Very cool small group work from the Ellington camp – a handful of rare sides by each artist as a leader – including trumpeter Rex Stewart, pianist Billy Taylor, clarinetist Barney Bigard, and trombonist Juan Tizol. CD

Lennie Tristano on piano – accompanied by Billy Bauer on guitar, and Clyde Lombardi or Bob Leinger on bass. CD

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Titles include "She's My Baby", "Keep It To Yourself", "You Killing Me", "Born Blind", "The Goat", "Down Child", "Checkin Up On My Baby" and "Nine Below Zero" – 45 tracks total. CD

Includes 30 tracks by Elmore James, BB King, Junior Wells, John Lee Hooker, Little Milton, Jimmy Reed, Koko Taylor, Howlin' Wolf, Bobby Bland, Otis Spann, Hound Dog Taylor, and others. CD

An ultra-groovy record label celebrates its 15th anniversary – in a hip selection of 15 tracks that features a fair bit of previously-unreleased tracks! For over a dozen years, Record Kicks has been serving up global funk from its homebase in Milan – spanning the planet to uncover some great contemporary acts with a sound that hearkens back to the glory days of 60s and 70s soul – and occasionally reissuing some lost classics from that period, too. The set's got plenty of deep funk and retro soul that really live up to the Record Kicks legacy – and titles include "Top Dog" by Hook & Slingers, "Come Back" by The Devonns, "This Strange Effect" by The Tibbs, "Love You Back" by Third Coast Kings, "The Sort" by Crabs Corporation, "One More Time" by The Faithful Brothers, "You Don't Know Me" by Dojo Cuts with Roxie Ray, "Money" by Tanika Charles, and "Hurt Me So" by Diplomats Of Solid Sound. LP, Vinyl record album

More funky breaks than Evel Knevel after the Snake River Canyon jump! The groove hounds at BGP records were set loose on the Ace catalog – which includes holdings from Atlantic, Stax, Volt, Westbound, and other funky classic labels – and they managed to come up with a killer batch of funky cuts, even though this is their 3rd dip into the crates! If anything, perhaps they dipped even deeper this time – especially as some of the once-trusted sources for breaks, like the famous Ultimate Breaks & Beats series, are now disappearing from the market. Titles include "Soul Pad" by The Coasters, "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Nappy Dugout" by Funkadelic, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by The Mad Lads, "The Rose" by 50 Foot Hose, "Holy Ghost" by The Bar Kays, "No Strings Attached" by The Mad Lads, "After Laughter Comes Tears" by Wendy Rene, "River's Invitation" by Freddie Robinson, "This House Is Smokin" by BT Express, "Music Man (parts 1 & 2)" by Pleasure Web, and "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 37 tracks on 2 CD – and not just the later Columbia sides, but lots of early material too! CD

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

Includes the tracks "'Round Midnight", "Bemsha Swing", "Blue Monk", "Rhythm-A-Ning", "Epistrophy", "Crepuscule With Nellie", "Misterioso", "Brilliant Corners", "Well You Needn't", "Ruby, My Dear (Take 3)", and "Straight, No Chaser". CD

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

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An ultra-groovy record label celebrates its 15th anniversary – in a hip selection of 15 tracks that features a fair bit of previously-unreleased tracks! For over a dozen years, Record Kicks has been serving up global funk from its homebase in Milan – spanning the planet to uncover some great contemporary acts with a sound that hearkens back to the glory days of 60s and 70s soul – and occasionally reissuing some lost classics from that period, too. The set's got plenty of deep funk and retro soul that really live up to the Record Kicks legacy – and titles include "Top Dog" by Hook & Slingers, "Come Back" by The Devonns, "This Strange Effect" by The Tibbs, "Love You Back" by Third Coast Kings, "The Sort" by Crabs Corporation, "One More Time" by The Faithful Brothers, "You Don't Know Me" by Dojo Cuts with Roxie Ray, "Money" by Tanika Charles, and "Hurt Me So" by Diplomats Of Solid Sound. CD

Deep deep funk from the legendary Westbound label – the important early home to Ohio Players and Funkadelic, but also host to some other great funky groups too! In keeping with the name, the cuts here focus on the kind of Westbound tracks that have great drum breaks in their groove – or which stand out as great selections for sampling, too – but all presented with the same sort of care, research, and attention to detail that the Ace label brings to all of their famous soul collections! In other words, the whole thing's got all the sharp edges and funky beats as one of those dodgy sample collections – but the sound is better, the tracks are legit, and the whole thing features detailed notes as well. Titles include "Kissing My Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Funky Worm" by Ohio Players, "Suzie Thundertussy" by Junie, "You & Your Folks Me & My Folks" by Funkadelic, "Music Man (part 2)" by Pleasure Web, "Back From The Dead" by King Errisson, "You're Gettin A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds, "Pack Of Lies" by The Counts, "Funk It Down" by Caesar Frazier, "Good Old Music" by Mgictones, "The Fuz & Da Boog" by Fuzzy Haskins, "Heartbreaker Of The Year" by Denise LaSalle, "Does He Treat You Better" by Unique Blend, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Mixed Up Moods & Attitudes (Tom Moulton mix)" by Fantastic Four, "Tightrope (single mix)" by Junie, and "I'll Bet You" by Funkadelic. CD

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

Great stuff by one of Motown's most hard-rolling vocal groups! The Contours are best known for their super-huge hit "Do You Love Me?" – a number that you've heard countless times, either on oldies radion stations or northern soul oriented dancefloors – but the group's got an incredible sound that takes them way past this one hit, to a legacy of excellent Motown sides that's finally compiled in this long overdue set! Titles include "Shake Sherrie", "You Get Ugly", "Whole Lotta Woman", "Can You Jerk Like Me", "So Grateful", "The Stretch", "Move Mr Man", "It's So Hard Being A Loser", "Baby Hit & Run", "Don't Let Her Be Your Baby", and "Your Love Grows More Precious Everyday". 18 tracks in all! CD

Another wonderfully remastered set of beauties by one of country's sweetest and most critically overlooked charmers! Skeeter's best solo work kind of bridged the gap between 60s crossover country and Phil Spector brand pop, and we couldn't be happier to see RCA giving her the kind of reverential CD release she so richly deserves! Tracks include "Set Him Free", "The One You Slip Around With", "No, Never", "Optimistic", "The End Of The World", "Mine Is A Lonely Life", "Let Me Get Close To You", "I'm A Lover (Not A Fighter)", and "Bus Fare To Kentucky". 20 tracks in all. CD

A sweet collection of the former lead singer of the Temps' solo 80s work, worth the price alone for the monster 80s jam "Don't Look Any Further!" That tune alone would serve as a template for countless other acts, influencing everyone from Soul II Soul to Eric B & Rakim with it's sly reggae influenced bassline and crisp popping beat. And while much of his 80s output didn't live up to the hugeness of his hits with the Temptations, there's a treasure trove of nice modern soul tracks here, with a great 80s groove! Includes "Breakin Loose", "I'm Up For You", and the slow jams "You're My Aphrodesiac" and "Coolin Out". 16 tracks in all. CD

With 34 tracks on 2 CD's. CD

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A totally cool book – and one that goes way past the familiar Led Zep images you may know from their classic records of the 70s – as this hefty volume is filled with strange an unusual covers for records that contain music by the band – rare imports, unusual pressings, and a huge amount of concert recordings as well! There's just a hint of what's inside on the cover – and the collection features Led Zeppelin records from around the world, both full LPs and 7" pic sleeves – some on black vinyl, others on colored vinyl and strange pressings – all lovingly collected, and served up here in full color images throughout! The book is heavy, hardcover, and features over 300 illustrations – oversize, and in glorious color. Book

Includes the tracks "Watermelon Man", "'Round Midnight", "Cantaloupe Island", "Maiden Voyage", "Circle", "The Sorcerer", "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Hidden Shadows", "Chameleon", "Joanna's Theme", "Butterfly", "People Music", "Milestones", "4 A.M.", "Come Running To Me", "Finger Painting", "Stars In Your Eyes", "Rockit", "St. Louis Blues", and "Manhattan". CD

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Music and themes from King Kong, Now Voyager, The Caine Mutiny, Adventures Of Don Juna, The Searchers, Sergeant York, Gone With The Wind, and Casablanca – performed by the City Of Prague Philharmonic and Westminster Philharmonic Orchesta. CD

Includes 55 tracks on 3 CDs! CD

An amazing compilation of the genius work of Brazilian composer/arranger/singer Marcos Valle! Valle originally started out by writing some of the biggest hits of the bossa era, but as time and the sixties wore on, he got waaaaay out in his approach to the music, and really began experimenting with a lot of crazy funky and electronic sounds, in this mad baroque way that we'd rank up there with the best groundbreaking work in MPB. Most of his best material's been out of print for years, and this extremely well-selected set gives you a rare chance to hear some of his greatest moments. This record is totally great, and will leave your jaw dropping in awe at such cuts as "Freio Aerodinamico", "Proton Electron Neutron","Mentira", "Nao Tem Nada Nao", "Democustico", and "Terra De Ninguem". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes 30 tracks on 2 CDs. CD

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Music from Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz International, Papa Noel, Oliver Tuku Mutukudzi, Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens, Les Troubadours Du Roi Baudouin, Cissoko, Diogal, Simentera, Mose Fan Fan, and more. CD

Tracks include "In The Night Time" by Michael Henderson, "You Are My Starship" by Normon Connors featuring Michael Henderson, "Valentine Love" by Normon Connors featuring Michael Henderson & Jean Carn, "We Bothe Need Each Other" by Normon Connors featuring Michael Henderson & Phyllis Hyman, "Curious" by Midnight Starr, "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William DeVaughn, "Sexy Mama" by Moments, "I Want You" by Tomiko Jones, and "Making Love" by Pam Todd & Love Exchange. 12 cuts in all – some the original 12" single mixes! CD

Stacked compilation with music from John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Duke Ellington, Hank Mobley, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan, Jimmy McGriff, Lonnie Smith, Charles Mingus, Archie Shepp, Herbie Hancock, and much more. CD

Way more than just a typical collection of rare funk and soul – as the selections here not only meet the stunningly high standards of the BGP label – but they've also been sampled in more recent years for hip hop records and other contemporary recordings! Essentially, you've got the best of both worlds – vintage funk from the late 60s and early 70s – brought together in a great collection – and work that's gone onto form the blueprint for contemporary urban sounds as well – which means you'll probably recognize some or part of most of these songs from their use in more contemporary recordings. Nearly every cut's been sampled at least more than once – and titles include "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Chick A Boom" by Pazant Brothers, "Eva" by Jean Jacques Perry, "Walk Tall" by Cannonball Adderley, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Bouncy Lady" by Pleasure, "Tramp" by Lowell Fulson, "Take Yo Praise" by Camille Yarbrough, "Thinking Single" by The Counts, "Different Strokes" by Syl Johnson, "Ike's Mood" by Isaac Hayes, "What A Man" by Linda Lynell, and "Smokey Joe's La La" by Googie Rene. Funky funky! LP, Vinyl record album

Classic breaks – all the way through – the kind of sharp funky nuggets that have had a rich new life, thanks to their use in hip hop and club tracks in recent years! This may not be the most underground stuff in the world to those out there who've been digging through crates for funk and soul for the past ten years, but it is an exquisite compilation that features some of the best funky tracks used as samples by hip hoppers, nearly every one of them a famous cut that you'll probably recognize in a minute! Titles include "I Like It" by The Emotions, "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "Hard Times" by Baby Huey, "Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth" by 24 Carat Black, "Kool Is Back" by Funk Inc, "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines, "Heaven & Hell" by 20th Century Steel Band, "Unhooked Generation" by Freda Payne, "Papa Was, Too" by Joe Tex, "Just A Groove In G" by Wilbur Bascomb & The Zodiac, "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William De Vaughn, and "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds. 18 cuts in all! LP, Vinyl record album

Long live Cubop – one of the greatest labels for Latin music in the past 25 years, and still one of the imprints that most frequently graces our turntables! Cubop have stepped in where many other labels fail –resurrecting a solid, classic style of Latin jazz that isn't always recorded with such care and respect. Work on the label has features some of the greatest talents – young and old – of the sometimes-neglected west coast scene, as well as essential work by other players who've been influenced by older recordings by those originators. This 13 track set features a great selection of work from Cubop – and includes a few exclusive and rare tracks, next to others from some of the best releases on the label. Titles include "Kimbisa" by Bobby Matos, "My Favorite Things" by Francisco Aguabella, "My Dream Boogaloo" by Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers, "Bemba Colora" by Jack Costanzo, "Back To The Roots" by Dave Pike, "Juan Jose" by Papo Vazquez, "Barrets Bag" by Har You Percussion Group, "Tresguanco" by Derf Reklaw, and "Skin & Bones" by Johnny Blas. CD

Deep deep funk from the legendary Westbound label – the important early home to Ohio Players and Funkadelic, but also host to some other great funky groups too! In keeping with the name, the cuts here focus on the kind of Westbound tracks that have great drum breaks in their groove – or which stand out as great selections for sampling, too – but all presented with the same sort of care, research, and attention to detail that the Ace label brings to all of their famous soul collections! In other words, the whole thing's got all the sharp edges and funky beats as one of those dodgy sample collections – but the sound is better, the tracks are legit, and the whole thing features detailed notes as well. Titles include "Kissing My Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Funky Worm" by Ohio Players, "Suzie Thundertussy" by Junie, "You & Your Folks Me & My Folks" by Funkadelic, "Music Man (part 2)" by Pleasure Web, "Back From The Dead" by King Errisson, "You're Gettin A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds, "Pack Of Lies" by The Counts, "Funk It Down" by Caesar Frazier, "Good Old Music" by Mgictones, "The Fuz & Da Boog" by Fuzzy Haskins, "Heartbreaker Of The Year" by Denise LaSalle, "Does He Treat You Better" by Unique Blend, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Mixed Up Moods & Attitudes (Tom Moulton mix)" by Fantastic Four, "Tightrope (single mix)" by Junie, and "I'll Bet You" by Funkadelic. CD

With music from Buckwheat Zydeco, Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin', Beau Jocque and Zydeco Hi-Rollers, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas and more. CD

A massive tribute to the long career of Dennis Bovell – the British artist who first rose up in the late 70s group Matumbi, then went on to share his production talents with a host of other artists in the decades that followed! This double-length set brings together a career-spanning set of tracks that all were handled by Bovell – a first half that features his own recordings under a number of groups, and a second half that features Bovell production and studio work with a range of other artists too – including some rare and unissued material, in a package put together by Dennis himself! Titles include the Bovell cuts "Run Rasta Run" with African Stone, "Come With Me" as Dennis Curtis, "The Grunwick Affair" and "Za Lon" with 4th Street Orchestra, "Blood Ah Go Run/Blood Dem (12" mix)" by Matumbi, and cuts "Brain Damage", "Chief Inspector", "Dub Master", "Silly Dub", "Caught You In A Lie", "After Tonight (acoustic version)", "Raindrops", "Eye Water", and "Pow Wow" – all issued under Bovell's name. The second half features titles that include "African Queen" by Errol Campbell, "Africa Is Our Land" by Joshua Moses, "Take Five" by Young Lions, "Portrait Of You" by Gladwin Wright, "Hooked On You" by Delroy Wilson, "Cry" by Angelique, "A Little Way Different/Differentah (12" mix)" by Errol Dunkley with Julio Finn, "Silly Games" by Janet Kay, "Get Up Stand Up" by I Roy, and "Positive Vibrations" by Pebbles. CD

Includes 33 track on 2 CDs. CD

20 tracks in all – most from his legendary Goldwax Records years in Memphis! CD

Includes 40 tracks on 2 CDs! CD

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Impeccable western swing from fiddler and master showman Spade Cooley! CD

Includes the songs "Now's The Time", "Jeru", "Compulsion", "Tempus Fugit", "Walkin'", "'Round Midnight", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "New Rhumba", "Generique", "Summertime", "So What", "The Pan Piper", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "My Funny Valentine", "E.S.P.", "Nefertiti", "Petits Machins (Little Stuff)", "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Little Church", "Black Satin", "Jean Pierre", "Time After Time", and "Portia" CD

Includes the songs "Now's The Time", "Jeru", "Compulsion", "Tempus Fugit", "Walkin'", "'Round Midnight", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "New Rhumba", "Generique", "Summertime", "So What", "The Pan Piper", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "My Funny Valentine", "E.S.P.", "Nefertiti", "Petits Machins (Little Stuff)", "Miles Runs The Voodoo Down", "Little Church", "Black Satin", "Jean Pierre", "Time After Time", and "Portia" CD

30 classic Bob Dylan tracks – served up in one mighty nice set! CD

Includes 35 tracks on 2 CDs! CD

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Four old school classics from the great Flash mix CD: "Planet Rock" by Africa Bambaataa, "The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel" by Grandmaster Flash, "I Can't Wait" by Nu Shooz, and "Good Times" by Chic. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes two previously unreleased tracks from 1974, plus cuts from the soundtracks to Fast Times At Ridgemont High and Footloose – 20 tracks total. CD

A great collection of sides from one of the true giants of the tenor saxophone. This collection finds Hawk in a variety of settings, with support from Roy Eldridge, Hank Jones, George Duvivier, Walter Perkins, Ray Brown and others, though our favorite number is the stunning solo piece "Picasso". Also includes a great reading of his signature tune "Body & Soul", plus "There's A Small Hotel", "Sunday", "Hanid", "The Walker", "How Long Has This Been Going On" and "In A Mellow Tone". LP, Vinyl record album

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An excellent collection of work by The Marvelettes – including a number of previously unissued tracks! The girls were one of Motown's first really strong acts – as you'll hear on the set's 18 tracks, which include "The Boy From Crosstown", "Your Cheating Ways", "Reachin For Something I Can't Have", "On The Other Side Of Town", "I Just Can't Let Him Down", "Maybe I Dried My Tears For The Last Time", "When I Need You", "When You're Young & In Love", "Caught You Puttin The Game On Love", "I Have Someone Who Loves Me Too", "I Need Someone", "Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead", and "Please Mr Postman". CD

Features work with Graham Bond, Tony Williams Lifetime, Miles Davis, the Joe Farrell Quartet, Carla Bley, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Carlos Santana, and Jaco Pastorius! CD

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Includes 35 funky tracks on 2 CDs! CD

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23 tracks. CD

Includes 16 tracks from the Lester Young Quartet and the Kansas City Seven. CD

Music from T Bone Walker & Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, Muddy Waters Blues Band, Joe Williams, Joe Turner, and Memphis Slim. CD

Music from T Bone Walker & Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, Joe Williams, and Joe Turner. CD

Music from Gal Costa, Jorge Ben, Erasmo Carlos, Tom Jobim & Astrud Gilberto, Caetano Veloso, Luiz Bonfa, Edu Lobo, Elis Regina, Baden Powell, Joao Gilberto with Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto, Elis Regina, Jorge Ben, Gal Costa, Vinicius De Moraes & Odette Lara, Marcal, and Vinicius De Moraes. CD

Music from Compay Segundo Y Su Grupo, Pio Leiva, Grupo Sierra Maestra, Beny More, Eliades Ochoa, Trio Matamoros, Generoso Jimenez, Orquesta Aragon, Estrellas De Chocolate, Tito Gomez, Los Van Van & more. CD

A great look at the Spring family of soul music labels from the 70s – a range of imprints that carried a surprisingly great range of styles, all of them extremely well-done! Spring maybe first got its start in a southern and deep soul mode – but the label was soon equally well-suited to the coming grooves on the New York scene – particularly the kinds of upbeat funk in the years before disco – a mode that the label followed nicely through the 70s, without ever restoring to any sort of easy cash-in sort of work. Instead, Spring, Event, and other related labels always kept things interesting – often by focusing on the singers first, and finding a great way to showcase artists from the south with wider fame across the US scene – while also having a strong ear for underground talent who maybe only got the chance to issue a single or two on the label. The package features 25 tracks in all – lots of cuts that aren't on the market in any other form – and titles include "Tom The Peeper" by Act 1, "Drowning In The Sea Of Love" by Joe Simon, "Magic's In The Air" by Ronnie Walker, "Love Contest" by The Joneses, "Come And Get These Memories" by Ray Godfrey, "It's My Life" by Mainstreeters, "If We Get Caught I Don't Know You" by Phillip Mitchell, "Love Contest" by The Joneses, "Bumpin' & Stompin'" by Garland Green, "I Can See Him Making Love To You" by Mayberry Movement, "My Man A Sweet Man" by Millie Jackson, "How About A Little Hand For The Boys In The Band" by The Boys In The Band, "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by Busta Jones, "Too Through" by Jocelyn Brown, "Baby You Got It All" by Street People, "SOS (Stop Her On Sight)" by Winfield Parker, "Get Ready/Uptight" by Little Eva Harris, and "Jody Come Back & Get Your Shoes" by Bobby Newsome. CD

Way more than just a typical collection of rare funk and soul – as the selections here not only meet the stunningly high standards of the BGP label – but they've also been sampled in more recent years for hip hop records and other contemporary recordings! Essentially, you've got the best of both worlds – vintage funk from the late 60s and early 70s – brought together in a great collection – and work that's gone onto form the blueprint for contemporary urban sounds as well – which means you'll probably recognize some or part of most of these songs from their use in more contemporary recordings. Nearly every cut's been sampled at least more than once – and titles include "Blind Alley" by The Emotions, "Chick A Boom" by Pazant Brothers, "Eva" by Jean Jacques Perry, "Walk Tall" by Cannonball Adderley, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Bouncy Lady" by Pleasure, "Tramp" by Lowell Fulson, "Take Yo Praise" by Camille Yarbrough, "Thinking Single" by The Counts, "Different Strokes" by Syl Johnson, "Ike's Mood" by Isaac Hayes, "What A Man" by Linda Lynell, and "Smokey Joe's La La" by Googie Rene. Funky funky! CD

Classic breaks – all the way through – the kind of sharp funky nuggets that have had a rich new life, thanks to their use in hip hop and club tracks in recent years! This may not be the most underground stuff in the world to those out there who've been digging through crates for funk and soul for the past ten years, but it is an exquisite compilation that features some of the best funky tracks used as samples by hip hoppers, nearly every one of them a famous cut that you'll probably recognize in a minute! Titles include "I Like It" by The Emotions, "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "Hard Times" by Baby Huey, "Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth" by 24 Carat Black, "Kool Is Back" by Funk Inc, "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines, "Heaven & Hell" by 20th Century Steel Band, "Unhooked Generation" by Freda Payne, "Papa Was, Too" by Joe Tex, "Just A Groove In G" by Wilbur Bascomb & The Zodiac, "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William De Vaughn, and "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds. 18 cuts in all! CD

More funky breaks than Evel Knevel after the Snake River Canyon jump! The groove hounds at BGP records were set loose on the Ace catalog – which includes holdings from Atlantic, Stax, Volt, Westbound, and other funky classic labels – and they managed to come up with a killer batch of funky cuts, even though this is their 3rd dip into the crates! If anything, perhaps they dipped even deeper this time – especially as some of the once-trusted sources for breaks, like the famous Ultimate Breaks & Beats series, are now disappearing from the market. Titles include "Soul Pad" by The Coasters, "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Nappy Dugout" by Funkadelic, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by The Mad Lads, "The Rose" by 50 Foot Hose, "Holy Ghost" by The Bar Kays, "No Strings Attached" by The Mad Lads, "After Laughter Comes Tears" by Wendy Rene, "River's Invitation" by Freddie Robinson, "This House Is Smokin" by BT Express, "Music Man (parts 1 & 2)" by Pleasure Web, and "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter. CD

Includes 15 tracks by the Dixie Cups, Jelly Beans, Shangri-Las, Ad Libs, and Trade Winds. CD

Deep deep funk from the legendary Westbound label – the important early home to Ohio Players and Funkadelic, but also host to some other great funky groups too! In keeping with the name, the cuts here focus on the kind of Westbound tracks that have great drum breaks in their groove – or which stand out as great selections for sampling, too – but all presented with the same sort of care, research, and attention to detail that the Ace label brings to all of their famous soul collections! In other words, the whole thing's got all the sharp edges and funky beats as one of those dodgy sample collections – but the sound is better, the tracks are legit, and the whole thing features detailed notes as well. Titles include "Kissing My Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Funky Worm" by Ohio Players, "Suzie Thundertussy" by Junie, "You & Your Folks Me & My Folks" by Funkadelic, "Music Man (part 2)" by Pleasure Web, "Back From The Dead" by King Errisson, "You're Gettin A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds, "Pack Of Lies" by The Counts, "Funk It Down" by Caesar Frazier, "Good Old Music" by Mgictones, "The Fuz & Da Boog" by Fuzzy Haskins, "Heartbreaker Of The Year" by Denise LaSalle, "Does He Treat You Better" by Unique Blend, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Mixed Up Moods & Attitudes (Tom Moulton mix)" by Fantastic Four, "Tightrope (single mix)" by Junie, and "I'll Bet You" by Funkadelic. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set – 46 Chess Records recordings, including a few unissued titles! CD

Includes solo material plus work with Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Michel Colombier, and Joni Mitchell – 27 tracks total. CD

The first ever career-spanning look at the music of legendary vocalist Asha Puthli – a singer who's maybe best known for her 70s club work on the European scene, but who also has a much wider range of expression – which you'll discover here! There's definitely some of the soul-based work that's made Asha a favorite with the rare groove scene over the years – but the set also includes early work with rock bands, and even a few experimental jazz numbers that predate her recordings for the discos! The double-length set is a delight throughout – a package that's really opened our eyes to sides of Asha's music we never knew – and titles include performances with Ornette Coleman on "What Reason Could I Give" and "All My Life", work with Charlie Mariano on "Mirror", vocals with The Surfers on "Sound Of Silence" and "Sunny", and with The Savages on "Pain" – plus solo tracks that include "Lies", "Right Down Here", "We're Gonna Bury The Rock", "Mister Moonlight", "1001 Nights Of Love (reprise)", "Music Machine", "Peek A Boo Boogie", "Devil Is Loose", "Space Talk", "I'm Gonna Dance", and "One Night Affair". CD

The first ever career-spanning look at the music of legendary vocalist Asha Puthli – a singer who's maybe best known for her 70s club work on the European scene, but who also has a much wider range of expression – which you'll discover here! There's definitely some of the soul-based work that's made Asha a favorite with the rare groove scene over the years – but the set also includes early work with rock bands, and even a few experimental jazz numbers that predate her recordings for the discos! The double-length set is a delight throughout – a package that's really opened our eyes to sides of Asha's music we never knew – and titles include performances with Ornette Coleman on "What Reason Could I Give" and "All My Life", work with Charlie Mariano on "Mirror", vocals with The Surfers on "Sound Of Silence" and "Sunny", and with The Savages on "Pain" – plus solo tracks that include "Lies", "Right Down Here", "We're Gonna Bury The Rock", "Mister Moonlight", "1001 Nights Of Love (reprise)", "Music Machine", "Peek A Boo Boogie", "Devil Is Loose", "Space Talk", "I'm Gonna Dance", and "One Night Affair". LP, Vinyl record album