Includes the songs "Gangsters", "Rudi, A Message To You", "Nite Club", "Too Much Too Young (Live)", "Guns Of Navarone (Live)", "Rat Race", "Rude Boys Outta Jail", "Maggie's Farm", "Do Nothing", "Stereotype", "Ghost Town (12" Vers.)", "Why?", "Friday Night, Saturday Morning", "Racist Friend",and "Free Nelson Mandela (Ext. Vers.)"0 CD

A fantastic CD collection – one that brings together all five volumes of Stereolab's Switched On albums in one set – a huge collection of unusual material and rare singles! On the original Switched On record, moog, fuzz, and farfisa have never sounded so great together – and although these guys drank deep of the well of 60s pop magic before making this modern-day classic – they also come off sounding pretty darn original on their own! When this gem of a record first hit the world, it was as if all of us were hearing music from the cosmos for years, but could never find a way to make it part of our everyday lives. Then along come Tim Gane, Laetitia Sadier, and crew – and completely change the world for the better! An album that no home should be without – with titles that include "Contact", "Super-Electric", "Doubt", "Brittle", "Au Grand Jour", "The Way Will Be Opening", and "Changer". Refried Ectoplasm is the second in the holy trinity of "switched on" albums from Stereolab – a set that collects together all the unusual recordings and other side bits the group were doing in the early years of their career – standing strong as a testament to their non-stop efforts to forever push the boundaries of electric fuzzy pop! The vocals Laetitia Sadier are completely sublime – almost a bridge between the darker modes of the previous pop generation and all the new ideas of the world to come – when the rest of rock music would finally catch up to these guys, and realize that the best path to the future is through the past! Titles include "Farfisa", "John Cage Bubblegum", "Tempter", "Exploding Head Movie", "French Disko", "Harmonium", "Revox", "Mountain", and "Sadistic". By the time of Aluminum Tunes (Switched On Vol 3) – it had only been a few years since the previous Switched On set, but Stereolab had already created so much musical magic, they needed a double-length record to keep the whole thing intact! The sound here is somehow getting even more dreamy and wonderful – definitely showing their work with the mighty Sean O'Hagan, and also really opening up into all the many musical ideas that Tim Gane was picking up from his never-ending search for unusual records! The 60s swirl through time and space, and make the future sound even better than we could have imagined it – while the Channel is drained, and England and France become one in a genius marriage of pure pop modes. Titles include "The Extension Trip", "How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight", "Space Moment", "Iron Man", "The Long Hair Of Death", "One Note Samba/Surfboard", "Percolations", "1000 Miles An Hour", "Klang Tone", and a great take on the theme to "Get Carter". Switched On 4 is full of fantastic sounds from Stereolab – an assortment of rare singles and other unusual recordings that were mostly issued on their own Duophonic label, and which are far more obscure than their bigger label albums during the same period! Even though Stereolab gave the world some undeniable classics in the late 90s and early 00s, they were also working endlessly, and seemed to record more than they could ever fit on a full length set – which resulted in all the cool singles, limited releases, and other material included here – not dusty tapes pulled from the archives, but beautiful work that often returns the group to all the space age charms of their first few records! The package is huge – 25 tracks in all, of varying length – and titles include "Barok Plastik", "Calimero", "Fried Monkey Eggs (voc)", "Solar Throw Away", "Variation One", "Monkey Jelly", "Explosante Fixe", "Jump Drive Shut Out", "The Super-It", "L'Exotisme Interieur", "Pandora's Box Of Worms", "Retrograde Mirror Form", "Nomus E Phusis", "I Feel The Air Of Another Planet", "Outer Bongolia", and "Intervals". Includes tracks from Duophonic 45s, Underground Is Coming EP, Moog, First Of The Microbe Hunters, and work from compilations, unreleased tracks, and even a collaboration with Brigitte Fontaine! Switched On 5 is maybe the coolest entry so far in this really wonderful series – a set that's overflowing with rare and unusual work from Stereolab – most of it done at a time when the group were riding high on a major label, but still managed to issued a huge amount of music on their own, and work in a variety of collaborative settings too! One of our favorite is their work with Nurse With Wound, and tracks from that partnership begin this set – which then moves into rare singles, work with artists, compilation contributions, and plenty more – all with the usual Stereolab charm, but often with a nicely different vibe too! Titles include "Simple Headphone Mind", "Symbolic Logic Of Now", "Magne Music", "Forensic Itch", "Spool Of Collusion", "Robot Riot", "Trippin With The Birds", "Cybele's Reverie (live)", "Nth Degrees, "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse (Autechre Feebate mix)", and "Plastic Mile (original version)". CD

A pair of classics from Strawberry Alarm Clock – back to back on a single CD! First up is their classic Incense & Peppermints – dreamy pop psych from Strawberry Alarm Clock – a great late 60s group who skirted the worlds of Sunshine Pop and more jamming garage rock! This album's got a lot more to offer than you might guess from just the title hit – as the instrumentation sometimes gets nicely tripped out – with cool use of organ, harpsichord, and guitar – plus plenty of special effects in production – and even some of the song styles and lengths are unusual too, making the album way more than just a batch of cute little tunes. Titles include the classic "Incense & Peppermints", the eight minute jammer "The World's On Fire", the instrumental "Pass Time With SAC", and the cuts "Paxton's Back Street Carnival", "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow", "Strawberries Mean Love", and "Unwind the Clock". Next is Wake Up It's Tomorrow – a great little second set from Strawberry Alarm Clock – much headier and tripped-out than their first! For the record, the group's not just working off the success of a previous single – and instead is really taking time in the studio to try out new ideas, musically, lyrically, and (most importantly) in the range of cool production techniques used on the set! There's still a warm harmony vocal approach on some of the album's best tunes, but they're also matched here with some more progressive guitar parts and fuzzier instrumental touches – in a way that brings a bit of darkness into the sunshine, and creates the wonderful sense of counterpoint that was always the group's strongest suit. Most tunes are nicely unfamiliar, and titles include "Curse Of The Witches", "Black Butter – Past, Present, & Future", "Soft Skies No Lies", "They Saw The Fat One Coming", "Nightmare of Percussion", "Tomorrow", "Sit With the Guru", and "Pretty Song From Psych-Out". CD also features single mixes of "Tomorrow" and "Sit With The Guru". CD

A groovy mix of zither and 60s orchestrations – on tunes that include "Take Five", "Hard Days Night", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "Girl From Ipanema". LP, Vinyl record album

A soaring stormer from T-Connection – and a set that has them sounding even better than before! There's a perfection here the group didn't have with earlier releases – a quality that goes way past indie funk ensemble, into the realm of some of the best mainstream acts on the bigger labels at the time – company shared by a rare few, like Earth Wind & Fire, Ohio Players, or the Bar-Kays! Things are every bit as funky as before – but there's a way of putting the tunes together that really blows us away – fusing all the elements together perfectly, and making everything work towards the groove – yet all without making anything sound too slick or polished either. Mighty nice all the way through – and titles include "Funky Lady", "Don't Stop The Music", "Funkannection", "Saturday Night", "At Midnight", and "Love Supreme". CD

A soaring stormer from T-Connection – and a set that has them sounding even better than before! There's a perfection here the group didn't have with earlier releases – a quality that goes way past indie funk ensemble, into the realm of some of the best mainstream acts on the bigger labels at the time – company shared by a rare few, like Earth Wind & Fire, Ohio Players, or the Bar-Kays! Things are every bit as funky as before – but there's a way of putting the tunes together that really blows us away – fusing all the elements together perfectly, and making everything work towards the groove – yet all without making anything sound too slick or polished either. Mighty nice all the way through – and titles include "Funky Lady", "Don't Stop The Music", "Funkannection", "Saturday Night", "At Midnight", and "Love Supreme". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone 70s classic from Tavares – quite possibly the group's biggest album, and a masterpiece of LA vocal group soul! The album's biggest claim to fame is the massive hit "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", recorded by the group for this set, but blown to the heights through it's huge use in the film Saturday Night Fever. But although that hit might mark them as a disco group, Tavares are still very much in the strongest style of their best early vocal group sets – coming together magically as a group, even when the rhythms are a bit uptempo, and sounding great on tracks that include "To The Other Man", "The Mighty Power Of Love", "Bein With You", "Ridin High", "Wonderful", and "Guiding Star". LP, Vinyl record album

A great live set recorded in 1962 with some of Cal's best players in the group – pianist Lonnie Hewitt and drummer John Rae, joined by bassist Freddie Schreiber. The groove's a bit less Latin than usual, but the jazz vibe is very strong – and Tjader really shines with the local crowd at San Francisco's famous Blackhawk night spot. Titles include "222 Time", "Noonie's Groove", "Weep", and "Fred's Ahead". One of the more obscure Tjader Verve sides, too! LP, Vinyl record album

A key pairing of vocalist Mel Torme and pianist George Shearing – two aging jazz artists who really helped re-ignite each others' careers in the 80s! The format here takes Torme back to the best years of his jazz roots – and features spare backing from Shearing's trio, at a level that's intimate, but never too sleepy or prone with cliche. Shearing's touch on the keys is wonderfully sensitive – never just standard backing to a singer – and in a way, he brings out a new sense of depth in Torme's vocals, one that never showed itself so strongly, or so personally in the past. And best of all, at the time of this recording, the duo haven't yet lapsed into the cliches that would later mar their pairing – and instead really work together beautifully in a fresh sense of discovery and joy in each others' company. Titles include "The Midnight Sun", "Someday I'll Find You", "Whisper Not/Love Me Or Leave Me", "Since I Fell For You", "Out Of This World", and "Little Man You've Got The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album that New Orleans soul legend Allen Toussaint ever recorded – and a set that's maybe more jazz-oriented than most of his other work! The album mostly features Toussaint as an instrumentalist – playing piano, and working through songs by Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, and others – as well as some of his own compositions too – with a group that includes Bill Frisell on guitar and Charles Lloyd on tenor, although most of the focus really seems to be on the piano! Rhiannon Giddens sings on two tracks, but most of the album is instrumental – and Van Dyke Parks contributes a bit of second piano, and larger arrangements on one track. Titles include "Come Sunday", "Southern Nights", "Rosetta", "Big Chief", "Danza", "Rocks In My Bed", "American Tune", "Mardi Gras In New Orleans", "Waltz For Debby", and "Viper's Drag". CD

A landmark album from The Trammps – and a record that broke the group firmly out of the Philly ghetto, yet still carried all the best touches of the Sigma scene! Sure, the title track was a super-huge hit – thanks to a plug in Saturday Night Fever – but the record itself is Philly club soaring high, with key arrangements and production from the team of Norman Harris, Ronald Baker, and Earl Young – all of whom provide tremendously mighty grooves to soar the multi-voiced sound of the group well over the top of the clubs! Titles include an 11 minute version of "Disco Inferno", plus "Starvin", "Don't Burn No Bridges", "You Touch My Hot Line", and "I Feel Like I've Been Livin (On The Dark Side Of The Moon)". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Peggy Sue", "Lion Sleeps Tonight", "Willy And The Hand Jive", "Everyday", "Rag Doll", and "Ain't Nuthin' But A House Party". 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the crowning achievements of The Turtles – a set that features all original material by members of the group, and stellar production by Ray Davies of The Kinks! The set's the only full length that Davies ever handled – and it's obvious the group really rose to the occasion for the honor – hitting territory that's nicely sophisticated, yet which still has the sharpness of their earlier material too – a bit like the territory that Ray was hitting at the time with his own music. The songs are both a lot more personal, and have some deeper currents too – as The Turtles, like so many other west coast pop acts, were really maturing at the end of the 60s. Titles include "She Always Leaves Me Laughing", "Somewhere Friday Night", "Dance This Dance", "You Don't Have To Walk In The Rain", "Bachelor Mother", "Love In The City", and "House On The Hill". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album from McCoy Tyner – a set that's steeped in the modal soulfulness of his years with John Coltrane, but also handled in a way that really has him breaking away from the pack a bit! Half the album's played with a trio that features Jimmy Garrison on bass – but the strongest cuts feature a sextet with John Gilmore on tenor (making a rare non-Sun Ra appearance), Frank Strozier on alto, Thad Jones on trumpet, Butch Warren on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – all working beautifully together in an early example of the soulful group groove that Tyner would hit even more strongly in the post-Coltrane years. Titles include "T N A Blues", "Three Flowers", "Contemporary Focus", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album from McCoy Tyner – a set that's steeped in the modal soulfulness of his years with John Coltrane, but also handled in a way that really has him breaking away from the pack a bit! Half the album's played with a trio that features Jimmy Garrison on bass – but the strongest cuts feature a sextet with John Gilmore on tenor (making a rare non-Sun Ra appearance), Frank Strozier on alto, Thad Jones on trumpet, Butch Warren on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – all working beautifully together in an early example of the soulful group groove that Tyner would hit even more strongly in the post-Coltrane years. Titles include "T N A Blues", "Three Flowers", "Contemporary Focus", and "Night In Tunisia". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic from the late 70s lineup with Phil Mogg on vocals and Paul Chapman on guitar – on itles that include "Money Money", "Anyday", "Alpha Centauri", "Mystery Train", "Gone In The Night", "Lettin Go", and "Youngblood". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare jazz treasure from the European scene of the early 70s – killer material from a wealth of American artists and local talents – all done as special sessions for Dutch radio, and never issued to the public on record! Despite the radio origins of the music, the sound here is tremendous – easily on a par with the best MPS sessions of the time – which is no surprise, given that many of the artists here worked in similar circles! The first half of the set features the trio of pianist Louis Van Dyke augmented with guests who include Mark Murphy, Helen Merrill, Eddie Jefferson, Toots Thielemans, Herb Geller, and Dave Pike – all stepping out into the spotlight while Van Dyke's combo backs them up with lively grooves that are often heavy on bossa influences! The second half features larger orchestrations from The Metropole Orchestra – a soaring big band who groove wonderfully, often in support of vocals from Murphy or Greetje Kauffeld, but also featuring instrumental solos from European players Ack Van Rooyen, Piet Nordijk, Ferdinand Povel, and others. The whole set is worth it alone for the vocals of Murphy – because the record easily stands as some of his best work ever from this decade – and given how great Mark was at the time, that's really saying a lot! Small group titles include "Children Of The Sun", "So What", "Love Sick", "Sao Paulo", "Con Alma", "Seventh Day", and "Falling In Love With Love" – and bigger group numbers include "Out Of This World", "My Shining Hour", "Let's Fall In Love", "Get Happy", "I'll Wind", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "Paper Moon", "One For My Baby", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", and "That Old Black Magic". 37 tracks in all! CD

Billy Drewes on alto and soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet, Dick Oatts on alto and soprano saxophone, flute, and piccolo flute, Ralph Lalama on tenor saxophone, clarinet and flute, Rich Perry on tenor saxophone and flute, Gary Smulyan on baritone saxophone, Douglas Purviance, Jason Jackson, John Mosca, and Luis Bonilla on trombone, Frank Greene, Nick Marchione, Scott Wendholt, and Terell Stafford on trumpet, John Clark on French horn, Jim McNeely and Michael Weiss on piano, Phil Palombi on bass, and John Riley on drums. CD

A 70s set from Sarah Vaughan, but one that's recorded in a classic small combo mode – acoustic overall, and a bit of a change from her other sessions for Mainstream Records! The date's a live one, and the tracks are taken at a looser level than some of Vaughan's studio work – a bit more open, and with a bit of conversation too – which is a nice surprise. The group's a trio – with Carl Schroeder on piano, John Gianelli on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "I Could Write A Book", "Love Story", "The Nearness Of You", "Wave", "Misty", "There Will Never Be Another You", "A Foggy Day", and "Round Midnight". CD

Tracks include "Just You, Just Me", "Sunday", "I Cover The Waterfront", "Lester's Bebop Boogie", "The Man I Love", and "I Cried For You". 16 tracks total. CD

Killer trio material from drummer Daniel Villarreal – a lean, clean record that's a really great showcase for all three players involved! The music's got a vibe that's more live and spontaneous than some other efforts on the International Anthem label, and a sound that's almost funky at times – as Daniel's snapping drums get plenty of encouragement from the basses of Anna Butterss, which really sets fire to the guitar of Jeff Parker! Parker's back here at a level that we haven't heard on record in awhile, and the record seems to resonate with all his long experience with a variety of players – while also standing as a showcase for his ability to really deliver some warmly chromatic tones on the guitar. Titles include "Things Can Be Calm", "Daytime Nighttime", "Salute", "Sunset Cliffs", "Republic", "Chicali Outpost", and "Bring It". CD

Killer trio material from drummer Daniel Villarreal – a lean, clean record that's a really great showcase for all three players involved! The music's got a vibe that's more live and spontaneous than some other efforts on the International Anthem label, and a sound that's almost funky at times – as Daniel's snapping drums get plenty of encouragement from the basses of Anna Butterss, which really sets fire to the guitar of Jeff Parker! Parker's back here at a level that we haven't heard on record in awhile, and the record seems to resonate with all his long experience with a variety of players – while also standing as a showcase for his ability to really deliver some warmly chromatic tones on the guitar. Titles include "Things Can Be Calm", "Daytime Nighttime", "Salute", "Sunset Cliffs", "Republic", "Chicali Outpost", and "Bring It". LP, Vinyl record album

An early one from Waits – his second album – and it's a great one! Like a lot of his early oeuvre, this is a kind of like a street-savvy, hipster cabaret affair, with less of the eccentricity that would reveal itself later in his career. Still a great record though, rendered with a Bukowski-esque salt of the earth palette. Includes "Fumblin' With The Blues", "Please Call Me, Baby", "Diamonds On My Windshield", "New Coat Of Paint", "The Heart Of Saturday Night", "Drunk On The Moon", "Shiver Me Timbers", "San Diego Serenade", "Semi Suite", "Depot, Depot", and "The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone's Pizza House)". CD

An early one from Waits – his second album – and it's a great one! Like a lot of his early oeuvre, this is a kind of like a street-savvy, hipster cabaret affair, with less of the eccentricity that would reveal itself later in his career. Still a great record though, rendered with a Bukowski-esque salt of the earth palette. Includes "Fumblin' With The Blues", "Please Call Me, Baby", "Diamonds On My Windshield", "New Coat Of Paint", "The Heart Of Saturday Night", "Drunk On The Moon", "Shiver Me Timbers", "San Diego Serenade", "Semi Suite", "Depot, Depot", and "The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone's Pizza House)". LP, Vinyl record album

This is an LP issue of some of her early recordings, originally released on 78. Songs include "Record Ban Blues", "What's The Matter With Baby", "I'm Crying", "Shuckin' And Jivin'", When The Sun Goes Down", "Set Me Free", "My Devotion", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "Go Pretty Daddy", "I Ain't Gonna Cry No More", "Old Man's Darlin'", and "One Arabian Night". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest albums of Muddy Waters' career – a key crossover effort that has Waters as the "father" working with "sons" Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield! The style here is still quite rootsy overall – and the double-length session features one album recorded in the studio, and a second done live at the Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree – key evidence of the growing hippie audience for blues like this! The core group features Waters on vocals with Otis Spann on piano, Mike Bloomfield on guitar, Paul Butterfield on harmonica, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Sam Lay on drums – and guest players include Phil Upchurch on bass and Buddy Miles on drums – each on one number. Titles include "All Aboard", "Mean Disposition", "Forty Days & Forty Nights", "Sugar Sweet", "Twenty Four Hours", "I'm Ready", "Walkin Thru The Park", "Got My Mojo Working (parts 1 & 2)", "The Same Thing", "Baby Please Don't Go", and "Honey Bee". CD

One of the biggest albums of Muddy Waters' career – a key crossover effort that has Waters as the "father" working with "sons" Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield! The style here is still quite rootsy overall – and the double-length session features one album recorded in the studio, and a second done live at the Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree – key evidence of the growing hippie audience for blues like this! The core group features Waters on vocals with Otis Spann on piano, Mike Bloomfield on guitar, Paul Butterfield on harmonica, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Sam Lay on drums – and guest players include Phil Upchurch on bass and Buddy Miles on drums – each on one number. Titles include "All Aboard", "Mean Disposition", "Forty Days & Forty Nights", "Sugar Sweet", "Twenty Four Hours", "I'm Ready", "Walkin Thru The Park", "Got My Mojo Working (parts 1 & 2)", "The Same Thing", "Baby Please Don't Go", and "Honey Bee". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest albums of Muddy Waters' career – a key crossover effort that has Waters as the "father" working with "sons" Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield! The style here is still quite rootsy overall – and the double-length session features one album recorded in the studio, and a second done live at the Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree – key evidence of the growing hippie audience for blues like this! The core group features Waters on vocals with Otis Spann on piano, Mike Bloomfield on guitar, Paul Butterfield on harmonica, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Sam Lay on drums – and guest players include Phil Upchurch on bass and Buddy Miles on drums – each on one number. Titles include "All Aboard", "Mean Disposition", "Forty Days & Forty Nights", "Sugar Sweet", "Twenty Four Hours", "I'm Ready", "Walkin Thru The Park", "Got My Mojo Working (parts 1 & 2)", "The Same Thing", "Baby Please Don't Go", and "Honey Bee". CD reissue includes 4 previously unreleased studio tracks – "Country Boy", "I Love The Life I Live", "Oh Yeah", "I Feel So Good" – plus 6 additional live tracks! CD

Ben Webster's tone is wonderful here – that mature, mellow sound that he brought to some of his standout live dates – and which is captured here in the kind of relaxed, soloist-focused setting that always makes 60s recordings from the Cafe Montmartre so great! The group is a familiar one for the house – Kenny Drew on piano, Nils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – but it's clear that Ben's the main star, and steps out on the kind of tenor solos really set him apart from the rest – on a record that's also one of his best from the decade! Titles include "I Can't Get Started", "Londonderry Air", "My Romance", and "Blues For Herluf". LP, Vinyl record album

The mellow tone of Cootie Williams gets a great showcase here – a laidback quartet date that's easily one of the most relaxed, open sessions we've heard from the trumpeter! Cootie blows a muted horn on most numbers, but he still comes across with plenty of soul – and support is from Nat Jones on piano, Harold Dodson on bass, and Bill Peeples on drums – on titles that include "Concerto For Cootie", "Some Of These Days", "Night Train", "Liza", and "Birmingham Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's lovingly handmade by Warner studio genius Mason Williams – an artist who, like so many of Warner's great talents of the late 60s, started out in folk, but soon exploded to great new heights in the recording freedom offered by the label – as you'll hear in this really incredible set! Williams mixes acoustic instrumentation with larger arrangements, offbeat rhythms, and occasional vocals – post-folk, post-sunshine pop, and with these hip undercurrents that were barely understood in the right way at the time – even though Mason himself was enough of a popular figure for some folks. The songwriting is smart, and the instrumentation and arrangements even more so – as you'll hear on a great reworking of his famous "Classical Gas", plus "Jose's Piece", "Find A Reason To Believe", "Saturday Night At The World", "Tomato Vendetta", and "It's Over". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully weird record from the mighty Mason Williams – a set that's filled with lots of cool little surprises at each new twist and turn – yet which also comes across with a really solid, tuneful feel overall! The album's got a bit of folk, a bit of moog, and a bit of kitsch – but has a way of serving it all up with the kind of warmth and wit we love so much in that unique late 60s Warner Brothers moment – the same sort of vibe you might get from Van Dyke Parks or Harpers Bizarre at their best. Some tunes have Mason Williams singing these beautifully poetic lyrics straight, while others evoke the playful feel of his appearances on the Smothers Brothers Show – but things are really balanced throughout, and give the record that sense of discovery we hardly ever find in albums these days. Titles include a new version of "Baroque A Nova" from Mason's first album, the cool electronic "Generatah Oscillatah" instrumental, the groovy "Last Great Waltz", a "One Minute Commercial", and a wild remake of "Cinderella Rockefella" – plus "Saturday Night At The World", "$13 Stella", and "Whistle Hear". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Tony Williams started out as one of the most subtle drummers of the 60s, this album has him coming a long way from his "new thing" Blue Note recordings – and taking off with enough power to reach the moon! The group featured is Williams classic Lifetime lineup – with John McLaughlin and Larry Young, who was also reaching far past his Blue Note groove here – and bassist Jack Bruce, who was working his jazz chops strongly after his years in Cream. There's a raw power here that cannot be denied – a ferocity that must have been incredibly fresh at the time, and which is still, today, one of the clearest visions of a jazz rock fusion that was soon muddied too quickly in the heady waters of 70s jazz. Titles include "To Whom It May Concern", "Right On", "This Night This Song", and "Allah Be Praised". LP, Vinyl record album

Flip Wilson caught live at Mr Kelly's in Chicago – really grabbing the attention of the crowd with a range of routines – some straight jokes, mixed with some of the characters that would increasingly dominate Wilson's performance – all with the sort of crossover appeal that maybe makes his work an important precursor to the generation of Dave Chappelle! But there's also a hip-talking approach that links him back to the world of comics like Lenny Bruce or Mort Sahl – that style from a time when comics were only for adult audiences – something that's referenced not just in the subject material (which is never too blue here, given the Atlantic Records performance), but also in the matter of fact style of speaking. Titles include "The Millionaire", "The Joey Bishop Show", "The Gardener", "Days Of The Knights", "Herman's Berry", and "Paid To Die". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful combination of talents – and a great idea for an album! The great LA pianist Jack Wilson is working here with his group that includes Roy Ayers on vibes – and they've got some extra backing from Brazilian players Chico Batera and Sebastiao Neto on percussion, plus "Tony Brazil" on guitar – a name that we're guessing might stand in for a much more famous player! The tunes have that wonderful lyrical vibe that Wilson and Ayers created together – but set to the magic of Henry Mancini – whose tunes are not just a perfect fit for Wilson's ideas on the keys, but which also really take off here in some very different ways. The set's got a completely sublime version of "Sally's Tomato" – and other titles include "Dear Heart", "Blue Satin", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Night Flower", "Lujon", "Mr Lucky", and "Softly". CD

2 key albums in the early career of Nancy Wilson – back to back on one CD! For Hollywood My Way, Wilson turns her wonderfully sophisticated vocal style towards a batch of hits from Hollywood films of the 40s, 50s, and 60s – arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones, in that classy blend of jazz and soul that suited Wilson so well in the 60s! The style is really a cut above the usual – handled with great poise by Nancy throughout, but also done in a mode that's relaxed enough to get past some of the stodgier sounds of records like this. The mellower tunes are actually some of the best here – personal, reflective, and echoing the "Guess Who I Saw Today" sound of Wilson in the 60s. Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Almost In Your Arms", "When Did You Leave Heaven?", "My Shining Hour", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Wild Is The Wind". Broadway My Way is also arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones – and as usual with Wilson in this sort of setting, the material is really transformed by her presentation – taken way past its roots in popular shows of the time. Titles include "Loads Of Love", "My Ship", "Getting To Know You", "Tonight", "You Can Have Him", and "I Believe In You". 24 tracks in all. CD

2 swingers from Nancy – 2 of her first albums, back to back on one CD! Both sides feature jazzy arrangements from Billy May – backings that put Nancy in prime vocal mode, with less of the pop soul touches of her late 60s work – and more of the strong Capitol singer mode that May forged with Sinatra and other big acts during the 50s. Nancy, as always, really shines in the setting – working wonderfully through a mixture of older standards and some fresher tunes – on a set of 24 titles that include "Something Happens To Me", "He's My Guy", "I Wish You Love", "Teach Me Tonight", "Night Mist", "You Leave Me Breathless", "On The Street Where You Live", "If It's The Last Thing I Do", and her sublime reading of "Guess Who I Saw Today". CD

A classic set by the incomperable Nancy Wilson! The wonderful tunes here are set to really sweet arrangements by Billy May. It features mostly an assortment of standards, done with Wilson's pitch perfect, sophistisoul touch! The real standout here is the impeccable "Guess Who I Saw Today", one of those tunes that Nancy takes from the ordinary into the sublime! Other tracks include "Teach Me Tonight", "Something Happens To Me", "Guess Who I Saw Today", "He's My Guy", Call It Stormy Monday", "The Great City", and "If Dreams Come True". CD

A very groovy set of standards and 60s pop tunes – all done by Nancy in her great soulful swinging style! Today Tomorrow Forever offers way more than you'd guess from the track list, as Nancy's at the height of her early career here – and she's getting backing from a very sympathetic west coast group that includes Jack Wilson on piano and organ, Lou Blackburn on trombone, Bill Perkins on tenor, and Milt Holland on percussion. Titles include "Our Day Will Come", "Call Me Irresponsible", "Go Away, Little Boy", "Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life", "Unchain My Heart", and "One Note Samba". Touch Of Today features swinging arrangements by Oliver Nelson, and some more mellow backings by Sid Feller. The set's not Nancy's most original album – but it's also one of the things she does best: taking songs made famous by others, and giving them a tight swinging style that's infused with a good dose of soul. Titles include "Goin Out Of My Head", "Call Me", "Before The Rain", "You've Got Your Troubles", and "Uptight". 24 tracks in all. CD

Saxophonist Steve Wilson is heard here in a variety of settings, in a variety of modes – some bold and dynamic, as on previous records – some a bit more mellow and restrained! Wilson plays alto, soprano, and flute on the set – sometimes both on the same track – and he also plays a bit of "sax keys" too, although we're not entirely sure what that means. Other players include Bruce Barth on electric and acoustic piano, Ed Howard on bass, Adam Cruz on drums and percussion, and Nicholas Payton on trumpet – and the album has all players coming together in different ways from track to track – so that some are full quintet numbers, and others in a more intimate mode. Titles include "Passages", "Wilsonian's Grain", "Days & Nights Waiting", "The Lexter", "Song For Anna", and "Eye Of The Beholder". CD

Hypnotic organ funk from Lyman Woodard – an old bandmate of Dennis Coffey, and one of the shining lights of the 70s Detroit scene! This is amazing, amazing stuff – Woodard's electric piano, organ and occasional mellotron and Norma Bell's alto saxophone lend a cosmic funk aspect throughout, very much like Death Wish-era Herbie Hancock – with a laidback, tripped-out groove that's really mindblowing! Ron English accents the thing perfectly with his languid guitar and bass groove, while Leonard King and Lorenzo Brown's drumming and percussion can keep the groove adrift, or tear it up in a funky maelstrom depending on the mission of the cut. It's totally essential Strata jazz funk – and a record we've rarely seen in the original pressing. Tracks include "Saturday Night Special", "Joy Road", "Belle Isle Daze", "Creative Musicians", "Cheeba", "On Your Mind", "Allen Barnes", and "Help Me Get Away". CD features bonus tracks – "Bell Isle Daze (lost alt mix)" and "Saturday Night Special (lost alternate mix)". CD

Hypnotic organ funk from Lyman Woodard – an old bandmate of Dennis Coffey, and one of the shining lights of the 70s Detroit scene! This is amazing, amazing stuff – Woodard's electric piano, organ and occasional mellotron and Norma Bell's alto saxophone lend a cosmic funk aspect throughout, very much like Death Wish-era Herbie Hancock – with a laidback, tripped-out groove that's really mindblowing! Ron English accents the thing perfectly with his languid guitar and bass groove, while Leonard King and Lorenzo Brown's drumming and percussion can keep the groove adrift, or tear it up in a funky maelstrom depending on the mission of the cut. It's totally essential Strata jazz funk – and a record we've rarely seen in the original pressing. Tracks include "Saturday Night Special", "Joy Road", "Belle Isle Daze", "Creative Musicians", "Cheeba", "On Your Mind", "Allen Barnes", and "Help Me Get Away". Features bonus tracks "Saturday Night Special (lost alt mix)" and "Bell Isle Daze (lost alt mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid-career gem from Tammy Wynette – and a set that's very different than some of the more biting material of her early days! Tammy here is singing of life's trials and challenges, from a perspective that was documented famously in her own semi-public life – and served up here with some delightfully easygoing production from Chips Moman, who also co-wrote some of the best songs on the record too. Despite her polished look on the cover, Wynette brings some very down to earth energy to the songs – a set list that includes "He's Rolling Over & Over", "Cowboy's Don't Shoot Straight", "Crying In The Rain", "Easy Street", "Goodnight Cowboy Goodnight", "You Brought Me Back", "I Don't Think I See Me In Your Eyes Anymore", and "The Best There Is". CD features five bonus tracks – including "There Goes That Old Steel Guitar", "The Wonders You Perform", "The Only Time I'm Really Me", "A Candle In The Wind", and "You Make Me Want To Be A Mother". CD

Classic 80s funk from Xavier – a group led by bassist Ernest Smith, who'd already had plenty of practice working with Isaac Hayes, The Midnight Movers, and The Coasters during their funky late 60s years! The groove here is similar to some of the other tight funk groups on Liberty at the time – especially Dayton – but Xavier's groove is a bit leaner, too – very nicely turned towards a modern dancefloor with its emphasis on bass upfront in the mix, in a mode that's often nicely placed between boogie and rollerskating jams! Ayanna Little sings lead vocals with Xavier – and the set also features some wicked keyboard work from Rahni Harris – on tracks that include "What Goes Around", "Truly Devoted", "Work That Sucker To Death", and "Love Is On The One". LP, Vinyl record album

Pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto gave us some sublime records in the 70s on the Three Blind Mice label from Japan – and he really continues the spirit of those records here, on a set of tracks that demonstrate that, if anything, his sense of space and timing have gotten even more amazing as the years have gone on! With Yamamoto, it's never a matter of the material he chooses, which is usually common – but the way he puts the tune over while working with a trio – and the way that trio is recorded, which was always a key aspect of Tsuyoshi's records in the 70s. His classic Blues For Tee album was dedicated to his older producer back in the day – as this set is dedicated to Yoshihiko Kannari, who did a great job of capturing the magic from a trio that also features Hiroshi Kagawa on bass and Toshio Osumi on drums. Titles on this second volume include "Love Theme From Sunflower", "Darn That Dream", "Midnight Sugar (alt take)", "Blues In The Closet", and "Gentle Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the key records that really helped cement the strong reputation of Tatsuro Yamashita in the 70s – served up with the kind of standout material that easily made him one of the most soulful Japanese singers of his time! Yamashita arranged and produced the whole set, which has these warm jazzy backings that include some early keyboard work from Ryuichi Sakamoto – and Tatsuro has an ear for well-produced grooves that almost rival some of the best Cali soul of the period, save for the fact that his lyrics here are all in Japanese! Titles include "Bomber", "Monday Blue", "Love Celebration", "Follow Me Along", "2000 Feet Of Rain", "This Could Be The Night", and "Paper Doll". LP, Vinyl record album

The Japanese scene had plenty of great artists in the 70s, but few were as fantastic as Tatsuro Yamashita – a singer who effortlessly captures some of the more soulful currents of the American scene at the time, has a way of forging a really universal groove! The production, instrumentation, and arrangements are top-shelf – in the more soulful side of the AOR spectrum, but not nearly as too-polished as chart hits of the year 1980 – and certainly served up with all the right sort of warmth in the instrumentation, which continues to create all sorts of jazzy currents throughout! Tracks include "Silent Screamer", "Rainy Day", "Clouds", "Kissing Goodnight", "Door Into Summer", "Ride On Time", and "Daydream". LP, Vinyl record album

The deepest jazz funk material Madlib has ever laid down – possibly the best album yet from Yesterday's New Quintet – featuring turns at freewheeling avant funk, electro jazz groove, furious sound library styles, a few chill moments, and a boundless sound overall! Yesterday's Universe features 15 unique tracks – purportedly played by 10 acts (The Last Electro, The Jahari Massamba Unit, The Eddie Prince Fusion Band, Young Jazz Rebels, etc), but in truth it's all from the feverishly talented mind of Madlib – with special guests including drummer Karriem Riggins and Azymuth precussionist Mamao! It's heavily steeped in fusion funk, but we're equally impressed by the cooler, slightly straighter moments – which display just how wide of a grasp Madlib has on the deepest, darkest corners of the spectrum. The wide range of influences flows naturally – amazing work from one of the most talented wizards in the game! Titles include a heady adaptation of "Bitches Brew", "Umoja (Unity)", "Slave Riot", "One For The Monica Lingas Band", "Street Talkin'", "Marcus, Martin & Malcolm", "Two For Strata East", "Cold Nights And Rainy Days", "Mtume's Song", "Vibes From The Tribes Suite (For Phil)", "Upa Neguinho" and more. CD

Early 80s funky soul from Zoom! Saturday, Saturday Night is crafted to be a good natured, party starting set – and it succeeds with charm to spare. It's a mix of uptempo club cuts and mellow modern soul ones with excellent harmonies by the group, and some nice hooks in all the right places! A blend of keys, bass, guitar, drums, trumpet and winds – with some spacier synth touches here and there. Our favorite cuts includes "Bye Bye Baby", a nice mellow stepper, but the album's also got other nice ones – like the soulful "Love Seasons, the uptempo jammer "Saturday, Saturday Night", the old school party rap styled "Move And Groove" and "I Believe In You".oulful "Love Seasons, the uptempo jammer "Saturday, Saturday Night", and "I Believe In You". LP, Vinyl record album

The third entry in the Ace Records Story – raucous and rumbing New Orleans R&B, proto rock and all around rambunctious groovers from legendary singers and groups – the original 70s LP compilation expanded greatly by the reverent revelers at Ace UK! It features late 50s and early 60s firestarters by Sonny Boy Williamson, The Blue Dots, Huey Piano Smith, Joe Tex, The Emeralds, Mac Rebennack (before he became the doctor), Frankie Lee Williams and many more. The original 16 tracks are augmented by 8 bonus numbers that fit perfectly. Titles include "Boppin With Sonny" by Sonny Boy Williamson, "Saturday Night Fish Fry" by The Blue Dots, "Don't Take Your Love From Me" by Bobby Marchan, "Cut It Out" by Joe Tex, "Marked Deck" by Mercy Baby, "Snake Eyes" by Alvin Red Tyler, "You Don't Know" by Harry Lee, "Darling Honey Angel Child" by Earl King, "What Will Lucy Do" by Frankie Lee Sims and many more. CD

Alex Attias has always given us some really creative sounds in his own music – so we've got some mighty high expectations when he brings together a selection of tracks by other artists for BBE! Fortunately, the record not only lives up to those expectations, but does them one better – by opening us up to some overlooked contemporary cuts that all have the cosmic touches of Attias' work on the London scene – then interweaving them with some older tracks that resonate even more strongly in the territory! There's some wonderful work from recent years that show just how far the best side of the broken beat legacy has evolved – and other older cuts have a cosmic vibe that's plenty righteous too, with some great jazzy currents that really deepen the vibe of the collection. Titles include "Midnight Magic" by Cro Magnon with Roy Ayers, "My Dream Came True" by Root Soul, "Cascade" by Tatham Mensah Lord & Ranks, "Do The Dance" by Grooveman Spot, "Over & Over" by Material with Nona Hendryx, "Curiosity (Zanzibar rmx)" by Nicole Willis, "Could You Be Me (Theo's SS translation)" by Kathy Kosins & Paul Randolph, "Earth Overshoot Day (Hugo LX rmx)" by Cotonete, "Party Hardy (Alex Attias edit)" by Velvet Hammer, "Her Boyfriend Assesses His Value & Pleads His Case" by Kip Hanrahan, and "It's You (disco alert mix)" by Sunaga T Experience. CD

A beautiful overview of the early years of American soul music – put together as a set that easily moves between deep soul, northern soul, and some of the other hard-burning modes of the time! The package is a great effort from the folks at Mississippi Records, to kick off their Cairo Records imprint – and is done with the sense of history you'll find in their other reissues – right down to the nice booklet of notes that comes with the album. Titles include "My Heart Is Closed For The Season" by Betty Swann, "I'll Never Love Again" by Cookie Gabriel, "You Killed The Love" by Betty LaVette, "Time" by Chris Kenner, "The Best Of Luck To You" by Earl Gaines, "Enchanted Sea" by The Counts, "It's Raining" by Irma Thomas, "No No I Can't Help You" by Beverly McKay, "Another Day Gone" by Reuben Bell, "I'll Run Your Hurt Away" by Ruby Johnson, "She's Gone" by OV Right, "Easy As Saying 123" by Timmy Willis, "Stop These Teardrops" by Tammy McKnight, and "Try Love" by Dori Grayson. LP, Vinyl record album

You might know Ace Records as home to a fair bit of jazz, funk, and soul reissues over the years – but right from the start, the label's also had a keen ear for rockabilly – and can boast a decades-long devotion to the music, with releases that have really blown us away! This set digs back over material that Ace has reissued in previous decades – cuts that are both rare original singles, or unissued tracks – from important labels like Starday, Chess, Goldband, and Meteor – all hand-picked by Keb Darge – another British force in turning us on to great music over the years! The vinyl-only collection is full of gems – and titles include "All Dressed Up" by Jimmy Johnson, "Let's Go Bopping Tonight" by Al Ferrier & His Bopping Billies, "Nuthin But A Nuthin" by Jimmy Stewart & His Nighthawks, "Blue Jeans & A Boy's Shirt" by Glen Glenn, "The Woman I Love" by Gene Terry & His Kook Kats, "Jello Sal" by Benny Ingram, "Lonesome Baby Blues" by David Ray, and "Do Me No Wrong" by Pat Cupp & The Flying Saucers. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully genre-hopping collection – put together by Toru Hashimoto, the man behind such incredible Japanese series as the Free Soul, Cafe Apres Midi, and Suburbia compilations for many different labels! Toru really lives up to his legend here, and mixes music from different scenes and styles, but in a way that not only makes total sense – but also seems to have the tracks resonate even more strongly in the company of each other – moving from soul to bossa, jazz, vocal, and even hip hop cuts! Titles include "It's You" by Joyce Cooking, "I've Got You Under My Skin" by G9 Group, "Persian Love" by Holger Czukay, "Never Did I Stop Loving You" by Alice Clark, "What Else Can I Say" by Ingram, "Another Day" by Precise Hero, "NYC Tonight (version voc Shintaro Sakamoto)" by Dump, "Beautiful Love" by Myron & the Works with Meshell Ndegeocello and Robert Glasper, "Just The Way You Are" by Meta Roos & Nippe Sylwens Band, "Little Girl Lost" by Penny Goodwin, "Hunk Of Heaven" by Lemuria, "Why Don't We Fall In Love" by John Valenti, "Love Oh Love" by Vince Andrews, "You've Got To Have Freedom" by Pharoah Sanders, and "In All The Wrong Places" by Kero One. CD

A treasure trove of rare postwar blues from the west coast – material cut for Dootsie Williams, best known as the head of the seminal Dootone label in LA! The set offers both tracks from Dootone and Williams' rarer imprint Blue – the latter of which existed from the late 40s into the early 50s, and featured a fair bit of excellent material done in the more laidback bluesy mode of LA after the war – styles popularized by Charles Brown, Cecil Gant, and others – echoed strongly in many of the performances here. As the set rolls on into the later 50s, some of the tracks pick up a bit more of an R&B sound – but the work is still relatively unified here, thanks to a good focus on the more blues-based work on Dootone. 30 tracks in all, plus some really great notes – all at the usual high Ace level! Titles include "Rent Day" by Stormy Herman, "Richmond Blues" by Betty Hall Jones, "West Coast Baby" by Johnny Taylor & His Mellow 5, "I Got A Country Girl" by Bobby Nunn, "Everybody's Jumpin Tonight" by Dootsie Williams & His Rhythm Kings with Joe Turner, "You'd Better Come Home Baby" by Violet Hall, "The Hole In The Wall" by Cleo Brown, "Are You Ready To Go Steady" by Paul Monday, and "Katy Lee" by Fats Gaines. CD

Wonderful work from the later years of Brunswick Records – a time when the company briefly re-emerged as a surprising force on the hipper dancefloors of the time – thanks to a great run of funky club, soulful disco, and seminal boogie tracks! Brunswick didn't issue many albums at the time – and they were quite far from their hit years of the early 70s – but their 12" output from the period is wonderful, and way more than just the usual throwaway work for the discos – done with a real sense of quality, and a devotion to both funk and soul undercurrents that really keep things strong. Titles on this great 3rd volume include "Don't Say Goodnight" and "Love Me Today" by First Love, instrumental and vocal versions of "I Wanna Boogie With You" by Charlie Singleton & Stargasm, "Jammin Big Guitar" and "Rockin Big Guitar" by Vaughan Mason, vocal and instrumental versions of "Word Up" by Legacy, vocal and instrumental versions of "Gimme The Funk" by Charade, "Rock The House (parts 1 & 2)" by Elite, and the fantastic groover "You Are The One" by AM/FM. CD

Way more than just a "cellarful" of Motown – a wealth of great tracks, all of which are previously unreleased! This incredible 2CD set is a landmark in the history of both Motown and Northern Soul – as it brings together 40 tracks that were recorded in the glory days of the Detroit scene, but never issued at the time. A number of cuts on the set have risen to fame over the years as bootlegs floating around the UK club scene, and they're issued properly here for the first time ever, along side other lost gems that will soon become new classics to a generation of soul fans – all wrapped up in one great package filled with notes on the music, and listing the origins of the tunes! Titles include "My Sugar Baby" by Frank Wilson, "Baby A Go Go" by Barbara McNair, "How Can I" by Brenda Holloway, "He Was Really Sayin Somethin" by Earl Van Dyke, "Until You Came Along" by Carolyn Crawford, "Before It's Over" by Sammy Ward, "Long Gone Lover" by Velvelettes, "If You Ever Get Your Hands On Me" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Lucky Lucky Me" by Jimmy Ruffin, "I Wish I Liked You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Made Me Feel Like" by Syreeta, "Don't Let Me Down" by Kim Weston, "Don't Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today" by The Monitors, and "It Must Be Love Baby" by Chuck Jackson & Yvonne Fair. Lots lots more, and filled with wonderful tunes! CD

A fantastic little set that looks at the huge wave of top-shelf AOR material recorded in recent years – part of a huge global re-awakening to the charms of the genre – often with results that are even groovier than the classic records of the 70s! One of the compelling things here is that the music isn't being made by big names on major labels – and instead is an almost-underground thing – but handled at a level that's completely faithful to the best Cali styles of the 70s – from sweet jazzy instrumentation right down to the perfect production styles to get the whole thing right. You'll recognize a few names here – and will hopefully discover a lot more too – as titles include "Tell Me" by William Sikstrom, "Quiet Storm" by Workshy, "Liberation Groove" by Incognito, "You Make My Life A Better Place" by Mamas Gun, "What You Deserve" by Chris Cauley, "See Me Slumber" by Young Gun Silver Fox, "Melt The Night" by Lucas Arruda, "All Smiles" by Jeremy Passion, "Walkin On Air" by Tomi Malm, "Good To Live" by Monkey House, "Thoughts" by Michael Carreon, "Dangerous" by Umii, "Hello Monday" by Briamarie, "The Greatest" by King, "Perish The Thought" by Ned Doheny, "Sweet Life" by Mike Champion, and "Don't Disturb This Groove" by Meshell Ndegeocello. CD

The great Jimmy Webb is one of our favorite songwriters of the 60s – a young man at the start, but one who could come across with a maturity that few of his contemporaries could match – arguably setting the scene for a key step into adult pop that would really explode in the 70s! Yet by that, we don't mean that Webb is any sort of "adult contemporary" figure from the softer side of the spectrum – as his tunes are open, honest, and filled with an understanding of the heart and its ability to break, delivered in ways that are still as powerful today as they were back when first written. The package features some of Jimmy's greatest songs, some in their famous recordings, but many more in lesser-known takes that only stand as further testament to Webb's words on the page – which really work some magic, no matter what the setting! In the best Ace tradition, the whole thing comes with a superb set of notes and details on the material – mostly late 60s tracks from Jimmy's key years, but a few gems from later too. Titles include "If This Was The Last Song" by Dee Dee Warwick, "I Keep It Hid" by The Supremes, "Carpet Man" by The Nocturnes, "I Need You" by Shane Martin, "Midnight Mail" by Joey Scarbury, "MacArthur Park" by Waylon Jennings, "Do What You Gotta Do" by Nina Simone, "The Worst That Could Happen" by BJ Thomas, "Requiem 820 Latham" by Mel Torme, "Magic Garden" by Dusty Springfield, "Rosecrans Blvd" by 5th Dimension, "Honey Come Back" by Chuck Jackson, "Wichita Lineman" by Tony Joe White, "Didn't We" by James Darren, "Which Way To Nowhere" by Brooklyn Bridge, and "Clowns Exit Laughing" by The Fortunes. CD

Remixes and extended tracks galore – and a wonderful package that really opens up the world of the gay club scene in the post-disco years! The tracks are a great array of dance, import, and high energy tracks – some of which carry forward disco energy into the 80s, others of which open up with modes that echo some of the changes in soul via house, electro, and other new styles of the decade – including the big role of the remixer, as many of these numbers are special remixes for the dancefloors! The package is a 7" square book-styled set, with pages of notes, images, and track details by Paul Burston – and the set features 54 long numbers in all – with titles that include "Love Reaction (12" version)" by Divine, "High Energy (ext)" by Evelyn Thomas, "I Like You (ext)" by Phyllis Nelson, "Another Night (dance mix)" by Aretha Franklin, "They Say It's Gonna Rain (Zulu mix)" by Hazel Dean, "Jump (12" long version)" by The Pointer Sisters, "Give Me Your Love (Ultimix)" by Sisley Ferre, "So Many Men So Little Time (ext)" by Miguel Brown, "Male Stripper (ext US rmx)" by Man 2 Man Meet Man Parrish, "No GDM (12" version)" by Gina X Performance, "Memorabilia (non stop ecstatic dancing version)" by Soft Cell, "Why (12" version)" by Bronski Beat, "Relax (New York mix)" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, "Don't Drop Bombs (ext)" by Liza Minelli, "Love In The First Degree (jailers mix)" by Bananarama, "In Private (12" version)" by Dusty Springfield, "Someday (club)" by Cece Rogers, "Break 4 Love (drop the panties)" by Raze, "Touch Me (sexual version)" by The 49-ers, "It's Over Now (Basement Boys mix)" by Ultra Nate, "Promised Land (club mix)" by Joe Smooth, "Wait (long version)" by Robert Howard & Kym Mazelle, and lots lots more! CD

Great 80s grooves with some 70s moments thrown in as well – a double-length collection that features a host of overlooked gems from the past! The "giants" here aren't overplayed disco hits or classics that have been compiled too much – and instead, the set continues the great approach of previous volumes by really digging deep to find the kind of snapping, uptempo cuts that were perfect for the underground clubs in the years between disco and house! Titles include "You & I" by Ronnie Jones, "Good Lovin" by Al Mason, "You Fooled Me" by Grey & Hanks, "Gotta Take Your Love" by Game, "You & Me" by Ronnie Dyson, "You're A Blessing" by Heaven & Earth, "Wanna Make It Good" by Tyrone Davis, "Baby Not Tonight" by Madagascar, "California Flight" by California Flight Project, "Never Gonna Let You Go (special disco version)" by Shazar, "Holding On" by The Givens Family, "This Is Where The Love Is (extended)" by Zinc, "Love Me Today (12" version)" by First Love, "Space Lady" by Bill, and "Good Girl" by Bonnie Byrd. CD

A great vintage-styled record – but one that features a host of contemporary artists, all working in the best spirit of 70s funky reggae! The set features tunes by Herbie Hancock, The Commodores, The Sugarhill Gang, and others – but all served up as dubby numbers with lots of funky elements – in the same style as the recent run of excellent 45s from the Stix Records label. A few of these cuts originally appeared as those singles, and they're mixed here with other tracks showing up for the first time ever – a great run of grooves that includes "Chameleon (Taggy Matcher disco mix)", "Money (7 Samurai disco 12" version)", "Music (The Dynamics disco 7" version)", "Brick House (Taggy Matcher disco mix)", "Suit & Tie (John Milk reggae version)", "Everybody's Talkin (Blundetto & Granmagneto orig 7" version)", "Rapper's Delight (Taggy Matcher dub)", and "Saturday Night Fever (Grandmagneto orig 7" version)". LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length collection of work from two obscure Atlanta soul labels – the Tragar and Note imprints, both run by local producer Jesse Jones! Back in the day, Atlanta wasn't nearly as big of an outlet for soul records as it's become in recent years – so Jones' labels were key in showcasing under-exposed local talent in the city, a range of soul groups, solo singers, and funk combos – all produced here with a really fresh sound! Nearly every track here is super-obscure – and there's few southern soul cliches to get in the way of the music – no overdone blues, no Hotlanta disco, no Muscle Shoals copies – just honest-to-goodness indie soul at its best – full of life, vitality, and personality – all presented with the usual deep-digging Numero look at the artists in the notes. The package is one of the biggest Numero collections so far – and really tells the tale of this crucially overlooked scene – a key link between more familiar southern styles and rising Northern modes, all with a personality of its own. Titles include "All Because of You" and "Down In The Country" by Tee Fletcher, "The Hump" and "Tipping Strings" by The Knights, "Somebody Got A Help Me" and "Love is So Mean" by Richard Cook, "Ain't That Sharp" by Young Divines, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Messing Around" by Bobby Owens & The Diplomats, "Shake Daddy Shake" and "Try" by Eula Cooper, "Tumbling Down" by Langston & French, "You Got A Spell On Me" by Bill Wright, "Now That I'm Wise" by Nathan Wilkes, and "Nitecap" by L Daniels. LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length collection of work from two obscure Atlanta soul labels – the Tragar and Note imprints, both run by local producer Jesse Jones! Back in the day, Atlanta wasn't nearly as big of an outlet for soul records as it's become in recent years – so Jones' labels were key in showcasing under-exposed local talent in the city, a range of soul groups, solo singers, and funk combos – all produced here with a really fresh sound! Nearly every track here is super-obscure – and there's few southern soul cliches to get in the way of the music – no overdone blues, no Hotlanta disco, no Muscle Shoals copies – just honest-to-goodness indie soul at its best – full of life, vitality, and personality – all presented with the usual deep-digging Numero look at the artists in the notes. The package is one of the biggest Numero collections so far – and really tells the tale of this crucially overlooked scene – a key link between more familiar southern styles and rising Northern modes, all with a personality of its own. Titles include "All Because of You" and "Down In The Country" by Tee Fletcher, "The Hump" and "Tipping Strings" by The Knights, "Somebody Got A Help Me" and "Love is So Mean" by Richard Cook, "Ain't That Sharp" by Young Divines, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Messing Around" by Bobby Owens & The Diplomats, "Shake Daddy Shake" and "Try" by Eula Cooper, "Tumbling Down" by Langston & French, "You Got A Spell On Me" by Bill Wright, "Now That I'm Wise" by Nathan Wilkes, and "Nitecap" by L Daniels. LP, Vinyl record album

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

A set that really expands the legend of Factory Records – the famous label who gave the world New Order, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, and other important post-punk bands – as the set focuses on the equally legendary Hacienda nightclub, which the label opened in Manchester in 1982! Manchester was already a city with a hell of a music scene – but at the Hacienda, all sorts of sounds and styles mixed together – in a spirit that was similar to some of the energy on the New York scene at the time, particularly at a club like Danceteria – where the quest for the new took clubbers way past standard genre designations! The Fac 51 in the title was Factory's way of giving the club a catalog number that was in keeping with its record releases at the time – and the beautiful package features plenty of information on the club and the scene – along with 65 tracks by artists who include Gang Of Four, Section 25, Defunkt, Heaven 17, Medium Medium, The Birthday Party, Kurtis Blow, Shalamar, Barry Gray, Simple Minds, Rockers Revenge, 23 Skidoo, Royal Family & The Poor, Josef K, John Cooper Clarke, Stockholm Monsters, Swamp Children, Iggy & The Stooges, Sugarhill Gang, Laura Lee, Temptations, Trio, Bow Wow Wow, Valentine Brothers, Soft Cell, The Associates, Loose Joints, Suicide, Pale Fountains, and many others. CD

Genius work from one of the greatest Southern Soul studios ever – Muscle Shoals' legendary Fame Studios – the start of a huge wave of great music in the 60s, and a genre-changing sound that's still going strong today! The package is the best we've ever seen to look at Fame – not just a killer selection of the studio's music – 75 tracks that bring together rare singles, hits, and some lesser-known gems – but also a beautiful hardcover book, filled with pages and pages of great notes, vintage images, and more – really telling the unique take of Fame, producer Rick Hall, and all the mighty talents who helped make Muscle Shoals one of the most important sites for soul music in the 60s and 70s. Titles include "Ten Miles High" by David & The Giants, "Search Your Heart" by George Jackson, "Let Them Talk" by Dan Penn, "Two In The Morning" by Spooner's Crowd, "Lady In The Rain" by Lowell Fulson, "Wanted Lover" by James Govan, "Grits & Gravy" by The Fame Gang, "Get Involved" by George Soule, "What Color Is Love" by Roscoe Robinson, "Laugh It Off" by The Tams, "Thief In The Night" by Ben & Spence, "Take Me Just As I Am" by Mitty Collier, "I'm Just A Prisoner" by Candi Staton, "Thread The Needle" by Clarence & Calvin, and "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman. CD

Greasy Mike takes on postwar hipness this time around – on a whole set of tracks that either parody beatnik culture, or embrace it fully – served up in a weird and wonderful blend of tunes in jazz, rock, Latin, and other hip styles from the late 50s and early 60s! The set follows the same vibe as some of Mike's other collections – and pulls together overlooked and offbeat tracks from both rare 45s and lost LPs – a mighty cool set list that includes "Gee Dad It's Early" by Guitars Inc, "New York Havana" by The Seven Arts Beat Society, "Last Night" by Ronnie Mann, "Africa Laments" by The Afro Americans, "Monday Night At 8pm" by Harvey Anderson, "Listen To Me Baby" by Ralph Ventura, "House Of Lords" by Isidro Misquez, "The Wiggler" by Leo Wright, "Cut A Loose" by Big Jox Orchestra, and "Moccasin Rock" by Abie Baker. LP, Vinyl record album

Greasy Mike's at it again – and while he might not make any dates by flashing his vinyl collection to the gals on the street, he more than wins us over with his cool collection of rare and offbeat gems from the glory days of the 7" single! This time around, the tunes are all by female singers – some jazzy, some more soulful, some with a very unusual approach – and as always with Mike's collections, it's important to take the presentation and politics with a grain of salt! Titles include "Melancholy Mood" by Wini Beatty, "The Wrong Guy" by Patti Dane, "Interlude" by Anna Marie, "Dark Midnight" by Helen Alvey, "Out Of This World" by Marilyn Ross, "Nobody But Me" by Ann Cole, "Leave My Heart" by Tommie Jean Whitley, "Come Back Pretty baby" by Mecie Jenkins, "I Walk The Streets" by Lyn Avalon, and "Red Wine For My Blues" by Miss Johni Naylor. LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible music from the key cultural year of 1966 – all hand-selected by the mighty Jon Savage! From punk to soul to plenty of places in between, when Savage has something to say we're always more than willing to listen – and this time around he really opens up our ears with a double-length collection of 48 tracks all recorded during a single year, each of which represents a key cultural shift at the time! The package isn't hits from the charts, or underground psych – and instead brings together smoking instrumentals, rare soul, proto-punk, trippy folk, and lots more – some familiar tracks, a few classics, and lots more obscure gems – all nestled together at a level that may well rewrite your understanding of the 60s. Forget the summer of love, because 1966 is the year when lots more happened – as Savage outlines in his massive track selection and great notes for the package. Titles include "Love At Psychedelic Velocity" by The Human Expression, "The Spy" by The Guys From Uncle, "Night Time" by The Strangeloves, "Nothing Comes Easy" by Sandie Shaw, "Greetings" by The Monitors, "I'll Be Your Mirror" by The Velvet Underground, "One Of These Days" by The Rooster, "You Better Believe It Baby" by Joe Tex, "7 & 7 Is" by Love, "Do You Come Here Often" by The Tornados, "Love's Gone Bad" by Chris Clark, "In The Past" by We The People, "One Hour Cleaners" by The Blue Things, "Foolish Woman" by Oxford Circle, "Hang On To A Dream" by Tim Hardin, "Batman" by Link Wray, "You Keep Me Hangin On" by The Supremes, "I'm A Boy" by The Who, "Come On Back" by Paul & Ritchie, and lots lots more! CD

Features music by Nino & The Ebb Tides, Sherrif & The Revels, Jimmy Norman, The Tune Rockers, Charlie Gracie, Clyde McPhatter, The Velvetones, The Knockouts, Mark IV, and more! CD

A great look at the huge influence on 60s soul from Burt Bacharach – a rich legacy that goes way beyond the big hits from Dionne Warwick, to include a wealth of work from artists you might not expect! Back in the early days, Burt was the tall white guy running around the Brill Building – where he made key connections to a range of different artists, and was able to already hit the ground running – with a huge legacy that would go onto inform soul singers for years to come! In fact, we'd almost say that Bacharach's music sounds even better in the hands of these singers than in more mainstream pop artists – and although a few of these cuts are well-known hits, you'll find plenty more great ones here to discover. Titles include "Alfie" by The Delfonics, "Reach Out For Me" by Willie Tee, "Message To Martha" by Jerry Butler, "Long After Tonight Is All Over" by Irma Thomas, "Another Tear Falls" by Marv Johnson, "Walk On By" by Gloria Gaynor, "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by The Orlons, "The Look Of Love" by Nina Simone, "Forgotten Man" by Gene McDaniels, "A House is Not A Home" by Mavis Staples, "Don't Make Me Over" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "This Empty Place" by Cissy Houston, and "My Little Red Book" by Tony Middleton with Bacharach himself! CD

Numero Records parodies both the Las Vegas Grind series of compilations, and the 50s sci-fi artwork of EC Comics – and turns out a surprisingly great set of tracks in the process! The material here is from the more garagey side of the Numero spectrum – tracks that are heavy on twang and guitars – sometimes instrumental, sometimes with raw early rock vocals – all laid out in a rock-solid collection that maybe beats some of the more long-running compilation series of this nature. In keeping with those, Numero has been completely restrained on including any real information on the tracks – just a groovy little comic insert that follows in the style of the cover – alongside titles that include "Classie's Whip" by Classie Ballou, "The Grasshopper Twist" by The Blazers, "Jump Back" by Eugene Blacknell, "Rock & Roll Guitar" by Johnny Knight, "The Boogie Twist (part 1)" by Cal Valentine, "Slap Stick" by Dino & The Deltones, "Bui Bui" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "Hot Links" by Soul Heirs, and "Aw Shucks" by JJ Jones. CD

Numero Records parodies both the Las Vegas Grind series of compilations, and the 50s sci-fi artwork of EC Comics – and turns out a surprisingly great set of tracks in the process! The material here is from the more garagey side of the Numero spectrum – tracks that are heavy on twang and guitars – sometimes instrumental, sometimes with raw early rock vocals – all laid out in a rock-solid collection that maybe beats some of the more long-running compilation series of this nature. In keeping with those, Numero has been completely restrained on including any real information on the tracks – just a groovy little comic insert that follows in the style of the cover – alongside titles that include "Classie's Whip" by Classie Ballou, "The Grasshopper Twist" by The Blazers, "Jump Back" by Eugene Blacknell, "Rock & Roll Guitar" by Johnny Knight, "The Boogie Twist (part 1)" by Cal Valentine, "Slap Stick" by Dino & The Deltones, "Bui Bui" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "Hot Links" by Soul Heirs, and "Aw Shucks" by JJ Jones. CD

Ultra-hip soul from the 70s – a brilliant collection of underground tunes that represents some of the best of the decade's indie scene! The title says "modern", but the groove here is also pretty darn deep – as many of the tracks on the set have nice touches of southern soul, despite the smoother 70s production overall. Vocals are extremely heartfelt, and most tracks are in a mellow or midtempo pace – making for a really wonderful batch of tunes that moves away from the more uptempo and clubby sounds you might hear on other modern soul compilations. This special LP pressing brings together tracks from the CD series – a number of which were never issued on vinyl, even back in the day – and two unreleased tracks appear here for the first time ever! Titles include "Gotta Be Loved (part 2)" by Herman Davis, "Never Felt This Way Before" by The New Experience, "Go Away" by The Hestitations, "Momma Had A Baby" by Street People, "Do You Really Love Me" by Darondo, "I Don't Play Games" by Nightchill, "Just A Little Ugly" by Gail Anderson, "It's The Same Old Story" by Act 1, "Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right" by The Mayberry Movement, "Shake Off That Dream" by Eddie Billups & The CCCs, and "If There Were No You" by The Natural Resources. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunningly huge look at the post-punk scene in the UK from the late 70s into the start of the 80s – served up here in an overview of bands both classic and obscure, which makes for a package that's filled with surprises throughout! The work here all comes from a time right after the initial explosion of punk rock opened the door for groups to experiment in a variety of ways – not just short sharp songs, but work that includes electronic experiments, reggae influences, moody minimalism, and industrial noise – all coming together in a way that made these years such an exciting time to be listening to music! The package features a massive 105 tracks on 5CDs, along with a very hefty booklet of notes on all the groups and tracks included – a lineup that includes The Birthday Party, Robert Wyatt, The Cure, The Flowers, Art Attacks, Subway Sect, Spizzoil, O Level, Glaxo Babies, Crazies, Public Image Ltd, Occult Chemistry, Again Again, The Slits, Disco Zombies, Nightingale, 23 Skidoo, Five Or Six, Kan Kan, The Membranes, Apartment, Soft Boys, Swell Maps, Gang Of Four, Tubeway Army, Throbbing Gristle, Section 24, and dozens of others. CD

That sun-drenched image on the cover really gets at the spirit of the music on this excellent compilation – as most of the work has this slow-stepping, laidback sort of vibe – funky, but easygoing too – with the kind of cool, casual elements that maybe feel like the kind of music that you'd put on back at home, to rest up with a cool drink after spending a long day at the ocean! Many of the tracks are vintage, but there's some contemporary nuggets here too – a really well-chosen blend of cuts that are almost a genre unto themselves. Titles include "Just A Thought" by Just Us, "Tight Tonight" by Bengt Liedman, "More Than Hope" by Wendy Grace, "As The Day Grows Tired" by Will & James Ragar, "Moonshine" by Orion, "Kayenta Crossing" by William Eaton, "Peace Train" by Garth Fletcher, and "Golden Hour" by Aria Rostami. CD

That sun-drenched image on the cover really gets at the spirit of the music on this excellent compilation – as most of the work has this slow-stepping, laidback sort of vibe – funky, but easygoing too – with the kind of cool, casual elements that maybe feel like the kind of music that you'd put on back at home, to rest up with a cool drink after spending a long day at the ocean! Many of the tracks are vintage, but there's some contemporary nuggets here too – a really well-chosen blend of cuts that are almost a genre unto themselves. Titles include "Just A Thought" by Just Us, "Tight Tonight" by Bengt Liedman, "More Than Hope" by Wendy Grace, "As The Day Grows Tired" by Will & James Ragar, "Moonshine" by Orion, "Kayenta Crossing" by William Eaton, "Peace Train" by Garth Fletcher, and "Golden Hour" by Aria Rostami. LP, Vinyl record album

Twenty years of music from this cruical Chicago label – one of the few Windy City imprints to continue to fly the flag of house music in the years since the early days of the 80s! When Cajmere first served up "Percolator" back in the early 90s, we were a bit unsure – almost thinking it was the end of Chicago house, with its frenzied rhythm and gimmicky vocal. Yet over the past two decades, we've come to realize that Cajmere and his Cajual imprint have come to be the saviors of the music that's made our city great – still keeping house music in its core, basic elements – without any of the too-commercial modes that seeped in at so many other corners! The Cajmere groove is always dead-on, straightforward, and plenty darn soulful – proof that great house music continues to flourish if you know where to look. 2CD set features a massive 22 long tracks – with cuts that include "Percolator (orig mix)" by Cajmere, "Brighter Days (Louie's Masters At Work mix)" by Cajmere with Dajae, "Feelin Kinda High (voc)" by Cajmere with Terence FM, "Beyond" by Glenn Underground, "Le Fusion" by Gemini, "Midnight (orig mix)" by Cajmere with Walter Philips, "U Got Me UP (Danny Tenaglia's club version)" by Dajae, "I Can't Take It" by Andre Harris, and "Say U Will (orig mix)" by Cajmere. CD

Warm, soulful sounds from a crucial time in the Japanese music scene – a 70s moment when the nation was finding a special groove of its own – but one that also drew heavily from American soul and jazz as well! It's no secret that the Japanese have always had a great love of American sounds – but by the mid 70s, that longtime love had also turned into some great homegrown sounds of their own – as Japan developed a number of its own strong soul singers, who were often backed by the ever-growing array of great jazz musicians, particularly those of the fusion side of the spectrum. Plus, there also seemed to be a lot more criss-crossing between Tokyo and US studios at the time – particularly those on the west coast – which resulted in a special blend of sounds that had all the class and cool of the Japanese urban scene, but also some of the sunniness of the west coast too. That special mix of music is perfectly summed up here – in a collection that offers up plenty of cuts that were never issued outside of Japan back in the day – with vocals both in English and Japanese, and plenty of grooves that are perfect for any fan of fusion-styled R&B. Titles include the classic "LA Nights" by Yasuko Agawa – plus "Say Goodbye" by Hiroshi Sato, "I Say Who" by Tomoko Soryo, "Sports Men" by Haruomi Hosoni, "Midnight Driver" by Minako Yoshida, "Machibouke" by Tazumi Toyoshima, "Exotic Yokogao" by Hitomi Tohyama, "Lady Pink Panther" by Shigeru Suzuki, "Drip Dry Eyes" by Yukihiro Takahashi, and "Bamboo Vendor" by Masayoshi Takanaka. LP, Vinyl record album