Excellent early work from Al Hudson – a soulful talent who stood his own in the late 70s, forging an up-tempo funk sound that lived long past disco, and which was sort of a platform for groups of the 80s to build a new dancefloor sound. Hudson relied heavily on bass-y funk to hit his groove, but he also gave strong focus to the good singers who worked with his groups – adding in good ballads that act as a showcase to members like bassist Kevin McCord, who sings some great vocals on this set. The album kicks off with the up-tempo groover "Spread Love", an anthemic dancefloor tune that almost points the way towards soulful house, and it's got some other nice cuts, like the ballads "Lost Inside Of You" and "Love Me Forever", plus the funky numbers "How Do You Do", and "Dance, Get Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Jiro Inagaki's definitely in the groove here – hitting hard with a sweet electric vibe, on a set that's easily one of his funkiest albums ever! The set's got a wicked mix of jazz and funk that's right up there with the best on 70s CTI or Kudu – but maybe even leaner overall, given the focused nature of the tunes – and their strongly rhythmic approach! Jiro's on both tenor and soprano sax, and also handles arrangements with Norio Maeda – and the set's especially heavy on Fender Rhodes and electric bass, carved up nicely by sweet guitar lines that almost have a Joe Beck sort of sound. Many tracks are originals, and all are definitely in a tight 70s mode – really stepping forward from some of the more formative funky years of Jiro's previous albums. Titles include "Joie De Vivre", "Crazy Medicine", "That's How I Feel", "Blue Blood", "Raven Speaks", and "Samba Chimba". (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.) LP, Vinyl record album

The last train to skaville, and a record that should be the first in line when you're digging for rare instrumental ska – as the collection offers up a mix of the mighty Hammond skills of Jackie Mittoo and the searing rhythms of the Soul Brothers – who also serve up great solos on tenor, trumpet, and trombone! This isn't the sleepy ska of the revival years – and is instead the kind of hard-burning music that was strongly inspired by American instrumental soul in the late 60s, and really made waves on both the scenes in London and Kingston! All cuts are from the original run of gems from Studio One – and titles include "Voodoo Moon", "Ska Shuffle", "Dr Ring Ding", "Got My Boogaloo", "Home Made", "Hot & Cold", "One Stop", "James Bond", and "Mr Flint". LP, Vinyl record album

A great pairing of funky talents old and new – 70s sound library legend Janko Nilovic on keyboards, and the totally hip Soul Surfers combo on rhythms – providing these great backdrops for some surprisingly wonderful work on organ, piano, and Rhodes from Janko! We'll confess, we didn't know what to expect – we love Janko's old records, but we're sure about recent material – but the album's a killer, and has all the sharp sense of rhythm and flair for the unusual electric bit that made the classic material so wonderful! The set was recorded in both Paris and Novgorod – and titles include "Sweet Path", "Maze Of Sounds", "It Never Ends", "Say It Softly", "Prelude", and "Wavy". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive record – and an instant legend the day it was released! Masters At Work host the beautiful meeting of a host legendary artists – Roy Ayers, George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Jocelyn Brown, Vince Montana, and others – all united in a magical session that brings Latin firmly back to the dancefloor with the power and majesty of the best 70s recordings! The whole thing's amazing – a fantastic mix of Latin, funk, jazz, and house that's inspired a whole new generation of musicians – and which has still yet to be duplicated years later! Includes the massive remake of "I Am the Blackgold of the Sun", plus "Runaway", "Sweet Tears", and the great cover of Bob James' "Nautilus". CD

A stone burner from 100 Proof Aged In Soul – a group who really take off with this tight second record! The album's a classic from the days when soul music ruled AM radio on both sides of the tracks – and the rest of the album is equally great – packing that tight post-Motown punch that made the Hot Wax label one of the best proponents of Detroit soul in the 70s! Arrangements are by a huge amount of early 70s heavyweights – McKinley Jackson, Paul Riser, and HB Barnum – and the set was produced by General Johnson and Greg Perry, in a style that soars along with the Chairmen Of The Board albums of the time. Titles include "Words", "I Don't Care If I Never Get Over You", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Ghetto Girl", "Nothing Sweeter Than Love", and "Don't You Wake Me". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch", "If I Could See The Light In The Window (version 2)", "My Piece Of The Rock (vocal)", "My Piece Of The Rock (inst)", and "I'm Mad As Hell (parts 1 & 2)". CD

One of the best-remembered groups from the Detroit scene of the early 70s – thanks to the massive title track on this album, and a whole host of other wonderful cuts as well! The group features the great Steve Marcus on vocals – an artist who'd cut some key Northern soul singles for smaller labels in the 60s – but who really bursts out of the box here with great presentation from the Holland Dozier Holland empire! The record features some great songs by General Johnson and Greg Perry – and Perry also handled some of the production work for the record – really pushing the group with the sort of full, rich sound the Chairmen Of The Board brought to their own work. Titles include "Somebody's Been Sleeping", "Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup)", "One Man's Leftovers", "Love is Sweeter", "Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number", and "Back Track". CD features five bonus tracks – "90 Days Freeze", "Somebody's Been Sleeping (UK single edit)", "If I Could See The Light In The Window (version 1)", "Driveway", and "Somebody's Been Sleeping (US single)". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Brilliant work from Pucho and his legendary Soul Brothers group of the 60s – a record that's beyond definition – as it combines Latin, soul, jazz, and even a few funky touches – all into one totally amazing sound! This one really gets all the elements right – and the fantastic Pazant Brothers (Eddie & Al) are on sax and trumpet (respectively), and a young Neal Creque is on piano, really bringing a sharp edge to Pucho's groove that other Latin combos of the time never had – and the set also features some vocals by Jackie Soul on a few cuts, who's a great singer that really helps cross a few cuts over into Latin Soul territory. Titles include the soul jazz cuts "Heat" and "Psychedelic Pucho", plus other great Latin soul cuts, like "Payin' Dues" and "Candied Yam". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Pucho's mid 90s comeback albums – not a bad set of grooves overall, with a number of tracks that almost reach the strength of his earlier work. A few of these numbers fall a bit flat, but overall, things are pretty good – and the Pazant Brothers have returned to working with Pucho, so the set's got some great work in the horn department! Includes covers of "Sex Machine", "Trouble Man", "Milestones", and "Slippin Into Darkness" – plus the cust "Guaguanco", "Pucho's Descarga II", "Zebula", and "Rip A Dip". CD

Great stuff from Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers – still grooving hard in the early 70s, with a nice mixture of Latin funk and sweet 70s jazz grooving. The group's as strong as ever – and still features the amazing Pazant Brothers, as well as William Blivins on vibes, Harold Alexander on flute, and Leo Williams on guitar. The best cuts have an uptempo groove that's right in the NuYorica vein – but even the mellower cuts have a strong dose of jazz and soul, very much in the vein of groups like Ocho. Features a version of Neal Creque's "Cease the Bombing", Kenny Burrell's "Chitterlings Con Carne", and a nice mellow version of Coltrane's "Naima". Also includes the great originals "Inside The Corn" and "Hard Hats"! (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.) LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A wealth of funky instrumentals – never issued before! Sam & The Soul Machine were a funky New Orleans combo that had a sound that was a heck of a lot like the Meters – dubby bass, tight snapping drums, and some warm and bubbling organ work that gave the music a sweetly soulful finish. This fantastic set of tracks was recorded in 1969 – right at the height of the Crescent City funk scene – but was never issued before, due to a strange twist of fate (not to mention the IRS!) Rough and ready – and a perfect slice of deep deep funk! 12 tracks in all – including "T-Time", "Stand", "Mercy D", "Slow Motion", "Wanted Alive", "Meditation", and "Thesis". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Quite possibly the best album ever from this fantastic funky combo! The band grooves hard and funky – with incredible drum work from Paul Stubblefield, tasty guitar from Walter Winston, and some famous funky flute and sax work from Gus Hawkins. Tracks on the album are rough and raw – with plenty of breakbeats, and some very tasty funky basslines that work perfectly with their choppy instrumental groove. A few tracks have vocals, but even those boast a real strength in the instrumental department – and very nicely keep up with the rest of the material. Titles include "Down In The Ghetto", "Burning Spear", "Express Yourself", "Soul", "Memphis Underground", and "Message From A Black Man". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

This Japanese group have certainly grown up a lot – and this beautiful album is their most mature in years! The combo is fronted by singer Ann Sally – whose English language vocals add a tremendous amount of sophistication to the record – snaking forth in a cool jazzy style that goes way past the easy bossa remake mode of earlier albums. Sally's voice is incredible, and it's mixed with a well-constructed set of backings by the group, music that is especially heavy in its use of Fender Rhodes! The track list is great, too – with wonderful remakes of Fred Neil's "The Dolphins", Flora Purim's "Light As A Feather", Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance", and Coltrane's "Naima". Sweet, mellow, jazzy, and wonderfully rich – the group's best album in years! Italian version of the album features 2 tracks not on the Japanese one – "Butterfly (Incognito rmx)" and "Sky (Soul Bossa Trio blue rmx)". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two beautiful albums by one of the greatest soul groups of all time! The Soul Children were a wonderful Memphis vocal group – with a two parts female/two parts male vocal style that just sounded incredible. All the members of the group were great singers, and the overall sound was a mixture of rootsy southern soul, and sweeter harmony sounds. There truly was no other group like them – and this CD brings together the band's first two, super-rare albums (which we almost never see on vinyl.) Titles include "I'll Understand", "Move Over", "The Hang Ups Of Holding On (parts 1 & 2)", "Don't Break Away", "Finish Me Off", "Doing Our Thang", "Take Up The Slack", and "Super Soul". Best Of Two Worlds is a beautiful album of Memphis soul by one of the sweetest vocal groups ever to come out of the south! The record's a bit more complicated than some of their earlier ones, and features some nice tracks with a more extended style, and more sophisticated arrangements that work great with the group's rich harmonies. Includes "The Hang Ups Of Holding On (parts 1 & 2)", "Wrap It Up", "Let's Make A Sweet Thing Sweeter", "Don't Break Away", and "Give Me One Good Reason Why". CD

The a-side's a great Stax Records groove from the excellent Soul Children – a track that mixes their wonderful male/female harmonies with warm electric piano lines, and a midtempo groove that really lets the vocal solos soar! "Put Me In The Mood" is a piano-driven romper with an easygoing groove – a bright, sunny number that's topped with this warmly crackling vocal from Sylvia – who really sends the whole thing over the top! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

A masterpiece of east coast vocal group soul – one of the best independent harmony albums of the early 70s! Soul Generation had a fantastic approach – a style that was both sweet and tough at the same time, done with slight gangster/pimp touches that set them apart from some of the other more fragile groups of their era. The album's produced and arranged to perfection by Stan Vincent – and nearly every single cut on the record is an instant classic. Starts out with the incredible "Super Fine" – one of our favorite harmony tracks of all time – then rolls into "That's The Way It's Got To Be (Body & Soul)", "Black Man", "Black Man", "Million Dollars", and "In Your Way". CD features 4 bonus tracks too – "Mandingo Woman", "I Wonder What She's Doin", "Key To Your Heart", and "Praying For A Miracle". CD

One of those great rare gospel albums from the modern soul generation – a time when the music had some of its strongest secular styles in the grooves – so much so, you might be hard-pressed to imagine these guys singing in a church! In fact, most of these tracks would be right at home in the clubs – as Soul Liberation have this upbeat modern soul approach that's wonderfully groovy – and which is made even better by their righteous lyrics – which often soft-pedal the religious message, but still use its current to give the music a strong sense of spirit – which is then matched by the equally uplifting sense of groove! Titles include "Send Me", "Heavenly Places", "Put On The Whole Armor", "Who Are You", "It Won't Go Away", and "Touch Me Again". CD

One of those great rare gospel albums from the modern soul generation – a time when the music had some of its strongest secular styles in the grooves – so much so, you might be hard-pressed to imagine these guys singing in a church! In fact, most of these tracks would be right at home in the clubs – as Soul Liberation have this upbeat modern soul approach that's wonderfully groovy – and which is made even better by their righteous lyrics – which often soft-pedal the religious message, but still use its current to give the music a strong sense of spirit – which is then matched by the equally uplifting sense of groove! Titles include "Send Me", "Heavenly Places", "Put On The Whole Armor", "Who Are You", "It Won't Go Away", and "Touch Me Again". LP, Vinyl record album

The Soul Motivators have always been great, but this record really sends them over the top – stepping out with a force that's really well-conceived – and a richer soul vibe than just the usual sort of funk combo with a female singer! There's all these great touches in the instrumentation, arrangements, and production that really keep things interesting – almost future funk, but still very true to the roots – yet at a level that provides a wonderfully fresh showcase for lead singer Shahi Teruko – whose presentation of the lyrics really takes off and soars! The record is definitely a cut above – and titles include "It Is What It Is", "One For The Heads", "Raise A Glass", "Power", and "Let's Do It Together". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing second album from The Soul Searchers – even harder, funkier, and rarer than the first! This one blows away everything else the group have ever done – as the record has an angular approach that has the band taking a lot of weird twists with the grooves, creating these dark jazzy edges that have forever made the album a favorite with fans of deep-thinking funk! The massively funky sound of the group's debut are further increased here by a hipper, more sophisticated approach to rhythm and soul – one that's got the group flowing through warm moments one minute, then cutting things into deeper, sharper tones the next. Titles include the sublime "Ashley's Roachclip", a famous BDP sample from way back – plus the cuts "I Rolled It You Hold It", "Blow Your Whistle", "Funk To The Folks", "Ain't It Heavy", and "If It Ain't Funky". LP, Vinyl record album

The great Roy Ayers joins Soul Society for this classic 90s set – a record that was really forging deep funk territory years before Daptone, Colemine, and all the contemporary labels got into the game! Soul Society's a German collective of musicians and singers with a great ear for 70s grooves, but who also do just the right job of updating the music too – and they wisely chose Roy Ayers' vibes to help shade in all sorts of great aspects of this albums – bringing Roy back from almost-retirement, at a time when most of the rest of the world wasn't giving him a chance to record! Titles include remakes of "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", "Funky Nassau", and "Smiling Faces" – plus "Feed Me Your Love", "Spaced Out", "Pusher", and "Money Mad". CD

A great mix of classic covers and original tracks – all served up with a mellow groove and plenty of influence from Jamaican music! Years back, Soul Sugar were more of a jazzy funk combo – but over the years, they've evolved into more of a reggae/rocksteady mode – one that's a perfect setting for the Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards handled by Guillaume Metenier – a player who solos strongly on the instrumental tracks, then steps back a bit more on the few vocal numbers that grace the set! One of those, a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield classic "The Makings Of You", is worth the price of admission alone – and other tracks include "Black Byrd", "Happy Riddim", "Just A Little Talk", "Fly Away", and "Tubby's Ghost". LP, Vinyl record album

With AG, Pete Rock, and T-Max on "Queen (Hip Hop)" and Noel on "Still Searchin". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Only the first full album on Soul Tune, and the label's got themselves a set of All-Stars – a Swedish combo who seem driven by the talents of Niclas Wretelid – who plays drums, bass, keyboards, and even horns – emerging here as a one-man all-star all by himself! Yet there's also some good contributions by other members, too – especially singers Anna Thiam and Desmond Foster, who balance out the instrumental funk with some great vocal moments – especially Thiam, who's got a warmth and depth that's a nice change from some of the too-easy retro soul vocals we usually hear on records like this. Titles include "Day To Day", "Mother Nature", "World", "Don't Stop", "Spread The Message", "Natural Feeling", and "Latin Mama". LP, Vinyl record album

A real treat for Cannonball Adderley fans in the years after his passing – vintage live material recorded in 1960, right at a time when Adderley was really finding his groove! The lineup here features a classic quintet – with brother Nat on cornet, Victor Feldman on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – rolling out in a heavy soul jazz groove that's right up there with Cannon's best Riverside albums from the time! The tracks are longish, given the live setting – with energy to match his Live In San Francisco or Japan albums – and titles include "Big P", "One For Daddy O", "The Chant", "Azule Serape", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". CD

One of the funkiest cuts ever from reedman Harold Alexander – served up here in the 45rpm single version, which is short, tight, and really concentrates on the funky drums at the core – although still also topped with plenty of fierce funky flute from the man himself! Speaking of funky drums, Pretty Purdie is on the flipside with "Heavy Soul Slinger" – a cut that definitely earns its name, as the funky drums mix with great conga, massive bass, and this warm organ line that really sends the whole thing home! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Bad Bossa Nova is right – as Gene Ammons really hits a great groove here – one that's not exactly bossa, but which has lots of Latin and tropical touches! The session makes great use of 2 guitars at the same time – using that of Kenny Burrell for soulful rhythm, but also adding in Bucky Pizzarelli for some nice acoustic embellishments – in a mode that's similar to the soul jazz-com-bossa style used on records like Ike Quebec's Soul Samba or Charlie Rouse's Bossa Nova Bacchanal. The overall rhythms are a bit more complicated, and a bit more soul jazz based than those sets – with Hank Jones on piano, Oliver Jackson on percussion, and Al Hayes adding in some sweet extra bongo! Titles include the classic "Ca'Purange" – plus "Anna", "Yellow Bird", "Cae Cae", and "Moito Mato Grosso". Also issued under the title Jungle Soul! (Ca' Purange). LP, Vinyl record album

Steve Arrington's got a long long legacy in soul music – one that goes back to his late 70s work on Slave – but he also sounds completely contemporary here, working in collaboration with a whole host of producers who were no doubt influenced by his creations of the past, and help Arrington find a whole new vibe in his music! Tunes are often spare, and served up in a blend of vocals, beats, keyboards, and guitar – yet all elements are given some cool, crispy twists and turns through a host of hip hop elements and other contemporary modes – but all at a level that only seems to bring new live to Arrington's music, and not overwhelm it. The set features work from Mndsgn, Gifted & Blessed, J Rocc, Knxwledge, Devin Morrison, and others – and titles include "Love Knows", "Keep Dreamin", "Soulful I Need That In My Life", "Make A Difference", "Joys Of Love", "It's Alright", "Make Ya Say Yie", "You're Not Ready", "Good Mood", and "Work On It". LP, Vinyl record album

An early album as a leader from the great Roy Ayers – a set that captures the vibes man at a time when he'd been working on the west coast soul jazz scene, and was stepping into even greater fame in the group of Herbie Mann! Yet this set is definitely Roy's own – kind of an introduction to the more righteous sounds he'd pursue in the 70s, set up in an instrumental mode with great help from Herbie Hancock on piano, Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, and Hubert Laws on flute – all ultra-hip players who really bring a lot to the record! And despite the colorful cover, and its reference of a pop hit, there's a much deeper vibe going on here – on titles that include a great version of Jobim's "Wave" – done like we've never heard it before – plus the original cuts "What The People Say", "Lil's Paradise", and "A Rose For Cindy". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprising slice of work from the 70s – three different albums all released under various guises by Armenian American reedman Souren Baronian – all put out on his own Carlee label, and done in a very cool mix of styles! Baronian blows both familiar American horns and more exotic instrumentation – sometimes with snakey qualities that echo both Egyptian music and Klezmer, other times with different inflections depending on the setting – and that setting varies here depending on the different records – as they each have a slightly different vibe! These are the sort of sets that would have easily been missed otherwise – either thought of as some 70s knockoff, or watered-down material for the crowds at a tourist spot – but they're wonderful throughout, with a depth of expression that really holds on throughout all the albums. The set brings together the records Middle Eastern Soul by Bob Tashijan & Souren Baronian, The Exciting Music Of The Nor-Ikes by The Nor-Ikes featuring Souren Baronian, and Hye Inspiration by Bob Tashijan & Souren Baronian with The Oud Of John Tarpinian. LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a record from bassist Aston Barrett – best known for his work behind Bob Marley during the classic years, but stepping out here as a powerful force on his own – away from the late Great One, and recording here either under his own name, or with The Wailers! As the title implies, these tunes are all instrumentals – work from the pre-dub years, then later work from that generation – a time when the bass was even more crucial than ever, and kind of the glue that could hold together a really great dub! Some tracks were issued on Aston's own Fam's label, and others are from a variety of other obscure 45s from the time – titles that include "Gideons High", "Soul Constitution", "Guided Missile", "Work", "Family Man Skank", "Cobra Style (disco mix)", "Well Pleased (disco mix)", "Tribute To Y Mas Gan", "Rebel Am I", "Distant Drums Version", "Ixes", and "Steppers Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Recent genius from the true king of Latin Soul – the mighty Joe Bataan, sounding every bit as great now as he did back in the day! Bataan gets some very hip backing from Los Fulanos – a Barcelona-based combo who help recreate the tight sound of Joe's early grooves from the late 60s, with just a touch of the funk he picked up in the 70s too – a really great blend that helps Bataan breath fresh new life into a range of classics from years back. The set list includes some of our favorite Latin Soul gems from Joe, and both the rhythms and production styles are completely faithful to the originals – but also aren't just simple copycat versions either. After so many years in obscurity, it's great to see Bataan back in action so strongly – cooking it hard and heavy on cuts that include "Latin Soul Square Dance", "Gypsy Woman", "Mestizo", "The Bottle", "Johnny's No Good", "Special Girl", "Subway Joe", "Puerto Rico Me Llama", and "Rap O Clap O 2008". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Lurrie Bell just seems to get better and better with age – taking on a depth of tone in his guitar work that definitely marks his long years on the Chicago scene! This set's got Lurrie in mostly a small combo mode – singing and playing guitar with just a bit of organ, bass, and drums – plus additional horns and harmonica on a few other cuts. Titles include "Blues In My Soul", "My Little Machine", "South Side To Riverside", "If It's Too Late", and "Blues Never Die". CD

(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.) LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure session for Big Maybelle, but a great one too – a record that has her moving past the melancholy blues of her earlier work, into a lively gospel-based mode that's surprisingly great for her voice! The sound is quite upbeat and joyous – in a style that really has Maybelle's voice soaring to the skies – supported by arrangements from Alan Lorber and John Jacobs that are a bit like some of the backings Jackie Wilson received at Brunswick, including some additional chorus support. Tunes are a mix of gospel standards and a few secular tracks as well – and titles include "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen", "Do Lord", "Dry Bones", "Down By The Riverside", and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible full length debut from vocalist Mario Biondi – a jazz singer we'd rank right up there with the legendary Mark Murphy – supported here with great backings from the High Five Quintet! The grooves here are in a soaring, tightly-stepping style – very much the best club jazz mode of the contemporary European scene – with all-acoustic instrumentation, and rhythms that move along at a really great dancefloor pace! Mario's vocals are really unique too – with a little rasp that catches slightly, and really brings a timeless quality to his voice – mixing personal feeling into the lively numbers on the album, with an unexpected depth that really makes the album stand out from similar sessions of this type! There's echoes of hip vocal jazz work from years past by artists like The Peddlers, Bobby Cole, or Mark Murphy – and titles include "A Child Runs Free", "No Mercy For Me", "This Is What You Are", "I Can't Keep From Cryin Sometimes", "Rio De Janeiro Blue", "Handful Of Soul", "On A Clear Day", "Never Die", "No Trouble On The Mountain", "Slow Hot Wind", and "Gig". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Walter Bishop's greatest records – an amazing session that's as funky as it is spiritual – and quite different than most of Bishop's other work! The vibe here is wonderful – as Bish plays a host of keyboards, not just piano – and works in the company of other players who include Ronnie Laws on reeds, Gerald Brown on bass, Woody Murray on vibes, and Shakur M Abdulla on percussion – a beautiful mix of cats who help Walter carry off some of his hippest recordings of the time! The use of vibes is especially nice alongside the electric piano – and titles include a great take on Bishop's classic "Soul Village", done here in a nice funky version – plus a version of "Summertime" with Bishop on organ, and the titles "Sweet Rosa", "Those Who Chant", and "N'Dugu's Prayer". CD

... CD

A great little record from Booker T and group – often overlooked amidst the range between Green Onions and Melting Pot, but a very strong album of soulful Memphis instrumentals all the way through! Book's organ is bubbling hot, and the band's tight rhythm style works in a perfect laid-back mode to push the group way past the stock grooves of earlier albums – thanks to great work from the rest of the combo too. There's some mighty nice rhythm changes on this one, and a good range of non-pop tunes like "Night Owl Walk", "Chinese Checkers", "Soul Dressing", "Tic Tac Toe", "Outrage", "Home Grown", "Big Train", "Jelly Bread", and "Plum Nellie". CD

A great little record from Booker T and group – often overlooked amidst the range between Green Onions and Melting Pot, but a very strong album of soulful Memphis instrumentals all the way through! Book's organ is bubbling hot, and the band's tight rhythm style works in a perfect laid-back mode to push the group way past the stock grooves of earlier albums – thanks to great work from the rest of the combo too. There's some mighty nice rhythm changes on this one, and a good range of non-pop tunes like "Night Owl Walk", "Chinese Checkers", "Soul Dressing", "Tic Tac Toe", "Outrage", "Home Grown", "Big Train", "Jelly Bread", and "Plum Nellie". LP, Vinyl record album

Very hip work from Booker T & The MGs – an album that has them standing out under a pier by the ocean on the cover – clearly a long way from their Memphis roots! The sound here still has a good dose of those roots, though – but it also shows them picking up some hipper rhythmic touches too – heard most famously on the title tune, "Soul Limbo" – which is a great number to signal the more open styles in the group's approach. Other hip originals on the set include "Heads Or Tails" and "Over Easy" – and the record also sports some great covers that include "La La Means I Love You", "Eleanor Rigby", and "Hang Em High", which they do in a nice western vein! LP, Vinyl record album

Two killer cuts from the late 60s Latin soul years at Columbia Records – both great! Sonny Bravo takes on Archie Bell's "Tighten Up", but in a way that's even harder and funkier than the original – thanks to some heavy conga at the bottom, and a very badass East Harlem sort of presentation! "We Got Latin Soul" is one of the heaviest Mongo Santamaria cuts from the time – a track that's drenched in the Latin Soul of the title, with killer percussion, and mighty nice vocals! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A set that's got all the classic soul vibe you might guess from the title and the cover, but one that's also got some more contemporary elements too – as Bella Brown and the group weave together strands of soulful influences from many decades – all with the feeling as if a 60s act on Atlantic Records were brought forward in time to hear a bit of Afro Funk from the 70s, Brand New Heavies from the late 80s, and other sweet bits which they then brought back to influence their sound! Bella's a very strong singer in the lead, able to shift things into her own mode way past standard retro soul approaches – and titles include "Bang Bang Bang", "Lady Time", "What Will You Leave Behind", "Soul Clap", "There Is Love", and "Fast As Lighting". LP, Vinyl record album

Raw soul, indeed – a term that could have been coined for James Brown's vocal approach, and which probably makes one of its first appearances here on a record! The album's kind of a grab bag of earlier sides that James recorded for King, but it's a perfect showcase for his amazing sound in any setting – as it brings together funky bits with more straightforward soul numbers. Tracks include the great funky numbers "Money Won't Change You" and "Bring It Up", both of which show the new hard sound of James coming to the forefront – plus the tracks "Stone Fox", "Tell Me That You Love Me", "Money Won't Change You (parts 1 & 2)', "Let Yourself Go", and the hip message cut "Don't Be A Drop Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A different James Brown album – but a nice one! James doesn't sing soul, so much as jazz – in front of large backings by Louis Bellson, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that are in his best 60s soul mode – and which give the album a very very groovy feel overall! The record's not funky, but James' vocals are plenty darn soulful – and the album is proof that he could be a huge talent in just about any mode that he chose – shining with a brilliance that was irrepressible! James covers a few of his older tracks on the album, and sings a few other pop standards – and titles include nice versions of "It's Magic", "The Man In The Glass", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "That's My Desire", and "I Need Your Key (To Turn Me On)". LP, Vinyl record album

A different James Brown album – but a nice one! James doesn't sing soul, so much as jazz – in front of large backings by Louis Bellson, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that are in his best 60s soul mode – and which give the album a very very groovy feel overall! The record's not funky, but James' vocals are plenty darn soulful – and the album is proof that he could be a huge talent in just about any mode that he chose – shining with a brilliance that was irrepressible! James covers a few of his older tracks on the album, and sings a few other pop standards – and titles include nice versions of "It's Magic", "The Man In The Glass", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "That's My Desire", and "I Need Your Key (To Turn Me On)". CD features the previously unissued bonus track "There Was A Time" – plus the full, unedited versions of 4 other tracks – appearing here for the first time ever! CD

A rare TK Records effort from James Brown – very much in the best uptempo funk mode of the later Polydor years! The groove here is quite similar to those better-known efforts – grooves that are a bit quicker than a few years before, but still played in a core JB funky style – live and lively, with plenty of emphasis on the rhythms! Brown often referred to his style here as disco, but it's a lot more like some of the P-Funk progressions of the period – a mode that's more polished than a grittier funky generation, yet far from smooth club or disco overall. There's plenty of choppy little groovers that make the record great – and titles include the long cut "Rapp Payback", plus "Funky Men", "Smokin & Drinkin", "Stay With Me", and "Mashed Potatoes". CD

A rare TK Records effort from James Brown – very much in the best uptempo funk mode of the later Polydor years! The groove here is quite similar to those better-known efforts – grooves that are a bit quicker than a few years before, but still played in a core JB funky style – live and lively, with plenty of emphasis on the rhythms! Brown often referred to his style here as disco, but it's a lot more like some of the P-Funk progressions of the period – a mode that's more polished than a grittier funky generation, yet far from smooth club or disco overall. There's plenty of choppy little groovers that make the record great – and titles include the long cut "Rapp Payback", plus "Funky Men", "Smokin & Drinkin", "Stay With Me", and "Mashed Potatoes". CD

A killer record from bassist Paul Brusger – a set that features plenty of great work from Eric Alexander on tenor and alto – the latter an instrument that he's really begun to embrace in recent years! The rest of the group is wonderful too – Steve Davis on trombone, Rick Germanson on piano, and Willie Jones III on drums – a combo with a hard-swinging energy, and lots of individual identity in the way each member expresses themselves within the group – no egos getting in the way of the groove, even though the musicians themselves are an all-star group! Yet credit should really be given to Brusger for not only pulling the whole thing together, but also composing most of the material for the set – really great tunes that bristle with fresh life and vision, on selections that include "A Slice Of Gryce", "Just A Tadd More Please", "Do Dreams Really Matter", "The Sugar Glider", and "Blues For Another Time". CD

Beautiful uptown soul from Jerry – with pre Gamble-Huff arrangements by Jo Renzetti and Jimmy Wisner. The tracks do a great job of maintaining the perfect Iceman sound from Jerry's late Vee Jay years, yet also hint nicely at the direction to come. Titles include "You Walked Into My Life", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Some Kind Of Magic", "The Way Of Love", and "Why Did I Lose You". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from one of Brazil's greatest soul singers of the 70s – an album of rich feeling that's a wonderful bridge between American soul music and some of the sophisticated song stylings of the MPB generation! Cassiano's somewhere in the territory of contemporary Tim Maia – but is a bit smoother and more sophisticated – more of a mature soul mode next to Maia's rougher funk – served up here with impeccable arrangements that really draw from all the best changes in Brazilian music during the early 70s. The album includes the funky "Central Do Brasil", the extended midtempo groover "Onda", the semi-hit "Hoje E Natal", and the cuts "De Bar Em Bar", "Ana", "A Lua E Eu", and "Salve Essa Flor". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

An odd collection of tracks, but they're all great, and the set's an excellent batch of some of Chandler's harder-to-find material from the mid and late 60s! The tracks are pulled from his years at Chess, Brunswick, and Mercury (one of the advantages of the recent Universal/Polygram merger!) – and there's a total of 10 songs, including "Rainbow '65 (part 2)", "To Be True", "Groovy Situation", "I Won't Need You", "Think Nothing About It", "From The Teacher To The Preacher", "To Be A Lover", "I Fooled You This Time", "River Of Tears", and "Nothing Can Stop Me". CD

A wonderful chapter in the career of Ray Charles – and a key album in helping raise his respect level a notch or two in the early 60s! We might argue with the mathematics in the title – or at least joke that Ray was using equations as titles years before Anthony Braxton – but you can't contest the fact that this one's a classic treat, and a legendary attempt to class up Ray's bluesy style for the masses. Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns handled the arrangements, and given that the record was issued by ABC a few years before they brought Ray into a country mode, it's interesting to think what might have happened had his career continued this way. There's only a small number of vocal tracks on the record, and most of the rest feature Ray at the organ, grooving away very nicely! Titles include "One Mint Julep", "Moanin", "I've Got News For You", "Mister C", and "Stompin Room Only". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Four classic albums from UK singer Tina Charles – an artist who mixes older vocal touches with the swirling sounds of the legendary Biddu – in a groove that's got a heck of a lot to offer! Tina never was one of the most underground singers of her generation – but it's her confidence in that fact that makes this music so great – an unabashed love of the poppier sounds of the dancefloor, in a way that beautifully mixes together 70s AM sensibilities with the growing sounds of the disco movement. Biddu's a great choice for the project – as the use of light strings and disco grooves resonates with his own solo work, but also maybe has more of a crossover focus, thanks to Tina's poppy vocals in the lead! The 2CD set features the full albums I Love To Love, Dance Little Lady, Heart N Soul, and Just One Smile – with a total of 40 tracks in all. CD

... CD

With Art Porter on alto sax, Roscoe Mitchell on flute, Soprano and alto sax, Odies Williams on bass, and Ernie Adams on drums. CD

Jeff Clayton on alto saxophone, soprano, and tenor saxophone, and flute, Bill Green on alto and tenor saxophone, Rickey Woodard on tenor saxophone, Charlie Owens on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Lee Callet on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, George Bohanon, Ira Nepus, and Thurman Green on trombone, Maurice Spears on bass trombone, Bobby Bryant, Clay Jenkins, Oscar Brashear, Ray Brown, and Snooky Young on trumpet and flugelhorn, Bill Cunliffe on piano, Jim Hershman on guitar, John Clayton on arco bass, Herb Mickman on double bass, and Jeff Hamilton on drums. CD

Hey, don't hold Wayne Cochran's hair against him – because he's one massively soulful dude, despite a high white pompadour – and really knew how to rock the clubs back in the 60s! Cochran's a really unique figure – working with a look that was whiter-than-white, but coming across with a groove that was right up there in the best funky soul mode of the time! Wayne played for the same sort of crowds that went to see Baby Huey & The Babysitters – blending together soul and R&B influences with a really party-oriented groove laid down by his legendary CC Riders backup group – and crossing countless borders along the way, all in pursuit of a socking soul sound! This wonderful set is the best we've ever seen on his music – and features tracks pulled from his sessions for King, Chess, and Mercury – plus a full never-issued live album for King, titled The Wayne Cochran Show. There's more than a few covers here of other 60s soul tunes, but Wayne somehow manages to make most of them sound even better than the originals – bringing in funky arrangements that weren't even used on the hits, and making us wish we'd had a chance to catch his cooking show back in the day. 38 tracks in all – with titles that include "Dance To The Music", "Hold On I'm Coming", "Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa (Sad Song)", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Hard To Handle", "Chopper 70", "Everybody", "Let Me Come With You", "My Machine", "Get Ready", "Which One Should I Choose", "I'm In Trouble", "The Peak Of Love", "Somebody Please", "I'm Leaving It Up To You", and "Big City Woman". CD

With Al Cohn on tenor sax, Zoot Sims on tenor and soprano sax, Jaki Byard on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. CD

With Al Cohn on tenor sax, Zoot Sims on tenor and soprano sax, Jaki Byard on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A wonderful session of soul jazz – and totally obscure! The album's one of a rare few cut by organist Gloria Coleman – an obscure east coast player who was also the wife of tenorist George Coleman, and who follows wonderfully in a strong tradition of female organists that includes Trudy Pitts and Shirley Scott. Even hipper is the fact that Gloria's quartet has a female drummer – the firey Pola Roberts, who's got a light touch on the kit that makes the cuts dance nicely. And even still hipper is the fact that that group is completed by Grant Green on guitar and Leo Wright on alto – both of whom groove in a totally tight soul jazz mode that resembles their best work from the early 60s. The session's a wonderful burner, of the sort that you'd proudly display in a collection of 60s soul jazz – and it's filled with excellent original cuts like "Quee Baby", "Hey Sonny Red", "Melba's Minor", and "Funky Bob". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great project from Tito Puente – maybe not his only collaboration with Celia Cruz, but maybe one of the best – a top-to-bottom album of unified vision, topped with sublime vocals from the legendary lady! The set was arranged and produced by Tito – and brings together tunes that are maybe a bit rootsier than some of his other work – that return to tradition that Puente was clamoring for as the 70s began, as a way of shaking off what he felt were the worse influences of the Latin Soul youngsters (not something we agree with ourselves!) The vibe of the album is quite different than its 1970 date – more like something from pre-Castro Havana at times, but with an updated, more sophisticated sense of arrangements and percussion. Titles include "Guiro 6/8", "Chango", "Alguien Vendra", "Cuyi", "Sahara", "Elegua", and "Salsa De Tomate". LP, Vinyl record album

Sam Dees was one of the greatest unsung talents in 70s soul music – an important writer, arranger, and general background talent who helped so many other singers hit the heights – but who hardly ever issued much work under his own name! Apart from key singles and an important album on Atlantic, the recorded legacy of Dees isn't what it should be – given his impact on music, especially deep soul – but fortunately, sets like this have come along to correct that lack! As part of Sam's creative process, he would often record songs first on his own – not as rough demo tracks, but as surprisingly well done studio versions to illustrate the material – tracks that were often better than later versions of his tunes, and most of the other commercial soul on the market. This sweet set brings together 12 of those tracks – private recordings from Sam, of songs he'd later give to singers like Loletta Holloway, Ben E King, and others – an essential record from the great Dees, pressed up on super-heavy vinyl! Titles include the previously unissued "Married But Not To Each Other" – plus "Good Guys Don't Always Win", "Who Are You Gonna Love", "Con Me", "Only Lonely People", "False Alarms", "Standing In The Wings Of A Heartache", "The World Don't Owe You Nothing", and "Black Tattler". LP, Vinyl record album

A solid and decades spanning double dose set of classic and less canonized gems from African sax legend Manu Dibango – 2CDs with material recorded from the mid 70s to early 00s! It's got blueprint level 70s Afro Soul, timeless African boogie, sultry, kinda jazzy groovers with Afro percussive elements, European dancefloor influenced numbers and more – well chosen to highlight his stylistic sprawl over the years! 30 tracks on 2CDs: "Bessoka (Version Courte)", "Lagos Go Slow", "A La Claire Fontaine", "Waka Juju", "The Panther", "Soul Makossa (Manu Version)", "Ambiance Tropika", "Aloko Party", "Reggae Makossa" "Negropolitaines", "Gombo Sauce", "Mboa", "Tek Time" and many more. CD

A group with a name that might not easily roll of the tongue, but one who've got a sublime harmony sound that's wonderfully fluid overall – a combination of nine young voices from the scene in Soweto, working without any other instrumentation at all! The combination of vocals almost takes us back to the sound of Take 6 on their first album – and as with that group, the message here is spiritual, but not entirely pointed at the church – with much more of a universal appeal that's perfect for the subtly righteous power of the harmonies! Titles include "Too Late For Mama", "Nomalizo", "My Brother", "Who Knows", "Sip", and "Baninzi". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Douglas on trumpet, Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Joshua Roseman on trombone, Greg Tardy on clarinet, bass clarinet and tenor saxophone, Uri Caine on piano, James Genus on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. Tracks are a mix of originals and compositions by Mary Lou Williams. CD

Two sublime early tracks from pianist George Duke – both from his first MPS album, never issued in the US! "My Soul" has this great rolling groove, with congas from Armando Peraza giving things a nice Latin vibe – as George plays both piano and Fender Rhodes together, for a very warm sound! "Au Right" has lots more great Rhodes – a killer solo that bumps along beautifully over funky drums! 7-inch, Vinyl record