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A nice selection of classic 60s soul numbers, focusing on women who like to exercise their pipes, and while we had remembered this set hewed close to the mainstream, there's a few nice little nuggets on here that they dug a little deeper for. 14 tracks in all: "The Nitty Gritty" by Shirley Ellis, "Tell Mama" by Etta James, "Hard To Handle" by Patti Drew, "Bold Soul Sister" by Ike & Tina Turner, "Lee Cross" and "You Send Me" by Aretha Franklin, "Heartbeat" by Gloria Jones, "Stay With Me" by Lorraine Ellison, "Wang Dang Doodle" by Koko Taylor, "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)" by Barbara George, "Rescue Me" by Fontella Bass, "Hypnotized" by Linda Jones, "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)" by the Sweet Inspirations, and "Ask Me" by Maxine Brown. LP, Vinyl record album

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Filled with classics – including "Girls Got Rhythm", "Highway To Hell", "Shot Down In Flames", "Touch Too Much", and "If You Want Blood". LP, Vinyl record album

A spiritual jazz classic – one of the rarest albums of its type from the 70s! This legendary session was recorded by Roy Ayers' keyboardist Harry Whitaker – working here as the leader of the Black Renaissance group, a one-shot ensemble that featured Woody Shaw on trumpet, Azar Lawrence on saxes, Buster Williams on bass, and Mtume on percussion. The session was cut in New York in 1976, but only issued on a rare album that came out briefly in Japan. Yet somehow, the quality of the work and the depth of soulfulness have created a strong aura about the session – making it an oft-cited influence by a generation of DJs and soul jazz listeners. The album only features 2 long tracks – both of them strong ensemble numbers that build modally searching grooves in a Strata East-like style, peppered with voices, both sung and spoken, in a hip, socially conscious mode. Both tracks – "Black Renaissance" and "Magic Ritual" are excellent, on a par with the best 70s spiritual soul jazz! LP, Vinyl record album

Domo Branch is represented as a group on the front cover – but if you take a closer look, you'll notice the image features multiple shots of the man himself – a killer drummer who delivers a wonderful performance on this full album of solo drums! The set was recorded overseas, but Domo Branch hails from Portland, where he's a key part of the scene, both as a player and an educator – and he plays here with a style that certainly understands many currents of jazz – in a mode that maybe takes a Baby Dodd solo drum performance forward through lessons learned in the generation of Milford Graves and Andrew Cyrille! Titles include "Purity/Honesty", "Influence", "Togetherness", "Patience", "Tribal", and "Longing". LP, Vinyl record album

An enduring classic from James Brown – quite possibly the strongest of his late 70s albums, and a record that nicely balances the harder funk of the early part of the decade with a more sophisticated style that almost gets slightly jazzy at times! The vocals are planted strongly at the top of most tunes – really calling out the shots and directing the rhythms – even though they seem tight enough to keep snapping along on their own – and also noteworthy are some of the mellower numbers on the set, which are almost more compelling than some of the groovers! Titles include "Bodyheat", "What The World Needs Now", "Don't Tell It", "Kiss In 77", "Woman", "Wake Up And Give", and "I'm Satisfied". LP, Vinyl record album

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A shot of tequila and a whole lot more – one of the few albums issued by the legendary Champs, a group who helped reinvent the sound of instrumental rock at the start of the 60s! The group's classic "Tequila" is a very familiar mix of raunchy sax, strutting guitar, and some slightly south of the border rhythms – and the other tunes here follow suit beautifully – offering up some of the grittiest side of late 50s/early 60s instrumental rock you could hope to find. The album's a definitely all-killer, no-filler set – and in addition to "Tequila", titles also include "Go Champ Go", "I'll Be There", "Sky High", "Lollipop", "Night Beat", "Robot Walk", "Midnighter", and "Train To Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

That's a cheesy 80s action shot on the cover, and the music within really carries through on that promise – from the starting cut "Black Inferno", which is a very groovy clubby sort of cut – to the more stark, keyboard-driven grooves from the brothers DeAngelis! The duo did plenty of great cop/crime work in the 70s – and hear they follow the more lean styles of their contemporaries in the early 80s – using lots of keyboards, basslines, and drum machine bits to make most of the music – kind of a John Carpenter mode, but a bit fuller and more groovy – definitely in keeping with the duo's legacy! There's two versions of "Black Inferno", one nice and long – plus 24 more instrumentals from the film. LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "I Never Liked Ya" feat Scarface, Raekwon, & Fat Joe, "Streetsweeper" feat the Lox, "50 Shot Ya" feat 50 Cent, "Too Much For Me" feat Nas, Baby, Foxy Brown, & Amerie, "Purple Haze" feat Diplomats feat Cam'ron, "Freestyle" feat Eminem, "Westside Driveby" feat E-A-Ski, MC Ren, & Kam, "Angels Voice" feat Flipmode Squad, and many more with many more guests. LP, Vinyl record album

The American debut of The English Beat – aka the UK group The Beat, who'd been making some big waves with import 45s on the 2Tone label, the burst forth on our US market with a slight shift in name, due to another group hogging their original moniker on our side of the Atlantic! That bit of backstory hardly need matter, though – as the group wear their English loud and proud here, setting off a huge ska revival as they blend Jamaican roots with London attitude in the post-punk years – stacking up a set of classics that continue to groove many turntables all these many years later. Titles include "Mirror In The Bathroom", "Hands Off She's Mine", "Twist & Crawl", "Big Shot", "Best Friend", and "Jackpot". LP, Vinyl record album

The American debut of The English Beat – aka the UK group The Beat, who'd been making some big waves with import 45s on the 2Tone label, the burst forth on our US market with a slight shift in name, due to another group hogging their original moniker on our side of the Atlantic! That bit of backstory hardly need matter, though – as the group wear their English loud and proud here, setting off a huge ska revival as they blend Jamaican roots with London attitude in the post-punk years – stacking up a set of classics that continue to groove many turntables all these many years later. Titles include "Mirror In The Bathroom", "Hands Off She's Mine", "Twist & Crawl", "Big Shot", "Best Friend", and "Jackpot". LP, Vinyl record album

A sly little set from the hands of British producer Dennis Bovell – a record that was done to appear as an obscure Jamaican import – from the stripped-down packaging to the stripped-down sound in the grooves! The feel here is a bit looser and more laidback than some of the other UK productions of the time – roots work that has some occasional dub-style production at points, or a more straightforward groove at others – on many instrumental cuts that are perfect for blasting over a larger soundsystem! Titles include "None Ah Jah Children", "Skatter Skatter", "Sure Shot", "Younger Generation", "Bounty Hunter", and "Tribute To Idi Amin". LP, Vinyl record album

The great live compilation of classic Hendrix – pulled from incendiary performances at Isle Of Wight in 1970 and other benchmark west coast gigs from '68 to '70! It's as fine of a snapshot of Jimi as you could really hope for, as it features numbers that showcase his fiery blues psych side that pretty much single-handedly change rock guitar forever after, as well as more loosely furnished bluesy jams that demonstrate his love for the blues legends before him. So, it's Jimi paving the way and showing love for his predecessors – and historical importance aside, it's simply great stuff! Some gigs have Noel Redding on bass and others have Billy Cox. Includes "The Queen", "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Little Wing", "Fire", "Red House", "Johnny B Goode", "Lover Man", "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)". LP, Vinyl record album

Jimi Hendrix, live in Los Angeles – just days before the release of his classic Are You Experienced album – a record that changed a generation! Jimi was actually working that night as the opening act for The Mamas & The Papas – and we're guessing that his searing solos and raw musical vision really blew the whole crowd away – so much so, we wish the set had a visual component, so we could see reaction shots of the crowd! The Experience group has the classic lineup of Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums – and titles include "Purple Haze", "Wild Thing", "Fire", "Catfish Blues", "Foxy Lady", and a reading of "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". LP, Vinyl record album

A late 50s collection of earlier 78rpm singles issued by Aladdin Records – material that's far rawer than the "strums" in the title might imply! At a time when other blues musicians were fleshing things out a bit – sometimes adding in larger backings, horns, and a bit of electricity – Lightnin Hopkins hardly needed that at all, as the man's voice and guitar are more than enough to knock things out of the park! Titles include "So Long", "Mistreated", "Shotgun", "Rollin & Rollin", "My California", "Honey Babe", "Short Haired Woman", and "Katie May". LP, Vinyl record album

Stellar work by Jimmy Hughes – one of those southern soul talents whose name you've heard, but can't always find on record! Jimmy's best known for his classic Muscle Shoals tune "Steal Away" – and that great number, plus many other similar ones, are presented on this obscure Vee Jay release – issued at a time when both that label and Chess were licensing a number of titles from Rick Hall's Fame studios. The sound is great – a key link in the southern scene of the 60s, and one that's often lost because it wasn't recorded for a bigger label, like Atlantic. Titles include "Steal Away", "Try Me", "I Want Justice", "Shot Of Rhythm & Blues", "Neighbor Neighbor", "I'm Getting Better", and "I'm Gonna Rise Again". LP, Vinyl record album

19 different snapshots of the Motor City, as presented through the ears of J Dilla – who's close to the ground, brimming over with sound, and working here with a boundless array of different beats and samples! The package is one from the vaults, issued after Dilla's too-soon passing – and although the tracks are spare, they stand as a strong testament to his production genius, and that way of putting together a fresh track with just a few key elements that sound so great together! There's definitely plenty of famous cuts sampled here – which is partly why the package is somewhat obscure – so much so, the tracks don't even have any titles of their own. LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked, but very groovy soundtrack by Quincy Jones! The record has a mix of easy jazz and a few harder-edged themes – dramatic throughout, but with washes of crime jazz, bossa, and some floating easy scoring. Players aren't listed, but you can bet they're the usual high-level crop of jazzmen that Quincy would get for his mid 60s Mercury sides. Titles include "Dead Duck", "Purple Prose", "Boobie Baby", "Shoot To Kill", "A Shot In The Park", and "Turtles Last Lap". LP, Vinyl record album

A short detour in the 60s career of Chet Baker – one that we sure like a heck of a lot! This side is one of a couple that were recorded as an answer to the big success of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – with Chet's trumpet was backed by jaunty, brassy arrangements penned by Jack Nitzsche, and George Tipton. And while it might be easy to dismiss the tunes as copycat sound-a-likes, they're really not – as Nitszche brings in a much fuller groove to most of the numbers than Herb Alpert ever did – more of a sunny LA pop feel that has the whole group really gliding along on bold waves of sound all topped off by Baker's horn – sounding stronger and more confident here than on many of his other recordings of the 60s! Some numbers have a Latin undercurrent while others lean towards mainstream pop – a style that's bolder than A&M's approach to Tijuana – and one that explodes with some youthful LA energies! 12 tracks in all, including "Happiness Is", "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)", "The Phoenix Love Theme (Senza Fine)", "On The Street Where You Live", 'Armen's Theme", "You Baby" and "It's Too Late". LP, Vinyl record album

Mocko Jumbie is an unusual skill – a the word stands for stilt dancing at carnival time – something that Hugo Moolenaar could do very well, as you'll see on the cover – although he's even better here on record in a musical mode! The EP brings together four of the best tracks from Hugo's rare records – all of them funky, but in a Caribbean mode – with all these light colors bursting over the top of the lively rhythms – riffing guitar next to basslines, percussion, and keyboards – while Hugo calls out the lyrics with plenty of charm throughout. Titles include "Big Man Cry", "Give It Your Best Shot", "We Can Live Together", and "Children Children". LP, Vinyl record album

Ennio Morricone's beautiful score to one of the beautifully shot films of the 70s, or all time, really – Terrence Malick's legendary Days Of Heaven! It's gorgeous stuff, from Morricone's haunting main theme and his more classically enthralling sounds, as well as the rootsy folk guitar by Leo Kottke and and equally swampy fiddle dance number by Doug Kershaw. LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from the mighty Ed Motta – an artist who never lets us down, and who just keeps getting better as the years move on! Back in the 20th Century, Ed asked us to move his records from our Brazilian section to Neo Soul – a move that was wise on his part, as Motta has become a soulful giant with really international appeal – a true global underground superstar, and a music maker that no home should be without! Motta's songwriting, production, and overall presentation is amazing – and he's moved far past the 70s heroes that first inspired him – including his uncle Tim Maia – to a point where a set like this is fantastic from start to finish, with a richness that belies all the focus and concentration that Ed brings to his work. Titles include "Tolerance On High Street", "Of Good Strain", "Gaslighting Nancy", "Safely Far", "Newsroom Customers", "Slumberland", "Confrere's Exile", "Quatermass Has Told Us", and "Shot In The Park". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Dangerous MC's" featuring Snoop Dogg & Busta Rhymes, "I Really Want To Show You" featuring Nas with K-Ci & Jo-Jo, "Rap Phenomenon" featuring Redman & Method Man, "Tonight" featuring Mobb Deep, "Let Me Get Down" featuring Missy Elliott, Craig Mack, & G-Dep, "Come On" featuring Sadat X, "Big Booty Hoes" featuring Too $hort, "Dead Wrong" featuring Eminem, "Notorious B.I.G." and "Would You Die For Me" featuring Lil Kim & the artist formerly known as Puff Daddy, "Biggie" featuring Junior M.A.F.I.A., "Can I Get Witcha" featuring Lil Cease, "Who Shot Ya", and "If I Should Die Before I Wake" featuring Ice Cube, Beanie Sigel, & Black Rob. LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Biggie, and a set that was instantly poised to catapult him to superstardom – even before his tragic death ended up doing that before the release of the record! And yes, the title's a bit cryptic – and given the fact that the material came out after BIG was shot, it might seem like a cash-in collection of left-behind tracks – yet it's not that at all. The long path to the album's creation represents a step forward to almost build a bridge between underground hip hop and mainstream soul – maybe in a way that would have calmed some of the coastal beefs that were taking place at the time – as the late, great one works here with an array of guests from both the worlds of hip hop and R&B – 112, Jay-Z, R Kelly, Puff Daddy, Lil Kim, Too Short, and others – in a classic set of tracks that includes "Hypnotize", "Kick In the Door", "Mo Money Mo Problems", "Notorious Thugs", "Going Back To Cali", "Sky's The Limit", "Miss U", "Ten Crack Commandments", 'What's Beef", and "Nasty Boy". LP, Vinyl record album

Really unique material from Sun Ra – a pair of recordings that were initially circulated much more strongly than some of his Saturn Records material, thanks to the power of the BYG/Actuel label in the early 70s – but tracks that actually come from a variety of different sessions that Ra himself did with the Arkestra in the late 60s! Tracks are shortish, but very inventive – a well-chosen snapshot of all the new ideas that the group were cooking up during the end of the 60s in New York, with an increased mission to explore the outer reaches of space, and use more electronics than ever before! Ra plays some killer keyboards – moog, spacemaster, and acoustic piano – often with these really eerie tones – and other players include Kwame Hadi on trumpet, Akh Tal Ebah on space dimension mellophone, Ali Hassan on trombone, Marshal Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor, and Pat Patrick on baritone – and the whole group vocalizes at points, joined by other singers who include June Tyson and Art Jenkins. There's also some great use of "strange strings" on the sessions, not to mention a bit of reverb – and tracks on this first volume include "Spectrum", "The Satellites Are Spinning", "Seen III Took 4", "Adventures Of Bugs Hunter", "Legend", and "The Realm Of Lightning". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued performances from Sun Ra and his legendary Arkestra – recorded live at Slugs in New York, and featuring the group in two very different modes! Side one features "Calling Planet Earth/We'll Wait For You" – from the same performance that also gave the world the Universe In Blue album – but presented with a very wild, freely improvised sound! The tune runs for well over 20 minutes, and features lots of shifts in presence and power from the individual instruments – with some especially great bass clarinet from Eloe Omoe, who takes a great solo – as well as work from John Gilmore on tenor, Danny Davis on alto, Ronnie Boykins on bass, and Kwame Hadi on trumpet. June Tyson also sings a bit – although the instrumental passages are the strongest draw. The remaining two tracks are much more in the Strange Strings sound of the group – although maybe looser and freer than the work on that album – as they feature mostly stringed instruments, from a variety of global sources, mixed with some woodwind elements and a bit of percussion – almost with a vibe that's like the mid 50s Moondog discovering free jazz! Titles for these two tracks include "Moonshots Across The Sky" and "Thunder Of The Gods". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal quality dub by the mighty Revolutionairies! Raw, fat dubs of Jah Lloyd productions cut at Channel One and mixed at Tubby's by Prince Jammy, featuring the Rhythm Twins on drum & bass, with the rest of the band filled out with an all star cast of top notch shots, so what more do you need to know? 10 tracks in all, including "Calico Jack", "Big Foot", "Bitter Blood", "Goldmine", "Red River Dub", "Heartburn", "Sore Mouth", "Jamintel", "Musketeer Dub" and "Pepper Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive hit and creative triumph for Salt N Pepa – a record that was both maybe their biggest ever, and which had the duo working with Spinderella at a level that also bridged both hip hop and R&B! Although there were some younger up-and-comers on the scene at the time, Salt N Pepa had already honed their craft, matured a bit, and were able to serve up just the right hook-heavy blend of hip hop and a touch of R&B – mixing both freewheeling fun with some feminist positivity and maybe just a touch of social consciousness in all the right ways. Titles include their classics "Whatta Man and "Shoop" – plus "Groove Me", "No One Does It Better", "Step", "Heaven Or Hell", "Big Shot", "Sexy Noises Turn Me On", "Somma Time Man", "I've Got Aids (PSA)", and "Break Of Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

Sean Price moves in for the knockout! Includes "Genesis Of The Omega", "Bar-Barian", "Pyrex", "Price & Shining Armour" feat Ruste Juxx, "Straight Music", "Hush", "Solmon Grundy" with Ill Bill, "Frankenberry" with Buckshot, "BBQ Sauce" with Pharoahe Monch, "By The Way" with Torae, "The Hardest N***a Out" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Early 70s Cali country rock at its finest! This is the first album by Detroit-born, Texas-raised JD Souther – who has a deft hand for sadness-tinged songcraft, a charismatic and genuine southern drawl to his voice, and just enough grit to give his tunes the right kind of emotional undercurrent. There's a realness here that really sinks in. We sort of wish he would've shot to stardom is prominently as other Asylum singer-songwriters and his friends in The Eagles – he definitely deserves it – but there's something warm and cozy (and maybe a little selfish) about having him more to ourselves and other knowing fans. Includes "The Fast One", "Run Like A Thief", "Kite Woman", "Jesus In 3/4 Time", "It's The Same", "White Wing", "Out To Sea", "Lullaby" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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

Not actually music with Kim Novak – but a set of musical backdrops by Morris Stoloff – designed as a package for the film Jeanne Eagels! The cover has a great color shot on the front, and smaller images of Kim on the back – and the music is surprisingly dark and moody. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible snapshot of the funky soul genius of Sly Stone in an early transitional period – featuring all the known recordings of his short-lived Stone Flower label and production house from 1969-1970! Sly was a rising star at this point, and while the Stone Flower Productions name had been established already for Sly & The Family Stone's work-to-date, there was a brief period when he and manager David Kapralik set out make Stone Flower an official management and production house – and recorded some great tunes with female vocal trio Little Sister, funky soul singer and harmonica player Joe Hicks and funk rock sextet 6ix – as well as some gems sung by Sly himself. Sly & The Family Stone were soon to take off in a really huge way, his business relationship with Kapalik was becoming strained, and other factors behind-the-scenes made it impossible for Stone Flower Productions to really take root, but this brief period is fantastic. We're so glad it's been dug up and collected here! The cuts are primarily written and produced by Sly Stone – with Sly out front on "Just Like A Baby", "Africa", "Spirit" and "Scared" – and other great tracks include "You're The One" and "Somebody's Watching You" by Little Sister, "Home Sweet Home (Part 2)" and "I'm Going Home (Part 1)" by Joe Hicks, "Trying To Make You Feel Good", "You Can, We Can" by 6ix and more. 18 tracks in all – with a nice booklet of notes by Alec Palao, and an interview with the elusive Sly Stone himself! LP, Vinyl record album

After Shock comes Panic – the sequel to Creed Taylor's previous album for ABC, and like that one, a very weird mix of jazzy backings, odd sound effects, and cool production techniques! The record begins with a familiar core – jazzy instrumentals, of the sort that Taylor was already producing for other artists, and would go on to do even more famously for Verve. But here, the music's really played with too – changed up in the middle of a song, as the rhythms get weird, sound effects come in, and the whole thing gets turned into a batch of spooky little scenes that more than live up to the title of the record – and the titles of the songs, which include "Alpine Honeymoon", "Wreck Of Old 97", "A Shot In The Dark", "The Fastest Gun", "No Smoking", "The Operation", and "The Prison Break". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of immortal standards performed by Vaughan, Washington, and Bailey with titles that include "Perdido", "Fly Me To The Moon", "Stormy Weather", "Summertime", "Moonglow", "Stella By Starlight", and more. Cover features a gorgeous panoramic shot of downtown Chicago in the 60s! LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful wonderful soul from Brenton Wood – one of the most unique singers of his day, and a talent whose voice worked well on so many types of numbers! This album's Brenton's second – a great follow-up to the first, and one that shows him pushing the envelope a lot in terms of the music he's working with. The title track – "Baby You Got It" – is a great groover with a catchy edge – one of a handful of tunes with really a charming, catchy chorus that he brings some emotional depth to. Another gem is "Gimme Little Sign" – a tune that's very much in the spirit of his earlier hit "Oogum Boogum Song", a great thing for us – but the whole thing is a gem! Other tracks include "Two Time Loser", "Trouble", "Me & You", "Darlin'", "Little Happy-Go-Lucky Girl" and "Give It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful stuff from Frank Zappa – a set that still has all the freak-out feel of the early years, yet which also shows a real maturation in his arrangement styles as well! The instrumentation is fantastic – not just great guitar from Frank, but heavy keyboards from George Duke, slide guitar from Tony Duran, raw drums from Aynsley Dunbar, and even some great horn arrangements that bring in a jazzy undercurrent that's mighty nice – almost grounding the free-form energy of the band's impulses with a sophisticated groove that really makes you take them seriously! Titles include the side-long "Big Swifty" – plus "Waka/Jawaka", "Your Mouth", and "It Might Be A One Shot Deal". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful stuff from Frank Zappa – a set that still has all the freak-out feel of the early years, yet which also shows a real maturation in his arrangement styles as well! The instrumentation is fantastic – not just great guitar from Frank, but heavy keyboards from George Duke, slide guitar from Tony Duran, raw drums from Aynsley Dunbar, and even some great horn arrangements that bring in a jazzy undercurrent that's mighty nice – almost grounding the free-form energy of the band's impulses with a sophisticated groove that really makes you take them seriously! Titles include the side-long "Big Swifty" – plus "Waka/Jawaka", "Your Mouth", and "It Might Be A One Shot Deal". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Shirley & Company, Candi Staton, Donnie Elbert, The Moments, Sylvia, The Rimshots, Rhetta Young, and Positive Force. LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from Ted Nugent – working here as the searing lead guitarist of the mighty Amboy Dukes! The Nuge doesn't sing on the set, but his guitar is definitely in the spotlight on most numbers – ripping out with a rawness that beats his later superstar work, and which is free to freak out nicely in this set of psyche-heavy sounds from the Mainstream label at the height of their late 60s greatness. Side one features a number of shorter Nugent-penned tunes, and side two is a slightly more complicated offering – a bit of a concept piece, with tracks that form a story over the side of the record. Titles include "Flight Of The Byrd", "Mississippi Murderer", "Dr Slingshot", "Scottish Tea", "I'll Prove I'm Right", "Conclusion", "Why Is A Carrot More Orange Than An Orange", and "Ivory Castles". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best American recordings of Brazilian keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami – even better than his work of the time with Azymuth! The set's got a freer feel than some of the Azymuth sides – allowing Bertrami the sort of freedom he rarely expressed so strongly (at least not until some of his recent albums for the Far Out label.) Tunes dance along on a mix of Brazilian rhythms and west coast fusion – all the while featuring some killer organ and electric piano from Jose, plus drums by Robertinho Silva, sax and flute from Jose Carlos, guitar from Helio Demiro, and guest vocals on one track by Aleuda. Titles include "Partido Alto #2", "Sheds & Weeds", "Parati", "Shot On Goal", and "Bye Bye Brazil". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive collaborative effort – one that features the talents of Buckshot, OGC, Heltah Skeltah, and Smif N Wessun – all bringing forward a 90s New York indie vibe, and with a power that seems to resonate even more strongly as they work together! Production here is top shelf, and nicely varied – handled by Pete Rock, Large Professor, 9th Wonder, and Da Beatminerz – all of whom also share a sense of contemporary changes in hip hop, and work with the MCs to really keep things urgent and upfront throughout. Titles include "He Gave His Life", "Everybody Knows Now", "Soul Jah", "Hate All You Want", "Don't You Cross The Line", "Take A Look In The Mirror", "Here We Come", "Let's Go", and "Yeah". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Two Headed Man", "One More Shot", "Trading Post", "In The Dark", and "Eyeballin". LP, Vinyl record album

Perhaps the most heavenly of all the Chi-Lites albums, with soaring harmonies leaping all over beautiful Chicago soul production, and loads of great heartbreaking stories unfolding as the whole thing spins away! A true masterpiece from the Chicago scene – and filled with loads of wonderful moments that almost seem to be the group's answer to some of the growing wave of harmony soul coming from the east coast at the time. Includes the excellent title track, plus "Just Two Teenage Kids", "Too Late To Turn Back Now", "Someone Else's Arms", "You Smiled The Same Old Way", "My Heart Just Keeps On Breakin'", and "Love Comes In All Sizes". Nice cover, too, with a skyline shot of Chicago around the same time that Bob Newhart was working there as a shrink! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes covers of "Bette Davis Eyes", "Jessie's Girl", "Take A Chance On Me", "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", "Leader Of The Pack", "Queen Of Hearts", "Whip It", "Heartbreaker", "Hold On Tight", and "Losing You (I Really Wanna Lose You)". LP, Vinyl record album

Very groovy early work by El Coco – a cool mix of electric keyboards and fusiony touches, in a style that made the group a real standout on the dancefloor! At some level, the album almost operates like a jazz set – thanks to the strong keyboards of Michael Lewis and the percussion of Laurin Rinder – but there's also a smoother groove going on, and a definite shot at the clubs that stands out on some of the album's catchier tunes. The keyboards are in a very cool "spaced out" mode, and a few cuts even hit some great 70s exotica moments too. Includes remakes of "Mr Lucky" and "Quiet Village" – which should show some of the influences of the team – plus the tracks "Let's Get It Together", "Fai Le Chat", "Gimme Some", and "Put On Your Jeans". LP, Vinyl record album

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin McInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include "Va Va Voom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gallard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. LP, Vinyl record album

A wild little concept album from the Four Seasons – one that's packaged in newspaper-style cover, and which presents tunes that almost have that late 60s British "snapshots of life" approach to pop – particularly that put forth by The Kinks on Village Green Preservation Society. The album's a true genius effort from Bob Gaudio – now risen to the ranks of producer for the group, and also the key songwriter for the album too – working here in tandem with the great Jake Holmes, a wonderful choice for a record like this! Arrangements are inventive, playful, and definitely at a level that shows some influence from Pet Sounds or Sgt Peppers – but there's also a focused, all-pop approach to the tunes too – one that's hook-heavy even when trippy, and which shows that the Four Seasons were as great at psychedelic and Sunshine Pop as any of the groups they'd inspired over the years. Titles include "Saturday's Father", "Wall Street Village Day", "Wonder What You'll Be", "Soul Of A Woman", "Something's On Her Mind", "American Crucifixion Resurrection", and "Mrs Stately's Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

With "Shot Face", "Ugly Folks", "Knock Knock", "Puke", "That Old White Magic", "White Folks", "Got A Dollar", "Wino Panthers", "Black & Proud", "Getting The Nut", "Faggot", "Passin Gas", "Compact Spooks" and "Grandma". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collaboration between Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot – one of Serge's first duet albums ever – and a gem all the way through! In the year before he cut "Je T'aime Moi Non Plus" with Jane Birkin, Serge recorded this great album with Brigitte Bardot in which he worked out many of the same ideas. The album is probably best known for the track "Bonnie & Clyde" – which has been sampled to great fame over the years – but there's loads of other great tracks on here, with a mix of styles that joins Serge's jazzy years with his softcore 70s work – very cool, very groovy, and years ahead of its time. Some tracks are duets, and some are sung individually by Serge or Brigitte, but they're all great, and titles include "Intoxicated Man", "L'eau A La Bouche", "Un Jour Comme Un Autre", "Comic Strip", and more! Arrangements by Alain Gourager, Michel Colombier, and Claude Bolling – and the cover's got a great shot of Serge & BB as Bonnie & Clyde! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Grant Green's late great funky albums for Blue Note! Carryin' On is a solid groover with heavy jazz funk grooves that won't stop, and that vibe carries all the way throughout – in the same mode as some of Lou Donaldson's classic sounds from the time! The group features Idris Muhammad on drums, playing his trademark funky breakbeat sound from the late 60s – plus Jimmy Lewis on bass, Willie Bivens on vibes, Claude Bartee on tenor sax and Clarence Palmer on keys. Titles include a great versions of James Brown's "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothin", The Meters' "Ease Back", and Neal Creque's "Cease The Bombing" (featuring Creque on electric piano) plus Green's own "Upshot". LP, Vinyl record album

The rich 70s legacy of the Lovelites – a Chicago trio who first sprang onto the soul with some wonderfully fragile work when they were young, and who continued to record some really great music – even though they never fully got their due at the time! The music here was all done after the girls got their one shot at an LP on the Uni label – and the set features rare work for a variety of different labels, all issued only as 7" singles – plus a few tracks that were never released at the time. All the strength of their early vocals is still in place here, but guided by a sense of maturity that makes the music even more powerful – and which seems to indicate that the trio have already lived a lot of life in the time since their first records – all of which they bring to play in the music. Most tracks have a groovy vibe – midtempo and mellow, but with a gentle groove too – one that brings out the best in lead singer Patti Hamilton, in a set of 16 tracks that includes "My Conscience", "Love So Strong", "Got To Be There", "Oh What A Day", "Get It Off My Conscience", "My Baby Loves Me", "Bumpy Road Ahead", "Man In My Life", "Love Is Pretty", "I'm The One You Need", "Come & Get It", and "Cravin For Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Live material from Bob Marley & The Wailers – recorded in an obscure nightclub in our hometown of Chicago during the 70s, and quite a nice change from some of the bigger label releases of the time! The band has a loose, very spontaneous vibe – and there's a nice flow to the longer length of the tracks – served up with instrumentation from Earl Lindon on keyboards and organ, Al Anderson on guitar, Aston Family Man Barrett on bass, and Carlton Barrett on drums – with backing vocals from the I-Threes behind Bob's lead vocals! Titles include "Rebel Music", "Talkin Blues", "Concrete Jungle", "Natty Dread", "I Shot The Sherriff", "Slave Driver", and "Midnight Ravers". LP, Vinyl record album

While there was no naked bald lady on the cover of Jass-Ay-Lay-Dee, it is actually a move back towards the sweatier funk sounds of their more classic LPs. There's some tight playing and solid songwriting going on here, too, with a bit less of the smooth, sultry grooves with funky touches that stood out on their work earlier in the 70s.Includes the title track, plus "Funk O Nots", "Sleepwalkin", "Nott Enuff", "Time Slips Away/Shoot Your Shot" and "Dance (If Ya Wanta)". LP, Vinyl record album

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

The live anthology of punk pioneers The Slits – featuring raucous London recordings from as early as '77 up to their last gig in Paris, 1981! The recording and performance quality from track-to-track may not be representative of the group at it's best. What the set does do, inarguably, is provide a solid snapshot of the Slits' growth over the years from sneering punkers to far more stylistically ambitious dark dub & funk influenced originals. Includes "Vindictive", "A Boring Life", "Slime", "Love & Romance", "Shoplifting", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Typical Girls", "Fade Away" and "In The Beginning". LP, Vinyl record album

A heady second chapter of a legendary funk group that were only around for a few short years, but gave us some great music in the process – presented here with 16 unissued tracks from their years in Los Angeles, including work from members of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band too! With so much unreleased music, the set's like a fresh discovery of Dyke & The Blazers – adding new takes and versions to the material they recorded in LA before Dyke passed all too quickly – making for a long-overdue addition to their small body of recorded work. Titles unissued stereo mixes of "We Got More Soul (full length)", "Funky Walk (full length)", "The Wobble (full length)", "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man", "Funky Bull (full length)", "Booga Jivin", "Stuff (full length)", "Runaway People (full length)", and "Moon" – plus the never-issued "The Walk (part 1 east)", "Do It Together (orig mix)", "WUFO Radio Spot", "Day Is Comin (demo)", and "I'm So All Alone (alt)". Also includes the cuts "Black Boy", "It's Your Thing", "You Are My Sunshine", and "Shot Gun Slim" – all very funky! LP, Vinyl record album

Stellar work by Jimmy Hughes – one of those southern soul talents whose name you've heard, but can't always find on record! Jimmy's best known for his classic Muscle Shoals tune "Steal Away" – and that great number, plus many other similar ones, are presented on this obscure Vee Jay release – issued at a time when both that label and Chess were licensing a number of titles from Rick Hall's Fame studios. The sound is great – a key link in the southern scene of the 60s, and one that's often lost because it wasn't recorded for a bigger label, like Atlantic. Titles include "Steal Away", "Try Me", "I Want Justice", "Shot Of Rhythm & Blues", "Neighbor Neighbor", "I'm Getting Better", and "I'm Gonna Rise Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly nice album of 70s soul – recorded by the actor who was best known to the world as Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington on the TV show Welcome Back Kotter! Lawrence's voice is slightly less sprightly than his comedic work on the show, but thanks to some tight arrangements by Freddie Perren, the album's got a warm sparkling groove that seems to tie the whole thing together strongly enough that the vocals hardly matter at all! Titles include "Lock Me Up", "Turn The Music Up", "Love Shot", "Do What You Did", and "Kiss & Tell". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Big Shot", "Zanzibar", "Rosalinda's Eyes", "Half A Mile Away", "Until The Night", "Honesty", and the huge hit "My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A great global showcase for the growing power of Bob Marley – an excellent live set recorded in London in 1975, and a date that shows Bob and The Wailers working with the crowd in this really universal spirit! The group's almost got a funkier current here than on some of their studio record – and their sharp edges are warmed up by female backing vocals which seem almost to act as a bridge between Marley's lead, and the very enthusiastic spirit of the crowd! The whole thing's great – and titles include totally burning versions of "Trenchtown Rock", "Burnin & Lootin", "Them Belly Full", "Lively Up Yourself", "No Woman, No Cry", "I Shot The Sheriff", and "Get Up Stand Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Not much of a title, but a vinyl-only collection that brings together 10 of Biggie's classics from back in the day – tracks that include "Going Back To Cali", "Notorious Thugs", "Big Poppa", "Warning", "One More Chance/Stay With Me (rmx)", "Juicy", "Who Shot Ya", "Hypnotize", "Sky's The Limit", and "Mo Money Mo Problems", with features by Mase and Puff Daddy! LP, Vinyl record album

Biggie's masterpiece! There's very little we could possibly say about this east coast landmark that isn't already etched in stone in the annals of hip hop history. Biggie's a master storyteller, whether he's spinning tales of violent street nihilism, his skills beneath the sheets, or blistering sadness and regret. This thing sounds as great in the new millennium as it did at the end of the previous one. All the classics: "Things Have Changed", "Gimme The Loot", "Machine Gun Funk", "Ready To Die", "Warning", "The What" featuring Method Man, "Ready To Die", "Juicy", "Big Poppa", "Respect", "Friend Of Mine", and the Premier-produced "Unbelievable". This remastered re-release of the album includes two bonus tracks – the legendary, oft-bitten track "Who Shot Ya" and "Just Playing (Dreams)". LP, Vinyl record album

The excellent second album from Pilot, really perfecting the guitars, keyboards and vocals and hooks formula that shot them into the pop consciousness a year or so earlier – probably their best album ever! The first record had the massive hit "Magic" (aka oh, oh, it's. . .) but this record has a few tunes with hooks that are just as sharp. The opener "You're My No 1" is so catchy, we can hardly believe it's not a throwback pop radio staple, and the record has a few of tracks nearly as grand. The vocals & harmonies are better arranged, and the guitars and keyboards are in that great comfort zone between the glam pop of the previous couple years and the new wave pop to come. Somewhat silly bubble gum lyricism, sure, but it's tasty stuff! Other tracks include "January", "Love Is", "Call Me Round", "To You Alone", "Passion Piece", "Dear Artist" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Swinging organ tracks from Shirley, with large band backing by Oliver Nelson, very much in the mode of Jimmy Smith's albums with Nelson on Verve! Includes a nice reading of the theme from "Shot In The Dark", plus "Hoe Down", "Shadows Of Paris", and "Great Scott". Also includes a side of trio material, including one track that features Shirley on vocals. Titles on that stuff include "Make Someone Happy", "5 O'Clock Whistle", and "The Blues Ain't Nothin But Pain". LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Louis Smith made only two records for Blue Note, but both of them are great! This set's arguably his most famous – because of a rare uncredited appearance by Cannonball Adderley, working here under the "nom de date" of "Buckshot La Funke" – and blowing with a power that beats most of his other Mercury sessions of the late 50s! But the real credit here should go to Louis Smith – who's got a sense of power and command that should have made him one of THE trumpeters of the 50s – an emerging young talent to stand alongside Lee Morgan, Nat Adderley, and other post-Fats Navarro/Clifford Brown talents on the instrument. Smith sparkles throughout with a mix of soul and modernism we really love – and an earthy way of blowing the horn that doesn't always reach its goals, but which draws even more energy from its ability to try! The rhythm section on the album's also very tight – with Art Taylor on drums, Doug Watkins on bass, and either Tommy Flanagan or Duke Jordan on piano – and tracks include "Ande", "Brill's Blues", "South Side", and "Val's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible snapshot of the funky soul genius of Sly Stone in an early transitional period – featuring all the known recordings of his short-lived Stone Flower label and production house from 1969-1970! Sly was a rising star at this point, and while the Stone Flower Productions name had been established already for Sly & The Family Stone's work-to-date, there was a brief period when he and manager David Kapralik set out make Stone Flower an official management and production house – and recorded some great tunes with female vocal trio Little Sister, funky soul singer and harmonica player Joe Hicks and funk rock sextet 6ix – as well as some gems sung by Sly himself. Sly & The Family Stone were soon to take off in a really huge way, his business relationship with Kapalik was becoming strained, and other factors behind-the-scenes made it impossible for Stone Flower Productions to really take root, but this brief period is fantastic. We're so glad it's been dug up and collected here! The cuts are primarily written and produced by Sly Stone – with Sly out front on "Just Like A Baby", "Africa", "Spirit" and "Scared" – and other great tracks include "You're The One" and "Somebody's Watching You" by Little Sister, "Home Sweet Home (Part 2)" and "I'm Going Home (Part 1)" by Joe Hicks, "Trying To Make You Feel Good", "You Can, We Can" by 6ix and more. 18 tracks in all – with a nice booklet of notes by Alec Palao, and an interview with the elusive Sly Stone himself! LP, Vinyl record album

A huge disco cash-in moment of the 70s – but a great one too, and a strong illustration of the power that Casablanca Records had in both the clubs and charts at the time! The movie and record were both a bit over-pressed upon release, but they nonetheless stand as a great snapshot of the way that funky soul had taken over the clubs during the disco generation – giving showcase to a whole host of new young artists, and exposing lots of mainstream listeners to soul music at a level they wouldn't have touched a few years before! Donna Summer was one of Casablanca's big acts at the time – and she really dominates the record with her classic rendition of "Last Dance", plus tracks "With Your Love" and a disco remake of "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus". Both other cuts are strong too – and include "Lovin, Livin, & Givin" by Diana Ross, "Too Hot Ta Trot" by The Commodores, "Disco Queen" by Paul Jabara, "Leatherman's Theme" by Wright Bros Flying Machine, "Floyd's Theme" by Natural Juices, and "Find My Way" by Cameo. LP, Vinyl record album

Latin grooves from the 60s and 70s – most from hard-to-find sides cut for Atlantic Records! Like the first volume, this one dips into some excellent material that was only ever briefly issued on LP – and it mixes it with some overlooked Latin cuts on albums by jazz and soul artists from the same time. The groove's got a tight 60s beat to it – with plenty of Latin Soul riffing, and even a bit of funk in the mix. Titles include "His Groove" and "King Kong" by Eddie Cano & Nino Tempo, "Watusi Boogaloo" and "Light & Sweet" by Willie Rosario, "Are You Sure" by Freedom Sounds, "Ghetto Funk" by Ike Turner, "Blood Shot" by Hubert Laws, "Devilette" by Dave Pike, and "Hip Hug Her" by Mongo Santamaria. LP, Vinyl record album