Amazing sounds from the righteous Roy Brooks – a drummer who worked strongly in the soul jazz mainstream of the 60s, then stepped out into even headier territory here in the 70s! The album's a spiritual masterpiece all the way through – an album on par with early 70s Impulse sides from Pharoah Sanders or Archie Shepp, or the best from Strata East – cut with a similar blend of righteous rhythmic undercurrents, freewheeling solos, and vocalizations that really help underscore the message in the music! The lineup is filled with players as powerful as Brooks – Joe Bonner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Sonny Fortune on tenor and soprano saxes, and John Stubblefield on oboe – plus vocals by Dee Dee Bridgewater, who's easily at her most righteous here. The album features the long "Black Survival" suite – with passages that include "Here & Now", "Prologue", "Sahel", and "Relief". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from the righteous Roy Brooks – a drummer who worked strongly in the soul jazz mainstream of the 60s, then stepped out into even headier territory here in the 70s! The album's a spiritual masterpiece all the way through – an album on par with early 70s Impulse sides from Pharoah Sanders or Archie Shepp, or the best from Strata East – cut with a similar blend of righteous rhythmic undercurrents, freewheeling solos, and vocalizations that really help underscore the message in the music! The lineup is filled with players as powerful as Brooks – Joe Bonner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Sonny Fortune on tenor and soprano saxes, and John Stubblefield on oboe – plus vocals by Dee Dee Bridgewater, who's easily at her most righteous here. The album features the long "Black Survival" suite – with passages that include "Here & Now", "Prologue", "Sahel", and "Relief". CD

An incredible set, and one that will definitely have you heaping praises on Barry Brown – as the singer was one of the most inventive of the late roots reggae years in Jamaica – and maybe gets his best presentation ever on the tracks on the set! There's a splashy brilliance to the way the tracks are put together – often with these subtle funky drums from Santa Davis, which provide this cool little kick underneath the heavy dub and echo used in the production – keeping the rhythms focused while Barry Brown lets his voice do all these amazing things! At times, you almost feel as if Barry's living in the world of fuzz and tripped-out sounds that make up the music – riding the waves and having a tremendous time in the process – on cuts that include "Fittest Of The Fittest (parts 1 & 2)", "Natty Rootsman (parts 1 & 2)", "Step It Up Youthman (ext)", "Look How Long", "Give Thanks & Praise (lion mix)", "Give Thanks (part 3)", "Creative Vibes (xylophone)", "From Creation", "Look How Long Dub", and "We Can't Dub Like This". LP, Vinyl record album

Crucial work from Dennis Brown – one of the most soulful voices in reggae at the end of the 70, and an artist who achieved some great global fame – but who is also represented here on a host of the more obscure 7" singles issued by Joe Gibbs back home in Kingston! The set is unique, in that it features both a-sides and b-sides – work that shows the complex array of material that Dennis was working with, especially on the cool flipsides – which sometimes include dubs, sometimes other tracks that never got larger exposure at the time – including 11 numbers of the 42 in the set that appear on CD for the first time ever! The crispness of Joe's production works perfectly for Brown's vocals – putting them center stage, but never in a commercial way – on titles that include "Your Man", "Assigned To Leave", "Foul Play", "Love Dub", "Get High On Your Love", "On The Rocks", "Rain", "Ghetto Version", "Runnings Ire", "Nu True", "So Jah Say (live)", "Cassandra", "Should I", "Bubbling Love", "Rolling Down", "Hope We Get To Love In Time", "Timely Lover", and "Homeward Bound". CD

Fantastic work from reedman Marion Brown – an unissued live set from the mid 70s, and one that features a whole new side of his talents! The music is definitely the improvisations promised in the title – but never in a free jazz sort of way, as Brown is working with a group, who have a nice sort of swing on all the tracks – and almost put Marion into hardbop territory that he hardly ever touched at this time! The whole performance is a unique glimpse at that much richer life that Brown was living overseas in the 70s – a time when he was connecting strongly with the jazz scene in Europe, in ways that were not always that well-documented on record – and also working on the American underground, but in ways that were different from some of his better-known material. This set is certainly one of those sides of his career – a beautifully swinging, soulful set that also features work from Brandon Ross on guitar, Jack Gregg on bass, and Steve McGreven on drums. Titles include "First Improvisation", "Second Improvisation", "Third Improvisation", and so on. CD

One of the few albums ever as a leader from alto saxophonist Pete Brown – a less-remembered talent of his times, but a key link between the generations of bop and swing! The set was only issued as a 10" LP, but packs the full punch of most longer albums – sublime alto from Brown with a crisp tone firmly in place – sitting somewhere between older bop players and some of the emerging Tristano-ites from the east coast – a vibe that's almost like Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson in their best younger years, but with a bit more soul too. The group's a hip sextet – with trumpet from Joe Wilder, guitar from Wally Richardson, and piano by Wadde Legge – and the album includes a great version of "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise", plus the nice originals "Delta Blues" and "Used Blues". CD

There was definitely a dread in this session from producer Clement Bushay – but one who also brought in a strong influence from American soul – at a level that creates this mighty nice blend between roots reggae and lovers rock modes! The set trips along in an easygoing mode, and titles include originals by the artists who provide the vocals, plus some great covers too – on titles that include "Loving Girl" and "Come On Back To Me" by Bob Davis, "Have You Ever Loved Someone" by Delroy Washington, "Summertime" by Domino Johnson, "Traveling Man" by Eugene Paul, "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "Higher & Higher" by Carl Bert, "You Said You Love Me More & More" by Gene Rondo, and "Rock Your Baby" by Anne & Annis Peters. LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic Lloyd Charmers albums – both new to CD, and presented here with lots of first-time CD bonus tracks too! First up is the great Gold Connection album – an obscure little record, but a soulful one too – a rare 70s Federal Records session that mixes together reggae and soul – with vocals by a trio of female singers that includes a young Marcia Griffiths and Cynthia Schloss! Lots of tracks take a disco inspiration, but slow the pace down a lot more for the Kingston scene – so that the grooves are dubby steppers with a lot more going on at the bottom than their American counterparts up north – laidback, and given some nice instrumentation from Willie Lindo on bass, Harold Butler on keyboards, and Cedric Brooks on tenor! Titles include "That's The Way I Like It", "Fly Robin Reggae", "Love's Theme", "Soul Charm", "Do It Anyway Reggae", "Latin Hustle Reggae", and "Darling I Like It". Next up is Sweet Dreams, a very unique album from Jamaican sweet soul singer Dobby Dobson – an artist who seems to owe a bit to Sam Cooke, and who references music from Sam's era too – remaking some older cuts with a warmer, sweeter 70s vibe overall! The Lloyd Charmers production makes for an unusual blend of reggae and classic soul – and titles include "Little Stars", "Sweet Dreams", "Oh Gee", "You're Mine All Mine", "Muriel", "My Special Prayer", and "It's A Miracle". 2CD set features 20 more bonus tracks – including the great Supernatural Thing project from Richard Ace with Lloyd Charmers – and more tracks from Sister Stern, The Africans, Richard Ace, Delroy Wilson, and CHARM! CD

Rootsy noise sweetened by raggedly alluring melodicism from Califone – still one of the most vital and idiosyncratic groups of their time! We can no long heap the experimentalist tag on Califone – if we ever really could. They've got quite a sonic blueprint laid down after 8 or so albums, but they do continue to surprise us. Roots And Crowns is a strange and compelling blend of crackling, somehow rural sounds & percussion, strummed and sometimes chugging guitars, pastoral found-sound atmosphere and singing that's no more or less part of the ether than any other element. A timeless piece of work! Tracks include "Pink & Sour", "Spider's House" (which references Brian Wilson at his furthest out stage), "The Eye You Lost In The Crusades" (which references Nick Drake a bit in the guitar), "A Chinese Actor", "Our Kitten Sees Ghosts", "The Orchids", "Black Metal Valentine", "Rose Petal Ear", "3legged Animals", "If You Would" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s set from Can that's still very much in the best spirit of their earliest work – mostly longish tracks and all quite hypnotic – wonderful stuff from the team of Irmin Schmidt, Jacki Liebezeit, Holger Czukay, and Michael Karoli. Sure, Damo's not on vocals any more, but the instrumentation's still pretty darn great – and Can is also working more explicitly established global genre elements, but still really sounds like no one other than Can. Traces of reggae mix alongside many other rhythmic elements, jagged experimentalist touches, 70s ambient energy, and imaginative jams galore from one of the most creative combos of its time! Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Quantum Physics", "Dizzy Dizzy", and "Splash". CD

Two rare instrumental albums from Lloyd Charmers – both from that early moment when he was moving from work as a singer, to a strong role as a producer and keyboardist! Reggae Is Tight is a set that seems to answer both the Tennessee instrumental sounds of Booker T & The MGs in Memphis, and Floyd Cramer in Nashville – as the rhythms have all the soulful romp that might be inspired by late 60s soul, while Lloyd plays both organ and piano, the latter often in a way that has all this cool echo! Titles include "5 to 5", "Summer Face", "Crimson & Clover", "Rat Trap", "Safari", "Reggae Is Tight", "Psychedelic Reggae", and "Golden Moon". Reggae Charm is a really great record from Lloyd Charmers – one of his instrumental sets, and an album that has Byron Lee & The Dragonaires providing some mighty nice rhythms behind his keyboards! The vibe is plenty soulful – almost a Kingston take on Stax Records instrumental modes – with organ vamping alongside piano, in a great mix of cuts that includes "Dr No Go", "Tribute To The Dragon", "Mama Look", "If I Only Had Time"- "Honey", "Last Date", and "Israelite". 2CD set features 31 more bonus tracks – for a total of 55 titles in all, including 23 that appear here on CD for the first time ever! CD

Stunning harmony soul from the Jamaican scene – served up here by The Chosen Few, a group we'd rank right up there with some of the best American harmony soul acts from the Philly and New Jersey scenes at the start of the 70s! The rhythms, as you might guess, have a bit more reggae influence in the mix – but the vocal leads and harmonies resonate strongly with classic material by The Stylistics, Delfonics, and other key groups of the generation – plus Miracles material from the generation before! The package brings together some of the rare 7" single releases by the group, all with much better sound than original Jamaican pressings – and titles include "Make Way For The Young Folks", "Queen Majesty", "Hide & Seek", "My Thing", "Everybody Plays The Fool", "Tears Of A Clown", "Second That Emotion", "I Love The Way You Love (part 1)", "Children Of The Night", and "Reggae Stuff". CD

Righteous work from the Wackie's stable – and a record that was initially issued under the title Visions Of John Clarke, then issued in a very different version by the Makossa label as Rootsy Reggae – with a different track list in some places, and different mixes of core tracks in others! Yet throughout, there's a nicely unified vibe – tunes that are very message-heavy, and delivered by this lesser-known Clarke with an "e" – not to be confused with Johnny Clark, but an equally great singer on his own! CD brings together both versions of the albums, with original track order and selection – 22 tracks that include "Pollution", "Big Leg Mary", "Boss I", "Creator", "Good Collie Weed", "Babylon Spanking", "Come Back Darling", "Recession", "Bum Bang Festival", and "Abortion". CD

A really bold step forward for Chicago tenor genius Isaiah Collier – and maybe the first record to showcase his emergence as a multi-instrumentalist instead of just a spiritual jazz musician! There's clearly a lot of improvisation going on here – not just from the larger ensemble, which includes Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Julian Reid on keyboards, and Michael Damani on guitar – but also from Collier, who effortlessly shifts between saxes, flute, vocals, and keyboards without any overdubs or additional production at all! A few moments are tight and funky, others are much more experimental – a blend that that's really great, and which continues the unique spirit into which Collier has evolved in recent years. The record also features some key vocal contributions from the great Jimetta Rose – and titles include "Never Back Down", "Eggun", "Village Song", "Retreat", "Parallel Universe", and "The Last Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost slice of work from the mighty John Coltrane – and a set that features the equally great Eric Dolphy up on stage with Trane at the Village Gate! These never-issued recordings are every bit as wonderful as the Village Vanguard material recorded during the same year – with the group moving with boundless energy, maybe even at a level that they wouldn't show on studio recordings for a few years later – bold piano from McCoy Tyner, superb bass from Reggie Workman, and unbridled drums from Elvin Jones – all given further inspiration by the presence of Dolphy, who blows bass clarinet and flute on the record! Trane is already really taking off with the soprano sax, which gets plenty of beautiful solo space here – on tunes that include a rare live take on "Africa", plus an early reading of "Impressions", and "My Favorite Things", "When Lights Are Low", and "Greensleeves" – the latter of which is done in a sublime modal style. CD

A lost slice of work from the mighty John Coltrane – and a set that features the equally great Eric Dolphy up on stage with Trane at the Village Gate! These never-issued recordings are every bit as wonderful as the Village Vanguard material recorded during the same year – with the group moving with boundless energy, maybe even at a level that they wouldn't show on studio recordings for a few years later – bold piano from McCoy Tyner, superb bass from Reggie Workman, and unbridled drums from Elvin Jones – all given further inspiration by the presence of Dolphy, who blows bass clarinet and flute on the record! Trane is already really taking off with the soprano sax, which gets plenty of beautiful solo space here – on tunes that include a rare live take on "Africa", plus an early reading of "Impressions", and "My Favorite Things", "When Lights Are Low", and "Greensleeves" – the latter of which is done in a sublime modal style. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic slice of Jamaican roots – and an essential record from the godlike hands of Lee Perry! The set was produced by Perry at Black Ark – and instantly became the stuff of legend, even though the initial version of the album got very limited exposure – which has led to years of differing reissues and versions of the record! Yet the core sound is always very much in place, no matter what the setting – very spiritual lyrics from the group themselves, set to nicely stripped-down rhythms and instrumentation that are a great contrast to the wave of more polished international reggae releases that were garnering mainstream attention at the time. The lasting power of the set is proof that maybe when it comes to roots, you've got to really go to the roots to get it right – as you'll hear on classic tracks that include "La La Bam Bam", "Fisherman", "Congoman", "Children Crying", "Open Up The Gate", and "The Wrong Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most majestic album from this very majestic group – a righteous combo of musicians whose sound is far more than the simple "cookers" name might imply – as they really reach for the skies with a masterful blend of talents from an all star group! Trumpeter David Weiss leads the group, but also gives plenty of space to the giants alongside him – a lineup that includes Billy Harper on tenor, Donald Harrison on alto, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all musicians who maybe sound better here together than they sometimes do on their own! And despite the status of these players, there's no ego involved – as the unified passages come together beautifully, the unfurl into solos that really stake some individual territory Titles include "Destiny Of Yours", "The Mystery Of Monifa Brown", "Somalia", "Aka Reggie", "Traveling Lady", and "Mutima". CD

Maybe the most majestic album from this very majestic group – a righteous combo of musicians whose sound is far more than the simple "cookers" name might imply – as they really reach for the skies with a masterful blend of talents from an all star group! Trumpeter David Weiss leads the group, but also gives plenty of space to the giants alongside him – a lineup that includes Billy Harper on tenor, Donald Harrison on alto, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all musicians who maybe sound better here together than they sometimes do on their own! And despite the status of these players, there's no ego involved – as the unified passages come together beautifully, the unfurl into solos that really stake some individual territory Titles include "Destiny Of Yours", "The Mystery Of Monifa Brown", "Somalia", "Aka Reggie", "Traveling Lady", and "Mutima". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums to come out of the Kingston scene in the early 70s – a set that's driven by the new spirit of the Rastafarian generation, but which also pushes the music much more than some of the commercial efforts of the time! The style of the music here is almost to mainstream reggae what spiritual jazz was to 70s funk – richer, deeper, more thoughtful, driven by message, and carried forth through instrumentation and production – a heady brew cooked up by Lloyd Charmers in the studio, with work from Willie London on guitar, Lloyd Parks on bass, and Charmers himself on organ, piano, and lots of earthy percussion. Of course, the vocals of Ras Michael are the real driving forces of the record – again very different than any mainstream singers, as he stretches out on these long, hypnotic tracks that include "Run Come Rally", "Seventy Two Nations", "Zion Land", and "Know How You Stand". This killer 2CD version features a full bonus CD – 22 more Lloyd Charmers dub tracks from the mid 70s, all of which have never been on CD before! CD

One of the most righteous albums to come out of the Kingston scene in the early 70s – a set that's driven by the new spirit of the Rastafarian generation, but which also pushes the music much more than some of the commercial efforts of the time! The style of the music here is almost to mainstream reggae what spiritual jazz was to 70s funk – richer, deeper, more thoughtful, driven by message, and carried forth through instrumentation and production – a heady brew cooked up by Lloyd Charmers in the studio, with work from Willie London on guitar, Lloyd Parks on bass, and Charmers himself on organ, piano, and lots of earthy percussion. Of course, the vocals of Ras Michael are the real driving forces of the record – again very different than any mainstream singers, as he stretches out on these long, hypnotic tracks that include "Run Come Rally", "Seventy Two Nations", "Zion Land", and "Know How You Stand". 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. CD features notes in both English and Italian, great images from the film, and even a number of previously unreleased tunes! 20 tracks in all – with titles that include "Festa A Genova", "Gangster Story", "Chicca", "The Life Of A Policeman", "Il Libanese", "Casa Di Moda", "Rock Al Porto", and "La Storia Comincia". CD

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 "Festa A Genova", "Gangster Story", "Chicca", "The Life Of A Policeman", "Il Libanese", "Casa Di Moda", "Rock Al Porto", and "La Storia Comincia". LP, Vinyl record album

The soulful vocals of Desmond Dekker were some of the first from the Jamaican scene to let the rest of the world know that something magical was really taking place – and although the man himself is remembered for a few key singles back in the day, Desmond cut a heck of a lot of wonderful work – lots of which you'll find in this overstuffed set! The package brings together top-shelf tracks that certainly mark Dekker as one of the essentials of Trojan Records – much of it with his key group The Aces, and more with The Cherry Pies – plus later solo tracks too – all running strongly through the best modes of the ska, rocksteady, and early reggae generations. 2LP set features 28 tracks in all – and titles include "Intensified 68", "Jamaica Ska", Mother Pepper", "Wise Man", "Problem", "Rude Boy Train", "007", "Rudy Got Soul", "Unity", "You Can Get It If You Really Want", "Licking Stick", "Young Generation", "Get Up Adina", "Generosity", "Pretty Africa", "It Mek", "Israelites", and "Fu Man Chu". LP, Vinyl record album

Gregg Diamond takes his Bionic Boogie sound to a different level – soaring to the skies with a leaner disco groove than before – almost hinting at the coming 80s groove in the process! The rhythms are nice and tight, and often augmented by keyboards that sweeten things up – never overwhelming the overall groove, but packing things in with a mighty nice punch – one that lets the vocals on the record really explode! Most numbers have a chorus singing the spare lyrics – but Diva Gray and Gordon Grody each sing lead on a track each, then give the rest of the record to a backup group that also includes Jocelyn Brown. Our favorite track may well be "Holding Back", which snaps along in a great funky dancefloor groove with some old Bionic Boogie elements – and other cuts include "Arista Vista", "Bring Back Your Love", "Fancy Dancer", and "This Side Of Midnight". CD

A set that features music from three different sessions recorded by trumpeter Bill Dixon in the mid 60s – all pretty groundbreaking work, even all these many years later! First up is a quartet co-led by Archie Shepp and Bill Dixon – easily one of the greatest modern jazz pairings of the 60s! If you only know Shepp from his later work, you'll hear something very different here – as his tenor's often brought into tight focus with the trumpet of Dixon – in a blend of arrangement and freedom that's like that of Ted Curson and Bill Barron, but a lot more powerful overall! The tunes still have a sense of structure – and get great help from the bass of Don Moore and drums of Paul Cohen – but there's also some tremendously unbridled energy from the leaders, especially Dixon, who might not have sounded this great ever again. Titles include "Quartet" and "Trio". Next up is one side of an album that Dixon split with Shepp for Savoy – and Dixon's material here features a septet, with a great lineup that includes Ken McIntyre on alto and oboe, George Barrow on tenor, and both Hal Dodson and David Izenzon on basses. Titles include "Winter Song 1964" and "The 12th December". Last up is the seminal Intents & Purposes record – one of the few rare records cut by Bill Dixon during the 60s, and a perfect example of "new thing" jazz in action. Trumpeter Dixon plays in 3 different ensembles – a nonet, a quintet, and a duet – with players like Byard Lancaster, Reggie Workman, Robert Pozar, and Jimmy Garrison. The tracks are long, with an approach that begins with compositional structures, but which also showcases the avant solo talents of the players – in a manner that's similar to some of the Blue Note work by Anthony Williams or Grachan Moncur III. A darn tough record to find – and with the tracks "Voices", "Nightfall Pieces I & II", and "Metamorphosis". CD

One of the few albums we've ever seen by keyboardist Hubert Eaves – a great player whose work crops up on some of our favorite 70s soul jazz and jazz funk sides, but who rarely got a chance to lead his own group! Fortunately, he did get the chance to cut this one – as the session's a real doozy – sweet mellow fusion, handled very soulfully, with a kicked-back feel that's right up there with the most righteous soulful fusion of the time. Players include Mtume, John Lee, Reggie Lucas, Malachi Thompson, and Rene McLean – and Cheryl Alexander sings vocals on the track "Under Standing". A great blend of laidback funk and soulful grooves – in the manner of Bobby Lyle at his best – and titles include "Slow Down", "Painful Pleasure", "Call To Awareness", and "Flead Dancing". CD

A sweet set from the digital generation, but one that shows that the best spirit of the roots reggae years were alive and well in the music of a singer like Horace Ferguson! Horace has this gently grooving style that's mighty nice – up in the higher range of the spectrum, which almost seems to bring a more human, youthful quality to his presentation of the message-oriented lyrics – all backed with production from Prince Jazzbo, who keeps things nice and lean in a mix of rhythms, basslines, and keyboards! Titles include "Tranquilizer", "Tickle Me", "Hunts Bay", "Slave", "Gazuma", "Great Stone", and "Sensi Addict". LP, Vinyl record album

A sly little set from the hands of British producer Dennis Bovell – a record that was done to appear as an obscure Jamaican import – from the stripped-down packaging to the stripped-down sound in the grooves! The feel here is a bit looser and more laidback than some of the other UK productions of the time – roots work that has some occasional dub-style production at points, or a more straightforward groove at others – on many instrumental cuts that are perfect for blasting over a larger soundsystem! Titles include "None Ah Jah Children", "Skatter Skatter", "Sure Shot", "Younger Generation", "Bounty Hunter", and "Tribute To Idi Amin". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare soundtrack for a very offbeat 70s documentary – one that more than lived up to its title by showing footage of sexual acts of a wide variety of different creatures – including frogs, kangaroos, rhinos, monkeys, and others – each of whom was given some very special scoring attention by composer Gerald Fried! Each track has a slightly different feel – as Fried is clearly watching the documentary footage, then composing the music – with all sorts of instrumental flourishes and odd effects that must have been a wonder next to the animal porn onscreen! The CD features 25 tracks in all – and titles include "Aphids", "Snails", "Buffalo Birth", "Rattlesnake", "Chimp Lullaby", "Trout Eggs", "Cheetah Chase", and "Primal Ooze". CD

Really heady sounds from Frightnrs – a group who've changed up their sound slightly since their last full length release – at a level that makes them even more interesting than ever before! The group still draw heavily from older rocksteady and soulful reggae modes – but it also feels as if they're leaning a bit more heavily on sweet soul modes from the early 70s too – coming across with the warmth of a harmony vocal record on the lyrics, while still also reveling in the best sort of slow-stepping, dub heavy rhythms in the music! Dan Klein handles the vocals, always with a great sense of echo – and Chuck Patel adds lots of great organ and keyboards to the music – including some great spacey effects. Victor Axelrod did a superb job with production – and titles include "30 56", "You Still", "Profilin", "Expectations", "Tuesday", "Always", "Maybe Isle", and "Why Does It Feel Like A Curse". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the deepest work we've ever heard from Jamaican funk giant Boris Gardiner – and a set that might have been called "Ultra Rare Dub" instead – given the obscurity of the recordings! The core material here is from 45s that Boris issues in the early 70s – the kind of heavy grooves that have made him as much of a legend with funk collectors as reggae fans – but the tracks are taken to very different territory than the originals, in keeping with the dub promised in the title – yet with a sense of variety that's very different than other dub albums of this nature! Currents of American soul come into play as much as reggae roots – and instrumentation and rhythms vary nicely throughout, which really keeps things interesting. The original albums were issued in very tiny runs, and titles include "Freedom Roots", "Expression (dub)", "Racking Roots", "Love (dub)", "Paying Roots", "Mine (dub)", "Rider Roots", and "Gimmy (dub)". LP, Vinyl record album

Not 100 years of recorded dub music, but a set of work that's bound to be as crucial in the 2070s as it was when first recorded back in the 1970s! The package is a stunning tribute to the talents of Joe Gibbs in the world of dub – and it not only brings together key cuts, but also features 30 number of the 48 in the package that appear here on CD for the first time ever – a great illustration of the way the Doctor Bird label digs even deeper than most other reggae reissue imprints, to come up with essential material like this! The 2CD package is overflowing with gems we've never heard before, all as wickedly sharp as Joe's bigger tracks – and not only is the sound quality great, but the whole thing comes with very detailed notes on the music too. 48 tracks in all – with titles that include "Roots Kunta Kinte", "Memory By The Score Version", "Keep On Dubbing", "War Is Over", "Bubbler In Money", "The Winner", "Broom Stick", "Black September Version", "Informer Version", "I Need Dub", "Bwoy It Rough", "No Bones For The Dogs", and lots lots more! CD

A massive amount of radical records from the great Joe Gibbs – a producer who forever changed the face of Jamaican music with a legendary run of dub albums in the 70s! Joe was no stranger to the scene by the time of these tracks – but the sessions had him really burrowing in to very experimental territory, coming up with sounds that were years ahead of their time, and which set the tone for so many other dub productions in years to come – all very far from some of the chart-topping reggae hits of the decade! The work features plenty of hypnotic rhythms from Sly & Robbie, and great guitar work from Earl Chinna Smith – plus nice horn parts and keyboard lines too – all elements that are whipped up into a sonic souffle by the maestro. This 4CD set features this legendary run of records – Dub Serial, State Of Emergency, Majestic Dub, More Majestic Dub, and the African Dub albums, chapters 1 to 4 – with 12 tracks that have never been on CD before, and the usual deep detail and top-shelf presentation of the Doctor Bird label. CD

A lean little groover from the Nigerian scene – an Edo funk set that's got a vibe that's more stripped-down than most – really focused on the rhythms, with a stark, spare quality that's very different than bigger groups of the decade before! There's almost an influence here going on from both post-punk and reggae – darker production with some echoey edges, heady basslines that often come across with a slightly spooky sound, and use of horns and guitars in ways that really have a sharpness that's unexpected – funky but lean too – on titles that include "Gaskya Kace", "Ekhueghamunu", "Onughara", "Aikemienaru Nanorunomwan", and "Bi Enu Ba Sahun". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from Marcia Griffiths – the Jamaican singer who first rose to fame in the duo of Bob & Marcia – but who already sounds very much her own woman on this classic set from the 70s! The groove is as much funky soul as it is reggae – in fact maybe more the former than the latter – and Marcia's got this proud, righteous approach that's very different than her style of just a few years before – set to great grooves that have sharp core instrumentation with Lloyd Charmers on piano and organ, and Willie Lindo on guitar. Almost more of a female funky soul record on most cuts – with tracks that include "Here I Am Baby", "Children At Play", "I'd Rather Be Lonely", "Sweet Bitter Love", "There's No Me Without You", "Everything I Own", "Green Grasshopper", and "Gypsy Man". Also features a full album of rare bonus tracks – including "Play Me", "The First Cut Is The Deepest", "Melody Life", "Don't Let Me Down", "Band Of Gold", "I See You My Love", "It's Too Late", "Baby If You Don't Love Me", "Love Walked In", and "Working To The Top". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of charmers from legendary producer Lloyd Charmers – served up here with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is the classic Sweet Bitter Love from Marcia Griffiths – a set that helped cement her reputation as one of the most soulful female singers in Jamaican music at the time – and one that really helps bridge worlds by serving up some great reggae-styled takes on American soul music! Marcia serves up sublime takes on tunes by Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Roberta Flack, and others – completely reworked by Charmers' instrumentation – which also includes some wonderful keyboards! Titles include "Play Me", "Gypsy Man", "Sweet Bitter Love", "Green Grasshopper", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", and "Everything I Own". Far & Distant features wicked guitar work from Willie Lindo – spun out here over an all-instrumental set that almost feels more like Jamaican records of the late 60s than you'd guess from the mid 70s date of the album! The grooves are definitely more 70s – certainly with a strong reggae current – but the spare, stripped-down manner of presentation takes us back more to some of the instrumental rocksteady records – especially in the way the production allows for lots of focus on the core musician – which means you really get to hear all the wicked, trippy currents of Lindo's instrument – used in a heady style that almost makes him come across like the Phil Upchurch of the Jamaican scene! Lloyd Charmers produced, and also plays piano and organ – and titles include "Drum Song", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Midnight train To Georgia", "Samba Pati", "Chopper", "Hear I Am Baby", "Charmers Mood", "Mystic Mood", "Breezing", and "Holly Holy". 2CD edition features 20 more bonus tracks – 17 of which are new to CD – a full alternate mix of the Marcia Griffiths album, the tune "Midnight & You" by Willie Lindo, and more Lloyd Charmer productions from rare 7" singles – work by Big Youth, Drifting Blenders, Bob Andy, BB Seaton, Errol Thomas, and others. CD

A legendary album – and for good reason too – a set that's as mysterious as it is funky, and a record that's stayed at the top of our crates for years! The album features a really unusual collective of musicians, pulled together under the guidance of producer Paul Winley – a group that features George Benson on guitar, Dave Baby Cortez on organ, Willis Jackson on tenor sax, and Earl Williams on some massively funky drums! The music's a mix of funky jazz and gritty soul – put together with some really weird studio touches – including an uncredited male voice that comes in and out of the tracks, bad-rapping along with some very hip commentary. Ann Winley sings the female vocals on the set – often egged on by the dude – but the real charm of the record lies at the bottom – the wicked drums, funky basslines, and choppy instrumental bits that have gotten the set sampled plenty over the years. Titles include the classic "Smokin Cheeba Cheeba" alone, the groovy "Finger In It", a great breakbeat version of "Ain't No Sunshine" with a tenor solo by Willis Jackson, and the slow bluesy talking cut "Fed Up", a baaaad rap about a couple splitting up – done here in both vocal and instrumental versions. CD

Derrick Harriott may sing Jamaican reggae, but he does so here with plenty of help from American soul – as half the record features songs from the US 60s scene, including some Motown and southern soul gems – all retooled nicely for the sound of young Kingston! Derrick produced the set himself, and gets the groove just right for that warmly crackling vocal style of his – getting help from Bobby Ellis and Boris Gardinier on the arrangements – in a lineup that features Earl Chinna Smith on guitar, Winston Wright on organ, and Val Bennett on tenor sax. Titles include "It's Alright", "I'm Not Begging", "You Really Got A Hold On Me", "Have Some Mercy", "Sitting ON Top", "Close To Me", "Standing In", and "Long Time". LP, Vinyl record album

The title certainly gets it right – as Derrick Harriott serves up a wonderful mix of sounds that owes plenty to American funk and soul of the early 70s – some cool Kingston covers of famous US tunes, and some other originals that are equally groovy overall! The set's one of the best that we've ever heard from the Dub Store label – and almost has a Soul Jazz level of track selection – really wonderful work that either features Derrick in the lead, or working with some hip contemporaries, in a groove that's totally great – neither straight reggae, but also quite far from more familiar funk and soul too. Titles include "Black Moses" by The Preacher, "Tougher Than Tough" by I Roy, "Brown Baby" by Derrick Harriott, "Hell Below" by Crystal Generation, "Going Back Home" by The Chosen Few, "Psychedelic Train" by Derrick Harriott, "Slippery" by Karl Bryan & The Crystalites, "Home Sweet Home" by Bongo Herman & Les, "Rescue The Children" by Junior Murvin, "Phoenix" by Noel Brown, "People Make The World Go Round" by The Chosen Few, and "Message From A Black Man" by Derrick Harriott. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package – the full rare Undertaker album from Derrick Harriott & The Crystalites, plus an insane amount of bonus tracks too! The core album is instrumental – a wicked set of rhythms from The Crystalites, a group who have a vibe that's right up there with the best of the late 60s Kingston scene, but a groove that's definitely their own – almost a razor's edge to some of the rhythms, as they snap through some excellent late rocksteady/early reggae modes! Harriott produced, and adds in all these cool touches and sounds that almost predate some of the later experimental modes of Lee Scratch Perry. Titles include "The Undertaker", "Bombshell", "Biafra", "The Bad", "Lady Madonna", "Fistful Of Dollars", "The Barefoot Brigade", and "Dr Who". 2CD set features 14 more instrumental tracks from The Crystalites – plus 27 more Harriott-produced numbers, including work by Rudy Mills, Junior Murvin, Keith & Tex, The Chuckles, Eric Donaldson, Pat Satchmo, Tinga & Ernie, and The Ethiopians. CD

One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes conventional reggae, but the instrumentation is often nicely different, with ties to some of the more mainstream Mid-East modes of the period, especially on the keyboards – a quality that's also echoed in the lyrics here, which on most tracks are in Libyan Arabic, with phrasing that's miles away from the world of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff! Titles include "Only World", "Tayr Al Salma", "Kesati", "Enti", "Watany Al Kabir", "Tendme", and "Fouhi Ya Nesma". CD

One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes conventional reggae, but the instrumentation is often nicely different, with ties to some of the more mainstream Mid-East modes of the period, especially on the keyboards – a quality that's also echoed in the lyrics here, which on most tracks are in Libyan Arabic, with phrasing that's miles away from the world of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff! Titles include "Only World", "Tayr Al Salma", "Kesati", "Enti", "Watany Al Kabir", "Tendme", and "Fouhi Ya Nesma". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful session by Andrew Hill – recorded in 1968, but issued only briefly in 1981 – and out of print for years! The session is a key one in understanding Hill's work – as it's a bridge between the arch modernism of his early Blue Note sides, and the more soul-oriented playing of the Grass Roots album. The set features wonderful frontline work in the trumpet of Charles Tolliver, and tenor and soprano of Joe Farrell – both players who open up the sound at the same time they're giving it a nice bottom – egged on by the rest of the combo, which includes Victor Sproles on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. The album's an enchanting one – not as dark as early years, but still with a compelling vision that's all Hill's own. Titles include "Dance With Death", "Love Nocturne", "Black Sabbath", "Partitions", and "Fish N Rice". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful session by Andrew Hill – recorded in 1968, but issued only briefly in 1981 – and out of print for years! The session is a key one in understanding Hill's work – as it's a bridge between the arch modernism of his early Blue Note sides, and the more soul-oriented playing of the Grass Roots album. The set features wonderful frontline work in the trumpet of Charles Tolliver, and tenor and soprano of Joe Farrell – both players who open up the sound at the same time they're giving it a nice bottom – egged on by the rest of the combo, which includes Victor Sproles on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. The album's an enchanting one – not as dark as early years, but still with a compelling vision that's all Hill's own. Titles include "Dance With Death", "Love Nocturne", "Black Sabbath", "Partitions", and "Fish N Rice". CD features a bonus alternate take of the title cut. CD

Saxophonist Toshiyuki Honda evokes some of the spirit of his classic Burning Waves album here – working with some slight fusion touches, in a way that reminds us just how strongly his reedwork can soar in just the right setting! Honda blows both soprano and alto here, and shares arrangements on the album with Soichi Noriki, who plays both acoustic and electric piano – always with this soulful flow that really matches the crisp imagination of Honda's saxophone lines. The bassist, Gregg Lee, is also electric – and the rest of the combo features Shingo Okudaira on drums, and May Inoue on guitar, which is often used in these warmly chromatic ways. Titles include "Nile", "Magic Mushroom", "Horizon", "CC Rex", "Last Ballad", and a nice take on the Chick Corea classic "La Fiesta". CD

A real standout in the early career of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a very unique session that has him working with some larger arrangements in the background – blowing these magical solos over the top, while still hitting a great edge with the rest of the musicians as well! There's a sound here that's unlike anything else we can think of – including other big band trumpet dates of the time – partly because the set features a fair bit of arrangements by Wayne Shorter – a very rare side of his talents, but one that's equally as soulful as his sublime small group albums of the time. The record has an undeniable depth right from the start – magical, mystical, and very soulful – with a group that includes Eric Dolphy and Wayne Shorter on saxes, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Tracks include "Chocolate Shake", "Thermo", "Clarence's Place", and "Aries". CD

Pivotal work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – eleven full albums recorded by the young jazzman as a leader, together showing a really incredible scope of his talents in just a few short years in the studio! The Blue Note albums here already show an incredible evolution – from initial hardbop crackle at the best level of the label, to a slight shift into new thing territory that marks a more experimental side of Freddie's work that would take off later in the 60s. There's also two Impulse Records releases in the package – the completely sublime sextet outing of The Artistry Of Freddie Hubbard – a great date with Curtis Fuller on trombone, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and John Gilmore on tenor – making a rare appearance in the studio away from the Sun Ra Arkestra! The other Impulse album is titled Body & Soul – and has Hubbard amidst a larger group of modernists on most tracks, with these incredible Wayne Shorter arrangements – then in a small group with shorter on tenor and Eric Dolphy on alto and flute. Blue Note albums include Breaking Point, Blue Spirits, Open Sesame, Going Up, Hub Cap, Ready For Freddie, Hub Tones, and Here To Stay – with players who include Tina Brooks, Jimmy Heath, and Wayne Shorter on tenors; McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, and Herbie Hancock on pianos; Paul Chambers, Sam Jones, and Reggie Workman on basses; and James Spaulding making a key early appearance on alto and flute. 70 long tracks in all – and a very detailed booklet of notes with rare photos! CD

A lost set of work from the team of Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land – recorded right around the same time as their famous San Francisco album! The album's overflowing with the soulful, righteous tones the pair could create together – sublime vibes from Hutcherson, both tenor and flute from Land – and a top-shelf supporting cast that includes Stanley Cowell on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums! Like others of this nature, Blue Note never issued the material at the time – but wisely released it as an album at the start of the 80s – a great contribution to Hutcherson's catalog for the label – of which we can never get enough! Titles include "Ungano", "Avis", "Comes Spring", and "Orientale". CD

A really heady set of tracks from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – a record that has him stepping away from the harder sounds of his early modern years – and moving into the sublime mix of soulful and modal styles that would really grow strongly by the end of the 60s! The album's a treasure through and through – warm, subtle interpretations of the music by a group that features Hutcherson on vibes, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Stanley Cowell on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all working together in modes that are quite like Hutcherson's music with Harold Land – but slightly looser and freer at points too. The album includes a fantastic version of Cowell's "Effi", which was later recorded by Charles Tolliver a few times, plus other beautiful compositions by Joe Chambers – including "Patterns", "Ankana", "Irina", and "Nocturnal". Also features a bonus alternate of the title track! CD

A brilliant collaboration between vibist Bobby Hutcherson and reedman Harold Land – the first Blue Note album to feature the talents of the pair together, and a stone classic from the very first note! Hutcherson had already been making big waves for the label with his earlier sides – some avant, some soulful, all great – but adding Land's magical tenor and flute to the mix really opens his sound up a lot, and unlocks a lyrical quality in Bobby's music that really points the way to his flourishing years in the 70s! Yet all is not totally sweet – as both Land and Hutcherson maintain an edginess on the record that makes it more of a progression from the "new thing" years than a break – and pianist Chick Corea is on hand, moving through a very similar path in his own music too. Other players include Reggie Johnson on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and the tracks are nice and long, with that free-wheeling soulful sound that Land seemed to nicely bring to Hutcherson's playing. Titles include "Herzog", "Same Shame", "Maxtrix", "Total Eclipse", and "Pompeian". LP, Vinyl record album

The album may not have been much of a Money Maker for Studio One Records – given that it's one of the rarest in their catalog – but it stands as a key illustration of the label's genius, and just how far away they were from most of their contemporaries! The set's a bit of a split effort in the studio – mostly tracks credited to the duo of Im & David, who are Cedric Im Brooks and David Madden – plus a few others handled by keyboardist Jackie Mittoo, and a few by others thrown in for good measure! Yet as on most indie reggae efforts of the time, there's a very unified vibe to the whole thing – especially as the album's a mostly instrumental outing, and most likely features the same players working together on different tracks – contributions from Sound Dimension, Soul Vendors, and Soul Brothers – plus some sweet guitar from Ernest Ranglin. Titles include "Money Maker", "Black Is Black", "Soul Brother", "Soul Walk", and "Candid Eye" by Im & David; "Stormy Night", "Mixing", and "Feel It" by Jackie Mittoo; "Black Man's Train" by Lloyd Williams; and "Great Gu Gu Mu Ga" by The Boss. CD

Way more than just an anthology of work by Instant Funk – and instead a massive 5CD set that features all 7 of the group's albums for Salsoul – plus lots of bonus tracks too! Instant Funk first came to fame as one of the key studio combos behind the sound of Philly International in the mid 70s – but when the Salsoul/Gold Mind imprint got rolling, the group moved over to that label and recorded a great run of hard-grooving albums! And while the "funk" in their name isn't the same sort as you'd imagine from deep funk or funky 45s, Instant Funk definitely have a tightly-crafted sense of musicianship that made them one of the best groups working on the east coast disco scene in the 70s – an ability to focus in on a groove and ride it out over a range of tasty riffs and changes! The massively overstuffed package features the full albums Get Down With The Philly Jump, Instant Funk, Witch Doctor, The Funk Is On, Looks So Fine, Instant Funk V, and Kinky – plus bonus tracks that include "Float Like A Butterfly (parts 1 & 2)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (7" version)", "Slap Slap Lickety Lap (7" version)", "Bodyshine (7" version)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (special 12" disco version)", "Crying (7" version)", "It Ain't Reggae (7" version)", and "Witch Doctor (7" version)". CD

Crucial cuts from The Investigators – a UK lovers rock group, but one who borrow plenty from American soul as well – as you might guess from their look on the cover, which almost makes them appear like some east coast indie act from the early 80s! The rhythms are definitely reggae on most tracks, but they're blended with a warmer modern soul style too – easygoing, in true lovers rock style – and given some great vocals from lead singers Michael Gordon and Lorenzo Hall. Titles include remakes of "Close To You" and "How Could I Let You Get Away" – plus originals "Run Away Child", "Marley's Gone", "Baby I Am Yours", "Turn Out The Light", "Living In A World Of Magic", and "Woman I Need Your Loving". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early material from Gregory Isaacs – captured here early in his career, and working in a deep roots reggae mode – recording at Channel One with great direction from Ossie Hibbert! The set's laidback and righteous, in ways that let all the soulful qualities of Isaac's vocals still come through – but in a very different way than on his later hits! The rhythms are provided by the Revolutionaries – a perfect choice for the record – and titles include "Slave Master", "Story Book Children", "Get Ready", "Set The Captives Free", "Hand Cuff", "Storm", "Sacrifice", and "Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

Not a live album, as you might guess from the title – but instead a wickedly sharp mid 70s set from one of the most soulful voices in reggae – a record that has Gregory Isaacs getting superb support from The Soul Syndicate, and production from the great Alvin Ranglin too! The vibe is great – laidback and soulful, with songs that mostly have love in the themes, but which come across with some righteous currents too – that special way of bridging the gap that continued to make Isaacs such a powerful singer over the years! Titles include "Sweeter The Victory", "Love Overdue", "Financial Endorsement", "Be Careful", "Another Heart Ache", "If You're In Love", "Dreams Come True", "The Way She Walks", "Far Beyond The Valley", "Happiness Come", "No Forgiveness", and "Love Disguise". This killer Doctor Bird 2CD version of the album adds 31 bonus tracks, 18 of which are on CD for the first time ever – other Alvin Ranglin productions from the same time, including more work by Gregory Isaacs, and cuts from The GG All Stars, Shorty Perry, The Heptones, Untouchables, Maytones, and others! CD

Heavy funk from a hip Japanese combo – one that features lots of drums and percussion from leader Akira Ishikawa, plus plenty of guitar, keyboards, and hard-riffing horns! Akira's taking most of his cues here from American funk of the early 70s – work by Incredible Bongo Band, BT Express, and others – but he often serves up the music with a fair bit of conga work at the front of the arrangements, in a way that takes familiar tunes and gives them a much rootsier, earthier kind of groove! The approach is unique, but totally great – and the album's a funk album unlike anything else we can think of – quite unusual even for the experimental Japanese scene of the time. Titles include "Bongo Rock", "Pick Up The Pieces", "Do It Til You're Satisfied", "I've Got To Use My Imagination", "Let's Start", "Love Is The Answer", and "Boogie On Reggae Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A soundtrack project from tenorist Javon Jackson, and one that may well be our favorite album from him in years – as it really lets Javon explore all these different sounds, shapes, and styles – while still working with a small combo that makes for a very unified vibe on the entire record! The set mixes a few non-soundtrack titles with the shorter numbers from the film, really expanding the palette – and overall, things have this soulful, swinging quality that almost reminds us of the spirit of some of the soundtrack material by Bill Lee from many years back – equally evocative, lyrical, and well-performed – by a quintet that features Gregg Glassman on trumpet, Jeremy Mansaia on piano, David Williams on bass, and either Charles Gold or McClenty Hunter on drums. Titles include "The Game", "Brother G", "Never Let Me Go", "In The Studio", "CB", "D Town", "In The Clouds", "On The Move", and "Amy's Theme". CD

A really fantastic record from vibist Khan Jamal – a musician who sometimes plays in a more intimate setting, but who here rises with a great sense of righteous power, in just the sort of group that can help him find new energy and soul in his music! The lineup is wonderful – with both alto and flute from Byard Lancaster, percussion from Omar Hill, piano from Bernard Sammul, bass from Reggie Curry, and drums from Dwight James – plus a bit of work from Sunny Murray on drums and Clifton Burton on harmonica on one track – all players who really hit that perfect Philly mix of spiritual jazz and soul, avant freedom and greater group focus! Jamal plays a bit of marimba next to his vibes – and all titles are nice and long originals, done for the date – including "The Known Unknown", "The Angry Young Men", "Nubian Queen", "Infinity", and "Lovely Afternoon". LP, Vinyl record album

Essential funk in a single set – three killer albums from James Brown's legendary backing group! First up is Food For Thought – the classic first album by The JBs – James Brown's Fred Wesley-led backing band, and the force behind most of his greatest records of the early 70s! The band are incredible at this point – sharper, harder, and funkier than just about any other combo around – and that includes all the thousands of groups in the funky 45 underground who were always trying to copy their sound, but never got things this right! Not only are the rhythms the stuff of legend – but the use of the instruments is far far above the norm – as can be heard on the mindblowing "The Grunt", which was sampled heavily by Public Enemy to great fame – and which features a saxophone solo that sounds more like a whistling tea kettle! The set collects some of the group's best early singles, and includes all of the short little funky cuts that made them a legend right out of the box – "Pass the Peas", "The Grunt", "These Are The JBs", "Hot Pants Road", "Wine Spot", "To My Brother", "Blessed Blackness", "Theme From King Heroin", "Escapism (parts 1 & 2), and "Gimme Some More" – all together here in one tight little album of massive funky hard beats and breaks! Doing It To Death is an incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter segues between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker". Last up is Damn Right I Am Somebody – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. The grooves then kick in – with the same heavy funk as on earlier records, but also a nice nod towards experimental production – from strange fade ups and fade downs, to stark time and rhythm changes, and even bits of electronics used to create some very cool moments in the grooves! The whole thing's as dead funky as can be, and is stuffed with insane classics like "Blow Your Head", "Same Beat", "Damn Right I am Somebody", "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'", and a great cover of Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love to Ball"! CD

A seminal set from Linton Kwesi Johnson – the record that maybe pushed him over the top, and really marked him as one of the strongest new voices in reggae at the end of the 70s! Linton's a poet, not a singer – but his style is also more focused and clear in comparison to some of the dee jay material of the generation, which not only helped to get his messages across very strongly, but also open ears to his music that might not have otherwise been listening to material of this nature. Of course, it also helped that the set was issued by Island Records at a time when it seemed they could do no wrong – but the record is definitely Johnson's own, as he wrote both the words and music, and produced with some great help from Dennis Bovell on mixing. Titles include "It Noh Funny", "Sonny's Lettah", "Independent Intavenshan", "Fite Dem Back", "Reality Poem" and "Forces of Vicktry", plus "Want Fi Goh Rave", and "Time Come". This set features a bonus LP of dubs and mixes, and added artwork too! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut by reedman Rudolph Johnson – a hell of a saxophonist, and one with a great ability to combine the spiritual with the searing – a bit like Joe Farrell at his CTI best, but not as freewheeling – nicely focused, and a little bit funky in all the right parts – in ways that make this album one of the real standouts on the legendary Black Jazz label! The groove is nice and hard, and plenty dark – with lots of sharp edges around the offbeat rhythms, and a "bite" that makes the album one of the heaviest titles on the label. Other players include John Barnes on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Ray Pounds on drums – and titles include the great "Diswa", which has sort of of a tight jazzy hip hop sample feel to it, plus "Mr TJ", "Little Daphne", and "Spring Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most intense work we've ever heard from composer/reedman Darius Jones – a set of longer works, recorded live in Vancouver – with a style that mixes core jazz instrumentation with some added string elements that really send things over the top! There's plenty of free improvisation going on here – and the alto of Jones sounds especially nice next to the skittish drums of Gerald Cleaver – as the duo find strong interplay with the work of Jesse and Josh Zubot on violins, Peggy Lee on cello, and James Meger on bass! All the string instruments are hardly any sort of string quartet – and instead, they come across with those freer improv modes unlocked during the loft jazz generation of the 70s – really exploding here with a sense of united majesty and individual expression. Titles include "Zubot", "Damon & Pythias", "Rainbow", and "Fluxus V5T 1S1". CD

Some of the most intense work we've ever heard from composer/reedman Darius Jones – a set of longer works, recorded live in Vancouver – with a style that mixes core jazz instrumentation with some added string elements that really send things over the top! There's plenty of free improvisation going on here – and the alto of Jones sounds especially nice next to the skittish drums of Gerald Cleaver – as the duo find strong interplay with the work of Jesse and Josh Zubot on violins, Peggy Lee on cello, and James Meger on bass! All the string instruments are hardly any sort of string quartet – and instead, they come across with those freer improv modes unlocked during the loft jazz generation of the 70s – really exploding here with a sense of united majesty and individual expression. Titles include "Zubot", "Damon & Pythias", "Rainbow", and "Fluxus V5T 1S1". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the greatest album ever cut by pianist Duke Jordan – a seminal force in bop, both for his writing and playing – but an artist who rarely ever got the chance to work as a leader! This session's a prime bit of lost Blue Note – with an unusual and edgey lineup that includes Dizzy Reece on trumpet, Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Reggie Workman on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all coming together under Jordan's direction. The set's got a wonderfully classic feel – a mix of hardbop with slightly more lyrical leanings, and a few darker undercurrents – heard to best effect in Jordan's writing, which reminds us of some of his work on French soundtracks from the same time. Titles include "Deacon Joe", "Si-Joya", "Flight To Jordan", and "Squawkin". CD

Quite possibly the greatest album ever cut by pianist Duke Jordan – a seminal force in bop, both for his writing and playing – but an artist who rarely ever got the chance to work as a leader! This session's a prime bit of lost Blue Note – with an unusual and edgey lineup that includes Dizzy Reece on trumpet, Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Reggie Workman on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all coming together under Jordan's direction. The set's got a wonderfully classic feel – a mix of hardbop with slightly more lyrical leanings, and a few darker undercurrents – heard to best effect in Jordan's writing, which reminds us of some of his work on French soundtracks from the same time. Titles include "Deacon Joe", "Si-Joya", "Flight To Jordan", and "Squawkin". CD features two bonus tracks – "Diamond Stud" and "I Should Care". CD