An obscure indie set from the power pop underground years – with titles that include "I Can't Control Myself", "Reach For The Sky", "Inside Outside", "Madonna's Last Stand", "Kill Me", "Dear Dad", and "Pain Killer". LP, Vinyl record album

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NSI stands for "new sounds from the islands" – and that's definitely what you'll get here from this combo who serve up a fantastic blend of Antilles rhythms and contemporary club funk – all very much in the best spirit of the early zouk movement at the time! There's lots of great bass on the record – often used as the key core element of the tunes, with keyboards, guitar lines, and vocals layered alongside – almost with a quality that seems to echo the way that American groups were borrowing bits from the Caribbean and using it to inflect funk and soul up in the New York scene of the early 80s. The music is plenty playful, and very groovy – and titles include "Turn Your Face On Me", "Steel Ka Dance", "Oui Ce Yes Roger A Ti Wawa", and "Moin Epi Vou". LP, Vinyl record album

If you ever needed a record to convince you that The Yardbirds are pure genius, this one is it! Roger The Engineer captures all that was great about the group at their start – their sharp guitars, their undeniable wit, and that really special way they had of turning their bluesy inspirations into something completely new and different for the mod 60s scene! Jeff Beck is amazing on guitar – and the set's one of those that will have you go "oh yeah, that's why he was so important" – setting fire to the rest of the group, who themselves explode in ways that are mindblowing – and the whole thing's a blueprint for countless records to come from other artists who never got things this right. Titles include "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago", "Over Under Sideways Down", "Lost Women", "The Nazz Are Blue", "Jeff's Boogie", "What Do You Want", "He's Always There", "Turn Into Earth", and "Pyscho Daisies". LP, Vinyl record album

The second set of Heliocentric tracks that Ra recorded for ESP, with a freer feel than the first volume, and a bit more avant-oriented work overall. Ra and the group play a lot of percussion – and Ra himself is on tuned bongos, piano, and clavioline, which has a very nice spooky sound! The reed work on the album is by Robert Cummings, John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, and Marshall Allen – with bass by Ronnie Boykin and percussion by Roger Blank. Tracks include "Cosmic Chaos", "House of Beauty", and "The Sun Myth". LP, Vinyl record album

A record so big they dropped the "Ross" from Diana's name – just to show how large the lady was living at the end of the 70s! The album was a key set in the solo years of Diana's career – a back to basics dancefloor effort done with impeccable production by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers – often in that tightly snapping mode that made Chic so great, a sound that really breathed new life into Ross' sound at the time! Roger's fast-riffing guitar touches cook the album up beautifully – pushing a catchy pop groove into the massive hits "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out" – both numbers that have aged surprisingly well over the years. Other tracks include "Tenderness", "My Old Piano", "Now That You're Gone", "Friend To Friend", and "Give Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible early work from Curt Boettcher and Sandy Salisbury – best known for their collaboration in the fantastic groups Ballroom and Millennium – but heard here in a set of intimate demos the pair recorded around the same time! There's plenty of Sunshine Pop genius on these cuts, even if the production isn't at a full studio level – as the tunes are wonderful even at the core, and the vocals by either of the pair really make the magic of the tunes shine through – with a warmth and intimacy that's even more striking than some of their better-known material. We'd rank this right up there with similar material from Roger Nichols and Paul Williams – and titles include "Spell On Me", "Opus To A Friend", "Really & Truly", "Sweet Tangerine", "Next Day Sad", "Love Is Good", "Soft Words", "The Sun Is Shining Now", and "Oops". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – the kind of album that only Blue Note could put out, and an instant classic that will sound wonderful forever! The album's truly one of the great ones – one of those Blue Notes that still makes you stop and pause when you hear it, even though you've heard it a million times in Starbucks and places like that. Horace Silver is working here at the height of his powers – lyrical, free, yet also damn soulful, in a style that makes for some of the most evocative jazz-based grooves cut to wax at the time. Carmell Jones is in the group, and plays some of his best trumpet ever – and Joe Henderson really drives the whole session home with some incredible tenor work. Other group members include Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – and titles include the instantly famous "Song For My Father", plus "Que Pasa", "The Kicker", and "Calcutta Cutie". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the many Roger side projects recorded during the height of the Zapp era – an album of longer vocal tracks produced by Roger, and featuring singer Dick Smith, with backings by the usual suspects from the larger Zapp posse. 4 of the album's 6 songs are remakes of older hits, given a smooth slick 80s groove – and titles include "Tobacco Road", "Sunny", "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "Stay With Me Baby", and "Over & Over Again". LP, Vinyl record album

An early album from Japanese genius Akiko Yano, and one that features some key contributions from American jazz and fusion players – in a lineup that brings some surprisingly funky touches to the record too! Akiko's vocals and unique song structures still have all the charms you'll know from other records, but there's also a groove at points that's totally great – a vibe that's picking up from that moment when Japanese singers and musicians were traveling over the Pacific to work with American players for a really cool blend! The album features keyboards from Roger Powell, Hammond from Will Boulware, drums from Steve Jordan, and guitar from David Spinozza – plus plenty of moog and other keyboards from Akiko and Hideki Matsutake. Titles include "Yo Ro Ko Bi", "Uo Sao", "Katarun Kararan", "Kodomo Tachi", "Okina Ishi", "Two On The Stage", and "Andante Cantabile". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of rare African tracks – with work by Kale-Roger and Rochereau with OK Jazz Orchestra, Bantous De La Capitale, Ahamano's Guitar Band, Broadway Dance Band, Dele Ojo & His Star Brothers Band, SE Rogers, Miss Smodern, Leribe, John Mwale, Peter Tsotsi, Nachil Pilchen, Equater Soul Band, Dick Ngoye, Yaseen Mohamed, Salim Abdulla, Cuban Marimba Band, M Makhuwele, Frida Sonka, and Alemanyo Eshirtay Group. Phew! LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzy goodness galore – a set of really well-chosen tracks that we're not sure we've ever seen reissued before – mostly from obscure sources that might well have remained underdiscovered otherwise! Jazz is at the key, but there's also some soulful vocal moments too – and most tracks are long, and have a vibe that's a nice change from funky jazz or spiritual modes – even though there's still plenty of soulful energy throughout the set! Instrumentation is both electric and acoustic, and styles change up nicely – in ways that make each new track a great discovery, even if you've got ears that are well-trained on years of record digging. Titles include "On Dit" by Sara Alexander, "On A Winder's Day" by Afrodisax, "For You" by Dave Plaehn, "Pre-Stretch Warm Up" by Rick Panzer, "Du Ar Frisk" by Roger Ekman, "Philosophy" by Anne Marie Giortz, "Sengakuji" by Urban Hansson, and "Alcohol" by Rene Van Helsdingen. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning array of rare sounds from Togo – a tiny West African nation, but home to a real hotbed of grooves in the 70s and 80s! As with the first volume, the music here is a real revelation – sounds very different than those in nearby Nigeria, often with a slight tropical vibe in the rhythms – almost if there were Caribbean currents flowing east to infect the scene Lome with a very unique sound! Guitars are often right down in the rhythms, but in ways that are different than highlife – funkier, with almost a James Brown influence – but one that's been very changed up in the process! Some of the 80s cuts bring in a bit more beats, basslines, and keyboards – but still in really unique ways – and titles include "Misiqui" by Roger Damawuzan, "Agaza Gbona" by Agboti, "Yansama" by Ali Bawa, "Fati Waka" by Mamo Lagbema, "Kissakpiou" by Napo De Mi Amor, "The End Of All" by Deg Dos, "Habie" by Gregoire Lawani, and "Assini" by Palete Wawa. LP, Vinyl record album

The Heavenly Sweetness label celebrates its first ten years in business – with a special birthday present of all-exclusive unreleased tracks! This set doesn't look back at the previous decade of the label, but instead points the way forward – with a wonderful selection of newly-recorded tracks by some of hte label's best artists – including some who've helped define their groove strongly in recent years, and some whose talents are soon to be presenting full length sets for the company! As with the previous ten years of records, the music here is a fantastic blend of new styles and global elements – some strands of soul, jazz, and hip hop influences – but often used in ways that are completely fresh and contemporary – at a level that's made Heavenly Sweetness one of our go-to labels for new and interesting sounds over the past decade. Titles include "You Party Too Much" by The Mule, "O Circo" by Cotonete", "Have A Little Faith" by Blundetto and Ken Boothe, "An Ba Galba" by Roger Raspail and Vincent Segal, "Tijan Ka (2017 version)" by Edmondy Krater and I Live, "Tijan (Hugh LX rmx)" by Edmondy Krater, "F*ck With The Police" by Florian Pellissier Quintet with Roger Raspail and Nawer, "Hip Hop Muse (Lefto rmx)" by Rongetz Foundation, "Be The River" by Anthony Joseph and Hanyo, and "Move In Silence" by Guts with Patrice, Feve, Djeuhdjoah, and Lieutenant Nicholson. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a cover that has Mighty Baby looking a bit more relaxed than before – and sounding a fair bit relaxed, too – as they trade some of their more strongly-driven modes for a laidback, introspective vibe that's equally nice in its own sort of way! Roger Powell is still on drums, but he also handles some gentler percussion – and other group members shift some of the dynamism of their instrumentation towards more meditative modes – a shift you can definitely hear on the organ, saxes, and flute of Ian Whiteman – who also plays a bit of harmonium. Songs are a bit longer, with even more personal lyrics – and titles include "The Happiest Man In The Carnival", "Keep On Juggin", "Virgin Spring", "Testing The Life", and "Slipstreams". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic first album from Pete Townshend – one that showed the world that he was a hell of a force to be reckoned with, even away from The Who! There's some elements here that link back to Pete's work with the band, but the music here is already showing lots of new ideas brewing in his solo space – some of the greater sensitivity of Townshend's solo voice – which might not always get showcased when Roger Daltrey was taking the lead – and also some different musical strands that might not have been right for The Who. Ronnie Lane takes the lead on "Evolution" – which you'll recognize from the world of The Faces – and other titles include the original acoustic version of "Pure & Easy", plus "Nothing Is Everything (Let's See Action)", "Time Is Passing", "Forever's No Time At All", "There's A Heartache Following Me", "Content", "Parvardigar", and "Sheraton Gibson". LP, Vinyl record album

Traffic get some help here from Muscle Shoals heavyweights Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, and Jimmy Johnson – a trio who help the group continue that richer, more expanded sound that was first unfurled on the group's Low Spark album! The sound is maybe a more focused attempt at territory from that record, but one that also really stretches things out too – long tracks that have just the right balance, and which never make the extra long space of the tunes feel like their wasted at all – just perfect settings for the energy of the tunes composed by Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi. Titles include "Roll Right Stones", "Tragic Magic", "Evening Blue", and "Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory". LP, Vinyl record album

A really key album in the early run of Yes – yet a set that's also nicely different too! The record is the first to feature keyboard genius Rick Wakeman joining the group – a player whose talents would really elevate their sound – but the record also has this nicely intimate vibe at moments, too – with shorter tracks that introduce the talents of each players – which are then matched with the kind of complex, soaring numbers that the group could always do so well! Roger Dean turns in the first of his legendary covers for the group, and the whole thing's a mini-masterpiece – with titles that include their classics "Roundabout" and "Long Distanced Runaround" – plus "Cans & Brahms", "We Have Heaven", "Mood For A Day", "Heart Of The Sunrise", "South Side Of The Sky", and "The Fish". LP, Vinyl record album

Stellar live Yes – recorded during their 1972 tour, when the group was at the height of their jamming powers! Sweet Roger Dean cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Yipes, this must have been a clear indication of just how popular the show really was! The album's little more than bits lifted off the TV soundtrack – with bits that include "Why God Made Hands", "Sweety Pie Roger", "VD Day", "God is Black", and "Jury Duty". We're guessing that this one probably secretly sold more to the middle-American right wingers who were buying Barry Goldwater records a few years before – than it did to the New York liberals who could get the irony of the material. LP, Vinyl record album

Great genre-bending material from The Byrds – with vocals from David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Roger McGuinn – and superb production from Gary Usher! Titles include "Artificial Energy", "Change Is Now", "Tribal Gathering", "Dolphins Smile", "Space Odyssey", "Goin Back", and "Natural Harmony". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily our favorite album by Baikida Carroll – a wonderfully spiritual session cut in Paris, and done with this open-ended, spacious sound that seems to bring AACM improvisation into play with some of the global currents that were happening overseas at the time! As on an AACM date, most players handle a fair bit of instruments – Carroll on trumpet, flugelhorn, seal horn, and percussion; Oliver Lake on soprano, alto, tenor, flute, and percussion too; and the great Nana Vasconcelos on lots more percussion – including cuica, tablas, timbales, bells, and more as well! Manuel Villardel plays both acoustic and electric piano – and the tunes build through these great improvisations between the horns and percussion, often with long, cyclical styles that are completely hypnotic! Titles include the modal groover "Forest Scorpion" – plus "Orange Fish Tears", "Rue Roger", and "Porte D'Orleans". LP, Vinyl record album

Nathan Davis' triumphant return to the American recording scene, and a very swingin, very soulful set recorded with a septet that includes Nelson Harrison, Roger Humphries, and Joe Kennedy. The vibe is righteous and free, but with a good groove all the way through. Similar to some of the stuff on Strata East or Black Jazz, but marked by the great writing and excellent reed solos of Mr. Davis, who (we feel) is one of the true geniuses of the saxophone of the 20th century. Nearly every track is great, and the titles include "Extra Sensory Perfection", "I Want To Be Free", and "Slave March". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that marks a slight shift for Family – maybe a more focused approach to songwriting, yet one that's still very much their own – given the undeniably wild vocals of the legendary Roger Chapman! Chapman's knocking it out of the park here – even nudging aside John Wetton, who doesn't sing as much as before – as the group swerve between hard rock moments and some even cooler, artier touches – on titles that include "Burlesque", "Bolero Babe", "Coronation", "Dark Eyes", "Broken Nose", "My Friend The Sun", "Glove' , "Top Of The Hill", and "Ready To Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Aretha's tour of the south continues – recording here at Atlantic's new home in Miami, with studio work from The Dixie Flyers, Dave Crawford, Roger Hawkins, Duane Allman, and Eddie Hinton – all very much in the tradition of the Muscle Shoals work that supported Aretha on earlier recordings. Aretha's playing piano on all tracks – and titles include her remake of "Don't Play That Song", plus "You & Me", "Pullin", "Spirit In The Dark", "Try Matty's", "Oh No Not My Baby", and "One Way Ticket". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". This stunning version adds in some killer bonus tracks – 6 never-heard cuts from the Milestone vaults, including "Song For My Family", "Funky Native", "Detroit Rainbow", "Can't We Smile (alt)", and slow and fast versions of "A Child's Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the real landmarks in Australian jazz from the 70s – a freewheeling set by a group who've picked up plenty of influences from the Coltrane generation, but mix them up in a great way that's all their own! The group features Roger Frampton on piano and alto sax, Howie Smith on tenor and soprano, Jack Thorncraft on bass, and Phil Treolar on drums – but along the way, there's some nice surprises too. Tracks vary in length in a great way – and this initial album is still the group's best moment! LP, Vinyl record album

Oliver Nelson's follow-up to his classic Blues & The Abstract Truth session for Impulse – and like that one, a tremendous little album – filled with deep tones and wonderful colors in sound! The group here's a bit larger than before – an ensemble that includes Phil Woods on alto, Ben Webster on tenor, Thad Jones on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone, Roger Kellaway on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Grady Tate on drums. The album includes some superb original compositions by Nelson – just the kind of overlooked jazz numbers that make the set great – and as with most of his arrangements from the time, there's a perfect balance between group force and intimate solo space! Titles include "The Critic's Choice", "Blues & The Abstract Truth", "One For Bob", and 2 versions of Dave Brubeck's "Theme From Mr. Broadway". LP, Vinyl record album

Eight tracks, including "Train To Nowhere", "Vicksburg Blues", "It Hurts Me Too", "May Be Wrong", and "Train To Nowhere". Produced by Mike Vernon, and the band includes Roger Earl & Lonesome Dave! LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from Horace Silver – one in which his quintet is expanded by some great guest work from trombonist JJ Johnson! Johnson's at the height of his 60s powers here – blowing with that lean, soulful style that always made any record sparkle – and although he's only on half of the tracks on the date, his presence is more than worth the heavy billing he gets on the cover! Other great members of the group include Woody Shaw on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor, and rhythm from Bob Cranshaw on bass and Roger Humphries on drums – all coming together with that wonderful 60s Silver groove. The set's filled with sweetly grooving originals by Horace – a blueprint for the exotic style of soul jazz he helped to forge at the time – great writing all around, on titles that include "Mo Joe", "Nutville", "Bonita", "The African Queen", and "Pretty Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from one of the most solid groups in 60s jazz – the quintet co-led by trumpeter Clark Terry and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer – a legendary ensemble that drew on the best talents of both players, but grew into something greater! Brookmeyer's playing valve trombone throughout on the tunes – played in a fluid, trumpety way that matches perfectly with Terry's own phrasing – and which almost creates a sense of counterpoint on the head arrangements, yet which never falls into styles that are too academic or modern. There's a fluid easy grace here that's really surprising – with none of Terry's gutbuckety tricks or Brookmeyer's too experimental moments – and overall, the group have a solid, soulful quality that almost reminds us of the Art Farmer-Benny Golson Jazztet, or of some of Farmer's other key recordings of the 60s. Rhythm is by the trio of Roger Kellaway on piano, Bill Crow on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums – and the album features 10 numbers in all, including "Tete A Tete", "Pretty Girl", "Blue China", "Blindman, Blindman", "Sometime Ago", "Hymn", "Step right Up", "Weep" and "Straight No Chaser". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever releases in this amazing series – and a smoking batch of great little cuts that mix dope guitar, funky hammond, and odd off-beat grooves in a very nice way! The whole thing's nicely packaged, with a fresh approach to funk tunes that's quite different from a lot of recent compilations we've stocked – and we're still grooving to this one, even though we've played it three times in a row! Tracks include "Petite Soul" by Little Ed, "Contagious" by Kenneth Wells, "Gasoline Alley" by Dave Grusin, "Pick & Shovel" by The Touch, "Mind Blow" by Roger Hamilton Spotts, "Un Homme De Mort" by Michel Legrand, "Chicano Chaser" by Ian Langley, "Studio 69" by The Mohawks, "Soul Thing" by Tony Newman, "It's Your Thing" by The Invaders, and "Move Your Hand" by La Clave. 20 cuts in all! LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Roger Daltrey, Fiona, Peter Frampton, Tony Banks, Ray Parker Jr, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's a keyboard lover's delight – especially if you love more synth-heavy sounds – because Rich Aucoin presents the tracks as a mini history of synthesizer sounds and styles – working here with instruments from the collections of the National Music Centre in Calgary, and the Vintage Synthesizer Museum in LA! The music really resonates with the kind of elements you'd expect from that legacy – and from the great image on the front – a shift in sound from track to track, as Aucoin delivers these instrumentals that are especially heavy on influences from the world of 80s club, dance, and funk. Titles include "Shift", "Pure", "Space", "Prophet", "Liminal", "Roger Luther", "Tech Noir", and "Lyra". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album ever recorded by The Byrds, and a set that almost has the group going full circle – as the record's a reunion of sorts, and features an early lineup of the group back together – then-leader Roger McGuinn, joined by Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke! The sound of the set shows all the many paths the individuals had followed since they had split from the group – and although there's still some of the more acoustic-oriented tracks you might expect from early 70s Byrds albums, there's also some more pronounced tracks that amp things up a bit – yet all without having any sort of the ego collision such a reunion might normally inspire. Titles include "Full Circle", "Cowgirl In The Sand", "See The Sky About To Rain", "For Free", "Things Will Be Better", "Borrowing Time", "Long Live The King", and "Sweet Mary". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful mixing of modes – Jim Capaldi's Traffic-bred, London-styled vocals, and the sweet southern soul grooves of Muscle Shoals – all wrapped together with a sound that's even tighter than Capaldi's debut album! Jim's a big edgier here overall – both in the way he delivers the vocals, and in the lyrics of the tunes – and his singing's underscored perfectly by help from Jimmy Johnson on guitar, Barry Beckett on piano and organ, David Hood on bass, and Roger Hawkins on drums – all of whom create the right sort of warm Muscle Shoals vibe to make Capaldi's music sound wonderfully soulful. Steve Winwood plays a bit of guest organ on the set, and may well help with backing vocals – and titles include the funky "Low Rider" (different than the War tune) – plus "We'll Meet Again", "Summer Is Fading", "My Brother", "It's Alright", and "Yellow Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

With Cozy Powell, Roger Hodgson, and Martin Barre. LP, Vinyl record album

With Eddie Daniels on clarinet, Fred Hersch on keys, Roger Kellaway on piano, John Patitucci on bass, Al Foster on drums, and Steve Thornton on percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever from Dayton – the kind of bouncy, funky combo who really put Ohio soul on the map at the start of the 80s! The group's got a wonderfully tight ensemble style that mixes both male and female vocals with bumping bass and sweet jazzy keyboards – all very much in a mode that's similar to some of their Capitol label contemporaries – like BB&Q Band or Mystic Merlin – with perhaps just an undercurrent of the Roger/Zapp sound too. Titles include the groover "Cutie Pie", plus the tracks "Let Me Know", "Wanna Be Your Man", "You Lift Me Up", and "Fool Was He". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from Aynsley Dunbar – the drummer who's worked famously with a number of other key artists on both the US and UK scenes – but an artist who always seems to bring something special to the mix when he is a leader! Aynsley's pictured on the cover behind a massive set of drums – which he brings to good use here, but in ways that are balanced out with contributions from a really great group of top-shelf British artists from other groups – including the great Paul Williams, whose raspy vocals really bring a lot to the record – alongside Tommy Eyre on organ, Ivan Zagni and Roger Sutton on guitars, Peter Friedberg on tenor, and Edward Reay Smith on trombone – the last two of whom bring some nicely soulful touches to the set. Titles include "Willing To Fight", "Willie The Pimp", "It's Your Turn", "The Days I Most Remember", and "Going Home". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Aretha Franklin's undisputed classics from her late 60s run on Atlantic Records – a seminal session that furthered her deep soul agenda with key backings from Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd – both of whom handle the mix of rawness and polish that made Aretha so great at the time! The Sweet Inspirations provide sublime backing vocals behind Franklin's maturing delivery of the lyrics – and the music is by an all-star group of players that includes Spooner Oldham, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Johnson, King Curtis, Tommy Cogbill, Roger Hawkins, and even Eric Clapton – clearly the cream of the crop, more than willing to be part of such an amazing set! Cuts include "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", "Chain Of Fools", "Money Won't Change You", "Come Back Baby", and "Ain't No Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique album from the great Etta Jones – a session recorded down in Muscle Shoals, and not in Chicago – a setting that gives James an extra sort of deep soul power! The backing is nicely different than some of the other Chess material – killer work from the legendary Fame Studios lineup that included Barry Beckett on organ, Charles Chalmers on tenor, and Roger Hawkins on drums – all coming together with the great Rick Hall at the production helm! Etta's back in hard-belting R&B-tinged territory here – a bit more sophisticated than the 50s, with a good mix of hard soul numbers and ballads, opening up in some southern territory that really suits her well. Titles include "The Same Rope", "Watch Dog", "Tell Mama", "I'd Rather Go Blind", "Just A Little Bit", and "Don't Lose Your Good Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

An all-tenor set from Bobby Jaspar – material recorded in Paris in 1953 and 1954, played with a variety of different groups! Jaspar's tenor has a really great sound here – kind of a Lester Young rasp that marks him as a very Getz-like musician at this point – but with a slightly more upbeat edge as well – working nicely alongside players who include Jimmy Gourley on guitar, Fats Sadi on vibes, Roger Guerin on trumpet, Henri Renaud on piano, and Nat Peck on trombone. Titles include "Black Horse", "Kaba Soutra", "Strike Up The Band", "Up In Quincy's Room", "Capri", "Early Wake", "Jeux De Quartes", "Schabooz", and "Struttin With Some Barbecue". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare solo project from reedman Andy Mackay – the great musician whose saxophone work was such a key part of the early Roxy Music sound! The album features work from Eddie Jobson, Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera, Roger Glover, and a larger array of unusual guests – and is an odd reworking of older rock themes, but with an odd Roxy-like twist! LP, Vinyl record album

Ahhh, good ol' Mel & Tim – possibly our favorite soul duo ever, and a really dynamic pair that carve some great new territory away from the path set by Sam & Dave! The album's a bit of a comeback for the duo, as you'd guess from the title – even though it was only recorded a few years after their initial work for the Bamboo label. There's a stylistic shift that marks a second chapter in the Mel & Tim groove – as they move away from the New York uptown sound, and go for more of a gritty southern sound – thanks to help from producer/arrangers Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins. The set list is filled with loads of great southern soul tunes – penned by composers who include Phillip Mitchell, Isaac Hayes, Dan Penn, and Homer Banks – on the titles "Heaven Knows", "Wrap It Up", "Don't Mess With My Money My Honey Or My Woman", "Carry Me", and a great cover of "I'm Your Puppet". LP, Vinyl record album

The Borneo Horns are Steve Elson on baritone, Stan Harrison on alto, Lenny Picket on tenor, and Leroy Clouden on drums. Album also features Laurie Frink, Nelson Bogart, Dave Bargeron, Howard Johnson, Ned Sublette, Roger Squitero. LP, Vinyl record album

A breakout record that forever put Wilson Pickett at the top of the heap for mainstream 60s soul – thanks to the oft-covered, endlessly played "Mustang Sally" single that leads off the set! And although the groove established by that track helped Pickett establish an audience on both sides of the fence, the full album itself is much deeper stuff – a searing album of southern-styled soul recorded with some great Muscle Shoals production – Rick Hall and Tom Dowd at the helm – and key session players who include Charlie Chalmers, Chips Moman, Tommy Cogbill, Spooner Oldham, and Roger Hawkins – all of whom help give the record the intimate, earthy feeling that helped Pickett step out with a stronger sound than earlier recordings. (And in fact, this album's perhaps a key pre-Aretha Franklin example of the way that Atlantic's vision could majestically change the sound of an already-known soul artist – bringing them far deeper than ever before.) Titles include "Mustang Sally", "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", "Nothing You Can Do", "Three Time Loser", "Sunny", "She Ain't Gonna Do Right", "Knock On Wood", "Time Is On My Side", and "You Left The Water Running". LP, Vinyl record album

The Roger Corman-Phil Spector year of the mighty Ramones! End Of The Century is a huge departure from the 1-2-3-4 burst and roar of the first 4 Ramones albums – a big ol' Phil Spector production – recorded concurrently with the filming of late 70s hottie PJ Soles dancing around in her underwear with a shy and shell-shocked Joey in Rock And Roll High School! Lord knows that End Of The Century was the end of the Ramones as we knew and loved them on LP (they remained great live until the very end), but it holds up very well and the big sound brings a smile. Plus it's got "Chinese Rock", worth the price alone. Other tracks include "Do You Remember Rock'N'Roll Radio?", "I'm Affected", "Danny Says", "The Return Of Jack & Judy", "Let's Go", "Baby, I Love You", "I Can't Make It On Time", "This Ain't Havana", "Rock N Roll High School", "All The Way" and "High Risk Insurance". LP, Vinyl record album

Mostly dramatic material, written by Riddle to accompany this mid 60s film based on the John O'Hara novel of the same name. Ferrante & Teicher perform the main theme – which is jaunty enough – but the other tracks are pretty dark and orchestral, with a fairly gloomy feel overall. Titles include "Roger Bannon", "Table Talk", "Why Don't You Tell Her", "Kiss Me Pumpkin", "A Rage To Live", "I've Got A Husband", and "A Two Hour Drive". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic turning point for the great Horace Silver – a set that's still got the soul jazz groove of some of his earlier 60s hits – but which also has the pianist really making magic with some of the younger players on the scene – in a lineup that features the young Woody Shaw on trumpet, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Tyrone Washington on tenor sax! As with Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan at the time, there's an openness to some of Silver's writing and arranging here that's really great – as if he's absorbing some of the qualities of the new thing generation, but never going there himself – and instead just finding a way to color his music with really fresh energy and tones. Larry Ridley is on bass and Roger Humphries is on drums – completing a really fantastic lineup – and titles include the title cut "The Jody Grind" – is an enduring funky jazz classic – plus "Blue Silver", "Mary Lou", "Mexican Hip Dance", "Grease Piece", and "Dimples". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great little album – one that really gets at the bright, joyous feel that Clark Terry brings to his music! Despite the "happy" in the title – which might make you think this one would be a bit silly – the album's a pretty great record! Terry plays both trumpet and flugelhorn (hence the "horns" in the title) – and he's working with a spare, tight, and surprisingly creative group that includes drummer Walter Perkins, bassist Milt Hinton, pianist Roger Kellaway, and the sax team of Phil Woods and Ben Webster. Tunes are light and playful, but never sloppy – instead quite inventive, and done in a way that's halfway between Terry's own late 50s work as a leader (as on Argo), and some of his work on sessions like Ed Thigpen's magnificent Out Of The Storm. Titles include "Jazz Conversations", "High Towers", "In A Mist", "Rockin In Rhythm", "Return To Swahili", and "Impulsive". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice fifteen track double LP set that has flugelhorn and trumpet player Clark Terry and his quintet – co-lead by trombonist Bobby Brookmeyer tackling pieces by Herbie Hancock, Thelonius Monk, Count Basie and others, as well as several originals. Bill Crow, Dave Bailey, and Roger Kellaway round out the group – and tracks include "Dancing On The Grave", "The Simple Waltz", "Ode To A Flugelhorn", "Hawg Jawz", "A Gal In Calico", "Green Stamps", "Straight No Chaser", "The King", and "Blindman, Blindman". LP, Vinyl record album

Zapp at the height of their powers – a bit more focused than before, but every bit as funky! Roger's production here is impeccable – done with a great ear for the most soulful side of the group's talents, which keeps them far from some of the more commercial groups who were copping their vibe, but never got things right. Great proof of this is the mellow cut "Computer Love" – a slow stepper that has the group showing their sweeter side, but never losing their cool – a bit like some of the best Fatback ballads of the early 80s. Other cuts are mostly funky – filled with tight basslines, keyboards, and electro bits – and tunes include "It Doesn't Really Matter", "Radio People", "Rock N Roll", "Make Me Feel Good", and "Ja Ready To Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

The classic first album by this legendary funky combo – a group who not only went onto change the sound of funk in the 80s, but also went onto have a huge impact on generations of hip hop as well! The album burns from the very first note – the wicked snapping funk of "More Bounce To The Ounce" – a tune that became the blueprint for a generation, and still sounds way better than the millions of copycat attempts that came out over the years! The record follows with some equally wicked bass/keyboard cuts – often with plenty of electro production touches too – thanks to sweeeet work in the studio from Bootsy Collins and Roger Troutman. Bootsy's presence is key, too – as the set kind of strips down the ensemble P-Funk vibe of the generation before – going for a lean, clean groove that's held up beautifully over the years! In addition to "More Bounce To The Ounce", the record also features the mellow steppers cut "Be Alright", which has a wonderful hook, and a great compressed modern soul sound – and other tracks include "Funky Bounce", "Freedom", and "Brand New Pplayer". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from Roger Troutman and Zapp – a killer batch of cuts that forever changed the sound of funk! The group's "wheeeeeeet/whomp!" sound is very firmly in place by the time of this release – and the sound here is even more electric than their debut – a groundbreaking style that went onto inspire countless acts of the electro generation, and a fair bit of hip hoppers too! Vocals are by Roger, Bad Bobby Glover, and Gregory Jackson – and Zapp's basslines really kick the whole thing into gear – as do the keyboards, too. Titles include "A Touch Of Jazz (Playin Kinda Ruff Part 2)", "Dance Floor", "Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)", "Come On", "Do You Really Want An Answer", and "Playin Kinda Ruff". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Eddy Arnold, Lefty Frizell, Ray Price, Hank Snow, Kitty Wells, Ernest Tubb, Patsy Cline, Chet Atkins, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Roger Miller, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, and Kris Kristofferson. LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's heavy on the kind of country artists who often made key appearances on TV in the 60s – artists who were as much visual showfolks as they were singers – with an illuminating quality that really holds through in their recordings, even if you can't see their images on the screen! The cuts here often have a very animated, well-presented approach – especially on some of the numbers that require a slight current of drama or wit to send the lyric home! The package features 18 titles in all – and tracks include "A Million Years Or So" by Roger Miller, "The Good Lord Giveth" by Webb Pierce, "I Am The Grass" by The Stonemans, "Wino" by Porter Wagoner, "I Wouldn't Buy A Used Car From Him" by Norma Jean, "I Could Have Gone Right" by Mel Tillis, "Oriental Twist" by Pete Drake, and "Loser's Cocktail" by Dick Curless. LP, Vinyl record album