An instrumental classic from early 60s Chicago – and one of the best-selling records by young guitarist Phil Upchurch! Although Phil went onto tremendous fame doing studio and session work over the next few decades – including many key dates for Chess and Atlantic Records – this set has him firmly in the lead, playing with a raw-edged style that's halfway between instrumental soul and earlier R&B! The group here is a small combo with organ, tenor, and trumpet grooving alongside Phil's twangy guitar – and all tracks are instrumentals, cooked up with a tight little pre-funk sound! Titles include "Pogo", "Honest Injun", "You Can't Sit Down (parts 1 & 2)", "Running Bear", "Straw Hat", "Evad", "Nothing But The Soul", and "Organ Boogie". LP, Vinyl record album

Portuguese trumpeter Luis Vicente has created a wonderful American/European quartet here – a group of really like-minded players who seem to have the easygoing interaction hinted at with their pose on the cover, delivered with the sonic promise of the speakers that stand above their heads in the image! The tracks are quite long, and the work has this way of rising, falling, and cascading wonderfully over passages that are sometimes quite free and unbridled, sometimes more tied together in these waves of energy – Vicente on trumpet, alongside John Dikeman on tenor, Luke Stewart on bass, and Onno Goevart on drums. Titles include "Anahata/Little Dance" and "Luisa's Laugh/House In The Valley". CD

More classic blues than you could hope to shake a stick at – a 2CD set that features 50 tunes from Muddy's famous years at Chess Records! The set's brimming over with good stuff – classic and obscure numbers alike, going way past a simple "greatest hits" set. Titles include "Long Distance Call", "Evan's Shuffle", "Appealing Blues", "Rollin Stone", "Sad Letter Blues", "Kind Hearted Woman", "I Can't Be Satisfied", "Mean Disposition", "Good Lookin Woman", "Little Geneva", "Canary Bird", "Rollin & Tumblin (parts 1 & 2)", "Lonesome Day", "Stuff You Gotta Watch", and "All Night Long". CD

A lost masterpiece of modern jazz from the Venezuelan scene at the start of the 70s – a record that mixes together acoustic and electric elements with effortless ease – maybe echoing some of the best Gil Evans experiments of the time, but also vibing with the cooler European work on labels like MPS! Gerry Weil plays both acoustic and electric piano – in a group that features alto from Ramon Carranza, alto and soprano from Bill Bucci, and tenor from Victor Cuica – all shifting amidst the larger ensemble of trombones, trumpets, electric guitar, bass, and plenty of percussion – the last of which echoes some slight Latin currents, while never getting in the way of more modern jazz expressions! The title track, "The Message", is a funky monster with great fuzzy guitar – and other titles include "Johnny's Bag", "Little Man", "The Bull's Problem", and "The Joy Within Yourself". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive overview of the genius Chicago scene of the late 60s – and a set that's overflowing with some of the heaviest music ever recorded! The collection focuses on the most groundbreaking work from the later Chess years – particularly the funky blues, psychedelic soul, and tripped out jazz that was coming out of the Cadet Concept studios in the hands of producers like Charles Stepney, Richard Evans, and Marshall Chess! The Chess groups were ahead of their time by decades – blending together styles without a thought of simple genre restrictions, often forsaking chart fame and record sales in pursuit of an adventurous groove. And while some of the artists on the set may be familiar names, we can promise that most of them are presented in styles that you may not have heard before – as the collection features many unreissued numbers that are making their first reappearance here! CD set comes with a 40 page set of notes – and features 20 tracks in all, including "Please Newsboy" by Eve Barnum, "Burning Spear" by Soulful Strings, "More & More" by Little Milton, "Baltimore Oriole" by Lorez Alexandria, "Soul Vibrations" by Dorothy Ashby, "Evil" by Howlin Wolf, "Stereo Freeze" by The Stereos, "The Way I Feel" by Phil Upchurch, "Mama's Got A Good Thing" by Laura Lee, "The Wailer" by Sonny Cox, "Leave It In The Hands Of Love" by Fontella Bass, "Why Am I Treated So Bad" by The Majestic Choir & The Soul Stirrers, "She Suits Me To A Tee" by Buddy Guy, "Memory Band" by Rotary Connection, and "In My Body's House" by Gene Chandler. CD

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind. CD

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind. CD

Music from Billy Jones & The Stars, Gene Anderson, The Topics, Little Gregory & The Concepts, The Determinations, The Charmels, Porgy & The Monarchs, The Uptights, Johnny Wyatt, Composers featuring Arlee Evans, Mary Como, Judy McDonald & The Mellowettes, Clarence Glover, and more - 21 songs in all. CD

Dig French pop from the 60s? Here's a way to dig even deeper – as this great little collection is filled with rare gems that go past the classics in your collection by Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, and Jane Birkin! Most of the material here is work that we'd never have come across otherwise – and the package definitely lives up to the "groove" promised in its title – as the work is upbeat, and blends together yeh yeh 60s modes with other mod styles, and even some touches of funk and psych from time to time! There's a massive amount of work here – 22 rare tracks in all – and titles include "Bye Bye City" by Le Coeur, "Flower Power" and "Georgie Girl" by Les Hamsters, "Dee Duck" by Maraton, "Une Petite Fille" by L'Empreinte, "Bye, Bye Brighton" by Epta, "Nevada" by Les Rotomagus, "Crazy Mister Badge" by Mister Badge, "Monsieur Cyber" by Les Chimeriennes, "Luimere Et Paix" by Pax Quartet, "Vous" by Michel Pagliaro, "Vivre D'Amour Et De Musique" by France, and "Un Rayon De Soleil Est Entre Dans Mon Lit" by Les Parisiennes. CD

Featuring the bigger hits from the Verve catalog with titles that include "Desafinado" by Stan Getz, "Walk On The Wild Side", "Hobo Flats", and "What'd I Say" by Jimmy Smith, "Girl From Ipanema" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, "Sweet September" by Bill Evans, "I'm In The Mood For Love" by Pat Thomas, "More" and "Gravy Waltz" by Kai Winding, and "Little Tracy" by Wynton Kelly. LP, Vinyl record album

The Houseplant series really takes off with this killer triple-LP set – a massive batch of funk and soul, both old and new – presented here in a really great assortment of modes! There's some great deep tracks from the 70s here, alongside some well-chosen contemporary cuts from the international funk underground – plus a few other assorted surprises along the way – keeping the label's strong reputation for serving up a record that's way different than the standard funk compilation! Titles include "Short Stopping" by Veda Brown, "What's Good For You" by Harvey Scales, "Little Saddy" by Andre Ethier, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "Slide" by Adesse Versions, "Gettin Funky Round Here" by Black Nasty, "Love Theme From Spartacus" by Yusef Lateef, "Town Called Nowhere" by Skip Mahoney & The Casuals, "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Blah Blah Blah" by Saun & Starr, "Gotta Let Me Know" by Breakestra, "Jamaica Ska" by Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, "Legend In My Own Mind" by The Stepkids, "Lament 1" by Dustin Laurenzi, "Trouble" by Frederick Knight, "The Echo" by Epsilons, "A Little Bit More Won't Hurt" by Bettye Crutcher, "The Who Who Song" by Jackie Wilson, and "Don't Stop" by The Bar Kays. LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool little set, and one that's a lot different than you might expect from the "new romantics" reference in the title! Sure, there's some cuts here that are from the moment when the British scene was cracking the charts with nice haircuts, catchy electro rhythms, and smart lyrics – but the bulk of the set is actually music from the generation before – the kind of work that inspired the new romantics of the early 80s, mixed with cuts from that era, but which are not nearly as well known! The box begins very early in the 70s, and traces bits of prog, glam, and other pre-punk styles – then ends up in more familiar territory at the end, but with a less familiar vibe. Make sense? Probably not – but that's the great thing about a really well-done collection like this – 59 tracks with really great notes – and work from Tubeway Army, The Cure, Zager & Evans, Lounge Lizards, Grace Jones, Fox, Magazine, Spandau Ballet, Heaven 17, Japan, Yellow, Nightmares In Wax, Visage, Landscape, Flying Lizards, Don Armando's Second Avenue Rhumba Band, Sister Sledge, Lipps Inc, Barry Gray, Glaxo Babies, New Order, Blue Rondo A La Turk, Tom Tom Club, ABC, M, Heat Exchange, John Foxx, The Normal, and many others! CD

A set that might have you rethinking the early years of punk – as it shows that right next to the short sharp shocks of the new sound, there was also a rebirth of tight tuneful music too – a style that became known as power pop, even though many of the acts were ever bit as indie as the punk rockers! Don't mistake the "pop" for thinking that these are big commercial productions – as most of the work here is really back to basics rock and roll – a focus on sharp guitars, great rhythms, and excellent songwriting – served up in a wonderful mix of lesser-known artists, plus a few that went on to be timeless stars. The box set is every bit as great as other Cherry Red 3CD packages – detailed notes, 75 tracks in all, and work by artists who include Filmstars, Elvis Costello, The Questions, Rollers, Bram Tchaikovsky, The Deaf Aids, Undertones, Pinkees, Rudi, Gross Club, Stiff Little Fingers, The Monks, Backseat Romeos, The Flys, Pleasers, Leyton Buzzards, Purple Hearts, Elevators, Public Skool, The Cartoons, Excel, The Quads, Squeeze, Linda & The Dark, The Aces, and many others. CD

The legendary King Records is known as an important label for R&B and hillbilly music – but the label also has a surprisingly strong legacy in the early years of rock as well – maybe in part because it did such a good job of keeping its ear to the ground with those other important styles! King never got the chart-topping hits of a label like Sun Records, but it did manage to draw together an equally impressive array of talents – some still underground names after all these years, others now elevated in the secret history of rock and roll through their work for the label! The set brings together 30 tracks from King and related Federal and DeLuxe labels, all with the detailed notes and well-chosen cuts that continue to make this series so important, even after many years and dozens of releases – a legacy that's really supported here by cuts that include "Say So" and "If I Had A Woman" by Mac Curtis, "Stop The World" by The Bon Aires, "You're Gonna Like My Baby" by Bill Beach, "Haulin Freight" by Bob Newman, "Jungle Rock" by Hank Mizell, "Top Ten Rock" by Fuller Todd, "Put The Chain On The Door" by Boyd Bennett & His Rockets, "No Good Robin Hood" by Delbert Barker, "One Hand Loose" by Charlie Feathers, "Your Kind Of Lovin" by Donnie White, "Bip A Little Bop A Lot" by Joe Penny, "I'm Mad With You" by Moon Mullican, "Midnight Blues" by The Town Three, and "Good Good Good" by Ken McDonald. CD

The legendary King Records is known as an important label for R&B and hillbilly music – but the label also has a surprisingly strong legacy in the early years of rock as well – maybe in part because it did such a good job of keeping its ear to the ground with those other important styles! King never got the chart-topping hits of a label like Sun Records, but it did manage to draw together an equally impressive array of talents – some still underground names after all these years, others now elevated in the secret history of rock and roll through their work for the label! The set brings together 30 tracks from King and related Federal and DeLuxe labels, all with the detailed notes and well-chosen cuts that continue to make this series so important, even after many years and dozens of releases – a legacy that's really supported here by cuts that include "Say So" and "If I Had A Woman" by Mac Curtis, "Stop The World" by The Bon Aires, "You're Gonna Like My Baby" by Bill Beach, "Haulin Freight" by Bob Newman, "Jungle Rock" by Hank Mizell, "Top Ten Rock" by Fuller Todd, "Put The Chain On The Door" by Boyd Bennett & His Rockets, "No Good Robin Hood" by Delbert Barker, "One Hand Loose" by Charlie Feathers, "Your Kind Of Lovin" by Donnie White, "Bip A Little Bop A Lot" by Joe Penny, "I'm Mad With You" by Moon Mullican, "Midnight Blues" by The Town Three, and "Good Good Good" by Ken McDonald. CD

Excellent! An astounding 4CD set covering 15 years worth of fine Jamaican music, stopping at all the relevant points for novices, but digging deeply enough to unearth some nice hard to get bits for the initiated. The first disc in the set, Train To Skaville, represents an 8 year block during the formative years of the 60s, starting out with some Mento cuts, then a couple of nice Jamaican R& B numbers on through a nice batch of Ska. Disc 2, Do The Reggay, focus on the transition to Rocksteady and early reggae from 1968 to 1970, as the tempos started to get a little more laidback, and the dawn of the 70s gets highlighted with disc 3, Black & White: Reggae Rising. Disc 4, The Time Has Come, brings it all together collecting a tremendous batch of roots rock. 90 tracks in all, the set includes Derrick Morgan "Fat Man", Stranger Cole "Rough & Tough", Don Drummond & Tommy McCook "Music Is My Occupation", Roland Alphonso & The Soul Brothers "Phoenix City", Desmond Dekker & The Aces "Rudy Got Soul", Keith & Tex "Stop That Train", Toots & The Maytals "Do The Reggay", Lee Perry People Funny Boy", the Untouchables "Tighten Up", the Pioneers "Longshot Kick The Bucket", Gregory Isaacs "Don't Let Me Suffer", Harry J Allstars "The Liquidator", Niney "Blood & Fire", Ken Parker "Groovin Out On Life", Bob Marley & The Wailers "Small Axe", Horace Andy "I Fell Good All Over", Junior Byles "A Place Called Africa", Zap Pow "This Is Reggae Music", Slim Smith "The Time Has Come", Big Youth "S90 Skank", Burning Spear "Marcus Garvey", and way too many more to list here! CD