A funky psychedelic kaliedoscope of grooves from India – killer numbers from the 70s and into the early 80s – Psych Funk Sa-Re-Ga, from the folks who put together the equally heavy Psych-Funk 101 and Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas compilations! Most of cuts here have a raw, fuzzed out undercurrent of psychedelia – guitars that buzz or lead searingly, depending on the needs of the number – with heavy, funk-based drums and/or hand percussion with rumbling bass rhythms. From that core, they bust out mightily with more furious percussion, rhythms, mad horn arrangements, and vocals that work as either a sweetener or for even more wild-eyed excitement! In short, global psychedelic funk rhythms with regional Indian folk and classical flourishes, blended with mod, soul, garage and soundtrack influences from around the globe. It's a funky, psychedelic fusion of east and west that's billed as a seminar, but this is no academic endeavor – it's a psych funk party all the way! Includes "The Mod Trade" by The Black Beats, "Psychedelia" by X'Lents, "Somebody To Love – Edit" and "Gairaag Dance Music – Edit" by Kalyanji Anandji, "Dance Music From Hare Rama Hare Krishna" by RD Burman, "Lekar Ham Diwana Dil" by RD Burman feat Asha Bhosle & Kishore Kumar, "Mary Long" by Atomic Forest, "Dharmatma Theme Music" by Kalyanji Anandji, "Phir Teri Yaad" by Hemant Bhosle feat Asha Bhosle, "Thanimayil" by Ilaiyaraaja fet Vani Jairam & Chorus and more. 20 tracks in all – with a thick booklet of notes on each track, plus loads of photos, original album & poster art, and more. CD

A great little set compiled by the folks at Swing Journal, with music by Bud Shank, Gerry Mulligan, Russ Freeman, Clifford Brown, Jack Montrose, Chico Hamilton, Jim Hall, Art Pepper, Laurindo Almeida, and more – 24 tracks total. CD

Great grooves galore – a sweet selection of tracks from the late 60s onwards, none of which were made available to the public at the time! The French Tele Music company was one of those secret sound library labels – recording top shelf tracks during the 70s, but then only passing them along to TV, radio, and film producers – for possible use in later projects! This meant that there was a rich array of wonderful sounds that never made it to records that the public could buy in stores – and the result is a collection like this, which is overflowing with killer grooves that you're not likely to have in your record collection at all. Styles range from funky jazz to clubby grooves, with plenty of soundtrack-styled funk numbers in the mix – and titles include "Gang Train" by Bernard Estardy, "West Coast Drive" by Pierre Alain Dahan & Mat Camison, "Mitsuko" by Jean Jacques Debout, "Percussionissimo" by Hervey Roy, "Suspense Time" by Michel Gonet, "Meteor One" by Sauveur Mallia, "Pop Percussions" by Janko Nilovic, "Rocket 2" by Bernard Lubat, and "Les Copans De La Basse" by Guy Pedersen. 26 tracks in all – selected by Lord Funk & DJ LC! LP, Vinyl record album

A sprawling set of rare singles in a variety of genres – and a set that's maybe one of the most essential in the "state" series from the Be! Records label! Previous entries have included Michigan, Texas, and other states with a well-known recorded legacy – but this time around, the package focuses on cuts from a range of scenes in Virginia and West Virginia – really rare music on a variety of very small labels – done in modes that run the gamut from rockabilly to garage, to country and a bit of pop as well! As with other volumes, the package is as magnificent as the music – as the set comes with a huge 12" square hardcover book – 120 pages of information, session details, label scans, and more – in support of a wealth of music from tiny labels that include Dominion, Cozy, Fernwood, Mart, Nu-Kat, Tip Top, and other long-gone record companies from the glory days of the indie 7" single. The set features 145 tracks in all – music from Johnny Gravely, Big Al Walker, The Reactors, Butch Lester, Paul Young & The Versatones, George Curtus, Johnny Boni, Bob Varney, Dusty Owens, Hasil Atkins, Keith Anderson, Dorse Lewis, Jeanette & Hubert, Buddy Watson, and countless others! CD

A really mind-bending collection of African grooves – one that digs deep into the West African scene of the early 70s – and comes up with a massive batch of tunes that really opens up our understanding of the music! The sound here isn't just 70s Afro Funk – as the tunes include a range of tripped-out styles that make the best use of electric instrumentation, psychedelic production, and important influences from American soul artists at the time. There's some amazing guitar on some of the best tracks – ringing out with a sound that's chromatically complex while also being tripped-out and funky – in a way that complicates the rhythms without totally taking them apart. If you've dug the tunes on previous sets like Africa Funk or Ghana Soundz, this is one to take that sound to the next level – and really open up your ears! Titles include "Keleya" by Moussa Doumbia, "Love's A Real Thing" by The Super Eagles, "Minsato Le Mi Dyihome" by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou Dahomey, "Porry" by Sorry Bamba, "Allah Wakbarr" by Ofo & The Black Company, "Sanjina" by Orchestre Regional De Kayes, "Ifa" by Tunji Oyelana & The Benders, "Zinabu" by Bunzu Sounds, and "Awon-Ojise-Oluwa" by Gasper Lawal. CD

Four sides of noisy, funky, stretched-out playing from Miles Davis – recorded at the Fillmore West, but with an intensity that matches some of Miles' crazy electric recordings from Japan during the early 70s! The music is a powerful blast of music that stretches out over the double-length set of the package – with a style that moves from heavy-duty avant playing, then back to more mellow grooving, then kicks it out nice and hard again – a heavy dose of rock mixed in with the fusion, but still plenty jazzy throughout. In all, the record is probably one of the most heavy-duty that the Miles electric group recorded in the 70s – and the lineup on the set features Steve Grossman on saxes, Chick Corea on electric piano, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto on percussion. Tracks include "Spanish Key", "Directions", "Masqualero", "It's About That Time", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Bitches Brew", "Willie Nelson", and "Sanctuary". CD

Includes music by the Earl Sims Sextette, Four Aces, George Bledsoe, Iona Wade, Sister Rock-a-way, Scat Man Crothers, Ollie Jackson, Peppy Prince & his Orchestra, Walter Fuller, and more – 24 tracks total. CD

A brilliant mix of jazz and world music! Abdul-Malik was the legendary bass player from the fifties who mixed straight jazz playing with traditional Middle Eastern rhythms – and although he most famously recorded albums with Monk as a regular bassist, his albums on his own are amazing blends of jazz and world music, done years before anyone else had contemplated doing so! This album is similar to Abdul-Malik's Jazz Sahara album, in which he plays quite a bit on the Oud – but in this one the ensemble is much more jazz-oriented, and features Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, and Johnny Griffin. The Oud holds center stage on most tracks, but then it drops out, and Morgan and Griffin come wailing in on solos that will rip your socks off! Titles include "Rooh", "La Ibky", "Takseem", "Searchin", and "El Ghada". Fantastic!!!! LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous early album from this west coast tenorist – really breaking out here in a smaller group setting than usual! Coop plays tenor, in a group with Victor Feldman on vibes, Loy Levy on piano, Frank Rosolino on tormbone, and Mel Lewis on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

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One of Ennio Morricone's most famous film scores – and certainly the one that got him recognized as a genius on a global level! The whole thing's pretty damn eerie – about as eerie as the movie, which is a real stunner – and it shifts from dark orchestral themes to sparer numbers that use guitar, banjo, and some really creepy whistling to set the mood – that landmark Morricone sense of space that really transformed film music in the 60s. Some tracks feature vocal work by I Cantorni Moderni, directed by Alessandro Alessandroni – and titles include "C'Era Una Volta Il West", "Cheyenne", "Armonica", "L'Uomo Dell'Armonica" and "L'America Di Jill". Plus, this bonus version features loads more extra tracks – making for a total of 27 in all, the fullest version of the score we've ever seen! CD

Trippy electric fusion from the west coast – a record that features Ponty, who was working with Zappa at the time, playing a set of electric jazz takes on Zappa tunes – with lots of added help from George Duke, who was also working with Zappa too! The set's almost a "birth of fusion" one – with Zappa arrangements that are clearly in a jazz-rock mode – and lots of electric bass, electric piano, and electric violin in the set. Tracks are long, and riff-heavy – and other players include Ernie Watts, Wilton Felder, Buell Neidlinger, and Ian Underwood. Titles include "America Drinks & Goes Home", "Music For Electric Violin & Low Budget Orchestra", "King Kong", and "Twenty Small Cigars". CD

A huge run of music from this legendary psychedelic band – all served up here in a single set! First up is their Part 1 album – the initial uttering from the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – a group with a heady sound that definitely lives up to their name! There's less "pop art" going on here than just trippy psych – served up at a level that makes the group one of the best bigger label examples of the style at the time – and definitely a lot more edgey than some of their labelmates on Warner. Jimmy Bowen produced, but really keeps all the edges intact – and titles include the completely insane "Help I'm A Rock" (actually about a rock calling for help!) – plus "Shifting Sands", "1906", "Transparent Day", "Here's Where You Belong", and "If You Want This Love". Next is Volume 2 – the amazing second album from this ultra-cool group – a set that's even weirder and wilder than their debut! The trio are maybe one of the few who really live up to the farthest expectations of the psych generation – as they're really open to let their minds fly in their choice of lyrics, instrumentation, and overall presentation of the record – which hardly seems the sort to yield any sort of singles at all, even though a few of the tunes are downright catchy! Instead, the whole thing's put forth as a dark statement on late 60s society – with a sound that's as heavy as the subject matter, and not afraid to really pus all the freak and fuzz as far as it can go! Quite surprising, even for the Reprise label – and tracks include "Queen Nymphet", "Tracy Had a Hard Day Sunday", "In the Arena", "Smell of Incense", "Suppose They Gave A War & No One Comes", "Overture Wcpaeb (part 2)", and "Carte Blanche" – which supposedly they were given in recording the album! Next is Child's Guide To Good & Evil, the third album in the continuing genius of the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band – a group who are certainly as experimental as their name would imply, but who can also come across with some warmer Sunshine Pop touches too! And it's that which makes the group so wonderful – the blend of freak and sweet, of fuzz and fun – all given a special shape in the studio through the genius of producer Jimmy Bowen, whose work here with Bob Markley is superb – and very much open to the best freedoms that Warner was offering its creative talents at the time! The song titles are equally superb – and titles include "A Child's Guide To Good & Evil", "Ritual #1", "Anniversary of World War III", "Eighteen Is Over The Hill", "As Kind As Summer", and "Our Drummer Always Plays In the Nude". CD 4 features 18 more bonus tracks – rare takes and alternate mixes of titles that include "Watch Yourself", "Ritual #1", "As Kind As Summer", "Eighteen Is Over The Hill", and "Until The Poorest People Have Money To Spend" – plus other tracks too. And all the other three albums are presented in both mono and stereo mixes – which makes for 84 tracks in the full set! CD

Music from Izingqungqulu Zomhlaba, Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens, Noise Khanyile & The Jo'Burg City Stars, Lucky Dube, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Tebogo, Spokes Mashiyane, African Jazz Pioneers, the Elite Swingsters, Bheki Mseleku, West Nkosi, Soul Brothers, Boyoyo Boys, Miriam Makeba & The Skylarks, Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. CD

Tim Buckley live – in a really amazing performance from 1969 – one that really shows how much jazz impulses he had in his music! The tracks here are all quite long – and although in the folksy mode of Tim's studio work, also seem to have more improvisation too – both on the guitar and the vocals – especially when Buckley gets going in those eerie wordless ways that are almost his take on scat styles from jazz! Buckley's guitar almost takes on these Sandy Bull-type tones – very harmonic, and perfect not just with his vocals, but also the electric piano work of Lee Underwood – which underscores some of the jazzier elements in the music. The basslines are subtle, but beautiful too – really structuring the sounds in these warm currents that are always moving forward – on long takes of titles that include "Venice Mating Call", "Nobody Walkin", "I Had A Talk With My Woman", "Chase The Blues Away", "Buzzin Fly", "Gypsy Woman", "I Don't Need It To Rain", and "Driftin". CD

Great early work from one of the hippest bassists of his generation! Paul Chambers cut this obscure little album in LA, featuring a "jazz delegation from the east" that included Philly Joe Jones on drums and John Coltrane on tenor – plus pianist Kenny Drew, who had already been working on the west coast – all in a style that's much more relaxed and stretched-out than most other jazz recorded in LA at the time! The album is one of the earliest small group sessions with Coltrane, and it's a very spare batch of tracks that lead off with Chambers' amazing work on bass – but which also feature some incredible early work from Trane – very raw and loud in the mix, with a lot more bluesiness than you'd expect – and we mean that in a good way! Titles include "Dexterity", "Visitation", "John Paul Jones", and "Eastbound". Plus, the CD also seems to include a few bonus titles from an additional 1956 session with Coltrane! CD

Four sides of noisy, funky, stretched-out playing from Miles Davis – recorded at the Fillmore West, but with an intensity that matches some of Miles' crazy electric recordings from Japan during the early 70s! The music is a powerful blast of music that stretches out over the double-length set of the package – with a style that moves from heavy-duty avant playing, then back to more mellow grooving, then kicks it out nice and hard again – a heavy dose of rock mixed in with the fusion, but still plenty jazzy throughout. In all, the record is probably one of the most heavy-duty that the Miles electric group recorded in the 70s – and the lineup on the set features Steve Grossman on saxes, Chick Corea on electric piano, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Airto on percussion. Tracks include "Spanish Key", "Directions", "Masqualero", "It's About That Time", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Bitches Brew", "Willie Nelson", and "Sanctuary". CD

The long-teased, finally delivered joint full length from Jay-Z and Kanye West. It's impossible to consider the music purely on its own terms given the outsized personalities and absolutely gigantic presences of both – which makes it pretty fascinating. It's definitely not on the level of the best solo albums by either force, but it's probably a whole lot better than it's being dismissed as in some circles. Bottom line – it's worth picking up. We'll see how history treats it. Includes "No Church In The Wild" feat Frank Ocean, "Lift Off" with Beyonce, "Ni**as In paris", the single "Otis" with that reanimated Otis Redding vocal, "Gotta Have It", "New Day", "That's My B**ch", "Why I Love Yu" feat Mr Hudson and more. The deluxe edition has 4 bonus tracks: "Illest M*****ker Alive" (with an intentional 3 minutes of silence), "HAM", "Primetime" and "The Joy". CD

We loved the debut as much as the rest of the world did, but this one's an easier listen from beginning to end. The production is tight, the guests earn their spots, and the whole thing's furiously soulful. Much is being made of LA hipster/orch pop troubadour Jon Brion's co-production, but this is Kanye's show. On one level Kanye can rock a subject as cliched as "Gold Digger", and still come out with a fresh perspective that runs deeper than it sounds on the surface, then deliver a serious track about the evils of the diamond trade that still rocks the ice. And those are just the first singles. Another great one! Tracks include "Wake Up Mr West", "Heard 'Em Say", "Touch The Sky" feat Lupe Fiasco, "Gold Digger" feat Jamie Foxx, "Drive Slow" feat Paul Wall & GLC, "My Way Home" feat Common, "Crack Music" feat Game, "Roses", "Bring Me Down" feat Brandy, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" (rmx) feat Jay-Z, "We Major" feat Nas & Really Doe, "Gone" feat Consequence & Cam'Ron and more! CD

Time will tell whether the sophomore LP Late Registration will prove to be as revolutionary of a commercial force as College Dropout turned out to be – but it's a better album! We loved the debut as much as the rest of the world did, but this one's an easier listen from beginning to end. The production is tight, the guests earn their spots, and the whole thing's furiously soulful. Much is being made of LA hipster/orch pop troubadour Jon Brion's co-production, but this is Kanye's show. On one level Kanye can rock a subject as cliched as "Gold Digger", and still come out with a fresh perspective that runs deeper than it sounds on the surface, then deliver a serious track about the evils of the diamond trade that still rocks the ice. And those are just the first singles. Another great one! Tracks include "Wake Up Mr West", "Heard 'Em Say", "Touch The Sky" feat Lupe Fiasco, "Gold Digger" feat Jamie Foxx, "Drive Slow" feat Paul Wall & GLC, "My Way Home" feat Common, "Crack Music" feat Game, "Roses", "Bring Me Down" feat Brandy, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" (rmx) feat Jay-Z, "We Major" feat Nas & Really Doe, "Gone" feat Consequence & Cam'Ron and more! LP, Vinyl record album

The drama master of hip hop and pretty much all of contemporary pop music returns with his Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – a full length hip hop rumination on being hated and the struggle of needing that hate to be creatively fruitful. It's not always an easy listening experience, but it's a hella strong record, and yet another "Album Of The Year" candidate for Mr. West, love him or hate him. Includes "Georgeous" feat Kid Cudi & Raekwon, "Power", "All Of The Lights", "So Apalled" with Jay Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz & The RZA, "Runaway" feat Pusha T, "Hell Of A Life", "Blame Game" with John Legend, "Who Will Survive In America" and "Dark Fantasy". CD

The drama master of hip hop and pretty much all of contemporary pop music returns with his Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – a full length hip hop rumination on being hated and the struggle of needing that hate to be creatively fruitful. It's not always an easy listening experience, but it's a hella strong record, and yet another "Album Of The Year" candidate for Mr. West, love him or hate him. Includes "Georgeous" feat Kid Cudi & Raekwon, "Power", "All Of The Lights", "So Apalled" with Jay Z, Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz & The RZA, "Runaway" feat Pusha T, "Hell Of A Life", "Blame Game" with John Legend, "Who Will Survive In America" and "Dark Fantasy". The CD/DVD combo special edition includes Kanye's crazy ambitious film Runaway on the DVD. CD

A seminal album that defined the fresh sound of a whole new generation in jazz – that "third stream" movement that was different from the cool jazz of the west coast, and the fire of New York! The style here follows that same mix of jazz and higher-concept elements you'd hear on other Modern Jazz Quartet albums for Atlantic – but the music is expanded here with some great help from outside parties too. The Jimmy Giuffre trio join the quartet on most of side one – adding in Jimmy's snakey clarinet and Jim Hall's fluid guitar lines for a really fresh take on the MJQ groove. The remainder of the album brings in the Beaux Arts String Quartet – who shade in the mix of vibes and piano with these dark strains that are really beautiful – and bring even more drama than usual to the music. Titles include "Da Capo", "Fine", "Exposure", "Sketch", and "Conversation". CD

A seminal album that defined the fresh sound of a whole new generation in jazz – that "third stream" movement that was different from the cool jazz of the west coast, and the fire of New York! The style here follows that same mix of jazz and higher-concept elements you'd hear on other Modern Jazz Quartet albums for Atlantic – but the music is expanded here with some great help from outside parties too. The Jimmy Giuffre trio join the quartet on most of side one – adding in Jimmy's snakey clarinet and Jim Hall's fluid guitar lines for a really fresh take on the MJQ groove. The remainder of the album brings in the Beaux Arts String Quartet – who shade in the mix of vibes and piano with these dark strains that are really beautiful – and bring even more drama than usual to the music. Titles include "Da Capo", "Fine", "Exposure", "Sketch", and "Conversation". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Ennio Morricone's most famous film scores – and certainly the one that got him recognized as a genius on a global level! The whole thing's pretty damn eerie – about as eerie as the movie, which is a real stunner – and it shifts from dark orchestral themes to sparer numbers that use guitar, banjo, and some really creepy whistling to set the mood – that landmark Morricone sense of space that really transformed film music in the 60s. Some tracks feature vocal work by I Cantorni Moderni, directed by Alessandro Alessandroni – and titles include "C'Era Una Volta Il West", "Cheyenne", "Armonica", "L'Uomo Dell'Armonica" and "L'America Di Jill". Plus, this bonus version features loads more extra tracks – making for a total of 27 in all, the fullest version of the score we've ever seen! CD

Beautiful 2 CD set that brings together 3 of Morricone's most famous Western soundtracks! Once Upon A Time In The West is an undisputed masterpiece, and features some incredibly haunting themes on guitar and harmonica, set amidst spare instrumental settings that give the music an even spookier quality. The other 2 scores are pretty darn great, too – and are from the famous Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns that brought fame to both him and Morricone. Titles include "Jill's America", "The First Tavern", "Per Qualche Dollaro In Piu", "Without Pity", "Almost Dead", and "Il Colpo". In a nicely priced 2 CD set – with 30 tracks in all! CD

Stunning 50s modern jazz – long overdue for reissue! The CD features 2 long-lost albums – Modern Music From Philadelphia by The Brothers Sandole, and The Clarinet Artistry of John La Porta. The Sandoles were one of the least-known and least-appreciated groups working on the east coast during the 50s. Dennis and Adolphe Sandole had an incredible talent for writing – and in the short time they recorded together, they served up some amazing tracks with a wonderful group sound that recalls some of the Mingus Jazz Workshop recordings with John La Porta. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Drums", "Wings Over Persia", "Grenadine", "Boys From Istanbul", "Arabu", "The Tamaret", and "Magic Carpet". The second set of material on the CD features clarinet tracks by John LaPorta – an important east coast modernist who was a key part of Charles Mingus' mid-50s recordings, and who was as important to east coast modernization of the clarinet as Jimmy Giuffre was to the west coast scene. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Dirge For Dorsey", and "Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea". CD

A really unusual set of 70s grooves from the African scene – tracks that almost seem to be out of time, as many of them have electric touches and driving rhythms that sometimes feel as if they are laying the groundwork for clubbier styles in years to come! Yet these also aren't synth-heavy tracks, as in the South African pop to come in the mid 80s – as they're filled with plenty of live instrumentation, soulful vocals, and basslines and drum parts that really keep things gritty! Many of the cuts have unusual production elements and spacey instrumental touches – almost as if you're listening to a P&P take on the styles of West Africa at the time – on titles that include "Jungle Magic" by Benis Cletin, "I Got To Make It" by Joe Kemfa, "Save Me" by Blo, "10 Years In Love" by Danny Offia & The Friks, "Boys & Girls" by Joe Moks, "BMS Bowl" by Goldfinger Doe & BMS, and "Girls For Sale" by Felix Labarty. CD

A really unusual set of 70s grooves from the African scene – tracks that almost seem to be out of time, as many of them have electric touches and driving rhythms that sometimes feel as if they are laying the groundwork for clubbier styles in years to come! Yet these also aren't synth-heavy tracks, as in the South African pop to come in the mid 80s – as they're filled with plenty of live instrumentation, soulful vocals, and basslines and drum parts that really keep things gritty! Many of the cuts have unusual production elements and spacey instrumental touches – almost as if you're listening to a P&P take on the styles of West Africa at the time – on titles that include "Jungle Magic" by Benis Cletin, "I Got To Make It" by Joe Kemfa, "Save Me" by Blo, "10 Years In Love" by Danny Offia & The Friks, "Boys & Girls" by Joe Moks, "BMS Bowl" by Goldfinger Doe & BMS, and "Girls For Sale" by Felix Labarty. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Ray Agee, The Charades, Emmet Lord, Aggie Duke, L.A. Dolls, The Capris, Mark Anthony Band, Chavez & Chavez, Mark Anthony Band, Donny Tolliver, and more - 22 tracks in all. CD

One of the most unique compilations we've ever heard – a set that gets at the really unique way that soul music came across on the British scene of the 60s – as American influences were mixed with local interpretations, which themselves drew plenty of influences from related scenes in the West Indies and South Africa at the time! The scope of expression here is hugely different than any American soul collections from the time – and while there's definitely a few Americans in the mix from time to time, they're mostly represented by recordings done in England, amidst a huge amount of artists who never get reissued on our side of the Atlantic! Usually, a set like this would be put together to show that Northern Soul created some upbeat music on the British scene – but with this gem of a collection, the scope is much wider, and really open to the influences that were running through black communities in England during these key post-colonial years. The package has a massive amount of music – 115 tracks in all, with a very cool book-styled package that's got superb notes and plenty of images – to support work by Lorraine Child, Peter Straker, Maxine Nightingale, Cy Grant, Cab Kaye, Dimples & Eddie, Ronnie Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Norma Lee, Jimmy Tomas, Jackie Edwards, Madeline Bell, Oliver Norman, The Fantastics, Root & Jenny Jackson, Ram John Holder, Simon K & The Meantimers, Caleb, The Foundations, The Soul Brothers, Blue Beaters, Seven Letters, Joe's All Stars, Sonny & The Daffodils, Tony Washington & The DCs, Davy Jones, Geoff Love, Ray Ellington, Emile Ford & The Big Six, Millie, Rico, Black Velvet, and many others! CD

A killer collection – sounds spanning western swing, early bluegrass, and classic Capitol country – with tracks by Rose Maddox, Red Simpson, The Louvin Brothers, Faron Young, The Farmer Boys, Big Bill Lister, The Milo Twins, Gene O'Quin, Jimmy Bryant & Speedy West, Hank Thompson, Merle Travis, Skeets McDonald, and others! LP, Vinyl record album

Not the first famous Twin Peaks soundtrack – but instead a big collection of all the cool tunes that David Lynch pulled together for the reboot of the series in 2017! Titles include "The World Spins" by Julee Cruise, "Snake Eyes" by Trouble, "My Prayer" by The Platters, "Shadow" by Chromatics, "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MGs, "Wild West (roadhouse mix)" by Leslie, "Out Of Sand" by Eddie Vedder, "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top, "I've Been Loving You Too Long (live)" by Otis Redding, "Lark" by Au Revoir Simone, "Twin Peaks Main Theme (edit)" by Angelo Badalmenti, "Tarifa (roadhouse mix)" by Sharon Van Etten, and "She's Gone Away" by Nine Inch Nails. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Richard Berry, Preston Love And His Band, The Native Boys, The Hollywood Blue Jays, The Victorians, Wynona Carr, The Jet Aces, George Zimmeran, The Thrills, Jesse Belvin, The Starlighters, Billy Stafford, The Five Hollywood Blue Jays, and more - 28 tracks in all. CD

Includes music by Little Julian Herrera, Linda Hayes, the Flames, Syncopates, Wynona Carr & the Turks, Bobby Byrd, Joe Lyons & the Arrows, Johnny Flamingo, and more – 28 tracks total. CD

A really mind-bending collection of African grooves – one that digs deep into the West African scene of the early 70s – and comes up with a massive batch of tunes that really opens up our understanding of the music! The sound here isn't just 70s Afro Funk – as the tunes include a range of tripped-out styles that make the best use of electric instrumentation, psychedelic production, and important influences from American soul artists at the time. There's some amazing guitar on some of the best tracks – ringing out with a sound that's chromatically complex while also being tripped-out and funky – in a way that complicates the rhythms without totally taking them apart. If you've dug the tunes on previous sets like Africa Funk or Ghana Soundz, this is one to take that sound to the next level – and really open up your ears! Titles include "Keleya" by Moussa Doumbia, "Love's A Real Thing" by The Super Eagles, "Minsato Le Mi Dyihome" by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou Dahomey, "Porry" by Sorry Bamba, "Allah Wakbarr" by Ofo & The Black Company, "Sanjina" by Orchestre Regional De Kayes, "Ifa" by Tunji Oyelana & The Benders, and "Zinabu" by Bunzu Sounds. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early chapter in the long legacy of Human League and Heaven 17 – a group of musicians who'd partly go on to form the latter, recently departed from the former – yet still working strongly in the dark, electronic style of the earliest releases from the Sheffield scene! There's plenty of moody analogue sounds going on here – and as a cassette only release back in the day, the whole thing is a key slice of that cold wave underground of the early 80s, even though its members reached later fame – definitely working in territory that's more avant and electronic at times, but with more rhythmic instrumentals as well! Titles include "Music To Kill Your Parents By", "Decline Of The West", "Honeymoon In New York", "A Baby Called Billy", "Wipe The Board Clean", "Uptown Apocalypse", and "The Optimum Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

A key moment in electronic music in the US – the early Detroit experiments of Cybotron! The group were the duo of Juan Atkins and Rick Davis – working in early 80s Detroit, in a sound that would later transform into the more familiar techno groove – but which here is a strange blend of styles that includes bits of Kraftwerk, hip hop, electro, and post-disco club! The overall vibe is pretty spacey – with sci-fi themes that run through most of the tracks, echoed by odd production techniques that repeat the best elements over and over, and maintain a dark, spare style that was clearly the blueprint for midwest house grooves in years to come. And if you've ever been wowed by the darker sounds of Chicago house in the mid 80s, you'll really be stunned by the level of work from these guys – as Cybotron seem to preface just about all the post-industrial themes that would show up later on Trax – but come at things from a very different perspective. And added into the whole uniqueness of the work is the fact that these recordings originally were issued by Fantasy Records – so had a west coast life of their own, on a label that hardly had any other relation to Detroit at the time! The set features a total of 13 tracks that includes a few remixes – and titles include "Clear", "Cosmic Cars (Detroit Style)", "Alleys Of Your Mind", "R-(", "Let's Go", "Techno City", "Industrial Lies", "El Salvador", "Cosmic Raindance", "Cosmic Cars (house mix)", and "R-9 (inst)". CD

An even more amazing record than the previous outing from Petter Eldh and his Koma Saxo ensemble – a set that adds in a bit of vocals from Sofia Jernberg, and really has the group pushing their sound to a whole new level! The music is jazz at the start, but is quickly concerned with all these other sonic possibilities – as Eldh adds in samples and piano next to his own bass, in a lineup that mixes cello, violin, and a range of saxes with some nicely jagged drums – the last of which create rhythms that are unsettling, while the music itself is still tuneful – especially at moments when Kit Downes brings in some piano solos to the work. Titles include "Ostron Accordion", "Kippan Granit", "Koma Rail", "Narhet", "Clos Eko", "Lo Ve Ko Ma", "Croydon Koma", and "Flamman". CD

Bob Mintzer on tenor sax, Alan Pasque on piano, Darek Oles on bass, and Peter Erskine on drums. Includes music and themes from West Side Story, Rosemary's Baby, Cinema Paradiso, The Gay Divorcee, Gone With The Wind, and Dr. Kildare. CD

Wonderful TV soundtrack work from Skip Martin – who's really giving Henry Mancini a run for his money in the crime jazz department! Martin's score for the Mike Hammer show here is totally great – penned with a range of styles that run from swinging to sentimental – all handled by a top-shelf crew of west coast jazz players that includes Ted Nash on flute and alto, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Bud Shank on alto, Don Fagerquist and Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Pete Jolly on piano. Titles include "Bad Guys", "Coffee House", "Like Mike", "Summer Mood", "Corn Pone Woman", and "Riff Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Oscar Peterson takes on two famous scores – back to back on a single CD! West Side Story features music from the famous musical – but handled here by the great Oscar Peterson Trio – in ways that really push the tunes past their Broadway roots! The approach is tight, soulful, and filled with strong lines from Peterson on piano – plus bass by Ray Brown and drums from Ed Thigpen – that classic trio from the early 60s that came together in different ways than Oscar's group of the 50s. The set features an especially nice long take on "Jet Song" – plus versions of "Something's Coming", "Somewhere", "Tonight", "Maria", and "I Feel Pretty". Porgy & Bess is less an interpretation of Porgy & Bess than an extrapolation of its themes – one that lets the Peterson trio recraft the music into their own! Given that the Porgy & Bess theme had been explored heavily by many other jazz albums of the late 50s – due to the release of the film at the time – Peterson clearly knows he's got to take a different approach here, and manages to dissect the tunes in really unique ways – bringing in gentleness where it wasn't before, and finding space for new music between notes that are already familiar. Of course, it helps a lot that he's got Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – as the album's almost a three-pronged melodic attack – with great versions of titles that include "Summertime", "I Got Plenty O Nuttin", "I Wants To Stay Here", "Oh Lawd I'm On My Way", "Bess You Is My Woman Now", and "Bess Oh Where's My Bess". CD

A nicely lean take on the music of West Side Story – done during part of a big late 50s wave of jazz-meets-Broadway albums – and served up by a group who often approached the material better than most! In previous years, Andre Previn could be more of a softer, mood-oriented pianist – but he's at his jazziest here, and works with wonderful dexterity next to the hip drum work of Shelly Manne, and the subtle but powerful bass of Red Mitchell – a player who may well be the real hero of the best trio dates like these! The tunes are familiar, but they're hardly a rehash of the themes – as Previn really takes off on his solos, with plenty of improvised moments – on titles that include "Cool", "Jet Song", "Something's Coming", "Gee Officer Krupke", "Maria", and "Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

A great later jazz set from Toots Thielemans – recorded half in New York and half in LA – as you might guess from the title! The sound is still very much Toots' own, though – no easy nods to styles from either city in earlier years – and despite the fact that the record is on the Private Music label, which could sometimes put out snoozy new age, it's definitely a jazz date through and through – with relatively stripped down small combo instrumentation on all numbers. Players include John Scofield on guitar, Christian Mc Bride and Charlie Haden on bass, Mike Maineri on vibes, Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Lyle Mays on piano, and Peter Erskine on drums – and tracks include "In Walked Bud", "Con Alma", "Groovin High", "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Giant Steps", "Waltz For Debby", "A Child Is Born", and "Take Five". CD

A new album from the great Willie West – an artist we love for his rare vintage New Orleans work of the 60s and 70s – still sounding surprisingly wonderful all these many years later! Willie's vocals have this raspy, honest charm that's totally great – and like Lee Fields during his revival years, West gets superb backing from a small combo of younger players who really appreciate the best roots of the music – tight but unpretentious grooves that feel just like a vintage 45, and suit Willie West to a T! The style is less New Orleans than it is a more righteous, sophisticated version of funky soul – one with some nice dark corners that really raise our opinion of Willie's talents – again with the sort of deeper vibe we love in the recent work by Lee Fields. Titles include "Slow & Easy", "Cold In The Storm", "She's So Wise", "The Devil Gives Me Everything", "Getting Down", and "I'm Aware Of What You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unique compilations we've ever heard – a set that gets at the really unique way that soul music came across on the British scene of the 60s – as American influences were mixed with local interpretations, which themselves drew plenty of influences from related scenes in the West Indies and South Africa at the time! The scope of expression here is hugely different than any American soul collections from the time – and while there's definitely a few Americans in the mix from time to time, they're mostly represented by recordings done in England, amidst a huge amount of artists who never get reissued on our side of the Atlantic! Usually, a set like this would be put together to show that Northern Soul created some upbeat music on the British scene – but with this gem of a collection, the scope is much wider, and really open to the influences that were running through black communities in England during these key post-colonial years. The package has a massive amount of music – 115 tracks in all, with a very cool book-styled package that's got superb notes and plenty of images – to support work by Lorraine Child, Peter Straker, Maxine Nightingale, Cy Grant, Cab Kaye, Dimples & Eddie, Ronnie Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Norma Lee, Jimmy Tomas, Jackie Edwards, Madeline Bell, Oliver Norman, The Fantastics, Root & Jenny Jackson, Ram John Holder, Simon K & The Meantimers, Caleb, The Foundations, The Soul Brothers, Blue Beaters, Seven Letters, Joe's All Stars, Sonny & The Daffodils, Tony Washington & The DCs, Davy Jones, Geoff Love, Ray Ellington, Emile Ford & The Big Six, Millie, Rico, Black Velvet, and many others! CD

A wonderful look at the 60s scene in East LA – filled with cuts from some of the underground groups who made the area one of the hippest hotbeds of music at the time! There's a great blend of soul, R&B, and Latin elements bubbling under in most of these tracks – echoes of east coast modes, but touched with some of the styles that would show up more strongly in later Chicano rock – still at a very early level here. Harmony soul modes get plenty of play – and titles include "Come Swim With Me" by Little Ray, "My Heart Cries" by The Romancers, "Get Your Baby" by The Premiers, "Nau Ninny Nau" by Cannibal & The Headhunters, "Hector (part 1)" by Village Callers, "Rainbow Stomp (part 1)" by The Mixtures, "Please Answer" by The Heartbreakers, "One Like Mine" by The Salas Brothers with The Jaguars, "My Girl" by Phil & Del with The Mixtures, and "Destiny" by Larry Tamblyn. CD

A record that's every bit as groovy as you might guess from the title – served up by one of the most unique combos to record for Colombia's Discos Fuentes in the 70s! Afrosound certainly have plenty of rhythms and sounds that resonate with their contemporaries at the top of the South American scene – but they also use rootsier percussion, and served up a rawer sound too – definitely bringing back some West African modes, after that scene had an earlier influence from the world of Afro-Cuban music! There's some especially cool keyboards that get all weird and distorted – like electric guitar on some Peruvian records – balanced with plenty of live, loud percussion – on titles that include "Banana De Queso", "Baila Felipe", "Negua", "Ponchito De Colores", "Carruseles", "Zaire Pop", "Rapsodia Del Chinito", "Me Voy De La Vida", "Salsa Con Tabaco", and "La Negra Saramuya". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that definitely lives up to its title – as congolero Francisco Aguabella comes on hard, hitting strong throughout – and serving up a wicked blend of Latin, funk, and soul! The mid 70s set is a standout recording from Aguabella – done after he left the group Malo, and one of the best west coast takes on the modes that scene was changing up from New York at the time – really transforming the sound of contemporary Latin with a trans-genre vibe that was easily some of the most revolutionary music of the period. Rhythms are acoustic, but there's a nice dose of electric energy too, thanks to some sweet keyboards. Some cuts have English vocals, others are instrumental – and titles include "Hitting Hard", "I Wanna Know", "Cisco", "Image of a Star" and a nice version of Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from the mid 70s west coast scene – a really overlooked set from vocalist Laura Allen, recorded with a wonderfully breezy, soulful sound! Laura's got a voice that's perfect if you dig singers like Linda Lewis or Maria Muldaur, particularly the former – a bit jazzy at points, but usually focused straight ahead – but with a gentle flow that's completely seductive. Production is nicely laidback – never too studio slick – but the instrumentation's also nice and tight, and Laura plays some cool instruments on the record – a bit of clay drums, zither, and dulcimer – which bring in some folksy touches to her music, especially alongside some of the electricity in the keyboards and guitar. Most songs are originals by Laura – and titles include "Opening Up To You", "Sunny Day", "Stairway", "Promises", "Love Can Be", "Come As You Are", and "Hole In My Bucket". CD also features enough bonus tracks for a full extra album – including "Looking At You", "Sweet Lovemaker", "Looking For The Right One", "Slip & Slide", "Back Door", and "Radio". CD

A long-overview testament to the genius of Miguel Atwood Ferguson – a string player whose work has graced countless other great spiritual jazz projects from the west coast scene, and one who finally gets a chance to showcase his beautiful sense of creation in all its glory! The massively extended set is worth all the room that Miguel has been given – as the package features over three hours of music that flowers with all sorts of emotion, especially joy and hope – with Atwood-Ferguson working with help from friends who include Bennie Maupin and Kamasi Washington on reeds, Jeff Parker on guitar, and a whole host of musicians – including Domi & Beck, Carlos Nino, Thundercat, Jamire Williams, Jamael Dean, and others! There's a majestic quality to the record, but also a very personal tone too – as if Miguel has taken the wide range of his experience over decades on the scene, and woven it into a brilliant sonic poem of his own – served up here on 52 selections that leave us breathless! CD

A long-overview testament to the genius of Miguel Atwood Ferguson – a string player whose work has graced countless other great spiritual jazz projects from the west coast scene, and one who finally gets a chance to showcase his beautiful sense of creation in all its glory! The massively extended set is worth all the room that Miguel has been given – as the package features over three hours of music that flowers with all sorts of emotion, especially joy and hope – with Atwood-Ferguson working with help from friends who include Bennie Maupin and Kamasi Washington on reeds, Jeff Parker on guitar, and a whole host of musicians – including Domi & Beck, Carlos Nino, Thundercat, Jamire Williams, Jamael Dean, and others! There's a majestic quality to the record, but also a very personal tone too – as if Miguel has taken the wide range of his experience over decades on the scene, and woven it into a brilliant sonic poem of his own – served up here on 52 selections that leave us breathless! LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of late 50s albums that Chet Baker recorded for Riverside – all of which are some of his last great 50s work in the studio, before a shift in the 60s to a wider-ranging approach to his music! The style here is definitely in the "classic" Baker mode set down for Pacific Jazz – but a bit more fleshed out by the other players in the set – who seem to push a bit more personality into the tunes, and not just let Chet's trumpet dominate. The sound is soft and gentle – as you'd expect from the title – and other players include Bill Evans, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers, Connie Kay and Philly Joe Jones – all bringing a bit of a New York undercurrent to the west coast Baker solo style. Titles include "How High the Moon", "It Never Entered My Mind", "If You Could See Me Now", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Time On My Hands", and "You And The Night And Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Italian-only album from Chet Baker – wonderfully cooking small group work that's a far bit greater than his more familiar "with strings" session recorded in Italy during the same period! The album's got Chet working with an array of great players from the local scene – including Gianni Basso on tenor sax, Renato Sellani on drums, and Glauco Masetti on alto sax – all in a groove that shows plenty of traces of that opened-up sound that Baker was exploring in the very late 50s – the modes he was crafting in his group with Phil Urso on tenor, as he started to get a bit more bit in his style! Yet there's also a nicely compressed approach going on here too – that west coast sound that was a strong influence on the Italian players of the postwar years, but which was unfolded to new ends in their hands. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Line For Lyons", "Tune Up", "Cheryl Blues", "Indian Summer", and "Pent Up House". LP, Vinyl record album

A sharp-edged session of tremendous trumpet and tenor interplay – served up by the legendary quintet of Gianni Basso and Oscar Valdambrini! The album's got a sound that's as hip as it looks – a great approach to 50s modern jazz, done in a style that's equally influenced by west coast cool and east coast hardbop! Valdambrini's trumpet is beautifully measured throughout – with echoes of both Kenny Dorham and Chet Baker – offset by some deeper grooving on tenor from Basso, who plays with a strength and command that few American players of the time could match. Titles include "Come Out Wherever You Are", "Lo Struzzo Oscar", "Lotar", "Gone With The Wind", "Parlami D'Amore Mariu", and "Fan Tan". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". CD

A Caribbean group, but one with a much heavier groove than most – much more of a West African vibe overall, with a very heady mix of percussion, bass, and other heady elements! There's a mixed-up, dubby approach to the music that almost recalls Cymande at times – core musical ideas taken nicely far from their roots – not in a way to make them more commercial, but just to shake things up, recombine then, and come up with a sound that's wonderfully unique! The whole thing is every bit as funky as you might expect, and really criss-crosses scenes and styles with a blend of percussion, guitars, flute, kalimba, keyboards, and Arp. The production is great – nice and moody, with just the right current of echo – and all titles were penned by lead singer Oluko Imo, with tracks that include "Ifetayo", "You People", "Saved Musician", "Kilimanjaro", "Aspire", and "Umbala". This edition also features the bonus track "Imo". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from this funky Finnish combo – a group who celebrate a strong decade in music with this really wonderful set! The Blassics bring in all the right sort of influences from African funk of years back, especially Ethiopian music – and they spin out tracks that are often nice and long, and which feature some tremendous jazzy solos from the horn section – players stepping out from the ensemble for individual expressions, and not just vamping with the rhythms! The rest of the instrumentation is great too – well-crafted, and shaded with all sorts of tones that really deepen the music in personal ways, and don't just echo styles of the past. Titles include "Afrohustler", "Special Occasion", "Ruff Strut", "West Side Glory", "Swazi Funk", "Yeketema Set", and "Hagerun Geleba". 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 pair of classic albums, served up here in a single set! First up is the sound of Angola, circa 1972 – served up here in a beautiful album of songs from Bonga! The music is relatively spare – mostly just lead acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter of which is played by Bonga himself, almost always with this lively quality that really matches his vocals – which themselves are filled with all these fantastic inflections that almost remind us of salsa singers of the time – no surprise, given how much Latin music styles were hitting the scene in West Africa during the 60s and 70s. But the style here is very different, too – as Bonga's richly expressive in the way he uses his voice – almost more folkloric, given the acoustic guitar instrumentation – yet surprisingly powerful too, despite the spareness. Titles include "Ku Tando", "Balumukeno", "Uengi Dia Ngola", "Paxi Ni Ngongo", "Muimbo Ua Sabalu", and "Muadikime". Angola 74 is a beautifully sophisticated setting for the voice of Bonga – as he works here with lively small group backings, and a bit of larger orchestrations as well! There's this fantastic blend of folk roots and modernism in the music – maybe a bit like some of the more experimental work from Havana at the time, but a bit like some Brazilian projects too – as the enigmatic vocal inflections of the leader mix with his own percussion – all given nice shadings in color by acoustic guitar. Titles include "Venda Poro", "Kubangela", "Ma Kongo", "Kinga Kueta", "Ghinawa", "Roots", and "Marika". CD

A pair of classic albums, served up here in a single set! First up is the sound of Angola, circa 1972 – served up here in a beautiful album of songs from Bonga! The music is relatively spare – mostly just lead acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter of which is played by Bonga himself, almost always with this lively quality that really matches his vocals – which themselves are filled with all these fantastic inflections that almost remind us of salsa singers of the time – no surprise, given how much Latin music styles were hitting the scene in West Africa during the 60s and 70s. But the style here is very different, too – as Bonga's richly expressive in the way he uses his voice – almost more folkloric, given the acoustic guitar instrumentation – yet surprisingly powerful too, despite the spareness. Titles include "Ku Tando", "Balumukeno", "Uengi Dia Ngola", "Paxi Ni Ngongo", "Muimbo Ua Sabalu", and "Muadikime". Angola 74 is a beautifully sophisticated setting for the voice of Bonga – as he works here with lively small group backings, and a bit of larger orchestrations as well! There's this fantastic blend of folk roots and modernism in the music – maybe a bit like some of the more experimental work from Havana at the time, but a bit like some Brazilian projects too – as the enigmatic vocal inflections of the leader mix with his own percussion – all given nice shadings in color by acoustic guitar. Titles include "Venda Poro", "Kubangela", "Ma Kongo", "Kinga Kueta", "Ghinawa", "Roots", and "Marika". LP, Vinyl record album

The long lost Charizma tapes are unearthed and see the light of day! We're real suckers around here for the salad days of the early 90s, before "underground" became a tag line for savvy promoters and music industry folks, and just meant an emcee straight spitting creative rhymes over tight, spare beats, which is exactly what you'll find here. We're not entirely certain all these tracks were set to be released on the Hollywood Basic album that never saw the light of day, but we are certain they're all dope, and a lost, but very necessary, piece of the West Coast puzzle. Includes "Here's A Smirk", "Methods", "Jack The Mack", "Talk About A Girl", "Tell You Something", "Gatha Round", "Devotion", "My World Premiere", "Ice Cream Truck", "Fair Weathered Friend" and "Soon To Be Large". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little session that's one of Nat's last great vocal albums – thanks to some solid jazz backing by George Shearing. Shearing's group here is a super-hip west coast Latin one, with Emil Richards on vibes, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Al McKibbon on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. Most tracks have them augmented by some larger backings by Ralph Carmichael – which creates this dreamy jazzy pillow for Nat to sing over. Cole's voice is still super-sweet and super-sexy, and the record is a good mix of ballads and more jazzy material. Titles include "Lost April", "Azure-Te", "September Song", "Don't Go", "There's A Lull In My Life", and "Serenata". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sonny Criss' classic albums for Imperial – a brilliant batch of LA bop from the 50s, with an impeccable sound throughout! Criss had a tone like nobody else on the alto – and here, he's at the height of his early powers – neither blowing too hard, nor going for boppish tricks – and instead settling into an amazing groove with a sense of power, confidence, and extreme "rightness" as to his choice of notes! The album's right on the money throughout – exactly the kind of set that lives up to our lifetime devotion to Sonny's music – and the whole thing's great, with tracks that include "West Coast Blues", "Criss Cross", "Ham's Blues", and "Blue Friday". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic first album by one of the most unique funk groups of all time! A key part of the crumbling British colonial network that produced some excellent music in the postwar years, Cymande was comprised mostly of West Indians who'd emigrated to England in the 60s, eventually meeting up under a shared musical vision – a completely new blend of funk, dub, jazz, and soul that was unlike anything else that had been recorded before, save for the work of a few other Brit groups of a similar nature. This first album's one of their greatest – and it's a refreshing batch of tunes that mix together heavy basslines, laidback drumming, and a righteous soul vocal style that's got a bit of a stoner touch. The album includes the group's massive cut "The Message", a bit of a minor hit when it was released (and later sampled quite famously) – plus the funky classics "Dove", "Zion I", "Listen", "Bra", and "Rickshaw". Pick this up, and sample one of the 70's most unique funk groups! LP, Vinyl record album

Raw funky blues from the Cleveland scene – unreleased recordings from the obscure singer Fred Davis, who hardly ever set his music to wax back in the day! The album's got a gritty blend of blues inflections and soulful expressions – similar to some of the hippest west side work from Chicago around the same time, but maybe even grittier and more stripped down – as the whole thing wasn't done by a bigger, professional label! Titles include "Express Train", "Midnight Is Falling", "Euclid Avenue", "Five Long Years", "Piano Boogie", "Time When You Say You Love Me", "Express Train", and "Wine Hop". LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of work from a singer who's finally getting his due – Louisiana legend Jimmy Donley, an artist whose career was as short-lived as his time on the planet – but who worked during the early 60s in a wonderful blend of soul, R&B, and rough-edged rock! The package is amazing – and a much-needed look at this artist who burned incredibly brightly for a few short years, before taking his own life in the mid 60s. Jimmy's a hell of a singer, and a damn great songwriter too – and according to the notes, most of the tunes on the set originated with him, but were sold quickly to others to earn cash – a fact that hardly keeps the music from being a great representation of Donley's genius. There's definitely some echoes of New Orleans soul in the recordings, but given that many of the sessions were handled by Huey P Meux, there's also a west Louisiana vibe, too – with almost some grittier east Texas elements as well. The sound is quite unique – and uniquely breathtaking in this scope – a 2CD set that features 20 songs issued on singles for the Tear Drop label – plus another 36 tracks as demos, duets, and other rare material! Titles include "A Woman's Gotta Have Her Way", "Think It Over", "Strange Strange Feeling", "Love Bug", "Baby Ain't That Love", "Just A Game", "Santa Don't Pass Me By", "Baby Heaven Sent Me You", "Loving Cajun Style", "Forever Lillie May", "I Still Care", "It's Time To Say Goodbye", and "I'll Keep On Movin". CD

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem – and as usual, the full tale of the group, the movie, and the music is told at length in the accompanying 16 page booklet! Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", "Theme From Brotherman", "No Place To Run", and "We Can Work It Out". CD

A seminal set from the Sunset Strip scene of the 60s – and just the kind of record that shows why the changes taking place in Cali were so important to the growth of so much other music at the time! A few years before, and The Grass Roots would have been a pop folk combo re-tuning traditional tracks for the coffeehouse scene – but here they're taking off with some post-folk modes that are partly sunshine pop, partly the headier currents that were the darker side of the west coast – all put together with superb production by PF Sloan and Steve Barri – who also penned some of the best tunes on the record. Titles include the great "Where Were You When I Needed You" – plus "Only When You're Lonely", "Look Out Girl", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "I've Got No More To Say", "I Am A Rock", "Tell Me", and "Mr Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever documents of the young genius of tenorist Wardell Gray – exactly the kind of music that shows why he was one of the biggest and best of the bop saxophonists – before he was taken away from us all too soon! The material here was originally issued on 78s or 45s, and comes together as a great full length representation of Gray at his best – and on this first volume, Wardell plays tenor in one group with Al Haig on piano and Roy Haynes on drums – on titles that include "Easy Living", "Twisted", and "Southside". Another combo features Phil Hill on piano – on "Treadin", "Grayhound", and "Blue Gray". And the last combo is Teddy Charles' West Coasters – with Charles on vibes, Frank Morgan on alto, and Sonny Clark on piano – the last two of whom make their debut on the record! CD