Two sweet instrumental funky gems – both great! "El Bobo" is a Latin-tinged number from fusion giant Webster Lewis – filled with great keyboards that soar out through the tune, ala Ramsey Lewis 70s electric – but with a much more complicated groove! On the flipside, the Spirit Of Atlanta deliver their answer to Curtis Mayfield – with a soaring groover that builds strongly, has a great organ so, and a very cool percussion breakdown too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A sprawling extended album that had a bit of a legendary status before it was ever released – in part because Kanye West recorded part of the record in the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta while it was closed down during the pandemic! The set brings forward some of the spiritual themes of the album's predecessor, but also has some sharper hip hop edges overall – and some of the anger that reflects the changes that were taking place in Kanye's personal life at the time – reflected in a few of the album's more intense tracks, which are usually some of the best. Titles include "Jail", "God Breathed", "Hurricane", "Off The Grid", "Jonah", "Ok Ok", "Praise God", "Believe What I Say", "24", "Remote Control", "Moon", "Heaven & Hell", "Keep My Spirit Alive", "Donda", and "New Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweetly stepping funk from The Rimshots – here moving from their rawer early sound into a tighter mode that was much more in keeping with the Philly scene of the time! The set's got a really full ensemble group feel – similar to other All Platinum classics by Brand New Funk and Wood Brass & Steel – a style that might be called disco at times, but which has a more laidback approach, and a more organic funk-based sound at its core. There's some great tripped-out guitars on a few cuts – stepping over the grooves with a chromatic sound that reminds us a bit of The Spirit Of Atlanta – and the best numbers burn with a rolling groove that would make the Rhythm Makers proud! Tracks include "Groove Bus", "Do what You Feel", "Walter's Inspiration", "Now Is the Time", and the group's cover of "7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (Blow Your Whistle)". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky genius from the Hotlanta scene of the 70s – the one and only album recorded by Tommy Stewart, a huge force in some of the greatest club tracks of the south, including the massive Spirit Of Atlanta album! The record's a stone winner all the way through – filled with upbeat, uptempo tracks that really bring some funk into the dancefloor. The rhythms are tremendous – all very catchy and snapping, with a groove that goes way past the usual disco record, and which has made the album as much of a favorite amongst funk fans as it has for fans of classic club. Includes the classic groover "Bump and Hustle", plus loads of other excellent tunes like "Get Off Your Seats", "Make Happy Music", "Riding High", "Practice What You Preach", and "Atlanta Get Down". LP, Vinyl record album

The Daytonians may let Jesus work it out, but they also do a heck of a lot themselves – more than plenty to make the record a rare funky gospel treasure from the 70s! The group hail from Dayton, Ohio, and cut the record in Atlanta – and there's some indication that Calvin Arnold was involved with the whole thing – as there's key funky currents to the music that remind us of the mix of rootsy grit and tightness in his own records, and which sound even better next to the magnificent harmonies of the group! As with the best soul-styled gospel albums of the period, the grooves and production are pretty darn down to earth – meaning that there's plenty here to love even if you're not taken with the spirit – and even more if you are. Titles include "Shelter", "Why Can't I", "Jesus Is Calling", "Deep River", "My Rock", and "I Got Everything". CD

One of the most ambitious works ever by Marvin Hannibal Peterson – a larger work dedicated to the 20 African-American children murdered by a serial killer in Atlanta, performed here with a mix of choral voices and jazz instrumentation! The piece follows strongly in a legacy of that format started by Max Roach and continued by Billy Harper – and Peterson works here with players that include George Adams on tenor, Kenny Barron on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Dierde Murray on cello – plus the voices of The Harlem Boys Choir, and lead vocals by Pat Peterson. The whole thing's wonderful – soaring and spiritual without sounding hokey at all – and titles include "The Angels Of Atlanta", "The Story Teller", "The Inner Voice", "Mothers Land", and "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child". CD

Essential work from Nathan Davis – one of our favorite jazz musicians ever! Davis is one of those cats who you'll never find mentioned in the mainstream, but his music has had a profound influence on our groove for many years – an essential soul jazz style that is finally given full due by this wonderful compilation! Nathan's got a very long resume in jazz – but one that's mostly occurred in the underground – time in both the KC and Pittsburgh scenes here in the US, and key years overseas, working in Paris, Germany, and even Eastern Europe – touching both musicians and jazz fans alike in his travels, and continuing to develop a really unique, truly amazing sound. Davis plays both tenor and soprano sax on these recordings – blowing with a style that owes just a bit to Coltrane, but which really takes off strongly on its own groove too – often with modal rhythms in support of his tones, which makes for some really spiritual, exotic moments in his music. The package brings together a wealth of rare recordings by Davis, many of which are not currently available in any form – cuts from albums for MPS, European Polydor, and other overseas labels – and some rare indie cuts from the US too. Titles include a version of "A5" recorded live in Yugoslavia; the rare "Cecen Kizi", recorded in Turkey – and the tracks "B's Blues", "Theme From Zoltan", "Mandingo", "Up Jumped Spring", "Uschimaus", "Atlanta Walk", "Makatuka", "New Orleans", "Tragic Magic", "Sconsolato", and a studio version of "A5". CD