A massive little record, and a real turning point for alto genius Lou Donaldson – as he uses the set to move from the tight bop of earlier years into a whole new spectrum of funky grooves! Key to this project is drummer Idris Muhammad – who's on the kit, already kicking it up in the way that would make him a jazz funk legend as the 70s began – but so young here, he's working under his original name of Leo Morris! The rest of the group is equally great – with the up-and-coming Lonnie Smith on Hammond and Jimmy Ponder on guitar – plus tight trumpet from Blue Mitchell, who's really hitting his most soulful sound of the 60s. Titles include Donaldson's fantastic funky reworking of "Ode To Billie Joe" – a very famous sample cut over the years – plus the soulful groovers "The Humpback", "Peepin", "The Kid", and a nice take on "The Shadow Of Your Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most perfectly crafted moments of Lou Donaldson's hardbop genius at Blue Note – and a beautiful example of the way that Lou could handle the alto sax with a sharpness that earned him a place in the post-Parker lineage – but also a sense of soul that was miles away from Bird! The setting here is a quintet – with Bill Hardman on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, Al Harewood on drums, and either Sam Jones or Laymon Jackson on bass – a great group who set up a warmly rolling groove that's perfect for Donaldson – tight, but never uptight, and with just the right sort of vibe to move along with Lou's sense of energy. Donaldson's horn is beautifully precise throughout, and the whole thing's recorded with impeccable Rudy Van Gelder clarity. Titles include "The Truth", "Good Grease", "Blues For JP", and "Politely". CD

One of the most perfectly crafted moments of Lou Donaldson's hardbop genius at Blue Note – and a beautiful example of the way that Lou could handle the alto sax with a sharpness that earned him a place in the post-Parker lineage – but also a sense of soul that was miles away from Bird! The setting here is a quintet – with Bill Hardman on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, Al Harewood on drums, and either Sam Jones or Laymon Jackson on bass – a great group who set up a warmly rolling groove that's perfect for Donaldson – tight, but never uptight, and with just the right sort of vibe to move along with Lou's sense of energy. Donaldson's horn is beautifully precise throughout, and the whole thing's recorded with impeccable Rudy Van Gelder clarity. Titles include "The Truth", "Good Grease", "Blues For JP", and "Politely". CD

The standout LP from The Dream Warriors – a quirky hip hop group who first sprung onto the scene in the wake of De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. The duo were Canadian, and had a style that was a bit more open-ended than others – with room for odd samples and a keen sense of humor. Both of these are displayed well in the album's classic track "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" – a pretty great number that sampled heavily from Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova", many years before the track became better known as the theme from Austin Powers. Other tracks include "Follow Me Not", "Ludi", "Tune From the Missing Channel", and "Wash Your Face in My Sink". " CD

A nice, moody hip hop/funk album from one of the deepest talents on the Stones Throw roster! Dudley came to underground hip hop fame as Declaime, but really stepped forward as a durable, innovative artist with the Dudley Perkins singles that have dropped thus far – and A Lil Light soundly delivers on that promise. It's all about mood – this may be the murkiest, most muddily funky thing Madlib has ever produced, with crackly, hissing beats, bass and samples. Dudley's vocals are about as far from the crooning NuSoul sound as you can get. He's grooves along with an improvised feel to the lyrics, loosely scatting in both a rolling deep bass and a soulful, nearly crying falsetto. The sound falls somewhere between the denser parts of D'Angelo's Voodoo and the spacier aspects of 70s soul and funk. Totally unique and satisfying – would you expect any less of Stones Throw? Tracks include "Money", the Sun Ra-inspired "Gotta Go", "You Really Know Me?", "Washedbrainsyndrome", "Flowers", "Just Think", "Yo' Soul", "Momma", "Lil' Black Boy" and more. CD

Dudley's second full length for Stones Throw under his own name – third overall, counting his debut as Declaime – and one of the most surefooted, soul-steeped Madlib productions of the era! Again, Madlib wisely leans on warm funk and soul beats and samples to back Dudley, but it's a little lighter on the murk and grit this time, better to match Dudley's more confident vocals. Dudley's voice leads the way with a charismatic mix of laidback singing and rhymes. Great stuff – a low key masterclass in funky hip hop soul! 13 tracks in all, including "Funky Dudley", "The Last Stand", "Dear God", "Come Here My Dear", "Testin' Me", "Get On Up", "Dolla Bill", "That's The Way It's Gonna Be" and "Separate Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet bit of modern funk from George Duke – working here in a mode that's definitely tighter and more soul-based than his trippier albums of the early 70s – but also in a groove that's pretty darn sweet! George wonderfully blends together his jazz roots and some of the wider soul styles he'd helped forge on the California scene – keeping things smooth, but never slick – bringing in some nice acoustic percussion alongside the album's overall electric sound. A number of cuts have vocals, and George handled both production and arrangements – on tracks that include the P-Funky "Dukey Stick", an old sample from way back – plus "Movin On", "The Future", "We Give Our Love", and "Percussion Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent 70s soul from the great Ronnie Dyson – first famous as a singer in the original cast of Hair, but later a soul star in his own right, with a few massive hits that brought him big fame! The arrangements here are by Thom Bell, who gives Ronnie's vocals a fragile quality that works wonders, and by Jimmy Wisner, who hits a little bit more of a deep approach with Ronnie – and the tunes on the set are a strong example of the more sophisticated styles of east coast production during the 70s. Includes Ronnie's big hit "One Man Band", plus "I Don't Wanna Cry", "When You Get Right Down To It", "A Wednesday In Your Garden", "The Love Of A Woman", "Girl Don't Come", "Don't Be Afraid", "Fever", "Make It With You", "(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You", "Give In To Love", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", and "A Touch Of Baby". CD

Genius, pure genius! It was hard for Earth, Wind & Fire to go wrong at this point – and the album's a stellar blend of jazz, funk, and soul, all done in that perfect style they'd hit by the mid 70s. And even though this one was a monster album, of the type that you see in everyone's record collection from the time, it's still got a freshness that we always forget about – and lots of nice twists and turns that show that the band hadn't lost their more sophisticated roots. Case in point is the wonderful "Brazilian Rhyme", a short little groover that you'll instantly recognize as a sample from the first Tribe Called Quest album. Other tracks include "Jupiter", "In The Marketplace", "Magic Mind", "Runnin", "Be Ever Wonderful", and "Serpentine Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

A big hit for the group – and a great album of smooth funky soul! Spirit is a perfect example of the way that Earth Wind & Fire could tighten things up, yet still keep them real – holding onto the deeply spiritual side that first made them great – but also focusing their energy towards a wider audience that showed their influence for years! Of course, with Charles Stepney helping out on production, it's hard to miss – and he's one of the few cats who could handle a blend like this so well. The compression in the band's playing is impeccable – with just the right mix of spacey spiritualism, sophisticated jazzy playing, and a straight ahead love of the soulful hook. Includes the instrumentals "Biyo" and "Departure", plus the vocal tracks "Earth Wind & Fire","Burnin Bush", "Spirit", "Imagination", and "Getaway", all produced to perfection by Maurice White and Charles Stepney! LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classics from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! First up is Spirit – a big hit for the group – and a great album of smooth funky soul! Spirit is a perfect example of the way that Earth Wind & Fire could tighten things up, yet still keep them real – holding onto the deeply spiritual side that first made them great – but also focusing their energy towards a wider audience that showed their influence for years! Of course, with Charles Stepney helping out on production, it's hard to miss – and he's one of the few cats who could handle a blend like this so well. The compression in the band's playing is impeccable – with just the right mix of spacey spiritualism, sophisticated jazzy playing, and a straight ahead love of the soulful hook. Includes the instrumentals "Biyo" and "Departure", plus the vocal tracks "Earth Wind & Fire","Burnin Bush", "Spirit", "Imagination", and "Getaway", all produced to perfection by Maurice White and Charles Stepney! That's The Way Of The World may be Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and Afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth, Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid-70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD

Insanely wonderful doo-wop material from this legendary Chicago group – one of the few truly great full length albums in a mostly singles-dominated genre! The title track is well known not only for the original, but for a later famous sample by De La Soul – and it's a great example of the kind of grooves on the set – rough-hewn and gritty, much more in the best stripped-down doo wop mode, before production started getting too sweet. Titles include "At My Front Door", "Annie's Answer", "My Loving Baby", "Now That You've Gone", "Rock N Roll's For Me", "I Began To Realize", and "There In the Night" – and as an added bonus, the record actually features 2 more cuts by The Magnificents, another great Chicago group – "Up On the Mountain" and "Caddy Bo". LP, Vinyl record album

EPMD's incredible full length debut – a straight up all caps CLASSIC late 80s effort – raising the bar for the genre and helping pave the way for so much of the best golden age hip hop to come! Bottom heavy funky soul beats and masterful use of samples anchor the production, and the rhyme style is benchmark, too, a measured approach to the vocals that stood out at the time for it's slow flowing style and fresh to this day. A cool, confident hip hop masterpiece, and titles include "It's My Thing", "You Gots To Chill", "Strictly Business", "You're A Customer", "Get Off The Bandwagon", "I'm Housin'", "So Let The Funk Flow", "The Steve Martin", "DJ K La Boss" and "Jane". CD

One of the last great soul albums on the Westbound label – the Detroit funk powerhouse known for famous records by Funkadelic, The Counts, and the Detroit Emeralds! Eramus Hall have a vague P-Funk connection – and according to legend, the band were given their name by George Clinton, who had seen a building in Chicago named Eramus Hall – but the sound is a lot smoother than any of the P-Funk projects of the time, and the group's strongest point is their smooth soul groove, augmented by a tight jazz funk style on the best cuts. In a way, they're sort of like a morphed version of late Parliament – with a funk sound that's nicely compressed, but still a lot more true than any of the countless other bands on the market who were aping P-Funk at the time. Highlights include the groovers "Your Love Is My Desire" and "She Shined A Light", both with nice sample moments – and other tracks include "Stuck In The Mudd", "Funk Permit", and "Think Positively". CD

One of the last great soul albums on the Westbound label – the Detroit funk powerhouse known for famous records by Funkadelic, The Counts, and the Detroit Emeralds! Eramus Hall have a vague P-Funk connection – and according to legend, the band were given their name by George Clinton, who had seen a building in Chicago named Eramus Hall – but the sound is a lot smoother than any of the P-Funk projects of the time, and the group's strongest point is their smooth soul groove, augmented by a tight jazz funk style on the best cuts. In a way, they're sort of like a morphed version of late Parliament – with a funk sound that's nicely compressed, but still a lot more true than any of the countless other bands on the market who were aping P-Funk at the time. Highlights include the groovers "Your Love Is My Desire" and "She Shined A Light", both with nice sample moments – and other tracks include "Stuck In The Mudd", "Funk Permit", and "Think Positively". LP, Vinyl record album

The fourth and final Eric B & Rakim LP from their classic mid 80s to early 90s run – with some of Rakim's finest rhymes and most devasting delivery to date, and some of Eric B's best production, too! The title track, if course, is a monster – with Rakim's precise rhymes, the furious funky beat, massive soul jazz bass and horn bit culled from Young-Holt Unlimited and Kool & The Gang samples, it'll be a stunner til the end of time – but the record as a whole deserves an eternal shelf life. The end of an incredible era in hip hop. "What's On Your Mind", "Teach The Children", "Pass The Hand Grenade", "Casualties Of War", "Rest Assured", "The Punisher", "Relax With Pep", "Keep The Beat", "What's Going On" and "Kick Along". CD

A great example of the way that Gil Evans really opened up his groove in the 70s – moving here way way past the cool jazz and third stream of earlier years – into a soulful style that's far groovier than might be expected! Part of the strength of the set is because of the players – as Gil's working with a group of younger soul jazz and spiritual soloists that include Ted Dunbar, Billy Harper, and Hannibal Marvin Peterson – as well as the older soul modernist Richard Williams. But there's also some other specifically Evans-like touches to the record that stand out – like Gil's stark notes on acoustic piano and his lighter work on the electric keys – plus a bit of inventive synthesizer from David Horowitz, who makes a few tracks really crackle with energy. Tracks include "Zee Zee", "Blues In Orbit", "Cry Of Hunger", and "Thoroughbred" – the latter two of which are lovely compositions by Billy Harper! CD

A great example of the way that Gil Evans really opened up his groove in the 70s – moving here way way past the cool jazz and third stream of earlier years – into a soulful style that's far groovier than might be expected! Part of the strength of the set is because of the players – as Gil's working with a group of younger soul jazz and spiritual soloists that include Ted Dunbar, Billy Harper, and Hannibal Marvin Peterson – as well as the older soul modernist Richard Williams. But there's also some other specifically Evans-like touches to the record that stand out – like Gil's stark notes on acoustic piano and his lighter work on the electric keys – plus a bit of inventive synthesizer from David Horowitz, who makes a few tracks really crackle with energy. Tracks include "Zee Zee", "Blues In Orbit", "Cry Of Hunger", and "Thoroughbred" – the latter two of which are lovely compositions by Billy Harper! LP, Vinyl record album

Gently graceful work from Art Farmer – and a wonderful example of the way he was expanding his talents in the 70s! The set's got a slow burning sensuality that seems to bring even more soul out of Farmer's work on flugelhorn than before – especially on the mellower cuts, which seem especially written as showcases for Art's masterful examples of understatement. But don't go thinking that the album's all ballads, because with a rhythm section that includes Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins, the tracks move along nicely, even when in a gentler mode. Titles include "The Summer Knows", "Ditty", "Manha Do Carnaval", and "When I Fall In Love". CD

Gently graceful work from Art Farmer – and a wonderful example of the way he was expanding his talents in the 70s! The set's got a slow burning sensuality that seems to bring even more soul out of Farmer's work on flugelhorn than before – especially on the mellower cuts, which seem especially written as showcases for Art's masterful examples of understatement. But don't go thinking that the album's all ballads, because with a rhythm section that includes Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, and Billy Higgins, the tracks move along nicely, even when in a gentler mode. Titles include "The Summer Knows", "Ditty", "Manha Do Carnaval", and "When I Fall In Love". CD

Art Farmer really found a great home for his music on the Soul Note label in the 80s – a place where he could continue to grow strongly, in ways that almost let him find a new sort of edge in his horn! This album's a wonderful example of the strengths that Farmer found at the label – as the album's got an easygoing feel, but a bit more bit than some of Art's work of the 80s – a crisp tone in his own flugelhorn, which he'd mastered even more at the time, and some great support from the mighty Clifford Jordan on tenor, whose playing really adds a lot of depth to the session. Remaining players include Fred Hersh on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Akira Tana on drums – a pretty hip rhythm section – and titles include "You Make Me Smile", "Prelude No 1", "Nostalgia", "Flashback", "Souvenir", and "Have You Met Miss Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

The overlooked legacy of John Fekner – a New York artist who works here in the world of hip hop and electro soul – on tunes that are sometimes infused with lyrics that refer to the art concepts that inspire his creations! The sound is spare – just drum machine beats, bits of keyboards, and some samples – and Fekner's vocals aren't trying to challenge the Furious Five, but definitely share that old school confidence for putting over a rhyme! The core of the set features the original 1984 album Idioblast, issued on the tiny Vinyl Gridlock label – and the set also features lots of bonus tracks, including some later material. Titles include "Halley's Comet", "Rapicasso", "Travelogue The 80s", "Wheels Over Indian Trails", and "The Sight Of The Child". Bonus cuts include "Concrete Concerto", "EZ Gee Jammin", "Another Four Years", "Rock Steady", and "Concrete People (dance mix)". CD

The overlooked legacy of John Fekner – a New York artist who works here in the world of hip hop and electro soul – on tunes that are sometimes infused with lyrics that refer to the art concepts that inspire his creations! The sound is spare – just drum machine beats, bits of keyboards, and some samples – and Fekner's vocals aren't trying to challenge the Furious Five, but definitely share that old school confidence for putting over a rhyme! The core of the set features the original 1984 album Idioblast, issued on the tiny Vinyl Gridlock label – and the set also features lots of bonus tracks, including some later material. Titles include "Halley's Comet", "Rapicasso", "Travelogue The 80s", "Wheels Over Indian Trails", and "The Sight Of The Child". Bonus cuts include "Concrete Concerto", "EZ Gee Jammin", "Another Four Years", "Rock Steady", and "Concrete People (dance mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of albums from saxophonist Wilton Felder – back to back on a single CD! We All Have A Star offers up solo sounds from Crusaders reedman Wilton Felder – a really great set that's very much in the best vibe of his larger group at the time – yet one that also offers up a stronger focus on Wilton's sublime solo work on tenor! The album's got plenty of Crusaders help on board – given that Stix Hooper and Joe Sample produced the set along with Wilton – and the vibe's a wonderful blend of electric backings, with especially great keyboard lines, and Felder's well-phrased saxophone lines over the top! A few cuts feature vocals – sung by Angela Bryant or Debbie Demoia Ross – and titles include "We All Have A Star", "I Know Who I Am", "The Cycles Of Time", "Why Believe", "Ride On", and "You & Me & Ecstasy". Inherit The Wind is one of the best Crusaders-related solo projects – a soulful bit of fusion from saxophonist Wilton Felder, co-produced with his fellow Crusaders! The album's got the best sunny finish of the group's late 70s albums – traces of Latin, funk, and soul bubbling through a warm jazzy mix – staying soulful all the way through, and coming up with a sound that's smooth, but never sleepy. The blueprint for a million other records – none of which ever sounded this good! Titles include "Insight", "LA Light", "Until The Morning Comes", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "Inherit The Wind". CD

A pair of albums from saxophonist Wilton Felder – back to back on a single CD! We All Have A Star offers up solo sounds from Crusaders reedman Wilton Felder – a really great set that's very much in the best vibe of his larger group at the time – yet one that also offers up a stronger focus on Wilton's sublime solo work on tenor! The album's got plenty of Crusaders help on board – given that Stix Hooper and Joe Sample produced the set along with Wilton – and the vibe's a wonderful blend of electric backings, with especially great keyboard lines, and Felder's well-phrased saxophone lines over the top! A few cuts feature vocals – sung by Angela Bryant or Debbie Demoia Ross – and titles include "We All Have A Star", "I Know Who I Am", "The Cycles Of Time", "Why Believe", "Ride On", and "You & Me & Ecstasy". Inherit The Wind is one of the best Crusaders-related solo projects – a soulful bit of fusion from saxophonist Wilton Felder, co-produced with his fellow Crusaders! The album's got the best sunny finish of the group's late 70s albums – traces of Latin, funk, and soul bubbling through a warm jazzy mix – staying soulful all the way through, and coming up with a sound that's smooth, but never sleepy. The blueprint for a million other records – none of which ever sounded this good! Titles include "Insight", "LA Light", "Until The Morning Comes", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "Inherit The Wind". CD

This set may be the best record ever by thie Chicago soul group! The record's got a full batch of original tracks written and produced by Curtis Mayfield – including their amazing, funk steeped version of "Don't Change Your Love", with a breakbeat that lit up the sampler culture for years! That raw drum sound is in effect on even the more delicate numbers, and the lead vocals and harmonies soar or sink deep to the soul, as the groove demands. There's also some kind of tripped out touches in the production in spots, making for a nice balance of sweet soul and leftfield touches. Kind of an underappreciated effort in the grand scheme of Curtis Mayfield productions, but wholly essential! Other titles include "Stay Close To Me", "New Dance Craze", "Baby, Make Me Feel So Good", and "Little Young Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Their classic, with the great long version of "Float On", which is a monster soul cut that stands tall with steppers and rappers alike. It's probably the best track they ever did, and it's all here in a version that's nearly 12 minutes long – with loads of samples that you'll recognize from numerous recent records. Also includes a number of other great, mellow 70s soul numbers, like "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me", "Everything Happens For A Reason" and "No Stronger Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky keyboard treasure – a smoking organ and Fender Rhodes session that is one of the greatest Blue Note albums by Ronnie Foster! Foster plays organ on the set, next to electric piano by Ernie Hayes – and the pair stir up the sound wonderfully as they glide over grooves, soaring on twin keyboard lines that really make for a magical sound! A few tracks get hard and funky, and others have that superdope laidback feel that made all of Foster's early work so great – especially for the Quest-era sample crowd. The album's got some really great 70s soul covers, mixed with a few tasty originals – and titles include "Backstabbers", "Lisa's Love", "Superwoman", "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Sweet Revival", "Some Neck", "Inot", and "It's Just Gotta Be That Way". CD

One of the all-time keyboard classics of the 70s – a completely different album than any other set from pianist Ronnie Foster – done with this laidback, open-ended groove that was years ahead of its time! The album's in some ways a blueprint for some of our favorite jazz-based hip hop – and although Ronnie's playing organ, on most of the cuts, he handles the instrument more like it's a Fender Rhodes! The set's a masterpiece in funky jazz, done with a sinister, soulful groove – with these amazing rhythms from players who include Gene Bianco on harp, Arthur Jenkins on congas, George Duvivier and Gordon Edwards on bass, Jimmy Johnson on drums, George Devens on vibes, and Gene Bertoncini on guitar – served up with some amazing arrangements from soul maestro Wade Marcus. Titles include the massive cut "Mystic Brew", which is a tasty Tribe sample – plus lots of other goodies like "Chunky", "Summer Song", and "Don't Knock My Love". CD

One of the all-time keyboard classics of the 70s – a completely different album than any other set from pianist Ronnie Foster – done with this laidback, open-ended groove that was years ahead of its time! The album's in some ways a blueprint for some of our favorite jazz-based hip hop – and although Ronnie's playing organ, on most of the cuts, he handles the instrument more like it's a Fender Rhodes! The set's a masterpiece in funky jazz, done with a sinister, soulful groove – with these amazing rhythms from players who include Gene Bianco on harp, Arthur Jenkins on congas, George Duvivier and Gordon Edwards on bass, Jimmy Johnson on drums, George Devens on vibes, and Gene Bertoncini on guitar – served up with some amazing arrangements from soul maestro Wade Marcus. Titles include the massive cut "Mystic Brew", which is a tasty Tribe sample – plus lots of other goodies like "Chunky", "Summer Song", and "Don't Knock My Love". CD

Given that Atlantic's big claim to fame with Aretha was that they took her from being a supper club jazz singer and made her a hard soul act, we've always been a bit surprised at the way they chose to hook her up with some Bacharach tunes after her first few sides – giving her a classier uptown sound to mix with the deeper southern style that broke her out big. This album's a great example of how Aretha can mix the two styles – as it features the title rendition of "This Girl's In Love With You", and great versions of "Dark End Of The Street" and "Sit Down & Cry", and the sublime "Call Me", which is a perfect blend of the two styles in one song. And oddly, the "classier" material was recorded down in Miami, Atlantic's new home for soul in the south. LP, Vinyl record album

An album with some surprisingly soulful moments, thanks in part to some well-chosen samples from classic years of soul – including snippets of work from The Impressions, James Brown, Minnie Riperton, and The Spinners – all of whom really provide some nice balance with the more hardcore lyrics upfront! That balance is maybe Freeway showing his Philly pedigree – next to plentiful guests who include Jay Z, Beanie Sigel, Snoop, Nelly, Nate Dogg, Faith Evans, Sparks, and others. Tracks include "Free", "What We Do", "Don't Cross The Line", "Turn Out The Lights", "Victim Of The Ghetto", "Flipside", "You Got Me", "Alright", "You Don't Know", and "Life". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Funk Inc's greatest albums – and a really tight batch of funky tunes given some stellar production by David Axelrod! The band's a bit tighter than on earlier releases – leaving behind the hard jazz-jam sound for a more together soul-oriented one, heard to best effect on the album's enduring classic, "Goodbye, So Long" – a rolling funky tune that features vocals on the chorus, and an unbelievably catchy instrumental sound that you might recognize instantly from its use as a sample over the years. The rest of the record's just as great – and the band runs through The Meters' classic "Message From The Meters", Barry White's funky "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Babe", and a great rendition of the electric jazz classic "The Hill Where The Lord Hides". LP, Vinyl record album

They certainly got the title right on this one – because it definitely is the ultimate collection of Funkadelic goodies! The 2CD set pulls together 29 tracks from the group's classic years at Westbound – and shows them starting out as a messed-up, guitar-growling rock funk act – filled with the unique crossover spirit of Detroit – then turning into a tighter, funkier soul act with the power to really rock the charts! All the good funky tunes are here – and the set seems to have a special focus on tracks by the group that have been sampled strongly in recent history! Titles include "Red Hot Mama", "Funky Dollar Bill", "Hit It & Quit It", "Cosmic Slop", "Loose Booty", "Get Off Your Ass & Jam", "America Eats Its Young", "Maggot Brain", "I'll Stay", "Nappy Dugout", "I'll Bet You", "I Got A Thing You Got A Thing Everybody's Got A Thing", "A Joyful Process", "Be My Beach", "Undisco Kidd", "Biological Speculation", "Take Your Dead Ass Home", and "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure". CD

Three groundbreaking albums from reedman Jan Garbarek – packaged in a single set! First up is Sart – a great example of the way that ECM helped to bring the voice of the Scandinavian jazz underground to the world at large – as the album's a key showcase for the talents of budding young modernists Jan Garbarek, Bobo Stenson, Terje Rypdal, and Arild Andersen! The record's got a really unusual quality that's quite different from the more jamming fusion or freer jazz of the mid European scene – a sense that plays with space between the notes as much as it does the sounds of the individual instruments, and which seems perfectly cast for the newer style of jazz recording pioneered by ECM. Garbarek plays tenor, bass, and flute on the record; Stenson is on electric and acoustic piano; Rypdal on guitar, Andersen on acoustic (but amplified?) bass, and Jon Christensen is on drums. Titles include "IRR", "Song Of Space", "Close Enough For Jazz", "Sart", and "Fountain Of Tears". Witchi Tai To is warm and wonderful sounds from Garbarek – and a record that brings together so many strands at once! There's of course the obvious atmospherics you might expect from a 70s set on ECM – but there's also some sharply modern moments too – that harder sound that the label was endorsing while helping to shape the world of European jazz on both sides of the fence. And there's even some surprisingly soulful moments, too – not just from Jan's work on tenor and soprano sax, but also from the piano of Bobo Stenson – which rings out wonderfully amidst subtle bass from Palle Danielsson and drums from Jon Christensen. Titles include a great version of Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", plus "Hasta Siempre", "AIR", and "Desireless". Dansere is one of the highlights of saxophonist Jan Garbarek at ECM – and a set that has him working with the well-matched lineup of Bobo Stenson on piano, Palle Danielsson on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums! The shape of the songs is a bit looser than before, but Garbarek and Stenson turn out to be perfect in the setting – opening up, stretching out, and breaking down convention – yet also never losing themselves in self-indulgence either. Titles include "Dansere", "Lokk", "Fris", "Til Vennene", and "Skrik & Hyl". CD

An undisputed classic! The funky grooves of this early 80s single by Taana make it our favorite by her – and it's a non-stop killer that's served up here in a 9 and 6 minute version. Used as the sample for "Buddy" by De La Soul, and for a whole bunch of other tracks too! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Two tasty funky numbers on a limited reissue 45! Billy Garner's "Brand New Girl" is a non-stop groover – with a hard James Brown/Lee Fields vocal style, and compin' and chompin' guitar underneath! Next is a break you can't live without – served up on the amazing intro to Billy Garner's classic "I Got Some"! The tune's one that you'll recognize from a few famous samples, but to our ears it sounds best here in the original – a badass funky soul tune with all elements right, tight, and outta site! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A break you can't live without – served up on the amazing intro to Billy Garner's classic "I Got Some"! The tune's one that you'll recognize from a few famous samples, but to our ears it sounds best here in the original – a badass funky soul tune with all elements right, tight, and outta site! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Funky funky disco from Gaz – one of the best-remembered groups of the Salsoul 70s generation – even though they only ever cut this one album! There's a lot of tight percussion in the mix here – really rooting these tunes in a tight live instrumental vibe – and the arrangements from Richie Rivera also feature a female vocal chorus over the top, but kind of scatting away in a jazzy style that's mighty nice! The set leads off with the totally funky cut "Sing Sing" – a track that's been sampled by plenty over the years – and other cuts include "Synth He Sized Her", "Interstellar Love Affair", "Indian Gaz", and "The Force". CD features three bonus tracks – "The Good The Bad & The Ugly (original 12" version)", "Sing Sing (original single)", and "Indian Gaz (original single)". CD

A really wild little funky record – one that's got very obscure origins on the Argentine scene of the 70s, and which serves up an unusual blend of soul, funk, and sound library modes! The tunes have plenty of wicked basslines, heavy drums, and riffing guitar – all of which draw inspiration from American funk of the time – yet there's also weird use of processed vocals, sound samples, moogy keyboards, and other elements that continue to keep things interesting – sometimes with this fake urban vibe that can feature spoken parts that are really cool – augmented even more on a few funky edits that are added to the original album. Titles include "Inspector Jones", "4:00 In The Morning", "Bermilyia Avenue", "Arroz Con Leche", and "Adults Edit" – plus "Inspector Jones (John is missing edit)", "Adults Only (juicy edit)", "Bermilyia Avenue (light touches edit)", and "Arroz Con Leche (stripped extended edit)". CD

A really wild little funky record – one that's got very obscure origins on the Argentine scene of the 70s, and which serves up an unusual blend of soul, funk, and sound library modes! The tunes have plenty of wicked basslines, heavy drums, and riffing guitar – all of which draw inspiration from American funk of the time – yet there's also weird use of processed vocals, sound samples, moogy keyboards, and other elements that continue to keep things interesting – sometimes with this fake urban vibe that can feature spoken parts that are really cool – augmented even more on a few funky edits that are added to the original album. Titles include "Inspector Jones", "4:00 In The Morning", "Bermilyia Avenue", "Arroz Con Leche", and "Adults Edit" – plus "Inspector Jones (John is missing edit)", "Adults Only (juicy edit)", "Bermilyia Avenue (light touches edit)", and "Arroz Con Leche (stripped extended edit)". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic James Brown sample starts the groove on this early 90s set – and really stakes the pace for the rest of the funky soul to follow! The Good Girls do a great job of moving between new jack rhythms and some even more expansive modes on the set – including some of those great warmer styles that were coming into mainstream R&B as the 90s moved on – not retro at all, but a new embrace of some of the fuller, richer modes of the 70s – really balanced out here in a great way with the more contemporary elements. Vocals are especially nice on those tracks – and titles include "Just Call Me", "Can You Keep Him", "Let Me Love You", "Love In Love's Hands", "Future", "I'm Coming Back", "Runnin From Love", "Since I Fell For You", and "Nothing" – plus "Just Call Me (John's backdoor boogie remix edit)". CD

A tremendous European meeting of tenorist Dexter Gordon and trombonist Slide Hampton – brought together in this impeccable sextet session for MPS – a real standout in the label's straight jazz catalog over the years! By the time of the set, Gordon had been working heavily in Europe, especially Copenhagen – a locale where he was given ample freedom to stretch out and really explore his tone and phrasing. Hampton had also kicked around the continent a fair bit too, but in a tighter format, doing arrangements for others and working in bigger groups – and it's actually his careful touch that really helps shape the sound of the set – by bringing Gordon's groove into a focus more strongly than before, and reminding us that Dex was a great group player when he wanted to be! The frontline features Gordon's tenor, Hampton's trombone, and the trumpet of Dizzy Reece – often stating the heads in a fluidly soulful way, then breaking out nicely with individual voices – very much in the best Blue Note mode. Rhythm is by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Art Taylor on drums, and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and titles include 3 excellent originals by Hampton – "A New Thing", "My Blues", and "A Day In Vienna" – plus a wicked almost-Lee Morgan-esque take on "What's New", and versions of "Shadow Of Your Smile" and "You Don't Know What Love Is". CD

A really fantastic album from guitarist Grant Green – a set that's every bit as great as his other Blue Note funk albums from the time – but in a very different way! First off, the group has vibes – played by the more obscure Willie Bivens, sometimes with this hard chromatic sound that's really wonderful – especially when combined by the organ work on the set by Ronnie Foster and Neal Creque – both very cool players with an unusual conception – which sends the whole thing off in very hip territory! The mighty Idris Muhammad plays drums – ensuring a very tight bottom – and the group also features Claude Bartee on tenor, who has a strong, soulful vibe. The set includes a fantastic live version of "Down Here On the Ground" – famously sampled by Tribe Called Quest – and other highlights include heavy funk takes on "Let The Music Take Your Mind" and "Sookie Sookie", and the Creque original "Time To Remember". CD

A really fantastic album from guitarist Grant Green – a set that's every bit as great as his other Blue Note funk albums from the time – but in a very different way! First off, the group has vibes – played by the more obscure Willie Bivens, sometimes with this hard chromatic sound that's really wonderful – especially when combined by the organ work on the set by Ronnie Foster and Neal Creque – both very cool players with an unusual conception – which sends the whole thing off in very hip territory! The mighty Idris Muhammad plays drums – ensuring a very tight bottom – and the group also features Claude Bartee on tenor, who has a strong, soulful vibe. The set includes a fantastic live version of "Down Here On the Ground" – famously sampled by Tribe Called Quest – and other highlights include heavy funk takes on "Let The Music Take Your Mind" and "Sookie Sookie", and the Creque original "Time To Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

Massive work from Johnny Hammond – stretching out here in some totally jamming grooves that really transform his style for the 70s! The sound here is a lot hipper and tighter than some of Hammond's more rough-edged soul jazz of the 60s – a groove that's a great precursor to his more famous meetings with Larry Mizell a few years later – and equally great! Johnny's got plenty of space here – and is really taking his time with the grooves, thanks to some open ended arrangements by Bob James, who also plays electric piano on the record! The record is a seminal piece of work in the transformation of the chunky 60s organ sound to a sweeter 70s keyboard groove – and was proof that Johnny, more than most of his 60s soul jazz contemporaries, was ready to embrace the new sounds of the decade with open arms. Includes the great sample cut "Big Sur Suite" – plus "Higher Ground", "Summertime/The Ghetto", and "Catch My Soul". CD

Paris was always a great city for Lionel Hampton – but it seemed like in the mid 50s, it was also a place where he cut some of his best work, too! The French New Sound pair of albums are both classics in Hamp's book – records that take off from the looser, longer-form style that he'd been hitting with his Verve recordings of the early 50s – yet which also retain some of the tighter, fuller elements of his famous large ensembles. Players on the records are great – a lineup that includes travelling American jazz greats like Benny Bailey and Nat Adderley on trumpets, and a young David Amram on French Horn – plus crack Parisian players who include Sacha Distel on guitar, Rene Urtreger on piano, and Guy Pederson on bass. The tracks are simple jamming numbers – long and open-ended, in the mode of some of Hamp's very popular live work at the time, and the vibes are right out front – hard-edged, with that soulful sound that Hamp pioneered on the instrument – and the other players are given very ample room to solo. Tracks on this second volume include "All The Things You Are", "Night & Day", and "Red Ribbon". CD

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". LP, Vinyl record album

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". LP, Vinyl record album

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". Also includes 2 CD bonus cuts! CD

A lyrical masterpiece from the young Herbie Hancock – and a record that's really special for so many different reasons! First, the songs are really long and open – even more so than some of Hancock's other work – with a quality that's balanced between his soul jazz roots, and some of the freer ideas he was exploring with key counterparts of the time! Next, the group features a quartet with Freddie Hubbard on cornet – an instrument he didn't play that often, but which creates a really special sound here – one that's cool and compressed, but still has a sharp bite, too – especially over the inventive rhythms laid down by Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums. All players are capable of going out – and have strong "new thing" cred by this point – but they keep it inside all the way through, but with a balanced sense of darkness that's really beautiful. The album features Hancock's classic (and oft-sampled) version of "Cantaloupe Island" – plus "One Finger Snap", "Olioqui Valley", and "The Egg". CD features a bonus alternate of "Oliloqui Valley". CD

The start of funky funky Herbie Hancock! This album's the first to feature Herbie really breaking away from his straight jazz work – moving into a groove that's nice and funky, using electric piano along with acoustic, to forge the sound that he'd develop famously over the 70s. The album's got a harder, heavier sound than some of his straight electric ones – and it features a larger group with soloists that include Johnny Coles on trumpet and Joe Henderson on tenor – plus some sweet basslines from Buster Williams – all led by Herbie into a tight soul jazz flurry of excellent tracks! Includes the cuts "Fat Mama" and "Wiggle Waggle", both sample favorites, plus "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" and "Lil Brother". Classic stuff, and one of his best records ever! LP, Vinyl record album

Just when you thought Prince Paul and Cat Power would never make a record together PRESTO – it's the new Handsome Boy album! HBMS takes a bit more of a chillout tack with this long overdue second opus – with lots of laidback beats and samples, and a surprising amount of live instrumentation! The gleeful, sarcastic comedy of the stellar first album remains intact, with some genuinely amusing skits (including one with Jay Z appearing under the pseudonym Hines Buchanan), and the deep range of guest vocalists isn't as surprising as how strong their work is in the best tunes. It would have been pretty easy for Prince Paul and Automator to find a bunch of interesting names to flesh out their big pop culture frappe, but something else altogether to make trippy hip hop tracks featuring Cat Power and the Hieroglyphics make sense on the same record. A pretty solid set from the most adventurous pseudo duo in the game! Guests include Del The Funky Homosapien, De La Soul, RZA, Lord Finesse, AG, Rahzel, Jazzy Jay, Qbert, Mike Patton, Casual, Hieroglyphics, Grand Wizard Theodore, El-P, John Oates, Pharrell, Kid Koala, and George W. Bush (just kidding). Tracks include "If It Wasn't For You" with De La, "Are You Down With It" with Mike Patton, "The World's Gone Mad" with Del and others, "It's Like That" with Casual, "I've Been Thinking" with Cat Power, "Rock And Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This) Pt 2" featuring Lord Finesse, Qbert and others,"First. . .And Then" featuring Dres from Black Sheep, "A Day In The Life" featuring RZA, AZ and others and more, plus intro/outro by Father Guido Sarducci. LP, Vinyl record album

Hard driving jazz from the Japanese scene of the 50s! The album's one of the best recorded by Nobu Hara and the legendary Sharpes & Flats group – a really swinging set of big band jazz that drives with the power of some of the 60s recordings by the Clarke-Boland Big Band, and which offers plenty of space for the soloists to swing out during the set. Unfortunately, all the notes are in Japanese – so we can't tell you the exact lineup or the song titles – but the album's a strong one, and a perfect example of the strength of the Japanese scene in the postwar years! CD

A legendary album – and for good reason too – a set that's as mysterious as it is funky, and a record that's stayed at the top of our crates for years! The album features a really unusual collective of musicians, pulled together under the guidance of producer Paul Winley – a group that features George Benson on guitar, Dave Baby Cortez on organ, Willis Jackson on tenor sax, and Earl Williams on some massively funky drums! The music's a mix of funky jazz and gritty soul – put together with some really weird studio touches – including an uncredited male voice that comes in and out of the tracks, bad-rapping along with some very hip commentary. Ann Winley sings the female vocals on the set – often egged on by the dude – but the real charm of the record lies at the bottom – the wicked drums, funky basslines, and choppy instrumental bits that have gotten the set sampled plenty over the years. Titles include the classic "Smokin Cheeba Cheeba" alone, the groovy "Finger In It", a great breakbeat version of "Ain't No Sunshine" with a tenor solo by Willis Jackson, and the slow bluesy talking cut "Fed Up", a baaaad rap about a couple splitting up – done here in both vocal and instrumental versions. LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album – and for good reason too – a set that's as mysterious as it is funky, and a record that's stayed at the top of our crates for years! The album features a really unusual collective of musicians, pulled together under the guidance of producer Paul Winley – a group that features George Benson on guitar, Dave Baby Cortez on organ, Willis Jackson on tenor sax, and Earl Williams on some massively funky drums! The music's a mix of funky jazz and gritty soul – put together with some really weird studio touches – including an uncredited male voice that comes in and out of the tracks, bad-rapping along with some very hip commentary. Ann Winley sings the female vocals on the set – often egged on by the dude – but the real charm of the record lies at the bottom – the wicked drums, funky basslines, and choppy instrumental bits that have gotten the set sampled plenty over the years. Titles include the classic "Smokin Cheeba Cheeba" alone, the groovy "Finger In It", a great breakbeat version of "Ain't No Sunshine" with a tenor solo by Willis Jackson, and the slow bluesy talking cut "Fed Up", a baaaad rap about a couple splitting up – done here in both vocal and instrumental versions. CD

A legendary album – and for good reason too – a set that's as mysterious as it is funky, and a record that's stayed at the top of our crates for years! The album features a really unusual collective of musicians, pulled together under the guidance of producer Paul Winley – a group that features George Benson on guitar, Dave Baby Cortez on organ, Willis Jackson on tenor sax, and Earl Williams on some massively funky drums! The music's a mix of funky jazz and gritty soul – put together with some really weird studio touches – including an uncredited male voice that comes in and out of the tracks, bad-rapping along with some very hip commentary. Ann Winley sings the female vocals on the set – often egged on by the dude – but the real charm of the record lies at the bottom – the wicked drums, funky basslines, and choppy instrumental bits that have gotten the set sampled plenty over the years. Titles include the classic "Smokin Cheeba Cheeba" alone, the groovy "Finger In It", a great breakbeat version of "Ain't No Sunshine" with a tenor solo by Willis Jackson, and the slow bluesy talking cut "Fed Up", a baaaad rap about a couple splitting up – done here in both vocal and instrumental versions. CD

Stunning work from one of England's greatest jazz artists ever! West Indian sax player Joe Harriott was one of the brightest spots on the UK's jazz scene of the late 50s and 1960s – and although a few of his more famous albums have been issued on CD, there's a wealth of great work by Joe that's never seen the light of day since the 60s. This long-overdue set features some excellent rare work by Joe – most recorded live, either with his own group, or that of Michael Garrick, who produced the set. The first four tracks feature Harriott Quintet tunes from 1961 – two straight numbers, versions of "Moanin" and "Round Midnight", plus two examples of Joe's "abstract" style of jazz, "Coda" and "Tempo". Next up are some wonderful angular solo recordings of standards like "Confirmation", "Love For Sale", and "Body & Soul" – all of which show Joe's deep roots in soulful jazz tradition, embellished slightly by some added piano by Coleridge Goode. Lastly, Joe blows incredibly with Garrick's groundbreaking groups of the 60s – wailing hard on the hardbop groover "Shiva", and his own modal jammer "Calypso Sketches". Wonderful work all around – and an essential bit of Harriott to fill your all-too-empty collection! CD

We can never get enough of Eddie Harris – and a record like this is a great reason why! Despite all the many different settings Eddie worked in at Atlantic, he still always stayed true to his roots – and a record like this is a perfect example of that – no electric horn, no funk, but a rock-solid sense of tone and timing that's unbelievable – and which makes the album a soulful treasure throughout! Of course, the group really helps a lot too – keeping things as in the pocket as Eddie's playing – with great rhythms from Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. And as an added treat, the set features killer work on trumpet from Ray Codrington – a player who we only know from the JFK Quintet albums – but who's an equal killer here. Titles include the first version of Eddie's classic "Freedom Jazz Dance", plus "Born To Be Blue", "Love For Sale", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Cryin' Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Wow! We can never get enough of Eddie Harris. Despite all of the silly situations he's ended up in over the years, an album like In Sound still stands as a beautiful testament to all of the raw power in Eddie's playing. His tone is perfect, and totally unique – and he plays here with Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and the great Ray Codrington on trumpet, who also played with the JFK Quintet. No tricks here, just incredibly solid jazz playing, on tracks like Eddie's famous "Freedom Jazz Dance", plus "Born To Be Blue" and "Cryin' Blues". Mean Greens is another example of classic 60s soul jazz material by Eddie – and proof that the move to Atlantic was a good one! As usual with Eddie's 60s sessions, the players are very hip – and feature an amalgamation of younger and lesser-known talents like Melvin Jackson, Ray Codrington, and Sonny Philips. Cedar Walton also plays some lovely piano on the record, giving a few tracks a bit more of a lyrical touch than usual – and Eddie responds to this nicely in his solos. Includes an early take of "Listen Here", with Eddie on electric piano, next to Sonny Philips' organ. Also with "Goin' Home", "Blues In the Basement", and "Mean Greens". CD

A massive batch of funky soul jazz – the Second Movement (to the first album Swiss Movement) of the collaboration of Eddie Harris and Les McCann! The vibe here is even freer, and hipper, than on the first set – with a host of long tracks that have Les really working the Fender Rhodes into some great grooves, as Eddie blows along some mean, mad Varitone with equal charm! Players include Bernard Purdie, Buck Clarke, and Cornell Dupree – and titles include "Saima", "Carry On Brother", "Universal Prisoner", and the brilliant sample cut "Shorty Rides Again"! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best albums ever by this legendary Chicago soul star! The album's masterful blend of spiritual soul tracks that plumb the depths of Donny's dark soul – done with a level of sophistication that you won't hear in other soul albums from the time! Classic cuts include "A Song For You", "She is My Lady", "Giving Up", and "Take a Love Song" – plus versions of "Put Your Hand In The Hand" and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". The record also includes the great funky cut "Magnificent Sanctuary Band", which has some nice haaaard drums at the beginning, and which has been sampled who knows how many times! CD also includes two bonus tracks – "Be There" and "This Christmas". CD

A stunning live example of Ike's amazing baroque soul for Stax! Despite the schmaltz that you might expect from a live set recorded at Lake Tahoe, the album's a beautiful batch of long tracks with a very similar feel to Ike's other Stax work at the time – and it really gives you an excellent chance to hear how he could create these tiny little masterpieces even in a live setting, without any sort of studio trickery. Titles include "Do Your Thing", "Theme From The Men", "Look Of Love", "Theme From Shaft", "Ike's Rap V", "Windows Of The World", "Ain't No Sunshine", and "Type Thang". LP, Vinyl record album

The "man" is at the top of his powers here – as the set pulls together an insanely great run of music from Isaac Hayes' first years as a solo act – coming on strong with a new sort of sophisticated soul sound that would transform a generation! Hayes had already hit big in the 60s working with writer David Porter – as the force behind some of Stax Records' fiercest, funkiest acts of the time – but as the 70s approached, he broke off as a magnificent artist on his own – full of righteous power, pride, and new ideas for soul music. This collection brings together some of Isaac Hayes' best work for the Stax/Enterprise label – with an especially strong focus on the kind of jams that have held up well for a 21st Century audience – including titles that have either been sampled by hip hoppers, or which represent some of Ike's strongest funkier tunes from the time. Titles include "Part Time Love", "Theme From The Men", "Ike's Rap 2", "Joy", "I Can't Turn Around", "Chocolate Chip", "Feel Like Makin Love", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Walk On By", "Ike's Rap 1", "Good Love", "Rolling Down A Mountainside", and "Theme From Shaft". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the heaviest keyboard albums you'll ever hope to find – a completely sublime session that not only features Fender Rhodes by pianist Roland Haynes, but also features additional keyboards from Kirk Lightsey – a double blend that really makes the record sparkle! The twin-keyboard sound is wonderful – spacey, soulful, and filled with righteous power – and the rhythm section also features killer work on bass from Henry Franklin, and tightly snapping drums from Carl Burnett – sounding better here than we ever remember! Titles include the massive sample cut "Eglise", plus "Second Wave", "Funky Mama Moose", "Descent", and "Aicelis". CD

One of the heaviest keyboard albums you'll ever hope to find – a completely sublime session that not only features Fender Rhodes by pianist Roland Haynes, but also features additional keyboards from Kirk Lightsey – a double blend that really makes the record sparkle! The twin-keyboard sound is wonderful – spacey, soulful, and filled with righteous power – and the rhythm section also features killer work on bass from Henry Franklin, and tightly snapping drums from Carl Burnett – sounding better here than we ever remember! Titles include the massive sample cut "Eglise", plus "Second Wave", "Funky Mama Moose", "Descent", and "Aicelis". LP, Vinyl record album

Leon Haywood's best album from the 70s! After working as a keyboardist and sometimes vocalist for a number of years – making some strong and some tentative entries into the soul genre – Leon really exploded with this album, an electric funk classic that gave the world his fantastic "I Wanna Do Something Freaky To You" (a track that had new life years later when Dr Dre sampled it to great fame.) The rest of the record holds up nicely, too – and is a mix of smooth soul and wicked funk, with tracks that include "Consider the Source", "Who You Been Giving It Up To", and "This Feeling's Rated Extra". Classic! LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set of grooves – two Headhunters classics on a single set! First up is Survival Of The Fittest – a landmark bit of jazz funk from one of the greatest backup groups of the 70s! Herbie Hancock first brought The Headhunters to light – working with the San Francisco-based combo that included Bennie Maupin, Mike Clark, Paul Jackson, and Bill Summers – using their sound to give his work the right dose of funk it needed to reach new audiences during the decade. This album's the first to feature the group on their own, without Herbie – and if we don't mind saying so, they sound even better without him! The whole thing's a wonderful mix of jazz funk grooves and very unusual rhythms – and the record contains the monster full length version of "God Make Me Funky", which is 9 minutes and 35 seconds of non stop funk, plus the cuts "If You've Got It, You'll Get It", "Magic", and "Here & Now". Straight From The Gate is a killer – and the album's much more of a solid soul effort than the group's debut! The vocals are better, with more of a feel for the lyrics – and the songs themselves are a great mix of funk and smooth soul. There's still plenty of tight jamming and cool electronics – and the group still includes Mike Clark, Bennie Maupin,and Paul Jackson. Includes the sample cut "I Remember I Made You Cry", plus "Pork Soda", "Dreams", "Straight From The Gate", and "Mayonnaise". CD

A killer album of crossover soul from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the sample classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super Soul Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of crossover soul from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the sample classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super Soul Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love". This great version includes a full LP of bonus tracks – including "Turn Out The Lamplight", "Special Offer", "Slip Your Disc To This", "Boogie Nights (12" disco version)", "Ain't No Half Steppin (single version)", and "Always & Forever (single version)". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone killer from the early Blue Note years of tenorist Joe Henderson – a key example of why the label had so much faith in him right from the start, and why Henderson's horn was quite different than so many other players of the 60s! There's a sharp edge here, but there's also a soulful sense of swing – that balance that Joe had more than most of his contemporaries – and which he only continued to develop as the years went on. Echoes of "new thing" modes lie in the background of the record, but upfront things have a sharp 60s Blue Note punch – thanks in part to a great lineup that also includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Henderson's tone is rough and young – but in a great way, one that's perfect for the exploratory nature of his original tunes on the set, and which matches the mood of Dorham's compositions as well. Tracks include "In N Out", "Short Story", "Brown's Town", and "Punjab". CD

A stone killer from the early Blue Note years of tenorist Joe Henderson – a key example of why the label had so much faith in him right from the start, and why Henderson's horn was quite different than so many other players of the 60s! There's a sharp edge here, but there's also a soulful sense of swing – that balance that Joe had more than most of his contemporaries – and which he only continued to develop as the years went on. Echoes of "new thing" modes lie in the background of the record, but upfront things have a sharp 60s Blue Note punch – thanks in part to a great lineup that also includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Henderson's tone is rough and young – but in a great way, one that's perfect for the exploratory nature of his original tunes on the set, and which matches the mood of Dorham's compositions as well. Tracks include "In N Out", "Short Story", "Brown's Town", and "Punjab". CD

A stone killer from the early Blue Note years of tenorist Joe Henderson – a key example of why the label had so much faith in him right from the start, and why Henderson's horn was quite different than so many other players of the 60s! There's a sharp edge here, but there's also a soulful sense of swing – that balance that Joe had more than most of his contemporaries – and which he only continued to develop as the years went on. Echoes of "new thing" modes lie in the background of the record, but upfront things have a sharp 60s Blue Note punch – thanks in part to a great lineup that also includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Henderson's tone is rough and young – but in a great way, one that's perfect for the exploratory nature of his original tunes on the set, and which matches the mood of Dorham's compositions as well. Tracks include "In N Out", "Short Story", "Brown's Town", and "Punjab". CD

One of the great examples of why the revised presentation of the Jimi Hendrix legacy is such a great thing – as this legendary New Year's show from 1969 is finally restored to its full order, with a resulting 9 never-released songs thrown into the mix as well! There's a clarity to the music that's wonderful – a bold statement from Jimi's Band Of Gypsies trio – with Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums – a group that's arguably more funky than the Experience, and which seems to have Hendrix riffing at an even sharper level too. There's a bit less freewheeling fuzz than on previous live Jimi dates – and titles include "Changes", "Hear My Train A Comin", "Lover Man", "Power Of Soul", "Machine Gun", "Bleeding Heart", "Ezy Rider", and "Earth Blues". CD

An underground set from early 70s Stax Records – the only set cut back in the day by Ernie Hines – a really great singer who works here with a blend of southern soul and sweet harmony modes! The album's got a pretty laidback vibe, which is great – almost in the same space as The Temprees, with an undercurrent of super-dope arrangements, and Ernie's lead vocals right up front in the mix! There's a bit of strings on the set, and most tracks have some sort of harmony support behind Hines' lead – a vibe that's a bit different, and maybe almost more east coast than the usual Stax set. Arrangements are by Wardell Quezquerque, Dale Warren, Lester Snell, and Tom Nixon – and both The Bar Kays and The MGs play on the record. Titles include the sample classic "Our Generation" – plus "Electrified Love", "Sugar Plum", "Change Is Gonna Come", "Your Love (Is All I Need)", and "Come On Y'All". CD

One of Al Hirt's grooviest records – and a set that definitely lives up to the "soul" in the title! The album's always in demand for the excellent sample cut "Harlem Hendoo", but it certainly isn't a one tracker – thanks to composer Paul Griffin and arranger Teacho Wiltshire, as Hirt gets un-characteristically funky on tunes like "Honey Pot", "Mess Around", "Girl", and "Love Ya' Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Freddie Hubbard's definitely rolling on this great little set – rolling right back into acoustic jazz territory after a run of smoother soul sessions for bigger labels at the end of the 70s! The album's a live one, and it's a perfect example of the development of Hubbard's solo skills at the point – amazingly well-crafted, especially in a spontaneous setting like this, where Freddie can really stretch out over a long tune with really soulfully imaginative expressions. The group features the great David Schnitter on tenor and soprano sax – a great colleague for the date – plus Billy Childs on acoustic and electric piano, Larry Klein on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums. Titles include "Breaking Point", "Brigitte", "Cascais", "One Of Another Kind", and "Byrdlike". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite sweet return from Freddie Hubbard – a record with a cover and title that might appear to be smooth jazz, but one with a sound that's solidly acoustic and soulful all the way through! The album's a great example of Hubbard's amazing work in the early 80s – a time when he was shaking off the larger and electric trappings of the 70s, to return to smaller combo work – but often with a really fluid and warm feel that showed the best lessons learned from the previous decade! Freddie's tone and timing here are impeccable – and the long tracks are especially great, with continually-inventive solo work that holds us rapt with attention. Other players include Lew Tabackin on tenor and flute, Joanne Brackeen on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and titles include "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "Heidi B", "Sweet Return", "Whistling Away The Dark", and "Calypso Fred". LP, Vinyl record album

Pianist Per Husby is a player with a rich, warm tone – one that really sets the stage here for some wonderfully soulful explorations by a very hip group – a combo who sound perfect when they hit a modal mode, but can also do some other wonderful things as well! Husby's piano is rich at the core, but the record is balanced with all sorts of great reed work – Knut Riisnaes on tenor, Harald Bergsen on alto and tenor, and Bjorn Johansen on soprano, tenor, and baritone – balanced nicely by the trumpet work of Bernt Anker Steen, and given a strong rhythmic pulse from Carl Morten Iversen on bass and Svein Erik Gaardvik on drums. And if you think all these Norwegian names might add up to a sleepy session, you're totally wrong – as the record is a great example of the way the better players on the European scene were absorbing American spiritual jazz experiments, then using the energy to make something new of their own. The title track "The Peacemaker" is worth the price of admission alone – and other titles include "Introduction To No Particular Song", "Smatta", "Nokve", "Fantasy In D", and "Adgang F". CD

Pianist Per Husby is a player with a rich, warm tone – one that really sets the stage here for some wonderfully soulful explorations by a very hip group – a combo who sound perfect when they hit a modal mode, but can also do some other wonderful things as well! Husby's piano is rich at the core, but the record is balanced with all sorts of great reed work – Knut Riisnaes on tenor, Harald Bergsen on alto and tenor, and Bjorn Johansen on soprano, tenor, and baritone – balanced nicely by the trumpet work of Bernt Anker Steen, and given a strong rhythmic pulse from Carl Morten Iversen on bass and Svein Erik Gaardvik on drums. And if you think all these Norwegian names might add up to a sleepy session, you're totally wrong – as the record is a great example of the way the better players on the European scene were absorbing American spiritual jazz experiments, then using the energy to make something new of their own. The title track "The Peacemaker" is worth the price of admission alone – and other titles include "Introduction To No Particular Song", "Smatta", "Nokve", "Fantasy In D", and "Adgang F". LP, Vinyl record album