One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from saxophonist Mats Gustafsson – a series of duets with guitarist David Stackenas, all done as tributes to blues greats of years past! As with other "tribute" projects by artists like Gustafsson or Ken Vandermark, the core inspiration for the music is very submerged in the actual results – so that the album's not actually a blues record by the players, but one that draws sympathies, feelings, colors, and tones from the music – and recasts it in a freely improvisatory manner. Mats plays baritone sax throughout, which makes for a haunting contrast with the acoustic guitar work of Stackenas – and there's a feel here that's almost a bit like some of Gustafsson's duets with David Grubbs. Titles include "Shave Em Wet", "Bumble Bee Blues", "Built To Do What You Did Last Night", and "Take Your Hand Off It". CD

The record that put the Bristol sound of the era on the map – and pretty much delivered the opening salvo for the coming trip hop movement! Heady instrumental hip hop clashes with dub and new school soul on this seminal set, one that really existed outside of most early 90s trends, even if it relished the technical possibilities, so it really stands the test of time and sounds fresh to to this day. Shara Nelson and Horace Andy provided some well placed guest vocals on a few numbers, and titles include "Safe From Harm", "One Love", "Blue Lines", "Be Thankful For What You've Got", "Five Man Army", "Unfinished Sympathy", "Daydreaming", "Lately" and "Hymn Of The Big Wheel". CD

Strong second album from Massive Attack! Protection sets the stage with stunning one-two punch of the title track and "Karmacoma" – 13+ minutes of flawless, hypnotic trip hop with a strong sense of moody soul, thanks in the always impeccable (to this point, anyway) production and all the more wonderful thanks to some strong guest vocals by Tracey Thorn. If the opening couple tracks set the bar a little to high to be sustained to the end, there's still a lot to love here, and the other titles include "Weather Storm", "Spying Glass", "Better Things", "Eurochild", "Sly", "Heat Miser" and "Light My Fire". CD

Own a piece of genius! All fun aside, this two CD set of duets between Chicago's youngest new tenor giant and several of Sweden's leading lights offers up moments of beauty, energy and interesting new dialogues between some of the best new players at the forefront of improvised music. Ken makes some poignant commentary about the state of contemporary improvised music in his notes, and more than stands behind his words on a variety of reeds alongside Raymond Strid's drums, Sten Standell's piano, David Stackenas' guitars and Kjell Nordeson's percussion. Most of the pieces are of shorter duration, allowing each player and Ken to approach the improvs from many different angles, always fresh, so there are about a half dozen of each duo. Titles include "Knapp", "Reeds And Hammers VIII", "Skitmoln" and "Morning Of Stagnelius". CD

An obscure set of German electronic instrumental work from the start of the 80s – and a set that's maybe got some of the darker, colder sounds of the UK scene of the time, especially the sorts of music that was brewing up from the city of Sheffield! Zeus B Held hits harder and goes deeper than some of his German new wave counterparts – none of the playful modes of the Atatak label crew, and instead a more dystopian use of analog electronics that almost makes you feel like you're trapped in a no man's land between East and West Berlin! Titles include "Raise Your Gun", "Daily News", "Transportable Music", "Cowboy On The Beach", "Test", "Didn't I", and "Enfant Terrible". CD

An obscure set of German electronic instrumental work from the start of the 80s – and a set that's maybe got some of the darker, colder sounds of the UK scene of the time, especially the sorts of music that was brewing up from the city of Sheffield! Zeus B Held hits harder and goes deeper than some of his German new wave counterparts – none of the playful modes of the Atatak label crew, and instead a more dystopian use of analog electronics that almost makes you feel like you're trapped in a no man's land between East and West Berlin! Titles include "Raise Your Gun", "Daily News", "Transportable Music", "Cowboy On The Beach", "Test", "Didn't I", and "Enfant Terrible". LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzy folk soul survivor Terry Callier returns to Mr Bongo with Hidden Conversations – with Terry's soul searching lyricism, warm vocals, and mood setting acoustic guitar paired with laidback production by trip hop pioneer Robert Del Naha of Massive Attack! The styles work pretty well together – Terry's way with a song and his performances are built ready to soar, even at their most stripped down and spare, and his voice and guitar are leading lights of the production, over spacey keys and trippy beats. Terry sings, speaks, scats, and tells stories wonderfully, and we're as proud as ever to have him as our Chicago-to-the-cosmos soul sage! Titles include "Wings", "Sunset Boulevard", "Hidden Conversations", "The Hood I Left Behind", "Once I Dreamed Of Heaven", "Fool Em I Fool R U", "Rice And Beans – Grace", "Jessie And Alice", "John Lee Hooker" and "Live With Me". CD

The album begins with the side-long "Kalakuta Show" – one of the most powerful tunes ever recorded by Fela Kuti, as it describes a police attack on his compound and all the violence that followed – but all while Tony Allen and Africa 70 serve up these amazing riffing grooves that are topped by Fela's work on tenor and vocals! The flipside is an equally powerful political message – the great "Don't Make Ganran Ganran", a commentary on wealth inequality in Nigeria – and a cut that's every bit as great a groover as the first! The back cover also includes "real picture of police raid on Kalakuta Republic Africa 70 House and Fela's wound after". LP, Vinyl record album

A really killer 70s album from Fela Kuti – one that serves up a hell of a message, and some great slinky grooves too! "Yellow Fever" is a brutal attack on miscegenation, backed by a funky groove that makes the whole thing fall into place with an amazing riffing sound – bold, powerful, and Afrika 70 at their best! "Na Poi 75" begins with a cool spoken bit – then moves into this pulsating keyboard part which is almost eerily spare, until the rest of Afrika 70 come into the mix and really funk things up! Drums are wonderfully skittish – kind of double-snapping, while the bassline dips nicely below – and the tune ebbs and flows in this really great way. LP, Vinyl record album

The coolest record so far from this totally great combo – a live recording done on the home turf of the Greg Foat Group – the Playboy Club in London! The retro venue really fits the slinky, sexy vibe of the group's music – and although we already loved these guys before, this album has a really special sort of feel – with loads of wonderful keyboard lines from Greg on Hohner Electra piano, Elka Rhapsody, Hammond L 100, and Mutron Phaser – almost always distorted with a nice degree of fuzz, but still a straight ahead approach, and some great undercurrents of fuzz too! The group also features tenor and trumpet – which sometimes sound distorted, ala Varitone modes – and the overall sound feels like some lost jazzy club combo from the late 60s, really tripping out in a very comfortable space. We'd easily stack this one next to our favorite funky Fender Rhodes records from back in the day – and titles include "By The Grace Of God I Am", "Ingen Reklam", "Funky Fanfare", "Madrid", and "Mr Minor". CD features two bonus tracks – "Finky Minky" and "Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag". CD

An insanely fantastic book on one of our favorite record labels of all time – the All Platinum family of labels from the New Jersey scene of the late 60s/early 70s – a precursor to the later Sugar Hill hip hop empire, and home to The Moments, Whatnauts, and countless other great groups! The book is way more than just the story of the label – as it's super-heavy, weighs as much as a stack of records – and features hundreds of pages with full color images, both of rare records and artists who recorded for All-Platinum too – all in support of chapters that approach the label and its related imprints in a range of different ways. The book not only looks at the big stars, but tackles the lesser-known acts too – and traces all the many sub-labels like Stang, Vibration, A1, Turbo, and Astroscope – then looks at the company's relationship to Chess Records too. The book features an illustrated discography of all the related labels after the main content – with color images of labels and covers – and the whole thing is 532 heavy, glossy pages – well worth the price! Book

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". CD

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". Packaged in a nice foldout sleeve, with printed inner-sleeves, poster, program and insert of notes mostly in Japanese. CD

One gal, three guys, and a sublime album of harmony soul – one of those fantastic early 70s sets from the Independents – a Chicago group we'd stack right up there next to the best from the east coast! Maurice in the title is Maurice Jackson – who'd earlier recorded the track "Lucky Fellow" – later done by Leroy Hutson, and recorded here by the group in a fantastic version too! Chuck in the title is Chuck Jackson, who co-produced the set with Marvin Yancey – an early effort from the soul production duo who'd later help Natalie Cole and others hit great fame – working here at the start of his career, to guide singers Helen Curry and Eric Thomas to great heights. The whole record is wonderful – a definite "cut above" harmony soul set with all the sophisticated styles that the Chicago scene had to offer at the start of the 70s – thanks also to arranging genius on the set from Richard Evans, Tom Tom Washington, and Floyd Morris. In addition to "Lucky Fellow", other titles include "It's All Over", "No Wind No Rain", "I Found Love On A Rainy Day", "The Same Old Way", "It's All Over", and "In The Valley Of My World". CD features three bonus tracks – "Let This Be A Lesson To You", and two versions of "Arise & Shine". CD

A legendary album of spoken word and spiritual jazz – put together by The Institute of Positive Education in Chicago, and featuring wisdom and knowledge from the legendary Haki R Madhubuti! The album alternates shorter vocal/musical tracks with longer ones that are pure post-Coltrane jazz – played by a group that includes Wallace Roney on trumpet, Byron Harrison on guitar, and Rufus Wright on piano – all working with saxophonist Agyei Akoto, who's also the music director of the set. There's an incredibly positive feel to the set – one that tackles the issues of the time, but which does so with a sense of optimism that's extremely rare today – and which is part of the real charm of the album. Titles include "Talking Stick", "Rise Vision Coming", "Black Man", and "Walk The Way Of The New World". LP, Vinyl record album

An artist you might not know at all – but one you'll be digging plenty after hearing this wonderful set! Richard Marks is a guitarist and singer with a very funky, very gritty sound – really right up there with the best of the funky 45 underground of the time – which makes this overstuffed package feel like you've just inherited a sweet stack of rare 7" singles! Marks hardly made it outside of his hometown of Atlanta – but did work over the years with stars like Al Green and Eddie Kendricks – but, thankfully for us, he left behind a strong legacy of small label singles, nearly all of which are included in this beautiful set – along with a full book that tells the tale of Richard's time outside the limelight, plus lots of photos, images, and notes on the music. Titles include "Funky Fingers", "Never Satisfied", "Don't Take It Out On Me", "I'm With You Love", "Pretty Woman Pass On By", "Innocent Bystander", "Speak Now", "Purple Haze", "Why Did You Leave Me", and "Crackerjack". CD

An amazing album of vocal Brazilian jazz and sweet electric funk – a standout classic that's forever been at the top of our stack of 70s Brazilian music! Singer Ana Mazzotti is at the head of the session – singing with this breezy style that's at once cold and warm, cool and emotive – and she's backed by a small jazz combo with some incredible moog, Arp, and organ from Jose Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth! The record's got a bucketful of groove-heavy tracks that feel like CTI meeting up with Joao Donato – and the album's a treasure that should be in the collection of any fan of 70s Brazilian funk! Titles include "Cordao", "Soul", "Bairro Negro", "Eu Sou Mai Eu", "Roda Mundo", "Sou", and "Agora Ou Nunca Mais" – plus an incredible version of "Feel Like Making Love"! CD

An amazing album of vocal Brazilian jazz and sweet electric funk – a standout classic that's forever been at the top of our stack of 70s Brazilian music! Singer Ana Mazzotti is at the head of the session – singing with this breezy style that's at once cold and warm, cool and emotive – and she's backed by a small jazz combo with some incredible moog, Arp, and organ from Jose Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth! The record's got a bucketful of groove-heavy tracks that feel like CTI meeting up with Joao Donato – and the album's a treasure that should be in the collection of any fan of 70s Brazilian funk! Titles include "Cordao", "Soul", "Bairro Negro", "Eu Sou Mai Eu", "Roda Mundo", "Sou", and "Agora Ou Nunca Mais" – plus an incredible version of "Feel Like Making Love"! LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of funky instrumentals – one of those key records that has the Nite-Liters really challenging legendary groups like The Meters or JBs! If you know the sound of the combo, you'll know that they're a bit different than either – with a very distinctive groove that's created from years of woodshedding before hitting the studio – a live legacy that's a lot like early Kool & The Gang – in that they emerge fully-formed in the studio with razor-sharp instrumentation, especially on their guitars, bass, and drums! The whole thing is great – like finding a pile of funky 45s all stacked together into one great album – with titles that include "Tanga Boo Gonk", "Hang Up", "Kool Pick", "Funky-Doo", "Stinkin Charlie", "We've Got To Pull Together", and "K-Jee". CD

A trio of key albums from the Pink Fairies – served up with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Never Never Land – the fantastic debut of the Pink Fairies – easily one of the shaggiest, headiest bands on the UK scene at the start of the 70s – and a group who rose from the ashes of the equally important Deviants! The record's an unusual mishmash of modes – a set that confidently swaggers between psych, hard rock, and maybe even a bit of proto-punk – very confident in its approach, and coolly compressed in the production, but never in the slick style that would dominate British rock more strongly in the mid 70s. The Fairies aren't afraid to let their freak flag fly, but they're also clearly moving past hippiedom too – on titles that include "War Girl", "Do It", "Say You Love Me", "Tack One Side Two", "Thor", "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout", and "The Dream Is Just Beginning". What A Bunch Of Sweeties is filled with freaky fuzz from the Pink Fairies – a seminal UK group who were maybe trapped in a space between late psych and early glam – and somehow equally important to both! There's lots going on in the set – modes that are as offbeat as styles put forth by The Fugs in the late 60s, but a lot sharper overall from a musical perspective – especially in the way the group uses great guitar work and a few catchy numbers to sew the whole thing together – on titles that include "Portobello Shuffle", "Marilyn", "Pigs Of Uranus", "Walk Don't Run", "X-Ray", "I Went Up I Went Down", and "I Saw Her Standing There". Kings Of Oblivion is maybe the most fully-formed album from the legendary Pink Fairies – and a set that's got some really searing guitar from Larry Wallis – a melodic genius whose sound really holds things together, and gives the group a stronger focus than ever before! The guitar lines seem to bring out and amplify all the ideas the group were going for before – and maybe give the group a sense of darkness that they never fully reached – not hard rock cliche, but this tightness that's also completely individual – maybe like early Thin Lizzy at their best, yet in a completely different way. Titles include "I Wish I Was A Girl", "City Kids", "When's The Fun Begin", "Chromium Plating", "Street Urchin", and "Chamber Maid". Bonus tracks include "Going Down", "Walk Don't Run (first version)", "War Girl (alt mix)", "The Snake", "Do It (single mix)", "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout (alt mix)", "Well Well Well (alt mix)", "City Kids (alt)", and "Hold On (single)". CD

A big stack of singles from one of the coolest groups on the American scene of the 70s – one who are remembered for a few key singles, but delivered a heck of a lot more greatness over the space of the decade! Redbone are maybe best known for their makeup – as the group featured Native and Mexican American members – but they also stood equally well next to their contemporaries on the airwaves, with a great ear for a catchy groove and a way of mixing soulful currents with rock expressions that was perfect for the AM radio generation! And it's on their singles that the group maybe excelled the most – able to come up with tunes that were short and catchy, but also had all these cool twists and turns too – as you'll hear on the big mix of styles on this 36 track collection that brings together all the a-sides and b-sides of their classic singles! Tracks include their huge hit "Come & Get Your Love" – plus "Message From A Drum", "One Monkey", "Physical Attraction", "Turquoise Eyes", "Crazy Cajun Cakewalk Band", "New Blue Sermonette", "Alcatraz", "We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee", "Wovoka", "Clouds In My Sunshine", "Checkin It Out", "I've Got To Find The Right Woman", "Niji Trance", "The Witch Queen Of New Orleans", and "Light As A Feather". CD

A tremendous document of work by Jake Thackray – one of the most unique talents on the British music scene of the 60s, but an artist who's sadly been un-remembered over the years! At first glance, Jake's definitely a folkie, but he's also one with a strong influence from French singer/songwriters like Jacques Brel or George Brassens – and takes key inspiration from them in the depth and darkness of his work. Like both Brel and Brassens, Thackray's got a style that's almost out of time – one that's ageless at some points, but with a very contemporary way of viewing the world – personal, pointed, and penned with an incredible sense of wit. In an era when most folkies were attacking the political or pushing into the fantastic, Jake spent careful time looking at human foibles and the complexities of interpersonal relationships – always from a distance, but close enough to note the odd humor in even the most banal situations. This wonderful set brings together 4 of Thackray's albums for EMI – Bantam Cock, Last Will & Testament, Jake's Progress, and On Again On Again – all of which feature Jake's slightly jazz-inflected vocals alongside acoustic guitar and very spare, but well-chosen additional instrumentation. Package also features a full disc of unreleased material – including different versions of other tunes on the albums. 97 tracks in all, and a wonderful musical discovery throughout! Titles include "The Cactus", "Country Bus", "Brother Gorilla", "The Girl In The Window", "Ulysses", "Scallywag", "Salvation Army Girl", "On The Shelf", "Go Little Swale", "Isabel Makes Love On National Monuments", "Joseph", "Famous People", "The Gravedigger", and "Leopold Alcocks". CD

Titles include their great versions of "Train Kept A Rollin" and "I'm A Man" – plus "Smokestack Lightning", "Respectable", "Here Tis", Still I'm Sad", "Heart Full Of Soul", and "You're A Better Man Than I". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Smokestack Lightning", "Heart Full Of Soul", "New York City Blues", "Shapes Of Things", "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago", and "Over Under Sideways Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. CD

A host of raw rockers that were originally served up as 7" singles – all blasting out together with a tremendous amount of power – as if you're enjoying a night with choice cuts all stacked up in the jukebox pictured on the cover! The set's way more than any sort of oldies collection – as the music here is heavy on guitars, and effortlessly moves between blasts of fuzz and cleaner lines – sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal – all with a sense of urgency that's delivered in the short space of the few minutes that would fit on a vintage 45! Richard Hawley curated the set, but even if you're not hip to his name, you'll find plenty here to dig if you love rare cuts of this sort – and as usual, Ace did a superb job with the presentation, sound quality, and notes! Titles include "Neb's Tune" by Ahab & The Wailers, "Cuttin Out" by The Pirages, "Feels Like A Woman" by The Troggs, "Buzzzzz" by Jimmy Cordon, "Bawana Jinde" by Al Duncan, "Dead End (part 1)" by The Executioners, "Where You Gonna Go" by Art Guy, "Long Line Rider" by Bobby Darin, "It's Nothing To Me" by Sanford Clark, "Jungle Walk" by The Dyna Sores, "Nasty" by The Timekeepers, "Quasimoto" by The Road Runners, "Swinging Drums" by Ronny Kae, and "Honky" by The Ho-Dads. LP, Vinyl record album

The "lovers" here are funky 45 lovers – the kind that dig rare singles from the 60s and 70s as much as we do – plenty of which you'll find stacked up nicely in this killer set! The package delves into the legacy of 7" singles from Miami soul powerhouse TK Records – and the package is full of more unusual tracks that go way past some of the big TK chart and club hits of the time, to really show the range of material that was making the label so great – and such an important force in the record racks at the time! Titles on this vinyl version include "For Lovers Only" by New Image, "Oh Let Me Know It (part 1)" by Special Delivery, "Let Me Take Care Of Your Heart" by The Smith Brothers, "Our Day Is Here" by Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners, "Man Of Mine" by Betty Wright, "Stop Hurting Me Baby" by Purple Mundi, and "Nowhere" by Hokis Pokis. LP, Vinyl record album

The "lovers" here are funky 45 lovers – the kind that dig rare singles from the 60s and 70s as much as we do – plenty of which you'll find stacked up nicely in this killer set! The package delves into the legacy of 7" singles from Miami soul powerhouse TK Records – and the package is full of more unusual tracks that go way past some of the big TK chart and club hits of the time, to really show the range of material that was making the label so great – and such an important force in the record racks at the time! Familiar names mix nicely with lesser-knowns – and the set features 23 tracks in all, with titles that include "Our Day Is Here" by JP Robinson, "Nowhere" by Hokis Pokis, "For Lovers Only" by New Image, "Let Me Take Care Of Your Heart" by The Smith Brothers, "Our Day Is Here" by Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners, "Man Of Mine" by Betty Wright, "Secret Lover" by Paulette Reaves, "Come On With It" by Lew Kirton, "Sweet Vibrations" by Latimore, "Moon Ride" by Universal Love, "Dance Craze" by New Image, "Funky Party" by Clarence Reid, and "Don't Waste My Time" by Jerry Washington. CD

A set that really digs deep into the British scene of the early 70s – a package pitched around the idea of opening acts for supergroups at a rock festival, and one that serves up a whole host of groups who never fully got their due on our side of the Atlantic at the time! These aren't underground or experimental groups – and most recorded for major labels – but they also weren't chart-topping acts, or those that have gone into the classic rock pantheon – which makes for a really great discovery to most ears not fully acquainted with this moment in UK rock! The set was put together by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – who've given us other seminal sets of UK music from the 70s, and groovy 60s compilations too – and they really do a great job here of setting the scene, and picking the best cuts from groups who are top-shelf in their effort and execution. As always with the pair, the notes with the set are as illuminating as the music – and titles include "Taken All The Good Things" by Stray, "Out Demons Out" by Edgar Broughton Band, "One Way Glass" by Manfred Mann Chapter Three, "Hold On To Your Mind" by Andwella, "Big Boobs Boogie" by Slowload, "Third World" by Paladin, "For Mad Men Only" by May Blitz, "Met Pies Ave Come" by Stack Waddy, "Ricochet" by Jonesy, and the surprising inclusion of some rocking KPM sound library tracks – including "Hot Pants" by Alan Parker & Alan Hawkshaw, "Led Balloon" by Steve Gray, and "Confunction" by Dave Richmond. CD

A set that really digs deep into the British scene of the early 70s – a package pitched around the idea of opening acts for supergroups at a rock festival, and one that serves up a whole host of groups who never fully got their due on our side of the Atlantic at the time! These aren't underground or experimental groups – and most recorded for major labels – but they also weren't chart-topping acts, or those that have gone into the classic rock pantheon – which makes for a really great discovery to most ears not fully acquainted with this moment in UK rock! The set was put together by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs – who've given us other seminal sets of UK music from the 70s, and groovy 60s compilations too – and they really do a great job here of setting the scene, and picking the best cuts from groups who are top-shelf in their effort and execution. As always with the pair, the notes with the set are as illuminating as the music – and titles include "Taken All The Good Things" by Stray, "Out Demons Out" by Edgar Broughton Band, "One Way Glass" by Manfred Mann Chapter Three, "Hold On To Your Mind" by Andwella, "Big Boobs Boogie" by Slowload, "Third World" by Paladin, "For Mad Men Only" by May Blitz, "Met Pies Ave Come" by Stack Waddy, "Ricochet" by Jonesy, and the surprising inclusion of some rocking KPM sound library tracks – including "Hot Pants" by Alan Parker & Alan Hawkshaw, "Led Balloon" by Steve Gray, and "Confunction" by Dave Richmond. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer entry in this excellent series – and a set that feels like you've stacked up a whole batch of deep funk 45s, but all packed together in one great album – with a price that's a lot lower than buying some of those too-expensive limited 7" singles! There's plenty of heavy drums, raw breaks, and soulful vocals throughout – and titles include "Wind Up" by Cookin On 3 Burners, "The Scoop" by the Oscillators, "Saved" by Glenn Fallows, "On The Hook" by Misha Panfilov, "Something Wonderful" by Mike Bandoni, "Auras" by Gentle Nature, "Enough" by Ray James, "A Better Woman" by Cole James, "Seek & Destroy" by Great Revivers, "It's Gonna Be Alright" by Carlton Jumel Smith, and "Fleet Streak" by Kerbside Collection. LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek". CD

Insanely wonderful music from Andrew Hill – a lean, stripped-down session that has Hill working at his firey best – in a space that's somewhere between the "new thing" recordings of Jackie McLean, and the brooding brilliance of Andrew's later Smokestack session! The group here has some key figures fleshing out the sound – a young Joe Henderson, blowing tenor with a very edgey quality – the very versatile Richard Davis on bass – and the great Roy Haynes on drums, very much at his most fluid interpretation of rhythm! The whole set's pretty darn great – one of the more mindblowing Blue Notes you'll ever hope to buy – and tracks include "Pumpkin", "Subterfuge", "Cantarnos", and "McNeil Island". CD

And who says Scientology isn't about good music? Ron serves up a set of original space jazz compositions on this one, with backing by Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Nicky Hopkins. Tracks are short, and titles include "The Banker", "Alien Visitors Attack", "Earth, My Beautiful Home", "The Drone", and "Funeral For A Planet". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazzy combo with a heart of soul – and a group who may well be one of our favorite funk groups from the 70s! Pleasure has an amazing way of being tight, yet never slick or commercial – a sound that's right on the money, but far from the mainstream too – which has kept them at the top of the stacks for crate-diggers and rare groove collectors for years! This sweet double-length package is a very well-chosen set of their gems for Fantasy records, and a few later tracks for RCA – a really expansive look at all that's great about the group – with classics mixed with overlooked album cuts and some great funky numbers you might have missed otherwise. Nearly everything Pleasure ever cut is fantastic, but this set is even more fantastic than the rest – and features 25 titles that include "Bouncy Lady", "Dust Yourself Off", "Joyous", "Ghettos Of The Mind", "Only You", "Sassafras Girl", "Glide", "Farewell Goodbye", "Special Things", "Thoughts Of Old Flames", "Give It Up", "Sending My Love", "Stone Love", "Glide (special disco rmx)", "Space Is The Place", "Living Without You", "Let's Dance", and a previously unreleased "Foxy Lady (disco version)". CD

A stripped-down take on the debut album from this excellent group – almost like finding a stack of sweet soul 45s that all have instrumental b-sides! The great vocals of the group are gone, but that also brings the spotlight on the wonderful grooves that set the whole thing up – slow-stepping rhythms with the hardness of funk, but a more laidback approach – warmed up by horns in just the right way, but never dominated by them. Production is nice and lean, in the best Daptone style – tuned towards moodier, late nite material than some of the company's funk – on titles that include "Sorrow For Tomorrow", "Lady Love", "Can I Call You Rose", "Easier Said Than Done", "Overflowing", "Future Lover", "Happy & Well", and "Love Comes Easy". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic tracks from one of the greatest songwriting teams in soul music during the 60s and 70s – the legendary trio of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland – two of whom started out as soul singers, and all three of whom left behind a huge legacy on the Detroit scene! And while the trio were a famous part of Motown before moving off to start their own HDH family of labels, the work here also expands past those roots and includes some other gems that really show the wide reach of their music – including some non-soul titles that stack up here as a real surprise! As always with Ace Records, the notes tell the huge story behind the music, along with a great set of vintage images – and the package features 24 tracks in all, with titles that include "Band Of Gold (unedited alt version)" by Freda Payne, "There's A Ghost In My House" by The Fall, "New Breed Kind Of Woman" by Lamont Dozier, "Come & Get These Memories" by Laura Nyro, "Leaving Here" by Eddie Holland, "Come See About Me" by Barbara Mason, "Helpless" by Kim Weston, "A Love Like Yours" by Dusty Springfield, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by Vanilla Fudge, "This Old Heart Of Mine" by Bettye Swann, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Isley Brothers, "Don't Do It" by The Band, "Love's Gone Bad" by Chris Clark, "How Sweet It Is" by Brenda Lee, and "Where Did Our Love Go" by Donnie Elbert. CD

Some choice Bunny Lee produced Aggrovators tracks, mixed mostly by King Tubby. 16 tracks in all, including "A Version Of Class", "Jah Jah Dub", "Creation Dub", "Forward Version", "Don't Try To Dub I", "A Thankful Version", "A Traditional Dub", "A Stalawatt Dub" and "Full A Manners". LP, Vinyl record album

The funky titans are at it again! "Deuces Up, Double Down" is a killer new track from the group – an original tune written by drummer Miles Tackett, with a heavy scattershot beat at the bottom, and lots of loud, fast, honking horns over the top. The guitar player's licking away at the cut too – and the whole thing's a delightful romping funky groove! CD version also includes a great cover of "Humpty Dump", the scratchy guitar groover originally cut by The Vibrettes – plus a "Funky Soul/16 Corners" medley, recorded live in LA at one of the band's smoking shows! CD

One of the only albums ever cut by tenorist Bob Hardaway – a young west coast player who really cooks on this obscure record for Bethlehem! Hardaway's tenor has a bit more bite than some other Bethlehem horns of the time – and the vibe is almost east coast at time – with a stronger attack on the solos, and a sense of soul that comes through even more strongly on the ballads. The lineup is great, too – with Marty Paich on piano, bringing a nice punch to the tunes – plus vibes from Larry Bunker on side one, ringing out with a really wonderful tone. Bunker shifts to drums on side two – and the record features bass from either Max Bennett or Joe Mondragon, and additional drums from Art Madigan. Titles include "Jr", "Lou's Blue", "Indiana", "I Cover The Waterfront", and "Out Of Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". LP, Vinyl record album

Insanely wonderful music from Andrew Hill – a lean, stripped-down session that has Hill working at his firey best – in a space that's somewhere between the "new thing" recordings of Jackie McLean, and the brooding brilliance of Andrew's later Smokestack session! The group here has some key figures fleshing out the sound – a young Joe Henderson, blowing tenor with a very edgey quality – the very versatile Richard Davis on bass – and the great Roy Haynes on drums, very much at his most fluid interpretation of rhythm! The whole set's pretty darn great – one of the more mindblowing Blue Notes you'll ever hope to buy – and tracks include "Pumpkin", "Subterfuge", "Cantarnos", and "McNeil Island". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – alternate takes of 2 tracks on the album. CD

Tremendous early work from George Jones – the full White Lightning album for Mercury Records, stacked here with a huge amount of bonus tracks too! George is wonderful throughout – already a standout in the shifting country scene of the 50s – with one ear that understands the sharper edges of the rock generation, but another that brings out all the sentiment in the tunes he touches – material that's delivered with this magical approach that few other singers could touch. If you only know George as a blue-tinged singer of ballads from his later years, you'll really be stunned here – as lots of the tracks have a sound that's quite different, and a lot more vibrant. Titles include "White Lighning", "Give Away Girl", "Wandering Soul", "Life To Go", "Flame In My Heart", "What Am I Worth", "I Take The Chance", "Settle Down", "I'm A One Woman Man", "Revenooer Man", "Sparkling Brown Eyes", and "Color Of The Blues". CD

Kanye West's & Kid Cudi's joint debut as Kids See Ghosts! Each looks inward and tackles existential personal issues on the lyrical front, with kind of a spacey melancholy vibe to the production, and with cool synths and fuzz-steeped production with some really interesting samples in the mix – from Mr Chop to Kurt Cobain. Officially billed as an album, but with 7 tracks and a 23 minute length, it's straddling the line between EP and full length when it comes to running time – but that's not a knock as it's a tight, filler free effort. Includes "Feel The Love", "Fire", "4th Dimension", "Freeee (Ghost Town Pt 2)", "Reborn", "Kids See Ghosts" & "Cudi Montage". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of funky instrumentals – one of those key records that has the Nite-Liters really challenging legendary groups like The Meters or JBs! If you know the sound of the combo, you'll know that they're a bit different than either – with a very distinctive groove that's created from years of woodshedding before hitting the studio – a live legacy that's a lot like early Kool & The Gang – in that they emerge fully-formed in the studio with razor-sharp instrumentation, especially on their guitars, bass, and drums! The whole thing is great – like finding a pile of funky 45s all stacked together into one great album – with titles that include "Tanga Boo Gonk", "Hang Up", "Kool Pick", "Funky-Doo", "Stinkin Charlie", "We've Got To Pull Together", and "K-Jee". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of key albums from the Pink Fairies – served up with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Never Never Land – the fantastic debut of the Pink Fairies – easily one of the shaggiest, headiest bands on the UK scene at the start of the 70s – and a group who rose from the ashes of the equally important Deviants! The record's an unusual mishmash of modes – a set that confidently swaggers between psych, hard rock, and maybe even a bit of proto-punk – very confident in its approach, and coolly compressed in the production, but never in the slick style that would dominate British rock more strongly in the mid 70s. The Fairies aren't afraid to let their freak flag fly, but they're also clearly moving past hippiedom too – on titles that include "War Girl", "Do It", "Say You Love Me", "Tack One Side Two", "Thor", "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout", and "The Dream Is Just Beginning". What A Bunch Of Sweeties is filled with freaky fuzz from the Pink Fairies – a seminal UK group who were maybe trapped in a space between late psych and early glam – and somehow equally important to both! There's lots going on in the set – modes that are as offbeat as styles put forth by The Fugs in the late 60s, but a lot sharper overall from a musical perspective – especially in the way the group uses great guitar work and a few catchy numbers to sew the whole thing together – on titles that include "Portobello Shuffle", "Marilyn", "Pigs Of Uranus", "Walk Don't Run", "X-Ray", "I Went Up I Went Down", and "I Saw Her Standing There". Kings Of Oblivion is maybe the most fully-formed album from the legendary Pink Fairies – and a set that's got some really searing guitar from Larry Wallis – a melodic genius whose sound really holds things together, and gives the group a stronger focus than ever before! The guitar lines seem to bring out and amplify all the ideas the group were going for before – and maybe give the group a sense of darkness that they never fully reached – not hard rock cliche, but this tightness that's also completely individual – maybe like early Thin Lizzy at their best, yet in a completely different way. Titles include "I Wish I Was A Girl", "City Kids", "When's The Fun Begin", "Chromium Plating", "Street Urchin", and "Chamber Maid". Bonus tracks include "Going Down", "Walk Don't Run (first version)", "War Girl (alt mix)", "The Snake", "Do It (single mix)", "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout (alt mix)", "Well Well Well (alt mix)", "City Kids (alt)", and "Hold On (single)". CD

2 tracks recorded in roughly as many years from Quasimoto – maddest of all Madlib personas – in a batch of rarities and unreleased archival cuts that's as fresh and funky as anything 'Lib's delivered in years! Lord Quas is often described as Madlib's id – delivering top notch, but wigged out, if smoke mellowed rhymes that are out of character for Madlib the influential producer. That's fair enough, but we dig it for the smarts, the unshakable funky mood and its roots in sample-based hip hop craftsmanship. Hypotic boombap that'll sound fresh forever – paired mad blunted rhymes! Titles include "Broad Factor", "Seasons Change", "The Front", "Youngblood", "Astronaut", "Planned Attack", "Brothers Can't See Me", "Catchin' The Vibe", "Am I Confused?", "Sparkdala (Original Version)", "Green Power (Original Version)" and "LAX To JFK". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the albums The Michael Schenker Group, MSG, One Night At Budokan, Assault Attack, Built To Destroy, Rock Will Never Die, Perfect Timing, and Save Yourself – with bonus tracks, LP style covers, replica inner sleeves, and individual obis – all beautifully packaged in a handsome box! CD

The first 5 issues of the legendary Wax Poetics – the one-and-only genius publication dedicated to the art of crate-digging, aka funky soul & hip hop vinyl archeology – collected in this massive hardcover tome! Anthology Vol 1 tackles the essential chore of bringing those earliest Wax Poetics issues – which are for the most part long out of print and as tough to track down as some of the wax the mag covers – available once again with some additional illustrations, to boot! All of those great pieces– from the groundbreaking debut issue of December 2001 up to issue 5 in summer 2003 – covering Idris Muhammad, Pretty Purdie, Weldon Irvine, Manzel, Fania Records, King Tubby, Prince Paul, RZA, Louis Vega and so much more! The photos and illustrations pop even more in this larger scare format – with loads of period photography, shots in the studio, and all of those delicious dust jacket photo discoveries. Beautiful, essential, and long overdue! Hardcover, 241 pages, and bursting with beautiful images and illustrations! Book

A really heady set of tracks from the American scene – music that effortlessly bridges the 60s sounds of garage, blues rock, and psych – and prefaces some of the metal and more guitar-heavy modes to emerge later on in the 70s! The work here definitely shares more with the sounds of the 60s, but also really captures the music at a moment when things were really transforming – groups were getting past a slavish presentation of their influences, finding bold new modes of expression, and really letting their freak flag fly with fuzzy brilliance throughout – all at levels that were also different than some of the longer-spun modes of the European progressive world. As with other Grapefruit packages, the distillation of a sound and scene here is wonderful – and supported with very detailed notes too – in a package that includes 62 tracks in all - with work from Bang, Sudden Death, Dust, Arthur Lee, Boomerang, Cactus, Grand Funk, The Flow, Head Over Heels, Sir Lord Baltimore, ZZ Top, Brigade, Fuse, Conception, Morgen, Coven, Alice Cooper, Nazz, Stack, Spirit, Kim Fowley, SRC, Mass Confusion Rock Band, Society's Children, Omnibus, Wildwood, Human Beinz, The Sound Barrier, Fever Tree, and many others! CD

A really heady set of tracks from the American scene – music that effortlessly bridges the 60s sounds of garage, blues rock, and psych – and prefaces some of the metal and more guitar-heavy modes to emerge later on in the 70s! The work here definitely shares more with the sounds of the 60s, but also really captures the music at a moment when things were really transforming – groups were getting past a slavish presentation of their influences, finding bold new modes of expression, and really letting their freak flag fly with fuzzy brilliance throughout – all at levels that were also different than some of the longer-spun modes of the European progressive world. As with other Grapefruit packages, the distillation of a sound and scene here is wonderful – and supported with very detailed notes too – in a package that includes 62 tracks in all - with work from Bang, Sudden Death, Dust, Arthur Lee, Boomerang, Cactus, Grand Funk, The Flow, Head Over Heels, Sir Lord Baltimore, ZZ Top, Brigade, Fuse, Conception, Morgen, Coven, Alice Cooper, Nazz, Stack, Spirit, Kim Fowley, SRC, Mass Confusion Rock Band, Society's Children, Omnibus, Wildwood, Human Beinz, The Sound Barrier, Fever Tree, and many others! CD

Shuffering & Shmiling is one of the tougher Fela albums to find, and it's reissued here with the original cover art, and with the super-extended title cut laid out non-stop end to end. The cut's a very nice groover, and a scathing attack on religion to boot! "No Agreement" is a very long track that's got a super-catchy chorus, and some great jazzy playing by Africa 70, who are led at this point by Tony Allen. Lester Bowie guests on the track, and Fela's on piano, tenor, and alto. The CD finishes up with the cut "Dog Eat Dog", which is another nice one, and a good instrumental with good solos. Packaged beautifully – and sound sounding as wonderful as ever! CD

Just when you thought Prince Paul and Cat Power would never make a record together PRESTO – it's the new Handsome Boy album! HBMS takes a bit more of a chillout tack with this long overdue second opus – with lots of laidback beats and samples, and a surprising amount of live instrumentation! The gleeful, sarcastic comedy of the stellar first album remains intact, with some genuinely amusing skits (including one with Jay Z appearing under the pseudonym Hines Buchanan), and the deep range of guest vocalists isn't as surprising as how strong their work is in the best tunes. It would have been pretty easy for Prince Paul and Automator to find a bunch of interesting names to flesh out their big pop culture frappe, but something else altogether to make trippy hip hop tracks featuring Cat Power and the Hieroglyphics make sense on the same record. A pretty solid set from the most adventurous pseudo duo in the game! Guests include Del The Funky Homosapien, De La Soul, RZA, Lord Finesse, AG, Rahzel, Jazzy Jay, Qbert, Mike Patton, Casual, Hieroglyphics, Grand Wizard Theodore, El-P, John Oates, Pharrell, Kid Koala, and George W. Bush (just kidding). Tracks include "If It Wasn't For You" with De La, "Are You Down With It" with Mike Patton, "The World's Gone Mad" with Del and others, "It's Like That" with Casual, "I've Been Thinking" with Cat Power, "Rock And Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This) Pt 2" featuring Lord Finesse, Qbert and others,"First. . .And Then" featuring Dres from Black Sheep, "A Day In The Life" featuring RZA, AZ and others and more, plus intro/outro by Father Guido Sarducci. LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Hawkwind – a record that virtually defines the term "space rock", and which went on to create a whole genre unto itself! The live setting is perfect for the group – as they open up on long tracks that blend together odd touches, sci fi elements, and some mighty heavy rock lines too – all with some trippy vocals that really send things over the top! Lemmy's a mad genius at this point – and the record's got a ballsy power that's quite different from more prog-based groups who travel down similar paths, but never with ferocity like this. Titles include "Earth Calling", "Born To Go", "Down Through The Night", "The Awakening", "Upside Down", "10 Seconds Of Forever", "Brainstorm", "Seven By Seven", "Sonic Attack", Welcome To The Future", "You Shouldn't Do That", "Time We Left This World Today", and "Master Of The Universe". CD

Remarkable modern jazz, from one of the most unique voices in the genre! Hill's piano work and compositions fall into a category of their own, working outside the limits of predominant bop sound, but not quite falling into the world of free jazz that rules the avant scene. This outstanding Mosaic box collects his seminal 60s recordings, comprising of the LPs Black Fire, Smokestack, Judgment, Point Of Departure, Andrew!, One For One, and Compulsion, plus plenty of alternate takes and some material that was issued under Sam Rivers name on the LP Involution. Sidemen include Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Kenny Dorham, Eric Dolphy, John Gilmore, Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, Richard Davis, Cecil McBee, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams and Joe Chambers. There's 52 tracks in all, spread out over 7 CDs, with titles that include "Land Of Nod", "Black Fire", "McNeil Island", "Tired Trade",Pumpkin", "Subterfuge", "Smokestack", "Ode To Von", "The Day After", "Verne", "Not So", "Flea Flop", "Siete Ocho", "Yokada, Yokada", "Reconciliation", "New Monastary", "Flight 19", "Spectrum", "Symmetry", "The Griots", "Duplicity", "Le Serpenmt Qui Danse", "Euterpe", "Erato", "Roots 'n Herbs", "Compulsion", "Premonition", "Violence" and "Desire". CD

The team of Jackie & Roy have a charm that never seems to go away – even on later recordings like these which you might imagine to be suspect! The pair fit together so perfect vocally – and after decades of swinging together on a range of jazzy material they seem better equipped than ever to tackle a range of musical challenges. As usual, Jackie dominates on the gentler tunes, but the best numbers have Roy coming up with strong and warm support. Backing is by a trio led by Roy on piano, plus additional horns, strings, and guest instrumentalists that vary from track to track. Highlights include the Annie Ross tune "Music Is Forever", Jackie's own "Fred Astaire", and the lovely Fran Landesman tune "Through The Windows Of Cars" – and the album also features new versions of Jackie & Roy classics "Cheerful Little Earful" and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" – and the tracks "I Know That You Know", "You Didn't Tell Me It Was Wrong", and "The Duke". CD

One of the coolest studio projects from the early years of the On-U Sound label – a record that's maybe a bit more subtle overall than some of the Tackhead and Mark Stewart projects of the time, but which has an equally similar genre-busting quality! The vibe here is nice and lean – with plenty of bass and effects from Crocodile, on darkly moody tunes that are only partly reggae in inspiration, and which also have plenty of the same elements you might hear on some of Jah Wobble's best early solo projects – with plenty of Adrian Sherwood effects and echo to keep things spooky and moody throughout! Annie Anxiety and Shara Nelson each sing on a track on the record – but most of the set is instrumental, and has this wonderful spare interplay between the instruments, served up in dubby heaven. Titles include "Crocodile's Court", "Savanna Prance", "Meander", "Igloo Inn", "Missing Brazilians", "Gentle Killers", and "Frequency Feast". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest studio projects from the early years of the On-U Sound label – a record that's maybe a bit more subtle overall than some of the Tackhead and Mark Stewart projects of the time, but which has an equally similar genre-busting quality! The vibe here is nice and lean – with plenty of bass and effects from Crocodile, on darkly moody tunes that are only partly reggae in inspiration, and which also have plenty of the same elements you might hear on some of Jah Wobble's best early solo projects – with plenty of Adrian Sherwood effects and echo to keep things spooky and moody throughout! Annie Anxiety and Shara Nelson each sing on a track on the record – but most of the set is instrumental, and has this wonderful spare interplay between the instruments, served up in dubby heaven. Titles include "Crocodile's Court", "Savanna Prance", "Meander", "Igloo Inn", "Missing Brazilians", "Gentle Killers", and "Frequency Feast". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that combines the work of two lost horn players from the 50s! The first 8 tracks feature titles from an earlier 10" recording by Eddie Shu – an icy genius on the alto and tenor, working here in quartet format with Bobby Scott, Vinnie Burke, and Roy Haynes. Shu's got an angular tone that's a bit like that of Lee Konitz, but which is slightly less acrobatic, and perhaps a bit warmer – and he's a hell of a player, as you'll hear on the tracks "Tom Dick & Jim", "It's Sand Man", "Justice", "On East Side", and "Peace". Side two features one of the only albums ever cut by tenorist Bob Hardaway – a young west coast player who really cooks on this obscure record for Bethlehem! Hardaway's tenor has a bit more bite than some other Bethlehem horns of the time – and the vibe is almost east coast at time – with a stronger attack on the solos, and a sense of soul that comes through even more strongly on the ballads. The lineup is great, too – with Marty Paich on piano, bringing a nice punch to the tunes – plus vibes from Larry Bunker on side one, ringing out with a really wonderful tone. Bunker shifts to drums on side two – and the record features bass from either Max Bennett or Joe Mondragon, and additional drums from Art Madigan. Titles include "Jr", "Lou's Blue", "Indiana", "I Cover The Waterfront", and "Out Of Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly deep batch of pop soul from Joss Stone – one that manages to live up to the title! Joss goes way out with her strong, deeply 70s influenced vocal histrionics on a batch of tunes that stretch all over the songwriting landscape. She tackles tunes by as far-reaching a group of writers as Harlan Howard on the opening "The Chokin' Kind" to the Isley Brothers' "For The Love Of You" and many points in between, with the same extroverted approach. She kind of comes off as a female equivalent of Remy Shand – and she's enlisted an all star cast of support players and producers including ?uestlove, Angie Stone, Little Beaver and others. Other tracks include "Super Duper Love", "Dirty Man", "I've Fallen In Love With You", "Victim Of A Foolish Heart", "I Had A Dream", "Some Kind Of Wonderful" and others. CD

Titles include "Smokestack Lightnin", "My Life", "So Glad", "Mr. Airplane Man", "I Didn't Know", "Spoonful", "Tell Me", "Back Door Man", "I Ain't Superstitious", "Wang-Dang Doodle", and "Tail Dragger" – 48 tracks total. CD

A fantastic funky gem from the start of the 70s – an album recorded during a period when Maceo Parker left James Brown's band for a few years – and struck out on his own with a fiery little combo that was every bit as funky as the Fred Wesley & The JBs! The record captures the group at the height of their powers, and it's a must, must, must-have for any fan of the the James Brown sound – as it's got lots of hard drums, rumbling basslines, and some killer work on funky horns – some of it by other members of James' band who had left with Maceo! Funny, funky, and a little bit jazzy too – like a pile of funky 45s stacked on top of each other – with the cuts "Funky Women", "Got to Getcha", "Southwick", "Mag-Poo", "I Remember Mr Banks", "Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself", "Shake It Baby", and "Better Half". CD

Groovy late 60s work from Diana Ross & The Supremes – a record that has them breaking the Motown mold a bit, and hooking up with a nice variety of modder soul and pop modes! Tracks on the set include a few Motown-penned numbers, but the trio also tackle hits like "Everyday People", "Hey Western Union Man", "Let The Music Play", and a great Hair-inspired medley of "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In"! But the Motown material here is almost even better – and titles include the slightly funky "No Matter What Sign You Are", which has a nice kick in the bottom – as well as "Discover Me", "The Composer", and "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted". LP, Vinyl record album

Not a true history of the Grateful Dead, but instead an important early album of well-selected live tracks – presented in a way that hints at the huge run of archival material that would see the light of day in the 21st Century! The release came out in the early 70s, but features tracks recorded at the Fillmore in 1970 – split into both an electric and an acoustic set, and hand-picked by the group's famous soundman, Owsley Bear Stanley – in part as a tribute to then group member, Pigpen, who sings lead on a number of tracks! Titles include "Black Peter", "Wake Up Little Susie", "Katie Mae", "Dark Hollow", "Hard To Handle", and "Smokestack Lightnin". LP, Vinyl record album

Lux and Ivy serve up a whole host of records from death row – not the famous hip hop label, but the end of the line for those that pay the ultimate price for their crimes – served up here in a weird and wild blend of rare 45s from the postwar years! The music here is almost in Bear Family territory, but a bit wider – rock, blues, rockabilly, country, and other styles all mixed together – with a really wonderful blend of offbeat singles that we might never have heard otherwise! The set's one of the best Lux & Ivy collections in awhile – and features 28 tracks that include "Death Row" by Jimmy Minor, "Big Mouth Bill" by Phil McLean, "The Legend Of The Birds & Bees" by Hank Hornsby, "So Tuff" by The Furys, "Down In The Basement" by King Coleman, "Devil Is A Busy Man" by Sunnyland Slim, "Stack A Records" by Tom Tall, "The Last Drag" by The Voxpoppers, "Rompin" by Jerry Warren, "Ragged & Hungry" by Lightning Junior & The Empires, "The Plea" by The Chantels, and "Crash Out" by Jaycee Hill. CD

Mindblowing sounds from the great Bunny Lee – and exactly the kind of collection that makes us love the Pressure Sounds label so much! The track selection is wonderful – and most numbers are balanced in a unique space between reggae and rocksteady, and often have some crucial influences from American soul and funk as well – but they come across with a mode that's very different from more standard reggae, especially the style of the music that would be more codified a few years later. Instead, there's a really rich sense of experimentation here – as Bunny Lee and his All Stars work on instrumental tracks, or alongside other key artists like Delroy Wilson, Rico Rodriguez, Tommy McCook, U Roy, or Winston Williams. Some tunes have amazingly trippy touches – and a few points even mix in some wild moog too – and titles include "Double Attack", "Ivan Itler The Conqueror", "Scarface", "Joe Lewis", "War", "Wet Vision", "When I Get My Freedom", "Smooth & Sorts", and "Death Rides A Horse". CD

Rare work from one of our favorite Dizzy Gillespie groups ever – the quintet that featured Lalo Schifrin on piano and Leo Wright on alto and flute! The combo was easily one of Dizzy's most compelling of the postwar years, and really helped break him into a whole new groove rhythmically – thanks to Schifrin's key influence on rhythms – working here with bass from Bob Cunningham and drums from Mel Lewis. Yet the group only cut a handful of records together, which makes this well-recorded live date a key addition to their catalog – a set you'll proudly stack next to your early 60s Philips recordings from Diz. Titles include "Con Alma", "Willow Weep For Me", "The Mooche", "Kush", "I Can't Get Started", and "Oops Shoo Be Doo Be". CD

Previously unreleased material including soundtack work and live recordings. CD

That's no snake oil in the bottle, it's fantastic music from this razor-sharp quintet – maybe one of the most fantastic projects that saxophonist Tim Berne has given us in many years, and a group that just seem to get better and better with each new record! There's a combination of reed and percussive elements here that's really wonderful – alto from the leader, bass clarinet from Oscar Noriega, piano and tack piano from Matt Mitchell, and drums, vibes, gongs, tanbou, and glockenspiel from Ches Smith – all then strung together by guitar work from Marc Ducret, whose range of sounds really matches those of the other players! Mitchell also adds in a bit of modular synth – and titles include "Surface Noise", "Rolo", "Dear Friend", "The Amazing Mr 7", "Third Option", "Rose Colored Assive", and "The Fantastic Mrs 10". CD

Brilliant work by Terry Callier – and his greatest album in years! If you, like us, have loved Terry's older work, but been a bit disappointed by the heavy production of recent albums, then you'll probably love this excellent live set – recorded recently at London's Jazz Cafe, with small combo jazz backing that really brings out the best of Terry's sound! The group's got a warmly soulful sound that really adds a lot to Terry's vocals – yet which also lets them stand out in all their jazzy folksy brilliance. The mix of electric piano, guitar, and saxes is some of the best support Terry could hope to have in recent years – and it returns him to the glory of his classic years at Cadet, like no other recent recording we've heard. Songs are great, production is wonderful, and the album's one you'll proudly stack with your classic work by this legendary Chicago soul singer! Titles include "People Get Ready", "Step Into The Light", "Lament For The Late AD", "Timepiece", "African Violet", "Ordinary Joe", "Dancing Girl", "You're Gonna Miss Your Candy Man", and "I Don't Wanna See Myself". CD

An early 70s gem from Captain Beefheart – not as wild-eyed and whacked out as the late 60s glories – but still a good stretch weirder than most of the post psych, blues-steeped rock of the time! Ultimately, it's still Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, despite it being billed solely to Captain Beefheart on the cover (and his only album NOT co-billed with The Magic Band) – and we'd say it's their first album to go for a consistent mood from beginning-to-end, and we love it for that! If the Trout Mask Replica and Lick My Decals Off Baby records are the more feral early twin masterpieces – we'd say this one and Clear Spot are the wiser and more focused siblings, but no less classic! Tracks include "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby","Grow Fins", "There Ain't No Santa Clause On The Evenin' Stage", "Blabbern Smoke", "Alice In Blunderland", "The Spotlight Kid", and "Glider". Great 2LP version features lots of rare tracks – the never issued full length versions of "I'm Gonna Booglarize You" and "Pompadour Stomp" – plus the instrumental "Semi Multicolored Caucasian", and the tracks "Harry Irene", "Best Batch Yet (version 1)", "I Can't Do This Unless I Can Do This/Seam Crooked Sam", "The Witch Doctor Life (inst)", and "Two Rips In A Haystack/Kiss Me My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary James Carr – a singer that those in the know place at the same level as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, or any of the deep soul greats of the 60s! Like Otis, James recorded heavily on the Memphis scene at the time – not for Stax or Atlantic, but for the smaller Goldwax label – who really hit magic with the sounds you'll hear on this set – a perfect blend of the richness of James' voice with the kind of slow-burning soul sounds that the scene was really hitting during its golden years! The songwriters alone here are enough to sell the set to any fan of classic southern soul – as tunes include contributions from Chips Moman, Dan Penn, Quinton Claunch, William Bell, and Spooner Oldham – writers who maybe never had a better interpreter of their work than Carr – who knocks it out of the park here on tunes that include "Dark End Of The Street", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "I'm A Fool For You", "A Lucky Loser", "Let's Face Facts", "Your Love Made A U Turn", "Freedom Train", "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man", "You Hurt So Good", "Love Attack", and "A Man Needs A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the Prince music from the first Batman film – but all those other sounds that were used in the movie, penned and produced at a surprisingly strong level by Danny Elfman – who shows the world that he's got a lot more to offer than just his previous work in the group Oingo Boingo! This isn't a rock soundtrack by a fading talent from the mainstream – and instead, it's one of Elfman's first full forays into scoring – performed by the Sinfonia of London with a richness that's given the music maybe a more enduring quality than the film! Titles include "Waltz To The Death", "Roof Fight", "Batman Theme", "Clown Attack", "Flowers", "Roasted Dude", "The Joker's Poem", and "The Bat Cave". CD

A really standout horror soundtrack from the 80s – one that's maybe got a bit more richness than some of its contemporaries, and a sonic depth that really adds a lot to the action onscreen! The main theme is wonderfully brooding – a mix of light keyboards and darker, murkier orchestral sounds, with occasional Wicker Man-like vocal moments – continued throughout in variations of a similar mode that shifts nicely as the record moves on, and the action creeps forward with a hell of a lot of tension! Jonathan Elias wasn't one of the biggest names in scoring at the time, but this work is certainly some of the best – and titles include "The Cornfield", "Dream Music", "Barn Run", "Vicky's Dream", "Attack Of The Children", "Fighting Back", "Burning The Cornfield", and "The Invasion". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most magical records ever from this legendary group – a set that swings as hard and soulfully as some of their previous sessions, yet also has a sharper, more modern vibe as well! Of course, this latter aspect is no surprise – once you realize that a young Grachan Moncur is on trombone – adding his hip horn to the wonderful frontline of Benny Golson on tenor and Art Farmer on trumpet and flugelhorn. And given that the rhythm group also features Harold Mabern on piano, you can bet there's a freshness here that can't be beat – a sound and energy that's kept this one at the top of our stack for many many years. Mabern and Moncur contribute two of the best tracks – "Richie's Dilemma" and "Sonny's Back" – and other titles include "Whisper Not", "Tonk", "Rue Prevail", and "Ruby My Dear". CD

One of the most magical records ever from this legendary group – a set that swings as hard and soulfully as some of their previous sessions, yet also has a sharper, more modern vibe as well! Of course, this latter aspect is no surprise – once you realize that a young Grachan Moncur is on trombone – adding his hip horn to the wonderful frontline of Benny Golson on tenor and Art Farmer on trumpet and flugelhorn. And given that the rhythm group also features Harold Mabern on piano, you can bet there's a freshness here that can't be beat – a sound and energy that's kept this one at the top of our stack for many many years. This one sided test pressing includes "Just In Time", "Ruby, My Dear", "In Love In Vain", and "Sonny's Back". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid-70s message from the legendary Fela Kuti – a record whose title and cover image are a commentary on the wrong directions the Nigerian elite were heading in at the time – served up here with all the fantastic frenzied grooves that Afrika 70 can deliver! "Ikoyi Blindness" begins with quick-stepping percussion and riffing guitar, then soon opens to a great keyboard part as the horns come in, and the whole thing flowers beautifully in both an instrumental and vocal level! The flipside also features the equally-great "Gba Mi Leti Ki N'Dolow" – translated as "Slap Me Make I Get Money", an attack on the way that the rich bend the system of justice to their own needs – and really set fire by Fela and the group. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of funky blues – recorded by Howlin Wolf during the period when Chess/Cadet was backing its older artists up with some of the newer funk musicians it had working in its studios! The overall sound works quite well – and although purists at the time moaned at the way artists like Wolf, Etta James, and Bo Diddley were being handled (especially with a "we know better than them" message on the cover like this!), the funky blues records from this time actually seem to be some of the most enduring from Chess – especially with younger listeners in the 21st Century! A big part of the success here goes to producers Charles Stepney and Gene Barge – who helped bring together a younger batch of players for Wolf's backing – including Pete Cosey and Phil Upchurch on guitars, Louis Satterfield on bass, and Morris Jennings on drums. Titles include "Spoonful", "Tail Dragger", "Smokestack Lightning", "Red Rooster", "Evil", and "Down In The Bottom". LP, Vinyl record album

Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer gave us an excellent previous record on the International Anthem label – one that mixed field recordings with sounds of their own – an approach that's continued here as the pair are joined by Ariel Kalma, whose instrumentation really adds a wonderful new layer to the process! There's a mix of live instrumentation, sounds from sources, and processing going on here that takes us back to some of the best fourth world experiments from the EG/Eno years – almost like Jon Hassell, but with a lighter, airier vibe – and maybe more understated brilliance – an ego-less recording that has the musicians swirling together in beautifully sensitive territory. The set's never too quiet to be ambient, but has some of the appeal of that mode too – and titles include "Ten Hour Wave", "Dizzy Ditty", "Une Ombre Legere", "New Air", "Ecoute Au Loin", and "Stack Attack". CD