A really cool record from the Japanese scene of the 70s – one that mixes traditional instrumentation with some high fidelity recording styles – then adds in just the right dash of contemporary elements too! The set's not as all-out funky as others like it from the time, but does rise up with some larger soundtrack-styled arrangements that are mighty nice – and there's a great balance of saxophone solos next to koto and shakuhachi, which makes for a warm style that moves between the acoustic aspects of the traditional instruments and some surprisingly jazzy moments too! This style really opens up on the second half of the record, which has the arrangements getting fuller and more uptempo – almost clubby at times, but with a great action soundtrack sort of vibe. LP, Vinyl record album

Maki Asakawa looks as dark and moody as ever on the cover, but there's actually a few moments here that seem to have a spark of positivity – although maybe one that's just in the instrumentation and production, which seem to borrow a bit from some of the darker side of the UK spectrum at the time! In some ways, Maki might be said to be one of the original goths in music – but with her longer legacy, and varied roots, that sort of a tag would only be reductive –as you'll hear on this set. The record features work by Tetsu Yamauchi and Toshiyuki Honda – and titles include "Leave The Flow", "King Of Losing Time", "Some Years Past", "Said News Said Old", "Dancer", and "Melancholy On The Other Side". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of super percussion here from Japanese drummer Tatsuo Hayashi – and also plenty of funky as well, given that the whole thing was put together with the glittering clubby feel of the image on the cover! The record's not entirely disco, but it resonates strongly with that groove – as Tatsuo uses a smaller combo with guitar, keyboards, bass, and plenty of percussion – stretching out on grooves that are instrumental, but have plenty of nice hooks throughout – a groove that's maybe similar to when drummer Tullio Di Piscopo started heading for the clubs! Titles include "Metalcharm", "Sucha Roca", "Latin Rock", "Fast Disco", "Hi G", "El Paso", "Slow Disco", and "Castin Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazz and rock, over the top – a sweet blend of funky rhythms, heavy horns, and some nice fuzzy guitar – all served up by the early 70s group of Jiro Inagaki! Jiro's recorded a few times in this mode – a great Japanese version of the headier sounds coming from the US and UK scenes at the time – but maybe even better as the style here is all instrumental, without any of the vocals that you'd usually hear on other jazz rock sets of this nature! The horn arrangements are wonderful – and usually mixed with really inventive keyboard and guitar parts – and the rhythms are more than enough to ensure that the record's got great appeal for any fan of funky styles. Titles include "Pure Heart Guy", "Ground Of Peace", "Yip-pie", "Freedom Jazz Dance", and "Spinning Wheel". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky fusion from 70s Japan – a really great set that's heavy both on Fender Rhodes, and on a range of choppy reed lines on tenor, soprano sax, and flute! The set's got a warm glow that's perfect for the CTI generation – with an equally apt sense of space, one that keeps the record from veering into any overdone fusion cliches, and which instead helps the group stay in just the right territory to bring out all the best soul in their music. There's a funky feel on most cuts, but even the mellow numbers have a hell of a lot of soul too – thanks partly to the keyboards, and even more to a brilliant execution of the whole set. Titles include "Funky Stuff", "Scratch", "Breeze", "Painted Paradise", "Funky Motion", "Gentle Wave", and "Four Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly jazzy grooves from this late 70s Japanese combo – one who are more like a fusion group than some of the more standard city pop acts – in part because they've got two different guitarists in the lineup, each of whom get a different channel in the mix! Haruto Kawabe is on one channel, and Motoki Ichizaki is in the other – both soloing strongly at points, but stepping aside to allow plenty of room for the lead vocals of Masako Takasaki – who sings throughout the record, in a warm voice that works perfectly with the electric instrumentation! Shinnoichi Shimizu plays keyboards on the set too – and titles include "Jump", "Usou", "AM 4:00", "Goodbye Again", "Crystal Magic", and "One Night Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked funk from Japanese keyboardist Norio Maeda – also a hell of an arranger, too – as you'll hear on this superb set from the start of the 70s! The record's one of those key albums that took a 60s groovy Japanese sound much further into the future – giving the whole thing a sharper edge, with heavier drums – and using trippy guitar, weird flute lines, and keyboards to give the whole thing a vibe that's almost more blacksploitation or kung fu soundtrack than most of what Maeda had done before! Tracks are all pretty lively, and work together as a sweet set of grooves – almost with a funky Lalo Schifrin sort of vibe – and all the notes and titles are in Japanese, or else we'd have even more information to convey. LP, Vinyl record album

A slinky, soulful set from the Japanese scene of the early 80s – one of those records from a time when it really seemed that jazz fusion was informing some of the best records from singers overseas – and that's definitely the case here! There's a warm jazzy glow to the record that's wonderful – and Takako Mamiya sings with a style that's right up there with some of the most sophisticated American soul singers of the period – particularly that shift that happened in the late 70s with artists like Phyllis Hyman or Marlena Shaw – although the lyrics here are all in Japanese. Genji Sawai produced, and handled some of the arrangements – and titles include "Love Trip", "One More Night", "Mayonaka No Joke", "All Or Nothing", "Chinese Restaurant", and "Nagisa De Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of electric keyboards – with a groove that stretches from wigged-out Herbie Hancock to the laidback style of Bob James on CTI! Mikio Masuda plays a range of different instruments – from Fender Rhodes to Clavinet, Yamaha organ, ARP, and mini-Korg – and the group behind him includes guitar, bass, drums, soprano sax, and lots of percussion – all jamming together on the fiercest tracks like a full-on version of The Headhunters! Tracks are all long, and the album's proof that Japan was turning out some amazing electric jazz albums in the 70s – real classics that stand with the best from America at the time. Titles include "Hello Jess", "What's Happening", "I Saw The Light", and "Airplane". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic funky album from 70s Japan – one that has the shakuhachi work of Kifu Mitsuhashi mixed with these slow-stepping grooves that have plenty of warm electric touches! The style is nice and mellow – almost as if a Japanese reed musician got the chance to record for CTI Records back in the day – with just the right amount of traditional melodies on the instrument to live up to its heritage, but mixed with these groovy funky jazz elements that really transform the sound! Arrangements are by Kiyoshi Yamaya, and there's some great use of vibes, Fender Rhodes, and guitar – on titles that include "Konpira Fune Fune", "Tanchame", "Kushimoto bushi", "Kaigara Bushi", "Soran Bushi", "Isohama Bon Uta", and "Saitara Bushi". LP, Vinyl record album

Really cool work on shakuhachi – and a set that's way more than just the ballads you might expect from the title! Japanese reed player Kifu Mitsuhashi definitely uses some older modes here, and begins the set as such – but as the record moves on, more contemporary instrumentation comes into play, with some great funky jazz moments on a number of cuts – great drums, keyboards, and guitar mixed alongside the acoustic instrument – creating a vibe that's wonderful throughout, and a lot groovier than you might expect. There's some great cuts here that resonate with the best work from Hozan Yamamoto – hidden here under a package that's maybe a bit more subtle, but equally great! LP, Vinyl record album

A great blend of funky jazz and wooden flute – the Japanese shakuhachi reed instrument, blown by Kifu Mitsuhashi here – then mixed with some larger backings that almost have a CTI Records sort of groove! The approach is similar to some of the best 70s projects from Hozan Yamamoto – and like those, updates older Japanese styles with just the right dose of jazz – never getting in the way of the soulful lines from the lead instrument, but also really warming things up nicely with Fender Rhodes, bass, guitar, and drums – in wonderful arrangements put together by Kiyoshi Yamaya. Titles include "Yagi Bushi", "Yosakoi Bushi", "Hokkai Bon Uta", "Kuroda Bushi", "Otemoyan", and "Mamuro Gawa Ondo". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Junko Ohashi – one of those Japanese singers who seem to have a very global appeal, even if you can't understand the lyrics! Ohashi's got an expressive style that reaches back into older modes of vocalization in Japanese pop, but delivers the lyrics with this cool, focused approach that's very much in the best city pop mode – especially when the lyrics are matched with some of the jazzier instrumentation on the set! Production is nice and soulful – clearly borrowing a lot from the best midtempo American soul of the period – and titles include "Tasogare", "Perfume", "A Love Affair", "In Your Lovin", "Dancin", "Another Day Another Love", "Telephone Number", "Sugao No Mamade", and "Lost Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a record from a Japanese band who answered to nobody else – a combo who could come on with the ferocity of James Gang or some of their contemporaries, but also hit some even wilder, more experimental moments too – something they definitely do here in the space of the double-length of the album – which mixes full-on jammers full of fuzz and bluesy riffs with some of the weirder moments you might find on the farther reaches of The Beatles' White Album! Vocals are all in English, and given that the album was issued on Atlantic, we're not sure why they never tried to push these guys bigger in the states – as they're better than most of the rest of the period. Titles include "Sniffin & Snortin", "Run And Hide", "Bad Woman", "Red Doll", "Flat Fret Swing", "Calm Down", "Search For Love", "Wanna Take You You", and "Song For An Angel". LP, Vinyl record album

Loads of great keyboards here from Hiromasa Suzuki – working in a mode that's somewhere between earlier funky jazz, and the tighter Japanese fusion of the late 70s! The style here is never too smooth, yet Suzuki really manages to blend some great elements together – his own keys, lots of funky rhythms, saxes from Jiro Inagaki, and even a touch of vocals from Kyoko Ishu – used in ways that are relatively spare, and more musical than lyrical – which fits in perfectly with the groove! The feel of the set is like some lost bit of funky jazz from mid 70s Fantasy Records – and titles include "Screwdriver", "Scramble", "Between O & M", "Straight Flash", and "Out Of Focus". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer record from the Japanese scene of the 70s – one that begins with a funky drum break, then only gets better and better as things move on! Hiromasa Suzuki plays plenty of sweet keyboards on the record – at a level that's definitely influenced by Herbie Hancock's work from the time, but which also brings in some of the best funky currents of Japanese soundtrack material – so that there's a blend of electric jazz with some great crime/cop movie modes too – served up with some nice saxophone solos from Takeru Muraoka on a few tracks, and tenor from Mabumi Yamaguchi on the rest. Titles include a sweet remake of "Watermelon Man" – plus "Skip Step", "Ratafia", "Orpheus Negro", "Gentle Wave", and "Greenseleves". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album from Japanese drummer Masahiko Togashi, featuring a group that he co-led with trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki! The quintet's got a sound that's kind of a messed-up take on the Blue Note groove of the 60s – particularly the Lee Morgan rolling funky soul jazz sound of the middle part of the decade – and the record's got a unique tip that we really like a lot! Basically, the band starts out with a hardbop groove – but then will roll into solo moments that, while not entirely out, have a strange off-beat quality that's really fresh. Tetsu Sushimi is on trumpet – part of a trumpet/trombone frontline that weaves together nicely, along with some great piano work, and strong rhythm from Togashi. Titles include "Castle Cats", "Suzu No Uta", "Passion", and "Variation". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album of Shigeru Suzuki – a set recorded by the Japanese singer after the breakup of Happy End, and one that's done in mid 70s California, with a vibe that's nicely different than his work with that previous group! There's a mix of jazzy instrumentation and roots rock touches going on – and even the occasional moments of funk – all of which sounds great next to Suzuki's Japanese-language lyrics, which are often produced with a style that has the lyrics nicely compressed down next to the instrumentation! Titles include "The Woman In The Dunes", "Smell Of August", "Low Fever Boy", "Galaxy Rhapsody", "Sunset Wharf", and "100 Watts Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Kitty records set from that moment when Japanese players like guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka were teaming up with American fusion players – and creating a sweet sound that helped define a generation! Records like this are so nicely different than American fusion of the time – often a bit more soulful, and handled with a sense of space and timing that really makes things great – as the leader works with a sweet lineup that includes Greg Phillinganes on keyboards, James Gadson and Wilson Das Neves on drums, Abraham Laboriel on bass, and Paulinho Da Costa on percussion! Titles include "Star Wars Samba", "Funky Holo Holo Bird", "Disco B", "Beleza Pula", and "Brasilian Skies". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual 80s album from reed player Michiko Akao – one that follows on the mode of some of the earlier Japanese records that mixed older folkloric styles with jazz, such as the records by Hozan Yamamoto – but done with more unusual instrumentation overall, in ways that mixes Michiko's shinobue, nohkan, and ryuteki work with some more open, electric soundscapes! Horiyuki Nanba plays keyboards on the record, and really helps shape the sound – as does the deeper bass of Yoshihiro Naruse – playing with rich colors, but less rhythmic force than the instrument is normally used – maybe a bit in Mick Karn sort of territory from the time. There's a slight bit of vocoder work on the record, which adds to more electricity next to the acoustic reeds – and titles include the "Take No Sonofu" suite and the "Prajna Paramita" suite. LP, Vinyl record album

Electric keyboards galore – and a sweet 70s album from Japan! The set features a large group of Japanese keyboard players – all playing Korg synthesizers, in styles that range from laidback and mellow to upbeat and funky! The group's got core backing by a tight rhythm combo – electric guitar, bass, and drums setting up the pace on some of the most driving numbers – but overall, most of the sound is from the electric keys – making for a really groovy little record that's got lots of cool 70s soundtrack touches, and plenty of tracks that sound like they were lifted off of American cop or crime scores of the time! Titles include "The Fire Dance", "Mother Of The Future", "Mayflower", "Ironsides", "Heated Point", "Soaring Seagull", and "The African Dawn". Great break on "The Heated Point" too! LP, Vinyl record album

A heavy funk party from the Japanese jazz scene of the 70s – and a set that hits a lot harder than some of the smoother fusion of the time! There's a grit here that hearkens back to some of the best American jazz funk at the start of the decade – a nice edge that you often don't find in Japanese recordings of this vintage – which is clearly inspired by the American soul scene of the time – as evidence in the weird-looking cover, and in the album's choice of tracks! The notes are in Japanese, which makes it a bit hard to tell what's going on – but the whole thing feels like a live performance, with supposedly different Japanese groups taking the lead – and some calls on the tunes that almost give the whole thing an Osaka Monaurail feel! Titles include "Put It Where You Want It" by Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media, "I Who Have Nothing" by Tan Tan, "Walking All Day" by Eddie Ban & Orient Express, "Sex Machine" by Ozawa Tetsu, and "Scratch" by Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo. LP, Vinyl record album

A really lovely little record from mid 70s Japan – a set right at the start of that great moment when singers like Taeko Ohnuki were really helping the scene to find it's own sound and voice! The album's got a bit of a sunny 70s Cali vibe – currents of jazz and soul running through the arrangements, which are handled by Makoto Yano, Haruomi Hosono, and Ryuichi Sakamoto – the latter of whom play on the record! Yet the music is also very different than any of Sakamoto or Hosono's own work – as Taeko is clearly the shining star in the lead, and also produced and directed the entire album – on titles that include "Wanderlust", "One's Love", "Breakin Blue", and "When I Met The Grey Sky". LP, Vinyl record album

That's a great 80s sense of design on the cover, and the album's got a nice sort of 80s vibe too – a bit more drum machine beats, basslines, and keyboards than work by some of the jazzier city pop artists of the time – a mode that really seems to bring out the best in the vocals of Tomoko Aran! The tunes are sometimes upbeat, but the best ones have a great midtempo groove – nicely soulful, with Tomoko's vocals gliding along the top in a very catchy style – so much so that you might forget that unless you understand Japanese, you won't understand the lyrics of the tunes. Don't let that stop you, though – as the album's a gem from this golden age of Japanese pop – with titles that include "Body To Body", "I'm In Love", "Lonely Night", "Hannya", "Yesterday", "Midnight Pretenders", and "Baby Don't You Cry Anymore". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully moody record fron Maki Asakawa, and a set that may well be one of her most striking ever – thanks to a stripped-down approach to recording that often mixes her vocals with just a bit of piano and saxophone – handled by Toshiyuki Honda throughout! The vibe here is very different than some of Asakawa's previous records – almost timeless in approach, although every bit as dark as most of her other 80s sessions – yet given a very different quality, due to the relatively spare sound of the cuts. Tristan Honsinger plays cello on a few tracks too – and titles include "Rapsodie De La Russie", "La Valse", and "Shanghai". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing set from early 70s Japan – and a record that's every bit as sinister as you'd guess from its title! Blues Creation certainly started out with a blues influence in their music, but like some of the headier British groups of the moment, they've turned that love of guitar lines and heavy rhythms into some much more brooding territory – hard rock, but with a current of evil that was never in their inspirations – almost as if these guys have shaken off the blues, and are ready to show the world that they're a force to be reckoned with! The guitar work is superb – really top-shelf classic jamming level – and titles include "Atomic Bombs Away", "Demon & Eleven Children", "One Summer Day", "Brane Baster", and "Just I Was Born". LP, Vinyl record album

Deep deep sounds from this hip Japanese drummer – a set that features a fusion-styled mix of keyboards and sax, but one that comes across with a gentle feel that's light years from conventional fusion! The balance is perfect throughout – kind of a spacey, soulful vibe – stretching out beautifully, yet never getting overindulgent – no jamming modes at all, and really a great ear for the space between the notes that keeps the whole thing on a open-handed level. One track goes slightly out, but in a way that balances the others nicely – and players include Tomoki Takahasi on tenor and soprano sax and Toshiyuki Daitoku on keyboards. Titles include "June Rain", "Burning Cloud", "Moki", "Racco", and "Cum Cum". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest records we've ever seen from this hip Japanese ensemble – a set that brings some great keyboards to the group's usual horn-heavy sound! There's a wonderful blend of Fender Rhodes and organ on the set – often used as the lead solo instrument over the fuller backings, in a way that's especially nice on the tunes with Rhodes! Tunes are mighty nice, too – a bit funkier than usual for Hara and the gang – and often arranged with a nice kick on the bottom, which seems to further emphasize the keys. Titles include "Nervous Breakdown", "Come Together", "Spinning Wheel", "Bouree", "Breit Kopt", and "Liberation". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer funky group from early 70s Japan – a slightly large ensemble, but one with some really heavy drums at the bottom – plus some great use of organ and electric guitar! There's a tight brace of horns at the top – flute, tenor, trumpets, and trombone – but the rhythms are what really drive the record, and give the whole thing a sometimes-funky, always-groovy quality that never lets up! The mode is almost soundtrack funk at times – jazz, but filled with some rich colors and expansive tones too – and there's a sophistication here that really rewards repeated listenings, but never gets in the way of the groovier moments too. Titles include "Theme Mustache", "Tak's Tune", "Joint", "Monster", "Lullaby For Yuh", and "Scotland Scene". LP, Vinyl record album

A great reworking of this already-reworked package – one that takes the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson remixes from the Japanese collection, and offers them up in even more wildly remixed takes! As you'd guess from the title, there's plenty of dubby production used on the set – not in a way that pushes the Jacksons material into Jamaican territory – but which instead flavors the warmth of Motown with occasional bass, drum, and guitar parts that feel as if they've been lifted from classic Kingston recordings. HF and KUDO handle all the mixes here – and titles include fresh dub mixes of "Love Song", "I'll Be There", "I Want You Back", "With A Child's Heart", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "We've Got A Good Thing Going", "All I Do Is Think Of You", "La La Means I Love You", "It's Great To Be Here", "Happy", and "Never Can Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful record from the Japanese scene of the 70s – a record that's noteworthy not just for the really lovely vocals of Taeko Onuki but also for the keyboards and arrangements by Ryuichi Sakamoto! Here, Sakamoto is in a surprisingly soulful mode – working with great help from jazz musicians Shigeharu Mukai on trombone and Kazumi Watanabe on guitar, in a set of fusion-tinged backings that have a lot more in common with some of the Cali/Japanese R&B-tinged sets than they do with Sakamoto's later work to come! The sound is wonderful – as Taeko's Japanese lyrics glide wonderfully over the jazzy backings – on titles that include "Sargasso Sea", "Silent Screamer", "Summer Connection", and "Law of Nature". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful bit of soft rock from 70s Japan – served up by a group with two guys and two gals, who trade placement in the lead vocals, and deliver plenty of warm harmonies too! There's a vibe here that's in the best sort of Carpenters mode – well-produced, but very down to earth and completely charming – with some larger instrumentation at points, but always a really personal vibe on the vocals! Lyrics are all in Japanese, which only adds to the charm – and titles include "Only Memories", "Father Forever", "Those Days", "Parting Road", "Without Realizing It", "Love Like A Shadow", and "Tears Melting In The Snow". LP, Vinyl record album

A great harvest of sounds from Japanese pianist Makoto Terashita – a set that also features strong contributions from Bob Berg on tenor, who comes in at a few key spots to really deepen the sound! The core of the record features Terashita working with his trio – Errol Walters on bass and Jo Jones on drums – plus a bit of guitar from Yoshiaki Masuo – and these trio tracks are really wonderful, with a long-flowing vibe that's a bit like work from the time by Fumio Karashima. Berg really steps it up in the right places – especially on the wonderful 12 minute track "Tell Me An Old Story Grand Papa" – which is a perfect illustration of the strength of the Japanese jazz scene at the time, and the way it found a unique way to blend together post-Coltrane ideals of soul and spiritualism, but at a level that's different than the US. Other tracks include "Samoa", "Dai Hokasu", and versions of "Ruby My Dear" and "Take The Coltrane". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer later date from tenor genius Charlie Rouse – one that's quite different than his famous 60s work with Thelonious Monk, but equally wonderful in its own sort of way! The tracks are open, relaxed, and nicely swinging – with Rouse at the head of a quartet that features Hugh Lawson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – a nicely soulful trio, with solos from Lawson that ever every much a draw as the work by Rouse! But Charlie's the real charmer here – blowing his tenor with this raspy depth that almost has us wondering if he's using a baritone at times – serving up changes that sometimes reflect the modernism of his youth, but in a nicely subtle way. Titles include "Royal Love", "A Child Is Born", "The Clucker", "Let Me", and "Joobobie". CD

The first volume in this totally excellent series which digs out rare soul and fusion cuts from the Capitol/EMI catalog from the 70s. There's loads of swirling jazzy tracks, like "Music is My Sanctuary" by Gary Bartz and "Peace of Mind" by Rance Allen (both of which have stellar production by Larry Mizell), "Losalamitos Latinfunklovesong" by Gene Harris, "About Love" by Ben Sidran, "Inside You" by Eddie Henderson, "The Genie" by Bobby Lyle, and "Sky Islands" by Caldera. There's also a bunch of great modern soul tracks, like "Sunshine" by Nancy Wilson, "Annie Mae" by Natalie Cole, "While I'm Alone" by Maze, "Dindi" by Janet Lawson, and the rare "She's My Summer Breeze" by the Reflections, which is worth the price of the CD alone! CD

Music from Byron Berline With Vince Gill, The Lonesome River Band, Ricky Skaggs, Peter Rowan, The Laurel Canyon Ramblers, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Hot Rize, Sam Bush & Jerry Douglas, The Seldom Scene, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, and more. CD

Massive double-length Miles from the early 70s – some of his most inventive long form work of the time, and some of his funkiest too! The album stretches out with almost an improvised jamming sort of quality – tunes that begin sparely, then have the musicians stepping in as the groove builds up – an odd amalgam of electric sounds on sitar, keyboards, and guitar – mixed with earthier percussion and some great trumpet and sax – working at a level that has the edge of the Japanese recordings, but a lot less noise overall. Players include Carlos Garnett on tenor and soprano sax, Reggie Lucas on guitar, Khalil Balakrishna on electric sitar, Cedric Lawson on keyboards, Al Foster on drums, Badal Roy on tabla, and Mtume on percussion. Titles include the "Foot Fooler" tracks "Rated X", "Honky Tonk", "Theme From Jack Johnson", and "Black Satin/The Theme" – and the "Slickaphonics" tracks "Ife" and "Right Off/The Theme". CD

Massive double-length Miles from the early 70s – some of his most inventive long form work of the time, and some of his funkiest too! The album stretches out with almost an improvised jamming sort of quality – tunes that begin sparely, then have the musicians stepping in as the groove builds up – an odd amalgam of electric sounds on sitar, keyboards, and guitar – mixed with earthier percussion and some great trumpet and sax – working at a level that has the edge of the Japanese recordings, but a lot less noise overall. Players include Carlos Garnett on tenor and soprano sax, Reggie Lucas on guitar, Khalil Balakrishna on electric sitar, Cedric Lawson on keyboards, Al Foster on drums, Badal Roy on tabla, and Mtume on percussion. Titles include the "Foot Fooler" tracks "Rated X", "Honky Tonk", "Theme From Jack Johnson", and "Black Satin/The Theme" – and the "Slickaphonics" tracks "Ife" and "Right Off/The Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent album of hard-blown soul jazz – especially if you dig saxophonist Sonny Red! Curtis Fuller is the leader of the group, but Sonny Red's also on the record as well – playing some of the best alto sax he's ever laid down on record, with a really incredible tone that he rarely matched again! Fuller's in much deeper, much gutsier style than on some of his Blue Note sessions – and has much more of a groove overall – a richly rhythmic quality that comes from the presence of Doug Watkins' bass and Louis Hayes' drums – in a group that also features Hank Jones on piano. The whole album's got a really nice open-ended feel, with tight soulful soloing and a good deep bottom sound – one that's perfect for Fuller's horn, and which seems to really deepen the shadings in Red's sax. Titles include "Vonce #5", "Namely You", "Transportation Blues", and "Blue Lawson". LP, Vinyl record album

With Nick Buono, Gino Bozzacco, William Hicks, and Robert Berenson on trumpets; Tom Padveen and Chuck Anderson on trombones; Houghton Peterson on bass trombone; Quin Davis, Pat Longo, Mel Kunkle, Bob Lawson, and Norman Smith on saxophones; Tommy Todd on piano; Dave Stone on bass; and Les DeMerle on drums. Titles include "Corner Pocket", "Lara's Theme (From "Dr. Zhivago")", "Cherokee", "More Splutie, Please", "Traces", "Don't Be That Way", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Shiny Silk Stockings", and "Blues Stay Away From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from Eddie Jefferson – one of the last sessions he ever recorded as a leader, and a stone cooker through and through! The arrangements here are by Slide Hampton, who hits a really soulful groove for the set – one that moves away from some of the more experimental modes of other Jefferson dates of the 70s, and hits a snapping, swinging style that moves Eddie back to his hippest modes of the 60s. Hampton plays trombone in the group, and other players include Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Richie Cole on alto, Junior Cook on tenor, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, and Harold Mabern on piano and electric piano. Leon Thomas produced the record, and Joyce Lawson guests as the female voice on a remake of "Moody's Mood For Love". Other titles include a killer version of Duke Pearson's "Jeannine" that is probably worth the price of the album alone – and there's also "Benny's From Heaven" and "Freedom Jazz Dance", both of which are great, too – plus "Summertime", "Exactly Like You", and "Night Train". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully haunting set by Yusef that marked his move to Prestige, and a sophistication of the Eastern-tinged jazz style that he developed during his years with Savoy. The tracks on here feature Yusef playing tenor, flute, and argol – with backing by a group of Detroit musicians that includes Hugh Lawson, Wilbur Harden, and Oliver Jackson, all frequent bandmates of Lateef. The tracks have a beautiful quality to them that mixes soulful jazz playing with Eastern approaches to arrangements, and they're unlike anything else we could describe (except, perhaps, some of Lateef's other LPs from the time!). Titles include "Meditation", "Love & Humor", and "Buckingham". CD

Sublime work from Yusef Lateef – and proof that he could be exotic and swinging at the same time! The three "faces" of the set are Lateef's work on tenor, flute, and oboe – each of which get a few tracks to themselves – as Lateef works with a core Detroit group of Hugh Lawson on piano, Herman Wright on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums – to further refine the already great sound of his earlier albums for Savoy! Tunes are set up in such a way as to vary the instrumentation without varying the mood too much – making for a record with many voices, but a really unified sound overall – and one that's incredibly soulful on the best numbers. Ron Carter joins the group on cello on a few tracks, and Lawson even plays a bit of celeste on the set as well. Titles include "Lateef Minor 7th", "Salt Water Blues", "Adoration", and "Quarantine". This album is a repackaged version of the album 3 Faces Of Yusef Lateef – issued at the end of the 60s by ABC/Riverside. LP, Vinyl record album

With Eddie Harris on tenor, Russ Ferrante on piano, Phil Upchurch Jr on bass, Ricky Lawson on drums, Randy Waldman on synthesizer, and Steve Forman on percusion. LP, Vinyl record album

With Peanuts Hucko, Yank Lawson, Lou McGarity, Cutty Cutshall, Bob Haggart, Clandy Hayes, Bud Freeman, Ralph Sutton, Morey Feld, and Billy Butterfield. LP, Vinyl record album

Accompanied by Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Hugh Lawson on piano, and Mike Richmond on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

With featured soloists Babe Russin, Howard Smith, Yank Lawson, Joe Bushkin, Buddy Rich, Milt Raskin, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

Two Capitol classics from the great Gene Dunlap – back to back on a single CD! First up is It's Just The Way I Feel – a classic soulful fusion album recorded and released during the crucial years of the "Capitol Rare" sound! Gene Dunlap is a jazz drummer at heart – but he's got a flair for the modern soul song – and in the same style as Norman Connors or Harvey Mason before him, he manages to put together a strong record of grooves and ballads from behind the kit! The strongest point of the record is work by The Ridgeways, a female soul trio who sing on the best tracks, giving them a smooth Jones Girls-ish kind of sound. The album includes two modern soul classics – "Before You Break My Heart" and "It's Just the Way I Feel" – plus "Love Dancin", "Rock Radio", "I Got You", and "Surest Things Can Change". Party In Me is wonderful work from Gene Dunlap – a jazzy soul drummer, and also a maestro with a killer ear for a modern soul groove! The album's got a mix of grooves and sophistication that are a bit like the best early 80s material from Roy Ayers – never chartbound, and never too commercial – but nice and tight, and really well put together! The instrumentation has plenty of jazzy 80s groove touches – especially in the keyboards – and Dunlap does a nice job of balancing up beat tracks with the mellow moments we love so much in his work. Vocals are from a variety of singers – including the great Ethel Beatty, who'd sung with Roy Ayers – plus Phillippe Wynne, Pam Lawson, and Gene himself – and titles include "Something Inside My Head", "Something Special", "Corner Pocket", "There Will Never Be Another (Like You)", "Party In Me", "Jam City", and "This One's On Me". CD

Wonderful late 50s work by Yusef Lateef – played in that "jazz exotic" style he was using to perfect form at the time, a mixture of the lyrical hard bop of the Horace Silver group, with some of the more spare and eastern styles used by groups like the early Sun Ra Arkestra. The drummer, Frank Gant, makes ample use of brushes and mallets to keep the rhythms in a mode that works with the overall sound – and other players include trumpeter Lonnie Hillyer and pianist Hugh Lawson, both of whom were part of the super-hip Detroit scene that spawned Lateef. Titles include "Cry Tender", "Butter's Blues", "Dopolous", "Sea Breeze", and "The Snow Is Green". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic record on Strata East – and a concept that shouldn't work as well as it does, but which comes off perfectly – thanks to the strength of the players! As you might guess from the title, the group's an all-piano ensemble – one that features hip talents that include Harold Mabern, Sonelius Smith, Stanley Cowell, Nat Jones, Hugh Lawson, and Webster Lewis – coming together in ways that have the pianos handling every part of the music – rhythm, melody, and all these great little bits around the edges – all on these long, stretched-out tracks that have lots of room for solo contributions too! The vibe is very Strata East, just all-piano – and titles include "Effi", "Killers", "Precious Lord", "The Almoravids", and "Man Extensions". LP, Vinyl record album

An overdue look at the great range of sounds that came from Inner City Records at the end of the 70s – a hip American indie with a strong specialty in soulful fusion, hip vocalists, and a range of other great styles too – all brought together here by London DJ Kev Beadle! Inner City's often a bit overlooked – as the label flourished most strongly in the years after some of the better-known soulful imprints of the 70s – and the label always had a great ear for new sounds, fresh ideas, and the kind of compelling global elements that often led them to license key tracks from overseas, and bring them to the US market. This collection's heavy on singers – the kind of cool, underground jazz vocalists that Inner City captured so well – and it's also got a nice mix of funky fusion, modal numbers, and spiritual currents – on titles that include "The Other World" by Judy Roberts, "Hunt Up Wind" by Hiroshi Fukumura, "Vera Cruz" by Helen Merrill, "Lucky Southern" by Tom Lellis, "Quickie Nirvana" by Kellis Ethridge, "Samba De La Cruz" by Terumasa Hino, "So High" by Janet Lawson, "The Samba" by Jeff Lorber, "Return Of The Prodigal Son" by Joe Lee Wilson, "Shenkansen" by Urszula Dudziak, "To An Elfin Princess" by Charlie Mariano, "Pandora" by Carlos Franzetti, and "Jennine" by Eddie Jefferson. CD

One of the greatest values in contemporary soul music – and a series we can still highly recommend even after the course of eleven previous volumes! The 3CD package is overflowing with great tracks far from the mainstream of soul – the kind of current, underground tracks that you'll hear from only a select few on both sides of the Atlantic – with an especially strong focus on UK soul artists here, given that the Dome Records label puts out some of the best of the London scene! There's plenty here to love – including a number of tracks that haven't been on CD before – and titles include "Sleepwalkers (Opolopo rmx)" by Jarrod Lawson, "Lowdown (Ski Oakenfull rmx)" by Incognito with Mario Biondi & Chaka Khan, "People (DJ Spen & Gary Hudgkins rmx)" by Shaun Escoffery, "Just For One Day" by Imaani, "Music & Its Magical Way" by Jarrod Lawson, "Soul Town (Nigel Lowis rmx)" by Ola Onabule, "Deja Vu" by Angela Johnson, "Bridge Over Troubled Water (acoustic)" by Shaun Escoffery, "Believe Me" by Anthony David, "Ever After (Jiva rmx)" by Seek, "Touch My Body" by Cooly's Hot Box, "Brighter Tomorrow" by Diplomats Of Soul, "Major Bossa" by Khari Cabral Simmons with Sabrina Malheiros, "Change" by Full Flava with Joy Rose, and "Every Time I Turn Around" by Makeda. 40 tracks in all! CD

Features Harry Edison on trumpet, Buddy Tate on tenor and clarinet, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, Hugh Lawson on piano, and Ray Drummond and Bobby Durham on drums. Tracks include "Centerpiece", "S'Wonderful", "Bags Groove", and "Blue Creek". CD