An amazing soundtrack from German maestro Peter Thomas – even weirder and more electric than some of his famous 60s recordings! Thomas scored the music for a spooky 70s film about the possibility of aliens on earth – and did so with a bit more tension than some of his other records – mixing in some dark tones, weird sounds, and other odd elements amidst some more familiar space age-styled themes. Instrumentation often mixes conventional orchestrations with electronics and offbeat percussion – the latter of which brings an earthy, organic undercurrent that you might not expect, and which really sets the record apart from anything else at the time. A few key cuts have the trademark groovy feel you'd expect from Thomas – including the classic "Stars & Rockets" – and other titles include "Reminiscences Of The Future", "Popular Myth & The Destruction Of Sodom", "The Red Sea", "Gods From Strange Planets", "Returning To The Stars", "Rocket Science", and "Easter Island". LP, Vinyl record album

Rosana Toledo's got some mighty hefty hair on the front cover – but the album is much less stiff and formal – as the singer really taps into her emotive depths throughout – showing us that although life goes on, as promised by the title, it's not without its melancholy moments! Arrangements are relatively full, with light percussion underneath larger orchestrations – all handled by Maestro Nelsinho, on titles that include "Nao Me Diga Adeus", "Salve Ogum", "E A Vida Continua", "Porque Fui Te Encontrar", "Desolacao", "Pra Que Mentir", and "Feitio De Oracao". CD

A sweet 70s groover from Italian soundtrack maestro Armando Trovajoli – one that has some nice funky tracks! There's a bit more electricity running through the mix than on Trovajoli's 60s recordings – sweet keys and bass bubbling under the strings, and often hitting some nice laidback funky tunes in a sexy 70s Euro style. Some cuts are mellower and more traditional, but the electric ones, especially those with a bit of moog, are totally great – and the album's a great reminder of why Trovajoli continues to be one of our favorite soundtrack composers ever! Titles include "Racconto Televisivo", "Brutti Sporchi E Cattivi", "Nonna Antonecca", and "Il Sogno". This stunning version is overflowing with bonus tracks – a total of 22 numbers in all, and way more than the previous CD release! CD

Sexy genius from Armando Trovajoli – the undisputed master maestro of the 60s Italian comedy! Casanova 70 has a great little score that blends together jazz and lighter Italian styles – a great link between the straighter jazz modes used in early 60s films, and some of the groovier, more mod-oriented styles that were taking over the Italian scene in the later part of the decade! There's some especially nice use of electric harpsichord on the record – quick little lines that have a tinkling, shimmering feel – often set against fuller Hammond, and a warmly grooving sense of rhythm. Titles include "Blues For Casanova", "Sensual Jazz", "Casanova 70", "Striptease", "Dino's Blues", "700 Jazz", and "Rubacuori". Plus, this massive CD reissue features a total of 34 tracks – 26 of which weren't on the original album – and which make for a really fantastic package! CD

A sweetly slow-building soundtrack from maestro Armando Trovajoli – filled with water strings, light woodwinds, and some really dreamy sounds! The set's not as all-out groove oriented as some of Trovajoli's other late 60s work, but it more than makes up for that with a spacious sensibility that has the instrumentation kind of floating in the air – hung from clouds with tiny little threads, just blowing along in the breeze with an almost effortless sort of quality! The tunes flow nicely one into the other – with no grand themes, save for a few slightly more grooving moments – and Edda Dell'Orso manages to sneak in a few light vocal performances – but again, in a relatively spare and subtle way. Titles include "Come Quando Perche", "Presa Nella Rete", "Paula", "Onde Sulla Riva", "Una Notte Particolare", and "Disperazione Di Un Ricordo". CD

A very cool late 60s spy soundtrack from Italian maestro Armando Trovajoli – possibly one of his most dynamic scores of the time, filled with a range of modes – from jazzy, to moody, to mellow! The main theme of the film has a leaping, soaring piano/horn line that's totally great – quite driving and catchy, with enough of a groove to make it alone worth seeking out – but other tracks are plenty wonderful too, and feature a nice array of jazzy passages mixed with sweeter strings, plus a few sparer, more contemplative moments that echo the theme in very subtle ways. The lovely Lara Saint Paul sings the theme song "The Touch Of A Kiss" – and other titles include "The Report Is Completed", "Just Pull The Trigger", "The Last Gift", "A Bank In Zurich", "The Cottage Over The River", "Unexpected Note", "A Forced Meeting", "Suddenly An Old Friend", "Tears & Spies", and "She Dangerous Stuff". CD

A smooth session, but a great one – proof that Stanley Turrentine was one of the few jazz players who could step into a set of larger arrangements and sound as soulful as his small combo work! The format here has plenty of modern R&B touches from producer Chuck Jackson – Capitol soul maestro of the time, and a great choice to freshen up Stanley's career with a different approach for this set. Jackson's sound here is positive, progressive, and nicely grooving – with some soul vocals on a few cuts, but mostly a main focus on Turrentine's well-toned tenor and his well-blown solos. There's a strength here that goes way past similar work of the time – and the record's never cheesy or cheap-sounding, but solid proof that the best soulful fusion modes of the 70s still grooved well into the 80s! Titles include "Blow", "At The Club", "Gemini", "Conception", "Paradise", "You Can't Take My Love", and "I'll Be There". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever from the mighty Piero Umiliani – sounds initially written for a film that was an international "sexpose" of daily life in Sweden – but which have grown to even greater fame on their own over the years – thanks to the talent of the maestro! The music here is awash in groovy elements – lots of sweet Hammond organ lines, mod basslines, and some especially cool wordless vocals from the choir of Alessandro Alessandroni – scatting away in a great way alongside the instruments, and bringing an added level of breathy eroticism to the whole thing! This special LP version recreates the original Omicron release of the record – with titles that include the two lyrical tracks "You Tried To Warn Me" and "Sleep Now Little One", sung by Lydia McDonald – plus the tracks "Topless Party", "Eva Svedense", "Essere Donna", "La Signora Cameriera", "FotoModelle", and "Le Ragazze Dell'Archipellago". (Note, does not contain the track "Mah Na Mah Na", which is on other versions of the soundtrack – but it appears on the "partner" reissue of Umiliani's Psichedelica from Schema, under the title "Viva La Sauna Svedese".) LP, Vinyl record album

A totally wonderful album from one of the hippest groups on Motown at the start of the 70s – the mighty Undisputed Truth, a group who really took up the psychedelic soul style of The Temptations, and gave it a real run for its money! The record was produced by Temptations maestro Norman Whitfield – and is a perfect example of the rumbling funky soul sound that he was developing at the time – a mixture of heavy bass, rumbling percussion, fuzzy guitars, and a stone righteous sound that pushed soul music firmly into the 70s! The songs are mostly all originals written by him and Barrett Strong – and the band is filled with great players like Dennis Coffey, Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffith, and the great Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin. Titles include "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World) Friendship Train", "What It Is?", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "What's Going On", and "You Make Your Own Heaven & Hell Right Here On Earth". CD

A totally wonderful album from one of the hippest groups on Motown at the start of the 70s – the mighty Undisputed Truth, a group who really took up the psychedelic soul style of The Temptations, and gave it a real run for its money! The record was produced by Temptations maestro Norman Whitfield – and is a perfect example of the rumbling funky soul sound that he was developing at the time – a mixture of heavy bass, rumbling percussion, fuzzy guitars, and a stone righteous sound that pushed soul music firmly into the 70s! The songs are mostly all originals written by him and Barrett Strong – and the band is filled with great players like Dennis Coffey, Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffith, and the great Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin. Titles include "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World) Friendship Train", "What It Is?", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "What's Going On", and "You Make Your Own Heaven & Hell Right Here On Earth". LP, Vinyl record album

A set cut with British maestro Edmundo Ros – in a style that's similar to some of his own albums from the time – not really straight Latin, but more a blend of tropical and exotic influences with some fuller big band modes! The style has almost an older sort of sound here – reminding us of work that might have appeared on RCA or Columbia during the previous decade – and Ros' sense of subtle drama is a nice counterpoint to Caterina's sometimes sweeter vocals. Titles include "Baiao", "Canto Karabali", "Frenesi", "Fale Baixinho", "Felicidade Infeliz", and "Saudades Da Bahia", which features Ros and Valente scatting together beautifully! LP, Vinyl record album

The second trip into the studio for Cedar Walton's mighty Eastern Rebellion ensemble – and every bit as great as the first! This time around, the lineup's a bit different – with Bob Berg in on tenor, and Curtis Fuller expanding the group on trombone – but the groove is still the same – wonderfully in the pocket soul jazz, swinging with a gentle and fluid glide that's really tremendous. The work ranks up there with the best of Walton's recordings ever – and the tunes are all originals with a rich imagination for tone, soul, and color – and plenty of space for strong solo work. Titles include "The Maestro", "Sunday Suite", "Ojos De Rojo", "Fantasy In D", and "Clockwise". CD

The second trip into the studio for Cedar Walton's mighty Eastern Rebellion ensemble – and every bit as great as the first! This time around, the lineup's a bit different – with Bob Berg in on tenor, and Curtis Fuller expanding the group on trombone – but the groove is still the same – wonderfully in the pocket soul jazz, swinging with a gentle and fluid glide that's really tremendous. The work ranks up there with the best of Walton's recordings ever – and the tunes are all originals with a rich imagination for tone, soul, and color – and plenty of space for strong solo work. Titles include "The Maestro", "Sunday Suite", "Ojos De Rojo", and "Fantasy In D". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic bit of space age funk – and maybe one of the greatest moments ever from Philly Soul maestro Dexter Wansel! The album goes way beyond any of Wansel's other work – and blends his warm soulful styles with some of the more keyboard-oriented funk that was coming out of the Herbie Hancock camp during the mid 70s – a vibe that's every bit as electric and spacey as you'd guess from the cover! Some cuts have a bit more of a soul focus, but others have loads of jazzy keyboards from Dexter – driven on by some great drums at points too. Titles include Wansel's legendary version of "Theme From the Planets" with the much sampled breakbeat at the beginning – plus the funky "Life On Mars", and the tracks "One Million Miles From The Ground", "You Can Be What You Wanna Be", "Prophet Named KG", "Rings Of Saturn", and "Stargazer". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic bit of space age funk – and maybe one of the greatest moments ever from Philly Soul maestro Dexter Wansel! The album goes way beyond any of Wansel's other work – and blends his warm soulful styles with some of the more keyboard-oriented funk that was coming out of the Herbie Hancock camp during the mid 70s – a vibe that's every bit as electric and spacey as you'd guess from the cover! Some cuts have a bit more of a soul focus, but others have loads of jazzy keyboards from Dexter – driven on by some great drums at points too. Titles include Wansel's legendary version of "Theme From the Planets" with the much sampled breakbeat at the beginning – plus the funky "Life On Mars", and the tracks "One Million Miles From The Ground", "You Can Be What You Wanna Be", "Prophet Named KG", "Rings Of Saturn", and "Stargazer". LP, Vinyl record album

Masterpiece records from Philly soul maestro Dexter Wansel – stepping out here in a beautiful blend of jazz and soul! Life On Mars is a fantastic bit of space age funk, easily the best album that Wansel ever recorded – and a sublime blend of Wansel's Philly grooving sensibility with some of the more keyboard-oriented funk that was coming out of the Herbie Hancock camp during the mid 70s. The result is a tight batch of crossover tracks that work well both as jazz funk groovers, and as smoother modern soul tracks. Includes the version of "Theme From the Planets" with the much sampled breakbeat at the beginning – plus lots of other nice ones, including "Life On Mars", "Rings Of Saturn", and "Stargazer". What The World Is Coming To moves the focus back to soul a bit more than Life On Mars – but also keeps in plenty of jazzy touches! Dexter's groove here is similar to the best work he did with other Philly vocalists in the same time – and the set features guest vocals from Jean Carn and Terri Wells, sliding into a warmly soulful realm on the mellower tracks, and stepping out with a fully jazzed up groove on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "What The World Is Coming To", "Dreams Of Tomorrow", "Holdin On", "Dance With Me Tonight", "Disco Lights", and "Prelude #1". 1978's Voyager is a bit like Dexter's space jazz classic Life On Mars – and with those fat, thumping bass lines, elastic lead guitar, atmospheric soul vocals and loads and loads of keys – spatial work on Rhodes, Moogs and ARPs! It's all done in a funky style not always heard on Philly – plus Dexter arranged and produced just about everything! Tracks include "Solutions", "Voyager", "I'm In Love", "Latin Love", and "I Just Want To Love You". 1979's Time Is Slipping Away is a straighter Philly soul outing than some of Wansel's earlier work – a nice batch from a talent that was responsible for crafting some of the best smooth modern numbers at the end of the 70s! It features the killer cut "The Sweetest Pain" – a smooth stepper with some subtle keyboard grooving behind warm female vocals by Terri Well – plus "Funk Attack", "New Beginning", "One For the Road", "It's Been Cool", and "I'll Never Forget (My Favorite Disco)". CD

The stuff of legend – the complete 7" single output of Dionne Warwick during her early years at Scepter Records – a time when she was transforming the sound of 60s pop, with help from songwriter/maestro Burt Bacharach! In fact, the set's as much of a tribute to Burt's genius as it is to Dionne's – even though there are some non-Bacharach moments in the mix too, yet served up at a level that just shows how much potential Warwick had at the start, honed even more strongly in the hands of the maestro. The massive package features 74 tracks in all, and includes some great cuts past the hits – including "Amanda", "Who Gets The Guy", "Walk The Way You Talk", "I'm Your Puppet", "Window Wishing", "Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets", "Walk Little Dolly", "Let Me Be Lonely", "Who Is Going To Love Me", "Another Night", "As Long As There's An Apple Tree", "Slaves", "Whoever You Are I Love You", "Only The Strong", and "Let Me Go To Him". CD

The stuff of legend – the complete 7" single output of Dionne Warwick during her early years at Scepter Records – a time when she was transforming the sound of 60s pop, with help from songwriter/maestro Burt Bacharach! In fact, the set's as much of a tribute to Burt's genius as it is to Dionne's – even though there are some non-Bacharach moments in the mix too, yet served up at a level that just shows how much potential Warwick had at the start, honed even more strongly in the hands of the maestro. The massive package features 74 tracks in all, and includes some great cuts past the hits – including "Amanda", "Who Gets The Guy", "Walk The Way You Talk", "I'm Your Puppet", "Window Wishing", "Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets", "Walk Little Dolly", "Let Me Be Lonely", "Who Is Going To Love Me", "Another Night", "As Long As There's An Apple Tree", "Slaves", "Whoever You Are I Love You", "Only The Strong", and "Let Me Go To Him". CD

These guys definitely live up to the "jam" in the name of their band – but not in the same way as 21st Century groups using the jam band name! Instead, the sound here is bass-heavy funk – a mode that's probably a bit inspired by P-Funk, but often faster and more frenetic – kind of a rougher-edged version of some of the Ohio funk acts that really rose to prominence at the end of the 70s. Charles Davis is the maestro on bass – and he never pushes things too far, nor pops the strings too much – and instead just uses his strings to really vamp the whole group from the bottom on up, setting the scene for lots of tasty interplay on horns, guitar, and keyboards – amidst a flurry of vocals by members of the group. Titles include "Chazz Jazz", "Midnight Stroker", "Instrument Soul", "Bolo", "Living In Style", "The Funky Get Down", "Can't Hide The Funk", and "Who Want To Fall In Love". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Can't You Ride The Western Funk" and "Whip That Mini Skirt". LP, Vinyl record album

Roger Troutman gets the front cover and Booker T Jones is on the back – Issue #35 of the funk & soul crate diggers bible Wax Poetics! Wax Poetics is far and away the brightest beacon of publications covering jazz, funk, soul & hip hop and the dusty wax that holds it – equally focusing on rare, classics, and new leaders of the grooves – and this issue has long features on the cover artists, plus Willie & The Bumblebees, The Joe Cuba Sextet and others in the always excellent Re:Discovery section, UK funk duo Broken Keys, the Shaolin Soul of the El Michels Affair, benchmark hip hop gamer Lord Finesse, EZ Mike Simpson of the Dust Brothers, heavy rhyme maestro Def Jef and much much more – filled with vintage rare photos of all parties that tell the story, on top of the exceptional writing and interview skills of team Wax Poetics! Magazine

A big package of work – all the albums recorded by The Weather Girls, plus solo material and bonus tracks too! First up is Success – maybe the greatest moment ever from The Weather Girls – a long-running duo who started out as backing singers for Sylvester in the 70s, then recorded as Two Tons O Fun, and finally got the chance to cut this classic for a major label in the early 80s! Both Martha Wash and Izora Armstead are great singers – and work here with previous disco maestro Paul Jabara, who has a great way of shifting the groove to 80s club, while still allowing all the playful elements of the decade before! In a way, this was definitely one of those records that showed the world that in the right corners, disco wasn't dead – heard to best effect on the classic "It's Raining Men" – alongside other cuts that include "Success", "Hungry For Love", "Dear Santa", "Hope", and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair". Next is Big Girls Don't Cry – soaring vocals from The Weather Girls, set to bouncy grooves that are equal parts soul and pop! Martha Wash and Izora Armstead have mighty vocal chops throughout – that bold duo approach they first crafted as Two Tons O Fun, and pushed even more strongly as The Weather Girls – set here to keyboard-heavy backings from Leon Pendarvis, who knows just where to put the best hooks in the grooves! Titles include "Well A Wiggy", "Lock Me Up", "No One Can Love You More Than Me", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "You Can Do It", "Laughter In The Rain", and "March". Next is the self-titled Weather Girls album – the last album in the original run of The Weather Girls – and a set that's full of well-produced tracks from Reggie Lucas and Full Force, balanced out nicely as a way of pushing the duo's sound strongly past the disco years from which they emerged! Sylvester makes a guest appearance on the cut "Love's On The Way" – and other titles include "Why Can't We Show Our Love", "Burn Me", "Love You Like A Train", "Opposite Directions", "Something For Nothing", and "Land Of The Believer". Last up is a super-huge solo set from Martha Wash – made a number of years after her fame in The Weather Girls, and at a time when she had really emerged as an important voice in dance music after a big cut with C&C! By this point, Wash had plenty of recording experience under her belt – and she knocks it out of the park with vocals that are disco-trained, but much richer in soul content overall – certainly more so than some of her other contemporaries on the early 90s club scene. The album features help from a huge amount of studio talent, but it's clear that Wash is the shining star in the lead – really blowing away so much of the work from the "sound system with singer" generation of club – on cuts that include "Leave A Light On", "Give it To You", "Runaround", "Things We Do For Love", "So Whatcha Gonna Do", "Someone Who Believes In You", "Just Us", "Hold On", "When It's My Heart", and "Carry On". 4CD set features bonus tracks on every CD – 22 more bonus mixes and more! CD

One of the coolest records ever from the legendary De Wolfe sound library in the UK – a set that's great not only for the work of Brit maestro Roger Webb, but also for the vocals delivered by Barbara Moore – a legendary session singer with a hell of a jazzy touch! Webb's charts are always full of life and color, and showcase his own roots in jazz – served up here with all sorts of fast-stepping rhythms that really let the vocals of Moore take off in wonderful ways – always without lyrics, as Barbara has this way of singing wordlessly that makes her voice act like another instrument next to the horns and keyboards in the arrangements. Wonderful throughout – with titles that include "Dreamy", "Play Girl", "Autumn Aria", "Up West", "Think Twice", "Flipper", "Sandy", "Gentle Soul", and "Sounds Easy". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest records ever from the legendary De Wolfe sound library in the UK – a set that's great not only for the work of Brit maestro Roger Webb, but also for the vocals delivered by Barbara Moore – a legendary session singer with a hell of a jazzy touch! Webb's charts are always full of life and color, and showcase his own roots in jazz – served up here with all sorts of fast-stepping rhythms that really let the vocals of Moore take off in wonderful ways – always without lyrics, as Barbara has this way of singing wordlessly that makes her voice act like another instrument next to the horns and keyboards in the arrangements. Wonderful throughout – with titles that include "Dreamy", "Play Girl", "Autumn Aria", "Up West", "Think Twice", "Flipper", "Sandy", "Gentle Soul", and "Sounds Easy". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal bit of work from Mike Westbrook – recorded back in the early years of his career, when he still had a pretty sharp edge! Like Westbrook's first few albums on Decca, this set features the British avant jazz maestro playing piano with a large ensemble of some of England's finest jazzmen – including Ray Warleigh, Alan Skidmore, Harry Beckett, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Rutehrford, and Harry Miller. Norma Winstone sings on a few tracks, bringing in her lovely voice in the way that she does on Westbrook's best albums – but overall, the set's a bit more out there and more avant than some of his earlier work, but still has the majestic cohesiveness that makes his work of the time so great. The work is one long piece, split into 9 segments. CD

A seminal bit of work from Mike Westbrook – recorded back in the early years of his career, when he still had a pretty sharp edge! Like Westbrook's first few albums on Decca, this set features the British avant jazz maestro playing piano with a large ensemble of some of England's finest jazzmen – including Ray Warleigh, Alan Skidmore, Harry Beckett, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Rutehrford, and Harry Miller. Norma Winstone sings on a few tracks, bringing in her lovely voice in the way that she does on Westbrook's best albums – but overall, the set's a bit more out there and more avant than some of his earlier work, but still has the majestic cohesiveness that makes his work of the time so great. The work is one long piece, split into 9 segments. CD

A trio of wonderful albums from The Whispers – with a bit of bonus tracks too! First up is One For The Money – one of our favorite Whispers albums of the 70s – thanks to wonderful work from Philly soul maestro Norman Harris! Harris produced the record, and also played guitar on the set – giving the group this Sigma Sound-styled backdrop that almost puts the west coast harmony quintet in the territory of Gamble & Huff's work for Philly International! There's plenty of grooves on the set, but also plenty of deeper soul elements too – balanced beautifully with a richness that makes this Whispers album every bit as rewarding as work by some of their east coast contemporaries. Tracks include the sublime mellow cut "Living Together (In Sin)" – plus "One For The Money", "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are", "Sounds Like A Love Song", and "In My Heart". On Open Up Your Love, The Whispers are really riding high on the Soul Train – perfectly set up with production help from the team of Don Cornelius and Dick Griffey – who really help the group make the best of their harmonies, both on mellow cuts and upbeat groovers! The latter cuts are what The Whispers are sometimes remembered most for at this time in their career – but we really love the more laidback cuts too – as they seem to have an even more magical approach, with this floating style that really does wonders for the vocals. Titles include "Open Up Your Love", "You Are Number One", "I'm Gonna Make You My Wife", "Love Is A Dream", "I Fell In Love Last Night", and "Chocolate Girl". Headlights is sublime stuff from The Whispers – a record that features some wonderfully easy-drifting harmony vocals, put together in a careful way that preserves the smooth mellow tip that always made the group sound best! There's a maturity to the record that takes the quintet far past their early harmony soul roots, and even past some of the more clubby styles they were using during the 70s – almost the mix of sophistication that some of the hipper groups at Philly International would reach during the same stretch. The set's definitely got a few groovers, but the mellower steppers are the most wonderful – including the fantastic cut "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out", a sweet little groover with a hook that's undeniably catchy. Other tracks include "The Planets Of Life", "Disco Melody", "Children Of Tomorrow", "All The Way", and "You're A Special Part Of My Life". CD features bonus tracks – "Sounds Like A Love Song (7" version)" and "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are (7" version)". CD

Kind of a confrontational title, but still an excellent batch of grooves from The Maestro, with heavenly production, and lots of long drawn-out sexy grooves. Cuts include "Don't Make Me Wait Too Long", "I'm Qualified To Satisfy You", "Your Love – So Good I Can't Take It", and "I Wanna Lay Down With You Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Barry White – tracks recorded before his big 70s hit years on the 20th Century label – and which really show the soulful maestro working out his new ideas! Barry sings on about half these cuts, and the others are instrumental – and all of them show that larger style of arranging that would make White such a giant force in 70s soul – modes expanded from the uptown soul styles of New York in the 60s, and some of the Chess/Cadet soulful string styles of the Richard Evans generation too – all taken into territory that's very much Barry White's own! Tracks include "Come On In Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "Fragile Handle With Care", "All In The Run Of A Day", "Where Can I Turn To", and "Out Of The Shadows Of Love". CD

Great early work from Barry White – tracks recorded before his big 70s hit years on the 20th Century label – and which really show the soulful maestro working out his new ideas! Barry sings on about half these cuts, and the others are instrumental – and all of them show that larger style of arranging that would make White such a giant force in 70s soul – modes expanded from the uptown soul styles of New York in the 60s, and some of the Chess/Cadet soulful string styles of the Richard Evans generation too – all taken into territory that's very much Barry White's own! Tracks include "Come On In Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "Fragile Handle With Care", "All In The Run Of A Day", "Where Can I Turn To", and "Out Of The Shadows Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the maestro's biggest selling albums of the 70s, and for good reason – as the whole thing's a sexy symphony all the way through, filled with as many stepping rhythms as it is soaring strings! The album features some key extended classic – including the sublime "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" – the tune that gave the world a line that would forever be used in pickup bars. Other tracks are equally great – and include "You Turned My Whole World Around", "You're So Good You're Bad", "Oh What A Night For Dancing", and "Playing Your Game Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

One of The Maestro's true materpieces! Fragile, sexy, sinful soul, held together by interwoven strings and keyboard lines, with Barry's voice over the top like rich cream on a sweet piece of cake. Includes the long versions of "Honey Please, Can't Ya See" and "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up", plus "Hard To Believe That I Found You". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of a soundtrack from the maestro Barry White – his only entry into the blacksploitation film genre of the 70s, and a complete doozy throughout! For the album, Barry's stripped down the bigger space of his own records, and his Love Unlimited productions – into some shorter tracks that really focus on that blend of funk and strings that he could do so well – making for a batch of killer instrumentals that really offer up a special Barry White take on the funky film sound of the 70s! Love Unlimited also sing on two tracks – "Somebody Is Gonna Off The Man" and "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today _- but most of the record is instrumental, played by the Orchestra – and tracks include "Killer's Lullaby", "So Nice To Hear", "Killer Don't Do It", "Can't Seem To Find Him", "Alive & Well", "Theme From Together Brothers", "Do Drop In", and "Here Comes The Man". CD

One of the greatest moments ever for legendary club soul singer Carol Williams – even though the album was originally released only in Canada, and lost to most folks at the time! Williams works here in a wonderful setting – with help from disco maestro Tony Valor, who always has this wonderful way of keeping things funky when still using fuller charts – maybe an evolution of the Barry White approach of the early 70s, as served up on some of Valor's own classics for Brunswick Records! Tony's work here easily matches, if not tops those sets – and there's maybe an even more cohesive vibe overall, thanks to a host of original tunes written by Carol herself – which really gives the record a great sense of energy. Titles include "Tell The World About Our Love", "Love Constitution", "He's My Man", "Take Your Time", "Dance The Night Away", and "I Get It". CD

Mellow blues with a touch of jazz – a really great session cut by Jimmy Witherspoon, with backings by Bob Florence – played by a smallish group that includes Gerald Wilson, Herbie Harper, Earl Palmer, Gerry Wiggins, and Teddy Edwards! The sound here is nicely subdued – not that hokey, overdone blues-based mode used already as a "revival" of the genre in the early 60s – and instead a smokey, adult, sophisticated approach that was very much in keeping with Witherspoon's best talents, and that sound of his that paved the way for bigger crossover names in the 60s. Titles include "Blues Serenade", "Music Maestro Please", "Don't Worry Bout Me", "Lover Come Back To Me", "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me", and "Just One More Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of mixes from dancefloor maestro John Luongo – a set that's heavy on cuts from the 80s in many styles, and which has some other surprises in the mix as well! Luongo was one of those talents who did a great job of bringing underground dancefloor modes to a more mainstream audience – and he finds grooves in cuts that might not normally have gotten such strong club treatment on their own, or in the hands of another remix talent! This 2LP set features some of the best work that Luongo did back in the day – titles that include "The Best (ext mighty mix)" by Tina Turner, "Suspicious Minds (suspicious mix)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "The Chinese Way (New York rmx)" by Level 42, "Out In The Night (12" version)" by Serge Ponsar, "Give It Up (12" version)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Missing You (ext version)" by John Waite, "Eyes Without A Face (full length version)" by Billy Idol, "Look Of Love (part 3 – dance version)" by ABC, "Fade To Grey (US 12" version)" by Visage, "Blind Vision (ext version)" by Blancmange, "Shy Boy (US ext version)" by Bananarama, "Tarzan Boy (ext dance version)" by Baltimora, "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)" by Dan Hartman with Loleatta Holloway, "You Stepped Into My Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Melba Moore, and "Music Is My Way Of Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Patti Labelle. 2LP set features 16 tracks – and includes rare photos and an essay on Luongo's music! LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of mixes from dancefloor maestro John Luongo – a set that's heavy on cuts from the 80s in many styles, and which has some other surprises in the mix as well! Luongo was one of those talents who did a great job of bringing underground dancefloor modes to a more mainstream audience – and he finds grooves in cuts that might not normally have gotten such strong club treatment on their own, or in the hands of another remix talent! This 2LP set features some of the best work that Luongo did back in the day – titles that include "The Best (ext mighty mix)" by Tina Turner, "Suspicious Minds (suspicious mix)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "The Chinese Way (New York rmx)" by Level 42, "Out In The Night (12" version)" by Serge Ponsar, "Give It Up (12" version)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Missing You (ext version)" by John Waite, "Eyes Without A Face (full length version)" by Billy Idol, "Look Of Love (part 3 – dance version)" by ABC, "Fade To Grey (US 12" version)" by Visage, "Blind Vision (ext version)" by Blancmange, "Shy Boy (US ext version)" by Bananarama, "Tarzan Boy (ext dance version)" by Baltimora, "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)" by Dan Hartman with Loleatta Holloway, "You Stepped Into My Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Melba Moore, and "Music Is My Way Of Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Patti Labelle – plus more from Soft Cell, Bill Nelson, Sharon Ridley, Fantasy, Material, Cabaret Voltaire, Cher, ZZ Top, Gonzalez, Marlena Shaw, Jackie Moore, and others. 4CD set features 43 tracks in all – and includes a 32 page booklet, with rare photos, track annotations, and an essay on Luongo's music! CD

A fantastically soulful delight! The CD features a continuous mix of tracks handled by New York's supreme maestro Ron Trent – a perfectly blended and expertly selected batch of spiritual house, strident soul, and jazzy grooves. Not a bit of BS in the mix, and lots of rare sides lifted from singles on the Giant Step DJ pool – solid all the way through, and cutting a swath through the garbage to lift out the future of soul and club music! Titles include "Lamentations (you son)" by Carl Hancock Rux, "Future Love (original)" by Atlantis feat Naomi, "Stars (Tauriva mix)" by Jiva, "Elevation (Shelter late night voc)" by Blaze, "Naima" by Hipnotic, "Saturday Night Experience (Ron Trent mix)" by Jody Watley, "Rise (Sentinel Dome mix)" by Richard Worth, "Jingo (Aquamarine mix)" by Kalawang, "Do You Know" and "Holiday (DJ Deep & original)" by Donnie, and "When It Rains (Restless Soul rmx)" by Jeymes Samuel. CD

A beautiful tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim – one recorded especially for the Japanese market, and featuring original recordings by some of our favorite Japanese artists – including Monday Michiru, Bird, Tica, Orange Pekoe, Akiko, Noa Noa, and Ino Hidefumi! The lyrics here are often in English, and the overall style's a bit like some of the American bossa sessions of the 60s – warm and jazzy, with backings that are full, but never too lush to be sleepy – cast in just the right blend of influences to make the package a really fresh take on the sound of Jobim – one that honestly sparkles a lot more than most recent efforts of this type from Brazil. French bossa maestro Pierre Barouh also works on the record – and titles include "Double Rainbow", "Samba De Maria Luiza", "Two Kites", "Quiet Nights", "One Note Samba", "Ela E Carioca", "Someone To Light Up My Life", "No More Blues", and "Wave". CD

Wicked tunes hand-picked by the Japanese maestro of the groove – a heady batch of tracks collected by Yukihiro Fukutomi, with a brilliant melding of jazz, soul, and Latin influences! The set compiles 10 tracks from American and European sources – and features many hard-to-find remixes that surfaced briefly on expensive singles, but which have long gone by the wayside – making this collection even more essential to fans of the groove. Fukutomi presents the tracks in their entirety, unmixed – and titles include "Don't Mean A Thing (Incognito mix)" by Space Jazz Dub Men, "I Got Somebody New (original)" by Georg Levin with Clara Hill, "Everything (Yam Who rmx)" by Dwayne Morgan, "Life Rhythms (Raw Deal rmx)" by E Smoove, "Dreams Come True (Afronaught mix for Bugz In The Attic)" by Alison David, "Listen (Just Listen Louie's Master mix)" by Urban Species, "Cosmic Gypsy (Fila Brazilia rmx)" by United Future Organization, "I Just Wanna Say (Domu's Number One Mix)" by Michelle Lawson, and "Cloud 9 (Quenti Harris Shelter mix)" by Donnie. CD

From the vaults of Liberty and United Artists, with selections by Jay & The Americans, Bertell Dache, Johnny Maestro, The Belmonts, Patty Duke, Mike Clifford, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Bobby Vee & The Johnny Mann Singers, The Fleetwoods, Patience & Prudence, Johnny Burnette & The Johnny Mann Singers, and Jan & Dean. LP, Vinyl record album

A dream come true! Someone at Blue Note is keeping their eyes and ears on the street and in the clubs – because here's another late model conceptual triumph – a remix project pairing current innovators in the club and hip hop underground with classic numbers from the label's vaults! The concept is simple; classic numbers are given to handpicked remixers, re-doers, and stylistic misfits best suited to re-work that particular number. Mo Wax maestros La Funk Mob open the set with a mellow, club soul tweak of Wayne Shorter's "Oriental Funk Song". Kenny Dope trips out Bobby Hutcherson's "La Malanga" into a bubbly club funk jam. "Kyoto Jazz Massive" completely re-work Eddie Henderson's "Kudu" into a wonderful number all their own. Perhaps the biggest triumph of all here is the consistency throughout; every artist attached brings their A-game (how could they do any less, given a chance to add their own elements to the some of the most influential numbers they could get their hands on?) Amazing, amazing stuff – whether it's the scratched up, hip hop flavor J Dilla brings to Jack McDuff's "Oblighetto" or the righteous electronic groove Jazzanova drops on Eddie Gale's "Song Of The Will", the minimalist, keys and beats drive Osunlade brings into Grant Green's "A Time To Remember". Every track sparkles! Other tracks include DJ Spinna/Donald Byrd "Lansanna's Priestess", 4 Hero/Horace Silver "Won't You Open Up Your Senses", DJ Cam & Erik Truffaz/Donald Byrd "The Emperor", Herbert/Michel Petrucciani "Caravan" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Slammin's a definite good choice for the title of this one – as this 5th entry in the Easy Tempo series seems even funkier than the other volumes – a set that's got plenty of full-on grooves, hand-picked from the genius Italian soundtrack years of the 60s and 70s! If you're looking for a place to start digging the full range of talents of the maestros of this time, you'd be hard pressed to find a better collection – as the Easy Tempo name always means the best bits from this scene, served up in a package that packs a lot more punch than any single individual soundtrack! Titles include "Loco Love Motor" and "The Frog" by Augusto Martelli, "Montreal Non Stop" and "Anice Nuraghi" by Luiz Bacalov, "L'Arcangelo" by Piero Umiliani, "Running Fast" by Stefano Torossi, "Blazing Magnum" by Armando Trovajoli, "Trop's" by Alberto Baldan Bembo, "Vuca" by Tony Mimms, and "The Chicken" by Dick Oliver. CD