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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Early genius from The Carpenters – a really tremendous little album, and one that's quite different than their soft rock hits of the 70s! There's a plenty playful feel to the set – energy that comes right off the best Sunshine Pop of late 60s A&M Records – to which this album is a perfect link – a mode in which the studio's as much a part of the sound as Richard and Karen's own contributions – wrapped up with a heavenly approach by producer Jack Daugherty. Tunes are simpler, sometimes more personal – and there's lots of nice basic music touches along the way – a piano here, sweet keyboard there, some gentle drums, and more – all to make the music sound totally groovy! If you've ever heard the Roger Nichols music for A&M, and wondered how he could have such a later link to this pair, this is the album to show you the way. Titles include "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing", "Your Wonderful Parade", "Turn Away", "All Of My Life", "Ticket To Ride", "Don't Be Afraid", "What's The Use", and "Someday". 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

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

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

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

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

One of the coolest African collections we've seen in years – a beautiful assortment of untapped grooves from the 70s, put together with a massive booklet that sets a whole new standard in packaging! The grooves here are different from other Afro Funk collections of the time – definitely more in the raw and psychedelic territory promised by the title, and filled with hard-edged vocals that surely know how to scream! There's still plenty of funk in the rhythms, but the execution is often quite unusual – less directly influenced by American soul, and very much off in its own direction. Lots of choppy guitar, too – and the set comes with a massive 42 page booklet filled with full color images and loads of notes. Titles include "Gbeti Madjro" by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou, "Mi Ma Kpe Dji" by Picoby Band D'Aborney, "Mi Kple Dogbekpo" by Lokonon Andre & Les Volcans, "Oya Ka Jojo" by Les Volcans De La Capital, "Ou C'Est Lui Ou C'Est Moi" by Vincent Ahehehinnou, "Wait For Me" by Roger Damawuzan, "Leki Santchi" by Napo De Mi Amor Et Ses Black Devils, "Ye Nan Lon An" by Orchestre Super Jheevs Des Paillotes, and "Houiou Djin Nan Zon Aklumon" by Discafric Band. 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 surprising side of the legendary Stax Records – especially if you only know the Memphis powerhouse as an outlet for funk and soul! There was always a bit of crossover between country and soul – even in the early days, a label like King Records could easily handle both – or a company like Atlantic could find a way to make its soul singers handle country tunes with ease. Yet the approach here is pure country – tracks recorded during the final few years of Stax – at a time when the company was both growing strongly, thanks to the fame of Isaac Hayes and others – and also trying out new ideas to round out the strength of their operation. Given their proximity to Nashville, and the fact that Memphis studios like Sun or Ardent had handled country-styled sounds – the move seemed to be a good one, and definitely comes across here in the quality of the tracks! The music has a nice left-of-Nashville vibe – almost like some of the growing wave from Austin soon to come, but also a bit like the cooler indie 45 country market of the 70s – which is finally getting its due these days. Either way, the sounds here are way past the hits, and way past the more standard modes of the time – and show that Stax Records could bring as much of a magic touch to country as they could to other sounds they recorded. Titles include "Hippie From The Hills" by Roland Eaton, "The River's Too Wide" by Karen Casey, "That Glass" by Eddie Bond, "Sweet Country Music" by Becki Bluefield, "My Girl" by Danny Bryan, "Satisfied Woman" by Paige O'Brian, "All The Love You'll Ever Need" by Cliff Cochran, "A Mom & A Dad For Christmas" by Lee Denson, and "Truck Driver's Heaven" by Roger Hallmark. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful early project from Carole King – work that predates her well-known solo career of the 70s, and which is infinitely hipper overall! The groove here is a blend of the soulful roots that Carole was crafting for other artists on her compositions of the 60s – mixed with some of the hipper singer-songwriter modes of the late 60s – put together at a level that still quite far from cliches that would later mar the genre. The group's a trio – with Carole on piano and vocals, Danny Kootch Kortchmar on guitar and added vocals, and Charles Larkey on bass – and the overall feel is somewhere in the neighborhood of Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends, with a similar sense of freshness that would hardly be replicated again. Lou Adler did some great production on the record – and tracks include the group's great version of "Snow Queen", plus "Why Are You Leaving", "I Don't Believe It", "All My Time", "Victim Of Circumstance", "Now That Everything's Been Said", and "Man Without A Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

Wild! This is an excellent compilation of material from Nordine's earlier Word Jazz albums on Dot – repackaged in a very hip version, for the hippie crowd that was rediscovering him at the time. The album includes an incredible selection of Nordine's weird productions, with lots of spacey sounds, odd vocal techniques, and an incredibly compelling approach to sonic narrative. Titles include "Outer Space", "Firefly", "Confessions of 349-18-5171", "Roger", "Looks Like Rain", "Lemming", "Original Sin", and "Smerd". LP, Vinyl record album

A lesser-known take on the sax quartet format that Rova and WSQ were exploring at the time – with Harvey Pittel on soprano sax, James Rotter on alto, Roger Greenberg on tenor, and Mark Watters on baritone – plus Monty Budwig on bass and Shelly Manne on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

The fun fun soundtrack to Rock 'N' Roll High School – that gloriously, knowingly trashy Roger Corman produced movie vehicle for the Ramones! Of course The Ramones are all over the soundtrack, but it's got a bunch of 70s new wave and hard rock from Devo, Eno, Nick Lowe, Todd Rundgren and more – even a version of the title track by PJ Soles in character as Riff Randell. Includes "Rock N Roll High School", "I Want You Around", a medley of "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Pinhead", "California Sun" and more by The Ramones, "Come Back Jonee" by Devo, "Energy Fools The Magician" by Eno, "So It Goes" by Nick Lowe, "School Days" by Chuck Berry, "School's Out" by Alice Cooper and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Mongo cooks mightily – working here at the Montreux Jazz Fest in 1971, with a soaring group that's even more spiritual than any of his records in the 60s! There's definitely a dose of Latin Soul in the mix, but there's a fiercer, more righteous quality to the album too – thanks to the presence of players like Carter Jefferson on tenor and flute, Roger Glenn on vlute and vibes, and Ray Maldonando on trumpet – soloists who really know how to soar at the right moments. The percussion's a bit more rootsy too – showing Santamaria's concern with classic Afro-Cuban sounds at the time – and alongside Mongo's congas, you'll also hear percussion from Steve Berrios and Armando Pereza. Marty Sheller handles the arrangements – and titles include "Come Candela", "Climax", "Disappear", "Marty's Tune", "I Wanna Know", and "Cloud Nine". LP, Vinyl record album