A blues album, but one with a difference – thanks to some tremendous help from the legendary Johnny Otis and his young son Shuggie! Despite the fact that the leader is billed as Guitar Slim Green, Shuggie actually plays some lead guitar on the record too – adding in some cool, complicated solos that point towards his genius to come as a solo act – and which also get some nicely romping rhythms from Johnny on drums! The Otis family was definitely bringing a lot of funk into their sound at the time, which they share plenty with Slim here – helping to make the record way more than just another late 60s rootsy blues session, and instead a great west coast criss-crossing of modes. Titles include "Shake Em Up", "My Little Angel Child", "5th Street Alley Boogie", "Old Folks Blues", "This War Ain't Right", and "Big Fine Thing". Also features two bonus tracks, both unissued – "My Marie" and "Rock The Nation". CD

Plus tracks with Blind Willie McTell, Champion Jack Dupree and Dennis McMillon. CD

Beautiful blues from Guitar Slim – west coast material from the mid-50s, recorded with some very hip backings! Slim's got a lean, mean edge – a style that's a bit similar to Johnny Watson in his early years, touched with some of the class of the R&B scene that was bubbling up in the late 40s in LA! The added instrumentation really makes the tracks great – not just the usual blues, but a more sophisticated mode with some nicely jazzy undercurrents. The set's very well put-together too – 26 tracks in all, with titles that include "Going Down Slow", "The Things That I Used To Do", "Well I Done Got Over It", "Twenty Five Lies", "Stand By Me", "Sufferin Mind", "You're Gonna Miss Me", "I Got Sumpin For You", "Story Of My Life", and "Our Only Child". CD

Hip work from one of the important early bluesmen on Specialty records – a hell of a guitar player, as you'd guess from his name – but also a singer with the same kind of raw charms as Johnny Watson in the 50s! LP, Vinyl record album

A full and funky sound library gem from mid 70s France – a set that really takes advantage of the strong drum work of Pierre Alain Dahan, whose work on the kit is at the core of every one of the instrumental gems on the set! The mood changes up nicely from cut to cut – sometimes there's some heavy guitar, or soulful tenor, sweet keyboards, and more – and the record mixes funky rhythms with darker currents in a way that's really stunning – and which makes for a set that's all killer, no-filler all the way through! Titles include "Africa Semper", "Merci Boa", "Kuzi Kuza", "Soul Car", "Super Airship", "Electric Mutation", and "Happy Penalty". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best material Slim Gaillard ever recorded! Although he's best known for his Verve work, and for his early 40s sessions in LA – these 1959 recordings for Dot have Slim hitting a groove that's far tighter than usual, with a better jazz influence, and a much freer approach to singing than his usual stock style. There's a wonderful version of "How High The Moon" that's got crazy guitar, and wild lyrics from Slim about life on the moon. Other nice cuts include "Sukiyaka Cha Cha", "Chicken Rhythm", "Slim's Cee", "Lady Be Good", and "Thunderbird". If you've ever wondered why people think Slim is so great, check this one out – and you'll flip! CD

During the late 30s and early 40s, the team of Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart cut some of the grooviest little records ever pressed on shellac! Slim had a crazy vocal style that was augmented by his tight guitar work – and Slam kept the whole thing rolling with a big warm bass, and with occasional comments directed in Slim's direction! The style of the music is part early R&B, part jazz vocal, and all hipster jiving and jamming! Slim had an influence on an entire century of hipsters – and this CD is the only one we've ever seen that does a good job of bringing together his early early work with good sound and notes on the material. The set includes 20 cuts in all, including a few unreleased ones – and titles include "Flat Foot Floogie", "Chicken Rhythm", "Matzoh Balls", "Bongo", "Dopey Joe", "A Tip On The Numbers", "Groove Juice Special", "African Jive", and "Ti Pi Tin". CD

Classic work from Slim Harpo – an album that kicks off with one of his biggest hits ever, and follows with plenty of great tunes as well! Things here are pretty rootsy and stripped-down – lots of spare, slowish rhythms (but a few funkier ones too!) – and instrumentation that's dominated by guitar and harmonica alongside Slim's vocals – all in a mode that's maybe a bit more vintage than his funky soul of the late 60s, but still equally powerful too! There's some great echoey production at points – almost taking a Bo Diddley tip, which makes for some really great sounds – and titles include "Snoopin Around", "Buzz Me Baby", "I'm A King Bee", "Moody Blues", "My Home Is A Prison", "Dream Girl", "Blues Hangover", and "Rainin In My Heart". CD

A very early album in the French tradition of providing key recordings of American blues musicians – a live set with Memphis Slim on vocals and piano, and the great Matt Murphy on guitar! LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from Slim Harpo – an album that kicks off with one of his biggest hits ever, and follows with plenty of great tunes as well! Things here are pretty rootsy and stripped-down – lots of spare, slowish rhythms (but a few funkier ones too!) – and instrumentation that's dominated by guitar and harmonica alongside Slim's vocals – all in a mode that's maybe a bit more vintage than his funky soul of the late 60s, but still equally powerful too! There's some great echoey production at points – almost taking a Bo Diddley tip, which makes for some really great sounds – and titles include "Snoopin Around", "Buzz Me Baby", "I'm A King Bee", "Moody Blues", "My Home Is A Prison", "Dream Girl", "Blues Hangover", and "Rainin In My Heart". CD

One of the last albums ever from the mighty Slim Harpo – but also one of the best, as the bluesman is giving plenty of nods to the funk and soul artists who were influenced by his music – and returning the favor with a wonderfully raw set of grooves! Slim's a master on all fronts – from funky guitar, to soulful vocals, to some sweet harmonica lines – and at some points, the rhythms seem strongly influenced by the best 60s elements in New Orleans soul – which creates lots of rolling bottom grooves that make the album come off great – not just for fans of blues, but for soul and funk fans as well. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Te Ni Nee Ni Nu", "Mailbox Blues", "Hey Little Lee", "Tip On In", and "My Baby She's Got It". LP, Vinyl record album

A great live session from the glory days of the Chicago electric blues scene, originally released on Vee Jay, and lovingly repackaged here by Charly. Tracks include "Wish Me Well", "Messin Around", "Slim's Blues", "Steppin' Out", "Rockin The House", and "The Come Back". Plus, the CD's got 4 non-LP bonus cuts: "Guitar Cha Cha", "Stroll On Little Girl", "What's The Matter", and "This Time I'm Through". CD

Music by Slim Harpo, Lazy Lester, Jimmy Anderson, Classie Ballou, Lightnin' Slim, Leroy Washington, the Fat Man, Silas Hogan, and more – 20 tracks total. CD

Two lesser known tracks from Booker T – but both nice! "Slim Jenkins" has kind of a slight western tinge on the guitar – stepping around a saloon floor with the kind of edgey approach you'd expect from a guy named "Slim"! "Groovin" is a nice instrumental take on the big crossover hit – done with easily sliding organ and guitar that kind of hint at the later Melting Pot years! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Some of the best material Slim Gaillard ever recorded! Although he's best known for his Verve work, and for his early 40s sessions in LA – these 1959 recordings for Dot have Slim hitting a groove that's far tighter than usual, with a better jazz influence, and a much freer approach to singing than his usual stock style. There's a wonderful version of "How High The Moon" that's got crazy guitar, and wild lyrics from Slim about life on the moon. Other nice cuts include "Tall And Slim", "Take The A Train", "Slim's Cee", "Lady Be Good", and "Rooster Rock". If you've ever wondered why people think Slim is so great, check this one out – and you'll flip! LP, Vinyl record album

Slim Gaillard on guitar, vocals, piano, vibraphone, and bongos and Slam Stewart on double bass and vocals. CD

A classic album from the mighty Slim Harpo, and one that definitely lives up to the "scratch" in the title! That scratch is present strongly in the rhythms – which have this skittish style that's really a precursor to funk, although a lot more rootsy overall – almost Slim's entry to the sort of grooves that Bo Diddley and a few others were laying down in Chicago, but with a more southern quality overall! All the instrumental aspects of the record are wonderful – Harpo's trademark harmonica lines, and his wicked rhythmic guitar – and Slim's vocals are also excellent, too – with this sweetly bending way of coming across that had an undeniable influence on later singers to come. Titles include "Buzzin", "I'm Gonna Miss You Like The Devil", "Wondering Blues", "We're Two Of A Kind", "I Need Money", and "My Little Queen Be". LP, Vinyl record album

Early 60s material, originally issued on the Strand label – recorded in Chicago, with Memphis Slim on vocals and piano, and Matt Guitar Murphy on guitar – with a likely backup from John Calvin on alto and Johnny Board on tenor. CD

A great little collection, mostly with vintage work from the late 40s through the 60s – including performances by Texas Johnny Brown, Sticks McGhee, John Lee Hooker, Blind Willie McTell, T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim, Al King, Cornell Dupree, and Chuck Norris! CD

A great little collection, mostly with vintage work from the late 40s through the 60s – including performances by Texas Johnny Brown, Sticks McGhee, John Lee Hooker, Blind Willie McTell, T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim, Al King, Cornell Dupree, and Chuck Norris! Lots of nice non-LP tracks too! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible leap forward for Antibalas – a record filled with bolder sounds and deeper grooves than ever before – and one that even tops the already-great sound of their previous albums! The mix of modes here is really amazing – some of the group's familiar Afro-Funk at the core, but also a much wider range of influences too – bits of dub, choppy Latin guitar, Sun Ra-like organ lines, and gamelon-styled metal bits – all wrapped together in a groove that has some particularly hypnotic undertones! The set was produced by John McIntire, who's no doubt a big influence on the sound here – and the record really shatters any expectations you might have from the group – proof that they're way more than just another Afro Funk combo. Titles include "Beaten Metal", "Filibuster X", "Sanctuary", "Hilo", "War Hero", "ICE", and "Age". CD

A really well-titled set from the legendary Phil Cohran – as the album's one of his most meditative efforts ever – a beautiful single piece, spun over the course of the entire album, with slow-changing instrumentation that's wonderfully seductive! Phil's in a near solo mode here – playing harp, cornet, zither, and his legendary frankiphone – with just a bit of guitar and keyboards to accompany his lead solos – making for a really warm, open space that shows Cohran at his most sensitive ever! The work runs for over 45 minutes, and is a great illustration of the space that Phil's been exploring strongly in more recent years. CD

A rare early moment from the legendary Austrian group Paternoster – sounds that predate their one and only cult-status album – originally created for the equally legendary film, Die Ersten Tage! The music here was never issued commercially at the time – and the release of these sounds adds a much-needed page to the slim book of Paternoster – especially since the creative flair of these songs really fleshes out our understanding of the group! As with their vocal music, most of the style here is slow, but jamming – kind of mellow prog, almost – but lighter, too – and with a moodier vibe, given the absence of lyrics – which lets the offbeat guitar parts do most of the speaking for the group. The whole thing's fragile, yet jagged – earthy, but cosmic – and the set features 30 tracks in all, appearing here on record for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album

Features Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonic and vocals – in a trio with guitar from Matt Murphy and drums from Billie Stepney – plus added piano from Memphis Slim on a few tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

A package that definitely lives up to the title – as it presents the hardest-wailing work recorded by Memphis Slim in the postwar years – including plenty of cuts that were a huge influence on early rock and roll, and many that have him in more of an R&B mode than usua! Slim's records weren't always upbeat, but the cuts in this set definitely are – and include some killer cuts with his Houserockers group, and work from a young guitarist Matt Murphy too! As always with Bear Family, the presentation is wonderful – not just well-chosen cuts, but a great package overall – featuring 29 titles that include "Rockin The House", "Memphis Slim USA", "Pacemaker Boogie", "Wish Me Well", "Big Bertha", "Old Taylor", "Harlem Bound", "Back Alley", "Tia Juana", "She's Allright", and "Gotta Find My Baby". CD

The best record in years – maybe decades – from the legendary Dr John – and a set that stands up strongly next to the messed-up Crescent City vibe of his 70s classics! Big thanks are due to Black Keys' guitarist Dan Auerbach – who produced and supervised the whole recording – and helped create the kind of rootsy studio proceedings that make for just the right vibe to help the Doctor hit all his best classic modes! Leon Michels brings in some great keyboards, too – and an undercurrent of El Michels funk – and Dr John's vocals really sparkle in the setting – stepping out with all the weird raspy elements we love so much. Titles include "Ice Age", "Getaway", "Kingdom Of Izzness", "You Lie", "Eleggua", "My Children My Angels", "Locked Down", and "Big Shot". CD

Solo album from guitarist Henry Kaiser. Includes one long track, "When Your Work Speaks For Itself, Don't Interrupt". CD

The rare sound library disco record from Piero Piccioni & Luis Bacalov from the end of the 70s – really cool stuff with funky drums, guitars and bass that soars gloriously with strings – anchored by the 18+ minute title track and featuring several other cues! "Fire Stars Dances" is a langorous late period disco, while "Warsaw Concerto" recasts some more operatic sounds in a disco mode. Other tracks include "Prelude To Love" and "You Never Told Me" and this great CD edition includes 2 shorter alternate takes of the title track. CD

A great collection of wonderful gramophone recordings from as early as 1916 up to the first half of the 60s – all from the 78s collection of Frank Fairfield – a folk guitarist profoundly influenced by such amazing old crackling records! It's music from all over the world, with a much farther reach than Americana – with recordings from around the US, Japan, Scotland and other points global. Excellent! 16 in all: "Poor Convict Blues" buy Slim Barton & James Moore, "Cambells Are Coming" by Tommy Dandurand & Ed Goodreau, "Makwatu" by Kakapti, "The Pool Of Siloam" by Rev. Frank Cotton, "Ama Ama" by Tautu Archer, "Kongshoung Niaoyu" by Professor Liu Tianhua. CD

Sara Serpa on vocals and Andre Matos on guitars, bass, and percussion – plus Okkyung Lee on cello, Joao Pereira on drums, and Dov Manski on piano and synths. CD

A landmark album from Queen – a set conceived when the group were already at the top of their game, and willing to not only lean into their strengths, but also take a few chances by slimming things down, and really bringing the focus onto the guitar work, vocals, and heavy rhythms that continue to make the quartet the stuff of legend! Those qualities come through right away on the album's first two tracks – the instant classics "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" – followed by plenty more greatness on titles that include the ultimate take on "Sheer Heart Attack", and the cuts "My Melancholy Blues", "It's Late", "Who Needs You", Fight From The Inside", "Spread Your Wings", "All Dead All Dead", and "Get Down Make Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Caribbean styles hit the American scene – then get transformed into something completely different in this huge collection of recordings that span styles that include jazz, Latin, R&B, soul, and blues! In some cases, the Caribbean element comes through in the song structure – which might be lifted directly, then reworked for an American audience. But at other times, the influence is more in the rhythms or instrumentation – used as inspiration to then create something new – a bit in the way that American soul would provide the inspiration for reggae in the 60s. The package has the usual fantastic Fremeaux presentation – with a big booklet of historical notes, in both French and English, to support 66 titles that include "Jamaica Farewell" by Sam Cooke, "Salty Fish Aki Rice" by Ruth Wallis, "Bajan Girl" by Lionel Belasco, "Sly Mongoose" by Sam Manning, "El Gallero" by Dioris Valladares & Angel Viloria, "El Mambo Diablo" by Tito Puente, "Hey Little Girl" by Professor Longhair, "Un Poco Loco" by Bud Powell, "Chee Koo Baby" by Lloyd Price, "Shrinking Up Fast" by Camille Howard, "Ojai" by Joe Lutcher, "Salee Dame" by Albert Nicholas & Baby Dodds, "Inside" by Hector The Ram, "Run Come See Jerusalem"b y Stan Wilson, "I Learn A Merengue" by Robert Mitchum, "Afro Blue" by Cal Tjader, "La Maricutana" by Damiron & Chapuseaux, "Magical Joe" by Herb Jeffries, "Begin The Beguine" by Charlie Parker, "Make It Do" by Slim Gaillard, "Guitarambo" by Mickey Baker, and "Don't Touch Me Nylon" by The Charmer (aka Louis Farrakhan). CD