A really wonderful collaboration – one that features famous South African singer Vusi Mahlasela working with the Jive Connection combo – a funky Swedish group who backed Mahlasela on many live dates over the years, and who really help his music come across with a lean, classic sort of vibe! This isn't the mainstream music from the SA scene at the start of the 70s – as the instrumentation is live and spontaneous, and never overproduced – a great accompaniment to the raspy charms of Vusi's vocals, which are also delivered in a way that's nicely unfettered too! Norman Zulu also sings a bit on the record – and although the tracks were recorded in 2002, this is the first release of the music – titles that include "Face To Face", "Inkomo", "Umzala", "Prodigal Son", "Push", "Intombi Y Mbali", and "Thulualele". CD

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A really wonderful collaboration – one that features famous South African singer Vusi Mahlasela working with the Jive Connection combo – a funky Swedish group who backed Mahlasela on many live dates over the years, and who really help his music come across with a lean, classic sort of vibe! This isn't the mainstream music from the SA scene at the start of the 70s – as the instrumentation is live and spontaneous, and never overproduced – a great accompaniment to the raspy charms of Vusi's vocals, which are also delivered in a way that's nicely unfettered too! Norman Zulu also sings a bit on the record – and although the tracks were recorded in 2002, this is the first release of the music – titles that include "Face To Face", "Inkomo", "Umzala", "Prodigal Son", "Push", "Intombi Y Mbali", and "Thulualele". LP, Vinyl record album

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An organ-heavy, back to basics set from the Jive Turkeys – a funk combo who take things back to the lean styles of the moment when 60s jazz groups were just starting to get funky! There's plenty of Hammond in the lead, next to bass, drums, and guitar – a lineup that might recall the approach of The Meters, but which comes across here with a nicely different vibe – maybe one that's absorbed some of the other funk influences of the past few decades, then stripped things back down to its core! There's great production throughout – really keeping the soul instrumental vibe going – on titles that include "Funky Turkey", "JT Strut", "Soul High", "Chickenfoot", "Straight Fire", "Bill Collector", "Stamp", "Funky Brewster", "Talkin' That Talk", "Grimmin", "BA" and "Otis Lament". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Troy Roberts on saxophones, Silvano Monasterios on keys, Eric England on bass, and David Chiverton on drums – plus guest percussion from Sammy Figueroa and Jose Gregorio-Hernandez. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from Ruby Turner – a UK soul singer, but one who was part of a new generation that hardly had to answer at all to her contemporaries on the other side of the Atlantic! The tracks here have a modern, midtempo groove that's right up there with the best US mainstream soul of the period – and Turner's voice, honed by years of work with others, really soars out right from the start – with a richness that really keeps these songs fresh, even past some of the production styles of the time! Ruby sings here as if she's working for Atlantic Records at the end of the 60s, and not Jive Records in the 80s – and she brings a proud, full sound to her vocals that holds up wonderfully over the years. The set's a really well-chosen batch of tracks – 32 numbers that show Turner at her best, including duets woth Jimmy Ruffin and Jonathan Butler – with titles that include "I'm Livin A Life Of Love", "Hurting Inside", "If You're Ready Come With Me", "I'm In Love", "I'd Rather Go Blind", "It's My Life (ext version)", "Step In My Shoes", "Still Waters Run Deep", "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted", "Just My Imagination", "It's Gonna Be Alright", "Paradise (radio edit)", "Everytime I Breathe", "It's Gonna Be Alright (Brixton bass mix)", "It's You My Heart Beats For", "Merry Go Round", and "Provoking". CD

A wonderful pairing of players – bassist Johnny Dyani and pianist Mal Waldron – coming together here in an early 80s date that's every bit as great as we might have hoped! Dyani's bass really gets a chance to step out here – lots of space that gives Johnny a chance to shine with some more sensitive, soulful tones on his instrument – not nearly as forceful as some of his more outside recordings of the period, and perfectly matched with Waldron's piano – which always seems to take on its own sort of richness in spare duo dates like this. Tracks are all extremely long – with a feel that's somewhat improvised, but never structure-less, and usually with a good sense of rhythm. Pablo Sauvage joins the duo on one track – "Makulu Kalahari", which also features a bit of vocals from Dyani – and other titles include "Blues For Mandela", "Safari", "African Cake Walk", "Time Will Tell", and "Strange Intrusions". CD

Sublime small group work from tenor saxophonist Bill Holman – and a record that really lets him stretch out with some longer-than-usual solo work! Holman's working here as the co-leader with drummer Mel Lewis – in a group that also features trumpeter Lee Katzman, bassist Wilford Middlebrook, and pianist Jimmy Rowles. The head arrangements are quite tight, and remind us a lot of some of Holman's work on charts for larger bands – but as the longish tunes unfold, the solo work is extremely dexterous – and supported wonderfully by some fluid work on piano by Rowles. Titles include Holman's classic "Jive For Five", plus "The Beat Generation", "502 Blues Theme", and "Liza". CD

A really great funky moment from guitarist John Scofield – kind of a bridge between the chromatic hues of his music from the 80s, and the tighter, sharper direction he'd take in years to come! The set has some classic-styled soul jazz elements at the core, really living up to the cover image – including Hammond from Larry Goldings and tenor from Eddie Harris – both of whom really deepen the sound of the record, especially when Scofield is still sliding out into some of the fuzzier tones in his bag. Rhythms are nice and tight too – with Dennis Irwin on bass, Bill Stewart on drums, and Don Alias on percussion – and tracks include "Don't Shoot The Messenger", "She's So Lucky", "Do Like Eddie", "Dark Blue", "I'll Take Les", and "Out Of The City". CD

A massive amount of music – 4CDs' worth of rare jump blues and RnB, all packaged together with a bit more focus than the usual set on JSP! Some of these discs are almost entirely devoted to a single artist – with a number of tracks together in a row, making for a really unified feel – although overall, there's still the usual sense of variety that you've come to expect from JSP, too! Titles include "Rainin Blues", "Crack Up", "You Sure Got A Lot Of Nerve", "Million Dollar Baby", and "Hey Hey Pretty Mama" by Charlie Boogie Woogie Davis; "Troubles Goodbye", "I Can't Stop It", and "Teardrop Blues" by Jimmy Liggins; "Joymaker's Boogie", "Advice To A Fool", "Rampart Street Jump", and "Texas Man" by Lloyd Glenn; "Hey Little Brownie", "Should Have Rationed Myself", and "Charlie The Boogie Man" by King Porter; "Stinkin Drink" and "I Want A Little Girl" by Gene Phillips; "Rainy Day Confession Blues (parts 1 & 2)" by Roy Milton; "Hey Little Girl" and "Still Drifting" by Richard Lewis; "Hurricane Boogie" and "Hot Chocolate Boogie" by Dick Lewis; and lots lots more! CD

Tracks include "Tuxedo Junction", "Last Night Gardenias", "You've Got Me Out On A Limb", "In The Mood", "Git Away Day", and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" – 15 tracks total. CD

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26 tracks from this mighty hip drummer – including some vocal moments from Louis Jordan and Ella Fitzgerald! CD

Big band hits from Gene Krupa, Louis Prima And The Witnesses, Count Basie, Fats Domino, Kay Kyser, Glen Gray, Harry James And His Orchestra, Louis Prima, Calvin Boze, Ella Mae Morse & Freddie Slack, Dave Bartholomew, and more. CD

Killer early work from the Duke/Peacock label – reissued beautifully by Ace! Includes work by Paul Monday, Joe Papoose Fritz, Elmore Nixon, RB Thibadeaux, Silver Cooks, Lavada Durst, and Edgar Blanchard! LP, Vinyl record album

Rootsy blues from the great Excello Records – most of it recorded not too far from the Tennessee city in which the label made its home! The southern scene in the 50s was going through plenty of changes – partly because of all the migration northwards that started during the wartime years, partly because of the way that radio and growing indie labels were helping criss-cross sounds and scenes through their musical efforts – with a huge run of changes that were taking place in the urban scene. Even out in the sticks, stronger use of the electric guitar really transformed rural blues – even in spare recording settings that might have mirrored blues records of the 20s and 30s – and the use of new ideas, new inflections, and new ways of putting over a tune are perfectly captured here in a batch of rare tracks done by the Excello label. Most of the cuts are super-rare singles, issued here with excellent sound – and there's a few other numbers on the set that are issued here for the first time ever – with great sound and excellent notes. Titles include "I'm Bad" by Good Rockin Bob, "No Jive" by Little Al, "Honey Babe" by Arthur Gunter, "The Natural Facts" by Leroy Campbell, "Wasted Time" by Shy Guy Douglas, "Dirty Britches" by The Leap Frogs, "Welcome Home Baby" by Slim Hunt, and "Quit My Drinkin" by Robert Garrett. CD

Seminal late 80s righteous hip hop from KRS and Boogie Down Productions! By All Means Necessary shows remarkable change in lyrical style from Criminal Minded, delivering a eavy dose of knowledge at a time when so much hip hop was all about rocking the party. KRS's lyrics here mark a serious turn for political hip hop, and it sets a new standard production-wise, as well. Greatness! Includes "My Philosophy", "Ya Slippin'", "Jimmy", "Illegal Business", "Stop The Violence", "Nervous", "I'm Still #1", "Part Time Suckers", "T'Cha - T'Cha" and 'Necessary". LP, Vinyl record album

Two cuts off The Wood soundtrack. 12-inch, Vinyl record

The long-gestated follow up to the breakout Lord Willin' record by Clipse! Hell Hath No Fury may have been on ice for years, but it appeared as an instant classic, WAY up at the top of the list of greatest hip hop LPs of the mid 00s. The Neptunes beats are very spare and chilly, despite the fiery title – while the Pusha T & Malice style of precise storytelling and detached deliveries probably make them one of the most natural duos in the game. A gritty rap masterpiece. Tracks include "We Got It For Cheap", "Momma I'm So Sorry", the masterful "Mr Me Too" feat Pharrell, "Wamp Wamp (What It Do)" feat Slim Thug, "Dirty Money", "Ride Around Shining" feat the Re-Up Gang, "Key's Open Doors", "Chinese New Year" feat Rosco P Coldchain, "Nightmares" feat Pharrell & Bilal and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of those rare moments where a mainstream hit goes onto preface years of creative talent to come – even though the whole thing might have seemed like a bit of a one-off at the time! The young Will Smith is fantastic as the Fresh Prince – full of charm, at a level that really upped the game for so many other MCs at the time – especially because both his lyrics and his subject matter weren't maybe the most cutting-edge, but could really come over strong, thanks to the inherent stardom in his presentation! We could well argue that Will on the album introduced the whole idea of a crossover hip hop star – one able to do just about anything – but the whole record would be nothing without the creative skills of Jazzy Jeff – who went the complete opposite way after his pairing with Will – more expressive, more experimental – and even more firmly committed to the underground. Yet it was also that easy bridge between underground and fame that made early hip hop albums like this so great – as Jeff brings forward so many great musical moments on titles that include "Live At Union Square", "DJ On The Wheels", "My Buddy", "Rhythm Trax House Party Style", "He's The DJ I'm The Rapper", "Hip Hop Dancers Theme", "Jazzy's In The House", and "Human Video Game". LP, Vinyl record album

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With Jadakiss. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Tracks include "Take You Home With Me aka Body", "Get This Money", "Best Of Both Worlds", "Naked", "It Ain't Personal", "Shake Ya Body" featuring Lil Kim, "The Streets", "Shorty", "Green Light" featuring Beanie Sigel, and "P***y" featuring Devin The Dude. LP, Vinyl record album

Kool Moe Dee's second album – a benchmark moment in mid-to-late 80s solo rap – and definitely worth a post millennium revisit! The title cut is a prime relic of the Kool Moe Dee vs. LL Cool J battles back in the day, and that along with "Wild Wild West" are bonafide classic cuts – but the a lot of the lesser remembered tracks here are ultimately just as nice. Even though it's only his second album, Moe was a block rockin' veteren by this point, with an MC pedigree stretching back to Treacherous Three, and is probably his sharpest point. Other tracks include "Suckers", "Way Way Back", "No Respect", "Don't Dance", "I'm A Player" and "Get Paid". LP, Vinyl record album

The classic first solo album from Kool Moe Dee – pivotal solo rap from the onetime Treacherous Three rhyme slinger – formative stuff that works nearly as well, to our ears anyway, as his platinum breakout How You Like Me Now! 9 tracks on the original album: "Go See The Doctor", "Do You Know What Time It Is", "I'm Kool Moe Dee", "Dumb Dick (Richard)", "Monster Crack", "Little Jon", "The Best" and "Rock Steady". This great, necessary reissue has the bonus "Go See The Doctor (Uncensored Version)". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Amazing production as always from Premier that works nice with the more laid-back flow KRS adopts on this one from the "KRS-One" LP. B-side features Das EFX. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Produced by Lil Jon. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes "Get Outta My Dreams Get Into My Car", "Here's To You", "Love Zone", "I Sleep Much Better In Someone Else's Bed", "The Colour Of Love", "License To Chill", "When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going", and "Suddenly". LP, Vinyl record album

A big one for Billy Ocean – and a set that has the singer sounding even more confident and powerful than ever before! Ocean's not afraid of a hook by this point in his career, and the album's filled with the kind of catch crossover tune that Billy could do better than just about anyone else – music that got him a big audience way beyond soul, especially on the other side of the Atlantic. Titles include "The Colour Of Love", "Calypso Crazy", "Here's To You", "Because Of You", "Get Outta My Dreams Get Into My Car", "Stand & Deliver", and "Gun For Hire". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the first album from Too Short, but his first on a big label, and a set that undeniably set the tone for years of west coast hip hop to come! The record was a surprising Bay Area entry in a scene that was mostly rising up from LA – and although Too Short was always a bit more tied to his personal interest than a larger political stance, the overall approach definitely marks a certain spirit on the Cali scene! There's a nicely lean approach that sounds so great – drum machine beats, basslines, and the occasional cut or scratch – all the better to allow Too Short's street tales and profane rhymes pave the ground with singular power and charisma! Titles include "Freaky Tales", "Partytime", "You Know What I Mean", "Dope Fiend Beat", "Little Girls", "The Universal Mix", and "Playboy $hort II". LP, Vinyl record album

Beats, Rhymes & Life – crucial aspects of Tribe Called Quest and hip hop in general – and the fourth album by the inimitable Tribe! After a couple or three years of down time following Midnight Marauders, the Tribe returned with this extra stripped down sound, collaborating with Jay Dee and the Ummah. Titles include "Jam", the r&b crossover ready "Stressed Out" feat Faith Evans, "Motivators", the great "Phony Rappers", and "Keeping It Moving", "Word Play", "The Pressure", "Word Play" and much more. CD

Beats, Rhymes & Life – crucial aspects of Tribe Called Quest and hip hop in general – and the fourth album by the inimitable Tribe! After a couple or three years of down time following Midnight Marauders, the Tribe returned with this extra stripped down sound, collaborating with Jay Dee and the Ummah. Titles include "Jam", the r&b crossover ready "Stressed Out" feat Faith Evans, "Motivators", the great "Phony Rappers", and "Keep It Moving", "Word Play", "The Pressure", "Word Play" and much more. LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece from prime era Tribe Called Quest! Midnight Maurauders was Tribe's third LP, and even though there were no tracks yet credited to the Ummah, this is pretty much the beginning of Tribe's transition to that sound – with the same mellow, laid back vibe as their best early material, but less of an overtly jazzy reference in their sound. Phife and Tip are still on point lyrically, and honestly, this is pretty much the last LP that Tribe dropped that's got nearly all hits and no misses on it. With the cuts "Award Tour", "Midnight", "Electric Relaxation", "Clap Your Hands", "Oh My God", "The Chase, Part II", and "Keep It Rollin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of THE landmark hip hop albums – and the full length debut of great Tribe Called Quest! We hardly need to tell you about this classic – but it will always bear repeating. De La Soul might have kicked the door open on leftfield, anything goes artistry about a year or so earlier, but their friends and fellow Native Tongues Tribe's debut was a crucial reminder that the east coast was spinning out of one of the greatest creative growth spurts in hip hop history at the time. Pure excellence. Tracks include "Luck Of Lucien", "Footprints", "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo", "Bonita Applebaum", "Can I Kick It?", "Rhythm (Devoted To The Art Of Moving Butts)", "Mr Muhammad", "Description Of A Fool" andmore seminal, jazzy middle school tracks! LP, Vinyl record album