A beautiful contemporary bit of sweet soul – a tune that dips and swells in a mighty nice way, with a slow funk groove at the bottom, and these heartbreaking vocals from Marietta Smithover the top! "Suns Of Marvin" is faster and funkier, and instrumental – with a great drum/bass/riffing guitar line that feels like some rare funky 45 from back in the day – right down to the gritty production that really sends things over the top! Nice vibes solo in the middle, too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A Chicago group with a really great approach to improvisation – long tracks that seem to build out of a slow pulses of energy between the players – finding their "groove" at the start, letting things flow, then really adding a lot of their own voices to the mix! The main trio features Charlie Kirchen on bass, which is really the core of the sound – plus Ryan Packard on drums and a bit of electronics, and Paul Giallorenzo on electronics, keyboards, and pump organ – the last of which sounds as cool as you might imagine – and which really unlocks the sonic possibilities of the project! The great Ben Lamar Gay appears on side b, the long track "The End" – and his work on cornet really adds a lot of spirit and soul to the cut – a nice break from the others in a really great way. But side a is great too – and features the long improvisation "The Beginning". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe our favorite-ever album from Minnie Riperton during the 70s – a sweet, smooth jazzy gem that really makes some of the best use of her vocals! There's a sophistication here that's a great 70s counterpart to Minnie's earlier work with Charles Stepney – served up here in a very different style, but one that really sets Riperton apart from any of her contemporaries – in a unique blend of soul, jazz, and much deeper spirits – all handled with the sense of pride and style you'd expect from Minnie's image on the cover! All tracks were co-written by Riperton and Richard Rudolph – and a few get some great help from Leon Ware too. Titles include the massive track "Baby, This Love I Have" – a slow funk number that's be sampled many times over the years – plus the spacey tunes "Minnie's Lament", "Inside My Love", and "Alone In Brewster Bay", remade from Minnie's first LP – and the titles "Simple Things", "Feeling That Your Feeling's Right", and "Don't Let Anyone Bring You Down". CD

A fantastic testament to the slow-burning spiritual genius of Marion Brown – a player who sometimes got eclipsed in an era of bigger avant personalities, but who really gets to showcase his talents in a spare setting like this! The live performance pairs Brown's alto with the piano of Dave Burrell – another player who's sometimes understated, but in the best way possible – and together the pair sound completely sublime – gently exploring the farther reaches of tonal space with their improvisations, and almost always keeping things in relatively soulful formation! The set features beautiful readings of two Billy Strayhorn tunes – "My Little Brown Book" and "Lush Life" – balanced with original material that includes "Gossip/Fortunado", "La Placita", "Crucificado", "Puna Mae Ole", and "Punaluu Peter". CD

Beautiful blues from Guitar Slim – west coast material from the mid-50s, recorded with some very hip backings! Slim's got a lean, mean edge – a style that's a bit similar to Johnny Watson in his early years, touched with some of the class of the R&B scene that was bubbling up in the late 40s in LA! The added instrumentation really makes the tracks great – not just the usual blues, but a more sophisticated mode with some nicely jazzy undercurrents. The set's very well put-together too – 26 tracks in all, with titles that include "Going Down Slow", "The Things That I Used To Do", "Well I Done Got Over It", "Twenty Five Lies", "Stand By Me", "Sufferin Mind", "You're Gonna Miss Me", "I Got Sumpin For You", "Story Of My Life", and "Our Only Child". CD

A lasting 70s classic from Frederick Knight – easily his best-remembered album, thanks to the legendary title track! The set's got a slow-burning, deeply soulful feel all the way through – one that takes Knight's high-end vocals, and backs them with some bottom-burning instrumentation that certainly owes something to the Muscle Shoals sound, but which comes off in a way that's a bit more organic, and less in the trademark style of the time. Organ features heavily on most numbers – matching Knight's vocals with a bubbling energy that cooks things up nicely – and tracks include the classic "I've Been Lonely For So Long" , plus "Trouble", "Now That I've Found You", "This Is My Song Of Love To You", "I Let Me Chance Go By", and "Your Love's All Over Me". CD

One of the most earthy, organic offerings of the Herbie Hancock scene of the 70s – a session that's led by Headhunter reedman Bennie Maupin, and which also features Herbie on acoustic and electric piano – all in a sound that's quite different from his own work of the time! The tracks here have a very spacious, slow-building approach – a sound that's often quite stark at times, and not nearly as funky or soul-directed as you might expect. Maupin shows incredible sensitivity in his way of putting together a tune – letting things come together quite naturally, almost with the botanical quality you might expect from the title. Other players include Buster Williams on bass, Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums, Bill Summers on percussion, and Charles Sullivan on trumpet – all used quite spaciously and sparingly. Titles include "Esenada", "Mappo", "Excursion", "Past Is Past", "The Jewel In The Lotus", and "Song For Tracie Dixon Summers". CD

One of the most earthy, organic offerings of the Herbie Hancock scene of the 70s – a session that's led by Headhunter reedman Bennie Maupin, and which also features Herbie on acoustic and electric piano – all in a sound that's quite different from his own work of the time! The tracks here have a very spacious, slow-building approach – a sound that's often quite stark at times, and not nearly as funky or soul-directed as you might expect. Maupin shows incredible sensitivity in his way of putting together a tune – letting things come together quite naturally, almost with the botanical quality you might expect from the title. Other players include Buster Williams on bass, Freddie Waits and Billy Hart on drums, Bill Summers on percussion, and Charles Sullivan on trumpet – all used quite spaciously and sparingly. Titles include "Esenada", "Mappo", "Excursion", "Past Is Past", "The Jewel In The Lotus", and "Song For Tracie Dixon Summers". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe our favorite-ever album from Minnie Riperton during the 70s – a sweet, smooth jazzy gem that really makes some of the best use of her vocals! There's a sophistication here that's a great 70s counterpart to Minnie's earlier work with Charles Stepney – served up here in a very different style, but one that really sets Riperton apart from any of her contemporaries – in a unique blend of soul, jazz, and much deeper spirits – all handled with the sense of pride and style you'd expect from Minnie's image on the cover! All tracks were co-written by Riperton and Richard Rudolph – and a few get some great help from Leon Ware too. Titles include the massive track "Baby, This Love I Have" – a slow funk number that's be sampled many times over the years – plus the spacey tunes "Minnie's Lament", "Inside My Love", and "Alone In Brewster Bay", remade from Minnie's first LP – and the titles "Simple Things", "Feeling That Your Feeling's Right", and "Don't Let Anyone Bring You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s racing soundtrack from Stelvio Cipriani – but one that's served up in a much wider mix of modes than the usual Formula 1 or stock car movie! Some numbers feature Cipriani's trademark use of keyboards – in groovy ways that drift over breezy rhythms with a very groovy vibe – even some bossa currents that are a real surprise! A few other tracks have a guitar strutting along in a playful melody – and a few others slow the pace, but still keep things kind of comedic, but with loping energy that you wouldn't expect from the fast-moving world of the racetrack. As you might guess, the bossa-styled tunes are our favorites here – and the CD features 16 tracks in all. CD

An overlooked gem from The Controllers – one issued a bit late to be part of the classic wave of group soul, but a set that's still overflowing with really old school harmonies! The Controllers really have a wonderful way of putting over a ballad – letting things build slow and mellow, trading lead parts and harmonies together in a way that really moves the message forward, while never overdoing things too much in search of a hook. And even when the instrumentation is contemporary, it never gets in the way of the vocals – and almost always lays back once the lyrics come in, even on the album's few groovers. Titles include "For The Love Of My Woman", "My Secret Fantasy", "Love Is On Our Side", "Play Time", "Sleeping Alone", "Knocking At Your Door", and "No One's Ever Loved Me More". CD

A session of loose tones and open sounds – served up over long, improvised tracks that have a nicely slow-building approach – so that the acoustic elements are often abstracted into the larger mix of music! The quartet features Mike Reed on drums, Eve Risser on piano, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, and Sylvain Helary on flutes – but two of the players are also listed as using "effects", and Risser also plays prepared piano – so that the whole group quickly moves past expectations, onto sonic splendor throughout! Reed's got the strength to keep things moving forward, even in subtle ways – and although his presence is sometimes gentle, it still feels like the energetic core of the performance. Titles include "Golay", "Turbo", and "Goppa". CD

The killer debut of a group we hope are going to be huge – as they definitely bring a whole new vibe to the world of funk – by combining lean combo instrumentation with some much larger arrangements, all at a level that's almost more in the David Axelrod side of the spectrum! There's a really majestic quality to the record – as the slow funk elements are expanded with strings in all the right ways – deepening, darkening the sound incredibly – so that there's way more going on here in terms of colors and tones than on the usual funk record! And if you're worried about things sounding too soft, don't – because the drums are heavy throughout, even when slow – and arranger Lou King really knows how to balance the elements perfectly. Titles include "The Web", "Ligurian Dream", "Shades Of Silver", "Violet Vanished", "Outlines", "West Wind", "Changing Light", and "A Return From Ashes". CD

The killer debut of a group we hope are going to be huge – as they definitely bring a whole new vibe to the world of funk – by combining lean combo instrumentation with some much larger arrangements, all at a level that's almost more in the David Axelrod side of the spectrum! There's a really majestic quality to the record – as the slow funk elements are expanded with strings in all the right ways – deepening, darkening the sound incredibly – so that there's way more going on here in terms of colors and tones than on the usual funk record! And if you're worried about things sounding too soft, don't – because the drums are heavy throughout, even when slow – and arranger Lou King really knows how to balance the elements perfectly. Titles include "The Web", "Ligurian Dream", "Shades Of Silver", "Violet Vanished", "Outlines", "West Wind", "Changing Light", and "A Return From Ashes". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of heavy hitters from the DeWolfe sound library – all pulled from the super-rare Night Moves album! "Night Moves" is a great bit of slow funk – heavy drums stepping carefully while a clavi line does all these cool things in the middle! "Bank Job" is nicely slow – like they're setting up the heist with Fender Rhodes, and taking their time to get things right! "Zero Hour" is maybe a bit more urgent, but still nicely laidback – funky punching drums at the bottom, peppered by riffing guitar and some mighty nice keyboards! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A rare gem on the tiny Shiptown label – issued here in a very cool pic sleeve for the very first time! "Just A Sad Xmas" is a beautifully slow-burning bit of soul – plenty of organ next to the heartbreaking vocals – as the tune steps along nicely, the builds up as things soar over the top – with a depth that almost feels like classic Stax Records! "Can't Nobody" is very Stax-like too – but more upbeat and joyous – almost like the guy on the main cut found a new lover for the flipside! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The music of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah just seems to get better as each new record moves on – stepping forth with a sense of cohesion and musical vision that's really wonderful! This excellent set features four long tracks that each have similar building blocks of percussion, guitar, organ, and tenor saxophone – and there's a sense of structure that binds each tune together, yet also gives them all a different flavor – these minimalist masterpieces that start slow, build things up, and open the gateway for the vocals – yet all with a much more stripped-down style than Nigerian work of a few years before! The whole thing makes for a completely compelling, highly hypnotic set – with titles that include "Oshiomegie Idonigie", "Eyemaya Erayemare", "I Forget Not Mother", and "Omhona Omhona". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Jeannie Reynolds – and her lasting contribution to underground soul! Jeannie's vocals are nice and deep – with hints of southern diva phrasing, filtered through some of the tighter soul styles coming out of Chicago and other points north at the time! Detroit talents LJ Reynolds, Tony Hester, and Don Davis produce – save for one song by Michael Henderson – and the big highlight is the slow groover "The Fruit Song", a sly seductive stepper of a track, with rolling congas, sweeping strings, and a very catchy hook from Jeannie. That number runs for about 7 minutes long – and the album also includes a number of nice shorter cuts, like "I've Still Got My Pride", "The Feelin' Ain't There", and "You Want To Get Your Hands On A Woman" – all wonderful numbers that will have you loving Jeannie as one of your favorite new discoveries in 70s soul! LP, Vinyl record album

A lost single from the great Roy C! "Can't Stop" has a catchy southern soul styled groove that's every bit as great as work on his own solo records on Mercury – but the real winner here is "Streakin"! The cut begins with a break that's spare and flat, with drums that almost match "Impeach The President" for sheer funkiness – and the whole thing's an instrumental with a nice slow funky edge, and some great guitar/organ interplay! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great little album from Jeannie Reynolds – and her lasting contribution to underground soul! Jeannie's vocals are nice and deep – with hints of southern diva phrasing, filtered through some of the tighter soul styles coming out of Chicago and other points north at the time! Detroit talents LJ Reynolds, Tony Hester, and Don Davis produce – save for one song by Michael Henderson – and the big highlight is the slow groover "The Fruit Song", a sly seductive stepper of a track, with rolling congas, sweeping strings, and a very catchy hook from Jeannie. That number runs for about 7 minutes long – and the album also includes a number of nice shorter cuts, like "I've Still Got My Pride", "The Feelin' Ain't There", and "You Want To Get Your Hands On A Woman" – all wonderful numbers that will have you loving Jeannie as one of your favorite new discoveries in 70s soul! CD also features 4 non-LP bonus cuts – "Phone's Been Jumping All Day", "Unwanted Company", "Lay Some Lovin On Me", and "Love Don't Come Easy For Me". CD

A sublime tribute to the music of Bobby Hutcherson – put together by drummer Brian Blade with a group that really lives up to the soulful spirit of some of Bobby's best Blue Note material of the early 70s! Monte Croft is on vibes, and really gets that sense of color right that we love in Hutcherson's music – yet the record also has a nice sense of flavor of its own – thanks to strong use of congas from Rogerio Boccato, guitar from John Hart, and some especially nice flute, tenor, and alto from Myron Walden. John Cowherd colors in things nicely on piano and Wurlitzer piano, Doug Weiss plays bass, and titles include "Now", "Black Heroes", "The Final Four", "Love & Hate", "Hello To The Wind", and "Slow Change". CD

A rocksteady classic from The Ethiopians – but a set that also has plenty more going on as well! The duo work here as a Jamaican counterpart to American soul groups – one of the first and best to hit the Kingston scene – but they also open themselves up to lots of other ideas in the process, and sometimes lay back vocally to just let the album open up and groove! Harmonies are The Ethiopians' strongest calling card – but they're often first directed by the rhythms, then slide in to warm things up and give a larger presence to the slow-stepping, midtempo grooves – all delivered with a classic Kingston head-nodding approach. The album's a key genre-building moment in Jamaican music – and titles include the classic "Train To Skaville", plus "Engine 54", "My Love", "You Got The Dough", "Woman's World", "Long Time Now", and "Unchanged Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A little bit leaner, and little bit darker, and a lot more solo of a PJ Harvey album after the comparatively bigger sounding Stories From The City, Stories From The City (itself largely the work of trio, though more deliberately layered and polished) – but true to form, Polly subverts the expectation that she'd strip things raw on a record in which does all but play the drums on – not just on guitars and vocals, bass, piano, accordion, melodica and more on an effort that has a fleshed out band vibe done mostly herself! Rob Ellis handles drums and percussion and titles include "The Life And Death Of Mr. Badmouth", "Shame", "Who The F**k?", "The Pocket Knife", "The Letter", "The Slow Drug", "No Child Of Mine", "The End", "Seagulls" and "The Darker Days Of Me & Him". CD

A classic run of records from Waylon Jennings – brought together in a single package! First up is Lonesome Onry & Mean – a pivotal album for Waylon Jennings – the record where he really found the new direction that would finally get him the fame he deserved – delivered in a way that's free from all the later cliches, and which also ties Waylon pretty strongly to the hipper currents of the underground – especially that point where singer/songwriter genius intersected with country! The production is his own, and vastly different than the late 60s records – even though we love those to death too – and that magical Jennings vocal approach does fantastic things to tunes by Steve Young, Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson, and others! Titles include the fantastic "Lonesome Onry & Mean", plus "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues", "Freedom To Stay", "Lay It Down", "You Can Have Her", "Pretend I Never Happened", "San Francisco Mabel Joy", "Sandy Sends Her Best", and a great take on "Me &Bobby McGee". Honky Tonk Heroes is genius material from Waylon Jennings – one of those career-defining records from the early 70s that completely put him on top, and heralded a whole new generation in country music! The set's maybe equally noteworthy as a showcase for the up-and-coming Billy Joe Shaver, who wrote much of the songs on the record – and it's also a great showcase for the important production talents of Tompall Glaser, who really gets the spirit of the music right! Titles include great versions of "Honky Tonk Heroes", "Old Five & Dimers Like Me", "Ride Me Down Easy", "Black Rose", "Willy The Wandering Gypsy & Me", "Omaha", and "Ain't No God In Mexico". This Time is one of those Waylon Jennings records from a time when he could do no wrong – fighting the stronger powers at RCA to really find his voice – recording at the studio of Tompall Glaser, with great production help from Willie Nelson – who was enjoying his own transformation at the time too! As with the previous two gems from this period, the choice of material and presentation is great – songs by Willie, JJ Cale, and Billy Joe Shavers – in a set of titles that include "Heaven Or Hell", "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way", "This Time", "Pick Up The Tempo", "If You Could Touch Her At All", "Walkin", "Slow Rollin Low", "Louisiana Woman", and "Slow Movin Outlaw". Ramblin Man is Waylon Jennings at peak mid 70s perfection! Ramblin' Man fits in stylistically with the gruff honky tonk hero mode he first fully realized a couple albums earlier, but he's still fiercely blazing trails here, pairing his gruff lead vocals with sweeter female harmonies on some tracks, changing the groove from laidback swagger to fast-paced honky tonk, working in some tender ballads with the gruffer numbers...Waylon at his best. Starts up with the eternal title track and equally classic "Rainy Day Woman" and hardly lets up in greatness from there, with "Cloudy Days", "The Hunger", "It'll Be Her", a great cover of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider", "Memories Of You And Me", "Amanda" and more. Features bonus tracks too – "Laid Back Country Picker", "The Last One To Leave Seattle", "Big Big Love", "Got A Lot Going For Me", "The Last Letter", and "The One I Sing My Love Songs To". CD

A real classic from Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a sweet batch of Japanese fusion tracks, with lots of nice work on guitar, keyboards, and reeds! Like a lot of Ryo's other albums from the time, the record blends together jazzy riffing with some smoother R&B touches – but still manages to keep things nice and hard overall, especially on the best tracks – a vibe that's more CTI than some of the later Japanese fusion of the 70s! The lineup includes Sam Morrison on tenor and soprano sax, Andy Laverne on piano and keyboards, and Phil Clendininn on a bit of extra Arp – and titles include the great slow funk number "On The Dot", plus "Montevideo", "Good Night John", and "El Diablo". CD

A wonderful album by Barry White – a bit later than some of the early 70s hits, but one of his most satisfying records overall! The perpetual favorite on the album is the great groover "Strange Games & Things", a slow sly funky track that's been sampled often over the years, and which is a perfect summation of the mix of heavy drums and orchestra that made Barry's records so great. The album's also got a lot of other very nice groovers, most of which have a more uptempo sound than "Strange Games", but all of which are very nice. Titles include "Brazilian Love Song", "My Sweet Summer Suite", and "You, I Adore". LP, Vinyl record album

Dean sings tunes from one of the best of the Matt Helm films – The Silencers! The music's got Dean very much in the best of his Reprise country-styled singing – with production by Jimmy Bowen that makes strong use of electric bass on the bottom, and arrangements from Ernie Freeman and Gene Page that keep things nice and bouncy even on the slow tunes. The album's got a few original instrumentals – like "The Silencers", "Lord You Made The Night Too Long", and "Lovey Kravezit" – plus Dean doing great versions of standards that include "Side By Side", "Glory Of Love", and "South Of The Border". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by one of the greatest voices on the alto sax in the 1950s – a player who worked with the deftness of other altoists of his generation, but a depth of soul usually reserved for the tenor! The setting is simple and perfect – as Phil Woods blows at the helm of a quartet that features John Williams on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – players who know how to get things moving, but allow plenty of room for the leader to fill space with his solos! Even at this early date, Woods' command of his instrument is amazing – and the record is easily one of the greatest introductions to his work you'll ever find. Titles include "Strollin With Pam", "Be My Love", "Slow Boat To China", "Woodlore", and "Falling In Love All Over Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by one of the greatest voices on the alto sax in the 1950s – a player who worked with the deftness of other altoists of his generation, but a depth of soul usually reserved for the tenor! The setting is simple and perfect – as Phil Woods blows at the helm of a quartet that features John Williams on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Nick Stabulas on drums – players who know how to get things moving, but allow plenty of room for the leader to fill space with his solos! Even at this early date, Woods' command of his instrument is amazing – and the record is easily one of the greatest introductions to his work you'll ever find. Titles include "Strollin With Pam", "Be My Love", "Slow Boat To China", "Woodlore", and "Falling In Love All Over Again". CD

A deep soul classic from Betty Wright – one of her earliest albums of the 70s, and a Miami soul landmark that was one of the greatest female southern soul records of the time! Although Betty was well known for her earlier hit "Clean Up Woman", she didn't give into that fame – and keeps things mighty real on this set by working in a slow-burning deep soul mode. The vibe is nice and laidback, with plenty of mellow keyboard touches, subdued horn passages, and round, full sound served up to perfection by producers Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke. Titles include "Sweet Wonder", "Gimme Back My Man", "Who'll Be the Fool", "If You Think You've Got Soul", "It's Hard to Stop", and "The Experts". CD

A tremendous entry in this wonderful series – a set that proudly proclaims its contents with the "NOW" on the cover! Back when the Spiritual Jazz series first started on the Jazzman label, the music was mostly relegated to material of the John Coltrane generation and the generation that followed – but in the past decade or so, there's been a huge explosion in new artists that explore the deeper, more righteous currents of jazz – music that's pulled in from the farther reaches of free improvisation, to righteous, message-oriented styles that often mix modal rhythms with more exploratory solo passages. Yet this new generation is hardly slavish to the sounds of Impulse Records – as they've really moved beyond, and have used a globe's worth of influences and new 21st Century concepts to bring fresh spirit to the music – opening things up in ways that have made this new movement one of our greatest sources of inspiration in recent years. This double-length entry is a fantastic overview of the sounds that are currently reshaping the planet – and titles on volume 2 include "Flute Song" by Wildflower, "Slow Sweet Burn" by Abeeku, "Palms To Heaven" by The Cosmic Range, "Nova" by Menagerie, "Avo's Tune" by Teemu Akerblom Quartet, "Paris" by Jonas Kullhammar, "Vessels" by The Jamie Saft Quartet, "What Do I Tell My Children Who Are Black "by Angel Bat Dawid, "Trane's Groove" by Carla Marciano, "For Coltrane" by Steve Reid Foundation, "Empty Streets" by Vibration Black Finger, and "Memory Ritual" by The Pyramids. LP, Vinyl record album

It's been quite awhile since the last High Llamas album – and in that time, the genius of Sean O'Hagan seems to have distilled even more – to a point where all those great elements he was able to layer together on previous records come out with a spare focus that maybe makes the whole thing even more wonderful! The album's as completely charming as its title and title track – and maybe seems to even borrow a bit from the coolest currents of the Japanese indie scene in the 90s, while also letting Sean's wonderful vocals warm things up – every bit as great as when we first fell in love with his music in Microdisney, but maybe even better with age. The record features guest appearances from Bonnie Prince Billy, Rae Morris, and Fryars – and titles include "Hey Panda", "Sisters Friends", "Hungriest Man", "The Water Moves", "Yoga Goat", "Stone Cold Slow", "The Grade", and "Fall Off The Mountain". CD

A killer live set from Eddie Taylor – recorded in Japan, but with a core Chicago combo that really keeps things tight! The vibe here is maybe more like a Delmark live album than you'd expect from any overseas session – with Eddie on great guitar and vocals, and additional vocals from Louis Myers, who handles second guitar and harmonica – in a combo with Odie Payne Jr on drums and Dave Myers on bass. Titles include "Hoy Hoy", "Goin Down Slow", "I Don't Know", "Tin Pan Alley", "Blow Wind Blow", "Kind Hearted Woman", "You're Gonna Look For Me", "Crossroads", and "Bad Boy". 2CD version features 32 tracks in all – all the material recorded on two different live nights, with a lot of variety in the songs! CD

A mighty impressive box set of previously unreleased Can – incredible stuff captured throughout their groundbreaking run from the late 60s to mid 70s – culled from hours and hours of tapes of the sessions that could have just as easily wound up on any of their classic records of the period! We figured that this would almost certainly be a solid companion piece to their initial run of classic albums – but the best thing about it is that out stands up really well on its own. Can pretty famously let the tapes run while they worked things out and let the magic happen spontaneously, so it stands to reason a lot of brilliant stuff was left on those tapes! We're surprised it took so long to pour through it and assemble some of the best of the "lost" material, but better late than never! Since it covers the full late 60s & early 70s periods, it's got bits with Mooney and Suzuki, hypnotic live takes, slow-building tension, moody lulls and violent bursts of sound – it's Can, alright! 30 tracks sequenced brilliantly over 3CDs – and it comes a reel-to-reel style box with a 10-inch booklet. Titles include "Millionenspiel", "Waiting For The Street Car", "Evening All Day", "Deadly Doris", "Bubble Rap", "Your Friendly Neighborhood Whore", "Bilnd Mirror Sur", "Bubble Rap", "Godzilla Fragment", "Barnacles", "The Agreement", "The Loop", "A Swan Is Born" and more. CD

A mighty big party from tenor giant Arnett Cobb – a player who always blew strongly in other settings, but really hit his height on these albums for Prestige! The record is a perfect mix of Cobb's bluesy roots and a more sophisticated modern jazz setting – with support from a crack rhythm combo of Ray Bryant on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – plus the special addition of Ray Barretto on congas, who brings in this rolling kick that definitely opens things up to the party atmosphere in the title – even when things are mellow! Most numbers have a open, soulfully blowing feel – and titles include "Slow Poke", "Lonesome Road", "Party Time", and "Blues In the Closet". CD

An excellent deep soul cut from Jaibi – a singer we've never heard before, but who keeps things in this great slow-burning mode throughout – with a style that has "You Got Me" building and building in a wonderful way, as stark, slow drums and organ seem to cook up the vocals even more! The Hestitations are at their heartfelt best on "Gotta Find A Way" – a song that's got an even deeper vibe than most of their better-known pop tracks from the 60s! There's a great male lead – and the harmonies come into play in a heartbreaking way. 7-inch, Vinyl record

It's been quite awhile since the last High Llamas album – and in that time, the genius of Sean O'Hagan seems to have distilled even more – to a point where all those great elements he was able to layer together on previous records come out with a spare focus that maybe makes the whole thing even more wonderful! The album's as completely charming as its title and title track – and maybe seems to even borrow a bit from the coolest currents of the Japanese indie scene in the 90s, while also letting Sean's wonderful vocals warm things up – every bit as great as when we first fell in love with his music in Microdisney, but maybe even better with age. The record features guest appearances from Bonnie Prince Billy, Rae Morris, and Fryars – and titles include "Hey Panda", "Sisters Friends", "Hungriest Man", "The Water Moves", "Yoga Goat", "Stone Cold Slow", "The Grade", and "Fall Off The Mountain". LP, Vinyl record album

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic album from Prince – recorded in 2010, and unreleased at the time – but clearly one of the greatest things he gave us in the final decade of his life! This isn't uncooked demo material, or under-thought studio tracks – and instead, the whole thing is a fully-formed record with a message that really comes through in the title – more political Prince than usual, with an eye for our nation that rivals Sign O The Times! It may be that back when Prince recorded the set, the time wasn't right for the message – but these tracks definitely hit home now – and are often delivered in this sinister slow funk mode that really fits the lyrics – almost as if Prince were trying to give the world his version of a righteous 70s album on Curtom Records. Titles include "Running Game", "Born 2 Die", "Welcome 2 America", "Check The Record", "Hot Summer", "Stand Up & B Strong", "Same Page Different Book", and "One Day We Will All B Free". CD

John Scofield's the leader here – but at times, we almost think the record's the vision of pianist Hal Galper as much as it is the guitarist – as both their efforts leap from the grooves with a really wonderful sense of energy! Maybe part of the album's strength is the rhythm duo – as the great Stafford James is on bass, a player we always love, next to drummer Adam Nussbaum – who can also really take off, and keep things driving in ways that have Scofield moving with all these fast flourishes of sound – quickly spinning out those chromatic lines that made him such a distinct player in the 70s! Galper has a great sense of boldness – and titles include "Alter Fields", "Rough House", "Slow Elvin", "Triple Play", "Air Pakistan", and "Ailleron". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from Shadow – a modern soul trio who are perhaps best remembered for the work they did with Leon Ware, but who sound pretty darn wonderful here on their own! The record's got a nice sense of groove, but also goes for that perfect midtempo balance that we love in the great run of soul titles from Elektra at this point – never trying too hard to fill in a club space in the post-disco years, and always moving towards the right sort of warmer sounds that keep things real. There's a nice focus to the songs throughout – almost tighter and sharper than the group's other work – and tracks include the mellow "No Better Love" and "Say It Again", both with a nice cold slow jam kind of groove – plus "Get It", "Love Lite", and "I Need Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty big party from tenor giant Arnett Cobb – a player who always blew strongly in other settings, but really hit his height on these albums for Prestige! The record is a perfect mix of Cobb's bluesy roots and a more sophisticated modern jazz setting – with support from a crack rhythm combo of Ray Bryant on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – plus the special addition of Ray Barretto on congas, who brings in this rolling kick that definitely opens things up to the party atmosphere in the title – even when things are mellow! Most numbers have a open, soulfully blowing feel – and titles include "Slow Poke", "Lonesome Road", "Party Time", and "Blues In the Closet". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare bit of soundtrack funk from Cortex – originally done for a late 70s film, but unreleased at the time – in part because the film was destroyed in a fire! The tune is great – very much in the funkiest mode of this legendary group – with a bassline over fast drums that really builds things up as keyboards trickle in, then set the whole thing on fire. "Oh Lord" has more great keyboards, an unusual mix of organ and Fender Rhodes – taken at a slow pace that unfolds nicely in a gentle sort of groove. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic album from the Spanish scene of the 70s – one divided up into sections of "Angeles" and "Demonios" – the last of which is pretty darn funky! The album starts with the demonic material – which has these great heavy drums and percussion – driving fast and frenzied, while basslines rumble and acoustic guitar provides some nice touches that borrow lots from flamenco, then turn towards hipper 70s styles – all with vocal refrains that really keep things moving! The Angeles material is a bit more laidback, but still pretty great – kind of slow funk overall – and there's this really cool energy to the whole record, part of that young Spanish generation trying to find the best elements of their musical roots, then push them forward with a more soulful, youthful vibe. Titles include "Abran Paso Ahoa", "Jibaro", "Mama High Mama Way", "Ay Mulata Mia", "Tema De Amor", "Anacaona", "Los Invitamos", "Tubalo", "Rosa Rosa", and a nice take on "Ain't No Sunshine". CD features bonus tracks – "Samba Samba", "A Caballo", and "Vamanos". CD

Warmly collaborative work from Grey October Sounds – a set that features guest contributors, but all fitting nicely into the laidback groove that we've come to love from this Lo-Fi series of releases! As with the others, there's a nicely crispy vibe that really keeps things interesting – definitely living up to the spirit of the "lo fi" mode – as if some analog production elements were used to mix up the beats, samples, and other instrumentation! Guests include Michael Jvmes, NHF, Coco, and Samurai Yas – and titles include "Wonderlust", "Reverie", "Slow Down", "Eye To Eye", "Tokyo Salute", "Walking Alone At 2am", and "Home Banter". LP, Vinyl record album

A little bit leaner, and little bit darker, and a lot more solo of a PJ Harvey album after the comparatively bigger sounding Stories From The City, Stories From The City (itself largely the work of trio, though more deliberately layered and polished) – but true to form, Polly subverts the expectation that she'd strip things raw on a record in which does all but play the drums on – not just on guitars and vocals, bass, piano, accordion, melodica and more on an effort that has a fleshed out band vibe done mostly herself! Rob Ellis handles drums and percussion and titles include "The Life And Death Of Mr. Badmouth", "Shame", "Who The F**k?", "The Pocket Knife", "The Letter", "The Slow Drug", "No Child Of Mine", "The End", "Seagulls" and "The Darker Days Of Me & Him". CD

A wonderfully trippy bit of funk – a cut that begins with monkish vocals to suit the title, then moves into a sweet sitar line once the funky drums kick things up – moving at a slow-stepping groove as the sitar gives way to fuzzy guitar! "Medicine Bag" is nice and funky too – more massive drums, and this cool spooky psych-styled production – almost in a Stark Reality vein! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A heck of a great record – and we don't mind saying it! After knocking around in territory that ran from new wave to neo ska, retro swing, and other assorted genres, Joe Jackson really emerged with a strong voice on this 1982 classic. The album's a loving tribute to New York – and is steeped in Jackson's growing knowledge of Latin and jazz music – performed here by a great group that really sets things up right, and recorded in a warmly acoustic mode that was quite striking for the time! The tracks on the set hold up incredibly well over the years – getting past the cliches that later plagued Jackson's career, and reminding us of how great he was at his best. Plus, this 2CD set expands the original album way past the 9 basic tracks – adding in 6 demo tracks, 5 live numbers, and 5 tracks written for the soundtrack to Mike's Murder! Titles include "A Slow Song", "TV Age", "Target", "Another World", "Steppin Out", "Cancer", "Breaking Us In Two", "Cosmopolitan", "123 Go", "Laundromat Monday", and "Memphis". CD

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players". CD

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players". CD

A killer set from the legendary De Wolfe sound library of the 70s – a record that's got all the badass cop/crime vibe you'd expect from its shooting gallery target on the cover! The tracks are nice and lean – cop show funk, but without fuller orchestrations – so that you can really concentrate on the funky drums, basslines, guitar riffs, and keyboard parts – plus some occasional moogy moments that spice things up in a mighty nice way! The whole thing's great – maybe as strong as any of the classic crime soundtracks of the 70s – and the set features 20 titles that include "Flying Squad", "Bank Job", "Slow Fuse", "Moving Target", "Dragster", "Night Moves", "Mind's Eye", "Smash & Grab", "Fast Mover", "Prowler", "Route 67", and "Easy Drive". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprising record from the glory days of the UK punk scene – served up by a group who frequently opened for the big acts of the day, but who have a vibe that's decidedly much more old school overall! Whirlwind have a sound that's very much in keeping with their look on the cover – a raw-styled groove that goes back to the early years of rock and roll – which includes them serving up a few hip covers from the 50s, and mixing them with their own well-crafted originals too! The whole thing's a great reminder that if you were on the ground in the UK scene in the late 70s, things were a lot more complicated than the history books might make you think – a legacy that certainly lives on here, in cuts that include "Slow Down", "Tore Apart", "Together Forever", "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It", "My Advice", "Don't Be Crazy", and "Blue Moon Of Kentucky". LP, Vinyl record album

Zapp at the height of their powers – a bit more focused than before, but every bit as funky! Roger's production here is impeccable – done with a great ear for the most soulful side of the group's talents, which keeps them far from some of the more commercial groups who were copping their vibe, but never got things right. Great proof of this is the mellow cut "Computer Love" – a slow stepper that has the group showing their sweeter side, but never losing their cool – a bit like some of the best Fatback ballads of the early 80s. Other cuts are mostly funky – filled with tight basslines, keyboards, and electro bits – and tunes include "It Doesn't Really Matter", "Radio People", "Rock N Roll", "Make Me Feel Good", and "Ja Ready To Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's definitely funky, but which maybe has a lot more going on as well – richer production moments that move between ambitious soundscapes and fuzzier freakouts – but all without losing the groove at the core! The record's billed as "mysterious", but really seems to come from the talents of Seth Applebaum – a great producer and arranger who manages to keep all the tight elements at the core, including some great bass and drums – while also letting things freak out up top a bit more – almost as if David Axelrod were given the chance to work with some of the younger funk combos in recent years. There's a bit of trippy vocals, but most of the set is instrumental – and titles include "Seven Eight", "Spirits In The Distance", "Broken Boogaloo", "Isaac Hayes", "Slow Down", "Kaddish", and "Modern Scene". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic debut of Jade Warrior – a group who were one of the most unique prog acts to record for the Vertigo label in the 70s! Jade Warrior is just a trio – and unlike some of the harder-rocking power trios of the time, the group have a way of balancing softness and intensity, acoustic modes and electric ones – all with a unique style that also offers up some of the exoticism promised by their name! Yet don't worry about that last aspect – as things here are never too heavy-handed, as the group are Brit to their core – maybe balancing some of the lighter Mel Collins moments of King Crimson and the more personal Ian Anderson songs of Jethro Tull – in a line up that features percussion and flute from Jon Field, guitar from Tony Duhig, and bass and these great raspy vocals from Glyn Havard. Titles include "Masami Morning", "Windweaver", "Petunia", "Telephone Girl", "Psychiatric Sergeant", "Slow Ride", and "A Prenormal Day At Brighton". LP, Vinyl record album

A super-groovy Dutch group from the end of the 60s – one who really showcase that shift on the scene from standard beat styles to much more sophisticated music! The group features Robbie van Leeuwen in the lineup, famous for his work to come in Shocking Blue – and the album does a great job of mixing together catchy, upbeat numbers with some that have larger arrangements – balanced in a very cool way, so that the whole thing never loses its groove – maybe a bit like the Bee Gees as they were stepping things up at the end of the 60s too, but with less harmony in the approach. Titles include "Wedding Of The Hundred Brides", "Illusions", "Looking In My Eyes", "Electric Baby", "Freedom", "Slow Motion", "Hey Everybody", "Chicks", "What's Your Name", "Eliza", and "It's Alright". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic album from Prince – recorded in 2010, and unreleased at the time – but clearly one of the greatest things he gave us in the final decade of his life! This isn't uncooked demo material, or under-thought studio tracks – and instead, the whole thing is a fully-formed record with a message that really comes through in the title – more political Prince than usual, with an eye for our nation that rivals Sign O The Times! It may be that back when Prince recorded the set, the time wasn't right for the message – but these tracks definitely hit home now – and are often delivered in this sinister slow funk mode that really fits the lyrics – almost as if Prince were trying to give the world his version of a righteous 70s album on Curtom Records. Titles include "Running Game", "Born 2 Die", "Welcome 2 America", "Check The Record", "Hot Summer", "Stand Up & B Strong", "Same Page Different Book", and "One Day We Will All B Free". LP, Vinyl record album

A great batch of Brazilian soul from Sorry Drummer – an artist with a touch that's a lot more open and laidback than some of his contemporaries – much more strongly influenced by American underground hip hop than some of the more booty-shaking beats of the Brazilian mainstream – at a level that makes this whole set come across with a surprisingly timeless, durable vibe! There's a really nice blend of guests here – Sorry Drummer acts as the head of the sound system, opening things up for Filiph Neo, Groove Coletivco, Silvera, Mr Reed, Summer Azul, and even Patricia Marx – as the vibe changes nicely from track to track, while the album still holds onto a great sense of quality throughout. Titles include "If You Let Me", "Slow Down", "Fly Away", "Na Vitrola", "Aeroporto", "Life Is Too Short", "Dias De Sol (rmx)", "Sunshine", and "Yeah Love". CD

Writer Jon Savage is maybe best known for his work on the early years of punk in England – and here, Savage steps back just a bit – to contextualize the rise of the new music in all sorts of other styles that were bubbling up in the mid 70s! Part of the set is a pathway to punk – especially on some of the glam and power pop cuts that clearly point the way ahead – but there's also a nice mix of hard rock, a bit of prog, and even some catchier numbers that really fit the feel of the package – and show what a wonderful mix of modes was taking place in the mid 70s – a great wake up call to anyone who thinks that things were dead until punk came along! The 2CD package is overflowing with surprises – 44 tracks, with notes from Savage as well – for titles that include "So Far" by Faust, "Hey Joe (version)" by Patti Smith, "Kings Of Speed" by Hawkwind, "Third Uncle" by Brian Eno, "After Eight" by Neu, "Easy To Slip" by Little Feat, "Girl From Germany" by Sparks, "End Unkind" by Grin, "Andy Warhol" by Dana Gillespie, "Yang Yang" by Yoko Ono, "Vicious" by Lou Reed, "She Means A Lot To Me" by Smyle, "When My Baby's Beside Me" by Big Star, "One Of The Boys" by Mott The Hoople, "Max's Kansas City 76 (part 1)" by Wayne County, "Cherry Bomb" by The Runaways, "Train Train" by Count Bishops, "I Don't Mind" by Dr Feelgood, "Slow Death" by Flamin Groovies, and "You Really Got Me" by Hammersmith Gorillas. CD

A lost harmony soul classic from the east coast scene of the 70s – a set that was recorded in the shadow of work by bigger groups, like the Moments or Stylistics, and which has a similarly sort of sublime sound! There's a nice edge to the album – like some of the George Kerr productions on Stang/All-Platinum – as producer Bruce M Clarke really lets the vocals shine through on most tracks – just updating a 60s sweet soul mode with the right sort of hip 70s elements, but all while never getting in the way of the harmonies! With that approach, we'd maybe rank this one right up there with the classic album by Soul Generation – especially given the badass sort of vibe on the funky numbers. Titles include "At Last It's Over", "Giving Up", "God & You", "All Good Things Can't Last", "Booking Up", "Moving Down The Line", "Gotta Get You Back", and "Your Love Comes Slower Than Never". Bonus tracks include "What Is Love" and "Am I Ever Gonna See My Baby Again" by Marion Butler, "Another Man's Woman" and "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "God & You" by Loreli, and "Everybody's Got A Good Thing" by Loreli with Empress Kilpatrick. CD