Very early pre-Chess work from bassist Willie Dixon – heard here in his cool Big Three Trio – a hip jump blues group with almost a west coast vibe at times – presented here on some rare 78rpm material recorded for Columbia, including a few unreleased tracks! CD

Nice, slow pre-Chronic production by Dr. Dre. The noisy mix includes added samples in the Bomb Squad style. Somethingtabumpinyacar is an instrumental version with a short monologue by DOC. Portrait of A Masterpiece is an uptempo lp cut. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Live European work by Eric Dolphy – caught in a setting that was often freer and more creative than his American recordings! The work on the set is pulled from 2 different sessions – one with a group that includes with Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Rune Ofwerman on piano; the other with no trumpet, just piano, bass, and drums session, with Woode on bass again. All titles are relatively long – with Dolphy playing a spiritual mix of flute, alto, and bass clarinet – and the tunes are a strong mix of originals and standards, with titles that include "Sorino", "Loss", "Ann", "Alone", and "Geewee". CD adds and alternate take of "Sorino". CD

An overlooked later album from alto player Lou Donaldson – done both after his 60s Blue Note work, and his 70s material for bigger labels – and a great back to basics session all the way through! Lou is reunited with the great Herman Foster on piano – a player who made some of his early 60s pre-funk records really sound so great – and the duo take off with all the warmth and spontaneous imagination of those excellent early years – getting help in the quartet from Geoff Fuller on bass and Victor Jones on drums. Titles include "Confirmation", "Whiskey Drinkin Woman", "This Is Happiness", "Exactly Like You", "Don't Blame Me", "Melancholy Baby", and Donaldson's terrific centerpiece "Tracy". CD

An overlooked later album from alto player Lou Donaldson – done both after his 60s Blue Note work, and his 70s material for bigger labels – and a great back to basics session all the way through! Lou is reunited with the great Herman Foster on piano – a player who made some of his early 60s pre-funk records really sound so great – and the duo take off with all the warmth and spontaneous imagination of those excellent early years – getting help in the quartet from Geoff Fuller on bass and Victor Jones on drums. Titles include "Confirmation", "Whiskey Drinkin Woman", "This Is Happiness", "Exactly Like You", "Don't Blame Me", "Melancholy Baby", and Donaldson's terrific centerpiece "Tracy". LP, Vinyl record album

Lou's never been a light foot at any point in his career – and even on this earlier, pre-funk session he blows with a heck of a lot of soul! The album's a killer from Lou Donaldson's mid period stint at Blue Note – a set that's informed by bop ideals, but which also explores ideas in a more relaxed, early soul jazz mode – one that uses extra percussion from Ray Barretto to kick up the grooves with a nice little swing, and which also features some sublime piano lines from the great Herman Foster, making one of his few key Donaldson appearances here! Lou's alto work is sparkling throughout – crackling with life, but never too full of itself – and other players include Peck Morrison on bass and Jimmy Wormworth on drums. Titles include a few originals like "Hog Maw" and "Light Foot", plus standards like "Stella By Starlight" and "Green Eyes". CD

Great early material from Lou Donaldson – with a hard-hitting bop sound missing from his later work! The tracks are short, raw, and lively – and filled with the kind of pre-hardbop soul that Donaldson was infusing into jazz, along with other players on the material – like Horace Silver on piano, Art Blakey on drums, and Blue Mitchell on trumpet – all of whom make key early appearances here. The material is from rare 10" LPs – originally recorded in the early 50s, but packaged in a full album by Blue Note for the legendary 1500 series! Titles include "Moe's Bluff", "Roccus", "Sweet Juice", "Down Home", and "The Stroller". CD

One of the coolest club combos of the 70s – the mighty Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – a group with a sound that's a lot tighter than their name! The group's probably best known for giving exposure to August Darnell in his pre-Kid Creole years – but they've also got a sound that's really all their own, and which draws strongly from all members of the group – making them way more than just another Darnell side project. Old and new styles come together wonderfully in the band's music – but the approach isn't just easy retro disco, and instead is often a warmer take on mainstream 70s disco modes – one that dips into the past to pull back the right elements to bring a bit more life to the sound. Arrangements are mostly by Stony Browder Jr, who co-wrote most of the tunes – and titles include "The Gigolo & I", "You Got Something/Betcha The Love Bug Bitcha", "Transistor Madness/Future DJ", "Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon", "Mister Love", "Sunshower", "Nocturnal Interludes", "Soraya/March Of The Nignies", "Auf Wiedersehen/Darrio", "I'll Play The Fool", and "Hard Times". CD

A great look at a format that was very near and dear to our hearts back in the day – especially in the pre-digital world, when the cassette tape was the easiest way to circulate music! As you can guess from the title, the author takes this topic and really runs with it – showing how the birth of the tape, home recording, and easy audio transfer allowed for the growth and circulation of lots of different music. The book is well-written, and has a vibe that really makes these years come alive – and the story doesn't stop with tapes and their use in the 21st Century, as the book traces the format well into the 21st Century – where cassettes have had a surprisingly durable resurgence. Softcover, 216 pages. Book

A killer rare gem from the 70s – served up in this warm mellow take on funky soul, with plenty of jazzy licks in the mix too! The production is great – cool and compressed, so that the vocals are folded nicely onto the grooves – which are mostly in this midtempo mode that chugs along in a really unified pace throughout the record – almost making the whole thing feel like some funky suite of tracks that work together as a unit! The vibe is almost a bit in the Sugar Billy mode – indie funk that's nicely away from the mainstream, and with a groove that's more pre-disco overall – on a great set of tracks that include "You Must Be From Heaven", "Rainbow Men", "Freeway", "Love Rope", "Super Love", and "Save The Young Ones". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer rare gem from the 70s – served up in this warm mellow take on funky soul, with plenty of jazzy licks in the mix too! The production is great – cool and compressed, so that the vocals are folded nicely onto the grooves – which are mostly in this midtempo mode that chugs along in a really unified pace throughout the record – almost making the whole thing feel like some funky suite of tracks that work together as a unit! The vibe is almost a bit in the Sugar Billy mode – indie funk that's nicely away from the mainstream, and with a groove that's more pre-disco overall – on a great set of tracks that include "You Must Be From Heaven", "Rainbow Men", "Freeway", "Love Rope", "Super Love", and "Save The Young Ones". CD

A great mix of material here – earlier classics and some tracks recorded in 1971! Titles include the nwer cuts "I Shal Be Released", "You Ain't Goin Nowhere", and "Down In The Flood" – plus "A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall", "She Belongs To Me", "All Along The Watchtower", "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", "Don't Think Twice", "Lay Lady Lay", "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again", "If Not For You", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", and "Maggie's Farm". Cassette

A really nice set – arranged chronologically – with one disc devoted to Ellington's pre-war 78 rpm recordings, and two discs pulled from his classic Columbia LPs. 66 tracks total, plus a great booklet with detailed notes on each track. CD

Excellent pre-Columbia work from trumpeter Don Ellis – a live date recorded with Tom Scott on saxes and Dave Mackay on piano – presented here in its entirety for the first time ever! The groove here is every bit as hard as on Ellis' funky classics for Columbia – but more acoustic overall, and bottomed with some great Latin percussion from Alan Estes on timbales and Chino Valdes on congas. Many tracks have a slightly exotic feel – a mode that uses conventional jazz instrumentation with slightly Eastern phrasing, in a way that sounds really great alongside the modal rhythms of the tunes. Titles include Scott's "With Respect To Coltrane" and "Blues For Hari" – plus "Slippin N Slidin", "Bali Dancer", "Sadness Shouldn't Go To Sleep", "It's A Snap", "The Squeeze", and "Turk's Works". CD

An incredible fantasy of California pop – recorded too late in the 60s to really strike big, but with a perfect approach to mid-decade Beach Boys at their best! Mark Eric's clearly borrowing plenty of pages from Brian Wilson's bag for this set (and maybe Brian Hyland too) – and the original tunes have the beautiful quality of Wilson's best writing in the pre-Pet Sounds years – dealing with deeper themes, but in a very careful and sometimes guarded way that makes the tunes that much more heartfelt. The arrangements are Wilson-inspired too – but have a more mature style than the lyrics – handled by Vic Briggs with a quality that's similar to the brilliant Surf Symphony album of the same year – almost a dreamy remembrance of the sweeter side of California earlier in the decade, but undercut with some of the bluer, more adult modes of the time. Backings feature swirling strings, ringing vibes, and some groovy guitar – and Mark's vocals are often recorded in a way that harmonizes them against the lead – a one-man vocal group, with echoes of The Four Freshmen at times. Titles include "California Home", "Move With The Dawn", "Laura's Changing", "Lynn's Baby", "Just Passing By", "Sad Is The Way That I Feel", and "Take Me With You". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible fantasy of California pop – recorded too late in the 60s to really strike big, but with a perfect approach to mid-decade Beach Boys at their best! Mark Eric's clearly borrowing plenty of pages from Brian Wilson's bag for this set (and maybe Brian Hyland too) – and the original tunes have the beautiful quality of Wilson's best writing in the pre-Pet Sounds years – dealing with deeper themes, but in a very careful and sometimes guarded way that makes the tunes that much more heartfelt. The arrangements are Wilson-inspired too – but have a more mature style than the lyrics – handled by Vic Briggs with a quality that's similar to the brilliant Surf Symphony album of the same year – almost a dreamy remembrance of the sweeter side of California earlier in the decade, but undercut with some of the bluer, more adult modes of the time. Backings feature swirling strings, ringing vibes, and some groovy guitar – and Mark's vocals are often recorded in a way that harmonizes them against the lead – a one-man vocal group, with echoes of The Four Freshmen at times. Titles include "California Home", "Move With The Dawn", "Laura's Changing", "Lynn's Baby", "Just Passing By", "Sad Is The Way That I Feel", and "Take Me With You". LP, Vinyl record album

Pre-US work from Juan Garcia Esquivel – 2 early albums recorded in Mexico in the mid 50s! First up is Las Tandas – a set that's got a hip mix of jazz, swing, and Latin orchestral touches – presented here with some spoken announcements at the beginning of each track, in a way that supposedly sounds "live" – although the recording of the instruments is more in studio-level quality. Titles are all quite unusual – and often offer an odd extrapolation of older modes from the decade before – slightly re-arranged in more modern 50s orchestral modes. Titles include "Politecnio Rock & Roll", "Goya Universidad Rock & Roll", "Una Y Otra Vez", "Collar De Perlas", "Potpourri Curiel", and "Tren Nocturno". To Love Again is one of the rarest of Esquivel's RCA albums – a set that was recorded in Mexico, but issued as one of his first albums in the US! The sound's a bit romantic, but it's still got plenty of elements of his classic RCA work – including his unique approach to arrangements, and his penchant for lots of nice little instrumental flourishes that burst out of the larger ensemble with a nice sense of flourish! Titles include "Jungle Drums", "Vereda Tropical", "Siboney", "Hornblowers Serenade", and "Nocturnal". CD

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin McInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include "Va Va Voom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gallard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. LP, Vinyl record album

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin MacInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include versions of Charles Mingus' "Boogie Stop Shuffle" and "Better Git It In Your Soul", plus his own "Va Va Vaoom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gaillard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. LP, Vinyl record album

Maceo Pinkard wrote plenty of classic tunes in the pre-War years – and here, they're performed by drummer Sticks Evans & The Broadway Recording Orchestra and featuring such vocalists as Delores Andrews (who we learn on the back cover "likes big men and tiny dogs"), Daisy Banks, Vic Carlo, and The Edgar Battle Singers! Titles include plenty of classics – including "Sugar", "Them There Eyes", "Gimme A Little Kiss Will Ya Huh", "Why Do You Torture Me?", "Mammy O Mine", and "Let's Have A Show Down". LP, Vinyl record album

The one and only album by Exit 9 – an obscure funk combo who recorded this rare set for Brunswick in 1975! The group is extremely tight instrumentally – working at a very fast funky clip that's kind of similar to work by Bohannon or Sound Experience – both of whom shared Exit 9's pre-disco approach to dancefloor grooves – more fast-funk than the tighter club sound of later years, and proof that a funky combo could hit the dancefloor if it had the right groove! Most numbers have vocals, and instrumentation includes lots of nice guitar work that keeps a rawer edge on the tracks – choppy and gritty in a really great way. Tracks include "MFB", "Miss Funky Fox", "Fly", "Julie I Love You", "Jive Man", and "Rhapsody in Funk". CD

A huge legacy of music from Eyeless In Gaza – an important British duo from the post-punk years, and one with a sound that definitely went on to shape the style of much bigger acts at the time! As with some of their darker contemporaries, the group began in a style that was stark and electric, but warmed things up as the records moved on, and they really learned how to hone their craft – especially the vocals of Martyn Bates, who has a pre-goth way of sounding spooky and soulful at the same time – all in a mode that's very British as well! Most tracks are pretty spare – lots of keyboards, moody bass, and guitar – and the set brings together 102 tracks from their albums for the Cherry Red label, plus singles too – in a box that has each of the five CDs divided up into thematic styles – running from catchy cuts on one disc to much more experimental work on another! CD

A bit of jazzy magic from Fagen – stepping out from the cover of Steely Dan after the Gaucho album, and sounding pretty darn great on his own! The record is almost nostalgic, going back to a 50s of Brubeck, abstract expressionism, and pre-Castro Havana – filled with images that are a bit less oblique than those of Fagen's work with Steely Dan, and a love for the subject matter that makes us like the record even more. Musically, the set follows strongly from Gaucho, but has perhaps a bit more straight jazz – and titles include "The Goodbye Look", "Walk Between Raindrops", "IGY", "Green Flower Street", and "New Frontier". CD

A rare early Blue Note album by guitarist Tal Farlow – pre-Verve material that's really wonderful, and which shows that Farlow was already one of the freshest jazz guitar talents of his generation! The record has a cool 2-guitar frontline, played by Farlow and the obscure Don Arnone – with a sound that's very different from Farlow's other work, decidedly more modernist and edgey – almost in the territory of some of the Gil Melle Blue Note recordings, filled with rich colors and tones. The only other instrumentation is bass from Clyde Lombardi and drums from Joe Morello – the latter of whom sounds great here in a pre-Brubeck appearance. Titles include "Tina", "All Through The Night", and "Splash" – and the cool original cover will make your eyes pop out with delight! LP, Vinyl record album

Overlooked genius from Art Farmer – a less-remembered session from the early 80s, and one that features him in a hip quintet with the great Sahib Shihab! The feel here is as lyrical and laidback as some of Art's other work from the time, but the presence of Sahib on soprano and baritone brings a good sense of feeling to the record – one that almost sharper than usual for a Farmer session, and which seems to push the trumpeter more strongly than usual on the upbeat numbers. An added plus is the rhythm section – which features Kenny Drew on piano, Mads Vinding on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums – all players who had plenty of time together on the Copehagen scene, and who work in an equally cohesive way here. Titles include "Arrival", "Blue Wail", "Context", "Back Door Beauty", and "Passport". CD

A seminal record in the transition from the funky 45 underground to the world of the full length LP – a record we'd put right up there with early classics by The JBs and Kool & The Gang! As with the latter, Fatback Band grew up first getting some great play on instrumental 45s – and right out of the gate, they set this on fire with the same sort of energy – impeccable instrumentation that needs to be heard to be believed – all live, all pre-sampling, but with a quality that's gone on to transform the worlds of funk, soul, and hip hop over the decades! Every cut is great, and the album's a non-stop party – with titles that include "Nija Walk", "Fatbackin", "Soul March", "Soul Man", "Kiba", "Clap Your Hands", "Gotta Have You", and "Baby Doll". CD

A landmark LP by this famous Philly trio who forever went onto change the face of club music! The record is pre-disco, but has a great strident soul sound, augmented by tight Norman Harris arrangements. Features the famous title hit – "Armed & Extremely Dangerous" – a great one in the "crime" soul subgenre, plus "Smarty Pants", "Newsy Neighbors", and lots more. LP, Vinyl record album

A pre-Verve crack at the Gershwin songbook – with some help from Duke Ellington and Jimmy McHugh! LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal pre-Verve work by Ella Fitzgerald – a variety of early singles from the late 40s and early 50s, collected together in one full album by Decca! Even at this point in her career, the Fitzgerald magic is firmly in place – sensitively taking on familiar lyrics on some tunes, scatting breezily on others – all with a lot more jazz in the mix than her contemporaries, but not nearly as much pyrotechnics as the bebop-era vocalese crowd. Backings are by Sy Oliver on many numbers, by small groups on others – and a few tracks feature backing vocals by the Ray Charles singers. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Rough Ridin", "Smooth Sailing", "Later", "Ella Hums The Blues", "How High The Moon", "Air Mail Special", and "Flying Home". CD

Seminal pre-Verve work by Ella Fitzgerald – a variety of early singles from the late 40s and early 50s, collected together in one full album by Decca! Even at this point in her career, the Fitzgerald magic is firmly in place – sensitively taking on familiar lyrics on some tunes, scatting breezily on others – all with a lot more jazz in the mix than her contemporaries, but not nearly as much pyrotechnics as the bebop-era vocalese crowd. Backings are by Sy Oliver on many numbers, by small groups on others – and a few tracks feature backing vocals by the Ray Charles singers. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Rough Ridin", "Smooth Sailing", "Later", "Ella Hums The Blues", "How High The Moon", "Air Mail Special", and "Flying Home". CD

A huge testament to the power of New York City in American music – especially during those 20th Century years when the city was able to foster scene after scene, style after style – serving as a launchpad for sounds that would forever transform the world! The book looks at Latin, bebop, folk, doo wop, punk, disco, and other styles from the pre-hip hop years – and traces the way that local styles became national ones, via the recording opportunities and entertainment showcases that were unique to NYC! The author has a keen knowledge of cultures in all five boroughs, and the music as well – and this softcover edition is almost 500 pages, with some sections of black and white images. Book

Features pre-Metallica Jason Newstead on bass! LP, Vinyl record album

Unreleased recordings from the pre-AC DC band featuring Bon Scott! LP, Vinyl record album

The biggest hit ever by The Free Movement – issued here in a pre-Columbia 45 on Decca! The track's got a sad slow style that's almost LA pop-soul – and builds with the vocals into a very nice harmony track. The flip's pretty nice too – chugging and a little funky, but ultimately in the same sort of style. 7-inch, Vinyl record

An incredible album from guitarist Fred Frith – his solo debut, and a record that really set the tone for so many other musicians for years to come! Frith wasn't the first person to improvise on the guitar – but he might have been the first to use an electric in ways that tied together new ideas in jazz, prog, and other experimental musics – all at a level that made his playing a hero to many different scenes at once, and really helped open ears to all the different changes that were taking places in the 70s! The whole thing is a monstrous musical message from the pre-punk years – one that has really strong resonance all these many years later – thanks to titles that include "Hollow Music", "No Birds", "Out Of Their Heads", "Glass c/w Steel", "Hello Music", and "Not Forgotton". This great "Fifty" version features a full bonus album of new recordings in the spirit of the original – titles that include "Quicksilver", "Phalaropes", "Jack's Neap Tide", "Move Indigo", "To Do", and "The Map Of Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

An album we come back to more and more over the years – a bit more subtle than some of the other Gabriel-era Genesis records, but in a really great way! You'll not get any overly-heavy concepts here, yet the album still retains all the instrumental complexity the group was getting so great at – nicely subtle at times, a bit more expanded at others – and with a balance of bigger songs and more personal moments that hints at the direction the group would take after Peter Gabriel. Instrumentation is superb, especially the keyboards – and titles include "Aisle Of Plenty", "Firth Of Fifth", "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight", "I Know What I Like", "Battle Of Epping Forest", "The Cinema Show", and "More Fool Me" – the last of which was a key early vocal moment for Phil Collins. Cassette

What a weird one! This strange little record is one of the few that the team of Lol Creme and Kevin Godley cut after leaving 10CC – and it's a melange of odd songs that take off from the compressed pop style of their former group. Some of the lyrics are a bit silly, but there's also some strangely wonderful pop moments – floating vocals and compressed guitars and studio playing all coming together, in a mode that's pre-new wave, more classic rock baroque, and without space in the timeline of popular music. Titles include "Punchbag", "Group Life", "Sandwiches Of You", and "This Sporting Life". LP, Vinyl record album

The first proper album by Americana rock supergroup Golden Smog – featuring members of Wilco, The Jayhawks & Soul Asylum among others – very much living up to the kind of trends-be-damned album that would come from these guys circa 1995 – inspired by the best acoustic-leaning classic rock of the 70s, sans cliche and feeling fresh all over again! There's a lot to love here for fans of pre-Summerteeth era Wilco and American Recordings era Jayhawks – which is to say it soundly ignores the noisier sounds of the rock mainstream at the time for a more down home vibe. Includes "V", "Pecan Pie", "Glad U Sorry", "He's A Dick", "Red Headed Stepchild", "Williamton Angel", "Friend", "Nowhere Bound", "Radio King" and more. CD

Jerry Goldsmith really shines on his score for this WWII action film from the early 70s – a soundtrack that draws on his best dramatic abilities, but also brings in his flair for quick changes in tone and timing as well! There's some occasional "Eastern" elements – usually a bit of koto, used to signify a Japanese scene – and other instrumentation shifts between bold orchestral passages, and these very nice low-toned ones that kind of rumble everything together towards the bottom end of the sound spectrum! Titles include "Little Hope", "The Chancellery", "The 14th Part", "Sunday Morning", "The Waiting Game", "The Final Message", and "Pre-Flight Countdown". CD also features 7 bonus tracks too! CD

A pre-exotica relic – cut just a year or two before bachelor pad music really broke big, and a very important album in helping get the whole thing started! The record's got a more serious feel than you might think – as pop classical conductor Morton Gould put together this mix of traditional, classical, and jazz compositions to create a suite of tropical sounds based around the compositions of Ernesto Lecuona. As the title would imply, the album's got a lot of percussion – mixed with the larger orchestrations that Gould normally used in his work – and titles include "Danza Lucumi", "Swamp Fire", "Batuque", "Ritual Fire Dance", "Jungle Drums", and "Gitanerias". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album issued by the Grateful Dead on their own label – a setting that might make you think they'd act with less control than when at Warner Brothers, but which actually seems to have them doing the reverse! The whole thing's a great back-to-basics effort – sharp songs, rootsy instrumentation, and this nicely compact presentation of all the best ideas they'd been percolating for the past five years – maybe expanded a bit on the longer "Weather Report Suite" that ends the record, but tight and sing-songy on most of the rest – titles that include "Row Jimmy", "Stella Blue", "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away", "Eyes Of The World", and "Here Comes Sunshine". CD

Two tunes by Al Green from his early pre-Hi Records years! "Let Me Help You" is a great little groover – socking soul power, swinging, with vocals that sound nothing at all like Al in later years, but still quite nice! "Guilty" is a sweet mellow number – a bit more like later work, but still with a different edge that makes it really compelling. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic group from the British scene at mid 60s – music from a time when the UK world of jazz was exploding from the work of artists like Joe Harriott and Tubby Hayes, but also held some other tremendous talents as well! The group here has trumpeter Henry Lowther and tenorist Lyn Dobson at the core – and also features work from Jon Hiseman on drums, plus piano from Ken McCarthy and bass from Ron Rubin on the quintet tracks, and bass from a pre-Cream Jack Bruce on the quartet titles! Tracks are long, open, and filled with the kind of modern expression you might know from the group of Ian Carr and Don Rendell – often modal rhythms giving strong inspiration to freer solo flights – but always with a sense of soul that keeps things from ever sounding too outside to swing. The whole thing's wonderful – a near-lost slice from these crucial years – with titles that include "Snow", "Straight Away", "Celebrity Stomp", "Night & Day", "Red Planet", "Black & White Raga", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the greatest, most influential rhythm & blues ever recorded – the seminal R&B recordings the great Wynonie Harris cut for King Records – plus a second CD of rare alternate takes! Wynonie paved the way for a huge number of artists to come, but even if we're going to sidestep his trailblazing legacy, the recordings are jaw-droppingly great – really raw, full of fire, and often with a gritty lyrical approach that made Harris one of the key figures in the development of rock – with an attitude towards sex and drinking that could still make your grandmother blush! The backdrops are largely made up of a piano, horns, and the thumping bass and drums rhythm section – a perfect foil for Wynonie's voice, which is always front and center – seizing your attention in full, whether the cut is a bluesy lament or sly come on. Plus, the package pulls all the music from the original acetates – essentially the "master tapes" used by King Records in the pre-tape years – with titles that include "Love is Like Rain", "Rose Get Your Clothes", "I Like My Baby's Pudding", "Baby Shame On You", "Blowin' To California", "I Want My Fanny Brown", "Wynonie's Boogie", "Blowin' To California", "All She Wants To Do Is Rock", "Oh Babe", and "Teardrops From My Eyes" with the Lucky Millinder Orchestra. 48 tracks on 2CDs! CD

A noteworthy session from pianist Hampton Hawes – a rare quartet session from the 50s (at a time when Hawes was mostly working in trios) – and also a three volume set of releases, all recorded in the space of a single night! The album is truly an All Night Session – as the material here was recorded during the night of November 12 and early morning hours of November 13, 1956 – with an unusual group that features Hawes on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, Bruz Freeman on drums, and Jim Hall on guitar! Hall's ringing tones are a perfect partner for Hawes' light approach to the keys – and the relaxed, extended nature of the recording has both players really opening up on some of the album's longish tracks. Titles on this volume include "Blues #4", "Blues #3", and "Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from the great Coleman Hawkins – seminal Keynote Records material from the pre-bop years! Some tracks feature Hawkins on tenor with Charlie Shavers on trumpet and Teddy Wilson on piano – and others feature Hawkins in a group with Herman Chittison on piano, Joe Thomas on trumpet, and Jack Teagarden on trombone! Hawkins also leads his own All American Five for all of side one – a group with Buck Clayton on trumpet, Teddy Wilson on piano, Slam Stewart on bass, and Denzil Best on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first true moments of genius from tenorist Joe Henderson – his debut as a leader for Blue Note, and a set that already has him knocking it out of the park, and setting a tone for a whole new generation! Right at the start, Joe was as distinct a saxophonist as recent predecessors like Wayne Shorter or Hank Mobley – but like both of them, he had a voice that was all his own – and already stretching past more familiar tenor modes, at a level that would make Henderson one of the most important players in years soon to come! But he's already great here – and is working in a suberpb group with Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums. LaRoca's very free on the drum kit, and gives the set a rhythmic looseness that's a bit of a hint at some of Joe's 70's recordings – and that style's even further supported by Tyner's long flowing lines on piano, and Dorham's sparkling work on the trumpet! Includes the classic reading of Kenny's "Blue Bossa", plus the titles "Recorda-Me", "Jinrikisha", "La Mesha", and "Homestretch". CD

A really cool soundtrack from the great Bernard Herrmann – every bit as watery as you might guess from the title! The tracks are short, but have this beautifully vivid feel – strings used in this way that's kind of pre-electric, but which almost has this electronic feel overall – given the use of color and tone. Other moments are more conventional, but equally captivating – and there's these dark currents that run through the music that are pure Herrmann all the way through. 22 tracks in all – including "The Undersea Forest", "The Marker", "Flirtation", "Escape", "Sorrow", and "The Fire". CD

A fascinating criss-cross of cultural moments in the UK – as the writer begins with the fact that the first James Bond film and the first Beatles single were issued on the same day in 1962 – and looks at the way both cultural juggernauts shaped identity in the years to come! John Higgs traces issues of class, sexual identity, and cultural politics as they intertwine on the larger scene in England during the 60s – beginning with pre-Bond/Beatles years, running strongly through the 60s and 70s – then tracing some surprising moments of intersection in later years too. Hardcover edition is 515 pages. Book

Some of the greatest work ever recorded by tenorist Buck Hill – a local player on the DC scene, and one who hardly ever got his due on record! We'd rank Buck right up there with Von Freeman – another local player who spent years honing his tenor sound in a local setting, yet who never got the right sort of fame because he kept away from the New York or LA scenes. And here, Hill's got an incredibly timeless sound in his horn – really deep, beautiful, and undeniably soulful – a sense of raspy tone that goes back to Lester Young or Ben Webster, but a freer, more open sense of swing too – brought out nicely by rhythm work from Reuben Brown on piano, Wilbur Little on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. This set features the second half of a great live European performance from 1981 – with titles that include "Alone Together", "Impressions", and "Penn Station". CD

Rare small group sides from the Harlem scene of the pre-War years, with early appearances by Thelonious Monk and Kenny Clarke! LP, Vinyl record album

Definitely a soulful tapestry here – as the trio of Edna Wright, Shellie Clark, and Carolyn Willis are at the height of their 70s powers – soaring forth in a massive trio mode, and one that really rewrites the sound of girl group soul for the 70s! There's a bouncy, upbeat groove to the record – kind of a pre-disco approach, but one that's still strongly rooted in the best Detroit soul mode of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team too – balanced with just the right sort of force that makes the trio sound great, and all without any of the cliches that this sort of group might hit a few years later! Titles include the Honey Cone classics "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (parts 1 & 2)" and "Want Ads", plus the tracks "VIP", "The Day I Found Myself", "Stick Up", "Don't Count Your Chickens", "All the Kings Horses", and "How Does It Feel". CD features the bonus track "We Belong Together (single version)". CD

A pair of early records from Hour Glass – back to back in a single set! First up is the self titled Hour Glass album – fantastic early work from Gregg And Duane Allman – a set that's nothing at all like their Allman Brothers material, but which has a wonderful style nonetheless! At some level, there's a very strong soul current running through the music – as the group mix in songs by Curtis Mayfield, Deon Jackson, and others with some headier rock material – all set up in these arrangements by Dallas Smith that seem to begin in uptown soul, then push things into more psychedelic territory! The blend is great, and makes for a really wonderful record – on titles that include "I've Been Trying", "No Easy Way Down", "Out Of The Night", "Nothing But Tears", "Heartbeat", and "Silently". Power Of Love is an excellent second set from Hour Glass – the pre-Allman Brothers Band that featured both Duane and Gregg Allman, the latter of whom is really coming into his own on the record! Unlike the group's debut, this one features a lot more original material by Gregg – and guitars that start to crackle in that sweetly cresting style that would become the group's hallmark, and which would have an undeniable influence on the sound of rock in the 70s. At some level, the whole thing's an early southern effort to answer the sounds of the Bay Area scene – and comes off beautifully, thanks to titles that include "To Things Before", "I'm Not Afraid", "Home For The Summer", "Down In Texas", "Now Is The Time", and "Going Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent second set from Hour Glass – the pre-Allman Brothers Band that featured both Duane and Gregg Allman, the latter of whom is really coming into his own on the record! Unlike the group's debut, this one features a lot more original material by Gregg – and guitars that start to crackle in that sweetly cresting style that would become the group's hallmark, and which would have an undeniable influence on the sound of rock in the 70s. At some level, the whole thing's an early southern effort to answer the sounds of the Bay Area scene – and comes off beautifully, thanks to titles that include "To Things Before", "I'm Not Afraid", "Home For The Summer", "Down In Texas", "Now Is The Time", and "Going Nowhere". CD

Don't think "rock n roll", think pre-soul – as the set features excellent work from these four fantastic singers! LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual session for trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a set done during his early run of albums for Blue Note, but one that's got some much darker, more modern qualities than the rest! The music here almost verges on some of the "new thing" material of the period on the label – although is not as far outside as some of the others – and the record features two different groups – both with excellent early work from James Spaulding on alto and flute, and really unique use of euphonium from Kiane Zawadi, whose depth on the instrument really explores the darker currents of sound. In addition to Freddie's trumpet work, the set also features Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley on tenors, Harold Mabern and McCoy Tyner on pianos, and Clifford Jarvis and Pete LaRoca on drums. Big Black also adds in percussion on the cuts "Cunga Black" and "Soul Surge" – and other titles include "Outer Forces", "Blue Spirits", and "Jodo". CD

An album with a classic modernist cover image – and one that's also got the same sort of sound to match – brilliant early work from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who's really coming into his own as a leader with this date! Freddie's really finding a voice here – a sharper edge than on some of his later albums, at the beginning of a more modernist phase in the mid-60s – when his efforts would mark him as one of the more straight ahead players of the "new thing" scene. There's a careful balance in Hubbard's work here – spurred on by youthful energy of group mates Herbie Hancock on piano, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Reggie Workman on bass, and Clifford Jarvis on drums. Hubbard is really brimming over with new ideas – as are the other players – and titles include "Lament for Booker", "Prophet Jennings", "Hub Tones", "For Spee's Sake", and "You're My Everything". CD also includes 3 alternate takes of titles on the album. CD

Seminal work from Freddie Hubbard – an early hardbop session that features some great work by Tina Brooks on tenor, piano by McCoy Tyner, and rhythm from the team of Sam Jones on bass Clifford Jarvis on drums! And although Freddie's great at this early point in his career – playing with a brash, urgent tone that's totally compelling – we're even bigger fans of the Tina Brooks work on this record! Brooks' tone is amazing – right up there with the style he used on his own rare few Blue Note sides, full of fresh fire and a really edgey approach to the tenor – and together with Hubbard, he helps craft a tight little set that's one of Hubbard's best-ever straight sides from the 60s. Titles include "But Beautiful", "One Mint Julep", "Hub's Nub", "Open Sesame", and "Gypsy Blue". Plus, the CD features bonus alternate takes of "Open Sesame" and "Gypsy Blue". CD

The complete recorded legacy of Idle Race – an incredible pre-ELO group that featured some amazing work from a young Jeff Lynne! In a way, the work here is almost more ELO than some of the earliest albums issued by the band a few years later – more of the pop-styled groove that Lynne would bring to the group during their mighty mid 70s run – with a great flair for catchy hooks, and a style of production that was in the same flanged-out, cross-speaker compressed mode that would become the Jeff Lynne trademark in years to come. And in fact, even though the last album on the set was done at a time when Lynne had left the group, it still retains many of his hallmarks – and has a wickedly clever approach to pop that's somewhat fuzzy, but never too trippy or self-indulgent. 2CD set features a whopping 47 tracks in all – the complete albums Birthday Party, Idle Race, and Time Is – plus 13 more non-album tracks and unreleased alternate versions! Titles include "Mr Crow & Sir Norman", "Sea Of Dreams", "Someone Knocking", "A Better Life", "End Of The Road", "The Lady Who Said She Could Fly", "Happy Birthday", "I Like My Toys", "Here We Go Round The Lemon Tree", "In The Summertime", "Alcatraz", "By The Sun", "We Want It All", "Bitter Green", "Sad O'Sad", and "Lucky Man". CD

A classic album from Idle Race – an incredible pre-ELO group that featured some amazing work from a young Jeff Lynne! The music is a great mix of trippy and catchy styles – and in a way, the work here is almost more ELO than some of the earliest albums issued by that band a few years later – which was sometimes a bit heavier overall. Instead, Idle Race almost work in a 60s version of the pop-styled groove that Lynne would bring to ELO during their mighty mid 70s run – with a great flair for catchy hooks, and a style of production that was in the same flanged-out, cross-speaker compressed mode that would become the Jeff Lynne trademark in years to come (think especially "Mr Blue Sky" or "Diary Of Horace Wimp"). Titles include "On With The Show", "Sitting In My Tree", "I Like My Toys", "The Birthday", "The Skeleton & The Roundabout", "End Of The Road", and "The Lady Who Said She Could Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

Whatever you may think of Milt Jackson's later work, this stuff from the early 50s, recorded in his pre-MJQ years, shows the vibist as a lively talent, playing head to head with boppers that he'd never dare face in later years. Players include Lou Donaldson, John Lewis, Thelonious Monk, and Shadow Wilson – and Kenny "Pancho" Hagood sings vocals on 3 tracks. Tracks include "On The Scene", "Tahiti", "Lillie", "Epistrophy", and "Misterioso". 17 tracks in all – with some alternate takes. CD

Whatever you may think of Milt Jackson's later work, this stuff from the early 50s, recorded in his pre-MJQ years, shows the vibist as a lively talent, playing head to head with boppers that he'd never dare face in later years. Players include Lou Donaldson, John Lewis, Thelonious Monk, and Shadow Wilson – and Kenny "Pancho" Hagood sings vocals on 2 tracks. Tracks include "On The Scene", "Tahiti", "Lillie", "Epistrophy", and "Misterioso". 17 tracks in all – with some alternate takes, and great remastering! CD

Wild and wonderful work by Keith Jarrett – light years away from his records on ECM! The album features a quartet that includes Dewey Redman on tenor, Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – but it's clearly Keith who's driving the bus here, taking lots of odd twists and turns for playful moments that come as an unexpected surprise. One of the best of these is the short percussion track "Pre Judgement Atmosphere", which almost sounds like a Moondog number – and another is the rollingly funky "Gypsy Moth", a tune that always seems to be careening out of control, but is never "outside", just percussively grooving. Side two features two longer jamming tracks that almost have a loft jazz feel – "El Juicio" and "Piece For Ornette" – and Keith plays alone on the track "Pardon My Rags". CD

Wild and wonderful work by Keith Jarrett – light years away from his records on ECM! The album features a quartet that includes Dewey Redman on tenor, Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums – but it's clearly Keith who's driving the bus here, taking lots of odd twists and turns for playful moments that come as an unexpected surprise. One of the best of these is the short percussion track "Pre Judgement Atmosphere", which almost sounds like a Moondog number – and another is the rollingly funky "Gypsy Moth", a tune that always seems to be careening out of control, but is never "outside", just percussively grooving. Side two features two longer jamming tracks that almost have a loft jazz feel – "El Juicio" and "Piece For Ornette" – and Keith plays alone on the track "Pardon My Rags". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century. This one returns the project to more of that pre-planned breakbeat feel. A stellar set, with lyrics, or without – one that laid the groundwork for Dilla's subsequent production aesthetic! Features great remakes of "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd), plus the cuts "Y'all Ain't Ready", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It", "Think Twice" and more! CD

One of the earliest sets of Jazz At The Philharmonic material – pre-Verve, too – and pressed on 12" 78rpm discs – which allow for longer performances per side. 3 sides each of the songs "Oh Lady Be Good" and "How High The Moon". 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A well-done set, and one that stretches from the pre-Verve years of these groupings, to the big run when they were starting to really shine on record! The first half features mid 40s material – with performances from Illinois Jacquet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Flip Phillips, and Jack McVea on tenors – plus Willie Smith on alto, Buck Clayton and Shorty Sherock on trumpets, JJ Johnson on trombone, Nat King Cole on piano, and Les Paul on guitar. The second half features early 50s material, including three long ballad medley tracks – with performances from Benny Carter and Willie Smith on altos, Oscar Peterson on piano, Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge on trumpets, and Ben Webster, Lester Young, and Flip Phillips on tenors! LP, Vinyl record album

The single's a great lost pre-People single by The JBs – and it's sort of an introduction to the group, as James shouts "These Are The JBs" at the beginning, then the band launches into a nice sinister loping funky groove that's quite different from some of their later work. A real gem. 7-inch, Vinyl record

An essential collection of rare material by this important female gospel trio of the 50s – a group who's not only known for bringing a style to the music that was ever bit as great as male group gospel of the pre-soul years – but who also are the initial early home to later soul superstar Candi Staton! As you can tell by the cover image, the girls are quite young – at least on many of these recordings – but this isn't kiddie music at all, as there's a deeply soulful style of singing that's very mature, and which instantly sets fire to these messages of spirit – with a vibrant style that usually just features some romping piano in the lead, alongside dynamic vocals. The lineup shifts a bit, but Candi is on most of these recordings – which also saw the light of day on Excello as singles – and the set also features a few tracks from later years, with Shirley Ann Lee on vocals. Titles include "Many Little Angels In The Band", "At The Cross", "Rest Rest Rest", "Too Late", "Sin Is To Blame", "It's All Over Me", "My Faith Is In Thee", "I Looked Down The Line & I Wondered", and "Somebody's Knocking At Your Door". CD

Early work from this great pre-Motown Barry Gordy protege – a surprisingly nice album of spiritual songs! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible trio album – not just for the powerful drums of the great Elvin Jones, but also for amazing work on reeds by a young Joe Farrell! Farrell's in his pre-CTI years here, and really lets loose in the space of the album's open setting – a trio that just features Jones on drums and Jimmy Garrison on bass – soaring to the skies on these freewheeling solos on tenor, soprano sax, and even a bit of flute – all played with the kind of creative fire that we always find in Joe's best records! The album's a great illustration of the fresh directions that Elvin Jones was taking after the passing of John Coltrane – and the whole thing sparks with fire and brilliance – on bold tracks that include "In The Truth", "What Is This", "Sometimes Joe", and "Ascendant". CD

An incredible trio album – not just for the powerful drums of the great Elvin Jones, but also for amazing work on reeds by a young Joe Farrell! Farrell's in his pre-CTI years here, and really lets loose in the space of the album's open setting – a trio that just features Jones on drums and Jimmy Garrison on bass – soaring to the skies on these freewheeling solos on tenor, soprano sax, and even a bit of flute – all played with the kind of creative fire that we always find in Joe's best records! The album's a great illustration of the fresh directions that Elvin Jones was taking after the passing of John Coltrane – and the whole thing sparks with fire and brilliance – on bold tracks that include "In The Truth", "What Is This", "Sometimes Joe", and "Ascendant". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the greatest album ever cut by pianist Duke Jordan – a seminal force in bop, both for his writing and playing – but an artist who rarely ever got the chance to work as a leader! This session's a prime bit of lost Blue Note – with an unusual and edgey lineup that includes Dizzy Reece on trumpet, Stanley Turrentine on tenor, Reggie Workman on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all coming together under Jordan's direction. The set's got a wonderfully classic feel – a mix of hardbop with slightly more lyrical leanings, and a few darker undercurrents – heard to best effect in Jordan's writing, which reminds us of some of his work on French soundtracks from the same time. Titles include "Deacon Joe", "Si-Joya", "Flight To Jordan", and "Squawkin" – plus bonus tracks "Diamond Stud" and "I Should Care". CD

A trio of albums from Junie Morrison, plus bonus tracks too – all to document the genius of the guy who really helped the Ohio Players find their groove! First up is When We Do – the solo debut of Junie – a crazy little album recorded for Westbound in the time after he split company with The Ohio Players – and a set that's definitely got the weirdly wonderful mix of music that group was known for in their pre-Mercury years! Junie effortlessly moves between a number of styles, all with a great degree of wit – still keeping things funky in all the best ways, but also really experimenting with larger sounds and unusual arrangements – which come into play here in a really wonderful way! The album's an overlooked funk treasure from the 70s – far too sophisticated for its own time – and titles include "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Johnny Carson Samba", "Anna", "Loving Arms", "Married Him", and "The Place". Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include "Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". Suzie Super Groupie is a funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrison every came to a concept album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records, there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender", "Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". Set also features rare Junie cuts – including "Junie's Ultimate Departure", "Walt's Second Trip", "Tight Rope (single)", "Loving Arms (mono)", "If You Love Him (single)", "Super J (single)", and "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce (mono)". CD

A funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrison every came to a concept album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records, there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender", "Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". LP, Vinyl record album

The solo debut of Junie Morrison – a crazy little album recorded for Westbound in the time after he split company with The Ohio Players – and a set that's definitely got the weirdly wonderful mix of music that group was known for in their pre-Mercury years! Junie effortlessly moves between a number of styles, all with a great degree of wit – still keeping things funky in all the best ways, but also really experimenting with larger sounds and unusual arrangements – which come into play here in a really wonderful way! The album's an overlooked funk treasure from the 70s – far too sophisticated for its own time – and titles include "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Johnny Carson Samba", "Anna", "Loving Arms", "Married Him", and "The Place". LP, Vinyl record album

Mega-hit material from KC & The Sunshine band – an album issued firmly into the disco years, but which still had the group hitting hard in their trademark Miami sound! The tracks here are a bit longer and more hook-heavy than before – and represent the kind of material that linked harder Kool & The Gang-styled funk with some of the crossover sounds that Miami was famous for at the time – a sound that was still largely pre-disco in its roots, but which also helped set the crossover scene for so many other groups of the 70s. The set is filled with loads of huge hits – like "Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", and "Baby I Love You" – and other tracks include "I Like To Do It", "Come On In", and "Let's Go Party". LP, Vinyl record album

Sheffield Drum Record is a fantastic album full of open drumbreaks ripe for sampling! CD

The Kim Trio have a very 70s-styled look on the cover, and come across with a very similar vibe on record – a groovy update of older Korean pop harmony modes, but served up with instrumentation that's heavy on keyboards, and almost gives the group a loungey sort of vibe! The three siblings harmonize nicely at times, and let individual members take the lead at others – and instrumentation is tight, with almost a pre-disco sort of vibe – lots of fast drums, riffing guitar, and keyboard lines – and more than enough bassbits to keep things grooving! Titles include "Graffiti", "The Waterfront", "Young Girl", "You In My Dream", "What Am I To Do", "Goodbye To You", "Not Lonely", and "To The Sky's Edge". LP, Vinyl record album

For some folks, this might be the purest moment of sonic genius from King Crimson – a record that has this incredible dynamic range, with ultra-low passages followed by soaring highs – all delivered by a group that might well be one of the most technically skilled that Robert Fripp had put together by the time! Fripp himself handles many guitars and devices – alongside drums from Bill Bruford, viola and violin from David Cross, percussion from Jamie Muir, and superb bass and vocals from John Wetton – who really gives the group a focus and soul that balances out he geekier technical moments. Titles include the soaring two-part title track – plus "Easy Money", "Talking Drum", "Book Of Saturday", and "Exiles". CD