... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the all-time great Rick James albums – a return to funkier sounds for Rick that worked both artistically and commercially – and actually got over far better than his more blatant attempts at crossover material on other records! The mix here is perfect – a true summation of all that made Motown great at the time, and the special sort of energy that made Rick one of the freshest mainstream talents at the end of the 70s! The record put a lot of money in Barry Gordy's pockets, and for good reason too – given that the set includes the classic hit "Super Freak" – plus "Give It To Me Baby", "Ghetto Life", "Make Love To Me", "Below The Funk (Pass The J)", and "Fire & Desire" – all done in that compressed pop-funky style that James kind of took from Bootsy Collins and manage to successfully soup up for the masses! CD also features the bonus tracks "Give It To Me Baby (12" mix)" and "Super Freak (12" mix)". CD

Another stone winner from Rick James' early 80s run for Motown – a set that follows strongly on territory opened up by previous records – especially that bass-heavy approach to funk! The record's maybe not as stone classic as others, but still is way tighter and more put-together than most of the James imitators of the time – and features some nice moments that include the very groovy title cut, the mellow "Ebony Eyes" duet with Smokey Robinson, and even a guest appearance from Grandmaster Flash. Titles include "Cold Blooded", "Ebony Eyes", "Pimp The Simp", "U Bring The Freak Out", "Doin' It", "Unity" and "123 (U Her & Me)". CD

Rick James' first LP for Motown subsidiary Gordy, that was to provide the blueprint for his later success. James' trademark pop bass funk style is fully formed on this one already, and though we may once have thought little of the slick production and style, looking back this stuff has a good bit more substance than some of the other commercial R & B of the day. "Mary Jane" & "You & I" were the 2 big hits of this album, which also includes "Be My Lady", "Hollywood" & "Sexy Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

Rick James is massively throwing down on this classic set – tight, right, and on the money all the way through – in that trademark groove that so many others would try to cop, but never get this right! The album bristles with energy right from the start – lots of bass at the bottom of the grooves, riffing guitar in the middle, and those badass vocals of James' that mange to sound nasty even when they're sweet! But if you know Rick, you know that sweetness isn't the aim here – and the album drips with party sex all the way through – over funk classics that include "Standing On The Top", "Teardrops", "Money Talks", "Throwdown", "Hard To Get", "69 Times" and "Dance Wit Me". CD

... CD

Rick James' first LP for Motown subsidiary Gordy – an effort that was to provide the blueprint for his later success! James' trademark pop bass funk style is fully formed on this one already, and though we may once have thought little of the slick production and style, looking back this stuff has a good bit more substance than some of the other commercial R & B of the day! "Mary Jane" & "You & I" were the 2 big hits of this album, which also includes "Be My Lady", "Hollywood" & "Sexy Lady". CD

Rick James is massively throwing down on this classic set – tight, right, and on the money all the way through – in that trademark groove that so many others would try to cop, but never get this right! The album bristles with energy right from the start – lots of bass at the bottom of the grooves, riffing guitar in the middle, and those badass vocals of James' that mange to sound nasty even when they're sweet! But if you know Rick, you know that sweetness isn't the aim here – and the album drips with party sex all the way through – over funk classics that include "Standing On The Top", "Teardrops", "Money Talks", "Throwdown", "Hard To Get", "69 Times" and "Dance Wit Me". CD

A huge batch of work from Change – all the group's classic albums from the 80s, plus some great work from later years too – all with bonus tracks added to most of the records! First up is Glow Of Love – the classic debut from Change – and the start of an amazing run of groovers in the early 80s! The set's got a tight, jazzy feel throughout – a stripped-down approach to disco modes, with the same focus on the basslines that you'd find in work by Chic – but a style that's almost even more instrumentally focused overall, given the great range of studio players who worked on the set. Yet there's also some key vocal moments, too – work by Luther Vandross that really helps make some of the best tracks sparkle, and which went onto catapult Vandross into a rich solo career on his own. Next is Miracles – a brilliant second set from Change – working here without Luther Vandross on lead vocals, but hardly missing a beat at all! As before, the basslines are at the core of the set – a sweet stripped-down approach that brings even more focus onto the bottom of the groove for early 80s dancefloors – with loads of numbers that step along in a really groovy mode – one quite far from the cliches of disco, and inflected by loads of jazzy elements that keep things fresh over the years! Vocals are by James Robinson – previously with Lonnie Liston Smith – Diva Gray, and Jocelyn Shaw. Sharing Your Love is sweet modern soul from this great group – one of the brightest points in major label soul during the early 80s! Change, ironically, is a group that went through a number of line-up changes, even in their prime – with the tight, clubby, yet genuinely soulful production a constant. This record is made all the better for the beautifully soulful dual lead vocals of James Robinson and Deborah Cooper. The tracks have deeply layered live instrumentation – keyboards, guitar, percussion, horns and strings – blended seamlessly with early 80s production touches. This Is Your Love is an overlooked set from Change – a record that possibly wasn't as hit-worthy as some of their previous efforts – yet one that still had the group very much at the top of their game! By this point, Change had really evolved past being just a studio project, into a rock-solid soul group with a definite ear for a groove – particularly the tight, lean sort of rhythms that percolated in the post-Chic era – making a perfect fit for the slightly jazzy production of the record. Bassbits and beats drive most of the rhythms, but there's still a nice degree of warmth – and vocals are handled by Deborah Cooper, James Robinson, Rick Brennan, and Timmy Allen – who each seem to get their moment in the spotlight, furthering the well-rounded sound of the record. Next is Change Of Heart – a game-changing album from Change – a real breakthrough for the early 80s international soul combo! Change Of Heart has some great production by Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis – and on top of that, it's perhaps the best set of songs the group had recorded to to date. Jam/Lewis wrote half the tunes and produced most of the album, which is front-loaded with some of the best of them. Turn On Your Radio is not nearly as well-known as their first few hits, but still in that all-solid approach to the groove that was the Change trademark during the early 80s! The sound is a bit more stripped down than before – tight beats and keyboards, mostly in a mellow to midtempo mode – all topped with vocals from male and female members of the group! Change still have a great way with a hook here – an approach to soul that's tight and professional, yet not nearly as cloying as some of the chart-climbing acts of their generation. And as before, the keyboards are almost as great as the vocals – with slight jazzy inflections that warm up the tunes nicely! Last up is Love 4 Love – a 2018 comeback for Change – still sounding great all these many years later, but in a slightly different way! The balance between all elements here is fantastic – as the music has all the best parts of the group's earlier music, but also updates the sound a bit – in the way that a combo like Incognito or Brand New Heavies were updating older soul music back in the 90s, by grabbing all the strongest parts of the past, and fusing them into a fresh lean groove. The songs are upbeat, positive, and full of the kind of catchy hooks that Change always did so well! Box set features 78 tracks in all – with bonus tracks added to most albums! CD

With Anthony Davis on piano, James Newton on flute, Rick Rozie on bass, George Lewis on trombone, and Pheeroan AkLaff on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

A timeless track by Teena Marie, off the It Must Be Magic album, though there's no mistaking this one's from the 80s, with a solid midtempo groove and the shiny sound of LA Motown. "Square Biz" is self produced, with Teena asserting her own sound a little more than on some of her other more Rick James sounding cuts, which is just fine by us. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Music from the Boulevard Connection, Only Child, Joshua, Dubble D, Riton, Rae & Christian, Nash, Fumi, Zum, Pablo, Capoeira Twins, Aromadozeski Therapy, Faze Action, Rick James & more. CD

An incredible collection – and one that fills in a crucially under-documented side of the New York dancefloor generation – the wealth of special mixes and edits that were made for that city's important DJs for their own use in clubs! The package sorts through a mountain of never-issued acetates, and goes way past conventional disco or rare club collections – to showcase the special mixing talents these DJs brought to their re-presentation of the material – which was usually done on tape, then pressed onto acetate discs for their own private use! Those rare treasures are brought forth here – in a beautiful package that's also overflowing with fantastic notes that finally give this lost history its due – all handled by Al Kent – who's a hell of a mixer himself, as well as an underground club historian. 3CD set is overflowing with gems – and titles include "I Just Wanna Say I Love You (John Luongo rmx)" by Leon Collins, "What About Love (Tony Gioe rmx)" by Marboo, "Ten Percent (Walter Gibbons Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Double Exposure, "Inside America (Rick Gianatos disco queen acetate edit)" by Juggy Murray Jones, "Dancing Free (John Luongo rmx)" by Hot Ice, "Black Water Gold (Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by The Sunshine Band, "Magic Bird Of Fire (Francois Kevorkian Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Salsoul Orchestra, "It's Good For The Soul (Jay Negron Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Salsoul Orchestra, "My Love Is Free (Walter Gibbons disco madness rmx)" by Double Exposure, "Reaching Out For Happiness (Jonathan Fearing rmx)" by Fay Hauser, "Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Tom Savarese rmx)" by Love Symphony Orchestra, "The Beat Goes On & On (Jim Burgess rmx)" by Ripple, "I Wanna Be Near You (John Morales Sunshine Sound acetate edit)" by Ruby Andrews, "I've Been Looking For Somebody (Walter Gibbons rmx)" by TC James & The Fist O Funk Orchestra, "The Disco Scene (Rick Gianatos rmx)" by Lake Shore Drive, "Bumpsie's Whipping Cream (Tom Savarese rmx)" by TC James & The Fist O Funk Orchestra, "Janice (Bobby DJ Guttadoro rmx)" by Skip Mahoney, "My Number's Up (Tee Scott rmx)" by The Salsoul Orchestra, "The Love Bug Done Bit Me Again (David Todd rmx)" by Skyliners, "LA Sunshine (Robert Ouimet rmx)" by Aura, "Love Has Come My Way (Jim Burgess rmx)" by Tony Valor Sound Orchestra, "Handsome Ma (Bobby DJ Guttadoro rmx)" by Sparkle Tuhran & Friends, "Love Thang (Tee Scott rmx)" by First Choice, "Burn Me Up (Jellybean Benitez edit)" by Kay Gees, "Love Is The Message (Tee Scott rmx)" by Brooklyn Express, "Changes (Jellybean Benitez rmx)" by Chain Reaction, "J'Ouvert (Frank Sestito rmx)" by John Gibbs & The Jam Band, "By The Way You Dance (Bobby DJ Guttadaro rmx)" by Bunny Sigler, "It's Good For The Soul (Walter Gibbons disco madness version)" by Salsoul Orchestra, and "It's A Better Than Good Time (Walter Gibbons rmx)" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. CD

An amazing package – one that comes in a tiny replica of the original home of Motown Records in Detroit! As you'd guess from the title, the 11CD set features every single Motown track that ever hit #1 on the charts – almost 200 classic songs, running from the early 60s right up through the 90s – with work by The Temptations, Four Tops, Diana Ross, Boyz II Men, The Contours, Rockwell, The Originals, Marvin Gaye, The Marvelettes, Stevie Wonder, High Inergy, The Dazz Band, Rick James, Commodores, and lots more! The package also includes a photo book with classic images and notes – but man, what we dig most of all is that tiny house of hits packaging – a really amazing thing! Plus, this version of the set also features a bonus CD that wasn't in the original version – with 12 more tracks whose cover versions charted at #1! CD

A fantastic look at the funkier side of Motown in the 70s – and a collection that's not just straight disco, thanks to the mighty selection talents of DJ Muro and T-Groove! Muro handles all of CD1 – and mixes in some excellent soundtrack numbers with more familiar soul tracks – and also presents a few classic cuts in remixed versions too! T-Groove is on CD2 – which has cuts that are maybe a bit more iconic in the Motown club sound of the 70s, but still pretty darn great when heard together in this set. Neither CD appears to be mixed – tracks all appear discrete and standalone – and the package features 37 titles that include "You Made Your Bed" by Reuben Howell, "Books & Basketball" by David Shire & James Di Pasquale, "T Plays It Cool (unedited version)" by Marvin Gaye, "Erucu" by Jermaine Jackson, "Mirrors Of My Mind" by Jackson 5, "Date With The Rain (DJ Spinna refreak)" by Eddie Kendricks, "Ego" by Ozone, "Big Time (M+M big time 2016 mix)" by Rick James, "Treat Her Like A Lady" by The Temptations, "Brothers Gonna Work It Out (Joey Negro return of the mac mix)" by Willie Hutch, "He's A Friend" by Eddie Kendricks, "Down To Love Town" by The Originals, "Go For It" by Billy Preston & Syreeta, "Full Speed Ahead" by Tata Vega, "Let's Be Young Tonight" by Jermaine Jackson, "Heaven Must Have Sent You" by Bonnie Pointer, "Shoulda Gone Dancin" by High Energy, "Saturday Night Sunday Morning" by Thelma Houston, "Star Love" by Three Ounces Of Love, "Tailgate" by 21st Creation, "Scratchin" by Magic Disco Machine, "Standing On The Verge" by Platinum Hook, and "I Need Your Lovin (M+M lovin all night long mix)" by Teena Marie. CD

Features 26 tracks including songs by Rick James, the Bar-Kays, Ohio Players, Cameo, Mary Jane Girls, Brothers Johnson, James Brown, Lyn Collins, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Kool & The Gang, and more! CD

A nearly-lost relic of 80s groove – and a sharp little side project from Rick James! Process and group are clearly going for a sound to rival the Time on this set – working as a well-costumed group ensemble with a bass-heavy funky groove at the bottom of every track – and their groove is definitely as sharp as any of the big names from the Twin Cities who were topping the charts at the time! And although you might be attempted to dismiss them as a copycat combo, the group actually comes off pretty darn well – with songs that we dig quite a lot – and which have held up surprisingly well over time. Titles include "Ooh Wee", "Stomp & Shout", "Serious Freak", "Too Sharp", "Come Into My Life", "Dance The Way You Want (Party Freaks)", and "Daddy's Home". CD features three bonus tracks – "Stomp & Shout (long inst)", "Stomp & Shout (7" version)", and "Stomp & Shout (short inst)". CD

A hard rock trio with a hell of a sound – heard here on their one and only album from the 70s – a surprising major label debut on Epic Records, with top-shelf production from Rick Derringer! The album's got a searing burn right from the start – quite a heady brew for this young trio, who come on with the guitar complexities of Johnny Winter at times, and kind of the brooding, bassy bottom you might hear from the James Gang ag their best – although Tin House also have this more youthful, more sneering vibe too – one that's completely their own, and which has made this obscure debut a lost treasure for hard rock collectors over the decades! Titles include "I Want Your Body", "Be Good & Be Kind", "Personal Gain", "Jezebel Give Me Your Lovin", "Lady Of The Silent Opera", "Tomorrow", and "You've Gone Too Far". LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful luxury at a mighty nice price – 3CDs and 35 tracks of music from the contemporary underground, plus a few cuts from back in the day – all put together with the top-shelf style of the Expansion Records label! The package is one of the best so far in this annual series – and like the others, it has a great way of turning up unusual numbers we might have missed otherwise – some subtle gems and overlooked sleepers, which makes the package as much of a place for new discovery as it is a musical bargain. As with other volumes, contemporary soul expert Ralph Tee handled all the tracks selection – and titles include "Follow" by Paul Johnson, "In The Mood To Take It Slow" by Najee with Meli'sa Morgan, "Speak Love" by James Day with Glenn Jones, "Slow Down" by Bill Henry Band, "Let Me Do It" by Halo, "Jakarta Dreams" by Incognito, "Never Let Go" by Candace Woodson, "Together" by Rockie Robbins, "Friends" by Rick Clarke featuring Don E, "It's You" by Terri Green Project, "I See Love (Metlife rmx)" by Cornell CC Carter, "Love Up" by Zo with Eric Roberson and Carmen Rodgers, "Lovestruck (2019 rework)" by Frankie Fandango, "Who's Been Kissing You" by Soulutions, "Clouds In My Mirror (Nigel Lowis sholes mix)" by Franciscsa Thomas, "It Should Have Been You" by Lasperanza with Izzy Chase, "Reach Out" by Laura Jackson, "Who Do You Love" by Victor Haynes, "We Won't Stop" by One Way with Al Hudson, "Don't Hold Back" by Alex Puddu with Gene Robinson, Jr, "Your Satisfaction Is Mine" by Ed Motta, and "Better Man" by Glenn Jones. CD

In the grand tradition of so much of the early 80s output on Sugar Hill, Sylvia Robinson puts Doug Wimbish and the boys to work on the vamp from a popular song, in this case Rick James' "Give It To Me Baby" and has someone else sing over it. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A lost little gem from the Rick James camp – a bit obscure, despite the fact that Val's a former Bride Of Funkenstein! Val's not as well known as some of the other artists that Rick James worked with back in the 80s – but given her resume, she's got a solidly soulful sound that works perfectly with the hook-heavy tunes on the set! The style's a great blend of 80s groove and some of the more mainstream soul modes of the time – bouncy little tunes that are heavy on keyboards and rasping guitar – served up with a tight sound, but still a few shades to the left of chart soul – in a way that keeps things pretty darn fresh throughout! Rick James "conceived" the album, and arranged, produced, and mixed a number of tracks – and titles include "Mind Games", "Seduction", "Make Up Your Mind","Tellin' Me Lies", "If You Should Ever Be Lonely", and "Come Hang Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by Ra and the Arkestra, recorded in 1958 in Chicago, but not issued until the end of 60s, as one of the best rare sides on Saturn Records! The material's fairly straight, but with a cool off-kilter groove, and some very nice arrangements. The lineup's as classic as can be, and include Gilmore, Pat Patrick, James Spaulding, Marshall Allen, and Hobart Dotson. Hattie Randolph sings on 2 tracks, and Ra plays a bit of celeste. Titles are mostly all standards, given the Ra twist – and titles include "S'Wonderful", "Round Midnight", "I Could Have Danced All Night", and "Deep Purple". This expanded CD version features 6 bonus cuts, for a total of 13 tracks in all – including some originals like "Enlightenment" and "Dreams Come True". CD

A rare lost treasure from James Brown – the full, unedited version of a live concert that was cut up and butchered for the Sex Machine album – presented here for the first time ever, with a huge amount of never-issued tunes! Sex Machine was one of those "fake" concert albums from James – some original live recordings, other studio tracks tricked out – and put together in a way that never really made much sense. This set is something completely different altogether – a James Brown concert from start to finish, complete with some wickedly sharp patter from the stage – and long tunes that really show his group hitting on all burners! The lineup of musicians include three drummers at once – Clyde Stubblefield, Jabo Stars, and Melvin Parker – alongside Fred Wesley on trombone, Maceo Parker on alto, Jimmy Nolen on guitar, and Charles Sherrell on bass. James himself plays a bit of organ at instrumental moments – and tracks include the never-released "Lowdown Popcorn", "World", "Spinning Wheel", "Try Me", "I Got The Feelin/Lickin Stick Lickin Stick", and "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose" – next to versions of "There Was A Time", "Say It Loud", "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing", "Mother Popcorn", and "I Can't Stand Myself". CD

A rare lost treasure from James Brown – the full, unedited version of a live concert that was cut up and butchered for the Sex Machine album – presented here for the first time ever, with a huge amount of never-issued tunes! Sex Machine was one of those "fake" concert albums from James – some original live recordings, other studio tracks tricked out – and put together in a way that never really made much sense. This set is something completely different altogether – a James Brown concert from start to finish, complete with some wickedly sharp patter from the stage – and long tunes that really show his group hitting on all burners! The lineup of musicians include three drummers at once – Clyde Stubblefield, Jabo Stars, and Melvin Parker – alongside Fred Wesley on trombone, Maceo Parker on alto, Jimmy Nolen on guitar, and Charles Sherrell on bass. James himself plays a bit of organ at instrumental moments – and tracks include the never-released "Lowdown Popcorn", "World", "Spinning Wheel", "Try Me", "I Got The Feelin/Lickin Stick Lickin Stick", and "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose" – next to versions of "There Was A Time", "Say It Loud", "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing", "Mother Popcorn", and "I Can't Stand Myself". LP, Vinyl record album

Ricky Ford explores the music and ideas of Wayne Shorter – a perfect fit for Ford's deeply soulful style of blowing the tenor! The set's actually got a more tightly arranged feel than you might expect – which makes for a nicely fresh take on some of Shorter's greatest numbers from earlier years, and creates some extremely inventive playing between group members that include Jimmy Knepper, James Spaulding, Kirk Lightsey, Rufus Reid, and Jimmy Cobb. Titles include Shorter tunes "Yes Or No", "Miyako", "Dance Cadaverous", and "Pinnochio" – and Ford originals "Wolf Trap" and "Tabloid Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A modern classic hip hop soundtrack to Black Panther that should make T'Challa proud! It was pretty clear early on that Black Panther might be one of the greatest modern super hero movies – and an important one for the political and cultural climate of the late teens – so the pressure was on to deliver a relevant soundtrack. What's stunning is how creatively uncompromising it is, with sharp, lyrically pointed tracks by Kendrick Lamar – and with no watering things down to PG-13 on this unedited version – plus tracks by Schoolboy Q, Vince Staples, The Weeknd, Ab-Soul and more. Kendrick headlines or guests on several tracks including the title track, "All The Stars" with SZA, "King's Dead" with Jay-Rock, Future & James Blake, "Big Shot" with Travis Scott and "Pray For Me" with Weeknd. Other tracks include "Opps" by Vince Staples, "I Am" with Jorja Smith, "X" by Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz & Saudi and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The first full length from Blundetto – a Parisian radio programmer and artist showing impeccable taste here – with a slyly dubby and reggae & soul influenced groove and featuring collaborations with The Budos Band horns, Chico Mann, Tommy Guerrero, Lateef The Truthspeaker, Shawn Lee, Genreal Elektricks and Hindi Zahra! Blundetto shares compositional credits with the guest, and it has the feel of collaboration with that atmopherically soulful core groove. Really nice work for the Heavenly Sweetness label! Titles including the Blundetto cover of the Bob James classic "Nautilus" plus "Voices", "Mustang", "Mi Condena", "Cuban Shirt", "Party Animals". "White Birds", "Ken Park", "My One Girl", "Bad BadThings" and "Sunset Stroll". LP, Vinyl record album

Sun Ra's really moving forward with this classic set – refining the sound of his Chicago-based Arkestra, and reaching for new territory that moves him way past familiar jazz modes! The cover bills the group as playing "music from tomorrow's world" – and you can definitely hear that on some titles here, including one number that features Ra on some really haunting celeste, and another that features Marshall Allen making weird noises with his mouthpiece! The group is all greats from the old days – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute, Pat Patrick on baritone and flute, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Charles Davis on baritone, and Ronnie Boykins on bass – and titles include "Hours After", "Saturn", "Ancient Ethiopia", and "Blues At Midnight". CD

One of Sun Ra's best non-Saturn live sets of the 70s – a nice little record that shows the group mixing it up with equal parts avant garde and straight ahead jazz, all handled in that ever-growing large group style that made them a real force to be reckoned with in a concert setting! The album was recorded during the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival, and has a bit more focus and polish than some of the other Arkestra live material from the time – a mature, coherent sound that almost points the way towards some of their work to come in the 80s – when Ra and the group were finally reaching the wider audience they deserved. The set's a double-length one, and features players who include John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, Pat Patrick on baritone, Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Craig Harris on trombone, and James Jackson on Ancient Egyptian Infinity drum – which is always a treat. Ra plays solar organ and moog, as well as piano – and titles include "Of The Other Tomorrow", "On Sound Infinity Spheres", "El Is The Sound Of Joy", "Gods Of The Thunder Realm", "Gods Of A Thunder Realm", "The House Of Eternal Being", and "Lights On a Satellite". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best non-Saturn Sun Ra albums of the 60s – material recorded live on a tour of New York colleges in 1966, and very much in a spirit that captures the Arkestra at their best! Longer tracks are juxtaposed nicely with shorter ones – in a way that has the group running very outside one minute, yet stepping soulfully back to the center the next – never schizophrenicly, but in a mode that really displays the full range of energy pulsing in the group. Interesting instrumentation on the set includes Ra on clavoline, plus Carl Nimrod on the beautiful-sounding "sun horn" – and other players include Marshall Allen on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Pat Patrick on baritone, and James Jacson on log drum and flute. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "Next Stop Mars", "Outerspaceways", "Shadow World", and "Sun Ra and His Band From Outer Space". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest grooves from the legendary Desco Records years – a brilliant album of modern Afro Funk done by The Daktaris – in a groove that's just as hard-hitting as any of Fela's work from the 70s! The album was one of the first to bring back an older African style to current funk – and even years later, it's still one of the best examples of the sound – a razor-sharp session that helped set the stage for better-known Antibalas work to come! Percussion and guitar is super-heavy throughout – produced with that bare-bones Desco style, and handled in a way that makes you think the record might be some treasure from mid 70s Nigeria – a trick the label tried to pull when it was released! Cuts include a cover of Fela's "Upside Down", James Brown's "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose", and the originals "Super Afro-Beat", "Daktari Walk", "Voodoo Soul Stew", and "Quiet Man Is A Dead Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best non-Saturn Sun Ra albums of the 60s – material recorded live on a tour of New York colleges in 1966, and very much in a spirit that captures the Arkestra at their best! Longer tracks are juxtaposed nicely with shorter ones – in a way that has the group running very outside one minute, yet stepping soulfully back to the center the next – never schizophrenicly, but in a mode that really displays the full range of energy pulsing in the group. Interesting instrumentation on the set includes Ra on clavoline, plus Carl Nimrod on the beautiful-sounding "sun horn" – and other players include Marshall Allen on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Pat Patrick on baritone, and James Jacson on log drum and flute. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "Next Stop Mars", "Outerspaceways", "Shadow World", and "Sun Ra and His Band From Outer Space". CD features over 20 minutes of bonus music – the tracks "Velvet", "Outer Nothingness", and "We Travel The Spaceways". CD

A great document of the continuing influence of Charles Mingus in the immediate years after his passing – served up here in a set of Mingus-related groups recording for the Black Saint/Soul Note label! First up is Reincarnation – a very special Mingus Dynasty recording, with a lineup that includes some of the most soulful players from Charles' later group – Ricky Ford on tenor, Richard Williams on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Roland Hanna on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums! Titles include "East Coasting", "Reincarnation Of A Love Bird", "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", and "Ecclusiatics". Mingus' Sound Of Love is a record that definitely lives up to its title – as alums from the Mingus band work together here in a set of fresh changes on classics from the master - titles that include "Celia", "Ysabel's Table Dance", "Caroline", and "Sue's Changes". Group includes Randy Brecker on trumpet, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, James Newton and Craig Handy on reeds, and Roland Hanna on piano. Last up are two albums comprising a concert performance – Live At The Theatre Boulogne Billancourt in Paris – with a great Mingus-inspired group that includes David Murray and Clifford Jordan on tenors, John Handy on alto, Randy Brecker and Jon Faddis on trumpets, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and Jaki Byard on piano! Tracks are quite long – and very much in the Mingus tradition. Four full albums – each in tiny sleeves with the original artwork. CD

A great run of 80s work from Sun Ra – and some of his best-known records from the time! First up is Reflections In Blue – a later classic from Sun Ra – a record that bears one of his most beautiful cover shots ever! The record's got a wonderfully tight feel – a sound that's often not as out as Saturn sides, and which shows Ra's ability to lead a larger ensemble with a very complex sound – drawing on Ellingtonish roots, but inflecting them with his own space-tuned sensibilities! Players include Tyrone Hill on trombone, Pat Patrick on alto and clarinet, Marshall Allen on alto and flute, John Gilmore on tenor and clarinet, and James Jacson on bassoon and african drums – and Ra himself plays synth as well as piano. Titles include "Yesterdays", "Say It Isn't So", and the originals "State Street Chicago" and "Reflections In Blue". Hours After is a strange little late record from Sun Ra – late night, soulful and bluesy, with a sound that's in keeping with the traditionalism of the late Arkestra! The group's an all-star one – Pat Patrick, Danny Thompson, Marshall Allen, and John Gilmore – and Ra sings a bit on the session. Side B of the session steps out a bit more from the first side – which is the more traditional one – and Ra plays a bit of synthesizer, in a 70s avant kind of mode. Titles include "Dance Of The Extra Terrestrians", "Love On A Far Away Planet", "Hours After", and "Beautiful Love". Mayan Temples is a studio set recorded in Italy in 1990, and one that draws strongly from the tightening of tradition the Arkestra experienced in the 80s – working at a time of some of their greatest acceptance by jazz audiences worldwide, and able to express themselves fully in a range of different modes! The sense of tone and timing here is beautiful – almost Ellington-like at points, but still with a decidedly Sun Ra-like quality – and players on the date include Michael Ray and Ahmed Abdullah on trumpets, John Gilmore on tenor, Noel Scott and Marshall Allen on alto sax, and Tyrone Hill on trombone – and June Tyson also sings just a bit on the set. Ra plays both piano and synth, and titles include "Alone Together", "Discipline 1", "Sunset On The River Nile", "El Is The Sound Of Joy", "I'll Never Be The Same", "Theme On The Stargazers", and "Opus In Springtime". A double-length set too – nearly 80 minutes of music! Last up is A Tribute To Stuff Smith – an unusual session that features Billy Bang on violin, Andrew Cyrille on drums, and Sun Ra on piano – all in tribute to legendary violinist Stuff Smith. CD

Oh No once again delivers on the conceptual front – an allstar hip hop project built on Dolemite samples – produced and arranged by Oh No and featuring a stellar guest roster with Erick Sermon, MF Doom, Evidence, Alchemist, Big Pooh, Frank Nitt, Roc C, Guilty Simpson, Jose James, Phife Dawg and more! Rudy Ray Moore and his Dolemite are a vital part of underground hip hop' DNA, so to Oh No's credit, he doesn't go for most obvious fodder or weigh it all too heavily with movie dialogue or the most memorable soundtrack bits. Like the best hip hop ever made, Oh No crafts personal, unique and original music out of samples, and this record belongs to him and his guests! Includes "Real Serious" with Evidence & Alchemist, "The Guns" feat Guilty Simpson & MED, "Time" feat Roc C & Chino XL, "Hallucinations" feat Prozack Turner, "Ohnomite Jazz", "Touch It" feat Frank Nitt, "Dues N Donts" feat Jose James & Phife Dawg, "Runnin The Show" feat Erick Sermon. CD features 2 bonus tracks: "Life Games" feat LMNO and "Overload" feat Wildchild. CD

A rare 60s meeting of groovy talents from both sides of the Atlantic – and a record that matches the trumpet of Dizzy Gillespie with the hiply swinging vocals of The Double Six Of Paris! The group were a wonderfully groovy precursor to the Swingle Singers – and sung in a scatting approach to jazz vocals that was very much in the tradition of Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross – but also drew inspiration from the earlier work of Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure, and others. Their sound is great – much more 60s groovy than some other vocal groups – and pairing them with Dizzy gives this record an added punch that some of their other sessions are missing! Backing is small combo throughout – with either Bud Powell or Kenny Barron on piano, Kenny Clarke on drums, and James Moody on tenor – and with the presence of Diz, most of the material here is of bop orientation – taken at a fast and lively clip! Lalo Schifrin arranged the whole session too – and titles include "One Bass Hit", "Blue N Boogie", "Emanon", "Groovin High", "Ow", "The Champ", "Tin Tin Deo", "Hot House", and "Con Alma". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman Returns, Beetle Juice, Ed Wood, Mars Attacks, Sleepy Hollow, and The Corpse Bride – all performed by the Praque Philharmonic! CD

Warner Brothers magic from Doug Kershaw – two early 70s albums that really show him opening up his groove! Swamp Grass is a very groovy record from the mighty Doug Kershaw – maybe his entry into the swamp rock genre that so many other southern artists were trying in the early 70s – a mode that might not have been possible without Doug's earlier experiments with his brother Randy! Kershaw's definitely got some of his cajun roots in the mix here – but his vocals and fiddle are also set up alongside some trippier guitar and keyboards, as you might guess from the slightly psychedelic image on the cover – all handled with nicely understated production from Buddy Killen, who helps keep the whole thing moving along, and focused on the best sides of Doug's charms. Titles include a very unusual remake of "Louisiana Man" – plus "Swamp Grass", "Can't Wait Till Tomorrow", "Cajun Funk", "Till I Hit The Ground", "Can't Wait Till Tomorrow", "Isn't That About The Same", and "From A Little Flirt Comes A Big Hurt". Douglas James Kershaw is a strong little record that has Doug Kershaw nicely stretching past the sound of his cajun roots – maybe in an attempt to grab some of the southern rock glory that his earlier work helped encourage! Doug's a great singer, with a nicely deep range – and he gets great production here from Chips Moman and Buddy Killen, two southern studio giants who sweeten the sound with just the right touch of larger arrangements from time to time – but mostly let Kershaw revel in the strong instrumental help he gets from giants like Bobby Emmons, Reggie Young, and Moman himself. Titles include "Willie's Shades", "The Best Years Of My Life", "Louisiana Love Song", "I Had A Good Woman But She Married Lawrence", "Tricks", and "You're Gonna Be Impressed". CD

A fantastic debut from the James L'Estraunge Orchestra – a studio combo, but one who come together with this amazing mix of groove and sophisticated arrangements! The project is the brainchild of Ricky Reid – who you might know in his work with The Soul Renegades – and there's a richness to the album that takes us back to some of the first wave of really complicated, really beautiful sounds from the London scene years back – maybe like the music of Chris Bowden or Jessica Lauren, with just a trace of 4Hero in the way that Reid blends together fuller strings and horns with some tight rhythms at the core. There's plenty of great keyboards on the album – including some Fender Rhodes from Ricky – but the album's hardly just the usual beats-and-keys session, as there's a complex vision here that's way more than just dancefloor music. Yet there's also plenty of grooves – just served up with a depth that makes the album appealing in so many other ways too – on tracks that include "The Call", "Closer", "We Rise", "Me & The Bear", "Eventual Reality", "See You Tonight", "Autumn Falls", and "It Happened Before". CD

Four soulful fusion classics from keyboardist Rodney Franklin – all together in a single set! First up is In The Center – wonderful keyboard work from the amazing Rodney Franklin – a player who sounds equally great on acoustic and electric piano! This album does a wonderful job of mixing them both – showing Rodney's more sensitive side on a few acoustic numbers, but then really taking off in a much more groove-based mode for the electric ones – which have a soaring, spacious style that's in that best blend of fusion and soul that was going down at Columbia in the late 70s – but with some spacier Bob James touches too! Most of the cuts were arranged by Byron Olsen, who's got an equally sensitive ear as Franklin – and although there's a bit of vocals on the record, most of the focus is on instrumental grooves – especially Rodney's work on the keys. Titles include the classics "I Like The Music Make It Hot", "Spanish Flight", and "On The Path" – plus "Yours", "Life Moves On", and the extended "Spring Suite". You'll Never Know is fully-formed genius from the amazing Rodney Franklin – one of the best keyboard stars to emerge from the late 70s scene! Franklin's got a great talent for balancing influences from jazz and soul in ways that are similar to contemporaries George Duke and Bobby Lyle – and like both of those players, he still stands strong in jazz, but makes some key nods to soul music on this set – adding in a bit of vocals where needed, and moving into some R&B-drenched fusion lines that all sound pretty darn hip! As on previous records, Rodney plays both acoustic and electric keys – blending them wonderfully for a very deep sound – and the group behind him features some especially nice work on reeds, which bring sharper edges to some of the best tracks on the set. There's a wonderfully deep feel to the whole thing – way more than you'd expect for a major label release at the time – and titles include "Felix Leo", "The Watcher", "The Groove", "Journey", "You'll Never Know", "Return", and "Parkay Man". Next is the self-titled Rodney Franklin – tremendous work from Rodney Franklin – one of our favorite soulful fusion players from the end of the 70s! The album's a keyboard delight through and through – and Rodney plays both acoustic and electric piano, often on the same track – which creates this nicely expanded sound that works well with the album's tight arrangements! There's a fair bit of soul in the mix too – some rhythms that make a few numbers great groovers, courtesy of Tom Tom arrangements – and some other full moments handled by Patrick Williams. Titles include a wonderful version of "Windy City" – the cut you might know from a classic Carl Davis recording – plus "On The Path", "I Like The Music Make It Hot", "Life Moves On", "Creation", and "In The Center". Endless Flight is a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and fusion – smoothed together nicely, but never in a way that's slick or commercial! Franklin's got a keen ear that lets him sit on both sides of the fence wonderfully – in a way that so many other players tried in later years, but never managed to do without losing their groove or selling out too much. Part of the strength of the album is the way that it mixes together acoustic and electric keys from track to track – deepening the spirit of the album through a good sense of pacing and mood, and also offsetting vocal tracks with some key instrumental numbers. Tom Washington produced and heavily helped in the arrangements – and titles include "Vibrations", "Benetta", "Cancion Para Mi Mama", "Dance Tonight", "Endless Flight", "Return To The Source", "Mensaje De Dios", and a surprisingly great funky take on "Hill Street Blues". Includes one bonus track – "The Groove (single version)". CD

Very hip work from a young Jimmy Heath – a relative newcomer to the scene at this point, but breaking out with a firm conception and tone, exercised strongly here in a set of large group arrangements worked out in collaboration with Tom McIntosh. McIntosh's work in this format is well known from albums by Dizzy and James Moody – and as with those records, this one has an edgey quality that really keeps the music fresh, and which provides a good foil for solos by Heath, McIntosh, Pat Patrick, and Cannonball Adderley. Titles include "Big P", "Mona's Mood", "Nails", and "The Picture Of Heath". CD features the bonus track "Nails", in an alternate take! CD