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Partial matches: 146
Partial matches101
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fear ItselfFear Itself (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD
Dot/Big Pink (South Korea), 1970. New Copy ... $18.99 23.99
A really cool little record that's essentially the start of the great musical legacy of Ellen McIlwaine – a group effort, but one that still features Ellen on vocals and arrangements – as well as work on harmonica, guitar, and organ! The style is more blues-influenced than some of the acoustic moments of McIlwaine's great Polydor records from a few years later – but as with those, there's also a genre-defying approach that's mighty nice – with some currents of funk in the offbeat arrangements, which really keeps things interesting! Lead guitar is from Chris Zaloom, who has a heavier, headier quality than you might expect – and titles include "Crawling Kingsnake", "The Letter", "Mossy Dream", "Billy Gene", "Born Under A Bad Sign", and "Bow'd Up". CD

Partial matches102
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Richard Dimples FieldsGive Everybody Some ... CD
Boardwalk/Octave (Japan), 1982. New Copy ... $18.99 24.99
Sweet mainstream grooving from Richard Dimples Fields – the 70s indie artist who really struck big with these early 80s albums for Boardwalk! The style here is a mix of mellow soul and more upbeat numbers – very much the kind of blend that Fields' served up best back on his own label in the 70s, but which is re-presented here with a more professional, more contemporary soul vibe. There's a sweetness to Richard's vocals that's quite different than most of his contemporaries – an earnestness that makes even the most poppy numbers sound pretty great – and which almost sound better here than they did in the old days. Titles include "Don't Ever Stop Chasing Your Dreams", "Butter", "People Treat You Funky", "You Shouldn't Have Made It So Good", "You Send Me", and a nice version of "Moody's Mood For Love". CD

Partial matches103
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Clare FischerFirst Time Out (SHMCD pressing) ... CD
Pacific Jazz/Universal (Japan), 1962. New Copy ... $14.99 19.99
An amazing debut from pianist Clare Fischer – an artist who went onto have a subtle, but immediate influence upon both the American and Brazilian jazz scenes of the time! Fischer's got a lyrical approach to rhythm that's simply amazing – modern, but never cold and academic – and instead always freely dancing around, in a way that gives equal melodic roles to the bass and drums in his trio. There's a clear bossa nova inspiration here, but keep in mind that Fischer's sensibility was also a big influence on the bossa players of the time. The whole session sparkles with a fresh genius that still beats the work of most players still recording today – and Fischer's piano is accompanied by equally free-thinking work on bass by Gary Peacock and drums by Gene Stone. Most titles are originals, and tunes include "Toddler", "Stranger", "Nigerian Walk", "Afterfact", "Free Too Long", "Piece For Scotty", and "Blues For Home". CD
Also available First Time Out ... LP 19.99

Partial matches104
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Ella Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday with Carmen McRaeElla Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday At Newport (plus Carmen McRae too!) (plus bonus tracks) ... CD
Verve, 1957. Used ... Out Of Stock
Two of the biggest singers who ever worked for Verve Records – captured perfectly at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957! Ella Fitzgerald steps out with a strong, lively groove on the first half of the set – swinging things with a looser, more upbeat quality than on some of her mellower Verve studio sets of the late 50s – really grooving it up with small combo backing from the trio of pianist Don Abney! Billie Holiday also gets some small combo backing too – a hip trio with Mal Waldron on piano, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Jo Jones on drums – often a bit more laidback than the group on Ella's sides, but in a great way that helps Holiday hit a very intimate sound, even before this large audience. Ella sings "This Can't Be Love", "Body & Soul", "April In Paris", "I Got A Crush On You", and "Airmail Special" – and Billie sings "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "My Man", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Lady Sings The Blues". CD also features 3 more unissued bonus tracks by Ella – "Too Close For Comfort", "Lullaby Of Birdland", and "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down & Write Myself A Letter". And, added to all of this are 7 more tracks recorded by Carmen McRae at Newport, not issued by Verve in the 50s because Carmen was working for Decca! These sides feature trio backing too – from groups featuring Ray Bryant and Junior Mance on piano – on titles that include "Body & Soul", "Skyliner", "I'll Remember April", "Perdido", and "Love Is Here To Stay". CD

Partial matches105
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Formula 1Hold On (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD
Guinness/Big Pink (South Korea), 1977. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
A rare batch of funky soul on the notorious Guinness label – the same company that gave the world the two fantastic albums by Newban – and somehow also managed to issue this gem of a set too! The vibe is similar to Newban – well-crafted upbeat soul that isn't really disco, but isn't hard funk either – instead this really unique hybrid of modes that moves along at a mighty nice clip – while tight, fast guitar really carves out most of the groove – but is matched by some great basslines and drums, and topped by horns that really warm things up alongside the vocals! There's a soaring, positive vibe to the whole record – energy that really belies the fact that the set hardly got any circulation at the time – almost as if the group were poising themselves to be huge. Titles include "Love Love Love", "Hold On", "Can You Feel It", "All In Time", "Fine Lady", and "Smoke Up". CD

Partial matches106
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Taana GardnerTaana Gardner (with bonus tracks) ... CD
West End/Big Break (UK), 1979. Used ... Out Of Stock
The only full length album cut by singer Taana Gardner – quite a surprise, given how much impact she had on the clubs with her 12" singles at the start of the 80s! The album's got Gardner as a much richer singer than you might expect – able to lay back on a mellow track as well as step out on a groover – always with that higher range of vocals that really made her a standout at the time, but in ways that are never gimmicky or poppy at all. And in fact, there's a lot more depth to the record than you'd guess from the dated exercise cover image – a classic soul approach that's also quite a surprise for the mostly disco West End label too. Tracks are all nice and long – and backings are by Sunship, with Bernard Wright on Fender Rhodes. Titles include "Work That Body", "We Got To Work It Out", "When You Touch Me", "Paradise Express", and "Just Be A Friend". CD features the previously unreleased "That's The Word (12" club)", plus "Heartbeat (12" club)", "Heartbeat (12" party)", "No Frills (12" club)", and "No Frills (12" party)". CD

Partial matches107
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Lallo GoriScusi Ma Le Paga Le Tasse/Come Rubammo La Bomba Atomica ... CD
Beat (Italy), 1967/1971. New Copy ... $17.99 22.99
Two very playful soundtracks – both composed by Lallo Gori, who we mostly know for more serious action work! Scusi Ma Le Paga Le Tasse is from the start of the 70s, and begins with a vocal number from Franco Fanchi, but soon moves into much groovier territory with a blend of funky jazz and dreamier moments of the sort that you might be likely to hear from some of the bigger Italian composers of the period. There's occasional light piano, ala Stelvio Cipriani – and even an appearance from the Nora Orlandi singers over the course of the 17 tracks from the film. Come Rubammo La Bomba Atomica is from 1967, and the music has some slight currents of spy spoof scores of the period – that nice comedic/dramatic mix of jazz and dynamic pacing, blended with a few exotic elements too. The set features two vocal numbers sung by Elsa, and the rest of the 12 tracks from the film are instrumental. CD

Partial matches108
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, & The Furious FiveDefinitive Groove Collection ... CD
Sugar Hill, Late 70s/Early 80s. Used 2CD ... Out Of Stock
A Sugar Hill party in one sweet little package – 2CDs worth of music that features some of the biggest hits from the Grandmaster Flash generation, plus a few surprising bits from later years too! The package features a whopping 23 tracks in all – one disc that mostly hovers around the early Sugar Hill years, and another that takes off a bit in different directions. Cuts include "Freedom", "New York New York", "Scorpio", "The Message", "It's Nasty", and "Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five; "Internationally Known", "We Don't Work For Free", and "Beat Street" by Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five; "Showdown" by Furious Five Meets Sugarhill Gang, "Flash To The Beat" by Grandmaster Flash, "Message II" by Melle Mel & Duke Bootee, "White Lines" by Grandmaster & Melle Mel, "World War III" by Melle Mel, "Step Off" by The Furious Five, "Sign Of The Times" and "Vice" by Grandmaster Flash. CD
(Out of print. Includes slipcase.)

Partial matches109
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✨✧ Grass RootsLeaving It All Behind/Move Along/Alotta Mileage (bonus tracks) ... CD
Dunhill/BGO (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s. New Copy 2CD ... $14.99 21.99
A trio of albums from The Grass Roots – plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Leaving It All Behind – a really great shift for the Grass Roots – a set that has the group sounding more confident before, and maybe a bit more soulful too – really coming at things with this nice sense of punch both in the lead vocals, and the way the overall groove drives the set! The arrangements are superb – handled by Sid Feller and Jimmie Haskell – and we can especially hear the talents of the latter, in the way that Jimmie can take simple elements and make them sound groovy – but all in a very unassuming way. Titles include "Out Of This World", "I'm Lovin For You Girl", "Wait A Million Years", "Take Him While You Can", "Walking Through The Country", and "Truck Drivin Man". Move Along is a record with a big, bold sound – lots of soulful arrangements from Jimmie Haskell, full of horns and driven by great basslines – all of which really pushes the dynamic energy of the group! The Grass Roots look a bit more mature on the cover, and that comes through in their vocals too – some raspier charms that really reflect the passage of years, and enforce a bit more feeling in the lyrics – giving a heft to the album that's an unexpected surprise, especially if you only know their earlier hits. Titles include "Move Along", "Two Divided By Love", "Monday Love", "One Word", "Runnin Just To Get Her Home Again", and "Anyway The Wind Blows". Alotta Mileage is a 70s standout from The Grass Roots! Back in the 60s, the Grass Roots already had this tight, compressed energy that was totally great – a quality that also makes their 70s work like this so wonderful too! There's a focus here that's totally great – horns informed by earlier soul music styles, and vocals that borrow a bit too – upbeat and bubbling, but with maybe a nicely mature vibe too – still hook-heavy, but slightly different than the earlier hits – on titles that include "Just A Little Tear", "Pick Up Your Feet", "Where There's Smoke There's Fire", "Ballad Of Billy Joe", "We Almost Made It Together", "Ain't No Way To Go Home", and "Claudia". 2CD set features 14 more bonus tracks – including "Temptation Eyes", "Sooner Or Later", "Bella Linda (single version)", "Get It Together", "Baby Hold On", "I'd Wait A Million Years (single version)", "We Can't Dance To Your Music", and "I Can Turn Off The Rain". CD

Partial matches110
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✨✧ Barry GrayJoe 90 ... CD
Silva Screen (UK), 1968. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Very cool work from British TV maestro Barry Gray – one of the few cats who could ever make music for a show with puppets, and have it end up sounding this cool! Joe 90 is an offshoot of the famous Thunderbirds series of programs – and as with those, Gray comes up with some wonderful sounds that are in the best Brit sound library modes of the late 60s – touches of jazz, mixed with mod elements on upbeat tunes, and taken to some mellower moments in a few other spots – all handled with a wonderfully wide palette of sound! The set's an even bigger collection than the previous CD release of Joe 90 material – with 24 tracks in all – including two takes on the main theme, and material from episodes that include "Double Agent", "Talkdown", "Arctic Adventure", "Big Fish", "Hijacked", "Splashdown", and "The Race". CD

Partial matches111
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GreenGreen (with bonus tracks) ... CD
GangGreen/Lion, Mid 80s. New Copy ... $5.99 16.99
A lost treasure from the mid 80s Chicago rock scene – the self-titled, self-released first record from Green – with ultra catchy power pop melodies and an excitability that's as infectious as anything that came out of the Chi and other midwestern cities at the time! Green has both a sweetness and rawness that's in line with indie groups that made bigger waves nationally – and might be altogether better. Please don't take us for shameless home team flag wavers here, Green was the real thing, we can't think of a reason beyond bad luck that this record isn't mentioned in the same breath as other great records by groups such as The Replacements. And unlike some of our favorite albums from Chicago underground rock bands of the time, the lean, clear, but no frills production sounds just right to our ears. A total gem ripe for discovery! Titles include "Gotta Getta Record Out", "She's Not A Little Girl Anymore", "Technology", "Baby Why?", "If You Love Me", "For You", "Hurt You", "She, Probably", "Big In Japan" and more. This CD version includes 7 bonus tracks originally from the The Name Of The Band Is Green EP, which was never on CD before now, with EP versions of some album tunes plus "Something About You", "Autograph" and "Away From The Pulsebeat". CD

Partial matches112
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Grey October SoundsLo-Fi Anime ... CD
P-Vine (Japan), 2023. New Copy ... Just Sold Out!
One of the coolest projects so far from Grey October Sounds – a set that has all the crispy beats and laidback vibe of previous records, but which also focuses on themes from anime as well! There's plenty of tunes from the world of Studio Ghibli, but they're nicely changed up with the instrumentation and production of Grey October Sounds – done as hip hop-styled instrumentals, but still with the gentler currents that echo the originals – including plenty of piano lines that float with a very dreamy vibe over the beats of the tracks! The record has all the charms you could hope for – and is one of the best Ghibli reworks we've heard, out of what is fast becoming a pretty big genre. CD

Partial matches113
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✨✧ Howard HewettI Commit To Love ... CD
Elektra, 1986. Used ... Out Of Stock
An 80s classic from Howard Hewett – just the kind of set that made the singer one of the freshest voices in soul at the time! Hewett's vocals are lean and right on the money – perfectly suited to fit the 80s groove mode of the backings – especially the bubbly, bouncy kind of cuts that were always Howard's catchiest numbers – and which, honestly, should have had him crossing over much bigger at the time! Beats and keyboards glide along nicely throughout – and titles include "Stay", "Say Amen", "I Got 2 Go", "Last Forever", "I Commit To Love", "Love Don't Wanna Wait", and "Let's Try It All Over Again". CD

Partial matches114
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✨✧ Loleatta HollowayLoleatta/Cry To Me ... CD
Aware/Kent (UK), 1973/1975. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
Two wonderful albums from Loleatta Holloway – both a strong full-length document of her early genius in the Atlanta studios! First up is the Loleatta album from 1973 – and if you only know Loleatta Holloway as a disco singer, you'll be really amazed at this debut album – because Loleatta emerges first as deep soul singer with a strong southern vibe – very much in the mode the Atlanta scene did best, before picking up the pace a bit more as the 70s moved on! There's a mellow, blue sort of vibe to the record – but still plenty of that pride and power that made Holloway an equally great singer on an upbeat tune – served up here on tunes by Sam Dees, Ashford & Simpson, and other hip songwriters of the period – set to strong arrangements by Mike Terry, who does a great job of bringing out the lady at her best. Titles include "We Did It", "Mother Of Shame", "Only A Fool", "So Can I", "Our Love", and "Love Woke Me Up". Cry To Me is a wonderful album of southern soul from Loleatta Holloway! The record was her last in the deep soul mode – and it's a gem that should have made her as big as her later disco records – a really well-crafted extension of styles that Stax and Atlantic had done in the 60s, but given a smoother, more sophisticated vibe for the 70s! The record was produced by Floyd Smith, and it's got some of the most sophisticated production we've heard on a southern diva album from the 70s – with instrumentation that still boggles us with its brilliance. Case in point is the amazing cut "Cry To Me", which has these insane banks of "weeping" guitar that send chills down our spine! The cut was written by Sam Dees, who also penned some other fine material for the album – and titles include "I Know Where You're Coming From", "Just Be True To Me", "Something About The Way I Feel", and a cover of Ruby Andrews' "Casanova". CD

Partial matches115
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✨✧ Miki HowardMiki Howard ... CD
Atlantic, 1989. Used ... Out Of Stock
The album that may well have forever put Miki Howard on the map – and a great match of her old school vocals with some of the more contemporary soul modes that were bubbling big at the time! Beats are used a bit more strongly than before – never too much, or in a way that's clunkily chartbound – but maybe with that same sort of bottom-up push that worked so well for Sybil, and which is balanced out by Howard with some warmer, mellower moments that keep her strongly in the classic soul firmament! Titles include "Until You Come Back To Me", "I'll Be Your Shoulder", "Love Under New Management", "Love Me All Over", "Mister", "Ain't Nuthin In The World", and "If You Still Love Her". CD

Partial matches116
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✨✧ JB Hutto & His HawksHawk Squat ... CD
Delmark, Late 60s. Used ... Out Of Stock
One of the most dynamic, most on-fire blues albums recorded during the 60s by Delmark Records – a set that bursts right out of the Chicago clubs with the guitar of JB Hutto firmly in the lead! Hutto's a killer right from the start – singing and playing with a ferocity that easily matches, if not beats, the bigger 60s names on Chess Records – and his style of inflection leaves us wondering how often he must have to change the strings, or maybe even his entire guitar! The album's got some great help in the small combo too – with Sunnyland Slim on organ and piano, and the unlikely Maurice McIntyre on tenor sax – blowing very well in a bluesy mode, before rising to later avant territory as Kalaparusha. Titles include "If You Change Your Mind", "Speak My Mind", "What Can You Get Outside That You Can't Get At Home", "20% Alcohol", "Hip Shakin", and "Send Her Home To Me". CD
(Out of print.)

Partial matches117
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✨✧ Janet JacksonJanet ... CD
Virgin, 1993. Used ... Out Of Stock
Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. CD
Also available Janet (2CD version – with bonus tracks) ... CD 19.99

Partial matches118
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Janet JacksonJanet (2CD version – with bonus tracks) ... CD
Virgin, 1993. New Copy ... $19.99 21.99
Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. 2CD version features lots of bonus material – including "One More Chance", "70s Love Groove", "And On & On", "You Want This", "Where Are You Now", "Because Of Love", and "That's The Way Love Goes (CJ R&B 7" mix)". CD

Partial matches119
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✨✧ Rick JamesGarden Of Love (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Gordy/Universal (Japan), 1980. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
An overlooked gem from Rick James' classic early run for Motown – a set that maybe didn't chart as big as some of his other records for the label, but which stands strongly today as a well-crafted batch of mellow funky soul! James has a bit less of the bass-heavy riffs here than you'd expect – and instead, the record has kind of a laidback, almost dreamy feel at times – still upbeat, but with the kind of relaxed, glowing vibe you'd be more likely to find from Teena Marie around this point – a really nice contrast with the more familiar hit sounds you'd know from Rick! We actually really like these mellower groovers – which are almost like some of Johnny Watson's Caribbean-tinged grooves – and the production augments the tunes with a bit of sound effects, which really furthers the paradise garden feel of the tunes. Titles include "Mary Go Round", "Summer Love", "Big Time", "Don't Give Up On Love", "Getting It On In The Sunshine", and "Island Lady". CD features a previously unreleased demo of "Gypsy Girl", and a previously unreleased extended version of "Big Time". CD

Partial matches120
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✨✧ Sharon Jones & The Dap KingsNaturally ... CD
Daptone, 2005. Used ... Out Of Stock
The long-anticipated second album from Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings is a stunner – undoubtedly stronger than the group's fantastic debut – and a record that not only transcends the late model funk revival genre, but stands on footing as solid as the best hard funky soul of the late 60s and early 70s! If you're expecting a rehash of the heavy funk jams that burned on the Dap Dippin' album you won't be disappointed, but get ready for a deep, natural (hence the title) soulfulness that not only caught us off guard, but really forms the big, hard-beating heart of the album. The frothing, frenetic funk is as tight as ever, and in spots just as furious, but the attention to songcraft this time out is just as searing and indelible. The eight piece Dap Kings continue to be the best band in the land – with El Michels on baritone sax, Neal Sugarman on tenor, Homer Steinweiss on drums, not-so-secret weapon Bosco Mann on bass, vibes and piano. Guest appearances include fellow Daptone powerhouse vocalist Lee Fields on the the duet "Stranded In Your Love", and strings courtesy of the Bushwick Philharmonic, but make no mistake, this is the band's album. Amazing stuff from in indispensable group – an album that'll keep spinning in our circles for as many years as the great albums by the gritty soul forefathers do! Tracks include "How Do I Let A Good Man Down?", "Natural Born Lover", "My Man Is A Mean Man", a soulful reading of Woodie Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land", "Your Thing Is A Drag", "Fish In A Dish" and "All Over Again". CD

Partial matches121
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✨✧ JunieJunie – The Westbound Years ... CD
Westbound (UK), Mid 70s. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A much needed look at one of the most enigmatic figures in 70s funk – an offbeat character who was always up to something different and unique! Walter "Junie" Morrison had the great honor of being a member of both of Westbound's biggest collectives (although not necessarily at the same time) – the hard funky Ohio Players, and the cosmic brotherhood of Funkadelic/Parliament! During the mid-70s, though, Junie embarked upon a solo career, and cut a few wild LPs for the label which mixed funk, soul, and even some strange rock-oriented leanings. The resulting recordings were some of the more messed-up that Westbound ever issued, with moments that are delightfully funky, and others that are downright silly. This sweet 20 track compilation brings together most of the best moments of Junie's Westbound Years, and includes cuts like "Johnny Carson Samba", "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Cookies Will Get You", "Super J", "Super Groupie", and the great "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", featuring the Funky Granny from "Funky Worm"! CD

Partial matches122
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✨✧ Kanye WestGraduation ... CD
Def Jam, 2007. Used ... Out Of Stock
Kanye's tightest, most heavily synth soaked set yet – and possibly the best – a leap ahead for his evolving sound! Graduation gleams and shines more than it bounces on the bottom end, and if his LP titles to date overtly suggest that this caps off a trilogy – it really goes beyond the title – it's POST Graduation! By the end of Late Registration Kanye was dabbling in hip hop symphonies (for the better) with a few too many skits, but this one's all laser beam efficiency with a human heartbeat. Kanye's moved on, well past our expectations anyway, and he better not call the next one Class Reunion. A bunch of these cuts could rule several radio formats, and they sound great in the headphones, too. To tell the truth, any modern hip hop record with a big fat (and surely expensive) Steely Dan sample is going get an automatic recommendation from us, but Graduation works for us for many more reasons than that alone. Well done, Kanye! "Good Morning", "Champion", the Daft Punk-ed hit "Stronger", "I Wonder", "Good Life", "Can't Tell Me Me Nothing", "Barry Bonds" with Lil Wayne, "Drunk And Hot Girls" with Mos Def, "Flashing Lights" with Dwele, "Everything I Am" with DJ Premier, "Homecoming" and "Big Brother". CD

Partial matches123
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Ty KarimComplete Ty Karim – Los Angeles' Soul Goddess ... CD
Kent (UK), Late 60s/1970s. New Copy ... $11.99 16.99
Wonderful work from Ty Karim – a singer who definitely lives up to the "soul goddess" promised in the title! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record – further illuminated in the detailed notes from Ady Croasdell. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Lightin Up", "I Ain't Lying", "You Just Don't Know", "Natural Do", "I'm Leavin You", "All In Vain", "After Your Love Has Gone", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong". CD

Partial matches124
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✨✧ Ty KarimComplete Ty Karim – Los Angeles' Soul Goddess ... CD
Kent (UK), Late 60s/1970s. Used ... Out Of Stock
Wonderful work from Ty Karim – a singer who definitely lives up to the "soul goddess" promised in the title! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record – further illuminated in the detailed notes from Ady Croasdell. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Lightin Up", "I Ain't Lying", "You Just Don't Know", "Natural Do", "I'm Leavin You", "All In Vain", "After Your Love Has Gone", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong". CD
Also available Complete Ty Karim – Los Angeles' Soul Goddess ... CD 11.99

Partial matches125
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BB KingHere's One You Didn't Know About – From The RPM & Kent Vaults ... CD
Ace (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s. New Copy ... $12.99 19.99
An excellent collection of rare work from the legendary BB King – a selection of 25 tracks from the vaults of RPM and Kent Records, 23 of which appear here for the first time ever! Some cuts are alternates, some are different versions of other recordings – and all are pretty darn wonderful – that sharp-edged BB King sound right at the start, before the famous Memphis powerhouse was recording for bigger labels in a more commercial setting! Lots of these cuts have a jazzy backing alongside BB's sweet guitar and raspy vocals – a mode that's similar to the mix of bigger band and bluesy elements you'd get on early work from Bobby Blue Bland – that great Memphis mix of modes that always makes us love this stretch in King's career so much. Titles include unusual versions of "Sweet Little Angel", "Catfish Blues", "Early In The Morning", "I Wonder Why", "Goin Down Slow", "Whole Lotta Meat", "Loving You In Vain", "Long Nights", "The Woman I Love", "Soul Beat", "Don't You Want A Man Like Me", "Be Careful With A Fool", and "Whole Lot Of Lovin". CD

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✨✧ Kool & The GangLadies' Night/Celebrate/Something Special/As One/In The Heart/Emergency (3CD set) ... CD
BGO (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy 3 CDs ... Out Of Stock
A massive package of work from the mighty Kool & The Gang – 6 full albums from the 80s, served up here in a 3CD set! First up is Ladies Night – a shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". The next album is Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight". As One is solid 80s grooving from Kool & The Gang – a group who inspired so many others in the early 80s soul generation, but who could still do it better than most of the rest! The style here is tight and smooth, but never too slick – and Deodato's giving the group some really great production for the album – helping them to focus their energy and soar soulfully, but without resorting to any stiff gimmicks or cliches! There's a great groove running through most of the numbers here – a confident quality that's never too commercial, and which bubbles along nicely throughout. Titles include "Street Kids", "Big Fun", "As One", "Hi De Hi Hi De Ho", "Let's Go Dancin", and "Pretty Baby". In The Heart is a sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". Last up is Emergency – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". CD

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John LegendGet Lifted ... CD
Getting Out Our Dreams/Sony, 2004. Used ... $1.99
You just have to love that one breath of fresh air on the pop charts at any given point – and John Legend is profoundly worthy of it! John has a feel for classic soul – strings and horns filter in with his own piano playing and emotive vocals – but the production approach is firmly contemporary. The beats are born of hip hop, and some big names from the game drop in, but this feels like John's album all the way. Very, very promising stuff – there's no one else quite like John Legend on the charts, so let's keep him there! Tracks include "Let's Get Lifted", "Used To Love U", "She Don't Have To Know", "Number One" with Kanye West, "I Can Change" with Snoop, "So High", "Refuge (When It's Cold Outside)" and more. CD

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✨✧ LegendMoonshine (Japanese paper sleeve edition – with bonus tracks) ... CD
Vertigo/Big Pink (South Korea), 1971. New Copy Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
A rare gem on Vertigo Records – a set that strongly represents the label's interest in rootsier sounds, which is sometimes overlooked next to its better-known prog productions! The great Mickey Jupp is the key driving force here – a really wonderful singer with an offbeat style that's nicely contrasted with the record's use of light strings at times arranged by Matthew Fisher, which are again offset by the leaner guitars and keyboards from the rest of the group – almost like American roots material of the time, but nicely classed up with the slight use of larger arrangements. Titles include "Moonshine", "Captain Cool", "At The Shop", "Eingang", "Local Folk Ol", and "Mother Of My Child". CD features bonus tracks – "Don't You Never" and "Someday". CD

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Lexsoul DancemachineLexplosion II ... CD
Funk Embassy (UK), 2023. New Copy ... $8.99 16.99
Lexsoul serve up a great mix of live drums and programmed rhythms here – all very much in an upbeat boogie funk mode, and definitely touched with the sort of explosive energy promised in the title! The Estonian group have a more refined sound than some of the grittier deep funk combos out there – more of a snapping groove in the rhythms, at that level that recalls the moment when funk ensembles got a big bigger, yet were still able to keep everything right on the groove, right on the money! Titles include "Entertainment", "Sex", "Supersoul", "Basics", "Nu Reality", "Money", and "Carambola Jelly". CD

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✨✧ Main AttractionAll The Way ... CD
RCA/PTG (Netherlands), 1986. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A pretty sweet soul group from the mid 80s scene – one that's been a bit overlooked over the years, but who have a sound that's right up there with the best of their big name contemporaries! At some points, these guys have a way of harmonizing along with electro funk that reminds us a lot of The Jacksons during the 80s – and we mean that in the best way possible – and other cuts almost seem to borrow a bit of inspiration from the Paisley Park generation, especially in the way there's a nicely chunky vibe to the funk! There's even some occasional electro soul touches – either in the keyboards, or in rare spots in the beats – and the whole thing's the kind of album that's got plenty to offer for any fan of funky 80s soul. Titles include "She's Stacked", "Split Personality", "Reconsider", "Rainy Night", "Head On Collision", "Private Spot", "I Love You So", and "Can't Let Go". CD

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✨✧ MajesticonsBeauty Party ... CD
Big Dada, 2003. Used ... Out Of Stock
Mike Ladd, wearer of many brands of hats, drops some high concept hip hop on the broad minded Big Dada imprint, more or less a follow up to the Infesticons project started a few years back. You know the drill, post electro beats that refuse to admit they're jiggy, that'll appeal to fans of Anti Pop and fellow travellers in the left field world of the new school. Underground heroes like Vast Aire, Murs and El Producto saddle up next to Ladd and others whose names are even less household like Cheeta Chinchilla, Premadon-a etc. 15 party tracks, including "Piranha Party", "Platinum Blaque Party", "Helicopter Party", "Dwarf Star Party" and "San Trope Party". Be there or be square. CD

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✨✧ Teena MarieLovergirl – The Teena Marie Story ... CD
Epic, 1990s. Used ... Out Of Stock
A great look at the post-Motown work of Teena Marie – her 80s years on Epic Records, a time when she was charting big with a wonderfully seductive approach to soul! Marie's definitely in charge of her groove here – writing, arranging, and producing most of the work on the set – making her as much of a studio whiz as a female soul singer, a rare distinction in her field – and another layer of Teena's talents that always helped set her apart from the rest. The vibe here is a bit different than the Motown years – a bit more beats and 80s keyboards – and we especially love the mellower cuts, which gave Marie some great quiet storm play back in the day. Titles include "My Dear Mr Gaye", "Just Us Two", "Ooo La La La (12" version)", "Sugar Shack (ext club)", "If I Were A Bell", "Stop The World", "Fix It (12" version)", "Stop The World", "Shadow Boxing", and "Casanova Brown". CD

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✨✧ Masked MaraudersMasked Marauders – The Complete Deity Recordings ... CD
Deity/Wounded Bird, 1969. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A pretty great idea for a late 60s rock record – even if the record itself is even better than its idea! The whole concept of the "masked marauders" was that the group was supposedly formed by big rockers of the time – unable to be listed on the cover, because of contractual obligations. And in truth, the set does sound a lot like it could have been lifted from sessions by The Rolling Stones, or Get Back-era Beatles – plus maybe a few other contemporaries too – yet it's all actually the work of some great unknowns, who came up with a sweet gimmick to get the record out there! On its own, the set's a real charmer – and has a mix of rootsy modes and tighter, deeper ideas that's not unlike some of the George Harrison/Phil Spector work – save for those moments when the Marauders are clearly trying to sound a bit more like a big name act. Titles include "I Can't Get No Nookie", "Cow Pie", "Duke Of Earl", "I Am The Japanese Sandman", "Later", "More Or Less Hudson's Bay Again", and "Season Of The Witch". Also features two mono single tracks – "Cow Pie" and "I Can't Get No Nookie". CD

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✨✧ Masked MaraudersMasked Marauders – The Complete Deity Recordings ... CD
Deity/Rhino Handmade, 1969. Used ... Out Of Stock
A pretty great idea for a late 60s rock record – even if the record itself is even better than its idea! The whole concept of the "masked marauders" was that the group was supposedly formed by big rockers of the time – unable to be listed on the cover, because of contractual obligations. And in truth, the set does sound a lot like it could have been lifted from sessions by The Rolling Stones, or Get Back-era Beatles – plus maybe a few other contemporaries too – yet it's all actually the work of some great unknowns, who came up with a sweet gimmick to get the record out there! On its own, the set's a real charmer – and has a mix of rootsy modes and tighter, deeper ideas that's not unlike some of the George Harrison/Phil Spector work – save for those moments when the Marauders are clearly trying to sound a bit more like a big name act. Titles include "I Can't Get No Nookie", "Cow Pie", "Duke Of Earl", "I Am The Japanese Sandman", "Later", "More Or Less Hudson's Bay Again", and "Season Of The Witch". Also features two mono single tracks – "Cow Pie" and "I Can't Get No Nookie". CD

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✨✧ Memphis SlimMemphis Slim Rocks ... CD
Bear Family (Germany), 1950s/Early 60s. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A package that definitely lives up to the title – as it presents the hardest-wailing work recorded by Memphis Slim in the postwar years – including plenty of cuts that were a huge influence on early rock and roll, and many that have him in more of an R&B mode than usua! Slim's records weren't always upbeat, but the cuts in this set definitely are – and include some killer cuts with his Houserockers group, and work from a young guitarist Matt Murphy too! As always with Bear Family, the presentation is wonderful – not just well-chosen cuts, but a great package overall – featuring 29 titles that include "Rockin The House", "Memphis Slim USA", "Pacemaker Boogie", "Wish Me Well", "Big Bertha", "Old Taylor", "Harlem Bound", "Back Alley", "Tia Juana", "She's Allright", and "Gotta Find My Baby". CD

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Merseybeats/MerseysI Stand Accused – The Complete Merseybeats & Merseys 60s Recordings ... CD
Grapefruit (UK), Mid 60s. New Copy 2CD ... $16.99 24.99
A huge amount of work from The Merseybeats – a group who were Liverpool contemporaries of The Beatles, and named after the body of water alongside the city – but who were way more than a copycat combo overall! Like many other 60s British groups, The Merseybeats start out with a sound that draws heavily from American soul and blues influences – yet they quickly shift to a super-catchy, jingle-jangle sort of sound – harmonizing nicely on the leads, and finding ways to come up with really groovy songs that that use their hollow-body guitar lines to best effect – setting things apart with that special British sound that made the UK scene quickly so different than the US by this time. And although the group have had a few greatest hits packages over the years, this 2CD set is the first time they've fully gotten their due – as the package is overflowing with material – 34 tracks by the core group, and another 29 by the later Merseys and other related musical aggregations – including The Crackers, Kinsleys, Johnny Gustafson, and The Quotations. That's a whopping 63 tracks in all, served up with a big set of notes – almost acting like a microcosm of the Liverpool scene itself! CD

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✨✧ MonkeesPisces Aquarius Capricorn & Jones Ltd (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Rhino, 1967. Used ... Out Of Stock
The Monkees in their groovy, giddy prime – and a nice little album that leaves the silliness of the TV show aside for a catchy and credible batch of late 60s group pop – with a nice mix LA studiocraft and touches of psych tinged country rock for which they still don't get enough credit! The main album is perhaps best known for the big hit "Pleasant Valley Sunday" – but the rest of the tracks have the boys continuing to take on the style of post Rubber Soul acoustic Beatles, plus some much more adventurous bits of early psychedelic pop! Album tracks include "Salesman", "She Hangs Out", "The Door Into Summer", "Love Is Only Sleeping", Nilsson's "Cuddly Toy", "Hard To Believe", "What Am I Doing Hanging 'Round", "Daily Nightly", "Don't Call On Me" and "Star Collector". With seven bonus tracks. CD
(Out of print, BMG direct pressing.)

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✨✧ MoodymannBlack Mahogani 2 ... CD
Peacefrog (UK), 2004. Used ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
Moodymann takes a far deeper path on this addendum to his Black Mahogani set – introducing a heady soul jazz approach! The big surprise here is the mammoth, 18-minute "When She Follows" – a track that's anchored by the solid bass and stuttering house beats we'd expect from Moodymann – but the groove shoots skyward from there! It's a languorous, hypnotic blend of those primary elements, plus some sweet live drums, vibes and sporadic vocals that recall Sun Ra as much as they do the soulful house groove we were expecting! The soul jazz vibe continues on the flip, which features the far shorter but similarly jazzy groove on "Rectify", plus some bonus beats and a "When She Follows" reprise. The track list can be counted on one hand, but the sound is as spacious and fulfilling as can be – a big step for Moodymann, whom we hope will follow similar terrain on future releases! CD
(Out of print.)

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Ennio MorriconeUn Sacco Bello ... CD
Beat (Italy), 1980. New Copy ... $17.99 19.99
A really unusual soundtrack from Ennio Morricone – one that's from the start of the 80s, and which has some sweet electric touches used alongside some of his more familiar modes! There's a bit of funk at the start, which heralds some of the less conventional instrumentation for the maestro – yet tunes still then follow that sense of slowly unfolding, flowering melody that can make his work so great – all the classic Morricone modes we love so much, but given a nice twist as well! The change is a great one – especially as at this moment, Morricone was moving into much larger orchestrations for bigger global films – and the set also features a bit of vocals from Nora Orlandi, and work from Alessandro Alessandroni on one track too. CD

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Ennio Morricone/Bruno NicolaiIl Mercenario ... CD
Beat (Italy), 1968. New Copy ... $16.99 19.99
A lesser-known Morricone soundtrack – written for an obscure western, but right up there with some of the maestro's best for much bigger movies! A number of tunes have that spooky "whistler" style of writing that we love from Morricone – spare whistling over darker orchestrations – in ways that create some spare and wonderful passages that are especially great! Other tracks are a bit fuller, and more dramatic – the bolder western modes of the 60s – and the set also features two vocal numbers, sung by I Cantori Moderni – that wonderful vocal group that shows up on some of our favorites from the time. Titles include "Paco", "Ricciolo", "Liberta", "Estasi", "Bamba Vivace", "Fiesta", and "Il Mercenario" – and the CD's got 16 tracks in all. CD

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Natural GasNatural Gas (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Private Stock/Octave (Japan), 1976. New Copy ... $18.99 24.99
A supergroup of sorts, with members from bigger earlier British groups – working here with the great Felix Pappalardi at the production helm for their one and only release! The album mixes upbeat romping tunes that have that catchy UK pop mode of the period with a few mellower moments – all the kind of cuts that almost could have made this one a crossover success, but which likely fell between the cracks as one of the many overlooked projects on the Private Stock label. Titles include "The Right Time", "Miracle Mile", "Dark Cloud", "You can Do It", "Little Darlin", and "Once Again A Love Song". CD

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✨✧ Meshell NdegeocelloCookie – The Anthropological Mixtape ... CD
Maverick/Warner, 2002. Used ... Out Of Stock
There's been a big break since Meshell Ndegeocello's last album – but from the sound of the album, it's been worth it! One of the baddest soul singers of the past decade is back in business, and sounding better than ever – serving up a fierce blend of beats and vocals, done in a more laidback format than her previous albums, one that makes for an album that's even more compelling and personal. Titles include "Earth", "Criterion", "Barry Farms", "Legged Griot Trio", "God, Fear, Money", "Hot Night", "Priorities", "Trust", and "Akel Dama". CD

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✨✧ O'JaysShip Ahoy/Message In The Music/Live In London (SACD quadrophonic multi-channel) ... CD
Philadelphia International/Vocalion (UK), Mid 70s. New Copy 2CDs ... Out Of Stock
Classic work from the O'Jays – presented here in a multi-channel SACD! First up is Ship Ahoy – a pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". Message In The Music is one of those records that really took Philly soul to the next level back in the 70s – a set that works amazing magic with the already-great harmonies of the O'Jays – pointing them even more strongly towards groove-heavy territory, while still keeping all the fragile, personal qualities of their earlier work! The title cut is a righteous anthem that never gets old – a perfect blend of subtle politics and homegrown soul – all polished to perfection in the Philly studios. And the rest of the record is equally mindblowing – a set where even the ballads have as much power as the upbeat numbers – as you'll hear in the lineup of tracks that includes "Message In The Music", "Darlin, Darlin, Baby", "A Prayer", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Let Life Flow", and "Paradise". Live In London is a seminal album in the development of Philadelphia International – who seemed to be taking a cue from Motown and Stax in the 60s, by bringing their biggest act to a European audience! The set features the O'Jays working as beautifully in a live setting as they had in the Sigma Sound studios – singing to arrangements by Dennis Williams, but still getting enough production by Bobby Martin to keep the sound in line with their better known studio work from the time. There's a bit of a deeper soul sound overall here – especially on the vocals, which crackle nicely with a live sense of spontaneity. Titles include "Back Stabbers", "Sunshine", "Love Train", "When The World Is A Peace", and "Put Your Hands Together" – plus a few vocal introductions! CD

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Anita O'DayAnita O'Day Sings The Winners ... CD
Verve, Late 50s. Used ... $1.99
Anita O'Day pays tribute to Downbeat poll winners by singing vocal versions of their big hits in this lively set of jazz tracks from the 50s! Arrangements are by Marty Paich and Russ Garcia, both swinging as nicely as they ever did – and the setting of the album keeps Anita nicely in line, sticking to more straight jazz material than you might hear on some of her other sets from the same period. Titles include "Frenesi", "Sing, Sing, Sing", "Early Autumn", "Four Brothers", "Four", and "Night In Tunisia". CD also features 7 bonus tracks – including "Whisper Not", "Peel Me A Grape", "Star Eyes", "Hershey Bar", and "Don't Be That Way". CD
(Out of print.)

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Riz OrtolaniCannibal Holocaust – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Beat (Italy), 1980. Used ... $14.99 18.99
One of the coolest, grooviest soundtracks we've ever heard from Riz Ortolani – an artist who did bigger, more mainstream film scores in the 60s – but who really developed a more electric vibe in the 70s! This soundtrack has Riz working at the top of his powers – bringing in keyboards and guitars to really spice things up, and make for a few key funky moments – but also still handling some larger charts with the professional flair he always brought to his music – showing that the best horror work of this time still came from composers who had deeper skills than just a few slick keyboard lines. Titles include "Love With Fun", "Massacre Of The Troupe", "Cameraman's Recreation", "Adulteress' Punishment", "Savage Rite", and "Drinking Coco". CD version has a huge amount of bonus tracks – 10 more tunes added to the original soundtrack! CD
(Out of print and sealed.)

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✨✧ Riz OrtolaniTiffany Memorandum (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Beat (Italy), 1967. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
One of the grooviest 60s soundtracks from Riz Ortolani – done for an Italian spy film, and very different than some of his bigger-name scores for global cinematic hits! The music here is very much in the best jazzy style you'd expect from a spy thriller, but also has some groovy mod numbers too – romping tunes that are an Italian take on UK beat modes, with really cool rhythms that are upbeat and very soulful – cuts that are then interspersed with slinkier numbers that fit the mode of the spy in the company of a lovely lady! This expanded CD is the first time this much music has ever been released from the film – a whopping 22 titles in all, in comparison to the previous release of only 9 tracks! CD

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✨✧ Phase 7Playtime ... CD
Broad/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1980. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A great bit of Aloha Soul from Phase 7 – a Hawaiian group who are right on the money from the very first note, and continue throughout with a wonderfully warm sound! The record's a bit upbeat, but not really clubby – more in the kind of sunny free soul vibe that we love from some of the best island soul groups of the time – delivered with a style that's upfront and unadorned, maybe a more honest take on some of the Cali soul that was coming out of the bigger studios on the west coast in the late 70s. The album's rock-solid throughout – crafted more as a whole set than going for a few singles – and titles include "Could It Be Love", "Chotto Matte Kudasai", "Playtime", "Slip Away", "You & Me", "So Good To Be In Love", and "Love Lifted Me". CD

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✨✧ Dave PikeBop Head ... CD
Ubiquity, 1998. Used ... Out Of Stock
Stellar stellar set by this great vibes player! Recorded with the same high quality as all the Ubiquity releases, and a loving tribute to a great player who hasn't had his due in many many years. At first, we thought "big deal, another Dave Pike record. It's new, and it's probably a lot weaker than his old stuff." It's not, though, and although it doesn't have as many funky electric tracks as his MPS releases, it's a beatiful set of modal jazzy tracks with excellent playing throughout, and a wonderful sound all the way through. Jane Getz plays piano, Teddy Edwards plays tenor, Milcho Leviev plays piano, and Anthony Wilson plays guitar. Nice one, Ubiquity! CD
(Out of print, punch through barcode.)

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Ferdinand PovelBeboppin/Some Other Blues/Good Bait (3CD set) ... CD
Timeless/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1983/1988/2011. New Copy ... $18.99 24.99
A trio of albums from this great tenorist! First up is Beboppin, from Ferdinand Povel – a tenorist who may not be one of the bigger stars on the European scene, but one who always finds a way to serve up something special! Povel's got a nice edge in his horn at times – a mode that's always inside, but often sharply spoken – even when he's going for some mellower moments too – a bit of old school bite in the way he approaches the reed, maybe – and a definite sense of attack that really comes on when he's in a more swinging mode! The group here has some great guitar from Wim Overgaauw, whose ringing tones bring a bright balance between Povel's horn and the piano of Frans Elsen – and the rest of the group features Victor Kaihatu on bass and Ruud Pronk on drums. Titles include "Off Minor", "I'm Old Fashioned", "Beboppin", "Deception", "Nobody Else But Me", and "I Fall In Love Too Easily". Some Other Blues features great work as a leader from reedman Ferdinand Povel – a player who's sparked up some great moments on albums by other players over the years, but who hardly ever records as a boss on his own! This set's a "forgotten tape" – recorded in the late 80s, but only issued recently – and it features Povel both on tenor and soprano sax, playing with an angularly expressive tone that even makes familiar standards sound fresh – working with players who include Wim Overgaauw on guitar, Rob Langereis on bass, and John Engels on drums. The mix of guitar and saxophone is pretty lively on the upbeat numbers – especially in the way that Wim uses these sustained notes that almost ring out like an organ – and titles on the set include "Workout", "Some Other blues", "Mr Syms", "Old Folks", "UMMG", and "Waltz New". Good Bait is a live album, and one that features the twin-tenor leadership of Ferdinand Povel and Pete Christlieb – both excellent soloists who get plenty of room here to really stretch out and soar! Other players include Rein DeGraaf on piano, Marius Beets on bass, and Eric Ineke on drums – and titles include long takes on "Milestones #1", "Good Bait", "All The Things You Are", and "Parker 51". CD

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✨✧ Sun Ra & His Astro InfinityCosmo Earth Fantasy – Sub Underground Series Vols 1 & 2 ... CD
Saturn/Art Yard, Late 60s/Mid 70s. Used ... Out Of Stock
A set of varied moods and settings – yet one that really does a wonderful job of fleshing out the Sun Ra aesthetic during these crucial years when Ra dubbed himself the "King Of The Sub Underground"! That humorous title is a reference to the fact that Ra and the Arkestra were still working with largely little mainstream exposure – despite the big growth of avant jazz at the time – and were instead working on beautiful recordings like these, often made without any thought of a larger market at all! The CD brings together material from albums originally issued with Sub-Underground in the title – also under other names as well, including Temple U – and the tracks represent the Arkestra really hitting some of their creative heights in a mix of live, studio, and rehearsal recordings. Titles include the brilliant "World Of Africa", recorded in 1968, but with a chunky groove and weird piano that almost feel like a precursor to Fela Kuti; the sublime "Love Is Always" and "Song Of Drums", recorded live with a spare group in a beautifully echoey setting; surprisingly great takes on "What's New" and "Autumn In New York", played by a small group with Ra on a slightly off-tune upright piano; the long "Cosmo Earth Fantasy" suite, with some very fierce sounds; and a nice live take on "Space Is The Place/We Roam The Cosmos", which jumps right into the groove at the start – with a pretty offbeat feel, and lots of cool vocal interplay! CD

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✨✧ RedmanDare Iz A Darkside ... CD
Rush, 1994. Used ... Out Of Stock
Redman at an early peak – raw cosmic funk-steeped hip hop from the wildly creative, gritty-voiced man himself! Like a lot of the greatest 90s hip hop, there's a strong George Clinton influence to the beats – but the thick atmosphere is really on another level – then and now, there's nothing exactly like Redman's flow, which is crazy and charismatic at the same time. The great Erick Sermon co-produces and probably had a big hand in keeping it funky and from going to far into the murky deep end, it's a straight up classic to this day. Tracks include "Dr Trevis", "Bobyahed2dis", "Journey Throo Da Darkside", "A Million And 1 Buddah Spots", "Noorotic", "Cosmic Slop", "Rockafella (R.I.P.)", "Rockafella", "Can't Wait", "Wuditlooklike", Sooperman Luva II", "We Run N.Y.", "Da Journee", "Slide And Rock On" and more. 19 tracks in all. CD
(BMG Direct pressing.)

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✨✧ RedmanMuddy Waters ... CD
Def Jam, 1996. Used ... Out Of Stock
Redman's third album – and a mad 90s classic – for both the Funk Doc himself, and for the Def Jam label! By this point, Redman has perfected his wylin'-out blunted rhyme style, spitted over heavy, funkified east coast beats. Much of the production is handled by Erick Sermon & Rockwilder, and sounds killer to this day. We don't dare discount Redman's previous couple LPs, but honestly, this might be his high water mark! . Includes "Whateva Man", "Yesh Yesh Y'All", "Smoke Buddah", "Case Closed", "Mary Jane", "Do What Ya Feel", "It's Like That (My Big Brother)", "Soopaman Luva 3", "Da Bump", & "Rock Da Spot". 17 tracks in all. CD

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✨✧ Roxy MusicSiren (remastered edition) ... CD
Virgin, 1975. Used ... Out Of Stock
Quite possibly the biggest early moment of US fame for Roxy Music – thanks to the classic "Love Is The Drug", which kicks off the album and is easily one of the group's best-known tunes of the 70s! The album tightens things up slightly from the sound of Country Life before – not as many dark corners, but still plenty of the offbeat styles that make these early Roxy Music albums so great – with none of the softer styles that took over during the early 80s years. Other tracks include "End Of The Line", "Sentimental Fool", "She Sells", "Could It Happen To Me", "Both Ends Burning", "Just Another High", and "Whirlwind". CD
(Remastered HDCD pressing.)

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✨✧ Vex RuffinCrash Course EP ... CD
Stones Throw, 2011. Used ... Out Of Stock
Hazy, weird, lo fi and highly insistent sounds from Vex Ruffin on Stones Throw – music that's tough to describe – mixing minimalist beats, fuzzy bits of guitar, stream of conciousness wordplay and more. You can hear influences floating throughout this record from the postpunk UK (think PiL) and proto noise rock from the midwest (think early Big Black, though far less caustic), and freeform sampler funk (think Madlib at his weirdest or James Pants) – the latter of which allows him to feel natural enough in the contemporary Stones Throw roster. Sounds like a crazy mix of styles? Kinda, but it's all fused together somehow to the base ingredients, and it's a fun bit of tripped out underground sounds. Titles include "Sacrifice", "Man With A Plan", "Shield For You", "I'm Creative", "My Mind", "Crash Course" and "Hey Jerald". CD

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✨✧ Run-DMCRaising Hell (expanded edition – with bonus tracks) ... CD
Profile, 1986. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
The massive third album from Run DMC – a set that was done at a time when the duo were totally at the top of their game – and broke out big to a much wider audience than the usual hip hop crowd! Part of the album's strength is its guitar-heavy sound on some of the grooves – produced by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons with a classic early Def Jam vibe, in the same manner that helped the Beastie Boys get their records in the hands of folks who'd never buy hip hop otherwise! And that sound comes to culmination on the album's hit collaboration with Aerosmith on a remake of "Walk This Way". But apart from that rocker, most of the rest of the set also shows an increased complexity in both the lyricism of the pair, and the way Jam Master Jay serves up their beats – which makes for a stone classic all the way through, on tracks that include "Peter Piper", "It's Tricky", "My Adidas", "Proud To Be Black", "You Be Illin'", and "Walk This Way". Bonus tracks on this expanded edition include "My Adidas (acapella)", "Walk This Way (demo)", "Lord Of Lyrics (demo)", "Raising Hell Radio Tour Spot" and "Live At The Apollo Raw Vocal Commercial". CD

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✨✧ Run-DMCRaising Hell (expanded edition – with bonus tracks) ... CD
Profile, 1986. Used ... Out Of Stock
The massive third album from Run DMC – a set that was done at a time when the duo were totally at the top of their game – and broke out big to a much wider audience than the usual hip hop crowd! Part of the album's strength is its guitar-heavy sound on some of the grooves – produced by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons with a classic early Def Jam vibe, in the same manner that helped the Beastie Boys get their records in the hands of folks who'd never buy hip hop otherwise! And that sound comes to culmination on the album's hit collaboration with Aerosmith on a remake of "Walk This Way". But apart from that rocker, most of the rest of the set also shows an increased complexity in both the lyricism of the pair, and the way Jam Master Jay serves up their beats – which makes for a stone classic all the way through, on tracks that include "Peter Piper", "It's Tricky", "My Adidas", "Proud To Be Black", "You Be Illin'", and "Walk This Way". Bonus tracks on this expanded edition include "My Adidas (acapella)", "Walk This Way (demo)", "Lord Of Lyrics (demo)", "Raising Hell Radio Tour Spot" and "Live At The Apollo Raw Vocal Commercial". CD

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✨✧ Jill ScottWho Is Jill Scott? ... CD
Epic/Hidden Beach, 2000. Used ... Out Of Stock
The incredible debut of the mighty Jill Scott – a record that asks and answers a question with the title – then goes on to not only establish Jill as one of the freshest soul music talents of her generation, but also an artist who set the tone for so many others to follow! The record explodes out of the Philly scene with a mixture of underground soul and hip hop production elements – echoing classic modes, yet instantly present too – in a way that still sounds fresher than most of the copycat records that came in its wake – and a good deal of records that preceded it too. Jill scores big with a totally seductive blend of warm instrumentation, subdued funky beats, and immensely captivating soul vocals – and the whole record is awash in Fender Rhodes, giving it a spacey soul sound that will make the record a classic for years to come! Titles include "The Way", "Do You Remember", "Long Rain", "Love Rain", "Honey Molasses", "Slowly Surely", "Watching Me", "One Is The Magic #", and "He Loves Me" – but it's allllll good! The LP includes a remix of "Love Rain" featuring Mos Def! CD
Also available Who Is Jill Scott? ... LP 33.99

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✨✧ Small WonderSmall Wonder (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD
Columbia/Big Pink (South Korea), 1976. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
The small wonder here is Henry Small – lead singer for this great overlooked group, who are a quirky major label band that really give things their all! Small's got some inflections that sound a bit like Todd Rundgren, and the record's got that great post-Beatles approach to production that uses all elements in a nicely harmonic, very tuneful way – never too polished, but plenty darn catchy – and certainly the sort of material that might have gotten these guys some big radio play, had someone been going around with the right sort of payola handouts! Yet it's also the obscurity that really gives the set its charms – that almost-familiar, but not really vibe that can make overlooked records like this so great – on titles that include "You & I", "Midnite Plane Ride", "It Was Meant To Be", "Time Is Passing Me By", "I'm A One Way Train", and "Atlantis". CD

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✨✧ Keely SmithLittle Girl Blue/Little Girl New (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Reprise/Real Gone, 1963. Used ... Out Of Stock
A beautiful solo moment from the lovely Keely Smith – the singer who first rose to fame in a famous 50s partnership with the lively Louis Prima – but who always had a lot more to offer right under the surface! On her earlier Capitol Records albums with Prima, Keely would occasionally get the chance to step out solo and do a more sophisticated song or two – yet here, working for Reprise, she's out in the spotlight, singing to incredible Nelson Riddle arrangements, and really knocking it out of the park! Smith has a vocal range that should have made her huge – certainly in the company of the bigger, more mature female singers of the 60s – and side one of the album features mellow tracks, with some more upbeat material on side two. Titles include "Once In A Lifetime", "Little Girl Blue", "I'll Never Be The Same", "Willow Weep For Me", "New Sun In The Skies", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", and "It's Good To Be Alive". CD features two bonus tracks – "Going Through The Motions" and "When You Cry". CD

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Jeremy Spencer BandFlee (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD
Atlantic/Big Pink (South Korea), 1979. New Copy ... $18.99 24.99
A sweet little set from the Jeremy Spencer Band – a record that might have had more of a singer/songwriter vibe, or an AOR approach, had it been recorded a few years before, but which instead comes off here in a really unique blend of rock and disco! There's plenty of guitar leads on the tracks, and catchy lyrics that almost feel like they'd be equally at home in some other style of music – but which are especially nice here in the upbeat, disco-influenced rhythms of the set – which also include plenty of keyboards from Michael Fogarty, Spencer's co-producer, songwriter, and partner in crime for the set! Titles include "Love Our Way Outta Here", "Flee", "Cool Breeze", "Travellin", "You've Got The Right", "Sunshine", and "Deeper". CD

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✨✧ SpiritualizedLadies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space ... CD
Arista, 1997. Used ... Out Of Stock
A surprisingly big breakthrough for Spiritualized – something we never would have guessed from the underground years of Spacemen 3 in the decade before! The set fuses that previous group's love of fuzz and space with a tighter sense of songwriting – that new psych blend of guitars and beats that was taking the British scene so strongly in the years after the emergence of Happy Mondays and other groups of their generation – carried forward strongly here by Spiritualized at a level that's maybe a bit hipper and more sonically interesting. All tracks are penned by leader J Spaceman – and titles include "Come Together", "Broken Heart", "No God Only Religion", "Cool Waves", "Cop Shoot Cop", "All Of My Thoughts", and "Electricity". CD

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Stark RealityActing Thinking Feeling – The Complete Works 1968 to 1978 (3CD set) ... CD
Now Again, Late 60s/1970s. New Copy 3 CDs ... $13.99 29.98
Amazing sounds from The Stark Reality – an obscure group from the early 70s, but one who've really risen to fame over the years – thanks to their groundbreaking ear for new music, and their freewheeling way with a funky groove! This package brings together all the incredible work recorded by the group in the late 60s and early 70s – a mindblowing assortment of funky and fuzzy jazz tracks – almost all of which are graced by the offbeat vibes work of Monty Stark! Stark often adds a bit of distortion into his instrument, which makes for a very tripped-out approach to vibes – one that blends perfectly with the heavy funk of some of the rhythms, and the freaky guitar lines added to most tracks by a young John Abercrombie. Yet at other times, things are very laidback and chilled-out – balanced beautifully from track to track, in a way that illustrates the larger picture the group were always going for in their music. This massive package brings together everything Stark Reality ever recorded – their famous Discovers Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop album, the Acting Thinking Feeling live performance, the Roller Coaster Ride/1969 album, and lots of rare singles too – more than enough music to please any fan of the group, and blow the minds of anyone who's just getting a first taste. Titles include "Roller Coaster Ride", "On Being Black", "New World Generation", "Theme To Say Brother", "Dreams", "Clouds", "All You Need To Make Music", "Rocket Ship", "Cooking", "The Old Prospector", and "Junkman's Song". Great package too – with two LP-styled CD sleeves inside a larger case, plus a big booklet of notes and photos! CD

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SundanceChuffer (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD
Decca/Big Pink (South Korea), 1974. New Copy ... $18.99 24.99
A British group with a surprisingly no-nonsense approach for the time – neither prog, nor hard rock, glam, or anything else that might have been big during the early 70s underground – which may well be why this set never got the fame it deserved! There's some great guitar work on the set that almost gets funky at points, but which often just holds to rockish riffing instead – really well-fit to the offbeat vocals which are perfect for the lyrical delivery of the set – all at a level that makes the whole thing one of those great under-circulated major label efforts that's wonderfully hard to peg, and which is ripe for rediscovery all these many years later. Titles include "Me & Virginia", "It Ain't Me", "Coast Of Panama", "Finger On The Trigger", "Mare Luna", "It's All For You", "Dark Eye", and "Turn Round". CD

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✨✧ TeaseRemember ... CD
Epic/PTG (Netherlands), 1988. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
One of the best albums in a big 80s run from Tease – thanks to great production from Mtume! The album's got a balance of soul and style that really holds together throughout – as the group finds especially strong ways of coming across on the ballads and mellower numbers, which often still have some heavy beats at the bottom! In a way, the set's one of the first to showcase a new style of slower soul that would hit even more strongly in the 90s – laidback cuts that still have an urban punch, but at a slower bpm. Titles include a unique remake of "I Can't Stand The Rain" – plus "Kick", "Tingle", "Somewhere Somebody", "Let's Stop Pretending", "Bad Reputation", "Remember", and "A Love Of Your Own". CD

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✨✧ Tribo MassahiEstrelando Embaixador ... CD
Goma Gringa (Brazil), 1971. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
An amazing bit of funk from early 70s Brazil – an ultra-rare album, but one that almost beats some of the bigger Brazilian classics of the time! The recording has a very unusual approach – a non-stop blend of songs on each side – which makes for long, continuous tracks that mix together funk, jazz, samba, and other rootsy elements – often with a lot of percussion at the core, but also featuring electric bass, and some nice flute too! Lead singer Embaixador has this deep, rich sound – which is then countered by a vocal group, ala samba – and the overall approach is definitely in the deepest, hippest modes of the samba soul generation – and much more unbridled than more conventional albums. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Walk By Jungle", "Dandara", "Fareua", "Oan", "Pae Joao", "Madrugada Sem Luar", and "Menina Da Janela". CD

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✨✧ TrickyPre-Millennium Tension ... CD
4th & Broadway, 1996. Used ... Out Of Stock
A sharper, darker album than Tricky's debut – and a set that clearly has the artist moving past the standard range of laidback beats and dubby production that dominated things at the time! There's definitely plenty of the tension promised in the title – as Tricky moves past the London modes from which he emerged, and goes for a larger sound that would help him stay ahead of the pack for years. The vocals of Martina Topley Bird are a big part of the album's strength here – and titles include "Lyrics Of Fury", "Piano", "My Evil Is Strong", "Makes Me Wanna Die", "Sex Drive", and "Bad Things" – plus a surprising remake of the Eric B & Rakim cut "Lyrics Of Fury". CD

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✨✧ Tutt BandTutt Band ... CD
Everland (Austria), 1988. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Sweet electro funk from the second half of the 80s – served up here by a group with a vibe that's much more like the indie styles of the start of the genre! The set's heavy on beats, basslines, and keyboards – and even includes some vocoder bits too – all with a lean groove that's pretty darn great throughout – very much in a boogie funk mode, but with some occasional variations that really keep things interesting! Even the slower cuts rely strongly on the beats, but never in a way that's heavy handed – and some warmer keyboard washes even hit at bigger label potential for the group – although we certainly like them more in this indie mode. Titles include "Shake Me", "She's Got It Going", "Can't Let Go", "Procrastinator", "This Time We'll Win", "Get It On", and "We're Gonna Have Fun Tonight". CD

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✨✧ Piero UmilianiLa Legge Dei Gangsters – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ... CD
Beat (Italy), 1969. Used 2 CDs ... Out Of Stock
Way more than you'd expect from any sort of typical gangster movie – a set of godlike sounds that could only have come from the hands of the great Piero Umiliani! The music is filled with jazzy touches and these stunning deeper currents – served up in a mix of vibes, flute, Hammond, and tenor – often with floating, open qualities that are completely hypnotic, which are then balanced out by tighter jazz passages that really send the whole thing home! The soundtrack is one of Umiliani's best – the sort that first got us appreciating his genius years ago – and in addition to the instrumental tunes, there's also a few vocal numbers sung by Ira and Franco Morselli. 2CD version is bigger than the previous release – with lots of photos from the film, and titles that include "Crepuscolo Sul Mare", "Cosa Mai Sara", "Gangster's Song", "Veni A Dirni Ciao", "Apertura In Jazz", "Tema Dell'Addio", "Very Fast", and "Swing Come Sempre". CD

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Undisputed TruthCosmic Truth/Higher Than High ... CD
Gordy/Kent (UK), 1975. New Copy 2CD ... $16.99 24.98
A pair of late Motown albums from Undisputed Truth – both issued here back to back, as they originally appeared for the label! First up is Cosmic Truth – a fantastic 70s album from Undisputed Truth – and the first to fully feature the new version of the lineup, after the Magictones had been recruited to form the second version of the group! The sound here is even funkier and more guitar-based than before – a fully-realized take on the Norman Whitfield modes that had been brewing up since his late 60s work with The Temptations – almost as tripped-out at times as early 70s Funkadelic – as if Undisputed Truth were being put forth as a Detroit challenge to the George Clinton universe! Production and arrangements are great – very far-reaching at times, with some bigger ideas in the mix – although all the tight funky soul elements that always made these guys so great. Titles include "1990", "Squeeze Me Tease Me", "Earthquake Snake", "Spaced Out", "Lil Red Ridin Hood", "Got To Get Me Some Lovin", and the great cut "UFO's". Higher Than High is a great later Motown effort from the Undisputed Truth – working in a groove that's a bit tighter and more upbeat than before, but still plenty darn great! Norman Whitfield is still very firmly in charge of the group's sound on the record – arranging, producing, and writing most of the cuts on the album – and he's doing a great job of keeping his sound fresh here – not just sticking in the bass-heavy styles of previous years, and instead moving into some fresher territory that has the group continuing to grow nicely. In a way, the whole thing's almost a precursor for the grooves to come on Norman's own Whitfield label – a great batch of well-crafted titles that include "Overload", "Higher Than High", "Poontang", "I Saw YOu When You Met Her", "Help Yourself (second version)", "I'm In The Red Zone", "Boogie Bump Boogie", and "Ma". CD

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John WhiteNight People ... CD
Geffen/Universal (Japan), 1987. New Copy ... $6.99 14.99
John White may not be the biggest name in 80s soul, but he comes on strong in this overlooked set – a catchy batch of tunes that stands out nicely from his contemporaries! There's plenty of beats and keyboards in the backings, but John's got a deep-ranged vocal style that creates plenty of organic warmth – a fully feeling sort of sound that really warms things up with his emotion on the tunes. Titles include "I Need Your Love", "Can't Get You Out Of My System", "Don't Let It Be Too Late", "Fooled Around", "Mood For Love", and "Victim". CD

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✨✧ Kim WildeLove Blonde – The RAK Years 1981 to 1983 (Kim Wilde/Catch As Catch Can/Select/bonus tracks) (4CD set) ... CD
RAK/Cherry Red (UK), Early 1980s. New Copy 4CD ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
The full early work of UK pop singer Kim Wilde – a big force on both sides of the Atlantic for a few short years, and part of a great wave of catchy girl-fronted music in the generation that also included Blondie and the Go-Gos! Kim's got her own special twist on the sound – one that also draws from some of the UK pop of the period, but which also never moves into too much synth or electro pop – and instead takes all the best upbeat, live energy of the early new wave years – and maybe gives it a more straightforward spin, in a way that helped Wilde get plenty of play on the charts! This nicely-done set features all three albums for the RAK label – Kim Wilde, Select, and Catch As Catch Can – plus bonus tracks that include "Boys", "He Will be There", "Child Come Away", "Just Another Guy", "Watching For Shapes", "Rain On", and "Back Seat Drive". CD4 features lots more bonus tracks too – special disco mixes that include "Kids In America (Luke Mornay rmx)", "Chequered Love (Matt Pop ext)", "Water On Glass (Project K soundtrack)", "Cambodia (Matt Pop ext)", "View From A Bridge (Project K soundtrack)", and "Take Me Tonight (Luke Mornay profondo giallo mix)". CD

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✨✧ Joe WilliamsPresenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones Mel Lewis ... CD
Blue Note, 1968. Used ... Out Of Stock
A funky big band album, recorded by Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, with the great Joe Williams on vocals! The record is one of the most sought-after by the team – probably because it includes the hard breakbeat version of "Get Out of My Life Woman" that's been sampled often over the years. (Actually, hasn't every version of it been sampled by someone?) The other tracks are pretty funky, too, with nice soul groovers like "Night Time Is The Right Time", "Woman's Got Soul", and "How Sweet It Is". Players include Pepper Adams, Joe Farrell, Jerome Richardson, and Roland Hanna – and the Jones/Lewis group is at the height of its hipness here! CD
(Out of print 1994 pressing.)

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✨✧ Phil Woods QuartetPhil Talks With Quill ... CD
Epic (Japan), 1960. Used ... Out Of Stock
Rare as hens' teeth – and an incredible meeting of two vastly underrated alto talents! Phil Woods got plenty of opportunities to record as a leader in the 50s, but altoist Gene Quill was often buried in bigger groups – a fact that makes this album one of the few chances to really hear him shine! Woods and Quill work together beautifully throughout – playing boppishly, but also in a more relaxed groove – one that's a bit like Phil's excellent Warm Woods session for Epic from the same stretch, but perhaps a bit more upbeat overall. The twin-alto sound is really great – especially on the tunes that have them soaring together on the heads, then splitting off on solos with amazing dexterity and real dynamic range. Other players include Bob Corwin on piano, Sonny Dallas on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – and although the pair recorded an earlier session for RCA a few years before, this one's far superior! Titles include "Doxy", "Scrapple From the Apple", "Hymn For Kim", and "Night In Tunisia". CD

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✨✧ Michael Zager BandLet's All Chant (with bonus tracks) ... CD
Private Stock/Octave (Japan), 1978. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A crossover classic from the Michael Zager Band – a record that played big in the clubs at the end of the 70s, and got plenty of spins on the homefront too! The title track is a massive classic – with its instantly-memorable "Let's All Chant" groove – and unique rhythm that was perfect for the period's move from straight disco to some bouncier styles of 80s club – particularly the roller skating mode! Yet there's also some other great disco material on the set too – tunes that bounce along with trademark female chorus vocals – mostly sounding pretty darn great on numbers like "Soul To Soul", "Love Express", "Freak", and "Music Fever" – and faltering slightly on the offbeat "Dancin Disney" medley – a batch of Disney tunes set to disco grooves! CD features bonus tracks – "Freak (12" version)", "Let's All Chant (12" version)", "Soul To Soul (7" version)", and "Love Express (7" version)". CD

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✨✧ VariousA Moi La Liberte – Early Electronic Rai – Algerie 1983 to 1990 ... CD
Born Bad (France), 1980s. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A wonderfully well-done collection – one that brings together some of the more hard-hitting tracks from the early days of Algerian rai music – cuts that stand in a really strong contrast to the more polished mode that showed up on record charts during the big years of world music! This isn't the music of the major labels and associated imprints – and instead, almost all the cuts here were issued on small cassette-only releases, which almost seems to be the perfect format for the lo-fi approach of the cuts – often just beats, keyboards, and slight instrumentation – topped by vocals that are incredibly expressive, even beyond the boundaries of language – and which soar out in a wonderful way! The leaner instrumentation only seems to enforce the strength of the singers – in ways that didn't always happen with later rai – and the set brings together 14 rare tracks, with work from Cheb Hader, Nordine Staifi, Chaba Ahmed, Tchier Abdelgani, Cheb Hindi, Houari Benchenet, Chab Mohamed Sghir, Benchenet, and Chab Hamouda. CD

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✨✧ VariousArthur Baker Presents Dance Masters (4CD set) ... CD
Demon (UK), Late 80s. New Copy 4CD ... Out Of Stock
Athur Baker was a producer with a slightly bumpy path in the 80s, but there's no denying his impact on music at the time – particularly the way he had of funneling sounds from the streets to the dancefloors in the mainstream! Baker was one of the first to really have an ear for both hip hop and other styles of grooves – super-sharp on the right electro elements, yet with a richer understanding of soul, R&B, and club – all of which he brings to work here, on versions of tracks that have all the excitement of a special take on the tune from the clubs back in the day! This 4CD set comes in a huge book-style package, with plenty of notes – and features 43 classic mixes by Baker, with titles that include "Big Love (ext rmx)" by Fleetwood Mac, "Sun City (last rmx)" by Artists United Against Apartheid, "Running Away (Arthur Baker rmx)' by The Colourfield, "C'Est La Vie (ext rmx)" by Robbie Nevil, "Out Of Touch (club version)" by Daryl Hall & John Oates, "Living In A Box (dance mix)" by Living In A Box, "IOU (mega mix)" by Freeez, "Walking On Sunshine (12" version)" by Rockers Revenge, "Soweto (rmx)" by Jeffrey Osborne, "A Love Supreme (jazz in the house rmx)" by Will Downing, "Message Is Love (cupid mix)" by Arthur Baker & The Backbeat Disciples with Al Green, "Ever Fallen In Love (club senseless)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "Buffalo Stance (1/2 way 2 house mix)" by Neneh Cherry, and "Planet Rock (12" voc version)" by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force. CD

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✨✧ VariousBe Arisionable ... CD
Arision (UK), 2003. Used ... Out Of Stock
A brilliant overview of work from one of the most important London labels in recent years – Big Bang's Arision label, home to some incredible work that pushes the boundaries of modern groove! Arision's sound is firmly in the style inspired by the post-4 Hero generation – but there's also a much deeper quality here than in most of its British counterparts – strongly influenced by jazz of the past 30 years, and put together with a care that takes most of these tunes far past the simple world of beats and keys. The set features a few previously unissued tracks exclusive to the set, plus some other hard to find tunes from expensive singles – and the whole thing's got a really unified feel that makes the compilation a delight throughout! Titles include "Search For The Sun" by Xantone Blacq, "Belong" by Dharma One with Tuomo, "Percussive One (Vipersquad 2003 re-edit)" by Cuica, "Little Egypt (Cuica rmx)" by Bakazou, "The Cat (Nature's Plan re-work)" by Consequences, "I Am With You" by Hajimi Yoshizawa, "Won't Let It Go" by Domu with Alexander, and "Flightime" by Hopper. CD
(Out of print.)

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✨✧ VariousChess Northern Soul ... CD
Chess/Universal (UK), 1960s. Used ... Out Of Stock
Upbeat stormers from the legendary Chess Records – a collection of 20 tracks from the 60s that bristle and burn with the best energy of a Northern Soul dancefloor! The package really spans the genius of Chess at the time – running through soul, jazz, blues, and gospel in search of a groove – going past the bigger hits to feature some great lesser-known gems, including a few singles from tinier Chess-related labels! There's plenty of Chicago and Detroit 60s grooves running through the set – mixed with other great bits that pick up the sound nicely, and stretch out with some really unusual touches! Titles include "Hold On" by The Radiants, "It Ain't Necessary" by Mamie Galore, "Ordinary Joe" by Terry Callier, "Leave It In The Hands Of Love" by Fontella Bass, "Landslide" by Tony Clarke, "Sweeter Than The Day Before" by The Valentinos, "More & More" by Little Milton, "More Love That's What We Need" by The Gospel Classics, "I Can't Help Myself" by The Gems, "Wade In The Water" by Ramsey Lewis, "Boogaloo Baby" by Tommy & Cleve, "Make Sure" by The Dells, and "Peak Of Love" by Bobby McClure. CD
(Out of print.)

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✨✧ VariousDisco Classics Vol 3 – Original Artists Original Recordings ... CD
Get Disconnected, Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
Not much of a cover or title, but a pretty great little set – and one that features a fair bit of lesser-known gems from years back, despite its claim of classics! The tracks here are all at the higher end of the disco rhythmic spectrum – mostly quite upbeat, with soaring strings and tight instrumental flourishes – very much in the spirit of Paul Sabu, who produced some of the cuts on the set – or some of the bigger hits on TK Records from the time. Titles include "If You Could Read My Mind" by Viola Wills, "I'm Here & I'm Hot" by Vicki Sue Robinson, "Superman" by Celi Bee, "Love Rush" by Ann-Margret, "Do Your Best" by Carl Hahn, "Gimme Back My Love Affair" by Sister Power, "We're Gonna Rock" by Sabu, "Disco Dancin" by Rice & Beans Orchestra, "Magnifique" by Magnifique, and "Don't You Want My Love" by Debbie Jacobs. CD

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✨✧ VariousGotta Get A Good Thing Goin – Black Music In Britain In The 60s (4CD set) ... CD
Strawberry (UK), Mid 60s. New Copy 4CD ... Out Of Stock
One of the most unique compilations we've ever heard – a set that gets at the really unique way that soul music came across on the British scene of the 60s – as American influences were mixed with local interpretations, which themselves drew plenty of influences from related scenes in the West Indies and South Africa at the time! The scope of expression here is hugely different than any American soul collections from the time – and while there's definitely a few Americans in the mix from time to time, they're mostly represented by recordings done in England, amidst a huge amount of artists who never get reissued on our side of the Atlantic! Usually, a set like this would be put together to show that Northern Soul created some upbeat music on the British scene – but with this gem of a collection, the scope is much wider, and really open to the influences that were running through black communities in England during these key post-colonial years. The package has a massive amount of music – 115 tracks in all, with a very cool book-styled package that's got superb notes and plenty of images – to support work by Lorraine Child, Peter Straker, Maxine Nightingale, Cy Grant, Cab Kaye, Dimples & Eddie, Ronnie Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Norma Lee, Jimmy Tomas, Jackie Edwards, Madeline Bell, Oliver Norman, The Fantastics, Root & Jenny Jackson, Ram John Holder, Simon K & The Meantimers, Caleb, The Foundations, The Soul Brothers, Blue Beaters, Seven Letters, Joe's All Stars, Sonny & The Daffodils, Tony Washington & The DCs, Davy Jones, Geoff Love, Ray Ellington, Emile Ford & The Big Six, Millie, Rico, Black Velvet, and many others! CD

Partial matches181
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✨✧ VariousGotta Get A Good Thing Goin – Black Music In Britain In The 60s (4CD set) ... CD
Strawberry (UK), Mid 60s. Used 4CD ... Out Of Stock
One of the most unique compilations we've ever heard – a set that gets at the really unique way that soul music came across on the British scene of the 60s – as American influences were mixed with local interpretations, which themselves drew plenty of influences from related scenes in the West Indies and South Africa at the time! The scope of expression here is hugely different than any American soul collections from the time – and while there's definitely a few Americans in the mix from time to time, they're mostly represented by recordings done in England, amidst a huge amount of artists who never get reissued on our side of the Atlantic! Usually, a set like this would be put together to show that Northern Soul created some upbeat music on the British scene – but with this gem of a collection, the scope is much wider, and really open to the influences that were running through black communities in England during these key post-colonial years. The package has a massive amount of music – 115 tracks in all, with a very cool book-styled package that's got superb notes and plenty of images – to support work by Lorraine Child, Peter Straker, Maxine Nightingale, Cy Grant, Cab Kaye, Dimples & Eddie, Ronnie Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Norma Lee, Jimmy Tomas, Jackie Edwards, Madeline Bell, Oliver Norman, The Fantastics, Root & Jenny Jackson, Ram John Holder, Simon K & The Meantimers, Caleb, The Foundations, The Soul Brothers, Blue Beaters, Seven Letters, Joe's All Stars, Sonny & The Daffodils, Tony Washington & The DCs, Davy Jones, Geoff Love, Ray Ellington, Emile Ford & The Big Six, Millie, Rico, Black Velvet, and many others! CD

Partial matches182
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VariousGreetings From Death Row – Weird & Wonderful Sounds From The Vault Of Lux & Ivy ... CD
Righteous (UK), Late 50s/Early 60s. New Copy ... $12.99 18.99
Lux and Ivy serve up a whole host of records from death row – not the famous hip hop label, but the end of the line for those that pay the ultimate price for their crimes – served up here in a weird and wild blend of rare 45s from the postwar years! The music here is almost in Bear Family territory, but a bit wider – rock, blues, rockabilly, country, and other styles all mixed together – with a really wonderful blend of offbeat singles that we might never have heard otherwise! The set's one of the best Lux & Ivy collections in awhile – and features 28 tracks that include "Death Row" by Jimmy Minor, "Big Mouth Bill" by Phil McLean, "The Legend Of The Birds & Bees" by Hank Hornsby, "So Tuff" by The Furys, "Down In The Basement" by King Coleman, "Devil Is A Busy Man" by Sunnyland Slim, "Stack A Records" by Tom Tall, "The Last Drag" by The Voxpoppers, "Rompin" by Jerry Warren, "Ragged & Hungry" by Lightning Junior & The Empires, "The Plea" by The Chantels, and "Crash Out" by Jaycee Hill. CD

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✨✧ VariousJazz Club – Soul Jazz ... CD
Jazzclub/Verve (Germany), 1960s/Early 70s. Used ... Out Of Stock
Way more than just a regular set of 60s soul jazz – as the package offers up a wide variety of styles, genres, and work from both European and American sources – all at a ridiculously low price! The set brings together 18 numbers from key 60s labels like Verve, MPS, and Impulse – all grooving together nicely in an upbeat mode that brings in plenty of Latin, Brazilian, and slightly funky touches too! All these tunes are plenty darn hip – longtime favorites at Dusty Groove that include "Jive Samba" by Peter Herbholzheimer, "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" by Marcos Valle, "Evil Ways" by Willie Bobo, "Terra Samba" by Fritz Pauer, "Um Grao De Areia" by Clarke Boland Big Band, "Cubano Chant" by Wolfgang Dauner Trio, "For Mods Only" by Chico Hamilton, "Love & Happiness" by Monty Alexander, "The Fakir" by Cal Tjader, "Big Schlepp" by Dave Pike Set, "Watermelon Man" by Jon Hendricks, "Why & How" by Mark Murphy, and "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Ella Fitzgerald. CD

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✨✧ VariousJourneys By DJ Special Release – Gilles Peterson Desert Island Mix ... CD
Shelter, 2002. Used ... Out Of Stock
One of the best compilations we've ever stocked by legendary DJ Gilles Peterson – a brilliant blend of old and new grooves, effortlessly stepping across different times, styles, and national boundaries! Gilles is one of the biggest influences on what we do here at Dusty Groove – and his work on this set is a perfect example of why we've always held him in such high regard over the years! The set's got a total of 18 tracks in all, mixed together, but not in a way that loses the integrity of the tunes – more just linked back to back in a way that will make your jaw drop with connections that you'd never expected in the music. Titles include "Love Supreme" by Ballistic Brothers, "Comfy Club" by Pnu Riff, "What Is Wrong With Groovin" by Letta Mbulu, "Dingwalls" by Mark Murphy, "One Starry Night" by Kevin Yost, "Fedime's Flight" by Jazzanova, "It's Jazzy" by Roni Size, "Disorientation" by Priest, "Ding Ding Ding" by I Cube, "Black Gold Of The Sun" by Rotary Connection, "My Beat" by Blaze, "Gabriel" by Roy Davis with Peven Everett, "Yves Eaux" by Buscemi, "Submersible" by Juryman vs Spacer, and "Wondering" by Drop Zone Productions. CD

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✨✧ VariousJust A Touch – Underground UK Soul ... CD
Athens Of The North (UK), 1980s/Early 90s. New Copy ... $13.99 16.99
Fantastic work from the UK soul scene – music from a time when some of the bigger names overseas were starting to grab interest on US charts, but were only the tip of the iceberg next to some of the overlooked artists on this set! If you dig the sounds of Loose Ends, Soul II Soul, and Mica Paris, you'll find plenty to love here – as the set's overflowing with 80s and 90s-styled soul tracks that make great use of beats and more contemporary production in a great way – almost bringing back a more organic approach in the music, at a time when American R&B could come off sounding a bit too stiff or commercial. And we'll be honest in saying that although we were scouring the racks for imports during this generation, there's plenty of cuts here that are still new to our ears – a superb set list that includes "Straight to The Top" by Purely Fizzycal, "Passion" by Taffy, "Hold Your Head Up" by Weekend In Paris, "Don't Touch "by Cavalier, "Coming Back" by Bovel, "What You Do For Me" by Pure Silk, "Take Me There" by Marcelle Moncrieffe, "Life (club mix)" by Sam, and "Step By Step" by Kofi. CD

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✨✧ VariousKent's Cellar Of Soul Vol 3 – 26 Gems From The Halcyon Years Of 60s Soul ... CD
Kent (UK), Early 60s. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Hardly the kind of music you'd want to keep in the basement – as the set's overflowing with classic soul from the 60s – especially the kind of underground nuggets we love so much! If we had to pick a style, we might say that the collection's heavy on Northern Soul rompers from the American indie scene way beyond Detroit – but there's also lots of other tasty flavors on here too, including some special west coast numbers and early funk tracks that really give the whole thing a great sense of variety – while still keeping to the upbeat, lively rhythms that make the set so great! Every track's a winner – and although most of these tracks never charted at the time, most have gone onto win big fame through constant circulation between DJs and collectors over the past few decades. Titles include "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss, "The Horse" by Cliff Nobles, "Sign On The Dotted Line" by Gene Latter, "Peaches N Cream" by The Ikettes, "Tramp" by Lowell Fulsom, "I'll Never Forget You" by Marke & Chris Jackson, "Take It Baby" by The Showmen, "Ooh Wee Baby I Love You" by Fred Jackson, "Giving Up" by The Ad Libs, "With This Ring" by The Platters, "One Eye Open" by Maskman & The Agents, "Baby Please Come Back Home" by JJ Barnes, "Gotta Give Her Love" by The Volumes, and "Believe In Me Baby (part 1)" by Jesse James & The Dynamic Four. CD

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VariousLet's Stomp – Merseybeat & Beyond 1962 to 1969 (3CD set) ... CD
Strawberry (UK), Mid 60s. New Copy 3CD ... $28.99 39.99
A wealth of wonderful work from the key years of the British Invasion – including a fair bit of groups who never really crossed the Atlantic to invade our shores at the time! Liverpool is best known as the home of The Beatles, but during the early 60s, the city was host to a huge wave of creative activity – as were nearby cities in the north of England – and as you'll hear in this set, there was no end to the range of groups making killer records over the space of number of years! Some of the work here will ring your ears with familiar tones from UK 60s rock, yet in ways that are different than the mod styles down in London, there's plenty of overlooked gems here to discover – and given that the box set goes well into the second half of the 60s, there's plenty of tracks here that are way different than just the work that grew up in the shadows of the fab four! The package has that fantastic presentation we love from the Grapefruit/Strawberry label – really well-chosen cuts, supported by very detailed notes – a massive 93 tracks in all, with work from The Perishers, Quotations, Satin Bells, Cilla Black, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, Wimple Witch, Selftons, 23rd Turnoff, Tony Jackson & The Vibrations, The Mojos, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Wailing Howie Casey & The Seniors, Lee Curtis & The All-Stars, The Big Three, The Kinsleys, Wellington Wade, and dozens of others! CD

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VariousLibrary Archive Vol 1 & 2 – More Funk, Jazz, Beats & Soundtracks From The Vaults Of Cavendish Music ... CD
Cavendish/BBE (UK), Mid 70s. New Copy 2CD ... $16.99 26.99
Brilliant funky instrumentals from the UK Cavendish Sound Library – a company who could sometimes recorded more staid music, although that certainly wasn't the case with the gems on this collection! The music is by a handful of British studio talents of the time – most of whom come from the jazz scene in earlier years – and provide a great update of their earlier talents with some very sweet electric touches! Many of these tunes have some really great keyboards – Fender Rhodes or even moogier elements – and many also have wicked basslines next to the funky drums, which really make things kick throughout. These tunes are vastly undiscovered – at least in comparison to better-known sound library funk from companies like KPM or DeWolfe – but we'd put these grooves right up there with the best of that bunch too. Titles include"Milky Way" and "Star Voyage" by John Scott, "Two Bars" and "The Scape Goat" by Pete Moore, "The Big Score" by John Cacavas, "One Way Trip" by Sam Fonteyn, "Smile Of A Stranger" by Dominic Sands, "Riff Raff" by Geoff Bastow, "Come Cuban" by Edward White, "Kaleidoscope" by Tony Kinsey, "Funk" and "Rock" by Chris Barron, "Equation" and "Mad Mendoza" by Trevor Duncan, "Leagueliner" by Ray Davies, "Diraffe" by Bob Adams, and "Self Deception" by Tany Turens – and lots of titles by Dennis Farnon that include "Night Shade", "The Rally", "Southbound", "Snowmobile", "Night Driver", "The Trackers", "Lady Killers", "Soul Type Blues", "Shanghai Caper", "Cocoanut Cocktail", "Bass Bits", "Chameleon", "Crazy Legs", "Blues For Boo", "Baltic Caper", "Test Drive", and "Nuremberg Ring". CD

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✨✧ VariousLoma Northern Soul – Classics & Revelations 1964 to 1968 ... CD
Loma/Kent (UK), Mid 60s. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Mid 60s magic from a record label that only lasted a few short years – yet one that's gone on to have as much prominence for real soul collectors as the music of Atlantic and Motown! Loma Records was a small offshoot of Warner Brothers on the west coast – yet one that worked far from the hit territory of its parent company, and instead captured all these wonderful groups and singers who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – a few of whom would go on to record later for bigger labels, but most of whom lost the chance for fame once Loma closed its doors! The quality of the music here is incredible – really top-shelf productions, at a level that rivals some of the best Detroit studios of the time, mixed with some of the cool class of Chicago soul as well – served up in a style that works equally well for vocal groups and solo singers. And while Loma recorded some deep soul cuts during this period, this set focuses on the more upbeat numbers – as you'd guess from the "Northern" in the title – served up in a collection that not only features rare singles, but also a few unissued tracks too! CD set features 25 tracks in all – and include "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "You Can't Outsmart A Woman" by Kell Osborne, "I'm Getting Weaker" by The Soul Shakers, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Bright Lights" by Delilah Kennebreuw, "Runnin Around" by Tony Amaro & The Chariots, "Baby Don't Look Down" by Billy Storm, "The Big Jerk (part 1)" by Clyde & Teh Blue Jays, "Better Think Of What You're Losing" by Tommy Starr, "The Man With The Golden Touch" by Charles Thomas, "Got A Thing Goin" by The Invincibles, "It's Your Love That I Need" by The Marvellos, "Just A Little Longer" by The Enchanters, "I'll Find A Way" by Bobby Reed, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Lester, "See The Silver Moon" by The Apollas, "Lies" by Bobby Freeman, and "If You Should See Her" by Ben Aiken. CD

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✨✧ VariousManhattan Soul Vol 3 ... CD
Kent (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
A really special set of soul tracks – and one that's got a vibe that's maybe even different from the previous two Manhattan Soul collections! This package is filled with the kind of overlooked gems that sometimes get lost because people are a bit too focused in their record-collecting tastes – mellow cuts that are still a bit funky, deep soul from up-north sources, and even some group numbers that are neither upbeat and Northern, nor slow enough to be mellow harmonies. Instead, these cuts together really defy the rules – showing that in the deeper corners of the New York underground, there were always great new ideas going on – not work that was trying to challenge the stars at Atlantic, or the Brill Building best – but instead very happy to just do their own thing, in some very groovy ways. The work comes from the Wand, Scepter, and Musicor family of labels – better-known for big hits, but also very dedicated to cool indie singles that only seem to be getting their due in more recent years. CD features 24 tracks in all – and titles include "Giving Up" by Junior Lewis, "Now That You're Gone" by Sonny Turner & Sound Limited, "Open Up Your Heart" by Dan & The Cleancuts, "Every Little Bit Helps" by Helen Henry, "Two Stupid Feet" by The Shirelles, "The Same Old Song" by The Dinos, "Nobody Made You Love Me" by The Charts, "Fun City Woman" by Ann Bailey, "The Landlord" by The Tabs, "Does Love Believe In Me" by Melba Moore, "Mr Schemer" by Brenton Wood, "You Picked Me" by The Soldier Boys, and "Never In My Life" by Lee Moses. CD

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✨✧ VariousMessage From TK – It's A Miami Modern Soul World ... CD
TK/Solid (Japan), Late 70s. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A soulful message from the 70s – served up here on a collection that focuses on a mighty nice side of the TK Records label from back in the day! TK hit big fame with its Miami spin on disco in the mid 70s, but the label also had a great ear for other sorts of soul music too – and here, the focus is on the warmer, more sophisticated modern soul tracks that marked their output away from the chart hits – work created in the south, but with a hip vibe that resonates strongly with the best work in New York, Philly, or other northern cities. The tracks are all hand-picked by DJ Ryuhei The Man – who also does his own edits of a few tracks – and the set also features some rare singles from artists who never recorded a full album for TK. Titles include "All This Love That I'm Givin" by Gwen McCrae, "I Like My Birdie" by Leno Phillips, "Keep Her Happy" by Phillip Wright, "Never Had A Love So Good" by Charles Johnson, "Bessie" by JBs Wedge, "It's Your Sweet Love" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "The Way We Life" by Raw Soul Express, "Where Is The Love" by Betty Wright, "Listen To My Heartbeat" by Little Beaver, "Human (Ryuhei The Man express 45 edit)" by Brief Encounter, "What Am I Gonna Do (Ryuhei The Man Miami 45 edit)" by Reid Inc, and "Be With Me (Ryuhei The Man Miami 45 edit)" by Milton Wright. CD

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VariousMod Jazz Rides Again ... CD
Kent (UK), Mid 60s. New Copy ... $11.99 18.99
Sammy Davis Jr is looking pretty darn hip on the cover – and all the artists inside are sounding pretty darn hip as well – coming together during the glory days of soul jazz, at a time when blues, vocals, and R&B were also criss-crossing into other styles too! There's an upbeat, soul-drenched, ultra-cool vibe to the whole thing – not too-familiar retro jazz numbers, but instead a wealth of rare cuts that often come from the sort of 7" singles that change hands for big money in the funky 45 underground, next to obscure album cuts too – mixed with the kind of unreleased material that the Ace/Kent label has always done such a good job of digging up! The package explodes with groovy musical delights – and titles include "What Is love" by Bobby Jenkins, "Out House" by Eddie Bridges & His Lowriders, "Empire City" by Gene Walker & The Combo, "Pushin The Button Of Soul" by Hank Jacobs, "Fat Man" by Montego Joe, "The Bold" by Russell Evans & The Nite Hawks, "Hey Mrs Jones" by Jimmy Witherspoon, "Poppa Nickel" by The Tempo Rhythms, "Sherry's Party" by Ray Johnson, "Hot Tamale Man" by Harold Betters, "Shank & Grits" by Ray Shanklin, "Pluckin" by Jimmy Mayes & The Soul Breed, "East 24th Ave" by Billy Graham & The Escalators, and "Do The Thing" by Gate Wesley. CD

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VariousModernity – 24 Super-Sharp Slices Of Rhythm & Blues, Soul, & Other Grooves ... CD
Ace/Kent (UK), Mid 60s. New Copy ... $11.99 19.99
A set with "modernity" as the title, but a batch of tracks that sound plenty old all the way through – mostly the kind of upbeat soul tracks that played big with the 60s mod scene in London! Yet this isn't the usual collection of mod classics – as the work here is very obscure, and served up in the mix of rare singles and unreleased material that we totally love on other Ace/Kent Records collections – presented with great sound, and very detailed notes that are as fun to read as the songs are to hear! All the artists are American, and look very different than the dapper British gents on the cover – soaring out in a set list that includes "Deuces Wild" by Gary & Gary, "Just Can't Help Myself" by Birdlegs & Pauline, "Oh Lady Be Good" by Charles Hodges, "The Hawg (part 2)" by Eddie Kirk, "See See Rider" by Byrdie Green, "Walk Home With Me" by Ike & Tina Turner, "Sundown" by The Merced Blue Notes, "Go Away With Me" by Hollis Dixon & The Keynotes, "I Found A Little Girl" by Eddie Bo, "The Bounce" by Jackie Lee, "Earthquake" by The Fashionettes, "Air Travel" by Ray & Bob, "That's All I Want" by King Carl, "The Warm Up (part 1)" by Clifton White & His Royal Knights, "Soul Grabber" by Willis Jackson, and "Who Knows" by Willie Tee. CD

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✨✧ VariousMove With The Groove – Hardcore Chicago Soul 1962 to 1970 – The One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus Story ... CD
One Der Ful/Charly (UK), 1960s. Used 2 CDs ... Out Of Stock
Seminal soul from one of Chicago's greatest labels in the 60s – the One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus imprints, plus tracks from related Toddlin Town too – home to some of the best indie work at the time! The quality here is right up there with the best you'd hear from Chess, Okeh, or Brunswick in the 60s – no surprise, since the pair of labels shared lots of similar talents with the bigger companies – as well as session men, songwriters, and producers too! The full scope of Chicago soul is really covered here – upbeat groovers for the dancefloor, heartfelt ballads with great harmonies, and some of the harder-edged bluesy numbers that really helped put One-Der-Ful on the map! There's also some key early examples of funk – proof that in the 60s, Chicago was one of the hippest scenes in the world – and the set comes with 2 CDs, nestled in a hardback booklet of notes and photos – with a whopping 50 tracks in all. Titles include "Tired Of Being Lonely" by The Sharpees, "Without You" by The Ulti-Mations, "That's How It Is" by Otis Clay, "Keep On Dancin" by Alvin Cash, "The Funky Judge" by Bull & The Matadors, "I Get A Groove" by Thomas East & The Fabulous Playboys, "Damper Down" by Bobby Davis, "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell, "Come Back Home" by Beny Turner, "Master Key" by Harold Burrage, "If I Could Live My Life All Over" by Dorothy Prince, "You Told A Lie" by Johnny Sayles, "New Girl" by The Accents, and "Don't You Worry" by Joe & Mack. CD

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✨✧ VariousMystic Brew – The Flavour Of Fat City ... CD
Fat City (UK), 1998. Used 2 CDs ... Out Of Stock
Fat City's first tasty compilation of grooves that range from underground hip hop, to classic lost funk, to modern dancefloor tracks. Includes an offbeat cover of The Meters' classic "Cissy Strut" by Trinidad Steel Drummers, the spacey sample classic "Tibetan Serenity" by Travis Biggs, the righteous cover of "The Creator Has A Master Plan" by Brooklyn Funk Essentials, and lots of other nice ones that include "My Kinda Moves" by QBall and Curt Cazal, "Keep On Rockin" by The Jigmastas, "Rhymes Like Scientist" by Third Sight, "The Great Raspberry Rip Off" by Concrete Puppy, and "Take The Brain" by Wayne Paul. CD

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✨✧ VariousNew Jersey Drive Vol 2 – Original Soundtrack ... CD
Tommy Boy, 1995. Used ... Out Of Stock
8 tracks from the New Jersey Drive Soundtrack including a couple not available elsewhere. Tracks include OC & Organized Konfusion "You Won't Go Far", Mad Lion "Own Destiny", Jeru "Invasion", Black Moon & Smiff-N-Wessun "Headz Ain't Ready", Biz Markie "Nobody Beats the Biz", Naughty By Nature "Connections", E. Bros "Funky Piano", Funkmaster Flex & Big Kap "Flip Squad's in the House." CD

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VariousNighttime Lovers Vol 33 – A Fine Collection Of Disco Funk Classics Of The 80s ... CD
PTG (Netherlands), Early 80s. New Copy ... $11.99 19.99
The night time's always the right time – at least when we've got music this great to see us into the small hours of the evening! The set's overflowing in warm 80s groove – some upbeat, some a bit more midtempo – all balanced on beats, basslines, and keyboards – but with a sense of soul on the vocals that really makes the whole thing come together! Some of these tracks were big back in the day, others are album tracks that fit perfectly in this blend of songs – a set of 13 titles that includes "Don't Give Up On Your Dream" by Lew Kirton, "You Are My Life" by Webster Lewis, "Sweet Lady" by Manhattan Rhythm, "I Get Romantic" by Booker Newbury III, "Can You Picture This" by The Keepers, "Just Can't Fight The Feeling" by YBS, "What's On Your Mind" by Janet Rene, "April Lady" by Wax, "Try A Piece Of My Love" by Clarence Carter, "Lost In Your Love" by Ritchie Family, "If You Were Mine" by Cheryl Lynn, and "Private Love Affair" by E'Lan. CD

Partial matches198
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✨✧ VariousNighttime Lovers Vol 34 – A Fine Collection Of Disco Funk Classics Of The 80s ... CD
PTG (Netherlands), Early 80s. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Boogie, electro, and 80s groove – all sorted out nicely in this killer collection of ultra-rare cuts! As with previous volumes, this edition of Nighttime Lovers shows a side of the 80s that hardly got any play at the time – the more underground work by lesser-known artists, much of which was issued on the bigger labels, but failed to crack the charts! You'll recognize a few familiar names here, but even those are represented by under-discovered corners of their work – and in true early 80s spirit, most tracks here are heavy on beats and keyboards – yet still leave plenty of room for real soul vocals. Titles include "So Delicious" by Point 3 FM, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Streetlife, "Never Gonna Give You Up (12" version)" by Gwendolyn Lassic, "Make It Easy" by Cross-Phyre with Demetrius, "You're My Doll Baby" by Norfolk, "Special Part Of Me (12" version)" by Charles Blackman, "The Same For Me" by California Executives with Ronald Dudley, "Magic Touch" by Gang's Back, "Love I Thought I Never Would Find Love" by James Govan, "Seconds Of Your Love" by Johnny Taylor, and "I Got My Game Plan Working Baby" by Arlene Bailey. CD

Partial matches199
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
VariousNothing But A House Party – The Birth Of The Philly Sound 1967 to 1971 ... CD
Kent (UK), Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy ... $11.99 18.99
Some folks might associate Philadelphia soul with the famous Gamble & Huff productions of the 70s disco years – but the city was already overflowing with great music in the years before Philadelphia International – as you'll hear in this totally groovy set! Philly was making as much great soul music in the 60s as Detroit, Chicago, and New York – thanks to an earlier musical framework that was set up by the city's big pop hits of the late 50s – which provided plenty of labels, studios, and other facilities for Philly's ever-growing array of soul talents, too – so much so that by the end of the 60s, the city was turning into a destination for singers outside of town – almost as much of a musical magnet as studios in Memphis or Muscle Shoals! This set does a great job of bringing together both aspects of that scene – wonderful homegrown talent, mixed with outsiders to really took off in the new Philly sound of the 60s – a joyous, positive, upbeat approach that worked wonderfully well for a variety of artists. Titles include "Your Fool Still Loves You" by Oscar Weathers, "It's All Over But The Shouting" by George Tindley, "You've Been Untrue" by The Delfonics, "Ain't Nothing But A House Party" by The Show Stoppers, "Peace To You Brother" by Lou Johnson, "Christine" by Executive Suite, "Help Me" by Honey & The Bees, "You Got What I Need" by Freddie Scott, "Rainmaker" by The Moods, "Keep On Striving" by Moses Smith, "That's The Price You Have To Pay" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "What You Gave Up" by The Continental 4, "Every Day Is A Holiday" by The Intruders, "Standing In The Darkness" by The Ethics, and "Girl You're Too Young" by Len Barry. CD

Partial matches200
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
VariousOne Track Mind – More Motown Guys ... CD
Kent (UK), Mid 60s. New Copy ... $12.99 19.99
Never-heard songs from the Motown empire of the 60s – all new discoveries from the label's mighty deep vaults – all of them totally great tracks that make for a superb new look at the Detroit powerhouse of soul! Many of these cuts are in a Northern Soul mode – the kind of upbeat groovers that made Motown a huge favorite on the British scene right from the start, and which make the UK Kent label a perfect spot to showcase work this great – with detailed notes on all the tracks, excellent sound quality, and an impeccable ear for choosing just the right sort of tracks to pop a groove like the bigger singles from the label. Some of the cuts here are early recordings by artists who'd later break big, others are more obscure Motown acts – and the package features 24 titles that include "Goose Wobbling Time" by Popcorn Wylie, "I'll Be Satisfied" by Frank Wilson, "Where Are You" by Ivy Jo, "One Track Mind" by Marv Johnson, "Heart To Heart" by Earl Van Dyke, "Head Over Heels In Love With You Baby" by Edwin Starr, "I'm Here Now That You Need Me" by The Fantastic Four, "Imagination Is Running Wild" by The Spinners, "The In Crowd" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Wish I Didn't Love You So" by The Monitors, "The Touch Of Venus" by Marvin Gaye, "I'd Rather Forget" by The Temptations, and "Kissing In The Shadows" by Johnny Bristol. CD
 
 
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