Deeply soulful blowing from tenorist Frank Lowe – working here in a wonderfully hip group that includes Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Grachan Moncur III on trombone, Geri Allen on piano, Charnett Moffett on bass, and Charles Moffett on drums. The date really lives up to the promise you might expect from the players listed – and has a really classic, deep-rooted sound that makes the album feel like some lost avant set from a decade before – very well-crafted and thoughtful, with a great balance between focus and freedom. Lowe wrote most of the songs – and titles include "Decision In Paradise", "Cherryco", "I'll Whistle Your Name", "Lowe-ologie", "You Dig", and "Dues & Don'ts". LP, Vinyl record album

Features guest tenor from Joshua Redman and guest trumpet from Wynton Marsalis. CD

A jazzy combo with a heart of soul – and a group who may well be one of our favorite funk groups from the 70s! Pleasure has an amazing way of being tight, yet never slick or commercial – a sound that's right on the money, but far from the mainstream too – which has kept them at the top of the stacks for crate-diggers and rare groove collectors for years! This sweet double-length package is a very well-chosen set of their gems for Fantasy records, and a few later tracks for RCA – a really expansive look at all that's great about the group – with classics mixed with overlooked album cuts and some great funky numbers you might have missed otherwise. Nearly everything Pleasure ever cut is fantastic, but this set is even more fantastic than the rest – and features 25 titles that include "Bouncy Lady", "Dust Yourself Off", "Joyous", "Ghettos Of The Mind", "Only You", "Sassafras Girl", "Glide", "Farewell Goodbye", "Special Things", "Thoughts Of Old Flames", "Give It Up", "Sending My Love", "Stone Love", "Glide (special disco rmx)", "Space Is The Place", "Living Without You", "Let's Dance", and a previously unreleased "Foxy Lady (disco version)". CD

Some of the sharpest, jazziest funk you'll ever hope to hear – a smoking collection of the legendary 70s work by The Blackbyrds on Fantasy Records! The group started as a jazz combo under Donald Byrd's supervision – right at a time when Byrd was making his own fantastic funky records in the 70s – but working for the Bay Area Fantasy label, they really took off into an amazing groove that was all their own – still informed by jazz, but free to open up to lots of funk and soul elements too – sometimes with vocals in the lead, sometimes more focus on the kinds of solos that always set them apart from all their contemporaries! The cuts have some wonderful keyboard work from a young Kevin Toney – who's gone onto a lot of fame over the years – and production on all cuts is either by Larry Mizell, Donald Byrd, or George Duke – key 70s jazz funk forces who keep things mighty tight in the studio! The package features work from all Blackbyrds albums of the 70s – including the Cornbread Earl & Me soundtrack, and the Night Grooves remix set – and the package features 25 titles that include "Enter In", "Party Land", "Do It Fluid", "Gut Level", "Summer Love", "I Need You", "The Baby", "Blackbyrds' Theme", "City Life", "Rock Creek Park", "Walking In Rhythm", "A Hot Day Today", "Wilford's Gone", "One Gun Salute", "Supernatural Feeling", "Mysterious Vibes", and "Soft & Easy". CD

Great work from a player who's maybe one of the best cats ever to handle a Fender Rhodes – and certainly one of the few who really helped push it strongly in jazz during the 70s! The package is a wonderful look at all that's great about Bob James – and brings together all the best tracks from James' years at CTI and Tappan Zee – including some of his most-sampled cuts, each of them a heavenly helping of Fender Rhodes! The set also features some great numbers from later albums that are less classic, but which still have these wonderful nuggets – the kind of sweet keyboard tracks that James does better than anyone else. Presentation of the music is great, and notes are penned by Andrew Mason of Wax Poetics – who also helped produce the set too. 22 tracks in all – including "Valley Of The Shadows", "Nautilus", "Storm King", "Tappan Zee", "Heads", "Night Crawler", "You're As Right As Rain", "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", "Farandole", "Westchester Lady", "Look Alike", "The Steamin Feelin", "Angela (Taxi)", "I Wand To Thank You", "Caribbean Nights", and "Take Me To The Mardi Gras (7" edit)". CD

Mellow soul mastery from Norman Connors – compiled from his Buddah and Arista era – and a really top notch set that's full of beautiful songs, and does a great job of documenting his subtly evolving style from the mid 70s to early 80s! Connors is a master of laidback, sultry soul and some of this best work of the period is in this set. It's all in Norman's warm, mellow wheelhouse, but the style does progress in subtle ways over the years – with easygoing sophisticated soul arrangements all with way, but bringing in some spacey keyboard flourishes as the 70s turn into the 80s. Norman's voice leads the way, though, and the titles include "Valentine Love", "You Are My Starship", "Phoenix", "Stella", "Handle Me Gently", "Invitation", "Justify", "You Bring Me Joy", She's Gone", "Stay With Me", "Take It To The Limit", "Butterfly", "Wouldn't You Like To See", "Listen", "Once I've Been There", "Betcha By Golly Wow" and more. 18 in all. CD

Third album from the Brit prog-rockers. This album is a bit funkier than their previous releases, as their Memphis soul influence is quite apparent here. Nice moments throughout, with a monster drumbreak on "The Rock". Other titles include "Breakthrough", "Decision/Indecision", "Devil's Answer", and "Black Snake". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite an unusual record for Sonny Rollins – but a great one too! At first glance the concept is a strange one – almost a crazy decision to pair modernist tenorist Sonny Rollins with a set of large brassy arrangements – but oddly, the idea works, and works nicely – as Rollins' edgey solos cut through the heavy arrangements with ease, creating some angular counterpoint and a tight little space to make his own sound. The group was conducted by Ernie Wilkins, and the flipside of the album features Rollins playing in a small trio with the great Henry Grimes on bass (who also played with Rollins on some of his best sessions from the time!) and Charles Wright on drums. Titles include "Manhattan", "If You Were The Only Girl In the World", "Who Cares?", and "Far Out East". Originally issued on MGM/Metro – but this is the Verve pressing. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Sonny Rollins – the first of his tremendous Blue Note albums – and a record that really shows him taking off at the time! The record captures Rollins at a key turning point – emerging from his firey bop years, moving into a much more complicated, introspective tenor style that was a perfect showcase for his developing genius for improvisation – not as far out as in a few years to come, but already awash in imagination and creativity. The group here includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Max Roach on drums – but as with all Rollins Blue Note sessions, his tenor is the dominant force. Titles include "Bluesnote", "Plain Jane", "Sonnysphere", and "Decision". This newly remastered edition features additional notes and photos! CD

Smooth female soul from one of Philly's hottest female trios – Gamble & Huff's big answer to First Choice, and an equally important force in 70s female soul! The album's got a nice mixture of Philly groove and tighter crossover arrangements from the likes of Norman Harris, Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula, and Richard Rome – all top-shelf Philly soul talents who really help move the album past the territory of the girl group soul of the trio's earlier work! Titles include the hit "When Will I See You Again", plus the long-running classic "Dirty Ol' Man", and the cuts "Can't You See What You're Doing To Me", "I Didn't Know", "I Like Being A Woman", and "Year Of Decision". This edition includes 3 bonus tracks: "TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)" by MFSB featuring The Three Degrees, "Love Is The Message" (single version) and "Dirty Ol' Man" (Tom Moulton mix). CD

The Philly trio gets some great live work done in this tasty little set – hitting the stage with backings from Richard Barrett, and singing before a very enthusiastic crowd in the UK! The style's almost a bit more like the Motown live albums from years back than most Philly International sets – still in the soaring clubby mood of the group's studio work, but with a lot more interplay with the audience, and a style that's sometimes looser and more entertainment-oriented – especially in the choice of a few of the tunes. Titles include "For The Love Of Money", "Living For The City", "Love Train", "Harlem", "When Will I See You Again", "Year Of Decision", and "Free Ride". LP, Vinyl record album

Two slices of work from Tower Of Power – both recorded for Sony/CBS, but with over a decade between them! First up, the set presents 19 killer cuts from the Columbia Records years of Tower Of Power – a time when the group moved away from Warner Brothers, where they were maybe losing a little steam – and forged this fantastic sense of soul that was missing from some of their earlier records! At the start, TOP were a rock-solid funk act – but here, they also bring a stronger soul approach to their vocals and songwriting – in a way that mixes their always-sharp instrumentation with a deeper, more developed vibe – super-strong material that sometimes doesn't always get its due. The set brings together Columbia tracks from albums, singles, and even some b-sides – with tracks that include "You Ought To Be Havin Fun", "Am I A Fool", "Lovin You Is Gonna See Me Thru", "Ain't Nothin Stoppin Us Now", "Because I Think The World Of You", "We Came To Play", "Love Bug", "While We Went To The Moon", "Somewhere Down The Road", "Deal With It", "By Your Side", and "Heaven Must Have Made You". The second half of the package features tunes the group recorded for Epic Records during the mid 90s – material that was only issued on CD at the time, and which shows TOP to continue the strengths of their earlier years! Some of the cuts go for a retro funk approach, others have a more contemporary soul vibe – and the set features 16 Epic tracks that include "A Little Knowledge", "Recapture The Magic", "Soul With A Capital S", "Please Come Back To Stay", "You", "Rhythm & Business", "Come To A Decision", "Undercurrent", "Diggin On James Brown", and "How Could This Happen To Me". CD

A dozen tracks from Jim Gailloreto's Split Decision, Laurence Hobgood, Stew Cutler, Fred Simon, Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls, Charlie Haden & John Taylor, Hobgood & Torff & Wertico, Bonnie Koloc, John Moulder & Ken Hall, Patrick Noland, Tom Gullion, and John Moulder. CD

Studio Ghibli's never sounded so cool and contemporary – as Grey October Sound serve up a second great assortment of famous themes from animated features – all done with the definite lo-fi approach promised in the title! The tunes are familiar, but the approach is nicely different than the originals – more hip-hop oriented, with nice use of beats and other elements – on songs from films that include Porco Rosso, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, and Nausicaa. Titles include "County Road", "Rouge No Dengon", "Tonari No Totor", "Sheeta's Decision", "Arrietty's Song", "Promise Of The World", and "Once In A While Talk Of The Old Days". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Sonny Rollins – the first of his tremendous Blue Note albums – and a record that really shows him taking off at the time! The record captures Rollins at a key turning point – emerging from his firey bop years, moving into a much more complicated, introspective tenor style that was a perfect showcase for his developing genius for improvisation – not as far out as in a few years to come, but already awash in imagination and creativity. The group here includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Max Roach on drums – but as with all Rollins Blue Note sessions, his tenor is the dominant force. Titles include "Bluesnote", "Plain Jane", "Sonnysphere", and "Decision". CD

A sweetly grooving set from The Spinners – one that moves along nicely at the midtempo clip the "trippin" in the title might imply – thanks to production and arrangements from Michael Zager! Zager nicely puts aside some of his more disco-oriented modes here – keeping plenty of respect for the group's excellent vocals, and allowing them some really great space on a number of warmly-crafted tunes. John Edwards gets in some great lead vocals on the album – most famously on the record's medley of "Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time" – which went onto become a fairly big radio hit. Other tracks include "Streetwise", "I Just Want To Fall In Love", "Now That You're Mine Again", "Split Decision", "I'm Takin You Back", "Heavy On The Sunshine", and "Love Trippin". LP, Vinyl record album

A great revival of sorts for The Staple Singers – and a record that has them hitting a whole new groove to really open up their sound! Gone are the cliches of earlier albums, and in their place is a tightly-crafted approach to 80s soul – one that's clearly aimed at the dancefloor, and which takes the group into a whole new world of opportunities! This sound is probably best heard on the group's sublime cover of the Talking Heads' "Slippery People" – represented here as a skittish soul groover, and even featuring guest guitar from David Byrne! The best other tracks keep up this clubby groove – and titles include "This Is Our Night", "Bridges Instead Of Walls", "Right Decision", "HATE", "On My Own Again", and "That's What Friends Are For". CD features some great bonus tracks – "Slippery People (US club)", "Slippery People (inst)", "Slippery People (US single)", "HATE (US single)", and "Can You Hang". CD

Studio Ghibli's never sounded so cool and contemporary – as Grey October Sound serve up a second great assortment of famous themes from animated features – all done with the definite lo-fi approach promised in the title! The tunes are familiar, but the approach is nicely different than the originals – more hip-hop oriented, with nice use of beats and other elements – on songs from films that include Porco Rosso, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, and Nausicaa. Titles include "County Road", "Rouge No Dengon", "Tonari No Totor", "Sheeta's Decision", "Arrietty's Song", "Promise Of The World", and "Once In A While Talk Of The Old Days". CD

Classic 70s work from this legendfary Cuban group – titles that include "Si Mami Se Va", "Por Que Lo Haces"," Dale Dos", "Te Traigo", "Tu Decision Cual Es", and "No Digas Que No Compadre". LP, Vinyl record album

A great revival of sorts for The Staple Singers – and a record that has them hitting a whole new groove to really open up their sound! Gone are the cliches of earlier albums, and in their place is a tightly-crafted approach to 80s soul – one that's clearly aimed at the dancefloor, and which takes the group into a whole new world of opportunities! This sound is probably best heard on the group's sublime cover of the Talking Heads' "Slippery People" – represented here as a skittish soul groover, and even featuring guest guitar from David Byrne! The best other tracks keep up this clubby groove – and titles include "This Is Our Night", "Bridges Instead Of Walls", "Right Decision", "HATE", "On My Own Again", and "That's What Friends Are For". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully free alto work from Byron Allen – a player who really shines brightly on this rare session for ESP Records – one of the few ever cut under his own name! Allen's got a style that's right up there with the 60s best from Ornette Coleman or Marion Brown – able to move with a fluidity that's breathless, even amidst rhythms that are very loose and open – as the trio here works in a style that almost echoes some of the harmelodic modes of Coleman, but which eventually pushes farther towards the freedoms of other artists on ESP! The set has some wonderful bass from Maceo Gilchrist, whose round, rolling tones really make the album sparkle – as do the punctuated drums of Ted Robinson. Titles include "Today's Blues Tomorrow", "Time Is Past", "Three Steps In The Right Direction", and "Decision For The Cole-Man". CD

A sweet solo set from Peabo Bryson – part of his excellent run of records for Capitol, and an album that features great production from the legendary Johnny Pate! Peabo's got this great way of being mellow and masculine, but without ever sounding too cliched – at a level that makes a record like this a lot more compelling than some of his crossover duets of the time. And Pate's thrown in a few more upbeat moments amidst the laidback, slow-stepping tracks that were always Bryson's best stock in trade – although we still love the mellow moments the best! Titles include "Split Decision", "Impossible", "You", "Get Ready To Cry", "Love Is On The Rise", "Let The Feeling Flow", "There's No Guarantee", and "Move Your Body". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful title for this album of understated brilliance – a strong early 90s offering from Walton's Eastern Rebellion group, done in a mode that's very similar to their initial Timeless recordings of the 70s! The quartet this time around features Walton's piano alongside the drums of co-founder Billy Higgins – plus bass by David Williams, and tenor by Ralph Moore, fresh off of some excellent work as a leader for the Landmark label in the late 80s. The tracks are all long and inventive – soulbop at its best, with titles that include "Roni's Decision", "In The Kitchen", "Dear Ruth", "Simple Pleasure", and "Sixth Avenue". CD

It's the late 80s and after the decision to keep the Black album in the can, Prince gives us Lovesexy. Not his finest moment, but far from his weakest, with more than a couple nice numbers like "Alphabet Street", "Lovesexy", "When 2 R In Love" and "Anna Stesia". LP, Vinyl record album

It's the late 80s and after the decision to keep the Black album in the can, Prince gives us Lovesexy. Not his finest moment, but far from his weakest, with more than a couple nice numbers like "Alphabet Street", "Lovesexy", "When 2 R In Love" and "Anna Stesia". CD

Amazing early work from Sonny Rollins – the first of his tremendous Blue Note albums – and a record that really shows him taking off at the time! The record captures Rollins at a key turning point – emerging from his firey bop years, moving into a much more complicated, introspective tenor style that was a perfect showcase for his developing genius for improvisation – not as far out as in a few years to come, but already awash in imagination and creativity. The group here includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Max Roach on drums – but as with all Rollins Blue Note sessions, his tenor is the dominant force. Titles include "Bluesnote", "Plain Jane", "Sonnysphere", and "Decision". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those key records that has George Adams and Don Pullen reinventing expectations of jazz for the 80s – both musicians with plenty of ear for the outside, but also coming back home with a well-rounded, deeply-rooted approach that's crucial in taking the American jazz legacy another step forward! Like some of their similar contemporaries, who could also be avant at times, and straight at others – Adams and Pullen have no concern with setting themselves in one camp or another – and not only flesh out the spirit of the record with both of those aspects of their playing, but also have some surprisingly bluesy undercurrents at times. The group features George Adams on tenor, Don Pullen on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – and titles include "Decisions", "Triple Over Time", "I Could Really For You", "Message Urgent", and "Trees & Grass & Things". CD

Post-Mingus work from reedman George Adams and pianist Don Pullen – three albums in a single set! Decisions is one of those key records that has George Adams and Don Pullen reinventing expectations of jazz for the 80s – both musicians with plenty of ear for the outside, but also coming back home with a well-rounded, deeply-rooted approach that's crucial in taking the American jazz legacy another step forward! Like some of their similar contemporaries, who could also be avant at times, and straight at others – Adams and Pullen have no concern with setting themselves in one camp or another – and not only flesh out the spirit of the record with both of those aspects of their playing, but also have some surprisingly bluesy undercurrents at times. The group features George Adams on tenor, Don Pullen on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – and titles include "Decisions", "Triple Over Time", "I Could Really For You", "Message Urgent", and "Trees & Grass & Things". Life Line is a strong outing from this key post-Mingus collaboration – and a record that really shows both Don Pullen and George Adams really coming into their own! Pullen's piano can have plenty of edges, as can Adams' tenor – but there's also some warmer, lyrical moments that really round things out – kind of a balance between righteous energy and deeper quietude that the musicians might have learned during their time with Charles Mingus – taken to a logical small group extension here. Adams also plays a bit of flute, which is especially nice – and the group also includes Cameron Brown on bass and Dannie Richmond on drums. Titles include "The Great Escape Or Run John Henry Run", "Seriously Speaking", "Soft Seas", and "Protection". Live At Montmartre is solidly soaring work from tenorist George Adams – recording live here with pianist Don Pullen, one of his best musical partners during the 80s! The album's got a bit more of a bite than some of the pair's studio sessions – a bit straighter overall, but recorded with a nice degree of energy, and some long tracks that really let both players open up nicely – in a combo that also features John Scofield on guitar, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums. The inclusion of Scofield's guitar changes up the group's sound in a nice way – adding in some more chromatic elements that really stand out – and titles include "IJ", "Flame Games", "Song Everlasting", and "Forever Lovers". CD

The fantastic debut of Gypsy – a group who blend wonderful harmonies with really well-crafted inspiration – very much in the jazz-inspired jamming of some of the headier California groups, like Spirit or Santana at their best! The group use a swirling blend of organ and guitar next to their really beautiful vocals – warm and sweet at some of the best moments, but never in a way that ever feels like soft rock – given the intensity of the instrumentation! The album was issued on the Metromedia label, and never got the attention it would have deserved had it hit the racks from a company like Columbia or Warner – but it's every bit as great as some of their giants from the time, with titles that include "Last December", "Man Of Reason", "Third Eye", "Tomorrow Is The Last To Be Heard", "Here In My Loneliness", "Dead & Gone", "Dream If You Can", "Decisions", and "Gypsy Queen". CD

We've been digging the music of Lee for years, and he just seems to get better and better with each new record – effortlessly working in a mature blend of soul and jazzy currents, in a style that's a real cut above so many of his contemporaries on the indie scene! Lee has a great way with a pen, and writes these songs that are very fresh, especially next to more oft-trod territory in soul music – and his backings here are heavy on keyboards at the core, but also feature lots of jazzy contributions from a variety of horns throughout – not a horn section, but great colorings and tones that resonate well with his vocals. Titles include "The Death Of Vernon", "Live From Florida Avenue", "A Series Of Unfortunate Decisions", "Enjoy Yourself", "I Hope You Found A Home", "Little Dreamer", and "Famous". CD

We've been digging the music of Lee for years, and he just seems to get better and better with each new record – effortlessly working in a mature blend of soul and jazzy currents, in a style that's a real cut above so many of his contemporaries on the indie scene! Lee has a great way with a pen, and writes these songs that are very fresh, especially next to more oft-trod territory in soul music – and his backings here are heavy on keyboards at the core, but also feature lots of jazzy contributions from a variety of horns throughout – not a horn section, but great colorings and tones that resonate well with his vocals. Titles include "The Death Of Vernon", "Live From Florida Avenue", "A Series Of Unfortunate Decisions", "Enjoy Yourself", "I Hope You Found A Home", "Little Dreamer", and "Famous". LP, Vinyl record album

Chicago soul legends! The Lovelites were one of the city's best girl soul groups back in the day – but their best stuff has never been properly reissued until now! The group had a great sound that mixed raw vocals with a sweet harmony – in a manner that would later have a profound influence on many other groups in the city. The girls struck big with their first early hit "How Can I Tell My Mom And Dad?, an incredibly haunting tale of teen pregnancy and indecision. That cut is included on here, along with other excellent singles – like "My Conscience", "Bumpy Road Ahead", "I'm The One That You Need", "Get It Off My Conscience", "Love So Strong", "My Baby Loves Me", and more! The whole set was put together by producer Clarence Johnson, who handled the group back in the day. And Clarence also recorded a young Denice "Niecy" Williams (known then as Denice Chandler) – who was briefly a member of the Lovelites, and also recorded a few singles on her own. A few of those nice ones are included here – like the landmark "Love Is Tears" – making for a great set of Chicago vocals, with a total of 20 cuts in all. Nice price, too – and we got them straight from the source! CD

One of the strongest of Anita's mid 50s outings for Verve – a tightly-crafted set that benefits from some good arrangements from Buddy Bregman! The format is perfect for Anita – giving her little space to have to make decisions, and letting her concentrate on the tone and charm that were always her strongest suit at this point. Soloists include Paul Smith on piano and Barney Kessel on guitar – and titles include "Who Cares", "You're The Top", "Fine & Dandy", "Beautiful Love", "Time After Time", and "No Moon At All". CD

The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more percussion, horns, electronics, and some of those elements from funk and global music that were such a continuing influence. Here, the group's fresh out of school, filled with imagination, and able to do so much with just a little – all led by Byrne's fantastic sense of songwriting and presentation – in a mode that's completely his own. The record's not punk, not new wave, and still continues to be in its own space of inventiveness, imagination, and forthright lyricism. Every song's a classic – and titles include "Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town", "New Feeling", "Tentative Decisions", "Happy Day", "Who Is It", "No Compassion", "The Book I Read", "Don't Worry About The Government", "First Week/Last Week Carefree", "Psycho Killer", and "Pulled Up". 3CD version features the full album remastered on CD1. CD2 features rarities – including "Sugar On My Tongue", "I Want To Love", "Love Building On Fire", "I Wish You Wouldn't Say That", "I Feel It In My Heart", "Stay Hungry (1977 version)", "Psycho Killer (alt version)", "Pulled Up (alt pop version)", "Uh Oh Love Comes To Town (alt pop version)", "Psycho Killer (acoustic)", "New Feeling (alt pop version)", and "First Week/Last Week Carefree (acoustic)". CD3 features a Live At CBGB show from 1977 – 13 tracks, issued here for the first time ever! Blu-ray features Hi-Res Stereo, 5.1, and Atmos mixes of the album. All comes in a book-styled cover, hardcover – with 80 pages of notes and rare photos! CD

A really cool classic from this Italian combo – one of the first groups to really get the sound of vintage easy and bossa grooves just right – which they perform here in a mix of original tunes and numbers by famous soundtrack giants like Piero Umiliani and Armando Trovajoli! Rhythms are nice and lean, and not in the too-clubby remix mode that other groups in this territory might use – with plenty of percussion down next to the bass and drums – topped with some especially great work on organ and synth, plus occasional wordless vocalizations too! The whole thing is very tasty – and titles include "Psicoerotica", "Il Bellunese", "Topless Party", "La Decisione", "Madame La Mousse", "Don Peppino E Falpala", "Gonna Make It Easy", "Gangster Story", "Il Colore Degli Angeli", and "Dentro L'Atelier". Great vinyl pressing – with a bonus record that features seven unreleased tunes, and seven more from singles as well! LP, Vinyl record album

An early 60s repackaging of the album Anita – one of the strongest of Anita's mid 50s outings for Verve – and a tightly-crafted set that benefits from some good arrangements from Buddy Bregman! The format is perfect for Anita – giving her little space to have to make decisions, and letting her concentrate on the tone and charm that were always her strongest suit at this point. Soloists include Paul Smith on piano and Barney Kessel on guitar – and titles include "Who Cares", "You're The Top", "Fine & Dandy", "Beautiful Love", "Time After Time", and "No Moon At All". LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more percussion, horns, electronics, and some of those elements from funk and global music that were such a continuing influence. Here, the group's fresh out of school, filled with imagination, and able to do so much with just a little – all led by Byrne's fantastic sense of songwriting and presentation – in a mode that's completely his own. The record's not punk, not new wave, and still continues to be in its own space of inventiveness, imagination, and forthright lyricism. Every song's a classic – and titles include "Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town", "New Feeling", "Tentative Decisions", "Happy Day", "Who Is It", "No Compassion", "The Book I Read", "Don't Worry About The Government", "First Week/Last Week Carefree", "Psycho Killer", and "Pulled Up". LP, Vinyl record album

The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more percussion, horns, electronics, and some of those elements from funk and global music that were such a continuing influence. Here, the group's fresh out of school, filled with imagination, and able to do so much with just a little – all led by Byrne's fantastic sense of songwriting and presentation – in a mode that's completely his own. The record's not punk, not new wave, and still continues to be in its own space of inventiveness, imagination, and forthright lyricism. Every song's a classic – and titles include "Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town", "New Feeling", "Tentative Decisions", "Happy Day", "Who Is It", "No Compassion", "The Book I Read", "Don't Worry About The Government", "First Week/Last Week Carefree", "Psycho Killer", and "Pulled Up". 4LP version features the full album remastered on LP1. LP2 features rarities – including "Sugar On My Tongue", "I Want To Love", "Love Building On Fire", "I Wish You Wouldn't Say That", "I Feel It In My Heart", "Stay Hungry (1977 version)", "Psycho Killer (alt version)", "Pulled Up (alt pop version)", "Uh Oh Love Comes To Town (alt pop version)", "Psycho Killer (acoustic)", "New Feeling (alt pop version)", and "First Week/Last Week Carefree (acoustic)". LPs 3 & 4 feature a Live At CBGB show from 1977 – 13 tracks, issued here for the first time ever! There's also a great hardcover book – with 80 pages of notes and rare photos – plus pic sleeve replicas of four key 7" singles the Talking Heads issued on Sire Records. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive collection of rare modern soul groovers! These singles generally fall into an underappreciated starta of tunes from the late 70s and early 80s – most of which have a modern sound, but did not play into the specific trends of the time – giving most of them a very individualistic sound! It includes tracks from a few recognizable names like the Whatnauts, but mostly names we've never seen before – collected from rare singles on labels that are just as obscure! The sound runs from lightly funky, to string-laden groove, to more of a crisp early 80s vibe. Nice stuff – and a worthwhile endeavor modern connoisseurs! 40 tracks in all: "You're The Best" by Larom Baker, "You Got Me Hung Up" by King Tutt, "Paradise" by Jewel, "What You Do To Me" by William Bostic, "Help Is On The Way" by the Whatnauts, "I Just Want To Do My Thing" by the Reachers, "All Of A Sudden" by Melvin Moore, "Decisions" by Freddie Lowe, "What Does The Future Hold" by 24 Karat Gold and many more! CD

Titles include "Lirica Borinquena", "Indecision", "Garanita", "Nunca Fui", "Por Ella", and "Total Pa'Que". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic debut of Gypsy – a group who blend wonderful harmonies with really well-crafted inspiration – very much in the jazz-inspired jamming of some of the headier California groups, like Spirit or Santana at their best! The group use a swirling blend of organ and guitar next to their really beautiful vocals – warm and sweet at some of the best moments, but never in a way that ever feels like soft rock – given the intensity of the instrumentation! The album was issued on the Metromedia label, and never got the attention it would have deserved had it hit the racks from a company like Columbia or Warner – but it's every bit as great as some of their giants from the time, with titles that include "Last December", "Man Of Reason", "Third Eye", "Tomorrow Is The Last To Be Heard", "Here In My Loneliness", "Dead & Gone", "Dream If You Can", "Decisions", and "Gypsy Queen". CD

The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more percussion, horns, electronics, and some of those elements from funk and global music that were such a continuing influence. Here, the group's fresh out of school, filled with imagination, and able to do so much with just a little – all led by Byrne's fantastic sense of songwriting and presentation – in a mode that's completely his own. The record's not punk, not new wave, and still continues to be in its own space of inventiveness, imagination, and forthright lyricism. Every song's a classic – and titles include "Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town", "New Feeling", "Tentative Decisions", "Happy Day", "Who Is It", "No Compassion", "The Book I Read", "Don't Worry About The Government", "First Week/Last Week Carefree", "Psycho Killer", and "Pulled Up". CD

The mindblowing first album by The Talking Heads – a bold statement by a very young band who'd go on to shape the sounds of the left field for generations to come! The sound is spare and very focused – maybe the first layer that David Byrne would then build up when adding more percussion, horns, electronics, and some of those elements from funk and global music that were such a continuing influence. Here, the group's fresh out of school, filled with imagination, and able to do so much with just a little – all led by Byrne's fantastic sense of songwriting and presentation – in a mode that's completely his own. The record's not punk, not new wave, and still continues to be in its own space of inventiveness, imagination, and forthright lyricism. Every song's a classic – and titles include "Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town", "New Feeling", "Tentative Decisions", "Happy Day", "Who Is It", "No Compassion", "The Book I Read", "Don't Worry About The Government", "First Week/Last Week Carefree", "Psycho Killer", and "Pulled Up". 2LP pressing features a full bonus album of rare material – including "Sugar On My Tongue", "I Want To Love", "Love Building On Fire", "I Wish You Wouldn't Say That", "I Feel It In My Heart", "Stay Hungry (1977 version)", "Psycho Killer (alt version)", "Pulled Up (alt pop version)", "Uh Oh Love Comes To Town (alt pop version)", "Psycho Killer (acoustic)", "New Feeling (alt pop version)", and "First Week/Last Week Carefree (acoustic)". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare and wonderful collection that digs deep to showcase the amazing and diverse talents of the AACM! Tracks include "Triumph" by Colson Unity Troupe, "Flute Solo" by All Flute, "Decisions" by Sound Spectrum, "Brother Buford" by Ari Brown, "The Hunt" by 8 Bold Souls, "Ewartology" by Douglas Ewart, "Indigenous Shuffle" by The Vizitors, "Say Rah" by Ann Ward, "Blue Corn Bop" by the David Boykin Outet and "Love Supreme" by Congo Square – 18 tracks in all. CD

The second album by Heatwave – and a great effort that's almost as perfectly sublime as the first! Despite their UK origin, these guys really give American late 70s soul a run for its money – hitting in a sweetly compressed sound that fuses the vocals, keyboards, and grooves together wonderfully! The album hits equally well on all burners – with some key mellow cuts, and a few funkier upbeat numbers. Titles include loads of classics – like "Mind Blowing Decisions", "Star Of A Story", "Groove Line", "Send Out For Sunshine", and "Leavin For A Dream". CD

One of the strongest of Anita's mid 50s outings for Verve – a tightly-crafted set that benefits from some good arrangements from Buddy Bregman! The format is perfect for Anita – giving her little space to have to make decisions, and letting her concentrate on the tone and charm that were always her strongest suit at this point. Soloists include Paul Smith on piano and Barney Kessel on guitar – and titles include "Who Cares", "You're The Top", "Fine & Dandy", "Beautiful Love", "Time After Time", and "No Moon At All". CD