... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic early work from Al Hudson – a record that's kind of a first chapter to all the excellent work by One Way to come – even though Al's not using that group name at this time! The record's got this cool, classy vibe – an update of an earlier Detroit soul mode, and one that maybe followed that city's shift a few years later than 70s soul changes in Philly during the decade – and handled with a similar blend of groovers and mellow cuts! The vibe is similar to the great shift The Dramatics were making on ABC Records at the time – and Al and the group work here with production by Al Perkins and arrangements by Jimmy Roach. Titles include "Baby Let Me Love You", "I Got A Notion You Got The Motion", "Real Love", "You're So Wonderful", and "Trying To Prove My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Two fantastic early albums by Al Hudson – working here with his initial group, The Soul Partners! First up is Especially For You – a record that's kind of a first chapter to all the excellent work by One Way to come – even though Al's not using that group name at this time! The record's got this cool, classy vibe – an update of an earlier Detroit soul mode, and one that maybe followed that city's shift a few years later than 70s soul changes in Philly during the decade – and handled with a similar blend of groovers and mellow cuts! The vibe is similar to the great shift The Dramatics were making on ABC Records at the time – and Al and the group work here with production by Al Perkins and arrangements by Jimmy Roach. Titles include "Baby Let Me Love You", "I Got A Notion You Got The Motion", "Real Love", "You're So Wonderful", and "Trying To Prove My Love". Cherish is a funky soul classic from Al Hudson and the Soul Partners – a second full length set, and one that really has Hudson finding his groove! The rhythms are funkier than before – thanks to strong work on bass from Kevin McCord, who also joins Al a bit on vocals – in a mode that still continues the group's strong work on midtempo numbers, but also maybe answers a 70s disco wave with more of a Detroit funk overall! Great work from the group that would later turn into One Way – with titles that include "Tripped, Slipped, Stumbled, & Fell", "If You Get Caught", "If You Feel Like Dancing", and "I Like Everything About You". CD also features bonus tracks – "Feelings (7" version)" and "If You Feel Like Dancin (12" version)". CD

Joyous, bouncy sounds from the legendary Al Hudson – a sweet little set with his Soul Partners group, done in a mode that's right up there with the best music of his One Way combo! The grooves are uptempo, yet are much more rooted in ensemble funk than some of the disco of Al's contemporaries – and if anything, the album really shows a great evolution from the funk bands of the previous generation to a newer, more sophisticated style overall. Hudson's work at the helm is wonderful – and helps steer the group towards some nice mellow moments too – with arrangements from Kevin McCord, Rudy Robinson, and Dave Roberson. Alicia Myers serves up some great early vocals with the group – and titles include "I Don't Want You To Leave Me", "Another Love Song", "You Can Do It", "In The Basement", "Call Me", and "Rock". CD features a bonus track – "You Can Do It (disco mix)". CD

A pair of ABC Records gems from Al Hudson & The Soul Partners – back to back on a single CD! Spreading Love is 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". Happy Feet is joyous, bouncy sounds from the legendary Al Hudson – a sweet little set with his Soul Partners group, done in a mode that's right up there with the best music of his One Way combo! The grooves are uptempo, yet are much more rooted in ensemble funk than some of the disco of Al's contemporaries – and if anything, the album really shows a great evolution from the funk bands of the previous generation to a newer, more sophisticated style overall. Hudson's work at the helm is wonderful – and helps steer the group towards some nice mellow moments too – with arrangements from Kevin McCord, Rudy Robinson, and Dave Roberson. Alicia Myers serves up some great early vocals with the group – and titles include "I Don't Want You To Leave Me", "Another Love Song", "You Can Do It", "In The Basement", "Call Me", and "Rock". CD

A groovy LP that features this swinging 60s keyboardist playing his versions of some of the bigger soul covers of the day! The album features Hyman on piano, organ, and clavinette, and he's playing with "The Group", a tight little combo that gives him a hip kind of mod edge that wasn't heard on some of his earlier albums. Tracks include "Chain of Fools", "Sweet Sweet Soul", "Soul Man", and "Honey Chile". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Arranged and conducted by Johnny Pate. 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Surprisingly funky at times – and beautifully produced, too! Titles include "Funk #49", "Woman", "The Bomber", "Closet Queen", "Thanks", "Ashes In The Rain & I", and "Tend My Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

A split 70s LP – with two earlier classics! First up is How I Feel About Jazz – an important early album from Quincy Jones! Q's working here in some of his hippest settings of the 50s – scoring longish versions of jazz tunes for groups that include players like Lucky Thompson on tenor, Herbie Mann on flute, Art Farmer on trumpet, Phil Woods and Gene Quill on alto sax, Hank Jones on piano, and even Charles Mingus on bass! As with most Jones albums of the time, Quincy has a way of making a bigger group sound nice and lean – hitting some especially nice edges along with the rhythms, and really showing the way towards a new soulful sound for a bigger band. Titles include a sublime 10 minute version of "Walkin" that kicks off the album with a great soulful groove – plus original tunes "Evening In Paris", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Boo's Blues", as well as a version of Cannonball Adderley's "Sermonette". Next is Quintessence – a very soulful set of big band material from Quincy Jones – recorded during that tight early 60s period when his arrangements just couldn't fail! The album's his only session for Impulse, and it's got a slightly deeper style than his work from the time for Mercury – a bit more sophisticated, with nice modern touches that take the tunes in surprising directions. Part of the greatness of the set lies in the players – as the album features work by Curtis Fuller, Thad Jones, Stu Martin, Freddie Hubbard, Patty Brown, Phil Woods, and Jerome Richardson – and titles include "Robot Portrait", "Hard Sock Dance", "The Twitch", and "For Lena & Lennie". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

An excellent set by BB King – one of his best from the 60s, and a smoking live set recorded at Chicago's legendary Regal Theatre! The enthusiasm at the venue shows that BB's Memphis-honed style is a perfect fit for the electrified Chicago sound of the 60s – and the recording really brings out some wonderful responses from the audience – making the record a blues equivalent of James Brown's famous Live At The Apollo set! The record features introductions by Chicago DJs Pervis Spann and E Rodney Jones – and tracks include "Every Day", "Please Love Me", "Worry Worry", "Woke Up This Morning", "Help The Poor", and "You Upset Me Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "You Move Me So", "No Money No Luck", "I Need Your Love", "Rainin' All The Time", "I'm With You", and "Stop Putting The Hurt On Me". 7-inch, Vinyl record

2 great girl soul numbers from Chicago – both arranged and produced by Johnny Pate, and written by the team of Valerie Simpson, Nick Ashford, and Jo Armstead! "Lookie Lookie" has a sweet sing-song kind of finish, but is sung with some nice rough vocals – and "We Find Him Guilty" has a sinister edge, almost Exciters-like! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Two rockin instrumentals with heavy sax and organ work! "Late Date" has a nice creeping feel that's in keeping with the name – a bit R&B-ish, with a good kind of jazz club groove! "Get It" has a lighter touch on the keys, but is still quite nice – with a rolling rocking approach, and a nice bit of vocalization! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Strong small group work from Raney – recorded in his mid 50s prime! The "Three Attitudes" in the title are Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, and Red Mitchell – each of whom play with Raney in one of the album's different groupings. Most tunes are cut in quartet or quintet format, with a bop-driven groove – and Raney's got that wonderful tone he was sporting at the time, hard, yet still with a lot of warmth. Titles include "Fanfare", "So In Love", "On The Rocks", "Up In Quincy's Room", and "Passport To Pimlico". LP, Vinyl record album

Earlier recordings by Jimmy Reed, most likely done at the end of the 60s – but issued here for the first time in this 1973 package by Bluesway. Jimmy's working here in a mode that's almost rootsier than his more famous work for Vee Jay – singing with a really rough edge, and playing harmonica on most of the album's tracks. Al Smith handled production and wrote a number of tunes on the set, and Eddie Taylor is in the group on second guitar. Titles include "I Don't Know (parts 1 & 2)", "Got To Be A Reason", "Take Out Some Insurance", "World's Got A Problem", "If You Want It Done Right", "Turn Me On", and "Got Me Worried". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of Della Reese's greatest records – and a unique little session cut "live in the studio" before a very appreciative crowd! Bobby Bryant wrote out some very hip charts for the session, and they're made even better by organ work by Bill Doggett and piano lines by Gerald Wiggins – both of whom are in Della's group on the record. The whole thing's got a very nice groovy feel – similar to some of the best pop jazz coming out of LA at the time – and titles include "Gotta Travel On", "Girl Talk", "Driftin Blues", "Good Morning Blues", and "Detour Ahead". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Funky funky Bobby! "Gotta Have Money" is a fast bluesy number – done in a fast vamp mode, one that really works well with Bobby's vocals, and gives the tune an almost sock-boogaloo style. "Camel Walk" is the real groover though – with bass picking around a nice complicated groove, very jumping in that "camel walk" mode from the late 60s! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great 50s vocal session – for a number of reasons! One of the strongest is Patricia herself – a fresh-voice singer who's without hoke – backed by some moody arrangements from the Creed Taylor Orchestra. Even better is the selection of tunes – which includes a number of really unusual songs that push past the obvious standards – many of them in a dark mood that really fits the theme of the album nicely. Titles include "Do It Again", "Wandering Swallow", "Why Baby Why", "Nothing At All", "Speed Of Light", "Just Once Around The Clock", and Patricia's own composition "Let's Sit Down & Talk It Over". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool lost group on late 60s ABC – a bit psych, with maybe a slight UK influence – able to turn out some nicely varied, but nicely focused songs throughout this debut set! The record's one of those great lost sides from the time – a group who've clearly got chops and plenty of ideas of their own – lucky enough to get some time in the studio with a label who gave them the space to try out new things – which they do to great effect here on both the lyrical and instrumental sides of the record! The set's got some larger arrangements by producer Bill Szymczyk – a name we don't know, but who also gives the record a superb sound overall – augmenting the ideas of the group in just the right way, while never burying their identity. Titles include "Custody" – a very strange song about divorce – plus "Not A Whole Lot I Can Do", "Long Haired Boy", "For All Time", "Come On Down Girl", "Walk In My Mind", "Skitzo Blues", and "Hours". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed masterpiece, and a record we never tire of hearing – unabashedly the inspiration for our years of jazzy exploration as adults, even though it was probably the closest thing we ever got to the genre as wee lads! Walter Becker & Donald Fagan raise their already-high bar to new heights here – creating one of those rare records that flows together so beautifully, it's hard to remember where some songs begin and others end. There's a sense of perfection in everything about the record – the sound, the songs, the instrumentation – all woven together beautifully without any sense of self-consciousness. One majestic flow that starts with "Black Cow", and runs through classics that include "Aja", "Deacon Blue", "Peg", "Home At Last", "I Got The News", and "Josie". LP, Vinyl record album

We've always considered Steely Dan one of the quintessential 70s "Album Oriented Rock" bands, in that all of there albums work so well as a whole, so the idea of a greatest hits collection doesn't exactly work for us. Still, taken out of context, these songs are still gems, and listening to them in sequence really lets you hear the groups progression from their intellectual rock roots to their later sophisticated jazz influenced style. 18 tracks in all: "Do It Again", "Reeling InThe Years", "My Old School", "Bodhisattva", "Show Biz Kids", "East St Louis Toodle Oo", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Pretzel Logic", "Any Major Dude", "Here At The Western World", "Black Friday", "Bad Sneakers", "Doctor Wu", "Haitian Divorce", "Kid Charlemagne", "The Fez", "Peg" and "Josie". CD

A tripped-out batch of freedom rock tunes – pulled together to accompany Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper's famous trip across the wasteland of late 60s America! The set includes Steppenwolf's anthemic "Born To Be Wild", as well as their "The Pusher" – plus "Kyrie Eleison" by The Electric Prunes, "Don't Bogart Me" by The Fraternity Of Man, "Wasn't Born To Follow" by The Byrds, "If You Want To Be A Bird" by The Holy Modal Rounders, and "It's Alright Ma" and "Ballad Of Easy Rider" by Roger McGuinn. LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty nice revival record from Roosevelt Sykes – cut many years after his late 40s hits, but done in a sweet small combo mode that sounds mighty nice! Instrumentation only includes guitar, bass, drums, and saxophone – along with Roosevelt's own piano – and the sax really gets in a fair bit of jazzy licks on the set, and really helps push the record past some of the college-cliche blues that was being recorded heavily at the same time. Tracks include "Double Breasted Woman", "44 Rifle Blues", "Dooky Chase Boogie", "Double Dirty Mother", "Persimmon Pie", and "I Wanna Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "One", "Mama Told Me Not To Come", "Easy To Be Hard", "Out In The Country", and "Eli's Coming". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Oh for the days of the "drop out" single! We're not sure why don't they ever make these any more, but this cut's a great reminder of the genre at its best – done with a simple message that never gets too complicated – set to upbeat and bouncing arrangements from Johnny Pate, who also penned the track! "Check My Tears" is more of a tune overall – one that starts with some nice Pate-esque woodwinds before the vocals, then builds into a beautiful Impressions-like mode! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A double album recorded for ABC after Charles left Warner Brothers and the 103rd Street Rhythm Band behind – but still very much an extension of that group's later stretched-out funky records! Nice long cuts with grooves that are a little bit more jazzy than his earlier 60's stuff. Tracks include the title cut, plus "You Threw It All Away", "1,2, 3, You & Me", and the extended "Nonsense", which takes up all of side 4. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little record from Bobby Blue Bland – quite different from his 60s sides for Duke/Peacock, and recorded in California (as you might guess from the title!) with a smoother more soulful approach that comes off surprisingly well! The style works well for Bobby – and kind of gave him a new lease on life during the 70s, as he mixed his rougher bluesy vocals with some hipper arrangements – still quite deep in soul, but with a compressed sound that creates a new mode of expression. Titles include "Goin Down Slow", "Up & Down World", "Help Me Through The Day", "Where My Baby Went", "Friday The 13th Child", "This Time I'm Gone For Good", and "I've Got To Use My Imagination". CD

Amazing work from the Blues Magoos – stretching way beyond their roots as a garage rock band! The album's free, open, with a really jazzy style that shows that these guys had been soaking up plenty of influences from the left end of the singer/songwriter spectrum – and had also been spending a lot of time learning how to play their instruments! At one level, the album's chock-a-block with hip tunes that veer into blue eyed soul territory – and at another, it's got some jazzy inflections that move into the mind-expanding territory reached by a rare few other rock/soul groups of the time. Percussion is wonderful on the set, and Pee Wee Ellis plays a lot of great sax on the set – and the real treat is excessive use of vibes, which makes for some cool sounds on a number of tracks. Includes the long groover "Can't Get Enough Of You", which features a great percussion breakdown in the middle – plus "Gulf Coast Bound", "Sea Breeze Express", "Magoo's Blues", "Tonight The Sky's About To Cry", and "Slow Down Sundown". CD

A great bit of work from the re-formed Blues Magoos – a new incarnation of the group that had a few early garage rock hits, and which on this set features some great work by Eric Kaz, who seems to add a hip singer-songwriter feel to the record. The group have clearly been listening to a lot of blues and blue eyed soul, but also seem to have picked up a jazzy edge too – one that shows up nicely on the album's use of vibes. These are heard to wonderful effect on the instrumental groover "Getting Off", the mellow swinging instrumental "Georgia Breakdown", and on the group's funky cover of Joe Cuba's great "El Pito – I'll Never Go Back To Georgia" CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Candido cut sooo many great Latin records over the years, spanning a wide range of styles, we have a hard time deciding which we love the best. We like to think this may be his best album from the early part of his career, specifically because it features the master conga player amidst a tight jazz lineup, who leave him plenty of room to solo and just plain get down doing his thing. Dick Hyman's on organ, Joe Puma's on guitar, and Ernie Royal's on trumpet, with George Duvivier and Charlie Persip in the rhythm section. 8 tracks in all, including "Afro Blue", "Caravan", "Softly But Blue", "Blue Lou", "Blue Prelude", "Bongo Baby", "Blue Dirge" and "Candido Cocktail". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest early albums recorded by Candido – done way before his later funky sides, and served up with plenty of unusual touches that set it apart from the usual 50s Latin set! Candi's very much in front of the arrangements on congas – hitting hard with a percussive fury that certainly marks his space – but he's also getting wonderful support from Manny Albam on arrangements, who brings in some searing solo work from players like Nick Travis, Phil Woods, and Ernie Royal – all of whom color the sound with some strong lines on their horns. And added to this too are some sparely-used vocal bits – scatting chorus passages that are never hokey, and expand out the tunes with a finger-snapping sound that's way better than you might expect! The record's one of the most subtle "with voices" efforts we've ever heard – and we love Albam's economical use of this element alongside the stronger jazz soloists. Titles are mostly traditional numbers, but they're transformed tremendously with this sound – as you'll hear on the album's versions of "Royal Garden Blues", "King Porter Stomp", "Ja Da", "Swinging The Blues", "Sweet Sue", and "Exactly Like You". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the best Ray Charles albums on ABC – if not one of the best Ray Charles albums of all-time. Ray's in his C&W mode here, but it's a bit more restrained than on other LPs, and is replaced here by a sophisticated style that works perfectly with his heartbreaking voice. Proof that Ray knew what he was doing when he said that he didn't want to cut any more crazy R&B records! Titles include "Teardrops From My Eyes", "Cry", "A Tear Fell", "You've Got Me Crying Again", and "I Cried For You". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little groover from Bill Doggett – recorded after his years at King Records, with a sound that's even more jazz based than his original work! The set features Doggett hitting the Hammond hard, on short instrumental grooves with a mixture of soul jazz and R&B lines to them. Players include Billy Butler on guitar, Elvin Shepard on alto and tenor, Andrew Ennis on tenor and baritone, and Charles Hatcher on percussion – and titles include "Fatso", "Mudcat", "The Kicker", "Ol Mose Blues", and "Oo Da". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A lost gem from Keith's "with horns" period – a quintet session from the mid 70s, recorded with a group that features Dewey Redman on tenor, plus Charlie Haden on bass, Paul Motian on drums and percussion, and Guilherme Franco on additional percussion. The feel is a bit straighter than Jarrett's excellent Death & The Flower set – as the tunes have a highly rhythmic component, and make good use of the extra percussion to create a flowing, organic groove. There's still a nice loose feel overall, though – almost a take on the loft jazz sound, especially at the moments when Jarrett goes a bit outside on piano. Titles include "Shades Of Jazz", "Southern Smiles", "Rose Petals", and "Diatribe". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

BB King live at the Cook County Jail in Chicago – and given the amount of great live shows going on in the institution during the early 70s, the jail must have been one hell of a place to be incarcerated! This classic features BB King entertaining the prisoners with a wickedly sharp blues set – done, like most prison live shows, with an edge that's often missing from more conventional concerts – plenty gritty, both on the vocals and guitar, with a sound the Chicago audience must have loved! Titles include "How Blue Can You Get", "Worry Worry", "Sweet Sixteen", "The Thrill Is Gone", "Please Accept My Love", and "Every Day I Have The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure one – with some very catchy LA soul grooves, and some strange Carribbean soul elements running through the mix. Nolan's got a voice that's hard to describe – a bit fey, a bit dramatic, but also rootsy at the same time – and the overall presentation of the album's pretty hard to describe without playing it. There's elements of southern soul, West Indian rhythms, and sweet LA production, touched with slight bits of rock. Titles include "Groovin Out On Life", "Oh Baby", "Crazy Love", "If I Could Only Be Sure", "Work It Out In The Morning", and "I Like What You Give". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic bit of 60s pop psych by Tommy Roe – an album that's got a dizzy, trippy image on the cover – but a nicely tight sound overall! The whole thing's put together with a top-shelf team of talents – producer Steve Barri, arranger Jimmie Haskell, and studio help that includes the great Hal Blaine on drums – whose work on the record creates some occasional snapping currents that make the whole thing a lot groovier than you might expect! These drums almost up a soul quotient from the bottom of the tunes – which makes for a wonderful surprise, and even makes things a bit funky too – while Tommy himself handles some great sing-song vocals over the top. Titles include "Heather Honey", "Cinnamon", "Dollar's Worth Of Pennies", "Makin Music", "Stormy", "Money Is My Pay", and "Dizzy". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album of tightly produced R&B-tinged fusion, headed up by keyboardist Joe Sample, riding high here on the fame of The Crusaders. The other members of the group drop in on the album, and the whole thing's very similar to their best work from the late 70s – but with more of a focus on keyboards. Titles include "Rainbow Seeker", "Fly With The Wings Of Love", "In All My Wildest Dreams", and the classic "There Are Many Stops Along The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

We've always considered Steely Dan one of the quintessential 70s "Album Oriented Rock" bands, in that all of there albums work so well as a whole, so the idea of a greatest hits collection doesn't exactly work for us. Still, taken out of context, these songs are still gems, and listening to them in sequence really lets you hear the groups progression from their intellectual rock roots to their later sophisticated jazz influenced style. 18 tracks in all: "Do It Again", "Reeling InThe Years", "My Old School", "Bodhisattva", "Show Biz Kids", "East St Louis Toodle Oo", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Pretzel Logic", "Any Major Dude", "Here At The Western World", "Black Friday", "Bad Sneakers", "Doctor Wu", "Haitian Divorce", "Kid Charlemagne", "The Fez", "Peg" and "Josie". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Ball Crusher", "Forty Days & Forty Nights", "Snow Bliend Friend", "Who Needs Ya", and "Earschplittenloudenboomer". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Very cool! This one's a great set of jazzy soundtrack-oriented material – all with a nice crime jazz or beatnik feel to them. Taylor directs the orchestra, which features arrangements by Bob Kenyon, and strong work by players Phil Woods, Jerome Richardson, Dick Hyman, and Tommy Mitchell. Tracks include "Dream Beat", "Lonely Girl", "Dark Street", "Lonelyville", and "Lonely Train". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Majestic music from the mighty Popcorn Wylie – the Detroit soul legend best known for his work in the 60s, but an artist who really shines on this rare 70s set for ABC! The album was done during the same stretch as Lamont Dozier's ABC work – and like those records, this set features killer arrangements and production from McKinley Jackson – who updates an older Detroit groove strongly, while still keeping all the real soul elements of Popcorn's music intact! Dozier helped a bit on some of the tunes, and the whole thing's got a soaring, joyous feel that's really wonderful – uptempo without being uptight, positive without sounding hokey, and perfectly in a unique space that's all its own. Gene Page and Paul Riser throw in a bit of soul on some tracks too – sweetening things up with just the right touches of strings and horns – and Popcorn's vocals are great, especially on some of the more hauntingly-constructed tunes. Titles include the massive "ESP", which begins with an echoey breakbeat, then rolls into a great hook – plus "Trust In Me", "How Did I Lose You", "Georgia's After Hours", "Lost Time", "I Can Take The World On With You", "Both Ends Against The Middle", and "Singing About You And Me". CD

Fantastic stuff from John Lee Hooker, and a record that's unlike any other he's ever done! The groove is very hard and funky, with tight drumbreaks and excellent basslines that you'd hardly expect to find on an album by a blues artist – jamming around with a tight groove that really makes us love the record! The guitar on the set is wonderfully scratchy – ripping up and down over heavy drums, with some nice horn touches to flesh the sound up – and wicked vocals from Hook that give the whole set a nice and nasty feel! The best cuts include "Make It Funky", "713 Blues", "714 Blues", and "Bluebird" – and the record's got some very nice breaks! LP, Vinyl record album

Personnel include Phi Woods on reeds, Harold Feldman on alto sax, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Mundel Lowe on guitar, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Osie Johnson on percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the few full albums ever cut by The Masqueraders – a stellar vocal group who recorded some excellent singles in the 60s, and were fortunate enough to be pulled into the big time by Isaac Hayes for his Hot Buttered Soul imprint on ABC! The band mixes their smooth Memphis style with some tighter arrangements by Ike and Lester Snell – and the result is a nice batch of modern soul tracks that keeps up the groove of the Hot Buttered sound nicely! Tracks include "Be For Real", "Runaway Slave", "It's A Terrible Thing To Waste Your Love", and "Love Between A Woman And A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Funk, soul, jazz, and plenty more – all wrapped up into this 70s masterpiece from Rufus – the kind of record that not only never gets old, but which still has folks wondering how the group could have gotten things this perfect all these many years later! Chaka Khan and the group are in sublime formation here – tight, but never slick – sublimely soulful, but never in a way that sounds like they're trying to copy anyone else at all – always in this unique blend of all the best elements from all their favorit styles, fused into a fresh new sound that's completely Rufus-like all the way through! Titles include the incredible track "Stop On By", plus the instrumental "Rufusized", "I'm A Woman", "Somebody's Watching You", "Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)", and "Right Is Right". LP, Vinyl record album

God, we love this record – and we're not ashamed to admit it! Sure, it sold a gazillion copies – and sure, for some folks it showed the true demise of the Crusaders ensemble. But for us, it's a masterpiece of smooth fusion, and a landmark album of easy jazz that spawned countless imitators that could never hope to match Sample's simple and elegant use of funky riffing and lyrical chords – coming in with just the right dash of darkness when the record's in danger of sounding too light. Most of the rest of the Crusaders had a hand in the record, and the set's got the smooth west coast sound you'd expect from the title. Tracks include "Carmel", "Cannery Row", "Sunrise", and "More Beautiful Each Day". CD