A hardcore classic from Lil Kim – her first full length set as a solo act, and a record that maybe set a new standard for rawness in the world of female hip hop at the time! The record's got some famous help from Notorious BIG, Jermaine Dupri, Puff Daddy, and Jay Z – but Kim's clearly the driving force of the record on her own – Brooklyn in the house, on titles that include "We Don't Need It", "Crush On You", "Drugs", "No Time", "Big Momma Thang", "Queen Bitch", "Player Haters", "MAFIA Land", and "Take It". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Mr. Cheeks on "Jump Off", with production by Timbaland and Kanye West. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

A laidback and hip set of jazz vocal tracks – featuring singer Kim Parker, with backing by a trio that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Jesper Lundgaard on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Kim's got a sweet style that goes way past standards – into a mode that reaches the hipper side of jazz vocals, singers like Jackie Cain or Judy Roberts. The song selection is great too – with a number of under-recorded tunes, like "Bijou", "Talking", "It's Time To Emulate The Japanese", "Kvarteret Oron", and "The Good Little Girl". CD

A record of really powerful sounds from trumpeter Choi Sun Bae and tenorist Mototeru Takagi – both players who wrap around each other wonderfully at times, while still keeping their own strong sense of identity – given help at all the right moments from percussionist Kim Dae Hwan, a player who definitely knows that less is more in a setting like this! The raspy tone of Takagi is worth the price of admission alone – a soulful quality that's not too far from that of Akira Sakata at his best moments – and especially showcased in the open setting of these long, improvised tracks – titles that include "Ethyopia", "Step By Step", "Natural Sound", "Remember", and "Life Cycle". CD

A very groovy batch of uptown soul tracks, and one of the best records by Kim! Many of the tracks are covers of pop material, but the arrangements are pretty darn hip, with work by Melba Liston, Slide Hampton, Wade Marcus, and Thad Jones to keep things nice and groovy. Titles include "Walking Happy", "Beat Goes On", "In The Dark", "That's Life", "Free Again", and "Where Am I Going". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A classic batch of Motown duets from Marvin Gaye and some of his best female co-stars – with a few contributions a piece from Mary Wells, Kim Weston, and Tammi Terrell! Although other artists explored the male/female duet mode back in the 60s, few did it as well as Marvin – thanks in part to a warmly sensitive vocal approach that made his duets come across as personal, loving conversations – and not the too-gimmicky modes used to push the big stars over at other labels. Marvin & Mary Wells sing "Once Upon A Time", "What's The Matter With You Baby", "Together", and "Deed I Do". Marvin & Kim Weston sing "I Want You 'Round", "What Good Am I Without You", and "It Takes Two". And Marvin and Tammi Terrell sing "Your Precious Love", "Little Ole Girl, Little Ole Boy", "I Can't Help But Love You", and "Good Lovin Ain't Easy To Come By". LP, Vinyl record album

A hardcore classic from Lil Kim – her first full length set as a solo act, and a record that maybe set a new standard for rawness in the world of female hip hop at the time! The record's got some famous help from Notorious BIG, Jermaine Dupri, Puff Daddy, and Jay Z – but Kim's clearly the driving force of the record on her own – Brooklyn in the house, on titles that include "We Don't Need It", "Crush On You", "Drugs", "No Time", "Big Momma Thang", "Queen Bitch", "Player Haters", "MAFIA Land", and "Take It". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Titles include "Kids In America", "Our Town", "Water On Glass", "Falling Out", "Chequered Love" and more! CD

Not actually music with Kim Novak – but a set of musical backdrops by Morris Stoloff – designed as a package for the film Jeanne Eagels! The cover has a great color shot on the front, and smaller images of Kim on the back – and the music is surprisingly dark and moody. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Includes music by Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados, Carlos Guastavino, Alberto Ginastera, Xavier Montsalvatge, and Carlos Lopez Buchardo. CD

Incredible work from one of the maddest talents in rock and roll – the amazing Kim Fowley, one of THE most important forces on the LA scene of the 60s! Kim's known for many things – producer, arranger, musician, and insane performer – and this set really does a great job of bringing together all of those aspects – really getting at the "rockin hipster around town" persona that was Kim's calling card through over 3 decades of rock in the city. The package features 32 tracks in all – numbers that Kim recorded under his own name, or produced for other labels – all packaged with a stunning set of notes that's filled with stories, suspect history, and other dark chapters from the Kim Fowley past! Titles include "Animal Man", "Bubblegum", "The Trip", and "Space Odyssey" by Kim Fowley, "Wild Thing" by Cathy Rich, "Fallin Off The Edge Of My Mind" by The Seeds, "Pink Dominos" by The Crescents, "Honest I Do" by The Innocents, "Papa Oom Mow Mow" by The Rivingtons, "Like Long Hair" by Paul Revere & The Raiders, "Security" by N Betweens, "The Comedown Song" by Spider, "Popsicles & Icicles" by The Murmaids, and "Satans Holiday" by The Lancasters. CD

Music from Jerry Butler, Don Covay, Steve Cropper, Lani Groves, Delbert McClinton, Vernon Reid, David Sanborn, Angela Strehli, Bunny Wailer, Kim Wilson & more. Cassette

A stunning collection of psychedelic funk from all over the world – incredible material that mixes the free spirit of the psychedelic scene and the furious sense of groove learned from the funk movement! The collection is a bit of a genre-starting compilation – as it brings together global funky bits that had been bubbling underground with collectors for years – all resonating even more strongly together here in the company of each other – fantastic cuts from Istanbul, Athens, Paris, Beirut, Cairo, Paris, Lagos, Moscow and beyond! Many of the tracks mix familiar funk elements with more exotic instrumentation – nice fuzzy touches around the edges, and deep beats at the bottom – on titles that include "Su Derenin Sulari" by Husnu Ozkartal Orkestrasi, "Respect" by Kukumbas, "Alemiye" by Mulatu Astake, "The Man Who Must Leave" by Kim Sun, "What You Can Do In Your Life" by Petalouda, "Ghabileh-Ye Lily" by Mehr Pooya., "The Feed-Back" by The Group, "Circuito Chiuso" by Armando Sciascia, "Mevlana Boyle Dede" by Metin H Alatli, "Dagon" by Eskaton, and "Rakset El Fadaa" by Omar Khorshid. CD

Funky sounds from the Harlem scene – an incredibly rich collection of work from the Rojac and Tayster labels – a set so massive, it's like finding a box of rare funky 45s and deep soul singles in the back of some old record store! The package offers up way more work than we might have expected from our knowledge of a few key funk classics from the labels – a treasure trove of under-discovered gems from the grittiest years of the New York scene – most of them cut in the pre-disco years, with raw edges that almost feel more like southern soul and funk than other work from the Big Apple! This overstuffed set also comes with a sweet booklet of notes – really telling the tale of the labels and related enterprises – plus 44 tracks that include "Where Were You" by Kim Tolliver, "Meet Me Halfway" by Lillie Bryant, "Old Love Never Dies" by Big Maybelle, "Something Special About My Baby" by Clarence Reid, "I Love My Baby" by International GTOs, "No Better For Ya" by Jo Armstead, Love Love Love" by Chuck Flamingo, "Christmas In Vietnam" by Private Charles Bowens & The Gentlemen From Tigerland, "Everybody's Going Wild" by Curtis Lee & The KCPs, "Lovin Lies" by Third Guitar, "This & That" by Jo Armstead, "Don't Lose Your Groove" by Lavell Hardy, "Nwanne Nwanne Nwanne" by Aleke Kanonu & Tolbert The Miracle Man, "Lucky Man" by Damn Sam The Miracle Man, "Baby Don't Cry" by Third Guitar, and "Whip Ya" by Chuck A Luck & The Lovemen Ltd. CD

Label sampler with selections by Kraftwerk, The Stranglers, Thomas Dolby, Kate Bush, Diana Ross, Kim Carnes, Duran Duran, Olivia Newton-John, Billy Squier, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A second set of material issued in celebration of the legendary Wattstax concert by Stax Records in LA in 1972 – and a set that mostly features material from the famous show at the Los Angeles Coliseum, but also includes some sly studio material that was pumped up with applause to fit nicely into the mix! Richard Pryor acts as the MC – although his tracks weren't recorded at the actual concert – and as with the original album, there's a mixture of some self-contained "show" passages here, plus individual songs by other artists too! David Porter delivers a mighty batch of tracks that include "Reach Out & Touch", "Ain't That Loving You", and "Can't See You When I Want To" – followed by a Johnnie Taylor show that includes "Steal Away", "Stop Doggin Me", and "Jody's Got Your Girl & Gone". Other live material includes work by Rance Allen Group, Kim Weston, Jimmy Jones, and The Golden 13 – augmented by additional cuts from The Emotions, Mel & Tim, and Little Milton too! LP, Vinyl record album

Mike DiRubbo on alto sax, Brian Charette on Hammond organ, Andrew Renfroe on guitar, and Jongkuk Kim on drums. CD

2 George Duning soundtracks – back to back on one CD! Bell Book & Candle is a wonderful jazzy soundtrack from the end of the 50s – written for an ultra-cool film that starred Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart in a comedy about beatnik witches in New York! Much of the soundtrack has a cool beat jazz sort of feel to it – and many tracks feature strong solo work by Pete and Conte Candoli, who also perform a bit in nightclub scenes in the film. Other tracks have a slightly more orchestral feel, but one that's still quite light, given the nice themes in the movie – and which also features some playful bits that still keep things jazzy. Titles include "Way Out Calypso", "Send Me Nicky", "Pyewacket Returns", "Zodiac Blues", "L'Assassin Ennuye", and "Shep Shook". 1001 Arabian Nights is pretty darn groovy too – not your usual version of the tales, as the film was an animated effort starring Jim Backus' Mr Magoo character! Duning's music has some of the dramatic and exotic touches you'd expect for an Arabian Nights film – but it's also got a lot more playful ones too, in keeping with the cartoony presentation. Backus sings "Magoo's Blues", The Clark Sisters sing "Three Little Maids From Damascus", and other titles include "Unhappy Magoo", "Bar Fly Magoo", "Dream Ballet", "Crazy Carpet", and "Wedding Celebration". CD

Tracks include "Dangerous MC's" featuring Snoop Dogg & Busta Rhymes, "I Really Want To Show You" featuring Nas with K-Ci & Jo-Jo, "Rap Phenomenon" featuring Redman & Method Man, "Tonight" featuring Mobb Deep, "Let Me Get Down" featuring Missy Elliott, Craig Mack, & G-Dep, "Come On" featuring Sadat X, "Big Booty Hoes" featuring Too $hort, "Dead Wrong" featuring Eminem, "Notorious B.I.G." and "Would You Die For Me" featuring Lil Kim & the artist formerly known as Puff Daddy, "Biggie" featuring Junior M.A.F.I.A., "Can I Get Witcha" featuring Lil Cease, "Who Shot Ya", and "If I Should Die Before I Wake" featuring Ice Cube, Beanie Sigel, & Black Rob. LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly the only good thing to come out of the first Batman movie – and certainly a lot better than Prince's score for the film – this is an extended 20-minute slow jam suite, with a guest appearance by Kim Basinger, and some of the last real sexy musical work that Prince ever did! It's backed by the tracks "Sex" and "When 2 R In Love". CD

Reedman Dayna Stephens is always great – and this time around, he's got a very strong musical partner in the presence of guitarist Emmanuel Michael – a younger musician, but one whose sound really shapes the sound of the set! Michael has this way of careful tones and rich colors – which he can use slowly next to a mellow bassline, but also unfurl in a bolder way once things really take off – and it's clear that Stephens really values his contributions to the record, as he gets a lot of space to shine. The mixture of acoustic reeds and electric tones is great – although Dayna also plays some EWI on the album too – in a group that also includes some superb work from Kanoa Mendenhall on bass, and very thoughtful work on drums from Jongkuk Kim. Jeremy Pelt plays guest trumpet on a version of Wayne Shorter's "ESP" – and other tunes include "The Nomad", "Scrutiny", "Back Home", "Placate", "TE", and "Bubbly". CD

An early Motown live album - one that shows just how strongly the company was invested in presenting its artists as more than just studio stars. Lots of tasty tracks here, all live, including "Dream Come True" by The Temptations, "Love Me All The Way" and "He's Alright" by Kim Weston, "Pride & Joy" and "Days Of Wine & Roses" by Marvin Gaye, "Quicksand" and "It's Alright" by Martha & The Vandellas, and "Moon River" and "I Call It Pretty Music" by Stevie Wonder. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic trans-Pacific meeting of avant jazz talents – a set recorded on the mid 70s New York scene, right at the height of the loft jazz years – with a lineup that includes Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Yorikuki Harada on piano, Kazuotoki Kappo Umezu on alto, William Parker on bass, and Rashid Shinan on drums! We mostly know Umezu from later Japanese recordings, some of which are a bit more tightly controlled – but he's really on fire here, working with a very free lineup that embraces all the youth and energy the group has to offer! The set features two long tracks – "Stravizauls" and "Kim" – both over 20 minutes, with lots of freewheeling solos by the players. CD

One of the hippest, most righteous albums ever cut by pianist Jessica Williams – a set where it feels like all of her ideas come together perfectly, and are carried forward by a wonderful lineup of players! The group is small, but there's a very large feel to the whole thing – such that there's moments when we have to remind ourselves that this is still a small combo, even if Williams' music make things feel larger and more ambitious – a lineup that includes the great Eddie Henderson on trumpet, plus Jim Grantham on tenor, Kim Stone on bass, Henry Robinette on guitar, and Dave Tucker on drums. Williams is superb throughout on piano – and titles include "To The Children Of The Future", "The Demise Of Armored Man", "Weapon Of Truth", "Up The Entropy Slope", and "Longing". Expanded version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Power Of Love", "Gratitude", "The Shroud", "All Strange", and "Orgone". CD

One of the hippest, most righteous albums ever cut by pianist Jessica Williams – a set where it feels like all of her ideas come together perfectly, and are carried forward by a wonderful lineup of players! The group is small, but there's a very large feel to the whole thing – such that there's moments when we have to remind ourselves that this is still a small combo, even if Williams' music make things feel larger and more ambitious – a lineup that includes the great Eddie Henderson on trumpet, plus Jim Grantham on tenor, Kim Stone on bass, Henry Robinette on guitar, and Dave Tucker on drums. Williams is superb throughout on piano – and titles include "To The Children Of The Future", "The Demise Of Armored Man", "Weapon Of Truth", "Up The Entropy Slope", and "Longing". Expanded version features lots of bonus tracks – including "Power Of Love", "Gratitude", "The Shroud", "All Strange", and "Orgone". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic tracks from one of the greatest songwriting teams in soul music during the 60s and 70s – the legendary trio of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland – two of whom started out as soul singers, and all three of whom left behind a huge legacy on the Detroit scene! And while the trio were a famous part of Motown before moving off to start their own HDH family of labels, the work here also expands past those roots and includes some other gems that really show the wide reach of their music – including some non-soul titles that stack up here as a real surprise! As always with Ace Records, the notes tell the huge story behind the music, along with a great set of vintage images – and the package features 24 tracks in all, with titles that include "Band Of Gold (unedited alt version)" by Freda Payne, "There's A Ghost In My House" by The Fall, "New Breed Kind Of Woman" by Lamont Dozier, "Come & Get These Memories" by Laura Nyro, "Leaving Here" by Eddie Holland, "Come See About Me" by Barbara Mason, "Helpless" by Kim Weston, "A Love Like Yours" by Dusty Springfield, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by Vanilla Fudge, "This Old Heart Of Mine" by Bettye Swann, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Isley Brothers, "Don't Do It" by The Band, "Love's Gone Bad" by Chris Clark, "How Sweet It Is" by Brenda Lee, and "Where Did Our Love Go" by Donnie Elbert. CD

With vocals from Kim Nazarian. CD

Thelma's one of those singers who must have been waiting years for disco to come around and help her find a reason to sing! Her career was slightly ill-timed in the beginning, coming along with a baroque soul beginning that was great, yet somewhat out of place in the early 70s. But enter a record like this – which takes Thelma's beautiful voice and fills it up with strings and disco rhythms – and you've got a well-done set that suddenly makes her whole sound make sense! Arrangements are surprisingly great, and relatively cliche-free on the best numbers – handled by Kim Richmond, James Carmichael, Greg Wright, and Michel Rubini. Titles include "I'm Here Again", "Triflin", "I've Got The Devil In Me", "Give Me Something To Believe In", "Memories", "Your Eyes", and "I Can't Go On Living Without Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The solo debut of Mase, after time in Children Of The Corn, and a role as one of Puff Daddy's up-and-coming stars – emphasized here by Sean Combs name on the back of the album cover, and the set's placement on Bad Boy! Yet as the record will attest, Mase has a straightforward, hard-edged approach that's not the typical P-Diddy/Puff Daddy sound – some echoes of the harsher world that was lingering out there in the wake of Biggie's death, and emphasized by some of the fresher producers here – including the young Neptunes and Jermaine Dupri. Guests include Jay Z, Busta Rhymes, Eightball, MJG, DMX, Lil Kim, and Puff Daddy himself – and titles include "Mad Rapper", "Will They Die 4 You", "The Player Way", "What You Want", "24 Hours to Live", "Do You Wanna Get $", "Need To Be", "Niggaz Wanna Act", "Take What's Yours", "Love U So", "Feel So Good", and "Wanna Hurt Mase". LP, Vinyl record album

Matt Mitchell on piano, mellotron and synthesizer, Miles Okazaki on electric and acoustic guitars, Patricia Brennan on vibraphone and marimba, Kim Cass on acoustic and electric bass, and Kate Gentile on drums and percussion. CD

With Matt Mitchell on piano, Prophet 6, and electonics, Kim Cass on bass, Kate Gentile on drums and percussion, Ches Smith on vibraphone and percussion, Dan Weiss on tabla, Patricia Brennan on vibraphone and marimba, Katie Andrews on harp, Anna Webber on flutes, Jon Irabagon on sopranino and soprano sax, Ben Kono on oboe and English horn, Sara Schoenbeck on bassoon, Scott Robinson on bass sax and Eb contrabass clarinet, and Tyshawn Sorey conducting. CD

Features Luca Alemanno on bass and Jongkuk Kim on drums. CD

The second album from Biggie, and a set that was instantly poised to catapult him to superstardom – even before his tragic death ended up doing that before the release of the record! And yes, the title's a bit cryptic – and given the fact that the material came out after BIG was shot, it might seem like a cash-in collection of left-behind tracks – yet it's not that at all. The long path to the album's creation represents a step forward to almost build a bridge between underground hip hop and mainstream soul – maybe in a way that would have calmed some of the coastal beefs that were taking place at the time – as the late, great one works here with an array of guests from both the worlds of hip hop and R&B – 112, Jay-Z, R Kelly, Puff Daddy, Lil Kim, Too Short, and others – in a classic set of tracks that includes "Hypnotize", "Kick In the Door", "Mo Money Mo Problems", "Notorious Thugs", "Going Back To Cali", "Sky's The Limit", "Miss U", "Ten Crack Commandments", 'What's Beef", and "Nasty Boy". CD

Featuring Lil Kim on "Only One". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Feautres Noah Preminger on saxophone, Jason Palmer on trumpet, Kim Cass on bass, and Ian Froman on drums. CD

Featuring the Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Mase, and Li'l Kim, among others. You know you want this for "Benjamins". Also includes "Victory", "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", "Young G's", "Been Around The World", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

With special guests Ruth Brown, Kim Wilson, Bruce Hornsby, and Jackson Browne. CD

The Supersax ensemble takes on the classic concept of Charlie Parker with strings – really sticking true to the groundbreaking spirit of the original experiments, while also bringing things forward a bit with their wonderful multi-horn approach! The group features lead alto from Med Flory, plus tenor from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori, additional alto from Joe Lopes, trumpet from Conte Candoli, and trombone from Frank Rosolino – the latter two of whom really get in some nice solos of their own! Strings are well-scored – with the kind of subtle swing of the old days, and an occasional solo from Bobby Bruce on violin – and titles include "April In Paris", "All The Things You Are", "Cool Blues", "Kim", "Ornithology", "If I Should Lose You", and "Sign Off". CD

A very cool comeback album from Gene Vincent – produced by Kim Fowley, arranged by Skip Battin, and done with a unique spin that you might expect from the involvement of those two underground greats! LP, Vinyl record album

All songs performed live and broadcast on 107.1 KGSR, Austin TX. Music from Kim Richey, Jesse Winchester, Beck, Kelly Willis, John Hiatt, Bob Schneider, David Gray, Steve Earle, Patti Smith, Gomez, the Jayhawks, Joe Ely, Willie Nelson, and more. CD

A great entry in this always-killer collection of rare funk and soul – a series that somehow manages to keep on delivering ultra-rare nuggets, even at a time when there's been so many other compilations from so many other labels over the years! Our ears are always trained to appreciate the best of the best from the world of funky collections – and those ears are plenty pleased with the range of tracks here we'd never heard before – the kind of music that remind us to keep on digging, even when we think we've heard enough! Titles include "All Night" by Vantage Point, "I'm Feeling It Too" by Kim McCrae, "Steps On A Cloud" by Street Life 80, "Real True Voices" by Tory Wynter, "I'll Be Good To You" by Chatham, "Giving On Into Love" by Dalton Reed, "Getting Lucky" by Panama Gold, "Step By Step" by Matter Of Taste, "What Am I Going To Do Baby" by Royal Touch, and "Bi-Centennial 1976" by Frankie Staton & Speckled Rainbow. CD

Way more than just a "cellarful" of Motown – a wealth of great tracks, all of which are previously unreleased! This incredible 2CD set is a landmark in the history of both Motown and Northern Soul – as it brings together 40 tracks that were recorded in the glory days of the Detroit scene, but never issued at the time. A number of cuts on the set have risen to fame over the years as bootlegs floating around the UK club scene, and they're issued properly here for the first time ever, along side other lost gems that will soon become new classics to a generation of soul fans – all wrapped up in one great package filled with notes on the music, and listing the origins of the tunes! Titles include "My Sugar Baby" by Frank Wilson, "Baby A Go Go" by Barbara McNair, "How Can I" by Brenda Holloway, "He Was Really Sayin Somethin" by Earl Van Dyke, "Until You Came Along" by Carolyn Crawford, "Before It's Over" by Sammy Ward, "Long Gone Lover" by Velvelettes, "If You Ever Get Your Hands On Me" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Lucky Lucky Me" by Jimmy Ruffin, "I Wish I Liked You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Made Me Feel Like" by Syreeta, "Don't Let Me Down" by Kim Weston, "Don't Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today" by The Monitors, and "It Must Be Love Baby" by Chuck Jackson & Yvonne Fair. Lots lots more, and filled with wonderful tunes! CD

The lovely and late Edie Sedgwick is the cover draw on the record and movie – but the music within is maybe an even more interesting blend of sounds, and very different than what you might expect to come from the famous star of Andy Warhol's Factory scene! Some of the music here is by Gino Piserchio – and is spare, electronic material – of the creepy style that you'd hear in underground films of the time, but sometimes almost given a Brian Eno sort of tunefulness too. Other tracks are vocal numbers, and have a rootsy rock vibe that seems much more west coast than New York – which makes a nice contrast. There's even a few spoken passages that feature Edie's voice from the film – which balances things out in a great way. Titles include "Angel Shock", "Driving Verdeccio", "Revolution Of Youth", and "Night Riders" by Gino Piserchio – plus "I Can't Make It Anymore" by Richie Havens, "Citizen Kane" by Skip Battin & Kim Fowley, "To Give All Your Love Away" by Richie Havens, "Malibu People" by John Phillips, "Justice" by Kim Milford, and "Shouldn't All The World Be Dancing" by Richie Havens. CD

A sprawling promotional release with 88 tracks from Marvin Gaye, Edwin Starr, The Supremes, The Miracles, The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Velvettes, The Commodores, Michael Jackson, Gloria Gaynor, Tammi Terrell, Kim Weston, Syreeta and others! CD

Tracks from VooDoo & Serano, Kim Sozzi, Azzido Da Bass, Mauro Picotto, Malina, Manchild, Junior Jack, Massiv', Rockell, Da Buzz, Becca, and more. CD

A really heady dip into the mighty large catalog of P&P Records – a small family of New York labels in the late 70s/early 80s, and a powerhouse of production who were cutting grooves that were years ahead of their time! P&P was one of those companies that always seemed to get more attention overseas than on our shores – and that legacy is supported here with a superb track list from DJ Kenta – who brings together 19 gems from the label's far-ranging roster, in a cool blend of funky club tracks that even include a few of his own original edits! Titles include "Dance Freak" by Chain Reaction, "African Rock" by Licky, "Roller Rink Funk" by Shift, "Stomp Your Feet & Dance" by Kim Taylor, "Out Of Work (voc)" by Jesse Gould, "Turn Up Your Radio" by Kessler, "I Did It Again" by Jesse Henderson, "Spring Rain" by The Destiny Orchestra, "Feel The Spirit (long disco version)" by Foster Jackson Group, "Dance Dance Dance (disco version)" by Marta Acuna, and "Super Jay Love Theme" by Super J. CD

A really heady dip into the mighty large catalog of P&P Records – a small family of New York labels in the late 70s/early 80s, and a powerhouse of production who were cutting grooves that were years ahead of their time! P&P was one of those companies that always seemed to get more attention overseas than on our shores – and that legacy is supported here with a superb track list from DJ Kenta – who brings together 19 gems from the label's far-ranging roster, in a cool blend of funky club tracks that even include a few of his own original edits! Titles include "Dance Freak" by Chain Reaction, "African Rock" by Licky, "Roller Rink Funk" by Shift, "Stomp Your Feet & Dance" by Kim Taylor, "Out Of Work (voc)" by Jesse Gould, "Turn Up Your Radio" by Kessler, "I Did It Again" by Jesse Henderson, "Spring Rain" by The Destiny Orchestra, "Feel The Spirit (long disco version)" by Foster Jackson Group, "Dance Dance Dance (disco version)" by Marta Acuna, and "Super Jay Love Theme" by Super J. CD

Tracks from Ultra Nate, Gambafreaks, Eartha Kitt, Vernessa Mitchell, Kim English, Amber, Byron Stingily, Cab 'n' Crew, Mike Macaluso, ATB, and more. CD

A stunning collection of psychedelic funk from all over the world – incredible material that mixes the free spirit of the psychedelic scene and the furious sense of groove learned from the funk movement! The collection is a bit of a genre-starting compilation – as it brings together global funky bits that had been bubbling underground with collectors for years – all resonating even more strongly together here in the company of each other – fantastic cuts from Istanbul, Athens, Paris, Beirut, Cairo, Paris, Lagos, Moscow and beyond! Many of the tracks mix familiar funk elements with more exotic instrumentation – nice fuzzy touches around the edges, and deep beats at the bottom – on titles that include "Su Derenin Sulari" by Husnu Ozkartal Orkestrasi, "Respect" by Kukumbas, "Alemiye" by Mulatu Astake, "The Man Who Must Leave" by Kim Sun, "What You Can Do In Your Life" by Petalouda, "Ghabileh-Ye Lily" by Mehr Pooya., "The Feed-Back" by The Group, "Circuito Chiuso" by Armando Sciascia, "Mevlana Boyle Dede" by Metin H Alatli, "Dagon" by Eskaton, and "Rakset El Fadaa" by Omar Khorshid. CD

Another masterpiece from the Soul Jazz collective – a collection of tunes that bridges the secular and spiritual worlds, and brings together a mixture of gospel and soul tracks from the 60s and 70s! It's no secret that soul music has drawn quite a bit of inspiration from gospel (as well as more than its share of stars!) – but rarely has that inspiration been so clearly traced than in this wonderful set! The tunes include gospel numbers that have a classic soul sound, and classic soul tunes that really lean towards the gospel side of the spectrum – and most of the artists on the set are familiar ones, but heard here in a style that links them all nicely together. Titles include "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" by Clarence Smith, "Let's Get Together" by Bobby Bland, "Grandma's Hands" by Marion Gaines Singers, "Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Pastures Of Plenty" by Odetta, "Love Lifted Me" by Jesse Dixon, "I Don't Know Where We're Headed" by Sons Of Truth, "Eleanor Rigby" by Kim Weston, "In Between Tears" by Irma Thomas, "Lort Is It" by Gospel Artistics, "Tripping On Your Love" by Staple Singers, and "Mama" by Esther Marrow. CD

Funky genius from the legendary Stax studios! During the 60s, Stax was well known for their work in the soul music field – turning out hit singles by the likes of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and others – but after 1968, when the label finished their deal with Atlantic, they really started getting down and dirty, and hitting on all burners in the funk department. This tasty set features 21 tracks from those exiting years –many of them only ever issued on singles, and a few of them by some of the label's more famous LP artists – but all of them with a nice Memphis funky groove! Titles include "Turn Your Damper Down" by Rufus Thomas, "Broadway Freeze" by Harvey Scales, "Life Is Funky" by Round Robin Monopoly, "The Dryer" by Roy Lee Johnson, "She's My Old Lady Too" by Lee Sain, "Slipped & Tripped" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Brothers & Sisters" by Kim Weston, "Movin Dancer" by Bobby Holley, "Eli's Pork Chop" by Little Sonny, "A Man Never Knows" by Chris & Shack, "Grab A Handful" by Art Jerry Miller, "I'll Kill A Brick (About My Man)" by Hot Sauce, "Watch The Dog That Brings The Bone" by Inez Foxx, "Sock Soul" by The Bar Kays, and "Getting Funky Round Here" by Black Nasty! CD

The world of moogy music first exploded back in the late 60s – when artists like Bruce Haack, Perry-Kingsley, and others were making all these wonderfully weird records that featured heavy analogue electronics and other playful elements! By the 80s, most of that music had gone away – some migrating to the world of new age, others turning more mainstream – yet up in Eugene, Oregon, there was a small scene that continued the electronic experiments of years past – work that sounded very different than most of the darker cold wave and industrial sounds that were popping up at other points on the globe. This collection offers up a long-overdue look at that scene – and features work from a collective of artists who really continue some of the hippest traditions of the genre – from the early records that Bruce Haack made with Miss Nelson, to some of the weird Mort Garson productions, even to some of the more wigged-out French psych/electronics of the 70s. Some of these tracks have vocals, some are instrumental – and they're all nicely "switched on" – providing a great bridge between the world of Walter Carlos and the Stereolab generation to come. Titles include "Energy" by Kim Carter, "Other Playgrounds" by Peter Kardas, "The Seven Rays" by David Stout, "Finale From A Walk Down Serenity Lane" by Joel Horowitz, "Self Regulation 2" by Carl Juarez, "The Ride" by Talve, "New Snow" by Peter Nothnagle, and "Patterns" by Suse Millemann. CD

A really heady set of tracks from the American scene – music that effortlessly bridges the 60s sounds of garage, blues rock, and psych – and prefaces some of the metal and more guitar-heavy modes to emerge later on in the 70s! The work here definitely shares more with the sounds of the 60s, but also really captures the music at a moment when things were really transforming – groups were getting past a slavish presentation of their influences, finding bold new modes of expression, and really letting their freak flag fly with fuzzy brilliance throughout – all at levels that were also different than some of the longer-spun modes of the European progressive world. As with other Grapefruit packages, the distillation of a sound and scene here is wonderful – and supported with very detailed notes too – in a package that includes 62 tracks in all - with work from Bang, Sudden Death, Dust, Arthur Lee, Boomerang, Cactus, Grand Funk, The Flow, Head Over Heels, Sir Lord Baltimore, ZZ Top, Brigade, Fuse, Conception, Morgen, Coven, Alice Cooper, Nazz, Stack, Spirit, Kim Fowley, SRC, Mass Confusion Rock Band, Society's Children, Omnibus, Wildwood, Human Beinz, The Sound Barrier, Fever Tree, and many others! CD

A treasure trove of Nuggets from the LA Scene – fantastic material from a far reaching line up of gritty garage rockers, sunshine pop tunesmiths, psychedelic groovers, trippy psyche folk and much more – masterfully collected on 4 discs by the box set geniuses at Rhino! With such a diverse catalog to mine, the CDs are divided surprisingly well, and like other Nuggets comps, it's a great way to intro a ton of obscurities, while still including bigger hits that deserve to be remembered. Packaged in a beautiful 48 page book with essays, artist commentaries, tons of great photos, and even a 60s LA club guide! Disc one On The Strip includes: "Riot On The Sunset Strip" by The Standells, "Gentle As It May Seem" by Iron Butterfly, "Take A Giant Step" by The Guilloteens, "Tripmaker" by The Seeds, "Girl In Your Eye" by Sprit, "Eventually" by Peanut Butter Conspiracy and many more. Disc two The Studio Scene includes: "Action, Action, Action" by Keith Allison, "The Rebel Kind" by Dino, Desi & Billy, "Yellow Balloon" by Yellow Balloon, "Montage Mirror" Roger Nichols Trio, "Don't Say No" by The Oracle, "Baby, Please Don't Go" by Ballroom and lots more. Disc three Beyond The City includes: "Jump, Jive & Harmonies" by Thee Midnighters, "She Done Moved" by The Spats, "Underground Lady" by Kim Fowley, "Our Time Is Running Out" by The Yellow Payges and many more. Disc four New Directions has 3 previously unreleased tracks: "Sit Down I Think I Love You" by Stephen Stills & Richie Furay, "Words" (demo) by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, and "Once Upon A Time" by Tim Buckley; plus "November Night" by Peter Fonda, "Marshmallow Skies" by Rick Nelson. "You Set The Scene" by Love and many more. 101 songs on 4CDs! CD

A set of improvised music, but one that's very different than some of the more familiar free jazz you might expect – as the Avant Trio have a way of moving between rhythmic and melodic moments with effortless ease – sometimes getting a bit spiritual, with currents that move between South African jazz roots of the 70s, and some more contemporary expressions on the Gondwana label! The group features Oki Kim on tenor, Sungbae Kim on bass, and Francesca Han on piano – and all players have an ability to move together as one on some numbers, then space out with much more freewheeling improvisation on others – creating a blend of moods and moments that's completely seductive throughout, and which really makes for an album that never stops surprising the ear at each new step. Titles include "Shaman Dance", "Abdul Him", "Solar Buddha", "Controversy", "Tembo Steps", "Dadam", "East Suns", and "The Loudest Silence". LP, Vinyl record album

It might be argued that Martin Denny's percussion was always exotic, but this album adds a bit more to the mix, by adding a whole bunch of strange Eastern instruments, all outlined in the notes on the back. The group includes Augie Colon, Julius Wechter, Harvey Ragsdale, and Frank Kim – all of whom play percussion on various tracks. Includes "My Tane", "Cumana", "Day Delight", "Monlight On The Ganges", and "Song Of The Bayou". LP, Vinyl record album