Recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound, the studio referenced in the title of the album, and presented in a wonderful cover image that has Cher standing outside the tiny facility with a host of legendary studio players that include Eddie Hinton, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett, and Roger Hawkins! Sonny's also standing in the crowd in the photo, but he's as in the background as he is on this set – as Cher's singing alone in a soul-styled mode that's befits the setting of the album. Titles include a funky take on "I Walk On Guilded Splinters", plus "For What It's Worth", "Cry Like A Baby", "Save The Children", "Do Right Woman", and "Dock Of The Bay". Plus, the 2LP set features a huge amount of bonus tracks – 11 more numbers from a whole second Muscle Shoals album, but which was never issued – with titles that include "Momma Look Sharp", "Chastity's Song", "It Gets Me Where I Want To Go", "Easy To Be Hard", "I Believe", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "The First Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the legendary Art Farmer – sounds from a time when the trumpeter was really coming into his own, and finding a way to carve out a special space for himself in modern jazz! The sounds here are fresh, but never overstated – blown with that compact mode that makes Farmer's phrasing so distinct, and set up here with a perfect quartet that features Jim Hall on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums. All players are masters of understatement – and the band is sort of a perfect extension of some of Jimmy Guiffre's earlier work on Atlantic with Hall – as they've perfected a simple style that leaves the instrumental solos floating in air, interacting with each other in subtle complex ways that never cease to amaze. Tracks are longer than on some of the studio albums by the group – and titles include "Swing Spring", "I Want To Be Happy", and "What's New". LP, Vinyl record album

A second set of psychedelic folk grooves from Fat Mattress – featuring bassist Noel Redding, back working again with drummer Pete Kircher, a bandmate from The Lonely Ones before Noel went on the to massive popularity with the Jimi Hendrix Experience! Fat Mattress II has a couple of fuzzier jams, but for the most part sticks with the more breezy folk psyche sound of the debut. Really fine stuff, worth checking out! Titles include "The Storm", "Anyway You Want", "Leafy Lunes", "Naturally", "Roamin", "Happy My Love", "Childhood Dream", "She", "Highway", "At The Ball" and "People". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set that brings together early material that trombone giant JJ Johnson cut for Blue Note as a leader – sides that already mark his approach to the instrument as one of the most distinct of the time, and which pave the way for all the greatness that Johnson would bring to jazz in years to come! JJ's got a way of blowing his horn here that's almost trumpet-like at time – tight and focused, and perfect for the young bop generation – as he's paired on these cuts with players who include Hank Mobley and Jimmy Heath on tenor, Clifford Brown on trumpet, and either Wynton Kelly, John Lewis, or Horace Silver on piano, depending on the volume. There's plenty of other great surprises too – including a bit of bass from Charles Mingus, on a few cuts that also feature congas from Sabu Martinez – plus drums from Kenny Clarke on all tracks too. Titles on this first volume include include "Turnpike", "Sketch 1", "Capri", "Lover Man", "Get Happy", and "Coffee Pot". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure wonderfulness from Dave Mackay & Vicky Hamilton – one of the hippest duos ever to record a jazz record! The duo are a bit like Jackie & Roy at their best – in that Dave plays piano (including a bit of Fender Rhodes) and sings duet vocals with Vicky Hamilton in a sweetly swinging way that sounds very very groovy. Yet the overall sound is even groovier than Jackie & Roy – touched with influences from Sunshine Pop and the hipper side of the jazz spectrum – in a style that's extremely inventive, and unlike anything else we can think of! Tunes are mostly originals penned by the pair, and instrumentation on the record includes flute and saxes from Ira Schulman and guitar from Joe Pass – alongside keyboards from Dave, plus bass and drums. There's a beautifully breezy feel to the whole record – really the blueprint for countless 70s jazz vocal efforts to come from others – and titles include "Happying", "If I Ask You", "4 Ira", "See My Rainbow", "Peek A Boo", "Free", "Silent", and "Reach Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer blend of soul and funk from Pockets – a group with a very jazzy pedigree in their roots, but who stretch forth here with some great studio help from the Kalimba Productions team of the Earth Wind & Fire empire! The groove is very much in the best 70s EWF mode – tight, but never uptight – impeccably played throughout, but with a looseness that also really hearkens back to the small club origins of the group. Lead singer Larry Jacobs really makes the tunes cook – with a style that's deft enough to match the instrumentation, yet still strong enough to soar soulfully on its own. The blend is sublime throughout – and titles include "Tell Me Why", "Take It On Up", "Heaven Only Knows", "Got To Find My Way", "Sphinx", "In Your Eyes", "Happy For Love", and "You And Only You". LP, Vinyl record album

The weird, raw and legendary debut of teen trio The Shaggs – recorded in a single day and issued by the Third World label back in the day, before slowly building a devoted cult following over the years! The Shaggs story of a young girl group and their dad manager dreaming big and hoping for stardom, but the stunningly primitive sound actually makes the patron saints of outsider art rock and indie rock to come – it's messy and amazing to this day! Odd and hypnotic, it's an outsider classic unlike any other. Includes "Philosophy Of The World", "That Little Sports Car", "Who Are Parents", "My Pal Foot Foot", "My Companion", "I'm So Happy When You're Near", "Things I I Wonder", "It's Halloween", "Why Do I Feel?", "What Should I Do", "My Companion", "Sweet Thing", "We Have A Savoir" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from the early days of The Supremes – and way more than you'd guess from the "hits" in the title! The record's not really a roundup of the hit singles already out on 45 – and is actually just an apt title for what the album was destined to be – a stone hit that really put these Motown legends on the map! Production is by the Holland/Dozier/Holland team – with a marvelous wall of sound-style groove that really pushes the vocals forward tremendously – that brilliant all-in Motown mode of the best early years, where the Detroit studio was working overtime to make things sound amazing. Titles include the massive hit "Stop! In The Name Of Love" – but the whole thing's a solid effort with no filler, and other cuts include "I'm In Love Again", "He Holds His Own", "Whisper You Love Me Boy", "The Only Time I'm Happy", "Nothing But Heartaches", "Honey Boy", and "Back In My Arms Again". LP, Vinyl record album

The first in a legendary run of Collectors Showcase records on the Constellation label – mid 60s efforts that pull together hard to find work from earlier years, all in a package that's almost as collectable as the originals! The set's presented by the Magnificent Montague in the liner notes, and it features work from a variety of artists, most on the Fire/Fury labels. Titles include "Do Re Mi" and "Ya Ya" by Lee Dorsey, "Wiggle Wobble" by Les Cooper, "Soul Twist" by King Curtis, "There's Something On Your Mind (parts 1 & 2)" by Bobby Marchan, "Fanny Mae" by Buster Brown, "I'm So Happy" by Teen Chords, and "Every Beat Of My Heart" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more obscure Bill Cosby soul albums – not nearly as "disco" as the title implies, more in a smoother soul vein, almost a bit like Barry White. Stu Gardner does the backings, and Bill either sings or talks over the top, in a deep sexy voice that's his comical rendering of some of the more sensual soul artists of the time. Titles include "Section 9", "A Simple Love Affair", "Boogie On Your Face", "Happy Birthday Momma", "That's How I Met Your Mother", and "One Two Three". Also includes the oddly-titled, but great track "What You Think About Lickin' My Chicken?" LP, Vinyl record album

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

"Jazz For The Thinker" – a great title for this mind-expanding set of tunes from Yusef Lateef, recording here from the Detroit underground of the late 50s, with a really cosmic and exotic approach to his work! The album's one of the best of Lateef's sides for Savoy – a blend of hardbop influences with some Africanist leanings – never too over the top, but subtly snuck into more conventional elements of the tunes. The group's a quintet with Curtis Fuller, Louis Hayes, and Ernie Farrow – and titles are all originals, and include "Space", "Midday", "Polarity", and "Happyology". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive set from the legendary Chic – and a set that has the dancefloor combo coming down perfectly throughout! Riffing Nile Rodgers guitars really make the tunes cook – as does the superb production – and although the record played plenty in discos and radios of the mainstream, it's still got a raw funky power that holds up brilliantly over the years! The set features the legendary "Le Freak" – a classic cutting track from the old school – plus "I Want Your Love", "Sometimes You Win", "Savoir Faire", "Happy Man", and "(Funny) Bone". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set in the rebirth of straight jazz in the early 80s – a wonderful record with a much warmer, more traditional feel than you'd expect from some of the players involved! Bassist Stanley Clarke and pianist Chick Corea really return to their roots here – Stanley with some of the bold acoustic tones of his earliest soul jazz years, Chick with those modern-yet-soulful piano lines he first brought to magical recordings of the 60s – including the Sweet Rain session with Stan Getz. Freddie Hubbard's also in the group – blowing wonderfully with that reborn sound of his early 80s years, still some of the best work he ever did – and the group also features Joe Henderson on tenor, always a treat, and Lenny White on drums, really keeping things focused. The set's a gem through and through – and titles include "L's Bop", "Happy Times", "Remember", "Guernica", "October Ballade", and "Why Wait". LP, Vinyl record album

Did Ellington ever record in concert and it not be great? This wonderful double-length set from the 60s is key proof of his genius in an unfettered live setting – recorded in Paris in 1963 with plenty of dark edges! The tracks are short overall, but Duke's really at the head of the group on piano – playing with those angular, modern tones he picked up in the post Money Jungle years – and clearly in charge of the group from the keyboard, not the podium. Horn players include Harry Carney, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges, and Paul Gonsalves – all bringing in some special tones and unique performances to an extended set list that includes both Ellington standards and a few lesser-known numbers. Titles include "Rockin In Rhythm", "Concerto For Cootie", "Suite Thursday", "Tone Parallel To Harlem", "Bula", "Cop Out", "Happy Go Lucky Local", "Theme From Asphalt Jungle", and "Star-Crossed Lovers". LP, Vinyl record album

Miles Jaye once played the cop in the Village People, but don't hold that against him – because by the time of this debut set, he'd really crafted his style as a soul singer – which makes the record a key part of a new trend in male soul for the late 80s! Jaye's got a cool, sophisticated style – one that gets some nice warm touches on the arrangement and production, which include lots of touches from Miles himself – plus help from luminaries like Dexter Wansel, Hubert Eaves, and Branford Marsalis. Titles include "Lazy Love", "Special Thing", "I've Been A Fool For You", "Desiree", "Happy 2 Have U", "Come Home", "I Cry For You", and "Let's Start Love Over". LP, Vinyl record album

Very very very groovy stuff by this masterful jazz vibist, recorded with a sort of late 60s swingin' feel – but still very much in the pocket and warm as a summer breeze! Lytle has a pretty remarkable way of playing the vibes with speed and energy, yet the overall feel still has kind of a relaxed West Coast vibe – a beautiful blend that rivals, if not beats, the sound of Cal Tjader on late 60s Verve! Jimmy Foster grooves along on organ, and the interplay with Lytle is key to the classic sound – but the whole group is great here – Major Holley on bass, Peppy Hinant on drums and Don Alias on conga, which brings in plenty of Latin kick. 6 of the 10 numbers are Lytle originals, including "Done It Again", "Sleepy Dozier", "Zote", "Jungle Child" and "Happy Preacher" – plus "If Ever I Should Leave You", "People" and "The Nearness Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful soundtrack to one of our favorite American films of the 60s – the amazing Two For The Road, scored here beautifully by Henry Mancini! Mancini does a wonderful job of hitting the perfect blend of sentiment and whimsy to match the movie – offering some tunes that have a solid, serious feel – mixed with lighter numbers that make for nice mood changers, both on record and in the film. An orchestra is used on most numbers, occasionally with some European touches, given the setting of the movie – and a chorus performs one version of the theme, alongside two other instrumental ones. Titles include "The Chaser", "Something Loose", "Congarocka", "Happy Barefoot Boy", "The Lovely Life", and "The Donk". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest vocal albums of all time! Sinatra's never sounded better than on this album – one of the first truly cohesive albums of torch and ballad songs ever recorded – done by Frank at a time when his heart was really breaking, and sung with a depth you'd hardly ever find in his other work. The whole thing's sublime – one of the darkest, moodiest selections of material we've ever heard – and the record never fails to send chills down our spine, no matter how many times we hear it! Tracks include "Mood Indigo", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Deep In A Dream", "Ill Wind", "I'll Be Around", "This Love Of Mine", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "Glad To Be Unhappy", and "I Get Along Without You Very Well". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky genius from the Hotlanta scene of the 70s – the one and only album recorded by Tommy Stewart, a huge force in some of the greatest club tracks of the south, including the massive Spirit Of Atlanta album! The record's a stone winner all the way through – filled with upbeat, uptempo tracks that really bring some funk into the dancefloor. The rhythms are tremendous – all very catchy and snapping, with a groove that goes way past the usual disco record, and which has made the album as much of a favorite amongst funk fans as it has for fans of classic club. Includes the classic groover "Bump and Hustle", plus loads of other excellent tunes like "Get Off Your Seats", "Make Happy Music", "Riding High", "Practice What You Preach", and "Atlanta Get Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album from this legendary jazz funk combo – a bit smoother than their first, but that's the great thing about it! The record has the band getting even tighter than before – coming up with an amazing jazz-inflected funk groove that still leaves us breathless after all these years – and which is the perfect fusion of jazz and soul that was going down with the best groups in the mid 70s. The best example of this sound can be heard on the massive cut "Rock Creek Park" – which begins with a wonderful bass on the intro, a killer moogy keyboard bit, and a super-catchy chorus that goes "doin' it in the park," which you should recognize in about 30 seconds! The rest of the album is great too – and titles include the classic sample track "Love So Fine" – plus "Happy Music", "Hash and Eggs", "Thankful Bout Yourself", and "All I Ask". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from Brick – a group who went onto become surprisingly successful during the 70s with a hot Atlanta blend of funky soul and uptempo club grooves – absolutely killing it early on with this self-titled second album! Brick has a feel that would be taken up heavily a few years later by LA funk combos – particularly those on the Solar label – and their style of slicking up funky licks into a tightly compressed sound was obviously a big hit with the kids of their generation. Includes the sample classic "Dusic", plus "Living From The Mind", "Happy", "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody", "Honey Chile", Fun", "Hello" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The weird, ambitious double album by The Damned! The Damned is definitely one of the more unpredictable punk bands of the era, and they upped the ante on The Black Album, with some creatively restless material on all 4 sides – which is ambitious in and of itself, given the less-is-more ethic followed by a lot of the seminal punks of the era. It's got some loud-fast "traditional" punk, darker,plus some darker, stranger cuts – including one that fills a side alll by itself in "Curtain Call" – plus a 4th side of live tracks. Includes ""Wait For The Blackout", "Lively Arts", "Silly Kids Games", "Drinking About My Baby", "Twisted Nerve", "Hit Or Miss", "Dr. Jeckyll And Mr. Hyde","13th Floor Vendetta", "Therapy", "New Rose", "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and Afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth, Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid-70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous document of a really wonderful group – a 60s ensemble that pairs the lyrical trumpet of Art Farmer with the sharp tenor of Jimmy Heath! The pair are completely sublime together – balancing out sound and soul with this amazing quality that's quite different both from Farmer's larger body of work, and from most sounds that Jimmy would do on his own (although at another level, the record does point the way towards the seminal Heath dates as a leader in the early 70s.) The rhythm section is a key part of the strength of the album – with Cedar Walton as an amazing bridge between the spirit of the two horn players – set up perfectly with Walter Booker on bass and Mickey Roker on drums. Art's got this edge that really stands out, but he also retains his majestic sense of lyrical beauty too. One of our favorites – with titles that include "One For Juan", "Nino's Scene", "Short Cake", and "The Time & The Place". Plus this expanded 80s issue of the set adds a second LP to the original, for twice as much material, with 12 tracks in all, including "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Make Someone Happy", "On The Trail", "Blue Bossa", "Is That So", 'Dailey Bread", "Satin Doll" and "Misty". LP, Vinyl record album

Something groovy always happens to Ella Fitzgerald in London – and in the 60s and 70s, the city became home to some of her best post-Verve recordings! This date's a compelling live performance recorded at Ronnie Scotts in 1974 – with backing by a quartet that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano and Joe Pass on guitar – gently grooving behind Ella in a setting that's one of the most relaxed live dates we've ever heard her do. Some of the tunes feature a bit of patter on the introductions – showing the Fitzgerald charm that extended way beyond singing – and titles include "The Man I Love", "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "You've Got A Friend", "Happy Blues", and "Lemon Drop". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Humble Pie scales back a bit on Thunderbox – a tighter set than the preceding Eat It – but like that album, it's overlooked these days and it has plenty to recommend it! The Steve Marriot's and Clem Clemson's guitars bring the thunder, but the wailing harmonica and the soulfu vocals by the Blackberries sweeten or tart it up, depending on the needs of the tune – with some groovy organ and horns, too. Titles include "Thunderbox", "Groovin' With Jesus", "I Can't Stand The Rain", "Don't Worry, Be Happy", "Ninety-Nine Pounds", "Drift Away", "Rally With Ali" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of Impact from this great Philly group – a soaring quartet who harmonize with some great Bobby Eli arrangements – at a level that shines as strongly as the best 70s work by Blue Magic or The Spinners! Impact never broke the big time as strongly, but they're a great group in the best 70s Philly mode – rooted in an older harmony style, but able to really take off with some sweet Sigma Sound styles – the sort of balance that few other groups managed to handle this well. The quartet features Damon Harris, who sang with the Temptations after Eddie Kendricks left in 1971 – and the group is a re-formation of The Young Vandals, who recorded briefly on T-Neck before Harris left for the Temps. Titles include "Happy Man", "Give A Broken Heart A Break", "Love Attack", "It Only Happens In the Movies", and "Winning Combination". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of Milt's excellent sides as a leader for Savoy, pulled together for a 70s release. Wonderful bop rendered here in a small agile group that features the vibist alongside the great Lucky Thompson on tenor, with Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall and Kenny Clarke in the rhythm section. These tracks were cut in the mid 50s, when Savoy was transitioning from the early bop 78's that were their stock in trade to making longer LP sessions giving the players a bit more room to stretch out. 16 numbers in all, including "Flamingo", "Can't Help Lovin' That Man", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Ellington Medley" "Now's The Time", "Soul In 3/4", "Minor Conception", "Fred's Mood", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Angel Face" and "Soulful". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – and a key link between the early work of the Jackson 5 on Motown and Michael's later grooves with Quincy Jones! The Gamble/Huff team give the group a smooth sweet sound – definitely in a dancefloor mode, with some of the bassy riffs of Michael's Off The Wall album, but also with all the sweet catchy soul of earlier years – a really great blend that makes the album a great winner in the group's post-Motown years! The album includes the incredible smooth soul number "Show You The Way To Go", a killer cut that's very much in the Philly modern mode – and other tracks include "Style Of Life", "Enjoy Yourself", "Think Happy", "Blues Away", and "Living Together". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty great sounds from the legendary Antonio Carlos Jobim – an album cut a bit later than his bossa years, but with a darkly sophisticated sound that's pretty darn compelling! The album features larger orchestrations by Claus Ogerman, and in a way, it's similar to the Jobim album on Decca from 1973 (aka Maita Pere) – in that it's got all the simple elements of Jobim's earlier bossa scoring, flushed out into moodier orchestral forms that we'd rank right up there with the modernist work of Gil Evans or Duke Ellington. A few cuts have a breezier sparer sound, and you'll hear English versions of some older bossa tunes. Titles include "Dreamer", "Canta Mais", "Olha Maria", "Wave", "Two Kites", "This Happy Madness", "Song Of The Sabia", "Estrada Do Sol", "Voce Vai Ver", "Off Key", and "Triste". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled set – given that the record really shows an evolution in the style of Taj Mahal! Some cuts are still in an older bluesy mode, but a few others feature some great backings from Leon Pendarvis – who creates this fuller, soaring sort of style that takes off with plenty of power! The approach is a great way to use Taj's vocals in a richer 70s soul setting – and those cuts are balanced by some more stripped-down numbers that include a few that follow in the recent Mahal use of steel drums. Titles include "Sing A Happy Song", "Lowdown Showdown", "Why You Do Me This Way", "Highnite", and "Salsa De Laventille". LP, Vinyl record album

A live album from the mighty Frankie Beverly and Maze – and a set that's every bit as important as their studio classics for Capitol Records! It's always a sign of how huge Frankie Beverly was during the 80s that Capitol let him cut not one, but two double live albums during the early part of the decade – and this one, his first, has the band grooving wonderfully before a crowd going mad in the Crescent City – while the group keep all the perfection, sharp grooves, and sophisticated soul that they had on record! The songs retain all the charm of the studio renditions – and are stretched out a bit more in the live setting, with some really nice interplay with the crowd – who are clearly going nuts in the presence of the group. Titles include the famous live version of "Joy & Pain" – sampled heavily back in the day – plus other classics that include live takes on "Happy Feelins", "Southern Girl", "Look At California", "Before I Let Go", "We Need Love To Love", "The Look In Your Eyes", "Running Away", "Reason", "Feel That You're Fallin", "You", and "Changing Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Two early albums – back to back in a single set! First up is Mongo Explodes – a killer early album by Mongo Santamaria – almost an equal blend of jazz and Latin rhythms, and a great illustration of the unique contribution that he was making to both types of music back in the 60s! Mongo's group here is filled with some really great horn players – Nat Adderley on cornet, Marty Sheller on trumpet, Ronnie Capers on alto sax, and Pat Patrick on baritone – really hitting a hard-edged groove that's as filled with soul jazz solo inflections as it is with Mongo's great work on percussion! The reeds bring a sharp edge to the record that keeps on going throughout – pushing the set with a lot more soul than other Latin sides from the time, particularly those in the charanga mode. Most tracks are short and feisty, and titles include "Skins", "Fatback", "Dot Dot Dot", "Corn Bread Guajira", "Para Ti", "Sweet Tater Pie", and "Tacos". Next is Go Mongo – one of the best of the early Mongo LPs for Riverside, and a tight session of Latin jazz tracks by a group that includes Pat Patrick, Paul Serrano, and Al Abreu on tenor and flute. The reed parts are nice and hard, and a few tracks have vocals, but most are instrumentals. Titles include "Happy Now", "Tumba Le Le", "African Song", "Carmela", and the long groover "Congo Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-rounded set from Rick James' Stone City Band – a set that's got some mellower moments than most of Rick's own work from the time – but in a nice way that really offsets the group's tendency towards bassier funk! Lead vocalist Levi Ruffin stretches out nicely on a few more laidback cuts – not the most classic soul of his time, but with sensitivity that's greater than his handling of the simpler lyrics on the groovers here. Ruffin composed two of these ballads – "Feel Good Bout Yourself" and "Lovin You Is Easy" – and other tracks include "Tin Soldier", "Keep Love Happy", "Ganja", "Freaky", and a cover of The Kinks' "All Day & All Of The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous album from Thundercat – an artist who just seems to get better and better with every new record, and who's maybe here defining a genre that's completely unto himself! The record is soulful, and has a lot of contemporary cosmic currents – but it's also more far-reaching and fluid than anything that Thundercat's ever given us before – still done with key help from Flying Lotus, but with a majestic, confident quality that seems to have the duo ready to take over the universe! The airy soulful vocals are great, but the rhythms and instrumentation are maybe even more compelling – as there's a number of tunes here that are almost impossible to describe in words, even though they're instantly appealing and wonderfully soulful – a balance that's the sort of special genius from an artist who's ready to write himself into the pop music history books with a key release like this. There's a whole host of guests – including Ty Dolla Sign, Childish Gambino, Louis Cole, Kamasi Washington, Badbadnotgood, Miguel Atwood Ferguson, and many others – but it's clear that the Thundercat/Flying Lotus axis holds all the power – on titles that include "Fair Chance", "Funny Thing", "How Sway", "Miguel's Happy Dance", "Lost In Space/Great Scott/22-26", "Interstellar Love", "Overseas", "Dragonball Durag", "King Of The Hill", and "Existential Dread". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set of smooth 70s soul from an under-recognized genius! Phillip Mitchell is a bit like his Atlantic Records contemporary Sam Dees – in that he wrote a lot of material for other singers, recorded a handful of singles, and worked mostly in the southern scene – but he also had a sophisticated, modern style that sounded a lot more like work coming out of New York, Philly, or Chicago. This lost album for Atlantic is a great example of that fact – as it was recorded at Muscle Shoals, but also features some Philly elements too – creating a great mix of modes that's wonderfully unique! There's a feel here that's just like some of the best work from Leroy Hutson, Johnny Bristol, or Leon Ware at the same time – a majestic, mature approach to soul that's simply tremendous. Titles include "In Between Lovers", "Top Of The Line", "I'm So Happy", "Let's Get Wet", "Paying The Price", and "If It Ain't Love It'll Go Away". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary concert – recorded at Massey Hall in Toronto, with a previously-unmatched quintet of superstar bop players: Charlie Parker on alto, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max Roach on drums. This reissue set also includes the Bud Powell trio sides which were issued separately as Jazz At Massey Hall Vol 2. The quintet runs down "Perdido", "Salt Peanuts", "All The Things You Are", "Wee", "Hot House" and "A Night In Tunisia" and the trio sides are "Embraceable You", "Sure Thing", "My Devotion", "Polka Dots & Moon Beams", "Cherokee", "Jubilee", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "My Heart Stood Still", "I Want To Be Happy" and "Lullaby Of Birdland". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album from Pucho – and the best one he's done since the early 70s! Unlike some of his weaker recent ones, which try to hard for a "fake funk" feel that just ends up going nowhere, this one plays on Pucho's strong Latin jazz sensibility, and it lets the band get nice and jazzy, with a stone groove that's right in keeping with the excellent Latin work on the Cubop label. The band still includes sax work by the great Eddie Pazant, a masterful player who made Pucho's classic albums work so well – and Pucho himself's wailing away on timbales, while John Spruill delivers some tasty piano lines to keep the rhythm section rolling along. It's great to have Pucho and the group back at a level where they belong – but we wouldn't expect anything less from an artist on the Cubop label! Includes a cover of Lou Donaldson's "Alligator Boogaloo", plus Eddie Harris' "Cold Duck Time", and originals like "Happy Feet Mambo", "Lena's Moods", and "Descarga On Las Palmas". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great self-titled set from Emitt Rhodes – a compelling California singer who hardly ever gets his due! The music's a wonderful mix of California late 60s singer/songwriter modes and bits of Beatles-esque production – a blend that makes for a fuller feel than usual for a record like this – a bit more confidence, and some really great punch in the overall sound, but never in a way that's slick or commercial. Emitt handled all instruments and arrangements himself – and Curt Boettcher helped a bit on the mix down, so we're happy to credit him for part of the "punch". Titles include "With My Face On The Floor", "She's Such A Beauty", "Promises I've Made", "Long Time No See", and "You Take The Dark Out Of The Night". LP, Vinyl record album