Brilliant early work from a young Willie Colon – a true hustler if there ever was one! The album has an amazing energy that really bridges a number of Latin scenes – it's part descarga jamming, part Latin soul, and part traditional Latin – put together with a no-nonsense approach that makes the whole thing come off like magic. A young Hector LaVoe is on lead vocals, but the real star here is the group – who have a lean, mean, stripped-down sound that's really great! Includes the jammer "The Hustler", plus "Eso Se Baila Asi", "Havana", "Guajiron", "Montero", and "Que Lio". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic 70s salsa jammer from Willie Colon – working here with his one of his greatest vocalists – the young Ruben Blades, back before he'd crossed over to super-huge success! The album really marks a departure for Willie – moving past the bad boy style of earlier records, that kind of "tough guy in the hood" look – into a mode that was more open to other Latin scenes, and which marked an even greater rise to Latin stardom – really warm, open-handed, and a push forward with a new level of power and maturity. Titles include "Dime", "Plastico", "Buscando Guyaba", "Maria Lionza", "Ojos", and "Siembra". LP, Vinyl record album

Features material from the albums Jam Session Coast To Coast, Jammin At Condons, Bixieland, Condon's Treasury Of Jazz, Louis Armstrong & Eddie Condon At Newport, The Roaring Twenties, Midnight In Moscow, Chicago My Home Town, Dixieland Jam, and compilation tracks too! CD

Nice jam session work from Eddie Condon's own club – featuring Eddie on guitar, plus Wild Bill Davidson on cornet, Billy Butterfield on trumpet, Lou McGariity and Cutty Cutshall on trombone, Dick Cary on alto horn, Edmond Hall on clarinet, and Bud Freeman on tenor. LP, Vinyl record album

2 wicked Latin jazz jammers – both issued here for the first time on vinyl! Nicola Conte's beautiful groover "Nefertiti" may well be one of the best things he ever recorded – a midtempo Latinish number that builds on snapping drums, warm bass, and sweet wordless vocals – drifting into the mix right before the tune's core instrumentation of vibes, piano, and horns kick in! "Gica's Dance" is an equally well-done track – again with more great vibes and percussion – created by Gerardo Frisina in a style that's very similar to that of Conte's. Both tracks only ever appeared on the Freedom Jazz Dance CD – and make for a fantastic single back to back! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A spiritual jazz classic from Detroit – and one of the few records from this important Motor City group! The Contemporary Jazz Quintet were a groundbreaking ensemble that mixed together hardbop and modernist playing – sometimes with a keen ear for Miles Davis' experiments of the late 60s, but also with an underground Detroit flavor that's well in keeping with that city's rich traditions! The group was ostensibly led by pianist Kenny Cox – and it's his name that their two Blue Note albums were issued under – but on this rare third set from the Detroit-based Strata label, the group appears more as a larger collective with an even more freewheeling vibe – a lineup that includes Cox on piano, Charles Moore on trumpet, Leon Henderson on tenor, Ron Brooks on bass, Charles Eubanks on electric piano, and Ron English on guitar. Tracks are long, with a stretched-out pre-Bitches Brew sound – plus some freer avant jamming – and titles include "Noh Word", "Bang", "Tao", and "Nguzo Saba". CD

One of the loosest, most open albums from the early years of guitarist Larry Coryell – and a set that maybe has him pointing even more strongly forward in a jazz direction than some of his earlier, more rock-influenced work! The album's a live date, recorded at the Montreux jazz festival – and the group's just a trio, with the great Bernard Pretty Purdie on drums, and Chuck Rainey on bass – both players who can be funky when they want, but who are more relaxed and loose here – so that Larry himself can really stretch out and soar in the lead. The lack of any other instrumentation really brings a focus on Coryell's maturing skills on guitar – as he stretches out on long tracks, singing a bit, but mostly jamming, sometimes with a darker and noisier sound than we'd expect! Titles include "Souls Dirge", "Eskalemuir", and "Further Explorations For Albert Stinson". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the loosest, most open albums from the early years of guitarist Larry Coryell – and a set that maybe has him pointing even more strongly forward in a jazz direction than some of his earlier, more rock-influenced work! The album's a live date, recorded at the Montreux jazz festival – and the group's just a trio, with the great Bernard Pretty Purdie on drums, and Chuck Rainey on bass – both players who can be funky when they want, but who are more relaxed and loose here – so that Larry himself can really stretch out and soar in the lead. The lack of any other instrumentation really brings a focus on Coryell's maturing skills on guitar – as he stretches out on long tracks, singing a bit, but mostly jamming, sometimes with a darker and noisier sound than we'd expect! Titles include "Souls Dirge", "Eskalemuir", and "Further Explorations For Albert Stinson". LP, Vinyl record album

The seminal debut of The Cosmic Jokers – a Krautrock supergroup who really offer up a genre-setting standard with the work on the set! Each track takes up a full side of the record – spun out by the spacious electric talents of Manuel Gottsching, Dieter Dierks, Klaus Schulze, Harald Grosskopf, and Jurgen Dollase – often with a sound that's much leaner than you might expect, which is what makes the record so amazing! These guys are almost an antidote to the heavy jamming of the prog scene – as instead of sounding like a quintet really blowing the roof off the studio, they work this kind of alchemy with their instruments, slowly shifting sound and style in ways that are still as mindblowing now as they were back in 1973. The set features two long tracks – "Galactic Joke" and "Cosmic Joy". CD

Fantastic fusion from 70s Spain – a set that's maybe equal part jazz and rock – although very different than some of the more jamming prog of the time! Instead, these guys have a great sense of space – so that the guitar of Napi Carratala is used judiciously, and really gives way to these well-crafted solos on alto and tenor from Alain Fabrizio – a player who could easily fit into a more spiritual jazz-styled lineup, but who here adds just the right dose of soulfulness to a record that might have been a lot more cold without his performance! Other players include Pedro Barcelo on drums and Chiqui Navarret on bass – and titles include "Viaje A Prantia", "El Baron De Finestrat", "Tijal", "Cuando El Coco Se Viste De Gris", and "El Caminito Que No Mola". CD

Maybe the funkiest album ever cut for the legendary Westbound label in Detroit – and that's saying a lot, given that the company was the initial home to Funkadelic! Yet on this stunning full length set, The Counts maybe do that famous group one better – pushing aside their vocals for some incredible instrumental interplay that comes from bumping Hammond lines, wickedly sharp drums, and non-stop riffing guitars – all of which take center stage, while the vocals only seem to be part of the mix to urge the instruments onward! Tracks are long and jamming – ala the early Westbound work from George Clinton – and although The Counts recorded before and after the space of this album, this set is definitely the group's masterpiece. Titles include "What's Up Front That Counts", "Rhythm Changes", "Thinking Single", "Why Not Start All Over Again", "Bills", and "Pack Of Lies" – plus the bonus tracks "Shortsville", "I Know Why" and "Rhythm Changes Reprise". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the funkiest album ever cut for the legendary Westbound label in Detroit – and that's saying a lot, given that the company was the initial home to Funkadelic! Yet on this stunning full length set, The Counts maybe do that famous group one better – pushing aside their vocals for some incredible instrumental interplay that comes from bumping Hammond lines, wickedly sharp drums, and non-stop riffing guitars – all of which take center stage, while the vocals only seem to be part of the mix to urge the instruments onward! Tracks are long and jamming – ala the early Westbound work from George Clinton – and although The Counts recorded before and after the space of this album, this set is definitely the group's masterpiece. Titles include "What's Up Front That Counts", "Rhythm Changes", "Thinking Single", "Why Not Start All Over Again", "Bills", and "Pack Of Lies". CD features two bonus tracks – "Motor City" and "What's It All About". CD

Despite the title of the album, the group's a sharp-edged fusion combo – one that hails from late 70s Japan, and who works here in the best mainstream fusion mode of the time! The tunes are mostly jazz funk with a bit of polish – heavy on guitars from Kazuo Takeda, who also takes off on some pretty nice solos – and also featuring keyboards from Hisao Sakurai and tenor from Mitsuru Kanekuni. The record is never too jamming, nor too smooth – but one number does feature some unfortunate blues vocals from Takeda. Titles include "Spinning Toe Hold No 2", "No Problem", "Wild Cat", "Swamp Boy", and "Fou Fou Gun Gun". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Woodstock performance by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969 – brought together here as an official album for the first time ever! CCR were a very important part of that legendary rock festival, but didn't get placement on the original record in a way that lived up to their presence at the concert – a fact that's nicely corrected here, with a double-length album that brings together every song they played that night in 1969! The set features a very long jamming take on "Suzie Q" – plus "Green River", "Born On The Bayou", "Proud Mary", "Bad Moon Rising", "I Put A Spell On You", "Night Time Is The Right Time", "Keep On Chooglin", "Commotion", and "Bootleg". CD

Cropper meets up with the deep soul of Pops Staples and the southern blues of Albert King – for a heavy-duty session that's clearly aimed at the crossover scene. The tracks have a nice raw electric sound – produced with that back-to-basics approach that you sometimes didn't even find on older releases. Titles include "Tupelo", "Big Bird", "Homer's Theme", "Water", and "Trashy Dog". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Crusaders album – and one that's a perfect bridge between their earlier soul jazz styles, and their tighter funkier electric one. The record was recorded live at the Roxy, and the group is augmented by Larry Carlton on guitar, who gives the tracks a nice razor edge at his best moments. All songs are pretty long – and the band is in extremely good form, jamming away with lots of funky vamping, and breaking out with some very soulful solos. Titles include "Scratch", "Hard Times", "So Far Away", and "Way Back Home". LP, Vinyl record album

The group were certainly doing something right – as this album has Joe Cuba's sextet at the top of their game, easily showing why they were one of the best groups on the New York scene of the 60s! The album's a pivotal one in the development of Latin Soul – as it sports the incredible track "El Pito" – one of those Latin jammers that grabbed everyone right away, and which has barely ever been matched since! The album's also got some great use of English language lyrics – crucial to the unique crossover sound that Joe was forging, and a real bridge between Spanish and African American Harlem in the 60s. Titles include "My Wonderful You", "El Pito (I'll Never Go Back To Georgia)", "Pruebalo, OK?", "Bochinchosa", "Incomparable", and "Clave Mambo". LP, Vinyl record album

A soul jazz Latin classic – one that matches the searing tenor work of Eddie Lockjaw Davis with the hard-hitting conga of a young Ray Barretto! The core group of the set is a soul jazz one – with Lockjaw blowing over rhythm by Lloyd Mayers on piano, Larry Gales on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – plus a small added trumpet section on a few tracks. Ray comes into the mix with some really tight percussion on the bottom, aided by a few other players at times – kicking up the tunes and giving them a lot of fire – something that Davis seems to really respond to in his horn. Thanks should also be given to arranger Gil Lopez, who put together the overall sound of the set – and the album's a hard groover all the way through, filled with Latin jammers like "Wild Rice", "Jazz-a-Samba", "Guanco Lament", "Afro Jaws", and "Tin Tin Deo". CD

A soul jazz Latin classic – one that matches the searing tenor work of Eddie Lockjaw Davis with the hard-hitting conga of a young Ray Barretto! The core group of the set is a soul jazz one – with Lockjaw blowing over rhythm by Lloyd Mayers on piano, Larry Gales on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – plus a small added trumpet section on a few tracks. Ray comes into the mix with some really tight percussion on the bottom, aided by a few other players at times – kicking up the tunes and giving them a lot of fire – something that Davis seems to really respond to in his horn. Thanks should also be given to arranger Gil Lopez, who put together the overall sound of the set – and the album's a hard groover all the way through, filled with Latin jammers like "Wild Rice", "Jazz-a-Samba", "Guanco Lament", "Afro Jaws", and "Tin Tin Deo". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's virtually the blueprint for the sound of Hammond organ and tenor sax in soul jazz– the first of Eddie Lockjaw Davis' great run of cookbook albums for Prestige! The record features Lockjaw's gutsy tenor in a group alongside Jerome Richardson's lighter flute – both dancing wonderfully together over organ lines from a young Shirley Scott – playing here with a style that's a bit earthier and more bluesy than some of her later work. Rhythm is by George Duviver on bass and Arthur Edgehill on drums – and tracks include the classic 12 minute jammer "In The Kitchen", plus shorter tracks "Three Deuces", "The Chef", and "Have Horn, Will Blow". CD features bonus track "Avalon". CD

A record that's virtually the blueprint for the sound of Hammond organ and tenor sax in soul jazz– the first of Eddie Lockjaw Davis' great run of cookbook albums for Prestige! The record features Lockjaw's gutsy tenor in a group alongside Jerome Richardson's lighter flute – both dancing wonderfully together over organ lines from a young Shirley Scott – playing here with a style that's a bit earthier and more bluesy than some of her later work. Rhythm is by George Duviver on bass and Arthur Edgehill on drums – and tracks include the classic 12 minute jammer "In The Kitchen", plus shorter tracks "Three Deuces", "The Chef", and "Have Horn, Will Blow". LP, Vinyl record album

The decoy here might be in the rhythms, which are often electric, but still played live – handled by Robert Irving III on many tracks, with a cool 80s fusion sound that's mighty nice! The style of the album's a nice change from the Miles groove of the 70s – a bit leaner, with almost a Weather Report influence at times, but far less jamming – and still prone to the darker tones that always make Davis' music of these later years surprisingly good. Al Foster handles acoustic drums on some tracks, and other players include Bill Evans on soprano sax and Mino Cinelu on percussion – on titles that include "Decoy", "Robot 415", "Code MD", "Freaky Deaky", "What It Is", "That's Right", and "That's What Happened". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Italian crime soundtracks of all time – a totally groovy little record that's done in a style that's quite different than American crime scores of the time, but still completely wonderful! Most of the instrumentation here is relatively spare – almost a small combo funk approach to scoring for a cop film, but done with the penchant for isolated focus on a key instrument that makes Italian soundtracks so great. There's no full horns nor funky orchestrations – and in their place are stepping bass bits, lightly dancing keyboards, and plenty of guitar parts – some jamming, some nicely spacey with a really eerie feel! The sound is great – never as cheesy as other Italian work from the mid to late 70s – and there's a grittier feel here than you'd expect, one that really keeps things interesting. CD features note in English and Italian, and a total of 23 tracks that include "The Reason Of A Just War", "The Punitive Justice", "The Other Face", "Undercover Investigation", "Gangster Story", "Casa Di Muda", and "Chicca". CD

The heavy groove of Deep Purple continues – in a style that's a bit more song-focused and guitar-led than the group's debut – but still pretty darn great nonetheless! Some of the rumbling bass of before has been toned down a bit, but that leaves plenty of space for more jamming guitar work from Ritchie Blackmore – as well as more soaring Hammond lines, and vocals that almost hint at soulful influences from time to time. The record's got a slightly heartfelt quality that's almost a surprise – and titles include covers of "Kentucky Woman", "We Can Work It Out", and "River Deep Mountain High" – plus the originals "Wring That Neck", "Listen Learn Read On", and "The Shield". CD

The heavy groove of Deep Purple continues – in a style that's a bit more song-focused and guitar-led than the group's debut – but still pretty darn great nonetheless! Some of the rumbling bass of before has been toned down a bit, but that leaves plenty of space for more jamming guitar work from Ritchie Blackmore – as well as more soaring Hammond lines, and vocals that almost hint at soulful influences from time to time. The record's got a slightly heartfelt quality that's almost a surprise – and titles include covers of "Kentucky Woman", "We Can Work It Out", and "River Deep Mountain High" – plus the originals "Wring That Neck", "Listen Learn Read On", and "The Shield". LP, Vinyl record album

Their double-live classic from the 70s – with "Smoke On The Water", "The Mule", "Child In Time", "Strange Kind Of Woman", "Lazy", and the jamming "Space Truckin". LP, Vinyl record album

Messed-up funky jazz from an obscure early 70s UK group – and an album that really lives up to its trippy cover! The tracks are all long and stretched out – with lots of organ, sax, and spaced out drums – and the overall style is a mix of dub-heavy funk, Afro jazz, and a bit of jazz rock jamming! There's a bit of vocals on the album, but overall most of the set is instrumental – in a really right on and progressive style that we totally love. This is the kind of record that always got passed by in the 80s when everyone was looking for hard James Brown grooves, but which is very much in fashion now with the blunted funky crowd. Cuts include "Hymn To Mother Earth", "Another Country", "Disillusioned Man", and "Mercy (Variation No. 1)" – plus bonus tracks "Fuzz Oriental Blues", "I Put A Spell On You", and "Message To Mankind". CD

Smooth jazzy work from Deodato – a record that takes off from his electric keyboard work of the early 70s, and shows his growing interest in modern soul and R&B a the time! Deodato's still a few years way from some of his famous soul production work, but he's already got a great ear for a groove – and works in a style that's tight, but never too slick – the best Joe Sample or Crusaders territory, but even more groove oriented too. You can definitely hear Deodato's growing taste for modern soul here – especially on the seminal club jammer "Whistle Bump", which is a tight keyboard-driven groove, with some sweeping strings underneath wah wah guitar. The cut's the real standout on the album – although there's a few other nice moments, like "Space Dust" and "Lovely Lady", which has a great mellow Bob James-ish sound. LP, Vinyl record album

2 beautiful later albums from Deodato – back to back on one CD! Knights Of Fantasy is smoth and jazzy – done in an LA late 70s style that's kind of like work by Joe Sample or The Crusaders, but a bit more R&B oriented, and with a deeper soul style overall! You can definitely hear Deodato's growing taste for modern soul here – especially on the seminal club jammer "Whistle Bump", which is a tight keyboard-driven groove, with some sweeping strings underneath wah wah guitar. The cut's the real standout on the album – although there's a few other nice moments, like "Space Dust" and "Lovely Lady", which has a great mellow Bob James-ish sound. Night Cruiser is a key record in Deodato's move from funky jazz in the 70s to modern soul in the 80s – and one that showcases the best of his talents in both genres! The approach here is more tightly arranged and produced than that of his earlier CTI sides – but in a mode that's still plenty nice to our ears – as Deodato's uncanny sense of rhythm and timing is still very firmly in place, making the set way way more than just a smooth jazz album – and pushing it strongly into the realm of soulful spacey fusion! There's some really great tracks on the set – like the amazing "Skatin", a sweet keyboard number that's a perfect roller skating jam (in case you couldn't guess from the title) – plus "Love Magic", "Uncle Funk", "East Side Strut", and "Night Cruiser". 11 tracks in all! CD

A set that features DiMeola moving into some very dynamic territory – jamming out heavy on a mix of electric and acoustic guitars, with additional help from Paco DeLucia on acoustic at points. The instrumentation also features heavy electric piano from Jan Hammer, other keyboards from Barry Miles, bass from Anthony Jackson, and drums from Steve Gadd and Lenny White – all fusion powerhouse players who really take over the groove at times, but still leave enough room on the record for some gentler sounds from Paco and Al. Titles include "Elegant Gypsy Suite", "Flight Over Rio", "Midnight Tango", and "Race With Devil On Spanish Highway". CD

A set that features Al DiMeola moving into some very dynamic territory – jamming out heavy on a mix of electric and acoustic guitars, with additional help from Paco DeLucia on acoustic at points. The instrumentation also features heavy electric piano from Jan Hammer, other keyboards from Barry Miles, bass from Anthony Jackson, and drums from Steve Gadd and Lenny White – all fusion powerhouse players who really take over the groove at times, but still leave enough room on the record for some gentler sounds from Paco and Al. Titles include "Elegant Gypsy Suite", "Flight Over Rio", "Midnight Tango", and "Race With Devil On Spanish Highway". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

One of the coolest doo wop duos from the 50s – a pair of singers who arguably paved the way for countless male soul duets in the 60s, given their dynamic energy! Titles include "Jungle Hop", "Pink Champagne", "The Letter", "Mammer Jammer", "Koko Joe", and "Justine". CD

Quite an unusual Lou Donaldson album for Blue Note – much more open-ended than his other sets, with a really hard-jamming sort of sound! Unlike some of Donaldson's tighter dates of the time, which feature more bop-based, song-based shorter tunes – this one's more of a long-form blowing session, much more of the date you'd expect to hear from Prestige in the late 50s – and a bit like some of the work that Lou did on some of Jimmy Smith's all-star blowing dates from the same time. The group's a great one – a sextet with Donaldson on alto, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Sonny Clark on piano, Jamil Nasser on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – the last of whom is very much at home in the setting, and does a great job of directing the energy of the group. The album's only got four long tracks – and titles include "Sputnik", "Dewey Square", "Groovin High", and "Strollin In". CD

The Drawbars definitely work here with more than just one finger – and they deliver a really great groove, with a style that's a nice change from some of their contemporaries! Part of the trio's uniqueness lies in the vintage keyboards handled by Chris Haertel – who has a way of going for tones that are nicely less familiar, and sometimes delivered with a spacious approach that's a cool change from just jamming work on organ or piano! The rhythms are often equally laidback, yet still tight and funky – served up with bass from David Nesselhauf and drums from Julian Gutjahr – on titles that include "Art Form", "Shout", "Two Face", "Cat Call", "One Finger Only", "Let's Do It Again", "Skyline", and "One Twenty Five". CD

The Drawbars definitely work here with more than just one finger – and they deliver a really great groove, with a style that's a nice change from some of their contemporaries! Part of the trio's uniqueness lies in the vintage keyboards handled by Chris Haertel – who has a way of going for tones that are nicely less familiar, and sometimes delivered with a spacious approach that's a cool change from just jamming work on organ or piano! The rhythms are often equally laidback, yet still tight and funky – served up with bass from David Nesselhauf and drums from Julian Gutjahr – on titles that include "Art Form", "Shout", "Two Face", "Cat Call", "One Finger Only", "Let's Do It Again", "Skyline", and "One Twenty Five". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from start to finish – and easily one of the most compelling experimental sets from the 70s! Call it a "auralgraphic entertainment", or "an incredible mental experience" – both claims listed on the title – and you wouldn't even be getting half of the picture of this amazing set – because the music rolls out here in a really dreamy blend of folksy elements, found sounds, and electronics – on two long tracks that each run for a side apiece – but which have far more song-structure than you might expect! There's no jamming, but no sloppiness either – and instead, Bill Holt finds a way to bring together disparate sounds and ideas in this really dynamic way – but also with a subtlety that few other later works like this ever thought to try. The record has been legendary for decades – and for good reason, too – and if you're not in an altered state, it will definitely get you there – and if you are, you'd better hold onto your hat! LP, Vinyl record album

Julie Driscoll's come a long way from her years with Brian Auger here – stepping out in a freer sound that marks the shift in the British scene from beat group grooving to jazz-rock jamming. The session features a host of likely suspects from that hip side of the scene where avant jazz and rock merge – a lineup that includes Keith Tippett on piano, Elton Dean on saxes, Chris Spedding and Brian Godding on guitars, and Nick Evans on trombone – and Julie's vocal style is finely tuned to match the craft of the players on the set, with with fantastically deft twist and turns! She's a lot more open-ended in her singing, with less of the R&B inspired approaches of the late 60s, and more of the expansive vocalizations that were showing up in the work of other European vocalists of the 70s. Titles include "Leaving It All Behind", "Break-Out", "A New Awakening", "Walk Down", and "I Nearly Forgot – But I Went Back". CD

Julie Driscoll's come a long way from her years with Brian Auger here – stepping out in a freer sound that marks the shift in the British scene from beat group grooving to jazz-rock jamming. The session features a host of likely suspects from that hip side of the scene where avant jazz and rock merge – a lineup that includes Keith Tippett on piano, Elton Dean on saxes, Chris Spedding and Brian Godding on guitars, and Nick Evans on trombone – and Julie's vocal style is finely tuned to match the craft of the players on the set, with with fantastically deft twist and turns! She's a lot more open-ended in her singing, with less of the R&B inspired approaches of the late 60s, and more of the expansive vocalizations that were showing up in the work of other European vocalists of the 70s. Titles include "Leaving It All Behind", "Break-Out", "A New Awakening", "Walk Down", and "I Nearly Forgot – But I Went Back". CD

Killer keyboards from the legendary George Duke – and one of his most righteous albums for the MPS label! The album's a spectacular set that showcases both sides of Duke's genius at the time – his spacey, soulful approach to a laidback tune – and his more jamming styles on the harder cuts! Instrumentation is somewhat spare – just keyboards and piano from George, who also sings a bit – plus Ndugu Chancler on drums and John Heard on bass – both playing with a freely creative energy that's definitely motivated by Duke. There's a beautiful mix of electricity and acoustic warmth on the set – never too forced, and clearly an inspiration for countless players in years to come – maybe even more so than Herbie Hancock's work of the time. Drums are great too – and snap tightly for plenty of nice breaks on the set – which are in turn augmented by mellower keys from Duke, who also sings with a sweetly electric soul style. Titles include "Capricorn", "The Opening", "Psychosomatic Dung", "North Beach", "Faces In Reflection", "Maria Tres Filhos", and "Da Somba". LP, Vinyl record album

George Duke at the end of the century – still going strong with the wonderful mix of jazz, funk, and soul that he pioneered in the 70s – a style that really grows and shifts in mighty nice way over the course of the material in the set! Duke moved from Epic to Elektra and Warner during the time of these tracks – and while some of the material has George picking up more 80s-styled keyboard elements and rhythms, the set also progresses towards other material that's maybe even more back to basics in a jazz sort of way – first electric, then more acoustic – but with some nice variations that show that Duke, one of the real pioneers, was still doing a lot more with soulful jazz than most of his contemporaries! You'll definitely find a few vocal cuts here – George always had a great ear for a singer – and throughout, the man's skills on the keyboard continue to be strong – especially tilted towards that nice sense of space that Duke picked up after his jamming years in the mid 70s. As with other titles on the Soulmusic label, the choice of cuts is great – really focusing on the kind of special album tracks that show a deeper side of the artist than the singles – with a total of 45 tracks that include "Mystery Eyes", "Say Hello", "The Touch", "From Dusk To Dawn", "It's Our World", "So I'll Pretend", "Montreux Nights", "Love Can Be So Cold", "No Rhyme No Reason", "6 O'Clock", "Fame", "560 SL", "Rise Up", "Guilty", "I Surrender", "Thief In The Night", "The Times We've Known", "All About You", "If You Will", "She's Amazing", "Thinin About You", "Fill The Need", and "Never Be Another". CD

A real breakthrough album for George Duke – one of his earliest for the Epic label, and an album that took him from the space funk underground to the top of the jazz charts! The album's got a great sound that mixes together all of Duke's influences – Latin rhythms, electric keyboard funk, and some of the freer jamming styles he picked up in the Bay Area scene – and he's joined here by strong crossover fusion players like Ndugu Chancler, Raul De Souza, and Stanley Clarke, all of whom help him forge a groove that's nice and tight. Includes the hit title track "Reach For It", plus the cuts "The End", "Diamonds", "Watch Out Baby", "Lemme At It", "Just For You", "Omi", and "Searchin My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic first chapter from this legendary funk group – material recorded during their early years on the Phoenix scene, at a time when Dyke & The Blazers must have been the hottest act going down in Arizona! The group here begin with their Funky Broadway roots – taking on that track in their classic version, turning out some great original material of their own, and also jamming nice and long on some tracks here that really show that the group had a lot more energy than just the usual funky 45 combo – maybe more of the intensity of the James Brown Band! Dyke is great in the lead, but the overall sound is wonderful – and titles include "Funky Broadway (parts 1 & 2)", "Triple Funk", "Extra Funk", "Uhh (full length)", "City Dump", "She Knows It", "Tramp (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky Broadway Time (parts 1 & 2)", and previously unissued tracks "Why Am I Treated So Funky Bad (orig mix)", "Extra Funk (alt)", "So Sharp (alt)", "Call My Name", and "Broadway Combination (alt)". LP, Vinyl record album

Sheila E's Prince-influenced hit, with a Part II on the flip that basically finds the band jamming on the groove for a bit longer. . . 12-inch, Vinyl record

The third album recorded by British jazz rockers Egg – a set done only after the group had reformed for Virgin Records, and easily their most complicated work to date! By the time of this recording, the members of the core trio – especially keyboardist Dave Stewart – had really honed their skills, and were able to work in a range of jamming, jazzy modes. Much of the focus here is on the instrumentation – especially Stewart's work on organ – and the session adds in extra oboe, bassoon, clarinet, and "germophone" – plus a trio of voices on one number. The sound is progressive without being overindulgent – and titles include "Germ Patrol", "Pielude", "Wind Quartet 1", "Wring Out The Ground Loosely Won", and "Enneagram". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album recorded by underground Chicago tenor wailer Cozy Eggleston – recorded nearly 15 years after his first one, the massive Grand Slam, and with a similar approach, but one that's been softened by the styles of the times. The great Karl Johnson is still on organ, but he also plays a bit of synthesizer, which comes off sounding pretty tinny at times – and like the first album, this one's filled with short tracks that are jamming soul jazz numbers with a good groove. Titles include "Wham", "Joker's Wild", "Sweet Merri Dee", "Moon Ray", and "New Grand Slam". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy-duty funky fusion – an all-star group that featured Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Mike Mandel on keyboards, and Larry Coryell on guitar. The tracks all have that heavy electric full-on fusion sound that you'd find in a rock-inspired hard-jamming group like this – which means that there's more than a bit of funk on the record, compressed into lots of guitar and keyboard riffs. Titles include "Joy Ride", "Adam Smasher", "Low Lee Tah", "Yin", "Right On Y'All", and "Ism-Ejercico". LP, Vinyl record album

Early prog jazz genius from the mighty Embryo – and an album that perfectly fuses their love of world rhythms and electric jamming grooves – at a level that made them one of the coolest groups on the European scene at the time! Core work here is by a trio – and the percussion by Edgar Hofmann ranges from playful to hypnotic – with heavy drums and basslines crafting some incredible rhythms that spin out strongly – sometimes jamming, sometimes a bit looser – and often topped with great work on flute by Hansi Fischer, and this ultra-cool Leslie piano played by Christian Burchard – which has a nice fuzzy sound. The album's got lots of other sweet organ and mellotron lines – and Hofmann also plays soprano sax and violin as well – on titles that include "Tausendfussler", "Time", "Revenge", "Espagna Si Franco Finished", "Try To Be", and "Change". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare bit of funky fusion – with some really great guitars and keyboards! The original album is quite rare – recorded in Switzerland, and only issued in a handful of copies back in the mid 70s – but the groove here is tight enough to rival that of bigger fusion heavyweights on MPS and some of the other European labels – with a depth in quality that really makes the record worth rediscovering all these many years later! The keyboards are especially great – electric piano and other bits, played with a style that's nicely frenetic, but never in a way that's too rock-jamming – thanks to the strong sense of space the rhythm section brings to their grooves. Titles include versions of "Vera Cruz" and "Too High" – plus originals "Very Lights", "Rocking Bird", "Rainmaker", "Dr Bonnie Mr Clyde", "Leave Me Alone", and "Gargantua". CD

Poland's Ergo Band are a tight combo with a great ear for a groove – sometimes funky in sort of an Average White Band way, sometimes a bit harder jamming, like some of their Eastern Bloc contemporaries! And here, they're joined by singer Grzyna Lobaszewska – who sings on a good number of tracks on the set, in a way that really helps the band find their focus – keeping things in more of a rhythmic mode when Grzyna's singing, so that there's some surprising elements of soul in the music – even though the lyrics themselves are in Polish! The AWB comparison is definitely a good one for the way the group blend great drums, riffing guitar, and horns – and titles include "15 Minut Spozienia", "Nocny Spacer", "A Wiec", "Dzien Jak Blues", "Gdybys", and "Piesn Dla Ciebie". CD features an unreleased live take on the Quincy Jones tune "Boogie Joe The Grinder". CD

Extremely heady work from the French scene of the early 70s – and hardly the Latin Rock album you might guess from the title! Ergo Sum have a sound that's as contemplative as their name – a slow-building, almost brooding blend of jamming, jazzy work on flute, Fender Rhodes, organ, guitar, violin, bass, and drums – all topped by the distinctive vocals of Lionel Ledissez, who's got a raspy, rough-edged appeal that almost sounds like Cat Stevens gone to seed! The lyrics are all in English, which adds to the appeal of the record – and the flute and keyboard parts are handled by Jean Guerin. Titles include "Night Road", "John's Nightmare", "Faces", "Second Rebirth", and "Albdion Impressions". As with all Lion reissues, the production is wonderful – lots of notes and photos on the music, plus bonus tracks that include "Mexico (inst)", "It's Me", "Tijuana", and "All's So Comic". CD

Killer early work by the Fania All Stars – caught live at the legendary Cheetah club, which was the heart of the New York salsa scene at the start of the 70s! The album is easily one of the best by the group – and features long tracks that really capture the jamming intensity that occurred on stage when this many great artists were brought together in one space – kind of the "next step" for the older descarga mode put forth at the start of the 60s, pushed forward into the prouder, more unified Latin scene of the 70s! All Stars on this date include Ray Barretto, Larry Harlow, Bobby Valentin, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, and others – and titles on this first volume include "Quitate Tu", "Descarga Fania", and "Anaconda". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer early work by the Fania All Stars – caught live at the legendary Cheetah club, which was the heart of the New York salsa scene at the start of the 70s! The album is easily one of the best by the group – and features long tracks that really capture the jamming intensity that occurred on stage when this many great artists were brought together in one space – kind of the "next step" for the older descarga mode put fort at the start of the 60s, pushed forward into the prouder, more unified Latin scene of the 70s! All Stars on this date include Ray Barretto, Larry Harlow, Bobby Valentin, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, and others – and titles on this second volume include "Ponte Duro", "Estrellas De Fania", and "Ahora Vengo Yo". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer early work by the Fania All Stars – caught live at the legendary Cheetah club, which was the heart of the New York salsa scene at the start of the 70s! The album is easily one of the best by the group – and features long tracks that really capture the jamming intensity that occurred on stage when this many great artists were brought together in one space – kind of the "next step" for the older descarga mode put fort at the start of the 60s, pushed forward into the prouder, more unified Latin scene of the 70s! All Stars on this date include Ray Barretto, Larry Harlow, Bobby Valentin, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, and others – and titles on this second volume include "Ponte Duro", "Estrellas De Fania", and "Ahora Vengo Yo". 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 key transitional record from Fatback – one that sits nicely between their earlier funk and later club years! The record clearly knows this aspect about itself – as side one is titled "Vintage – House Party", and features more longer-jamming takes on the grooves that group was beginning during their Event years – a tightening up of the rougher initial Fatback groove, with plenty of bass driving the bottom of the tracks and lots more guitar work over the top. Side two shifts the focus to the "Tasty – Disco Party" mode – a style that's not that different from the first, but which has some smoother touches overall. Great Fatback all around, and titles include "Funk Backin", "Master Booty", "The Man With The Band", "Mile High", "I Gotta Thing For You", "Midnight Freak", and "Zodiac Man". CD

On the floor and on the couch with Fatback – a record that's split into a "hot funk" side and a "mellow madness" one! The hot funk set continues the bass-heavy grooves that Fatback were famous for at the time – long jammers that take a 70s funk aesthetic into 80s boogie mode – but always with a sense of care and class that surpasses most of the group's contemporaries! The mellow madness side is almost even better – as it features some warmly glowing numbers that are often gentler overall, but which still have a nice little midtempo kick – showing an evolution of the Fatback style into some great territory that really keeps them fresh in the 80s! Funk titles include "On The Floor", "UFO", and "Burn Baby Burn" – and mellow madness titles include "She's My Shining Star", "Hip So Slick", and "Do It To Me Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Yum Yum indeed – because the groove on here is pretty darn tasty! Fatback are definitely shaking off the rougher edges of their funkiest years on this set, but the sound is still plenty great – a jamming dancefloor groove that's still filled with plenty of tight live instrumentation, all in a mode that's a lot more harder-hitting than most of the groups of the disco years! There's a bit more horns than before – showing a bit of a BT Express influence, it seems – but the rhythms are very firmly at the core, and have plenty of those rumbling basslines that first put the Fatback name on the map. Drums get nice and tight on some tracks too – making for some nicely breaking tracks on the record, almost in a street funk mode – and titles include "Put The Funk On You", "Let The Drums Speak", "Feed Me Your Love", "Trompin", "Boogie With Fatback", and "Gotta Learn How To Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

A deep dive into the genius of Faust – material recorded by the groundbreaking experimental collective at their home base during the early 70s, none of issued at the time! The work here stands as a seminal addendum to the too-small catalog of the group's material from these days – and the sounds within really show Faust at their most creative – moving through the kind of sonic territory that you'd know from their records, but presented here as if you've discovered an album that you somehow passed by! Some tracks are spare and moody, others driving and jamming – and throughout the material, Faust show that really unique ear for mixing live instrumentation and studio experimentation – all at a level that was very much their own, even in the heady company of the Krautrock generation. The material was originally part of the expensive Faust box set, but is presented here as a standalone release – and titles on volume two include "Danach", "Lampe An Tur Zu Leutte Rein", "Wir Wollen Mehr Volumen Kriegen", "Arrampicarsi Sul Vesuvio", "As Tu Vu Mon Ombre", "Ma Trompette", and "Dampf". CD

A killer album of soul jazz piano instrumentals – produced by James Brown! The Dee Felice Trio were a groovy combo from Cincinnati, and James Brown took a shine to them at some point in the late 60s. They backed James on one record, but their big moment was this album – which had James producing, and the group grooving nicely on some hard piano jammers! The sound's a lot more stripped-down than usual for James, but the groove is very nice! Includes an excellent funky version of "There Was A Time", a great cover of Marcos Valle's "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", and the tracks "Summer In The City", "In Heat", "Both Sides Now", and "Never". Features 3 bonus tracks too – "Nightingale", "Little Liza Jane", and "There Was A Time (single version)". CD

Funky funky Maynard – and a sweet set of electric big band jazz that's got plenty of nice moments! The album features a core rhythm group that really goes to town – jamming in sort of a Clarke-Boland sort of way, with lots of propulsive changes that create a full-on and often funky groove – as Maynard and other horns blow like mad over the top, sending the album into screaming, soaring grooves that almost never let up. The record was Maynard's first US effort in a long time – and was produced by Teo Macero with a very electric-conscious sound that further enforced the hipness of the music! Titles include "Pochahontas", "Awright Awright", "Nice N Juicy", "SOMF", and "Mother Fingers". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard jamming European prog fusion – almost in the mode of Focus, but without any vocals or yodelling! The record has less of the choppy riffing that might make it funky – and it's more over the top virtuoso type stuff, in the mode of early Genesis, Yes, or ELP. Titles include "Pisces", "Bridge To Alice", and "Register Magister". LP, Vinyl record album

An instant classic from Five Corners Quintet – acoustic jazz played with a dancefloor groove, and the perfect summation of a brilliant run of initial singles! The FCQ return jazz to its grooviest roots – played live, without processing or electronics, and able to hit a snapping groove that takes us back to the days when Blue Note and Prestige got plenty of play on the radio and jukebox! Most tracks roll along in a modal or waltzing mode that shares a lot with the best Nicola Conte projects of recent years – but the group have also got a real feel for their own tonal colors, effortlessly shading in each space and corner of the tunes with a sublime blend of ringing vibes, dancing piano, and beautifully-toned horn passages. Mark Murphy guests on vocals on the tracks "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Before We Say Goodbye", and "Jamming" – and Okou sings on "Blue Cycles" and "Case Study" – leaving the remaining instrumentals "Trading Eights", "Interlope", "Straight Up", "Three Corners", "Lighthouse", and "Unsquare Bossa". US CD features the bonus tracks "Taxi Driver". CD

Jazzy keyboards from the great Rob Franken – maybe one of the hippest cats on the Dutch scene of the 70s when it came to the Fender Rhodes! Rob's a master of the instrument here – playing it jazzily, but also with this open flow that's really wonderful – and which really makes the best use of the instrument's potential, and doesn't drown it in too much jamming, which could sometimes be the case with other European musicians who handled the instrument! Instead, Franken lets the space between the notes do as much as the notes themselves – which really keeps things soulful throughout – as he works with musicians who include Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, Jiggs Whigham on trombone, Joop Scholten on guitar, Jan Huydts on keyboards – plus the great team of John Lee and Gerry Brown on rhythm on one cut – a fantastic remake of their "Her Celestial Body", which they did on one of their 70s albums for Blue Note. Titles include "Por Hermeto", "How'd You Do It Stanley", "Images", "November", "Up The Street Round the Corner Down The Block", "Afro Blue", and "Colours". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing package of rare work on Fender Rhodes – a 3CD set that brings together six full albums that were recorded in the 70s, but never saw the light of day until vinyl issued in recent years! Pianist Rob Franken is totally great – maybe one of the hippest cats on the Dutch scene of the 70s when it came to the Fender Rhodes! Rob's a master of the instrument here – playing it jazzily, but also with this open flow that's really wonderful – and which really makes the best use of the instrument's potential, and doesn't drown it in too much jamming, which could sometimes be the case with other European musicians who handled the instrument! Instead, Franken lets the space between the notes do as much as the notes themselves – which really keeps things soulful throughout – and although most of the cuts feature an augmented trio, sometimes with added percussion or keyboards – a few of the tracks feature Ferdinand Povel on flute and tenor, and Jiggs Whigham on trombone. But even without the horns, the keys are more than enough – as they step out and soar on a whopping 70 tracks in all – including a few bonus tracks too! CD

The second great album from organist Ceasar Frazier – a tightly grooving set that expands his sound a bit from the first! All the best elements are still in place here – including funky organ from Ceasar, production from jazz funk maestro Bob Porter, and a hip range of players that includes Horace Ott, Wilbur Bascomb, and Bernard Purdie. But the overall sound is somewhat shifted too – brought more into the tightly jamming jazz funk mode of the mid 70s – a bit richer and fuller overall, yet never in a way that's slick or sloppy – just more like some of the best later sides on Prestige or Fantasy from the same stretch. The record features a crazy version of the "Mighty Mouse Theme", a mellow take on the Isley's "Summer Breeze", Stevie Wonder's great "Living For The City", and the original "Funk It Down". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few rock albums on the BYG/Actuel label – and a nice one at that! The group's an early spinoff from the very first lineup of Procol Harum, but by the time this album was recorded the only thing the groups shared was drummer Bobby Harrison. The sound is stripped down blues rock with a touch of mild, poppy psychedelia – replete with plenty of guitar and organ. The sound is just raw enough to rock, but the tunes are more concise than jamming, though there's no shortage of riffery to wag your hair too, should that be your style. Includes "Time Of The Season", "Hoo Doo Man", "Enchanted Wood", "Fly", "Dusty Track", and "My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

One hit wonders – but oh what a hit! Friend & Lover's "Reach Out Of The Darkness" is a really unique little tune that brings together folksy vocals and funky rhythms – a solid jammer that brushed off the cobwebs of the aging folk scene of the 60s, and sprung into the charts with a trippy groove that still sounds great today! The rest of the record has a really similar feel – much heavier bass and drums than the usual folk outing, creating a sound that's nicely funky on some of the best numbers, and always groovy on all the others. Vocals are by "Friend" Jim Post and "Lover" Cathy Conn – harmonizing together nicely – and titles include "Reach Out Of The Darkness", "Saturday's Hero", "Zig Zag", "Boston Is A Lovely Town", "I'm A Woman I'm A Man", "Ode To A Dandelion", and "If Love Is In Your Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare spiritual jazz session from the Full Moon Ensemble – a very groovy French group headed up by drummer Claude Delcloo – who was better known for his avant jazz work on sides for the BYG/Actuel series of albums! This time around, Delcloo is working in much trippier territory – a style that still shows some of the freedoms of the post-68 generation of French jazz, but which also takes on some strong spiritual tones too – mixing spoken passages with rich organic sounds on percussion – and these bold, snaking lines on Fender Rhodes and guitar that really help hold the whole thing together! The record works as one long suite on side one, and continues that groove on side two – and although the band's jamming great in the studio, there's still a sense of structure and purpose that really drives the music. In addition to Delcloo on drums, the group also features Jeff Sicard on alto and tenor, Gerard Coppere on tenor and soprano sax, Mratine Tourreil on Rhodes, and Joseph Dejean on guitar – and the vocals bits are by the enigmatic "Sarah". Titles include the side a suite "Tribute To Bob Kaufman" – plus "101 W 85th Street" and "King Kong". LP, Vinyl record album

An insane classic from one of the wildest funk bands ever! According to reports, George Clinton and the band cut this set in a marathon 48-hour stretch in the studio – working like mad all night and day long, after dropping a motherlode of some mighty fine acid! We don't know if that story's entirely true, but the music on the album certainly backs it up – as it's some of the band's freest, most open-ended, most heavy-jamming work ever recorded! Guitars dominate over funky bass and drums – and the whole thing's an amazing blend of music, swirled together into a non-stop psychedelic party that includes P-Funk gems like "Funky Dollar Bill", "Free Your Mind", "Eulogy and Light", and "I Wanna Know If It's Good To You". CD

An insane classic from one of the wildest funk bands ever! According to reports, George Clinton and the band cut this set in a marathon 48-hour stretch in the studio – working like mad all night and day long, after dropping a motherlode of some mighty fine acid! We don't know if that story's entirely true, but the music on the album certainly backs it up – as it's some of the band's freest, most open-ended, most heavy-jamming work ever recorded! Guitars dominate over funky bass and drums – and the whole thing's an amazing blend of music, swirled together into a non-stop psychedelic party that includes P-Funk gems like "Funky Dollar Bill", "Free Your Mind", "Eulogy and Light", and "I Wanna Know If It's Good To You". LP, Vinyl record album

Raw funk from 70s Singapore – but a bunch of cats who really get their sound right! The album's got a surprisingly sharp edge – thanks to raspy guitars that work perfectly with the group's English language vocals – themselves sung with a nice sort of sharpness that makes the whole thing feel a bit more sinister and urgent than most of the US funk that clearly inspires these guys! Some of the guitar interplay is especially nice on more jamming tracks – never overdone, but more than you'd expect on an album with such strong rhythmic impulses. Titles include "Man With A Gun", "Once Upon A Time", "Memphis Soul Stew", "Everyday People", "I'll Take You There", and "Spill The Wine". LP, Vinyl record album

Deep deep sounds from this hip Japanese drummer – a set that features a fusion-styled mix of keyboards and sax, but one that comes across with a gentle feel that's light years from conventional fusion! The balance is perfect throughout – kind of a spacey, soulful vibe – stretching out beautifully, yet never getting overindulgent – no jamming modes at all, and really a great ear for the space between the notes that keeps the whole thing on a open-handed level. One track goes slightly out, but in a way that balances the others nicely – and players include Tomoki Takahasi on tenor and soprano sax and Toshiyuki Daitoku on keyboards. Titles include "June Rain", "Burning Cloud", "Moki", "Racco", and "Cum Cum". LP, Vinyl record album

During the late 30s and early 40s, the team of Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart cut some of the grooviest little records ever pressed on shellac! Slim had a crazy vocal style that was augmented by his tight guitar work – and Slam kept the whole thing rolling with a big warm bass, and with occasional comments directed in Slim's direction! The style of the music is part early R&B, part jazz vocal, and all hipster jiving and jamming! Slim had an influence on an entire century of hipsters – and this CD is the only one we've ever seen that does a good job of bringing together his early early work with good sound and notes on the material. The set includes 20 cuts in all, including a few unreleased ones – and titles include "Flat Foot Floogie", "Chicken Rhythm", "Matzoh Balls", "Bongo", "Dopey Joe", "A Tip On The Numbers", "Groove Juice Special", "African Jive", and "Ti Pi Tin". CD

One of the greatest albums ever recorded by pianist Hal Galper – and that's saying a lot, given his huge legacy of records! This set has Hal working in a strongly electric mode – using an electric piano with the same sort of spacious qualities he could bring to acoustic – never jamming as hard as some of his more dynamic 70s contemporaries, but in a really great way that creates a special energy on the record – not just for Galper, but also for the groupmates, who really seem to bring out their best. The lineup includes Randy Brecker on trumpet and Michael Brecker on tenor and soprano sax – both playing in the darker edges of their sound – and the record also features guitar, bass, and drums. Some moments are funky, but the real stand out tracks have an even more special electric vibe – and titles include "This Moment", "Whatever", "Wild Bird", and "Change Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The Gap Band are definitely Jammin on this sweet little set from the early 80s – hitting that fierce funk mode they do so well, with lots of snapping lines at the bottom of the rhythms! The style is trademark Gap all the way through – a percolated approach to funk that's tight, but never too slick – in a groove that's different than some of their other mainstream counterparts at the time – hard to describe accurately, but almost with a touch of jazz in the mix! Charlie Wilson handles most of the lead vocals, with support from brothers Robert and Ronnie – and Ronnie produced most of the set. Titles include "Where Are We Going", "Shake A Leg", "Jam The Motha", "Someday", "You're Something Special", "I'm Ready", "You're My Everything", "Smile", and "Jammin In America". CD also features the bonus track "Party Train (special dance mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Three groundbreaking albums from reedman Jan Garbarek – packaged in a single set! First up is Sart – a great example of the way that ECM helped to bring the voice of the Scandinavian jazz underground to the world at large – as the album's a key showcase for the talents of budding young modernists Jan Garbarek, Bobo Stenson, Terje Rypdal, and Arild Andersen! The record's got a really unusual quality that's quite different from the more jamming fusion or freer jazz of the mid European scene – a sense that plays with space between the notes as much as it does the sounds of the individual instruments, and which seems perfectly cast for the newer style of jazz recording pioneered by ECM. Garbarek plays tenor, bass, and flute on the record; Stenson is on electric and acoustic piano; Rypdal on guitar, Andersen on acoustic (but amplified?) bass, and Jon Christensen is on drums. Titles include "IRR", "Song Of Space", "Close Enough For Jazz", "Sart", and "Fountain Of Tears". Witchi Tai To is warm and wonderful sounds from Garbarek – and a record that brings together so many strands at once! There's of course the obvious atmospherics you might expect from a 70s set on ECM – but there's also some sharply modern moments too – that harder sound that the label was endorsing while helping to shape the world of European jazz on both sides of the fence. And there's even some surprisingly soulful moments, too – not just from Jan's work on tenor and soprano sax, but also from the piano of Bobo Stenson – which rings out wonderfully amidst subtle bass from Palle Danielsson and drums from Jon Christensen. Titles include a great version of Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", plus "Hasta Siempre", "AIR", and "Desireless". Dansere is one of the highlights of saxophonist Jan Garbarek at ECM – and a set that has him working with the well-matched lineup of Bobo Stenson on piano, Palle Danielsson on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums! The shape of the songs is a bit looser than before, but Garbarek and Stenson turn out to be perfect in the setting – opening up, stretching out, and breaking down convention – yet also never losing themselves in self-indulgence either. Titles include "Dansere", "Lokk", "Fris", "Til Vennene", and "Skrik & Hyl". CD

The amazing first album from Gentle Giant – a crucially overlooked group from the key years of the UK jazz-rock scene! The album definitely comes at things from a rock perspective, but there's a hell of a lot of fusion in the mix too – especially in the guitar and keyboard parts, which jump around with these sharp edges that rival some of the more jazz-based fusion from the European scene of the 70s – played to perfection, even amidst some of the record's higher-concept lyrics – which themselves kind of fall into a King Crimson camp. In fact, the mix of lyricism and all-out jamming makes the record a good comparison to the Crimson camp of the time – yet for some reason, these guys have never gotten as much cred over the years as that group. Titles include "Nothing At All", "Isn't It Quiet & Cold", "Why Not", "Giant", and "Funny Ways". CD