Great work from the godlike hands of Russ Garcia – one of the most underrated arrangers of the 50s, and a talent who really helped make the sound of Bethlehem Records great at the time! Garcia's leading a four-trombone frontline that includes Frank Rosolino, Herbie Harper, Tommy Pederson, and Maynard Ferguson – players who have this great west coast way of coming together in a cool, compressed tone – never too overdone or hokey, and set up perfectly with Garcia's arrangements! The backing is by a small rhythm group that includes Marty Paich on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Stan Levy on drums – and the main focus is on this post-JJ & Kai style of bringing trombones together, then letting really complicated, magical things happen with their sounds. Titles include "I'll Never Forget What's Her Name", "Zigeuner", "Limehouse Blues", "Lush Life", "Ramona", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks – with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous record. The record shows a sexy side of Marvin that would stun fans of his 60s work – very adult, very warm, and very preoccupied with desire and love. In a way, this sort of full-on love fest was a big payoff for all the folks who'd hung onto his simpler expressions of affection in the earlier years – sort of like getting let into the bedroom after spending years on the front porch! The record was produced by both Marvin and Ed Townsend – and the arrangements by David Van DePitte, Rene Hall, and Gene Page are smooth and seductive all the way through. Includes slow jam classics like "You Sure Love To Ball", "Distant Lover", and "Let's Get It On" – plus "Come Get To This", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", and "If I Should Die Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

Marvin Marvin Marvin – just when we thought you couldn't impress us any more, you took it to the next level! Trouble Man is a heck of a wonderful surprise from an artist that most folks really only knew as a singer – a fantastically funky blacksploitation soundtrack, conceived and composed by Marvin himself – and served up with some occasional vocals that work beautifully with the album's cool instrumental grooves! The set's easily one of Gaye's most righteous records ever – almost a second chapter to What's Going On, but more instrumental – and like that classic set, it really shows the whole new range of vision that Marvin was able to work in the studio. Gaye gets a bit of arranging help on some tracks from Gene Page and JJ Johnson – and the album's filled with great cuts – including the landmark "T Plays It Cool", plus other gems like "Don't Mess With Mister T", "Main Theme From Trouble Man", "The Break In", and "T Stands For Trouble". Very funky, very sophisticated, and very soulful! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of solo piano work by Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou – pulled from one of the CDs in the Ethiopiques series of compilations, and probably the most delicately melodic material in the series! Pianist-composer Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou has an extraordinary personal history – she is a daughter of the heralded Ethiopian intellectual the Kentiba Guebrou, and lived many years as a nun who recorded rarely, and then only as a means to serve the poor. The solo piano compositions in this set were culled from rare albums recorded in the early 60s and 70s, plus a few later recordings from the early 90s. The music is gorgeous and difficult to describe – sweetly somber, melancholy, and befitting the solo performances. Titles include "Presentiment", "The Homeless Wanderer", "The Last Tears Of The Deceased", "Mad Man's Laughter", and "A Young Girl's Complaint". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most amazing albums ever cut by reedman Herb Geller – a really unique overseas session from the 70s, and quite different than his initial recordings of the 50s! Herb's working here in a cool mix of electric and acoustic modes, with a vibe that's very much in the best funky MPS style – and the set also features some excellent vocals from Mark Murphy, who sings in this spacey, stretched-out way that's some of his hippest work on record – very much at the best level of his early 70s recordings for Muse! Tracks are quite long, and very hip – with long instrumental passages which are then augmented wonderfully by the vocals. Herb himself plays tenor, alto, soprano sax, and a number of flutes – and other players include Rob Franken on Fender Rhodes and Arp, Philip Catherine on guitar, Wolfgang Schluter on vibes, Palle Mikkelborg on trumpet, and Gottfried Bottger on moog and organ! Titles include the wonderfully spacey "Space A La Mode", a nice slow electric builder – and the classic "Power Of A Smile" – plus "Sudden Senility" and "Rhyme & Reason Time" – the last of which features vocals by Earl Jordan, not Murphy. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet bit of electro soul from the 80s – served up here by a trio who are heavy on keyboard sounds, but also get some warmer elements from an array of other musicians who help out on the set! The tunes have a nicely punched-up vibe – catchy 80s soul, but without any too commercial modes – almost more in the lean territory of some of the indies of the period – something that might have made the record hard for RCA to get into the charts, but which has given it a hell of a lot of charm all these many years later! Titles include the great mellow cut "Perfect Lover", plus the tracks "Tell Me What's On Your Mind", "Love Thang", "Help", and "Won't Cha Give It To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great live sets that Merle Haggard recorded during his glory days at Capitol Records – with a nice current of jazzy elements, to mark the New Orleans location of the concert! Titles include a live take on "Okie From Muskogee" – now famous, given the previous live release of the cut – plus "I Wonder If They Ever Think Of Me", "The Emptiest Arms In The World", "I Forget You Every Day", "Carolyn", and "Lovesick Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Great small group backing – with arrangements from pianist Claude Hopkins, plus tenor from Coleman Hawkins, trumpet from Doc Cheatham, and clarinet from Buster Bailey! LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful soundtrack, with loads of groovy tracks! The film stars Jack Lemmon, and the format of the record is similar to the Odd Couple – in that musical tracks are interspersed with dialogue, to keep the feel of the progression of the movie. Side one has some especially groovy moments, as Percy Faith and chorus perform a great version of Bacharach's "April Fools", which then leads into Mongo Santamaria's chunky groover "La La La", and "Wake Up" by The Chambers Brothers, which is one of their nicest tracks! Other tunes include the instrumentals "The April Fools", "I Remember The Rain", "The Safari Club", and "Peter's Pad" – plus "Sugar Kite" by California and "Flame" by Robert John. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark bit of jazz funk – from one of the greatest backup groups of the 70s! Herbie Hancock first brought The Headhunters to light – working with the San Francisco-based combo that included Bennie Maupin, Mike Clark, Paul Jackson, and Bill Summers – using their sound to give his work the right dose of funk it needed to reach new audiences during the decade. This album's the first to feature the group on their own, without Herbie – and if we don't mind saying so, they sound even better without him! The whole thing's a wonderful mix of jazz funk grooves and very unusual rhythms – and the record contains the monster full length version of "God Make Me Funky", which is 9 minutes and 35 seconds of non stop funk, plus the cuts "If You've Got It, You'll Get It", "Magic", and "Here & Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Groove Holmes is definitely dancing in the sun here – working with full arrangements from Mario Sprouse, in a sweetly soulful style that's not unlike Johnny Hammond at the time! Groove still plays Hammond on most numbers – but also a bit of mini Korg too – and although the backdrops are in a fully-arranged jazz funk mode, there's still a strong focus on Holmes' keyboard lines up front, which still get plenty of space to stretch out and do their thing. Sprouse plays a bit of keyboards on the record too – and titles include a remake of "Misty", plus "Let's Groove", "Dancing In the Sun", "Highway Of Life", and "Calypso Holiday". LP, Vinyl record album

An ultra groovy soundtrack and one the rarest records ever by the hip Italian group! Like many of I Marc 4's other legendary efforts, it was originally issued as a sound library release – but this one was actually composed as a crazy 1970 film soundtrack. It's got some wild use of scacciapensieri (mouth harp), to much funkier effect than its use on Italian western soundtracks, plus loads of stripped down, but big sounding Hammond jazz funk with mad, mod-tinged stylistic detours. Some great Edda Del'Erso vocals and Alessandro Alessandroni choral flourishes, too. Includes "Beat Al Sud", "Shoppin'", "Slow Down", "Salmo 1970", "Hot Dog", "Middle Sound", "Brick", "Cowboy Party", "Just Be Mine", "Ballata Per Un Flauto", "Palme", "Costa Smeralda", "There's A River" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album that is perhaps the single most influential beat source in hip hop! The record was the brainchild of bongo player Michael Viner – who also happened to be running the Pride subsidiary of MGM at the time. Viner's got a meeeeeean touch on the bongo, hitting it hard and funky like the best 70s conga players – and his approach to the instrument is kind of like a funky update of popular instrumental styles laid down on guitar by The Ventures or on moog by Hot Butter. This album features the classics "Apache" and "Bongo Rock" – both with monster funky breakdowns that showed up on a heck of a lot of hip hop records over the years – plus loads of other goodies like "Last Bongo In Belgium" and "Bongolia". Excellent stuff – and darn hard to find! (We can still remember how stunned we were when we found our first copy in a Canadian record store back in 1987 – and even then we had to pay plenty!) LP, Vinyl record album

Infinito 2017/Marcellous Lovelace has been one of independent Chicago hip hop's strongest, most consistent voices for quite a while, and he's as sharply on point here as he's been in years! Raw wisdom on the mic has always been a strong suit for Infinito, and he's as solid as ever here – spitting rhymes laced deeply felt social commentary, in the rawest, most immediate kinda way...raw form, deeply thought wisdom coming live and direct. Hip hop like we don't hear enough of in the post-millennium! "World Of None Part 3", "Activate Ingredients Main (AIM)", "Save Seeds Now", "Disdain From Stolen Calm", "Nonconforming Standoff", "Analogies Proposition Visuals", "Natives Land Not Yours", "Redlining X Social Exclusion" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Uncut, full version Jay Love Japan – one of the best of the early posthumous Dilla releases – originally slated exclusively for the Japanese market! This is Dilla in a mostly uptempo vibe, with soulful strings and vocal samples and blunt, snapping beats. There are a couple vocal appearances from Detroit fellows – Baatin of Slum Village and Ta'Raach – plus additional scratch work in a couple spots by Exile and and Ricci Rucker. Includes a short intro, "Yesterday", "Say It" feat Ta'Raach and scratches by Exile, "Oh Oh", "First Time" feat Baatin and scratches by Tha Ruckazoid, "In The Streets", "Feel The Beats", "Believe In God", "Can't You See" and "Say It". 2016 CD version includes 11 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth and sweet soul from Jeffree – an unsung 70s vocalist with a really great approach! Jeffree, aka Jeff Perry, is the brother of Greg Perry – and works in a similar style to his more famous brother – warmly grooving soul with a fluid, mellow approach – served up with great production, bubbling rhythms, and a really solid sound overall. The work is very much in the best tradition of 70s giants like Marvin Gaye or Leroy Hutson, and the collection brings together the best tracks from the self-titled Jeffree album on MCA from 1979, plus other assorted singles recorded under the name of Jeff Perry for Arista and Epic. Titles include "Love's Gonna Last", "Gentle Love", "Love Loan", "Unforgettable Person", "Call On Me", "Love Don't Come No Stronger", "Mr Fix-it", "Honest Baby", and "Take My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Too young to have caught a 70s funk band in the clubs? Here's the solution – a rare performance by a cool combo from Tulsa – captured live in a very hip club setting! The mode here is different than sounds experienced on a funky 45 – as the tracks are open, long, and have a nicely jamming vibe – really pushing towards the 10 minute mark on each track, as the group lets their instrumental interplay flow, peppering the performance with lyrics to egg the instruments on! The group features Fender Rhodes, riffing guitar, bass, and drums – plus two lead singers, and a sometime female backup – on the original cuts "Love Everything About You", "Valentine Love", "Just A Song", and "Keep On Smiling". LP, Vinyl record album

DAMN!, indeed – Kendrick has yet to take even a small step down from the creative peak he's been riding for years – and takes another daring step forward with this strong, strident, no-mess-taking classic in the making! The surprise-announced DAMN! finds him taking on timely concerns – some longtime inherent to everyday racial, social, and class struggles in American life, and others that are purely personal. The production is diverse to a degree, but a bit straight forward compared to the sprawling, years-in-the-making To Pimp A Butterfly – all by design, as DAMN! is clearly made to sound fresh and urgent right now. But like all great musical art, it's built to stand the test of time. Includes guest producers, musicians and vocalists as varied as Thundercat, U2, Kamasi Washington, Kid Capri and Rihanna. Titles include "BLOOD.", "DNA.", "YAH.", "ELEMENT.", "LOYALTY." feat Rihanna, "PRIDE.", "LUST." with strings arranged by Kamasi Washington, "XXX." feat U2, "FEAR.", "GOD." and "DUCKWORTH." LP, Vinyl record album

A funky vibes classic – and a landmark set from Detroit vibist Johnny Lytle! The set's one of the purest examples of Johnny's great early groove – a tightly stepping version of soul jazz that played big in the clubs at the time, and which has forever made Lytle one of the favorites of the mod jazz dance circuit! Lytle mixes his own heavy work on vibes with some great work from his regular trio members Milt Harris on organ and William "Peppy" Hinnant on drums – augmented here by some additional bass from Bob Cranshaw and percussion from Willie Rodriguez. The sound is strong and tight – arguably even more classic than that of Lytle's Tuba recordings – and the title cut "Village Caller" is a wonderfully angular groover that still gets heavy play in Chicago to this day! Other tracks include the modal dancer "Kevin Devin", plus the tracks "Pedro Strodder", "Green Dolphin Street", "Solitude", and "Unhappy Happy Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare album that Rusty Evans cut as Marcus for the Kinetic label – a beautifully produced set of lushly-accent psych folk! Evans may be best remembered for his San Fransisco Sound production work, late 60s psychedelia that's a perfect encapsulation of the Haight-Ashbury scene of the time. His material as Marcus (which is his real first name) bridged that vibe with gentler folk rock touches, with lots of great acoustic instrumentation and flute in mix. His fragile, quivery vibrato vocals are laidback and unique, as is the spriritually trippy lyricism! LP, Vinyl record album

A subtle LP of lush orchestrations with a "space" feel. Lots of woodwinds, augmented by the voices of a three soprano chorus! LP, Vinyl record album

An older instrumental style makes the move into a 70s groove – as The Marketts take on a smoother LA electric sound than their 60s sides, adding in more keyboards and quieting down the "twang" on the guitar. The album includes a nice version of "Mystery Movie Theme", plus "Sister Candy", "Thoughts", "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", "The Gnome", and "Lucky Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the best place to start if you're looking to dive into the short but incredible legacy of music left behind by Bob Marley – as the album marked a real global turning point for the singer, and includes a number of tracks that are still his standout classics after all these years! The set was recorded in London, but with a nicely understated sound – just the right focus on all the best elements of the Wailers sound – in a way that creates a magical flow throughout. And sure, some of the cuts here are some of Bob's biggest hits ever – but heard in the context of the core album, they've got a lot more righteous power than when they're cribbed for a commercial or a TV soundtrack. Titles include "Natural Mystic", "Three Little Birds", "One Love/People Get Ready", "Exodus", "So Much Things To Say", "Guiltiness", "The Heathen", "Jamming", "Waiting In Vain", and "Turn Your Lights Down Low". This amazing 4LP package not only features a completely remastered version of the core album – but also more material that was discovered from the original session tapes – different versions of songs that really flesh out the rich creative process that went into the album – with detailed notes that support the story as well! Plus, LP3 features live performances of the material from the album – recorded at London's Rainbow Theater in 1977 – almost all of which are previously unreleased!Also features the long tracks "Punky Reggae Party", "Punky Reggae Party (dub)", and "I Keep On Moving (unreleased ext mix)" – and includes two 7" singles – with "Waiting In Vain (alt version)", "Roots", "Smile Jamaica (part 1)", and "Smile Jamaica (part 2 – extended mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

A righteous classic from the legendary Bob Marley – and a set that really pushed the roots reggae sound strongly into the mainstream – almost making the mode the defining global understanding of Jamaican music, thanks to the power and presence of the album! All the Marley Tuff Gong modes are gelling perfectly here – bad-stepping rhythms from The Wailers, sweet backup from the I-Threes, and even some great guitar lines from Chinna Smith – all to complement Marley's tremendous vocal power in the lead – rising here with majesty on tracks that include the classic "Roots, Rock, Reggae", plus "Crazy Baldhead","Rat Race", "Night Shift", "Positive Vibration", 'Who The Cap Fit", "Cry To Me", "Johnny Was", and "Want More". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes one of our favorite late 60s Dean Martin songs ever – "Lay Some Happiness On Me" – plus "Let The Good Times In", "Nobody's Baby Again", "Sweet Swete Lovable You", and "I'm Not The Marrying Kind". Great stuff from Dean's prime TV years – with backings by Ernie Freeman and Bill Justis. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet countrified Dean – two albums with that hit Jimmy Bowen sound, a mix of country touches, mellow organ or guitar, and nicely syncopated rhythms, which often gave even the mellower cuts a nice two-step groove. Dean's in great form vocally on the numbers, bubbling his way through a range of tunes that might sound a bit sappy in the hands of anyone else, but which come off with a fair degree of wit and maturity in the hands of Dino. Titles include "Blue Blue Day", "I Walk The Line", "I Can't Help It", "Candy Kisses", and "Room Full Of Roses". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty great idea for a late 60s rock record – even if the record itself is even better than its idea! The whole concept of the "masked marauders" was that the group was supposedly formed by big rockers of the time – unable to be listed on the cover, because of contractual obligations. And in truth, the set does sound a lot like it could have been lifted from sessions by The Rolling Stones, or Get Back-era Beatles – plus maybe a few other contemporaries too – yet it's all actually the work of some great unknowns, who came up with a sweet gimmick to get the record out there! On its own, the set's a real charmer – and has a mix of rootsy modes and tighter, deeper ideas that's not unlike some of the George Harrison/Phil Spector work – save for those moments when the Marauders are clearly trying to sound a bit more like a big name act. Titles include "I Can't Get No Nookie", "Cow Pie", "Duke Of Earl", "I Am The Japanese Sandman", "Later", "More Or Less Hudson's Bay Again", and "Season Of The Witch". LP, Vinyl record album

Bold, boozy work from Carmen McRae – a wonderfully mature album from that great time when her style was equal parts jazz and soul – put together here by arranger/producer Arif Mardin, a perfect choice for the record! There's a care to the overall presentation not heard in some of McRae's albums from a few years before – not just jazz vocals with a backing group, but a really rich presentation of some hip, modern, all-adult material that somehow sounds even better in Carmen's hands than anyone else. Titles include the sublime title tune "Just A Little Lovin" – plus"Goodbye Joe", "I Love The Life I Live", "Carry That Weight", "Something", "I Want You", "More Today Than Yesterday", and "Didn't We". LP, Vinyl record album

A massively expanded package of music – filled with previously unreleased gems! The set features a landmark collaboration between John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk – two generations of jazz modern, working here to create some really incredible music! The core of this material is from the pair's work issued on the amazing Monk's Music album for Riverside – but the expanded collection also features lots of additional work from the same period too – including some unusual and alternate studio moments too! Other players vary from track to track – and include Gigi Gryce on alto sax, Ray Copeland on trumpet, Coleman Hawkins on additional tenor, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Titles wonderful versions of "Ruby My Dear", "Trinkle Tinkle", "Nutty", "Well You Needn't", "Crepescule With Nellie" and "Monk's Mood" – plus some alternate versions, false starts, and more – all wrapped up with notes and reflections from original producer Orrin Keepnews. LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the greatest of Mark Murphy's early albums for Capitol – a heavily swinging set that features some great arrangements from Bill Holman, and Mark's classic version of the title tune – which he'd reprise nicely in years to come! The album's got Murphy in great west coast jazz territory – working with players who include Bill Holman and Richie Kamuca on tenors, Conte Candoli and Stu Williamson on trumpets, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Bobby Gibbons on guitar, and Mel Lewis on drums – plus a bit of extra conga on half of the set! Side one features great readings of "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Just In Time", "Falling In Love With Love", and "The Lady Is A Tramp" – and side two features a swinging medley of tracks that include "Lucky In Love", "Cheek To Cheek", "That Old Black Magic", and "For Me & My Gal". LP, Vinyl record album

One of his best for Muse, with a beautiful set of jazzy vocal grooves that includes his reading of "Stolen Moments" (later made famous by United Future Organization), plus "D.C. Farewell" and an excellent version of "Waters of March". Warm and breezy, with that perfect style that Murphy had for a brief while in the 70s – and which has continued to be such a huge influence on groovers today! LP, Vinyl record album

Looks like a 60s soundtrack, but the set's actually an unusual psychedelic project by The Damned – released as if the whole thing was a record designed to accompany one of those schlocky AIP exploitation films from years back – but actually better than most of those albums from a musical perspective! Given that the whole thing was recorded in 1983, it's actually surprisingly powerful stuff – and seems to preface the big wave of UK sounds from the Creation Records scene – a surprising move for The Damned, but one that comes off surprisingly well. Singer Naz Nomad is actually Dave Vanian – and tracks include covers of songs that the group loved, plus originals of their own. Titles include "Action Woman", "The Wind Blows Your Hair", "Kicks", "Cold Turkey", "She Lied", "I Can't Stand This Love Goodbye","The Trip", and "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night". LP, Vinyl record album

Yoko's stunning Plastic Ono Band LP – utilizing the same incredible group of players from John Lennon's same-titled effort – and an out there masterpiece that could be argued as one of the benchmark noise rock albums of all time! As with John's Plastic Ono Band LP, this one features guitars by the Walrus himself, drums by Ringo, bass by Klauss Voorman, plus additional bass by David Izenzon, Charles Haden, and trumpet by none other than Ornette Coleman – but Yoko's brutal banshee vocal improvisation is far and away the lead instrument here. Amazing, amazing, amazing – try to even imagine contempory noise rock without it! Original LP tracks include "Why", "Why Not", "Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage. . .", "AOS", "Touch Me" and "Paper Shoes". LP, Vinyl record album

An essential collection of rare material from this legendary Brazilian group – and a set that shows the importance they had in the Tropicalia movement beyond their own famous albums! The package brings together key collaborations between Os Mutanes and other key figures in music at the time – including some from rare singles, or other albums that maybe haven't shown up on your radar if you've only been tracking the group by records issued under their own name. As a whole, the set's a much-needed addition to their too-small catalog from these essential years – and titles include work with Caetano Veloso on "Saudosismo", "Marcianita", "A Voz Do Morto", and "Baby" – plus "Lady Madonna" and "Cinderella Rockafella" done with Clelia Simone and Kier – both live and 7" single versions of "Ando Meio Desligado", work with Gilberto Gil on "Domingo No Parque", work with Rogerio Duprat on "Cancao Para Ingles Ver Chiquita Bacana" and "The Rain The Park & Other Things" – and the track "Mande Um Abraco Pra Velha", from a rare Brazilian 60s compilation. LP, Vinyl record album

A dream of a record from Marvin Parks – a hell of a jazz singer, and one that we'd place in an elite legacy that runs from Oscar Brown up through Jose James! The work here is wonderful – as Nicola Conte produced the record, and gives it the same sort of jazzy sparkle as his own sublime records of the past decade – a groove that's never too overstated, but is also a reworking of an older 60s soul jazz mode – but refitted with all the right sort of sophistication to match Marvin's wonderful voice! There's no programmed rhythms at all – all the instrumentation is live jazz – and titles include a great new take on the Conte tunes "Sea & Sand" and "Awakening" – plus the original "African Other Blues", and versions of "Charade", "How Insensitive", "The Very Thought Of You", "Brother Where Are You", "Nature Boy", "If I Should Lose You", and "Swingin Shepherd Blues". 2LP version features 3 bonus tracks – "The Midnight Sun Will Never Set", "If You Could See Me Now", and "All Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Iggy's first proper solo record, and a strange morass of junkie desperation and guttural punk funk! The Idiot is the ultimately the culmination of a very smart decision to move away from the guitar roar of the Stooges and closer to the sounds his longtime champion David Bowie was experimenting with at the time, with a little bit of Lou Reed for good measure – but make no mistakes, this is Iggy's show. It's as fascinating overall as it is impressive on a more visceral level, with heavy bass rhythms and keys intergral to the sound, and weary latenight storytelling that trips you out on contact. All tunes co-written by Bowie, who would go on to make a lot of money off "China Girl" a few years into the 80s when the world was more ready for it, plus the classic "Nightclubbing", "Sister Midnight", "Baby", "Dum, Dum Boys", "Tiny Girls" and "Mass Production". LP, Vinyl record album

Iggy's first proper solo record, and a strange morass of junkie desperation and guttural punk funk! The Idiot is the ultimately the culmination of a very smart decision to move away from the guitar roar of the Stooges and closer to the sounds his longtime champion David Bowie was experimenting with at the time, with a little bit of Lou Reed for good measure – but make no mistakes, this is Iggy's show. It's as fascinating overall as it is impressive on a more visceral level, with heavy bass rhythms and keys intergral to the sound, and weary latenight storytelling that trips you out on contact. All tunes co-written by Bowie, who would go on to make a lot of money off "China Girl" a few years into the 80s when the world was more ready for it, plus the classic "Nightclubbing", "Sister Midnight", "Baby", "Dum, Dum Boys", "Tiny Girls" and "Mass Production". LP, Vinyl record album

Iggy Pop may have left The Stooges behind, but he's lost none of his edge – and really finds a new level of solo greatness on this sublime classic from the 70s! The set was produced by David Bowie, who also plays piano on the set – and has Carlos Alamar adding in some guitar – and the overall sound has that raw Berlin mode you might find on some of he headiest tracks on Heroes – kind of "Joe The Lion" meets the gritty truth of Iggy's Detroit! The title cut is maybe the best-known Iggy Pop tune ever – used in countless films and commercials – but the whole thing's great, and a brilliant new focus for Mr Pop's genius. Titles include "Lust For Life", "The Passenger", "Some Weird Sin", "Neighborhood Threat", "Success", "Fall In Love With Me", and "Turn Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic – and one of the wilder, more electronic albums from Sun Ra – a set that has him playing on "two moog synthesizers" – which both sound as if they're going at the same time! The rest of the group is quite small – with only John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, and Danny Davis – so Ra really center stage on the keys, and spends most of the record making some really weird and wonderful sounds on the moog – showing the world that, although the instrument was already gaining popularity in the hands of others, nobody could handle the futuristic sound machine like the spaceman himself! The mix of moog with avant jazz solos is completely sublime – and titles include "Intergalactic II", "To Nature's God", and "The Code Of Interdependence". CD features some great bonus tracks – the 17 minute "Space Probe", plus some alternates and odd takes too! LP, Vinyl record album

A whole new side of the talents of Sun Ra – especially if you only know the longer-style jams on some of his albums from the 60s and 70s! From the very start of his career, Ra was every bit as interested in issuing music on 45s as he was on albums – and in fact, at some of the more desperate times, the 7" single turned out to be a very affordable format to try out new ideas – including some great projects with other artists! The array of work presented here is stunning – as the set includes some very up-close and personal moments with Ra on record, plus some tight jazzy tracks from the Arkestra, surprising vocal group material designed to crack the R&B market, and some especially cool projects with other singers too. The package is put together with very detailed notes on all the singles – and while the bulk of this material comes from the key Arkestra years of the late 50s through the early 80s, there's also a few tracks from other dates too – including a handful of songs that were only issued as 45s in later years. This limited part 2 of the vinyl set features wonderful tracks from later years – including "The Blue Set", "Space Loneliness", "State Street", "Love In Outer Space", "Mayan Temple", "Quest", "Rough House Blues", "Journey To Saturn", "Blues On Planet Mars", "The Bridge", "Rocket #9", "The Perfect Man", "Outer Space Plateau", "Extensions", "Orbitration In Blue", "A Blue One", "Big City Blue", "I'm Gonna Unmask The Batman", "Saturn Moon", "Disco 2021", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "I Am The Instrument", "Cosmic Drama", "Nuclear War", "Hell #1", and "Cosmo-Extensions" – plus the tracks "Tell Her To Come On Home" and "I'm Making Believe" by Little Mack. LP, Vinyl record album

Kind of an unusual variation on the Martians Come Back album – done during a time when record labels almost saw their stereo releases as a completely different product! The tracks aren't the same entirely as Martians – although the album does include "Astral Alley" and "Chant Of The Cosmos" – plus "Dickie's Dream", "Baklava Bridge", and "Serenade In Sweets" – all in stunning early stereo! LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking Latin soul from Mongo! This one's issued on Harmony, the budget label of Columbia – and we're never sure if it's an exclusive album, or a collection of tunes from other Mongo sides on Columbia. Who cares, though? The music's so tasty, and the grooves are so heavy, we can never get enough! Great work from the time when Mongo was really pushing the envelope of the Latin scene – and when he had great help from genius arranger Marty Sheller. Titles include "Mongo Nova", "El Bikini", "Bossa Negra", "Ricky Tick", and "Cuidado". Hubert Laws plays flute and tenor, and the band really knows how to swing, baby! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Mongo Santamaria's best albums from the 70s – and one of his funkiest too! The record's got a sweet electric groove that sounds mighty nice next to the Latin jazz arrangements on the set – almost in the feel of some of Candido's funky work from the time, but possibly even heavier! Justo Almario is on tenor and flute in the set – and Mongo's group here is a small combo, with electric bass, piano, and lots of sax and flute! Includes loads of great original tunes – like "Chambique", "Don't Step On My Tears", "Crazy Lady", "Besame", and "Malcolm X" – plus Mongo's semi-hit version of "Last Tango In Paris". LP, Vinyl record album

Let's party is right! Mongo and his Latin Soul combo groove through a tight tasty batch of tracks, with heavy conga from Mongo, and killer soulful solos by Bobby Capers, Marty Sheller, and Hubert Laws. The set's got a few soul covers – like "Walk On By", "Shotgun", and "I Got You" – plus some originals like "Baila Dance" and "El Bikini", and a nice cover of "Call Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Sockin soul work from Mongo Santamaria – a real killer of an album, with a dope 70s sound! The album features Mongo hitting a nice blacksploitation mode – fuller arrangements than before, plus lots of electric touches on guitar, bass, and keyboards. Marty Sheller did most of the arrangements – taking things up a few notches from his 60s recordings with Mongo – and other players include Armando Peraza, Bernard Purdie, Neal Creque, Stanley Turrentine, and Eddie Gale. Titles include "Geechee Girl", "Sometimes Bread", "Hippo Walk", "The Letter", "Tell It", "Listen Here", and "Afro Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album from Lalo Schfrin! This one mixes together bossa piano and sweeping string arrangements – in a style that's incredibly dark-edged and driving, with a sound that's at once spooky and lovely – a dancing groove that makes the best tracks really sparkle! The album's light years away from other "piano with strings" albums of the time – proof that Schifrin was easily one of the most imaginative forces of his generation, and an arranger who really helped reshape music in the 60s. Titles include the incredible version of "Maria" that's played quite often by Gilles Peterson – plus loads of other nice ones, like "The Wave", "Insensatez", "You And Me", "Murmurio", "Rapaz De Bem", "Rio After Dark", and "Time For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring soul from Marlena Shaw – her last recording for Blue Note, and a set that points the way towards her bigger fame to come at Columbia Records! Like some of her previous sets, there's definitely still some jazzy elements in the mix – yet the overall sound is much more fully soulful, thanks to arrangements and production from Bert DeCoteaux and Tony Silvester, who both bring in a rich sound that's similar to some of the indie dancefloor soul coming out of Philly and New York at the time – with backings that are a great blend of funk and strings, perfect for Shaw's unique blend of the sophisticated and soulful. Marlena handles this mode better than anyone else, and we think this set's easily one of her strongest records ever – even more so than some of her later dates too. Titles include the wonderful "Think About Me", a solid stepping seventies soul track that is (or should have been) an instant classic – plus "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", "Take My Body", "No Hiding Place", "Love Has Gone Away", "You & Me", "It's Better Than Walkin Out", and "Be For Real". LP, Vinyl record album

A freaky, fuzzy classic that should have been huge – an album recorded by an LA group who'd moved to Hawaii – which was probably the reason the never broke as big as they should! The trio definitely borrow a page or two from the Jimi Hendrix Experience – especially in the way they fly their fuzz flag high on some of the heavier tunes – but they're also equally committed to an overall group sound, especially on the more catchy numbers – which have these great hooks that maybe sound even better, given the raw indie presentation of the songs! In the hands of a bigger label, these guys would have easily hit the hard rock heights of the early 70s – but maybe it's also the obscurity of this set that makes it so delightful too. Titles include "Remember Mary", "Goin Down The Road", "Sweet Pea", "Standin By The River", "Walk Marie", "Thru Rusty Windows", and "Bugalusa Baby" – plus a drum solo titled after the drummer, "Willy Bims". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed look at the untapped musical legacy of Eden Ahbez – the west coast mystic who's best remembered for delivering the song "Nature Boy" to Nat King Cole (legendarily walking in barefooted during a recording session!) – but who also made a range of other great music in the years that followed! Apart from "Nature Boy", and Ahbez's rare Eden's Island album from 1960, most of his other songs have fallen in in the shifting sands of time – but this record does a great job of digging up the best of the bunch, and presents them in a well-documented package that's much better than some of the public domain Eden Ahbez records that have hit the market. Song songs are by Eden, in a range of exotic vocal modes – others are by contemporaries, some in collaboration with Ahbez, some working on their own – and there's a great rante of trcks that icnlude "The Clam Man", "Umgowah", "India", "Child Of Nature", "Anna Was Mine (demo)", "Overcomers Of The World", and "Monterey" by Eden Ahbez – plus "Surfer John" by Nature Boy & Friends, "Wild Boy" by Mort Wise & The Wisemen, "Eden's Island" by Arthur Lyman, "Land Of Love" by Nat King Cole, "Hey Jacque" by Eartha Kitt, and "Palm Springs" by Ray Anthony. (Put together by the same guy who did Exotic World Of Eden Ahbez – but with different tracks, and even better sound!) LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic set from this Swedish nine piece ensemble – a record that's overflowing with brash performance and unbridled energy – adventurous, but never totally free – and always given the right sort of focus to make things come across with a tremendous amount of power! The feel is almost like a Moserobie Records take on a Charles Mingus style – and the lineup features Martin Kuchen on alto and tenor – who also composed the album's five long tracks – plus Magnus Broo on trumpet, Matthias Stahl on vibes, Goran Kajfes on cornet, Mats Aleklint on trombone, Eirik Hegdal on baritone, Alexander Zethson on piano, Johan Berthling on bass, and Andreas Werliin on drums. If you know any of those players at all, you can imagine the greatness of the group – on titles that include "Adror", "Equality & Death", "Pacemaker", "Disappeared Behind The Sun", and "Love Flee Thy House". LP, Vinyl record album

A really breakout moment for The Artistics – and the start of a really sublime run with the great Brunswick Records! The group had already broken a bit on Okeh a few years before – securing a top spot on the Chicago scene with their bouncy northern soul groove – a love of rhythm that made them as much a favorite on dancefloors as they were with fans of harmony soul. But on this sweet set, things come together even better than before – thanks to strong leads by singer Marvin Smith, who brings a real sense of personality to the group's harmonies – and wonderful Brunswick studio help that includes Sonny Sanders arrangements and Carl Davis production. The whole thing's wonderful – and tracks include the hit "I'm Gonna Miss You", plus "On & On", "Sweeter Than Sugar", "Hope We Have", "Girl I Need You", "You're Wonderful", and "Love Song". LP, Vinyl record album

The best work so far from this ultra-hip trio – an amazing combination of keyboards, bass, and drums – served up in styles that are rooted in funk and jazz, but go to so many other places as well! The drums crackle with a quality schooled in 70s breaks and beats, stripped down to their core – and the mix of keyboards echo a range of innovators from CTI to Money Mark, with a spacious flow that leaves plenty of room for the basslines to drive the tunes! Other instrumentation includes bits of guitar and percussion from the group, plus some guest tenor and strings as well. Titles include "Hedron", "Differently Still", "Confessions", "Triangle", "Can't Leave The Night", "CS60", and "Since You Asked So Kindly". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure genius from the B Baker Chocolate Company – a set that's equal parts fusion and soul, held together by these rich arrangements that really send the whole thing home! The album's never too slick, yet has a sense of perfection that matches some of the best soulful fusion dates at Blue Note or Fantasy in the mid 70s – a quality that's especially strong on the vocal tracks on the set – one of which features Lew Kirton in the lead! The players are all totally top-shelf – and include Lonnie Smith and Jimmy McGriff on keyboards, John Faddis and Marvin Stamm on trumpets, and Jimmy Ponder on guitar – and the set's got a beautiful balance that few other records like this can match. Lew Kirton sings on "It's Where You're Coming From", and "Dreamer" features Gene Scott – and instrumental tracks include the funky classic "Snowblower", plus "Carousel" and "Spirit Level". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful early Verve recording by Basie – one that's packaged here in a great David Stone Martin cover, with a red and blue watercolor of Basie himself. Players include Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Ernie Wilkins, Marshall Royal, Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Bennie Powell, and Freddie Green – plus Basie, of course. Titles include "Two Franks", "Ska Di Didle Dee Bee Doo", "Rails", "Blues Backstage", and "Perdido" – and there's a very strong focus on the best soloists in the group! (Note: this material was also issued under the title The Band Of Distinction – but this is the first version.) LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from Joe Bataan – so great, that it made the entire record company change its name! The record has Joe really bursting out after his seminal Latin Soul work of the late 60s – blending Latin rhythms and American soul into a whole new style of music – one that Joe called "Salsoul", because of it's mixture of salsa and soul! The blend is fantastic, a real milestone in the NuYorican scene – and handled perfectly by Joe on every cut! There's some massive Latin funk on here, including the tracks "Latin Strut" and "Aftershower Funk", plus some straighter Latin jazz, like "Sunny Gets Blue Mambo", and a great Latin Soul cut with English vocals called "Johnny". LP, Vinyl record album

The landmark first album recorded by Andy Bey and his hip sisters Salome and Geraldine – cut even before their 2 rare classics on Prestige! The style here is completely sublime – a unique blend of jazz, folk, and some earthier elements – all served up with the warm and wonderful harmonies the Beys brought to jazz. The tracks are sometimes familiar numbers, but they're done with a really unique twist – and the album features an incredible reading of "A Felicidade", plus the cuts "Mood Indigo", "Zombie Jamboree", "Dreamy", "Smooth Sailing", "Trees", "Revenge", and "It Must Be So". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of Black Moon – and a landmark classic indie hip hop classic from the early 90s east coast scene – given the top shelf deluxe box set treatment at long last! Beloved by the deeper digging hip hop heads back in the day, and making a few waves commercially with the singles "Who Got Da Props?" and "I Got Cha Opin" – this one never really got its due in the mainstream despite being hugely influential. Produced by Da Beatminerz and featuring appearances by Smif-N-Wessun and Havoc from Mobb Deep, this one's well worth catching up on – with the tracks ""Powaful Impak!", "Ack Like U Want It", "Sh** Iz Real", "Enta Da Stage" and more. 2016 box set edition from Fat Beats has 6CDs with the original album, complete Beatminerz instrumentals and full album of remixes – 2LPs each – plus an 18-page insert with new notes, unreleased photos and interviews! LP, Vinyl record album

A funky jazz treasure – and the band's landmark first album! The Blackbyrds were a legendary 70s combo that were discovered by Donald Byrd while he was teaching at Howard University – and they had a tight style that mixed raw funk influences with smoother jazz playing, creating a sound that was different from many of their contemporaries, and which pushed funk and soul into a whole new level. Byrd's work with the band was as groundbreaking as Larry Mizell's work on his own Blue Note albums – and coincidentally, Larry Mizzell's Sky High Productions handles the studio chores for the set – but in a way that's much more sharply funky than his albums with Byrd! Titles include the tight choppy funk tracks "Do It, Fluid" and "Funky Junkie", plus other nice groovers like "Summer Love", "Gut Level", and "The Runaway". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost album of funky jazz that features work by the great Nathan Davis! The combo's a hip rock-influenced one – mixing together acoustic funky jazz with a slight touch of electric bass, in a manner that's in keeping with some of the hipper jazz rock groups that were coming out of England and Germany at the end of the 60s. Scott Bradford's the leader of the group – and he plays piano, Hohner electric, and organ – and other players include Stu Martin on drums, Gunther Lenz on bass, Nathan Davis on tenor sax and flute, and Philip Catherine on occasional guest guitar solos. The tracks follow nicely in the messed-up vibe of some of the MPS groups of the time – with lots of chunky hard-hitting grooves, peppered with real jazz soloing, especially from Davis, who gets in some of the weirdest reed work of his career on the album! Titles include two Davis originals – "Mid Evil Dance", and "Kansas City Mascher" – plus the cuts "Samsara", "Essential Horror", and "Issa". LP, Vinyl record album

Dee Dee Bridgewater's first album as a soul singer – recorded a few years after she first broke on the scene as a righteous jazz vocalist on hip early 70s classics! The sound here is different than the material Bridgewater started with, but still plenty great from a soul perspective – tightly-crafted, sophisticated work that features both uptempo and mellow cuts – in a mode that's quite similar to the Columbia work of Marlena Shaw – another former jazz vocalist who made a 70s shift to soul. Production is by Gene Page, Jerry Wexler, and Stephen Scheaffer – and the set was recorded in a variety of different setting that spin out over the course of the tracks. We're most partial to the mellow cuts – which trip along with some great spacey edges – and titles include a great version of "He's Gone", plus "My Prayer", "You Saved Me", "Goin Through The Motions", "It Ain't Easy", and "Every Man Wants Another Man's Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

The lone album from the Bubble Puppy – a monumental effort of late 60s hard grooving psychedelia – and one of very best albums to come out of the original Texas psych scene! A couple of the Pup's labelmates at United Artists get a lot of revelry all these years later, and rightfully so – who would argue the importance of The Red Krayola and 13th Floor Elevators – but Bubbly Puppy deserve to be on that top shelf, too. The sound is tight and hard hitting, with trippy lyricism and groovy group harmonies, while the guitars range from cathartic fuzz to some surprisingly pretty melodicism. Not as far out as some of their peers, but the groove is absolutely killer. Titles include the benchmark single "Hot Smoke And Sasafrass", plus "Todd's Tune", "I've Got To Reach You", "Lonely", "Hurry Sundown", "Elizabeth", "It's Safe To Say", "Beginning" and much more. LP, Vinyl record album

A lost little gem from Jerry – recorded towards the end of his years with Mercury. The record's got Jerry working in a much hipper style than before, drawing off the pool of younger Chicago soul talents that he'd begun to collect on some of his earlier albums for Mercury – and the album features tracks by Leroy Hutson, Terry Callier, Marvin Yancey, and the team of Hanks and Grey. Richard Evans handled the arrangements, and they're a good extension of his work at Cadet – with strong bass-heavy soul grooves, augmented by strings and some great funky clavinet work. Titles include the funky classics "I'm Your Mechanical Man" and "You've Been Around Too Long" – plus "High Stepper", "Start Living It Up", "Sing To Me", "Take The Time To Tell Her", and "Playing On You". LP, Vinyl record album

The great self-titled Alice Clark LP on Mainstream plus earlier singles for Warner Brothers and unreleased tracks – the complete studio recordings from '68-72 – in one great set! There weren't many vocal albums on the Mainstream label during the early 70s, and this rare soul side is a real overlooked gem! Alice Clark has a rich soulful voice, with a style that sounds a bit like Esther Marrow, mixed with some of the lead vocalists in Voices Of East Harlem – a really right-on sort of sound that's totally great, and way hipper than most 70s chart soul! Arrangements are by Ernie Wilkins, who brings in a touch of jazz – but again, with a much hipper feel than most of his other backings – and most of the tracks are quite obscure, well-written tunes – of the sort of material you might expect to hear sung by Gil Scott-Heron or Donny Hathaway. Includes "Don't You Care", "Charms Of The Arms Of Love", "Maybe This Time", "Looking At Life", "Hey Girl", "Don't Wonder Why", "It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone", "Hard Hard Promises" and the rest from the classic and always sought self-titled album from 1972 – plus great earlier Warner Brothers singles "You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurts Me)" and "Heaven's Will (Must Be Obeyed)" from 1969, and the previously unreleased "Before Her Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty big party from tenor giant Arnett Cobb – a player who always blew strongly in other settings, but really hit his height on these albums for Prestige! The record is a perfect mix of Cobb's bluesy roots and a more sophisticated modern jazz setting – with support from a crack rhythm combo of Ray Bryant on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – plus the special addition of Ray Barretto on congas, who brings in this rolling kick that definitely opens things up to the party atmosphere in the title – even when things are mellow! Most numbers have a open, soulfully blowing feel – and titles include "Slow Poke", "Lonesome Road", "Party Time", and "Blues In the Closet". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album of mellow soul by jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb! Yes, that's right, the same Jimmy Cobb who played with Miles Davis in the 50s. This album's very different than Cobb's jazz work – and is a smooth album of jazzy soul, with a wonderfully warm vibe that sounds like some of the material on the Capitol Rare compilations. Nearly every track has vocals – either by the lovely Marilyn Redfield or by Gregory Hines – and the players on the album include jazz greats like Freddie Hubbard, Dave Liebman, Walter Booker, Larry Willis, Pee Wee Ellis, and others. Includes the jazzy stepper's classic "So Nobody Else Can Hear", plus "Pistachio", "Little Girl", "Remembering The Rain", "Spotlight", and "Cute". LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say? Bootsy's on top of the world here – not only The Player Of The Year, but also the most soulful artist in the P-Funk stable, and a master of the smooth, sly, slinky groove that would forever be taken up by bands from LA – both in the immediate soul years and in later sampling hip hop ones. The record's got a sophisticated soul approach that moves the music way past slapped basslines and funny glasses – and thanks to top-line musicianship, including some help from Fred Wesley, Bootsy avoids any cliches that might have buried this one under the mountain of P-Funk albums hitting the market at the same time. Includes the monster track "Hollywood Squares" – plus "May The Force Be With You", "Very Yes", "Bootsy?", and "Bootzilla". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album of vocal jazz – and one of the few sessions that John Coltrane ever cut with a singer! In a way, the album's more Hartman's than it is Coltrane's – given that Johnny's warm, mellow style of singing isn't as free and open as Trane at his most adventurous – but at another level, the album's got a great approach to Coltrane's gentler side, one that wasn't showing up on a lot of his Impulse albums of the time. Overall, the album's got an extremely haunting quality, and McCoy Tyner's piano adds as much to Hartman's hip voice as Coltrane's mellow tenor. Titles include some well-chosen moody standards – including "Lush Life", "Dedicated To You", and "Autumn Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant mix of soul and jazz from the legendary Norman Connors – a key album in breaking Norman out back in the 70s – and a record that's still pretty darn perfect all these many years later! You can hear Connors' deep roots throughout the set – but they're often used towards a more sophisticated soul agenda, too – blending in elements of jazz vocals and modern R&B, at a level that so many other artists would copy in years to come – but which Norman virtually helped invent with this landmark album! There's some mellow moments on the record that are every bit as wonderful as the funky ones – some laidback tracks that feature sublime vocals from Jean Carn, pre-Philly – and which also really introduce the soul side of Michael Henderson – an artist who most folks had previously known as a bass player. Connors mixes the funky and the smooth at a level that rivals the best Roy Ayers material of the same time – and titles include the massive hit "Valentine Love" – plus "Saturday Night Special", "Kwasi", "Dindi", "Akia", "Skin Diver", and a sweet version of "Maiden Voyage"! LP, Vinyl record album

An extremely great album from Eddie Costa – one of the best of the all-great Mode sessions from 1957! In what is an odd meeting of players, especially for the label, Eddie's piano and vibes meet up with Art Farmer's trumpet, the alto of Phil Woods, bass of Teddy Kotick, and drums of Paul Motian – all of whom work together with the fluidity and soulfulness of some of the best Prestige sessions of the time. The horn work is tremendous – and it's hard to remember Woods sounding this great on other albums of the time, really cutting an edge next to Farmer's trumpet – which also has an incredible tone for the album, right up there with his Farmer's Market record! Titles include "Big Ben", "Blues Plus Eight", "Stretch In F", and "Get Out Of The Road". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet soulful stepper from the mighty Hank Crawford – a set that's got a bit of the bluesy lines promised by the title, but which also has some snappier soul jazz modes played by a larger ensemble! Hank plays a bit of piano, in addition to his trademark alto sax – and the set's got a style that bridges his roots with Ray Charles and some of the cooler, groovier modes of Atlantic Records jazz in the 60s. Other players include Wendell Harrison on reeds, and Sonny Forriest on guitar – and titles include the originals "Mr Blues", "Smoky City", "Hush Puppies", and "The Turfer" – plus versions of "Danger Zone", "Route 66", and "Lonely Avenue". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album from Blossom Dearie – done with a soaring jazzy groove that makes it one of her best! Blossom's working here with Capitol arranger Jack Marshall – and he gives the album a much more upfront approach than some of Blossom's sparer sides for Verve – a groove, a bounce, and a sweeping sort of sound that works wonderfully with Dearie's sweetly-crafted vocals. We love the sound a lot, and wonder why Blossom hardly ever recorded in this mode again – save, perhaps, for her excellent British sides from the end of the 60s. The album includes a wonderful vocal version of Henry Mancini's "Charade", plus other great cuts that include "Love Is A Necessary Evil", "I Wish You Love", "In Love Again", "Quiet Nights", and "May I Come In". LP, Vinyl record album

The west coast had The Seeds, and the east coast had The Deep – a group known only for this one album, but a key garage psyche group nonetheless! This record's a gem through and through – oddly (almost mistakenly) issued on the mostly-pop Cameo label in the mid 60s, but recorded with a fantastic studio technique that has lots of odd electronics and sound effects sneaking in alongside the fuzzy guitars and earthy vocals. The band were mostly a studio project between Rusy Evans and Mark Barkan of Freak Scene, and also features work by a young David Bromberg – and although they've only left this one record to their legacy, it's a heck of a great album to leave! Titles include "Color Dreams", "Pink Ether", "Turned On", "When Rain Is Black", "Psychedelic Moon", "Shadows On The Wall", "Trip #76", and "On Off Off On". Amazing 3LP pressing – with three more sides of outtakes from the sessions – plus more material by the Inner Sanctum, a related group! LP, Vinyl record album

While part of us wants to identify Joseph Bowie's avant jazz background and the links to the downtown early 80s scene, we think it's more than fair to just put Defunkt into a class of their own as horn driven modern funk. This time out the group is made up of John Mulkerin, Kelvyn Bell, Kim Clarke and Kenny Martin, with some help from Vernon Reid, Richard Martin, Dave Hubbard and Clarence Taylor but the groove is very much in the vein of their earlier efforts, seamlessly melding jazzy riffs and tight grooves with some occasional nods to the black rock movement and their off kilter post punk peers. 8 tracks in all, including "Illusion", "I Tried To Live Alone", "Cocktail Hour (Blue Bossa)", "Ooh Baby", "Avoid The Funk", "Big Bird (Au Private)", "For The Love Of Money" and "Believing In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest, coolest Latin Soul albums we've ever heard – the only offering ever from the duo of Dianne & Carole – two female singers who come off with a great deal of enthusiasm on the set! That's our way of saying that the ladies are a bit rough on the vocals – but that's also part of the charm of the set – as the record's got a really messed-up feel, of the sort that we really love from Latin Soul records like this! The great Louie Ramirez handled a good number of the arrangements, with help from Joe Simmons on the other tracks – and many of the numbers have that upbeat, catchy groove that was the Speed label trademark at the time – a sound that was quite different than the modes at Fania or Tico. Titles include excellent tracks "The Fuzz" and "Latin Rhythm" – plus "Feelin' The Pain", "I See the Lovelight", "The Boy Across The Street", "Water Brown", and a hip cover of "Do You Know The Way To San Jose". Very groovy stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

From the title, to the cover, to the gritty grooves way down in the wax – this has got to be one of the funkiest Blue Note albums ever – a real landmark from the legendary Lou Donaldson! The set kicks off with a hard and heavy groove from the very first note – thanks to some super-tight drumming by a young Idris Muhammad – still billed under his birth name of Leo Morris on the sleeve, but already hitting the kit with that snapping post-Popcorn style that would revolutionize funky jazz in years to come! Donaldson's plenty smoking himself on electrified alto sax – played with that great mix of flatness and echo that you'd hear in Eddie Harris' albums of the same time – and the rest of the lineup is equally cooking, with Melvin Sparks on guitar, Charles Earland on organ, and Ed Williams blasting away on funky trumpet! Titles include killer remakes of "It's Your Thing" and "Who's Making Love" – plus Donaldson originals "Hot Dog" and "Turtle Walk" – all nice and long, and with a really raw sound! LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning album of raw New Orleans soul – recorded by the great Lee Dorsey, with production by Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn! The record falls in the same camp as The Meters – and although Dorsey's work has vocals, the choppy instrumental backing is pure Crescent City all the way – even though the cover art oddly features a bunch of teenagers in New York City! Titles include the monster funky break track "Get Out Of My Life Woman", the wonderfully funky "Ride Your Pony", plus loads of other nice ones like "The Kitty Cat Song", "So Long", "Work Work Work", "Shortnin Bread", "Can You Hear Me", and "People I Wish You Could See". LP, Vinyl record album

A hokey cover and title, but a hip little record from Duke Ellington – kind of a story of percussion and jazz, all wrapped together with some great vocals and narration! The format is kind of far-reaching, but never too stuffy – and in a way, the album offers a great opportunity to hear some of the Ellington players stepping out in a slightly different vibe than the usual Columbia date from the decade. Duke does a bit of narration himself – and singers include Margaret Tynes, Joya Sherrill, and Ozzie Bailey – who beautifully illustrate the shifting passages of the longer suite. Solos are by Johnny Hodges on alto, Clark Terry on trumpet, and Paul Gonsalves on tenor – and titles include "Congo Square", "Madam Zajj", "Drum is A Woman", "You Better Know It", "Rhythm Pum Te Dum", and "Rhumbop". LP, Vinyl record album

Bracingly modern work from trumpeter Don Ellis – recorded quite early in his career, long before he broke out with his funkier big band of the late 60s and early 70s! The Ellis heard here is a clear-headed, fresh-thinking player – one who's keenly aware of the changes going on in jazz at the time – and who's working here to carve out his own unique little space. Unusual timings, phrasing, and spacings are common on the set – and Ellis' own well-tuned trumpet sound is at the lead, supported by very inventive rhythm work from Paul Bley on piano, Gary Peacock on bass, and either Gene Stone or Nick Martinis on drums. Titles include the original numbers "Form", "Irony", "Slow Space", and "Ostinato" – plus a great version of Carla Bley's "Donkey". LP, Vinyl record album