Three full albums from Atlantic Starr – with lots of bonus tracks too! All In The Name Of Love has Atlantic Star at the height of their catchy commercial fame – bouncing along with rhythms that crossover nicely to the mainstream, yet still keep a bit of their previous funky edge intact! The groove here is almost in the style that Atlantic Starr inspired in so many other younger groups in the earlier part of the 80s – although it's also a bit more polished too. Most instrumentation is electric, and tunes are mostly written by the team of David and Wayne Lewis – both of whom sing on the record. Barbara Weathers also handles female vocals, and titles include "Once Lover At A Time", "Let The Sun In", "My Mistake", "I'm In Love", "Always", "Don't Take Me For Granted", and a version of Sam Dees' "All In The Name Of Love". We're Moving Up is one of the last in a long run of 80s hits from Atlantic Starr – a group who were already moving up the soul charts before the release of the album! The set continues their move into commercial territory started a few records before, but it also shakes loose of some of the colder sounds of 80s soul – and picks up a somewhat warmer vibe on the keyboards and rhythms. Porscha Martin sings female vocals with the group, and titles include "Under Your Spell", "Love Ain't Fair", "Woman's Touch", "We're Movin Up", "My Sugar", "You Deserve The Best", and "Don't Start The Fire". Love Crazy is a set that's got a nice change in groove from Atlantic Starr – a sound that's still got a lot of their best elements intact, but which also seems to bring on some of the best elements that were being introduced by the British scene too! Rhythms at points are maybe more in the Soul II Soul or Lisa Stansfield modes – which makes for some great tunes that really reinvigorate the group and update them for a new jack generation, while still holding onto the charms of the past. A few moments get more in a mellow quiet storm sound – all with the balance that made earlier Atlantic Starr albums classics – on titles that include "Love Crazy", "Hold On", "Masterpiece", "Girl Your Love's So Fine", "I Can't Wait", "If You Knew What's Good For You", and "Come Lover". 3CD package features all albums in tiny LP-styled jackets – with bonus tracks that include "One Lover At A Time (ext)", "Always (edit)", "Let The Sun Shine IN (ext rmx)", "All In The Name Of Love (single)", "My First Love (ext)", "Bring It Back Home Again (Joe Smooth ext mix)", "My First Love (7" edit)", and "Bring It Back Home Again (Joe Smooth underground mix)". CD

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Four full albums from this legendary all-female rock group – plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is the debut album from Fanny – a group who were noteworthy in being one of the first all-female lineups to challenge the male-dominated world of major label rock at the start of the 70s – but who also have a quality that more than helps them stand on their own, even without that designation! There's definitely a bit of a Bay Area vibe to the group – as they seem very comfortable moving between rocking territory and warmer moments – including some lighter, folksy touches that have the very personal vibe of some of the scene up in Marin. Richard Perry produced, but the sound is nicely stripped-down – just a focus on the very strong songwriting skills of the group, on titles that include "I Just Realized", "Conversation With A Cop", "Changing Horses", "Seven Roads", "Shade Me", and "Take A Message To The Captain". Next is Charity Ball – a hard-rocking classic from Fanny – the group's second album, and the one that put the all-female quartet on the map! At some level, there's not that much going on here that's different than some of their contemporaries – but the record's got a lean, playful energy that really comes through when the vocals unite – which they do often in most of the best parts! Titles include the mini-hit "Charity Ball", plus "Cat Fever", "Soul Child", "Place In The Country", "What's Wrong With Me", "Special Care", "Person Like You", and "You're The One". On Fanny Hill, Fanny have a slightly more ambitious vibe than on some of their previous albums – in part because the set was recorded at the Apple Studios in London, with production by Richard Perry – who really does a great job of elevating all the elements the group had on their previous records! The vocal interplay is even more complex and compelling than before, and there's some larger arrangements that almost seem to echo the best use of such modes by the late Beatles – as does the group's great reworking of their "Hey Bulldog". Other titles include "Blind Alley", "You've Got A Home", "Borrowed Time", "Think About The Children", "Rock Bottom Blues", "Sound & The Fury", and "The First Time". Mother's Pride is the last album in the original Reprise Records run of records from Fanny, and a set that features superb production work from Todd Rundgren – a studio force who really seems to help the combo focus their energy in mighty nice ways! The set's got a quality that goes head to head with so many other classics from the time – able to serve up some gentler tunes that are a great surprise, and some more heavy numbers of the sort that were always the group's calling card. Titles include "Old Hat", "Long Road Home", "All Mine", "Summer Song", "Solid Gold", and "Last Night I Had A Dream". 4CD set features 82 tracks in all, 8 of which are on CD for the first time – material all sourced from the Warner archives, with titles that include "New Day", "Lady's Choice", "One Step At A Time", "Candlighter Man", "Back In My Arms Again", "A Little While Later", "Tomorrow", "Young & Dumb", "No Deposit No Return", and lots lots more. CD

A massive package of funky music – and maybe one that no home should be without – as the set includes all the classic Josie Records and Warner Brothers albums by legendary New Orleans funk group The Meters – plus a fair bit of bonus tracks too! The Josie albums are incredible – a lean, powerful blend of funky drums, bass, guitar, and organ – almost the New Orleans answer to Booker T & The MGs, but with a sound that's far funkier overall – and which continues to bring new ears to the magic of The Meters as the years go by! Their Warner work is a bit fuller – as the group were part of a big wave of Nola talent to get the nod from LA – which means that The Meters were able to add in vocals, experiment with arrangements, use additional instrumentation – yet all without ever losing that core groove that made them so great! This package is the first time all the records have been brought together, and many are presented here in the "expanded edition" versions with bonus tracks – which makes for a whopping 116 titles on 6CDs – bonus tracks, plus the full albums The Meters, Look Ka Py Py, Struttin, Cabbage Alley, Rejuvenation, Fire On The Bayou, Trick Bag, and New Directions – plus some singles too! CD

The complete albums of this really unique group – all wrapped up in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is the self-titled debut – described on the cover as "Eight high-octane musicians who met and jammed in the great peanut butter octopus that is Los Angeles!" The record's got a really trippy approach that's partially folk rock, partially psychedelic soul, and which also has some great touches of groovy harmony pop and Latinized LA rhythms – all wrapped up in some totally great production overall! The whole thing skims and sings around like some of our favorite sunshiney pop from the time – almost a meeting of Triste Janeiro and Mamas & The Papas – with some great instrumental touches that include cello and electric harpsichord! Female lead vocals on most tracks, but the album also spins out nicely, so that you get plenty of instrumental passages too! Titles include "Why Oh Why", "Motherless Child", "Here We Go Again", "For Pete's Sake", "What's Wrong", "Come Take A Walk", and "In A Rainbow". Next is Just For You – the group's second album – and a really sweet batch of tracks that mix together rock and soul influences with touches of west coast hippy jazz, in a style that's almost an LA answer to Rotary Connection, but without all the baroque arrangements. The set's got a great version of "Compared To What", and the extended jazzy jammer "Just For You" – plus the cuts "Day Song", "Just For You", "Look Out", "Without Me", and "Windlace". Last up is Melon – a great little set from Sweetwater – a rock combo at heart, but one who also bring in a nice sense of soul too! The album follows strongly from other of their Reprise releases – almost funky in parts, with drums that kick in nicely, and a flowing sense of groove that features keyboards, flute, and added percussion that helps to spice things up. Most tracks have vocals, but there's some very strong standout instrumental moments – and titles include "Take It From Splice Boys", "Naturally", "Don't Give A Hoot", "Get It While You Can", "I'm Happy Today", "Rejoice The Smile Of Man", and "Join The Band". 2CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including one recorded at Woodstock! 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

Label sampler with cuts by Faces, Captain Beefheart, Halfnelson, Malo, Dionne Warwick, Little Richard, Kenny Young, America, Ry Cooder, Peter Yarrow, Judy Collins, Doug Kershaw, Jerry Garcia, Crazy Horse, and Tracy Nelson. LP, Vinyl record album

A great look at this wonderful 60s period for the Duke Ellington band! Includes material from the albums Afro-Bossa, Symphonic Ellington, Ellington 65, Mary Poppins, Ellington 66, Will The Big Bands Ever Come Back, Concert In The Virgin Islands, Duke Ellington's Greatest Hits, Recollections Of The Big Band Era, and Duke Ellington's Violin Session. CD

4 discs of Sinatra's finest from his Reprise years! 81 tracks including "Let's Fall In Love", "You'd Be So Easy To Love", "The Last Dance", "It Started All Over Again", "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "I Have Dreamed", "Luck Be A Lady", "Here's To The Losers", "My Kind Of Town", "The Best Is Yet To Come", "Fly Me To The Moon", "Moonlight Serenade", "Street Of Dreams", "Strangers In The Night", "All Or Nothing At All", "How Insensitive", "All I Need Is The Girl", "My Way", "A Man Alone", 'What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?", "Just As Though You Were Here", "Nancy", "My Shining Hour", "A Long Night", "Mack The Knife" and loads more! CD

The full recordings of a surprisingly wonderful match – the vocals of Frank Sinatra and the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim! The first half of the CD features the full album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim – a beautiful little album that shows a whole new side of Sinatra! Frank's a bit late on the bossa game – but the record's a wonderfully gentle batch of bossa nova tunes, performed with musical and occasional vocal accompaniment by Jobim, and larger orchestral backings by Claus Ogerman. Far more than a gimmicky fake bossa album – this is a wonderful set of tracks that show that Sinatra could still hit a gentle ballad without going as over the top as he did on some of his other Reprise work. Jobim's talent is very respected – and the record is a true blending of musical styles, in a way that does justice to both artists equally. Titles include "Change Partners", "Dindi", "Meditation", "How Insensitive", and "I Concentrate On You". Next is material from side one of Sinatra & Company – a 1969 album that reunited Frank and Jobim! Arrangements are by Deodato, and the tracks have the floating easy groove of Sinatra's album with Jobim from earlier years – and there's some great numbers like "Drinking Water", "Don't Ever Go Away", "One Note Samba", and "This Happy Madness" that feature English language versions of bossa favorites. CD also features "Off Key" and "Bonita", also cut at the 1969 sessions! CD

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This one's on Warner Brothers, but don't let the "major label" tag scare you away – because it's actually a wealth of obscure and rare soul singles! The set pulls together uptempo 60s soul numbers from Warner and related labels – including some of the smaller imprints that were essentially working as independent labels in the 60s, digging through the best of the underground scene in hopes of turning up a new chart star. And while those chart-bound experiments didn't always yield great sales, they sure led to a heck of a lot of great music – wonderful soul tunes handled with incredible polish and professionalism! This 24 track set is a great dip into the wealth of lost recordings handled by labels like this, and include some lesser-known tracks by bigger artists recording in odd settings, plus plenty of work by obscure singers and groups who should have been huge. Titles include "You Hit Me" by Alice Clark, "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" by Lou Ragland, "Sufferin City" by Johnny Copeland, "I Love Her So Much It Hurts Me" by David & Ruben, "Think It Over" by The Harvey Averne Dozen, "Satisfied" by Ben Aikin, "I Remember The Feeling" by Barbara Lewis, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Laster, "How Can You Say That Ain't Love" by The Patterson Singers, "Get Ready" by Ella Fitzgerald, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Twilight Zone" by The Astors, "That's When The Tears Start" by The Blossoms, and "I'm Gonna Run Away From You" by Tami Lynn. CD

The third great installment in the After Hours series – one of the best collections of Northern Soul we've heard in years! The genius of the set is that it moves past the smaller indie labels – and really gets at some of the treasures that have been hidden in the catalogs of the major labels from the 60s – tunes that are great, but which were often eclipsed by the bigger hits of the time, and not pushed nearly as heavily as the work might have been, had it come out on a smaller label. As with previous volumes, the set's overflowing with gems from the depths of the Atlantic and Warner catalogs – a total of 29 numbers that includes a wide range of folks that you might never have guessed recorded for the companies – plus other singles by familiar names, represented here by some of their more obscure numbers! The groove is hard upbeat soul all the way through – and titles include "Last Minute Miracle" by Linda Jones, "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "Happiest Girl In The World" by Plus 4, "My Love Is Getting Stronger" by Cliff Nobles, "I Want It Back" by The Voice Box, "Hang My Head & Cry" by The Big Guys, "We Need To Be Loved" by Teen Turbans, "Tell Me Why" by Life, "Contact" by Three Degrees, "Frantic Escape" by Innocent Bystanders, "West 4th Street" by Valerie & Bobby Capers, and "Call On Me" by The Dynells. CD

An early Chicago house single, with a percolating stripped down approach and an infectious groove! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great lost chapter in the career of Darlene Love – a soul singer who's maybe known best for her early work with Phil Spector in The Crystals – but who ended up with a long legacy in music, which is partly added to by this collection! The core of the set features some mid 60s recordings that Love made as the lead singer in The Blossoms – a great west coast female soul trio, represented here by a number of excellent singles for Reprise Records – including "That's When The Tears Start", "Good Good Lovin", "My Love Come Home", "Lover Boy", "Deep Into My Heart", and "Let Your Love Shine On Me". Those cuts are followed by two solo efforts for Reprise by Darlene – "Too Late To Say You're Sorry" and "If" – then preceded by a few other unusual sessions, including the track "TV Commercials" with guitarist Barney Kessel, and two Lee Hazlewood-related projects on "What Are We Gonna Do In 64" and "3625 Groovy Street", both issued under the name of The Wildcats. The set ends with a few cuts from later years – that time when Darlene was getting attention from a whole new generation – on the tracks "River Deep Mountain High", "He's Sure The Boy I Love", and two versions of "Mr Fix It". LP, Vinyl record album

Two great albums, lots of bonus tracks, and cool box with LP-styled covers! CD

Music from Alice Clark, Ike & Tina Turner, Larry Laster, Ben Aiken, the Coasters, the Apollas, Ben E King, Joanie Sommars, Percy Sledge, the Stovall Sisters, Carl Hall, the Drifters, Soul Brother Six, and more. CD

Sockin soul galore – a killer set of 60s singles and album tracks from the vaults of Atlantic and Warner Brothers! The set's a stunner – filled with hard-grooving numbers that offer a nice rootsy take on uptempo soul – rougher than Northern, but with a similar punched-up sound and strong emphasis on the beat. A number of the tracks on the set are hits or familiar numbers – but sound great here next more obscure numbers, all laid together back to back – in a way that makes sure that the energy level never lets up! Titles include "Knucklehead" by The Bar-Kays, "Funky Street" by Arthur Conley, "Sock It To Em JB (parts 1 & 2)" by Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers, "Don't Fight It" by Wilson Pickett, "Pata Pata" by Miriam Makeba, "Stupidity" by Solomon Burke, "Some Kind Of Wonderful" by Soul Brothers Six, "Smokey Joe's La La" by Googie Rene, "Sho Nuff" by JJ Jackson, "Candy" by The Astors, "My Sweet Potato" by Booker T & The MGs, "Walkin Up A One Way Street" by Willie Tee, and "Bella Delena" by The Marketts. 30 tracks in all! CD

A welcome trip back to the basics! We had mixed feelings about the "next level" experiments that framed the Electric Circus LP – so this return-to-form cut really whets our appetite for some more of the grounded, bumping heart-and-soul of the city vibes Common made his name on! Kanye's production is at its most gritty here, and the Last Poets drop some righteous thematic wordplay into the middle. As a real bonus, the Last Poets reprise on the flip is a separate version of the tune with the complete Last Poets vocal. 12-inch, Vinyl record

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Count Basie goes pop, and the results are mighty nice – a hard-swinging take on familiar tunes from the 60s, but all re-tooled the jazzy Basie way! The vibe here is right up there with the best Neal Hefti moments with the group – and although the arrangements are by Billy Byers, they've got that sense of tightness that Hefti first help bring to the band – a great setting for the inventive solos, and all the cool little twists and turns that make a record like this so great. And while you might think of the setting, or the title, as some sort of sell-out on the Count's part – the album's instead a perfect way to hear what made the Basie band so great – how they could completely transform tunes like "Pretty Woman", "Bye Bye Love", "Doo Wah Diddy Diddy", "At Long Last Love", and "Go Away Little Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

We totally dig Basie's work from the mid 60s! He was working with Quincy Jones at the time – and Quince laid down some very soulful arrangements that used the best jazz elements of the Basie group to turn out some great pop instrumental tracks with a very groovy sound. This album's a perfect example of that format, as it features some great Basie sidemen, grooving nicely to Quincy's hip swinging arrangements of pop material like "Walk, Don't Run", "Fly Me To The Moon", "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big", and "One Mint Julep". LP, Vinyl record album

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An early 70s gem from Captain Beefheart – not as wild-eyed and whacked out as the late 60s glories – but still a good stretch weirder than most of the post psych, blues-steeped rock of the time! Ultimately, it's still Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, despite it being billed solely to Captain Beefheart on the cover (and his only album NOT co-billed with The Magic Band) – and we'd say it's their first album to go for a consistent mood from beginning-to-end, and we love it for that! If the Trout Mask Replica and Lick My Decals Off Baby records are the more feral early twin masterpieces – we'd say this one and Clear Spot are the wiser and more focused siblings, but no less classic! Tracks include "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby","Grow Fins", "There Ain't No Santa Clause On The Evenin' Stage", "Blabbern Smoke", "Alice In Blunderland", "The Spotlight Kid", and "Glider". LP, Vinyl record album

A great post-Family project from singer Roger Chapman and guitarist Charlie Whitney – working here in a way that really seems to hone in on the individual charms that both musicians have to offer! Chapman's vocals are every bit as distinct as before, but nicely tuned towards different styles – sometimes leaner modes that really come off well, and open up a more personal quality that's underscored by Whitney's more careful work on guitar. The album's definitely got some bolder moments, but the pair also don't seem as if they feel the need to cut some all-out rock session either – and the record's got some great touches that include light string arrangements, bass from John Wetton and Rick Grech, and reed work from the great Mel Collins, of King Crimson fame. Titles include "Roxianna", "Call Ya", "Creature Feature", "Just Four Men", "Tokyo Rose", "Hangman", and "Parisienne High Heels". CD features bonus tracks – "The Crack", "Call Ya (first mix)", and five more tracks from a live BBC John Peel session! CD

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Titles include "Chloe", "Yellow Roses", "Smack Dab In The Middle", "The Bourgeois Blues", "I Got Mine", and "He'll Have To Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "How Can You Keep On Moving", "FDR In Trinidad", "On A Monday", "Vigilante Man", "Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All", and "Billy The Kid". CD

Insanely wonderful stuff! Live, Sammy D was the most entertaining of all the rat pack – as you'll hear on this excellent concert from 1963 – one of the few recordings that really captures Sammy's genius in all aspects of his talents! The album's got some great straight jazz vocal numbers, a bit of showy hip talk, a tiny bit of Sammy's impersonations of other stars (a lost talent that's rarely survived on other reissues), and a few surprise numbers that are really great. The album's worth it alone for Sammy's fantastic West Side Story medley – done in a swinging jazzy way, with only bongos for accompaniment! Other highlights include "Frank Talk", "What Kind Of Fool Am I", "Once In A Lifetime", "Sammy Looks At Old Movies", "Me & My Shadow", and "Jam Session". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the harder to find Sammy records, and one of the best! Sammy takes Mel Torme's drippy "California Suite", an extended work about how great California is – and he turns it into an extended chat between Sammy and a friend in a bar in New York City, with twists and turns that are way jazzier, and way hipper than Mel's version, which features a whiny woman playing the part of the New Yorker. Side two of the record features some great sensitive versions of Mel Torme tunes – like "Welcome To The Club", "A Stranger Called The Blues", and "Willow Road". Arrangements by Marty Paich, too – one of Mel's best arrangers! LP, Vinyl record album

The Sammy Davis Jr sound, heard in full effect – cast out through a host of wonderful material on this early Reprise record – with dynamic Morty Stevens arrangements that really bring the most out of Sammy D! The tunes are varied, but Sammy makes most of them his own – working both through emotive moments and swinging lyrics – all without ever losing his cool, and all with vocals that easily blow away most of his contemporaries. Tracks include "In A Persian Market", "That Old Black Magic", "Stand Up & Fight", "It's All Right With Me", "Hey There", and "Birth Of The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

The closest thing Sammy D ever came to cutting a bossa album – and a lovely batch of fragile tunes that feature no other instrumentation save for the guitar of Laurindo Almeida. Almeida plays acoustic guitar on the album, in a gentle style that supports Sam's rich voice as it works through a set of ballads and sad songs that includes "Here's That Rainy Day", "Two Different Worlds", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Joey Joey Joey", "Speak Low", and "We'll Be Together Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "The Lesson Of Love", "Indian Summer", "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime", "In Exile", "In The Hands Of Love", "Hampstead Girl", and "Power To Believe". CD

A very cool later album from Duane Eddy – done at a time when his old wonderproducer Lee Hazlewood was having great success at Reprise Records – where he invited Eddy for an update of their previous style! The album's totally great – with more fuzz and distortion than previous records – and plenty of those cool, tight arrangements that Hazlewood was using on his own albums, and his famous sessions with Nancy Sinatra too! The music is way hipper than the RCA Duane Eddy sessions, and tunes have a very groovy 60s vibe – with titles that include "Batman", "Monday Monday", "This Guitar Was Made For Twangin", "Mame", "A Groovy Kind Of Love", and "Where Were You When I Needed You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the great entries in Duke Ellington's "exotic" albums of the 60s – records that aren't exactly exotica by any stretch of the imagination, but which have musical themes that were inspired by the international travels of the Ellington band at the time! In this case, the locale is the Virgin Islands – where Ellington performed in 1965, and returned home to record this set as a memory of tunes played by the band in St Croix and St Thomas. The core of the set is the initial Virgin Islands suite – made up of four new tunes that include "Island Virgin", "Virgin Jungle", "Fiddler On The Diddle", and "Jungle Kitty" – all nicely rhythmic numbers that explore some fresh themes with especially nice horn solos from the members of the group. Other tracks are older numbers performed on the tour, given a bit of a new twist here – on titles that include "Fade Up", "Mysterious Chick", "The Opener", and "Big Fat Alice's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Fanny have a slightly more ambitious vibe here than on some of their previous albums – in part because the set was recorded at the Apple Studios in London, with production by Richard Perry – who really does a great job of elevating all the elements the group had on their previous records! The vocal interplay is even more complex and compelling than before, and there's some larger arrangements that almost seem to echo the best use of such modes by the late Beatles – as does the group's great reworking of their "Hey Bulldog". Other titles include "Blind Alley", "You've Got A Home", "Borrowed Time", "Think About The Children", "Rock Bottom Blues", "Sound & The Fury", and "The First Time". LP, Vinyl record album

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