A great live set from Azymuth – recorded in Rio in 1979, with a harder, more open feel than most of their studio work of the time! The set takes off with the intensity of a classic 70s fusion set – led by the majestic keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami, really kicking out here with a sound that's not nearly as restrained as on the group's studio albums for Fantasy. Aleuda joins the trio on vocals on a few cuts, and titles include "Jazz Carnival", "Partido Alto", "Light As A Feather", "Montreux", "Dona Olimpia", "Voo Sobre O Horizonte", and "Existe Isto". LP, Vinyl record album

Dazzling work from John Cale – exactly the kind of record that shows why his solo years were so great! The record's got this unusual vibe – on one hand, it's put together like a more conventional rock set of the time – but on the other, it's got strange dark currents that run through the whole thing in very weird ways – a bit like some of the Roxy Music edges from the early years. No surprise, both Brian Eno and Phil Manzanera contribute strongly to the set – but the energy of the record definitely comes from Cale's great songwriting and offbeat vocals – and his great ear for a weird-sounding tune. Titles include "Mr Wilson", "Rollaroll", "Ski Patrol", "Guts", "The Jeweller", and Cale's famous version of "Heartbreak Hotel". CD

Heavy-duty funky fusion – an all-star group that featured Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Mike Mandel on keyboards, and Larry Coryell on guitar. The tracks all have that heavy electric full-on fusion sound that you'd find in a rock-inspired hard-jamming group like this – which means that there's more than a bit of funk on the record, compressed into lots of guitar and keyboard riffs. Titles include "Joy Ride", "Adam Smasher", "Low Lee Tah", "Yin", "Right On Y'All", and "Ism-Ejercico". LP, Vinyl record album

Tripped-out sunshine pop from the end of the 60s – the only outing ever from The Golden Gate, a group put together by the team of Billy Carlucci and Reid Whitelaw, who were probably best known for their bubblegum pop work over at Kama Sutra! The sound of this one's quite deeper than any simple pop, though – much headier stuff that clearly draws from the best post-Smile Beach Boys years, and the offbeat Four Seasons experiments of the time – fusing older east coast harmony styles onto a more expansive, ambitious instrumental groove, with really sublime results! Although quite unknown, the album's a true late 60s Sunshine treasure – one that's well worth tracking down, and filled with killer cuts that include "Contrary To Mary", "Ready Willing & Able", "High On A Melody", "Monday After Sunday", and "Diane". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous record from one of the hippest soul singers ever – and an album that has Gil Scott-Heron really pushing forward after his initial classics for the Flying Dutchman label! There's less spoken material here and more sung passages – as Gil's really discovering his confidence as a singer, moving effortlessly between jazz and soul – and getting superb accompaniment from Brian Jackson, who plays both acoustic and electric piano next to Gil's electric. Backings are spare – just bass and drums – and it's no surprise that the album was released on the legendary Strata East label, as it rivals the rest on that imprint for righteous spiritual power! Titles include Gil's classic "The Bottle" – which went on to become a huge hit in many versions – plus the beautiful "Your Daddy Loves You", heard here in the original version – and the tunes "Peace Go With You Brother", "Back Home", "Rivers Of My Fathers", and "A Very Precious Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous record from one of the hippest soul singers ever – and an album that has Gil Scott-Heron really pushing forward after his initial classics for the Flying Dutchman label! There's less spoken material here and more sung passages – as Gil's really discovering his confidence as a singer, moving effortlessly between jazz and soul – and getting superb accompaniment from Brian Jackson, who plays both acoustic and electric piano next to Gil's electric. Backings are spare – just bass and drums – and it's no surprise that the album was released on the legendary Strata East label, as it rivals the rest on that imprint for righteous spiritual power! Titles include Gil's classic "The Bottle" – which went on to become a huge hit in many versions – plus the beautiful "Your Daddy Loves You", heard here in the original version – and the tunes "Peace Go With You Brother", "Back Home", "Rivers Of My Fathers", and "A Very Precious Time". CD

A killer 70s set from Orquesta Broadway – one that updates their sound just slightly, by adding in a bit of salsa-styled trumpet to their more familiar charanga mode! The vocals are great – harmonized often on the chorus, with more of that soulful style that had come into New York Latin during the 70s – which gives the record a soaring vibe, and a quality that's even more righteous than their famous early records! The group's directed by Eddy Zervigon on flute, with Rafael Felo Barrio on vocals – on titles that include "Como Yo Te Quiero", "Ven A Bailar Son Montuno", "Sin Confianza Conmigo", "Trompeta Y Flauta", and "Yo No Se". directed by Eddy Zervigon on flute, with Rafael Felo Barrio on vocals – on titles that include "Trompeta Y Flauta", "Yo No Se", "Como Yo Te Quiero", "Sin Confianza Conmigo", "No Se Va Poder", "Pelencho", and "Ven A Bailar Son Montuno". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent 70s work from Orquesta Broadway – a combo who recorded famously in the 60s, and have a great way of updating their older charanga sound! The album dances beautifully with percussion next to electric basslines in the rhythms – and plenty of other percussion too – all to kick things up and make some solo space for the flute of Eddy Zervignon and the violin of Eddie Drennon – working here in the more traditional side of his talents. Vocals are by Rafael Barrio and Eugenio Hernandez – and titles include "Presentimiento", "Isla Del Encanto", "Arrepientete", "El Material", "Guajira Del Amor", and "Barrio Del Pilar". LP, Vinyl record album

A plenty funky record, despite a cheesy cover – which shows James Brown as a disco-era player – kicking back on a couch with an unbuttoned shirt, while two topless girls dance in front of him – showing him their "cakes"! The groove's definitely different than the Payback years, but it's still composed of the same core elements – sharp instrumentation, played live and in a very lively way – sped up a bit for the dancefloor, but maybe even more breathtaking because of the speed! At the time, Brown spent plenty of time trying to claim the mantle of disco godfather – but he's still way more than that here – a fierce funk maestro who's already got his instrumental tip down to razor-sharp perfection, which makes the shouted and called vocals just a bonus icing on the cake! Tracks are long and plenty jamming – and titles include "For Goodness Sakes Take A Look At Those Cakes", "Someone To Talk To", "A Man Understands", and "As Long As I Love You". CD

One of the best solo albums ever from John Cale – a set that has the singer playing a lot of piano alongside his vocals, which creates this moody, evocative quality that's really wonderful! Cale's songwriting is always pretty compelling, but the heavy use of piano really brings out a depth to his lyrics here – further enforced by the relatively spacious sense of recording used throughout. A few numbers add in more electric elements – but with Brian Eno along on electronics and listed as a co-producer, the record's definitely got this balance between elements that's very careful. Phil Manzanera plays guitar, and also helped with the overall construction of the set – and you can hear some of the best elements of his own solo sets too. Titles include the classic "Fear Is A Man's Best Friend", plus "Gun", "The Man Who Couldn't Afford To Orgy", "You Know More Than I Know", "Momamma Scuba", and "Buffalo Ballet". CD

One of John Cale's greatest moments as a solo artist – a wonderfully dark record that also features lots of great guitar from Chris Spedding, plus electronics from Brian Eno too! There's a stark, flat tone to Cale's lyrics here – a quality that almost echoes some of Eno's albums from around the time, especially the first two – but which takes on some shapes and phrasing that are definitely in the spirit of John's larger body of work too. But man, there's some very spooky bits here – even where you wouldn't expect them – that sense of surprise that Cale could always bring to sweeter moments with the Velvet Underground, re-focused here wonderfully for his own needs. Titles include "Cable Hogue", "Engine", "Save Us", "My Maria", "I Keep A Close Watch", "Helen Of Troy", and "Sudden Death" – plus a cover of Jonathan Richman's "Pablo Picasso". CD

A seminal set from Eric Dolphy – one of his most perfectly realized moments at the head of a larger ensemble – and a record that definitely set the tone for countless spiritual jazz sessions of the 70s! Dolphy recorded this session for Alan Douglas in 1962, and it features a larger array of players than you'll find on most of his records for other labels – the cream of the "new thing" players that were around New York at the time, including Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Prince Lasha on flute, Sonny Simmons on alto, and even Clifford Jordan on soprano sax – making a rare appearance on record on that instrument! Together, the players create a set of soundscapes that lies somewhere between Dolphy's Out To Lunch album, and some of the more modernist work by Mingus – a stunning batch of tracks that go out, but never too far. Titles include "Ode to CP", "Burning Spear", "Iron Man", and "Mandrake". LP, Vinyl record album

Pre-Island Records material from Bob Marley and The Wailers – and a set that really focuses on the strong harmony modes that made the group so great! Bob's lead is still wonderful, but the way the voices come together is tremendous – echoing American soul styles, but with a righteous vibe that already points the way towards the direction Marley would take in just a few short years! Even more familiar rocksteady rhythms have a lot more bite here – produced by Leslie Kong, with great guitar from Lyn Taitt amidst backings from the Beverley's All Stars – all to elevate the vocals of Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer. And despite the "best of" title, the set is all unique LP material – with titles that include "Soul Captives", "Caution", "Stop The Train", "Soul Shake Down", "Do It Twice", "Back Out", and "Soon Come". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last great pop records from Donna Summer – thanks to super huge radio and video play for the title cut – and to a huge amount of tuneful tracks put together by producer/arranger Michael Omartin! By this point, Summer isn't trying to fool anyone that she's a deeper soul artist – and has really relaxed into a reworking of her previous 70s disco mode – a catchier, more crossover-pointed style that kept Donna's fire going a lot stronger than most of her club diva contemporaries from the decade before. Titles include "She Works Hard For The Money", "Woman", "Stop Look & Listen", "Tokyo", "People People", and "I Do Believe". CD

A record that might be easy to write this off as a mistake or inessential session – but thanks to some great arrangements by HB Barnum, Paul Riser, and Gene Page, plus great vocals by the groups, the record shines as much as any other Motown set from the time! The vocals are traded back and forth nicely between the groups – with the guys dominating some moments, the gals others, but never in a kitschy way. Includes a lot of Motown standards redone – like "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Try It Baby", "I Second That Emotion", and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" – but also includes a tasty version of "Funky Broadway", which has some great fuzzy guitar work! CD

The first, and in hindsight, surprisingly punkish Goo Goo Dolls LP from when they were young, Replacements-adoring upstarts – fascinating in light of their later hit power ballad era! LP, Vinyl record album

Jefferson Airplane's weirder follow-up to Surrealistic Pillow – and a pretty incredible record – concentrating their sprawling psychedelic impulses into fairly succinct 3 to 4 minute songs, for the most part! It's a creative approach,and it's a brave record. If Surrealistic Pillow lured the mainstream into the rabbit hole, this one is the tripped out tea party inside! Only a couple of tunes roll past the 5 minute mark, so it never gets too far out, and it's got plenty of chugging, bluesy rock to keep it neat. Includes "The Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil", "Young Girl Sunday Blues", "Martha", "Wild Tyme", "Two Heads", "Watch Her Ride", "Won't You Try/Sunday Afternoon"and more. CD

Jefferson Airplane flying high in the late 60s – and Crown Of Creation was both a creative and commercial triumph for the band – balancing the tripped out adventurousness of their earlier work, with a more focused approach! 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 here and there! Titles include "Lather", "In Time", "Star Track", "Chushingura", "If You Feel", "Ice Cream Phoenix", "The House At Pooniel Corners" and more. CD

Early genius from these Bay Area stalwarts – one of the greatest rock records of its time! Surrealistic Pillow is the second Jefferson Airplane album, but they took a number of huge creative leaps in the 8 months or so between their debut record and this one. This one is where they're joined by psych siren Grace Slick, but it's not just the line-up change that sets it apart. Surrealistic Pillow is a perfect title, as it's comforting and disorienting at the same time. It's also the magical confluence of wildly different spirits – with standout contributions by the entire band. Titles include the seminal "White Rabbit" – plus "Embryonic Journey", "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds", "DCBA 25", "How Do You Feel", "Today", "She Has Funny Cars", and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". CD

An unusual little turn for the Ohio Players – a record that's almost completely written and totally produced by Richard Dimples Fields – running here at the height of his early 80s fame! The record's still funky enough overall – but in the style of some of Fields' indie work from the 70s – slightly sharp edged, but also moving into some of the more compressed hook territory that mainstream funk acts were hitting in the early 80s. The best Fields cuts are actually the more laidback ones, which have some southern soul influences – but the real standout here is actually a remake of Charles Wright's "Do Your Thing", which comes off with all the rough vocals and funky rhythms of the original! Other tracks include "I'd Better Take A Coffee Break", "Devoted", "My Baby Gets The Best Of My Love", "Just Me", "Sweet Lil Lady", and "Star Of The Party". CD

New Order take a slightly sweeter turn for this mid 80s set – but still never lose the charm that won us from their first few records! There's a warmth here we might not have expected in the immediate post-Joy Division years – and a catchy tunefulness on some of the biggest crossover numbers on the set – yet, given the commercial dreck of the time, New Order are still way ahead of the pack – and from the perspective of these many years later, we're even more impressed at the way they manage to balance nascent pop sensibilities with some of the darker leanings of their roots. More than enough edgey guitar and moody basslines to please fans of the first two albums – on titles that include "Sunrise", "Elegia", "Love Vigilantes", "The Perfect Kiss", "Sub Culture", "Face Up", and "Sooner Than You Think". CD

New Order take a slightly sweeter turn for this mid 80s set – but still never lose the charm that won us from their first few records! There's a warmth here we might not have expected in the immediate post-Joy Division years – and a catchy tunefulness on some of the biggest crossover numbers on the set – yet, given the commercial dreck of the time, New Order are still way ahead of the pack – and from the perspective of these many years later, we're even more impressed at the way they manage to balance nascent pop sensibilities with some of the darker leanings of their roots. More than enough edgey guitar and moody basslines to please fans of the first two albums – on titles that include "Sunrise", "Elegia", "Love Vigilantes", "The Perfect Kiss", "Sub Culture", "Face Up", and "Sooner Than You Think". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous record from one of the hippest soul singers ever – and an album that has Gil Scott-Heron really pushing forward after his initial classics for the Flying Dutchman label! There's less spoken material here and more sung passages – as Gil's really discovering his confidence as a singer, moving effortlessly between jazz and soul – and getting superb accompaniment from Brian Jackson, who plays both acoustic and electric piano next to Gil's electric. Backings are spare – just bass and drums – and it's no surprise that the album was released on the legendary Strata East label, as it rivals the rest on that imprint for righteous spiritual power! Titles include Gil's classic "The Bottle" – which went on to become a huge hit in many versions – plus the beautiful "Your Daddy Loves You", heard here in the original version – and the tunes "Peace Go With You Brother", "Back Home", "Rivers Of My Fathers", and "A Very Precious Time". Plus, this US reissue has 4 bonus cuts, including live versions of "Winter In America", "Your Daddy Loves You", and "The Bottle/Guan Guanco" – and an alternate take of "Song For Bobby Smith". CD

A massive batch of righteous soul – plus sound bites and calls to action by some of the most pivotal voices of the era! This collection aims to be the soundtrack of an era that called for a revolution, and if the movement didn't wholly ingratiate into American culture, the passion and the music certainly did! The set features well known numbers mixed with some relatively lesser known numbers, together with some of the most fiery dialogue from icons of the Black Power movement. Tracks include "You're The Man" (parts I & II) by Marvin Gaye, "Let's Clean Up The Ghetto" by Philadelphia International All Stars, "Right On" by Sons Of Slum, "Tell It Like It Is" by SOUL, "Give The People What They Want" by the O'Jays, "Blackenized" by Hank Ballard, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil Scott-Heron, "My People. . .Hold On" by Eddie Kendricks, "I Am Somebody" (Part 2) by Johnnie Taylor, "We Got More Soul" by Dyke & The Blazers and tons more, plus sound bites by Huey Newton, Kathleen Cleaver, Stokely Carmichael, H Rap Brown and Malcolm X. 38 tracks on two CDs! CD