The wildly influential soundtrack to Shogun Assassin – credited to The Wonderland Philharmonic, but co-produced and performed by Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere & The Raiders and disco guru W. Michael Lewis – heavy on moogy atmospherics and dialogue from the film! It's a triumph of oddly spacey action soundtrack composition, perhaps most famous for the huge influence on RZA's incredible peak-era Wu Tang production! Includes "The Legend Of The Lone Wolf", "Daigoro's Theme", "The Ninja", "Crimson Sky", "Dune", "Eyes Of A Demon" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A special live set, dedicated to the head of the unique Three Blind Mice label – and done in the best freewheeling style of pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto! The record's got even more bite than some of Yamamoto's other albums of the time – a soulful groove that has lots of left hand action on the groovers, which sets things up differently for some of his more melodic moments on the solos. The trio features Akira Daiyoshi on bass and Toshio Osumi on drums – and all tracks are nice and long, especially the 16 minute title track! Tunes include "Blues For Tee", "Speed Ball Blues", "Broadway", and "I'm Glad There Is You". CD

A really cool record from the Japanese scene of the 70s – one that mixes traditional instrumentation with some high fidelity recording styles – then adds in just the right dash of contemporary elements too! The set's not as all-out funky as others like it from the time, but does rise up with some larger soundtrack-styled arrangements that are mighty nice – and there's a great balance of saxophone solos next to koto and shakuhachi, which makes for a warm style that moves between the acoustic aspects of the traditional instruments and some surprisingly jazzy moments too! This style really opens up on the second half of the record, which has the arrangements getting fuller and more uptempo – almost clubby at times, but with a great action soundtrack sort of vibe. LP, Vinyl record album

A 2CD set of music designed to accompany Japanese animation that starred "the little Norse Prince Valiant" – the cut lil' guy pictured on the cover, who gets some very action-packed accompaniment here! Most tunes are short and lively, and almost echo an older cartoon mode that you might have heard in the US in the 30s and 40s – not exactly Merrie Melodies or Raymond Scott, but not that far away either – as there's all sorts of playful arrangements, unusual horns, offbeat rhythms, and other things that really make the orchestrations sparkle! As with other titles in this series, the whole thing is very well done, but with all notes and titles in Japanese – a 2CD set with 54 tracks in all. CD

One of the few truly great albums by one of the hippest guitarists we can think of! Zoller was a fantastic talent of the European scene – with an approach to the guitar that's unlike anyone else we've heard. Unfortunately, though, he didn't always make that many albums as a leader in a regular jazz format – where his modernist ideas were allowed free reign, without some sort of gimmicky presentation getting in the way. This album's one of the rare few that let Zoller really take hold of the direction of the record – and it might be the best ever to hear his amazing work in action. The group's a quartet of well-matched players that includes Don Friedman on piano, Barre Philips on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – and the album includes 4 originals by Zoller, including "Explorations", "Blizzards, and "The Hun", plus a version of Carla Bley's "Ictus". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of righteous soul – plus sound bites and calls to action by some of the most pivotal voices of the era! This collection aims to be the soundtrack of an era that called for a revolution, and if the movement didn't wholly ingratiate into American culture, the passion and the music certainly did! The set features well known numbers mixed with some relatively lesser known numbers, together with some of the most fiery dialogue from icons of the Black Power movement. Tracks include "You're The Man" (parts I & II) by Marvin Gaye, "Let's Clean Up The Ghetto" by Philadelphia International All Stars, "Right On" by Sons Of Slum, "Tell It Like It Is" by SOUL, "Give The People What They Want" by the O'Jays, "Blackenized" by Hank Ballard, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil Scott-Heron, "My People. . .Hold On" by Eddie Kendricks, "I Am Somebody" (Part 2) by Johnnie Taylor, "We Got More Soul" by Dyke & The Blazers and tons more, plus sound bites by Huey Newton, Kathleen Cleaver, Stokely Carmichael, H Rap Brown and Malcolm X. 38 tracks on two CDs! CD

Nice one – a nice batch of funky sountrack material, culled from classic Indian "brownsploitation" action films from the 1970s – and the music's every bit as wild and funky as you'd imagine. The bottom groove is classic 70's funk, as you might hear in an American action film from the time, but then there's also some fantastic elements of Indian music thrown in – like funky sitar, extra percussion, and cool synthesizers. Plus, some of the tracks have additional production work by The Automator, and extra beats by DJ Shadow, to extend the funkiness of the originals. The whole thing's very lavishly packaged, with great graphics, and a nice book that has lots of images from the films. Some of the titles (which were added recently, since this is incidental music) are a bit weak – like "Punjabis, Pimps, & Players", "Fear Of A Brown Planet", "Fists Of Curry", and "The Good, The Bad, & The Chutney" – but believe us, the music is stone cold funky, and very very nice! Some good breaks, and lots of groovy funky sounds that you'd never hear on this side of the Pacific. CD

The colors here are plenty darn funky – a rich array of amazing sounds from the archives of Golden Ring and Happy Records – two rare German sound library labels! The records may be rare, but they've got an instant appeal – especially if you're a fan of funky soundtrack work from the late 60s and early 70s – sounds and styles from folks like Lalo Schifrin or Quincy Jones, who both would be a good starting point in comparison to these grooves! There's a few key tracks here from Peter Thomas – one of our favorite German composers of the time – and other numbers are by funky drummer Klaus Weiss, plus some lesser-known cats who groove equally well. Titles include "Flash Point" and "Power Boost" by Peter Thomas, "Porto Allegre" and "Beach Bunny" by Juan Demonio, "Bubble & Squeak" by Elmar Steingarden, "Explorer" and "Space Drums" by Klaus Weiss, "Satin Eyes" by Mladen Franco, "Again Please" by Al Tacoma, "Get Across" by Ken Aldin, "Rock City" by Harry Winkler, "Blue Riff" by Peter Mellini, "Night Clipper" by Peter Look, and "Easy Action" by Peter Thomas. CD

A fantastic introduction to the world of power pop – that tight, fast, catchy style of music that came about at the same time as punk – and which flourished for a few short years as a more tuneful take on the sound of the underground! Some of the artists here hit big in the years before, others were later smothered in the world of 80s chart hits and music videos – but for a brief, wonderful time, the record racks exploded with great singles and album tracks like these – tunes that almost were a back-to-basics approach after the era of AOR and classic rock, but without some of the sneering attitudes of punk. Most of the artists here are American, and there's a few gems here from the early 70s – key tracks that point the way towards the golden era – all captured beautifully by Ace/Big Beat with their usual detailed notes and history on the music. Titles include "Let Go" by Dirty Looks, "Come On Let's Go" by The Paley Brothers with The Ramones, "Baby It's You" by The Boys, "Nothing Comes Close" by Bill Lloyd, "Better Than Anyone Else" by The Toms, "Nuclear Boy" by 20/20, "Rock & Roll Is Dead" by The Rubinos, "One World" by Utopia, "Andy Please" by Van Duren & The Jody Stephens, "The Trains" by Nashville Ramblers, "Shake Some Action (first version)" by The Flamin Groovies, "What I Like About You" by The Romantics, "I Need That Record" by The Tweeds, "Looking For The Magic" by Dwight Twilley Band, "Kerri" by Robert Johnson, "Radio Heart" by The Secrets, and "Teen Line" by The Shivvers. CD

A really rare side of the legendary De-Lite Records – served up here in a range of obscure 45s before the company exploded into bigger fame with the success of Kool & The Gang! The work here puts De-Lite right on the same level as important indies on the east coast at the turn of the 70s – and shows an especially strong ability to capture the best group styles of the period – from the sublime harmony styles being crafted in New Jersey and Philly, to some of the growing funky styles in the pre-disco years! The set's a much-needed look at this early part of the label – and also features titles on the related Red Coach label too – in a wonderful package of 25 tracks that includes "I'll Never Let You Get Away" by Universal Mind, "So Long Sweet Little Girl" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "I'm At The Breaking Point" by The Trumains, "Girl (part 1)" by Philadelphia Ambassadors, "Gotta Let Some Sunshine Into My Life" by The Exceptionals, "I'll Always Love You" by The New Cymbals, "So Fine" by The Fiestas, "The Story Of Our Love" by The Carstairs, "Love You Can't Shake It" by Reggie Saddler & The Jammers, "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "Back On The Road Again" by Richmond International, and "Love Foundation" by Electrified Action. CD

An excellent companion to the legendary first Disco Spectrum set – and like the first, this one's a stunning batch of rare club tracks, expertly selected by Joey Negro! This one's even more soulful than the first set – and is more a great set of rare club and dancefloor tracks, than it is a straight bunch of disco tunes. Nearly every cut's a winner, and there's loads of excellent vocals, and plenty of nice jazzy playing in the mix. This 2CD version features a total of 22 cuts, all unmixed – including "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" by Love Symphony Orchestra, "Spread Love" by Al Hudson & The Partners, "Making Love" by Sammy Gordon & The Hip Huggers, "Welcome To The Disco" by Air Power, "Phoenix" by Aquarian Dream, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Louie Ramirez, "I'll Keep A Light In My Window" by NYCC, "Music Is My Way Of Life" by Patti Labelle, "Don't Let This Rainbow Pass Me By" by Cloud One, "Get Another Love" by Chantal Curtis, "Evening Of Love" by Main Ingredient, "Hooked On Your Love" by Fantastic Aleems, "Hooked On You" by Cerrone, and "Give Me Some Action" by Queen Samantha. CD

A long-overdue entry in this legendary series of compilations – one that taught us an awful lot about funky soundtrack music back in the day, finally back in action after a long hiatus! This time around, the groove has gotten even deeper – as the series has stretched to include some killer sound library material as well – really mixing together all the jazz, funk, and cinematic elements that were in the previous volumes – yet all with the hip Euro-styled groove that we loved in all of those releases too! There's a huge amount of funky nuggets here, but all with a vibe that's very different than 70s work from the US scene – and although we've missed the Easy Tempo series for many years, we're so glad to have them back – as they're still one of the best. Titles include "Take Me To New York" by Brooklyn Bridge Group, "Undertown" by Orchestra Mustang, "First Time Three" by Roberto Pregadio, "Angelus" by Soul's Soul, "African Flute" by Ninety, "Super Cat" by Les Chakachas, "Sunshine Train" by Hugh Bullen, "Un Uomo Che Lavora" by Carlo Cordara E I Waterloo, "Meeting" by Gino Marinaaci, and "Guida Sicura" by Enzo Scoppa. CD

A long-overdue entry in this legendary series of compilations – one that taught us an awful lot about funky soundtrack music back in the day, finally back in action after a long hiatus! This time around, the groove has gotten even deeper – as the series has stretched to include some killer sound library material as well – really mixing together all the jazz, funk, and cinematic elements that were in the previous volumes – yet all with the hip Euro-styled groove that we loved in all of those releases too! There's a huge amount of funky nuggets here, but all with a vibe that's very different than 70s work from the US scene – and although we've missed the Easy Tempo series for many years, we're so glad to have them back – as they're still one of the best. Titles include "Take Me To New York" by Brooklyn Bridge Group, "Undertown" by Orchestra Mustang, "First Time Three" by Roberto Pregadio, "Angelus" by Soul's Soul, "African Flute" by Ninety, "Super Cat" by Les Chakachas, "Sunshine Train" by Hugh Bullen, "Un Uomo Che Lavora" by Carlo Cordara E I Waterloo, "Meeting" by Gino Marinaaci, and "Guida Sicura" by Enzo Scoppa. LP, Vinyl record album

Modern tunes – but with a very classic groovy feel! Of all the Italian efforts to take an older lounge sound and update it for the modern dancefloor, the work of Nicola Conte and the Schema label has been some of the best. This 13 track set offers proof of Conte's genius – and offers up some sparkling groovers all graced with the careful selection you've come to expect from Conte's Fez Studio. Titles include "Meeting With His Majesty" by Theivery Corp, "The Hip Sheik" by The Karminsky Experience, "Funky Bikini" by Ursula 1000, "Arabesque" by Nicola Conte, "Girl On A Mission" by Les Hommes, "Whenever" by Les Gammas, "We Don't Need No Smurfs Here" by Cosmo Vitelli, and "Hi Fi Trumpet" by Stereo Action Unlimited. Very nice – especially if you've enjoyed other Schema modern releases, like Break N Bossa or the Soulstance album! CD

Here's what Jackson Pollock would have been playing on the boombox in his studio – if he had a boombox in his studio! Includes work by Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, T-Bone Walker, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Count Basie, and others – all selected around the tastes of Action Jackson. CD

The second volume of funky soundtrack cuts lifted from MGM's Soul Cinema series – featuring some previously unissued gems from the early 70s, combined with a few more familiar classics, making for a great set of soulful action tunes! Lots of fast funky numbers, a few vocal cuts, and even a few nice breaks – and a set of 13 titles that include "Hang On In There" by Bobby Womack & Peace, "Theme From Foxy Brown" by Willie Hutch, "Friday Foster" by Ward Chandler, "Cornbread" by The Blackbyrds, "Five On The Black Hand Side" by Keisa Brown, "Down & Out In New York City" by James Brown, "Blacula Strikes" by Gene Page, "Black Enough" by Melba Moore, and "Coffy Baby" by Roy Ayers. CD

Mad sounds from the late 60s world of Japanese pop – a mindblowing, ear-opening batch of singles we never would have gotten our hands on otherwise! The music here feels like sounds coming out of some backroom jukebox in a Nikkatsu "new action" film – or maybe the kind of offbeat pop that Quentin Tarantino might throw into a soundtrack – but there's also a much deeper range of sounds going on than you might expect, with wonderfully clever instrumentation, and lots of surprisingly heartfelt passages in the vocals! And sure, the language might be a barrier – but there's a really universal sense of appeal to this music – a variant of 60s soul and pop, focused through a different sort of lense – and the instrumentation alone is great – with wicked guitars, Hammond, and other garagey touches! As usual with Ace, the whole thing's supported with nicely detailed notes that tell the whole story behind these wonderful lost gems (we like this one even better than the fab first volume) – and titles include "Namida No Go Go" by Emy Jackson & Blue Comets, "Koi Gurui" by Chiyo Okumura, "Tokyo No Hito" by The Peanuts, "Warui Kuse" by Kazumi Yasui, "Boy & Girl" by Akiko Wada, "Namida No Mori No Monogatari" by Akiko Nakamura, "Saike Na Machi" by Reiko Mari, "Bazazz No 1" by Kayoko Ishuu, and "Furi Furi 5" by Linda Yamamoto. CD

Mad sounds from the late 60s world of Japanese pop – a mindblowing, ear-opening batch of singles we never would have gotten our hands on otherwise! The music here feels like sounds coming out of some backroom jukebox in a Nikkatsu "new action" film – or maybe the kind of offbeat pop that Quentin Tarantino might throw into a soundtrack – but there's also a much deeper range of sounds going on than you might expect, with wonderfully clever instrumentation, and lots of surprisingly heartfelt passages in the vocals! And sure, the language might be a barrier – but there's a really universal sense of appeal to this music – a variant of 60s soul and pop, focused through a different sort of lense – and the instrumentation alone is great – with wicked guitars, Hammond, and other garagey touches! As usual with Ace, the whole thing's supported with nicely detailed notes that tell the whole story behind these wonderful lost gems (we like this one even better than the fab first volume) – and titles include "Namida No Go Go" by Emy Jackson & Blue Comets, "Koi Gurui" by Chiyo Okumura, "Tokyo No Hito" by The Peanuts, "Warui Kuse" by Kazumi Yasui, "Boy & Girl" by Akiko Wada, "Namida No Mori No Monogatari" by Akiko Nakamura, "Saike Na Machi" by Reiko Mari, "Bazazz No 1" by Kayoko Ishuu, and "Furi Furi 5" by Linda Yamamoto. LP, Vinyl record album

Everybody's getting in on the funky sound library action! This set of rare funky gems was selected by Luke Vibert – who's confessed to a love of the odder and more obscure side of the 70s Brit sound library scene. The set's way better than you might think – as Luke really knows his stuff – and the tracks on here have a very different sound than the regular sound library funky instrumentals, with a lot more electronics, lots of keyboards, moog, bleeps, blonks, and plenty of funky beats! Luke's dug through the Southern, IM, and Chappell catalogs, and has come up with a blinding batch of tunes that are almost like 70s equivalents of the sort of music he's making today – only funkier! Titles include "Electronic Track 12" by Cecil Luter, "Soft Bossa" by Nino Nardini, "Xylo Spleen" by Eddie Warner, "Electrostalactites" by Anthony King, "Cleopatra" by Georges Teperino, "The Bungler" by Boneschi Electronic Combo, "Intimations" by Midas Touch, "On The Air" by Eddie Warner, "Pots & Pans" by Anthony King, "Zouche Drums 3" by David Holland, and "Strange Love Action" by Johanna Group. 27 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

The second heady dip into the under-discovered underground of the late 60s – and a package that's every bit as ear-opening as the first Nuggets volume! As with that classic, there's material here that really shows the full spectrum of the American scene in the mid 60s – music that's bristling with new energy and excitement in the years before Woodstock, and done with a vibe that's heady, but never too heady – with a surprising amount packed into a very small space on plenty of these tunes! The set features a whopping 28 titles in all – and tracks include "Run Run Run" by The Gestures, "It's Cold Outside" by The Choir, "Free As The Wind" by The Myddle Class, "You Must Be A Witch" by The Lollipop Shoppe, "Blackout Of Gretely" by Gonn, "Spider & The Fly" by The Monocles, "Action Woman" by The Litter, "Talk Talk" by Music Machine, "Open Up Your Door" by Richard & The Young Lions, "I See The Light" by The Five Americans, and "Whatcha Gonna Do About It" by The Evil. LP, Vinyl record album

A really revelatory collection – one that showcases a West African influence on sounds in Colombia – in a way that's almost a further shift of the way that Afro-Cuban sounds had an impact on Congolese and other rhythmic styles on the other side of the Atlantic! The music often features guitar lines lifted from a highlife tradition, mixed with rhythms that are a bit more straightforward – in some examples of the benga style in action, but blended with a more diverse array of sounds as the set moves on! The package is very well-researched, and is overflowing with work we'd never have heard otherwise – titles that include "Bi Sophia No 1" by Maroon Commandos, "Ateka" by Issa Juma & Waanyka, "Diabanza" by Orchestre Shika Shika, "Safari" by Viva Makale, "Trouble (part 1)" by La Mangelepa, "Wakumbuke Wazai" by Les Kilimambogo, and "Safi" by Lawi Somona. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent primer for fans of blacksploitation soundtracks! The set was put together by Ice T as an homage to all the great black action films of the 70s – and it's a good selection of vocal hits from scores that may well be known more for their instrumental funk. And sure, the selection's a bit basic – but it's also a good place to start, and hearing the vocal numbers is kind of a different hook into the films than the usual instrumental riffs. Titles include "Love Doctor" by Millie Jackson, "I Choose You" by Willie Hutch, "Blowin Your Mind" by OC Smith, "Are You Man Enough" by The Four Tops, "Make A Resolution" by The Impressions, "Across 110th Street" by Bobby Womack, "Theme Of Foxy Brown" by Willie Hutch, "Trouble Man" by Marvin Gaye, "Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes, and "Pusherman" by Curtis Mayfield. CD

American film may have invented the genres of crime jazz and blacksploitation funk – but by the mid 70s, the Italian scene was really giving us a run for our money – as they turned out some amazing grooves for their legendary run of cop and crime films at the time! The movies were awash in music that really kept the action moving – heavy drums, badass basslines, wah wah guitar, and anything else that fit the spirit of a great chase or action scene. This collection brings together some of the best of that stretch – and, as with other of these recent Sugar productions, adds in some unreleased material that makes the package essential, even if you've already got work from this scene in your collection. Titles include "Il Cappotto Dilegno (edit)" by Riz Ortolani, "Poliziotto Spring M2" by Stelvio Cipriani, "Silkin Street" by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis, "Ordine Firmato Inbianco" by Carlo Savina, "Onore E Guapparia M7" by Filippo Trecca, "L'Intoccabile Mr Cliff" by Riz Ortolani, "I Gabbianivolano Basso M13" by Roberto Pregadio, "Body Guard" by Stelvio Cipriano, "Il Braccioviolento Della Mala M10" by Vassili Kojucharov, and "L'Assassino Hale Ore Contate" by Luis Bacalov. CD

Way more than just the usual punk collection you might expect – not just LA hardcore or New York downtown, and instead a really wide range of work from the American underground of the 70s – including some really key tracks by artists who were working in a punkish mode a few years before the style ever had a name! Soul Jazz have really done an excellent job with this set – scanning a wealth of rare indie singles to come up with a set of tracks that virtually writes the history of the emergence of punk rock on the American shores – work that owes very little to the UK wave, and which instead really reflects the unique hybrid of styles that infected US material from the start. There's loads of cuts on here that we'd totally forgotten about – all brought together with the usual great Soul Jazz sense of history, reflected in the notes – and titles include "Let's Get Rid Of New York" by The Randoms, "I'm A Bug" by The Urinals, "Cakes In The Home" by Crash Course In Science, "Not Now No Way" by The Pagans, "Flash Of The Moment" by Pastiche, "Neutron Bomb" by The Controllers, "Action" by The Knots, "Dog Meat" by Flamin Groovies, "Kill The Hippies" by The Deadbeats, "US Millie" by Theoretical Girls, "Wild Weekend" by The Zeros, "Ice Age" by The Bizarros, and "Hillside Strangler" by Hollywood Squares. CD

Music from Slim Harpo, Bo Diddley, Mose Allison, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Jimmy Reed, Benny Spellman, The Yardbirds, Small Faces, The Action, The Creation, The Impressions, Booker T. Jones, and The Who. CD

A totally cool collection of songs, sound effects, and vintage movie trailers – all pulled from the glory days of the American horror film! The package is a tribute to the old time monster shows that used to travel the theater circuit – a mix of horror movies and live action activity – revived by by the folks at Something Weird in live performances, a great counterpart to all the great films they've given us on DVD over the years! This set brings together the kind of deep knowledge that only fans of these lost b-movie gems could discover – a massive 32 track package that features the songs "The Morgus Creep" by The Daringers, "Cemetary Stomp" by The Essex, "Count Dracula" by The Rockin Continentals, "Haunted House" by Oscar & The Majestics, "The Giggler" by The Pot & The Wildcats, "The Guillotine" by The Executioners, "Transylvania" by The Mysterians, and "Night Beat" by The Night Beats – plus a huge host of film trailers, radio spots, and more! Also features a bonus DVD of the live Something Weird Spook Show. LP, Vinyl record album

The movie "Soul In The Hole" may have come and gone without anyone paying too much attention, but the soundtrack is dooope, with a lot of tracks that are unavailable anywhere but on this LP. We're not sure how Loud did it, but instead of MC's supplying throwaway tracks, they gave up some of their best material. Includes Common "High Expectations", Organized Konfusion "Late Night Action", OC "Your Life", Mobb Deep "Rare Species", Dead Prez "The Game of Life", MOP "Ride", Brand Nubian "A Child is Born", Wu All Stars "Soul In The Hole" Xzibit "Los Angeles Times", Wu-Tang Clan "Diesel", Sauce Money "Against The Grain", Cocoa Bros "Won On Won", Darc Mind "Visions of Blur" and Dwellas "Main Aim". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic look at the righteous current of energy that swept through American music at the end of the 60s – that huge wave of knowledge and political inspiration that still stands as one of our favorite moments in jazz and soul! The Civil Rights generation had gotten some things accomplished, but not everything – and a new wave of action arose in various scenes of the underground – not just pushing the musical formats past anything that had happened before, but also doing so with a strong message of pride and empowerment! This collection surveys some of the best tracks of that moment – and also provides a great batch of historical notes to put the whole thing in context – done in collaboration with the book of the same name, but equally great as a soundtrack and document on its own. The package is overflowing with Dusty Groove classics – and titles include "Sweet Songs" by Sarah Webster Fabio, "Surtal Ihklas" by Doug Carn, "Vibes From The Tribe" by Phil Ranelin, "Desert Fairy Princess" by Horace Tapscott & The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, "Sounds From The Bush" by The Mandingo Griot Society with Don Cherry, "Is It Too Late" by Duke Edwards & The Young Ones, "Strong Men" by David McKnight, "Black Narcissus" by Joe Henderson, "Malcolm X" by Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble, "Mother Of The Future" by Carlos Garnett, "Red Black & Green" by Roy Ayers, "African Rhythms" by Oneness Of Juju, and "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Gil Scott-Heron. CD

The Vietnam war was tough on most folks in the US – but it's no secret that it was especially tough on black Americans – who were often given little choice and little chance to get out of the callup to the military action – which left a huge impression on their community for years to come! This package documents the affect of Vietnam in soul music – in ways that are both direct and more subtle, as the package blends together a number of tracks that you likely don't know at all, and others that you might have missed as being critical of the war – as there's more subtle messaging going on, a lesson that was learned during the Civil Rights era, when a mellower lyric might get more mainstream circulation – as a call to action that a change was going to come. The quality of cuts here is wonderful – as well-selected as some of the Ace/Kent collections of rare soul music on small labels – and there's definitely a few here that we're hearing for the first time, alongside other numbers that really sound great in the setting. Titles include "Fighting For My Baby" by Donald Jenkins, "Lonely Soldier" by William Bell, "Letter To A Buddie" by Joe Medwick, "I Want To Come Home For Christmas" by Marvin Gaye, "My Ship Is Coming In Tomorrow" by The Pace Setters, "Johnny" by King Hannibal, "Going On Strike" by The Emotions, "Uncle Sam" by Jimmy Hughes, "My Soldier Boy Is Coming Home" by The Shirelles, "Glad To Be Home" by Charles Smith & Jeff Cooper, "The War Is Over My Brother" by The Sensational Saints, "Home To Stay" by RB Greaves, "Stop The War" by The Impressions, "Wish You Were Here With Me" by The Fawns, "VC Blues" by Allen Orange, "Promise That You'll Wait" by Michael Lizzmore, "Men Are Getting Scarce" by Chairmen Of The Board, and "Leave Him Alone" by Stu Gardner. CD

Featuring Easy Action, Torch, Neon Leon, Candy Roxx, Parasite, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of older record companies got in on the action during the early days of rock and roll – but few folks did it as well as RCA Records – home, of course, to Elvis Presley – and also to all the great lesser-known gems featured in this set! Some tracks are by artists who would break big on later labels, or others who might have stepped over a bit from country – but the bulk of the collection represents all the great singles that RCA cut during the late 50s and early 60s – including some on its sub-labels, where the company was going strong in the worlds of underground styles! Given that this excellent series already looked at RCA once before, it's a further testament that there's an additional 35 rocking gems to be pulled from the label's catalog – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Wild Child" by David Hill, "Get On The Right Track" by Joe Clay, "Rainbow Doll" by Jimmy Dell, "Welcome To The Club" by Jean Chapel, "Wolf Boy" by Sammy Salvo, "Hoebe Snow" by Benny Martin, "Never Been Kissed" by Marlin Greene, "Chicken House" by Dave Rich, "Heart Of A Fool" by Lee Denson, "Almost Eighteen" by Roy Orbison, "That Weepin Willow Tree" by Ray Griff, and "Dumb Bunny" by Bill Carlis. CD

A very groovy set of tracks – the perfect soundtrack for a weekend in Las Vegas! The package goes for an all-Vegas style of vocal tracks – swinging and upbeat numbers that make you feel like you're in the set of the original Oceans Eleven, or following Fredo around in Godfather 2. There's a total of 20 tracks in all, and titles include "Games People Play" by Mel Torme, "Who's Got The Action" by Dean Martin, "Lucky Day" by Judy Garland, "I'm Shooting High" by Nat King Cole, "Something's Comin" by Vic Damone, "With Plenty Of Money & You" by Count Basie & Tony Bennett, "Shangri La" by Wayne Newton, "Big Spender" by Peggy Lee, "Night & Day" by Steve Lawrence, "Ain't That A Kick In the Head" by Sammy Davis Jr, and "This Could Be The Start Of Something" by Jack Jones. CD

A very groovy set of tracks – and one that comes packaged with its own roulette wheel in the cover! The package goes for an all-Vegas style of vocal tracks – swinging and upbeat numbers that make you feel like you're in the set of the original Oceans Eleven, or following Fredo around in Godfather 2. There's a total of 20 tracks in all, and titles include "Games People Play" by Mel Torme, "Who's Got The Action" by Dean Martin, "Lucky Day" by Judy Garland, "I'm Shooting High" by Nat King Cole, "Something's Comin" by Vic Damone, "With Plenty Of Money & You" by Count Basie & Tony Bennett, "Shangri La" by Wayne Newton, "Big Spender" by Peggy Lee, "Night & Day" by Steve Lawrence, "Ain't That A Kick In the Head" by Sammy Davis Jr, and "This Could Be The Start Of Something" by Jack Jones. Packaging has a great roulette wheel with moving ball surrounded by green velvet. CD

A fantastic set of killer mid-to-late 60s garage rock from the Motor City – with tracks by somewhat better known Detroit rockers Unrelated Segments and Tidal Waves – plus just as riveting material from The Unknowns, The Boys, The District Dix, The Couriers and The Lykes Of Us. Raw and rollicking tunes, plus bits of soul & r&b sax and rhythmic sensibility – some with gentle melodies and bits of strings, others rumbling, fuzzy and rebellious. A total blast! 26 tracks in all: "How Do You Do With Me" by The Boys, "Grits & Grease" by The Quintette Plus, "Night Walkin" by The Unknowns, "Farmer John", "Action" and more by The Tidal Waves, "7 And 7 Is" and more by District Six, "Just Tell Me" and more by The Couriers, "7:30 Said", "I'll Sing You A Love Song" and more by The Lykes Of Us, "The Story Of My Life", "It's Gonna Rain", "There's Gonna Be A Change" and more by The Unrelated Segments. CD

A recent collaboration between Peter Brotzmann and Han Bennink – and a great testament to the decades of musical interaction between the players! The style here is very much in the classic FMP mode that first got Brotzmann and Bennink notice on these shores – free improv, but always with a great sense of care – a clear mutal respect that each artist has not only for the instrumentation of the other, but for their persona as well – as you can really hear Brotzmann and Bennink sounding each other out in the performance – taking the time to find the right sound and space for the other player to work with. Peter plays alto, tenor, tarogato, and b-flat clarinet – and Bennink is on drums. Titles include "This Is My Faith", "My Strength", "I Am His Brother", "Every Man Is Me", "No Man Is My Enemy", "My Deepest Hope & My Only Belief", and "And He Is In & Of Me". CD

A stellar collection of singles by one of the great voices of Jamaican music – Dennis Brown, The Crown Prince Of Reggae – singles from the early 70s to mid 80s! The 2 CDs features 40 great tracks – with backing by The Taxi Gang, The Professionals, Derrick Harriott & Crystalistes, Aggrovators & Roots Radics. Titles include "Musical Heatwave", "Let Me Down Easy", "Concentration", "Don't Yo Cry", "Let Love In", "Satisfaction Feeling", "Rocking Time", "Breaking Down The Barrier", "Whip Them Jah Jah", "Equal Rights", "Words Of Wisdom", "Revolution", "Love Light", "and more. The DVD includes Dennis Brown Live At Montreux, 1979 – backed by Lloyd Parks And We The People Band, and titles include "So Jah Story", "Wolves & Leopards", "Ain't That Lovin You", "Don't Feel No Way", "Money In My Pocket" and more. CD

James Brown plays organ on this one – an early effort to showcase various other artists that he was producing at the time, and who traveled with him on the road – all those great singers that The Godfather would give time to on his stage – the sorts of artists who would later get more exposure on record once James launched the People Records label! Arrangementsd are by James Brown and Nat Jones – and titles include "Strung Out" and "Stop And Think It Over" by James Crawford, "This Is My Story" by the Jewels, "Satisfaction" and "The Dog" by Baby Lloyd, and "Nowhere To Run" and "Don't Mess With Bill" by Vicki Anderson. LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s set from Can that's still very much in the best spirit of their earliest work – mostly longish tracks and all quite hypnotic – wonderful stuff from the team of Irmin Schmidt, Jacki Liebezeit, Holger Czukay, and Michael Karoli. Sure, Damo's not on vocals any more, but the instrumentation's still pretty darn great – and Can is also working more explicitly established global genre elements, but still really sounds like no one other than Can. Traces of reggae mix alongside many other rhythmic elements, jagged experimentalist touches, 70s ambient energy, and imaginative jams galore from one of the most creative combos of its time! Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Quantum Physics", "Dizzy Dizzy", and "Splash". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s set from Can that's still very much in the best spirit of their earliest work – mostly longish tracks and all quite hypnotic – wonderful stuff from the team of Irmin Schmidt, Jacki Liebezeit, Holger Czukay, and Michael Karoli. Sure, Damo's not on vocals any more, but the instrumentation's still pretty darn great – and Can is also working more explicitly established global genre elements, but still really sounds like no one other than Can. Traces of reggae mix alongside many other rhythmic elements, jagged experimentalist touches, 70s ambient energy, and imaginative jams galore from one of the most creative combos of its time! Titles include "Chain Reaction", "Quantum Physics", "Dizzy Dizzy", and "Splash". CD

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A landmark recording – one of a handful of early documents of the avant garde LA scene, featuring a nimble quartet headed up by the inventive frontline of John Carter on reeds and Bobby Bradford on trumpet, over the fluid rhythm team of Tom Williamson on bass and Chicago expatriate Bruz Freeman on drums! Carter and Bradford's energetic approach followed its own line of development, much in the way that other small cells of improvisers were developing their own take on the "new thing" in the post-Coltrane/Coleman environment of the late 60s and early 70s throughout the country. The compositions unfold in a way that implies both multi-linear improvisation and composed events, but blurs the line between the two, all the while played with a great deal of fire and few of the intellectual abstractions of other free players! Titles include "The Sunday Afternoon Jazz Blues Society", "The Eye Of The Storm", "Loneliness", and "Encounter". CD

A landmark recording – one of a handful of early documents of the avant garde LA scene, featuring a nimble quartet headed up by the inventive frontline of John Carter on reeds and Bobby Bradford on trumpet, over the fluid rhythm team of Tom Williamson on bass and Chicago expatriate Bruz Freeman on drums! Carter and Bradford's energetic approach followed its own line of development, much in the way that other small cells of improvisers were developing their own take on the "new thing" in the post-Coltrane/Coleman environment of the late 60s and early 70s throughout the country. The compositions unfold in a way that implies both multi-linear improvisation and composed events, but blurs the line between the two, all the while played with a great deal of fire and few of the intellectual abstractions of other free players! Titles include "The Sunday Afternoon Jazz Blues Society", "The Eye Of The Storm", "Loneliness", and "Encounter". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more obscure reissues to come out on the great Rearward imprint – but an excellent lost session of piano jazz, recorded in Milan in 1969! Pianist Oscar Rocchi has a sweet soulful approach to the piano, with a tone that's almost slightly funky at times – partly in reflection to the strong bass work by Cornelio Dattoli, and tight drumming by Gianni Cazzola. The record almost reminds us of some of the excellent 70s Japanese trio recordings by American pianists – and the whole set has a nice warm quality that you wouldn't expect from a record titled Abstraction! Includes a version of Edu Lobo's "Cancao Do Amanhecer", plus "FBM Blues", "Moment Of Joy", "Ivory Isle", and "Remember Coltrane". CD

Proof that blues rock can be turned towards a useful end – and a landmark album from one of the greatest Brit groups of the post-beat era! CCS (Collective Consciousness Society) were more of a studio project than anything else – but their first few records sparkled with a groove and energy level that surpassed most other work going at the time – thanks to large backings from arranger Johnny Cameron, of Brit Easy and soundtrack fame – working here with UK bluesman Alexis Korner in a format that mixed big funky backings with Korner's down-home blues rock! The Cameron touches really help get away from any blues cliches of the genre – and the inclusion of jazz players like Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, Kenny Wheeler, and Ray Warleigh makes for a really hip approach to instrumentation that goes way beyond simple studio support. Most tracks are instrumental, but the set does include some vocals – and the group scored a standout hit with the album's cover of "Whole Lotta Love", and followed up with other covers that include "Satisfaction", "Living In the Past", "Wade In The Water", and "Bom Bom". Also includes the original tracks "Waiting Song", "Dos Cantos", and "Lookin For Fun". LP, Vinyl record album

We'll be honest with you – we love this stuff! Sure, Ornette made some great recordings for a number of other labels – but as a whole, his Atlantic stuff is some of the greatest modern jazz ever recorded, and no other period of an artist is more worth collecting and having in a complete format than this one! The package is unbelievably thorough – and includes not only all the tracks from classic albums like Change Of The Century, This Is Our Music, Free Jazz, Shape Of Jazz To Come, Ornette!, Ornette On Tenor, The Art Of The Improvisors and Twins – but also 6 previously unreleased tracks, and rare material like Ornette's Japanese-only LP To Whom Who Keeps A Record plus 2 selections from Gunther Schuller's Jazz Abstractions featuring Ornette! There's 6CDs in all – packaged in a great case with a well annotated booklet. Titles include "Proof Readers", "Revolving Doors", "Joy Of A Toy", "Cross Breeding", "Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk", "Eos", "Focus On Sanity", "Una Muy Bonita", "Lomely Woman", "Little Symphony", "The Circle With The Hole In The Middle", "Beauty Is A Rare Thing", "Folk Tale", "The Face Of The Bass", "Brings Goodness", "Rise & Shine", and lots and lots more! CD

We'll be honest with you – we love this stuff! Sure, Ornette made some great recordings for a number of other labels – but as a whole, his Atlantic stuff is some of the greatest modern jazz ever recorded, and no other period of an artist is more worth collecting and having in a complete format than this one! The package is unbelievably thorough – and includes not only all the tracks from classic albums like Change Of The Century, This Is Our Music, Free Jazz, Shape Of Jazz To Come, Ornette!, Ornette On Tenor, The Art Of The Improvisors and Twins – but also 6 previously unreleased tracks, and rare material like Ornette's Japanese-only LP To Whom Who Keeps A Record plus 2 selections from Gunther Schuller's Jazz Abstractions featuring Ornette! There's 6CDs in all – packaged in a great case with a well annotated booklet. Titles include "Proof Readers", "Revolving Doors", "Joy Of A Toy", "Cross Breeding", "Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk", "Eos", "Focus On Sanity", "Una Muy Bonita", "Lomely Woman", "Little Symphony", "The Circle With The Hole In The Middle", "Beauty Is A Rare Thing", "Folk Tale", "The Face Of The Bass", "Brings Goodness", "Rise & Shine", and lots and lots more! CD

Features Chick Corea on electric piano, Rolf Kuhn on clarinet, Joachim Kuhn on piano and organ, John Surman on baritone & soprano sax, Alan Skidmore on tenor sax, Peter Warren on bass and Tony Oxley on drums. CD

An album with a very mod-looking cover – and a set that's also overflowing with lots of mod-styled tracks to match – a cool current of soul from the 60s, but still handled with the sharper 70s vibe of young Attractions! Production is by Nick Lowe – and although The Jam were also turning towards more soul-styled sounds at the time, Elvis and Lowe may well have done them one better with this set. Titles include "Love For Tender", "Opportunity", "The Imposter", "Secondary Modern", "King Horse", "Possession", "High Fidelity", "Riot Act", "Human Touch", "Beaten To The Punch", and "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down". Remastered with 10 bonus tracks. CD

Essential old school Elvis Costello from the peak years of the Attractions era! Trust is one of the earliest albums in which Costello started to shake the punkish roots off just a bit, adding a bit more of his sock soul influences into his patented power pop. Tracks include "Clubland", "Lover's Walk", "You'll Never Be A Man", "Pretty Words", "Watch Your Step", "New Lace Sleeve", and "From A Whisper To A Scream". LP, Vinyl record album

Essential old school Elvis Costello from the peak years of the Attractions era! Trust is one of the earliest albums in which Costello started to shake the punkish roots off just a bit, adding a bit more of his sock soul influences into his patented power pop. Tracks include "Clubland", "Lover's Walk", "You'll Never Be A Man", "Pretty Words", "Watch Your Step", "New Lace Sleeve", and "From A Whisper To A Scream". CD

Prime Elvis Costello work from his early run with The Attractions – a set that's overflowing with tunes that are catchy yet biting, and which get superb production from Nick Lowe! Titles include "Oliver's Army", "Green Shirt", "Party Girl", "Good Squad", "Moods For Moderns", "Two Little Hitlers", "Accidents Will Happen", "Senior Service", and "What's So Funny Bout Peace Love & Understanding". LP, Vinyl record album

Prime Elvis Costello work from his early run with The Attractions – a set that's overflowing with tunes that are catchy yet biting, and which get superb production from Nick Lowe! Titles include "Oliver's Army", "Green Shirt", "Party Girl", "Good Squad", "Moods For Moderns", "Two Little Hitlers", "Accidents Will Happen", "Senior Service", and "What's So Funny Bout Peace Love & Understanding". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes a whopping 46 tracks! CD

One of the early classics with cuts that include "Almost Blue", "You Little Fool", "Man Out Of Time", "Beyond Belief", "Tears Before Bedtime", and "Shabby Doll" – plus a second disc packed with alternate versions, demos, and other bonus tracks. CD

Titles include "Mystery Dance", "Pay It Back", "Alison", "Blame It On Cain", "Watching The Detectives", "Miracle Man", "Welcome To The Working Week", "Less Than Zero", and "The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes". LP, Vinyl record album

With Nick Lowe on "Baby, It's You". 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

On this one, the Crusaders definitely crossed from jazz into funk – but who cares, because the album's so darn great! The record's got a tight LA groove, with some excellent electric keyboards, sweet sax solos, and tight drumming throughout. True proof that sometimes a lot of money can be put to good use to improve a band's sound in the studio – and with the tracks to back it up, like "Creole", "Chain Reaction", "Rainbow Visions", "Hallucinate", and "Soul Caravan". This is album is to jazz funk what Steely Dan's Aja was to 70s rock! LP, Vinyl record album

Robert Smith and the group are still going strong here – changing up some of the rhythms a bit for the 90s generation, but still holding on to all of their best charms – and really hitting that tuneful crossover mode that made them so huge the decade before! Tracks include "Trap", "Treasure", "Bare", "Jupiter Crash", "Mint Car", "Strange Attraction", "The 13th", "This Is A Lie", and "Club America". CD

Really fantastic later work from Bobby Darin – material that's quite different than the simple pop of his early Atco years, and even the jazzier style he used earlier on in the 60s! The set is one of two issued by the Direction label – and features Bobby taking off from some of the Tim Hardin-inspired modes he was using later on at Atlantic – picking up some of the deeper themes of the earlier singer-songwriter years – and singing in a very moody, contemplative style! According to some, Darin was aware that his health only gave him a few more years to live – which was part of the introspection of the music – and although the style owes a lot to Tim Hardin and some of his contemporaries, the songs are all originals by Darin – with some elements that are very different than before. Tracks include "Hey Magic Man", "Light Blue", "Distractions", and "Song For a Dollar". Features four bonus tracks too – "Sweet Reasons", "Maybe We Can Get It Together", "Baby Man", and "RX Pyro (Prescription Fire)". LP, Vinyl record album