A warmly crafted album from South African saxophonist McCoy Mrubata – not one that's sleepy, as the lullaby in the title might imply – but just nicely relaxed and mellow, in a way that has the reedman crafting some moody colors on tenor – in a lineup that features lots of great guitar work from Gary Wittner, whose chromatic contributions balance the saxophone nicely. The set also features piano from Steven Feifke, bass from Jennifer Vincent, and drums from George Gray – plus guest trombone from Siya Charles on three tracks, all of which feature either alto or clarinet from Evan Christopher. There's definitely a few bolder moments on the record, and these resonate with some of the best South African jazz grooves from years back – that cascading sense of rhythm that seems perfect for a soulful saxophone solo over the top. Titles include "Jazzy Jive", "Oh Yhini", "The White Sand Of The Flats", "Hudson Bridge Crossing", "Siyabulela", and "Tshona Khona". CD

A trio of classic albums from The Muscle Shoals Horns – with bonus tracks too! First up is Born To Get Down, by a group who were definitely born to get down – as they'd proved before on countless funk and soul sessions in the south – and as they prove once again with this masterful album on their own! The style here is surprisingly well-formed – not just horn players getting to shine in the lead, but a soul group with a tightness that matches some of the hippest, most sophisticated groups of the time – working here with really well-crafted rhythms that often hit an excellent midtempo groove, and avoid any disco-era cliches. Muscle Shoals legend Barry Beckett helps the group out on keyboards, arrangements, and production – and trumpeter Harrison Calloway turns out to be a surprisingly great singer in the lead. Titles include "Born To Get Down", which has a nice keyboard break in the middle, plus "Bump De Bump Yo Boogie", "Give It To Me", "Open Up Your Heart", "Where I'm Coming From", and "Break Down". Doin It To The Bone is a killer album from the Muscle Shoals Horns – and way more than just a set of studio players stepping out for some time in the spotlight! Sure, the MSH had worked on hundreds of sessions by this point – but there's also a sense of ownership and leadership they never had before – a real sense of trying something fresh, and really making the album all their own! To that respect, they certainly use their horns – but also work in plenty of vocals, too – and definitely emphasize the rhythms, which often have this cool compressed vibe that's very much in the best Earth Wind & Fire style – especially on the midtempo numbers that really make the album a killer. Production is by Barry Beckett, who goes for a nicely modern soul approach – and of all the horns, Harrison Calloway is probably the lead talent here – handling most of the arrangements, songwriting, and vocals. Titles include "What's Goin Down", "Dance To The Music", "I Just Wanna Turn You On", "Addicted To Your Love", "Beware Of The Rip Off", and "Keep On Playing That Funky Music". Last up is Shine On – an early 80s set from the mighty Muscle Shoals Horns, but one that cooks every bit as much as their funk classics from the 70s! At some level, this album may well be the group's funkiest – but in a style that's got some of the best 80s qualities in the grooves – the kind of tight basslines and sweet keyboard lines that marked some of the best work of the time – mixed with the group's sublime horn lines, which provide these jazzy inflections that really warm things up in a brilliant way! Most of the rhythms are nicely right in the middle – neither too uptempo, nor too head-noddy – and the whole thing's a really overlooked gem that's a standout funky set from the time. Titles include "Celebrate Recreate Participate", "She Was Once My Woman", "Shoalin", "More Than Ever Now", and "Don't Bust Yo Bubbles". 2CD set features bonus tracks – 7" mixes of "Born To Get Down", "Bump De Bump Yo Boodie", "Where I'm Coming From", and "She Was Once My Woman" – plus "I Just Wanna Turn You On (12" mix)". CD

The new sound of Naples from this hip Italian duo – served up here in a blend of mighty nice clubby modes! There's definitely an 80s inspiration to the music – lots of lean keyboards and basslines, and plenty of boogie grooves – but the use of Italian vocals and occasional larger instrumentation also opens up other currents too – particularly some of those 80s EU club tracks where influences were flowing into the scene from West Africa and other points south. The keyboards alone are worth the price of admission, with lots of moogy moments – and titles include "Stann Fore", "Ddoje Facce", "Disco Sole", "Je Vulesse", "A Voce E Napule", and "Parev Ajere". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully groovy work from Rim Kwaku Obeng – an artist with African roots, but working here in the San Francisco scene of the early 80s – where he's clearly picked up a very international vibe in his music! Rim definitely plays some traditional percussion on the tracks, but there's also a more contemporary funky club approach too – a mixing of modes that's totally great, and which almost represents an 80s step forward for the already-great Bay Area soul vibe of the 70s! The first half of the set features material from the Too Tough EP – which has very cool female vocals, both a lead and a chorus – the latter of whom move around with the rhythms in this totally great way that almost feels like some New York cuts from the Danceteria generation. The second half of the set loses the female singers, but is still every bit as wonderful as the first – with these long grooves from Rim & The Believers that have the percussion, basslines, and guitars criss-crossing in even more amazing ways. Titles include "Shine The Ladies", "Love Me For Real", "I'm Not Going To Let You", "Peace Of Mind", and "I'm A Song Writer". CD

Wonderfully groovy work from Rim Kwaku Obeng – an artist with African roots, but working here in the San Francisco scene of the early 80s – where he's clearly picked up a very international vibe in his music! Rim definitely plays some traditional percussion on the tracks, but there's also a more contemporary funky club approach too – a mixing of modes that's totally great, and which almost represents an 80s step forward for the already-great Bay Area soul vibe of the 70s! The first half of the set features material from the Too Tough EP – which has very cool female vocals, both a lead and a chorus – the latter of whom move around with the rhythms in this totally great way that almost feels like some New York cuts from the Danceteria generation. The second half of the set loses the female singers, but is still every bit as wonderful as the first – with these long grooves from Rim & The Believers that have the percussion, basslines, and guitars criss-crossing in even more amazing ways. Titles include "Shine The Ladies", "Love Me For Real", "I'm Not Going To Let You", "Peace Of Mind", and "I'm A Song Writer". LP, Vinyl record album

Raw soul from the second Piano Slim – Willard Burton of Houston, who's heard here on some killer tracks from the start of the 60s! Slim's definitely got some blues in the way he approaches the piano, but the productions here are more soul-based and R&B-styled overall – often in ways that make use of his piano and vocals with the kind of hard-edged, socking soul modes you'd be more likely to hear from the New Orleans scene of the time – although Slim's also got plenty of Texas grit in his grooves! Some numbers are instrumentals, many have vocals – and the collection brings together early singles and a number of unreleased tracks – with titles that include "Spinning Top (parts 1 & 2)", "Sadie Hawkins Day", "Do It Now", "Look At Grandma Watusi", "Lot Of Shakin Lot Of Jivin", "Key Jammer", "Ennis Lee", and "Mister Twister". CD

Great later work from Rufus – working here without Chaka Khan on vocals, but sounding even jazzier as a result! There almost seems to be more emphasis on the instrumentation than before – and the album's got a warmly funky groove that definitely carries on the 70s Rufus tradition, but cleans things up a bit for the 80s generation – especially lean on the rhythms and the keyboards! Tony Maiden and David Wolinski handle the vocals, often in a compressed way that's mixed right down in the music – but the real charm here comes from the rhythms and the sweet jazzy licks in the grooves. Titles include "Tonight We Love", "Can I Show You", "What Is It", "Afterwards", "We Got The Way", "Party Til You're Broke", "Love Is Taking Over", and "Secret Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A later recording from Pharoah, when he was working with Bill Laswell in the mid and late 90s. Laswell's on production, and the lineup features some of his international and funk-based crew like Foday Muso Sosa, Bernie Worrell and Aiyb Deng, plus older collaborators like Michael White, and some of the then young newer scene liek Charnett Moffett. The vibe is definitely of the times, with some heavier elements and hip hop influenced beats, but a few classic spiritual grooves too. 6 numbers in all, including "Our Roots (Began In Afrca)", "Nozipho", "Tomoki", "Ocean Song", "Kumba" and "Country Mile". CD

T-Connection are definitely on fire with this smoking little set – a killer batch of late 70s club, done with almost equal parts funk, soul, and disco! As with their debut, the group here are right on the money instrumentally – playing with a dexterity that few other large funk groups could match this well – especially blistering on some of the album's longer tracks too. There's also a great sense of balance to the record too – a ballad, some midtempo numbers, and a more well-rounded feel that also shows the group going for a wider palette of sounds than just their usual grooves. But as always, the upbeat club tracks are the best – and titles include "Lady Of The Night", "On Fire", "Cush", "Groove To Get Down", and "Let Yourself Go". CD

A boogaloo album, but one that's a lot trippier than most – and definitely worthy of the psychedelic reference in the group's name! As with so much of the best work from the Venezuelan scene of the late 60s, the music here draws on references from up north, but really abstracts the sound – almost as if the boogaloo had to go through a bit of a filter on the way down to Tono, where it picked up some cool production techniques, offbeat keyboards, and lots of other elements – often set to rhythms that aren't straight Spanish Harlem grooves, and instead also borrow bits from Colombia and Peru! Most of the record is instrumental – and titles include "Mr Boogaloo", "No Te Bote", "Chin Chin", "El Basuero", "Borinquen Bell", "El Guaycol", and "Las Hojas Secas". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster set of Chicano funky grooves from LA – most of which forever transformed the sound of funk! The album includes most of the band's best cuts – like "Slippin Into Darkness", "Cisco Kid", "World Is A Ghetto", "All Day Music", "Me & Baby Brother", "Why Can't We Be Friends", and "Low Rider". Some tracks are in shorter 45 edits, but that only means you'll get more music in the long run! LP, Vinyl record album

The Jackie Wilson style soars into the 70s – in a mode that's definitely different than Wilson's Brunswick work of a decade before – but which also show's a really bold evolution in style! Jackie's in the higher end of his range here – and really grooves greatly on some great Chicago soul arrangements from Willie Henderson – those upbeat, joyous sort of charts he seemed to save only for the best Brunswick artists – and which make the album a soaring gem that really lives up to its title! The mighty Carl Davis is at the production helm – keeping things right and tight throughout – and the level of expression in Jackie's voice hits a new sort of maturity and sophistication that really make the record a standout from his later years at the label. The title cut "Beautiful Day" is an especial gem that's really great – but the whole thing's wonderful too, and other tracks include "It's All Over", "What'cha Gonna Do About Me", "I Get Lonely Sometimes", and "Go Away". CD features three bonus tracks – "Sing A Little Song", "No More Goodbyes", and "Shake A Leg". CD

One of the most righteous albums to ever bear the name of King Britt – a selection of spiritual jazz tracks from the 70s, all of which show a definite inspiration for Britt's recent work in the 21st Century! There's no remixes or remakes here – and the collection features all original gems from a few decades back – stretched out and cosmic grooves from some of the leading lights of the soul jazz underground in the post-Coltrane years! Most numbers are obscure tracks licensed from smaller indie labels – brought together beautifully with a sense of depth and darkness that goes way beyond the usual King Britt groove. Titles include "Space Spy" by Grachan Moncur III, "Beyond Yourself" by Brother Ahh, "Scorpio Libra" by Eddie Henderson, "Kawaida" by Herbie Hancock, "Ekim" by Michal Urbaniak, "Yebo" by Mtume, "Conviction" by Dane Belany, "Naima" by Doug & Jean Carn, "The Time Now For Change" by Phil Ranelin, "Moving Pictures 4 The Ear" by Don Cherry, and "Encounter" by Flora Purim. CD

Cosmic grooves and spacey post disco compiled by Dompteur Mooner – a great third volume of the Elaste series from Compost Records! The soul if disco splintered in the cosmos in the early 80s, soaring strings giving way to funky synths, proto-techno programming and all around galactic feel in the clubs of Europe and pretty much all around the world – and this set pulls together the widest range yet! Definitely not disco in a conventional set, but spacey synth funk and influential club grooves from the early 80s underground that sounds great today! Includes "Take A Chance (Dompteur Mooner Edit)" by Queen Samantha, "Urth" by Mobius, "Beats of Love" by Nacht Und Nebel, "Allein (Original Version)" by Tabu, "Beuys Boys" by Pollyester, "Jamacia Running" by The Pool, "Powerslide" by Mythos, "Africa (Dub Mix)" by Key Of Dreams and more. Includes "Take A Chance (Dopmteur Mooner Edit)" by Queen Samantha, "Urth" by Mobius, "Beats of Love" by Nacht Und Nebel, "Allein (Original Version)" by Tabu, "Beuys Boys" by Pollyester, "Jamacia Running" by The Pool and more. 10 tracks on 2LP for the vinyl version. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of work from King Jammy's studios – all cuts recorded at the end of the 80s, with a definite digital feel – but a sound that's still a lot warmer and more soulful than bigger mainstream work of the time! As the title promises, there's plenty of dancehall in the mix – but many of the grooves are more laidback and mellow – bridging the space between the bigger global hits in the style, and a dubbier, rootsier generation of reggae too – which seems to bubble forth here on most tracks, and just get a slight digital reworking by Jammy. The 2LP set features a very well-selected batch of material from these years – titles that appeared on labels like Greensleeves, Superpower, and Unity Sounds, with titles that include "Icky All Over" by Wayne Smith, "In The Area" by Johnny Osborne, "The Exit" by Dennis Brown, "Don't Touch The Crack" by Little Kirk, "Dancehall Vibes" by Anthony Johnson, and "Jack Slick" by Junior Murvin. LP, Vinyl record album

Ben E King joins the Average White Band for this sweet 70s set – a killer record that not only stands as one of King's best efforts of the decade, but one that also gives the group a great new frontman! Ben's not the only singer on the record, but his presence here can definitely be felt – deepening up the grooves nicely, and giving the already-great AWB sound an even more badass feel! Titles include the classic "Star In The Ghetto", a funky remake of "What Is Soul", an earlier hit for King – plus "Keepin It To Myself", "Imagine", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Get It Up For Love", and "The Message". LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly-crafted work from Jimmy Cliff – a mid 70s set that has the singer emerging way past the Kingston scene, to a role where he feels much more like a global soul superstar overall! Make no mistake, there's definitely plenty of reggae on the album – but the record also marks that moment when the music was really reaching out to much bigger audiences, thanks to talents as great as Jimmy – able to take the best well-crafted grooves of Jamaica, mix them with a bit of Cali sunshine, and come up with cuts that sparkle here – like "I'm Gonna Live I'm Gonna Love", "Who Feels It, Knows It", "Remake The World", "Hypocrites", "Wahjahka Man", "The News", "Look At The Mountains", "You're The Only One", and the seminal "No Woman No Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

All the great early albums from Creation Rebel – plus their excellent comeback too! The set begins with Dub From Creation – not just the debut album from Creation Rebel, but also a set that marks the first studio work from the young Adrian Sherwood – part of the long On-U Sound legacy to come, and a wealth of other wonderful music! There's a spareness here that's great – maybe a bit less dark than later Sherwood projects, but no less stark – with melodica and keyboards weaving nicely amidst the dubby rhythms! Titles include "Basic Principals", "Dub Fusion", "Liberation", "Rising Star", "Vision Of Creation", and "Creation In A Iration". Next is Close Encounters Of The Third World – an early part of the On-U Sound legacy, even if the set wasn't issued on the label – a key effort by Creation Rebel that features recording work done both in London and Kingston, layered together in a beautifully dubby way! The sound here is definitely underground – full of message-oriented lyrics from Crucial Tony, who sings in a style that definitely earns him his name – with great melodica and organ flowing through the mix next to Lizard's bass – topped with added horn work from The Arabs in all the right spots! The production is superb – flat on the drums, wide on the sides, which makes for a really wonderful groove – on titles that include "Know Yourself", "Conspiring", "Creation Fever", "Natty Conscience Free", and "Joyful Noise". Rebel Vibrations features early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". Starship Africa is a brilliant Creation Rebel effort for On-U Sound from the dawn of the 80s – landing in the futuristic dub spacecraft that is their Starship Africa – percussion heavy and spaced out ingenuity from Adrian Sherwood & co! Tripped, echoey atmospherics that's cast as a soundtrack to movie that doesn't exist, the music is forward thinking, boundary busting dubby grooves exists out of time and sounds great to this day. Includes "Starship Africa" (Sections 1-5) and "Space Movement" (Sections 1-4). On Psychotic Jonkanoo, Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". From 2023, Hostile Environment is the first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less moody – just something that seems to let the work of the group come through with energy that's wonderfully warm and organic, while still resonating with plenty of touches that will make longtime label fans proud! Vocals are shared between Charlie Eskimo Fox and Mr Magoo, and the set also features guest appearances from Prince Far I and Daddy Freddy – on titles that include "That's More Like It" "Jubilee Clock", "Swiftly", "Stonebridge Warrior", "Crown Hill Road", "The People's Sound", and "Whatever It Takes". CD

Really mindblowing work from Fela – a seminal 70s set that may well open up even more than any other album from the time – as the leader and Africa 70 stretch out on a single track that takes up the entire record! "Confusion" is almost proggish at the start – with a long passage that just features drums from Tony Allen and some really offbeat electric piano from Fela – slowly building up a groove out of the darkness, then letting the rest of the group come into the mix – all at a level that definitely sets the tune on fire for the righteous politics of the lyrics! The whole thing's no sloppy, over-extended jam – and instead, the record's a great demonstration of the care and craft that Fela brought to his musical vision at the time. The Gentleman LP is represented here by 3 songs – "Gentleman", "Igbe (Shit)", and "Fe Fe Naa Efe" – all of which are brimming with angry energy, and a heavy brassy overdrive! Loads of African funk grooves, packed onto one superbly done CD! CD

Seminal sides from Herbie Hancock – amazing material recorded for Warner Brothers in the years between his time at Blue Note and his big fame at Columbia Records – all sides that definitely show Hancock as one mighty righteous cat! Herbie's really stretching past his more conventional jazz of earlier years here – working both with a bit more electricity in his keys, and some larger arrangements that have a wonderful sense of flow and funk – a groove that definitely puts Hancock on a par with Quincy Jones at his funky best during the early 70s! The album's filled with great grooves pulled from the Warner Brothers albums by Hancock – including some quite long numbers – titles that include the funky nuggets "Wiggle Waggle", "Lil Brother", and "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" – plus "Sleeping Giant", "Crossings", "Quazar", "Ostinato", and "You'll Know When You Get There". LP, Vinyl record album

A really different setting for the saxophone of Afro Funk legend Femi Kuti – as instead of working with a large group, he just blows here alongside the keyboard creations of Robert Hood – in a mode that makes for a really wonderful album all the way through! The tracks are each just titled "Variations" – and Femi's performance definitely seems improvised throughout, and set to these keyboard heavy grooves created by Hood – who also delivers lots of great keyboard solos too! There's a lot more jazz here than you'd expect on a Femi Kuti album – yet the set also nods to some Afro-styled grooves at points too – a real delight over the course of the eight tracks on the set. CD

A really different setting for the saxophone of Afro Funk legend Femi Kuti – as instead of working with a large group, he just blows here alongside the keyboard creations of Robert Hood – in a mode that makes for a really wonderful album all the way through! The tracks are each just titled "Variations" – and Femi's performance definitely seems improvised throughout, and set to these keyboard heavy grooves created by Hood – who also delivers lots of great keyboard solos too! There's a lot more jazz here than you'd expect on a Femi Kuti album – yet the set also nods to some Afro-styled grooves at points too – a real delight over the course of the eight tracks on the set. LP, Vinyl record album

It's definitely a computer world when you're inside the mind of Kraftwerk – the machine made man, given a wonderful showcase here for the new decade! The sound is maybe a bit leaner and even more electronic than before – with the introduction of some digital elements, and a mix of beats and keyboards that was already showing the nascent hip hop scene that the German quartet were still ahead of the pack when it came to grooves like this! Did these guys invent electro soul? Hearing a record like this it's hard not to think so – thanks to tracks that include "Computer Love", "Computer World", "Pocket Calculator", "Home Computer", "Numbers", and "It's More Fun To Compute". CD

Bobby Quesada's definitely earning his nickname of "the hard one" here – not just for his tough mafia look on the cover of the record, but also for the lively grooves underneath! The record's got a rougher and more ragged edge than some of Bobby's contemporaries – bold trumpet in the lead of most of the tunes, and a chunky percussive bottom that often has a fair bit of rootsy rhythms. Rhythms are wider ranging than you might expect – and vocals are by Luis Rodriguez and Felo Barrie. Titles include "Los Siete Refranes", "La Rosa Oriental", "La Mafia Del Guaguanco", "Le Duele Una Pata Al Pato", "Hay Un Fuego En Cienfuego", and "Guajira El Son Te Llama". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn funky gospel soul – the sort you'd hardly expect from spiritual folks like these, but which flourished strongly alongside more standard church-related work in the 70s! The package is a stunning follow up to Numero's first Good God volume – and really digs even deeper than that great set – pulling out a mad flurry of rare funky 45s that easily match any hip secular soul at the time, at least in the spirit of the groove! The lyrics are definitely on the righteous tip, but never too much so – and the earthly rhythms at the bottom of most tracks is more than enough to help pitch the grooves strongly towards anyone who's never even set foot inside of a church. As usual, Numero do an excellent job with the notes and details on all cuts – showing they really put a hell of a lot of thought into the collection – and titles include "I Know I've Been Changed" by Victory Travelers, "Pray A Little Longer" by Lucy Sister Soul Rogers, "Packing A Grip" by Golden Echoes, "Like A Ship" by Pastor TL Barrett & The Youth For Christ, "Been Trying" by Chicago Travelers, "The Same Thing It Took" by Inspirational Gospel Singers, "Somebody Watching You" by Sacred Four, "Peter & John" by Andrew Wartts & The Gospel Storytellers, "I Thank You Lord" by Little Chris & The Righteous Singers, and "Share Your Love" by Sensational Five Singing Sons. LP, Vinyl record album

Late 50s Exotica jazz gems from Les Baxter for Capitol – Africa Jazz and Jungle Jazz in a single set! Africa Jazz is one of his greatest records, and one that's got just about everything you'd ever want! Plas Johnson plays tenor, and his solos are right out front, and recorded beautifully. There's a number of other great LA session players on percussion and vibes, and the arrangements have a definite jazz bent to them. Tracks include "Congo Train", "Walkin Watusi", "Ostrich Hunt", "Balinese Bongos", and "Mombasa After Midnight". Jungle Jazz is also fantastic stuff, and recorded with beautiful sound! It's right on a par with African Jazz, which uses a similar formula: Plas Johnson's up front playing gutsy tenor, and Les is behind, working a large group of exotica players into a tribal frenzy of mellow grooves. Titles include "Amazon Falls", "Coco", "Isle Of Cuba", "Jungla Brava", "Go Chango", and "Blue Jungle". CD

Brass Construction's fifth album, and the group's still grooving harder than most of their contemporaries! The legendary Randy Muller is still fully in charge here – serving up his trademark lean, mean arrangements that compress all elements of the music firmly on the beat – all in a way that creates one of the funkiest grooves you'll ever hear in mainstream late 70s club! There's plenty of great little touches to keep each tune interesting – bits of strings, keyboards, or other elements that burst out of the mix playfully . Titles include "It's Alright", "Watch Out", "I Want Some Action", "Right Place", "Music Makes You Feel Like Dancing", and "Shakit". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Brass Construction – heavy horns, basslines, and stellar dancefloor grooves – a stone classic! The first one was totally great, but they cast a wider stylistic claim on II – their trademark funky sound is still very firmly in place, but they bring more to the plate. The rhythms and percussion have a more globally steeped flare at points on the album, and there's a more smoldering, slightly mellower vibe on some tracks, without sacrificing the funk. The whole thing's fused together wonderfully – with the larger group moving with the energy a much smaller combo – and titles include "Sambo", "Screwed", "Get To The Point", "What's On Your Mind", and "Now Is Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring grooves and mellow moments – a perfect blend of 70s soul styles, summed up here beautifully by Enchantment! The album's one of the group's greatest – and certainly one that's been very well-remembered around these parts – thanks to some rock-solid arrangements from Johnny Allen, who almost brings an indie soul vibe to the whole set – while still putting the whole thing together at a totally top-shelf level too! The harmonies are wonderful – especially on the ballads, like "Gloria" and "Sunshine" – and other tracks include "Sexy Lady", "Come On & Ride", "Thank You Girl For Loving Me", and "Dance To The Music". CD features 7 more bonus tracks – "Hold On (original 12" disco version)" – plus original single versions of "Call On Me", "Come On & Ride", "Hold On", "Gloria", "Dance To The Music", and "Sunshine". CD

Arlo Guthrie may not be one of the best-remembered folkies of the 60s, but he sure made waves with this classic debut and the side-long title song! Arlo is the son of Woody Guthrie, and probably owes as much to Bob Dylan as Dylan does to Woody – but he was definitely on to something when he expanded the shorter protest song into the space of the 18 minute "Alice's Restaurant Massacre", which makes surprisingly strong use of its many grooves on the record – while Arlo delivers a biting commentary on the life of a young man in the era of Vietnam and the uptight Establishment. Side two brings in shorter tracks, but with a similar energy – selections that include "Chilling Of The Evening", "The Motorcycle Song", "I'm Going Home", "Highway In The Wind", and "Now & Then". LP, Vinyl record album

A crowning moment from the Chicago scene of the late 70s – the second Mercury album from Heaven & Earth, and a stunner all the way through! The set's an undisputed groover right from the start – thanks to the massive arrangements from the great Floyd Morris – an artist who did some excellent work in the Chicago indie soul scene in the 60s, including some classic funky 45s – and whose work here definitely gives Heaven & Earth a sharper edge than most other acts of their type at the time! You can definitely hear Floyd's touch in the funky bottom of the two-part classic "I Feel A Groove Under My Feet", and in the riffing guitar of "Poetry In A Box" – and the group also show their warmer, mellower side nicely on cuts like "Let's Get It Together", "I'm In Love With Your Lady", "I Only Have Eyes For You", and "Whole Lot Of Love" – nice warm numbers with great harmonies and gentle stepping grooves! CD

Michael Henderson definitely does it all here – mixing jazz and soul and funk with his own strong sense of personality – all at a level that's head and shoulders above most of his contemporaries! Henderson's that rare breed in soul music – part of an elite 70s lineup who were rooted in jazz, able to sing soul, and yet still keep all the depth of their roots in their grooves! At times, Henderson sings with the poise and class of a jazz vocalist – at others, he's got the sensual slink of a R&B giant – always amidst instrumentation that goes way past the obvious, and avoids any of the commercial cliches that were plaguing mainstream soul at the time. There's a really timeless feel to the record – the sort that's kept Henderson at the top of the hip soul stacks for years – and titles include "Wait Until The Rain", "In The Summertime", "Riding", "To Be Loved", "I Do It All", and "Playing On The Real Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent batch of soulful and funky instrumental tracks – super-dope 70s work from funky arranger Monk Higgins! The album grooves in the best blacksploitation soundtrack mode – as Monk plays tenor sax and organ in the set, over slinky stepping arrangements that feature Paul Humphrey on drums, and Freddy Robinson on guitars – all coming together with Monk in a sweet LA style of early 70s funk! The groove is funky, yet laidback at the same time – and with some soulful backing vocals behind the instrumentation on a number of cuts – really the perfect sort of approach for a hip crime or action soundtrack. Tracks include "Little Mama", "If", "Highway No 101", "Walking In My Sleep", "Can't Stop", and the classic "Black Fox"! LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a really beautiful title – and a sound that definitely lives up to the "Sailing Ice" on the cover! The music is very much in the best post-Coltrane mode – played by a group led by the great Japanese drummer Motohiko Hino, and featuring Mabumi Yamaguchi on tenor and Yasuaki Shimizu on soprano and tenor – two reed players who really express themselves with a great sense of spirituality, and lots of searching energy throughout. The tracks are mostly originals (save for a version of "Soultrane") – served up in freewheeling modal grooves, and peppered with sharp, soulful solos that search out bold new territory, but which never get too free and sloppy. The set was recorded live, but the recording quality is excellent – and titles include "Sailing Ice", "New Moon", and "Soultrane". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Milt Jackson albums ever – thanks to an incredible lineup that features Art Farmer on trumpet and Benny Golson on tenor – both of whom give the record a lot more edge than usual for Jackson! The set's almost a maturation of the earliest modern grooves that Milt forged in his earlier sessions for Blue Note and Prestige – a sound that comes across here with a lot more confidence and focus than some of his 50s Savoy sides – with a sharper, edgier quality that comes from Golson's great arrangements for the record. Milt's vibes have a really chromatic feel here, and a sound that's almost louder than usual – and the rest of the group features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. Titles include "Blues For Diahann", "I Remember Clifford", "Thinking Of You", and "Whisper Not". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie Man gets nitty and gritty at the Muscle Shoals Studios – bringing his funky flute to the southern powerhouse of sound, and hitting some of his most soulful grooves of the time! The approach here is really great – definitely cast in the southern soul mode that was associated with Muscle Shoals, but also done with the looseness of a jazz record – so that the sound's a fair bit different than similar projects coming out of the scene at the time. Most tracks are long and flowing – with lots of sweet electric elements that include vibes from Roy Ayers, guitar from Eddie Hinton, and keyboards from Barry Beckett. Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love slide in on horns – but Herbie's flute is still the main solo element, and it gets plenty of space to stretch out with some great trippy grooves! Titles include Edwin Birdsong's "Can You Dig It?", plus Sonny Sharrock's "Blind Willy", and Herbie's own "Panama Red's Panama Hat" and "Claudia Pie". LP, Vinyl record album

Legendary cosmic disco from Space – a group who really live up to their name with a trippy use of electronics and keyboards over clubby rhythms! The album's a landmark from the time when previous prog ideals were finding a great new space in the discos – and although a few cuts here are upbeat and groovy, there's also some mellower, more spacey moments too – all a great showcase for the group's leader, keyboardist Didier Marouani! The record played big on both sides of the fence, on both sides of the Atlantic – and continues to win over new generations with its futuristic grooves. In addition to the big title cut "Magic Fly", other tracks include "Velvet Rape", "Tango In Space", "Fasten Seat Belt", and "Ballad For Space Lovers". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite love storm from Tavares – a set that has the group's vocal approach honed to perfection – really soaring high with some sweet clubby arrangements from Freddie Perren! The album came at a time when the group was riding high on mainstream disco fame – but it's hardly a cash-in set at all – and still really keeps the group strongly in that special harmony space that was all their own! Tavares have a glow that's warmer than some of the east coast groups of the time, and which fits in perfectly with Perren's sophisticated grooves – yet the vocals still bristle with plenty of feeling, and that unified energy that nobody else could touch. Titles include "One Step Away", "Whodunit", "Keep In Touch", "Watching The Women's Movement", "Fool Of The Year", "Goodnight My Love", and "The Going Ups & The Coming Downs". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Damn! Bill Withers can never do wrong in our book – and this album is definitely case in point! The set marks Bill's big move from Sussex Records to Columbia, and it's the start of an amazing run in the late 70s – completely sublime soul that wraps up all Withers' roots from the earlier part of the decade, and focuses them beautifully in some sweet keyboard-driven grooves! Bill's voice is marvelous – that raspily charming sound that no other soul singer could ever match – and the album features arrangements from Larry Nash, who plays keyboards on the date along with Dave Grusin. Electric piano makes for plenty of great moments – and titles include his classic "Hello Like Before", plus "The Best You Can", "Make Love To Your Mind", "Paint Your Pretty Picture", and "Don't You Want To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky soul from the great Bobby Womack – a record that mixes Bobby's roots with some of the more righteous modes he picked up on Across 110th Street – blended here in a style that's completely sublime! The record was one of Womack's first to be entirely recorded on the west coast – and has these core grooves that come from the great Wah Wah Watson on guitar and Sonny Burke on keyboards – both players who bring in sharp edges, but can also lay back in a groove as well – helping Bobby perfectly balance funky impulses and mellower moments throughout. There's a sophistication here that really shows the continuing growth of Womack as a musical visionary – and titles include "Everything's Gonna Be Alright", "Daylight", "Love Ain't Something You Can Get For Free", "I Feel A Groove Coming On", and versions of "I Wish It Would Rain" and "Something You Got". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that definitely lives up to its title – as it's kind of an extra dose of soulful tracks from the vaults of the many reissue projects handled by the Numero Group over the years! The collection brings together upbeat soul groovers, warm modern soul gems, and a few funkier cuts – in a mix that really rewrites any understanding that you might have of uptempo soul in the 70s – underground grooves that are quite far from the slicker disco of the charts, and which together make for a set that could easily pack the dancefloor! Titles include "Deep In Your Heart" by Young Divines, "I Love You" by Karriem, "Main Squeeze" by Nate Evans, "Love Explosion" by Donnell Pittman, "Love Is On The Way" by Bill Spoon, "Try My Love Again" by Syl Johnson, "Lift This Hurt" by Elvin Spencer, "We're Two Fools In Love" by Dyson's Faces, "No Matter" by La'Fez, "Guilty" by Jackie Stoudemire, "I Think It's Time" by Alice Swoboda, "I'll Never Say No" by The Summits, "Cosmos Third Eye" by Cosmos Universal Band, and "Standing By Love" by Eula Cooper. CD

A set that's filled with some of the most evocative work ever recorded by the KPM sound library in the 70s – music that goes beyond just familiar funk to move into territory that resonates with some of the most sonically seductive styles of the Italian soundtrack scene of the period! The arrangements are superb, and although there's definitely plenty of funk gems on the record, the real appeal comes more from the way that other, larger elements are used next to the grooves – all with a style that just keeps on getting better and better as the album moves on! Tracks include "Phenomena" by David Gold, "Infinite Expanse" by Johnny Scott, "Gliding Through Clouds" by Steve Gray, "Cubist Pictures" by Neil Richardson, "Metamorphosis" by John Fiddy, "Paradise Island" by David Gold and Gordon Reese, and "Image" by Brian Bennett. LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy soul from the house of Holland-Dozier-Holland – some of the best bits from their Invictus powerhouse label of the early 70s – definitely a scene-setting imprint at the time! Invictus had some of the deepest grooves ever recorded by the trio – heavy, rumbling bottom sounds – soaring vocal passages – and production that took the Motown lessons of the late 60s to a whole new level. The package is overflowing with gems – and titles include "Crumbs Off The Table" by The Glass House, "Band Of Gold" and "Bring The Boys Home" by Freda Payne, "Give Me Just A Little More Time" and "Everything's Tuesday" by The Chairmen Of The Board, "You've Got To Crawl" and "She's Not Just Another Woman" by The 8th Day, and "I Had It All" by The Barrino Brothers. LP, Vinyl record album

A long-awaited follow-up to one of our favorite compilations of King Records soul music – a set that does a perfect job of showing the label's strong roots in R&B, and it's important force in 60s soul! The package offers up tracks with a really great sound – definitely the grittier edge than you'd expect from the R&B in the title, yet lots of "new breed" styles as well – a more mature, more soul-based approach to the grooves that offers up a great way to harness the raw energy at the core! The set's filled with rare gems from old King, Federal, and DeLuxe label singles – including some overlooked work by bigger name singers – and titles include "Two Hearts" by The King Pins, "I'm Tore Down" by Freddie King, "Send Me A Picture Baby" by Mel Williams, "Love Man" by Hal Hardy, "Geneva" by Eugene Church, "Wild Child" by Donnie Elbert, "Your Letter" by Willie Wright & His Sparklers, "Say Hey Pretty Baby" by Lula Reed, "Let Me Walk With You" by Eddie Kirk, "Stop Talking To Your Child" by James Duncan, "It Hurts Inside" by The 5 Royales, "Let's Have A Good Time" by The Hi Tones, and "When You Move You Lose" by Lee Shot Williams. CD

DJ Muro takes on a host of killer soul, funk, and jazz tracks from the deep deep EMI catalog – all in a mighty mix that's even more compelling than some of his other sets of this nature! The collection's filled with rare gems in a variety of genres – and Muro's definitely got the right sort of ear to mix things up perfectly – always with just the right sort of care to avoid crashing grooves together, unlocking some great musical combinations in the process! There's a few moments which are more Muro-mixed than others, but the core vibe of the tunes mostly shines through overall – on a massive set list that features 26 cuts that include "I'm In Love" by Nancy Wilson, "E-Carnival" by Tania Maria, "You're Welcome Stop On By" by Lou Donaldson, "A Little Bit Of Love" by Gentle Persuasion, "Think About Me" by Marlena Shaw, "Love The Way You Make Me Feel" by John Lee & Jerry Brown, "Family (live)" by Hubert Laws, "Why Can't We Be Friends" by Jacob Miller, "To See A Smile" by Ronnie Foster, "It's The Real Thing" by Monica Higgins, "Rhythm Rhapsody" by Ramona Brooks, and "Gift Wrap My Love" by The Reflections. CD

One of Cannonball Adderley's late funky sessions for Fantasy – and a record that still features some mighty heavy production from David Axelrod! The album's got that core groove that Axe and Cannon first crafted together at Capitol in the 60s – but the sound here has some definite 70s touches too – a bit more emphasis on electric piano, played here by Hal Galper – and rhythms that are even funkier than before! Other players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Walter Booker on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums, and King Errison on percussion – and titles include the excellent "Snakin' the Grass", which is just ripe for samplin', plus some other good grooves like "Second Son", "Saudade", "Five Of A Kind", and "Inside Straight". CD

One of Cannonball Adderley's late funky sessions for Fantasy – and a record that still features some mighty heavy production from David Axelrod! The album's got that core groove that Axe and Cannon first crafted together at Capitol in the 60s – but the sound here has some definite 70s touches too – a bit more emphasis on electric piano, played here by Hal Galper – and rhythms that are even funkier than before! Other players include Nat Adderley on cornet, Walter Booker on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums, and King Errison on percussion – and titles include the excellent "Snakin' the Grass", which is just ripe for samplin', plus some other good grooves like "Second Son", "Saudade", "Five Of A Kind", and "Inside Straight". LP, Vinyl record album

Tony Allen never lets us down – and even though he recorded this set well into the first decade of his "comeback" years, an album like this still has the same sort of fresh, urgent feel that got him noticed again by a whole new generation of fans! There's definitely lots of Allen's roots with Fela in the music – the kind of Afrobeat grooves that Tony first helped invent back in the 70s – but as with some of his other recent records, there's also a strong willingness to play with tradition, too – mixing in unusual sounds and patterns that really keep things interesting, and which show why Allen's probably been the best ambassador of Afrobeat styles in the 21st Century! Vocals are by Allen and a few other singers over the course of the set – and the band's a super-tight combo with some especially great keyboards from Claude Dibongue. Titles include "Secret Agent", "Ijo", "Switch", "Celebrate", "Ayenlo", "Pariwo", "Nina Lowo", "Atuwaba", and "Alutere". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring, searing sounds from the young Gato Barbieri – one of his classic albums for the Flying Dutchman label, and very much in the vein of his first few for Impulse Records! The Latin element isn't as strongly stated in the music as you might guess from the title, but the inspiration is definitely there – although more subtle than on Gato's Latin America series for the other label – and the tunes are a wonderful blend of soulful soloing, modal grooves, and unbridled emotion! Lonnie Liston Smith is playing piano on most cuts, and he's a perfect blend for Barbieri's horn – giving it the same sort of soulful base as in his classic recordings with Pharoah Sanders – and pushing the tracks with a pulsating modal undercurrent that keeps things moving throughout! Titles include "Merceditas", "Eclypse/Michellina", "Bolivia", and "Vidala Triste". CD

Heavy duty fuzzy soul from Black Merda (aka Mer-Da) – the massive Black Merda and Long Burn The Fire LPs back-to-back on one CD! The Black Merda album has a distinct batch of influences that run from Funkadelic, to Hendrix, to Chicago electric blues – but since the recording (from 1970) was contemporaneous with most of those influences, we should give the group more credit than just listing others with a similar sound! Includes the great stoned track "Cynthy-Ruth", plus "Prophet", "Reality", "I Don't Want To Die", and "Over & Over". Long Burn The Fire is another great batch Hendrix-inspired funky rock, released under the moniker Mer-Da! The sound is definitely rock-heavy – with lots of trippy guitars riffing away in heavy fuzzy style – but the album's also a classic in the black rock vein, and there's enough funk in the mix to keep it on your turntable if you dig the rockier sound of the funky grooves! Cuts include "The Folks From Mother's Mixer", "Lying", "We Made Up", and "Long Burn The Fire". 19 tracks in all! CD

The Black Pumas went from underground status to much bigger fame in just a short span of time – and this smoking second album will definitely continue that nonstop rise to stardom! As before, the group are heavy on older references to funk and soul, but given a lean, contemporary spin in the production – handled by Adrian Quesada, with all the richness he's forged on countless other projects over the years – so that the grooves and instrumentation are right on the money, and augmented by these slight sonic surprises that really keep things interesting! The vocals seem even better than before – raw, raspy, and very powerful – on titles that include "Mrs Postman", "Gemini Sun", "Sauvignon", "Angel", "Hello", "Chronicles Of A Diamond", "Ice Cream", and "More Than A Love Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky with this one – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – but the grooves are even better than before, and the set includes loads of great original number written by the group – the kind of cool tunes they most likely cooked up while jamming live in the studio! These gems include the seminal "Hip Hug Her" – plus "Carnaby Street", "Booker's Notion", "Soul Sanction", "Double Or Nothing", and "Slim Jenkins' Place". But the covers are groovy too – and include a version of "Pigmy", plus "Groovin" and "Sunny". CD

A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out grooves as the album rolls on will pull you even further into the fold. Most tracks roll on with that improvised studio jamming style that James was hitting at the time – a pre-JBs mode that's not as long as later years, but which still makes you feel that there probably was plenty more recorded on the dates that didn't make it into the two-part versions of the tracks! And although James is singing on most numbers, the real focus is more on the band – hitting hard, vamping sharp, and grooving massively under shouted calls and directions from Brown. Titles include two great instrumentals – "Popcorn With a Feeling" and "Top of the Stack" – plus "Little Groove Maker Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Mother Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Mashed Potato Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Any Day Now", "You're Still Out Of Sight", and "I'm Shook" – as well as the great mellower number "If I Ruled The World" – redone here as an African-American anthem of pride and power! LP, Vinyl record album

By this time, the Mothership had just about completely crashed out – at least on record, as George shows us here. (Live, Clinton had no trouble keeping up the groove – as he could always start a party funk fire going in concert, no matter how he was sounding on record.) The record was cut for Prince's Paisley Park label, and definitely has some Prince funk in the grooves – if not the titles of the album's songs, which include "Serious Slammin", "Why Should I Dog U Out?", "Tweakin", "Airbound", "Goin On", and "French Kiss". CD

A smoking twin-tenor session for MPS – one that reunites the mighty talents of Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The album was done as an offshoot of both players' work for the Clarke Boland Big Band at the time – and the set was not only produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi, but also features a core rhythm trio from that ensemble – Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have a sound that really shows the evolution of both players since their famous recordings of the early 60s – tones that are even more modern and edgey at points, served up with a fire that hasn't died at all – and set loose on rhythms that move past the usual grooves you might have expected from their American sessions together. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Jim Dawg", "Gigi", "When We Were One", and "Again N Again". CD

A smoking twin-tenor session for MPS – one that reunites the mighty talents of Johnny Griffin and Eddie Lockjaw Davis! The album was done as an offshoot of both players' work for the Clarke Boland Big Band at the time – and the set was not only produced by CBBB impresario Gigi Campi, but also features a core rhythm trio from that ensemble – Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! Tracks are nice and long, and have a sound that really shows the evolution of both players since their famous recordings of the early 60s – tones that are even more modern and edgey at points, served up with a fire that hasn't died at all – and set loose on rhythms that move past the usual grooves you might have expected from their American sessions together. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Jim Dawg", "Gigi", "When We Were One", and "Again N Again". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut by Les DeMerle, one of the hippest drummers of his time – made legendary thanks to legions of samplers and beatheads in the 90s! This is certainly one of Les' best ever efforts – a tight batch of funky big band tracks, with lots of nice grooves, and a very hip lineup that includes Frank Foster, Joe Beck, Chris Woods, Arnie Lawrence, and Charles Sullivan – all coming together in some great tunes that have very unusual rhythms, and a great format that puts the drums in line with the hip playing in the reed section! The album includes Les' famous version of "A Day in the Life", which begins with a monster funky intro – plus the cuts "Fusion – Pro & Con", "Underground", "Deflections 1, 2, 3, & 4", and "Aquarius". CD

A funky fusion classic – the second Columbia set from this killer group of all-star players! The style's like the first Dreams album – a bit rock-influenced at times, but filled with jazzy instrumentation by players who include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Michael Brecker on saxes, Don Grolnick on keyboards, and Billy Cobham on drums! Edward Vernon sings on most numbers, with a soulful style that's a bit of a change from usual work of this type – and the set's got a feel that's definitely in keeping with the odd Gahan Wilson cartoon on the front cover – familiar grooves, but a bit offbeat too, and very much in its own sort of space. Titles include "Here She Comes Now", "Imagine My Surprise", "Medicated Goo", "Don't Cry My Lady", "Just Be Ourselves", "Why Can't I Find A Home", and "Calico Baby". CD

Early prog jazz genius from the mighty Embryo – and an album that perfectly fuses their love of world rhythms and electric jamming grooves – at a level that made them one of the coolest groups on the European scene at the time! Core work here is by a trio – and the percussion by Edgar Hofmann ranges from playful to hypnotic – with heavy drums and basslines crafting some incredible rhythms that spin out strongly – sometimes jamming, sometimes a bit looser – and often topped with great work on flute by Hansi Fischer, and this ultra-cool Leslie piano played by Christian Burchard – which has a nice fuzzy sound. The album's got lots of other sweet organ and mellotron lines – and Hofmann also plays soprano sax and violin as well – on titles that include "Tausendfussler", "Time", "Revenge", "Espagna Si Franco Finished", "Try To Be", and "Change". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from the legendary Fela – definitely at the top of his game here, and brimming over with energy supplied by the Africa 70 ensemble! The tracks are long and freewheeling – but never without a sense of direction – as every ounce of the music is devoted to serving up the message of the man – from the way the keyboards step out over the grooves, to the sublime saxophone solos, to the rising energy when the vocals take flight in call/response mode! "Upside Down" is a monster groover with great rumbling sound – and "Go Slow" is slightly mellower, but no less soulful and funky. LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from the legendary Fela – definitely at the top of his game here, and brimming over with energy supplied by the Africa 70 ensemble! The tracks are long and freewheeling – but never without a sense of direction – as every ounce of the music is devoted to serving up the message of the man – from the way the keyboards step out over the grooves, to the sublime saxophone solos, to the rising energy when the vocals take flight in call/response mode! "Upside Down" is a monster groover with great rumbling sound – and "Go Slow" is slightly mellower, but no less soulful and funky. LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album from the mighty Slim Harpo, and one that definitely lives up to the "scratch" in the title! That scratch is present strongly in the rhythms – which have this skittish style that's really a precursor to funk, although a lot more rootsy overall – almost Slim's entry to the sort of grooves that Bo Diddley and a few others were laying down in Chicago, but with a more southern quality overall! All the instrumental aspects of the record are wonderful – Harpo's trademark harmonica lines, and his wicked rhythmic guitar – and Slim's vocals are also excellent, too – with this sweetly bending way of coming across that had an undeniable influence on later singers to come. Titles include "Buzzin", "I'm Gonna Miss You Like The Devil", "Wondering Blues", "We're Two Of A Kind", "I Need Money", and "My Little Queen Be". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet 80s classic from Finis Henderson – and the kind of record that should have launched him on a much bigger run as a lead singer! Despite the plastic look of the cover, the album's really solidly put together – produced by Al McKay with a vibe that definitely echoes his work with Earth Wind & Fire, and a style that also shows some of Henderson's roots in the Chicago group Weapons Of Peace – which means lots of jazzy inflections with the grooves, in a style that works perfectly for Finis' style of singing. And given that Henderson has a range that sometimes hits Philip Bailey territory, the match is a great one – and gives the album a sense of class that other Motown soul from the time didn't always have. Titles include "Lovers", "Making Love", "Skip To My Lou", "Vina Del Mar", "Crush On You", "I'd Rather Be Gone", and "You Owe It All To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a really beautiful title – and a sound that definitely lives up to the "Sailing Ice" on the cover! The music is very much in the best post-Coltrane mode – played by a group led by the great Japanese drummer Motohiko Hino, and featuring Mabumi Yamaguchi on tenor and Yasuaki Shimizu on soprano and tenor – two reed players who really express themselves with a great sense of spirituality, and lots of searching energy throughout. The tracks are mostly originals (save for a version of "Soultrane") – served up in freewheeling modal grooves, and peppered with sharp, soulful solos that search out bold new territory, but which never get too free and sloppy. The set was recorded live, but the recording quality is excellent – and titles include "Rio Rome", "Sailing Ice", "Milky Shade", and "New Moon". CD

Drummer Akira Ishikawa was easily one of the hippest cats on the Japanese scene of the late 60s and early 70s – a player and leader with a great ear for American funk and soul changes of the time, most of which he brought into play on a record like this! The album's definitely got the soul and rock promised in the title, but also plenty of jazz too – as some of the solos go nicely outside, in weird offbeat ways that nicely contrast with the tighter grooves in the rhythm – creating a nice sense of tension that really makes this record stand out from the pack! There's a really sinister undercurrent here – odd edges and weird tones on piano, guitar, and saxophone – all amidst some strongly soulful grooves from the rest of the group. Titles include "The Cougar", "Greensleeves", "No More Than A Drop", "Deep River", "Mago-Uta", and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of Purple Sage classics – back to back on in a single set! First up is the classic debut of New Riders Of The Purple Sage – one of the leading lights of the new acoustic scene in the Bay Area after the shaggier, more electric years of the Haight Street scene! Jerry Garcia plays pedal steel and banjo on the record, and at some level these guys definitely owe a bit to some of Jerry's more acoustic explorations – especially on records to come – but they've also got their own brand of hippie country that's mighty nice, and which has a much more easygoing, less-jamming vibe than some of the headier San Francisco groups of the period. The set also features more guest work from Mickey Hart and Commander Cody – and titles include "Portland Woman", "Garden Of Eden", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Glendale Train", "Dirty Business", "Louisiana Lady", and "All I Ever Wanted". Powerglide is a set that has the New Riders Of The Purple Sage expanding their sound a bit – moving past the acoustic trio at the core to add in more pedal steel and even a bit of dobro – all at a level that seems to further their commitment to country-influenced Bay Area acoustic grooves! As before, Jerry Garcia makes a few appearances on the set, but it's clear that the group don't even need his help to sound great – working with vocals that are more harmonic and confident than before, and with songs that also really show them growing as tunesmiths too. The set features the original cuts "Sweet Lovin One", "Rainbow", "California Day", "Contract", and "Runnin Back To You" – plus a great cover of "Dim Lights Thick Smoke & Loud Loud Music". CD

A landmark album – both for Outkast and the Atlanta scene too – as the set soars forward from the territory of their debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik – with crazy, free flowing, inventive rhymes and soulful outer space grooves that still manage to stay grounded enough to aptly reflect the darker realities of the ATL scene! While some of that city's work would soon lapse into cliche, that's definitely not the case here – as Dre and Big Boi rhyme over these wonderfully laidback grooves that have a wicked southern fried vibe. Titles include "ATLiens", "Two Dope Boyz (In A Cadillac)", "Wheelz Of Steel", "Jazzy Belle", "Babylon", "Millennium", and "13th Floor/Growing Old". LP, Vinyl record album