... LP, Vinyl record album

A near-lost chapter in the career of Jean Carn – her one and only album recorded for Motown, cut in the early 80s with production by Norman Connors! Oddly, although Connors was the first producer to give Jean Carn a chance back in the 70s as a smooth soul vocalist – finding her voice a perfect fit for his warm and jazzy arrangements – here, he's going for a style that's a bit more conventionally soul-based, with more guitars and mainstream production than you'd expect. Jean's still pretty great, though, showing why she was one of the best female soul artists of the modern soul era – on tunes that include "My Baby Loves Me", "Don't Let Me Slip Away", "Steady On My Mind", "Completeness", and "Better To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic blend of spiritual jazz styles and electronic elements – served up here by the trio of drummer Betamax, keyboardist Danalogue, and saxophonist King Shabaka – the last of whom you might recognize as Shabaka Hutchings from a host of other hip projects on the contemporary London scene! Shabaka's work on tenor and bass clarinet really gives the record an earthy, organic core – which seems to let the keyboards really soar off into space, often with the sort of vibe that you'd guess from the group's name and the cover image on the record – in a wide flurry of live and amplified performance elements! At some level, the trio is almost London's answer to some of the jazz-meets-studio work from Chicago's International Anthem label – and like some of the groups who record for that imprint, these guys are all strong jazz musicians at the core – but performing at a level that's very beyond the ordinary. Titles include "Birth Of Creation", "Summon The Fire", "Blood Of The Past", "Astral Flying", "Super Zodiac", "The Universe Wakes Up", and "Timewave Zero". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Great stuff – and one of DJ Rogers' most perfectly realized albums! DJ's righteous approach from earlier records is firmly intact – but it's given a bit of a boost, in that perfect Columbia smooth modern mode of the late 70s, with a clear indication that Maurice White and the Kalimba team had something to do with the record, even though DJ himself produced the set. The whole thing's a massively positive batch of tunes with a strident spiritual sound that's beyond compare – sung by one of the most unique voices in 70s soul! Titles include "Trust Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Will You Remember Me?", "Haven't You", "You Can Have It For A Song", and "In Love Again, Standing On The Edge Of Paradise". LP, Vinyl record album

An extremely groovy soundtrack from Carlo Rustichelli – one that bridges two generations of Italian comedy scores! At one level, there's a bouncing melodic feel to the score – done in a very Nino Rota-esque way, with plenty of jazzy touches on electric guitar, and some extremely captivating tunes. At another level, there's more of the mod 60s approach at work too – particularly in the way Pier Luigi Urbini interprets the score, and in the way the whole thing's recorded. Very nice stuff – and filled with classic Italian-styled tunes! Titles include "Night Dance", "Preparing For The Party", "Busy Bodies", "Sunday In The Piazza", "In Town", "Rounds Of Pleasure", and "Blackmail With Loving Care". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

With Sean Price on "Live The Life". 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really striking album in the career of Atomic Rooster – one that's a little bit groovier than most, and maybe a bit funky as well! The drums are great, and have plenty of soulful currents – and the Hammond, piano, and electric piano work of Vincent Crane almost seem to echo earlier UK beat group currents, but turned towards a much hipper 70s vibe – one that's followed by an equally extended range from vocalist Chris Farlowe, who seems to fold together both his mod and prog experience in the vocals! Steve Bolton brings in some tight, riffing guitar – and titles include "Time Take My Life", "Never To Lose", "Breathless", "People You Can't Trust", "All In Satan's Name", "Close Your Eyes", "Little Bit Of Inner Air", and "Stand By Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning batch of tracks from a very unusual LA group of the early 70s – a funk combo at the core, but one that was also equally comfortable with bits of psych and redneck rock as well! The music here was all recorded within a short span of years, and mostly issued on the small Alpha label as a handful of funky 45s – but the style is surprisingly spacious, and shows a strong sense of musicianship from the members of the group – so much so that they seem equally comfortable and right on top of their game, no matter what direction they choose to take! And don't think that this multi-style description means that these guys are too all over the map, because there's a really unified sense of soul that holds the whole thing together – so that when they get a bit rootsy, the result is country soul – or when they get a bit trippy, they hit some Funkadelic-styled sounds. The collection includes great notes on the setting that produced these tracks – penned by Egon, who put the set together with help from Malcolm Catto, DJ Shadow, and others. Titles include "Don't Let Him Take Away Your Mind", "Strange Things", "Heaven & Earth", "Take Time", "We Got Love", "Waterloo At Watergate", "Why Don't You Trust In Me", "Cruising Central Ave", "The Dead Don't Die Alive", and "You're My Precious Someone". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful dreamy album that's quite different from the classic Getz/Gilberto collaboration – but which also shares much of that set's lyrical beauty! This album was recorded live, in 1964, when Stan Getz was playing with his quartet that included Gary Burton on vibes – an incredible lineup that made for some wonderfully moody sounds! The vibes/tenor approach was a high point in Getz's career – especially as the young Burton could create these beautiful washes of sound that were a perfect counterpoint to Getz's breathy playing. And although Astrud Gilberto is thrown into the mix here to give the album a bit of bossa appeal – vocals on 6 titles that include "Corovado", "Eu E Voce", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "One Note Samba", "Only Trust Your Heart", and "The Telephone Song" – there's also 4 more tracks that are all instrumental, and which show the Getz/Burton union in all of its glory! These tracks include "6 Nix Pix Flix", "The Singing Song", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "Summertime". And for reference, the rest of the group includes Gene Cherico on bass and Joe Hunt on drums – but on 3 tracks, Chuck Israels plays bass instead of Cherico, and on a few others, Helcio Milito plays drums instead of Hunt, and Kenny Burrell joins in on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet keyboard grooves from Herbie Hancock – and a set that has him taking up some of the territory of younger players he'd inspired – like Bobby Lyle, Webster Lewis, or Rodney Franklin! There's a fair bit of soul in the mix here, including some great work on vocoder – blended in with Hancock's work on jazzy keyboards – all wrapped up in a cosmic level that really fits the image on the cover, and which acts as a preface for some of the electro work to come in the early 80s! The blend is great – with that sublime balance that Hancock did better than anyone else – and titles include "Trust Me", "You Bet Your Love", "Tell Everybody", "Honey From The Jar", and "Knee Deep". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album of Etta James material for Chess – 10 of her biggest tracks for the label, including some really hard-hitting R&B numbers, mixed with other tunes that represent the sadder, softer side of Etta's wonderful voice! Tracks include "Stop The Wedding", "Something's Got A Hold Of Me", "At Last", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Fool That I Am", "Trust In Me", "Would It Make Any Difference To You", "My Dearest Darling", "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Trust In Me" and "Pushover". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a much harder edge than you'd expect from the cover – not the ancient vibe of a medieval crusade, or the religiosity in the title – and instead this searing entry to the hard rock underground at the time! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely hip little record from Morgana King – one that takes her amazing voice, and sets it amidst some expansive arrangements that push past jazz to include some trippier 70s styles! The whole session's got a nice mix of the mellow and baroque – with a subtle funky undercurrent at points, and definitely a fair bit more soul than we're used to hearing from Morgana! Arrangements are by Torrie Zito and Bob James – and the production often compresses the vocals in a really cool way – sliding them amidst the instrumentation with a haunting quality that's hard to describe in words, but which makes the album one of King's most breathtaking ever! The back cover has Morgana getting props from Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Paul Williams, and Kenny Rankin – all names we can certainly trust – and titles include a great version of "We Could Be Flying", "All In All", "A Song For You", "Like A Seed", and "The Sands Of Time & Changes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the oddest of the 70s concept albums by The Kinks – a set of tracks that takes Ray Davies and the band back to the school days of their youth – where they revisit frustrations, anger, and the disgrace in the title! The best moments here are the ones that unlock a bit of the straighter rocking that shows up more in late 70s Kinks work – like the excellent single "I'm In Disgrace", the anthemic "No More Looking Back", or the leadoff "Schooldays" – and a few of the weaker moments get a bit too silly, and almost showy at times – like Ray's writing for a forthcoming Broadway career. Titles include "The Hard Way", "Headmaster", "Education", "Jack The Idiot Dunce", and "Finale". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest power pop albums ever recorded – a blistering batch of tight little rocking tunes that took pop music back to basics at the end of the 70s! The group have an almost Beatles-esque flair for the short catchy tune – but have also pumped up things nicely with a smoothly compressed 70s approach to production. There's an urgency to the work that seems to drive the whole thing with an uptight adolescent sense of horniness – a strange force that kicks most tunes into ultradrive by tapping into a virtually limitless source of energy! Titles include the mega-hit "My Sharona", plus "Heartbeat", "Lucinda", "Frustrated", "Good Girls Don't", "Selfish", "O Tara", and "Maybe Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

Almost a late British invasion group – and a pretty darn groovy one at that! The Magic Lanterns hail from the UK, but they've got a sound that's picked up some of the Sunshine pop and jazzier touches of the US pop scene in the late 60s – heard to great effect on the title hit "Shame Shame", but coming through nicely throughout the record, which seems to benefit strongly from arrangements by the likes of Big Jim Sullivan, John Paul Jones, and Reg Tilsley. Titles include "Out In The Cold Again", "Shame Shame", "Impressions Of Linda", "Never Gonna Trust My Heart Again", "Give Me Love", "When The Music Stops", and "Pussy Willow Dragon". LP, Vinyl record album

A live album, but every bit as seminal as the studio sides that Pat Metheny cut for ECM at the time – and proof that the Metheny magic was clearly his own, and not just a product of studio tricks by Manfred Eicher! The set reprises tunes and themes from a variety of Metheny's earlier ECM albums – but the live presentation of the material somehow really transforms a number of them – pushing them into a soundspace that's similar to the one explored by Pat on the Offramp album, augmented especially by the presence of percussionist Nana Vasconcelos in the group. Titles include "Phase Dance", "Farmer's Trust", "Straight On Red", "The Fields The Sky", "Are You Going With Me", "Extradition", "Going Ahead", "As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita Falls", and "Travels". LP, Vinyl record album

Not a live album – as you might think from the title – but a tight batch of tunes that shows the full funk and soul talents of the legendary Esther Phillips! The album's got a nicely dark undercurrent at times – a sound that's not as smooth as some of Esther's other Kudu albums from the 70s, with bits of R&B bubbling underneath the more contemporary arrangements. Backings are penned by Pee Wee Ellis and Gary King – and players include Bob James and Richard Tee on keyboards, Hubert Laws on flute, and Bernard Purdie and Steve Gadd on drums – the latter of whom provides a sublime beat on the album's standout funky number "Disposable Society" – one of those great little groovers that never did anything for Esther at the time of its release, but which has really gotten rediscovered in recent years! Other tracks include "Doing Our Thing", "Living Alone", "Can't Trust Your Neighbor With Your Baby", and "I Feel The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A nice little set from Jimmy Smith – often overlooked amidst the flurry of early 60s Blue Notes, but a really strong session! The group on the set is Jimmy's trio with Quentin Warren on guitar and Don Bailey on drums – but they're augmented here by Lou Donaldson, whose crafty work on alto really opens the set up. Tracks are shortish and mostly familiar, but done with a laidback and easy groove that brings out the best in Jimmy's late Blue Note Hammond stylings. Titles include "Matilda Matilda", "Pork Chop", "Can Heat", and "Trust In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy soundtrack, for a very groovy little movie – the quirky Good Times, directed by William Friedkin, and kind of the precursor for the Sonny & Cher TV show! The record differs a bit from the usual Atco album by the pair – in that, along with the vocal numbers, it also features some great instrumental bits by Sonny – which are arranged by Harold Batiste with a swirling LA pop groove that recalls the best genius of the Gold Star generation! Titles include a fab instrumental version of "I Got You Babe", plus the tracks "I'm Gonna Love You", "Trust Me", "Good Times", and the sublime long number "Just A Name". LP, Vinyl record album

Accompanied by Rusty Dedrick, Johnny Mince, Buddy Morrow, Dick Hyman, Bucky Pizzarelli, George Duvivier, and Don Lamond. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a heck of a lot over the years! Brian Wilson busted his ass making this little gem – and the rest of the world, and the band, were never the same again – awash in harmonies that most other groups tried to match, set to themes of young loss, longing, and frustration that really mark an emotional development – not just in the Beach Boys, but in pop music in general. And although some of the tracks are ones you've heard a million times on oldies stations, they somehow resonate together much more strongly here – taking on new meaning as the smaller elements of each song come into constellation with each other – creating a complicated tapestry of feelings set to near-godlike orchestrations. Titles include "God Only Knows", "Caroline No", "Pet Sounds", "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "You Still Believe In Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The sound of a legend – a raw rocking classic from Janis Joplin – arguably the most perfectly-formed record from her all-too-short run in modern music! There's a focus here that's even sharper than before – and a rising of the funky undercurrents that Janis always had in her music, matched with vocals that are some of the most soulful you could ever hope for from the blue-eyed hippie generation! The album was the last one that Janis ever recorded, and it's a classic through and through – with titles that include "Move Over", "Cry Baby", "A Woman Left Lonely", "Trust Me", "Get It While You Can", and "Mercedes Benz". LP, Vinyl record album

Accompanied by Rusty Gilder on bass and Eric Nebbia on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

With Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet and Stan Hope on piano – on titles that include "Only Trust Your Heart", "Almost Like Being In Love", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Just For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Jackson 5, move over – because the folks at Numero Records have uncovered a whole host of rare kid soul acts from the 70s – most of them a fair bit funkier than their Motown contemporaries! The tracks here all clearly follow the lead started by Michael and his brothers at the end of the 60s – but the music is way more than just a simple copycat of Jackson modes – as each of these artists have a really individual approach, and a heck of a lot of personality in their music – despite their youthful years. In true Numero fashion, most of the cuts here are from tiny little labels – issued only as singles back in the day, but produced with a great deal of enthusiasm for the music – and a confident, competent sound that's quite striking, given the age of the performers. The package comes with complete notes on the music – opening up a whole world of lesser-known kid soul acts – and titles include the amazing "Trust Your Child" by Patrizia & Jimmy, plus "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "One Is Enough For One" by Jack & the Mods, "Now That School Is Through" by Cindy & The Playmates, "Jersey Slide (part 1)" by 3 Stars, "You Are My Dream" by 3 Simmons, "Can't Let You Break My Heart" by Quantrells, "If You're Looking For Love" by Triads, "Yellow Ribbons" by Atons, "Sweet Pea" by Altyrone Deno Brown, "Time After Time" by Step By Step, "Time" by Otis The 3rd, and "Little Girl" by Michael Washington. LP also contains a bonus track – part 2 of "Trust Your Child" by Patrizia & Jimmy! LP, Vinyl record album

Essential late 80s thrash from one the genres linchpin bands! State Of Euphoria draws the short straw when it comes to critical recognition of the band's 80s output, thanks in no small part to the fact that it's the full length follow up to Among The Living. It's hard to live up to the legacy of one of the greatest American heavy metal albums of all time, but we're feeling pretty euphoric revisiting this one after all these years! Anthrax always leaned more on trudging riffs than lightning speed or showy guitar solos, arguably making them the most fun of thrash's vaunted "Big 4" and this one holds up better than it's given credit for. Includes their classic cover of Trust's "Antisocial", "Be All, End All", "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind", "Schism", "Misery Loves Company", "13" and more. 2LP pressing includes a 2 bonus versions of "Antisocial" – with French language vocals and a live recording at Hammersmith Odeon – plus "Friggin' In The Riggin'", "Pipeline", "Parasite" & "Le Sects". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album from the eternally underrated Hoyt Axton – whose rich, folksy lead vocals are given some fairly soaring arrangements on tunes that range from topical but not quite protest folk material to some trippier, chemically enhanced narratives! Hoyt's got the kind of easygoing, laconic drawl to keep a rustic vibe in the overall sound, but on these tunes he really stretches out into some some lyrically ambitious numbers that bring Tim Buckley to mind, and he also employs mean growl to some seedier numbers that surprised us even more. He dabbles in these eclectic sounds without ever betraying his Hoyt-ness (look at that, we made up a new word). Titles include "Way Before The Time Of Towns", "Beelzebub's Laughter", "Sunshine Fields Of Love", "Sunrise", "Kingswood Manor" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent and oft-overlooked 50s session from Duke – recorded in Chicago as a one-off for the Bethlehem label, and done with a lush, rich sound that's really tremendous! The group's nicely restrained and very moody – playing here in a mellow late nite mode that offers a good focus on the best horn soloists in the group, yet which also really hangs together perfectly from the slow-moving and eerie tone of the rest of the group. Jimmy Grissom sings a bit on the set, and other players include Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Cat Anderson, and Ray Nance – on tracks that include "Day Dream", "Blues", "Frustration", "My Funny Valentine", and "Laura". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent and oft-overlooked 50s session from Duke – recorded in Chicago as a one-off for the Bethlehem label, and done with a lush, rich sound that's really tremendous! The group's nicely restrained and very moody – playing here in a mellow late nite mode that offers a good focus on the best horn soloists in the group, yet which also really hangs together perfectly from the slow-moving and eerie tone of the rest of the group. Jimmy Grissom sings a bit on the set, and other players include Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Cat Anderson, and Ray Nance – on tracks that include "Day Dream", "Blues", "Frustration", "My Funny Valentine", and "Laura". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful classic from mid 60s Verve – and the kind of a session that we wouldn't have expected to come off so well! In a style they were using with older artists at the time, Verve brought Ella and Duke into the studio together – with Duke's band and compositions providing the structure of the set, and Ella handling vocals. The tunes are mostly Ellington classics, but they provide a nice change of pace for the Fitzgerald of the 60s – taking Ella into more sophisticated territory on some darker themes that really surprised us. Players are all of the Ellington stalwarts of the time – and titles include "Imagine My Frustration", "Duke's Place", "What Am I Here For", "Azure", "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing", "Passion Flower", and "Something To Live For". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Stan Getz's greatest records – no fooling! This gem often gets overlooked because it was issued in the years between Stan's bossa recordings and his later pop experiments – but trust us, it's a totally solid jazz album, with a quality level that was hardly ever matched by Getz again! The tracks are all long, sweeping, and very spiritual – and the group's a soulful batch of freer players (Chick Corea on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Grady Tate on drums) – all of whom really open Stan up, and drive him to give out some of the best solos of his careers, with a tone that's completely sublime. All tracks are long, and the album includes an amazing version of Corea's "Litha", plus the cuts "Windows", "Con Alma", and "O Grande Amor". One of our favorite jazz albums ever! LP, Vinyl record album

We love Lee Hazlewood – and this album is one of his best! The record's a stunning batch of Lee's original compositions – all wonderful examples of the way that Lee could take a postwar fascination with Western themes and images, and turn it on itself to reveal the anxieties and frustrations of the 60s generation – all with a smooth presentation and near-perfect backings from the legendary Billy Strange! If you ever needed proof of why Lee Hazlewood's so great, this album may well be it – a record we'd gladly trade for a dozen by other 60s singer/songwriters. Titles include "The Girls In Paris", "After Six", "In Our Time", "Jose", "The Old Man & His Guitar", "Dark In My Heart", and "The Nights". Fantastic stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare side from Keith Hudson, teaming up with Bullwackie Barnes for a mighty set – two of our favorite producers in one place – and one that's been painfully hard to come by for some time. Issued originally on the Joint International imprint in the early 80s, we can't remember the last time we came across a copy of this set, featuring deep space dub mixes, with gut rumbling bass and murky reverb following hot on the heels of their vocal accompaniment, voiced by Wayne Jarrett, the Lovejoys and Hudson himself. A dozen jams in all, including "Playing It Cool", "Playing It Right Dub", "Trust & Believe", "By Night Dub", "Not Good For Us", "Be What You Want To Be" and "Still Need You Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

Features early vocals from Pete Wingfield – on titles that include "River's Invitation", "I've Got To Forget You", "Rusty Blade", "Boogie Sandwich", "I Pity The Fool", and "Chairman Mao's Boogaloo". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff – a killer session of funky guitar jazz, and the record that gave Ivan "Boogaloo" Joe Jones his nickname! The set's a full-on wailer that really blows away Joe's first two on Prestige – breaking out ouf the box with a killer lineup that includes Rusty Bryant on tenor, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Sonny Phillips on organ – all working with Joe's incredibly tight guitar lines to craft some wicked tunes that take soul jazz firmly into the sound of the 70s! Titles include "Boogaloo Joe", "People Are Talking", "Dream On Little Dreamer", and "Atlantic City Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

A great group from the 70s AOR scene – one that never fully got its due, but which never let that stop them from doing their best! Silver have this great harmony style that's somewhere in the territory of America – kind of a post-Beach Boys version of male group pop that's years beyond the modes of the 60s, and wrapped up here with near-perfect production that makes the harmonies sound even more heavenly they might have a few years before! All group members sing – John Batdorf, Brent Mydland, Greg Collier, Tom Leadon, and Harry Stinson – and most write tunes on the record, too. Titles include "Musician", "All I Wanna Do", "Memory", "Right On Time", "Goodbye So Long", "Wham Bam", and "Trust In Somebody". LP, Vinyl record album

The searing second album from Sugarloaf – a set that has Jerry Corbetta wailing even more heavily on the organ than before, and the group working with the kind of razor-sharp intensity that made them such a big act at the time! Corbetta also handles most of the lead vocals, but the group draws plenty of strength from an ability to harmonize warmly too – not in the softer modes of some of their contemporaries, but with a soaring vibe that really works well with the edges on the guitar, and the full-on bass and drums that propel the whole album along! A gem of a record that was big at the time, and never gets the due it deserves all these many years later – with cuts that include "Rusty Cloud", "Hot Water", "Spaceship Earth", "Woman", "Music Box", "Tongue In Cheek", and "Mother Nature's Wine". LP, Vinyl record album

A real 80s groover from Lillo Thomas – plenty of keyboards, snapping rhythms, and a sweetly gliding rhythm that beautifully supports Thomas' high-pitched vocals! The style owes a fair bit to territory first hit by Michael Jackson at the end of the 70s, but it still sounds surprisingly great after all these years – a style of soul that's unabashedly focused on the hooks, but which comes off with a fair bit of integrity too – thanks to a batch of nearly all original tunes by Thomas, co-written with keyboardist/arranger Paul Lawrence Jones. There's a lean groove to the record that holds up perfectly throughout, and never loses its energy – and titles include "I Love It", "Trust Me", "Who Do You Think You Are", "Hot Love", "You're A Good Girl", and "Joy Of Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

If there's anyone we trust with a fusion groove, it's the great Grover Washington – as Washington's 70s albums for Kudu are still the blueprint for mixing saxophone solos with electric jazzy backing – a rich legacy he continued strongly into later years! This early 80s set has Washington soaring to the skies on soprano sax – as expressive a voice on the record as any soul singer might be – and maybe even more so on the few spots that do include vocals. Jon Lucien sings a bit on the record – and if you read these pages, you know how much we love him – but Grover's still the giant here, with a sense of timing and phrasing that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match in a setting like this. Titles include "Jet Stream", "Sassy Stew", "Dawn Song", "Inside Moves", "Watching You Watching Me", and "Secret Stew". LP, Vinyl record album

Not as folksy as you might think from the title – thanks to a really powerful presentation by Sonny Boy Williamson! The style here has echoes of Bo Diddley or Jimmy Reed's sense of rhythm – a more upbeat and electrified Chicago approach than Chess was serving up a decade before – obviously influenced by the strength of R&B, but also still presented with a sound that's stripped-down and raw enough to be called blues. Players on the sessions include Matt Murphy and Luther Tucker on guitars, Willie Dixon on bass, Otis Spann on piano, and Lafayette Leake on organ – and titles include "One Way Out", "Too Young To Die", "Trust My Baby", "Peach Tree", "Down Child", "Bring It On Home", "Too Old To Think", and "Got To Move". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked side of the early Chess Records – a collection that features tracks by Lou Josie, Bobby Dean, Bobby Sisco, Del Saint & The Devils, Jet Tones, Rusty York, Eddie Fontaine, GL Crockett, Jimmy Lee & Wayne Walker, Johnny Fuller, Mel Robbins, Larry Diamond, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

Soundtrack to the much-hyped full length animated feature film – based on the popular sci-fi magazine of the time! The music here has little to do with the story, but there are plenty of great late 70s major label rockers in the lineup – on a set of tracks that includes "I Must Be Dreamin" and "Reach Out" by Cheap Trick, "Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar, "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars" by Blue Oyster Cult, "Mob Rules" by Black Sabbath, "True Companion" by Donald Fagen, "Prefabricated" by Trust, "Blue Lamp" by Stevie Nicks, "Crazy" by Nazareth, "Open Arms" by Journey, "Queen Bee" by Grand Funk Railroad, "All Of You" and "Heavy Metal" by Don Felder, "Radar Rider" by Riggs, and "Working In The Coal Mine" by Devo. LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Avenue C", "King", "Taps Miller", "Rusty Dusty Blues", "Mad Boogie", "One O'clock Jump", "Red Bank Boogie", "It's Sand, Man!", "Jimmy's Blues", and "Rambo". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful title for a beautiful record – one that sums up the subtle sense of sadness that makes the work of Chris Connor so great! There's a sense of longing here that steps out from the very first tune – one that's beautifully moody, without being overindulgent or too emotive. Backings are from larger arrangements by Ray Ellis, but the record also has a light jazzy feel – intimate in approach, with a great sense of balance. Chris' voice is at once personal and removed – a razor's edge of emotion, repressing some impulses, and opening up surprisingly at other moments. Titles include "Mixed Emotions", "I Miss You So", "Go Way From My Window", "I Love You Yes I Do", "Trust In Me", "Past The Age Of Innocence", "Time Out For Tears", "My Heart Is So Full Of You", "My Ideal", "They All Laughed", "Speak Low", and "Radar Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible soundtrack work! You may know nothing about Francois De Roubaix, and the films these tracks are from are even more obscure – but trust us, this is a great set of tracks! De Roubaix follows in a tradition of strange baroque arrangements that's vaguely similar to early work by Michel Colombier, with touches of romanticism from Francis Lai – but it's got a strange twist that's all its own. These tracks feature odd bits of electronics, weird guitar parts, haunting woodwind passages, jaunty rhythms, strange vocals – and almost always, a commitment to keen melody and inventive instrumentation. A few cuts are a bit cheesy, but others are jaw-droppingly fresh – and are some of the best soundtrack work we've been exposed to in a long time. LP, Vinyl record album

Loads of classics – "Terminal Preppie", "Trust Your Mechanic", "Winnebago Warrior", "Bleed For Me", "Moon Over Marin", and "Well Paid Scientist" – and a back cover with an image of Cal City, IL! LP, Vinyl record album

We've always loved Duke Ellington's soundtracks, and this is one of his best! The score is a moody introspective one, written for a 1961 film that starred Paul Newman as a frustrated jazz musician living in Paris. The "Paris Blues" theme is a dark, somber composition that is supposedly Newman's masterpiece as a jazz writer – and it works beautifully with the film's themes of frustration and unfulfilled desire. Ellington's at his best here, and apart from the main theme, the score also has great versions of classics like "Mood Indigo" and "Take The A Train", plus originals like "Nite", "Wild Man Moore", "Guitar Amour", and "Paris Stairs". Also features Louis Armstrong on one track! LP, Vinyl record album

The title reads like a typo, but the album's a great set of smooth fusion from Freddie Hubbard – self-produced, and almost a summation of all the styles he'd mastered in the 70s! The session's never too over the top or too ambitious – just features Freddie working with a hip group in a laidback setting – blowing lean and mellow lines that almost take him back to his best CTI funk. The group features Billy Childs on keyboards, Hadley Caliman on tenor and flute, and some guest work by George Duke and Paulinho Da Costa – on titles that include "Skagly", "Rustic Celebration", "Happiness Is Now", and "Cascais". LP, Vinyl record album

Purely classic 60s gems from Tommy James & The Shondells – kicking off with the all time great pop title track – and featuring loads of tunes that are nearly as wonderful! The group were hit radio kings at the time, and they cover some great ones by others, too, like "California Sun" and " Shout" – and the set's filled with excellent, head of the pack pop tunes like "Trust Each Other In Love", "Baby Let Me Down", "I Like The Way", "Gone, Gone, Gone", "Mirage", "Let's Be Lovers" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal album – a late 60s classic meeting of the brain trust of the avant garde jazz scene in New York, recorded for the young JCOA label – and put forth as one of their early attempts to prove that musicians could be in charge of the means of production! Michael Mantler provided the core composition, and directs the group – but the lineup is a who's who of forces who'd record for ESP, Impulse, and other labels – with bold solos from Don Cherry on cornet, Gato Barbieri on tenor, Larry Coryell on guitar, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Cecil Taylor on piano, and Pharoah Sanders on tenor – in a larger lineup of players who also include Steve Marcus, Andrew Cyrille, Reggie Workman, Alan Silva, Carla Bley, Beaver Harris, Charles Davis, Robert Northern, Kent Carter, and many other key avant musicians! Titles include "Communications 8", "Communications 9", "Communications 10", and "Communications 11".' LP, Vinyl record album

The title's an apt one, because after frustrations experienced working for Columbia and other labels, Mingus is finally allowed the freedom here to present his own ideas in all their unfettered glory – working with a bracingly tight quartet that features Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet and Ted Curson on trumpet! A number of the tracks here are familiar in their titles from other records, but the versions here stretch out far longer – moving past 10 minutes on 2 of the album's 4 tracks, and approaching that limit on others. But even more noticeable is the spareness of the sound – as the smaller group versions allow for a tremendous amount of solo space, really letting the focus fall on the two horn players, with the bass of Mingus and drums of Dannie Richmond shading in the space behind and beyond. Titles include "Folk Forms No. 1", "All the Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother", and the original uncensored version of "Faubus Fables". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing! This is when Wes Montgomery really starts to get interesting to us – when he's working with a top-line arranger like Don Sebesky, crafting some incredibly compelling chords over lightly jazzy arrangements and soaring strings, in a whole new mode of expression that would go onto transform a generation of guitar players! And sure, this album sold a gazillion copies – but we'll be honest in saying that we think it's loads more complex and mature than some of Wes' straight jazz sides from earlier years – light years away from the small combo dates of the early years, both in conception and sound. Titles include "Day In The Life", "Watch What Happens", "California Nights", "Windy", "Trust In Me", and "The Joker". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily our favorite album ever by Ann Peebles – not just for the beathead title track, but also because it seems to be the one record where she brings a bit something extra to the studio! The sound is certainly in the classic Hi Records mode here – thanks to production by Willie Mitchell – but there's also a deeper groove overall, a stronger burning bottom, and an all-soul sound to most tracks that goes way beyond simple cliches of southern soul. Ann's vocals are tremendous throughout – sometimes sweet, sometimes mean – and titles include the sublime "I Can't Stand The Rain", plus "Run Run Run", "One Way Street", "You Keep Me Hangin On", and "If We Can't Trust Each Other". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff – easily one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums, and certainly one of the pivotal points of 60s avant garde jazz! The album features Shepp leading a crack "new thing" line up that includes Ted Curson on trumpet, Marion Brown on alto, Joe Chambers on drums, Reggie Johnson on bass, and the lesser-known Joseph Orange on trombone – all playing in a beautifully poised manner, never too far out and free, but with all the dynamic energy of the best jazz changes of the 60s! There's a vibe here that's similar to some of the Blue Note "new thing" work by players like Grachan Moncur, Jackie McLean, and Tony Williams from the time – but there's a vision that's also wider and deeper, too, given the size of the group and the way they interact. Titles include "Hambone", "Los Olvidados", "Malcolm Malcolm–Semper Malcolm", and an insane cover of "Girl From Ipanema". You can't go wrong with this one – trust us! LP, Vinyl record album

The cover's a bit nondescript, but the music is anything but – instrumental funk with a great jazzy vibe – served up here by an obscure Portland group from the end of the 70s! These guys are clearly schooled on some of the best jazz funk of the time, but also have a more personal vibe of their own – a nice change from the slickness of major label fusion, as they serve up a great mix of two keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and percussion – all recorded in a home studio, but with instrumentation that really goes beyond any sort of homegrown affair! The mixture of tight instrumentation and a down-to-earth vibe reminds us of some of our favorite Fantasy Records work of the time – on titles that include "Latin Summer", "Tut's Strut", "Song For Valerie", "Chrome Dome", and "Time Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic by Brenton Wood – one that crossed over big, and which was a real bright spot on the indie soul scene of the late 60s! Brenton's sound is kind of a swinging LA one – a bit pop in parts, but all-soul on the vocals, which are a bit sweet, but with a raspy edge that's always made Brenton's singles standout with soul fans over the years. The album includes Brenton's big singles "The Oogum Boogum Song" and "Gimme Little Sign" – as well as the tracks "Birdman", "I Like The Way You Love Me", "Best Thing I Ever Had", and "Take A Chance". Oddly, though, the album also features a psychedelic soul cover of "Psychotic Reaction" – the garage classic by Count Five, who were also on the Double Shot label, and who nicely let Brenton cut their song! It's real crazy – trust us! LP, Vinyl record album

If there's anyone we'd trust with a trip through the Blue Note catalog, it's Jazzanova – as the group have been a key force in the jazz-inspired sound of the global dancefloor for many years! This set's the 4th in Blue Note's "Trip" series – and it may well be the best, as Jazzanova really know their way around a groove – and manage to get way past the obvious in their selection of tracks from the Blue Note catalog of the 60s and 70s. The hits are pushed aside for some lesser-known gems that stretch out with a wonderfully fluid approach to a jazzy groove – mixing together fusion, Latin, and soul jazz influences with ease! 2LP set features the titles "Afreaka" by Lee Morgan, "Think Twice" by Donald Byrd, "You Make Me Feel So Good" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Yu Yo" by Bobby Hutcherson, "I've Had A Little Talk" by Horace Silver, "Congalegra" by Horace Parlan, "Afrodisia" by Kenny Dorham, and "Beatrice" by Sam Rivers. LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of sides recorded for the Plantation label, with selections by Webb Pierce, Jeannie C Riley, Linda Martell, Sleepy La Beef, James O'Gwynn, Rusty Adams, Jimmy Ellis, Ryan Russell, Rex Allen, Rod Bernard, and The Bluegrass Alliance. LP, Vinyl record album

A well-chosen batch of rare garage rock gems from the 60s – rare work from labels that include Stax, Fantasy, Original Sound, and Vanguard – including three never-issued tracks! The choice of material is great, and the whole thing features notes from producer Alec Palao – a name we've really come to trust for sets like this, which go way past the hits and obvious choices. Titles include "Can't Get Enough" by The Pullice, "Attention" by Lonnie Duvall, "Harmonica Man" by The Torquays, "Psychotic Reaction (unedited version)" by Count Five, "She's Gone" by Group B, "Double Whammy" by Jack Bedient & The Chessmen, "In The Night" by The Bittersweets, "Short Haired Fathers" by Circus Maximus, "Anytime Anywhere" by The Squires, "This Calls For A Celebration" by The Fantastic Zoo, "Rat Race" by The Tears, "I Can't Make A Friend" by The Vagrants, "The Animal In Me" by The Orfuns, and "The People In Me (full length version)" by The Music Machine. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes recordings by Bill Boyd, Bob Wills, Milton Brown, Harry Choats, Hackberry Ramblers and Lightcrust Doughboys. LP, Vinyl record album

Danny Brown steps up his game on Old – delivering on all the promise of his much-hailed previous Fool's Gold LP – and actually topping it! Danny's XXX was a mix of next-level smarts and production, balanced with knowlingly gutter dwelling rhymes – but this one is knowingly more "mature" on the vocal tip, to a degree – but don't worry, it's still Danny Brown! Once again, the production is brilliant – but with better pacing throughout, making this one of the stronger hip hop full lengths of '13. Includes production by Paul White, Rustie, SKYWLKR, A-Trak and others. Includes "(Old)", "The Return" with Freddie Gibbs, "Wonderbread", "Gremlins", "Torture", "Lonely", "Clean Up", "Red 2 Go", "Dubstep" feat Scrufizzer, "Dip", "Kush Coma" with A$ap Rocky & Zelooperz, "Smokin & Drinkin", "Break It (Go)", "Way Up Here" feat Ab-Soul, "Float On" feat Charli XCX and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Snotty New York rock with more than just an undercurrent of comedy running through the beefy tunes, and a heavy dose of good ole cockrock swagger fueling the proceeding! This record by the Dictator's is truly, completely punk – even though the groove is closer to the crotch thrusting of a garage version of Bad Company than it is to the CBGB's varieties. The Dictators are punks in the truest sense – sarcastic a**holes that perfected sneering irony a couple decades before smug indie rockers killed it forever. Handsome Dick Manitoba and the boys run through 9 numbers on this classic debut LP: "The Next Big Thing", "I Got You Babe", "Back To Africa", "Master Race Rock", "Teengenerate", "California Sun", "Two Tub Man", "Weekend" and "(I Live For) Cars & Girls". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime early 70 set of rustic-accented folk, soul & blues from Tim Hardin that's heavy on covers – with tunes penned by Willie Dixon, Randy Newman, and others – in a soulful rock mode that's just ragged enough to give it a loose charm unlike any of Hardin's earlier work! Tim's in fine, effortlessly soulful voice here on material that could have found him going over the top, ala Joe Cocker, but he's tastefully restrained throughout. An underrated gem! Titles include the a loosely buzzing cover of the eternal Bo Diddley via Willie Dixon masterpiece "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover" and Dixon's "Do The Do", plus "Midnight Caller", "Yankee Lady", "Lonesome Valley", "Till We Meet Again", "I'll Be Home", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The title's an apt one, because after frustrations experienced working for Columbia and other labels, Mingus is finally allowed the freedom here to present his own ideas in all their unfettered glory – working with a bracingly tight quartet that features Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet and Ted Curson on trumpet! A number of the tracks here are familiar in their titles from other records, but the versions here stretch out far longer – moving past 10 minutes on 2 of the album's 4 tracks, and approaching that limit on others. But even more noticeable is the spareness of the sound – as the smaller group versions allow for a tremendous amount of solo space, really letting the focus fall on the two horn players, with the bass of Mingus and drums of Dannie Richmond shading in the space behind and beyond. Titles include "Folk Forms No. 1", "All the Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother", and the original uncensored version of "Faubus Fables". LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly soulful work from James Vincent – possibly his most polished set to date, but a really great effort that stands out strongly from most of his contemporaries! Vincent's moving through some familiar 70s territory here, but he manages to always keep things on hip footing – never falling into chart-worthy tunes that might score him a single – and instead pushing a bolder force in his music, just at points when things seem as if they might be getting soft. The gentle numbers are balanced beautifully amidst James vocals and warmer keyboards – and they're offset by some edgier tunes that use more acoustic elements to break any expectations you might have for a straight AOR-styled set. Titles include "Don't Trust Your Feelings", "In You I'm Free", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Hearken", "Come Follow Me", "You'll Be Right There", and "Enter In". LP, Vinyl record album