A really great album from 70s supergroup Stuff – one that shows that the group could sparkle just as much in a live setting as they could in the studio – really opening up with a sense of spontaneity that shows that their sublimely tight music wasn't just he product of some clever edits or careful production! The record has the percussion amped up a bit more in the mix, and the guitar lines taken with more of an edge than you might expect – which makes for an even sharper sound than the studio records – and tracks are still relatively short, but get a fair bit of jamming in nonetheless. Titles include "Duck Soup", "Real McCoy", "You Make It Easy", "You're A Great Girl", "Shuffle", and "Sometimes Bubba Gets Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit different than some of Dinah Washington's other 60s work for Roulette – a set that's not entirely back to the blues promised in the title, but one that's definitely got a strong bluesy undercurrent! The backing's, by Fred Norman, aren't nearly as lush as on other Roulette sessions – more in a punctuated mode that's a bit in Ray Charles territory of the time – a more polished take on older bluesy modes, with some nice jazz moments from time to time. Titles include "It's A Mean Old Man's World", "Key To The Highway", "Duck Before You Drown", "No Hard Feelings", "Romance In The Dark", "Let Me Be The First To Know", and "You've Been A Gold Old Wagon". CD features 3 bonus tracks – 2 previously unissued – "No One Man", "Me & My Gin", and "Don't Say Nothing At All". CD

A collection of 20 titles over 2 LPs – with "Lament (Love, I Found You Gone)", "Say It Isn't So", "On The Street Of Regret", "In The Dark", "Don't Come Runnin' Back", "Duck Before You Drown", "Why Was I Born", "Funny Thing", "Me & My Gin", "He's Gone Again", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked little collection of rare soul singles – all hand-picked by Andy "The Document" Smith, with an equal focus on Northern dancefloor numbers and harder funkier tracks! The set's a nice contrast to other collections on the market, because Andy's coming at the music from a different direction – one that's a bit less concerned with the tracks' presence (or non-presence) on the UK scene, and which is more focused on the overall sound and grooves of the tunes! The 2LP set features the unmixed versions of all the 25 tunes used in the CD mix version – and titles include "Baby Without You" by Danny Monday, "Talkin About My Baby" by Dottie & Millie, "The New Breed" by Jimmy Holiday, "He's Alright With Me" by The Mirettes, "That's Enough" by Roscoe Robinson, "On Top Of The World" by SOUL, "As Long As I've Got You" by The Charmels, "Shotgun & The Duck" by Jackie Lee, "My Little Girl" by Bob & Earl Band, "Cigarette Ashes" by Jimmy Conwell, "Mine Exclusively" by The Olympics, and "Reach Out I'll Be There" by Lee Moses. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful snapshot of the late 60s/early 70s underground rock scene in Vancouver! The original album was put together as a benefit for the Cool Aid House – a shelter for homeless youth in Vancouver, and no doubt a haven for hippie culture at the time. The album was and is a vital document of the scene – touching on the freedom-seeking vibe of the time in the lyricism, but free of hippie rock cliche –it's great stuff! Sunny and loose harmonies, deft acoustic and electric instrumentation, creative and inviting music from Spring, Route Nine, Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Black Snake, Mock Duck, and Hydro Electric Streetcar. LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of Hammond Heroes here – served up in assortment of 13 organ-based jazz tunes recorded for Prestige Records from the late 50s to the late 60s! There's a great range of work here – from the first hard-burning organ work that simmered into jazz music from R&B, to the leaner, cleaner style of the 60s onward – when the instrument really started to hit some groovy notes! Some of the tracks here were recorded with saxophonists as the leader, but all feature Hammond players in strong focus – and titles include "Take Five" by Trudy Pitts, "One Track Mind" by Freddie Roach, "Misty" by Richard Groove Holmes, "Donald Duck" by Don Patterson, "Pool Shark" by Willis Jackson, "Twistin The Jug" by Gene Ammons, "Please Mr Jackson" by Willis Jackson, "Sticks & Stones" by Johnny Hammond Smith, "Takin Care Of Business" by Shirley Scott, "Crib Theme" by Red Holloway, and "Rock Candy" by Jack Mc Duff. CD

Here's a party that we'd love to be invited to – a festive gathering of bongos and other percussion – served up in a mix of different cuts from a surprising array of sources! The music moves from Latin, to exotica, to jazzy modes – and while percussion is at the core of every cut, there's also plenty of other great elements too – flute lines, organ, guitar, vibes, and vocals at points too – all delivered with a sense of spirit that's totally great! Jack "Mr Bongo" Costanzo is the main star of the set – and delivers tunes that include "Inspector Bongo", "Escuadron De Policia", "Boyle Heights", and "Cigarillo" – and other tracks include "The Idea Of The Greater Age" by Sun Ra, "Wild Percussion" by Tak Shindo, "Singing Bongos" by Rene Hall, "Where's Tim's Guitar" by Jill Kroesen, "Cinco Sin Titulo" by Herb Schoenbohm's Quintet Ipanema, and "Bongo Birthday Surprise" by Nicholas Carras. CD features bonus tracks that include "Jungle Duck" by Nicholas Carras, and "Sunny" and "My Sadness" by Herb Schoenbohm's Quintet Ipanema. CD

Here's a genre you may not know about – the 70s wave of skateboard-related tunes, a sub-section of music that was to that decade what surf music was to the 60s! Obviously, surf music had a much bigger fame – and has been remembered a lot more strongly over the years – but as this groovy little set demonstrates, the second wave of 70s skateboard usage also had it's own band of musical supporters – most of them in a glam rock or power pop mode that was perfect for the uptight feel of boards at the time. Most tunes on the set are short and catchy – often featuring fuzzed-out guitars or nicely snapping rhythms – and overall, the whole set feels a lot more like some of the great 7Ts sets of recent years on Cherry Red than it does the soundtrack funk of other Diggler releases. Titles include "Skateboard Racer" by The Carvells, "Skateboard Saturday" by Wood Lane, "Skateboard Shuffle" by Zafra, "Little Skateboard Queen" by Sneakers & Lace, "Skateboard Honeymoon" by Daffy Duck, "Blue Tile Fever" by Streetkid, "Skateboard Bill" by Corky Carroll, "Skateboard Johnny" by Jack Tempchin, "Skateboarding In The UK" by The Rivals, and "Skateboard" by T Rex with Gloria Jones. CD

Funky pianist Gene Harris had spent most of the 60s playing in a standard trio format with his group The Three Sounds – but by the time of this live set, the group was evolving into a monster jazz funk combo, and Harris was getting beautifully heavy handed in his approach to rhythm. This live set was recorded by Blue Note in 1970, but for some reason it was left unreleased until the mid-90s – a decision that's really a mystery when you hear how funky some of the tracks are! Black Jazz bassist Henry Franklin is part of Harris' combo at the time, and the drummer is the nice tight Carl Burnett. The set includes some excellent versions of Monk Higgins tracks like "Funky Pullett" and "Sittin' Duck" – and Higgins also produced the whole thing for Blue Note. Very nice, and another great session we're glad was dug out of the vaults! CD

One of our favorite albums of all times – and a legendary testament to the greatness of the Chicago music scene in the late 60s! Melvin Jackson was the bassist in Eddie Harris' very successful group of the time – and his playing on Eddie's trippy and funky records for Atlantic is one of the factors that made them so great. Here, he's working with an acoustic bass, amplified with electronics like a Varitone sax – and this strange-sounding instrument is set up in a hip group that mixes Cadet funky studio players (Phil Upchurch, Morris Jennings, Jody Christian) with some of the brighter young players of the AACM (Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, and Leo Smith.) Jackson's bass is looped through all sorts of crazy effects, and the result is this amazing blend of avant garde playing and groovy rhythms that is beyond compare! The album includes great reworkings of two Eddie Harris funk tracks – "Bold and Black" and "Cold Duck Time" – plus monster originals like "Funky Doo", "Say What", "Dance Of The Dervish", and "Funky Skull (parts 1 & 2)". CD

The first album in a mighty legendary run from Taj Mahal – one of the first generation of blues musicians to really learn to recast their sound for the younger crossover generation! By that, we don't mean that Taj is commercial at all – it's just that he's kind of reclaiming the blues roots that had been filtered into mainstream rock by the late 60s time of this recording – stripping things down, and getting back to basics in a mighty nice way! He gets key help on the record from a young Ry Cooder, and from guitarist Jessie Ed Davis too – and titles include "Leaving Trunk", "EZ Rider", "Dust My Broom", "Diving Duck Blues", "The Celebrated Walkin Blues", and "Statesboro Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange record, and pretty darn goofy – but proof that the Jimmy Smith/Oliver Nelson team could tackle just about anything and make it come up hard and swinging! The album has Nelson arranging a jazz version of Prokofiev's Peter & The Wolf, with Smith soloing out front on most tracks, and lots of nice players in the group, like Billy Butler, Grady Tate, Richard Williams, and Richard Davis. The reed players really stand out, as they play the voices of the characters in the piece, and the album includes some very deft work by Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Phil Woods, and Bob Ashton. Titles include "Duck Theme", "Jimmy & The Duck", "Cat In A Tree", and "Elegy For A Duck". CD

A hip combo with a very old school approach – one that's a mix of soul jazz and instrumental funk modes, served up with classic instrumental styles! The group's leader plays some very mean trombone – as gritty as Fred Wesley at points, but with a more fluid jazzy feel at others – and the rest of the lineup includes tenor sax, guitar, and a mix of electric piano, Hammond, and Fender Rhodes that changes from track to track, helping create a nice sense of mood in the album. There's a strong inspiration here from the hipper side of the 60s spectrum – as titles include versions of Grant Green's "The Selma March", Freddie Hubbard's "Gibraltar", Dexter Gordon's "Society Red", Jackie McLean's "Appointment In Ghana", and Eddie Harris' "Cold Duck Time" – as well as the originals "Large Marge" and "Three Buck Chuck". CD

A nice little set from Henry Threadgill – one of the albums that gave him greatest exposure to a bigger audience, and a set that pushes the sound of his work nicely! The record's got some of those touches from a time when the AACM was reaching out with its sound from earlier years – a mode that's not exactly more inside, but certainly more overtly expressive about its intentions, and sometimes a bit more melodically focused than freely improvisatory. There's echoes here of work the Art Ensemble and Amina Claudine Myers were doing during the same stretch – and the lack of commercial success of the record shouldn't indicate any aesthetic failure at all. Asha Puthli makes a surprising vocal appearance on the track "My Rock", and other players include Frank Lacy, Diedre Murray, Fred Hopkins, Pheeroan Aklaff, and Reggie Nicholson. Titles include "Award The Squadtett", "Hall", "Spotted Duck Is Pudding", and "I Can't Wait Till I Get Home". CD

One of the biggest albums of Muddy Waters' career – a key crossover effort that has Waters as the "father" working with "sons" Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield! The style here is still quite rootsy overall – and the double-length session features one album recorded in the studio, and a second done live at the Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree – key evidence of the growing hippie audience for blues like this! The core group features Waters on vocals with Otis Spann on piano, Mike Bloomfield on guitar, Paul Butterfield on harmonica, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Sam Lay on drums – and guest players include Phil Upchurch on bass and Buddy Miles on drums – each on one number. Titles include "All Aboard", "Mean Disposition", "Forty Days & Forty Nights", "Sugar Sweet", "Twenty Four Hours", "I'm Ready", "Walkin Thru The Park", "Got My Mojo Working (parts 1 & 2)", "The Same Thing", "Baby Please Don't Go", and "Honey Bee". CD reissue includes 4 previously unreleased studio tracks – "Country Boy", "I Love The Life I Live", "Oh Yeah", "I Feel So Good" – plus 6 additional live tracks! CD

A nice selection of classic 60s rhythm and blues dance tracks just like the title says, and while we had recalled this collection as being fairly tied to mainstream tastes, there's a few nice little nuggets on here that they dug a little deeper for. 14 tracks in all: "But It's All Right" by JJ Jackson, "She's Looking Good" by Rodger Collins, "Ain't Nothin' But A House Party" by the Show Stoppers, "The Duck" by Jackie Lee, "I Take What I Want" by James & Bobby Purify, "Funky Broadway (part 1)" and "We Got More Soul" by Dyke & The Blazers, "Booglaoo Down Broadway" by Fantastic Johnny C, "Barefootin'" by Robert Parker, "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown, and "Summertime" by Billy Stewart. LP, Vinyl record album

With guests Ry Cooder, Donald Duck Dunn, and Albert Lee. LP, Vinyl record album

A key meeting between the Three Sounds trio and the amazing Monk Higgins – done at a time when Higgins was taking his Chicago-crafted grooves to work on the west coast – and doing some really wonderful productions with Dee Ervin! The set features full Higgins backings throughout – a mix of jazz and strings that takes the usual Gene Harris sound into territory that you'd be much more likely to hear on Cadet Records back in Chi-town – a very hip, very soulful style that's totally great throughout, and a much-needed break from the straighter piano trio sound of other 60s albums the group did on Blue Note. Some tracks are laidback, but others are hard and funky – the kind of sock-solid cuts that have made the album a favorite with sample heads and soul dancers over the years – much heavier keyboard work than we'd ever heard before from Gene Harris, and a great precursor to funky favorites to come. Cuts include the excellent numbers "Sitting Duck", "Sugar Hill", "Black Gold", and "Book of Slim" – plus "Elegant Soul", "African Sweets", and "Walls Of Respect". LP, Vinyl record album

Isaac Hayes' first album as a solo act – and a much more stripped down record than his later baroque symphonic sides! Ike's working here in trio mode – playing piano and singing, alongside bass from Donald Duck Dunn and drums from the great Al Jackson – who brings in a warmly rhythmic approach, especially at moments where we really wouldn't expect it! The tunes are all standards, but they're expanded by Ike in a unique style of singing and rapping – similar to that which would be used with more force on later albums, but done here in a really personal, intimate, and super-sexy way. Tunes include "When I Fall In Love", "Misty", "Precious, Precious", and "You Don't Know Me Like I Know" – and 2 tracks are done in nice extended medley modes! LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard music from the great Steve Lacy – material recorded during the time of his Ictus Records album Clangs, but not issued on vinyl until this set! Volume one has Lacy doing all sorts of incredible improvisations on soprano sax, often in the company of percussionist Andre Centazzo – a musician who always seems to be at his best when in the company of Lacy, really spurred on to some creative approaches to the drums that match Steve's boundless imagination on his horn! The performances are often quite tuneful, even if their structure is loose – and titles include "Figment", "Coastline", "Swab", "Hooky", and "The Duck" LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most impressive albums ever from arranger Oliver Nelson – a set that really shows the full depth of his mighty talents! Side one features Nelson working with a larger orchestra – similar to the kind of ensemble he arranged for other artists in the 60s, but handled here with an open, searching sort of sound – really impressive modern jazz elements on the title track, then some sweeter, warmer soul sounds on a few shorter numbers too! Nelson plays soprano sax, and his use of the instrument is definitely Coltrane-informed at times – and a nice change from his more familiar alto. The flipside features just a quartet – Oliver again on soprano sax – plus Steve Kuhn on piano, Ron Carter bass, and Grady Tate on drums. With Kuhn on piano, bringing a nice modern edge that works perfectly with the soprano. Titles include "Sound Piece For Jazz Orchestra", "Patterns", "Flute Salad", "The Lady From Girl Talk", and "Elegy For A Duck". CD

One of the most impressive albums ever from arranger Oliver Nelson – a set that really shows the full depth of his mighty talents! Side one features Nelson working with a larger orchestra – similar to the kind of ensemble he arranged for other artists in the 60s, but handled here with an open, searching sort of sound – really impressive modern jazz elements on the title track, then some sweeter, warmer soul sounds on a few shorter numbers too! Nelson plays soprano sax, and his use of the instrument is definitely Coltrane-informed at times – and a nice change from his more familiar alto. The flipside features just a quartet – Oliver again on soprano sax – plus Steve Kuhn on piano, Ron Carter bass, and Grady Tate on drums. With Kuhn on piano, bringing a nice modern edge that works perfectly with the soprano. Titles include "Sound Piece For Jazz Orchestra", "Patterns", "Flute Salad", "The Lady From Girl Talk", and "Elegy For A Duck". LP, Vinyl record album

A relatively recent effort by Eddie, but also one of his best albums in 25 years! The record's a beautiful batch of Latin jazz instrumentals, played with a lot of fire, but also a lot of maturity and creativity. The compositions are great, and Eddie's in top form on piano, with backing by Donald Harrison, Conrad Hewig, and Brian Lynch. Titles include "Palmas", "Doctor Duck", "Bouncer", and "Slowvisor". Recorded in the 90s, but with a beautifully classic sound! CD

One of the greatest albums ever by the Soulful Strings – certainly the hippest, and the one with some of the most complex moments! The record still features arrangements by Richard Evans – who's even better here than before – but you can also feel the presence of Donny Hathaway, who contributed two great numbers to the album – "Zambezi", which he wrote with Evans, and the fantastic "Valdez In The Country", one of Donny's greatest songs ever, given its first-ever performance here, with vocals (probaby Donny's) underneath the instruments, humming away soulfully. The record also features some other fantastic Cadet/Chisoul numbers – like "Voices Inside" (which Donny did on his first album), and Eddie Harris' "It's Cold Duck Time" and "1974 Blues". A massive batch of funky soul instrumentals – right up there with the best Cadet/Concept work of the late 60s! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest albums of Muddy Waters' career – a key crossover effort that has Waters as the "father" working with "sons" Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield! The style here is still quite rootsy overall – and the double-length session features one album recorded in the studio, and a second done live at the Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree – key evidence of the growing hippie audience for blues like this! The core group features Waters on vocals with Otis Spann on piano, Mike Bloomfield on guitar, Paul Butterfield on harmonica, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Sam Lay on drums – and guest players include Phil Upchurch on bass and Buddy Miles on drums – each on one number. Titles include "All Aboard", "Mean Disposition", "Forty Days & Forty Nights", "Sugar Sweet", "Twenty Four Hours", "I'm Ready", "Walkin Thru The Park", "Got My Mojo Working (parts 1 & 2)", "The Same Thing", "Baby Please Don't Go", and "Honey Bee". LP, Vinyl record album

Dig French pop from the 60s? Here's a way to dig even deeper – as this great little collection is filled with rare gems that go past the classics in your collection by Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, and Jane Birkin! Most of the material here is work that we'd never have come across otherwise – and the package definitely lives up to the "groove" promised in its title – as the work is upbeat, and blends together yeh yeh 60s modes with other mod styles, and even some touches of funk and psych from time to time! There's a massive amount of work here – 22 rare tracks in all – and titles include "Bye Bye City" by Le Coeur, "Flower Power" and "Georgie Girl" by Les Hamsters, "Dee Duck" by Maraton, "Une Petite Fille" by L'Empreinte, "Bye, Bye Brighton" by Epta, "Nevada" by Les Rotomagus, "Crazy Mister Badge" by Mister Badge, "Monsieur Cyber" by Les Chimeriennes, "Luimere Et Paix" by Pax Quartet, "Vous" by Michel Pagliaro, "Vivre D'Amour Et De Musique" by France, and "Un Rayon De Soleil Est Entre Dans Mon Lit" by Les Parisiennes. CD

Fantastic sounds from cats who were really letting their freak flag fly at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s – but not the music of laidback hippies, as these guys are all pretty intense and energetic, and helping to forge the hard rock roots that would lay the base for so many musical styles to come! The intensity of this work is amazing – maybe even more so, given that so many of these artists were recording for major labels at a time long before major labels even knew what to do with music like this – leaving the success of these artists to be the product of word of mouth and underground press – starting out the legends that would have records by these groups changing hands for years to come! We'd still easily trade most of this work for so much later work that sprung up in its wake – as there's a freshness and directness here that really gets to the point right away, and plenty of guitar work that really seems to blow away so many others from the later guitar hero generation! As with other Grapefruit sets, the choice of cuts is fantastic – and supported by a huge booklet of notes that tell the rich tales behind the tunes – a whopping 53 titles in all, with work from Bram Stoker, Writing On The Wall, Thin Lizzy, May Blitz, Stray, Zior, Uriah Heep, Head Machine, Mott The Hoople, Nazareth, Tear Gas, Killing Floor, UFO, Mighty Hard, Quatermass, Trapeze, Episode Six, Grit, Sam Gopal, Steamhammer, Fuzzy Duck, Monument, Ashkan, Mick Farren, T2, Warhorse, Geordie, Bone, and many others! CD

An explosion of groundbreaking sounds from the 60s – all records issued in the magical year of 1965 – with a fresh vibe that would influence years of soul, psych, and garage styles to come! Jon Savage has already given us two other great year-based collections on Ace, but this one might be one of his most impressive – given that most folks tend to overlook the musical power of 1965, in favor of bigger explosions later in the 60s – but all of which were inspired by these earlier moments of fire! You'll definitely recognize some of the tunes here, but with his usual genius, Jon Savage has a way of mixing the familiar with the obscure – coming up with new ways to put everything together, and really opening up our ears in the process. As with previous volumes, the notes are huge – with plenty of details on the sounds within – and the 2CD package features a whopping 48 tracks in all – with titles that include "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" by The Silkie, "Concrete & Clay" by Unit Four Plus Two, "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" by The Byrds, "Buttermilk (part 1)" by Sly, "Boot Leg" by Booker T & The MGs, "Fortune Teller" by Tony Jackson with The Vibrations, "That's The Way It's Got To Be" by The Poets, "Come & Stay With Me" by Marianne Faithful, "See My Friends" by The Kinks, "Too Many People" by The Leaves, "I've Got Mine" by The Small Faces, "The Duck" by Jackie Lee, "The Story Of John Hardy" by Sir Douglas Quintet, "We Sell Soul" by The Spades, "Blow Your Mind" by The Gas Co, "You Just Gotta Know My Mind" by Karen Verros, "Can You Hear Me" by Lee Dorsey, "London Town" by Pretty Things, "Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl" by The Barbarians, "I'm Alive" by The Hollies, "Leaving Here" by The Birds, and "Twine Time" by Alvin Cash & The Crawlers. CD

Dramatic themes from the martial arts underground – a set of DeWolfe Sound Library tracks, all of which were used in Kung Fu films by the legendary Shaw Brothers! The work here is different than some other martial arts music you might know from the 70s – not originally penned and recorded for such films, but filled with more than enough weird touches and exotic moments to make the fit nicely! There's less funk here than you might expect, but that lack is more than made up for with a rich array of strange sounds – stark horn bits, spacey effects, eerie melodies, and more – all mostly short tracks used as musical cues in the films, jumbled together here in a mad pastiche of sonic delights. The package is overflowing with goodies – over 70 minutes of music, and 43 tracks in all – used in films from 1975 through 1983 – but often recorded in earlier years. Titles include "Counterspy" and "Tension Trip" by Reg Tilsley, "Troubled Mind" and "Fast-Moving Stranger" by Don Harper, "Electro Beat 5" and "Electro Link 18" by Ronald Marquisee, "Face To Face" by Frank Rothman, "Duck & Blacker" by Johnny Hawksworth, "Perception In Rhythm" by Ivor Slaney, "Horror House" by Paul Lewis, "Spin Out" by Pierre Arvay, "Moonbird" by Roger Webb, "Moog Shot 25" by Sam Spence, and "Violence" by Eric Towren. CD

A sublime second chapter of work from Booker T & The MGs – pulled from a time when Stax Records was stepping out of the influence of Atlantic, and really opening the door to a wide variety of new soul sounds! That approach is definitely in place here – as the tracks really evolve past the early hits of the group – with more unusual rhythmic patterns, laid down by the great Al Jackson on drums and Donald Duck Dunn on bass – while Steve Cropper provides all the riffing genius on his guitar, and Booker T pushes things over the top with completely sublime work on organ! All players are really changing up their groove, especially as the singles here progress from the 60s into the 70s – and the package features a-sides and b-sides, and even a few post-Booker T cuts by the MGs. Titles include "Kinda Easy Like", "Melting Pot", "Sunday Sermon", "Something", "Fuquawi", "Sugarcane", "Blackside", "Neckbone", "Soul Clap 69", "Slum Baby", "Meditation", "Johnny I Love You", "Time Is Tight", "Jamaica This Morning", "Over Easy", "Heads Or Tails", "Mrs Robinson", and "Soul Limbo. LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy record from Italian trumpet legend Fabrizo Bosso – one that features a group referred to as his Spiritual Trio, but a combo that's maybe got more of a soul jazz vibe overall – as the lineup features Alberto Marsico on organ and Alessandro Mnetto on drums! The spare format is great – open in ways that always seem to bring out the best phrasing in Bosso's horn, but with just the right moments of groove that have the trumpet and organ dancing together nicely – almost a newly-conceived variation on the the older 60s pairing of tenor and Hammond! Mario Biondi provides guest vocals on a remake of the Donny Hathaway tune "Someday We'll All Be Free" – and other instrumental tunes include "Sermonette", "Cold Duck Time", "Bernie's Toon", "I Shall Wear A Crown", "Forward", "A Lullaby", and "Say It Loud". CD

Roots rock but with a strongly soulful undercurrent – thanks to key late 60s Stax production from Donald Duck Dunn and Don Nix, both of whom make the record sound a lot hipper than many other similar sets from the time! The record showcases the singing and songwriting talents of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett – a pair who were hyped heavily by the rock scene of their era, but who also step out here with equally soulful appeal – almost a blue-eyed soul take on the Stax sound of the late 60s! Of course, it helps that the pair get plenty of help on the record from folks like Booker T & The MGs, The Memphis Horns, Isaac Hayes, and William Bell – but their own efforts are pretty great too, as heard on tracks that include "My Baby Specializes", "Things Get Better", "We Can Love", "Just Plain Beautiful", "Everybody Loves A Winner", and "Pour Your Love On Me". CD features 6 bonus tracks – including "A Long Road Ahead", "I've Just Been Feeling Bad", "Dirty Old Man", and "Get Ourselves Together". CD

Bonus single includes "Malibu Nightmare", "Do The Duck", "Hometown Breakdown", and "I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great little set that has the Chicago tenor of Eddie Harris linking up with the growing Miami soul scene of the early 70s – as Eddie "comes on down" to the Sunshine State, and records for Atlantic at the legendary Criteria Studios! Eddie's still got the electric Varitone groove of his late 60s sides for the label – but he's also stepping out here in a dirtier, funkier bottom sort of sound – aided by a combo that includes southern soulsters Billy Carter on organ, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Dave Crawford on piano – plus Jimmy O'Rourke and Cornelle Dupree playing guitars side by side, in a jamming way that really makes the album groove! There's still some nice spacier moments that remind us of Eddie's Chicago recordings, sitting nicely next to the funkier cuts that make the album stand out. Titles include "Fooltish", "Why Don't You Quit", "Don't You Know Your Future's In Space", and "Live Right Now". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever issued as a leader by Monk Higgins – a genius musician/arranger who first got his start on the Chicago scene of the 60s, then moved out to the west coast at the end of the decade – where he also helped inject some funky new sounds into the Blue Note label! This set's got a vibe that echoes some of that work – particularly Monk's albums with trumpeter Blue Mitchell – but there's also maybe a loftier vibe that reflects Higgins' ties to the Chess/Cadet label, where he cut some fantastic funk singles, both under his name and with other artists too. The approach here takes a core funky jazz group and adds in just the right touches of strings – with a sound that reminds us a lot of some of the Richard Evans' genius work for Cadet, but with maybe a bit of a Cali vibe too. Monk blows tenor and plays Hammond – in a group that also features the mighty Jim Horn on flute, Alan Estes on vibes, and both Freddy Robinson and Arthur Adams on guitar. Most tunes are original, and the feel of the record is every bit as groovy as its cover – with titles that include "Sitting Duck", "Collision In Black", "Just Around The Corner", "Watermelon Man", "Straight Ahead", "Poker Chips", "Doing it To Deff", "The Look Of Slim", and "A Good Thing". CD

Head nodding mid 90s east coast vibes courtesy the Stimulated Dummies, Beatnuts and Pete Nice & Daddy Rich back up the Constipated Monkey's New Yorican flow on one of the most sought after and hard to get albums from the glory days of the true school. Includes "Spell It With A J (Yes, Yes Jorge)", "I'm Kurious", "Uptown Sh*t", "Fresh Out The Box", 'Walk Like A Duck", "Tear Sh*t Up" and "What's The Real". LP, Vinyl record album

A key point in Lacy's career – his first solo concert ever in the US! Lacy had been well known on these shores for his early Monk-ish work on soprano sax, his later freer work with varying ensembles, and his frequent recorded "letters home" from the Paris scene of the early 70s – but the recordings on this 2CD set mark the first time that lacy played solo in the US, a mode that would frequently dominate his work as the 70s progressed. The sides date from 1976, and they show tremendous growth in Lacy's work – an astonishing ability to continually create on the soprano sax, in ways that are far more striking to our ears than even his group work of previous years. Titles include "Hooky", "The New York Duck", "7 Tao", "Pearl Street", and "Revolutionary Suicide". CD

A previously unreleased live date from Steve Lacy – pulled from his huge archive of private recordings, and featuring his famous Paris quintet of the 70s! As on other albums of this time, the group here features Lacy on soprano sax, Steve Potts on alto and soprano, Irene Aebi on cello and violin, and Kent Carter on bass – as well as Kenneth Tyler on percussion – all working at a style that's nicely a bit looser and freer than on some of their better-known 70s records. The titles here are all originals by Lacy, and they're taken in a way that brings strongest focus on the horn interplay between him and Steve Potts – sometimes with an intensity that reminds us of mid 60s ESP recordings, which is possibly in part because of the nature of the way the show was recorded – not roughly, but very starkly, in a way that further emphasizes the power of the music. Titles include "The Crust", "The Uh Uh Uh", "The Rush", "Esteem", "Flakes", and "The Duck". CD

A definite treasure from Taj Mahal – especially for fans of his excellent early work for Columbia Records! The first CD in the package features unreleased studio tracks recorded during the glory days for Columbia – not rough cuts or demos, but well-finished gems that offer up the same sublime mix of modes – a bit of blues with plenty of soul – that you'd expect from Taj! Titles include "Shady Grove", "Butter", "Yan Nah Mama Loo", "Chainey Do", "Sweet Mama Janisse", "Ain't Gwaine Whistle Dixie", and "Jacob's Ladder". CD two features more rare treats – a full concert recorded in London in 1970 – never issued before, and really well-produced. Titles include "Runnin By The Riverside", "Big Fat", "Diving Duck Blues", "Bacon Fat", "Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day", and "Checkin Up On My Baby". CD

After his Duck Rock/Buffalo Scratch days, this was Malcolm McLaren's next project – an attempt to update opera into a post-disco, hip-hop inflected dancefloor sound. The groove takes electronic beats and layers vocals and washes of sound over the top – presenting famous vocal passages with a sense of camp and knowledge of opera that may well be the closest thing McLaren ever came to outing himself! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Really wonderful live material from tenor genius Archie Shepp – recorded in Paris, a city that always seemed to bring out the best in his music! Here, Shepp's blowing in a mode that's like some of his later Impulse Records from the early 70s – more spiritual overall, with a free-flowing blend of influences, and a slight nod to the straighter sounds that would emerge a bit more in the decade – served up with a very hip quintet that includes Siegfried Kessler on piano, Bob Reid on bass, Noel McGhie on drums, and Pablo Kino on percussion! The bottom-heavy sound of the group is wonderfully offset by Shepp's raspy, soulful tone on tenor – on titles that include a long take on "Things Have Got To Change" – plus "Blues For Donald Duck" and "Along Came Betty". LP, Vinyl record album

Some nicely outside work from Archie Shepp – maybe one of his last great recordings of this nature of the 70s! He's playing here with Charles Greenlee on trombone, Dave Burrell on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Beaver Harris on drums – and the tracks feature Shepp soloing with a lot of soul, and criss crossing styles from track to track. 3 long titles – "Stream", "Blues For Donald Duck", and a nice reading of Benny Golson's "Along Came Betty". LP, Vinyl record album

If you don't know the talents of Gary Versace on the piano, this is definitely the record to introduce you to his work – as Versace has quietly become one of the most distinct artists on his instrument in recent years – with a very individual quality that's almost impossible to describe in words! At some level, Versace has the angular abilities of a Herbie Nichols or Elmo Hope, but can also deliver these spaced-out chunks of color that almost recall Vince Guaraldi – while also sometimes stepping into the more lyrical territory of a player like Tommy Flanagan. Yet even these bigger names are hardly enough to compare to Versace's individuality – as the album resonates with a freshness that really sets it apart from other trio work of this nature – a quality encouraged by the work of Jay Anderson on bass and Rudy Royston on drums. Titles include "Cold Duck Soup", "Sweet Surprise", "Panda Blue", "Evidently", "One Year From Today", and "Faro". CD

Think you know the sound of Atlantic Records in the 60s? Think again – because this stunning series opens the vault to a huge amount of rare treasures from the legendary label! The package is amazing – and offers up rare tracks that were mostly only issued by Atlantic on singles – including some on the other imprints associated with the company – some by names we never even knew recorded for the label, others by bigger names, but represented here by obscure material that goes way past their hits – and which is ultra cool because of that. There's also a fair bit more deep soul than you might expect from the usual Atlantic mix – tremendous vocals, and often in less hit-heavy modes – which makes the whole thing a great revelation – and just one more reason to bow down and give even more expect to one of the key companies who helped soul music find a home in the 60s. Plus – as if that's not enough – the whole thing comes in a very cool 7" gatefold package – which emphasizes the from-singles nature of the collection. This volume features a whopping 50 tracks – with titles that include "King Of Love" by The Admirals, "Let Our Love Go On" by Music City Soul Brothers, "More Of The Jerk" by Bobby Harris, "Free For All" by The Barracudas, "Can't See You When I Want To" by David Porter, "Sweet Thing" by Gorgeous George, "Peepin" by Solomon Burke, "Ad For Love" by Lee Jackson, "The Record" by Ben E King, "Give You What I Got" by Wendy Rene, "Thank You John" by Willie Tee, "My Lover" by Barbara & The Browns, "It's Just A Matter Of Time" by Merle Spears, "Fancy Free" by Mary Wells, "You Make A Strong Girl Weak" by The Premiers, "Don't Stop Now" by William Bell, "Let's Go Get Stoned" by The Coasters, "Thank You For Helping Me See The Light" by Ted Taylor, "Just One More Day" by Otis Redding, "Do The Duck" by The Autographs, "Boss" by King Curtis, "Try Me Again" by Ted Taylor, "Every Night I See Your Face" by The Music City Soul Brothers, "I Don't Want Trouble" by Barbara & The Browns, "Keep Your Mouth Shut" by Lee Jackson, "It's Nice To Know You" by Rosetta Johnson, and "Dedicated To You" by Willie Tee. CD

A huge selection of work from the pre-reggae years in Jamaica – formative material that really runs the gamut – from jump blues, to R&B, to jazz, blues, and a whole lot more! It's a well-known fact that the rise of Jamaican music in the 60s was inspired by American radio broadcasts that were bringing the island lots of new sounds in the 50s – and while many of those sounds were interwoven into ska, rocksteady, and even reggae – the music here represents a much straighter take on American forms, with what seems to be an especially strong influence from New Orleans! The track selection is great – with early work from formative stars of the 60s, and some other under-circulated tracks that further illuminate this period – all in a collection that features 44 tracks, and notes in English and French. Titles include "Duck Soup" by Drumbago All Stars, "Bloodshot Eyes" by Denzil Laing & The Wrigglers, "Parapinto Boogie" by Lloyd Clark, "Cutest Little Woman" by Owen Gray, "Oh Carolina" by The Folks Brothers, "Boogie Rock" by Laurel Aitken, "Forty Four" by Roy Panton, "Lonely Robin" by Lascelles Perkins, "Hip Rub" by The Jiving Juniors, "Another Moses" by The Mellow Cats, "Down Beat Special" by The Blues Blasters, and "Leave Earth" by Derrick Morgan. CD

A sweet sweet set of electric 70s funk – recorded by Booker T during a brief, but well-needed reunion with the MGs! The sound here is quite different than Stax-era MGs – as Booker plays a range of keyboards, not just organ – and the grooves have these great jazz funk touches at the bottom – almost a CTI vibe at times, but packed with the tighter energy you'd expect from the group! Steve Cropper's guitar is great – super-fine, and razor-sharp – really helping cut a nice edge on the cuts – over bass from Donald Duck Dunn and drums from Willie Hall, who's the only new member of the group. In a way, the album feels like mid 70s efforts from Johnny Hammond or Jimmy Smith – sweetly soaring on a let-loose 70s vibe. Titles include the funky break track "Grab Bag", plus "Sticky Stuff", "Moto Cross", "Tie Stick", and "Space Nuts". CD

A searing set of southern rock from Ronnie Hawkins – already working here in a revivalist mode of sorts, with backing from the Dixie Flyers and a real blend of Atlantic and Capricorn-styled approaches to rock. Duane Allman and Donald Duck Dunn both sit in on the sessions, and the whole thing's got a relaxed, rootsy rock feel overall – Ronnie singing along with the Flyers on tunes that include "Red Rooster", "Ooby Dooby", "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles", "Drinkin Wine Spo-dee-o-dee", "Lonely Weekends", "Treasure Of Love", and "The Lady Came From Baltimore". LP, Vinyl record album

Mr Pete on saxophone, Dan Kostelnik on organ and piano, Arthur Harper on bass, and Duck Scott on drums. CD

A stunning discovery of Australian jazz in the 70s – and a long-overdue look at the deeper currents of that nation's overlooked scene! Aussie jazz is always pretty darn fantastic – inspired by the hippest American and European styles, but often something very much of its own – and that's definitely the case with the music here, which is part of a tradition on the scene to maybe open the music to more organic elements, sometimes in direct reference to the special natural qualities of the Australian continent – sometimes just with this sense of progression and overall vibe that's very distinct, and really beautiful. The set list is fantastic – key cuts from some of the most important artists and groups on the 70s scene – with titles that include "Exploration Of The Sun" by John Sangster, "A La Coltrane" by Jazz Co/Op, "Kate Did" by Galapagos Duck, "Wildflowers" by Brian Brown, "People Make The World Go Round" by Peter Gaudion's Blues Express, and "Sunflower" by Alan Lee. LP, Vinyl record album