... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A really fantastic set from this Swedish nine piece ensemble – a record that's overflowing with brash performance and unbridled energy – adventurous, but never totally free – and always given the right sort of focus to make things come across with a tremendous amount of power! The feel is almost like a Moserobie Records take on a Charles Mingus style – and the lineup features Martin Kuchen on alto and tenor – who also composed the album's five long tracks – plus Magnus Broo on trumpet, Matthias Stahl on vibes, Goran Kajfes on cornet, Mats Aleklint on trombone, Eirik Hegdal on baritone, Alexander Zethson on piano, Johan Berthling on bass, and Andreas Werliin on drums. If you know any of those players at all, you can imagine the greatness of the group – on titles that include "Adror", "Equality & Death", "Pacemaker", "Disappeared Behind The Sun", and "Love Flee Thy House". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of our favorite tunes ever by Jerry Butler – a great collection that brings together some of his hits and some of his lesser known work for Vee Jay. The Iceman style is very firmly in place here – and next to hits like "I Stand Accused" and "Need To Belong", you'll get other great tracks like "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore", "Strawberries", "Just Be True", and "Just A Little Bit". Also includes a few duets with Betty Everett, like "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "Let It Be Me", and "Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first great Italian cop movies of the 70s – and a superbly-scored film with a really wonderful soundtrack! The DeAngelis brothers are clearly drawing heavily from an American tradition initiated by Lalo Schfrin – using heavy guitar, funky undercurrents, and even some soulfully righteous touches to really set this one apart from other Italian films of the time. Yet the approach here is also a bit more different, touches with some of the darker modes and more redemptive themes of Italian westerns – a sense of suspension and drama that's incredibly powerful, and heard to best effect on the solo instrumental passages – which include guitar by Maurizio and flute by Guido. Titles include "The Life Of A Policeman", "Chicca", "To The Sea", "Casa Di Moda", "Festa A Genova", "Gangster's Story", and "Rock Al Porto". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal record from Lou Donaldson – one that has him forging out some of his first funky soul jazz sounds, moving from his bop roots, and working with a hip young group that includes Grant Green and John Patton, both of whom he discovered and brought to Blue Note (thanks Lou!) The tracks have a tight jaunty feel – very much like those on Patton's mid 60s sides for Blue Note, with lots of room for each player to solo intently – but still a strong focus on the overall groove of the ensemble. Cover's very nice – and tracks include "Funky Mama", "Spaceman Twist", and "Nice n Greasy". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic! This is one of the best soul albums ever to come out of Chicago, and it's a really great blend of the Jerry Butler "iceman" style (very big in Chi-town) and the deeper soul sound of the west side. With the great title cut, and lots more goodies like "Don't Think That I'm a Violent Guy", "You Played on a Player", and "Love Now, Pay Later". LP, Vinyl record album

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes". CD

A pretty great album by The Ice Man's Band – the instrumental group who worked behind Jerry "Iceman" Butler on some of his cool early 70s work. The album's nice and laidback – with some very nice mellow keyboards and smooth dope guitar, and the whole thing's a very nice kicked-back instrumental set. Reggie Burke is on the keys, and the real highlight on here is the group's amazing cover of "People Make the World Go Round", a sample favorite from way back! Also includes "It's Down to That", "To Be Continued", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", and a bunch of Jerry Butler hits. LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous second step for Chicago soul legend Walter Jackson – packaged here with a huge amount of bonus tracks as well! The core album is a sublime mix of new tunes and re-imagined standards – and a set that takes Walter Jackson into even more sophisticated soul territory than before! The record is proof that the up and coming soul artists of the 60s had a key place alongside the more established mainstream acts on the other side of the fence – as Walter's working here with arranger Riley Hampton to re-cast a number of familiar tunes in his cool Iceman soul mode – changing the themes, rhythms, and inflections of the tracks for a more contemporary soul market – and also interspersing them with a few great new songs of his own! The approach is amazing – far better than even Jerry Butler or Chuck Jackson's work in a similar idiom – and the album features the sublime hit "Welcome Home", plus the Van McCoy tunes "Suddenly I'm All Alone", "Still At The Mercy Of Your Love", and "The Magic's Gone" – alongside versions of "Moon River", "Let It Be Me", "Imagination", and "My Funny Valentine". Added to the original album are 7 more rare tracks pulled from singles – some of the true gems in Jackson's 60s career for Okeh – with titles that include "Deep In The Heart Of Harlem", "Cold Cold Winter", "That's When I Come To You", "Special Love", "One Heart Lonely", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", and "The Folks Who Live On The Hill". CD

One of the strongest albums from the Leaders sextet – an ensemble that features 6 of America's best left-of-center players of the time – all of them leaders of their own groups, putting aside ego to come together beautifully here! The set features Lester Bowie on trumpet, Arthur Blythe on alto, Chico Freeman on tenor and soprano, Kirk Lightsey on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Don Moye on percussion – all jamming to a set of original tunes that vary between longer numbers and shorter bits that are interspersed between the tracks – a balance that further underscores the creativity of the players. Titles include "Lucia", "Now A Moment", "Heaven Dance", "Peacemaker", "The Search", "Lightish", and "Sun Percussion Six". CD

A 70s issue of early King Records material by Memphis slim – with tracks that include "Mistake In Life", "Pacemaker Boogie", "Grinder Man Blues", "Slim's Boogie", "Don't Ration My Love", and "Harlem Bound". LP, Vinyl record album

A special performance of the work featured on Moacir Santos' Ouro Negro album – featuring most of the tracks from the record played live, and some especially nice guest appearances from Ed Motta, Joao Bosco, and Djavan! The DVD is as respectful of the music as the original production of the album, and the set list features 19 tracks that include "Coisa No 2", "Odudua", "Mae Iracema", "Jequie", "Bluishmen", "Amalgamation", "Lamento Astral", and "Suk Cha". 107 minutes long, with titles in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. DVD

An early standout set from soul singer Freddie Scott – put together with sublime arrangements from pop maestro Gary Sherman! The record's got a quality that's quite unique – a bit Iceman soul, ala Jerry Butler or Chuck Jackson – a bit of the polish of crossover acts like Ray Charles or Gene McDaniels – yet always done at a level that has Scott's deep, rich voice right upfront in the mix – full of power but never overdone! The tunes are from a variety of sources, but really get remade by Freddie – and titles include his hit versions of "Hey Girl" and "I Got A Woman", plus "What Do I See In The Girl", "Where Is The Girl", and "Where Does Love Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work by one of our favorite soul singers of all time! Jerry first came to fame with The Impressions and on his own in the early 60s – singing dark moody easy tunes that well earned him the nickname of "Iceman". In the late 60s, though, he moved onto Mercury where he broke through even bigger with some excellent early production by Gamble & Huff, which took Jerry to a whole new level, and which gave his work a swinging soul groove that worked great with his vocals. This set compiles some of the best moments of the Mercury years – including "Never Give You Up", "Lost", "Moody Woman", "Mr Dream Merchant", "Hey Western Union Man", and "Only The Strong Survive". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of samba tunes – with some really wonderful vocals! Nadinho Da Ilha has an instantly compelling voice – deep and soulful, with a sound that seems to dip down into the soil, and which works together in a great blend of rough and smooth to hold together the skittish rhythms of this samba set. The whole thing's great – open, honest, and quite soulful – and titles include "Assobio", "Amor Verdadeiro", "Iracema", "Paisagem", "Cabeca Feita", "Resolucao", "Palmares", and "Yao". CD

Killer work from the legendary Walter Jackson – one of the most unique soul music voices of the 60s! The set features some of the best moments from Jackson's key years at Okeh Records on the Chicago scene – material cut with great help from Carl Davis and Curtis Mayfield, and easily some of the most mature soul from the Windy City (or any city) at the time! The CD's a great mix of his hits and some of his lesser-known cuts – and all the tracks provide an excellent portrait of Walter's unique "Iceman" style of polished, heartbreaking soul. We can't say enough about these tracks, and we feel that songs like "Funny (Not Much)", "Speak Her Name", "My Ship Is Coming In", and "It's All Over" are some of the finest soul material ever to come out of the 60's! Great stuff, and with a sound that will blow your mind! CD

A heavy-duty set of reggae rarities – all Trojan Records singles from the year 1969 – a moment when the UK label was bursting out big, and really helping the sound of Jamaican music to establish big roots in the UK! The grooves here are sharp-edged, and step out of the best early ska and rocksteady modes – the kinds of cuts that were taken up strongly by the new British working class audience for the music – who really pushed some of these cuts onto greatness. The package faithfully offers the singles with original label designations – which also include Duke, Big Shot, and Amalagmated imprints – and titles include "Cuss Cuss" and "Lavender Blue" by Lloyd Robinson, "Just Another Lonely Night" and "Been So Long/You Lied To Your Daddy" by Derrick Harriott, "Dulcemania" by Drumbago & The Dynamites, "Ali Baba" and "I'm Your Man" by John Holt, "If This World Were Mine" by Tyrone Evans, "Everybody Bawlin" by Vincent Gordon, "Apollo 11" by The Moon Boys, "Love Love Everyday" by The Pioneers, "Easy Sounds" by The Jay Boys, and "Come Look Here" by The Gold Tones. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great album follows up the sound of the Jerry's first for Philly International – a smooth mellow style that grooves in an all-adult mode that's a perfect setting for the aging Iceman's vocals! The Butler voice is always a wonderful treat, but cast amidst the warm and sophisticated arrangements of John Usry, Dennis Williams, and Wade Marcus, Jerry really finds a space to call his own – a way of reclaiming a style of soul he'd virtually invented in his early Vee Jay years, but which had gotten away from him during the growth of the genre during the 70s. Titles include "Don't Be An Island", "The Best Love I Ever Had", "We've Got This Feeling Again", "Reach Out For Me", "Tell Me Girl", and "Would You Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

Erol Buyukburc is dressed like a geeky spaceman on the back cover – which is maybe why he used a bikini-clad woman on the front – and he definitely sounds like he's out of the world on some of the cooler tracks on this rare debut album from the 70s! The music comes from the same scene as Baris Manco and Erkin Koray – and is maybe a bit less psych-influenced than both of those singers, but still has a wonderful criss-crossing of east and west in the Turkish pop modes of the time! Keyboards have a thin quality that often works well with the wangly guitars – and echo comes into the production at many moments, really helping to cook up a great sound together. Titles include "Dandini", "Bile Bile Lades", "Guz Sarkisi", "Hep Sen Varsin", "Hop Dedik", "Dedim Dedi", and "Civciv Cikacak Kuscikacak". LP, Vinyl record album