Includes 59 songs – with 15 previously unreleased tracks, demos, live recordings, and even a few unissued studio gems! CD

A tremendous little soundtrack – even if you've seen it a million times! Simon & Garfunkel always had a really dark quality to their music, but it never seemed to show as much on the pop charts as it did when used brilliantly by Mike Nichols in this important film. Their tunes emerge in slightly different versions, with a style that's a bit more adult and more off-center than we remember – all sitting next to some groovy instrumental tunes score by a young Dave Grusin, and shifting the mood nicely from track to track. Titles include "Whew", "Scarborough Fair/Canticle", "The Singleman Party Foxtrot", "April Come She Will", "On The Strip", "The Folks", "Mrs Robinson", and "Sounds Of Silence". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

MF Doom left our planet all too soon, and he left behind a great legacy of music, too – including a previous collaboration with the Czarface collective, nicely matched by this posthumous set! The balance here is great, and the set brings the metal man of mystery into great play with his collaborators and guests who include DMC, Kendra Morris, and Del The Funky Homosapien – all coming together on an album that's every bit as fun as the first time around, and maybe even more essential, given that we're not going to hear that much more from the unissued archives of MF Doom. Titles include "This Is Canon Now", "So Strange", "Young World", "Mando Calrissian", "Doom Unto Others", "The King & Eye", and "Czarwyn's Theory Of People Getting Loose". LP, Vinyl record album

The first book we've ever seen to fully do justice to the world of porn paperbacks in the 60s – that insanely profitable underground that existed in a space between girlie mags and cinematic pornography – when words enough were plenty to titillate the libido of a reader! Many of the publishers were secretive, distribution was often controlled by the mob, and some of the writers were bigger stars working under fake names for ready cash – all to create a surprisingly rich tapestry of work that's mostly been lost to the shifting sands of time! The large volume features many essays on different topics within the field – alongside an insane amount of full color images reproducing the paperbacks in all their glory – images that are far wilder than the one on the front of the book, and which make reading the text a complete delight throughout. The whole thing is way more than the usual fluff books that just present lurid paperbacks – as the writing is great, full of knowledge, and really gets at the heart of the matter – with profiles on writers that include Donald Westlake, Lawrence Block, Eric Stanton, Gene Bilbrew, Ron Haydock (aka Vin Saxon), and even Ed Wood – and contributions from Miriam Linna, Lydia Lunch, Robert Silverberg, and others. 327 pages, softcover, and full color throughout. Book

With Richard Thompson and Henry Kaiser on guitar, Fred Frith on bass and violin, John French on drums, and everyone on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully understated work from trumpeter Roy Hargrove – an open, laidback session that's easily one of the best he's done in years! Gone are the urban sounds of his RH Factor records, and the more cerebral modes of some of his other jazz sets – and instead, this time around Roy's hitting a warm, fluid groove with plenty of classic overtones and a wonderfully soulful feel! The album's one that would settle in nicely along some of Freddie Hubbard's best later work, and it features a strong quintet with Justin Robinson on alto and flute, Gerald Clayton on piano, Danton Boller on bass, and Montez Coleman on drums. Roy plays flugelhorn as well as trumpet, and titles include "I'm Not So Sure", "Strasbourg/St Denis", "Starmaker", "Joy Is Sorrow Unmasked", "Mr Clean", "Rouge", "Style", "Divine", and "To Wisdom The Prize". CD

Unreleased live recording of the mighty Morphine from a late peak – on the Like Swimming Tour – just a couple years before the world suddenly lost Mark Sandman. It's impossible to discuss Morphine's legacy without bringing up how strongly they stood out from the pack of 90s alt rockers. Ignoring contemporary trends in both style and form, leaning on weirder, rawer strains of blues, old school rhythm & blues and super stripped down jazz in mood in instrumentation. Still, Morphine was a rock & roll trio all the way, just doing it in their completely distinctive style of buzzing 2 string bass, sax, drums, and Sandman's uber-charismatic voice. Includes "Potion", "I'm Free Now", "The Other Side", "Thursday", "Honey White", "Cure For Pain", "Wishing Well", "Radar", "Candy", "Empty Box", "You Look Like Rain", "Early To Bed", "Super Sex", "French Fries With Pepper" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Production by Insight, Mr. Lif, and El-P. 12-inch, Vinyl record

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Titles include "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "El Condor Pasa", "Cecilia", "So Long Frank Lloyd Wright", "Baby Driver", "The Boxer", "The Only Living Boy In New York", "Keep The Customer Satisfied", and "Song For The Asking". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice package – five full albums, plus bonus tracks too – the records Wednesday Morning 3AM, Sounds Of Silence, Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme, Bookends, and Bridge Over Troubled Water. Every record comes in a tiny LP-styled sleeve, and the set features a booklet of notes too! CD

A double-length live set – and a famous reunion of this legendary duo! CD

... CD

A great indie set from Tim Warfield – issued on a smaller label than some of the tenor player's recent efforts, but every bit as great as those records too! Tim's strongly in the lead on his well-blown horn – carving out these lines that are fluid, but filled with feeling – thanks to some dark corners and turns around the edges, which keep things interesting – especially amidst the host of original tracks on the set. The core quartet features Kevin Hays on piano, Greg Williams on bass, and Rodney Green on drums – but trumpeter Antoine Drye also joins the group on most of the album's tracks too. Herb Harris sings on two tracks – he's the one who released the album, after all – and titles include "Monkee See Monkee Doo", "Robert Earl", "NY Daze NY Knights", "Inspire Me", and "A Tinge Of The Melancholy". CD

Tim Warfield on tenor, Terell Stafford on trumpet, Stefon Harris on vibes, Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Tarus Mateen on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums. CD

Spiritual sounds from William Warfield – a very old-school styled singer, and one who moves effortlessly between gospel roots and trad jazz expressions! The material is half spiritual, and half secular – and Warfield sings here with the band of Bill Carter, which includes trumpet from Leon Oakley, trombone from Jim Klippert, and piano from Warfield himself! Titles include "Just A Closer Walk", "Down By The Riverside", "Every Time I Feel The Spirit", "Make Me A Pallet On The Floor", and "Something Within Me". CD

A look at the guest list of Alchemist's Chemical Warfare album will let you know how far reaching the respect is for Alc's brand of hip hop beatcraft – featuring a who's who of legends and stars of the underground and mainstream territories – including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kool G Rap, KRS-One, Three 6 Mafia, Twista, Talib Kweli, Jadakiss, Blu, Fabolus, Prodigy of Mobb Deep and more! Includes "ALC Theme" feat Kool G Rap, "Lose Your Life" feat Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss & Pusha T of Clipse, "Chemical Warfare" feat Eminem, "Grand Concourse Bencmes" feat KRS-One, "Therapy" feat Evidence, Blu, Talib Kweli & Kid Cudi, "That'll Work" feat Three 6 Mafia & Juvenile, "Keep The Heels On" feat Prodigy, "Acts Of Violence" feat Gangrene (aka Ohno & Alchemist), "Take A Look Back" & more, plus the bonus track "Under Siege". CD

A beautiful, beautiful record from Lincoln Briney – a jazz singer at heart, but one who's also got a hip underground vibe, too – a style that really takes us back to that unique 70s moment of singers like Kenny Rankin or Michael Franks at their early best! Like both of those artists, Briney's not content to keep his vocals focused on conventional material – and here unlocks the best work of the team of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel – wonderful songs from their late 60s years, served up here by Lincoln in a mode that's almost bossa jazz – with light rhythms, warm keyboards, and lots of guitar providing this instrumental glow that really illuminates the tunes in a new way – while Briney sings the lyrics at a level that's completely different too. The choice of songs is wonderful – not just the hits, but some overlooked album gems too – and titles include "Bookends", "So Long Frank Lloyd Wright", "Old Friends", "Song For The Aking", "Punky's Dilemma", and "April Come She Will". CD

... CD

What we once thought might've been a short-lived, if rewarding east coast team up of Wu Tang's Inspectah Deck and Boston heroes 7L & Esoteric has gone on to be one of the longest running later career supergroups this side of Run The Jewels! Old and mid school styled funky/sci-fi/vintage comic book style like we haven't heard since Doom left us, paired with some icey cool bits of synth and other and fresh touches on the production side. Includes "Czarchimedes' Death Day", "Blast Off", "All That For A Drop Of Blood", "Mama's Basement", "Frenzy In A Far Off Land", "Czarsenic", "Gate Crasher","Sirens" and "Helicopter". LP, Vinyl record album

Tight hip hop from the superhero team of Inspectah Deck with 7L & Esoteric – mostly produced by 7L, with a most welcome guest producer in the legendary DJ Premier – and it's a strong statement from the underappreciated Wu Tang gamer and the ever-creative DJ 7L! On the production tip, 7L pays homage to classic Wu without copying it – and utilizing both classic and completely leftfield samples in a fresh, funky way. The rhymes by Deck and Eso are top shelf, too – with a guest list that includes Roc Marciano, Oh No, Ghostface and others. Includes "Air 'Em Out", "Cement 3's" feat Roc Marciano, "Czar Refaeli" feat Oh No, "Rock Beat", "Savagely Attacked" feat Ghostface Killah, "Marvel Team-Up", "It's Raw" feat Action Bronson, "Let It Off", "Word War 4", "Poisonous Thoughts" feat Mr. Mfn Exquire, "Shoguns" feat Cappadonna & Vinnie Paz, "Hazmat Rap" and the DJ Premier-produced "Let It Off". LP, Vinyl record album

The superhero hip hop team of of Inspectah Deck, 7L, and Esoteric return as Czarface for epic second album from Brick Records! We thought the debut was ambitious, but this one's bigger in every way – and features a mighty roster of guests, including MF Doom, Method Man, Large Professor, GZA, Juju of the Beatnuts, Ra The Rugged Man, and Mayhem Lauren – a lineup that only adds more to the action-packed blast of the trio at the core! Titles include "Don The Armor", "Czartacus", "Lumberjack Match", "Nightcrawler", "World Premier", "Red Alert", "Junkyard Dogs", "When Gods Go Mad", "Escape From Czarkham Asylum", "Sinister", and "Good Villains Go Last". 2LP version includes a premiere issue of the Czarface comic book – titled Death & Destruction! CD

A great chapter in the recent revival of Bill Dixon's career – and a set that's even more sophisticated than his Exploding Star Orchestra set! The sound here is bold and focused – hardly what you might expect from the "in search" in the title – a complicated array of tones and sounds from a large ensemble that features Dixon on trumpet with additional players who include Dick Griffin on tenor trombone, Joe Daley on tuba, JD Parran on sax and flute, Graham Haynes on trumpet, and Warren Smith on vibes and percussion. The horn passages are especially striking – very dark and turgid, with a brooding, almost evil quality at times – very much in keeping of the mood that's promised in the title. Tracks include "Contour Three", "In Search Of A Sound", "Intrados", "Prelude", "Sinopia", and "Pentimento 1". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Larry Carlton, Peter Erskine, Don Henley, Paul Jackson Jr, Bernard Purdie, Emil Richards, Joe Sample, and more. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

French prog rock. CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

All original compositions. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully trippy record – every bit as trippy as the film – and if you remember that mad psychedelic trip from your childhood, you probably remember it as pretty darn trippy! The record nicely follows the film, and includes some key dialogue too – which made the whole thing a crucial cultural artifact in the days before DVDs and videotape, and which still makes it pretty weird, hearing all this stuff away from the screen. Walter Scharf arranged and conducted the tracks – based on the original score by Bricusse & Newley – and titles include "Charlie's Paper Run", "The Candy Man", "Oompa Loompa", "The Wondrous Boat Ride", "Wonkavator", "The Bubble Machine", and the sublime classic "Pure Imagination". CD

... CD

Includes "Mrs Robinson", "The Sound Of Silence", "I Am A Rock", "Scarborough Fair", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous little soundtrack – even if you've seen it a million times! Simon & Garfunkel always had a really dark quality to their music, but it never seemed to show as much on the pop charts as it did when used brilliantly by Mike Nichols in this important film. Their tunes emerge in slightly different versions, with a style that's a bit more adult and more off-center than we remember – all sitting next to some groovy instrumental tunes score by a young Dave Grusin, and shifting the mood nicely from track to track. Titles include "Whew", "Scarborough Fair/Canticle", "The Singleman Party Foxtrot", "April Come She Will", "On The Strip", "The Folks", "Mrs Robinson", and "Sounds Of Silence". CD

A second helping of funky Virginia grooves by Starfire – an excellent group who are finally getting their due! The group have a really great uptempo sound that's somewhere between ensemble funk and early 80s club – a unique groove that's honed to a "T" and played to perfection in a tight yet funky style! Side one of the set features alternate takes of their dancefloor numbers "Dancing & Singing", "Super Sensuous Woman", and "Get Up Everbody" – all tracks featured on the first Tuff City Starfire set, but sounding different in these versions! Side two features the great spacey ballads "Make The Most Of It" and "Girl Your Good Thing Has Come To An End" – which represent a really great side of the group's talents – plus the funky cuts "Get Off With Us" and "Calling All The Party People". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost funky soul LP by Starfire, billed here as "The Baddest Five Stars in the Galaxy", and hailing from Richmond, VA! The group's got a sound that's a bit like Earth Wind & Fire in the mid 70s – one that mixes up funk and ballads nicely – but which also has some cool spacey production touches that give some of the best cuts a clubbier sound – one that almost shows a few hints of Go Go at times! This set mostly focuses on the group's more uptempo styles – and side one of the record features initial versions of the clubby tracks "Dancing & Singing", "Super Sensuous Woman", and "Get Up Everybody" – while side two features the great ballad "Loneliness Has Got Me Down", plus the upbeat tracks "Out Of The Ghetto", "Don't Come Back", and "Fussin". LP, Vinyl record album

Tim Warfield on saxophone – with Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Tarus Mateen on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums. CD

With Tarus Mateen on bass, Clarence Penn on drums, Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Nicholas Payton on trumpet, and Stefon Harris on vibraphone. CD

A really tremendous batch of dark-themed tunes from the American underground of the 70s – a treasure trove of under-discovered acts who were all inspired by the deeper brooding of the Led Zep and Black Sabbath generation! Unlike later manifestations from the indie scene, the work here isn't really heavy metal – and instead has this more complex approach – ready and able to spin out their own tales and stories in the space of a full length concept album, guided by their own unique myths and mysteries – even though most of these tracks only ever saw the light of day on 7" singles, as the bands mostly never got the chance to serve up a full-length set. Leave it to Numero to do a perfect job of bringing this underground together through their vivid notes and great images for the set – and no surprise, there's some occasional funky touches on a few of the tunes – especially on the drums. This is the kind of stuff the stoners in your high school wish they were hip enough to know about – and titles include "Warlord" by Wrath, "Twelve O'Clock Satanial" by Air, "Sealed In A Grave" by Triton Warrior, "Dark Days" by Space Rock, "Sweet Child" by Gorgon Medusa, "Cry For The Newborn" by Hellstorm, "Tasmania" by Stoned Mace, and "Seance" by Wizard. CD

A really tremendous batch of dark-themed tunes from the American underground of the 70s – a treasure trove of under-discovered acts who were all inspired by the deeper brooding of the Led Zep and Black Sabbath generation! Unlike later manifestations from the indie scene, the work here isn't really heavy metal – and instead has this more complex approach – ready and able to spin out their own tales and stories in the space of a full length concept album, guided by their own unique myths and mysteries – even though most of these tracks only ever saw the light of day on 7" singles, as the bands mostly never got the chance to serve up a full-length set. Leave it to Numero to do a perfect job of bringing this underground together through their vivid notes and great images for the set – and no surprise, there's some occasional funky touches on a few of the tunes – especially on the drums. This is the kind of stuff the stoners in your high school wish they were hip enough to know about – and titles include "Warlord" by Wrath, "Twelve O'Clock Satanial" by Air, "Sealed In A Grave" by Triton Warrior, "Dark Days" by Space Rock, "Sweet Child" by Gorgon Medusa, "Cry For The Newborn" by Hellstorm, "Tasmania" by Stoned Mace, and "Seance" by Wizard. CD

There's definitely a sense of concentric orbits taking place here – these long-spun lines that have a nicely cyclical quality – not always as straight in terms of rhythms, but with a pulsating energy that really has both players in constellation with each other! Rob Clearfield plays piano and Quin Kirchner plays percussion – and although the music goes a bit outside at points, the tracks still have this nicely structured sensibility – blocks of sound from both players, pushing past conventional rhythmic modes, yet still finding a way to groove! The album features two side-long tracks – "Orbit 1" and "Orbit 2". LP, Vinyl record album

A set originally issued as a Record Store Day goodie back in 2021, and a record that provides the full Czarface experience by combining a very cool comic book with the tracks on the set! Inspectah Deck drops out here, as the set's really an instrumental set – and works almost like one of those cool 70s Power Records comic/record combos – although more as a soundtrack to use while you're reading the comic! And even if you don't have the book, the music's pretty great on its own – with titles that include "Winged Fingers", "Voyage Dans Le Temps", "Rise Of Czar Noir", "Avant Czar", and the cuts "Czarface Theme 3099" and "Czarbot Theme" – which feature vocals from Kendra Morris! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length live set – and a famous reunion of this legendary duo! LP, Vinyl record album

A blistering album from Belgian/Congolese rapper Baloji – music related to his directorial debut in the film Augure, and delivered with even more punch than some of his previous albums! Baloji got his start in the group Starflam, but has really grown strongly as a solo artist – pushing the boundaries of the hip hop elements that informed his roots, and fusing them with Conglese elements in a very strong way – so that the energy on the record really matches the vivid images in the film! The record features guest appearances from Jamila Woods, Mayra Andrade, Sampa The Great, Cha'Brown, Swazzi, and others – and titles include "Maggi", "Cherche Midi", "Tituba", "Autopsy", "Dahlia Noir", "Faux Billets", "Les Dents Du Piegne", and "La Crosse & La Banniere". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazzy group, but one that's not straight jazz either – as they work with a strongly rhythmic vibe that's somewhere between classic fusion and some of the contemporary sounds we love on Schema Records – maybe no surprise as this combo also hails from the Italian scene as well! There's a great mix of keyboards in the music – Korg Sigma, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CP70, and Farfisa Synthorchestra – the latter of which sounds especially great, and gives the music some great spacey touches around the edges. Rhythms are all live, and have some great currents from classic boogie and late 70s club – but the vocals on most tracks bring in a special sort of vibe, in part because the singers shift, and the lyrics are in Italian. Titles include "Malavita", "Fuga Finale", "Citta Futura", "Napoli Visionaria", and "Oro Di Miele". LP, Vinyl record album

Dusan Bogdanovic on classical guitar, Miroslav Tadic on classical guitar and mandolin, Malisa Draskoci on bass, and Todd Garfinkle on metalophone. CD

A bold new chapter in the career of Nicola Conte – quite possibly his most collaborative record to date, and easily his most righteous as well! Although Conte looks cheesy on the cover, his style here is even deeper than before – still driven by the classic modal and bossa sounds of the 60s that you'll remember from earlier records, yet also infused with a sense of spiritual jazz too – a vibe that's perfect for the album's placement on Impulse Records, where Conte's got a way of linking together the best 60s and 70s aspects of the label's aesthetic! He gets plenty of help in the process – wonderful vocals from the likes of Gregory Porter, Jose James, Alice Ricciardi, and others – trumpet from Till Bronner, Fabrizio Bosso, and Flavio Boltro – tenor from Magnus Lindgren and Tim Warfield, flute and baritone from Timo Lassey, and loads of other groovy touches too! Nicola Conte's never let us down – and this record is a rich reward for all the faith we've had in him over the years – a bit like the way that Gilles Peterson's always changing and growing, yet still always keeps true to his roots. Titles include "Love From The Sun", "Here", "Black Spirits", "Quiet Dawn", "Shiva", "Ghana", "I'm The Air", "Ra In Egypt", and "All Praises To Allah". LP, Vinyl record album

The group's no ensemble, but they're definitely analog – as the one-man combo Charif Megarbane handles a whole host of cool electric sources for the music – a mix of mellotron, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Farfisa, Moog, and other keys – mixed with an electric koto, flute, vibes, theremin, and field recordings too! There's also key use of acoustic guitar, which warms up and humanizes the sound wonderfully – as do the French vocals, which appear from time to time, and make the whole thing sparkle like some underground Parisian project from years back – almost building a bridge from the 70s Saravah scene forward to the music of Stereolab and Laetitia Sadier. The album's every bit as great as those two references would imply – and titles include "The Patterns Of A Hand", "Ainsi Souffle Le Vent", "Sens Dessus Dessous", "Passe Compose", "Les Orpailleurs", and "Octopolis". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Cinematic funky soul instrumentals from the El Michels Affair – the loose NYC collective's long awaited full length nod to the Wu Tang Clan! The crew brings their tried and true slow rolling and dirty funk to their interpretations of classic Wu Tang tracks, with some straight up beautiful sophisticated soul backdrops, too, and Leon & the crew pull it all off masterfully! The RZA's sonic stamp is too innovative and idiosyncratic for a simple live band rehash, and the group is wise to use the famous crackling sample built soundscapes to craft both an homage to the Wu Tang's best material, as well as the 70s funk, soul and cinema sounds that informed them in the first place. A few of the tracks first blew our minds as funky 45s, and this full formed set was worth the wait – from the moody organ funk of "Can It All Be So Simple", the funky drummer rhythms of "Uzi (Pinky Ring)", the string accented moods of "Heaven And Hell", the brass band and children's chorus cover of "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and lots more! Other tracks include "Glaciers Of Ice", "Incarcerated Scarfaces", "Bring Da Ruckus" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite moments in the strong run of records from Family – a set that's still strongly defined by the vocals and songwriting of Roger Chapman, but which also has a lot more going on as well! John Wetton's joined the group for this album, and adds in bass and a bit of vocals – and seems to really jump start their sound in a great way – and the production is great, too – really opening up with some of those new styles that were helping change the UK scene as progressive acts found a way to pack more into a smaller space – resulting in shorter tunes that still bristled with plenty of excitement! The vocal interplay is especially great – and titles include "Between Blue & Me", "Spanish Tide", "Burning Bridges", "Take Your Partners", "Crinkly Grin", "Larf & Sing", "Save Some For Thee", and "Satdy Barfly". This edition features the bonus cuts "In My Own Time" and "Seasons" added to the main album – and CD2 and CD3 feature rare material recorded for the BBC – 21 more live tracks, with lots of great readings of other tunes as well as album material! CD

A group who definitely earn their name, thanks to a very dynamic vibe overall! Tracks include "Wicked Woman", "Scitnarf", "Hey Joe", "More Of A Man", "Midnight To Six Man", "Her & Her Mountain", and "Shady Sam". LP, Vinyl record album

Streetwise raps from Freddie Gibbs, backed by inventive production from Madlib – here on one of the best records yet on 'Lib's own Madlib Invazion imprint! If you'll forgive us a little bit of repetition – because we KNOW we've written this before – there's just something extra riveting about Madlib's production work for straight shooting, street lingo slinging, no nonsense MCs. The freewheeling inspiration and bottomless depth of unpredictable sample funk is there, as always. It's leaner, tighter and with a thicker backdrop of beats. Gibbs is sharply on point throughout here, and if it seems like an oddball pairing at first glance, rest assured, these guys work GREAT together. Guests include Danny Brown – who drops some top shelf wordplay of his own on "High" – plus the Wu legend Raekwon on "Bomb", Domo Genius & Earl Sweatshirt on "Robes", Domo Genius, G-Whiz, Mac Miller and more on the title cut, and more. Other titles include "Supplier", "Scarface", "Deeper", "Harold's", "Thuggin'", "Real" and "Uno". LP, Vinyl record album

An essential early document of the Grateful Dead – a double-length collection of live material that was one of the first to give the rest of the world a chance to hear what they could provide to their ever-growing concert audiences! The tracks were mostly recorded in New York in early 1971, and have the group really spinning out their special sort of magic in ways that are a nice change from their studio records – looser, more jamming, and maybe more acoustic too – that shift from psych to roots that was already going on, but delivered here with the sort of warmth that would hold their fans in sway for years to come. Tracks vary in length – and the set includes an 18 minute take of "The Other One", plus "Bertha", "Big Railroad Blues", "Playing In The Band", "Me & My Uncle", "Wharf Rat", "Not Fade Away/Goin Down The Road Feeling Bad", and surprisingly great takes on "Mama Tried" and "Me & Bobby McGee". LP, Vinyl record album

An essential early document of the Grateful Dead – a double-length collection of live material that was one of the first to give the rest of the world a chance to hear what they could provide to their ever-growing concert audiences! The tracks were mostly recorded in New York in early 1971, and have the group really spinning out their special sort of magic in ways that are a nice change from their studio records – looser, more jamming, and maybe more acoustic too – that shift from psych to roots that was already going on, but delivered here with the sort of warmth that would hold their fans in sway for years to come. Tracks vary in length – and the set includes an 18 minute take of "The Other One", plus "Bertha", "Big Railroad Blues", "Playing In The Band", "Me & My Uncle", "Wharf Rat", "Not Fade Away/Goin Down The Road Feeling Bad", and surprisingly great takes on "Mama Tried" and "Me & Bobby McGee". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie's still in electro-grooving mode here – not groundbreaking as earlier records, but still handled by Bill Laswell, and with a tackhead groove pretty firmly in place. The tracks are a bit more complicated than before, with vocals by Sugarfoot, and bass by Bootsy Collins. Titles include "Vibe Alive", "Perfect Machine", "Chemical Residue", "Beat Wise", and "Maiden Voyage/P Bop". CD

An amazing record from Chicago musician/artist Damon Locks – maybe the album he's been waiting his entire life to make – and the first to really bring together the mighty sum of his many talents! The material was recorded live in performance at Chicago's Garfield Park Conservatory – at an event that also included a group of singers and dancers to augment the musical performance – in a setting that gives Damon's majestic vision the proper setting it really deserves! Locks himself moves between electronics and vocal performances – in a core instrumental group that's heavy on drums and percussion from Dana Hall, clarinets from Angel Bat Dawid, and more percussion from Arif Smith – making music that's even more beautiful when the singers come into the mix, and take the energy to the sky with a very cosmic, righteous vibe. Locks has given us a glimpse of his vision in artwork, music, and writings over the years – but this time around, it feels like we're seeing the full scope at once – with more power and meaning than ever before. Titles include "Solar Power", "Rebuild A Nation", "Which I Believe It Will", "The Colors That You Bring", "The Future", "From A Spark To A Fire", "Black Monument Theme", and "Sounds Like Now". CD

Thomas Lorenzo on electric and Spanish guitar, Dave Garfield on keys and piano, Alphonso Johnson on bass, and Walfredo Reyes Jr. on drums and percussion. CD

One of the records that marked a key moment when Nas was returned to the glory of his earliest years – coming across with a renewed sort of intensity, and lyrics that maybe put even more of the man himself inside of his music! There's still plenty of street show going on here, but Nas blends that front with energy going on behind it – in ways that still hold up strongly all these many years later, and which maybe set a new standard for work of this nature at the time. Production includes key efforts from Salaam Remi and The Alchemist, and the set has a ghostly guest appearance from 2Pac, as well as features from Alicia Keys, Bravehearts, and Kelis – on tracks that include "Revolutionary Warfare", "Hey Nas", "Zone Out", "Made You Look", "Get Down", "The Cross", "Mastermind", "Warrior Song", and "Thugz Mansion NY". LP, Vinyl record album

Cosmos Giants, served up by some funky giants too – a tight trio that features legendary sound library wizard Janko Nilovic, JJ Whitfield of the Poets Of Rhythm (and many other projects too), and Igor Zhukovsky of the Soul Surfers too – all united as a funky supergroup for this fantastic sert of instrumental grooves! Janko plays keyboards and Fender Rhodes, Igor plays drums and percussion, and JJ handles guitar, bass, and keyboards – all in a mad mix of grooves that also features a bit of guest bansuri from Goncalo Mortagua! The music is a funky focus of the energy of all three artists, while also coming up with something new, and slightly exotic too – on titles that include "Location", "Wind From Mount Everest", "Inner Space", "Starfall", "Lost Temple", "Night Dreams", "Etheor", and "Stuck In The Void". LP, Vinyl record album

With Payton on trumpet, Jesse Davis on alto, Tim Warfield on tenor, Anthony Wonsey on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Adonis Rose on drums. Tracks include "Whoopin' Blue", "Down In Honky Tonk Town", "Li'l Liza Jane", "Weather Bird", "After You're Gone", and "St. James Infirmary". CD

A fantastic record from Prince – a double-length set that came out at a time when the purple one was brimming over with energy and new ideas – and a step slightly in the direction of more socially conscious material! Everything that was great about Prince before the record is completely intact – his amazing ability to create funky grooves, slinky sensuality, and songs that are so catchy, they can win over audiences on both sides of the fence. But there's also some deeper elements here going on too – maybe more space for thoughtful presentation spread out over the 2LPs that comprised the original record – at a level that's only more confirmation of the never-ending genius of prince! Titles include the great title cut "Sign O The Times" – plus "Strange Relationship", "Slow Love", "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night", "Adore", "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker", "Housequake", "U Got The Look", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man", "The Cross", "Hot Thing", and "Starfish & Coffee". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic record from Prince – a double-length set that came out at a time when the purple one was brimming over with energy and new ideas – and a step slightly in the direction of more socially conscious material! Everything that was great about Prince before the record is completely intact – his amazing ability to create funky grooves, slinky sensuality, and songs that are so catchy, they can win over audiences on both sides of the fence. But there's also some deeper elements here going on too – maybe more space for thoughtful presentation spread out over the 2LPs that comprised the original record – at a level that's only more confirmation of the never-ending genius of prince! Titles include the great title cut "Sign O The Times" – plus "Strange Relationship", "Slow Love", "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night", "Adore", "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker", "Housequake", "U Got The Look", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man", "The Cross", "Hot Thing", and "Starfish & Coffee". 2020 version – remastered for the first time ever! 3CD version features lots of bonus tracks – single mixes and edits – all remastered – tracks that include "U Got The Look (long look)", "Shockadelica (12" long version)", "Hot Thing (ext rmx)", "Hot Thing (dub rmx)", "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (fade)", "La La He He Hee (highly explosive)", "If I Was Your Girlfriend (edit)", "Housequake (7 minutes moquake)", and "Sign O The Times (edit)". CD

One of the key non-Saturn Sun Ra albums of the 70s – and like his records for Blue Thumb and Impulse, a set that really helped awaken the world to his talents! This album may well be one of the most bracing of the bunch – as it features live material recorded by Ra and the Arkestra at two different German jazz festivals in 1970 – performances that really have the group at the height of their righteous power, stretching out with a sound that's even more avant than just a few years before! The reed solos are all quite strong – and include work by Pat Patrick, John Gilmore, Danny Davis, Danny Thompson, and Marshall Allen – plus some other oboe, bass clarinet, and bassoon players too – and the lovely June Tyson provides some righteous words in a few spots, while Ra plays a range of keyboards – from clavinet, to farfisa, Hohner electra, mini-moog, Spacemaster, and rocksichord! Titles include "Black Forest Myth", "Strange Dreams – Strange World – Black Myth", and "Myth Versus Reality (The Myth Science Approach)". CD

A beautiful German sound library session from the 70s – very jazzy at the core, but warmed up with all sorts of those lightly groovy sounds that played so strongly during the economic miracle years! There's a lot of reed interplay on the record – alto, flute, and tenor all working together warmly – wrapped up with plenty of Fender Rhodes from Peter Jacques, in a mix that also includes great trumpet, trombone, and even a bit of vibes! Pierre Cavalli plays groovy guitar lines that bring in a gentle current of funk – and the whole thing's got the same sparkling sound as some of the gems on the Selected Sound library from the time. Titles include "Soul Surfing", "Who's On Stage", "The Girl With The Red Hair", "Seven Days Later", "Skippin Around", "Onyx", "Neptune's Walk", and "Fun Fair". LP, Vinyl record album

The Funk Doctor Spock returns with guest appearances by Scarface, Treach, Meth, Saukrates, George Clinton, Keith Murray and Missy Elliott, among others. Includes "Diggy Doc", "Smash Sumthin'", "Enjoy Da Ride", "Bricks Two" & "Let's Get Dirty". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "I'll See You In My Dreams", "Improvisation", "Christmas Swing", "Bouncin' Around", "Alabamy Bound", "Tea For Two", "Improvisation No 3" in two parts, "You Rascal You", "St Louis Blues", "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me", "Eddie's Blues", "Parfum", and "Echoes Of Spain". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever solo album from Paul Simon – and a set that really showed the world he had a heck of a lot to offer on his own! Simon's still got all the great warm, personal tones of his late years with Art Garfunkel – but has also found a way to make things even more individual, too – sometimes borrowing from some other genres the previous pair never would have touched – sometimes just getting laidback and mellow, in a way that showcases his wonderfully maturing vocals! Tracks include the surprisingly funky "Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard" – plus "Mother & Child Reunion", "Duncan", "Congratulations", "Paranoia Blues", "Papa Hobo", and "Everything Put Together Falls Apart". LP, Vinyl record album

The first, and perhaps the most conventional album by Spanky & Our Gang – but still pretty darn insane! The group are a strange mix of 60s styles – with bits of We Five, bits of Harpers Bizarre, bits of The Association – but a totally strange and totally fun approach to pop that's very much their own. Cuts on the album are a mix of originals and covers – and highlights include the incredible "5 Definitions Of Love" by Bob Dorough, "Distance" by Joe Renzetti, "Commercial" by the band, and the track "It Ain't Necessarily Bird Avenue". Great groovy stuff – and with arrangements by Renzetti, Dorough, and Stuart Scharf. LP, Vinyl record album

Four albums from this wonderful group – all brought together in a single set! First up is the self-titled Spanky & Our Gang – the first, and perhaps the most conventional album by the group, but still pretty darn insane! Spanky & Our Gang are a strange mix of 60s styles – with bits of We Five, bits of Harpers Bizarre, bits of The Association – but a totally strange and totally fun approach to pop that's very much their own. Cuts on the album are a mix of originals and covers – and highlights include the incredible "5 Definitions Of Love" by Bob Dorough, "Distance" by Joe Renzetti, "Commercial" by the band, and the track "It Ain't Necessarily Bird Avenue". Great groovy stuff – and with arrangements by Renzetti, Dorough, and Stuart Scharf. Like To Get To Know You is a tiny little pop masterpiece was produced and arranged by Stuart Scharf and the great Bob Dorough, and is filled with one of the grooviest approaches to pop we've heard in ages. The album includes the sublime hit "Like To Get To Know You", set in a very different LP setting – plus great versions of "Suzanne" and "Everybody's Talkin", and the cuts "Stardust", "The Swingin Gate", and "My Bill". Anything You Choose is the third movement in the fantastic pop symphony that is Spanky & Our Gang! The record's perhaps their oddest to date – and mixes groovy vocal stylings with some fairly advanced production approaches that work perfectly with the incredible songs written by Stuart Scharf and Bob Dorough. The voices swirl about in a mad rush – interweaving lines of melody and poetry, punctuated by strange sounds, spacey airy instrumentation, and wonderful little rhythms. Titles include "Anything You Choose", "1-3-5-8", "Without Rhyme Or Reason", "Give A Damn", and "Nowhere To Go". Live is an unusual album from this groovy group – especially given that most of their famous work was in the studio – and done with really inventive arrangements and production! Yet those qualities still come through here, even in a live setting – as the record's got this stripped-down approach that shows just how much of the group's own inventive vocal interplay and harmonies were part of their fantastically groovy style! Titles include "Wasn't It You", "Dirty Old Man", "The Klan", "Nagasaki", "Amelia Earhart's Last Flight", and "That's What You Get For Lovin Me". CD