A warm tribute to the great Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and one that features Griffin's trombone in a group with Gary Bartz on alto sax, Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and either Billy Hart or Idris Muhammad on drums – all wonderful players who really fit the soulful spirit of the session. The material is hardly a batch of easy covers of Kirk tunes, and instead features some really wonderful numbers penned by Griffin – tunes filled with all the sense of soul and joy that Rahsaan brought to his own music. Titles include "There Is A Time For Love", "Darkness Of Duke", "It's About That Time", "A Dream For Rahsaan", and "Come Dance With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Far out psychedelia from the late 60s to mid 70s Spanish scene – rare grooves from small labels and private pressings by groups & artists like Juan Muro, Pedro Gonzalez, Microns, Marquez, Barbara, Tinglado and more! It's great stuff that covers a broad range of styles, from fiercly percussion jams with strains of funk, to some that skew closer to Latin soul rock with Hammond keyboard grooves. Includes "Vuestro Mundo" by Juan Muro, "Quiero Bailar" by Alcy Aguero Y Su Orquestra Pop, "Liberacion" by Microns, "Barahunda" by Marquez, "I Miss You" by Tinglado 13, "Distorsionando" by Greg Segura, "Smartypants" by Polos Opuestos and more. 14 tracks in all. CD

Well, we don't know if we'd say that Al Green is blues – because he's still singing in his wonderfully sweet Memphis soul style – but this album definitely has a sound that gives a nod to the classic bluesy soul that inspired Al's work in the years before he put things together with his undeniable magic! Apart from originals like "Get Back Baby" and "Tomorrow's Dream", Al covers some nice classics like "The Letter", "Summertime", "I Stand Accused", and "Talk To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime set of soul instrumentals – very funky work, and sort of a 70s follow-up to the Soulful Strings albums on Cadet Records from the 60s! Maestro Richard Evans is at the top of his game here – stepping out with that hip Chisoul mode he first forged at Chess, tuned here towards some even more sophisticated modes for Atlantic Records! Many of Evan's previous players are on board to make the record great – including Lennie Druss on flute, Paul Serrano on trumpet, Odell Brown on organ, and Phil Upchurch on guitar. Evans himself plays bass for the record – using a very funky bottom sound – and the set also features some wicked vibes from the legendary Billy Wooten, working away from his Nineteenth Hole group on a rare major label date! The sound is blacksploitation soundtrack, part Curtom funk – and titles include the great originals "Pie Daddy's Dream", "Wado City", "Angela My Sister", and the great "Patutu" – which was done by the Soulful Strings – plus a few nice covers like "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Ellie's Love Theme", by Isaac Hayes. CD

Well, we don't know if we'd say that Al Green is blues – because he's still singing in his wonderfully sweet warm style – but this album definitely has a sound that gives a nod to the classic bluesy soul that inspired Al's work. Apart from originals like "Get Back Baby" and "Tomorrow's Dream", Al covers some nice classics like "The Letter", "Summertime", "I Stand Accused", and "Talk To Me". CD

Well, we don't know if we'd say that Al Green is blues – because he's still singing in his wonderfully sweet Memphis soul style – but this album definitely has a sound that gives a nod to the classic bluesy soul that inspired Al's work in the years before he put things together with his undeniable magic! Apart from originals like "Get Back Baby" and "Tomorrow's Dream", Al covers some nice classics like "The Letter", "Summertime", "I Stand Accused", and "Talk To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Stanley blows it sweet, mellow, and soulfully – in this wonderful post-CTI session from the 70s! The set features some swirling larger arrangements from Gene Page – done with a bit of the CTI sound lurking in the mix, but also a more complicated groove that almost takes on soundtrack-like proportions at times – a warmly-flowing groove that's lush without being soppy, and which really sets Turrentine up nicely for some sophisticated, mature solos on tenor. Stan's got some great company on the record – including Patrice Rushen on keyboards, David T Walker on guitar, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet – and although the set's laidback, it's a lot more soulful than you might think – almost like a hip mellow soul set from the time, but with tenor instead of vocals. Includes covers of the Earth Wind & Fire tunes "Reasons" and "That's The Way Of The World", plus the tracks "Touching You", "T's Dream", and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A great post-CTI session from Freddie Hubbard – one that has him blowing over sweet arrangements from Bob James, who manages to keep things full, yet soulful throughout! There's a lot of instrumentation backing Freddie up for the date – full horns, strings, and even a bit of chorus vocals – but as with some of James' best efforts like this, things never get too cluttered, nor too slick – and the album rocks with the kind of soulful vibes you'd hear on some of the Kudu Records dates of the time. Even familiar covers – of tunes like "Feelings" or "Dream Weaver" – are nicely transformed by James' touch, taking on a new soulful sound in this setting – thanks to Bob's own work on keyboards, which are supported a bit by additional keys from George Cables. Hubbard sparkles no matter what the setting – and titles include "Rock Me Arms", "Touch Me Baby", "Windjammer", and "Neo Terra". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set of raw raunchy rock from the late 60s – originally issued as kind of a "cash in" record to grab some bucks on the rise of psych and garage – but a record that easily stands head to head with the best of its time! These guys drink heavy from the same brew as The Seeds, Count Five, Sonics, and other groups of the period – and work in a raw, garagey style that's hardly what you'd expect from Mercury Records Wing label subsidiary – especially given the sound of the guitars! Many cuts are covers, but they're performed with as much bold energy as the original tracks – and the set is awash in freak, fuzz, and echo! Titles include "Psychotic Reaction", "Psychedelic Dream", "Psychotic Vibrations", "Mind Jammer", "The Warper", and "Turn On Your Love Light". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner from the Ruffin Brothers – their one album as a duo, 1970's underappreciated I Am My Brother's Keeper! Here Jimmy and David Ruffin lay down a warm, wonderful set of great late 60s Motown grooves – emotive covers and a bunch of great originals with nice touches of righteousness in the lyrics. The arrangements are by David Van De Pitte, Wade Marcus, and Paul Riser – bringing an emotional sweep and a bit of grandeur to some uncommonly gritty performances for a nice dual fronted approach. Titles include "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)", "I Am My Brother's Keeper", "The Things We Have To Do", "Set 'Em Up (Move In For The Thrill)", and "Steppin' On A Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing set – all four of the legendary Warner Brothers albums by harmony giants Harpers Bizarre – plus bonus tracks too! First up is Feelin Groovy – the fab first LP by Harpers Bizarre! The group were one of the strangest pop ensembles operating in the seminal LA scene of the mid 60s – ostensibly a sweet harmony vocal group, but with a strangely childish approach that also had an ear open for the mind-blowing production styles of the Brian Wilson era. Van Dyke Parks was a big supporter of the group – and they perform a sublime version of his tune "Come To The Sunshine" as the leadoff track on the album – and even though Van Dyke didn't handle the arrangements of the record, the style of the music is very similar to his own, with guitar, bass, and drums coming into play with strings, woodwinds, and baroque orchestral touches. The record is as dark as it is sublime – one of those pop gems that hit big, but which has a brooding depth bubbling underneath the sugary coating – ala Pet Sounds. Tracks include "Happy Talk", "The Debutantes Ball", "I Can Hear The Darkness", "Raspberry Rug", and their huge hit version of "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy)". Next is Anything Goes – the group's second album – and while it has a lot of similarities with the first, it's also a lot deeper of an expression of their strange blend of harmony vocals, sweet 60s pop, and the nostalgia for the early 20th century that was running through the Burbank Warner scene that included a young Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Lenny Waronker, and other LA underground of the mid 60s. The whole record fits together beautifully – beginning with an old-timey radio kind of announcer, then sliding into sublimely crafted harmony tunes that include originals from the LA luminaries and the group, plus a few other surprising covers. Titles include the hit version of "Anything Goes", plus "The Biggest Night Of Her Life", "Milord", "Virginia City", "High Coin", "Jessie", "This Is Only The Beginning", and "You Need A Change". The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre is the third album by Harpers Bizarre – and one that shows them growing in leaps and bounds with each new release! The record is a sublime fusion of sweet pop California 60s harmonies (ala The Sandpipers or The Lettermen), baroque arrangements with a fake dreamy nostalgia (ala Van Dyke Parks or Randy Newman), and drug-addled underground takes on the eazy sound of the generation (ala Brian Wilson or Love). This album is one of their most perfectly-realized visions, and it features a great blend of older songs, all hipped-up to modern LA arrangements by the likes of Nick De Caro, Perry Botkin, and others. The record has an approach that's simply mindblowing when you consider the amount of funds and effort that must have been put into a record that would only be truly appreciated 40 years later – and it's filled with great titles that include "Me, Japanese Boy", "Look To The Rainbow", "Funny How Love Can Be", "Mad", "Green Apple Tree", and "Las Mananitas". Last up is the group's fourth album, unfortunately, the last Warner album by Harpers Bizarre – one of the few testaments of genius left to us by this incredible group! The record shows the group moving past the sweet pop and dreamy nostalgia of earlier albums – tentatively stepping into the haze of the late 60s LA scene with a blend of songs that share a lot musically with earlier work, but which also seem to have a more adult approach to some of their themes. Arrangements are by the group mostly – with help from pop geniuses like Jack Nitzsche, Nick De Caro, Lenny Waronker, Harry Nilsson, and Perry Botkin Jr. The harmonies are sublime – and the group effortlessly blends original tunes like "Soft Soundin Music", "All Through The Night", "When The Band Begins To Play", and "There's No Time Like Today, along with bizarre covers like "Hard To Handle", "Something Better", "I Love You Alice B Toklas", and Jim Pepper's "Witchi Tai To", which is worth the price of the record alone! Bonus tracks include "Both Sides Now", "Small Talk", "Poly High", "If We Ever Needed The Lord Before", "Malibu U", "Cotton Candy Sandman", "Lost My Love Today", and "Bye Bye Bye". CD

A great vinyl release of beautiful live material from one of the greatest new soul stars of the past decade – plus rare and previously unreleased tracks! Sides A & B of this double vinyl set features rare tracks and remixes of album tracks by some of the most influential hip hop figures of the last couple of decades. Tracks include "Brown Sugar" (Buckwild rmx feat Kool G Rap", "Cold War" (remix featuring GZA & Inspectah Deck), "You're My Lady" (Premier remix featuring AZ), "Ghetto Heaven" (rmx) with Common and more! The live portion of the album on sides C & D is essentially the Japanese release Live At The Jazz Cafe – a stellar D'Angelo set from legendary London groove room! The crowd is extremely enthusiastic, and the whole thing falls together beautifully – with a hard raw soul vibe that's similar to, but edgier than, D'Angelo's studio albums. Lots of great electric piano, soulful vocals, and great backing by a tight band. Titles include "Sh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker", "Me & Those Dreamin Eyes Of Mine" (featuring Angie Stone", "Brown Sugar", and "Cruisin". Also includes great covers of 70s soul classics "Can't Hide Love" and "Heaven Must Be Like This". LP, Vinyl record album

That's right – you're not dreaming – this is a rare Scott Walker album, never reissued on CD! The album features Scott singing a number of standards and pop covers, the sort of fare that he laid down on his short-lived TV show in the late 60s. The tunes aren't exactly the same as Scott's own compositions – but the record is arranged by Peter Knight and produced by Johnny Franz, who handled most of Scott's other work on Fontana. Kind of a hint at the direction he would take after his 5th album – and with the tracks "The Look of Love", "Will You Still Be Mine", "If She Walked Into My Life", "Who", "When The World Was Young", and "I Have Dreamed". Cool cover, too – with a picture of Scott wearing the key to a monastery that once offered him refuge! LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from The Stark Reality – an obscure group from the early 70s, but one who've really risen to fame over the years – thanks to their groundbreaking ear for new music, and their freewheeling way with a funky groove! This package brings together all the incredible work recorded by the group in the late 60s and early 70s – a mindblowing assortment of funky and fuzzy jazz tracks – almost all of which are graced by the offbeat vibes work of Monty Stark! Stark often adds a bit of distortion into his instrument, which makes for a very tripped-out approach to vibes – one that blends perfectly with the heavy funk of some of the rhythms, and the freaky guitar lines added to most tracks by a young John Abercrombie. Yet at other times, things are very laidback and chilled-out – balanced beautifully from track to track, in a way that illustrates the larger picture the group were always going for in their music. This massive package brings together everything Stark Reality ever recorded – their famous Discovers Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop album, the Acting Thinking Feeling live performance, the Roller Coaster Ride/1969 album, and lots of rare singles too – more than enough music to please any fan of the group, and blow the minds of anyone who's just getting a first taste. Titles include "Roller Coaster Ride", "On Being Black", "New World Generation", "Theme To Say Brother", "Dreams", "Clouds", "All You Need To Make Music", "Rocket Ship", "Cooking", "The Old Prospector", and "Junkman's Song". Great package too – with two LP-styled CD sleeves inside a larger case, plus a big booklet of notes and photos! CD

The hardest to find of the David McCallum albums on Capitol – and like the others, a very nice set of moody tunes with arrangements by HB Barnum, and hip production by David Axelrod! Axelrod gets in some very nice moments on the set, slipping in some dark passages underneath simple pop tunes – a blend of late 60s covers and a few cool originals for the set, like "White Dasies", "Oh My", and "BB". Also includes versions of "98.6", "I'm A Believer", "Mellow Yellow", "California Dreamin", and "Mercy Mercy Mercy". LP, Vinyl record album

Has there ever been a pop tune as sublime as "Wichita Lineman"? We don't think so – and Glen's original version is still the best that's ever been recorded! That track kicks off a great set that includes some other wonderful pop covers – like "If You Go Away", "Words", "You Better Sit Down", and Tim Hardin's always-great "Reason To Believe" – plus Glen's beautiful ode to daytime melancholia, "Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife". LP, Vinyl record album

Rewind the tape and full steam ahead – as Ubiquity's latest collection of funky soul covers really pushes the boundaries of this already-hip series! As with other volumes, the format here has current groups covering sounds of the 60s and 70s – mostly funk and soul, but also with some surprising rock contributions this time around – tunes that may have roots in more guitar-based originals, but which sparkle anew here in more electric or soul-based remakes! The list of performers here may be the hippest so far in the series – which accounts for most of the success of the tunes – and titles include "Dreams" by Black Shakespeare, "Be Still My Beating Heart" by Randy Watson Experience, "Crazy You" by Osunlade, "Spoiled" by Daz-I-Kue with Bembe Segue & Colonel Red, "Caroline No" by Owusu & Hannibal, "Walk On By" by El Michels Affair, "Handle It" by Rebirth, "Dirty Love" by J Davey, "No Quarter" by Nuspirit Helsinki, and "L'Abeille" by Henrik Schwarz. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the greatest moments from David Bowie, mixed with some rare tracks, collaborations, 45 mixes, and more – as well as the single "Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)" – which is one of Bowie's best singles in years! The package is available in a number of varieties, with a number of covers – and each different iteration offers a special sort of focus on Bowie's varied creative career – reminding us in more different ways how much we've continued to love his music over the years! This 3CD version features the track "Sue" – plus 58 more tracks that include"All The Young Dudes", "Dancing In The Streets" with Mick Jagger, "Silly Boy Blue", "Can't Help Thinking About Me", "Liza Jane", "You've Got A Habit Of Leaving", "Wild Is The Wind (2010 Harry Maslin mix)", "Buddha Of Subburbia", "Your Turn To Drive", "The Stars Are Out Tonight", "Blue Jean", "This Is Not America" with Pat Metheny, "Oh You Pretty Things", "Moonage Daydream", "Drive In Saturday", "Sorrow", "Fame", "Boys Keep Swinging", "Fashion (single)", "Ashes To Ashes (single)", "Love Is Lost (DFA hello Steve Reich mix)", "New Iller Star (radio)", "I'm Afraid Of Americans (V1 radio edit)", "Jump They Say (radio)", "Let's Dance", "Life On Mars", "Hello Spaceboy (PSB rmx)" with Pet Shop Boys, "Under Pressure" with Queen, "Sound & Vision", "Golden Years (single)", "Absolute Beginners (single)", "Starman (single)", "Rebel Rebel", "Jean Genie (orig single version)", "Changes", "Where Are We Now", "China Girl (single)", and "Heroes (single)". CD

Four heavy classics from Buddy Miles – all together in a single set! First up is Expressway To Your Skull – a super tripped-out blend of rock, funk, and soul – easily one of Buddy Miles' most mindblowing albums – and a classic that never lets up at all! Buddy's leading the whole group on drums – really kicking things large from behind the kit – while the rest of the group jams in a heavy style that's got plenty of fuzzed-out guitar and jazzy horn riffs – virtually a blueprint for countless other rock funk groups that copped Buddy's style in years to come. The drums alone are worth the price of admission – but the whole album's so right, tight, and outta sight that it's been a favorite in our crates for years! Titles include "Train", "Let Your Lovelight Shine", "Don't Mess With Cupid", "Funky Mule", and "Wrap It Up". Electric Church is filled with bluesy soul from Buddy Miles – an album that was half-produced by Jimi Hendrix, and which showcases the really crowd-pleasing side of Miles' sound! Tracks are a mix of soul covers and original numbers – done in a mode that puts plenty of guitar out front in the mix, and which uses Buddy's screaming vocals a bit more than his heavier drums. Horns are used on most numbers to give them a bit of southern soul inflection, and titles include a great live jamming take on "Wrap It Up", the funky "Destructive Love", and the cuts "Cigarettes & Coffee", "Miss Lady", "Texas", and "My Chant". Them Changes is a landmark album of crossover funk – fuzzed out rock, soul, and jazzy licks all coming into play together – held totally tight by drummer Buddy Miles, the undisputed king of his scene! Buddy's drums are super-heavy – holding down his Freedom Express group with a heavy jazz-rock sound that would soon have a huge influence on other groups. Includes Buddy's original version of "Them Changes" – a tune that was instantly covered by everyone at the time – plus the cuts "Memphis Train", "Your Feeling Is Mine", "Dreams", and "Down By The River". Last up is We Got To Live Together – pure crossover genius from Buddy Miles – a great mix of funky soul and rockish touches – and the kind of record that easily put Buddy in the same camp as Sly Stone or The Isley Brothers with mainstream audiences of the time! Tracks here are a bit longer and more jamming than work by either of those two artists – with the kind of heavy guitar and horns that played heavily to the Fillmore crowd – but the overall sound of the record is a fair bit more soulful and even funkier than some other Miles' efforts from the earlier years too, with plenty of his tight drums in the mix! Titles include a great 12 minute reading of the title track "We Got To Live Together" – plus "Take It Off Him & Put It On Me", "Runaway Child", "Walking Down The Highway", and "Easy Greasy". CD

Van Morrison at the height of his solo powers – working here in an extended live set that opens up with all the genius for vocal expression and inflection he developed during his initial solo years at Warner Brothers! The setting is perfect to show the growing confidence Morrison has in his talents – an unbridled sense of soul that comes on even more strongly on some of these versions than on earlier takes of the tunes in the studio – especially as they mix with a few great covers here that further illustrate the wide range of inspirations that Van brings into his music. Backing is by a tight, soulful combo – and tracks include "Domino", "Wild Children", "I Believe To My Soul", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "These Dreams Of You", "Into The Mystic", "Warm Love", "Saint Dominic's Preview", "Bring It On Home To Me", "Listen To The Lion", "Gloria", "Cyprus Avenue", "Caravan", and "Take Your Hand Out Of My Pocket". LP, Vinyl record album

Van Morrison at the height of his solo powers – working here in an extended live set that opens up with all the genius for vocal expression and inflection he developed during his initial solo years at Warner Brothers! The setting is perfect to show the growing confidence Morrison has in his talents – an unbridled sense of soul that comes on even more strongly on some of these versions than on earlier takes of the tunes in the studio – especially as they mix with a few great covers here that further illustrate the wide range of inspirations that Van brings into his music. Backing is by a tight, soulful combo – and tracks include "Domino", "Wild Children", "I Believe To My Soul", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "These Dreams Of You", "Into The Mystic", "Warm Love", "Saint Dominic's Preview", "Bring It On Home To Me", "Listen To The Lion", "Gloria", "Cyprus Avenue", "Caravan", and "Take Your Hand Out Of My Pocket". CD

Mad funky vibes from The Wooden Glass – a group led by vibist Billy Wooten – an obscure player in the history books, but one who has had a huge influence on 21st Century groove! Billy's got a hard style on the vibes that's like Bobby Hutcherson and Roy Ayers at their soulful best – working here with a tight combo that includes guitar and organ, very much in the mode of his classic work with the slightly more famous (although equally obscure) Indianapolis combo The Ninteenth Whole! The set's a live one, but it really cooks with a sweet electric feel – echoey, funky, and soulful – as tunes spin out in a staggering approach to the vibes that's unmatched by any record of its time. Billy was a huge influence on Madlib and the sound of Yesterday's New Quintet – and hearing this set, it's virtually a blueprint for that group's current work! Includes great covers of "In The Rain", "Day Dreaming", and "Love Is Here" – plus Wooten's excellent original tracks "Monkey Hips & Rice" and "Joy Ride". CD

Stirring sounds from the start of the 60s – all pulled from that magical moment when soul was first coming into place – brought together out of different strands of grooves that were rumbling around in the 50s! The set mixes R&B, vocal group, and even a bit of pop – but all with a sound that's plenty soulful throughout – and really uncovers some lesser-known gems in the process! These Outta Sight collections are always great for Northern Soul – and this one shows the roots of the genre – and really illustrates the way that so many 21st Century collectors are turning back to the generation before Motown. Titles include "I Say Hello" by Jimmy Breedlove, "Darling I Know Now" by The Mystics, "Because Of You" by The Dreamers, "Boss Bossa Nova" by Bellino, "Summertime" by Barbara D'Orleans, "Hi Fi Baby" by Teddy McRae, "Humdinger" by Little Marie Allen, "Please Don't Go" by Johnny Acey, "Baby Oh Baby" by The Shells, "Oh What A Fool" by Big Jay McNeeley, and "I Walk On" by Little Tommy & The Elgins. CD