A huge batch of material in one well-done set – a package that brings together four classic late 70s albums in a dee jay style – all produced by Joe Gibbs, and two of which have never been on CD before – all with bonus tracks and the usual top-shelf Doctor Bird presentation! As the dee jay mode rose up strongly in Jamaica during the mid 70s, Joe Gibbs was one of the key producers to really get the sound just right – layering the spoken, sing-song vocals over heavy rhythms in just the right way – less abstract than dub tracks, but also a lot looser and more flowing than more mainstream work of the time – especially in comparison to some of the big global reggae hits. At the time of such fame, Gibbs just dug deeper with material of this nature – served up here on the albums Three Piece Suit by Trinity, Under Heavy Manners by Prince Far I, Natty Superstar by Ranking Joe, and Inna Him Head by Prince Mohammed – the last two of which have never been on CD. The set's got 44 tracks in all – which includes bonus titles too! CD

With that heavy-beats mid-80's production style by Duke Bootee. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Heavy beats and scratch happy turntablism from DJ Z Trip – featuring Soup of Jurassic 5 on "Listen To The DJ". 12-inch, Vinyl record

(Note: This item is not for sale online until 7:00am on Sunday, April 21. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago the morning of Saturday, April 20. It will not be pre-sold or reserved in any way. However, after 7:00am on April 21 we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.) 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Mausberg and Raphael Saadiq. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Latifah's house hit, with remixes by Chicago house producers Julian "Jumpin" Perez and Fast Eddie. Also, a nice remix of Latifah's Law by Tony Humphries. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Xzibit, Big Gip and Pharoahe Monch on "Connect" and Baron Ricks, Heather B, and The Underdogs on "How We Doin' It". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Mostly instrumental tracks from hip hop djs and producers including Rob Swift, Prince Paul, DXT, Invisible Scratch Pickles, Q-Bert, DJ Krush, New Kingdom, all overseen by Bill Laswell. Much better than your average Axiom stuff. Cover art by Rammellzee. 14 tracks in all, including "Reanimation" by Rob Swift, "ShinKi Row" by DJ Krush, "If 9 Was 6" by Prince Paul, "Invasion Of The Octopus People" by the Invisible Scratch Pickles and "Embryo" by DXT (formerly know as D. St). CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Maybe a bit goofy, but now a classic club track that's survived the test of time nicely as just about every DJ's theme song, with a monster scratchy guitar riff, and lots of that rolling bass pedal groove that was so popular in the early 80s. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A killer from Bobby Moore! Sure, he's best known for the classic southern soul number "Searching For My Love" – but the one we die for is "Hey Mr DJ", a slow vamping instrumental with a honking tenor all over the top, and bubbling organ and really heavy drums underneath. The cut's a fantastic stepper, a bit like the best work from Joe Dukes! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Remixes by David Morales and DJ Funk. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With tracks by Napoleon Da Legend, Nejma Nefertiti, Finsta, and Shabaam Sahdeeq. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With tracks by Finsta, Napoleon Da Legend, Njema Nefertiti, Finsta, and Shabaam Sahdeeq. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With tracks by Finsta, Napoleon Da Legend, Njema Nefertiti, Finsta, and Blaq Poet. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Featuring MC Malika Love. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Nas, Foxy Brown, Baby, and Amerie on "Too Much For Me"; and Fat Joe, Remy Ma, and A Bless on "Take A Look At My Life", with remix by Buckwild. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

4 of the best tracks from the sublime Earth Wind & Fire remix project from Sony Japan – 4 classic numbers, all reworked by some of the best talents in modern clubland. The Phil Asher and Blaze mixes are especially nice – as you might expect! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Featuring LL Cool J. Remixes by Pete Rock and Redman. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Goofy, silly – but one that we still dig after all these years! The track has a monster scratchy guitar riff, and lots of that rolling bass pedal groove that was so popular in the early 80s. Also features a terrible white rapper – but he's so silly you can almost forgive him! The track's also been sampled/quoted in a bunch of hip hop cuts over the years! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With a record like this, it's hard to believe that Christian Scott started out in more standard jazz – as Chief Xian Atunde Adjuah is a very different artist altogether, one who wraps together worlds and eras of musical heritage – working here in a set that's very heavy on percussion, vocal refrains, and other elements you never would have heard in his earlier music! The leader works a whole host of percussion along with other members of the group, but also adds in some larger production elements too – always in a way that's nicely subtle, and preserves the acoustic energy at the core – yet which really enriches the proceedings too! The album's overflowing with righteous power – and titles include "On To New Orleans", "Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lighting", "Xodokan Iko Hu Na Ney", "Trouble That Mornin", "Blood Calls Blood", "Ashe Chief Donald", "Golden Crown", and "Shallow Water". CD

With a record like this, it's hard to believe that Christian Scott started out in more standard jazz – as Chief Xian Atunde Adjuah is a very different artist altogether, one who wraps together worlds and eras of musical heritage – working here in a set that's very heavy on percussion, vocal refrains, and other elements you never would have heard in his earlier music! The leader works a whole host of percussion along with other members of the group, but also adds in some larger production elements too – always in a way that's nicely subtle, and preserves the acoustic energy at the core – yet which really enriches the proceedings too! The album's overflowing with righteous power – and titles include "On To New Orleans", "Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lighting", "Xodokan Iko Hu Na Ney", "Trouble That Mornin", "Blood Calls Blood", "Ashe Chief Donald", "Golden Crown", and "Shallow Water". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Prince Igor is Igor Zhukovsky of the legendary funk group The Soul Surfers – and he teams up here with DJ Boora for a set of lean, funky grooves! The tunes all have plenty of funk drums at the core – layered up top with samples and all sorts of sonic elements that create a cool, spacey sort of vibe – definitely echoing the image on the cover, but with a down to earth vibe, given the drums! Given the legacy of spacey funk projects we've loved from the Funk Night label, this set fits right into their mode – with titles that include "Who Is Hiding In The Forest", "Ninja", "Dvor", "Mamont", "Nani", "Gusli", "Klass", and "Arsenalio". LP, Vinyl record album

A soulful set of work from the scene in Cape Verde – done with a bubbling groove that's got strong ties to Caribbean work of the time, but done with a slightly different flavor as well – given that the lyrics are all in Portuguese! Instrumentation is lean and sharp – plenty of organ and keyboards from Paulino Vieira, who worked on the album's arrangements with Jose Casimiro – on grooves that have a nice raw production style, which makes the drums come out great alongside percussion, and also keeps a nice edge on the sax and trumpet lines too. Titles include "Problema Di Namorado", "Joana", "Es Nha Sofrimento", "Sabura Dja Nfrontam", "Pico Sor Domundo", and "Odja Modi Bu Sta". LP, Vinyl record album

A totally cool little album from DJ Harrison – one that offers up a whole host of unusual cover versions – these soulful re-styles of a host of well-chosen cuts – all given a lean, funky sort of style – lots of jazzy keyboards in the background, and raspy vocals from Harrison up top! This is almost bedroom soul at its best, but there's also an ear for a wider range of music – no surprise, given that the mix of original sources here runs from the Ohio Players to Donald Fagan to Vince Guaraldi – a wide reach that DJ handles beautifully, on titles that include "Little Birdie", "Together", "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Contusion", "Sweet Sticky Thing", "Galaxy", "IGY", and "Ebony Moonbeams". LP, Vinyl record album

DJ Jazzy Jeff returns – with a top shelf roster or MCs doing justice to his Philly soul reared, bedrock beatcraft – including Big Daddy Kane, Method Man, Rhymefest, Jean Grae, Kardinall Offishall, CL Smooth, Pos of De La Soul and more – underground spitters and mic icons alike! We don't know if Jazz tailors his beats for the chosen MCs – or if he seeks out the appropriate MCs for his ready-made material – but whatever his methods, they're still working well. Return Of The Magnificent is a standard bearing effort! Titles include "Hip Hop" feat Twone Gabz, "Let Me Hear U Clap" feat Pos from De La Soul, "Run That Back" feat Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice, "Jeff N Fess" feat Rhymefest, "Practice" feat J Live, "Supa Jean" feat Jean Grae, "The Garden" feat Big Daddy Kane, "Hold It Down" feat Method Man, "My Soul Ain't For Sale" feat Raheem DeVaugh, "Cone On feat Dave Ghetto, "Brand New Funk 2K7" feat Peedi Peedi and more1 LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "I Never Liked Ya" feat Scarface, Raekwon, & Fat Joe, "Streetsweeper" feat the Lox, "50 Shot Ya" feat 50 Cent, "Too Much For Me" feat Nas, Baby, Foxy Brown, & Amerie, "Purple Haze" feat Diplomats feat Cam'ron, "Freestyle" feat Eminem, "Westside Driveby" feat E-A-Ski, MC Ren, & Kam, "Angels Voice" feat Flipmode Squad, and many more with many more guests. LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's almost a back to basics effort for DJ Shadow, yet one that's also a strong step forward too – basic in that it's a record that's almost all instrumental, with no guests at all – but forward because it's got a leaner groove, and a style that shows just how far Shadow has moved past the more hip hop/turntablist style of his roots! There's almost a cinematic vibe to the music at times – a mode that fits the action adventure of the title, with plenty of cuts that would be right at home on classic soundtracks, especially of the 80s crime/cop/action style – served up with just the right sorts of beats, basslines, and keyboards to echo that era! Titles include "A Narrow Escape", "You Played Me", "Time & Space", "Forever Changed", "She's Evolving", "Reflecting Pool", "Free For All", "Ozone Scraper", and "Witches Vs Warlocks". CD

A record that forever changed the role of the DJ and turntable when it was dropped on the world – certainly not the first record to feature an artist building sound out of a mixture of old records and his own creation, but definitely one of the most hyped and most exposed over the years! For some reason, Shadow was able to find a way to take all the skills that hip hop DJs had been developing for 20 years, mixing them with some of the darkness of the European production scene – and then getting a wider audience to really appreciate both his own talents, and all the other inspirations that drove him – something that still seems to resonate all these many years later, as Shadow opened the door for many others to appreciate all the sounds that we'd been loving in the underground! And despite all his later work, this classic full length set might still be his best – a well-deserved classic, with titles that include "Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt", "The Number Song", "Changeling", "What Does Your Soul Look Like (pts 1 & 4)", "Mutual Slump", "Organ Donor", and "Midnight In A Perfect World". LP, Vinyl record album

The most straight up hip hop record from DJ Spinna in quite a while, and it's a tight one! The spacey soul beats Spinna works with get plenty of space to do their thing on Sonic Smash, but there's a tighter, funkier, grittier vibe, too – with some veteran MCs and upstarts on board – include Phonte of Little Brother, Elzhi of Slum Village and Jigmastas, plus Torae, John Robinson, Dynas and more! Titles include "Guaranteed" feat Phonte of Little Brother & Yahzarah, "More Colors" feat Elzhi from Slum Village, "Elemental" feat Sputnik Brown, "Lyrics Is Back" feat Torae, "Lights Out" feat John Robinson, "New York (Duck For Cover)" feat Jigmastas, "Call Me Senor" feat Senor Kaos, "Get On Down" feat Fresh Daily, Homeboy Sandman, & P Casso, "Making Your Way In The World" feat Breeze Brewin & J-Treds, "More" feat Dynas, CD

A stunner of a set from the 70s African scene – and a record that may well be a lot rawer and harder than most that you have in your collection! Ferry Djimmy was originally a boxer, and spent time outside of his native Benin – but on a return to the country in the early 70s, he cut this cooker of a record – one that's completely unbridled and stripped-down – with a lot leaner vibe than most other African funk of the time! Many cuts just have basslines, percussion, and guitar – tight and sinister, and driving forward with non-stop action while Ferry sings the lyrics in a very earthy style. The whole thing's incredible – and titles include "Be Free", "When I Come In The Road", "Young Revolution", "Carry Me Blak", "Ichango", "Love Love", "Chiriki Man", and "Start To Pray". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful explorations of the sound of the didjeridu – done at a level that's quite different than any other use of the instrument we've ever heard – no surprise, given that the music here is all created by AACM legend Douglas Ewart! The performances bridge Ewart's two worlds of organic improvisation and more serious tonal composition – both of which prove to be perfect settings for the instrument – which is used here at a level that's completely respectful, and without any sense of gimmick at all. Different variations on the didjeridu are used on different tracks – mostly solo in the lead, but with occasional accompaniment on string bass, bells, and electronics. Titles include "Walk & Drop", "Ginep", "Seeds Of War", "Mud Bath III", and "Dancing Inside Of Soul". CD

A standout 60s soundtrack from the great Manos Hadjidakis – penned for a heist thriller from director Jules Dassin! The music follows slightly off the Dassin/Hadjidakis pairing on Never On A Sunday – using lots of familiar Greek elements, but moving these into more complicated film score modes as well – particularly on some of the cool mood-setting numbers you'd find in a heist film of this vintage – a surprisingly great setting for some of the more exotic moments in the music. There's plenty of bazuki in the mix, and some nice percussion too – and titles include "Meet Hans", "Istanbul", "Meet Arthur Simpson", "Main Title", "On The Road", and "The Road To Riches". LP, Vinyl record album

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really helped push guitarist Ronny Jordan over the top – a set that took that sharp, clean sound that made him the 90s heir to the funky Grant Green sound – and updated it nicely with some help from DJ Krush! The record is one of the most successful blends of jazz and hip hop from the time – one of the few that really gets things right, and which knows when to lean into soul as well – and is maybe a key part of an early legacy that would later flourish in Blue Note projects from artists like Madlib and Robert Glasper! Titles include the killer "The Jackal (the illest mix)", which has Dana Bryant delivering a very hip spoken part – plus "S**t Goes Down (but I phunked up mix)", "Love I Never Had It So Good", "Season For Change (dawn of the season mix)", "Bad Brother (how ya like my wheel mix)", and a great remake of "So What (tuff n smooth mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking little set from DJ Kemit – done in that great old school mode we used to love – in which a hip producer gets vocal help from a range of key contemporary singers! Vocals here are from the best of the best – Eric Roberson, N'Dambi, Osunlade, Frank McComb, Lady Alma, Carl McIntosh, Choklate, and others – each of whom step in on a different track, and really help shade in the different flavors of the record! Kemit comes up with a different groove for each guest – often one that really helps show them at their best – and titles include "Digital Love", "You Don't Know", "Funky 8 Ball", "Inside Out", "Summers Night", "Spread Love", "Never Go Away", "Fortune Teller", and "I Was I Am". CD

A wonderfully moody album from singer Helen Merrill – recorded with backing by pianist John Lewis, in an overall feel that's got some of the styles that Lewis forged with the Modern Jazz Quartet! The tunes are familiar ones, mostly, but arranged in a style that's got wonderfully sad and somber touches – really bringing out the best of the dark qualities in Merrill's vocals. Backing is by a quartet with Lewis, Richard Davis, Hubert Laws, and Connie Kay – and titles include "Close Your Eyes", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "The Singer", "Yesterdays", "How Long Has This Been Going On", "Mad About The Boy", and "Django". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from the Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded back when the group still featured Kenny Clarke in its membership, but already with some of the more serious, somber tones that would mark the combo's more famous years! Tracks here are from a variety of sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955 – and trace an evolution of the MJQ style from initial more composed renditions of bop and modern jazz, to some of the more ambitious colors and tones of the Lewis-penned songbook. Titles include longish readings of "Django" and "La Ronde Suite", plus "Milano", "But Not For Me", "The Queen's Fancy", and "Delaunay's Dilemma". CD

A stone classic from the Modern Jazz Quartet – recorded back when the group still featured Kenny Clarke in its membership, but already with some of the more serious, somber tones that would mark the combo's more famous years! Tracks here are from a variety of sessions in 1953, 1954, and 1955 – and trace an evolution of the MJQ style from initial more composed renditions of bop and modern jazz, to some of the more ambitious colors and tones of the Lewis-penned songbook. Titles include longish readings of "Django" and "La Ronde Suite", plus "Milano", "But Not For Me", "The Queen's Fancy", and "Delaunay's Dilemma". CD

A 2LP set that brings together most of the material from the first three full-length albums by the Modern Jazz Quartet – all recorded at a time when the combo were first forging their famous sound! Most of the sides here are in contrast to the group's better-known Atlantic work, because the group at this point still featured Kenny Clarke on drums – and although a few tracks here include Connie Kay, the bulk of the recordings are touched by Clarke's tighter, sometimes more aggressive work on percussion – making for a less-than-trademark sound that we really like. As usual, the rest of the group features Milt Jackson on vibes, John Lewis on piano, and Percy Heath on bass – and the 2LP set features 18 tracks that include "Concorde", "Vendome", "Milano", "La Ronde", "Django", "All The Things You Are", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Delauney's Dilemma", "La Ronde Suite", "All Of You", and "Ralph's New Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "I Got Rhythm", "Crazy Rhythm", "My Melancholy Baby", "Jeepers Creepers", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Honeysuckle Rose", "Liza", "Nuages", "Nuits De Saint Germain Des Pres", "Just One Of Those Things", "I Cover The Waterfront",and "I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight". CD

A great collection of late 40s work from this legendary guitarist – recorded in Rome, with Stephane Grappelli and the Hot Club! Titles include "Swing 42", "After You've Gone", "Minor Swing", "Beyond The Sea", "Brick Top", and "Heavy Artillery". CD

Classic work by Django Reinhardt – and a CD that reissues material that originally appeared on Decca 78s from the early 40s. All the work was recorded in 1939, by Django and the Hot Club Of France (which included Stephane Grappelli, Joseph Reinhardt, and Pierre Barro Ferret). Titles include "Twelfth Year", "Jeepers Creepers", "Swing 39", "Japanese Sandman", "Tea For Two", "I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight", "Time On My Hands", and "Hungaria". CD

This might not be the most important or vital album in the history of hip hop – but it's got some unstoppable party jams that can't be denied! "It Takes Two" will always be guaranteed to rock any party – and if Rob Base on the mic isn't anything to write home about, at the time Profile dropped this album, even the Jimmy Castor, ESG and James Brown samples weren't totally played out – and still sound great today. 10 tracks in all, also includes the hit "Joy & Pain", plus "Make It Hot", "Check This Out" and "Get On The Dance Floor". CD

An excellent LP by one of the most underrecognized talents of 70's soul! DJ's deep soul voice is smooth and mellow, with the kind of honest heartbreaking quality that you find in the best work by Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder. This great LP's got DJ in a nice set of arrangements that have a cool stripped-down feel, with a little bit of electronics, as on some of Stevie's best LPs from the early 70's. Tracks include "Hold On, Be Strong", "Think I'll Make It Anyhow", "If You Didn't Love Me (Don't Go Away)", "Love You Forever", and "Say You Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from the mighty DJ Rogers – one of the most positive, powerful voices in 70s soul music! The set's a sublime Rogers showcase all the way through – as DJ wrote, arranged, and produced the whole record – in partnership with the Earth Wind & Fire Kalimba Productions imprint – which is perfect placement for the set, as it shares all the best righteous energy with that famous group at its height! DJ's vocals are trained in the church – both technically and spiritually – but they soar out here in some secular lyrics that really help bring a sense of warmth and love to the universe – a really rare blend of modes from both sides of the fence that rivals the best 70s work by Rance Allen or Donny Hathaway. Backings are perfect – maybe even more focused and moving than on some of Rogers' previous albums – and titles include "Hold Me", "Sold On You", "When Love Is Gone", "Changed", "You Take Me Higher (Brazilian Lover)", "All My Love", and "Love Brought Me Back". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of fantastic albums from Christian Scott – all packaged together! First up is Ruler Rebel – a fantastic step forward for trumpeter Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah – an artist who takes on a new name with this recording, and a vibrant new sound as well! Scott still plays trumpet, but he also works with some electronics and effects, too – in a group that mixes acoustic elements from piano, flute, and percussion with electric work on Fender Rhodes and guitar – all in a sound that's swirlingly soulful, and as enigmatic as you might expect! The music reaches back to some deeper roots, but reworks the sound completely with lots of contemporary elements – and Scott's trumpet takes on a new sort of majesty in the setting – maybe hitting the promise we first saw in his music years back, but with even more focus here. Titles include "Encryption", "The Coronation Of X A Tunde Adjuah", "The Reckoning", "Ruler Rebel", and "New Orleanian Love Song". Next is Diaspora – a set that has Christian Scott really opening with a new sense of pride and power after adopting the Atunde Adjuah name – and blowing here not just on trumpet, but also "reverse flugelhorn", sirenette, and siren – and also using some sonic architecture to open up and expand his sound! Rhythms are a compelling mix of drum programs and acoustic percussion – peppered with work on alto, Fender Rhodes, bass, guitar, and drums – in this groove that's much more sharp-edged and sonically compelling than most other projects of this nature. Titles include "Lawless", "Our Lady Of New New Orleans", "IDK", "Desire & The Burning Girl", "Completely", "No Love", and "The Walk". Last is Emancipation Proclamation – part of Scott's brilliant trilogy that has him reworking his sound even more than before – using his horn in both acoustic and electric settings, and mixing with bits of funk and deeper musical currents – all at a level that's vaguely in the territory of Don Cherry in the 70s, but served up with a vibe that's very much Christian's own! Rather than be buried in the mix of percussion, Fender Rhodes, and other horns here – Scott seems to be set free, and really opens up with both the space of his solos, and the style of his phrasing – which is even more personal than before. The other players are great, too – a shifting lineup who retain the same bristling energy throughout – on titles that include "Ashes Of Our Forever", "The Emancipation Procrastination", "AvengHer", "Cages", "New Heroes", "Videotape", "The Cypher", "Michele With One L", and "Unrigging November". CD

A fantastic step forward for trumpeter Christian Scott – an artist who takes on a new name with this recording, and a vibrant new sound as well! Scott still plays trumpet, but he also works with some electronics and effects, too – in a group that mixes acoustic elements from piano, flute, and percussion with electric work on Fender Rhodes and guitar – all in a sound that's swirlingly soulful, and as enigmatic as you might expect! The music reaches back to some deeper roots, but reworks the sound completely with lots of contemporary elements – and Scott's trumpet takes on a new sort of majesty in the setting – maybe hitting the promise we first saw in his music years back, but with even more focus here. Titles include "Encryption", "The Coronation Of X A Tunde Adjuah", "The Reckoning", "Ruler Rebel", and "New Orleanian Love Song". CD

An incredible album – and one of the most groundbreaking blends of jazz and global music ever recorded! Reedman Tony Scott plays here with a little-known group of Indonesian jazz players – brought together in a special project for MPS/Saba records, in a blend of modal jazz elements and other tunes that really find a way to echo the gamelan styles that you might expect from Indonesian music – emphasized by the group's phrasing on piano, guitar, and siter, as well as Scott's interweaving lines on clarinet! The sound is fantastic, completely other worldly, and must be heard to be believed – served up with other players who include Marjono on tenor and vocal, Bubi Chen on piano and sitar, Jack Lesmana on guitar, Yopi Chen on bass, and Benny Mustafa on drums. Tracks include "Ilir Ilir", "Gambang Suling", "Djanger Bali", and an amazing rendition of "Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible rare jazz from the Japanese scene of the 70s – all hand-picked by DJ Muro, one of the coolest talents on the contemporary scene in Tokyo! The set's a bit of a shift from other collections of this nature – as it focuses a bit more on tracks that are funky than those that are spiritual – yet also includes those that have some very cool, hip Japanese touches – at a level that's hugely different from American jazz work of the time! The selection of cuts is great – and rather than offer a completely diverse dozen, Muro does a great job of focusing in on a few key acts – most of whom have not hit the reissue market strongly in recent years. Titles include "Hanagasa Odori", "Sakura Sakura", "Soran Bushi", and "Yagi Bushi" by Tadaaki Misago & Tokyo Cuban Boys; "Nanbu Ushioi Uta", "Saitara Bushi", "Souma Nagareyama", and "Asadoya Yunta" by Kifu Mitsuhashi & Kiyoshi Yamaya; "Seijinshiki (Adult Day)" by Toshiyuji Miyama & His New Herd; "Tabaruzaka" by Katsuya Yokoyama & The Million Pops; and "Fuku Jobutso Part 1 (Muro edit)" and "Osorezan (Muro edit)" by Kiyoshi Yamaya & Contemporary Sound Orchestra. 2CD set also features a full continuous mix of the music by Muro on the second CD! CD

Incredible rare jazz from the Japanese scene of the 70s – all hand-picked by DJ Muro, one of the coolest talents on the contemporary scene in Tokyo! The set's a bit of a shift from other collections of this nature – as it focuses a bit more on tracks that are funky than those that are spiritual – yet also includes those that have some very cool, hip Japanese touches – at a level that's hugely different from American jazz work of the time! The selection of cuts is great – and rather than offer a completely diverse dozen, Muro does a great job of focusing in on a few key acts – most of whom have not hit the reissue market strongly in recent years. Titles include "Hanagasa Odori", "Sakura Sakura", "Soran Bushi", and "Yagi Bushi" by Tadaaki Misago & Tokyo Cuban Boys; "Nanbu Ushioi Uta", "Saitara Bushi", "Souma Nagareyama", and "Asadoya Yunta" by Kifu Mitsuhashi & Kiyoshi Yamaya; "Seijinshiki (Adult Day)" by Toshiyuji Miyama & His New Herd; "Tabaruzaka" by Katsuya Yokoyama & The Million Pops; and "Fuku Jobutso Part 1 (Muro edit)" and "Osorezan (Muro edit)" by Kiyoshi Yamaya & Contemporary Sound Orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

A great presentation of work from the legendary Tribe Records of Detroit – all handled by DJ Muro, who's posed on the front in a way that recalls one of the label's rarest albums! The style here is different than other collections of Tribe Records material – as Muro goes for cuts that showcase some of the more soulful, funky sides of the label – still very righteous overall, but with less of the longer or more avant-oriented tracks that came from the Detroit underground at the time. Muro's been giving us amazing collections for many years, and this one is no exception – a fantastic demonstration of his magical ear, as he makes his way through cuts that include "The Wok" by Wendell Harrison, "Ode To Africa (single version)" by Harold McKinney, "Ginseng Love" by Wendell Harrison, "Freedom Jazz Dance" by Harold McKinney, "Take Time Out" by Wendell Harrison, "Sounds From The Village" by Phil Ranelin, and "Belle Isle" by Wendell Harrison. LP, Vinyl record album

A great presentation of work from the legendary Tribe Records of Detroit – all handled by DJ Muro, who's posed on the front in a way that recalls one of the label's rarest albums! The style here is different than other collections of Tribe Records material – as Muro goes for cuts that showcase some of the more soulful, funky sides of the label – still very righteous overall, but with less of the longer or more avant-oriented tracks that came from the Detroit underground at the time. Muro's been giving us amazing collections for many years, and this one is no exception – a fantastic demonstration of his magical ear, as he makes his way through cuts that include "The Wok" by Wendell Harrison, "Ode To Africa" by Harold McKinney, "Why Don't Love Make Everything Right" by Cosmic Force, "Ginseng Love" by Wendell Harrison, "Freedom Jazz Dance" by Harold McKinney, "For Real" by Doug Hammond, "Glue Fingers (part 2)" by Marcus Belgrave, "Vibes From The Tribe (prelude)" by Phil Ranelin, "What We Need" by Wendell Harrison & Phil Ranelin, "In The Moog" by Harold McKinney, "Farewell To The Welfare" by Wendell Harrison & The Tribe, "Wake Up Brothers" by Doug Hammond, "Sounds From The Village" by Phil Ranelin, and "Belle Isle" by Wendell Harrison. CD

A soaring batch of disco gems, club cuts, and undiscovered nuggets – all pulled together to make a set that's even better than the first entry in this Disco Wonderland series! DJ Andy Smith and associates bring together a great array of fresh tracks from back in the day – not massive disco hits, but also not the kind of rare gems that maybe never made the cut for a good reason – and instead, the tracks here work together perfectly, and even get a few special mixes along the way by Smith and the crew, which includes a few contemporary cuts that fit perfectly next to the vintage material. Titles include "Get Up & Dance (Bad Bikini re-edit)" by Disco Circus, "You're The Best" by The Emotions, "Heaven" by The Gibson Brothers, "Dreamin" by Greg Henderson, "You Don't Know (Crissy Kybosh rmx)" by Serious Intention, "For The Love Of Money" by Armada Orchestra, "You & I" by Ronnie Jones, "Sweet Dynamite" by Claudja Barry, "Dance Freak" by Chain Reaction, "Night Of My Life" by Full Intention & Nick Reach Up with Jazz Morley, "I'm In Love" by Cela, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "Lost Without You (Andy Smith re-edit)" by Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler, and "Ghetto Disco" by Ted Taylor. 2CD version features one CD of the songs mix, another unmixed! CD

Cool cuts from around the globe – all brought together in one wonderfully funky set! The music here all draws heavily from American funk and psych styles – and often uses some slightly different instrumentation, or more regional inflection – to make the usual psych funk styles sound even more groovy and exotic – in a mindblowing way that makes the entire set a real musical delight! Most tracks are instrumental – heavy on drums and fuzzy guitar – but there's a few vocal moments, too – and the funk current is super-strong, way more so than on other collections that promise a heavy bottom, but usually just present offbeat psych. Titles include "Jet Pop" by Bana Pop Band, "Foxy Lady" by 49th Blue Streak, "Karate Chop" by The Tijuana Brats, "Stari Dvorac" by Pro Arte, "Nie Przejziemy Do Historii" by Krzysztof Klenczon, "Louis Louis" by Friar Tuck, "Time Of Machines" by Sergio Ferraresi, and "The Shaman's Dance" by Alexandr Sergeyevich. LP, Vinyl record album

The soulful sound of Trojan Records, mixed superbly here by Japanese DJ Holiday – who comes across with a killer blend of cuts from the rocksteady and early reggae years! A number of tracks here are Jamaican remakes of American soul tunes, and they're mixed with originals that really echo the spirit of mellow grooves that were especially strong in the early part of the 70s – served up here on a set of 20 tracks that are all pulled from the farther reaches of the Trojan catalog, including a fair bit of under-discovered nuggets! Titles include "Let's Get It On" by Lloyd Charmers, "Lean On Me" by BB Seaton, "Tears On My Pillow" by Derrick Morgan, "It's You I Love" by Merlene Webster, "Somebody's Baby" by Pat Kelly, "Pain In My Heart" by Derrick & Naomi, "Target" by The Gaytones, "Love Letters" by Phyllis Dillon & Alton Ellis, "Sitting In The Park" by Slim Smith, "Keep It Like It Is" by Louisa Marks, "Emergency Call" by Judy Mowatt, and "Our Day Will Come" by The Heptones. CD

In the spirit of this popular series, Kruder & Dorfmeister remix some of the tastiest modern grooves from hip labels like Ninja Tune, Moving Shadow, Compost, and Cup Of Tea. The pair add in a nice heavy sound, giving the tunes a bit more soul than usual, thanks to a wonderful sensitivity for a nicely placed riff. Titles that get the remix treatment include "Never Say?" by James Bong, "Look Up Dere" by Kama, "Keep On Believing" by Beanfield, "A Mother" by Herbalizer, "Spellbound" by Tango, "Give My Soul" by The Lab Rats", and they even manage to sneak in their own classic "High Noon"! CD

Red Alert mixes up some late 80s hits with some talking. Includes BDP "Jimmy", Jungle Bros "On The Run", Just Ice "Goin Way Back", Ultramagnetic MC's "Feelin It (rmx)", " Funky", Hellrazor "No More James", 45 King "The King Is Here", "The 900 Number", Sugar Bear "Ready To Penatrate", MC Mitchski "Red Alert Is A Great Man." LP, Vinyl record album

Life! Liberty! Vengeance! A wild and very cool soundtrack for Tarantino's dual Blacksploitation/Spaghetti Western homage Django Unchained – featuring bits from some of our favorite Italian western composers mixed up with classic and contemporary funky soul and hip hop! It's the kind of soundtrack that could only happen for Quentin Tarantino – with rare and hard-to-find compositions by Luis Bacalov, Ennio Morricone, Riz Ortolani and Jerry Goldsmith on one hand – along with a few seemingly antithetical new compositions on the other – including a track penned by star Jamie Foxx for Rick Ross, a James Brown "Payback" remix with a vocal from the 2Pac archive, plus ones by Anthony Hamilton, John Legend and others! Last but not least, it's got some great bits of film dialogue by Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio. Titles include "Django" by Luis Bacalov, "The Braying Mule" by Ennio Morricone, "Nicaragua" by Jerry Goldsmith with Pat Metheny, "Day Of Anger" by Riz Ortolani, "Unchained (The Payback/Untouchable)" by James Brown with 2Pac, "Who Did That To You?" by John Legend, "100 Black Coffins" by Rick Ross, "Trinity (Titoli)" by Annibale E I Cantori Moderni and many more. CD

There's an island on the cover, but the music is all-soul, all the way through – a great collection of classic mellow moments from years back, plus a few excellent choices from more recent years as well! Still, the island's a great image for the sound of the set – as the music has this kicked-back vibe that provides a nice sort of escape from the everyday world – heavenly soul sounds that come both from rare classics, and some of the best of the current underground – brought together with the kind of care and class we've come to expect from the folks at Expansion Records. A wonderful mix of tunes – with titles that include "Remember To Remember" by Rick Holmes, "Under The Moon & Over The Sky" by Angela Bofil, "Living So Fast" by Novocento with Danni Gottlieb & Dave Liebman, "I Choose You" by Paris, "You Are My Starship" by Norman Connors, "It Should Be you" by Ashanti Munir & Neil Letendre, "He Mandu (mother mix)" by Mouth Music, "Far Beyond" by Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band, "It's Like Air" by Sunny Hawkins, "Blending Colors" by Debra Debs, "Unconditional Love" by Greg Dean with Chantae Cann & Jarrod Lawson, "Mississippi Delta Blues" by Lamar Thomas with Carrie K Thomas, and "Peace In The Middle East" by Miri Ben-Ari & Kerri Chandler. CD

An incredible collection of Stevie Wonder cover versions – different versions of familiar tunes, but ones that really manage to sparkle with all the righteous soul of the Stevie himself! It's been over a decade since DJ Spinna brought us the last version of his Wonder Of Stevie series – and during that time, he's managed to come up with a huge amount of great tracks that make the whole thing go way way deeper than before – not just cuts that copy the Wonder mode, but which seem to draw strong inspiration from its genius, and really soar to the skies! Much of the music here resonates with a charm that's located around the years of albums like Music Of My Mind and Innervisions, with all the jazzy currents that might imply – and some cuts are 70s vintage, others are more contemporary. Titles include "Bird Of Beauty" by US Atlantic First Navy Show Band, "It's My Pleasure" by Billy Preston, "Love's In Need Of Love Today" by John Minnis Big Bone Band, "As" by Tony Sherman, "Buttercup" by Jackson 5, "Have A Talk With God" by East St Louis Gospelettes, "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me" by Quincy Jones, "Golden Lady" by Reel People with Tony Momrelle, "If You Don't Love Me" by GC Cameron, "If She Breaks Your Heart Again" by Foreign Exchange, "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" by Black Sugar, "Go Home" by Jrod Indigo, and "Make My Water Boil" by David Ruffin. 2CDs – one of the cuts unmixed, one with the tracks in a continuous mix by Spinna! CD