The striking debut of PJ Harvey – a record that not only has the British singer maybe topping any of the new generation of American female singer/songwriters that were emerging at the time – but also really showing the world her skills as a producer too! There's a ferocity to some of these songs, and open emotion throughout – a style that's often dark, but never too brooding or self-absorbed – which is maybe why Harvey's star rose so much with a record like this! Titles include "Oh My Lover", "Dress", "Stella", "Happy & Bleeding", "Sheela Na Gig", "Hair", "Joe", and "Plants & Rags". CD

Recorded live at Glastonbury Festival June 24th 1995. CD

The second PJ Harvey album and the last with a stripped down, raw rock trio sound – and a tense, quiet-loud dynamic that's as thrilling today as the day it came out! Includes the challenging, masterful title track that's taut and chilling from beginning to end, but starts so quiet, you're almost forced to crank the volume only to blow your eardrums when the chorus rages in – for our money it's one greatest songs of the early 90s alt rock boom – and that's just beginning! Includes her great cover of "Highway 61 Revisited", "Legs", "Man-Size", "50 Queenie", Yuri-G", "Snake" and "Ecstasy". CD

PJ Harvey at peak power! This one came at a point in her career when she'd hit such stylistically varied high points earlier on, it's hard to imagine what she could've done to surprise long time fans or impress the critics as much as before – and she hits the mark by diverting expectations all together, with disarmingly great songs and her one of a kind voice. From the relatively spare and intimate songs to the fuzzy guitar stormers, she revisits styles she's done before without repeating herself, it's a next step all around and it hasn't aged a day since it came out. Includes "Big Exit", "Good Fortune", "A Place Called Home", "One Lane", "This Mess We're In", "This Is Love", "Horses In My My Dreams", "We Float", "Beautiful Feeling" and more. CD

The one that catapulted PJ Harvey from a critical favorite to something of a popular favorite on both the US and UK – and her most remarkable creative stride to date! At the time, it felt like this was the one where Polly Harvey made a conscious choice to go "big" with sound, working with producer Flood after that famously stripped down Rid Of Me with Steve Albini engineering, but in hindsight it's amazing how the bigger sound, unafraid of electronics and all around grander atmosphere never even comes close to hiding the by turns intimate and mysterious lyricism – and it might be the best showcase for Polly's voice on record – projecting varying, unpredictable mood from track to track. Includes "To Bring You My Love", "Meet Ze Monsta", "Down By The Water", "Send His Love To Me", "The Dancer" and more. CD

A little bit leaner, and little bit darker, and a lot more solo of a PJ Harvey album after the comparatively bigger sounding Stories From The City, Stories From The City (itself largely the work of trio, though more deliberately layered and polished) – but true to form, Polly subverts the expectation that she'd strip things raw on a record in which does all but play the drums on – not just on guitars and vocals, bass, piano, accordion, melodica and more on an effort that has a fleshed out band vibe done mostly herself! Rob Ellis handles drums and percussion and titles include "The Life And Death Of Mr. Badmouth", "Shame", "Who The F**k?", "The Pocket Knife", "The Letter", "The Slow Drug", "No Child Of Mine", "The End", "Seagulls" and "The Darker Days Of Me & Him". CD

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A classic bit of funky guitar by Harvey Mandel – similar to some of Dennis Coffey's early work in that it's got full on guitar power, very much inspired by heavy rock, filtered through an approach that's also got plenty of funk in it! The killer track here is the classic "Baby Batter" – a great cut that starts with a hard funky break, and which rips out guitar-wise, jamming all the way through. The whole album's pretty tasty, though – and other tracks include "El Stinger", "Hank The Ripper", and "Morton Grove Mama". Production is by Abe Voco Kesh – and the set features work from Howeard Wales and Mike Melvion on organ and electric piano – plus Big Black on congas! LP, Vinyl record album

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Legendary drummer Harvey Mason in sweet jazz funk groove at Arista – a way stronger record than we remembered! Harvey played on some of our favorite jazz funk records of all time – including the massive Gears LP by Johnny Hammond among so many other great albums – and on his on 70s work for Arista, he explored jazz funk and soul instrumentals, with an expansive approach. He was an integral piece of the pie on so many completely essential records by other artists, that it's far too easy to overlook the considerable strengths of the records he headlined, and this is surely of on one of those! Players include Lee Ritenour & Ray Parker on guitars, the Sea Wind Horns of Bruce Fowler, Sally and Kenny Mason, Greg Pillinganes and Paul Smith on pianos and organs, Jan Hammer on Mini Moog and others. Cuts include "Sweet Mercy", "Bertha Baptist", "First Summer" (with Harvey Mason on vibes, bells and chimes), "No Lands Man", "Sho Nuff Groove", "The Mase", "When I'm With You (Live Version)" and "KY And The Curb". LP, Vinyl record album

Fast and funky from Harvey! "Broadway Freeze" is a sock-soul number that begins with a rolling drum approach and Harvey stating that the band's from Milwaukee – then rolls into a storming groove that's pure Alvin Cash, with Harvey shouting "sockit sockit" along with the group! "Can't Cry" is more of a southern-tinged number – starts slow, then picks up the pace with a groove that's a bit Memphis-y, or almost in a Wicked Pickett mode! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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Features Makoto Ozone, Chick Corea, Jacky Terrasson, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Joey Calderazzo, and Dave Grusin. CD

A lesser-known take on the sax quartet format that Rova and WSQ were exploring at the time – with Harvey Pittel on soprano sax, James Rotter on alto, Roger Greenberg on tenor, and Mark Watters on baritone – plus Monty Budwig on bass and Shelly Manne on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

Really great material from tenor legend Johnny Griffin – maybe one of his best records of the 70s, and certainly one that shows that his early genius was alive and well – and really able to flourish in a setting like this! The tracks are long and open – in a mode that's similar to Dexter Gordon's work on Steeplechase at the time, but maybe with a bit more of a punch – that south side soul that Griffin always had in his horn, which also seems to bring more out of the rhythm group too – a trio that features Kenny Drew on piano, Mads Vinding on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Griff fills the extended space of the tunes with endless imaginative solo moments – on titles that include "That Party Upstairs", "Alone Again", and "Soft & Furry". LP, Vinyl record album

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Definitely a USA union from John Mayall – given that he's got great American work here from Harvey Mandel on guitar and Don Sugarcane Harris on violin! LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly wonderful 70s meeting between Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker – recorded live, with sweet electric touches from CTI – in a style that shouldn't work so well, but which really comes off great! The approach is simple – Mulligan and Baker solo in a manner that's a bit like their 50s work, but which also unfolds more than usual with backing from a group that includes Bob James on electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, John Scofield on guitar, and Harvey Mason on drums. Tracks are long, with lots of space – hanging in a beautiful balance between electric and acoustic sounds. Titles include "Line For Lyons", "Song For An Unfinished Woman", "Song For Strayhorn", "It's Sandy At The Beach", "Bernie's Tune", and "K 4 Pacific". Both volumes on one CD! CD

Nestico plays with big band, with featured soloists including Eugene Amaro, Ed Bickert, Guido Basso, Jimmy Dale, Dave Young, Jerry Toth, Dave Woods, Ian McDougall, Jerry Johnson, and Bruce Harvey. CD

One of the nicest early albums by this great 70s soul collective – featuring a strong mix of funk and mellow soul tracks, with backing by the Nite Liters on some tracks, and production by the great Harvey Fuqua throughout! Titles include "Wild Flower", "It's Been A Long Time", "Keep On Doing It", "Pains of Love", "Ain't No Change", and "Heaven Says". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet groover from Esther Phillips – done in a style that's much more club-oriented than before, but which we find ourselves liking quite a lot! Given that Esther had explored other modes quite thoroughly on other 60s and 70s sessions, the change here is actually a nice one – and the overall presentation is handled with a good sense of class and poise by Harvey Mason, who produced the session, and gives the record a sound that's hip enough to make it work. Esther sound especially great on the album's sweet stepper "Bedtime Stories", but other cuts are nice too – and titles include "Our Day Will Come", "Oo Oop Oo Oop", "Love Makes A Woman", "Mr Melody", and "I'll Close My Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

On The Line has a style that's a bit keyboard-heavy – in a way that seems to borrow from some of the 80s soundtrack work of the time, and which is clearly a nod to the success of the Lyle Mays/Pat Metheny sound that was breaking big on ECM. The move is a nice one for Lee on the best cuts – those that underplay the cheesier aspects of the style – and other players on the album are a batch of likely suspects that include Harvey Mason, Dave Grusin, Ernie Watts, and Steve Forman. Titles include "The Rit Variations", "Dolphin Dreams", "California Roll", "On The Line", "Tush", and "Heavenly Bodies". LP, Vinyl record album

Few people did soulful fusion better than Lee Ritenour back in the early 80s – and the guitarist always seemed to find a way to really link together all the different sounds of the electric genre – from heavy jamming to soulful grooving to a rock-like appreciation for a good hook! Harvey Mason provides some great heavy drums, and also helped Lee produce – which gives the record a sharp, soulful focus that's like some of Harvey's own great records of the time – an undercurrent of funk that more than helps keep the Ritenour vocals moving along! Titles include "Mr Briefcase", "Countdown", "Good Question", "Dreamwalk", "Is It You", and "Just Tell Me Pretty Lies". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit jazzier than usual – thanks to work from Herbie Hancock on keyboards, Wayne Shorter on saxes, Ron Carter on bass, and both Tony Williams and Harvey Mason on drums! Titles include "Love Theme From Spartacus", "Golden Hours", "Gardenia", "La Llave", "Jharma Kala", and "Song For My Brother" LP, Vinyl record album

70s geekazoid hi-fi culture at it's finest! The folks at JBL put together this 2LP set as sort of a "bible" of a 70's understanding of hi-fi – and it's a weird mix of documentary discussion, speaker demonstration, and rock tracks by the likes of Alex Harvey and Hoyt Axton. Nutty, and chock full of open drum breaks! LP, Vinyl record album

With accompaniment by Clare Fischer, Gary Foster, Bill Perkins, Victor Feldman, Harvey Mason, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

The first Motown full length record by the Spinners – Original Spinners from '67 – followed by an impeccably well-chosen collection of bonus material! It's excellent stuff – an overlooked album with some very hard to find Motown work by this early version of the legendary Spinners – with lead vocals by Bobby Smith and Edgar Edwards. The tracks have a mixture of sweet and raw harmonies – crafted with an elegantly soulful sound that would later take the group way over the top during the 70s, and which here sounds sublime next to some of the group's Motown contemporaries! The first 12 tracks on this excellent Kent compilation are the Original Spinners tracklist – including "Sweet Thing", "I Cross My Heart", "I'll Always Love You", "Truly Yours", "Like A Good Man Should", "For All We Know", "How Can I", "It Hurts To Be In Love", "Nobody Else But You", "Where Is That Girl", "Tomorrow May Never Come" and "That's What Girls Are Made For". Most of the 14 bonus tracks are previously unreleased masters – revelatory stuff from earlier in the 60s – formative, yet beautifully realized recordings with productions by Harvey Fuqua and Ivy Joe Hunter! Titles include "Darling", "Words Can't Describe", "12 O'Clock", "Just Another Guy", "We're Gonna Be More More Than Friends" and more. CD

A real gem from that key moment in Japanese fusion when some of the nation's best artists were hopping over to the American scene – cutting records like this, which often beat the American soul fusion scene at its own game – thanks to the help of a big array of all-star players! Masayoshi Takanaka plays guitar solos throughout, but also gets some help from Lee Ritenour on the electric strings – in a group that also has arrangements from Greg Adams of Tower Of Power, who brings in the rest of the TOP horns too – plus keyboards from Patrice Rushen, bass from Chuck Rainey, and drums from the great Harvey Mason – a rhythm combo that really keeps things groovy throughout. There's two vocal tracks on the set – which feature work from Jim Gilstrap, Maxi Anderson, and The Waters – on titles that include "Malibu", "ESP", "Sexy Dance", "Sundrops", "Good Bad Old Days", and the title track "Insatiable High". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic early session from Alligator Records – with Hound Dog Taylor on guitar and vocals, plus Brewer Phillips on second guitar and Ted Harvey on drums – all working in a style that's a lot leaner than other work on the label! CD

With Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Cornelle Dupree, Eric Gale, Paul Griffin, Freddie Hubbard, Harvey Mason, Ray Parker Jr, and more. CD

Seminal work from this legendary duo – singers Martha Wash and Izora Armstead – better known by their later name as The Weather Girls, but already pretty darn great here as Two Tons! The pair first famously sang backup for Sylvester in the Bay Area, but quickly stepped out on their own, due to their vocal strengths – already full formed here, and given some mighty sharp studio help from supersoul producer Harvey Fuqua! Fuqua was really hitting his clubby style at this time, which really lets the girls' vocals soar – in a way that's similar to their later Weather Girls work, but maybe a bit more tied here to the Bay Area soulful style of the Fantasy Records scene. Titles include "Gone Away", "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven", "Do You Wanna Boogie", "Just Us", "Got The Feeling", "Taking Away Your Space", and "One-Sided Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of darkness here from Phil Upchurch – those great tones and notes he worked so well back in the 70s – all with that near-perfect quality that made him one of the most in-demand players of his day! The style here is a bit different than some of Phil's previous work in Chicago – as the set was recorded on the west coast with support from players who include Joe Sample on piano, Arthur Adams on rhythm guitar, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Harvey Mason on drums. But that shift of locale hasn't dampened Phil's sound at all – and he's still getting a bit of hometown help from Donny Hathaway, who arranged a few tracks and also plays a bit of electric piano on the record. Other arrangements are by Nick DeCaro, and titles include "Love & Peace", "Darkness, Darkness", "Cold Sweat", "Fire And Rain", "Please Send Me Someone To Love" and "Inner City Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant solo effort from drummer Jim White – a musician who's provided support to a wide range of rock greats – including Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, and Bill Callahan – but one who's also a secret master of the drum kit, with a command of his instrument that's really breathtaking! In some ways, the set's a record of solo drums – maybe not as improvised as on a free jazz album, but pretty open overall – yet Jim also mixes in some other sounds too, mostly just to fill up the background space so that the drums are in the lead – a gentle sonic palette that still emphasizes all the live, spontaneous action on the acoustic drum kit at the core! Titles include "Names Make The Name", "Here Comes", "Soft Material", "Curtains", "Percussion Build", "Marketplace", and "Walking The Block". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive tribute to the genius of soul in the Windy City – a wonderful compilation that really gets at the special sound Chicago brought into play during the early years of soul! The set is filled with key cuts from the Chi-town scene of the time – some of them lesser-known that the famous hits always associated with our hometown – and beautifully selected to really capture a moment when soul music was first starting to come together as a style! You can definitely hear roots from Chicago blues, gospel, and R&B in the cuts – but they're definitely all soul, all the way through – a killer batch of nuggets that manages to offer up fresh bits from some big names, and uncover some great cuts by some less familiar folks. The package features full track-by-track notes on the tunes by Bill Dahl – and titles include "Tragic" by The Sheppards, "At The Party "by Wade Flemons, "Hi Diddley Dee Dum Dum" By The Dells, "Tell Him" by The Drew-Vels, "I've Got A Girl" by Major Lance, "Senorita I Love You" by The Impressions, "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" by Don & Bob, "My Heart Cries" by Etta & Harvey, "Isle Of Sirens" by Jerry Butler, "Enchanted Garden" by The Accents, "You've Got A Great Love" by The Chanteurs, "Father Knows Best" by The Radiants, "Let Em Try" by Rosco Gordon, "Behind The Curtains" by Jan Bradley, and "Puppy Love" by Barbara Lewis. CD

A huge document of work from LA's Consolidated Productions – a company you might not know by name, but one who issued work on a number of tiny indie labels – including City Lights, Simco, Space, Velvet, Angel Town, and many other labels! The set is heavy on 60s soul in a variety of styles – and features group harmonies, deep soul singers, and even some instrumental work too – all with qualities that are very much in the best modes that the Chicago scene was recording at the time – sophisticated, but gritty too – and with a vibe that's way past the 60s soul hits you'll find on mainstream compilations! You'll recognize a few names here – including Gene Russell, later of Black Jazz fame – and there's a fair bit of obscure artists too – in a set list of 28 tracks that include "Misery" by The DeVelles, "Cool It Baby" by BB Carter, "I'm Mad" by Spider Walker, "Money Man" by LA Untouchables, "I Got To See My Baby" by Lee Jones, "Jet Set" and "Doin The Snake Hips" by Gene Russell's Trio, "Don't You Fool Me" by Ann Stacy, "My Lover" by Marilyn Calloway & The 4 Silvertones, "Lighten Up Baby" by Ty Karim, "Turkey Trot" by Dynamic Duo & The Penguiness, "False Pride" and "Prove It" by Lee Harvey, and "So Called Friend" by Billy Williams. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little collection that's maybe the opposite of the long-running tradition of "desert island discs" – in that the music here is hardly essential, but would be plenty of fun to hear if you were trapped alone with nowhere else to go! Think of the set as the darker side of exotica at the end of the 50s – a spot where tropical sounds mix with Latin rhythms and some rockish touches too – material from the years before surf guitars were really hitting the mainstream, but older modes were being infused with a bit of electricity and new modes of production – all in ways that make for some very cool cuts collected in the set! The package brings together rare singles from a variety of sources – and titles include "Jivaro" by Harvey Anderson, "Babalu" by Phyllis Branch, "The Lonely Sea" by Rick & Trisha, "Strictly Polynesian" by Davy Jones & The Dolphins, "Midnight" by Hank Levine, "Bongo Heat" by Coral & The South Seas, "Martinique" by Ty & Ed, "Atlantis" by Blue Bells, "Rumba Rhapsody" by Hector Cari & The Dancing Strings, "Ho Ba La La" by Dariel Kay, and "Miserlou" by Vitin Aviles Y Su Orquesta. LP, Vinyl record album

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

A mighty nice little package – one that's overflowing with the special sort of Latin and soul music hybrids that rose up from the Spanish Harlem scene in the late 60s – the kind of cuts that helped establish Fania Records as one of the most important Latin labels around – and one of the grooviest too! These aren't the 70s salsa tracks that Fania spread across the globe – but the more New York-styled numbers that often had English language lyrics in the lead, sung by a soulful vocalist – and set to small combo rhythms that were overflowing with energy, and plenty of touches of jazz, soul, and funk! These are all the mixes from the rare 45rpm singles issued by Fania back in the day – and although the songs are wonderful, the collection together is even cooler as a whole – dozens of tracks, including some really rare ones – all bound up in a 7" book-styled cover, with 60 pages of notes, and a bonus funky 45! Titles include "Silent Heart" by 125th Street Candy Store, "Micro Mini" and "Make Out" by Harvey Averne, "Too Much Lovin" and "So Fine" by Joe Bataan, "Willie Baby" by Willie Colon, "Soul Drummers" and "Mercy Mercy Baby" by Ray Barretto, "Geronimo" and "Funky Big Feet" by Bobby Valentin, "Mercie" by Ralph Robles, "Camel Walk" by The Latinaires, "Batola Boogaloo" by Bobby Quesada, "Grazin In The Grass" by Orchestra Harlow, "Spinning Wheel" by El Apollo Sound, "Hey Sister" by Monguito Santamaria, "Who Is The Girl For Me" and "Look At Her" by Ralfi Pagan, "New York Soul" by Ray Barretto, "Some Lonely Heart" by ronnie Marks, "Let's Get It Together This Christmas" by Harvey Averne, "Shaft" and "If I Were A King" by Joe Bataan, "Johnny's No Good" and "Blonde Latin Blues" by WRLC, and "Today" and "Try Just a Little Harder" by Butter Scotch. Lots more too – and the bonus 7" single features two promo tracks recorded for DJ Symphony Sid – one by Joe Bataan, the other by Bobby Valentin! CD

Great work from a pivotal year in modern music – a time when some of the experiments of the early prog generation were working their way into shorter, catchier work – not entirely the kind of pop that American audiences were digging on the radio in 1974, but instead some forward-thinking music that would set the tone for years to come! There's a smartness and sophistication to most of these tracks, but also a down to earth quality that makes them easy go get into too – music that came out right before the punk and disco years, but which has gone on to provide endless appeal to listeners in much later generations too. As with Grapefruit sets, the track list is superb – with a great blend of familiar and lesser-known acts, all supported with detailed notes that really help you get into the music. 67 tracks in all – a few unreleased – with music from Ron Wood, Georgie Fame, Hello, Fancy, Unicorn, Bryan Ferry, Sparks, Status Quo, John Cale, Tramp, Snafu, Bebop Deluxe, Roxy Music, Man, Fox, Holy Mackerel, Carmen, Stackridge, Farm, Dave Cousins, Slade, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Billy Kinsley, and many others! CD

Prog rock was shifting a bit as 1974 came into view, but the leading lights of the scene were still going strong – sometimes with new modes and slight shifts in production techniques that showed that the music was evolving very strongly, and not just content to mire in the modes of an initial wave of activity! If anything, most of the cats on this set are even sharper musicians and more daring songwriters than a few years before – which means that sometimes, there's an even more focused approach to the music – a bold message that can come across strongly, without a full side album jam – and with production elements that don't oversaturate as much, which almost seems to indicate that the prog scene of the moment were having some thoughts about musical shifts to come! As with the other titles in this series, the box features a superb set list – really well-chosen cuts that go past the obvious – accompanied by a very hefty set of notes on each act and the tunes within. 4CD set features 51 tracks in all – work from Caravan, Hawkwind, Gong, PFM, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Peter Hammill, Neutrons, Nektar, Hatfield & The North, Traffic, Gravy Train, Darryl Way's Wolf, Procol Harum, Jethro Tull, Stackridge, Greenslade, Strawbs, Kevin Ayers, Jack Bruce, and others! CD

One of the most comprehensive sets we've ever seen to look at the legacy of the legendary Lee Hazlewood – and one of the few to focus on the impact he's had on the 21st Century! Lee's songs have become the stuff of legend over the years – not just his own recordings, but classic tracks sung by the Sinatra family members, Dean Martin, and countless others – who are usually features on similar sets under the Hazlewood banner. But this package goes those one better – and looks mostly at material from the past 20 years – plus a few older songs – showing that, if anything, the present century has given Lee's music even more power than ever in the hands of diverse talents like these. As with more "vintage" sets from Ace Records, the presentation is great – a lot of tracks, and very detailed notes that really like the Hazelwood heritage to all this recent music. Titles include "A Cheat" by Jarvis Cocker & Richard Hawley, "Some Velvet Morning" by Primal Scream & Kate Moss, "First Street Blues" by Mick Harvey, "I'm Glad I Never" by Jesus & Mary Chain, "Sand" by Holly Golightly, "Look At That Woman" by Gallon Drunk, "You Turned My Head Around" by Dean & Britta, "I'd Rather Be Your Enemy" by Boyd Rice, "Summer Wine" by Ville Valo & Natalia Avelon, "Paris Summer" by Frances Ruffelle, "My Autumn's Done Come" by Mark Morriss, "No Train To Stockholm" by Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards, and "Long Black Train" by Thriftstore Masterpiece with Frank Black. Also includes vintage songs – "She Comes Running" by Waylon Jennings, "The Man Who Made An Angel Cry" by Loy Clingman, "Lady Bird" by Virgil Warner & Suzi Jane Hokom, and "Friday's Child" by Billie Dearborn. CD

One of the hippest sets we've ever seen on Spanish Harlem – a collection that goes way past the Latin Soul hits, to dig deep in the uptown underground at the end of the 60s! The package is compiled with gems from the Fania catalog, but rally moves past the obvious – going for some of the more obscure artists who recorded singles for some of the smaller Fania-held labels – and often focusing on tunes that drew more from late 60s soul and funk than they did from any Latin rhythms of the time. The singers are especially wonderful – and often hit a vibe that's right up there with some of Joe Bataan's best of the period – richly soulful, but often deeply personal too – never as polished as chart soul, and often showing a grittier, more realistic style that's totally great – especially when mixed with instrumentation as tight as this! Titles include "Reflections Of My Life" by 125th Street Candy Store, "On Old Broadway" by 107th Street Stickball Team, "Don't Be Afraid" by Lebron Brothers, "Central Park" by Harvey Averne Dozen, "Heaven" by Tito Ramos, "Your Smile" by Parris, "Some Lonely Heart" by Ronnie Marks, "There's No Girl" by Olivieri, "Maria Maria" by King Nando, "Already Satisfied" by Tony Middleton & Bobby Matos, "Nitty Boo Boo" by The Nitty Sextette, "Lonely Has Been My Day" by Ralphie & The Latin Lovers, "I'm Gonna Leave You" by Russell Cohen & The New Yorkers, and "Ain't No Big Thing" by Ralfi Pagan. LP, Vinyl record album

One of those 70s rock albums that seems to turn up in a fair bit of collections of hip soul and jazz – a bit like the work of Harvey Mandel, and with a similar blend of blues rock currents with farther-reaching ideals! Roy Buchanan is spectacular on the guitar here – the kind of player who almost could have fronted a bigger arena rock group, given his chops – but who choses instead to keep things close to the chest, with the more down to earth vibe of his look on the cover – even though his playing here is pretty outta sight. Roy's got some great help on the album – including some of the MGs on a version of "Green Onions" – plus more guitar from Steve Cropper on other tracks, plus piano from Jan Hammer, bass from Stanley Clarke, and drums from Narada Michael Walden. Other titles include "Judy", "Your Love", "Done Your Daddy Dirty", "The Circle", and "Hidden". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums from this famous Brazilian trombonist – all of them great! First up is Sweet Lucy – a wonderful album from Raul De Souza, cut during the height of his fame on the California scene! Like Raul's other work for Capitol, this record really sparkles from tight help from George Duke – who handles production, and some of the arrangements – and really helps De Souza find a tight jazzy groove! The instrumentation is a bit leaner than some of Raul's other records of this nature, which is a nice thing – as you get to hear plenty of keyboards from Patrice Rushen, Fender Rhodes from Dawilli Gonga, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, and percussion from Airto. There's a bit of chorus vocals at times, but the main focus is on Raul's trombone solos – and cuts include of Joao Donato's "Banana Tree", plus "Sweet Lucy", "New Love", "Wild & Shy", "Bottom Heat", "Wires", and "At Will". Don't Ask My Neighbors is a tremendous moment for trombonist Raul De Souza – working here in a style that's light years past his roots in bossa nova! The set's got a heavy California vibe – a late 70s blend of jazz and soul handled by producer George Duke, who also arranges many tracks on the record – but still leaves plenty of room for Raul to step out strongly in the lead! Things are never too overdone, and handled with that sunny style that players like Duke did so well – lots of warm jazzy elements in the backings, coming from Fender Rhodes by Bobby Lyle, percussion from Airto, and drums from the great Harvey Mason – who really brings an edge to some of the groovers. Titles include a killer cover of the Skip Scarborough tune "Don't Ask My Neighbors" – plus "La La Song", "Overture", "At The Concert", "I Believe You", and "Jump Street". Til Tomorrow Comes is filled with soaring sounds from Raul De Souza – a Brazilian musician who first recorded under the name of Raulzinho during the bossa nova years – but one who's at the height of his powers here working on the Cali scene at the end of the 70s! Raul manages to blend his lead instrument with fuller arrangements from Arthur Wright – who brings in plenty of the best elements from contemporary R&B, adds in some backing vocals, yet never diminishes Raul's presence on the record at all! Instead, De Souza seems to draw all sorts of energy from the folks around him on the sessions for the record – really stepping out with the best sort of jazz funk grooves that Capitol Records were laying down at the time – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Up & At It", "Self Sealing", "Pleasurize", "Fe No Me Nol", and "Til Tomorrow comes". CD features bonus tracks – single versions of "Til Tomorrow Comes", "Sweet Lucy", and "Daisy Mae". CD

Wicked late 70s work from Ronnie Foster – a rare Columbia outing that's arguably better than his earlier sides for Blue Note! There's more of a soul vibe than before in the music – but in a way that's really foregrounded, and without some of the back/forth wavering that Foster had in his groove during previous sets. Jerry Peters produced the record, and gives it a solid, confident style that's right up there with the best soul/fusion sides on Columbia at the time – and the lineup of players features great contributions from Roy Ayers on vibes, Ndugu Chancler on percussion, Harvey Mason on drums, and Alphonso Johnson on bass. Foster himself did all the arrangements – and both sings and plays a mix of keyboards that come off sounding pretty darn great. Titles include "Midnight Plane", "Happy Song", "Why Don't You Look Inside", "I Want To Bring My Love Home", "Nassau Bay", "Shooting Star", and "Easier Said Than Done". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring soulful fusion from Eric Gale – part of his great run for Columbia Records in the late 70s, and a set that's got a nicely grooving bottom – thanks to production from Ralph MacDonald, and arrangements from William Eaton! The groove's uptempo at times, but always in a jazz-funk mode – and mostly played with smaller group instrumentation at the core – including keyboards from Richard Tee, bass from Anthony Jackson, and drums from either Steve Gadd or Harvey Mason – both cats who can hold up a groove on a date like this. Titles include "Let Me Slip It To You", "Part Of You", "Trio", "Nezumi", and "Holding On To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky mid 70s Herbie Hancock – one his funkiest albums of the era! Herbie plays a host of cool keyboards – like Fender Rhodes, Arp, and clavinet – and he's joined by a group that includes just about all of the Headhunters – including Paul Jackson on bass and Mike Clarke on drums – plus help from a great array of other excellent guests – including Bennie Maupin and Wayne Shorter on reeds, Harvey Mason on drums, and even some guest keyboards from Stevie Wonder! The album's great – maybe a bit understated than Thrust, but still equally wonderful – and the whole thing's worth it alone for the classic uptempo cut "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" – alongside other cuts that include "Bubbles", "Heartbeat", and "Sun Touch". CD

A stunning little set from Incognito – the group's first full album on Talkin Loud records, and a set that's head and shoulders above their earlier jazz funk from the 80s! The sound here has a real "instant classic" quality – not just because it's dripping with the best references from the jazzier side of 70s soul (think Fantasy Records at its best!) – but also because it's so well put together, with a sense of instrumentation that's tight, yet an overall groove that's relaxed and fairly spontaneous – something that was quite rare at the time the record was released! Bluey is at the height of his powers here – stepping strongly into a run of great work that would last for well over a decade – and other key figures include Maysa Leak on vocals, Kevin Robinson on trumpet, and Graham Harvey and Peter Hinds on keyboards. Titles include a killer remake of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing", plus "Change", "Colibri", "Magnetic Ocean", "Closer To The Feeling", "Tribal Vibes", "Pyramid", and "I Love What You Do For Me". CD

The only album we've ever seen by Janice – aka Janice Barnett – a set that's got some great smooth production from the legendary Harvey Fuqua! The set's got a sound that's almost in a Salsoul mode at times – not totally disco, but with some uptempo elements – mixed in with some warmer harmonies provided by Janice and a group, of the sort you might find on records by Double Exposure – although with the obvious female difference, of course. A nice little album – we wish she made a whole bunch more of them! Titles include "Goody Two Shoes", "I Should Have Left You", "Love On The Line", "Take Me Away", "If I Had Known", and "Wake Up Smiling". CD

JJ Johnson's always a cooker, but during the late 50s he cut some incredible records for the Columbia label – tight bop sessions that still stand as some of his best work! This album's one of them – a real smoker of a set that features Johnson's trombone as the only lead horn in a cool quartet that also includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Max Roach on drums – a crackling rhythm trio who make the record move a lot more than most other jazz sessions on Columbia at the time! Johnson's sense of tone and phrasing is wonderful – unadorned by any other horns, but a very powerful solo vehicle, especially in the company of the other players – and titles include "Harvey's House", "That Tired Old Routine Called Love", "Nickels & Dimes", "Be My Love", "Paul's Pal", and "Commutation". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly wonderful 70s meeting between Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker – recorded live, with sweet electric touches from CTI – in a style that shouldn't work so well, but which really comes off great! The approach is simple – Mulligan and Baker solo in a manner that's a bit like their 50s work, but which also unfolds more than usual with backing from a group that includes Bob James on electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, John Scofield on guitar, and Harvey Mason on drums. Tracks are long, with lots of space – hanging in a beautiful balance between electric and acoustic sounds. Titles include "Line For Lyons", "Song For An Unfinished Woman", "Song For Strayhorn" and Baker's favorite standard "My Funny Valentine". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just another soul group – as The New Birth are almost big enough to be their own sort of soul music village – complete with different neighborhoods along the way! Vocals are handled by the combined groups of The Mint Juleps and Now Sound – gals and guys that soar together wonderfully with backings from The Nite-Liters – who help give the record a righteous undercurrent at most points, which makes the whole thing sound way hipper than any other projects of this nature! Vernon Bulllock acts as the music director for the whole group – really pulling things together with a tightness that's outta sight – and leadership of the project comes from Harvey Fuqua – who arranged and produced as well. There's some massively heavy talent on board for this initial outing, and you can definitely hear it all come into play beautifully – a wonderful harmony of rich talents, without any egos or issues to get in the way. Vocals chance nicely throughout – sometimes a female lead, sometimes male – as do the grooves, which are funky one minute, and mellow the next! Tracks include "All The Way", "Pretty Words Don't Mean A Thing", "One Way Bus", "It's You Or No One", "Do The Funky Chicken", "The Unh Song", and "What'll I Do". Great reissue – with excellent sound, and very detailed notes! CD

A tribute to Wes Montgomery, in case you can't guess by the title – with a number of tunes penned by Wes himself! Other players include Bob James on piano and keyboards, Dave Witham on Hammond B3, Harvey Mason on drums and percussion, and Alan Broadbent on piano. CD

Jimmy Smith on organ, Russell Malone on guitar, Reggie McBride on bass, and Harvey Mason on drums – plus guest vocals from Etta James and Dr. John, as well as guitar and vocals from BB King and Taj Mahal. CD

Music from Sam Collins, Gus Cannon, Papa Harvey, Rube Lacy, Bo Carter, Furry Lewis Son House, Geeshie Wiley, Jim Thompkins, Skip James, King Solomon, Otto Virgial, Roberet Johnson, Muddy Waters, and more – 40 tracks in all! CD

Loads of Fania classics from the 60s boogaloo years – including "Bang Bang" by Joe Cuba, "The Meditation" by TNT Band, "Riki Chi" by Joey Pastrana, "My Dream" by Harvey Averne, "Gypsy Woman" by Joe Bataan, "Make It With You" by Ralfi Pagan, "Fortuna" by King Nando", and "I Like It Like That" by Pete Rodriguez. LP, Vinyl record album