A sweet double-length set – one that features two classic Prestige albums from Gene Ammons! Boss Is Back is a great comeback for tenor legend Gene Ammons – not just in a musical sense, but also because Jug had spent most of the past few years in prison – as part of the usual trumped-up drug charges that were filed against musicians at the time! At the time of this album, Ammons had not recorded since a very successful flurry of sides recorded in 1961, done for a number of labels, and issued slowly during his time off the recording market – a precursor to this fantastic return to form, which has Gene hitting more of a jazz funk mode, in the best Prestige style at the end of the 60s! Case in point is the presence of Bernard Purdie on drums on a number of cuts – in a lineup that also features some organ from Sonny Phillips, piano from Junior Mance, and electric bass from Bob Bushnell – plus congas from Candido for a nice extra kick! Titles include the funky cuts "Tastin' the Jug" and "Jungle Boss" – plus "Madame Queen" and "Feeling Good". Brother Jug is a great bit of jazz funk from tenor genius Gene Ammons – really reinventing himself here after some time off the scene in the 60s! The set has Gene picking up a great groove with help from Billy Butler on guitar and Sonny Phillips on organ – and the great Bernard Pretty Purdie is also on drums, and kicks it nice and lean on the great groover "Jungle Strut"! The album also features a nice version of "Son of A Preacher Man", plus "Ger-ru", which features Junior Mance on piano. CD

Cheap Thrills, maybe – but they cut deeply and last forever! This is one of greatest albums by Big Brother & The The Holding Company – and it's also one of the most important in cementing the legacy of singer Janis Joplin. The raw manic energy of the group at their live best is somehow bottled and presented on record as perfectly as ever could be – and even better are the delicate moments that show such an incredible depth! Titles include "Turtle Blues", "Oh Sweet Mary", "Ball & Chain", "Summertime", "Piece Of My Heart", and "I Need A Man To Love". CD

The group's second real album, and one that never manages to totally capture the groove of the first – but which still has some pretty great writing and playing that set it apart from most of the soul of its generation! The cut "Dream On Dreamer" is one of those early 90s groovers that we still delight in hearing on the radio, or in a surprise mix at a club – and the record's got lots of other nice moments, too, like "Snake Hips", "Fake", and "Keep Together". CD

A very trippy album from the enigmatic Brother Ah – aka Robert Northern, former member of Sun Ra's Arkestra, and also a lecturer on the east coast. This album's his first, originally issued on the Strata East label – and a space mixture of other-worldly sounds. The first long track on the album is entitled "Beyond Yourself (The Midnight Confession)", and features a group with Ah on flutes and "natural" sounds, plus cello by Pat Dixon, percussion by Barbara Burton, and soprano voice by Barbara Grant. The track's a "sound journey in 7 parts" – floating across space with a mystical feel that slowly unfurls. The other long track on the set is "Love Piece", a tune in which Ah plays flute along with percussion by Max Roach and the M'Boom percussion ensemble – plus a 90-voice chorus, and a short rap by Roach. Very spiritual stuff! CD

Ahhh. . . Nice! Wonderful intelligent, spiritual rhymes, full of Islamic prayer references, blunt antagonist rhymes, a battle with the ugliest of inner demons and broken artist poverty all hugged by catchy bouncing hook filled choruses. And all the production is handled by Ant, a true autuer akin to Pete Rock, now becoming more comfortable with his art with each release: tight organ loops, snapping drums, bright horns and nice upright basslines. "Soulful" is the key adjective here. Tracks include "Star Quality", "Pay Them Back", "Shadows On The Sun", "Forest Whitiker", "Room With A View", "Back Stage Pacin", "Missing Teeth", "Dorian", "Soul Whisper", "Champion", "Prince Charming", and more! CD

Mighty nice work from The Brother Boys – a contemporary group, but one who've got a sound that's very steeped in older folk and country styles – all at a level that makes them a perfect group to focus on in this excellent series! As you might guess from their image on the cover, the group work heavily with acoustic instrumentation – in ways that move forward from postwar bluegrass and hillbilly styles, but which often have some of the sensitivity of the hipper country-inspired singer/songwriter scene – with echoes of Gene Clark or Gram Parsons from time to time! The double-length package features lots of work from the group's earliest years, and later material too – a total of 51 tracks that include "Pinto Pony", "Blue Days Black Nights", "Two Men", "Majestic", "The Diamond Stream", "Blue From Now On", "Band Box", "Moosnhine Grin", "I Just Roll Along", "Conversation With Death", "The Ramshackle Shack", "Crazy Heart", "Darkest Day", and "Gonna Row My Boat". CD

A sweet funky set from the New Jersey 70s soul empire of the Stang/Turbo/All-Platinum family of labels – the kind of record that came out with little fanfare at the time, but which has a razor sharp groove all the way through! The set features plenty of wonderful work on keyboards – clavinet, organ, moog, and Arp – mixed with really sharp basslines that snap along nicely, and really tuck the tunes into the groove – as vocals from various group members trade places in the best funk ensemble mode! There's plenty of nice nuggets on this set – like the super-catchy "Chance With You", the moogy "Phattenin", and the warmly mellow "Visions" – next to other tracks that include "Groovy Day", "Take My Love", "Leavin Me", and "Let Your Mind Be Free". CD

A classic set of clubby soul from the All-Platinum New Jersey soul empire of the 70s – the third album from a group who started in funk territory a few years before, but who've definitely sharpened up their groove for the dancefloors here! Brother To Brother are a great example of a group from pre-disco years who evolved very strongly to the best modes of the time – still very underground, and with instrumentation that's schooled from many years gigging together. Billy Jones arranged and produced – that's him on the front, next to Chuck Carrado – both of whom play guitar – in a mix of keyboards, saxes, bass, and drums – often with some nice jazzy currents. Titles include "Dancin Singin", "We Love To Party", "Brother To Brother", "Vibrations", and "I'm Gonna Take Your Love". CD

Incredible work from Bobby Byrd – the man who was literally standing in the shadow of James Brown during the 60s – given how many times Bobby appeared with James on stage, and worked with him in the studio! Yet despite that near-lifetime association with The Godfather, Bobby's a hell of a singer on his own – definitely in the JB mold, but with a voice that can sometimes sweetly crackle in a very personal style – and also open up into different themes that sometimes move his music more towards Stax or Atlantic than some of James' King Records material from the time! All that range and plenty more is presented here – in an overlooked side of Bobby's career – all the wonderfully strong solo tracks he recorded with James Brown as a producer – issued in the mid 60s by the Smash and King Records labels, and a hell of a discography on its own. In fact, had Byrd not worked with James, we'd maybe guess that he would have hit even bigger fame on his own with these singles – such is the quality in both the vocals and overall presentation. This is the first time this material has ever been pulled together like this – and most of it has never been reissued at all – and the 24 track CD is overflowing with great notes that also give Bobby his due. Titles include "Write Me A Letter", "I Found Out", "Ain't No Use", "I'm Just A Nobody (parts 1 & 2)", "Lost In The Mood Of Changes", "You're Gonna Need My Lovin", "Let Me Know", "Time Will Make A Change", "No One Like My Baby", "Funky Soul (parts 1 & 2)", "You Gave Me Heart A Song To Sing", "My Concerto", and "I'm Lonely". CD

Freddy Cole on vocals and piano, Eddie Edwards on bass, and Ed Zad on drums – performing titles that include "Where Did Everyone Go?", "The Best Man", "Funny (Not Much)", "Home Fried Potatoes", and "Nat Cole Medley" – a 10 minute tribute to his famous brother. CD

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Landmark early work from the legendary Weldon Irvine – recorded way back when he was first coming to fame with Nina Simone, but done as an obscure indie effort for his tiny Nodlew label! The set's a wicked batch of keyboard-heavy funk – at a level that's similar to some of the best titles on Black Jazz or Strata East at the time, but also filled with an even richer array of colors and musical ideas. Weldon's work on electric piano is worth the price of admission alone – often spare, spacious, and perfectly placed – especially on the funky classics "Homey", "Mr Clean", and "Sister Sanctified" – a tune later cut by Stanley Turrentine, but heard here in Weldon's original version! Other cuts include "Gloria", "Juggah Buggah", "Blues Wel-Don", and "Liberated Brother". CD

An amazing record! This one's probably our favorite Isley Brothers album of all time – and it's a perfect blend of all the styles they were into at the time – heavy funk, sweet soul, folksy rock, and rolling uptempo grooves! The Brothers handle all styles equally well, and the album's a real delight as it skips effortlessly from track to track – always bringing a fresh sound to the experience of listening, and continuing to delight us year after year with the Isley's greatness! Includes the classic extended cut "Love Put Me On the Corner", a baroque soul symphony in itself; an amazing remake of "It's Too Late" that's way different than the original; the middle-class anthem "Work To Do"; and the funky cuts "Pop That Thang" and "Layaway". CD

2 of Boogaloo Joe's best and rarest albums on one CD – guitar jazz funk at its best! First up is Boogaloo Joe – a killer session of funky guitar jazz, and the record that gave Ivan "Boogaloo" Joe Jones his nickname! The set's a full-on wailer that really blows away Joe's first two on Prestige – breaking out ouf the box with a killer lineup that includes Rusty Bryant on tenor, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Sonny Phillips on organ – all working with Joe's incredibly tight guitar lines to craft some wicked tunes that take soul jazz firmly into the sound of the 70s! Titles include "Boogaloo Joe", "People Are Talking", "Dream On Little Dreamer", and "Atlantic City Soul". Right On Brother is next – and is Ivan's first truly sublime album – a set that showed the world that he was easily one of the greatest jazz guitarists of his generation – able to spin out single-note jams with a speed and dexterity that few others could match! The groove here is totally great and very righteous – heavy drums from Bernard Purdie, wailing organ from Charles Earland, and saxophone from Rusty Bryant – all cooking together in the best early 70s Prestige jazz funk mode! Titles include "Right On", "Brown Bag", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", and "Poppin". CD

Powerful live document of Janis with Big Brother live at Winterland in the spring of '68 – with recordings of their biggest and best-remembered numbers, and ones that didn't get nearly as much play over the years! Truly awesome work, with Janis and the band working their inimitable magic – all the more incredible given the potent period in late 60s San Francisco. "Down On Me", "Flower In The Sun", "I Need A Man To Love", "Easy Rider", "Combination Of The Two", "Farewell Song", "Piece Of My Heart", "Catch Me Daddy", "Magic Of Love", "Summertime", "Light Is Faster Than Sound", "Ball And Chain" and "Down On Me". CD

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A classic early set from Jack McDuff – and a record that's very much in his own hands, despite the presence of Gene Ammons as a co-leader! The group's more of a McDuff one than an Ammons ensemble – and features the great Joe Dukes on drums, Eddie Diehl on guitar, and Harold Vick on tenor, who plays alongside Ammons' guest appearance on 5 of the album's 6 tracks. The tunes are in that Steppin Out mode – a cross between Jack's gutbuckety R&B work of the early Prestige years, and some of his cleaner grooves of the mid 60s – and titles include "Mellow Gravy", "Watch Out", "Strollin", "Buzzin Round", and "Mr Clean". CD

Blues, but with an undercurrent of New Orleans jazz – no surprise, given the Louisiana roots of Eurreal "Little Brother" Montgomery! The album's a classic set recorded in Chicago in the early 60s – featuring both Montgomery in a spare solo setting, and with help from a small backup group that includes Ted Butterman on cornet, Bob Gordon on clarinet, and Mike McKendrick on banjo. Little Brother plays piano on all numbers, and sings on most – and titles include "44 Vicksburg", "Prescriptions Of The Blues", "Sweet Daddy", "Home Again Blues", "Up The Country Blues", "Saturday Night Function", "Michigan Water Blues", and "Oh Daddy". CD features the bonus track "Cooter Crawl". CD

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A really fantastic little record – a set that shows a strong evolution of spiritual jazz styles into the 80s! The set was recorded at a time when the jazz underground was really getting a lot of exposure, and was bursting forward with a new sense of hope – a quality that you can really feel in the music, right from the very first note – as these tunes are joyous, yet highly rhythmic and spiritual too – a vibe that's maybe a bit like Pharoah Sanders on Theresa Records, especially on his classic "You Got To Have Freedom"! Most tunes here are upbeat and modal – driven by the rhythms of Ron Burton on piano, Abdu Wali on guitar, Sabu Adeyla on bass, Idris Muhammad on drums, and Abdus Saboor on percussion – and soaring with solos from leader Kamal Abdul Alim on trumpet, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Bobby Watson on alto and soprano. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Prayer", "Peace", "Al Nafs", "Dance", and "Brotherhood". CD

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A great non-Stax album from Memphis soul singer Shirley Brown – recorded for Arista, but with all the depth and feeling of her indie work! Shirley's wonderfully teamed here with songwriter Bettye Crutcher –one of the best second generation talents at Stax, and writer with a great way of putting over a mature, modern southern soul tune. In addition to contributing most of the tracks, Crutcher also co-produced the record – and helps give it a sound that's hip and focused – without any overdone southern soul cliches. The set's the kind that should have made Brown as big as Millie Jackson in the 70s – and it's filled with great tracks that include "Blessed Is The Woman (With A Man Like Mine)", "When You Really Love Somebody", "Givin' Up", "Midnight Rendezvous", "A Mighty Good Feeling", "Honey Babe", and "Long On Lovin". CD

Matthew Shipp on piano, Scott Robinson on tenor saxophone, alto clarinet, tarogato, trumpet, and slide cornet, Gerald Cleaver on drums and Kevin Ray on bass. CD

Soaring soul from Carlos Garnett – one of the reedman's key 70s sides for the Muse Records label – work we'd rank right up there with the spiritual best of Gary Bartz or Norman Connors at the time! Like both of those contemporaries, Garnett's really reaching for something new in the post-Coltrane generation – mixing electric and acoustic instrumentation with compelling rhythmic changes – and often letting in a bit of vocals as well. Most of the music here is instrumental – with Garnett on tenor and baritone sax, plus the great Hubert Eaves on keyboards and Reggie Lucas on guitar – but some tracks also feature very nice vocals from Prema, a female singer who takes up the same sort of role you might find Dee Dee Bridgewater doing with Connors, or Jean Carn with husband Doug. The blend is wonderful, and the vocals really help give the musical message some weight when the come into the mix – and titles include "Panama Roots", "Senor Trane", "Samba Serenade", and "Ghetto Jungle". CD

Excellent work from reedman Carlos Garnett – caught here during the great first chapter of his career, when he cut some really unique albums for Muse Records! This set really has Carlos coming into his own – still working at the spiritual jazz level of earlier releases, but also finding a way to complicate the rhythms a bit – bringing in modes that are really fresh and inventive – sometimes slightly funky, but never slick or polished at all – and still with plenty of bite on all the instrumentation! Garnett plays tenor and soprano sax – the latter with an especially sharp tone – and the group also features Terumasa Hino on trumpet, Joe Bonner on keyboards, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums – plus lots of added percussion. There's a great mix of acoustic reed and trumpet lines with the sweet keyboards of Bonner – and titles include "Bolerock", "Uncle Ben & Aunt Jemma", "The New Love", "Memories Of Coltrane", and "Dance of The Virgins". CD

Really wonderful work from Jazzhole – a record that goes far beyond some of the simpler modes bubbling around the Neo Soul underground these days! Lead vocalist Marlon Saunders will be familiar to Dusty Groove customers for his other great solo work – but here his sound is somewhat different – a bit more introspective and sophisticated, with a warm rasp in his voice that sounds beautiful alongside the flowing keyboards and jazzy phrasing of the backings. The style is one that's really all its own – certainly inspired a bit by the classics, but hardly a simple copy of them – and Jazzhole prove once again that they're a great little combo who don't need to hit you over the head to hook you into their soul! Titles include "Poet's Walk", "All The Ways", "Jonesing", "One More Time", "Do It Right", "Timeless", and "It Would Have Been Enough" – plus a surprisingly great cover of Boz Scaggs' "Lowdown". CD

A rare funky gem from Madcliff – an early project from Chris Hills, who'd soon go onto greater fame in Players Association! The album's got a much more soul-based sound than Hills' later material – still upbeat and groovy, but delivered with an indie soul vibe that keeps things nice and raw – much more tight funk than slick disco, even though some of the grooves here are perfect for the club! The album only saw brief release on the tiny Guinness label – who also gave us the classic Newban set – and this record's got a similar blend of righteous currents and jazzy funk – all served up at a level that's very individual, and which has made the whole thing an overlooked gem for years! Chris uses some bold piano currents, light string flourishes, and some right rhythms that really keep things funky, even when clubby – on titles that include "Goin To The Disco", "I Like It", "You Can Make The Change", "It Takes A Little Time", "Just Another Woman", "What The People Say About Love", and "Steal You Away". CD

The never-before released full album from keyboardist Manzel Bush – the legendary 70s funk figure well-remembered for his classic break tracks! As a whole, the album's a masterpiece of spacey keyboards and funky drums – funkier than just about any other record we can think of from the late 70s! The set was put together by Manzel in collaboration with Kenny Dope, and many of the tracks feature new mixes by Kenny & The Undercover Brother – done in such a way that really respects the original grooves of the tunes, and which only sweetens them a bit in the right places, or brings out the funky drums even more. Every cut is a stone monster – and the quality of the set is amazing – with obscure cuts that sound every bit as wonderful as the more famous sample tracks like "Space Funk" or "Midnight Theme". 13 tracks in all, with titles that include "Jump Street", "Sugar Dreams", "Long Way Home", "Just For You", "It's Over Now", "The Party", "Vera Cruz", "Space Funk", "Midnight Theme", and "Evil Wicked Mean & Nasty". CD

A really great step forward for Barbara Mason – a record that's got her working in a more mature mode than before, and a deeper soul style as well! One of the bigger developments of Barbara Mason's career was her participation in the "answer song" cycle that circulated around Shirley Brown's hit song "Woman To Woman". On this southern-tinged album, Barbara answer's Shirley's hit with the cut "From His Woman To You" – in which "the other woman" calls back the snooping wife, and tells her how much control she's really got over her husband! The cut was one of Barbara's biggest from the time, and the whole album's got a similar feel – almost Stax-like in quality, with production by Don Davis. Plus, a fair bit of the songs even seem to contribute to the "other woman/his woman" theme – including "Shackin Up", "So He's Yours Now", "(He Wants) The Two of Us", and "(There's) One Man Between Us". All this makes for a great album – one with a sophisticated approach to loving and living – content that gives Barbara one of her best albums ever! CD

Mighty bold work from bassist Christian McBride – heading up the wonderful New Jawn quartet, a pianoless combo that really allows all players to shine with an unexpected sense of freedom! Drummer Nasheet Waits is helping McBride out with the rhythms – often with a touch that's nice and loose, and very open – a fluid way of moving around that seems to really encourage strong work from the trumpet of Josh Evans and tenor and bass clarinet of Marcus Strickland – both players who have a sense of structure, but are nicely loose too – really working with a sort of energy we never would have expected on a Christian McBride record many years back. Titles include "Moonchild", "Lurkers", "Dolphy Dust", "Obsequious", and "Head Bedlam". CD

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki". CD

One of the rarest soul records of the 70s – recorded in Germany by a bunch of American servicemen on leave, but with a sound that's right out of the Chicago or Detroit groove of the pre-disco years! The group's great with both the funky and soulful material – hitting hard with monster groovers like "Holes In My Shoes" and the jazzy break classic "Windy C", and keeping it sweet and mellow on ballads like "My Little Someone" and "Boarding Pass". The album's got a great sound overall – almost like some of the jazzy soul albums on Fantasy from the mid 70s – and the quality of the vocals and instrumentation is great throughout. Titles include "I Love You", "Bet You Say You Want To Make It With Me", "No More City, No More Country", and "You Keep Me Coming Back". CD

Some of our favorite work ever by Esther Phillips – served up on a compilation that does a great job of sorting through her classic 70s sides for Kudu, CTI, and Mercury! Back in the 60s, Esther sung in a sad and bluesy sort of soul style – but in the 70s, at the time of these recordings, Esther picked up a sweet electric vibe, really hipping up her sound with lots of funky guitar, bass, and keyboards. The result is tremendous – as you'll hear on this set – as Esther works with arrangers that include Pee Wee Ellis, Bob James, Benny Golson and Harvey Mason to cut some wickedly soulful tunes! The set includes 18 tracks in all, with titles that include "Use Me", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "That's All Right With Me", "I've Never Found A Man", "Brother Brother", "From A Whisper To A Scream", "All The Way Down", "Black Eyed Blues", "Native New Yorker", "Changing", "SOS", "We've Got A Good Thing Going", "You Think Of Him", "Bedtime Stories", and "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy About Me". CD

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Now Brothers", and "Find Yourself". This version is overflowing with bonus tracks – 9 more than the original album, pulled from singles on GSF and Mercury – with titles that include "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", "I'm A Young Man", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "No", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", and "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)". 18 tracks on the CD. CD

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A pair of wonderful records from this legendary soul group – back to back on a single CD! First up is the Voices Of East Harlem album – masterpiece of sweet group soul! This was the first secular record cut by The Voices Of East Harlem – a group who'd had an earlier gospel-tinged album on Elektra, but who are soaring out here in a brilliant mix of righteous mainstream soul styles – courtesy of the Curtom power team of Rich Tufo, Leroy Hutson, and Curtis Mayfield! The album's an unusual non-Curtom effort by the Hutson and Curtom – who collaborated in producing the record with Tufo, who himself did most of the arrangements with Hutson – in a mode that's wonderfully in the same spirit as Leroy's seminal work for Curtom in the mid 70s. There's a depth here that makes the album one of our favorite-ever soul records from the 70s – brilliant not just for the overall sound, but also for the pointed lyrics and really personal feel of the songs. Lead vocals shift between the different tunes – but are mostly handled by Gerri Griffin and Monica Burress, with warm support by the rest of the group. Titles include "Giving Love", "Cashing In", "Could This Be Love", "New Vibrations", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". Next is Can You Feel It – amazing work from The Voices Of East Harlem – a group with roots in gospel, but working here in a wonderfully soaring secular soul style – complete with arrangements and production from the legendary Leroy Hutson! The style here is similar to some of Leroy's best work, and that of his contemporaries on Curtom – a sound that's righteous and often funky, but able to hit some sweeter, warmer notes as well. Individual voices step out from the larger ensemble and take key leads on some tracks – and the overall style is simply mindblowing, at a level that makes us easily rank this as one of our favorite soul albums of all time! A must-have album, and one we've treasured for years – with tracks that include "Just Got To Be Myself", "So Rare", "March Across This Land", "Amazing Love", "Take A Stand", and "Can You Feel It". CD

A wonderfully expanded version of this classic of funky funky female soul! Marva Whitney was one of the greatest singers in the James Brown stable of stars during the late 60s – and she sang with a hard raw style worth of The Godfather himself! Brother James produced and wrote a good part of this classic album – and the record is one of the greatest JB albums of all time! Nearly every cut's a winner – like the sample classic "Unwind Yourself", which has a crazy corkscrew sax line, or the massive two-part remake of the Isley's "It's Your Thing" (titled "It's My Thing"), or the slowly funky "Get Out Of My Life", or the massive duet with Bobby Byrd "You Got To Have A Job", or the classic instrumental "In The Middle". This reissue is an expanded version, and it features a very excellent batch of tracks that were previously only issued as funky 45s! Tracks include "Sunny", "I Made A Mistake Because It's Only You (parts 1 & 2)", "You Got To Have A Job", "Shades Of (inst)", "I'm Tired I'm Tired I'm Tired", "This Girl's In Love With You", "He's The One", "Unwind Yourself", "What Kind Of Man", "Things Got To Get Better", "It's My Thing (parts 1 & 2)", and "Get Out Of My Life". 18 cuts in all. CD

An essential collection of work from one of the hippest funk groups of the 70s – the mysterious Wood Brass & Steel, who also participated in the legendary Skullsnaps record! The first part of the set features an unreleased album that the group recorded for the All-Platinum label in 1973 – music that's hard and funky, but which also shows a strong current of jazz as well – the kind of material that has the group very much in the best Earth Wind & Fire territory of the period, with a sense of righteous perfection that should have made them huge – had the album not stayed in the vaults! The set includes their fantastic "Hey What's That You Say" – which was later reworked as "It's A New Day" for the Skullsnaps album – plus a few more cuts that later appeared on the Brother To Brother debut album – titles that include "Trespassing", "Let's Take A Stroll", "Jermilah", "If He Can Do It She Can Do It", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "A Love Of My Own". Next is the self-titled Wood Brass & Steel album – a legendary bit of east coast funk from the 70s – by a group who'd go on to have a huge influence both in the worlds of hip hop and house! Wood Brass & Steel feature two key players who later became part of the Sugarhill Records house band, and later the On-U Sound collective – Doug Wimbush and Skip McDonald – but the set's got a much fuller, more soulful vibe than work from those later projects – nice use of horns, as hinted at in the title – but not in a way that make these guys a brassy funk band either! Instead, there's a smooth groove throughout – one that comes up from the rhythms first, with a wonderful quality that's years ahead of its time – never disco, but not afraid of some faster rhythms that point the way towards underground club to come. The whole thing's the kind of funky lost gem that makes us happy to do what we do – and it's had long life over the past few decades, thanks to the rich variety of tunes on the set. Titles include the classic cut "Funkanova", an uptempo jazzy instrumental that continued to be a club favorite throughout the house years – plus loads of other good cuts, too, like "WBS Theme", "Welcome To The Party", "Same Ol Me", "Working On A Dream", and a version of "Always There". Hard & Heavy is the incredibly rare second album from Wood Brass & Steel – the mighty funk group we've loved for years for their landmark debut from the mid 70s! This sophomore set is from a few years later, and has the group honing their groove even more – working with these righteous currents in their music that expand the sound into territory that's almost a bit like Roy Ayers at times! As with Ayers, the vocals are often layered into the rhythms – sometimes sung by group members with this soulfully flowing current that has a subtle, sublime sort of vibe – and which works perfectly for the message in the music. Tunes are often in the faster side of midtempo – but never conventional club or disco at all – and there's this really special quality to the whole record, one that even tops the unique vibe of their first album. The original album was very briefly issued by Sugar Hill, during a time when the label was mostly doing hip hop – and is impossibly hard to find in the original pressing. Titles include "Open Up Your Heart", "Be Yourself", "Long Live Music", "Space Walk", "Fly With Music", "Superstar", and "Are You Busy". CD

A great little collection – and one that definitely gets the "soulful" in the title right! The cuts here are from some of our favorite mellow soul artists of the 70s – tracks that move, but in a nicely laidback way – with funky rhythms moving slower than on club cuts, at a level that also follows some of the best steppers' modes in our home city of Chicago! Many of these songs were slept-on the first time around, but have gone to become classics over the decades – thanks to the work of soul collectors and DJs around the globe – and also thanks to labels like Soul Brother, who never let us down when it comes to a collection! Titles include "Yes It's You" by Sweet Charles, "There You Go" by Edwin Starr, "She's My Summer Breeze" by The Reflections, "I'm Your Lover" by Ronnie McNeir, "Ain't That Mellow Mellow" by Willie Hutch, "Wanted Dead Or Alive" by Voices Of East Harlem, "Save The Children" by Marlena Shaw, "I Don't Want To Be Second Best" by Jeannie Reynolds, "Strung Out For Your Love" by The Dramatics, "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City" by Bobby Blue Bland, "Evil Vibration" by Mighty Ryders, "Give Me Your Love" by Sisters Love, and the extended mix of "Playing Your Game Baby" by Barry White. CD

A massive live set from Cannonball Adderley – and a record that really shows the growth he'd undergone in just a few short years! The album's done in close collaboration with David Axelrod – who'd handled Cannon's big live dates for Capitol in the 60s – but this record is much more freewheeling, open-ended, fuzz, funky, and electric overall! Tracks are all nice and long, and really trip out in the best way – with keyboards from George Duke in the core group, plus some heavy basslines from Walter Booker, drums from Roy McCurdy, and guitar from Mike Deasy on a number of key tracks. Deasy plays with lots of great wah wah and fuzz – and the album also features guest work from Airto on percussion and Ernie Watts on tenor – plus Cannonball's great alto and the cornet of brother Nat Adderley too. There's a really collaborative feel to the whole thing – as the record steps easily between a lot of heady styles – and titles include "Zanek", "Eye Of The Cosmos", "The Scene", "The Chocolate Nuisance", "The Steam Drill", "Little Benny Hen", and "The Black Messiah". CD

One of the greatest Cannonball Adderley albums from the Riverside years – a completely smoking live date recorded in San Francisco, often with long tracks that really let the group open up and do their thing! The lineup here is that classic one that first grabbed attention – the group with brother Nat on cornet, Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums – and a young Bobby Timmons on piano, really cooking things up with tremendous drive, energy, and a sense of the groove! Titles include a great workout on Timmons' classic "This Here", plus originals "You Got It" and "Spontaneous Combustion", and a great version of "Hi Fly". Soul jazz at its best, by one of the groups who gave the genre its name in the first place! CD

One of the greatest Cannonball Adderley albums from the Riverside years – a completely smoking live date recorded in San Francisco, often with long tracks that really let the group open up and do their thing! The lineup here is that classic one that first grabbed attention – the group with brother Nat on cornet, Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums – and a young Bobby Timmons on piano, really cooking things up with tremendous drive, energy, and a sense of the groove! Titles include a great workout on Timmons' classic "This Here", plus originals "You Got It" and Spontaneous Combustion", and a great version of "Hi Fly". Soul jazz at its best, by one of the groups who gave the genre its name in the first place! CD features 3 bonus tracks, 2 previously unreleased – "This Here (alt)", "You Got It (alt)", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

A set that's right on target, right from the start – and one that has the young Cannonball Adderley really coming into his groove! The set's a lot more soul jazz-oriented than some of Cannon's records from a few years before – played by a rock-solid group that includes brother Nat Adderley on cornet, Junior Mance on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – hitting a groove that's got plenty of nascent elements of that Cannonball sound that would virtually take over jazz in the 60s! Yet there's also a nicely different vibe going on here too – a bit less structure, and a looser approach to the mode – spun out with some modern moments too, on titles that include "Straight No Chaser", "Jubilation", "Our Delight", "Fuller Bop Man", and "Stay On It". CD

Very early work from Cannonball Adderley – recorded way before the funky years, when he was a hard-wailing soulful soloist with a lot of bop in his style! Cannon's paired here with brother Nat, a good companion even at this early stage – and the two of them solo in front of a large group that features Jerome Richardson, Max Roach, Cecil Payne, and Jimmy Cleveland, all blowing away in hard heavy form, similar to that used on other Mercury/Emarcy jazz sessions from the time. Quincy Jones handled the arrangements, and Cannonball holds his own nicely – and serves up a whole new tone that's a lot more measured than in later years. Tracks include "Fallen Feathers", "Song Is You", "Willows", and "Everglade". CD

If the 60's ever had a "hit" jazz record, it was probably this one! The album's a sparkling live session featuring the trademark soul jazz sounds of the Cannonball Adderley group with Joe Zawinul on acoustic and electric piano, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The tracks have a long soulful groove, with gutbucket solos from the 3 above-mentioned players, and tight live production by a young David Axelrod. Titles include "Sticks", "Hippodelphia", "Sack O Woe", and the classic "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" – a jazz theme that you'll recognize instantly! CD

A swingin' Japanese concert by one of Cannonball's best groups from the 60's. Joe Zawinul's on piano, brother Nat's on cornet, Sam Jones is on bass, and Louis Hayes is on drums. But the real treat here is Yusef Lateef, who does some excellent reed work on tenor, flute, and oboe – and who's playing at this point with that great mix of soul jazz and out-sounds that he was cooking up at the time. There's some great long cuts, including an excellent 12 minute reading of Lateef's "Brother John", plus the title track, "Come Sunday", "Tengo Tango", "Easy To Love" and "The Weaver". CD features the bonus track "Work Song". CD

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing trumpet in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style on alto sax – also different than the sound of his brother Nat, who was Adderley's more frequent partner on records. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", "Autumn Leaves", "Love For Sale", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". CD

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing trumpet in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style on alto sax – also different than the sound of his brother Nat, who was Adderley's more frequent partner on records. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", "Autumn Leaves", "Love For Sale", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". CD

A landmark album – even if it was the only session that Cannonball Adderley ever cut for Blue Note! The album was recorded at a time when Adderley was working with Miles Davis – and as such, the session features a group that includes Miles, blowing trumpet in a cool tone that's a perfect offset to Cannonball's more soulful style on alto sax – also different than the sound of his brother Nat, who was Adderley's more frequent partner on records. The rest of the group includes Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – and like John Coltrane's Blue Train, the record's more of an "special session" than the usual Blue Note album, but the strength of the players make it one of the more memorable records of its day! Titles include "Somethin' Else", "One For Daddy-O", "Autumn Leaves", "Love For Sale", and a nice moody take on "Dancing In The Dark". Includes bonus track "Alison's Uncle". CD

4 early Cannonball Adderley albums on 2 CDs! The package is a brilliantly put-together look at Cannon's early style – forged at Mercury in the years before he settled into soul jazz fame in the 60s, a mix of hardbop styles that shows his genius even as a young player, working with players that include brother Nat Adderley, Junior Mance, Jimmy Cobb, and Sam Jones, as tight a combo as Cannon had in the 60s, and a bit more versatile too! The set features a total of 36 tracks, some great notes, and a wealth of excellent titles that will have you rediscovering why you like Cannonball Adderley all over again! Titles include "Bimini", "Porky", "Another Kind Of Soul", "Jubilation", "Our Delight", "Stay On It", "Fuller bop Man", "That Funky Train", "Sam's Tune", "Miss Jackie's Delight", and "Cobbweb". CD

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The quintet forged a sound that made them an immediate hit – and which had their tight, jagged, soul-drenched sound getting copied by everyone. The record features some amazing soul jazz standards – like Nat's original version of "Work Song", the first-ever record of Timmons' amazing "Dat Dere", Cannon's slinky "Them Dirty Blues", and the jaunty groover "Jeannine", a wonderful cut by Duke Pearson that never sounded better! The CD features alternates of "Work Song" and "Dat Dere" – for a total of 9 tracks in all! CD

A real treat for Cannonball Adderley fans in the years after his passing – vintage live material recorded in 1960, right at a time when Adderley was really finding his groove! The lineup here features a classic quintet – with brother Nat on cornet, Victor Feldman on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – rolling out in a heavy soul jazz groove that's right up there with Cannon's best Riverside albums from the time! The tracks are longish, given the live setting – with energy to match his Live In San Francisco or Japan albums – and titles include "Big P", "One For Daddy O", "The Chant", "Azule Serape", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". CD

The legendary Nat Adderley is definitely in good company here – a group with excellent work on alto from Antonio Hart – a player who comes off in a very different way than the famous alto of Nat's late brother, Cannonball! Antonio seems to open up some nicely dark currents in Adderley's music – underscored by the piano work of Rob Bargard, who can do a great job of shading things in from below – while the whole group moves with great rhythm work from the team of Walter Booker on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Tunes include two great Bargard originals – "Rob's New Tune" and "War Zone" – plus versions of "Rwanda", "Sermonette", "Corcovado", and "Unit Seven". CD

An overlooked later gem from the great Nat Adderley – one of the first records cut after the passing of his brother Cannonball, and a set that shows that Nat was definitely ready to carry on the groove! Familiar bandmate Victor Feldman's in the combo alongside Nat's cornet – and Vic plays a bit of Fender Rhodes, which brings up the funk on a few key numbers – balanced out with some more intimate passages that include acoustic piano. The great Johnny Griffin brings a lot to the session, with some well-blown tenor solos that stretch out on a few of the album's long tracks – and the rest of the group includes Ron Carter on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums. Titles include "Yeehaw Junction", "Whipitup", "Saguaro", and "Sunshine Sammy". CD

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

A strong showcase for young Nat Adderley's talents on cornet – and an album that's got a different feel that his work with his more famous brother's combo at the same time! The style here is simple – Nat blowing with 2 different quartets – one with Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums (all from Cannonball's group) – the other with the rhythm section of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Despite's Nat's reputation as a gutbuckety soul jazz player, he actually gets in some nicely lyrical licks in this set – blowing in a soulful modern style that almost recalls the work of Carmell Jones at times! Titles include "Chloe", "Images", "Scotch & Water", and "Naturally". CD

When it comes to soul jazz, you can't get any more classic than this! The title was one of the biggest jazz hits of the 60s – covered by countless other artists, but presented here in all its original brilliance in a group led by its composer, a young Nat Adderley! At the time of the record, Nat was making plenty big waves in the combo of brother Cannonball – but this set has him stepping out strongly as a leader – borrowing Bobby Timmons, Sam Jones, and Louis Hayes from Cannon's group – and also adding in Wes Montgomery on guitar and additional bass and cello work from Keeter Betts and Percy Heath. The tracks are all tight as a drum – and the record features seminal versions of "Work Song" and "Sack O Woe" – as well as the numbers "Scrambled Eggs", "Pretty Memory", and "Fallout" – all great! CD

A sublime session that's co-led by two of the greatest figures on the Chicago jazz scene at the time of the recording – drummer Hamid Drake and tenorist Fred Anderson – both musicians that had been working in the city for years, but who really seemed to blossom in the new light that the 21st Century was bringing to their music! The tracks here are long and beautiful – maybe more spiritual than most anything else that Anderson ever recorded – still with enough edges to please his fans of freer improvisation, but building with more rhythmic currents and modal energy – thanks in part to contributions on the record from the great Jeff Parker on guitar, and bassist Joshua Abrams – a player who's really starting to find his way on a record like this! Harrison Bankhead plays piano – but throughout, it's the work of Anderson and Drake that really shines in the spotlight, as it should – on long titles that include "Planet E", "Strut Time", "For Brother Thompson", "From The River To The Ocean", and "Sakti/Shiva". CD

Essential stuff! This 2 CD set includes the entirety of Albert Ayler's Live In Greenwich Village album – plus a huge amount of previously unreleased live material, played by the Ayler group in New York, during 1966 and 1967. Ayler's brother Don is on trumpet, and other players include Joel Freedman, George Steele, Bill Fowell, Beaver Harris, Sunny Murray, Alan Silva, and Henry Grimes. The tracks have the same intensity of Ayler's ESP work – and many tunes are quite long, very free and open. Titles include "Light In Darkness", "Divine Peacemaker", "Angels", "Omega Is The Alpha", "Universal Thoughts", "Change Has Come", "Infinite Spirit", and "Spiritual Rebirth". 14 tracks in all – and one of the most important slices of Ayler's career! CD