Run-DMC's great second album, with rock hard production by Russell Simmons and classic cuts! It's fascinating to listen to this album all these years later, with the knowledge that this hungry hip hop act from Queens was so soon to conquer the world. Great stuff from a legendary crew! This is the record where Run-DMC transitioned from their earlier style that put their own distinctive stamp on early-to-mid 80s east coast rap, to the rap group who fearlessly put rock music on notice that rap was coming to takeover. Amazing! Includes "Jam Master Jammin", "Can You Rock It Like This", "King Of Rock", "Rock The House", "You're Blind", "You Talk Too Much", "It's Not Funny" and "Darryl And Joe (Krush-Groove 3)". LP, Vinyl record album

Run-DMC's great second album, with rock hard production by Russell Simmons and classic cuts! It's fascinating to listen to this album all these years later, with the knowledge that this hungry hip hop act from Queens was so soon to conquer the world. Great stuff from a legendary crew! This is the record where Run-DMC transitioned from their earlier style that put their own distinctive stamp on early-to-mid 80s east coast rap, to the rap group who fearlessly put rock music on notice that rap was coming to takeover. Amazing! Includes "Jam Master Jammin", "Can You Rock It Like This", "King Of Rock", "Rock The House", "You're Blind", "You Talk Too Much", "It's Not Funny" and "Darryl And Joe (Krush-Groove 3)". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really great collection – five full albums from keyboard giant Patrice Rushen, plus bonus tracks too! First up is Patrice – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and clavinet, handled with a smooth and soulful quality that's wonderful all the way through – a blend of soul and jazz that few other players could do this well – no matter how many others tried to copy her style over the years! Rhythms are as hard and heavy as on the Prestige years, and the keyboards have a great sort of focus too – just the right mix of jazz to offset the vocals – which themselves are a wonderful discovery. The whole album's a gem – and tracks include the great funky classic "Hang It Up", plus "Changes (In Your Life)", "When I Found You", "Play", "Didn't You Know?", and "Music Of The Earth". Pizzazz is one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". Posh is an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in a sublime blend of 70s jazz funk and Minnie Riperton-esque soul! The whole album's a winner – real magic that never gets old, and the kind of LP that makes you understand why you'll find Patrice's records in just about any soul collection from the time! Tracks include "I Need Your Love", "Time Will Tell", "The Dream", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Don't Blame Me". Straight From The Heart is one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". The album Now is a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with a degree of soul that sets it apart from work by most of her contemporaries – and the music has this warm flow that really sets Rushen apart from the rest – a sublime mix of soul, funk, and fusion that holds together perfectly throughout! Titles include "Gotta Find It", "Gone With The Night", "My Love's Not Going Anywhere", "High In Me", "To Each His Own", "Heartache Heartbreak", and "Feels So Real". 5CD set features bonus tracks from original 12" singles – and other remixes too! CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Sweet sounds from the lovely lady – one of Patrice Rushen's last truly great albums, and a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with a degree of soul that sets it apart from work by most of her contemporaries – and the music has this warm flow that really sets Rushen apart from the rest – a sublime mix of soul, funk, and fusion that holds together perfectly throughout! Titles include "Gotta Find It", "Gone With The Night", "My Love's Not Going Anywhere", "High In Me", "To Each His Own", "Heartache Heartbreak", and "Feels So Real". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet sounds from the lovely lady – one of Patrice Rushen's last truly great albums, and a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with a degree of soul that sets it apart from work by most of her contemporaries – and the music has this warm flow that really sets Rushen apart from the rest – a sublime mix of soul, funk, and fusion that holds together perfectly throughout! Titles include "Gotta Find It", "Gone With The Night", "My Love's Not Going Anywhere", "High In Me", "To Each His Own", "Heartache Heartbreak", and "Feels So Real". 2LP version features bonus tracks – "Get Off (12" mix)", "Get Off (inst)", "Feels So Real (edit)", and "Feels So Real (dub)". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweeeeeet groover by Patrice Rushen – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and clavinet, handled with a smooth and soulful quality that's wonderful all the way through – a blend of soul and jazz that few other players could do this well – no matter how many others tried to copy her style over the years! Rhythms are as hard and heavy as on the Prestige years, and the keyboards have a great sort of focus too – just the right mix of jazz to offset the vocals – which themselves are a wonderful discovery. The whole album's a gem – and tracks include the great funky classic "Hang It Up", plus "Changes (In Your Life)", "When I Found You", "Play", "Didn't You Know?", and "Music Of The Earth". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Patrice Rushen – one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Patrice Rushen – one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". 2LP version features bonus tracks – "Haven't You Heard (12" mix)", "Let The Music Take Me (12" mix)", and "Givin It Up Is Givin Up (inst)". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing posh about this one – as the album's an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in a sublime blend of 70s jazz funk and Minnie Riperton-esque soul! The whole album's a winner – real magic that never gets old, and the kind of LP that makes you understand why you'll find Patrice's records in just about any soul collection from the time! Tracks include "I Need Your Love", "Time Will Tell", "The Dream", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Don't Blame Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The first 2 albums as a leader from keyboardist Patrice Rushen! Prelusion is a great set from Patrice – very different than her later R&B work from the 80s! The record's her first, and at the time, Patrice was much more of a jazz artist – working here with a cool west coast set of players (Joe Henderson on tenor, Hadley Caliman on alto and soprano, and Oscar Brashear on trumpet), playing a range of keyboards, from acoustic and electric piano, to ARP, and clavinet. The tracks are long, and have a wonderfully composed soul jazz vibe – feeling a heck of a lot like work on labels like Strata East, deeply dipping into a soulful bag that's solid and real, with no fakery or tricks to make the mood happen. Includes "Traverse", "Shortie's Portion", "7/73", and "Haw Right Now". Before The Dawn has Patrice working in a groove that's almost like that of Herbie Hancock at the time – using lots of electric piano, clavinet, and synth to craft some mighty fine jazz funk grooves. The group's a monster assemblage of Fantasy jazz players like Hubert Laws, Lee Ritenour, Hadley Caliman, and Harvey Mason – and the session crackles with a tight edge that you'll never find in any of Patrice's later work. Tracks are long, with lots of great spacey grooves, and titles include "Razzia", "Before The Dawn", "Kickin Back", and "Jubilation". Note: CD omits the track "Puttered Bopcorn" from Prelusion – due to space restrictions. CD

Stunning work from the great second chapter of Patrice Rushen – the time when the lady moved over to Elektra Records and really opened up her groove! Rushen had already been making great music for most of the 70s – playing fantastic keyboards as a real up-and-coming star on the funky fusion scene of the west coast – but at Elektra, she also turned into a surprisingly strong singer – and mixed her voice with her keyboards in a really wonderful sound! This is mainstream soul of the hippest level – as the core of the cuts are almost always rooted in jazzy fusion, which also means that the vocals give way to sweet keyboard solos too – beautifully balanced in a way that show off all of the sweetest charms of the great Patrice Rushen – these qualities that really set her apart from most of her generation. This package is filled with really well-chosen cuts, and also includes some great single mixes and other versions too – titles that include "When I Found You", "Forget Me Nots (12" mix)", "Music Of The Earth", "Haven't You Heard (12" mix)", "Let's Sing A Song Of Love", "Feels So Real (12" mix)", "Settle For My Love", "Remind Me", "All We Need", "Never Gonna Give You Up (long version)", "Look up (long version)", "Number One (12" version)", "Where There Is Love", and "To Each His Own". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark record from Patrice Rushen – one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Patrice Rushen in a crisp 80s soul mode! Watch Out finds Patrice really cutting down the keyboards in favor of stronger vocals right out front – breaking all the rules, as the title of second song tells it – and it works really well! Most of the arrangements, synth and drum programming are by Patrice herself, and she has a more sure-footed control of the era's R&B style than we remembered! The title track is fantastic, with a tight synth funk undercurrent and hooky, insistent vocals from Patrice – facets that carry throughout the album – plus strong ballads in "Somewhere" and "Till She's Out Of Your Mind". Patrice's only album for Arista – and it's a nice one! Other tracks include "All My Love", "Anything Can Happen", "Burnin", "Breakin All The Rules" and "Come Back To Me". CD

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... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

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Vocalist Jimmy Rushing first came to fame working with Count Basie in the 30s, but it wasn't until the 50s that he really got the chance to step out on his own and cut a number of great sessions in the studio! This set features one of Jimmy's finest moments of the 50s – material recorded for Vanguard Records in 1954 and 1955, respectively, and featuring Rushing in the company of great small group trad players like Buddy Tate, Pat Jenkins, Emmett Berry, Lawrence Brown, and Freddie Green. The format is laidback and simple on both records – a style that clearly hearkens back to the Kansas City swing of the 30s, but which is delivered here with a more stripped-down approach that lets us focus even more on Rushing's earthy vocal presentation. Titles include the original tracks "Good Morning Blues", "Take Me Back Baby", "Sent For You Yesterday", and "Goin To Chicago" – plus versions of "How Long", "See See Rider", "Evenin". CD

The magnificent voice of Jimmy Rushing gets superb jazzy backing from the great Oliver Nelson! Includes Shirley Scott on organ and Grady Tate on drums, too! LP, Vinyl record album

Arranged and conducted by Oliver Nelson with Clark Terry on trumpet, Dicky Wells on trombone, Hank Jones on organ, and Grady Tate on drums. CD

One of Jimmy Rushing's last truly great albums – a jazz-tinged session of bluesy material, one that gets at his best work of the 50s! The arrangements are by Al Cohn, and have a fluid swing that pushes Jimmy past cliche – working with players that include Zoot Sims, Budd Johnson, Freddie Green, and Gene Quill in a style that's got all the leaner touches of the Basie band at the same time. Titles include "Heartaches", "Please Come Back", "My Bucket's Got a Hole In it", "Did You Ever", and "Just Because". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy Rushing reprises a nice batch of blues classics from the 20s, all of which were sung by early recording artists like Bessie or Clara Smith. The group that backs him is a nice one, and features Buck Clayton on trumpet, Buster Bailey on clarinet, and Coleman Hawkins on tenor. As with many of Columbia's late 50's sessions in this style, the sound is excellent, and has an intimacy and warmth that works extremely well with the material – including titles like "Arkansas Blues", "Gulf Coast Blues", "Muddy Waters", "Squeeze Me", and "Crazy Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A great session that features Jimmy Rushing singing in the rootsy style of his early Kansas City recordings, with backing by a group that includes the legendary Pete Johson on piano, plus Rudy Powell on alto, Emmett Berry on trumpet, Buddy Tate on tenor, and Freddie Greene on guitar. Titles include "Evenin", "Rock n Roll", "Don't Cry, Baby", "Take Me Back, Baby", and "It's Hard To Laugh A Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

A great session that features Jimmy Rushing singing in the rootsy style of his early Kansas City recordings, with backing by a group that includes the legendary Pete Johson on piano, plus Rudy Powell on alto, Emmett Berry on trumpet, Buddy Tate on tenor, and Freddie Greene on guitar. Titles include "Evenin", "Rock n Roll", "Don't Cry, Baby", "Take Me Back, Baby", and "It's Hard To Laugh A Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A nice dose of jazz – as usual for Jimmy – thanks to some arrangements by Oliver Nelson, plus piano from Dave Frishberg and tenor from Buddy Tate! Titles include "You Can't Run Around", "Blues In The Dark", "Tell Me I'm Not To Late", "Berkely Campus Blues", and "Undecided Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

With small combo backing from Zoot Sims and Al Cohn on tenor, plus Budd Johnson on tenor and soprano sax, Ray Nance on cornet, and Dave Frishberg on piano! Titles include "Fine And Mellow", "I Surrender Dear", "Linger Awhile", "My Last Affair", "More Than You Know", "Home", and "The You And Me That Used To Be". LP, Vinyl record album

Notable sidemen include Pete Johnson, Freddie Green, and Buddy Tate. CD

... CD

A classic from Jimmy Rushing – recorded at a time when he was really finding a new audience for his vocals! In a style that Columbia was using on a number of sides in the late 50s and early 60s, Jimmy and Buck do a bit of educatin' – and trace a progression of jazz styles from New Orleans, to Chicago, to Kansas City, and New York. The Odyssey's not really Jimmy's, so much as it is the jazz that was defined by the white liberal tastes that always were the main force between Columbia in the early years – but the set's still a nice one, like all of Jimmy's later work for Columbia, which features some of the best-recorded vocal work of his career. Titles include "New Orleans", "Doctor Blues", "Rosetta", "Piney Brown Blues", "Lullaby Of Broadway", and "Some Of These Days". LP, Vinyl record album

An interesting set – kind of a parody of the Girl Meets Boy album that had been issued a year or two before on Columbia – done with vocals by Jimmy and Ada Moore, and recorded as a "story in jazz" about love, love found, and love lost. Jimmy and Ada sing both separately and together, Buck Clayton plays a few instrumental sides – and titles include "The Blues", "Cool Breeze Woman", "Ain't She Sweet", "If I Could Be With You", and "Pretty Little Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the greatest work we've ever heard from legendary British guitarist Ray Russell – a set that was not issued to the public at the time, but recorded especially for the BBC – and with a sound that's every bit as striking as his famous albums for CBS! There's maybe a slightly more inside vibe going on here – music that often has these nice modal currents, but still delivered with plenty of Ray's unusual flair and style on the guitar – in a lineup that also includes the great Harry Beckett on trumpet and flugelhorn, plus Tony Roberts on saxes, Nick Evans on trombone, Daryl Runswick on bass, and Alan Rushton on drums – a lineup who seem to understand each other intimately, whether in moments of free improvisation or cohesive swing! The record's a great addition to Russell's too-small catalog from this time – and titles include "Disinterested Bystander", "Forget To Remember", "Triple Goddess", and "Rites & Rituals". LP, Vinyl record album

With Chester Thompson and Patrice Rushen on keys, Alphonso Johnson on bass, Leon Ndugu Chancler on drums, and Armando Peraza and Jose Chepito Areas on percussion. Tracks include "Spiritual", "Elegant People", "Blues For Salvador", "Goodness And Mercy", "Europa", "and "Mandela". CD

A beautiful tribute to the Cali soul sound of the 70s – served up here by Robb Scott with a wonderfully groovy sound! The music here recalls that great moment when things could be tight, but never slick or commercial – maybe the productions of Larry Mizell, or the flowing soulful fusion of Patrice Rushen – and Robb handles much of the music himself on a variety of instruments, and also sings vocals – but in the best collaborative Cali spirit, he also opens the door to work with help from The Waters, Sandra St Victor, Juliet Roberts, Gina Foster, and Elisabeth Troy – all artists who lend a great sense of vocal spirit to the album. The set's nice and long – with a great mix of interludes and full songs – and titles include "Neptune Atmosphere", "Rotary Love", "Keep On", "Essaouira Wind", "Siren", "Negative Pleasures", "Hummingbird", "California Suite Revue", and "Venus In Virgo". CD

The music of George Gershwin, but taken to some great late night territory by the trumpet of Charlie Shavers! The album's a sublime "with strings" date – one that has Charlie blowing beautifully over backdrops from Sy Oliver – charts that certainly use some string instruments, but often in a very spare, mellow way – so that once Shavers gets going, his trumpet is right out front – often with a beautifully moody tone! Titles include "I've Got A Crush On You", "Embraceable You", "Liza", "Summertime", "But Not For Me", and "It Ain't Necessarily So". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just a Gershwin Songbook sort of record – thanks to some tremendous blowing here by Zoot Sims, who's mellowed nicely with age, and comes up with a wonderful sound for the record! It may just be us, but there seems to be a lot more soul in Zoot's horn than ever before – more humanity, and a sort of pausing, almost faltering approach to the tunes that takes them way past their overdone versions. The rest of the group includes Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, George Mraz, and Grady Tate – but the Sims' sound is the main star of the set – and it's really wonderful! Titles include "The Man I Love", "Embraceable You", "Summertime", "Isn't It A Pity", "I've Got A Crush On You", and "Lady Be Good". CD

Way more than just a Gershwin Songbook sort of record – thanks to some tremendous blowing here by Zoot Sims, who's mellowed nicely with age, and comes up with a wonderful sound for the record! It may just be us, but there seems to be a lot more soul in Zoot's horn than ever before – more humanity, and a sort of pausing, almost faltering approach to the tunes that takes them way past their overdone versions. The rest of the group includes Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, George Mraz, and Grady Tate – but the Sims' sound is the main star of the set – and it's really wonderful! Titles include "The Man I Love", "Embraceable You", "Summertime", "Isn't It A Pity", "I've Got A Crush On You", and "Lady Be Good". CD

Way more than just a Gershwin Songbook sort of record – thanks to some tremendous blowing here by Zoot Sims, who's mellowed nicely with age, and comes up with a wonderful sound for the record! It may just be us, but there seems to be a lot more soul in Zoot's horn than ever before – more humanity, and a sort of pausing, almost faltering approach to the tunes that takes them way past their overdone versions. The rest of the group includes Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, George Mraz, and Grady Tate – but the Sims' sound is the main star of the set – and it's really wonderful! Titles include "The Man I Love", "Embraceable You", "Summertime", "Isn't It A Pity", "I've Got A Crush On You", and "Lady Be Good". CD features three bonus tracks – "They Can't Take That Away From Me", and previously-unissued alternate takes of "Oh Lady Be Good" and "I've Got A Crush On You". CD

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... LP, Vinyl record album

A great meeting of soulful talents – the Hammond of Johnny Hammond Smith, and the vocals of Byrdie Green – an excellent singer who's maybe best known for some Northern Soul singles! Here, Byrdie brings a hip vibe to the record – excellent vocals that are a perfect match for Johnny's jazzy organ, as well as work from Houston Person on tenor, Otis Sutton on alto, and Eddie McFadden on guitar! Titles include include "The Golden Thrush", "How I Lost My Love", "If I Ruled The World", "Blue Jay", and "Oriole". LP, Vinyl record album

Cat Stevens' most soulful moment! Long before he changed his name – and started setting his sights on Salman Rushdie – Cat Stevens decided to atone for the wrongdoings of previous A&M albums with this album! The record still contains a number of Cat's soporific folksy numbers – but it's also got an early instrumental electro track that became an instant hip hop classic! The tune is "Was Dog A Doughnut" – and while the title may signify Stevens' metaphysical crisis at the time, he was at least of sound mind enough not to sing on the track, thus preserving linn-drum groove for posterity! LP, Vinyl record album

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Japanese-style super-fusion with an all-star group – including Lee Ritenour and Eric Gale on guitars, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, and Harvey Mason on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

A real gem from that key moment in Japanese fusion when some of the nation's best artists were hopping over to the American scene – cutting records like this, which often beat the American soul fusion scene at its own game – thanks to the help of a big array of all-star players! Masayoshi Takanaka plays guitar solos throughout, but also gets some help from Lee Ritenour on the electric strings – in a group that also has arrangements from Greg Adams of Tower Of Power, who brings in the rest of the TOP horns too – plus keyboards from Patrice Rushen, bass from Chuck Rainey, and drums from the great Harvey Mason – a rhythm combo that really keeps things groovy throughout. There's two vocal tracks on the set – which feature work from Jim Gilstrap, Maxi Anderson, and The Waters – on titles that include "Malibu", "ESP", "Sexy Dance", "Sundrops", "Good Bad Old Days", and the title track "Insatiable High". LP, Vinyl record album

Stanley blows it sweet, mellow, and soulfully – in this wonderful post-CTI session from the 70s! The set features some swirling larger arrangements from Gene Page – done with a bit of the CTI sound lurking in the mix, but also a more complicated groove that almost takes on soundtrack-like proportions at times – a warmly-flowing groove that's lush without being soppy, and which really sets Turrentine up nicely for some sophisticated, mature solos on tenor. Stan's got some great company on the record – including Patrice Rushen on keyboards, David T Walker on guitar, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet – and although the set's laidback, it's a lot more soulful than you might think – almost like a hip mellow soul set from the time, but with tenor instead of vocals. Includes covers of the Earth Wind & Fire tunes "Reasons" and "That's The Way Of The World", plus the tracks "Touching You", "T's Dream", and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Magnificent", "Ken Boogaloo Freestyle", "Crushed Velvet", "Amateurs Get Hung", "Never Underestimate", "The Norm", "The Next Degree", "Dummy", "The Path Is Narrow", "A Changed Man", "Universal", "Daily Intake", "High On Nothing" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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An overlooked soulful gem from Michael White – one of his smoother albums, but with a tight sound that really makes the whole thing great! The set was produced by George Duke, and it's got the same feel as some of Duke's best work of the time – soaring, soulful, with a style that blends fusion and soul – and which often features vocals. White plays his usual electric violin, and the album also features work by Patrice Rushen, Greg Phillinganes, and Duke himself performing as Dawili Gonga on keyboards. Titles include "Smile In Your Eyes", "You Are My Heartbeat", "Love Call", "The Red Planet", "Well Do It Then", and "Let Love Be Your Magic Carpet". LP, Vinyl record album

Saxophonist Darius Jones is an artist whose music is always in flux – especially in recent years when he's really been stretching out – and that quality is really opened up here in a great cover feature! This issue of the The Wire also features articles on the legendary new age synth wizard Steve Roach, the avant folk group Shovel Dance Collective, avant jazz group Ahmed, and Danish instrumentalist Clarissa Connelly – plus more on the scene in Dublin, the cover art of D'Angelo's Voodoo, and Indian electronic musician Arushi Jain – as well as the usual huge section of record reviews, and Ka Baird on the Invisible Jukebox! And also includes a bonus CD – a new edition of The Wire Tapper, with a great selection of contemporary underground sounds. Magazine

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There's plenty of popping here – great little grooves, recorded with the jazzy finish that makes the 70s material of Tatsuro Yamashita so great! The vibe here has all the warmth and sophisticated groove of Fantasy Records in the late 70s – maybe a bit of Wayne Henderson/At Home influence in the way that jazzy elements are used next to soulful vocals from Tatsuro – and presented in a way that's never too overdone, too polished, or commercial. Yet the set, which is a live one, also has all the careful precision of Yamashita's studio work – that quality that also marks the 70s live work of Earth Wind & Fire, who are every bit as great on stage as behind the glass. Titles include "Hey There Lonely Girl", "Space Crush", "Windy Lady", "Paper Doll", "Candy", "Marie", "Circus Town", and "Solid Slider". LP, Vinyl record album

Certainly a more pop-based effort than some of Yello's previous albums, but still a great little record – filled with playful electronics and a really unique sense of rhythm and groove! Even at the height of their fame, Yello never abandoned the spare analogue-heavy styles that made their early work so great – and for this set, they've almost kind of expanded that sound with a range of European and historical influences that make for a more widely fleshed-out version of their genius. Titles include "Goldrush", "Santiago", "Hawaiian Chance", "La Habanera", "The Rhythm Divine", "Moon On Ice", and "St Senor The Hairy Grill". CD

Certainly a more pop-based effort than some of Yello's previous albums, but still a great little record – filled with playful electronics and a really unique sense of rhythm and groove! Even at the height of their fame, Yello never abandoned the spare analogue-heavy styles that made their early work so great – and for this set, they've almost kind of expanded that sound with a range of European and historical influences that make for a more widely fleshed-out version of their genius. Titles include "Goldrush", "Santiago", "Hawaiian Chance", "La Habanera", "The Rhythm Divine", "Moon On Ice", and "St Senor The Hairy Grill". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Rat Tomato", "I Have Been In You", "Flakes", "I'm So Cute", "Jones Crusher", "Dancin Fool", "Baby Snakes", "Bobby Brown Goes Down", and "Rubber Shirt". CD

Titles include "Rat Tomato", "I Have Been In You", "Flakes", "I'm So Cute", "Jones Crusher", "Dancin Fool", "Baby Snakes", "Bobby Brown Goes Down", and "Rubber Shirt". LP, Vinyl record album

The music of George Gershwin, but taken in a very different way than you might expect – yet that's maybe no surprise, given the long legacy of creative piano work we've loved from the great Denny Zeitlin! The tunes are all familiar Gershwin standards, but Denny often uses them as rough inspirations, then transforms them into these beautiful sound paintings of his own – still faithful to the spirit and ideas of the originals, yet nicely abstracted, and filled up with the kind of incredible tones and colors that Zeitlin can give us when he's set free in a solo setting like this. In fact, the format may well be one of the most striking examples of Denny's longstanding talents that we've heard in years – and titles include "I Was Doing All Right", "The Man I Love", "Summertime", "Bess You Is My Woman Now", "I've Got A Crush On You", and "How Long Has This Been Going On". CD

Music from Dick Kent, Bobbi Blake, The MSR Singers, Norm Burns & Singers, Rod & The MSR Singers, Gene Marshall, The Music Magicians, Bill Joy, Rod Rogers With The "Swinging Strings", Teri Summers & The Librettos, Rodd Keith, and ,ore - 28 tracks in all. CD

A much-needed look at the production genius of Martin Rushent – a UK studio genius who started out in punk, then really helped the scene find new sounds and styles as the 80s moved in! Rushent is sometimes confused with the other great Martin of the period – producer Martin Hannett – and although his style is a bit different, there is a similarity – as Rushent, like Hannett, is a bit of an outsider, and really takes a fresh approach to recording the news music of the moment – never trying to drape it in older styles from previous eras, which really allows some of the crispness of the younger acts to really shine through! As the 80s move in, Rushent also shows a great ear for some of the right electronic touches, yet never in a way that was overly commercial – a balance that really comes out strongly on the second half of the set. As with other entries in this great producer series from Ace, the notes are fantastic – really digging deep into each track, with a 19 title set list that includes "Autonomy" by The Buzzcocks, "Hard Times" by Human League, "Homicide" by 999, "Hold On" by Ian Gomm, "Kiss Me Deadly" by Generation X, "Get A Grip On Yourself" by The Stranglers, "Tonight" by Rachel Sweet, "Guitar Beat" by The Raybeats, "I Could Be Happy (Martin Rushent rmx)" by Altered Images, "A Way You'll Never Be (12" version)" by Leisure Process, "Working Girl" by The Members, "Beneath The Blue Sky" by The Go Gos, "Breakfast" by The Associates, "Steamhammer Sam" by Intaferon, "Je Suis Passee (7" version)" by Hard Corps, "The Big Sweep (club mix)" by Then Jericho, and "Are You Receiving Me" by XTC. CD

An amazing collection of 70s soul tracks – sweet, mellow, laidback, and including loads of numbers that have been buried for years! The focus here is not on obscure groups, but on lesser-known album tracks by bigger names – including many chillout numbers that have a sweet jazzy feel, and which might have gotten eclipsed by some of the artists' bigger hits. ?uestlove of the Roots put the set together, and the whole set's got the deep soulfulness of his own work with that group – track after track of mellow 70s soul, jazzy riffs, spacey instrumentation, and warm vocals effortlessly sliding together! Titles include "Star Of The Story" by Heatwave, "Be My Girl" by Michael Henderson, "Clover" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Before The Dawn" by Patrice Rushen, "Can We Pretend" by Bill Withers, "That's What Friends Are For" by Deniece Williams, "Next To Nature" by Jean Claude Toran, "Glowin" by The Rationals, "Magic In Your Eyes" by Rufus & Chaka Khan, "Sensuality (parts 1 & 2)" by The Isley Brothers, "Sienna" by Stanley Cowell, "Quiet Storm" by Smokey Robinson, "Wheels Of Life" by Gino Vannelli, and "Gotta Find A Lover" by Roy Ayers. CD

A very well-titled set – and the best so far in this cutting-edge series! The "beats and pieces" this time around are mostly underground club tracks from the past few years – the cream of the crop of the best bits that hit our New Grooves section, often served up in harder-to-find mixes that represent the best version of the tunes so far! There's no overall stylistic logic to the set, which is what makes it so great – as mellow soul steps into funky club, into spacey fusion, global house, 21st century groove, then dancefloor jazz! 2CD set features 22 tracks that include "Wake Up" by Herbert, "La Malanga (Kenny Dope rmx)" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Fall Into You" by Stateless, "Hot In Here" by Tiga with Jake Shears, "Take Off (Nicola Conte's Campi's Idea version)" by Nathan Haines and Marco Di Marco, "Bukom Mashie" by Oscar Sulley & The Uhuru Dance Band, "Somebody New" by Georg Levin with Clara Hill, "Besides Myself" by DJ Shaheer Williams, "Timbuktu" by Pan African Electronic Beats, "Someone To Love" by Crusho, "Love & War (version)" by Amp Fiddler, "Forty Days" by Billy Brooks, and "Fall Into You" by Stateless. CD

A heavy dose of funky jazz – and one that goes way past the obvious too – to include some real gems from the 70s that even we'd passed up! The package is filled with stellar jazz from the Fantasy Records family – Prestige, Pablo, Galaxy and Fantasy proper – choice numbers by The Blackbyrds, Stanley Cowell, Charles Earland, Patrice Rushen and others – funky jazz, soul, boogie and Brazil-flavored numbers from the top shelf of the diverse period! It's a tight, well chosen compilation with numbers you simply could not overlook in putting a set like this together – productions by the Mizells, Donald Byrd, Earland and others – but there's a few of leftfield choices, too. Simply a great little snapshot of the funky jazz and soul period and the family of labels that generated so much of the most creative music to come from it! 14 tracks and nearly 80 minutes of grooves: Includes "Happy Music" by Blackbyrds, "Close To You" by Marlon McClain, "Let Me Love You (Let Me Be Me)" by Stanley Cowell, "Taj Mahal" by Paulinho Da Costa, "Nov Ano" by Azar Lawrence, "Moon Dreams" by Flora Purim, "Montevideo" by Opa, "Glide" by Pleasure, "Shout It Out" by Patrice Rushen, "If Only I Could Prove To You" by The 3 Pieces and more. CD

Features tracks from Jimmy Reed, Charles Brown, Joe Turner, BB King, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Earl Hooker, Otis Spann, Brownie McGhee, and Jimmy Rushing. LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked batch of melodic house – selected and mixed by Ian Pooley with a nice feel for a soaring groove! Titles include "Tears (classic voc)" by Frankie Knuckles, "Joy (Kerri Chandler mix)" by Janet Rushmore, "Feel It" by Ian Pooley, "Do You Want Me" by Cloud 9, "54" by Ron Trent & Chaz Damier, "12 Inches Of Pleasure" by Braxton Holmes, "Miss Took" by Johnny D & Nicky P Present Promonade, "Sueno Latino" by Sueno Latino, and "Lost" by The 2nd Symphonium. 18 cuts in all. CD

Excellent electric jazzy material put together with the usual BGP flair! The set's got a blend of Latin rhythms, soulful grooves, and nice mellow funky bits – and it blends together lost classics from the Fantasy Records stable of the mid 70s, home to some of the best west coast funky jazz ever recorded! Titles include "Love Samba" by McCoy Tyner, "Brazilian Skies" by Bill Summers, "Visions" by Luis Gasca, "Roll With the Punches" by Patrice Rushen, "Friday Night Funk For Saturday Night Brothers" by Rusty Bryant, "Unicorn" by Dizzy Gillespie, and "Moondreams" by Flora Purim. 11 cuts in all – and compiled by Dean Rudland! CD

Live old school hip hop and funky disco breaks from the first school – previously unreleased material recorded straight from the Ecstasy Garage Disco sound board at the dawn of the 80s – party rockin' rhymes from a loose collective of "Ecstasy Garage All Stars"! Live Convention 80 includes a non stop party with rhymes by a whos who of early hip hop who all found their way to the stage – including Grandmaster Caz, JDL, and Kay Gee (of the Cold Crush Brothers), Whipper Whip, Ruby Dee, and Grand Wizard Theodore (of the Fantastic Five Freaks), the Soul Sonic Force, and the Nice and Nasty Four. Broken into 7 cuts, a couple shorter and a jams that run 5-6 minutes. Digitally remastered from grainy source material, but the vibe transcends! CD

A great collection of tracks from the documentary on the man behind Mo Wax Records – Unkle/James Lavelle – an artist in his own right, and a creative force who helped shape the sound of a generation! The package includes not only some key cuts from the Mo Wax catalog, but also tunes that predate the label, and show the impact of their style in later years – a lineup that includes "See & Don't See" by Marie Queenie Lyons, "Doin Damage In My Native Language (Shadow's legitimate rmx)" by Zimbabwe Legit, "Blue Flowers" by Dr Octagon, "Kemuri" by DJ Krush, "Back & Forth" by Unkle, "Swan Lake" by Blackalicious, "Return Of The Original Art Form (DJ mix)" by Hiroshi & Kudo, "Friends & Countrymen" by The Wild Bunch, "Contemplating Jazz" by Attica Blues, "Organ Donor (ext overhaul)" by DJ Shadow, "Food Of My De-Rhythm" by RPM, and "Ravers Such Our Sound" by LA Funk Mob. CD

The second volume in one of our favorite compilation series of the past few years! Natural High explores the smoother side of soul – digging around the Warner vaults of the late 70s and early 80s to come up with some really great tracks! The sound here is a mixture of mellow and uptempo grooves – Brazilian beats coming into play with jazzy funk, soulful vocals on most numbers, and a warm finish that will have you coming back to this one again and again and again. 16 tracks in all – most pulled from long out of print LPs, many of which haven't been reissued. Titles include "Call On Me" by Anglo Saxon Brown, "You Can't Hide Love" by Art Webb, "Sideway Shuffle" by Linda Lewis, "Game Of Life" by Chameleon, "Simple & Sweet" by Roy Ayers Presents Ubiquity, "Forget Me Nots" by Patrice Rushen, "You're A Star" by Aquarian Dream, "Keep The Fire Burning" by Gwen McCrae, "Very Special" by Debra Laws, "Mysterious Maiden" by Chico Hamilton, "Feeling Something" by Ronn Matlock, and "Toque De Cuica" by Airto. LP, Vinyl record album

CD to benefit the Prison Moratorium Project, dedicated to working against the 'prison-industrial complex'. We're normally suspicious of 'benefit' records but this one works – dope underground production and nice verses, 23 tracks in all, including DJ Shame "Infomercial (Meet The Press)", BKNY "Where Ya At", Sister Asia/Steele/Top Dog "Dedicated", Danny Hoch "Criminal", Vinia Mojica & Last Emperor "Evolution", Apani B-Fly Emcee & LIFE "Outa Site", Hurricane G "No More Prisons", Hedrush/Dead Prez/People's Army "Murda Box", Daddy-O "Voices", Rubberoom "M.O.V.E.", The Coup "Drug Warz", Helixx C Armageddon & Pri The Honey Dark "Lunchbreak", Prof. Cornel West "Inspiration", The Reepz "The Plan", Dead Prez "Behind Enemy Lines", Kool DJ EQ & The Last Poets "More Prisons", Akbar "Battle Cry", El Battalion "Siege", Scientifik El-D/God Wize/L The Head Toucha/K Slaughta "Hold The Key", Chubb Rock/Lil Dap/Edo G/Paw Dukes "The Rich Get Rich", Grandmaster Caz "Too Much", Lyric & Mike Ladd "Let Us Go", Yazeed "Underground Railroad" and Rocker T "The Petition" (bonus track). CD

Covers from Aram, The Smithereens, Kurt Neumann, John Wesley Harding, Nils Lofgren, John Hiatt, Dave Alvin, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, Martin Zellar, Marshall Crenshaw, Syd Straw, and more. CD

A great batch of 60s and 70s jazz dance slammers – featuring a mixture of soul jazz, Latin jazz, and hardbop that all fits pretty darn nicely together! Titles include "Jeannine" by Oscar Brown Jr, "Senor Blues" by Mark Murphy, "Mishugana Mambo" by Slim Gaillard, "Buh's Bossa" by Art Blakey, "Selim" by Johnny Lytle, "Swing 39" by Barney Wilen, "Russian Lullaby" by Jimmy Rushing, "Let's Get It On" by The Sonny Knight Quartette, "Where's My Kids" by Dominic Frontiere, and "Chega De Saudade" by Dizzy Gillespie. CD

A huge dip into the history of hip hop – in a set that's something of a groundbreaking effort from the folks at the Smithsonian! If we're honest, we'll tell you that we're old enough to remember a time when folks thought that hip hop was just a fad – when it was a musical style that would disappear in just a few short years. But now, all these many decades later, the form has had such an impact on American culture that the Smithsonian Institute is giving it some official sort of due – something we never would have believed back in the 80s! The package is huge – 9CDs with a whopping 129 tracks in all, and a 300 page book that supports the recordings with an insane amount of notes, photos, and all sorts of other information – alongside a track list that was put together by folks who include Questlove, 9th Wonder, Chuck D, Jeff Chang, and MC Lyte! The set is especially great on old school tracks up through the golden era hip hop years – but also moves into the 21st century too – and artists include Treacherous Three, Afrika Bambaataa, Fearless Four, Cold Crush Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Run DMC, Fatback, Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Funky Four +1, T La Rock, Schoolly D, Beastie Boys, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J, Eric B & Rakim, Mantronix, Stetsasonic, Audio Two, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Marley Marl, Tone Loc, Jungle Brothers, NWA, Public Enemy, Slick Rick, 3rd Bass, De La Soul, Queen Latifa, DOC, 2 Live Crew, Dr Dre, Sir Mix A Lot, Digable Planets, Positive K, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Naughty By Nature, Black Sheep, Tribe Called Quest, Geto Boys, Pharcyde, 2Pac, Warren G, Gang Starr, Notorious BIG, and many many more! CD

A classic album featuring music from The Sound Of Jazz – the legendary 1957 TV show that brought together some of the greatest talents then working in jazz! Unusual for TV, the show really seemed to capture the players at their best – and recorded some tremendous live performances that were among the most moving ever filmed by the artists involved. Highlights include "The Train & The River" played by the Jimmy Giuffre Trio, "Fine & Mellow" sung by Billie Holiday, "Rosetta" and "Wild Man Blues" by the Red Allen All-Stars, "Blues" by Jimmy Giuffre & Pee Wee Russell, "I Left My Baby" by Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing, "Dickie's Dream" by Count Basie, and "Nervous", a solo piano number by Mal Waldron. CD

A classic album featuring music from The Sound Of Jazz – the legendary 1957 TV show that brought together some of the greatest talents then working in jazz! Unusual for TV, the show really seemed to capture the players at their best – and recorded some tremendous live performances that were among the most moving ever filmed by the artists involved. Highlights include "The Train & The River" played by the Jimmy Giuffre Trio, "Fine & Mellow" sung by Billie Holiday, "Rosetta" and "Wild Man Blues" by the Red Allen All-Stars, "Blues" by Jimmy Giuffre & Pee Wee Russell, "I Left My Baby" by Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing, "Dickie's Dream" by Count Basie, and "Nervous", a solo piano number by Mal Waldron. CD