A long-overdue look at the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden – an tiny little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time – politician, club owner, and local businessman – but he also put together his own band and record label, and worked in a very hip mix of R&B and 60s soul jazz modes! Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact with a variety of great musicians, both national and local – and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here for his LG family of labels – issued on a handful of singles and two rare LPs. Although rough-edged at times, these tracks have a really great sound – kind of a grittier take on the Prestige Records groove of the 60s – helped out by musicians who include Oliver Nelson and Hamiet Bluiett – and singers who include Albert King and Charles Drain. The package is a bit loose on discographical details, but definitely includes all the best moments from these mighty years on the East St Louis scene – and the full story in the notes more than helps to fill in the gaps in Gooden's compelling tale. The titles by Leo's Five – Gooden's group – are all hip jazz instrumentals, often with a strong mix of Hammond, guitar, and tenor – and these titles include "Hold It", "Sunrise Serenade", "Something You Got", "Tippin", "Johnnie Come Marching Home (Country Style)", "Minor Over Matter", "Mop Water", "Fredrick's Dream", and "Cookin With Chezie Mae". Other cuts include "COD" and "Worsome Baby" by Albert King, "So Glad" and "Stop & Think About It Baby" by Charles Drain, "Winkee Do" and "Ugly Ugly" by Leo Gooden, and "Let's Do The Cat" by Jamie Ross. CD

One of the all-too-few recordings of the great Brew Moore on tenor as a leader – a rare date recorded during the year of Moore's first appearance on the European scene – the start of a great 60s run that really had the saxophonist taking off overseas! Brew was already great on his handful of 50s releases in the US, but when he hit the European scene he seemed to change into an even more amazing player, almost overnight – one with a boundless sense of imagination that comes through in well-crafted, extended solos – and a sense of depth and soul that should have gotten Moore much greater recognition on these shores at the time! This set features really striking material from a few different settings – maybe the best of which is material recorded in Stockholm with a Swedish trio – on long tracks that include "Five Planets In Leo", "Buzzy", and "Apple Core". The set also features some tighter Parisian recordings – done at the Blue Note with a sweet quartet that features Lou Bennett on organ, Jimmy Gourley on guitar, and Kenny Clarke on drums – on the titles "Zonky", "Broadway", and "Satin Doll". Last up is one more track recorded for Danish TV with Paul Godske on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – a nice reading of Brew's own tune "Ergo". CD

A much-needed look at the Dutch jazz scene in the 50s and 60s – a spot in Europe that was turning out some really fantastic modern material – at a level that's every bit as great as better-known work coming from France, Germany, and Scandinavia at the time! Many of the players here quickly became giants who would dominate on the Dutch scene for years to come – and even at this early point, their work is wonderful – occasionally graced with guest work from American players, but already more than great enough on its own – and filled with a mix of sharp rhythms, new ideas, and impeccable instrumentation throughout. As with other Sdban titles, the presentation is wonderful – not just a great set list, but an overall feel that makes the package as hefty as the music inside. Titles include "Four On Six" by Kwartet Martin Verlinden, "So Why" by Kwartet Leo Meyer, "Amsterdam Blues" by Diamond Five, "Lady Elisabeth" by Tony Vos Quartet, "Blues For Eddy" by Red & Brown Brothers, "Sem" by Frans Elsen, "Relaxin With Rhythme" by The Rhythme All Stars, "Mensen Van Morgen" by Herman Schoonderwalt, "Wives & Lovers" by Rita Reys & Oliver Nelson, "Comin Home Baby" by Trio Tony Vos, "Sing Sing Sing" by Leddy Wessel with Jack Van Poll, "Blues Minor" by Boys Big Band, and "Afro Blues" by Herbie Mann with Wessel Ilcken Combo. CD

A fantastic follow-up to the legendary Home Schooled collection from Numero Group – and, like that one, a set that focuses on the surprisingly great genre of kid soul that flourished in the 70s – in the wake of bigger groups like the Jackson Five, Sylvers, and 5 Stairsteps! These groups are all from similar territory – mostly comprised of younger members, but who work with an undeniably great sound overall – grooves as sharp as most of their adult counterparts in the indie soul field – and maybe a lot more energy and enthusiasm in their music – which makes for tracks that are wonderfully upbeat, positive, and overflowing with goodness! Most of the work here is from the early 70s – and, as always with Numero, the set is presented in a very thoughtful manner – with some great notes and wonderful sound quality overall. There's a few of our favorite Chicago groups on here, mixed with loads of other artists we've never heard before – and titles include "Runnin Wild" by Scott Three, "You Got Me Believing" by Leonard Kaigler, "Guessing Games" by Jimi Hill, "I Want A Little Girl" by The Bennetts, "Everywhere You Go" by The Next Movement, "Because I Love You" by Brighter Side Of Darkness, "It's Time For Love" by Soul Emotions & Co, "The Other Guy" by Mighty Mustangs, "Love Got A Piece Of Your Mind" by Five Ounces Of Soul, "Funky Breakdown" by Little Man & The Inquires, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by The Brothers Rap, "I'm Free No Dope For Me" by The Dynamics, and "Girl Why Do You Want To Take My Heart" by Magical Connection. CD

Very cool work from Leonard King & The Soul Messengers – a Detroit combo who really kick things up here with some great work from the clubs and a few rare studio recordings as well! King's a drummer, and gives the group a mighty solid sound from the start – and the whole group are equally comfortable in a soul instrumental mode as they are when letting loose with jazzier solos – a bit like the Jazz Crusaders on the LA scene of the mid 60s, but even groovier overall! Instrumentation shifts a bit throughout – depending on the lineups – and includes alto from Gregory King, cornet from Atiba King, trumpet from Jimmy Nash, and organ, electric harpsichord, and piano from George Roundtree. The range of material varies in a really great way – showing not just an evolution of King and his combo, but also the changing tastes of the Detroit scene at the end of the 60s – and there's also a few soul vocal numbers mixed in with the jazz instrumentals. Titles include "Delen 1967", "Voice Your Choice", "The Barracuda", "I've Been Saved", "Lily The Fox", "Cold Sweat", "Psychedelic Pi", "Bumpy's Lament", "Hang Up", "Spinning Around/It's Too Late", and a "Jackson Five Medley". CD

Funky nuggets galore – and a fair bit of righteous numbers too – all brought together in celebration of one of the hippest record labels of the early 70s! Flying Dutchman was around for just a bit over five years – yet during that time, the label recorded all sorts of really wonderful music – a mixture of jazz, soul, funk, and other styles that really helped push the envelope at the time – as it took the torch from older labels like Impulse or Prestige, and really continued a big wave of new sounds and groovily experimental music! You'll no doubt recognize some of the cuts here – but the collection does a great job of digging deeper past the Flying Dutchman hits – bringing together some real surprises that showcase the way that the company was trying so many cool things at once, and creating music that's still the stuff of legends many years later. Titles include "Head Start" by Bob Thiele Emergency, "Peaceful Man" by Esther Marrow, "Mama Soul" by Harold Alexander, "Soulful Strut" by Steve Allen, "Heavy Soul Slinger" by Pretty Purdie, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, "See Saw Affair" by Cesar, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "Bolivia" by Gato Barbieri, "125th Street & 7th Ave" by Oliver Nelson, "Whitey On The Moon" by Gil Scott-Heron, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, and "Lament For John Coltrane (take 1)" by Bob Thiele. CD

Classic funky soul from Five Special – tightly crafted throughout, and clearly with an eye on the charts – but also the kind of work that plays nicely on the dancefloor too! The record's got a groove that fits in nicely with some of the lesser-remembered groovers on Elektra at the time – like Shadow or Chameleon – with plenty of jazzy inflections in the rhythms, and a nice sense of 80s groove that keeps the uptempo tracks from being just copycat club. But the vocals here are especially nice, and sparkle even more on the ballads, which have a smooth and warm sound that's tight, yet never commercially cloying. Titles include "Do Something Special", "Heaven", "Who You Been Lovin", "Jam", "Choosin You For Me", and "Had You A Lover". CD

The first album by The Sylvers – a soulful band made up of youngsters from the Los Angeles scene, but who had a lot more going on than some of the other kiddie-soul bands of the early 70s! The group's a sextet at this point, with four male voices and two female ones – coming across as a sweet blend of tenor and soprano harmonies, in a similar mode to the Five Stairsteps – but maybe with a deeper, grittier vibe overall! The record has a solid sound and a funky groove that gives you a hint at what stars the kids would grow up to be – as not only The Sylvers would go on to crack the charts big, but members Leon and Foster would do some pretty great soul work on their own. Jerry Peters did arrangements on the best cuts – with that slightly messed-up groove that he brought to his best 70s work. The record includes the great funky sample cut "Fool's Paradise", which has a great intro that steps along with a fierce bongo sample! Also includes some nice mellower soul material – like "Wish That I Could Talk to You", "I Know Myself", and "Chaos" – with bonus cuts "I'm Just A Lonely Soul", "Time To Ride", and "Come On Give Me A Chance". All that, and Jerry Butler production too! CD