Two of the best Melvin Sparks albums on one CD – Sparks and Spark Plug! Sparks is a killer – one of the best from Prestige during the runaway classic years of the early 70s! Melvin Sparks is a genius guitarist, with a talent as rich as that of Grant Green, who's probably his most immediate precursor. He'd played in the groups of Lou Donaldson and Jack McDuff during the late 60s, but by the time of this release, he was breaking out on his own as one of the hottest funk guitarists in jazz. The group's an excellent one – and features Idris Muhammad on funky drums, Virgil Jones on trumpet, and the great Leon Spencer on organ. The tracks are nice and long, especially the original "The Stinker", and the cool cover of "Spill the Wine". Also includes a great funky cover of Sly Stone's "Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf". Spark Plug is more massive funkiness – and features a crack group of young heavy hitters like Sparks on guitar, Leon Spencer on organ, Grover Washington on tenor, and Idris Muhammad on drums – all wailing, just wailing, away on long funky tracks with solos that go waaaaay over the top! There's a full, extended brilliance here that has to be heard to be believed – an intensity of jazz funk energy that few groups or scenes in later years ever matched. Tracks include the wild "Conjunction Mars", "Spark Plug", and a funky cover of "Who's Gonna Take The Weight". CD

A great tribute to the longstanding sound of the Irma Records label – an Italian imprint who first rose up during the big years of acid jazz, then went on to deliver a range of different grooves over the past 30 years! The set focuses on work that really hits that old school Irma vibe – funky tracks from artists both classic and contemporary, in a set that also includes the vinyl debut for many cuts too. If you know what Irma brought to European and international dancefloors back in the day, you'll know what you'll be grooving to here – on tracks that include "Argentina" by Man Sueto, "Funky Generation" by Smoke Orchestra, "Celebrations" by Lo Greco Brothers, "Yours Is The Light" by Soul Jazz Unit, "Cool Affair" by Black & Brown, "Groovy Era" by The Last Minister, "Kontaminazione II" by Bossa Nostra, "Pfunk Station" by Jestofunk, "Keep Yourself Together" by Bazzara, and "No Rhyme No Reason (Pluton Kids rmx)" by LTJ Xperience with Jackson Sloan. LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy tenor from Willis Jackson – two early 60s killers for Prestige, back to back on a single CD! First up is Keep On A Blowin – an album that has hard wailin' soul jazz solos by Brother Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar! Those two, plus Gator, make up the core of the combo that features additional backing by bass and drums, but you won't need to worry about the additional players, because the triple threat of tenor/organ/guitar will hold all your attention. Tracks are long, and as usual, the best ones are the originals, including "Blue Strollin", "A Smooth One", and "Keep On A Blowin". Thunderbird is a massive groover – and a set that rumbles as much as you might guess from the title! The album's got Willis Jackson blowing in a very open, loud tenor tone – working with an unusual group that features Freddie Roach on organ, and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar – the former a hip, smooth keyboardist, the latter a rougher, bluesier player – making for a really nice mix of modes! There's a deep soul jazz bottom throughout – and titles include "Thunderbird", "Oh Lady Be Good", "Back & Forth", and "California Sun". CD

Keyboardist Sonny Phillips was one of the lesser-known talents on the Prestige roster of jazz funk greats in the early 70s – and this nice 2-in-1 CD brings together his 2 best albums for the label, both of which feature Phillips on organ, along with giants like Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones on guitar, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Rusty Bryant on tenor. The album Sure Nuff is probably Phillips' best for the label – a set that's done with the lean, hard funky sound of other greats working for Prestige during the same time – especially on the cuts "Sure Nuff, Sure Nuff", "The Other Blues", "Be Yourself", and "Oleo". Black On Black has a bit more of a mellow groove, but still kicks nicely, especially on the tracks "Check It Out", and "Black On Black". 10 tracks in all, with the usual "Legends Of Acid Jazz" package. CD

Includes tracks by Silent Poets, Might Truth, Marden Hill, A Forest Mighty Black, Solar System, and Nobukazu Takemura. CD

Music from Dizzy Gillespie, Chico Hamilton, Quincy Jones & His Orchestra, Oliver Nelson, Shirley Horn, Gabor Szabo, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Rollins, Hank Jones, Gato Barbieri, Keith Jarrett, and more. CD

A tasty set of extended organ/tenor grooves – one full album, plus bonus tracks! The core album here is The Exciting New Organ Of Don Patterson – a well-titled session, given the strong early groove of organist Don! At a time when some of his contemporaries were tightening things up on the Hammond, going for shorter tunes aimed at the jukebox and radio crowd, Don Patterson was a great reminder that the organ was best used on longer jamming tracks – tunes that stretched out nicely with a style that was heard best in the clubs, where an organ player could really do his thing. Patterson's trio here is quite stripped down – just drums from Billy James, and tenor from Booker Ervin – another player who always knows what to do with plenty of space! Titles include versions of "The Good Life", "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", and "Oleo", plus two Patterson originals – "Up In Betty's Room" and "S'Bout Time". Added to these tracks are 2 more – the 16 minute "Hip Cake Walk", which features alto from Leonard Houston too, plus "Love Me With All Your Heart". CD

Two Shirley Scott classics – back to back on a single CD! First up is Travelin Light. Kenny Burrell joins the trio of organist Shirley Scott for this sweet little album – a set that seems to burn a bit more than usual for Shirley, probably because of the cool-toned guitar lines from Kenny! The album's got the same laid back feel as other Scott albums of the time, but Burrell really digs in during his solos – adding a bit more bite, and inspiring Shirley to do the same on her own Hammond lines. Bass is by Eddie Khan and drums are by Otis Finch – and titles include "Solar", "The Kerry Dance", "They Call It Stormy Monday", "Nice N Easy", and "Baby It's Cold Outside". Next up is Soul Sister – a record that has Shirley Scott getting some mighty cool help from vibist Lem Winchester – a player whose tones always make a session worth checking out! Lem's got a nicely punctuated feel to his vibes on the record – a tight, short punch that works beautifully alongside Scott's fluid Hammond lines – almost enough on their own, even without the rhythm help of George Duvivier on bass and Art Edgehill on drums. Tracks include "Blues For Tyrone", "The More I See You", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Like Young", and "Sonnymoon For Two". Also includes the bonus track "Now's The Time", recorded at the same session. CD

A fantastic collection, and one that's way hipper than the Acid Jazz in the title might make you think – as the whole thing was put together by Gilles Peterson, with unusual Verve tracks by Tony Scott, Cal Tjader, Willie Bobo, Donald Byrd, Jimmy Smith, Little Richie Varola, Dizzy Gillespie, Grant Green, Marcos Valle, La Clave, Jackie & Roy, and lots of others! CD

A pair of funky killers from tenorist Gene Ammons! Black Cat is one of the great funky albums that Gene Ammons cut for Prestige at the start of the 70s – quite different than his earlier work for the label, and a very different showcase for his tenor genius! The whole lineup here is amazing – a quintet that features heavy drums from Idris Muhammad, piano and Fender Rhodes from Harold Mabern, bass from Ron Carter, and some tremendously smoking guitar from the great George Freeman! Freeman goes nuts on the funky cut "The Black Cat" – and other tracks include "Jug Eyes", "Hi Ruth", "Something", and "Piece To Keep Away Evil Spirits". You Talk That Talk is a set done in collaboration with Sonny Stitt – and these two tenor giants meet in the period slightly before Ammons death, and they're grouped with some of the younger funky players on Prestige, like Leon Spencer, Idris Muhammad, and George Freeman. The sound is fairly traditional, but there's some nice funky moments. Tracks include "Out Of It", which was written by Harold Vick, "The People's Choice", written by Harold Ousley, and the title cut, which is a Leon Spencer original. The 14 track set includes the full titles from 2 LPs, plus 2 bonus cuts from a rare source! CD

Prepare yourself for some massive guitar-heavy funk – with 2 classic Prestige albums from the legendary Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones! First up is No Way – a record that features him working with a young Grover Washington Jr on tenor, whose got a sound here that's way harder than on some of his later albums – and right up there with the best of the Prestige jazz funk greats. Sonny Phillips plays organ and electric piano, and the dark horse Butch Cornell gets in some organ licks on 2 tracks. Bernard Purdie holds down the fort nicely on drums, and the album's got a nice Fender bass to groove things strong in the rhythm department. Tracks include "No Way", "Holdin Back", "If You Were Mine", "Sunshine Alley", and "I'll Be There". What It Is is more killer funkiness from Boogaloo Joe Jones! Grover Washington Jr makes an incredible appearance here – sounding much harder and heavier than on some of his Kudu recordings – more of a gritty soul jazz player, working beautifully alongside the sharp guitar of Boogaloo Joe Jones, and the sweet organ of Sonny Phillips! The groove is lean, clean, and a bit laidback – not as frenetic as some of Jones' other jams, but in a great way that shows a new sense of space and timing in his groove! Other players include Bernard Purdie on drums and Jimmy Lewis on Fender bass – and titles include "Inside Job", "Fadin", "What It Is", and a nice cover of "Ain't No Sunshine". Amazing guitar work throughout – and a very tight batch of funky jazz! CD

A selection of tracks by Jack McDuff that were originally recorded in a few different sessions – then spread about some of his best (and rarest) albums of the mid 60s. Nearly all of the tracks feature Jack's classic quartet with Red Holloway, George Benson, and the great Joe Dukes on drums – and the few that don't have some superb large group arrangements by Benny Golson that provide a wildly swinging platform for Jack's groovy solos. Titles include "Scufflin", "Lew's Piece", "Our Miss Brooks", "From the Bottom Up", and "Lexington Avenue Line". Lots of tracks, and a screamin' organ jazz set all the way through! CD

Two organ and tenor classics – back to back on a single CD – with some bonus cuts too! Four Dimensions is sweet soulful work from the legendary Don Patterson – a great Prestige set that has tenorist Houston Person joining the organist's hip trio with Pat Martino on guitar and Billy James on drums! The tunes have that loping soul jazz sound you'd find in Person's best early work at the time – a groove that's got plenty of bottom, but also a nice dose of lyricism as well – and the use of Houston's horn here seems to bring out a different approach from Patterson than you'll hear on his sessions with Booker Ervin. There's a very slight hardbop element at times – and titles include "Sandu", "Freddie Tooks Jr", "Red Top", and "Last Train From Overbrook". Next up are most of the tracks from the album Hip Cake Walk – a massive pairing of the tenor of Booker Ervin and Hammond of Don Patterson – a record that's got a very famous cover image, and which marks for one of the greatest meetings of soul and modernism at mid-60s Prestige Records! There's no bass at all on the set – just lots of quick, tight rhythm lines from Patterson on the pedals of the Hammond – mixed with drums from Billy James, and served up with plenty of space for Ervin to open up on tenor – blowing with more soul than on some of his modernist sides of the time! Oddly, the CD does not include the title cut – "Hip Cake Walk" – but does include the other 4 tracks from the album, "Rosetta", "Sister Ruth", "Under The Boardwalk", and "Donald Duck". CD also features more Ervin/Patterson material from the same session – the tracks "Sentimental Journey", "Theme For Dee", and "Just Friends". CD

2 funky classics from the legendary Pretty Purdie! Purdie Good is Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of the early 70s – tightly vamping rhythms that draw heavily from Purdie's monstrous drums – and which also offer solo showcase space for Harold Wheeler on electric piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Tippy Larkin on trumpet, and Charlie Brown and Warren Daniels on tenor. Rhythm is augmented by Gordon Edwards on Fender bass and Norman Pride on congas – and the grooves hit a variety of modes that show that Purdie could sometimes be a more open-thinking rhythmatist than his funky contemporary Idris Muhammad. Titles include great instrumental versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Montego Bay", plus the originals "Wasteland", "You Turn Me On", and "Purdie Good". Shaft is a full funky session from master drummer Bernard Purdie – a set that expands out his previous Prestige vibe, and almost goes for a soundtrack scope to match the record's Shaft title! The set leads off with a great take on the Isaac Hayes hit – one that follows in the same fully-flowing, slow-building mode as Ike's – but which comes across here as an instrumental with some great solo work from Houston Person – playing here almost in a Stanley Turrentine sort of mode! Other tracks continue the hip mix of jazz and larger backings – and feature a lineup of players that includes Neal Creque on electric piano, Gerry Thomas and Danny Moore on trumpets, Willie Bridges and Houston Person on tenors, Billy Nichols and Lloyd Davis on guitars, Gordon Edwards on Fender bass, and Norman Pride on congas. The sound is warm without ever sounding too smooth – and Purdie's funky drums at the bottom ensure that most tunes are nicely lively. Titles include "Shaft", "Butterfingers", "Summer Melody", "Changes", "Way Back Home", and "Attica". CD

The Acid Jazz label may be best known for giving the world its namesake genre, but the company also cut some killer soul cuts along the way – standing out as an early imprint that showcased the fresher side of underground soul on the London scene! This collection does a great job of bringing that rich legacy to light – focusing on soul-based tunes from Acid Jazz, including a number of wonderful cuts that caused plenty of ripples on this side of the Atlantic back in the 90s. Most work here is from the period right after the initial rise of the acid jazz scene in London – the kind of hip 90s British soul tracks that kept the city burning as the fire was beginning to die on the Soul II Soul front – making the Acid Jazz label an important link to the UK sound for American listeners, especially at a time when the music was really getting good. There's also a few cuts here from more recent years, but most numbers are mid 90s tracks – and titles include "Peace & Love" by Cloud Nine, "Love Will Keep Us Together" by James Taylor with Alison Limerick, "Lovesick" by Night Trains, "I'm The One" by D-Influence, "Watch My Garden Grow" by The Humble Souls, "Conscience" by Double Vision, "A Profound Gas" by Sandals, "Everybody Knows" by Akimbo, "One Million Smiles" by Mr Exe with Mica Paris, "Mindbeam" by Twisted Tongue, and "Couldn't Take The Missing You" by Jessica Lauren. CD

Music from Mark V, Toledo, the Broun Fellinis, Birds Word, Hip Hop Giants, Tuba, Snake Eye, Freedom Of Knowledge, Richard Worth, Philadelphia Bluntz & New Jazz Movement. CD

Funky jazz from Finland! "Countenance" is a killer groover from 1975 – recorded by keyboardist Olli Ahvenlahti in a really amazing way – one that has the main jazz group grooving with Olli's straight keyboards, as bits of clavinet and synth dance around over the top, making for some spooky moogy bits that jump in wonderfully with the track's heavy sax and trumpet solos. This approach is taken even further on the flipside – which brings up the analogue electronic quality fo the tune nicely! 12-inch, Vinyl record

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Sean Khan's given us some more groove-oriented music in the past – but here, the saxophonist has this great way of laying back into more of the jazz-based energy of his work – blowing soprano and flute in a tight combo that blend the jazzy currents in the music with some of the folk promised in their name! The work isn't folksy at all, but does include some light touches of strings at times, and fiddle on one track too – next to core performances on piano, bass, and drums from the group. The tunes themselves are wonderful – as the record features work from Nick Drake, Pentangle, Sandy Denny, and John Martyn – interpreted both instrumentally and vocally – the latter with guest work from Jacqui McShee, Kindelan, and Rosie Frater Taylor. Titles include "Who Knows Where The Time Goes", "Light Flight", "Solid Air", "She Moves Through The Fair", "Ode To Nick DRake", and "Things Behind The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

There's two stylish British hipsters on the cover, but the album's filled with classic American jazz tracks – each hand-picked by Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller, and served up with plenty of soul! The work here begins in hardbop territory, and moves through 60s soul jazz and more righteous moments in the 70s – and while there's a few more recent tracks, the vibe of the record is very vintage throughout – and really reflects that longtime London love of obscure American records – sounds from a scene that has really taught us a lot over the decades! There's a few tracks here we haven't seen in years, and some great old favorites too – and titles include "Some Kinda Mean" by Sam Jones, "Now At Last" by Blossom Dearie, "Trees & Grass & Things" by Charles Williams, "Cherrystones" by Eugene McDaniels, "The Hipster" by Harold McNair ,"Chains" by Blacks & Blues, "Bend Your Head Down Low" by Geoffrey Stoner, "Sphynx" by Brand New Heavies, "Look At Me Look At You" by Marlena Shaw, "Get Up Off Your Knees" by David Axelrod, "Psychedelic" by Lee Morgan, "Terra Firma Irma" by Joe Gordon, "Rhythm Changes" by Kamasi Washington, "Just In Time To See The Sun" by Leon Thomas, "Bolivia" by Ulf Sandberg, and "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell. CD

A second set of tracks chosen by the hip British duo of Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller – the former a well-known actor, the latter the man who founded the Acid Jazz label many years back! In some way, the set's similar to some of the compilations that were first showing up in the early years of the acid jazz scene in the UK at the end of the 80s – as the work here is mostly all from earlier generations, and has a real focus on the kind of jazz cuts that have a strong groove – not remixed club tracks or "nu jazz" house singles – but instead vintage jazz from the 60s and 70s that's still pretty darn powerful and inspirational all these many years later! As with the previous volume, Eddie's choices of cuts are somewhat hipper than Martin's – but they're all pretty great – and titles include "Gira Girou" by Duke Pearson, "Nature Boy" by Lorez Alexandria, "Al Amin" by Emanuel K Rahim & The Kaliqs, "Perseverance & Endurance" by Horace Silver, "I'm Gonna Leave You" by Nina Simone, "Creative Musicians" by Lyman Woodard Organization, "Leaving This Planet" by Charles Earland, "Tear To A Smile" by Roy Ayers, "Do It The Hard Way" by Chet Baker, "The Magilla" by Stanley Turrentine, "Freedom Jazz Dance" by Brian Auger, and "Ley Lines" by Emma-Jean Thackray. CD

A second set of tracks chosen by the hip British duo of Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller – the former a well-known actor, the latter the man who founded the Acid Jazz label many years back! In some way, the set's similar to some of the compilations that were first showing up in the early years of the acid jazz scene in the UK at the end of the 80s – as the work here is mostly all from earlier generations, and has a real focus on the kind of jazz cuts that have a strong groove – not remixed club tracks or "nu jazz" house singles – but instead vintage jazz from the 60s and 70s that's still pretty darn powerful and inspirational all these many years later! As with the previous volume, Eddie's choices of cuts are somewhat hipper than Martin's – but they're all pretty great – and titles include "Gira Girou" by Duke Pearson, "Nature Boy" by Lorez Alexandria, "Al Amin" by Emanuel K Rahim & The Kaliqs, "Perseverance & Endurance" by Horace Silver, "I'm Gonna Leave You" by Nina Simone, "Creative Musicians" by Lyman Woodard Organization, "Leaving This Planet" by Charles Earland, "Tear To A Smile" by Roy Ayers, "Do It The Hard Way" by Chet Baker, "The Magilla" by Stanley Turrentine, "Freedom Jazz Dance" by Brian Auger, and "Ley Lines" by Emma-Jean Thackray. LP, Vinyl record album

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Sean Khan's given us some more groove-oriented music in the past – but here, the saxophonist has this great way of laying back into more of the jazz-based energy of his work – blowing soprano and flute in a tight combo that blend the jazzy currents in the music with some of the folk promised in their name! The work isn't folksy at all, but does include some light touches of strings at times, and fiddle on one track too – next to core performances on piano, bass, and drums from the group. The tunes themselves are wonderful – as the record features work from Nick Drake, Pentangle, Sandy Denny, and John Martyn – interpreted both instrumentally and vocally – the latter with guest work from Jacqui McShee, Kindelan, and Rosie Frater Taylor. Titles include "Who Knows Where The Time Goes", "Light Flight", "Solid Air", "She Moves Through The Fair", "Ode To Nick DRake", and "Things Behind The Sun". CD

A sublime criss-crossing of jazz modes and percussion – served up here by Emmanuel Abdul-Rahim, an artist who doesn't always record much as a leader, but always gives us something fantastic when he does! The album's from the late 80s, but has a sense of spiritual exploration that's more 70s overall – as the leader handles a range of congas, timbales, and other percussion – in a lineup that features more percussion from Steve Berrios and Jacob Andersen, mixed with jazz instrumentation from Hasse Emil Poulsen on guitar, Karsten Sorensen on piano, and Ed Epstein on alto, tenor, soprano, and baritone saxes! You might also know Emmanuel under his earlier recording name of Juan Amalbert – head of the Latin Jazz Quintet – but the vibe here is completely different, and completely wonderful too. Titles include "Appear", "Times At Hand", "Theme For Caddee", "Are You Serious", "Sabu", and "Cycles". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully warm work from the great Chris Bangs – an artist who sometimes serves up more programmed/sampled jazz material – but who here steps out in this strong array of live instrumentation, at a level that may well make the record the greatest that Chris has ever given us! Way back in the late 80s, Bangs was a DJ on the London scene, coined the term "acid jazz", and helped usher in a new love of classic grooves – alongside mates Gilles Peterson and Eddie Pillar – and here, decades later, he's evolved to become a hell of an artist too – almost making the same shift in his music that Nicola Conte did years earlier. The group features fantastic Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Luciano De La Rosa, plenty of Latin rhythms, and strong use of trumpet and trombone – plus a bit of vocals too. The set begins with a great remake of the George Duke classic "My Soul" – and turns through other gems that include "You Are My Starship", "Riding On The Storm", "Sugar Slam", "Mozambique", "Better Days", "Dream World", and "Alegria". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic pairing of forces – as keyboard collector Matt Berry serves up a special set of instrumental tracks for the KPM sound library – many of which are done on the kinds of keys that KPM were recording back in the day! You might know Matt for his work on screen, but he's also a very devoted musician, with a rich legacy of projects – and although we love his vocals on his more pop-oriented records, this set lets his keyboard skills really come to the forefront! The set features Berry on electric pianos, guitars, bass, and other keyboards – assisted by the funky drums of Craig Blundell, on titles that include "Rising Bass", "Set The Scene", "Simple Basics", "Widescreen Features", "Too Many Hats", "Telescopic", and "Driving Seat". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic little album from the great Matt Berry – quite different than some of his other records, but in a really great way! Berry pays homage to some of the greatest songs from the world of British TV – fab themes from the 60s and 70s, served up here with funky jazz instrumentation that includes a wealth of wonderful sounds from Matt's collection of vintage keyboards – mixed with tight drums, riffing guitar, and other groovy touches! There's occasional chorus vocals on some cuts, but no real lyrics at all – and the set features versions of "Are You Being Served", "The Good Life", "Top Of The Pops", "Picture Box", "The Liver Birds", "Rainbow", "Blankety Blank", "London Weekend Television", "Doctor Who", "Wildtrak", "World In Action", and "Sorry". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastically sharp work from the Brand New Heavies – recorded live in Tokyo during their best early days with N'Dea Davenport in the lead – and with a sound that's every bit as tight as their sound in the studio! In fact, the live setting might even be better – as the group were getting some slicker production touches for the American market in the early 90s – but this live date has all the raw energy they brought to the scene right at the start – a great reminder that BNH are a funk band first, and a soul band second! The drums are tight, the guitar lines razor sharp, and the group gets help from guest players who include Max Beesley on keyboards and Mike Smith on saxes. Titles include "Dream Come True", "Shakedown", "Never Stop", "Mr Tanaka", "Stay This Way", "Got To Give", "Gimme One Of Those", "BNH", and "Ride In The Sky" – plus nice remakes of "Doin It To Death" and "Don't Let It Go To Your Head". CD

One of the more obscure acts on the Acid Jazz label (we think they only ever cut this one album) – but a great little group with a warm jazz funk groove that's very similar to early work by The Brand New Heavies. Most tracks have lead vocals, done soulfully by a variety of singers – and titles include "Shades", "Dawning", "Kickstart", "Conscience", "Somebody", "Ain't Never Giving Up", and "Torn To Pieces". CD

Great early work from Carl Douglas – the UK soul singer who scored big with "Kung Fu Fighting" later in the 70s, but who's heard here on a host of very early singles from the 60s! Carl sings here in a few different groups – The Charmers, Big Stampede, and Carl Douglas Set – and the music begins in that mod mode that was huge on the London scene of the 60s – handled by young lads who clearly draw a lot of inspiration from American soul, blues, and jazz – and set things up with a great small combo groove that really lets Carl's vocals soar! The whole thing's a great discovery of work by an artist we didn't know recorded this early on – and titles include "Crazy Feeling", "Something For Nothing", "You Don't Know Like I Know", "Let The Birds Sing", "Keep It To Myself", "Going Out Of My Mind", and "You Are The One That I Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from late 70s Benin – a set that maybe owes as much to the sound of New York as it does to the West African groove of the time! The album's got a monstrous bassy vibe all the way through – with cuts that often just riff and groove like some of the best clubby funk acts of the time – not disco, but more the kind of rougher funk for a hip dancefloor – mixed with occasional African elements, including a bit of highlife-inspired guitar – which can sound pretty darn great next to the weirder, spacier keyboard lines! There's a really unique vibe to the record – even next to some of the standout Nigerian rarities of the time – and titles include "Get The Music Now", "Africa", "Jesus Kesse Me", "Sunga Mba", "Giving Yourself To Me", and "Alo Dangereux". LP, Vinyl record album

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A rare album of funky soul from the Bay Area scene at the start of the 70s – and a set that's every bit as righteous as you might expect from the cover! The group's the creation of singer/keyboardist/arranger Leon Pattillo – hence the name – and you might know Leon from his later famous work in the 70s – including a stint with Santana, and loads of great work with other soul artists. But here, he's a young genius working in the freest, funkiest style of the San Francisco generation – with a vibe that's maybe a more spiritual take on territory explored by Sly & The Family Stone – with an earthier, more indie vibe overall. The group has great interplay – tight instrumentation, but never slick, and with some nice long-haired currents – and vocals are by Leon and a female singer – on titles that include "Confusion", "If I Had The Power", "Sightless", "Back Roads", "This Is The Beginning", and "Mirage". CD

A rare album of funky soul from the Bay Area scene at the start of the 70s – and a set that's every bit as righteous as you might expect from the cover! The group's the creation of singer/keyboardist/arranger Leon Pattillo – hence the name – and you might know Leon from his later famous work in the 70s – including a stint with Santana, and loads of great work with other soul artists. But here, he's a young genius working in the freest, funkiest style of the San Francisco generation – with a vibe that's maybe a more spiritual take on territory explored by Sly & The Family Stone – with an earthier, more indie vibe overall. The group has great interplay – tight instrumentation, but never slick, and with some nice long-haired currents – and vocals are by Leon and a female singer – on titles that include "Confusion", "If I Had The Power", "Sightless", "Back Roads", "This Is The Beginning", and "Mirage". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from a hard-riffing combo – a smaller group from Benin who work in this wonderful blend of guitar, bass, and percussion – topped with very cool organ lines that sometimes almost have a horn-like sort of vibe! Tracks are all nice and long, and have some familiar West African elements, but delivered with a very personal approach – more intimate than some larger ensembles, and with some really fantastic rhythms that maybe get even more from the lean approach of the group! Titles include "E Go Ibo", "The End Of Suffer", "Cust No De Kill", and "La Route Est Longue". LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from the early days of the New York Giant Steps/8 Ball/acid jazz scene! Despite the title, most of the track have house music at the base – but in keeping with the New York approach to acid jazz in the early 90s, most of the cuts are seasoned with a very healthy dose of real musicianship, and all are very much in the groove! Tracks include "Black Thoughts" and "Jazz Impressions" by The African Dream, "On The Sand" by Groove Thing, "Vibe Providin" by Peace Bureau, "Set Me Free" by Alvin Bobby Watts, and "Satsuki" by Giant Step. CD

A monster! If you buy one Latin record this year – make it this one – because it's one of the greatest ever recorded! Ray's late 60s Acid album is a landmark recording – a sublime mixture of Latin jazz, percussion, and soul – grooving hard in a variety of styles, and always hitting the money on every single track. The title cut "Acid" is one of those tunes you'll be playing until you're locked up in a nursing home – and the rest of the record is equally great – with cuts like the bouncy groover "Soul Drummers", the tasty boogaloo "El Nuevo Barretto", and the extended "Espiritu Libre", a great Latin jazz track, with very "out" piano! LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning book on the art and style of mod – a volume that's got a huge amount of images and objects from the 60s, plus other bits from the 80s revival and the acid jazz years as well! The book is great – not just fashion, but photographs, magazines, records, and other items that helped define the mod identity in London – spread out with a huge amount of images from page to page, but also some very thoughtfully-penned text, especially as the new moments in the scene come forth – tracing an aesthetic that was so powerful, it couldn't be suppressed. The book is overflowing with rare mod relics – oversized, hardcover, with 270 full color pages within. Book

Wonderfully warm work from the great Chris Bangs – an artist who sometimes serves up more programmed/sampled jazz material – but who here steps out in this strong array of live instrumentation, at a level that may well make the record the greatest that Chris has ever given us! Way back in the late 80s, Bangs was a DJ on the London scene, coined the term "acid jazz", and helped usher in a new love of classic grooves – alongside mates Gilles Peterson and Eddie Pillar – and here, decades later, he's evolved to become a hell of an artist too – almost making the same shift in his music that Nicola Conte did years earlier. The group features fantastic Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Luciano De La Rosa, plenty of Latin rhythms, and strong use of trumpet and trombone – plus a bit of vocals too. The set begins with a great remake of the George Duke classic "My Soul" – and turns through other gems that include "You Are My Starship", "Riding On The Storm", "Sugar Slam", "Mozambique", "Better Days", "Dream World", and "Alegria". CD

A nicely expanded version of the great second album from this very cool UK group – an early 80s act named after a famous song by Dave Brubeck – and one who definitely bring all sorts of jazz elements into their music! Blue Rondo A La Turk were pre-Sade, pre-acid jazz, and have a quality that resonates with some of the more jazz-based expressions of contemporaries like Working Week or Kalima – not straight jazz, but a definite jazz-influenced way of putting over British pop, and with a warmth that's very different than some of the more electronic sounds of the time! The group often dip into some Latin elements in their rhythms, but also have all the charms of bigger British pop groups of the time – a wonderful blend that comes through loud and clear on titles that include "Slipping Into Daylight", "Masked Moods", "Samba No Pe", "Hot Corner", "Smoking Dynamite", and "Are You Satisfied". 2CD edition features 19 more bonus tracks – including the previously-unissued cuts "Let's Get Real", "Kool Aid", "Devil Doll", "Love Let Me Lose You", "Hot Corner (early version)", "Mystery & Imagination", "Let It Go", and "Samba No Pe (early version)" – plus the tracks "Dirty Games", "The Method", and "Heavens Revisited" – and some 12" single mixes too! CD

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin MacInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include versions of Charles Mingus' "Boogie Stop Shuffle" and "Better Git It In Your Soul", plus his own "Va Va Vaoom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gaillard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. LP, Vinyl record album

Like every Galliano album, this one offers the same quandry: there's great funky instrumental grooves, of the sort that would be really appreciated by fans of other albums in our acid jazz section, but they're marred by the presence of Galliano himself, rhyming and reciting his way through the cuts in a hipster jazz mode. The production on this album is especially compelling – and in an era when lots of other artists from earlier times were reaching for watered down drum n bass to liven up their albums, Galliano was using Demus on production to come up with some very nice funky soundscapes. Well, the choice is yours. We can only tell you that the album includes the cuts "Who Ate The Fly", "Slack Hands", "Ease Your Mind", "Best Lives Of Our Days", "Who's In Charge", and "Funny How". CD

The first-ever full length album from vibist Max Beesley – and a much-needed expression of some of the deeper ideas that he's always had in his music! Max was an artist who first started making waves during the earliest years of acid jazz on the UK scene – but like the best of his contemporaries, he's really grown a heck of a lot since then – to a point where he's able to deliver a cinematic funky jazz masterpiece like this – a record that's got plenty of his own great work on vibes, amidst heavy drums, funky basslines, and sweet keyboards – all set up in larger arrangements that have a sense of majesty we never would have expected in Beesley's music! Titles include "Saturn's Dust", "We'll Always Have Yesterday", "Fire", "Sergio's Bag", "Ice", "Snake Oil", and "Zeus". LP, Vinyl record album

A tasty collection of Jimmy McGriff's work for the Sue label during the mid and early 60s – all hard-hitting R&B tinged numbers that have the Hammond stepping out about as far as it can go! These are the sorts of tunes that influenced a generation of hipsters – from Brit beat groups of the 60s, to more recent funky acid jazz combos. Jimmy's organ is in fine fine form, and he's often backed by only a small combo with a very prominent guitar. Titles include "Bump De Bump", "Hello Betty", "One Of Mine", "Kiko", "MG Blues", "Topkapi", "Turn Blue", "I've Got A Woman", "Last Minute", and "All About My Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

13 track collection of the best recent work by this stunning Japanese Acid Jazz diva, including many tracks which are fairly hard to get these days. If you don't know Monday's work, she's got a sparkling smooth soulful voice, and her albums benefit from production and playing in collaboration with some of the best Japanese groups and artists, like United Future Organization, Mondo Grosso, and DJ Krush. This set's great all the way through, and just about every track is a winning example of the way that she's mixed funky grooves and soulful singing, into a style that's uniquely her own. Cuts include "Hear Between The Silence", "Send Her Your Love", "My Foolish Dream", "Don't Let It Bring You Down (In C)", "Tree, Air, & Rain On the Earth", and "Fading Beauty". Great stuff, and a very good way to start with her work! CD

Excellent work from this important Japanese group of the 90s – and a set that focuses much more on the instrumental side of their work! There's also some nice remix work by folks like Nobukazu Takemura and Palm Skin Productions, both of whom add some great touches to the Silent Poets own brand of Japanese acid jazz! LP, Vinyl record album

A way way deeper set than the first volume of Bay Area Funk – and a collection that shows that things got pretty heavy on the San Francisco and Oakland scenes of the 70s! A good number of the tracks here are instrumental, and show some wonderful interplay between the trippier sides of funky jazz and the harder sides of soul going on in the Bay Area back in the day – killer music from the fringes that often got lost in the shuffle of all the better-known music coming out on the bigger labels! The work here is all from very tiny labels – expertly selected and all officially cleared by the Luv N Haight team with keen respect for the artists involved – and in a way, the package has set a new high standard for the label! A tremendous discovery, and filled with tracks we'd never heard before – titles that include "Stop Look Listen" by Primevil, "Poor Sad Child (part 1)" by The Windjammers, "Born To Live With Heartache" by Mary Love, "Move In The Room" by Dawn & Sunset, "Ebony" by Project Soul, "Acid Lady" by San Francisco TKOs, "Hip Breakin" by Little Denise Stevenson, "Devil's On The Run" by Uptights Band, "Brute Strength" by Mile Selesia, and "Lenient With My Love" by The Relatives. CD

That's a mod logo on the cover, but the set's an all-soul package all the way through – served up by the great Eddie Piller, who's brought us plenty of soul music over the years through his work at Acid Jazz Records! The 2LP set features 40 killers from back in the day – the kind of really inventive soul tracks that didn't always make it big on our side of the Atlantic, but which had a huge influence on the UK scene – where their sounds went on to shape so much rock, jazz, and other material for years to come! The track selection is great – and the set features work from Mickey Lee Lane, Major Lance, Mitty Collier, The Larks, Nella Dodds, Hank Jacobs, Doris Troy, George Stone, The High Keys, Solomon Burke, The Sapphires, Bessie Banks, Jackie Ross, The Sharpees, The Poets, Little Hank, Jerry Jackson, and many others. LP, Vinyl record album

Sounds like rare funk material from the 60s – and the notes make you think the same thing – but the grooves were cut during the last 10 years, by the European funk combos that made up the now-defunkt Soulciety label! The imprint was one of the best acid jazz labels in the early 90s – and their groups really had a good feel for the classic funk sound of groups like The JBs or the Meters. Long before Desco started coming up with fake "old" groups, Soulciety did the same with this set – ostensibly from the catalog of the "lost" Hotpie & Candy label. Really nice stuff, if you can get past being tricked about the source of the material – which should be easy enough, once you hear how funky it is! Includes "Practice What You Preach" by Soul Sliders, "Fifty Yards Of Soul" by The Whitefield Bros, "Getting Down Into Somethin" by Bo Baral's Excursionists, "Hotpie's Popcorn" by The Poets Of Rhythm, "Serengeti Stroke" by The Pan Atlantics, and "Ooh Ooh" by The Woo Woos. CD

Killer stuff all around! This album's a monster – one of Ray's greatest, with the same sort of Latin Soul groove heard famously on his classic LP Acid. The record has Ray cutting across many genres – blending Latin, soul, jazz, and a slight bit of funk – all into a set of grooves that never stops pleasing, and which will make you start digging through the Latin racks like mad, just to find another LP this great! Titles include "Hard Hands", "Abidjan", "Got to Have You", "New York Soul", and the fantastic track "Love Beads", which has a cool rolling piano line that sounds like a great De La Soul sample. It's a great track, and makes the entire album worth the price! LP, Vinyl record album

A monumental piece of funk – and a record that came into the world at a time when it seemed like just about everyone had forgotten how to play real funky music! This set's the US version of the first album by London scenesters The Brand New Heavies – and although it came out in the states 2 years after the UK set, it's essentially the same record – just featuring new vocals by singer N'Dea Davenport in place of the original vocalist Jay Ella Ruth. Davenport's vocals transported the group from indie acid jazz obscurity into the US soul charts in a way that nobody ever expected – and the resulting album is a stone classic that's filled with excellent cuts like "Ride In The Sky", "Never Stop", "Dream Come True", and "Stay This Way". Great stuff all around – and one of the few classic soul albums of its generation! CD

The first of Branford Marsalis' two LPs to venture into the "acid jazz" or "hip hop crossover" genre, however you choose to look at it. Fortunately, he gets a helping hand from Premier on a number of cuts. Includes "Breakfast At Denny's", "Some Cow Fonque", "Some Sh*t At 78 BPM (The Scratch Opera)", "Hotter Than Hot" and "The Black Widow Blues". CD

An album that has Monday Michiru returning to her jazz funk "roots", and singing with a band that plays live throughout, with no overdubs or samples. The band is a tight collective of young Japanese players, and they get a good hard sound that's reminiscent of the playing on the early Brand New Heavies LPs. Of course, Monday sings in the deep soulful style that she always brings to these sessions, and the set includes loads of great cuts like "Tattoo My Heart", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Conversations With Myself", "Nadir", and "To Live As To Dream". Great stuff, and one of the best acid jazz LPs to come out in the last decade! CD

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin McInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include "Va Va Voom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gallard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. LP, Vinyl record album

Like every Galliano album, this one offers the same quandry: there's great funky instrumental grooves, of the sort that would be really appreciated by fans of other albums in our acid jazz section, but they're marred by the presence of Galliano himself, rhyming and reciting his way through the cuts in a hipster jazz mode. The production on this album is especially compelling – and in an era when lots of other artists from earlier times were reaching for watered down drum n bass to liven up their albums, Galliano was using Demus on production to come up with some very nice funky soundscapes. Well, the choice is yours. We can only tell you that the album includes the cuts "Who Ate The Fly", "Slack Hands", "Ease Your Mind", "Best Lives Of Our Days", "Who's In Charge", and "Funny How" – plus the Japanese exclusive bonus track "Battles Are Brewing (full version)". CD