A killer Mirwood bit of northern soul – solo work from Bobby Garrett, usually heard in a duo but plenty great here on his own – bringing this raspy charm that keeps the tune nicely down to earth, even when the arrangements and backing vocals really soar! Those elements get plenty of play on the flipside – an all instrumental romp that follows the groove of the main track! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Dramatic music from the Sirk film Written On The Wind – with even cooler music on the flipside – the "Rhapsody For Four Girls In Town", with piano from Andre Previn, trumpet from Ray Linn, and orchestrations by Henry Mancini! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer cut from New Orleans singer Joyce Harris – very different than any take of the tune you might expect! Joyce has a way of mixing soulful inflections with raw rocking modes – kind of like Wanda Jackson singing R&B – and this mix of the tune has all these strange changes and odd effects that really amplify the groove, as Joyce sings with the Daylighters group of Sonny Rhodes! The flipside is equally raw and rocking – a tune that's got plenty of soul, but also has some heavier romping modes too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A totally great little record – the initial recording of "Boogie Chillen" by the legendary John Lee Hooker – presented here on a 7" pressing that looks like the original single on Sensation Records from Detroit! Unlike that one, this issue features a bonus second take of the tune on the flipside – one that's even more raucous than the original! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A set that's partly an album by massive funk trio Khruangbin, and partly a tribute to some of the musicians they worked with on a recent tour – as side one has the other performers in the lead, while Khruangbin gets plenty of instrumental space on the flipside! The group themselves turn in a great James Brown tribute in the mix of "Blind Man Can See It/It's The Monaurail" – and also serve up "Bin Bin", "Friday Moring", "People Everywhere", and "Number 4". Other titles include "Nobody Smokes Anymore" by Robert Ellis, "Woman Trouble" by Kelly Doyle, "At The Trailride" by Ruben Moreno, and "Don't Bother Me" by The Suffers. LP, Vinyl record album

Khruangbin add one more chapter to their ongoing series of live albums – this time serving up a set that had them working with Toro Y Moi as their opening act! As with other records in the series, each act gets their own side of the album – and Toro Y Moi feature on side one, with the tracks "Girl Like You", "Ordinary Pleasure", "The Loop", "Deja Vu", and "Millennium". Khruangbin are tight and funky on the flipside – serving up the tunes "August 10", "Maria Tambien", "August Twelve", and "First Class". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual set from Kracker – a record that's possibly more rock/pop at the core, but one that definitely shares some of the soulful touches of other albums on the Dash label too! The group dress like a funk band on the album's flipside photo – and they've got vocal interplay that's not unlike some of the blue eyed soul groups on the east coast – set to rhythms here that are sometimes disco, sometimes a bit more flamboyant pop – and titles include "Woman", "Lucky Are Those", "Lady Of My Life", "Alarm Clock Blues", "Back In My Arms Again", and "Gentleman Of Men". CD

A spot-on set from pianist Andy Laverne – all original material, penned by Andy himself, and underscored here by some excellent work on tenor sax from Ben Solomon! Solomon's got a richness to his tone that's great – a slightly dark edge that seems to bring out the same in Laverne's piano – as the pair work with tight rhythm accompaniment from Jason Tiemann on drums and Mike Richmond on bass – a pair who use a light touch, but in a very effective way – often gently swinging, but letting the piano and tenor really set the tone! Titles include "Corean", "Solace", "Bassline", "Tune For Tyner", "Flipside", and "Wistful Thinking". CD

A very strange record from Chicago! The album features one side of soul jazz piano work by the Lafayette Leake trio – a bluesy group from Chicago that feature Leake on piano, Clifton James on drums, and Willie Dixon on bass. They play one very long track called "Soul Wrinkles", with lots of nice changes, and a good live feel. The flipside of the record features radio DJ E. Rodney Jones reciting an extended work called "Might Is Right", with backing "courtesy of Chess Records". The work is vaguely political, and has a similar sound to records by Gary Byrd and Jim Ingram – although less funky. A strange one, but a great relic of the kind of indie record scene that once helped spread knowledge and wisdom through the African American community. LP, Vinyl record album

Two keyboard heavy cuts – a great original, and a funky cover too! The group's "Inner Space" is wonderful – and begins with this romping drum part that sets the tune for a mellower keyboard line – all nice and funky, and balanced with each other in a really unusual way! The flipside features a remake of the great Manzel tune "Space Funk" – with a drumbreak that's a nice take on the sound of the original's intro – and a nicely changed-up bassline that's a perfect blend for the cool moogy keyboards! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Diviniti sings on both cuts here – adding in some mighty soulful vocals! "Shine" is a great clubby groover from a few years back – and definitely showcases the warmer side of dancefloor work that Shuya Okino has been bringing to the world since his days in Kyoto Jazz Massive – a wonderfully uplifting tune! The flipside's a great take on Shuya's excellent "Sun Will Rise" anthem – again with excellent vocals from Diviniti! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two amazing works from Belgian electronic genius Alain Pierre – both appearing in this form for the first time ever! Side one features 11 minutes of continuous music that Pierre created for the short film O Sidarta – music that mixes a range of electronics, keyboards, and acoustic percussion with studio effects and voice – all with a result that almost feels like some of the longer-form prog creations of the German scene of the time – although with qualities that are much more varied, less rock-based, and with occasional nods to the earlier generation of musique concrete! The flipside features the 17 minute "Notions De Physique Intererieure" – a work that uses a wide array of electric sources in a very short space – theremin, Arp sequencer, Telefunken echomixer, and more Arp, Kort, and Oberheim keyboards – all in this slow-building, wonderfully spacey sort of mode – almost hinting at some of the straighter fantasy soundtracks that Pierre would create in the mainstream – as the piece has the feel of a story in sound! LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued late work from the mighty Sun Ra – a single that features an extended solo piano piece on "Hello Mr Schimmel" – a track that's a really great reminder of how much we love Ra in this format! For anyone who's ever thought of Ra as a trickster, or as an avant musician with no understanding of jazz – we present this wonderful track – a fantastic bit of piano work that links the musician back to the generations of Art Tatum and Erroll Garner, while also demonstrating the kind of personal ideas that always made his own recordings so great. The performance was done for the UK's Jazz FM radio in 1990 – and the flipside features a 12 minute interview with the show's host, Jez Nelson. 7-inch, Vinyl record

There's nothing blues-like about this great little cut from 1979 – one that has Warren Raye singing deep soul vocals over a slow-stepping groove with some warm modern soul production – very much in that warmer shift in southern soul that was taking place on labels like Malaco in the latter half of the 70s – a quality that's carried through on the flipside – an excellent cut that wasn't even issued back in the day! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Soul singer Marietta Smith steps out with a gentle glide over the funky stepping rhythms of "Tumblin Down" – really helping open up the motion of the tune as she works with a very distinct vocal approach! The flipside's an instrumental, "Return Of The Soul Sabre" – one that has the group really kicking it with great funky drums, a catchy organ line, and some cool spacey touches on the guitar that make the whole thing sound spacey and spooky – but funky too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Quite an unusual record for Sonny Rollins – but a great one too! At first glance the concept is a strange one – almost a crazy decision to pair modernist tenorist Sonny Rollins with a set of large brassy arrangements – but oddly, the idea works, and works nicely – as Rollins' edgey solos cut through the heavy arrangements with ease, creating some angular counterpoint and a tight little space to make his own sound. The group was conducted by Ernie Wilkins, and the flipside of the album features Rollins playing in a small trio with the great Henry Grimes on bass (who also played with Rollins on some of his best sessions from the time!) and Charles Wright on drums. Titles include "Manhattan", "If You Were The Only Girl In the World", "Who Cares?", and "Far Out East". CD

"Ensadinado" isn't an easy title to say – but the tune is a wonderfully catchy groove from European vibist Fats Sadi – pulled from his rare Saba album of the same name! The cut's got kind of a modal soul sort of approach – with help from the core of the Clark Boland ensemble on rhythm – Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! The flipside is a great take on the Boland number "Night Lady" – even better on this version with vibes in the lead! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Sim-E Auto smoked it up on the third volume of this great series, and he returns with even more force on this collection of well-chosen cuts! Production on most of side one is by Temper3000 – and tracks include "Mind Trixxx" and "After Midnight" – plus a guest appearance from Bogey on "Rokk Dis" and Ill Seed on "Men Or Mice". The flipside features a more varied mix of cuts and collaborations – with cuts that include "Un Game (rmx)" with Illanoyz, "Impervious" with Denmark Vessey, "Tyme" with Skyzoo, "Sultan Of Ishtar" with UG, and "3 Roundzzz" with Guilty Simpson and Sean Price. LP, Vinyl record album

Fuzzy funk from the Italian scene of the early 70s – a really landmark record that ties together all the best elements happening in the soundtrack, sound library, and psych scene at the time! The group features two guitars and lots of organ and keyboards from the leader – really stretching out on the side-long title track "Under Pompelmo", which is a massive jam, but one that never trips out too much to stop being funky – a surprisingly great groove that stays right in the pocket for all of its 16 minutes and 50 seconds! The flipside features shorter tracks, but equally great – all like some lost sound library funk numbers of the period, but served up by a small combo with more focus on guitar and weird production styles – on titles that include "Honda", "When I See You", "Echoes From Canyon", and "To Rebound". CD

One of the most incredible pop tracks of the 60s! Billy Stewart's reading of "Summertime" sounds nothing like you've ever heard! The cut has these rolling popping vocals, and a triple-time groove that turns the cut into a dark stormer filled with raw energy. The flipside is very nice, too – and has a great loping mid-tempo feel to it, with nice piano parts underneath Stewart's heartfelt lyrics. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Solo recordings with a side's worth of originals and standards on the flipside. LP, Vinyl record album

Great 60s soul from the Cali scene – two cuts you'd be hard-pressed to find on vinyl anywhere else! "Wear Your Natural" is a hip little number that really lives up to the promise of its title – kind of a slow-building soul cut with plenty of righteous power – Towana's lead vocals getting plenty of nice chorus support. The great Ty Karim is on the flipside – the mighty "If I Can't Stop You", a tune that has a righteous slow-stepping funky groove, in a way that almost sounds like something that might have backed up Marlena Shaw! 7-inch, Vinyl record

"Give It Up Or Turnit Loose" is far and away one of the best James Brown singles of all times! The bassline on the intro is amazing – one of those moments where you sit up and go "DANG! That sound is incredible!" – good reason why the cut's been sampled countless times over the years! But the whole thing is great too – with tight, sharp, shouted vocals by James – and some razor-sharp work by the rest of the band . The flipside's a nice rare instrumental! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Shouting storming uptempo funk from JB – and a track that really hints at his work at the end of the 70s! The cut screams dancefloor all over the place – and believe us, when James has bugs in his pants, he sure knows how to scream! Plus, this single also includes the oddly-numbered "parts 15 & 16" on the flipside! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Legendary Latin Soul singer Joe Bataan joins the Funkool Orchestra on "Can't Keep Foolin" – a cut that makes really great use of those heartbreaking vocals that made Joe such a sweet soul giant at the end of the 60s! The tune's got an unusual approach – as it moves fast at points, then slows, then grooves again – and Joe's vocally great in both modes! The flipside features a different singer, and has a Latin funk vibe that's very old school overall! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two fantastic cuts from Cravo E Canela – a Brazilian combo who take the Brasil 66 style of Sergio Mendes, and move it into even groovier, funkier territory! "Preco De Cada Um" has this soaring blend of female vocals, funky bass, and wonderful piano and keyboard lines – moving at a great clip, but never too fast – and with richer colors that really open up the tune! The flipside features a beautiful mixing of "Asa Branca" and "Que Nem Gilo" – in a tune that uses the forro energy of the original to bring a sharp edge to the jazzy changes of the vocals and instrumentation! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A rare cut from this great French group – excellent in the original, and mighty nice in the rework! The main version is wonderful – funky and clubby, but with a very jazzy vibe – one that's echoed by the duo singing the lead lyrics in French, and by the keyboard solo that does some mighty nice things in the middle! The re-work on the flipside kicks up the groove a bit more, and stretches out some of the best elements – but still has plenty of room for those great vocals and keys! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A totally great package – one that brings together some of the coolest cuts ever from the early solo years of Weldon Irvine! Side one of the record features two takes on his great "Deja Vu" – the initial short version, which has more of a take on the catchy jazzy lyrics – and the longer version, which runs for almost ten minutes, and has more jazzy solo work! The flipside features the totally wonderful "Feelin Mellow" – a cut with a few singers working next to Weldon's electric piano lines, giving the whole thing a very righteous vibe – which is carried through on the cool "Watergate Don't Bug Me" – complete with melodica from Weldon, Fender Rhodes from George Cables, and some cool extemporaneous lyrics about Watergate! LP, Vinyl record album

A sound library tune that really lives up to its title – a De Wolfe library gem that pays tribute to Motown Records, but with a slightly different vibe too! Basil Kirchin's better known for offbeat and moody music – yet here, the tune is certainly a romping groove – but with some unusual fuzz guitar, and even a bit of harmonica used to evoke Little Stevie Wonder! The flipside is another De Wolfe track, but from a few years later – done in this bad-stepping 70s funk mode that feels like it's lifted right off some action soundtrack – cool vibes and fuzz guitar over a groove that also has a bit of conga at the bottom! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great collection that brings together early 50s work in the "birth of the cool" mode! Side one features Lee Konitz and Miles Davis – in a group with Sal Mosca, Max Roach, and Billy Bauer, on very "birth of the cool" like tracks that include "Odjenar", "Hi Beck", "Yesterdays", and "Ezz Thetic". The flipside features several takes of "All The Things You Are", "I'll Remember April", and "These Foolish Things", plus "You'd Be So Nice To Come To" with Jimmy Gourley on guitar, Henry Renaud on piano, Don Bagley on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Two sweet instrumental funky gems – both great! "El Bobo" is a Latin-tinged number from fusion giant Webster Lewis – filled with great keyboards that soar out through the tune, ala Ramsey Lewis 70s electric – but with a much more complicated groove! On the flipside, the Spirit Of Atlanta deliver their answer to Curtis Mayfield – with a soaring groover that builds strongly, has a great organ so, and a very cool percussion breakdown too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really great remake of the Brazilian classic "O Ronco Da Cuica" – presented here with vocals from original writer/singer Joao Bosco – and done in a stretched-out, very jazzy take that runs for over nine minutes! Dudu Lima brings in plenty of bass, next to piano, percussion, and drums from Ivan Mamao Conti of Azymuth – and then the flipside features a great track that just has Dudu on bass and Joao Bosco on vocals and acoustic guitar! 12-inch, Vinyl record

An odd little groover from Chicago – but a great one! "Have Some Fun" has this incredible groove – stop/start, with lots of scratchy guitar underneath the female vocals of the track – sung in ensemble mode, almost with this weird "call" type style! Then, the flipside takes the tune into instrumental territory with the Mod Lads – lots and lots of vamping, peppered with raw guitar work instead of the vocals! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great little soul track – and the record that put George Clinton on the map! "Testify" is a landmark cut – with a great rolling soul sound that takes up the heavy production style of Detroit, and points it towards the psychedelic future of the Mothership. The flipside's a great harmony track, too – with some nice vibes floating in the background, and a good gimmicky chorus! It's more of a Chicago track than a Detroit one – but it's done very nicely. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A sweet sweet classic from Prince – a tune that was hailed as a move to psychedelic modes at the time, but which was really just a way for the singer to open up a whole new side of his talents! "Raspberry Beret" is wonderfully catchy – but it's also got a groove that's maybe a bit less sexy than some other Prince material – almost as if he's more laidback and confident, he can just breeze into the tune in a mighty nice way. The flipside's equally nice – and the single's one of the classic pic sleeve 12" from Prince's huge 80s run! 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the most fantastic tracks ever written by Gil Scott Heron – a mellow but majestic tribute to the fragility of existence, and the kind of material that has him really putting himself out there – at a level that so few other singers can ever match! On the flipside, "I Think I'll Call It Morning" has a slightly more upbeat vibe, and this warm piano line that's mighty nice too – while Gil's vocals are equally powerful throughout! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great remake of one of the biggest cuts ever from the legendary Roy Ayers – done here with a version that's got even more vibes than the original! In fact, the core groove is very much like the Ayers recording, but the cut soon moves into loads of jazzy vibes – and also has a great bass breakdown in the middle! The flipside takes out the initial burst vibes, but keeps all the grooves intact – and brings in some sweet jazzy keyboard work from Diplomats Of Soul, then brings back in the vibes! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A fully and funky spider from the De Wolfe sound library of the 70s – one that's got all sorts of heavy horns and tight drums, and packs a punch that would be sure to tear open a spiderweb in seconds! That same approach is used on the flipside – a hot-moving cut that's definitely not a cool character – as the whole thing moves along at the pace of some cop/crime chase cut, complete with driving drums and funky horns! 7-inch, Vinyl record

JJ Whitefield has given us plenty of funky records over the years – most in vintage styles, including work as Poets Of Rhythm and Karl Hector & The Malcouns! This time around, there's a sound library approach, but with the slight Ethio vibe you'd guess from the title on one side – then an Italian cinematic inspiration on the other! The Ethiopian-flavored tunes are maybe more laidback, and have some elements that resonate with the 70s golden age, but with a lean funk sound and a bit sharper production – as befits the sound library approach. The flipside echoes lots of great Italian crime/cop modes from the 70s – but again, with a slightly leaner style that really lets the best funky elements come through strongly! Titles include "Hulet", "Sost", "Arat", "Sebat", "Sidist", "Asir", "Orecchiete", "Parmagiano", "Strozzapreti", and "Buttoni". LP, Vinyl record album

A Finnish funky jazz classic gets the remix treatment! Side one of this cool single features Olli's original version of "Grandma's Rocking Chair" – a driving number with electric piano in the rhythms, and a trumpet on the groove. Olli breaks out on the electric keys in a great solo in the middle – sounding almost like the Bob James of the icy north! The flipside features a remix that's very much in the Kenny Dope mode (hence the name) – taking it out to a full 15 minutes by slowing the tune town, looping it over, pumping in some beats, and changing up the groove with a lot of extra percussion! The remix version is every bit as jazzy as Olli's – and is actually a much hipper remodeling job than the original! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Two fantastic cuts from one of the greatest Roy Ayers albums ever! "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" is an incredible blend of righteous soul, funk, and jazz – a slow-moving, head-nodding tune that's gone on to have an equally long life as a huge sample and song influence in hip hop! "Lonely Cowboy" is a lesser-remembered tune, but one that's got a great little groove – like finding a lost track on the flipside of a 45! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Sublime jazzy club from David Benoit – one of our favorite numbers on the AVI label at the time! The tune's just as Brazilian-flavored as you might expect from the title – a wonderful blend of romping rhythms, sweet scatting vocals, and some tinkling piano that's totally great – a real change from the usual, and with a sense of soul that almost reminds us of Rodney Franklin at points! The flipside's pretty great too – a bit more electric funk, but still with plenty of jazzy flourishes and some nice use of moog! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Although this single's actually from the movie Hairspray, it's a killer 2-in-1 of early 60s Chicago soul hits! Ray Bryant's "Madison Time" is incredible – and it's got a sinister walking piano line, backed with "calls" by Eddie Morrison that turn the cut into a fantastic groover with a very dark sound. The flipside is a sweet little girl soul cut, with a great mellow vocal! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A wicked bit of Nigerian funk from the start of the 80s – served up in a very hip blend of Afro Disco and leaner street soul modes! The groove's got some sweet keyboards alongside the catchy sing-song lyric – very uncomplicated, which really lets the focus stay on the rhythms – which are almost in a Tom Tom Club or "Rapture" sort of style! The flipside is equally catchy, too – a cool cut with a stark approach to the groove that's almost influenced by South Bronx party music – but served up here in a unique Afro style too! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Great grooves from Burundi – two very rare tracks! "Shoreza Inyange" begins with a keyboard flow, then takes a break for a spoken/shouted part from the lead singer – before the whole group rolls into the mix, and soars up the tune with tight horns and rhythms, ensemble vocals, and lots of strange sonic touches along the way! The flipside is even funkier – a great bassline and lots of tight riffing guitar! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Some of the greatest Miles Davis material ever recorded – and not really ever officially issued as an album until this collection! The recordings are from the magical year of 1958, a time when Miles was working in the Kind Of Blue mode – on the album of the same name, one of his all-time standout classics. The work on this set is in a very similar spirit – recorded by a sextet that includes the rhythm section of Jimmy Cobb, Paul Chambers, and a young Bill Evans, who brings a magically modal feel to the album that really gives it an edge. Added to that are the saxophones of John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, blowing together in two ends of the soul spectrum, really stretching the color palette from Miles' usual work. Miles himself seems very inspired by the company, and works with plenty of space to allow the saxophonists to stretch out in wonderful solos – and Evans himself is simply amazing, working wonderfully in the setting, making us wish he'd recorded more group dates like this one! The first 3 tracks on the set were briefly issued on the flipside of the Jazz Track album (an obscure Columbia LP that also included 10 songs from the soundtrack to Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud), and a few others on later live LPs – but this is the first time the material from that group has appeared together as a full album. Includes stellar versions of "Stella By Starlight", "Green Dolphin Street", "Fran Dance", "My Funny Valentine", "Oleo", and "Love For Sale". CD

The Deep South Band definitely hail from the part of the country you'd expect – yet their groove here is very much the sharp ensemble funk that you'd hear from the best scenes up north – especially the growing world of groups in Ohio! The group state their case with the wonderfully catchy "Deep South Is" on the a-side – then let loose instrumentally even more on the flipside, "Touch Of Soul" – which has plenty of freewheeling keyboards and guitar, and some lively vocals egging the players on! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings celebrate that other big holiday in December – with two very groovy tracks that rival some of the best Christmas soul classics from years back! "8 Days Of Hanukkah" is wonderfully upbeat and swinging – with a vibe that's totally great and positive, and which has Sharon vocally making her way through the eight different days of the holiday! The flipside is more of a "part 2" to the cut – which is more than groovy enough to be worth flipping over the record! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A plenty great dancefloor number, done in an extended Miami mode that features plenty of bass and percussion breakdowns in the middle! Lots of sparer passages really make the instrumental tune sparkle! The flipside is a vocal number, and a bit more conventional club. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A split record from these two very hip talents – a set that features one side of work from saxophonist Nubya Garcia, the other from funky Khruangbin – both of them great! Nubya blows tenor with a group that includes Daniel Casimiar on bass, Jahari Stampley on keyboards, and Sam Jones on drums – a quartet who move through that sublime mix of jazz and other modes that we love on Garcia's own records, delivered here with a more straightforward approach in the live setting, on tunes that include "Source", "La Cumbia Me Esta Llamando", and "The Message Continues". The flipside features more work in the best style that Khrungabin's been giving us on record, but again with a nicely different energy, given the live setting – on titles that include "Pelota", "So We Won't Forget", "The Infamous Bill", and "Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the greatest moments from the early solo years of John Lennon – an upbeat, joyous tune that really expresses the new energy he'd found in the company of Yoko – and a different sort of social message than his work with the Fab Four! And Yoko is pretty great on the flipside, too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A free jazz jam from the Nostalgia 77 Octet – easily their most far-reaching work to date, and only available on a limited edition vinyl EP! "The Impossible Equation" has the group stretching out in a side-long jam of space jazz proportions – building very slowly with a style that's even more sonically focused than their previous efforts – sounding nicely tripped up, but still a bit funky at the bottom, thanks to a bassline that steps strongly along underneath some of the more psychedelic solos! Instrumentation is mostly acoustic, as with other Octet records – but the production makes for some especially spacey sounds. The flipside features a great version of "Desert Fairy Princess" – done in a really righteous 70s soul jazz mode – plus the shorter "Well Being I", which is a bit outside! LP, Vinyl record album

The bass dives deep, but the percussion percolates nicely over the top – almost a Miami 70s funk groove, but more offbeat overall – as are the cool reed lines that get voiced over the groove in an excellent way! The percussion's even better on the flipside, which has a TK Records-style drum break at the beginning – as the cut then opens up to all sorts of cool psychedelic guitar, produced to perfection by Misha Panfilov! 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the more masterful albums that Prado cut for RCA, and a thrilling set of tracks with a very haunting feel. The entirety of side one features the extended "Exotic Suite Of The Americas", which has a storming Latin sound, mixed with nice exotica touches. The flipside features shorter tracks, but also done in a manner that has a wide dynamic range, with some startling arrangements. Titles include "Son Of A Gun", "Mama Yo Quiero", and "El Relicario". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet sweet classic from Prince – a tune that was hailed as a move to psychedelic modes at the time, but which was really just a way for the singer to open up a whole new side of his talents! "Raspberry Beret" is wonderfully catchy – but it's also got a groove that's maybe a bit less sexy than some other Prince material – almost as if he's more laidback and confident, he can just breeze into the tune in a mighty nice way. The flipside's equally nice – and the single's one of the classic pic sleeve 12" from Prince's huge 80s run! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The Reflections were a great lost soul group who cut one album for Capitol, plus a handful of singles. This nice one from 1975 features 2 strong cuts by the band – both with arrangements by Bert De Coteaux. "Three Steps" is a midtempo number, written by JR Bailey – and the flipside is more mellow, with a strong male vocal in the lead. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Quite an unusual record for Sonny Rollins – but a great one too! At first glance the concept is a strange one – almost a crazy decision to pair modernist tenorist Sonny Rollins with a set of large brassy arrangements – but oddly, the idea works, and works nicely – as Rollins' edgey solos cut through the heavy arrangements with ease, creating some angular counterpoint and a tight little space to make his own sound. The group was conducted by Ernie Wilkins, and the flipside of the album features Rollins playing in a small trio with the great Henry Grimes on bass (who also played with Rollins on some of his best sessions from the time!) and Charles Wright on drums. Titles include "Manhattan", "If You Were The Only Girl In the World", "Who Cares?", and "Far Out East". CD

Quite an unusual record for Sonny Rollins – but a great one too! At first glance the concept is a strange one – almost a crazy decision to pair modernist tenorist Sonny Rollins with a set of large brassy arrangements – but oddly, the idea works, and works nicely – as Rollins' edgey solos cut through the heavy arrangements with ease, creating some angular counterpoint and a tight little space to make his own sound. The group was conducted by Ernie Wilkins, and the flipside of the album features Rollins playing in a small trio with the great Henry Grimes on bass (who also played with Rollins on some of his best sessions from the time!) and Charles Wright on drums. Titles include "Manhattan", "If You Were The Only Girl In the World", "Who Cares?", and "Far Out East". Originally issued on MGM/Metro – but this is the Verve pressing. LP, Vinyl record album

Great clubby work from Diana Ross – all tracks pulled from her album The Boss – and featuring some great production from Ashford & Simpson! "It's My House" is nicely mellow – and steps along with a midtempo groove that's a nice relief from the overdone drama of Diana's other club tracks. The flipside features "No One Get The Prize/The Boss" – brought together as a bit of a medley, and with a bit more groove – but one that's more Ashford & Simpson overall! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Two wonderfully fresh works for orchestra – both conducted with plenty of inventive touches by Howard Hanson during his tenure with the Eastman Rochester Orchestra! "The Black Maskers" is a piece originally penned for a production of the dramatic work by Leonid Andreyev – but it works beautifully here on its own, in theses very vivid passages on woodwinds and percussion – recorded superbly, so that all of Hanson's energy from the stand flows through the playback of the performance. The flipside features "Tabuh Tabuhan" – a toccata for orchestra by Colin McPhee, done in a very modern sort of mode – one that mixes work on percussion that's almost gamelan-like at times, with brightly vivid orchestrations. The piece is beautiful – and almost seems like a precursor to later work by Lou Harrison, but mixed with some of the energy of the early century Russian composers. This CD version also includes Virgil Thomson's "Symphony On A Hymn Tune" and "The Feast Of Love". CD

A cool club track from the Caribbean scene – but one that's delivered here with lots of cosmic, electronic touches! The core version of "Let's Get Together" is reworked by Whiskey Barons – and the vocals by Winston Bailey bubble in and out of the pulsating blend of dark rhythms and original elements served up in the remix! The flipside features a nicely dubby version – plus the straight tune "Keep On Wailing", which bubbles with a great funky soca groove! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A rare gem on the tiny Shiptown label – issued here in a very cool pic sleeve for the very first time! "Just A Sad Xmas" is a beautifully slow-burning bit of soul – plenty of organ next to the heartbreaking vocals – as the tune steps along nicely, the builds up as things soar over the top – with a depth that almost feels like classic Stax Records! "Can't Nobody" is very Stax-like too – but more upbeat and joyous – almost like the guy on the main cut found a new lover for the flipside! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A fully and funky spider from the De Wolfe sound library of the 70s – one that's got all sorts of heavy horns and tight drums, and packs a punch that would be sure to tear open a spiderweb in seconds! That same approach is used on the flipside – a hot-moving cut that's definitely not a cool character – as the whole thing moves along at the pace of some cop/crime chase cut, complete with driving drums and funky horns! 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the principal albums in trip hop's ascension into the mainstream, and the bright, extroverted flipside to Portishead's darker vision of the late 90s scene. Mo Wax honcho James Lavelle's longstanding Unkle project got a massive makeover when DJ Shadow became the prime sonic architect for the Psyence Fiction LP. Shadow throws everything but the kitchen sink into the thing, working with a wide range of vocalists and collaborators from hip hop innovators (Kool G Rap, Mike D) to whiny alternative rockers (Richard Ashcroft, Thom Yorke). With a project as busy as Unkle, the law of subjectivity pretty much dictates that you're gonna love parts, and hate parts – but Shadow was so on top of his game at the time, he somehow manages to hold it all together. It may not be his best ever work, but Psyence Fiction certainly holds up, and it's an essential piece of the puzzle! Tracks include "Main Title Theme", "Guns Blazing", "Blood Stain", "Unreal", "Chaos", "Rabbit In Your Headlights", Lonely Soul", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Mose Allison's most sophisticated album, and one that has him going way past his usual "folksy jazzy" style, into a realm that touches on Monk-like modernism! The whole first side is Allison's extended "Hiram Brown" suite, which mixes vocal and instrumental passages in an extremely haunting way. The flipside features shorter versions of standards – some vocal, some instrumental – but all with more of a moderist sound than his earlier Prestige recordings – a great step forward for one of the most unique talents in jazz! LP, Vinyl record album

Not a group from Boston, but a really underground combo from Detroit – one headed up by Tony Green, who'd done a lot of earlier work with The Dramatics! The cut's got a great upbeat vibe – that underground club style that emerged in the years after disco – almost a return to the faster funk that first got things going in the mid 70s, with wonderful instrumentation that grooves nicely with the spirit of the lyrics! The flipside's got a heavier funk vibe – some 80s electro touches mixed with a P-Funk spirit – as a spoken message is delivered over the groove! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Some of the greatest Miles Davis material ever recorded – and not really ever officially issued as an album until this collection! The recordings are from the magical year of 1958, a time when Miles was working in the Kind Of Blue mode – on the album of the same name, one of his all-time standout classics. The work on this set is in a very similar spirit – recorded by a sextet that includes the rhythm section of Jimmy Cobb, Paul Chambers, and a young Bill Evans, who brings a magically modal feel to the album that really gives it an edge. Added to that are the saxophones of John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley, blowing together in two ends of the soul spectrum, really stretching the color palette from Miles' usual work. Miles himself seems very inspired by the company, and works with plenty of space to allow the saxophonists to stretch out in wonderful solos – and Evans himself is simply amazing, working wonderfully in the setting, making us wish he'd recorded more group dates like this one! The first 3 tracks on the set were briefly issued on the flipside of the Jazz Track album (an obscure Columbia LP that also included 10 songs from the soundtrack to Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud), and a few others on later live LPs – but this is the first time the material from that group has appeared together as a full album. Includes stellar versions of "Stella By Starlight", "Green Dolphin Street", "Fran Dance", "Little Melonae", and "Love For Sale". CD

Two Atlanta soul tracks from the 70s – back to back on a funky 45! "Higher Than High" has a great quick-stepping groove – almost a blacksploitation sort of vibe, which is matched by some nice Curtis Mayfield-type changes as the lyrics progress – but served up by Joe Graham in a style that's definitely his own! The flipside has John Edwards working some great magic on a sweet tune by Sam Dees – really opening up that emotion that Sam can bring to a song like "It's Got To Be The Real Thing"! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two rare gems from Westbound Records – both of them great! "Ain't No Telling" has a groove that's partly the Northern Soul of Detroit in the late 60s, mixed with some of the headier sounds that Westbound was starting to craft during the early 70s – all topped by fantastic soaring harmonies from the group! Those harmonies are maybe even better on the flipside – a cut that has a mellower vibe, but a sound that's maybe even more righteous overall! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A split record from these two very hip talents – a set that features one side of work from saxophonist Nubya Garcia, the other from funky Khruangbin – both of them great! Nubya blows tenor with a group that includes Daniel Casimiar on bass, Jahari Stampley on keyboards, and Sam Jones on drums – a quartet who move through that sublime mix of jazz and other modes that we love on Garcia's own records, delivered here with a more straightforward approach in the live setting, on tunes that include "Source", "La Cumbia Me Esta Llamando", and "The Message Continues". The flipside features more work in the best style that Khrungabin's been giving us on record, but again with a nicely different energy, given the live setting – on titles that include "Pelota", "So We Won't Forget", "The Infamous Bill", and "Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty hip split album – a set that features one side each of work by two contemporary Japanese combos! Side one features the Nautilus trio – a trio with mighty sweet keyboards and heavy funky drums – perfect for the group's jazzy instrumental remakes of tunes that include Gil Scott Heron's "The Bottle", Azymuth's "Manha", The Dramatics' "In The Rain", and William De Vaughn's "Be Thankful For What You've Got". The flipside features work from singer Anna Sato, who also plays some mighty nice koto and sanshin – next to funky drums and percussion from Toshiyuki Sasaki, who kicks things up in a mighty nice way! There's an unusual blend of ancient and groovy going on, but with a lean approach that avoids any schmaltz at all – on titles that include "Watasha", "Honenbushi", "Shumichi Nagahama", and "Ayahabura". 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

The "flipside" of Ike Quebec's legendary run of albums for Blue Note – a huge set of material recorded only as 45 singles during his same stretch at the label! Although Quebec's work as a soulful tenorist has been well documented and reissued over the years on albums like Blue & Sentimental and Heavy Soul, Ike also cut a fair number of singles aimed at the jukebox and radio crowds of the time – tunes that were more in the gutsy tenor and organ mode recorded by labels like Prestige or Chess, and which never made it onto any of the full-length sets for Blue Note! This great little package brings together all of Ike's 26 tracks recorded for 45s in the late 50s and early 60s – material that features organ on most numbers, played by either Ike Quebec, Sir Charles Thompson, or the enigmatic Edwin Swanston. Quebec's tone and phrasing is similar to his Blue Note LP work of the period, but there's also a more relaxed, and more punctuated feel to these recordings – one that's not as rough or raw as other jukebox tenor stars of the time, but which still steps out past the usual Blue Note poise, especially on the original numbers. Some tracks were briefly issued on the 80s collection With A Song In My Heart, and in a Mosaic box – but this is the first proper Blue Note album of the material. Titles include "Buzzard Lope", "Zonky", "Blue Monday", "Later For The Rock", "Dear John", "Blue Friday", "Ill Wind", "Mardis Gras", "Everything Happens To Me", "Me N Mabe", "All The Way", "Intermezzo", "All Of Me", and "Imagination". CD

A wonderful single from Street People – one that's got soaring harmonies that almost take us back to earlier east coast soul, but which are also put together with a tighter groove for the clubs! The cut's one of their best – and it really has the group hitting on all burners. The flipside's great too – a sweet mellow harmony number, but one with a slightly smooth polish too! 12-inch, Vinyl record