Don't pass this one up! Although lots of other albums by Eddie Lockjaw Davis are laidback quartet and quintet sessions, done in a soul jazz organ/tenor mode – this session features Eddie working with stunning bigger band backings, in a searingly soulful sound that's simply incredible! The leadoff track, "Trane Whistle", has Lockjaw really working new waves of sound into his tenor sax – screaming the horn in a way that you thought you'd never hear, and playing with tones that are a lot darker than usual! The set moves on from there in a nice batch of material that includes "Whole Nelson" and "Stolen Moments", two fantastic originals by Oliver Nelson, who also arranged the album – and takes a great deal of responsibility for the strength of the set. The record shows a whole new side of Davis' talents – one that was barely if ever recorded like this again – and which is made even better by the presence of freshly modern players that include Eric Dolphy, Richard Williams, Melba Liston, and Roy Haynes. Great stuff! CD

The only Blue Note album ever cut by pianist Walter Davis Jr – but a heck of a hard-swinging set, and possibly his greatest album ever! Although Davis is more frequently heard in trio formation as a leader, this set brings him back to the mode used during some of his bop sideman dates of some years before – two completely solid horn players in the frontline, Donald Byrd on trumpet and Jackie McLean on alto – both blowing with a tremendous amount of soul and spirit on each track! Jackie's nicely sharp edges helps push Davis strongly – and rhythm work by Sam Jones on bass and Art Taylor on drums also add strongly to the punch of the set as well. Titles are all original compositions by Walter – and tracks include "Smake It", "Rhumba Nhumba", "Minor Mind", and "Millie's Delight". CD

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

There's never been a better bit of throwback dancefloor fodder ever! Sure, these guys were blaring out of every cheap radio at the time, and it was just about impossible to walk into a shopping mall without hearing "Groove Is In The Heart" for about 5 years after the album came out – but to us, that was a great thing, and the record represents one of the high points in pop music of the past few decades. Thanks to some skillful sampling by Towa Tei, the group were grounded in a rich history of funk, house, disco, soul, and Brazilian influences – all of which they managed to blend with a postmodern perfection that other groups could only ever dream of! The big hits are certainly very familiar, but the whole album's a delight – and tracks include "Who Was That?", "Smile On", "Try Me On . . . I'm Very You", "World Clique", "ESP", and "Good Beat". This great expanded 2CD edition includes a full CD of remixes, too – 26 tracks in 2CDs! Given that the weird mixes and extrapolations of tunes by the group were such a big part of their larger sound, the extra material really helps get a full picture of the album's greatness! CD

One of the biggest records ever from Deele – thanks to the presence of LA and Babyface – who were a key part of the group at the time! The heavier funk styles of previous records are left behind – and the group have realized that they really shine best in mellower modes – the kind of ballads and love songs that still had a nice punch at the bottom, thanks to the LA/Babyface style – but which also really made the best use of Dee's sweet vocal approach! The shift tuned out to be a great one for the group – the start of bigger soul trends to come – and titles include "Two Occasions", "Shoot Em Up Movies", "Eyes Of A Stranger", "Can U Dance", "She Wanted", "So Many Thangs", and "Hip Chic". CD

Sam Dees was one of the greatest unsung talents in 70s soul music – an important writer, arranger, and general background talent who helped so many other singers hit the heights – but who hardly ever issued much work under his own name! Apart from key singles and an important album on Atlantic, the recorded legacy of Dees isn't what it should be – given his impact on music, especially deep soul – but fortunately, sets like this have come along to correct that lack! As part of Sam's creative process, he would often record songs first on his own – not as rough demo tracks, but as surprisingly well done studio versions to illustrate the material – tracks that were often better than later versions of his tunes, and most of the other commercial soul on the market. This sweet set brings together 12 of those tracks – private recordings from Sam, of songs he'd later give to singers like Loletta Holloway, Ben E King, and others – an essential record from the great Dees, pressed up on super-heavy vinyl! Titles include the previously unissued "Married But Not To Each Other" – plus "Good Guys Don't Always Win", "Who Are You Gonna Love", "Con Me", "Only Lonely People", "False Alarms", "Standing In The Wings Of A Heartache", "The World Don't Owe You Nothing", and "Black Tattler". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach – because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's greatest tunes ever – all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect – a true high point in the career of all parties involved – and a tremendous recasting of Bacharach's original brilliance – taking his key compositions into the most sophisticated styles of the Chicago soul scene in the 70s! There's a sense of timing and phrasing here that's quite unique – hardly simple covers of Dionne Warwick's approach to these hits – and Stepney's backings feature his own Fender Rhodes, guitar from Phil Upchurch, percussion from members of The Pharoahs, and some fuller horns, harp, and strings. The Dells are equally great too – and serve up some of the best vocals of their career – really magnificent harmonies, and soaring solo parts that seem to even go beyond their best-known hits. Titles include "Walk On By", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Wives & Lovers", "Close To You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", and "A House Is Not A Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare lost work from funky drummer Les DeMerle – a set of tracks that were recorded for Atlantic Records in 1967, two years before DeMerle's classic Spectrum album – yet which finally appear here for the first time ever! Les is rock-solid, right from the start – definitely one of those younger players really helping to shift the sound of the larger jazz group at the end of the 60s – with fresh arrangements that bring in plenty of currents from soul, and a tight approach to the groove that makes the best of the excellent lineup! The set features work from some younger names who would break big later – including Randy Brecker on trumpet, Terry Plumeri on bass, and Lanny Morgan on alto and flute – as well as a touch of vocals from future rocker Genya Ravan. Titles include "Sticks", "Raunchy Rita", "Feelin Good", "Come Back To Me", "On A Clear Day", "That's Life", and "Signifyin". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the first work ever recorded by a young Jackie DeShannon – early singles from her first years at Liberty Records – a label she definitely helped put on the map during the 60s! Right from the start, Jackie's got something special – a style that's quite different from some of the other female pop acts of her generation – a bit more grounding, maybe, and certainly a lot more soul – not to mention a great way with a tune, as you'll hear on some of the early compositions featured on the package. The set features both a and b-sides of the early singles, plus an unreleased track – with production and arrangements by the likes of Snuff Garrett, Clyde Otis, Bert Keyes, Jack Nitzsche, and Dick Glasser. Titles include "Just Like In The Movies", "Guess Who", "Faded Love", "Dancing Silhouettes", "I Wish I Could Find A Boy", "Baby", "The Prince", "That's What Boys Are Made Of", "I'll Drown In My Own Tears", "Should I Cry", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", "When You Walk In The Room", "500 Miles", "Did He Call Today Mama?", and "Ain't That Love". CD

One of the great groups of the Detroit soul scene at the end of the 60s – but an act who never got the full fame of contemporaries like The Four Tops or Temptations! That didn't stop the Detroit Emeralds from being a hell of a vocal act, though – as they've got a mixture of tight harmonies and raw soul that's completely wonderful – and which finally gets full exposure here in a well-done selection of all their singles for the Westbound label! The imprint might be best known as the home for trippy soul by Funkadelic and Ohio Players – yet during the same classic stretch, Westbound also handled this hip Detroit trio to perfection – taking their 60s-schooled harmonies, and giving them a more sophisticated spin for the 70s – really letting the vocals take off as the group demonstrates their Dells-like power, and moving the arrangements of the tunes past overdone Motown styles of the decade before. The result is some of the hippest harmony soul you'll ever hope to hear – all presented here with the wonderfully deep Ace/Kent Records presentation – with 23 tracks that include "If I Lose Your Love", "Things Are Looking Up", "Lee", "Wear This Ring With Love", "Feel The Need In Me", "Whatcha Gonna Wear Tomorrow", "I Think Of You", "Rosetta Stone", "Set It Out", "Til You Decide To Come Home", "I'll Never Sail The Sea Again", "There's Love For Me Somewhere", "You're Gettin A Little Too Smart", and their classic "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms". CD

Mid 70s Afro Funk from the great Manu Dibango – adding in a bit more of a full production sound than on his earlier albums, but still sounding pretty darn nice! There's definitely more of an uptempo club groove going on – and the band has a lot more players than ever before – but the funk component is still high, and Manu's work on funky sax solos is as great as ever. Very much in Manu's "Big Blow" mode – and with the tracks "Mimbo", "Angola", "Bokilo's Boogie", and "Mouvement Ewondo", plus the slow spacey "Besoka On Salsa". In a way, this is the kind of record that would be rated high if it was the first effort by an unknown player – but often tends to get passed up because it's not as hard as the artist's more famous work. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest soul records on Brunswick! This one was cut during the mid 70s – when the label was really having some rough times financially, but also was cutting some of its most groundbreaking soul work. The Directions are a tight harmony quintet – equipped, it appears, with their own band (The Directions Band) who give the group a nice rough soul sound. The vocal cuts on the record have sort of a Philly harmony style – with many uptempo numbers that are sort of a rougher version of work by Blue Magic or The Spinners. The instrumental tracks are smooth funk – with lots of tight keyboard work over heavy riffing and vamping, mostly in an uptempo vein. Titles include "Too Many Secrets", "Soup Line", "I Want To Be Your Special Man", "If You Ever", "We Need Love", and "I Love You So". CD

A cool cooker from the great Lou Donaldson – and a record that's ever bit as tasty as its cover! Lou's really hitting his soul jazz stride here – stepping off his 50s bop years, and moving into a more gutbuckety groove that's delivered with wonderful accompaniment from a quartet that features Grant Green on guitar, John Patton on Hammond, and Ben Dixon on drums! The style is loose and open – and tracks are long, with tight solos, especially from Patton and Green, always a winning combination – really stepping out here with an early raw fury! Titles include "Caracas", "Bad John", "Holy Ghost", and "Good Gracious!". Nice cover, too, with a photo of Lou checking out a sexy model, while speaking the title! CD

A really great entry in this excellent series – one that not only features lots of great Fender Rhodes from Brazilian jazz legend Joao Donato, but also vocals from Loren Oden on almost every track – which makes the whole thing feel like a fantastic hybrid of Joao's genius with a righteous approach to spacey soul! Oden sounds maybe even better here than ever before – singing jazzily, and drifting in and out of the instrumentation – which often has a more dynamic lead in the mix, with lots of work on a variety of instruments from Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – upbeat, but just a few shades short of funk, which works perfectly for the way that Donato slides his Rhodes in and out of the tunes. Titles include "Forever More", "Sua Beleza E Beleza", "Desejo De Amor", "Aquarius", "Nao Negue Seu Coracao", "Liaisons", and "Adrian Ali & Gregory". CD

Incredible stuff – simply incredible! If you ever needed a reason why Lamont Dozier on ABC is such a good thing, check out this single – as both sides are fantastic – the kind of slow burning, full grooving, anthemic soul that Lamont forged best while at his time for the label. Arrangements are by HB Barnum and McKinley Jackson – and the sound is near-perfect on both cuts! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A massive album by Lamont Dozier – probably his best ever! Every cut's a winner, and the LP shines with a sharpness and tightness that's missing from some of Lamont's other LPs from the 70s. The songwriting is impeccable – and as the album progresses, you get that eerie "deja vu" feeling you can have when discovering a landmark work for the first time. There's a hint of funk in the mix, but the strongest point is the production – which bowls over the top with a mix of strings, piano, and Lamont's wonderfully honest vocals. Includes the wonderful soul anthem "Don't Leave Me", which comes up again in a very tight instrumental version – plus the tracks "The Picture Will Never Change", "Why Can't We Be Lovers", and "Slipping Away". Great all the way through, and a stunning bit of seventies soul that will have you returning again and again! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album by The Dramatics – with a harder funkier sound than you'll find on most of their other records of the time – a gritty gem from the group's early years, and a record that really deserves its placement on the Stax label! The record has the group moving into a post-Temptations style of righteous soul – grooving hard with a really heavy bottom on funky numbers like "Get Up and Get Down" and "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get", and even dropping a bit of a drug reference on the cut "Marry Don't Cha Wanna" – one of those messed-up lyric numbers we'd expect from a Latin Soul group! But the album's also got a sweet side too – as it features the amazing ballad cut "In The Rain", which has some of the most amazing production you'll ever find on the Stax label – harmony work that rivals the greatness of the east coast scene of the time. Other tracks include "Gimme Some", "Thank You For Your Love", and "Hot Pants In The Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice, moody hip hop/funk album from one of the deepest talents on the Stones Throw roster! Dudley came to underground hip hop fame as Declaime, but really stepped forward as a durable, innovative artist with the Dudley Perkins singles that have dropped thus far – and A Lil Light soundly delivers on that promise. It's all about mood – this may be the murkiest, most muddily funky thing Madlib has ever produced, with crackly, hissing beats, bass and samples. Dudley's vocals are about as far from the crooning NuSoul sound as you can get. He's grooves along with an improvised feel to the lyrics, loosely scatting in both a rolling deep bass and a soulful, nearly crying falsetto. The sound falls somewhere between the denser parts of D'Angelo's Voodoo and the spacier aspects of 70s soul and funk. Totally unique and satisfying – would you expect any less of Stones Throw? Tracks include "Money", the Sun Ra-inspired "Gotta Go", "You Really Know Me?", "Washedbrainsyndrome", "Flowers", "Just Think", "Yo' Soul", "Momma", "Lil' Black Boy" and more. CD

Doris Duke's no loser at all – certainly not with a record this great – a killer set of deep soul tracks that may well stand as the singer's finest moment ever! Doris works here at a level that rivals all the best southern-tinged singers of her generation – Aretha Franklin, Ann Peebles, and others – and also gets some key help from Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams in the studio – who helps give the record a raw undercurrent, linking it to the best Stax Records material of the time. Duke sometimes brings a sophisticated twist to the vocals, which is nicely appreciated – and which keeps everything far from the realm of cliche – on titles that include "I Don't Care Anymore", "He's Gone", "To The Other Woman (I'm The Other Woman)", "Divorce Decree", "We're More Than Strangers", and "The Feeling Is Right". LP, Vinyl record album

The best collection we've ever seen of the work of funky soul legends Dyke & The Blazers – a double-length set that features full, unedited versions of their classics – plus a whopping batch of previously unreleased tunes! Dyke & The Blazers had a groove that was mighty solid back in the late 60s – a hard-vamping, tightly rhythmic groove that easily matched the best early funk of the time from Charles Wright, Sly Stone, or James Brown – and which was often served up with a rougher edge, and an overall sound that was a lot more dangerous! However, many of the group's singles really trimmed down their performances – shaving off key instrumental moments that are lovingly re-attached here, and combining them with some even rarer tracks that never saw the light of day back in the 60s. The whole thing's amazing – and the 2CD set features a whopping 33 tracks in all, split into one disc of material recorded in Phoenix, and one more of tracks from Hollywood! Titles include "Black Boy", "Stuff", "Moon", "Booga Jivin", "Runaway People", "Funky Broadway Time (parts 1 & 2)", "Swamp Walk", "Extra Funk", "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man", "Soul Cake", "She Knows It", "Let's Do It Together", "Bring It On Back", "Funky Walk (parts 1 & 2)", and "Triple Funk". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from organist Charles Earland – a double-length set that's filled with spiritual, soaring grooves! The style here is a perfect blend of the rougher soul jazz of Earland's roots with some of the spacier styles of his later recordings – served up in a sound that's majestic and powerful, almost with an indie soul jazz sort of vibe overall! There's an immediate urgency to most numbers that's totally undeniable – a lesson learned from the electric experiments of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis, but fused down into a core essence – then let loose on a soaring journey to the heavens. Earland plays Hammond, moog, clavinet, and Arp on the set – and other players include Joe Henderson on tenor, Dave Hubbard on alto and soprano sax, Eddie Henderson and Freddie Hubbard on trumpets, Marc Elf on guitar, Harvey Mason on drums, and the incredible Patrick Gleeson on synthesizers – bringing in a spacey edge to the record that's really amazing! Rudy Copeland sings a wonderful vocal on the title cut, "Leaving This Planet" – and all other instrumental cuts include "Red Clay", "Warp Factor 9", "Tyner", "Van Jay", "Never Ending Melody", "Mason's Galaxy", and "Asteroid". CD

Genius, pure genius! It was hard for Earth, Wind & Fire to go wrong at this point – and the album's a stellar blend of jazz, funk, and soul, all done in that perfect style they'd hit by the mid 70s. And even though this one was a monster album, of the type that you see in everyone's record collection from the time, it's still got a freshness that we always forget about – and lots of nice twists and turns that show that the band hadn't lost their more sophisticated roots. Case in point is the wonderful "Brazilian Rhyme", a short little groover that you'll instantly recognize as a sample from the first Tribe Called Quest album. Other tracks include "Jupiter", "In The Marketplace", "Magic Mind", "Runnin", "Be Ever Wonderful", and "Serpentine Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous soul, and the only record ever cut by East Coast – a group led by Larry Blackmon of later Cameo fame – and featuring vocals from a young Gwen Guthrie – heard here for the first time on LP, long before her later hits! The style is very hip – a mixture of funk and progressive grooving, all held together with a sound that's young, proud, and which moves easily between influences from a number of different camps. In a way, the group's almost a cross between early Earth Wind & Fire and The Voices Of East Harlem – with a style that's got some nicely soulful jazz elements, but served up with a dose of sweeter soul. Gregory Johnson plays some great keyboards on the set, and titles include "I've Got To Reclaim You", "Something Deep Inside", "Any Thing You Have In Mind", "Miss Gigi", "Keep On Trying", "I Found You", and "You Can't Let It Get You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

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

The Ebonys sing about life, and a host of other groovy topics too – in this lost soul treasure from the 70s! The set is one of only two albums ever cut by The Ebonys – a consistently great group from the 70s, as is testified by their constant popularity in our racks! The quartet has a 3 man/1 woman harmony sound that's very hip – often applied to righteous themes worked out in a heavy soul mode, and which sounds just as great on the ballads as it does dancefloor numbers. This second album's got an even sharper edge than their debut – thanks to production and arrangements from Tony Camillo – who gives the album some great undercurrents of funk, and a slightly righteous style that reminds us of some of Norman Whitfield's best studio work of the time. Vocals are wonderful – with really great harmonies that balance out beautifully – in ways that are much more unified than other girl/guy soul groups. Titles include "Neighborhood Gossip", "Mr Me, Mrs You", "One Thing On My Mind", "Sing About Life", and "A Love of Your Own". CD

Edbl's got some great friends here – a hip lineup that includes Myles Sanko, Sophie Faith, and others – all of whom bring in some great flavors to his wonderful production at the core! Edbl's nicely understated – clearly a lover of classic soul, funk, and jazz – but one who's also fused the whole thing together, then come up with this crispy, crackling vibe that's all his own! There's plenty of contemporary producers trying for the same thing, but Edbl really gets it right, and finds a way to really fly his own flag without ever tying himself too much to the past – as you'll hear on titles that include "Tell Me", "Too Much", "Temperature High", "Bossa", "Cold", and "Heist". CD features the bonus Japanese exclusive cut "Cafe 9". CD

Edbl's got some great friends here – a hip lineup that includes Myles Sanko, Sophie Faith, and others – all of whom bring in some great flavors to his wonderful production at the core! Edbl's nicely understated – clearly a lover of classic soul, funk, and jazz – but one who's also fused the whole thing together, then come up with this crispy, crackling vibe that's all his own! There's plenty of contemporary producers trying for the same thing, but Edbl really gets it right, and finds a way to really fly his own flag without ever tying himself too much to the past – as you'll hear on titles that include "Tell Me", "Too Much", "Temperature High", "Bossa", "Cold", and "Heist". LP also features the whole JPRK album – plus the Japanese bonus tracks "Postcard" and "Cafe 9". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard-romping soul from the great Shirley Ellis – a singer most folks know for a single crossover hit – but an artist who's got a hell of a lot more to offer than just that novelty number! This excellent package is a long-overdue look at one of the queens of raw soul in the 60s – a singer who could belt it out with a hell of an edge, even when the music was moving at a mighty fast clip – which it does often here, as Shirley works with superb guidance from arranger Lincoln Chase – whose ears for a groove are outstanding at this point in his career! The package brings together early singles for the Congress label, plus even more obscure work a few years later for Columbia Records – and as always with Ace, the whole presentation is wonderful – light years away from just a simple greatest hits or public domain package. Titles include "The Nitty Gritty", "Bring It On Home To Me", "Get Out", "Takin Care Of Business", "The Clapping Song", "Sugar Let's Shing A Ling", "Back Track", "Yes I'm Ready", "Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife", "You Better Be Good World", "Ka Ta Ga Ta Boom Beat", "The Name Game", "I Never Will Forget", "Such A Night", "That's What The Nitty Gritty Is", and "One Sour Note". CD

Wonderful explorations of the sound of the didjeridu – done at a level that's quite different than any other use of the instrument we've ever heard – no surprise, given that the music here is all created by AACM legend Douglas Ewart! The performances bridge Ewart's two worlds of organic improvisation and more serious tonal composition – both of which prove to be perfect settings for the instrument – which is used here at a level that's completely respectful, and without any sense of gimmick at all. Different variations on the didjeridu are used on different tracks – mostly solo in the lead, but with occasional accompaniment on string bass, bells, and electronics. Titles include "Walk & Drop", "Ginep", "Seeds Of War", "Mud Bath III", and "Dancing Inside Of Soul". CD

Some of the earliest work ever issued by the great Georgie Fame – a 4-track EP that features all instrumental tracks with Georgie on the Hammond – serving up a unique groove that really spoke to the changing London scene of the time! The rhythms here are part of the package, and definitely echo some of the new immigrants and their styles arriving in West London – while Fame's solos on organ also show plenty of influence from American players too, both in the jazz and soul instrumental modes! Titles include "Rik's Tune", "JA Blues", "Orange Street", and "Stop Right Here". 7-inch, Vinyl record

The legendary Fame Gang finally gets their due – in this CD that's overflowing with tight funky instrumentals, most of which have never been issued at all! The "best" in the title is certainly well-put – given the quality of the music – but don't think "hits", as 18 of the CD's 25 tracks have never been issued before – which makes the whole collection way more of a discovery than you might expect! Back in the late 60s, the Fame Gang were the house rhythm section at Fame Records down in Muscle Shoals – as important as the Mar-Keys, Bar-Kays, or MGs were over at Stax Records – and graced with not only an impeccable sense of groove, but also a really bold, soulful flair on their horns! There's no vocals here at all – and the cuts feature loads of tenor, guitar, and organ solos over rhythms that are easily some of the funkiest ever cut at Fame studios. We're not entirely sure why these gems weren't released at the time – but they're all tremendous, and we're plenty happy to have them out now! Titles include "Smokestack Lightning", "Hey Joe", "Soul Stutterin", "Sunrise", "Walk Tall", "Rang's Thang", "Stand", "Cannonball", "Muscle Soul", "Shufflin", "Sax Appeal", "Crime Don't Pay", and "Groove Killer". CD

An amazing shift for Family – the group's first album after Rick Grech left for Blind Faith – and a set that has the group really reinventing their sound! The vocals of Roger Chapman are maybe even more dynamic and upfront than ever before – really finding that special sort of spirit that made him one of the most unique talents on the British scene of the time – but maybe the most unusual aspect of the record is the presence of new group member Poli Palmer – who brings in all these cool new sounds on keyboards, flute, and vibes! Those elements create a richness in the sound that wasn't there before – one that seems to give the vocals of Chapman even more focus than usual – on titles that include "Drowned In Wine", "Some Poor Soul", "Love Is A Sleeper", "The Cat & The Rat", "A Song For Me", "Wheels", "Stop For The Traffic Through The Heart Of Me", "Hey Let It Rock", and "93's OK J". LP, Vinyl record album

A real lost treasure from Art Farmer – a tremendous album that hardly ever shows up in the history books, and which, to our knowledge, has never properly been reissued! The set's a rare jazz side for the mostly-pop Scepter label – featuring Farmer at the head of a small group working with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Charles McPherson on alto, and either Steve Swallow or Ron Carter on bass. The album was done under the direction of Tom McIntosh – the brilliant young composer who had a magical talent for blending together modern and lyrical modes while still keeping a strong degree of soul. McIntosh contributed a few tunes to the set, as did Dennis Sandole – the nearly-forgotten trumpeter from the Philly scene of the 50s. There's a dark beauty to this session that surpasses even many other Farmer sides from the time – and titles include "Hyacinth", "Ally", "Happy Feet", "Minuet In G", and "Saucer Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark work by one of the greatest jazz outfits of the early 60s! Art Farmer and Benny Golson were both known as well-composed players during the 50s – strongly soulful, but often with a fine sense of arrangement that usually tended towards the lyrical side of things. With this group, though, they turned that approach towards a heavier sounding style of jazz – tightly stepping soul jazz, in the manner that was being explored at the time by Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, and others – presented by Farmer and Golson with a bit more groove and a wonderful kick at the bottom! This album's the first the group cut together – and apart from trumpet by Farmer and tenor by Golson, it also features Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Addison Farmer (brother of Art) on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums. Includes the massive original recording of "Killer Joe", which went onto become one of the most recorded jazz standards ever, plus the tracks "Blues March", "Mox Nix", "Park Avenue Petite", and "I Remember Clifford". Perfect tone, perfect groove, and a perfect sound all the way through! CD

Landmark work by one of the greatest jazz outfits of the early 60s! Art Farmer and Benny Golson were both known as well-composed players during the 50s – strongly soulful, but often with a fine sense of arrangement that usually tended towards the lyrical side of things. With this group, though, they turned that approach towards a heavier sounding style of jazz – tightly stepping soul jazz, in the manner that was being explored at the time by Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, and others – presented by Farmer and Golson with a bit more groove and a wonderful kick at the bottom! This album's the first the group cut together – and apart from trumpet by Farmer and tenor by Golson, it also features Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Addison Farmer (brother of Art) on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums. Includes the massive original recording of "Killer Joe", which went onto become one of the most recorded jazz standards ever, plus the tracks "Blues March", "Mox Nix", "Park Avenue Petite", and "I Remember Clifford". Perfect tone, perfect groove, and a perfect sound all the way through! LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s indie club classic – and the only album we've ever seen from Maryann Farra & Satin Soul! The group have a sound that's equal parts Brunswick Chicago soul and New York early disco groove – a combination that's brought out even more by the production talents of disco maestro Tony Valor and Chi-soul genius Eugene Record! The tunes groove along in a really rich style of arrangement – often using sweeping strings over tighter rhythms – sometimes hitting the loping midtempo groove you'd expect from Brunswick records at the time, yet also going for some of the faster, freer rhythms that were cropping up on the east coast indies of the time. Some tracks have a tight dancefloor feel – like "Never Gonna Leave You", "Do Those Little Things", and "Just A Little Timing" – while others have a beautiful soul groove – like "You Got To Be The One" and "Living In The Footsteps of Another Girl" – which both have a sound that feels like it was lifted from a lost Barbara Acklin or Chi-Lites album! The set also includes a female soul remake of "Stoned Out Of My Mind" that's almost worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best soul collaborations ever! Fela and Roy Ayers team up for this whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Long overdue! LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of albums from saxophonist Wilton Felder – back to back on a single CD! We All Have A Star offers up solo sounds from Crusaders reedman Wilton Felder – a really great set that's very much in the best vibe of his larger group at the time – yet one that also offers up a stronger focus on Wilton's sublime solo work on tenor! The album's got plenty of Crusaders help on board – given that Stix Hooper and Joe Sample produced the set along with Wilton – and the vibe's a wonderful blend of electric backings, with especially great keyboard lines, and Felder's well-phrased saxophone lines over the top! A few cuts feature vocals – sung by Angela Bryant or Debbie Demoia Ross – and titles include "We All Have A Star", "I Know Who I Am", "The Cycles Of Time", "Why Believe", "Ride On", and "You & Me & Ecstasy". Inherit The Wind is one of the best Crusaders-related solo projects – a soulful bit of fusion from saxophonist Wilton Felder, co-produced with his fellow Crusaders! The album's got the best sunny finish of the group's late 70s albums – traces of Latin, funk, and soul bubbling through a warm jazzy mix – staying soulful all the way through, and coming up with a sound that's smooth, but never sleepy. The blueprint for a million other records – none of which ever sounded this good! Titles include "Insight", "LA Light", "Until The Morning Comes", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "Inherit The Wind". CD

A sublime little set – quite possibly the greatest album ever from Brazilian keyboardist Manfredo Fest! Manfredo first cut his teeth on the bossa scene of the 60s – but by the time of this rare indie session, he'd moved up to the US – and was working with sweet keyboards to really electrify his groove! The record's a wonderful blend of 70s Brazilian fusion modes and just a dash of American soul – and in addition to Manfredo's wonderful work on Fender Rhodes, the set also has these brilliant vocals from Roberta Davis – a singer who works wordlessly, using her voice as an instrument in this really cool way – sliding along with the grooves, and making the album sound unlike anything else we can think of. The overall feel is a bit like Joao Donato's excellent Quem E Quem album – and titles include "Jungle Cat", "Facing East", "Who Needs It", and "Brazilian Dorian Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprise hit for Richard Dimples Fields – and one of those albums that seems to turn up in just about every collection of records from the 80s! Although Fields first got his start turning out self-produced soul albums, and you'd expect him to sound a lot slicker here, recording for MCA's Boardwalk imprint, the record's still got a nice down-home feel that almost makes it feel like an indie soul record, despite the fact that Richard is going for a smooth modern sound on most cuts. Our standout favorite is the classic "She's Got Papers On Me", Richard's entry into the Barbara Mason/Shirley Brown song cycle ("you got my man", "he's your man, but he's my lover", etc) – one that takes the view of the man, but which has a sassy female monologue coming in at the end, telling him off! Other tracks include "I Like Your Lovin", "Let Me Take You In My Arms Tonight", "Let The Lady Dance", "In The Still Of the Night", "I've Got To Learn To Say No", and "Don't Ever Take Your Love". CD

Sweet mainstream grooving from Richard Dimples Fields – the 70s indie artist who really struck big with these early 80s albums for Boardwalk! The style here is a mix of mellow soul and more upbeat numbers – very much the kind of blend that Fields' served up best back on his own label in the 70s, but which is re-presented here with a more professional, more contemporary soul vibe. There's a sweetness to Richard's vocals that's quite different than most of his contemporaries – an earnestness that makes even the most poppy numbers sound pretty great – and which almost sound better here than they did in the old days. Titles include "Don't Ever Stop Chasing Your Dreams", "Butter", "People Treat You Funky", "You Shouldn't Have Made It So Good", "You Send Me", and a nice version of "Moody's Mood For Love". CD

Always-great work from the 5th Dimension – one of their biggest albums ever, built around the group's hit version of "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In", and featuring some other psychedelic pop soul gems like "Sunshine Of Your Love", "Blowing Away", "The Hideaway", "The Winds of Heaven", and "Working On A Grooving Thing". Also includes the excellent "Wedding Bell Blues" – one of the greatest songs of all time! LP, Vinyl record album

Two of the biggest singers who ever worked for Verve Records – captured perfectly at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957! Ella Fitzgerald steps out with a strong, lively groove on the first half of the set – swinging things with a looser, more upbeat quality than on some of her mellower Verve studio sets of the late 50s – really grooving it up with small combo backing from the trio of pianist Don Abney! Billie Holiday also gets some small combo backing too – a hip trio with Mal Waldron on piano, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Jo Jones on drums – often a bit more laidback than the group on Ella's sides, but in a great way that helps Holiday hit a very intimate sound, even before this large audience. Ella sings "This Can't Be Love", "Body & Soul", "April In Paris", "I Got A Crush On You", and "Airmail Special" – and Billie sings "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "My Man", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Lady Sings The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone killer from the legendary 5 Royales – one of the greatest groups to ever record for King Records in the 50s, and a key force in helping move things forward from doo wop to soul! The balance between Lowman Pauling's lead and the harmonies is amazing – a big inspiration on the young James Brown & The Famous Flames – and many cuts have this hard guitar used in a very rhythmic way, which creates a groove that few other groups could touch! The tracks all have a great hard-edged sound, with little of the schmaltz that can sometimes date these albums a bit too much – just lots of raw group vocals that definitely pave the way for 60s soul, but also have a stronger 50s R&B current in the background! The material is very rootsy soul stuff – and titles include "One Mistake", "Mine Forevermore", "Wonder Where Your Love Has Gone", "I Know It's Hard But It's Fair", and "Get Something Out Of It". CD

Roberta Flack at her most masterful – balancing righteous soul at it's most spiritually resonant and more mainstream accessible melodies – from her classic years at Atlantic when she was forging a whole new sound that was a unique blend of soul, jazz, and spiritualism. Each of Roberta's preceding albums on Atlantic were increasingly incredible – and this one caps of a pretty incredible late 60s to early 70s run of top quality work. Includes the ever-fresh title cut, remade later by The Fugees in a version that cemented it's status with the next generation – plus a great version Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne", "River", "No Tears (In The End)", "I'm The Girl", "When You Smile" and "Conversation Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost early chapter in the career of Roberta Flack – material recorded during the sessions for her legendary First Take album, but unissued at the time – and presented here with an amazing demonstration of the depth of her young talents! All the genius of First Take is in place here – that groundbreaking territory between jazz and soul that set Roberta apart from the pack, right from the start – but there's also a wider range of currents going on – maybe some more jazz-based numbers, mixed with other soul-referenced titles too – a wider span that furthers the role that Flack plays as a bridge between the 60s innovations of Nina Simone and a host of others to follow. The group is just a trio – Flack on piano with Marshall Hawkins on bass and Bernard Sweetney on drums – but the tunes have a very wide-open vibe that's very visionary, and every bit as great as Roberta's debut! Titles include a stunning version of "Afro Blue", plus "It's Way Past Suppertime", "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Groove Me", "To Sir With Love", "The Song Is Love", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out", "The House Song", and "Hush A Bye". LP, Vinyl record album

A different version of the album Bash – recorded for the Jazztime label in 1961, with leadership by Dave Bailey – a set that's filled with fire, soul, and imagination – recorded as part of the drummer's amazing (and amazingly short) early 60s run as a leader! The date smokes with the same sort of energy as Dave's great "Gutter" albums for Epic – a groove that's part Blue Note, part Prestige, and carried off with so much precision, we wonder why Bailey never recorded more as a leader. Players are all wonderful – Kenny Dorham's on trumpet, Curtis Fuller's on trombone, Frank Haynes is on tenor, and Tommy Flanagan's on piano. Ben Tucker provides excellent basswork, and proves that him and Bailey were one of the best hardbop rhythm teams ever! Cuts include "Grand Street", "Osmosis", "Soul Support", and "An Oscar For Oscar". CD features 7 tracks in all – including some that haven't been on other versions of this session. Other titles include "Just Friends", "Like Someone In Love", and "BMT Express". CD

Fantastic sounds from Flying Lotus – an artist who just keeps on pushing past any conventional expectations, to a point where his music is almost a genre unto itself! The record's got this very tripped-out sort of vibe – very much in keeping with the image on the cover – and while many others are exploring this territory of late, few ever even get close to the right sort of mix that's going on here – subtle elements of soul, funk, jazz, hip hop, and maybe a million other influences – all flowing through the double-length space of the set, as it Flying Lotus redefines the sound of soul in the modern age. The set's got guest work from Thundercat, Shabazz Palaces, David Lynch, George Clinton, Anderson Paak, Little Dragon, Solange, and others – and titles include "Post Requisite", "Takashi", "Spontaneous", "More", "Burning Down The House", "Actually Virtual", "Find Your Own Way Home", "The Climb", "Debbie Is Depressed", "Black BAloons Reprise", and "Land Of Honey". CD

Fantastic sounds from Flying Lotus – an artist who just keeps on pushing past any conventional expectations, to a point where his music is almost a genre unto itself! The record's got this very tripped-out sort of vibe – very much in keeping with the image on the cover – and while many others are exploring this territory of late, few ever even get close to the right sort of mix that's going on here – subtle elements of soul, funk, jazz, hip hop, and maybe a million other influences – all flowing through the double-length space of the set, as it Flying Lotus redefines the sound of soul in the modern age. The set's got guest work from Thundercat, Shabazz Palaces, David Lynch, George Clinton, Anderson Paak, Little Dragon, Solange, and others – and titles include "Post Requisite", "Takashi", "Spontaneous", "More", "Burning Down The House", "Actually Virtual", "Find Your Own Way Home", "The Climb", "Debbie Is Depressed", "Black BAloons Reprise", and "Land Of Honey". LP, Vinyl record album

Why did Motown ever let the Four Tops get away? This album was their last for the label – and it's an excellent one, filled with soul, sweetness, and some of the best arrangements the group had in their later years! The soul component is super-high – with tight group instrumentation that reminds us of the best Philly backing combos of the same time, but leaner too – as Dennis Coffey and Wah Wah Ragin are on guitars, Jack Ashford handles percussion, and Leonard Caston adds some nice funky keyboards. The real talent, though, is the group – and Levi Stubbs is in fine fine form on cuts like "She's An Understanding Woman", "I Am Your Man", "If You Let Me", "Nature Planned It", "Walk With Me, Talk With Me Darling", and "Happy (Is A Bumpy Road)". Even includes a great version of Todd Rundgren's wonderful track "We Gotta Get You A Woman"! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant record from tenorist Ken Fowser – a player who seems to grab our attention more and more with each new record – both as a soloist and as a rock-solid leader who always brings something special to a session! Ken dedicates this record to the inspiration of pianist Harold Mabern – and you can really feel a lot of Mabern's warmth and soul flowing through the record – as the tunes bristle with the kind of soulful imagination that we always loved in Mabern's music from years back – even though they're all originals by Ken, with piano handled beautifully by Tadatka Unno! This might be the first time we've ever heard Unno on record, but we're already in love – and the rest of the group features Josh Bruneau on trumpet and flugelhorn, Vince Dupont on bass, and Joe Strasser on drums. Titles include "This That & The Other Thing", "Moving Forward", "Three For Leathers", "Morning Light", "Firefly", "The Instigator", and "Without Saying". CD

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

A beautiful album that perfectly mixes both sides of Aretha Franklin's talents – the hard-edged soul singer who first flourished at Atlantic records in the late 60s, and the artist who was growing even more as a vocalist – really reaching out her wings to more sophisticated material! There's a balance here that makes the record one of the deepest that Franklin ever recorded for Atlantic – lots of larger Arif Mardin touches, but also some raw moments that really round things out – on titles that include Aretha's classic take on the Weldon Irvine/Nina Simone tune "Young Gifted & Black", the funky classic "Rock Steady", the wonderful mellow groover "Day Dreaming", the hit "Brand New Me", and the strangely compelling "First Snow In Kokomo" – plus other titles that include "All The King's Horses", "Oh Me Oh My", "Border Song", "Didn't I Blow Your Mind", "April Fools", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", and "The Long & Winding Road". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the toughest, leanest, tightest and most on point efforts from Freddie Gibbs to date when it came out – and still one of the best! Despite the dead on perfect homage to the Teddy Pendergrass's quiet storm soul classic Teddy with the cover art here, make no mistakes, the material is Freddie Gibbs at his most finely honed, perfectly backed on the production side by Kenny Beats for the most part. Lean beats and thick rattling bass back some of Freddie's sharpest performances from track-to-track we've ever heard. Includes "Weight", "Automatic", "Death Row" feat 03 Greedo, "2 Legit", "FLFM (Interlude)", "Triple Threat" "Set Set", "Toe Tag", "FBC", and "Diamonds 2" feat Cassi Jo Craig & Irie Jane Gibbs. LP, Vinyl record album

The biggest hit ever by The Free Movement – issued here in a pre-Columbia 45 on Decca! The track's got a sad slow style that's almost LA pop-soul – and builds with the vocals into a very nice harmony track. The flip's pretty nice too – chugging and a little funky, but ultimately in the same sort of style. 7-inch, Vinyl record

The title certainly gets it right – as the album's one of the funkiest ever from guitarist George Freeman, and one of the few to really hit that messed-up groove he was working in the clubs before his mid 70s retreat to Chicago! The style here is often all over the map – a mix of soul jazz and funkier numbers, but often served up with less of the direction than you'd get on Prestige, and even less of that on Groove Merchant – more in a raw small combo mode, with Freeman's guitar hitting plenty of raspy notes and weird solo excursions that keep even the mellower tunes exciting! The record features 2 different groups – one with John Young on piano, the other with Bobby Blevins on organ – and brother Von Freeman plays tenor sax on the whole set, although not nearly in the spotlight as George! (Definitely in keeping with something that Von told George many years back – quoted to us by George – "When you've got your own album, make sure that people know that you're the star!") Titles include "New Improved Funk", "Daffy", "Happy Fingers", "Confirmed Truth", "Guitar Lover Man", and "Big Finish". CD

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

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

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first – and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a perversion of the deep-Motown styles of groups like The Temptations or Undisputed Truth – taken into even headier territory! The original 5-member version of the group includes Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson, and Tiki Fulwood – all working here with some mindblowing George Clinton production! Tracks include classics like "I Bet You", "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "Music for My Mother", and "What Is Soul" – and the album's the stuff that made these guys a legend right out of the box! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer compilation – one that's every bit as wild and wooly as the famous image on the cover! The set came out in the mid 70s, and it's a perfect summation of all the greatness that Funkadelic had given the group in just a few short years – their brilliant way of blending together soul, funk, and psychedelic influences pulled from all parts of the Detroit scene – working under the leadership of George Clinton to craft a sound that few folks would ever be able to touch – even though thousands would try over the years! Every cut on the set is a killer – the kind of tight, short cuts that the group served up on singles – and which still blew away more than most other full album sides of the time! Titles include "I Got A Thang, You Got A Thang, Everybody's Got A Thang", "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On", "Cosmic Slop", "Funky Dollar Bill", "I Wanna Know If Its Good To You", "I'll Bet You", "Loose Booty", "Can You Get To That", and "A Joyful Process". CD

A killer compilation – one that's every bit as wild and wooly as the famous image on the cover! The set came out in the mid 70s, and it's a perfect summation of all the greatness that Funkadelic had given the group in just a few short years – their brilliant way of blending together soul, funk, and psychedelic influences pulled from all parts of the Detroit scene – working under the leadership of George Clinton to craft a sound that few folks would ever be able to touch – even though thousands would try over the years! Every cut on the set is a killer – the kind of tight, short cuts that the group served up on singles – and which still blew away more than most other full album sides of the time! Titles include "I Got A Thang, You Got A Thang, Everybody's Got A Thang", "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On", "Cosmic Slop", "Funky Dollar Bill", "I Wanna Know If Its Good To You", "I'll Bet You", "Loose Booty", "Can You Get To That", and "A Joyful Process". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff – and arguably the greatest early Funkadelic album ever! The set moves past the simple fuzzy style of the group's debut, and the overly-stoned sound of Free Your Mind – and rockets into a heady funk style that's filled with sly social commentary and an incredibly dark vision of the future! The centerpiece of the album is the mindblowing "Maggot Brain" title track – a tune that begins with a chilling spoken intro, then slowly builds amidst washes and washes of post-Hendrix guitar. That cut then rolls into some shorter, funkier numbers that rank with some of the group's best ever – using the device of party-hearty energy to convey a sense of alienation and horror at the world. The whole thing's brilliant throughout – and apart from being a soul classic, the set should also rank as one of the greatest rock albums of all time! Titles include "Maggot Brain", "Super Stupid", "Back in Our Minds", "Can You Get to That", and "Wars of Armageddon". Features two bonus tracks – "Maggot Brain (live 1971)" and "Maggot Brain (BMG dub)". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff – and arguably the greatest early Funkadelic album ever! The set moves past the simple fuzzy style of the group's debut, and the overly-stoned sound of Free Your Mind – and rockets into a heady funk style that's filled with sly social commentary and an incredibly dark vision of the future! The centerpiece of the album is the mindblowing "Maggot Brain" title track – a tune that begins with a chilling spoken intro, then slowly builds amidst washes and washes of post-Hendrix guitar. That cut then rolls into some shorter, funkier numbers that rank with some of the group's best ever – using the device of party-hearty energy to convey a sense of alienation and horror at the world. The whole thing's brilliant throughout – and apart from being a soul classic, the set should also rank as one of the greatest rock albums of all time! Titles include "Maggot Brain", "Super Stupid", "Back in Our Minds", "Can You Get to That", and "Wars of Armageddon". Features a great bonus single with two bonus tracks – "Maggot Brain (live 1971)" and "Maggot Brain (BMG dub)". LP, Vinyl record album

Two rare albums from this great pianist – back to back on a single CD! First up is Jazz Argentino – key work from Ruben Lopez Furst, a wonderful pianist from the Argentine scene of the 60s – heard here on one of his greatest albums ever! Despite the local placement in the title, the set's got a really universal appeal – a quality that easily puts Baby Lopez Furst in the company of Bill Evans, Hampton Hawes, or a rare few imaginative pianists from up north! Furst's sense of color and timing are wonderful – ringing out fluidly, yet always with a sense of surprise that keeps us hanging on each new note – nothing that's ever hokey or heard-before – handled here with a vibrancy that's simply stunning. Many numbers are trio tracks, but the set also features guest trumpet and tenor on two tracks – and titles include "Israel", "Un Abajea Duriente", "Los Viejos", "Al Este Del Sol", "Sometime Ago", and "Cartas De Amor". Next is Jazz En La Universidad – one of the real highlights of the Argentine jazz scene of the 60s – a seminal album from pianist Ruben "Baby" Lopez – easily one of that country's greatest jazz musicians in the decade! Ruben's got a sound that opens up with the lyrical sense of space and tone first introduced by Bill Evans, but he's also more note-full at other moments – playing with a command of the piano that would have made him huge, had he recorded on the American or European scenes of the time! There's a warm balance between his instrument, the bass of Jorge Gonzalez, and drums of Nestor Astratta – one that goes past conventional piano trio modes, and which really reminds us of our favorite Saba/MPS sessions of the period. Titles include "Un Poco Alegre", "Hombre Amaestrado", "En Tu Dulce Modo", "Hermosoa Amor", and "Necesitare Alguien Mas". CD

Gang Starr at pretty close to peak level here on 1994's Hard To Earn – and rather than continue to ride the waves they made on the previous couple classic albums, Guru sharpens the lyrical tone just a bit – spitting some more incisive rhymes over apporpriately gritty soul jazz beats from Primo. Tracks include the classic "DWYCK" featuring Nice & Smooth – which is just about our favorite Gang Starr track ever, to be honest – plus "Speak Ya Clout" featuring Jeru and Lil Dap, "Mass Appeal", "Code Of The Streets", "Brainstorm", "Tonz O Gunz", "Suckas Need Bodyguards", "Blowin Up The Spot", "Mostly Tha Voice", "F.A.L.A.", "Now You're Mine", "Comin For Datazz", "Aiight Chill...", "The Planet", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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

An incredible record – quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique – written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him – done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love – all of which were very much on the mind of Marvin during his troubled years of the mid 70s. The whole thing's beautifully put together – superbly orchestrated with just the right funky touches, and even a sweet bit of electronics to give the set a nice edge. An amazing album – one of those soul records that goes deeper and deeper than you ever thought pop music could go – filled with great tracks that include "I Want You", "After the Dance", "Come Live With Me", and "Since I Had You". Genius – pure genius! LP, Vinyl record album

A key late 60s country crossover set, but one that also inspired a fair bit of funk as well! The title cut's a well-known gem – one that's been covered instrumentally in some break-heavy versions, but which sounds even more amazing here in Bobbie's original version – one of the moodiest pop tunes we've ever heard, with lyrics, and a way of presenting them, that still leaves us breathless all these many years later. There's also some other funky bits here too – Gentry's raspy "Mississippi Delta" – an original number that almost seems to unseat Tina Turner for down-home soul – and the groovy "Sunday Best", "Niki Hoeky", "Papa Won't You Let Me Go To Town With You", and "Chickasaw Country Child", all numbers that echo the same lilting acoustic guitar grooves of "Billie Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best albums ever from this hip Australian soul singer – a vocalist who was as important to her scene in the 70s as Chaka Khan was in the US! That comparison may seem like a strong one, but Renee Geyer's got a hell of a voice – and she really sounds wonderful here working in a live setting with her very tight group! Titles include her classic funky version of "Really Really Love You" – plus the great "Hard Head" and "Shakey Ground". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking set of work from the team of Jef Gilson and Hal Singer – a uniquely cross-cultural session recorded in the Paris scene of the 70s, and easily some of the best work ever from both musicians! Singer's probably best remembered on these shores for his older R&B tenor work of the 50s – but sometime during the 60s, he moved over to Paris, where he cut some mighty great music – including the legendary Paris Soul Food album, which predates this one by a few years. Gilson was always a great artist on the French scene – a modern pianist whose work of the 60s was always fresh and new, and a player who moved into more of a world jazz sensibility as the 70s approached. Together, both players work some real magic here – deep soul from Singers tenor, sharper tones from Gilson's piano – and a range of weird and wonderful notes from other players who include Bernard Lubat on vibes, Jacky Samson on bass, Frank Raholison on drums, and both Del Rabenja and Gerard Rakotoarivony on percussion – really helping the record live up to its "Africa" title! Samson's bass is especially amazing – roundly-toned, and incredibly soulful – as much so as his legendary work with Marco DiMarco, but pitched slightly differently here – and titles include "The High Life", "Liberation", "Mother Africa", "Chant Inca", and "Garvey's Strut". Plus, as an added bonus the CD also features 2 incredible earlier tracks by Gilson – material recorded with Lloyd Miller back in the 60s – playing "micro organ" and balaphon, with a sound that's almost even more haunting than the main album. Other players include "Pierre Caron on tenor and Alain Tabar-Nouval on alto – and titles include "Le Grand Bidou" and "Fable Of Gutenberg". CD

We're not sure we've ever seen many computers at the disco – but after hearing this sweet little set from the 80s, we're tempted to bring our laptops along the next time we go clubbing! The tracks are all spare instrumentals with an electro soul core – tunes that are upbeat and rhythmic enough to warrant the "disco" in the title – but which also feature mostly electronic elements, beats, and keyboards – cooked up in a sound library studio, far from the dancefloor – as almost a clearer, starker take on the cosmic vibe of the Italian scene of the time. The set features eight instrumentals – numbered "Disco 1", "Disco 2", "Disco 3", and so on. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most righteous music we've ever heard from keyboardist Robert Glasper – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given his legacy of albums over the years! This project feels different than the previous Black Radio releases by Glasper – different than his initial blending of jazz modes and contemporary soul – and maybe more strongly driven by mission and purpose, with a quality that really comes through right from the very first note! Glasper's piano and keyboards still have that strong sense of shape we love so much – but they're maybe more heady and serious, and really set a fantastic tone for the album's many contributions from important voices like Esperanza Spaulding, BJ The Chicago Kid, Amir Sulaiman, Lalah Hathaway, Common, Posdnuos, Q Tip, Gregory Porter, Ledisi, HER, and others – a lineup who really elevate the already-sublime tone of the record. We've always found inspiration in the music of Robert Glasper – but it's also an amazing thing to see him rise to an almost statesman-like position with a project like this – on titles that include "Black Superhero", "Shine", "Why We Speak", "Better Than I Imagined", "Everybody Love", "It Don't Matter", "Heaven's Here", "Forever", and a surprisingly strong cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". LP, Vinyl record album

A dozen previously-unreleased tracks from the great James Govan – presented here with work from some of his rare singles from Fame Records! All the music was recorded at Muscle Shoals when the scene was at its height – headed up by production whiz Rick Hall, and backed by the great Fame studio musicians – but it's Govan himself who really makes these tunes sparkle – singing with this rich voice that's clearly rooted in the 60s modes of Otis Redding, but which also stretch forth in a new style of his own! James has this earnest appeal on record that really echoes his image on the cover of the set – and there's a charm to these tunes that really goes beyond the usual southern soul of the period –far past any overdone cliches or commercial modes. The discovery of these dozen sides is a great thing for fans of southern soul – and they make a great counterpart to the few Fame singles that Govan ever issued. Titles include "I've Gone Too Far", "Something", "Stuck On Her", "Way Over Yonder", "I Shall Be Released", "You Get A Lot To Like", "Just Like A Woman", "Take Me Just As I Am", "Jambalaya", and "Wanted Lover No Experience Necessary". CD

A trio of albums from one of our favorite trumpeters on the European scene! First up is Portrait – a set that stands as a tribute to trumpeter Dusko Goykovich's 70 years on this planet – and a record that features him in a variety of settings too! Other players include Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, Tony Lakatos on tenor, Steve Gut on trumpet, Isla Eckinger and Ray Drummond on basses, Abraham Burton on alto, and Kenny Barron and Tommy Flanagan on pianos – on titles that include "Recado Bossa Nova", "Balkan Blue", "Adriatica", "One For Klook", and "Inga". Next is Swinging Macedonia – a legendary German session from the 60s – and a record that really showcases the unusual criss-crossing of modes that was going on in the European scene at the time! There's a very strong MPS vibe here – as trumpeter Dusko Goykovich leads a swinging sextet that includes Nathan Davis on flute, soprano, and tenor – blowing some tremendously soulful reed lines – plus incredible rhythms from Mal Waldron on piano, Peter Trunk on bass, and Cees See on drums. The record's an attempt to bring traditional Macedonian rhythms into a jazz perspective – but with players like these, it swings in a way any Macedonian album never could – damn soulful, and with a great exotic vibe. Davis is especially great, and plays in a soaring modal vein that's similar to his work on his classic MPS sides, and on the records he cut in America in the early 70s. The album's a beautiful session that often get's overlooked because it blends it with the Enja catalog – but it's really more of a record that belongs in an MPS reissue series, and is a great lost groover that's waiting to be rediscovered by the Dusty Groove crowd. Titles include "Macedonia", "Old Fisherman's Daughter", "Jumbo Uganda", "Bem Basha", "Saga Se karame", and "The Nights Of Skopje". Brandenberg Concert features one of the greatest trumpeters on the European scene of the past few decades – heard here in a completely sublime setting! Dusko Goykovich has played in many styles and many ways, but hasn't ever done a date with full strings before – a long-overdue placement for his wonderful tone on trumpet – shimmering out front of a larger ensemble, in the manner of classic "with strings" dates by Dizzy Gillespie or Art Farmer! Altoist Peter King arranged the album – and titles are all originals by Dusko, some of which you might know from earlier records – reworked here beautifully for the new setting. King also solos on a handful of tracks too – a rich voice that provides a nice balance with Dusko's trumpet. Strings are never overdone, and the album's always got a nice swing from a core rhythm trio that features Renato Chicco on piano. Titles include "Good Old Days", "Handful O Soul", "Danca Comigo", "St Germain Des Pres", "Adriatica", "In My Dreams", and "I Miss You So". CD

What can we say? Most of the biggest hits, and many of the very best tracks cut in the prime of Al Green's career – which is to say some of the very best Memphis soul ever recorded! 10 essential tracks in all, and it's just one of these Greatest Hits packages of pure, inarguable perfection – with "Call Me", "Let's Stay Together", "Tired Of Being Alone", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "I Can't Get Next To You", "You Ought To Be With Me", "Look What You Done For Me" and "Let's Get Married". CD

Al Green explores your mind – then moves onto your heart, your soul, and everything in between! The album's a classic in the best Hi Records tradition – and features Al moving into a style that's even more spiritual than before – serving up the sublime tracks "Take Me To The River" and "God Blessed Our Love", both of which seem to point strongly at the direction he would take in later years – but also managing to mix the secular with the spiritual, in a way that's as sexy as ever! Other tracks include the hit "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)", plus "One Nite Stand", "The City", "I'm Hooked On You", and "Stay With Me Forever". CD

A stunner! Al Green returns to the glorious, exuberant soul brilliance of the Hi Records years for his Blue Note debut – an amazing return to form that we could kick ourselves for not anticipating! Al Green asserted long, long ago that he had no intention of ever making another secular soul album – and God bless Rev. Green for turning around on that. Of course we wouldn't try to tell you that anything on I Can't Stop is as revelatory as "I'm Still In Love With You" or "Let's Stay Together", but a lot of it comes pretty damn close, believe or not. Al's voice has held up almost unbelievably well over the years, having picked up just enough rough edges to make Willie Mitchell's wonderfully tight, smooth and heavy Memphis soul arrangements that much more striking, but still hitting those knee-shaking high notes and that famous vibrato. And yes, you read the previous sentence correctly – the legendary Willie Mitchell's back in Al's corner for the set – and his horn-drenched Memphis sound is as big and beautiful as ever. If projects like this are going to characterize how Blue Note is going to spend all of that Norah Jones money, we should nominate that girl for president next time. Let's hope Al and Willie live up to the title and keep on going after this one. Another classic from one of the greatest artist/producer teams in the history of modern music! 12 tracks in all, including "I Can't Stop", "Play To Win", "Rainin' In My Heart", "You", "Not Tonight", "Million To One", "Too Many" and more. CD

A fantastic group from the British scene at mid 60s – music from a time when the UK world of jazz was exploding from the work of artists like Joe Harriott and Tubby Hayes, but also held some other tremendous talents as well! The group here has trumpeter Henry Lowther and tenorist Lyn Dobson at the core – and also features work from Jon Hiseman on drums, plus piano from Ken McCarthy and bass from Ron Rubin on the quintet tracks, and bass from a pre-Cream Jack Bruce on the quartet titles! Tracks are long, open, and filled with the kind of modern expression you might know from the group of Ian Carr and Don Rendell – often modal rhythms giving strong inspiration to freer solo flights – but always with a sense of soul that keeps things from ever sounding too outside to swing. The whole thing's wonderful – a near-lost slice from these crucial years – with titles that include "Snow", "Straight Away", "Celebrity Stomp", "Night & Day", "Red Planet", "Black & White Raga", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite ever singles from Chicago! "Chinatown" is a hilarous (and slightly racist) soul track about the asian community, with some great fake "Chinese" singing. Very much in the tradition of tracks like "Ling Ting Tong"! 7-inch, Vinyl record