One of the more heavily brooding albums ever cut by Leonard Cohen – and also one of the best – the iconic Songs Of Love And Hate from 1971! Cohen's aptly titled third LP, with the nice spare approach to production that most of his early work had, even more stripped down, with voice and acoustic guitar the focus, and some tasteful, more lush texture when the mood strikes – and oh so incredible wordplay and phrasing from the iconic maverick poet/songwriter. Classic bummers including "Avalanche", "Last Year's Man", "Dress Rehearsal Rag", "Diamonds In The Mine", "Love Calls You By Your Name", "Famous Blue Raincoat", "Sing Another Song, Boys" and "Joan Of Arc". CD

One of the tightest, grooviest albums on the short-lived rock years of the mostly-jazz Mainstream Records label – a treasure trove of tuneful tracks that spin out like some of the best late 60s work by The Zombies or The Left Banke! There's a starkness to the tunes that recalls some of the other Mainstream efforts of the period – although the overall sound is warmer, with great harmonies from two singers, in a way that really opens up the more melodic elements of the tunes, while still keeping some of that psychedelic edge that makes all the Mainstream releases from this time so wonderful. The album has a vibe that's all its down – definitely different than some bigger label effort or a more mainstream Cali production – and the quality of songwriting is superb throughout. Titles include "Seems I've Changed", "No Thanks Mr Mann", "Winner Loser", "Seven North Frederick", "Remembering Sunnybrook", and "Caught In The Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Chico Freeman on tenor and soprano saxophone and keyboards, Kenny Barron on piano, Santi Debriano on double bass, and Frederick Waits on drums. CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A seminal session from Roscoe Mitchell – beautiful work recorded for the small Nessa label, and a real testament to the fragile beauty of his music! Some of the tracks are solo, and others feature Roscoe in shifting groups with other AACM players – a duet with bassist Malachi Favors, another with reedman Anthony Braxton, a trio with Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and George Lewis on trombone, and a quartet with Joseph Harman, Henry Threadgill, and Wallace McMillan. The sound's about as haunting as you can get for the AACM in the 70s – sensitive sounds, complex tones, and a rich approach to creative music that goes far beyond jazz – a really stark contrast to the styles of New York or European avant players from the same period! Titles include "Off Five Dark Six", "A1 Tal 2LA", "Nonaah", "Sing", "Chant", "Ericka", and "Tahquemenon". CD

This record, as we're sure you know, is a spunky bit of hip hop-inflected R&B, with the kind of sinister groove that got Me'Shell noticed immediately after the record was released. It got a bit overplayed and overblown at the time it was released – but it actually holds up well over the years, especially considering the wealth of modern soul singers who've been inspired by it. Includes the single "If That's Your Boyfriend", plus "I'm Diggin You", "Soul On Ice", "Call Me", and "Picture Show". CD

The scene may be changing, but nothing can dampen the fire of the great Bud Powell – and, if anything, this fifth installment in Blue Note's "Amazing" series may well have the pianist at his mature best! The rhythm duo are wonderful – more late 50s modern hardbop than some of Bud's accompanists in years past – the great Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums, both of whom can bring the fire when needed, yet also craft their lines with these subtle touches that really match Powell's incredible dexterity on piano. Tunes are shorter than usual for a Blue Note album of this vintage – but mostly because all three players pack a hell of a lot into a very small space – and really make timeless magic on titles that include "Down With It", "Cleopatra's Dream", "Gettin' There", "Danceland", "Borderick", and "Duid Dee". LP, Vinyl record album

A more unusual action score from Lalo Schifrin – done for this great film adaptation of a Frederick Forsythe novel! LP, Vinyl record album

A strange little soundtrack from Andrew Lloyd Webber – written to accompany this action film starring Jon Voight, based on the spy thriller by Frederick Forsythe. About half the soundtrack is classical tunes or traditional German numbers – but there's also some nice electric funk tunes that more than make the album worth checking out, played by a small combo with some great keyboard work! The slowly funky tunes have a dope soundtrack feel and a bit of a CTI touch – and titles include "Miller's Theme", "Miller Joins The Odessa", and "Odessa Discovery" – all of which are nice weird funky tunes! LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks from Sheryl Crow, David Byrne, John Hiatt, Ben Folds Five, Natalie Merchant, Suzanne Vega, The Mavericks, Ani DiFranco, Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach, Shawn Colvin, Sinead O'Connor, Emmylou Harris, and Lou Reed. CD

A special 50th Anniversary set of the legendary Wattstax Concert in 1972 – a magical music moment that had the Memphis soul powerhouse Stax Records filling the Los Angeles Coliseum with some of its best artists – all to celebrate the pride and power of the community in Watts! This set features a distillation of the much longer concert, along with one never-issued track – titles that include "Baby" by Carla Thomas, "Old Time Religion" by The Golden 13, "I've Been Lonely For So Long" by Frederick Knight, "Them Hot Pants" by Lee Sain, "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "I'll Take You There" by Staple Singers, "I Can't Turn You Loose" by The Bar-Kays, "Hearsay" by Soul Children, "The Breakdown" by Rufus Thomas, "Ain't That Loving You" by David Porter, "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by William Bell, "Explain It To Her Mama" by The Temprees, "Precious Lord Take My Hand" by Deborah Manning, "I Am Somebody" by Jesse Jackson, and "Shaft" by Isaac Hayes – plus the never-issued "I Shall Not Be Moved" by Eric Mercury. CD

A stunning selection of work from the legendary Stax records – a package of rare material that includes 11 tracks that appear here for the first time ever! We've been fans of the legendary Memphis soul label for a mighty long time – and, as with Motown, we're always amazed at how much wonderful work that Stax recorded, but never issued at the time – a surprise to many, but of the best sort possible! And the "groove" in the title is a reference to the fact that most of the cuts here are upbeat and funky – all done in the years before disco, and in a mix of styles that moves between uptempo 60s soul and some of the 70s funk that the label was turning out in their final years – served up here in a superb collection of cuts that will only deepen your love of the Stax label. Titles include "Bad Water" by Little Milton", "Can We Talk This Over" by Eddie Floyd, "Burning On Both Ends" by The Nightingales, "How Can I Be A Witness" by RB Hudmon, "Soul Groove" by Art Jerry Miller, "Don't Fight The Feeling" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Three's A Crowd" by The Temprees, "Helping Man" by Jean Knight, "True Love Don't Grow On Trees" by Veda Brown, "Leaning On Your Undying Love" by Shack, "The Natural You" by Ollie & The Nightingales, "Ain't Enough Hours" by The Emotions, "Passing Thru/World Keeps Turning (extended)" by Frederick Knight, "You Ain't Playing With No Toy" by Soul Children, "Love Is Taking Over" by Eric Mercury, and "I Got To Be Myself" by The Rance Allen Group. CD

The Houseplant series really takes off with this killer triple-LP set – a massive batch of funk and soul, both old and new – presented here in a really great assortment of modes! There's some great deep tracks from the 70s here, alongside some well-chosen contemporary cuts from the international funk underground – plus a few other assorted surprises along the way – keeping the label's strong reputation for serving up a record that's way different than the standard funk compilation! Titles include "Short Stopping" by Veda Brown, "What's Good For You" by Harvey Scales, "Little Saddy" by Andre Ethier, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "Slide" by Adesse Versions, "Gettin Funky Round Here" by Black Nasty, "Love Theme From Spartacus" by Yusef Lateef, "Town Called Nowhere" by Skip Mahoney & The Casuals, "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Blah Blah Blah" by Saun & Starr, "Gotta Let Me Know" by Breakestra, "Jamaica Ska" by Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, "Legend In My Own Mind" by The Stepkids, "Lament 1" by Dustin Laurenzi, "Trouble" by Frederick Knight, "The Echo" by Epsilons, "A Little Bit More Won't Hurt" by Bettye Crutcher, "The Who Who Song" by Jackie Wilson, and "Don't Stop" by The Bar Kays. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible addition to the rich legacy of Stax Records – a massive collection of 146 tracks, almost all of which appear here for the first time ever – a set that represents recordings done by all the great songwriters who were working for Stax at the time, most of whom were also recording artists on the label! Given that fact, these aren't scratchy recordings performed by hacks who can't sing – as almost all the material features the sort of top-shelf vocalists who made Stax such a deep soul powerhouse in the 60s and 70s – represented here in a style that shows just how much freedom of creative expression the label allowed its best – very different than the way some of the bigger companies would just cram a song down a quickly-booked session in the studio! Plus, these demo tracks are done in a variety of modes – some with very stripped-down instrumentation, some with fuller groups – and together, they offer a key look at the creative process at Stax – one that's very different than the iconic sound of productions in their Memphis studio, and which really shows an even deeper range of expression through the variety of approaches. The 7CD set has a really cool approach – CDs 1, 2, and 3 feature demos by Stax artists singing their own material; CD4 features Stax singer/songwriters working on non-Stax material; and CDs 5, 6, and 7 feature songs by these artists that were never issued at the time! The set includes work by The Staple Singers, William Bell, Carla Thomas, Bettye Crutcher, Homer Banks, Eddie Floyd, Veda Brown, Frederick Knight, Mack Rice, Delaney Bramlett, Jimmy Hughes, and many others – and the package features 146 tracks in all, with copious notes on the material! CD

A heady concept album from this legendary group – one that features a suite of tracks that all share concerns for the environment! Given the amount of electricity at play, the album's maybe not as "green" of a set as it might be – but Nektar definitely seem to create some energy of their own in a heady blend of keyboards, guitars, bass, and drums! The familiar instruments are used in really powerful, soaring styles – and the production has some cool touches around the edges that change things up nicely, and add in just the right sort of spacey currents. Lead vocals follow the message in the music – and titles include "Cybernetic Consumption", "Recycle Countdown", "Flight To Reality", "Unendless Imaginations", "Sao Paulo Sunrise", "It's All Over", and "Costa Del Sol". 5CD set features bonus tracks "Flight To Reality (single)" and "It's All Over (single) – plus the 2024 Geoff Emerick mix, and bonus live material recorded in Toronto and Long Island in 1976! CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A seminal session from Roscoe Mitchell – beautiful work recorded for the small Nessa label, and a real testament to the fragile beauty of his music! Some of the tracks are solo, and others feature Roscoe in shifting groups with other AACM players – a duet with bassist Malachi Favors, another with reedman Anthony Braxton, a trio with Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and George Lewis on trombone, and a quartet with Joseph Harman, Henry Threadgill, and Wallace McMillan. The sound's about as haunting as you can get for the AACM in the 70s – sensitive sounds, complex tones, and a rich approach to creative music that goes far beyond jazz – a really stark contrast to the styles of New York or European avant players from the same period! Titles include "Off Five Dark Six", "A1 Tal 2LA", "Nonaah", "Sing", "Chant", "Ericka", and "Tahquemenon". CD

... CD

The scene may be changing, but nothing can dampen the fire of the great Bud Powell – and, if anything, this fifth installment in Blue Note's "Amazing" series may well have the pianist at his mature best! The rhythm duo are wonderful – more late 50s modern hardbop than some of Bud's accompanists in years past – the great Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums, both of whom can bring the fire when needed, yet also craft their lines with these subtle touches that really match Powell's incredible dexterity on piano. Tunes are shorter than usual for a Blue Note album of this vintage – but mostly because all three players pack a hell of a lot into a very small space – and really make timeless magic on titles that include "Down With It", "Cleopatra's Dream", "Gettin' There", "Danceland", "Borderick", and "Duid Dee". CD features a bonus alternate take of "Comin Up". CD

Wax Poetics hails musical mavericks in issue #57 – with android soul star Janelle Monae on one side of the cover, and Soul Train dancer-turned Shalamar singer-turned solo superstar Jody Watley on the other – plus features on leftfield soul, funk, hip hop and rock creative spirits Souls Of Mischief, Earl Sweatshirt and Todd Rundgren! This issue also includes pieces on Brazilian soul hero (and Dusty Groove favorite) Ed Motta, Black Milk, Kon, Boardwalk, Kon, Bruno Morais, Milosh, a deeper look at the story of the Soul Train Dancers and more! Magazine

A deep dive into the vaults of the legendary Stax Records – the Memphis label who helped usher in a whole new sound in soul music during the 60s, and was still going strong in the early part of the 70s! In the final years, Stax was hitting big with a number of stars, but also recording a bit more than they got the chance to issue at the time – all top-quality work, often with the key songwriters and studio talent behind the hits – some of which was lost to the sands of time, due to financial troubles in the label's last few years. Yet those rare gems live again here – as Ace/Kent do a superb job of dipping into the legacy of rare and unreleased material from this period – a good deal of which shows Stax moving the bar even further, by advancing the styles of southern soul with newly sophisticated modes. If you know the last few Soul Children records on Stax, you'll get the vibe here – spun out on a great run of 20 tracks that include "I'm Too Old To Play" by Jimmy Hughes, "How Can I Win Your Love" by Eddie Floyd, "I'm Tired" by Mavis Staples, "Come Get From Me (parts 1 & 2)" by David Porter, "You Need Love" by Chuck Brooks, "Ain't No Way" by Shirley Brown, "Did You Hear Yourself (part 1)" by Randy Brown & Company, "Ain't Nobody Like My Baby" by Lee Sain, "I'll Do Anything For Your Love (single edit)" by William Bell, "Standing In The Safety Zone" by Soul Children, "We've Got Love On Our Side" by Bettye Crutcher, "Guilty Of Loving You" by Veda Brown, "Let's Make A Deal" by Frederick Knight, and "A Smile Can't Hide A Broken Heart" by Ollie & The Nightingales. CD

Ten tracks from Scotty Mishoe, D Housholder, Craig Erickson, Todd Duane, Joy Basu, Stephen Ross, Ron Thal, Bernd Steidl, Rich Kern, Derek Taylor, and Scotty Mishoe. CD

Jazzy guitar from the great Laurindo Almeida – with Chuck Domanico on bass, Clare Fischer on acoustic and electric iano, Emil Richards on vibes and marimba, Frederick Seykora on cello, Aime Maurice Vereeck on percussion, and Chuck Flores on drums and percussion. LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly complex score from the great Les Baxter – written for Roger Corman's famous film version of The Fall Of The House Of Usher! The music is quite lush at times – more orchestral than some of the Baxter exotica from the same period, but still filled with lots of great little twists and turns – especially as the narrative moves on – that ear for odd sounds and unusual tunings that made Les one of the real standouts of his generation! There's lots of weird watery passages, moody reed tones, and offbeat string sounds – and this great reissue features remastered sound and a full booklet of notes. Titles include "Madeline Usher", "Roderick Usher", "Buried Alive", "Catalepsy", "Pallbearers", and "The Ancestors". CD

The long-overdue release of an unissued Blue Note session from 1959 – one that features a version of the Jazz Messengers right before Wayne Shorter joined the group, with the mighty Hank Mobley on the quintet lineup on tenor! The Messengers in 1959 and 1960 were really at the top of their game – and here feature the fantastic newcomers, Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, both of whom were helping drummer Blakey to form a new, evolved version of the sound he'd been crafting with other lineups in previous years – aided here by the rock-solid Jymie Merritt on bass! As with some of the other unissued Blue Note dates of this type, the whole thing is fantastic – not an unformed, half-baked session – but the kind of material that could stand right next to Blakey classics of the time, like The Big Beat or Moanin. Titles include "Quick Trick", "M&M", "Just Coolin", "Jimerick", "Close Your Eyes", and "Hipsippy Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual record for the Malaco label – and one that represents a time when the Mississippi deep soul powerhouse was coming to terms with some of the dancefloor changes of the time! Frederick Knight produced – and side one has him giving James Bradley a few surprising club cuts that almost feel more like Miami groovers of the time – balanced out nicely with some slower-steppers on side two, which really seem perfect for Bradley's mix of soul and sophistication! These cuts are wonderful – really overlooked gems that often sound little like Malaco work, and maybe more like some of the modern soul moments on labels like Capitol or Arista at the time. Titles include "Wrapped Up In Your Love", "I'm In Too Deep", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Knowing You're My Everything", "Never Too Far Away", and "Let's Do It Together". CD

A pair of soul jazz guitar gems from the legendary Boogaloo Joe Jones – back to back on a single CD! First up is the first-ever album from one of our favorite jazz guitarists ever – the mighty Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones – the man who helped funky guitar find a whole new place in jazz with his albums for Prestige Records! This set's the first in that legendary run – and has Joe working in a style that's maybe a big straighter than in later years – but still more than wild enough to earn the "psychedelic" tag in the title! The record begins with some quartet tracks that really have Joe taking off – in a group with Ron Carter on bass, Ben Dixon on drums, and Richard Landrum on congas – then the set moves into some Hammond-based material with Limerick Knowles on organ, plus Alexander Witherspoon on electric bass and Bud Kelly on drums – obscure players overall, but who bring a nice edge to the record. Most of the cuts are covers, but the sound's nice and groovy, and Boogaloo Joe, as usual, is a great soloist – on titles that include "There Is A Mountain", "The Mindbender", "Games", "Sticks & Stones", and "Right Now". On My Fire, Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones steps forward strongly on his second set for Prestige Records – working with a nicely unified combo that includes the great Harold Mabern on piano, plus a bit of electric piano too – alongside tight rhythms from Peck Morrison on bass, Bill English on drums, and Richard Landrum on conga – all in a mode that's a mix of 60s soul jazz, and some of the wilder styles that Jones would pick up even more in a few records. A few tracks are nice and long, which allows for good solo space – and titles include "Light My Fire", "Time After Time", "Ivan the Terrible", "Take All", and "For Big Hal". CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A record that really marks the sophisticated transformation of the Meshell Ndegeocello sound – a move from the more straightforward soul of her earlier releases, to the complicated mix of sounds that's almost made her a genre unto herself! Throughout the years, Meshell has been as much an instrumentalist as a singer – and that quality really comes through here in charts that use gentle strings and darker currents next to the midtempo rhythms of the tracks – really enriching the sound while the singer opens up with more honesty and personal energy than ever before! The whole thing works wonderfully together as a really unified suite of tracks – on titles that include "Bitter", "Satisfy", "Fool Of Me", "May This Be Love", "Sincerity", "Wasted Time", "Eve", "Grace", "Loyalty", and "Adam". Features bonus instrumental and alternate tracks! CD

A 90s classic from Meshell Ndegeocello – and one of the key records in showcasing how much new soul energy was beginning to brew up in the decade! The set forges an instant bridge between contemporary modes and the 70s – but all in a way that's freshly forward, not retro sleepy – as Meshell bursts forth with this voice that sets a whole new standard for female soul, and one that doesn't need to reference Aretha or Chaka, nor pretend it was raised on hip hop either! There's a power to the record that just gets stronger with each fresh listen – as you'll hear on titles that include "God Shiva", "Stay", "Bittersweet", "The Womb", "The Way", "Leviticus Faggot", "Deuteronomy Niggerman", "Ecclesiastes Free My Heart", "God Shiva", and her great cover of "Who Is He & What Is He To You". CD

An overlooked roots rock nugget from the early 70s – and a record that should be known well enough for its work from singer Judy Roderick – an artist who'd already spent plenty of time in the folk underground of the 60s! Yet the sound here isn't folk at all – much heavier, as if Judy's picked up some influences from blues and southern rock – qualities that come through especially when she picks up the electric guitar, which she does on most of the album's tracks – in a way that's very different than her folk records of the 70s! The production is nice and lean – that respectful, laidback vibe that labels like Atlantic were giving records like this at the time – on titles that include "Shake It & Break It", "Canyon Persuasion", "Cocaine Shuffle", "Maid Of Constant Sorrow", "Callin You Down", and "Country Girl Again". LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say? "Ring My Bell" was one of the biggest crossover disco tracks of the late 70s – with a cool electronic groove on the beat, and lyrics and production by Frederick Knight, making the southern soul singer one of the more unlikely disco forces of the time. This 12" single features the full 8 minute version – with the "Midnight Mix" by Richie Rivera. 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of THE disco hits of the 70s – a set that spawned not only a huge hit single for Anita Ward, but which also firmly pushed the Miami scene over the top! The record's a wonderful mix of modes – served up with stone southern soul production from Frederick Knight, but also given plenty of disco touches from arranger Mike Lewis – who famously works in strings and keyboards in ways that really help the vocals soar! The mellower numbers are a great reminder that Anita's way more than just the usual club diva – a singer able to make things work strongly on a ballad front as well – and some of the best tracks here are penned by Sam Dees, who brings a level of songwriting that you normally wouldn't find on a disco record. Titles include the hit "Ring My Bell" – plus "If I Could Feel That Old Feeling Again", "Sweet Splendor", "You Lied", "Make Believe Lovers", and "I Won't Stop Loving You". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic entry in this long running series – a batch of compilations that normally focuses on rare disco grooves, but which also features a fair bit of funky soul nuggets this time around! The groove is still mostly uptempo, but with all these wonderfully weird, wild funky elements in the mix too – not gimmicky tracks, but the kind of unusually-crafted cuts that are quite far from the mainstream – and which show that there were often some really amazing things happening in the farther reaches of the soul music underground at the end of the 70s! Plus, most of these cuts are impossibly rare – so much so that many are reaching our ears for the first time, via this excellent compilation – in a list of tracks that includes "Specialty Item" by MVP Cloudburst, "Give Me Love" by EKG, "Disco 2000" by Pleze, "Flashback" by Jeff Burns, "Dance Your Blues (part 2)" by Spellboun, "Forget Yourself" by Body Heat, "Say Raise Your Hand & Say McNasty" by McNasty, "Reflex" by Reflections, "Reaching For Our Star" by Sharon Revoal, "Space Ghost (parts 1 & 2)" by Jackson Lee, "Spend Some Time With Me" by Rideout, "Move On" by Frederick, "I'm Into Your Love" by Executive Jam, "Seeking" by Cash Money, "Give It Up" by Horizon, and "Twilight" by Firewater. CD

An incredible addition to the rich legacy of Stax Records – a massive collection of 146 tracks, almost all of which appear here for the first time ever – a set that represents recordings done by all the great songwriters who were working for Stax at the time, most of whom were also recording artists on the label! Given that fact, these aren't scratchy recordings performed by hacks who can't sing – as almost all the material features the sort of top-shelf vocalists who made Stax such a deep soul powerhouse in the 60s and 70s – represented here in a style that shows just how much freedom of creative expression the label allowed its best – very different than the way some of the bigger companies would just cram a song down a quickly-booked session in the studio! Plus, these demo tracks are done in a variety of modes – some with very stripped-down instrumentation, some with fuller groups – and together, they offer a key look at the creative process at Stax – one that's very different than the iconic sound of productions in their Memphis studio, and which really shows an even deeper range of expression through the variety of approaches. The 7CD set has a really cool approach – CDs 1, 2, and 3 feature demos by Stax artists singing their own material; CD4 features Stax singer/songwriters working on non-Stax material; and CDs 5, 6, and 7 feature songs by these artists that were never issued at the time! The set includes work by The Staple Singers, William Bell, Carla Thomas, Bettye Crutcher, Homer Banks, Eddie Floyd, Veda Brown, Frederick Knight, Mack Rice, Delaney Bramlett, Jimmy Hughes, and many others – and the package features 146 tracks in all, with copious notes on the material! CD

An important pre-Art Ensemble Of Chicago moment – one that has most of the group coming together in a pair of rare recordings in the home of Lester Bowie – already sounding amazingly creative as a unit! The sound is almost freer than later work by the group – or certainly at the fierceness they hit right at the start of the 70s – and the lineup here includes both Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman on a range of reed instruments, Lester Bowie on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Malachi Favors on bass – plus strong input from Thurman Barker on drums, and an appearance on one track from Curtis Clark on bass! The sound is wonderfully raw, and surprisingly clear for a home recording – and the power of the music is undeniable. Both tracks – "A To Ericka" and "Quintet" – were previously part of the Art Ensemble box set on Nessa – but that's been out of print for years, and together these compositions work wonderfully as a full album! CD

Maybe the funkiest album ever from Detroit guitar genius Dennis Coffey – a set that takes off nicely from his early funky 45s, but which also delivers the goods in a longer-form mode that's completely outta sight! We love Coffey's later albums on Sussex Records, but the vibe here is even more raw – a core combo with Lyman Woodard playing some amazing lines on organ, with just bass and drums for support – letting both of the players really stretch out and do their thing! The drums are great, very funky throughout, with plenty of breaks – and titles include some great Galt MacDermot grooves like "Let The Sunshine In", "Sodomy", and "Aquarius" – plus other excellent covers and originals, like "Hair & Grits", "Hey Jude", "Do Your Thang", "Iceberg's Thang", "It's Your Thang", and "Electric Thang". CD

... CD

The scene may be changing, but nothing can dampen the fire of the great Bud Powell – and, if anything, this fifth installment in Blue Note's "Amazing" series may well have the pianist at his mature best! The rhythm duo are wonderful – more late 50s modern hardbop than some of Bud's accompanists in years past – the great Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums, both of whom can bring the fire when needed, yet also craft their lines with these subtle touches that really match Powell's incredible dexterity on piano. Tunes are shorter than usual for a Blue Note album of this vintage – but mostly because all three players pack a hell of a lot into a very small space – and really make timeless magic on titles that include "Down With It", "Cleopatra's Dream", "Gettin' There", "Danceland", "Borderick", and "Duid Dee". CD

A deep dive into the vaults of the legendary Stax Records – the Memphis label who helped usher in a whole new sound in soul music during the 60s, and was still going strong in the early part of the 70s! In the final years, Stax was hitting big with a number of stars, but also recording a bit more than they got the chance to issue at the time – all top-quality work, often with the key songwriters and studio talent behind the hits – some of which was lost to the sands of time, due to financial troubles in the label's last few years. Yet those rare gems live again here – as Ace/Kent do a superb job of dipping into the legacy of rare and unreleased material from this period – a good deal of which shows Stax moving the bar even further, by advancing the styles of southern soul with newly sophisticated modes. If you know the last few Soul Children records on Stax, you'll get the vibe here – spun out on a great run of 20 tracks that include "I'm Too Old To Play" by Jimmy Hughes, "How Can I Win Your Love" by Eddie Floyd, "I'm Tired" by Mavis Staples, "Come Get From Me (parts 1 & 2)" by David Porter, "You Need Love" by Chuck Brooks, "Ain't No Way" by Shirley Brown, "Did You Hear Yourself (part 1)" by Randy Brown & Company, "Ain't Nobody Like My Baby" by Lee Sain, "I'll Do Anything For Your Love (single edit)" by William Bell, "Standing In The Safety Zone" by Soul Children, "We've Got Love On Our Side" by Bettye Crutcher, "Guilty Of Loving You" by Veda Brown, "Let's Make A Deal" by Frederick Knight, and "A Smile Can't Hide A Broken Heart" by Ollie & The Nightingales. CD

An early collection of punk and more from Virgin Records – includes songs from The Motors, X-Ray Spex, Roky Erickson, XTC, Penetration, Poet & The Roots, Avant Gardener, and The Table! LP, Vinyl record album