A seminal session from the St Louis scene of the early 70s – one that was humming nearly as much as Chicago was with the AACM at the time! As with the larger organization in the Windy City, St Louis had the Black Artists Group – of which Julius Hemphill was a key member, forming fresh new ideas in improvisatory jazz with players who went onto have an undeniable impact on the global scene as well. This album's one of the standout recordings of the Black Artists era at its best – a record produced by Hemphill, but equally balanced between his own alto and flute, the trumpet of Baikida Carroll, cello of Abdul Wadud, and drums of Phillip Wilson – plus a bit of added baritone from Haimet Bluiett. The rhythms are quite open, but there's also a nice sense of structure to the record too – a bridge between spiritual and free jazz that prefaces the impact that both Hemphill and Bluiett would have on the New York loft jazz generation. Titles include "Dogon AD", "Rites", and "The Painter". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that begins with a drumbreak, then features electric piano from George Cables – all at a level that almost feels like Eddie Henderson has gone back to those sublime funky years of the mid 70s! Back in the day, the trumpeter's spacious approach to jazz funk really marked the start of a new era for the music – and since that time, Henderson's only gotten better and better in an acoustic setting too – really developing strongly since his initial appearance on spiritual sessions for others, with a range of expression that's on full display here! The album moves from the electric start to more acoustic modes – sometimes swinging, sometimes intimate – and Cables is a superb accompanist throughout, on both electric and acoustic keys – in a group that also features Donald Harrison on alto, Gerald Cannon on bass, and Lenny White on drums. Titles include "Scorpio Rising", "Why Not", "It Never Entered My Mind", "I Am Going To Miss You My Darling", and "Freedom Jazz Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent collaboration between two of Verve's best Brazilian artists of the late 60s – the groovy organist Walter Wanderley, and the breezy breathy vocalist Luiz Henrique! The set is a perfect example of the way that Verve took bossa playing and gave it a groovy production twist – turning it into something that was just a little bit different, in a mode that became America's best contribution to the bossa era! The legendary Sivuca puts in a great guest appearance on a few tracks – further enhancing the sound with his "singing" style of accordion work – and the whole thing bounces along in a magical groove that's hardly been duplicated again! Titles include a very unusual funk-based take on "Happy Birthday" – one that has a bit of a break to it – plus "Kee Ka Roo", "Popcorn" (not the Perry-Kingsley hit), "Florianopolis", "In My Automobile", "Dusty Road", and "Blue Island". LP, Vinyl record album

Early recordings by John Lee Hooker and his Coast To Coast Blues Band – recorded in Detroit in the late 40s through the early 50s. The Coast To Coast Blues Band may be a little misleading in the title, as the recordings find Hooker with only the sparest accompaniment on bass, drums, and guitar if any accompaniment at all – but it's the good kind of misleading, because you don't want anything getting in the way of the foot stomping, soulful blues vibe of John Lee Hooker on these early cuts! Anytime-Anytime-Anywhere is filled with that spare, intimate John Lee Hooker blues sound that came to represent so much of the the inner city gin joints of the era – on titles that include "Come Back Baby", "Forgive Me", "Street Is Filled With Women", "Moon Is Rising", "Turnin' Gray Blues", "Lord Taketh My Baby Away", "Throw This Old Dog A Bone", and "Welfare Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare funk treat from tenor sax jazz legend Joe Houston – working in a far funkier mode than usual for the obscure Big Town label! The lineup and production is heavy with 50s LA R&B names in it – including Ted Butler, Bo Rhambo and Larry Johnson – and sure enough, there's genuine prime era rhythm & blues DNA in some of the material, to say nothing of the incredible chops of all involved – but the overall sound is very modern 70s jazz, with some really funky cuts, too! The highlight is the two-part title track, "Kicking Back", which is a top shelf jazz funk groover – but the whole record is solid, with "T-Bone Disco", "Hawaiian Disco", "Trippin' In", "Mr. Big H", and "Why Don't You Rock Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Cube's anger goes full throttle on his second post NWA full-length. He takes every aspect of his social commentator standpoints to another level from his solo debut – the roles of the angry and educated leader, and the finger-pointing blamer each get their say here, and so do those furiously funky Lench Mob beats. One of the last great gangsta era records to be so propulsive and exciting – Dre's Chronic was waiting just around the corner to haze this sound out of the picture for good. Quite tough to find on wax in it's original pressing – includes "Givin Up The Nappy Dug Out", "The Funeral", "Wrong Ni**a To –- Wit", "My Summer Vacation", "No Vaseline" and "Steady Mobbin". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing innocent about this record – because the groove is hard and heavy, wild and trippy – a really heady brew of funky jazz and more psychedelic influences – all recorded with some weird sounds in the background too! The album's a great one from Japanese groove pioneer Takeshi Inomata – and it's almost a fusion of earlier 60s funky band jazz with some of the more tripped-out modes of the jazz rock era. Vamping rhythms and full-on organs are undercut by wiggy guitar parts and soaring organ lines – all augmented by spoken Japanese passages, sound effects, and production styles that abstract out some instruments into very unusual modes. There's plenty of soulful and funky moments throughout – and titles include "The Death Of Janis", "Child & I", "Blue", "Alone", and "Go For Nothing". LP, Vinyl record album

An early 90s contemporary hip hop-steeped street soul gem from Intro! Intro deftly introduce themselves with a style that was as timely as could be circa '93, and holds up with classic swagger today. While 90s hip hop soul styled beats and production finesse has a timeless shelf life in the best hands, some of the pop soul crossover efforts of the day didn't stay quite as fresh as Intro, whose affinity for their era with inspiration from groups like the Gap Band and the Isleys keeps it as fresh as ever. Includes the classic "Love Thang", "Let Me Be The One", "Anything For You", "Why Don't You Love Me", "It's All About You", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Don't Leave Me", "Come Inside", "One Of A Kind Love", and "So Many Reasons" – plus the New Life bonus tracks "My Love's The Way", "Feels Like The First Time" and "New Life". Production by Eddie "DJ Eddie F" Ferrell, Richard Nash and Kevin Woodley. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful records to come out of the early 70s – a tremendous indie effort from a young Weldon Irvine! Irvine put this album together as sort of a musical "time capsule" of his generation – an effort to capture the era's thoughts, feelings, and emotions through a mix of music, vocals, and a few spoken bits – all woven together in a way that changes moods nicely, but always keeps the same righteously spiritual vibe! Weldon plays keys that are both electric and acoustic throughout – and he's joined by a very hip batch of players who include Jimmy Owens, Lenny White, Alex Blake, George Cables, and others – all working here in a very rough-edged and soulful mode. Titles include the classic break track "Bananas", the sweet vocal number "Deja Vu",and the soul classic "Feelin' Mellow" – also covered by Fatback Band, but even better here in the original! Other tracks include "Soul Sisters", "Watergate Don't Bug Me", "Spontaneous Interaction", and "I Am". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful records to come out of the early 70s – a tremendous indie effort from a young Weldon Irvine! Irvine put this album together as sort of a musical "time capsule" of his generation – an effort to capture the era's thoughts, feelings, and emotions through a mix of music, vocals, and a few spoken bits – all woven together in a way that changes moods nicely, but always keeps the same righteously spiritual vibe! Weldon plays keys that are both electric and acoustic throughout – and he's joined by a very hip batch of players who include Jimmy Owens, Lenny White, Alex Blake, George Cables, and others – all working here in a very rough-edged and soulful mode. Titles include the classic break track "Bananas", the sweet vocal number "Deja Vu",and the soul classic "Feelin' Mellow" – also covered by Fatback Band, but even better here in the original! Other tracks include "Soul Sisters", "Watergate Don't Bug Me", "Spontaneous Interaction", and "I Am". LP, Vinyl record album

A once obscure Jackson 5 album – one that hails from 1979, but which features work from the early 70s – tracks recorded during the glory years of the group's best Motown era, seven of which were unissued at the time! The style is very different than the late 70s Jacksons material on Philly International – with some great elements that really expand past the three hits that are included – into deeper soul modes that show the group always willing to take on new challenges. Titles include "One Day I'll Marry You", "Oh I've Been Blessed", "Love's Gone Bad", "I Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore", "Just Because I Love You", and "I Was Made To Love Her". LP, Vinyl record album

Searing stuff – easily one of Etta James' greatest albums! The set is a non-stop jam, recorded live at the New Era Club in Nashville before a small and screaming crowd – a perfect performance all the way through, one that showcases Etta as she rarely sounded on vinyl during the 1960s. The whole album runs away like a train on fire, and it's filled with incredibly lively readings of tracks like "Something's Got A Hold On Me", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Money", "Seven Day Fool", and "Woke Up This Morning" – all taken at versions longer than the usual under-3 minute single takes! LP, Vinyl record album

Philadelphia Freedom from Elton John – a trio of tracks recorded with legendary Philly Soul producer Thom Bell, all with a Sigma Sound vibe that's quite different than most of John's other work at the time! In fact, although these tracks were recorded right at the height of the disco era, they're quite restrained and more focused on a soulful sound overall – in a style that's very similar to Davie Bowie's great Philly Soul recordings on the Young Americans album! MFSB, Bell & James, Bobby Eli, and many other key Philly talents are in the lineup – and titles include "Mama Can't Buy You Love", "Are You Ready For Love", and "Three Way Love Affair". This version features six tracks in all – more than the original EP release – including "Shine On Through", "Country Love Song", and "Nice & Slow". LP, Vinyl record album

A lesser-known later album from JJ Johnson – but a surprisingly great one too, recorded with a sense of fire and inspiration that's no doubt driven by the mighty Al Grey! At the time of this set, Johnson was hardly recording much jazz at all – but Grey was still burning strong, and managed to hold onto the soulful modes of his 60s years. Johnson produced the record, and most likely handled the charts – and the record shows his strong work in the studio through the late 60s into the 70s, with a tightness that's different than some of the other Pablo albums of the era. Other players include Ray Brown on bass, Kenny Barron on acoustic and electric piano, Mickey Roker on drums, and Dave Carey on percussion – and titles include "Soft Winds", "Let Me See", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Boy Meets Horn", "Doncha Hear Me Callin To Ya", and "Things Are Getting Better All The Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of 70s electric work from Quincy – and probably his funkiest album ever! Quincy's really stepping out here from the straighter and spacier styles of earlier records – going for more of the dirty grooves he was cutting up for soundtrack albums, and hitting notes that were a lot more fitting for the blacksploitation era. The record includes the massive funky track cut "Hikky-Burr", which was the theme to the first Bill Cosby Show, and which has a sinister groove, and some wild shouted lyrics! Also features two more great themes – "Ironside" and "The Anderson Tapes" – both of which have a cool electric sound to them, and the nice title cut, which actually features Quincy on vocals! Other tracks include "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "What's Going On", "Brown Ballad" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Jurassic 5 deliver thoroughly new school hip hop, but with an eye over their shoulder to the old school sound of groups like the Treacherous Three and Funky Four + 1. Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark keep the production nice and funky, but steer clear of the repetitive sound of that era, and MC's Chali 2na, Zaakir, Marc 7even, and Akil do a nice job of updating the old school 4-MC rhyming style. Imagine the best parts of the Wild Style soundtrack updated to 1997. 8 tracks on this version "Concrete Schoolyard", "Action Satisfaction", "Jayou", "Lesson 6: The Lecture", "Quality Control Part II", "Setup", "In The Flesh" and "Sausage Gut". LP, Vinyl record album

Pop culture baggage aside, this is some pretty mesmerizing stuff from Kanye West! Ye the album, if his persona hasn't turned you off by now, is a compelling effort from what we'll dub Kanye's "puzzle period" – this strange era of his recorded output that's a long time since his creative and popular breakthroughs, past the more challenging and complex work circa My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that enchanted critics and polarized fans, and just got more polarizing from there. The man is a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, hiding behind a Twitter handle but this might be very well be pop art genius...we'll see how it holds up over time! Pretty stripped down compared to some of his denser productions the past few years, and lyrically daunting, but oddly hypnotic all the way. Includes "I Thought About Killing You", "Yikes", "All Mine", "Wouldn't Leave" and "Ghost Town" with PartyNextDoor, "No Mistakes" and "Violent Crimes". LP, Vinyl record album

Pop culture baggage aside, this is some pretty mesmerizing stuff from Kanye West! Ye the album, if his persona hasn't turned you off by now, is a compelling effort from what we'll dub Kanye's "puzzle period" – this strange era of his recorded output that's a long time since his creative and popular breakthroughs, past the more challenging and complex work circa My Beautiful Dark Twisted Family that enchanted critics and polarized fans, and just got more polarizing from there. The man is a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, hiding behind a Twitter handle but this might be very well be pop art genius...we'll see how it holds up over time! Pretty stripped down compared to some of his denser productions the past few years, and lyrically daunting, but oddly hypnotic all the way. Includes "I Thought About Killing You", "Yikes", "All Mine", "Wouldn't Leave" and "Ghost Town" with PartyNextDoor, "No Mistakes" and "Violent Crimes". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Decca album lead by the smoky vocals of Beverly Kenney – a really unique late 50s/early 60s jazz girl who once worked for the Dorsey brothers, the Count Basie Orchestra and others, and only ever cut a handful of albums under her own name! Sings for Playboys is an intimate, sultry batch of tunes that have a really unique feel thanks to the super spare accompaniment of just Ellis Larkins on piano and Joe Benjamin on bass. That approach does a great job of transforming your senses to the smoky, boozy after hours cabaret that must have been in mind when the recordings were conceived. The album only ever appeared briefly in the late 50s (possibly because of the unauthorized and quite obvious reference to Playboy Magazine in the title and in the cover photo) but it's sure great to see it reappear – they didn't make a lot records like this in the big band dominated recordings of the era! 12 tracks including "Do It Again", "A Woman's Intuition", "Mama, Do I Gotta?", "A Lover Like You", "A Summer Romance", "It's Magic", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An album that maybe marked the close of one chapter of The Kinks, and the start of another – music that still holds on to some of the best elements of their late 60s Village Green era, but which also moves the group into some of the headier territory of their Muswell Hill/RCA years too! Ray Davies has never sounded more earnest – still able to pull off wit when needed, but also more down to earth – and because of the massive title hit, the set was also one that put the group in front of the ears or more folks than had been hearing them in previous years. Titles include, of course, the mega-hit "Lola" – plus "This Time Tomorrow", "Apeman", "Strangers", "The Contenders", "Long Way From Home", "Rats", and "Top Of The Pops". LP, Vinyl record album

A standout classic from Fern Kinney – and a set that not only marked a big moment of evolution for southern soul, but also for the Mississippi scene as well! The set was recorded at the Malaco studios in Jackson, but has a vibe that's much closer to some of the TK Records material from Miami – that maturation of southern soul during the disco era – as warmer, more modern touches came into play with rootsier styles of vocals! Mike Lewis handled the string arrangements – giving the record the same disco vibe as some of his other work of the time, including Anita Ward's big debut – and Fern's vocals have this higher range than usual for a southern singer – almost more innately tuned towards clubby rhythms. Titles include a big hit remake of King Floyd's "Groove Me" – really marking the change from the original version – plus "Baby Let Me Kiss You", "Pillow Talk", "Sun Moon Rain", "Angel On The Ground", and "Under Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool album from the Japanese scene of the 80s – one that's much more experimental and creative than some of the city pop material of the time – with a shifting style of music that really keeps things interesting! Ryuichi Sakamoto helped with the first track on the set, which also rounds out the end of side one – and there's definitely elements of the YMO-era electro pop on the record, but mixed with more instrumental material that partly echoes the ambient sounds of the era – but also with more experimental material that's sometimes playful, sometimes a bit dark – almost echoing some of the hipper New York downtown experiments of the Laurie Anderson generation. Koharu Kisaragi handles most of the work herself - through a variety of keyboards, samples, and electronics next to her vocals – but there's also some live percussion, piano, bells, and recorder on the record too. Titles include "Neo Plant" in two versions – plus "Paraffin", "Bon Voyage", and "Traumerei". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's sometimes overlooked in the career of the legendary Eartha Kitt – a set that came out on MGM in the early 60s, after Kitt's initial rise to fame on RCA, and before taking off for a long stretch overseas! The set hints at the sound of that era a bit – and arrangements by Billy May and Bill Loose have this gently sophisticated style that fits the growing sophistication in Kitt's phrasing as she really develops her style. Songs follow the themes of her famous work – and titles include "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend", "Good Little Girls", "Never On Sunday", "Always True To You In My Fashion", "La Dolce Vita", "All I Want Is All There Is & Then Some", and "It's So Nice To Have A Man Around The House". LP, Vinyl record album

Jean Knight's classic – and a monumental album of funky female soul that was one of the best albums in the "second generation" Stax era! You probably know the title cut, as it was her biggest hit, and the inspiration for loads of "answer" songs (some of which came from the James Brown camp!) – but the whole album's great, and filled with raw female soul material produced by Wardell Quezquerque with an edge that's a bit harder than the usual Stax set of the time! Titles include "Mr Big Stuff", "Take Him", "Think It Over", "Your Six Bit Change", and "You City Slicker". LP, Vinyl record album

Kool Keith in fine form and in firm control, spinning wildly profane comic and cosmic wordplay as deftly as he has in years! Junkaz Lou is a solid production partner, laying down funky beats, lean, bright bits of keys and just spacey enough of an overall sound to frame Keith's freewheeling rhymes. Pairing lewd rhymes with creative metaphors, rolling from laugh out loud hilarious put downs to no one in particular to well-earned boasts on his own mic supremacy, Keith is at later era high point here. Includes "Cosmic Power", "Peter", "Rotary Engine", "Back Home" with Big Sche Eastwood, "Ultraman", "Push", "The Pivot", "She Can Play" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible early work by Nara Leao – some of the most groundbreaking vocals of the bossa era! The arrangements are by Luiz Eca, pianist of the Tamba Trio – and backing is by a small group that includes Eca, Dori Caymmi, and other jazz-tinged players. The overall quality of the backings sounds a lot more like an album recorded five years after the mid 60s – and Nara's mix of bohemian hip and honest bossa sincerity really makes the tracks sparkle wonderfully. Titles include "Samba Da Legalidade", "Canto Livre", "Corisco", "Carcara", "Aleluia", "Incelenca", and "Suite Dos Pescadores". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique later album from Peggy Lee – one that's so different than the brash confidence of her early material, and which shows her really perfecting that boozy, mature sound that she brought to a handful of gems like this! The album's got a truly adult approach to pop that was less concerned with chart placement than it was with getting over a more sophisticated level of expression – and Peggy turns out to be wonderfully well suited for this mode – a deeply emotive singer by this point, capable of bringing a deeper sense of life into younger tunes of the era, fleshing them out with the newer freedoms of the time, yet without going overboard. There's almost a Robert Altman sense of poise and adult grace to these tunes – arranged by Artie Butler with a careful simplicity, and sung by Peggy with some of the truest emotion of her days on record. Titles include "Love Song", "Razor", "When I Found You", "A Song For You", "It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone", "Someone Who Cares", and "Just For A Thrill". LP, Vinyl record album

From their inception in late 1956, Ramsey Lewis and his famous Young/Holt-era trio were destined for great jazz fame. This 1958 session on Mercury (then based in the group's native Chicago) catches the trio right at the beginning – when they were taking tunes that were pretty well known, and turning them into tight, jaunty, often comically-tinged soul jazz numbers that were very popular with the folks at the downtown clubs. As proof of that, the album features Lewis-arranged versions of many familiar favorites – including "Dark Eyes", "Come Back To Sorrento", "Greensleeves", and "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child". Also includes a few originals – like "We Blue It" and "Soul Mist". LP, Vinyl record album

A mixture of fusion and soul – with some hard-jamming tracks that bring sometimes brings more of a focus on the groove than the vocals – and other cuts that steer it into a solid pop soul approach! There's a warmth and depth to the production and the songwriting that's a pretty big step away from some of the more synthy sounding soul efforts of the era – definitely giving this album a lift – and Paul Jackson Jr plays a bit of guest guitar with the group – and Ollie E Brown drums a bit and produces a few of the tracks. Titles include "Together We Can Shine", "Intuition", "You're Lying", "Throw Away The Key", "There's Love", "Rise & Shine", and "Count On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The wonderful first solo album from Nils Lofgren – done with this lean, tight sound that's nicely different than his previous work with Grin – and which really lets Nils show off all the best sides of his vocals and guitar! The group is just a core trio with Wornell Jones on bass (later of solo funk fame) and the great Aynsley Dunbar on drums – a player whose compact energy really brings a nice kick to the tunes, without ever overdoing things at all! Nils himself is stunningly charming on vocals – and also handles guitar, piano, and organ – as well as backup vocals, through the magic of overdub. In an era of rock overindulgence, the intimacy of the record is a really welcome change – although Lofrgren manages to come across with a real fullness too – almost like Todd Rundgren's self-created projects. Titles include "Keith Don't Go", "Back It Up", "One More Saturday Night", "Be Good Tonight", "Can't Buy A Break", "Duty", and "The Sun Hasn't Set On This Boy Yet". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible batch of prime garage rock era nuggets from the Peruvian scene – fuzzy gems by the Saicos! The Saicos bring a sense of menace to these tunes – with a guitar tone touched with an eerie vibe, and lead vocals that are really piercing and gravelly in that instills this primordial edge that needs to be heard to be believed – but that balance it off with some moddish, British invasion grooves, too. The overall sound manages to blend both the heavy menace of cult acts like the Monks and the Seeds with the tunefulness of the Animals – and clear precursor the garage punk for decades to come! Titles include "Come On (Ven Aqui)", "Ana", "Demolicion", "Lonely Star (Estrella Solitaria)", "Cememterio", "Te Amo", "Fugitivo De Alcatraz", "Salvaje", "El Entierro De Los Gatos", "Besando A Otra" and "Intensamente". Comes with a great booklet, too! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record, filled with loads of cross-cultural influences that make for one of the most exotic Herbie Mann albums of the 60s! The group's billed as the Afro-Jazz Sextet– but has a strong Latin vibe as well – a bit of an echo of the experiments Herbie Mann did with Latin jazz previously on labels like Verve and United Artists – but given a bit more of the Atlantic-era punch here as well! The group features some wonderful vibes from John Rae – whose tones ring out beautifully on some of the best numbers – plus a mix of Latin and African-styled percussion from Ray Barretto, Olatunjii, and Ray Mantilla – who really make the record cook. A few tunes feature an added trumpet group, and the rest are mostly just flute and percussion – on titles that include "St Thomas", "Walkin", "Uhuru", "High Life", and "Sawa Sawa De". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest female soul albums of the end of the 70s – and the bold-voiced debut of the lovely Teena Marie! Even on this first album, Teena's got a depth that goes way beyond most of her contemporaries – a brashness that hits hard on the funkier cuts on the record, but also a soft smoothness that picks up cues from Minnie Riperton, and helps take that sound well into the 80s on a gentle groove. Rick James is firmly in control of the overall picture here, but what's really amazing is that the album echoes with a soulfulness that goes way beyond James' own party funk records of the era – a mature sensibility that marks out a space for Lady T right from the outset, and which marks her as a force to be reckoned with in soul music, even at the tender young age of 23! The record features 2 of Teena's greatest tracks – "I'm A Sucker For Your Love" and "De Ja Vu" – plus the titles "Turnin Me On", "Don't Look Back", and "I'm Gonna Have My Cake". LP, Vinyl record album

It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally "out there" as some of his other ones from this period, but it's a seminal release in Jackie's modernist period – and it's one of the hardest to find from the era. Filled with warmly wonderful original compositions like "Revillot", "Snuff", "Truth", and "Das Dat" – the record is unpacked and remodeled nicely by the trio of young players, aided by Jackie's moody alto, and given a great spin by Roy Haynes on drums. Striking cover, too – with a huge field of exclamation points! LP, Vinyl record album

It certainly was time – time for Jackie McLean to break out of his older bop mode, and hit a whole new level of playing with a tight group of "new thing" compatriots like Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Charles Tolliver on trumpet! The record isn't as totally "out there" as some of his other ones from this period, but it's a seminal release in Jackie's modernist period – and it's one of the hardest to find from the era. Filled with warmly wonderful original compositions like "Revillot", "Snuff", "Truth", and "Das Dat" – the record is unpacked and remodeled nicely by the trio of young players, aided by Jackie's moody alto, and given a great spin by Roy Haynes on drums. Striking cover, too – with a huge field of exclamation points! LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent Japanese LP that combines 2 of Gil Melle's rare 10" LPs for Blue Note: New Faces – New Sounds and The Gil Melle Quintet. The first LP features 2 different groups, and has Melle's haunting tenor playing amidst other bop-era modernists like Eddie Bert, Tal Farlow, George Wallington, and Max Roach. Tracks on this session include "The Gears", "October", "Cyclotron", and "Venus". The Quintet LP features Melle on tenor and baritone, playing with Tal Farlow and Urbie Green – and it includes the tracks "Timepiece", "Spellbound", and "Transition". Both sets are amazing, and the music is out-of-this world – with a sound that's unlike anything Blue Note ever did again, and which transcends any sort of traditional descriptions of jazz from the time. Very nice, and just about the only way you'll find this material on LP! LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Philly soul from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – a killer batch of studio tracks, despite the live image of the group on the cover! The album's got a slightly more expansive feel than some of the other Teddy Pendergrass-era albums by The Blue Notes – almost a mini-symphony of soul, and one that takes arrangements from Bobby Martin, Norman Harris, and Vince Montana – and wraps the vocals up in a soaring, righteous sort of feel! The rougher, more personal Teddy Pendergrass style of I Miss You is folded a bit more into the harmonies of the rest of the group here – and the result is a powerful wave of soul that pushes The Blue Notes right to the top of the pack. The album features classics like "The Love I Lost" and "Is There A Place For Me" – plus other nice material like "Concentrate On Me", "It All Depends On You", and "I'm Weak For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Gentle, breezy, and wonderful – a rare 1974 album by Osmar Milito, a Brazilian arranger of the post-bossa era, and a mad talent with a bit of a dark edge! The record takes all the airy brilliance of the previous Brazilian generation, and moves it forward with a different sense of space and sound – almost a transformation of the Deodato or Jobim style of arranging in the 60s, but with a much moodier feel overall. Miltio plays piano on the set – working in front of larger orchestrations in a mode that's not unlike the late 60s albums of Burt Bacharach, but fitted with some different touches that give the set a bit more of a groovy 70s sound. Titles include "Bonita", "Sangue Latino", "Viagem", "Eu Bebo Sim", and "Planalto Geral". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual chapter in the label-hopping career of Charles Mingus – a one-off date recorded for Mercury right after Mingus' legendary sessions for Columbia! The format here may well be Mingus' most ambitious to date – as the album features larger groups than before, exploring a range of musical ideas that run from Charles' own highly political expressions of the Civil Rights era to some of his landmark explorations of Duke Ellington! As always, the individual players in the group are given a strong voice in the proceedings – and the record bristles with energy from solos by Ted Curson, Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Jimmy Knepper, Yusef Lateef, and a young Joe Farrell – as well as vocal performances by Lorraine Cousins, who sings on the classic "Weird Nightmare" and the haunting "Eclipse". A tremendous record throughout – filled with life, imagination, and boundless creativity – with titles that include "Mingus Fingus no. 2", "Weird Nightmare", "Eclipse", "Bemoanable Lady", "Half Mast Inhibition", and "Prayer for Passive Resistance". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual chapter in the label-hopping career of Charles Mingus – a one-off date recorded for Mercury right after Mingus' legendary sessions for Columbia! The format here may well be Mingus' most ambitious to date – as the album features larger groups than before, exploring a range of musical ideas that run from Charles' own highly political expressions of the Civil Rights era to some of his landmark explorations of Duke Ellington! As always, the individual players in the group are given a strong voice in the proceedings – and the record bristles with energy from solos by Ted Curson, Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Jimmy Knepper, Yusef Lateef, and a young Joe Farrell – as well as vocal performances by Lorraine Cousins, who sings on the classic "Weird Nightmare" and the haunting "Eclipse". A tremendous record throughout – filled with life, imagination, and boundless creativity – with titles that include "Mingus Fingus no. 2", "Weird Nightmare", "Eclipse", "Bemoanable Lady", "Half Mast Inhibition", and "Prayer for Passive Resistance". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty much all the essentials from the Danzig era Misfits catalog with the exception of "Hybrid Moments" – includes the ghoulish hits "She", "Bullet", "Teenagers From Mars", "Night Of The Living Dead", "Where Eagles Dare", "I Turned Into A Martian", "Skulls", "Ghouls Night Out", "Astro Zombies", "Mommy Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight?", "Die Die My Darling", "Green Hell", and more! LP, Vinyl record album

A real stormer from Melba Moore – brilliantly-arranged dancefloor soul with beautiful lead vocals by Melba – on one of her best records of the 70s! Melba is straight-up amazing here, bringing genuine soul to feverish dancefloor gems and otherwise soaring numbers. This Is It was produced and arranged by Van McCoy, who was at the peak of his disco-era popularity at the time. We'd call this work here on Melba's record a creative peak for Van – even though if it didn't break Melba out in a big way commercially at the time. It includes the McCoy-penned should-be classic "This Is It", plus "Free", "Stay A While", a sweet cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Make Me Believe In You", "Lean On Me" (one of the greater showpieces for Melba's incredible voice), "Blood Red Roses", "Brand New" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work by Lee Morgan – easily one of his greatest albums, and a soaring session of modal energy that easily rivals the best work of the Impulse era! The album's got a slightly different feel than usual for Blue Note – a sense of freedom, joy, and soaring energy that's totally great – explored by a crack group that features Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all coming together with a unique sense of creativity! The rhythm section is one of the key factors here – as Mabern, Cranshaw, and Higgins have a fluid groove that really sets the tone for the record – letting Morgan and Shorter stretch out to the height of their powers, and explore some incredible modal and soulful themes. Titles include the seminal 11 minute reading of "The Gigolo", plus "Yes I Can No You Can't", "Speedball", and "Trapped" – as well as an excellent reading of "You Go To My Head" that completely opens up the old standard! LP, Vinyl record album

An album that wasn't much of a success when released, yet one that really helped define a new era in the sound of Willie Nelson – one that's both as introspective as the concept albums he would soon issue on Columbia, and which also maybe has a bit of the Austin underground creeping into his sound as well! The record has a unified vibe – the story of a couple going through phases and stages, good and bad – mixed with a few bits that preface the "skit" style of later hip hop records, and which really tie things together. Titles include the classic "Bloody Mary Morning", the excellent "Pretend I Never Happened", and the tracks "Walkin", "Down At The Corner Beer Joint", "Pick Up The Tempo", "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way", and "No Love Around". 2LP version features all sorts of rare bonus material – alternates of most of the tracks on the album – some nicely different! LP, Vinyl record album

"I need a fix – and a kiiiiiiiiiissssssss!" What can we say? Johnny Thunders, David Johansen and the boys reinvented the wheel with the of wildly hedonist glam skronk spun on this still incredible debut record. Both records they made for Mercury are incredible, but this is the bonafide masterpiece. It's a classic purely on a primal rock 'n' roll level, but it's also one of rock's greatest examples of style equaling substance! The Dolls brought glammer to the gutter and vice versa, and this is no doubt their greatest moment! Includes "Personality Crisis", "Looking For A Kiss", "Trash", "Frankenstein", "Pills", "Bad Girl", "Private World" and "Jet Boy". Produced by Todd Rundgren and engineered by Jack Douglas – the former a legend in his own right, the latter whose name appears on so many great records that range from other proto-punk and punk-era classics (Patti Smith Group, The Runaways) to the trashier side of the mainstream (prime early Cheap Trick, Aerosmith and Alice Cooper). LP, Vinyl record album

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the funkiest record ever made by guitarist Joe Pass – a real surprise from an artist we mostly know for his mellower and straight ahead work! The style here is tight electric funk, almost in a Groove Merchant sort of way – and given Joe's heavy use of hollow-body guitar on the record, and the warm chromatic hues in his tone, the style's a fair bit like O'Donel Levy on his 70s classics from the same era. Bassist Carol Kaye had a hand in putting together the record, and there's a similar feel here to her own best grooves – tight, studio-oriented work – but never slick or too commercial! Other players include Joe Sample on keyboards, Paul Humphrey on drums, Tom Scott on sax and flute, and JJ Johnson on trombone – and despite the presence of these heavyweights, the record has a nicely soulful sound that's more indie grit than major label funk! CD adds some bonus tracks to the original record – and features 18 titles that include "Free Sample", "Better Days", "Head Start", "It's Too Late", "Gotcha", "Alison", "The Preacher", "Bass Blues", "Burning Spear", "Slick Cat", "Flying Down To Baja", and "Love Is". LP, Vinyl record album

Anthemic early 90s rock from Pearl Jam – one of the biggest debuts of all time and for good reason! Ten has a big, classic rock-reared sound, but done with such forthright sincerity and for the time, completely refreshing lack of macho posturing, it really was the perfect formula for a breakout smash in its era and it's worthy of its legacy – especially in retrospect! One classic song after another including "Once", "Alive", "Jeremy", "Why Go", "Black", Release", "Porch", "Oceans", "Garden", "Deep" and "Release". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums cut by the fab Singers Unlimited – and the set that has them backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio! The Singers always mixed well with guest jazz talents – and the style of this albums gives their sweet harmonies a nice jazz-based groove and not too much cheese on the top – one of the leanest instrumental settings from their MPS era, and a nicely gliding groove that supports their voices wonderfully! The record includes great versions of "The Gentle Rain", "Once Upon A Summertime", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and Thad Jones' great "A Child Is Born" – as well as a pretty crazy rendition of "Sesame Street"! LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty amazing set from Esther Phillips – her final album for Kudu – and a beautiful mix of soaring soul sounds from one the most unique, emotionally-inflected soul vocalists of her era! Esther's in prime Kudu mode here – working with jazzy arrangements by David Matthews and Pee Wee Ellis, adding her unique, grit-inflected soul chanteuse vocals to a smoother mix of instrumentation that creates a perfect counterpoint that took her way past her earlier work! There's also a couple of really sweet disco skewed numbers that work incredibly well – with spacier bits of synth and a dancefloor soul bed of percussion and rhythms – and in general, the arrangements are pretty great from track-to-track! Players include Randy Brecker and Mike Brecker on trumpet and tenor sax, Bray Miles on synthesizer, Bobby Lyle on clavinet, Eric Gale on guitar, Joe Farrell on tenor sax and alto flute, percussionist Ralph MacDonald and other excellent name musicians and others bring a grand sweep and sweeter intimacy when the mood requires. Titles include "Magic's In The Air", "A Beautiful Friendship", "Boy I Really Tied One On", "Higher & Higher", and "All The Way Down". LP, Vinyl record album

The massive second album by PE – and the one where where the hit their full creative stride, and their politics and philosphy hit at full force – moving Public Enemy from an imposing threat to both the hip hop and pop music status quo to a straight up cultural phenomenon! There's little we can add to canon of critical regard this unimpeachable classic – just know that it's as essential as any hip hop album of the era. Includes "Bring The Noise", "Don't Believe The Hype", "Prophets Of Rage" and "Rebel Without A Pause", "Cold Lampin With Flavor", "Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic", "Louder Than A Bomb", "Caught, Can We Get A Witness", "She Watch Channel Zero", "Night Of The Living Baseheads", "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos", "Prophets For Right To Fight" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The massive second album by PE – and the one where where the hit their full creative stride, and their politics and philosphy hit at full force – moving Public Enemy from an imposing threat to both the hip hop and pop music status quo to a straight up cultural phenomenon! There's little we can add to canon of critical regard this unimpeachable classic – just know that it's as essential as any hip hop album of the era. Includes "Bring The Noise", "Don't Believe The Hype", "Prophets Of Rage" and "Rebel Without A Pause", "Cold Lampin With Flavor", "Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic", "Louder Than A Bomb", "Caught, Can We Get A Witness", "She Watch Channel Zero", "Night Of The Living Baseheads", "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos", "Prophets For Right To Fight" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking killer from Latin trumpeter Bobby Quesada – recorded during the Latin soul era, with vocals from Luis Rodriguez – and titles that include "Ritmo Canga", "Boogaloo Jala Jala", "Pelu Y Pelao", "Guaguanco A Las Mamis", "Pollo Frisao", and "Sueltame Ya". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the tightest funky 70s jamming ever – a lost gem from Ray & His Musical Court, a group that perfectly fuses JB/Horny Horns funk with beat-heavy Afro-Cuban groove! Ray and the group are one of the more obscure funky combos of the era, and it's a damn shame, because the group's tight-as-can-be amalgam of JB's style horn riffing and thumping Afro-Cuban percussion is some of the absolute best of its kind. This group seriously smokes any of the current funk bands on the road! On these sessions Ray wrote, produced, played "organ flute" and provided some vocals in a large group that includes three trumpets, bass clarinet, sax, two drummers, congas, electric bass, and a line of mostly Spanish vocalists. Amazing 70s super funk with a very proud Latin edge – and featuring tracks that include "Sunny", "Soul Freedom", "Cookie Crumbs", "De Eso Nada Monada", "Lo Sabia", "Venimos Acabando", "La Pena", and "La Senorita Lola". LP, Vinyl record album

Lou Reed at his mid 70s live peak! Volumes have already been and will continue to be written about Lou's output in the 70s, and rightly so. This set is particularly amazing in that it follows the artful highpoint/financial failure that is Berlin – so Lou is doing the rock & roll star thing here, kinda given the people what they want in a way. What's so amazing here is that it doesn't feel like a cash-in, it's crazy good and geniunely passionate stuff! The blazing guitars don't hurt, nor does the fact the the set is heavy with Velvets-era faves. Includes "Intro/Sweet Jane", "Heroin", "White Light/White Heat", "Lady Day" and "Rock N' Roll". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the Eleventh House group with guitarist Larry Coryell, and instead this very cool spoken word record from Milwaukee – one that features light instrumentation on organ, flute, guitars, percussion, and even electric sitar – kind of a cross between some of the beat-era Fantasy Records poetry albums, and the trippier 70s work of Ken Nordine! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest girl groups of the 60s – a fab trio who hailed from Brooklyn, and who worked in the best sweet styles of both soul and rock groups of the time! Reparata & The Delrons have a sound that's a real cut above the usual – a way of handling a tune that's free of some of the cliches of other groups from the period, but which also does a good job of bringing out their best elements too. It's hard to sum up just why the group's so great – but it's possibly because they were working at the end of the girl group era, and have a bit more of a depth to their work – a style that's also influenced a bit by harmony folk and Sunshine Pop, but which is stil unabashedly focused on shorter tunes with groovy hooks. LP, Vinyl record album

Nicely swingin' LP put together by the man who supervised some of Stan Kenton's best afro-cuban sessions. Richards is one of the most swinging, hard hitting bandleaders to come out of the post-swing era, and his handling of Latin material is always filled with a lot of fire, and a good sense of rhythm and soloing. Clifford Jordan is handling a number of the tenor solos here, and the rest of the band's pretty hot too. Tracks include "Viva Gordo", "Imprevu", "Pulque", "Manzanita", "Pata De Azul", and "Nada Mas". LP, Vinyl record album

Max Roach's masterpiece! This record is one of his most perfectly realized visions – and it's a marvelous album that combines politics and modern jazz, yet still manages to swing! The players are some of the hippest that Roach ever worked with – and include Eric Dolphy, Booker Little, Clifford Jordan, and Julian Priester – and the record features some of the best-ever singing from Abbey Lincoln! Abbey's incredible on the track "Mendacity", an incredibly haunting Civil Rights-era number that should go right up there with "Strange Fruit", and which features wonderful alto work from Dolphy! She also sings wordlessly on the track "Garvey's Ghost" – and then sits out the rest of the set so that Max and the group can wail on the tracks "Praise For A Martyr", "Man From South Africa", and "Tender Warriors". Incredibly hip – and a perfect blend of soul, jazz, politics, and pure righteous spirit! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums that Max Roach ever cut – and a monumental jazz release from the heart of the Civil Rights era! As you can guess from the cover and title, there's a very political bent to the record – served up in righteous lyrics penned by Oscar Brand Jr, and sung by Abbey Lincoln at her most biting – really stepping out here in just a few short years from her previous role as a straight jazz singer, and firmly grabbing up territory no other female vocalists had touched! For this momentous event, Roach gathered together a really special group for the record – players who include regular partners Booker Little on trumpet and Julian Priester on trombone – alongside surprising guests like Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Olatunji on percussion, and Ray Mantilla on congas. There's no piano at all on the record, and the tracks are all long ones – stretching out with soaring horn passages next to the vocals, and plenty of percussion at the bottom to get things moving! Titles include "Driva' Man", "Tears for Johannesburg", "Freedom Day", "All Africa", and "Prayer/Protest/Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even more progressive work with a group like this! The players are all youthful geniuses who would go onto shape the sound of 70s jazz tremendously – working here at a point that already shows their brilliance – Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, and even Andy Bey, who sings vocals on the title track. The overall style is very similar to Bartz's early albums on Milestone, or to some of the Music Inc records on Strata East, which feature Cowell and Tolliver. It's no surprise that Cowell contributed 3 tracks to the set – "Effi", "Equipoise", and "Abstrutions" – and the group also performs a great version of Bartz's "Libra"! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even more progressive work with a group like this! The players are all youthful geniuses who would go onto shape the sound of 70s jazz tremendously – working here at a point that already shows their brilliance – Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, and even Andy Bey, who sings vocals on the title track. The overall style is very similar to Bartz's early albums on Milestone, or to some of the Music Inc records on Strata East, which feature Cowell and Tolliver. It's no surprise that Cowell contributed 3 tracks to the set – "Effi", "Equipoise", and "Abstrutions" – and the group also performs a great version of Bartz's "Libra"! LP, Vinyl record album

The classic self-titled debut LP from Run-DMC – one that not only changed hip hop, but much of modern pop and rock forever! There's little we can add to the canon for this record, but the way Run-DMC ushered in a new era in contemporary urban culture, a harder hitting style of rap that managed to bust out of the inner cities and into consciousness of an entire generation, was unforeseen and never to be duplicated to say the least. You can literally call this album revolutionary without sounding heavy handed, it's something very few artists can ever hope to achieve. Amazing! Tracks include "It's Like That", "Sucker MC's", "Rock Box", "Jay's Game", "Hard Times", "30 Days", "Hollis Crew", "Wake Up", and "It's Like That". LP, Vinyl record album

The soaring debut of one of the greatest groups of the disco era – and one that would go onto be the sound of Salsoul Records too! The large mostly-instrumental ensemble is headed up by Vince Montana – who brings plenty of Philly disco touches into play with the group's wonderful blend of tight rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and full strings – a blend that comes off perfectly, and with a surprisingly lean groove – thanks to Montana's vision, and help from arranger Ron Baker too. There's some surprisingly funky moments at times – that sharp edge of the Sigma Sound rhythm section – and titles include "Chicago Bus Stop", "Salsoul Rainbow", "Salsoul Hustle", "Tangerine", and "You're Just The Right Size". LP, Vinyl record album

A full-blown, very righteous offering from Chess to the political cause of Operation Breadbasket! Tenorist Ben Branch leads the large gospel-tinged group – and sax player Gene Barge produces and plays, with a style that's very much in the Chess/Checker bag of the late 60s soul era. Most cuts have chorus vocals, but there are are a few instrumentals on the record. Titles include "Country Preacher", "We Shall Overcome", "I Wish I Knew", and "Nobody Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

Great material from the second chapter of Del Shannon – a time when the previous pop legend opened up to trippier modes – which makes for a really great blend on this gem of an album from 1968! Even at his pop best, there was always a genuine strain of soul-searching sadness in his voice that underscored the material, going all the way back to "Runaway" and on some of the better, if lesser-remembered work after that immortal hit. He manages to carry that trait strongly into the psych era here, with a lot of lusher baroque pop elements, and some great instrumentation – all orchestrated by Don Peake. Includes "Thinking It Over", "Be My Friend", "Silver Birch", "Rover Cool", "Colour Flashing Hair", "Gemini", "Runnin' On Back", "Conquer", "Been So Long", "Magical Musical Box", and "New Orleans (Mardi Gras)". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool Spanish group from the 60s – a beat group, but one who've clearly got an influence from American soul as well! Lead singer Shelly has a voice that packs plenty of punch – in the way that some of the best British female singers of the era were often a lot more soulful than their American counterparts – and the echoey production of the record really amplifies that quality in a mighty nice way! Instrumentation is a lean blend of organ, guitar, bass, and drums – much rawer than UK work of this nature, and served up here in a package that brings together all the rare singles by the group. Titles include "All I Need", "7 Rooms Of Gloom", "I'm A Poor Girl", "Devil Woman", "Make Me Yours", "Baby I Love You", and "Vestido Azul". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary record from Show & AG – and one of the strongest full lengths of the early 90s from the DITC camp! Runaway Slave came about during the end of an era when major labels still seemed to be hungry for for dope underground MCs, so there's a gritty realness here, and on other great hip hop LPs of the early 90s that's still pretty incredible. This full length debut delivers very strongly on the Soul Clap EP – and titles include that classic track "Bounce Ta This", "Represent", "Catchin Wreck", "Fat Pockets", "40 Acres And My Props", "Hold Ya Head", "He Say, She Say", "Hard To Kill" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Slick Rick's first solo album – one of the vital early front-to-back hip hop albums of the late 80s Def Jam prime era – and up there with the best ever! MC Ricky D introduced the world to a whole new rap style on Doug E Fresh's "The Show" and by the time this album dropped the world was more than ready for a full set of his unique flow. There's no other voice like Slick Rick's, with a skewed sense of humor even at it's most profane, which makes it all the more disarming when he gets serious for a minute. He proves himself the master of the storytelling rap of the period, and the Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler and Jam Master Jay production is top tier, too. Includes "Treat Her Like A Prostitute", "Children's Story", "The Ruler's Back", "Mona Lisa", "Hey Young World", "Teenage Love" and more. Remastered 30th Anniversary edition – classic original tracklist on 2LPs! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the many Roger side projects recorded during the height of the Zapp era – an album of longer vocal tracks produced by Roger, and featuring singer Dick Smith, with backings by the usual suspects from the larger Zapp posse. 4 of the album's 6 songs are remakes of older hits, given a smooth slick 80s groove – and titles include "Tobacco Road", "Sunny", "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "Stay With Me Baby", and "Over & Over Again". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the truly great albums from The Soft Boys – a masterpiece that skirts easy categorization, strolling from the post psych blues stomp, to angular post punk and skronky guitar pop – held together brilliantly by Robyn Hitchcock's wry, brainy and on this record, cynically humorous lyricism. Titles include "Human Music", the should be classic, snarky riff on late era Beatles "The Pigworker", "The Rats Prayer", "Do The Chisel", "School Dinner Blues", "Wading Through A Ventilator", "Return Of The Sacred Crab" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the sweetest singer-songwriter records of the mid 70s country rock era – beloved by fans, but largely unknown to the masses after all these years! Black Rose is JD Souther's second record, and it's a thing a beauty – produced by Peter Asher and featuring a who's who Souther's famous friends and lot of the great California session musicians of the time, but it's really about the intimate songcraft and the warmth of Souther's voice. Really beautiful stuff and it sounds as great as ever! Includes "Banging My Head Against The Moon", "If You Have Crying Eyes", "Your Turn Now", "Faithless Love", "Baby Come Home", "Silver Blue", "Midnight Prowl", "Doors Swing Open", "Black Rose" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A record of free-thinking jazz – recorded by a trio from Chicago, featuring drummer Paul Wertico, reedman Rich Corpolongo, and bassist Doug Loftstrom. There's a frenetic, choppy sound here that at one level seems to take off from European fusion groups of the 70s – yet also point the way towards the later Chicago experiments of the NRG Ensemble, and some of the better improvisations to emerge in the Vandermark years (and if we had to be honest, we'd say that this one has much more the quality level of the Okka Disk era than the overdone modes of the NRG years.) Many tunes are quite subtle, and along with the core instrumentation of the trio, players also bring in a lot of added percussion and effects. Titles include "Flutter Wings", "Bird Dirge", "Chinese New Year", "No Survivors", and "March Of The Schnatskis". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that begins with a question, and follows through with a sublime mix of social politics and spiritual energy! Pops Staples asserts himself a bit more than before with his songwriting here – including the title classic "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)", which went onto become one of THE anthems of the Civil Rights era! That energy follows in more original songs by Pops, and in his great reworkings of older traditional numbers – on a set that also has the group working with producer Billy Sherrill, who seems to give them even more power than before, but without commercializing their music at all. Titles include "Why", "I've Been Scorned", "I'm Gonna Tell God", "Move Along Train", "Step Aside", "King Of Kings", "What Are They Doing", and "Will The Circle Be Unbroken". LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring the early 70s hits of Styx, from their "Wooden Nickel" label era. LP, Vinyl record album

Lyrically and spirtually fresh wordplay from Superstar Quamallah – working with blueprint era funky hip hop beatcraft, done with a timeless style! Titles include "You Need Knowledge", "88 Soul", "Black Shakespeare", "For My People. . .It's Spiritual", "Just Listen", "California Dreamin", "Kunta Kente", "We Got Plots", "Do Nin_Dis", "Hope She Remembers Me" and more. Enhanced CD includes the video for "Hope She Remembers Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Always-great work from Tavares – one of those groups who never seemed to miss, and who seemed to weather the disco era a lot better than most of their contemporaries! This 1980 album is key proof of that fact – a tremendous little set, done at a point when Tavares could have rested on their hits – yet they kept on getting better and better – really soaring here with impeccable vocals, and tightening things up into a mode that's not exactly 80s groove, but which sure isn't disco either! Harmonies are great – and titles include "Love Uprising", "Break Down For Love", "Only One I Need To Love", "Don't Wanna Say Goodnight", "She Can Wait Forever", "Do You Believe In Love", and "Life Time Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album in a long long time from Lewis Taylor – and a set that shows that his soulful talents are still very much at the top of their game! Taylor first grabbed our ears back in the 90s with a revolutionary new approach to soul – partly on the cusp of the Neo Soul generation, but also given a leaner, sometimes darker approach – and a vibe that was much better than so many of the attempts to merge soul vocals with the newer styles of the downtempo era. All these many years later, Lewis just keeps on sounding better – and the songwriting seems to have matured a lot with his own personal journey – maybe even more heartfelt and expressive than on previous records. Titles include "Apathy", "Worried Mind", "Numb", "Is It Cool", "Brave Heart", "Being Broken", "Feels So Good", "Please", and "Nearer". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly one of the most successful Japanese piano trio recordings of the 70s – a super-session performed by a group that includes Joe Sample on acoustic piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums! Given that Sample's best known during the era for his electric keys with the Crusaders (and on countless studio sessions), it's a real treat to hear him tickle the ivories in an acoustic way – and a genuine surprise to hear how strong his work is in such a format. Joe manages to swing the tunes with plenty of creative improvisation, but also keeps a strong focus on the groove too – making for an album that's got some of the rhythmic flourishes of the best work of the Oscar Peterson trio in later years, but with some of the added freedoms of the Japanese scene. Titles include "On Green Dolphin Street", "Round Midnight", "Funky Blues", "Manha Do Carnaval", "Yearnin", and "Satin Doll". LP, Vinyl record album