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Funky genius from Lou Donaldson – one of his first funky albums for Blue Note, and a real killer all the way through! The album has a great young group working with Lou – players that include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Lonnie Smith on organ, Leo Morris (aka Idris Muhammed) on drums, and George Benson on guitar – grooving with that really soulful early sound of his! The album has that hard Lou Donaldson funky sound that still sounds fantastic today – and titles include "Dapper Dan", "Midnight Creeper", "Bag of Jewels", and "Love Power". LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

Funky genius from Lou Donaldson – one of his first funky albums for Blue Note, and a real killer all the way through! The album has a great young group working with Lou – players that include Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Lonnie Smith on organ, Leo Morris (aka Idris Muhammed) on drums, and George Benson on guitar – grooving with that really soulful early sound of his! The album has that hard Lou Donaldson funky sound that still sounds fantastic today – and titles include "Dapper Dan", "Midnight Creeper", "Bag of Jewels", and "Love Power". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout in the classic catalog of ECM – not only because the record's got a slightly different inspiration than most, but also because it seems to unlock some especially beautiful moments from players who could sound different in other settings on the label! As the title indicates, the tunes here all take inspiration from the poetry of Robert Creeley – but never in a mode that's got the usual jazz meets poetry approach – as Sheila Jordan sings the lyrics when they appear, with a sense of her own power that's very different than a more standard recitation – and which, to us, really feels a lot like her great vocal performances with Steve Kuhn for ECM. Kuhn is also in the group on piano, and other musicians include David Liebman on saxes, Lyle Mays on keyboards, and Bob Moses on drums – all working under the superb leadership of bassist Steve Swallow – who really outdid himself with the depth of feeling in this project. Titles include "Colors", "In The Fall", "She Was Young", "Some Echoes", "Ice Cream", and "You Didn't Think". CD

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We've been loving the vibes of Stefon Harris for years – and each new record with his Blackout group seems to have the musician pushing his envelope more and more! The vibes are still very strongly in place, but there's also some soulful elements that really shine through in the overall arrangements – linking Harris' more modern inclinations with a style that might help him grab all those ears he's deserved over the years, but who've not yet found his music! The set's not commercial at all – but has some qualities that put Stefon's righteous musical mission a bit more upfront – as he takes on songs by Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, Bobby Timmons, and even the team of Bobby Hutcherson and Eugene McDaniels – whose "Now" is one of the best cuts on the record, delivered here with vocals from Jean Baylor and violin from Regina Carter. Other tracks include "Song Of Sampson", "Chasin Kendall", "Let's Take A Trip To The Sky", "Dat Dere", "Go", "Gone Too Soon", and "Throw It Away". CD

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POS of the Doomtree Collective ups the ante on his third album – an appropriately-titled one at that! POS rhymes with skill, smarts and authority here, riffing on his life in the cultural enviroment of the time in way that holds up surprisingly well, with even the most topical material penned in way that it feels true and relevant after all these years. Maybe even more impressive than the rhymes is the production, POS often layring in live guitar, bass, keys and drums he plays himself. Tracks include "Let It Rattle", "Drumroll (We're All Thirsty)", "Purexed", "Goodbye", "Get Smokes", "Been Afraid", "Low Light Low Life", "Never Better", "The Brave And The Snake" and more – and bonus tracks on this excellent 3LP 10th anniversary pressing include "Slint", "Let It Rattle (Demo)" and "Purexed" and "Terroish" (both live at Lowertown Line). LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the coolest, grooviest albums you'll ever hear from the legendary percussionist Airto – a set that mixes his own Brazilian roots with the electric genius of 70s CTI – all with stunning results! Airto's in the lead – and blows some beautiful wood flute lines alongside percussion – but the album also features killer contributions from Joe Farrell on soprano sax, Hubert Laws on flute, Keith Jarrett on piano, and Chick Corea on Fender Rhodes – as well as a hip bit of vocals from Flora Purim as well! There's some added horns at parts – but the arrangements are relatively spare and subtle – so that most tracks have a core organic quality, very similar to Airto's work on Buddah/Cobblestone, but given a bit more of a CTI twist. Most tunes are quite long and free-flowing – and titles include "Lucky Southern", "Flora's Song", "Creek (Arroio)", and "Return To Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of cool British TV soundtracks – both of which feature an action jazz style to rival the best early work of Henry Mancini for the television screen! First up is lost spy soundtrack work from the British composer Edwin Astley – best known for his work on The Saint and Danger Man, but also sounding pretty darn great on the earlier program International Detective! The feel here is similar to some of Astley's better-known work – a more dramatic take on the crime jazz used on American TV in the late 50s – one that retains much of the instrumental elements of the sound, especially the well-placed use of saxes – but which also uses larger orchestrations to flesh out the music nicely, creating a stronger, more cinematic feel. The set features a total of 21 tracks from this short-lived show – and titles include "International Detective", "Murder Strip", "Theme For Larceny", "Night Patrol", "The Badge", "Manhunt", "Shock Tactics", "Murder Chase", and "Concerto In Law". Next is Man From Interpol – one of the best spy soundtracks we've ever heard – and one of the only scores we've ever seen from Brit jazz drummer Tony Crombie! The work was done a few years before Barry's famous Bond scores – but it's got a very similar feel, with lots of driving themes that make the best use of brazen horns, fast jazz, and beat-styled rhythms that crackle throughout the set. Most titles are pretty short, but really great – and nearly all of them feature some extremely strong jazz musicianship, in the manner of that used on the best American soundtracks by Mancini at the time! Titles include "Panic Station", "Interpol Cha Cha Cha", "Interpol Chase", "Samba De Janeiro", and "Blues Macabre". CD

Brian Auger doesn't come full circle with his early work – and instead, he moves far forward – really soaring here in a tight trio setting, with even more jazz in the mix than on his classic recordings! The set's a great reminder that – despite all the keyboards, funk, and soul that Auger has given us over the decades – he's also a hell of a jazz musician too, and really jumps out with lively vibe throughout – echoing a bit of 60s soul jazz modes, but also sounding a lot less retro than you might expect! If anything, the set almost has Brian reinventing himself as a player who can groove, but in a lyrical way – as he served up nice takes on "Creepin", "Little Sunflower", "All Blues", "It Ain't Necessarily So", and "For Dancers Only". CD

Brian Auger doesn't come full circle with his early work – and instead, he moves far forward – really soaring here in a tight trio setting, with even more jazz in the mix than on his classic recordings! The set's a great reminder that – despite all the keyboards, funk, and soul that Auger has given us over the decades – he's also a hell of a jazz musician too, and really jumps out with lively vibe throughout – echoing a bit of 60s soul jazz modes, but also sounding a lot less retro than you might expect! If anything, the set almost has Brian reinventing himself as a player who can groove, but in a lyrical way – as he served up nice takes on "Creepin", "Little Sunflower", "All Blues", "It Ain't Necessarily So", and "For Dancers Only". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent sounds from Ojo Balingo – a Nigerian juju artist from the same stretch as King Sunny Ade – but one whose music is much more obscure to audiences on this side of the Atlantic! Balingo's group here has the loose, spontaneous vibe that characterizes juju at its best – this real sense of jamming, especially in the criss-crossing of the percussion, which is tremendous throughout – a real driving force of the music, and exploding with all these melodic elements as much as rhythmic ones – so much so, that the talking between the drums speaks volumes, even before the vocals come into the mix. The whole thing's a masterpiece of creative percussion, mixed with other elements that creep in a bit more strongly on side two – and titles include "Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo", "Ayo Igbala Ni Mofe, "Igbe Eiye Oloburo", "Jide Babaloa & Bayo Babalola", and "Ile Aiye Ile Ese Ile Aiye Ogun". CD

Excellent sounds from Ojo Balingo – a Nigerian juju artist from the same stretch as King Sunny Ade – but one whose music is much more obscure to audiences on this side of the Atlantic! Balingo's group here has the loose, spontaneous vibe that characterizes juju at its best – this real sense of jamming, especially in the criss-crossing of the percussion, which is tremendous throughout – a real driving force of the music, and exploding with all these melodic elements as much as rhythmic ones – so much so, that the talking between the drums speaks volumes, even before the vocals come into the mix. The whole thing's a masterpiece of creative percussion, mixed with other elements that creep in a bit more strongly on side two – and titles include "Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo", "Ayo Igbala Ni Mofe, "Igbe Eiye Oloburo", "Jide Babaloa & Bayo Babalola", and "Ile Aiye Ile Ese Ile Aiye Ogun". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic – with cuts that include "Rockin Chair", "Across The Great Divide", "When You Awake", "Up On Cripple Creek", and "King Harvest". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most iconic rock and roll shows of all time – the late 70s farewell to The Band – and quite famously, much more final concert by an esteemed band, it's actually a rock, pop, folk, blues and soul summit that features The Band as the house band. This landmark document of the event has always been one of rock's more opulent releases – with appearances by Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Dr. John, The Staples and more. Includes "The From The Last Waltz", "Up On Cripple Creek", "The Shape I'm In", "Down In South New Orleans" with Bobby Charles, "Forever Young" with Bob Dylan, "I Shall Be Released (Finale)", "Rag Mama Rag", "Further Up The Road" with Eric Clapton, "Dry Your Eyes" with Eric Clapton, "Evangeline" with Emmylou Harris, "The Weight" with The Staples and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most iconic rock and roll shows of all time – the late 70s farewell to The Band – and quite famously, much more final concert by an esteemed band, it's actually a rock, pop, folk, blues and soul summit that features The Band as the house band. This landmark document of the event has always been one of rock's more opulent releases – with appearances by Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Dr. John, The Staples and more. Includes "The From The Last Waltz", "Up On Cripple Creek", "The Shape I'm In", "Down In South New Orleans" with Bobby Charles, "Forever Young" with Bob Dylan, "I Shall Be Released (Finale)", "Rag Mama Rag", "Further Up The Road" with Eric Clapton, "Dry Your Eyes" with Eric Clapton, "Evangeline" with Emmylou Harris, "The Weight" with The Staples and more. CD

Sublime funk by one of the greatest combos of the 70s – the mighty mighty Blackbyrds, a group who first came to prominence under the guidance of Donald Byrd, but quickly showed they had plenty to offer on their own! Back in the day, the sound of The Blackbyrds was really the sound of Fantasy Records – a newly sophisticated approach to jazz funk, helped out by Byrd and the Mizell Brothers – and fused into a groove that was hip, tight, but never too slick or smooth. The balance of instrumentation here is really amazing – sharp-edged playing like the best indie funk, but brought up to a level of perfection in the studio to match the advances going on at CTI, Kudu, or Blue Note. The collection does a great job of mixing the group's classics with some under-appreciated album gems – and it also features the previously unreleased tune "Feel Like A Kid" – alongside other numbers that include "Rock Creek Park", "Unfinished Business", "Do It Fluid", "One Eye Two Step", "Supernatural Feeling", "Walking In Rhythm", "Mysterious Vibes", "Enter In", "Gut Level", "Reggins", "Blackbyrds Theme", and "Hot Day Today". CD

A great album of funky dancefloor tunes! Originally issued in 1978, and clearly for the New York dancefloor crowd – the record takes the earlier work of funk group The Blackbyrds, and remixes the tracks slightly to pump up the groove a bit for the dancers. While the approach might not sound good on paper, it actually works wonderfully on the record – as the tunes retain all of the jazz funk feel of the originals, without any of the cheap tricks you might expect! The album's as essential as any of the group's earlier albums – and it's filled with great versions of classics like "Supernatural Feeling", "Gut Level", "Walking In Rhythm", "Do It Fluid", "Rock Creek Park", and "Happy Music". CD

A great album of funky dancefloor tunes! Originally issued in 1978, and clearly for the New York dancefloor crowd – the record takes the earlier work of funk group The Blackbyrds, and remixes the tracks slightly to pump up the groove a bit for the dancers. While the approach might not sound good on paper, it actually works wonderfully on the record – as the tunes retain all of the jazz funk feel of the originals, without any of the cheap tricks you might expect. The album's as essential as any of the group's earlier albums – and it's filled with great versions of classics like "Supernatural Feeling", "Gut Level", "Walking In Rhythm", "Do It Fluid", "Rock Creek Park", and "Happy Music". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite David Bowie albums ever! Aladdin Sane was a real turning point for Bowie – recorded on the heels of the tremendously popular Ziggy Stardust album, but really pushing the boundaries past the more straight-ahead rock and glam of that record. Instead of just sitting on his laurels, Bowie tripped out into a wilder, weirder world with this one – mixing together elements of some of the baroque arrangements of early records, with the meaner leaner sound of the 70s – populating the songs with freaks, weirdos, and odd characters that gave the whole thing a really creepy edge. The whole thing's an oft-overlooked gem that, to us, is truly one of Bowie's most magical moments – and titles include "Drive In Saturday", "Panic In Detroit", "Aladdin Sane", "Watch That Man", "The Jean Genie", "The Prettiest Star", "Time", and "Lady Grinning Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite David Bowie albums ever! Aladdin Sane was a real turning point for Bowie – recorded on the heels of the tremendously popular Ziggy Stardust album, but really pushing the boundaries past the more straight-ahead rock and glam of that record. Instead of just sitting on his laurels, Bowie tripped out into a wilder, weirder world with this one – mixing together elements of some of the baroque arrangements of early records, with the meaner leaner sound of the 70s – populating the songs with freaks, weirdos, and odd characters that gave the whole thing a really creepy edge. The whole thing's an oft-overlooked gem that, to us, is truly one of Bowie's most magical moments – and titles include "Drive In Saturday", "Panic In Detroit", "Aladdin Sane", "Watch That Man", "The Jean Genie", "The Prettiest Star", "Time", and "Lady Grinning Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

The latest from this hip producer, and an album that's got a cool sound that's 2 parts underground soul, and 3 parts mid 80s R&B – complete with guest appearances by Alison Moyet, Martin Fry, Kathy Sledge, Alma Horton, Grover Washington Jr, and Trugoy of De La Soul. In a way, this is the kind of modern R&B album that we always looked for back in the 80s, but rarely found put together so well. King Britt's production is enough to hold together the mad vision of the set – and the melange of guest stars comes out sounding remarkably coherent in the end. Titles include "Cobbs Creek", "Skipping Stones", "One & Only", "Romeo's Fate", "Incident On A Couch", "All The Way Live", "'84 Fantastik", and "Beauty Of Machines". CD

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An early version of the quartet – with Paul Desmond on alto, Bob Bates on bass, and Joe Dodge on drums. Titles include "Audrey", "Jeepers Creepers", "Stompin For Mili", "A Fine Romance", and "Brother Can You Spare A Dime". CD

Way more than just an ordinary soundtrack – and instead a cool sort of audio document of this freaky 80s film from John Carpenter – assembled out of his own electronic music, lots of spacey sound effects, and even some very cool dialogue and other sounds from the movie – in two side-long tracks that each almost work like some sort of almost-narrative representation of the sonic space of Dark Star! The approach is unusual, but really gives the soundtrack a spooky feel – pulling it away from any images on the screen, and making it feel more like some older vintage horror scenario, save for the electronics, which are a cool mix of analogue and digital modes! 7" single also features bonus tracks – "Doolittle's Solo (remake)" by Alan Howarth, "Benson Arizona (remake)" by Dominik Hauser, and "When Twilight Falls On NGC 891" by Martin Segundo & The Scintilla Strings – plus a trailer for the film, and four loop tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

Ric Cartey may not be the biggest name in late 50s rockabilly – but man, does he sure sound great on this set – the first-ever collection to bring together Cartey's classic singles for RCA, plus a wealth of other rare 45s too! Cartey hails from Atlanta, and recorded a bit for that city's famous NRC indie – but despite the setting, Ric's got a great romping sound that's definitely all his own – maybe less hillbilly than some of his contemporaries of the period, and always ready to romp out with a hard-wailing groove! Production on most of these numbers is great – the kind of spare, stark, echoey vibe that makes already-great elements sound even cooler – and the whole package features a huge booklet of notes that tell the tale of Ric's overlooked career in music. Titles include "Crying Good Bye", "Mellow Down Easy", "Oooh Eee", "Poor Me", "Go On Fool", "Scratchin On My Screen", "To Love", "Leave Me Loose", "Born To Love One Woman", "I Wancha To Know", and "Let Me Tell You About Love" – and CD also features 11 more bonus tracks related to the collection, by Sonny James, The Jiv-A-Tones, Charlie Broome, Bobby Wilson, and Chuck Atha. CD

That's a really creepy puppet on the cover – but the set's a classic collection of R&B from the mighty End label! Titles include "7-11" by the Gone Allstars with Buddy Lucas on tenor, "Song In My Heart" by The Dubs, "Wait A Minute" by Jo-Ann Campbell, "Two People In The World" by Little Anthony, "That's My Desire" by The Chantels, "Maybe" by the Chantels, and "Someone To Love Me" by Ronnie Baxter. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the darkest soundtracks we've ever heard from Stelvio Cipriani – a set that has some of the sweeter, more erotic touches of his other 70s work – but which also features a colder, electronic undercurrent as well – a very creepy style that's very much in the Halloween genre of film scoring! Cipriani's approach here is somewhat different than that of his Italian contemporaries – a bit less iconic, and willing to change things up a bit from time to time. But there's also some undeniably strong themes that run through the music too – including one swirling bit of dark analogue synth that almost feels as if it was pulled from some early 80s British industrial album. CD features wonderfully remastered sound – and features a 22 titles that include "L'Ossessione", "La Dolce Sandra", "Lettere", "Gli Inganni", and "Incubi Riccorrenti". CD

A bit goofy, but a pretty compelling record issued on Motown's MoWest subsidiary. Tom Clay creates these groovy tracks that mix popular soul instrumentals (arranged by Gene Page and Artie Butler) with recitations that have a very righteous political feel. The single on the record, "What The World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin, & John", features Clay asking kids what prejudice is, while militaristic sound effects and JFK speeches creep in and out of the mix. The rest of the album continues this powerful kind of soundscape experiment, and it's actually a pretty resonant work that still holds up nicely today. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic tracks from the short-but-strong music career of Julie Coker – a huge figure in Nigerian culture, both for her work onscreen and off! Coker recorded a handful of records at the end of the 70s – right at the height of her career – and the tracks here are from two of the three from the time – the albums Tomorrow and Ere Yon. Ere Yon is a very compelling take on more traditional modes of the time – a bit highlife, but often nicely stripped-down, and with these occasional keyboard parts that give a cool spacey sound to the whole thing – a mode that works perfectly with Coker's strong vocal range. The music on Tomorrow is from a few years later, and has a warmer, clubbier vibe – a bit more of the Lagos disco promised in the title, but again handled in a way that's still very unique. Titles include "Iyo Re", "Elelemi", "Ere Yon", "Re Hese", "It's All For You", "Sogio", and "Gossiper Scandal Monger". CD

Classic tracks from the short-but-strong music career of Julie Coker – a huge figure in Nigerian culture, both for her work onscreen and off! Coker recorded a handful of records at the end of the 70s – right at the height of her career – and the tracks here are from two of the three from the time – the albums Tomorrow and Ere Yon. Ere Yon is a very compelling take on more traditional modes of the time – a bit highlife, but often nicely stripped-down, and with these occasional keyboard parts that give a cool spacey sound to the whole thing – a mode that works perfectly with Coker's strong vocal range. The music on Tomorrow is from a few years later, and has a warmer, clubbier vibe – a bit more of the Lagos disco promised in the title, but again handled in a way that's still very unique. Titles include "Iyo Re", "Elelemi", "Ere Yon", "Re Hese", "It's All For You", "Sogio", and "Gossiper Scandal Monger". LP, Vinyl record album

A much better record than we want to admit, with Natalie moving towards jazzy numbers and standards, for a blockbuster Grammy winning effort. Her voice stands up well to the mainstream polish, and even the creepy "duet" with her father is enjoyable. 22 tracks in all, including "The Very Thought Of You", "Paper Moon", "Mona Lisa", 'This Can't Be Love", "Lush Life", "That Sunday That Summer", "Avalon", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "Nature Boy", "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup", "Thous Swell" and "Unforgettable". LP, Vinyl record album

Strong work from John Coltrane's early years as a leader – even if the album is sort of a collection of tracks that Trane recorded for Prestige, instead of a discreetly separate session! Side one features Coltrane's tenor in a spare setting with Earl May on bass and Art Taylor on drums – playing mellow tunes like "I Love You" and "Like Someone In Love", as well as the original "Trane's Slow Blues". Side two features a blowing session mode – with Donald Byrd, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Louis Hayes – on the cuts "Lush Life" and "I Hear A Rhapsody". CD

A legendary group who never fully got their due – and maybe one of the creepier acts on the British scene at the start of the 70s! The cover art probably gives things away – but the sound of the record is even more haunting – with some acoustic elements that echo the acid folk movement of the time, but more dynamic energy at other spots that resonate more with prog – all topped by vocals that have a completely sinister sound that really makes the group stand out! Despite the acoustic guitars, these guys are hardly the traditional-leaning style of some of their folk rock contemporaries – and, if anything, it feels like they opened up some Pandora's box from the past, and let out all this weird Wicker Man energy. Titles include "Bitten", "The Prisoner", "Diana", "The Herald", "Song To Comus", and "Drip Drip". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the sweetest-grooving albums ever from Con Funk Shun – proof that the group was almost better when they tightened things up a bit! The set was produced by Deodato at the height of his hit-making soul powers – and it's got a sharpness that really helps bring the Con Funk Shun groove into focus – a style that's not nearly as commercial as Deodato's work with Kool & The Gang, but which shares a similar blend of jazz and modern soul elements! Most tracks groove nicely, even some of the mellower ones – and Deodato's got a perfect balance in the sound of the set – keyboards, beats, and bass all in the right places, with plenty of soulful vocals flowing warmly over the top. Titles include "Don't Let Your Love Grow Cold", "Hard Lovin", "If I'm Your Lover", "Can You Feel The Groove Tonight", "Indiscreet Sweet", and "Baby I'm Hooked". LP, Vinyl record album

80s magic from Con Funk Shun – a pair of albums back to back! Fever is one of the sweetest-grooving albums ever from Con Funk Shun – proof that the group was almost better when they tightened things up a bit! The set was produced by Deodato at the height of his hit-making soul powers – and it's got a sharpness that really helps bring the Con Funk Shun groove into focus – a style that's not nearly as commercial as Deodato's work with Kool & The Gang, but which shares a similar blend of jazz and modern soul elements! Most tracks groove nicely, even some of the mellower ones – and Deodato's got a perfect balance in the sound of the set – keyboards, beats, and bass all in the right places, with plenty of soulful vocals flowing warmly over the top. Titles include "Don't Let Your Love Grow Cold", "Hard Lovin", "If I'm Your Lover", "Can You Feel The Groove Tonight", "Indiscreet Sweet", and "Baby I'm Hooked". Electric Lady is a relatively beat-heavy set from Con Funk Shun – one that has them moving into some of the same spaces as their ensemble funk contemporaries, and using a bit more programmed rhythms than before! Given their pedigree with grooves, the group still manages to keep things soulful – and the album's still got the group at their funky best – and is definitely not in the vein of some of the more commercial work of this type from the mid 80s. Lead vocals are mostly by Michael Cooper, and titles include "Turn The Music Up", "Electric Lady", "Don't Go", "Circle Of Love", "Pretty Lady", "Tell Me What You're Gonna Do", and "I'm Leaving Baby". CD

Jess Conrad looks a bit more straight-laced than the usual British rocker of the 60s – and he sounds a bit more here, too – in a set of completely charming tracks that had their birth at the moment when the UK labels weren't above bringing a huge production force to bear on the talents of a singer! Conrad was often as much a screen actor as he was a singer – and in a way, he's maybe a bit like a British version of Tommy Sands – charming at the start, and able to bring a subtle sense of drama to his vocals – one that's never too overdone, but which paces things nicely here – and which creates some surprisingly nice moments in the music, maybe more than you'd expect from his clean teen look. This set features a huge 63 tracks in all – singles issued well into the 70s, along with some unissued tracks too – titles that include "There's Gonne Be A Day", "See The Tinker Ride", "Pussy Cat", "Tempted", "A Little Bit Of Loveliness", "My Idea", "A Conspiracy Of Cards", "Twist My Wrist", "Pretty Jenny", "Unless You Mean It", "Mystery Girl", "Out Of Luck", "There's Gonna Be A Day", "Every Breath I Take", "You Too", "Swimming In Tears", "Lock Up Your Daughters", and "Down Town Tonight". CD

Patrick Cornelius steps out here both as a strong leader, and as a great songwriter too – on a set that's filled with almost all original material from the pen of the alto saxophonist – tunes that have a strong sense of color and verve, which makes the record one of the most illuminating to date from Cornelius! The group's also got a real strength in the piano of John Escreet – who has some sharper edges that really enrich the vibe of the record – and Patrick's alto lines are also balanced with a nice sense of depth from trombonist Nick Vayenas, a player we don't know at all – but who seems to be finding his own with the set. The rest of the group features Ben Allison on bass and Mark Ferber on drums – and titles include "Precious Souls", "Telescope", "Big Pictures", "This Should Be Fun", "For Morgan", and "Restless Willow". CD

Cugat and cocktails – what could be better? The set's a bit later than Xavier Cugat's classic vintage – but in a really nice way, one that has him opening up with some groovy 60s rhythms! The style is still heavily Latin, but there's also some nice influences from bossa nova and some of the dance trends that were creeping into the dancefloors of the time – and arranger Hal Mooney gives the whole thing a playful kind of approach that's still as rhythmic and percussive as Cugat's other albums, but which also uses the horn charts to carve some nice colors over the top! Titles include the excellent original "Cugi's Cocktail" – a great slow-groover with a soul jazz finish – plus "Manhattan", "Zombie", "Singapore", "Daiquiri", "Old Fashioned", and "Cuba Libre". LP, Vinyl record album

The Damned's second album, roundly hated, but noted a bad piece of early, snotty British punk. With "Problem Child", "Don't Cry Wolf", "One Way Love", "Politics", "Stretcher Case", "idiot Box", "You Take My Money", "Alone", "Your Eyes", "Creep" and "You Know". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soul music TV shows ever (and one that originated in Chicago, too!) – presented here in deep detail with loads of interesting stories and anecdotes too! The book's almost a more personal history of the show than a technical one – but that's OK with us, because it really gets at the tales behind those iconic images on the screen – and the all-pro presentation of Don Cornelius too. And, in addition to the main body of the book, the publication also includes this massive show-by-show list of appearances – for 37 seasons of Soul Train, including the later rerun years – with details on the performers and dates for each show, in a section that's over 50 pages in length! The book also includes some nice color images in the middle, and is 243 pages, softcover. Book

Titles include "Blasphemous Rumours", "Master & Servant", "Shake The Disease", "Fly On The Windscreen", "See You", "Just Can't Get Enough", and "New Life". CD

The long-awaited debut album from Julie Dexter – one of our favorite soul singers of the past decade! The album kicks off where Julie's excellent Peace Of Mind ep left off – a mix of underground American soul with British 21st Century influences – cosmic production, dubby undertones, and some incredibly righteous vocals! The record's an instant classic all the way through – intimate and ambitious at the same time, sweetly soulful but never cloying, and a fantastic full album from a singer who will be looming large on our radar screen over the next few years. 14 tracks in all – with titles that include "I Dream", "How Can You Feel", "What Do I Do", "Love", "Faith", "Walk With Me", "Ketch A Vibe", "Moving On", and "Judgement Day". CD

A remake of the earlier Don Camillo film from the 50s – done here with music that's got an even more sprightly feel! You might know Pino Donaggio from darker, more serious soundtracks – but here, he uses a mix of keyboards and woodwinds to craft lots of groovy tunes that are in the best spirit of the 80s comedic Italian soundtrack modes! Given that Terence Hill was the lead, we can bet that there's a lot of goofy action on screen – set to tunes that include "Ring The Bells", "Verso Pomponesco", "Sfida A Carte", "I'm A Fool", "Don Camillo Parla Con Il Signore", and "Nella Chiesa". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks ever from Pino Donaggio – penned with a really old school sort of feel, but one that also hints at the darkness of the narrative underneath! Donaggio uses a full set of strings on most numbers, but often isolates some sweeter elements – which creates a nicely creepy vibe, but in ways that are very subtle – maybe even moreso than the film! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – with a great performance, and the ultra-creepy long version of "Celebration Of The Lizard"! LP, Vinyl record album

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A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing

A plain and simple shirt – one that's bound to get plenty of years of use – served up here at a plain and simple price, as well! The front features a big version of the Dusty Groove logo – the classic half-turntable that's topped our website for years – in brilliant gold-tone silkscreen, which really pops out against the bold color of the background! Nothing else – no bells, whistles, or frilly designs – just the good ol' DG logo, on a heavy 100% cotton shirt! Clothing