The title and cover are an homage to the Pacific Jazz label live dates from LA in the 50s – and the music here does a good job of following suit as well! Altoist Bud Shank and trumpeter Shorty Rogers are reunited beautifully in an open-ended live setting – the kind of date that really recalls some of the music Bud, Shorty, and some of their contemporaries recorded many years back – although with perhaps a rhythmic undercurrent here that shows new depths in jazz explored during subsequent decades. Remaining group members include George Cables on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Sherman Ferguson on drums – and titles include "Kansas City Tango", "Makin Whoopee", "It's Sand Man", "Aurex", and "Mia". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Damn funky work from the west coast scene of the late 60s and early 70s – just the kind of tracks to dispel the idea that too much sun or cannabis might have left the Cali scene a bit weak! Instead, these cuts are right on the money, stone funky throughout, and light years from any sort of California connotations you may have – no west coast jazz, smooth AOR, or breezy Bay Area – and much more of the grit and groove that was brewing up on funky 45s from all points east! Drums are heavy, guitars are sharp, and vocals are super-righteous – filled with the kind of messages that you could only get across on the sort of small label releases that make up most of this set – and which also include a few unreleased tracks appearing here for the first time ever. As usual with BGP, the package is as superb as the music – great sound, detailed notes, and a wonderful track selection that includes "Earthquake" by Rulie Garcia, "Hang Up (part 1)" by Warm Excursion, "Pickin Cotton" by Johnny Talbot & De-Thangs, "If She Wants To Go" by Choice Of Colors, "Just Ain't My Day" by The Entertainers IV, "The Git Down (parts 1 & 2)" by Little Johnny Hamilton & The Soul Pack, "Strike" by Union, "I'm Gonna Speak Out" by Eddie Horan, "The Man" by Jesse & Anita, "Check Me Out" by Little Denise, "The Sneak" by The Douzer, "You Don't Know The Damage You've Done" by Vernon Green & The Medallions, and "Tuned In Turned On" by Alvin Robinson. CD

Funky funky California – and a great set of rare grooves from the 70s! The folks at Luv N Haight records are up to their old tricks – digging through the crates for the kind of hard-to-find funky tracks that first gave birth to the fame of the Ubiquity label. The set traces a sound that barely shows up in the history books – the harder funky sound of California in the 70s, a scene that was mostly underground, and which stood in stark contrast to the smoother sounds coming out on major labels at the time. A few of the artists on the set might be familiar through other Luv N Haight reissues, and there's others here that we've never heard at all – grooving in hard and heavy styles that spread across the Sunshine State from East LA to Funky Frisco to Oaktown – a total of 14 tracks that include "Freaky To You" by Sweet Stuff, "Losing You" by Cordial, "Love & Affection" by Ike White, "Freedom Time" by Linda Tillery, "Patience" by Rokk, "Party Time" by Roy Porter, "Carnaval" by Oquesta Esencia, "Wobble Cha" by Cool Benny, "Feelin Alright" by West Coast Revival, "Where Do We Go From Here" by Cool Sounds, "Hang On In There" by Mike James Kirkland, "Daydreamer" by Adele Sebastian, and "A Real Thing" by Sons & Daughters Of Life. CD

... CD

A hell of a record – and one that's not just noteworthy for being one of the rare few sessions as a leader from pianist Dolo Coker – but also for the sideman work by Art Pepper and Blue Mitchell! The pairing of Mitchell and Pepper is an unusual one, but it works wonderfully here – as Art's got a crisp, soulful tone on both alto and his newly-acquired tenor, and Mitchell blows in a real back-to-basics hardbop mode that's much more similar to his Blue Note work than his other electric sessions of the mid 70s! Yet Coker's also a cooker too – and his deft phrasing and soulful currents really make the session move – set fire by the work of Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Frank Butler on drums. Titles include "Roots 4FB", "Mr Yohe", "Tale Of Two Cities", "Jumping Jacks", and "Gone Again". CD features the bonus track "Round Midnight". CD

Notable sidemen include Wardell Gray, Howard McGhee, Dodo Marmarosa, Russ Freeman, and Barney Kessel. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure 50s releases from Blue Note Records – part of a pair of 10" albums recorded on the west coast – which was quite a change from the label's usual east coast home! The album's originally came with no full artist information, and were released as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather – in which the listener was supposed to guess the players! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include the cream of the LA scene of the time – Conte Candoli on trumpet, Jimmy Giuffre and Charlie Mariano on reeds, Howard Roberts on guitar, and Marty Paich on piano – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's more like the classic 50s sessions on the Mode or Bethlehem labels instead of Blue Note. Titles on volume 2 includes "Here's Pete", "Blindfold Test No 3", "Arcadia", and "Burbank Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

Duke Ellington on piano, Bill Graham on alto saxophone, Russell Procope on alto saxophone and clarinet, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet, Jimmy Hamilton on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Paul Gonsalves on tenor saxophone, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, and Quentin Jackson on trombone, Clark Terry and Harold "Shorty" Baker on trumpet, Ray Nance on trumpet, violin, and vocals, Ozzie Bailey on vocals, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. CD

A killer album from the Fania All-Stars – one that's quite different than most of their other work at the time, with an open-ended jam session feel that really takes us back to the old days! The group here is really just a sextet – the core combo used to launch the group name on Columbia Records – and the session is one that was originally done for Columbia in 1976, when Gene Page had to cancel a studio date, and the band got the chance to jam by themselves in the studio! The result is a groove that's strongly jazzy, with lots of descarga energy – played by a group that features Johnny Pacheco on flute, Papo Lucca on piano, Nicky Marrero on timbales, Ray Barretto on congas, Bobby Valentin on bass, and Roberto Roena on bongos and assorted percussion. Roena sings on one track, but most of the set is instrumental – with nice long cuts that include "The War Gods", "Seis Con El Mismo Sabor", "Vento Conmigo", "Taxi To Aguadilla", and "Guajira Para Los Pollos". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of unreleased material from pianist Andrew Hill – the full sessions recorded for his album From California With Love – including the 2 tracks that appeared on that album, plus 12 more long numbers appearing here for the first time ever! The package offers up beautiful solo work from Andrew Hill – tracks that spin out with more freedom and exploration than even most of his other 70s recordings! The style here is wonderfully laidback – never obsessed with the freedom too much, and instead concerned with painting beautiful little pictures in sound – exploring the themes of the tunes with a sense of color, and a feeling of joy that's also mixed with just the right amount of sadness the increase the depth of the work. Titles include "From California With Love" and "Reverend Du Bop", both from the original album – plus "Gone With The Wind", "Moonlit Monterey", "17 Mile Drive", "California Tinge", "Napa Valley Twilight", "Above Big Sur", "An Afternoon In Berkeley", "Pastoral Pittsburg", and "Pittsburg Impasse". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The alto of Bud Shank gets some fuller backings from the great Bob Florence – all in a mode that's as groovy as you might expect from the title – and which also features a bit of guest work from Chet Baker as well! The sound's nice and buoyant – swinging, but never too over the top in a big band way – leaving Bud some great space to blow with a bit of strength, even if the tracks are relatively short – packing in plenty in a small space, and using his alto sax with a deftness, and sense of feeling we really love! Titles include "Imprevu", "Husbands & Wives", "Woman", "Gotta Go", and "In Times Like These". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... CD

... CD

Rickey Woodard on alto and tenor sax, Dwight Dickerson and piano, Tony Dumas on bass, and Harold Mason on drums. CD

A treasure trove of west coast jazz work from the mid 50s – one that features a number of unusual sessions! First off, the set includes 4 tracks that were initially recorded under the leadership of Shorty Rogers, most likely for RCA – and featuring players that include Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Jimmy Giuffre, and Pete Jolly – on titles that include the Giuffre originals "Safari", "Ballade", and "Scarf Dance". Next up are 15 tracks from the rare Best From The West 10" jazz LPs for Blue Note – originally billed as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather, and some of the label's only west coast jazz sessions of the 50s! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include Conte Candoli, Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Mariano, Howard Roberts, Marty Paich, and others – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's very much in the spirit of some of the best west coast work for labels like Pacific Jazz or Capitol at the time! This CD reissue includes both of the original 10" albums on one set – along with much-needed notes on the players. Titles include "Santa Anita", "Culver City", "Burbank Bounce", "Arcadia", "Here's Pete", "Santa Monica", and "Blindfold Test No 1". The set then features 9 more tracks from sine 1957 sessions produced by Howard Lucraft, also done as a study in West Coast jazz – featuring compositions by Lucraft that include "Smog A La Mode", "Jazz For Gene", "Larrisa", and "California Zephyr – played by 3 different groups of players that include Bud Shank, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson, Frank Rosolino, Charlie Mariano, and Buddy Collette. Last up are 4 more tunes from a 1955 session that features Stu Williamson, Herb Geller, Jack Montrose, and Bob Gordon – on tracks that include "Id", "I'm Forever Counting Geigers", and "Skip To Me Loot". 38 tracks in all – with full notes on the sessions and players! CD

A hell of a record – and one that's not just noteworthy for being one of the rare few sessions as a leader from pianist Dolo Coker – but also for the sideman work by Art Pepper and Blue Mitchell! The pairing of Mitchell and Pepper is an unusual one, but it works wonderfully here – as Art's got a crisp, soulful tone on both alto and his newly-acquired tenor, and Mitchell blows in a real back-to-basics hardbop mode that's much more similar to his Blue Note work than his other electric sessions of the mid 70s! Yet Coker's also a cooker too – and his deft phrasing and soulful currents really make the session move – set fire by the work of Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Frank Butler on drums. Titles include "Roots 4FB", "Mr Yohe", "Tale Of Two Cities", "Jumping Jacks", and "Gone Again". CD

A hell of a record – and one that's not just noteworthy for being one of the rare few sessions as a leader from pianist Dolo Coker – but also for the sideman work by Art Pepper and Blue Mitchell! The pairing of Mitchell and Pepper is an unusual one, but it works wonderfully here – as Art's got a crisp, soulful tone on both alto and his newly-acquired tenor, and Mitchell blows in a real back-to-basics hardbop mode that's much more similar to his Blue Note work than his other electric sessions of the mid 70s! Yet Coker's also a cooker too – and his deft phrasing and soulful currents really make the session move – set fire by the work of Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Frank Butler on drums. Titles include "Roots 4FB", "Mr Yohe", "Tale Of Two Cities", "Jumping Jacks", and "Gone Again". CD features the bonus track "Round Midnight". CD

Natalie hails from Sweden – despite the California title of the set – but her music has a sweet, soulful sparkle that would be right at home in the US! The record's got a bit of the feel of some of the more cosmic soul coming out of the west coast underground – never too tripped-out or beat-heavy, but often with a sense of rhythm and timing that's left of mainstream soul – and the vocals are often processed slightly, so that they fold slightly into the Fender Rhodes and gentle beats of the grooves. Pacing runs from mellow to midtempo – and lyrics are in English throughout – sung by Natalie with a nice blend of feeling and restraint. Titles include "Summer Rain", "Bittersweet", "Don't Mean A Thing", "Honey", "Lonely Coming Home", "Come Find Me Again", and "Let's Not Worry About Tomorrow". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Another stapled, b&w, muy extrano rock screed from Roctober! This issue features a really nice paneled portrait sketch cover by Rob Syers, Jason Lutes, and others, the always entertain "Punk'n Head" strip by Jake Austen, features on lost Bee Gee Maurice Gibb, the late 60s circus-theme exploits of Buddah Records artist conglomerate the Kasenetz-Katz Orchestral Singing Circus, The Musical World of Sid Laverents, the wierd world of Gamma Goochee, an interview with Guy "the Armenian Mickey Katz" Chookoorian, Nardwuar Vs. Gene Simmons, and a lot more – plus the usual array of reviews, discographies, ads, and comics! Magazine

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A key fusion set from Sadao Watanabe – a record that has him moving away from some of the bolder tones of the early 70s, into warmly soulful territory that would him him find a much bigger international audience! The album's still got a nice sharp edge, though – as it's recorded in that key Japanese fusion stretch of the late 70s – a time when the overseas scene was digging some of the best elements from American electric jazz, and putting them together with a style that was clean, lean, and still plenty soulful. Watanabe's reeds get some great help here from American players who include Dave Grusin on Fender Rhodes, Lee Ritenour on guitar, Oscar Brashear on trumpet, and Ernie Watts on tenor – and rhythms feature tight drums from Harvey Mason, plus extra percussion from Paulinho Da Costa. Cuts include "Duo-Creatics", "Desert Ride", "Ngoma Party", "Seventh High", "My Country", "Turning Pages Of Wind", and "California Shower". LP, Vinyl record album

A very hip set of arrangements by LA bandleader Gerald Wilson – and one that takes his soul jazz stylings of earlier albums, and gives them a bit more of a late 60s funky sound. The band's pretty darn hip, and includes players like Anthony Ortega, Hadley Caliman, and Bobby Bryant – and titles include a nice working of "California Soul", plus "Lullaby From Rosemary's Baby", "Sunshine Of Your Love", and "Down Here On The Ground". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzman take on the Cali scene – and the results are every bit as amazing as you might imagine! Like previous Texas, Florida, and Midwest Funk comps on the label, this volume is essential listening all the way through – a massive dig into rare west coast grooves of the late 60s and 1970s – presented with excellent notes on every single track, and more than enough historical detail to put the music in perspective! The whole thing's fully legit, with great mastering on most cuts – and the track list is filled with rare gems we've never seen on any other collections before – a massive funky treasure trove that includes "Turn It Over" by Chucky Thurmon, "Farm Song" by Leon Gardner, "What Goes Around Comes Around (part 1)" by Arthur Monday, "Get It Right" by Rhon Silva, "Funky Fire" by Billy Larkin, "WB" by California Gold Notes, "Curse Upon The World" by Apple & The Three Oranges, "Cold Heat" by Lil Lavair & The Fabulous Jades, "Bones" by Winter, "Smokin Tidbits" by Edwards Generation, "Al's Place" by Enrique Olivarez Y Los Vampiros, "Talking About My Baby" by John Heartsman & Circles, "What's Going On" by Mr Clean & The Soul Inc, and "All Bundled Into One" by Water Color. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes performances by Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Country Joe McDonald, the Beach Boys, Merry Clayton, and Linda Ronstadt. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic collection – with work by Chet Baker, Bud Shank, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Brookmeyer, Jack Montrose, Zoot Sims, Herb Geller, Bill Perkins, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little record from Bobby Blue Bland – quite different from his 60s sides for Duke/Peacock, and recorded in California (as you might guess from the title!) with a smoother more soulful approach that comes off surprisingly well! The style works well for Bobby – and kind of gave him a new lease on life during the 70s, as he mixed his rougher bluesy vocals with some hipper arrangements – still quite deep in soul, but with a compressed sound that creates a new mode of expression. Titles include "Goin Down Slow", "Up & Down World", "Help Me Through The Day", "Where My Baby Went", "Friday The 13th Child", "This Time I'm Gone For Good", and "I've Got To Use My Imagination". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Volume 2 of a classic live album by Gerry – expanded to include the entire concert recorded in December of 1954 in San Diego. The group's a great one – and features Zoot Sims, Bob Brookmeyer, Larry Bunker, Red Mitchell, and Jon Eardley – and this version is expanded a lot from the original album, with 14 titles that include "Nights At The Turntable", "Blues For Tiny", "Frenesi", "Limelight", "The Red Door", "Western Reunion", and "I Know Don't Know Why". CD

... CD

A great compilation – despite the title – one that features west coast recordings made by Savoy, showing the less "cool jazz" side of the LA scene in the late 40s and early 50s! There's some excellent material on here not available elsewhere – especially some great bop groovers in the Central Ave kind of mode. The album's got 4 tracks by Slim Gaillard – "The Jam Man", "Slim's Riff", "I'm Confessin'" and "Oxydol Highball" plus "Blow Blow Blow" by the Wardell Gray All-Stars, 3 takes each of "Blues A La Russ" and "Wake Up Old Maid" by Russell Jacquet, 'What Is This Thing Called Love" by Wild Bill Moore and Gene Montgomery, "Strollin'", "Sonor", "Blues Mood", "Skoot" and "I've Lost Your Love" by a KennY Clarke Sextet that features Milty Jackson and Gerald Wiggins and 4 numbers from Helen Humes. LP, Vinyl record album

Four classic albums from Jackie DeShannon – all in a single set! First up is Me About You – sophisticated Jackie at her best – working with great arrangements from Jack Nitzsche and Nick DeCaro – both cats from the California scene we can really trust for "cut-above" pop work like this – music that goes way past the simple sounds of DeShannon's start – into cool adult territory that really makes the album great. Jackie's vocals are surprisingly soulful in the setting – even more so than before – and the tunes include lots of gems, including versions of Van Dyke Parks' "High Coin", John Sebastian's "Didn't Want To Have To Do It", and Tim Hardin's "Baby Close Its Eyes". Also includes "I Keep Wanting You", "Me About You", and "Nicole". Next is Laurel Canyon – heady work from Jackie DeShannon's later years in 60s pop – an album with themes and styles that go way beyond her earlier recordings – as you might guess from the hip Laurel Canyon reference in the title! Jackie's working here in a mode that's much more strongly in a singer-songwriter style than before – with arrangements and backings that are a lot more organic, and less pop-tuned than ever – almost in a Laura Nyro approach on some numbers. As usual, a good portion of the tracks were written by Jackie herself – including "Holly Would", "Come & Stay With Me", "LA", "Too Close", and "Laurel Canyon" – and the album also features a few well chosen tracks by other writers too, like "Bitter Honey" by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols, "I Got My Reason" by Barry White, and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson. Put A Little Love In Your Heart is quite possibly the last great hit from singer Jackie DeShannon – an album built around the righteous spirit of the title track – filled with really wonderful original tunes penned by Jackie and soul singer Jimmy Holiday! The album may well be the best to explore the space between pop and soul that often characterized Jackie's work – and the overall sound is somewhat similar to some of Dusty Springfield's best pop/soul work from the same stretch. 10 of the album's 12 tracks are originals by Holiday and DeShannon – all set to soaring orchestrations by James Langeford, which often have a pronounced influence from the sound of Atlantic Records in the late 60s! Titles include "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "You Are The Real Thing", "River Of Love", "Movin", "You Can Come To Me", "You Have A Way With Me", and "I Let Go Completely". To Be Free is an interesting little record – with kind of a crossover California soul feel overall – recorded with Rene Hall arrangements that echo a few rootsy modes at times, mixed in with fuller orchestrations that step a bit back towards Jackie's earlier years on Imperial – a surprisingly nice blend, with a fresh sound for the 70s. The album features a number of great tracks co-written with Jimmy Holiday – a fellow Imperial talent – and titles include "Mediterranean Sky", "Sooner Or Later", "What Was Your Day Like", "Livin On The Easy Side", "Brighton Hill", and "When Morning Comes Again". CD

Landmark work from The Dead Kennedys – and maybe still one of the greatest punk records to ever come from the American scene! There's so much here that so many other records are missing – razor-sharp instrumentation, a great sense of pacing, and most importantly, a biting wit that always keeps the whole thing from ever lapsing into any sort of over-serious cliches! Yet unlike their LA contemporaries, the group were also never ones to just lay into the jokes – as the political commentary here is especially pointed, and nearly every single song is a blistering attack on late 70s California mores and national obsessions. Every track's a gem – and titles include "Kill The Poor", "Forward To Death", "Let's Lynch The Landlord", "Your Emotions", "Holiday In Cambodia", "California Uber Alles", and "Stealing People's Mail" – plus a killer cover of "Viva Las Vegas". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums from this famous Brazilian trombonist – all of them great! First up is Sweet Lucy – a wonderful album from Raul De Souza, cut during the height of his fame on the California scene! Like Raul's other work for Capitol, this record really sparkles from tight help from George Duke – who handles production, and some of the arrangements – and really helps De Souza find a tight jazzy groove! The instrumentation is a bit leaner than some of Raul's other records of this nature, which is a nice thing – as you get to hear plenty of keyboards from Patrice Rushen, Fender Rhodes from Dawilli Gonga, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, and percussion from Airto. There's a bit of chorus vocals at times, but the main focus is on Raul's trombone solos – and cuts include of Joao Donato's "Banana Tree", plus "Sweet Lucy", "New Love", "Wild & Shy", "Bottom Heat", "Wires", and "At Will". Don't Ask My Neighbors is a tremendous moment for trombonist Raul De Souza – working here in a style that's light years past his roots in bossa nova! The set's got a heavy California vibe – a late 70s blend of jazz and soul handled by producer George Duke, who also arranges many tracks on the record – but still leaves plenty of room for Raul to step out strongly in the lead! Things are never too overdone, and handled with that sunny style that players like Duke did so well – lots of warm jazzy elements in the backings, coming from Fender Rhodes by Bobby Lyle, percussion from Airto, and drums from the great Harvey Mason – who really brings an edge to some of the groovers. Titles include a killer cover of the Skip Scarborough tune "Don't Ask My Neighbors" – plus "La La Song", "Overture", "At The Concert", "I Believe You", and "Jump Street". Til Tomorrow Comes is filled with soaring sounds from Raul De Souza – a Brazilian musician who first recorded under the name of Raulzinho during the bossa nova years – but one who's at the height of his powers here working on the Cali scene at the end of the 70s! Raul manages to blend his lead instrument with fuller arrangements from Arthur Wright – who brings in plenty of the best elements from contemporary R&B, adds in some backing vocals, yet never diminishes Raul's presence on the record at all! Instead, De Souza seems to draw all sorts of energy from the folks around him on the sessions for the record – really stepping out with the best sort of jazz funk grooves that Capitol Records were laying down at the time – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Up & At It", "Self Sealing", "Pleasurize", "Fe No Me Nol", and "Til Tomorrow comes". CD features bonus tracks – single versions of "Til Tomorrow Comes", "Sweet Lucy", and "Daisy Mae". CD

Sweet Lucy, and mighty groovy – a wonderful album from Raul De Souza, cut during the height of his fame on the California scene! Like Raul's other work for Capitol, this record really sparkles from tight help from George Duke – who handles production, and some of the arrangements – and really helps De Souza find a tight jazzy groove! The instrumentation is a bit leaner than some of Raul's other records of this nature, which is a nice thing – as you get to hear plenty of keyboards from Patrice Rushen, Fender Rhodes from Dawilli Gonga, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, and percussion from Airto. There's a bit of chorus vocals at times, but the main focus is on Raul's trombone solos – and cuts include of Joao Donato's "Banana Tree", plus "Sweet Lucy", "New Love", "Wild & Shy", "Bottom Heat", "Wires", and "At Will". LP, Vinyl record album

BB King is a blues musician with a much richer story than most – one that's captured here in very vivid detail by the author, as he mixes together a wealth of historical research with quotations from interviews and other materials too – all of which really makes the long journey of BB King come alive, as he shifts from roots in the south to the Memphis scene, then California, then superstardom that made him one of the biggest blues figures of the 20th Century! There's a great flow to the book – down to earth details that really make you feel like you're following King on his rise to fame – yet the big section at notes also indicates that the author wasn't just throwing stories out there without any support, and did plenty to weave the whole thing together with an eye for the facts. Softcover edition is 481 pages, with some black and white images. Book

Darkly beautiful sounds from the duo of Don & Stevie Gere – a husband and wife who work here with a style that's folksy, but a bit spooky too – possibly due to the fact that the music within was recorded in their California home, and never issued for years! There's a deeply personal feel to the songs here – almost like we're peeking in on the intimacy of the couple, but as they try to put together a message to reach outside of their home too – themes of their own love mixed with greater societal issues – later taken up as some of the songs were reworked by other artists like David Gates, Curt Boettcher, and Waddy Wachtel. Yet there's an innocence to these original recordings that's really mindblowing – rescued from oblivion on aging acetates, and represented here on cuts that include "Sweet Sugar", "Keep An Eye On You", "Another Blue Day", "What Do You Think Of Me", "Kindly", and "Tell Me Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Although not as instantly captivating as their work for Stax, this set for ABC is still a pretty darn great group soul album! The group haven't lost their touch vocally – and Ron Banks and LJ Reynolds are still incredible singers that push smooth soul to a whole new level. The album includes the sublime "Do What You Wanna Do", one of the best male soul slow jams of the 70s – plus the cuts "Jane", "Stop Your Weeping", "Why Do You Want To Do Me Wrong", and "California Sunshine". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little live album from Jose Feliciano – recorded in London at the end of the 60s, with a sound that's often more stripped down than his studio work of the time! Jose's on vocals and guitar, backed by only a bit of bass and percussion – so the record's almost got the intimacy of a solo effort, which is quite astounding – given the obvious size of the concert setting! The double-length nature of the record allows Jose to stretch out a bit more than usual – and take on a nice variety of material that really show his growing talents at the time. Titles include "High Heel Sneakers", "Mama Don't Allow It", "La Entrada De Bilboa", "The Comedy Bit", "Malaguena", "No Dogs Allowed", "Day Tripper", "Black Orpheus Medley", "California Dreamin", "Light My Fire", "Day In the Life", and "El Voh". LP, Vinyl record album

A great summation of Jose Feliciano's genius during his initial years at RCA – that unique mix of Chicano soul, acoustic folk, and Latin rhythms that made him sound unlike anyone else at the time! There's a charm to this work that's undeniable – an instantly compelling feel that makes you understand just why folks went so nuts for Jose right from the start, and why his particular growth and contribution to American music was as important from his perspective during these years as was Stevie Wonder's over at Motown! The set features a mix of live work, singles, and album tracks – and titles include his haunting version of "California Dreaming", plus "Hitchcock Railway", "Nature Boy", "Light My Fire", "Susie Q", "Hi Heel Sneakers", "Destiny", "Malaguena", "Life Is That Way", and "Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

An early 80s classic from Richard Dimples Fields – one of the most unique talents in soul music of his generation – with an appeal that's both down home, and smoothly sophisticated at the time! In a way, Fields' music represents many changes his audience was going through at the time – classing things up a bit, and heading into the mainstream – yet still very much concerned about the same issues and challenges of years past. The approach is almost southern soul by way of southern California – rough edges polished out, but still earthy enough to hang out with the crowd from back home. Almost all titles are originals, and Richard handled most of the production too – on tracks that include "If It Ain't One Thing It's Another", "After I Put My Lovin On You", "Baby Work Out", "Mr Look So Good", "Taking Applications", and "A Freak On The Side". CD

13 tracks of Eddie's classic Stax sides, with a range of material that runs from 60s through 70s. A handful of big hits, and a big batch of lesser known, but still great Memphis soul from Floyd. Includes "I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)", "Bring It Home To Me", "Check Me Out", "Soul Street", "I've Got To Have Your Love", "Blood Is Thicker Than Water", "Don't Tell Your Mama", "Why Is The Wine Sweeter (On The Other Side)", "California Girl", "My Girl", "The Best Years Of My Life", "Yum Yum Yum (I Want Some)" and "Baby Lay Your Head Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album – one that has Aretha Franklin returning to her roots in gospel music – but working with all the strength and power that Atlantic Records had to offer! From early years recording as a young voice alongside her father's congregation, Aretha has matured into a hell of a lead singer – and really knocks it out of the park here alongside the mighty James Cleveland, and the Southern California Community Choir! While it might have been nice to record the set back home in Detroit, the California setting for the material works perfectly to elevate Franklin to a special place in the heavens – tying together her heritage in beautiful ways, and making for another great stride forward in her career during the 70s. One of the best ideas ever for a soul music concept album – with titles that include "Mary Don't You Weep", "How I Got Over", "Precious Memories", "Wholy Holy", "Never Grow Old", "Amazing Grace", and Climbing Higher Mountains". This package really expands past the original album – and adds in all these other tracks recorded during the proceedings, which were done over the course of two different nights in November of 1972 – with a mighty set of long tracks that quadrupalizes the original double album! CD

The fab second album by the Free Design – one that has them moving confidently into the realm of groovy pop – magically touching songs with their unique innocent harmony approach, and completely transforming them in the process! The set includes wonderful versions of groovy 60s pop hits like "Windows Of the World", "Eleanor Rigby", and "California Dreamin" – but stands out even more for Chris Dedrick's original compositions – like "Quartet No 6 In D Minor", "A Leaf Has Veins", "An Elegy", "I Found Love", "You Could Be Born Again", and "Ivy On A Windy Day". Sublime throughout – and as the cover says – "The Freshest Sounds You've Ever Heard!" LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully tripped-out material from Gale Garnett & The Gentle Reign – titled after the Sausalito Heliport, a northern California complex that housed a bunch of hippy dippy bands in the late 60s! The album's a wonderful blend of Bay Area freedoms and some of the folksier and sweeter touches of east coast groups of the time – with instrumentation that includes organ, harpsichord, guitar, and lots of cool percussion – and a style that's got lots of wild elements, yet always manages to compress them down into cool sunshiney tunes! Titles include "Peace Comes Slowly To The Thrashing Fish", "Water Your Mind", "The Trip Note Song", "Man In The Middle", "Want Ad", and "Deer In The City". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the funkiest work we've ever heard from Vernon Garrett – recorded in California, but with a nicely gritty southern soul sound! The tunes have some of the bluesy inflections of Vernon's more famous work – but they also come across with a groove that's tighter, especially on the drums, which snap out of the warmer backings with a kick that's a bit unusual for a record like this – and which keeps things lively throughout, even on some of the mellower numbers. Vernon's vocals are great – rich, and touched with a bit of Tyrone Davis-like styles – and female vocalist Margaret Love makes an appearance on many of the numbers on the record too. Titles include "Satisfied Woman Satisfied Man", "I Made My Own World", "Don't Do What I Do", "I Learned My Lesson", "Going To My Baby's Place", "Love Junkie", and "Something Went Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Dexter Gordon's proudest moments of the 50s – a rock-solid session for Bethlehem – easily one of the best-remembered hardbop sides from the label's California years! The album's got a relaxed, free-blown sound that's quite nice – with Dex in the lead on tenor, supported by the trio of Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable on drums. Gordon's perhaps not as fully imaginative as he would become in the 60s, but his sound and control is still great throughout – and the rhythm section really helps knock this one out of the park. Titles include versions of "Darn That Dream", "Autumn In New York", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Confirmation", plus two originals "Number Four" and "Daddy Plays The Horn". CD

A four-pack of albums from this seminal group – all brought together in a single set! Where Were You is a seminal set from the Sunset Strip scene of the 60s – and just the kind of record that shows why the changes taking place in Cali were so important to the growth of so much other music at the time! A few years before, and The Grass Roots would have been a pop folk combo re-tuning traditional tracks for the coffeehouse scene – but here they're taking off with some post-folk modes that are partly sunshine pop, partly the headier currents that were the darker side of the west coast – all put together with superb production by PF Sloan and Steve Barri – who also penned some of the best tunes on the record. Titles include the great "Where Were You When I Needed You" – plus "Only When You're Lonely", "Look Out Girl", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "I've Got No More To Say", "I Am A Rock", "Tell Me", and "Mr Jones". Let's Live For Today is maybe the most famous record ever given to the world by California quartet The Grass Roots – famous for its title tune, and for the way that it effortlessly blends together folk inclinations and psych inspirations! The record's definitely one of those that showed the world that there was something new in the air at the time – put together with perfect production in the studio from Steve Barri and PF Sloan – who are in territory that's somewhere between the best from Brian Wilson and Abbey Road Studios – but a bit more understated than both! Titles include the classic "Let's Live For Today" – plus "Things I Should Have Said", "Wake Up Wake Up", "No Exit", "This Precious Time", "House Of Stone", "Is It Any Wonder", and "Tip Of My Tongue". Feelings is a great departure for The Grass Roots – a set that has the group taking a stronger role overall in the instrumentation and songwriting on the record – at a level that makes the whole thing a fabulous extension of all the genius they'd given the world on previous sets! There's still that cool blend of post-folk and psychedelic elements taking place here – gently swirled together with acoustic and electric guitars setting the tunes up just right – all with a late 60s Cali vibe that's as great today as when it was recorded. Titles include "The Sins Of A Family Fall On The Daughter", "Melody For You", "You Might As Well Go My Way", "Dinner For Eight", "Good Things Come To An End", "You & Love Are The Same", and "Hey Friend". CD

A fascinating look at the world of Mexican music in the 20th Century – put together in collaboration with Arhoolie Records, the label that's done plenty to reissue the music over the years! The book begins with the huge archive of recordings by the label's founder, Chris Strachwitz – then takes off in a number of different streams – providing historical context, critical evaluation, and even some discographical details – in the form of various lists and sections of music. The book looks at some key styles too – including corridos and mariachi, traced both through Mexican recordings, and US singles by Mexican-Americans – and the whole thing is only the tip of the iceberg, in relation to the 40,000 recordings that have been digitized by the University Of California Library as part of the project. Still, there's plenty here to get you started – a huge amount of information that's even more inspirational than some of Arhoolie's great reissues over the years – in an oversized book that's 226 pages, softcover, with many black and white images too. Book

The fantastic debut of Gypsy – a group who blend wonderful harmonies with really well-crafted inspiration – very much in the jazz-inspired jamming of some of the headier California groups, like Spirit or Santana at their best! The group use a swirling blend of organ and guitar next to their really beautiful vocals – warm and sweet at some of the best moments, but never in a way that ever feels like soft rock – given the intensity of the instrumentation! The album was issued on the Metromedia label, and never got the attention it would have deserved had it hit the racks from a company like Columbia or Warner – but it's every bit as great as some of their giants from the time, with titles that include "Last December", "Man Of Reason", "Third Eye", "Tomorrow Is The Last To Be Heard", "Here In My Loneliness", "Dead & Gone", "Dream If You Can", "Decisions", and "Gypsy Queen". CD