Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! Tracks include "Lowe Groovin", "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere", & "Applejack" by Joe Morris, "That Old Black Magic", "Annie Laurie", & "Midnight Special" by Tiny Grimes, "Cole Slaw", by Frank Cully, "So Long", "I'll Get Along Somehow", "Daddy Daddy", & "5-10-15 Hours" by Ruth Brown, "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" & "Drinkin Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by Stick Mcghee, "The Chill Is On", "Chains Of Love", & "Sweet Sixteen" by Joe Turner, "Hey Little Girl" & "Mardi Gras In New Orleans" by Professor Longhair, "Fool Fool Fool" & "One Mint Julep" by the Clovers, and "The Midnight Hour" by Ray Charles. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Tiny Grimes, Joe Morris, Frank Culley, Ruth Brown, Professor Longhair, Harry Van Walls, the Clovers, Joe Turner, the Cardinals, Ray Charles and Willis Jackson. CD

28 tracks by Jimmy McCracklin, The Cheaters, Snookum Russell, Johnny Otis, Professor Longhair, The Sly Fox, Wynonie Harris, and more... CD

Essential New Orleans piano from Professor Longhair – an artist who was neither a professor, nor a man with much hair! The chrome-domed pianist had a huge influence on the sound of New Orleans R&B and soul to come – as he played in a triplet-heavy way that was rooted in blues, but provided a key link to the rhythms that would dominate Crescent City music in following decades. This album features original Atlantic sides cut in New Orleans in 1949 and 1953 – about as classic as you can get for Longhair, with tunes that include "Tipitina", "Hey Now Baby", "In The Night", "Ball The Wall", "Who's Been Fooling You", "She Walks Right In", and "Willie Mae". CD

Essential New Orleans piano from Professor Longhair – an artist who was neither a professor, nor a man with much hair! The chrome-domed pianist had a huge influence on the sound of New Orleans R&B and soul to come – as he played in a triplet-heavy way that was rooted in blues, but provided a key link to the rhythms that would dominate Crescent City music in following decades. This album features original Atlantic sides cut in New Orleans in 1949 and 1953 – about as classic as you can get for Longhair, with tunes that include "Tipitina", "Hey Now Baby", "In The Night", "Ball To The Wall", "Who's Been Fooling You", "She Walks Right In", and "Willie Mae". LP, Vinyl record album

A real rarity from Jerry Goldsmith – groovy tunes penned for a late 60s film about an Oxford professor who's also a spy for the British Secret Service! Goldmith's music is a bit less serious than usual at points – still scored with the deep care and sensitivity we've come to love in Jerry's soundtracks, but peppered with a few of the more upbeat, mod-styled cuts you'd expect in a 60s spy comedy! Instrumentation varies from full orchestral to smaller combo – romping rhythms and a bit of guitar on some of the groovy numbers, mixed with softer strings on the more serious tunes. There's a great vocal number called "You Gotta Let Me Go" – and other tracks include "The Decoders", "Checkmate", "Sebastian", "First Day At Work", "Night Scene", "The Trip", and "Sputnik Code". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the one and only album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". CD

Jackie Edwards was one of the first great soul voices to emerge from the Jamaican scene in the 60s – and he's still plenty great here, serving up a mellow batch of lovers rock material, all produced by Bunny Lee! The tunes are great for Edwards' easygoing approach – almost as soul-trained as rooted in years of rocksteady and reggae work – backed here by the usual all-stars of the scene, given some slight digital splash on the rhythms, mixed by Professor. Titles include "Girl You Lied", "Sharon", "Let Me Go Girl", "Do It Sweet", "Angel Of Love", "I Want To Forward Home", "All Night Session", and "Love I Can Feel". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". CD

A key force in the development of New Orleans soul – the homegrown Ric & Ron Records label – home to some of the best early productions from the Crescent City! The roster of talent here is really amazing – a host of artists who'd go onto develop the New Orleans style even more strongly in the 60s, mixed with some lesser-knowns who really sparkle in this setting – sharp, tight, damn soulful singles that are all delivered without any overproduction, and nicely free of all those cliches that would later overwhelm music from the Big Easy. The rhythms alone are worth the price of the record – hard-romping piano, bass, and drums that really set an instrumental fire right from the start – then pave the way for searing lead performances from the singers and instrumental stars. The set's the best we've ever seen of these early days of the label – and features 24 tracks that include "Tell It Like It Is" by Eddie Bo, "Easy Rockin" by Eddie Lang, "I Love You Still" by Joe Jones, "Come On" by Johnny Adams, "Don't Lie To Me" by Mercy Adams, "Don't Mess With My Man" by Irma Thomas, "Carnival Time" by Al Johnson, "Nobody Knows" by Martha Carter, "All Nite Long (parts 1 & 2)" by Robert Parker, "Cuttin Out" by Professor Longhair, "Let's Get It" by Edgar Blanchard, and "Rocket To The Moon" by Chris Kenner. CD

Caribbean styles hit the American scene – then get transformed into something completely different in this huge collection of recordings that span styles that include jazz, Latin, R&B, soul, and blues! In some cases, the Caribbean element comes through in the song structure – which might be lifted directly, then reworked for an American audience. But at other times, the influence is more in the rhythms or instrumentation – used as inspiration to then create something new – a bit in the way that American soul would provide the inspiration for reggae in the 60s. The package has the usual fantastic Fremeaux presentation – with a big booklet of historical notes, in both French and English, to support 66 titles that include "Jamaica Farewell" by Sam Cooke, "Salty Fish Aki Rice" by Ruth Wallis, "Bajan Girl" by Lionel Belasco, "Sly Mongoose" by Sam Manning, "El Gallero" by Dioris Valladares & Angel Viloria, "El Mambo Diablo" by Tito Puente, "Hey Little Girl" by Professor Longhair, "Un Poco Loco" by Bud Powell, "Chee Koo Baby" by Lloyd Price, "Shrinking Up Fast" by Camille Howard, "Ojai" by Joe Lutcher, "Salee Dame" by Albert Nicholas & Baby Dodds, "Inside" by Hector The Ram, "Run Come See Jerusalem"b y Stan Wilson, "I Learn A Merengue" by Robert Mitchum, "Afro Blue" by Cal Tjader, "La Maricutana" by Damiron & Chapuseaux, "Magical Joe" by Herb Jeffries, "Begin The Beguine" by Charlie Parker, "Make It Do" by Slim Gaillard, "Guitarambo" by Mickey Baker, and "Don't Touch Me Nylon" by The Charmer (aka Louis Farrakhan). CD