Later work by General Crook – very different than his funkier sides of the 60s, but still pretty darn great! "Best Years Of My Life" is a wonderful ballad cut – strings gently gliding as Crook's rich vocals come into deliver a sweet and sad lyric. "Testification" is more electric – with funky clavinet at the beginning, and a flanged-out approach on the vocals. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two uptempo sides by this ex-singer of The Charimen Of The Board. David Van De Pitte arranged, and the record's got a bit of a modern soul sound – which suits the General's unique voice just right! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Very nice funky stuff! This may be the best single ever by this lost Chicago funk artist. It's got a great hard groove, in a very James Brown way, and raw heavy lyrics in the best funky 45 tradition. 7-inch, Vinyl record

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Produced by Swizz Beatz. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Really wonderful work from the great Elmer Bernstein – from a relatively unlikely source as well! The music here was all composed for the General Electric Theater TV show – a regular anthology program hosted by Ronald Reagan, with a shifting dramatic cast – but one that's scored by Bernstein with all the richness of his best film work of the time – orchestrations that are even more amazing when you consider they were only meant to be heard from the small speaker of a television, and usually just for one time only! The album brings together some of the best Bernstein compositions from a variety of different programs – but there's a surprisingly unified feel throughout, and titles include "Enchante", "Passionelle", "Lavender Waltz", "The Highland Lovers", "David's Love Song", "Progress", "Mariachi", and "L'Amour Tristesse". LP, Vinyl record album

"Number One Spot" features Ludacris. Produced by Green Lantern. "Murderous" features Talib Kweli. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Pretty heavy rock from this early 70s British group – following very heavily in a Cream mode, with lots of deep bass, fuzzy guitars, and some kicking drums that almost sound like they might give out the odd break or two! Vocals are a bit tortured and a bit bluesy – but not bad overall, and very much in the best funky rock mode of the time. Titles include a version of "Now They've Found Me (Ballad Of A Well Known Gun)", plus "Naughty Lady", "Gangbang", "Superstar", "Sixty Years On", "Nightflight", and "Dog End". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool – an early 80s album of European electronics based around the songs of Ennio Morricone – all instrumental, from that time when the Italian club scene was really tripping out on cosmos-styled grooves! Titles include "The Return", "Investigation Of A Citizen Above Suspicion", "Like Maddalena", "My Name Is Nobody", "Dawn Of The 5th Day", "March In A", and "Good Luck Jack". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a groovy soundtrack – a mixture of vocal and instrumental numbers written by Billy for this groovy film about the liberated woman of the late 60s! The album sports a few vocal numbers by bigger stars – "Look Again" by the Brooklyn Bridge, "Used To Be" by Vicki Lawrence, and "As Far As I'm Concerned" by Bobby Russell – but the best tunes are the shorter instrumental ones by Goldenberg. These have a sparkling quality that mixes easy instrumentation, some slight grooves, and a few mode touches of instrumentation – like electric sitar, guitar, and more. What this means is that about half the album is very nice groovy music – with titles that include "La De Da", "Tommy Doesn't Like Rosie At All", "Traveling With A Star", "Christine In Las Vegas", "Bonanza Paree", and "Soft Music For Rosie". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever issued by Ronnie Barron – an artist with a long range of work on the New Orleans scene, ties to Dr John, and even a role in the Woodstock scene of the early 70s – all of which really come through on this well-done set! Barron's got all the roots in his music that you'd guess from that legacy – some Nola moments in the rhythms, and a great ability to add a lot of character to his lyrics – sometimes shifting nicely from track to track, and bringing a lot of funky charm to the whole thing! Titles include "Duke Of Crenshaw", "Happy Happy Happy", "Let It Shine", "Freeway Mama", "Louisiana Flood", and "Don't Let My Husband Catch You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Bob Dylan's fourth record, and close runner up to Freewheelin' as the masterpiece of this early stage of his career. While the overly arch Times They Are A Changin' pretty much stood as the cornerstone of classifiable folk rock at the time, Another Side is just that. Dense, elliptical, and downright surreal at times, with some of the protesty stuff that made the media so happy & hungry, but much more layered and poetic. Another side is also much more reverent of and indebted to the Harry Smith field recordings that Bob studied so hard, the stuff that finally caught on with the general public in the early 90s. Titles include "Spanish Harlem Incident", "It Ain't Me Babe", "Ballad In Plain D", "Black Crow Blues", "I Don't Believe You", "Motorpsycho Nitemare", "To Ramona", "Chimes Of Freedom", "My Back Pages", and "I Shall Be Free No 10". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely cooking little live set from Aretha Franklin – and a crowning moment not just in her career, but for Atlantic Records soul in general! Aretha's working here before a very enthusiastic crossover crowd at the Fillmore West in San Francisco – getting tight backing from the combo of King Curtis (Memphis Horns, Billy Preston, and Pretty Purdie in tow!) – and hitting a groove that's often rawer, grittier, and more deep-soul tuned than some of her studio sides from the time! The recording quality is totally great – and goes out of its way to preserve the presence of the audience, and showcase Aretha's own interaction and strong sense of personality. Ray Charles makes a surprising guest appearance on one track, but the whole show is really Franklin's own – a majestic little live date that features the tunes "Spirit In The Dark", "Respect", "Make It With You", "Don't Play That Song", "Dr Feelgood", and "Love The One You're With". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early album from this great Philly soul group, featuring some of their best sides from the 60s, and lots of tracks that weren't released as singles! The band includes Vince Montana on vibes, Norman Harris and Bobby Eli on guitar, Leon Huff on piano, and Lenny Pakula on organ – and the track list includes "Best Days Of My Life", "I Didn't Know", "Let Me In Your Mind", "This Is My Love Song", and "Brand New Me". Great great great soul stuff, with a good group, excellent arrangements, and tight early Philly soul songwriting! LP, Vinyl record album

A Pablo Records release – but featuring material that was originally destined for Verve Records in the 50s – a rare performance in Japan by the Jazz At The Philharmonic! The double-length set is overflowing with goodness, all recorded in the open-ended, warm-hearted style that Norman Granz brought to these classic performances! The album starts with an extended set by the JATP All-Stars – a group that features Roy Eldridge and Charlie Shavers on trumpets, Willie Smith and Benny Carter on alto, Bill Harris on trombone, and Ben Webster and Flip Philips on tenors – with rhythm from the combo of Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and JC Heard on drums. JATP titles include a "Ballad Medley", "Tokyo Blues", and "Cotton Tail". The set then features six more tracks by the Oscar Peterson Trio – including "Sushi Blues" and "Up" – and another four by the Gene Krupa Trio – including "Don't Be That Way", and "Cocktails For Two". The set then ends with a long set by Ella Fitzgerald with a quartet – on titles that include "Smooth Sailin", "How High The Moon", "Body & Soul", "Lady Be Good", and "My Funny Valentine" – plus a reading of "Perdido" with the whole JATP group. LP, Vinyl record album

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

Totally excellent – and probably the best of the Planet Of The Apes soundtracks! The record features lots of snippets of dialogue from the film – including Cornelius telling the creed of the fate of man, General Ursus addressing Ape City, and the chilling Mass Of The Holy Bomb. The main score has some great work by Leonard Roseman, in kind of an off-kilter style with lots of atonal string passages – but it also features a few tasty funky cuts. The best of these is the "March Of The Apes", a great little funky 70s soundtrack number, and there's also a weird funky passage at the end of the "mass", with voices chanting in a hippy dippy kind of way! A great relic of a wild weird film, and one we don't see often! LP, Vinyl record album

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The Soul Jazz Dynamite series goes 100% dancehall – with this massive collection of rare cuts and classic material from the past 25 years – plus some new numbers! You know that you can depend on the reverent Soul Jazz compilers to deliver a better overview than any other label, and Dancehall Style covers the breadth wonderfully! It features the dub dancehall style of King Tubby and other pioneers such as Michigan And Smiley, Dillinger and Early B, and modern variations of later practitioners such as dub steppers Digital Mystikz, electro dancehall groovers such as Ladybug, and much more. A killer set from Soul Jazz! Volume 2 includes 11 tracks: "Assault Rifle" by Fat Eyes, "Governor General" by Pompidou, "Weed And Grabba" by King Baucho & Beenie Man, "Fade Out" by King Tubby, "Jah Lick We" by Michigan & Smiley, "Police And Bad Boy" by Wayne Wonder, "Billie Jean" by Shinehead, "Give It To Me" by Cecille and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Features Buju Banton, Terror Fabulous, Spragga Benz, Nadine Sutherland, Wayne Wonder, Louie Culture, Brian & Tony Gold, Daddy Screw, General Degree, Don Youth, Donovan Steele, Frisco Kid, Chippie Ranks, and Gary Minott. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from John Coltrane – one of those amazing records that wasn't issued until a few years after his death – then blew folks' minds even further with the depths of his talents! The setting is a live performance in Japan from 1966 – a really open-ended, freewheeling, totally expressive session cut with a group that also includes Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Alice Coltrane on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Rashied Ali on drums. Clearly, the group's opening up a huge amount of new territory here – not just for Coltrane, but for jazz in general – as they propel firmly forward on two very long tracks – really letting Trane's ideas spill forth, continuously building momentum. One of the definitive statements of "energy-jazz", and a recording that has gone onto become one of Trane's most-hailed albums ever – with the tracks "Peace On Earth" and "Meditations/Leo". LP, Vinyl record album

The massive debut of reedman Ronnie Laws – a groundbreaking set of funky fusion tracks that set the standard for years to come! Ronnie's the kid brother of Hubert Laws – who was already having great fame at CTI – but here, the younger Laws works with producer Wayne Henderson – who was just getting his At Home Productions team off the ground, a force that was maybe only second to the Mizell Brothers when it came to soulful fusion in the 70s! The approach here is sharper, deeper, and edgier than some of Ronnie's later work – as complicated as it is funky, but always right on the money – and graced with some excellent keyboard work by other members of Henderson's Crusaders – including Wilton Felder on bass and Joe Sample on keyboards. The album includes the original, seminal version of the oft-recorded classic "Always There" – plus the deep mellow jam "Tidal Wave", which gained great fame as a hip hop sample – as well as "Momma", "Never Be The Same", "Why Do You Laugh At Me", "Nothing To Lose", and "Tell Me Something Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful early album from the legendary Jean-Luc Ponty – a set that's maybe more straight jazz than some of his later work, and which also represents a pivotal shift in the use of the violin in jazz! Ponty's phrasing here is very different than previous players who handled the instrument in such a setting – almost more informed by a saxophone than earlier instrumentalists – often with notes that are not nearly as sweet as others, and heard to perfection in the company of this quartet! The whole group is great – Wolfgang Dauner on acoustic piano, also straighter than in later years – plus Niels Henning Orsted Pederson on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums. Titles include "Sunday Walk", "Cat Coach", "Suite For Claudia", and "Carole's Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best early work by Prez – all recorded in small combo sessions for Aladdin Records during the years 1947 through 1948. The album's one of the few chances you can get to hear Prez blowing clear and free from the time, in that amazing tone which inspired generations of players, which works perfectly in groupings with players that include Roy Haynes, Fred Lacey, Shorty McConnell, Curley Russell, and Tiny Kahn. Titles include "Sunday", "Jumpin With Symphony Sid", "No Eyes Blues", "OnThe Sunny Side Of The Street", "Jumpin' At The Woodside", "One O'Clock Jump", "Easy Does It", "Confessin'", "Sax O Be Bop", "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon", "Sheik Of Araby", "Something To Remember You By" and "Just Cooling". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most compelling compilations we've heard in ages – a set of tunes by and about Muhammad Ali! It's no secret that back in the day, Ali was way more than just a boxer – he was an international celebrity whose pride and power were a symbol for millions worldwide. At the height of his glory, not only did Ali himself record a number of albums, but he was also graced with countless tribute songs – not only from American artists, but British, Brazilian, and African as well! This festive little set brings together 22 of those great recordings, including a few about boxing in general – with genres that include soul, reggae, and Brazilian grooves – as well as some very catchy novelty numbers that defy classification! Titles include "The People's Choice" and "I'm The Greatest" by Ali himself – plus "8ieme Round" by Trio Madjesi, "Cassius Marcellus Clay" by Jorge Ben, "Muhammad Ali" by Sir Mack Rice, "Muhammad Ali" by Dennis Alcapone, "The Louisville Lip" by Eddie Curtis, "Rumble In The Jungle" by Don Covay, "Foreman Vs Frazier" by Big Youth, "Try It Again" by Joe Frazier, and "Ali Shuffle" by JW Grasshopper & The Butterfly. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of Albert Ayler's late work for Impulse – some of his most unusual sides ever cut to wax, and very different from his work on labels like ESP. The general feel is one of searching – as Ayler works in a number of different modes to try to reach new audiences, and hit new sounds. Some of these modes don't always work, but there's a rich emotional honesty to most of the album that keeps things extremely interesting, whatever the format. Titles include "Again Comes The Rising Of The Sun", "For John Coltrane", "Water Music", "Oh! Love Of Life", "Love Cry", "Drudgery", "New Ghosts", and "Holy Ghost". Includes a number of tracks that haven't been in print for years! LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost album from Eddie! The record was one of his few cut for Columbia – recorded between his early years at Vee Jay and his hit years at Atlantic – and it's an excellent little batch of cuts, with a tight Chicago soulful grooving sound, and a strong approach that mixes hardbop and soul jazz in a very nice way. Some of the material is pop in origin – like "Goldfinger" and "People" – but even those tracks are done very nicely, with a nice groove and Eddie's biting sax firmly in place. Other titles include "East End Blues", "Rice Pudding", "That's Tough", and "Ineffable". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of a comeback for Chicago soul legend Syl Johnson – a set initially recorded for the smaller indie Erect, but picked up for bigger distribution by Boardwalk thanks to a catchy title hit! The sound here is quite different from Syl's Twinight or Hi Records years – still a bit bluesy overall, but also going for a much tighter boogie-based groove – in keeping with the sound of Erect at the time. Johnson's vocals still retain that nice kind of pinch that shows his down home roots, but the instrumentation is much tighter than before – often in an electric mode that's a bit like Malaco in the 80s, only slicker. Syl produced the record with General Crook – and titles include the nice groover "Ms Fine Brown Frame", plus "Sweet Thing", "You Don't Have To Go", "It Ain't Easy", "Groove Me", and "Keep On Loving Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a sound that's a lot more understated than its title – an easygoing groove that's all Buddy all the way – clarinet in the lead, inspired by an older swing-based approach to jazz, yet still inflected with some boppish influences too – all in just the sort of open, laidback style that Verve was handling well at the time. Other players include Harry Edison on trumpet, Bob Hardaway on tenor, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Curtis Counce on bass, and Alvin Stoller on drums – on titles that include "Sunday", "Tea For Two", "Blue Lou", "Funky's Uncle", and an extended Verve-type "Ballad Medley". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lost treasures from the late 60s RCA catalog – a very strange, and very hippy-dippy mix of hard rock, blues, and slight folksy touches – recorded with lots of nice production twists and turns, and plenty of tripped out guitar work! There's kind of a messed-up New York scene feel to the set – not exactly ESP rock, but somewhere in the neighborhood of The Fugs, or maybe Beefheart at times. Titles include "Parahighway", "Ancestral Wants", "A Hundred Days", "Auto Salvage", "Burglar Song", and "Rampant Generalities". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record from The Damned – even if the set does have them very far away from their punkish roots! Yet like some of the best of their contemporaries, the group grew up fast – shed a bit of anger, learned how to play their instruments, and really developed a way with a tune – an asset that you'll hear here right from the very first note! The songwriting is smart, but sensitive too – and with a slight edge at times, there's almost an evolution to the group's sound that's similar to XTC over the same stretch of time – save for the fact that the guitars are sometimes a bit more ferocious! Captain Sensible's definitely making himself felt more here than earlier – even singing on a few of the best songs too – in a set that includes "Ignite", "Generals", "Stranger On The Town", "The Dog", "Gun Fury", "Life Goes On", "Don't Bother Me", and "Under The Floor Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Very weird soundtrack to this equally weird film that mixes Shakespeare and religion, and which was directed by Patrick McGoohan! Most tracks have a funky folksy style – with lots of guitar, mixed acoustic and electric, as you'd expect to hear in the work of White or Havens. There are a few nice slightly funky moments with a good acoustic guitar in the front – but the best part of the tracks are the introductions, and they're generally made stupid by the vocals. Titles include "Catch My Soul (part 3)", "Chug A Lug", "Run Shaker Life", and "Put Out The Light". 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! LP, Vinyl record album