One of the nicest early albums by this great 70s soul collective – featuring a strong mix of funk and mellow soul tracks, with backing by the Nite Liters on some tracks, and production by the great Harvey Fuqua throughout! Titles include "Wild Flower", "It's Been A Long Time", "Keep On Doing It", "Pains of Love", "Ain't No Change", and "Heaven Says". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Band includes Randy and Michael Brecker, Joe Farrell, Joe Beck, and Richard Davis. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-remembered groups from the Detroit scene of the early 70s – thanks to the massive title track on this album, and a whole host of other wonderful cuts as well! The group features the great Steve Marcus on vocals – an artist who'd cut some key Northern soul singles for smaller labels in the 60s – but who really bursts out of the box here with great presentation from the Holland Dozier Holland empire! The record features some great songs by General Johnson and Greg Perry – and Perry also handled some of the production work for the record – really pushing the group with the sort of full, rich sound the Chairmen Of The Board brought to their own work. Titles include "Somebody's Been Sleeping", "Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup)", "One Man's Leftovers", "Love is Sweeter", "Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number", and "Back Track". CD features five bonus tracks – "90 Days Freeze", "Somebody's Been Sleeping (UK single edit)", "If I Could See The Light In The Window (version 1)", "Driveway", and "Somebody's Been Sleeping (US single)". CD

Titles include "She's On The Left", "Can't Go Back On A Promise", "One Love One Dream", "Cindy", "The Family", "My Heart Can Wait Forever", and "La Cuenta Por Favor". CD

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Groundbreaking improvisations from the British scene of the early 70s – a set that stands as a key demonstration of the tonal genius of Evan Parker on reeds, and one that also marks a seminal mix of percussion and electronics from the great Paul Lytton! Parker blows soprano and tenor saxes, sometimes in those cyclical modes that he can pull off effortlessly – which also seems to open the door to Lytton's electronic pulsations, and some of his percussive touches in a similar way – while both musicians also use other elements, including tape and home made instruments – touching the proceedings with some very cool and unexpected sounds! Titles include "Lytton Perdu", "Shaker", "Cat's Flux 2", "Peradam", "Voice Fragment", and "What's Left Of The Neo Left". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those great "never was" Blue Note sessions – recorded in the 60s, but never issued until years later – even though the label had assigned it a cover, title, and catalog number! The album was the last session by baritone sax player Leo Parker – a bop and R&B legend who sadly passed along at the young age of 36, but left a really rich legacy of music. Parker has a way with the baritone that's almost as lean as a tenorist – blowing the horn with sharp, well-placed notes that really make this session cook – somewhere in the R&B-influenced territory of Don Wilkerson's work on Blue Note. Other players include the great Dave Burns on trumpet – always a welcome presence on any date – plus Bill Swindell on tenor sax, Johnny Acea on piano, Al Lucas or Stan Conover on bass, and Wilbert Hogan or Purnell Rice on drums. Tracks include "The Lion's Roar", "Rollin With Leo", "Jumpin Leo", "Talkin The Blues", "Mad Lad Returns", and Illinois Jacquet's "Music Hall Beat". CD

Kenneth Patchen, like Kenneth Rexroth, was one of the few poets who really understood what it meant to read and write in a jazz idiom – as you'll hear on this excellent set of beatnik jazz tracks! The album features Patchen reading in a great style – angular, cynical, really working the words of his poems perfectly over backings by the Alan Neil Quartet. The poems are set to music written by George Wallington, Charlie Parker, and others – and tracks include "There's A Place", "They Won't Let You In There", "Do I Not Deal With Angels", "Not Many Kingdoms Left", "The Lonesome Boy Blues", "As I Opened The Window", and "A Sight Is Little Altered". CD

A pretty strange concept for an album – a bunch of LA jazz players get together and do versions of songs usually associated with the south! This penchant for swinging tunes from unusual sources was one of Pell's strongest 50s tricks, though, and he makes it come off pretty well with a group that includes Tommy Tedesco on guitar, Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Marty Paich on piano, and Med Flory on baritone sax. Arrangements are by Flory, Paich, Bob Florence, Bill Holman, and Johnny Williams – and titles include "Shi Me Sha Wabble", "Sugar Foot Strut", "Jazz Me Blues", "Blues", "Paper Doll", and "Ballin The Jack". LP, Vinyl record album

Teddy Pendergrass – we love you! This is one of Mr. P's greatest albums of smooth mellow soul – recorded after he left Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and began working in a wonderfully warm solo style that had a huge influence on male vocal soul for years to come! The sound here is tremendous – nearly perfect all the way through, with a great balance between class, sophistication, and soul – clearly an indication that Teddy made the right move by going on his own. The record features the classic "The Whole Town's Laughing At Me", plus lots of other nice material like "Be Sure", "Somebody Told Me", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", "Easy Easy Got To Take It Easy", and "The More I Get The More I Want". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime stuff! When Teddy left Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, he was making one of the best moves of his career – as you'll hear on these amazing tracks, totally perfect bits of modern soul that moved the career of Teddy up about a zillion notches, and which also had a profound effect on the overall development of male soul vocals. Includes "Turn Off The Lights", "Close the Door", "Love TKO", "I Don't Love You Anymore", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", and the amazing "Come Go With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Pere Ubu's second album – and maybe the record that has them really finding their unique place in American music! Early singles and Modern Dance had maybe more of a stronger punk influence – but here, things are really thrown open as we journey into the mad mind of singer David Thomas – both completely unbridled in the way he puts over a tune, and in the completely offbeat content he chooses for his lyrics. There's also a lot more unusual instrumentation taking place too – definitely a hint at the more avant leanings to come from other group members, yet song-based enough to please anyone who first fell in love with their early records too! Titles include "Navvy", "Dub Housing", "Caligari's Mirror", "Codex", "Ubu Dance Party", and "I Will Wait". LP, Vinyl record album

Houston Person grooving strong – still burning with a nice sort of fire, as one of the few soul jazz giants from his generation still left in the 21st Century! The set's got the lean, clean, later sound of some of Person's self-produced sets for Muse from years back – and like those gems, this one was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder with a really great sound – Houston at the helm of the production, and the group on tenor – with other players who include Terell Stafford on trumpet, Randy Johnston on guitar, John DiMartino on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Willie Jones III on drums. Titles include "Bleeker Street", "Moment To Moment", "Freight Dance", "E Nada Mais", "Nina Never Knew", "Back In New Orleans", and "All My Life". CD

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An early trio recording – with JF Jenny Clark on bass and Aldo Romano on drums – on titles that include "Christmas Dreams", "Gattito", "Juste Un Moment", and "Hommage A Enelram Atsenig". LP, Vinyl record album

Although bassist Oscar Pettiford left a huge influence on jazz before his untimely death, there's not actually that many fantastic records in which he's featured as a leader. Fortunately, this is one of the few, and it's a sparkling set of modernist inflected bop tunes played by a group that includes Mingus on bass, Phil Urso on tenor, Walter Bishop on piano, and Percy Heath on drums. Pettiford plays cello, and his lead on the instrument gives the record a dark tone that is extremely haunting. Titles include "Low & Behold", "Pendulum", and "Tamalpais". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty amazing album from vocalist Caroline Peyton – a eclectic set from '77 that manages to cohesively blend pop, country, soul, folk and even a touch of disco-styled funk – but it all holds together masterfully thanks to credible craftsmanship and especially to Caroline's lovely vocals! Caroline has an incredible voice – and she's given plenty of room on these tracks to really fill the room with it. Some of tunes wouldn't be out of place at all in the Laurel Canyon scene, but she also handles a more diverse palette of styles. One track, "Party Line" takes a left turn towards club soul, and despite being a bit of an anomaly, it somehow feels right in place with the rest of it. there's an honest, midwestern aura here that shines through wonderfully. Caroline and songwriter/producer Mark Bingham made impeccable team on the couple of underappreciated records they made together in the 70s, and Intuition is a true gem! Original album tracks include "Still With You", "Together", "Donkey Blues", "Call Of The Wild", "Just As We", "You Too", "Brister", All This Waiting" and "Light Years". Numero/Askerisk goes the extra mile with this well done revisit – with nice liner notes by Edd Hurt, photos, and 7 bonus tracks, including demos, outakes and more – including "Shake Down", "Another Today", "Try To Be True", "Spin" and more. CD

A wild set of early 70s leftfield folk from Caroline Peyton – a freewheeling batch of tunes that's a little bit more out there than the warmer, sunshine folk soul of the later Intuition album – but a unique gem that's a great showcase for Caroline's stunning voice, and the songwriting of partner Mark Bingham. The duo's creative origins trace back to a hippie commune outside of Bloomington, Indiana – and the tunes often feel like an unselfconscious, artier riff on the Cali folk scene of the time. The arrangements are built around the voice, and piano on many of the tracks. Unconventional, but warm and true – well worth a late discovery. Original album tracks include "The Sky In Japan Is Always Close To You", "Pull", "Don Beggs", "Tuna", "Engram", "Sweet Misery", "Hook", "Gone For A Day" and more. The Numero/Asterisk reissue goes the extra mile with liner notes by Edd Hurt, lots of photos, and bonus tracks including "Breathe (Live)", "Alll This Waiting", "Paths Of Light", "White Teeth" and enhanced video footage – "Call Of The Wild" and "Fishing Blues" live at the Hummingbird Cafe, in Bloomington, Indiana. CD

A wild set of early 70s leftfield folk from Caroline Peyton – a freewheeling batch of tunes that's a little bit more out there than the warmer, sunshine folk soul of the later Intuition album – but a unique gem that's a great showcase for Caroline's stunning voice, and the songwriting of partner Mark Bingham. The duo's creative origins trace back to a hippie commune outside of Bloomington, Indiana – and the tunes often feel like an unselfconscious, artier riff on the Cali folk scene of the time. The arrangements are built around the voice, and piano on many of the tracks. Unconventional, but warm and true – well worth a late discovery. Original album tracks include "The Sky In Japan Is Always Close To You", "Pull", "Don Beggs", "Tuna", "Engram", "Sweet Misery", "Hook", "Gone For A Day" and more. The Numero/Asterisk reissue goes the extra mile with liner notes by Edd Hurt, lots of photos, and bonus tracks including "Breathe (Live)", "Alll This Waiting", "Paths Of Light", "White Teeth" and enhanced video footage – "Call Of The Wild" and "Fishing Blues" live at the Hummingbird Cafe, in Bloomington, Indiana. CD

Not a live album – as you might think from the title – but a tight batch of tunes that shows the full funk and soul talents of the legendary Esther Phillips! The album's got a nicely dark undercurrent at times – a sound that's not as smooth as some of Esther's other Kudu albums from the 70s, with bits of R&B bubbling underneath the more contemporary arrangements. Backings are penned by Pee Wee Ellis and Gary King – and players include Bob James and Richard Tee on keyboards, Hubert Laws on flute, and Bernard Purdie and Steve Gadd on drums – the latter of whom provides a sublime beat on the album's standout funky number "Disposable Society" – one of those great little groovers that never did anything for Esther at the time of its release, but which has really gotten rediscovered in recent years! Other tracks include "Doing Our Thing", "Living Alone", "Can't Trust Your Neighbor With Your Baby", and "I Feel The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful! Shawn Phillips started his career as a shaggy folk rocker with a bit of a jazzy twinge – but this album collects odd bits and pieces that were left off of earlier albums, and works perfectly as a record that shows a whole new side of his genius! The album shows Phillips as a master of the funky jazz groove – and although he's still singing on some of the songs, he also lets loose with a number of instrumental cuts, laid out in a tight well-produced mode that puts them up there with some of the best work coming out on labels like Fantasy or Blue Note during the mid 70s. The centerpiece of these is the massive long cut "We Came To Say Goodbye", which builds and builds over the course of 15 minutes, with cool keyboards, great guitar, and the kind of tightly compressed grooves you'd expect to find on a Headhunters album (no surprise, since Headhunters Mike Clark, Bill Summers, and Paul Jackson are on the cut!) Other instrumental tracks include "Prelude To A Leaving" and "Italian Phases" – and strong vocal numbers include "Parisian Plight 1" and "Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A nicely done compilation that couldn't have been easy to put together – probably as solid of an anthology of the long-running, legendary anti-establishment Czech underground rock collective Plastic People Of The Universe – with material from as early as 1969 up to 1985! A lot bands from a lot of places can be described as "underground", but few as aptly as Plastic People. The group was once jailed by the Czechoslovak communist regime and part of the movement leading up the Velvet Revolution. Astounding stuff in a social/cultural/political frame, but the music is incredible! Influences of benchmark western style underground heavies of their time, from Beefheart to Zappa and well beyond, but Plastic People Of The Universe evolved into an amazing entity all their own! 31 tracks on 2CDs: "MGM (Metro Goldwyn Mayer)", "Magicke Noci (On Magical Night)", "Apokalyptickej Ptak (Apocalyptic Bird)", "Francovka", "Okolo Okna (Along The Window)", "Pf (Happy New Year)", "Podel Zdi A Doleva (Along The Wall And To The Left)", "Jednou Nohou (With One Leg)" and many more. CD

Bud's second LP for Blue Note – a firey batch of trio tracks that feature George Duvivier on bass and Art Taylor on drums – some of Powell's best work from the time, and a nearly all-classic set of bop piano tracks! The album's nothing fancy on the outset, but Powell and the trio really make magic happen on the best of moments – lighting fire underneath old standards, while also unveiling some hip new originals that are really worth the price of the set. Titles include "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Sure Thing", "Reets & I", "Glass Enclosure", and "Collard Greens & Black Eyed Peas", "Audrey", and "Autumn In New York". LP, Vinyl record album

The album's way more than just a sense of "interpretations" – because with Bud Powell at the helm, everything here is remade anew! The album's possibly the most focused of Powell's mid 50s sides for Verve – George Duviver on bass and Art Taylor on drums – and features the same trio throughout, on material all recorded in a single date, which is different from other Powell albums that brought together more than one session. The rhythm is very pronounced here – with a pulse that grooves most numbers along nicely, while Bud takes plenty of left (and right) turns with his angular work on the keys of the piano. At times, there's almost a Monkish quality to some numbers – and titles include "Conception", "Willow Weep For Me", "Bean & The Boys", "Ladybird", "Stairway To The Stars", and "Willow Groove". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzy mambos from the king – and easily the most successful of Perez Prado's albums for RCA in the 50s! The album showcases the Latin mode that Prado crossed over big with on his hit "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White" – a tune that almost single-handedly grabbed the energy and audiences of the late swing years, and grafted them onto the growing New York Latin scene of the time! Prado's got that great growl in his chants, as usual – pushing the band to even more rhythmic heights and brassy horn flourishes with his trademark calls – and titles include the classic "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White", as well as tracks like "Tomcat Mambo", "Mambo Ala Kenton", "The High & The Mighty", "Marilyn Monroe Mambo", and "Skokiaan". LP, Vinyl record album

The fourth Prince soundtrack in less than a decade – and a record that follows nicely after Purple Rain, Batman, and Parade, but with a slightly different spirit too – thanks to an ever-expanding Paisley Park family that included George Clinton, Morris Day, and Mavis Staples! The older funk acts are fine, and add to the spice – but it's clear that the main attraction here is Prince, although The Time are pretty darn welcome too! The set features vocal performances from Tevin Campbell, George Clinton, Mavis Staples, TC Ellis, and Robin Power – and titles include "New Power Generation", "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got", "Love Machine", "Tick Tick Bang", "Shake", "Thieves In The Temple", "Still Would Stand All Time", "Graffiti Bridge", and "The Latest Fashion". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Pucho and his legendary Soul Brothers group of the 60s – a record that's beyond definition – as it combines Latin, soul, jazz, and even a few funky touches – all into one totally amazing sound! This one really gets all the elements right – and the fantastic Pazant Brothers (Eddie & Al) are on sax and trumpet (respectively), and a young Neal Creque is on piano, really bringing a sharp edge to Pucho's groove that other Latin combos of the time never had – and the set also features some vocals by Jackie Soul on a few cuts, who's a great singer that really helps cross a few cuts over into Latin Soul territory. Titles include the soul jazz cuts "Heat" and "Psychedelic Pucho", plus other great Latin soul cuts, like "Payin' Dues" and "Candied Yam". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite different from Flora's earlier work, but in a way that we find quite compelling! The record was produced by Leon Ndugu Chancler, and it's got a smooth fusion sound that's kind of in a southern California R&B mode, played by a huge range of excellent Brazilian and west coast talents that include Patrice Rushen, Dorothy Ashby, Fred Jackson, Raul De Souza, Toninho Horta, and Airto. While this sound overwhelms the core of Flora's usual Brazilian jazz approach, it also expands some of the tracks to a great groove – with Flora's vocals on top, stretching out in a whole new way! Includes a great English language version of the Milton Nascimento classic "Nada Sera Como Antes", plus the cuts "You Love Me Only", "I'm Coming For Your Love", "Corre Nina", "Angels", "Bridges", and "Fairy Tale Song". LP, Vinyl record album

2 tracks recorded in roughly as many years from Quasimoto – maddest of all Madlib personas – in a batch of rarities and unreleased archival cuts that's as fresh and funky as anything 'Lib's delivered in years! Lord Quas is often described as Madlib's id – delivering top notch, but wigged out, if smoke mellowed rhymes that are out of character for Madlib the influential producer. That's fair enough, but we dig it for the smarts, the unshakable funky mood and its roots in sample-based hip hop craftsmanship. Hypotic boombap that'll sound fresh forever – paired mad blunted rhymes! Titles include "Broad Factor", "Seasons Change", "The Front", "Youngblood", "Astronaut", "Planned Attack", "Brothers Can't See Me", "Catchin' The Vibe", "Am I Confused?", "Sparkdala (Original Version)", "Green Power (Original Version)" and "LAX To JFK". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark work from Sun Ra – a rare 1964 performance that features some very early work from Pharoah Sanders, a good deal of which is appearing here for the first time ever! The material was recorded at Judson Hall – and marks a great large venue performance by the Arkestra on the New York scene. Ra and the group recorded the set on New Year's Eve, 1964 – at a time when John Gilmore had left the Arkestra to work with Art Blakey – leaving Pharoah Sanders to come and take his place on tenor. Also noteworthy is the presence of Black Harold (Harold Murray) on flute – blowing with a dark edge alongside other group members who include Al Evans on trumpet, Teddy Nance on trombone, Marshal Allen on alto sax, Pat Patrick on baritone sax, and both Alan Silva and Ronnie Boykins on bass. The performance starts with a relatively fierce sound, but then moves into some beautifully lyrical moments – and titles include "Gods On A Safari", "The World Shadow", "Rocket Number Nine", "The Voice Of Pan", "Dawn Over Israel", and "Space Mates". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant record – Kenny Rankin's first, and a really unique mix of styles that's completely different from his more famous later albums! The album has a gentle folksy style with touches of jazz – a bit like some of Tim Hardin's work for Verve, but without as much of a sad loser finish. Arrangements are by the great Artie Schroeck, and they're a mix of jazz, strings, acoustic guitar – all wrapped up in the light and breezy style of Artie's great late 60s work on Verve. Rankin's voice has a really unique quality – sparkling with a harmonic mode that's got definite ties to folk, but bubbling with the jazzy phrasing that you'd expect to hear more from Tim Buckley or Nick Drake. Titles include "Cotton Candy Sandman", "The Dolphin", "Every Passing Moment", "In Never Changes", "Song For A Winter's Night", "The Girl I Left Behind", and "Minuet". LP, Vinyl record album

The music of Sun Ra, taken into very different territory – every bit as cosmic as before, but maybe also a bit more down to earth in its presentation! Sun Ra classics are reworked here by a mix of different Brazilian musicians, with contributions from a few key American artists who really enrich the soulful qualities of the proceedings – with results that are tremendous, and which make the record one of the real standout projects in the long legacy of Red Hot recordings! The sounds here are all original, created for the project – and the Brazilian artists include some of our favorite underground talents of the past decade, mixed with a few who are more well-established, yet still very much on the left side of the spectrum! Titles include "Astroblack Orunmila" with Jazzmeia Horn & Orquestra Afrosinfonica, "Interstellar Low Ways" with Hamilton De Holanda Trio, "When There Is No Sun (Intergalactic version)" with Xenia Franca & Tigana Santana, "Eu Sou Um Instrumento" with Fabricio Boliveira & Jazzmeia Horn, "O Codigo" with Fabricio Boliveira & Edbrass Brasil, "Nature's God" with Meshell Ndegeocello & Munir Hossn, and "Nine Rocket For The Planet" with Meta Meta & Edgar. LP, Vinyl record album

A well-selected batch of work from one of the greatest soul singers of all time – and cuts that are presented here in rare mono mixes, all taken from the original mono tapes! The work includes important early sides that Redding cut at Stax Records – where he was the reigning star – plus a few issued after his untimely early death by Atlantic Records, who got their hands on Redding material that was still unreleased – and which gave Otis some of his biggest chart success in the years after he left the planet. The set list is fantastic throughout – the blueprint for so much deep soul to come from later generations – and the package features 16 titles that include "Mr Pitiful", "Stand By Me", "Pain In My Heart", "These Arms Of Mine", "That's How Strong My Love Is", "Respect", "My Girl", "Satisfaction", "Dock Of The Bay", "Hard To Handle", "I've Got Dreams To Remember", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Try A Little Tenderness", "Shake", and "Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa (Sad Song)". LP, Vinyl record album

A great setting for the legendary Jimmy Reed – working here with a tight groove, thanks to the band of Al Smith – who also produced the session! Wayne Bennett is on lead guitar, Lefty Bates on rhythm, and Jimmy Reed handles guitar and harmonica too. LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – a set that's way past their early overheard hits for Motown, and which shows the group really stretching out with a new sort of power! There's definitely a bit of Black Magic in the mix – as there's a fresh feel here that really shows the changes Motown was making at the start of the 70s – with some echoes of the style used with the Jackson 5 – no surprise, given that the album's genius track "Bless You", was written by The Corporation! That track is worth the price of the album alone – and has this incredible wall of sound arrangement, with Martha singing verse after verse about the religiosity of love. But other tracks are great too – and include "No One There", "I Want You Back", "Hope I Don't Get My Heart Broke", and "Tear It On Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful double-length set – one that brings together the lost legacy of work from singer Norris Reid on the Kingston scene – tracks that were only issued as rare 7" singles, in the years before Reid packed up and left Jamaica for Pittsburgh, and stopped recording gems like this! The work here is wonderful – with Norris continuing a classic roots style well into the 80s, with work from a variety of key producers and hip backings throughout – including some great work from Augustus Pablo, who really took Norris under his wing and helped give him the righteous setting he deserved! The whole thing's great – and titles include "Poverty", "When You A Knotts", "Rise In The Strength Of Jah", "Those Tears", "Knowledge Of Now", "Feel No Pain", "Shaddai Children", "Give Jah The Praises", and "Black Forces". LP, Vinyl record album

One of their best! After a tumultous tour for Tim, Bob Stinson left the band and they essentially recorded Pleased To Meet Me as a trio as far as the core band goes, but went down to Memphis to record with Jim Dickinson, and too our ears, that little bit of southern swagger, as paired with The Replacements still evolving blend of classic rock and punk influences and Westerberg's angry and weary songs makes this a helluva record – there are some days it's our favorite! Includes the totally great "Alex Chilton", plus "IOU", "I Don't Know", "Nightclub Jitters", "Never Mind", "Valentine", "Shooting Dirty Pool", "Skyway", "The Ledge" and "Can't Hardly Wait". CD

One of their best! After a tumultous tour for Tim, Bob Stinson left the band and they essentially recorded Pleased To Meet Me as a trio as far as the core band goes, but went down to Memphis to record with Jim Dickinson, and too our ears, that little bit of southern swagger, as paired with The Replacements still evolving blend of classic rock and punk influences and Westerberg's angry and weary songs makes this a helluva record – there are some days it's our favorite! Includes the totally great "Alex Chilton", plus "IOU", "I Don't Know", "Nightclub Jitters", "Never Mind", "Valentine", "Shooting Dirty Pool", "Skyway", "The Ledge" and "Can't Hardly Wait". LP, Vinyl record album

One of their best! After a tumultous tour for Tim, Bob Stinson left the band and they essentially recorded Pleased To Meet Me as a trio as far as the core band goes, but went down to Memphis to record with Jim Dickinson, and too our ears, that little bit of southern swagger, as paired with The Replacements still evolving blend of classic rock and punk influences and Westerberg's angry and weary songs makes this a helluva record – there are some days it's our favorite! Includes the totally great "Alex Chilton", plus "IOU", "I Don't Know", "Nightclub Jitters", "Never Mind", "Valentine", "Shooting Dirty Pool", "Skyway", "The Ledge" and "Can't Hardly Wait" – plus 11 bonus tracks including rare demos and am alternate version of "Can't Hardly Wait" CD

A big crossover classic for the champions of the Minneapolis scene – their first for Sire and featuring some of the greatest rock songs of the 80s, be it college radio, mainstream or any thing – greatness period! The sound is a bit more polished than the Twin Tone years, but there's no scrubbing out the shambling attitude, and truth be told, the more soul-searching material here is some of the best stuff they'd ever record. Includes the all time classics "Left Of The Dial" and "Hold My Life", plus "Little Mascara, Lay It Down Clown", "I'll Buy", "Kiss Me On The Bus", "Waitress In The Sky", "Swingin Party", and "Here Comes A Regular". CD

A big crossover classic for the champions of the Minneapolis scene – their first for Sire and featuring some of the greatest rock songs of the 80s, be it college radio, mainstream or any thing – greatness period! The sound is a bit more polished than the Twin Tone years, but there's no scrubbing out the shambling attitude, and truth be told, the more soul-searching material here is some of the best stuff they'd ever record. Includes the all time classics "Left Of The Dial" and "Hold My Life", plus "Little Mascara, Lay It Down Clown", "I'll Buy", "Kiss Me On The Bus", "Waitress In The Sky", "Swingin Party", and "Here Comes A Regular". LP, Vinyl record album

The last full album recorded by Minnie Riperton before she left our planet all too soon – and a killer batch of work that really has us wondering how great the world of soul music would have been, had Minnie stuck around to keep on growing into the 80s and 90s! The set's filled with the kind of all-star help that Riperton always seemed to attract over the years – strong contributions from Minnie's longtime fan/friend Stevie Wonder, plus work from Phil Upchurch, Jose Feliciano, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and many others – all helped out by Minnie and her partner/producer, the great Richard Rudolph – whose connection to Riperton can always be felt in the music. Titles include the great track "Memory Lane", which gets endless airplay here in Chicago, plus the beautiful ballad "Never Existed Before", and the cuts "I'm A Woman", "Lover & Friend", and "Return To Forever". CD

Legendary work from Smokey Robinson and his wonderful group – a killer set from the second all-male version of The Miracles – recorded with some wonderfully soaring harmonies! The group's got a nice bite on the bottom here – a groove to go with the "go go" promised in the title – at a level that made these Miracles really take off on Motown dancefloors, yet still also have the late nite appeal of the earlier group too. The album includes the big hit dance number "Going To A Go Go", the classic ballad "Tracks Of My Tears", and loads of other wonderful numbers like "Ooo Baby Baby", "Let Me Have Some", "All That's Good", and "My Girl Has Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking album of theremin music – recorded at a time when many people had forgotten about the instrument a bit, but at a level that takes the electronic force to a whole new level! The theremin first rose to fame on 50s sci fi soundtracks and weird mood music records – and although it had gotten use on rock albums during the psychedelic years, it never got the proper treatment it deserved until this groundbreaking set from theremin wizard Clara Rockmore! Rockmore plays the instrument here alongside piano from Nadia Reisenberg – really stripping away sci fi futurist stereotype of the theremin, as she takes on work from serious composers, plus other sources too – using the instrument with a sense of drama, and the virtuosic control of a master instrumentalist – on titles that include "Vocalise", "Song Of Grusia", "The Swan", and "Chant Du Memestrel". LP, Vinyl record album

Every single song the great Jimmie Rodgers ever recorded! Jimmie Rodgers might be THE forefather of traditional country music, and one of the great hard times poets of the century. Bear Family has gone all out to include his entire recorded history, and if justice served this set would be celebrated in the same manner as Harry Smith's Antholology Of American Folk Music. The recorded history here is every bit as important, if not more so, to the maturation of American music – but even more importantly, it's filled with breathlessly great songs! Everything's here – "The Soldier's Sweetheart", "Sleep, Baby, Sleep", "Ben Dewberry's Final Run", "Mother Was A Lady", "Blue Yodel", "Treasure's Untold", "Mississippi Moon", "You And My Old Guitar", "I'm Lonely And Blue", "My California Sunshine Girl", "Mississippi River Blues", "Nobody Knows But Me", "She Was Happy 'Til She Met You", "For The Sake Of Day's Gone By", "Jimmie's Mean Mama Blues", "In The Jailhouse Now", "T.B. Blues", "Let Me Be Your Sidekick", and tons more. Tuberculosis took Jimmie away while he was still in his 30s, but he left an incredible legacy – unprecedented music that fused old time gospel, blues, and mountain folk into a new American art form. Nearly 150 tracks, including many alternate versions, and a great booklet crammed with biographical information and photos. CD

Plenty of beats here from Roger Troutman – going for a sound that's maybe even more electro than some of his earlier solo work, at a level that really seems to be pushing the Zapp sound further for the 80s! The style is funky, but touched with lots of elements that have wended their way from indie hip hop up to mainstream soul – all at a level that later acts might fuse together with a bit more warmth, but which still has the starker feel of electro soul in Troutman's hands. Titles include "Thrill Seekers", "I Want To Be You Man", "I Really Want to Be You Man", "Night & Day", and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag". LP, Vinyl record album

A standout set from Shorty – tightly arranged numbers performed by a quartet that includes Jimmy Giuffre, Pete Jolly, Curtis Counce, and Shelly Manne – all working with Shorty in perfect west coast form! Despite the length of the tunes, the overall feel is similar to Rogers' excellent Wherever The Five Winds Blow album for RCA – and makes the record a great set, done without any gimmicks or tricks – and enough of the modern touch still left from Rogers' first few years on record. Titles include "Martians Go Home", "Trickleydidlier", "Not Really The Blues", and "Michele's Meditation". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Walk Away From Love", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "Everything's Coming Up Love", "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)", "You're My Piece Of Mind", "My Girl", "Just Let Me Hold You For A Night" and "I Miss You (part 1)". LP, Vinyl record album

An under-appreciated gem by Rufus – the group's last album before Chaka left to depart on her successful early 80s solo career – and a nice one nonetheless! There's a trace of 80s groove in the mix – especially on the bass and percussion – but these elements are handled with all the warmth and jazziness that we've come to love from the group's 70s recordings – and Chaka's voice, as always, keeps things strongly soulful no matter what the setting! The album's overflowing with catchy groovers – and titles include "Secret Friend", "Jigsaw", "Better Together", "Music Man", "True Love", "Quandry", "Lilah", "Sharing The Love", and "Losers In Love". CD

The second great live album from Rush – with versions of "La Villa Strangiato", "Tom Sawyer", "Spirit Of Radio", "Red Barchetta", "Passage To Bangkok", "YYZ", "Closer To The Heart", and "Jacob's Ladder". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better tracks off Sade's Lover's Rock, with a mellow vibe that does justice to the title of the LP in the original, and a similarly spacious island inflection on the "Yard mix". Truthfully the more amped up Neptunes mix and the "Reggae mix" don't really do the track justice to our ears, but that doesn't mean you won't be feelin' them. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A searing live performance from Hammond legend Shirley Scott – much more on fire and longspun than her work in the 60s on Prestige Records – and an amazing showcase for the bold tenor talents of the great George Coleman! Coleman's always one of those players who seems to hit an extra something special when blowing live – and that's definitely the case here, as the richness of his tone and dexterity of his imagination – qualities that also really seem to inspire Scott on the organ as well! Unlike earlier dates, Shirley's handling all the basswork herself on the pedals of the Hammond – which only seems to open up and solidify her sense of rhythm – and the trio features excellent work on drums from Bobby Durham, whose loose touch is perfect. Titles include "Blues By Five", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Like Someone In Love", "Impressions", "Witchcraft", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – and Ernie Andrews guests on vocals on a few tracks too, including "Girl Talk" and "Don't Mess Around With Jim". CD

A searing live performance from Hammond legend Shirley Scott – much more on fire and longspun than her work in the 60s on Prestige Records – and an amazing showcase for the bold tenor talents of the great George Coleman! Coleman's always one of those players who seems to hit an extra something special when blowing live – and that's definitely the case here, as the richness of his tone and dexterity of his imagination – qualities that also really seem to inspire Scott on the organ as well! Unlike earlier dates, Shirley's handling all the basswork herself on the pedals of the Hammond – which only seems to open up and solidify her sense of rhythm – and the trio features excellent work on drums from Bobby Durham, whose loose touch is perfect. Titles include "Blues By Five", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Like Someone In Love", "Impressions", "Witchcraft", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – and Ernie Andrews guests on vocals on a few tracks too, including "Girl Talk" and "Don't Mess Around With Jim". CD

A searing live performance from Hammond legend Shirley Scott – much more on fire and longspun than her work in the 60s on Prestige Records – and an amazing showcase for the bold tenor talents of the great George Coleman! Coleman's always one of those players who seems to hit an extra something special when blowing live – and that's definitely the case here, as the richness of his tone and dexterity of his imagination – qualities that also really seem to inspire Scott on the organ as well! Unlike earlier dates, Shirley's handling all the basswork herself on the pedals of the Hammond – which only seems to open up and solidify her sense of rhythm – and the trio features excellent work on drums from Bobby Durham, whose loose touch is perfect. Titles include "Blues By Five", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Like Someone In Love", "Impressions", "Witchcraft", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – and Ernie Andrews guests on vocals on a few tracks too, including "Girl Talk" and "Don't Mess Around With Jim". LP, Vinyl record album

The boys turn the whimsy back up a notch for their sweetly synth-soaked latest effort, and Prekop's voice has never been so confident and out front. The tunes seem longer and have a more languorous feel than their last couple records, but the hooks are just as sweet. It took a long while to come to the realization, but we don't know what we'd do without a new Sea & Cake record every couple of years – each one fits like a favorite sweater. As kind of a bonus track there's a nice electronic cover of Bowie's "Sound And Vision" that sounds really out of character for the usually predictable (but no less enjoyable) group. Other tracks include "Four Corners", "Left Side Clouded", "Hotel Tell", "Shoulder Length", "One Bedroom", "Interiors", "Mr. F", and "Try Nothing". CD

Pianist Vladimir Shafranov has a great rhythm duo here – bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster – a pair who keep things soulful and crackling throughout, which really seems to set fire to Shafranov's keys! The album's a really well-recorded piano date, in the same sort of mode that we loved from the Sawano label years back – and although it was recorded in 1990, originally to little fanfare, it's gone on to become a modern jazz piano trio classic over the years. Titles include "Bluesnost", "White Nights", "Giant Steps", "I Remember Clifford", "Sad To Say", "Lester Left Town", "One By One", "Vova Nova", and "Tin Tin Deo". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem in the career of tenorist Archie Shepp – one of those fantastically soulful European recordings that sometimes get missed, given that Shepp was recording so much and in so many ways overseas during these later years! The style here is a wonderful distillation of the modes he was exploring in his post-Impulse years – a small group rendition of the spiritual ideas of that earlier moment, but refined with more of a focus on Shepp's tremendous tone on tenor – even more maturely expressive here than before, at a level that makes us really love this period more and more as the years go on! The group features Horace Parlan on piano, Clifford Jarvis on drums, and Harry Emmery on bass – the last of whom does a wonderful job of filling the space left empty by Wilbur Little, with round tones that echo the soulfulness of Archie's tenor, and really live up to the tribute promised in the title. Tunes include a really wonderful reading of "Steam" – plus "Arrival", "Manhattan", and "Reflexions". CD

An overlooked gem in the career of tenorist Archie Shepp – one of those fantastically soulful European recordings that sometimes get missed, given that Shepp was recording so much and in so many ways overseas during these later years! The style here is a wonderful distillation of the modes he was exploring in his post-Impulse years – a small group rendition of the spiritual ideas of that earlier moment, but refined with more of a focus on Shepp's tremendous tone on tenor – even more maturely expressive here than before, at a level that makes us really love this period more and more as the years go on! The group features Horace Parlan on piano, Clifford Jarvis on drums, and Harry Emmery on bass – the last of whom does a wonderful job of filling the space left empty by Wilbur Little, with round tones that echo the soulfulness of Archie's tenor, and really live up to the tribute promised in the title. Tunes include a really wonderful reading of "Steam" – plus "Arrival", "Manhattan", and "Reflexions". CD

The duo of Archie Shepp and Mal Waldron come together beautifully here – in a mode that echoes some of the duets that pianist Waldron recorded with other reedmen in the 70s and 80s, but which has an especially wonderful contribution from Shepp! Archie blows both tenor and soprano sax – and the warmth of his horn in later years is really perfect here – especially as the album's sometime of an update of Waldron's earlier Left Alone classic, recorded after the death of Billie Holiday at the end of the 50s. As with that one, the tunes here include some numbers very strongly tied to Billie's legacy, but the vibe is very different, and very personal along the lines of the spirit of Shepp and Waldron. Titles include "Lady Sings The Blues", "Left Alone", "Easy Living", "Everything Happens To Me", "When Your Lover Has Gone", and "Blues For 52nd Street". CD

Great uptown early Philly soul album from the late 60's, featuring the talents of a young Bunny Sigler before he got tied up making too many uptempo records. The record features arrangements by Joe Renzetti – in a sweet uptown style that brings out a lot in Bunny's young vocals. Includes the title hit, plus "Can You Dig It", "There's No Love Left", and "Lovey Dovey". Goofy cover, too. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest records ever from Shel Silverstein – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given what a weirdo he is! The set was recorded hot on the heels of the big Johnny Cash recording of "Boy Named Sue" – and it features Shel singing that famous tune, plus a host of other original country material – all of which is quite different than the usual songs coming from Nashville in the 60s! Production was done by Chet Atkins – who must have flipped a wig recording this one – and Shel's raspy, nasally voice is surprisingly at home in the professional Nashville backings. The record's a great leftfield country relic from the 60s – and titles include "Boy Named Sue", "Dirty Ol Me", "Alimoney", "Someday's Here", "Time", "Comin After Jinny", and "Daylight Dreamer". LP, Vinyl record album

An important early live show for Nina Simone – a move from the world of small nightclubs (as mentioned in the title of her first record), to the classy Town Hall venue – working in front of an audience filled with left-leaning listeners who were the perfect crowd to get the unique bag she was working on at the time! The performance is a great one – mellow, moody, and a bit folksy – with Nina singing and playing piano with power that really rings out in the larger space – really egged on by the enthusiastic response of the audience. Titles include her classic reading of "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair", plus "The Other Woman", "Under The Lowest", "Summertime", "You Can Have Him", "Wild Is The Wind", "Return Home", and "Cotton Eyed Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavenly work by one of the greatest vocal jazz combos ever! The Singers Unlimited cut many mighty albums for MPS with arrangements by some of the label's best bandleaders – but this one features them all alone, with only their voices to hold them up, which they do wonderfully, thanks to some crack arrangements by Gene Puerling of the group! The approach is natural – given that their vocal interplay was always the group's strongest calling card – and thanks to sublime MPS production, acapella vocals have never sounded so amazing. Titles include "The Fool On The Hill", "Emily", "Since You Asked", "Lullaby", and "London By Night". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from one of Atlantic's best soul singers of the late 60s! Features Percy's huge hit "When A Man Loves A Woman", plus "Out Of Left Field", "Warm & Tender Love", "Cover Me", "Sudden Stop", "You're All Around Me", "My Special Prayer", "It Tears Me Up", "Baby Help Me", and "The Dark End Of The Street". LP, Vinyl record album

Still one of THE standout records of the post-punk years – the simple but effective dub statement of three London ladies with decidedly left wing politics! The record's in a format that would later be copped by dozens of groups – one that mixes together post-punk and heavy dub – the former of which is served up with some nice rough guitars and crackly vocals, and the latter which is done even better with some super-solid production by Dennis Bovell! Titles include "Shoplifting", "Spend Spend Spend", "Instant Hit", "Newtown", "Ping Pong Affair", and the seminal "Typical Girls"! CD also features their version of "Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Liebe & Romance (slow version)". CD

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". LP, Vinyl record album

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". LP, Vinyl record album

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". CD's got 5 bonus tracks too – including alternate mixes of "Frisky", "Skin I'm In", "Keep On Dancin", "Babies Makin Babies", and "Let Me Have It All". CD

No hokey organ grinder here – no monkey on a leash, begging for change on a street corner – just a smoking little trio session that stands as one of the best records that Jimmy Smith ever recorded for Verve! The album's got a groove that's similar to Jimmy's early years at Blue Note – long, stretched-out tracks – played by a trio that features Kenny Burrell on guitar and Grady Tate on drums, with lots of room left for Jimmy to cook up mighty solos on the Hammond! There's loads of little twists and turns that make the session shine nicely – and titles include "Oh No, Babe", "Blues for J", "Greensleeves", and "The Organ Grinder's Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A Latin Battle Of The Bands – as Cortijo's combo and Sonora Matancera go head to head! The album alternates between tracks by each of the groups – so that there's 6 of each, and the listener comes out the winner! (Of course, a real "duelo" would feature one band in the left channel, and one in the right channel – and let them work it out at the same time!) Cortijo plays "Las Ingratitudes", "Palo Que Le Das", "Dejalo Que Suba", "Juan Jose", and "Lo Tuyo Es Cronico". Sonora Matancera perform "Ave Maria Lola", "Oye Mima", "Toitico Tuyo", and "Micaela". LP, Vinyl record album

It's time to swing, but with a classy sound throughout – very much the best mix of modes Dakota Staton brought to her key early years at Capitol Records! Backings are by Sid Feller, and are pretty darn jazzy throughout – more so than some of Sid's other work of the time – a perfectly soulful setting for Staton's amazing vocals – very poised at points, yet never as stiff or stodgy as some of her contemporaries. Dakota's got a deep-toned approach to these tracks that really helps make the album way more than just another recording of familiar standards – and instead, does a great job of taking tunes into rich new territory. There's loads of great reedwork – from Phil Woods, Jerome Richardson, and Budd Johnson – and titles include "If I Should Lose You", "When Lights Are Low", "Willow Weep For Me", "But Not For Me", "The Song Is You", and "Until The Real Thing Comes Along". LP, Vinyl record album