A second great dip into the world of "flop" albums from the past – records that maybe didn't dent the charts or make anyone a fortune at the time – but which have gone on to become the stuff of legend over the years! These aren't crappy records or total dreck – and instead, many are musical masterpieces that weren't appreciated when they were released, but which have grown to gain huge respect as the decades have moved on – albums by The Kinks, Lee Dorsey, Fred Neil, Dead Boys, Gang Of Four, Roxy Music, Willie Nelson, and dozens of others – each summed up here in an essay that runs a few pages for each record – along with images of the covers in black and white, and other pertinent details as well! The book is arranged chronologically – records from 1963 through 1989 – and this edition is 392 pages, with mostly black and white images, and a few color ones as well. Book

A monster album that's gone onto influence a generation – but which was barely recognized at the time! Singer Eugene McDaniels had scored big with some pop hits in the 60s under the name Gene McDaniels – but here, he steps out in a righteous batch of offbeat funk tunes – filled with politics, offbeat rhythms, and some very weird instrumentation. The whole thing's awash in moody, jazzy changes – of the style that showed up often in samples by Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, and other artists who drew keen inspiration from this record. Titles include the massive "Jagger the Dagger" – plus "The Lord Is Back", "Lovin Man", "Headless Heroes", "Freedom Death Dance", and "Supermarket Blues". CD

A really cool look at a label that was maybe one of the hippest things the Beatles ever did – the short-lived Zapple imprint – which was part of their main Apple label, but dedicated to more experimental work from a variety of musicians and writers! The imprint is perhaps best remembered as the home of more avant recordings by John & Yoko, and by George Harrison – but it also presented material by Allen Ginsberg, Charles Bukowski, Charles Olson, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and other key underground figures – a legacy that would have been enormous, had it continued. The book is put together by Zapple label manager Barry Miles – and includes loads of photos and images too – studio shots, ads, and a lot more elements that help bring this lost label to life once again! 272 pages, hardcover, with some black and white images. Book

A vocal jazz classic – finally out on CD! Joe Williams had come to great fame as the singer with the Basie band during the 50s, but this beautiful album is unlike his usual work with the group – and shows a sophisticated vocal side of Joe that's really amazing. The album was arranged by Jimmy Mundy, with lush backings that bring out a sensitive side to Joe's rich voice – heartbreaking on most tracks, as you'd probably guess by the album's title. The mix of ballads features a few familiar numbers from the late 50s, plus some real charmers from earlier years that Joe reinterprets on his own level. Titles include "What's New?", "A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry", "Say It Isn't So", "Can't We Talk It Over?", "I'm Through With Love", and "I'll Never Smile Again". A wonderful treasure from the years when Roulette was cutting some of the most sophisticated vocal sessions in America! CD

A great look at an obscure indie soul label from the Cleveland scene at the end of the 60s – and a company that's definitely a cut above, given that it released some early O'Jays singles in the years before their crossover fame in the 70s – and members of that group also wrote a fair bit of singles for the label too! Besides a tie to the O'Jays, the Saru label also had a tight, well-chosen roster – one that really helped make Cleveland a hotbed for sweet soul at the time – easily competing with the hippest singers and groups from Philly, New York, and New Jersey – thanks to a string of excellent 45s on both the Saru imprint, and related Horoscope Records! As usual with Numero, the whole package is filled with fantastic details and photos that are as compelling as the music itself – and as for the music, this time around the Numero folks really get to the heart of the matter with a non-stop array of excellent material – not unreleased tapes, but killer 45s that really show Saru as a hell of a great soul label during its short run of records. Titles include "For The Rest Of My Life" and "Tears Don't Care Who Cry" by The Out Of Sights, "I Believe" and "Are You Man Enough" by Sir Stanely, "Stand In For Love" and "Love's Needed" by Pandella Kelly, "Come Back Boy" and "The Last Time" by The Ba-Roz, "Bound" and "I Remember You" by Ponderosa Twins, "Just To Be With You" and "Got To Make It Right" by Elements, "Can't Make It Without You" by Michael Bell, "Got To Get My Broom Out" by David Peoples, "Just To Be With You" by Bobby Dukes, and "Now He's Home" and "Shattered Man" by The O'Jays. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Fats Domino, Della Reese, Clyde McPhatter, Jerry Keller, Johnny Cash, The Coasters, Julie London, Johnny And The Hurricanes, Sammy Turner, Chuck Berry, and more - 28 tracks in all. CD

Killer gospel work from a small Chicago label – most of it pretty darn funky and soulful as well! The label sticker on the album's cover states a link too musical roots in the deep south – but the overall sound here is more in that wonderful hybrid of spiritual and secular that happened in the Chicago scene in the 70s – as hipper, more sophisticated modes came into play with the message – and resulted in grooves that are equally appealing to soul music fans as well! All the cuts were put together in a tiny studio on the city's west side – and as with most Numero projects, the package provides an essential look at a musical scene we might have missed otherwise – even though Dusty Groove is just a few miles down the street from the original studio. Titles include "Satisfied Mind" by Reverend Jennings, "Got To Make A Hundred" by Harmony Four, "Soul Couldn't Be Contented" by The Inspirational Souls, "Saved & Sanctified" by Brother Hayes & The Farmer Singers, "My Shoes" by Flying Eagle Gospel Singers, "Never Alone" by The Gospel Clouds, and "Why Is The Blood Running Warm" by The Mighty Messiahs. LP, Vinyl record album

We know what you're thinking, how rare is the "rarest soul label" in the title, and more than that, how good are the tracks? Fortunately, in this case, the answer is really rare, and really great! 14 tracks from the rare Washington DC Shrine label, produced by Eddie Singleton and compiled in the early 90s for the Horace's reissue imprint. This set's a nifty batch of 60s soul stormers, with more of a Detroit sound than you might guess, and titles include "Don't Let Him Hurt You" by Les Chansonettes, "Guess Who Loves You" by Eddie Daye & The Four Bars, "No Other Way" by the Cautions, "Mad At The World" by the Epsilons, "No More Like Me" by Ray Pollard, "Stop Overlooking Me" by the Cairos, "I Believe I'll Love On" by Jimmy Armstrong, "You're My Only Love" by the Counts, "She Went Away" by Linda & The Vistas and "Huh Baby" by the Prophets. Nice stuff, and as you've guessed, you'll never find the originals! LP, Vinyl record album

The most upbeat groovers from one of the rarest soul labels of the 60s – Washington DC's Shrine Records label – a small imprint who recorded some mighty fine singles that have been the gold standard for collectors for years! The company's output was quite small, and the label, as the title implies, never got much exposure at the time – but overall, Shrine's work is extremely great, and the tracks on this set soar with the best Philly and New York soul of the time, especially the male vocal group numbers, which are especially strong. The LP mixes two rare cuts that were not issued in the 60s with other singles on the label – and titles include "My Only Love" by The Counts, "Hey Boy" by The DC Blossoms, "No Other Way" by The Cautions, "Guess Who Loves You" by Eddie Daye & The 4 Bars, "Shame" by The Enjoyables, "I Won't Be Coming Back" by JD Bryant, "I Won't Believe It Till I See It" by Little Bobby Parker, "Takin My Time" by Leroy Taylor & The Four Kays, "Stop Overlooking Me" by The Cairos, and "Don't Let Him Hurt You" by Les Chansonettes. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of funky soul jazz – the Second Movement (to the first album Swiss Movement) of the collaboration of Eddie Harris and Les McCann! The vibe here is even freer, and hipper, than on the first set – with a host of long tracks that have Les really working the Fender Rhodes into some great grooves, as Eddie blows along some mean, mad Varitone with equal charm! Players include Bernard Purdie, Buck Clarke, and Cornell Dupree – and titles include "Saima", "Carry On Brother", "Universal Prisoner", and the brilliant sample cut "Shorty Rides Again"! CD

A really great idea for a book on records – and one that's completely different than most that we've seen before! Unlike other books of this nature, which are filled with "essential" or "classic" records – this book is full of flops, or records that never really hit the heights, but which are pretty darn great overall! In the eyes of the authors – and our eyes too – all of these records are under-acknowledged gems – some by big names, others by more obscure artists – lots of which never got their full due at the time. The book is filled with some of our favorite records of all time – which is a big hats off to the long list of contributors, who include Miriam Linna, Steve Shelly, Peter Holsapple, Russ Titelman, Marshall Crenshaw, Bob Irwin, Lenny Kaye, and many others – who've come up with a set of essays on titles that include The Living Legend by Baby Huey, Gene Clark & The Gosdin Brothers, Continued by Tony Joe White, Delta Sweete by Bobby Gentry, Entertainment by Family, Desertshore by Nico, Young Mod's Forgotten Story by The Impressions, Roots by The Everly Brothers, Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt, and lots lots more! The book is filled with records that we love, and that we'd now call classic – served up in a hefty softcover edition that's almost 400 pages in length, with black and white images throughout. Book

One of the great Mingus albums for Atlantic – and a record that brings together material from 2 different sessions: one from 1957, with Shafi Hadi on alto; and another from 1961, with Roland Kirk and Booker Ervin on saxes. The '57 session has a raw quintet sound, and features some haunting solos by Hadi, who was one of Mingus' best players, but who doesn't always get his due. On the other session, Kirk and Ervin are youthful, firey, and frenetic – and they play with passion as Mingus backs them up on piano (Doug Watkins plays bass on the session). Despite the split nature of the album, it's still one of Mingus' best. Titles include "Tonight At Noon", "Invisible Lady", "Peggy's Blue Skylight", and "Passions Of A Woman Loved". Great French reissue, with the original cover and everything! CD

A really beautiful collection of music – and work from a scene that we've hardly heard from before – given that all these tracks were taken from the 60s catalog of the Caife Records label in Ecuador! The music is often an unusual hybrid of modes – older folkloric styles mixes with more contemporary expressions – often driven by an urban interest in the nation's traditions, which involve many different cultural strains spread out over its diverse terrain. Caife was an imprint that sought to capture music that might have fallen through the cracks otherwise – and in terms of sound and style, most of this work feels much older than what you might have heard coming from Colombia, Mexico, or Cuba in the 60s – with a fair bit of acoustic instrumentation, and often a strong current of sentiment, as is hinted at in the title. The package is a very well-done resurrection of this near-lost legacy – with a beautiful booklet of notes and rare images – including a shot of the hoarder's office in a high rise, where most of the tapes had been sitting for decades. Titles include "Sendero Del Dolor" by Segundo Bautista, "Ingratitud" by Hermanas Mendoza Suasti, "Cotopaxi" by Biluka Y Los Canibales, "Desesperacion" by Bentiez Y Valencia, "Lejos De Ti" by Los Tres Ases, "Vaca Lechera" by Conjunto Caife, "Pasional" by Lucho Munoz, "El Anacu De Mi Guambra" by Biluka Y Los Canibales, and "Ensonacion" by Los Inaquingas. LP, Vinyl record album

Muli genre compilation with music from Blind Willie McTell, Jim Jackson, Cannon's Jug Stompers, Sonny Boy Williamson, Lil Green, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Bud Powell, Art Blakey, Lena Horne, Sam Cooke, Odyssey, and more. CD

Music from the Original Memphis Five, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Red & Miff's Stompers, Jell Roll Morton Trio, Duke Ellington, Paul Whiteman, Joe Venuli's Blue Four, the Missourians, Henry Allen, Fats Waller, and more – 25 tracks in all. CD

Baton may not be as well-remembered as Chess, Vee Jay, Old Town, or King – but back in the 50s, the small company was one of the greatest indies working on the New York R&B scene – a treasure trove of music by a select group of artists. Baton was headed by Sol Rabinowitz (hence the title of this set) – a man trained with a good ear for the best of the up-and-coming, and who often recorded work that had a much more deeply soulful sound than you'd expect for New York scene at the time. Sol tells his own story in the notes – and the CD features 28 tracks in all, with titles that include "Each Day", "Easy Easy Baby", "My Tearful Heart", and "You're Mine" by Ann Cole; "Lonely Nights", "Oo Wee", and "Gone Gone Gone" by The Hearts; "Hard Times" by Noble "Thin Man" Watts; "I Remember", "TV Baby", and "I Told Them" by The Suburbans; "A Thousand Stars", "For Sentimental Reasons", and "Deep Down Inside" by The Rivileers; "The Things I Love" by The Fidelitys; "I Remember Dear" by The Mello Maids; and "Careless Love" by The Pilgrims. CD

Cuban grooves galore – all collected by Sonar Kollektiv with the same care and class they brought to their compilations on Eastern European jazz! The sound here is quite different than other looks at the Egrem/Areito labels – in that the tunes are often quite sophisticated and ambitious – way more than just traditional Latin jazz, and instead a masterful blend of unexpected influences – at levels that remind us a lot of some of the hippest European work of the time! A few tunes are somewhat rootsy, but others use electric instrumentation, full arrangements, chorus vocals, and spacious production to really change things up – really blowing our minds with the sort of sounds these guys managed to come up with back in the day. As with other SK collections, the set features full notes on the artists and scene – and this EP version features 6 tracks that include "Y Que Se Sepa" by Orchestra Los Van Van, "Gadinga Mondongo Y Sandunga" by Quinteto Instrumental De Musica Moderna, "Yo No Me Ire" by Orchestra La 440, "Son En 7/4" by Emiliano Salvador Y Ges Icaic, "Yayabo" by Tema IV, and "De Tu Anorme Enamore" by Yotu El Y Ella. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes music by Roy Hargrove, Marcus Roberts, Carmen McRae, Hugh Masekela, and more. CD

Includes music by Don Braden, Steve Coleman, Roy Hargrove, Carmen McRae, Antonio Hart, Danilo Perez, Tom Harrell, and others. CD

A massive look at the art behind the music of the great Sun Ra – a selection of images that are almost as important as his sonic creations – given that so many of his records were issued in very small pressings, and often had covers that were handmade! As collectors know, so many of those albums now sell for hundreds of dollars – far out of the reach of most of us, which is why this wonderful book is worth every penny – as it offers up full-size reproductions of all sorts of covers from Ra's releases on his own Saturn Records – not just the ones that were printed and silkscreened, but also some of the really rare handmade and hand-drawn images as well – with a follow-up section on handmade labels too. The book features a bit of writing at the start, with essays on the practices of Saturn Records and its choice of image – the moves into over 200 pages of really mindblowing images – all full color, on 12" square pages – as if you're handling all these rare albums you've never been able to get your mitts on! Book is hardcover, 240 pages, and in beautiful color throughout. Book

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

With Nas and Joe. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Tony Sunshine on "Talkin Gangsta" and CL Smooth on "Magic Hour". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes 15 tracks from the Get Back sessions. CD

... CD

With Prodigy and Inspektah Deck on "Tres Leches" and Busta Rhymes on "Parental Discretion". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Clean edited freestyles over "Looking At The Front Door", "Who Got Da Props", "Warm It Up Kane", and "Children's Story" – essentially remakes of the original tracks from Black Rob's perspective! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Mixtape with tracks by Kanye West, Slim Thug, D-Block, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, NORE, and others. CD

Includes the songs "Ten Steppin' (Door To The Sixty)", "Lucidarium (Beyond Doors)", "Plagal Transitions", "Meditations On Cardinal 137", "Kabbalah", "Beyond All We Know", "Diasporatic Transitions I", "Diasporatic Transitions II","Egypt To Crypts In Hieroglyphs", and "Perspicuity". CD

Coltrane caught live in France in 1962 – working with the classic quartet of McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. The set's surprisingly well recorded (although transferred here on the CD from vinyl, with a few flaws) – and features extended readings of classic Coltrane tunes from the Impulse years, done in the stretched-out searching style that we loved from his classic Village Vanguard sessions of the time! Includes a great take on "Naima", a two-part reading of "Blue Valse", a 10 minute version of "Afro Blue", and a nicely grooving version of "Impressions". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

"Blast" features Defari and Barbershop SK and production by Barbership Kiz. "Let Me Hear It" is another nice one from the Jigmastas with a little more energy in the production and lyrics than their earlier singles, with beats DJ Spinna using his dope filtered synth bassline sound. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Don Black on "Bounce Squad Entertainment". 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album