One of the coolest projects we've ever heard from the mighty Dave Lee – and that's saying a lot, given all the excellent records he's given us under the name of Joey Negro, Sunburst Orchestra, and other related projects! Here, Dave mixes his keen ear for funky club with some of the great cop/crime grooves of the mid 70s – particularly the kind of work that might have backed police programs on the small screen, almost as if Lee is channeling the classic work of Rhythm Heritage for SWAT, then taking things in a whole new direction! The "symphony" in the group's name is very well put, as there's soaring strings on many numbers – an even fuller feel than on some of Dave's other projects, but with equally tight grooves at the core. Part 2 includes "The Philly Avengers", "AC Express", "The Mystery, The Moment", "It's Got To Be Love", "Music For Your Pleasure" and "Losing My Mind At The Disco". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest projects we've ever heard from the mighty Dave Lee – and that's saying a lot, given all the excellent records he's given us under the name of Joey Negro, Sunburst Orchestra, and other related projects! Here, Dave mixes his keen ear for funky club with some of the great cop/crime grooves of the mid 70s – particularly the kind of work that might have backed police programs on the small screen, almost as if Lee is channeling the classic work of Rhythm Heritage for SWAT, then taking things in a whole new direction! The "symphony" in the group's name is very well put, as there's soaring strings on many numbers – an even fuller feel than on some of Dave's other projects, but with equally tight grooves at the core. Titles include "Six Billion Dollar Man", "Philly Avengers", "Windy City Theme", "The Mystery The Moment", "Tradewinds", "Losing My Mind At The Disco", "K-Jee", "The Talented Mr Adams", and "It's Got To Be Love". CD

One of the coolest projects we've ever heard from the mighty Dave Lee – and that's saying a lot, given all the excellent records he's given us under the name of Joey Negro, Sunburst Orchestra, and other related projects! Here, Dave mixes his keen ear for funky club with some of the great cop/crime grooves of the mid 70s – particularly the kind of work that might have backed police programs on the small screen, almost as if Lee is channeling the classic work of Rhythm Heritage for SWAT, then taking things in a whole new direction! The "symphony" in the group's name is very well put, as there's soaring strings on many numbers – an even fuller feel than on some of Dave's other projects, but with equally tight grooves at the core. Part 1 includes "Windy City Theme", "Tradewinds", "Six Billion Dollar Man", "Seneca Village" and "Metamorphosis". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Fats Waller and His Buddies, Luis Russell And His Orchestra, Walter Pichon, Henry Allen And His Orchestra, Billy Banks And His Orchestra, Spike Hughes And His Negro Orchestra, Horace Henderson And His Orchestra, Benny Morton And His Orchestra, and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. CD

One of the most obscure salsa albums to come out of the Colombian scene in the 70s – a set that features top-shelf instrumentation from members of Fruko's combo, and vocals from singer Jacky Carazo! Jacky's got a great approach that almost seems to echo the Latin soul generation at times, but with vocals that are all in Spanish – and which are really well-suited to the soaring grooves of the group – who deliver some especially tight horns over the well-crafted piano, bass, and percussion at the core! The record's got all the charms of the best Fania work of the time, but a nicely different vibe too – in part because of the wider sense of rhythm on the Colombian scene. Titles include "El Despertar", "Alma", "Mi Canto", "El Negro Bembon", "Donde Sta Donde Sta", "Mi Cumbia", and "El Baile Del Raton". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from Don Cherry – a previously unreleased live date from the 60s, but every bit as great as any of his better-known records from the decade! The sound here is really amazing – a hip blend of Cherry's trumpet with tenor from Gato Barbieri and vibes from Karl Berger – working here in a piano-less setting that has all three players snaking together beautifully as the tunes unfold – freed up a bit to explore some really bold new territory, yet always held together with the same sense of inherent rhythm you'd find on Cherry's Blue Note albums from the late 60s. Rhythm is by Bo Stief on bass and Aldo Romano on drums – both players who really help the tunes take on some great structures – especially during the group's extended take on "Orfeo Negro", a number taken in very similar ways to Archie Shepp's Fire Music version of "Girl From Ipanema"! Other numbers are great too – and include "Elephantasy", "Spring Is Here", "Suite For Albert Ayler", and "Complete Communion", done in a 22 minute take. CD

Hugo's covering all bases here – as he makes his way through a number of late 60s Morricone spaghetti western themes, all done with his groovier than usual twist on the material! The Montenegro touches here include some augmented rhythms – snapping the tunes along with a much modder feel at times than the original – plus a nice use of electric bass at the bottom, and some sunshine-drenched vocal passages have some great harmonies! Titles include "The Vice Of Killing", "For A Few Dollars More", "Story Of A Soldier", "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly", "The Ecstasy Of Gold", "Sixty Seconds To What?", and "March With Hope". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 70s funk from Hugo Montenegro – an artist who really developed a great ear for electric styles by this point in his career! The album's very heavy on Arp – and includes variations on the instrument in many formats – all set to funky jazz arrangements that follow from Hugo's previous Stevie Wonder album – and like that one, offer up his own take on 70s soul! The Arp-y keyboards show up on nearly every track – adding in so many wonderful electronic elements – alongside warmer winds from Don Menza and Ernie Watts, and smooth grooves from a rhythm combo that includes Larry Carlton on guitar and Hal Blaine on drums. Titles include a great cover of Stevie Wonder's "Creepin", plus cuts by "other brothers", like "Feel Like Makin' Love", "What's Goin' On", and "Nothing From Nothing" – as well as the great original "Noah's Arp"! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic explosion of funk, soul, and club – put together at a level that may well even top the first Supafunkanova collection! As before, the cuts here are all super-rare and obscure – but all kick heavy ass when it comes to tight rhythms and catchy clubby grooves – never straight disco or mainstream boogie – but borrowing plenty from the mainstream to turn out cuts with a really raw, underground vibe! There's a slight touch of hip hop in the mix – more that old school skating mode – and the whole thing definitely shows Joey's decades in cutting great cuts for the dancefloor – and his big love of the best groups from the hinterlands. 2LP set features the titles "Drive Me Insane" by Airplay, "Betcha Got A Dude On The Side" by Star Quality & Class, "Cool Out" by Magnum Force, "Spunk In The Funk" by Blue Denim Band, "Walk" by Sam Culley Band, "Sound Reason (Joey Negro edit)" by Splash, "Making Love Will Keep You Fit" by Brenda Harris, "Let's Get High" by Nice & Tight Band, "Easton Assassin" by Sunburst Band, and "Super Stimulus" by Stimulus. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful collection of work from Langston Hughes – material pulled from a handful of albums recorded for the Folkway labels in the 50s, all of which are pretty darn great and long out of print! Hughes' writings are well known – part of a rich tradition of African-American expression in the 20th Century – but his readings of his own work are equally great – performed at a level that really illuminates the text, and balances them with all the right stress and meaning that can sometimes be overlooked given the simple nature of his language. Most of the sides here feature Hughes alone, reading his work – but a few also feature bits of music too – touches of jazz or gospel that further set the scene, and point to Langston's later experiments with Charles Mingus. Titles include "Breath Of A Spiritual", "Homesick Blues", "The Weary Blues", "I Too", "The Negro Speaks Of Rivers", "Simple Prays A Prayer", "Rhythms Of The World", "The Struggle", "Youth", and "Mother to Son". CD

Music from Augie Colon, Miguelito Valdes & His Orchestra With Machito & His Cubans, Xavier Cugat featuring Lina Romay, Yma Sumac, Hugo Montenegro, Perez Prado, the John Buzon Trio, Lenny Dee, Orizaba & His Orchestra, Richard Hayman, Sir Julian, Belmonte & His Afro-American Music, and Duke Ellington. 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

One of two incredible albums from the lovely Ana Mazzotti – a 70s Brazilian singer who could effortlessly blend fusion and soul, Brazilian rhythms and funk – working here with plenty of help from Jose Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth! In fact, the record has a vibe that's a lot like the best early Azymuth music, although with vocals – hip rhythms, unusual inflections, and a great electrified version of older Brazilian styles – all topped by the warm, wonderful vocals of Mazzotti! The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include an amazing version of "Sou", a vocal take on the Azymuth tune "Agora Ou Nunca Mais", and the cuts "Em Acalanto", "Eta Samba Bom", "Bairro Negro", and the funky classic "Roda Mundo". Great great great! CD

Bossa jazz from 60s Japan – a set recorded right around the same time that Verve first started hitting bossa grooves in the US! The sound here is sharper than a Verve bossa album, though – with some of the same hardbop inflections you'd hear on other Hideo Shiraki albums from the time – thanks to flute and tenor from Sleepy Matsumoto, and trumpet from Hisaya Omata. The tenor and trumpet come together with almost a Blue Note-styled sort of sound – but the bossa vibe is still nicely maintained in some of the looser percussion touches in the rhythms – a great blend that makes the album a real standout in the Japanese jazz scene of the 60s! Titles include "Sayonara Blues", "Gypsy Blue", "Deux Step", "Groovy Samba", "Orfeo Negro", and "Tico Tico". CD

One of two incredible albums from the lovely Ana Mazzotti – a 70s Brazilian singer who could effortlessly blend fusion and soul, Brazilian rhythms and funk – working here with plenty of help from Jose Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth! In fact, the record has a vibe that's a lot like the best early Azymuth music, although with vocals – hip rhythms, unusual inflections, and a great electrified version of older Brazilian styles – all topped by the warm, wonderful vocals of Mazzotti! The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include an amazing version of "Sou", a vocal take on the Azymuth tune "Agora Ou Nunca Mais", and the cuts "Em Acalanto", "Eta Samba Bom", "Bairro Negro", and the funky classic "Roda Mundo". Great great great! LP, Vinyl record album

Warm soul and jazz-funk steeped grooves from Glenn Underground – a Chicago house mainstay who's really crafted an excellent set here – one that pays tribute to some of the best dancefloor soul and club funk of past decades, with a timeless groove of its own! Glenn keeps the bass and the beats danceable, underneath 70s soul jazz inspired keys, Afro funk rhythms, and spacey club grooves galore. Very nice work! 8 tracks, mostly running to around the 9 minute mark, stretching out the groove nicely! Titles include "Negro Muzic", "Abstract", "Shake It", "Prelude", "Seven Minutes Of Funk", "What Glenn Thinks", "Blazed" and "Thought Of Groove". CD

A time-spanning compilation that mixes old and new disco tunes alike! The set begins with the more cosmic sound of 70s club – longer tracks with a strong keyboard groove and really expanded rhythms – and it links those cuts up with more modern ones that still hold onto the soul of the classics, while also stretching forth towards newer sounds. All this makes for a really great set – a timeless blend of tunes that really fit well together, presented in unmixed format for a super-long package of tracks! Titles include "Over & Over" by Sylvester, "Everybody Get Dancin" by The Bombers, "Reckless Girl" by The Beginerz, "Bad Habit (demo)" by ATFC presents Onephatdeeva, "I Feel Love (1977 original)" by Donna Summer, "Do What You Wanna Do" by T Connection, "I Will Follow You (full intention club)" by Una Mas, "There But For The Grace Of God Go I" by Machine, "Keep On Jumpin" by Musique, "You Can't Hide From Your Bud" by DJ Sneak, "Music Makes Me Happy (ATFC vocal)" by Tomy or Zox, "Dangerous Vibes (Spen & Kamizra deepah dub)" by Ferry Ultra with Roy Ayers, "Let's Get Horny" by Hi Voltage, "Too Much Love (Axwell voc)" by Michelle Wilson, and "Love Is Freedom" by Joey Negro vs Secret Sounds. 26 tracks in all. CD

Ashford & Simpson may have gotten their start at Motown, but they really found their groove at Warner Brothers – as you'll hear on this massive collection of tracks from their landmark late 70s years at the label! Even many decades later, the strength of this music is undeniable – a careful blend of soulful roots and upbeat rhythms – yet all in ways that never fall into standard disco cliches of the period! The Ashford & Simpson groove is a really unique one – always deeply soulful, even when well polished, and carefully put together with some of the best studio elements the pair could get their hands on – then produced to perfection with a sparkling sound that's years ahead of its time. This 2CD set offers up a full disc of 70s originals that includes some rare 12" mixes from back in the day – and it also includes a second CD of contemporary remixes that really pay tribute to the classics – the sort of modern re-edits and mixes that always keep the original sounds, styles, and rhythms intact. CD 1 features 14 tracks that include "Over & Over (12" disco mix)", "Have You Ever Tried It", "One More Try (12" disco mix)", "Send It", "Top Of The Stairs", "Don't Cost You Nothing (12" disco mix)", "It Seems To Hang On (12" disco mix)", "Found A Cure (12" disco mix)", "Bourgie Bourgie", and "Love Don't Make It Right (12" disco mix)". CD 2 features 9 tracks that include "Stay Free (Dim's club mix)", "Found A Cure (Tom Moulton mix)", "It Seems To Hang On (Tommy Musto re-touch)", "Bourgie Bourgie (Joe Claussell's classic rmx)", "One More Try (Dimitri re-edit)", and "Love Don't Make It Right (Joey Negro mix)". CD

Bossa jazz from 60s Japan – a set recorded right around the same time that Verve first started hitting bossa grooves in the US! The sound here is sharper than a Verve bossa album, though – with some of the same hardbop inflections you'd hear on other Hideo Shiraki albums from the time – thanks to flute and tenor from Sleepy Matsumoto, and trumpet from Hisaya Omata. The tenor and trumpet come together with almost a Blue Note-styled sort of sound – but the bossa vibe is still nicely maintained in some of the looser percussion touches in the rhythms – a great blend that makes the album a real standout in the Japanese jazz scene of the 60s! Titles include "Sayonara Blues", "Gypsy Blue", "Deux Step", "Groovy Samba", "Orfeo Negro", and "Tico Tico". LP, Vinyl record album

Not just jazz travels, but Brazilian, funk, and soul as well – all pulled together by Oli Stewart (Casbah 73) into one of the hippest compilations we've heard in years! Before making his own music, Oli spent more than a decade travelling the globe on record-buying trips – not just the US, but Brazil, Brussels, and many points global – all in search of an unheard snippet of funky soul or jazzy groove! This incredible little set brings together a dozen nuggets from those key crate-digging years – a good deal of which have never been reissued before, and especially not in such fantastic company. The overall vibe is warm, jazz-influenced, and filled with great keyboards, vocals, and rhythms that run from bossa-influenced to European modal, with plenty of American touches in between! Titles include "Silly Savage" by Adam Ross Reeds, "Don't Kill Your Fantasy" by Chinchilla, "Enfa" by Gerardo Batiz, "David" by Celia, "Cross Country" by Archie Whitewater, "Right Now" by Salena Jones, "Consolacao" by Luiz Eca, "Tornei A Caminhar" by Sebastiao Tabajos & Pedro Dos Santos, "Snowflake" by Ronnie April's Positive Energy, "Tocata" by Fernando Tordo, "Just Say Goodbye" by Esther Phillips, and "Negro En Sol Menor" by Daniel Lencina & Candombes De Van Guardia. CD