", and "Our Drummer Always Plays In the Nude". CD 4 features 18 more bonus tracks – rare takes and alternate mixes of titles that include "Watch Yourself", "Ritual #1", "As Kind As Summer", "Eighteen Is Over The Hill", and "Until The Poorest People Have Money To Spend" – plus other tracks too. And all the other three albums are presented in both mono and stereo mixes – which makes for 84 tracks in the full set! CD

Features work by Capt Groovy, The Rock & Roll Dubble Bubble Trading Card Co, Barry Blue, Sweet, Ohio Express, Cuff Links, The Flying Machine, Banana Splits, Crazy Elephant, Tommy Roe, Fun & Games, and Crazy Elephant! CD

Hard soul galore – a killer batch of upbeat vintage soul tunes – all pulled together from the wide range of many projects the Numero Group has handled over the years! This is the label's way of answering back to some of those overseas collections of American soul from the 60s – showing that Numero is every bit as well-tuned to the needs of Northern Soul clubbers and collectors as imprints like Ace/Kent, Outta Sight, and some of the other British labels! The package features a whopping 20 tracks in all – sock-soul groovers that you might have missed between the overstuffed track listings of other Numero compilations – sounding really great here together in the company of each other. Titles include "Wait A Minute" by Eddie Ray, "You Are My Sunshine" by Jerry Townes, "I'm Ready For Love" by Otis Brown, "Little Girl Blue" by The Webs, "Demanding Man" by The Sensations, "You're Not Loving A Beginner" by Jessie Fisher, "Do You Know What Love Is" by Syl Johnson, "Your Love Makes Me Lonely" by The Chandlers, "Stubborn Heart" by Earnest Mosley, "Look Around" by Two Plus Two, "Just Fun" by Brown Bombers & Soul Partners, and "Do The Pearl Girl (part 2)" by Matta Baby. CD

A soaring collection of dancefloor classicsw from the late 70s and early 80s – true gems from the years when disco was really going strong – with many tracks presented on full length album or 12" versions! We'll be honest and say that the cover and title don't look like much on the front – but the CD's very well put-together, and features a detailed book of notes, with a fair bit on each tune included in the set! The collection's pulled from a variety of different labels – and titles include "With Your Love" by Donna Summer, "Dance Disco Heat" by Sylvester, "Star Love" by Cheryl Lynn, "Haven't Stopped Dancin' Yet" by Gonzalez, "Heaven Must Have Sent You" by Bonnie Pointer, "Wear It Out" by Stargard, "Everybody Get Up" by Ren Woods, "#1 Dee Jay" by Goody Goody, "Saturday" by Norma Jean, "This Time Baby" by Jackie Moore, and "I Got the Feeling" by Two Tons O Fun. CD

An earnest, kinda lovable hard rock soundtrack to the modern classic movie version of the earnest, TOTALLY lovable SNL-sketch Wayne's World! Naturally opening with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", thanks the flick's most unforgettable scene, the soundtrack is a goofy, but fun mix of glammy and hard rock, classic 70s jams and early alt rock of the time, plus glam pop tunes by co-star Tia Carrarre and Mike Myers and Dana Carvey on the Wayne's World theme. Party on! Includes "Foxey Lady" by Jimi Hendrix, "Ballroom Blitz" by Tia Carrere, "Feed My Frankenstein" by Alice Cooper, "Dream Weaver" by Gary Wright, "Time Machine" by Black Sabbath, "Loving Your Lovin" by Eric Clapton and more. CD

Exciting, energetic and unpretentious jazz from The Bad Plus – an indefatigable combo we dig more and more as their career rolls on – and this as strong as anything they've done in years. Whether you want to call it jazz rock, jam jazz, or whatever – it's invigorating, dare we say it, straight up fun. The trio of Reid Anderson (bass), Ethan Iverson (piano) and Dave King (drums) can stroll from complex, obtuse improvised parts to head nodding catchiness at the drop of a dime – and do! We're digging it, and hope you will, too. Includes "The Radio Tower Has A Beating Heart", "You Are", "Never Stop", "Snowball", "Bill Hickman At Home", "Super America" and more. CD

A killer late set by Bloodstone – one that holds on to all the excellent harmonies they brought to their 70s work, but which pushes their groove forward in a whole new direction! There's a warm modern glow to the set – one that works perfectly with the vocals – and the quintet still have a hell of a way with a ballad – singing in that slow-tripping style that was never too overly emotive, yet could pack a hell of a punch back in the day – especially in the wee hours! The tunes here are longer than before, and inflected by some rich arrangements by both the Isley Brothers and McKinley Jackson – and the set's got an Isleys-like approach by putting all the ballads on one side, and the groovers on another. These groovers really hold onto the harmonies wonderfully – making for a great follow-up to the ballads – and titles include the sublime smooth stepping track "We Go A Long Way Back", plus "Go On & Cry", "How Does It Feel", "Nite Time Fun", "My Love Grows Stronger", and "My Kind Of Woman". CD features great bonus tracks too – "My Love Grows Stronger (part 2)", "Go On & Cry (7" mix)", and "We Go A Long Way Back (12" mix)". CD

One of the great ones! No kidding, Jaki Byard was an amazing talent in the 60s – and records like this one are rare treasures to be sought-after by any serious jazz fan. Byard had an incredible range of talents and influences – and, like his frequent bandmate Roland Kirk, he could often run through all of them in a very short stretch, packing each song with a wealth of feeling, technique, and sheer raw fun. This album's a darn tough one to find on vinyl – and it's reissued here with a previously unissued track. The group includes Byard on piano and alto, plus Jimmy Owens, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins. Tracks include "Spanish Tinge", "Olean Visit", "Geb Piano Roll", "Snow Flakes", and "On The Spot". Also includes the previously unissued "Snow Flakes". CD

A pair of killers from Cameo – back to back on a single CD! Cameosis is full-on frenetic funk from Cameo – one of the group's tightest albums, yet still without any of the too-slick sounds of later years! The sound here is amazing – and we always find ourselves wondering how a group of guys can hit such perfect grooves with just a bunch of basses, guitars, and keyboards – a totally on-the-money style that vamps, leaps, and jumps with energy throughout. The vocals are great too – bubbling up in the mix almost like another instrument – and the album's got a depth that so many other copycat funk records from the time just couldn't touch. Wonderful throughout – with tracks that include "Shake Your Pants", "Cameosis", "On The One", "We're Goin Out Tonight", and "Please You". Also features a bonus 7" mix of "Shake Your Pants". Feel Me is a great 80s groove from Cameo – but one that's still done in the group's best early funk ensemble mode! There's maybe a bit more emphasis on the basslines and keyboards than before, but the sound of the music is still wonderfully full and spontaneous – very much in keeping with the warmly collaborative look of the group on the cover, who really sound like they're having a hell of a lot of fun making the record! The rhythms have a razor-sharpness that just about nobody else can touch – and there's all these cool little instrumental flourishes that sneak into the mix and really keep things interesting – odd sounds on familiar instruments, moogy moments on keyboards, and even some vocal inflections that come as a nice surprise. There's two nice mellow cuts – "Feel Me" and "Is This The Way", which have a sweetly compressed harmony sound on the lyrics – and funky numbers include "Better Days", "Keep It Hot", "Roller Skates", and "Is This The Way". CD

Drummer Joe Chambers never records much as a leader – but every time he does, the album really turns out to be something special! That's definitely the case with this early 90s session for Candid Records – a date that recalls the brooding intensity that Joe brought to some of his late 60s dates for Blue Note as a sideman, carried out here on a set of tunes and concepts that are all Chambers' own – and given great life by a lineup that features Bob Berg on tenor, Philip Harper on trumpet, George Cables on piano, and Santi Debriano on bass! Berg is at his moodiest here – a great reminder of that side of his talents – and titles include "For Miles", "El Gaucho", "Phantom Of The City", "In & Out", and "Fun". CD

Titles include "When Your Lover Has Gone", "These Foolish Things", "Just For The Fun Of It", "The Party's Over", and "The Song Is Ended" – 15 tracks in all with wonderful Billy May arrangements! CD

A surprisingly nice set of tracks that were recorded for Columbia during the 60s, but not issued until the time of this 1981 compilation. Tunes run the gamut from early modal to freer electric – and Miles works with players that include Joe Zawinul, Tony Williams, Airto, Hank Mobley, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, Steve Grossman, Herbie Hancock, Gil Evans, and Chick Corea. Tracks include "Ascent", "Willie Nelson", "Konda", "Duran", "Fun", "Directions 1 & 2", "Limbo", "So Near, So Far", and "Song Of Our Country". CD

A much different album than you might expect from the cover – hardly the funky 70s set implied by the Big Fun-styled cover – and instead a lost slice of work from his groundbreaking late 60s years! The set was recorded in 1967, but unissued until Miles late 70s time away from the studio – hence the cover, which attempts to contemporanize the record – and the music is very much in the dark moods and sharp tones of Filles De Kilimanjaro, and features a somewhat similar group! The core quintet of Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums handles the first half of the set – but the group's then expanded to include Chick Corea on electric piano along with Herbie on keys – and Ron Carter steps out so that Dave Holland can bring some more modern tones to the bass. Tracks are all somewhat long, and titles include "Capricorn", "Water Babies", "Sweet Pea", and "Two Faced". CD

A nice set by Diz at the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival – backed by a great group of players – released here for the first time ever! The set opens with a fiery day after, and the set takes some equally hard charging turns plus some relaxed moments, too – and includes some surprises, too. Big Black is killing it on congas for this set – and the other players include James Moody on flute and tenor, Kenny Barron on piano, Christopher White on bass and Rudy Collins on drums. Other titles include "Trinidad, Goodbye", "Poor Joe", "Night In Tunisia", "Ungawa" and "Gega De Saudade (No More Blues)", plus a fun comedy sketch in the middle. CD

The second set of jazzy jam tracks from Roy Hargrove's RH Factor – following very nicely on the style of the first! Hargrove's funky trumpet is very firmly in the lead of the set – pushing the group through a sound that's tightly percussive at the bottom, but which also has a lot of complicated horn parts on the top. There's traces of New Orleans, Afro Funk, and New York grooves in the set – but the overall approach is also pretty laidback, open, and personal to the group. We really love the mellow grooving soul of the title cut "Strength" – which features lead vocals by Renee Neufville and piano by the great Bernard Wright – and other tracks include a remake of "Listen Here", plus "Rich Man's Welfare" and "Bop Drop". Also includes a bonus "Bigga Than You Know It Is" mix of "Universe", and a "Soulfest Vocal Remix of "For Fun", featuring Omar! CD

Fabulous stuff – one of the legendary albums that funky flute player Bobbi Humphrey cut with producer Larry Mizell! The record's a prime example of the Mizell genius at work – as Larry's arranged these fantastic backdrops for Bobbi's flute – soaring keyboard lines, layers and layers of rhythm, and just enough space for Bobbi to come in and send the record to the heavens with her spiritually grooving sound. Harvey Mason plays drums, Jerry Peters is on keyboards, and the rest of the group's an all-star LA studio jazz assemblage – perfectly fit together by Larry's arrangements and production in that classic cosmic mid 70s Mizell wall of sound! Tracks include "Fun House", "Satin Doll", "San Francisco Lights", and "New York Times". CD

Nice 2-in-1 set that reissues 2 hard to find albums by Roland Kirk! Kirk's Work is a strange and tasty album that Kirk made with organist Jack McDuff in the early 60s. The album's also been issued under the title Funk Underneath – but this is the original version. Kirk's tenor, manzello, stritch, and flute sound great next to Brother Jack's organ, and his sense of humor matches that of the great keyboardist. They swing hard, and have a lot of fun, especially on tracks like "Kirk's Work", "Three for Dizzy", and "Doin' the Sixty-Eight". The second album was cut under Jaki Byard's name – and is an amazing (and often forgotten) quartet session that brings together the enigmatic pianist and the mind-blowing multi-reed player. Kirk and Byard had played together previously, most notably on some of Kirk's Mercury recordings, and they fit together perfectly in this mad session of off-kilter jazz. The two of them are backed by Alan Dawson on drums and Richard Davis on bass, and the group's as tight as a drum. Titles include "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Evidence", "Memories Of You", and "Hazy Eve". CD

Globe-trotting funky music from The Natural Yogurt Band – the group's second proper album – an even farther reaching and more perfectly executed blend of pulpy Sound Library styled jazz funk and all around playful grooves! The NYB is essentially a duo – Miles Newbold plays keys, vibes, flutes, percussion and effects– plus Wayne Fullwood plays drums and bass. The approach is instrumentals based (though both players contribute vocals when the rare duty calls), and while there's a playful groove throughout, it's seriously well done and never comes off as cheeky Sound Library homage or kitsch. It's as dexterously impressive as it is groovy and fun! Titles include "Weak Without Wine", "Invisible Ink", "Romance In Blue", "Horn", "Forever Drowning", "Eastern Outro", "Clocks", "Psalm", "Tweed Suit" and many more. CD

A beautiful album of jazzy modern soul tracks – and quite possibly the best album by this legendary combo! There's a joyous, upbeat feel here that's totally great – miles from mainstream soul of the time, in a way that's always made the record a favorite for fans of the Free Soul scene – who've kept it strong for years. Lead vocals are by Sandy Torano and Howard Johnson – but the backing vocals are great too, and feature Phyllis Hyman – used in subtle ways to flesh out the sound nicely – and the instrumentation is often funky, but has a warmer, jazzier undercurrent too. Titles include "If You Want it", "All About Love", "Get On the Fun", "Tryin To Find", "No Two Alike", "Make It Right", and "Easy Come". CD

A great mix of 70s action and exotica from Riz Ortolani – a set that mixes funky touches in with tribal elements, and comes across with a very groovy sound overall! The record's definitely one of the coolest that Ortolani ever recorded, and he's clearly having fun with the mid 70s elements at his disposal – including wah wah guitar, sweet keyboards, and a tight rhythm section who are more than able to follow the maestro on all his many twists and turns on the tunes! A few of the more upbeat numbers almost have a tribal club sort of vibe – and titles include "The World Is Mine", "Festival Dance Of The Llama Sacrifice", "Making Out", "Eden Disturbed", and "Dance Of The Virgins". CD

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

One of a pair of Prince records released on the same day – and this one that finds him in a lean, hard-hitting funk rock mode that we always love from him – and deservedly sharing credit with his 3rdeyegirl group. It's honestly a lot of fun to hear Prince having this much fun himself, in a small combo psych-rock-soul guitar mode – letting his Hendrix and Maggot Brain-era Funkadelic influences fly, and recalling his his own trailblazing 80s style. The 3rdeyegirl trio of Donna Grantis, Hannah "Ford" Welton and Ida Nielson more sharp indeed. Nice stuff! Titles include "Wow", "Pretzelbodylogic", "Aintturninaround", "Plectrumelectrum", "Whitecaps", "Fixurlifeup", "Boytrouble", "Stopthistrain", "Anotherlove", "Tictactoe", Marz" and "Funkinroll". CD

Dam-Funk and Snoopzilla, aka Snoop Dogg, teaming up as 7 Days Of Funk – and it's not merely a new day for the timeless G-Funk sound – they're packing a whole week of it! Producer Dam-Funk and MC/singer Snoop couldn't be a better match – Snoop delivering laidback rhymes and easy going funk singing with a deep love for 70s and 80s G-Funk – and Dam-Funk was born to carry on the legacy of that vibe. Thankfully, they're doing it for Stones Throw – a label that no doubt allows these guys to do it as they see fit without pressuring them for a hit single – so this is creative win, and a hell of a lot of fun! Guests include Bootsy Collins, Steve Arrington and Kurupt. Titles include "Hit Da Pavement", "Let It Go", "Faden Away", "1Question?", "Ride", "Do My Thang", "I'll Be There For You" and the bonus track "Stystamatic" feat Tha Dogg Pound. CD

Four albums from this wonderful group – all brought together in a single set! First up is the self-titled Spanky & Our Gang – the first, and perhaps the most conventional album by the group, but still pretty darn insane! Spanky & Our Gang are a strange mix of 60s styles – with bits of We Five, bits of Harpers Bizarre, bits of The Association – but a totally strange and totally fun approach to pop that's very much their own. Cuts on the album are a mix of originals and covers – and highlights include the incredible "5 Definitions Of Love" by Bob Dorough, "Distance" by Joe Renzetti, "Commercial" by the band, and the track "It Ain't Necessarily Bird Avenue". Great groovy stuff – and with arrangements by Renzetti, Dorough, and Stuart Scharf. Like To Get To Know You is a tiny little pop masterpiece was produced and arranged by Stuart Scharf and the great Bob Dorough, and is filled with one of the grooviest approaches to pop we've heard in ages. The album includes the sublime hit "Like To Get To Know You", set in a very different LP setting – plus great versions of "Suzanne" and "Everybody's Talkin", and the cuts "Stardust", "The Swingin Gate", and "My Bill". Anything You Choose is the third movement in the fantastic pop symphony that is Spanky & Our Gang! The record's perhaps their oddest to date – and mixes groovy vocal stylings with some fairly advanced production approaches that work perfectly with the incredible songs written by Stuart Scharf and Bob Dorough. The voices swirl about in a mad rush – interweaving lines of melody and poetry, punctuated by strange sounds, spacey airy instrumentation, and wonderful little rhythms. Titles include "Anything You Choose", "1-3-5-8", "Without Rhyme Or Reason", "Give A Damn", and "Nowhere To Go". Live is an unusual album from this groovy group – especially given that most of their famous work was in the studio – and done with really inventive arrangements and production! Yet those qualities still come through here, even in a live setting – as the record's got this stripped-down approach that shows just how much of the group's own inventive vocal interplay and harmonies were part of their fantastically groovy style! Titles include "Wasn't It You", "Dirty Old Man", "The Klan", "Nagasaki", "Amelia Earhart's Last Flight", and "That's What You Get For Lovin Me". CD

John Stubblefield at his 80s best – playing tenor and soprano sax in a group with Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums! Ttiles include the originals "Waltz For Duke Pearson", "Spiral Dance", "More Fun", "Confessin", and "Dusk To Dawn". CD

Crucial postpunk neo-psyche from Julian Cope and The Teardrop Explodes – a pretty incredible mix of pop eccentricity, with some of catchiest songs of Cope's wild ouvre, but still wholly unique – a creative high point for early 80s rock! Tight, insistent rhythms clearly inform the 80s indie scene to come, particularly with the drenching washes of keyboards and spindly guitar – with Cope's vocals as fun and charismatic as ever. Titles include "Ha Ha I'm Drowning", "Sleeping Gas", "Treason", "Second Hand", "Brave Boys Keep Their Promises", "Bouncing Babies", "Books", "When I Dream" and more. CD

The great self-titled set from Tuff Darts – one of the less-remembered groups to play the CBGB scene of the late 70s, and one who effortlessly blend punkish energy with tighter power pop sounds! The group are maybe a strong precursor of new wave styles to come in the following year or two after the record's release – but they've also got a rawer sound overall, and a snottier vibe on some of their tunes – not exactly Dead Boys territory, but with the vibe that you might guess from their look on the cover! Yet they're also not afraid to get tuneful when they want, which happens on a few key tunes here – part of a great lineup that includes "My Guitar Lies Bleeding In My Arms", "Phone Booth Man", "Your Love Is Like Nuclear Waste", "Rats", "Slash", "Fun City", and "Love & Trouble". CD

A big package of work – all the albums recorded by The Weather Girls, plus solo material and bonus tracks too! First up is Success – maybe the greatest moment ever from The Weather Girls – a long-running duo who started out as backing singers for Sylvester in the 70s, then recorded as Two Tons O Fun, and finally got the chance to cut this classic for a major label in the early 80s! Both Martha Wash and Izora Armstead are great singers – and work here with previous disco maestro Paul Jabara, who has a great way of shifting the groove to 80s club, while still allowing all the playful elements of the decade before! In a way, this was definitely one of those records that showed the world that in the right corners, disco wasn't dead – heard to best effect on the classic "It's Raining Men" – alongside other cuts that include "Success", "Hungry For Love", "Dear Santa", "Hope", and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair". Next is Big Girls Don't Cry – soaring vocals from The Weather Girls, set to bouncy grooves that are equal parts soul and pop! Martha Wash and Izora Armstead have mighty vocal chops throughout – that bold duo approach they first crafted as Two Tons O Fun, and pushed even more strongly as The Weather Girls – set here to keyboard-heavy backings from Leon Pendarvis, who knows just where to put the best hooks in the grooves! Titles include "Well A Wiggy", "Lock Me Up", "No One Can Love You More Than Me", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "You Can Do It", "Laughter In The Rain", and "March". Next is the self-titled Weather Girls album – the last album in the original run of The Weather Girls – and a set that's full of well-produced tracks from Reggie Lucas and Full Force, balanced out nicely as a way of pushing the duo's sound strongly past the disco years from which they emerged! Sylvester makes a guest appearance on the cut "Love's On The Way" – and other titles include "Why Can't We Show Our Love", "Burn Me", "Love You Like A Train", "Opposite Directions", "Something For Nothing", and "Land Of The Believer". Last up is a super-huge solo set from Martha Wash – made a number of years after her fame in The Weather Girls, and at a time when she had really emerged as an important voice in dance music after a big cut with C&C! By this point, Wash had plenty of recording experience under her belt – and she knocks it out of the park with vocals that are disco-trained, but much richer in soul content overall – certainly more so than some of her other contemporaries on the early 90s club scene. The album features help from a huge amount of studio talent, but it's clear that Wash is the shining star in the lead – really blowing away so much of the work from the "sound system with singer" generation of club – on cuts that include "Leave A Light On", "Give it To You", "Runaround", "Things We Do For Love", "So Whatcha Gonna Do", "Someone Who Believes In You", "Just Us", "Hold On", "When It's My Heart", and "Carry On". 4CD set features bonus tracks on every CD – 22 more bonus mixes and more! CD

A really special set of soul tracks – and one that's got a vibe that's maybe even different from the previous two Manhattan Soul collections! This package is filled with the kind of overlooked gems that sometimes get lost because people are a bit too focused in their record-collecting tastes – mellow cuts that are still a bit funky, deep soul from up-north sources, and even some group numbers that are neither upbeat and Northern, nor slow enough to be mellow harmonies. Instead, these cuts together really defy the rules – showing that in the deeper corners of the New York underground, there were always great new ideas going on – not work that was trying to challenge the stars at Atlantic, or the Brill Building best – but instead very happy to just do their own thing, in some very groovy ways. The work comes from the Wand, Scepter, and Musicor family of labels – better-known for big hits, but also very dedicated to cool indie singles that only seem to be getting their due in more recent years. CD features 24 tracks in all – and titles include "Giving Up" by Junior Lewis, "Now That You're Gone" by Sonny Turner & Sound Limited, "Open Up Your Heart" by Dan & The Cleancuts, "Every Little Bit Helps" by Helen Henry, "Two Stupid Feet" by The Shirelles, "The Same Old Song" by The Dinos, "Nobody Made You Love Me" by The Charts, "Fun City Woman" by Ann Bailey, "The Landlord" by The Tabs, "Does Love Believe In Me" by Melba Moore, "Mr Schemer" by Brenton Wood, "You Picked Me" by The Soldier Boys, and "Never In My Life" by Lee Moses. CD

A set with "modernity" as the title, but a batch of tracks that sound plenty old all the way through – mostly the kind of upbeat soul tracks that played big with the 60s mod scene in London! Yet this isn't the usual collection of mod classics – as the work here is very obscure, and served up in the mix of rare singles and unreleased material that we totally love on other Ace/Kent Records collections – presented with great sound, and very detailed notes that are as fun to read as the songs are to hear! All the artists are American, and look very different than the dapper British gents on the cover – soaring out in a set list that includes "Deuces Wild" by Gary & Gary, "Just Can't Help Myself" by Birdlegs & Pauline, "Oh Lady Be Good" by Charles Hodges, "The Hawg (part 2)" by Eddie Kirk, "See See Rider" by Byrdie Green, "Walk Home With Me" by Ike & Tina Turner, "Sundown" by The Merced Blue Notes, "Go Away With Me" by Hollis Dixon & The Keynotes, "I Found A Little Girl" by Eddie Bo, "The Bounce" by Jackie Lee, "Earthquake" by The Fashionettes, "Air Travel" by Ray & Bob, "That's All I Want" by King Carl, "The Warm Up (part 1)" by Clifton White & His Royal Knights, "Soul Grabber" by Willis Jackson, and "Who Knows" by Willie Tee. CD

Pull on your board shorts, fasten those bikinis, and look out for speeding hot rods – we've got a killer batch of movie surf grooves for you soak up! Summer Beach Baby gathers up some of most sun-soaked, cornball fun tunes from the mid 60s surf days – soundtrack cuts featuring cast members and participating music groups from camp classics like Bikini Beach and Dr Goldfoot And The Bikini Machine – and features standout work by a few rock and garage heroes, to boot! 19 tracks in all: "Beach Party" by Frankie Avalon, "Secret Surfin' Spot", "Surfin' And A-Swingin'" by Dick Dale, "Pajama Party" by Annette, "Ride The Wild Surf" by Jan & Dean, "Bikini Drag" by The Pyramids, "Love's A Secret Weapon" by Donna Loren, "Gotcha Where I Want You" by The Exciters, "Surf Party" by The Astronauts, "Girls On The Beach" by The Beach Boys, "Hot Rod Roadster" by The Rip Chords and more! CD

Titles include the classic "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" – plus "Big Balls", "Problem Child", "Ride On", "Squealer", "There's Gonna Be Some Rockin", "Love At First Feel", "Rocker", and "Ain't No Fun Waiting Round To Be A Millionaire". CD

Essential late 80s thrash from one the genres linchpin bands! State Of Euphoria draws the short straw when it comes to critical recognition of the band's 80s output, thanks in no small part to the fact that it's the full length follow up to Among The Living. It's hard to live up to the legacy of the one of the greatest American heavy metal albums of all time, but we're feeling pretty euphoric revisiting this one after all these years! Anthrax always leaned more on trudging riffs than lightning speed or showy guitar solos, arguably making them the most fun of thrash's vaunted "Big 4" and this one holds up better than it's given credit for. Includes their classic cover of Trust's "Antisocial", "Be All, End All", "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind", "Schism", "Misery Loves Company", "13" and more. CD

The first album by Atlantic Starr – a tight set of modern soul tunes with a very different feel than their later work! Part of the credit goes to Bobby Eli – who arranged and produced the set, giving it a feel that's almost late Philly – tight, sophisticated, and right on the money at all the best points! There's a number of sweet mellow ballads with lead vocals by Sharon Bryant, and other tracks that groove in an uptempo way that points towards more of the group's 80s work – a great mix of modes that makes for a really well-developed album right out of the gate. Titles include "Gimme Your Lovin", "The Love I Never Had", "Visions", "Keep It Comin", "Stand Up", "Where There's Smoke There's Fire", "We Got It Together", and "Being In Love With You Is So Much Fun". CD features a bonus track – "Stand Up (single version)". CD

A really surprising step forward for two members of the legendary group Blossom Toes – guitarist Brian Godding and bassist Brian Belshaw – both musicians who were already blowing the scene away in their previous group, but who here expand their sound with a whole range of influences they'd just picked up! One of those is the voice of Julie Driscoll, who sings on a few tracks here with Godding – and another is some jazz elements they'd absorbed in the Centipede group of Keith Tippett – carried off here by guest work from Mark Charig on trumpet, Nick Evans on trombone, and even some piano from Brian Auger! Yet it's clear that Belshaw and Godding are having more than enough fun experimenting on their own with drummer Kevin Westlake – and there's an open, creative style to the record that really keeps things interesting throughout – and moves past the guitar-based modes that were the Blossom Toes stock in trade. Titles include "Rocky Yagbag", "Seed", "Moondance", "Rise", "Lost Horizons", "You're So Young", "Sticky Living", and "New Day". 2CD version features loads of bonus tracks and rare material – including "Square Dance", "Snippet With Tippett", "Come On Eyes", "Black Crow's Nest", "Freedom", "When I was In The Country", "Backstreet", "Waltz", "Earache", and "Hard Day's Night" – plus BBC live recordings of "Sticky Living" and "Go Have Yourself A Good Time". CD

The legendary Booker T – sounding funkier and more soulful than we've heard in years – and really stepping out here in a rich new format! The set has Book soaring over the top on Hammond throughout – working on grooves that are co-crafted with the Avila Brothers, who include Bobby Ross Avila – an artist who's matured in a surprisingly nice way! Each new tune features some key guest appearance – so that the sound is really fleshed out nicely by the talents of folks like Mayer Hawthorne, Anthony Hamilton, Poncho Sanchez, Estelle, Ted Jones, Jay James, and Luke James. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis add in a bit of production, too – but in ways that are surprisingly well-tuned for Booker's music – and titles include "66 Impala", "Father Son Blues", "Can't Wait", "Sound The Alarm", "All Over The Place", "Fun", "Broken Heart", and "Gently". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from BT Express – tighter, smoother, and classier than the group's early funky disco sessions – and with a cosmic sound that shows them really growing at the time! The sound here steps off from both the group's own horn-heavy disco sides of the 70s, and from the more righteous ensemble funk work of the Earth Wind & Fire generation – and there's also a nice undercurrent of the snapping midtempo rhythms that would show up even later in the early 80s indie club scene. Funk is still very much a part of the BT Express sound – and even when coming together like an all-pro outfit, the group are still hitting hard on the rhythms and well-crafted guitar parts. A wonderful record throughout – the kind of late session that could easily be overlooked, but which represents some of the group's best work! Titles include "Takin' Off", "Does It Feel Good", "Closer", "Better Late Than Never", and "Have Some Fun". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "Midnight Beat", "Let Me Be The One", "Does It Feel Good (orig promo 12" version)", "Give Up The Funk (original single)", "Have Some Fun (original single version)", and "Better Late Than Never (original single version)". CD

A merry, merry, merry and groovy groovy groovy Christmas from Captain Kangaroo, Mister Green Jeans and the early 60s cast! For the young or otherwise uninitiated, Captain Kangaroo (played by Bob Keeshin) was a groundbreaking, legendary children's television program that ran from the mid 1950s to the early 80s – with silly charm to spare. This wonderful Christmas record comes from the early part of the 60s, with the grander period production touches to show for it – groovy chorus backing vocals, sound effects, and a big, bright sound – on Christmas classics, original material, fun spoken intros and interludes. Not hokey at all...a real charmer! Includes "Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas", "Jingle Bells", "Santa's Other Reindeer", "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas", "When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter", "Happy Little New Year" and more. CD

Great post-Parliafunkadelicment work from George Clinton – surely the biggest hit of his albums for Capitol – especially since it features the singles "Atomic Dog" and "Loopzilla"! We'll be honest in saying that at the time this one came out, as die-hard Detroit funk fans, we remember thinking "oh gosh, George has lost it" – but from the perspective of many years later, the record sure sounds like classic P-Funk to us – really picking up where the last few Funkadelic and Parliament albums left off! The album sports a great Pedro Bell cover, features some nice work with Bootsy, includes the hits "Atomic Dog" and "Loopzilla" – and also features some lesser-known gems that include "Pot Sharing Tots", "Get Dressed", "Computer Games", and "One Fun At A Time". CD

A label-spanning collection of work from Ann Cole – a singer who rose briefly on the charts in the mid 50s, and managed to cut a great range of excellent sides for a variety of different imprints! Ann's got a style that fits her image on the cover – a bit classier than most, with a mix of jazz and blues inspirations, turned towards some of the hipper R&B currents of the postwar years – which includes some occasional mambo rhythms, and currents of styles that aren't too far from New Orleans – even though this material was mostly recorded in New York. CD features 25 tracks, recorded for labels that include Baton, Timely, Mor Play, Apollo, and Sir – with titles that include "No Star Is Lost", "I've Got A Little Boy", "Summer Nights", "That's Enough", "Have Fun", "Brand New House", "Smiling Through", "This Could Be The Last Time", "Darling Don't Hurt Me", and "Each Day". CD

This is the third full length from the group that brings you politically scathing, party bangin, conscious hip hop for your urban revolution fun time. There's a lot of live instrumentation funky sloppiness for your neck and body to get loose to. The Coup also pull off the feat of managing to rhyme charged and intelligently about a very dark reality, while simultaneously still keeping your body bouncin constantly. Tracks include the smart "5 Million Ways To Kill A C.E.O.", "Ghetto Manifesto", "Get Up" featuring Dead Prez, "Lazy Muthaf*cka", "Ride The Fence", "Everythang", "Wear Clean Draws", "Pork And Beef", "Thought About It 2", "Tight", "Nowalaters", and "Heven Tonite". CD

The biggest-label release ever cut by 70s funk legend Betty Davis – but a set that's every bit as hard and heavy as the indie dates that preceded it! Davis is at the top of her form here – bad-stepping amidst the heavy drums and freaked-out guitars that easily made her one of the funkiest folks working in the 70s – an artist who was definitely very much into her own bag, and who's only finally getting her due all these many years later! In a way, the groove is even leaner than before – especially the drums, which are turbocharged with energy, and set a badass vibe for the record throughout – mixing up equal parts of rock, funk, and soul – almost with the genre-busting modes that wouldn't really show up on the New York scene until a number of years later. The whole thing kicks ass – and titles include "Nasty Gal", "Talkin' Trash", "Dedicated To The Press", "FUNK", "Getting Kicked Off Havin Fun", "Shut Off The Light", "This Is It", "The Lone Ranger", and "Feelins". Great new pressing of the classic – with a 32 page booklet that includes liner notes, lyrics, and lots of cool photos! CD

A much different album than you might expect from the cover – hardly the funky 70s set implied by the Big Fun-styled cover – and instead a lost slice of work from his groundbreaking late 60s years! The set was recorded in 1967, but unissued until Miles late 70s time away from the studio – hence the cover, which attempts to contemporanize the record – and the music is very much in the dark moods and sharp tones of Filles De Kilimanjaro, and features a somewhat similar group! The core quintet of Wayne Shorter on tenor, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums handles the first half of the set – but the group's then expanded to include Chick Corea on electric piano along with Herbie on keys – and Ron Carter steps out so that Dave Holland can bring some more modern tones to the bass. Tracks are all somewhat long, and titles include "Capricorn", "Water Babies", "Sweet Pea", and "Two Faced". CD

The Dazz Band are definitely on the one here – or maybe on the two, as the album's balanced between one side of groovers, and one side of mellow cuts – an approach that was not uncommon for funk groups at the time! By the time of this set, Dazz were well known for their bass-heavy cuts, and were part of that new generation of groups who were helping to reinvent funk for the new decade – yet the mellower cuts are maybe more of a revelation, and really help balance out the group's sound, with some especially nice moments that have the harmonies coming across with a wonderful vibe! Titles include "Cheek To Cheek", "On The One For Fun", "Stay Awhile With Me", "Nice Girls", and "A Love Song". CD