Eek-A-Mouse's early 80s classic – and the benchmark meeting between the wildly unique deejay and vocalist with producer Henry Junjo Lawes! The Mouse is out front of stellar rootsy backing by The Roots Radics Band. Titles Include "Ganja Smuggling", "Long Time Ago", "Operation Eradication", "There's A Girl In My Life", "Slowly But Surely", "Wa-Do-Dem", "Lonesome Journey", "Noah's Ark", "I Woll Never Leave My Love" and "Too Young To Understand. LP, Vinyl record album

Ella Fitzgerald in Budapest – but swinging just as hard as on any of her other records from the time! The set's a later issue of an unreleased live date recorded in 1970 – a set that captures Fitzgerald right at the height of her international fame, at a time when she could captivate just about any audience with her inherent charm and amazing vocals! Backings are by a trio that features Tommy Flanagan on piano, Frank De La Rosa on bass, and Ed Thigpen on bass – and titles are a hip mix of tunes that include a funky take on "Spinning Wheel", plus "Hello Young Lovers", "The Girl From Ipanema", "You Better Love Me", "As Time Goes By", "Crazy Rhythm", "People", "Mack The Knife", "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", and "Dancing In The Dark". CD

Killer work by this fab Chicago soul group – a bunch of young kids, ala The Jackson Five, with sweet soul sound that actually predates the work of Jermaine and Michael and Tito, and which paved the way for countless 70s groups to come! The Five Stairsteps were first discovered by Curtis Mayfield – who wrote and produced a number of tracks on the set – but they had a strength of their own (thanks in part to a young Keni Burke, who was in the group), and continued to grow over the years, changing their sound to fit their expanding ages, and the changing material they needed to cope with the growth in soul in the early 70s. The set's filled with classics – including the super-huge hit "Ooh Child", plus "The Girl I Love", "Behind Curtains", "Come Back", "World Of Fantasy", "You Waited Too Long", "We Must Be in Love", "Oooh, Baby Baby", "Don't Waste Your Time", "Something's Missing", and the break-heavy "Don't Change Your Love". CD

A beautiful set of solo piano work by Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Gebru– pulled from one of the CDs in the Ethiopiques series of compilations, and probably the most delicately melodic material in the series! The Pianist-composer has an extraordinary personal history – she is a daughter of the heralded Ethiopian intellectual the Kentiba Guebrou, and lived many years as a nun who recorded rarely, and then only as a means to serve the poor. The solo piano compositions in this set were culled from rare albums recorded in the early 60s and 70s, plus a few later recordings from the early 90s. The music is gorgeous and difficult to describe – sweetly somber, melancholy, and befitting the solo performances. Titles include "Presentiment", "The Homeless Wanderer", "The Last Tears Of The Deceased", "Mad Man's Laughter", and "A Young Girl's Complaint". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful early solo moment from the great Robin Gibb – done during a brief breakup of The Bee Gees, at a time when the young Robin was bursting with new ideas he wanted to try on his own! The style here is beautiful – a lush array of strings and orchestrations amidst Gibb's heavenly vocals – very much in the spirit of his wonderful leadoff track for Odessa, maybe even taken to the next level by all the work on this record! The sound is definitely in keeping with late 60s Bee Gees – but also has elements of Burt Bacharach and Scott Walker too – which makes for a really heavenly blend throughout. Titles include "Gone Gone Gone", "The Worst Girl In This Town", "Weekend", "Saved By The Bell", "Most Of My Life", and "August October". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite soul singers on the LA scene of the 60s – served up here in a complete run of his legendary singles for the Minit label! Jimmy Holiday never fully got his due back in the day – partly because he was a successful songwriter who was often working behind the scenes – but he's a hell of a singer with a style that's rooted in the south, but given some hipper, more sophisticated touches on the west coast – with almost the same mix of the rough and the smooth you'd find in the best Minit label recordings by the young Bobby Womack! Jimmy's very much his own man, though – a standout talent that really gets his due here in a mindblowing batch of music. The b-sides are every bit as wonderful as the a-sides – and given Holiday's knowledge of a tune from the ground up, he really has a great way of putting over the lyrics. The package features two duets with female singer Clydie King – "Ready Willing & Able" and "We Got A Good Thing Goin" – plus 24 more tracks that include "I'm In Love With You", "Baby I Love You", "Turning Point", "The Beauty Of A Girl In Love", "Spread Your Love", "Everything Is Love", "Yesterday Died", "A Man Ain't Nothin Without A Woman", "I'm Gonna Move To The City", "In The Eyes Of My Girl", "Everybody Needs Help", "Baby Boy's In Love",a nd "I Wanna Help Hurry My Brothers Home". CD

Jefferson Airplane's weirder follow-up to Surrealistic Pillow – and a pretty incredible record – concentrating their sprawling psychedelic impulses into fairly succinct 3 to 4 minute songs, for the most part! It's a creative approach,and it's a brave record. If Surrealistic Pillow lured the mainstream into the rabbit hole, this one is the tripped out tea party inside! Only a couple of tunes roll past the 5 minute mark, so it never gets too far out, and it's got plenty of chugging, bluesy rock to keep it neat. Includes "The Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil", "Young Girl Sunday Blues", "Martha", "Wild Tyme", "Two Heads", "Watch Her Ride", "Won't You Try/Sunday Afternoon"and more. CD

Classic New Orleans soul from Chris Kenner – and just about the only 60s album issued under his name! Chris was one of the first New Orleans artists to veer into the funkier side of the spectrum – and here, he's working on a batch of all-original, chunky bottomed-tracks – filled with the kind of grooves that made the Crescent City scene one of the most exciting in the 60s – all produced to perfection by a young Allen Toussaint! The set features a great two-part version of Kenner's early hit "I Like It Like That" – plus the classic groovers "I Like It Like That (parts 1&2)", "Something You Got", and "Land Of 1000 Dances" – and lesser-known gems "That's My Girl", "Packing Up", "Time", and "Come Back & See". LP, Vinyl record album

The Kim Trio have a very 70s-styled look on the cover, and come across with a very similar vibe on record – a groovy update of older Korean pop harmony modes, but served up with instrumentation that's heavy on keyboards, and almost gives the group a loungey sort of vibe! The three siblings harmonize nicely at times, and let individual members take the lead at others – and instrumentation is tight, with almost a pre-disco sort of vibe – lots of fast drums, riffing guitar, and keyboard lines – and more than enough bassbits to keep things grooving! Titles include "Graffiti", "The Waterfront", "Young Girl", "You In My Dream", "What Am I To Do", "Goodbye To You", "Not Lonely", and "To The Sky's Edge". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer live set from Hammond genius Jack McDuff – one of a few totally smoking records he did in this style for Prestige during the 60s! The group's a quartet, with stunning work from the young George Benson on guitar, burning tenor from Red Holloway, and amazing drums from Joe Dukes – one of the few players on the kit who really got the right energy to match McDuff on the keys! The album's filled with screamin' groovers throughout, including a great version of "Girl From Ipanema", plus originals like "Another Goodun" and "S'Okay". McDuff was always best in a live setting – and this rare gem is a great testament to that fact! LP, Vinyl record album

A lovely vocal chorus album, with kind of a mix of Sunshine Pop and easy modes – all set to arrangements by Al Ham! Titles include "Quentin's Theme", "Jean", "Sweet Caroline", "Yesterday When I Was Young", "My Cherie Amour", "Everybody's Talkin", and "This Girl Is A Woman Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A lovely little record, and one that's got a vibe that's very different than you might guess from the creepy image on the cover! Pidgeon are a post-folk group who mix the wonderful vocals of Cheri Gage with some nicely dreamy, sometimes psychedelic arrangements – all of which give the whole thing a wonderfully swirling, soaring sort of vibe! In addition to Gage, who also plays autoharp, the set features early work from Jobraith – who'd later go on to fame in a very different mode, but who harmonizes wonderfully here next to Cheri on many numbers. Titles include "Of The Time When I Was Young", "Springtime Girl", "The Dancer", "House On A Hill Among Trees", "The Wind Blows Cold", and "Dark Bird". CD

A stone classic from New Orleans reedman Pony Poindexter – a set that's steeped in tradition, but also has a groovy feel too – and a date that features Pony on both alto and soprano sax! The latter instrument is especially nice, played with echoes of earlier Crescent City modes, but updated strongly with more of a modal 60s energy – almost a Coltrane-like inspiration, but in very different ways than Trane might offer up. Other players on the date are great too – and include Booker Ervin's tenor at is soulful 60s best, plus Gildo Mahones on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Jimmy Smith on drums – all working with some very unusual rhythms that really make the set stand out from other Prestige dates of the time! Titles include "Happy Strut", "Gumbo Filet", "Front O Town", "Back O Town", "French Market", and "Creole Girl". But almost even better, the set also features 8 more bonus tracks – all previously unissued! Three are from the sessions for Gumbo – but the rest are from an unusual 1963 date that features the tenor of Booker Ervin with the organ of Larry Young and drums of Jerry Thomas – a really cool small combo group in the vein of Young's early Prestige work. Additional titles include "Wade In The Water", "Autumn Leaves", "Old Folks", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Absotively Posalutely", and "Blue & Sentimental". CD

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

The short but brilliant career of The Runaways, served up here in a really great box set – one that features all four of their studio albums (including one not released in the US at the time), and their more obscure live album from Japan! Together, the five records tell the tale of a group who forever transformed the sound of female rock and roll – a searing hard rock outfit who were almost punk, and certainly did a great job of playing with emotions and expectations, while also having a hell of a lot of fun in the process! And sure, Joan Jett went on to become a superstar in the following decade, but here alongside the young Cherie Currie and Lita Ford, she's part of a well-formed, super-tight group who brought a much harder edge to female rock than anyone might have expected in the generation of girl groups and singer/songwriters! The box set features the full albums The Runaways, Queens Of Noise, Live In Japan, Waitin For The Night, and And Now The Runaways – all with original cover art, and a nice booklet of notes. CD

One of the great fake live albums of the 60s – a set that promises to be a concert performance from the title and cover, but which actually just features The Seeds playing live together in the studio! Yet that little trick is hardly a problem – because the album's the last-ever from this seminal group, and captures them in a format that really lets them take off! Their studio sessions were always great, but this one's got a special edge from letting all the instruments work together in the same space at once, with no edits or dubs. The core combo sounds wonderful – searing guitar, trippy keyboard lines, and all the sneering vocals the young Sky Saxon can muster – served up over tracks that include "Mr. Farmer", "No Escape", "Satisfy You", "Night Time Girl", "Up In Her Room", "Gypsy Plays His Drums", "Mumble And Bumble", "Forest Outside Your Door", "900 Million People Daily All Making Love", and "Pushin' Too Hard". LP, Vinyl record album

The weird, raw and legendary debut of teen trio The Shaggs – recorded in a single day and issued by the Third World label back in the day, before slowly building a devoted cult following over the years! The Shaggs story of a young girl group and their dad manager dreaming big and hoping for stardom, but the stunningly primitive sound actually makes the patron saints of outsider art rock and indie rock to come – it's messy and amazing to this day! Odd and hypnotic, it's an outsider classic unlike any other. Includes "Philosophy Of The World", "That Little Sports Car", "Who Are Parents", "My Pal Foot Foot", "My Companion", "I'm So Happy When You're Near", "Things I I Wonder", "It's Halloween", "Why Do I Feel?", "What Should I Do", "My Companion", "Sweet Thing", "We Have A Savoir" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Charlie Ventura – just the kind of record to make you appreciate what an amazing player he was back in the day! The session's a nice spare one, without some of the pyrotechnics or showmanship of other Ventura albums – especially the live dates – and the intimacy really lets Charlie open up in a personal, creative sort of way on his tenor – almost rivaling Lester Young or Ben Webster for tone and imagination. Great Verve-like work throughout – with rhythm by Gene Kutch, Louis Cicchini, and Ace Tesone – and tracks that include "Blues For Two", "Somebody Loves Me", "Limehouse Blues", "Blue Prelude", and "Girl Of My Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the greatest albums ever cut by Jimmy Witherspoon – recorded live at an early Monterey Jazz Festival, and done in a style that shows the strong link between jazz and blues in Jimmy's work! The group on the set includes Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, and Woody Herman – and the longish tracks on the set give them all more than enough room to solo alongside Jimmy's bluesy vocals. The album's also one of the first to be produced by a young David Axelrod – and shows a clear respect for both the singer and the musicians, in a combination that would come out even more strongly on Axe's later productions for Capitol. Titles include "No Rollin Blues", "Big Fine Girl", "Good Rockin Tonight", "Ain't Nobody's Business", and "When I Been Drinkin". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from the early years of soul music – and a special set that focuses on sounds created in and around Los Angeles – a city that's not nearly as well known for 60s soul as Chicago, Detroit, or New Orleans! Yet during the postwar years, LA had just as much going on as those eastern cities – a huge new population influx, who'd move over from the south during the wartime years – and new labels that had cropped up to capture their sounds and serve their audience! 50s LA was already humming with R&B material, which gave the rising styles of soul plenty of places to get recorded – so much so, that there's even some work on this set that was never issued at the time! The vibe is great – similar to other Birth Of Soul sets from Ace/Kent – in that the music carries a bit of R&B and blues bite from earlier years, mixed with more romping and tighter soul styles – in a smoking set list of 24 tracks that include "But What About My Broken Heart" by Don Wyatt, "Everybody's Got A Lover But Me" by Richard Berry, "Have You Heard" by The Vows, "With These Hands" by The Wonders, "You Better Watch Out Girl" by The Imperialites, "Lose My Cool" by Ike & Tina Turner, "Let Him Walk Away" by Darlene Love, "My Pillow" by The Numbers, "Help Me With My Broken Heart" by Sylvester Stewart, "That Other Guy" by The Mandarins, "Don't Drop It" by The Question Marks, and "Young Lover" by Wilks & Wilkerson. CD

A seminal collection of work by one of the earliest figures in southern soul of the 60s – the amazing Arthur Alexander, a key link between 50s R&B and many years of great music to come! The CD features most of Alexander's early 60s recordings for Dot Records, including previously unissued numbers – some of the first soul sides to come out of the Muscle Shoals scene, most of which were recorded by a young Rick Hall. Alexander's voice is quite different than many other southern singers in years to come – but that's the great thing about these recordings, as they allow you to hear the genre in transition – with a sound that didn't just leap out of the minds of a few talents at Stax or Atlantic. CD features 21 tracks in all – titles that include "Black Cat", "You're The Reason", "Anna", "After You", "Where Have You Been", "A Shot Of Rhythm & Blues", "Detroit City", "Go Home Girl", "Keep Her Guessing", and "I Hang My Head & Cry". CD

A host of early classics from the young Ray Charles – tracks that were some of his most important singles for Atlantic Records, from a time when Ray was really finding his groove – issued here as a full length set in the classic Atlantic "rock & roll" series in the late 50s! These are the tunes that really put Charles on the map – and many have a raw, vibrant quality that's a lot more R&B than some of his later work – hard-burning numbers that move at a mighty quick pace – mixed with a few that show the jazzier approach in years to come. Titles include "Sinner's Prayer", "Mess Around", "Greenbacks", "I Got A Woman", "A Fool For You", "Losing Hand", "Ain't That Love", "Drown In My Own Tears", "This Little Girl Of Mine", and "Don't You Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Four incredible albums from the young Georgie Fame – plus a bonus CD of rare material, bonus tracks on all CDs, and 18 previously unreleased tracks – all in a box set with a 48 page book, 5 postcards, and a poster too! First up is Rhythm & Blues At The Flamingo – blistering early work from a young Georgie Fame – a set that definitely lives up to the Rhythm & Blues in the title! The set was recorded live at London's hip Flamingo club – and Georgie and The Blue Flames are very much in command of the crowd – burning with the intensity of a American small organ combo, especially the early 60s variety that often played equal parts soul jazz and R&B! Georgie's on the Hammond, and also sings with a rough-edged style that's plenty soulful, and incredibly appealing – a mode that oozes charisma, but never sounds fake or forced. Titles include "Do The Dog", "Eso Beso", "Work Song", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Shop Around", "Humpty Dumpty", and "You Can't Sit Down". Fame At Last is a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and R&B – all filtered through a mod sort of London freshness, as early proof that the city could always take some great things from our own musical roots, and feed it back to us with a whole new flavor! Georgie's no copycat here, though – and the sound is instantly Fame-like – a style that's really not the sort that any Americans were doing at the time, and certainly never this well. Hard-burning Hammond colors most of the tunes here – played with a tightly vamping quality – but it's Georgie's charmingly crackling vocals that really win us over! Titles include "Gimme That Wine", "Pink Champagne", "Monkeying Around", "Green Onions", "Let The Sunshine In", "Get On The Right Track Baby", "I'm In The Mood For Love", and "I Love The Life I Live". Sweet Things is a definite sweet thing from Georgie Fame – a record that has him filling in his sound even more than before, with tremendously soulful results! The backings here are bigger than before – a bit tooled in an American soul mode, but still with that beautifully raspy Georgie Fame touch – lots of jazzy inflections on the vocals, and a way of handling a tune, even a familiar one, and really working it on his own level. Hammond still fills in most of the tunes, but other instrumentation includes some nice African percussion from Speedy Acquaye, saxes from Pete Coe, and some nice bold drums from John Mitchell. These come out to the forefront on the classic funky tune "Music Talk" – and still sound great on other numbers that include "The World Is Round", "Last Night", "Dr Kitch", "My Girl", "Ride Your Pony", and "Sweet Thing". Sound Venture is one of the jazziest early albums from Georgie Fame – a set that has him singing with the big band of Harry South, at a level that's a lot more complicated than some of his other work with The Blue Flames! The style here still has that mod 60s London feel, but it also has some deeper inflections as well – modes borrowed a bit from Jon Hendricks or Mose Allison, yet served up with even greater complexity – at a level that really points towards the tremendous growth Fame would unleash over the next few years. Members of the group include Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, Dick Morrisey, Kenny Wheeler, and many other key Brit jazz figures of the time – and titles include "Three Blind Mice", "Dawn Yawn", "Feed Me", "Lovey Dovey", "Lil Darlin", "Lil Pony", "I Am Missing You", and "Many Happy Returns". CD5 is Bend A Little – a package with 20 unusual titles – demos, rare tracks, and outtakes – including unreleased tracks, IBC recordings, and even two German tracks too! Plus, each individual CD comes with bonus tracks – 40 bonus tracks, in addition to the 20 more titles on the Bend A Little set – a huge amount of material! CD

Sweet 70s funk from the legendary Groove Holmes – an album that has his funky organ riffing nicely over some tight larger arrangements! The style is really great, and a nice departure from the smaller combo Groove Holmes sound of the 60s – more in keeping with his later Blue Note work, in that the organ's in the lead, grooving soulfully, and the rest of the band vamps and comps behind him with a tight style that's almost in the soundtrack mode! Players include Pretty Purdie on drums, Horace Ott on electric piano, and Seldon Powell on tenor – and Horace Ott wrote two nice originals – "Night Glider" and "Flyjack" – and Groove contributed "Pure Cane Sugar". Other tracks include "Go Away Little Girl", "Young & Foolish", and "One Mint Julep". CD

2 early gems from The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Impressions – fantastic soul from the Chicago scene of the 60s – the legendary first ABC album by Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions! Although the group first broke big on Vee Jay Records, it was at ABC that their genius really took flight – tightening up the harmonies of the earlier singles, and hitting a mode that was a lot more soul than the doo wop of their roots! The sound here is a great bridge between the two eras of the group's career – and a number of the best tracks here are done in a mellow, gentle sort of way that relies heavily on the harmonies – crackling out with beautifully human sounds throughout. Nearly every tune is an original by Curtis Mayfield – and there's not a spot of filler on the album! Titles include "Minstrel & Queen", "Gypsy Woman", "Never Let Me Go", "Sad Sad Girl & Boy", "Little Young Lover", "Can't You See", and "I Need Your Love". Nice cover, too – with Curtis smiling the biggest ol' bucktoothed smile you'll ever see! Never-Ending Impressions is a major winner from The Impressions! Virtually all of their material for ABC was excellent – and this LP is no exception, as it's got loads of original Curtis Mayfield compositions, and plenty of great arrangements by Chicago soul legend Johnny Pate. The group is extremely soulful at this point – and they sound great on just about every cut. Titles include "Ten To One", "I'm So Proud", "Sister Love", "Little Boy Blue", "Girl You Don't Know Me", "I Gotta Keep Movin", and "A Woman Who Loves Me". CD

A real move forward in the career of Stacy Lattisaw – an album that has her coming across with a much more mature feel than before, even though she was still quite young at the time! The record's got an unabashedly poppish sensibility, but one that also has some of the more complicated modes showing up in soul during the early 80s – an undercurrent of jazzier phrasings that's partly the work of producer/arranger Narada Michael Walden! Titles include a remake of "Love On A Two Way Street", plus "With You", "Young Girl", "Spotlight", "Screamin Off The Top", "Feel My Love Tonight", and "It Was So Easy". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's never been done this perfectly again! James Mason's a player who's know for a bit of keyboard work with other artists – but here, he's really working as a collective power – bringing together a brilliant ensemble that work as one to hit some sublime sounds – much in the way that Roy Ayers could work some key magic with his groups at the same time, but with a vibe that's very different too. Players include Ayers associates Justo Almario on saxes and Philip Woo on piano – and a young Narada Michael Walden adds some excellent drums to the record – a lot more powerful and funky than on most of his own albums! Lead vocals are by Clarice Taylor – who's got this unique voice that really makes the record – proud, but sensitive at the same time too – and Mason plays lots of Fender Rhodes, polymoog, Arp, and a bit of guitar. Titles include the breakbeat classic "Funny Girl", the monster groover "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the funky "Slick City", and the massive "Free" – but every cut's a winner, and others include "Mbewe", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Dreams". This is the kind of album that makes us proud to be in business! LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better albums on the Alligator Records label from Chicago – a set by Fenton Robinson that's not far different from his earlier work on the 77/Sound Stage Seven label – which means that there's more of a southern soul vibe to the record at times than some of the more crowd-pleasing groups that Alligator was recording up north! Fenton has the tightness of a deep soul singer, but also relaxes nicely into his music – often letting his guitar speak as much as his lyrics – with help on second guitar from Mighty Joe Young! Easily one of the greatest albums from both Fenton and Alligator – with titles that include "I've Changed", "Country Girl", "Gotta Wake Up", "Texas Flood", "Checking On My Woman", and "Somebody Loan Me A Dime". CD

A perfect batch of classic and should-be classic girl group soul from The Ronettes – a set made of the prime era Phil Spector recordings – with the legendary, unshakable (for good reason) couple of biggest hits and a whole bunch of lesser-remembered gems that are just as brilliant! "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You" are as iconic as any 60s hits of any stripe, and they come up early in the set – which features 18 tracks in all, most of which are ignored by oldies radio and lesser compilations. The Ronettes at their most essential! Other tracks include "Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love" and "So Young" (as Veronica), "Do I Love You?", "When I Saw You", "Paradise", "Here I Sit", "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered", "Everything Under The Sun", "I Can Hear Music" and more. CD

Some folks might associate Philadelphia soul with the famous Gamble & Huff productions of the 70s disco years – but the city was already overflowing with great music in the years before Philadelphia International – as you'll hear in this totally groovy set! Philly was making as much great soul music in the 60s as Detroit, Chicago, and New York – thanks to an earlier musical framework that was set up by the city's big pop hits of the late 50s – which provided plenty of labels, studios, and other facilities for Philly's ever-growing array of soul talents, too – so much so that by the end of the 60s, the city was turning into a destination for singers outside of town – almost as much of a musical magnet as studios in Memphis or Muscle Shoals! This set does a great job of bringing together both aspects of that scene – wonderful homegrown talent, mixed with outsiders to really took off in the new Philly sound of the 60s – a joyous, positive, upbeat approach that worked wonderfully well for a variety of artists. Titles include "Your Fool Still Loves You" by Oscar Weathers, "It's All Over But The Shouting" by George Tindley, "You've Been Untrue" by The Delfonics, "Ain't Nothing But A House Party" by The Show Stoppers, "Peace To You Brother" by Lou Johnson, "Christine" by Executive Suite, "Help Me" by Honey & The Bees, "You Got What I Need" by Freddie Scott, "Rainmaker" by The Moods, "Keep On Striving" by Moses Smith, "That's The Price You Have To Pay" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "What You Gave Up" by The Continental 4, "Every Day Is A Holiday" by The Intruders, "Standing In The Darkness" by The Ethics, and "Girl You're Too Young" by Len Barry. CD

Includes the songs "Space Oddity", "Changes", "Oh, You Pretty Things", "Life On Mars?", "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "John, I'm Only Dancing", "Suffragette City", "The Jean Genie", "Sorrow", "Drive In Saturday", "Diamond Dogs", "Rebel Rebel", "Young Americans", "Fame", "Golden Years", "TVC 15", "Be My Wife", "Sound & Vision", "Beauty & The Beast", "Heroes", "Boys Keep Swinging", "DJ", "Look Back In Anger", "Ashes To Ashes", "Fashion", "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)", "Under Pressure", "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)", "Let's Dance", "China Girl", "Modern Love", "Blue Jean", "Loving The Alien", "Dancing In The Street", "Absolute Beginners", "Day-In Day-Out", "Never Let Me Down", "Jump They Say", "Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy", CD

One of the best funky soul albums to come from the LA scene of the 70s – a relatively obscure indie set, but one that's shone brightly for years, thanks to attention from a host of global DJs! The style here is partly clubby, partly funk – with lots of jazzy touches that come from the super-tight instrumentation on the record – played by a lineup that includes some excellent guitar from the great David T Walker! Vocals are often balanced equally with instrumental passages – which themselves sometimes hit this excellent vibe that feels like a funky 70s soundtrack. Titles include the killer "She Puts The Ease Back Into Easy" – served up in two great parts – plus "Take A Little More", "Girl I Need You Too", "Baby You Really Got Me Going", and "Young Single & Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Okra", "Rain Shower", "Natchez Shopping Blues", "Your Lips", "Harlem Country Girl", "Zora","Young Mama", "Bubber (If Only)", "Father Blues", "Jungle Jay", and "Kiane". CD

A wealth of wonderful work from Marianne Faithfull, all pulled from those key early years when she was part of the musical world of Andrew Loog Oldham and the Rolling Stones! Yet right from the start, despite the fact that she sang a few Stones songs on her own (and wrote a few for the group, too) – Marianne was always very much her own singer, and had a way with a song that was quite different than most of the other UK girl pop artists of the time too! Faithfull sometimes has a trill, and always has a sense of darkness on these singles – almost in the territory of the young Nico, but more tuneful and less moody – and superbly set up in just the right sort of arrangements by Mike Leander, David Whitaker, and even the great Jack Nitzsche. CD features all the a and b-sides of these early singles, plus a huge amount of notes – and 22 tracks that include "Morning Sun", "Sister Morphine", "As Tears Go By", "Summer Nights", "The Sha La La Song", "Something Better", "I'd Like To Dial Your Number", "Counting", "That's Right Baby", "Tomorrow's Calling", "This Little Bird", "What Have I Done Wrong", and "Go Away From My World". CD

Killer work by this fab Chicago soul group – a bunch of young kids, ala The Jackson Five, with sweet soul sound that actually predates the work of Jermaine and Michael and Tito, and which paved the way for countless 70s groups to come! The Five Stairsteps were first discovered by Curtis Mayfield – who wrote and produced a number of tracks on the set – but they had a strength of their own (thanks in part to a young Keni Burke, who was in the group), and continued to grow over the years, changing their sound to fit their expanding ages, and the changing material they needed to cope with the growth in soul in the early 70s. The set's filled with classics – including the super-huge hit "Ooh Child", plus "The Girl I Love", "Behind Curtains", "Come Back", "World Of Fantasy", "You Waited Too Long", "We Must Be in Love", "Oooh, Baby Baby", "Don't Waste Your Time", "Something's Missing", and the break-heavy "Don't Change Your Love". CD

A groundbreaking album from the young John Hartford – not really folk, not really country – but a unique hybrid of both, and done with a good ear for unique sounds as well! Hartford's a really unique artist, especially at this key point in his career – and he's working here with producer David Bromberg, who himself was also helping to reinvent acoustic music at the time. The Warner Brothers placement of the record is key – as Hartford's got this sense of the past, mixed with the irony of the present – one which strongly echoes some of the hip rock contemporaries on the label, particularly the up and coming brand of post-Sunset LA talents. Titles include "Turn Your Radio On", "Up On The Hill Where They Do The Boogie", "First Girl I Loved", "With A Vamp In The Middle", and "Tear Down The Grand Ole Opry". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic soul from the Chicago scene of the 60s – the legendary first ABC album by Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions! Although the group first broke big on Vee Jay Records, it was at ABC that their genius really took flight – tightening up the harmonies of the earlier singles, and hitting a mode that was a lot more soul than the doo wop of their roots! The sound here is a great bridge between the two eras of the group's career – and a number of the best tracks here are done in a mellow, gentle sort of way that relies heavily on the harmonies – crackling out with beautifully human sounds throughout. Nearly every tune is an original by Curtis Mayfield – and there's not a spot of filler on the album! Titles include "Minstrel & Queen", "Gypsy Woman", "Never Let Me Go", "It's All Right", "Sad Sad Girl & Boy", "Little Young Lover", "Can't You See", and "I Need Your Love". Nice cover, too – with Curtis smiling the biggest ol' bucktoothed smile you'll ever see! LP, Vinyl record album

Surprisingly soulful stuff from this Canadian combo – an album produced by Felix Pappalardi, with a sound that definitely shows his touch! Although they've got a British-sounding name, the group work in much warmer territory overall – personally-penned tunes that sometimes have the gentleness of folk, but often have a fuller presence too – especially in the way the vocals come up close, and the instrumental mix has a nice sense of depth. There's some compelling use of trumpet alongside the core guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums – and the album also features a bit of sitar too. Titles include "Phoebe", "I Would Be The One", "Speaking Of Dreams", "Looking Glass", "Beatrice", "Girl Is Young", and "Presenting Myself Lightly". CD

Ramsey and the classic trio with Eldee Young and Red Holt – grooving away on a pot luck batch of tunes that includes material from a wide wide variety of sources, all turned into soul jazz magic by the boys! Believe it or not, Ramsey takes tunes like "Andaluza", "Arrividerci Roma", "Loch Lomond", "Nature Boy", and "Sheandoah", and arranges them with a hiply swinging style that makes you forget what they ever sounded like in the first place. Throw in some originals – like "We Blue It Again", "Look A Here", and "Swamp Girl" – and you've got pretty nice batch of tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Louvin's amazing late career creative upswing continues with these Murder Ballads And Disaster Songs – the kind he's sung for 50 something years – done wonderfully this time for Tompkins Square! Back in the 50s, the Louvin Brothers put out 2 widely disparate theme albums in a short stretch, the ominous Tragic Songs Of Life and the spiritual Satan Is Real – and Charlie does a similar thing with this record and its counterpart Steps To Heaven. He does magic with a few numbers from Tompkins Square's superlative People Take Warning box set of archival folk & blues recordings, and a few other gems, with sly honky tonk arrangements. Mark Nevers staffs the sound with some of the best young pickers and players in Nashville, including Chris Scruggs, William Tyler, Ben Hall & others – and as a bonus, we always love it when Andrew Bird lays off the whistling, the live looping and gimmickry, and just fiddles – as he does wonderfully here on "Darling Corey". Other tracks include "Wreck Of Old 97", "Katy Dear", "Down With The Old Canoe", "The Little Grave In Georgia", "My Brother's Will", "Dixie Boll Weavel", "Is This My Destiny", "Mary Of The Wild Moor", "My Texas Girl" and more. CD

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". CD

One of the records that put a young Brother Jack McDuff on the map – and a perfect example of the rougher R&B roots that first emerged in his early work on the Hammond! The session's got a much more down-n-dirty feel than some of McDuff's tighter 60s quartet work – and offers a nice bridge between 50s use of the organ in R&B, and the growing soul jazz take on the instrument that McDuff was helping to forge at the time. The group's a real cooker too – with some great work on guitar by a young Grant Green, smoking tenor from Jimmy Forrest, and lyrically dancing drums from the great Ben Dixon. Titles include the great original "Whap!", plus versions of "I Want A Little Girl" and "The Honeydripper" – and an excellent reading of Henry Mancini's "Mr Lucky", virtually worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

How old was Foster Sylvers when he cut this record? Seven? Eight? Whatever the case, the little tyke forever changed the face of funky music with the incredible cut "Misdemeanor" – one of those chunky funky numbers that sounds like nothing else we've ever heard, and which has been in demand on the groove scene for years and years. The cut's simply amazing, and it kicks off a record that's pretty darn tasty all-around. Young Foster's singing in kind of a Jackson Five mode – but he's got some great arrangements by Jerry Peters, David Crawford, and King Errison that keep things pretty funky on many tracks, and nice and soulful on the rest. A good portion of the numbers are covers, but even those are done nicely. Titles include the classic "Misdemeanor", plus "I'm Your Puppet", "Hey Little Girl", "Mockingbird", "I'll Get You In The End", "Swooperman", "More Love", "Happy Face", "Lullabye/Uncle Albert", and "Only My Love Is True". CD

Pure genius from the young Van Morrison – with titles that include "Gloria", "Route 66", "Here Comes The Night", "Mystic Eyes", "One More Time", "I Like It Like That", "Little Girl", "One Two Brown Eyes", and "I'm Gonna Dress In Black". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the most famous Muddy Waters songs ever recorded – served up here in all its fantastically raw glory! The tune's got Waters playing a famous electric guitar vamp that may well have become the blueprint for countless bar bands to come – but serving up the lyrics with a wit that none of them could ever hope to manage – all urged on by this wild girl chorus that really gives the tune an odd edge! And "Young Fashioned" is great, too – a bit tighter, and with a mean harmonica part in the middle! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A lot more brash and bold than you might guess from the title – not just sleepy seduction music, but a batch of really dynamic tunes that will really push the limits of your hi-fi! Most numbers here are instrumental, although some of them have some occasional vocal refrains in the mix – and most have rhythms that are slinky and seductive – never too over the top, but filled with jazzy flourishes and some compelling instrumental moments – so much so that you'll be fine in your pad on your own, even without a girl! Titles include "Like Young" by Dave Pell, "Playboy's Penthouse" by Cy Coleman, "Shangri La" by Spike Jones, "A Shot In The Dark" by Jimmie Haskell, "Melancholy Sounds" by King Curtis, "Night Train" by Alvin Rey, "The Beast" by Milt Buckner, "Cool" by Lou Busch, "Sexe" by Line Renaud, "Caravan" by John Buzon Trio, "Spring Sprang Sprung" by Jack Fascinato, and "Theme From Our Man Flint" by Elliot Fischer. CD

An early chapter in the career of the great Mama Cass – a pre-Mamas & Papas combo that had a sweet folksy sound! The group features Cass with singers Tim Rose and Jim Hendricks – in a style that shares a lot of the harmonizing styles of The Mamas & The Papas, but which has an overall sound that was much more in the mode of some of the folk groups of the time. The instrumentation's pretty spare overall – usually just slight percussion and guitar – and the bulk of the tunes are carried by the vocals, which makes the music a wonderful showcase for Cass' great voice! The CD features 21 tracks in all, plus notes on the group – and tracks that include "Anna Fia", "I May Be Right", "Silkie", "Ringo", "Come Away Melinda", "Young Girl's Lament", "Come Along", "It Makes A Long Time Man Feel Bad", "Dark As A Dungeon", and "Wild Women". CD

Some of the greatest moments from David Bowie, mixed with some rare tracks, collaborations, 45 mixes, and more – as well as the single "Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)" – which is one of Bowie's best singles in years! The package is available in a number of varieties, with a number of covers – and each different iteration offers a special sort of focus on Bowie's varied creative career – reminding us in more different ways how much we've continued to love his music over the years! This 3CD version features the track "Sue" – plus 58 more tracks that include"All The Young Dudes", "Dancing In The Streets" with Mick Jagger, "Silly Boy Blue", "Can't Help Thinking About Me", "Liza Jane", "You've Got A Habit Of Leaving", "Wild Is The Wind (2010 Harry Maslin mix)", "Buddha Of Subburbia", "Your Turn To Drive", "The Stars Are Out Tonight", "Blue Jean", "This Is Not America" with Pat Metheny, "Oh You Pretty Things", "Moonage Daydream", "Drive In Saturday", "Sorrow", "Fame", "Boys Keep Swinging", "Fashion (single)", "Ashes To Ashes (single)", "Love Is Lost (DFA hello Steve Reich mix)", "New Iller Star (radio)", "I'm Afraid Of Americans (V1 radio edit)", "Jump They Say (radio)", "Let's Dance", "Life On Mars", "Hello Spaceboy (PSB rmx)" with Pet Shop Boys, "Under Pressure" with Queen, "Sound & Vision", "Golden Years (single)", "Absolute Beginners (single)", "Starman (single)", "Rebel Rebel", "Jean Genie (orig single version)", "Changes", "Where Are We Now", "China Girl (single)", and "Heroes (single)". CD

Stunning funky soul by California Playboys – a heck of a record that should have made the Playboys a huge combo at the time! It's a shame the group didn't become millionaires – but the obscurity of the record is maybe also one of its charms – the kind of small label set that never fully got its due at the time, but which is ripe for rediscovery all these many years later! The California Playboys were together for a number of years – forming as a backing band for singer Lester Young (not the sax player), doing session work for others, and otherwise developing their skills for years – all of which really comes through here in their sharp-edged instrumentation, which sounds even sharper in the 70s indie-level production for the album. The killer title tune sounds like it could (and should!) be the namesake tune of a funky mid 70s soundtrack – as it's really got a perfect cinematic soul vibe, ala Bobby Womack and Marvin Gaye – though in a tighter, smaller combo setting. Most tunes start with vocals and end with long instrumental riffing – and titles include"Double Love", "She's A Real Sweet Woman", "Just Say A Four Letter Word", "I've Got To Find Myself Another Girl", and "Turned On For Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A great CD that combines most of the material on Art's two albums for Argo – Art (1960) and Perception (1961). Art is a beautiful album of understated brilliance – one of Farmer's early shifts into the sublime, an easily blown batch of trumpet tracks played with trio backing by Tommy Flanagan, Tommy Williams, and Albert Heath. The tracks are all in the four to five minute range, with Art crafting lyrically soulful lines over the top. Titles include "Who Cares", "Out Of The Past", "Younger Than Springtime", "That Ole Devil Called Love", and "Goodbye Old Girl". Perception is similar, an amazingly beautiful set of tracks from Art – playing with superb accompaniment from a young Harold Mabern, in a laidback quartet format that really lets Art open up! Art's playing is fresh and creative throughout – never over the top, with that subtle genius that he was bringing to his work in the 60s – and the choice of material includes Tom McIntosh's great composition "The Day After", plus Art's "Punsu" and "Kayin". One track from each album has been omitted to fit the material on one CD (which is BS, by the way, as the CD is only 64 minutes long!) – but if you can stand having the incomplete versions of the albums, this is a great deal for some rare material! CD

The definitive classic of the post-millennium Flaming Lips! Weird and bubbly and soul-searchingly introspective at the the same time, metaphorically at least – there's only so much navel gazing that can happen on an album with a young girl vs giant robots motif – this one to another step in their newfound love of more layered sounds and electronics that came out so strong on the critically and fan-beloved, but at the time commercially overlooked The Soft Bulletin, with songs that manage to some of their oddest and catchiest at the same time. Includes "Fight Test", "One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21", "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots" (Pts 1 & 2), "Egotripping At The Gates Of Hell", "Are You A Hypnotist??", "Do You Realize??", "All We Have Is Now" and more. CD

Two tasty numbers from this obscure girl group from the early 70s. Both tracks have the Fuzz singing in a more sophisticated style than their contemporaries – not giving into "little girl" sorts of love lyrics, but hitting a more mature, ultimately more sexy approach to the material. Nice stuff, and both tracks are written by Sheila Young. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Storming soul from Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford – one of the hardest-hitting duos of the early 60s, and a pair who set the tone for countless other acts to come! The style here is definitely soul, but steeped in plenty of R&B too – partly from Dee Dee's smoking work on Hammond, and the way her vocals come together with Don's – almost more live than any other studio work of its type – with a spontaneous vibe that always kept the Gardner/Ford singles mighty interesting! Don had worked previously with Jimmy Smith and Groove Holmes as the organist in his group – but when Dee Dee hit the mix, the sound really took off – as Gardner's rich vocals found their perfect counterpart in the energy of the young keyboardist and singer. The set's one of the best we've ever seen to bring together their work for the Fire label – and features their full album I Need Your Lovin, plus 18 more bonus tracks from singles – titles that include "You Said", "Make The Girl Love Me", "I Need Your Lovin", "I Left There Crying", "This Lonely Place", "Dog Eat Dog", "The Quicker The Better", "Bad Luck", "TCB", "Forever In Your Lover's Arms", "Everybody Needs Love", "Lead Me On", "Let's Go To The Party", and a rare complete unedited version of "I Need Your Lovin". CD

A groundbreaking album from the young John Hartford – not really folk, not really country – but a unique hybrid of both, and done with a good ear for unique sounds as well! Hartford's a really unique artist, especially at this key point in his career – and he's working here with producer David Bromberg, who himself was also helping to reinvent acoustic music at the time. The Warner Brothers placement of the record is key – as Hartford's got this sense of the past, mixed with the irony of the present – one which strongly echoes some of the hip rock contemporaries on the label, particularly the up and coming brand of post-Sunset LA talents. Titles include "Turn Your Radio On", "Up On The Hill Where They Do The Boogie", "First Girl I Loved", "With A Vamp In The Middle", and "Tear Down The Grand Ole Opry". CD

Great musings on love and other weirdness – done in the amazingly offbeat style of the young John Hartford! Titles include "Windows", "This Eve Of Parting", "The Six O'Clock Train & A Girl With Green Eyes", "Landscape Grown Cold", "Prayer", "Empty Afternoon Of Summer Longing", and "Natural To Be Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early trio moment from Keith Jarrett – a set that steps off some of his previous Standards albums for ECM, but which also has more of a personal flavor as well! The group here is that great combo with Gary Peacock on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums – both really open, fluid players who make the music really sparkle alongside Jarrett's piano – offering up tunes that are mostly standards, but in really unique variations! The album's a tribute to key musical heroes – Lee Konitz, Jim Hall, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, and others – but the overall sound is pure Jarrett all the way through, on titles that include "Lover Man", "Solar", "Sun Prayer", "Little Girl Blue", "U Dance", "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men", and "All The Things You Are". CD

Jefferson Airplane's weirder follow-up to Surrealistic Pillow – and a pretty incredible record – concentrating their sprawling psychedelic impulses into fairly succinct 3 to 4 minute songs, for the most part! It's a creative approach, and it's a brave record. If Surrealistic Pillow lured the mainstream into the rabbit hole, this one is the tripped out tea party inside! Only a couple of tunes roll past the 5 minute mark, so it never gets too far out, and it's got plenty of chugging, bluesy rock to keep it neat. Includes "The Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil", "Young Girl Sunday Blues", "Martha", "Wild Tyme", "Two Heads", "Watch Her Ride", "Won't You Try/Sunday Afternoon"and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Jefferson Airplane's weirder follow-up to Surrealistic Pillow – and a pretty incredible record – concentrating their sprawling psychedelic impulses into fairly succinct 3 to 4 minute songs, for the most part! It's a creative approach,and it's a brave record. If Surrealistic Pillow lured the mainstream into the rabbit hole, this one is the tripped out tea party inside! Only a couple of tunes roll past the 5 minute mark, so it never gets too far out, and it's got plenty of chugging, bluesy rock to keep it neat. Includes "The Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil", "Young Girl Sunday Blues", "Martha", "Wild Tyme", "Two Heads", "Watch Her Ride", "Won't You Try/Sunday Afternoon"and more. CD

We've never been sure if the title's supposed to indicate that Stacy Lattisaw's finally celebrated her 16th birthday, but the album's definitely a key bit of teen pop from the 80s – filled with catchy crossover tunes and a bouncy approach to soul! The record's a bit more unified than some of Lattisaw's earlier albums – and shakes off some of the ballads of before for a range of tunes that playfully deal with themes in a young girl's life. There's a few numbers that get a bit more mature and grown up, but as usual, Stacy actually sounds best on the catchier pop numbers – titles that include "Million Dollar Babe", "16", "Black Pumps & Pink Lipstick", "What's So Hot Bout Bad Boys", and "Johey". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Hubert Laws went onto cut some pretty snoozy fusion records in later years, these early Atlantic albums find him playing with a great soul jazz groove, laying down nice slightly-funky flute solos with a very good groove. The group on the Laws of Jazz includes a young Chick (then called "Armando") Corea on piano, then a much more Latin-tinged player – and the rest of the group includes Richard Davis on bass and Bobby Thomas on drums. Laws' flute is the main solo vehicle – and tracks include "Bimbe Blue", "Miss Thing", "All Soul", and "Black Eyed Peas & Rice". A great little set of Latin jazz! At the time of Flute By-Laws, Hubert Laws was playing with Mongo Santamaria's group – and for this second solo outing, Laws borrows a lot of grooves from Mongo's bag, and also hits a few tasty lines of his own. There's some killer tight Latin numbers with a groovy 60s feel – like "Bloodshot", "Let Her Go", "Baila Cinderella", and "No You'd Better Not" – plus some other tasty jazz numbers like "Mean Lene" and "Strange Girl". Players include a host of Latin jazz crossover talents like Chick Corea, Jimmy Owens, Garnett Brown, and Ray Lucas – as well as strict Latin players like Cachao and Victor Pantoja – and the album's one of Laws' best ever! CD

A long-overdue collection of the brilliant work of German easy composer Berry Lipman! Lipman was the hipster monniker of bandleader Friedel Berlipp – a pseudonymn that Berlipp used for a series of dreamy and groovy easy listening albums in the late 60s and 1970s, records that were a blend of European tropical fantasies with some of the easy grooves that were coming out of American labels like A&M. Lipman's style is heavy on the horns – in a manner that's a bit like Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass, but with a smoother 70s sound. Imagine the Love Boat soaring through some easy bossa island – trumpet in the lead, groovy TV singers in the background, with soaring strings and the slightest touch of funk from time to time – and you've only got part of the picture! The set's put together with a lot of care – and it includes some English notes and photos of Lipman looking very groovy in the 70s. Titles include "Concerto For Young Lovers", "Night Fever", "Wives & Lovers", "Bonita Carmencita", "Beach Party In Santa Cruz", "Hey Du", "I Like It", "Easy Drummin", "Helicopter Power", "Girl Talk", "The Girl From Ipanema", and "Saludos Amigos". CD

A great little album from Teena Marie – one that's dedicated to the late Minnie Riperton (who'd passed during the previous year), and which is produced by Riperton's husband/collaborator Richard Rudolph. Teena's got more than a few of Minnie's tricks up her sleeve on the best cuts, singing in a smooth sweet soulful style that makes for some of her best vocals on record at the time. Lovely, soulful work from Teena – one of her best! Titles include "Behind The Groove", "Aladdin's Lamp", "Now That I Have You", "Can It Be Love", "Too Many Colors", and "Young Girl In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly one of the best-remembered albums by John Mayall's legendary Blues Breakers combo – thanks to vocals and guitar from a young Eric Clapton! Clapton at this point is way fresher than in later years – not prone to cliches, and still coming across with a raw, edgey power that is drenched in American blues tradition. Mayall's great too – wailing on harmonica, organ, and piano – and other members of the core group include John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums – augmented by contributions from UK jazzers John Almond on baritone sax and Alan Skidmore on tenor. Titles include "All Your Love", "Little Girl", "Key To Love", "Parchman Farm", "Have You Heard", "It Ain't Right", and "Steppin Out". Plus, the 2CD set features a huge amount of bonus tracks – including the additional 1969 stereo mixes for the album (main album presented in mono), and a full bonus disc of live tracks from BBC Saturday Club Sessions and The Flamingo Club – plus singles on the Pye, Immediate, and Purdah labels! 19 tracks on disc 2 – a good number previously unreleased! CD

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Now Brothers", and "Find Yourself". This version is overflowing with bonus tracks – 9 more than the original album, pulled from singles on GSF and Mercury – with titles that include "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", "I'm A Young Man", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "No", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", and "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)". 18 tracks on the CD. CD

A perfect batch of classic and should-be classic girl group soul from The Ronettes – a set made of the prime era Phil Spector recordings – with the legendary, unshakable (for good reason) couple of biggest hits and a whole bunch of lesser-remembered gems that are just as brilliant! "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You" are as iconic as any 60s hits of any stripe, and they come up early in the set – which features 18 tracks in all, most of which are ignored by oldies radio and lesser compilations. The Ronettes at their most essential! Other tracks include "Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love" and "So Young" (as Veronica), "Do I Love You?", "When I Saw You", "Paradise", "Here I Sit", "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered","Everything Under The Sun" & more. CD

One of the great fake live albums of the 60s – a set that promises to be a concert performance from the title and cover, but which actually just features The Seeds playing live together in the studio! Yet that little trick is hardly a problem – because the album's the last-ever from this seminal group, and captures them in a format that really lets them take off! Their studio sessions were always great, but this one's got a special edge from letting all the instruments work together in the same space at once, with no edits or dubs. The core combo sounds wonderful – searing guitar, trippy keyboard lines, and all the sneering vocals the young Sky Saxon can muster – served up over tracks that include "Mr. Farmer", "No Escape", "Satisfy You", "Night Time Girl", "Up In Her Room", "Gypsy Plays His Drums", "Mumble And Bumble", "Forest Outside Your Door", "900 Million People Daily All Making Love", and "Pushin' Too Hard". CD

Titles include "Devil's Workshop", "Just In Time", "Life", "Gin House Blues", "When I Was A Young Girl", "Back Lash", and "See Line Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A great addition to the Nina Simone catalog – material recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival on a number of different dates – all very different performances that really show the legendary singer at the top of her game! The setting shifts here from date to date – the package features shows from 1968, 1976, 1981, 1987, and 1990 – with early material that features a full group with Henry Young on guitar and Sam Waymon on organ, plus later sets that feature a trio, a duo with harmonica player Claude Nobs, a solo piano/vocal date, and a final set with guitar, vibes, and keyboards. As with other live performances, Nina is completely stunning – able to completely transform tunes with that legendary vocal style, and augmenting her words with all the right touches on piano. Titles include "Just In Time", "African Mailman", "Me Me Quitte Pas", "Liberian Calypso", "Stars", "Don't Smoke In Bed", "Little Girl Blue (parts 1 & 2)", "Backlash Blues", "See Line Woman", "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free", "Four Women", "No Woman No Cry", "Montreux Blues", and "My Baby Just Cares For Me". 2CD set features 29 tracks in all – including the full 14 song performances recorded at Casino Kursaal in 1968! CD

Searing early work from this legendary group – recorded live at the Marquee in London, with a very young Eric Clapton on guitar – and titles that include "Too Much Monkey Business", "Respectable", "Here Tis", "I'm A Man", "Five Long Years", "Pretty Girl", "Smokestack Lightnin", and "I Got Love If You Want It". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. LP, Vinyl record album

Mellow soul heaven – and one of the greatest compilations of this style we've ever heard! This is exactly the kind of laidback, tripped-out soul we totally love – a host of rare ballads and love songs pulled from the 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – sometimes by groups who are better known for funky tracks, other times by overlooked harmony groups and solo singers who rival the greatness of east coast artists like The Moments or Whatnauts! Titles include "I Don't Think I'll Ever Love Another" by Darling Dears, "Slippin Around" by Thomas East, "Since You've Been Gone" by Little Janice, "Love" by Black Conspirators, "What Am I Waiting For" by Black Exotics, "Who Do You Think You're Fooling (part 1)" by Symphonic Four, "I'll Find A True Love" by Lee Bonds, "Young Girl" by Jazzie Cazzie & The Eight Sounds, and "Is It Me You Really Love" by Black Velvet. LP, Vinyl record album

Not just cool jazz – despite what the title might say – and instead a whole host of soulful jazzy styles from the late 50s and early 60s – pulled forth from the kind of singles that once boomed from backroom jukeboxes in taverns on the south side of town! The collection is great – very much in the spirit of some of the Mod Jazz compilations on Ace, but maybe even a bit more farther-reaching too – and the tracks are a great mix of instrumental and vocal jazz numbers, put together with the same great ear as the soul collections on the Outta Sight label. Titles include "Like Young" by Ann Henry, "I Walk The Streets" by Lyn Avalon, "Scenes In The City (edit)" by Charles Mingus, "Comin Home Baby" by Dave Bailey, "Johnny With The Gentle Hands" by Cootie Williams & Wini Brown, "Baby Do You Ever Think Of Me" by Sonny Stitt, "Goodbye Old Girl" by Art Farmer, "Wayning Moments" by Wayne Shorter, and "Sack O Woe" by Ray Bryant. CD

An obscure set, but a great one too – the only full album ever recorded by Flo Bennett, a singer who started in Denver, moved to LA, and managed to cut this sweetly jazzy session with help from arranger Ernie Freeman! The album's on the tiny Gift label, but it's got the care and poise of bigger-label sets from the time – particularly some of the late 50s girl singer sessions on RCA, especially those with a more jazz-based feel. The group's a small combo – with Plas Johnson on tenor, John Anderson on trumpet, and Irving Ashby on guitar – and the tunes themselves are mostly pretty fresh, and include some lesser-known mid-century numbers amidst more familiar standards. Flo's vocal style is nicely raspy at points – almost world-weary, despite a relatively young age – and songs include "Lonely Winter", "If You Were Me", "What To Do", "Half Past Lonely", "Saturday Night", "Out Of Town", "Laugh At Me", and "Never Been So Lost". CD