... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Jonathan Thomas on drums. CD

A killer set from a group that may well be the most perfectly realized version of the Exploding Star concept from Rob Mazurek – one who've got some fantastic parts that come together here in a wonderfully visionary record! Rob's still in the lead on trumpets and electronics – but the group really resonates from some key contributions from Damon Locks on voice and more electronics – at a level that has him rising to that long-overdue role of stardom, which seems to give the whole group an even greater source of focus and energy. Jeff Parker lays down some wicked guitar, Angelica Sanchez and Craig Taborn are fantastic on Wurlitzer electric pianos and moog – and the great Nicole Mitchell is on flute and a bit of vocals. There's a sense of majesty here that Mazurek has never had before – and the album is maybe one of the most crowning achievements in his long and very storied career. Titles include "Future Shaman", "Shape Shifter", "White River", "Dream Sleeper", and "Black River". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly strong collection of country cuts from a very unusual scene – material recorded for the tiny Cuca Records label in Wisconsin – a company who was more likely to open their doors to just about anyone, than they were to carefully pick who got to record in their studio! Yet because of that approach, Cuca was able to capture some fantastic sounds that would have otherwise been lost to more commercial concerns – music that here represents an underground of country singers and late rockabilly acts from the scene in southern Wisconsin – all artists with the kind of twang and subject matter you'd be much more likely to discover down in Tennessee! As usual with Numero Group, the record is as musically great as it is culturally compelling – put together with plenty of care, and a stunning set list that includes "Happy Don't Last Forever" by Nancy Lee Jordan, "Little Hero" by Dixie Drifter, "Cardinal" by John D Curnow, "Six Foot Down" by Gene Ski & The Troubadours, "There's A River" by Sam Podnay, "Hello Houston" by Johnny Madrid, "Wanderer" by The Lavenders, "Challenge" by Larry Phillipson, "Run Little Girl" by Harrison Two, "Heaven Help The Working Girl" by Janet Kaye, "Trouble Sweet Trouble" by Curley Fields & The Kentuckians, and "When I See You" by Rog Winters & The Plainsmen. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A killer set from a group that may well be the most perfectly realized version of the Exploding Star concept from Rob Mazurek – one who've got some fantastic parts that come together here in a wonderfully visionary record! Rob's still in the lead on trumpets and electronics – but the group really resonates from some key contributions from Damon Locks on voice and more electronics – at a level that has him rising to that long-overdue role of stardom, which seems to give the whole group an even greater source of focus and energy. Jeff Parker lays down some wicked guitar, Angelica Sanchez and Craig Taborn are fantastic on Wurlitzer electric pianos and moog – and the great Nicole Mitchell is on flute and a bit of vocals. There's a sense of majesty here that Mazurek has never had before – and the album is maybe one of the most crowning achievements in his long and very storied career. Titles include "Future Shaman", "Shape Shifter", "White River", "Dream Sleeper", and "Black River". CD

A rare funk gem from Stax Records – a strange mix of rock and funk, originally recorded for the label's Gospel Truth subsidiary, which is why it's kind of gotten lost in the cracks over the years! The group's got a very heavy ensemble funk sound – a blend of organ, sax, and percussion – all coming together in a loose studio jam style on the best cuts, as you might guess by the name "Round Robin"! Tracks include "Life Is Funky", "Alpha", "Peace of Mind", and "Dreamers". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual set from the Twin Cities scene in the 70s – an obscure album from singer Ernie Story – who comes across with a lot of blue-eyed soul in his vocals, and works in this blend of dark-tinged acoustic elements and funk – maybe somewhere in the territory of more famous work by artists like Bill Withers or Rodriguez! At times, Story's music definitely has the moodier currents of the latter – an element that maybe kept him from getting wider circulation – but his vocals are fantastic, and there's this nice use of drumbeats that really punctuate the music with this slow-stepping vibe that really works with the vocals. Other instrumentation is nice and spare – which furthers the vibe of the record – and titles include "Tribute To Lady Jane", "Disco City", "Chain Gang", "Sinners Lament", "Lost Without You", and "Dreamers Holiday". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes music by the Cleftones, Nino & the Ebbtides, Big Dee Irwin, the Dreamers, Belmonts, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Billy Stewart, Sam Cooke, Vito & the Salutations, and more – 21 tracks total. CD

Features music by the Crests, the Duprees, the Five Discs, the Dimensions, the Charades, the Parktowns, the Barries, the Classics, the Voxpoppers, the Belmonts, the Emotions, the Dreamers and more. CD

Jon Batiste is looking mighty righteous on the cover, and he's sounding mighty righteous within – imbued with a new spirit of consciousness from the events of 2020, which brings a whole new sort of focus to his music – and makes for an album that's every bit a soul set as it is a jazz record! Jon sings on every track, with this raspy power that pushes the rest of the music forward very strongly – igniting the proceedings with the kind of fire you'd hope for, given the album's dedication to "the dreamers, seers, griots, and truth tellers who refuse to let us fully descend into madness". Batiste can definitely add himself to that list – as can guests who include Zadie Smith, Hot 8 Brass Band, PJ Morton, and Trombone Shorty – on titles that include "Cry", "Boy Hood", "Movement 11", "Show Me The Way", "We Are", "Tell The Truth", "Sing", "Until", "Mavis", and "Whatchutalkinbout". CD

A full LP that appears to collect earlier sides recorded by saxophone genius Lynn Hope – presumably for the Aladdin label, and all featuring that lusty tenor sound that was his trademark during the 50s. Hope's tone alone is reason enough to purchase the record – as the album's 12 late nite dreamers are all lovely little tunes that will have you putting the disc at the top of your "after midnite" tenor play pile. Production is nice and echoey, and the whole thing's very moody. Titles include "Summertime", "Tenderly", "Blues For Anna Bacoa", "Blue Moon", "September Song", "Blow Lynn Blow", "Driftin", and "Move It". LP, Vinyl record album

The definitely got the title right here – as BB King is plenty great, and already a powerhouse in these early years of his career! King sprung forth from the Memphis scene almost fully-formed – and in addition to his famous guitar work, he was also a hell of a singer who could bring a new sort of soulful presence to blues music – able to croon with the charm of a jazz singer in the right moments, join with a doo wop group at others, yet come on with the power of a bluesman whenever he stepped in front of the mic! This great album has BB in all these modes – recorded with brilliantly bold sound – and titles include "I Had A Woman", "Sweet Sixteen", "Someday Baby", "I'm Gonna Quit My Baby", and "I Was Blind". CD features 8 bonus tracks – including "Down Now", "Bim Bam", "Young Dreamers", "Shotgun Blues", "Woman Don't Care", and "Broke & Hungry" – some in rare unissued takes. CD

Man, these guys keep blowing our minds again and again with each new album – stretching out even farther than before, yet still hanging on to all the best elements of their sound! This time around, Nostalgia 77 still have the bolder jazz style forged on their previous experimental recordings – but the groove is a lot more focused and dynamic – soaring out with the depth of a spiritual soul jazz session from the 70s – and often topped by some great vocals from Lizzy Parks, a wonderful singer with qualities that remind us of Dee Dee Bridgewater or Jean Carn back in their earliest days! The bass is right up front on most tracks – giving the tunes a darkly pulsating feel – and the instrumentation is mostly acoustic, and certainly spontaneous – a very welcome change from some of the stiffer, colder modes of the downtempo generation! Titles include "Quiet Dawn", "Arora", "Wildflower", "Stop To Make A Change", "Dreamers Dance", and "Little Steps". CD

Includes work by Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Freddie & The Dreamers, The Turtles, Dobie Gray, Astronauts, and Knickerbockers. Produced by Nick Venet. LP, Vinyl record album

A huge moment in British soul – the debut album from Mica Paris, and a set that broke almost as big on our side of the Atlantic as it did in the UK! Mica's got a wonderful vocal style here – a bit cooler and classier than some of her contemporaries – maybe even in the territory of Sade at times, at least in the way she can deliver a lyric with understated grace and plenty of warmth! The approach is fantastic – completely charming from the get-go, and a really nice change a time when some of the more mainstream soul was sounding a bit tinnier and overproduced. There's a richness to the record that still holds up strongly over the years – thanks in part to the work of songwriters Mick Leeson and Peter Vale – on titles that include "Like Dreamers Do", "Great Impersonation", "Where Is The Love", "So Good", "Don't Give Me Up", "Nothing Hits Your Heart Like Soul Music", and "My One Temptation". CD

Includes selections by Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, Swinging Blue Jeans, Cilla Black, Freddie & The Dreamers, and The Hollies. LP, Vinyl record album

A huge moment in British soul – the debut album from Mica Paris, and a set that broke almost as big on our side of the Atlantic as it did in the UK! Mica's got a wonderful vocal style here – a bit cooler and classier than some of her contemporaries – maybe even in the territory of Sade at times, at least in the way she can deliver a lyric with understated grace and plenty of warmth! The approach is fantastic – completely charming from the get-go, and a really nice change a time when some of the more mainstream soul was sounding a bit tinnier and overproduced. There's a richness to the record that still holds up strongly over the years – thanks in part to the work of songwriters Mick Leeson and Peter Vale – on titles that include "Like Dreamers Do", "Great Impersonation", "Where Is The Love", "So Good", "Don't Give Me Up", "Nothing Hits Your Heart Like Soul Music", and "My One Temptation". This deluxe edition from Cherry Pop includes a second disc of bonus tracks – including "Into The City", "Rock Together", "Same Feeling", "Where Is The Love?", "Wickedn", "My One Temptation (Club Mix)" and more. 23 tracks on 2CDs! CD

A really unusual set from the Twin Cities scene in the 70s – an obscure album from singer Ernie Story – who comes across with a lot of blue-eyed soul in his vocals, and works in this blend of dark-tinged acoustic elements and funk – maybe somewhere in the territory of more famous work by artists like Bill Withers or Rodriguez! At times, Story's music definitely has the moodier currents of the latter – an element that maybe kept him from getting wider circulation – but his vocals are fantastic, and there's this nice use of drumbeats that really punctuate the music with this slow-stepping vibe that really works with the vocals. Other instrumentation is nice and spare – which furthers the vibe of the record – and titles include "Tribute To Lady Jane", "Disco City", "Chain Gang", "Sinners Lament", "Lost Without You", and "Dreamers Holiday". 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