The rare second album from Bobby Boyd – a set that's even more soulful than his first, and which is filled with funky gems! Boyd's vocals are wonderful – tight, but with an earnest quality that almost pushes him more towards a Bill Withers vibe than some of the other funky singers of the time – a great change next to the tight combo instrumentation of the record. Tunes are almost all upbeat and funky – and the mixture of Boyd's warmth with the sharp grooves really makes for a rich sound overall – a record that should have, could have been huge – were it issued at the time – but which is finally seeing the light of day now! Titles include "Ain't What You Know", "Why Are You Cryin", "Good Woman", "Girl I Can Feel Ya", "On This Side Of Town", and "Let Bygones By Bygones" – plus the instrumental "The Happy Hooker", produced by Harvey Fuqua, and which seems to actually be the Nite Liters' song/version, oddly tucked into this album! LP, Vinyl record album

Billy Bruner looks nice and relaxed on the cover – and his grooves are nice and relaxed, too – but maybe that's just how they make their music in Billy's hometown of Tulsa! The set's got a sweet blend of 80s soul and mellow boogie – never too over the top, and handled with a nice mix of 80s production styles, in a good balance between electric elements and some warmer modes at the core. Most cuts are nicely unpolished – diamonds in the rough that might have been hits, had they gotten commercial treatment – but which are maybe even better sounding in this approach. The package features a few unreleased tracks, and work by Billy that also includes cuts by T'Spoon and The Davis Family – on titles that include "If You Dance Tonite", "School Dance", "Amazing", "The Tulsa Song", "The Dream", "Sweetness", "Cat's Meow", and "Say Yeah". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool collaboration between Greg Foat and James Thorpe – a set that's billed more as a sound library session than some of Foat's other jazz projects – even though the sound is equally appealing if you love those records too! The set is self-described as "futuristic analogue cosmic synth library cues for TV, film, and radio" – but it's also got a much warmer sound than you might expect, very much in keeping with the natural image on the cover – as Foat and Thorpe eschew some of the colder keyboard styles of other library records, and instead really let things glow with that organic vibe that usually informs Greg's music, as gentle rhythms set the pace for Fender Rhodes, Hohner pianet, and a host of Korg and Roland keys. There's also a touch of vibes, some field recordings, and other cool touches – on tracks that include "Balloon Ride", "Circadian Rhythms", "Grockle Box", "Living The Dream", "Platform Game", "Stacey's Theme", and "Elementary Physiology (parts 1 & 2)". CD

A solo album from Warren Hampshire, recorded right around the same time as his collaborations with Greg Foat, but done with a very different vibe! The set's got a nicely pastoral approach – slow building sounds that are somewhere between spiritual and meditative modes, with work from Hampshire on a variety of guitars, keyboards, and a wealth of percussion – plus inventive use of elements like autoharp and field recordings as well – blended with a few guest contributions on flute, cello, and strings – all elements that keep the gentle glowing spirit of the music nicely intact! Pascale Edwards Labelle sings guest vocals on the track "Zep Tepi", and the rest of the set is instrumental – with titles that include "From Lonely Hours", "Then It Was Gone", "I Just Didn't Think You'd Care", "Only A Moment", "Wu Wei", "Eve Of The Deluge", and "The Falling Rain". CD

The duo of Warren Hampshire and Greg Foat keep on getting more and more interesting as the years go on – to a point where they seem to be carving out a really special place in music that might well be a genre of their own! The music here represents a wonderful evolution of their skills together – sounds that are still steeped in older elements of jazz, funk, and other modes – but which have also taken on a new sort of complexity, yet all without ever losing the organic, immediate approach that makes them so compelling! There's a blend here that's as if an Italian soundtrack of the 70s used spiritual jazz for its instrumentation – long flowing tracks that unfold with a gentle sort of beauty – with Hampshire on guitars and percussion, Foat on organ, guitar, piano, and kalimba – and other instrumentation on bells, gongs, flute, and percussion. Titles include "The Solitude Of Certitudes", "Woody Bay", "Out On The Side", "The Undercliff", "The Snake & The Weasel", and "The Clock Tower". CD

Fantastic material by a group who only ever issued one single back in the day – finally getting the chance to show their full potential on this never-heard set from the early 80s! The group's got plenty of wonderful guitar work, some bold keyboard lines, and even a bit of flute – served up in a space that's between funk and jazz, and which definitely has some nicely extended solos on these longer live tracks – especially from the guitar! The recording quality is great, and the guitar's got this really raspy edge that's a nice contrast to the flute and keyboards – and at times, the combo almost takes off with the freer flights of a spiritual fusion combo. Titles include "Rain Dance", "Europa", "Loving You In Autumn", "What's Going On", "The Baron", and "Titi" – all nice and long. LP, Vinyl record album

James McKenzie looks a bit down to earth on the cover, but he sounds a lot more high-end on record – a budding blue-eyed soul singer, with a strong penchant for AOR production – but always served up in a homegrown style that's nice and lean! Were he working in LA in the late 70s, James might have scored some big hits – but instead, he worked privately, in Florida – recording under both his own name, as The McKenzie Brothers – recording an album of material under each! This set brings together the best tracks from both records, and is a strong addition to that genre of "underground AOR" that's been getting some strong traction in recent years – with titles that include "Felt Her Fire", "Lady Is Love", "Tomorrow Is Your Own", "Wonderful To Be In Love", "I Hope She Don't Hurt You", and "Joni's Little Song". CD

A totally righteous little record – originally put together in support of a local stage production in mid-70s Chicago, but a set that's come to gain some global funky fame over the years! The record mixes together spoken bits, sung vocals, and some very cool instrumentation that includes lots of Fender Rhodes and guitar, plus excellent reed passages from the young Chico Freeman – all with a hip-stepping vibe that's a fair bit like the best soul-based soundtracks of the period! The spoken parts are especially great – and really make the record stand out from the pack – and the whole thing has a progressive, positive energy that follows in the spirit of earlier Chicago artists like Oscar Brown Jr or the Artistic Heritage Ensemble. The core story features a Black Fairy who's self-conscious about her social standing and race – and learns to empower herself by tapping into her inner strength and pride – very powerful stuff for a children's stage at the time, and a message that's unfortunately still very relevant all these many years later. Titles include the killer modal jazz number "Black Land Of The Nile", which almost feels like one of Archie Shepp's spiritual vocal tracks – plus "The Streets Of Harlem", "Afrika's My Home", "Travel to Afrika", "Black Fairy Returns", and "Hey Black Child". CD

We're not sure if Arthur Ponder ever really got crowned prince on the Georgia scene of the early 80s – but given the class and quality of the tracks on this set, he definitely comes across like some sort of royalty! In truth, only a few of the songs here were ever issued at the time – a bit of solo material, and some that feature Arthur working with the group Sideshow – both of which have a modern soul update of older deep southern modes – killer vocals from Ponder in the lead, set to arrangements that are sometimes warm, sometimes mellow, and occasionally done with more of an upbeat groove! The package is the first-ever full length to showcase the music of Ponder – and titles include "Sexy Lady", "You Are The One For Me", "It's You Girl", "You Talk Too Much", "Lonely Girl", "If You Want My Love", "Let's Get Together For The Wrong We Have Done", and "Whatcha Gone Do About It". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky soul gem from one of those underground groups who seemed to be able to take on any sort of style with effortless ease – stepping easily here between upbeat funk, soaring club grooves, and some deeper soul moments that really help ground the whole thing! The production is often nice and lean – so that the group's charms really come through, and aren't buried by any sort of too-commercial styles at all – maybe a good thing, too – and the set brings together material from the group's rare album and singles – a great archival rescue project that's right in line with other great work from the Athens Of The North label. Titles include "Way I Feel", "Righteous Love", "Premonitions", "Daddy's Home", "Disco Kat", "Bass Man Do Your Thing", and "Our Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet bit of funky soul from the Florida scene in the early 80s – a completely charming modern soul effort that's quite different than the bigger Miami hits of the decade before! These guys have a sense of integrity that comes through in their look on the cover – unassuming, and very down to earth – which maybe gives the whole thing that nice indie vibe of New Jersey work from ten years before, but with some of the grooves and styles that might be more contemporary to 1981! Vocals are often harmonized, in ways that again go back to older New Jersey or Philly soul – and the album balances funky upbeat tracks with some mighty nice ballads. Titles include "I Need You Baby", "Strung Out On Your Love", "Waiting On A Sign", "I Need Your Love", and "All My Love For You". CD

Igloo Records was a teeny tiny label on the LA scene of the early 70s – but all of its releases turned out to be killers – most handled by the hip-looking Leon Gardner on the cover! The music is often heavy with the kind of deep funk you'd expect from rare singles at the time – but Gardner also has an ear for more complex sounds at times, and brings in some jazz moments that really give the Igloo titles a unique vibe – always with plenty of grit in the grooves, as befits a small indie label – but with an ear for the music that also makes us wonder what Gardner could have done, had someone given him the keys to a bigger label and studio for his productions! We'd love a bit more in the way of notes – but that's to be expected, as Leon was somewhat of a mysterious figure – and the music is more than great enough on its own, with titles that include "Farm Song", "Be There", "My Love Is Growing", "Who Are You", "Beef Jerky", "Tuff Lover", "Wonderful World Of Children", "You Gonna Cry", and "You Don't Care" by Leon Gardner himself – plus "You're My Love" by Eddie Lewis, "I've Cried" by The Jhamels, and "Petty Cash" and "Ropeokra" by Wallace Petty Combo. CD

Igloo Records was a teeny tiny label on the LA scene of the early 70s – but all of its releases turned out to be killers – most handled by the hip-looking Leon Gardner on the cover! The music is often heavy with the kind of deep funk you'd expect from rare singles at the time – but Gardner also has an ear for more complex sounds at times, and brings in some jazz moments that really give the Igloo titles a unique vibe – always with plenty of grit in the grooves, as befits a small indie label – but with an ear for the music that also makes us wonder what Gardner could have done, had someone given him the keys to a bigger label and studio for his productions! We'd love a bit more in the way of notes – but that's to be expected, as Leon was somewhat of a mysterious figure – and the music is more than great enough on its own, with titles that include "Farm Song", "Be There", "My Love Is Growing", "Who Are You", "Beef Jerky", "Tuff Lover", "Wonderful World Of Children", "You Gonna Cry", and "You Don't Care" by Leon Gardner himself – plus "You're My Love" by Eddie Lewis, "I've Cried" by The Jhamels, and "Petty Cash" and "Ropeokra" by Wallace Petty Combo. LP, Vinyl record album

BAB are the "Big Apple Band" – and although from Virginia, they've got more than enough funky grooves here to challenge the best of mid 70s New York! "Party & Get Down" is a sweetly smooth groover – a bit of warm club in the mix, thanks to some slight strings alongside the keyboards – and a top-shelf approach that really fits in nicely with the best uptempo soul from the early disco years on the east coast! 12-inch, Vinyl record

These guys might be undisco kids, but they're still pretty darn funky – in that best sort of jerky, quirky style that was percolating strongly in the Brit scene of the post-punk years! We'd file Boots For Dancing somewhere in a space next to A Certain Ratio or James White & The Blacks, and maybe Gang Of Four – as the group could clearly play punk, but are driven by much more soulful sounds at the bottom – especially the bassist, who's got this way of setting up the tunes that the guitar can only follow with a sharply-riffing sound! The execution is still very post-punk – there's some darkness in the vocals, and an overall edge to the guitar – but there's no denying the funky element in the music, and at some level these guys do a better job of most of their contemporaries in hitting the right sort of groove, but without ever sounding commercial or mainstream in the process. The little-known story of the group is told in wonderful detail in the notes – to support an album's worth of excellent recordings from the BBC Studios, plus some unreleased work too. Titles include "Salt In The Ocean", "South Pacific", "Just The Ticket", "Style In Full Swing", "Hesitate", "Get Up", "Shadows On Stone", "Money Is Thin On The Ground", "Bend An Elbow Lend An Ear", and "Stand". CD

Fantastic soul from Roland Haynes Jr – an artist who only ever issued one single with his Phenix group back in the day, and who finally gives us a full length studio set with this massive batch of unreleased tracks! There's a nice jazz current running through the music at times – sometimes next to a more upbeat rhythm, sometimes taking the lead a bit more – as on one track that's got some nice Bobbi Humprhey styled flute – which is maybe a good reference for the vibe here, as the music falls into territory of similar artists who skirt the worlds of jazz and soul, like James Mason or Roy Ayers – both of whom would be perfect listening after digging this album – and maybe Stevie Wonder too! The whole thing is fantastic – and titles include "Ceta Theme", "Essence Of Jai", "Titi", "Pretty Melody", "Mind Games", "I'll Always Be There", and "Jobman Caravan". LP, Vinyl record album

Southern funk from the end of the 60s – served up by a great little combo that features the raspy voice of Ike Noble in the lead, and some great backings from the well-named Uptights! The tracks here are on the rawer side of the Stax Records sound – gritty and groovy, with that great mix of deep funk in the rhythms and raw soul in the lyrics that the Memphis scene could do so well – maybe even better here from Ike and the group, who worked across the river in Arkansas! This is the first-ever full length set to look at Noble's music with the Uptights – and titles include "Good Thing", "Money Won't Change You", "It's Bad", "I Take What I Want", "Foxy Mama", "Look A Little Higher", "She's Got To Be Loved", "Just A Dream", "To Love Me Like You Do", "There's Gonna Be A Better Day Coming", "That's The Sound Of My Heart", and "That's What I Get". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge discovery in funky soul – unreleased tracks that were supposed to form the never-issued third album by Rasputin's Stash – after their classic Devil Made Me Do It for Curtom! The group are the stuff of legend – a heady funk ensemble who grew out of Chicago's Fantastic Epics, and with later ties to the sublime Crystal Winds – but probably best known for their stunning debut for Atlantic Records, which forever put the group on the psychedelic funk map! They're every bit as great here – hard-rolling in a massive blend of basslines, guitar, and drums – surprisingly tight, given that the work was never issued – but never in a slick or commercial way. The groove follows wonderfully from their Devil album – and has some massive breaks that come across with a superdope Curtom vibe – mixed with a few mellower cuts that are equally great, in a surprisingly badass way. Titles include "Dark Moon", "Dance With Me", "Oo Girl", "Get Down", "Everybody's A Masterpiece", "Sweet Vibe", "Confusion", "Pick Up The Apple", and a nice cover of "Love & Happiness". CD

The team of Warren Hampshire and Greg Foat have already given us some amazing music on record – but this strangely-titled set may well be their crowning achievement so far! The set's got kind of a creepy look and feel – and a layout that replicates some of the more sophisticated UK jazz titles on the Argo Records label at the end of the 60s. And the style here is very much in keeping with that spirit – this straight mixture of light and darkness, delivered by the duo in a way that's more subtle than before – yet even more powerful too! Hampshire plays guitars, organ, and other keyboards – and Foat adds in more keyboards and bass, while both handle some other effects and sounds – but the real difference here is the album's use of larger string arrangements – not full orchestrations, but just the right kind of light colors and shadings that you might have heard on a record by Nick Drake, Colin Blunstone, or some of the other hipper British singers at the start of the 70s. The approach is more holistic than their previous jazz efforts – not entirely in that side of the spectrum – and more a beautiful record of rich yet melancholy instrumentals. Titles include "Crows Feet", "The Hive", "The Elderflower", "Honey Dreams", "Rain Clouds", "Winter Bound", and "The Fly & I". CD

Every time we hear a new project from the team of Warren Hampshire & Greg Foat, we feel like they've raised the bar a little bit, and this homage to sound library jazz might be their best yet! Creative as they are, Hampshire & Foat don't merely cover or adapt the compositions of any legendary 60s or 70s sound library publishers, instead putting together their own moody original material that's inspired by it. There's a loosely moody quality here with a pretty expansive vibe! The duo handles guitars, autoharp, keys, effects and the direction of a stellar band that brings sax, harmonica, flute, strings and drums to the mix. We're really happy this billed as Volume 1 – we're eager for more! Includes "Jasmine", "Mariposa", "Antonio's Theme", "Coastal Drive", "Lost In Nostalgia", "Echo Flute & Bowed Bass", "Pizzicato Strings", "Solo Stremes", "Main Theme", "Solo Fender Rhodes", "Walking Bass & Echo Flute" and more. CD

A real standard-setting record from the dBs – a group formed in North Carolina, and more famously worked in New York – but who also really hold on here to a mix of modes that echoes some of the big shifts in sound that were coming out of the southern indie scene at the start of the 80s! There's a mix of guitar interplay and rhythms that's wonderful – sometimes as quirky as The Feelies, but with more of the warmth and tunefulness that would soon become the calling card of REM and the Athens scene. And while the dBs maybe never got the fame of some of their bigger contemporaries, their work here is as great, maybe better – and holds up fantastically over the years. Titles include "Living A Lie", "Ask For Jill", "Neverland", "Nothing Is Wrong", "Ups & Downs", "Storm Warning", "We Were Happy There", and "From A Window To A Screen". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standard-setting record from the dBs – a group formed in North Carolina, and more famously worked in New York – but who also really hold on here to a mix of modes that echoes some of the big shifts in sound that were coming out of the southern indie scene at the start of the 80s! There's a mix of guitar interplay and rhythms that's wonderful – sometimes as quirky as The Feelies, but with more of the warmth and tunefulness that would soon become the calling card of REM and the Athens scene. And while the dBs maybe never got the fame of some of their bigger contemporaries, their work here is as great, maybe better – and holds up fantastically over the years. Titles include "Living A Lie", "Ask For Jill", "Neverland", "Nothing Is Wrong", "Ups & Downs", "Storm Warning", "We Were Happy There", and "From A Window To A Screen". CD features the bonus track "PH Factor". CD