Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a very classic look on the cover – and an equally classic sound to match – one that takes us back to some of the hippest, coolest work by early 60s singers like Sam Cooke or Marvin Gaye! Both artists are a good comparison here, as Leon Bridges is unabashedly in the same territory – cool, classy, yet undeniably soulful – at this level that never has to overstate itself, or try too hard to reach for facile funky parts, or any kind of party-moving sort of vibe. Leon's vocals are wonderful – clearly born to sing music this great – and the backings are a nice change from the usual retro soul modes, and instead have this deep soul vibe that's perfectly captured in a Texas small studio setting. Titles include "Better Man", "Brown Skin Girl", "Lisa Sawyer", "Pull Away", "Flower", and "Twistin & Groovin". CD

Beautiful early work from British singer Vashti Bunyan – an important figure in the acid folk scene at the end of the 60s, heard here on some really wonderful work from a few years before! Some of the tracks have a really trippy style, and others are a bit more like conventional Brit girl pop of the time – but given a very weird twist overall, with a sound that's quite hard to describe! Vashti's vocals have these really dark qualities overall – and even when the backings are fuller (which often they are not), there's a sad, earthy feel to her singing. But equally great is her guitar work – heard with more prominence on most of the album's previously-unissued tracks from mid 60s tapes. Bunyan plays with these warm harmonics that kind of nestle and bristle underneath her vocals – pushing the tunes up with a sense of brightness in contrast to the voice – almost in a Nick Drake sort of way (and trust us, we don't throw around comparisons to his music easily!) The package is a wonderful look at these almost-lost years of Vashti's career – and it features both sides of her Decca and Columbia singles, an unreleased Immediate single, and a lot more tracks pulled from rare tapes from 1964, 1966, and 1967! Set features 25 tracks that include "Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind", "Train Song", "Love Song", "Winter Is Blue", "Leave Me", "How Do I Know", "Go Before Dawn", "Girl's Song In Winter", "Don't Believe", "17 Pink Sugar Elephants", "Someday", and "I Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful vocal work from Guy Cabay – put together with a strong touch of jazz, a bit of bossa, and a swirling vibe that's mighty nice! Guy's got a breathy style of singing that works perfect with the backings – and its bits of guitar, organ, and other elements – often used as gently as Cabay's vocals, but in a style that's warm and sophisticated – like some of the hippest material on Saravah Records in the 70s, particularly work by Pierre Barouh! These tunes also often have a breezy rhythm that borrows from bossa nova, and which really suits the style of Guy's vocals – on titles that include "Julia Deus", "Pove Tiesse", "Tot Reguede", "Camamele Et Cataplame", "A M'Vwezene", "Li Robaleu", "Pax Pollinibus Bonae Voluntatis", and "Li Sabat D'Sinte Mere L'Oto". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful bass work from 50s LA player Red Callender – heard here on this classic side recorded for the Modern imprint. Swingin Suite is easily one of Red's tightest sessions – a date that has Callender's basslines strongly leading a nonet of players that includes Harry Jones on trumpet, John Ewing on trombone, Willie Green on alto sax, and Buddy Collette on flute and tenor. Collette's lines have a nice sharp edge throughout, and soar out beautifully amidst the bigger backings – and although a "suite", the whole session's got a much more relaxed feel than that compositional title might make you think. Tracks include "On Again", "Greenery", "Pastel", "Dancers", "October Blue", "Bihari", "Skyline", and "Outlines". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the funkiest vocal numbers ever sung by Johnny Adams – and one that owes a lot to the super-funky backings of the Huck Daniels Co – who somehow manage to combine the tightness of the James Brown Band of the late 60s with the more sophisticated instrumention of the JBs in the early 70s! 7-inch, Vinyl record

An unusual session from the heart of Lou Donaldson's return to Blue Note in the late 60s – a mellower date that stands in strong contrast to his funkier albums of the time! As you might guess from the title, there's a lusher feel going on here – one that has Lou's alto sax augmented by larger backings from Duke Pearson – who manages to score things perfectly with a balance of soul and sophistication. The album's hardly a "Donaldson with strings" date – and instead is done in the more mature mode that Duke was using in some of his own sides from the time, and on work with players like Donald Byrd or Stanley Turrentine. Other players here include Wayne Shorter on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Garnett Brown on trombone – plus core rhythms from the trio of McCoy Tyner on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Harewood on drums. Titles include "Sweet Slumber", "The Good Life", "Sweet & Lovely", "Stardust", and "You've Changed" – and the album was recorded in the 60s, it was only first issued in Japan in 1980 – and even then only later in the US! CD

An amazing record! By all rights, this shouldn't be so good – but it's an incredible album of haunting tracks that really has us coming back again and again over the years. The formula is simple: Jose plays late 60s pop tunes on acoustic guitar, and sings them in his spacey soulful voice. Backings are by George Tipton, plus a jazz combo made up of Jim Horn, Ray Brown, and Milt Holland – but it's Jose that really makes the whole thing amazing! His style of presentation is like anything else we can describe – filled with sadness and soul, but enough joy to keep moving forward. He takes tracks like "Light My Fire", "In My Life", "Sunny", and "California Dreamin", and transforms them into an amazing document of the darkness hidden behind the sun of southern California. "California Dreamin" is especially amazing – and Jose's version is one of the best soul songs of all time! LP, Vinyl record album

The record that may well push Devon Gilfillian over the top – and a set that might also set a whole new standard in soul music as well! Devon's got a way of embracing the sensual presence of male soul stars from years back, while also presenting himself with a fragile, open quality that's really unique – one that comes through in the slight crackle of his vocals, and in the way the backings handled by producer Jeremy Lutito really fit the mode of the lyrics – this style that's crisply contemporary, but which feels as if it's come from a really special place in the spectrum – uniquely suited to the needs of Devon's vocals and lyrics. Titles include "Follow The Leader", "Brown Sugar Queen", "All I Really Wanna Do", "The Recipe", "Right Kind Of Crazy", "Imma Let My Body Move", "Love You Anyway", and "Let The Water Flow". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare English language recordings from the sublime Francoise Hardy – music that's every bit as wonderful as her famous French recordings – and even more compelling to our Anglo-styled ears! The vocals are wonderful – sung with this sense of darkness that's almost got an echo of Nico at points, given the accent – set to backings that balance this darkness with a bit more light, but never in ways that are overly poppy – and which definitely continue that more sophisticated style that Hardy always brought to her music! There's less "yeh yeh" to the tracks than a few years before – and Francoise is definitely digging deeper music at this point in her career – sometimes with a breathy brilliance that's a bit like Jane Birkin too. Titles include "Bown Bown Bown", "Till The Morning Comes", "Loving You", "In The Sky", "Midnight Blues", "Magic Horse", "Song Of Winter", "Strange Shadows", "Ocean", "The Garden Of Jane Delawney", "Sometimes", "Let My Name Be Sorrow", "Times Passing By", "I Just Want To Be Alone", and "Suzanne". CD

The title certainly gets it right – as Derrick Harriott serves up a wonderful mix of sounds that owes plenty to American funk and soul of the early 70s – some cool Kingston covers of famous US tunes, and some other originals that are equally groovy overall! The set's one of the best that we've ever heard from the Dub Store label – and almost has a Soul Jazz level of track selection – really wonderful work that either features Derrick in the lead, or working with some hip contemporaries, in a groove that's totally great – neither straight reggae, but also quite far from more familiar funk and soul too. Titles include "Black Moses" by The Preacher, "Tougher Than Tough" by I Roy, "Brown Baby" by Derrick Harriott, "Hell Below" by Crystal Generation, "Going Back Home" by The Chosen Few, "Psychedelic Train" by Derrick Harriott, "Slippery" by Karl Bryan & The Crystalites, "Home Sweet Home" by Bongo Herman & Les, "Rescue The Children" by Junior Murvin, "Phoenix" by Noel Brown, "People Make The World Go Round" by The Chosen Few, and "Message From A Black Man" by Derrick Harriott. LP, Vinyl record album

Gregory Isaacs kicks back with a spliff on the front cover – earning himself some well-earned relaxation after turning out this tasty set of tracks from the 70s! The record's not a collection of earlier singles, and instead features new recordings all arranged by Alvin Ranglin – with laidback backings from The Revolutionaries, whose gentle groove is just the right match for that magical flow that Isaacs brings to his righteous vocals! The whole thing is homegrown, but in the best warm underground Kingston way – with titles that include "Willow Tree", "Special Guest", "Look Before You Leap", "Freedom", "No Speech", "Tear Drops", and "My Number One". LP, Vinyl record album

Strong solo work from saxophonist Darius Jones – a set that really lives up to both the "raw" and the "lone operation" in the title – as Jones blows here in a space that's very much all his own – with raw emotionality in the spotlight all the way through! Yet the work also draws key inspiration from earlier giants – as many of the tunes are reworkings of older compositions, from artists who include Roscoe Mitchell, Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, and Georgia Anne Muldrow – taken to very personal territory by the performance. There's a strong sense of space to the recording – one that reminds us of hearing Mitchell play solo in a cathedral many years back – and titles include "Nonaah", "Love In Outer Space", "Figure No 2", "Sadness", and "Beautiful Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly wonderful set from deep soul diva Bettye Lavette – a record that's actually as good as most of her older work, and that's something we didn't expect! We'll be honest in saying that we're always pretty darn suspicious of comeback albums by older soul singers – and usually, we find them lacking in spirit compared to the older work, thanks to bad production and song selection choices. Here, though, Lavette actually seems to sound even stronger than before – stepping out on some numbers with especially raw backings that have guitar ripping alongside her heartfelt vocals – in a groove that almost recalls 70s work by Betty Davis. Other tunes are sparer, or mellower – but Bettye's vocals burn strongly throughout – and the album's easily set a new standard for this sort of session! Titles include "Down To Zero", "The High Road", "On The Surface", "Little Sparrow", "Just Say So", "How Am I Different", and "Only Time Will Tell Me". CD

A rare soul treasure – previously unissued work from Little Willie John, cut for Capitol Records by the mighty David Axelrod! The pairing is quite unique, but it's a great one – and if anything, Little Willie John sparkles here even more than on his later King sides – finding a hipper 60s groove that moves way past older R&B modes! Willie's vocals are still wonderful, and they're set up here with arrangements from HB Barnum – who brings in plenty of bounce, snap, and vamp to the grooves – similar to his more famous Axelrod productions for Lou Rawls, but rougher and grittier here in the company of John. A few cuts bring in more ambitious backings – taking Little Willie into the same space as his longtime fan and supporter James Brown – at least in the way Brown hit ballads during the 60s – and given Axelrod's hand in the studio, there's a clarity here that the singer hardly would have found at King Records, who blocked the initial release of this material back in the 60s. CD features 20 tracks in all – a number of alternates, and the master takes – with tunes that include "Crying Over You", "Country Girl", "Suffering With The Blues", "Never Let Me Go", "I Had A Dream", "In The Dark", "Welcome To The Club", "I Need Someone", and "Early In The Morning". CD

The full story of one of the most important indie labels in the world of folk, roots, and acoustic music – an imprint who are maybe only second to Folkways Records fo the way they've not only preserved the past, but helped foster a new future as well! Rounder Records was begun as a labor of love in the Boston scene after the more popular folk boom of the 60s – and as the dust settled from the years of Kingston Trio and The Brothers Four, Rounder helped find a way forward for the more interesting, more important acoustic artists – while also opening the door to new sounds and styles along the way – a huge legacy that ended up including superstars as well as very obscure musicians and singers. The book has a great narrative drive, and really gets at the kind of enthusiasm that started the label and kept it going and growing for decades – tracing both its influence on other musical scenes, and the way that artists continued to help Rounder from ever falling into cliche. Hardcover edition is 196 pages, with some black and white images. Book

A sweet funky classic from 70s Brazil – one of those records that's found thousands of funky fans over the decades – and which still continues to please! The set's the best-ever from Orlandivo – a soulful singer whose set up perfectly here with funky backings from the great Joao Donato – working on organ and Fender Rhodes for the set, and hitting the same soulful styles as his own great 70s albums! Grooves have a sunny feel, but these jazz funk undercurrents that are completely infectious – wicked interplay between the bass and drums, guitar and keyboards – set to vocals from Orlandivo that clearly borrow some of Jorge Ben's soulful influence too. Other players include Sivuca on accordion, Durval Ferreira on guitar, and Helcio Milito on percussion – and titles include "Um Abraco No Bengil", "Palladium", "A Felicidade", "Tudo Joia", "Juazeiro", and "Bolinha De Sabao" – plus the great "Tamaco No Samba", which is a thinly disguised version of "Samba Blim". CD

One of the funkiest albums ever from Junior Parker – a great little set that shows he had a lot more to offer than just the average bluesman! The album's got a nice little soul sound in the backings – tight rhythms from Horace Ott, who nicely avoids a lot of the cliches that the blues business was hitting at the time – in order to keep Junior in hip territory that's filled with breaking drums and heavy basslines! There's a few key crossover tracks here, plus some surprisingly sweeter numbers – and the album's a gem through and through – well-appreciated by new generations over the years, thanks to its diversity of tracks! Titles include a great break version of "Taxman" – plus two more Beatles numbers, "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Lady Madonna" – and the tracks "Outside Man", "Darling Depend On Me", "You Know I Love You", "River's Invitation", and "Just To Hold My Hand". CD

One of the funkiest albums ever from Junior Parker – a great little set that shows he had a lot more to offer than just the average bluesman! The album's got a nice little soul sound in the backings – tight rhythms from Horace Ott, who nicely avoids a lot of the cliches that the blues business was hitting at the time – in order to keep Junior in hip territory that's filled with breaking drums and heavy basslines! There's a few key crossover tracks here, plus some surprisingly sweeter numbers – and the album's a gem through and through – well-appreciated by new generations over the years, thanks to its diversity of tracks! Titles include a great break version of "Taxman" – plus two more Beatles numbers, "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Lady Madonna" – and the tracks "Outside Man", "Darling Depend On Me", "You Know I Love You", "River's Invitation", and "Just To Hold My Hand". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic solo work from Smokey Robinson – recorded a few years before his monumental Quiet Storm album, but with a very similar high level of quality! Willie Hutch co-produced the album with Smokey, and working with arrangements by Hutch and Gene Page, they transform Smokey's sound into a sophisticated 70s modern one, adding in slight touches of funk, and complicated backings that really let him open up as a singer, both vocally and emotionally. The whole thing's got a wonderful mellow soul groove, and titles include "Wanna Know My Mind", "Baby Come Close", "The Family Song", "Just My Soul Responding", "Holly", "A Silent Partner In A Three-Way Love Affair", and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" LP, Vinyl record album

Lonnie Smith's a long way from his Blue Note years here – but the sound is still plenty darn great, thanks to some fuller arrangements from the great Brad Baker – of B Baker Chocolate Company fame! The whole thing's quite electric – with Lonnie on Fender Rhodes and other keyboards on most tracks, and rhythms that bring in bits of strings amidst the smaller jazz combo vamping – a blend that's smoothly soulful, but still more than funky enough to please our ears. Lonnie even sings a bit on the record, too – in this slightly-spacey quality that has echoes of Stevie Wonder – but the main focus overall is on his keyboards, which step out nicely over the backings. Titles include "Keep On Lovin", "What I Want", "No Tears Tomorrow", "Sizzle Stick", "Lean Meat", and "Filet O Sole". CD

Lonnie Smith's a long way from his Blue Note years here – but the sound is still plenty darn great, thanks to some fuller arrangements from the great Brad Baker – of B Baker Chocolate Company fame! The whole thing's quite electric – with Lonnie on Fender Rhodes and other keyboards on most tracks, and rhythms that bring in bits of strings amidst the smaller jazz combo vamping – a blend that's smoothly soulful, but still more than funky enough to please our ears. Lonnie even sings a bit on the record, too – in this slightly-spacey quality that has echoes of Stevie Wonder – but the main focus overall is on his keyboards, which step out nicely over the backings. Titles include "Keep On Lovin", "What I Want", "No Tears Tomorrow", "Sizzle Stick", "Lean Meat", and "Filet O Sole". CD

Eight Atlantic albums, and The Spinners are still going strong – sounding really wonderful here, thanks to Philly backings from the great Thom Bell! The album's not filled with hits, but that's a big part of its charm – as the group still sounds great, with smoother than smooth vocals – and the tunes move nicely between the soaring style the group discovered in Philly, and some of the mellower moments we've grown to like even more in their work over the years. Most players are Sigma Sound regulars, and titles include "I'm Tired Of Giving", "You Got The Love That I Need", "Painted Magic", "Easy Come Easy Go", "Love Is One Step Away", "Back In The Arms Of Love", and "Heaven On Earth". LP, Vinyl record album

The Philly trio gets some great live work done in this tasty little set – hitting the stage with backings from Richard Barrett, and singing before a very enthusiastic crowd in the UK! The style's almost a bit more like the Motown live albums from years back than most Philly International sets – still in the soaring clubby mood of the group's studio work, but with a lot more interplay with the audience, and a style that's sometimes looser and more entertainment-oriented – especially in the choice of a few of the tunes. Titles include "For The Love Of Money", "Living For The City", "Love Train", "Harlem", "When Will I See You Again", "Year Of Decision", and "Free Ride". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer soul from Doris Troy – a wonderful selection of classic singles from a variety of different labels – mostly smoking selections from the 60s, but a few rare gems from later years too! Doris is one of those singers who never hit the chart heights of some of her contemporaries, but always managed to do impeccable work – as you'll hear here on a range of singles for labels like Calla, Cameo, Capitol, Atlantic, and Apple! Troy's got this amazingly rich voice – one we'd rank right up there with Aretha Franklin at her best – supported here by a range of backings that run from deep soul to uptown soul to some warmer 70s modes. Titles include "Face Up To The Truth", "Just One Look", "What A Night Night Night", "Don't Tell Your Mama", "You Tore Me Up Inside", "Heartaches", "He's Qualified", "I'll Do Anything", "Hear Me Calling", "Can't Hold On", "Tomorrow Is Another Day", and "What A Wonderful Lover". CD

Sarah Vaughan's looking pretty groovy on the cover of this album, and she's sounding pretty groovy too – thanks to some sweet 70s backings from Ernie Wilkins! The style isn't exactly funky, but it's got some fully soulful sounds, and some great electric moments too – modes that almost feel more like some of the best Kudu Records vocal sets from the time, instead of the usual Mainstream Records groove. Sarah really fits well in this sort of setting – stretching out into groovier territory than before with the same sense of change that Ella Fitzgerald or Marlena Shaw were bringing to their music at the time. Players include Jerome Richardson on saxes, Buddy Childers on trumpet, Benny Powell on trombone, Jimmy Cobb on percussion, and Earl Palmer on drums – and titles include "Inner City Blues", "Magical Connection", "Universal Prisoner", "Tomorrow City", "That's The Way I've Always Heard It", "Imagine", "On Thinking It Over", and "If Not For You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest records of the roots reggae generation – a set that was so far ahead of its time, it never saw release until a decade after it was recorded! Sylford Walker has this very powerful way of putting over his words – part singing, part chanting – and often set to rhythms that are maybe a bit grittier than the usual Kingston studio modes of the late 70s – especially the percussion, which can have a very raw vibe alongside the basslines. Horns are nice and stark, too – and the whole thing almost feels as if someone took a trip back to the rocksteady years of recording, to put together a roots-oriented album. Glen L Brown produced and arranged – and titles include "Chant Down Babylon", "Lamb's Bread", "My Father's Homeland", "Eternal Day", and "Deuteronomy". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Spanky Wilson makes a great return to the studio – thanks to superbly funky help from the Quantic Soul Orchestra! Spanky's voice was first heard famously on a number of great soul sides from the end of the 60s, but the passage of decades hasn't dimmed her talents a bit – and the record comes off like some lost funky treasure from the old days! Of course, with Quantic at the helm we could expect nothing less – and the backings here are hard, heavy, and plenty soulful – but also filled with enough fresh twists and turns to keep the whole set from just being a retro-funk affair. Bits of strings, unusual horn passages, and a lean, clean production style all help keep things moving along at an interesting pace – and given the strength of the Quantic Soul sound, Spanky's vocals are almost like the icing on the cake! Titles include "I'm Thankful (parts 1 & 2)", "You Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover", "Don't Joke With A Hungry Man (parts 1 & 2)", "A Woman Like Me", "Blood From A Stone", "Message To Tomorrow", "Waiting For Your Touch", and "That's How It Was". CD

Music from The Honeycombs, The Supremes, The Dixie Cups, Don Covay, The Murmaids, Roy Orbison, The Kingsmen, The Shangri-Las, The Impressions, Maxine Brown, The Beach Boys, The Searchers, The Reflections, and more - 22 tracks in all. CD

Funky nuggets from one of the greatest reggae labels of all time – a really wonderful collection that gets at some of the more hard-hitting material from Kingston powerhouse Studio One Records! Given the way that Studio One helped bridge the worlds of soul during the years of Jamaican ska and rocksteady, the funk is no surprise – and the package features both remakes of American funky numbers and plenty of homegrown cuts, all served up by some of the giants from the scene at the time. Titles include "Sidewalk Doctor" by Pablove Black, "007" by Soul Brothers, "Love Jah" by Sound Dimension, "Do Your Thing" by Leroy Sibbles, "Idleberg" by Cedric Im Brooks, "African Descendants" by Alton Ellis, "Reggae Feet" by Lloyd Williams, "Hang Em High" by Jackie Mittoo, "Beat Down Babylon" by Prince Frances, "Funky Broadway" by Delroy Wilson, "It's A Shame" by Alton Ellis, "Melting Pot" by Underground Vegetables, "Music Answer" by The Sharks, and a surprising remake of "Shaft" by the unlikely Cedric Im Brooks. CD

A set that definitely lives up to its title – a stone stormer from Brainstorm – one of the tightest funky ensembles of their generation, and one of the few who could go deep while still laying down a groove! The set's got a perfect balance of modes – enough of the appeal of bigger mainstream funk acts of the time, but also some righteous undercurrents that really show the group's roots – both in the approach of the lyrics, and in the jazzy instrumentation of the backings – which often show a righteous side of the group that's mighty surprising! The record's one that just grows and grows with each new listening, and is put together with some great sharp-edged production by Jerry Peters – who has a way of showcasing all the most interesting elements, while still keeping things focused too. Titles include the classic "Wake Up & Be Somebody" and "Loving You Is Really My Game" – plus "Waiting For Someone", "We Know A Place", "Hangin' On", "Easy Thangs", and "This Must Be Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

All the great early albums from Creation Rebel – plus their excellent comeback too! The set begins with Dub From Creation – not just the debut album from Creation Rebel, but also a set that marks the first studio work from the young Adrian Sherwood – part of the long On-U Sound legacy to come, and a wealth of other wonderful music! There's a spareness here that's great – maybe a bit less dark than later Sherwood projects, but no less stark – with melodica and keyboards weaving nicely amidst the dubby rhythms! Titles include "Basic Principals", "Dub Fusion", "Liberation", "Rising Star", "Vision Of Creation", and "Creation In A Iration". Next is Close Encounters Of The Third World – an early part of the On-U Sound legacy, even if the set wasn't issued on the label – a key effort by Creation Rebel that features recording work done both in London and Kingston, layered together in a beautifully dubby way! The sound here is definitely underground – full of message-oriented lyrics from Crucial Tony, who sings in a style that definitely earns him his name – with great melodica and organ flowing through the mix next to Lizard's bass – topped with added horn work from The Arabs in all the right spots! The production is superb – flat on the drums, wide on the sides, which makes for a really wonderful groove – on titles that include "Know Yourself", "Conspiring", "Creation Fever", "Natty Conscience Free", and "Joyful Noise". Rebel Vibrations features early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". Starship Africa is a brilliant Creation Rebel effort for On-U Sound from the dawn of the 80s – landing in the futuristic dub spacecraft that is their Starship Africa – percussion heavy and spaced out ingenuity from Adrian Sherwood & co! Tripped, echoey atmospherics that's cast as a soundtrack to movie that doesn't exist, the music is forward thinking, boundary busting dubby grooves exists out of time and sounds great to this day. Includes "Starship Africa" (Sections 1-5) and "Space Movement" (Sections 1-4). On Psychotic Jonkanoo, Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". From 2023, Hostile Environment is the first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less moody – just something that seems to let the work of the group come through with energy that's wonderfully warm and organic, while still resonating with plenty of touches that will make longtime label fans proud! Vocals are shared between Charlie Eskimo Fox and Mr Magoo, and the set also features guest appearances from Prince Far I and Daddy Freddy – on titles that include "That's More Like It" "Jubilee Clock", "Swiftly", "Stonebridge Warrior", "Crown Hill Road", "The People's Sound", and "Whatever It Takes". CD

Four incredible albums from the young Georgie Fame – plus a bonus CD of rare material, bonus tracks on all CDs, and 18 previously unreleased tracks – all in a box set with a 48 page book, 5 postcards, and a poster too! First up is Rhythm & Blues At The Flamingo – blistering early work from a young Georgie Fame – a set that definitely lives up to the Rhythm & Blues in the title! The set was recorded live at London's hip Flamingo club – and Georgie and The Blue Flames are very much in command of the crowd – burning with the intensity of a American small organ combo, especially the early 60s variety that often played equal parts soul jazz and R&B! Georgie's on the Hammond, and also sings with a rough-edged style that's plenty soulful, and incredibly appealing – a mode that oozes charisma, but never sounds fake or forced. Titles include "Do The Dog", "Eso Beso", "Work Song", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Shop Around", "Humpty Dumpty", and "You Can't Sit Down". Fame At Last is a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and R&B – all filtered through a mod sort of London freshness, as early proof that the city could always take some great things from our own musical roots, and feed it back to us with a whole new flavor! Georgie's no copycat here, though – and the sound is instantly Fame-like – a style that's really not the sort that any Americans were doing at the time, and certainly never this well. Hard-burning Hammond colors most of the tunes here – played with a tightly vamping quality – but it's Georgie's charmingly crackling vocals that really win us over! Titles include "Gimme That Wine", "Pink Champagne", "Monkeying Around", "Green Onions", "Let The Sunshine In", "Get On The Right Track Baby", "I'm In The Mood For Love", and "I Love The Life I Live". Sweet Things is a definite sweet thing from Georgie Fame – a record that has him filling in his sound even more than before, with tremendously soulful results! The backings here are bigger than before – a bit tooled in an American soul mode, but still with that beautifully raspy Georgie Fame touch – lots of jazzy inflections on the vocals, and a way of handling a tune, even a familiar one, and really working it on his own level. Hammond still fills in most of the tunes, but other instrumentation includes some nice African percussion from Speedy Acquaye, saxes from Pete Coe, and some nice bold drums from John Mitchell. These come out to the forefront on the classic funky tune "Music Talk" – and still sound great on other numbers that include "The World Is Round", "Last Night", "Dr Kitch", "My Girl", "Ride Your Pony", and "Sweet Thing". Sound Venture is one of the jazziest early albums from Georgie Fame – a set that has him singing with the big band of Harry South, at a level that's a lot more complicated than some of his other work with The Blue Flames! The style here still has that mod 60s London feel, but it also has some deeper inflections as well – modes borrowed a bit from Jon Hendricks or Mose Allison, yet served up with even greater complexity – at a level that really points towards the tremendous growth Fame would unleash over the next few years. Members of the group include Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, Dick Morrisey, Kenny Wheeler, and many other key Brit jazz figures of the time – and titles include "Three Blind Mice", "Dawn Yawn", "Feed Me", "Lovey Dovey", "Lil Darlin", "Lil Pony", "I Am Missing You", and "Many Happy Returns". CD5 is Bend A Little – a package with 20 unusual titles – demos, rare tracks, and outtakes – including unreleased tracks, IBC recordings, and even two German tracks too! Plus, each individual CD comes with bonus tracks – 40 bonus tracks, in addition to the 20 more titles on the Bend A Little set – a huge amount of material! CD

Funky early 70s work by Jimmy McGriff – a mix of tight groovers and more open soul jazz numbers – all of which represent some of his best moments for the Groove Merchant label! Jimmy's got a lean, mean sound on these tracks – and even when the backings are full, they've got the tightness of a 70s soundtrack – nice and jazzy, and with a great funky punch on the bottom! The McGriff keyboard sound has plenty of room to roam around, even when the cuts are short – and titles include a great cover of "Ain't It Funky Now", plus "Super Funk", "Fat Cakes", "Dig It On", "Bug Out", "If You're Ready Come Go With Me", "Let's Saty Together", "The Bird", "Plain Brown Bag", "Jumpin' The Blues", "Tiki", and "Shuckin & Jivin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records of the 60s – and a sublime debut from Nico, sounding fresher and less dreary here than on many of her later sides – although still pretty chilling overall! The record features larger orchestral backings on most tracks – never too heavy, but with light strings that really help Nico depart from the sound of her work with The Velvet Underground. This style adds a new level of sophistication to her vocals, and really helps in her interpretation of the unusual material culled for the set – tunes that include a few key numbers by old partners in The Velvets, as well as some especially great tracks by a young Jackson Browne – a romantic interest of Nico at the time! The whole thing's incredible – on a par with the best from Scott Walker during the same stretch, although very different overall – and a key entry in the darker side of the non-hippie end of the 60s spectrum. Titles include "These Days", "It Was A Pleasure Then", "Eulogy To Lenny Bruce", and the incredible title cut, "Chelsea Girls". Fantastic! CD

One of the deepest soul sets from Esther Phillips' 70s years on Kudu Records – a set with some nicely gritty grooves and a surprisingly earthy feel at times – especially when compared to some of her other albums of the time! Backings are by James Brown's old reedman, Pee Wee Ellis – and although there's some of the usual Kudu electric funk in the mix, there's also some deeper soul elements too – a vibe that's often a bit laidback and open, almost more Atlantic Records at points – which is a mighty good fit for Esther's wonderful voice! As usual for Kudu, the players are an all-star lineup – one that includes Richard Tee on keyboards, George Benson on guitar, Maceo Parker on tenor, and Bernard Purdie and Billy Cobham on drums – and Don Sebesky's also on deck a bit, to sweeten a few tracks up with light strings. The album's got a great version of Bill Withers' "Use Me" that features a tasty break in the intro – and other titles include a great version of "Alone Again (Naturally)", plus the cuts "Let's Move & Groove", "Cherry Red", "Let Me In Your Life", and "You & Me Together". LP, Vinyl record album

A deep deep look at a side of the British 60s scene that didn't always make big waves here in the US – but one that had a huge influence on UK sounds for years to come! The mighty book-like package documents the rich stream of sounds that exploded during the beat group years – a moment that was partly graced by some of the names that we'd know here as the Brit Invasion, but which soon moved off into much more expansive sounds that include mod moments, freakbeat grooves, and a fair bit of tunes influenced by American jazz and soul! The 6CD set features a whopping 165 tracks in all, plus a huge booklet of notes – and a number of the tracks are pulled from the Pye Records catalog – one of the most important Brit labels of the period – but the set also includes lot of bits from elsewhere too. Includes work by The Rogers, Marmalade, The Baskervilles, The Web, The Mighty Atoms, Glenda Collins, The Mike Stuart Span, Bobbi Rio & The Revelles, Carl Wayne & The Vikings, The Mike Cotton Sound, Ray Singer, Marilyn Powell, Just Four Men, Twinkle, Tony Jackson, The Cops N Robbers, Major Rowley, Paddy Klaus & Gibson, David Bowie & The Lower Third, The Lancastrians, New Faces, The Limeys, Mick & Malcolm, Kind, Episode Six, and many others! CD

A killer collection of reggae remakes of famous soul and funk tunes – all served up from a later generation of the scene, which makes a nice change from some of the more ska and rocksteady collections of this nature! It's no secret that Jamaican music was initially given a strong inspiration from American soul – and even in this generation, when the Kingston scene had really found its own groove, other influences would still come into the music in a really great way – as you'll hear on these really cool reworkings of themes from Ohio Players, McFadden & Whitehead, Barry White, and others! The production of most of these cuts is great – different than some of the more disco-oriented material that would copy American work – more laidback, with some currents of lovers rock as well – and funky, but in a laidback way. Titles include "Midnight" by Willie Lindo, "Skin Tight" by Lloyd Charmers, "Strange Compulsion" by Sheila Hylton, "Moving On" by Leslie Butler, "Funky Rasta" by Ronnie Butler, "Crowded City" by The Messengers, "Chemistry Of Love" by Susan Cadogan, "Can't Stop Rasta Now" by Ras Midas, and "Deeper & Deeper" by Lloyd Charmers. LP, Vinyl record album

Groovy gals from 60s France – a power-packed array of Parisian pop nuggets that goes way beyond most other compilations of this nature! Some of the big names are here, but there's way more obscure numbers too – the cool kind of French femmes that made a bit splash during the "yeh yeh" generation, with a mix of the rough and the sweet that few other girl singers could ever hope to touch! There's a really special mod sort of energy here – vocals that push out strongly, yet never succumb to emotional cliches of American and British singers – and backings that are always tight and groovy, but in a jaunty, jerky way that's quite different than straight ahead rock. The mix of modes is completely sublime – just the sort of music that still really sends us after all these years – and titles include "J'Ai Des Problemes Decidement" by Violaine, "Hymne Au Soleil" by Pussy Cat, "Attends Ou Va-T'En" by France Gall, "Tomorrow Is Another Day" by Gillian Hills, "Bravo" by Jacqueline Taieb, "Pas De Taxi" by Annie Philippe, "La Fermeture Eclair" by Delphine, "Les Paillons Noirs" by Michele Arnaud, "Comme Tu Es Jeune" by Liz Brady, "Sous Le Soleil Exactement" by Anna Karina, and "Ecoutez" by Elsa. CD

Sure it's not his Duke recordings, and sure, the sound's a bit 70s-ish – but Bobby's voice is always fantastic, and he still sounds great in this smooth batch of tracks recorded in LA. Backings were arranged and conducted by Michael Omartian – but it's Bobby's vocals that really make the set shine. Titles include "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City", "The End Of The Road", "I Ain't Gonna Be The Fist To Cry", "Dreamer", "Who's Foolin Who", "Cold Day In Hell", "Lovin On Borrowed Time", and "Yolanda". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest of Sammy's albums for Reprise during the 60s – cut with production by Jimmy Bowen and a nicely bouncy set of backings! There's a definite mixed bag approach to the material, but it's that non-unified quality that makes some of Sammy's best albums so great – as he'll deliver a pop number one minute, a tender ballad the next, and a tongue in cheek cover after that – really expressing himself on vinyl with the same range that he brought to his excellent live shows. Bowen keeps things light and lively throughout – and arrangers include George Rhodes, Ernie Freeman, and Al Capps. Titles include the excellent "The Goin's Great" – used famously in a Pam Am campaign at the time – plus bouncy versions of "Bein Natural Bein Me" and "In This Crowded World" – and the tracks "What Became Of Me", "Take It From One Who Knows", "This Guy's In Love With You", and "I Have But One Life To Live". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual session from the heart of Lou Donaldson's return to Blue Note in the late 60s – a mellower date that stands in strong contrast to his funkier albums of the time! As you might guess from the title, there's a lusher feel going on here – one that has Lou's alto sax augmented by larger backings from Duke Pearson – who manages to score things perfectly with a balance of soul and sophistication. The album's hardly a "Donaldson with strings" date – and instead is done in the more mature mode that Duke was using in some of his own sides from the time, and on work with players like Donald Byrd or Stanley Turrentine. Other players here include Wayne Shorter on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Garnett Brown on trombone – plus core rhythms from the trio of McCoy Tyner on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Harewood on drums. Titles include "Sweet Slumber", "The Good Life", "Sweet & Lovely", "Stardust", and "You've Changed" – and the album was recorded in the 60s, it was only first issued in Japan in 1980 – and even then only later in the US! CD

Later issue of the first album from Michael Franks – and a bit different than his later hits at Warner! The trademark Frank sound is definitely in place here – well-penned tunes, sung with cool compressed vocals and a slight jazzy tinge – but there's also a bit more of a folksy feel at times, a slightly earthier feel at points that's quite nice, and which almost links him a bit to the early work of Kenny Rankin. Arrangements are by Richard Markowitz, and backings are relatively spare and sometimes jazzy – with bits of flute and sax from Tom Scott, and some especially nice bass work from Max Bennett and Carol Kaye, whose round tones really help shape Michael's vocals. Titles include "Just Like Key Largo", "The King Of Oklahoma", "Born With The Moon In Virgo", "Little Sparrow", and "When Blackbirds Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". CD

BB King brings in a sweet dose of jazz to his work – just a touch of the funkier backings that some of his electric contemporaries were getting at the time – maybe not as hard-wailing as some of the Chess funky blues records, but definitely somewhere in that direction! Players on the date include Mel Brown and Jesse Davis on guitars, Bobby Bryant on trumpet, Red Holloway on tenor, Plas Johnson on baritone, Clifford Coulter and Victor Feldman on piano, and the great Earl Palmer on drums. Titles include "Help The Poor", "Can't You Hear Me Talking To You", "Midnight", "I Got Some Help I Don't Need", "I've Been Blue Too Long", "Lucille's Granny, and "Can't You Hear Me Talking To You". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of tracks – even if it is a discographer's nightmare! 12 tracks on the album are from a session originally done under the name of Machito – and features Herbie as the main soloist, over a set of wonderfully lush Latin jazz backings! The feel is nicely exotic – right up there with Herbie's best work of this nature, and done with a heavy groove, thanks to Machito's touch – sounding very similar to his legendary Kenya album. The remaining 8 tracks on the set are pulled from a late 50s session for the tiny Mode label – a tasty bit of west coast jazz that has a very different feel than the Machito material, but which is equally nice! Herbie plays piccolo and tenor in addition to flute – working with a small group that includes Jimmy Rowles, Mel Lewis, and Buddy Colette. Titles on the CD include "Answer Me", "Give A Little Whistle", "Bacao", "Perdido", "Afternoon Death", "Brazilian Soft Shoe", "African Flute", "The Davis Cup", and "Carabunta". CD

A stone classic from Teena Marie – one of her magical self-produced efforts for Motown! The record's a winner all the way through – with a depth to the vocals and backings that are steeped in the 70s styles of Minnie Riperton and Chaka Khan. A few tracks get a bit upbeat funky, but overall, it's the mellow ones we like the best. Titles include "I Need Your Lovin", "Young Love", "First Class Love", "Irons In The Fire", "Chains", "You Make Love Like Springtime", and "Tune In Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

Three full albums from Johnny Mathis in one single set – the last of which was actually issued originally as a 2LP set! First up is Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head – great magic from Johnny Mathis at the start of the 70s – a set that has Johnny working through some groovier tunes from the second end of the 60s – all set to some mighty nice backings from Ernie Freeman! Ernie brings in a fair bit of strings, but also gives things that soulful punch at the bottom that you'll know from his 60s material – and the Mathis vocal maybe is a bit more crisp in the setting, although still with that wonderfully full range that always made the man so unique! Titles include great versions of "Watch What Happens", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", "Midnight Cowboy", "Everybody's Talkin", "Jean", "Odds & Ends", and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Close To You has Johnny Mathis kicking off with his take on the Burt Bacharach title hit, then moving through a number of other late 60s hits – some of which are perfect for the Mathis style, others of which make for a mighty nice stretch – and we mean that in the best way possible! There's some backing elements here that are groovier than usual for Johnny – pushing him in a nice way with modes that seem a bit borrowed from sunshine pop and soul – on titles that include "Come Saturday Morning", "Evil Ways", "Yellow Days", "The Long & Winding Road", "Wave", and "Pieces Of Dreams". In Person is double-length live set from Johnny Mathis – recorded live in person in Las Vegas – with titles that include a fair number of medley tracks that are a nice change from his studio records – the kind of material that really allows Johnny to show his talents as an entertainer in a live setting! There's also some non-medley tracks 6too – including "And Her Mother Came Too", "Maria", "If We Only Have Love", "I Got Love", "Day In Day Out", "Come Runnin", "In The Morning", and "Love Story". CD

One of the greatest records of the 60s – and a sublime debut from Nico, sounding fresher and less dreary here than on many of her later sides – although still pretty chilling overall! The record features larger orchestral backings on most tracks – never too heavy, but with light strings that really help Nico depart from the sound of her work with The Velvet Underground. This style adds a new level of sophistication to her vocals, and really helps in her interpretation of the unusual material culled for the set – tunes that include a few key numbers by old partners in The Velvets, as well as some especially great tracks by a young Jackson Browne – a romantic interest of Nico at the time! The whole thing's incredible – on a par with the best from Scott Walker during the same stretch, although very different overall – and a key entry in the darker side of the non-hippie end of the 60s spectrum. Titles include "These Days", "It Was A Pleasure Then", "Eulogy To Lenny Bruce", and the incredible title cut, "Chelsea Girls". Fantastic! LP, Vinyl record album

Progressive piano from Hal Schaeffer – a player who's well suited to the variety of moods and modes required of pianists in the 50s! Hal's working here in trio format, but with the kind of playful flourishes and powerful keyboard command that made for strong staying power in regular small club bookings – changing voice and tone from track to track, and working with drummer Alvin Stoller and bassist Joe Mondragon in an approach that's as modern as it is crowd-pleasing. Titles include "Yes", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "You Are Too Beautiful", "I'll Remember April", "All The Things You Are", and "Montevideo". LP, Vinyl record album

All tracks produced by Sly & Robbie, who also provide backings – and the set features work from Black Uhuru, Junior Delgado, Jimmy Riley, Dennis Brown, & The Tamlins. LP, Vinyl record album

A great package of music from singer Joanie Sommers – none of which has ever been on CD before! At the core of the record is the album Come Alive – really groovy work from singer Sommers – an overlooked gem recorded after her initial albums for Warner Brothers, and put together with some mighty cool arrangements from the great Mort Garson! Joanie's lost all her little girl pop modes here – and instead really comes across with the adult charm of a jazz singer – reaching out with some surprisingly deep tones on the mellower cuts, and showing a great sense of swing on the groovers – all at a mode that really takes her past the style of the early years! Mort's backings are great – as rich in jazzy tones as someone like Marty Paich, but also touched with some of the unusual inflections that always make Garson's music so great. Tracks include "I'm All Smiles", "Girl Talk", "You'd Better Love Me", "You Take What Comes Along", "Watch What Happens", "Too Late Now", and "Sunday In New York". Added to the core album are 12 more bonus tracks, some of which were singles, some never issued, and one a rare Pepsi commercial! Bonus cuts include "Love Song", "Never Never", "Alfie", "Never Throw Your Dreams Away", "Come Alive (Pepsi jingle)", and "It Doesn't Matter Anymore". CD

Part funk, part disco, and all the way soul – served up in this one and only album from Strutt! The group were an obscure New Jersey combo from the 70s, but they step out beautifully on this rare Brunswick album – which has the same sort of funk club groove you'd find on a few of the label's other gems from this late period – like work by Tony Valor or Marilyn Farra & Satin Soul! All cuts have vocals, but the real strength of the group lies in their funky combo backings – an approach that's really honed to a "t" here, in a style that shows that the best early club music always had plenty of live, spontaneous instrumentation in the mix! Willie Bridges turns in a few great sax solos on the set – and titles include "Funky Sign", "Funky Baby Feet", "We've Come A Long Way Baby", "Said You Didn't Love Him", "If Wishing Made It So", "Time Moves On", and "Front Row Romeo" – in both vocal and instrumental versions. CD

A huge run of records from Yma Sumac – presented here in a box that collects just about everything she recorded for Capitol Records in the 50s! First up is Voice Of The Xtaby – legendary vocal work from the postwar years – some of the earliest recordings from the enigmatic Yma Sumac – an artist whose records really laid the groundwork for an entire generation of exotica records to come! Sumac's authenticity has been debated over the years – but there's no denying that she's got this incredible vocal range – a many-octave approach that almost makes her sound like a human theremin – as she works with exotic backings from Les Baxter to offer up a take on Peruvian roots, styled towards a 50s bachelor pad listener! Titles include "Xtaby", "Wayra", "Taita Inty", "Monos", and "Tumpa". Legend Of The Sun is early work from Yma Sumac – with that moody mix of other worldly vocals and semi-Latin instrumentation that made her a popular one with the early exotic crowd. Yma runs up and down the vocal scale, while Moises Vivanco leads the band in a set of crashing dramatic orchestrations with a Peruvian feel. Tracks include "Sunray Surita", "Mamallayi", "No Es Vida", "Ccori Canastitay", and "Kon Tiki". The package features selections from the album Flahooley – one of the more obscure Yma Sumac albums from the 50s – a Broadway production with a larger cast – and much more of a musical than Sumac's other records. Yma really stands out in the show, though – singing a few special numbers with music by Moises Vivanco – but the rest is familiar Broadway modes of the early 50s, penned by Sammy Fain & EY Harburg. Sumac titles include "Najala's Song Of Joy", "Najala's Lament", and "Come Back Little Genie Birds". Mambo is quite possibly our favorite album ever by the enigmatic Yma Sumac – thanks to some lively arrangements by Billy May, who gives the set a swinging jazzy groove! As you might guess from the cover, the style here is more in a Latin jazz mode than some of Yma's other more ethereal work – and that style turns out to be a wonderful fit for Sumac's incredible vocals – creating a batch of driving tunes that swing nicely, yet still have a spooky exotic sound on the top! Titles include "Bo Mambo", "Taki Rari", "Goomba Boomba", "Malambo No 1", and "Five Bottles Mambo". Inca Taqui is an early 10" LP – on which Yma Sumac sings chants of the Andes – and authentic or not, the sound's pretty darn great! The record's in the same format as her other early work for Capitol – tunes written by Moises Vivanco, who also conducts the backings in a dramatic early 50s style that's perfect for Yma's wonderful voice! And whether or not these tunes are actually the ones that all the cats in Peru were singing up in the mountains, they still sound pretty darn great as a key part of postwar exotica! Titles include "Incachao", "Llulla Mak'Ta", "Chuncho", "K'Arawi", and "Cumbe-Maita". Legend Of The Jivaro is one of Yma's more "historical" records – and the notes say that the album is "the rare plum of authenticity". We don't know if we'd go that far, but we can tell you that the record features Yma performing songs of the legendary Jivaro headhunters! Supposedly, Yma learned them in her "South American jungle-home", but we keep wondering why the headhunters took the time to teach her, when they could have been shrinking her head. Tracks include "Yawar", "Shou Condor", "Aullay", "Sumac Soratena", and "Hampi". Last up is Fuego Del Ande – one of the most obscure albums by vocalist Yma Sumac – and one of the most compelling too! The album has Yma working in the Andean style of her earlier 10" albums for Capitol – working with Moises Vivanco on a set of tunes that have a much more traditional and almost folkloric style than some of her work with Les Baxter. Titles include "Clamor", "Dale Que Dale", "Llora Corazon", "Gallito Caliente", "La Molina", and "Flor De Canela". CD

A concept album from the Louisiana scene of the 70s, but one that's much more down to earth than big label projects of the time – and which comes across here in a really unique blend of southern rock guitar and some nicely complicated ideas! The approach is almost impossible to describe – there's part of the record that feels like a post-psych exploration of the sort you'd hear a decade later on Creation Records, but other moments with fuller guitar have elements that feel like they could find a home on the Capricorn label in the early 70s – a really great blend that's completely unique, and which has an instant appeal that even goes way past the concept of the set. Titles include "Kings", "Puppet City", "Third Estate", "Years Before The Wine", and "Look At Me". The set also includes the related, but never-issued Agonistes album – a record that maybe has more of a vibe that links it to British folk material – but again, with a special sort of quality that's all its own. Titles include "Agonistes' Funeral", "Resurrection", "Sun & The Season", "Sorrow's Death", and "Sing His Song". Also includes 5 more bonus tracks – a single by the Agonistes, and Third Estate recordings too! CD

Saxophonist Gary Bartz joins the duo of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – bringing a warm sense of soul to their soulful backings – which range from funky to spacey, and do a nice job of capturing the mid 70s feel of Gary on record! The sound isn't the Larry Mizell or Ntu Group version of Bartz – but a warm, spiritual take on alto sax – with strong solo that really soar out over the proceedings, even when the Young/Muhammad rhythms might not be as dynamic – but that's maybe no surprise, given that Gary Bartz always made the best of any situation – and really shines here amidst the Fender Rhodes, Hammond, guitars, and vibes that make up the rest of the music. Titles include "Soulsea", "The Message", "Day By Day", "Blue Jungles", "Spiritual Ideation", and "Black & Brown". CD

Excellent! You're probably familiar with the Aquarius Dub set, an early, early dub LP, featuring some great rockers from Herman Chin Loy and Augustus Pablo – this groovy set from Pressure Sounds collects many of the vocal, dee jay and instrumental tracks that those rhythms laid the base for! 2 dozen bouncing numbers from the Scorpio and Aquarius imprints, with Chin Loy's rippling offbeat approach to production and top flight chats, scats and voicing from some of Kingston's finest, including Augustus Pablo & Herman "Aquarius Rock" and "Iggy Iggy", 2 versions of Alton Ellis' "Alton's Official Daughter", The Aquarians "Funky Aquarius", Sounds Unlimited "Roadrunner" and "Middle East Skank", Archie McKay "Pick Up The Pieces", Leroy Parker "Groove With It", Beres Hammond "No More War" plus its version by Herman, Dennis Alcapone "Return Of Sabata", James Eastwood "Darkest Night", Charlie Boy "Funky Strip", The Teacher "Soul Vibration", Dennis Brown "Song My Mother Used To Sing", Herman "Aquarius Dub", "River Nile Version", "Sabata" and "I Man" and Augustus Pablo "The Red Sea", "Snowball & Pudding", "Song Of The East" and "East Of The River Nile". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare postwar blues from the west coast – material cut for Dootsie Williams, best known as the head of the seminal Dootone label in LA! The set offers both tracks from Dootone and Williams' rarer imprint Blue – the latter of which existed from the late 40s into the early 50s, and featured a fair bit of excellent material done in the more laidback bluesy mode of LA after the war – styles popularized by Charles Brown, Cecil Gant, and others – echoed strongly in many of the performances here. As the set rolls on into the later 50s, some of the tracks pick up a bit more of an R&B sound – but the work is still relatively unified here, thanks to a good focus on the more blues-based work on Dootone. 30 tracks in all, plus some really great notes – all at the usual high Ace level! Titles include "Rent Day" by Stormy Herman, "Richmond Blues" by Betty Hall Jones, "West Coast Baby" by Johnny Taylor & His Mellow 5, "I Got A Country Girl" by Bobby Nunn, "Everybody's Jumpin Tonight" by Dootsie Williams & His Rhythm Kings with Joe Turner, "You'd Better Come Home Baby" by Violet Hall, "The Hole In The Wall" by Cleo Brown, "Are You Ready To Go Steady" by Paul Monday, and "Katy Lee" by Fats Gaines. CD

A righteous batch of 70s reggae tracks, all produced by Niney The Observer – including 15 tracks that haven't been in print since their original Jamaican release back in the day! The cover and title are a play on a famous American film of the late 60s – but the music here is pure Kingston, and has Niney working with some of the top talents of the scene, and as a lead act on his own – serving up both instrumentals and vocal tunes, all in a wonderfully soulful mix of modes! There's definitely some key classics on the set, but those are also mixed with some great rare numbers too – a rich array of cuts that were originally only issued as 7" singles, presented here with great sound and very detailed notes. There's a whopping 49 tracks in all – with work from Big Youth, Earth & Stone, Ken Boothe, Sang Hugh, The Observers, Hubert Lee, Winston Wright, Delroy Wilson, Denis Brown, U Roy, Glassford Manning, Junior Delgado, Roman Stewart, and Niney himself! CD

Music from Wynonie Harris, The Dominoes, Louis Jordan, Paul Williams, Jackie Brenston & His Delta Kings, Lloyd Price, Big Mama Thornton, Amos Milburn, The Clovers, Fats Domino, Guitar Slim, Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, Bill Haley & The Comets, The Five Keys, Muddy Waters, Joe Turner, The Robins, Faye Adams, Gene & Eunice, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, and The Orioles. CD

The world of moogy music first exploded back in the late 60s – when artists like Bruce Haack, Perry-Kingsley, and others were making all these wonderfully weird records that featured heavy analogue electronics and other playful elements! By the 80s, most of that music had gone away – some migrating to the world of new age, others turning more mainstream – yet up in Eugene, Oregon, there was a small scene that continued the electronic experiments of years past – work that sounded very different than most of the darker cold wave and industrial sounds that were popping up at other points on the globe. This collection offers up a long-overdue look at that scene – and features work from a collective of artists who really continue some of the hippest traditions of the genre – from the early records that Bruce Haack made with Miss Nelson, to some of the weird Mort Garson productions, even to some of the more wigged-out French psych/electronics of the 70s. Some of these tracks have vocals, some are instrumental – and they're all nicely "switched on" – providing a great bridge between the world of Walter Carlos and the Stereolab generation to come. Titles include "Energy" by Kim Carter, "Other Playgrounds" by Peter Kardas, "The Seven Rays" by David Stout, "Finale From A Walk Down Serenity Lane" by Joel Horowitz, "Self Regulation 2" by Carl Juarez, "The Ride" by Talve, "New Snow" by Peter Nothnagle, and "Patterns" by Suse Millemann. CD

Chuck Berry is definitely on top with this classic Chess Records set – an album that shows that Berry always had a lot more to offer than some of his oldies rocker contemporaries! Sure, there's a few hits here, but the overall quality of the music is more in the mode of Chess blues of the time – lots of raw backings that are as heavy on piano lines and romping rhythms as they are Chuck's own searing lead guitar – a sound that definitely sets the tone for generations to come, and which is always heard best here in its early hoke-free setting. The whole album's wonderful, and even familiar hits sound newly brilliant in this context – a smoking lineup that includes "Jo Jo Gunne", "Around & Around", "Hey Pedro", "Anthony Boy", "Sweet Little Rock & Roller", "Almost Grown", "Roll Over Beethoven", and "Maybellene". CD

Great soundtrack work from Chico Buarque – thanks in large part to some help from Francis Hime, who arranged the whole set with the sort of backings heard on his own work! The soundtrack's best known for the Buarque groover "O Que Sera" – presented here in 2 great vocal versions by Simone, and also done in a few instrumental takes. Other tunes are a mix of larger orchestrations, lighter groovers, and even a few American standards re-done with Brazilian touches – and the whole thing's done with a feel that's much more 60s than you'd guess from the date – with no cheesy throw-away disco styled numbers. Titles include "La Conga", "Un Samba", "O Que Sera", "Honeymoon", and "Dona Flor's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

2 early 70s sessions from Billy Eckstine – both recorded for Stax Records! First up is Senior Soul – a well-titled set not only given Billy's age, but also because of the surprisingly soulful undercurrent to the record – an extension into the genre even greater than Eckstine's previous recordings for Motown – and proof that he was really trying to stretch out towards new audiences at the time! Artie Butler handled the backings, and he uses a groove that's pretty full, but never overwhelming – more ebullient soul than some of Eckstine's more familiar jazz – with backing vocals and bright horns, yet still plenty of space for Billy to do his thing. The best numbers have Eckstine coming across with the 70s cool of Grady Tate on his vocal sides – and titles include "Thank You For The Moment", "A Song For You", "A Man Who Sings", "Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday", "I Believe In Music", and "Living Like A Gypsy". If She Walked Into My Life is extremely compelling stuff – and you've really got to give Billy credit for reinventing himself like this! The album features Billy's deep deep voice amidst arrangements by Artie Butler, Jimmy Jones, Mike Melvoin, and Billy Byers – sort of a blend of Grady Tate sophisti-jazz, and Scott Walker baroque, with a moody mellow sound that would make either of them proud. Titles include "The Taste Of My Tears", "I Am Yours", "Maybe This Time", "The Very Thought Of You", and "All In Love Is Fair". CD

Classic duets between Ella & Louis – done in a sweet mode that only could have been handled by Verve in the 50s! Backings are in a nice small combo mode, and Ella and Louis carry most of the set with their great vocal interplay – warm, personal, and pretty darn charming – in a mode that should be hokey, but comes across great! Oscar Peterson's group provides backing – with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar – and titles include "Love Is Here To Stay", "I Won't Dance", "The Nearness Of You", "Cheek To Cheek", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Can't We Be Friends", and "A Foggy Day". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Aretha Franklin's undisputed classics from her late 60s run on Atlantic Records – a seminal session that furthered her deep soul agenda with key backings from Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd – both of whom handle the mix of rawness and polish that made Aretha so great at the time! The Sweet Inspirations provide sublime backing vocals behind Franklin's maturing delivery of the lyrics – and the music is by an all-star group of players that includes Spooner Oldham, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Johnson, King Curtis, Tommy Cogbill, Roger Hawkins, and even Eric Clapton – clearly the cream of the crop, more than willing to be part of such an amazing set! Cuts include "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", "Chain Of Fools", "Money Won't Change You", "Come Back Baby", and "Ain't No Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Marvin Gaye's last album ever – and a sensuous batch of grooves that almost return him to the sound of Let's Get It On! The style here is a bit more modern, but the sound is still great – a smoother approach to soul than most of Gaye's contemporaries at the time, recorded in a way that has the vocals soaring majestically over the top of the backings! Slight undercurrents of funk spice things up somewhat, but still avoid any mainstream 80s groove cliches – and Marvin wrote, arranged, and produced the album himself (although with a bit of help from Chicago organist Odell Brown on the hit "Sexual Healing"!) Titles include "Sexual Healing", "My Love Is Waiting", "Third World Girl", "Turn On Some Music", "Joy", and "Midnight Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

Marvin Gaye's last album ever – and a sensuous batch of grooves that almost return him to the sound of Let's Get It On! The style here is a bit more modern, but the sound is still great – a smoother approach to soul than most of Gaye's contemporaries at the time, recorded in a way that has the vocals soaring majestically over the top of the backings! Slight undercurrents of funk spice things up somewhat, but still avoid any mainstream 80s groove cliches – and Marvin wrote, arranged, and produced the album himself (although with a bit of help from Chicago organist O'Dell Brown on the hit "Sexual Healing"!) Titles include "Sexual Healing", "My Love Is Waiting", "Third World Girl", "Turn On Some Music", "Joy", and "Midnight Lady". 2CD version features the bonus 74 minute "Sexual Healing sessions" – an amazing batch of tracks that show the development of different tunes on the album – with the tracks "Clique Games/Rick James", "Sexual Healing (alt 12" inst)", "I Bet You Wonder", "Baby Baby Baby", "I've Got My Music", "Turn On Some Music (alt voc mix)", "Marvin's Message To CBS Records", "Sexual Healing (rehearsal tape)", and "My Love Is Waiting (alt vocal)". CD

A wicked late Blue Note album from Grant Green – quite different than his smaller combo work from the early years, and done with some great larger arrangements that feature some ultra-hip vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten! Wooten's as great here as on his famous work with the Ninteenth Whole, and his vibes bring a nice edge to the record – ringing out in bold chromatic tones behind Green's guitar – amidst some warm electric backings that feature keyboards from Emmanuel Riggins, drums from Idris Muhammad, and congas from Ray Armando. Wade Marcus helped a bit on the music, and there's some tracks that definitely show his sophisti-soul touches – and the whole thing's almost got a CTI-funk sort of feel overall – with a great undercurrent of soul, no matter what the choice of material. Titles include a very groovy version of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" – plus "Cantaloupe Woman", "Blues For Abraham", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Maybe Tomorrow", "Love On A Two Way Street", and "We've Only Just Begun". LP, Vinyl record album

Soul singer Ruby Johnson never recorded a full album back in the day – and this set nicely corrects that fact, by bringing together some of her rare singles as a wonderful ten track album! Ruby's got a richness that's in the best southern soul mode of the time – a voice that would fit easily right next to the best Chess material by Etta James, but occasionally giving a slight uptown pitch in the backings – maybe a bit like Maxine Brown at moments too! Yet whatever the case, Johnson's a wonderfully expressive singer – and really knocks it out of the park on this set of heartbreaking gems – titles that include "No No No", "If I Ever Needed Love", "It's Not That Easy", "I'll Run Your Heart Away", "Let Me Apologize", "I'd Better Check Myself", "Come To Me My Darling", and "How Strong Is My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Jaunty, sprightly grooves from the wonderful Chris Montez – one of his sublime 60s classics for A&M Records, done with beautiful backings from the great Nick DeCaro! The pairing of Montez and DeCaro is totally great – as Nick finds a way to really get the right sort of punch out of Chris' light and dreamy voice – this kind of back/forth, sing/song sort of rhythm that really works wonders – taking familiar tunes, and turning them into whole new Montez-motivated numbers! There's more than a bit of bossa in the mix, and the whole thing's put together with a dreamy creamy A&M sound that really sends us – and titles include "The Girl From Ipanema", "Our Day Will Come", "Time After Time", "Elena", "Going Out Of My Head", and "Sunny". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool cooker from Oliver Nelson – one of the few 60s albums he cut as a leader with the same sense of soul and swing as his backings for other players! The sound here is right up there with Nelson's work with Jimmy Smith over at Verve – soaring, soulful arrangements that sparkle in ways that few other arrangers could match – perfectly balanced between bold statements by the soloists and a tight ensemble feel overall! The players are all top-shelf – and include Phil Woods on alto sax, Jerome Richardson on flute and baritone, Robert Hashton on tenor, Art Hoyle on trumpet, and Patti Brown on piano – plus Nelson himself on alto, getting in a few key solos. The whole thing's wonderfully upbeat and joyous, but with a deeper sense of feeling too – and many titles are originals by Nelson, including "Hobo Flats", "Post No Bills", "Laz-ie Kate", "Teenie's Blues", and "Three Plus One". CD

The Downtown Scene is a plenty groovy one – thanks to heavy percussion from Ninapinta, and some great jazzy backings from Jimmy Wisner! The album's a blend of Latin Soul, Latin jazz, and other mod 60s styles – all wrapped together with Verve-like perfection, with supporting players who include Clark Terry on trumpet, Artie Kaplan on sax and flute, Willie Rodriguez on percussion, and Jimmy Wisner on piano and organ! The tunes are jaunty, jumpy, and plenty darn soulful – all instrumental, and with just the sort of hip sound we're always searching for on records like this, but never find done so well. Many tunes are covers, but they're really transformed – and titles include "Downtown", "Mrs Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter", "1-2-3", "The In Crowd", "Help", "It Ain't Me Babe", and "Hang On Sloopy". LP, Vinyl record album

Buck's first Christmas album – and a prime batch of tracks that are right up there with the best of his regular records from the time! There's a strong strand of Bakersfield production running through the album – perfect for both the sadder tunes and the more upbeat ones – and the Buckaroos are in fine form, laying down some great backings that make this more than just a one-off throwoff album. There's plenty of well-written tunes on the record – and tracks include "Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy", "Blue Christmas Lights", "Christmas Time's A Comin", "Here Comes Santa Claus Again", and "All I Want for Christmas Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

Breathily beautiful work from singer Priscilla Paris – an unusual take on the music of Billie Holiday, done with a relatively sweet feel overall! Paris is definitely trying for Holiday's tone at times – but her sound is always a bit warmer and airier – almost as if Claudine Longet were doing a tribute to Billie, with a spacious late 60s feel that's almost A&M at times! Backings are by Sid Feller and Don Peake, and players on the date include Jimmy Rowles on piano, Jim Crutcher on bass, John Guerin on drums, and Peake on guitar – plus a bit of added strings. Titles include "In My Solitude", "Girls Were Made To Take Care Of Boys", "Just Friends", "I Love You Porgy", and "My Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest soul sets from Esther Phillips' 70s years on Kudu Records – a set with some nicely gritty grooves and a surprisingly earthy feel at times – especially when compared to some of her other albums of the time! Backings are by James Brown's old reedman, Pee Wee Ellis – and although there's some of the usual Kudu electric funk in the mix, there's also some deeper soul elements too – a vibe that's often a bit laidback and open, almost more Atlantic Records at points – which is a mighty good fit for Esther's wonderful voice! As usual for Kudu, the players are an all-star lineup – one that includes Richard Tee on keyboards, George Benson on guitar, Maceo Parker on tenor, and Bernard Purdie and Billy Cobham on drums – and Don Sebesky's also on deck a bit, to sweeten a few tracks up with light strings. The album's got a great version of Bill Withers' "Use Me" that features a tasty break in the intro – and other titles include a great version of "Alone Again (Naturally)", plus the cuts "Let's Move & Groove", "Cherry Red", "Let Me In Your Life", and "You & Me Together". CD

We're not sure what "lion style" is, but we can definitely say that the album's heavy on dub – a darkly bubbling masterpiece with Prince Jammy at the controls – crafting his magic to grooves by a top-shelf set of Kingston musicians! Winston Wright plays lots of keyboards – organ, clavinet, and even some harpsichord – and the real energy of the rhythms come from the young Sly & Robbie – very much in their prime here, without some of those later modes when they were trying to recopy themselves for the mainstream. Chinna Smith throws in lots of riffing guitar to the echoey brilliance – and titles include "No Bride", "Jammy's In The Arena", "Black Trap", "The Big Apple", "Rough Voyage", "Uhru Express", "King Forever", "Tiger Dub" and "Mystic Feelings". LP, Vinyl record album

Part funk, part disco, and all the way soul – served up in this one and only album from Strutt! The group were an obscure New Jersey combo from the 70s, but they step out beautifully on this rare Brunswick album – which has the same sort of funk club groove you'd find on a few of the label's other gems from this late period – like work by Tony Valor or Marilyn Farra & Satin Soul! All cuts have vocals, but the real strength of the group lies in their funky combo backings – an approach that's really honed to a "t" here, in a style that shows that the best early club music always had plenty of live, spontaneous instrumentation in the mix! Willie Bridges turns in a few great sax solos on the set – and titles include "Funky Sign", "Funky Baby Feet", "We've Come A Long Way Baby", "Said You Didn't Love Him", "If Wishing Made It So", "Time Moves On", and "Front Row Romeo" – in both vocal and instrumental versions. LP, Vinyl record album

Leon Thomas takes his vocals to new heights – moving past the straight spiritual jazz modes of his work with Pharoah Sanders, to embrace a whole host of new styles too! There's a slight trace of the blues promised in the title, but always inflected through a more soulful approach overall – thanks to backings arranged by Pee Wee Ellis – known best for his work with the James Brown band of the late 60s! Pee Wee handles reed solos on the tunes, and the group also features some great work on keyboards from Neal Creque – from Pucho's band – plus some guitar from Cornell Dupree and Larry Coryell. Yet Thomas is clearly the main attraction – sounding beautifully expressive at that level that no other jazz singer could ever hope to touch – that genre-starting style that continues to amaze us after all these years. Titles include the classic "China Doll" – plus "Love Each Other", "Boom Boom Boom", "Gypsy Queen", and "Shape Your Mind To Die". CD

A really great collection of work from the ultra-rare Links label – a short-lived imprint from the ska/rocksteady years of the scene in Kingston – and one that only issued a handful of records, all of which were pretty darn great! The label was founded by BB Seton of The Gaylads, and all the cuts here have a similarly soulful vibe as work from that great group – the growing emphasis on strong lead vocals over instrumentation on the Jamaican scene – sometimes with harmonies that were almost strong enough to blow away American soul groups of the time! Titles include "Looking For A Girl" and "Let's Fall In Love" by The Gaylads, "Can't You See" and "I Remember Someone" by Ken Boothe, "Give Love A Try" by Delroy Wilson, "Hog In A Minty" by Prince Glen, "Sweet Melody" by Big Joe, "It Comes & Goes" by The Melodians, "Small World" by Randall Thaxter, and "Something New" by Conscious Minds. CD