Never-heard work from Elmer Lee Fields – one of the greatest deep soul singers of the contemporary age – an artist who had to wait decades to get the attention he deserves, and one who's never been in better hands than these! The tracks here are unreleased gems from the sessions for Lee's albums It Rains Love and Special Night – both produced by Leon Michels, of El Michels fame – with backing that echoes some of the amazing funk of that combo, but which also sometimes gives Fields the warmth of a Memphis production from way back in the Hi Records days! The mix of styles is great – and Lee, as always, is one hell of a soul singer – really shining on tracks that include "Two Timer", "Do You know", "Out To Get You", "Don't Give Up", "Time", "Regenerate", and "Thinking About You". The album also features bonus instrumentals by El Michels – non-vocal takes of five tunes from the record! LP, Vinyl record album

A new and amazing chapter in the always-evolving sound of this wonderful funk ensemble – a set that holds onto all the unusual elements of previous records, but also brings in some beautiful vocals from singer Piya Malik on a number of tracks! Malik really fleshes out the sound on the numbers she handles – and the overall style is very hard to pin down – a globe's worth of influences, as El Michels blend together post-Wu Tang, post-Ethiopiques, post-Arabesk modes – yet all infused with a classic sense of funk that's not only very faithful to the 70s, but also has a cinematic sense of majesty! The blend is great – and Piya really helps open up the sound on the album's vocal tracks – served up in a mix of titles that include "Dhuaan", "Lesson Learned", "Murkit Gem", "Fazed Out", "Ala Vida", "Unathi", "Last Blast", "Zaharila", and "Silver Lining". CD features bonus tracks – "Idhar Udhar", "Messy Grass", and instrumental versions of four vocal tunes on the set! CD

Lady Wray has been giving us music for almost a decade – going back to her initial work in the duo Lady – but she's really stepping forward strongly with this record, and maybe finally reaching that level that will get her the sort of wider attention she deserves! While some of Wray's previous work was more steeped in classic soul modes, there's a sound here that's instantly powerful and very contemporary – a crisp, urgent quality we're not sure we've ever heard in the Lady's music before – and which has this album bristling with fresh energy throughout! Leon Michels produced and handled most of the music – but again, he's also sounding very fresh as well – as if the pair have decided that after years of providing top-level soul music to the global underground, it's time to take over the rest of the world as well – yet all while keeping those amazing Lady Wray vocals intact! Titles include "Through It All", "Piece Of Me", "Games People Play", "Melody", "Thank You", "Joy & Pain", "Storms", and "Come On In". CD

There's a great mix of modes going on here – as the well-crafted vocals of Bobby Oroza get a special setting for the album – recording in the studios of Timmion Records, with super-dope production from Cold Diamond & Mink! If you know the feel of a CD&M recording, you'll know what's going on here – laidback funky soul in a lean style that echoes some of the older styles of the east coast indie scene of the early 70s – but with some nicely offbeat contemporary touches too! Bobby plays organ, keyboards, and vibes – and the group features more vibes and guitar from Seppo Salmi, bass from Sami Kantelinen, and even a bit of flute from Jimi Tenor! Titles include "Bobby's New Mood", "I Got Love", "My Place My Time", "Sweet Agony", "Passing Thing", "Through These Tears", "Real Connection", and "Soon Everyone Will Know". CD

There's a great mix of modes going on here – as the well-crafted vocals of Bobby Oroza get a special setting for the album – recording in the studios of Timmion Records, with super-dope production from Cold Diamond & Mink! If you know the feel of a CD&M recording, you'll know what's going on here – laidback funky soul in a lean style that echoes some of the older styles of the east coast indie scene of the early 70s – but with some nicely offbeat contemporary touches too! Bobby plays organ, keyboards, and vibes – and the group features more vibes and guitar from Seppo Salmi, bass from Sami Kantelinen, and even a bit of flute from Jimi Tenor! Titles include "Bobby's New Mood", "I Got Love", "My Place My Time", "Sweet Agony", "Passing Thing", "Through These Tears", "Real Connection", and "Soon Everyone Will Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky genius from a mighty unique group – one who've drunk deep on the classic steel band sounds of the 70s, but who've also refined that groove with a contemporary funk approach too! The group's the brainchild of Bjorn Wagner – who you might know from The Mighty Mocambos – and the sound here is every bit as well-crafted as that combo, but with the difference of steel drums in the mix! The drums provide most of the melodic elements, while the funky backings kick things up nicely – all at a level that's maybe even funkier than some of the best funky steel drum albums of the 70s – especially across the space of the entire album. Titles include "Xxplosive", "Touchdown", "Burn", "Real Hot", "Hoola Hoop", "1 Thing", "Crockett Theme", "Bocas Del Dragon", "Bushfire", and "I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

El Michels return again to the Wu-Tang chambers – and the results this time might even be better than before! Wu-Tang forged their initial sound out of a love of offbeat samples and unusual funk – so it's only fitting that one of the hippest funk groups around strip the music right down to its roots – performing new live interpretations with their wickedly sinister groove – all at a level that makes the whole thing a slow funk masterpiece from start to finish! El Michels has always been one of the few real standouts in the deep funk scene – and it's records like this that keep us loving them so much. And even though the set features vocals from Lee Fields on two tracks, and Lady Wray on one more – the instrumental groove is what dominates and draws our ears, on tracks that include "Tears", "Sipped Up", "Shadow Boxing", "Iron Man", "4th Chamber", "Shaolin Brew", "Drums For Sale", "Verbal Intercourse", "Tearz", and "Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin Ta F Wit". LP, Vinyl record album

A new and amazing chapter in the always-evolving sound of this wonderful funk ensemble – a set that holds onto all the unusual elements of previous records, but also brings in some beautiful vocals from singer Piya Malik on a number of tracks! Malik really fleshes out the sound on the numbers she handles – and the overall style is very hard to pin down – a globe's worth of influences, as El Michels blend together post-Wu Tang, post-Ethiopiques, post-Arabesk modes – yet all infused with a classic sense of funk that's not only very faithful to the 70s, but also has a cinematic sense of majesty! The blend is great – and Piya really helps open up the sound on the album's vocal tracks – served up in a mix of titles that include "Dhuaan", "Lesson Learned", "Murkit Gem", "Fazed Out", "Ala Vida", "Unathi", "Last Blast", "Zaharila", and "Silver Lining". LP, Vinyl record album

A really new setting for the vocals of singer Liam Bailey – and one that's a bit different for El Michels Affair! The group here are still very funky, and filled with all the fantastic sonic touches that we've always loved from leader Leon Michels – but the setting is more in a reggae mode, with lots of dubby elements at the bottom that are balanced out by soulful falsetto vocals from Liam – sometimes in a way that's heavily processed, sometimes a bit more straight up in the mix! As always with El Michels, the whole thing is like hearing the sounds of the past, but refracted with a unique contemporary vision – topped off here with guest work from Lee Scratch Perry and Black Thought too. Titles include "Conquer & Divide", "Ugly Truths", "Faded", "Lucky Man", "I Love NY", "Superstar", "Angel Face", "Walk With Me", "King", and "No One Else". LP, Vinyl record album

A lean take on the double-length self-titled set from this mighty funky combo – one that brings together a range of great funky 45s, plus a few other hefty nuggets! If you don't know the group, they're totally great – as Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band go back to the funkiest moments of the 70s steel pan scene from the Caribbean – but also have a harder edge that comes from the group's ties to the Mighty Mocambos, and other corners of the deep funk universe! These cuts are funk first, steel drums second – and have a wicked groove that's actually hipper than most of the original steel drum records from back in the day. Titles include "Queen Of Cheeba", "Port Of Spain Hustle", "Tender Trap", "Dog Was A Doughnut", "Beetham Highway Ride", "Pimp", "Bacao Suave", "Jungle Fever", and "Tropical Heat". LP, Vinyl record album

A really different groove from El Michels Affair – but one that reminds us again that the group is really amazing at just about anything they ever try to do! The adult themes here are modes borrowed from older European styles – some of the slinky funk of Serge Gainsbourg and some of his contemporaries, mixed with maybe a touch of Euro erotic film scoring – but all given that strong undercurrent of funk that we can always expect from Leon Michels and the group – arranged and produced with a really superb quality throughout! The drums are nice and heavy, the basslines sexy and slinky, and there's some occasional wordless female vocals and larger arrangements that really expand the palette of El Michels. Titles include "Enfant", "Villa", "Kill The Lights", "Life Of Pablo", "A Swift Nap", "Munecas", "Rubix", "Hipps", and a number of "Adult Theme" tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

The Shacks really seem to have found their sound here – balancing the sometimes-sweet vocals of Shannon Wise with a grittier edge in the music – not entirely garagey, but also never too overproduced! There's almost an 80s indie vibe going on here in the presentation – a group who clearly have the chops to win over the mainstream, but who also like to keep things cool too – really just ready to unleash their strong sense of a song, and balance with tune and timing – maybe getting just the right sort of help with the production efforts of Leon Michels and his long legacy in the deep funk underground! Titles include "Texas", "Sand Song", "Crying", "Birds", "Haze", "Follow Me", "Sleeping", "So Good", "Nobody Nobody", and "My Name Is". CD

A second fantastic tribute to the genius of Sunny Ozuna – the Texas singer who cut some amazing soul records back in the 60s, but often with a vibe that reflected his unique Tex-Mex origins too! Those qualities really come through here in this well-done assortment of tunes – tracks that have all the mellow, slow-stepping energy of sweet soul group material from the east coast scene of the late 60s – but which also have some unusual Texas elements too, even on familiar instruments like trumpet or organ, which often are tuned in slightly weird ways that really set these tunes apart from more conventional soul! Sunny's always in the lead, but often gets some great harmony support – and titles include a killer remake of "Sitting In The Park" – plus "If I Could See You Now", "Give Me Time", "Viva Mi Triestesa", "I Can Remember", "Runaway", "I've Never Found A Girl", "I'm No Stranger", and "Baby I Apologize". CD

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band always sound great – but this time around, they feel funkier than before, and maybe a bit more sinister too – a really great change that has us falling in love with the group all over again! There's still plenty of steel drums in the mix – used to craft the ringing sounds that really set the group apart from other funk groups – but this time around, the bass might be the star of the show – as it's got this really strong placement that creates a bad-stepping vibe for just about every track! Other instruments come into play at times – some horns, keyboards, and guitar – but the whole thing really feels like this love affair between the bass and the steel, urged on by some excellent funky work on the regular drums too. Titles include "Space", "Raise It Up", "Getting Nasty", "Blow Your Cover", "Les Fleurs", "Squaring The Circles", "My Jamaican Dub", "Tough Victory", and "Dirt Off Your Shoulder". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic full length set from Bobby Oroza – a moody take on blue-eyed soul, with a vibe that's completely its own! Oroza has some fantastic help here – production and music by Cold Diamond & Mink, the combo who've given such a fantastic sound to Timmion Records soul singles over the years! Bobby's got a sweet soul style that's already great – but it really takes off here in the company of the Finnish musicians – who also recorded the whole set with Bobby at the Timmion studios, which makes the whole thing sort of a joint project between the two creative forces! The lean, sinister quality we always love in Cold Diamond & Mink's music really helps shape the sound of the vocals – and Bobby himself also plays guitar and organ on the record. Jimi Tenor adds guests flute in a few spots – and tracks include "Bobby's Mood", "Your Love Is Too Cold", "Keep On Believing", "Maybe Maybe Maybe", "This Love", "Down On My Knees", and "There Can Be No Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet instrumental take on the Bobby Oroza debut record – a set that works perfectly well as a deep funk record, even without the vocals – thanks to instrumental help from Cold Diamond & Mink! Bobby's still on the set – playing guitar, organ, and percussion – and gets help from the group on added guitar, bass, and drums – all recorded with a nicely moody vibe at the Timmion studios, with this laidback, slow funk approach that's got a late nite, mellow soul style! Titles include instrumental versions of "Bobby's Mood", "Alone Again", "This Love (parts 1 & 2)", "Deja Vu", "Down On My Knees", and "There Can Be No Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Insanely wonderful work from the Texas scene at the end of the 60s – a huge collection of the English language soul songs of Sunny & The Sunliners! The group first hit national fame in the earlier part of the 60s, with a sweet falsetto crossover hit – but as the decade moved on, they balanced their music equally between Spanish and English tunes – the former in more of a Tex-Mex mode, the latter in a wonderful version of sweet soul! In a way, Sunny's work here is a lot like Joe Bataan during his Sweet Soul years – a heartbreaking blend of Latin roots and east coast soul – produced with a rootsy vibe that really gets right to the heart of the matter! Sunny's work has never been reissued properly – especially the soul tracks from this period – and the collection is an ear-opening listen all the way through – and one that should hopefully put the group right up there with material by The Delfonics, Moments, and other sweet soul groups. Titles include "Smile Now Cry Later", "Put Me In Jail", "Should I Take You Home", "Cross My Heart", "Get Down", "Rain Makes Me Blue", "Outside Looking In", "My Dream", and "Open Up Your Love Door". CD

A second fantastic tribute to the genius of Sunny Ozuna – the Texas singer who cut some amazing soul records back in the 60s, but often with a vibe that reflected his unique Tex-Mex origins too! Those qualities really come through here in this well-done assortment of tunes – tracks that have all the mellow, slow-stepping energy of sweet soul group material from the east coast scene of the late 60s – but which also have some unusual Texas elements too, even on familiar instruments like trumpet or organ, which often are tuned in slightly weird ways that really set these tunes apart from more conventional soul! Sunny's always in the lead, but often gets some great harmony support – and titles include a killer remake of "Sitting In The Park" – plus "If I Could See You Now", "Give Me Time", "Viva Mi Triestesa", "I Can Remember", "Runaway", "I've Never Found A Girl", "I'm No Stranger", and "Baby I Apologize". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic full length set from the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band – a group who've really won us over in recent years with a fast flurry of funky 45s! The group take an older steel band sound, and forge it to a might tighter rhythmic impulse – with a sound that's often even funkier than the best (and few) funky steel band tracks from the 70s – served up with razor-sharp instrumentation, and great production in a Daptone/Soul Fire mode – which really keeps things sounding raw all the way through! The group's got strong ties to the Mighty Mocambos – and some other contemporary funk acts too – and the music is top-shelf all the way through, a funkier full steel band record than you'll ever hope to find. Titles include "Beetham Highway Ride", "Scorpio", "Pimp", "Tropical Heat", "Laventille Road March", "Round & Round", "Port Of Spain Hustle", "Jungle Fever", "Love Like This", and "Dog Was A Doughnut". CD

Kendrick Lamarr waited quite a long time to give the world a follow-up to his classic DAMN – and for good reason too, as the rapper's been on a long personal journey that's documented strongly on the record! The Kendrick heard here is much more introspective than before – and that's saying a lot, given his previous approach – and tunes here deal with issues of personal struggle, healing, and redemption – but all with the kind of sharp edges and sense of fragility that keeps the record from ever feeling to smug or full of itself. Opinions started flying about the record right from the start, and there's plenty here to build your own understanding too – on titles that include "Father Time", "Die Hard", "United In Grief", "We Cry Together", "Count Me Out", "Purple Hearts", "Rich Spirit", "Crown", "Savior", and "Silent Hill". CD

Kendrick Lamarr waited quite a long time to give the world a follow-up to his classic DAMN – and for good reason too, as the rapper's been on a long personal journey that's documented strongly on the record! The Kendrick heard here is much more introspective than before – and that's saying a lot, given his previous approach – and tunes here deal with issues of personal struggle, healing, and redemption – but all with the kind of sharp edges and sense of fragility that keeps the record from ever feeling to smug or full of itself. Opinions started flying about the record right from the start, and there's plenty here to build your own understanding too – on titles that include "Father Time", "Die Hard", "United In Grief", "We Cry Together", "Count Me Out", "Purple Hearts", "Rich Spirit", "Crown", "Savior", and "Silent Hill". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue package – one that finally brings together all the many strands of music from underground Cali rock legend Merrell Fankhauser! CD1 features some of Merrell's earliest music – a host of early singles by Merrell & The Exiles, some of which were issued on the Glenn and Golden Crown labels – mixed here with rare unissued titles too – for a whopping 19 tracks that offer up a rare look at Fankhauser's earliest years! CD2 features the classic Fapardokly record – a lost bit of legend from the west coast scene of the 60s – and a record that's maybe best-known as a showcase for the early genius of Merrell Fankhauser – who wrote most of the songs on the set, a good number of which were actually recorded for the record by his previous group, The Exiles! Yet despite that little bit of trivia, there's a great vibe going on here – a seminal shift in the Cali scene from garagey work to trippier modes – served up beautifully on titles that include "Glass Chandelier", "Suzie Cryin", "Tomorrow's Girl", "Lila", "Mr Clock", "No Retreat", "Gone To Pot", "When I Get Home", "Supermarket", and "The Music Scene". CD3 features the album Things, recorded by Merrell Fankhauser & HMS Bounty – a perfect blend of Fankhauser's earlier garage rock modes and latter trippier styles! The tunes are short and wonderfully tuneful – produced at Gold Star studios, with a simple, straightforward style that makes all the deftness of the songwriting come through even more – an approach that, although supposedly steeped in Pacific Ocean inspiration, almost feels more like that great moment when some UK groups of the mid 60s were tripping out, but not too much. Titles include "Lost In The City", "Your Painted Lives", "In A Minute Not Too Soon", "A Visit With Ashiya", "The Big Gray Sky", and "Rich Man's Fable". CD4 features MU – an incredible record, and one that really lives up to all its well-deserved legend over the years – one of those sets that's not just rare, but which has all the chops to really deliver the goods! A few short years before, Merrell Fankhauser was recording garage and psych on the LA scene – but here, he steps off the latter with a bit of post-60s hangover – working with a current of darkness that really changes things up, while still providing a great outlet for his legendary work on guitar – and his mindblowing sense of a lyric! Titles include "Ballad Of Brother Lew", "Eternal Thirst", "Too Naked For Demetrius", "Mumbella Baye Tu La", "The Clouds Went That Way", and "Nobody Wants To Shine". CD5 features MU's The Last Album – 20 more tracks recorded in 1974, but unissued for many years – and CD6 features the legendary Maui album from the enigmatic Merrell Fankhauser – a self-released set that drew inspiration from his time in Hawaii – even though the set was mostly recorded in LA and San Francisco! The tunes are beautiful – nicely evolved from Merrell's psych of earlier years, with a much more personal vibe – yet all without some of those west coast cliches that were creeping into more mainstream music of the period. You might get the vibe partly right if you could maybe imagine a more personal singer/songwriter take on the AOR vibe of the period – with leaner, better instrumentation and unslick production – but that's also only part of the picture too! Titles include "On Our Way To Hana", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Garden In The Rain", "Waterfall", "The Source", "Sail It Over The Ocean", and "We Were All Free". Box set features a very detailed book of notes – bonus tracks added to most of the albums, and a massive 95 tracks in all! CD

A young contemporary trio, but one who work with a very classic vibe – a style that's maybe even more so than most of the vintage gospel albums you might find in the racks! The group's harmonies are wonderful – balanced with the force of the lead and the strength of the trio like some killer soul group from back in the day – and production is nice and lean, handled by Eli Paperboy Reed, but with a very different vibe than his own music, given the strength of the vocals! The whole thing's got the same blend of funk and message that you'd hear from similar contemporary projects on Daptone or Big Crown – and titles include "Hold On", "Look Up", "That's The Reason", "Hold Your Head Up", "I'm Grateful", and "Help Me To Understand". CD

A young contemporary trio, but one who work with a very classic vibe – a style that's maybe even more so than most of the vintage gospel albums you might find in the racks! The group's harmonies are wonderful – balanced with the force of the lead and the strength of the trio like some killer soul group from back in the day – and production is nice and lean, handled by Eli Paperboy Reed, but with a very different vibe than his own music, given the strength of the vocals! The whole thing's got the same blend of funk and message that you'd hear from similar contemporary projects on Daptone or Big Crown – and titles include "Hold On", "Look Up", "That's The Reason", "Hold Your Head Up", "I'm Grateful", and "Help Me To Understand". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really lives up to its title – the definite real thing from bassist Chris Lujan, who's working here in a slow funk soul style with superb lead vocals from Andre Cruz! There's a cool Cali vibe to the record – plenty of older elements from the East Bay and East LA scenes, mixed with some of the sharper production from the deep funk underground in more recent years – a quality that makes the whole thing every bit as cool and crisp as some of the best Big Crown or Colemine releases in recent years! Andre's vocals are wonderful – high-ranged and heartbreaking, and perfect for the tunes – which include "You're The One For Me", "My Back Hurts From Picking Up The Pieces Of My Broken Heart", "Don't Put It All On Me", "Guilty As Charged", "I Think I'm In Love With You", and "Don't Go Actin A Fool" – the last of which is a nice slow funk instrumental. CD

A record that really lives up to its title – the definite real thing from bassist Chris Lujan, who's working here in a slow funk soul style with superb lead vocals from Andre Cruz! There's a cool Cali vibe to the record – plenty of older elements from the East Bay and East LA scenes, mixed with some of the sharper production from the deep funk underground in more recent years – a quality that makes the whole thing every bit as cool and crisp as some of the best Big Crown or Colemine releases in recent years! Andre's vocals are wonderful – high-ranged and heartbreaking, and perfect for the tunes – which include "You're The One For Me", "My Back Hurts From Picking Up The Pieces Of My Broken Heart", "Don't Put It All On Me", "Guilty As Charged", "I Think I'm In Love With You", and "Don't Go Actin A Fool" – the last of which is a nice slow funk instrumental. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from the Colemine label – a company who've given us plenty of great albums over the years, but who seem especially well-tuned to the funky 45! Along with Daptone, Big Crown, and a few others, Colemine is one of the labels who turn out top-shelf 7" singles again and again – most of which are in limited pressings, disappear fast, and are sometimes pretty expensive if you can find them! This set corrects that issue, and brings together 27 nuggets that originally appeared as funky 45s – all stacked together nicely as a massive LP set, with a nice price break from trying to track down the singles. Titles include "Gripsweats Them" by The Gripsweats, "Don't You Know" by Durand Jones & The Indications, "NUSAU" by Jungle Fire, "Supermoon" by Ikebe Shakedown, "What A Shame" by Jr Thomas & The Volcanos, "War Room" by Black Market Brass, "Aragon" by Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, "My God Has A Telephone" by Flying Stars Of Brooklyn, "He's On Time" by Harlem Gospel Travelers, "Happiness" by Wesley Bright & The Honeytones, "It Was Only A Dream" by Thee Sinseers, "America" by Soul Scratch, and "Sure Don't Miss You" by The Dip. LP, Vinyl record album

Tortured souls and troubled hearts – served up here in a dark set of narratives from the classic years of country music! As with previous volumes in this excellent series, the package goes way beyond the big hits, to turn up lots of great songs from the shadowy corners of country – songs about bad deeds and poor choices – handled by a variety of different singers who really keep things interesting! There's way more love of the music here than the sense of kitsch you might expect from the cover – and although you might first find the songs appealing from a gimmicky perspective, we can bet that you'll be getting the message before long. Titles include "Dead Man's Cave" by Bobby Griggs, "Marbone Swamp" by Bill Browning & The Dark Hollow Boys, "Endless Sleep" by Hank Williams Jr, "There Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down" by Bobby Grove, "Dark Day In Dallas" by Tex Ritter, "Bury Me Face Down" by Cowboy Copas, "No Hiding Place" by Sunshine Boys Quartet, "Satan's Jeweled Crown" by The Louvin Brothers, and "East Dallas Dagger" by Durwood Daily. (Note: most of the contents are the same as the LP 777 in the series – but the CD has 32 titles in all!) CD

A wonderful overview of some of the key moments in the career of Michel Legrand – the legendary jazz pianist, film composer, and singer who helped really transform the sound of French music in the postwar years! The box does a great job of covering all different aspects of Legrand's career – and we're especially happy to see that it includes a full CD of his vocal performances – sung with a raspily charming style that was very much his own – often jazzy, but full of the same feeling as his soundtrack material too! CD5 also features a big overview of that cinematic work – music from Le Messager, Jamais Plus Jamais, La Buche, Thomas Crown Affair, and a number of other films. CD3 features Legrand's contributions to jazz – including performances with Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, and other giants! CD4 brings together his instrumental material – both his groovy 60s recordings, and some earlier material in a more lush style. And CD1 features reworks of his classic songs – by Al Jarreau, Thomas Dutronc, Philippe Katerine, Joe Hisaishi, Maurane, and many others. Box features a number of tracks on CD for the first time – and is a wonderful tribute to one of our favorite artists of all time! CD

... CD

A critical moment in the Chicago scene – and quite possibly the crowning moment from Big Black as well! The trio were already great on previous records, but they somehow move even farther forward with this one – a deep dive into the twisted mind of Steve Albini, served up with a sonic intensity that instantly sets these guys apart from just about anyone out there – not punk, not noise, not anything else – just pure jaw-dropping Big Blackness! Iain Burgess recorded the whole thing with the group – giving in that sharp sound that was just becoming to be known as the Chicago style, which Albini would uncork even more strongly in his studio work of the next decade – and titles include a searing live take on "Cables", the chilling "Jordan Minnesota", and the tracks "Passing Complexion", "Big Money", "Kerosene", "Bad Houses", "Fists Of Love", "Stinking Drunk", "Bazooka Joe", and "Strange Things". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty strong overview of Hank's fiercer R&B tunes for King Records – most of them cut at the end of the 50s, with that mean and lean style that actually could make Hank sound pretty darn scary! Titles include "It's Love Baby", "Sugaree", "Annie Had A Baby", "Hoochi Coochi Coo", "I'm Learning", "Teardrops On Your Letter", and "Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic groover from Jocelyn Brown – presented here in a 2CD set that's overflowing with remixes! One From The Heart was a big mainstream moment for Jocelyn Brown – the crowning realization of all the great work she'd done in the club underground in the early part of the 80s – presented here with a slightly more crossover vibe, but a sound that's still pretty darn great in the end, thanks to Brown's tremendous vocals. Jocelyn's really keeping an older style of female soul alive here – amidst some beats and more programmed rhythms – belting things out with the pipes that first rose her to fame in the disco years, pretty proud and unabashed here. Rhythms are better than usual for a major label record like this – thanks to help from Hubert Eaves and Jellybean – and titles include "Love's Gonna Get You", "Ego Maniac", "True Love", "Caught In The Act", "I Cry Real Tears", and "Living Without Your Love". Bonus CD features 10 more remixes – of "Ego Maniac", "Caught In The Act", and "Love's Gonna Get You". CD

A huge discovery in vocal group material from the 50s – served up in this excellent series of tracks from the vaults of LA's Modern Records label! Most folks associate the early vocal group sounds with the east coast or Chicago scenes of the postwar years – but there was also plenty of harmonizing and doo wop on the west coast, too – although sometimes not as well-exposed as the bigger hits back east! This series really corrects that mistake – and serves up a stunning wealth of work from the early Cali scene – tracks recorded by the Modern Records label, a company with a rich legacy in jump blues, R&B, and other hip postwar styles – all of which they brought to play on their recordings in a vocal group mode. The Modern approach often has some wonderful arrangements that further empower the vocals – a harder swing that gives the singers the same push as some of the label's solo acts – and as usual for Ace Records, this collection moves way past the hits, to include some unreleased tracks, and rare singles from the Modern, RPM, Crown, and Flair labels. Volume 3 features 25 tracks that include "I Cry" by The Cadets, "My Heart's Crying For You" by The Chimes, "Oo Wah" by Buddy Milton & The Twilighters, "My Darling My Sweet" by The Flairs, "Cheatin On Me" by Curtis Irvin & The Sparks, "God Gave Me You" by Richard Berry, "Do The Bop" by Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns, "Ipsy Opsie Ooh" by Shirley Gunter & The Flairs, "Yours Alone" by Bobby Relf & The Laurels, "Please Remember My Heart" by The Five Bells, "Hold Me Squeeze Me" by Etta James & The Peaches, and "Song Of The Wanderer" by The Ebonaires. CD

A wealth of vocal group work from the LA scene – not big pop hits of the period, but a great mix of doo wop, early soul, and rock harmonies all brought together with the kind of special presentation we've come to love from the folks at Ace Records! Some of these cuts come straight from the vaults, others are rare singles – and together the work does a hell of a lot to put the LA group scene on the map! Sure, maybe the city didn't have as many street corners for groups to harmonize on as cities back east – but that clearly didn't stop the artists here from turning out some truly tremendous work – as you'll hear on the two dozen tracks within, titles that include "There's A Fool Born Every Day" by The Five Superiors, "Last Night" by Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns, "Psychology" by The Dandevilles, "Please Don't Cry" by The Wonders, "Wonderful One" by The Shondells, "Pardon Me" by The Cezannes, "This Love Was Real" by The Showcases, "The Letter" by Adolph Jacobs, "Drafted Volunteered Enlisted" by the Creators, "When They Ask About You" by The Jades, "Eternal Love" by The Cordials, and "Never Forget" by The Tabs. CD

A huge discovery in vocal group material from the 50s – served up in this excellent series of tracks from the vaults of LA's Modern Records label! Most folks associate the early vocal group sounds with the east coast or Chicago scenes of the postwar years – but there was also plenty of harmonizing and doo wop on the west coast, too – although sometimes not as well-exposed as the bigger hits back east! This series really corrects that mistake – and serves up a stunning wealth of work from the early Cali scene – tracks recorded by the Modern Records label, a company with a rich legacy in jump blues, R&B, and other hip postwar styles – all of which they brought to play on their recordings in a vocal group mode. The Modern approach often has some wonderful arrangements that further empower the vocals – a harder swing that gives the singers the same push as some of the label's solo acts – and as usual for Ace Records, this collection moves way past the hits, to include some unreleased tracks, and rare singles from the Modern, RPM, Crown, and Flair labels. Volume 1 features 24 tracks in all – with titles that include "Native Girl" by The Native Boys, "Love Only You" by The Meadowlarks, "Sacroilliac Swing" by The Drifters, "I Wanna Love" by Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns, "You Better Stop" by The Original Jubalaires, "Be Cool My Heart" by Oscar McLollie & His Honey Jumpers, "Let Me Be Your Man" by The Five Hearts, "Forever" by Marvin Phillips & The Barons, and "Tell Me You Love Me" by The Flairs. CD

A huge discovery in vocal group material from the 50s – served up in this excellent series of tracks from the vaults of LA's Modern Records label! Most folks associate the early vocal group sounds with the east coast or Chicago scenes of the postwar years – but there was also plenty of harmonizing and doo wop on the west coast, too – although sometimes not as well-exposed as the bigger hits back east! This series really corrects that mistake – and serves up a stunning wealth of work from the early Cali scene – tracks recorded by the Modern Records label, a company with a rich legacy in jump blues, R&B, and other hip postwar styles – all of which they brought to play on their recordings in a vocal group mode. The Modern approach often has some wonderful arrangements that further empower the vocals – a harder swing that gives the singers the same push as some of the label's solo acts – and as usual for Ace Records, this collection moves way past the hits, to include some unreleased tracks, and rare singles from the Modern, RPM, Crown, and Flair labels. Volume 2 features 24 tracks that include "Key To My Heart" by The Robins, "Oochie Pachie" by Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns, "What Difference Does It Make" by Shirley Gunter & The Queens, "You Won't Let Me Go" by The Original Jubalaires, "All I Do Is Rock" by The Robins, "Tell Me Thrill Me" by The Chanters, "Sindy" by The Cobras, "Don't Think I Will" by Young Jessie, "Oop Shoop" by Shirley Gunter & The Queens, "At Last" by Richard Berry & The Dreamers, and "Love Me Girl" by The Flairs. CD

A huge discovery in vocal group material from the 50s – served up in this excellent series of tracks from the vaults of LA's Modern Records label! Most folks associate the early vocal group sounds with the east coast or Chicago scenes of the postwar years – but there was also plenty of harmonizing and doo wop on the west coast, too – although sometimes not as well-exposed as the bigger hits back east! This series really corrects that mistake – and serves up a stunning wealth of work from the early Cali scene – tracks recorded by the Modern Records label, a company with a rich legacy in jump blues, R&B, and other hip postwar styles – all of which they brought to play on their recordings in a vocal group mode. The Modern approach often has some wonderful arrangements that further empower the vocals – a harder swing that gives the singers the same push as some of the label's solo acts – and as usual for Ace Records, this collection moves way past the hits, to include some unreleased tracks, and rare singles from the Modern, RPM, Crown, and Flair labels. Volume 5 features 24 titles that include "Anything For You" by The Sounds, "My Satellite" by Jesse Belvin & His Space Riders, "Ever Since You've Been Gone" by The Hawks, "Heaven Help Me" by The Cadets, "You Are The First One" by The Rockets, "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" by Tony Allen & The Wonders, "I'm In Love With A Girl" by The Cliques, "Come Back Baby" by Joe Houston & Group, "He's My Baby" by Donna Hightower & Group, and "Talk It Over Baby" by The Rocketeers. CD

Easily one of the biggest selling jazz albums of the 60s – a crowning achievement for Ramsey Lewis and his popular trio with Eldee Young on bass and Redd Holt on drums! The set was recorded live at the Bohemian Caverns in DC, and the trio are perfect in the setting – going at the numbers with pyrotechnic fury, but always staying in the soul jazz idiom – keeping things nice, tight, and in the pocket! Titles include the group's hit version of "The In Crowd", plus "You Been Talkin Bout Me Baby", "Spartacus", "Felicidade", and "Come Sunday" – plus 2 non-LP bonus tracks CD

The second round from the Run The Jewels supergroup duo of El-P & Killer Mike – bigger, bolder and better than the debut! The production is more densely layered and the rhymes are meaner – especially Killer Mike's limber, charismatic flow, which served so strongly by El-P's progressive, classic boom bap-inspired production – and El-P is no slouch on the mic, either! The guests bring their A games, too – and the titles include "Jeopardy", "Oh My Darling Don't Cry", "Close Your Eyes" with Zach De la Rocha, "Lie, Cheat, Steal", "Early" feat Boots, "Love Again (Akinyele Back)", "Crown" feat Diane Coffee, "Angel Duster" and more. CD

A huge discovery in vocal group material from the 50s – served up in this excellent series of tracks from the vaults of LA's Modern Records label! Most folks associate the early vocal group sounds with the east coast or Chicago scenes of the postwar years – but there was also plenty of harmonizing and doo wop on the west coast, too – although sometimes not as well-exposed as the bigger hits back east! This series really corrects that mistake – and serves up a stunning wealth of work from the early Cali scene – tracks recorded by the Modern Records label, a company with a rich legacy in jump blues, R&B, and other hip postwar styles – all of which they brought to play on their recordings in a vocal group mode. The Modern approach often has some wonderful arrangements that further empower the vocals – a harder swing that gives the singers the same push as some of the label's solo acts – and as usual for Ace Records, this collection moves way past the hits, to include some unreleased tracks, and rare singles from the Modern, RPM, Crown, and Flair labels. Volume 4 features 25 tracks that include "I'm Confessin" by The Jacks, "Oh Me" by Little Clydie & The Teens, "I Just Got Rid Of A Heartache" by Shirley Gunter & The Flairs, "I Wanna Make Love To You" by The Trojans, "Girl In My Dreams" by The Cliques, "Never Lose Faith In Me" by The Honey Boys, "Casual Look" by Little Clydie & The Teens, "Ting A Ling" by The Polka Dots, "Please Understand" by Buddy Milton & The Twilighters, "Church Bells May Ring" by The Cadets, and "So Unnecessary" by The Sounds. CD

A huge discovery in vocal group material from the 50s – served up in this excellent series of tracks from the vaults of LA's Modern Records label! Most folks associate the early vocal group sounds with the east coast or Chicago scenes of the postwar years – but there was also plenty of harmonizing and doo wop on the west coast, too – although sometimes not as well-exposed as the bigger hits back east! This series really corrects that mistake – and serves up a stunning wealth of work from the early Cali scene – tracks recorded by the Modern Records label, a company with a rich legacy in jump blues, R&B, and other hip postwar styles – all of which they brought to play on their recordings in a vocal group mode. The Modern approach often has some wonderful arrangements that further empower the vocals – a harder swing that gives the singers the same push as some of the label's solo acts – and as usual for Ace Records, this collection moves way past the hits, to include some unreleased tracks, and rare singles from the Modern, RPM, Crown, and Flair labels. Volume 6 moves a bit into the early soul years – and features 24 tracks that include "This Heart Of Mine" by Curley Williams, "B Bomb Baby" by The Jewels, "LFMST Blues" by The Meadowlarks, "Sweet Thing" by The Rams, "Maybe I'm Wrong" by Bobby Sanders, "If Love Was Money" by Tony Allen & The Wanderers, "Love Can Do Most Everything" by The Cadets, "Dear One" by Marvin & Johnny, "One More Kiss" by The Senders, "Always On My Mind" by The A-Rabs, "Crazy Feeling" by Etta James, and "She's A Flirt" by The Jewels. CD

A classic groover from Jocelyn Brown! One From The Heart was a big mainstream moment for Jocelyn Brown – the crowning realization of all the great work she'd done in the club underground in the early part of the 80s – presented here with a slightly more crossover vibe, but a sound that's still pretty darn great in the end, thanks to Brown's tremendous vocals. Jocelyn's really keeping an older style of female soul alive here – amidst some beats and more programmed rhythms – belting things out with the pipes that first rose her to fame in the disco years, pretty proud and unabashed here. Rhythms are better than usual for a major label record like this – thanks to help from Hubert Eaves and Jellybean – and titles include "Love's Gonna Get You", "Ego Maniac", "True Love", "Caught In The Act", "I Cry Real Tears", and "Living Without Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the biggest selling jazz albums of the 60s – a crowning achievement for Ramsey Lewis and his popular trio with Eldee Young on bass and Redd Holt on drums! The set was recorded live at the Bohemian Caverns in DC, and the trio are perfect in the setting – going at the numbers with pyrotechnic fury, but always staying in the soul jazz idiom – keeping things nice, tight, and in the pocket! Titles include the group's hit version of "The In Crowd", plus "You Been Talkin Bout Me Baby", "Spartacus", "Felicidade", and "Come Sunday". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous package of work from this overlooked soul and gospel legend – four classic albums, plus other rare material too – all packaged with detailed notes in the wonderful Numero Group style! First up is Like A Ship Without A Sail – a gospel album from Pastor TL Barrett, but one that's gone on to legendary status among funk and soul collectors over the years! Barrett works here with his Youth For Christ Choir – a south side ensemble that's filled with genuine spirit and passion, aimed towards lofty ideals – but set up with some deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that keep things razor sharp throughout! The album was supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with other Chess players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch on the sessions too – and the music is filled with raw drums, heavy bass, and lots of great organ lines! Next is Do Not Pass Me By Vol 1 – an album that's got a nice balance between intimate soul numbers and larger tracks that have the whole Mount Zion Baptist Church along for support! The set's definitely got the strongly soulful vibe of Barrett's Like A Ship album – a strong ear for the best secular elements of the time, which are used liberally in the instrumental backing – to really send home the message in the music! Most tunes really soft-pedal the religion, and instead go for an overall feel that really crosses over to regular soul music. Next is the great second volume of Do Not Pass Me By – like the first, the product of a wonderfully spiritual setting on Chicago's south side – music created in the church, but with all the same vibe as the hippest secular soul coming from the Windy City in the early 70s! The set does a great job of alternating strong lead singers with the rest of the group – a bit like Voices Of East Harlem, but with more of a larger ensemble feel – and there's some really wonderful moments on the record throughout – even a bit of funk amidst the more righteous soul-styled tunes. I Found The Answer is one of the biggest-circulating albums from this fantastic figure in Chicago gospel – a unique set done for the Gospel Truth subsidiary of Stax Records, but a set served up in the same blend of soul-based inspirations as some of TL Barrett's indie label releases back home in the Windy City! Plus, the package features a full album of Singles & Sermons – rare non-LP material by this seminal figure in both soul and spiritual music. CD

A dream of a record from Crown Heights Affair – the group's classic first set, and maybe as fine a batch of early club work you could ever hope to find! Like so many of the east coast acts at the start of the disco generation, these guys are a well-trained funk ensemble, playing at a faster clip for the new dancefloor sound – which means that at the core, they've still got some fantastic instrumentation – and a groove that rivals their bigger contemporaries, like Kool & The Gang, Fatback, or BT Express! The drums are fantastic, the basslines nice and subtle, the horns used with some real grace – and there's also some really cool moog solos on the best numbers – which really makes the album a treat. Titles include both disco and vocal versions of their hit "Dreaming A Dream" – plus the tracks "I Am Me", "You Smiled", "Foxy", "I Am Me", "Feeling Tall", "Every Beat Of My Heart", "Na Na Hey Hey", and "Picture Show". LP, Vinyl record album

Jefferson Airplane flying high in the late 60s – both a creative and commercial triumph for the band – balancing the tripped out adventurousness of their earlier work, with a more focused approach that brought them to bigger and bigger audiences! Front loaded with moodier, acoustic-based songs that build into heavier rock as the record plays on – with some really great use of sound effects for added drama on here and there! Titles include "Lather", "In Time", "Star Track", "Chushingura", "If You Feel", "Ice Cream Phoenix", "The House At Pooniel Corners" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the crowning achievements of the legendary Keith Hudson – a record that was originally issued on his own tiny label, with very little circulation at the time – but a set that's gone on to become the stuff of legend, thanks to Hudson's revolutionary work in the studio! The record has a way of mixing the rough and the smooth, the sweet and the spacey – as Keith delivers some fantastic songs over sounds that were initially recorded in Kingston, then reworked and re-layered in London – at a level that maybe reflects all the subtle changes that were taking place in the global underground of Jamaican music, even at the same time that some of its bigger artists were starting to hit the charts. Chart fame is clearly not what Keith's going after here – as many of the tunes are spare, stripped-down, and as personal as they are political – very dubby in production, even though the record's not a dub set overall – given the focus on warmly soulful vocals upfront in the mix. The whole thing is fantastic, and as essential as any bigger-label reggae release from the time – with cuts that include "Hunting", "Flesh Of My Skin", "Blood Of My Blood", "Testing Of My Faith", "Fight Your Revolution", "Darkest Night", "Talk Some Sense", "Treasures Of The World", "My Nocturne", "I Shall Be Released", "No Friend Of Mine", and "Stabiliser". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the crowning achievements of Alexander O'Neal – a set that uses cool little intro tracks to help structure the standout songs on the set – giving the whole thing a much more well-conceived approach than other mainstream soul albums of the time! Some of the cuts draw from O'Neal's own life and experience, and that feel is definitely augmented by the spontaneous, conversational feel of the intros and links – a really nice contrast to the wonderfully tight R&B production from the superteam of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis! Of course, lots of these tracks also struck big as singles for Alexander – proof that the cuts are more than strong enough to stand on their own – yet taken over the course of the whole album, with all the extra bits, the whole thing really sounds great. Titles include "Hearsay", "The Lovers", "Fake", "Criticize", "Never Knew Love Like This", "To Make You Love Me", "Crying Overtime", and "Sunshine". Bonus tracks include "Fake 88", and mixes of "Criticize", "To Make You Love Me", and "Never Knew Love Like This". CD