A groovy moogy classic! This was one of the first records to apply the moog sound in a pop idiom in a major way – and boy, is it a resounding success with us! Hugo Montenegro scores a number of pop tracks and originals in the same cool jazzy style that he used on his best 60's soundtracks, then, he builds in a lot of groovy moog parts, and peppers the tracks with some vocals by male members of his chorus. The tracks have a lot of nice sharp bits that might be used as samples, with good quirky moog moments, and occasional heavy drums. Tracks include "Moog Power", "Dizzy", "You Showed Me", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Hair", and a very cool cover of "MacArthur Park". CD

An early oughties classic – with an appearance by Tupac from beyond the grave – plus guest work from Alicia Keys, Bravehearts, and Kelis – on tracks that include "Revolutionary Warfare", "Hey Nas", "Zone Out", "Made You Look", "Get Down", "The Cross", "Mastermind", "Warrior Song", and "Thugz Mansion NY". LP, Vinyl record album

Pivotal Black Ark material from Lee Perry – with brilliantly tripped out echoey dub production – and scorching instrumentation laid down by the mighty Upsetters! Split roughly in half between Perry's nicely gritty instrumental moodcraft and hazy vocals, this collection features some uber prime Upsetters material. It's all hear – heavily rumbling bass grooves, tripped out, though spiritually resonant vocals and just enough of smoky haze without getting too thick to breathe. Amazing stuff! Includes "Scratch The Dub Organizer", "Bush Weed Corn Trash", "When Jah Come", "Curley Dub", "Serious Joke", "Who You Gonna Run To" and "Tighten Up". CD

Incredibly great – and one of the best of the late 60s trippy jazz albums on Impulse! Bill Plummer plays electric sitar with the "Cosmic Brotherood", a group that includes Tom Scott on saxes and electronics, Carol Kaye on Fender bass, Milt Holland on tabla, and Mike Craden on a heck of a lot of weird percussion. The tunes are groovy, "eastern" sounding, and have a modal jazzy approach that's similar to some of Scott's work, that of Chico Hamilton, Gabor Szabo, or some of the other groundbreaking, genre-crossing Impulse artists. Includes the totally great "Journey To The East", which has this mad trippy recitation – plus the tracks "Arc 294", "Lady Friend", "Antares", and "Song Plum". CD

We first dug the work of Rasheed Chappell through collaborations with Kenny Dope – but this time around, production is by Buckwild, who gives the whole thing a nicely deep, dark, moody sort of vibe – maybe a bit more sinister than the Rasheed from before, all tuned with the right sort of urgency for the contemporary moment! Guests include The Mussalini, Planet Asia, Oran Juice Jones II, and Shannell Griggs – and titles include "Dycman", "Bredren", "Crime & Punishment", "Tour Bus", "Sinners & Saints", "The Blue Hood, "CEO Sug", and "Black Owned". CD

A tough title to live up to – but Raphael makes it happen! The album's as wonderful as you might think – all the deeply soulful styles Saadiq worked out with Tony Toni Tone, taken back through a historical range of soul music – firmly planted in a legacy that begins with Stevie Wonder, runs through Maxwell and D'Angelo, and which points the way towards the future of urban soul. Backings are very much in the beats-n-keyboards mode, but Raphael works out such a wide range of moods and modes that the album avoids any of the shortcomings of other albums in such a style. Includes guest performances by Angie Stone, Leslie Wilson, T-Boz, Calvin Richardson, and D'Angelo – and titles that include "Doing What I Can", "Be Here", "Still Pay", "You're The One That I Like", "Excuse Me", "Tick Tock", "People", "Faithful", "Make My Day", "Blind Man", "Different Times", "What's Life Like", and "Skyy, Can You Feel Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky fusion classic from guitarist Wah Wah Watson – his only album as a leader, despite countless appearances as a sideman on 70s soul, jazz, and pop sessions! The album's got a really wonderful sort of west coast groove – one that takes bits of spacey fusion, bassy funk, and mellower soul – and wraps them up with a fresh and imaginative approach, not to mention plenty of wah wah work on guitar! Players on the set are a superstar array of the best talents in Watson's field – and include Bennie Maupin, Herbie Hancock, Dave Grusin, Joe Sample, and The Waters, who sing vocals on a few cuts. The set includes the killer instrumental "Bubbles", one of our favorite mellow grooves ever – plus the tracks "Goo Goo Wah Wah", "My Love For You Comes & Goes", "Good Friends", "Love Ain't Somethin", and "Sunset Boulevard". CD

Quite possibly the greatest Larry Young album of the post-Blue Note years – and a massive bit of funk that totally redefines his sound! Larry's working here with his hip group Fuel – an ensemble that features Laura Logan on lead vocals, giving the tunes a real focus through her lyrics – and letting them pack a bit more punch too, since her voice sounds a lot like Betty Davis at the time! Larry's keyboards are forceful, but never too over the top – and he's notched things down a bit to focus on the overall groove of the set – still keeping things adventurous on the keys, but also working in a mode that's much more heavily jazz funk! The album's one of THE essential electric jazz sets of the 70s – and features the classic break cut "Turn Out the Lights" – plus other great tracks that include "Floating", "Fuel for the Fire", "I Ching", "H+J=B (Hustle + Jam = Bread)" and "New York Electric Street Music". CD

An undeniable acid house classic with enough bouncing 909 bassline and 808 handclaps to keep you moving all night long! One of the essential mid 80s Trax releases. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A never-issued James Brown album from 1972 – a killer live performance from The Apollo Theater – and one that features a fair bit of help from other members of his People Records crew! James performs a bit on the record – but the set also features some great instrumental sides from the JBs, who get almost half the set – plus a few songs each by Bobby Byrd and Lyn Collins – two of the greatest singers to ever work with The Godfather! There's also some great introductions by Danny Day – in that usual hip style we love from James' concert recordings – and titles include "Wine Spot", "From The Back Side", "Hot Pants Road", "Honky Tonk", "Pass The Peas", and "Gimme Some More" by The JBs – plus "I Know You Got Soul", "If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Want To Be Right", and "Keep On Doin What You're Doin" by Bobby Byrd; and "Do Your Thing", "Think", and "I'll Take You There" by Lyn Collins. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut by Les DeMerle, one of the hippest drummers of his time – made legendary thanks to legions of samplers and beatheads in the 90s! This is certainly one of Les' best ever efforts – a tight batch of funky big band tracks, with lots of nice grooves, and a very hip lineup that includes Frank Foster, Joe Beck, Chris Woods, Arnie Lawrence, and Charles Sullivan – all coming together in some great tunes that have very unusual rhythms, and a great format that puts the drums in line with the hip playing in the reed section! The album includes Les' famous version of "A Day in the Life", which begins with a monster funky intro – plus the cuts "Fusion – Pro & Con", "Underground", "Deflections 1, 2, 3, & 4", and "Aquarius". This great 2011 edition from Get On Down has 2 bonus tracks: "The Raven" and his version of "I Am The Walrus"! CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

The only album ever from Groove Theory – but the set that introduced the world to Amel Larrieux – whose vocal talents alone are worth the price of admission! The feel here is a bit more mainstream soul than some of Amel's later work – but given the mid 90s date of release, the sound is still plenty underground – and filled with the warmer tones and deeper soul styles that wouldn't be that common until years later when the Neo Soul scene rose to prominence. The overall package is the work of former Mantronix member Bryce Wilson – who plays some keys, and ensures that the rhythms are never too bombastic to overwhelm Amel's vocals. Titles include the massive stepper's cut "Tell Me" that hit huge here in Chicago – plus "Baby Luv", "Didja Know", "Come Home", "Hello It's Me", "Hey U", "Good 2 Me", "You're Not The 1", and "Boy At The Window". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing Latin soul – and the first record ever by the youthful George Guzman! The grooves kick in from the word "go" – with strong electric bass setting the scene, and lots of dark, descending blue notes – copped from 60s soul and jazz influences, and crafted perfectly to fit the Spanish Harlem sound of the time! Lyrics are mostly in English, and nearly every track is a mad groover – of the sort that will make your stereo perk up its too-tired ears! Trust us, this one's a gem – a record we'd recommend to anyone – and filled with wonderful tracks like "Lazy Boogaloo", "French Boogaloo", "Herba Buena", "Chant Of The Isles", "Marilu", and the goofy "Banana Freak Out"! LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime sounds from the great Herbie Hancock – presented here in one of his amazing Japanese-only albums from the 70s! The record is a showcase for Hancock in two different modes – as Herbie plays solo acoustic piano on side one, and delivers these really haunting renditions of "Maiden Voyage" and "Dolphin Dance" – both of them long, and with relaxed exploratory solos. Side two features Herbie on a variety of electric keyboards (moog, arp, etc) – playing with the kind of imagination and funkiness that characterized his best recordings of this period. On this side, Hancock lays down a sweet electric version of "Cantaloupe Island", and a nice spiritual groover called "Nobu" – both of them great, and nearer to the electric vibe of Thrust or Flood. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent Japanese-only album by Herbie – featuring all acoustic playing, recorded in San Francisco, in 1977 – in an incredible trio setting with Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums! Really, really wonderful stuff – right at home among many of Herbie's electric recordings at the time! Despite the absence of electric keyboards, there's a bit of a light funky groove on some tracks – with lots of warm bass sounds from Carter, and some beautiful light work on the drum kit from Williams. Titles include "Watch It", "Speak Like A Child", "Look", "Milestones" and "Whatcha Waitin For". All tracks are long, and the record's got a nice sweet mellow vibe! LP, Vinyl record album

A soulful classic from The Heptones – easily one of the greatest trios to emerge from the Jamaican scene in the late 60s – and one of the few who were really able to evolve their style as the years went on! The style here is to earlier Heptones material as the early 70s Impressions records on Curtom were to their 60s albums on ABC – more righteous in content, and hipper in overall expression – with this beautiful interplay between the vocals of Leroy Sibbles, Barry Llewelly, and Earl Morgan – all captured with this warm glow in the Harry J Studio! Players on the date include Cedric Im Brooks on tenor and Leslie Butler on organ – and titles include "Suffering So", "Peace & Harmony", "Book Of Rules", "Black On Black", "Do Good To Everyone", "Wah Go Home", and "Over & Over". LP, Vinyl record album

This might well be the best album that Les McCann ever cut during the 70s! It's got some killer electric piano riffs, of the sort that are being sampled heavily today by the kids, and which are getting his music to a whole new generation. The tracks have a tight spacey funk sound, and they don't have any of the vocals that (we feel) can often get in the way of some of Les' later works! Loads of great tracks, including "The Harlem Buck Dance Strut" and "Dunbar High School Marching Band", both of which are nice and sexy and funky, and with a cool dope sound to them! Other tracks include "Before I Rest", "Soaring (At Sunset)", and "Sometimes I Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

Nas's debut LP masterpiece Illmatic – which will probably stand forever as one of the greatest hip hop full lengths of its time – maybe even for all time. Nas has had some creative ups-and-downs over the years, but nothing can take away the impact of this damn near perfect slice of east coast street hop. Nasir, "World Is Yours", indeed. This one truly one of the great, filler free, beginning-to-end classics with not a wasted second on it – 100% lean with masterful production by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock and Q-Tip – and the titles include "NY State Of Mind", "Life's A B***h", "Half Time", "One Love", "Memory Lane", "Represent" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Uber-classic dub from Augustus Pablo! Dubbing In A Africa was produced by Pablo and features a rhythm section of Bingy Bunny, Sly & Robbie and Gladdy. Here they deliver a nice, tight set of tunes which like many of Pablo's other classics, veer closer to rhythm workouts than deep space dub excursions – and we ain't complaining about that! Tremendous stuff from one the greats! Titles include "King Of Kings Dub", "Herbal Weed Dub", "Dub In Ethiopia", "Dubbing In A Africa", "Nigerian Love Dub", and "Mount Of Olives Dub". CD

The King Kong of dub records, and we're not just saying that because of the freaky deaky cover image of a super ape with a belly full of roast fish, cornbread and makka stepping on a croaking lizard with a tree in one hand and a "tree" in the other! Classic Lee Perry and as essential of a dub set as there's ever been, rendering Scratch's dense, multi-layered Black Ark rhythms in all their raw glory, with toasts and vocal snippets darting in and out of the dubs courtesy Prince Jazzbo, the Heptones, Dillinger and Scratch himself. With 10 incredible cuts: "Zion's Blood", "Croaking Lizard", "Dread Lion", "Patience", "Dub Along", "Black Vest", "Underground", "Curly Dub" "Three In One" and "Super Ape". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the only albums ever from Willie Tee – an artist who's usually known best for his funky 45s, but who really shines here in the space of a full-length record! Willie's got a killer vocal style, with a warm raspy style that reminds us a bit of Tyrone Davis – but he's produced here with a swinging soul vibe by David Axelrod, and he sings to some spectacular arrangements by HB Barnum that are in his best style of the late 60s! The tracks are a wonderful mix of raw soul vocals and sophisticated production, and the album's the kind of rare soul album that we only ever turn up once in a while! Includes a great vocal version of Cannonball Adderley's "Walk Tall", plus the tracks "Bring On The Heartaches", "I'm Only A Man", "Mirror", and "Take Your Time". Excellent stuff! CD

U-Roy still riding high on the follow-up to Dread Inna Babylon – delivering another stone classic with Natty Rebel! Deep, steady rhythms courtesy Sly Dunbar & Lloyd Parks, background singers Barrington Spence and Flip Wilson bringing such a depth of aching, emotive soul, and U-Roy at his charismatic, rebellious best out front! He's irresistible as ever here, singing and toasting with timing and phrasing at a peak level, on songs inspired by classic songcraft that spans styles. Pure genius! Includes "Babylon Burning", "Natty Rebel", "So Jah Jah Say", "Natty Kung Fu". "If You Should Leave Me", "Do You Remember", "Traveling Man", "Have Mercy", "Baddie Boo", "Go Ther Natty" and "Fire In A Trenchtown". LP, Vinyl record album

Part 1 of the legendary compilation series of James Brown Productions for his own People Records imprint – with monster tracks by The JBs, Lyn Collins, and Maceo! Now a long-established treasure trove of stone classic funky soul, it's easy to forget that the deeper legacy of the People Records roster was pretty well overshadowed by James Brown's pivotal figure for quite a few years before this hugely necessary series. It was a sampler's dream in the 80s, and it's still a listener's dream – and a vital overview of once overlooked gems! Tracks include "Same Beat" by the Fred Wesley & The JBs, "Parrty" by Maceo & The Macks, "If You Don't Get It The First Time" by Fred Wesley & The JBs, "Take Me Just As I Am" by Lyn Collins, "Rock Me Again & Again & Again & Again" by Lyn Collins, "Hot Pants Road" by The JBs, "Mama Feelgood" by Lyn Collins, "Think" by Lyn Collins, and "Gimme Some More" by The JBs! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever compilations of James Brown productions – and the second slammin' hard compilation of great tracks from the People label. This one's got some more obscure stuff (including 2 previously unreleased tracks), and material by Bobby Byrd, Vicki Anderson, Maceo, Marva Whitney, Hank Ballard, and more! The groove's tight and hard, and tracks include "Do Your Thing" by Lyn Collins, "Cross The Track" by Maceo & The Macks, "I Know You Got Soul" by Bobby Byrd, "From The Love Side" by Hank Ballard & The Midnight Lighters, "What Do I Have To Do To Prove My Love To You" by Marva Whitney, the massive "Message From the Soul Sisters" by Vicki Anderson (an incredible track with a great sample) and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy funk from the legendary Bo Diddley – one of his amazing comeback albums from the early 70s for Chess, all of which are plenty darn great! For this set, Bo's traded in the scratchy guitar mode of his classic work for a sweeter, tighter funk-based sound – a groove that's supported strongly with electric studio arrangements from Wade Marcus – used here in very nice contrast to Diddley's rougher vocals and guitar! The style's got a bit more electric jazz touches than some of the other Chess blues funk records from the time – but the overall sound is still bound to please any funk fan – and titles include "Bite You", "Stop The Pusher", "You've Got a Lot Of Nerve", and the breakbeat classic "Hit Or Miss"! CD

A fantastic double-length set from Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters – easily one of Herbie's greatest records ever, but originally only issued in Japan! Hancock is in tremendous form here – almost as if he's merging the grooves of the Headhunters album with the wilder electric modes of Sextant – stretched out in a live setting with Herbie on Arp, clavinet, and Fender Rhodes – in a very hip group with Bennie Maupin on reeds, Blackbird McNight on guitar, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion. Tracks are long, and move nicely between funky passages and soulful elements – at a level that's quite different from the double-live Japanese albums that Miles Davis recorded for Columbia at the same time. Titles include "Actual Proof", "Spank A Lee", "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" – and great remakes of "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man". LP, Vinyl record album

The percussion-heavy soul gem from Herman Kelly & Life – recorded in both Brazil & Miami – and awash with killer drum work all the way through! The album's a key part of the Miami sound especially – and really shows the way that city's 70s funk scene used congas heavily – really filling up the middle of a cut with even more energy than usual! The album's best known for the classic sample cut "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" – which is offered up here in a nice extended version, with a long percussion break that makes it even tastier than usual – and the record's also got a few other uptempo cuts like "Who's the Funky DJ?" and "Do The Handbone" – plus the tracks "Time After Time", "A Refreshing Love", and "Share Your Love". CD

One of Charles Mingus' true classics – and an essential album in any jazz collection! This 1959 gem was recorded by Mingus at a key point in his career – when he was rising from the jazz underground into the ranks of America's elite jazzmen, penning some of the most challenging work of his career, and working with incredible younger players that interpreted his work with a great deal of fire! The tracks are a bit more tightly arranged than work on some of Mingus' previous work for labels like Atlantic and Bethlehem, but that also gives them a razor-sharp emotional edge that's carried off perfectly by players who include John Handy and Shafi Hadi on alto saxes, Booker Ervin on tenor, Willie Dennis and Jimmy Knepper on trombones, Horace Parlan on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums. The album is filled with key Mingus classics – like "Better Git It In Your Soul", "Boogie Stop Shuffle", "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", and "Fables of Faubus" – plus "Self Portrait In Three Colors", "Open Letter To Duke", and "Bird Call". This fantastic 2LP set features a bonus album – with 6 tracks never before on vinyl – including "GG Train", "Pedal Point Blues", "Girl Of My Dreams", and alternates of "Better Git It In Your Soul", "Bird Calls", and "Jelly Roll". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy rock and heavy drums – a fuzzed out classic that's one of the best lost hard rock albums of the 70s! These guys may have been a strange choice for Motown's rock-based Rare Earth label back in the day, but they've more than made a place for themselves in the history books – thanks to some really fierce rocking, and an approach to the drums that's kept the record in more than a few crates over the years – not totally a break record, but with plenty of tight work on the drums and some really monster bass! Titles include "Hard Working Man", "Uncertain Destination", "No Time", "Realization", "The Sorcerer Of Isis", "It Couldn't Be Me", "The Death Trip", and "In The Night". CD

The first full length classic from Spice 1 – an MC who came up in the wake of Too Short on the west coast, but has definitely found his own style by the time of this set! Some tracks almost have an Ice Cube mix of biting social commentary and view from the streets – while others are maybe more in the crossover gangsta vein that would rise strongly in years to come. Samples are all obvious, but well-used – records from Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Isaac Hayes – and the album also features some tight mixing and production from Ant Banks. Titles include "In My Neighborhood", "187 Proof", "Peace To My Nine", "Welcome To The Ghetto", "Money Or Murder", "City Streets", and "Break Yourself". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best hip hop albums of all time – given the remastered, deluxe edition treatment! In 1994 when everyone seemed to be turning hardcore, Common Sense wasn't having it. Introspective tales of growing up and living on the South Side that fit perfectly with No ID's mellow production and spiced up with a couple guest appearances by Y-Not aka Twilight Tone. A classic LP, solid all the way through. Being in Chicago, people always ask us for this one, but the original is often impossible to find, even here. This incredible 2CD edition comes in classy box – each disc in its own gatefold style sleeve, with liner notes by Brian Coleman, plus a full sized poster. Disc one is the full original album, with "I Used To Love HER.","Book Of Life", "Chapter 13 (Rich Man vs. Poor Man)", "Nuthin' To Do", "In My Own World (Check The Method)", "Maintaining", "Communism", "Watermelon" and more. Disc 2 collects the 12" singles from the period, with "Resurrection" (Large Professor remix, Extra P remix, Large Professor remix instrumental and Extra P remix instrumental), "Resurrection 95", "Communism" (acapella and instrumental), and "I Used To Love HER" (acapella and instrumental). CD

Cypress Hill's debut masterpiece – one of the biggest and best first albums in 90s hip hop – in cased here in skull for its 25th Anniversary! There's little we can add to the canon when it comes to describing this album's impact, but it's still pretty revelatory. Like other west coast rap heavies of the time, Cypress Hill documents real world street violence with a darkly comic sensibility, redefined usage of the word "blunt" forever more, and simply delivered one of the most influential rap (or rock. . .considering the astonishing crossover success) albums of the decade. "How I Could Just Kill A Man", "Hand On The Pump", "Hole In The Head", "Real Estate", "Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk", "Phunky Feel One", "Pigs", "Latin Lingo", "Something For The Blunted", "Psychobeatbuckdown" and more. Get On Down's 25th Anniversary is one of the coolest, craziest things we've seen for a commemorative anniversary edition ever – housed in an amazin, hard resin black skull – essentially a 3D physical recreation of the group's 1991 logo – plus a 100 page hardcover book! CD

Miles Davis' first-ever performance in Japan – a really unique concert that featured the quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams – augmented by a young Sam Rivers on tenor! The presence of Rivers really gives the set an edge – and although Miles is holding Sam a bit more in check than on some of his "new thing" albums from the time, there's an overall quality here that's different than the other Davis quintet albums of the time. The set was one of a number of important Miles Davis live sessions from the period – including albums from Berlin, Antibes, and Chicago – and titles include "If I Were A Bell", "My Funny Valentine", "So What", "Walkin'" and "All Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

The classic debut album by the DOC, from the glory days of Ruthless Records – one of the few records on the label to live up to the brilliance of NWA at their height! Dr Dre handles the production here – and there's a razor-sharp edge that really matches DOC's wordcraft – as powerful as the rest of the Ruthless crew, but in a different way too – almost more sophisticated, with the messaged buried a bit more in the lyrics. Titles include "The Formula", "It's Funky Enough", "Mind Blowin", "Lend Me An Ear", "Portrait Of A Master Piece", "Whirlwind Pyramid", "No One Can Do It Better", and "The DOC & The Doctor" – plus "The Grand Finale", which features guest work from Ren and Ice Cube. LP, Vinyl record album

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

One of the records that made Dr John a legend back in the day – a set that steps off from New Orleans roots into a world of weird funk, tripped-out sounds, and lots and lots of super-heavy grooves! The album's got a nicely exploratory vibe – as the first side features shorter funky cuts, but the second half really stretches out, and features a side-long track that has the Doctor at his most freewheeling – mixing deep currents from soul and blues with all the great ear for studio techniques he'd developed over the years – fused into a sound that's almost a fantasy of a soulful subculture in the swamps. Titles include "Loop Garoo", "Wash Mama Wash", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Mardi Gras Day", and "Chippy Chippy" – plus the side-long "Angola Anthem". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary Latin funk album – spearheaded by Eddie Palmieri! The record is a landmark crossover album from the early 70s – cut at the end of the Latin soul era, but featuring that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk – which are then given a new sort of push in this era of strong Latin pride and new opportunities for the youthful scene in New York! The grooves are all nice and long – with plenty of hard jamming, Latin rhythms, funky solos, and even soulful lyrics in English – sung with a very righteous, positive message that's kept the album at the top of the stacks for years. Eddie Palmeri plays piano and directs the group – and titles include "Seeds Of Life", "Harlem River Drive", and "Idle Hands". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of funky blues – recorded by Howlin Wolf during the period when Chess/Cadet was backing its older artists up with some of the newer funk musicians it had working in its studios! The overall sound works quite well – and although purists at the time moaned at the way artists like Wolf, Etta James, and Bo Diddley were being handled (especially with a "we know better than them" message on the cover like this!), the funky blues records from this time actually seem to be some of the most enduring from Chess – especially with younger listeners in the 21st Century! A big part of the success here goes to producers Charles Stepney and Gene Barge – who helped bring together a younger batch of players for Wolf's backing – including Pete Cosey and Phil Upchurch on guitars, Louis Satterfield on bass, and Morris Jennings on drums. Titles include "Spoonful", "Tail Dragger", "Smokestack Lightning", "Red Rooster", "Evil", and "Down In The Bottom". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet! One of the harder Scratch efforts to track down over the years, one we're always glad to come across! Recorded in the late 70s, when his wigged out follies at the Black Ark had reached their peak –though there's a bit of debate over whether these tracks were actually recorded at the Black Ark – this is one of the first albums issued after the studio burned to the ground. Whichever side of the argument you fall on, you can't argue with the tracks on this one: spare instrumental Perry-isms with jaunty guitar, loping syncopated drums and bouncing bass, plus Tommy McCook's horn. Titles include "Cloak & Dagger", "Hail Stone", "Musical Transplant", "Liquid Serenade", "Iron Claw", "Rude Walking", "Cave Man Skank", "Pee Wee Special" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal early dub work from Lee Scratch Perry – an album recorded in the same stretch as Blackboard Jungle Dub and Cloak & Dagger – but a record that's much more obscure than those two classics! That obscurity is no reflection on quality, though – as Rhythm Shower is superb, and maybe even more compelling in its rougher-edged presentation – as Lee works in material from Dillinger and Sir Lord Comic – with other, dubbier takes on Upsetters material – all with a super-heavy vibe that's amazing! Titles include "Skanking", "Rumpelsteelskin", "Operation", "Connection", "Kuchy Skank", "Django Shoots First", "Tighten Up", and "Double Power". LP, Vinyl record album

Pivotal early dub! Depending upon whose history of the Jamaican recording industry you subscribe to, this is can be considered by many to be the first dub LP – and whether that's proveable or not, it's certain among the first! History aside, it's a mighty set with some raw early dub style workouts at the hands of Errol Thompson at the renowned 16 North Parade recording studio run by Randy's, with some deft production by Clive Chin. Needing virtually no introduction, the Impact All Stars drop some incredible rhythms, many which will be immediately recognizable as having been versioned from massive numbers for Augustus Pablo, Junior Byles and the Soul Vendors. Titles include "Java Dub", "Cheating Dub", "ET Special", "Ordinary Version Dub", "Hide Away Dub" and "Black Man's Dub". CD

The first album of the new millennium for UGK – coming into it at high point! They had a lot to live up to after Ridin' Dirty did so much put Houston on the legacy hip hop, and really helped usher in the the southern hip hop revolution in general, so if Dirty Money doesn't blaze any more trails, it's certainly as sturdy ride that still sounds good after all these years. Includes "Let Me See It", "Choppin' Blades", "Look At Me", "Ain't That A B***h" with Devin The Dude, "Holdin' Na" feat C-Note, "Don't Say S**t" with Big Gipp of Goodie Mob, ""Dirty Money", "Pimpin' Ain't No Illusion", "Wood Wheel", "Money, H*** & Power" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A blues album, but one with a difference – thanks to some tremendous help from the legendary Johnny Otis and his young son Shuggie! Despite the fact that the leader is billed as Guitar Slim Green, Shuggie actually plays some lead guitar on the record too – adding in some cool, complicated solos that point towards his genius to come as a solo act – and which also get some nicely romping rhythms from Johnny on drums! The Otis family was definitely bringing a lot of funk into their sound at the time, which they share plenty with Slim here – helping to make the record way more than just another late 60s rootsy blues session, and instead a great west coast criss-crossing of modes. Titles include "Shake Em Up", "My Little Angel Child", "5th Street Alley Boogie", "Old Folks Blues", "This War Ain't Right", and "Big Fine Thing". Also features two bonus tracks, both unissued – "My Marie" and "Rock The Nation". CD

While the other standouts of the class of '95 like Nas, Jay Z and AZ drifted towards the Escobar/Gambino/Cristal style, Mobb Deep avoided that trend in this tight follow-up to their legendary Infamous debut! Their subject matter may not have evolved or expanded too much, but their strong production is top notch and strong to this day.. Also, some nice guest appearances from Method Man, Raekwon, Nas, Big Noyd. Includes the hilarious "Drop A Gem On 'Em", "Hell On Earth", "Extortion", "More Trife Life", "Still Shinin'", "G.O.D. Pt III", "Nighttime Vultures", "Bloodsport" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little Shirley Scott album – perhaps her best for Cadet! Unlike the others, which have a complicated set of arrangements, this one has a stripped-down jazz funk feel that reminds us a lot of the classic early 70s groovers on Prestige Records. Shirley plays some very nice lines on the organ, over tight drums from Idris Muhammad that hit that tasty breakbeat sound on the best cuts! The standout numbers are the album's versions of "Lean On Me" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", both strong sample tracks with nice drums. The rest of the group includes George Coleman, Roland Prince, and J. Daniel Turner – and tracks include Carla's Dance", "Funky Blues", and "Royal Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Groovy organ jazz from the Three Deuces – the trio of Eddie Roberts on guitar, Ian Rose on Hammond and Bill White on drums plus guest percussionist Bill White – a great little set recorded in London in 1996! The sound is strong and very authentic – like a lost 60s discovery! There's a lot of groups out there that get tagged as trad sounding, but which really don't have the credentials. Not the case with these guys. They groove along nicely in that sort of classic Hammond groove, with maybe a Brit 60s beat twist to it. The tracks include "Keep On It", "Face to Face", "Is That All", "Mr. Ed", "Down At Art's" and a nice version of "Boogie On Reggae Woman". Good stuff with sweet, long songs! CD

A rare bit of hardcore poetry by the Watts Prophets – the legendary LA group who were kind of a west coast answer to the Last Poets! The group have a sound that's as striking as the best early work by The Last Poets – a hard-hitting blend of poetry, rhythms, and righteous energy – all recorded in a style that's stripped down, proud, angry, and in stark contrast to the rest of the work coming out in the soul music industry at the time. Their work was not only some of the most radical and striking of the early 70s, but it's also gone onto become a key blueprint for hip hop of later years – especially the rough-edged style of the west coast that began to emerge at the end of the 80s. CD brings together all the tracks from the group's 2 albums – a total of 41 short tunes that pack the punch of a hand grenade! Titles include "Pain", "A Pimp", "Take It", "Amerikkka", "The Prostitute", "F*cked", "Black In A White World", "Funny How Things Can Change", "Pimping Leaning & Feaning", "Keep You Doing Things", "The Meek Ain't Gonna", "Saint America", "They Shot Him", and "Response To A Bourgeois Nigger". CD

A massive batch of rare club tracks unearthed by Chicago's Past Due label, packaged together wonderfully as a document of a lost side of soul and disco! So far, Past Due's efforts have only surfaced as expensive 12" singles – so this collection is the first full length set to showcase the label's music – a treasure trove of under-discovered gems from the indie soul underground of the late 70s and early 80s! The music is to the far left of some of the better-known club work from the east coast of the time – including that of P&P Records – and most cuts here almost fall more in the upbeat funk mode than conventional disco grooves you'd find on bigger labels. Most numbers groove along in a wave of bumping bass, sweet keyboards, and other hip instrumental touches – and vocals are usually deep and soulful, much more so than in ordinary club. Titles include "Galaxy" by Visions Of Tomorrow, "Midnight Rhythm" by The Right Direction, "The Heat Is On" by Lonnie Givens, "Get Up Get Down & Let Your Body Pop" by Greyship Daviz, "Dance" by Destiny In Time Band, "Party" by Monofide, "Kiss You Everywhere" and "You Are Number One" by Devarne, "You Bring Out The Best In Me" by Destiny In Time, and "If You Like What We're Doing" by The Fabulous Kings. LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking work from Archie Shepp – 5 albums that helped define the Impulse Records sound of the 60s! First up is Four For Trane – an amazing Impulse debut from Archie Shepp – easily one of his boldest musical statements ever, and a key announcement to the world that a new generation of modernists was on the rise! The album was co-produced by John Coltrane – who brought Shepp to the label, and almost gets out-done by Archie's sharply crafted musical vision on the set. The style here is that mix of freer lines and tighter conception that Shepp used with the New York Contemporary Five – and players include John Tchicai on alto from that group, plus Roswell Rudd on trombone, Alan Shorter on flugelhorn, Reggie Workman on bass, and Charles Moffett on drums. The lack of piano in the album is striking – and allows for plenty of horn interplay, but in a way that's much more cutting and dark than any of the piano-less horn dates from the 50s. Titles include 4 Coltrane compositions ("Syeeda's Song Flute", "Mr Syms", "Cousin Mary", and "Naima"), as sort of a tribute to Trane – plus Shepp's excellent "Rufus (Swung, his face at last to the wind, then his neck snapped)". On This Night is one of his most successful blends of the disparate influences that comprised his style. The group is a bit smaller than usual – which gives good focus to players like Bobby Hutcherson, Henry Grimes, and Joe Chambers. Shepp contributed some of his most haunting compositions to the set – including "On This Night", "The Mac Man", and "The Pickaninny" – and the whole thing's amazing enough to make you a Shepp convert for life. Whenever we get bogged down in some of his later recordings, we only need put this one on and feel refreshed! Fire Music is fantastic stuff – easily one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums, and certainly one of the pivotal points of 60s avant garde jazz! The album features Shepp leading a crack "new thing" line up that includes Ted Curson on trumpet, Marion Brown on alto, Joe Chambers on drums, Reggie Johnson on bass, and the lesser-known Joseph Orange on trombone – all playing in a beautifully poised manner, never too far out and free, but with all the dynamic energy of the best jazz changes of the 60s! There's a vibe here that's similar to some of the Blue Note "new thing" work by players like Grachan Moncur, Jackie McLean, and Tony Williams from the time – but there's a vision that's also wider and deeper, too, given the size of the group and the way they interact. Titles include "Hambone", "Los Olvidados", "Malcolm Malcolm–Semper Malcolm", and an insane cover of "Girl From Ipanema". You can't go wrong with this one – trust us! Mama Too Tight is growing brilliance from the young Archie Shepp – a record that's not just about Archie's own amazing work on the tenor, but also his keen modern vision as a leader! The combo here is an ensemble that features some of the hippest modernists of the 60s – Roswell Rudd and Grachan Moncur on trombone, Perry Robinson on clarinet, Howard Johnson on tuba, Charlie Haden on bass, and Tommy Turrentine on trumpet – making a rare non-bop appearance here, and further enforcing our already-high estimation of his talents! The style's somewhat in the "new thing" mode of the period, but it's also a bit more tightly arranged too – almost hitting Mingus-like modes for the bigger ensemble – balancing the force of the group together with very free, bold solo impulses from the players. Side one features the extended "Portrait Of Robert Thompson (As A Young Man)" – and side two features "Mama Too Tight", "Theme For Ernie", and "Basheer". Way Ahead Is definitely the way ahead in jazz – back in the 60s, and well into the 21st Century too! Archie Shepp's in prime form here – working with a sextet that's awash in avant freedoms, but which always shows a great sense of restraint – just the right power gained from the new modes of jazz expression, as the players dance together beautifully on a razor's edge of personal creativity and ensemble exploration. Players here include Grachan Moncur on trombone, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Beaver Harris and Roy Haynes on drums – and the album also features the first piano player on most of the Shepp albums on Impulse – Walter Davis Jr, making a rare outside appearance with the group! Titles include the classic track "Frankenstein", plus "Fiesta", "Damn If I Know (The Stroller)", and "Sophisticated Lady" – all nice and long! CD

The A&M debut of Brewer & Shipley – and a set that's got a lot deeper sound than the duo's later radio hits! There's a youthful, earnest feel going on here – touched with a bit of sunshine, too – all in that wonderfully fresh feel you'll get from the early A&M forays into rock – this magical vibe that's not nearly as posturing, or as self-conscious as some of the heavier projects from bigger labels at the time. Songwriting is sensitive, delivered beautifully by the two voices – and instrumentation often has acoustic elements that echo the love of country that was bubbling in the LA scene of this late 60s Byrds generation. Yet the vibe is quite different than anything you might know, too – almost somewhere between the Roger Nichols Trio and Lambert & Nuttycomb – showing a nice A&M evolution that links together both acts. Titles include "She Thinks", "Truly Right", "Green Bamboo", "Dreamin In The Shade", "Love Love", and "An Incredible State Of Affairs". LP, Vinyl record album

An odd combination – but two very nice albums! Black Woman is one of the best-ever (or perhaps the best) Sonny Sharrock albums, and probably the toughest to find. Recorded in New York, with Dave Burrell on piano, Milford Graves on drums, and wife Linda on voice. The tracks are nice and moody, without the craziness that sometimes bogs down his later work. Linda doesn't get in the way too much, either, and her voice is a perfect accompaniment to the dark sound of the session. Side one features the tracks "Black Woman" and "Peanut", and side two has the band joined by Teddy Daniel on trumpet, and playing the tracks "Bialero", "Blind Willy", and "Portrait Of Linda In Three Colors, All Black". The Freedom Sounds were a side-project of funky trombonist Wayne Henderson – who was in the Jazz Crusaders at the time – and their LP is a nice, bouncy assortment of funky covers of sixties soul material, plus a few strong Henderson originals, wrapped up with the same rolling groove you might expect from the Jazz Crusaders. Really strident, with Henderson's trombone way in front and goofing around, almost like Fred Wesley. With the tracks "Cucamonga", "Orbital Velocity", and "Cathy The Cooker". CD

Like many other 70s reissues in the Prestige/Milestone/fantasy family, this set compiles 2 early albums by Mose. Unlike a lot of his later material, this set's mostly instrumental, though he does get in some vocals on about a third of the tracks. The album features some great work by Allison's trio of the time – Addison Farmer on bass and Ronnie Free or Nick Stabulas on drums – simple piano-driven groovers, performed with a slight gutbuckety approach, and lots of sweet down home soul. 20 tracks in all, including "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "How Long Has This Been Going On", "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand", "Stroll", "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Seventh Son", "If You Live", "Mule", "If I Didn't Care", "Moon & Cypress", and "Creek Bank". CD

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too! CD

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". Features a great 16 page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 60s concept pop from Appletree Theatre – a mix of unpredictable baroque pop, soaring string laden tunes, and more stripped down and moody numbers – and programmed as acts, in keeping with the theatre mode! What's most impressive, other than the tuneful songcraft, is that it never comes off as shtick, and the concept doesn't get in the way of the songs, making this a really nice discovery! Arranged as a 3 act play, with overture and epilogue, titles include "Lullaby", "Hightower Square", "Saturday Morning", "Nevertheless It Was Italy", "I Wonder If Louise Is Home", "E-Train", "Brother Speed", "Don't Blame It On Your Wife", "What A Way To Go" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A lost set from percussionist Okyerema Asante – an African percussionist, but one who made some great music as part of the Black Fire/Oneness Of Juju collective on the DC scene in the 70s! This album follows with a spirit that's a bit like the later work of Oneness – and in fact, the group also features its leader, the excellent Plunky Nakabinde on a variety of saxes and flute. There's a strong dancefloor current at times – mixing funk and soul with deeper roots – similar to Oneness on their Make A Change album, inflected with lots of clubby rhythms and a bit of electronics. The best cut is "That's My Girl" – a 15 minute number that grooves on with some good sax bits from Plunky, and a catchy hook that comes off quite soulfully – but the other long track, "Sabi (Get Down)", is pretty great too. LP, Vinyl record album

Badfinger comes into their own on No Dice – with a few buzzing rockers this time out, a pretty huge step from the more easygoing pop of Magic Christian Music (sweet as that stuff is) – with harder hitting groovers that kind of predict some of more tuneful power pop to follow in Badfinger's wake, but showcasing some pretty intense emotion, too, on the classic "Without You" and other tracks. Titles include "I Can't Take It", "I Don't Mind", "Blodwyn", "Better Days", "It Had To Be Me", "Believe Me", "We're For The Dark", "No Matter What" and more. This Capitol pressing includes 5 bonus tracks "Get Down", "Friends Are Hard To Find", "Mean Mean Jemima", "Loving You", "I'll Be The One". CD

Soaring soul from Bah Samba – an excellent group that features vocals by the incredible Alice Russell! Bah Samba have a sound that's as compelling as their promising name – a blend of Latin influences and modern London grooves – wrapped up in a warmly jazzy finish that's a nice extension of older British modes from the late 80s and early 90s, yet which comes off here without any of their cliches at all. Bits of Swing Out Sister, Brand New Heavies, and other British favorites echo through the group's work – but there's also a fresher west London vibe going on as well. Most surprising are Russell's vocals, which have a warmth that's quite a contrast to some of her later work. 2CD set has loads of tracks at a really great price – and titles include an excellent remake of Teena Marie's "Portuguese Love", served up in both LP and Phil Asher versions – plus "Soul King", "Everybody Get Up", "Have You Got Your Bootz On", "Inner Soul", "Calma", "Don't Let Them Get You Down", "So Many People", "Let The Drums Speak", and "Doober". CD