The complete recordings of a key stretch in the career of European rocker Ricky Shayne – a singer who was born in Cairo, lived in Paris, then made a whole host of important 60s records on the Italian scene! Much of the work here resonates very strongly with English beat group material of the time, but has a slightly different vibe – as when Spanish or South American groups were taking on the same territory – in part because Ricky uses Italian vocals on most numbers, but also because the production styles are different, and do all sorts of key things to the guitars and organ lines that back up the vocals. The set also features some surprising German recordings from 1968 and 1969 too – a total of 30 tracks in all, with the usual very strong Bear Family packaging and detailed notes. Titles include "Mean Woman Blues", "We Say Yeah", "Uno Dei Mods", "When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart", "Apron Strings", "Come Moby Dick", "Hello Josephine", "In Chicago", "Le Catene", "Number One", and "Cosa Pensi Di Me". CD

Titles include the classic "Sounds Of Silence" – plus "Richard Cory", "A Most Peculiar Man", "We've Got A Groovy Thing Going", "I Am A Rock", "Leaves That Are Green", "Blessed", "Kathy's Song", and the beautiful "April Come She Will". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sinatra's greatest records ever – pure genius all the way through! Frank's backed here by the orchestra of Count Basie, with some incredible arrangements by Quincy Jones that really have a jazzy, syncopated kick to them. The move seems to be an unintentional way of covering for Frank's slightly failing pipes – but it also picks up on a seminal beat change in 60s pop, the same sort of gentle snapping groove that you'd find in the best work by Bacharach, a shift that really infuses Frank's vocals with a whole new sound, one that shows that he's ready to keep on growing and growing after being stuck in a Nelson Riddle rut. All tracks are superb – hip 60s pop and showtunes, like "I Believe In You", "Fly Me To the Moon", "More", "The Good Life", "Wives & Lovers", and "I Wanna Be Around". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set of modern disco numbers from Bob Sinclar – the maestro of the Paris dancefloor! This album's Bob's third (in case you couldn't guess from the title!) – and it's an even more focused effort than before – filled with tightly grooving tracks that make the whole thing feel like finding a box of singles that have been lost in the back of a DJ booth since the early 80s! Lots of classic late 70s and early 80s sounds – especially those from the New York scene – and tracks feature some great lead vocals by Linda Lee Hopkins and Camille Lefort. Titles include "The Beat Goes On", "Nature Boy", "Who Needs Sleep Tonight", "Sexy Dancer", "Do It", "Metro Blanche", "Beat The Clock", "Europa", and "So High". CD

Slum Village's legendary Fantastic Vol 1 – one of the most sought-after hip hop albums of the era – with the most rugged-and-raw Jay Dee production on record! Honestly, we're left pretty close to speechless by how tightly these tracks hold up. This is indeed the template for so many great Dilla productions to come, but it's much more than merely that. While the MCs may not spin the most revolutionary rhymes in the world, the way the mics so deftly fill the deceptively spare production is nothing short of masterful. To put it another way, this genuinely lives up to the legend. This is the long version with 24 in all: "Keep It On (This Beat)","Forth & Back","Beej N Dem", "Hoc N Pucky", "Give This N***a", "Players", "I Don't Know", "Look Of Love (Rmx)", "2 You 4 You", "How We BullS**t", "Estimate" and more. CD

The title on this one says it all – Mojo Rocksteady Beat! The Brentford Road big timers come correct on this explosive Soul Jazz revisitation of their 100% Studio One dynamite tracks! The names of the heavies that rotated through this bunch are already well known: Jackie Mittoo, Vin Gordon aka Don D Junior, Deadly Headly Bennet, Ernest Ranglin, Leroy Sibbles, and more, and the jams here are no less well known, whether it is on their own, or as the mad, soulful rhythm foundation for any of Coxsone's top numbers. 18 earth shaking blasts of Jamaican soul, including "Rockfort Rock", "Funky", 'Real Rock", "Reggae Time", "Mojo Rock Steady", "Drum Song", "Ironside", "Heavy Rock", "In Cold Blood", "Jamaica Underground", "Reggae Time", "Great Mu Ga Ru Ga", and of course, "Mojo Rock Steady". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic showcase for the Chicago-raised Otis Spann – a musician who'd already had plenty of recordings under his belt by the time of this session, but definitely gets a different sort of exposure here – thanks to the unique presentation of the Candid Records label! Candid mostly recorded modern jazz, and had a very open ear to getting the best out of their musicians – which they definitely do here with Spann's piano, set up in spare duo formation next to the guitar of the equally great and important Robert Lockwood. Both players sing on the record, alternating vocals from track to track in a set of all-original material – with titles that include "Worried Life Blues", "Great Northern Stomp", "Otis In The Dark", "The Hard Way", "Take A Little Walk With Me", and "Beat Up Team". LP, Vinyl record album

A big moment for the British ska scene – and the soundtrack to a film that featured live work by nearly all of the big names at the time! The album features live work by artists who owed a lot to 2 Tone, but who'd even moved onto bigger fame by the film – but who are working here in a nice back-to-basics mode – and titles include live versions of "Concrete Jungle", "Man At C&A", and "Nite Klub" by The Specials; "Mirror In The Bathroom", "Big Shot", and "Ranking Full Stop" by The English Beat; "Inner London Violence" and "Lip Up Fatty" by Bad Manners; "Easy Life" by The Bodysnatchers; and "Razor Blade Alley" and "One Step Beyond" by Madness. LP, Vinyl record album

Charly issue of material by "the first rock supergroup" – The Steampacket, a large group that included Brian Auger, Long John Baldry, Rod Stewart, Julie Driscoll, Vic Briggs, and Mick Waller. The sound is beat group heavy – an extension of the Auger/Driscoll groove – and titles include "Baby Baby", "Holy Smoke", "The In Crowd", and "Back At The Chicken Shack". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled set from the lyrical king – the mighty T La Rock, one of the key mid 80s MCs who helped introduce a whole new level of sophistication to hip hop! T La Rock maybe never hit the heights of KRS-One, Rakim, or other contemporaries – but this set has all the sharp fire and intensity that made that moment of new creativity so great – from the edgey production work and scratches by Louie Lou, to the extra help from Mantronik, and even the album's early appearances by Special K and MC Serch – which further the sense of collaboration from the streets that made some of the Fresh Records sets so great. Titles include "Lyrical King", "Back To Burn", "Three Minutes Of Beat Box", "Bust These Lyrics", "This Beat kicks", "Big Beat In London", and "It's Time To Chill". LP, Vinyl record album

A great record – or half-great, as the case may be! One part of this album features Billy with his standard trio of Earl May and Percy Brice, playing mellow piano trio versions of tracks that include "Tune For Tex", "Goodbye", "Biddy's Beat", and "Eddie's Theme". Those cuts are fine, but the real strength of the album lies on the last 4 cuts – all killer Latin jazz numbers cut with a rhythm section that includes Machito, Jose Mangual, Charlie Smith, and Uba Nieto. The added conga, bongos, and timbales really make the tracks groove – and you'll find yourself coming back to "I Love To Mambo", "Mambo Azul", "Early Morning Mambo", and "Candido" more than you will the rest of the record. CD

Wolf sounds almost pretty from the first few seconds of the intro, but soon after the soft opening, the gritty beat drops, the gravely/growling vocals kick in, and the wild mix of comical and caustic rhymes let you know good and well that Tyler The Creator's back. Guests include Hodgy Beats, Frank Ocean, Domo Genius, Earl Sweatshirt and other expected heads – plus some wildcards/surprises turns by Laetitia Sadier, Erykah Badu and others. Includes "Wolf", "Jamba" with Hodgy Beats, "Cowboy", "Awkward", "Domo23", "Answer", "Slater" and "48" with Frank Ocean, " "Partyisntover/Campfire/Bimmer" with Frank Ocean & Laetitia Sadier, "Parking Lot" with Mike G & Casey Veggies, "Tamale", "Lone" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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

Beautiful solo recordings from saxophone genius Ken Vandermark – music that we don't normally hear in such a setting from Ken, given what a strong collaborator he is – and a set that's just a further reminder of the endless depths of his talents! The material was recorded at Vandermark's apartment during the pandemic, but hardly feels like one of those beat-down sessions from that time – as while solo, it's clear that the reedman was driven by a new sense of creativity – as you'll hear these selections of varying length, on a variety of horns, dedicated to some of Vandermark's key inspirations – a long list of heavyweights that includes William S Burroughs and Willem De Kooning. Titles include "Portable Nowhere", "Shared Testament", "Looking Back At Looking Forward", "End The Giraffe Lottery", "Feet On Main", and "Imagine The Paper". CD

Two sweet duet LPs from Porter Wagoner & Dolly Partner – '69's Always, Always and 71's Two Of Kind – back-to-back on this great CD! Porter & Dolly were one of the great teams of the era – with Porter's unrivaled flash and showmanship going down extremely well with Dolly's quivering vocals and far more earnest presence than the Dolly of the decades to come! Always, Always kicks off with the totally great rave up "Milwaukee, Here I Come" – and segues nicely into classic honky tonk duets mode, the polished Nashville Sound, and oddball Porter recitations! Other tracks include "Yours Love", "Malena", "Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me", "Always, Always" and more. The Two Of A Kind LPs travels in the same trajectory with equal appeal – with the tracks "Oh, The Pain Of Loving You", "Possum Holler", "The Flame", "The Fighting Kind", "Two Of A Kind", "There'll Be Love" and more! CD

The debut album from Jody Watley – an instant hit that became one of the biggest soul albums of the mid 80s! Jody stepped out from soul group Shalamar to work with producer Andre Cymone on a this set of tracks that set the blueprint for slick soul at the time – still very much in the bass and keys mode of Shalamar and other chart-topping acts of a few years back, but with more space for strong vocals in the lead. Titles include "Looking For A New Love", "Still A Thrill", "Some Kind Of Lover", "For The Girls", "Love Injection", "Do It To The Beat", "Don't You Want Me", "Most Of All", and "Learn To Say No", a duet with George Michael. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record from Mary Wells – one that really captures the rawness of her vocal range, in a setting that's about as "live" as you could get for a soul recording of the time! Berry Gordy put this one together with a brilliant sense of space and place – allowing for a fair bit of crowd noise and cheering alongside Mary's vocals – in a mode that shows that the singer was every bit as great working a crowd as she was in the Motown studios. Tracks are a bit longish, and feature some nice spare backings on the best numbers – and titles include "Old Love", "Operator", "The One Who Really Loves You", "You Beat Me To The Punch", and "Two Lovers". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of incredible early Motown albums from Mary Wells – one of the label's first truly great singers – in a great single set from Kent UK! Mary Wells never sounded better than in her Motown years – and 1962's The One Who Really Loves You is key proof of her talents, as it's overflowing with laidback and mellow soul tunes – done in Mary's great blend of bluesy and classy styles! Titles include classics like "Drifting Love", "Strange Love", "The Day Will Come", "I've Got A Notion", "The One Who Really Loves You", "You Beat Me To The Punch", "Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right", "I'll Still Be Around" and more. The follow-up Two Lovers features the subtitle And Other Greatest Hits, but it's actually a great batch of songs that were most newly-recorded by Mary at the time – and not at all a simple round-up of singles! The approach here has just a little more rawness than some of the girl groups Berry Gordy was scoring hits with at the time, but also a sense of urban classiness. As is their wonderful way, Kent goes above and beyond here – with a great booklet of notes and photos – which shines a light on the making of these great records. Wonderful stuff! Titles include "Two Lovers", "Guess Who", "My 2 Arms - You = Tears", "Goody, Goody", "Stop Right Here", "Laughing Boy", "Looking Back", "(I Guess There's) No Love", "Was It Worth It" and "Operator". CD

Think you know everything there is to know about Stax Records? Think again – because this series serves up an incredible batch of material that was either unissued back in the day, or hardly ever got much circulation at the time! The project comes from the years after the initial Stax Singles box sets – and tracks here include numbers found during that process, but unissued – and others that were only discovered after digging through vaults of tape – and realizing just how much music the label recorded, but never even pressed onto wax! Yet that result is not surprising – given that the famous Memphis studio was always hopping around the clock – with groups like Booker T & The MGs, Mar-Keys, or Bar-Kays jamming in the studio, then making way for a range of singers and other guests as well – an all-star lineup who turn out some top material in this set. Titles on this first volume include "Hide Away" by Booker T & The MGs, "Don't Worry About Tomorrow" by Bobby Marchan, "Cupid" by Otis Redding, "Don't You Like To Me" by Albert King, "Hippy Dippy" by The Mar-Keys, "I've Got Dreams To Remember (alternate)" by Otis Redding, "Never Let Me Go (alternate)" by William Bell, "Cloudburst" by The Mad Lads, "Sweet Devil" by Mable John, "When My Love Comes Down" by Ruby Johnson, "Floyd's Beat" by Floyd Newman, "Run Around" by Carla Thomas, "Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay" by Booker T & The MGs, and "Just Enough To Hurt Me" by The Astors. CD

Really cool cuts from the second generation of Bollywood funk – that 80s moment when things were still ever bit as groovy as during the heyday of 70s soundtracks, but served up with some slightly different instrumentation in the mix! There's maybe a bit more keyboards here at times – but not the cold kind that were dominating European films, especially horror – as they're mixed with plenty of percussion, basslines, and other elements – then topped with vocals by some of the greats who made the music so wonderful back in the previous decade! As you'll guess from the title, all the cuts here are from the vaults of CBS – beautifully remastered, and with great notes and design – in a set of tracks that include "Prem Ashram" by Asha Bhosle, "Aage Bhi Dushman" by Suresh Wadkar & Sadhana Sargam, "Baahon Me Leke Mujhe" by Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle, "Mere Jaisi Mehbooba" by Sharon Prabhakar & Bappi Lahiri, "Hero" by Amit Kumar, "Meri Akhon Mein Zara Jhanto To" by Asha Bhosle, and "Becho Becho" by Amit Kumar & Mahendra Kapoor – plus some cool instrumental tracks too! LP, Vinyl record album

Remember Beach music? Once upon a time we might have argued that was a more contemporary term for an older genre, like northern soul, but this mighty fine collection from the late 60s on Atlantic shows you the sound's been around for quite some time! A great soundtrack for the beach from the Carolina scene – sweetly loping grooves that got heavy play at summer resorts on the southern shores of the Atlantic! While not all the groups originated in the south, the music's gained a special place in the hearts of folks in the Carolinas, who've come to consider the music their own because of it's slightly stepping beat and gentle kind of groove! A dozen numbers in all, including "One Mint Julep" by the Clovers, "Searchin" and "Zing Went The tings Of My Heart" by the Coasters, "Think A Little Sugar" by Barbara Lewis, "CC Rider" by Chuck Willis, "Money Honey" and "Honey Love" by Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, "Walking Up A One way Street" and "Thank You John" by Willie Tee,"There Goes My Baby" by the Drifters, "Just One Look" by Doris Troy and "Drinkin' Wine Spo Dee O Dee" by Stick McGhee. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of rare 60s soul – very different than you might expect from the title and cover! Remember Beach music? Once upon a time we might have argued that was a more contemporary term for an older genre, like northern soul, but this mighty fine collection from the late 60s on Atlantic shows you the sound's been around for quite some time! A great soundtrack for the beach from the Carolina scene – sweetly loping grooves that got heavy play at summer resorts on the southern shores of the Atlantic! While not all the groups originated in the south, the music's gained a special place in the hearts of folks in the Carolinas, who've come to consider the music their own because of it's slightly stepping beat and gentle kind of groove! A dozen numbers in all, including "Searching For My Love" by Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces, "Teasin' You" by Willie Tee, "Hello Stranger" by Barbara Lewis, "Fat Boy" by Billy Stewart, "Memphis Soul Stew" by King Curtis, "May I" by Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs, "Across The Street" by Lenny O'Henry, "Without Love (There Is Nothing)" by Clyde McPhatter, "Idol With The Golden Hand" by the Coasters, "The Entertainer" by Tony Clarke, "Nip Sip" by the Clovers, and "I (Who Have Nothing)" by Ben E King. LP, Vinyl record album

The stand-out cut here is the break dance track "Son of Beat Street" with lots of cutting by Jazzy Jay. Also includes Treacherous Three "Santa's Rap" with beatboxing by Dougie Fresh, Rockers Revenge "Battle Cry" produced by Arthur Baker, and some club cuts by Juicy, Tina B and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic introduction to the world of power pop – that tight, fast, catchy style of music that came about at the same time as punk – and which flourished for a few short years as a more tuneful take on the sound of the underground! Some of the artists here hit big in the years before, others were later smothered in the world of 80s chart hits and music videos – but for a brief, wonderful time, the record racks exploded with great singles and album tracks like these – tunes that almost were a back-to-basics approach after the era of AOR and classic rock, but without some of the sneering attitudes of punk. Most of the artists here are American, and there's a few gems here from the early 70s – key tracks that point the way towards the golden era – all captured beautifully by Ace/Big Beat with their usual detailed notes and history on the music. Titles include "Let Go" by Dirty Looks, "Come On Let's Go" by The Paley Brothers with The Ramones, "Baby It's You" by The Boys, "Nothing Comes Close" by Bill Lloyd, "Better Than Anyone Else" by The Toms, "Nuclear Boy" by 20/20, "Rock & Roll Is Dead" by The Rubinos, "One World" by Utopia, "Andy Please" by Van Duren & The Jody Stephens, "The Trains" by Nashville Ramblers, "Shake Some Action (first version)" by The Flamin Groovies, "What I Like About You" by The Romantics, "I Need That Record" by The Tweeds, "Looking For The Magic" by Dwight Twilley Band, "Kerri" by Robert Johnson, "Radio Heart" by The Secrets, and "Teen Line" by The Shivvers. CD

A treasure trove of rare soul from Detroit – rare material from the hands of producer/guitarist Dave Hamilton, a good deal of which was never issued back in the 60s! As you may know from Dave's own recently reissued work, the Hamilton sound is nice and hard – a version of Detroit soul that's got a bit more beat on the bottom than the better known Motown groove – and which was a perfect setting for some of the excellent lesser-known singers that Dave chose to record. Few of the artists here ever broke big on their own, but that doesn't stop the work from being totally great – and the 25 track set is overflowing with great work that shows a whole new side of the almost-infinite Detroit scene of the late 60s. Some material was issued on 45s for the TCB, Topper, and Palmer labels – but much more of the work here is previously unissued in any form – and totally great all the way through! Titles include "Challenge My Love" by Tobi Lark, "The Two Of Us" by Danny Cobus, "Who Are You Trying To Fool" and "One Way Street" by Little Ann, "You Got Me Turned Around" and "That's Enough" by OC Tolbert, "I'll Give You My Love" by Sue Ann Jones, "We're In Love" by The Additions, "Ain't That Groovy" by The Dave Hamilton Band, "All I Want Is You" by JT Rhythm, "Tears Running & Falling From My Eyes" by James Lately, and "My Sweet Baby" by The Mark-Keys. CD

One of the most important indie labels of the postwar years – heard here in a flurry of great tracks that really show them at their finest! This excellent double-length set brings together magical moments from a time when the Flair imprint was really hitting on all burners – recording key vocal, instrumental, blues, and doo wop tracks that would go onto have a huge impact on generations to come – mixed here with a host of titles that haven't been on CD before! The package digs deeper than any look at Flair we've ever seen – and that's saying a lot, given that Ace Records was already giving the label their due a few decades before – and all the new material sits strongly next to classics that make the 50 track collection one of the best R&B collections from the 78rpm era that we've heard in a long long time. Titles include "She Wants To Rock" and "Getting High" by The Flairs, "Loosely" and "Cuban Get Away" by Ike Turner, "Chop House" by Blinky Allen, "Quit Hangin Around Me" by Saunders King, "Early In The Morning" and "Can't Stop Lovin" by Elmore James, "Hello Baby" and "Baby Beat It" by Big Duke, "Midnight Hours Journey" by Johnny Ace, "Night Howler" by Billy Gale, "You Better Hold Me" by James Reed, "I've Got The Feeling" by Baby Parham, "This Time It's Real" by Ricky & Jennell, "Send Him Back" by Shirley Gunter, "An Angel Cried" by Anna Marie, "Blue Mambo" by Bobby Rey, and "Love Me Love Me Love Me" by The Chimes. CD

With the remix of Wu-Tang's "Can It Be All So Simple", Genius' "I Gotcha Back" and Raekwon & Ghostface Killah "Heaven & Hell". Also has lots of choice old school cuts (though some of them have been shortened from their full 6+ minute 12" versions): Cold Cut Brothers "Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold", Fearless 4 "Rockin It", Funky 4 + 1 More "Do You Wanna Rock", Spoonie G "Spoonin Rap", Masterdon Committee "Funkbox Party", Fresh 3 MC's "Fresh", Whodini "The Freaks Come Out At Night" and T-Ski Valley "Catch The Beat". CD

A huge dip into the world of all-girl bands from the 60s – not sweet-voiced, teeny-bopping pop acts – and instead a host of raw, garagey groups that come across with a heck of a lot of power! There's some folks out there who might tag a famous 70s group or two as the first female rock band – but as the compilers of this long-running series know, the phenomenon goes way way back – so much so that there's no need to fuss and fight about any "first", and instead just dive in and enjoy all the wonderful music on the set! Production is nice and lean on most of these cuts – no added strings or orchestral sweetening – and these groups work in territory that's got all the raw power of any of the male groups to be tagged with the "garage" label over the years. Three tracks on the set are previously unreleased, the package has superb notes on the material, and titles include "Pink Dominos" by Chiyo & the Crescents, "I Don't Know Why" by The Wrong Black Bag, "Ask Me" by Debbie Williams & The Unwritten Law, "Dimples" by The Misfits, "Melvin" by The Belles, "Stardust Come Back" by Girls Take Over, "Really Gonna Shake" by Sandra Barry & The Boys, "Skinny Minnie" by The Beat Chics, and "Never Till Now" by The Bootles. CD

A huge dip into the world of all-girl bands from the 60s – not sweet-voiced, teeny-bopping pop acts – and instead a host of raw, garagey groups that come across with a heck of a lot of power! There's some folks out there who might tag a famous 70s group or two as the first female rock band – but as the compilers of this long-running series know, the phenomenon goes way way back – so much so that there's no need to fuss and fight about any "first", and instead just dive in and enjoy all the wonderful music on the set! Production is nice and lean on most of these cuts – no added strings or orchestral sweetening – and these groups work in territory that's got all the raw power of any of the male groups to be tagged with the "garage" label over the years. Three tracks on the set are previously unreleased, the package has superb notes on the material, and titles include "Pink Dominos" by Chiyo & the Crescents, "I Don't Know Why" by The Wrong Black Bag, "Ask Me" by Debbie Williams & The Unwritten Law, "Dimples" by The Misfits, "Melvin" by The Belles, "Stardust Come Back" by Girls Take Over, "Really Gonna Shake" by Sandra Barry & The Boys, "Skinny Minnie" by The Beat Chics, and "Never Till Now" by The Bootles. CD

A massive assortment of tracks that go way past the familiar – not a collection of standard classics from Blue Note, Impulse, or Prestige – and instead a whole host of jazzy groovers that we'd never have discovered otherwise! This volume of the series does a great job mixing in contemporary cuts with rare nuggets from years past – in ways that never make you notice the passage of years, as almost all of this work is rooted in a solid blend of tight rhythms and inventive improvisation – heavy on acoustic instrumentation, but with occasional electric moments too! Imagine the kind of groove that Gilles Peterson used to turn us onto years back, when he was spinning rare jazz records, and you'll get the vibe here – served up on titles that include "Tape Your Beat" by Born 74 & Onj, "Still In Love" by GeeW, "46 To Somewhere" by The Sultan's Swing, "Unreachable Galaxy" by Stefano Di Santis, "Movin" by Charro Band De Emilio Guerro, "Caught In A Fever" by Moreen Meridian, "Mr Fool" by Alonson Gonzalez & Jazz Latino, "Cla Samba" by Juju, "I Face East" by Mary Greer Mudiku, "Mende" by Jacques Schwarz Bart, "Mother Of The Future" by Venus Dodson, "Wanting Touch (inst)" by Juju, "Mambo De Papi" by El Caballo Y Su Orquesta, "Ponteio" by Miho Nobuzane, "Samba De La Cruz" by Tres Men, and "I'll Bet You Thought I'd Never Find You" by Lifetime. CD

A massive assortment of tracks that go way past the familiar – not a collection of standard classics from Blue Note, Impulse, or Prestige – and instead a whole host of jazzy groovers that we'd never have discovered otherwise! This volume of the series does a great job mixing in contemporary cuts with rare nuggets from years past – in ways that never make you notice the passage of years, as almost all of this work is rooted in a solid blend of tight rhythms and inventive improvisation – heavy on acoustic instrumentation, but with occasional electric moments too! Imagine the kind of groove that Gilles Peterson used to turn us onto years back, when he was spinning rare jazz records, and you'll get the vibe here – served up on titles that include "Tape Your Beat" by Born 74 & Onj, "Still In Love" by GeeW, "46 To Somewhere" by The Sultan's Swing, "Unreachable Galaxy" by Stefano Di Santis, "Movin" by Charro Band De Emilio Guerro, "Caught In A Fever" by Moreen Meridian, "Mr Fool" by Alonson Gonzalez & Jazz Latino, and "Cla Samba" by Juju. LP, Vinyl record album

A really great collection of jazzy groovers – one that effortlessly combines older material and newer recordings, all with a great ear that never tires in its pursuit of the groove! The blend of old and new is a bit like some of the collections we used to love from Gilles Peterson back in the last century – but Paul Murphy definitely has his own style and way of choosing a tune, and like Peterson, he has a great way of setting a new sort of fire with jazz – one that will burn strongly for generations to come! Titles include "Yatra-Ta" by Terje Terasmaa, "African Mailman" by Rhythmagic Orchestra, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Blue Mode, "Foot In The Door" by Onward International, "Zombie" by Art Ensemble Of Chicago, "Emnete (live)" by Imperial Tiger Orchestra, "4 Beat Cha Cha Cha" by Lucas Van Merwijk & His Cubop City Big Band, "Tribute To Mulatu" by Patchworks, "Koumba Fri Fri" by Mamelon, "Sorrow Tears & Blood" by Shola Adisa Farrar & Florian Pellissier Quartet, and "Mambo De La Pinta" by Art Pepper. LP, Vinyl record album

John Savage offers us a mighty nice look at the years of post-disco, and post-post-punk – served up here in a great mix of music from a time when soulful styles were mixing it up with returning rock on the dancefloor! The work here is from a time when the UK scene was having big global impact with a new sort of sound – often with a fair dose of electric energy, sometimes darker and more industrialized, sometimes lighter and catchy – and a perfect fit for some of the street soul styles happing in the US as well! Most acts here are British, but there's a few key American groups two – blended together in the kind of cuts that made clubs like Danceteria or The Hacienda such a delight back in the day. As usual, the notes are superb – a special Savage touch – and titles include "Techno City (voc)" by Cybotron, "Telephone Operator" by Pete Shelly, "Soweto" by Malcolm McLaren, "All Tomorrow's Parties" by Japan, "Bright Lights" by The Special AKA, "What Presence" by Orange Juice, "No Sell Out" by Malcom X mixed by Keith LeBlanc, "I Want You" by Cabaret Voltaire, "Think Fast" by Pamela Joy, "Looking From A Hilltop" by Section 25, "Why" by Bronski Beat, "Sunspots" by Julian Cope, "Never Understand" by Jesus & Mary Chain, "Heat" by Soft Cell, "The Rock Steady Grew" by Rock Steady Crew, "Disappearing Act" by Shalamar, "Lined Up" by Shriekback, and "Life's A Scream" by A Certain Ratio. CD

Director John Hughes gave the world some pretty great movies back in the 80s – and in most of those movies, music was a very big part of the experience – as Hughes had a way of using just the right songs in just the right moments, and also helped get wider mainstream exposure for some of the hipper acts of the time! This package is a great tribute to the kinds of cuts that Hughes would use – some done especially for his films, most from other records but used in key scenes – in a package that collects together songs from films that include Some Kind Of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty In Pink, She's Having A Baby, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Planes Trains & Automobiles. 2LP version features 25 cuts in all – with titles that include "Do Anything (soundtrack version)" by Pete Shelly, "Eighties" by Killing Joke, "Full Of Love" by Dr Calculus, "Beat City" by Flowerpot Men, "She's Having A Baby" by Dave Wakeling, "I Go Crazy" by Flesh For Lulu, "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds, "If You Leave" by OMD, "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush, "Oh Yeah" by Yellow, "Pretty In Pink" by Psychedelic Furs, "Brilliant Mind" by Furniture, "Six Days On The Road" by Steve Earle, "Crazy Love" by Bryan Ferry, "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby (soundtrack version)" by Kirsty MacColl, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (inst)" by Dream Academy, "Tenderness" by General Public, "Bring On The Dancing Horses" by Echo & The Bunnymen, "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Lick The Tins, "Weird Science" by Oingo Boingo, "Left Of Center" by Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson, and "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins. LP, Vinyl record album

Director John Hughes gave the world some pretty great movies back in the 80s – and in most of those movies, music was a very big part of the experience – as Hughes had a way of using just the right songs in just the right moments, and also helped get wider mainstream exposure for some of the hipper acts of the time! This package is a great tribute to the kinds of cuts that Hughes would use – some done especially for his films, most from other records but used in key scenes – in a package that collects together songs from films that include Some Kind Of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty In Pink, She's Having A Baby, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Planes Trains & Automobiles. 4CD version comes in a great book-styled package, with plenty of notes – and includes 74 cuts in all – with titles that include "Do Anything (soundtrack version)" by Pete Shelly, "Eighties" by Killing Joke, "Full Of Love" by Dr Calculus, "Beat City" by Flowerpot Men, "She's Having A Baby" by Dave Wakeling, "I Go Crazy" by Flesh For Lulu, "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds, "If You Leave" by OMD, "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush, "Oh Yeah" by Yellow, "Pretty In Pink" by Psychedelic Furs, "Brilliant Mind" by Furniture, "Six Days On The Road" by Steve Earle, "Crazy Love" by Bryan Ferry, "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby (soundtrack version)" by Kirsty MacColl, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (inst)" by Dream Academy, "Tenderness" by General Public, "Bring On The Dancing Horses" by Echo & The Bunnymen, "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Lick The Tins, "Weird Science" by Oingo Boingo, "Left Of Center" by Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson, and "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins. CD

Director John Hughes gave the world some pretty great movies back in the 80s – and in most of those movies, music was a very big part of the experience – as Hughes had a way of using just the right songs in just the right moments, and also helped get wider mainstream exposure for some of the hipper acts of the time! This package is a great tribute to the kinds of cuts that Hughes would use – some done especially for his films, most from other records but used in key scenes – in a package that collects together songs from films that include Some Kind Of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty In Pink, She's Having A Baby, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Planes Trains & Automobiles. 4CD version comes in a great book-styled package, with plenty of notes – and includes 74 cuts in all – with titles that include "Do Anything (soundtrack version)" by Pete Shelly, "Eighties" by Killing Joke, "Full Of Love" by Dr Calculus, "Beat City" by Flowerpot Men, "She's Having A Baby" by Dave Wakeling, "I Go Crazy" by Flesh For Lulu, "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds, "If You Leave" by OMD, "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush, "Oh Yeah" by Yellow, "Pretty In Pink" by Psychedelic Furs, "Brilliant Mind" by Furniture, "Six Days On The Road" by Steve Earle, "Crazy Love" by Bryan Ferry, "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby (soundtrack version)" by Kirsty MacColl, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (inst)" by Dream Academy, "Tenderness" by General Public, "Bring On The Dancing Horses" by Echo & The Bunnymen, "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Lick The Tins, "Weird Science" by Oingo Boingo, "Left Of Center" by Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson, and "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins. CD

The nice set of club jazz, downtempo, cosmic hip hop, and all around groovy beatcraft blended together by DJ Mark Farina – his 6th volume in the Mushroom Jazz series! Mark does a terrific job here of assembling some of our favorite club grooves from around the globe, and an even better job of mixing into a fine set – with tracks by Ta'Raach, Super Smoky Soul, Kero One, J Boogie, Jazzual Suspects and more. 20 tracks in a well paced continuous mix – "This Beat" by Jazzual Suspects, "Fool's Competition" by Smooth Current, "Baaaby" by Ta'Raach, "Groovin'" by Kero One, "Dopebeatz" by Colossus, "Life" by Mark Farina, "Way Back When" by Choice 37, "Day At The Beach" by J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science and more. CD

Classic breaks – all the way through – the kind of sharp funky nuggets that have had a rich new life, thanks to their use in hip hop and club tracks in recent years! This may not be the most underground stuff in the world to those out there who've been digging through crates for funk and soul for the past ten years, but it is an exquisite compilation that features some of the best funky tracks used as samples by hip hoppers, nearly every one of them a famous cut that you'll probably recognize in a minute! Titles include "I Like It" by The Emotions, "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "Hard Times" by Baby Huey, "Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth" by 24 Carat Black, "Kool Is Back" by Funk Inc, "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines, "Heaven & Hell" by 20th Century Steel Band, "Unhooked Generation" by Freda Payne, "Papa Was, Too" by Joe Tex, "Just A Groove In G" by Wilbur Bascomb & The Zodiac, "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William De Vaughn, and "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds. 18 cuts in all! LP, Vinyl record album

A cool collection of grooves from the legendary TK Records label – and one that goes way past the obvious hits that topped the charts back in the 70s! The package is less the overall story of TK, than it is a great reminder that there's some really funky nuggets lurking deep in the label's mighty catalog – killer tunes that show that the Miami club sound of the late 70s was firmly rooted in funk and deep soul of the earlier part of the decade – at a level that still stayed pretty funky, even well into the disco generation! There's some great gems here – and titles include "Lady Fingers" by Tony Middleton, "Plato's Retreat" by Joe Thomas, "Funk Reaction" by Lonnie Smith, "Harlem Nocturne" by Wildflower, "Don't Turn Away" by Midnite Flite, "Star Cruiser" by Gregg Diamond, "Funk Machine" by Funk Machine, "Hey Sexy Dancer" by Rocky Mizell, "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly & Life, and "Do What You Wanna Do" by T Connection. CD

Nice comp of old school cuts including "PSK What Does It Mean?" by Schoolly D, "Ego Trippin" by Ultramagnetic MCs, "Rockin It" by Fearless Four, "Body Rock" by Treacherous Three, "Going Way Back" by Just Ice, "Bring The Beat Back" by Steady B, "Girls I Got 'Em Locked" by Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud, "Stick 'Em" by The Fat Boys, "Def Fresh Crew" by Roxanne Shante and Biz Markie, "It's My Beat" by Sweet Tee and Jazzy Joyce, "Peter Piper" by Run DMC, and "Fresh" by Fresh 3 MCs. LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool package, and one that goes past the easy old school hits from the early years of hip hop – and which instead brings together all these unusual strands of sound that really show how creative things were, right at the start! There's a number of tracks here that are a great surprise – nuggets we loved back in the day, and which spring to live here amidst other well-chosen tracks – all served up with the usual super-great notes and overall presentation we love from the Soul Jazz label. Many tracks have great basslines or boogie-styled grooves – from that moment when hip hop, funk, and soul were maybe more strong bedfellows than they would be a few years later – and themes are a nice mix of politics and partying, on titles that include "Get Live 83" by Carver Area High School Seniors, "Super Rock Body Shock" by Eye Beta Rock, "Street Talk" by Funky Constellation, "Do You Like That Funky Beat" by Kool Kyle The Starchild, "Jam To Remember" by Just Four, "Eei Eei O" by Silver Star, "Magic's Rap" by Magic's Trick, "Real Rocking Groove" by Chapter III, "To The Beat Y'All" by Sangrita, "Rappin & Rockin The House" by Funky Four Plus One More, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Mike T, and "Girls Of The World" by The Just Four. CD

A really cool package, and one that goes past the easy old school hits from the early years of hip hop – and which instead brings together all these unusual strands of sound that really show how creative things were, right at the start! There's a number of tracks here that are a great surprise – nuggets we loved back in the day, and which spring to live here amidst other well-chosen tracks – all served up with the usual super-great notes and overall presentation we love from the Soul Jazz label. Many tracks have great basslines or boogie-styled grooves – from that moment when hip hop, funk, and soul were maybe more strong bedfellows than they would be a few years later – and themes are a nice mix of politics and partying, on titles that include "Get Live 83" by Carver Area High School Seniors, "Super Rock Body Shock" by Eye Beta Rock, "Street Talk" by Funky Constellation, "Do You Like That Funky Beat" by Kool Kyle The Starchild, "Jam To Remember" by Just Four, "Eei Eei O" by Silver Star, "Real Rocking Groove" by Chapter III, "To The Beat Y'All" by Sangrita, "Rappin & Rockin The House" by Funky Four Plus One More, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Mike T, and "Girls Of The World" by The Just Four. LP, Vinyl record album

Sublimely soulful work from Azymuth – 2 albums back to back on a single CD! Cascades is fantastic fusion from a group who just couldn't miss during these early 80s California years! The sound here is smooth, but never slick – always a little offbeat, and quite different from more mainstream US fusion of the time – thanks to the genius of Jose Roberto Bertrami's keyboards, which glide one moment, dip the next, and often have these slight changes in speed that are totally great. Other members of the core trio include Alex Malheiros on bass and guitar and Ivan Conti on drums and percussion – and the set also features guest work by Mauricio Einhorn on harmonica, Jose Carlos on flute, and Sidney Moreira on percussion. Titles include "Remembering Milton", "Club Morocco", "Through The Window", "Festa Nativa", "Cascade Of The Seven Waterfalls", and "Indian Pepper". Rapid Transit is a set with a really warm groove overall – hardly the too-fast, or too-urban record you might expect from the title! Instead, there's a nicely organic sensibility going on here – a sound that feels fresh and spontaneous, even when it's in the highly electric territory of Jose Roberto Bertami's keyboards. There's a slight bit of added flute and percussion on the set, but most of the sounds here are from the core Azymuth trio – who even vocalize wordlessly on one of the album's best tracks. Titles include "Missing Doto", "Make Mine Guarana", "Gate Of Time", "I'm Just Looking Around", "Somewhere In Brazil", and "Afternoon". CD

Proof that Azymuth were one of the few groups who could keep things real at a time when most of their fusion contemporaries were sounding cloying and commercial! The album's got a well-rounded sound that really shows the group's roots in the 70s, and their wonderful evolution over the years – that keyboard-heavy sound that's always warm and soulful, and never too tinny or beat-heavy. Jose Roberto Bertrami's keys come across with a 70s warmth that most groups were lacking by this time – and the backing from Alex Maheiros on bass and Ivan Conti is always very subtle, and simple too – swirled up alongside the keyboards, and mixed in with a few occasional bits of guest instrumentation – including trumpet from Marcio Montarroyos on one track, and flugelhorn from Paulinho Olivera on a few more. Titles include versions of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", Jobim's "Song Of The Jet", and Ivan Lins' "The Island", plus the cuts "Universal Prisoner", "Candomble", and "Areis". LP, Vinyl record album

They may look goofy on the cover, but the young B-52s are incredible here – working with this spare sense of power that almost makes us think that we didn't need most of what happened in rock and roll during the 70s – given the way these guys can distill a mood or moment down to just a few deft instrumental turns and offbeat lyrics! The record's not punk, but it's also not new wave either – at least in the conventional way – and there's a darkness here that goes way past any simple cliches you may have associated with the band – a haunting feel that transcends most of what they were ever capable of in later years. We might even say this one tops their debut – and titles include "Party Out Of Bounds", "Dirty Back Road", "Runnin Around", "Give Me Back My Man", "Private Idaho", "Devil In My Car", "Quiche Lorraine", "Strobe Light" and "53 Miles West Of Venus". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a horse on the cover, and a sound that's maybe even more soulful than the first mighty outing by Babe Ruth – quite a lot, given the strength of that debut! Vocalist Jenny Haan seems to have an even greater presence here – working some nice currents of color through the group's great ability to riff, groove, and sometimes step into more acoustic modes – all while holding onto one of the hippest currents going in the Harvest Records scene – and one of the most unique as well! There's plenty of surprises throughout – and in addition to great cuts like "Broken Cloud", "Gimme Some Leg", "We Are Holding On", "Amar Caballo", and "Doctor Love" – the group also turn in a nicely offbeat remake of "Cool Jerk" too! LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from one of the funkiest steel bands around – a totally hip combo who just seem to be getting better and better with each new release! This time around, they've stepped up the beats even more than before – mixing their 70s funk and steel drum work with just a slight current from hip hop production – all of which almost makes you feel like Wu-Tang made a trip to the Caribbean, then came back with these tapes as a result! There's also some additionally cool touches in the horns – used with maybe some slight Ethio jazz inflections at points – alongside other elements that really help move the Bacao aesthetic forward in a mighty nice way. Titles include "Hotline Bling", "Grilled", "How We Do", "Hazy Memories", "In The Crosshairs", "The Champion's Walk", and a very cool take on the "Stranger Things Theme"! CD

Excellent work from one of the funkiest steel bands around – a totally hip combo who just seem to be getting better and better with each new release! This time around, they've stepped up the beats even more than before – mixing their 70s funk and steel drum work with just a slight current from hip hop production – all of which almost makes you feel like Wu-Tang made a trip to the Caribbean, then came back with these tapes as a result! There's also some additionally cool touches in the horns – used with maybe some slight Ethio jazz inflections at points – alongside other elements that really help move the Bacao aesthetic forward in a mighty nice way. Titles include "Hotline Bling", "Grilled", "How We Do", "Hazy Memories", "In The Crosshairs", "The Champion's Walk", and a very cool take on the "Stranger Things Theme"! LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from one of the funkiest steel bands around – a totally hip combo who just seem to be getting better and better with each new release! This time around, they've stepped up the beats even more than before – mixing their 70s funk and steel drum work with just a slight current from hip hop production – all of which almost makes you feel like Wu-Tang made a trip to the Caribbean, then came back with these tapes as a result! There's also some additionally cool touches in the horns – used with maybe some slight Ethio jazz inflections at points – alongside other elements that really help move the Bacao aesthetic forward in a mighty nice way. Titles include "Hotline Bling", "Grilled", "How We Do", "Hazy Memories", "In The Crosshairs", "The Champion's Walk", and a very cool take on the "Stranger Things Theme"! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Bacharach galore – an assortment of under-reissued tracks all penned by the mighty Burt – most of which are from the heyday of 60s uptown soul! Despite the 1952 in the date range on the title, almost all the tunes here are from the mid 60s – that time when Bacharach was writing new tunes like a demon, and getting most of them recorded by a range of great talents on the New York scene. Singers are a good mix of soul, pop, rock, and vocal artists – and although the material was done for a variety of different labels, there's a relatively unified feel – thanks to that snapping syncopation that Burt always brought to work like this. CD features 26 titles in all – including "How About" by Della Reese, "Third Window From The Right" by Dean Barlow, "I Wake Up Crying" by Del Shannon, "I Looked For You" by Charlie Gracie, "That's Not The Answer" by Vi Velasco, "More Time To Be With You" by Brook Benton, "Three Friends" by The Turbans, "Move It On The Backbeat" by Burt & The Backbeats, "You're Telling Our Secrets" by Dee Clark, "Thirty Miles Of Railroad Track" by The Hammond Brothers, "The Story Of My Life" by Big Al Downing, "Made In Paris" by Trini Lopez, "Rain From The Skies" by Adam Wade, and "True Love Never Runs Smooth" by Don & Juan. CD

A tough record to peg – but a great one too! Wally Badarou plays a range of spacey keyboards that include synclavier, mini moog, and prophet 5 – all over some beats that are a mix of electro and Carribean rhythms – in a style that's part jazzy, part new agey, and part 80s groove! The record's an unusual one, but it's pretty darn compelling – especially from a vantage point of the many years since it was recorded – because Badarou's clearly years ahead of his time, working here in a style that predates many changes to come in electronic music of the 21st century! Tracks include "Endless Race", "Jungle", "Rain", "Keys", "Mambo", and "Canyons". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one from Badu – one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual narrative in the strongest of these cuts. It's not that she's forgone lyrics; but it's all about the ambience, not radio sing-a-longs. She also dives head first into her organic soul and hip hop hybrid sound a little more sparingly, but still better than any of the ladies that followed her lead after Baduizm. She channels Donald Byrd on the great "Think Twice", which is pretty indicative of the vibe as a whole. The groove is sorta mellow, but in a very tripped-out way, with deep organ washes and synth, scratchy soul guitar, and crisp organic beats. There's an appearance by Dead Prez on "Steady On The Grind", and a really sweet old school flavored remake of the great "Love Of My Life" track from the Brown Sugar soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Bahamadia, but for the most part Erykah is sweating soul on her own spiritual plane here. It's gonna take a little while to sink in, but this may be her best album (despite whatever naysaying BS you may read in mainstream reviews.) Tracks include "Bump It", the great single "Danger", "Woo", "Back In The Day" and "I Want You". CD

A nice one from Badu – one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual narrative in the strongest of these cuts. It's not that she's forgone lyrics, but it's all about the ambience, not radio sing-a-longs. She also dives head first into her organic soul and hip hop hybrid sound a little more sparingly, but still better than most who that followed her lead post-Baduizm. She channels Donald Byrd on the great "Think Twice", which is pretty indicative of the vibe as a whole. The groove is sorta mellow, but in a very tripped-out way, with deep organ washes and synth tones, scratchy soul guitar, and crisp organic beats. There's an appearance by Dead Prez on "Steady On The Grind", and a really sweet old school flavored remake of the great "Love Of My Life" track from the Brown Sugar soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Bahamadia, but for the most part Erykah is sweating soul on her own spiritual plane here. It's gonna take a little while to sink in, but this may be her best album (despite whatever naysaying BS you may read in mainstream reviews.) Tracks include "Bump It", the great single "Danger", "Woo", "Back In The Day" and "I Want You". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one from Badu – one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual narrative in the strongest of these cuts. It's not that she's forgone lyrics; but it's all about the ambience, not radio sing-a-longs. She also dives head first into her organic soul and hip hop hybrid sound a little more sparingly, but still better than any of the ladies that followed her lead after Baduizm. She channels Donald Byrd on the great "Think Twice", which is pretty indicative of the vibe as a whole. The groove is sorta mellow, but in a very tripped-out way, with deep organ washes and synth, scratchy soul guitar, and crisp organic beats. There's an appearance by Dead Prez on "Steady On The Grind", and a really sweet old school flavored remake of the great "Love Of My Life" track from the Brown Sugar soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Bahamadia, but for the most part Erykah is sweating soul on her own spiritual plane here. It's gonna take a little while to sink in, but this may be her best album (despite whatever naysaying BS you may read in mainstream reviews.) Tracks include "Bump It", the great single "Danger", "Woo", "Back In The Day" and "I Want You". Includes bonus tracks "Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop)". CD

A fantastically hard bossa nova jam led by the legendary Milton Banana – a man not only known as Joao Gilberto's favorite drummer, but also as one of the architects of bossa nova drumming and percussion! The album is full of non-stop drums and piano grooves, and it's a mostly uptempo treat all the way through. Milton B tipples his way across the tops of the drums in an amazingly light fashion, yet still manages to kick on the rhythm all the way through. The hard piano sound and Milton B's beats and rhythms made this album a legend – and really cleared the way for so many great bossa albums to come. Amazing! 12 tracks including "Aruanda", "Ora Bolas", "Encanto Triste", and "Improviso", "A Resposta", "A Resposta". LP, Vinyl record album

Man, these guys really know how to groove – and even on a bigger label, with a more commercial image, they still manage to come up with a tight little set! There's a key ear for a bassline and beat that keeps The Bar-Kays standing stronger than most of their contemporaries – a sense of rhythm schooled in years of indie funk that comes through even on the mellower cuts here – which themselves show an even better side of the group in this generation, one that comes across great here on a few slower numbers that have a sweetly stepping groove. Titles include "Nightcruising", "Freaky Behavior", "Feels Like I'm Falling In Love", "Touch Tone", "Hit & Run", "Unforgettable Dream", "Traffic Jammer", and "Backseat Driver". LP, Vinyl record album

Basie hits the hits of the 50s and early 60s – working here with some tight Billy Byers arrangements that really help transform the tunes! The groove is upbeat, bright, and brilliantly soulful – that punctuated Basie groove first formed when Neal Hefti was with the group, still carried off here wonderfully by a lineup that includes Frank Wess and Frank Foster on saxes, Snooky Young and Al Aarons on trumpets, Benny Powell and Henry Coker on trombones, and Freddie Green on guitar. Titles include "The Second Time Around", "Hey Jealous Lover", "All Of Me", "This Love Of Mine", "Saturday Night", "Come Fly With Me", and "South Of The Border" – almost a Sinatra album in spirit, given the choice of tunes like these! LP, Vinyl record album

"Close To You" is one of the most soulful tunes we've ever heard from Beanfield – a great little groover that's mixed here by Maurice Felton with some skipped-up beats that sound mighty nice! The "acoustic" mix actually has a sweet bit of electric keys – all washing around in the background, and providing a nice sonic foil to the tune's sweet guitar! The flip features some spacey, spooky remix work by Chateau Flight – of another soulful tune, "Tides"! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Lots of unusual early tracks – 26 in all! CD