... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five's full 12-inch version of "Beat Street Breakdown", Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force's "Frantic Situation", Arthur Baker's "Breaker's Revenge", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Out of the wreckage of Cream came some very hip grooves! Ginger Baker was the hippest of the group's 3 members – and although he's often credited by soul fans for his work with Fela, he should also get hats off for his work with the group Air Force. At its base, the group's in the jazz rock mode – with players that include Brit jazz luminaires Phil Seamen, Harold McNair, and Graham Bond, plus rockers like Baker, Steve Winwood, Denny Laine, and Rick Grech. The tracks are all long groovers in a post-beat group mode – and the best tracks have a jamming sound that's pretty over the top. Titles include "Da Da Man", "Aiko Biaye", "Do What You Like", "Doin It", and "Don't Care". LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s pop soul classic from Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force – insistent and irresistible to this day – and a solid album full of tunes that stand up strongly with their unstoppable hit singles of the period! Yes, the sound would get a bit too cutesy and played out by the end of the 80s, if you lived through those years, but it's amazing how nice it sounds all these years later! There's nice dose of electro and early hip hop creeping in, it's the breakout "I Wonder If I Take You Home" is, straight-up, one of our favorite mid 80s mainstream R&B jams. Also includes "Can You Feel The Beat", "You'll Never Change", "All Cried Out", "This Is Cult Jam", "Behind My Eyes", "Private Property" and "Take Me Home (Rap)". CD

Essential funk in a single set – three killer albums from James Brown's legendary backing group! First up is Food For Thought – the classic first album by The JBs – James Brown's Fred Wesley-led backing band, and the force behind most of his greatest records of the early 70s! The band are incredible at this point – sharper, harder, and funkier than just about any other combo around – and that includes all the thousands of groups in the funky 45 underground who were always trying to copy their sound, but never got things this right! Not only are the rhythms the stuff of legend – but the use of the instruments is far far above the norm – as can be heard on the mindblowing "The Grunt", which was sampled heavily by Public Enemy to great fame – and which features a saxophone solo that sounds more like a whistling tea kettle! The set collects some of the group's best early singles, and includes all of the short little funky cuts that made them a legend right out of the box – "Pass the Peas", "The Grunt", "These Are The JBs", "Hot Pants Road", "Wine Spot", "To My Brother", "Blessed Blackness", "Theme From King Heroin", "Escapism (parts 1 & 2), and "Gimme Some More" – all together here in one tight little album of massive funky hard beats and breaks! Doing It To Death is an incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter segues between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker". Last up is Damn Right I Am Somebody – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. The grooves then kick in – with the same heavy funk as on earlier records, but also a nice nod towards experimental production – from strange fade ups and fade downs, to stark time and rhythm changes, and even bits of electronics used to create some very cool moments in the grooves! The whole thing's as dead funky as can be, and is stuffed with insane classics like "Blow Your Head", "Same Beat", "Damn Right I am Somebody", "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'", and a great cover of Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love to Ball"! CD

A classic 70s Italian crime soundtrack – presented here in full format for the first time ever, and filled with wonderful tunes in a variety of styles! There's a quality to the music that really matches the badass image on the front – a bold, forceful approach that has the upbeat numbers strutting along with plenty of pride – and which has the mellower, more brooding tracks working themes that are simple, but which pack the same force as the revolver on the cover. Franco Micalizzi uses some great keyboards throughout – often a bit light, with a style that's sometimes veering towards electric harpsichord, but other times in a more Goblin-like mode – almost horror-styled, especially when interwoven with acoustic piano. Tunes build up with force as the soundtrack rolls on – and this CD reissue features a whopping 30 tracks in all – with titles that include "Bloody Robbery", "Rush For A Sign", "Betti's Investigation", "Criminals At Work", "Useless Waiting", "Crime Outcome", "Folk & Violence", "Ten Minutes To One", and the vocal number "A Man Before Your Time". CD

A classic 70s Italian crime soundtrack – presented here in full format for the first time ever, and filled with wonderful tunes in a variety of styles! There's a quality to the music that really matches the badass image on the front – a bold, forceful approach that has the upbeat numbers strutting along with plenty of pride – and which has the mellower, more brooding tracks working themes that are simple, but which pack the same force as the revolver on the cover. Franco Micalizzi uses some great keyboards throughout – often a bit light, with a style that's sometimes veering towards electric harpsichord, but other times in a more Goblin-like mode – almost horror-styled, especially when interwoven with acoustic piano. Tunes build up with force as the soundtrack rolls on – and this CD reissue features a whopping 30 tracks in all – with titles that include "Bloody Robbery", "Rush For A Sign", "Betti's Investigation", "Criminals At Work", "Useless Waiting", "Crime Outcome", "Folk & Violence", "Ten Minutes To One", and the vocal number "A Man Before Your Time". CD

CD version of the 2 LP companion to Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. They did a good job of including a lot of amazing old school tracks (1983-1989) that maybe not everyone knows about – but should, including some that are nearly impossible to find on 12". Every track here is worth it, and most haven't been on other compilations. Tracks include "Holy War (Live)" by Divine Force, "My Mic Is On Fire" by Lord Shafiyq, "Marly Marl Scratch" by Marly Marl featuring MC Shan, "Get Retarded" by MC EZ & Troup , "Get Down Grandmaster" by Grandmaster Caz, "Step Up Front" by Positive K, "This Cut's Got Flavor" by Latee, "Droppin' It" by Bizzie Boyz, "I'm Not Playing" by Ultimate Force,"Do It! Do It!" by Alliance, "Brooklyn Blew Up The Bridge" by MC Mitchski, and "Beat Bop" (full 10-minute version) by Rammelzee vs. K-Rob. CD

A well-done look at a genre that kind of snuck in under the wire – music that carries some late traces of electro, touched with underground club styles, but also delivered in a way that's plenty darn catchy, with a great ear for a hook and a groovy sort of sing-song lyric! The music is heavy on beats, basslines, and keyboards – all bursting out with plenty of energy – maybe a brightened up take on street soul from the early 80s, but usually with a younger female singer, which helps the music bubble along in a really great way! The package is new territory for Ace Records, but they've done a great job of bringing together both key cuts and overlooked gems – all hand-picked by Bob Stanley, with a set list that includes "Two Of Hearts (12" version)" by Stacey Q, "Don't Be Shy (radio voc)" by Janelle, "Lover Girl" by Meg, "Let's Go (radio)" by Nocera, "Funky Little Beat" by Connie, "When I Hear Music" by Debbie Deb, "I Wonder If I Take You Home" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force, "Together Forever (radio)" by Lisette Melendez, "Dreamin" by Will To Power, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Lil Suzy, "Thief Of Hearts" by Cynthia, "Fascinated (12" version)" by Company B, and "Baby Talk" by Alisha. CD

A well-done look at a genre that kind of snuck in under the wire – music that carries some late traces of electro, touched with underground club styles, but also delivered in a way that's plenty darn catchy, with a great ear for a hook and a groovy sort of sing-song lyric! The music is heavy on beats, basslines, and keyboards – all bursting out with plenty of energy – maybe a brightened up take on street soul from the early 80s, but usually with a younger female singer, which helps the music bubble along in a really great way! The package is new territory for Ace Records, but they've done a great job of bringing together both key cuts and overlooked gems – all hand-picked by Bob Stanley, with a set list that includes "Two Of Hearts (12" version)" by Stacey Q, "Don't Be Shy (radio voc)" by Janelle, "Lover Girl" by Meg, "Let's Go (radio)" by Nocera, "Funky Little Beat" by Connie, "When I Hear Music" by Debbie Deb, "I Wonder If I Take You Home" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force, "Together Forever (radio)" by Lisette Melendez, "Dreamin" by Will To Power, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Lil Suzy, "Thief Of Hearts" by Cynthia, "Fascinated (12" version)" by Company B, and "Baby Talk" by Alisha. LP, Vinyl record album

Unfortunately, it's not still working – Tommy Boy hasn't released a hip hop masterpiece like they routinely cranked out in their glory days in a long, long time – which is a great reason to buy this hits package featuring singles that are not simply Tommy Boy's greatest, but actually some of the best hip hop singles ever made! 16 cuts including "Planet Rock" and "Looking For The Perfect Beat" by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force, "Me, Myself And I" and "Buddy" by De La Soul, "Ladies First" by Queen Latifah & Monie Love, "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty By Nature, "Sally" by Stetsasonic, "Gangsta Bitch" by Apache, "Jump Around" by House Of Pain and more. CD

A mighty nice collision of sounds – and one that really gets at the special spirit of music on the left side of the scene at the start of the 80s! Sure, punk broke things open in the late 70s – but a few years later, that initial shock gave way to a much more fluid, experimental sort of scene – one in which different sounds and styles could resonate with each other in a really great way – some barriers between rock and soul forever taken down, and the door from the artier side of the spectrum open to bring some fresh ideas into the mainstream! Writer Jon Savage was a very important part of the scene at the time – and here, he recalls the musical moment not just with a great array of tracks that leap between genres, but also with well-penned notes that get at the thought behind the tunes included on the 35 track set. Titles include "Hydraulic Pump (part 2)" by P Funk All Stars, "We're So Cool" by Au Pairs, "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force, "Don't Make Me Wait" by NYC Peech Boys, "Poor Old Soul (part 2)" by Orange Juice, "Sound Of The Crowd" by Human League, "Underground" by The Bizarros, "Twist & Crawl" by The Beat, "These Days" by Joy Division, "The Apartment" by Giorgio Moroder, "She's Lost Control" by Grace Jones, "More Bounce To The Ounce" by Zapp, "Flight" by A Certain Ratio, "Euthenics" by Modern Eon, "Too Many Creeps" by Bush Tetras, "How We Gonna Make The Black Nation Rise" by Brother D with Collective Effort, "Mack The Knife" by Psychedelic Furs, "Pictures" by Josef K, "Adventures On The Wheels Of Steel" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, "Art On 45" by Royal Family & The Poor, and "Our Love" by Donna Summer. CD

The second essential LP from the Time that would solidify Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' position as a force to be dealt within commercial R&B for years to come, cut during the early 80s, when Minneapolis seemed like it was exploding at the seams with great music. With Morris Day's nice extended dance cut "The Walk" featuring a nice popping beat, plus the excellent and very Prince sounding slow jam "Gigolo's Get Lonely Too" and the percolating pre-New Jack funk of "777-9311". CD

The second essential LP from the Time that would solidify Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' position as a force to be dealt within commercial R&B for years to come, cut during the early 80s, when Minneapolis seemed like it was exploding at the seams with great music. With Morris Day's nice extended dance cut "The Walk" featuring a nice popping beat, plus the excellent and very Prince sounding slow jam "Gigolo's Get Lonely Too" and the percolating pre-New Jack funk of "777-9311". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest studio talents of Europe in the 70s! Janko Nilovic may not be a household name, but he was a seminal force in the Parisian studio scene during the 60s and 70s – cutting jazz, funk, pop, and Latin sides with a nutty genius that we'd be hard pressed to beat on this side of the Atlantic! He had a mad talent for mixing unmixable elements – in the kind of way we might ascribe to some of the better MPS groovy sides, or some of the weirder European funk albums, like the classic work of Duke Of Burlington. This long-overdue 2 volume set takes a rich look at Nilovic's talent - and provides some of his best obscure work in a very handsome package. Titles on this first volume include "Gipsy Funk", "Shacking Pop", "Electric Days", "Cross Rolls", "Blow Down", "Centre Atomique", and "Scratching Machine". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest studio talents of Europe in the 70s! Janko Nilovic may not be a household name, but he was a seminal force in the Parisian studio scene during the 60s and 70s – cutting jazz, funk, pop, and Latin sides with a nutty genius that we'd be hard pressed to beat on this side of the Atlantic! He had a mad talent for mixing unmixable elements – in the kind of way we might ascribe to some of the better MPS groovy sides, or some of the weirder European funk albums, like the classic work of Duke Of Burlington. This long-overdue 2 volume set takes a rich look at Nilovic's talent - and provides some of his best obscure work in a very handsome package. Titles on this second volume include "Mixed Grill", "Golf Open", "Soul Impressions", "Strange Dream", "Machine Gun", "Samba Dio", and "Funky Tramway". Great titles – and the music's even better! LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty nice collision of sounds – and one that really gets at the special spirit of music on the left side of the scene at the start of the 80s! Sure, punk broke things open in the late 70s – but a few years later, that initial shock gave way to a much more fluid, experimental sort of scene – one in which different sounds and styles could resonate with each other in a really great way – some barriers between rock and soul forever taken down, and the door from the artier side of the spectrum open to bring some fresh ideas into the mainstream! Writer Jon Savage was a very important part of the scene at the time – and here, he recalls the musical moment not just with a great array of tracks that leap between genres, but also with well-penned notes that get at the thought behind the tunes included on the 35 track set. Titles include "Hydraulic Pump (part 2)" by P Funk All Stars, "We're So Cool" by Au Pairs, "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force, "Don't Make Me Wait" by NYC Peech Boys, "Poor Old Soul (part 2)" by Orange Juice, "Sound Of The Crowd" by Human League, "Underground" by The Bizarros, "Twist & Crawl" by The Beat, "These Days" by Joy Division, "The Apartment" by Giorgio Moroder, "She's Lost Control" by Grace Jones, "More Bounce To The Ounce" by Zapp, "Flight" by A Certain Ratio, "Euthenics" by Modern Eon, "Too Many Creeps" by Bush Tetras, "How We Gonna Make The Black Nation Rise" by Brother D with Collective Effort, "Mack The Knife" by Psychedelic Furs, "Pictures" by Josef K, "Adventures On The Wheels Of Steel" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, "Art On 45" by Royal Family & The Poor, and "Our Love" by Donna Summer. CD

The classic from Afrika Bamaaataa & The Soul Sonic Force – one of the most revolutionary pieces of formative hip hop history! "Planet Rock" is straight up legendary for a number of reasons. It's one of those early hip hop hits to bring the genre to greater popularity, the deft use of Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra inspiration with a NYC party rocking vibe is pure genius, and the overall effect on hip hop, house, electro and pop music to come is seriously huge. Vital! 12-inch, Vinyl record

An insanely detailed book on the role of drugs in American music – written by a guy who's already written a fair bit about drugs and culture! This time around, Martin Torgoff turns his eye towards the postwar years – looking at the interwoven landscapes of jazz, underground culture, and drugs from the late 40s through the 60s – with chapters that look at both famous figures and lesser-known personas – in a list that includes Billie Holiday, Lester Young, William S Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Charlie Parker, and many more. The book's filled with short chapters that almost each read like a story themselves – never too exploitative, and often never with any sort of judgement at all – just surprising detail about the relation between drugs and performance, writing, or other artistic creation. These short chapters work well to weave together a world behind the scenes – subtle forces that later shaped more famous creations – and the book is a hefty 412 pages, with some black and white images. Book

The Beatles weren't just the biggest recording act on the scene in the mid 60s, they were also probably the most influential from a songwriting perspective too – such that countless other groups, singers, and musicians picked up their songs and gave them a try, including some tracks that The Beatles never recorded themselves! These aren't just hack cover versions, though – as the artists here clearly love the Fab Four, and are dedicated to unlocking ways that the music inspires them, and makes them seek their own expressions too – expressions that are presented here in full force, in a very cool package that mixes up rock, soul, jazz, folk, and other styles too – all in a massive 85 track set, with very detailed notes. Artists include Jackie Lynton, Marilyn Powell, The Merseymen, Dick Rivers, Mary Wells, Duffy Power, The Coterie, Mark Wynter, Strawberry Fair, Brotherhood, The Buckinghams, Madeline Bell, The Transatlantics, Count Basie, Jimmy James, Spanky & Our Gang, Zoot, Junior Parker, Jackie Trent, The Four Preps, PJ Proby, Mae West, Five Man Electrical Band, Dave Baby Cortez, and many others. CD

Essential! A hard to find compilation of seminal grooves, the long-out-of-print first volume to the legendary Headz compilation! This one blew everyone's mind back in the mid 90s, and it shaped the world of beathead production dratically for the next few years. Loads of great titles, including "Slipper Suite" by Palmskin Productions, "2000" by R.P.M., "In Flux (alternative interlude '93 version)" and "Lost & Found (SFL)" by DJ Shadow, "They Came In Peace" by Tranquility Bass, "Stars" by Nightmares On Wax, "Contemplating Jazz" by Attica Blues, "The Time Has Come" by UNKLE vs Major Force Orchestra, "Head West – Gunfight At The OK Corrall" by Howie B, "Destroy All Monsters" by Skull, "Lowride" by Autechre and 'Ravers Suck Our Sound" by La Funk Mob, plus a bunch of other smoked out trip hop grooves! CD

Tracks from Full Force, Plaza, Donny Baptiste, Easy Access Orchestra, Metro Orchestra, Herb Meter, VJ-Scan, Jazzanova, Cinematic Orchestra featuring Fontella Bass, Fink, and more. CD

Excellent 2nd volume to this killer set of tracks pulled from the Warner and Atlantic catalogs during the glory days of their soul and funk years! This volume's even more interesting than the first one – and features a huge bunch of cuts that have never been reissued, either on proper or improper reissues (if you know what we mean, wink wink!) As with the first volume, this one focuses on funky material that can or should be sampled – and there's plenty of nice breaks to go around for everyone! Tracks include "Wanaoh" by Black Heat, "Rien Ne Va Plus" by Funk Factory, "Right On" by Clarence Wheeler & the Enforcers, "Giggin Down 103rd" by Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, "Sandy's Love" by Harold Alexander, "Funky" by Freddie King, "South Street Soul" by Freddie Hubbard, "It's Your Thing" by Shirley Scott, "Magnificent Sanctuary Band" by Donny Hathaway, "Teasin" by King Curtis, "Almendra" by Macondo, "Soul Flow" by Paul Kelly, "Gang Bang" by Oscar Brown Jr, and "Get Ready" by Ella Fitzgerald. CD

One of the greatest power pop albums ever recorded – a blistering batch of tight little rocking tunes that took pop music back to basics at the end of the 70s! The group have an almost Beatles-esque flair for the short catchy tune – but have also pumped up things nicely with a smoothly compressed 70s approach to production. There's an urgency to the work that seems to drive the whole thing with an uptight adolescent sense of horniness – a strange force that kicks most tunes into ultradrive by tapping into a virtually limitless source of energy! Titles include the mega-hit "My Sharona", plus "Heartbeat", "Lucinda", "Frustrated", "Good Girls Don't", "Selfish", "O Tara", and "Maybe Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Mo Wax singles, from the label's heyday, or at least our favorite period, when they still had the Swifty graphics with the band down one side of the cover. Funky French club cuts, from the days just before Bob Sinclair and the Yellow Productions folks took it to the big time, with a heavy house influence showing, but a lot more going on here too, Latin beats and jazzy sensibilities as well as tough hip hop and break influenced funk showing up! 6 tracks: "La Doctoresse", "Motor Bass Get Phunked Up", "Suspense", "Ravers Suck Our Sound And Get F*ck", "357 Magnum Force" and "Blunt Konnection". LP, Vinyl record album

A big one for Billy Ocean – a set that's got some catchy beats on the bottom and plenty of sweetly crafted vocals over the top! The style's smooth, but never too much so – thanks to a nicely percolated sense of rhythm on most of the numbers – and in a way, the record represents a nice transition for Billy – a set that pushes him even further past his Caribbean roots into the mainstream of American soul. There's a bit of a quiet storm vibe on here, but one that's never too heavy or forced – and titles include "Love Zone", "Without You", "There'll Be Sad Songs", "Bitter Sweet", "It's Never Too Late To Try", "Showdown", "Promise Me", and "Love Is Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully weird work from Saitana – one of those 70s South African groups who found a way of mixing equal parts soul, funk, and psychedelic influences – then deliver the music with this languid groove that's all their own! The group has ties to other SA combos of the time – including The Beaters and Harari – but there's a very unique quality to this special set – almost a world-weary approach to funk, at least in the instrumentation – as the group steps along at a pace that's never trying to force things too much – which lets lead singer Monty Ndimande burst out with all these raw tones and surprising exclamations – partly in response to the rhythms, but often in a territory that's all his own. Titles include "Chocolate Toffee", "Friends", "Maguwa", "Doing My Thing", and "Jenakuru". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky jazz for the hip hop generation – a set that features warm instrumental solos over some well-crafted beats – all with a vibe that effortlessly links the 70s with the 21st Century! Pat Van Dyke plays a host of instruments – including vibes and Fender Rhodes – in a lineup that also features tenor and flute from Zac Colwell, and some guest tenor from Dayna Stephens too – both players who help enforce the jazz side of the spectrum here, amidst the spacious funky beats from the leader. Titles include "Slow Shimmer", "Vibrate Higher", "Falls To Pieces", "Rising Tide", "Say It Again", and "A Faded Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime second solo effort from Syd Barrett – and maybe his most perfectly-formed album ever! There's a sinister balance to the record right from the start – a gentle approach to the offbeat themes that is almost more unsettling than if the matter was undertaken more forcefully – weird little bits just tossed off by Syd as if they're really the ramblings of the madman promised on the cover of his first LP – almost with a deadpan quality that makes the whole thing even more unsettling with repeated listenings! Instrumentation is relatively lean – almost a folksy mix of acoustic guitar, electric, sullen bass, and some haunting keyboards – all as if someone picked apart Pink Floyd, then started to construct a rough sketch from the parts that lay scattered on the floor. The album's had an influence from psych through punk and many years beyond – and titles include "Baby Lemonade", "Gigolo Aunt", "Wolfpack", "Effervescing Elephant", "Winde & Dined", "Rats", and "It Is Obvious". CD

One of the greatest power pop albums ever recorded – a blistering batch of tight little rocking tunes that took pop music back to basics at the end of the 70s! The group have an almost Beatles-esque flair for the short catchy tune – but have also pumped up things nicely with a smoothly compressed 70s approach to production. There's an urgency to the work that seems to drive the whole thing with an uptight adolescent sense of horniness – a strange force that kicks most tunes into ultradrive by tapping into a virtually limitless source of energy! Titles include the mega-hit "My Sharona", plus "Heartbeat", "Lucinda", "Frustrated", "Good Girls Don't", "Selfish", "O Tara", and "Maybe Tonight". CD

A sublime second solo effort from Syd Barrett – and maybe his most perfectly-formed album ever! There's a sinister balance to the record right from the start – a gentle approach to the offbeat themes that is almost more unsettling than if the matter was undertaken more forcefully – weird little bits just tossed off by Syd as if they're really the ramblings of the madman promised on the cover of his first LP – almost with a deadpan quality that makes the whole thing even more unsettling with repeated listenings! Instrumentation is relatively lean – almost a folksy mix of acoustic guitar, electric, sullen bass, and some haunting keyboards – all as if someone picked apart Pink Floyd, then started to construct a rough sketch from the parts that lay scattered on the floor. The album's had an influence from psych through punk and many years beyond – and titles include "Baby Lemonade", "Gigolo Aunt", "Wolfpack", "Effervescing Elephant", "Winde & Dined", "Rats", and "It Is Obvious". LP, Vinyl record album

Joe McPhee plays here with a Hammond organ trio – a setting that partially gets him back to the soulful sound of his roots, but which still keeps things in the freer mode of later years too! Joe starts out the performance with some wonderful solo work on pocket trumpet – played with these offbeat notes and inventive phrasing that might only be matched by Don Cherry's work on the instrument. The drums from Steve Noble come into the mix slowly, while the Hammond from Alexander Hawkins rolls in on these bold waves of sound – almost more forceful than any organ player of the headiest 70s years – spurred on by some rolling bass from John Edwards. Hammond dominates for the rest of side one – but then Joe switches to tenor, and gets some intimate, soulful space – before the organ comes rolling into the mix again! The 2CD set includes the 37+ minute "Spontaneous Combustion" on Disc One and the more than twice as long (77+ minutes) "Spontaneous Combustion 2" on Disc Two! CD

Although Thelma's best known for her grooves from earlier years, she still sounds plenty darn great on this sweet set from the mid 80s – a bouncy, buoyant batch of tunes that updates the rhythms a bit, but still serves up plenty of her classic-styled vocals! Backings are heavy on beats and keys, and with production by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Monte Moir, Glen Ballard, and Dennis Lambert, there's a definite electro pop sensibility bubbling through many of the tunes – a style that's often forceful, even when subtle – slightly stiff on the rhythms, but in ways that make Thelma's warm vocals sound even more powerful. Titles include "I Guess It Must Be Love", "Fantasy & Heartbreak", "I'd Rather Spend The Bad Times With You", "Shake You", "Generate Love", and "Love Is A Dangerous Game". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool late 60s spy soundtrack from Italian maestro Armando Trovajoli – possibly one of his most dynamic scores of the time, filled with a range of modes – from jazzy, to moody, to mellow! The main theme of the film has a leaping, soaring piano/horn line that's totally great – quite driving and catchy, with enough of a groove to make it alone worth seeking out – but other tracks are plenty wonderful too, and feature a nice array of jazzy passages mixed with sweeter strings, plus a few sparer, more contemplative moments that echo the theme in very subtle ways. The lovely Lara Saint Paul sings the theme song "The Touch Of A Kiss" – and other titles include "The Report Is Completed", "Just Pull The Trigger", "The Last Gift", "A Bank In Zurich", "The Cottage Over The River", "Unexpected Note", "A Forced Meeting", "Suddenly An Old Friend", "Tears & Spies", and "She Dangerous Stuff". CD

What can we say? "Ring My Bell" was one of the biggest crossover disco tracks of the late 70s – with a cool electronic groove on the beat, and lyrics and production by Frederick Knight, making the southern soul singer one of the more unlikely disco forces of the time. This 12" single features the full 8 minute version – with the "Midnight Mix" by Richie Rivera. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A Phil Woods album that's as upbeat and colorful as its cover – one of those great overlooked later recordings by Phil, of the sort that always make digging through his catalog so rewarding! Woods has a great sense of swing here – but one that's never too formulaic or forced – a very organic, spontaneous groove that seems to come strongly from company that includes Brian Lynch on trumpet, Jim McNeely on piano, Steve Gilmore on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums. Titles include the groovy "CK's Bossa", plus "Peer Pressure", "Song For Sisyphus", "Souvenir", and "Ballad For Hank". CD

A wonderfully well-done collection – one that brings together some of the more hard-hitting tracks from the early days of Algerian rai music – cuts that stand in a really strong contrast to the more polished mode that showed up on record charts during the big years of world music! This isn't the music of the major labels and associated imprints – and instead, almost all the cuts here were issued on small cassette-only releases, which almost seems to be the perfect format for the lo-fi approach of the cuts – often just beats, keyboards, and slight instrumentation – topped by vocals that are incredibly expressive, even beyond the boundaries of language – and which soar out in a wonderful way! The leaner instrumentation only seems to enforce the strength of the singers – in ways that didn't always happen with later rai – and the set brings together 14 rare tracks, with work from Cheb Hader, Nordine Staifi, Chaba Ahmed, Tchier Abdelgani, Cheb Hindi, Houari Benchenet, Chab Mohamed Sghir, Benchenet, and Chab Hamouda. CD