A soundtrack project from tenorist Javon Jackson, and one that may well be our favorite album from him in years – as it really lets Javon explore all these different sounds, shapes, and styles – while still working with a small combo that makes for a very unified vibe on the entire record! The set mixes a few non-soundtrack titles with the shorter numbers from the film, really expanding the palette – and overall, things have this soulful, swinging quality that almost reminds us of the spirit of some of the soundtrack material by Bill Lee from many years back – equally evocative, lyrical, and well-performed – by a quintet that features Gregg Glassman on trumpet, Jeremy Mansaia on piano, David Williams on bass, and either Charles Gold or McClenty Hunter on drums. Titles include "The Game", "Brother G", "Never Let Me Go", "In The Studio", "CB", "D Town", "In The Clouds", "On The Move", and "Amy's Theme". CD

Killer electric work from Herbie Hancock – right on par with his groundbreaking Headhunters set, but a bit spacier too! The album features a Headhunters-solid lineup – with Bennie Maupin on saxes, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – all grooving wonderfully with Herbie on a set of super-long tracks! Hancock himself handles a host of incredible keyboards – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, Arp, and lots more – all in a lean electric style that still sounds as fresh today as it did way back in the mid 70s – perhaps even more so, given the return to this sort of basic groove that has happened in recent years! Tracks are long, tight, and super funky – and titles include "Actual Proof", "Palm Grease", "Spank-A-Lee", and "Butterfly". CD

Tremendous early work from the great Candi Staton – coming across here as much more of a deep soul singer than on her later club and disco tracks – thanks to rock-solid production from Muscle Shoals legend Rick Hall – probably the best producer ever to work with Candi's voice! The style's a bit smoother than on some of Candi's first few recordings – but still very much in a deep soul mode, with a sophisticated approach to southern soul that's really outta site – and which has Staton really evolving past earlier southern soul styles, bridging worlds in the same way that Millie Jackson was beginning to do with some of her excellent 70s material too! Tracks include "Do It In The Name Of Love", "The Best Thing You Ever Had", "The Thanks I Get For Loving You", "I'll Drop Everything & Come Running", and "Wanted Lover". CD

Deep southern soul from the Sounds Of Memphis label – with some incredible stuff that for the most part never has seen official light of day before now – compiled by Dean Rudland for Kent UK! Kent has mined the vaults of Sounds Of Memphis for a series of solid compilations, and it's surprising how much more continues to be discovered considering the continual high quality! A solid majority of the tracks are prime 60s & 70s southern soul – with some early 80s records later on on the set that with a contemporary sound, though still committed to a true soul style! Includes "Pity A Fool" by Carl Sims, "I Don't Want No One Way Love" by Dan Greer, "Stop Boy" by Fran Farley, "So Cruel" by Barbara And The Browns, "Teardrops" by William Bollinger, "Play The Game (Pt 2)" by Version, "Make It Easy On Yourself" by Demetrius, "When I Look Inside" by Takelia Kelly, "It's Hard To Say No" by George Jackson & Linda Lucchesi, "Save My Love" by Billy Cee & The Freedom Express and more. CD

Japanese pianist Masaru Imada is in his best fusion mode here – working with great help from American players Tom Browne on trumpet, Grover Washington Jr on soprano and tenor sax, Steve Khan on guitar, Anthony Jackson on bass, and Steve Jordan on drums! Imada plays both acoustic and electric piano, and the set has that perfect mix that happened with the best albums of this type – when a brilliant Japanese jazz musician came into contact with the cream of the crop of the American electric jazz scene – on a record that's got a strong sense of soul throughout! Things are tight, but never too slick or commercial – again that special balance that makes so many Japanese fusion projects so different than the smoother American work of the period. Titles include "Tropical Butterfly", "Jumpin Dolphin", "Seacret Sounds", "Blue Marine", "Angelfish", and "Smile For You". CD

Very cool work from Leonard King & The Soul Messengers – a Detroit combo who really kick things up here with some great work from the clubs and a few rare studio recordings as well! King's a drummer, and gives the group a mighty solid sound from the start – and the whole group are equally comfortable in a soul instrumental mode as they are when letting loose with jazzier solos – a bit like the Jazz Crusaders on the LA scene of the mid 60s, but even groovier overall! Instrumentation shifts a bit throughout – depending on the lineups – and includes alto from Gregory King, cornet from Atiba King, trumpet from Jimmy Nash, and organ, electric harpsichord, and piano from George Roundtree. The range of material varies in a really great way – showing not just an evolution of King and his combo, but also the changing tastes of the Detroit scene at the end of the 60s – and there's also a few soul vocal numbers mixed in with the jazz instrumentals. Titles include "Delen 1967", "Voice Your Choice", "The Barracuda", "I've Been Saved", "Lily The Fox", "Cold Sweat", "Psychedelic Pi", "Bumpy's Lament", "Hang Up", "Spinning Around/It's Too Late", and a "Jackson Five Medley". CD