... CD

A huge collection of work from Crown Heights Affair – a group who were famously labelmates of Kool & The Gang in the late 70s, where they recorded an equally great run of funky grooves! As with K&TG, Crown Heights started out with a harder funky edge, then big-upped their size and started going more for the dancefloor – yet still working with all the sharp musicianship and deft rhythms that they learned at the start – making them way different than some of the prepackaged studio-based acts of the disco generation! You can definitely hear that evolution here – as the set begins with a number of cuts from the group's original album on RCA, which has never been reissued before – the moves into the best of their De-Lite years, including some rare singles next to album tracks too. The 3CD set features 42 tracks in all – and titles include "You Can't Bend My Super Rod", "Streaking", "Dancin (12" disco mix)", "Leave The Kids Alone", "Sex Trip", "Do It The French Way", "Music Is The World", "Dreaming A Dream", "Every Beat Of My Heart", "Galaxy Of Love", "Dance Lady Dance", "Super Rod", "Foxy Lady", "You Gave Me Love", "Let Me Ride On The Wave Of Your Love", "Love Rip Off", "Somebody Tell Me What To Do", "Rock The World", "Struck Gold", "The Rock Is Hot", "Come Fly With Me", "Dream World", and "Sure Shot". CD

A tasty little disco album that's a lot better than you might think! In some ways, this might be Crown Heights Affair's most perfectly realized album – as it's got lots of long tracks that mix the group's always-tight instrumental style with a spacey soul sensibility that's quite captivating. None of the cuts are standout slammers, but the album's pretty nice as a whole, and the songwriting gives the group plenty of good lyrics to work with. Titles include "Galaxy Of Love", "Dream World", "Things Are Going To Get Better", "I'm Gonna Love You Forever", and "Say A Prayer For Two". CD features a huge amount of bonus mixes too – including "Say A Prayer For Two (orig 12" version)", "Galaxy Of Love/I'm Gonna Love You Forever (original promo 12" medley)", "I Love You (unreleased 12" version)", and original 7" single versions of "Dream World", "I Love You", "Galaxy Of Love", and "Say A Prayer For Two". CD

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

A record that ended up in more than a few 70s record collections because of its sexy cover image – but a set that's even better when you get down into the grooves – thanks to massively funky work from Crown Heights Affair! The group are wonderful here – upbeat and quick-stepping, but still filled with razor-sharp funk energy – at a level that's similar to Brass Construction or BT Express – with no fluff at all, and none of the kind of too-extended sloppy musicianship you were getting from the studio disco groups. The whole thing's got a rock-solid vibe that was first forged in the funky 45 generation, then kicked up for the 12" years – including the group's harmony vocals, which still have a great indie vibe. Titles include "Sexy Ways", "Dancin", "Far Out", "Music Is The World", "Love Me", and "Searching For Love". Also includes the nice funky funky "French Way", which has some great moogy parts! LP, Vinyl record album

A tasty little disco album that's a lot better than you might think! In some ways, this might be Crown Heights Affair's most perfectly realized album – as it's got lots of long tracks that mix the group's always-tight instrumental style with a spacey soul sensibility that's quite captivating. None of the cuts are standout slammers, but the album's pretty nice as a whole, and the songwriting gives the group plenty of good lyrics to work with. Titles include "Galaxy Of Love", "Dream World", "Things Are Going To Get Better", "I'm Gonna Love You Forever", and "Say A Prayer For Two". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Their first LP, and one that we like way better than anything else they ever did. The record's got a great bunch of hard funky cuts done at a fast tempo – without the throwaway disco sound of some of their other albums, and lots of sax and keyboards in the lead. A bit like early Bohannon at times – and with tracks that include "Streaking", "Super Rod", "Sex Trip", and "You Can't Bend My Super Rod". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

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

Duets with George Michael, Keith Richards, John Legend, Mary J Blige, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, George Benson, and Elton John. CD

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

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Guest spots on this LP with everyone from Nas, Everlast, Fat Joe and Method Man to Fred Durst and other pop stars. Sadly, the last Jam Master Jay production. 12 tracks in all, including "Queens Day", "Crown Royal", "Take The Money & Run", "Ay Papi" and "Simmons Incorporated". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest soundtracks of the 60s – and a crowning moment of international fame for French composer Michel Legrand! Legrand already had plenty of records under his belt by the time he scored this great film – a heist movie with Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway – and he brings all that experience to bear in his music here – with sounds that run from jazzy groovers to bossa instrumentals to a few vocal numbers that are completely sublime, and which show his music works equally well in English as it does in French! Noel Harrison sings the landmark "Windmills Of Your Mind", and Legrand himself sings on the killer "His Eyes Her Eyes" – both of which get instrumental versions as well – and other instrumental tracks include "The Chess Game", "Playing The Field", "The Boston Wrangler", "Doubting Thomas", "The Crowning Touch", and "Room Service". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Excellent work from one of the funkiest steel bands around – a totally hip combo who just seem to be getting better and better with each new release! This time around, they've stepped up the beats even more than before – mixing their 70s funk and steel drum work with just a slight current from hip hop production – all of which almost makes you feel like Wu-Tang made a trip to the Caribbean, then came back with these tapes as a result! There's also some additionally cool touches in the horns – used with maybe some slight Ethio jazz inflections at points – alongside other elements that really help move the Bacao aesthetic forward in a mighty nice way. Titles include "Hotline Bling", "Grilled", "How We Do", "Hazy Memories", "In The Crosshairs", "The Champion's Walk", and a very cool take on the "Stranger Things Theme"! LP, Vinyl record album

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

A record with a freaky sort of cover, but one that's got this very laidback, down to earth vibe – almost like a small funk combo taking on territory from 70s AOR, but serving things up with a much looser, easygoing sort of style! The vocals are great – blue-eyed soul, and compressed down into the instrumentation, which includes keyboards, guitar, and light strings – plus occasional flute and trumpet – all handled with this stripped-down vibe that almost makes you feel like you're sitting in with a big label act like America or Hall & Oates as they're cooking up some mellow soul tracks in the studio. Titles include "Rialto Winds", "Gift Of Life", "Peach Optimo", "Hanging On", "NyNy", "I Will Be", and "Too Yung". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Killer funky trumpet from Dave Guy – an artist who's played in other funk combos, like the Dap-Kings and Sugarman 3 – but one who's got a very special sound here on his own! Dave clearly likes a bit of hip hop crackle in his rhythms – and the drum work here is totally great, and makes for a very different approach to jazz funk than classic work from back in the day – material that instantly resonates with more contemporary currents, but also never in a way that's smooth jazz, commercial, or any other quality that might imply! Instead, Guy stays true to his funk roots, while also really moving past more familiar deep funk styles – embracing jazz much more in the way he solos, and working with a top-shelf group that includes Leon Michels on flute and sax, and Victor Axelrod on organ and electric piano. Dave also plays some keys himself – and titles include "Morning Glory", "Dave Wants You", "Drony Boy", "Quesodillas", "The Green Door", "I'll Follow You", and "7th Heaven". CD

Killer funky trumpet from Dave Guy – an artist who's played in other funk combos, like the Dap-Kings and Sugarman 3 – but one who's got a very special sound here on his own! Dave clearly likes a bit of hip hop crackle in his rhythms – and the drum work here is totally great, and makes for a very different approach to jazz funk than classic work from back in the day – material that instantly resonates with more contemporary currents, but also never in a way that's smooth jazz, commercial, or any other quality that might imply! Instead, Guy stays true to his funk roots, while also really moving past more familiar deep funk styles – embracing jazz much more in the way he solos, and working with a top-shelf group that includes Leon Michels on flute and sax, and Victor Axelrod on organ and electric piano. Dave also plays some keys himself – and titles include "Morning Glory", "Dave Wants You", "Drony Boy", "Quesodillas", "The Green Door", "I'll Follow You", and "7th Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer funky trumpet from Dave Guy – an artist who's played in other funk combos, like the Dap-Kings and Sugarman 3 – but one who's got a very special sound here on his own! Dave clearly likes a bit of hip hop crackle in his rhythms – and the drum work here is totally great, and makes for a very different approach to jazz funk than classic work from back in the day – material that instantly resonates with more contemporary currents, but also never in a way that's smooth jazz, commercial, or any other quality that might imply! Instead, Guy stays true to his funk roots, while also really moving past more familiar deep funk styles – embracing jazz much more in the way he solos, and working with a top-shelf group that includes Leon Michels on flute and sax, and Victor Axelrod on organ and electric piano. Dave also plays some keys himself – and titles include "Morning Glory", "Dave Wants You", "Drony Boy", "Quesodillas", "The Green Door", "I'll Follow You", and "7th Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know Homer as Homer Steinweiss – the funky drummer who's worked with some of the most important deep soul singers of the past 20 years – a long resume that includes drum contributions to recordings by both Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse! Yet here, he serves up his talents in a very different setting – not a drum-heavy record of breaks and beats, but instead this slinky soul outing that has us really rethinking Homer's contribution to music – as there's very little of the old school soul elements you'd expect, and instead lots more future soul styles – served up with help from singers who include Kirby, Hether, Flikka, and Girl Named Golden – artists who are often more in the spotlight than Homer himself. Titles include "Racecar Driver", "Deep Sea", "Camera", "Goldie", "Hide It Behind The Light I'm Shining Through", "Wishing Well", "Now That It's Over", and "Rollin". CD

You might know Homer as Homer Steinweiss – the funky drummer who's worked with some of the most important deep soul singers of the past 20 years – a long resume that includes drum contributions to recordings by both Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse! Yet here, he serves up his talents in a very different setting – not a drum-heavy record of breaks and beats, but instead this slinky soul outing that has us really rethinking Homer's contribution to music – as there's very little of the old school soul elements you'd expect, and instead lots more future soul styles – served up with help from singers who include Kirby, Hether, Flikka, and Girl Named Golden – artists who are often more in the spotlight than Homer himself. Titles include "Racecar Driver", "Deep Sea", "Camera", "Goldie", "Hide It Behind The Light I'm Shining Through", "Wishing Well", "Now That It's Over", and "Rollin". LP, Vinyl record album

You might know Homer as Homer Steinweiss – the funky drummer who's worked with some of the most important deep soul singers of the past 20 years – a long resume that includes drum contributions to recordings by both Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse! Yet here, he serves up his talents in a very different setting – not a drum-heavy record of breaks and beats, but instead this slinky soul outing that has us really rethinking Homer's contribution to music – as there's very little of the old school soul elements you'd expect, and instead lots more future soul styles – served up with help from singers who include Kirby, Hether, Flikka, and Girl Named Golden – artists who are often more in the spotlight than Homer himself. Titles include "Racecar Driver", "Deep Sea", "Camera", "Goldie", "Hide It Behind The Light I'm Shining Through", "Wishing Well", "Now That It's Over", and "Rollin". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked funk from Japanese keyboardist Norio Maeda – also a hell of an arranger, too – as you'll hear on this superb set from the start of the 70s! The record's one of those key albums that took a 60s groovy Japanese sound much further into the future – giving the whole thing a sharper edge, with heavier drums – and using trippy guitar, weird flute lines, and keyboards to give the whole thing a vibe that's almost more blacksploitation or kung fu soundtrack than most of what Maeda had done before! Tracks are all pretty lively, and work together as a sweet set of grooves – almost with a funky Lalo Schifrin sort of vibe – and titles include "Yagibushi", "Otemoyan", "Sado Okesa", "Kinbira Ships", "Asadoya Yunta", "Hokkai Bonuta", "Donpan Bushi", "Mt. Bandai Aizu", "Kuroda Bushi" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A really lovely little record from mid 70s Japan – a set right at the start of that great moment when singers like Taeko Ohnuki were really helping the scene to find it's own sound and voice! The album's got a bit of a sunny 70s Cali vibe – currents of jazz and soul running through the arrangements, which are handled by Makoto Yano, Haruomi Hosono, and Ryuichi Sakamoto – the latter of whom play on the record! Yet the music is also very different than any of Sakamoto or Hosono's own work – as Taeko is clearly the shining star in the lead, and also produced and directed the entire album – on titles that include "Wanderlust", "One's Love", "Breakin Blue", and "When I Met The Grey Sky". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Very soulful sounds from an Indonesian trio – one who have a groove that's maybe a lot more American than you'd expect! The group have a laidback approach to funky soul that almost burns with a vintage Memphis vibe – not that it's any sort of copycat approach, but just that it's very much in the best spirit of the sorts of contemporary work that the Big Crown label has been giving us over the years! Female lead singer Natassya Sianturi is totally great – and has a depth that would work equally well in other soulful modes, maybe even more contemporary styles – and she's set up nicely here in small combo backing that's heavy on guitar and organ lines, topped with some nice horn work that really sends the whole thing home. Titles include "Not Today", "Over", "Nona", "Beri Cinta Waktu", "Logika", "I Know", "No One Else", and "Thank You" CD

Very soulful sounds from an Indonesian trio – one who have a groove that's maybe a lot more American than you'd expect! The group have a laidback approach to funky soul that almost burns with a vintage Memphis vibe – not that it's any sort of copycat approach, but just that it's very much in the best spirit of the sorts of contemporary work that the Big Crown label has been giving us over the years! Female lead singer Natassya Sianturi is totally great – and has a depth that would work equally well in other soulful modes, maybe even more contemporary styles – and she's set up nicely here in small combo backing that's heavy on guitar and organ lines, topped with some nice horn work that really sends the whole thing home. Titles include "Not Today", "Over", "Nona", "Beri Cinta Waktu", "Logika", "I Know", "No One Else", and "Thank You" LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Leon Michels has given us plenty of hip hop-inspired funk over the years, but this might be his first real hip hop project overall – a stunning set that mixes the live instrumentation of El Michels Affair with rhymes from Black Thought of The Roots – all at a level that might well set a new standard for both styles of music! The grooves are great – that subtle sense of drama that Michels always brings to the music – informed by old school action scores, but with the lean energy of a funky 45 – and although Black Thought has had live backing before, the El Michels approach here really seems to unlock something different in his vocals – maybe more power and drama than we might have guessed. Titles include "I'm Still Somehow", "Miracle", "Glorious Game", "That Girl", "The Weather", "I Would Never", "Grateful", and "Hollow Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Lightnin Hopkins sings the blues – and virtually helps reinvent the genre in the process with these classic Texas recordings for the RPM label! The style here is much rootsier than some of the postwar blues coming out from other scenes – quite spare, and almost more in a delta style of singer and guitar, without much else in the mix. Yet Hopkins' use of an electric instrument here is seminal – as he works the strings with these inflections and inspirations that would have a huge impact on countless other musicians to come – first blues contemporaries, then bigger talents in the world of rock in later decades. Yet there's still nothing better than these initial recordings – as few folks have a way of hitting the right modes in the right way like Lighnin – both vocally, where he's simple but extremely powerful – and instrumentally, where he can always grab us with just a surprising flick or two of his fingers on the strings. Titles include "Lonesome Dog Blues", "Don't Keep My Baby Long", "Santa Fe", "Give Me Back That Wig", "Last Affair", and "Tell Me Pretty Mama". Also features the track "Just Sittin Down Thinkin" by Big Bill Dotson – and bonus tracks "War News Blues" and "One Kind Favor" – and replacement track "Black Cat". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked funk from Japanese keyboardist Norio Maeda – also a hell of an arranger, too – as you'll hear on this superb set from the start of the 70s! The record's one of those key albums that took a 60s groovy Japanese sound much further into the future – giving the whole thing a sharper edge, with heavier drums – and using trippy guitar, weird flute lines, and keyboards to give the whole thing a vibe that's almost more blacksploitation or kung fu soundtrack than most of what Maeda had done before! Tracks are all pretty lively, and work together as a sweet set of grooves – almost with a funky Lalo Schifrin sort of vibe – and titles include "Yagibushi", "Otemoyan", "Sado Okesa", "Kinbira Ships", "Asadoya Yunta", "Hokkai Bonuta", "Donpan Bushi", "Mt. Bandai Aizu", "Kuroda Bushi" and more. CD

A really beautiful record from the Japanese scene of the 70s – a record that's noteworthy not just for the really lovely vocals of Taeko Onuki but also for the keyboards and arrangements by Ryuichi Sakamoto! Here, Sakamoto is in a surprisingly soulful mode – working with great help from jazz musicians Shigeharu Mukai on trombone and Kazumi Watanabe on guitar, in a set of fusion-tinged backings that have a lot more in common with some of the Cali/Japanese R&B-tinged sets than they do with Sakamoto's later work to come! The sound is wonderful – as Taeko's Japanese lyrics glide wonderfully over the jazzy backings – on titles that include "Sargasso Sea", "Silent Screamer", "Summer Connection", and "Law of Nature". LP, Vinyl record album

You might recognize the name of Liam Bailey from his work on Big Crown records – and here, he acts as the frontman for grooves laid down by Blundetto – who hits a strongly dubby style that works perfectly for Bailey's vocals! The first half of the set features vocal numbers with a more straightforward approach – roots reggae, but already given lots of dubby touches in the production – so that when the second half of the set comes around, things really take off – standing as yet another testament to the mighty skills of Blundetto! Titles include "Heavy Soul", "Stand Alone", "Seasons Change", "Stand Dub", "Out In The Streets", "Season Dub", "Stand Together", and "Heavy Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the records that really helped Black Uhuru gain their crown – and become one of the strongest global groups to really carry forward the legacy of roots reggae from the 70s generation! There's plenty of message here, but also a groove that marks a slightly new generation in rhythms too – with production by Sly & Robbie, in a moment that really marked their move from a background force in Jamaican music to a duo who would define the sound of the 80s in a variety of other styles as well! That's not saying that there's any commercialization going on at all – just a fresh way of bringing the message forward – on cuts that include "World Is Africa", "Vampire", "Sinsemilla", "There Is Fire", and "Happiness". LP, Vinyl record album

Not as well-known as James Brown's live albums from the Apollo, but a really cooking set from the 60s that keeps up a plenty hard groove all the way through! As with most of James' live dates, the tracks here move at a clip that's often even faster than the studio work – played to perfection by the group with razor-sharp tightness that's simply breathtaking – possibly even more so in this environment. And although the crowd noise swells up at time, there's definitely less of the "fake" live sound of other JB albums of this nature – just a gritty little live party that blows the speakers out from all the action at the low end! Titles include versions of "Ain't That A Groove", "I Got You", "Bring It Up", and "Out Of Sight" – plus the groovy "Hip Bag '67" and "Let Yourself Go". Nice cover, too – with a back photo that has a picture of James and Hubert Humphrey, and a front cover that's a cool cartoony image of New York near the Garden! LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the best records cut for the short-lived Mode label in the late 50s – and easily one of the best from trumpeter Conte Candoli too! For the session, Conte front a quartet with Vince Guaraldi on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Stan Levey on drums – and Guaraldi's piano style's got a heck of a lot more soul than you'd expect, a detail that brings a nice depth to a session that might have been otherwise lightweight – and which comes off with the same strength overall as the pair's outing from the same time for the Crown label. Candoli seems to play about half the tracks with a mute, but still in a style that's more open and fluid than much of his other work from the time – and titles include "Tara Ferma", "Diane", "Mambo Blues", "Mediolistic", and "Walkie Talkie". CD

A classic speech by Jesse Jackson – one that became quite a hit for Stax's Respect subsidiary, and which was one of the better selling albums of its type in the early 70s. The album was recorded back in the days before Jesse had become a bit of a cliche, when he appeared to be emerging as the heir to Martin Luther King's crown, with possibly as much potential for social change and political motivation. The record contains Jesse's famous "I Am Somebody" speech – which included the title chant that would be taken up often in the 70s, even on funky records, as well as into the 80s and 90s, when it was frequently sampled by hip hoppers. LP, Vinyl record album

The vintage years are some of the best years for the legendary BB King – served up here in a package that focuses strongly on the music he made during his first 15 years in the studio, with lots of rare tracks for the RPM, Crown, and Kent Records labels – including a few titles that appear here for the first time ever! King at this point was a genre unto himself – able to play a raw electric guitar with the best of his Texas precursors, but also able to fit it into smoother, more sophisticated arrangements – often with that current of jazz that was showing up in the Memphis scene in the 50s, and given that undeniable BB King charm on the vocals! The package features a whopping 86 titles on four CDs, all with a wonderful level of packaging – typical of the usual Ace Records style, which means wonderful notes, great graphics, and a presentation that's way better than the usual clunky longbox set. This is hardly a "hits" collection, and instead digs very deep – and then lays out the material in a wonderful way that shows the huge evolution in King's music before his bigger 60s fame on ABC Records. CD

A fantastic look at the first two years of recorded work from the young BB King – as the set features a few takes each of most of the tunes – laid out back to back, so that you can really hear BB getting comfortable with the recording process, and finding the best way to showcase his fantastic guitar work and completely charming vocals! Most of the material was recorded by Sun Records legend Sam Phillips – at a time when he had just set up his studio in Memphis, but before he launched his own label – and all the tracks were originally done for the Bihari Brothers' legendary Modern/Crown imprint – including a few that were recorded at the YMCA in the city, during a time when they were having a feud with Sam! About half the cuts here were never issued back in the day – and the 2CD set features a whopping 33 tracks in all, with detailed notes on these early years of BB King. Titles include "BB Boogie", "The Other Night Blues", "Fine Looking Woman", "She's Dynamite", "Shake It Up & Go", "Pray For You", "3 O'Clock Blues", "She Don't Move Me No More", "Walkin & Cryin", and "Questionnaire Blues". CD

Stunning work from Rufus & Chaka Khan – still very much at the height of their powers on this late 70s release – and still doing things at a level that nobody else can touch! The blend of jazz and soul is completely sublime – given a bit of extra help on arrangements by Clare Fischer and Seawind, both talents who are also at their best during this 70s stretch too – but the real power still comes from the core energy of Rufus, and the way they can effortlessly fuse these slinky, soulful grooves – and, of course, from the massive Chaka Khan – every bit the shining jewel in the group's crown, yet still not broken off as a superdiva on her own. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Street Player", "Stranger To Love", "Turn", "Change Your Ways", "Take Time", "Turn", and "Best Of Your Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A stunning bit of funky female soul from the first decade of the century – a set that was sometimes overlooked on the global scene, but which easily matches the energy and punch of some of the more famous artists on labels like Daptone and Big Crown! Gizelle Smith is a hell of a singer – actually skilled with a deeply soulful approach, and not just reaching for a retro mode – and the Mighty Mocambos are as funky here as on any of their great funky 45s – a razor-sharp group who give Smith just the right backing to send things over the top! Titles include "Hold Fast", "Magic Time Machine", "Working Woman", "Coffee High", "Free Vibes", "Love Alarm", "Gonna Get You", and "Snake Charmer". 2LP version adds in 11 bonus tracks – some instrumental "part 2" tracks, remixes, and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Twenty tracks from Jades, Crown Teens, Curtis & The Galaxies, Miller-Olsen Combo, Jerry Roberts & The Toppers, Velquins, Corvairs, Carl Peterson & The Glenrays, Velquins, Big M's, and Howie Butler & The Reflections. LP, Vinyl record album

Raw sounds from the Memphis scene of the late 50s – material recorded right around the same time that Sun Records was cutting some of its classic, but by the much smaller Meteor imprint, which was an offshoot of the Crown/Modern R&B label! The company was based in LA, but had a reputation for going out in the field and recording blues artists on the southern scene – which is how they approached this work here, by taking to the streets of Memphis and tracking down some real up-and-comers on the rockabilly scene – mostly artists who never hit great fame, except for one cat here – the great Charlie Feathers! Titles were originally issued in small batches, as Meteor 7" singles and 78rpm discs – and titles include "Mama's Little Baby" by Junior Thompson, "Get With It" by Charlie Feathers, "18 Year Old Blues" by Steve Carl, "Bop Baby Bop" by Brad Suggs, "Have Myself A Ball" by Bill Bowen, "Raw Deal" by Junior Thompson, Latch On To Your Baby" by Jimmy Lamberth, "Brother That's All" by Red Hadley's Wranglers, "Yakety Yak" by Mac & Jake, and "All Messed Up" by Jess Hooper. 18 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's heavy on classics from the legendary LA powerhouse of Crown/Modern/RPM/Kent Records – a family of labels who really helped drive the sound of R&B in the postwar years! The company opened the doors early to jump blues music, and later helped set the scene for 60s soul – and here, you'll hear them going at full steam, with a tremendous amount of hard-burning gems! There's 22 tracks in all – and titles include "Night Howler" by Billy Gale, "Baby Please" by Matt Cockrell, "People Are Wonderin" by Baby Pee Wee Parham, "You Better Hold Me" by James Reed, "Hey Dr Kinsey" by Big Duke Henderson, "Cuban Getaway" by Ike Turner, "Send Him Back" by Shirley Gunter, "Let's Make With Some Love" by The Flairs, "Chop House" by Blinky Allen, Hard Times" by Johnny Fuller, "Quit Hangin Around Me" by Saunders King, "My Baby Left Down" by Dixie Blues Boys, and "Bye Bye" by The Dreamers. CD

A very unusual moment in the career of Chet Baker – a late 50s session cut for the Crown/Modern label, away from his more familiar territory of Pacific Jazz – and one that makes for a nice change than some of his earlier recordings in the 50s! The vibe here is similar to the classic Chet Baker & Crew album at times – as the combo features Phil Urso on tenor and Bobby Timmons on piano – a very unusual pairing, and one that really gives the record an edge – and open up the longer tracks with more of an edge than the sweetness of Baker's early 50s material! Plus, the Crown approach is a bit more rough around the edges – in a good way – which makes for a session with a nice sort of bite. Titles include "The Route", "Lucius Lou", "Extra Mild", and "Jumpin' Off A Cliff". CD

The first 2 albums by Funk Inc – brought together in a massive fest of funky organ/guitar jazz jams! First up is the legendary Funk Inc album from 1971 – a killer instrumental set of hard organ grooves and funky basslines! This was the album that broke Funk Inc out of their Indianapolis scene, and made them a force to be forever reckoned with in the history of funky jazz. The album grooves hard in the same sound as some of the classic work by Prestige jazz funk giants like Rusty Bryant, Charles Earland, or Ivan Boogaloo Jones – but it's almost even tighter than their work, because the Funk Inc combo as a tightly woven group of players who'd been together for a number of years. The record's filled with monster cuts that you'll recognize immediately, like the group's famous "Kool is Back", which has a monster sample on the intro, and hard heavy Kool & The Gang grooves throughout. Other tracks include "Sister Janie", "The Whipper", and "Bowlegs". Next up is Chicken Lickin – funky organ, hard tenor sax, and plenty of choppy guitar make this another jazz funk gem in the crown of the legendary Funk Inc! The group are still totally at the top of their game here – stepping out with a deep, soulful Indy-bred blend of jazz and funk – a groove that was easily one of the hippest going in the early 70s Prestige Records scene – and that's saying a lot, given the company the label was keeping at the time! The record's got one track that features some nice soulful vocals – the political cut "Let's Make Peace & Stop The War" – but the best cuts are the instrumentals, grooving along hard in the band's best modal funky tradition! Titles include "The Better Half", "Jung Bungo", and "Running Away". CD

The Incredible String Band are paired down to the core duo of Mike Heron & Robin Williamson for their third and possibly best album – the truly incredible Hangman's Beautiful Daughter – using the studio as a most impressive adjunct member of the group at this point! This is an extremely talented pair – each playing myriad instruments – sitar, organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord, gimbri, whistle, pipe, oud, mandolin, mouth harps and more. Previous vocal collaborator Licorice sings on one song, and Dolly Collins and David Snell contribute flute organ, piano and harp – but the main duos incredible way of layering their magic with multitracking in the studio the real masterstroke of the effort. Titles include "Koeoaddi There", "Witch's Hat", "The Water Song", "Swift As The Wind", "Nightfall", "Waltz Of The New Moon", "Three Is A Green Crown" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful Roost material from Sonny Stitt – solid, mature, and extremely well-placed lines on the alto sax – all caught at a level that's higher than most of his contemporaries were dising out at the time! The boppier side of Stitt's roots is nicely suppressed here – and in its place is a focused and deeply personal approach to the music – one that's wonderfully complemented by the "New Yorkers" combo of Hank Jones on piano, Shadow Wilson on drums, and Wendell Marshall on bass. The record's one of the jewels in the crown of his Roost catalog – and titles include "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Engos, The Bloos", and "Bloosey". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the classic "Voulez-Vous", plus "Does Your Mother Know", "Lovers", "Angeleyes", "I Have A Dream", "The King Has Lost His Crown", and "If It Wasn't For The Nights". LP, Vinyl record album

Bebel Gilberto eat your heart out – Antena explored the same electric-bossa territory you did, nearly 20 years before your first big record! The group were a short-lived French outfit who were one of the shining jewels in the crown of the lovely label Les Disques Du Crepuscule during the early 80s – and were a real breath of fresh air in the post-punk years with their light and jazzy approach to the groove. As you'll hear in this set, Antena's style borrows a lot from the bossa, but also throws in some wonderful poppish touches – including jangly guitars recorded in a similar mode to some of the other French/European indie groups of the time, and a slight darkness in production that almost gives a Martin Hannett-like undercurrent to the whole set. The group's album Camino Del Sol has been lovingly reissued with a great set of notes, as well as a series of bonus tracks from an additional ep – making for a beautiful 14 track package that will really help you rediscover this nearly-lost group! Titles include "Sissexa", "To Climb The Cliff", "Camino Del Sol", "Bye Bye Papaye", "Noelle A Hawaii", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Seaside Weekend", "Frantz", and "Ingenuous". LP, Vinyl record album

All the great early albums from Creation Rebel – plus their excellent comeback too! The set begins with Dub From Creation – not just the debut album from Creation Rebel, but also a set that marks the first studio work from the young Adrian Sherwood – part of the long On-U Sound legacy to come, and a wealth of other wonderful music! There's a spareness here that's great – maybe a bit less dark than later Sherwood projects, but no less stark – with melodica and keyboards weaving nicely amidst the dubby rhythms! Titles include "Basic Principals", "Dub Fusion", "Liberation", "Rising Star", "Vision Of Creation", and "Creation In A Iration". Next is Close Encounters Of The Third World – an early part of the On-U Sound legacy, even if the set wasn't issued on the label – a key effort by Creation Rebel that features recording work done both in London and Kingston, layered together in a beautifully dubby way! The sound here is definitely underground – full of message-oriented lyrics from Crucial Tony, who sings in a style that definitely earns him his name – with great melodica and organ flowing through the mix next to Lizard's bass – topped with added horn work from The Arabs in all the right spots! The production is superb – flat on the drums, wide on the sides, which makes for a really wonderful groove – on titles that include "Know Yourself", "Conspiring", "Creation Fever", "Natty Conscience Free", and "Joyful Noise". Rebel Vibrations features early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". Starship Africa is a brilliant Creation Rebel effort for On-U Sound from the dawn of the 80s – landing in the futuristic dub spacecraft that is their Starship Africa – percussion heavy and spaced out ingenuity from Adrian Sherwood & co! Tripped, echoey atmospherics that's cast as a soundtrack to movie that doesn't exist, the music is forward thinking, boundary busting dubby grooves exists out of time and sounds great to this day. Includes "Starship Africa" (Sections 1-5) and "Space Movement" (Sections 1-4). On Psychotic Jonkanoo, Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". From 2023, Hostile Environment is the first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less moody – just something that seems to let the work of the group come through with energy that's wonderfully warm and organic, while still resonating with plenty of touches that will make longtime label fans proud! Vocals are shared between Charlie Eskimo Fox and Mr Magoo, and the set also features guest appearances from Prince Far I and Daddy Freddy – on titles that include "That's More Like It" "Jubilee Clock", "Swiftly", "Stonebridge Warrior", "Crown Hill Road", "The People's Sound", and "Whatever It Takes". CD