KC & The Sunshine Band may have been a chart-topping act during the disco generation, but the Florida funky group have a heck of a lot more to offer than just their hits – as you'll hear in this massive and well-done collection that features 55 tracks in all! The group were formed in the heady early 70s years of Miami funk – and brought together some of the best tropical and soul elements that were brewing in that city at the time – all with a lean vibe that mixed live percussion with riffing guitars, sharp horns, and a completely infectious groove – often topped with catchy lyrics that really went right to the point. This big 3CD set features the group's best work for TK Records, plus other material done for Epic and Jay Boy too – with titles that include "Sound Your Funky Horn", "Why Don't We Get Together", "I Get Lifted", "So Glad", "Come To My Island", "I Betcha Didn't Know That", "Stand Up", "Love Me", "Summer Nights", "I'm A Pushover", "That's The Way I Like It", "Do You Wanna Party", "I Will Love You Tomorrow", "Sho Nuff", "I'm Your Boogie Man", and lots lots more – including some rare mixes too! CD

An excellent album of funky electric jazz – and possibly the best one that Phil Woods cut with his European group! The quartet's a very hip group that's way hipper than its clunky name – with Gordon Beck on electric piano and organ, Daniel Humair on percussion and drums, and Henri Texier on bass, flute, and African percussion – all instrumentalists who dip heavily into the deep bag of their mighty talents for the date, helping to push Phil's music into some very cool new territory! The album cooks a lot harder than Woods' previous MGM date with the Rhythm Machine group in Europe – and has a really freewheeling vibe, and a sound that's almost outside at points. All tracks are long, with a modal electric approach that's very nice – and funky in the best parts – and titles include "Chromatic Banana", "Ultimate Choice", "The Last Page", and "The Day When The World". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". CD

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". CD

A great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender". LP, Vinyl record album

The first all new, all original effort from Bitchin Bajas in a few years finds the group's core synth-driven vibe just as hypnotic, but more expansive than ever! The tracks are all on the longer side, and have this beautiful way of working in subtle shifts in sound and texture that build up, ease back and ultimately evolve from starting base layer of bells, chimes and vibes-y soundscapes. The core trio of Cooper Crain, Rob Frye and Daniel Quinlivan are joined by Mike Reed, Nori Tanaka and Rex McMurry on cymbals and drums that nicely add to atmosphere – and the titles include "Amorpha", "Geomancy", "World B Free" and "Quackenbruck". LP, Vinyl record album

Boneshaking music from this mighty bold trio – a lineup that features lots of stunning reedwork from the late Mars Williams, alongside bass from Kent Kessler and drums from Paal Nilssen-Love – both artists who do a great job of coming on strong when needed, then laying back to allow for more sensitive sonic interplay! The vibe's a bit like some of the classic Okka Disk performances from all players, but also shows how much they've evolved as well – especially Williams, whose later work is always so amazing. Mars also plays some toy instruments as well – and titles include "Preantepenultimate", "Oculoplania", "Mallemaroking", and "Brontide". CD