... LP, Vinyl record album

A record that has Julie London already hitting that great "Nice Girls Don't Stay For Breakfast" mode of later years – the adult, informed approach that showed that the teasing nude of the 50s had turned into a pleasing woman of the 60s – capable of frank presentation of material and assumption of desire that other singers often still just toyed with. Peter King handles the arrangements, and mixes soft strings with lighter modes to really flesh out Julie's simple but effective delivery of the tunes. Titles include "Love On The Rocks", "Where Did The Gentleman Go", "What's New", "How Did He Look", "The End Of A Love Affair", and "Where Are You". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Hey Miss Tina", "Stringin Along", "I Miss You So", "Nobody Wants Me", "All The Blues All The Time", and "The Wild One". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from Stanley Clarke – a set to start off the 80s, but still very much in that unique blend of jazz, rock, and soul he forged so well in the 70s! The set begins with really heavy drums and bass – nicely propelled, but never too strong or too jamming – a great balance that really sets the pace well for the record as Clarke and the combo pulsate through a range of nice little numbers – often linked with a cool motorcycle sound effect! There's a few 80s touches, mostly in the keyboards, but these are never too modern – and all used very nicely. Titles include the extended "Story Of A Man & A Woman" suite – plus "Danger Street", "All Hell Broke Loose", "Rocks Pebbles & Sand", and "Underestimation". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary greatest hits collection from the Rolling Stones – one that was so popular back in the day, it was maybe the one Rolling Stones album that everyone had in their collection! The package was a great way for folks to go back and catch up after digging in deep on Exile On Main Street and Let It Bleed – and the set has work from the earliest years of The Stones all the way up to those classics – a killer set list that includes "Get Off Of My Cloud", "Gimme Shelter", "Brown Sugar", "Wild Horses", "Honky Tonk Women", "Sympathy For The Devil", "Satisfaction", "Ruby Tuesday", "Play With Fire", "Paint It Black", "Jumpin Jack Flash", "Street Fighting Man", "Midnight Rambler (live)", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Time Is On My Side", "Heart Of Stone", "19th Nervous Breakdown", "Let's Spend The Night Together", and "Mother's Little Helper". LP, Vinyl record album

Searing stuff – easily one of Etta James' greatest albums! The set is a non-stop jam, recorded live at the New Era Club in Nashville before a small and screaming crowd – a perfect performance all the way through, one that showcases Etta as she rarely sounded on vinyl during the 1960s. The whole album runs away like a train on fire, and it's filled with incredibly lively readings of tracks like "Something's Got A Hold On Me", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Money", "Seven Day Fool", and "Woke Up This Morning" – all taken at versions longer than the usual under-3 minute single takes! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps had a cleaner sound by the time they recorded these sessions for Capitol – comparable to the slightly less ragged & raw shift in tone Johnny Cash and Johnny Horton had after settling over at Columbia – but the re-configured Blue Caps still packed a wallop! At this point Gene's proving to be a worthy balladeer, but the group still kicks you're a** on half the tunes. Tracks include "Brand New Beat", "By The Light Of The Silvery Moon", "Frankie And Johnnie", "In My Dreams", "Flea Brain", "You Belong To Me", "Your Cheatin' Heart", "It's No Lie" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Searing stuff – easily one of Etta James' greatest albums! The set is a non-stop jam, recorded live at the New Era Club in Nashville before a small and screaming crowd – a perfect performance all the way through, one that showcases Etta as she rarely sounded on vinyl during the 1960s. The whole album runs away like a train on fire, and it's filled with incredibly lively readings of tracks like "Something's Got A Hold On Me", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Money", "Seven Day Fool", and "Woke Up This Morning" – all taken at versions longer than the usual under-3 minute single takes! Also includes 3 bonus tracks not on the original LP releases: "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby", "All I Could Do Is Cry" and "I Just Want To Make Love To You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual albums ever cut by the legendary Latin jazz trombonist Juan Pablo Torres – and one of the grooviest, too – a special set that was recorded in Milan in the mid 80s, with backings by a sweet group who do a great job of blending Latin rhythms, clubby grooves, and just the right touch of jazz! Juan's on trombone in the lead – working with the Algo Nuevo group, which features the mighty Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards – plus trumpet work from Adalberto Lore, who balances out Torres' sound in a really great way! There's both a mix of electric and acoustic percussion on the set, and the groove is more 80s club than 70s disco – and also comes across with the style of some of the more unusual hybrids that you'd be likely to find on the Areito label during Juan's generation in Cuba. Titles include "Alone", "Que Melcocha", "Y Caramba Que Son", "Oblivion", "Rialto", "Bermuda Triangle", and "Cubadisco". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Capitol country from the great Kay Adams – a female singer with a distinct love of trucking songs, and one who also hails from the Buck Owens side of the spectrum too! Kay only cut a handful of records over the years, and this set's a great addition to her catalog – as it features unissued cuts that were recorded live with backing from Buck's group The Buckaroos – all done at the Buck Owens Ranch Show, and with a sound that's very much like Owens' excellent work of the time – with some of the more truck-themed tunes you'd be likely to hear from labelmate Red Simpson. Titles include "Rocks In My Head", "Six Days A Waiting", "Roll Out The Red Carpet", "Little Pink Mack", "Bottle Baby", "I Let A Stranger Buy the Wine", "Down Down Down", "Loose Talk", and a duet with Dick Curless on "A Devil Like Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more beat-heavy records we've ever heard from keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones – thanks to a range of live drums and programs from Maxwell Owin – a really great partner who helps Joe's music take off in all these new directions! The record's still coming from a jazz perspective, but also has a heavy influence from hip hop and more contemporary genres – especially on the vocal cuts, which feature contributions from Fatima, Rocks Foe, and Lex Amor. Yet there's also some great instrumentalists who join the proceedings too – and the set features guest bass clarinet from Shabaka Hutchings on one cut, and guest harp and flute from Marysia Osu and Yuis. Titles include "Pedal Bike", "Grief", "Ode To Reverbe", "4Seasons", "Don't Tip Me Over", "Do I Keep Going", "Rago's Garage", and "Ikigai". LP, Vinyl record album

The last moment of greatness from Heaven 17 – and a set that continues the trend towards more soulful expression the group began with their previous record! This time around, the production is warmly touched with many soul-based elements that nicely offset the colder electro pop of their roots – aspects of which include the Phenix Horns, borrowed from Earth Wind & Fire, as well as the Afrodiziak backing vocal group, which features a young Caron Wheeler in her days before Soul II Soul! It may be a stretch, but the record does have a key place in the evolution of UK soul in the 1980s – certainly its most poppy aspect to be sure, but one that has an undeniable charm, and which really managed to bridge a number of different cultures with its approach. Titles include "Sunset Now", "The Fuse", "The Skin I'm In", "Flamedown", "Reputation", "And That's No Lie", "Shame Is On The Rocks", and "Five Minutes To Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album

Heady sounds from a variety of different scenes – served up here in a compilation that was one of the first to turn western ears onto the sounds of the east! The music is a fuzzy blend of sounds from Southeast Asia, Korea, India, and even Turkey – and the package was one of the first times we'd ever heard some styles that have now become much more common in the psych market – the kind of groundbreaking overseas moments that we love on labels like Guerssen/Pharaway or Finders Keepers! Titles include "Simla Beat Theme" by The Fentones, "Gonul Sabreyle Sabreyle" by 3 Hur El, "26 Miles" by The Quest, "Korean Titel A2" by Jung Hyun & The Men, "Istemem" by Erkin Koray, "Magic Colors" by Teddy Robin & The Playboys, "A2" by Cambodian Rocks, "Blind Bird" by The Mpos, and "You Know What I Mean" by Justin Heathcliff. LP, Vinyl record album

The Rolling Stones at their rawest, most shambling, sleazy and brilliant – the epic, unimpeachable Exile On Main Street! What can we say about one of the most iconic LPs of all time other than chime in with our agreement that it's one of the greatest rock albums ever! Big choruses come and go, but the easy hooks of earlier and later Stones hits are buried in mud, grit and a sleazy bluesy groove. Titles include "Rocks Off", "Rip This Joint", "Tumbling Dice", "Sweet Virginia", "Loving Cub", "Torn And Frayed", "Let It Loose", "All Down The Line", "Shine A Light", "Soul Survivor" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A real oddity – a soundtrack on Vee Jay records, the label best known for their groundbreaking work in soul, blues, and jazz. Even stranger, the score is for a schlocky Vincent Price film, based on a Jules Verne story – written by Les Baxter, in the flowery style he used for some of his late 50s, non-exotic work at Capitol. The album is performed by the 100 Men, directed by Cal Carter of Vee Jay – and titles include "Topage", "Flight Concerto", "Philadelphia", "Drifting Clouds", and "Over The Rocks". Nice painted cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a legendary run from superjazz brothers Randy and Michael Brecker – trumpeter and tenorist, respectively – already players who'd worked on a hell of a lot of previous sessions, both as a pair and on their own – finally stepping here into some well-deserved fame in the spotlight! The duo have a great lineup here – equally well-skilled contemporaries who include Don Grolnick on keyboards, David Sanborn on alto, Harvey Mason on drums, and Will Lee on bass – all working in a mode that's soulful fusion throughout, with just a bit of vocals at a few points, but mostly instrumental overall. The whole thing's got an approach that's smooth and tight, but never in a slick way – a groove that still sits wonderfully well after all these years! Titles include "Sneakin Up Behind You", "Rocks", "Levitate", "Some Skunk Funk", "Sponge", "A Creature Of Many Faces", and "DBB". LP, Vinyl record album

A great post-CTI session from Freddie Hubbard – one that has him blowing over sweet arrangements from Bob James, who manages to keep things full, yet soulful throughout! There's a lot of instrumentation backing Freddie up for the date – full horns, strings, and even a bit of chorus vocals – but as with some of James' best efforts like this, things never get too cluttered, nor too slick – and the album rocks with the kind of soulful vibes you'd hear on some of the Kudu Records dates of the time. Even familiar covers – of tunes like "Feelings" or "Dream Weaver" – are nicely transformed by James' touch, taking on a new soulful sound in this setting – thanks to Bob's own work on keyboards, which are supported a bit by additional keys from George Cables. Hubbard sparkles no matter what the setting – and titles include "Rock Me Arms", "Touch Me Baby", "Windjammer", and "Neo Terra". LP, Vinyl record album

Time will tell whether the sophomore LP Late Registration will prove to be as revolutionary of a commercial force as College Dropout turned out to be – but it's a better album! We loved the debut as much as the rest of the world did, but this one's an easier listen from beginning to end. The production is tight, the guests earn their spots, and the whole thing's furiously soulful. Much is being made of LA hipster/orch pop troubadour Jon Brion's co-production, but this is Kanye's show. On one level Kanye can rock a subject as cliched as "Gold Digger", and still come out with a fresh perspective that runs deeper than it sounds on the surface, then deliver a serious track about the evils of the diamond trade that still rocks the ice. And those are just the first singles. Another great one! Tracks include "Wake Up Mr West", "Heard 'Em Say", "Touch The Sky" feat Lupe Fiasco, "Gold Digger" feat Jamie Foxx, "Drive Slow" feat Paul Wall & GLC, "My Way Home" feat Common, "Crack Music" feat Game, "Roses", "Bring Me Down" feat Brandy, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" (rmx) feat Jay-Z, "We Major" feat Nas & Really Doe, "Gone" feat Consequence & Cam'Ron and more! LP, Vinyl record album

A vintage set from 1977, a time when The Heartbreakers were at their best – with titles that include the classic "Chinese Rocks", plus "Get Off The Phone", "I Love You", "Can't Keep My Eyes On You", "All By Myself", and "I Wanna Be Loved". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Joe's excellent albums from the 60s for RCA – set to backings from Jimmy Jones and Oliver Nelson, both of whom nicely update Joe's sound for the 60s! The tunes are mostly older numbers that recall Joe's earlier years, particularly those with Basie – but the arrangements are a bit fresher, and more 60s-swinging, which makes for a nice change of pace. Titles include "Me & The Blues", "Every Night", "Rocks In My Bed", "Workin", "Soothe Me", "Early In The Morning", and "A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

The great first entry in this overlooked series – a mix of sound library gems and other soulful delights from the European scene – most of which never got release over here on this side of the Atlantic! A good number of tracks are from the Sonoton label archives, and they're sprinkled here with a few other key cuts as well – all in a hip blend of funky fusion, electric jazz, and electronic numbers – most of which are quite different than the usual sound library bag! Titles include "The Camp" and "Don't Play That Game (part 2)" by Klaus Weiss, "Whistler On The Rocks" by Eric Vanell, "Asteroide" by Racines Synthetiques, "Integrate" by Sam Sklair, "Wall Paper Music 6" by Dave Sarkys, "Actual 39" by Georges Rodi, "Iron Wood" by Africna Voodoo, "Pop Boutique" by Fritz Maldener Trio, and "Light & Shadow" by George King Organ Sounds. LP, Vinyl record album

The classic Scott La Rock tribute album – with BDP classics and remixes – originally issued as a 2LP set that was put together following the South Bronx-repping hip hop pioneer's shooting death. Alternate versions, remixes and BDP medley's from their most classic late 80s period. 15 tracks in all: "Advance", "D Nice Rocks The House", "Red Alert (Criminal Minded)", 'Doc Mix (Criminal Minded)", "Super Hoe #4", "Word From Our Sponsor #8", "BDP Medley #5", "Poetry" (#s 1, 2 & 3)" and lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful grooves from the legendary Bob Crewe – a jaunty batch of studio instrumentals, often done with some hip touches in the production and arrangements! The groovy title theme really sets the tone for the record, and all tunes are upbeat and done in a mix of easy and rockish instrumentation – often produced with weird spacious touches that electrify otherwise quieter moments – all in the same blend of slinky, easy, and trippy that Crewe used for Barbarella! Titles include "Music To Watch Girls By", "Concrete & Clay", "Let's Hang On", "Theme for a Lazy Girl", "Girls on the Rocks", and "A Man and A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A 50s LP that showcases Duke's early 40s sides for the Bluebird/Victor label – including early versions of formative compositions, featuring players like Rex Stewart, Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, and Ray Nance. Titles include "Take The A Train", "Portrait Of Bert Williams", "Rumpus In Richmond", "Rocks In My Bed", "Sepia Panorama", "Flaming Sword", "Perdido", and "Blue Serge". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of an amazing run for The Smiths – a record that not only put the group on the map, but forever set a new standard for Brit pop in the 80s! There's a great mix of rough edges and softer emotions going on here – that trademark balance between the guitar of Johnny Marr and vocals of Morrissey – still ultra-fresh at this point, and freely voicing thoughts and feelings that might have been cloaked in more clumsy expressions a few years before. The album's overflowing with classics – and titles include "Hand In Glove", "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle", "You've Got Everything Now", "Reel Around The Fountain", "Still Ill", and "I Don't Owe You Anything". LP, Vinyl record album

David Byrne brings his love of funk and soul to the forefront – tightening things up a bit from before, but still staying strongly in a classic Talking Heads groove! The record's possibly the last of the group's initial classic run, and has a surprisingly soulful feel at times – a hybrid of early 80s funk and club modes, played by guests who include Wally Badarou on synth, Bernie Worrell on keyboards, and Steve Scales and David Van Tieghem on percussion. Nona Hendryx sings a bit of backing vocals too – and Byrne really steps up to the grooves without ever going too far over the top. Titles include "Burning Down The House", "Making Flippy Floppy", "Girlfriend Is Better", "Slippery People", "I Get Wild/Wild Gravity", "Swamp", "Moon Rocks", "Pull Up The Roots", and "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy little soundtrack – with a mixture of Zorba The Greek type Greek themes, plus hippy dippy psyche touches, and even a bit of Barbarella-like fuzz! The film imagines a 1972 in which hippies kind of go crazy in Greece – and the "future hippy" style of the music makes for some great touches that rank the album with Thedorakis' best work from the time. Titles include "Stand By For The Tourist Boom", "Sex On The Rocks", "Looking For the Bomb", "The Jet Rock", "Let's Dance The Jet", and "Karos 1972 AD". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Loudon Wainwright III albums of the 70s, and a nice encapsulation of his rambling creative spirit – featuring one side of studio recordings ranging from small combo rockers to voice and guitar backed sparseness, to Carribbean pop flavors – and one side recorded live at The Bottom Line in a more introspective folk style. Titles include "Sweet Nothings", "The Lowly Tourist", "Kings And Queens", "On The Rocks", "Guru", "Mr Guilty", Unrequited To The Nth Degree", "Old Friend", "Rufus Is A Tin Man" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the groovier soundtracks that Mike Curb ever recorded – a light batch of easy numbers with some electric bass and/or guitar at the bottom – tripping with a bit more punch than you might expect, and floating with some really wonderful instrumental touches at times! In a way, this is almost an easy version of Curb's biker/soundtrack albums – a bit cheesy, a bit hip, and featuring a few vocal numbers. Titles include "His Name", "The Big Bounce", "Once In A Lifetime", "The Boss Man", "Little Pickle", and "Throwing Rocks". LP, Vinyl record album

Soul stirring rocksteady and deeply moving melodies from unfailingly great singer Slim Smith and the Uniques – just a beautiful compilation of late 60s material that's provides ample evidence for those of us that contend that Slim Smith and the Uniques are among the greatest and most soulful combos in the history of reggae vocals! Includes nice early production by Bunny Striker Lee throughout – and backing musicians including Lynn Taitt & The Jets and Bobby Aitken & The Carib Beats. Nice steady rockers and lover's tunes, with sweet harmony vocals. 14 tracks on the LP version: "Give Me A Love", "You Lied To Me", "People Rock Steady", "Facts Of Life", "This Feeling", "Trying Hard To Find A Home", "You Don't Care (You'll Want Me Back)", "I'm Lost", "Love & Devotion", "Where Do I Turn" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Pure dynamite throughout – a really killer batch of cuts that easily steps between 60s and 70s styles in Jamaican music – shaking things up with soulful late 60s numbers, funky 70s gems, and some dubbier tracks from a time when production styles really opened up! As with other volumes in this excellent series, the choice of cuts is wonderful – really well-chosen tracks that go past the hits, but also feature some numbers that have become underground classics over the years – but all at a level that's got a lot more bite than some of the oft-played reggae that's been keeping dorm rooms running for decades. There's a total of 14 tracks in all – and titles include "Rocker's Rock" by Augustus Pablo, "No No No" by KC White, "Ring The Alarm" by Tenor Saw, "One Two" by Sister Nancy, "Woman Of The Ghetto" by Kim Harriott, "Heatwave" by Johnny Organ, "King Tubby Dub" by Tommy McCook & The Agrovators, "Earthquake" by Jackie Mittoo, and "Ready Or Not" by Johnny Osborne. LP, Vinyl record album

There's been plenty of great reggae collections issued over the years, but this excellent series seems to do a better job than most – in part because it bypasses the hits, and ends up pulling together some wonderful work from the wider world of the Jamaican 7" single! The tracks on here were originally issued on a variety of labels that now live under the Trojan umbrella – imprints that include Randy's, Amalgamated, Grape, Treasure Isle, and Duke – and with that variety of sources, there's also a great variety of sounds too – nicely gritty work that booms out of the speakers nice and loud – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Soup (version)" by JJ All Stars, "La La" by The Inspirations, "Arabian Dub" by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, "Red Ash" by Carl Bryan, "Lottery Spin" by Zap Pow, "Warricka Hill" by The Love Generation, "Reggae Dance" by Owen Gray, "Feel All Right" by The Cables, and "A Testimony" by Upsetter Pilgrims. LP, Vinyl record album

Soul Jazz have done it again! As with their classic NuYorica, Strata East, and Black Jazz comps, this one's a definitive sampling of rare funky stuff that you'll never find otherwise. The set brings together 14 classic Jamaican tracks from the 60's and 70's – and unlike a lot of the other weak-ass reggae comps out there, every cut on here is a winner (or if you prefer, 100% Dynamite!) Great cuts include "Armageddon Time" by Willie Williams, "Stereo Freeze" by Jackie Mittoo, "Granny Scratch Scratch" by Sound Dimension, "Popcorn" by The Upsetters, and lots more! There's also some great Jamaican covers of American funky soul classics – like The Marvels' version of "Rock Steady", and Phyllis Dillon's great remake of Marlena Shaw's "Woman of the Ghetto". Lots more goodies, and the usual Soul Jazz high standard – which is 100% Dynamite! LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible! This is quite possibly the best of this legendary series of Jamaican soul, funk, and reggae tracks – and it's a masterpiece! The track selection is amazing, and the set has a bit more crackle than earlier volumes – with loads of great 70s production, including nice dubby bits, and some excellent instrumentation. Titles include "Mission Impossible" by Randy's Allstars, "Make It Reggae" by Shark Wilson & The Basement Heaters, "Rebel Soldiering" by Johnny Clarke, "Jungle Lion" by Lee Perry, "Take It Easy" by Hopeton Lewis, "Jackie's Theme" by Jackie Mittoo & Randy's Allstars, "Uptown Top Rankin" by Althea & Donna, "Cincinatti Kid" by Prince Buster, and "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy. 15 cuts in all – and all great! LP, Vinyl record album

A deeper dig into the career of Carl Dawkins than the previous volume with the same title – and a set that really gets at the more righteous energy that Carl brought to the years of early reggae! The image on the front really gets at the power of the music here – this up-close, very soulful style that moves the music past some of the simpler themes of the ska and rocksteady years, and maybe even comes as a strong precursor to the roots years – at least in the way that Carl delivers the material. Titles include "Not Another Woman", "My Whole World", "Persevere", "Hot & Sticky", "This Land", "Don't Get Weary", "Why Oh Why", "Dreadful Situation", and "No Happiness Here". LP, Vinyl record album

A deeper dig into the career of Carl Dawkins than the previous volume with the same title – and a set that really gets at the more righteous energy that Carl brought to the years of early reggae! The image on the front really gets at the power of the music here – this up-close, very soulful style that moves the music past some of the simpler themes of the ska and rocksteady years, and maybe even comes as a strong precursor to the roots years – at least in the way that Carl delivers the material. Titles include "Not Another Woman", "My Whole World", "Persevere", "Hot & Sticky", "This Land", "Don't Get Weary", "Why Oh Why", "Dreadful Situation", and "No Happiness Here". LP, Vinyl record album

A great German set from the 60s – nice and raw, almost garagey, but also really trying for a Brit vibe as well! Titles include "Misconception", "Nobody Cares About Me", "I'm On The Outside Looking In", "Days", "Oxford Street 43", and "I'm Ready For The Show". LP, Vinyl record album

The title on this one says it all – Mojo Rocksteady Beat! The Brentford Road big timers come correct on this explosive Soul Jazz revisitation of their 100% Studio One dynamite tracks! The names of the heavies that rotated through this bunch are already well known: Jackie Mittoo, Vin Gordon aka Don D Junior, Deadly Headly Bennet, Ernest Ranglin, Leroy Sibbles, and more, and the jams here are no less well known, whether it is on their own, or as the mad, soulful rhythm foundation for any of Coxsone's top numbers. 18 earth shaking blasts of Jamaican soul, including "Rockfort Rock", "Funky", 'Real Rock", "Reggae Time", "Mojo Rock Steady", "Drum Song", "Ironside", "Heavy Rock", "In Cold Blood", "Jamaica Underground", "Reggae Time", "Great Mu Ga Ru Ga", and of course, "Mojo Rock Steady". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great collection of work from the ultra-rare Links label – a short-lived imprint from the ska/rocksteady years of the scene in Kingston – and one that only issued a handful of records, all of which were pretty darn great! The label was founded by BB Seton of The Gaylads, and all the cuts here have a similarly soulful vibe as work from that great group – the growing emphasis on strong lead vocals over instrumentation on the Jamaican scene – sometimes with harmonies that were almost strong enough to blow away American soul groups of the time! Titles include "Looking For A Girl" and "Let's Fall In Love" by The Gaylads, "Can't You See" and "I Remember Someone" by Ken Boothe, "Give Love A Try" by Delroy Wilson, "Hog In A Minty" by Prince Glen, "Sweet Melody" by Big Joe, "It Comes & Goes" by The Melodians, "Small World" by Randall Thaxter, and "Something New" by Conscious Minds. LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from the legendary Studio One – and some important sounds that really show the link between Jamaican reggae and American soul! The grooves at this point draw heavily from the US soul and R&B that had been hitting Jamaican shores via radio broadcasts from up north – but they also already have a Kingston influence coming heavily into the mix – in the stepping rhythms, bubbling instrumentation, and mellow production of the cuts! The instrumentation here is wonderful – lots of special little touches on organ, tenor, bass, or drums – in that key Studio One way – and the vocals have a flow that really works well with the echoey production on most numbers too. A few tunes show some early social and political themes – and titles include "Stars" by The Eternals, "Joy In The Morning" by The Gaylads, "My Ambition" by Marcia Griffith, "Throw Me Corn" by Larry & Alvin, "Lick It Back" by Duke Morgan, "Pack Up" by The Classics, "Fancy Make Up" by John Holt, "Whisper To Me" by Cecile Campbell, "Hurting Me" by Alton Ellis, "Our Thing" by Jackie Mittoo, and "Row Fisherman Row" by Wailing Souls. LP, Vinyl record album

A rocksteady classic from The Ethiopians – but a set that also has plenty more going on as well! The duo work here as a Jamaican counterpart to American soul groups – one of the first and best to hit the Kingston scene – but they also open themselves up to lots of other ideas in the process, and sometimes lay back vocally to just let the album open up and groove! Harmonies are The Ethiopians' strongest calling card – but they're often first directed by the rhythms, then slide in to warm things up and give a larger presence to the slow-stepping, midtempo grooves – all delivered with a classic Kingston head-nodding approach. The album's a key genre-building moment in Jamaican music – and titles include the classic "Train To Skaville", plus "Engine 54", "My Love", "You Got The Dough", "Woman's World", "Long Time Now", and "Unchanged Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Really heady sounds from Frightnrs – a group who've changed up their sound slightly since their last full length release – at a level that makes them even more interesting than ever before! The group still draw heavily from older rocksteady and soulful reggae modes – but it also feels as if they're leaning a bit more heavily on sweet soul modes from the early 70s too – coming across with the warmth of a harmony vocal record on the lyrics, while still also reveling in the best sort of slow-stepping, dub heavy rhythms in the music! Dan Klein handles the vocals, always with a great sense of echo – and Chuck Patel adds lots of great organ and keyboards to the music – including some great spacey effects. Victor Axelrod did a superb job with production – and titles include "30 56", "You Still", "Profilin", "Expectations", "Tuesday", "Always", "Maybe Isle", and "Why Does It Feel Like A Curse". LP, Vinyl record album

Pre-Island Records material from Bob Marley and The Wailers – and a set that really focuses on the strong harmony modes that made the group so great! Bob's lead is still wonderful, but the way the voices come together is tremendous – echoing American soul styles, but with a righteous vibe that already points the way towards the direction Marley would take in just a few short years! Even more familiar rocksteady rhythms have a lot more bite here – produced by Leslie Kong, with great guitar from Lyn Taitt amidst backings from the Beverley's All Stars – all to elevate the vocals of Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer. And despite the "best of" title, the set is all unique LP material – with titles that include "Soul Captives", "Caution", "Stop The Train", "Soul Shake Down", "Do It Twice", "Back Out", and "Soon Come". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer funky organ – and 100% Dynamite! Jackie Mittoo is one of the all-time great organists – as essential to Jamaica as Booker T was to Memphis, or Jimmy McGriff was to New York. He's legendary these days as the player who completely transformed the Hammond sound with his unique Jamaican instrumental style during his early years with the Skatalites, and on his later solo recordings for Studio One. This set's probably the first time Mittoo's work has been properly packaged and remastered – and the folks at Soul Jazz have done an amazing job of selecting just the right tracks for such a project. The whole thing wails along with a stone rocksteady groove – with plenty of nice drum parts and funky rhythm bits underneath Jackie's soulful organ. If you dug the label's 100% Dynamite series, you'll really dig this one – and the whole thing's very much in the same vein. Tracks include "Drum Song", "Reggae Rock", "Hot Tamale", "Killer Diller", "Black Organ", "Stereo Freeze", "Wall Street", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Juice Box", and "Killer Diller". LP, Vinyl record album

Derrick Morgan's a superstar in Jamaican music, but this album's one of his most obscure – also one of his most righteous too, as you might guess from the gritty 70s image on the cover! The set's got a soulful flow that's in the late rocksteady mode, but also bubbles with some of the roots energy to come – a headier vibe that has Morgan's vocals cresting over the tunes in a way that almost echoes some of the shifts that Marvin Gaye was making at the time – even thought Derrick's vibe here is completely his own! Morgan arranged and produced – and titles include "Festival 10", "Me Na Run", "Bring In The Guns", "One Morning In May", "Father Killam", "Send A Little Rain", "Never See My Baby", "Hold Your Jack", and "Still Around". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-lost performance by Sun Ra and the Arkestra – recorded in Amsterdam at the start of the 70s, when the group were brought in by avant saxophonist Hans Dulfer for a special performance! This album marks the first-ever issue of the material, from rediscovered tapes that finally present the group on that night in all of their glory – a horn-heavy version of the Arkestra with Danny Davis, Danny Ray Thompson, Marshall Allen, Pat Patrick, and John Gilmore on reeds – as well as Kwame Hadi and Akh Tal Ebah on trumpets, June Tyson on vocals, and a surprise appearance from Alan Silva on cello, bass, viola, and violin! Ra himself plays moog, rocksichord, piano, and the Spacemaster organ – and the group has plenty of percussion, and a rich sound that really resonates strongly in the legendary venue. Titles include an early reading of "Space Is The Place" – plus "Watusa", "Walking On The Moon", "Paradiso Improviso #1", "We Travel The Spaceways", "Theme From The Stargazers", "The Solar Moog Approach", and "Second Stop Is Jupiter". LP, Vinyl record album

A great mix of classic covers and original tracks – all served up with a mellow groove and plenty of influence from Jamaican music! Years back, Soul Sugar were more of a jazzy funk combo – but over the years, they've evolved into more of a reggae/rocksteady mode – one that's a perfect setting for the Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards handled by Guillaume Metenier – a player who solos strongly on the instrumental tracks, then steps back a bit more on the few vocal numbers that grace the set! One of those, a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield classic "The Makings Of You", is worth the price of admission alone – and other tracks include "Black Byrd", "Happy Riddim", "Just A Little Talk", "Fly Away", and "Tubby's Ghost". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest records of the roots reggae generation – a set that was so far ahead of its time, it never saw release until a decade after it was recorded! Sylford Walker has this very powerful way of putting over his words – part singing, part chanting – and often set to rhythms that are maybe a bit grittier than the usual Kingston studio modes of the late 70s – especially the percussion, which can have a very raw vibe alongside the basslines. Horns are nice and stark, too – and the whole thing almost feels as if someone took a trip back to the rocksteady years of recording, to put together a roots-oriented album. Glen L Brown produced and arranged – and titles include "Chant Down Babylon", "Lamb's Bread", "My Father's Homeland", "Eternal Day", and "Deuteronomy". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of albums from this Guyana group – both recorded overseas, and with a really unique sort of vibe! Young Ones Of Guyana On Tour was recorded in 1970, while the group was in London – at the legendary Landsdowne Studios, home to some really groundbreaking jazz at the time – a location that must have left some sort of imprint on the combo, as they work here in a mix of different styles that includes soul, Latin, and even Jamaican modes – often using strong lead guitar upfront, usually peppered with very cool Farfisa organ lines too. Many of the cuts are instrumentals, and some are vocals – and the mix reminds us a lot of the sorts of variety you'd get on a late 60s rocksteady album. Titles include "Liquidator", "Monkey Man", "Express Way", "Love Can Make You Happy", "No More Heartaches", and "Meditation". Reunion was recorded in Toronto in 1973 – after the group took a hiatus from recording for a bit, to reemerge here with a style that's definitely matured for the time! The organ has shifted from Farfisa to Hammond, but still used in these nice lean lines – and the vocals are more prominent, and maybe more soulful too – especially when the group take on some American soul tracks from the time. Titles include "Guitar Man", "Hooked On Me", "Poppa Joe", "Oh Girl", "If Loving You Is Wrong", "Suriname", "Ain't No Sunshine", and "Lean On Me". LP, Vinyl record album