Maybe the deepest, darkest album ever recorded by Danny Brown – a set done at a time when the rapper was at a personal crossroads, and responded to some changes in his life with some incredibly powerful tracks! The production feels more textured and layered than some of Danny's other albums – and the lyrics open up in ways that are very personal, but very sharply pointed as well – echoed by key contributions from Kassa Overall, Mike, and Bruiser Wolf along the way! Titles include "Tantor", "Shakedown", "Hanami", "Bass Jam", "Down Wit It", "Celibate", "Jenn's Terrific Vacation", "YBP", and "Dark Sword Angel". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most obscure work ever recorded by Lebanese singer/songwriter Roger Fakhr – late 70s recordings that were originally only circulated on tape within a small community of friends and supporters, and material that has a vibe that almost feels like some of the best late 60s material from the American scene! Roger sings in this beautifully moody vocal style that's maybe somewhere between Bill Fay and Fred Neil – and the instrumentation, while gentle, is also well-pointed – so that slight electric elements mix with acoustic guitar in a very cool way, and always with a sense of arrangement and production that really distances these tracks from any sort of home recordings or demos. Plus, vocals are in English throughout – which furthers the Cali vibe of the material – and the whole thing could well be the record that gets the rest of the world to pay attention to Fakhr's overlooked genius! Titles include "Down To My Bones", "You Look So Funny", "Had To See Harry", "Drinking Tea", "Rainhill", "Road Of Farewell", and "East Of Any Place". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic chapter in the career of the legendary Bill Fay – material that might have formed a lost third album, had any record company chosen to respond at the time – and which, presented here, really serves to illuminate a lost chapter in Bill's musical lineage! The set has Fay working with a small group of younger musicians who were originally fans who were disappointed that Decca never released another album after Bill's first two – so they got in touch, and set about helping Fay find a new vision in his music with their help! The sound is often stark and lean, with more of an edge than Fay's first two records – still graced with those enigmatic vocals and really haunting songwriting, but with moodier elements that really give the music some bite. The original batch of recordings has been expanded out here by a number of other rare recordings from the same time – really unique bits of varying length – and if you love Fay's music, you'll find plenty to love within! LP, Vinyl record album

New Train Same Rider is a set that has Tom T Hall maybe bringing a bit more sentiment to the mix than before – hitting some of those tunes that are still as reflective as his other work, but maybe a bit less pointedly critical – maybe showing a warmer side of Hall as his songwriting career continued to flourish. Yet the album's also got a few key cuts that are really great, too – including his great commentary on all the outlaw singers who were recording outside Nashville – and his great ode to whiskey. Titles include "Burning Bridges", "Dark Hollow", "I'd Rather Die Young", "May The Force Be With You Always", "Come On Back To Nashville", "Mabel You Have Been A Friend To Me", and "I Wish I Loved Somebody Else". LP, Vinyl record album

Striking sounds from Michel Magne – an artist who's best known for his groovy soundtracks of the 60s – but who steps out here with a rare experimental set from the late 50s! The style is very much in keeping with the most compelling of the postwar generation in France – as Magne mixes together electronic and acoustic sounds with amazing power – modes that are sometimes as spacious as Pierre Henry, other times as sonically powerful as Xenakis – yet always very much Michel's own unique musical vision! Instrumentation includes some great cymbalum, plus piano, violin, vibes, and percussion – as well as some amzing vocalizations from Jaqueline Dano and Christiane Legrand. Titles include "Memoire D'Un Trou", "Self Service", "Concertino Triple", "Meta Mecanique Saccadee", "Larmes En Sol Pleureur", and "Pointes De Feu Amorties Au Dolsal". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from Moody – and a larger session than usual – one that shows his strong talents with an expanded lineup! Moody's working here with players that have a definite Dizzy Gillespie Big Band bent – including trumpeter Dave Burns, trombonist William Shepherd, baritonist Pee Wee Moore, and pianist Jimmy Boyd – but they're working with Moody in a groove that's got equal parts modern alongside the bop, in a way that makes for some complicated arrangements that bristle with electricity. There's almost a bit of Gigi Gryce or Benny Golson in the spirit of the set – and Moody's work on alto is an especially good example of this on the record. Eddie Jefferson makes a great vocal appearance on "Disappointed" – and other tracks include "Little Ricky", "Big Ben", "Show Eyes", "Hard To Get", and "And You Called My Name". LP, Vinyl record album

Gregory Porter arrives on Blue Note Records – and the result is Porter's most fully-formed set so far – just the kind of album that will push him firmly into the limelight – a place that we've felt he's deserved for quite a few years! Porter's a hell of a singer, and a hell of a songwriter too – and although his roots are in jazz, he's got a rare ability to step between genres with plenty of soul – a special space that belongs to a very rare few – like Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, or Gil Scott-Heron! Gregory's voice is amazing, his lyrics are both personal and pointed – and he does so much here with so little, the album should be handed out to the hundreds of mis-directed vocalists who think that a few extra tweaks in the studio is all they really need. Most numbers just feature small combo backing, with wonderfully warm piano from Chip Crawford – and the whole thing's got a timeless feel that makes us think this is the beginning of a rich new season for Porter. Titles include "Free", "Water Under Bridges", "Lonesome Lover", "Liquid Spirit", "No Love Dying", "Brown Grass", "When Love Was King", and "Wind Song". This great 3LP deluxe version features special guest bonus tracks on the fifth side – Water Under The Bridge" with Laura Mvula, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" with Jamie Cullum and "Grandma's Hands" with Ben L'Oncle Soul – plus Rainer & Grimm, Claptone, 20syl, St Germain and Knuckle G remixes on the sixth side! LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Diana Ross – a set that's got a great mix of smooth grooves and tight soul numbers – all handled by 70s superproducer Richard Perry – and set to arrangements from Gene Page! Ross has this confident way of serving up the vocals, but an approach that's not nearly as diva-centric as some of her other work of the period – this almost relaxed style at times, which is even more captivating than usual, and some of her most compelling material on record from the time. The title track "Baby It's Me" actually is a pretty funky number – almost in the funky Pointer Sisters mode – with heavy bass popping a break on the intro, and some nice Hotel Sheet work by Jack Ashford – and other titles include "Too Shy To Say", "You Got It", "Getting Ready For Love", "Top Of The World", "All Night Lover", and "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh". LP, Vinyl record album

David Ruffin at the height of his solo powers – working in that mature mix of soul and strings that made him one of the more sophisticated Motown talents of the time! The set's produced and arranged by Van McCoy – at a level that's maybe more Philly soul than the Detroit sounds of David's roots – and the singer's vocals open up beautifully as he hits a few upbeat groovers, and some especially nice midtempo tracks that really make the album shine! McCoy also wrote most of the songs, too – and titles include the classic "Walk Away From Love", one of Ruffin's sweetest numbers ever – plus the tracks "Who I Am", "Wild Honey", "Statue Of A Fool", "Heavy Love", "It Takes All Kind Of People To Make A World", "Love Can Be Hazardous To Your Health", and "The Finger Pointers". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Too Short, and like the first, a set that firmly established both the Cali scene and the Bay Area as a hotbed of harder-hitting hip hop! And sure, there were countless later gangsta acts that slide into the sorts of cliches that often marred the genre – but back at the start, folks like Too Short, Ice T, and NWA were really exploding with a sense of message that was quite a surprise to anyone whose ears were pointed to the east – really opening the door for countless other scenes to add their two cents – including the big wave that would soon rise from the south. The whole thing still sounds surprisingly fresh all these many years later – and titles include "Life Is Too Short", "I Ain't Trippin", "Nobody Does It Better", "Cuss Words", "City Of Dope", "Don't Fight The Feelin", "Rhymes", and "Pimp The Ho". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by Glenn Frey, Patti La Belle, Pointer Sisters, Rick James, Shalamar, Danny Elfman, Junior, and The System. LP, Vinyl record album

With Helen Reddy, Johnny Cash, Pointer Sisters, Judy Collins, Madeline Kahn, Ray Charles, Lena Horne, and Jose Feliciano. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best later albums by Chocolate Milk – a bit different than their earlier work with Allen Toussaint, but still bouncing along in a sweet 80s groove, with more than enough traces of their roots as a funky combo! Leo Nocentelli's sitting in on guitar, adding some nice licks to keep some tracks a bit more firmly grounded in a New Orleans funk tradition, alongside some more modern production touches – and the album's got a compelling vibe that's partly pointed towards the boogie generation of the 80s, but with a heavier funk component overall! Titles include "Let's Go All The Way", "Like My Lady's Love", "Honey Bun", "Running On Empty", "Blue Jeans", and a version of Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long". LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo set from Peter Gabriel – and a record that was quite a surprise upon initial release – kind of a stripped-down variant of the energy that Gabriel brought to his early work with Genesis, presented in a nicely lean way that allowed for all the best focus on his key ideas! The style here is light years away from the last moments Gabriel was with Genesis – although there's still a few nice touches of the Lamb Lies Down generation, too – and the vocals are more pointed, more focused, and arguably more personal too. Instrumentation holds up better than you might expect – especially as there was no move at all to nod to the nascent punk generation – and titles include the hit "Solsbury Hill", plus "Modern Love", "Slowburn", "Humdrum", "Waiting For The Big One", "Down The Dolce Vita", and "Here Comes The Flood". LP, Vinyl record album

Written by Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie, with Quincy Jones producing! Includes the all-star title track plus selections by Chicago, Huey Lewis & The News, Steve Perry, The Pointer Sisters, Prince & The Revolution, Kenny Rogers, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner. LP, Vinyl record album

Genius early work from reedman Marion Brown – an album that was originally only issued overseas, where it was recorded – as part of that legacy that's always had Brown getting a lot more attention in Europe than back at home! Yet the record's a monster that stands equally with Marion's seminal sides for Impulse and ESP – and is maybe even bolder than both of them, as Brown blows alto in a loose trio – with Maarten Van Altena on bass and Han Bennink on drums – in a mode that definitely puts the "free" in free jazz – recorded before the start of both FMP and BYG! Yet there's also that sensitive, soulful quality that makes Brown so great – that element in the music that's always had recordings like these as key pointers forwards to the loft jazz years on the NYC scene – a brilliant blend of freedom and inner spirit – on titles that include "Sound Structure", "QBIC", "Porto Novo", and "Similar Limits". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly any "recycling" going on here – as Taj Mahal takes bluesy roots and turns them in a whole new direction for the 70s, evolving the music way past the level most other bluesmen were working in at the time! At some level, Mahal's style is far more rootsy than most early 70s blues artists – often more acoustic guitar and percussion than you'd expect – but there's also a looser, freer presentation of the material – opened up a lot more than any delta bluesman from many years back, and often touched with some jazzier inflections on some of the phrasing. Plus, the music here features some unusual elements from time to time – including kalimba, tuba, banjo, and even some backing vocals by The Pointer Sisters. The album was recorded live, with a nicely organic feel – and titles include "A Free Song", "Corinna", "Conch Close", "Kalimba", "Bound To Love Me Some", "Richochet", "Gitano Negro", "Cakewalk Into Town", and "Texas Woman Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The sweet and the raw – the trumpet of Harry Sweets Edison and the tenor of Eddie Lockjaw Davis – brought together here in a standout small group session for Pablo! The set's got an unusual element in that it features some electric bass from Harvey Newmark – who plays in an otherwise acoustic setting, but gives the tunes maybe this light little bounce – a hint of funk at times, with a rolling element that makes the whole thing a bit different than just a rehash of the old days. Also noteworthy is pianist Dolo Coker, who plays mostly acoustic piano – with that pointed tone that was always such a unique approach – and who also handles a bit of Fender Rhodes, but in a completely different way. Even when Newmark's playing acoustic bass, he's still got a great round tone that really drives the set – and the group's completed by the excellent Jimmie Smith on drums. Titles include "Simply Sweets", "Feelings", "Opus Funk", "Lax", "Miz Kitty's Blues", and "One For The Count". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic 70s work by Ahmad Jamal – the kind of record you look for for years, and are always disappointed when you end up buying a more straight-ahead session! The album features Jamal on both Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano – working in a trio format, plus percussion, with some occasional additional backgrounds arranged by Richard Evans. The tracks are long, loping, and with a very strong soul jazz approach that builds on Jamal's advances of the 60s. Titles include "Death & Resurrection", "Swahililand", "Eclipse", "Pastures", and "Dialogue". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from that second chapter on the California scene – that moment when the big initial wave of successful groups had rose and broke, leaving behind all sorts of new creative partnerships! This set's a great example of one of those – as Jefferson Airplane members Paul Kantner and Grace Slick come together with David Freiberg of Quicksilver Messenger Service – then open the door to a whole host of guests who really help make the whole thing an all-star Bay Area affair! You can definitely hear some echoes of Quicksilver, especially some of the more down to earth modes of the later records by that group – which fit perfectly with the vocals – and the lineup features work by Jerry Garcia on guitar on most tracks, plus Mickey Hart on percussion, Papa John Creach on violin, Jorma Kaukonen on guitar, Jack Casady on bass, The Pointer Sisters on backup vocals, and even David Crosby on guest vocals on one track. Titles include "White Boy", "Fishman", "Sketches Of China", "Ballad Of The Chrome Nun", "Flowers Of The Night", and "Across The Board". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever live album from Joni Mitchell – and a record that sounds a fair bit different than a concert set might have during the Reprise years – as Joni's got plenty of help from Tom Scott & The LA Express, who bring a tight yet intimate vibe to the proceedings! Joni's definitely a superstar at this point – as you might guess from the size of the amphitheater on the cover – but she's also got an even stronger ability to come across with a personal, pointed style – one that's very different than the overblown hype of so many other 70s live albums. The set includes a few tracks not yet on albums, and a nice mix of material – including the live version of "Big Yellow Taxi" that ended up as a hit single – and the cuts"You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "Blue", "Woman Of Heart & Mind", "Both Sides Now", "Real Good For Free", "Jericho", "Circle Game", "Cactus Tree", "The Last Time I Saw Richard", "People's Parties", and "Woodstock". LP, Vinyl record album

A solid bit of heavy funk – and one of the last strong-selling soundtracks of the blacksploitation era! Sure, you know the hit "Car Wash", but there's plenty of other great numbers that rank the 2LP set right up there with the best of its genre. There's a lot of nice instrumentals on the album that feature a tight smooth funky sound – with good work on clavinet, wah wah guitar, and horns – all quite different than the usual work of Whitfield and Rose Royce at the time. The group do a good job on the vocal cuts, working in that soulful early 70s Motown mode that Whitfield was working on with other acts – and the whole album's as great a debut for Rose Royce as anyone could have hoped for. Features the hit title cut, plus "I Wanna Get Next To You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "I'm Going Down", "Crying", "Doing What Comes Naturally", and "Righteous Rhythm". The Pointer Sisters sing on one track, "You Gotta Believe". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece of sweet group soul! This was the first secular record cut by The Voices Of East Harlem – a group who'd had an earlier gospel-tinged album on Elektra, but who are soaring out here in a brilliant mix of righteous mainstream soul styles – courtesy of the Curtom power team of Rich Tufo, Leroy Hutson, and Curtis Mayfield! The album's an unusual non-Curtom effort by the Hutson and Curtom – who collaborated in producing the record with Tufo, who himself did most of the arrangements with Hutson – in a mode that's wonderfully in the same spirit as Leroy's seminal work for Curtom in the mid 70s. There's a depth here that makes the album one of our favorite-ever soul records from the 70s – brilliant not just for the overall sound, but also for the pointed lyrics and really personal feel of the songs. Lead vocals shift between the different tunes – but are mostly handled by Gerri Griffin and Monica Burress, with warm support by the rest of the group. Titles include "Giving Love", "Cashing In", "Could This Be Love", "New Vibrations", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". LP, Vinyl record album

With Jeffrey Osbourne, Smokey Robinson, Kashif, Kenny G, Howard Hewitt, and June Pointer. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the biggest hits of the early/mid 80s! Features Tears For Fears, Wham, Bryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen, Sade, Hall & Oates, Pointer Sisters, Cyndi Lauper, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Singer Lisa Decker shares the set with two different groups – Nautilus on one side, and Saturnvybz on the other – both of whom provide some great grooves for her vocals! Nautilus have a style that's nice and lean – a core funky trio with lots of sweet keyboards that slide in warmly, and resonate strongly alongside Decker's presentation of the lyrics. Saturnvybz are a bit more guitar-based, and bring out a different quality in Lisa's voice – maybe a bit more pointed, yet still as powerful – balancing things out nicely. Nautilus tunes include "Free", "Let's Wake Up", "Rimy Whitewater", and "Summer Child". Saturnvybz tracks include "Stay With Me", "Love & Hope", and "On My Way". LP, Vinyl record album

The cover's got an image of Frank Sinatra from later years, but the music here is all from the singer's early days as a solo act on Columbia Records – material that has the great one really reinventing the role of the male voice in American music, especially on well-crafted ballads and love songs like these! Sinatra's already amazingly mature for the time – a master of pointed understatement who blows away just about all of his 40s competition – on Columbia classics that include "I Dream Of You", "I Have But One Heart", "The Girl That I Marry", "Lost In The Stars", "If I Forget You", "Mam'Selle", "Put Your Dreams Away", and "It Never Entered My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

The Blue Note debut of tenorist Walter Smith III – a player who's been making great music for almost 20 years on record, yet who really seems to push himself even more here! The album seems to mark a new chapter in Smith's music, and one that also really has a distinct voice on the tenor as well – a mode that's pointed and personal, yet sometimes understated too – at a level that has Walter's role in the rest of the group's sound as important to his individual presence as a soloist. The group sparkles with work from Taylor Eigsti on piano, Matt Stevens on guitar, Harish Ragavan on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums – and Ambrose Akinmusire guests on trumpet on one key track too. But throughout, the vision is that of Smith – not just for his own horn, but that of the whole group – as they move through tunes that include "Shine", "Contra", "Lamplight", "Mother Stands For Comfort", and "Pup Pow". LP, Vinyl record album

A prog group from Caracas, but one who've also got elements in their music that hints at changing styles in the decade to come – including some nicely digital elements on some of the keyboards, and a way of compressing things down to help the music soar even more than it otherwise might! Make no mistake, these guys are still masterful musicians, and really have their chops down right from the start – but they also have this great way of thinking a bit more forward, and letting lead singer Pedro Castillo come in with some occasional more pointed vocal passages too. Lyrics are all in Spanish, and titles include "Atabal Yemal", "Anhelos", "Presencias Y Ausencias", "Cascada", and "Las Olas". LP, Vinyl record album

The album's no breakout for the Pointer Sisters, as the trio were already at the top of the charts when the set was released – but the whole thing does find a great way to keep the grooves coming in the group's lasting relationship with producer Richard Perry! There's plenty of 80s elements here – basslines, beats, and keyboards – moving the group way past some of the club and pop modes of the 70s – and keeping them perfectly poised for long-term crossover fame for years to come! Case in point is the album's long-running hit "Jump (For My Love)", nestled alongside other cuts that include "Automatic", "I'm So Excited", "I Need You", "Neutron Dance", "Easy Persuasion", "Baby Come And Get It", "Telegraph Your Love", and "Operator". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic debut of The Pointer Sisters – an album that's a lot deeper than most of their crossover pop from years to come! At the time of the album's release, the trio were a badass group of female singers on the Bay Area scene – out to redefine the role of the girl group in soul – working not only with righteous power that was a real change from modes of the 60s – but also this trans-temporal quality that had them reaching back with ease for references from decades past, which also includes a surprising amount of jazz! The highlight here is the group's classic funky break version of Allen Toussaint's "Yes We Can Can" – and other titles include "Naked Food", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Sugar", "Pains & Tears", "Jada", "River Boulevard", and "Cloudburst". LP, Vinyl record album

The Pointer Sisters show plenty of rockish influences here – drawing tunes from folks like Ian Hunter, Bruce Springsteen, Graham Parker, Jagger & Richards, and Robbie Robertson – and fusing their compositions with the trio's own soulful energy! Richard Perry produced, and the album's one of his ultimate efforts for the group – filled with plenty of guitar leads from Waddy Wachtel and Dan Dugmore, which fuzz things up nicely underneath the girls' vocals. Titles include their hit reading of "She's Got The Fever" – plus "Who Do You Love", "Turned Up To Late", "Don't Let A Thief Steal Into Your Heart", "The Shape I'm In", "Dreaming As One", and "All Your Love". Also includes the bonus track "Nothin But A Heartache". LP, Vinyl record album

A great step into the 80s for The Pointer Sisters – a record that has them bringing in themes that are a bit more soulful than some of their previous efforts! The album's still got all the big crossover potential of their other hits – but the groove's got a solidly soulful vibe overall – plenty catchy, and with some great 80s elements bubbling underneath – more than enough to freshen up their sound, and give the trio great new territory to work through! Titles include the mega-hit "Slow Hand" – plus "Sweet Lover Man", "We're Gonna Make It", "What A Surprise", "Got To Find Love", "Fall In Love Again", "Should I Do It", and "Someday We'll Be Together". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums that drummer Pete LaRoca ever made as a leader – and a gem through and through! LaRoca had a touch on the drums that was unlike anyone else – free, but never "out" – and in a flowing, progressive style that pointed the way towards the sound of jazz in the 70s, but which was still firmly rooted in the soulful style of the 60s. The album's filled with beautiful flowing waves of sound – and features lead solos by Joe Henderson, strong piano lines by Steve Kuhn, and some great round basswork by Steve Swallow. The feel of the set's somewhere in the vein of Larry Young's work at the time – never too "out", but much more flowing and free than the typical Blue Note. Tracks include "Basra", "Tears Come From Heaven", and "Candu". A fantastic album, with a unique approach! LP, Vinyl record album

Greg's definitely showing off all his chops on this one – working with help from a huuuge array of famous guest stars – including The Pointer Sisters, James Ingram, Howard Hewett, Jackie Jackson, Michael Jackson, Robbie Nevil, and others. And while the bulk of the record really shows the influence of these mainstream 80s soul artists – and not always in a good way – the record also sports a brilliant tune done with Donald Fagan of Steely Dan, the sweetly grooving "Lazy Nina", which sounds like the best work off Fagan's Nightfly, and has Greg and Don duetting on vocals! Titles include "Behind The Mask", "Signals", "Shake It", "Countdown To Love", "Come As You Are", and "Playin With Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

Features tracks by Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwoods, Ramones, Ralph Burns, Nicolette Larson, Vanity 6, and June Pointer. LP, Vinyl record album

Although Archie Bell & The Drells had recorded earlier with Gamble & Huff on Atlantic, this is their first album for the team's own label – and it's a killer! In a way, Archie and group were sort of responsible for getting Gamble & Huff their own famous imprint in the first place – because their work with the team on Atlantic yielded some instant hits that really pointed the way towards the hit Gamble & Huff style of the 70s, and that sound is brought up-to-date nicely on this LP. The record really retains the strong vocal sound of earlier years – and has some of the best harmonies the band ever recorded, very much in the mode of The O'Jays or Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. McFadden & Whitehead and Bunny Sigler wrote most of the material, backing is by the Instant Funk group, and the Gamble & Huff team handled production on all cuts. Titles include "Let's Groove", "I Won't Leave You Honey, Never", "Let's Groove", "The Soul City Walk", "Dance Your Troubles Away", and "I Love You (But You Don't Even Know It)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last great pop records from Donna Summer – thanks to super huge radio and video play for the title cut – and to a huge amount of tuneful tracks put together by producer/arranger Michael Omartin! By this point, Summer isn't trying to fool anyone that she's a deeper soul artist – and has really relaxed into a reworking of her previous 70s disco mode – a catchier, more crossover-pointed style that kept Donna's fire going a lot stronger than most of her club diva contemporaries from the decade before. Titles include "She Works Hard For The Money", "Woman", "Stop Look & Listen", "Tokyo", "People People", and "I Do Believe". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by Al Jarreau, Quarterflash, Rod Stewart, Talk Talk, Pointer Sisters, Burt Bacharach, Marshall Crenshaw, Heaven 17, and Rufus & Chaka Khan. LP, Vinyl record album

Do yourself a favor, and splurge on this album – you won't be disappointed! The record is a gem all the way through – a really unique mixture of LA soul jazz and African rhythms, with a sound that's almost like Hugh Masekela sitting in with the Jazz Crusaders! Of course, there's a lot of Jazz Crusaders in the set – as Wilton Felder plays electric bass on the album, giving it a fantastic loping groove – but there's also plenty of unique albums on the record, especially its way of approaching the rhythms with a sly, syncopated groove that's immediately infectious! Duke's trumpet solos are great, and they're augmented by tenor work by Chester Washington and trombone by George Bohannon – all nicely grooving on the album's brilliant blend of jazzy tracks. Titles include "Jungle Funk", "Afrikaloo", "Akagruge", "Like It Is", "Mafam", and "Peace Brother". Somebody put this one on CD – and do us all a treat! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album by the self-appointed King Of The Boogaloo! Pete's late 60s sides for Alegre are some really incredible records – and this album's one of the best of the bunch, stuffed with tight groovy tracks that really have the whole band going to town! Percussion steps around piano, bass, and vocals with incredible ease – and most cuts have English lyrics, done in a very catchy, party-type style that makes the album swing instantly. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Guagaloo", "Pete's Boogaloo", and "Do the Boogaloo". If someone asked you what the definition of Latin Soul was, this would be the album to play for them! LP, Vinyl record album