James Brown really opens up on this early 70s classic – really showing the world the amazing groove he was crafting with his band – who were let loose to jam in the studio, spinning out some really long grooves – which were then cut down to make this sweet little record! The title cut was a big single for James at the time, but it's presented here in its full 9 minute version – a monstrous jam that's equal to anything on the Payback record, or the JBs albums too – and the album also includes the long two-part take of "Escapism", and another funky gem – "Blues & Pants", which snaps along for a solid 9 minutes too! The album's filled with heavy funk, and the longer tracks allow for plenty of instrumental flourishes from Fred, Maceo, and the other JBs – and honestly, the record is more of a People Records session than a Polydor record from James. Includes a monster of a bonus track: the 19+ minute complete take of "Escape-ism". CD

James Brown really opens up on this early 70s classic – really showing the world the amazing groove he was crafting with his band – who were let loose to jam in the studio, spinning out some really long grooves – which were then cut down to make this sweet little record! The title cut was a big single for James at the time, but it's presented here in its full 9 minute version – a monstrous jam that's equal to anything on the Payback record, or the JBs albums too – and the album also includes the long two-part take of "Escapism", and another funky gem – "Blues & Pants", which snaps along for a solid 9 minutes too! The album's filled with heavy funk, and the longer tracks allow for plenty of instrumental flourishes from Fred, Maceo, and the other JBs – and honestly, the record is more of a People Records session than a Polydor record from James. Includes a monster of a bonus track: the 19+ minute complete take of "Escape-ism". CD

"Superbad, Superslick" is an excellent funky number from the mid 70s, and proof that James was still going strong! The track has a mellow snapping easy funk groove, with some great bubbling keyboards, and very positive lyrics from James. "Hot" is pretty great too – with a sound that's a direct rip off of David Bowie's fame! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet live set from Dave Brubeck's early years on Columbia Records – recorded in New York, but with all the calculated cool and modern tones Brubeck first forged in the San Francisco scene of the 50s! Paul Desmond's on board on alto sax – really getting a lot of space to stretch out on the album's extended performances, with a haunting, floating tone that really sends us. Remaining members include Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums – and tracks include "Lover", "Love Walked In", "The Duke", "Little Girl Blue", and "Fare Thee Well Annabelle". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet live set from Dave Brubeck's early years on Columbia Records – recorded in New York, but with all the calculated cool and modern tones Brubeck first forged in the San Francisco scene of the 50s! Paul Desmond's on board on alto sax – really getting a lot of space to stretch out on the album's extended performances, with a haunting, floating tone that really sends us. Remaining members include Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums – and tracks include "Lover", "Love Walked In", "The Duke", "Little Girl Blue", and "Fare Thee Well Annabelle". CD features 2 bonus tracks, previously unissued – "Taking A Chance On Love" and "Closing Time Blues". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

If you grew up in Chitown, like we did, you'll know that Jerry Butler never got old – and through the years he continued to make some pretty darn great music, even when he was falling far from the limelight in the rest of the country! This album's a great little early 80s effort that steps off from territory that Jerry explored on his LPs for Philly International – a smoothly stepping, sophisticated soul style that's a fair bit like work happening over at Chi-Soul records in its waning years. Jerry's voice is still incredible, and sounds really great on the mellower tunes on the set – perfect numbers for his maturing vocals, in a similar mode to Walter Jackson's late work. Titles include "No Fair Falling In Love", "All The Way", "Don't Be Afraid To Show How You Feel", "Ask Me What You Want", "Simple Beautiful", and "Night Life In The City". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The cover's a striking one – and it definitely supports the music inside, given that most of these Bo Carter tunes are vintage blues tunes with a decidedly erotic bent! The metaphors are obvious, but they're put together beautifully – without any of the heavy-handed schlock that later copycats would never get quite right – and set to spare acoustic lines that complement Carter's vocals wonderfully. And in a case where a title is definitely more than enough to get you started – let us say simply that the tracks include "Pig Meat Is What I Crave", "What Kind Of Scent Is This", "Mashin That Thing", "Pin In Your Cushion", "Ram Rod Daddy", "Ants In My Pants", "Pussy Cat Blues", and "My Pencil Won't Write No More". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes Horace Tapscott's Giant Is Awakened in it's entirety plus four of the five tracks from Carter & Bradford's Flight For Four. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Vijay Iyer on keys, Miya Masaoka on koto, and vocals from Yassir Chadly. CD

Early funk from the Commodores – back in the days when Lionel Richie could still get up and groove! We'll be the first to admit that we're sometimes put off by the group, given their later hits, but it's records like this that actually remind us how great they could be – a mixture of funk and sweet soul, done with an incredibly well-crafted approach, and enough of a blend of the two styles to keep things interesting! The album's got a wonderfully tight quality – never slick or too smooth, but just nicely put together – commercial, but not so much so that it loses its soul. Titles include "Quick Draw", "Just To Be Close To You", "High On Sunshine", "Let's Get Started", "Can't Let You Tease Me", "Come Inside", and "Thumpin Music". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Classic 60s throwaway bubble gum pop to go with this soundtrack to the 60s Saturday morning cartoon Hot Wheels! All tracks have vocals, and the sound is somewhere between The Sunrays and The Lovin Spoonful – maybe not nearly as clever as either of them, but still pretty cool nonetheless, and produced by Mike Curb with a sound that's a lot better than a lot of his other work of the time. Titles include "Mothers", "It's Magic", "Sky Hawks", "Come Back Baby", and "Words & Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A deeper dig into the career of Carl Dawkins than the previous volume with the same title – and a set that really gets at the more righteous energy that Carl brought to the years of early reggae! The image on the front really gets at the power of the music here – this up-close, very soulful style that moves the music past some of the simpler themes of the ska and rocksteady years, and maybe even comes as a strong precursor to the roots years – at least in the way that Carl delivers the material. Titles include "Not Another Woman", "My Whole World", "Persevere", "Hot & Sticky", "This Land", "Don't Get Weary", "Why Oh Why", "Dreadful Situation", and "No Happiness Here". LP, Vinyl record album

A deeper dig into the career of Carl Dawkins than the previous volume with the same title – and a set that really gets at the more righteous energy that Carl brought to the years of early reggae! The image on the front really gets at the power of the music here – this up-close, very soulful style that moves the music past some of the simpler themes of the ska and rocksteady years, and maybe even comes as a strong precursor to the roots years – at least in the way that Carl delivers the material. Titles include "Not Another Woman", "My Whole World", "Persevere", "Hot & Sticky", "This Land", "Don't Get Weary", "Why Oh Why", "Dreadful Situation", and "No Happiness Here". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Jimmy Dawkins on guitar and vocals – plus Richard Kirch on guitar, Sylvester Boines on bass, and James Schutte on drums! CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An amazing collection of 40s and 50s jazz drawings by Gene Deitch – the complete anthology of his work for legendary jazz magazine Record Changer! Gene was an amazing artist and cartoonist, whose work helped solidify the legacies of some of the most famous cartoon characters in the American pop culture canon – from Popeye, to Tom & Jerry and beyond – but we're especially in love with his jazz-centric Record Changer era! Gene adored jazz and his love for it really shows! Cat On A Hot Thin Groove includes all of his magazine covers, cartoon panels and other bits from Record Changer – versatile work that ranges from fun, cartoon-y panels of "Jazz Cat" characters, to more elaborate and abstract illustrations. Wonderful, vital stuff – and it's very nicely anthologized here by Fantagraphics! Coffee-table scale paperback – 160+ pages of prime Deitch jazzy drawings with text accompaniment. Book

Barbara Dennerlein on organ and synthesizer, Andy Sheppard on tenor saxophone, Mitch Watkins on guitar, and Mark Mondesir on drums. CD

... CD

... CD

... CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

With Hayden and Marie Bryant. LP, Vinyl record album

Also featuring Joe Thomas and Emmett Barry. LP, Vinyl record album

Bass-heavy funk material by this obscure west coast group, and a record that features songwriting and production by Bob Crewe. The tracks have kind of a pop funk sort of sound, with lots of ensemble vocals, and tight compressed rhythm tracks behind the main instrumentation. Not that noteworthy – but also not a bad batch of stock funk tracks with a smooth production sound. Includes a cover of "Lady Marmalade", plus "Get On Or Get Off", "Sock It To Me/It's Your Thing", "Hollywood Hot", and "Bumper To Bumper". LP, Vinyl record album

Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, Harry 'Sweets' Edison on trumpet, Jake Hanna on drums, Plas Johnson on saxophone, and Mike Melvoin on keyboards. CD

With Harry Edison on trumpet, Jake Hanna on drums, Plas Johnson on saxophone, and Mike Melvoin on keyboards. LP, Vinyl record album

The harder of the two Gil Evans albums on Impulse to find, and the best – really far-reaching material that has Evans coming into contact with some of the hippest jazz players of his generation! The record's got three incredible tracks written by Cecil Taylor – a very bold move for Evans, given Taylor's strongly out reputation even at this point in his career – and possibly even more bold, given that Taylor's on the tracks playing piano, alongside players who include Archie Shepp, Jimmy Lyons, Sonny Murray, and Henry Grimes. The material's fantastic, and is a key part of Taylor's work at the time, and shows a very different setting for his piano – a bit of tension with the larger Evans group, in a way that's almost more compelling than his own early dates as a leader! Taylor titles include "Pots", "Bulbs", and "Mixed". The other tracks on the album were written by John Carisi, who wrote the classic "Israel" for Miles Davis' nine piece group in the late 40s – but who here contributes "Moon Taj", "Angkor Wat", and "Barry's Tune". Carisi's tracks are a bit more subdued, but no less wonderful – and arrangements are by Taylor and Carisi, of their own music, presented with the Evans modern touch. If you ever needed a record to convince you that Gil Evans was a genius, this is it! CD

The harder of the two Gil Evans albums on Impulse to find, and the best – really far-reaching material that has Evans coming into contact with some of the hippest jazz players of his generation! The record's got three incredible tracks written by Cecil Taylor – a very bold move for Evans, given Taylor's strongly out reputation even at this point in his career – and possibly even more bold, given that Taylor's on the tracks playing piano, alongside players who include Archie Shepp, Jimmy Lyons, Sonny Murray, and Henry Grimes. The material's fantastic, and is a key part of Taylor's work at the time, and shows a very different setting for his piano – a bit of tension with the larger Evans group, in a way that's almost more compelling than his own early dates as a leader! Taylor titles include "Pots", "Bulbs", and "Mixed". The other tracks on the album were written by John Carisi, who wrote the classic "Israel" for Miles Davis' nine piece group in the late 40s – but who here contributes "Moon Taj", "Angkor Wat", and "Barry's Tune". Carisi's tracks are a bit more subdued, but no less wonderful – and arrangements are by Taylor and Carisi, of their own music, presented with the Evans modern touch. If you ever needed a record to convince you that Gil Evans was a genius, this is it! LP, Vinyl record album

Man, it must have been something to hear this record blasting out of a boombox back in the old days – especially if it was the magenta-hued one on the cover! The groove here is strong and loud – plenty of bass and beats at the bottom, and even a few surprising early electro touches that really stand out and make the album something special. And as with other records from this time, Fatback also show their ballad skills on one number – "Come & Get the Love" – but it's the more jamming tracks we really love, and they include "Street Band", "Hot Box", "Love Spell", "Gotta Get My Hands On Some Money", and the fat 80s jam "Backstrokin". CD

Man, it must have been something to hear this record blasting out of a boombox back in the old days – especially if it was the magenta-hued one on the cover! The groove here is strong and loud – plenty of bass and beats at the bottom, and even a few surprising early electro touches that really stand out and make the album something special. And as with other records from this time, Fatback also show their ballad skills on one number – "Come & Get the Love" – but it's the more jamming tracks we really love, and they include "Street Band", "Hot Box", "Love Spell", "Gotta Get My Hands On Some Money", and the fat 80s jam "Backstrokin". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's way more than just a "best of" sort of anthology – as the package features three full albums by the group, plus other material too! The set begins with the classic debut, Gilded Palace Of Sin – a true late 60s rock masterpiece – and like albums by Love and The Velvet Underground, a set that barely made a mainstream impact at the time – but which has gone on to be the stuff of influence and legend over the decades! The album's the first from Gram Parsons and the group – one of only two they would cut together – and the whole thing is a perfect blend of rough-edged rock and country influences rising up from the LA scene – all those glimmers of brilliance that Parsons had brought to the Byrds and other projects, maybe given their full flowering here in a mode that's unabashed about its country music influences – maybe even more so than some of Gram's later solo work. Sneeky Pete Kleinow's steel guitar really adds a lot – but so does the presence of Chris Hillman on guitar and mandolin, and Chris Ethridge on bass and piano. Titles include the brilliant "Sin City" – a track we'll love until we die – plus "Christine's Tune", "Do Right Woman", "Dark End Of The Street", "My Uncle", "Wheels", "Juanita", "Hot Burrito No 1", "Hot Burrito No 2", "Do You Know How It Feels", and "Hippy Boy". Burrito Deluxe is the second of only two albums recorded by Gram Parsons with the Flying Burrito Brothers – and a masterpiece that pushes the group's sound even farther than their debut! The set is filled with special moments – songs that show just why these guys were such a special bridge between late 60s country and rock music – and why all of the other groups they inspired just never came close to serving things up this well! Gram Parsons is fantastic on vocals, of course – but the whole group is great, especially Sneaky Pete on steel guitar. Titles include the fantastic romper "Man In The Fog", the very groovy "Lazy Days", the haunting "God's Own Singer", and the group's Jagger/Richards' approved take on "Wild Horses – plus other cuts that include "High Fashion Queen", "Image Of Me", "Older Guys", and "If You Gotta Go". Flying Burrito Brothers is The Burritos first LP, post-Parsons – and a pretty strong statement for the merits of the now unquestioned leader, Rick Roberts, and multi-instrumentalist new guy Bernie Leadon, who would later turn to the dark side and join the Eagles! Roberts penned or co-penned seven of the album's ten tunes, including "Colorado", "Hand To Mouth", "Just Can't Be", and "Four Days Of Rain". His contributions are for the most part nicely fragile, with just the right doses of sweetness and sadness. The group also covers Merle Haggard's "White Line Fever", Gene Clark's "Tried So Hard", and Dylan's "To Ramona". This is one of the band's rarer LPs, probably because of the absence of hipster hero Gram Parsons – truly a worthy piece of work! CD also features some other tracks recorded by Parsons with the group – including "Six Days On The Road", "Break My Mind", "Sing Me Back Home", and "Close Up The Honky Tonks" – and live tracks "Ain't That A Lot Of Love" and "Losing Game" – plus Gene Clark singing on "Here Tonight". CD

A set that's way more than just a "best of" sort of anthology – as the package features three full albums by the group, plus other material too! The set begins with the classic debut, Gilded Palace Of Sin – a true late 60s rock masterpiece – and like albums by Love and The Velvet Underground, a set that barely made a mainstream impact at the time – but which has gone on to be the stuff of influence and legend over the decades! The album's the first from Gram Parsons and the group – one of only two they would cut together – and the whole thing is a perfect blend of rough-edged rock and country influences rising up from the LA scene – all those glimmers of brilliance that Parsons had brought to the Byrds and other projects, maybe given their full flowering here in a mode that's unabashed about its country music influences – maybe even more so than some of Gram's later solo work. Sneeky Pete Kleinow's steel guitar really adds a lot – but so does the presence of Chris Hillman on guitar and mandolin, and Chris Ethridge on bass and piano. Titles include the brilliant "Sin City" – a track we'll love until we die – plus "Christine's Tune", "Do Right Woman", "Dark End Of The Street", "My Uncle", "Wheels", "Juanita", "Hot Burrito No 1", "Hot Burrito No 2", "Do You Know How It Feels", and "Hippy Boy". Burrito Deluxe is the second of only two albums recorded by Gram Parsons with the Flying Burrito Brothers – and a masterpiece that pushes the group's sound even farther than their debut! The set is filled with special moments – songs that show just why these guys were such a special bridge between late 60s country and rock music – and why all of the other groups they inspired just never came close to serving things up this well! Gram Parsons is fantastic on vocals, of course – but the whole group is great, especially Sneaky Pete on steel guitar. Titles include the fantastic romper "Man In The Fog", the very groovy "Lazy Days", the haunting "God's Own Singer", and the group's Jagger/Richards' approved take on "Wild Horses – plus other cuts that include "High Fashion Queen", "Image Of Me", "Older Guys", and "If You Gotta Go". Flying Burrito Brothers is The Burritos first LP, post-Parsons – and a pretty strong statement for the merits of the now unquestioned leader, Rick Roberts, and multi-instrumentalist new guy Bernie Leadon, who would later turn to the dark side and join the Eagles! Roberts penned or co-penned seven of the album's ten tunes, including "Colorado", "Hand To Mouth", "Just Can't Be", and "Four Days Of Rain". His contributions are for the most part nicely fragile, with just the right doses of sweetness and sadness. The group also covers Merle Haggard's "White Line Fever", Gene Clark's "Tried So Hard", and Dylan's "To Ramona". This is one of the band's rarer LPs, probably because of the absence of hipster hero Gram Parsons – truly a worthy piece of work! CD also features some other tracks recorded by Parsons with the group – including "Six Days On The Road", "Break My Mind", "Sing Me Back Home", and "Close Up The Honky Tonks" – and live tracks "Ain't That A Lot Of Love" and "Losing Game" – plus Gene Clark singing on "Here Tonight". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A seminal 50s session from the mighty Dexter Gordon – one of his few full albums from the decade, and one of the only ones to really capture him at the heart of his original LA scene! The set's got a nice bite, and a strong sense of focus – shorter tracks that step off strongly from the bop years that saw Gordon rise to fame, but without as much of the longer blowing from some of his "chase" recordings with other tenorists. Instead, the focus here is on great tight group sounds – just the right solo space to let each player open up and groove a bit, then come back together in sharp formation. The group features Dex on tenor, Jimmy Robinson on trumpet, Carl Perkins on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Chuck Thompson on drums – and titles include "Silver Plated", "Rhythm Mad", "Bonna Rue", "Blowin' For Dootsie", and "Cry Me A River". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Amazing stuff from Isaac Hayes! Although Ike had first appeared on LP with the album "Introducing", this was the first record to really expose his true soul genius – and it was also the first release on Ike's successful sub-label at Stax, Enterprise Records. The record shows that for all the years Ike was working away on other folks' songs for Stax, he was carefully cooking up his own style of soul that would forever change the way we think about the music. Back in 1969, the album must have blown more than a few minds for its incredibly baroque approach to soul music – taking common elements like strings, piano, and funky rhythms, and stretching them out into long waves of sound that cycle over and over, working a sly subtle magic along with Ike's super-sexy vocals, and his monologue-heavy approach to popular tunes. The album features incredible remakes of pop hits "Walk On By" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – both of which run for over 10 minutes, and which completely transform the songs into something way more than simple radio fodder. Also features the psychedelic soul masterpiece "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic", which has this crazy funky piano, and a messed-up sound that would make even George Clinton weep! CD

Amazing stuff from Isaac Hayes! Although Ike had first appeared on LP with the album "Introducing", this was the first record to really expose his true soul genius – and it was also the first release on Ike's successful sub-label at Stax, Enterprise Records. The record shows that for all the years Ike was working away on other folks' songs for Stax, he was carefully cooking up his own style of soul that would forever change the way we think about the music. Back in 1969, the album must have blown more than a few minds for its incredibly baroque approach to soul music – taking common elements like strings, piano, and funky rhythms, and stretching them out into long waves of sound that cycle over and over, working a sly subtle magic along with Ike's super-sexy vocals, and his monologue-heavy approach to popular tunes. The album features incredible remakes of pop hits "Walk On By" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – both of which run for over 10 minutes, and which completely transform the songs into something way more than simple radio fodder. Also features the psychedelic soul masterpiece "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic", which has this crazy funky piano, and a messed-up sound that would make even George Clinton weep! LP, Vinyl record album

"Boogie Nights" will forever be the lasting fame of Heatwave – a monster crossover club track, huge on the charts, huge in the crates, and sounding mighty nice on this early 12" single! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A killer album of crossover soul from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the sample classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super Soul Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of crossover soul from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the sample classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super Soul Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love". This great version includes a full LP of bonus tracks – including "Turn Out The Lamplight", "Special Offer", "Slip Your Disc To This", "Boogie Nights (12" disco version)", "Ain't No Half Steppin (single version)", and "Always & Forever (single version)". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A classic live album from Dan Hicks and this mighty cool west coast combo – a set that's all stripped-down, and provides a great showcase for their amazing vocal and acoustic instrumental interplay! Dan's got two two female singers along for the performance – Maryann Price and Naomi Ruth Eisenberg – both of whom do way more than provide backup, as they work with plenty of percussion, and harmonize along with Dan's lead on most tracks – in that cool blend of acoustic roots and jazzy inflections that made the group so unique. The lineup also includes violin, mandolin, and bass – plus guitar from Dan – on titles that include "News From Up The Street", "Shorty Falls In Love", "The Buzzard Was Their Friend", "Is This My Happy Home", "Dig A Little Deeper", "Reelin Down", and "Caught In The Rain". CD

A trio of albums from one of the most unique groups on the west coast scene! First up is Where's The Money – a classic live album from Dan Hicks and this mighty cool west coast combo – a set that's all stripped-down, and provides a great showcase for their amazing vocal and acoustic instrumental interplay! Dan's got two two female singers along for the performance – Maryann Price and Naomi Ruth Eisenberg – both of whom do way more than provide backup, as they work with plenty of percussion, and harmonize along with Dan's lead on most tracks – in that cool blend of acoustic roots and jazzy inflections that made the group so unique. The lineup also includes violin, mandolin, and bass – plus guitar from Dan – on titles that include "News From Up The Street", "Shorty Falls In Love", "The Buzzard Was Their Friend", "Is This My Happy Home", "Dig A Little Deeper", "Reelin Down", and "Caught In The Rain". Striking It Rich features the great Dan Hicks at the height of his powers – working in a sublime acoustic mode that weaves together strands of gypsy swing, American roots, harmony vocals, and plenty more too – all in a mode that's lean and timeless, and which was one of the hipper new sounds on the west coast scene of his generation! Dan works with great support from vocalists Maryann Price and Naomi Ruth Eisenberg – alongside instrumentation that includes guitar, bass, violin, mandolin, and plenty of percussion – all wrapped up with a sublime sound that has all the elements resonating together wonderfully! Titles include a great remake of his earlier gem "I Scare Myself" – plus "You Got To Believe", "O'Reilly At The Bar", "Moody Richard", "The Laughing Song", "Canned Music", "Skippy's Farewell", "Fujiyama", "Woe The Luck", and "I'm An Old Cowhand". Last Train To Hicksville is completely charming work from the great Dan Hicks – one of the few cats who could make us like music like this so much! Dan sings and plays rhythm guitar – and the group also features vocals from Maryann Price and Naomi Eisenberg – that lovely pair whose harmonies with Hicks really helped the group find their sound! As before, instrumentation is all acoustic, but used in these jazzy ways that are very unique – not folk, not string band, nor swing – but something very unique, and a real breath of fresh air in the 70s scene! Titles include "Long Come A Viper", "It's Not My Time To Go", "My Old Timey Baby", "Lonely Madman", "Cowboy's Dream No 19", and "Payday Blues". CD

Pretty great later work from Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks – not the immediately-retro style of their earlier albums, but instead this wonderful blend of so many different jazz and acoustic elements – set forward with a style that's wonderfully groovy overall! There's a hip, scatting vibe to the music that almost puts Hicks in the same 70s territory as Ben Sidran – although maybe a few notches earlier in terms of his inspirations – yet coming across with a breezy warmth that's really beautiful, almost like the shift that Maria Muldaur had made from her trad styles of the 60s to the groove of "Midnight At The Oasis". Fender Rhodes warms the record up at all the right moments – and titles include "Boogaloo Jones", "Cruzin", "Garden In The Rain", "Dizzy Dogs", "Vinnie's Lookin Good", "Lovers For Life", and "Collared Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely charming work from the great Dan Hicks – one of the few cats who could make us like music like this so much! Dan sings and plays rhythm guitar – and the group also features vocals from Maryann Price and Naomi Eisenberg – that lovely pair whose harmonies with Hicks really helped the group find their sound! As before, instrumentation is all acoustic, but used in these jazzy ways that are very unique – not folk, not string band, nor swing – but something very unique, and a real breath of fresh air in the 70s scene! Titles include "Long Come A Viper", "It's Not My Time To Go", "My Old Timey Baby", "Lonely Madman", "Cowboy's Dream No 19", and "Payday Blues". CD

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The great Dan Hicks at the height of his powers – working in a sublime acoustic mode that weaves together strands of gypsy swing, American roots, harmony vocals, and plenty more too – all in a mode that's lean and timeless, and which was one of the hipper new sounds on the west coast scene of his generation! Dan works with great support from vocalists Maryann Price and Naomi Ruth Eisenberg – alongside instrumentation that includes guitar, bass, violin, mandolin, and plenty of percussion – all wrapped up with a sublime sound that has all the elements resonating together wonderfully! Titles include a great remake of his earlier gem "I Scare Myself" – plus "You Got To Believe", "O'Reilly At The Bar", "Moody Richard", "The Laughing Song", "Canned Music", "Skippy's Farewell", "Fujiyama", "Woe The Luck", and "I'm An Old Cowhand". CD

... CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Titles include "Borrow Me", "Taking My Love For Granted", "One Man's Woman", "If You're A Friend", and "We Can Be Strong". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the more obscure stars in the TK Records constellation – a one-off club project, featuring the writing and production talents of Oscar Llord, and the vocals of Bobby Bushe – hence the title! The set's got a rough take on the Miami disco style of the time – a bit less polished than the usual TK record, with some earnest instrumentation and vocals that falter a bit at times, but which are all that much better because of that fact. In other words, the rougher edges make this one great – and a lot better than some of the too-smooth club of the time! Titles include "Rock Steady", "Get On Up", "Love Fuse", "Tell Me That You Will", "Get In The Groove", and "Flight 69". CD

A groovy moogy pop classic! Hot Butter weren't the most groundbreaking moog combo, but they certainly were the most successful. The title cut of this one, their version of Gershon Kingsley's "Popcorn", was used in a gazillion commercials and TV shows during the 70s – and was certainly the biggest moog-oriented single of the early years. The whole record's pretty good, too – even if it has them mostly copping songs from other artists, like "Song of the Nairobi Trio", and guitar instrumental favorites "Apache", "Telstar", and "Pipeline". And in fact, those tracks sum up the group best – as they were to the moog what the Ventures were to the electric guitar: they popularized the instrument tremendously through instrumental versions of hits from other folks. LP, Vinyl record album

A tasty moog groover from Hot Butter! "Percolator" pops with a coffee pot sound (don't hear that in the kitchen much anymore!) – jumping along over a playful little groove that rolls with a nice snare and washes of keyboards. 7-inch, Vinyl record

What can we say – an undisputed classic! "Popcorn" was the track that revolutionized electronica forever – and this is the great hit version that popped up on charts all over the world. Great drums, great strings, and a wonderful popping moog that won't lay down! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Strutting guitars, stomping rhythms, and a great mix of glam and soul – the trademark groove of the UK's classic Hot Chocolate! The album's filled with great tunes that resonate with their trademark compressed sound – vocals wrapped on guitars and set to sweetly stepping rhythms – all produced to perfection by the mighty Mickie Most, with a sound that so many other current groups try to go for, but can never reach this right! Errol Brown's on lead vocals, and wrote a good deal of the tunes – and titles include "Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac", "Living On A Shoe String", "Sugar Daddy", "Man To Man", "You Could've Been A Lady", "Seventeen Years Of Age", and "Sex Appeal". LP, Vinyl record album

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... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A brilliant return from the Hot 8 Brass Band – a New Orleans combo who take tradition into some great funky new territory! As you'd guess from their name, the instrumentation is heavy on brass – played with a gritty, soulful edge – in the way you'd find during some street performance in a corner far from the mainstream Quarter – sometimes accompanied by ensemble vocals, and almost always driven by these great rhythms at the bottom – more than funky enough to set even the heaviest horns on fire with their energy. Titles include "Bingo Bango", "Fine Tuner", "Steamin Blues", "Can't Hide From The Truth", "New Orleans (After The City)", and a nice remake of The Specials' "Ghost Town". CD

An early disco groover – with that classic east coast club sound! Lots of smooth soul production, uptempo but not too fast, and a soulful finish that keeps the track real, while still breaking onto the floor! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Hot mustard mix deep funk instrumentation with hip hop inspired beats – really linking together two generations of funky sounds with a very unique approach! The core of the group is Nick Carusos on bass and Jack Powell on guitars – yet the later also serves up all these breakbeats throughout – the spare, lean kind that people where first pulling from records in the early years of hip hop – then layered with live instrumentation from the pair, plus work from others on trumpet, trombone, and a whole host of cool organ and keyboard lines! Alanna Royale sings on the final track – "The End Of Time" – and all other cuts are instrumental, and include "Whole Grain", "Stono Hustle", "Gravy Boat", "Butcher Block", "Low Boy", and "The Golden Beet". CD

Hot mustard mix deep funk instrumentation with hip hop inspired beats – really linking together two generations of funky sounds with a very unique approach! The core of the group is Nick Carusos on bass and Jack Powell on guitars – yet the later also serves up all these breakbeats throughout – the spare, lean kind that people where first pulling from records in the early years of hip hop – then layered with live instrumentation from the pair, plus work from others on trumpet, trombone, and a whole host of cool organ and keyboard lines! Alanna Royale sings on the final track – "The End Of Time" – and all other cuts are instrumental, and include "Whole Grain", "Stono Hustle", "Gravy Boat", "Butcher Block", "Low Boy", and "The Golden Beet". LP, Vinyl record album

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A Scandinavian group, but one with a great Latin jazz vibe – a lineup that includes piano, tenor, trumpet, and plenty of percussion! LP, Vinyl record album

A lost album from the legendary Stax Records – a full set of tracks from the deep soul group Hot Sauce – planned as a record of its own in the final years of the label, but never issued at the time! Hot Sauce were one of the funkiest groups on Stax in the early 70s – a wickedly badass group who sported great lead vocals from Rhonda Washington – a singer who really knew how to stay on the groove and send the whole thing home! The work on this set is a great evolution of the Stax groove – and shows where the label might have gone in terms of 70s funk, had they stayed the course – and although the album's long overdue to get released, we're plenty happy to finally have it out after all these years. Many tracks were issued over the years as singles, and the set also features a few tracks not intended for the album too – titles that include "Stop Dogging Me", "Funny", "Mama's Baby", "I'll Kill A Brick", "Good Woman Turning Bad", "I Can't Let You Go", "Echoes From The Past", and "I Can't Win For Losing". CD