Amazing work by The Delfonics – their first 2 albums, back to back on a single CD! La La Means I Love You is a landmark album in harmony soul – one of those records that pushed the genre to a whole new level! The Delfonics emerge fully formed here as one of the most compelling groups of their time – a tremendous trio with a really unique approach to soul music – one that's heartfelt and heartbreaking, but never too sweet to be cloying or poppy – definitely just the right groove to keep things hip while also cracking the charts! The album's their first full collaboration with legendary producer Thom Bell – and it's got a sound that's summed up perfectly in the quintessential cut "La La Means I Love You" – and which is followed through beautifully on a batch of tracks that includes "Losing You", "Can You Remember", "You're Gone", "I'm Sorry", and "Break Your Promise". Sound Of Sexy Soul is an equally groundbreaking album of vocal group soul – right from the first note! The record kicks off with the sublime "Ready Or Not, Here I Come" – which starts with fierce stepping strings that are actually funky, then soars into some of the best harmonies the group ever put to record, superbly arranged by the great Thom Bell, who also wrote the track. As the album progresses, the sound expands further to encompass many elements that would become the blueprint for vocal groups over the next few years – like twangy electric sitar, cascading orchestrations, and pinched lead vocals that take a lot more chances than most group singers had been taking for years! There's still a bit of a 60s soul sound to some of the cuts, but the album's a watershed – not only for Thom Bell and the group, but for harmony soul as well! Titles include "Ready Or Not Here I Come", "My New Love", "Loving Him", "With These Hands", "Somebody Loves You", and "Everytime I See My Baby". CD also features the bonus track "You Got Yours & I'll Get Mine". CD

Bettye Lavette on Verve Records – a move that also signals a shift in her music too – in a way that we can really approve! Bettye's getting some richer care in the backings – more of a classic soul approach, in terms of warmth – never trying too hard to cast the singer in modes that might be a bit forced, and instead almost echoing a Muscle Shoals sort of vibe at times – which leaves Lavette to provide more than plenty of edge to the music with her vocals! All of the tunes here are Bob Dylan covers, but are wonderfully transformed – and even the presence of guest stars like Keith Richards or Trombone Shorty can't get in the way of the lady and her message. Titles include "Emotionally Yours", "Going Going Gone", "Seeing The Real You At Last", "Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight", "Things Have Changed", and "Ain't Talkin". CD

Bettye Lavette on Verve Records – a move that also signals a shift in her music too – in a way that we can really approve! Bettye's getting some richer care in the backings – more of a classic soul approach, in terms of warmth – never trying too hard to cast the singer in modes that might be a bit forced, and instead almost echoing a Muscle Shoals sort of vibe at times – which leaves Lavette to provide more than plenty of edge to the music with her vocals! All of the tunes here are Bob Dylan covers, but are wonderfully transformed – and even the presence of guest stars like Keith Richards or Trombone Shorty can't get in the way of the lady and her message. Titles include "Emotionally Yours", "Going Going Gone", "Seeing The Real You At Last", "Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight", "Things Have Changed", and "Ain't Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

Junior Mance works in a great trio here – one that really helps capture the deeper side of his talents on the piano – thanks to strong contributions from Paul West on bass and Idris Muhammad on drums! There's a fair bit of blues-tinged tunes in the mix, but the set also includes some wider-ranging jazz numbers as well – really showing off that round, full tone that's always made Mance so great – captured here beautifully by the open, yet understated production of this Japanese label session – at a level that Junior maybe wouldn't have had on an American date. Titles include Mance's own "Jubilation", plus "Soul Eyes", "Lester Leaps In", "Solitude", "Funky Carnival", "Stormy Monday", "Jitterbug Waltz", and "God Bless The Child". CD

By the time of this album done in collaboration with the Supremes, Jimmy Webb had been through the ringer of working with just about everyone who was interested – from Richard Harris to Glen Campbell to Johnny Rivers to 5th Dimension. But even at this shaky point, when his own solo work was starting to show his unravelling at the edges, Webb's still an undisputed genius – and his tasty set of baroque soul arrangements breathes some new life into the Supremes here. Titles include "Once In The Morning", "Cheap Lovin", "When Can Brown Begin", "Beyond Myself", "I Guess I'll Miss The Man", and "5:30 Plane". LP, Vinyl record album

Tower of Power have been making music for many years – this album marks the 50th anniversary of the group – but they've also really managed to hold on to a lot of their energy too! This set's definitely got a more contemporary vibe than some of the group's 70s classics – but there's still also a strong dedication to jazzy funk, especially that strong horn section that always made ToP a legend. The group's led by Emilio Castillo, who sings some lead vocals alongside other singers Ray Greene and Marcus Scott – and titles include "Do You Like That", "On The Soul Side Of Town", "Do It With Soul", "Butter Fried", "Selah", "Let It Go", "When Love Takes Control", "Can't Stop Thinking About You", and "Hangin With My Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collaboration between two very unlikely partners – and a great album that really stands out as some of the best work from both artists in the 60s! Count Basie's group gets hard and soulful on the record – and even a little funky on the best cuts – and Jackie Wilson is in a raw bluesy vocal style that recalls the best moments of his earlier Brunswick singles – a great edge that makes the whole Basie groove sound even more hard-hitting than ever. Benny Carter arranged, but the groove is more a hard-edged Count Basie mode mixed with Brunswick soul styles – and Jackie blows it out over the top on great versions of "Funky Broadway", "Ode To Billie Joe", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Even When You Cry", and "Respect". Also features a version of "For Your Precious Love" that was a bit of a hit for the pair! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds from the grittiest years of the 45rpm single – music that's so mad, so strange, it really defies description! All the cuts here are presented in conjunction with the long-running Fool's Paradise radio show on WFMU – a longtime champion of all things weird and wild – always reminding us that in the glory days of vinyl, there was so much stuff set to record that really defied any sort of description – sounds that usually were quite far from the charts as well! The music here maybe has bits of R&B, early rock, jazz, and exotica – but the end results are all pretty darn unique – and often handled with both a sense of humor, and a great ear for unusual studio tricks and gimmicks. Titles include "Chinese Rock & Roll" by the Flock Rocker, "Shawnee" by The Premiers, "Charlie & The Bank Job" by Al Katraz, "Umh Uh Baby" by Kind Sid, "Knock Her Down" by The Orbits, "The Last Meal" by Hurricane Harry, "500 Pound Canary" by Jules Blattner, "The Goatee's Got To Go" by Dick Summers, "Mad" by Bobby Borda Five, "Pulp Wood Charley" by Wee Willie & The Soulettes, and "Pal Mal Rock" by Arnie Ginsberg. LP, Vinyl record album

It's been almost 60 years since the Stax Records label forever changed the face of American soul music – and we can think of no better way to celebrate than by dipping into this well-chosen batch of 60 classic tracks from the label's glory days! The whole Stax groove is here – from the early roots of Memphis soul, to the label's breakout crossover moment in the 60s, to their new sense of pride and power in the post-1968 years – all wrapped up in a super-tight 3CD set, without any filler at all! The set moves in roughly chronological order – and covers both the ballads and the groovers, the funky moments and more sophisticated sounds – on titles that include "Jody's Got Your Girl & Gone" by Johnnie Taylor, "Fool In Love" by The Veltones, "Big Bird" by Eddie Floyd, "Private Number" by Judy Clay & William Bell, "I Got A Sure Thing" by Ollie & The Nightingales, "Hey You Get Off My Mountain" by The Dramatics, "Starting All Over Again" by Mel & Tim, "Hearsay" by Soul Children, "Dedicated To The One I Love" by The Temprees, "After Laughter" by Wendy Rene, "Walking The Dog" by Rufus Thomas, "You Don't Miss Your Water" by William Bell, "Tramp" by Otis & Carla, "Walk On By" by Isaac Hayes, "Just Keep On Loving Me" by Johnnie Taylor & Carla Thomas, "What A Man" by Linda Lynell, and "Your Good Thing Is About To End" by Mable John. CD

A groundbreaking album of vocal group soul – right from the first note! The record kicks off with the sublime "Ready Or Not, Here I Come" – which starts with fierce stepping strings that are actually funky, then soars into some of the best harmonies the group ever put to record, superbly arranged by the great Thom Bell, who also wrote the track. As the album progresses, the sound expands further to encompass many elements that would become the blueprint for vocal groups over the next few years – like twangy electric sitar, cascading orchestrations, and pinched lead vocals that take a lot more chances than most group singers had been taking for years! There's still a bit of a 60s soul sound to some of the cuts, but the album's a watershed – not only for Thom Bell and the group, but for harmony soul as well! Titles include "Ready Or Not Here I Come", "My New Love", "Loving Him", "With These Hands", "Somebody Loves You", and "Everytime I See My Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A great split LP – featuring 2 sessions both arranged by Jack Montrose! First up is Meet Mr Gordon –brilliant work by one of our favorite talents of 50s west coast jazz! Bob Gordon was a baritone player, but one who really knew how to swing – and he worked in a style that was somewhere between Gerry Mulligan and Gil Melle, slightly modern, but never too out there – always sticking to essential rhythms, but wrapping all the horns together in a wonderfully compelling way. A bit part of his sound was the work of tenorist Jack Montrose – who plays on this album, and also contributed arrangements to the set. Montrose's tone is great – a bit raspy, and quite soulful – and together, him and Gordon are a hell of a pair who should have risen a lot farther than they did! Titles include "For Sue", "Onion Bottom", and "Love Is Here To Stay". Side 2 features seminal west coast recordings by Clifford Brown – material that was re-packaged countless times after his death, but is presented here in the original 10" format! The sides were recorded in LA in 1954, with a mixture of hard bop and lyricism, in that sparkling mode that Brownie left as his indelible imprint on the west coast scene of the 50s! Players include Bob Gordon on baritone, Stu Williamson on trombone, Zoot Sims on tenor, and Russ Freeman on piano – and Jack Montrose arranged the set. Titles include "Tiny Capers", "Joy Spring", and "Daahoud". LP, Vinyl record album

A post-Curtis Mayfield album by The Impressions – but one that crackles with the raw righteousness of Curtis' first few solo albums on Curtom! Mayfield's place here is held by the amazing Leroy Hutson – one of our favorite soul talents of the 70s, really sparkling here in the trio before moving onto his own run of classics for Curtom – with a vocal quality that's solidly soulful, and possibly even more progressively pointed than Curtis. Hutson helped co-arrange the album with Riley Hampton – and production is by Curtis Mayfield, who brings in all the right elements of fuzz and funk to really keep the group sounding hip. Titles include the classic peace song "Stop the War", plus "I Need To Belong To Someone", "Love Me", "Our Love Goes On & On", "This Love's for Real", and a cool cover of "Inner City Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic batch of modern soul from this seminal 70s vocal group! By this point in their career, Tavares have already had great fame on both the radio and dancefloor charts – moving effortlessly between sweet harmony tracks and soaring disco grooves – maybe one of the few earlier groups who could make a shift so effortlessly, all without ever loosing the depth of their vocals! This set has the group working in a mature mode that falls out equally well on both side of the fence – with arrangements by Bobby Colomby, David Foster, and Benjamin Wright, and tracks that include "Bad Times", "I Don't Want You Anymore", "Paradise", "Why Can't We Fall In Love", and "I Can't Go On Living Without You". CD

The record features Cecil's Segments II Orchestra Of Two Continents – with trumpets by Enrico Rava and Tomasz Stanko, bass by William Parker, drums by Rashied Bakr and Andre Martinez, and saxes by John Tchicai, Frank Wright, and Jimmy Lyons. Titles include "Winged Serpent", "Womb Waters Scent Of The Burning Armadillo Shell", and "Cun Un Un Un An". CD

Tower of Power have been making music for many years – this album marks the 50th anniversary of the group – but they've also really managed to hold on to a lot of their energy too! This set's definitely got a more contemporary vibe than some of the group's 70s classics – but there's still also a strong dedication to jazzy funk, especially that strong horn section that always made ToP a legend. The group's led by Emilio Castillo, who sings some lead vocals alongside other singers Ray Greene and Marcus Scott – and titles include "Do You Like That", "On The Soul Side Of Town", "Do It With Soul", "Butter Fried", "Selah", "Let It Go", "When Love Takes Control", "Can't Stop Thinking About You", and "Hangin With My Baby". CD

A wicked bit of funky jazz from reedman Harold Alexander – and a set that's much sharper and harder-edged than some of his later work! There's maybe a bit of freedom in the mix, here too – some post-Coltrane spiritualism that mixes with some of the more funk-based currents – which include excellent electric piano by Neal Creque, and tight funky drums by Pretty Purdie! The tracks are all nice and long, but have a completely different approach than you'd find on labels like CTI or Prestige at the same time – both more complex, but maybe also more spontaneous too – in ways that really make the album a treasure all the way through, and has us wishing that Harold gave us a lot more like this. Titles include the classic "Sunshine Man", plus "Tite Rope", "Quick City", and "Mama Soul". CD

A wicked bit of funky jazz from reedman Harold Alexander – and a set that's much sharper and harder-edged than some of his later work! There's maybe a bit of freedom in the mix, here too – some post-Coltrane spiritualism that mixes with some of the more funk-based currents – which include excellent electric piano by Neal Creque, and tight funky drums by Pretty Purdie! The tracks are all nice and long, but have a completely different approach than you'd find on labels like CTI or Prestige at the same time – both more complex, but maybe also more spontaneous too – in ways that really make the album a treasure all the way through, and has us wishing that Harold gave us a lot more like this. Titles include the classic "Sunshine Man", plus "Tite Rope", "Quick City", and "Mama Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime uptown soul from Anthony & The Imperials – here working without the "Little" in their name, which is a good indication of the nature of the material! The tracks are all wonderfully composed original numbers from Teddy Randazzo – who also arranged and produced the set, in the hip New York sophistisoul mode of his best 60s work. Titles include "Better Use Your Head", plus "Call Me The Joker", "Lost Without You", "Your Own Little World", "Gonna Fix You Good", "The Wonder Of It All", and "You Better Take It Easy Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A great selection of work by the team of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson! The pair started out doing some excellent work at Motown during the early 70s – but it wasn't until they moved to Warner in the middle of the decade that they began to emerge as the powerhouse act they became for the rest of their career. Nick and Valerie changed the face of duet soul forever – taking it past the simple boy/girl themes of 60s work by artists like Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell or Maxine Brown & Chuck Jackson, into a soaring, adult, hard-grooving mode that forever changed the way male and female voices interacted in soul music. Titles include a few 12" cuts on LP for the first time – "Is It Still Good To Ya (long version)", "Love Don't Make It Right (long version)", "One More Try (long version)", and "Ain't It A Shame (long version)". Other tracks include "Found A Cure", "It Seems To Hang On", "Don't Cost You Nothing", "Over & Over", "Nobody Knows", "It Shows In The Eyes", "Bourgie Bourgie", "Send It", "Somebody Told A Lie", "I'd Know You Anywhere", "Stay Free", "Main Line", "So So Satisfied", and "Have You Ever Tried It". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album of classy vocals – one that helped set a whole new tone in 80s soul music! Anita had already gained a bit of experience on the soul scene before this set, but with this record she emerged as a full-formed diva who could effortlessly blend jazz and soul into a magnificent new sound. The production has a few touches that date the record a bit, but there's a timelessness to the set that was apparent to listeners the moment it was released. Titles include "Mystery", "No One In The World", "Sweet Love", "You Bring Me Joy", and "Caught Up In The Rapture". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Gato Barbieri's later recordings – but don't hold that against it! The set's a smoother effort than most of Gato's earlier work, but it's also still pretty darn soulful – done in a way that allows plenty of space for his raspy reed work on tenor to flow over the top of larger arrangements that have a nice electric touch. Players include Eric Gale and Joe Beck on guitars, Don Grolnick on keyboards, and Mtume and Ralph MacDonald on percussion – both of whom give the tunes a nice earthy undercurrent when needed. And while we might be put off by the larger, more heavily-arranged sound – Gato himself is still in charge of the charts, and keeps things nicely focused in a soulfully expressive way! Titles include "Firelies", "Fiesta", "Europa", "Don't Cry Rochelle", "Behind The Rain", "Los Desperados", and "I Want You". LP, Vinyl record album

Way before Sinatra first grabbed the "Chairman Of The Board" title for his own musical persona, Basie laid great claim to the tag with this tight little album for Roulette! The album's got the 50s Basie band working at the height of their powers – with original compositions written and arranged by Frank Foster, Ernie Wilkins, Thad Jones, and Frank Wess – all of whom play in the bad, along with other all-stars like Freddie Green, Billy Mitchell, and Al Grey. The sound is tight, soulful, and searing Basie all the way through – with tunes that include "Segue In C", "Blues In Hoss' Flat", "Who Me?", "The Deacon", "Half Moon Street", "Mutt & Jeff", "TV Time", "Speaking Of Sounds", and "HRH". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest funky records of all time – the hard-to-find second album by Beginning Of The End! This West Indian combo hit it big with their first album on Alston, but this second set, for some strange reason, never really got distributed – which is a damn shame, because it's every bit as funky as their first! The uniquely choppy rhythms of the group's first album are every bit as great here as on the first set – and if anything, the band's instrumentation is even better, especially on the guitar, which is wickedly tight, and played with a super-dope flanged-out approach on the solos. Vocals are great too, maybe even more soulful than before, especially on the album's few midtempo cuts – and the album's a must-have for any fan of the group's funky sound! Titles include "That's What I Get", "Super Woman", "Bluestrain", "Jump In The Water", "Falling Apart At The Seams", and "Trip To Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection – the rare two albums by Beginning Of The End, plus bonus tracks too! First up is the classic Funky Nassau – s monster bit of funk that's unlike anything else we can think of! Beginning Of The End hailed from The Bahamas, but don't hold that against them – because instead of being a Caribbean cliche, they took the best part of the island rhythms, and used them to forge an incredible approach to funk! They've got a choppy sound that's the result of some incredibly dexterous guitar, bass, and drums – and which you'll recognize instantly from their one-time hit "Funky Nassau", a killer funk track that never gets old, no matter how many bands cover it over the years! That gem kicks off the album, which then rolls into the monster funky "part 2", which is even better! Other titles are equally wonderful – and include "Come Down", "Surrey Ride", "Monkey Tamarind", and "In The Deep". Essential – and one that you'll be spinning for years! Next is the self-titled Beginning Of The End set – one of the rarest funky records of all time – the hard-to-find second album by Beginning Of The End! This West Indian combo hit it big with their first album on Alston, but this second set, for some strange reason, never really got distributed – which is a damn shame, because it's every bit as funky as their first! The uniquely choppy rhythms of the group's first album are every bit as great here as on the first set – and if anything, the band's instrumentation is even better, especially on the guitar, which is wickedly tight, and played with a super-dope flanged-out approach on the solos. Vocals are great too, maybe even more soulful than before, especially on the album's few midtempo cuts – and the album's a must-have for any fan of the group's funky sound! Titles include "That's What I Get", "Super Woman", "Bluestrain", "Jump In The Water", "Falling Apart At The Seams", and "Trip To Nowhere". CD also features two cuts from 45s – the extra-funky "Fishman", and their Christmas classic "Gee Whiz It's Christmas". Great package – with very detailed notes! CD

Incredible work by Willie Bobo – a slamming record of hard funky instrumentals, one that sounds different than any of his other albums! The record's a killer all the way through – a mixture of Latin and deep 70s funk, one of the few perfect fusions of the styles, held up beautifully all the way through the set. We've always liked Willie a lot, but honestly, we don't know how he managed to make a record this funky – but we're also not arguing, just enjoying the grooves with tremendous delight and surprise. Great all the way through, and includes the break cuts "Do What You Want to Do", "Broasted or Fried", and "Soul Foo Young" – plus a version of "Dindi", which, for some reason, Willie seemed to record every chance he got! Other titles include "Shut Up & Pay Attention", "Come Together", and "Never You Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant soul album! That's right, we said SOUL album! Bowie was at the height of his Ziggy Stardust fame when this one was recorded – a drastic left-turn in styles, forged during a point in his American tour when he could take a break, head to Philly, plug in at the Sigma Sound Studios, and come up with some fantastic little soul tunes, thanks to help from Luther Vandross! The album sparkles with the best sound of Luther's early work – and you'll hear more than a bit of Luther's work on his own, and his tunes with Gregg Diamond on the set. Features the sublime tracks "Win", "Fascination", "Right", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", and "Can You Hear Me" – as well as the hits "Young Americans" and "Fame". LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo album from Johnny Bristol – a genius soul talent who did a bunch of great work for Motown as a writer and arranger, breaking out here on his own! Like so many other behind-the-scenes talents from the late 60s, Johnny turned out to be an excellent soul artist in his own right – even though he only got to cut a rare few albums during the 70s – and this debut album already has him emerging straight away as a fully-formed talent! The vibe is a great mix of Detroit and California Motown – arranged by HB Barnum, and produced with a style that's tight, but still open and fluid too. Backings mix soulful strings with sweet harmonies – and lots of the tunes have a great 70s mellow soul groove. Titles include "Woman Woman", "I Got Your Number", "You & I", "It Don't Hurt No More", and the anthemic "Hang On In There Baby". CD

A killer set that's extremely well-titled – as BT Express were one of the hottest ensemble funk acts of their time! The groove here is definitely aimed at a more disco-oriented dancefloor than before – but the overall sound is plenty funky enough for our ears – thanks to some amazing horn passages arranged by Carlos Ward, whose own work on sax and flute really add an edgey quality to the set. Ward's horns are really fantastic – cutting and turning with a sharply-honed tone that keeps things fresh throughout – even when the rhythms are hitting more of a mainstream dancefloor sound. Titles include the group's mellow soul version of "Now That We've Found Love", plus "Herbs", "Time Tunnel", "Energy To Burn", "Can't Stop Groovin Now Wanna Do It Some More", and "Make Your Body Move". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing soul from one of the greats of the 60s! This album was one of the first that Jerry cut for Mercury – where he'd begun working with the young team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff to completely rework the earlier sound he'd forged at Vee Jay Records. The album's still got Jerry singing in his wonderfully rich deep voice – hence the "iceman" in the title – but the songs have a bit more of a groove to them, with a soaring soul style that really lifts Jerry up, and pushes him onto a whole new generation of soul fans. The best proof of this are the hits "Hey Western Union Man" and "Never Give You Up" – but the whole album's great, and like most of Jerry's LPs, it's got many wonderful tunes hiding underneath the hits. Titles include "How Can I Get In Touch With You", "Can't Forget About You Baby", "Are You Happy", and "Go Away Find Yourself" – as well as other hits like "Lost" and "Only The Strong Survive". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the albums in which Jerry Butler showcases the talents of a new generation of young Chicago soul talents – including Terry Callier, Donny Hathaway, Chuck Jackson (from The Independents, not the New York soul star), and his brother Billy Butler. Billy Butler had already scored big with his own singles on Okeh in the 60s, but Terry, Donny, and Chuck were still emerging soul talents at this time – and it was pretty darn nice of Jerry to give them exposure on a record like this. Proof that The Iceman always was much more than just the simple singer of pop hits that he always gets tagged for – as it was pretty magnanimous of him to share the wealth of his big contract with Mercury, not to mention pretty smart to infuse his career with some good young songwriting talent. The whole record's got a good groovy soul sound, and includes the cuts "How Did We Lose It", "If It's Real What I Feel", "What Is It", and "Do You Finally Need a Friend". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Jerry Butler's funkiest moments of the 70s – served up in a fantastic soundtrack co-penned and arranged by the great Jerry Peters! Peters is best known for his hip work with a variety of soul acts in the studio, but he really steps out here for the score to Melinda – a lesser-known blacksploitation film from the early 70s, but one that boasts a heck of a great soundtrack! Peters approach here is a bit more baroque than some of his contemporaries – and he uses stepping strings equally alongside funky rhythms – creating a groove that's complicated, yet still plenty darn funky – and a sound that's as soulful on the mellower tunes as it is on the standout uptempo ones. Jerry Butler sings vocals on "Speak Truth To The People", "Tank's Theme", "Love is", and "Melinda Reprise" – but the instrumental tracks are even better, and include the clavinet groover "Part III", the sitar-styled "Melinda Latino", and the cuts "Music For Tank's Boat", "The Blues (Dope Pusher's Theme)", and "I Can't Let You Go" – plus the bonus track "A Prayer". CD

Classic Latin-tinged fusion on Capitol – recorded with a smooth soulful style that's right up there with the best of the Capitol Rare generation! Caldera mixes together nice jazzy saxes with guitars, percussion, and some great keyboard work by Eduardo Del Barrio – all produced by the group with a sweet arching style that's very much in the Brazilian fusion style of the time – a wonderful blend that also gets a dose of California warmth, which is just the right element to send the whole thing home nicely! Tracks include the classic "Sky Islands", plus "Pegasus", "Carnavalito", "Triste", and "Ancient Source". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electric work from Ron Carter – subtle magic in the best CTI mode! Ron arranged the set himself, but he's working with a core group of CTI players that includes Bob James and Richard Tee on electric piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Ralph MacDonald on percussion, and Billy Cobham on drums – shifting mood, tone, and color with ease as each new track on the album emerges – and uniting the whole proceedings with work on acoustic bass and piccolo bass! Not funky, but very soulful – with a keen sense of space, but never too much so to make things snoozy. Titles include "Blues Farm", "Hymn For Him", "Two Beat Johnson", and "R2, M1". CD

A wonderful wonderful soul album from the great Gene Chandler – quite possibly our favorite work ever from this under-acknowledged Chicago singer! Chandler's way past his "Duke Of Earl" years on this record, and is hitting his stride as one of Chicago's best soul singers of the late 60s – working with a style that's harder than ever before – and a bit more sophisticated, too – with touches of that masculine maturity that Walter Jackson helped to bring to the scene. Carl Davis produced, and backings are by Sonny Sanders and Gerald Sims – providing a great Chicago groove over tunes penned by Curtis Mayfield, Billy Butler, and Otis Leavill – as well as Davis, Sanders, and Sims – all representing the unusual depth in Windy City soul at the time. Tracks include "To Choose", "Nothing Can Stop Me", "You Can't Hurt Me No More", "The Girl Don't Care", "Good Times", "Here Come The Tears", and "Fool For You". LP, Vinyl record album

A near-perfect classic from the greatly under-appreciated Bobby Charles – a cat with who worked for Chess Records as far back as the 50s, but also managed to deliver this soul-drenched swamp rock gem in 1972! Bobby's got this great sense of delivery – a bit laidback and almost laconic, without some of the other cliches of some of his contemporaries – this mode that makes you feel like you're just happening upon the man in his best spirits – even though the record's filled with top-shelf work from a super-pro lineup that includes Dr John, Geoff Muldaur, Levon Helm, Rick Danco, and others. Danko and John Simon helped produce with Bobby – and the album's got the same sort of blend of southern rock, soul, and roots that you'd also find in the best work by Tony Joe White. Titles include "Street People", "Long Face", "I Must Be In A Good Place Now", "Let Yourself Go", "Grow Too Old", "I'm That Way", and "Tennessee Blues". CD

Quite possibly the hippest album that Stanley Clarke ever cut – a stretched-out soulful batch of jazz-tinged tracks – very much in the same spirit as the more righteous soul jazz underground of the time! In a way, the record would be much more at home on a label like Strata East than it would at Polydor – thanks to vocals from Andy Bey and Dee Dee Bridgewater – and a group lineup that includes Pat Martino on guitars, Art Webb on flute, Lenny White on drums, and Chick Corea on keyboards! Corea produced, and there's a bit of the free-floating style of Return To Forever here – but the overall vibe is a lot more soulful too, and reminds us a fair bit of some of the earliest work by Norman Connors or Carlos Garnett – both of whom used Bridgewater as a vocalist in similar settings. Titles include "Children Of Forever", "Butterfly Dreams", "Sea Journey", and "Unexpected Days". CD

Fully-formed genius from Stanley Clarke – his first album for Columbia Records, and already a radical departure from the spiritual jazz of his previous set for Polydor! This Clarke's the one who'd play on countless sets of headphones in the 70s – the bassist who really revolutionized fusion, and managed to link it back to a huge audience of fans from rock, soul, and other genres! And despite the cliches to come, this album's still a masterpiece of power – funky at points, jamming at others, and nicely spacey when it needs to be – all produced and arranged with great care by Stanley, and featuring a host of players who include Jan Hammer on keyboards, Tony Williams on drums, Airto on percussion, and some assorted brass and string players as well. Titles include "Vulcan Princess", "Power", "Lopsy Lu", and the extended "Life Suite". LP, Vinyl record album

70s 2-in-1 set that brings together 2 classic early Coltrane sides – the legendary Tenor Conclave session on Prestige, with tenor work by Hank Mobley, Zoot Sims, and Al Cohn; and the moodier Mating Call set, a showcase for the piano genius of Tadd Dameron. Both records are classics – and they're packaged here with better notes than the originals! Titles include "Super Jet", "Romas", "Tenor Conclave", "Soultrane", and "Gnid". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic – not just from Sam Cooke, but in the genre of "best of" records too! The set's overflowing with classic singles from the legendary soul singers – almost the perfect record to start with if you've ever wanted to sample Sam's genius – that amazing voice, intimate sense of presentation, and undeniably mature, masculine sound that forever changed the face of soul music! Every track's a winner – and titles include "Only Sixteen", "You Send Me", "Cupid", "Chain Gang", "Having A Party", "Twistin The Night Away", "Wonderful World", "Summertime", "Everybody Loves To Cha Cha", "For Sentimental Reasons", "Sad Mood", and "Bring It On Home To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely moody track from Dede Copland – deep soul, with a slow-moving groove – one that really fits the blue-tinged lyrics of the track – which Copland delivers in a very unique vocal style! The track's got a great late nite vibe – that sort of middle-of-the-night sense of regret – which is offset by the more upbeat "You Gotta Give Up" – a tune that lopes along with a great 60s soul groove! 7-inch, Vinyl record

2 classics from Hank's Atlantic years! Hank Crawford shows his roots with Ray Charles on True Blue, an album of short R&B tinged instrumentals with a deep gutbucket feel to them. He's backed by some larger groups that includes players like James Clay, Sonny Forriest, John Hunt, and Wilbur Brown. Very soulful feel, and Crawford's sharp alto is right up front in the mix. Tracks include "Mellow Down", "Shake-A-Plenty", "Shooby", "Blues In Bloom", and "Skunky Green". Nice stuff, and one of Crawford's livelier albums! On Double Cross, Hank's blowing it in that stock soulful style he used with Ray Charles – over slightly larger arrangements that feature players like Wendell Harrison, David Newman, Melvin Latiste, and Carl Lynch. Jack McDuff plays piano on "In The Heat Of The Night", and other tracks include "Glue Fingers", "Jimmy Mack", "Double Cross", and "Mud Island Blues". CD

Apart from the title's terrible pun on the Glenn Campbell hit of the mid 70s, this album's a real treat – a very soulful batch of smooth funky jazz tunes by The Crusaders, who by this point have fully emerged to claim the throne of the pop soul jazz genre they virtually invented. The record's got razor-sharp production, which you'll hear perfectly in the album's jazz stepping hit "Keep That Same Old Feeling", one of the best tunes ever to come from the pen of Wayne Henderson, and a track that he recorded endlessly with other groups. Other tracks include "Feeling Funky", "Spiral", and "Til The Sun Shines". LP, Vinyl record album

Danny Brown moves over the Warp label still riding high on a longstanding creative win streak – title aside, this exhibition is magnificent – hopping back and forth stylistically between straight-forward, compelling boom bap and brazenly manic weirdness! Danny's bugged out approach to rhyme spitting is in full effect, but there's substance beneath the style, delivering some of the most introspective lyrics of his career to date. Top notch Paul White production, with some truly intriguing samples in the mix. This one may very well prove to be a modern classic! Includes "Downward Spiral", "Tell Me What I don't Know", "Really Doe" with Kendrick Lamar, AB-Soul & Earl Sweatshirt, "Lost", "Ain't It Funny", "Gold Dust", "Pneumonia", "Dance In The Water", "When It Rain", "Today", "Get Hi" with B-Real, "Hell For It" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The biggest-label release ever cut by 70s funk legend Betty Davis – but a set that's every bit as hard and heavy as the indie dates that preceded it! Davis is at the top of her form here – bad-stepping amidst the heavy drums and freaked-out guitars that easily made her one of the funkiest folks working in the 70s – an artist who was definitely very much into her own bag, and who's only finally getting her due all these many years later! In a way, the groove is even leaner than before – especially the drums, which are turbocharged with energy, and set a badass vibe for the record throughout – mixing up equal parts of rock, funk, and soul – almost with the genre-busting modes that wouldn't really show up on the New York scene until a number of years later. The whole thing kicks ass – and titles include "Nasty Gal", "Talkin' Trash", "Dedicated To The Press", "FUNK", "Getting Kicked Off Havin Fun", "Shut Off The Light", "This Is It", "The Lone Ranger", and "Feelins". Great limited pressing of the classic – with liner notes, lyrics, and lots of cool photos! LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Tyrone Davis' under-recognized years at Columbia Records – a wonderful set of mature modern soul numbers that really let the singer find a whole new groove! The whole thing's nicely free of any sort of commercial overtones – and instead, the album has Davis really spinning out this rich, warm groove – arranged throughout by James Mack, who brings in a perfect Chicago balance of soul and sophistication – elements that many of Tyrone's contemporaries cooked up in the past, but hardly did this well at the time! And Davis' vocals somehow seem better than ever – more expressive in more ways, but never overtone – really illustrating that path that deep soul took to the Windy City, while changing up its sound in the process. Titles include a remake of "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", plus "Just My Luck", "I Won't Let Go", "You're Heaven Sent", "You Made Me Beautiful", and "Let's Be Closer Together". CD features a bonus 7" mix of "Just My Love". CD

Smooth soul from Cliff Dawson – a singer as classy as his look on the cover, and definitely a cut above most of the mainstream soul artists of his time! The album's an overlooked gem that's very nicely put together – well recorded, arranged with a subtle flair, and usually done with a warmer sound than you might guess for the vintage of the set – almost like some late 70s underground modern soul set, which is saying plenty to ears like ours! Thor Baldursson did most of the arrangements, but in ways that are much more restrained than his disco years – and titles include "It's Not Me You Love", "Waiting For Your Love", "Betcha Didn't Know", "I Can Love You Better", "Ocean Green Eyes", and "Never Say I Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great "uncle willie" single from Chicago – one arranged by Burgess Gardner with a romping, stomping groove! The track starts out with a snapping snare and piano triplets – and when the vocals come in, they're hard hard hard all the way through! Nice and raw, with almost a garage soul approach! "Hard Headed Girl" is a mellower track, again arranged by Gardner. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great one from Buddy DeFranco – exactly the kind of record that will make you understand why jazz collectors have always prized his Verve Records work so much! Although Buddy's given instrument, the clarinet, was one that was handled by so many others at the time in kind of an outmoded way – DeFranco always managed to keep things fresh and modern, drawing heavily on bop inspiration for a record like this, yet also remaining true to his roots too. Part of the strength of the record is the group, too – given that Sonny Clark is on piano, bringing in a mighty soulful undercurrent to the rhythm section, and even playing a bit of organ too! Tal Farlow brings in some nice guitar – and the group's completed by Gene Wright on bass and Bobby White on drums – on titles that include "Indian Summer", "Cooking The Blues", "Stardust", and "How About You". Sweet and lovely – but plenty darn soulful too – and one of the excellent early 50s Verve dates that features the piano of Sonny Clark with the clarinet of Buddy DeFranco! The album's got an even more unusual twist in that it features a bit of organ from Clark too – one of his only recordings on the instrument – as well as guitar from Tal Farlow on a number of tracks – another leading light of the fresh Verve sound of the 50s, really working some great music next to Buddy's horn. The stripped down sound is very nice – equal parts bop and swing, in that unique mode that made DeFranco one of the hippest players on his instrument at the time! Titles include "Getting A Balance", "Old Black Magic", "Moe", and "What Can I Say". CD

A key record in Deodato's move from funky jazz in the 70s to modern soul in the 80s – and one that showcases the best of his talents in both genres! The approach here is more tightly arranged and produced than that of his earlier CTI sides – but in a mode that's still plenty nice to our ears – as Deodato's uncanny sense of rhythm and timing is still very firmly in place, making the set way way more than just a smooth jazz album – and pushing it strongly into the realm of soulful spacey fusion! There's some really great tracks on the set – like the amazing "Skatin", a sweet keyboard number that's a perfect roller skating jam (in case you couldn't guess from the title) – plus "Love Magic", "Uncle Funk", "East Side Strut", and "Night Cruiser". LP, Vinyl record album

A deep funk inspired single from DJ Harrison! "Rule The World" has a murky vibe that gives it the right kind of vintage gritty mood, with the vocals mucked up to almost hallucinogenic effect – but that's backed by guitar bass and drums that's got a cool 70s funky soul feel. "Brown Water Blues" has a similarly submerged sound, this one riffing a bit on Hi Records style bluesy soul & funk 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the greatest Blue Note funky jazz sets of the late 60s – an all-out soul fest headed up by funky Lou Donaldson, and featuring some incredible work on drums from Idris Muhammad – who was still calling himself Leo Morris at this point! Muhammad's work on the drums is fantastic – not just in the snap-funk mode of some of his oft-sampled Blue Note classics, but also hitting these nicely changed-up rhythms that dance along with a free sense of joy, love, and life – one that seems to open Lou up even more than before! Other players on the set are great too – and include a young Charles Earland on organ, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, and Jimmy Ponder on guitar – cooking up some incredible licks that fill in the spaces between the grooves with a wash of soulful colors! Titles include a great version of the James Brown Classic "Say It Loud", plus the originals "Snake Bone" and "Brother Soul" – and surprisingly great takes on "Summertime" and "Caravan"! LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of rare gems from The Electric Prunes – both of which feature key production help from David Axelrod! Mass In F Minor is a beautifully baroque batch of tracks, written and arranged for the Electric Prunes by the great David Axelrod – a really groundbreaking mix of modes that had quite an impact back in the late 60s! The record shows Axelrod's perpetual fascination with the spiritual – mixed with that great modern style of funk that he was forging at Capitol during the late 60s. The record's not really preachy, nor is it proggy. It's more of a complex blueprint of rock, jazz, funk, and touches of soul – all hung together on the same sort of "mass" structure that Axelrod would later use with Cannonball and on his own. Titles include "Kyrie Eleison", "Gloria", "Benedictus", and "Sanctus". Release Of An Oath is the second album done by David Axelrod for The Electric Prunes – and arguably the best! The album's a bit unusual, in that none of the original Prunes were actually working on the session – and instead, Axlerod's almost fully at the helm – putting together the set in a way that's quite similar to his own solo albums over at Capitol! As with those, there's a bold, spacious sort of instrumentation here – richly orchestral, but also quite funky at times – punctuated by great drums from Earl Palmer, bass from Carol Kaye, keyboards from Don Randi, and guitar from Howard Roberts – who's really tripping out nicely here! The work uses the Jewish Kol Nidre mass as its conceptual focus – but really takes off with plenty of tripped-out Axelrod flourishes that make the whole thing a fair bit more psychedelic than anything you'd ever hear in temple. Titles include "Holy Are You", "The Adoration", "Our Father, Our King", "Kol Nidre", and "General Confessional". CD

A sublime set of soul instrumentals – very funky work, and sort of a 70s follow-up to the Soulful Strings albums on Cadet Records from the 60s! Maestro Richard Evans is at the top of his game here – stepping out with that hip Chisoul mode he first forged at Chess, tuned here towards some even more sophisticated modes for Atlantic Records! Many of Evan's previous players are on board to make the record great – including Lennie Druss on flute, Paul Serrano on trumpet, Odell Brown on organ, and Phil Upchurch on guitar. Evans himself plays bass for the record – using a very funky bottom sound – and the set also features some wicked vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten, working away from his Nineteenth Hole group on a rare major label date! The sound is blacksploitation soundtrack, part Curtom funk – and titles include the great originals "Pie Daddy's Dream", "Wado City", "Angela My Sister", and the great "Patutu" – which was done by the Soulful Strings – plus a few nice covers like "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Ellie's Love Theme", by Isaac Hayes. LP, Vinyl record album

Blistering early work from a young Georgie Fame – a set that definitely lives up to the Rhythm & Blues in the title! The set was recorded live at London's hip Flamingo club – and Georgie and The Blue Flames are very much in command of the crowd – burning with the intensity of a American small organ combo, especially the early 60s variety that often played equal parts soul jazz and R&B! Georgie's on the Hammond, and also sings with a rough-edged style that's plenty soulful, and incredibly appealing – a mode that oozes charisma, but never sounds fake or forced. Other instrumentation includes tenor, baritone sax, bass, drums, and conga – plus some great guitar from Big Jim Sullivan – and titles include "Do The Dog", "Eso Beso", "Work Song", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Shop Around", "Humpty Dumpty", and "You Can't Sit Down". This 2016 edition comes loaded with a huge number of bonus tracks, too – with 1964 BBC Session recordings of "Night Train", "Walking The Dog", "Do-Re-Mi", "You're Breaking My Heart" wtih Long John Baldry and more, plus "Parker's Mood", "Molasses", "Funky Mama (Blue Moon Bootleg Version)", "Money (That's What I Want)" and lots more. 10 tracks on the original album – plus 13 bonus tracks! CD

A very cool album of soul instrumentals, played by the session musicians responsible for creating (the second version of?) the Muscle Shoals sound – players like Clayton Ivey, Junior Lowe, Ronnie Eades, and Freeman Brown. The set's nicely packaged – in a gatefold cover, with shots of Muscle Shoals, the studio, the group, and Rick Hall, who produced the whole darn thing. The cuts themselves are pop and soul hits, done with slightly southern tinges – and titles include "Soulful Strut", "Choice Of Colors", "It's Your Thing", "Get Back", and "Too Weak To Fight". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album of understated brilliance – one of Art Farmer's early shifts into the sublime, and an easily-blown batch of trumpet tracks that always takes our breath away! There's a sense of relaxed freedom here that's really tremendous – a difference from some of Farmer's more arranged, or more hard-blown moments of the 50s – and a real move into notes that are airier and more open – almost effortless at times, and played like nobody else! The group's a quartet – with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Tommy Williams on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – and the tracks are all in the four to five minute range, with Art crafting lyrically soulful lines over the top. Titles include "Who Cares", "Out Of The Past", "Younger Than Springtime", "That Ole Devil Called Love", and "Goodbye Old Girl". CD

One of the best albums ever by this crack soul jazz combo – the mighty Jazztet, an early 60s group led by Art Farmer and Benny Golson! The set was recorded in Chicago, and it features the group hard-grooving through some really well-arranged numbers – lively tunes with a snapping, in-the-pocket kind of groove, played with a lot more soul than you'd expect from either Golson or Farmer's solo albums. The rest of the group's great, too – and features Cedar Walton on piano, Tom McIntosh on trombone, and Albert Heath on drums. A few tracks are nice and long, and titles include "Farmer's Market", "Junction", "November Afternoon", and "Shutterbug". CD

Classic work by Jose in the style he forged in LA at the end of the 60s – a mix of 60s pop and soul with that wonderful Latin style he used, the one that made his vocals and guitar cry slightly with the rhythms, taking conventional and familiar songs, and opening them up in a whole new way, with a depth that's quite unexpected! Titles include "Destiny", "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window", "Blackbird", "Once There Was A Love", "Susie Q", "Yesterday", and "Pegao". 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

The Frightnrs have plenty more to say here – and they say it in a really sharp-edged approximation of older rocksteady modes! The group are contemporary, but like the best acts on Daptone, they've got an instantly classic feel – thanks to instrumentation and production that take us right back to late 60s Kingston, but with some of the sharper funky currents we've come to expect from the label! And while The Frightnrs may pitch themselves as an old school reggae act, they're also one that have a heavy dose of soul – almost a late night New Jersey current to their music at times – as if the All Platinum/Stang label put out their own version of Jamaican soul. The approach is great, and very unique – and titles include "Hey Brother", "Gotta Find A Way", "What Have I Done", "Nothing More To Say", "All My Tears", "Purple", "Dispute", and "Till Then". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – and a beautiful album of spiritual jazz recorded by this obscure piano player who worked briefly with Jackie McLean in the seventies. Billy Gault had an amazingly soulful way of putting together his work, but never got bogged down in too much sentiment. There's some beautiful stuff on here, including the awesome "Mode for Trane", and "The Time of this World is at Hand", a great track that features vocals by Joe Lee Wilson (some of his best) and Ellen Deleston. Wilson and Deleston also sing on a few others too – in a moody, soulful and spiritual way that's almost a post-Coltrane take on the sound of Andy & The Bey Sisters. Other titles include "Aisha", "When Destiny Calls", "Portrait Of A Joaner", and "Nothing But A Man". This truly is an incredible record – one of our all time favorites of this generation! CD

The start of a very successful run for Gloria Gaynor – a seminal bit of crossover 70s soul – one that perfectly linked the dancefloor with the airwaves, and managed to take on more than a few living rooms as well! Gloria's not entirely in full blown disco-diva mode yet, and works here with a soaring Philly-styled groove – of the sort you'd hear with groups like First Choice or Three Degrees – almost grounded a bit in earlier female soul, especially in the vocals and overall changes in the grooves – yet sparkled up plenty with some fuller, richer 70s arrangements. Those are handled by Norman Harris and Harold Wheeler – who do plenty to warm up the production by Meco – and the set includes the stunning 6 minute version of Gloria's big hit "Never Can Say Goodbye", plus "All I Need Is Your Sweet Lovin", "We Belong Together", "Real Good People", "Honey Bee", and "Reach Out I'll Be There". LP, Vinyl record album

The title of the record may sound a bit scientific, but the music within has a very human appeal – sweet funky rhythms forged by the team of DJ Rocca and Stefano Ghittoni – the latter of whom you might know from previous productions with The Dining Rooms! The sound here is maybe an even more stripped-down take on that group's approach – very classic in the core elements used, but very contemporary in presentation overall – almost with a lean, very rhythmic approach that takes us back to the earliest years of Italo House – especially in the warmth of the tunes – but with a vibe that's also much more 21st Century overall! Titles include "Jupiter", "Cosmic Double Bass", "Past Present & Future", "Soul Place", "Memories", and "Carrie System". CD

The title of the record may sound a bit scientific, but the music within has a very human appeal – sweet funky rhythms forged by the team of DJ Rocca and Stefano Ghittoni – the latter of whom you might know from previous productions with The Dining Rooms! The sound here is maybe an even more stripped-down take on that group's approach – very classic in the core elements used, but very contemporary in presentation overall – almost with a lean, very rhythmic approach that takes us back to the earliest years of Italo House – especially in the warmth of the tunes – but with a vibe that's also much more 21st Century overall! Titles include "Jupiter", "Cosmic Double Bass", "Past Present & Future", "Soul Place", "Memories", and "Carrie System". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice 2LP set that brings together some of his most striking sessions of the early 60s recorded for Emarcy. This set includes pieces composed and arranged by Lalo Schifrin played by a large ensemble led by Benny Carter – with Dizzy as the main soloist, and work by players that include James Moody, Phil Woods, Emil Richards, Francisco Aguabella, and Schifrin himself. Tracks are long, and have complicated introductions – then easily give way to the sort of flowing grooves that Schifrin was penning often at the time. Titles include "The Conquerors", "The Chains", "The Swords", "The Empire", and "The Legend Of Atlantis". The set also features Diz playing tracks from Tom McIntosh, one of the scene's brightest arrangers at the time, and a talent who was looming large, thanks to support from folks like Diz and James Moody. Moody's in the group – blowing tenor with a quintet that includes Kenny Barron on piano, Chris White on bass, and Rudy Collins on drums – and his tone is incredible, with a darkness that he'd rarely had before, and the whole group has a mixture of modern tones and soulful grooves that's beyond compare! Titles include "November Afternoon", "The Cup Bearers", "The Day After". Also included are songs from the soundtrack for the lost Shirley Clarke verite drama The Cool World. Mal Waldron wrote the material for the score, and Diz plays the music with a moody emotionality that you don't often hear in his other 60's work. The recording was made by his great group that included Kenny Barron and James Moody, and the titles include "The Pushers", "Duke's Fantasy", "Coney Island", and "Street Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A warm, timeless batch of tunes from Golden Smog – by this point a bonafide late 90s neo-classic Americana (none of these fellows ever seemed all that fond of being tagged as "alt-country" so we won't do that to 'em) supergroup – a loose collective over the years which in this lineup features Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, Soul Asylum's Dan Murphy, Jody Stephens of Big Star, Gary Louris of The Jayhawks and others! The record has a big, vibrant sound even if the songs are fairly unfussy, not too far out of character for the kind of thing on early Wilco or Def American era Jayhawks – really good stuff! Includes "To Call My Own", "Looking Forward To Seeing You", "Jane", "Keys", "White Shell Road", "Fear Of Falling", "All The Same", "Jennifer Save Me" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from the great Bennie Green – working here at a sharp 50s level that easily makes him one of the most hard-edged players in jazz at the time! Bennie's rooted in bop, but has plenty of deeper soulful elements too – a groove that others would expand more in the soul jazz generation, but which Green unleashes here with a really raw sort of energy – a tightness that's almost more suited to the trumpet than modes you'd usually hear from other trombonists. The setting's almost a blowing session one, but a bit tighter overall – and the quintet features Eric Dixon on tenor and Lloyd Mayers on piano – plus raw rhythms from Sonny Wellesley on bass and Bill English on drums. Titles include "East Of The Little Big Horn", "Walkin Down", and "But Not For Me". CD

Smooth and silky jazz funk from trombonist Urbie Green – a record that's much more in a mainstream R&B fusion mode than his earlier work – yet also arranged by David Matthews in a soulful style that still keeps things pretty real on the best cuts! The group's a good one for the mellow groove of the material – and includes Mike Mainieri on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, Jeremy Steig on flute, and Toots Thielemans laying down a bit of harmonica – all kicking back in classic 70s CTI styles. Titles include the nice modal groover "Mertensia", plus "Manteca", "Foxglove Suite", "Another Star", and "Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

A heartbreaking project from saxophonist Jimmy Greene – dedicated to his daughter, who was caught in the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school. Instead of focusing on the tragedy that struck his family, Greene instead chooses to celebrate the wonderful, but too-short life of his daughter Ana – through a beautiful record that may well be his most ambitious to date! The scope of the sound here is wonderful – very soulful, thoughtful tracks performed by a shifting lineup that includes some famous names who were only happy to help out on the project – like Kenny Barron and Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Pat Metheny on guitar, and Kurt Elling on vocals. But the core group alone is wonderful –w ith Renee Rosnes on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums – who set things up in this wonderfully soulful style that seems to evoke some of Greene's most personal moments on record. Titles include "Last Summer", "Ana's Way", "Maybe", "Little Voices", "Where Is Love", and "Seventh Candle". CD

As part of Soul Jazz's recent foray into more roots-oriented sounds behind the groove scene, they've released this album of spare moody Santeria tracks by the Cuban group Oba-Ilu. The material was recorded in Havana on a recent trip by the Soul Jazz staff, and it's got a very stripped-down feeling, with lots of Afro Cuban percussion, and spiritual, soulful singing. The songs are part of the Santeria religious tradition, a Cuban interpretation (or misinterpretation) of African spiritual traditions, infused with certain tenants of Catholicism. The sound is spare and emotional, with strikingly beautiful moments of earthy spirituality. Not our usual bag of grooves, but a nice release for the roots-minded music fan – and lavishly packaged in the same style as most Soul Jazz releases! CD

Five full albums from keyboardist Dave Grusin – packaged together in a single set, with tiny LP-styled covers for each CD! First up is one of our favorites – the album One Of A Kind, which is a sweet funky fusion outing that really sums up some of the best Dave Grusin modes of the 70s! This excellent LP from 1977 really captures the best of the Grusin soundtrack style – heard in the 70s on shows like Barretta, or in films like Three Days of the Condor – mellow fusion with a tightly arranged style – lots of nicely isolated instrumentation, and the kind of spare and spacey grooves that you'd expect from a hip CTI session! Musicians include Grover Washington on saxes, Dave Valentin on flute, Ron Carter on bass, and Steve Gadd himself – plus Grusin on a lot of sweet keyboards – and titles include great cut "Modaji", plus "Heart Is A Lonely Hunter", "Catavento", and "Montage". Mountain Dance has a similar vibe, too – nice and lean – and one of Dave's funkier albums of the time – with cuts that include "Captain Caribe", "Rondo", "City Lights", "Rag Bag", and "Mountain Dance". Out Of The Shadows has a nice sort of vibe – not the too-smooth later sound of the GRP label, and instead this nice balance of electric keyboards and acoustic piano – delivered with help from key contemporaries who include Lee Ritenour on guitar and Steve Gadd on drums! Production is nicely understated – and titles include the mellow stepper "Serengeti Walk", plus "Last Train To Paradiso", "She Could Be Mine", "Crystal Morning", "Hokkaido", and "Sweetwater Nights". Night Lines is a record that has Dave Grusin elevating a bit more into the jazz/soul mainstream – as the set has the keyboardist working with a few more crossover modes than before, but all in a way that seems to demonstrate his many years in various kinds of music! The album was a key entry in the new sound of fusion during the mid 80s – maybe a bit sharper than later smooth jazz, but with efforts from some leading lights of that generation to come – including David Sanborn and Marcus Miller. Phoebe Snow sings a bit on the record – which might provide her with one of her more exciting settings in years – and titles include "Power Wave", "Thankful N Thoughtful", "Night Lines", "Tick Tock", "Bossa Baroque", and "Secret Place". Cinemagic is a famous pairing of the keyboards of Dave Grusin with the orchestrations of the London Symphony Orchestra – served up at a level that made the record a giant hit for so many folks who wouldn't have touched a Dave Grusin record a decade before! The tunes are a bit different than usual – all film tunes, as you might expect, delivered in a way that's not afraid to lean on all the sentimental currents of the tunes – which come from films that include Tootsie, Heaven Can Wait, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, Three Days Of The Condor, and The Goonies. Titles include "Condor", "An Actor's Life", "It Might Be You", "Heaven Can Wait", "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter", and "Goodbye For Cathy". CD

Four ultra-rare records – all brought together in one incredible CD set – the third collection to document the brilliant sounds of Germany's Ego Recordings label from the 70s! First up is the album Reconciliation from Joe Haider – one of the 70s gems on the mighty German Ego label – an incredible small company who seemed to put out nothing but excellent music! The set's led by pianist Joe Haider, and features a quintet with Andy Scherrer on tenor and soprano sax, Ack Van Rooyen on flugelhorn, Gunter Lenz on bass, and Todd Canedy on drums – all of them together welling up as way more than the sum of their parts, and cooking up an amazingly soulful set of tunes! There's bits of modal and American 70s spiritual soul jazz in the set – all played with a proud and buoyant style that unfolds majestically through the course of the album, never faltering in its vision or creativity. A under-acknowledged gem, with tracks that include "Mas De Serles", "Magdalena", "Reconciliation", "Crossover", and "Spanish Groove". Katzenvilla features the amazing trio of pianist Joe Haider, bassist Isla Eckinger, and drummer Pierre Favre – three very individual musicians who come together here as a group, but still retain a lot of their special energy! Haider's a lot more dynamic than usual – still with warm chords on the piano, but also some sharper edges – which seem pushed on by Favre's deft drum work, and his flowing sense of both melody and rhythm at the same moment. Eckinger's bass has these deep, soulful currents that we always love – and really grounds the whole thing in a wonderful way – on titles that include "Capricorn", "My Little Darling", "And Now", "Katzenvilla", and "Fate Of A Child" – all originals by Haider! Pianist Fritz Pauer steps out on Water Plants – a trio date that's got a lot more warmth and soul than some of the musician's previous work from the German scene – a beautiful little session that balances the deep bass work of Isla Eckinger and the subtle drums of Billy Brooks. There's a loose, lyrical vibe to the record that shows a side of Pauer we might not have expected – and Fritz wrote some wonderful tunes for the album, including "Water Plants", "Sagittarius", "Tribal Dance", "For La Rives", and "Autumn Evening". Last up is One For Wilton – one of the hippest later albums from pianist Horace Parlan – a set recorded with the saxophonist Wilton Gaynair, who'd contributed heavily to the UK scene in the late 50s/early 60s, then made great waves in Germany during the 70s! The set features Wilton on tenor and soprano sax, Parlan on piano, and great rhythms from Isla Eckinger on bass and Billie Brooks on drums – all coming together with a sense of warmth and imagination that's completely sublime – much richer than some of Gaynair's other performances from the 70s, and with a sense of flow and soul that makes the album one of Parlan's best. Titles include "Billie's Bossa", "One For Wilton", "Shade", "Firm Roots", and "Pananika". All albums come in tiny LP-style covers, and the box also features a bookle of notes! CD

Breathy, beautiful soul from Ellerine Harding – a lesser-known 70s singer, but one who managed to cut this great album for the Mainstream label! Like some of the other soul on Mainstream, the approach here is inflected with a bit of jazz – arrangements scored by Wade Marcus, and featuring lots of mellow electric piano work from Paul Griffin – stepping lazily along in a way that complements Ellerine's vocals nicely. None of the tracks are too over the top, and there's a mature, easy-going feel to the record that's further complemented by the range of unusual tunes for the set – a number of which are written by Jimmy Briggs. Titles include "Sho Nuff I Need You Baby", "Don't Take The Time", "I Ain't Got Much", "Get Up Daddy", "A Fool In Love", and "If It Makes You Feel Good It's All Right". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "We'll Cry Together" and "Tonight Let The Other Woman Cry Some". CD

Heavy soulful blues from Slim! The album's a great collection of his excellent work for Excello – raw electric blues tinged with nice touches of Southern Soul production. Tracks include "Mohair Sam", "Shake Your Hips", "I'm A King Bee", "Baby, Scratch My Back", and "Tip On In". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool sounds from the amazing Eddie Harris – a live set, cut at the popular Newport Jazz Festival – but one that's arguably even freakier and more freewheeling than some of Eddie's studio work for Atlantic! Eddie's horn is really plugged in for the set – a Varitone, which is blown with a rich variety of tones – including some very far out, echoey modes at the start – then fused into a sharper, soulful groove later on! The group's also got some really wonderful electric piano from Jodie Christian – and include Louis Spears on bass and Bob Crowder on drums – and the legendary Eugene McDaniels joins the quartet for some very hip vocals on one cut too. Titles include "Don't You Know The Future's In Space", "Carry On Brother", "Walk Soft", and "Silent Majority". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few 70s albums from the wonderful Major Harris as a solo act – and a lesser-known set that's a great follow up to the Major's previous records for Atlantic! The vibe here is a bit less Philly, but still in that mellow grooving style that works so well for Harris' vocals – a mature modern soul mode, with some excellent production from Jerry Ragovoy, who co-arranged the set with David Matthews. A few of the numbers go for a clubby feel, the best tracks are the mellower ones – which have Harris hitting those mature and personal notes that always made him one of the best romantic male soul singers of his time. Titles include "Lucky Day", "Night Moods", "How Do You Take Your Love", "Pretty Red Lips", "You're So Good You're Bad", "Your Sweet Song", and "This Is Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

The battle here is almost no contest – given that both singers come out on top! The set's a classic in the Harris/Brown "battle" records for King – and includes a side each of amazing R&B vocal numbers by the singers – some really hard-edged stuff that's really at the top level of the genre at the time! Wynonie Harris is especially great – often as raunchy as soul and funk singers from later years – but Roy Brown is excellent too, and has a voice that really comes across with a great deal of power, with a lot more bite on his King recordings than his work for other labels. Harris numbers include "Man Have I Got Troubles", "I'll Never Give Up", "Drinking Blues", "Tremblin", and "Luscious Woman" – and Brown tracks include "Sweet Peach", "Hard Luck Blues", "Dreaming Blues", and "Wrong Woman Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A key early record for the Edwin Hawkins Singers – issued right after the group had changed their name from the less-catchy Northern California State Youth Choir! The record contains Hawkins' huge hit "Oh Happy Day" – done with soloist Dorothy Morrison, a voice that was strong enough to push this one from the gospel market right onto the pop charts! Other tunes follow in a similar style, really hitting hard for the soul generation – and tracks include "I'm Going Through", "Early In The Morning", "Joy Joy", and "To My Father's House". LP, Vinyl record album

Stellar soul from Isaac Hayes – just the sort of overblown masterpiece that made his early solo work on Stax Records so great! The record features only 4 long tracks – all of which go on in that slow-building style that Ike forged at the time – a mode that takes a few simple musical elements, slowly adds more instrumentation, then builds the whole thing up subtly and slyly while Hayes is talking rapturously over the top! There's a feel here that's nicely dramatic, but never in a kitschy, cloying way – a new statement of male soul masculinity, just right for the sophistication of the 70s. Titles include Ike's 12 minute covers of "Something" and "I Stand Accused", plus "One Big Unhappy Family", and "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly the disco set you might guess from the title – and instead, a surprisingly soulful gem from the post-Stax years of Isaac Hayes! There's certainly a bit of uptempo grooving in the mix – but, as on Ike's Polydor years, the approach is still handled with the deeper sounds that Hayes first forged over at Stax – a way of putting together the groove that's almost like a mini-symphony in soul – still quite complex, even when aimed at the dancefloor! But not all cuts are groovers, too – as there's some key mellow moments on the record that really help balance things out, and which we really like a lot – those slow-stepping, mature masculine numbers that always marked Hayes as one of the hippest talents of his generation. There's some key Memphis help on the record from The Movement – who handle rhythm and horns – and titles include "Let's Don't Ever Blow Our Thing", "Lady of The Night", "The Storm Is Over", "Juicy Fruit", "Thank You Love", and "Music To Make Love By". LP, Vinyl record album