One of the greatest soul albums of the past 20 years – an instant classic the day it was released! When this killer came out in the UK in 1991, it was one of the best soul records we'd heard in years. Carleen Anderson, the then-unknown daughter of Bobby Byrd & Vicki Anderson, sung some of the deepest vocals we'd heard in years – and she was backed by funky soundscapes filled with references and homages to greats like Roy Ayers, Leroy Hutson, Leon Ware, 24-Carat Black, and many others – all now well-remembered artists from the rare groove years of the 70s, but at the time just barely-remembered echoes from the past who were being kept alive in the British soul scene. The record was (and is) impeccable – a wondrous treat for fans of the kind of rare groove material we stock at Dusty Groove – and it features stellar performances by the likes of Carleen Anderson, Master Ace, Johnny Lytle, Maceo Parker, and others! This US version features a few remixes from the original UK album – and titles include "All I Have (Young Ideas mix)", "Funky Yeh Funki (Mek It)", "Talkin What I Feel", "Move On", "Apparently Nothin (Soul River)", "Get Yourself Together (parts 1 & 2)", "Freedom Suite", "Step Right On (original mix)", and "As We Come (To Be)". CD

A love letter to the legendary Fame Records – filled with unissued tracks and rare gems from the vaults! Fame was one of the great ones back in the day – the driving force behind Muscle Shoals soul music, and a company that helped really redefine the sound of the music in the 60s – thanks to incredible production, and a tight cast of studio musicians who knocked it out of the park on nearly every session! 21 of the set's 24 tracks have never been issued before – and, even more compelling, none were featured on the similar 7" box set from Ace – making the package a treasure trove of music, even for the serious soul collector. Titles include "Tell It Like It Is" by Big Ben Atkins, "Almost Persuaded" by Jackie, "You're So Fine" by James Barnett, "I Do" by June Conquest, "Your Helping Hand" by Otis Clay, "In The Heat Of Love" by Marjorie Ingram, "Steal Away 67" by Jimmy Hughes, "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy" by Ralph Soul Jackson, "Let's Do It Over" by Travis Wammack, "For You" by George Jackson, "Baby Come Back" by Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces, "Keep On Talking" by Prince Phillip, "It Ain't No Harm" by George Byrd & The Dominoes, "Blind Can't See" by Richard Earl & The Corvettes, and "I Need Someone" by The Entertainers. CD

A real lost chapter in the James Brown legacy of soul – tracks that The Godfather issued on a branch of TK Records, right during the same time he was cutting some familiar funk classics on the Polydor and People Records labels! The music here is an offshoot of the Funky People universe that James was serving up on People – in that much of the material here was by members of the James Brown stage show, given their own chance in the spotlight – but with Brown himself handling most of the work on the record. So the tracks are like James Brown gems, but with other singers in front – served up here in a massive set that features 21 funky nuggets in all – titles that include "Screwdriver" and "Put Something On Your Mind" by Lee Austin, "Bessie (parts 1 & 2)" by JBs Wedge, "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Johnny The Man, "Nature (parts 1 & 2)" by JBs International, and "Across The Track (parts 1 & 2)" by The Believers – plus Vicki Anderson cuts "I'm Too Tough For Mr Big Stuff", "Sounds Funky", "Don't Throw Your Love In The Garbage Can", and "In The Land Of Milk & Honey" – and Bobby Byrd gems that include "Hang It Up", "Never Get Enough", "Keep On Doin What You're Doin", "Hot Pants I'm Coming", "Signed Sealed & Delivered", "I Need Help", "Back From The Dead", "Headquarters", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Keep On Doin What You're Doin", and "The Way To Get Down". CD

One of Hank Mobley's greatest sides from the hardbop years of the late 50s – a searing sextet session with a 3-horn frontline! The group features Mobley on tenor, John Jenkins on alto, and Donald Byrd on trumpet – plus a crackling rhythm group with Bobby Timmons, Wilbur Ware, and Philly Joe Jones. It's great to hear Timmons and Ware together, especially as both of them were at the height of their powers at this point in their careers – and Jenkins' soulful alto work is a key part of the set, and makes us wish he'd gotten in the studio more after this time. Great throughout, with 2 long titles that include "Fit For A Hanker" and "Hi Groove, Low Feedback", plus a nice take of Bud Powell's "Dance Of The Infidels". CD

Tremendous work from saxophonist Pepper Adams – quite possibly one of his most hard-blowing sets on record! The album's a live date, recorded at the legendary Five Spot – and the group here is a swinging one with plenty of soul jazz touches – a combo that includes a young Bobby Timmons on piano, plus Donald Byrd on trumpet, Doug Watkins on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – all playing together at the height of their youthful powers! But even amidst all those heavyweights, Pepper Adams is clearly the star of the set – playing with a tone that's unbelievable – almost more tenor-like than a baritone sax, and filled with feeling throughout, even on the mellower moments. Donald Byrd sits out on one track, leaving Adams to dominate the ballad "You're My Thrill" – but he returns to the fold in tight formation on versions of "Hastings Street Bounce", "Yourna", "Tis", and "The Long Two/Four". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from James Brown – even if it wasn't issued during his classic run of funk records in the early 70s! Yet the material here is all from that time – recorded by Polydor when James and the JBs were completely kicking ass in the studio – turning out these monstrous longform funk jams that often gave up too much material to fit on all of his albums – which makes this package an overdue dip into the vaults to rescue some of those treasures! The package first saw the light of day in 1988 – at a time when the genius of James was being rediscovered by younger hip hoppers and DJs – and the set is a love letter to all that James had to offer that scene – with gems that include the lost soul classic "She's The One", a duet with Bobby Byrd called "Since You Been Gone", a live version of "There It Is", an untitled instrumental and another instrumental one called "Funk Bomb" – plus a huge long 9 minute version of the great "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" from Slaughter's Big Ripoff, and the cuts "Say It Loud & Live", and "Baby Here I Come". CD

Really wonderful work from trombonist Al Grey – sounding hipper here than at any other point in his career! One of the great reason for Al's sound here is the presence of tenorist Billy Mitchell – a partner with Al in the Basie band, and a great player who gives just about any session a deeply soulful finish. The rest of the group is equally nice too – with work by Dave Burns and Donald Byrd on trumpet, Floyd Morris and Herbie Hancock on piano, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. The use of vibes is especially striking for a set like this, and really gives the proceedings a different feel than you might think. Titles include "R.B.Q.", "Minor On Top", "African Lady", and "Hi Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Hank Mobley's greatest sides from the hardbop years of the late 50s – a searing sextet session with a 3-horn frontline! The group features Mobley on tenor, John Jenkins on alto, and Donald Byrd on trumpet – plus a crackling rhythm group with Bobby Timmons, Wilbur Ware, and Philly Joe Jones. It's great to hear Timmons and Ware together, especially as both of them were at the height of their powers at this point in their careers – and Jenkins' soulful alto work is a key part of the set, and makes us wish he'd gotten in the studio more after this time. Great throughout, with 2 long titles that include "Fit For A Hanker" and "Hi Groove, Low Feedback", plus a nice take of Bud Powell's "Dance Of The Infidels". CD

5 albums from Lee Morgan – one of the coolest cats to ever handle a trumpet for Blue Note! First up is Delightfulee – really unique album from the great Lee Morgan – a set that features the trumpeter in two different settings, but in a way that really works well together! Most of the album has Lee blowing in a very cool quintet – with Joe Henderson on tenor, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a group who maybe bring out a slightly hipper vibe that really points the way to the rest of Morgan's direction in the late 60s, when he was really letting some more spiritual currents loose. The other two tracks on the record feature a hip larger band directed by Oliver Nelson – swinging hard in a really soulful style! Nelson's arrangements on these two tracks are great – quite progressive, with a soul jazz big band style that seems to point the way towards the 70s – and the band provides a raging backdrop that lets Lee's trumpet soar over the top in beautiful crystal clear solos. Titles include "Nite Flite", "Delightful Deggie", "Ca-Lee-So", and "Zambia". Also features a few bonus tracks. The Cooker is a very appropriate title for a very cooking little album – one of Lee Morgan's first efforts as a leader, cut back during his first years of late 50s fame! The style here is a bit less Morgan-esque than some of Lee's later 60s classics – but the record is rock-solid throughout, and proof that Morgan was every bit as great a leader in a hardbop session as Hank Mobley or some of the other emerging heavyweights at Blue Note! The strength of the group really helps keep the fire stoked on the set – and Bobby Timmons turns in some amazing piano work alongside a lineup that includes Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The Adams presence gives the record a bit of the feel of some of Pepper's sessions with Donald Byrd – but the sparkling, soaring sound of Morgan makes the record way more than just a copycat set. Titles include "New-Ma", "Night In Tunisia", "Lover Man", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Heavy Dipper". Lee Way is an undisputed masterpiece by Lee Morgan – and one of the first records in which he shed his straight bop sensibility, and began evolving into a soulful genius for the 60s! The album's got 4 long tracks that all build beautifully – really extended numbers that break the format of some of Lee's earlier work, and hint a bit at some of the more complicated touches he'd use on later sessions. All players are great – and include fellow Jazz Messengers Bobby Timmons on piano and Art Blakey on drums, plus Jackie McLean on alto and Paul Chambers on bass. Titles include the sublime "These Are Soulful Days" – a perfect model of soulful lyricism – plus "Midtown Blues", "Nakatini Suite", and "The Lion & The Wolff". Rumproller often gets too easily lumped next to The Sidewinder – because of an obvious title and cover similarity to that hit record – but like that one, the album's far more than jazz cliche – and shows Lee Morgan to be one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 60s. The set starts off with the title cut, "The Rumproller" – hard-wailing soul bop, in the manner of Lee's most popular work – but then it easily flows into more sensitive material that has a freer, lyrical feel – like the great original tune "Eclipso" and Wayne Shorter's "Edda" – both of which are superb. Lee is astounding, as always, on trumpet – and the rest of the group includes the great Ronnie Matthews on piano, plus Joe Henderson, Victor Sproles, and Billy Higgins. Search For The New Land is a brilliant album that proves that even at the height of his success, Lee Morgan was one of the freest thinkers on Blue Note – always coming up with fresh ideas that continued to grow his talents! The first cut on the album is keen poof of that fact – the title track "Search For The New Land" – a beautiful 16 minute exploration of modal jazz themes, with an unusual stop/start device as a means of ushering solos by different bandmates – including Wayne Shorter on tenor, Grant Green on guitar, and Herbie Hancock on piano! The approach is unlike anything that Morgan ever did before – and unlike most of other Blue Note as well – and it also benefits from great rhythmic help from Reggie Workman on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. Other tunes are a bit more conventional, but still pretty special – like some of Morgan's inventive work on the Rajah albums – with titles that include "The Joker", "Melancholee", "Mr. Kenyatta" and "Morgan The Pirate". CD

A wonderfully expanded version of this classic of funky funky female soul! Marva Whitney was one of the greatest singers in the James Brown stable of stars during the late 60s – and she sang with a hard raw style worth of The Godfather himself! Brother James produced and wrote a good part of this classic album – and the record is one of the greatest JB albums of all time! Nearly every cut's a winner – like the sample classic "Unwind Yourself", which has a crazy corkscrew sax line, or the massive two-part remake of the Isley's "It's Your Thing" (titled "It's My Thing"), or the slowly funky "Get Out Of My Life", or the massive duet with Bobby Byrd "You Got To Have A Job", or the classic instrumental "In The Middle". This reissue is an expanded version, and it features a very excellent batch of tracks that were previously only issued as funky 45s! Tracks include "Sunny", "I Made A Mistake Because It's Only You (parts 1 & 2)", "You Got To Have A Job", "Shades Of (inst)", "I'm Tired I'm Tired I'm Tired", "This Girl's In Love With You", "He's The One", "Unwind Yourself", "What Kind Of Man", "Things Got To Get Better", "It's My Thing (parts 1 & 2)", and "Get Out Of My Life". 18 cuts in all. CD

Hard-swingin tracks from Ernie Wilkins – one of the most soulful arrangers of his time, working here in a wonderful all-star session from the 50s! The album's definitely got the "top brass" promised in the title – a lineup that features Donald Byrd, Ray Copeland, Idrees Sulieman, and Joe Wilder on trumpets – all working at a level that allows plenty of space for well-blown solos, but tied up in tighter ensemble formation overall – all with that Wilkins sense of swing that really set Ernie apart at the time. Rhythm is from a trip that includes Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kelly Clarke on drums – and titles include "58 Market Street", "Trick Or Treat", "Speedway", "Dot's What", "Top Brass", "Imagination", and "Willow Weep For Me". Also features the album Trumpets All Out – an all-trumpet affair, one that features 5 different players on the instrument – Art Farmer, Emmet Berry, Charlie Shavers, Ernie Royal, and Harold Baker – supported by spare rhythm from the trio of Don Abney on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Bobby Donaldson on drums. There's a definite swing-based approach here – different than usual for some of Farmer's outings of the time – but the differences between the players are nicely pronounced, and the amazing thing about the album is how it manages to pack so much solo energy in such a relatively small space, in a way that still lets you hear the different voices clearly. Titles include "She's Just My Size", "Five Cats Swingin", "Blues In 6/4", "Trumpets All Out", and "Low Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly wonderful debut from the Yellowjackets – one of those groups who've become such a cliche that we forget how great they can be when they're on! This original album was cut years before "smooth jazz" meant "too slick to have soul" – and it's got a sweet electric bounce that follows nicely from the 70s R&B fusion experiments of players like Donald Byrd, Tom Browne, and Ronnie Foster. Russell Ferrante plays some great keyboards on the set next to the bass of Jimmy Haslip and drums of Ricky Lawson – and the album's rounded out with some excellent guest work by fusion luminaries that include Bobby Lyle, Ernie Watts, Larry Williams, Paulinho Da Costa, Robben Ford, and Roland Bautista. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of grooves – as some of Blue Note's best soul jazz artists of the 60s and 70s take on a host of funky tunes and soul music classics. The vibe is great throughout – and most cuts are instrumentals, based around tunes that you might know, but redone here with that great Blue Note funkosity that made the label so wonderful! Titles include "Think" by Lonnie Smith, "As" by Gene Harris, "Pillow Talk" by Lou Donaldson, "Ain't That Peculiar" by Big John Patton, "If You Really Love Me" by Grant Green, "Feel Like Makin Love" by Marlena Shaw, "Me & Mrs Jones" by Ronnie Foster, "Soul Limbo" by Candido, "I'll Be There" by Hank Mobley, "Mr Big Stuff" by Reuben Wilson, "People Make The World Go Round" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Can't Hide Love" by Carmen McRae, and "Just My Imagination" by Donald Byrd. CD

Music by Leroy Hutson, Terry Callier, the Meters, Logg, Chain Reaction, the Futures, Skull Snaps, Ripple, Funkadelic, Bobby Byrd, and others – 30 tracks total. CD

Music from Bobby Grant, Lottie Beaman, Bo Weevil Jackson, Charley Patton, John Byrd, Charlie Spand, Freddie Brown, Robert Peeples, Mary Johnson, Piano Kid Edwards and more. CD

Includes music by Little Julian Herrera, Linda Hayes, the Flames, Syncopates, Wynona Carr & the Turks, Bobby Byrd, Joe Lyons & the Arrows, Johnny Flamingo, and more – 28 tracks total. CD

One of the funkiest box sets we've ever seen – and amazingly issued by an American major label! The 4CD package is a treasure trove of funky work from a decade of Warner Brothers, Atlantic Records, and related labels – tunes pulled both from mainstream album releases and much more obscure 45s – all expertly collected here into a whopping batch of 91 tracks, all packaged in a cool little box with an 80 page booklet! This one goes way past some of the silly "decade" sets from Rhino, and really displays a new level of cool and connoisseurship – one that finally appreciates the rich depths of funky work at their fingertips, most of which has not been properly reissued in the US! Titles include "Almendra" by Macondo, "Goin Down" by Allen Toussaint, "Wah Wah Man" by Young Holt Unlimited, "Spinning Wheel" by Wade Marcus, "Hard Times" by Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters, "What's So Never The Dance (parts 1 & 2)" by Houseguests, "8 Days On The Road" by Howard Tate, "Getting Uptown" by United 8, "Wanoah" by Black Heat, "Let It Crawl" by Society's Bag, "Flute Thing" by Seatrain, "Try It Again" by Bobby Byrd, "Funky To The Bone" by Freddi Henchi & The Soul Setters, "Improve" by Darrow Fletcher, "Rien Ne Va Plus" by Funk Factory, "Gossip" by Cyril Neville, "Spreadin Honey" by Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, "Stoned Soul" by Artie Christopher, "Sexy Coffee Pot" by Tony Alvon & The Belaires, "Tampin" by The Rhine Oaks, "Jan Jan" by The Fabulous Counts, "Sing A Simple Song" by The Noble Knights, "It's All In Your Mind" by Soul Angels, "Funky John" by Johnny Cameron, "Don't Come Around Here Any More" by Mark Putney, "Keep On Dancing" by The Commodores, "Right On Brother (part 1)" by South Shore Commission, "Pop Popcorn Children" by Eldridge Holmes, and "The Deacon" by Brute Force. CD

Here you go! Killer material from James' first version of The JBs – starring Bootsy Collins, Bobby Byrd, and Jabo Starks. Includes the 9 minute version of "Super Bad", an unreleased live version of "There Was A Time (I Got To Move)", the 12 minute version of "Soul Power", the 14 minute version of "Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothin", the 10 minute version of "Sex Machine", and even a cool Public Service Announcement that has James rapping on Drug Abuse! Plus, there's some nice notes, with full session information and rare photos! CD

A lost treasure from James Brown & The JBs – a vintage live performance from the early 70s, and one that captures the group at the height of their powers! The format here is very similar to the excellent Revolution Of The Mind set – a totally funky, totally righteous live performance that has James and the group even more energized than in the studio – working with the kind of razor-sharp intensity that made them a legendary funk act – leaping from tune to tune with nary a break at all! Bobby Byrd acts as the MC, and joins James for a bit of vocals – and the group at this point still includes Bootsy Collins on bass, plus loads of great guitar from Catfish Collins, and Fred Wesley on trombone and Jabo Starks on drums. Dave Matthews handled some of the arrangements – and titles include "Soul Power", "Sex Machine", "Bewildered", "It's A New Day", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Brother Rapp", "Super Bad", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag/I Got You/I Got The Feelin". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from James Brown – even if it wasn't issued during his classic run of funk records in the early 70s! Yet the material here is all from that time – recorded by Polydor when James and the JBs were completely kicking ass in the studio – turning out these monstrous longform funk jams that often gave up too much material to fit on all of his albums – which makes this package an overdue dip into the vaults to rescue some of those treasures! The package first saw the light of day in 1988 – at a time when the genius of James was being rediscovered by younger hip hoppers and DJs – and the set is a love letter to all that James had to offer that scene – with gems that include the lost soul classic "She's The One", a duet with Bobby Byrd called "Since You Been Gone", a live version of "There It Is", an untitled instrumental and another instrumental one called "Funk Bomb" – plus a huge long 9 minute version of the great "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" from Slaughter's Big Ripoff, and the cuts "Say It Loud & Live", and "Baby Here I Come". Plus, this expanded version also features a 7 minute version of "I Got Ants In My Pants", the track "You've Changed", and a 12 minute alternate mix of "Bodyheat". CD

The classic! Featuring that great Bobby Byrd riff from the track of the same name, and one of the most outright "steals" from the old days of hip hop. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Great work from Al Grey – one of the most soulful trombonists of his time – all pulled from the Chess/Argo albums Last Of The Big Plungers, Snap Your Fingers and Al Grey Billy Mitchell Sextet LPs! Easily some of Grey's hippest work – with players who include Billy Mitchell on tenor, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Floyd Morriss and Herbie Hancock on piano, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! Titles include "Things Ain't WhatThey Used To Be", "Open Wider Please", "I Got It bad And That Ain't Good", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "The Elder", "Bewitched", "Bluish Grey", "Wild Deuce", "Bantu", "Melba's Blues", "Nothng But The Truth", "RBQ", "Minor On Top", "African Lady", "Hi Fly" and "Home Fries". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of a record – the first-ever album by The JBs, never issued back in the day – and lost for years until it recently resurfaced on a test pressing! The set features a leaner, more stripped-down version of the group – one that features Bootsy Collins on bass, and which doesn't rely as much on the horns as it does some very upfront playing by the rhythm section – who really set fire to the extended instrumental solos on the album's very long tracks! Group members include Robert McCullough on tenor, St Clair Pickney on flute and baritone, Bobby Byrd on piano, Catfish Collins on guitar, and James Brown himself on organ – and the mighty Clyde Stubblefield handles drums, as well as Frank Kash Waddy. All tracks are very long – quite different than the shorter single-type cuts on Pass The Peas – and the record features the first recording of "The Grunt", plus the long jams "I'll Ze", "These Are The JBs (parts 1 & 2)", and "When You Feel It Grunt If You Can". LP, Vinyl record album

Wahoo is right – as Duke Pearson sets up one of his hippest sessions of the 60s, a lyrical batch of soul jazz tracks, with that slight edge of darkness that he was putting into his best work as the decade progressed! Players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Joe Henderson on tenor, and Donald Byrd on trumpet – and the overall feel is perhaps a bit like some of those Byrd sessions that were heavily influenced by Pearson, but also with a bit of the later expansive style of writing for horns that you'd find on albums like Pearson's Prarie Dog or Bobby Hutcherson's The Phantom. Titles include "ESP", "Fly Little Bird Fly", "Farewell Machelle", "Bedouin", and "Amanda". CD

Wahoo is right – as Duke Pearson sets up one of his hippest sessions of the 60s, a lyrical batch of soul jazz tracks, with that slight edge of darkness that he was putting into his best work as the decade progressed! Players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Joe Henderson on tenor, and Donald Byrd on trumpet – and the overall feel is perhaps a bit like some of those Byrd sessions that were heavily influenced by Pearson, but also with a bit of the later expansive style of writing for horns that you'd find on albums like Pearson's Prarie Dog or Bobby Hutcherson's The Phantom. Titles include "ESP", "Fly Little Bird Fly", "Farewell Machelle", "Bedouin", and "Amanda". LP, Vinyl record album

The full scope of Verve's massive recordings from the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival – served up in a 2CD set that includes many lesser-known numbers! The set certainly features some of the bigger name acts from Newport who've filled Verve's catalog over the years – Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and others – but it also features some of the younger, hipper talents that hit the Newport stage that year – as well as some of the older trad players who were being re-exposed to a younger audience at the festival too! 2CD set features 24 tracks in all – some on CD for the first time – including "I Never Knew" by Mat Mathews, "Blue Lou" by Leon Sash, "Love Is Here To Stay" by Carmen McRae, "Blues For Louis" by Bobby Henderson, "Bourbon Street Parade" by George Lewis, "Between Me & Myself" by Toshiko Akioshi, "Love For Sale" by Gigi Gryce & Donald Byrd, "Nona's Blues" by Cecil Taylor, "There Will Never Be Another You" by Eddie Costa, "Lady Sings The Blues" by Billie Holiday, "S Wonderful" by Don Elliott, "I Got Rhythm" by Teddy Wilson, and "Boogie Woogie" by Jimmy Rushing. CD

A dream come true! Someone at Blue Note is keeping their eyes and ears on the street and in the clubs – because here's another late model conceptual triumph – a remix project pairing current innovators in the club and hip hop underground with classic numbers from the label's vaults! The concept is simple; classic numbers are given to handpicked remixers, re-doers, and stylistic misfits best suited to re-work that particular number. Mo Wax maestros La Funk Mob open the set with a mellow, club soul tweak of Wayne Shorter's "Oriental Funk Song". Kenny Dope trips out Bobby Hutcherson's "La Malanga" into a bubbly club funk jam. "Kyoto Jazz Massive" completely re-work Eddie Henderson's "Kudu" into a wonderful number all their own. Perhaps the biggest triumph of all here is the consistency throughout; every artist attached brings their A-game (how could they do any less, given a chance to add their own elements to the some of the most influential numbers they could get their hands on?) Amazing, amazing stuff – whether it's the scratched up, hip hop flavor J Dilla brings to Jack McDuff's "Oblighetto" or the righteous electronic groove Jazzanova drops on Eddie Gale's "Song Of The Will", the minimalist, keys and beats drive Osunlade brings into Grant Green's "A Time To Remember". Every track sparkles! Other tracks include DJ Spinna/Donald Byrd "Lansanna's Priestess", 4 Hero/Horace Silver "Won't You Open Up Your Senses", DJ Cam & Erik Truffaz/Donald Byrd "The Emperor", Herbert/Michel Petrucciani "Caravan" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

If there's anyone we'd trust with a trip through the Blue Note catalog, it's Jazzanova – as the group have been a key force in the jazz-inspired sound of the global dancefloor for many years! This set's the 4th in Blue Note's "Trip" series – and it may well be the best, as Jazzanova really know their way around a groove – and manage to get way past the obvious in their selection of tracks from the Blue Note catalog of the 60s and 70s. The hits are pushed aside for some lesser-known gems that stretch out with a wonderfully fluid approach to a jazzy groove – mixing together fusion, Latin, and soul jazz influences with ease! 2LP set features the titles "Afreaka" by Lee Morgan, "Think Twice" by Donald Byrd, "You Make Me Feel So Good" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Yu Yo" by Bobby Hutcherson, "I've Had A Little Talk" by Horace Silver, "Congalegra" by Horace Parlan, "Afrodisia" by Kenny Dorham, and "Beatrice" by Sam Rivers. LP, Vinyl record album

Pre funk, perhaps, but mightily storming soul singles from Vicki Anderson – James Brown productions from the mid 60s to the end of the decade – incredible stuff that's been a bit underappreciated in a world of funky compilations, yet no less incredible and even more diversely soulful than the funky stuff! Vicki's 70s funk sides are the stuff of legend, and these 60s recordings, which started around the time she joined the James Brown Revue in the mid 60s are just about as good a selection of period female fronted R&B and soul as we can think of – and a really eye opener if you came on board with Vicki for the 70s sounds and her later work with Bobby Byrd! Includes a pair of duets with James Brown – the proto funk gem "Think" from 1968 and "Let It Be Me" from 1970, which truth be told, has more than a little funk bubbling underneath, and some groovy guitars, strings and brass on top – plus "Here Is My Everything" and "Loving You" with Bobby Byrd. But this is Vicki's showcase all the way, and it's a great one! Titles include "I Love You", "My May", You Send Me", "Wide Awake In A Dream", "All In My Mind", "Tears Of Joy", "No More Heartaches, No More Pain", "In The Land Of Milk And Honey", "The Feeling Is Real", "I'll Work It Out" and more. 23 tracks in all. CD

A hip Japanese collection with Blue Note work by Bobby Hutcherson, Bobbi Humphrey, Chico Hamilton, Alphonse Mouzon, Freddie Hubbard, Ronnie Foster, Gene Harris, Donald Byrd, and others. CD

A heady batch of work from the Miami scene of the 70s – all of it from the legendary TK Records family of labels, headed up by superproducer Henry Stone! Over the years, some folks have taken Henry to task for his operational strategies – but there's no denying that he's a key figure in helping the sound of the south move from the 60s into the 70s – picking up plenty of funk and sophistication along the way! The set's overflowing with classics from Stone's empire at the time – including many cuts that have been sampled or reworked heavily in recent decades – titles that include "I'm Too Tough For Mr Big Stuff" by Vicki Anderson, "Miami Funk" by The Funky Bunch, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "Keep It Up" by Milton Wright, "Sleep On Dream On" by Raphael Munnings, "Smokin & Drinkin" by James Brown, "Miss Hot Stuff" by Clarence Reid, "The Rub" by George & Gwen McCrae, "Funkadelic Sound" by Little Beaver, "Future Place" by Jimmy Castor, "I Like My Birdie" by Leon Phillips, "Throwdown" by The King Tutt Band, "Back From The Dead" by Bobby Byrd, "Shake N Bump (part 1)" by Snoopy Dean, and "You're The Song I've Always Wanted To Sing" by Timmy Thomas. LP, Vinyl record album

A great assortment of rare grooves from the 70s – most of them cuts that fall nicely in the space between early disco and uptempo soul – working together here in a batch of tracks that includes a fair bit of selections from the TK Records family of labels, plus some other 70s indies as well! Soul is every bit as important as the groove on most of these cuts – and you'll recognize some older singers making the 70s scene, amidst some others who only cut a few records during the decade – in a lineup that features 18 tracks in all, with titles that include "Try To Hold On" by Bobby Moore, "We Got Love On Our Side" by Silver Blue, "I Got It (part 1)" by New York Port Authority, "Discomania" by The Lovers, "Bumpin Bus Stop" by Thunder & Lightnin, "Be Real" by Tomorrow's Edition, "Love Chant (part 1)" by Eli's Second Coming, "Disco Man" by Three Ounces Of Love, "Back From The Dead" by Bobby Byrd, "I Don't Know If I Can Make It (part 1)" by Dawson Smith, and "Baia" by Alice Street Gang. CD