One of the strong albums that David Sanchez cut for Columbia in the 90s – clean, simple, back-to-basics playing, done with a strength and confidence not exhibited by most other young players of his generation! The album mixes together modern and Latin jazz modes – all graced by Sanchez's soulful work on tenor, and some occasional freer flights on soprano. Milton Cardona, Leon Parker, and Jerry Gonzalez all give the set some wonderful Latin percussion – and the rest of the group includes Danilo Perez, Roy Hargrove, and Adam Cruz. Titles include "Africa Y Las America", "Bomba Blues", "Mal Social", "Tu Y Mi Cancion", "Little Melonae", and "The Extension". CD

The debut album from Cynthia Schloss – a reggae singer who'd go on to bring a whole new level of soul to Jamaican music! In fact, the album's maybe half reggae, and half soul – delivered by Cynthia with a range that would have been right at home in American soul in the early 70s, especially given that the pace of most tracks is a lot more laidback than some of the disco work that was taking over America at the time! Yet the grooves aren't exactly the usual Jamaican style, either – as they've got a bubbling vibe and upbeat quality that almost reminds us a bit of crossover soul from the same time – a bit like some of the best work on RCA that would peak on AM radio, with a real universal appeal that's only furthered by Schloss' vocals. Titles include "Love Forever", "I Won't Cry", "There's A Fire", "Red Rose", "Winston B", "Guava Jelly", "Hurry To Me", and "Nightfall". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album from Cynthia Schloss – a reggae singer who'd go on to bring a whole new level of soul to Jamaican music! In fact, the album's maybe half reggae, and half soul – delivered by Cynthia with a range that would have been right at home in American soul in the early 70s, especially given that the pace of most tracks is a lot more laidback than some of the disco work that was taking over America at the time! Yet the grooves aren't exactly the usual Jamaican style, either – as they've got a bubbling vibe and upbeat quality that almost reminds us a bit of crossover soul from the same time – a bit like some of the best work on RCA that would peak on AM radio, with a real universal appeal that's only furthered by Schloss' vocals. Titles include "Love Forever", "I Won't Cry", "There's A Fire", "Red Rose", "Winston B", "Guava Jelly", "Hurry To Me", and "Nightfall". CD

A great one from Gil Scott-Heron – and another wonderful collaboration with Brian Jackson – who handled all the arrangements on this set, and gave the record that sweet jazzy sound that makes Gil's work from this time some of his best ever! There's loads of excellent electric piano from Jackson – whose work in the style made the Winter In America album so great – and the combination of Gil's vocals and his keys really makes the album sublime! Leading the way, Gil's heavy, strong, strident and focused lyricism – presciently and poetically preparing for the 80s as only he could! Includes the single "Shut 'Um Down", "Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams)", "Willing", "Corners", "Late Last Night", and "Push Comes To Shove". LP, Vinyl record album

A 2 CD live set from the legendary Gil Scott-Heron – captured sometime in the 80s, featuring some of his legendary righteous jazz funk numbers in the 70s, plus some of his lesser-known, even more pointedly political numbers from the 80s! The arrangements are clean, and very jazzy on this set – with many of the numbers stretching to epic length, complete with Gil's between song spoken word bits intact. The group that includes Ron Holloway on tenor sax, Kim Jordan on keys and backing vocals, Rodney Young on drums and Larry McDonald on percussion. Tracks include "Washington DC", "Winter In America", "Is That Jazz?", "Blue Collar", "Johannesburg", "Three Miles Down", "Gun", "Save The Children", "Angel Dust", "Shut 'Em Down", "B Move", "The Bottle" and more! CD

An oft-overlooked jazzy gem from Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – and a beautifully swinging session that has Gil toning it down a bit, and working into a nicely musical groove that gets past the heavy politics of earlier years! The record's a great showcase for the more upbeat side of Gil's talents – and what it lacks in righteousness, it more than makes up for in a warmly flowing and very soulful vibe! The band's in great form – laying down tight warm jazzy riffs that provide some of the best backing for Gil's voice we've heard since Winter In America – and titles include the wonderfully catchy "Racetrack In France", plus "Hello Sunday Hello Road", "Under The Hammer", and "We Almost Lost Detroit". LP, Vinyl record album

A really tremendous album from the legendary Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that stands as one of his greatest statements from the 70s! The record is a wonderful example of Gil's work in two different styles – sweet mellow jazzy soul, and harder heavier protest poetry – the latter from his roots as a writer in touch with the streets, and the former part of a brilliant new direction that he was taking on the Flying Dutchman label. Side one features classic jazzy tracks recorded with Brian Jackson – like "Free Will", "The Middle Of Your Days", "Speed Kills", and "Did You Hear What They Said?". Side two moves over to a much sparer sound – and has Gil reciting some of his poetry with very heavy percussion, and a very righteous approach. The wisdom and knowledge of those pieces is a perfect example of the kinds of issues that were haunting black America in the early 70s – especially on the tracks "No Knock", "The King Alfred Plan", and "Sex Education: Ghetto Style". LP, Vinyl record album

A really tremendous album from the legendary Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that stands as one of his greatest statements from the 70s! The record is a wonderful example of Gil's work in two different styles – sweet mellow jazzy soul, and harder heavier protest poetry – the latter from his roots as a writer in touch with the streets, and the former part of a brilliant new direction that he was taking on the Flying Dutchman label. Side one features classic jazzy tracks recorded with Brian Jackson – like "Free Will", "The Middle Of Your Days", "Speed Kills", and "Did You Hear What They Said?". Side two moves over to a much sparer sound – and has Gil reciting some of his poetry with very heavy percussion, and a very righteous approach. The wisdom and knowledge of those pieces is a perfect example of the kinds of issues that were haunting black America in the early 70s – especially on the tracks "No Knock", "The King Alfred Plan", and "Sex Education: Ghetto Style". CD version features 8 bonus tracks – alternate versions of some of the heavier-duty tunes on the album, some of which are quite different than the originals! Also includes new notes and photos! CD

A really tremendous album from the legendary Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that stands as one of his greatest statements from the 70s! The record is a wonderful example of Gil's work in two different styles – sweet mellow jazzy soul, and harder heavier protest poetry – the latter from his roots as a writer in touch with the streets, and the former part of a brilliant new direction that he was taking on the Flying Dutchman label. Side one features classic jazzy tracks recorded with Brian Jackson – like "Free Will", "The Middle Of Your Days", "Speed Kills", and "Did You Hear What They Said?". Side two moves over to a much sparer sound – and has Gil reciting some of his poetry with very heavy percussion, and a very righteous approach. The wisdom and knowledge of those pieces is a perfect example of the kinds of issues that were haunting black America in the early 70s – especially on the tracks "No Knock", "The King Alfred Plan", and "Sex Education: Ghetto Style". CD features 11 stunning bonus tracks – alternates of songs on the album, and some very cool "breakdown" tracks as well! CD

Heavy, soul-baring lyricism delivered with spiritual resonance and wise authority by Gil Scott-Heron – his first album shot in far too many years, and a direct hit – essential listening for longtime listeners and neophytes alike and a well worthy entry in a legendary career! Scott-Heron is documenting his world as profoundly and poetically as ever here, and the production is built with spare, haunting beats and atmospheric bits of strings, guitar, keys, loose atmospherics and hazy electronics – loosely framing his voice and giving it all the room in needs to carry the mood. Gil sings and speaks with equal authority throughout, and you can hear the years in his voice like never before, giving him the worn edges of the old soul he always evoked. This is a record we're proud to put among his treasured recordings of the 70s and early 80s. Titles include "On Coming From A Broken Home" (Parts 1 & 2), "Your Soul And Mine", "I'll Take Care Of You", "Where Did The Night Go", "Running", "The Crutch" and more, including several interludes that are pretty amazing – captures of conversation that show Gil nearly as charismatic and poetic in "off" moments as he is recording a song. Also includes 2 covers, "Me And The Devil" (the Robert Johnson song) and the title track, Smog/Bill Callahan's "I'm New Here", given a whole new life. Expanded anniversary version also features some great material recorded at the same time – the titles "Handsome Johnny", "My Cloud", "Piano Player", "King Henry IV", "Jazz", and 2010 live studio takes of "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "Is That Jazz", and "Winter In America". CD

An excellent double-length live set from Gil Scott Heron – recorded right in the middle of his classic years on Arista Records, and with an extended groove that shows just how great he could be in a concert setting! Many of these tracks are quite long, with both instrumental solos and a more freewheeling vibe from Gil – who seems to put even more power into the sorts of messages that always make his music so wonderful. The group features flute from Vernon James and tenor from Ron Holloway – and Gil himself plays plenty of great keyboards, including Fender Rhodes – which brings a very fluid vibe to his vocal presentation. Tracks include "We Almost Lost Detroit", "B Movie", "Better Days Ahead", "Washington DC", "Shut Em Down", "Winter In America", "Angola Louisiana", "Johannesburg", and a great 15 minute take on "The Bottle". CD

An excellent double-length live set from Gil Scott Heron – recorded right in the middle of his classic years on Arista Records, and with an extended groove that shows just how great he could be in a concert setting! Many of these tracks are quite long, with both instrumental solos and a more freewheeling vibe from Gil – who seems to put even more power into the sorts of messages that always make his music so wonderful. The group features flute from Vernon James and tenor from Ron Holloway – and Gil himself plays plenty of great keyboards, including Fender Rhodes – which brings a very fluid vibe to his vocal presentation. Tracks include "We Almost Lost Detroit", "B Movie", "Better Days Ahead", "Washington DC", "Shut Em Down", "Winter In America", "Angola Louisiana", "Johannesburg", and a great 15 minute take on "The Bottle". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album that's often overshadowed by its hit – the 15 minute "B-Movie", which was sort of an overly-wrought protest piece about how the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 was going to turn America into a bad b-movie. Not that that track's bad – although its politics have certainly dated by now – but the real strength of the album are the jazzy numbers, written in Gil's beautiful righteous style forged in the soul jazz underground of the 70s. These include the stellar "Is That Jazz?", a contemplative track about the future of the art form, a mellow version of Bill Withers' "Grandma's Hands", the moody "Storm Music", and "Gun", a good groover with a message about the right to bear arms. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best tracks ever from the pair of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – some of most righteous, authoritative and thematically heavy soul music ever created – compiled in one incredible set! Messianic, emotive vocals from Gil and stunningly restrained, magical soul jazz arrangements from Brian – words can't express how dynamic these tunes are! Great stuff from classic LPs such as Winter In America, It's Your World, First Minute Of A New Day, Secrets and more! 15 tracks in all: "The Bottle", "It's Your World", "Johannesburg", "Winter In America", "The Liberation (Red, Black & Green)", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Live)", "We Almost Lost Detroit", "Angel Dust", "Show Bizness", "Madison Avenue", "Shut 'Em Down", "Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams)". LP, Vinyl record album

Essential Brazilian rock from the 70s! Secos e Molhados were a post-Tropicalia group that drew on some of the work of Brazilian groups before them, and mixed it up with hard rock and glam styles that were coming from America and the UK. The leader of the group was singer Ney Matogrosso, who went onto become a bigger star in his own right – and their music has a haunting sound that mixes nice vocal production with spare arrangements supported by guitar, piano, and bass. Difficult to describe, but very compelling – and a key line in a Brazilian tradition that includes Os Mutantes and the early solo work of Rita Lee. This CD features 26 tracks from their only two albums – including "Tercer Mundo", "Prece Cosmica", "Rondo Do Capitao", "Sangue Latino", "O Vira", "Delirio", "O Hierofante", "Angustia", and "Primavera Nos Dentes". CD

A very righteous set of tracks from Shelley Nicole and her Blakbushe ensemble – a lot more powerful than some of the other underground soul sets of recent years, and done with lots of full-on instrumental touches on keyboards, guitar, and bass – making for a style that recalls some of the best recordings of the Black Rock scene in years past. Shelley herself plays bass, theremin, and sings in a style that's got a lot of bite – delivering lyrics that are a lot more political than usual for an album of this nature, and reminding us of all the power bubbling under in the New York scene during the late 70s and early 80s. Looks like that power's returned – and with a vengeance – on tracks like "3/4 Sh*t", "America's Secret", "Spiritual Revolution", "Scorpio Chile", and "Cheatin Baby Daddy". CD

A great group from the 70s AOR scene – one that never fully got its due, but which never let that stop them from doing their best! Silver have this great harmony style that's somewhere in the territory of America – kind of a post-Beach Boys version of male group pop that's years beyond the modes of the 60s, and wrapped up here with near-perfect production that makes the harmonies sound even more heavenly they might have a few years before! All group members sing – John Batdorf, Brent Mydland, Greg Collier, Tom Leadon, and Harry Stinson – and most write tunes on the record, too. Titles include "Musician", "All I Wanna Do", "Memory", "Right On Time", "Goodbye So Long", "Wham Bam", and "Trust In Somebody". LP, Vinyl record album

If you ever needed a record to convince you that Simon & Garfunkel were geniuses, and way more than just mainstream pop – this is it! The production is sublime – soft sounds moving beautifully along with the heavenly vocals – and the songwriting hits a new level of sophistication on tunes that include "Old Friends", "America", "Overs", and "Bookends Theme". Also features the classics "Mrs Robinson", "Fakin It", and "Hazy Shade Of Winter". CD

If you ever needed a record to convince you that Simon & Garfunkel were geniuses, and way more than just mainstream pop – this is it! The production is sublime – soft sounds moving beautifully along with the heavenly vocals – and the songwriting hits a new level of sophistication on tunes that include "Old Friends", "America", "Overs", and "Bookends Theme". Also features the classics "Mrs Robinson", "Fakin It", and "Hazy Shade Of Winter". LP, Vinyl record album

A special collection done for the US market after the first great run of albums by The Smiths – a double-length set that's partly a best-of, and mostly a collection of all the wonderful songs the group issued on their various singles and EP releases in the UK – none of which were originally released in America! As such, the album's a crucial component to the group's catalog – especially if you weren't buying their singles back in the day – and is filled with as much greatness as all their other albums of the period. Titles include "Girl Afraid", "Panic", "Sheila Take A Bow", "Is It Really So Strange", "London", "Half A Person", "Sweet & Tender Hooligan", "Hand In Glove", "Rubber Ring", "Ask", "Golden Lights", "Oscillate Wildly", "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby", and "Asleep". CD

One of a few albums released in the US by the famous French pianist Martial Solal – a player who'd made a bit of a splash in the early 60s, when he was making a few appearances in America. This album presents a Solal that's more straightforward, more traditional than on later, more avant recordings. This one captures a strong side of Solal's playing – and features him in a trio with Guy Pederson's bass. Titles include "Dermaplastic", "Nos Smoking", "Special Club", and "Gavotte A Gaveau". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best blue-eyed soul to come out of America during the late 60s – a soaring batch of tunes from a combo that broke down borders wherever they went! The album's the first by the group – and easily their best – based around their biggest hit ever, "Expressway (To Your Heart)", one of those songs you've heard a million times, but which always grabs you when it hits the break in the chorus! There's none of the "fake soul" style vocals that rock acts in later years would try to pick up, and these guys instead play like they're just a Philly group, ready to mash it up at some tasty club gigs. The whole thing's great, and titles include "Do You Feel It", "Respect", "Hey Gyp", "The Rydle", and "Taboo-India". CD

A wonderful little record from the 70s – not nearly the cosmic set you might imagine from the title, and instead a warmly-produced album that's in the best 70s smooth mellow style! These guys would fit nicely in a collection next to Crosby Stills & Nash or America – as they've got a strong sense of harmony in their vocal approach – one that's schooled in the SoCal generation of the 60s, but taken to a whole new 70s territory in the studio – and supported by instrumentation that has some occasional jazz inflections which further warms the whole thing up! The group mix a bit of flute in with the keyboards, which seems to resonate almost as another voice – and although the guitar gets a bit stronger on a few numbers, it's usually more in the background to let the vocals rise up front. Titles include "My Telephone Artist", "Country Max", "Holy River", "Outlines", "Guitar Suite", "Lookout",a nd "Over & Over". CD

A tripped-out batch of freedom rock tunes – pulled together to accompany Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper's famous trip across the wasteland of late 60s America! The set includes Steppenwolf's anthemic "Born To Be Wild", as well as their "The Pusher" – plus "Kyrie Eleison" by The Electric Prunes, "Don't Bogart Me" by The Fraternity Of Man, "Wasn't Born To Follow" by The Byrds, "If You Want To Be A Bird" by The Holy Modal Rounders, "It's Alright Ma" and "Ballad Of Easy Rider" by Roger McGuinn, & "If Six Was Nine" by Jimi Hendrix. LP, Vinyl record album

Strange record, but surprisingly nice. Ghanian percussionist Oscar Sulley performs here with members of the Illinois-based Air Force Band Of Mid America – and the 2 record set features one disc of hard spare percussion tracks, and one of jazzy highlife tracks. The highlife stuff is strange, but quite nice – with Sulley's percussion ensemble receiving backing by the Air Force band's big brassy finish. The result is some nice tracks with a heavy drum sound, and a spacey airy horn groove, similar to some of the Randy Weston or Art Blakey projects of this sort. Titles include "Bontuku", which has a nice break to it, "Galaxy", "Wahala Goes To Galos", and "Togo-kyo". LP, Vinyl record album

A great new chapter for Donna Summer – a set that has her working with the legendary Quincy Jones as producer – who gives the whole album a very different sound! There's still plenty of the catchy, bouncy styles you'd know from Summer's late 70s work – but Jones also brings in some jazzy flair from time to time – using elements like keyboards from Greg Phillinganes or tenor from Ernie Watts to create a broader palette of color and sound than some of Donna's disco records. The rhythms change things up nicely too – reaching for a bit more than before – and titles include "Protection", which has a guitar solo from Bruce Springsteen – plus "Livin In America", "Love Is In Control", "State Of Independence", "Lush Life", and "Love Is Just A Breath Away". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Goodbye Stranger", "The Logical Song", "Bloody Well Right", "Breakfast In America", "Rudy", "Take The Long Way Home", "Crime Of The Century", "Dreamer", "Ain't Nobody But Me", "Hide In Your Shell", "From Now On", "Give A Little Bit", "It's Raining Again", and "Cannonball". CD

Belgian guitarist Rene Thomas was one of the few players to break out of the postwar Paris jazz scene and actually get to record in America – and on this classic set from 1960, he's grooving with a very hip group that includes JR Monterose on tenor, Hod O'Brien on piano, and the rhythm section of Teddy Kotick and Albert Heath. Tracks are all in the 5 minute range – save for one longer reading of Monterose's great "Green Street Scene" – and the material is pretty nice and breezy. Titles include "MTC", "Spontaneous Effort", and "Milestones". CD

A brilliant set from Polish pianist Andrzej Trzaskowski – a talent who's virtually unknown in America, but one who cut some of the most forward-thinking work of his generation! The session's a bold, fresh, modern statement that's clearly steeped in work by other 60s American and European modernists, but which also has a fresh quality that's incredibly hard to peg. It's a bit preoccupied with sound and sound colors – almost in a Paul Bley-ish way – but also has a trace of soul and lyricism, as well as a graceful approach that allows space for other players to state themselves freely on the record. That's a good thing, too, because the first album is dominated by strong trumpet work by the great Tomasz Stanko, as well as the relative unknown Janusz Muniak, who plays some great soprano sax on the session. Titles include "Sinobrody", "Post Scriptum", "Synopsis", and "Requiem For Scott La Faro". CD

The record that pushed U2 over the top – thanks in part to production from Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois – on titles that include "Pride", "Unforgettable Fire", "Sort Of Homecoming", "Bad", "Elvis Presley & America", "MLK", "Promenade", and "Wire". Cassette

Tracks include "Trouble In Mind", "Ghetto Child", "Who's Been Talkin", "The Hustle Is On", and "Are You Glad To Be In America?". CD

One of our favorite Ulmer records, probably because there's a nice groove running underneath most of the numbers, in a sort of post-Prime Time 80s out-funk sort of way. It never drops into a flat out back beat, but there's always some sense of time, while Ulmer's guitar and Charles Burnham's violin venture to and fro. The group is just a trio, and there's not too much of Blood's vocalizing going on on the eight pieces, which include "Little Red House", "Are you Glad To Be In America", "Election" and "Odyssey". CD

One of our favorite Ulmer records, probably because there's a nice groove running underneath most of the numbers, in a sort of post-Prime Time 80s out-funk sort of way. It never drops into a flat out back beat, but there's always some sense of time, while Ulmer's guitar and Charles Burnham's violin venture to and fro. The group is just a trio, and there's not too much of Blood's vocalizing going on on the eight pieces, which include "Little Red House", "Are you Glad To Be In America", "Election" and "Odyssey". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from one of the greatest talents on the Chicago soul scene of the late 60s – guitarist Phil Upchurch, a player with an amazing sound! Phil could work in worlds that were equal parts soul and psychedelia – making his guitar a perfect accompaniment for the best Chicago soul of Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, Minnie Riperton, and other greats of the time. This album's easily one of Phil's best – a mindblowing set of arrangements put together by the groundbreaking producer Charles Stepney – bringing together bits of jazz, rock, soul, and funk – all providing the perfect genre-blending space for Upchurch to solo! Given that there's no singer on the set, Phil's work on guitar is a lot freer than you're used to hearing – in a really great way, one that puts him in a space somewhere between Shuggie Otis and Jimi Hendrix! Brilliant all the way through, with tracks that include "Adam & Charlene", "You Wouldn't You Couldn't Be True", "Crosstown Traffic", "More & More", "Black Gold", "America", and "As You Said". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive treasure from the P-Funk empire – an unreleased George Clinton project during his glory days on Westbound Records! The group features Gary Shider in the lead on vocals – with support from other US Music members, and a fair bit of the current Funkadelic lineup too – musicians who played on the legendary America Eats Its Young sessions, recorded at the same time as this one! The sound is incredibly sinister – even more tripped-out, fuzzy, and psychedelic than most regular Funkadelic work – with lots of dark moments, and basslines that are sure to blast out your speakers – courtesy of Cordell Mosson. Other group members chime in with Shider, too – in the best Clinton-directed style of the time – and the whole thing has a massive ensemble feel that's wonderful, and right up there with the well known Westbound P-Funk recordings of the time. Why this one wasn't released is a real mystery to us – but we're mighty thankful to finally have it out! Titles include "This Broken Heart", "Baby I Owe You Something Good", "Be What You Is", "I Miss My Baby", and "Rat Kiss The Cat On The Naval". LP, Vinyl record album

A wild and weird early soundtrack work from the great Melvin Van Peebles – a set of songs composed by the man himself, and put together for an early directorial effort about a white man who wakes up one morning and finds himself black – and has to discover the real version of society from an African-American perspective! The music and politics are very similar to Melvin's early albums for A&M – songs that borrow from a few different styles, and aren't just straight soul and funk – handled with some larger arrangements from Bob Matthews, who amplifies some of the wildness in the tunes! Tracks include "Love, That's America", "Great Guy", "Eviction Scene", and "Where Are The Children". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the building blocks of the late 60s Tropicalia scene in Brazil – and a standout solo debut from the young Caetano Veloso! The album's got an approach that's as dynamic and trippy as its cover image might imply – the same amazing blend of sounds and styles you'd hear on contemporaneous records by Gal Costa or Os Mutantes – served up with similar wit, wisdom, and charm! Caetano's vocals are amazing throughout – filled with raspy power that goes beyond the barriers of language – and the production has loads of surprising elements tripping through the mix – some rootsy, some slightly orchestrated – but with a softer approach that resonates strongly with more psychedelic use of organ and guitar. The album's as powerful today as it was decades ago – an essential recording that holds up beautifully year after year! The kickoff track is "Tropicalia" (surprisingly enough!), and the album is a non-stop ride through gems like "Alegria, Alegria", "Onde Andaras", "Paisagem Util", "Ave Maria", and the groovy "Soy Loco Por Ti America", written by Gilberto Gil. CD

One of the building blocks of the late 60s Tropicalia scene in Brazil – and a standout solo debut from the young Caetano Veloso! The album's got an approach that's as dynamic and trippy as its cover image might imply – the same amazing blend of sounds and styles you'd hear on contemporaneous records by Gal Costa or Os Mutantes – served up with similar wit, wisdom, and charm! Caetano's vocals are amazing throughout – filled with raspy power that goes beyond the barriers of language – and the production has loads of surprising elements tripping through the mix – some rootsy, some slightly orchestrated – but with a softer approach that resonates strongly with more psychedelic use of organ and guitar. The album's as powerful today as it was decades ago – an essential recording that holds up beautifully year after year! The kickoff track is "Tropicalia" (surprisingly enough!), and the album is a non-stop ride through gems like "Alegria, Alegria", "Onde Andaras", "Paisagem Util", "Ave Maria", and the groovy "Soy Loco Por Ti America", written by Gilberto Gil. CD

One of the building blocks of the late 60s Tropicalia scene in Brazil – and a standout solo debut from the young Caetano Veloso! The album's got an approach that's as dynamic and trippy as its cover image might imply – the same amazing blend of sounds and styles you'd hear on contemporaneous records by Gal Costa or Os Mutantes – served up with similar wit, wisdom, and charm! Caetano's vocals are amazing throughout – filled with raspy power that goes beyond the barriers of language – and the production has loads of surprising elements tripping through the mix – some rootsy, some slightly orchestrated – but with a softer approach that resonates strongly with more psychedelic use of organ and guitar. The album's as powerful today as it was decades ago – an essential recording that holds up beautifully year after year! The kickoff track is "Tropicalia" (surprisingly enough!), and the album is a non-stop ride through gems like "Alegria, Alegria", "Onde Andaras", "Paisagem Util", "Ave Maria", and the groovy "Soy Loco Por Ti America", written by Gilberto Gil. LP, Vinyl record album

Brazilian "greatest hits" comp of Caetano's work, with a majority of material from the late 70's and early 80's, but also with a few cuts from the late 60's Tropicalia years. Every cut's a winner, though – with the high high level of imagination that you'd expect from Caetano! Tracks include "Coisa Mais Linda", "Muito", "Menino Do Rio", "Superbacana", "Eclips Oculto", and "Soy Loco Por Ti, America". CD

Nice overstuffed "best of" compilation that features work by Veloso that spans from his early Tropicalia years to the stuff he did as a pseudo-new wave artist in the early 80s. 7 cuts alone are from the pivotal year of 1968 – including "Shy Moon", "Lua De Sao Jorge", "Superbacana", and "Soy Loco Por Ti America" – and others are from the mid and late 70s, like "Beleza Pura", "Trilhos Urbanos", "Odara", "O Leaozinho", and "Qualquer Coisa". Not all of this material is available on the other CDs we carry, and the set itself is a great way to begin to get into the work of Veloso, who we feel is one of the greatest musical artists of the late 20th century! CD

A career-spanning collection of work from The Violent Femmes – the group's own evolution, put together by the band itself – and one that mixes key album cuts with b-sides, demos, and even live material too! The set includes all the best cuts from the early albums on Slash, and lots of other goodies too – with titles that include "Country Death Song", "Gordon's Message", "Gimme The Car", "Blister In The Sun", "Gone Daddy Gone", "36 24 36", "Lies (live)", "Degradation", "I Hate The TV", "America Is", "Old Mother Reagan", "Kiss Off (live)", "Johnny (live)", "I Held Her In My Arms", "Jesus Walking On Water", "Out The Window", "Dance MF Dance", "Degradation", "Black Girls", and "Vancouver (live)". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from saxophonist Salim Washington – a great little album recorded in Boston during the 90s, but filled with the same sense of soulful expression as albums on Strata East from 20 years before! The group's a large one here – with trombone from Frank Lacy, alto from Kurtis Rivers, trumpet from Waldon Ricks, viola from Melanie Dyer, and some especially great piano from Joe Bonner, who also wrote some of the tracks on the set. The work has a focused, flowing feel from the very first note – well-executed large group material that really draws on the best spirits of the ensemble, and hones that energy into some wonderfully evocative tunes! Titles include "Blessing From Oshun", "Love In Exile", "Blossom", "To Know Yahweh", "Chaos In America", and "Whispered Fade". CD

Beautiful bossa nova from 60s Japan – groundbreaking work from the young Sadao Watanabe! Like one of his obvious influences, Stan Getz, Watanabe had a great role in bringing the bossa nova out of Brazil – taking a music that had already been introduced to Japan a few years before, and giving it even wider exposure with his wonderfully soulful, jazz-based approach. And although there were earlier Japanese bossa albums, this one stands out as one of the true classics – the Getz/Gilberto set of 60s Japan, although without the vocals of that Verve date. Sadao plays both flute and alto sax, and backing is from a small combo that mixes in Brazilian-styled guitar and percussion next to the bass and drums. Watanabe's reeds have a raspy, off-kilter quality that's almost more human than most Brazilian jazz efforts of the time – and titles include versions of "Song Of The Jet", "Felicidade", "Reza", and "Morning Of The Carnival" – plus some nice originals like "America" and "Cupid's Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful bossa nova from 60s Japan – groundbreaking work from the young Sadao Watanabe! Like one of his obvious influences, Stan Getz, Watanabe had a great role in bringing the bossa nova out of Brazil – taking a music that had already been introduced to Japan a few years before, and giving it even wider exposure with his wonderfully soulful, jazz-based approach. And although there were earlier Japanese bossa albums, this one stands out as one of the true classics – the Getz/Gilberto set of 60s Japan, although without the vocals of that Verve date. Sadao plays both flute and alto sax, and backing is from a small combo that mixes in Brazilian-styled guitar and percussion next to the bass and drums. Watanabe's reeds have a raspy, off-kilter quality that's almost more human than most Brazilian jazz efforts of the time – and titles include versions of "Song Of The Jet", "Felicidade", "Reza", and "Morning Of The Carnival" – plus some nice originals like "America" and "Cupid's Song". CD

A rare bit of hardcore poetry by the Watts Prophets – the legendary LA group who were kind of a west coast answer to the Last Poets! The group have a sound that's as striking as the best early work by The Last Poets – a hard-hitting blend of poetry, rhythms, and righteous energy – all recorded in a style that's stripped down, proud, angry, and in stark contrast to the rest of the work coming out in the soul music industry at the time. Their work was not only some of the most radical and striking of the early 70s, but it's also gone onto become a key blueprint for hip hop of later years – especially the rough-edged style of the west coast that began to emerge at the end of the 80s. CD brings together all the tracks from the group's 2 albums – a total of 41 short tunes that pack the punch of a hand grenade! Titles include "Pain", "A Pimp", "Take It", "Amerikkka", "The Prostitute", "F*cked", "Black In A White World", "Funny How Things Can Change", "Pimping Leaning & Feaning", "Keep You Doing Things", "The Meek Ain't Gonna", "Saint America", "They Shot Him", and "Response To A Bourgeois Nigger". CD

The debut album by Weezer! The now-dubbed Blue Album was released at the height of the post-Nirvana rock era, with whom the much more enthusiastic Weezer even shared label – and that very enthusiasm made them heroes to some and pariahs to others at the time. Now, of course, it's a classic – a prime example of nerdy guys with electric guitars living the dream. Produced by elder nerd turned rock god Ric Ocasek of The Cars. Includes "My Name Is Jonas", "No One Else", "Buddy Holly", "Undone - The Sweater Song", "Surf Wax America", "Say It Ain't So", "Holiday", "In The Garage" and "Only In Dreams". CD

A well done book about the continuing importance of soul and R&B in black culture over the decades – one that begins its journey in the 70s, and moves right up to the present with a key chapter on the music in the post-George Floyd landscape in America! Author Alexander Ghedi Weheliye has a very particular bent at times – and the chapters work together more almost like related essays, instead of an exhaustive whole – a format that allows him to shift topics easily – between cellphones, new wave, remix technology, and diaspora – while still also bringing everything together through continuing themes, and copious notes that accompany the writings. The book also features two interviews, and directions to an accompanying playlist on Spotify – and this softcover edition is almost 300 pages, with some black and white images. Book

Titles include "Kids In America", "Our Town", "Water On Glass", "Falling Out", "Chequered Love" and more! CD

The full early work of UK pop singer Kim Wilde – a big force on both sides of the Atlantic for a few short years, and part of a great wave of catchy girl-fronted music in the generation that also included Blondie and the Go-Gos! Kim's got her own special twist on the sound – one that also draws from some of the UK pop of the period, but which also never moves into too much synth or electro pop – and instead takes all the best upbeat, live energy of the early new wave years – and maybe gives it a more straightforward spin, in a way that helped Wilde get plenty of play on the charts! This nicely-done set features all three albums for the RAK label – Kim Wilde, Select, and Catch As Catch Can – plus bonus tracks that include "Boys", "He Will be There", "Child Come Away", "Just Another Guy", "Watching For Shapes", "Rain On", and "Back Seat Drive". CD4 features lots more bonus tracks too – special disco mixes that include "Kids In America (Luke Mornay rmx)", "Chequered Love (Matt Pop ext)", "Water On Glass (Project K soundtrack)", "Cambodia (Matt Pop ext)", "View From A Bridge (Project K soundtrack)", and "Take Me Tonight (Luke Mornay profondo giallo mix)". CD

A vocal jazz classic! Joe Williams had come to great fame as the singer with the Basie band during the 50s, but this beautiful album is unlike his usual work with the group – and shows a sophisticated vocal side of Joe that's really amazing. The album was arranged by Jimmy Mundy, with lush backings that bring out a sensitive side to Joe's rich voice – heartbreaking on most tracks, as you'd probably guess by the album's title. The mix of ballads features a few familiar numbers from the late 50s, plus some real charmers from earlier years that Joe reinterprets on his own level. Titles include "What's New?", "A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry", "Say It Isn't So", "Can't We Talk It Over?", "I'm Through With Love", and "I'll Never Smile Again". A wonderful treasure from the years when Roulette was cutting some of the most sophisticated vocal sessions in America! CD

A vocal jazz classic! Joe Williams had come to great fame as the singer with the Basie band during the 50s, but this beautiful album is unlike his usual work with the group – and shows a sophisticated vocal side of Joe that's really amazing. The album was arranged by Jimmy Mundy, with lush backings that bring out a sensitive side to Joe's rich voice – heartbreaking on most tracks, as you'd probably guess by the album's title. The mix of ballads features a few familiar numbers from the late 50s, plus some real charmers from earlier years that Joe reinterprets on his own level. Titles include "What's New?", "A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry", "Say It Isn't So", "Can't We Talk It Over?", "I'm Through With Love", and "I'll Never Smile Again". A wonderful treasure from the years when Roulette was cutting some of the most sophisticated vocal sessions in America! LP, Vinyl record album

A vocal jazz classic – finally out on CD! Joe Williams had come to great fame as the singer with the Basie band during the 50s, but this beautiful album is unlike his usual work with the group – and shows a sophisticated vocal side of Joe that's really amazing. The album was arranged by Jimmy Mundy, with lush backings that bring out a sensitive side to Joe's rich voice – heartbreaking on most tracks, as you'd probably guess by the album's title. The mix of ballads features a few familiar numbers from the late 50s, plus some real charmers from earlier years that Joe reinterprets on his own level. Titles include "What's New?", "A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry", "Say It Isn't So", "Can't We Talk It Over?", "I'm Through With Love", and "I'll Never Smile Again". A wonderful treasure from the years when Roulette was cutting some of the most sophisticated vocal sessions in America! CD

One of the best Stevie Wonder albums ever! Stevie's moving into god-like territory here – handling a multitude of styles, all well, and crafting some of the most sophisticated soul of his generation. The album's got the same jazzy references you'll find on the best work by Donny Hathaway – best heard on the sublime track "Golden Lady", which gets our clear vote for one of the best songs ever! Just about every track is great, though – and the album features the big hits "Living For The City", "All In Love Is Fair", "Higher Ground", and "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" – plus "He's Misstra Know It All", "Jesus Children Of America", and "Too High". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Stevie Wonder albums ever! Stevie's moving into god-like territory here – handling a multitude of styles, all well, and crafting some of the most sophisticated soul of his generation. The album's got the same jazzy references you'll find on the best work by Donny Hathaway – best heard on the sublime track "Golden Lady", which gets our clear vote for one of the best songs ever! Just about every track is great, though – and the album features the big hits "Living For The City", "All In Love Is Fair", "Higher Ground", and "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" – plus "He's Misstra Know It All", "Jesus Children Of America", and "Too High". CD

A stunner of an album – light years ahead of Phil's earlier work in America – a bit funky at times, with some really open-ended modern sounds! The album features Phil with his incredible European Rhythm Machine – a group that includes Gordon Beck on electric piano, Henri Texier on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – and the fat basslines of Texier are a wonderful match for the keyboards of Beck – both perfectly balancing things out on the groove! Tracks are long, and a mix of hard out soloing with some nice rhythmic grooving – almost in a modal fusion mode, but not quite – and titles include "Josua", "The Meeting", "Freedom Jazz Dance", and "Ode A Jean-Louis". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "America", "Sweet Dreams", "Time & A Word", "Looking Around", "Then", "Survival", and "Astral Traveller". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most mindblowing pop culture pastiches of the 60s – a record that's as absolutely mad as it is absolutely free – and proof that a whole new generation of musicians like Zappa were using the studio like an instrument itself! This is work that could have never existed away from record – as the mix of sounds, moods, and music comes together with a maddening frenzy – hardly the languid speed you'd expect from the early years of hippiedom – and instead, an inspirational stream of styles and ideas delivered with trademark Zappa dexterity and wit! The album's divided into two long passages – "Absolutely Free" and "The MOI American Pageant" – with tracks that include "Plastic People", "Amnesia Vivace", "The Duke Regains His Chops", "America Drinks & Goes Home", "Son Of Suzy Creamcheese", "Status Back Baby", and "The Duke Of Prunes". LP, Vinyl record album

An early masterpiece from Frank Zappa – one of those records that looks like it's going to be a big ol' mess when you first see the cover – but which turns out to be a carefully calculated act of madness in the end! The Mothers have all their freeform freaky brilliance intact here – still some of the snide edges of the early years, but also really learning their craft as well – and stretching out under Zappa's direction into a pastiche of songs that explore the anxieties and inanities of late 60s America! Frank produced the whole thing with an approach that others wouldn't reach for years – shifting styles, instrumentation, and sound sources with effortless ease – over tracks that include "Hot Poop", "The Idiot Bastard", "Lonely Little Girl", "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance", "Harry You're A Beast", "Mom & Dad", "Who Needs The Peace Corps", and "Flower Punk". CD

An early masterpiece from Frank Zappa – one of those records that looks like it's going to be a big ol' mess when you first see the cover – but which turns out to be a carefully calculated act of madness in the end! The Mothers have all their freeform freaky brilliance intact here – still some of the snide edges of the early years, but also really learning their craft as well – and stretching out under Zappa's direction into a pastiche of songs that explore the anxieties and inanities of late 60s America! Frank produced the whole thing with an approach that others wouldn't reach for years – shifting styles, instrumentation, and sound sources with effortless ease – over tracks that include "Hot Poop", "The Idiot Bastard", "Lonely Little Girl", "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance", "Harry You're A Beast", "Mom & Dad", "Who Needs The Peace Corps", and "Flower Punk". CD

An early masterpiece from Frank Zappa – one of those records that looks like it's going to be a big ol' mess when you first see the cover – but which turns out to be a carefully calculated act of madness in the end! The Mothers have all their freeform freaky brilliance intact here – still some of the snide edges of the early years, but also really learning their craft as well – and stretching out under Zappa's direction into a pastiche of songs that explore the anxieties and inanities of late 60s America! Frank produced the whole thing with an approach that others wouldn't reach for years – shifting styles, instrumentation, and sound sources with effortless ease – over tracks that include "Hot Poop", "The Idiot Bastard", "Lonely Little Girl", "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance", "Harry You're A Beast", "Mom & Dad", "Who Needs The Peace Corps", and "Flower Punk". LP, Vinyl record album

An early masterpiece from Frank Zappa – one of those records that looks like it's going to be a big ol' mess when you first see the cover – but which turns out to be a carefully calculated act of madness in the end! The Mothers have all their freeform freaky brilliance intact here – still some of the snide edges of the early years, but also really learning their craft as well – and stretching out under Zappa's direction into a pastiche of songs that explore the anxieties and inanities of late 60s America! Frank produced the whole thing with an approach that others wouldn't reach for years – shifting styles, instrumentation, and sound sources with effortless ease – over tracks that include "Hot Poop", "The Idiot Bastard", "Lonely Little Girl", "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance", "Harry You're A Beast", "Mom & Dad", "Who Needs The Peace Corps", and "Flower Punk". CD

A great side of the too-small Zombies catalog of the 60s – rare material recorded for BBC Radio – almost all of it with the same sort of great fidelity as their famous singles! The music here spans the years 1964 to 1968 – starting with some early material with a grittier edge, and featuring a surprising handful of soul music covers, too – including tracks by Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, and Bo Diddley – in addition to the group's own originals. Covers include "This Old Heart Of Mine", "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "Just A Little Bit", "Soulville", "It's All Right", and "For You My Love" – next to Zombies originals "She's Not There", "What More Can I Do", "Friends Of Mine", "Whenever You're Ready", and "Just Out Of Reach". Also includes some cool other bits – including "Kenny Everett Interview & Jingle", plus "Colin Talks About The Continent", "The Zombies Find America", and "Different Instruments" – all interview passages. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from America, The New Seekers, Maria Muldaur, The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, Seals & Crofts, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Bonnie Tyler, Robert John, George McCrae, Alan O'Day, KC & The Sunshine Band, Honey Cone, Jigsaw, Harry Chapin, Randy Vanwarmer, and more. CD

A tight collection of uptempo funk and disco-driven soul tunes – with a selection that goes way past the usual dancefloor favorites! We're not sure how to read the title (which seems to have some sort of "inside take" on black culture in America) so we'll write that off to the overzealous imagination of the British compilers of the set – but we will say that the package includes some great numbers that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, including a few previously unissued tunes by artists on the Westbound label! The groove is upbeat on most tracks, with plenty of jazzy flourishes and a soulful approach to disco. Titles include "Disco Booty" by Melvin Sparks, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" by Sylvester, "Free Man" by South Shore Commission, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Latin Disco" by The Counts, "Alvin Stone (The Birth & Death Of A Gangster)" by Fantastic Four, "Moon Trek" by Mike Theodore, "Sadie" by Joe Bataan, "Sure Can't Go To The Moon" by CJ & Co, and "The Magic Man" by King Errison. CD

Heavy funk from around the globe – and a volume of this series that seems even more focused on classic cuts than contemporary ones – all pulled together in a wicked blend of sounds from Africa, South America, Australia, and even American scenes in Texas and Florida too! There's a solidly 70s vibe throughout – and even the few newer numbers have a sound that stands strongly alongside the older numbers – a vibe so rich we'll forgive the cover (and the series) for its slightly pandering title – and just get on with the work of digging the music in the grooves! Highlights include some great covers – Cymande's "Brothers On The Slide" by Sonny Benton & The Typhoons, Dexter Wansel's "Life On Mars" by Antipodelica, and Donny Hathaway's classic "Valdez In The Country" by The Cuba Libre All-Stars – and other titles include "Black Rite" by Mkali Bahari Orchesra, "Razor Blade" by The Sentinels, "Rotation" by Toshio Asukataei, "The Gold Coast" by Coconut 74, "Buckingham Palace" by Glenn Eden Set, and "Sao Paulo" by Nova Catalina Octet. LP, Vinyl record album

Really cool cuts from the French club scene of the 70s – a weird and wonderful assortment of sounds that all came from producer Daniel Vangarde and his Zagora Record label – a place where all sorts of criss-crossing styles could work together in a really wonderful way! Some moments have cool moogy electronics, others take off from funky French soundtrack productions, and others echo the currents of soul and global music that was getting a chance to try something new in the French studios – clearly given plenty of the right inspiration from Vangarde himself! Most of these cuts never got release in the US, and the selection of tracks is wonderful – a very fresh take on territory we thought we knew already – on selections that include "Midemman (Theme Midem 74)" by The Lovelets, "Dancin Machine" by Who's Who", "I'm Looking For Jeremy" by Soul Iberica Band, "Laugh" by La Boca, "Voyager II (12" version)" by Starbow, "Moog Jealousy" by The Electronic System, "Des Que T'As Dit Disco T'As Tout Dit (ext)" by Rocky & Vandella, "Kono Samourai" by Yamasuki, "Greek Girls" by The Great Disco Bouzuki Band, "Let Me Love You Tonight" by Vicky Edimo, "Come To America (disco inst)" by Gibson Brothers, "La Nuit Des Requins" by La Compagnie Creole, "AIE (A Mwana)" by Black Blood, and "La Poursuite" by Daniel Vangarde himself. CD

The legendary Def Jam label serves up a big message in its music – bringing together hip hop cuts from the past and present, all as a way of dealing with the issues that broke big in 2020! At some level, the set's almost a "best of" for the label – although not all these cuts were hits, and work together more as a release by Def Jam that's maybe a bit more overtly political than some of their recent releases. Titles include "Daughters" by Nas, "Glory" by Common & John Legend, "Behind Bars" by Slick Rick, "Fight The Power" by Public Enemy, "Why" by Jadakiss with Anthony Hamilton, "Condemnation" by Yung Cassius, "FDT" by YG with Nipsey Hussle, "America" by Logic with Black Thought & Chuck D, "The Hate You Give" by Bobby Sessions with Keite Young, "My President" by Jezzy with Nas, "Slippin" by DMX, and "Talk About It" by Fabolous, Jadakiss, & Teyana Taylor. LP, Vinyl record album

Dancefloor cookers from the prime Northern Soul years – all instrumental numbers on this sharp compilation on Kent – 45 sides from a labels like Money, Villa, Swan, King, Epic and Warner Brothers! For all the wonderful Kent soul compilations we've gotten our dusty fingers on over the years, it's a wonder they're never been one devoted to instrumentals – until now! Rhythms roll along at a tight tempo, the tight guitars punch it up, some strings soar, and a pounding Northern beat keeps it all stomping! Those core elements are key, but others weave in an out, from hand claps on the beat, to organ grooves, bursts of brass and more. 24 tracks in all: "Double Cookin" by Checkerboard Squares, "Make Me Yours" by Arthur Wright & His Orchestra, "Festival Time" by San Remo Golden Strings", "The Sounds Of Lane" by Tracks To Your Mind, "Champion Pt 1" by Willie Mitchell, "The Guys From Uncle" by The Spy, "Stirrin Up Some Soul" by The Mar-Ketts, "Hey America (Sing Along)" by James Brown, "California Montage" by Young-Holt Unlimited and more. CD

There's a host of cool keyboards on the cover, and that's what you'll hear on the record as well – used in all these really groovy space age styles over more conventional Latin rhythms – all of which made for a really incredible subgenre of sounds on the scene in Ecuador during the 70s! Most of the music here has the touch of Polibio Mayorga on the keys – sometimes as the lead artist, sometimes as a contributor to another's' work – and the cuts mix rootsier percussion and sometimes use Andean melodies, but all have these really weird and unusual electric parts too – an outer space organ line, or a moogy electronic flourish – all of which makes for some wonderfully trippy sounds throughout! As always with Analog Africa, the presentation is fantastic – and titles include "America India" by Junior Y Su Equipo, "Mi Paisa" by Olmedo Torres Y Poblibio Mayorga, "Haciendo Bomba" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "Llorona" by Los Locos Del Ritmo, "Muevase Vecina" by Eduardo Morales, "Bomba De Pobres" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "La Perra Vida" by Conjunto La Lorga, "Munequita Blanca" by Orti Mayorga Y Chiriboga, and "Cumbia Totorana", "Ferrocarril", and "Culebrita Dormida" by Polibio Mayorga. CD

There's a host of cool keyboards on the cover, and that's what you'll hear on the record as well – used in all these really groovy space age styles over more conventional Latin rhythms – all of which made for a really incredible subgenre of sounds on the scene in Ecuador during the 70s! Most of the music here has the touch of Polibio Mayorga on the keys – sometimes as the lead artist, sometimes as a contributor to another's' work – and the cuts mix rootsier percussion and sometimes use Andean melodies, but all have these really weird and unusual electric parts too – an outer space organ line, or a moogy electronic flourish – all of which makes for some wonderfully trippy sounds throughout! As always with Analog Africa, the presentation is fantastic – and titles include "America India" by Junior Y Su Equipo, "Mi Paisa" by Olmedo Torres Y Poblibio Mayorga, "Haciendo Bomba" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "Llorona" by Los Locos Del Ritmo, "Muevase Vecina" by Eduardo Morales, "Bomba De Pobres" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "La Perra Vida" by Conjunto La Lorga, "Munequita Blanca" by Orti Mayorga Y Chiriboga, and "Cumbia Totorana", "Ferrocarril", and "Culebrita Dormida" by Polibio Mayorga. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from the Belgian scene of the 70s – a really mad mix of sounds and styles, and a really revelatory set overall! Few people might use the words "Belgium" and "funk" in the same sentence – but that may well change after this sweet set gets a few spins – as the whole thing's a stunning array of groovers that not only match the best jazz, funk, and sound library tracks from other European scenes in the 70s – they also do a great job of taking on the best America had to offer too! Belgium was no stranger to soul and funk – given its fervent 60s soul collectors scene, and the nation's role as a crossroads in Europe – which left it open to plenty of influence from visiting musicians, including American artists as well. You can definitely hear all that coming into play here – as the work is nicely fresh, and very free of overdone cliches or easy references – as these guys all take the best bits that might have influenced them, and jumbled them up into something really new. The scope of sounds is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Tramway" by Mad Unity, "Sunshine Star" by Open Sky Unit, "Gimme Some More Of That" by Plus, "Funky" by Andre Brasseur, "Avenue Louise" by Black Blood, "Music & Co" by Les Helions, "Balek" by Placebo, "Librium" by Chicken Curry & His Pop Percussion Orchestra, "Top Less" by Alex Scorier, "Stories" by Chakachas, "Ostinato Bass" by Rene Costy, "Memories" by Amadeo, "Viva Boma" by Cos, "Pop In Three" by The Rapture, "Smoke" by Leo Cavallo, "Marakesh" by Hein Huysmans Kwintet, "One For You" by Doug Lucas, "Put Everything Together" by Plus, "Lord Funk" by Super Funk Special, and "Humpty Dumpty" by Placebo. CD

Fantastic funk from the Belgian scene of the 70s – a really mad mix of sounds and styles, and a really revelatory set overall! Few people might use the words "Belgium" and "funk" in the same sentence – but that may well change after this sweet set gets a few spins – as the whole thing's a stunning array of groovers that not only match the best jazz, funk, and sound library tracks from other European scenes in the 70s – they also do a great job of taking on the best America had to offer too! Belgium was no stranger to soul and funk – given its fervent 60s soul collectors scene, and the nation's role as a crossroads in Europe – which left it open to plenty of influence from visiting musicians, including American artists as well. You can definitely hear all that coming into play here – as the work is nicely fresh, and very free of overdone cliches or easy references – as these guys all take the best bits that might have influenced them, and jumbled them up into something really new. The scope of sounds is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Tramway" by Mad Unity, "Sunshine Star" by Open Sky Unit, "Gimme Some More Of That" by Plus, "Funky" by Andre Brasseur, "Avenue Louise" by Black Blood, "Music & Co" by Les Helions, "Balek" by Placebo, "Librium" by Chicken Curry & His Pop Percussion Orchestra, "Top Less" by Alex Scorier, "Stories" by Chakachas, and "Ostinato Bass" by Rene Costy. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little discovery from the 60s – work from a teeny tiny Canadian label, but all of it pretty darn great! Not many groups recorded for the Gaeity Records label, but they all seem to be pretty well skilled at picking up on the best elements of 60s psyche pop and garage – all delivered here with a simple but effective groove that's almost a bridge between the LA and Chicago scenes of the mid 60s. CD features 24 tracks in all – broken into sections group by group – and titles include "World Of Dreams" and "Only In America" by The Plague, "Lies" and "Nature's Love" by Solid Reputation, "So Much In Love With You" and "My Time Is Comin" by The Checkerlads, "If You Can Dig It" and "Ode To A Cucumber, A Berry, & A Flower" by The Dewline, "Lexington Avenue" by Farmer John, "Yours Until Tomorrow" and "That's The Tune" by Flying Colours, "To Be Back Home" and "I Brought My Love With Me" by NRG/Merriday Park, and "Baby Get Out" and "Set Me Free" by Portland Street South. CD

Some of the most righteous recordings ever issued – a rich batch of soul, funk, rock, and spoken word tracks from the boldest era of African American empowerment! The set does a great job of mixing together classic cuts and overlooked nuggets – all of which bring forth the message of the times with energy that's far more direct, and far more powerful than some of the more easygoing songs of the Civil Rights era – a musical shift that follows the cultural one documented in the book of the same title! The collection and notes are done by Pat Thomas – who wrote the Listen Whitey book – and he's done a really amazing job of picking just the right selections, and finding a way to make them all resonate together beautifully – in ways that only increase the focus and strength of their message. Titles incude "Free Bobby Now" by The Lumpen, "I Ain't Black" by Kain, "Free Huey" by Stokely Carmichael, "Invitation To Black Power (parts 1 & 2)" by Sahid Quintet, "Woman Of The Ghetto (live)" by Marlena Shaw, "Who Will Survive America" by Amiri Baraka, "Winter In America (solo version)" by Gil Scott Heron, "I Hate The White Man" by Roy Harper, "Dem Niggers Ain't Playing" by The Watts Prophets, "Tim Leary" by Eldridge Cleaver, and "Angela" by John Lennon & Yoko Ono. CD

An incredible collection – and one that fills in a crucially under-documented side of the New York dancefloor generation – the wealth of special mixes and edits that were made for that city's important DJs for their own use in clubs! The package sorts through a mountain of never-issued acetates, and goes way past conventional disco or rare club collections – to showcase the special mixing talents these DJs brought to their re-presentation of the material – which was usually done on tape, then pressed onto acetate discs for their own private use! Those rare treasures are brought forth here – in a beautiful package that's also overflowing with fantastic notes that finally give this lost history its due – all handled by Al Kent – who's a hell of a mixer himself, as well as an underground club historian. Vinyl part 1 features five different records, all with lots of space for the tunes to stretch out – and titles include "I Just Wanna Say I Love You (John Luongo rmx)" by Leon Collins, "What About Love (Tony Gioe rmx)" by Marboo, "Ten Percent (Walter Gibbons Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Double Exposure, "Inside America (Rick Gianatos disco queen acetate edit)" by Juggy Murray Jones, "Dancing Free (John Luongo rmx)" by Hot Ice, "Black Water Gold (Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by The Sunshine Band, "Magic Bird Of Fire (Francois Kevorkian Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Salsoul Orchestra, "It's Good For The Soul (Jay Negron Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Salsoul Orchestra, "My Love Is Free (Walter Gibbons disco madness rmx)" by Double Exposure, "Reaching Out For Happiness (Jonathan Fearing rmx)" by Fay Hauser, "Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Tom Savarese rmx)" by Love Symphony Orchestra, "The Beat Goes On & On (Jim Burgess rmx)" by Ripple, "I Wanna Be Near You (John Morales Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Ruby Andrews, "I've Been Looking For Somebody (Walter Gibbons rmx)" by TC James & The Fist O Funk Orchestra, "The Disco Scene (Rick Gianatos rmx)" by Lake Shore Drive, "Bumpsie's Whipping Cream (Tom Savarese rmx)" by TC James & The Fist O Funk Orchestra, and "Janice (Bobby DJ Guttadoro rmx)" by Skip Mahoney. LP, Vinyl record album

Sick of all the modern R&B that never seems to go anywhere? Check this great collection of some of the best indie NuSoul from America – put together by the folks at London's Soul Brother record shop – and prepare to be impressed! The Soul Brother crew selected tunes by 5 of today's best underground soul acts – all fiercely independent artists who are working from the fringes to transform the sound of soul music, bringing in a much needed infusion of quality, and a firm commitment to holding up the standards the genre maintained back in the glory days of the 70s. We sell work by all these artists on individual CDs, but the package itself is a great way to sample their work before dipping in – and the vinyl version marks the first time most of this stuff's ever been on wax! Titles include "Keep Your Head Up", "Just A Little", "Groovin"', and "You Are My Friend" by Laurnea; "Good Lovin" and "I've Got It" by Ledisi; "Soul From The Abyss", "What's Wrong With You", and "See Ya In My Dreams" by N'Dambi; "Do Ya Wanna Do", "The Pocket", and "Spirit" by Karen Bernod; and "Treat You Right", "Rise", and "Thank You" by Ian. CD

A really unusual collection, with a sound that's very much its own – a set that seeks not to pin down a certain scene or style of music – but instead maybe capture a special mood, one that's very much in line with the title! There's definitely a certain sort of melancholy to the set – yet that's only part of the picture too – as many of these cuts have a vibe that's post-folk, post-Sunshine pop – maybe a bit rootsy in production, but also served up with a mature approach to songwriting and vocals that really set the tunes apart. You might think of these artists as being farther left field of America at their height – and we mean that in the best way possible – working with some of the harmonies and blueness of Alzo & Udine, and in a similar mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation that really fits the spirit of the lyrics. The liner notes are a bit scant on dates or information on most of the artists – the compilers prefer more to talk about themselves – but the music speaks volumes by itself, on tracks that include "Holy River" by Space Opera, "Loaves & Fishes" by Willow, "NY Survivor" by Randy & The Goats, "Illusion" by Norma Tanega, "Tomorrow Is Gone" by Jode, "Sad About The Times" by West, "The Running Water" by The Smubbs, "Here Comes The Sun" by Oliver Klaus, "Wolf" by Antonia Lamb, "Lover Now Alone" by Kevin Vicalvi, "Sails Across The Sea" by Bob Metzdorf, "Maybe Someday Maybe Never" by Dennis Stoner, and "Lonely City" by Hollins Ferry. CD

The title's certainly got it right – as the set's overflowing with killer UK tracks from a time when the scene was heavily influenced by American soul, jazz, blues, and R&B – served up here on a host of singles that go way past the bigger names of that generation, and which really show the diversity and complexity of the underground groups who were making London hum in the mid 60s! And despite a strong influence from America, most of these acts aren't just aping music from our shores, and instead are already taking it to new and exciting places – using core elements in very different ways, at a level that would end up being a path forward for prog, psych, and other styles to come! The limited 2LP set features 34 tracks in all – and titles include "Oh Yeah" by The Others, "Unchain My Heart" by Trendbender Band, "Work Song" by James Royal, "I Still Want You" by Mickey Finn & The Blue Men, "Things She Says" by The In Crowd, "Crawdaddy Simone" by The Syndicats, "That Driving Beat" by The Favourite Sons, "I Take What I Want" by The Artwoods, "Number One" by Stormsville Shakers, "See Saw" by The Union, "Ain't Love Good" by Lucas & The Mike Cotton Sound, "Gotta Brand New Man" by Barry St Loun, "Last Night" by Laurel Aitken & The Soul Men, "Turn On Your Lovelight" by Wynder K Frog, "Something For Nothing" by Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede, "Good Lovin Never Hurt" by The Soul Brothers, "Hold On" by Ruperts People, and "She's A Girl" by The Attraction. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from the Colemine label – a company who've given us plenty of great albums over the years, but who seem especially well-tuned to the funky 45! Along with Daptone, Big Crown, and a few others, Colemine is one of the labels who turn out top-shelf 7" singles again and again – most of which are in limited pressings, disappear fast, and are sometimes pretty expensive if you can find them! This set corrects that issue, and brings together 27 nuggets that originally appeared as funky 45s – all stacked together nicely as a massive LP set, with a nice price break from trying to track down the singles. Titles include "Gripsweats Them" by The Gripsweats, "Don't You Know" by Durand Jones & The Indications, "NUSAU" by Jungle Fire, "Supermoon" by Ikebe Shakedown, "What A Shame" by Jr Thomas & The Volcanos, "War Room" by Black Market Brass, "Aragon" by Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, "My God Has A Telephone" by Flying Stars Of Brooklyn, "He's On Time" by Harlem Gospel Travelers, "Happiness" by Wesley Bright & The Honeytones, "It Was Only A Dream" by Thee Sinseers, "America" by Soul Scratch, and "Sure Don't Miss You" by The Dip. LP, Vinyl record album