Key club cuts from the second generation of the industrial scene – that 80s moment when the music moved from the noisy, experimental territory of the Throbbing Gristle underground to a more mainstream world where the previous sonic breakthroughs were mixed with beats and lyrics to create some surprisingly danceable tracks! Here in Chicago, we had Wax Trax to thank us for introducing us to lots of this music – but on the other side of the Atlantic, some of these groups were getting plenty of play both on radio and in nite spots – using darker beats and basslines to surprisingly great effect. The package is maybe worth it alone for "Yon Yonson" by the Dave Howard Singers – a cut we thought nobody in the world remembered – and the 3CD package features 44 titles in all, with work from Attrition, Meat Beat Manifesto, A:Grumh, Lead Into Gold, Nocturnal Emissions, Test Dept, SPK, Front 242, Renegade Soundwave, Severed Heads, Age Of Chance, Laibach, Neon Judgement, The Weathermen, Section 25, Die Krupps, MAD, Legendary Pink Dots, Son Of Sam, Esplendor Geometrico, Hunting Lodge, Borghesia, Alein Sex Fiend, and others! CD

An assortment of tracks recorded together under the Downbeat name, but which was really designed to showcase the budding jazz talents on late 50s Dot Records! The set kicks off with a big band, Basie-ish number – "Blues Over Easy", performed by Manny Alban and jazz greats that include Nick Travis, Gene Quill, and Jerome Richardson. Next up is the Tony Scott quintet with Jimmy Knepper – on a version of "Scrapple From The Apple" – followed by 2 tracks by Steve Allen – one trio, one with a quartet with Georgie Auld – "Rose Room" and "The Fast Thing In C". Paul Horn follows up with "Give Me The Simple Life" – and the set's completed by "Dougy's Buggy" performed by the Don Elliott Quintet, with Elliott on trumpet and vibes, plus bass clarinet by Hal McKusick. CD

Mad sounds from the late 60s world of Japanese pop – a mindblowing, ear-opening batch of singles we never would have gotten our hands on otherwise! The music here feels like sounds coming out of some backroom jukebox in a Nikkatsu "new action" film – or maybe the kind of offbeat pop that Quentin Tarantino might throw into a soundtrack – but there's also a much deeper range of sounds going on than you might expect, with wonderfully clever instrumentation, and lots of surprisingly heartfelt passages in the vocals! And sure, the language might be a barrier – but there's a really universal sense of appeal to this music – a variant of 60s soul and pop, focused through a different sort of lense – and the instrumentation alone is great – with wicked guitars, Hammond, and other garagey touches! As usual with Ace, the whole thing's supported with nicely detailed notes that tell the whole story behind these wonderful lost gems (we like this one even better than the fab first volume) – and titles include "Namida No Go Go" by Emy Jackson & Blue Comets, "Koi Gurui" by Chiyo Okumura, "Tokyo No Hito" by The Peanuts, "Warui Kuse" by Kazumi Yasui, "Boy & Girl" by Akiko Wada, "Namida No Mori No Monogatari" by Akiko Nakamura, "Saike Na Machi" by Reiko Mari, "Bazazz No 1" by Kayoko Ishuu, and "Furi Furi 5" by Linda Yamamoto. CD

Mad sounds from the late 60s world of Japanese pop – a mindblowing, ear-opening batch of singles we never would have gotten our hands on otherwise! The music here feels like sounds coming out of some backroom jukebox in a Nikkatsu "new action" film – or maybe the kind of offbeat pop that Quentin Tarantino might throw into a soundtrack – but there's also a much deeper range of sounds going on than you might expect, with wonderfully clever instrumentation, and lots of surprisingly heartfelt passages in the vocals! And sure, the language might be a barrier – but there's a really universal sense of appeal to this music – a variant of 60s soul and pop, focused through a different sort of lense – and the instrumentation alone is great – with wicked guitars, Hammond, and other garagey touches! As usual with Ace, the whole thing's supported with nicely detailed notes that tell the whole story behind these wonderful lost gems (we like this one even better than the fab first volume) – and titles include "Namida No Go Go" by Emy Jackson & Blue Comets, "Koi Gurui" by Chiyo Okumura, "Tokyo No Hito" by The Peanuts, "Warui Kuse" by Kazumi Yasui, "Boy & Girl" by Akiko Wada, "Namida No Mori No Monogatari" by Akiko Nakamura, "Saike Na Machi" by Reiko Mari, "Bazazz No 1" by Kayoko Ishuu, and "Furi Furi 5" by Linda Yamamoto. LP, Vinyl record album

A batch of rare Northern Soul – featuring a whole bunch of numbers we've never seen before – floor shaking numbers by solo singers & groups such asJesse Davis, Jimmy Holiday, Brenton Wood, The Hytones, The Gypsies, The Tiaras and many more! You probably don't need us to tell you that Kent Records UK has been digging deep for the mightiest and most sought after Northern Soul singles they could find for their impeccable series of compilations – and they go above and beyond once again with this one. Great stuff with solid notes and put together with care and affection! 24 tracks in all: "Hang On In There Girl (Inst)" by The Jesse Davis Band, "Try My Love" by Troy Dodds, "Black Mother Goose" by Sam Nesbit, "Queen Of Losers" by Eleanor Rigby, "Hook, Line And Sinker" by San Greer, "Deeper" by The Cheques, "There's Room For Me" by Jesse Davis, "Just A Fool" by Jerry Ganey and more. CD

Sitar madness galore – and another fantastic entry in the Sitar Beat series – low on packaging, but heavy on exotic grooves! This volume may be one of the coolest in the run so far – as it's got 5 tracks that really go past the obvious – and offer up some great unusual variations on the grooviest sound of Bollywood in the old days! There's a bit of electronics on some of these tunes, making for an especially great sound – and titles include "Disco Cammata (edit)" by Kalyanji Anandji, "Pyar Karnewale (edit)" by RD Burman, "YOGA (edit)" by Kalyanji Anandji, "The Burning Train Theme (edit)" by RD Burman, and "Disco 82" by an unknown artist! LP, Vinyl record album

One of John Barry's first true moments of genius – recorded back when he was the leader of a fab little instrumental combo called the John Barry 7, and was tagged to do some soundtrack work that would forever change the rest of his career! The album's got some incredible instrumental tunes that mix electric guitar and beatnik jazz in a mode that's keeping with the juvenile delinquent theme of the film – with some strings sneaking in to cheese things up a bit, but in a great way that only makes the tunes sound even better! Adam Faith sings vocals on "The Beat Girl Song", "Made You", and "I Did What You Told Me" – and other tunes include "Blues For Beatnicks", "Blondie's Strip", "Beat Girl", "Time Out", "The Sharks", and "The City 2000 AD". This El UK edition includes bonus tracks by Gillian Hills, The John Barry Sound and Adam Faith. CD

A completely righteous mix of jazz and African percussion – put together by drummer Art Blakey at a time when he was riding high with the Jazz Messengers, but also was willing to work on great experiments like this! The album's years ahead of its time – and arguably opens the door for countless spiritual jazz projects like this in the 70s, more proof that Blakey was a groundbreaking artist who was always opening doors for others! Blakey's own work on drums is joined by percussion from Montego Joe, Chief Bey, Garvin Masseux, James Ola, Folami, Robert Crowder, and Solomon Ilori – the last of whom would record his own record for Blue Note – and the rest of the group features Yusef Lateef on flute and tenor, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and the great Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass – a great choice for the record, given that he was mixing together similar modes on his own records of the time. Titles include "Tobi Ilu", "Love, The Mystery Of", and "Obirin African". CD

Two very unusual albums from the great Graham Bond – back to back in a single set! Holy Magick is quite spiritual, almost supernatural at times – very much what you'd expect from the cover and title! The record's light years away from Bond's British beat group work of a few years before – and has a quality that almost mixes headier rock influences with the spiritualism of the post-Coltrane generation – as the record almost goes farther in a direction that was somewhat initiated by Albert Ayler's more rock-like leanings at the end of his life. Many numbers have chorus vocals rising up behind Bond's lead – and while his own work on alto sax is somewhat displaced by strong use of guitar on many tracks, there's still a fair bit of jazzy elements going on in the mix – particularly on side two, which features Graham laying down some strong lines on the Hammond. Titles include "Aquarius Mantra", "Praise City Of Light", "12 Gates To The City", "Invocation To The Light", "The Qabalistic Cross", "The Pentagram Ritual", "The Holy Words", "The Judgement", and "The Magician". Holy Magick is an equally unusual record from a very unusual player! Altoist Graham Bond had a long and varied career before he made this groovy rock/jazz album in the early 70s. He started as a committed Brit modernist, playing in Don Rendell's early group, then moved into the Beat Group era, with his Graham Bond Organization that featured him on organ and alto. This session recorded with his group Magick shows a similar extension from the Beat Group sound that was taken by Brian Auger – lots of longer jamming cuts, still with the R&B tinged jazzy playing at its base, but with spiritual jazz on the vocals at times, and almost a bit of prog as well. The heart of the whole thing's still nice and jazzy, though – and titles include "Druid", "Ajama", "Forbidden Fruit", and "Moving Towards The Light". CD

A classic set of sample-heavy wizardry from Edan – and a record that's every bit as psychedelic as you might expect from the cover! There's plenty of great psych flourishes in the samples, grounded in some heavy breakbeats that keep things on tracks – while the rhythms mix touches of madness and genius, with tongue twists that pay homage and blast forward simultaneously. Guests include Mr Lif, Insight, and Percee-P – and titles include "Funky Voltron", "I See Colours", "Torture Chamber", "Promised Land", "Time Outt", "Fumbling Over Words That Rhyme", "Making Planets", "Murder Mystery", "Rock & Roll", and "Smile". CD

The American debut of The English Beat – aka the UK group The Beat, who'd been making some big waves with import 45s on the 2Tone label, the burst forth on our US market with a slight shift in name, due to another group hogging their original moniker on our side of the Atlantic! That bit of backstory hardly need matter, though – as the group wear their English loud and proud here, setting off a huge ska revival as they blend Jamaican roots with London attitude in the post-punk years – stacking up a set of classics that continue to groove many turntables all these many years later. Titles include "Mirror In The Bathroom", "Hands Off She's Mine", "Twist & Crawl", "Big Shot", "Best Friend", and "Jackpot". LP, Vinyl record album

One of best ever albums by The English Beat – and an effort that cemented their status as one of the most creative groups to come out of the ska revival scene! Wha'ppen has lots of fresh instrumentation and experimentation – but that's in service of some tight, insistent songcraft – and they never, ever bury their Caribbean influences. There's a bit more Afro Beat-inspired rhythms and some atmospheric underground pop touches, but it's still got plenty of the Jamaican style we loved about their earlier work, too – on a record that didn't get the acclaim it deserved at the time! Titles include "Monkey Murders", "I Am Your Flag", "Walk Away", "Get A Job", "The Limits We Set", "Dream Home In NZ", and "Drowning". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "We Got The Beat", "Our Lips Are Sealed", "Skidmarks On My Heart", "Lust To Love", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Early bossa jazz from Sergio Mendes – recorded with his famous Bossa Rio combo, in the years before he moved to America! The album's a classic in Brazilian jazz – a tight album of bossa-inflected jazz tunes played with razor-sharp precision, handled with a style that went on to influence countless other Brazilian groups at the time. Mendes is in the lead on piano, and other players include Edison Machado on drums, Raul De Souza on trombone, and Hector Costita on tenor sax. The whole thing's great – a masterpiece of both jazz and bossa – and it's filled with classic tunes arranged by Jobim, Moacir Santos, and Sergio himself. Titles include "Nana", "Primitivo", "Desafinado", "Ela E Carioca", "Amor Em Paz", "Noa Noa", and "Neurotico". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Jimmy Raney cut some fantastic records on the American scene during the 50s – but by the time of this set, he was working and recording a lot more overseas – often in a much more modern tone that makes him a perfect match for the guitar genius of the great Attila Zoller! Both musicians here play without any other backing at all – and the music has this lean, intertwining quality that's breathtaking – complicated lines from both players, really understanding the space and sound of the other – never getting in the way, nor dominating – yet also finding ways to be very individual and distinct! This quality comes through immediately on the album's leadoff, the surprisingly strong "Hommage A Bach" – and continues on other tunes that include "The Gallery", "Autumn", "Conjecture", "Jim & I", and "Two Beat Circa 1980". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic introduction to the world of power pop – that tight, fast, catchy style of music that came about at the same time as punk – and which flourished for a few short years as a more tuneful take on the sound of the underground! Some of the artists here hit big in the years before, others were later smothered in the world of 80s chart hits and music videos – but for a brief, wonderful time, the record racks exploded with great singles and album tracks like these – tunes that almost were a back-to-basics approach after the era of AOR and classic rock, but without some of the sneering attitudes of punk. Most of the artists here are American, and there's a few gems here from the early 70s – key tracks that point the way towards the golden era – all captured beautifully by Ace/Big Beat with their usual detailed notes and history on the music. Titles include "Let Go" by Dirty Looks, "Come On Let's Go" by The Paley Brothers with The Ramones, "Baby It's You" by The Boys, "Nothing Comes Close" by Bill Lloyd, "Better Than Anyone Else" by The Toms, "Nuclear Boy" by 20/20, "Rock & Roll Is Dead" by The Rubinos, "One World" by Utopia, "Andy Please" by Van Duren & The Jody Stephens, "The Trains" by Nashville Ramblers, "Shake Some Action (first version)" by The Flamin Groovies, "What I Like About You" by The Romantics, "I Need That Record" by The Tweeds, "Looking For The Magic" by Dwight Twilley Band, "Kerri" by Robert Johnson, "Radio Heart" by The Secrets, and "Teen Line" by The Shivvers. CD

A deep deep look at a side of the British 60s scene that didn't always make big waves here in the US – but one that had a huge influence on UK sounds for years to come! The mighty book-like package documents the rich stream of sounds that exploded during the beat group years – a moment that was partly graced by some of the names that we'd know here as the Brit Invasion, but which soon moved off into much more expansive sounds that include mod moments, freakbeat grooves, and a fair bit of tunes influenced by American jazz and soul! The 6CD set features a whopping 165 tracks in all, plus a huge booklet of notes – and a number of the tracks are pulled from the Pye Records catalog – one of the most important Brit labels of the period – but the set also includes lot of bits from elsewhere too. Includes work by The Rogers, Marmalade, The Baskervilles, The Web, The Mighty Atoms, Glenda Collins, The Mike Stuart Span, Bobbi Rio & The Revelles, Carl Wayne & The Vikings, The Mike Cotton Sound, Ray Singer, Marilyn Powell, Just Four Men, Twinkle, Tony Jackson, The Cops N Robbers, Major Rowley, Paddy Klaus & Gibson, David Bowie & The Lower Third, The Lancastrians, New Faces, The Limeys, Mick & Malcolm, Kind, Episode Six, and many others! CD

Groovy, moddish, magnificent and sunny girl pop from The Land Of The Rising Sun – pummeling drums, jumping arrangements and groovy vocals from the mid-to-late 60s Japanese scene! This is fantastic stuff, any kitch or novelty appeal you might be expecting is kind of muted by the exceptional quality and excellent performances – but it is flat out fun! As the title states, strains of pop, beat & bossa – plus mod & psychedelic fuzz – and the vocals girl group vocals are bright, rocking, playful or sultry or innocent depending on the groove! 25 tracks in all: "Black Room by Jun Mayuzumi, Sharock No 1" by Mie Nakao, "Nagisa No Tenshi" by Mieko Hirota, "Hatsu Koi No Letter" by Miki Obata, "Bazazz Tengoku" by The Cupids, "Aeba Suki Suki" by Margaret With Bunnys, "Nukui Aitsu" by Mika Nohira, "Kiiro No Sekai" by J Girls and more. CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

londie had a lot to live up to after Parallel Lines, but they pulled it off here – Eat To The Beat is another classic! Downtown cool, a strong sense of pop history and tight production by Mike Chapman make for a really distinct sound on this one. Standouts include the excellent opener "Dreaming" (one of the finest Harry/Stein songs ever, if you ask us), the punky title track, "Union City Blue" and "Accidents Never Happen", and while Blondie albums are by nature hit-and-miss given the fearless mish-mash of styles they always brought in, the whole thing is pretty great! Other tracks include "Shayla", "Die Young Stay Pretty" and "Living In The Real World". CD

Includes 41 tracks on 2 CDs. CD

Off the now classic first LP, with production by DJ Premier and AZ on the guest spot. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Stunning work from Lockjaw! The album features Eddie blowing hard and heavy – much more precisely than on some of his Prestige albums, in a mode that's inflected with more R&B tenor than you'd hear on his later sets. Backing is by his trio, and the album's got a gutsy groove that's really great – made even better by some deeply resonant production! Titles include "Eddie's Function", "Scotty Boo", "I Wished On The Moon", "Say What", "Tia Juana", and "You Need'na". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

The Kay-Gees' funkiest record ever – a set that's harder and sharper than anything else they'd ever record in years to come! Grabbing this one up is like finding a lost Kool & The Gang album from the early years – which is no surprise, since Ronald Bell of the group produced, and wrote a lot of the songs with the group – maybe acting as their mentor, and definitely giving the young group a great showcase for their boundless energy, and tight skills in the groove department! The band are incredibly tight – with lots of hard drums, choppy guitar, and the rolling party feel that made Kool & The Gang so great during their best years – captured here with a similarly raw production style. There's some great horns that blast in and out, sounding very off-beat at the best moments – like the classic "Who's the Man With the Master Plan", sampled by YZ many years ago – or other funky cuts like "Ain't No Time", "Get Down", and "You've Got to Keep on Bumpin". LP, Vinyl record album

The Kay-Gees' funkiest record ever – a set that's harder and sharper than anything else they'd ever record in years to come! Grabbing this one up is like finding a lost Kool & The Gang album from the early years – which is no surprise, since Ronald Bell of the group produced, and wrote a lot of the songs with the group – maybe acting as their mentor, and definitely giving the young group a great showcase for their boundless energy, and tight skills in the groove department! The band are incredibly tight – with lots of hard drums, choppy guitar, and the rolling party feel that made Kool & The Gang so great during their best years – captured here with a similarly raw production style. There's some great horns that blast in and out, sounding very off-beat at the best moments – like the classic "Who's the Man With the Master Plan", sampled by YZ many years ago – or other funky cuts like "Ain't No Time", "Get Down", and "You've Got to Keep on Bumpin". CD featuers bonus tracks – the unreleased instrumental "Let's Boogie", the unreleased disco version of "My Favorite Song", and the tracks "You've Got To Keep On Bumpin (parts 1 & 2)", "Hustle Wit Every Muscle (orig single)", and "Hustle Wit Every Muscle (disco version – original single)". CD

2 jazzy gems from Michel Legrand – back to back on a single CD! Michel Legrand Big Band Plays Richard Rodgers is a pretty wonderful album by Legrand – way better than you'd guess from the title! Sure, the tunes are mostly numbers by Richard Rodgers, but Legrand handles them here with the best of his soundtrack skills – really opening them up with some amazingly deft arrangements, and working with a stellar set of American jazz players to give the tunes a sound that's as jazzy as possible – and swinging them with the inherent lyricism that always makes us love his music! Players are a great lineup – with Clark Terry and Ernie Royal on trumpets, Urbie Green and Bob Brookmeyer on trombones, Paul Gonsalves on tenor, Jerry Dodgion and Phil Woods on alto, Julious Watkins on French horn, Gary Burton on vibes, and Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones on piano. Titles include "This Can't Be Love", "Falling In Love With Love", "Bali Hai", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "There's A Small Hotel", and "The Lady Is A Tramp". On the second album, Broadway is the beat, but the sound has plenty of Parisian touches, too – thanks to arrangements from the mighty Michel Legrand! Legrand's in a mode here that's somewhere between his earliest soundtracks, and the European-themed records he cut for Columbia in the late 50s – styles that are a bit more warm and sentimental than in later years, with evocative elements designed to coax the Broadway-based listener out on a voyage across the Atlantic! Strings are relatively full, and sometimes used with great dynamic energy – and titles include "Bewitched", "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York", "Old Devil Moon", "With A Little Bit Of Luck", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Yesterdays". CD

Wonderful stuff from Brother Jack McDuff – very hip, with a mixture of soul jazz and 60s grooving that's hard to beat! The album's also one of Jack's harder to find numbers on Prestige – and it features tenor work by Red Holloway and Harold Ousely, guitar by Pat Azzara, drums by Joe Dukes, and some occasional bigger arrangements by Benny Golson, who always gave Jack the hippest sound around! Includes a sublime mellow cover of "Walk On By", plus the tracks "Song Of The Soul", "Too Many Fish In The Sea", "For Those Who Choose", "Talkin Bout My Woman", and "Around The Corner". LP, Vinyl record album

We always like the work of Ulysses Owens Jr on drums, but we might love it even more here – as Owens works as a leader at the head of a group of young, bright musicians who really live up to the new beat promise of the title! The songs are full of life and imagination – bursting forth with bright colors and a warm range of expression, as the group stretches out on longer performances that shift effortlessly between combo voicing and individual solos. Players include Sarah Hanahan on alto, Benny Benack and Anthony Hervey on trumpets, Luther Allison on piano, and Philip Norris on bass – and the great Milton Suggs sings on one cut, "Heart Full Of Rhythm". Owens is dynamic throughout – and titles include "London Towne", "Better Days", "Bird Lives", "Helen's Song", and "Soulful". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A seminal, yet unusual 50s Blue Note treasure! The album brings together a number of Horace Silver's great trio recordings from the early 50's, most of them with Art Blakey on drums, showing the fluid, rumbling genius that would later make him such a great leader. But the record also includes 2 tracks that don't even have Horace at all – and which feature duets between Art Blakey on drums and Sabu Martinez on conga, on the titles "Message From Kenya" and "Nothing But The Soul" – both tunes that have a highly percussive feel, and which were penned by Blakey. They're nice little percussion jams, and really take the material beyond typical 50s jazz and into beautiful beat-heavy territory – and they side nicely next to classic trio sides that include "Safari", "Ecaroh", and "Opus De Funk". LP, Vinyl record album

Fuzzed-out groovy 60s tunes – very mod, hip, and out of this world! These tasty little gems are pulled from obscure Italian soundtracks – very nicely collected in this fab package, with an ear-popping sound that includes great work on organ, guitars, electric harpsichord, and other instrumentation just right for coming up with a Blow Up party mood! Titles include "Discoteque Party" by Piero Umiliani, "Franco Nero Shake (new edit)" by Fred Bongusto, "Catherine Spaak Shake (new edit)" by Armando Trovajoli, "Easy Dreamer" by Piero Piccioni, "I Baronetti" by Alessandro Alessandroni, "Gaby Shake" by Nico Fidenco, and "Black Sheep Shake" by Luis Bacalov. CD

Hard-swinging work from Jimmy Araki – working here in a slightly loose trio format that's really unique for the time! The record features Araki both on piano and alto sax – playing live with George Kawaguchi on drums and Mitsuru Ono on bass – a lineup that cooks with a tremendous amount of fury despite its small size, and which nicely shifts from piano-driven tunes to alto ones. We like the latter most of all – because hearing Araki without a piano is a bit like hearing some of Sonny Rollins' trio sides of the late 50s – and Jimmy's got a really nice edge in his tone that makes these numbers really stand out from the rest! Don't get us wrong, because his piano work is pretty great too – but the snakey saxophone numbers really make the album something special! Titles are all listed in Japanese, but the arrangements are all by Araki. CD

A mad mix of styles pulled from Balkan, Mediterranean, Jewish, and American cultures – served up in a mode that more than delivers on the enigmatic promise of its title! There's a feel here that almost takes us back to the playful creativity of the New York scene of the early 80s – the criss-crossing of sounds that were showing up often in some of the most forward-thinking indies, and which reflected the rich mix of cultures bubbling together in the post-punk years. As you might guess from the "beat box" in the title, there's a bit of a hip hop influence here – but one that's pretty small, and mostly just used on the bottomest part of the rhythms – leaving the core components of the tunes to a range of exotic instrumentation and some occasional haunting vocals. Title sinclude "Cha Cha", "Bulgarian Chicks", "Sunday Arak", "Gross", "9/4 The Ladies", "Adir Adiram", "Meboli", and "Hassan's Mimuna". CD

Hazy beatcraft steeped in Indian soundtrack style funk, strings and percussion from the indefatigable Madlib – Volumes 3 & 4 in the Beat Konducta series of the increasingly adventurous and conceptual outings – 2 volumes on 1CD! This time out Madlib, er, Beat Konducta is conducting beats, strings & things from India and/or otherwise East – but the way in which the beats bluntly thump is quintessential Madlib – you know it and love it from the first beat! 'Lib really breathes fresh life into this approach – going miles deeper than anyone out there doing the Bollywood-hip hop hybrid – coming up with a sound all his own. CD version includes the complete Volumes 3 & 4. Masterful! Titles include "Enter Hot Curry", "Indian Hump", "Onthanewthing", "Indian Deli", "Rumble", "Dancing Girls Theme", "Piano Garden", "Dark Alley Incidental Music", "Early Party", "Fifth Chant", "The Rip Off (Scene 3)", "Sitar Ride", "Get It Right", "More Rice", "Indian Bells", "Smoke Circle", "Sha Sound", "Another Getaway", "Raw Ground Wire", "Main Title" and more. CD

One of the greatest Art Blakey Blue Note sessions of all time – and perhaps one of the greatest to realize the genius of the Jazz Messengers lineup that included Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano! The trio of young talents are at the height of their early soulful powers here – working with Blakey and bassist Jymie Merritt in a set of tunes that are overflowing with expressive solos, unusual timings, and the Blakey genius for mixing bold statements with personally introspective moments. Nearly every track on the record's a classic – and titles include an early version of Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere", plus Wayne Shorter's beautiful tunes "Lester Left Town", "Chess Players", and "Sakeena's Vision". CD

One of the greatest Art Blakey Blue Note sessions of all time – and perhaps one of the greatest to realize the genius of the Jazz Messengers lineup that included Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Bobby Timmons on piano! The trio of young talents are at the height of their early soulful powers here – working with Blakey and bassist Jymie Merritt in a set of tunes that are overflowing with expressive solos, unusual timings, and the Blakey genius for mixing bold statements with personally introspective moments. Nearly every track on the record's a classic – and titles include an early version of Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere", plus Wayne Shorter's beautiful tunes "Lester Left Town", "Chess Players", and "Sakeena's Vision". CD

A completely righteous mix of jazz and African percussion – put together by drummer Art Blakey at a time when he was riding high with the Jazz Messengers, but also was willing to work on great experiments like this! The album's years ahead of its time – and arguably opens the door for countless spiritual jazz projects like this in the 70s, more proof that Blakey was a groundbreaking artist who was always opening doors for others! Blakey's own work on drums is joined by percussion from Montego Joe, Chief Bey, Garvin Masseux, James Ola, Folami, Robert Crowder, and Solomon Ilori – the last of whom would record his own record for Blue Note – and the rest of the group features Yusef Lateef on flute and tenor, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and the great Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass – a great choice for the record, given that he was mixing together similar modes on his own records of the time. Titles include "Tobi Ilu", "Love, The Mystery Of", and "Obirin African". LP, Vinyl record album

Solidly socking soul from Chicago – a great little set recorded with a really old school feel, but one that's also different than the usual deep funk record! The Uptown Sound have a vibe that's all their own – at one level, a quality that's steeped in classic soul – but at another, with a quality that's strangely offbeat too, almost with an undercurrent of darkness in some of the instrumentation that somehow mixes slight punkish roots into funk! Lead singer JC Brooks follows suit strongly – hitting topics that aren't your usual soul music standards, even though his vocals would be right at home with such fare – and instead, the album's got a range of themes that really keep an edge to the set, of the sort that's bound to find these guys a large audience way outside the usual deep funk underground. JC's a real superstar – even larger on stage, which is a recommendation to catch the group live! Titles include "Love One Another", "Hold You Back", "75 Years Of Art Sex", "How To Stop Loving Someone Who's Stopped Loving You", "He Does The Town", and "Berry Please". CD

Wonderful mellow work from Sam Cooke – and a set that's recorded with a sound that's very much in keeping with the "night beat" that you might expect from the title! In fact, there's not so much a "beat" as a simple easy groove – a gentle sort of "night" feeling, with some piano in the lead on many tracks, and backing by a larger group conducted by Rene Hall – a great setting that lets Cooke hit some of his most soulful moments on record from the time! The album includes many lesser-known Cooke performances – including "Trouble Blues", "You Gotta Move", "Fool's Paradise", "Lost & Lookin", and "Mean Old World". CD

Peven Everett's breakout track! Though this single is credited to and really by new school Chicago producer Roy Davis, Jr, it's most well known around these parts as the first record that Peven really got a chance to shine on, with his soulful vocals nicely adding icing to the sweet, soulful house tracks! CD

Shadow finally returns to release a record under his own name, and believe it or not, it's as much of a pop/rock record as the UNKLE LP was! We're not complaining though, because this one's got a great new wave twist to it, and on the third track of this single, Shadow's back in battle mode, with vocal cut-ups over a slower beat. CD

An amazing document of one of the grooviest groups to emerge from the UK at the start of the 80s – not just their three full albums, but almost as much rare bonus material as well! The English Beat came a bit later than the initial wave of Two Tone ska revival groups – and they came with a difference, too – a bit more soul, and a slightly more contemporary approach to their music – one that pushed Jamaican roots into mod London modes – particularly the best sorts that were bubbling up in the post-punk generation! The group really helped revive some warmer sounds in British music – yet without just copying older modes from the other side of the Atlantic, too – and these three great albums definitely went onto set a fire in a host of other groups as well – the first wave of some surprisingly soulful moments from the UK in the 80s. The box set features the full albums I Just Can't Stop It, Wha'ppen, and Special Beat Service – all with bonus tracks not on the original albums. Then, the set also features more bonus material that includes 15 12" and dub versions of album tracks – and three Peel Session recordings from 1979, 1980, and 1982 – plus a live Boston recording from 1982! Comes in a great box, with a 24 page booklet of essays and rare photos! CD

A long-overdue full length album from Ace Of Cups – a really unusual female group from the Bay Area scene of the late 60s – but one who never hit the heights of their bigger San Francisco contemporaries! The girls have this really great look on the back – kind of flower power, but with a bit more charm – a quality that comes through in the music, with is often more garagey than trippy – but which also has a way of putting forth female vocals and honest ideas that might not flourish this strongly for similar groups until the post-punk years. That approach makes the whole thing a truly timeless collection of tracks – of the sort that maybe resonate more strongly today than they did back in the 60s. Titles include "Music", "Boy What You'll Do Then", "Glue", "Taste Of One", "Stones", "Looking For My Man", "Pretty Boy", "Waller Street Blues", "Catch You Later", "Simplicity", "I Wanna Testify", "Hear Every Sound", and a great version of "Afro Blue". CD

A long-overdue full length album from Ace Of Cups – a really unusual female group from the Bay Area scene of the late 60s – but one who never hit the heights of their bigger San Francisco contemporaries! The girls have this really great look on the back – kind of flower power, but with a bit more charm – a quality that comes through in the music, with is often more garagey than trippy – but which also has a way of putting forth female vocals and honest ideas that might not flourish this strongly for similar groups until the post-punk years. That approach makes the whole thing a truly timeless collection of tracks – of the sort that maybe resonate more strongly today than they did back in the 60s. Titles include "Music", "Glue", "Taste Of One", "Stones", "Pretty Boy", "Waller Street Blues", "Simplicity", and a great version of "Afro Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible compilation of classic era dub work from King Tubby's – played by producer Bunny Lee's legendary Aggrovators band and showcasing the mixing skills of Tubby, Prince Jammy, Scientist and others! This is prime era hypnotic dub of the finest caliber – originally issued on Jamaican 45s, and hard-to-find for decades! The great Blood & Fire label did the dub digging community a major solid by issuing the material on some wonderful compilations, but even those had been out of print for a couple decades before this much needed, sprawling VP/17th North Parade assemblage. Includes "A Bag Of Wire Dub", "Dub Of Rights", "A Heavy Dub", "A Living Version", "How Long Dub", "Breaking Up Dub", "Poor Barber", "Sub To The Rescue", "King Tubby's In Fine Style", "Horn For I", "Jah Love Rocker's Dub", "Stealing Version", "Fatter Dub", "Satta Dread Dub", "Tubby Get Smart", "Beat Them In Dub", "Version Of Class", "Peace And Love In The Dub", "Thunder Rock", "Channel Is A Joker", "Peace And Love In The Dub", "Step It Up In Dub", "Chapter Of Money" and more. 44 tracks on 2CDs! CD

One of the more beat-heavy records we've ever heard from keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones – thanks to a range of live drums and programs from Maxwell Owin – a really great partner who helps Joe's music take off in all these new directions! The record's still coming from a jazz perspective, but also has a heavy influence from hip hop and more contemporary genres – especially on the vocal cuts, which feature contributions from Fatima, Rocks Foe, and Lex Amor. Yet there's also some great instrumentalists who join the proceedings too – and the set features guest bass clarinet from Shabaka Hutchings on one cut, and guest harp and flute from Marysia Osu and Yuis. Titles include "Pedal Bike", "Grief", "Ode To Reverbe", "4Seasons", "Don't Tip Me Over", "Do I Keep Going", "Rago's Garage", and "Ikigai". LP, Vinyl record album

A really striking album in the career of Atomic Rooster – one that's a little bit groovier than most, and maybe a bit funky as well! The drums are great, and have plenty of soulful currents – and the Hammond, piano, and electric piano work of Vincent Crane almost seem to echo earlier UK beat group currents, but turned towards a much hipper 70s vibe – one that's followed by an equally extended range from vocalist Chris Farlowe, who seems to fold together both his mod and prog experience in the vocals! Steve Bolton brings in some tight, riffing guitar – and titles include "Time Take My Life", "Never To Lose", "Breathless", "People You Can't Trust", "All In Satan's Name", "Close Your Eyes", "Little Bit Of Inner Air", and "Stand By Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The third and fourth albums from Atomic Rooster – back to back in a single set! First up is Made In England – a really striking album in the career of Atomic Rooster – one that's a little bit groovier than most, and maybe a bit funky as well! The drums are great, and have plenty of soulful currents – and the Hammond, piano, and electric piano work of Vincent Crane almost seem to echo earlier UK beat group currents, but turned towards a much hipper 70s vibe – one that's followed by an equally extended range from vocalist Chris Farlowe, who seems to fold together both his mod and prog experience in the vocals! Steve Bolton brings in some tight, riffing guitar – and titles include "Time Take My Life", "Never To Lose", "Breathless", "People You Can't Trust", "All In Satan's Name", "Close Your Eyes", "Little Bit Of Inner Air", and "Stand By Me". On Nice N Greasy, Atomic Rooster definitely get a bit greasy – using some funkier elements at times, and bluesier currents at others – all at a level that really lets singer Chris Farlowe hit some of his most expressive modes! The group's got a fresh guitarist this time around, Johnny Mandala on lead – and his presence gives some of the cuts a harder rock edge than before, often taking the lead more than the keyboards of longtime member Vincent Crane, which helps shape the sound of the set. Titles include "Voodoo In You", "Save Me", "Satan's Wheel", "Can't Find A Reason", "Take One Toke", and "All Across The Country". CD set features the bonus tracks "Moods" and "What You Gonna Do". CD

An archetypal album by Roy Ayers – and one that really shows him at the turning point of his sound! Gone are the trippier jazz funk moments of earlier albums – and in their place are some tight grooves and wonderfully spacey soul. Roy hits the dancefloor with one of his first up-tempo funk numbers "Brother Green", a catchy groover with lots of clavinet, and the massive "Life Is Just A Moment", a storming 2-part number that rolls along with a pounding almost house-like groove. "Mystic Voyage" shows the sweet jazzy side of Roy – as it's a vibes-heavy instrumental with a light stepping groove, perfect for the mellow direction he'd take on other records. The album also features some great off-beat funk numbers that recall earlier albums – including the break-heavy "Spirit Of Doo Doo", plus "Funky Motion" and "The Black Five". LP, Vinyl record album

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous tribute to the tenor talents of Paul Bascomb – pulled together here from rare 78rpm sides for United Records – including more than a few that were never issued at the time! Bascomb's got a rich and soulful tone – easily one of the best of the postwar generation, even though Paul never got the same sort of due as tenorists on big labels like King, Chess, or Savoy! The set features most of the same players on all tracks – Bascomb on tenor, Eddie Lewis on trumpet, Frank Porter and Tommy Waters on alto, and Duke Jordan on piano – and Porter sings on a few tracks too. Titles include "Mumbles Blues", "Blues & The Beat", "Black Out", "Nona", "Love's An Old Story", "Liza's Blues", and "Soul & Body". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from one of the heaviest hard rock bands of the 60s – presented here on a set of demo tracks that were originally broadcast on San Francisco radio, and helped the group earn their recording contract with Philips Records! Blue Cheer were maybe the first group to think of turning their amps up to 11 – and there's a rawness to this work that may even top the fire of their classic debut, with really mindblowing guitar from Leigh Stephens all the way through! Titles include the 10 minute jammer "Doctor Please", a killer take of "Summertime Blues", and the mighty fierce "Second Time Around". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first great projects from genius producer Phil Spector – a soul trio that features one guy and two gals, all working in a style that's a virtual blueprint for countless pop to come! The album updates the older doo wop mode to a sweeter 60s style – focusing mostly on the girls in the lead, and using Bob's vocals mostly to underpin, and create a nice bottom in the harmonies. But while the vocals are great, the overall production is maybe even better – all-star handling at the Gold Star studios, with Phil on production, Jack Nitzsche on arrangements, and sharp backing from the Wrecking Crew at their prime. Titles include "My Heart Beat A Little Faster", "Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts", "Jimmy Baby", "Dear", "I Shook The World", "Dr Kaplan's Office", and "Everything's Gonna Be All Right". CD

Heady and heavy work from Billy Bond and La Pesada Del Rock & Roll – a guitar heavy group from Argentina, and one with plenty of blues rock overtones! The guitars are definitely turned up to 11 here – jamming with an intensity to match some of the best hard rock sides from Peru reissued by the Lazarus label in recent years – and like those sets, there's a sound here that's an intensification of earlier beat group modes – taken into much harder territory for the 70s. The production is great – earthy, trippy, and a little bit spooky – and the album's got an oddly unsettling feel, one that's familiar at first, but then increasingly estranged as the record moves on. Quite compelling, and with 16 tracks that include "Dueno De Tu Piel", "El Parque", "Buen Dia Senor Presidente", "Divertido Reventado", "Salgan Al Sol", "La Maquina", "Voy A Ver Un Amigo", "Para Que Nos Sirven", and "La Marcha De San Lorenzo". CD