Think what you might about Rick James, this is actually a pretty darn funky album – with lots of tight bass-heavy grooves! Rick's working here with the Stone City Band, in a style that's leaner and less commercial than some of his later work – going for a mainstream funk approach, but still leaving enough roughness around the edge to make the album appealing to our ears. In a way, the sound here is kind of a tightening up of Fantasy Records funk, given a few P-Funk twists – slick, but never too slick to groove soulfully! Titles include "Bustin Out", "Love Interlude", "High On Your Love Suite", "Spacey Love", "Cop N Blow", and "Fool On The Street". LP, Vinyl record album

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

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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

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

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". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Rick James makes the move away from Motown here – heading over to Warner/Reprise, in the Prince side of the spectrum – along with a cover image that has him wearing a paisley costume on top of a purple background – in a way that could well make the buyer think that Rick's working with Prince! But despite these Prince-like trappings (which also include some more Purple Rain-ish costumes on the inside cover), Rick's still writing, producing, and arranging himself – hitting a groove that clearly inspired by the success of his Paisley Park competition, but which is also kind of a natural extension of the Rick James funk sound into the end of the 80s. Roxanne Shante and Big Daddy Kane make some guest appearances on the album – and titles include "Loosey's Rap", "Hypnotize", "I Believe In U", "In The Girl's Room", "Sherry Baby", "Love's Fire", "Wonderful", "So Tight", and "Sexual Luv Affair". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Rick James fires it up at the end of the 70s – stepping out at full star power that has him rivaling the strength of Bootsy Collins at Warner, and paving the way for the rise of Prince in the early 80s! As with Prince, James' version of funk here is a bit offbeat – lots of riffing guitars in the mix, and a bad-strutting groove that's still conventional mainstream funk of the time, yet with some edgier elements that led Rick to label his music as "punk funk" (or was it "funk punk"?) Given the end-of-70s spirit, you might also say that some of the cuts were aimed at the dancefloor – although James was never really one to storm the discos as much as others. Titles include "Love Gun", "Fire It Up", "Come Into My Life", "Lovin You Is A Pleasure", and "Stormy Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Rick James' classic early run for Motown – a set that maybe didn't chart as big as some of his other records for the label, but which stands strongly today as a well-crafted batch of mellow funky soul! James has a bit less of the bass-heavy riffs here than you'd expect – and instead, the record has kind of a laidback, almost dreamy feel at times – still upbeat, but with the kind of relaxed, glowing vibe you'd be more likely to find from Teena Marie around this point – a really nice contrast with the more familiar hit sounds you'd know from Rick! We actually really like these mellower groovers – which are almost like some of Johnny Watson's Caribbean-tinged grooves – and the production augments the tunes with a bit of sound effects, which really furthers the paradise garden feel of the tunes. Titles include "Mary Go Round", "Summer Love", "Big Time", "Don't Give Up On Love", "Getting It On In The Sunshine", and "Island Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A solid 2CD set of the prime pop funk and decadent soul jams of Rick James – his classic work and some great, but not so famous stuff he recorded for Gordy/Motown, from the late 70s to the mid 80s! Anthology isn't an all encompassing set, but it gets to the heart of the best of the Rick James sound on its 2CDs – from the Bootsy Collins inspired funk jams early on, to the crisp, shorter, crossover mega hits like "Super Freak", and his collaborations with Teena Marie and some classic Motown artists. Titles include "You And I", "Mary Jane", "Hollywood", "Bustin Out (On Funk)", "Fire It Up", "Love Gun", "Come Into My Life", "Big Time", "Island Lady", "Super Freak", "Fire And Desire" and "Happy" with Teena Marie, "Dance Wit Me", "Standing On The Top" feat The Temptations, "Hard To Get", "Ebony Eyes" with Smokey Robinson, "Cold Blooded", "PIMP The SIMP" with Grandmaster Flash, "Glow", "Moonchild", "Sweet And Sexy Thing" and more. CD

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

Rick James makes the move away from Motown here – heading over to Warner/Reprise, in the Prince side of the spectrum – along with a cover image that has him wearing a paisley costume on top of a purple background – in a way that could well make the buyer think that Rick's working with Prince! But despite these Prince-like trappings (which also include some more Purple Rain-ish costumes on the inside cover), Rick's still writing, producing, and arranging himself – hitting a groove that clearly inspired by the success of his Paisley Park competition, but which is also kind of a natural extension of the Rick James funk sound into the end of the 80s. Roxanne Shante and Big Daddy Kane make some guest appearances on the album – and titles include "Loosey's Rap", "Hypnotize", "I Believe In U", "In The Girl's Room", "Sherry Baby", "Love's Fire", "Wonderful", "So Tight", and "Sexual Luv Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

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! LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really unique album from the great Etta Jones – a session recorded down in Muscle Shoals, and not in Chicago – a setting that gives James an extra sort of deep soul power! The backing is nicely different than some of the other Chess material – killer work from the legendary Fame Studios lineup that included Barry Beckett on organ, Charles Chalmers on tenor, and Roger Hawkins on drums – all coming together with the great Rick Hall at the production helm! Etta's back in hard-belting R&B-tinged territory here – a bit more sophisticated than the 50s, with a good mix of hard soul numbers and ballads, opening up in some southern territory that really suits her well. Titles include "The Same Rope", "Watch Dog", "Tell Mama", "I'd Rather Go Blind", "Just A Little Bit", and "Don't Lose Your Good Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

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. Titles include "Magical Night", "Angel", "This Is Your Time", "Stay N Fit", "Tell Me Why", "Got To Get Up", and "Don't Wait Another Night". LP, Vinyl record album

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

One of the first good hip hop soundtracks, and a motherlode of great cuts like "Paid In Full (7 minute Cold Cut remix)" by Eric B & Rakim, "Butcher Shop" by Kool G Rap, "Colors" by Ice T, "Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste" by M.C. Shan, and "Go On Girl" by Roxanne Shante. More by Salt N Pepa, Big Daddy Kane, 7A3, and Rick James. Marley Marl produced the majority of these cuts, and this was the early days of the Cold Chillin/Warner alliance. LP, Vinyl record album

Kendrick Lamar takes wider creative left turns than ever before on To Pimp A Butterfly – with a funk steeped production style that filters tried-and-true P Funk influences through leftfield modern beatcraft styles, inspired by cats like Madlib to Thundercat, the latter of whom is an official contributor. Fresh material from an increasingly pivotal figure – who may not be revolutionizing the game on the level of the heavy critical praise he's heaped with, but he's certainly marching to his own beat, rather than chasing hits! Includes "Wesley's Theory" with George Clinton & Thundercat, "King Kunta", "These Walls" with Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat, "Aright", "For Sale?", "Institutionalized" with a Slick Rick-homage of a guest verse by Snoop Dogg (sign us up for any record that gives props to The Ruler...and extra points for transplanting that style of flow to Compton), "Momma", "Hood Politics", "The Blacker The Berry", "How Much A Dollar Cost" feat James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley, "Mortal Man" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Modern Muscle Shoals material from The Rose Brothers – a male quartet with one foot in an older harmony soul mode, and the other firmly set into the bigger modes of the 80s! Mellower moments mix with electro elements on this debut album – with a vibe that's almost more east coast than Alabama, but which still retains a bit of a deeper soul vibe on the laidback numbers and ballads. Jimmy Lewis and Rich Cason produced – and Cason handled arrangements – on titles that include "I Get Off On You", "The Edge Of Goodbye", "Burglar", "One More Time", "War Zone", and "Freeky Lover" – and the Rick James-styled groover "Wall To Wall Freaks". CD

Music from James Gang, Average White Band, Gov't Mule, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Guided By Voices , Edgar Winter, Mountain, Ron Wood, Rick Derringer, Molly Hatchet, BC Smith along with some dialogue from the movie. CD

Features music from Ollie & Jerry, Teen Marie, Gloria Gaynor, Bonnie Pointer, Donna Summer, Rick James and more – 12 tracks total. CD

Upbeat sounds from Muscle Shoals – music that's normally dubbed by the term of Northern Soul, but which was recorded in one of the best scenes in the American south! That confusion's easy to fix – as the "northern" in Northern Soul has always referred to the interest in a certain type of rhythm in the 60s UK scene up north – which means that the sounds can come from anywhere, especially a place that's as well-tuned to vintage soul styles as the legendary Fame studios! The tracks here were all recorded at Fame – handled by Rick Hall and his top-shelf lineup of studio musicians – and were issued on his own Fame label, and other imprints that include Atlantic, Bell, Cotillion, and a few others – appearing here alongside a number of tracks that weren't issued back in the day as well. The main thing to know is that the rhythms are upbeat and romping – and the singers are all pretty darn wonderful – as many are also known for famous deep soul recordings at fame. Titles include "A Stone Loser" by Ben & Spence, "I'm Qualified" by Otis Clay, "Love Is A Wonderful Thing" by Prince Phillip, "Ten Miles High" by David & The Giants, "Keep On Talkin" by James Barnett, "A World Of My Own" by Billy & Clyde, "It's Not Safe To Mess On Me" by George Jackson, "In The Heat Of Love" by Marjorie Ingram, "It Ain't What You Got" by Jimmy Hughes, "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman, "Your Love Lifted Me" by James Govan, and "Everytime" by Linda Carr. CD

Upbeat sounds from Muscle Shoals – music that's normally dubbed by the term of Northern Soul, but which was recorded in one of the best scenes in the American south! That confusion's easy to fix – as the "northern" in Northern Soul has always referred to the interest in a certain type of rhythm in the 60s UK scene up north – which means that the sounds can come from anywhere, especially a place that's as well-tuned to vintage soul styles as the legendary Fame studios! The tracks here were all recorded at Fame – handled by Rick Hall and his top-shelf lineup of studio musicians – and were issued on his own Fame label, and other imprints that include Atlantic, Bell, Cotillion, and a few others – appearing here alongside a number of tracks that weren't issued back in the day as well. The main thing to know is that the rhythms are upbeat and romping – and the singers are all pretty darn wonderful – as many are also known for famous deep soul recordings at fame. Titles include "A Stone Loser" by Ben & Spence, "I'm Qualified" by Otis Clay, "Love Is A Wonderful Thing" by Prince Phillip, "Ten Miles High" by David & The Giants, "Keep On Talkin" by James Barnett, "A World Of My Own" by Billy & Clyde, "It's Not Safe To Mess On Me" by George Jackson, "In The Heat Of Love" by Marjorie Ingram, "It Ain't What You Got" by Jimmy Hughes, "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman, "Your Love Lifted Me" by James Govan, and "Everytime" by Linda Carr. CD

Music from Foxy Brown, Rick James & Richie Rich, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Playa, Redman, Mic Geronimo, Master P, Too Short, Jayo Felony, EPMD, Crucial Conflict, 2Pac & more. 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

Music from the Marvelettes, Mary Wells, the Four Tops, the Originals, Jimmy Ruffin, the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Rick James, DeBarge, Shanice, Boyz II Men & more. CD

Music from the Isley Brothers, Ohio Players, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rick James, Parliament, Cameo, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, the O Jays, James Brown, Joe Tex, LaBelle & more. CD

While we think the low rider cover images on these compilations are pretty dumb and sort of inappropriate, the selection of tracks is better than decent, in a mainstream 80s sort of way: EWF "Let's Groove", Evelyn Champagne King "I'm In Love", Young & Company "I Like What You're Doing To Me", Carl Carlton "She's A Bad Mama Jama", Parliament "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", Barkays "Do It", Cameo "Shake Your Pants", Brick "Dusic", Gap Band "Early In The Morning" and "Humpin", Herbie Hancock 'Rock It", Ohio Players "Fire", Rick James 'Super Freak" and Kool & the Gang "Hollywood Swinging". CD

Cheesy packaging, to be sure – but a pretty decent collection of smooth soul cuts from the 70s and 80s! Titles on this volume include "When You Touch Me" by Skyy, "Straight From The Heart" by Con Funk Shun, "You're The Best Thing In My Life" by The Dramatics, "You're My Latest Greatest Inspiration" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Baby It's Cold Outside" by War, "Sunshine" by Enchantment, "Let's Start All Over Again" by The Manhattans, "Reason" by Maze, "Can This Be Real" by The Natural Four, "My First Love" by Rene & Angela, "Happy" by Rick James & Teena Marie, and "Something In The Past" by One Way. CD

Features music by Brainstorm, LTD, the O'Jays, Enchantment, Rick James, the Whispers, the Manhattans, Earth Wind & Fire, New Birth, Norman Connors, Isaac Hayes, and Galdys Knight. CD

Hard to believe how important this soundtrack was, back in the day. One of the first good hip hop soundtracks, and a motherlode of great cuts like "Paid In Full (7 minute Cold Cut remix)" by Eric B & Rakim, "Butcher Shop" by Kool G Rap, "Colors" by Ice T, "Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste" by M.C. Shan, and "Go On Girl" by Roxanne Shante. More by Salt N Pepa, Big Daddy Kane, 7A3, and Rick James. Marley Marl produced the motherlode of these cuts, and this was the early days of the Cold Chillin/Warner alliance. CD

Kendrick Lamar takes wider creative left turns than ever before on To Pimp A Butterfly – with a funk steeped production style that filters tried-and-true P Funk influences through leftfield modern beatcraft styles, inspired by cats like Madlib to Thundercat, the latter of whom is an official contributor. Fresh material from an increasingly pivotal figure – who may not be revolutionizing the game on the level of the heavy critical praise he's heaped with, but he's certainly marching to his own beat, rather than chasing hits! Includes "Wesley's Theory" with George Clinton & Thundercat, "King Kunta", "These Walls" with Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat, "Aright", "For Sale?", "Institutionalized" with a Slick Rick-homage of a guest verse by Snoop Dogg (sign us up for any record that gives props to The Ruler...and extra points for transplanting that style of flow to Compton), "Momma", "Hood Politics", "The Blacker The Berry", "How Much A Dollar Cost" feat James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley, "Mortal Man" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing too naked here – at least not in the over-exposed way you'd think from the word – as Teena Marie puts it all upfront, lets it all hang out, but always in a bold way that keeps her firmly on top! The album follows strongly from Marie's previous Epic albums – a strong undercurrent of the funk learned during the Rick James/Motown years, but percolated in leaner 80s soul arrangements – some nice bass bits on the bottom, a few catchy crossover riffs, and the kind of badass vocals that always made Teena an empowering artist back in the day! Titles include "Trick Bag", "Ooo La La La", "Crocodile Tears", "Surrealistic Pillow", "Work It", and "The Once & Future Dream". CD

A really unusual record for the Malaco label – and one that represents a time when the Mississippi deep soul powerhouse was coming to terms with some of the dancefloor changes of the time! Frederick Knight produced – and side one has him giving James Bradley a few surprising club cuts that almost feel more like Miami groovers of the time – balanced out nicely with some slower-steppers on side two, which really seem perfect for Bradley's mix of soul and sophistication! These cuts are wonderful – really overlooked gems that often sound little like Malaco work, and maybe more like some of the modern soul moments on labels like Capitol or Arista at the time. Titles include "Wrapped Up In Your Love", "I'm In Too Deep", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Knowing You're My Everything", "Never Too Far Away", and "Let's Do It Together". CD

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 legendary Rickey Calloway returns – sounding every bit as fantastic as a soul singer as on his older work – and getting some ultra-funky accompaniment from Will Sessions in a flurry of funky drums, tight horns, and this cool guitar part that kind of wangles its way through the middle! Rickey's always been one of the only contemporary cats who could ever match the brilliance of James Brown at his badass best – and that legacy definitely continues here!~ 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really unusual record for the Malaco label – and one that represents a time when the Mississippi deep soul powerhouse was coming to terms with some of the dancefloor changes of the time! Frederick Knight produced – and side one has him giving James Bradley a few surprising club cuts that almost feel more like Miami groovers of the time – balanced out nicely with some slower-steppers on side two, which really seem perfect for Bradley's mix of soul and sophistication! These cuts are wonderful – really overlooked gems that often sound little like Malaco work, and maybe more like some of the modern soul moments on labels like Capitol or Arista at the time. Titles include "Wrapped Up In Your Love", "I'm In Too Deep", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Knowing You're My Everything", "Never Too Far Away", and "Let's Do It Together". CD

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

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

Music from Sonny Stitt, Russell Gunn, Michael Carvin, Ricky Ford, Woody Shaw, Red Garland, Donald Brown, Kenny Burrell, James Moody & more. CD

Sun Ra's first album as a leader – originally issued on the Transition label, but presented here in its better-known incarnation by Delmark Records! Even at this early point, Ra had a sound unlike any of his contemporaries – large group and modern, but not in a way that showed any similarities to work going on in New York or LA – a voice that was all his own, and already quite boldly stated, even in these early years! The format might be somewhat familiar – an ensemble with horns and rhythm – but the overall execution really starts to open up as the album moves on – with odd phrasings, timings, and unusual moments that live up to all the promise you might expect from Ra. Even Mingus and some of his better-known contemporaries weren't heading in these directions in the mid 50s – and the record is a proud showcase of the freedoms that players were often accorded in the less-trafficked Chicago scene of the time. Horns include Art Hoyle & Dave Young on trumpets, John Gilmore on tenor sax, Pat Patrick on baritone, Julian Priester on trombone, and James Scales on alto sax – and rhythm includes Jim Herndon on tympani, Robert Barry on drums, Wilbur Green on electric bass, and a young Richard Evans on acoustic bass! Titles include "Brainville", "Call For All Demons", "Transition", "Lullaby For Realville", "Street Named Hell", "New Horizons", "Fall Off The Long", "Possession", and "Future". LP, Vinyl record album

Sun Ra's first album as a leader – originally issued on the Transition label, but presented here in its better-known incarnation by Delmark Records! Even at this early point, Ra had a sound unlike any of his contemporaries – large group and modern, but not in a way that showed any similarities to work going on in New York or LA – a voice that was all his own, and already quite boldly stated, even in these early years! The format might be somewhat familiar – an ensemble with horns and rhythm – but the overall execution really starts to open up as the album moves on – with odd phrasings, timings, and unusual moments that live up to all the promise you might expect from Ra. Even Mingus and some of his better-known contemporaries weren't heading in these directions in the mid 50s – and the record is a proud showcase of the freedoms that players were often accorded in the less-trafficked Chicago scene of the time. Horns include Art Hoyle & Dave Young on trumpets, John Gilmore on tenor sax, Pat Patrick on baritone, Julian Priester on trombone, and James Scales on alto sax – and rhythm includes Jim Herndon on tympani, Robert Barry on drums, Wilbur Green on electric bass, and a young Richard Evans on acoustic bass! Titles include "Brainville", "Call For All Demons", "Transition", "Lullaby For Realville", "Street Named Hell", "New Horizons", "Fall Off The Long", "Possession", and "Future". LP, Vinyl record album

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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

Dizzy Gillespie caught live at Monterey – recorded with a great group during one of our favorite stretches in his career! The combo's kind of a post-Lalo Schifrin quintet, but still shares plenty of the bossa-inspired elements of his tenure with Diz – long tracks, bits of Latin rhythms, and a hip swing that's just right for the 60s! James Moody's in the group on alto, flute, and tenor, Kenny Barron plays piano, Chris White is on bass, and Rudy Collins is on drums – and Jon Hendricks joins the group on vocals for one cut too! Titles include "Morning Of The Carnival", "Dizzy Atmosphere", "Vote Dizzy", "Desafinado", "No More Blues", and "The Cup Bearers". CD

A fantastic little record – and very much the kind of set that the Strata East label was created to represent! The music here would hardly have found a home on the bigger jazz labels of the period – not because it's too avant garde or non-commercial, but just because it's so deeply personal and powerful – the boldest vision on record of trombonist John Gordon, who composed a mindblowing suite of tracks for the first side of the album, as well as some equally great tunes for the second half! Gordon leads the group on trombone – with solos that are soaring and soulful, alongside work by the great James Spaulding on alto and flute, Waymond Reed on trumpet, John Miller on piano and keyboards, Lyle Atkinson on bass, and Frank Derrick on drums! If you know some of the other players here from their own work of the time, you know you're in for a treat – as the music has this fantastic sound of strong individual voices coming together, instruments lifted high on a mission of music – with results that are as fantastic all these many years as they were in the 70s. Titles include the long "Erotica Suite", plus "Ora Lee Tingle", "Blue Na", and "Neleh". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever Christmas album by The Monkees – recorded in 2018, many decades after their famous show went off the air! The images on the front show a youthful version of the group – but the vocals are all by the aged members of the second fab four – which even means that Mike Nesmith got back into the studio with Peter, Mickey, and Davy to sing some lines. All tracks feature an individual member of the group in the lead – and one of Peter Tork's tracks is a spare duet with James Lee Stanley on guitar. But most of the other numbers have a fuller feel, especially those with Andy Partridge of XTC, who really gets the 60s spirit right. Other guests include Peter Buck of REM and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer – and titles include "Snowfall", "Christmas Party", "Unwrap You At Christmas", "What Would Santa Do", "Mele Kalikimaka", "House Of Broken Gingerbread", "Merry Christmas Baby", and a great version of "Wonderful Christmastime". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout set from the 80s years of trumpeter Woody Shaw – a solidly burning live set that blows away most of his studio work from the time! The album's noteworthy first of all for the presence of Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – whose soulful spiritual approach of the period dovetails nicely with the strongly righteous tone of Shaw's horn – but the rest of the group is great too, and benefits from extremely strong bass work from Stafford James, tight drums from Tony Reedus, spiraling piano lines from Mulgrew Miller, and some bold lines on trombone from a young Steve Turre! Tracks are all quite long – really flowing with an open, soulful sort of energy that really puts Shaw at the top of his power, and almost urges Hutcherson onto new heights in the process. Titles include "To Kill A Brick", "Apex", "Orange Crescent", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

A perfect summation of the Woody Shaw genius in the 70s – bold, righteous jazz – delivered with a soaring, joyous message that's impossible to deny! By the time of this release, Shaw had matured to a point where he was easily one of the most important voices on the trumpet in his generation – a 70s player who pulled together strands of the previous generation – from Coltrane to Lee Morgan to Larry Young – all wrapped up in amazing music like this! The set's a major label date, but it's got a righteous power to rival the best indie label sessions from companies like Strata East or Muse – and the lineup features other key spiritual players of Shaw's generation – including Carter Jefferson on tenor, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Rene McLean on alto, Onaje Allen Gumbs on piano, Steve Turre on trumpet, Buster Williams on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. Titles include the sublime "Woody III" suite, plus "Escape Velocity", "Organ Grinder", and "To Kill A Brick". CD

Massive massive work from Starship Orchestra – a trio of talents from the Norman Connors universe, but one who get some heavy help in the studio from arrangers Bobby Lyle, McKinley Jackson, and Jerry Peters! There's a real Aquarian Dream sound at play here – all the best energy of Connors' soulful years of the mid 70s, fused into a jazzier vibe overall – played to perfection, yet without any commercial touches at all – a really amazing thing for a major label album of the time! We've loved this record for years, and easily rank it right up there with the most sophisticated grooves of the time – like the best from Roy Ayers or Leroy Hutson, with some echoes of James Mason's wonderful album too. One cut has lead vocals from Joe Saulter – and other players include Lyle and Peters on keyboards, Wah Wah Watson and Paul Jackson on guitars, Don Myrick on saxes, and Louis Satterfield and George Bohannon on trombones. The whole thing's perfect – and titles include "You're A Star", "The Genie", "All Those Things", "Serious Business", and "New York New York". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout set from the 80s years of trumpeter Woody Shaw – a solidly burning live set that blows away most of his studio work from the time! The album's noteworthy first of all for the presence of Bobby Hutcherson on vibes – whose soulful spiritual approach of the period dovetails nicely with the strongly righteous tone of Shaw's horn – but the rest of the group is great too, and benefits from extremely strong bass work from Stafford James, tight drums from Tony Reedus, spiraling piano lines from Mulgrew Miller, and some bold lines on trombone from a young Steve Turre! Tracks are all quite long – really flowing with an open, soulful sort of energy that really puts Shaw at the top of his power, and almost urges Hutcherson onto new heights in the process. Titles include "To Kill A Brick", "Apex", "Orange Crescent", and "All The Things You Are". CD

Funky cuts from the Motown catalog – a set that mixes key classics with a number of overlooked album cuts – all to remind us that the Motor City label could get plenty heavy in the groove! There's a few cuts here you'll know from hip hop samples, a few you'll remember for their own fame, and a number of others that should hopefully come as a new discovery – and which really make the package great! Titles include "Drink The Wine" by Valerie Simpson, "Gonna Find A True Love" by Bottom & Company, "Machine Gun" by Commodores, "Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin" by Earl Van Dyke, "Closing Jimmy's" by Marvin Gaye, "Behold" by James Jamerson, "It's The Same Old Love" by Jerry Ross Symposium, "I'm Losing You" by Rare Earth, "To Know You Is To Love You" by Syreeta, "Haiku" by Puzzle, "Got To Give It Up (part 1)" by Marvin Gaye, "Keep On Truckin" by Eddie Kendricks, "Every Time I See You I Go Wild" by Stevie Wonder, "Runnin" by Edwin Starr, "You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover" by Yvonne Fair, and "UFO's" by The Undisputed Truth. LP, Vinyl record album