Rare west coast funk, soul, and funky soul – all from the vaults of George Semper – an artist that most folks know from a classic organ jazz record in the 60s, but also a backroom figure behind a range of great soul records on the Cali scene of the 70s! This set is a rare collection of George's hippest productions from the time – material that was either issued as rare singles, or only showed up on this label anthology, issued in a small pressing – brought together as testament to the groovy genius of George. The set features a few instrumentals issued under George's own name – "Cosmic Funk" and "Got To Find A Way To Make Some Money" – plus more vocal cuts, including "Goodie Goodie Gumdrops" and "Queen For A Day" by Jimmy Hayes, "You're So Good To Me" and "Never In My Life" by The Love Affair, and the cuts "That's The Way It Is", "Let's Live and Let's Live", and "Never In My Life" by Lewis Flournoy. LP, Vinyl record album

An overdue look at the great range of sounds that came from Inner City Records at the end of the 70s – a hip American indie with a strong specialty in soulful fusion, hip vocalists, and a range of other great styles too – all brought together here by London DJ Kev Beadle! Inner City's often a bit overlooked – as the label flourished most strongly in the years after some of the better-known soulful imprints of the 70s – and the label always had a great ear for new sounds, fresh ideas, and the kind of compelling global elements that often led them to license key tracks from overseas, and bring them to the US market. This collection's heavy on singers – the kind of cool, underground jazz vocalists that Inner City captured so well – and it's also got a nice mix of funky fusion, modal numbers, and spiritual currents – on titles that include "The Other World" by Judy Roberts, "Hunt Up Wind" by Hiroshi Fukumura, "Vera Cruz" by Helen Merrill, "Lucky Southern" by Tom Lellis, "Quickie Nirvana" by Kellis Ethridge, "Samba De La Cruz" by Terumasa Hino, "So High" by Janet Lawson, "The Samba" by Jeff Lorber, "Return Of The Prodigal Son" by Joe Lee Wilson, "Shenkansen" by Urszula Dudziak, "To An Elfin Princess" by Charlie Mariano, "Pandora" by Carlos Franzetti, and "Jennine" by Eddie Jefferson. LP, Vinyl record album

Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek are no musical strangers to each other – their paths have crossed often on the Chicago and global scenes over many years of creative activity. Yet this project is also the first they've co-led, and it's an incredible document of how much both artists have grown in recent years – especially when they let their talents flow together on a project like this! At some level, the core of the work is the voice that both artists have discovered – Locks, his own more focused message and ability to find other voices to sample in with his own – Mazurek, a way of using his own voice more directly, in addition to his well-known work on trumpets and electronics. Both Rob and Damon are in the forefront here, criss-crossing electric and acoustic elements with voices live and sampled – mixed with guest voices from others, in a swirlingly creative project that not only lives up to the current legacy of International Anthem and the Chicago scene, but also advances it a few notches too. Titles include "Breeze Of Time", "New Future", "Yes", "The Sun Returns", "Future City", "Las Ninas Estan Escuchando", "Support The Youth", "10 Mins Past The Hour", and "Polaris Radio". LP, Vinyl record album

The second smoking Live Oblivion set from Brian Auger and crew – twice as long, and maybe even twice as funky as the first! The tunes on here all really push the ten minute mark – stretching out the original Auger conception on studio sides, and featuring plenty of room for really wicked solo work on organ and electric piano! The live setting seems to inspire the group to even greater new heights – and there's an intensity here that makes for some really great moments. Titles include the wonderful break-heavy version of "Compared To What" – plus "Second Wind", "Maiden Voyage", "Straight Ahead", "Freedom Jazz Dance", and "Inner City Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". This fantastic 50th Anniversary version features new mastering by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, an essay by Hanif Abdurraqib, and a full record of bonus material that includes "What's Going On (stripped)", "What's Going On (rhythm & strings inst)", "What's Going On (mix 1 with no strings or horns)", "Symphony (demo version)", and original mono single mixes of "What's Going On", "God Is Love", "Mercy Mercy Me", "Sad Tomorrows", "Inner City Blues", and "Wholy Holy". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked funky fusion from Opa – a Brazilian-inspired set, and one with loads of great electric moments! Although originally from Uruguay, Opa are best known for their Brazilian-tinged albums on the soul/jazz Fantasy records label in Cali during the mid 70s – great placement, given that their sound is a bit like Azymuth – with a similar mix of South American roots and contemporary electric grooves! This album is actually their first – captured in America before their two classics on Fantasy – and featuring a sharp quartet that includes legendary pianist Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards – a great talent who'd already made jazz and bossa records in the 60s – working here with George Osvaldo Fattoruso on drums, percussion, and flute – plus Ringo Thielmann on bass. The core trio is also joined for this record by percussionist Pappo Atiles – and although there's some light vocal touches, they've got that breezy style that was often used in Brazilian jazz at the time – almost more instrumental than vocal. Titles include a great take on Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte" – plus "Back Home (The Inner City)", "Brother Rada", "African Bird", "Goldenwings", "Brooklynville", and "One & One & One Is Two". LP, Vinyl record album

An ultra-hip set of soul jazz from 70s Detroit – recorded back in the day by saxophonist Sam Sanders, but never issued at the time! The album's got this wonderfully warm, open sort of vibe – a quality that's kind of like an indie take on the CTI mode of the time, but much more relaxed – and nicely directed towards soul as well, given the vocals that grace some of the album's best moments! Some tunes are right on the money, with an undercurrent of funk – but other moments get a bit wilder and more righteous, in the style you'd expect from the legendary Strata Records imprint! Core instrumentation is by a combo that features Sanders on alto, plus lots of great keyboards, and guitar, baritone, and percussion. Vocals are by Jamil and Kenneth Harris – plus an unnamed female singer too – and titles include "Inner City Player", "Face At My Window", "Loser", "Funked Up", "Love's Gain", and "Summer Mist". LP, Vinyl record album

Funk from Belgium? Believe it or not, stranger things have happened – and we can promise that if you played these tracks back to back with more familiar grooves from other 70s sources, you'd quickly find that these Belgian grooves are right up there with the best of the bunch! The set's maybe a more sophisticated follow-up to the excellent Funky Chicken collection, which documented some grittier Belgian 70s material a few years back – and this one shows off a wickedly sharp batch of tunes that include funky fusion, sweet sound library numbers, and lots of really inventive cuts that are plenty funk, but often take some great chances too – in ways that almost make us think that the nation's scene was so small that musicians from different genres were often hanging out together, and breaking down lots of musical boundaries in the process! As with the other set, the presentation here is wonderful – not just fantastic music we'd never have discovered otherwise, but also very detailed notes and an overall punch that few other funky compilations can match. Titles on this second vinyl volume include "Guess We'd Better Break Up Now" by Etta Cameron, "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose" by Philip Catherine, "Riff For Peggy" by Roland Thyssen, "We Love The Policemen" by Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo, "Smoke Signal" by Indian Sound Of Blackfoot, "Inner City Blues" by Leslie Kent, "Chewing Gum Delirium" by Free Pop Electronic Concept, "Akkerwinde" by Lieven, "Concerto For Right Foot & Orchestra" by George Hayes & His Philarpopic Orchestra, "Punktowiec" by Skleroptak, and "Soul Melody" by R Dero. LP, Vinyl record album

A set that goes back to the old school – but the old school of the late 80s/early 90s, not the early days of the South Bronx – in a very cool collection of cuts that bring together hip hop, club, and a bit of mainstream soul – all from a time when musical styles were really percolating together! The track list speaks for itself, and features classics that include "Back To Life" by Soul II Soul, "Too Blind To See It" by Kym Sims, "Big Fun" by Inner City, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "People Everyday (metamorphosis mix)" by Arrested Development, "They Reminisce Over You" by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, "Hey Ya" by Outkast, "What U Waitin 4" by Jungle Brothers, "Soul Flower" by Brand New Heavies with Pharcyde, "Push It" by Salt N Pepa, "Can I Kick It" by Tribe Called Quest, "Apparently Nothin (soul river mix)" by Young Disciples, "Always There (David Morales mix)" by Incognito, "Groove Is In The Heart" by Deee-Lite, and "Feel So Good" by Mase. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session from indie soul legend Penny Goodwin – a previously unissued live performance from 1974, featuring small combo backing in a sweet and jazzy mode! Penny's got a voice that's instantly recognizable – a bit raspy, in the mode of Esther Phillips – but cooler and more sophisticated, with a Marlena Shaw-like hipness that really fits the tracks on the set. Most of the numbers are traditional jazz standards, swung by Penny and a small piano trio – in a mode that's a lot more intimate than, but equally soulful to, the fuller backings used on her classic Portrait Of A Gemini album. Titles include "What's Going On", "Inner City Blues", "Midnight Sun", "Little Girl Lost", "On A Clear Day", "Day Dreaming", and "Where Is The Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual set from the Twin Cities scene in the 70s – an obscure album from singer Ernie Story – who comes across with a lot of blue-eyed soul in his vocals, and works in this blend of dark-tinged acoustic elements and funk – maybe somewhere in the territory of more famous work by artists like Bill Withers or Rodriguez! At times, Story's music definitely has the moodier currents of the latter – an element that maybe kept him from getting wider circulation – but his vocals are fantastic, and there's this nice use of drumbeats that really punctuate the music with this slow-stepping vibe that really works with the vocals. Other instrumentation is nice and spare – which furthers the vibe of the record – and titles include "Tribute To Lady Jane", "Disco City", "Chain Gang", "Sinners Lament", "Lost Without You", and "Dreamers Holiday". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. LP, Vinyl record album

The final album from Carlos Toshiki and the Omega Tribe group – a late bit of city pop from a late incarnation of a Japanese pop act with roots that go back to the 70s! The vocals are nicely soulful, but never overdone – and the set features arrangements from Hiroshi Shinkawa that update the sound slightly, with instrumentation that's definitely on the better side of the late 80s spectrum. Lyrics and titles are in Japanese – but some translate as "Automation", Winner", "Our Way", "Baransu", "Natsu No Wana", and "Seeking Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album