The last album that Bob Seger recorded with his early System group, and a set that's still got more of the hard rock and psych elements that Bob was using during his initial late 60s rise to fame! There's a rawness here at times that will surprise folks who only know Seger's late 70s mainstream classics – yet Bob's already got that nicely soul-drenched approach to vocals too, which makes for a nice change from the usual underground group of the time. Dan Watson provides great piano and organ, Pep Perrine handles some mighty heavy drums, and titles include "Big River", "Mongrel", "Lucifer", "Teachin Blues", "Song To Rufus", "Leanin On My Dreams", "Highway Child", and a heady take on "River Deep Mountain High", with some mighty nice guitar! CD

Fantastic sounds from Jackie Shane – a Canadian soul singer who's achieved a bit of recent fame, due to her legacy as an underground trans figure – but an artist who'd already be a winner, even without such a fascinating back story! Fortunately, both sides of Jackie's life are included here – a stunning array of rare soul singles from the late 60s, alongside a heavy package of notes, photos, and other bits of Shane's unusual story – all given the wonderful Numero Group treatment! These guys have a way of digging out stories even where you might not expect them – so in the case of Jackie, their efforts are extra-important – and the heavy weight of the record really seems to emphasize that fact – as the whole thing's really a double-whammy of Numero genius. But again, even without all of that, the whole thing's more than essential for any fan of underground soul – especially female soul – half the set features her rare singles, the other lost live work – with titles that include "Sticks & Stones", "Cruel Cruel World", "Comin Down", "In My Tenement", "Send Me Some Lovin", "I've Really Got The Blues", "Stand Up Straight & Tall", "Cruel Cruel World", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "Any Other Way", "Shotgun", "I Don't Want To Cry", and "Money". CD

Fantastic sounds from Jackie Shane – a Canadian soul singer who's achieved a bit of recent fame, due to her legacy as an underground trans figure – but an artist who'd already be a winner, even without such a fascinating back story! Fortunately, both sides of Jackie's life are included here – a stunning array of rare soul singles from the late 60s, alongside a heavy package of notes, photos, and other bits of Shane's unusual story – all given the wonderful Numero Group treatment! These guys have a way of digging out stories even where you might not expect them – so in the case of Jackie, their efforts are extra-important – and the heavy weight of the record really seems to emphasize that fact – as the whole thing's really a double-whammy of Numero genius. But again, even without all of that, the whole thing's more than essential for any fan of underground soul – especially female soul – half the set features her rare singles, the other lost live work – with titles that include "Sticks & Stones", "Cruel Cruel World", "Comin Down", "In My Tenement", "Send Me Some Lovin", "I've Really Got The Blues", "Stand Up Straight & Tall", "Cruel Cruel World", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "Any Other Way", "Shotgun", "I Don't Want To Cry", and "Money". CD

Trumpter Charlie Shavers found plenty of fame in Paris during the postwar years – just the right sort of audience to appreciate his blend of trad inspirations and more contemporary swing! And this album's a perfect example of the Shavers style that shone so brightly at the time – bold, well-blown trumpet in the lead, sometimes mixed with vocals that almost echo a Louis Prima mode, but with a bit more of a broken-down Jack Teagarden feel, too. The tunes are short, but pack plenty of punch – and titles include "The Man With A Horn", "Back Home Again In Indiana", "Fly Me To The Moon", "But Beautiful", "Ja Da", and "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, you'll find an undercurrent of politics, feminism, and social commentary delivered with surprising intensity. Marlena Shaw's voice is generally sweet, but she's set up in some extremely powerful arrangements by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that recast even the simplest phrase into a whole new setting of strength and pride – and Bobby Miller of Dells fame also helped make the record what it is, and helped write some of the best songs on the record. The set includes Marlena's classic original reading of "Woman Of The Ghetto", which has been sampled by just about everyone, plus "California Soul", which has a nice hard break, and the tunes "Liberation Conversation", "Where Can I Go?", and the original version of "Go Away Little Boy" – as sweet a statement of womanhood if there ever was one! CD

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, you'll find an undercurrent of politics, feminism, and social commentary delivered with surprising intensity. Marlena Shaw's voice is generally sweet, but she's set up in some extremely powerful arrangements by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that recast even the simplest phrase into a whole new setting of strength and pride – and Bobby Miller of Dells fame also helped make the record what it is, and helped write some of the best songs on the record. The set includes Marlena's classic original reading of "Woman Of The Ghetto", which has been sampled by just about everyone, plus "California Soul", which has a nice hard break, and the tunes "Liberation Conversation", "Where Can I Go?", and the original version of "Go Away Little Boy" – as sweet a statement of womanhood if there ever was one! CD

Easily the best-remembered album by Labi Siffre – thanks to some well-used sample tracks over the years! But over and above the fame of the funky tunes "The Vulture" and "I Got The", the record's a key part of Siffre's 70s catalog – a record that's as great for its complex songwriting and deeply personal lyrics as it is for its Fender Rhodes lines, and tight musical backings from the combo of Big Jim Sullivan. All titles here are originals, and even when the groove slows down there's a depth that clearly marks Labi as one of the best singer/songwriters of the 70s – a talent who's been finally rediscovered in recent years, although sometimes only remembered for a few jazzy hooks from these tunes, and not the strength of the whole magilla! Here's your chance to dip into the Siffre sound at its fullest – on tracks that include "The Vulture", "I Got The", "Another Year", "Down", "Old Time Song", "Sadie & The Devil", "Remember My Song", and "Turn On Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the Golden Girls of senior TV fame – but a trio of lovely ladies operating under the Silver Convention banner – really soaring here alongside warm disco arrangements from maestro Silvester Levay! There's maybe a bit more warmth here than some of the previous Silver Convention records – more New York vibe in the mix, which is a good thing – as Levay gets away from some of the stiffer European modes, and finds just the right setting for the trio of Penny McLean, Ramona Wolf, and Rhonda Heath. Backings include keyboards from Levay, guitar from Sigi Schawb, and "The Fantastic Strings Of Fritz Sonnleitner" – and titles include "Save Me 77", "Wolfchild", "Telegram", "Summer Nights", "Voodoo Woman", "Ain't It Like A Hollowood Movie", and "Hotshot". CD

Not the Golden Girls of senior TV fame – but a trio of lovely ladies operating under the Silver Convention banner – really soaring here alongside warm disco arrangements from maestro Silvester Levay! There's maybe a bit more warmth here than some of the previous Silver Convention records – more New York vibe in the mix, which is a good thing – as Levay gets away from some of the stiffer European modes, and finds just the right setting for the trio of Penny McLean, Ramona Wolf, and Rhonda Heath. Backings include keyboards from Levay, guitar from Sigi Schawb, and "The Fantastic Strings Of Fritz Sonnleitner" – and titles include "Save Me 77", "Wolfchild", "Telegram", "Summer Nights", "Voodoo Woman", "Ain't It Like A Hollowood Movie", and "Hotshot". LP, Vinyl record album

15 bass-heavy classics from the band that virtually invented the 80s groove sound! The set's a good selection of tracks from Slave's classic Cotillion albums from the late 70s, and it also includes 5 tracks from bandmember Steve Arrington, who went on to record with his Hall Of Fame group during the early 80s. Titles include "Slide", "Stellar Fungk", "Stone Jam", "Watching You", "Wait For Me", "Weak At The Knees", "Feel So Real", "Way Out", and "Are You Ready For Love?" CD

A beautiful little record from singer Carol Sloane – a singer who's billed as a discovery from the Newport Jazz Festival – but who sings here with shimmeringly modern arrangements that recall some of June Christy's best 50s work with arranger Pete Rugolo! The force behind the backings here is mostly Bill Finegan – of Sauter-Finegan fame – who uses just the right amount of subtle modern colors and tones to instantly announce Sloane as a singer from a new generation – one who's not trying to cross over to pop, nor please the dancers – and instead revel in all the advances that jazz vocals had made in the postwar years. Bob Brookmeyer also arranged a few tunes – and plays often on the record, with a great tone that underscores the blue vibe of the set – and titles include "Who Cares", "My Ship", "Little Girl Blue", "Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries", "Night & Day", "My Silent Love", and "The More I See You". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet 70s groover from the great Lonnie Smith – a soulful little session that has the keyboardist really stretching out in some great ways! At the time, Smith fares a lot better than some of his late 60s jazz organ contemporaries – as he's got a great lean style, perfect for the decade's increasing use of electric keyboards and larger backings! This set's a great example of that style – as Smith moves way from his 60s soul jazz roots, into the soaring blend of jazz, funk, and soul that you'd also hear on Johnny Hammond albums of the time – almost more soul than jazz, given the presence of vocals on some cuts – but still always with more than enough room for the leader to stretch out and solo. Backings are nice and tight – and handled by Brad Baker (of B Baker Chocolate Company fame) – and tracks include "Funk Reaction", "For The Love Of It", "It's Changed", and "When The Night Is Right". CD

A sweet 70s groover from the great Lonnie Smith – a soulful little session that has the keyboardist really stretching out in some great ways! At the time, Smith fares a lot better than some of his late 60s jazz organ contemporaries – as he's got a great lean style, perfect for the decade's increasing use of electric keyboards and larger backings! This set's a great example of that style – as Smith moves way from his 60s soul jazz roots, into the soaring blend of jazz, funk, and soul that you'd also hear on Johnny Hammond albums of the time – almost more soul than jazz, given the presence of vocals on some cuts – but still always with more than enough room for the leader to stretch out and solo. Backings are nice and tight – and handled by Brad Baker (of B Baker Chocolate Company fame) – and tracks include "Funk Reaction", "For The Love Of It", "It's Changed", and "When The Night Is Right". LP, Vinyl record album

Lonnie Smith's a long way from his Blue Note years here – but the sound is still plenty darn great, thanks to some fuller arrangements from the great Brad Baker – of B Baker Chocolate Company fame! The whole thing's quite electric – with Lonnie on Fender Rhodes and other keyboards on most tracks, and rhythms that bring in bits of strings amidst the smaller jazz combo vamping – a blend that's smoothly soulful, but still more than funky enough to please our ears. Lonnie even sings a bit on the record, too – in this slightly-spacey quality that has echoes of Stevie Wonder – but the main focus overall is on his keyboards, which step out nicely over the backings. Titles include "Keep On Lovin", "What I Want", "No Tears Tomorrow", "Sizzle Stick", "Lean Meat", and "Filet O Sole". CD

Part of the great 80s run from The Smiths – and a record that has them continuing to grow, continuing to express new ideas – yet still find a way to hang onto all the charm and catchiness that made them so great in the first place! Morrissey's definitely stretching out a bit with his songwriting, and Johnny Marr's guitar finds lots of lovely places to show us why he was such a standout talent in his generation – and production, as always, is wonderfully uncluttered – none of those too-smooth or too-commercial modes that held back so many Smiths contemporaries once they started raising in fame. Titles include "A Rush & A Push & The Land Is Ours", "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me", "I Won't Share You", "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before", "Death Of A Disco Dancer", and "Girlfriend In A Coma". LP, Vinyl record album

Dele Sosimi was raised in the shadow of Fela Kuti, literally – as he spent part of his youth in Fela's commune – yet his music is nicely free of some of the overdone Afro Funk modes of the 70s, and instead really finds a fresh way forward with all sorts of wonderful criss-crossings of styles! Sosimi was born in London, and later returned to the city – and the work here really has that special sparkle when the British scene gets things right – bringing together elements of its post-colonial richness, but with a new vision for the future – optimistic and uplifting, but never in a way that makes the music seem too facile or easygoing. One of Dele's key musical partners here is Sam Duckworth, of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly fame – and titles include "Open Up", "Ride Out The Storm", "Ori Mi", "Mo Se Bola Tan", and "E Si Medo". CD

Dele Sosimi was raised in the shadow of Fela Kuti, literally – as he spent part of his youth in Fela's commune – yet his music is nicely free of some of the overdone Afro Funk modes of the 70s, and instead really finds a fresh way forward with all sorts of wonderful criss-crossings of styles! Sosimi was born in London, and later returned to the city – and the work here really has that special sparkle when the British scene gets things right – bringing together elements of its post-colonial richness, but with a new vision for the future – optimistic and uplifting, but never in a way that makes the music seem too facile or easygoing. One of Dele's key musical partners here is Sam Duckworth, of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly fame – and titles include "Open Up", "Ride Out The Storm", "Ori Mi", "Mo Se Bola Tan", and "E Si Medo". LP, Vinyl record album

Although it would be easy to write these guys off as a cheapo product emblazoned with the Soul Train name to cash in on the fame of the TV show, the gang's actually a pretty decent harmony soul act, and they really benefit from strong Norman Harris production on this LP. The ensemble features 2 female vocalists and 3 male ones – and they have a sweet grooving style that's kind of in the same mode as The Spinners, but which also hints at some of the later LA harmony hits on the Solar label, which is no surprise, since Solar owner Dick Griffey's involved in the project as executive producer. Philly soul arrangements abound – by Harris, Ronnie Baker, or Bobby Martin – and tracks include "That Certain Way", "How Much Longer", "All My Life", and the "Soul Train Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

A big moment for the British ska scene – and the soundtrack to a film that featured live work by nearly all of the big names at the time! The album features live work by artists who owed a lot to 2 Tone, but who'd even moved onto bigger fame by the film – but who are working here in a nice back-to-basics mode – and titles include live versions of "Concrete Jungle", "Man At C&A", and "Nite Klub" by The Specials; "Mirror In The Bathroom", "Big Shot", and "Ranking Full Stop" by The English Beat; "Inner London Violence" and "Lip Up Fatty" by Bad Manners; "Easy Life" by The Bodysnatchers; and "Razor Blade Alley" and "One Step Beyond" by Madness. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the greatest work ever from The Staple Singers – early gospel recordings for Vee Jay Records, mostly recorded in a spare vocal group mode that's greatly different from their later fame at Stax! The style here is quite traditional and earthy – near-acapella vocals often just supported by a bit of guitar to underscore some of the bluesier elements of the tunes. The approach is great, and perfectly recorded – in a way that's still gospel, but which shows plenty of early soul leanings too – a style that's different than most of the group's contemporaries, and which certainly hints at their later direction. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from The Stark Reality – an obscure group from the early 70s, but one who've really risen to fame over the years – thanks to their groundbreaking ear for new music, and their freewheeling way with a funky groove! This package brings together all the incredible work recorded by the group in the late 60s and early 70s – a mindblowing assortment of funky and fuzzy jazz tracks – almost all of which are graced by the offbeat vibes work of Monty Stark! Stark often adds a bit of distortion into his instrument, which makes for a very tripped-out approach to vibes – one that blends perfectly with the heavy funk of some of the rhythms, and the freaky guitar lines added to most tracks by a young John Abercrombie. Yet at other times, things are very laidback and chilled-out – balanced beautifully from track to track, in a way that illustrates the larger picture the group were always going for in their music. This massive package brings together everything Stark Reality ever recorded – their famous Discovers Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop album, the Acting Thinking Feeling live performance, the Roller Coaster Ride/1969 album, and lots of rare singles too – more than enough music to please any fan of the group, and blow the minds of anyone who's just getting a first taste. Titles include "Roller Coaster Ride", "On Being Black", "New World Generation", "Theme To Say Brother", "Dreams", "Clouds", "All You Need To Make Music", "Rocket Ship", "Cooking", "The Old Prospector", and "Junkman's Song". Great package too – with two LP-styled CD sleeves inside a larger case, plus a big booklet of notes and photos! CD

After first breaking into the soul business as a mellow southern-styled singer cut by Rick Hall in the classic Fame mode of Muscle Shoals, Candi made a wise move to the Hotlanta sound and hooked up with producer Dave Crawford for this runaway hit album from the mid 70s! The title cut – "Young Hearts Run Free" – mixes the best elements of Candi's southern roots with a strident smooth groove that worked as well on the dancefloor as it did on the radio. Along with that cut, though, the album's got a great overall sound – kind of a mix of southern and modern soul styles, with a sophisticated approach that worked well for Candi. Other cuts include "I Know", "Run To Me", "Destiny", and "What a Feeling". Also with a nice cover of Al Green's "Living For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Really amazing early work from Al Stewart – light years away from his bigger 70s AM radio fame, and instead a very sensitive singer and songwriter, with a unique vocal approach as well! LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s gem from singer/songwriter Al Stewart – a set that was part of his long-overdue rise to global fame – after quietly giving the world a number of great and overlooked albums from the UK scene! The vibe here is similar to the preceding set – the classic Year Of The Cat – in that Al's got all of his sharp songwriting and very unique vocal phrasing intact – all set to sharp production that brings out the real strengths of his catchier moments, and certainly pushes Al far past the more Dylan-inspired territory of his earliest years. Titles include the wonderful title cut "Time Passages" – plus "Song On The Radio", "Life In Dark Water", "Valentina Way", "A Man For All Seasons", "Almost Lucy", "The Palace Of Versailles", and "Timeless Skies". LP, Vinyl record album

The biggest record that Al Stewart ever cut – as you no doubt know from the oft-played title track – but a set that also stands as a great testament to all the many years he'd been crafting fine music before fully getting the recognition he deserved! Stewart's got a way with words that's like few of his contemporaries – maybe a bit like Donovan, with whom he shares a similar vocal approach – and also a clear early love of Bob Dylan, yet an immediate evolution past that influence – so that the whole thing is very much in a world of Al's own, with some slight 70s mainstream production, but not enough to soften the music into more mainstream AOR – despite the fame of the hit. Titles include, of course, "Year Of The Cat", plus "One Stage Before", "Flying Sorcery", "Broadway Hotel", "Lord Grenville", "If It Doesn't Come Naturally Leave It", and "Midas Shadow". LP, Vinyl record album

You won't find Joyce Street in the Country Music Hall Of Fame, but she's the kind of singer who definitely could have been huge, had she ever hit the big time – yet maybe one who's even more fascinating on this series of singles recorded for a variety of small labels in the 70s – all the kind of heartfelt, honest work that's very different than the arena-filling music of the outlaw generation! Joyce has a voice that recalls some of our favorite female country singers to emerge in the 60s, and hearing this work is like catching one of them before they were picked up by a major label – recording with a real since of sincerity that definitely does justice to her music. Titles include "Life Ain't Worth Livin", "Back Streets Of The City", "Love In My Heart", "California You're Slippin", "Mississippi Moonshine", "Woman Do Something Nice", and "That Man Of Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

A British group with a surprisingly no-nonsense approach for the time – neither prog, nor hard rock, glam, or anything else that might have been big during the early 70s underground – which may well be why this set never got the fame it deserved! There's some great guitar work on the set that almost gets funky at points, but which often just holds to rockish riffing instead – really well-fit to the offbeat vocals which are perfect for the lyrical delivery of the set – all at a level that makes the whole thing one of those great under-circulated major label efforts that's wonderfully hard to peg, and which is ripe for rediscovery all these many years later. Titles include "Me & Virginia", "It Ain't Me", "Coast Of Panama", "Finger On The Trigger", "Mare Luna", "It's All For You", "Dark Eye", and "Turn Round". CD

Classic work from one of the real giants of Venezuelan music in the 70s – the mighty singer Tabaco, an artist with a style that was every bit as soulful and righteous as any of the salsa greats on the New York scene at the time! Tabaco heads up his own groups here, and has a way of creating these lean, bold groups that are fantastic – heavy basslines, jazzy piano, and plenty of percussion – all topped with vocals that really send the whole thing over the top, and which should have seen the singer hit much bigger global fame on the Latin scene! Titles include "Ponte En Ritmo", "Lino", "Imolle", "Cuando Llora El Indio", "Yo Soy Sonero", "El Tren De Porky", "San Juan Guaricongo", "A Millet", and "Casamiento". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from a singer who really should have gotten bigger fame at the time – an artist who played keyboards with Doug Sahm, and definitely absorbed some of that Texas brew of sounds – but who also has a soulful style that's very much his own when he steps out in the lead! Part of the album's strength is its soul-drenched arrangements from Harold Batiste – served up in a way that might well make the set Wayne Talbert's most soulful at the time – although as with the others, there's some original material here that's especially nice, and quite unusual – and which really works well with his raspy vocals! Titles include "I Put A Spell On You", "She Put The Hurt On Me", "Trouble", "Take Another Look", "Mr Barley Corn", "I Found A Little Girl", "Don't You Know Little Girl", "Getting Married Soon", "Life's Windows", and "Crankiola Narcissis Buds". CD

A totally fantastic record, and one we'd put right up there next to some of the best soulful hardbop albums on bigger labels of the 60s – even though the set hardly ever saw much circulation back in the day! As you can guess from the cover, the quintet hails from San Francisco – and they work here with a boldly creative vibe that really reflects the energy they were bringing to their club dates in the Bay Area – leadership by pianist Al Tanner, with smoking tenor from Roy Henderson, and a mix of flute and trumpet from George Alexander – both done in these really great ways. Edwar Williams handles bass, and perhaps the biggest name here is drummer Smiley Winters, who would later go on to more avant fame – yet it's the group together as a whole who work so well, often with the cohesive energy and individual voices of the Horace Silver quintet at its best. Titles include the massive modal number "Kuba" – plus "Rolon's Groove", "Bronson's Blues", "The Magi", "Poor Me", and "Zaltanica" – most nice and long. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of work from the great Howard Tate – a stunning soul singer who recorded mostly during an initial decade in the studio, then briefly returned to fame in the few short years before his death – always with a depth and vibrancy that set him apart right from the start! Tate was born in the south, but raised in Philly – and as such, has this unusual blend of deep soul vocals and more sophisticated modes – heard most famously in his early work with producer Jerry Ragovoy, but carried on strongly in his 70s records too – all of which are sampled here, in a collection that includes material from Howard's sessions for Verve, Atlantic, Epic, HT, and Turntable Records! CD features a massive 29 tracks in all – and titles include "My Soul's Got A Hole In It", "Shoot Em All Down", "Stop", "Strugglin", "Keep Cool", "She's A Burglar", "It's Too Late", "Can You Top This", "Brand New Me", "Get It While You Can", "The Bigger End", "Ain't Got Nobody To Give It To", "Half A Man", "You're Looking Good", "Question", "Have You Ever Had The Blues", and "Baby I Love You". CD

A definite love storm from Tavares – a set that has the group's vocal approach honed to perfection – really soaring high with some sweet clubby arrangements from Freddie Perren! The album came at a time when the group was riding high on mainstream disco fame – but it's hardly a cash-in set at all – and still really keeps the group strongly in that special harmony space that was all their own! Tavares have a glow that's warmer than some of the east coast groups of the time, and which fits in perfectly with Perren's sophisticated grooves – yet the vocals still bristle with plenty of feeling, and that unified energy that nobody else could touch. Titles include "One Step Away", "Whodunit", "Keep In Touch", "Watching The Women's Movement", "Fool Of The Year", "Goodnight My Love", and "The Going Ups & The Coming Downs". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone 70s classic from Tavares – quite possibly the group's biggest album, and a masterpiece of LA vocal group soul! The album's biggest claim to fame is the massive hit "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", recorded by the group for this set, but blown to the heights through it's huge use in the film Saturday Night Fever. But although that hit might mark them as a disco group, Tavares are still very much in the strongest style of their best early vocal group sets – coming together magically as a group, even when the rhythms are a bit uptempo, and sounding great on tracks that include "To The Other Man", "The Mighty Power Of Love", "Bein With You", "Ridin High", "Wonderful", and "Guiding Star". LP, Vinyl record album

The Ebony Godfather is grooving here with a set of fuller backings – sweet clubby funk, arranged and conducted by Brad Baker (of B Baker Chocolate Company fame) – all as a showcase for Joe's sweet work on flute and tenor sax! There's a fair bit of keyboards on the tunes – played by Pat Rebillot and Barry Miles – and Steve Gadd's playing the drums on the date, which helps the rhythms keep a bit of an edge, even amidst the larger backing. Some cuts have backing chorus vocals, in a style used on other Thomas albums – and although definitely touched by a bit of disco fever, the album's still got a jazzy element too – like some of the crossover club sessions on the Kudu label from the 70s! Titles include "Funky Fever", "Feelins From Within", "Polarizer", "Coco", "Galaxy Dreamin", and "Venus". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". CD features three bonus tracks – a live recording of "Um Um Um" and "Damn Nam" – plus a take on "Night In Tunisia". CD

Wonderful work from Leon Thomas – easily one of his greatest albums ever, and a set that was recorded at the same time he was working with Pharoah Sanders! Thomas really rose to fame on Sanders' classic "The Creator Has A Master Plan" – and this set really takes off from that moment – letting Leon spin out some spiritual vibes of his own, and step into a few fresh new styles as well! The album's plenty righteous right from the start – partly because the lineup includes James Spaulding on alto and flute, Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and the enigmatic "Little Rock" on tenor – who is actually Pharoah Sanders – but also because Leon serves up a shorter take on "The Creator Has a Master Plan" – done in a great style! The album also features a classic vocal take on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father", with lyrics that we totally love – plus the frenetic "Malcolm's Gone" – and the tracks "One", "Echoes", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", and "Damn Nam". CD include 3 versions of "Take The 'A' Train", 2 takes of "Walkin'", 2 takes of "Willow Weep For Me", and 2 takes of "If It Didn't Hurt So Much". CD

Fantastic work from one of the most compelling mainstream talents in recent years – an artist who can get wide fame and acclaim, yet keep on pushing the boundaries into fresh new cosmic territory! This album may well be Thundercat's masterpiece – not just a summation of all the ideas and areas he's explored in the past, but also kind of a re-filtering of other modes as well – including the more spiritual and jazz-based territory that he's moved towards, especially when working with others! Yet there's nothing here that's an easy copy of another style, or another's work – as the whole thing bristles with a personal newness that's wonderful – even when Thundercat is getting help from guests who include Kamasai Washington, Flying Lotus, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, and Kendrick Lamarr – as well as some especially nice work from AOR legends Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. Titles include "I Am Crazy", "3AM", "Rabbot Ho", "Bus In These Streets", "Lava Lamp", "Jethro", "Show You The Way", "Drink Dat", "Jameel's Space Ride", and "Tokyo". CD

Fantastic work from one of the most compelling mainstream talents in recent years – an artist who can get wide fame and acclaim, yet keep on pushing the boundaries into fresh new cosmic territory! This album may well be Thundercat's masterpiece – not just a summation of all the ideas and areas he's explored in the past, but also kind of a re-filtering of other modes as well – including the more spiritual and jazz-based territory that he's moved towards, especially when working with others! Yet there's nothing here that's an easy copy of another style, or another's work – as the whole thing bristles with a personal newness that's wonderful – even when Thundercat is getting help from guests who include Kamasai Washington, Flying Lotus, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, and Kendrick Lamarr – as well as some especially nice work from AOR legends Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. Titles include "I Am Crazy", "3AM", "Rabbot Ho", "Bus In These Streets", "Lava Lamp", "Jethro", "Show You The Way", "Drink Dat", "Jameel's Space Ride", and "Tokyo". LP, Vinyl record album

A heady tribute to the legendary Malian guitarist Ali Farka Toure – served up here with really wonderful lead guitar lines from his son, Vieux Farka Toure, who gets some fantastic help on the record from the Khruangbin trio! Given the fame of that latter group, the set could end up in territory that might be too mixed-up or rock-based – but instead, Khruangbin are wonderfully respectful of the legacy in which they work – and almost seem to come into play as a really great rhythm combo, backing up the lead – instead of trying to muscle their way into limelight on the set! That approach is what makes the record great, and allows us to tip our hat once again to the ever-changing and surprisingly generous spirit of Khruangbin – as they help Vieux Farka Toure turn out one of his best records to date, on titles that include "Savanne", "Diarabi", "Tongo Barra", "Tamalla", "Mahine Me", "Ali Hala Abada", and "Alakarra". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album from Allen Toussaint – his first big move as a solo act, and the start of some great fame that would blossom even more strongly in the 70s! This indie effort has a rougher edge than Allen's later albums at Warner Brothers – a sly, wicked slow funk approach that's a real transformation of the older New Orleans groove for a hipper, more contemporary 70s audience. The instrumentation is relatively lean – with lots of nice organ and piano lines alongside slow-stepping and vamping rhythms – and the set was actually recorded in LA, but still has very strong roots in New Orleans! Titles include the classic "From A Whisper To A Scream", plus "Working In A Coal Mine", "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", "What Is Success", "Either", "Louie", and "Number Nine" – a few of which are hip piano instrumentals! Features two bonus tracks. CD

Some of the greatest work ever recorded by Allen Toussaint – his legendary Toussaint album for Scepter (aka Whisper To A Scream) – plus some rare late 60s singles that have never been on CD before! The core album is amazing – Allen Toussaint's first big move as a solo act, and the start of some great fame that would blossom even more strongly in the 70s! This indie effort has a rougher edge than Allen's later albums at Warner Brothers – a sly, wicked slow funk approach that's a real transformation of the older New Orleans groove for a hipper, more contemporary 70s audience. The instrumentation is relatively lean – with lots of nice organ and piano lines alongside slow-stepping and vamping rhythms – and the set was actually recorded in LA, but still has very strong roots in New Orleans! Titles include the classic "From A Whisper To A Scream", plus "Working In A Coal Mine", "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", "What Is Success", "Either", "Pickles", and "Louie" – a few of which are hip piano instrumentals! 17 track CD completes the genius of this point in Toussaint's career – by adding in some killer funky singles – including "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Gotta Travel On", "We The People", "I've Got That Feelin Now", "Tequila", and "Hands Christiananderson". CD

The Trammps are still burning strong at the end of the 70s – never losing their Philly groove despite a run on the charts and much bigger fame than most of their contemporaries – and in a way, the album's almost a back-to-basics affair that's pure Philly all the way! Arrangements here are by Norman Harris, Ron Kersey, and Ron Baker – who've taken the group into a mode that's perhaps got some of the new club touches being explored more at Salsoul than Philly International – but which still works tremendously well for the group. Tracks are all full, flowing, and and aimed at the dancefloor – and although there's not really any standout hits or hooks here, that aspect of the album is almost a welcome relief, given that the group could be going for easy hits at this point. Titles include "Love Insurance Policy", "Whole World's Dancing", "My Love It's Never Been Better", "Soul Bones", "Love Magnet", and "More Good Times To Remember". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge batch of material in one well-done set – a package that brings together four classic late 70s albums in a dee jay style – all produced by Joe Gibbs, and two of which have never been on CD before – all with bonus tracks and the usual top-shelf Doctor Bird presentation! As the dee jay mode rose up strongly in Jamaica during the mid 70s, Joe Gibbs was one of the key producers to really get the sound just right – layering the spoken, sing-song vocals over heavy rhythms in just the right way – less abstract than dub tracks, but also a lot looser and more flowing than more mainstream work of the time – especially in comparison to some of the big global reggae hits. At the time of such fame, Gibbs just dug deeper with material of this nature – served up here on the albums Three Piece Suit by Trinity, Under Heavy Manners by Prince Far I, Natty Superstar by Ranking Joe, and Inna Him Head by Prince Mohammed – the last two of which have never been on CD. The set's got 44 tracks in all – which includes bonus titles too! CD

Trio Mocoto first rose to fame as the funky band behind Jorge Ben on his early 70s classics – the combo that gave him such a soulful sound – and here on their own, they sound pretty darn great – with a style that follows the same evolution as Jorge's own sound at the time! The core elements are still a mix of funk, samba, and soul – but there's also a slightly warmer sound to the production – one that really ties the whole thing together, and maybe gives the group even more force than before! Riffing guitars snap alongside the lively percussion – and the trio trade voices in a mighty nice way – sometimes with a bit of backup from other singers too. Titles include "Nao Adianta", "Toda Tarde", "Rosa", "Onde Anda Voce", "O Meu Violao", and "Xuxu Melao". LP, Vinyl record album

Trio Mocoto first rose to fame as the funky band behind Jorge Ben on his early 70s classics – the combo that gave him such a soulful sound – and here on their own, they sound pretty darn great – with a style that follows the same evolution as Jorge's own sound at the time! The core elements are still a mix of funk, samba, and soul – but there's also a slightly warmer sound to the production – one that really ties the whole thing together, and maybe gives the group even more force than before! Riffing guitars snap alongside the lively percussion – and the trio trade voices in a mighty nice way – sometimes with a bit of backup from other singers too. Titles include "Nao Adianta", "Toda Tarde", "Rosa", "Onde Anda Voce", "O Meu Violao", and "Xuxu Melao". CD

Maybe the most lasting classic during the short but important run of Tupac Shakur – the overstuffed album that catapulted him to huge mainstream fame, and which was also the last to be released before his early death. The producers and guests read like a who's who of the harder side of the mainstream spectrum – and include Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Kurupt, E-40, The Outlawz, and others – but it's also clear who's going for the crown here, as you'll hear on tracks that include "All Eyez On Me", "California Love (rmx)", "I Ain't Mad At Cha", "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted", "Can't C Me", "Heartz Of Men", "Got My Mind Made Up", "Shorty Wanna Be A Thug", "Ain't Hard 2 Find", "Run Tha Streetz", "Picture Me Rollin", "When We Ride", "Thug Passion", "Heaven Ain't Hard 2 Find", and "How Do U Want It". CD

Maybe the most lasting classic during the short but important run of Tupac Shakur – the overstuffed album that catapulted him to huge mainstream fame, and which was also the last to be released before his early death. The producers and guests read like a who's who of the harder side of the mainstream spectrum – and include Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Kurupt, E-40, The Outlawz, and others – but it's also clear who's going for the crown here, as you'll hear on tracks that include "All Eyez On Me", "California Love (rmx)", "I Ain't Mad At Cha", "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted", "Can't C Me", "Heartz Of Men", "Got My Mind Made Up", "Shorty Wanna Be A Thug", "Ain't Hard 2 Find", "Run Tha Streetz", "Picture Me Rollin", "When We Ride", "Thug Passion", "Heaven Ain't Hard 2 Find", and "How Do U Want It". CD

Great stuff – and one of the funkiest albums that Ike Turner ever recorded – done during a late 60s moment when his fame with Tina Turner was really on the rise – but much more like some funky 45 take on the pre-Tina work he'd been doing in the 50s! This set's a batch of obscure funky instrumentals – and sounds like a strong compilation of rare 45s, filled with hard funky drums, nice breaks, and plenty of super-tight grooves. Nearly every cut's a winner – and titles include "Black Angel", "Black Beauty", "Freedom Sound", "Ghetto Funk", "Funky Mule", "Nuttin' Up", "Scotty Souling", and "Thinking Black". With titles like that, you know the cuts have got to be good – and for one of the few times in his career, Ike actually delivers the funky goods! LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic from blues giant Joe Turner – a singer who burst back to the mainstream on 50s Atlantic Records, thanks to a host of R&B singles that burned up the charts – but who here returns to his roots, and lays down a great set of jazzy tunes that get back to his roots in the Kansas City scene of the 30s! The shift is a bit like that Ray Charles made at the end of the 50s on Atlantic – R&B to more of a jazz-based groove – and Joe works here with great help from Pete Brown on alto, Pete Johnson on piano, Joe Newman on trumpet, and Lawrence Brown on trombone. After the raw hard R&B of Joe's bigger hit sides for Atlantic, the album's a compelling change – a reminder that Turner had roots that went much deeper than his rock and roll fame – and a depth of delivery that would keep his career strong, long after some of his 50s R&B contemporaries faded! The mix of modes – R&B and jazz – is a bit like some of the later Ray Charles albums on Atlantic – and tracks include "Low Down Dog", "Roll Em Pete", "Cherry Red", "How Long Blues", and "Morning Glories". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever from the mighty Piero Umiliani – sounds initially written for a film that was an international "sexpose" of daily life in Sweden – but which have grown to even greater fame on their own over the years – thanks to the talent of the maestro! The music here is awash in groovy elements – lots of sweet Hammond organ lines, mod basslines, and some especially cool wordless vocals from the choir of Alessandro Alessandroni – scatting away in a great way alongside the instruments, and bringing an added level of breathy eroticism to the whole thing! This special LP version recreates the original Omicron release of the record – with titles that include the two lyrical tracks "You Tried To Warn Me" and "Sleep Now Little One", sung by Lydia McDonald – plus the tracks "Topless Party", "Eva Svedense", "Essere Donna", "La Signora Cameriera", "FotoModelle", and "Le Ragazze Dell'Archipellago". (Note, does not contain the track "Mah Na Mah Na", which is on other versions of the soundtrack – but it appears on the "partner" reissue of Umiliani's Psichedelica from Schema, under the title "Viva La Sauna Svedese".) LP, Vinyl record album

A massive Fender Rhodes set from early 70s Belgium – the kind of set that never shows up on this side of the Atlantic, and which is pretty darn rare in its home territory too! Keyboardist Jack Van Poll has a wonderful sense of space on this set – a way of letting the tunes build simply and gracefully – often with a slow-growing groove that lets the Rhodes roll along wonderfully – never too slow, though, and always with a sweet funky undercurrent! And while we'd never heard of Jack before this set, he's got a great sense of style and imagination on his solos – very open, but always with a soulful undercurrent. The rest of the trio includes Mary Hehuat on Fender bass and Ruud Pronk on drums – and titles include "Marriedyet", "Blue Tait", "A Box For Leslie", "Sweet Georgie Fame", "Passage To Pferov", and "Objizdka". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of mid 80s albums from Narada Michael Walden – all together in one 2CD set! First up is Looking At You Looking At Me – an album with plenty of beats– so much so you might forget that Narada Michael Walden first rose to fame as a drummer – but all the electricity is fine with us, given the 80s groove sound of the set! There's a nice sense of energy that informs most of the tracks – a somewhat funky undercurrent that almost shows traces of the Minneapolis influence on soul at the time, but without a too-Prince sort of sound overall. There's also a few key ballads too – some gentler cuts that round out the set nicely, and which showcase the increasing confidence Walden's had with his vocals over the years. Titles include "Reach Out", "Looking At You Looking At Me", "Burning Up", "Shake It Off", "Dream Maker", and "Tina". Nature Of Things is a highly electric set from Narada Michael Walden – a mid 80s effort that's filled with catchy little tunes! The style's certainly more mainstream than we might have guessed, given Walden's early career – but it's still much better than most of the pop of its generation – thanks to Michael's strong jazz pedigree, which does seem to inform some of his arrangements and instrumental choices on the album. Most of the percussion is in the form of beats, but Walden's also credited with playing drums (roto-toms, perhaps?) – and in addition to his own lead vocals, the set also features work by Patti Austin and Marth Wash. Titles include "Live It Up", "Nature Of Things", "High Above The Clouds", "Gimme Gimme Gimme", "Suspicion", and "Dancin On Main Street". Divine Emotion is sweet 80s soul from Narada Michael Walden – a set that has the singer/drummer very confidently in the tight R&B territory that served him so well during the decade! As with previous records, there's a fair bit of 80s electronic elements in the mix – bursting, bubbling, and exploding with a joyful groove that really fits Walden's spirit – and serves to emphasize his ever-growing talent for penning at catchy tune! Titles include "Wild Thing", "Explosion", "Jam The Night", "Divine Emotions", "Can't Get You Outta My Head", "That's The Way I Feel About Cha", and "Certain Kind Of Lover". CD

Nick Waterhouse keeps winning us over again and again with his music – which seems to get better and better with each new release! This album might be Nick's most compelling so far – a nicely gritty set that almost takes us back to that hip London stretch in the 60s, when British singers were effortlessly blending together American styles from soul, jazz, and blues – into a hip-stepping mode that was completely outta sight! Not that Nick's a retro artist trying for an old-styled sound – just that he's one of the few in decades who can get such a clear, focused groove out of all the right elements – and all without making it sound forced at all. A record you can easily file next to classics by Bobby Scott, George Fame, and Zoot Money – with titles that include "Stanyan Street", "The Old Place", "Katchi", "Tracy", "LA Turnaround", "It's Time", and "I Had Some Money". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic chapter in the career of the great Muddy Waters – a set that was initially dismissed as "inauthentic", but which has gone on to much-deserved fame over the years! Part of the genius here is the great Charles Stepney – that hip Chicago arranger who did so many wonderful things in the Chess/Cadet Records studios at the end of the 60s – which he definitely does here, as the gritty blues of Muddy Waters is mixed with a righteous current of 70s funky – with added guitar from Phil Upchurch and Pete Cosey, bass from Louis Satterfield, and organ from Stepney himself! The vibe is similar to the best funk blues sessions on Chess at the time by Bo Diddley and Etta James – and titles include "I'm A Man", "I Just Want To Make Love to You", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Same Thing", "She's All Right", and "Tom Cat". CD

A really fantastic chapter in the career of the great Muddy Waters – a set that was initially dismissed as "inauthentic", but which has gone on to much-deserved fame over the years! Part of the genius here is the great Charles Stepney – that hip Chicago arranger who did so many wonderful things in the Chess/Cadet Records studios at the end of the 60s – which he definitely does here, as the gritty blues of Muddy Waters is mixed with a righteous current of 70s funky – with added guitar from Phil Upchurch and Pete Cosey, bass from Louis Satterfield, and organ from Stepney himself! The vibe is similar to the best funk blues sessions on Chess at the time by Bo Diddley and Etta James – and titles include "I'm A Man", "I Just Want To Make Love to You", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Same Thing", "She's All Right", and "Tom Cat". LP, Vinyl record album

A famous 70s session from the great Muddy Waters – one that has him heading over to London, and rubbing shoulders in the studio with some key musicians whose work he'd helped inspire! Chess Records first tried this mode out with Howlin Wolf in 1970 – but the Waters session is maybe even more cohesive and uplifting – thanks in part to Muddy's ability to really reach out and welcome in fans and supporters from the outside! There's still some Chicago help at the core, thanks to a young Carey Bell on harmonica – working here alongside UK rock superstars who include Rory Gallagher on guitar, Rick Grech on bass, and Steve Winwood on piano and organ – plus some work on organ from Georgie Fame (billed as Georgie Fortune), and guest vocals from the great Rosetta Hightower. Back in Chicago, Johnny Pate added a few touches with his arrangements – and titles include "Key To The Highway", "Walkin Blues", "I Don't Know Why", "Sad Sad Day", "Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man When I'm Gone", "Blind Man Blues", and "Young Fashioned Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

A late 60s album on Chess Records – but one that serves to bring together all the best early work that Muddy Waters did for the label – including lots of original 45s and 78s! The range of music is really wonderful – the kind of tracks that first got Waters noticed in the first place – and although electric, a version of Chicago blues that still has a fair bit of rootsy touches too. The notes are great – a very detailed assessment of Muddy's music and career by Pete Welding – done at a key time before Waters hit bigger fame, and softened his edges a bit. Titles include "I'm Ready", "Honey Bee", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "She Moves Me", "Kind Hearted Woman", "Too Young To Know", "I Want You To Love Me", "Rollin Stone", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Long Distance Call", "Standing Around Crying", "Still A Fool", and "Walking Through The Park". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set of live improvisations, and a record that will really open up your ears to the music of Trevor Watts – a great player on the British scene, but one who's sometimes overlooked next to other improvising musicians with a bit more fame! The setting here is very unique – as Watts blows alto and soprano next to some really cool percussion from Kofi Adu and Nana Tsiboe, the latter of whom plays mbira too – in a group that also features Earnest Mothle on bass, Liam Genockey on drums, and Peter Knight on violin. The sounds are very organic, and make great use of the percussion – in ways that maybe remind us more of some of the Afro jazz experiments from the Parisian scene of the 70s than more familiar British avant work. The set features seven tracks in all – five recorded in Cardiff, and two more in Southampton – both during a tour in 1989. CD

A big package of work – all the albums recorded by The Weather Girls, plus solo material and bonus tracks too! First up is Success – maybe the greatest moment ever from The Weather Girls – a long-running duo who started out as backing singers for Sylvester in the 70s, then recorded as Two Tons O Fun, and finally got the chance to cut this classic for a major label in the early 80s! Both Martha Wash and Izora Armstead are great singers – and work here with previous disco maestro Paul Jabara, who has a great way of shifting the groove to 80s club, while still allowing all the playful elements of the decade before! In a way, this was definitely one of those records that showed the world that in the right corners, disco wasn't dead – heard to best effect on the classic "It's Raining Men" – alongside other cuts that include "Success", "Hungry For Love", "Dear Santa", "Hope", and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair". Next is Big Girls Don't Cry – soaring vocals from The Weather Girls, set to bouncy grooves that are equal parts soul and pop! Martha Wash and Izora Armstead have mighty vocal chops throughout – that bold duo approach they first crafted as Two Tons O Fun, and pushed even more strongly as The Weather Girls – set here to keyboard-heavy backings from Leon Pendarvis, who knows just where to put the best hooks in the grooves! Titles include "Well A Wiggy", "Lock Me Up", "No One Can Love You More Than Me", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "You Can Do It", "Laughter In The Rain", and "March". Next is the self-titled Weather Girls album – the last album in the original run of The Weather Girls – and a set that's full of well-produced tracks from Reggie Lucas and Full Force, balanced out nicely as a way of pushing the duo's sound strongly past the disco years from which they emerged! Sylvester makes a guest appearance on the cut "Love's On The Way" – and other titles include "Why Can't We Show Our Love", "Burn Me", "Love You Like A Train", "Opposite Directions", "Something For Nothing", and "Land Of The Believer". Last up is a super-huge solo set from Martha Wash – made a number of years after her fame in The Weather Girls, and at a time when she had really emerged as an important voice in dance music after a big cut with C&C! By this point, Wash had plenty of recording experience under her belt – and she knocks it out of the park with vocals that are disco-trained, but much richer in soul content overall – certainly more so than some of her other contemporaries on the early 90s club scene. The album features help from a huge amount of studio talent, but it's clear that Wash is the shining star in the lead – really blowing away so much of the work from the "sound system with singer" generation of club – on cuts that include "Leave A Light On", "Give it To You", "Runaround", "Things We Do For Love", "So Whatcha Gonna Do", "Someone Who Believes In You", "Just Us", "Hold On", "When It's My Heart", and "Carry On". 4CD set features bonus tracks on every CD – 22 more bonus mixes and more! CD

Weather Report at the height of their 70s fame – captured live in a double-length set, very much the practice for jazz superstars of the time! The format is familiar – but the liveness gives the album a slightly different feel than their studio sets – a sound that echoes out strongly along with thunderous applause from the crowds, who are themselves clearly situated in some very large arenas. And while the studio Weather Report albums are easily documents of the group's power themselves, it's something extra to hear the crowd going nuts for them here – cheering on Jaco Pastorius during a frenetic bass solo, roaring with approval at a Joe Zawinul keyboard bit, or clapping with enthusiasm after Wayne Shorter finishes a snakey solo. Tracks are all longish, and titles include "Black Market", "Birdland", "Thanks For The Memory", "8:30", "Brown Street", "In A Silent Way", and "Slang". Due to the length of the CD, the track "Scarlet Woman" has been omitted. CD

Weather Report at the height of their 70s fame – captured live in a double-length set, very much the practice for jazz superstars of the time! The format is familiar – but the liveness gives the album a slightly different feel than their studio sets – a sound that echoes out strongly along with thunderous applause from the crowds, who are themselves clearly situated in some very large arenas. And while the studio Weather Report albums are easily documents of the group's power themselves, it's something extra to hear the crowd going nuts for them here – cheering on Jaco Pastorius during a frenetic bass solo, roaring with approval at a Joe Zawinul keyboard bit, or clapping with enthusiasm after Wayne Shorter finishes a snakey solo. Tracks are all longish, and titles include "Scarlet Woman", "Black Market", "Birdland", "Thanks For The Memory", "8:30", "Brown Street", "In A Silent Way", and "Slang". CD

Weather Report at the height of their 70s fame – captured live in a double-length set, very much the practice for jazz superstars of the time! The format is familiar – but the liveness gives the album a slightly different feel than their studio sets – a sound that echoes out strongly along with thunderous applause from the crowds, who are themselves clearly situated in some very large arenas. And while the studio Weather Report albums are easily documents of the group's power themselves, it's something extra to hear the crowd going nuts for them here – cheering on Jaco Pastorius during a frenetic bass solo, roaring with approval at a Joe Zawinul keyboard bit, or clapping with enthusiasm after Wayne Shorter finishes a snakey solo. Tracks are all longish, and titles include "Scarlet Woman", "Black Market", "Birdland", "Thanks For The Memory", "8:30", "Brown Street", "In A Silent Way", and "Slang". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the first recordings ever from Chicago legend Junior Wells – made for the small States label in the Windy City, many years before Wells exploded out with much greater national fame! The music here has Junior stepping into the same early electric space that Chess Records was cutting at the time – and given the presence of Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and Willie Dixon on some of these sides – the group's also not far off either! Wells is the main star throughout, though – alternating bold young vocals and razor-sharp harmonica lines – in the company of players who include Louis Myers, Elmore James, and Muddy Waters on guitar, Johnnie Jones and Otis Spann on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, and Odie Payne on drums. Titles include "Hoodoo Man", "Tomorrow Night", "Eagle Rock", "Junior's Wail", "Throw This Poor Dog A Bone", "So All Alone", "Blues Hit Big Town", and "Lovin Blues". CD features six previously unissued tracks! CD

Some of the first recordings ever from Chicago legend Junior Wells – made for the small States label in the Windy City, many years before Wells exploded out with much greater national fame! The music here has Junior stepping into the same early electric space that Chess Records was cutting at the time – and given the presence of Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and Willie Dixon on some of these sides – the group's also not far off either! Wells is the main star throughout, though – alternating bold young vocals and razor-sharp harmonica lines – in the company of players who include Louis Myers, Elmore James, and Muddy Waters on guitar, Johnnie Jones and Otis Spann on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, and Odie Payne on drums. Titles include "Hoodoo Man", "Tomorrow Night", "Eagle Rock", "Junior's Wail", "Throw This Poor Dog A Bone", "So All Alone", "Blues Hit Big Town", and "Lovin Blues". CD

This bossa LP on Columbia is pretty good stuff! The record was recorded with some of Brazil's best bossa players – like Luiz Bonfa, Roberto Menescal, and Luiz Eca (of Tamba Trio fame). John Hammond produced the session, so you can be sure it's got the kind of rootsy sound that will make the tracks have a bit more kick than if the album was in the hands of a regular pop-bossa producer. Titles include "Avion", "Reza", "Vagamente", "Ela E Carioca", "Zomba", and "Alem Da Imaginacao". CD

A deep soul classic from Betty Wright – one of her earliest albums of the 70s, and a Miami soul landmark that was one of the greatest female southern soul records of the time! Although Betty was well known for her earlier hit "Clean Up Woman", she didn't give into that fame – and keeps things mighty real on this set by working in a slow-burning deep soul mode. The vibe is nice and laidback, with plenty of mellow keyboard touches, subdued horn passages, and round, full sound served up to perfection by producers Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke. Titles include "Sweet Wonder", "Gimme Back My Man", "Who'll Be the Fool", "If You Think You've Got Soul", "It's Hard to Stop", and "The Experts". CD

A standout solo moment for Yazz – the singer who first rose to fame as part of the Coldcut soundsystem, then really broke big at a point when UK soul was cracking the American mainstream! Yazz may have a bleached-out look on the cover, but her sound is deeply soulful – and fits in perfectly with the house-styled grooves on the record – backings that have an unabashed love of disco, at a time when listening audiences were maybe forgiving that music for all of its previous excesses, and strongly embracing its best qualities again – in a groove that's maybe a bit similar to Lisa Stansfield at the time, although with more beats and less strings. Production and backings are by Coldcut, FON, Youth, and other hip talents – and titles include her great remake of "The Only Way Is Up" – plus "Systematic People", "Wanted On The Floor", "Stand Up For Your Love Rights", "Fine Time", "Where Has All The Love Gone", "Got To Share", and "Turn It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Certainly a more pop-based effort than some of Yello's previous albums, but still a great little record – filled with playful electronics and a really unique sense of rhythm and groove! Even at the height of their fame, Yello never abandoned the spare analogue-heavy styles that made their early work so great – and for this set, they've almost kind of expanded that sound with a range of European and historical influences that make for a more widely fleshed-out version of their genius. Titles include "Goldrush", "Santiago", "Hawaiian Chance", "La Habanera", "The Rhythm Divine", "Moon On Ice", and "St Senor The Hairy Grill". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Joe first came to big fame in the US as a funky vamper and soloist behind Cannonball Adderley's big group of the 60s, this early album as a leader has a much more mature sound than Joe's funky work with Cannon – and it rightly earns the "third stream" tag in the title through the use of an enlarged ensemble that includes cello and viola, in addition to the core group of soulful players like Jimmy Owens, Richard Davis, and Freddie Waits. William Fischer's also on the record on tenor, and many of the tracks are his own compositions, with that kind of weird off-kilter, slightly serious approach he used on other Atlantic/Vortex sessions at the time. The mix of soul and serious scoring is actually a pretty darn compelling blend – as you'll hear on tracks like "Lord, Lord, Lord", "Soul Of A Village", and "The 5th Canto". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with "samba" in the title, but a set that hardly sounds like samba at all – given that the record is one of the groundbreaking 70s albums from the legendary Tom Ze! Ze first rose to fame as an experimentalist in the Tropicalia scene – but here, he's years past that movement, yet still one of its most creative proponents – working in a mode that takes older Brazilian rhythms and infuses them with all the new sounds, styles, and sense of poetry that Tom was bringing to his music – often quite playful, but at a level that's quite moving as well. The whole thing's got the subtle "beyond language" power of some of the best by Caetano Veloso – even though Tom Ze is completely his own man throughout. The set features arrangements from Jose Briamonte, production from Heraldo Do Monte, and titles that include a rootsy take on "A Felicidade", plus the nutty instrumental "Tom", and the original tracks "So", "Ma", "Vai", "Ui", "Indice", "Hein", and "Mae". LP, Vinyl record album

A truly incredible collection – even more wonderful than we might have guessed from the title and cover – and both of those are already pretty darn appealing! This package might well be the most comprehensive we've ever seen on the early days of punk in England – a package that goes way past the big names, way past the classic cuts, and really digs deep into the huge explosion of indie labels that fueled the scene – creating a legacy of rare singles and amazing sounds that the British scene hadn't seen in years! If you dig the Sex Pistols or Clash, there's dozens of other tunes here to love – some by artists you'll know from later fame, represented here on very early tracks – and lots more from acts who maybe only gave the world a handful of brilliant singles. The presentation is as stunning as the music – 111 tracks on 4CDs, inside a heavy 64 page book-style jacket – with page after page of notes on each song and band, and lots of images as well. Consider this whole thing an overdue primer on all the punk you missed – even if you lived back in the day – and lose yourself in the huge array of tracks by groups who include The Radiators From Space, Puncture, Some Chicken, The Panik, The Only Ones, Suspects, Tueway Army, The Boys, Acme Sewage Co, Raped, Bazoomis, Menace GLC, Sids, Rudi, Art Attack, Angelic Upstarts, Mean Street, Poison Girls, Chelsea, Demon Preacher, Leyton Brothers, The Dole, Riff Raff, The Tights, Social Security, Nicky & The Dots, No Way, The Wall, Hollywood Brats, Disco Zombies, Spizzoil, Horrorcomic, The Cravats, and lots lots more! CD

Numero Group does it again – and manages to pull together all the best bits from the crucially overlooked powerpop scene in the Land Of Lincoln – a wealth of wonderful groups from the 70s and 80s, all of whom recorded great indie sounds in Illinois! Sure, you've heard of Cheap Trick, and maybe The Kind – but Illinois was also home to handfuls of other great groups – many of whom never found national fame, due to lack of access to the kind of A&R that groups on the coast were getting. The sound here is wonderful – razor sharp guitars, super-tight drums, and tuneful lyrics that still burst forth with plenty of power – a great reminder that not all the hot energy of the late 70s was going into punk rock. As usual, Numero's overdone themselves with the package – lots of info on the groups, and the kind of stylish package that even goes way beyond most of the original records too. Titles include "At Practice" by Band Jocks, "Get Away" by Julian Leal, "I Wanna Make You" by Prettyboys, "Midnight Girls" by Eyz, "Where Are You Now" by Tom Orsi, "More & More" by Lay Z, "See You Tonight" by Contra-Band, "Kyle" by Loose Lips, "Total Insanity" by The Kind, "So Lifelike" by The Jerks, and "I Have Always Loved You" by Paul. CD

Numero Group does it again – and manages to pull together all the best bits from the crucially overlooked powerpop scene in the Land Of Lincoln – a wealth of wonderful groups from the 70s and 80s, all of whom recorded great indie sounds in Illinois! Sure, you've heard of Cheap Trick, and maybe The Kind – but Illinois was also home to handfuls of other great groups – many of whom never found national fame, due to lack of access to the kind of A&R that groups on the coast were getting. The sound here is wonderful – razor sharp guitars, super-tight drums, and tuneful lyrics that still burst forth with plenty of power – a great reminder that not all the hot energy of the late 70s was going into punk rock. As usual, Numero's overdone themselves with the package – lots of info on the groups, and the kind of stylish package that even goes way beyond most of the original records too. Titles include "At Practice" by Band Jocks, "Get Away" by Julian Leal, "I Wanna Make You" by Prettyboys, "Midnight Girls" by Eyz, "Where Are You Now" by Tom Orsi, "More & More" by Lay Z, "See You Tonight" by Contra-Band, "Kyle" by Loose Lips, "Total Insanity" by The Kind, "So Lifelike" by The Jerks, and "I Have Always Loved You" by Paul. LP, Vinyl record album

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

Spiritual sounds from the source – a host of incredible tracks from a time when jazz was really opening up into new dimensions – as players stepped forward in a wave of strong post-Coltrane energy to really push the music into the skies! The music here can be seen as a blueprint for generations to come – styles that are now getting new fame in the hands of Kamasi Washington and some of his contemporaries, but which flowered first in recordings like these – pulled from the early 70s vaults of Prestige, Milestone, and Muse Records – and brought together here in a really wonderful collection! Tracks are all nice and long, and the set showcases an older generation of jazz musicians really flowering at the time – balanced perfectly between a sense of freedom and a spiritual soul – on titles that include "Celestial Blues" by Gary Bartz NTU Troop, "Let Us Go To Higher Heights" by Carlos Garnett, "The Almoravid" by Joe Chambers, "Brown Eyes" by Charles Earland, "Warriors Of Peace" by Azar Lawrence, "Aftermath" by Oliver Nelson, "Josie Black" by Hampton Hawes, "Let It Take Your Mind" by Bayete Umbra Zindiko, "Fire" by Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane, and "The Free Slave" by Roy Brooks. LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just a "cellarful" of Motown – a wealth of great tracks, all of which are previously unreleased! This incredible 2CD set is a landmark in the history of both Motown and Northern Soul – as it brings together 40 tracks that were recorded in the glory days of the Detroit scene, but never issued at the time. A number of cuts on the set have risen to fame over the years as bootlegs floating around the UK club scene, and they're issued properly here for the first time ever, along side other lost gems that will soon become new classics to a generation of soul fans – all wrapped up in one great package filled with notes on the music, and listing the origins of the tunes! Titles include "My Sugar Baby" by Frank Wilson, "Baby A Go Go" by Barbara McNair, "How Can I" by Brenda Holloway, "He Was Really Sayin Somethin" by Earl Van Dyke, "Until You Came Along" by Carolyn Crawford, "Before It's Over" by Sammy Ward, "Long Gone Lover" by Velvelettes, "If You Ever Get Your Hands On Me" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Lucky Lucky Me" by Jimmy Ruffin, "I Wish I Liked You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Made Me Feel Like" by Syreeta, "Don't Let Me Down" by Kim Weston, "Don't Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today" by The Monitors, and "It Must Be Love Baby" by Chuck Jackson & Yvonne Fair. Lots lots more, and filled with wonderful tunes! CD

A now-legendary compilation – an early effort to reissue funk on the Stones Throw label – and a set that virtually gave birth to all the fantastic projects they've done under the Now Again banner over the years! Compiler Egon has gone through a range of rare singles, masters, and demos – and has come up with tunes that burn with a brightness that's undeniable. The grooves are all on the harder end of the James Brown Funky People side of the spectrum – and the whole thing is a massive dig into the funky 45 underground – featuring a few groups who rose to new fame over the years, thanks to the legendary status of this project! Titles include "Don't Go" by Aristocrats Organization, "Loaded To The Gills (edit)" by Michael Liggins & The Supersouls, "Mr Chicken (alternate)" by The Soul Seven, "Slipping Into Darkness" by Dayton Sidewinders, "James Brown Medley" by The Apollo Commanders, "Scorpio" by Kashmere Stage Band, "Sad Chicken" by Leroy & The Drivers, "Street Scene" by Leon Mitchinson, "Free Your Mind" by Amnesty, "The Thing" by Carleen & The Groovers, "Go For Yourself (edit)" by Kenny Smith & The Loveliters, and "The Stretch (edit)" by Detroit Sex Machines. LP, Vinyl record album

The depths of the early 80s underground never fail to amaze us – because while the late 70s punk rock years are constantly being reissued and compiled, the electronic scene of just of a few years later is still so largely undiscovered! Part of the situation is that much of the work came out as cheap 45s, or cassette-only releases – which didn't lend themselves to the same level of collecting – and other groups who started dark hit the bigtime and went onto great fame – like Human League or Cabaret Voltaire – but for every one of those, there were a hundred left behind in the shifting sands of time – only to be discovered by the tireless efforts of the current generation! Titles include "Universe" by The Lord, "X Cell" by Silicon Valley, "Oscillations" by The Disintegrators, "Red Suit" by Lives Of Angels, "Destination" by Echophase, and "Club Paris" by Berserk In A Hayfield. CD

A really rare side of the legendary De-Lite Records – served up here in a range of obscure 45s before the company exploded into bigger fame with the success of Kool & The Gang! The work here puts De-Lite right on the same level as important indies on the east coast at the turn of the 70s – and shows an especially strong ability to capture the best group styles of the period – from the sublime harmony styles being crafted in New Jersey and Philly, to some of the growing funky styles in the pre-disco years! The set's a much-needed look at this early part of the label – and also features titles on the related Red Coach label too – in a wonderful package of 25 tracks that includes "I'll Never Let You Get Away" by Universal Mind, "So Long Sweet Little Girl" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "I'm At The Breaking Point" by The Trumains, "Girl (part 1)" by Philadelphia Ambassadors, "Gotta Let Some Sunshine Into My Life" by The Exceptionals, "I'll Always Love You" by The New Cymbals, "So Fine" by The Fiestas, "The Story Of Our Love" by The Carstairs, "Love You Can't Shake It" by Reggie Saddler & The Jammers, "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "Back On The Road Again" by Richmond International, and "Love Foundation" by Electrified Action. CD