A really groovy record on Motown's Rare Earth imprint – a set that definitely lives up to the "hippies with horns" image on the cover! The set mixes currents of Motown with lots of jazz rock instrumentation from the group – full horns soaring out over arrangements by Henry Crosby, Eddie Nuccilli, and David Van DePitte – no vocals at all, and not even much in the way of guitars! The whole thing is much more of an instrumental funk record than sides by Chicago or BS&T – and titles include "Care Free", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "So Far So Good", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "The High Place", and "One Bad Apple". CD

Wonderfully groovy film and TV work from Sam Spence – a lesser-known American maestro from the 70s, represented here by some great work done in Germany, as well as recordings done here for the NFL! Sam's got a great way of bringing together jazzy backings and funkier undercurrents – in a mode that reminds us a lot of our favorite 70s TV work by folks like Pat Williams or Stu Phillips – sounds that are always groovy, and never too kitschy – not as full-on funk as crime or cop work of the period, yet still plenty grooving nonetheless! Many tracks were done for sports-related programs, but they've got a sound that's quite different than US music for such shows. The package features some of Sam's rare German work of the 70s, plus some previously unreleased tunes too – and given the lack of his releases on this side of the Atlantic, this set is really something of a musical discovery. Titles include "Do The Samtusi", "Meeting In Rio", "Milktrain To Paydirt", "Brass Impact", "Sideline To Sideline", "Honcho", "The Game That Got Away", "Water World", "Water Bug", "Santa Anna Wind", and "Pink Blitz". CD