The best collection we've ever seen of the work of funky soul legends Dyke & The Blazers – a double-length set that features full, unedited versions of their classics – plus a whopping batch of previously unreleased tunes! Dyke & The Blazers had a groove that was mighty solid back in the late 60s – a hard-vamping, tightly rhythmic groove that easily matched the best early funk of the time from Charles Wright, Sly Stone, or James Brown – and which was often served up with a rougher edge, and an overall sound that was a lot more dangerous! However, many of the group's singles really trimmed down their performances – shaving off key instrumental moments that are lovingly re-attached here, and combining them with some even rarer tracks that never saw the light of day back in the 60s. The whole thing's amazing – and the 2CD set features a whopping 33 tracks in all, split into one disc of material recorded in Phoenix, and one more of tracks from Hollywood! Titles include "Black Boy", "Stuff", "Moon", "Booga Jivin", "Runaway People", "Funky Broadway Time (parts 1 & 2)", "Swamp Walk", "Extra Funk", "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man", "Soul Cake", "She Knows It", "Let's Do It Together", "Bring It On Back", "Funky Walk (parts 1 & 2)", and "Triple Funk". CD

A seminal set of work from the Blue Note scene of the 60s – a record that's not just noteworthy for its role in helping return tenorist Dexter Gordon to the spotlight, but also for the fantastic work of pianist Sonny Clark in the quartet! Sonny's in wonderful form throughout – and seems to be even more relaxed and inventive than in the company of some of the other horn players he'd work with on Blue Note – and that's saying a lot, given the company he would keep! Gordon's solos are confident and mature, but deeply personal too – and the rest of the group features Butch Warren on bass and the great Billy Higgins on drums – a percussionist whose sense of looseness and imagination really matches that of Dex. Titles include "Where Are You", "Three O'Clock In The Morning", "Cheese Cake", "Second Balcony Jump", and "Love For Sale". CD

One of the greatest female soul albums of the end of the 70s – and the bold-voiced debut of the lovely Teena Marie! Even on this first album, Teena's got a depth that goes way beyond most of her contemporaries – a brashness that hits hard on the funkier cuts on the record, but also a soft smoothness that picks up cues from Minnie Riperton, and helps take that sound well into the 80s on a gentle groove. Rick James is firmly in control of the overall picture here, but what's really amazing is that the album echoes with a soulfulness that goes way beyond James' own party funk records of the era – a mature sensibility that marks out a space for Lady T right from the outset, and which marks her as a force to be reckoned with in soul music, even at the tender young age of 23! The record features 2 of Teena's greatest tracks – "I'm A Sucker For Your Love" and "De Ja Vu" – plus the titles "Turnin Me On", "Don't Look Back", and "I'm Gonna Have My Cake". LP, Vinyl record album

Although the Japanese cover designer got his name wrong (Perkins is spelled Parkins) this is indeed the saxophone player Bill Perkins – the west coast great from the 50s, still sounding wonderful here in a 70s session! Perkins plays tenor sax and is joined by Lou Levy on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Larry Bunker on drums – on titles that include "Lester Leaps In", "I Wished On The Moon", "A Ghost Of A Chance", "Dickie's Dream", "I Never Knew", and "Pound Cake". CD

A wonderful little record from this longtime stalwart of the Chicago scene. Sam started out in Shrimpboat, gained great fame in Sea & Cake, and here delivers his most wonderful performance to date – a beautiful set of jazzy pop tracks, with backing by Josh Abrams, Archer Prewitt, Jim O'Rourke, and the great drummer Chad Taylor. The tracks bristle with a lovely sense of energy, and they have a sophistication that's wonderful – matched with a lyricism that keeps them always sounding fresh. Sam's turned into a wonderful vocalist, too – and we're betting you won't be able to take this one off the turntable once you get started. Titles include "The Shadow", "Don't Bother", "The Company", and "Faces & People". CD

Another fine outing from Sam Prekop – his second solo album in five years – and well worth the wait! We hardly need to describe the vibe after all these years of swimming the Sea & Cake. Prekop's vocals are as breathy and breezy as ever, and he still pulls it all off in a way that manages to feel warm and austere at the same time. The arrangements are one step jazzier than that last album's – with plenty of room for his great group find a playful groove. Tracks include "Something", "Magic Step", "Dot Eye", "Two Dedications", "Chicago People", "Little Bridges", "A Splendid Hollow", "C+F", "Neighbor To Neighbor", "Density", and "Between Outside". CD

Hard-hitting early work from Ike & Tina Turner – raw, unbridled, and surprisingly tight – yet without any of the cliches or overdone righteousness that marred their later years! Tina's still singing here often as part of the backing group, stepping out for a soulful lead at times, but also very much in touch with her supporting sisters – and there's a number of tunes that have a really nice focus on Ike's raw and raspy guitar work, which we always like a lot! Most tunes are Ike Turner originals – freshly voiced tracks, and none of the crossover covers that the pair later included in their work – and titles include "Hard Times", "I Don't Need", "Chicken Shack", "Gonna Have Fun", "It's Crazy Baby", "Don't You Blame It On Me", "Hurt Is All You Gave Me", "Flee Flee Fla", "My Baby Now", "You Can't Miss Nothing", "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Over You", "Baby Don't Do It", "I Need A Man", "Five Long Years", "Shake It Baby", "He's The One", "You Can't Have Your Cake & Eat It Too", and "Makin Plans Together". CD

A great slice of work from the New York underground of the post-disco years – served up by a family of labels that had been making things happen through most of the 70s! The set focuses strongly on the singles issued by the Posse and Spring Records labels – the former a new offshoot of the latter, especially geared towards 12" singles that were strongly focused on both the new sounds of the clubs and the streets – including lots of electro, bass-heavy funk, hip hop-inspired grooves, and mabye even some elements that would soon point the way towards house music to come! This side of the Spring Records label has never been covered in detail like this before – and the choice of cuts is as great as the notes on the music – which finally gives the Posse singles their due in the scene from back in the day. Titles include "We Come To Jam" by Blaze, "Sing A Song" by Lonnie Youngblood, "Have Your Cake" by Body, "Wired For Games (long version)" by C Brand, "Workin Out" by Ritz, "Live It Up (short vocal)" by Fonda Rae, "Get Up An Dance" by Mynk, "Spread Love" by Fatback, "Let's Get Nice (7" vocal)" by Glory, and "Got To Have Your Lovin (short vocal)" by Feel. CD

The notes to this one say "This album gives the listener a rare opportunity to taste the past and present of the Average White Band." What does that mean? Well, it means that the band only came up with 4 new songs for the record – including "Kiss Me", "Love Won't Get In The Way", and "Growing Pains" – which means that Atlantic filled all of side two with older tracks from earlier albums. Fortunately, the cuts are all great – which means that the real value of this one is as a greatest hits comp, featuring funky classics like "Pick Up The Pieces", "Person To Person", "Cut The Cake", and "Love Of Your Own". LP, Vinyl record album

A real shift for the B-52s – a record that's got quite a different sound than the group's first two full albums, and which really shows them as having a more diverse approach than might have been expected! The key change here is David Byrn – who's on the record as both a producer and performer, and who also opens the door to some percussion and horn players too – making for a sound that's a bit fuller, but in a subtle way – with a bit less of the retro guitar and keyboards that the group had at their start! The instrumental shift actually seems to work wonders for the vocals of Fred Schneider, who really pops out of the mix when he sings – and although the set's only an EP, it works well to focus in on this new sort of sound. Titles include "Loveland", "Mesopotamia", "Deep Sleep", "Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can", "Nip It In The Bud", and "Cake". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Oh, Lady Be Good", "Live & Love Tonight", "Rock-A-Bye Basie", "Taxi War Dance", "Miss Thing (parts 1 & 2)", "Nobody Know", and "Pound Cake" – 16 tracks total. CD

A lost treasure on the legendary Palm Records label – that famous French avant jazz imprint owned by pianist Jef Gilson, and which issued some of the most creative albums on the scene in the 70s! This set is maybe one of the most obscure – a record that's noteworthy not only for important early work from later composer Butch Morris on cornet, but also for the really unusual interplay between the musicians – a quartet that features Jean Charles Capon on cello, Philippe Mate on tenor, and Serge Rahoerson on drums! There's a loose, open feel going on – but a vibe that's different than some other piano-less groups of this nature – maybe in part because Capon seems to have a lot of presence with his cello, almost directing the proceedings at times – and also because the layering of elements always seems to have an inherent structure, even when relatively free. Titles include "Complainte", "Mode De Fa/Salegy Drums Solo", "Orly Ivato", "Blues For Guy Labory", and "Spanish Cake Walk". CD

A great little Christmas record from Kelly Finnigan – one of those all-fresh, completely original Christmas records that's really set apart from the pack – not only a nice addition to the Holiday canon for years to come, but also a really wonderful showcase for Kelly's talents too! The set hearkens back to old school soul Christmas sets, but also has a vibe that's a bit more distinct too – a special spirit that comes from all the original tunes that Finnigan wrote for the record, which are done in a mix of funky and bad-stepping mellow modes! Honestly, the record might be the best thing that Finnigan has ever given us – and as a Christmas record, that's just icing on the cake. Titles include "To Be Young At Christmas", "A Joyful Sound", "Waiting On The Big Man", "Merry Christmas To You", "The Only Present Is Me", and "No Time To Be Sad". LP, Vinyl record album

A warmly collaborative effort from Dexter Gordon – one of his most satisfying albums from the late 70s Columbia revival, thanks to the presence of a hip array of guest artists! The album was recorded both live and in the studio – but the feeling is relatively spontaneous throughout – with a freewheeling, bop-heavy energy that really brings the most out of these famous "encounters"! 2 tracks feature Johnny Griffin on tenor, going head to head with Dex in really classic mode on "Blues Up & Down" and "Cake". 2 more tracks – "Diggin It" and "It's Only A Paper Moon" – feature trumpet from Woody Shaw, trombone from Curtis Fuller, and some especially great vocals from Eddie Jefferson – stretching out here with an energy and focus that almost beats most of the albums under his own name from the 70s! One more track – "Ruby My Dear" – is taken as a long solo vehicle by Gordon, no guest star present, with rhythm by the core trio of George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Searing funk from the Great Revivers – a group who supposedly recorded this set in Russia, but come across with the energy of the best funky 45 combos of the American underground! Drums are fast and frenzied, and cut through with some sweet keyboards, riffing guitar, and mighty nice live percussion – the last of which gives the group a very special vibe! The album also features a few vocal performances from Lucid Paradise – a male/female soul duo whose presence adds a new level of soul to the Great Revivers' groove – on titles that include "Juice Head", "SuperVan", "Space Cake", "The Cycle", "We Ride", "Electric Avenue", and "BBoy Anthem". LP, Vinyl record album

A batch of lost tracks from Anthony Hamilton – record from '99 through '01 for the now defunct Soulife label – finally seeing the light of day now that Hamilton's a bonafide neo soul superstar! Soulife finds Anthony in a mode that has him channeling Bill Withers in a modern way – with tunes that focus firmly on Hamilton's warm, emotive vocals – with a solid sound all the way through thanks to the Soulife label (and house band's) unifed approach. This is definitely more of a lost album than a hodgepodge of material! 12 tracks in all: "I Used To Love Someone", "I Cry", "Clearly", "Georgie Parker", "Day Dreamin'", "Ball And Chain", "Ol' Keeper", "Love And War" feat Macy Gray, "Last Night" feat Sunshine Anderson & Dolo Pichino, "Love Is So Complicated", "Incing On The Cake" and "Exclusively". CD

An amazing little record from a trio that features pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Ben Street, and drummer Albert Tootie Heath – way more than you'd expect from the outside, and proof again that these Live At Smalls albums are some incredible gems! Iverson's a player with a great sense of history, yet one who also really wants to move his references forward too – and his freely improvisational style of these tunes is just wonderful – beginning with a respect for his elders, yet really going past any obvious direction in its execution! Both Street and Heath are key elements too – but Iverson's playing is what really holds our attention here – and we'll admit that our entry to the record was also guided by his extremely thoughtful notes as well. Expect way more than you'd guess – on titles that include "Little Melonae", "Pound Cake", "Good Bait", "Dance Of The Infidels", "Laura", and "Chelsea Bridge". CD

Amazing under-discovered soul – a huge collection of late 60s recordings by Mable John – probably best known for her work with the Raelettes, or her earlier sides at Motown – but heard here in a pivotal time between those two chapters in her career! A few of the tracks on the set were issued as singles by Stax, but most of the material sat unissued for years – practically one of the greatest crimes in soul in the 60s, because there's a depth here that's tremendous – and a quality level that could have made Mable a huge star at the time. The sound here is pure 60s Stax all the way – extremely deep, and done with a lean, mean punch that's totally great – a perfect meeting of a massive vocal talent and a well-oiled studio system that could take a good singer and make her sound great! The set's a great introduction to Mable's genius – one that features notes on her career and a total of 26 rare tracks that include "Have Your Cake", "Sweet Devil", "Able Mable", "Stay Out of the Kitchen", "Drop On In", and "I'm Catching". CD

A further chapter in the big band years of JJ Johnson – heard here at a point when JJ was pushing his ensemble even more than before, with a fluid groove that almost matches the energy of similar groups on MPS at the time! There's a real undercurrent of hipness going on in the record – a quality that's not content to ape bigger band modes of earlier years, and instead finds a whole new space in sound – a relatively lean quality, but one that still uses the added players to create some magnificent qualities in sound – all to support the well-blown lead solo work by Johnson. There's a nice groove on most numbers, and the album features some especially nice reeds from Jerome Richardson and Frank Wess. Johnson handled arrangements, and titles include "Short Cake", "Space Walk", "Little Dave", and "Euro #1". CD

Also featuring music from Tortoise, Dianogah, Polvo, Sea & Cake, and Bundy K Brown. CD

A really wonderful album that's sometimes overlooked because of it's relatively oblique cover and name – which both hide the wonderful talents within! In truth, the set might be billed as a Cedar Walton session – or maybe almost an Eastern Rebellion one – as the vibe here is very similar to that later group, with a strong tenorist working alongside Walton's trio, plus a bit of extra Latin percussion. Clifford Jordan delivers wonderful tenor throughout – and the core sound of Walton on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums is as great as on any of that group's other wonderful albums of the time. Add in Ray Mantilla – who throws in some congas to complicate the grooves a all the best moments – and you've got some mighty nice icing on the cake! Titles include "He Is A Hero", "Una Mas", "Manteca", and "DB Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful set of tracks recorded by Art Pepper in 1952 at the Surf Club in LA. Pepper's at his relaxed best here – blowing smooth and easy with a quartet that includes Hampton Hawes on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Larry Bunker on drums and vibes. The tracks are what you might expect from a live set, a mix of standards and quick little originals that Pepper was writing at the time – all handled in his unique alto style – with 11 numbers in all, including "How High The Moon", 2 takes of "Suzy The Poodle", 'Easy Steppin'", "Tickle Toe", "Patty Cake", "Move", "All The Things You Are", "Don't Blame Me", "Surf Ride", and "Rose Room". CD

A mad bit of funk from the great Pete Rock! Pete's easily one of the best hip hop producers of the past decade – and this album's a sublime batch of instrumental tracks that focuses on his talent for remaking an older groove. The set's one of the first on BBE's groundbreaking Beat Generation label – and it's an important blend of downtempo grooves, hip hop, and classic styles of funk! A great listen all the way through – with 16 tracks on this revised edition: "A Little Soul", "Play Dis Only At Night", "For The People", "The Boss", "Pete's Jazz", "Smooth Sailing", "Something Funky", "Get Involved", "Walk On By", "Take The D Train", "To My Advantage" featuring Nature, "Back On The Block"" featuring CL Smooth, "Nothin Lesser" and "Cake" featuring the UN , "Mind Frame" featuring Freddie Foxx and the "Outro". LP, Vinyl record album

A southern soul treasure – the Sound Stage Seven recordings by Roscoe Shelton – a woefully overlooked force in 60s southern soul! Shelton's an excellent singer with a sound that should have made him huge – a deep and bluesy approach to the vocals, and he really knows how to build a tune with a slow, sad, soulful approach. The style clearly owes a lot to the best early work of Bobby Blue Bland – but Roscoe also takes the sound in a different direction, one that tightens things up a bit and shakes off some of the bluesier side of things as years go on. Shelton's earliest recordings were on Excello – a label where he clearly drank from a deep cup of blues and gospel influences – but most of the tracks here are from his great late 60s years on Sound Stage 7! CD features 28 tracks in all – with titles that include "The Fire Still Burns", "Strain On My Heart", "My Best Friend", "Worry", "Mastermind", "There's A Heartbreak Somewhere", "Running For My Life", "A Man's Love", "Easy Going Fellow", "Wedding Cake", and "You're The Dream". CD

British pianist Stan Tracey wrote some fantastic longer-form work for the legendary Lansdowne Series in the UK scene of the 60s – and that compositional imagination kept on going strong over the decades, as you'll hear in these two wonderful pieces from late in his life! The group here is an octet – with a core trio that has Stan in very familiar company, alongside Clark Tracey on drums and Andrew Cleyndert on bass – all illuminated wonderfully by work from Mornington Lockett on tenor and soprano, Simon Allen on tenor, Sammy Mayne on alto, Guy Barker on trumpet, and Mark Nightingale on trombone – all players we don't really know at all, but who bring that same sense of imaginative color to Stan's ideas as some of the more famous British soloists on projects like this from years past. Both works are wonderful – hardly stiff highbrow material at all, and instead pieces that can be enjoyed just as well in terms of their individual tunes – titles that include "Lunar Lanterns", "Moon Cake", "Dragon Boats", "Crackers & Bangers", "Unison", "Building Bridges", "Cuban Connection", and "Humberto's Dream". CD

One of The Maestro's true materpieces! Fragile, sexy, sinful soul, held together by interwoven strings and keyboard lines, with Barry's voice over the top like rich cream on a sweet piece of cake. Includes the long versions of "Honey Please, Can't Ya See" and "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up", plus "Hard To Believe That I Found You". LP, Vinyl record album

The Free Soul series takes a massive dip into the 90s – a time when soul music was reborn in so many different ways – from the work of underground singers and hip hop acts, to a wave of bigger talents who started to turn things back to the warmer territory of the 60s and 70s! The collection is a wonderful mix of tracks that really runs the gamut – and includes key 90s material from both UK and US singers, key crossover hip hop cuts, and other important work that helped forge the Neo Soul underground by the end of the decade. Way more than a trip down memory lane, too – as the music works here together to create a new sort of freshness, as great sounds resonate between tracks that include "Runaway" by Nuyorican Soul with India, "Candy Mountain" by Nomad Soul, "I'm Still Waiting" by Courtney Pine with Carroll Thompson, "Give It UP Turn It Loose" by En Vogue, "Brooklyn Queens (UK power mix)" by 3rd Bass, "Cake & Eat It Too (pound cake mix)" by Nice & Smooth, "You Are The Universe" by Brand New Heavies, "There's Nothing Like This" by Omar, "Spiritual Love" by Urban Species, "The Whistle Song" by Frankie Knuckles, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "Can I Kick It" by Tribe Called Quest, "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" by Incognito, "Escape That (Ron Trent rmx)" by 4Hero, "Columbus (Montezuma jazz mix)" by Chapter & The Verse, "Show You (original finesse)" by Jeff Redd, "Be My Baby" by Vanessa Paradis, "Spiritual Thing" by Eric Benet, "You Gotta Be" by Des'Ree, "Wherever You Go" by Sydney Youngblood, and "Love Theme From Spartacus (4Hero main mix)" by Terry Callier. 53 tracks in all! CD

We don't normally think of Herb as a bluesy player – but the title is pretty darn honest, given the great sound of this set! Herb's playing in a really mellow and laidback style for this session – working with Roy Eldridge, Stan Getz, Ray Brown, and Stan Levey on a set of bluesy tunes that feature his guitar in the lead, working through some magical solos that are far more expressive than on some of his work on other albums from the time. The record's a genuine surprise, and a real lost Verve treasure – as Ellis steps out with a great tone and some nice rootsy solos on tracks that include "Patti Cake", "Blues For Junior", "Blues For Janet", "Pap's Blues", and "Tin Roof Blues". The second album here – Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre – is a heck of a great little record – thanks in no small part to saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre! The style here is in a nice space between Giuffre's earlier work at Capitol and some of the gentler sounds of his later trio sides for Verve and Atlantic – and the lineup features the fuller horn lineup of the post-Four Brothers years, but also makes the instruments step out slowly and spaciously, using Ellis' guitar in a way that's not unlike Jim Hall's sound in Giuffre's later trio. Other players include Bud Shank, Art Pepper, Richie Kamuca, and Jim Hall (on rhythm guitar) – and titles include "A Country Boy", "My Old Flame", "Goose Grease", "You Know", "Remember", and "Patricia". CD

A tremendous document of a really wonderful group – a 60s ensemble that pairs the lyrical trumpet of Art Farmer with the sharp tenor of Jimmy Heath! The pair are completely sublime together – balancing out sound and soul with this amazing quality that's quite different both from Farmer's larger body of work, and from most sounds that Jimmy would do on his own (although at another level, the record does point the way towards the seminal Heath dates as a leader in the early 70s.) The rhythm section is a key part of the strength of the album – with Cedar Walton as an amazing bridge between the spirit of the two horn players – set up perfectly with Walter Booker on bass and Mickey Roker on drums. Art's got this edge that really stands out, but he also retains his majestic sense of lyrical beauty too. One of our favorites – with titles that include "One For Juan", "Nino's Scene", "Short Cake", and "The Time & The Place". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little Christmas record from Kelly Finnigan – one of those all-fresh, completely original Christmas records that's really set apart from the pack – not only a nice addition to the Holiday canon for years to come, but also a really wonderful showcase for Kelly's talents too! The set hearkens back to old school soul Christmas sets, but also has a vibe that's a bit more distinct too – a special spirit that comes from all the original tunes that Finnigan wrote for the record, which are done in a mix of funky and bad-stepping mellow modes! Honestly, the record might be the best thing that Finnigan has ever given us – and as a Christmas record, that's just icing on the cake. Titles include "To Be Young At Christmas", "A Joyful Sound", "Waiting On The Big Man", "Merry Christmas To You", "The Only Present Is Me", and "No Time To Be Sad". CD

Jackie & Roy at the height of their ABC powers – really stepping out strongly here with a bold jazz vocal approach that nobody else can touch! Both Roy Kral and Jackie Cain get a few moments of their own in the spotlight, especially Jackie, who steps out on a number of the tracks – but as usual, the duo's at their best when singing together – which they do beautifully here, trading lyrical lines with tremendous charm! Most instrumentation is small combo – with Roy on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – and titles include "From This Moment On", "Kiss & Run", "Cake Walk", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Who Cares", and "How Are You Fixed For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The one and only album from Linda Martell – one of the first African-American women to dip into the genre of country music! The album's got a pretty straight country feel overall – none of the country soul you might hear from deep soul singers of the time – or those later modes that artists like Millie Jackson picked up in the 70s. But the set was also recorded as part of the SSS International family of labels headed by Shelby Singleton – who also cut a fair bit of soul music at the time – often blending modes, musicians, and songs on the Nashville scene of the time. The best example of that approach here is Linda's excellent remake of "Color Him Father" – first made famous by The Winstons – done as a sweet-stepping number with a very different feel than the original. Other tracks include "The Wedding Cake", "Before The Next Teardrop Falls", "Old Letter Song", and "Tender Leaves Of Love". CD

A tasty set of extended organ/tenor grooves – one full album, plus bonus tracks! The core album here is The Exciting New Organ Of Don Patterson – a well-titled session, given the strong early groove of organist Don! At a time when some of his contemporaries were tightening things up on the Hammond, going for shorter tunes aimed at the jukebox and radio crowd, Don Patterson was a great reminder that the organ was best used on longer jamming tracks – tunes that stretched out nicely with a style that was heard best in the clubs, where an organ player could really do his thing. Patterson's trio here is quite stripped down – just drums from Billy James, and tenor from Booker Ervin – another player who always knows what to do with plenty of space! Titles include versions of "The Good Life", "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", and "Oleo", plus two Patterson originals – "Up In Betty's Room" and "S'Bout Time". Added to these tracks are 2 more – the 16 minute "Hip Cake Walk", which features alto from Leonard Houston too, plus "Love Me With All Your Heart". CD

The record's got an evocative title and cover – and an evocative sound to match – that heavenly version of prog that made PFM one of the few groups who could both be jamming and sensitive at the same time – often within the space of a single song on the record! The group's in their classic lineup here – awash in flute, guitar, violin, and keyboards – on songs that include a number of songs with help from Peter Sinfield – who maybe adds in some of the gentle lyricism he brought to his work with King Crimson. Titles include "The Mountain", "Have Your Cake & Beat It", "Just Look Away", "Four Holes In The Ground", and "Is My Face On Straight". LP, Vinyl record album

A tribute to the late Oscar Peterson – but one that may well smoke more than any recording by the man himself – thanks to rock-solid work on drums from the great Alvin Queen! Queen's spent most of his life away from these shores, but he continues to blow us away with the inventiveness of his approach – a style that's subtle, but which always has that little "something extra" that can make one jazz album stand out from the next – as is definitely the case here! Peterson's position in the trio is handed by Danish pianist Zier Romme Larsen – a gifted player with a nice balance between lyricism and groove – and the bass in the trio is from Ida Hvid, a contemporary of Larsen. Titles include Peterson originals – "Sushi", "Cake Walk", "Wheatland", "Jesus Christ Lies Here Tonight", "The Last Supper", and "When Summer Comes". CD

A long-overdue reissue of the three Blue Note albums recorded by tenor sax giant Don Wilkerson! Wilkerson's one of the lesser-known artists to record for the label – a deep-throated Texas tenorman with a style that's a bit more R&B influenced than other Blue Note artists. The label took this huge talent, and set it up in some perfectly-conceived settings, inflecting Wilkerson's rootsiness with some of the soul jazz modernism of players like Grant Green, John Patton, Sonny Clark, and Ben Dixon. The set features all the tracks from the albums Elder Don, Preach Brother, and Shoutin – and titles include "Jeanie Weenie", "Lone Star Shuffle", "Drawin A Tip", "Movin Out", "Happy Johnny", "Sweet Cake", "Scrappy", "Pigeon Peas", and "Dem Tambourines". 18 tracks in all! CD

If you ever needed a record to re-remind you of the genius of Jackie McLean, this Blue Note classic may well be it! At first glance, the session appears to be the usual sort of date – a quintet outing, with help from Donald Byrd on trumpet, Walter Davis on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – yet as with all of McLean's best moments on records, the album explodes with freshly creative energy from the start – getting way past any easy expectation in the way it sets up the groove and delivers the sound! Jackie's tone is amazing – very modern at times, yet with all the soul of hardbop – and although the rhythms are relatively straight, there's always a slight setting-free at points – that pre-new thing groove that McLean further explored on records like Capuchin Swing or Fickle Sonance. The sound is amazing throughout – and titles are all originals by McLean and Davis – great gems that include "Davis Cup", "Sweet Cakes", "Hip Strut", "Minor Apprehension", and "Greasy". Plus, this CD reissue has one extra bonus track – the unreleased "Formidable", written by Walter Davis. CD

The bugged sci fi maestro MF Doom's mid 00s masterpiece – and a straight up tie with Madvilliany for the championship title of best Doom-related LP since his immortal debut! As you'd guess from the title, this album has a running theme with food, each title funnier than the last, but stays fresh throughout the 15 tracks thanks to tight production, masterfully spliced samples, and a verbal flow that's cooked and spiced to some kind of freakish perfection. The great "Hoe Cakes" single gets served early in set, and it sets the tone for a truly strong album. "Boss like King Koopa. . .". Includes "Beef Rap", "Potholderz" with Count Bass D, "One Beer" produced by Madlib, "Poo Poo Platter", "Fillet-O-Rapper", "Gumbo", "Fig Leaf Bi Carbonate", "Kon Queso" produced by PNS, "Vomitspit", "Kookies" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With Tyree Glenn and Russell Moore on trombone; Buster Bailey and Joe Darensbourg on clarinet; Arvell Shaw and Buddy Catlett on bass; Alfred Di Lernia, Everett Barksdale, and John Gray on banjo; Billy Kyle and Marty Napoleon on piano, and Danny Barcelona on drums. Titles include "Mame", "Tin Roof Blues", "When The Saints Go Marching In", "Cheesecake", "Tyree's Blues", "Pretty Little Missy", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Maxine Brown on Wand Records is really something amazing – not just because she began her recording career at the label, but also because she never again hit the heights of these recordings! Brown was a really important singer with these sides – still partly in the class and poise of some of the jazz-tinged vocalists that came before her – but also able to open up with a deeper soul vibe that paved the way for Aretha Franklin and so many other singers to come in the second half of the 60s! The production and presentation of these tracks is wonderful, too – great songwriting, and top-shelf studio charts that only lift, and never drown the brilliance of Maxine's unique voice. Titles include "One In A Million", "It's Torture", "Let Me Give You My Lovin", "Yesterday's Kisses", "Oh No, Not My Baby", "Gotta Find A Way", "Baby Cakes", "Why Did I Choose You", "Misty Morning Eyes", "Since I Found You", "Losing My Touch", "If I Had Known", "It's Gonna Be Alright", and the completely fantastic "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody". CD

Maxine Brown on Wand Records is really something amazing – not just because she began her recording career at the label, but also because she never again hit the heights of these recordings! Brown was a really important singer with these sides – still partly in the class and poise of some of the jazz-tinged vocalists that came before her – but also able to open up with a deeper soul vibe that paved the way for Aretha Franklin and so many other singers to come in the second half of the 60s! The production and presentation of these tracks is wonderful, too – great songwriting, and top-shelf studio charts that only lift, and never drown the brilliance of Maxine's unique voice. Titles include "One In A Million", "It's Torture", "Let Me Give You My Lovin", "Yesterday's Kisses", "Oh No, Not My Baby", "Gotta Find A Way", "Baby Cakes", "Why Did I Choose You", "Misty Morning Eyes", "Since I Found You", "Losing My Touch", "If I Had Known", "It's Gonna Be Alright", and the completely fantastic "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody". CD

A great set of older material, recorded for Savoy when Mr B had his classic group of boppers – which included Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Charles Parker! The set issues that older material here with a 50s cheescake cover – but if you're looking for material by Billy Eckstine, this is the great stuff! Titles include "Blues For Sale", "Blues", "Oop Bop Sha Bam", "In My Solitude", and "Tell Me Pretty Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the 60s – Duke Ellington work that was recorded as part of the famous Duke & Ella At The Cote D'Azur album, but issued separately, under the name Soul Call! The stunning thing about the record is that, working on a live date in front of a European audience, with Ella on the bill, you'd expect Duke to keep things really safe and really conservative – but instead, he breaks out with some incredible long tracks, done in a complicated yet soulful mode that ranks with his best 60s experimentalism. The album features a wonderful 14 minute number called "La Plus Belle Africaine" that's easily one of the best of Duke's tunes from the time – plus the cuts "Skin Deep", "West Indian Pancake", "Soul Call", and "Jam With Sam". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly any "recycling" going on here – as Taj Mahal takes bluesy roots and turns them in a whole new direction for the 70s, evolving the music way past the level most other bluesmen were working in at the time! At some level, Mahal's style is far more rootsy than most early 70s blues artists – often more acoustic guitar and percussion than you'd expect – but there's also a looser, freer presentation of the material – opened up a lot more than any delta bluesman from many years back, and often touched with some jazzier inflections on some of the phrasing. Plus, the music here features some unusual elements from time to time – including kalimba, tuba, banjo, and even some backing vocals by The Pointer Sisters. The album was recorded live, with a nicely organic feel – and titles include "A Free Song", "Corinna", "Conch Close", "Kalimba", "Bound To Love Me Some", "Richochet", "Gitano Negro", "Cakewalk Into Town", and "Texas Woman Blues". CD

Jimmy McGriff picks up a few more keyboards than straight Hammond organ – but that's ok with us, given the great results of the set! The album's got McGriff working on electric piano and clavinet alongside the organ – plus supporting arrangements from Brad Baker, in that fuller, Kudu-styled approach to jazz funk that Groove Merchant used strongly in the mid 70s – a slightly smoother sound than before, but still plenty darn great, and definitely filled with more than enough jazz to keep things real! Pat Rebillot plays some additional keyboards on the album – in that funky style he used well at the time – and there's almost a spacey Fantasy Records quality to some of the best numbers here! Titles include the incredible tripped out break cut "Space Cadet", plus "Love Is My Life", "Sweet Love", "Big Booty Bounce", "Red Beans", and "Cakes Alive". LP, Vinyl record album

Soul Sugar is a fantastic album, and one of Jimmy's hardest to find on either LP or CD! The set is quite different than most of Jimmy's other work – and it features short, hard, funky tracks that feel more like obscure 7" singles than any of Jimmy's straighter soul jazz work. It almost sounds like The JBs are backing him – as the drums are tight, bass is great, and the overall groove is fantastic! The record's a little like Jimmy's Electric Funk album, but harder, with more breaks and basslines – and a non-stop groove that's a pure delight for any fan of deep funk! Great stuff, with "Ain't It Funky Now", "The Now Thing", "Fat Cakes", "New Volume", and "Bug Out". Groove Grease is a funky organ workout from Jimmy McGriff – a set that's got his famous talents on the Hammond out front of a larger ensemble – but in a way that's very different than some of his albums of that type from the 70s! There's lots of electricity in the mix – electric piano from Horace Ott, bass from Richard Evans, and guitar from Wayne Bennett – mixed with sharp work on horns from Cliff Davis on tenor and flute, Murray Watson on trumpet, and Johnny Beard on baritone – three players who really flesh out the sound! The album's got some excellent stone funky classics – like "The Bird", "Groove Grease", and "Plain Brown Bag" – plus some surprisingly funky readings of standards like "Canadian Sunset" and "Mr Lucky", both made to sound super-nice, thanks to excellent work on bass and drums! CD

A beautiful book that looks at the rise of the cheesecake album cover in the 50s – partly in the world of easy listening and mood music, but also in some other surprising genres too! The book is put together by the Japanese Rittor company, who've given us other great "disc guides" over the years – and like those, it features a fair bit of text in Japanese, but page after page of classic album covers in full color – each with artist, title, release date, and other information in English! The book looks at records by singers, instrumentalists, jazz musicians, and other artists – and also features sections on exotica, picture discs, Martin Denny, and Julie London too. Softcover, 206 pages, and full color throughout – with loads of fantastic images! Book

A well-done live set from the legendary pianist Oscar Peterson – and one that resonates strongly with his earlier material for the Pablo label, given that the group also features guitarist Joe Pass! The live setting is really used well here – as there's two extremely long cuts – a 19 minute "Duke Ellington Medley", and an equally long "Salute To Bach" – bringing jazz improvisation to territory that we're not sure we've heard Peterson or Pass play before! The other tracks are all nice and long too – and the group features Dave Young on bass and Martin Drew on drums – on titles that include "Cool Walk", "Sushi", "Love Ballade", "Cakewalk", "Soft Winds", "A Time For Love", and "Waltz For Debby". LP, Vinyl record album

Better than boosting the Beatnuts crates out of the studio! This set features 31 tracks in all – all tunes used by the Beatnuts for some of their best tracks – all referenced in the titles, too, so you won't spend too much time saying "Hey, I recognize that – what's it the sample for?" Tracks include "The Confined Few" by Booker Ervin, "The Matrix" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Golliwog's Cakewalk" by Tomita, "New Orleans" by The Pazant Brothers, "Easy Answering" by Chris Hinze, "Theme For Losers" by Henry Mancini, "Break That Party" by Melvin Van Peebles, "Sign Song" by Buddy Baker, "Me" by Bob McGraph, "Fueron Tres Anos" by Los Angelos Negros, "Sesame Street Theme" by Blowfly, "Hijack" by Enoch Light, "So It Doesn't Whistle" by R Allen, "Wee Tina" by Donald Byrd, "Never On Sunday" by Roger Maxwell, "Daydream" by Bernard Wystraete, and "Caseine" by Jacques Loussier. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive amount of musical discoveries from the Louisiana scene – a set that features a huge amount of unissued tracks from back in the day – but all with the kind of vibe that matches some of the best early soul and R&B on labels like Specialty, Minit, and Imperial! The wealth of sounds from the swamp state are mindblowing – because even though Louisiana gave us plenty of hits in the 50s and 60s, there was so much more talent bubbling just underneath – thanks not just to some top-shelf artists who never fully got their due – but also a great network of studios and labels too. Only a few of these tracks ever came out as singles around the time they were recorded – more were issued later on reissues in the 80s, and a lot more appear here for the first time ever – in a package that might well be the best so far in this excellent series. Titles include "Don't Know Why" by Little Nolton, "Give It Up" by Lonesome Sundown", "I Keep Crying" by Cookie & The Cupcakes, "Crying Crying" by Sticks Herman, "Baby If You Want To Play"b y James Freeman, "But You Thrill Me" by King Charles, "I Got It Made" by Guitar Jr, "Boogie With Calypso" by Joe August, "Don't Say" by Tabby Thomas, "Baby's Got Bad Feet" by Eddie Williams, "I Know" by Elizabeth, "I Would Be A Sinner" by Charles Sheffield, "Baby Baby Come To Papa" by King Carl, and "Mama's Little Girl" by Van Preston. CD

A killer bit of west coast jazz from the 50s – and hardly what you might expect from the title! The album's actually not the kind of aural sex you might expect (although it does have a nice nude on the front!) It is, however, one of the few sessions led by tenorist Richie Kamuca, a great player with a great edge here – one that's much sharper than the cheesecake painting, and a perfect driving force for the larger octet on the date! The album's similar to Kamuca's album on the Hi-Fi label – played with a largeish group, but a lean sound overall – thanks to the talents of Bill Holman on baritone, Conte Candoli on trumpet, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Vince Guaraldi on piano, Monte Budwig on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. Arrangements are nicely fresh, and titles include "Star Eyes", "Linger Awhile", "Fun", "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Way Down Under", and "Blue Jazz". LP, Vinyl record album

Sonny blows Varitone on this groovy set of 60s pop tunes arranged and conducted by Jimmy Mundy. The group features guitar by Billy Butler, organ by Paul Griffin, and work on sax and flute by Jerome Richardson – and while the album's not Stitt's finest bop or soul jazz moment, it does have some cool little tunes that shouldn't be overlooked! These include "Tasty Cakes", a choppy little groover with a lot of time changes and a really odd sound; "California Soul", one of those tunes that sounds great no matter who does it; and "Soiree", a bassy mod number that's kind of like a party scene from some camp 60s film! LP, Vinyl record album