A great secular set from Keith Barrow – a singer who started in gospel, but who's always been best-remembered for this modern soul gem from the 70s! Keith's got a great range to his vocals – one you can hear right from the start, as he dips and soars effortlessly with a quality that's clearly inspired by the spirit – but set here to some wicked smooth soul arrangements from Johnny Allen. The album's got a mix of clubby moments and some even better laidback cuts – and the set also features a few tunes penned by Ronn Matlock, an under-credited master of modern soul. Titles include "Turn Me Up", "Physical Attraction", "You Know You Want To Be Loved", "If It's Love That You're Looking For", "Garden Of Love", and "Free To Be Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Solo work from Christine McVie – with titles that include "The Smile I Live For", "Keeping Secrets", "The Challenge", "So Excited", "Love Will Show Us How", "One In A Million", and "Got A Hold On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer tribute to 52nd street – filled with vintage recordings from the 78rpm era by artists that include Ella Logan, The Spirits Of Rhythm, Eddie Condon, Stuff Smith, Wingy Manone, Red Allen, Louis Prima, Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, John Kirby, Bud Freeman, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, and many others. LP, Vinyl record album

Roy Ayers in a very Afro-styled mode – working here on his own after a famous collaboration with Fela Kuti – in a set that's filled with the same sort of hard-driving Afro-Funk grooves that you'd find in Fela's classic recordings! The songs are shorter than Fela's, and with more of Roy's usual smooth jazzy production style – but the overall influence is very much in the Afro-Funk vein, and the album's sort of a "part 2" to the Music Of Many Colors set that was cut a few years before. William Allen worked on the record with Roy – playing choppy Afro-Funk bass, and arranging and producing a lot of the material with Roy and Jaymz Bedford – and the record also features a host of extra percussion players, as well as some vocals by the lovely Sylvia Striplin. Includes the great groover "Africa, Center Of The World", plus "The River Niger", and a great remake of "Third Eye", which was on Everybody Loves The Sunshine, but is redone here with a heavier sound! Other tracks include "There's A Masterplan", "I'll Just Keep Trying", and "Destination Motherland". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic illustration of the live music tradition on Brazil – one that really arose on records during the 60s, and blossomed strongly on 70s records like this – which feel almost more like an event than a recorded document! The concert features a magnificent meeting of Chico Buarque and Maria Bethania – both very strong talents on their own, balanced in this really great way amidst larger backings from Maestro Gaya – duetting on tunes that really turn into something special from their performance – never a challenge of egos, but instead a wonderful folding of strong ideals. Terra Trio provide the rhythms – and most numbers are Buarque originals – with titles that include "Flor Da Idade", "Vai Levando", "Bem Querer", "Noite Dos Mascarados", "Tanto Mar", "Gota D'Agua", "Com Acucar E Com Afeto", and "Sem Fantasia". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked funk from Chocolate Milk – and a set that perfectly combines their deep New Orleans roots with the tighter sound the Crescent City was brewing up in the mid 70s! The group work closely here with producer Allen Toussaint – and really show that stronger use of studio technology that Toussaint was perfecting at the time – a mode used famously in work for bigger artists, but which is totally perfect here to bring an even greater focus to the sound of the group! There's loads of sharp-stepping basslines and drums at the bottom, mixed with a cool compressed sound at the top – a way of being a bit smooth, yet still pretty darn funky all the way through. The mellower cuts are especially great – never sleepy, but slow grooving in a really badass way – and titles include "Comin", "Do Onto Others", "Starbright", "Feel the Need", and "Something New". LP, Vinyl record album

2 great ones by Dr John – with backing by The Meters and production by Allen Toussaint! "Right Place" was a huge hit – but it's also an excellent funky number! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A collection of recordings from three different sessions and three different years featuring the likes of Teddy Edwards and Dextor Gordon. The first session is from 1947 and features Edwards and Gordon on tenor sax, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Red Callender on bass and Roy Porter on drums. Some of their tracks are "Blues In Teddy's Flat" and "The Duel". The next session was recorded in 1950 and features Lee Parker on baritone sax, Henry Durant on tenor sax, James Robertson on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano, Curley Russell on bass and Eddie Bourne on drums for three takes of "On the House" and "Rollin' With Leo" among others. The final session was recorded in 1955 and features "Wardell Gray on tenor sax, Tate Houston on baritone sax, Gene Phipps on trumpet, Norman Simmons on piano, Victor Sproles on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums for "Hey There" and "Dat's It' among others. LP, Vinyl record album

A late masterpiece from the Flaming Lips – one of their most unique and uncompromising records since they became leftfield hitmakers – and a record that works best as a whole! Embryonic is a grower, and the first record since The Soft Bulletin which, to our ears anyway, doesn't seem to have any illusions of a crossover ready single in the lineup. It's really a space rock record with fuzzy guitars and echoing noisiness, and a confident step out of "Do You Realize?" style speaks-to-everyone art pop, and into more of a dissonant, messy sound. It's a real thrill for us to see a longtime favorite not only get over into the mainstream consciousness and stay there for years, but to continue to challenge and innovate while they're hanging out there. Titles include "Convinced Of The Hex", "The Sparrow Looks Up At The Machine", "Evil", "Aquarius Sabotage", "See The Leaves", "Your Bats", "Powerless", "Scorpio Sword", "Watching The Planets" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Howard Hewett's got a smooth look on the cover, but the album's got a nice degree of crackle all the way through – that snappy, soulful style that Hewett did so well back in the day – working here as almost a one-man powerhouse on production and arrangements too! The tunes are catchy, but never too crossover – and Hewett has this way of bringing in a subtle drama on the upbeat tracks, while avoiding some of the cliches of his contemporaries – then sliding into some mellower moments that really hold the album together strongly. Production is definitely in a late 80s R&B mode, but with a style that really sets it apart – and titles include "Strange Relationship", "This Time", "Good Bye Good Friend", "Challenge", "Natural Love", "Once Twice Three Times", "Shakin My Emotion", and "Share A Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s crossover classic, and the album the put LaBelle over the top! The mighty Allen Toussaint is at the helm for this first Epic album to feature the trio of Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash – and he really helps the group find an amazing new sound after their somewhat rougher, rootsier efforts for Warner Brothers! The new groove has plenty of Toussaint's New Orleans rhythms in the mix – but the overall sound is a bit smoother too – kind of a classy, clubby take on the Crescent City sound – one that still sounds wonderful after all these years. Most tunes have a vamping rhythm and lots of great electric piano – and titles include the massive hit "Lady Marmalade", the great title track "Nightbirds" – and "Space Children", "All Girl Band", "You Turn Me On", "What Can I Do For You?", and "It Took A Long Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A great appearance on a bigger label for this spiritual flute player – working here with a cool lineup that includes Steve Turre on trombone, Jay Hoggard on vibes, Abdul Wadud on cello, Geri Allen on piano, and Pheeroan Ak Laff on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great little change for John Mayall – a set that has the British singer picking up some strong funky touches from Allen Toussaint – the New Orleans soul legend who produced and arranged the record, and wrote most of the tunes too! For a brief time in the mid 70s, the Toussaint touch was pure magic, and that's definitely the case here – as the record helps Mayall really re-focus his energy with a lean, tight sort of sound – yet one that's never slick or commercial as well! Toussaint plays plenty of Fender Rhodes and clavinet on the album – and titles include "Lil Boogie In The Afternoon", "Who's Next Who's Now", "Just Knowing You Is A Pleasure", "Mess Of Love", "The Boy Most Likely To Succeed", and "There Will Be A Way". LP, Vinyl record album