... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Rare material from one of our favorite jazz musicians of all time – legendary Hammond hero Jack McDuff, heard here in a really wonderful setting! McDuff in the 60s was already great – an organist who played in ways that really stood out, with a sense of rhythm that was completely unique – and which only took off even more strongly as the 70s approached. Here, McDuff is in a very fruitful part of that decade – playing live in a way that really echoes his classic Heatin System album, recorded in the same year for Chess Records – really long, exploratory tracks that also feature strong solo work from Dave Young on tenor and soprano sax, Leo Johnson on tenor and flute, and Vinnie Corrado on guitar. There's an unknown trumpeter on two tracks too – and titles include "Ain't No Sunshine", "Blues 1 & 8", "6:30 In The Morning", "Middle Class Folk Song", "Jolly Black Giant", and the killer "Theme From Electric Surfboard". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A treasure trove of lost work from Sandy Salisbury – all recorded during the same time he was working with Curt Boettcher in the legendary group The Millennium! The songs are all as lovely as the image on the cover – and on his own, often overdubbing his vocals to create his own harmonies, Sandy's got this quality that's maybe even sweeter and more sophisticated than you'd know from his other records – almost Beatles-esque, especially of the more melodic tunes that Paul McCartney would front during the later years of that group. All work is from Sandy's own archives, appearing here for the first time ever – and titles include "Silent Lonely Night", "Do I Miss You", "Tomorrow", "Six O'Clock", "Once I Knew A Little Dog", "Butter Me Over", "The Sun Always Shines On Suzanna", and "Everyone Should Be In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A deep deep dive into the farther reaches of the California scene in the late 60s – music that's completely wonderful all the way through, and presented with a level that really blows away some of the less-official collections on the market! If you know the hit sounds of the time, you'll know a bit of what to expect here – but the selection of cuts goes way way deeper, put together by Alec Palao, a guy we'd already trust with anything Cali from the 60s – and who really knocks himself out with this set! If you dig Beach Boys, Mamas & Papas, and the Byrds, you'll find plenty of new sounds here to fall in love with – and as usual with Ace, the whole thing comes with superb notes, and even features a few unreleased tracks – including two rare cuts by Third Wave, who recorded one album for MPS! Titles include "Niki" and "Three Kingfishers Ferris Wheel" by Third Wave, "Go Try & Put Out The Sun" by The Forum, "Soul Sunrise" by JP Rags, "A Thousand Faces" by The Thousand Faces, "Out In The Open" by The Justice League, "Meadows & Flowers" by Curt Boettcher, "Richard & Me" by Evergreen Tangerine, "Someday Sunday" by The Gettysburg Address, "Lazy Bones" by The Tricycle, "Sugar Stone" by The Candy Company, "The Life You Lead" by A Small World, "Summer Flower" by Crystal Set, and "Until Now" by Augie Moreno. CD

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever – and also one of his deepest, too! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo – and the amazing energy of the rest of the group too. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Very righteous, and with a cool dope jazzy groove! CD

A trio session – but a killer, too – very different than just about any other piano trio material from the time – with that special sort of edge that always made Jaki Byard really stand out from the pack! There's some very unusual things happening in the rhythms – some slight Eastern elements, a few trippy touches, and other heady elements that live up to the title – but in a subtle way, too. Byard plays piano throughout, but also handles a bit of guitar, too – and the group features Ornette Coleman's bassist David Izenzon on bass, plus Elvin Jones on drums and tympani – the latter of which is used in some very cool ways. Titles include "Trendsition Zildijian", "Sunshine", "Cast Away", and "Chandra". CD

Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Michael Hawkins on bass, and Neal Smith on drums. CD

One of the grooviest albums of the 60s – and the first album in Donovan's legendary run with producer Mickie Most! The sound here is light years away from the heavy Dylan of Donovan's first recordings – and is steeped in eastern influences that sparkle in both the songwriting and arrangements – and which can be most strongly heard in the album's trademark use of tablas and electric sitar! Donovan's vocals are completely sublime, too – done in that raspy, almost lispy style that brings out all the best edges in his songwriting – and the lyrics of the tunes are a mind-expanding array of themes that really pushed the boundaries of 60s pop. Titles include the sublime classic "Sunshine Superman", plus "Bert's Blues", "The Fat Angel", "The Trip", "Celeste", "Three Kingfishers", and the funky funky "Season Of The Witch"! LP, Vinyl record album

A mix of tracks from both "Sunshine Superman" and "Mellow Yellow" albums. LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

What can we say? Despite the stupid appearance of the band, "White Horse" was a classic breakdance/electro track that crossed over so big it had kids in Kansas running out to buy parachute pants and squares of linoleum to play along with the kids in the Bronx. Despite that runaway hit fame, though, the cut's a compelling one – with that perfect mix of post-disco post-punk grooves, warm in just the right places, and coldly appealing in others. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Rare material from one of our favorite jazz musicians of all time – legendary Hammond hero Jack McDuff, heard here in a really wonderful setting! McDuff in the 60s was already great – an organist who played in ways that really stood out, with a sense of rhythm that was completely unique – and which only took off even more strongly as the 70s approached. Here, McDuff is in a very fruitful part of that decade – playing live in a way that really echoes his classic Heatin System album, recorded in the same year for Chess Records – really long, exploratory tracks that also feature strong solo work from Dave Young on tenor and soprano sax, Leo Johnson on tenor and flute, and Vinnie Corrado on guitar. There's an unknown trumpeter on two tracks too – and titles include "Ain't No Sunshine", "Blues 1 & 8", "6:30 In The Morning", "Middle Class Folk Song", "Jolly Black Giant", and the killer "Theme From Electric Surfboard". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The funky percussionist from The Headhunters – funking in a smooth mode with a summery Bay Area groove behind him. Tracks have lead vocals by Lori Ham and Calvin Tillery – and although the work isn't some of the best funk produced from the Fantasy Records scene of the mid/late 70s, the overall sound is pretty strong, and the album's got more than a few nice numbers. Titles include "Walking On Sunshine", "Dancing Lady", "Feel The Heat", "Samba De Oakland", "Musicland", and "You've Got Me Lovin Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked bit of funky jazz from reedman Harold Alexander – and a set that's much sharper and harder-edged than some of his later work! There's maybe a bit of freedom in the mix, here too – some post-Coltrane spiritualism that mixes with some of the more funk-based currents – which include excellent electric piano by Neal Creque, and tight funky drums by Pretty Purdie! The tracks are all nice and long, but have a completely different approach than you'd find on labels like CTI or Prestige at the same time – both more complex, but maybe also more spontaneous too – in ways that really make the album a treasure all the way through, and has us wishing that Harold gave us a lot more like this. Titles include the classic "Sunshine Man", plus "Tite Rope", "Quick City", and "Mama Soul". CD

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever – and also one of his deepest, too! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo – and the amazing energy of the rest of the group too. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Very righteous, and with a cool dope jazzy groove! LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An amazing set – all four of the legendary Warner Brothers albums by harmony giants Harpers Bizarre – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Feelin Groovy – the fab first LP by Harpers Bizarre! The group were one of the strangest pop ensembles operating in the seminal LA scene of the mid 60s – ostensibly a sweet harmony vocal group, but with a strangely childish approach that also had an ear open for the mind-blowing production styles of the Brian Wilson era. Van Dyke Parks was a big supporter of the group – and they perform a sublime version of his tune "Come To The Sunshine" as the leadoff track on the album – and even though Van Dyke didn't handle the arrangements of the record, the style of the music is very similar to his own, with guitar, bass, and drums coming into play with strings, woodwinds, and baroque orchestral touches. The record is as dark as it is sublime – one of those pop gems that hit big, but which has a brooding depth bubbling underneath the sugary coating – ala Pet Sounds. Tracks include "Happy Talk", "The Debutantes Ball", "I Can Hear The Darkness", "Raspberry Rug", and their huge hit version of "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy)". Next is Anything Goes – the group's second album – and while it has a lot of similarities with the first, it's also a lot deeper of an expression of their strange blend of harmony vocals, sweet 60s pop, and the nostalgia for the early 20th century that was running through the Burbank Warner scene that included a young Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Lenny Waronker, and other LA underground of the mid 60s. The whole record fits together beautifully – beginning with an old-timey radio kind of announcer, then sliding into sublimely crafted harmony tunes that include originals from the LA luminaries and the group, plus a few other surprising covers. Titles include the hit version of "Anything Goes", plus "The Biggest Night Of Her Life", "Milord", "Virginia City", "High Coin", "Jessie", "This Is Only The Beginning", and "You Need A Change". The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre is the third album by Harpers Bizarre – and one that shows them growing in leaps and bounds with each new release! The record is a sublime fusion of sweet pop California 60s harmonies (ala The Sandpipers or The Lettermen), baroque arrangements with a fake dreamy nostalgia (ala Van Dyke Parks or Randy Newman), and drug-addled underground takes on the eazy sound of the generation (ala Brian Wilson or Love). This album is one of their most perfectly-realized visions, and it features a great blend of older songs, all hipped-up to modern LA arrangements by the likes of Nick De Caro, Perry Botkin, and others. The record has an approach that's simply mindblowing when you consider the amount of funds and effort that must have been put into a record that would only be truly appreciated 40 years later – and it's filled with great titles that include "Me, Japanese Boy", "Look To The Rainbow", "Funny How Love Can Be", "Mad", "Green Apple Tree", and "Las Mananitas". Last up is the group's fourth album, unfortunately, the last Warner album by Harpers Bizarre – one of the few testaments of genius left to us by this incredible group! The record shows the group moving past the sweet pop and dreamy nostalgia of earlier albums – tentatively stepping into the haze of the late 60s LA scene with a blend of songs that share a lot musically with earlier work, but which also seem to have a more adult approach to some of their themes. Arrangements are by the group mostly – with help from pop geniuses like Jack Nitzsche, Nick De Caro, Lenny Waronker, Harry Nilsson, and Perry Botkin Jr. The harmonies are sublime – and the group effortlessly blends original tunes like "Soft Soundin Music", "All Through The Night", "When The Band Begins To Play", and "There's No Time Like Today, along with bizarre covers like "Hard To Handle", "Something Better", "I Love You Alice B Toklas", and Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", which is worth the price of the record alone! Bonus tracks include "Both Sides Now", "Small Talk", "Poly High", "If We Ever Needed The Lord Before", "Malibu U", "Cotton Candy Sandman", "Lost My Love Today", and "Bye Bye Bye". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

2 of Sunny Murray's classic sides for the BYG label, on one CD! Sunshine is one of Sunny's rarest from the time – and a full-on session that features Lester Bowie, Arthur Jones, Roscoe Mitchell, Archie Shepp, Kenneth Terroade, Dave Burrell, and Malachi Favors. The large group wails mightily, with a spiritual edge that's a bridge between Murray's New York avant roots and some of the late 60s work of the AACM. Side one features the extended "Flower Trane", and side two contains "Real" and "Red Cross". Even Break is one of the best-ever BYG/Actuel sessions, and one that has the unlikely pairing of east coast avant players Sonny Murray and Byard Lancaster, with Art Ensemble Of Chicago bassist Malachi Favors! Murray plays drums, and reads a bit of poetry, while the band wails behind him in powerful turgid lines of hard free jazz that represent all there is to say about the freedom of the Paris jazz scene in 1969. 4 long tracks – "Invisible Blues", "Complete Affection", "Giblets – Part 12", and "An Even Break". CD

... CD

... CD

A treasure trove of lost work from Sandy Salisbury – all recorded during the same time he was working with Curt Boettcher in the legendary group The Millennium! The songs are all as lovely as the image on the cover – and on his own, often overdubbing his vocals to create his own harmonies, Sandy's got this quality that's maybe even sweeter and more sophisticated than you'd know from his other records – almost Beatles-esque, especially of the more melodic tunes that Paul McCartney would front during the later years of that group. All work is from Sandy's own archives, appearing here for the first time ever – and titles include "Silent Lonely Night", "Do I Miss You", "Tomorrow", "Six O'Clock", "Once I Knew A Little Dog", "Butter Me Over", "The Sun Always Shines On Suzanna", and "Everyone Should Be In Love". CD features seven more bonus tracks too – including "Tale Of A Timeless Love", "Some Other Place", "I Can't Stop The Hurting", and "She's Got The Power". CD

2 of Bill's best cuts from the early 70s – one a stone-cold hit that still sounds great, the other a nice little composition that was covered by many other artists at the time! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Sunshine Pop is a style that's usually associated with the American west coast scene of the 60s – music that sprung up in the wake of The Beach Boys and some of the other upbeat, harmony-heavy groups of the time – yet as you'll see in this set, there was also plenty of sunshine pop coming from the UK too – some by older artists influenced by musical changes, some by very cool English groups, and some by artists who were really taking the sound and spirit in their own direction! The box tracks a great stretch in the UK scene when things were sweet and well-produced, with a really great focus on well-crafted vocals amidst lovely arrangements – never too slick or sleepy in a soft rock way – and often presented with some unique British twists that make the tunes a great change from Sunshine Pop in the US! We love it when the Grapefruit label digs into a genre we never would have explored this deeply – and the 3CD package is a wonder throughout – with 87 tracks in all, alongside a big booklet of notes – presented by a huge array of artists who include Butterscotch, Dawn Chorus, The Mirage, Design, The Zombies, Paul Ryan, Roger Webb Sound, Agincourt, The Flies, Jason Cord, Symbols, Pinkerton's Colours, Tony Rivers & The Castaways, West Coast Consortium, The Seekers, Wilson Malone Voiceband, Orange Bicycle, Ken Smart, Harmony Grass, Episode Six, and many many others! CD

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever – and also one of his deepest, too! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo – and the amazing energy of the rest of the group too. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Very righteous, and with a cool dope jazzy groove! CD

Two fantastic cuts from one of the greatest Roy Ayers albums ever! "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" is an incredible blend of righteous soul, funk, and jazz – a slow-moving, head-nodding tune that's gone on to have an equally long life as a huge sample and song influence in hip hop! "Lonely Cowboy" is a lesser-remembered tune, but one that's got a great little groove – like finding a lost track on the flipside of a 45! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A solo piano album – tracks include "Hazy Eve", "Besame Mucho", "Two Different Worlds", "Tribute To The Ticklers", and the Charles Mingus Medley "Fables Of Faubus/Peggy's Blue Skylight". CD

THE standout cut from Central Line – a track so big that it got the group noticed over here on our side of the Atlantic, and forever gave them a place in the hallowed halls of 80s groove! The tune chugs along at a great roller skating rhythm – with some spare use of keyboards that pepper the track alongside the catchy vocals – all made even better here on a super-sweet Larry Levan mix! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Great work from Eternity's Children – a really unique soft psych group, one with roots in the south, but a sound that was later polished by LA sunshine! The tracks on the set have a wonderfully dreamy quality to them – a style that takes bits of fuzzy guitar, Hammond organ, and some slight folk and harmony touches – and fuses them together with a tight sense of conception that holds the sound together even through a few personnel shifts over the years. Some of the cuts here were issued as singles – and appeared on the group's Rev-Ola singles set – but a few others appear to be previously unissued as well, and all titles are pretty darn groovy! CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Woman's Blues", "Time & Place", "Cigarette", "Taste Of Honey", "Rumours", "Girl's Song", "Living Is Easy", "Somebody's Watching You", "Didn't We", "Just One Smile", "Laughing Girl", "Hard Hard Year", and "Down The Aisle". CD

... CD

The rare one-off collaborative side project by Robert Smith of The Cure and Steven Severin of Siouxsie & The Banshees! Includes "Like An Animal", "Looking Glass Girl", "A Blue In Drag", "Punish Me With Kisses", "Relax", ""Mouth To Mouth", "Like An Animal", "This Green City" and more. CD

Music from America, The New Seekers, Maria Muldaur, The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, Seals & Crofts, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Bonnie Tyler, Robert John, George McCrae, Alan O'Day, KC & The Sunshine Band, Honey Cone, Jigsaw, Harry Chapin, Randy Vanwarmer, and more. CD

... Cassette

... CD

One of the grooviest albums of the 60s – and the first album in Donovan's legendary run with producer Mickie Most! The sound here is light years away from the heavy Dylan of Donovan's first recordings – and is steeped in eastern influences that sparkle in both the songwriting and arrangements – and which can be most strongly heard in the album's trademark use of tablas and electric sitar! Donovan's vocals are completely sublime, too – done in that raspy, almost lispy style that brings out all the best edges in his songwriting – and the lyrics of the tunes are a mind-expanding array of themes that really pushed the boundaries of 60s pop. Titles include the sublime classic "Sunshine Superman", plus "Bert's Blues", "The Fat Angel", "The Trip", "Celeste", "Three Kingfishers", and the funky funky "Season Of The Witch"! CD

There's nothing folk about the Folklords – and the group are overall maybe more in the best mode of the Sunshine Pop generation, as you'd guess from their dreamy image on the cover! The group features a trio of singers – two guys, one gal – trading leads and harmonies, and coming off with these really easygoing, sparkling sort of glow – supported with a bit of work on guitar, bass, drums, and autoharp – the last of which adds a cool an unique vibe to the record! Titles include "Jennifer Lee", "Don't Hide Your Love From Me", "Child", "Windows", "Pardon Me Judas", "Thank You For Your Kindness", "We'll Love Like Before", "Suzanne Marie", "Don't Look Back", and "The Slave" – plus bonus tracks "Unspoken Love" and "Forty Second River". LP, Vinyl record album

A great introduction to the music of a criminally neglected figure in British Pop music – the wonderful Louis Philippe, an artist whose sound was always a bridge between the sunshine pop of the 60s and the smart singer/songwriter sounds of the later British scene! The High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan put the package together – and if you know Sean's music, you'll find plenty here to love – as both he and Philippe have an ear trained on Brian Wilson and Burt Bacharach, but refitted for more contemporary modes for the 21st Century – and in Louis' case, there's also a heady contribution from French pop, which means that the cuts here have lyrics in both French and English. The set focuses mostly on material issued after Philippe's early records for El/Cherry Red – and titles include "Sweet Dollar Bill", "Boxing Clever", "Delta Kiss", "Wild-Eyed & Disheveled", "Lights Were Dancing On The Ceiling", "L'Hiver Te Va Bien", "I Can't Own Her", "An Ordinary Girl", "I Picked A Flower In Ispahan", and a great remake of "Wichi Tai To". LP, Vinyl record album

Hugh Ragin on trumpet, Bruce Cox and Tanni Tabbal on drums, Jaribu Shahib on bass, Craig Taborn on piano, and Assif Tsahar on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet. CD

Groovy late 60s work from Diana Ross & The Supremes – a record that has them breaking the Motown mold a bit, and hooking up with a nice variety of modder soul and pop modes! Tracks on the set include a few Motown-penned numbers, but the trio also tackle hits like "Everyday People", "Hey Western Union Man", "Let The Music Play", and a great Hair-inspired medley of "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In"! But the Motown material here is almost even better – and titles include the slightly funky "No Matter What Sign You Are", which has a nice kick in the bottom – as well as "Discover Me", "The Composer", and "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted". LP, Vinyl record album

The mighty RD Burman is at the height of his powers here – crafting a Bollywood soundtrack that has an even moodier, groovier feel than usual – with some currents that even link the music towards some European film score styles of the time! Tracks are shortish, and definitely have the lead vocal approach you'd know from Indian film scores – but there's also some creative elements in the instrumentation that pushes past the usual – even bits of funk or psych that make for some especially groovy tunes! The album features vocals from Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar, and Kishor Kumar – and titles include the funky numbers "Dum Maro Dum" and "Dance Music 1" – plus "I Love You", "Kanchi Re Kanchi", "Ghunghroo Kya Bole", and "Phoolon Ka Taron Ka". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record