Roaring Lion is a singer who definitely earns his name – a strong early voice in the formation of calypso – and an artist whose early work on 78rpm discs still tops most of the later giants of the genre! The work here is an early hybrid of Island rhythms and jazz – often performed at a pulsating pace that seems perfect for the fast-spinning speed of the 78rpm single – especially given the Lion's roaring vocals, which must have sounded great coming out of the cone of a pre-electric record player! The horns add a lot to the vibrancy of the music, too – and titles include "Ugly Woman", "I Am Going To Buy A Bungalow", "J'Ouvert Barrio", "Bamsee Lambay", "Malicious Neighbours", "Fall Of Man", and "Ba Boo La La". LP, Vinyl record album

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A lesser-known album from The Stylistics – at least in comparison to their mega-hits of the early 70s – but a set that's still got the vocal group in beautifully harmonic formation! The group are still produced by the team of Hugo & Luigi, and arrangements are by Horace Ott – who turns in a 70s version of the full, emotive backings he could bring to a soul record back in the 60s – almost an old school level of presentation that's a really nice surprise – even as the group step out in a few clubbier numbers, which they really know how to handle well. Titles include "School For Lovers", "Fly", "Music Is Another Word For Love", "We'll Live The Good Life Together", "Make Believe", "Where You Are", and "Sunday In The Chapel". CD

Lenny's first solo album, and a sophisticated batch of tracks that has him moving away from the simpler style of work with Tower Of Power, into territory that has a lot more complicated arrangements. Eugene McDaniels produced the record – and Lenny sings a nice version of his famous "Compared To What". Keyboardist Mike Melvoin handled the arrangements, and the whole thing has some very nice jazzy touches. Other tracks include "Keep On Keeping On", "We're Gonna See It Through", "Open Book", "River", and "Problem Solver". LP, Vinyl record album

Lee Perry at his best – really finding the best mix of Jamaican rhythms and wilder production that made him a legend! "Jungle Lion" has echoes of Al Green's "Love & Happiness" throughout – blended with lots of echo, weird effects, and a trippy rhythm that's mighty nice! There's also a great break near the start – which follows on the flipside, which is essentially a more freaked-out version of the tune! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A darkly bubbling masterpiece with Prince Jammy at the controls – crafting his magic to grooves by a top-shelf set of Kingston musicians! Winston Wright plays lots of keyboards – organ, clavinet, and even some harpsichord – and the real energy of the rhythms come from the young Sly & Robbie – very much in their prime here, without some of those later modes when they were trying to recopy themselves for the mainstream. Chinna Smith throws in lots of riffing guitar to the echoey brilliance – and titles include "No Bride", "Jammy's In The Arena", "Black Trap", "The Big Apple", "Rough Voyage", "Uhru Express", "King Forever", "Tiger Dub" and "Mystic Feelings". LP, Vinyl record album

The very first solo album from Lenny Williams – and a great step forward from his work with Tower Of Power! The set's still got some of the funkier elements of Lenny's work with that combo, and the overall sound is a bit more gritty than some of his bigger albums in later years – short cuts that hit a hip soul vibe, one that's often a bit more bad-walking than the later, more poised Williams. Mike Melvoin plays some great electric piano on the record – which slides under Lenny's vocals beautifully on the mellow numbers, and kicks things up with funky drums on the more upbeat tracks – and with Eugene McDaniels at the production helm, you can bet that the whole album sounds mighty hip overall! Titles include "Open Book", "River", "Problem Solver", "We're Gonna See It Through", "Keep On Keeping On", "Money", "Sometimes Love", and "Compared To What". CD

Adapted & produced by Don MacLean. Composed & performed by Jerry Marlowe. 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Massively heavy sounds from A Bolha – a Brazilian group who were previously known as The Bubbles, and backed up Gal Costa during the Tropicalia years – but who work here in a fuzzy, bassy groove that's totally great – definitely an heir to the headier sounds of the UK scene at the start of the 70s! The guitars are definitely in full force here, but the basslines drive things along strongly too – echoing some of the Peruvian sounds of the time, but with a bit more Brazilian sophistication – and definitely a musical echo of lessons learned during Tropicalia, even though the set's a fully instrumental one. Organ also figures in the mix too – and titles include "Bye My Friend", "Razao De Existir", "Um Passo A Frente", "A Esfera", and "Neste Rock Forever". CD is beautifully done – with full notes in the great Lion tradition – and bonus tracks that include "Sem Nada" and "18.30 Parte 1". CD

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Psychedelia from early 70s Tijuana – the excellent Los Dug Dug's set from Dug Dug's – with English lyrics this time (the group had earlier made a go of it in NYC and didn't bust out as they'd hoped) and a great mix of spacious, echoey psychedelia and songs as great as post psych superstars of the time! The guitars bring both fuzzed out heat and sparer, more spindly sounds as the mood calls for from track-to-track. A must have set. Includes "Lost In My World", "Without Thinking", "Eclipse", "Sometimes", "Let's Make It Now", "World Of Love", "I Got The People", "It's Over", "Going Home" and "Who Would Look At Me". CD

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A pair of albums that have European jazz great Stephane Grapelli revising the format of his legendary Hot Club Of France with guitarist Django Reinhardt – but in a very different mode, given that this group features electric guitar from Barney Kessel! Kessel is great, and his warm, round tones do very little to change things up from his usual groove – but the setting is definitely a fresh one for Barney, given that the combo features rhythm guitar from Nini Rosso, and sweetly-crafted violin lines from Grappelli! The rest of the group features Michel Gaudry on bass and Jean-Louis Viale on drums – and titles include "Tea For Two", "Out Of Nowhere", "Limehouse Blues", "I Remember Django", "What A Difference A Day Made", "More Than You Know", "Et Maintenant", "It's Only A Paper Moon", and "Little Star". CD

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Great lost work from the UK scene of the early 80s – self-produced, self-released work from I Benjahman – an artist who was strongly inspired by the more righteous side of the Kingston scene of the decade before! Most of these tracks have a groove that's mighty lean, and beautifully fluid – dubby rhythms with all these other elements floating around in the mix, almost like water – piano, guitar, and other sounds that bubble and ebb along with Benjahman's conscious lyrics – music with the sort of message you might expect from the image on the cover. Titles on the original album include "Give Love A Try", "Sweet Reggae Music", "Family Affair", "Jah World Will Keep On Turning", "Jah Nation", "Natural Forces", and "She Got To Know". 2CD set also features 16 bonus tracks – including single cuts "Family Affair (12" version)", "Give Love A Try (12" version)", "Hold Me Tight", and "Family Affair (dub plate voc)" – and 12 more dubs of the album tracks – which, given how dubby the album already is, makes for some pretty dubby music! CD

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A great little package that brings together the first two rare albums by Index – a group that started as a cover band in the suburbs of Detroit in the late 60s, but quickly found their way to some tremendous music of their own! The trio's got a style that's jamming and trippy at the same time – romping drums, surprisingly deft guitar work, and some muted lyrics that echo some of the darkness in the instrumentation – even though the group seem to often be comfortable without any vocals at all! The songs here are all their own, and come from their Red Album and Black Album – newly remastered from the original tales, with titles that include "Turquoise Feline", "Feedback", "Rainy Starless Nights", "Break Out", "Paradise Beach", "Shock Waves", "Israeli Blues", and "Fire Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare tracks from this obscure Detroit combo of the 60s – stripped down here to a trio lineup, which gives the music a really lean, clean focus that sounds years ahead of its time! The group definitely have their ears turned towards the psych side of the spectrum – but often mix fuzzy guitars and moody production with tighter drums and sharp songwriting – all on tunes that are never too indulgent, and which often have this vibe that could be coming more from the American underground of the early 80s, instead of the Motor City at a time when many other groups were gaining fame. The tracks here were all found on tapes many years after recording – and provide a great counterpart to the group's Red and Black albums – with titles that include "It's All In Your Mind", "Street Crime", "I Walk Alone", "Tired Of Being Told", "Be My Friend", "Yesterday & Today", "Don't You Know", "Kick It Out", "431 Lakeshore", and "Livin In Detroit". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer session that matches the talents of American drum genius Philly Joe Jones with some of the leading lights in British jazz! The set was recorded in London in 1968, at that perfect moment when the Brit jazz scene was turning towards new ideas of modernism, but hadn't yet strayed too far from the tight swing that characterized most of its playing since the postwar years. Philly leads a group that includes Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, Chris Pyne on trombone, Pete King on alto, and Harold McNair on tenor and flute. King and McNair are some of our favorite players ever, rarely reissued on CD or LP – and the set gives them plenty of free reign to solo madly in a bop-heavy environment. Titles include "Gone Gone Gone", "Trailways Express", "Mo Joe", and "Ladybird". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of late 60s gems from guitarist Barney Kessel – both of which came from the same string of sessions! First up is Blue Soul – a very groovy set from guitarist Barney Kessel – very different than some of his cleaner, smoother-toned work of the 50s! The album was partly recorded in London, and partly recorded in LA – and there's a really nice mix of modes going on, which includes strong use of organ at times – bringing a soul jazz vibe to the record, which Barney seems to match with an extra sort of rasp in his strings – this nice bite that really sets the record apart from some of his others! There's also great use of electric bass, very strong at a few points, with a nice kick in the rhythms that's kind of unexpected for a record from Kessel – as you'll groove to on titles that include "Blue Soul", "Stumblin Around", "Comin Home", "Quail Bait", "Shufflin", and "Frank Mills". Swinging Easy is really nice work from guitarist Barney Kessel – one of his overlooked late 60s sessions from a time when the musician was really opening up his sound! Barney's working with a British trio here – John Marshall on drums and Kenny Napper on bass – and there's a nice sense of tone that carries forward his 50s modes, but which also maybe has a bit more of a bite, too. The mix is a great one, and titles include "On A Clear Day", "The Look Of Love", "Corcovado", "Aquarius", "Watch The Birds Go By", and "I Will Wait For You". CD

An album that has European jazz great Stephane Grapelli revising the format of his legendary Hot Club Of France with guitarist Django Reinhardt – but in a very different mode, given that this group features electric guitar from Barney Kessel! Kessel is great, and his warm, round tones do very little to change things up from his usual groove – but the setting is definitely a fresh one for Barney, given that the combo features rhythm guitar from Nini Rosso, and sweetly-crafted violin lines from Grappelli! The rest of the group features Michel Gaudry on bass and Jean-Louis Viale on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Hard grooving, heavily grooving South American rock from Miguel Y El Comite (Miguel & The Committee) from the early 70s – led by Miguel Livichich, who made waves a bit earlier with El Syndikato! The percussion drives the sound pretty well, but the vocals are nicely out front in the mix, where they should be, as their charismatic and inviting as can be – with a nice fuzzed out guitar sound and a killer bass sound. Includes " Para Hacer Musica, Para Hacer...", "No Va Mas (Ya)", "Mi Sol", "Que Me Importa", "Junto Al Mar", "No Ves Que No Cabe", "Candombe Triste", "Hiroshima (1945)", Rompan Todo" and more. One bonus track: "Mala-Mala", a 1972 single b-side. CD

Includes "I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover", "Somebody Stole My Rose Colored Glasses", "Row Row Row", "Heartbreaker", "In The Twi-Twi-Twilight", "Joshu-ah", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most hypnotic folk albums we've ever heard – far from any sort of conventional folk of the 60s, and more in a moody style of 70s singer-songwriter material from the underground – yet graced with these acoustic guitar lines that ebb and flow wonderfully – creating a circular feel alongside the vocals, with the same sort of energy we might find in the work of Sandy Bull! Michael Oosten's music is more lyric-based, but even his smart words know the right points to give way to the guitar – and let its elliptical lines flow forth and really bring the tunes home. The original album's a real Midwestern obscurity – but it's the sort that also should have gotten much wider circulation at the time, due to the quality of the music. Titles include "Hey Babe", "Garden", "Sunny Day", "Wave Faring Boy", and "Hungry Horse Montana". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early work from Please – aka Peter Dunton, who went onto more famous underground activity in the seminal jazz psych group T2! The music here shares a lot of the melodic qualities of that great group – music that's certainly rock, but which borrows freely from some of the hipper jazz styles of the time – especially modal jazz, which seems to influence the rhythms amidst the acoustic guitar and vocals! Most of the tracks are relatively spare, but have a full sort of energy because of this influence – and a few of the demo tracks are maybe straighter folk/rock, but still have a really wonderful sound. Titles include "One More Chance", "Said & Done", "Eternity", "Gently As You Feel", "To Dream", "Don't Mind Me", "Circus Man", "Silent Falling", "Lord Of Misrule", and "Nothing's What It Seems". LP, Vinyl record album

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Haunting work from the duo of Sandhy & Mandhy – a pair from the Buenos Aires scene at the end of the 60s, working in a weird mix of beat group styles and hipper rock rhythms! There's a slightly ethereal quality to the work – partly because of the way the pair trade back vocals, partly because of the light organ lines used to support the groove – which brings a haunting Zombies-like quality to the record at times – although produced with a bit simpler sound than Odyssey & Oracle! Most tunes are original, and showcase a surprising depth in songwriting – and some numbers feature some really cool percussion that complicates the sound nicely – pushing the duo past simple pop lines, into some of the headier territory of the late 60s South American scene. Titles include "Yo Te Buscare", "Hasta El Manana", "Lluvia", "La Chica Sola Y Triste", "Quisiera Olvidarte", "Esta Noche No Debes Llorar", and "Recuardo Hoy". Amazing vinyl reissue – very heavy cover and vinyl, and beautifully done overall! LP, Vinyl record album

Haunting work from the duo of Sandhy & Mandhy – a pair from the Buenos Aires scene at the end of the 60s, working in a weird mix of beat group styles and hipper rock rhythms! There's a slightly ethereal quality to the work – partly because of the way the pair trade back vocals, partly because of the light organ lines used to support the groove – which brings a haunting Zombies-like quality to the record at times – although produced with a bit simpler sound than Odyssey & Oracle! Most tunes are original, and showcase a surprising depth in songwriting – and some numbers feature some really cool percussion that complicates the sound nicely – pushing the duo past simple pop lines, into some of the headier territory of the late 60s South American scene. Titles include "Yo Te Buscare", "Hasta El Manana", "Lluvia", "La Chica Sola Y Triste", "Quisiera Olvidarte", "Esta Noche No Debes Llorar", and "Recuardo Hoy". Amazing vinyl reissue – very heavy cover and vinyl, and beautifully done overall! LP, Vinyl record album

Nice 2LP set that brought the US some of the great recordings cut by the Art Ensemble while they were in Paris (some of which have also come out under the Black Lion imprint). All of the material was recorded in the Polydor Studios in Paris in 1969, and the tracks include "The Spiritual", "Tutankhamun", "Toro", "Tthintthedalen", and "Lori Song". The feel of the tracks is very laidback, spare, and similar to the material on People in Sorrow, which was recorded during the same period. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the three great collaborations between David Bowie and Brian Eno – and possibly the ultimate statement from his years in Berlin! The album's got some tunes that still show some of the guitar power of the early 70s Bowie – but it's also got some of the beautiful spacier moments brought forward on Low – and which are every bit the Brian Eno of Aother Green World. The balance is beautiful – stark and dark on one half, then airy and spacious on the next – handled without any sense of gimmickry, and a bold mainstream experiment that still resonates strongly today. Titles include "Beauty & The Beast", "Joe The Lion", "Heroes", "Sons Of The Silent Age", "Blackout", "V-2 Schneider", "Sense Of Doubt", "Moss Garden", "Neukoln", and "The Secret Life Of Arabia". CD

The title's a bit confusing, but Cornell Campbell's essentially saying that he's a stalwart – something we can completely agree with, given his strong legacy in Jamaican music – and the sublime sound of a 70s classic like this! Cornell's got a higher range than some of his contemporaries, but never in a way that makes his music sound too light or airy at all – because there's a sense of soul going on that maybe stands as a Jamaican counterpart to 70s Marvin Gaye, especially in the way that Campbell inflects his notes on the sweeter tunes on the set! Most of the production is handled by Bunny Lee or Joe Gibbs – and titles include "The Gorgon", "The Stal-A-Watt", "The Investigator", "Hypocrite", "Two Face Rasta", "Two Timer", "Boxing Around", and "Bandulu". 2CD set features 19 more bonus tracks – including "Conscious Rastaman", "The Gorgon Speaks", "Help Them O Lord", "Gun Court Law", "Dance In A Greenwich Farm", "Lion Of Judah", "Natty Dread In A Greenwich Farm", "I Shall Not Remove", and "Give Me Love". CD

Sure, it was silly stuff when we were kids – but once De La Soul sampled "Three Is The Magic Number", this record became one of the most prized in our possession! And thanks to that hip hop reintroduction, we've really fallen in love with the music again over the years – partly because the tunes are all so groovy, and partly because we've really come to know the jazz-based work of composer Bob Dorough! At the time of this set, Dorough was coming off some great work in the 60s – his own rare recordings, music for Spanky & Our Gang, and others – all of which seems to inform these math-based tunes written for Saturday morning TV. The tunes are all pretty darn catchy, and often quite jazzy – and instrumentation often features some great electric piano nestled in alongside the vocals. Dorough sings the lion's share of the work for this album – although Grady Tate sings on two numbers, and Blossom Dearie on one more. Titles include the amazing "Three Is A Magic Number" – plus "Lucky Seven Sampson", "Little Twelve Toes", "Ready Or Not Here I Come", "I Got Six", "Naughty Number Nine", "Figure Eight", and "The Four Legged Zoo". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever by pianist Kenny Drew – a record that's as noteworthy for the contributions of the sidemen as it is for the efforts of the leader! Drew's a player who often worked mostly in trio formats – but here, he's hitting hard with a righteous Blue Note power – thanks to the presence of Hank Mobley on tenor and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, both of whom really give the record an edge! Drew's lyrical sensibilities are shifted to darker, more modern moments at times – and the rest of the group features Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums. An essential addition to the Blue Note legacy of Mobley and Hubbard – and the set's filled with original tunes by Kenny, including "The Pot's On", "Undercurrent", "Funk-Cosity", and "Lion's Den". CD

Really great work from this up and coming Brazilian beatmaker – and a record that really lives up to the promise of its title! The style here is heavy on African influences – often mixing together live percussion and acoustic instrumentation with tighter rhythm programs and contemporary club styles – all somewhat in the mode of some of the Afro Funk revival work that's sprung out of Paris in the last decade or so. But Edson X does way more here than just copy the core grooves of Fela – and his African Vibes spread well across the continent in their search for inspiration – usually mixing in a fair bit more vocal passages than other records of this type. Titles include "African Fields", "The Master", "Freedom", "Celebration Day", "Lion", "Gods Dance", "Trabaia Nego (rmx)", and "Flight 808 (rmx)". CD

A huge collection of material that Dexter recorded for Savoy in the early bop years – mostly issued as 78 rpm singles, but also including a number of tracks from the album Dexter Rides Again. The set brings together a wealth of alternate takes of the material, including a number of unissued ones – as well as great notes on the material, and a higher level of sound quality than the original vinyl. Titles include "The Lion Roars", "After Hours Bop", "Dexter Digs In", "Settin The Pace", "Blow Mr Dexter", "Long Tall Dexter", and "Dexter Rides Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of under-reissued material by Herman – featuring sides recorded for MGM in 1951 and 1952, plus a few more for the Mars label – when he was working with his "Third Herd" group that included Urbie Green, Don Fagerquist, Bill Perkins, and Carl Fontana. Most titles were originally only issued on 78s, and titles include "Moten Stomp", "Perdido", "Celestial Blues", "Teressita", "This Is New", "Dandy Lion", "New Golden Wedding", and "Blue Flame". CD

A fantastic trip into the twelve signs of the Zodiac, courtesy of the Modern Sound Quartet – a very funky instrumental group that features lots of sweet keyboards from Oscar Rocchi! The music follows a similar format to other great zodiac funk records of the 70s – in that each of the tracks has a different spirit, designed to match the mood of the horoscope sign – although given that each of them gets a 70s electric approach, there's still a nicely unified feel to the set! Grooves run from funky cop/crime work to some more sophisticated modes – and titles include "Lion", "Virgin", "Cancer", "Scorpion", "The Gemini", "Balance", "Fishes", and "Aries". LP, Vinyl record album

The first record in years from these Afro Funk giants – but don't hold it against them, as the whole thing's pretty darn wonderful! There's a rich, vibrant sound here that really lives up to the group's legacy from years back – and production is right on the money to keep things right – recorded in Paris with a relatively stripped-down quality – just right for bringing all the tight rhythms of the set right to the foreground, without any overdone mass market cliches to hold things back! Even the appearances of a few famous guest stars can't get in the way of the energy of the Orchestre – and this new album should be more than proof that the originators are still alive and well. Titles include "Pardon", "Von Vo Nono", "Oce", "Koumi Dede", "Tegbe", "Lion Is Burning", "Ne Te Fache Pas", and "Gbeti Madjro". CD

Fourth and final volume in this insanely deep collection of singles issued originally on the Upsetter label. A huge and exhaustive undertaking, this set has the same detailed notes and nice book as all the other volumes in the set, making a weighty volume indeed! 48 tracks: Dennis Alcapone "Alpha & Omega", "Africa Stand", "Master Key", "Key Hole", "Back Biter" and "Back Biter Version", Junior Byles "Beat Down Babylon (King Alpha)" and "(Festival) Da Da", Winston Wright & the 3rd & 4th Generation "Example pts 1 & 2", Lloyd Parks "Mighty Cloud Of Joy" and "Mighty Cloud Version", Chenley Duffus & the Soul Avengers "Bet You Don't Know" and "To Be Your Lover", Dennis Alcapone & Dave Barker "Wonder Man", King Iwah & the Stingers "Give Me Power No. 2", Max Romeo "Public Enemy Number One", Prince Tallis & Challis "He Who Feels It", Neville grant "Black Man's Time", Ansell Collins & the Upsetters "Black Supreme", Lee Perry & the Upsetters "French Connection", "French Connection Chapter 2", "Da Da Version", "Pumping Version", "Puss-See-Hole", "Jungle Lion" and "Freak & Skank", Maxie, Niney & Scratch "Babylon Burning", Wesley Germs Martin "Whiplash", Alva Reggie Lewis "Natty Natty" and "Natty Natty Version", Bob Marley & the Wailers "keep On Moving" and "African Herbsman", Righteous Flames "One Love One Heart", Big Youth "Moving Version", the Stingers "Preacher Man" and "Preacher Version", Winston Groovy "Want To Be Loved", Charlie Ace & Lee Perry "Cow Thief Skank", Charlie Ace & the Upsetters "Seven and Three Quarters Skank", Leo Graham "News Flash" and "Flashing Echo", David Isaacs "Stranger On Shore", Dillinger "John Devour", Lee Perry "Water Pump" and the Upsetters "Babylon Chapter 5". CD

The King Kong of dub albums, and we're not just saying that because of the freaky deaky cover image of a super ape with a belly full of roast fish, cornbread and makka stepping on a croaking lizard with a tree in one hand and a "tree" in the other! Classic Lee Perry and an essential dub album, rendering Scratch's dense, multi-layered Black Ark rhythms in all their raw, glory, with toasts and vocal snippets darting in and out of the dubs courtesy Prince Jazzbo, the Heptones, Dillinger and Scratch himself. With 10 essential tracks: "Zion's Blood", "Croaking Lizard", "Dread Lion", "Patience", "Dub Along", "Black Vest", "Underground", "Curly Dub" "Three In One" and "Super Ape". LP, Vinyl record album

Iggy Pop may have left The Stooges behind, but he's lost none of his edge – and really finds a new level of solo greatness on this sublime classic from the 70s! The set was produced by David Bowie, who also plays piano on the set – and has Carlos Alamar adding in some guitar – and the overall sound has that raw Berlin mode you might find on some of he headiest tracks on Heroes – kind of "Joe The Lion" meets the gritty truth of Iggy's Detroit! The title cut is maybe the best-known Iggy Pop tune ever – used in countless films and commercials – but the whole thing's great, and a brilliant new focus for Mr Pop's genius. Titles include "Lust For Life", "The Passenger", "Some Weird Sin", "Neighborhood Threat", "Success", "Fall In Love With Me", and "Turn Blue". This 2CD set also features the full album TV Eye – a fantastic concert counterpart to the late 70s RCA Records revival of the career of Iggy Pop – and, like the best of that work, a set that features strong contributions from David Bowie! Bowie both produced with Iggy, and plays on half the material on the set – playing this very cool live-treated piano in a quartet behind Iggy's vocals – which makes for a really wonderful sound next to the guitar! Bowie's role is filled by Scott Thurston on the other tracks – playing piano, harmonica, and a bit of electronics – but as you'd guess, Iggy's the real star of the show – really blowing us away with his sharp-edge performance, on tracks that include "Funtime", "Sixteen", "I Got A Right", "TV Eye", "Lust For Life", "Dirt", "Nightclubbing", and "I Wanna Be Your Dog". CD

A great late 60s Treasure Isle LP of some the early period Jamaican ska recordings by The Skatalites – featuirng the Don Drummond, Tommy McCook and Roland Alfonso line-up! Includes a couple of soulful numbers with Stranger Cole, but primarily built on those benchmark Skatalites instrumentals in their early glory! Includes "Yard Broom", "Carry-Go-Bring-Come", "Twelve Minutes To Go", "Magic", "Strolling In", "Dan-De-Lion", "Apanga", "Eastern Standard Time", "Musical Store Room", "River Bank", "Rough & Tough" with Stranger Cole and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible batch of electric funk from Grover Washington Jr – easily one of his best albums ever! The record really picks up from the sweet CTI sound of the 70s – taking Bob James arrangements with a lot of space and electric keyboards, and letting Groover blow some wonderfully soulful lines over the top on soprano sax! The album's got some really wonderful funk tracks that feature a mad mix of drums, bass, and lots of that Bob James "space" – including the massive cuts "Hydra" and "Knucklehead" – both of them magic! Other tracks include "Moonstreams", "It Feels So Good", and "The Sea Lion". LP, Vinyl record album

One of greatest of all British punk era records – released in '77 and one that transcends mid-to-late 70s punk cultural baggage better than just about any other – a real benchmark! Wire kept it short and sweet on Pink Flag – with 21 tracks in about 35 minutes – and it's as artful as it is succinct. They'd prove to be as creatively ambitious as any of their peers and the brevity Pink Flag would soon make way for experimental flourishes that are ultimately just as important and influential, but this still might be their best. Includes "Reuters", "Field Day For The Sundays", "Three Girl Rumba", "Ex Lion Tamer", "The Commercial", "Strange", "Different To Me", "12 X U", "Start To Move", "Lowdown", "Surgeon's Girl", "Pink Flag" and more. CD

One of greatest of all British punk era records – released in '77 and one that transcends mid-to-late 70s punk cultural baggage better than just about any other – a real benchmark! Wire kept it short and sweet on Pink Flag – with 21 tracks in about 35 minutes – and it's as artful as it is succinct. They'd prove to be as creatively ambitious as any of their peers and the brevity Pink Flag would soon make way for experimental flourishes that are ultimately just as important and influential, but this still might be their best. Includes "Reuters", "Field Day For The Sundays", "Three Girl Rumba", "Ex Lion Tamer", "The Commercial", "Strange", "Different To Me", "12 X U", "Start To Move", "Lowdown", "Surgeon's Girl", "Pink Flag" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic album from Yabby You – one that's heavy on the mixing talents of King Tubby and Prince Jammy – so much so that Yabby's vocals are nicely buried in the overall sound, wrapped up in the heavy bass, riffing guitar, and bad-stepping drums – and couched in a wonderfully echoey style overall! The album's kind of a casebook study of the approach at its best – and is expanded here with a few bonus tracks and unissued numbers – which gives the whole thing double the power of the original! Titles include "Beware", "Peace", "Deliverance", "Prophets", "Feel Alright", "Praises", "Selassie I Memorial Version", "Sensimena", "Conquering Lion (dub plate mix)", "God Is Watching You (dub plate mix)", and "Marshall Dreadlocks Version". CD

Incredible! This is quite possibly the best of this legendary series of Jamaican soul, funk, and reggae tracks – and it's a masterpiece! The track selection is amazing, and the set has a bit more crackle than earlier volumes – with loads of great 70s production, including nice dubby bits, and some excellent instrumentation. Titles include "Mission Impossible" by Randy's Allstars, "Make It Reggae" by Shark Wilson & The Basement Heaters, "Rebel Soldiering" by Johnny Clarke, "Jungle Lion" by Lee Perry, "Take It Easy" by Hopeton Lewis, "Jackie's Theme" by Jackie Mittoo & Randy's Allstars, "Uptown Top Rankin" by Althea & Donna, "Cincinatti Kid" by Prince Buster, and "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy. 15 cuts in all – and all great! CD

A treasure trove of reggae, rocksteady, and blue beat work from the late 60s – all of it originally released under the guidance of producer Dandy – also a reggae artists of his own, with roots in Kingston, and working here with a big impact on the UK scene! The albums here were all originally issued on the Down Town imprint – a small sub label that Trojan Records gave to Dandy for his own projects – which resulted in the two killer compilations Red Red Wine volumes 1 and 2 – a great overview of some of the strongly soul-influenced sounds that were bubbling up in London at the time. Dandy himself is one of the key artists on the collection – and titles include "Move Your Mule", "I'm Your Puppet", "Reggae In Your Jeggae", "Got To Come Back", "Raining In My Heart", and "Can't Get Used To Losing You" by Dandy – plus "Red Red Wine" and "I'm Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got" by Tony Tribe, "Someday We'll Be Together" and "Love Me Tonight" by Audrey, "Lover's Question" and "Spreading Love" by Gene Rondo, "Lead Them" by Desmond Riley, "Games People Play" by The Israelites, and "Song Byrd" by Lyndon Johns. CD2 begins with the Trojan classic Blow Your Horn by Rico & The Rudies – a classic early album from Rico – the legendary Jamaican trombonist who's gotta be one of the few people who can pose with his instrument and still look pretty badass overall! That quality also comes through in Rico's music – a famous lead trombone sound on countless Jamaican recordings from the ska years onwards – really given some great time here in the spotlight on a set of tunes that soar out with lots of rough rocksteady rhythms! Rico blows strongly and soulfully – on titles that include "Rico's Message", "Niyah Man", "Caribbean Serenade", "Jumping The Gun", "Mighty Dan", "Session Begin", "Biafra", and "Quando Quando" – and the album also features some guest appearances on "The Lion" by Dandy, and on "Muma Muma" by The Israelites. Last up is Your Musical Doctor – a full album with Dandy as the lead singer on his own – with titles that include "Touch Of Poison", "Everybody Loves A Winner", "Gumption Feeling", "Meeting Over Yonder", "Here I Go Again", "Come On Home", and "Run Girl". 2CD set features 51 tracks in all – with a few more bonus tracks too! CD