One of the sweetest little jazz funk albums of the early 70s – and a masterful blend of vibes, guitar, and organ from this legendary Indianapolis combo! The group are probably best known for their backing work behind Grant Green on some of his funky Blue Note sides – or for vibes player Billy Wooten, who leads the group, and has had a huge influence on his own these days – but even if you've never heard of them, the record will grab you right away – as it's got a sinister funky groove that few other groups could hope to match! There's a really unique blend of vibes, guitar, and organ going on here – and although the record does have a bit of vocals, the main focus here is on the instrumentation – which jams together in ways that are unlike most other funk combos of the time, including a good number of the group's contemporaries at Westbound! Sweet original tracks include "Monkey Hips 'n Rice", "Looking Through The Windows", and "Dark Clouds Risin", plus a stellar cover of "Slippin' Into Darkness". CD

A lost bit of funky vibes and Fender Rhodes – one of those few records that's as sublime as it is rare – like work by Billy Wooten or Lyman Woodard! The Bobby Hamilton Quintet were an obscure combo from upstate New York – but they've lived on in our hearts (and ears!) with this rare gem from the 70s – a killer set that features Bobby on Rhodes, vocals, and percussion; Mike Gipson (aka Brother Fundi) on vibes, percussion, and electronics; and additional trumpet, tenor, and percussion – used to just the right effect in these totally great arrangements. Most of the tunes on the album are instrumentals – with a very cool, ultra-hip soul jazz approach that's somewhere between the very early Polydor work of Roy Ayers, and the funky electric grooves of the Nineteenth Whole – and the tracks are long, and have a really deep, soulful feel! Titles include "Pearl", "Priscilla", "In The Mouth Of The Beast", "Roll Your Own", and "Dream Queen". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost bit of funky vibes and Fender Rhodes – one of those few records that's as sublime as it is rare – like work by Billy Wooten or Lyman Woodard! The Bobby Hamilton Quintet were an obscure combo from upstate New York – but they've lived on in our hearts (and ears!) with this rare gem from the 70s – a killer set that features Bobby on Rhodes, vocals, and percussion; Mike Gipson (aka Brother Fundi) on vibes, percussion, and electronics; and additional trumpet, tenor, and percussion – used to just the right effect in these totally great arrangements. Most of the tunes on the album are instrumentals – with a very cool, ultra-hip soul jazz approach that's somewhere between the very early Polydor work of Roy Ayers, and the funky electric grooves of the Nineteenth Whole – and the tracks are long, and have a really deep, soulful feel! Titles include "Pearl", "Priscilla", "In The Mouth Of The Beast", "Roll Your Own", and "Dream Queen". CD

An excellent lost bit of funky soul! The Turner Brothers were an obscure Indianapolis combo who played hard funky instrumental grooves – similar to hometown contemporaries like the Nineteenth Whole or Funk Inc – and they mixed up tight ensemble playing with good jazzy soloing on sax, keyboards, and guitars. They also sang pretty well, too – and different members of the group take over lead vocals on about half of the tracks on this debut release by the band. The style of singing ranges from sweet to deep, but it's pretty good overall, and is always a great match for the style of instrumentation used on each track. Highlights include the killer drum breakbeat at the beginning of "Sweetest Thing In The World", the spacey keyboards of "Sound Of The Taurus", the tight ensemble grooves of "Running In The Rain", and the strident soulful feel of "Cause I Love You". Very nice – and one that we never see on the original vinyl! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare live performance from the legendary Lyman Woodard Organization – captured here at the height of their powers in the 70s! The Organization has a really unique approach to their groove – one that starts in jazz, but moves quickly into funk – with a spirit that you'd find in other 70s groups like Funk Inc or The Nineteenth Whole – both of which have the same soulful local spirit as Lyman's mighty group! Woodard himself is a wonderful organist – playing with these freewheeling lines that open the Hammond up strongly way past the Jimmy Smith generation, with a groove that's often soaring, but still tightly rhythmic too – a hypnotic vamp that's perfect for jamming tracks like these. Other group members are great too – and include Ron English on guitar, Norma Bell on alto sax, Lorenzo Brown on percussion, and Sundiata on congas – a very hip lineup that makes things really cook on the set! The recording was originally done for radio, and there's a few announcer bits – but that professional setting also makes the album sound way better than just a dodgy ol' local tape might. Titles include "Organ Interlude", "Kimba", "On Your Mind", "Last Tango In Paris", "You Make Me Feel Brand New", and "Cheeba". CD

An excellent lost bit of funky soul! The Turner Brothers were an obscure Indianapolis combo who played hard funky instrumental grooves – similar to hometown contemporaries like the Nineteenth Whole or Funk Inc – and they mixed up tight ensemble playing with good jazzy soloing on sax, keyboards, and guitars. They also sang pretty well, too – and different members of the group take over lead vocals on about half of the tracks on this debut release by the band. The style of singing ranges from sweet to deep, but it's pretty good overall, and is always a good match for the style of instrumentation used on each track. Highlights include the killer drum breakbeat at the beginning of "Sweetest Thing In The World", the spacey keyboards of "Sound Of The Taurus", the tight ensemble grooves of "Running In The Rain", and the strident soulful feel of "Cause I Love You". CD