A treasure box of early 60s R&B 45s – a top shelf collection of singles cut for the King & Federal labels from 1960 to 1964 – amazing numbers from Hank Ballard, Freddy King, The Drivers, Little Bobby Moore, Willie Dixon & The Big Wheels, Johnny Guitar Watson, Carol Ford, Little Willie John and more. Early 60s soul and rollicking R&B sides to rival the best and most exciting sounds of the era – compiled by DJ Mr Fine Wine, most of which have never been reissued before now! Includes "Gibble Gobble" by Willie Wright & His Sparklers, "Broadway" by Hank Ballard, "What Makes You So Cold" by Lulu Reed, "My Nerves" by Little Willie John, "The Slummer The Slum" by The 5 Royales, "I Don't Know About You" by Lloyd Nolan, "Where You At Jack" by Little Mummy,, "That's It Man" by The Valentines, "Mind Your Own Business" by Eugene Church, "Regardless" by Charles Brown,, "Texas Oil" by Freddie King", "One Zippy Zam" by Roy Mildton & His Orchestra, "Mom, Won't You Teach Me To Monkey" by Little Emmett Suttoon, "Hog Killin Time" by Eddie Kirk and more. CD

A treasure box of early 60s R&B 45s – a top shelf collection of singles cut for the King & Federal labels from 1960 to 1964 – amazing numbers from Hank Ballard, Freddy King, The Drivers, Little Bobby Moore, Willie Dixon & The Big Wheels, Johnny Guitar Watson, Carol Ford, Little Willie John and more. Early 60s soul and rollicking R&B sides to rival the best and most exciting sounds of the era – compiled by DJ Mr Fine Wine, most of which have never been reissued before now! Includes "Gibble Gobble" by Willie Wright & His Sparklers, "Broadway" by Hank Ballard, "What Makes You So Cold" by Lulu Reed, "My Nerves" by Little Willie John, "The Slummer The Slum" by The 5 Royales, "I Don't Know About You" by Lloyd Nolan, "Where You At Jack" by Little Mummy,, "That's It Man" by The Valentines, "Mind Your Own Business" by Eugene Church, "Regardless" by Charles Brown,, "Texas Oil" by Freddie King", "One Zippy Zam" by Roy Mildton & His Orchestra, "Mom, Won't You Teach Me To Monkey" by Little Emmett Suttoon, "Hog Killin Time" by Eddie Kirk and more. CD

Rockabilly legend Billy Joy definitely rocks – hardly a household name in the 50s, but a killer figure in the rock and roll underground – and one whose fame has just grown more and more over the years! The package is a beautifully-done tribute to Benny's genius – and presents the most hard-rocking of his important 50s recordings, as well as a host of unreleased tracks from later demos too! Joy's guitar work alone is amazing, but when it's coupled with the kickass rhythms of the tunes, the music really takes off to a whole new level – burning with the power you'd expect from the classic Johnny Burnette Trio – and that's before Benny's gritty vocals even come into play! CD features 30 tracks in all – including some lost recordings from the 70s – titles that include "Rollin To The Juke Box Rock", "Dark Angel", "Miss Bobby Sox", "Little Red Book", "Button Nose", "Come Back", "Wild Wild Lover", "In Study Hall", "Crash The Party (unedited)", "Spin The Bottle (Nashville demo)", "Big John Taylor", "High High School Baby", and "Nosey Nosey Neighbors". CD

A simple title, but a great little record – one that offers up Jimmy Raney's guitar in all its best early tone – a sound on the instrument that few other players could match at the time! Raney's guitar was always a bit earthier than some of his 50s contemporaries like Johnny Smith and Tal Farlow – and in an era where the electric guitar could sometimes be played in a style that made you forget that there was actually a guy on the other end of those strings, a record like this really stands out! We're not saying that Raney's tone isn't great, because it is – ringing out with a bright, bell-like mode at times – but it's also a bit more personal too. Other players include Hall Overton on piano, John Wilson on trumpet, and Teddy Kotick on bass – and titles include "Double Image", "On The Square", "Some Other Spring", "Minor", "A Foggy Day", and "Cross Your Heart". CD

A really obscure little session from tenorist Johnny Griffin – and one of his few dates from the time cut with an organist – in this case the up-and-coming LA player Paul Bryant! Bryant's probably best known for his cookers with Curtis Amy, and he hits a similar mode here – by bringing a strong R&B inflection to the album, and offering Griffin a setting that's a bit less hardbop than some of his other Riverside albums of the time! The rest of the group features Joe Pass on guitar, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Doug Sides on drums – and titles include "Cherry Float", "These Foolish Things", "63rd Street Theme", "Grab This", and "Offering Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A really obscure little session from tenorist Johnny Griffin – and one of his few dates from the time cut with an organist – in this case the up-and-coming LA player Paul Bryant! Bryant's probably best known for his cookers with Curtis Amy, and he hits a similar mode here – by bringing a strong R&B inflection to the album, and offering Griffin a setting that's a bit less hardbop than some of his other Riverside albums of the time! The rest of the group features Joe Pass on guitar, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Doug Sides on drums – and titles include "Cherry Float", "These Foolish Things", "63rd Street Theme", "Grab This", and "Offering Time". CD

A pair of albums from the legendary Johnny Dyani – packaged here in one great little set! Rejoice features searing live work from Johnny Dyani – a set that has the bassist opening up strongly in a trio with Mongezi Feza on trumpet and Okey Temiz on drums and percussion! Feza sounds even better here than usual – blowing these long, inventive solo lines that match the work of Ted Curson for 70s fire – really spurred on by Okey's creative changes, into a soulful space that may well be some of Mongezi's most spiritually expressive of the 70s! Dyani's bass is strong, and ever-present – never needing to dominate, but always felt as this rich pulse – and powerful melodic element at just the right moments. Titles include "Mad High", "Makaya Makaya", "Pukwana" and "Imbomgolo". CD also features an unreleased track from the same performance – the 20 minute "Mad High Revisited". Together is a record that really gets back to Johnny Dyani's roots in South African jazz! Although Dyani and his expatriates in the Blue Notes helped give London a new sound of avant jazz expression in the 70s, the music here returns to the warmer melodic style of their early 60s days – with loping rhythms that draw on regional tradition, and soulful interplay between the alto of Dudu Pukwana, tenor of Peter Shimmy Radise, and keyboards from Dyani – who shifts his instrument for this special recording! The group also features use of guitar, congas, whistles, and a South American harp – used in rhythmic ways that pulsate warmly – on titles that include "Kalahari", "Tula Tula", "High Priest", "Johnny's Kwela", and "Together". CD

Sublime Hammond from Johnny Smith – a pair of early albums for Riverside, back to back on a single CD! Black Coffee is one of Johnny Hammond's first albums – and a cooking little live set that really has the organist working with some early raw power! The group's a trio, but they seem to burn differently than some of the other organ combos of the time – maybe with that fluid sensibility that Johnny brought to his keys, and which would later open up in even more famous ways. The core group features Eddie McFadden on guitar and Leo Stevens on drums – but they're joined by Seldon Powell on tenor for more than half the album, who really opens things up with his tremendous playing – and shows at an early state that Johnny Hammond always knows the right way to use a horn player. Titles include "Monterey Theme", "Far Away Places", "I Remember Clifford", "He's A Real Gone Guy", and "Rufus Toofus". Mr Wonderful is a record that definitely lives up to its title – reminding us not only that Johnny Hammond Smith is one hell of an organist, but also a great leader with a really unique feel for a groove! The set's noteworthy not just for Johnny's own work on Hammond, but also for the presence of a young Houston Person – blowing tenor here in a way that's breathtaking right from the start – a bold, soulful tone that's a perfect fit for the group – which also includes trumpet from Johnny Williams and guitar from Eddie McFadden. The set includes a lot of tasty originals by Johnny – like "Cyra", "Lambert's Lounge", "Departure", and "Opus 2" – and already shows the way that Hammond was complicating his groove from that of other players of the time! CD

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

A really unusual album from the mighty Ohio Players – material from their first full length set, and a record that's very different than their better-known work on Westbound and Mercury – but every bit as great! The band is tight and funky, but in a sort of deep soul 60s way – with arrangements and playing that have a hard edge, and with nice guitar rhythm tracks – a bit trippy and fuzzy at times, but also with a style that's got more of a 60s vintage than the headier styles they hit at Westbound. The group are great in this format – and the album includes lots of great original tracks – like "Bad Bargain", "Lonely Street", and "Street Party" – plus very cool covers of "Summertime" and "Mother In Law". Other titles include "Here Today & Gone Tomorrow", "Stop Lying To Yourself", "Over The Rainbow", "Find Someone To Love", "Cold Cold World", and "The Man That I Am". This great CD version is brimming over with great bonus tracks from 45s and other recordings – a total of 24 tracks in all, with bonus material that includes "Alabama Soupbone (parts 1 & 2)", "It's A Crying Shame", "A Little Soul Party", "Love Slips Thru My Fingers", "Trespassin", "You Don't Mean It", "A Thing Called Love", and "Neighbors". CD

One of the last full recordings from Johnny Guitar Watson – and a surprisingly great little set that still stands strongly with some of his last funky records from the early 80s! The vibe is slightly contemporary – with some touches of 90s R&B in the production – but Watson's vocals still have that wonderful sense of charm that glides along with his sweet guitar lines – in ways that are plenty great, even amidst the changed-up rhythms. Titles include "Bob Wow", "Johnny G Is Back", "My Funk", "Time Change", "Hook Me Up", and "I Don't Think So". CD

Some of the first truly sublime work from Johnny Guitar Watson – mid 50s R&B sides cut for the Modern label in LA, served up in a wonderful blend of blues roots, jazzy inflections, and that undeniable Johnny Guitar sense of power and personality! Even at this early age, Johnny had a style that was unlike anyone else – electric guitar-based blues at its roots, but served up with a hipper, smoother, more jazz-inspired style – one that was a perfect match for the wit and charm of Watson's vocals. The 16 track collection is still one of the best documents of Johnny's talents from the time – and it's filled with classics that include "She Moves Me", "Hot Little Mama", "Motor Head Baby", "Hot Little Mama", "Ruben", "Ain't Gonna Hush", "The Bear", "Those Lonely Lonely Nights", and "Three Hours Past Midnight". CD

Frank Zappa's got some fantastic fusion touches on this sweet little set from the 70s – thanks to keyboards and a bit of vocals from George Duke, heavy drums from Chester Thompson, and even some brief help from Johnny Guitar Watson! The set's still got a very Zappa-esque feel, but it's clear he's also letting Duke stretch his wings a bit too as there's parts of the record that almost echo the style of some of George's more far-out recordings for MPS. The balance is great – and one that makes the album a lot more soulful at points than we're used to hearing from Zappa. Titles include "Florentine Pogen", "Can't Afford No Shoes", "Inca Roads", "Po-Jama People", "Evelyn A Modified Dog", and "San Ber'Dino". CD

Frank Zappa's got some fantastic fusion touches on this sweet little set from the 70s – thanks to keyboards and a bit of vocals from George Duke, heavy drums from Chester Thompson, and even some brief help from Johnny Guitar Watson! The set's still got a very Zappa-esque feel, but it's clear he's also letting Duke stretch his wings a bit too as there's parts of the record that almost echo the style of some of George's more far-out recordings for MPS. The balance is great – and one that makes the album a lot more soulful at points than we're used to hearing from Zappa. Titles include "Florentine Pogen", "Can't Afford No Shoes", "Inca Roads", "Po-Jama People", "Evelyn A Modified Dog", and "San Ber'Dino". LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy 60s session from vibist Cal Tjader – and an excellent little Latin set, with a mixture of bossa nova and Latin jazz that goes way beyond the promise of the title! The great Clare Fischer arranged the set – and if you know his work with Cal, you know that he's got a wonderful approach to jazz that works perfectly with Tjader's unique phrasing – a spacious sensibility, and a great sense of timing – one that always ensures the tunes sparkle with a sweetly stepping groove. Fischer plays piano on the record – and other players include Laurindo Almeida on guitar, Paul Horn on reeds, Johnny Rae on timbales, and Milt Holland on percussion. Titles include "Choro E Batuque", "Nao Diga Nada", "Elizete", "Imagen", "Vai Querer", and "Que Tristeza". LP, Vinyl record album

Damn funky work from the west coast scene of the late 60s and early 70s – just the kind of tracks to dispel the idea that too much sun or cannabis might have left the Cali scene a bit weak! Instead, these cuts are right on the money, stone funky throughout, and light years from any sort of California connotations you may have – no west coast jazz, smooth AOR, or breezy Bay Area – and much more of the grit and groove that was brewing up on funky 45s from all points east! Drums are heavy, guitars are sharp, and vocals are super-righteous – filled with the kind of messages that you could only get across on the sort of small label releases that make up most of this set – and which also include a few unreleased tracks appearing here for the first time ever. As usual with BGP, the package is as superb as the music – great sound, detailed notes, and a wonderful track selection that includes "Earthquake" by Rulie Garcia, "Hang Up (part 1)" by Warm Excursion, "Pickin Cotton" by Johnny Talbot & De-Thangs, "If She Wants To Go" by Choice Of Colors, "Just Ain't My Day" by The Entertainers IV, "The Git Down (parts 1 & 2)" by Little Johnny Hamilton & The Soul Pack, "Strike" by Union, "I'm Gonna Speak Out" by Eddie Horan, "The Man" by Jesse & Anita, "Check Me Out" by Little Denise, "The Sneak" by The Douzer, "You Don't Know The Damage You've Done" by Vernon Green & The Medallions, and "Tuned In Turned On" by Alvin Robinson. CD

2 later albums by Johnny Griffin – both recorded after his return to the US during the late 70s! Bush Dance is a pretty interesting little set – one that features Griffin working in an easygoing combo with slight electric touches – a group that features George Freeman on guitar, alongside Cedar Walton's acoustic piano, plus bass by Sam Jones, drums by Albert Heath, and percussion and congas from Kenneth Nash. The mixture of guitar and congas gives the album a very different feel than some of Griffin's other work – almost a lighter soul jazz touch that recalls some of the best Muse Records sides from the time. Tracks are long, and rhythms get nice and free at times – and titles include a 17 minute take on "Night In Tunisia" that really gets a bit wild, plus "Since I Fell For You", "Bush Dance", "Knucklebean", and "The JAMFs Are Coming". Call It Whatchawanna is a more straight-ahead album, and a great one too – recorded with a youthful and soulful rhythm combo that features Mulgrew Miller on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – all supporting Griffin with warm round tones that work perfectly with his open solo style. Titles include "I Mean You", "Lover Man", "Call It Whachawanna", and "A Waltz With Sweetie". CD

Beatles Back & Bacharach presents the Ted Heath group in some very groovy territory – playing a fair bit of the first and third "B" in the title, plus a little bit of the second! Heath's instrumentation is quite far from the brassier horns used on his earlier records – and Johnny Keating's sensitive arrangements for the date bring in a fair bit of groovier elements – electric bass, guitar, flute, and even some electric harpsichord! In a way, the record's much more of a Keating album than a Heath one – right down to the subtle dose of funk that Johnny was bringing to his music at this time – and titles include "This Guy's In Love With You", "Norwegian Wood", "B B & B", "Air On The G String", "Let It Be", "You'll Never Get To Heaven", and "I'll Never Fall In Love Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the best album that Johnny Watson cut during his DJM years – a totally tight, totally soulful set that avoids any fake funk cliches! The record's got some wonderful trippy numbers – cut in that slow g-funky mode that was Johnny's huge legacy to the west coast scene – best of these is the classic "Superman Lover", a great little cut with a very catchy hook, and just the right dose of humor. But you'll also catch the same vibe on "I Want To Ta Ta You Baby", "Ain't That A Bitch", and "I Need It". Johnny's sitting on the cover, surrounded by ladies and a dog – and the back cover says "My apologies to Freddie, my guitar, for forgetting to bring him to the photo session." What a guy! LP, Vinyl record album

Frank Zappa's got some fantastic fusion touches on this sweet little set from the 70s – thanks to keyboards and a bit of vocals from George Duke, heavy drums from Chester Thompson, and even some brief help from Johnny Guitar Watson! The set's still got a very Zappa-esque feel, but it's clear he's also letting Duke stretch his wings a bit too as there's parts of the record that almost echo the style of some of George's more far-out recordings for MPS. The balance is great – and one that makes the album a lot more soulful at points than we're used to hearing from Zappa. Titles include "Florentine Pogen", "Can't Afford No Shoes", "Inca Roads", "Po-Jama People", "Evelyn A Modified Dog", and "San Ber'Dino". CD

A really really wonderful little record – one that's far more than you might guess from it's slightly gimmicky title! The session's clearly done in a mode to resonate with the Charlie Byrd or Stan Getz bossa work of the early 60s, but it's also got a slightly offbeat quality that makes it really unique – a sound that partly comes from the use of three guitars by three relatively different players, and from the way that the tunes themselves are put together. There's almost a jam session feel at times here – with the guitars coming together in a tension of different voices, hardly the sort of thing you'd hear in a regular bossa album. But equally great is the tenor sax work of Bob Enevoldsen – which comes in with a sharper edge and a bit more soul than his 50s sides – creating a deeper quality to the tunes that's really great. Percussion is by a trio that includes Milt Holland, Bob Neel, and Chico Guerrero – and Donn Trenner plays piano and Bob Bertaux is on bass. Titles include "I Told Ya I Love Ya Now Get Out", "Sweet Dreams", "Bossa Nova #2", "Bossa Nova Samba", and "Leave It To Me". CD

A later album by Johnny Griffin, recorded after his return to the US during the late 70s. This album's a pretty interesting little set – one that features Griffin working in an easygoing combo with slight electric touches – a group that features George Freeman on guitar, alongside Cedar Walton's acoustic piano, plus bass by Sam Jones, drums by Albert Heath, and percussion and congas from Kenneth Nash. The mixture of guitar and congas gives the album a very different feel than some of Griffin's other work – almost a lighter soul jazz touch that recalls some of the best Muse Records sides from the time. Tracks are long, and rhythms get nice and free at times – and titles include a 17 minute take on "Night In Tunisia" that really gets a bit wild, plus "Since I Fell For You", "Bush Dance", "Knucklebean", and "The JAMFs Are Coming". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the best album that Johnny Watson cut during his DJM years – a totally tight, totally soulful set that avoids any fake funk cliches! The record's got some wonderful trippy numbers – cut in that slow g-funky mode that was Johnny's huge legacy to the west coast scene – best of these is the classic "Superman Lover", a great little cut with a very catchy hook, and just the right dose of humor. But you'll also catch the same vibe on "I Want To Ta Ta You Baby", "Ain't That A Bitch", and "I Need It". Johnny's sitting on the cover, surrounded by ladies and a dog – and the back cover says "My apologies to Freddie, my guitar, for forgetting to bring him to the photo session." What a guy! CD

One of the greatest records to ever come out of the west coast punk scene at the end of the 70s and start of the 80s – incredibly well-penned and well-played – at a level that instantly leaves behind so many of its contemporaries! The themes of the tunes are fantastic – sung by Exene Cervenka and John Doe – as little tales of lust, greed, compromise, and decay – all set to the fantastic drums of DJ Bonebrake and the searing guitar of the great Billy Zoom! The quartet are amazing together – never missing a beat as they rip through classics that include "Your Phone's Off The Hook But You're Not", "Johnny Hit & Run Pauline", "Soul Kitchen", "Nausea", "Los Angeles", and "Sex & Dying In High Society". This CD reissue continues Rhino's tradition of recent years of loading things up with bonus tracks, demos, odds & ends – and the five bonus tracks here, including an early version of "Adult Books", are a welcome bit of history. Other tracks include "Your Phone's Off The Hook, But You're Not", "Johnny Hit And Run Pauline", "Soul Kitchen", "Nausea", "Los Angeles", and "Sex And Dying In High Society". CD