By this point in their career, The Commodores have lost Lionel Richie and any sort of funk credibility they had from their early years – but they also somehow manage to reemerge with a great new talent for a sweet mellow groove! The title tune "Nightshift" was one of those tracks that crossed over massively at the time – but to our ears, it also kind of redeemed the group too – as it's got a surprisingly soulful quality that really got the group past the soppiness of their ballads and love songs – gliding along with an almost-righteous quality that makes it a nice later cap to an earlier Motown 70s groove. Other tunes on the album don't always fare as well, but there's still some nice moments here – tunes that benefit from some Dennis Lambert production and hit just the right kind of mellow groove to follow up on the spirit of the single. Tracks include "Nightshift", "Slip Of The Tongue", "Lay Back", "Lightin Up The Night", and "The Woman In My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Just when you think you know everything there is to know about Motown, here comes a set to open your ears and blow your mind all over again! The set unearths a huge amount of rare work by The Contours – the rollicking group who gave Motown a sweet album and handful of singles in the 60s, but who also recorded a lot of other work that was never issued at the time – including a sweet array of tracks that feature a young Dennis Edwards as their lead vocalist! Edwards is best known for his work in the Temptations – but these tracks predate that time, when Dennis was brought in to give fresh focus to the ailing Contours – and lent his strong lead vocals to their massively grooving sound. The package features a whopping 26 tracks – 14 issued here for the first time ever, and a lot more pulled from only collections of rare Motown releases – and titles include "Determination", "I'll Turn To Stone", "I Like Everything About You", "Can't Do Without Your Love", "Come See About Me", "I Grow Deeper In Love Every Day", "Our Last Rendezvous", "Which Way To My Baby", "Need Your Lovin", "What's So Good About Goodbye", "Sunny", and "I'm Here Now That You Need Me". CD

A much-needed book for the open-minded listener – a well-written volume from jazz critic John Corbett – and one that's bound to widen your ears to a whole new realm of listening! The book's pocket-sized – maybe so that you can sneak it into a club when visiting a free jazz concert – and it's written in a style that's both personal, but very directive – with a full understanding of the complexities that come into play when listening to improvised music, and a guide towards facing some of the more difficult challenges involved! Corbett clearly loves this music, but without any sort of high ideals – none of the too-cool-for-school modes that are usually standard with the avant garde, and instead this very down to earth approach that shows the listener that they've got all the tools needed to enjoy the music themselves. The goal here (one we can totally endorse) is to bring the listener face to face with new and challenging sounds – but in a way that allows them to instantly contextualize them too – yet without having to carry years of jazz or musical experience into the process. The book is divided up into easy-to-digest sections – and penned with a surprisingly warm style too. Book

Smooth soul from Cliff Dawson – a singer as classy as his look on the cover, and definitely a cut above most of the mainstream soul artists of his time! The album's an overlooked gem that's very nicely put together – well recorded, arranged with a subtle flair, and usually done with a warmer sound than you might guess for the vintage of the set – almost like some late 70s underground modern soul set, which is saying plenty to ears like ours! Thor Baldursson did most of the arrangements, but in ways that are much more restrained than his disco years – and titles include "It's Not Me You Love", "Waiting For Your Love", "Betcha Didn't Know", "I Can Love You Better", "Ocean Green Eyes", and "Never Say I Do". CD

Hard-romping soul from the great Shirley Ellis – a singer most folks know for a single crossover hit – but an artist who's got a hell of a lot more to offer than just that novelty number! This excellent package is a long-overdue look at one of the queens of raw soul in the 60s – a singer who could belt it out with a hell of an edge, even when the music was moving at a mighty fast clip – which it does often here, as Shirley works with superb guidance from arranger Lincoln Chase – whose ears for a groove are outstanding at this point in his career! The package brings together early singles for the Congress label, plus even more obscure work a few years later for Columbia Records – and as always with Ace, the whole presentation is wonderful – light years away from just a simple greatest hits or public domain package. Titles include "The Nitty Gritty", "Bring It On Home To Me", "Get Out", "Takin Care Of Business", "The Clapping Song", "Sugar Let's Shing A Ling", "Back Track", "Yes I'm Ready", "Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife", "You Better Be Good World", "Ka Ta Ga Ta Boom Beat", "The Name Game", "I Never Will Forget", "Such A Night", "That's What The Nitty Gritty Is", and "One Sour Note". CD

Bill Evans is reunited with singer Monica Zetterlund – in a live date done more than a decade after their classic Waltz For Debby album! The first side of the record features Evans in a trio mode – working instrumentally, without Monica, in a group that features the great Eddie Gomez on bass and Eliot Zigmund on drums – easily some of the better-recorded European live material by Bill from the 70s, caught in a way that really shows his new sensitivity in the later decade. Evans' piano is breathtaking here – a subtle symphony of shades and tones that delights the ears at each new twist and turn – recorded in some slightly longish takes on tunes that include "Sugar Plum", "Sareen Jurer", "Very Early", and "Gloria's Step". Bill continues the feeling of the first side wonderfully on the flip – as Zetterlund joins the group, and shows how much she's matured as well since here last meeting with Evans. Most of the tunes are standards, but they've got a sensitivity that goes way beyond familiar readings – carried off wonderfully by Monica in some beautifully dark-toned vocals. Titles include "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "The Second Time Around", "Once Upon A Summertime", "What's New", and the lovely "Samba". CD

An incredible album from guitarist Fred Frith – his solo debut, and a record that really set the tone for so many other musicians for years to come! Frith wasn't the first person to improvise on the guitar – but he might have been the first to use an electric in ways that tied together new ideas in jazz, prog, and other experimental musics – all at a level that made his playing a hero to many different scenes at once, and really helped open ears to all the different changes that were taking places in the 70s! The whole thing is a monstrous musical message from the pre-punk years – one that has really strong resonance all these many years later – thanks to titles that include "Hollow Music", "No Birds", "Out Of Their Heads", "Glass c/w Steel", "Hello Music", and "Not Forgotton". This great "Fifty" version features a full bonus album of new recordings in the spirit of the original – titles that include "Quicksilver", "Phalaropes", "Jack's Neap Tide", "Move Indigo", "To Do", and "The Map Of Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

All 12 parts of Glass'suite of pulsating modal minimalist music. The ensemble here is a sextet, with three electric organs and three reeds, plus voice. Like his other work of this era, the tones overlap and slowly unfold to reveal underlying patterns over the course of the piece. Far more interesting (to our ears at least) than his later operas for the latte-sipping set. CD

To most ears, trumpeter Jon Hassell first burst on to the world through his experiments with Brian Eno on EG Records, or maybe his 80s work on ECM – but here, on his debut for the small avant label Lovely Music, it's clear that Jon's already in complete control of his sound – and is ready to become the kind of performer that would captivate listeners for decades to come! Hassell's horn has that special sort of effect quality on most numbers here – spacey, but never slick – and electrified, but far from any sort of Miles Davis mode – especially considering that the music is full of earthy, organic percussion from Nana Vasconcelos and some other players, who balance out the set's work on Fender Rhodes, Arp, and Serge synthesizer. The spirit of the set is very much in Hassell's classic "fourth world" recordings – and titles include "Toucan Ocean", "Hex", "Blues Nile", "Vernal Equinox", and "Caracas Night September 11, 1975". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from Hawkins – recorded for a small label at a time when his star had fallen a bit, but with some AMAZING tone that really makes the album cook! The group's a combo that features piano and organ by Earl Knight, trumpet by Ernie Royal, trombone by Eddie Bert, and guitar by Sidney Gross – and the whole thing has a laidback blowing feel that really lets Hawkins hit some of those fantastic notes he keeps pulling out at the end of his career. If you've ever doubted why folks think Hawk's a genius, check this one out, and prepare to have your ears cook! Titles include "My Own Blues", "What's New", "Running Wild", "Blue Room", and "I'll Never Be The Same". CD

J Dilla at his grittiest, most rugged & raw – in both the production and rhyme realm – with all beats and rhymes by the Dilla himself! This set originally opened our ears to a different side of Dilla, a harder hitting aesthetic, with beats and grooves from out of leftfield that draw you in and hypnotize. Ruff Draft was originally released as a vinyl only EP for the European market, and it was tough to get ahold of from the get go – so hats off to Stones Throw for giving it the reverent re-release it deserves – fleshed out with bonus tracks! Titles include "Let's Take It Back", "Reckless Driving", "Nothing Like This", "The $", "Make'Em NV", "Crushin'", "Wild" (a previously unreleased track that's nothing short of mindblowing – a minimalist masterpiece), "Take Notice" and more. 10 tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

Early genius from Sam Jones – the kind of record that showed the world that he was way more than just a bass player – even though he was pretty darn great at that! At the time of the set, Sam was already raising plenty of ears with his work in the Cannonball Adderley group, an outfit that helped Jones find a whole new role for the bass in jazz. But here, he's working with a much larger group – a tentet that's filled with all star players that include Melba Liston, Cannonball Adderley, Blue Mitchell, Jimmy Heath, Victor Feldman, Tate Houston, and Les Spann – soaring through lively arrangements by Heath and Feldman that sit in a space between small combo soul jazz and larger group swing – a bit in the mode of some of Quincy Jones' best early 60s work on Mercury! Despite the large group, Sam's bass gets plenty of room to roam in the album – and titles include "The Chant", "Blues On Down", "In Walked Ray", "Blue Bird", "Four", and "Off Color". CD

A double-length set – and one that's got plenty of space for wide-ranging power from guitarist Volker Kriegel! The set builds beautifully off the energy that Volker had in the Dave Pike Set – with a similar blend of funk and psychedelic influences, all filtered down beautifully in wicked MPS vibe – lots of space between the notes, and a balance that never gets too jamming or rocking – which is plenty pleasing to our ears! Volker's got an amazing tone on some of these tunes – and other hip players include John Taylor on electric piano, Cees See on flute and percussion, soprano and tenor sax from Alan Skidmore, tenor from Heinz Sauer, trombone from Albert Mangelsdorff, and bass from Eberhard Weber. Tunes really run a nice range of styles – some getting trippy, some a bit exotic, and plenty nice and funky, too! Titles include "Slums On Wheels", "The E Again", "Zanzibar", "Missing Link", and "Lastic Plemon". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package of funky music – and maybe one that no home should be without – as the set includes all the classic Josie Records and Warner Brothers albums by legendary New Orleans funk group The Meters – plus a fair bit of bonus tracks too! The Josie albums are incredible – a lean, powerful blend of funky drums, bass, guitar, and organ – almost the New Orleans answer to Booker T & The MGs, but with a sound that's far funkier overall – and which continues to bring new ears to the magic of The Meters as the years go by! Their Warner work is a bit fuller – as the group were part of a big wave of Nola talent to get the nod from LA – which means that The Meters were able to add in vocals, experiment with arrangements, use additional instrumentation – yet all without ever losing that core groove that made them so great! This package is the first time all the records have been brought together, and many are presented here in the "expanded edition" versions with bonus tracks – which makes for a whopping 116 titles on 6CDs – bonus tracks, plus the full albums The Meters, Look Ka Py Py, Struttin, Cabbage Alley, Rejuvenation, Fire On The Bayou, Trick Bag, and New Directions – plus some singles too! CD

A really sweet roots set from Pablo Moses – one that's got some cool electric moments at points, including very cool use of Arp – but which also retains all the earthy core to make the righteous currents of the lyrics come out right! Geoffrey Chung arranged and produced, and there's a vibe here that's a nice change from more mainstream work – still all the power that you'd hope for in Pablo's vocals, but a quality that's slightly trippy too – focused, yet willing to open the ears a little bit around the edges. Titles include "Be Not A Dread", "We Should Be In Angola", "Come Mek We Run", "Revolutionary Dream", "Where Am I", "Blood Money", and "Corrupted Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Even these many years into his career, pianist Mike Nock is still one of the most dynamic, rhythmic players we can think of – a really bold voice on the acoustic keys, and one who never fails to delight our ears! This recent album is simple and elegant, yet steps forth with the same sense of power that first made Nock a talent to watch back in the 60s – a way of playing the piano that almost challenges the bass and drums for rhythmic supremacy, participating equally in the warmly flowing groove of the tunes. Members of Nock's trio here include Toby Hall on drums and Brett Hirst on bass – and the session's filled with great original numbers that include "Communion", "Three Dee", "Drowning Joyfully", "Gravity Adjustment", "Acceptance", and "Changing Seasons Winter To Spring" – as well as a great version of Wayne Shorter's "ESP". CD

Two older greats from the MPS label scene of the 70s – coming together here in a later set that shows a wonderful maturation of their talents! Both Jean-Luc Ponty and Wolfgang Dauner had an early talent to stun the ears with great use of electronics – but both musicians are all-acoustic here, and really sounding wonderful in a set of extended duets recorded at the Bern Jazz Festival! Dauner's got a stunning ear for the full range of tones and colors in the piano – almost as if he inherited a new sonic spectrum from his early electronic experiments, then turned them back to straighter jazz – in modes that also have Ponty following suit with these long-flowing lines that remind us how great he can be in just the right mode. Each player gets one solo track, but the record is mostly duet material – and titles include "Suite For Claudia", "Once Upon A Dream", "Pamukkale", "Sketch Up & Downer", "Hong Kong Fu", and "Two Thousand One Years Ago". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from John Prine – his Atlantic debut, done at a time when he was emerging from the second generation of the Chicago folk scene – with a style that set the tone for countless singer/songwriters in years to come! The record has immediate appeal to ears tuned towards hip country, folk, and the more personal side of rock at the time – as Prine sings his material with a wry wit that's simultaneously heartbreaking, with support from the great Reggie Young on guitar and Bobby Emmons on organ – plus work on two tracks from scenemate and soon-to-be-star Steve Goodman on guitar. Titles include the seminal "Hello In There" – a tune that's hard to believe was written by a 24 year old – plus "Six O'Clock News", "Sam Stone", "Donald & Lydia", "Illegal Smile", "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore", and "Far From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful debut from Pedro Ricardo – an artist with a name that sounds like a contemporary of the MPB scene in 70s Brazil – and one who works here with a rock-solid sound that might easily place him in that legacy! Pedro's music is definitely contemporary, and he's Portuguese, not Brazilian – but shares the same language, and the same sort of temporal spanning of some of our current favorites from the Brazilian underground – effortlessly blending elements of jazz and more rootsy expressions, sometimes with modern inflections, sometimes a lot more earthy overall! There's plenty of wonderfulness happening here – a truly individual statement from an artist we'll be keeping our ears on for years to come – on titles that include "Soprem Bons Ventos", "Entre O Vale E O Eco", "Tema 2", "Deheba", "Ode Ao Gato", "A Marcha Que O Monte Parou", and "Cantar Das Kandakinhas". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Rollins – and a record that has him playing with a bit of an electric feel, in a style that's similar to some of Joe Henderson's early 70s Milestone sessions! Similar to Henderson's albums, George Cables plays a bit of electric piano on the set – grooving nicely in a chunky style that brings a lot more rhyhtm than usual into Rollins' playing. The result might not be totally great if you're a fan of hardbop Sonny, but to our funky ears, it's a real treat – and has made the album a treasure that we've loved for years! Tracks are long, and tunes include "The Everywhere Calypso", "Poinciana", "Playin In The Yard", and "Keep Hold Of Yourself". CD

An overlooked gem from Rollins – and a record that has him playing with a bit of an electric feel, in a style that's similar to some of Joe Henderson's early 70s Milestone sessions! Similar to Henderson's albums, George Cables plays a bit of electric piano on the set – grooving nicely in a chunky style that brings a lot more rhyhtm than usual into Rollins' playing. The result might not be totally great if you're a fan of hardbop Sonny, but to our funky ears, it's a real treat – and has made the album a treasure that we've loved for years! Tracks are long, and tunes include "The Everywhere Calypso", "Poinciana", "Playin In The Yard", and "Keep Hold Of Yourself". CD

One of those records that everyone seemed to own, back in the day – and for good reason, too – as Rufus and Chaka have a way of opening ears of folks who dig so many different styles – from soul to rock to funk and jazz – but all with a groove that's totally their own! The record's one that definitely broke the group big out of their Chicago roots – thanks to the incredible "Tell Me Something Good" – an amazing workout that's the perfect mainstream showcase for Chaka's great voice, made even better by the use of one of those cool Peter Frampton-vocoder thingies! The album also features some other excellent material that's a bit more restrained, and more in the band's usual jazz funk mode – like "Ain't Nothing But A Maybe", "You Got The Love", "Smokin Room", and "Sideways". CD

A crazy album of funky tracks from Lalo Schifrin – very different than most of his other jazz and bossa work! This set's got some very tripped out styles that mix together funky backings, jazzy riffing, and even some nice electronics – a sweet little groove that's even more wild and hip than even the best of Schifrin's soundtrack work from the 60s! Some tunes certainly show the deft talent for arranging woodwinds and rhythms that first caught the ears of so many listeners on famous soundtracks – but in the setting of this record, away from any directorial needs, Lalo's also free to explore some groovier music ideas – and he really lets loose tremendously as the set rolls on! The titles alone should tell you the feel of the record – with names like "Secret Code", "Dissolving", "Vaccinated Mushrooms", "Wheat Germ Landscapes", and "How To Open at Will The Most Beautiful Window". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Too Short, and like the first, a set that firmly established both the Cali scene and the Bay Area as a hotbed of harder-hitting hip hop! And sure, there were countless later gangsta acts that slide into the sorts of cliches that often marred the genre – but back at the start, folks like Too Short, Ice T, and NWA were really exploding with a sense of message that was quite a surprise to anyone whose ears were pointed to the east – really opening the door for countless other scenes to add their two cents – including the big wave that would soon rise from the south. The whole thing still sounds surprisingly fresh all these many years later – and titles include "Life Is Too Short", "I Ain't Trippin", "Nobody Does It Better", "Cuss Words", "City Of Dope", "Don't Fight The Feelin", "Rhymes", and "Pimp The Ho". LP, Vinyl record album

A completely different side of Colombian music than you'd know from Discos Fuentes and some of the other mainstream outlets from that scene – as the tracks here are all from the contemporary underground, and represent a really rich flowering of creative grooves and soulful modes! In truth, most of this work might hail from any hip spot in the global underground – save for the fact that the lyrics are often in Spanish, and many tunes have some slight reference to older musical modes – sometimes an acoustic element mixed in with more electronic instrumentation, sometimes a more direct reference! The quality of the tracks is wonderful – a really strong surprise to our ears, as we never would have discovered this music otherwise – and it represents a really great alternative so some of the more staid, often boring attempts to create a global fusion of elements in the mainstream. Titles include "Cada Paso" by Liannia, "Cumbia Lobina (ext mix)" by Dragao featuring Nidia Gongora, "Aquazero" by Systema Solar featuring Pedro Ramaya, "Oyele" by Jimena Angel, "Cuando Canto Grito" by Cerrero featuring Lucia Pulido, "El Leopardo" by El Leopardo, "Mujer Divina" by Salsangroove, "Gualayo" by Radio Rebelde Soundsystem, "La Negra Y El Fantasma" by Bareto, "Nunca Termina" by David Caneva Akle, "Manana Sera" by Ruzto, and "De Donde Vengo Yo" by Los Transatlanticos featuring Pilar Matarola. CD

A really incredible compilation, and one that's a great reminder of why we love the Analog Africa record label so much! Sure, there's been collections of Congolese music before – but this one's got that special something extra that Analog Africa can bring to play – an ear for just the right tracks that have enough funk and soul to open the ears of listeners who might not normally be digging deep into African music – yet will also pack plenty of punch to listeners who do! You can dive right into the collection and listen – the music will take you on a mighty great journey, even if you know nothing about the scene. But, in the best tradition of the label, there's also plenty of notes inside, should you want to learn more – as you're digging fantastic tunes that include "Mfuur Ma" by Groupe Minzolo Ya Zaire, "Tembe Na Tembe Ya Nini" by Orchestre Celi Bitshou, "Nganga" by Les Freres Soki, "Ngantsie Soul" by Les Bantous De La Capitale, "Fiancee Laya" by GO Malebo, "Sungu Lubuka" by Petelo Vicka Et Son Nzazi, and "MBT's Sound" by MBTs. CD

The folks at Numero bill this set as "the only boogie record you'll ever need to own" – and while we might take issue with that, as there's so many great boogie records out there in the world, we can say that the set features some great 80s-styled groovers from their never-ending vaults of music! The set ranges across different labels and scenes, to bring out the best of some overlooked gems that barely got any play back in the day, but have a style that's gained new appreciation for contemporary ears – a lean, post-disco groove that's got plenty of resonance with soulful styles of the 21st Century scene! Titles include "If You Love Me" by Stylle Band, "Let's Boogie Tonight" by Unit Three, "Quick" by Steven, "Lady Luck" by Duke D, "Contagious" by Ronnie Robbins, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "Slippin In The Night" by Contrast, "Burning Up" by Donnell Pitman, and "Don't Touch It" by Maxx Traxx. LP, Vinyl record album

The sound of tomorrow, today – served up here with the genius of Brownswood Records – a company who've been one of the most forward-thinking in modern music for quite a few years! Brownswood is run by longtime DJ Gilles Peterson – whose ears are always amazing for picking out sounds that blow our mind – especially when it comes to up-and-coming artists, of the sort who are getting some great exposure here! As with previous volumes, there's a genre-blending mix of soul, jazz, and other styles going on – on cuts that include "Catastrophe" by Tadi The Great, "To Be A Woman" by Plumm, "Voyager One Lost" by Seigfried Komidiashi, "Twice" by Ceeow, "Rough Of The Felt" by Nowsm, "Good & Low Key" by Victoria Jane, "Keeping On" by Jericho Noguera with Buddy Analogue, "Crinje" by Zenel x Plumm, and "Like Summer" by Shirkers x Ceeow. LP, Vinyl record album

Northern Soul from a surprising source – and a killer batch of rare material from the mighty Memphis powerhouse of soul! Goldwax is probably best known for its deep soul work – most famously with James Carr – but in the mid 60s, the label cut some killer groovers that really match the vibe that was coming out of Detroit or Philly at the time – upbeat, uptempo singles that bristle with energy, yet also have some of the deeper tones you might expect from the label! Some tunes have a bit of a Memphis sound – depending on the singer – but the rhythms and production mostly recall modes from up north, and offer up a really surprising new chapter of this label that already won our deep respect many years ago. The folks at Kent have put together the package with some really wonderful notes – and the CD features two dozen numbers that will really open up your ears – tracks that include "Let's Talk It Over" by Spencer Wiggins, "Call On Me" by Percy Milem, "They Say" by The Ovations, "So Hard To Get Along" by The Lyrics, "What'Cha Gonna Do" by Phillip & The Faithfuls, "You Gotta Have Soul" by George Jackson, "A Man Is A Mean Thing" by Barbara Perry, "The Well's Gone Dry" by Dorothy Williams, "That's What I Want To Know" by James Carr, "I Slipped A Little" by Percy Milem, "Now Girl" by The Lyrics, "It's My Life" by Timmy Thomas, "Qualifications" by The Ovations, "To Me It's Storming" by George & Greer, "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More" by Wee Willie Walker, and "If You Love Her" by Phillip & The Faithfuls. CD

A set that really digs deep into the British scene of the early 70s – a package pitched around the idea of opening acts for supergroups at a rock festival, and one that serves up a whole host of groups who never fully got their due on our side of the Atlantic at the time! These aren't underground or experimental groups – and most recorded for major labels – but they also weren't chart-topping acts, or those that have gone into the classic rock pantheon – which makes for a really great discovery to most ears not fully acquainted with this moment in UK rock! The set was put together by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – who've given us other seminal sets of UK music from the 70s, and groovy 60s compilations too – and they really do a great job here of setting the scene, and picking the best cuts from groups who are top-shelf in their effort and execution. As always with the pair, the notes with the set are as illuminating as the music – and titles include "Taken All The Good Things" by Stray, "Out Demons Out" by Edgar Broughton Band, "One Way Glass" by Manfred Mann Chapter Three, "Hold On To Your Mind" by Andwella, "Big Boobs Boogie" by Slowload, "Third World" by Paladin, "For Mad Men Only" by May Blitz, "Met Pies Ave Come" by Stack Waddy, "Ricochet" by Jonesy, and the surprising inclusion of some rocking KPM sound library tracks – including "Hot Pants" by Alan Parker & Alan Hawkshaw, "Led Balloon" by Steve Gray, and "Confunction" by Dave Richmond. CD

A set that really digs deep into the British scene of the early 70s – a package pitched around the idea of opening acts for supergroups at a rock festival, and one that serves up a whole host of groups who never fully got their due on our side of the Atlantic at the time! These aren't underground or experimental groups – and most recorded for major labels – but they also weren't chart-topping acts, or those that have gone into the classic rock pantheon – which makes for a really great discovery to most ears not fully acquainted with this moment in UK rock! The set was put together by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – who've given us other seminal sets of UK music from the 70s, and groovy 60s compilations too – and they really do a great job here of setting the scene, and picking the best cuts from groups who are top-shelf in their effort and execution. As always with the pair, the notes with the set are as illuminating as the music – and titles include "Taken All The Good Things" by Stray, "Out Demons Out" by Edgar Broughton Band, "One Way Glass" by Manfred Mann Chapter Three, "Hold On To Your Mind" by Andwella, "Big Boobs Boogie" by Slowload, "Third World" by Paladin, "For Mad Men Only" by May Blitz, "Met Pies Ave Come" by Stack Waddy, "Ricochet" by Jonesy, and the surprising inclusion of some rocking KPM sound library tracks – including "Hot Pants" by Alan Parker & Alan Hawkshaw, "Led Balloon" by Steve Gray, and "Confunction" by Dave Richmond. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from the UK soul scene – music from a time when some of the bigger names overseas were starting to grab interest on US charts, but were only the tip of the iceberg next to some of the overlooked artists on this set! If you dig the sounds of Loose Ends, Soul II Soul, and Mica Paris, you'll find plenty to love here – as the set's overflowing with 80s and 90s-styled soul tracks that make great use of beats and more contemporary production in a great way – almost bringing back a more organic approach in the music, at a time when American R&B could come off sounding a bit too stiff or commercial. And we'll be honest in saying that although we were scouring the racks for imports during this generation, there's plenty of cuts here that are still new to our ears – a superb set list that includes "Straight to The Top" by Purely Fizzycal, "Passion" by Taffy, "Hold Your Head Up" by Weekend In Paris, "Don't Touch "by Cavalier, "Coming Back" by Bovel, "What You Do For Me" by Pure Silk, "Take Me There" by Marcelle Moncrieffe, "Life (club mix)" by Sam, and "Step By Step" by Kofi. CD

Jazzy goodness galore – a set of really well-chosen tracks that we're not sure we've ever seen reissued before – mostly from obscure sources that might well have remained underdiscovered otherwise! Jazz is at the key, but there's also some soulful vocal moments too – and most tracks are long, and have a vibe that's a nice change from funky jazz or spiritual modes – even though there's still plenty of soulful energy throughout the set! Instrumentation is both electric and acoustic, and styles change up nicely – in ways that make each new track a great discovery, even if you've got ears that are well-trained on years of record digging. Titles include "On Dit" by Sara Alexander, "On A Winder's Day" by Afrodisax, "For You" by Dave Plaehn, "Pre-Stretch Warm Up" by Rick Panzer, "Du Ar Frisk" by Roger Ekman, "Philosophy" by Anne Marie Giortz, "Sengakuji" by Urban Hansson, and "Alcohol" by Rene Van Helsdingen. LP, Vinyl record album

Modal jazz galore – a collection of rare Italian tunes that move with a loping, soaring sense of energy – often very classic in their sound and style, but mostly pulled from a range of more obscure recent sources! Most of the tracks here were never issued outside of Italy – and even then, only on small labels that never achieved wider distribution – making almost the whole collection a new discovery in jazz to our ears, and one that's filled with countless delights throughout! As you'd guess from the title, the rhythms here are well-paced and lively – soaking up a lot of influences from the Coltrane generation, but also coming across with the tightness of a classic Blue Note or Prestige session. Most groups here are quartets, quintets, or sextets – and the longer than usual tracks offer plenty of room for solos on tenor, trumpet, trombone, and piano. Titles include "Spagna" by Piana Valdambrini Sextet, "Babir" by Alliance, "Proof Of The Pudding" by Michael Cochrane, "Calypso" by Dino & Franco Piana, "Naima" by Antonio Farao, "Tutankhamon Dance" by Nuevo Sestetto Italiano, "Woody" by Flavio Boltro, "Spring" by Antonio Farao, "La Stalla Di Pegaso" by Abbate Nicola Fontana Albano, and "New Born" by Idea 6. LP, Vinyl record album

Mr Bongo really goes back to its roots here – and returns to the kind of rare global gems that first made us fall in love with the label in the first place! Over 20 years ago, Mr Bongo were one of the key global forces in opening up people's ears to the sounds of funk and soul from around the globe – digging up rare nuggets from out of the way places that might have echoed American styles, but turned them on their ear – or the kinds of cuts that were completely unique, but which could stand next to the kind of funky 45s that were being sampled for hip hop! This collection brings together some of the best cuts that continue that legacy – some rare singles, some obscure European tracks, and lots of others you never would have discovered otherwise – with titles that include "Deixa A Tristeza", "Piranha" by Alipio Martins, "Seara De Oxala" by Barbosa, "Mathar" by Dave Pike Set, "Freak" by Tappa Zukie, "Mama Hot Daddy Cool" by Big Youth, "Fish & Funjee" by Lantei Lamptey, "Karam Bani" by Buari, "Handsome Boy (parts 1 & 2)" by The Rwenzoris, "He's Forever" by King James Version, "Chanson D'Un Jour D'Hiver" by Cortez, and "Can't Live Without You" by Connie Laverne. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of 70s soul – and one that focuses on the incredible scene that was going on in New Jersey at the time! The state was very adjacent to Philly – both geographically, and in style, with a great blend of harmony soul and upbeat grooves – but there's also a special kind of indie vibe going on in the music too – some rougher edges than Gamble & Huff might have used, and production modes that really bring out the honest, human qualities in the music! The NJ scene at this time is one of our go-to spots for 70s soul – and if you're not hip, this collection will definitely open your ears to the greatness that was going on. This volume divides into two batches of tracks, each by legendary producers on the scene – one side of work by Paul Kyser, the other by George Kerr – with cuts that include "Puzzle Man" by Norma Jenkins, "Look Over Your Shoulder" by The Escorts, "Breakin Up A Happy Home" by Barbara Jean English, "Come On Get Dancing" by Pride Of The Ghetto, "She Comes Up" by Storm, "One More Time Y'All" by The Nu-Sound Express, "I Need Your Love" by The Dynamic Beltones, and "That's The Way It's Got To Be" by Soul Generation. LP, Vinyl record album

Genius work from a man who's ready to take on the best bossa arrangers of the 60s! Guitarist Carl Henry Breuggen may hail from Chicago, but he's got a sound that's as sunny as Rio and the Italian Riviera all put together – a wonderful wash of light strings, bossa rhythms, gentle guitar, and wordless female vocals that are enough to rival the best Italian soundtracks of the glory years. The production on the entire set is incredible – arranged with Claus Ogerman-like perfection, and recorded at a level that's far beyond that of most bossa-revival work these days. All three tunes fit together perfectly – and although the CD's a short one, it's completely without fault to our ears – and is a title that we're gladly stocking next to classics like Jobim's Stoneflower and Wave albums for CTI! CD

El Michels return again to the Wu-Tang chambers – and the results this time might even be better than before! Wu-Tang forged their initial sound out of a love of offbeat samples and unusual funk – so it's only fitting that one of the hippest funk groups around strip the music right down to its roots – performing new live interpretations with their wickedly sinister groove – all at a level that makes the whole thing a slow funk masterpiece from start to finish! El Michels has always been one of the few real standouts in the deep funk scene – and it's records like this that keep us loving them so much. And even though the set features vocals from Lee Fields on two tracks, and Lady Wray on one more – the instrumental groove is what dominates and draws our ears, on tracks that include "Tears", "Sipped Up", "Shadow Boxing", "Iron Man", "4th Chamber", "Shaolin Brew", "Drums For Sale", "Verbal Intercourse", "Tearz", and "Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin Ta F Wit". LP, Vinyl record album

That's a mess of vintage analog electronics on the cover, and there's plenty of that inside the record as well – as Eleven76 come across with all sorts of cool classic 70s styles that move between soundtrack funk and some leaner, more cosmic cuts for the clubs! The album's definitely trying to evoke a classic sound library style – but as with some of the hipper European electronic artists back in the day, these guys also have their ears tuned towards crossover fame in a world where moogy electronics can get some spins in the discos – a blend that makes for a mighty wonderful little album that definitely lives up to the promise of its cover! Titles include "Duosynchronic", "Canyon Chase", "Wolf At The Door", "Knock Out", "Minister", "Step Off The Ledge", and "Kreuzer Weight". LP, Vinyl record album

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin McInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include "Va Va Voom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gallard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. LP, Vinyl record album

A rich laidback set from one of Chicago's resident legends – tenor Von Freeman! Freeman was in his early 80s by the time this set was recorded, and his warm tone sounds as good to our ears as it did on recordings from decades ago. Von really lets loose in spots, too, such as on the fiery "Never Fear Jazz Is Here". Supporting players Jimmy Cobb (drums), John Webber (bass), and especially pianist Richard Wyands are given plenty of room to shine. Tracks include "Be My Love", "Never Fear Jazz Is Here", "This Is Always", "Chant Time", "Blue Pres", "Disorder At The Border", "Hard Hittin'", "Violets For Your Furs" and more. CD

A lost treasure from the mid 80s Chicago rock scene – the self-titled, self-released first record from Green – with ultra catchy power pop melodies and an excitability that's as infectious as anything that came out of the Chi and other midwestern cities at the time! Green has both a sweetness and rawness that's in line with indie groups that made bigger waves nationally – and might be altogether better. Please don't take us for shameless home team flag wavers here, Green was the real thing, we can't think of a reason beyond bad luck that this record isn't mentioned in the same breath as other great records by groups such as The Replacements. And unlike some of our favorite albums from Chicago underground rock bands of the time, the lean, clear, but no frills production sounds just right to our ears. A total gem ripe for discovery! Titles include "Gotta Getta Record Out", "She's Not A Little Girl Anymore", "Technology", "Baby Why?", "If You Love Me", "For You", "Hurt You", "She, Probably", "Big In Japan" and more. This CD version includes 7 bonus tracks originally from the The Name Of The Band Is Green EP, which was never on CD before now, with EP versions of some album tunes plus "Something About You", "Autograph" and "Away From The Pulsebeat". CD

The debut album from Terrace Martin, and a set that already has him stretching out and building bridges between scenes and genres – at a level that has continued to make him one of the real giants of the west coast scene! The record's never just about Terrace's keys or saxophone – although his work on both are totally great – and instead, there's an equal presence here from the guests – Robert Glasper on Fender Rhodes, or artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lalah Hathaway, Ty Dolla Sign, Musiq Soulchild, and others on vocals – balancing hip hop and soul with Martin's jazz at the core, as he awakes new ears sounds they never would have discovered otherwise! Titles include "Triangle Ship", "No Wrong No Right", "Over Time", "Watch U Sleep", "Something Else", "You're The One", "I'm For Real", "Gone", and "Motivation". LP, Vinyl record album

An unlikely pairing – but that's what makes the record so great! Mulligan and Hodges come together in this rare Verve set from the late 50s – an inspired combination of talents that really work some magic together. Hodges' tone is in the lead in our ears, always wonderful, especially in a set of open-ended tracks like this – but Mulligan's sweet and careful blowing works surprisingly well as a foil, giving the set a nice bottom, and a good overall approach. Backing is by a trio that features Claud Williamson, Buddy Clark, and Mel Lewis – and titles include "Bunny", "Back Beat", "What's The Rush", and "18 Carrots For Rabbit". CD

Dang! Does David Murray ever stop re-inventing himself? We think not – and this album is great proof of that fact! The set's a really tasty batch of Latin Jazz numbers – played to perfection by Murray and a host of excellent New York musicians, working together in large group format with a sound and style that's at the peak of perfection for this sort of recording. Murray wrote all the tunes, so the album goes way past the cliches of Latin-ized standards that you're probably sick of hearing anyway – and it's steeped in a soulful approach to the genre that really grabbed our ears from the first note! Titles include "Giovanni's Mission", "Sad Kind Of Love", "Mambo Dominica", "Break Out", and "Aerol's Change". CD

Incredibly messed-up funk – a 70s instrumental classic that's delighted our ears for years! The set's got a cosmic sound that mixes together conventional guitar-based funky with some weird electronic touches at times – going for a fuzzed-out moogy quality that really deepens the groove – and which goes even further on those tunes that push the basslines all the way into the red! The group's headed by McKinley Jackson, and features some ex-members of Parliament – all coming together in a full, rich sound that almost has traces of soundtrack sophistication at times – yet which manages to come across with the burning energy of a funky 45! The album includes the classics "Funky Toes" and "Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic" – plus the group's legendary take on "Free Your Mind", a sample classic from years back! Great stuff if you dig a fuzzy Westbound sort of funk groove – and other tracks include "Church", "The World We Live In", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Speak On It", and "Politician's Theme". Features bonus tracks "Love Machine (parts 1 & 2)". CD

A landmark album from John Prine – his Atlantic debut, done at a time when he was emerging from the second generation of the Chicago folk scene – with a style that set the tone for countless singer/songwriters in years to come! The record has immediate appeal to ears tuned towards hip country, folk, and the more personal side of rock at the time – as Prine sings his material with a wry wit that's simultaneously heartbreaking, with support from the great Reggie Young on guitar and Bobby Emmons on organ – plus work on two tracks from scenemate and soon-to-be-star Steve Goodman on guitar. Titles include the seminal "Hello In There" – a tune that's hard to believe was written by a 24 year old – plus "Six O'Clock News", "Sam Stone", "Donald & Lydia", "Illegal Smile", "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore", and "Far From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of their best! After a tumultous tour for Tim, Bob Stinson left the band and they essentially recorded Pleased To Meet Me as a trio as far as the core band goes, but went down to Memphis to record with Jim Dickinson, and too our ears, that little bit of southern swagger, as paired with The Replacements still evolving blend of classic rock and punk influences and Westerberg's angry and weary songs makes this a helluva record – there are some days it's our favorite! Includes the totally great "Alex Chilton", plus "IOU", "I Don't Know", "Nightclub Jitters", "Never Mind", "Valentine", "Shooting Dirty Pool", "Skyway", "The Ledge" and "Can't Hardly Wait". CD

One of their best! After a tumultous tour for Tim, Bob Stinson left the band and they essentially recorded Pleased To Meet Me as a trio as far as the core band goes, but went down to Memphis to record with Jim Dickinson, and too our ears, that little bit of southern swagger, as paired with The Replacements still evolving blend of classic rock and punk influences and Westerberg's angry and weary songs makes this a helluva record – there are some days it's our favorite! Includes the totally great "Alex Chilton", plus "IOU", "I Don't Know", "Nightclub Jitters", "Never Mind", "Valentine", "Shooting Dirty Pool", "Skyway", "The Ledge" and "Can't Hardly Wait" – plus 11 bonus tracks including rare demos and am alternate version of "Can't Hardly Wait" CD

Roxy Music's third album, and a record that really shows that the group have found a tremendous voice of their own – quite a thing to do, given the heady brew of records that were coming out in the year of 1973! There's a style here that's familiar enough to draw the listener in – maybe some echoes of territory you might hear in work from David Bowie, Lou Reed, John Cale, or the now-solo Brian Eno – but once inside, you find yourself in a completely different world – a mad blend of guitars and strings, saxophones and electronics, all used in these ways that are tuneful enough to be catchy, but also deeply unsettling too – as are the lead vocals of Bryan Ferry, who comes across like some older European singer who's been let out of the madhouse for the sessions. This isn't a singles-heavy record, but instead an album-length journey that never gets old, even as the years move on – and which is as powerful to new ears discovering the record for the first time as to longtime fans. Titles include "Street Life", "Just Like You", "Amazona", "Psalm", "Serenade", "A Song For Europe", "Mother Of Pearl", and "Sunset". CD

One of those records that everyone seemed to own, back in the day – and for good reason, too – as Rufus and Chaka have a way of opening ears of folks who dig so many different styles – from soul to rock to funk and jazz – but all with a groove that's totally their own! The record's one that definitely broke the group big out of their Chicago roots – thanks to the incredible "Tell Me Something Good" – an amazing workout that's the perfect mainstream showcase for Chaka's great voice, made even better by the use of one of those cool Peter Frampton-vocoder thingies! The album also features some other excellent material that's a bit more restrained, and more in the band's usual jazz funk mode – like "Ain't Nothing But A Maybe", "You Got The Love", "Smokin Room", and "Sideways". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a different record than Gil Scott-Heron's previous "New Here" set for XL – and an album that goes much more back towards the roots of the XL label – with plenty of electronics from Jamie XX mixed in alongside Gil's heartfelt vocals and key spoken bits! There's still plenty of that Scott-Heron essence to keep our ears on the music – but the overall presentation is far less in the "authentic" mode that XL used on the previous record – a style that might, if you were the type to get a bit touchy about things, seem to discredit Gil's voice as just another sonic element in the mix. Titles include "The Crutch", "UR Soul & Mine", "I'll Take Care Of U", "Jazz", "I'm New Here", "Home", and "My Cloud". CD

A landmark album from Skip Spence – the onetime lead singer of Moby Grape, cast out of the group on his own by the time of this debut solo album – a record that's as powerful as it is fragile, and which has been the one lasting musical legacy of the man himself! The record almost sunk without a trace at the time, but has gone onto become the stuff of legend over the decade – supported by fellow singers, songwriters, and even a fair bit of the music press – who all shine key light on the record's unique, ahead of its time quality! Spence recorded the set for the same Columbia Records that was willing to take a chance on the early Leonard Cohen records – and there's a similarly singular vibe to Skip's approach – one that puts the whole thing at the level of "missed the first time around – but never again!" albums by later-decade legends like Big Star, Nick Drake, and maybe even Cohen. The style is hard to describe – similar reworking of roots-though-psych as Moby Grape, but a lot more intimate too – with so many lost dark corners, the set will be rewarding your ears for years to come! Titles include his original "Cripple Creek", plus "Diana", "Margaret Tiger Rug", "Weighted Down", "Little Hands", "Books Of Moses", "All Come To Meet Her", "Broken Heart", and "War In Peace" – plus 10 bonus tracks!! CD

A mindblowing collaboration – one that brings the soulful vocals of Nenah Cherry into play with the avant jazz sounds of The Thing – but all in a mode that's unlike anything either artist has recorded before! The mix of talents is no surprise – given that Nenah's dad is Don Cherry, whose own European work helped to set the tone for a generation – and also given that group members Mats Gustafsson, Paal Nilssen Love, and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten all have ears for styles that go way beyond jazz – including a surprisingly great taste for offbeat funk, which really comes to the forefront on this unusual set! Make no mistake, there's still plenty of jazz-based instrumentation – sharp reeds from Mats, heavy drums from Paal, and those magical moody basslines that we love so much from Ingebrigt – but they often get a bit more directed, and are augmented with slight added instrumentation at points – to provide a perfect foil for Cherry's righteous vocals – all with results that easily make the album one of the most unusual soul projects we've heard in years – on a par with equally creative efforts from artists like Meshell Ndegeocello, Erykah Badu, or Georgia Anne Muldrow. Titles include "Cashback", "Dream Baby Dream", "Too Tough To Die", "What Reason Could I Give", "Dirt", "Accordion", and "Sudden Moment". CD

Rare tracks from one of the greatest soul labels ever – Detroit's legendary Westbound Records, the famous home of Funkadelic – but a source for countless many more grooves! This set features really rare singles and unreleased tracks from Westbound – a flurry of great soul tracks that's surprised even our Westbound-raised ears – with tracks that run from righteous soul to heavy funk, to great group harmonies, and more! There's nary a big name in the set – and instead, the whole thing really focuses on the hinterland of the Westbound scene – including some especially rare gems that were issued as singles by the even-smaller Eastbound label, who did some wonderfully groovy work in the early 70s. Titles include "Admit Your Love Is Gone" by Damon Shawn, "Old Fashioned Woman" by Unique Blend, "I'm Falling In Love" by Fantastic Four, "Tender Moments" by AC Tilmon & Denise LaSalle, "I Love You" by The Motivations, "More Love" by Emanuel Laskey, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Houston Outlaws, "I Don't Know How" by The Superlatives, "Trying Real Hard" by The Magictones, "You Can't Take This Love For You From Me" by Bob & Harold, "I'm Loving You You're Leaving Me" by The Magictones, "Does He Treat You Better" by Unique Blend, and "Rosetta Stone" by AC Tilmon & Detroit Emeralds. CD

The final volume in this fantastic collection of rare female soul from the 60s – and one that's maybe even better than the earlier entries in the series! The tracks here are totally great, and totally well-chosen – not big girl group hits of the time, but instead a treasure trove of under-appreciated singles on labels that include Excello, Dionne, Cameo/Parkway, Fairmount, Musicor, and other indies of the time – mix with a few 60s gems that weren't even issued back in the day! As always with Ace/Kent, the track list is superb – completely wonderful music that we never would have discovered otherwise – track after track of new discoveries for our ears, all presented with fantastic sound, very detailed notes, and enough tracks to make the whole thing a hell of a deal for the price. Many of these cuts have much more of a deep soul vibe than the lighter style you might be expecting for 60s female soul – and titles include "This Heart Is Haunted" by Kelly Garrett, "Hot Spot" by The Bronzettes, "Top Twenty" by The Delicates, "He's My Hero" by The Avons, "It's The Loving Season" by The Vareeations, "Just A Little Touch Of Your Love" by Saundra Franklin, "Sir Galahad" by The Elites, "That's How It Goes" by Jackie & Gayle, "That Guy Of Mine" by The Sherrys, "Everybody South Street" by The Taffys, "I Would If I Could" by The Sweet Three, "That Kind Of Love" by Diana King, "Nothing Can Go Wrong" by The Beas, and "False Alarm" by Tari Stevens. CD

Reedman Nat Birchall has been delighting our ears for almost a decade now – and during all that time, we've just grown more and more in love with his music – and continue to feel that he's one of the crowning jazz talents of our generation! Birchall belongs in the same spiritual territory as John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders – and as with both of them, he already started out great, then evolved to a point where he's completely sublime – as you'll hear on this wonderfully well-crafted album! Nat's every bit as righteous in his blowing as before – both on tenor and soprano sax – but the overall sound is even more far-reaching, especially in the way the long tunes unfold with majestic piano work from Adam Fairhall – who sets things up beautifully throughout, and really underscores the soul in Birchall's reeds. The group also features bassist Michael Bardon – plus two drummers, Johnny Hunter and Andy Hay, who each get their own channel on the mix. All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Ocean Of Truth", "Love In The Cosmos", "Through The Darkness", "Peace Be Unto Us", and "Light Of All Worlds". CD

A huge moment for Blackalicious – a group who'd been gaining plenty of cred on the underground, and who reached out to a much bigger set of ears with this major label debut! The whole thing's top-shelf through and through – superb production from Chief Xcel next to the words from Gift of Gab and Chief Excel – alongside a host of guests including Quannum mainmasts Lyrics Born, Lateef, and Joyo – as well as Dilated People's Raka and Babu, Jurassic 5's Cut Chemist and Chali 2na – and even work from Gil Scott-Heron and Ben Harper too! Clearly, someone had enough faith in the group to give them the money to realize their dream – and that faith definitely pays off here – on titles that include the classic single "Make You Feel That Way" – plus "Blazing Arrow", "4000 Miles", "Paragraph President", "First In Flight", "Purest Love", "Sky Is Falling", "It's Going Down", "Release (parts 1, 2, & 3)", and "Chemical Calisthenics". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that certainly lives up to the promise of its title – as it's filled with amazing instrumentation, groundbreaking compositions, and a sound in jazz that few ears could imagine at the time! The groove here is extremely modal – all instruments rolling along on the same rhythmic pulse, with drums, bass, trumpet, and alto sax incredibly intertwined! Ornette's really got an edge on his instrument – cutting even more deeply here than the clipped, punctuated cornet work of Don Cherry – and the rhythm team of Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins are simply amazing – not just keeping up with the energy of Ornette, but also really helping facilitate it as well! Titles include the haunting "Lonely Woman", plus "Peace", "Chronology", and "Focus on Sanity". CD features the bonus tracks "Just For You" and "The Monk & The Nun". CD

Smooth soul from Cliff Dawson – a singer as classy as his look on the cover, and definitely a cut above most of the mainstream soul artists of his time! The album's an overlooked gem that's very nicely put together – well recorded, arranged with a subtle flair, and usually done with a warmer sound than you might guess for the vintage of the set – almost like some late 70s underground modern soul set, which is saying plenty to ears like ours! Thor Baldursson did most of the arrangements, but in ways that are much more restrained than his disco years – and titles include "It's Not Me You Love", "Waiting For Your Love", "Betcha Didn't Know", "I Can Love You Better", "Ocean Green Eyes", and "Never Say I Do". CD

2 beautiful later albums from Deodato – back to back on one CD! Knights Of Fantasy is smoth and jazzy – done in an LA late 70s style that's kind of like work by Joe Sample or The Crusaders, but a bit more R&B oriented, and with a deeper soul style overall! You can definitely hear Deodato's growing taste for modern soul here – especially on the seminal club jammer "Whistle Bump", which is a tight keyboard-driven groove, with some sweeping strings underneath wah wah guitar. The cut's the real standout on the album – although there's a few other nice moments, like "Space Dust" and "Lovely Lady", which has a great mellow Bob James-ish sound. Night Cruiser is a key record in Deodato's move from funky jazz in the 70s to modern soul in the 80s – and one that showcases the best of his talents in both genres! The approach here is more tightly arranged and produced than that of his earlier CTI sides – but in a mode that's still plenty nice to our ears – as Deodato's uncanny sense of rhythm and timing is still very firmly in place, making the set way way more than just a smooth jazz album – and pushing it strongly into the realm of soulful spacey fusion! There's some really great tracks on the set – like the amazing "Skatin", a sweet keyboard number that's a perfect roller skating jam (in case you couldn't guess from the title) – plus "Love Magic", "Uncle Funk", "East Side Strut", and "Night Cruiser". 11 tracks in all! CD

An amazing run of music – the complete Laurie Records singles of Dion DiMucci – all presented here in original mono mixes, most of which have never been on CD before! The package is a real revelation to our ears – and takes us past both the early hits we know well, and the later oddities we like even more – to an extended realm of sounds that really illustrate why Dion's had such great staying power over the years. He's a hell of a singer – easily one of the most soulful of the crossover talents of his generation – and there seems to be a rawness to the mono mixes that really get back to the core of his essence. The package features detailed notes, and a whopping 36 tracks that include "Little Miss Blue", "Lonely Teenager", "After The Dance", "Purple Haze", "The Dolphins", "Runaround Girl", "The Majestic", "Heaven Help Me", "Little Girl", "Lost For Sure", "Little Diane", "Born To Cry", "Tag Along", "Daddy Rollin", "He Looks A Lot Like Me", "Abraham Martin & John", and "Shout". CD

Seminal work from Dr John – one of his key late 60s albums that set the world on fire at the time – and which still stand as some of the doctor's greatest achievements! The approach here is a fantastic abstraction of older New Orleans roots – not nearly as rigid as in some of John's later music, and really used here just as a leaping-off point for these cool tripped-out explorations – often with a style that's got a very heady quality. The arrangements are wonderful – and bring in some off-kilter jazziness to inflect John's rootsy style with a sound that shows that he was opening his ears to all that was around him at the time – all the best elements he was picking up in Nola and Cali, fused into something really unique! Titles include "Black Widow Spider", "Barefoot Lady", "Twilight Zone', and "The Lonesome Guitar Strangler". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album from George Duke – and one of our favorite records from his legendary years at Columbia! George Duke's always had plenty of Brazilian elements in his music – but this album really brings them all together – offering up a perfect blend of Duke's keyboards and Cali soul with some key additions from the Rio scene of the time – a mix of singers and musicians who really help round out the sound and authenticate George's ears for Brazilian music! The album was actually recorded down in Rio – and features great contributions from Simone, Milton Nascimento, Roberto Silva, Toninho Horta, and Airto – all working beautifully under Duke's leadership, on cuts that include "Brazilian Love Affair", "Cravo E Canela", "Brazilian Sugar", "Sugarloaf Mountain", "Ao Que Vai Nascer", and "I Need You Now". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collection of lost recordings by the Four Tops – culled from the groups earliest days with Motown in the early 60s and through the rest of the decade – a mighty testament to the pioneering group's amazing track record! Most of their sessions with Holland-Dozier-Holland actually saw the light of day (there are only a couple here), so this set runs pretty deep, and it honestly sounds as great to our ears as most of their biggest hits do! Many of the earlier tracks on disc one stand up very well with the best soul of the era, with the glorious harmonies and sterling sound you know they laid down – even on the b-sides! Disc one features tracks from '63-'68, with productions by Mickey Stevenson, Smokey Robinson, Ivy Joe Hunter and others. Tracks include "Get My Hands On Some Lovin'", "I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me", "Baby Baby Come Home", "Fantasy", "Sweeter As The Day Days Go By". "Lost For Words", "I'm So Afraid Of Losing You" and many more! Disc two features the tracks we love the most on the set – late 60s numbers in which the lead vocals get grittier, the drums clap harder, the guitar and bass gets fuzzier – looser, funkier stuff – along with straighter soul ballads, so you know they could still do it all! Producers include Raynard Miner, Ron Miller, Pete Moore, Johnny Bristol and others. Tracks include "Same-O", "Clip My Wings", "No Time", "My Love Keeps On Growing", "Never Say No To Your Baby", "Magic Mary", "Rocks In My Bed", Which Way Is The Sky", "You're My Kind Of Woman", "Lost Without You" and more. 41 tracks in all! CD

Think what you might about Rick James, this is actually a pretty darn funky album – with lots of tight bass-heavy grooves! Rick's working here with the Stone City Band, in a style that's leaner and less commercial than some of his later work – going for a mainstream funk approach, but still leaving enough roughness around the edge to make the album appealing to our ears. In a way, the sound here is kind of a tightening up of Fantasy Records funk, given a few P-Funk twists – slick, but never too slick to groove soulfully! Titles include "Bustin Out", "Love Interlude", "High On Your Love Suite", "Spacey Love", "Cop N Blow", and "Fool On The Street". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare studio set from Kazi and Madlib – recorded way back in the mid 90s, but with the kind of crispy intensity that would make Madlib so influential for years to come! The title and the occasional skits on the set refer to a search for a "blackmarket seminar" – an underground source for music this great, which Madlib especially helped bring to a wider audience in years to come. Yet back in 1996, the sound was plenty fresh, and nice and raw – and still sounds tremendously so all these years later. The set features guest work from Wildchild, MED, and Oh No – and titles include "Called Your Bluff", "Sleep If You Want", "Corrections", "Snake Eyes", "Friendly Fire", "Tha Unstoppable", "Down 4 The Kaz", "OX Veterans", "Put Your Title To Waste", "Make Yo Ears Bleed", "Battle Drills (rmx)", and "Mind State". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from The Litter – the Minneapolis psych quintet who first broke big on their Emerge album for ABC/Probe – but who are heard here a year earlier, with a sound that's maybe even more trippy and powerful overall! The back of the album carries the message "play at the loudest volume your equipment, ears, and neighbors will permit" – and that tip's definitely a good one – as the louder the record, the more the fuzzy guitars and freaky vocals will blow you away, although these guys are already pretty darn persuasive even at a lower volume too! Titles include "Apologies To 2069", "Here I Go Again", "Under The Screaming Double Eagle", "Kaleidiscope", "Mindbreaker", and "She's Not There". LP, Vinyl record album

Dreamy loveliness from Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66! The album's one of their true 60s classics for A&M – a sublime blend of female vocals, Brazilian rhythms, and jazzy instrumentation – groovily dancing with a light and breezy sound that influenced a generation, and which still sounds pretty darn fresh to our ears today! The album's filled with great versions of Brazilian tunes – and titles include Marcos Valle's "Viola", Edu Lobo's "Crystal Illusions", Milton Nasimento's "Empty Faces", plus "Song Of No Regrets", "Salt Sea", and "Dois Dias". Nice stuff, and very groovy! LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie Palmieri's work for the Coco label is some of his best of the 70s, and this album is no exception – and while the title may call the record "unfinished", it sounds pretty darn well done to our ears – far better than most other Latin sides of the time! The album includes a moody 10 minute descarga track called "Cobarde", with great solos on conga, timbales, alto, and guitar – and it's also got a nice fusiony jazz waltz called "Resemblance", which features work by Ron Carter, Steve Gadd, and Jeremy Steig. Eddie solos in a contemplative free style on the track "Random Thoughts", and the whole album's a winner all the way through! CD

Incredibly messed-up funk – a 70s instrumental classic that's delighted our ears for years! The set's got a cosmic sound that mixes together conventional guitar-based funky with some weird electronic touches at times – going for a fuzzed-out moogy quality that really deepens the groove – and which goes even further on those tunes that push the basslines all the way into the red! The group's headed by McKinley Jackson, and features some ex-members of Parliament – all coming together in a full, rich sound that almost has traces of soundtrack sophistication at times – yet which manages to come across with the burning energy of a funky 45! The album includes the classics "Funky Toes" and "Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic" – plus the group's legendary take on "Free Your Mind", a sample classic from years back! Great stuff if you dig a fuzzy Westbound sort of funk groove – and other tracks include "Church", "The World We Live In", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Speak On It", and "Politician's Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

One of their best! After a tumultous tour for Tim, Bob Stinson left the band and they essentially recorded Pleased To Meet Me as a trio as far as the core band goes, but went down to Memphis to record with Jim Dickinson, and too our ears, that little bit of southern swagger, as paired with The Replacements still evolving blend of classic rock and punk influences and Westerberg's angry and weary songs makes this a helluva record – there are some days it's our favorite! Includes the totally great "Alex Chilton", plus "IOU", "I Don't Know", "Nightclub Jitters", "Never Mind", "Valentine", "Shooting Dirty Pool", "Skyway", "The Ledge" and "Can't Hardly Wait". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous stuff – an ultra-groovy 70s album from Nelson Riddle – with a sweet style that's very much like his two classics for MPS at the time! The songs are all Michel Legrand numbers – more than enough to entice our ears – and Riddle handles them with a nice mix of lush instrumentation and tighter rhythms – so that there's usually a nice gentle groove to the music, which works perfectly for Legrand's tunes! Titles include "Pieces Of Dreams", "I Will Wait For You", "Mon Amour", "Amy's Theme", "My Paris Friend", "Watch What Happens", and "Picasso Summer". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Rollins – and a record that has him playing with a bit of an electric feel, in a style that's similar to some of Joe Henderson's early 70s Milestone sessions! Similar to Henderson's albums, George Cables plays a bit of electric piano on the set – grooving nicely in a chunky style that brings a lot more rhyhtm than usual into Rollins' playing. The result might not be totally great if you're a fan of hardbop Sonny, but to our funky ears, it's a real treat – and has made the album a treasure that we've loved for years! Tracks are long, and tunes include "The Everywhere Calypso", "Poinciana", "Playin In The Yard", and "Keep Hold Of Yourself". LP, Vinyl record album

Has there ever been anyone as lovely as Sade? We think not – and from the time she first hit our ears in the 80s, it was the start of an instant love affair that's continued for decades! Sade really brought something new to music at the time – a return to older styles of acoustic and jazz-based instrumentation, at a time when so many soul singers were mostly working with beats, keyboards, and samples – and a breathy voice that was instantly unique, and which kept on captivating us for years of recordings. This best of collection dates from the mid 90s – and provides an excellent sampling of tracks from Sade's albums Diamond Life, Promise, Stronger Than Pride, and Love Deluxe – titles that include "No Ordinary Love", "Like A Tattoo", "Cherish The Day", "Kiss Of Life", "Your Love Is King", "Hang Onto Your Love", "Sweetest Taboo", "Is It A Crime", and "Nothing Can Come Between Us". CD

Has there ever been anyone as lovely as Sade? We think not – and from the time she first hit our ears in the 80s, it was the start of an instant love affair that's continued for decades! Sade really brought something new to music at the time – a return to older styles of acoustic and jazz-based instrumentation, at a time when so many soul singers were mostly working with beats, keyboards, and samples – and a breathy voice that was instantly unique, and which kept on captivating us for years of recordings. This best of collection dates from the mid 90s – and provides an excellent sampling of tracks from Sade's albums Diamond Life, Promise, Stronger Than Pride, and Love Deluxe – titles that include "No Ordinary Love", "Like A Tattoo", "Cherish The Day", "Kiss Of Life", "Your Love Is King", "Hang Onto Your Love", "Sweetest Taboo", "Is It A Crime", and "Nothing Can Come Between Us". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet folksy pop from the glory days of A&M! Evie Sands has a voice that's emotive in a folk rock way, but which is here produced with smoother west coast arrangements that are more in an LA mode – which makes for a very cool mix of modes! The overall sound of the album is very hip – with that cool late 60s approach that never gets picked up by oldies stations, and which is only the province of records like this – odd mis-shots in the pop economy that often got cut out as soon as they were produced, shunned by an uncaring record buying public – but waiting to be discovered by your ears all these many years later. Titles include "Crazy Annie", "It's This I Am", "Shadow Of The Evening", "Close Your Eyes, Cross Your Fingers", "Any Way That You Want Me", "One Find Summer Morning", and "I'll Hold Out My Hand". Also includes the bonus track "Maybe Tomorrow". CD

The one and only full LP ever recorded by Harry Taussig – blending folk & blues based solo guitar traditions with his unique style – on this great, private press rarity from 1965, dug up by the folk & roots heroes at Tompkins Square! It's really fine stuff, which should appeal to folks who dig the Fahey & Basho style of primitive guitar, but Taussig brings his own flavor to the pot. The tunes have a bit more rag in them, and a real love of lonely blues guitar, and his playing the right kind of ragged to our ears, giving it a natural and truthful resonance that cuts deeper to our souls than players who go for perfection or prettiness. Very highly recommended! Tracks include Taussig's adaptation of "Baby Let Me Lay It On You/That'll Never Happen No More" by Reverend Gary Davis, plus "Blues For Zone VII", "Rev's Rag", "Sugar Babe, YOur Papa Cares For You", "Rondo To Death", "Dorian Sonata", "Fate Is Only Once" and more. CD