... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really fantastic little record, and one with a sound that's a surprising as the album is obscure – a mix of Takoma Records-styled acoustic instrumentals blended with other cuts that have a much more funky jazz approach – all wrapped together as a wonderful testament to the overlooked talents of this Swedish guitarist! Thomas plays both acoustic and electric on the record – the former on those spare numbers that have a great sense of intimacy, and even on some of the fuller numbers that bring in a bit of electric piano, bass, and drums – as well as some earthier percussion that's especially nice! The electric guitar comes in a bit here and there, but always in ways that are nicely restrained compared to fusion – on titles that include "Nyanser", "EM", "Horisont", "Quebec", "Coral Reef", and "Frost". LP, Vinyl record album

Two deep soul burners – both penned by the legendary Sam Dees! "Paper Man" is one of those cuts that starts slow, then really grabs you – like some of the best Soul Children work of the time – and Sam himself really knocks it out of the park on the flipside – the fantastic "False Alarms", the kind of cut that's as much a great tribute to his songwriting as it is his wonderful vocals! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Joyous 80s grooves from Charles Amoah of Ghana – a set that's maybe got all the same electro soul elements as indie sides from New York at the same time! Charles definitely has his ear to the streets with the beats – and the mix of those and the basslines is very much in the best old school hip hop and breakin modes – spare and focused use of drum machine lines, then warmed up by live basslines, keyboards, and guitars – plys Charles' own vocals in the lead! There's a really celebratory vibe to the whole thing – almost like some party on a block where the streets are shut down – and titles include two versions of "Shake Your Body To The Beat", plus "Sweet Vibration", "Our Love's On Fire", "Jungle Rock", "Scratch My Back", and "Fighting Spirit". LP, Vinyl record album

Bob Andy's come a long way here from his earlier work with Marcia Griffiths – taking on some new righteous rasta energy, as you might guess from the title – and singing in an even headier style than before – in a way that makes this record as important to the roots generation as his earlier sides were to early reggae! The set was recorded at Treasure Isle, with bad-stepping rhythms from Sly & Robbie, and a nice current of dub on the production – all of which really sets the stage for Bob's richly soulful vocals on tunes that include "Troubled Woman", "Lots Of Love & I", "Unchain Me", "Stepping Free", "Revelation", "The Ghetto Stays In My Mind", and "You Lied". CD features bonus tracks too – including "The Ghetto Stays In My Mind", "Slow Down", "Set Me Free", and "Movements". CD

An incredible duo, and one who look more like an American soul team on the front cover – and manage to deliver a similar vibe in the grooves! The style is definitely reggae, but as you'd guess from the Nina Simone cover in the title track, Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths are also reaching out for something bigger, too – really bringing a level of sophistication to their music that moves beyond the usual – an evolution past rocksteady, but also not in the same direction as other reggae acts of the time. Harry J produced, and gets an international flavor just right for the music – and titles include "Young Gifted & Black", "Private Number", "It's A Rocking Good Way", "We've Got To Get Ourselves Together", "United We Stand", "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing", "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", and "Keep The Customer Satisfied". LP, Vinyl record album

A double dose of Horace Andy – a set that first features some of his great vocal recordings with King Tubby – the follows up with a second disc that offers up all sorts of dub versions by Tubby himself! Andy's vocals are wonderful – soulfully crafted in the early years of reggae, and at their prime here – on cuts that include material from his Pure Ranking album, and other gems at the time – tunes that include "Set Me Free", "It Grieve My Heart", "Sodom & Gomorrah", "Totally Free", "Leaders Of Babylon", "Liberation", and "Natural Mystic". Then, the second disc features dubs by Tubby – titles that include "Dubbing Around", "I Love My Dub", "Set Me Dub", "Liberation Dub", "Leader Of Dub", and "Dub Is The One". LP, Vinyl record album

Jamaican great Horace Andy rises up again with a very righteous sound – working here alongside production from Adrian Sherwood – maybe no surprise, given the placement of the album on the On-U Sound label! Yet the record has a quality that goes past any expectations you might have – wonderfully mature treatment from Sherwood, who's not trying to foreground himself as much here as in the old days – and really strong vocals from Andy – who's really using the passage of time to only deepen his sound, and bring a huge amount of expression to some very strong message-oriented tunes. The whole thing's nice and lean, with a crisp edge that really serves the lyrics well – on titles that include "This Must Be Hell", "Safe From Harm", "Materialist", "Today Is Right Here", "Try Love", "Watch Over Them", "Easy Money", and "Rock To Sleep". CD

A strong companion album to the Midnight Rockers gem from Horace Andy – and one that lets producer Adrian Sherwood take the helm even more than before, as the set features a hip mix of dubs, reworks, and alternate versions of tunes on the album! Horace's great vocals are still there in the mix – but there's also some instrumental cuts, and guest appearances from Daddy Freddy and Lone Ranger – plus plenty of top-shelf work from Sherwood too! Titles include "Come After Midnight", "Dirty Money Business", "Sleepy's Night Cap", "More Bassy", "Dub Guidance", "Hell & Back", "Away With The Gun & Knife", and "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City". CD

A strong companion album to the Midnight Rockers gem from Horace Andy – and one that lets producer Adrian Sherwood take the helm even more than before, as the set features a hip mix of dubs, reworks, and alternate versions of tunes on the album! Horace's great vocals are still there in the mix – but there's also some instrumental cuts, and guest appearances from Daddy Freddy and Lone Ranger – plus plenty of top-shelf work from Sherwood too! Titles include "Come After Midnight", "Dirty Money Business", "Sleepy's Night Cap", "More Bassy", "Dub Guidance", "Hell & Back", "Away With The Gun & Knife", and "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

An unreleased album of sorts from roots reggae great Patrick Andy – tracks that were initially culled together by producer Yabby You in the late 70s, and which include a few never-issued tunes by Andy, plus rare stereo mixes of some other tunes too! If you know the famous title single that gives the album its name, you'll know the righteous vibe of everything else within – as Patrick's vocals have this quality that's very personal and very moving, as he works with bad-stepping rhythms that are great for his vocal versions, and the dubs that follow up most of the tracks. Titles include the unreleased tracks "Call On Jah", "Got To Give Some Help", and "Give Thanks" – plus a stereo mix of "Living In Mount Zion", and the cuts "You Don't Want Me (unreleased mix)", "Youths Of Today", and "Love Of A Woman Dub (unreleased mix)" – plus five more dub tracks too. LP, Vinyl record album

An unreleased album of sorts from roots reggae great Patrick Andy – tracks that were initially culled together by producer Yabby You in the late 70s, and which include a few never-issued tunes by Andy, plus rare stereo mixes of some other tunes too! If you know the famous title single that gives the album its name, you'll know the righteous vibe of everything else within – as Patrick's vocals have this quality that's very personal and very moving, as he works with bad-stepping rhythms that are great for his vocal versions, and the dubs that follow up most of the tracks. Titles include the unreleased tracks "Call On Jah", "Got To Give Some Help", and "Give Thanks" – plus a stereo mix of "Living In Mount Zion", and the cuts "You Don't Want Me (unreleased mix)", "Youths Of Today", and "Love Of A Woman Dub (unreleased mix)" – plus five more dub tracks too. CD features bonus tracks – "Sufferation", "Sufferation Dub", "No Easy Game (ext mix)", and "Show A Little Love (ext mix)". CD

A fantastic package of work from The Animals – all their great second chapter albums for MGM, offered up here with bonus tracks too! First up is Winds Of Change, presented in both stereo and mono mixes – one of The Animals' most psychedelic outings ever – and also a bit funky at times too! Production by Tom Wilson is really great – echoey at most moments, with a kind of "flash" and shimmer around the drums that really spaces things out, and almost gives a Velvets sort of feel to the proceedings. The group's bluesier roots are still in place at times – but these have also been tripped-out and abstracted too, in modes that are a few years ahead of other blues rock combos on the rise. Titles include "It's All Meat", "Winds Of Change", "Poem By The Sea", "Yes I Am Experienced", "Hotel Hell", "San Franciscan Nights", and "Man Woman". Next is Twain Shall Meet – a set that's not as tripped-out as some of their other late 60s work, and which almost starts to show Eric Burdon's rising love of soul and funk! The sound is still pretty rockish overall – but there's some great use of bass rumbling at the bottom – bringing up a rumbling quality that fits nicely with Burdon's somewhat bleak presentation of the lyrics at various points. Production by Tom Wilson almost has a raspy, lo-fi sort of feel – different than the bluesier roots of the group, and almost a precursor of indie work in decades to come! Titles include the classic "Sky Pilot", plus "Monterey", "Just The Thought", "Closer To The Truth", "No Self Pity", "Orange & Red Beams", and "We Love You Lil". Every One Of Us is a real gem from The Animals' overlooked late 60s years on MGM – a time when the group were easily making some of the most inventive music on the label! The styles here are even wider than before – definitely an attempt to showcase "every one of us" that made up the group – in a blend of spacey sounds, gentle folksy moments, and some of the rougher tones of previous MGM records. Many titles were written only by Burdon – a bit of a change from before – and showcase an increased use of acoustic guitar alongside his bleak vocals. Titles include "The Immigrant Lad", "Year Of The Guru", "Serenade To A Sweet Lady", "White Houses", "New York 1963/America 1968", and "Uppers & Downers". Next is Love Is – a fantastic double-length set from The Animals – recorded in LA in the late 60s, and with plenty of great Sunset Strip influences in the mix! The band here is different than before – with Zoot Money handling both organ and piano, plus a bit of vocals, and Andy Summers joining in on guitar – and production is by the group itself, who shake off some of the trippier styles of previous records, and almost go for a "live in studio" sort of sound! There's a confluence of styles here that's really great – some of the blues of the group's roots, bits of Eric Burdon's growing love of soul, and some fuzzier touches as well. Some tracks are quite long jams, and titles include "Gemini", "Madman", "As The Years Go Passing By", "To Love Somebody", and "I'm An Animal". Bonus tracks include "Monterey (mono single)", "White Houses (single stereo)", "Anything (single)", "Gratefully Dead", "Ain't That So", "When I was Young", "A Girl Named Sandoz", "River Deep Mountain High (single stereo)", and "Sky Pilot (parts 1 & 2)", CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from Cabo Verde – served up by a group named after a famous composer on the island, and featuring three of his children working under the leadership of older guitarist/singer Pascoal, who'd studied with Ano Nobo before he passed away! The style of the music is wonderful – a woven tapestry of acoustic guitar lines with vocals, in a mode that has echoes of older Cuban music, but a style that's very much its own – recorded beautifully by the Ostinato label, an imprint we've really come to trust for faithful presentation of material like this. The package features very detailed notes on both Pascoal and the history of the music – and titles include "Mulatinha Vai", "Tio Bernar", "Lolinha", "Sociedad Di Mocindadi", "Badia Di Fora", and "Elefantes". CD

An amazing bit of Brazilian funk – and the best album ever by this exciting soulful duo! The record's their first, and it's got a crackling intensity that you don't always find on their other albums – a groove that mixes hard samba with bass-heavy funk, with a sound that makes them one of the most important forces of the Samba Soul generation! There's lots here to love if you like the heavy grooves of Jorge Ben or Tim Maia – but the duo also have a really great approach of their own – especially in the way they'll trade voices back and forth, over grooves that also have plenty of back/forth action too! The record includes the amazing heavy piano/percussion jammer "Hipnose", plus the great cuts "Voce Abusou", "Kabaluere", "Se Quiser Valer", "Deus O Salve", "Nord West", and "Dalena". CD

British keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones has always worked in territory that's way past conventional jazz, as part of his key role on the contemporary London scene – one that's definitely furthered here in a collaboration with percussionist Mala, on a set of tracks that seem to echo some of the darker electric currents of that city's scene in years past, while also pointing the way towards new experiments of the future! Joe handles keyboards, bass, and electronics on most tracks – and Mala's rhythms often feel electric, although are billed as acoustic – on instrumentals that are mostly lean overall, and lower-moving than any sort of broken beat – until the final track, when added guitar, trumpet, and tenor expand the color palette nicely. Titles include "Oh Lord", "What It Is", "All Ways", "The Truth", and "A Way Back". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Willie The Weeper", "Wild Man Blues", "Chicago Breakdown", "Alligator Crawl", "Potato Head Blues", "Melancholy Blues", "Weary Blues", "Twelfth Street Rag", "Keyhole Blues", "S.O.L. Blues", "Gully Low Blues", "That's When I'll Come Back To You", "Put 'Em Down Blues", "Ory's Creole Trombone", "The Last Time", "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", "Got No Blues", "Once In A While", "I'm Not Rough", "Hotter Than That", and "Savoy Blues". CD

Features Kid Ory, Johnny Dodds, and work with the vocal duo Butterbeans and Suzie! Tracks include "Gut Bucket Blues", "Comet Chop Suey", "Heebie Jeebies", "He Likes It Slow", "King Of The Zulus", "Sweet Little Papa", "Big Butter And Egg Man From The West", and "Irish Black Bottom". 25 tracks total. CD

Includes the songs "Mahogany Hall Stomp", "Some Of These Days", "Dallas Blues", "When You're Smiling", "Song Of The Islands", "Blue, Turning Grey Over You", and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" – 21 tracks total. CD

Louis Armstrong hits the Flying Dutchman label – and unlocks a whole new spiritual side of his talents – a mode that's quite different than some of his crossover pop of the 60s! The style here has a bit of righteous elements in the lyrics, and lots of spiritual jazz in the backings – with full arrangements from Oliver Nelson – who heads up a dream lineup that includes Billy Harper on tenor, and either Chico Hamilton or Pretty Purdie on drums! Even more amazing is a guest appearance from Leon Thomas – who sings on a version of "The Creator Has A Master Plan". Other tunes are just as hip – and include "The Black Cat Has 9 Lives", "His Father Wore Long Hair", "Give Peace A Chance", and "We Shall Overcome". Must be heard to be believed! CD

Great music to the film Nine Hours To Rama – a thriller about Ghandi's assassination, set to musical themes that mix 60s dramatic scoring with some elements of Indian music! Arnold's score is nicely serious in parts, but also has some more driving, percussive sections too – bits of tabla or other percussion that give the music some Eastern flavors – and some vocal passages as well. Titles include "Natu Tells Rani Of His Oath", "Das Warns Ghandi", "Train Coming Into Delhi", "The Fire", "Indian Concert Drums", and "Malabar Hill". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of records from UK vocal group Arrival – plus rare BBC material too! First up is the record Arrival from 1970 – a really wonderful record from this very cool UK group – a mix of gals and guys who harmonize together in a really great way – very different than a lineup like this might have sounded in the 60s, spun with a touch of the Hair generation, and almost like a blue-eyed version of The Fifth Dimension, working with a great blend of rock, pop, and soul! The tunes are sometimes familiar numbers, but redone in some really great ways – and mixed with some originals by the group's Frank Collins, set to arrangements by Nick Harrison and Paul Buckmaster. Titles include "Live", "Light My Fire", "Sit Down & Float", "Take Me", "Don't Turn His Love Away", "See The Lord", "Prove It", and "Hard Road". Next is the second album, also titled Arrival – released two years later, and really showing a different sort of vibe for the group – more righteous and overflowing with new material – like a shift between the musical styles of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar – more guitars and more solo vocal moments too! Titles include "Not Gonna Worry", "Glory Be", "Part Of My Dream", "Have A Drink On Your Father", "Weary Sad Weary Down", and "So It Is Written". CD3 features BBC sessions from 1969 and 1970 – 11 more tracks in all – and the set also features 10 more bonus tracks that are all non-LP singles! CD

A fantastic collection of work by The Arrows – a glam-era UK power pop trio with a really great sound! The Arrow sound is sort of a leaner version of grooves laid down by Gary Glitter or Sweet – a fuzzy, hook-heavy approach to rock – one that uses lots of heavy drums on straightforward rhythms, full guitar lines that are clean and straightforward, and compressed production that pushes the guitars and vocals together nicely! There's a real power to these tunes that's simply amazing – an unabashed love of catchy pop mixed with heady guitars – best summed up in the group's original version of "I Love Rock & Roll", issued years before Joan Jett scored with her cover version. This 2CD package features everything the short-lived group recorded – their full First Hit album, 7" singles, and bonus Mickie Most and Arrowsvision tracks – 29 titles in all, including "I Love Rock & Roll", "We Can Make It Together", "Diesel Locomotive Dancer", "Love Child", "Boogiest Band In Town", "First Hit", "Once Upon A Time", "My World Is Turning On To Love", "Movin Next Door To You", "Broken Down Heart", "My Last Night With You", "Dreamin", "Bam Bam Battering Ram", "Wake Up", "Love Is Easy", "Gotta Be Next To You", "Love Rider", and "Dare You Not To Dance". CD

A long-overdue look at the short but fantastic 60s legacy of The Artwoods – one of the coolest, hippest groups of the UK mod scene at the time – able to perfectly balance R&B inspirations and newly groovy styles! The group's named after singer Arthur Wood, brother of the legendary Ronnie Wood – and while we might be tempted to say there's a bit of early Faces/Stones vibe going on here, the group also have a sound that's very much all their own – and which explodes out wonderfully here in a full array of mid 60s music! CD1 features a massive 30 tracks – early singles, acetates, and EPs – as well as a number of cuts from BBC sessions too! CD2 features the full album Art Gallery, plus 11 more BBC session cuts – and CD3 features a full live set recorded in Denmark in 1967, never issued before! As usual with Cherry Red/RPM, the whole thing comes in a wonderful package – a cool little box with individual cardboard sleeves, and a nice booklet of notes and photos. CD

Lost Latin funk from the Bay Area scene of the 70s – and an album that may well blow away better-known work by groups like Malo, Azteca, or El Chicano! The album's near-perfect right from the start – and brings in plenty of New York elements to the groove, thanks to the inclusion of a heady amount of jazz alongside the soul, Latin, and funk elements in the grooves! The legendary Teo Macero produced and arranged – and really takes a lot of care in the studio to focus the overall energy of the tremendous talents on the record – players who include Hadley Caliman on flute and tenor, Steve Marcus on soprano sax, Benny Velarde on timbales, and Francisco Aguabella on congas – plus the trio of Cesar, Mark Levine, and Merl Sanders on keyboards. Most numbers have this really full, flowing groove – jazzy, but with a strong emphasis on the rhythms – and often touched with some great work on guitar that echoes the Santana-inspired sound of the generation, yet never in a rock way at all. Linda Tillery sings vocals on a few numbers, but the main focus is definitely instrumental – and the whole album's great – with cuts that include "See Saw Affair", "Azucar", "Descarga", "The Devil & Montezuma", "Gotta Get Away", and "Bridges". CD

Mindblowing music from The Association – a heady double-length package that features every single the group ever cut for the Valiant and Warner Brothers label – which together make for an amazing evolution in sound! Although best remembered for their few soft rock hits, The Association were a hell of a group who never stopped growing back in the 60s – from sublime folksy harmonies at the start, to more complicated baroque pop as years went on, to some psych elements, and even a return to rootsier sounds they never had in the first place – always delivered with qualities that were head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – and perfectly put together in the best LA studio styles, with help from giants like Curt Boettcher, Gary Paxton, Bones Howe, and others. The group also became quite skilled in the studio themselves – as you'll hear in the book's copious notes and comments from members themselves – all a perfect package for a set that features 37 mighty tunes that include "Six Man Band", "Goodbye Columbus", "Like Always", "No Fair At All", "Standing Still", "Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies", "Looking Glass", "Birthday Morning", "Makes Me Cry", "PF Sloan", "Just About The Same", "Traveler's Guide", "I Am Up For Europe", "Hear In Here",a nd "Forty Times" – not to mention some bigger hits! CD

Fantastic dreamy pop from one of the greatest harmony groups of the 60s – a set that really has The Association hitting their stride, and finding a way to really let their vocals soar! The sound here really sets the group apart from some of the more old-school harmony acts of the decade – and the shift is almost like that in the Beach Boys at mid 60s, the way that things got more complicated and sophisticated, but more powerful too – even when the tunes have some really sing-song charms that made them hits! Production is by Bones Howe, who really gets the sound right – and the album features the giant hits "Windy" and "Never My Love" – plus "Happiness Is", "On A Quiet Night", "We Love Us", "Reputation", and "Requiem For The Masses". This great expanded mono edition has 11 bonus tracks – including "Autumn Afternoon", "Windy (Mono 45)", "Requiem For The Masses (Mono 45)", "Sometime (Instrumental)", "We Love Us (Instrumental)" and more. CD

A musical masterpiece from this legendary Egyptian talent – a blend of strings, grooves, and soul – all served up at a level that's got a sense of power that moves way beyond its Mid East roots! This is the kind of record that most of us in the western world overlooked for decades – and which represents a sophistication of sounds and rhythms that's really ripe for new discovery all these many years later! The tracks are long, the rhythms infectious, and the orchestrations are completely sublime – on titles that include "Takassim Oud", "Hebina Hebina", "Alachan Malich Gheriak", and "Ya Habaybi Ya Ghaybin". LP, Vinyl record album

Four incredible albums from Hammond legend Brian Auger – a key link between jazz and the headier sounds of the UK scene at the end of the 60s! First up is Open – one of the amazing early albums from the team of Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger – kind of a next-generation to the Brit beat group sound of the mid 60s – one that moves beyond simple R&B modes, to bring in more sophisticated soul and jazz touches! Driscoll's vocals are amazing – some of the boldest belted out in the British scene at the time – and Auger's Hammond work really cooks throughout – at a level that easily makes him one of the best UK organists to hit the scene, amidst some very heady company in the 60s. There's a few bluesy moments, but our favorites are the funky ones – especially the group's reading of "Season Of The Witch", which is tremendous. Other cuts include "In & Out", "Black Cat", "Goodbye Jungle Telegraph", and "Break It Up". Definitely What is a landmark batch of funky organ work that made big waves in both the rock and jazz worlds at the time! Auger's really stretching out here – getting past the simple R&B of his roots, and going into a bubbling funky style that's clearly touched by chromatic inspirations from Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith – both of whom are referenced by some of the song structures on the set. The album's filled with killer organ-based instrumentals – some lean and stripped down, others full and rich – and all of them coming across with a richly soulful sound that you'd hardly expect from a member of the British rock scene! Titles include "Day In The Life", "Red Beans", "Definitely What!", and his classic "Bumpin' On Sunset". Streetwise is filled great funky grooves by the legendary Trinity group – featuring excellent keyboard work by Brian Auger, recorded during the period when he was really beginning to stretch out a bit, and hit a much more open-ended kind of sound. Julie Driscoll is still on vocals, singing in her raw sound, but Brian's Trinity group gets a fair number of nice instrumental moments on the set – which are greatly appreciated! Titles include the classic and sample laden "Light My Fire", "Czechoslovakia", "Finally Found You Out", "In Search Of The Sun", "Ellis Island", "I've Got Life", and "Save The Country". Befour is the third album from Brian Auger & The Trinity – and the first to feature the group recording without vocals from Julie Driscoll! The sound here is just as soulful as before – a tight take on American soul jazz and funky soul of the 60s – pushed along by Auger's mighty work on the Hammond organ, and featuring (this time around) some male lead vocals, which seem to give the album an even deeper feel than earlier work! Auger's included some great covers of American tunes like "I Want To Take You Higher", "Listen Here", and "Maiden Voyage" – all redone with some great Brit beat group touches – and the album also features a great take on Faure's "Pavane", and Auger's own "Just You Just Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A really romping single from the lesser-known Connie Austin – a cut that's as funky as is soulful, with a set of backings that comes down right on the money, while a little conga line kicks things right back over the top! The approach allows Connie's vocals to really soar – giving the whole thing an unexpectedly righteous vibe! Charles Spurling steps out on the flipside – a storming Northern Soul number recorded in the 60s, but which appears here on a 45 for the first time ever! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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Havana Candy, indeed – as singer Patti Austin's in her sweetest mode of the 70s – stepping off of years of background vocals for others, and really emerging as a great soul star on her own! Patti got the chance to cut some soul singles back in her early days – but work like this really unlocks her jazzier side, too – that spirit she developed in her work with Quincy Jones, taken to even more expressive heights on her own. Arrangements are by Larry Rosen and Dave Grusin – moody, mellow in a style that's perfect for Patti's voice – and players on the set include Grusin on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, Richard Tee on keyboards, and Ralph MacDonald on percussion – all-star CTI players who really keep things rights! Titles include "I Need Somebody", "We're In Love", "Lost In The Stars", "Havana Candy", and "I Just Want To Know". CD

A great back-to-basics solo album from the legendary David Axelrod – cut in the mid 70s for Fantasy Records, after higher-concept projects like The Auction and Messiah! This set gets right to the core – and focuses on the funk currents that were always part of Axelrod's larger arrangements, but which sometimes never got pulled to the forefront as strongly – and the approach is almost like some of the funky jazz albums that were issued by Fantasy/Prestige Records at the time – especially those that Axelrod produced for Cannonball Adderley. The whole thing has that great Axelrod sense of composition, with lots of space, and lots of spare cold bits that are nice nice nice for sample cuts – and titles include the classic track "Everything Counts", plus "Get Up Off Your Knees", "My Family", and "Mucho Chupar". CD

An excellent live set by Roy Ayers – recorded back in 1988, but with a sound that's right up there with his classic work! Roy's working here in front of a very appreciative crowd at London's Ronnie Scott's night club – and there's clearly plenty of British rare groovers in the audience who really appreciate Roy's jazzy work on vibes, and the high quality of his backup group on the night. The set includes long live versions of classics like "The Spirit Of Doo Do", "I Wanna Touch You Baby", "Fast Money", "Running Away", and "Don't Stop The Feeling" – as well as "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" and "Battle Of The Vibes". CD

A fantastic lost chapter in the career of genius soul/jazz/funk maestro Roy Ayers – a set that was only ever issued in the UK, and which is a great second part to his Lots Of Love album on the Uno Melodic label! This album features a few tracks from that gem, but in longer versions – mixed with other cuts that were never issued in the US at the time – all with that return to perfection that Roy found on Uno Melodic – which was his own label, and one of the few times in the 80s when he matched the brilliance of his 70s recordings on Polydor! Like those albums, the style here is tight and right in the pocket, but also full of meaning and message too – beautiful songs that are catchy, but far from commercial – funky, but never dance music in a conventional way. The set kicks off with a 7:20 minute version of "Chicago" – one of our favorite Roy Ayers songs ever, natch – and other cuts include "Smiling With Our Eyes", "Good Good Music", "Keep On Movin", "Silver Vibrations", "DC City", and "Lots Of Love". CD

The genius of Roy Ayers knows no end – and as this set of unreleased work from the 70s proves, Roy was always working at top form back in the day – even above and beyond his classic albums from the time! The grooves here are tremendous – funky, soulful, jazzy, and every bit as wonderful as the work that Roy did for his classic albums on Polydor – and in a way, the whole set's even tighter and heavier than any of Roy's full LPs, because it's a distillation of his sound from the time, hand-picked from the vaults with an ear towards the kind of timeless grooves that have been a huge influence on many worlds of music for years! You've never heard any of these tunes before, but we can promise you'll love them every bit as much as Roy's tracks on albums like Coffy, Vibrations, Mystic Voyage, and other classics – and the quality of the set only further pushes our jaw-dropping respect for the man! Titles include "Holiday", "Kwajilori", "I Am Your Mind (part 2)", "Touch Of Class", "Third Time", "Come To Me", "Wide Open", "Funk In The Hole", "Liquid Love", "Tarzan", "Sunshine (demo)", and "I Like The Way You Do It To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible little record – and the set where it really all comes together for this legendary funky jazz group! Azymuth were already great on their debut, although maybe a little experimental at times – but here, they really find the soulful groove that later got them big fame on the US scene – effortlessly blending their tight jazz skills with a dose of samba soul, and turning out some wonderfully groovy music in the process! There's clearly an influence here from the best years of Earth Wind & Fire – but also more of the edge that you'd expect from the young trio – as the amazing Jose Roberto Bertrami blows us away with his wickedly sharp keyboard solos, as Alexandre Malheiros and Mamao create these beautiful rhythms that go way past anything you might have expected from a trio. The whole thing's wonderful – one of the most soulful Brazilian records of the 70s – and titles include the great cuts "Tarde", "Tamborim Cuica Ganza Berimbau", "Falcon Love Call", and "Aguia Nao Come Mosca". CD

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace". CD also features four bonus tracks – "Jazz Carnival (full original mix)", "Avenida Das Manguerias (SS translation by Theo Parrish)", "Jazz Carnival (Yambee rework by Ashley Beedle & Yam Who)", and "Codsall Juniors" by Mark E. CD

Sublime recent work from Brazilian fusion trio Azymuth – a combo possibly known best in the US for their 80s recordings in California, but who sound even better here on this collection of tracks done in the past decade for London-based Far Out Recordings! Far Out has a respect of Azymuth's sound that few other labels ever seemed to have – a love of the group's spacey keyboards and simpler rhythms – and a way of recording them that takes them back to their best roots in 70s Brazil. The grooves here are often spare and simple, but totally great – electric keyboards wrapped around straightforward rhythms, recorded cleanly and leanly, without any too-slick production or overdone hype! 2CD set features a new track "Morning", plus other Far Out album tracks that include "Carnival", "O Lance", "Brazymuth", "Tempos Do Parana", "Saudade Do Doutor", "Carambola", "Laranjeiras", and "Chameleon" – plus a bonus disc with 6 deleted remixes that include "Faca De Conta (Roni Size rmx)", "Pieces Of Ipanema (Mark Pritchard rmx)", "Amazon Adventure (Jazzanova rmx)", "That's Today (London Electricity rmx)", "Laranjeiras (4 Hero rmx)", and "Roda Piao (Spiritual South rmx)". CD

Rare Bacharach galore – an assortment of under-reissued tracks all penned by the mighty Burt – most of which are from the heyday of 60s uptown soul! Despite the 1952 in the date range on the title, almost all the tunes here are from the mid 60s – that time when Bacharach was writing new tunes like a demon, and getting most of them recorded by a range of great talents on the New York scene. Singers are a good mix of soul, pop, rock, and vocal artists – and although the material was done for a variety of different labels, there's a relatively unified feel – thanks to that snapping syncopation that Burt always brought to work like this. CD features 26 titles in all – including "How About" by Della Reese, "Third Window From The Right" by Dean Barlow, "I Wake Up Crying" by Del Shannon, "I Looked For You" by Charlie Gracie, "That's Not The Answer" by Vi Velasco, "More Time To Be With You" by Brook Benton, "Three Friends" by The Turbans, "Move It On The Backbeat" by Burt & The Backbeats, "You're Telling Our Secrets" by Dee Clark, "Thirty Miles Of Railroad Track" by The Hammond Brothers, "The Story Of My Life" by Big Al Downing, "Made In Paris" by Trini Lopez, "Rain From The Skies" by Adam Wade, and "True Love Never Runs Smooth" by Don & Juan. CD

The overlooked legacy of Bachdenkel – maybe not the biggest name on the British scene at the start of the 70s, but a group who were initially signed to Philips, and made some really fantastic music at the time! The group are a trio, and it's a bit hard to sum up the quality of the work in easy words – as it's sometimes very personal, but not folksy at all – other times a bit more instrumentally intense, yet not really prog either – always somewhat dark overall, and never trying at all for an easy hook or the kind of track that might have gotten them any sort of radio play at all. The initial album on the set is Lemmings, a moody masterpiece that Philips only issued in France, but which is a stunning piece of work – and the second record, Stalingrad, got even less circulation at the time, but is equally powerful too. The 3CD set features both those records, plus lots of bonus tracks added to each – and a full bonus CD of material from 1967 through the 70s – 22 more tracks that really fill in the space between the main records, as does the very detailed notes that come with the package. 50 tracks in all – and long overdue! CD

One of the most obscure Derek Bailey albums from his initial early run on Incus Records – a set of duets with percussionist Jamie Muir – and a session that almost seems to unlock more percussive possibilities than usual in Bailey's style on the guitar! If the image on the cover is anything to go by, Muir must be quite dynamic in performance – although he's also one of those percussionists who's nicely on the more sensitive side of his instruments – which means that things are never too bombastic, but almost have that explosive sense of tone that Bailey can sometimes bring to his guitar. Titles include the side-long title improvisation – "Dart Drug" – plus "Carminative", "Ja Ja", and "I Soon Learned To Know This Flower Better". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of solo albums from Phillip Bailey – presented here with bonus material too! First up is Continuation – an 80s soul classic from Philip Bailey – stepping out here from Earth Wind & Fire in a set that has him sparkling strongly as a solo act! The vocals still have that trademark Bailey sound – a wonderful range that's never overdone, and which seems to shine especially well on the mellow and midtempo tunes in the set! Production is by George Duke, who does a lot to preserve the jazzier warmth of Bailey's previous settings – and although there's a bit more crossover potential here, the sound is still never too commercial or aimed at the charts. Titles include "It's Our Time", "Trapped", "I Know", "I'm Waitin For Your Love", "Desire", "The Good Guy's Supposed To Get The Girls", and "Your Boyfriend's Back". Next is Chinese Wall – a big breakthrough for Philip Bailey – and a record that was kind of a second-level explosion for the Earth Wind & Fire sound in the 80s! There's a definite crossover feel to the record – a style that takes Bailey's soulful vocals, and mixes them with lots of catchy hooks – in ways that push the Kalimba aesthetic even more into mainstream modes. Yet the album's still got some solid soul grounding, too – thanks to arrangements by Tom Tom and Arif Mardin – which is a nice contrast to the production by Phil Collins, who also guests on the hit "Easy Lover". Other cuts include "Time Is A Woman", "Go", "Walking On The Chinese Wall", "Photogenic Memory", "I Go Crazy", and "Children Of The Ghetto". Last is Inside Out – a set that has Philip Bailey working with Nile Rodgers, who gives him a lean, clean sound that works perfectly with his vocals! The sound is a nice change from the direction Bailey was heading in previously – a return to the focused soul of the later Earth Wind & Fire years, with his amazing lead opening up in ways that few other singers can match. Tunes are pretty well-penned too – catchy, but never cloyingly commercial – and titles include "State Of The Heart", "Welcome To The Club", "Special Effect", "Because Of You", "Take This With You", "The Day Will Come", "Back It Up", and "Echo My Heart". 3CD set features nice bonus material – "I Know (ext dance mix)", "Love Is Alive", "Easy Lover (with Phil Collins)", "Walking On The Chinese Wall (single)", "State Of The Heart (dub mix)", "Twins (with Little Richard)", "Twins (club mix)", and "Easy Lover (ext dance mix)". CD

A great overview of the guitar talents of Mickey Baker – an artist who's maybe best remembered during this time for an album on Atlantic, or his duets with the young Sylvia Robinson (as Mickey & Sylvia) – but a player who also worked on countless sessions during the years of R&B and early soul! We always knew Mickey played on some key tracks – his guitar work is as recognizable as a King Curtis saxophone solo – but this 29 track set features material we didn't even know about – most of it by some of the biggest R&B stars of the 50s! Titles include "Women Are The Root Of All Evil" by Paul Williams, "Hit Git & Split" by Young Jessie, "No Good Lover" by Mickey & Sylvia, "Juke Joint" by Sam Price, "I'm Gonna Rock Your Wig" by Sonny Terry, "Bad Hangover" by Square Walton, "I'm Doin All This Time" by Stick McGhee, "Please Louise" by Wynonie Harris, "Straighten Up Baby" by Milt Trenier, "Oh Darlin" by Johnny Frank, "All Around The World" by Titus Turner, and more by Nappy Brown, Larry Dale, Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, and others! CD

A set that's as colorful and abstract as the image on the cover – one that has Hamish Balfour working on both keyboards and percussion, but breaking things down a lot from conventional jazz – changing up the rhythms, shifting up the sound, and maybe hitting a mode that's somewhere between 70s electric jazz and some of the bolder rhythmic experiments of the London scene of late! Instrumentation appears to be live, but the rhythms get a bit clubby at times – yet always graced with warmth of the keyboards, and other group members' work on trumpet, guitar, and bass. There's vocals on a few cuts – from Lyric L, Elsa Esmeralda, and others – and titles include "Reflector 28", "Mongol", "Screen Time", "Alphonse", "Running Colours", "Yes Or No", "South Of The Sun", and "Amber". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue collection of work by Balka Sound – an important 80s group from Brazzaville, and one whose name evokes their style of music – a sound based in folksy roots, but which is updated here with electric guitar and bass, next to lively percussion and really great vocals! The group's lead singer is Nkibi Albert, who has this really enigmatic way of putting across a lyric, especially when a bit of echo is used in the production – and amidst the other instrumentation, he also plays ngonfi as well. The production is great on most of these tracks – not nearly as mainstream as other African sounds from the time, which were rising to meet the global world music market – and titles include "Bia Sala", "Lekou", "Ku Mavula", "Kidilu", "Ah Luisaala", "Nia Nia", "Wa Yiwou", "Mwan Kisana", and "Kwele". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of our favorite work ever from the legendary Hank Ballard – a key figure in early R&B, and a singer who cut some big hits with his group The Midnighters – but one who also continued to do some wonderful work for King Records long after his hits – most of which is included in this wonderful set! The package focuses on years that might be deemed "lost" for Hank – a time when he was past the dance hits of the early part of the 60s, and yet to rise as part of the James Brown universe at the end of the decade – although still, in some way, already strongly in the JB side of the spectrum with cuts like these – deep soul gems, funky numbers, and the kind of rough romping tunes that draw from R&B, but have more of a 60s vibe here. CD features 26 cuts in all – including "Poppin The Whip", "Here Comes The Hurt", "Funky Soul Train", "Do it Zulu Style", "Dance Till It Hurtcha", "Let's Get The Show On The Road", "Annie", "Unwind Yourself", "Which Way Should I Turn", "I'm Just A Fool", "Get That Hump In Your Back", "Just You Just You", "A Winner Never Quits", "Somebody's Got To Help Me", and "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show". CD

One of the most compelling albums in years from Billy Bang – and that's really saying a lot, given how much compelling music he's recorded! The set is put together in conjunction with a fascinating documentary on Bang's life, music, and time spent fighting in Vietnam – an experience that stayed with him for decades, scarred him, and which here has become a way of reaching back into the past, into the culture, as a way to find some sort of personal healing! The result is fantastic – as Bang's amazing work on violin comes in contact with a variety of Vietnamese artists – including Tran Manh Tuan on tenor, Duc Dau of the Phu Dong Family Band, and even the larger Hanoi Symphony Orchestra – all different musical partners who really help Billy expand his sound and resolve some of his decades-old conflicts – presented alongside some spoken passages from the film that are very striking, and a few solo numbers too. Titles include "Mystery Of The Mekong", "Song For Don Cherry", "New Saigon Phunk", "Jungle Lullaby", "Dan Da Traditional Lithophone", and "Moments For The Kiamia". CD

One of the most compelling albums in years from Billy Bang – and that's really saying a lot, given how much compelling music he's recorded! The set is put together in conjunction with a fascinating documentary on Bang's life, music, and time spent fighting in Vietnam – an experience that stayed with him for decades, scarred him, and which here has become a way of reaching back into the past, into the culture, as a way to find some sort of personal healing! The result is fantastic – as Bang's amazing work on violin comes in contact with a variety of Vietnamese artists – including Tran Manh Tuan on tenor, Duc Dau of the Phu Dong Family Band, and even the larger Hanoi Symphony Orchestra – all different musical partners who really help Billy expand his sound and resolve some of his decades-old conflicts – presented alongside some spoken passages from the film that are very striking, and a few solo numbers too. Titles include "Mystery Of The Mekong", "Song For Don Cherry", "New Saigon Phunk", "Jungle Lullaby", "Dan Da Traditional Lithophone", and "Moments For The Kiamia". LP, Vinyl record album

A set with a really well-put title – not just for the artists involved, but also for the Acid Jazz label as well – as the whole thing almost seems to take us back to the glory days of the first few releases from the company back in the late 80s! Chris Bangs was the man to bring plenty of dancefloor grooves to jazz on the British scene at the time, and Mick Talbot had already proved his merits with his jazzy contributions to the Style Council – and the pair work together here in a set of stripped-down grooves that mix jazz, instrumental soul, and even a few mod touches – swinging a London vibe on up from the 60s, through the 80s, into the 21st Century. Titles include "Stingray", "Kookie T", "Leela's Dance", "Sumthin Else", "Blues Walk", "Pick N Mick's", and "Blue Jeans". CD

An incredible package from the great Darrell Banks – a set that brings together his sublime Stax Records album, plus lots of rare bonus tracks too! The core record – Here To Stay – is incredible work from the great Banks – one of the few albums this genius Detroit soul singer cut before his untimely early death! Darrell's got a raw sound and a way with a groove that makes him a perfect choice for late 60s Stax/Volt Records – and he works here with Detroit studio genius Don Davis – who really knows how to mix the rough and the smooth in a perfect way – very different than both the usual Memphis or Detroit soul of the time! Tracks are very well-written – each one's a total lost nugget – and the arrangements have this punch that works perfectly with Banks' tremendous vocals. Titles include "I Could Never Hate Her", "My Love is Reserved", "No One Blinder", "Just Because Your Love Is Gone", and "We'll Get Over". CD then includes a wealth of bonus tracks – some previously unissued – including "Love Is Not An Easy Thing (demo)", "Mama Give Me Some Water (demo)", "Love Why Have You Forsaken Me (demo)", "Just Because Your Love Is Gone (single version)", "No One Blinder (single version)", and "Beautiful Feeling (single version)". CD

2 killers from The Bar-Kays – a heavy funk spectacular all the way through! First up is Gotta Groove – amazing work from the new version of The Bar-Kays – a group who reformed to become a combo as heavy as any of the best funky groups from Detroit, LA, or New York at the time! There's a style here that's a sweet Memphis distillation of ideas bubbling under in music by Sly Stone, Funkadelic, and others – taken to new territory here by a group that was already steeped in 60s soul instrumental sounds! The cuts show a great ear for simple hooks and playful instrumental twists and turns – still with a bit of the trumpet used on Bar-Kays work of the past, but more in a groove that lets the guitar step out nicely with psychedelic soul undercurrents! Tracks include "In The Hole", "Funky Thang", "Grab This Thing", "Street Walker", "Humpin", and "Don't Stop Dancing To The Music (parts 1 & 2)". Black Rock is an album that's every bit as great as the title might imply – heavy guitar-based funk from the second version of The Bar-Kays – one that uses the new instrumental focus to push a groove that's much more black rock than before! There's still a bit of trumpet from the past, but the sound here is much heavier on the bottom – and really fuzzes up the guitar nicely at times to create a hipper sort of soul instrumental vibe! The rhythms are quite hip too – with echoes of the experiments in soul going on at Stax in the work of Isaac Hayes and others – and the album's miles away from the work that the group was laying down a few years before! Definitely one of the hardest-hitting Stax albums of the early 70s – and filled with great tracks like "You Don't Know Like I Know", "Dance To The Music", "Piece Of Your Peace", "Montego Bay", and "Baby I Love You". CD

A pair of Mercury Records gems from the Bar-Kays – back to back in a single set! First up is Too Hot To Stop – a pivotal album from The Bar-Kays – a key post-Stax set, but one that's still very firmly grounded in Memphis funk! The groove definitely shows a bit more polish than before – the same sort of shift the Ohio Players made after moving to Mercury Records – but as with the Players at their best, there's still plenty of sharp edges and deeply funky moments on the record – and if anything, the shift has really given The Bar-Kays a way to evolve their sound past some of the heavier modes of the early days, without losing any of the appeal of their groove! Some cuts have some great keyboards – almost producing a spacey funk feel at points – and titles include "Too Hot To Stop (part 1)", "You're So Sexy", "Cozy", "Spellbound", "Whitehouseorgy", and the nice mellow track "Summer Of Our Love". Flying High is a killer too – a great step forward for The Bar-Kays – an album that actually has them taking on a few mellower moments, amidst the heavy funk you might expect – yet all without softening their groove at all! The album's very much in the best spirit of the group's Mercury debut – still recorded in Memphis, with production that's tight, but never uptight – enough to firmly put the group at the top of the funk superstar scene of the mid 70s, yet never sell out the rich Memphis groove that first got them going! Titles include "You Can't Run Away", "Let's Have Some Fun", "Can't Keep My Hands Off You", "Whatever It Is", and "Shut the Funk Up". CD

Very cool sounds from this unique Brazilian group – an ensemble whose music mostly comes from their voices and percussive sounds made on their bodies! The approach is surprisingly great – and maybe not nearly as squishy as you'd expect – as there's a clean, clear sound to the music – one that almost feels sampled or electronic at times, without any of the hippie-dippy elements that could come from such a project. Instead, the percussive elements at the core really keep things bristling – and seem to infect the vocals too – creating a sharpness throughout, one that's only echoed and magnified when guests artists Nana Vasconcelos, Marcelo Pretto, or Hermeto Pascoal come into the mix. Titles include "Barra Do Dia", "Valsa Manca", "Skamenco", "Kerere", "Ta Na Roda", "Totem", "Eh Eh", "Tudo Fica", and "Samba Lele". CD

Four of the more obscure RCA albums from the great Bobby Bare – all brought together here in a single set! First up is the very unusual English Countryside album – a special set that has the vocals of Bobby Bare paired with a group from the UK – Liverpool's Hillsiders, who sing with a style that's a bit folk, and a bit rock – but which takes on a very distinct country vibe amidst the RCA production of Chet Atkins! Both Bare and The Hillsiders sing solo on the record – but most of the set has them paired together, and the presence of all those voices on the tracks create a nice sense of spontaneity – maybe a hint at the more relaxed recording approach that Bobby would use on his big albums of the mid 70s! Titles include "Sweet Dreams", "Six Days On The Road", "Find Out What's Happening", "Love's Gonna Live Here", "Goin Home", "Blue Is My Lonely Room", and "I Washed My Face In The Mountain Dew". Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn is a seminal album in the career of Bobby Bare – and the record that really has him turning from a young smiling country singer to the kind of more adult, mature talent that would really send him over the top! The album's promise of "controversial country songs" is certainly apt – as in addition to the great Tom T Hall title cut, the album also features Bare taking on great material from Kris Kristoffersen, Mel Tillis, and even the team of Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn – all set to arrangements that are nicely more sophisticated than those used on the more pop productions of some of Bobby's earlier albums. Titles include "Margie's At The Lincoln Park Inn,", "The Law Is For The Protection Of The People", "Watching The Trains Go By", "Skip A Rope", "Rainy Day In Richmond", "Cincinnati Jail", "Wild As The Wind", and "Drink Up & Go Home". I Hate Goodbyes is the record that marked the return of Bobby Bare to RCA Records in the early 70s – and one that also marks the start of a very different phase in Bare's career! This time around, Bobby's handling the production himself – working with the kind of thoughtful, mature material that would really let him open up – songs from Billy Joe Shaver, Mickey Newbury, the team of Bill Rice and Jerry Foster, and even an early tune from Shel Silverstein – who would soon become one of the biggest contributors to Bobby's records. The vibe is very different than his RCA material of the mid 60s, and in a great way – on titles that include "I Hate Goodbyes", "Restless Wind", "Ride Me Down Easy", "Send Tomorrow To The Moon", "You Know Who", "An Offer She Couldn't Refuse", "What's Your Mama's Name Child", and "Poison Red Berries". Last up is Cowboys & Daddys – an overlooked gem in the mid 70s RCA years of the great Bobby Bare – and a set that really shows the dedication that Bare had during these years to finding the most sophisticated material of the new country generation! The list of songwriters alone is great – as the set features tracks from Terry Allen, Shel Silverstein, David Hickey, and Tom T Hall – plus an early contribution from Bob McDill, with whom Bare would soon record a lot more material on albums to come. There's a mature, laidback vibe to the whole set – different than some of the more playful Bobby Bare albums of the time – and titles include "Chester", "The Cowboy & The Poet", "Amarillo Highway", "Speckled Pony", "Calgary Snow", "Last Dance At The Old Texas Moon", "Pretty Painted Ladies", and "The Stranger". CD

A trio of early records from the great Bobby Bare – presented here in one 2CD set! First up is The Travelin Bare – on which the young Bobby Bare hits the road – taking on a whole host of travel-themed tunes on this gem of a record from 1964 – and although the approach is maybe a bit different than Bare's classics of the 70s, that amazing vocal approach can't help but make every song sound great! In other words, what should be a gimmicky set turns out to be a surprisingly strong vehicle for Bobby's talents – which really soar out, even amidst the full productions laid down by Chet Atkins – heartbreaking vocals on tunes that include "Long Way To Tennessee", "Down In Mexico", "Sittin & Thinkin", "Lonely Town", "I Was Coming Home To You", "Long Black Limousine", and "When I'm Gone". Constant Sorrow is an album that's a bit young in the career of Bobby Bare, but which already shows the singer taking on some of the newer, fresher modes that would make him a giant in the 70s – including some inspirations from folk music that really set the album apart from some of RCA's more pop-country material of the time! Bare's got this way of singing that's wonderful right from the start – heartbreaking even when he's sounding strong – and deeply personal, even in a way that some of the more serious folk singers of his generation couldn't hope to touch. Bobby mixes up country and folk tunes here, all with that classic RCA 60s production – on titles that include "Delia's Gone", "Don't Think Twice It's All Right", "Just To Satisfy You", "The Deepening Snow", "Times Are Gettin Hard", "I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow", and "Countin The Hours Countin The Days". Streets Of Baltimore is a record that gave Bobby Bare one of his first great songs with the famous title track – but which also really opens up with pure greatness all the way through – showing a maturity in Bare's voice that's a real change from his music of a few years before! The album's got one of those RCA formulas to the song selection – most are city-based numbers, set around the US – but the approach also gives Bobby some great tunes to work with, especially the kind of double-edged lyrics that always opened up his sense of wit mixed with melancholy. In addition to the classic reading of "Streets Of Baltimore", other tunes include "Houston", "Memphis Tennessee", "Vincennes", "Cold & Lonely City", and "There Ain't No Fun In This Town". CD

A totally cool collection of work from the legendary John Barry – a set that features four different albums in LP-styled sleeves, packaged together in a special box! Our favorite record in the set is the Plays 007 record – a brilliant album that not only features some instrumental soundtrack themes, but also includes some great mod Barry instrumentals from the 60s – kind of a nice link to his sophisticated film music, and some of his smaller combo work! Titles include "Zulu Stomp", "Kinky", "Fancy Dance", "007", "From Russia With Love (organ version)", "Troubadour", "Alki", "Monkey Feathers", and "The London Theme" – plus "Christine" and "SEX" performed by Miss X. Next is Elizabeth Taylor In London – the soundtrack to a 1963 television special recorded by Elizabeth Taylor at the height of her early popularity, and featuring Taylor reciting a variety of poems and speeches over music by Barry! Zulu is pulled from a colonial period film that starred Michael Caine, and about half the score is straight orchestral scoring – dramatic music to set the mode of the narrative – but the other half are more African-sounding numbers, handled by Barry with a colonialist zeal! Titles include "Wagons Over", "Big Shield", "High Grass", "Monkey Feathers", "Zulu Maid", and "Stamp and Shake". Four In The Morning is a relatively serious score by John Barry – written for this mid 60s British social film that starred Judy Densch, Ann Lynn, and Norman Rodway. The scoring is incredibly sensitive – much more so than Barry's usual bag – with a solo reed instrument on many tracks, over orchestrations that often use quite a bit of percussion. Titles include "Coffee Talk", "Norman's Return", "Lover's Clasp", "River Ride", "Four In The Morning", and "Lover's Tension". CD

One of the hippest John Barry scores we've ever heard – quite different than his music for James Bond films, but still equally groovy! At some level, Barry's working here with an Ennio Morricone-like sense of space and sound – a love of gentle elements that emerge with a soft, tender sort of feel – but one that's still quite dark underneath, with a real undercurrent of tension. But unlike some of Barry's other serious scores of the time, this one's never too tense – and has a really great sense of melody and overall sound – one that makes the music extremely haunting all the way through! A watery, echoey piano dominates many tracks – and titles include "Capito", "Boom", "Urgentissimo", "Of A Year Unknown", "Pain Gone Till Tomorrow", and "Mister Death Angel Flanders". Also includes "Hideaway" – a wonderfully hip Georgie Fame tune that's one of our favorites from his late 60s years! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funky soul from a very mysterious figure – Georgia's Nathan Bartell, a singer with a deep soul style, and an under-exposed legacy that mostly involves a few indie label singles, and countless work in the smaller clubs of his state! The blend of music here is a bit different than most collections of this nature – as Nathan's work spans both the hard-hitting funky 45 world of the 70s, and the emerging groove styles of the 80s – which means that the record begins with the kind of funky material you'd guess from other southern singles of the time, then moves into midtempo modern soul that's more in the territory of Leon Ware! The mix of modes is a great testament to the under-recognized strengths of Bartell – an artist who kept on growing, even if the rest of the world wasn't paying attention at the time. Titles include "I Feel It Coming", "Top Going Down Bottom Going Up", "Moving On", "Some One Like You", "Ooh Baby I Love You", "Mystery Lady", "I Want Your Love", "See Me Cry", "If I Could Win Your Love", and "Jody & John". CD

With 20 tracks including "Golden Rule", "Basin Street Breakdown", "Country Boy", "Messy Bessy", "Mr. Fool", "Nickel Wine", "High Flying Women", and "My Ding-A Ling". CD

Gary Bartz plays live at Birdland – and the results are quite different than both other famous albums at the club, and most of Gary's other work of the time! There's a tightly swinging feel to most of the set – a style that's more hardbop than we remember from Gary's roots, but which still has all the open, exploratory tones we've always loved in Bartz's horn. The group features Claudio Roditi on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a rhythm section who really bring a lot to the set, and provide just the sort of leaping, loping energy to drive the horn players strongly. 4 of the album's 5 tracks are over 10 minutes long – and titles include "Cousins", "It's Easy To Remember", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "West 42nd Street", and "Speak Low". CD

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Joe Bataan working in a pronounced dancefloor soul mode! While the legendary Bataan was no stranger to the fusion of Latin, soul and funk, this some of the most club soul oriented sounds from Joe we've ever heard – and the sessions are seeing official release for the first time ever! The recording feature players who worked on Joe's stellar Afrofilipino and features a backdrop of wonderful Afro and Latin percussion and rhythms with the best sounds of the NYC dancefloor soul in the mix – with uptempo and midtempo vocal numbers flirting with disco and modern soul very nicely – with solid lead vocals and groovy female backup! Most tunes bring a bit of harp into the mix for a little more of a soar that plays off the percussion in really cool way. Titles include "Sadie", "When We Get Married", "My Cloud", "I Need Love", a take on the Isaac Hayes "Theme From The Men", "Let Me Kove You", "My Opera" and "I Do Love You". CD

Rare BBC material – titles that include "I'll Follow The Sun", "Hippy Hippy Shake", "Matchbox", "Till There Was You", "I'm A Loser", "She's A Woman", "I Feel Fine", "Sure To Fall", "Do You Want To Know A Secret", "Memphis", "Clarabella", "Soldier Of Love", "Lend Me Your Comb", and "I Got A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Really wonderful work from one of our favorite groups on late 60s Warner Brothers – the mighty Beau Brummels, a group who were already years ahead of their time, and who also evolved strongly during the short span of time covered on this album! As you'd guess from the title, the collection features all sorts of great tracks that never appeared on the group's classic albums for Warner – spanning the psychedelic folk of their early years on the label, to the rich country-inspired sounds of their last – and also including a few solo tunes from singer Sal Valentino too! These aren't just throwaway cuts or covers, as many of them are originals – mostly penned by the great Ron Elliott – titles that include "I'm A Sleeper", "Cherokee Girl", "Long Walking Down To Misery", "Lift Me", "Lower Level", "Two Days Til Tomorrow", "She Reigns", and "Fine With Me". Also features nice remakes of "One Too Many Mornings" and "Don't Make Promises" – and Sal Valentino cuts "A Song For Rochelle", "Silkie", "Alligator Man", and "Friends & Lovers". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of classics from this electronic duo – all brought together in a single set! First up is In A Wild Sanctuary – one of the best records ever from Beaver and Krause – largely because there's not so much noodling! This one features the pair on moog and organ, with help from Dave Grusin on piano, Milt Holland on percussion, Howard Roberts on guitar, and Bud Shank on reeds. The sound isn't jazz at all – but more a mix of spacey grooves and bubbling bits, with much more of a song-like structure than on other records. There's a few nice cuts here that almost hit a groove, and even when they don't, they still have a nice stripped down moogy sound that's very pleasing. Titles include "Spaced", "Salute To The Vanishing Bald Eagle", "People's Park", "Walking Green Algae Blues", and "Another Part Of Time". Gandharva is a cool mixture of rock and electronics – a perfect example of the Beaver & Krause team at their best! The ensemble on this one is bigger than usual, and the players includes jazz musicians like Mike Bloomfield, Gerry Mulligan, and Howard Roberts – but Beaver & Krause still play a lot of moog, though, and the songs are pretty groovy – although a little short. Side 2 was recorded at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Titles include "Soft/White", "Walkin By The River", "Walkin", "Nine Moons In Alaska", "Bright Shadows", and "Short Film For David". All Good Men is a higher concept album than usual for the team of Beaver & Krause – a record that still features plenty of cool moog and electronics by the pair, but which also has them teamed up with arranger Jimmie Haskell in a set of tunes that mixes older themes with original numbers! A fair bit of tracks here have vocals – either by Krause, or by female vocalists Cris Williamson, Adrienne Anderson, or Elisabeth Wilson – plus the "celestial choir" on a few tracks. There's a hearkening back here that's a bit confused at some moments – mixing Scott Joplin with the then-common apology to Native American mode – but things sound best on the original numbers, which have picked up a groove a bit more than before, and even have some nice warmer tones we really like. Titles include the spacey spinner "Between The Sun & The Rain", plus "Loves Of Col Evol", "Sweet Williams", "Bluebird Canyon Stomp", "Looking Back Now", "Child Of Morning Sun", and "All Good Men". CD

Incredibly fluid work from the Gordon Beck trio of the late 60s – and powerhouse ensemble that featured Tony Oxley on drums and Jeff Clyne on bass. The tunes are all originals by Beck, and played in a style that has lots of the free and introspective styles that were percolating in the European piano underground at the time – almost like the work of Steve Kuhn, in that Beck opens up nicely, but never seems to go too far outside – and is as concerned with weaving tapestries of tone and color as he is with exploring new sounds and space. Great stuff all around, and a key look at an oft-overlooked player! Titles include "Miss T Fying", "Gyroscope", "Clusters", "Suite No 1", and "Sincerity". CD