The never-issued second album from Main Source – and a set that's a very worthy successor to their classic Breaking Atoms! As with that record, the production here is superb – Large Professor at his best, with all the right sort of early 90s jazz influence in the samples, balanced with the group's trademark bite and wit in the lyrics – all at a level that makes for a record that shoulda been a classic back in the day! The set's got a fair bit of interludes, maybe to space out the vocal tracks for the full length release – but given the production, and great ear for found spoken bits, they seem to further the delightful quality of the record, as on an early De La set. Titles include an uncut version of "Looking At The Front Door", an unreleased version of "Fakin The Funk", and the tracks "Hellavision", "How My Man Went Down In The Game", "Time (part 2)", "Raise Up", and "Bootlegging". LP, Vinyl record album

The never-issued second album from Main Source – and a set that's a very worthy successor to their classic Breaking Atoms! As with that record, the production here is superb – Large Professor at his best, with all the right sort of early 90s jazz influence in the samples, balanced with the group's trademark bite and wit in the lyrics – all at a level that makes for a record that shoulda been a classic back in the day! The set's got a fair bit of interludes, maybe to space out the vocal tracks for the full length release – but given the production, and great ear for found spoken bits, they seem to further the delightful quality of the record, as on an early De La set. Titles include an uncut version of "Looking At The Front Door", an unreleased version of "Fakin The Funk", and the tracks "Hellavision", "How My Man Went Down In The Game", "Time (part 2)", "Raise Up", and "Bootlegging". CD features the bonus track "Fakin The Funk (soundtrack version)". CD

Live material from Bob Marley & The Wailers – recorded in an obscure nightclub in our hometown of Chicago during the 70s, and quite a nice change from some of the bigger label releases of the time! The band has a loose, very spontaneous vibe – and there's a nice flow to the longer length of the tracks – served up with instrumentation from Earl Lindon on keyboards and organ, Al Anderson on guitar, Aston Family Man Barrett on bass, and Carlton Barrett on drums – with backing vocals from the I-Threes behind Bob's lead vocals! Titles include "Rebel Music", "Talkin Blues", "Concrete Jungle", "Natty Dread", "I Shot The Sherriff", "Slave Driver", and "Midnight Ravers". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare funky work from Bob Marley & The Wailers – tracks that are more of a studio jam than a typical recording – and which were done before a famous performance that the group played at the Matrix club in San Francisco! There's a lean, snakey groove to all these cuts – heavy on basslines from Family Man Barrett, whose work really sets the tone for the tunes – while Bob and Peter Tosh trade guitar lines, Carlton Barrett holds things down on drums, and Earl Lindo spices things up with some sweet organ work! Titles include "Kinky Reggae", "Stir It Up", "No More Trouble", "Rastaman Chant", "Slave Driver", "Put It Up", "Stop That Train", and "Duppy Conquer". LP, Vinyl record album

Bob Marley material that goes way past the obvious – not the big hits of the Island Records years, but instead a whole host of much more obscure recordings from the 70s – tunes that were either rare Jamaican-only singles, or titles that were created only as dubplates for use in sound systems! Bob's vocals are still in place on most numbers, but the dubs are heavy, and the tunes resonate most strongly with basslines and rhythms, bubbling along with a very deep, moody sort of vibe – hardly the sound of Marley's chart-topping hits. Titles include "African Herbsman Version", "Turn Me Loose Dub", "War (alt take)", "Man To Man Version", "Soul Rebel Dub", "Rat Race Dub", "Concrete Jungle Dub", and "Man To Man Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

A second set of super-rare tracks from the Bob Marley side of the universe – not material that was issued by Island Records as part of his run of hit albums in the 70s – but instead some very obscure dubs that were taken from acetates that were initially only circulated through Jamaican soundsystems back in the day! The material here is very different than the cleaned-up hits – as the tracks often mute the vocals, bring up the rhythms, and go for an echoey brilliance that must have sounded great coming out of some massive speakers in the street! You'll definitely have to turn your stereo up to 11 when playing this one – for titles that include "Black Survivor Dub", "Top Rankin Dub", "So Much Trouble Dub", "Babylon System Dub", "Ride Natty Ride Dub", and "One Drop Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the best album ever from the mighty Ricardo Marrero – a 70s Latin talent who didn't record much, but always gave the world something wonderful when he did! The set's got this really great vibe – some cuts that update 60s Latin soul modes with even more righteous 70s elements – other numbers that are more jazz-based, almost in the territory of Cal Tjader's funky Latin tracks! A number of the cuts have vocals by a female singer – who really helps give the whole thing a feel that's very different than the usual Latin record of the time – almost a dose of Cali soul, even though Ricardo was more of a east coast talent at the time! Titles include the classic funk cut "Babalonia" – plus "Tiny", "Algo", "And We'll Make Love", "Vengo", "Get Yourself Together", "My Friend", and "A Taste Of Latin". CD

The stuff that funky 45 dreams are made of! "Babalonia" is one of those killers you never forget – fast electric piano over heavy conga beats, grooving hard with a brassy finish, in a NuYorican mode that made the cut one of everyone's favorites and the kind of track you had to own – even before people were copping funky 45s! This cool Japanese pic sleeve single also features an alternate take – from the film Tecato (Jesus Saves). 7-inch, Vinyl record

The debut album from Terrace Martin, and a set that already has him stretching out and building bridges between scenes and genres – at a level that has continued to make him one of the real giants of the west coast scene! The record's never just about Terrace's keys or saxophone – although his work on both are totally great – and instead, there's an equal presence here from the guests – Robert Glasper on Fender Rhodes, or artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lalah Hathaway, Ty Dolla Sign, Musiq Soulchild, and others on vocals – balancing hip hop and soul with Martin's jazz at the core, as he awakes new ears sounds they never would have discovered otherwise! Titles include "Triangle Ship", "No Wrong No Right", "Over Time", "Watch U Sleep", "Something Else", "You're The One", "I'm For Real", "Gone", and "Motivation". LP, Vinyl record album

There's plenty of rare feelings going on here – of the best sort of funky 70s type, with a groove that's totally great all the way through! Rick Mason and group bring plenty of jazz instrumentation to the record – some especially nice Fender Rhodes, trumpet, and guitar – but the vibe is more funky soul overall, even though the instruments often take the lead – in a tight, sharp mode that's maybe inspired by the best early material from Kool & The Gang, yet there's a grittier indie vibe too – one that comes across especially well in the unusual way the group can change up the rhythms and spirit of a song within a single tune! Rick Mason himself handles the lead vocals and bass, and also arranged the set – and titles include "Dope", "Metamorphosis Funk", "Song To God", "Funk Ain't Being Funky", "Rare Feelings", and "I Dream Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

There's plenty of rare feelings going on here – of the best sort of funky 70s type, with a groove that's totally great all the way through! Rick Mason and group bring plenty of jazz instrumentation to the record – some especially nice Fender Rhodes, trumpet, and guitar – but the vibe is more funky soul overall, even though the instruments often take the lead – in a tight, sharp mode that's maybe inspired by the best early material from Kool & The Gang, yet there's a grittier indie vibe too – one that comes across especially well in the unusual way the group can change up the rhythms and spirit of a song within a single tune! Rick Mason himself handles the lead vocals and bass, and also arranged the set – and titles include "Dope", "Metamorphosis Funk", "Song To God", "Funk Ain't Being Funky", "Rare Feelings", and "I Dream Of Love". CD

Zane Massey on tenor saxophone, Hideiji Taninaka on bass, Sadiq M Abdu Shahid on drums, and Denton Darien on piano. CD

One of the most unusual disc guides we've ever seen – a book that coins its own genre of music, Walearic – then finds a whole host of vintage records that fall under that new category! The book is filled with listings of rare records from Japan – music in many styles, and which represent the real flowering of Japanese musical creativity in the 70s and 80s – a time when the pressing plants were going at full steam, and the nation was really crafting its own amazing legacy in music! As with other Japanese books of this nature, most of the text is not in English – but the all-color volume does feature page after page of record covers, titles, dates, artist, and label information – hundreds of listings for records that will definitely expand your crate digging efforts in years to come. The book is divided up into chapters that focus on the original styles of the records – with many entries in chapters that include "Psychedelic/Avant Garde", "Easy Listening/Mood Music", "New Wave", "Disco/Fusion", and "OST/Anime" – almost 200 pages of listings, with 4 records to a page, all in color – which makes for a heck of a lot of new records to discover! Book

One of the most righteous albums ever issued by the always-righteous Tribe Records label of Detroit – a really collective effort, one that features ensemble vocals and spiritual jazz – all pulled together by pianist Harold McKinney! The album showcases a group named Voices Of The Creative Profile – formed by McKinney to accompany his Creative Profile instrumental group – and the overall style is a great blend of spiritual soul jazz that gives equal time to the voices and instruments in the set. Gwen McKinney heads up the vocal ensemble, and other players on the set include Wendell Harrison on flute, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Billy Turner on percussion, and Ed Pickins on bass. Also features some cool moog from Darryl Dybka – and titles that include "In The Moog", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Dolphin Dance", "Heavenese", "Ode To Africa", "Out Of The Blues", and "Cornerstone". Features a bonus 7" single – with the tracks "Ode To Africa" and "Jelly Loa". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums ever issued by the always-righteous Tribe Records label of Detroit – a really collective effort, one that features ensemble vocals and spiritual jazz – all pulled together by pianist Harold McKinney! The album showcases a group named Voices Of The Creative Profile – formed by McKinney to accompany his Creative Profile instrumental group – and the overall style is a great blend of spiritual soul jazz that gives equal time to the voices and instruments in the set. Gwen McKinney heads up the vocal ensemble, and other players on the set include Wendell Harrison on flute, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Billy Turner on percussion, and Ed Pickins on bass. Also features some cool moog from Darryl Dybka – and titles that include "In The Moog", "Freedom Jazz Dance", "Dolphin Dance", "Heavenese", "Ode To Africa", "Out Of The Blues", and "Cornerstone". CD features two bonus tracks – versions of "Ode To Africa" and "Jelly Loa". CD

A fantastic batch of jazzy grooves – featuring Claudio Medeiros and Victor M of the group Made In Brasil, plus other associates from the Bay Area fusion scene of the 70s! The record's got a strong mix of mellow tunes and funkier ones – with touches of Brazilian jazz and CTI fusion swirled together in a San Francisco sunny mode. The set includes the incredible groover "Soar", which has nice moog bubbling through a jazzy midtempo groove – and features many other great tunes like "Cachaca", "Generous", "Green Olives", "Grape Woman", and "Rotation". CD

An even deeper set than Medline's previous record – still very much in the mode of classic jazz and fusion styles, but done much more in his own voice as well – to a point where it's far more than just a rehash of familiar sounds from the 70s! Instead, Medline almost re-imagines keyboard jazz for the 21st Century – not like some of the nujazz or broken beat artists of a decade before, who were coming from dance music first – but instead very much on his own, without any need to lace a tune with a groove to get it across. Stainless Steele presents a rhyme on one track, but the rest of the set is instrumental – and titles include "When Truth Blasts", "Realm Of Barbelo", "Power To The People", "Old Souls Carnival", "Flying Dervishes", and "Wild Sour". CD

Ultra-hip funk from Oklahoma's Messengers Incorporated – a group who come across with a sound that's every bit as righteous and heavy as you might guess from the cover! Instrumentation is heavy on bass, guitar, and organ – and topped with some great saxophone work too – all in a sound that's draws plenty of inspiration from righteous jazz of the early 70s, but which focuses the sound into a more funk-based approach overall. Vocalists shift throughout – and include singers Barbara and Charles Burton, later of Burton Inc – who help give the record as much of a soul-based punch alongside the jazzy instrumentation of the combo! The whole thing's a real heavy hitter – the kind of album that could have soared large, had it gotten wider release back in the day – and titles include "Rejoice", "Just Can't Run Away", "Soulful Proclamation", "Frequency Response", "Ain't No Mountain", "Twenty Four Hours A Day", and "If I'Da Club". CD

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A legendary sample cut from back in the day – presented here in three really great versions! The shorter original take is already plenty great – a gem that starts with this jazzy riffing that's continued by keyboards all the way through – while rising vocals soar to the skies with a righteous style that's very much at the hippest Earth Wind & Fire mode – but leaner, without the horn section, and given a nice indie vibe! The extended take adds plenty more greatness to the tune – and the instrumental version really lets you enjoy the jazzier side of the groove! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A funky treasure from the 70s – a record that hardly made waves at the time, but which has lived on strongly for years – thanks to a great sample history and key interest from generations of groove diggers! Mighty Ryeders have a sound that's clearly influenced by Earth Wind & Fire – funk with a good dose of jazz, often done with some righteous undercurrents in the lyrics – but their groove is also a bit more rough-edged too, sharing some funky 45-levels of excitement, and showing a great ear for sharply jazzy changes! This last aspect has really helped the group's sound stay fresh over the years – and the album's a treasure trove of killer cuts – from the famous "Evil Vibrations", right on down through other gems like "The Mighty Ryeders", "Let There Be Peace", "Lovely", "Help Us Spread The Message", "Fly Away With Me", "Sar Children", and "I've Really Got The Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky treasure from the 70s – a record that hardly made waves at the time, but which has lived on strongly for years – thanks to a great sample history and key interest from generations of groove diggers! Mighty Ryeders have a sound that's clearly influenced by Earth Wind & Fire – funk with a good dose of jazz, often done with some righteous undercurrents in the lyrics – but their groove is also a bit more rough-edged too, sharing some funky 45-levels of excitement, and showing a great ear for sharply jazzy changes! This last aspect has really helped the group's sound stay fresh over the years – and the album's a treasure trove of killer cuts – from the famous "Evil Vibrations", right on down through other gems like "The Mighty Ryeders", "Let There Be Peace", "Lovely", "Help Us Spread The Message", "Fly Away With Me", "Sar Children", and "I've Really Got The Feeling". CD

A very cool book – and way different than you might expect from the title – as the discography doesn't only focus on contemporary ambient albums, but instead traces a history of moody sounds from the late 50s onwards! The publication is one of the most interesting Japanese discographies we've seen so far – filled with an evolving conception of ambient sounds, through jazz, acid folk, kraut rock, electronic music, and a host of other styles that predate Brian Eno's 70s experiments in ambient – and all the many Eno-inspired projects to follow – with chapters on John Cage, Joe Meek, Gigi Masin, Pauline Oliveros, Iasos, Walter Marchetti, Luc Ferrari, Lol Coxhill, Joanna Brouk, Sun Electric, Max Richter, and dozens of other artists. As with most Japanese discographies, the book has images of record covers, with dates, labels, and artists in English – plus a small review in Japanese – and even if you can't understand that last bit, you can still understand plenty from the way the book breaks down the music into various years and styles. This expanded edition is even better than the previous one – with chapters that include Space Age records of the 50s and 60s, Meditation records of the 70s, Post Modern records of the late 70s and 80s, Chill Scape records of the early 90s, Drone/Improvisation records of the late 90s/early 00s, and a Diversity section of more recent records. Book is softcover, over 300 pages, and filled with hundreds of images throughout! Book

Techno isn't a style that just evolved from 80s Detroit – as the authors of this book go way way back to the early 60s – to start digging for the roots of space-age music and electronic sounds that would explode on dancefloors many years later! The book offers up an array of records in many different styles – presented in the best Japanese disc guide mode – which means full color images of the cover and basic details in English – plus a small Japanese review that you can read using Google Translate. Chapters include a Space Age section on the 60s, a Krautrock section from the early 70s, Synth Pop of the late 70s, Electro of the mid 80s, and on up to chapters on Rave Culture, Detroit Techno, Artificial Intelligence, Glitch/Drone, Dubstep, Glitch/Drone, and Juke/Bass Music. The book features images of hundreds of records that will help you digging in the crates while drinking in this history lesson – and this softcover volume is 286 pages, full color throughout! Book

A set that's especially sexy, and especially jazzy too – as Jun Miyake works here with a whole host of American fusion players – a really great lineup who make the record soar! Jun's definitely in the more fusion-oriented side of his music here – blowing trumpet and flugelhorn, and handling keyboards too – with a shifting array of great sidemen who include Michael Brecker on tenor, David Sanborn on alto, Victor Bailey on bass, and Poogie Bell on drums – plus some especially nice work from guitarist Bobby Broom, who's very much in the mode of his best Arista records, and even sings a bit on one cut too! Titles include "JFK Express", "Becoming To You", "Wish", "June Night Love", "Twist To Open", "Crossing", and "Sea Born Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's especially sexy, and especially jazzy too – as Jun Miyake works here with a whole host of American fusion players – a really great lineup who make the record soar! Jun's definitely in the more fusion-oriented side of his music here – blowing trumpet and flugelhorn, and handling keyboards too – with a shifting array of great sidemen who include Michael Brecker on tenor, David Sanborn on alto, Victor Bailey on bass, and Poogie Bell on drums – plus some especially nice work from guitarist Bobby Broom, who's very much in the mode of his best Arista records, and even sings a bit on one cut too! Titles include "JFK Express", "Becoming To You", "Wish", "June Night Love", "Twist To Open", "Crossing", and "Sea Born Mind". CD

One of the most soulful sets that Jun Miyake ever recorded – a set that's still very strongly on the jazz side of his musical spectrum, but which also has some strong city pop elements in the production at times! Jun serves up lead flugelhorn solos, in a manner that's inspired by American soulful fusion players of the 70s – mostly with small combo backing that features keyboards from Soichi Noriki and Hiroki Inui, and tenor from Yasuki Shimizu – key players amidst an array that shifts a bit from track to track. Some cuts have acoustic rhythms, others are more electric – and one track features backing vocals from the female trio Eve! Titles include "A Thoughtful Touch", "34 West 10th Street", "I Knew I Was", "You Would Smile So", "Scorpio", and "Could It Be Real". LP, Vinyl record album

Many years back, Jun Miyake went from working in familiar jazz modes to creating a genre that's all his own – music that has a very special vibe, and a sense of subtle beauty that's very much in keeping with the title of the album! It's always hard to describe Jun's music in words – as at some level, it's an extension of some of the more minimal experiments on the Japanese scene of the 80s – those cool combinations of sound that came after the initial work of Ryuichi Sakamoto and his contemporaries. But at another level, Miyake's music is sometimes more song-based, and tuneful – yet never across the entire space of a record at once. Words won't get us too far in trying to convey the quality of the music, but maybe the phrase "whispered garden" is a start – an introduction to titles that include "Farois Distantes", "Paradica", "The Jamestown Bridge", "Counterflect", "Progeny", "Parece Ate Carnaval", "Time Song Time", "Hollow Bones", and "Untrodden Sphere". LP, Vinyl record album

Harmony soul heaven – and the only full album from The Montclairs! The group were a sublime vocal group from the 70s – one with a sound to rival The Whatnauts or The Moments, but which also had a bit more of the super-dope touches you'd expect from their look on the cover of the record – a bit like Soul Generation at their best! The sound is sweet, but with an edge – and a young Phil Perry wrote most of the tracks on the record, with a really unique feel that goes beyond simple cliches from the better-known groups of the genre. Oliver Sain produced, and although the record came out on Jewel, it's got much more of a New Jersey feel than other work on the label. Titles include "Dreaming's Out Of Season", "Grand Finale", "Just Can't Get Away", "Prelude to a Heartbreak", "Do I Stand a Chance", and "Unwanted Love". CD features 9 more bonus tracks from singles – including "Make Up For Lost Time", "I Need You More Than Ever", "Hung Up On Your Love", "I'm Calling You", "Dawn Of My Life", "Out My Back Door", and "Ease The Pain". CD

Never-heard live work from the legendary Junie Morrison – a funky legend who worked both in the Ohio Players and in the P-Funk empire of George Clinton – heard here in a smoking live setting in Michigan, right around the time of his classic solo records for Westbound! The format is great – really open and freewheeling, and nicely different than some of Junie's records in the studio – as Junie works with the Crowd Pleasers group, in a blistering blend of funk, soul, and jazz – with solos that evoke some of the latter, and which remind us of the unearthed Lyman Woodard concerts from around the same time! Tracks are mostly nice and long, very jamming – and the small combo vibe is a really different change from some of the arena funk of the period. Titles include a great version of Junie's classic "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce" – plus "Super J", "Tight Rope/Super Groupie", "Shakey Ground", "Fopp", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "Surrender", and an Ohio Players medley of "Pain/Cookies Will Get You/Pleasure/Ecstasy". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard live work from the legendary Junie Morrison – a funky legend who worked both in the Ohio Players and in the P-Funk empire of George Clinton – heard here in a smoking live setting in Michigan, right around the time of his classic solo records for Westbound! The format is great – really open and freewheeling, and nicely different than some of Junie's records in the studio – as Junie works with the Crowd Pleasers group, in a blistering blend of funk, soul, and jazz – with solos that evoke some of the latter, and which remind us of the unearthed Lyman Woodard concerts from around the same time! Tracks are mostly nice and long, very jamming – and the small combo vibe is a really different change from some of the arena funk of the period. Titles include a great version of Junie's classic "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce" – plus "Super J", "Tight Rope/Super Groupie", "Shakey Ground", "Fopp", "Musical Son", "Oh Me Oh My", "Surrender", and an Ohio Players medley of "Pain/Cookies Will Get You/Pleasure/Ecstasy". CD

The title's not right – as there's plenty of soul and plenty of blues throughout – just the sort of thing we'd expect from Stan Mosley's long legacy of indie recordings from the contemporary underground! We first started hearing Stan's music on the Malaco label at the end of the 90s – a great continuation of that company's way of keeping southern soul alive by mixing it with a bit of blues – a quality that definitely comes through on some of these cuts, with a bit of blues guitar solo in the lineup – while Stan soars out as more of a deep soul singer on others! The vocals are wonderful throughout – nicely unbridled, and very much up to Mosley's legacy – on titles that include "You Need Love", "Blues Man", "I Can't Get Next To You", "This Train", "Losing Hand", "Stomp", "Right Next Door", and "I'm Back To Collect". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing record from the great Ed Motta – a set that continues all the warmer, English language elements of his recent albums – but one that also seems to have Ed hitting a new sort of sophistication too! The sound is incredible – almost out-AORing all the global AOR references that Motta's given us in both his own music, and some of the great collections he's done over the years – but there's also more of a special small combo vibe, with some instrumentation on the record that seems even more compelling than usual – and which includes some great guitar moments from Ed, in addition to Fender Rhodes. Take it from us, the whole thing is superb – as appealing to fans of the older soul tradition that Motta inherited in his youth, as it is to people who love jazzy vocals, and even those elite few of us who think that Steely Dan were one of the highest points in 20th Century music. (Ed's with us on that one, by the way!) Titles include "Lost Connection To Prague", "Novice Never Noticed", "The Required Dress Code", "X1 In Test", "The Tiki's Broken There", "Shoulder Pads", and "Your Satisfaction Is Mine". Great bonus tracks here – "Sweetest Berry (alt version organ)", "Sweetest Berry (alt version piano solo)", "Novice Never Noticed (alt solo)", "X1 In Test (alt take 2)", "The Tiki's Broken There (alt take)", and "Your Satisfaction Is Mine (inst version)". CD

A crucial bit of keyboard funk from the 70s – a wild album of many moods, recorded in 1974, and featuring the talents of keyboard whiz Marc Moulin! Moulin's since been resurrected and given the credit he deserves – but at the time of release, this rare gem was somewhat lost – caught underneath the weight of more famous work by players like Herbie Hancock or George Duke. The album's got a jazzy groove in parts – and in others it's got a totally stripped down feel, and sounds a lot like a lost David Axelrod album, or a rare Herbie Hancock Japanese session. Includes the totally excellent 17 minute cut "Tohubohu", plus goodies like "La Blouse", "La Bougie", and "From". CD

Mad funk from Ethiopia – classic work by the legendary Mulatu, one of Africa's heaviest artists of the 70s! Mulatu's been kind of a beathead secret for years – as most of his exotic grooves were never issued properly outside of Africa, and have only been the province of collectors who had the money and cash to get their hands on the work. The music's got a strange, other-worldly feel – a mix of bass-heavy dubby rhythms and spaced-out jazzy solos played on saxophone and electric piano – all coming together in a unique style that will blow your mind! Titles include "Yekatit", "Nesanet", "Sabye", "Ykermo Sew", "Asmarina", "Gubelye", "Dewel", and "Ene Alantchi Alnorem". CD

A great little record from Japanese singer Yoko Nagisa – an artist who's clearly got a 70s look on the cover, and who really brings that to the record too – mixing in bits of jazz and bits of soul, at a level that maybe makes the whole thing feel like some blend between vintage work by Kimiko Kasai and some of the more mainstream singers of that older decade – set to perfect period instrumentation that's handled by Crazy Ken Band! Instrumentation has a sense of warmth that really matches Yoko's vocals nicely – and although lyrics are in Japanese throughout, as are the song titles – there's a really universal sense of appeal to the record. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweetly soulful set from the Aloha soul scene of the late 70s – a record that features plenty of warm trombone work from Ira Nepus, mixed with some R&B-styled backings – all at a level that's a fair bit like the best US work of Raul DeSouza at the time! The blend of jazz and soul is great – almost in Wayne Henderson territory – and the cuts have vocals, but always still save plenty of room for great solos from Nepus – a player we don't know much at all, but who really captures the best sort of jazzy soul vibe that Fantasy records was putting out at the time! And speaking vibes, Rich Margolis delivers some great work on that instrument too – on titles that include "Trickey Mickey", "Trombone Feeling", "Flamenco Jazz", "Slide Vibin", "Limbo Jazz", and "Journey To Paricutin". LP, Vinyl record album

The New Mastersounds always sound grittier in a live setting – and this album is great proof of that fact! The drums seem harder, the guitar a bit more edgey, and the Hammond let loose even more than before – all flying together on grooves that run a bit longer than some of the combo's studio sets – with a bit more funky energy too! This cooking little date was recorded in San Francisco over the course of two nights that are nicely distilled down here – and the core quartet is joined by some added tenor and sax on three tracks, showing a whole new dimension of the Mastersounds groove. Titles include "Can't Hold Me Down", "Hot Dog", "Hey Fela", "Nervous", "Idris", "Thermal Bad", "Carrot Juice", and "The Minx". CD

The rare first album by The Next Movement! The band was an obscure Chicago group that had a funky soul sound with a bit of clubby feel to it – not really disco, but more in a mode that was in line with east coast groups of the mid to late 70s, especially those from Philly. This album has lots of help from the Chicago scene – and Tom Tom Washington handled a number of the arrangements, with that bounce he was putting into his soul arrangements at the time. Nice tracks include "Never Stop Dancin", plus "Sweat It Out", "Night Stalker", "You're The One", "Kid Stuff", and "How Did We Get To This (The Letter)". LP, Vinyl record album

The former leader of Ollie & The Nightingale steps out on his own – hitting a wonderfully deep approach to Memphis soul that's even more sublime than his previous group's records for Stax! There's a quiet genius going on here – a simple but powerful take on southern soul that pushes the genre into a new level of sophistication while still holding onto its roots. The album's a lost southern soul classic that should be on the shelf of anyone who digs male deep soul vocals – and we've never been certain why Ollie never scored bigger with the set at the time! Production and arrangements are by Gene Bowlegs Miller, and titles include "Here I Am Again", "May the Best Man Win", "Sweet Surrender", and "I Gave Her Everything She Needed". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest soul records of the 70s – recorded in Germany by a bunch of American servicemen on leave, but with a sound that's right out of the Chicago or Detroit groove of the pre-disco years! The group's great with both the funky and soulful material – hitting hard with monster groovers like "Holes In My Shoes" and the jazzy break classic "Windy C", and keeping it sweet and mellow on ballads like "My Little Someone" and "Boarding Pass". The album's got a great sound overall – almost like some of the jazzy soul albums on Fantasy from the mid 70s – and the quality of the vocals and instrumentation is great throughout. Titles include "I Love You", "Bet You Say You Want To Make It With Me", "No More City, No More Country", and "You Keep Me Coming Back". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest soul records of the 70s – recorded in Germany by a bunch of American servicemen on leave, but with a sound that's right out of the Chicago or Detroit groove of the pre-disco years! The group's great with both the funky and soulful material – hitting hard with monster groovers like "Holes In My Shoes" and the jazzy break classic "Windy C", and keeping it sweet and mellow on ballads like "My Little Someone" and "Boarding Pass". The album's got a great sound overall – almost like some of the jazzy soul albums on Fantasy from the mid 70s – and the quality of the vocals and instrumentation is great throughout. Titles include "I Love You", "Bet You Say You Want To Make It With Me", "No More City, No More Country", and "You Keep Me Coming Back". CD

One of the rarest soul records of the 70s – recorded in Germany by a bunch of American servicemen on leave, but with a sound that's right out of the Chicago or Detroit groove of the pre-disco years! The group's great with both the funky and soulful material – hitting hard with monster groovers like "Holes In My Shoes" and the jazzy break classic "Windy C", and keeping it sweet and mellow on ballads like "My Little Someone" and "Boarding Pass". The album's got a great sound overall – almost like some of the jazzy soul albums on Fantasy from the mid 70s – and the quality of the vocals and instrumentation is great throughout. Titles include "I Love You", "Bet You Say You Want To Make It With Me", "No More City, No More Country", and "You Keep Me Coming Back". CD

Stunning sounds from Michael Orr – a singer you might know from his secular work in the duo of Harris & Orr – and who still sounds incredible here in a more spiritual-styled set from the start of the 80s! As with Michael's earlier music, there's a cool, cosmic vibe going on in the instrumentation – jazzy keyboard inflections and a great spacey soul conception that's quite unusual for most records of this vintage, much less the gospel setting that Orr's working in here on the Birthright label! Yet as with the hippest gospel records of the time, the religion is delivered more in a sense of universal spirit – at a level that's more on par with some of the more spiritual jazz and soul releases of the time – a mode that Orr worked in before on his previous albums. Michael plays a fair bit of Fender Rhodes on the record, and sings deeply too – and the vibe here is a lot like the best modern soul moments from Rance Allen and DJ Rogers. Titles include "Love Will Rise", "Hear The Message", "This Is A Blessing", "Spread Love", "Come Live In My Heart", and "I Don't Know You". LP, Vinyl record album

Very hip, never-issued work from this legendary jazz guitarist – tracks recorded at the same time as his classic Better Days album, but appearing on this set for the first time ever! The "behind" in the title is very apt – as the group here is the lean trio at the core of that bigger album – with fantastic electric bass from the legendary Carol Kaye, who's definitely at her most soulful here – and really brings something out of Joe than the sound of some of his other 70s albums. The great Paul Humphrey is on drums, too – another funky legend in the group – and titles include "Slick Cat", "In The City", "Love Is", "Bass Blues", "Flying Down To Baja", "The Preacher", and "Better Days (alternate)". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the funkiest record ever made by guitarist Joe Pass – a real surprise from an artist we mostly know for his mellower and straight ahead work! The style here is tight electric funk, almost in a Groove Merchant sort of way – and given Joe's heavy use of hollow-body guitar on the record, and the warm chromatic hues in his tone, the style's a fair bit like O'Donel Levy on his 70s classics from the same era. Bassist Carol Kaye had a hand in putting together the record, and there's a similar feel here to her own best grooves – tight, studio-oriented work – but never slick or too commercial! Other players include Joe Sample on keyboards, Paul Humphrey on drums, Tom Scott on sax and flute, and JJ Johnson on trombone – and despite the presence of these heavyweights, the record has a nicely soulful sound that's more indie grit than major label funk! CD adds some bonus tracks to the original record – and features 18 titles that include "Free Sample", "Better Days", "Head Start", "It's Too Late", "Gotcha", "Alison", "The Preacher", "Bass Blues", "Burning Spear", "Slick Cat", "Flying Down To Baja", and "Love Is". LP, Vinyl record album

Legendary Paramount recordings from Charlie Patton – mostly recorded in Richmond, Indiana in 1929 – but easily some of the most important Mississippi blues of the time! The package features a wealth of seminal songs from the June, 1929 session that really helped launch the Patton legacy – tracks that are arguably as important to the development of blues as the work of Robert Johnson, and which quite possibly circulated even more at the time. Patton's got a slightly folksy approach, and a sense of darkness that really makes most of these numbers very riveting, even all these many decades later – an acoustic brilliance that's had folks coming back to his music time and time again over the years.. CD features 20 titles in all – and tracks include "Screamin & Hollerin The Blues", "Pea Vine Blues", "Hammer Blues", "Dry Well Blues", "Poor Me", "Hang It On The Wall", "Down The Dirt Road Blues", "Mississippi Boweavil Blues", and "Tom Rushen Blues". CD

A very cool combo from the LA scene of the 70s – a tight funky group, topped with two female soul singers – all working together in a style that's got a wonderful mixture of warmer edges and grittier sounds at the core! The two female singers really give the set a unique vibe – as they help bring focus to the instrumentation of the group, with a lot more presence than the usual throw-in female vocals of the time – hardly the backing chorus mode of a disco record, and instead a great balance to the sharp guitar lines and keyboards from the musicians! We've not heard of any of the players in any other setting, but they're very good – clearly able to handle jazz if they want, but aimed here towards a sophisticated funk style that's equally great on the mellow steppers as it is on the more upbeat tracks. Titles include "Heavenly Feeling", "World Full Of People", "Do You Hear Me Talking To You", "Dreaming Our Lives Away", "A Thank You Song", "Fantasies & Dreams", and "I'd Like To Stay". CD features a bonus 7" mix of "I'd Like To Stay". CD

A very cool combo from the LA scene of the 70s – a tight funky group, topped with two female soul singers – all working together in a style that's got a wonderful mixture of warmer edges and grittier sounds at the core! The two female singers really give the set a unique vibe – as they help bring focus to the instrumentation of the group, with a lot more presence than the usual throw-in female vocals of the time – hardly the backing chorus mode of a disco record, and instead a great balance to the sharp guitar lines and keyboards from the musicians! We've not heard of any of the players in any other setting, but they're very good – clearly able to handle jazz if they want, but aimed here towards a sophisticated funk style that's equally great on the mellow steppers as it is on the more upbeat tracks. Titles include "Heavenly Feeling", "World Full Of People", "Do You Hear Me Talking To You", "Dreaming Our Lives Away", "A Thank You Song", "Fantasies & Dreams", and "I'd Like To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous early work from trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson – an artist you might know from his long-spun spiritual jazz work of the 70s – but who sounds nicely different here on a rare early set from the 60s! The record was done when Marvin was part of the ultra-hip jazz program at North Texas State University – which you may know from their own label and albums – and the vibe here is more soul and funk than Peterson of a few years later – served up with a very cool combo that features organ, bass, and drums chugging out a mighty sweet groove – while Marvin solos over the top on trumpet, alongside Mike Campbell on alto, Cleveland Gay on trombone, and Tim Peterson on saxes and flute. There's definitely a few deeper currents here, but mixed with soul-inspired material as well – which even sees a bit of vocals from Marvin too. Titles include "Our Groove", "I Can't Stand It", "Groove For Otis", "Five Foot Even", and "Conversation". LP, Vinyl record album

Bassy funk from the early 80s southern scene – the only album we've ever seen from Piranha, and a gem of a tight little set! The groove here is roughly in the mode of some of the better-known northern club groups in the post-disco years – crafted with lots of boogie bass on the bottom and tight rhythms throughout the set. But there's also a style that's a bit more in the ensemble funk mode here too – one that still keeps most of the instrumentation acoustic, and which has a bit less keyboards and electric percussion than other boogie-era work. Titles include "Funk-a-sol", "One Sided Love", "Let's Get It Back Together", "Good Time Lady", "Headed In The Right Direction", and "Let Your Feelings Show". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool little album from Placebo – arguably the group's most soulful session ever, and one that draws heavily from American funky jazz at the start of the 70s! The grooves are nice and tight, and keyboards are focused on the most soulful sort of riffs – not nearly as tripped out as in later years, and really doing a great job of sending home the funky rhythms – almost in a way that's sort of early CTI at the best points! Marc Moulin's genius is already firmly in place – and he handles all arrangements, plus plays Fender Rhodes, electric harpsichord, and even what sounds like a bit of moog! Titles include "Humpty Dumpty", "Aria", "Showbiz Suite", "Ball Of Eyes", "You Got Me Hummin", and "Inner City Blues". CD

Seminal sounds from Placebo – one of the hippest electric groups going on the European scene of the early 70s, thanks to some great keyboards and electronics from the legendary Marc Moulin! Placebo's sound here is a unique approach to funky jazz – one that certainly draws from the electric modes of the American scene, and without any of the jamming elements of other Euro fusion groups – but there's also a touch of rockish inflection at points too – especially in the way the rhythms have a tightly pulsating groove. There's none of the indulgence of prog, but there's definitely a lineage going on somewhere in the mix too – and in addition to Moulin's keyboards, the group also features great horns from Nick Fissette, Alex Socrier, and Richard Rousselet. Titles include "Bolkwush", "Temse", "Balek", "Phalene", "Re-Union", and "Only Nineteen". CD

The second amazing album from Placebo – a wicked mix of funky fusion styles, and a real standout on the European scene of the early 70s! The group's the brainchild of Marc Moulin – who wrote all tracks, and plays a wealth of great keyboards, in ways that almost make him the European equivalent of Herbie Hancock – especially in the way he can spaciously explore a groove! But there's other great elements to the music too – some tight funky rhythms, great horn parts, and some wicked guitar from fusion legend Philip Catherine – whose snakey lines bring a quality to the record that was in place on Placebo's first outing. Titles include "NW", "Plotseling", "Hop Hop", "Tanga", "Stomp", and "Dag Madam Merci". CD

A crazy bit of funk from drummer Roy Porter – a player who first rose to fame during the LA bop years of the late 40s, but who sounds even hipper here in the 70s! The album's got a madly skittish approach to funk – one that's highly rhythmic, but often in unconventional ways – somewhat similar to Redd Holt's excellent albums for the Paula label. Roy plays drums, percussion, and sings a bit – and the grooves run from break-heavy instrumentals to even cooler numbers that bring in more of a sense of flow and soul – really opening things up beyond any simple 70s jazz funk cliches, and hitting some really wicked new territory! Instrumentation includes plenty of great horns, electric piano, guitar, and even a bit of Arp – all used in really inventive and creative ways. Titles include the classic crate-digging favorites "Panama" and "Party Time", plus a vocal version of "Jessica", a cover of Jobim's "Waver-ing", and another nice original called "Funny Feelin'"! Tremendous stuff all the way through – and comes with a very cool 7" single – with the rare vocal version of "Panama", and a DJ Muro edit of the track too! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful mix of soul jazz, funky rhythms, and even more experimental moments – a truly tremendous effort from LA drummer Roy Porter, and the first set issued under the name of his Sound Machine group! The groove here is really unconventional – filled with unusual timings, phrasings, and changes that push it way beyond more familiar jazz funk of Prestige, Fantasy, or CTI – yet still all very much in the pocket, with a righteously soulful vibe that's incredible! The cover's inspired by Roy's son's love of motocross – and one number even features a bit of motorcycle sound effects along with the grooves! The rest of the tracks are heavier on the horns, and feature some wonderful arrangements that are filled with soul and style – always a bit edgey, and never too slick or straightforward. Titles include the classics "Funky Twitch" and "Hip City", plus "Drums for Daryl", "Ooh-La-La", and the legendary "Jessica", a really beautiful number! Comes with a great bonus 45 – the Kenny Dope remix of "Jessica", and a vocal version of the same tune! LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy funk from the great Roy Porter – one of his most break-heavy tracks ever! "Party Time" has a wicked start that DJs have been digging for years – and the whole tune's this wibbly wobbly funky gem – with sweet Fender Rhodes, this cool chorus, and a skittish groove that never lets up! DJ Spinna does a great job on his own edit – really loving the break, and lifting up the Rhodes in a way that makes the whole thing sound even funkier! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great set of mellow soul from the start of the 80s – not the Positive Force of "We Got The Funk" fame, but a different groove that has a nicely smooth groove! The style here is halfway between soul and AOR, but handled with an indie charm that really keeps things compelling – all original songs all the way through, and all graced with top-shelf vocals from Denise Vallin – who really knows how to fit the mood of the tunes! Instrumentation is tight, but never slick – mostly in a jazzy mode with warm keyboards, sax lines, and guitar – with added help from a bigger group here and there. Titles include "Too Much Love", "The One I Love", "Give Me A Sign", "Take Some Time Out", "You Told Me You Loved Me", "I Think Of You", "Put It In The Groove", and "You Gotta Know". CD

Really great work from Positive Force – a group who gave the world a rare groove classic back in the 80s, and who return here with fresh material that's every bit as great! The last time around, their lead singer was Denise Vallin – and here, the lovely Leslie Page steps up to the microphone with a vocal style that's a great fit for the warm, Cali-styled grooves that the group does so well – a mixture of soulful inclinations with jazzier flourishes – all given a production style that's nicely down to earth, like some lost west coast jazz vocal album from back in the day! Disregard the 2022 date, as the whole thing feels a lot more like the kind of Free Soul material folks overseas were digging years ago – with titles that include "Gone Are The Days", "One Heart", "I Know", "Manti", "Dawn Breaks", and "I'll Be What I Wanna Be". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer of an album – a real corker from Lloyd, one of those singers who kept on growing tremendously after his early big hits! The album was recorded in Muscle Shoals, but it's got a smooth modern sort of finish – all compressed and slightly funky, in a manner that's partially inspired by Philly, partially by Marvin Gaye's mid 70s hits. The whole thing's extremely great – with lots of hip modern numbers that bear no resemblance whatsoever to Lloyd's early work, and which will have you going "Hey, who's that? He's really great!" A bit like Sydney Joe Qualls, Johnny Bristol, or Prince Phillip Mitchell – and with tracks that include "N'Sele", "Uphill Peace Of Mind", "Street Love", "Mr & Mrs Untrue", "What Did You Do With My Love", and "Music Music". LP, Vinyl record album

If this is disco, point us in the direction of Studio 54! The album's one of Ra's greatest from the 70s – recorded in Italy in 1978, and featuring some incredibly otherworldly keyboards that are some of his most enigmatic on record! This hugely expanded version features a whopping 12 tracks in all – the complete performance that originally spawned the album, all of which is as delightful as the 3 tracks that were originally issued on vinyl. Finding all this extra Ra material from the 70s – over 2 hours of music – is like finding a time machine – and the well-done package comes with great notes and excellent sound. Original tracks from the album include "Disco 3000", an incredible workout on synthesizer, with a tiny bit of drum machine, a little "Space Is The Place" breakdown, and all of the wild sound you'd expect from a Sun Ra album – plus more long tracks – the sweetly soulful "Friendly Galaxy", a great soul jazz number, and "Dance Of The Cosmo Aliens", which has spooky organ, frenetic bass, and somber percussion! Additional material includes "Echoes Of The World", "Sun Of The Cosmos", "Geminology", "Sky Blues", "We Travel The Spaceways", and "Spontaneous Simplicity" – all played by a group that includes John Gilmore on tenor, Luqman Ali on drums, Michael Ray on trumpet, June Tyson on vocals, and Sun Ra on piano, organ, moog, and rhythm machine. CD

One of the most soulful Sun Ra albums ever – very much on the Lanquidity tip, and done with a great mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation! The vibe here is really mellow, spiritual, and warm – and the album actually feels a lot more like a session recorded for the Strata East label than it does for Saturn! Keyboards pervade the session – electric piano and organ drifting around in moody, laidback lines – augmented by occasional vibes, bits of guitar, and some wonderfully well-blown sax solo work by Marshall Allen and John Gilmore! The title track "Sleeping Beauty" runs for all of side two of the album – and it's an amazing little number that mixes instrumental passages with some great mellow Roy Ayers-styled vocals. "Door Of The Cosmos" is a bit of a groover, and even gets a bit funky at times – and the album also features the laidback spacey number "Springtime". CD

Fantastic material from Sun Ra – a never-heard 1972 performance at Slugs, and one that captures the group at their most spiritual point! The core of the set is the track "I Roam The Cosmos" – one of the more obscure Ra compositions, and a title that appears here for the first time on any record – folded together with bits of "Astro Black" and "Discipline 27 II" – in a wonderfully extended single musical performance – stretching for 51 minutes long, and filled with righteous vocal moments alongside some great solos too! The groove is great – kind of a slow dipping and turning rhythm – showcasing recitations by June Tyson and Sun Ra – with lots of room for soulful work from Marshall Allen on flute and alto, Danny Davis on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Kwame Hadi and Akh Tal Ebah on trumpets, and Danny Ray Thompson on baritone – plus lots of drums and percussion. Really beautiful stuff – as deeply spiritual as the best of the Impulse Records artists, circa 1972 – and appearing here for the first time ever! CD

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". Very cool 2LP pressing – with alternate takes of three tracks on the album! LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". CD

A massive double-dose of unissued material from the sessions for the legendary Vibes From The Tribe album – with a focus on some especially funky tracks! Trombonist Ranelin was one of the key figures in the city's Tribe Records scene – and Vibes From The Tribe is one of the greatest albums that the label ever issued – a perfect blend of the spiritual currents that were bubbling under in the scene, and some of the funky touches that helped make Ranelin and the label legendary over the years. The set features Ranelin on trombone, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Kenny Cox on electric piano, and Harold McKinney on piano – plus other luminaries from the incredibly strong Detroit scene of the time. This special album features three great mixes of the title track – "Vibes From The Tribe (alt mix)", "Vibes From The Tribe (extended)", and "Vibes From The Tribe (8 Track version)" – plus "Sounds From The Village (alt mix)", "Sounds From The Village (extended)", "Wife (alt mix)", For The Children (alt mix)", and "He The One We All Knew (alt mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent lost classic from Detroit soul jazz powerhouse Phil Ranelin – now a legendary figure, but recording here back at the start of his career in the Motor City! Trombonist Ranelin was one of the key figures in the city's Tribe Records scene – and this album is one of the greatest that the label ever issued – a perfect blend of the spiritual currents that were bubbling under in the scene, and some of the funky touches that helped make Ranelin and the label legendary over the years. The set features Ranelin on trombone, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Kenny Cox on electric piano, and Harold McKinney on piano – plus other luminaries from the incredibly strong Detroit scene of the time – and titles include the funky classic "Sounds From The Village", the slow spacey breakbeat number "Vibes From The Tribe", and the jazzy groover "For The Children". Also includes "He The One We All Knew", an extended piece that features members of The Griot Galaxy that takes up all of side two! CD

An excellent lost classic from Detroit soul jazz powerhouse Phil Ranelin – now a legendary figure, but recording here back at the start of his career in the Motor City! Trombonist Ranelin was one of the key figures in the city's Tribe Records scene – and this album is one of the greatest that the label ever issued – a perfect blend of the spiritual currents that were bubbling under in the scene, and some of the funky touches that helped make Ranelin and the label legendary over the years. The set features Ranelin on trombone, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Kenny Cox on electric piano, and Harold McKinney on piano – plus other luminaries from the incredibly strong Detroit scene of the time – and titles include the funky classic "Sounds From The Village", the slow spacey breakbeat number "Vibes From The Tribe", and the jazzy groover "For The Children". Also includes "He The One We All Knew", an extended piece that features members of The Griot Galaxy that takes up all of side two! LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique little record – this amazing mix of keyboard jazz and spoken word – and unlike anything else we can think of! We might be tempted to think of the set as a more spiritual journey into territory that Rick Holmes explored with Roy Ayers – but the record is much more open and free-flowing – with a range of different keyboards from leader Abdur Razzaq, who plays Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and other keys – and also delivers a lot of percussion too! Rafiyq performs the vocals – and is recorded with this slight echo that makes his wisdom sound even more majestic – and titles include the long "Night Of Power (parts 1 & 2)", and the shorter "Reflections From The Grave". CD

An obscure set from the Detroit scene of the early 80s – a jazz record, but one with a nice current of soul – thanks to work on both bass and vocals from Reginald "ShooBeeDoo" Fields! Wendell Harrison recorded the record, and also plays tenor on the record – but the set's very different than most of his music, both of the 70s and 80s – because Fields has an offbeat style that's very much his own, and which really seems to tie the rest of the musicians on the record to his sharp energy on the bass! That instrument is used in both acoustic and electric modes – and things sometimes get loose, open, and slightly free – then balanced out with straighter, more soulful passages. In addition to tenor from Harrison, the set also features Billy McCoy on electric piano, Tani Tabal on tablas and drums, and Allen Barns on additional tenor. Pamela Wise sings on "Ancient Egyptian Rhythms" – and other titles include "The Wagon Walk", "The Morning Sun", "Reminiscing", and "Shoo Will Be Back In Due Time". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure set from the Detroit scene of the early 80s – a jazz record, but one with a nice current of soul – thanks to work on both bass and vocals from Reginald "ShooBeeDoo" Fields! Wendell Harrison recorded the record, and also plays tenor on the record – but the set's very different than most of his music, both of the 70s and 80s – because Fields has an offbeat style that's very much his own, and which really seems to tie the rest of the musicians on the record to his sharp energy on the bass! That instrument is used in both acoustic and electric modes – and things sometimes get loose, open, and slightly free – then balanced out with straighter, more soulful passages. In addition to tenor from Harrison, the set also features Billy McCoy on electric piano, Tani Tabal on tablas and drums, and Allen Barns on additional tenor. Pamela Wise sings on "Ancient Egyptian Rhythms" – and other titles include "The Wagon Walk", "The Morning Sun", "Reminiscing", and "Shoo Will Be Back In Due Time". CD

A rare gem of a record that's every bit as much a funk party as the disco celebration promised in the title – done with this lean, stripped-down vibe that often hits some of the same fast funk territory as late 70s gems from the P&P family of record labels! There's a nicely offbeat vibe going on here – a combo who clearly have chops from the funky 45 generation, picking up the pace a bit for the clubs, but also never going for a slavish pop disco style either – which means that the whole thing continues with a really great sort of edge, as congas in the rhythms come into play with lots of riffing guitar and some pretty massive basslines! All tracks are instrumental, which continues the funky 45 vibe of the set – and titles include "Let's Party People", "Movin & Groovin", "Road", "Reality", "Disco Party", "Clap & Hustle", and "Welcome". CD

A late bit of new jack from Jeff Redd – a singer who later rose to greater fame behind the scenes in the music biz, but who's great here as a lead artist on his own! The tunes are full of the catchy hooks and beats that mark the best new jack work of the time – and as with some of the best album-length efforts, Redd balances out the upbeat numbers with some great laidback tracks that update an 80s quiet storm mode in a really great way! Titles include "Sex Ain't The Only Thing", "Show You", "You Called Told Me", "Dreamer", "Take It Off", "Let's Spend The Night", and "Why". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album by Isaac Redd Holt – one half of the incredible Young-Holt rhythm team, bursting out nicely here on his own! This is Redd's second album – first for Paula, as the other one was a jazz effort on Argo back in the 60s – and it's a wild blend of jazz, funk, and a lot of other weird sounds. The introduction's totally cool, and features Redd running through a list of hip little clubs in American cities, then the album launches into the great "Listen to the Drums", which has a tight pounding groove, and moves on to a whole bunch of other jazzy cuts like "Flo", "Slow Funk", and "Let the Spirit In". Redd sings a bit, which isn't too bad (mostly), but it's the grooves that will keep you coming back. Very much in the spirit of Roy Porter's legendary funk albums – but probably a bit tighter! CD

Breezy electric vocals from 70s Sweden – a great little record that's heavy on electric piano and organ, and which features some sublime vocals from singer Meta Roos! The record does a great job of blending influences from bossa nova and sophisticated American soul – in a style that manages to draw on some of the bigger songwriters of the time, but which makes the work come across with a fresh sound of its own – thanks to creatively grooving arrangements from keyboardist Nippe Sylwen! Sylwen's keys dominate the music almost as much as Meta's warm vocals – and titles include great versions of "Zazueira", "Feel Like Makin Love", "For Peace & Love", "Oh Lori", "Here We Are Falling In Love Again", "You've Got A Friend", and "Street Walking Women". CD

Very obscure later work from Jackie Ross – recorded in her years after Chess Records, with a sound that's a lot more mature than before! The style here is a bit like Marlena Shaw in the late 70s – a sophisticated blend of soul, jazz, and a little bit of club – served up with arrangements from Ben Wright and Jimmy Van Leer, the latter of whom produced the record. Jackie works surprisingly well in this setting – with a style that makes us wonder what would have happened had she got a chance at larger exposure at the time – particularly through a label like Philly International, whose sound of the time is clearly an influence here. Titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Only Time Has Changed", "The World Needs More People Like You", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Can This Be Love", "The People Some People Choose To Love", and "Betcha By Golly Wow". LP, Vinyl record album

Very obscure later work from Jackie Ross – recorded in her years after Chess Records, with a sound that's a lot more mature than before! The style here is a bit like Marlena Shaw in the late 70s – a sophisticated blend of soul, jazz, and a little bit of club – served up with arrangements from Ben Wright and Jimmy Van Leer, the latter of whom produced the record. Jackie works surprisingly well in this setting – with a style that makes us wonder what would have happened had she got a chance at larger exposure at the time – particularly through a label like Philly International, whose sound of the time is clearly an influence here. Titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Only Time Has Changed", "The World Needs More People Like You", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Can This Be Love", "The People Some People Choose To Love", and "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD

A rare funky gem from the Chicago scene in the pre-house years – but a set that also might be a crucial bridge between the city's 70s soul and the underground clubs that would soon give the world a new groove! The group have plenty of funk elements in the mix – kind of a tightened-up version of P-Funk at times, with lots of bass in the mix – and all these cool moogy keyboard touches – topped by vocals from the group – who often have a call to action sort of vibe, really urging on the groove! The record's definitely too hardcore to have gotten much national radio play – sharper and more wicked than the major label funk of the time – and the use of female vocals in the mix also have a very different vibe than in disco, too – a quality that's hard to describe, but which really stands out. The set features some arrangements by Floyd Morris and Tom Tom 84 – two mighty legends in the Chicago soul scene – and titles include "Doin' It To Def", which has sort of a "We Will Rock You" intro, plus "Hot Spot", "Grab Your Sexy Baby", and "Funk Power". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most hard-edged, gritty material ever cut by the legendary Otis Rush – work done on the Chicago scene of the 50s for Cobra Records – a company who were even more low-fi than Chess Records at the time! Otis' vocals are as incredible as his guitar – and the groups here are often nicely full – not large ensembles, but well-crafted combos that feature plenty of work from key contemporaries on the scene – including Walter Horton on harmonica, Lafayette Leake and Little Brother Montgomery on piano, Harold Ashby and Red Holloway on tenors, and Willie Dixon on bass. All these cuts were originally only issued as rare singles back in the day – and the set features 16 tracks that include "Groaning The Blues", "Violent Love", "Sit Down Baby", "I Can't Quit You Baby", "Checking On My Baby", "She's A Good Un", "Three Times A Fool", and "Love That Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful later work from Japanese singer Yoshiko Sai – tracks that are every bit as sublime as her classics! Sai has this vocal range that's incredible – an ability to slide up and down the scale that's somewhere in the territory of Minnie Riperton or Kate Bush – even though the music here is nothing like theirs at all, as the instrumentation mixes fuller, soaring charts with some occasional stronger guitar lines – all set to superb lead vocals from Yoshiko, always at a level that's much more experimental than commercial. Lyrics are in Japanese throughout – as are the titles – but there's a very universal appeal to the record! LP, Vinyl record album