... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A late session from Ella – but a nice one! The setting is bossa – as you could guess by the title – and the music is handled with a smooth west coast Brazilian approach – arrangements by Erich Bulling, and players that include Oscar Castro-Neves, Paulinho Da Costa, Alex Acuna, and Joe Pass. Zoot Sims blows a few solos, Toots Thielemans plays harmonica – and titles include "Dreamer", "Dindi", "Somewhere In The Hills", "Girl From Ipanema", "Water To Drink", "Song Of The Jet", "Wave", "Useless Landscape", and "Bonita". CD

Titles include "Jet Lag", "The Seasons", "South Wind", "No More", and "I Don't Know". CD

A great little set from Ahmad – laidback, mellow, with a slowly spiralling groove that's slyly funky at times. Ahmad's playing acoustic piano and clavinet on the record – and arrangements are by Bones Howe, Richard Evans, Ahmad, and Mike Melvoin. A few tracks feature a larger group with more electric horns or strings – and about half the album's played by a sextet that includes Calvin Keys on guitar. Tracks include "Jet", "Festival", "Dynamo", "Sumayah", and a nice version of "Black Cow"! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most brilliant moments of genius from Paul McCartney & Wings – and a set that has Paul working with the group in perfect album formation – able to craft enough songs that became hit singles, yet also fit the whole thing together in a superb sonic reality that made the whole thing even more wonderful as a full length record! The shift of moods, tones, and sounds are as varied as the choice of celebrities appearing with the group on the cover – and the interplay between Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine has really hit its stride – on titles that include one of our all-time Wings favorites, "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five" – plus "Band On The Run", "Bluebird", "Jet", "Mrs Vanderbilt", "Let Me Roll It", "Mamunia", "No Words", and "Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me)". 2CD version features the original 10 track US version of the album on CD1 – then CD2 features unreleased rough mix versions of 9 tracks from the record! CD

Plenty of great ones here – including "Jungle Love", "Jet Airliner", and "Threshold". LP, Vinyl record album

The one and only album that Sun Ra ever cut for the Savoy label – a beautifully understated session that mixes more conventional jazz with some particularly Ra-like touches! The group on the set is extremely tight – especially the horn work of John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, and Pat Patrick – who glide together along with some of the best mainstream modernists of the 50s, but break out with earthier tones and phrases that clearly mark their playing as different from the norm. Ra plays relatively straight piano for the album, but there's more than enough Arkestra touches from other players on bells and assorted percussion – emphasizing the rhythmic qualities of the tunes, and really living up to the promise of titles that include "Bassism", "China Gates", "Of Sounds And Something Else", "Tapestry From An Asteroid", "Jet Flight", "Space Jazz Reverie", and "Where Is Tomorrow?". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set – one of Sinatra's last great albums! Side one features more bossa material – with arrangements by Deodato, and a guest appearance by Jobim. The tracks have the floating easy groove of Sinatra's album with Jobim from earlier years – and there's some great numbers like "Drinking Water", "Don't Ever Go Away", "One Note Samba", and "This Happy Madness" that feature English language versions of bossa favorites. Side two is less great– with poppish tunes arranged by Don Costa, and titles that include "Leaving On A Jet Plane", "I Will Drink The Wine", "Close to You", and a very odd version of "Bein Green"! LP, Vinyl record album

A great run of music from Grover Washington Jr – five full albums, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Paradise – one of those records you see so much it's easy to forget how great it is! Grover's a real genius with the sax on this record – taking a "less is more" cue from Stanley Turrentine's 70s work, and toning down his playing to an even tighter style than on the Kudu albums of earlier years, to a level of ultimate economy that really leaves us breathless. Grover hits a rarified level here that we'd only reserve for a small few – like Steely Dan or The Crusaders, both groups who teeter on the same brink, and make it work perfectly. Titles include "Asia's Theme", "Tell Me About It Now", "Feel It Comin", "Icey", and "The Answer In Your Eyes". Winelight is a smooth smooth classic from Grover Washington Jr – a set that has a classy image on the cover, and a classic groove within – a completely sublime blend of jazz, soul, and funk, all given the sort of masterful finish that you might have found on the best records by The Crusaders at the time! The difference, though, is that Washington's the lead soloist throughout – crafting some especially nice lines on his trademark soprano sax – which he used in ways that made him one of the most important mainstream jazz artists of his time – and one of the few to really open the doors of the music to folks who might not have been listening otherwise. Grover's sense of space and timing is wonderful throughout – and titles include the classic debut with Bill Withers on "Just The Two Of Us" –plus "Winelight", "Let It Flow", "In The Name Of Love", "Take Me There", and "Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba)". On Come Morning, Grover Washington blows over some great arrangements from William Eaton – full, but lean too – and with the same sort of slinky groove that always worked best for Grover back at Kudu Records! The sound is tight, but never too slick – that magically soulful approach that always made Grover a real standout from his contemporaries – one of the few cats who could smooth out jazz without ever losing its soul – thanks to lots of well-crafted lead lines on soprano sax! Titles include "East River Drive", "Jamming", "Little Black Samba", "Be Mine", and "Reaching Out". Best Is Yet To Come is a set that strongly continues the special spirit that Grover Washington brought to his music during the Elektra Records years – as one of the few artists who really found a way to move forward from the style of 70s jazz funk, but not fall into some of the smoother jazz cliches that were about to envelop his contemporaries! Part of the strength of the record lies in Grover's strongly soul-based sense of timing – allowing for just the right amount of space between the notes to remind you that you're listening to a jazz soloist first and foremost, even when a guest like Patti Labelle might step in for a bit of vocals. Titles include "Brazilian Memories", "Mixty Motions", "Can You Dig It", "I'll Be With You", "Things Are Getting Better", and "The Best Is Yet To Come". Inside Moves has Washington soaring to the skies on soprano sax – as expressive a voice on the record as any soul singer might be – and maybe even more so on the few spots that do include vocals. Jon Lucien sings a bit on the record – and if you read these pages, you know how much we love him – but Grover's still the giant here, with a sense of timing and phrasing that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match in a setting like this. Titles include "Jet Stream", "Sassy Stew", "Dawn Song", "Inside Moves", "Watching You Watching Me", and "Secret Stew". 5CD set features 19 more bonus tracks – all the single edits of songs from the albums! CD

Cool cuts from around the globe – all brought together in one wonderfully funky set! The music here all draws heavily from American funk and psych styles – and often uses some slightly different instrumentation, or more regional inflection – to make the usual psych funk styles sound even more groovy and exotic – in a mindblowing way that makes the entire set a real musical delight! Most tracks are instrumental – heavy on drums and fuzzy guitar – but there's a few vocal moments, too – and the funk current is super-strong, way more so than on other collections that promise a heavy bottom, but usually just present offbeat psych. Titles include "Jet Pop" by Bana Pop Band, "Foxy Lady" by 49th Blue Streak, "Karate Chop" by The Tijuana Brats, "Stari Dvorac" by Pro Arte, "Nie Przejziemy Do Historii" by Krzysztof Klenczon, "Louis Louis" by Friar Tuck, "Time Of Machines" by Sergio Ferraresi, and "The Shaman's Dance" by Alexandr Sergeyevich. 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 motherlode of girl group and girl soul numbers from the 60s – mostly pulled from New York indies like Roulette, Jubilee, Gone, Dynovoice, Colpix, Dimension, and other labels. There's no real unifying feature to the set – save for the fact that most tunes are pretty obscure, and heavy on the "girl" component! Tracks include "But I Do" by The Jewels, "Over There" by The Bobbettes, "The Big Time" by The Tammys, "Yeh Yeh Yeh (This Boy Of Mine)" by Lorie Burton, "The Jet Set" by The Jet Set, "Because We're Very Young" by The Parlettes, "Elena 007", "I Can't Wait" by The Boyd Sisters, "Girl You Better Go For Yourself" by The Essex, "Funny Face" by Stacey Cane, "I Must Be Dreaming" by The Barry Sisters, and "A Boy Like You" by Toni Wine. CD

Early work from Gene Ammons – his obscure late 40s recordings for Mercury Records – mostly from the 78rpm years! Sidemen include Junior Mance, Albert Ammons, Israel Crosby, Gene Wright and lesser known Chicago locals like Wes Landers, Leo Blevins, Jess Miller and Ernest McDonald. As you'd expect the blowing is is nice and soulful, but nice and concise with the shorter takes that groups were doing in the era for the recording formats of the day. 28 numbers in all, including "Concentration", "Red Top", "Idaho", "Shufflin The Boogie", "McDougal's Sprout", "Hold That Money", "Shermanski", "Harold The Fox", "Jeet Jet", "Odd-En-Dow", "Going For The Okey Doak", 'Blowing The Family Jewels", "Dues In Blues", "Daddy Sauce's Airlines", "ABdullah's Fiesta", "Brother Jug's Sermon" and "Little Slam". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime early set from John Coltrane – and one of Tadd Dameron's greatest moments on record ever! The session's a laidback quartet one – with John Simmons on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums, completing the group with Dameron on piano and Trane on tenor – all coming together in a style that's loose, but still quite sharp overall – especially given Coltrane's tremendous tone, which really helps take the record to the next level from the very first moment it comes into the mix! Dameron's piano is strong, but subtle – and his compositions are what really make the record great – tunes that include "Soultrane", "Mating Call", "Romas", "Super Jet", and "On A Misty Night". CD

Hard-jamming fusion from Jan Hammer – two albums recorded before his later fame of the Miami Vice years! Both of the albums here are equal parts rock and fusion – and nearly every tune features lyrics sung by the members of the group. The blistering Hammer sound is still very much a part of the albums' makeup, but instead of trying to make jazz that appeals to younger rock listeners, Hammer's just going for more all-out rock-based tunes – especially on the Hammer album, which almost gets a few new wave touches at times! Titles include "Jet Stream", "Heavy Love", "Manic Depression", "Silent One", "Light Of Dawn", "One Day", "I Got You", "Goodbye", "Sister Louisiana", and "Rainbow Day". CD

If we had to pick three men to spend time on a boat with, we'd be hard-pressed to come up with a better trio – the soulful sax of Guy Lafitte, the burning Hammond of Wild Bill Davis, and the jet-propelled drums of Alvin Queen! Davis is working here late in his career, but still sounding pretty great – laidback and a bit mellow, really letting Lafitte's bold tenor take the lead on most tracks – while Alvin Queen kicks it up on the kit a bit more than usual, really hitting some of the toms with a rattling sound that keeps things interesting throughout! The album's a lot more lively than the batch of mellow late nite numbers you might expect from Davis and Lafitte – and titles include "Wrap On", "Three Men On A Boat", "Johnny Come Lately", "Comin On", "Blue Lou", and "Oh Ah Dee Dee Dee". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Free Frantic & Funny" and "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams", both previously unissued! CD

One of the most brilliant moments of genius from Paul McCartney & Wings – and a set that has Paul working with the group in perfect album formation – able to craft enough songs that became hit singles, yet also fit the whole thing together in a superb sonic reality that made the whole thing even more wonderful as a full length record! The shift of moods, tones, and sounds are as varied as the choice of celebrities appearing with the group on the cover – and the interplay between Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine has really hit its stride – on titles that include one of our all-time Wings favorites, "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five" – plus "Band On The Run", "Bluebird", "Jet", "Mrs Vanderbilt", "Let Me Roll It", "Mamunia", "No Words", and "Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me)". 2CD version features the original 10 track US version of the album on CD1 – then CD2 features unreleased rough mix versions of 9 tracks from the record! CD

It's Hustle time all the way for Van – working here on a well-done set of smooth disco tunes that replicate the style of his big hit! Van handled all arrangements, production, and conducts the group – and the mix of strings and light disco rhythms is very much in his classic 70s mode. Titles include "Night Walk", "African Symphony", "Party", "Star Trek", "Sweet Sweet Rhythm", and "Jet Setting". LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say? The man's a genius! Steve managed to shake off his roots in the SF scene a lot better than most of his contemporaries – and he grew considerably during the mid 70s, picking up a heck of a lot of soul along the way, and earning some very well-deserved crossover spots on the charts. Includes the steppers and sample classic "Fly Like An Eagle", plus "Jet Airliner", "The Joker", "Jungle Love", "Take The Money & Run", and "The Stake". LP, Vinyl record album

The one and only album that Sun Ra ever cut for the Savoy label – a beautifully understated session that mixes more conventional jazz with some particularly Ra-like touches! The group on the set is extremely tight – especially the horn work of John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, and Pat Patrick – who glide together along with some of the best mainstream modernists of the 50s, but break out with earthier tones and phrases that clearly mark their playing as different from the norm. Ra plays relatively straight piano for the album, but there's more than enough Arkestra touches from other players on bells and assorted percussion – emphasizing the rhythmic qualities of the tunes, and really living up to the promise of titles that include "Bassism", "China Gates", "Of Sounds And Something Else", "Tapestry From An Asteroid", "Jet Flight", "Space Jazz Reverie", and "Where Is Tomorrow?". CD

One of their great early collaborations – with titles that include "Streets Of Paradise", "The Poor Boy Is Taken Away", "Dimming Of The Day/Dargai", "Hard Luck Stories", "Jet Plane In A Rocking Chair", and "Beat The Retreat". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An album that not only broke the bossa big in the US – but a set that also really helped transform the sound of the organ in jazz! Not only is the record a key meeting of bossa rhythms and jazz organ – transplanted hugely to the US after a big initial Wanderley run in 60s Brazil – but the set also features some of the cleanest organ lines to ever hit these shores – a big difference from the heavier flutter that some of the US organists were using a few years before, and a sharp shift towards cleaner keyboard sounds for the rest of the decade. Instrumentation's nice and spare – mostly bass and percussion, plus a bi tof flute and guitar – and titles include the massive hit "Summer Samba", plus "Rain", "Beach Samba", "Song Of The Jet", "Cried, Cried", and "Girl From Ipanema". LP, Vinyl record album

If there's anyone we trust with a fusion groove, it's the great Grover Washington – as Washington's 70s albums for Kudu are still the blueprint for mixing saxophone solos with electric jazzy backing – a rich legacy he continued strongly into later years! This early 80s set has Washington soaring to the skies on soprano sax – as expressive a voice on the record as any soul singer might be – and maybe even more so on the few spots that do include vocals. Jon Lucien sings a bit on the record – and if you read these pages, you know how much we love him – but Grover's still the giant here, with a sense of timing and phrasing that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match in a setting like this. Titles include "Jet Stream", "Sassy Stew", "Dawn Song", "Inside Moves", "Watching You Watching Me", and "Secret Stew". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Cambodian rock, pop and psychedelia from the 60s & 70s – compiled by the members of Dengue Fever, LA's modern torchbearers of rare prime rock era rarities from Cambodia! It's wonderful stuff – like a lot of the sounds from the pulpy garage rock era Asian underground, most tunes have love female vocals, but the instrumentation varies from raw r&b & kind of moddish influenced sounds, to more psychedelic electric guitar and hazy melodies, bits of funk, and strains that come closer to traditional Cambodian sounds. The tracks were culled for rare cassette tapes, and the sound quality is top notch! Titles include "Give Me One Kiss" by Dara Chom Chan, "Don't Speak", "Jombang Jet", "I Will Marry You" and more by Pan Ron, "Shave Your Beard", "Flowers In The Pond", "I Will Starve Myself To Death", "Cold Sky" and more by Ros Sereysothea. 12 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

The second set of rare international work from this great Groove Club series – rare material from Cambodia, and even more unusual and obscure than the French material we loved in volume one! The package here is equally strong – detailed notes on all the music, to really get at the unusual blend of Anglo rock elements and more regional elements – the latter of which definitely come across in some of the phrasing and instrumental inflections – both of which make this "rock" very different than you might expect! 19 tracks in all, in a cool book-style cover – with tracks that include "Do You No Wrong Again" by Thra Kha Band, "Khnyom Jah Karake" by Tet Somnang and Meas Samon, "Pros Chang Reiy" and "Pail Loung Rom" by Pan Ron, "Jet Snaeh Theang Nov" and "Yuvachon Yuvatey Samai Tmai" by Sinn Sisamouth & Ros Dereysothea, "Duang Netra" and "Satt Thee Thuy" by Sinn Sisamouth, "Bong Rau Roub Khnyom" by Ros Sereysothea, and "Youm Os Tirk Pnake" by Pov Vannary. CD

The roots of Nouvelle Vague – a great collection of funky punk and new wave covers from the late 70s and early 80s – most of which has plenty of appeal for contemporary clubbers! The tracks here are often heavy on keyboards and synth – not the guitar-based punk of the Sex Pistols, but the more playful cuts of the next generation – some quirky, some arty, some poppy, and some filling a definite space on the dancefloor after the decline of disco. Marc Collin and Gilles Leguen of Nouvelle Vague chose all the tracks here, and there's a definite synchronicity with their own newer work – especially given that most of the cuts are new wave covers of older songs! 2CD package features 24 titles in all – including "The Boy From Ipanema" by Antena, "You Really Got Me" by Silicon Teens, "Mother's Little Helper" by Polyphonic Size, "If You Want Me To Stay" by Ronny, "The Model" by Snakefinger, "Walk On By" by The Stranglers, "On Broadway" by Gary Numan, "Summer In The City" by The Comateens, "Move On Up" by Flying Lizards, "Dance To The Music" by Telex, "People Are Strange" by Karel Fialka, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by The Slits, "Heroes" by Nico, "Running Away" by Paul Haig, and "Jet Boy Jet Girl" by Elton Motello. CD

Funky Maynard Ferguson – and one of his sweetest albums of the 70s! The set features a wonderful remake of Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" – done here as a big band version that countless other groups would copy during the 70s – in a way that almost showed that Maynard had a more farther-reaching influence at the time than Herbie! Other tracks are equally great – and mix in funky rhythms with some mellower moments – all topped by great solo work from players who include trombonist Randy Purcell, baritone saxophonist Bruce Johnstone, and keyboardist Alan Zavod. Apart from "Chameleon", other titles include great covers of Wings' "Jet" and Stevie Wonders' "Livin For the City" – plus "La Fiesta", "Superbone Meets The Bad Man", and "Gospel John". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really takes on the "phasing" in the title seriously – as it uses all sorts of cool effects to create a special magic with simple sounds – all while managing to serve up some great funky nuggets too! The record's a masterpiece in both sound library instrumentation and inventive studio percussion – as the great Michel Gonet serves up themes that might have been used originally on 70s TV, but which maybe come across in styles that are a lot more trippy and groovy too – more like funk cuts that you'd hear on Doctor Who than anything that might crop up on the daily news! Titles on this first volume include a few variations on most themes – including "Light In The Rains", "Mondial Scoop", "Soul Cathedral", "Mephisto Jet", "Mecanic Bird Song", and "Moon To Light". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Chevrolet", "Florida Lagoon", "Problem", "Me And Margarita", "Window Of A Jet Plane", and "Playboy Club". CD

A diverse batch of rare soul singles by singer and guitar player Barbara Lynn – the complete Tribe, Jet Stream, Copywrite and Starflight singles – wonderful stuff cut from the mid 60s to late 70s! All of these labels are parts of the empire South Texas musical force Huey P Meaux – and Barbara delivers beautiful throughout the years with material the evolved with the times. It ranges from classic level mid 60s stripped-down guitar, bass, drums & handclap- backed soul tunes, to more horn heavy uptempo numbers, to mellow funk, bluesier soul and a bit of disco as the years went by. This set focuses on the Meaux material, but Barbara also cut some incredible material for Atlantic during this period – and a couple of stellar singles from that run are included, too. Includes "I'm A Good Woman", "Running Back", "Until I'm Free", "Club A Go-Go", "Movin' On A Groove", "Disco Music", "Take Your Time", "Sugar Coating Love", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Call My Bluff Baby", "Takin' His Love Away (Ain't Gonna Be Easy)", "You Better Quit It", "You Finally Got Your Good Thing Back" and more. 24 tracks in all. CD

The one and only album that Sun Ra ever cut for the Savoy label – a beautifully understated session that mixes more conventional jazz with some particularly Ra-like touches! The group on the set is extremely tight – especially the horn work of John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, and Pat Patrick – who glide together along with some of the best mainstream modernists of the 50s, but break out with earthier tones and phrases that clearly mark their playing as different from the norm. Ra plays relatively straight piano for the album, but there's more than enough Arkestra touches from other players on bells and assorted percussion – emphasizing the rhythmic qualities of the tunes, and really living up to the promise of titles that include "Bassism", "China Gates", "Of Sounds And Something Else", "Tapestry From An Asteroid", "Jet Flight", "Space Jazz Reverie", and "Where Is Tomorrow?". CD

Brazilian instrumentals from the 60s – and a cool jet cover, too! LP, Vinyl record album

An album that not only broke the bossa big in the US – but a set that also really helped transform the sound of the organ in jazz! Not only is the record a key meeting of bossa rhythms and jazz organ – transplanted hugely to the US after a big initial Wanderley run in 60s Brazil – but the set also features some of the cleanest organ lines to ever hit these shores – a big difference from the heavier flutter that some of the US organists were using a few years before, and a sharp shift towards cleaner keyboard sounds for the rest of the decade. Instrumentation's nice and spare – mostly bass and percussion, plus a bi tof flute and guitar – and titles include the massive hit "Summer Samba", plus "Rain", "Beach Samba", "Song Of The Jet", "Cried, Cried", and "Girl From Ipanema". CD

If there's anyone we trust with a fusion groove, it's the great Grover Washington – as Washington's 70s albums for Kudu are still the blueprint for mixing saxophone solos with electric jazzy backing – a rich legacy he continued strongly into later years! This early 80s set has Washington soaring to the skies on soprano sax – as expressive a voice on the record as any soul singer might be – and maybe even more so on the few spots that do include vocals. Jon Lucien sings a bit on the record – and if you read these pages, you know how much we love him – but Grover's still the giant here, with a sense of timing and phrasing that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match in a setting like this. Titles include "Jet Stream", "Sassy Stew", "Dawn Song", "Inside Moves", "Watching You Watching Me", and "Secret Stew". CD

Cool cuts from around the globe – all brought together in one wonderfully funky set! The music here all draws heavily from American funk and psych styles – and often uses some slightly different instrumentation, or more regional inflection – to make the usual psych funk styles sound even more groovy and exotic – in a mindblowing way that makes the entire set a real musical delight! Most tracks are instrumental – heavy on drums and fuzzy guitar – but there's a few vocal moments, too – and the funk current is super-strong, way more so than on other collections that promise a heavy bottom, but usually just present offbeat psych. Titles include "Jet Pop" by Bana Pop Band, "Foxy Lady" by 49th Blue Streak, "Karate Chop" by The Tijuana Brats, "Stari Dvorac" by Pro Arte, "Nie Przejziemy Do Historii" by Krzysztof Klenczon, "Louis Louis" by Friar Tuck, "Time Of Machines" by Sergio Ferraresi, and "The Shaman's Dance" by Alexandr Sergeyevich. LP, Vinyl record album