A brilliant little comeback album for Roxy Music – their first album in 4 years after Siren, and a well-done departure that takes off from older records without losing any of their greatness! In a way, the set's almost the group's Lodger – a similar effort to Bowie's record from the same time that reflects a move away from heavier styles of earlier years, but never loses the edge of the group's best work. Manifesto also reflects some of the lessons learned by Bryan Ferry on his solo records – a bit leaner and cleaner presentation of the songs – but the album itself is also strongly a group production effort, and certainly feels that way in its use of Phil Manzenera's great guitars and Andy Mackay's horn arrangements. Titles include "Ain't That So", "Stranger Through The Years", "Trash", "Manifesto", "Angel Eyes", "Spin Me Round", "Cry Cry Cry", and "My Little Girl". CD

A great mix of classic covers and original tracks – all served up with a mellow groove and plenty of influence from Jamaican music! Years back, Soul Sugar were more of a jazzy funk combo – but over the years, they've evolved into more of a reggae/rocksteady mode – one that's a perfect setting for the Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards handled by Guillaume Metenier – a player who solos strongly on the instrumental tracks, then steps back a bit more on the few vocal numbers that grace the set! One of those, a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield classic "The Makings Of You", is worth the price of admission alone – and other tracks include "Black Byrd", "Happy Riddim", "Just A Little Talk", "Fly Away", and "Tubby's Ghost". LP, Vinyl record album

A timeless mix of heart tuggingly intimate strings and beautiful vocals by Esperanza Spalding – a set that feels deep down close to the heart, and in turns, quite soaring – all the while wonderful! The aspects we loved so dearly on Esperanza's previous albums are also done here – touching on soulful Brazilian, soul jazz and chamber pop & soul influences, lovely wordless vocals as well as sweeter singing, and beautiful performances by the players. Ms Spalding is on bass and vocals with Leo Genovese on piano, Rhodes & melodica, Terri Lyne Carrington on drums and Quintino Cinalli on percussion. The great Milton Nasciemento guests on "Apple Blossom", and other titles include "Little Fly", "Knowledge Of Good And Evil", "Really Very Small", "Chacarera", "Wild Is The Wind", "Apple Blossom" and "Short And Sweet". CD

A great little track – one that's best known as something of a Miami soul hit, thanks to versions by KC & The Sunshine Band and George McCrae. This version's equally great – but done quite differently, as an east coast type club track – lots of strings soaring over the groove, ruff female vocals singing the lead, and a moogy solo on the instrumental version that has a nice P&P feel! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really tremendous album from The Talking Heads – and a set that moves far past their already-great early records, to really show a rhythmic complexity we never would have expected! Brian Eno is helping the group in the studio again here, and the record really shows both David Byrne and Eno's late 70s fascination with global rhythms – elements that are often used in spare, simple little ways to really help inflect the tunes with a playful imagination that goes way beyond the colder post-punk and new wave of most of their contemporaries! The balance of previous aesthetics with these new grooves is wonderful – heard to great effect on the classic club cut "I Zimbra" – but brewing up strongly underneath on gems that include "Mind", "Paper", "Cities", "Life During Wartime", "Memories Can't Wait", "Air", "Heaven", "Animals", "Electric Guitar", and "Drugs". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record from Matt Ulery – double-length in size, and even more than double in terms of feeling and depth! Matt's a figure on the Chicago scene – and in a way, his music represents the return to arrangements in the city's recent avant jazz world – yet his music is also even more compellingly concise, and handled with a strong ear towards thoughtful, tuneful compositions that have fluid, expressive feel – hardly outside at all, although always with an edge – and handled with a soundtrack-like sense of color and scene. In a way, there's almost a Kip Hanrahan sort of vibe to the music – especially in the way it goes way past familiar jazz – especially on the few vocals numbers, which feature lyrics sung by the lovely Grazyna Agusick. Other musicians include Ulery on bass, Ben Lewis on piano, Zach Brock on violin, James Davis on trumpet, Matthew Duval on vibes, and Jon Deitmeyer on drums. Titles include "Dark Harvest", "Processional", "By A Little Light", "To Lose Your Mind", "Wilder Years", "Sow The Deep Seeds", and "To The Brim". CD

Features music by Billy May. LP, Vinyl record album

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. CD

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. LP, Vinyl record album

This series keeps on getting better and better – and this fourth installment may well be the best illustration to date of the birth of soul music! As hinted by the title, the collection features tracks from the late 50s and early 60s that marked a key transition from earlier R&B and blues into soul music – work that pulled a bit more strongly from the church than some of its predecessors, and which also put over a groove that was a bit more sophisticated, sometimes a bit more polished – all to set the stage for the huge soul music explosion to come later in the 60s! A number of the artists here are familiar from R&B years, but they're represented by tracks that show a real change in their styles – and others are known from later successes, but stand out here with early work that's a lot more formative – making them a perfect choice for the collection. CD features 24 tracks in all – including "Come On & Stomp" by Marv Johnson, "Lil Valley" by The MMs & The Peanuts, "Bossa Nova Baby" by Tippie & The Clovers, "Irresistible You" by Bobby Peterson, "Take Your Heart" by Betty Willis, "Puff" by Kenny Lynch, "Jack Be Nimble" by The Intruders, "A Clock That's Got No Hands" by Della Reese, "I Came Running" by Wade Flemons, "You'd Be Crying Too" by The Matadors, "The Gypsy Said" by The Fiestas, "Please Don't Cry Anymore" by Ketty Lester, "Pretty Little Girl Next Door" by Bobby Day, and "Trouble I've Had" by Clarence Ashe. CD

Blue-tinged work for those days when your heart is breaking and your soul is aching – a really wonderful batch of tracks that are heavy on those late 60s/early 70s moments when male singers were starting to open up a bit and let their emotions show! The vibe here is very different than Bobby Gillespie's own music – and the set brings together bits of country, roots rock, and soul – really special tracks that have a perfect blend of heartfelt vocals, well-penned lyrics, and the kind of arrangements and production that really send the whole thing over the top! The best thing about the collection is that it brings together songs we never would have thought to combine like this – a masterful set list that includes "I Don't Want To Talk About It" by Crazy Horse, "Wait & See" by Lee Hazlewood, "Shades Of A Blue Orphanage" by Thin Lizzy, "The Coldest Days Of My Life" by The Chi-Lites, "Roll Um Easy" by Little Feat, "Magnolia" by JJ Cale, "I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" by Willie Nelson, "Love Sick" by Bob Dylan, I'll Be Long Gone" by Boz Scaggs, "Strong As Death" by Al Green, "Kind Woman" by Percy Sledge, "Dark End Of The Street" by Ry Cooder, "I Feel Like Goin Home" by Charlie Rich, "When My Mind's Gone" by Mott The Hoople, and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" by Nick Cave. CD

Blue-tinged work for those days when your heart is breaking and your soul is aching – a really wonderful batch of tracks that are heavy on those late 60s/early 70s moments when male singers were starting to open up a bit and let their emotions show! The vibe here is very different than Bobby Gillespie's own music – and the set brings together bits of country, roots rock, and soul – really special tracks that have a perfect blend of heartfelt vocals, well-penned lyrics, and the kind of arrangements and production that really send the whole thing over the top! The best thing about the collection is that it brings together songs we never would have thought to combine like this – a masterful set list that includes "I Don't Want To Talk About It" by Crazy Horse, "Wait & See" by Lee Hazlewood, "Shades Of A Blue Orphanage" by Thin Lizzy, "The Coldest Days Of My Life" by The Chi-Lites, "Roll Um Easy" by Little Feat, "Magnolia" by JJ Cale, "I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" by Willie Nelson, "Love Sick" by Bob Dylan, I'll Be Long Gone" by Boz Scaggs, "Strong As Death" by Al Green, "Kind Woman" by Percy Sledge, "Dark End Of The Street" by Ry Cooder, "I Feel Like Goin Home" by Charlie Rich, "When My Mind's Gone" by Mott The Hoople, and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" by Nick Cave. LP, Vinyl record album

Not really the house of ages – given that most of these cuts are so rare, they're only making their first appearance here – but a great little collection that reminds us that there's still so much to discover in the funky underground of the last few years of the 20th Century! Jeremy Newell really knocks it out of the park with this one – and comes up with a deep, soulful collection of house tracks from the farthest reaches of the scene – either work that only appeared on very obscure singles, or didn't even make it past tape back in the day – leaping forth here with a wickedly groovy sound that's more than worth the wait. Titles include "Take Me Higher" by Jimi Polo, "I Promise (more beats for passion mix)" by Mark Rogers, "Keep On Pressing (KOT orig mix)" by Sean Grant, "More I Get" by Teleport feat Russell Patterson, "Yo Razor" by Arts & Craft with Razor Cain, "Don't Run Away" by Soul Dhamma, "When I See You (tight voc)" by Frank Youngwerth with Ernie, "Freak It (Tony Humprhies inst mix)" by Johanna, "Mainline (Roger S Ego trip mix)" by Tribal House, "We Can Make It (unreleased dub)" by UBQ Project, and "Deeper (Benji Candelario's deeper than deep unreleased mix)" by Susan Clark. CD

Music from New York Dolls, The Red Button, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Dave Davies, The Fuzztones, Catfight!, The Flaming Sideburns, The Breakers, The Hives, The Model Rockets, and more. CD

A great little set of rare soul music – served up by the Cairo imprint of Mississippi Records – and done with a very similar approach to their other reissues of folk, blues, and world music! The set focuses in on rootsier sounds, especially from the 60s – with lots of deep soul gems from both big names and some more obscure artists – all packaged with a detailed booklet of notes, in the best Mississippi style! The style is almost as if Folkway Records put together their own soul collection, but with work from other labels – and titles include "In My Heart" by Barbara & The Browns, "Tired Of Being Your Fool" by Nelson Sanders, "It's Not That Easy" by Reuben Bell & The Casanovas, "Since You've Been Gone" by The Falcons, "Can't Stay Away (parts 1 & 2)" by Slim & Ann, "Don't Ever Leave Me" by Bob & Earl, "Go Now" by Bessie Banks, "I Keep Forgetting You Don't Love Me No More" by The Thornton Sisters, "Don't Mistreat Me" by The Queenettes, "Let Me Down Easy" by Betta LaVette, "Life Is Too Short" by Benny Spellman, "Lament" by Mamie Perry, "I'm Missing You" by Loretta Williams, and "Everybody Knows" by OV Wright. LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool little set, and one that's a lot different than you might expect from the "new romantics" reference in the title! Sure, there's some cuts here that are from the moment when the British scene was cracking the charts with nice haircuts, catchy electro rhythms, and smart lyrics – but the bulk of the set is actually music from the generation before – the kind of work that inspired the new romantics of the early 80s, mixed with cuts from that era, but which are not nearly as well known! The box begins very early in the 70s, and traces bits of prog, glam, and other pre-punk styles – then ends up in more familiar territory at the end, but with a less familiar vibe. Make sense? Probably not – but that's the great thing about a really well-done collection like this – 59 tracks with really great notes – and work from Tubeway Army, The Cure, Zager & Evans, Lounge Lizards, Grace Jones, Fox, Magazine, Spandau Ballet, Heaven 17, Japan, Yellow, Nightmares In Wax, Visage, Landscape, Flying Lizards, Don Armando's Second Avenue Rhumba Band, Sister Sledge, Lipps Inc, Barry Gray, Glaxo Babies, New Order, Blue Rondo A La Turk, Tom Tom Club, ABC, M, Heat Exchange, John Foxx, The Normal, and many others! CD

Not really blues, but not really soul either – a wonderful mix of modes that's come to be known as the popcorn sound of the early 60s! The style's hardly "pop" at all – and instead, these tunes are plenty gritty throughout – more like numbers you'd hear blasting out of a backroom jukebox, or on the decks of some deep soul DJ dedicated to serving up a rough-edged groove! Lots of these numbers might be called post-R&B – as they still have some of the styles of the 50s, mixed with the tighter punch of the newborn soul sound – and the set's a wonderful illustration of this magical moment in music, finally getting some credit after all these years. CD features loads of tracks we'd never heard before – and titles include "Don't Knock It" by Sinner Strong, "You Lied" by Marva Josie, "Mr Lonely" by Freddie North, "When You See Me Hurt" by Carl Lester & The Show Stoppers, "Well I Done Got Over It" by Bobby Mitchell, "I'm Comin Home" by Bobby John, "I Ain't Talkin" by Pat Hunt, "This Little Lester" by James Wayne, "Why Oh Why" by Austin Taylor, "Rockin Bed" by Valerie Carr, and "I'm Hurted" by Mamie Perry. CD

Classic vocal group material from the 70s – a great little set that serves up the music in many different ways – mixing funky cuts with mellow moments, and interspersing some catchy numbers in between! The range of tracks here is fantastic – way more than a standard selection of this nature – as the work is from a number of different labels and a number of different scenes – a well-chosen array that really fits well together! Titles include "It's You Girl" by Universal Love, "That's Why" by Natural High, "Dancing To Your Music" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Something New About You" by Silent Majority, "Just Realized" by Reflection, "Oops It Just Slipped Out" by The Courtship, "Satisfactorize Your Mind" by Africano, "I'm No Better Than You" by The Fiestas, "She Calls Me Baby" by J Kelly & The Premiers, "You Only Get Out Of Love" by The Lost Generation, "Hey Pearl" by Prime Cut, "I'm A Scorpio" by Imported Moods, "Let Me In Your Heart" by Rising Sun, and "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower. CD

Four classic albums from UK singer Tina Charles – an artist who mixes older vocal touches with the swirling sounds of the legendary Biddu – in a groove that's got a heck of a lot to offer! Tina never was one of the most underground singers of her generation – but it's her confidence in that fact that makes this music so great – an unabashed love of the poppier sounds of the dancefloor, in a way that beautifully mixes together 70s AM sensibilities with the growing sounds of the disco movement. Biddu's a great choice for the project – as the use of light strings and disco grooves resonates with his own solo work, but also maybe has more of a crossover focus, thanks to Tina's poppy vocals in the lead! The 2CD set features the full albums I Love To Love, Dance Little Lady, Heart N Soul, and Just One Smile – with a total of 40 tracks in all. CD

Essential 2 CD set that brings together 33 rare funky 45s from this classic Detroit group! There's loads of great stuff that you won't find that easily – and all tracks are the original 45 mixes, some of them quite different from the LP ones! Titles include "Stuffs & Things", "Fish, Chips, & Sweat", "Biological Speculation", "Jimmy's Got A Little Bit Of Bitch In Him", "Hit It & Quit It", "Joyful Process", "Cosmic Slop", "If You Don't Like The Effects", "Vital Juices", "I'll Bet You", and lots lots more! CD

One of the great fake live albums of the 60s – a set that promises to be a concert performance from the title and cover, but which actually just features The Seeds playing live together in the studio! Yet that little trick is hardly a problem – because the album's the last-ever from this seminal group, and captures them in a format that really lets them take off! Their studio sessions were always great, but this one's got a special edge from letting all the instruments work together in the same space at once, with no edits or dubs. The core combo sounds wonderful – searing guitar, trippy keyboard lines, and all the sneering vocals the young Sky Saxon can muster – served up over tracks that include "Mr. Farmer", "No Escape", "Satisfy You", "Night Time Girl", "Up In Her Room", "Gypsy Plays His Drums", "Mumble And Bumble", "Forest Outside Your Door", "900 Million People Daily All Making Love", and "Pushin' Too Hard". LP, Vinyl record album

A great late 60s gem from pianist Horace Silver – and a great bridge between his earlier soul jazz for Blue Note, and some of his more righteous work to come in the 70s! At one level, the sound here steps off from classics like Serenade To A Soul Sister or The Jody Grind – but at another level, there's a more open approach to the music – one that has Horace sliding into new tones and colors, with a slightly lyrical undercurrent as well. As on some of his later dates, the mellower moments are often the most compelling – showing a newly mature side of Silver's talents, and a new love of space between the notes that really helps to break the mode of previous recordings! The group here features the great Bennie Maupin on tenor and flute, Randy Brecker on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Williams on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums – and titles include "Lovely's Daughter", "Risin Sun", "You Gotta Take A Little Love", "Down & Out", and "Brain Wave". LP, Vinyl record album

A smoking little set from George Harmonica Smith – an album recorded in late 60s LA, but done with plenty of Chicago blues touches! The players here are all top-shelf – and include Muddy Waters on guitar and Otis Spann on piano – who definitely help keep a Windy City vibe going on the record – that spare, raw, but electrified approach to the music that was still wonderfully fresh at the time of the sessions. And Smith's vocals alone are totally great – very deeply soulful – but also alternate strongly with sharp lines on harmonica too. Titles include "Mellow Down Easy", "Key To The Highway", "You Better Watch Yourself", "Last Night", "West Helena Woman", "Tell Me Mama", "Juke", and "Everything Gonna Be Alright". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Love With A Feelin", with vocals by Lucille Spann – plus "Just A Feelin" and "Goin Down Slow". CD

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

The movie's something of a comedy, but it gets the same cool soundtrack treatment as some of John Carpenter's creepier films of the 80s – completely with lots of spare keyboard lines and electronics, served up with great collaborative help from Allan Howarth! In fact, the whole thing's got such a subtle, straight approach to the music that you'll really be surprised if you're just trying to judge a record by its cover. CD

An amazing legacy in music from Mike Cooper – a British musician who started out in the world of folk blues, but never ended up moving towards some of the rockish modes of his contemporaries – instead finding his very own sort of special space in the freedom allowed by the Dawn Records label! The set begins with the very spare Oh Really – a set that has Mike Cooper mostly on guitar and vocals, in a style that's part Piedmont, part Delta blues – but also given a more folksy spin, and graced with Cooper's unusual vocals – almost making the whole thing feel like a spare acoustic version of Canned Heat territory – with titles that include "Maggie Campbell", "Saturday Blues", "Electric Chair", "Crow Jane", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry". Do I Know you is a record that follows up with a sound that's maybe a bit fuller than Mike Cooper's debut, but still relatively spare – with Mike on acoustic guitar and slide guitar, Harry Miller on bass (really great bass, by the way!), and Poor Little Anne on a bit of vocals. Miller brings these deep tones to the record that really transform things – and titles include "Do I Know You", "Start Of A Journey", "First Song", "Theme In C", and "The Link". Trout Steel is a beautiful set from the British scene at the start of the 70s – a record that's got a fairly folksy tone, but lots of jazzy currents as well! The set was issued on the seminal Dawn Records label – and really shows that imprint's commitment to the left side of the spectrum – as Mike Cooper's vocals and acoustic guitar come into play with more guitar from Stefan Grossman – plus alto sax from Mike Osborne, tenor and soprano from Alan Skidmore, piano from John Taylor, and bass from the late Harry Miller – all key players on the UK avant jazz scene of the time! The mix of these players with Cooper's core inspiration is not unlike some of the most progressive material coming from Island Records – or, even better, the special jazzy moments on records by Tim Buckley or Tim Hardin – company that Cooper could very easily keep, given the strength of his songwriting. Titles include "Don't Talk Too Fast", "On My Way", "Hope You See", "Weeping Rose", "Trout Steel", "I've Got Mine", "That's How", and "Pharoah's March". Places I Know blends Cooper's acoustic guitar and rootsy vocals with some very compelling arrangements from Mike Gibbs – the British jazz talent who was already known for his larger ensemble creations at the time, but who works here in these really subtle ways – to inflect Cooper's core inspirations with just some slight instrumental colors, tones, and phrases on most numbers – while Cooper brings in the core Machine Gun Co group on a few more. The result is a record that's way more than familiar folk – and arguably a lot hipper than most of the British acid folk of the time, too – on titles that include "Night Journey", "Paper & Smoke", "Country Water", "Time To Time", "Goodbye Blues Goodbye", and "Places I Know". The Machine Gun Co album is a partner record to Places I Know – recorded in the same sessions, but with tracks that are longer, and even more openly expressive – all with backings from the sweet Machine Gun Co quartet, a group with some especially nice electric piano from Alan Cook! Heavy use of that instrument really works against some of the folksier elements in Cooper's music – with these blocks of warm sound and color that really illuminate the tunes, and almost unlock a new level in the vocals. Cooper plays a bit of electric guitar at times – and titles include "So Glad That I Found You", "Lady Anne", "Midnight Words", and "Song For Abigail". CD also features songs from singles – "Your Lovely Ways (parts 1 & 2)", "Time In Hand", and "Schaabisch Hall". CD

A classic Kessel album for Contemporary – one that features Barney's guitar in a set of slightly larger backings, all arranged by Barney himself! The approach is a bit different from some of Kessel's more stripped-down albums of the time – as Barney works with instrumentation that includes a fair bit of flute and clarinet work by players who include Buddy Collette, Jules Jacob, George Smith, and Ted Nash – all supported by straighter piano, bass, and drum rhythms. The mix of guitar and reeds is quite nice, and makes for a warmly lyrical sound on the set – a sound that Kessel is perfectly suited for – nicely sophisticated without getting too coldly academic. Titles include "Blues For A Playboy", "Cheerful Little Earful", "My Reverie", "Carioca", "Indian Summer", "Fascinating Rhythm", and "I Love You". CD

The second album from Little Feat – and it's a great one! Loose roadhouse bluesy and country rock-styled songs – infused with their own weirdness! This is one of those great examples of a band that not only loved, but could play down home American music of many kinds – and add their own personal craft and idiosyncratic charms to whatever they touched. Includes "Easy To Slip", "Cold Cold Cold", "Triple Face Boogie", "Sailin' Shoes", "Cat Fever", "Texas Rose Cafe" and more. CD

Four fantastic records from a time when Johnny Mathis was really evolving his sound! On Me & Mrs Jones, Johnny Mathis takes on the sophisticated soul modes of the 70s, and also adds in a few other styles too – on an album that shows just how much the singer had changed in nearly 20 years of recording – sometimes shaped by all those other artists he'd inspired along the way! The title version of the Billy Paul classic "Me & Mrs Jones" is superb – maybe worth the price of the record alone, and perfect for the mature Mathis approach – and Johnny shines equally well on the album's blend of other 70s tunes, arranged by D'Arneill Pershing with a bit of help from Larry Muhoberac. Titles include "Summer Breeze", "Sweet Surrender", "Corner Of The Sky", "Remember", "You're A Lady", "If I Could Reach You", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Soul & Inspiration/Just Once In My Life", and "Me & Mrs Jones". Johnny takes on a mix of sweet & tender and more melancholy tunes on Killing Me Softly, showing a surer hand at making a batch of then contemporary hits his own much more successfully than other veteran pop vocalists of his generation. Jerry Fuller produced, and the titles Includes "Aubrey", "And I Love You So", "Break Up To Make Up", "Sing", "Good Morning Heartache", "Neither One Of Us Wants To Say Goodbye", "Show And Tell" and "Ariane". On I'm Coming Home, Johnny Mathis gets a great new sound – thanks to Philly production and arrangements from the great Thom Bell! Thom had quite a hand in the songs, too – as almost all numbers were written by the team of Bell and Linda Creed – really sensitive songwriters who've got an adult, mature approach to the music – one that still respects Mathis' roots in other vocal territory, but which also gives him a bit more soulful depth, too. The setting is wonderful, and the record's a real standout in Johnny's 70s career – one that helped reignite interest in the singer at a time when so many folks had left him behind. Titles include "I'm Coming Home", "Foolish", "I'm Stone In Love With You", "A Baby's Born", "Life Is A Song Worth Singing", "I Just Wanted To Be Me", and a classic version of "Stop Look & Listen To Your Heart". Feelings is a prime 70s Columbia era Mathis gem, with production by Jack Gold and this time out, arrangements by Gene Page that mix tender hearted intimacy and lightly sweeping touches as sweetly as can be. Titles include "One Day In Your Life", "Stardust", "Midnight Blue", "Feelings", "That's All She Wrote", "Solitaire" and more. CD features the bonus track "Crazy Little Love Makin Ways". CD

The Delmark debut as a leader from drummer Frank Rosaly – and a very unique little record! Rosaly's a player we've really dug on other folks' records, and his vision here at the helm is pretty darn great – a real change from some of the modes used by his avant Chicago contemporaries – almost more poetic at points, although filled with sharp edges throughout! The record was composed for use in a documentary about Chicago scrap recyclers working the alley of the city – and Rosaly brings a really human, personal sort of feel to his music – even though the overall approach is still based on improvisation between group members too. The lineup features James Falzone on clarinet, Jason Stein on bass clarinet, Jason Roebke on bass and cracklebox, Keefe Jackson on tenor and bass clarinet, and Jason Adasiewicz on vibes – which adds some particularly great tones to the metallic narrative. Rosaly also plays a bit of percussion, piano, and electronics – and titles include "Adrian", "Bedbugs", "Driven", "Yards", "Wet Feet Splashing", "The Dark", and "Tragically Positive". CD

A great late 60s gem from pianist Horace Silver – and a great bridge between his earlier soul jazz for Blue Note, and some of his more righteous work to come in the 70s! At one level, the sound here steps off from classics like Serenade To A Soul Sister or The Jody Grind – but at another level, there's a more open approach to the music – one that has Horace sliding into new tones and colors, with a slightly lyrical undercurrent as well. As on some of his later dates, the mellower moments are often the most compelling – showing a newly mature side of Silver's talents, and a new love of space between the notes that really helps to break the mode of previous recordings! The group here features the great Bennie Maupin on tenor and flute, Randy Brecker on trumpet and flugelhorn, John Williams on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums – and titles include "Lovely's Daughter", "Risin Sun", "You Gotta Take A Little Love", "Down & Out", and "Brain Wave". CD

One of the most tripped-out albums of funk you'll ever buy – a rare treasure with a very unusual history! The Stark Reality were a cool little combo formed to work on public television in Boston in the late 60s – and the combo featured some heavy guitars, fuzzed-up vibes, and some monster percussion laid out in tight bass and drum rhythms that were years ahead of their time! The group recorded one rare album – ostensibly a children's record, but based around old compositions by Hoagy Carmichael, completely pulled apart, sliced up, overly harmonized, and spat out into wild funky tunes that bear no resemblance to their originals! John Abercrombie handles the guitar, Monty Stark delivers the vibes and vocals – and titles include "Rocket Ship", "Shooting Star", "Bustin Out Of Doors", "Comrades", "Swing High", "Cooking", "Grandfather Clock", "The Old Prospector", "The Whale", "Junkman's Song", and "Merry Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

A righteous rockers classic from Delroy Williams – a set that's very personal, and very down to earth – and quite a strong antidote to some of the more commercial reggae material that was making the scene at the time! The record almost echoes some of the deepest soul currents of the rocksteady years, but with all the message-oriented music that the 70s brought forth – and handled with a lean production style by Agustus Pablo, who also adds in some of his own organ and melodica work too! Titles include "I Stand Black", "Little Less Talking", "Breaking My Heart", "Mountain Top", "Heathen Valley", "Learn", "Foxe's Hole", "Idren's Feel Nice", and "Crucial". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just the "essence" of Nancy – an excellent 4CD set, with a huge amount of rare material! Here's the breakdown: Disc 1 features "Spanning The Decades" – a selection of rare singles and chart hits, most on CD in the US for the first time; Disc 2 is "From The Vaults", with 14 previously unreleased live recordings, and another 9 previously unissued studio tracks; Disc 3 is "Nancy's Choice", featuring 22 tracks that are Nancy's own personal favorites, 4 of which have never been issued in the US; Disc 4 is "Hidden Gems", 18 choice cuts from Nancy's albums, all issued on CD for the first time in the US! Wonderful throughout – with a total of 81 rare tracks on 4CDs, all packaged in a nice booklet style. Titles include "Hurry Change", "Are We Losin Touch", "But Only Sometimes", "Save Your Love For Me", "The Seventh Son", "Small World", "Just Go", "Go Away & Find Yourself", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Below Above", "Listen Little Girl", "Wave", "I'm Gonna Let Ya", "The Island", "Casablanca", "Dindi", "Godsend", "Suzanne", "I Remember", "Theme From Hotel", and "Free Again". CD

An overlooked gem from Nancy Wilson's excellent 70s run on Capitol Records – a set that goes way beyond the spirit of some of her earlier records, and features a very unified vibe overall! The set was done in heavy collaboration with producer/composer Clarence McDonald – and features all original album penned for the date, most of which has a sublime blend of strings and soul that really pushes Wilson into even more sophisticated territory than before! Nancy's really on a par here with Marlena Shaw at her 70s best – even though Wilson had hit some of the territory years before – and the set's overflowing with great little numbers – including the funky classic "I'm In Love", plus "Let It Flow", "I'm Gonna Let Ya", "Music On My Mind", "He Makes Me Feel Good About Myself", and "Light". LP, Vinyl record album

This deluxe box set includes loads & loads of memorabillia, a hardbound book, and the complete music from the motion picture spread across 8 LPs, 5 CDs, and a bonus 7"! Original score is performed by Nancy Wilson. Original soundtrack includes tracks by Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, MC5, Seeds, Neil Young, Allman Brothers Band, Iggy & The Stooges, Yes, Jethro Tull, Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell, Little Feat, and many more! Also includes the complete recordings of fictitious band from the movie, Stillwater! LP, Vinyl record album

Strings of many shapes and sizes – not just violins, but guitars as well – all coming together in a host of instrumental pop classics! The package is a lot cooler than you might expect – and features about a decade of chart-topping instrumentals – the kind of clever little tunes that made radio so great back in the day, and which often took familiar instrumentation and played around with it a bit in the studio – so that the end result was a heck of a lot more than just the sum of its parts! Styles are great – and run from folksy to rocking to exotic, and more – really creative stuff spun out over a set list of 28 tracks that include "The Dis-Advantages Of You" by The Brass Ring, "Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat, "Fly Me To The Moon" by Joe Harnell, "Flying Circle" by Frankie Slay, "Image" by Hank Levine, "Mexico" by Bob Moore, "Beautiful Obsession" by Sir Chauncey & His Exciting Strings, "Summer Set" by Monty Kelly, "Baby Elephant Walk" by The Minature Men, "Java" by Al Hirt, "The Enchanted Sea" by The Islanders, "More" by Kai Winding, "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" by Sounds Orchestral, "Swingin Safari" by Billy Vaughan, "Calcutta" by Lawrence Welk, and "Lost Love" by HB Barnum. CD

Soundtrack to the much-hyped full length animated feature film – based on the popular sci-fi magazine of the time! The music here has little to do with the story, but there are plenty of great late 70s major label rockers in the lineup – on a set of tracks that includes "I Must Be Dreamin" and "Reach Out" by Cheap Trick, "Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar, "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars" by Blue Oyster Cult, "Mob Rules" by Black Sabbath, "True Companion" by Donald Fagen, "Prefabricated" by Trust, "Blue Lamp" by Stevie Nicks, "Crazy" by Nazareth, "Open Arms" by Journey, "Queen Bee" by Grand Funk Railroad, "All Of You" and "Heavy Metal" by Don Felder, "Radar Rider" by Riggs, and "Working In The Coal Mine" by Devo. LP, Vinyl record album

A great look at the huge influence on 60s soul from Burt Bacharach – a rich legacy that goes way beyond the big hits from Dionne Warwick, to include a wealth of work from artists you might not expect! Back in the early days, Burt was the tall white guy running around the Brill Building – where he made key connections to a range of different artists, and was able to already hit the ground running – with a huge legacy that would go onto inform soul singers for years to come! In fact, we'd almost say that Bacharach's music sounds even better in the hands of these singers than in more mainstream pop artists – and although a few of these cuts are well-known hits, you'll find plenty more great ones here to discover. Titles include "Alfie" by The Delfonics, "Reach Out For Me" by Willie Tee, "Message To Martha" by Jerry Butler, "Long After Tonight Is All Over" by Irma Thomas, "Another Tear Falls" by Marv Johnson, "Walk On By" by Gloria Gaynor, "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by The Orlons, "The Look Of Love" by Nina Simone, "Forgotten Man" by Gene McDaniels, "A House is Not A Home" by Mavis Staples, "Don't Make Me Over" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "This Empty Place" by Cissy Houston, and "My Little Red Book" by Tony Middleton with Bacharach himself! CD

Excellent! An astounding 4CD set covering 15 years worth of fine Jamaican music, stopping at all the relevant points for novices, but digging deeply enough to unearth some nice hard to get bits for the initiated. The first disc in the set, Train To Skaville, represents an 8 year block during the formative years of the 60s, starting out with some Mento cuts, then a couple of nice Jamaican R& B numbers on through a nice batch of Ska. Disc 2, Do The Reggay, focus on the transition to Rocksteady and early reggae from 1968 to 1970, as the tempos started to get a little more laidback, and the dawn of the 70s gets highlighted with disc 3, Black & White: Reggae Rising. Disc 4, The Time Has Come, brings it all together collecting a tremendous batch of roots rock. 90 tracks in all, the set includes Derrick Morgan "Fat Man", Stranger Cole "Rough & Tough", Don Drummond & Tommy McCook "Music Is My Occupation", Roland Alphonso & The Soul Brothers "Phoenix City", Desmond Dekker & The Aces "Rudy Got Soul", Keith & Tex "Stop That Train", Toots & The Maytals "Do The Reggay", Lee Perry People Funny Boy", the Untouchables "Tighten Up", the Pioneers "Longshot Kick The Bucket", Gregory Isaacs "Don't Let Me Suffer", Harry J Allstars "The Liquidator", Niney "Blood & Fire", Ken Parker "Groovin Out On Life", Bob Marley & The Wailers "Small Axe", Horace Andy "I Fell Good All Over", Junior Byles "A Place Called Africa", Zap Pow "This Is Reggae Music", Slim Smith "The Time Has Come", Big Youth "S90 Skank", Burning Spear "Marcus Garvey", and way too many more to list here! CD

From what we remember about the story of this film, the original score was supposedly written by Bernard Herrman, then discarded – although we're not sure if that story's actually true. Whatever the case, John Addison does a surprisingly nice job with this one – and his music for the film is one of the better things about this oft-forgettable cold war thriller. The main theme has a nice dark little melody – one that shows up in the better numbers on the album – and although the overall approach is dramatic, it's handled with a rare flourish that makes it stand alone fine away from the film. Titles include "Premonitions Of Trouble", "Michael & Sarah", "Escape On The Bus", "Pi Bus Theme Variations", "Sarah Alone", and "Love Theme From Torn Curtain", sung by the Johnny Mann Singers. CD

A really fantastic little record – and one that's even better than you might expect from the title – which itself is already pretty darn fantastic! The set is upbeat and funky, but not entirely disco – more this very groovy blend of Mid-East elements and more familiar keyboards – all moving and grooving in ways that are a lot hipper than any other belly dance music we've heard! Music features piano and organ, plus a very cool "string synthesizer" by played by the leader – and there's also plenty of percussion at the core of the set, making for a nice juxtaposition with the electric elements. Titles include "Night Entertainer", "Dance Of Tenderness", "Joy Of Lina", "A Flower Of My Imagination", "Love Of Laura", "Girls Of Iskandariah", and "Once A Year". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic little record – a set that shows a strong evolution of spiritual jazz styles into the 80s! The set was recorded at a time when the jazz underground was really getting a lot of exposure, and was bursting forward with a new sense of hope – a quality that you can really feel in the music, right from the very first note – as these tunes are joyous, yet highly rhythmic and spiritual too – a vibe that's maybe a bit like Pharoah Sanders on Theresa Records, especially on his classic "You Got To Have Freedom"! Most tunes here are upbeat and modal – driven by the rhythms of Ron Burton on piano, Abdu Wali on guitar, Sabu Adeyla on bass, Idris Muhammad on drums, and Abdus Saboor on percussion – and soaring with solos from leader Kamal Abdul Alim on trumpet, James Spaulding on alto and flute, and Bobby Watson on alto and soprano. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Prayer", "Peace", "Al Nafs", "Dance", and "Brotherhood". CD

An amazing little soundtrack – written in mid 60s Peru by jazz pianist Jaime Delgado Aparicio, but easily on a par with some of the best American or Italian scores from the time! The music's got a really wonderful feel throughout – jazz at the core, but with touches of spy soundtrack scoring and some of the lighter, more comedic modes of the Italian scene. Delgado uses a core combo with heavy piano, percussion, and some great trumpet and tenor – almost with the tightness of the Basso-Valdambrini group – but he also expands the sound with bits of strings and some fuller orchestrations, used to shade in some amazing colors that roll, dip, and turn with the beautiful grooves penned for the set. The whole thing's tremendous, with equally great production that creates some odd twists and turns that further keep things interesting as the album rolls on. Titles include "Elm Embajador Y Yo", "Sexy Surf", "Llegando A La Capital", "Isometria", "Todo El Mundo Me Persigue", "Lucha En El Mar", and "La Arana". Added to the soundtrack is Jamie's 1964 album – Jaime Delgado Aparicio Y Su Trio – a crackling bit of piano jazz from the Peruvian scene of the 60s – and a record that's somewhere between the best of Horace Silver on Blue Note, and some of the Brazilian bossa trios of the time! There's a strong sense of rhythm throughout – round, rolling basslines punctuated by great work on the drum kit – all topped by beautifully lyrical lines from Delgado Aparicio on piano – filled with color, light, and life throughout – and soloing with a depth that's rare for such a young player! Titles include a great version of Horace Silver's "Sayonara Blues", plus "The Climate", "Autumn Leaves", "Walkin", and "Blue Daniel". CD

One of the most creative albums ever from UK composer Neil Ardley – and that's saying a lot, given the complexity of his other work! The set's got a wonderful blend of jazz arrangements and some freer passages – scored by Ardley with some of his most sensitive, most beautiful music ever – almost as if the whole thing's an extended soundtrack for a passage in time – or at least a sonic journey that's filled with some wonderful twists and turns! There's definitely some jazz/rock elements in the music, but the main focus is jazz – and Ardley has that same strong sense of large charts and forward-moving rhythms that you'd find in the best early work of Mike Westbrook, particularly his albums for Deram. Players are a very familiar, and very top-shelf batch of British musicians – including Barbara Thompson, Dick Heckstall-Smith, and Don Rendell on reeds; Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther on trumpets; Derek Wadsworth on trombone, Frank Rocotti on vibes, and Stan Tracey on both piano and celeste. Ardley plays prepared piano, and Ivor Cutler makes a great guest appearance on one track – reciting "The Dong With A Luminous Nose" – and Norma Winstone sings on "Will You Walk A Little Faster". The title track – "A Symphony Of Amaranths" – is dedicated to Duke Ellington and Gil Evans – with a feel that more than lives up to both! CD features the bonus track "National Anthem & Tango". CD

Forget the hokey kangaroo picture on the cover, because the record's a mighty sweet set of 50s modern jazz – played by some key musicians from Australian who were working in the US at the time! The record's got a style that's somewhere between the hippest sessions of LA and Sweden at the time – all the coolness of both scenes, but a sense of playful expression that really comes through on some of the more unusual passages. The core group features Errol Buddle and Dick Healey on reeds, Bryce Rhode on piano, and Jack Brokensha on vibes – with added work from John Fawcett or Jimmy Gannon on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums. Titles include "Loose Walk", "Like Someone In Love", "Music For Walkin", "Fascinating Rhythm", "A Foggy Day", and "Little Girl Blue". CD

An incredible little record – and the set where it really all comes together for this legendary funky jazz group! Azymuth were already great on their debut, although maybe a little experimental at times – but here, they really find the soulful groove that later got them big fame on the US scene – effortlessly blending their tight jazz skills with a dose of samba soul, and turning out some wonderfully groovy music in the process! There's clearly an influence here from the best years of Earth Wind & Fire – but also more of the edge that you'd expect from the young trio – as the amazing Jose Roberto Bertrami blows us away with his wickedly sharp keyboard solos, as Alexandre Malheiros and Mamao create these beautiful rhythms that go way past anything you might have expected from a trio. The whole thing's wonderful – one of the most soulful Brazilian records of the 70s – and titles include the great cuts "Tarde", "Tamborim Cuica Ganza Berimbau", "Falcon Love Call", and "Aguia Nao Come Mosca". CD

A stunning European meeting of two great North American talents – the piano of Paul Bley and the trumpet of Chet Baker – coming together here without any other instrumentation in the mix! Bley is at a point where he's bringing back a bit more warmth to his music after so many years in both avant and colder territory – and Baker has that beautifully meditative tone of his late life recordings – which seems to encourage a sensitivity out of Bley's piano that you might not expect – making for a wonderful session throughout! Chet sings a bit, but his trumpet is his main voice – and titles include "Pent Up House", "If I Should Lose You"- "Diane", "Little Girl Blue", and "Skidadidlin". LP, Vinyl record album

A weird little record from John Barry – the soundtrack to a 1963 television special recorded by Elizabeth Taylor at the height of her early popularity, and featuring Taylor reciting a variety of poems and speeches over music by Barry! There's a relatively high concept feel to the album – as Barry's backings are fairly string-laden and serious, penned to match the mood of Taylor's presentation of material written by William Wordsworth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Pitt, Winston Churchill, and Queen Victoria. And although Taylor speaks on about half the record, the best tracks here are actually the instrumental ones – which have more of the depth of Barry's serious soundtrack work from the time, and manage to have their own sense of presence apart from the star quality of Liz on the set. Arrangements are by Johnnie Spence, and titles include "Elizabeth", "London Theme Jazz Waltz", "Queen Elizabeth At Tilbury", "Queen Victoria", "English Garden", "The Fire Of London", "Lovers & Browning", and "London At Dawn". CD

A weird little record from John Barry – the soundtrack to a 1963 television special recorded by Elizabeth Taylor at the height of her early popularity, and featuring Taylor reciting a variety of poems and speeches over music by Barry! There's a relatively high concept feel to the album – as Barry's backings are fairly string-laden and serious, penned to match the mood of Taylor's presentation of material written by William Wordsworth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Pitt, Winston Churchill, and Queen Victoria. And although Taylor speaks on about half the record, the best tracks here are actually the instrumental ones – which have more of the depth of Barry's serious soundtrack work from the time, and manage to have their own sense of presence apart from the star quality of Liz on the set. Arrangements are by Johnnie Spence, and titles include "Elizabeth", "London Theme Jazz Waltz", "Queen Elizabeth At Tilbury", "Queen Victoria", "English Garden", "The Fire Of London", "Lovers & Browning", and "London At Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange little record that's a bit tough to describe. The theme appears to be 50s space age – but the sound is more of a cartoony remix of some loungey grooves, with a fairly heavy leaning towards more current popular music. There's bits of guitar pop in the set, bits of pop drum n bass, and even touches of happy hardcore. Title sinclude "We Are Ready", "Bow Wow", "Los Angeles Underground", "Lonesome Spaceboy", and "Call Me A Doctor". CD

Beach Boys karaoke – or kind of a "music minus one" album – but whatever the case, the set's a pretty unique outing in the field of 60s pop! The record's exactly what the title promises – a "stack o tracks" from the group's earlier records – rhythm parts, some instrumental bits – all laid out with key guitar parts missing and no vocals at all – so that you can pick up your instrument and play along with the record – and maybe get your friends to harmonize too! At the time, the approach seemed somewhat crazy – but after spending decades tracking down Smile-era bootlegs of Brian Wilson studio tracks just like this, the record's got a surprising sort of brilliance – almost as if Brian had guessed there's be a market for his "studio progress" sort of material. Titles include "Darlin", "Salt Lake City", "Wild Honey", "Catch A Wave", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Surfer Girl", "God Only Knows", "Little Honda", and "Let Him Run Wild". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to deny the lasting power of this crucial album from The Beatles – a set that unleashed some of their trippiest sounds and most tender moments too! The mix of wit and honesty is wonderful – and the sonic range is dynamic as the archetypal cover image – a package that's had an undeniable impact on modern music for the past few decades! Titles include "With A Little Help From My Friends", "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", "She's Leaving Home", "Lovely Rita", "When I'm Sixty Four", "A Day In The Life", and "Fixing A Hole". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little blend of Brazilian and club-styled grooves – done by this Bah Samba offshoot with a similar feel to Bah Samba's own work! There's a wonderful London-meets-Rio vibe running through the whole set – a love of real Brazilian music that gets past the mis-steps of so many other attempts in recent years – but which has that great London ability to expand upon the original with a whole new feel. There's nice bits of older funk and club sliding in and out of the mix – coming into play with Brazilian elements and instrumentation in a way that's almost like some of the recent work on Far Out. Titles include "O Ronco Da Cuica", "Elephant Man", "U Got Me Spinnin", "I'm Missing You", "Omeriah", "And It's Beautiful", "Mozza", and a cover of Roy Ayers' "Running Away". CD

Chuck Berry is definitely on top with this classic Chess Records set – an album that shows that Berry always had a lot more to offer than some of his oldies rocker contemporaries! Sure, there's a few hits here, but the overall quality of the music is more in the mode of Chess blues of the time – lots of raw backings that are as heavy on piano lines and romping rhythms as they are Chuck's own searing lead guitar – a sound that definitely sets the tone for generations to come, and which is always heard best here in its early hoke-free setting. The whole album's wonderful, and even familiar hits sound newly brilliant in this context – a smoking lineup that includes "Jo Jo Gunne", "Around & Around", "Hey Pedro", "Anthony Boy", "Sweet Little Rock & Roller", "Almost Grown", "Roll Over Beethoven", and "Maybellene". LP, Vinyl record album

A double-helping of Chuck Berry brilliance from his early years on Chess Records – music that always has way way more to offer than you might think! Sure, some of Chuck's hits are very familiar – and sure, the man could later be a bit of a parody of himself – but there's no denying the power of this early material, and the revolutionary way Chuck had of playing guitar – rooted in blues, paving the way to rock, and also opening the door to lots more funky soul in years to come! The guitar work alone is worth the price of admission, but the songs and vocals are wonderful too – and the CD features 26 titles that include "Down The Road A Piece", "Mad Lad", "Sweet Little Rock & Roller", "Anthony Boy", "Little Queenie", "Oh Baby Doll", "Confessin The Blues", "Almost Grown", "Jo Jo Gunne", "Wee Wee Hours", "Too Much Monkey Business", and "Brown Eyed Handsome Man". CD

Two classic Chess albums from Chuck Berry – issued here on a single CD! First up is One Dozen Berrys – the fresh fruits of the labors of a young Chuck Berry – heard here at his raw, early best! The sound here is stunning – a version of Chuck that gets way past any oldies cliches – and which reminds us that at the start, his music was coming from the same Chess Records fount as Bo Diddley's riffing guitar and Muddy Waters' Chicago blues! The tunes all work together perfectly – and the familiar numbers fit in perfectly with overlooked gems that really make the album great – especially when Chuck's guitar is really given a chance to step out and solo. Titles include "La Juanda", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "It Don't Take But A Few Minutes", "Rock & Roll Music", and "Low Feeling". Juke Box Hits is way more than a "hits" album – as it's filled with some great obscure material that always gets eclipsed by Chuck's big hits. Despite the idea that these would be "new jukebox hits", the material has an approach that was probably a bit too hard for radio, but that's ok with us! Titles include "13 Question Method", "Don't You Lie To Me", "The Way It Was Before", "Away From You", "I'm Talking About You", and "Stop & Listen". CD

Two classic Chess albums from Chuck Berry – issued here on a single CD! First up is One Dozen Berrys – the fresh fruits of the labors of a young Chuck Berry – heard here at his raw, early best! The sound here is stunning – a version of Chuck that gets way past any oldies cliches – and which reminds us that at the start, his music was coming from the same Chess Records fount as Bo Diddley's riffing guitar and Muddy Waters' Chicago blues! The tunes all work together perfectly – and the familiar numbers fit in perfectly with overlooked gems that really make the album great – especially when Chuck's guitar is really given a chance to step out and solo. Titles include "La Juanda", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "It Don't Take But A Few Minutes", "Rock & Roll Music", and "Low Feeling". Juke Box Hits is way more than a "hits" album – as it's filled with some great obscure material that always gets eclipsed by Chuck's big hits. Despite the idea that these would be "new jukebox hits", the material has an approach that was probably a bit too hard for radio, but that's ok with us! Titles include "13 Question Method", "Don't You Lie To Me", "The Way It Was Before", "Away From You", "I'm Talking About You", and "Stop & Listen". CD

A great little live set from Maria Bethania – one recorded with the lighter, looser sound she was using in the early 80s – and which stands as a nice contrast to her more dramatic concert performances of the 70s! The music director for the show is Gilberto Gil, and there's a bit of the warmer overtones that Gil was using in his own music at the time – not really the soulful modes, but stronger use of electric keyboards and flowing rhythms that bring in a bit of jazz and a nice sense of fullness. Titles include "Prenda", "Luzes De Ribalta", "Gas Neon", "O Que E O Que E", "Cantico Negro", "Cancao Da Volta", "De Noite E De Dia", and "Nossos Momentos". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz funk masterpiece, and THE record by the legendary Don Blackman – the only one issued under his own name for many many years, and a famous little set that's been sampled endlessly over the years, and for good reason! The vibe here is one that's barely been matched again – a blend of 70s fusion, bassy funk, and even tighter riffing – all put together with a greater depth and sense of soul than most other records of its type. Blackman's a GRP contemporary of Bernard Wright, Tom Browne, and Weldon Irvine – and there's bits of all their sound in the work here, but somehow Don does it even better – hitting these grooves, notes, and lines that seem to fall from the heavens – and which still stand as some of the hippest music of his generation. A record to file proudly next to your copies of Ramp and James Mason – and like those gems, the kind of record that only happens once in an artists career! Titles include "You Ain't Hip", "Yabba Dabba Do", "Heart's Desire", "Deaf Hook Up Connection", "Never Miss A Thing", and "Holding You Loving You", and "Since You Been Away So Long". CD

Four lost albums from David Blue – a really compelling singer/songwriter, ripe for rediscovery! First up is These 23 Days In September, recorded for Reprise – a really moody little record from David Blue – a folksy singer who's got a style that definitely lives up to the melancholy promise of his name! Blue's definitely an artist with a difference – working in the familiar mode of vocals and acoustic guitar, but with an edge and distinctness that really sets him apart from the folkies of a few year before – that sense of different that really set apart a new wave of contemporaries, like Leonard Cohen, Fred Neill, or Tom Rapp. Titles include "These 23 Days In September", "The Sailor's Lament", "Scales For A Window Thief", "You Will Come Back Again", "Slow & Easy", and "The Grand Hotel". Stories is an overlooked early set on Asylum – the kind of really special singer/songwriter material that really set the label apart at the start of the 70s! David Blue has this compelling vocal style that's moody, but down to earth – inflected here and there with guitar contributions from Ry Cooder, who's understated, but really brings out some special qualities in the tunes. Jack Nitzsche adds in some light strings at points – but overall, things are pretty spare and personal – and titles include "Looking For A Friend", "Another One Like Me", "Sister Rose", "The Blues", "Come On John", "Marianne", and "Fire In The Morning". Nice Baby & The Angel shows David Blue really starting to get some star power in his mix – a fuller set, produced by Graham Nash – with work from Nash on guitar, plus more guitar from Dave Mason and David Lindley – in a nice mix of roots elements, but which never overwhelm that unique sense of songwriting and vocals that set David Blue apart from the rest. Titles include "Darlin Jenny", "Troubadour Song", "Train To Anaheim", "True To You", "On Sunday Any Sunday", and "Outlaw Man". On the cover of Cupid's Arrow, David Blue might look a bit cheesy, what with his open shirt and all – but he's definitely the real deal, and very down to earth in his singer/songwriter approach – with a quality that's only underscored by the lineup on the set – a group that features Levon Helm on drums, Jesse Ed Davis on guitar, David Lindley on mandolin and slide, and Barry Goldberg on piano and organ, and also handling production of the album too. The shift from David's roots is a bit like that taken by other contemporaries who once started in more folksy territory, then found a new way to grow in the west coast singer/songwriter scene – and that means that things are more electrified, but still quite far from mainstream music – with original tunes from Blue throughout, and titles that include "I Feel Bad", "Maria Maria", "Primeval Tune", She's Got You", "Tom's Song", and "Run Run Run". CD

A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, and the hopes and dreams of the lead characters – all of which made for some really well-rounded music, of the sort you'd find on some of the other great Fantasy Records soundtracks of the time, especially the classic Cornbread Earl & Me score. Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin put together the whole thing, and the album's a mix of hip instrumental tracks with some other vocal ones – a really nice range that draws from singers like Betty Everett, Rodger Collins, and JJ Malone – and jazz players like Sonny Stitt and John Hunt (plus organ from Merl Saunders on one cut.) Titles include "BJ's Step", "Black Girl", "Sister", "Earl (Still A Pearl)", "Mothers Day Song", "Power", "Get Me To The Bridge", "Chock-lite Puddin", and "Black Girl Cue". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible set, and one that will definitely have you heaping praises on Barry Brown – as the singer was one of the most inventive of the late roots reggae years in Jamaica – and maybe gets his best presentation ever on the tracks on the set! There's a splashy brilliance to the way the tracks are put together – often with these subtle funky drums from Santa Davis, which provide this cool little kick underneath the heavy dub and echo used in the production – keeping the rhythms focused while Barry Brown lets his voice do all these amazing things! At times, you almost feel as if Barry's living in the world of fuzz and tripped-out sounds that make up the music – riding the waves and having a tremendous time in the process – on cuts that include "Fittest Of The Fittest (parts 1 & 2)", "Natty Rootsman (parts 1 & 2)", "Step It Up Youthman (ext)", "Look How Long", "Give Thanks & Praise (lion mix)", "Give Thanks (part 3)", "Creative Vibes (xylophone)", "From Creation", "Look How Long Dub", and "We Can't Dub Like This". LP, Vinyl record album

Really unusual large group work from bassist Ray Brown – already a key small combo player in the Verve Records universe, and here exploring some of the larger ideas in his music! The set features arrangements from Marty Paich – and players include Herb Geller on alto, Jimmy Giuffre on tenor, Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Herb Ellis on guitar – all working in a way that still allows Brown to get plenty of exposure, right up front in the mix! Brown is totally exposed on the haunting "Solo For Unaccompanied Bass" – and other titles include "Little Toe", "Alone Together", "Blues for Sylvia", and "All Of You". CD

Mindblowing minimalism from the legendary Sandy Bull – an artist who might have had acoustic roots in folk music, but who was instantly turning his music into something else – drawing on modal styles of Eastern music, European generations of expression on guitar, jazz-based improvisation – and maybe even prefiguring work to come from composers like Terry Riley and La Monte Young! This album's one of Bull's first, and it's pure genius right from the start – with a side-long performance on the incredible "Blend", which features slight drums from jazz musician Billy Higgins – which Sandy extrapolates these long passages on acoustic guitar. Side two features the fantastic "Carmina Burana Fantasy" on banjo – a kind of trans-historical performance that's right up there with John Fahey's best of the decade – alongside equally mindblowing "Non Nobis Domine" and "Little Maggie" – and the closing electric guitar genius of "Gospel Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure little set, but a great one too – a joint effort from Charles and Barbara Burton – served up with a really wonderful blend of upbeat club and modern soul modes! The album's got all the indie soul charm you'd expect from its title and cover – a simple, straightforward approach to the music that's often got lots of personal touches and genre-crossing moments – a great antidote to more mainstream soul of the time, but done with a fair bit of skill throughout! Instrumentation includes some great keyboards next to Barbara's vocals – and a few numbers feature chorus vocals that come across with an especially shimmering kind of sound. Titles include "LA Will Make You Pay", "Sincerely Yours", "Who You Gonna Get", "You Know I Love You", "Groovin At The Night Club", and "Nation Song". CD

A great little album by Jerry – recorded during a period where he was using his fame (and cash!) to showcase younger talents in soul music. In this case, the younger talents include Terry Callier – who contributed two songs to this album, including his semi-hit "Ordinary Joe", which Jerry does in a nice groovy style. Other tracks include "You & Me", "Real Good Man", "Life's Unfortunate Sons", "No Money Down", and "Winter Of A Loving Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing little record from Joe Byrd – an artist with roots in serious music, but who's serving things up here with a wild hippie aesthetic that makes the whole thing come across more like a "happening" than the usual sort of studio album – but in ways that also echo an earlier generation of Americanist composition too. The process of the record mimics some of Byrd's famous work in New York – and has a very collaborative feel overall, with elements of electronics, acoustics, and vocals coming together beautifully! There's some great tabla, harpsichord, moog, and organ on the record – plus more serious woodwinds and brass – and vocals from Victoria Bond, Susan De Lange, Christie Thompson, and Ernie Anderson – plus Joe himself. Titles include "Kalyani", "Moonsong Pelog", "You Can't Ever Come Down", "Gospel Music", "Nightmare Train", "Leisure World", and "The Elephant At The Door". CD

A well-done batch of music for the initial season of Japanese TV show Long Vacation – served up with a sense of variety and depth that's a great change from American television music for a program of this nature! Cagnet put the whole thing together, but they've got a good sense of variety throughout – shifting singers and styles of music, and moving between vocal numbers and instrumentals that have a nice mix of beats and soundtrack elements. Titles include "Long Vacation" by Anna McMurphy, "Silent Emotion" by Calin, "Little By Little" by Section S, "To Live & Die" by David, "What Will I Do" by Natalie Burks, and the tunes "Tiny Tale", "Back Ground", and "Short Wave Radio". CD