Another one of those novelty records Profile was putting out in the mid-80's. Similar to "Inspector Gadget" with the Batman theme and lots of cut-up vocals. 12-inch

Marc Mac knocks it out of the park once again – serving up just four songs, but with a sense of soaring power that beats most other full length records in this territory! The album's the last in Mac's series of global efforts, and although Japan is the focus this time around, it's mostly in the titles of the tunes – as the record continues that really strong evolution past 4Hero roots that have made Marc's recent releases so wonderful, and which have us hoping that he'll soon be giving us lots more full length records too! Titles include "Tokyo Nightlife", "Kambei", "Electric City Don't Sleep", and "Yasuke Soul". 12-inch

Wonderful work from the later years of Brunswick Records – a time when the company briefly re-emerged as a surprising force on the hipper dancefloors of the time – thanks to a great run of funky club, soulful disco, and seminal boogie tracks! Brunswick didn't issue many albums at the time – and they were quite far from their hit years of the early 70s – but their 12" output from the period is wonderful, and way more than just the usual throwaway work for the discos – done with a real sense of quality, and a devotion to both funk and soul undercurrents that really keep things strong. Volume 1 includes the cuts "Do Those Little Things" and "Just A Little Timing" by Maryann Farra & Satin Soul, "Me & You" and "Energizer" by Touch, "Gotta Get It" and "Girl" by Tony Valor Sounds Orchestra, "How Can I Forget" by Realistics, "Mah Mo Ah (take two)" by Tony Valor, "Cravin Your Body", "Roller Skate", and "Bounce Rock Skate Roll (parts 1 & 2)" by Vaughan Mason & Crew. CD

Wonderful work from the later years of Brunswick Records – a time when the company briefly re-emerged as a surprising force on the hipper dancefloors of the time – thanks to a great run of funky club, soulful disco, and seminal boogie tracks! Brunswick didn't issue many albums at the time – and they were quite far from their hit years of the early 70s – but their 12" output from the period is wonderful, and way more than just the usual throwaway work for the discos – done with a real sense of quality, and a devotion to both funk and soul undercurrents that really keep things strong. Volume 2 has tracks that are even more obscure than volume 1 – with titles that include vocal and instrumental versions of "Stay Away From Me" by Satin Dream, vocal and instrumental versions of "The Big Throwdown" by South Bronx, "Never Take Your Love" and "Can't Let Go" by Parris, "I'm So Glad I Got You" and "Another Time Another Place" by Persuaders, and the tracks "Got To Be Free", "Strut Your Stuff", "Waiting For Your Love", and "I Like What You're Doing To Me" by Young & Company. CD

A great slice of work from the New York underground of the post-disco years – served up by a family of labels that had been making things happen through most of the 70s! The set focuses strongly on the singles issued by the Posse and Spring Records labels – the former a new offshoot of the latter, especially geared towards 12" singles that were strongly focused on both the new sounds of the clubs and the streets – including lots of electro, bass-heavy funk, hip hop-inspired grooves, and mabye even some elements that would soon point the way towards house music to come! This side of the Spring Records label has never been covered in detail like this before – and the choice of cuts is as great as the notes on the music – which finally gives the Posse singles their due in the scene from back in the day. Titles include "We Come To Jam" by Blaze, "Sing A Song" by Lonnie Youngblood, "Have Your Cake" by Body, "Wired For Games (long version)" by C Brand, "Workin Out" by Ritz, "Live It Up (short vocal)" by Fonda Rae, "Get Up An Dance" by Mynk, "Spread Love" by Fatback, "Let's Get Nice (7" vocal)" by Glory, and "Got To Have Your Lovin (short vocal)" by Feel. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet collection of grooves from the legendary Salsoul label – easily one of the hippest imprints on the New York scene of the 70s! Salsoul's grooves go way beyond the usual disco – crafted with roots that go back to soul and salsa of the earlier part of the decade – and often mixed to perfection with a sound that holds up strongly, even on a crowded dancefloor! This package features ten of the best-remembered gems from the label – most in long mixes that echo their strong popularity as 12" single – titles that include "Doctor Love" by First Choice, "Runaway" by The Salsoul Orchestra with Loleatta Holloway, "Jingo" by Candido, "Dreamin" by Loleatta Holloway, "By The Way You Dance" by Bunny Sigler, "Love Is You" by Carol Williams, "Dance A Little Bit Closer" by Charo, "I Love New York" by Metropolis, and "Rio De Janeiro" by Gary Criss. CD

One of the earliest sets of Jazz At The Philharmonic material – pre-Verve, too – and pressed on 12" 78rpm discs – which allow for longer performances per side. 3 sides each of the songs "Oh Lady Be Good" and "How High The Moon". 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Really cool cuts from the French club scene of the 70s – a weird and wonderful assortment of sounds that all came from producer Daniel Vangarde and his Zagora Record label – a place where all sorts of criss-crossing styles could work together in a really wonderful way! Some moments have cool moogy electronics, others take off from funky French soundtrack productions, and others echo the currents of soul and global music that was getting a chance to try something new in the French studios – clearly given plenty of the right inspiration from Vangarde himself! Most of these cuts never got release in the US, and the selection of tracks is wonderful – a very fresh take on territory we thought we knew already – on selections that include "Midemman (Theme Midem 74)" by The Lovelets, "Dancin Machine" by Who's Who", "I'm Looking For Jeremy" by Soul Iberica Band, "Laugh" by La Boca, "Voyager II (12" version)" by Starbow, "Moog Jealousy" by The Electronic System, "Des Que T'As Dit Disco T'As Tout Dit (ext)" by Rocky & Vandella, "Kono Samourai" by Yamasuki, "Greek Girls" by The Great Disco Bouzuki Band, "Let Me Love You Tonight" by Vicky Edimo, "Come To America (disco inst)" by Gibson Brothers, "La Nuit Des Requins" by La Compagnie Creole, "AIE (A Mwana)" by Black Blood, and "La Poursuite" by Daniel Vangarde himself. CD

A great slice of work from the New York underground of the post-disco years – served up by a family of labels that had been making things happen through most of the 70s! The set focuses strongly on the singles issued by the Posse and Spring Records labels – the former a new offshoot of the latter, especially geared towards 12" singles that were strongly focused on both the new sounds of the clubs and the streets – including lots of electro, bass-heavy funk, hip hop-inspired grooves, and mabye even some elements that would soon point the way towards house music to come! This side of the Spring Records label has never been covered in detail like this before – and the choice of cuts is as great as the notes on the music – which finally gives the Posse singles their due in the scene from back in the day. Titles include "We Come To Jam" by Blaze, "Sing A Song" by Lonnie Youngblood, "Have Your Cake" by Body, "Wired For Games (long version)" by C Brand, "Workin Out" by Ritz, "Live It Up (short vocal)" by Fonda Rae, "Get Up An Dance" by Mynk, "Spread Love" by Fatback, "Let's Get Nice (7" vocal)" by Glory, and "Got To Have Your Lovin (short vocal)" by Feel. CD

A great late 70s performance from Bobby Bradford and his Extet – a group that wasn't nearly as well documented as his combo with John Carter, but one that's almost equally great! The material here is from a 1977 radio broadcast, and is very well recorded – quite open and unrestrained, with lots of space for the group to open up in a range of new ideas! Bradford's in the lead on cornet, and other members include James Newton on flute, Richard Rehwald on bass, and John Goldsmith on drums – the latter two of whom we don't know at all, but both players who really hold their own in the company of these horn heavyweights. Newton's flute has a nice degree of bite, and matches the fire in Bradford's horn nicely – and like other records of the time from Bobby, there's a nice sense of soul and structure – a bit more tightness than work of the period from the east coast, and a somewhat spiritual undercurrent, even when things get a bit free. Titles include "Improvisation #12", "Blue Monk", "She", and "Comin On" – and the CD also features the bonus track "She", recorded in 2003 as a duet between Bradford and Vinny Golia. CD

A label-spanning look at the music of Terry Callier – one that starts with his folksy roots, runs through his sublime soul at Chess, and ends with some of his overlooked modern soul numbers from the early 80s! There's been a few other Callier collections on the market, but this one's got the best vibe of all of them – as it really goes out of its way to paint the full picture of Terry's unique music – by weaving together tunes that touch on his strongest moments of genius, and mixing those with some surprising gems that haven't been reissued before! Especially rare bits include the previously unissued "Hangman" – recorded for Cadet in the early 70s; a 45 mix of "You're Going To Miss Your Candyman"; the Erect Records cuts "I Don't Want To See Myself Without You" and "If I Could Make You Change Your Mind", both only issued on 12" single; and the early soul 45 "Look At Me Now". Other tracks include "It's About Time", "Dancing Girl", "Occasional Rain", "Martin St Martin", "Until Tomorrow", "I Don't Want Nobody Else", "Turn You To Love", "Be A Believer", "What Color Is Love", and "Ordinary Joe". CD

A label-spanning look at the music of Terry Callier – one that starts with his folksy roots, runs through his sublime soul at Chess, and ends with some of his overlooked modern soul numbers from the early 80s! There's been a few other Callier collections on the market, but this one's got the best vibe of all of them – as it really goes out of its way to paint the full picture of Terry's unique music – by weaving together tunes that touch on his strongest moments of genius, and mixing those with some surprising gems that haven't been reissued before! Especially rare bits include the previously unissued "Hangman" – recorded for Cadet in the early 70s; a 45 mix of "You're Going To Miss Your Candyman"; the Erect Records cuts "I Don't Want To See Myself Without You" and "If I Could Make You Change Your Mind", both only issued on 12" single; and the early soul 45 "Look At Me Now". Other tracks include "It's About Time", "Dancing Girl", "Occasional Rain", "Martin St Martin", "Until Tomorrow", "I Don't Want Nobody Else", "Turn You To Love", "Be A Believer", "What Color Is Love", and "Ordinary Joe". CD

One of the few cases in jazz where an oft-played classic still resonates with power! The record itself is a key cap to Miles Davis' already-groundbreaking years of the 60s – a bold step forward, not just for his nascent electric sound, but also for jazz in general – and the benchmark by which so many other records would be judged (and fail) in years to come! The double-length set makes full use of all four sides of the record – expanding the flow (as well as the lineup) of the original Davis modal vision – and using all players to amazing effect, so much so that most players here turn out some of their best recorded work ever! The lineup is virtually a whose who for the sound of fusion in the 70s – including Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea on keyboards, John McLaughlin on guitar, Dave Holland on bass, and Lenny White and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus Jumma Santos and Don Alias on added percussion. Titles include "Pharaoh's Dance", "Spanish Key", "Sanctuary", "Bitches Brew", "John McLaughlin", and "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down". CD features one bonus track – "Feio" – nearly 12 more minutes of electric goodness! CD

The mindblowing debut of De La Soul – a set that's inarguably one of the most important records in hip hop history – overflowing with playful, endearingly oddball trio rhymes and Prince Paul production at it's most sprawlingly sampled and creative! The set has classic songs that stand out well enough on their own – but they're all also wonderfully linked together as a whole, making the album one of the first really well-thought out full length albums in hip hop – filled with loosely connective skits with recurring characters that are vital to the experience of listening to the record as a whole! Additionally, the set is especially fascinating given its 1989 release year – a time when so many of the contemporaneous crews and solo MCs on both the east coast and west coast were going grittier, darker and more profane – but it doesn't feel like a conscious reaction to that, as much it feels like sharp trio and a brilliant producer carving out their own damn creative niche. Includes "Me Myself & I", "The Magic Number", "Plug Tunin", "Say No Go", "Tread Water", "Eye Know", "Buddy" and much more! Expanded edition contains a second bonus CD packed with alternate versions and rare 12" single remixes! CD

Four classic albums from Jackie DeShannon – all in a single set! First up is Me About You – sophisticated Jackie at her best – working with great arrangements from Jack Nitzsche and Nick DeCaro – both cats from the California scene we can really trust for "cut-above" pop work like this – music that goes way past the simple sounds of DeShannon's start – into cool adult territory that really makes the album great. Jackie's vocals are surprisingly soulful in the setting – even more so than before – and the tunes include lots of gems, including versions of Van Dyke Parks' "High Coin", John Sebastian's "Didn't Want To Have To Do It", and Tim Hardin's "Baby Close Its Eyes". Also includes "I Keep Wanting You", "Me About You", and "Nicole". Next is Laurel Canyon – heady work from Jackie DeShannon's later years in 60s pop – an album with themes and styles that go way beyond her earlier recordings – as you might guess from the hip Laurel Canyon reference in the title! Jackie's working here in a mode that's much more strongly in a singer-songwriter style than before – with arrangements and backings that are a lot more organic, and less pop-tuned than ever – almost in a Laura Nyro approach on some numbers. As usual, a good portion of the tracks were written by Jackie herself – including "Holly Would", "Come & Stay With Me", "LA", "Too Close", and "Laurel Canyon" – and the album also features a few well chosen tracks by other writers too, like "Bitter Honey" by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols, "I Got My Reason" by Barry White, and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson. Put A Little Love In Your Heart is quite possibly the last great hit from singer Jackie DeShannon – an album built around the righteous spirit of the title track – filled with really wonderful original tunes penned by Jackie and soul singer Jimmy Holiday! The album may well be the best to explore the space between pop and soul that often characterized Jackie's work – and the overall sound is somewhat similar to some of Dusty Springfield's best pop/soul work from the same stretch. 10 of the album's 12 tracks are originals by Holiday and DeShannon – all set to soaring orchestrations by James Langeford, which often have a pronounced influence from the sound of Atlantic Records in the late 60s! Titles include "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "You Are The Real Thing", "River Of Love", "Movin", "You Can Come To Me", "You Have A Way With Me", and "I Let Go Completely". To Be Free is an interesting little record – with kind of a crossover California soul feel overall – recorded with Rene Hall arrangements that echo a few rootsy modes at times, mixed in with fuller orchestrations that step a bit back towards Jackie's earlier years on Imperial – a surprisingly nice blend, with a fresh sound for the 70s. The album features a number of great tracks co-written with Jimmy Holiday – a fellow Imperial talent – and titles include "Mediterranean Sky", "Sooner Or Later", "What Was Your Day Like", "Livin On The Easy Side", "Brighton Hill", and "When Morning Comes Again". CD

Quite possibly the last great hit from singer Jackie DeShannon – an album built around the righteous spirit of the title track – filled with really wonderful original tunes penned by Jackie and soul singer Jimmy Holiday! The album may well be the best to explore the space between pop and soul that often characterized Jackie's work – and the overall sound is somewhat similar to some of Dusty Springfield's best pop/soul work from the same stretch. 10 of the album's 12 tracks are originals by Holiday and DeShannon – all set to soaring orchestrations by James Langeford, which often have a pronounced influence from the sound of Atlantic Records in the late 60s! Titles include "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "You Are The Real Thing", "River Of Love", "Movin", "You Can Come To Me", "You Have A Way With Me", and "I Let Go Completely". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. 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

An amazing album by the great guitarist Eddie Fisher – and completely unlike his later funk records! Eddie plays stripped down jazz with a small combo that includes organ by Robert Selby, bass by Paul Jackson, and some rhythm guitar by Phil Westmoreland – and the twin-guitar approach creates this super-dope style that's light years ahead of its time, with a sophistication that points the way to later mid 70s work on labels like CTI and Kudu! Eddie's guitar work is an incredible exercise in spareness and soulfulness – best heard on the fantastic "Third Cup", a long drawn-out jazz stepper that's got to be heard to be believed. The cut's been a favorite on the Chicago jazz stepper's scene for years – and it alone is worth the price of the album. However, the record features some other wonderful stuff – like a sublime version of "Shadow Of Your Smile" that runs for a bubbling 12 minutes – plus the originals "Shut Up", "Scorched Earth", and "Two By Two". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge legacy of work from the Flying Lizards – two full albums, plus lots more bonus tracks too! First up is the well-circulated debut, a new wave crossover classic from The Flying Lizards – one of the quirkiest groups of their era! The group were European, but have a sound that resonates strongly with the most playful post-disco work of the New York scene of the time, particularly the acts on Ze Records – a groove that mixes equal part punky and clubby rhythms, often topped with lyrics that are cold, but clever, done in the same ironic arty style of Cristina, or Devo. This album's the group's standout opus – and features their classic covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money" – as well as originals "The Flood", "TV", "The Window", and "Russia". Next up is The Fourth Wall, the rare second album from The Flying Lizards – a set that didn't get nearly as much exposure as their debut, and which still shows the group mixing together punk, new wave, and clubby styles in a really great way! There's maybe even more of an edge here than on the group's debut – and titles include "Lovers & Other Strangers", "An Age", "Steam Away", "Hands 2 Take", "In My Lifetime", "Cirrus", and "Lost & Found". 2CD set features 9 more bonus tracks – including "Tube", "Money B", "All Guitars", "Summertime Blues (12" mix)", "Portugal", "Wind", and "Continuity". CD

A massive amount of radical records from the great Joe Gibbs – a producer who forever changed the face of Jamaican music with a legendary run of dub albums in the 70s! Joe was no stranger to the scene by the time of these tracks – but the sessions had him really burrowing in to very experimental territory, coming up with sounds that were years ahead of their time, and which set the tone for so many other dub productions in years to come – all very far from some of the chart-topping reggae hits of the decade! The work features plenty of hypnotic rhythms from Sly & Robbie, and great guitar work from Earl Chinna Smith – plus nice horn parts and keyboard lines too – all elements that are whipped up into a sonic souffle by the maestro. This 4CD set features this legendary run of records – Dub Serial, State Of Emergency, Majestic Dub, More Majestic Dub, and the African Dub albums, chapters 1 to 4 – with 12 tracks that have never been on CD before, and the usual deep detail and top-shelf presentation of the Doctor Bird label. CD

A stunner! Al Green returns to the glorious, exuberant soul brilliance of the Hi Records years for his Blue Note debut – an amazing return to form that we could kick ourselves for not anticipating! Al Green asserted long, long ago that he had no intention of ever making another secular soul album – and God bless Rev. Green for turning around on that. Of course we wouldn't try to tell you that anything on I Can't Stop is as revelatory as "I'm Still In Love With You" or "Let's Stay Together", but a lot of it comes pretty damn close, believe or not. Al's voice has held up almost unbelievably well over the years, having picked up just enough rough edges to make Willie Mitchell's wonderfully tight, smooth and heavy Memphis soul arrangements that much more striking, but still hitting those knee-shaking high notes and that famous vibrato. And yes, you read the previous sentence correctly – the legendary Willie Mitchell's back in Al's corner for the set – and his horn-drenched Memphis sound is as big and beautiful as ever. If projects like this are going to characterize how Blue Note is going to spend all of that Norah Jones money, we should nominate that girl for president next time. Let's hope Al and Willie live up to the title and keep on going after this one. Another classic from one of the greatest artist/producer teams in the history of modern music! 12 tracks in all, including "I Can't Stop", "Play To Win", "Rainin' In My Heart", "You", "Not Tonight", "Million To One", "Too Many" and more. CD

A flawless batch of classics from Millie Jackson in the heart of her early years on Spring Records – maybe sounding better than ever here! Millie's raunchier style would come later on, but here she's working in styles that are a perfect mix of gritty and sweet – arrangements tailored perfectly to those characteristics in her sultry, smoky voice – and equally at home in sessions in Muscle Shoals, Philly or NYC. Covers the bases from moody southern soul, to tender ballads, to lightly soaring strings – and the mixes by Steve Levine really bring out the vibe of the original sessions, as closely as possible to the spirit and vision of the original recordings – a restoration as opposed to a revision. Includes "Sweet Music, Soft Lights & You" featuring Isaac Hayes, "House For Sale", "I'll Continue To Love You", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Cry", "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Wanna Be Right)" and "It Hurts So Good" – plus "Kiss You All Over", "Bad Risk", "Never Change Lovers In The Middle Of The Night" and more. 12 tracks on the CD. CD

A rare Decca album lead by the smoky vocals of Beverly Kenney – a really unique late 50s/early 60s jazz girl who once worked for the Dorsey brothers, the Count Basie Orchestra and others, and only ever cut a handful of albums under her own name! Sings for Playboys is an intimate, sultry batch of tunes that have a really unique feel thanks to the super spare accompaniment of just Ellis Larkins on piano and Joe Benjamin on bass. That approach does a great job of transforming your senses to the smoky, boozy after hours cabaret that must have been in mind when the recordings were conceived. The album only ever appeared briefly in the late 50s (possibly because of the unauthorized and quite obvious reference to Playboy Magazine in the title and in the cover photo) but it's sure great to see it reappear – they didn't make a lot records like this in the big band dominated recordings of the era! 12 tracks including "Do It Again", "A Woman's Intuition", "Mama, Do I Gotta?", "A Lover Like You", "A Summer Romance", "It's Magic", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing images from the painter of the Bitches Brew album cover – the legendary Mati Klarwein – an artist with a very colorful style of painting nude bodies! Mati's artwork has graced many albums over the years – not just work from Miles Davis, but records by Buddy Miles, Jerry Garcia, The Chambers Brothers, and many others – all of which are presented here in a really well-done book – filled with vivid, colorful reproductions of the album covers in full 12" square size! The original package was put together in a limited pressing by a French gallery – but this version is much more affordable, and also features English notes as well – but all without sacrificing any of the printing quality at all. The book is 184 pages, full color, and with nice heavy covers – and it's just the right size to stack nicely next to your classic Miles Davis records! Book

Some of the rarest dub work ever cut by this legendary Jamaican producer – music that originally appeared on two different records that only ever circulated in shabby TK Records 12" sleeves, often with the wrong information printed on the labels! Yet the set is every bit as seminal as the music on the Aquarius Rock collection of work from Herman Chin Loy – very late in the game for Jamaican dub, but also at a level that almost seemed to give Loy and the musicians a lot more freedom in their ways to explore and experiment in the studio! All the work was done at Herman's Aquarius Studio, with players who include Aston Family Man Barrett on bass, Mickey Chung and Willie Lindo on guitars, and Leslie Butler on keyboards. Titles include "It's Alright Dub", "Armagideon War Dub", "She's Gone Dub", "Troubled World Dub", "You'll Never Know Dub", "Song Of My Mother Dub", "Them A Fight Dub", "No Malice Me Chalice Dub", "Why Do You Idle Dub", and "The Greatest Love Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

These are medium weight 12" paper sleeves, the same as we use around here. Square size, with a hole in the middle. Just right for replacing all those ancient dusty moldy sleeves on your old records! Record Care

A huge crossover album from Carrie Lucas – maybe not the most soulful singer of the disco scene of the 70s, but one who really does a great job of putting over the music here! At times, Carrie's got this breathy style that's quite compelling – a more personal quality that's different than someone trying to fake a bit of soul – all handled perfectly by Dick Griffey – the Solar Records genius who produced the album! Also, the record's also got some good arrangements by Jerry Peters, who always knows how to give a soul track a different sort of edge – one of the overlooked geniuses of his generation. The best cuts have a strong "free soul" pop groove – and tracks include "Me For You", "I Gotta Keep Dancin", "Tender", "Jammin Tenderly", "I'll Close Loves Door", and "What's The Question". CD features bonus tracks – "Keep Smilin (orig 12" Rick Gianatos rmx)" plus original single versions of "I Gotta Keep Dancin" and "I Gotta Get Away From Your Love". CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A damn soulful album from Ghanaian percussionist Rim Kwaku Obeng – recorded in LA at the end of the 70s, with loads of sweet clubby touches in the mix! Rim gets in plenty of tight percussion – lots of which showcases his rim-heavy approach to the drums – and also plays keyboards and sings a bit too – in a larger group that mixes in some very hip LA funky elements, a bit like some of the criss-crossing that Hugh Masekela did on his Chisa Records sessions! The style makes for a great bit of funky club with lots of deeper acoustic percussion elements in the sound – and titles include the massive break classic "Funky Drummer", plus "Nothing Is Free", "Spend Your Money", "Gas Line", "Sunkwa", and "Believe In Yourself". Special package – also includes the bonus 12" tracks "International Funk (voc)", and "International Funk (inst)". CD

A damn soulful album from Ghanaian percussionist Rim Kwaku Obeng – recorded in LA at the end of the 70s, with loads of sweet clubby touches in the mix! Rim gets in plenty of tight percussion – lots of which showcases his rim-heavy approach to the drums – and also plays keyboards and sings a bit too – in a larger group that mixes in some very hip LA funky elements, a bit like some of the criss-crossing that Hugh Masekela did on his Chisa Records sessions! The style makes for a great bit of funky club with lots of deeper acoustic percussion elements in the sound – and titles include the massive break classic "Funky Drummer", plus "Nothing Is Free", "Spend Your Money", "Gas Line", "Sunkwa", and "Believe In Yourself". Special package – also includes the bonus 12" tracks "International Funk (voc)", and "International Funk (inst)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest moments ever from Psychic TV – and a really stunning surprise after the breakup of Throbbing Gristle! Genesis P Orridge and Peter Cristopherson go in a completely different direction here – a mode that still holds onto some of the noise lessons learned in TG, but which also shows this incredible love of both more complicated pop modes from the 60s, and some of the farther reaches of minimalism as well! The album sports these tremendous ballads with eerie vocals by Genesis – including "The Orchids" and "White Nights" – which are both eerie recastings of an older mode of UK pop love songs – and there's other tracks that maybe echo a bit of Meredith Monk, or some of the underground experimentalists on the Lovely Records scene – including bits that have weird phone rings, dog barks, and other great touches. A spare and subtle use of noise and darker sounds wends its way throughout – but never with the heavier handed touches of later years – and titles include "Hymn 23", "The Orchids", "Botanica", "Iron", "Glove", "Always Is Always", "White Nights", "Finale", "Eleusis", "Medmenham", "Ancient Lights", "Proof On", "Eden 1 Eden 2 Eden 3", "Clouds Without Water", "Black Moon", "Silver And Gold", "In The Nursery", and "Circle". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful sounds from Michael Rother – moving into even more atmospheric territory here than on the third Neu album, and recording in the studio of Conny Plank with a completely sublime sound overall! The feel of the record is a bit like his Sky Records contemporaries – mellow, moody, and very spacious – a way of pulling out key instrumental elements, and really giving them focus with a lot of space between the notes – so that they have a great deal of power, but in a really subtle way. The set's all instrumental, with guitar and keyboards making most of the key sonic energy – in a set of 12 tracks that are all just numbered, not named! LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning work from the great second chapter of Patrice Rushen – the time when the lady moved over to Elektra Records and really opened up her groove! Rushen had already been making great music for most of the 70s – playing fantastic keyboards as a real up-and-coming star on the funky fusion scene of the west coast – but at Elektra, she also turned into a surprisingly strong singer – and mixed her voice with her keyboards in a really wonderful sound! This is mainstream soul of the hippest level – as the core of the cuts are almost always rooted in jazzy fusion, which also means that the vocals give way to sweet keyboard solos too – beautifully balanced in a way that show off all of the sweetest charms of the great Patrice Rushen – these qualities that really set her apart from most of her generation. This package is filled with really well-chosen cuts, and also includes some great single mixes and other versions too – titles that include "When I Found You", "Forget Me Nots (12" mix)", "Music Of The Earth", "Haven't You Heard (12" mix)", "Let's Sing A Song Of Love", "Feels So Real (12" mix)", "Settle For My Love", "Remind Me", "All We Need", "Never Gonna Give You Up (long version)", "Look up (long version)", "Number One (12" version)", "Where There Is Love", and "To Each His Own". LP, Vinyl record album

A key album in the legendary 80s run of Shalamar – and a set that gets a tremendous amount out of a very stripped-down sound! The sound of Shalamar builds from a bit of bass, some snapping drums, waves of keyboards, and especially great vocals – warm and sweet, but never too commercial – despite the hit status of an album like this. If anything, the group have a style that's a bit more relaxed and personal than some of their contemporaries on the Solar Records scene at the time – one that matches the friendly title, and unassuming cover image of the set. Titles include "A Night To Remember", "Playing To Win", "Friends", "On Top Of The World", "Help Me", "There It Is", "I Can Make You Feel Good", and "I Don't Wanna Be The Last To Know". CD features 5 bonus tracks – "Night To Remember (UK 12")", "There It Is (UK 12" ext rmx)", "Friends (UK 12" ext)", "Night To Remember (M&M mix)", and "Night To Remember (M&M inst)". CD

A classic album of raw New Orleans soul from one of the all-time greats! Huey was a key figure who bridged the gap between the rolling sound of 50s Crescent City R&B, and later funky grooves from the 60s. This album's filled with 12 original tracks by Huey – recorded by Ace Records in Jackson, Mississippi – and titles include "Rockin Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu", "Little Chickee Wah Wah", "Havin A Good Time", "Everybody's Whalin", "We Like Birdland", and "High Blood Pressure". CD

An obscure 7 track EP from Johnnie Taylor – almost a 12" single, but with more than enough going on to make us think of it as a full album! Johnnie's in prime Columbia Records form here – and the tunes are a mix of the "Disco Lady" style of his earlier hit for the label, plus some of the mellower southern soul of his roots! The set was recorded in both Detroit and Muscle Shoals – with Don Davis at the helm in the former, and Brad Shapiro in the latter – both of whom really help Taylor hit the heights with effortless ease here, all in a new sense of sophistication that he might never have found in his music, had he stayed at Stax! Titles include "She's Killing Me", "Pulling The Train", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "Play Something Pretty", "The Users", and "Love Account". LP, Vinyl record album

Doris Troy was one of the great female soul singers of the 60s – known for a famous single for Atlantic Records, and other great work too – reemerging here in a whole host of tracks from the late 70s, which have Doris singing with a style that's more mature than before! Most of the material here was recorded for the mostly-disco Midland label – a company who often had great grooves but weaker singers – a mistake that's nicely corrected here, as Troy's all-soul vocals really help the tunes soar over the top, pushing the uptempo grooves with a deeper current that's mighty nice! Titles include "Lyin Eyes (short version)", "You Got Me Baby (1979 disco version)", "Can't Hold On", "Another Look", "Give God Glory", "It's All In The Game (1979 disco version)", "Whatcha Gonna Do About It (1980 version)", "Smilin/Let Me Make Love To You", and "Another Look (12" version)". CD

One of the greatest French jazz soundtracks ever – a haunting score composed and performed by sax legend Barney Wilen! Barney's work is possibly best known to American audiences for his solos on the Miles Davis soundtrack Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud, recorded a year earlier – and this album has Barney working with American players Kenny Clarke, Kenny Dorham, and Duke Jordan to forge a very similar sound. Tracks are spare, moody, and feature a style that's often snakey and a bit modal – perfect for the dark mood of the film, and equally evocative without any image! 12 tracks in all – including "Ambiance Pourpe", "Poursuite Et Metro", "Melodie Pour Les Radio Taxis", "Temoin Dans La Ville", "Sur L'Antenne", and "SOS Radio Taxis". LP, Vinyl record album

No bummer here, as the set's a really great one – filled with late 50s Chess Records sides by Sonny Boy Williamson – a number of which are previously unissued! The package does a great job of reviving this material for a newly-informed blues audience of the modern age – giving liner notes, recording details, and more – in addition to pulling together sides that hadn't appeared on album before. Titles include "Little Village" – which is 12 minutes long, and interestingly marked as "not suitable for airplay" – plus "She Got Next To Me", "Santa Claus", "Unseen Eye", "I Can't Do Without You", "Temperature 110", and "This Old Life". CD

Rare Brazilian funk from the early 80s – served up here on a range of tracks that originally appeared on Brazil's unique 7" compacto format at the time! The smaller records were the nation's equivalent to 12" singles up north – and most spun at 33rpm, which allowed more space for the sorts of boogie rhythms and funky flow taking place here! There's plenty of elements that echo the sound of 80s soul in the US – with the beats, keyboards, and electro elements you might expect – but as with Brazilian soul from the decade before, there's also plenty of cool homegrown touches too. Titles include "Estou Livre" by Tony Bizarro, "Velho Guerreiro" by Rubao Sabino, "Break Mandrake" by Electric Boogies, "Ve Se Me Esquese" by Tony Blue, "Ta Dando Mole Ze" by Cassiano, "Dance Com A Gente" by Let's Dance, "Ve Se Decide" by Tim Maia, "Macaco Pesado" by Newton Drinckwater, and "Super Amor" by Gaby Do Whiskadao. LP, Vinyl record album

A fabulous look at a new wave of music that hit the American scene at the end of the 60s – sophisticated songs with a deep sense of narrative that went way beyond the usual – first sprung by the world of country music, but with an influence that went on to touch all other styles too! This set goes right to the core – and brings together cuts from the hippest songwriters of the period, delivered in versions that may well be the best to ever make it on records – including a few tunes that will really come as a surprise if you think you know the artists from their hits! As you'd guess from the title, the world here is very similar to that in "Ode To Billie Joe" – a world that's also given great illumination by the detailed notes within. Titles include "Endless Miles Of Highway" by Jerry Reed, "If Only She Had Stayed" by Chris Gantry, "July 12, 1939" by Charlie Rich, "What Am I Doing In LA" by Nat Stuckey, "The House Song" by Lee Hazlewood, "Mr Jackson's Got Nothing To Do" by John Hartford, "Widow Wimberley" by Tony Joe White, "Mr Walker It's All Over" by Billie Jo Spears, "Drivin Nails In The Walls" by Waylon Jennings, "Four Shades Of Love" by Henson Cargill, "The Back Side Of Dallas" by Jeanne C Riley, "Way Before The Time Of Towns" by Hoyt Axton, "Down From Dover" by Dolly Parton, "Fabulous Body & Smile" by Sir Robert Charles Griggs, and "Why Can't I Come Home" by Ed Bruce. LP, Vinyl record album

A well-done look at a genre that kind of snuck in under the wire – music that carries some late traces of electro, touched with underground club styles, but also delivered in a way that's plenty darn catchy, with a great ear for a hook and a groovy sort of sing-song lyric! The music is heavy on beats, basslines, and keyboards – all bursting out with plenty of energy – maybe a brightened up take on street soul from the early 80s, but usually with a younger female singer, which helps the music bubble along in a really great way! The package is new territory for Ace Records, but they've done a great job of bringing together both key cuts and overlooked gems – all hand-picked by Bob Stanley, with a set list that includes "Two Of Hearts (12" version)" by Stacey Q, "Don't Be Shy (radio voc)" by Janelle, "Lover Girl" by Meg, "Let's Go (radio)" by Nocera, "Funky Little Beat" by Connie, "When I Hear Music" by Debbie Deb, "I Wonder If I Take You Home" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force, "Together Forever (radio)" by Lisette Melendez, "Dreamin" by Will To Power, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Lil Suzy, "Thief Of Hearts" by Cynthia, "Fascinated (12" version)" by Company B, and "Baby Talk" by Alisha. CD

A well-done look at a genre that kind of snuck in under the wire – music that carries some late traces of electro, touched with underground club styles, but also delivered in a way that's plenty darn catchy, with a great ear for a hook and a groovy sort of sing-song lyric! The music is heavy on beats, basslines, and keyboards – all bursting out with plenty of energy – maybe a brightened up take on street soul from the early 80s, but usually with a younger female singer, which helps the music bubble along in a really great way! The package is new territory for Ace Records, but they've done a great job of bringing together both key cuts and overlooked gems – all hand-picked by Bob Stanley, with a set list that includes "Two Of Hearts (12" version)" by Stacey Q, "Don't Be Shy (radio voc)" by Janelle, "Lover Girl" by Meg, "Let's Go (radio)" by Nocera, "Funky Little Beat" by Connie, "When I Hear Music" by Debbie Deb, "I Wonder If I Take You Home" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force, "Together Forever (radio)" by Lisette Melendez, "Dreamin" by Will To Power, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Lil Suzy, "Thief Of Hearts" by Cynthia, "Fascinated (12" version)" by Company B, and "Baby Talk" by Alisha. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing compilation – a decade in the making, and filled with wonderful grooves – most of which have never appeared on CD or LP reissues! And while the music itself is already wonderful, the package also includes an amazing 80 page book, too – a rich research project that digs deep into the American underground of the 70s – and features a wealth of photos, images, and historical details on music that never got it's due back in the day! The set's based around the groundbreaking series of Soul Cal 12" reissues put together by Stones Throw about a decade ago – wonderful records that unearthed rare grooves that fall beautifully in a space between funk and club – almost all originally issued on tiny little labels from all over the US, but working together to create a rich vibe in the set. Given the book, there's a Numero-like heft to the whole thing – although the range of grooves is even greater than one of their collections – and titles include "Ecology" by Anubis, "You Can Be A Star" by Luther Davis, "Don't Get Discouraged" by UPC All Stars, "Things Cannot Stop Forever" by Stanton Davis, "Free Your Mind" by Record Player, "Get Down" by Freedom Express, "Keep Running Away" by Clifford Nyren, "Love Is" by Leon Mitchison & The Eastex Freeway Band, "What It Takes To Live" by Key & Cleary, "I'm Gonna Miss You Girl" by Ellis & Cephas, "It's A Bad Feeling" by Mixed Sugar, and "Put A Smile On Time" by Rhythm Machine. CD

A sprawling set of rare singles in a variety of genres – and a set that's maybe one of the most essential in the "state" series from the Be! Records label! Previous entries have included Michigan, Texas, and other states with a well-known recorded legacy – but this time around, the package focuses on cuts from a range of scenes in Virginia and West Virginia – really rare music on a variety of very small labels – done in modes that run the gamut from rockabilly to garage, to country and a bit of pop as well! As with other volumes, the package is as magnificent as the music – as the set comes with a huge 12" square hardcover book – 120 pages of information, session details, label scans, and more – in support of a wealth of music from tiny labels that include Dominion, Cozy, Fernwood, Mart, Nu-Kat, Tip Top, and other long-gone record companies from the glory days of the indie 7" single. The set features 145 tracks in all – music from Johnny Gravely, Big Al Walker, The Reactors, Butch Lester, Paul Young & The Versatones, George Curtus, Johnny Boni, Bob Varney, Dusty Owens, Hasil Atkins, Keith Anderson, Dorse Lewis, Jeanette & Hubert, Buddy Watson, and countless others! CD

One of the greatest albums ever from James Brown – even if it wasn't issued during his classic run of funk records in the early 70s! Yet the material here is all from that time – recorded by Polydor when James and the JBs were completely kicking ass in the studio – turning out these monstrous longform funk jams that often gave up too much material to fit on all of his albums – which makes this package an overdue dip into the vaults to rescue some of those treasures! The package first saw the light of day in 1988 – at a time when the genius of James was being rediscovered by younger hip hoppers and DJs – and the set is a love letter to all that James had to offer that scene – with gems that include the lost soul classic "She's The One", a duet with Bobby Byrd called "Since You Been Gone", a live version of "There It Is", an untitled instrumental and another instrumental one called "Funk Bomb" – plus a huge long 9 minute version of the great "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" from Slaughter's Big Ripoff, and the cuts "Say It Loud & Live", and "Baby Here I Come". Plus, this expanded version also features a 7 minute version of "I Got Ants In My Pants", the track "You've Changed", and a 12 minute alternate mix of "Bodyheat". CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

Divine may best be known for her stunning early performances in the films of John Waters – but the 80s also saw the actress emerging as a surprisingly big force in the clubs, too – coming on strong in a post-disco mode, and really helping keep a campy club spirit alive and well at the time! Many of these tracks have more of an electro vibe – kind of a pre-house style that works perfectly for Divine – as the grooves are so powerful, it doesn't matter if she speaks or sings – which occasionally results in some great monologue moments on the tracks! Production is mostly by Bobby Orlando, or by the team of Stock/Aiken/Waterman – and titles include "Jungle Jezebel", "Native Love", "Shoot Your Shot", "Shake It Up", "Love Reaction", "T-Shirt & Tight Blue Jeans", "Psychedelic Shack", "You Think You're A (medley)", "I'm So Beautiful (12" mix)", "Divine Madness", "Alphabet Rap", "Hard Magic", "Walk Like A Man/Man Talk", "Twistin The Night Away", and "You Think You're A Man". CD

The first album in many years from Caesar Frazier – the organist you might know from his early 70s funk classics on Westbound Records – still very much at the top of his game in this small combo set! Frazier's very well-recorded here – given the care and respect that we love from the Doodlin label and its handling of Hammond organ giants – and Caesar's deft work on the keys is heard in the company of Lyle Link on tenor and soprano sax, Jacques Lesure on guitar, and Leon Joyce on drums – a nice tight combo who really give the organ plenty of room to groove! Frazier has a more standard organ jazz vibe here than on his earlier records – almost a return to roots that he never put on any other album – served up on titles that include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Night In Tunisia", "Street Of Dreams", "You will Know", "Thieves In The Temple", "Don't Misunderstand", and two versions of "Purposeful", one that stretches out past the 12 minute mark! CD

A great package – one that features the self-titled Taana Gardner album from the legendary New York club act on West End Records – plus lots of bonus material too! The core record is the only full length album cut by singer Taana Gardner – quite a surprise, given how much impact she had on the clubs with her 12" singles at the start of the 80s! The album's got Gardner as a much richer singer than you might expect – able to lay back on a mellow track as well as step out on a groover – always with that higher range of vocals that really made her a standout at the time, but in ways that are never gimmicky or poppy at all. And in fact, there's a lot more depth to the record than you'd guess from the dated exercise cover image – a classic soul approach that's also quite a surprise for the mostly disco West End label too. Tracks are all nice and long – and backings are by Sunship, with Bernard Wright on Fender Rhodes. Titles include "Work That Body", "We Got To Work It Out", "When You Touch Me", "Paradise Express", and "Just Be A Friend". 2CD set features lots of bonus material – Kenton Nix extended mixes of "When You Touch Me", "Just Be A Friend", and "Work That Body" – plus two key non-LP singles, "That's The World (12" club)" and "Heartbeat (12" club) – and lots of later mixes that include "No Frills (Larry Levan mix)", "I'm Comin (radio mix)", "Work That Body (MAW re-edit)", "When You Touch Me (MAW re-edit)", "Work That Body (wing it for the A-Man Tom Moulton edit)", and "Paradise Express (Gomi's tribute vocal)". CD

A funky soul band with a bit of a clubby groove – and one that features some great male harmony vocals behind lead singer Jann Harrison! Harrison's got a very light style of singing – almost soprano at points, which makes the male voices especially welcome – as they help ground the grooves much more deeply down towards the basslines that are such a strong part of the album. The set's got a really classic De-Lite Records feel from the 70s – a groove that's right up there with the Kay-Gees at their best – with riffing guitar, bumping bass, smooth keyboards, and tight horns over the top. Titles include "Gotta Get A High", "Shake Your Body", "Try To Find A Way", "Never Gonna Let You Go", "Sexy Lady", and both vocal and instrumental versions of "Melodies". CD also features bonus 12" mixes of "Melodies" and "Shake Your Body". CD

A fantastic album – one of our favorite-ever records from Charles Mingus! The album was recorded in the same breath as his legendary works Tijuana Moods, The Clown, and Pithecanthropus Erectus – and it features the same sort of fire and emotion that made those classics so great. The group alone is amazing – with Horace Parlan on piano, Shafi Hadi on alto and tenor, Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and the amazing Clarence (aka Gene) Shaw on trumpet – all getting plenty of room to open up on the album's longer tracks! The work bristles with a sense of imagination and dark energy that Mingus hardly had in his music in later years – and each new tune brings a fresh sense of vision that never fails to astound us! In keeping with the "poetry" title, the album begins with an incredible 12 minute track "Scenes in the City" – which features a long spoken bit written by Langston Hughes about one man's love of jazz and the way that it affects his life in the city – all supported with excellent instrumentation from the group. Other titles are instrumental, and include "Nouroog", "New York Sketchbook", "Slippers", and "Duke's Choice". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Woody N You", "Billie's Bounce", and an alternate take of "Slippers". CD

A massive overview of work from the legendary Front Line label – an imprint started by Virgin Records in the mid 70s, and one that quickly became as important as Island or Trojan in the growing world of reggae! Front Line was heavy on roots, but also released some great dub material as well – all of which is brought together in this huge box of 92 tracks – which includes 11 previously unreleased selections, and 30 that had never been issued on CD! The package is divided up into sections – with a three chapter evolution of the label, plus additional 12" mixes on one CD, and another devoted entirely to material from the vaults – which makes the collection an essential set for collectors, and not just an introduction to the label. Artists include The Mighty Diamonds, U Roy, Twinkle Brothers, Gladiators, Gregory Issacs, Sly Dunbar, Jah Lloyd The Black Lion, Big Youth, Delroy Washington, I Roy, Tapper Zukie, Althea & Donna, Prince Far I, Poet & The Roots, Johnny Clarke, The Revolutionaries, Keith Hudson, and many many more! CD

A wonderful look at the Compass Point Studios in Nassau – a force that was as important to the sound of grooves in the early 80s as Stax and Fame were to soul in the 60s! Compass Point was the brainchild of Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, but it offered up way more than just a reggae-styled approach to the music – and although the house band at Compass featured both Sly and Robbie, the overall sound was a groundbreaking mix of funk, punk, and post-disco elements! Compass Point was a key recording site for a number of leftfield acts in its early years – and this package does a great job of showing the way the studio left an undeniable imprint on the sound of its time. The booklet features very detailed notes on the studio, its scene, and its key players – and the CD features 13 great 80s grooves that include "Genius Of Love" by Tom Tom Club, "Dance Sucker (Francois K rmx)" by Set The Tone, "Obsession (Nassau mix)" by Guy Cuevas, "Padlock (Larry Levan mix)" by Gwen Guthrie, "River Niger" by Sly Dunbar, "Don't Stop The Music" by Bits & Pieces, "Spasticus Autisticus (version)" by Ian Dury, "You Rented A Space" by Cristina, "Adventures In Success (dub copy)" by Will Powers, "Whisper" by Chaz Jankel, "Born Under Punches" by Talking Heads, and "My Jamaican Guy (12" version)" by Grace Jones. CD

An amazing package – one that comes in a tiny replica of the original home of Motown Records in Detroit! As you'd guess from the title, the 11CD set features every single Motown track that ever hit #1 on the charts – almost 200 classic songs, running from the early 60s right up through the 90s – with work by The Temptations, Four Tops, Diana Ross, Boyz II Men, The Contours, Rockwell, The Originals, Marvin Gaye, The Marvelettes, Stevie Wonder, High Inergy, The Dazz Band, Rick James, Commodores, and lots more! The package also includes a photo book with classic images and notes – but man, what we dig most of all is that tiny house of hits packaging – a really amazing thing! Plus, this version of the set also features a bonus CD that wasn't in the original version – with 12 more tracks whose cover versions charted at #1! CD