Numero, 1970s.
A sweet selection of mellow grooves – served up here in a package that's got a beautiful image of our hometown on the cover! The sunny shot of the Windy City in the 70s is perfect for the vibe of the album – as the whole thing brings together overlooked tracks from the vast reaches of ...
(Rock LP)
Studio One, Late 1960s. (reissue)
A Studio One classic from keyboardist Jackie Mittoo – and a set that's one of his funkiest solo sets as well! The album has Jackie on both piano and organ – the latter of which he handles as if he's the Stax-era Booker T to the sound of Studio One – which is delivered here with a ...
(Reggae LP)
Lee, 2024.
We've been digging the music of Lee for years, and he just seems to get better and better with each new record – effortlessly working in a mature blend of soul and jazzy currents, in a style that's a real cut above so many of his contemporaries on the indie scene! Lee has a great way with a ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Drag City, Mid 1990s. 2CDs
A great addition to the too-short legacy of Gastr Del Sol – that legendary pairing of the young David Grubbs and Jim O'Rourke, at a time when both were poised between earlier work in more rock-based music, and a famous future to come in much more experimental modes! The special balance that ...
(Rock CD)
Jude/Jazz Room (UK), 1982. (reissue)
A totally cool record, and one that takes some older jazz concepts and really pushes them into a groove! The leader here is saxophonist Ronnie April – who blows alto, tenor, soprano, and flute – soloing strongly on each track – but the album also has this blend of male and female ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note, 1962. (reissue)
One of the greatest albums ever from Blue Note tenor giant Hank Mobley – a set that really explodes in all the new directions Hank was taking in the 60s! Mobley in the 50s was already the stuff of legend – a tremendous soloist on tenor, and every bit his own man – firmly focused ...
(Jazz LP)
Monument/Iron Mountain Analog Research (Australia), Late 1960s. Gatefold
Really great work from the overlooked Henson Cargill – a country singer with a great way of commenting on changes in society in the late 60s – often with a wry wit, and the kind of sharpness that makes this music a nice change from other Nashville sounds at the time! Henson's got a ...
(Folk/Country LP)
Four Flies (Italy), 1976.
That's the great Tomas Milian on the cover – looking like a slightly comedic undercover cop – which is a good way to highlight the music on this soundtrack! The work is definitely in the cop/crime territory of the Gudio and Maurizio DeAngelis team, but there's also a lighter feel to ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Salsoul/Soulmusic.com (UK), Late 1970s. 8CD
Vince Montana might look a bit hokey on the cover – but over the course of a few short years, he helped transform the sound of the soulful dancefloor with the huge amount of music on this set – a stunning legacy that's presented here with expanded versions of the group's full albums ...
(Soul CD)
Piano Piano, 2024.
One of the coolest albums we've ever heard from Sven Wunder – a set that not only takes on an old school sound library instrumental mode, but serves it up with all sorts of Japanese and East Asian touches! The rhythms are funky, and laced with keyboards – but there's also some sounds ...
(New Grooves LP)
Joe Gibbs (UK), 1980. (reissue)
An album that follows very strongly in the spirit of the legendary Two Sevens Clash album from Culture – done in a very similar mode, with older soulful Jamaican harmony vocals expressing roots themes of the late 70s – all set to superb production from Joe Gibbs! Both Gibbs and Errol ...
(Reggae LP)
ABC/Elemental, 1971. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
BB King live in Japan – really cooking here on a concert performance that's quite different from his other live records of the time! The set's a double-length one – originally a 2LP set – and most tracks are nice and long, with lots more room for solos from BB – stretching ...
(Blues LP)
Studio 16 (UK), Mid 1970s.
Crucial cuts from a legendary time in the career of Lee Scratch Perry – the time when he was working in his Black Ark Studio, a space of nearly-mystical properties – and a place where Scratch created some of his first true moments of genius on record! Black Ark wasn't just a recording ...
(Reggae LP)
Now Again, 1977. (reissue)
The title might be a bit misleading – as Janet's a hit single from this legendary Zamrock group, and not a female member who joined them for the session – a confusion that instantly disappears once you drop the needle on the groove! Witch have continued their legendary 70s progression ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Sahel Sounds, 2024.
A set with a really cool concept, and one that takes the acoustic guitar sound of West Africa into very different territory – as Tidiane Thiam plays here with some great help from producer Makhtar N'Diaye, who adds in some percussion, samples, and other elements too! The aprroach is great, ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Blue Note, 1968. Gatefold (reissue)
A brilliant collaboration between vibist Bobby Hutcherson and reedman Harold Land – the first Blue Note album to feature the talents of the pair together, and a stone classic from the very first note! Hutcherson had already been making big waves for the label with his earlier sides – ...
(Jazz LP)
Iron Mountain Analog Research (Australia), Late 1950s/1960s/Early 1970s.
There's always something great afoot in the Hillbillies In Hell series – usually way more than you might guess from the theme hinted at on the cover, as the scope of songs within tend to deliver a lot more too! As with the other volumes, the music here is from the farther reaches of country ...
(Folk/Country LP)
Soul Jazz (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP Gatefold
An amazing second foray into the world of punk rock 45s – and the British chapter to the previous American volume from Soul Jazz! Like the first set, the track selection here is superb – no overdone punk "oldies" or overplayed classics – and instead a great range of ...
(Rock LP)
Acid Jazz (UK), Late 1960s.
Genius work from the British scene of the 60s – a set rare tracks from that first mod movement in the UK – a time when the young sound of London burst forth in ways of soul, psych, garage, and R&B! This package brings together some of the most stunning tracks from the Rare Mod CD ...
(Rock LP)
Subliminal Sounds, 1987.
Really lovely work from Japanese musician Shiho Yabuki – a set of keyboard ambient tracks that come across with a very subtle sense of beauty – really taking their time to find their way amidst the sonic space of the record, as Yabuki does more with less – but all in a way that ...
(Out Sound CD)
Hat Art (Switzerland), 1966/1968.
A pair of classic 60s albums from alto player Marion Brown – back to back in a single set! First up is Three For Shepp – an unbelievable recording! As Archie Shepp made his first album for Impulse a tribute to Coltrane, Marion Brown made his a tribute to Shepp – a wonderful ...
(Jazz CD)
Frasco/Universal (Japan), 1975.
Searing, soulful energy from this overlooked Japanese combo of the 70s – a crack quartet led by drummer Ryojiro Furusawa, working here with some great guest work on trombone from Shigeharu Mukai! The tunes are often very simple, but with a groove that's totally great – a bit of a modal ...
(Jazz CD)
Raadio Kohila (Estonia), Late 1960s/1970s/Early 1980s.
An unusual set – not the pop you might expect from the title, and instead a whole host of short, mostly instrumental tunes from very obscure Estonian animated films! The styles here follow a bit of the modes of Polish work from the period – lots of electronics, used in very cool ways ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Elemental, 1995. 2CD
A magical pairing of musicians – both of whom had come together in different formats, and who here showcase a great late meeting of their genius! The vibe is maybe similar to the Super Quartet that Lacy and Waldron were leading in the early 90s, but with a slightly different lineup – ...
(Jazz CD)
Elemental, 1969.
A killer combo from saxophonist Cannonball Adderley – a group that features George Duke on both acoustic and electric piano, stretching things out, and helping the Adderley brothers find an even more soulful groove than they had in the 60s! The George Duke approach really makes for a cool ...
(Jazz CD)
Shandar/Superior Viaduct, 1973. Gatefold (reissue)
Important 70s work from the great La Monte Young – a set that takes off strongly on his exploration of tones and sonic waves – heard here in two very unique settings! Side one features a quartet – with Young on voice and sine wave generator, alongside Jon Hassell on trumpet, ...
(Out Sound LP)
Alfa/Sony (Japan), 1980s. 2LP
A totally cool look at a totally cool label – the early home of YMO, and an imprint that was host to some of the coolest Japanese music in the 80s! Some of the artists on the Alpha label were already rising stars by the time the company launched in 1980 – but they found a new outlet ...
(Japanese LP)
Freedom/Muzak (Japan), 1967.
Genius early work from reedman Marion Brown – an album that was originally only issued overseas, where it was recorded – as part of that legacy that's always had Brown getting a lot more attention in Europe than back at home! Yet the record's a monster that stands equally with Marion's ...
(Jazz CD)
Teichiku/We Want Sounds (UK), 1972.
The debut album from Meiko Kaji – an artist most folks knew first as an actress, but whose voice finds a wonderful setting in this record! There's a gentle current of funk to most tracks – stepping electric bass next to soaring strings, a bit of horns, and great use of koto from time ...
(Japanese CD)
Soul Note (Italy), 1979. (reissue)
Seminal work from Billy Harper – one of his few albums to get wider exposure in the 70s, and searing set of righteous power all the way through! By this point in his career, Billy's really got a handle on his sound – and reaches forth here on tenor with a sense of majesty we'd rank ...
(Jazz LP)
Roadshow/Robinsongs (UK), Late 1970s. 4CD
An incredible legacy of funk – from a group who were easily one of the tightest, sharpest acts in the mainstream soul scene of the 70s! BT Express are a combo who pre-date disco, and whose grooves went a long way towards forging the blueprint for that mid 70s movement – but their music ...
(Soul CD)
Studio One, Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
It's reggae time from Studio One – which is maybe no surprise, as the legendary Jamaican imprint really helped get the music going before the big labels took over! This set's an obscure compilation from the best years of Studio One – and mixes rocksteady and early reggae tracks that ...
(Reggae LP)
Svart (Finland), 2008.
A fantastic soundtrack that's maybe a bit ahead of its time – full of spare sounds and textural elements that set a striking scene for the film in ways that are much more powerful than more dynamic music! There's an eerie, slow-building quality here that makes the whole thing even more ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Jazz City (Japan), 2024.
Beautiful photographs of beautiful spaces – and a really lovely book that shows that the Japanese jazz kissa scene is still going strong into the 21st Century! Jazz kissa are small bars and coffee spots that have superb sound systems and amazing record collections – vintage jazz vinyl, ...
(Book)
Four Flies (Italy), 2024.
Beautiful work from a really lovely Italian singer – a vocalist whose language you might not know, but who brings you in right away with an instantly seductive sound! Part of that sound comes from great use of keyboards – warming things up in all these great soulful styles, so that the ...
(New Grooves LP)
Four Flies (Italy), Mid 1970s.
A whole new world of grooves we've never heard before – music from a short stretch on the Italian scene when local artists were really taken with the new developments in Afro Funk, and started to serve up some fresh styles of their own! The music here is maybe a blend of West African sounds ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Tico/Craft, Mid 1960s. (reissue)
Killer combo work from the great Joe Cuba – a set recorded a few years before his big fame of the Latin Soul years – but in a way that shows how Joe was already shaking up the Latin scene in New York! After a generation when larger bands were seen as better, Joe works here with just a ...
(Latin LP)
Hot Casa (France), 1976. (reissue)
One of the clubbiest African records of the 70s – and a set that would be equally at home on a New York dancefloor as it would back in Lagos! Orlando Julius was always a funky cat – an artist with one ear keenly tuned to the American funk and soul underground, and ready to fuse those ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Reprise/Sundazed, 1966. (reissue)
A very cool later album from Duane Eddy – done at a time when his old wonderproducer Lee Hazlewood was having great success at Reprise Records – where he invited Eddy for an update of their previous style! The album's totally great – with more fuzz and distortion than previous ...
(Rock LP)
Ratspack (Japan), 2009.
You might know the work of Masahiko Togashi as a jazz percussionist – one who could sometimes make archly modern music – but the artist was also a great composer, especially of mellower ballads, of the sort that are featured on this set – a really loving set of remakes of his ...
(Jazz CD)
Three Blind Mice/Sony (Japan), 1970. (reissue)
Early work from this tremendous Japanese saxophonist – working here on both alto and soprano sax, in styles that are sharply angular, but also quite warm and soulful! Kosuke Mine's got a quality that's a bit like Joe Henderson at the same time – obviously informed by earlier hardbop, ...
(Jazz LP)
Piano Piano, 2024.
Sven Wunder evokes an older European style of painting with the cover and title of this set – and the tunes themselves are painterly, but also in a funky way too – a great mix of gentle grooves and larger instrumentation, all filled with the sorts of charms we love in older Italian film ...
(New Grooves LP)
SST/Superior Viaduct, 1983. (reissue)
Fast and loud sounds from The Dicks – an Austin band, but one who released this killer classic during the glory days of SST Records – as a set that could easily go head to head with the most hardcore work on the LA scene! The set shares plenty with its labelmates' efforts – a ...
(Rock LP)
Nicole/SeriE.WOC (Netherlands), 1974. (reissue)
A really fantastic record – a righteous blend of jazz and spoken word, served up at a level that rivals some of the famous collaborations between Langston Hughes and Charles Mingus! The tunes have a similar introspective quality to that work, but are delivered with a style that's maybe more ...
(Jazz LP)
Goldenlane/Cleopatra, 1969.
Really great early live work from The Commodores – recorded years before their big 70s fame at Motown, and with a nicely gritty vibe overall! The performance is a great one for anyone who's ever doubted the funk roots of the group – as the combo work at a level that's like the best ...
(Soul CD)
Omnivore, 2024.
Rare work from the late Maurice White – a really great solo set that follows the strong legacy of albums he spun off on his own when stepping aside for a moment from Earth Wind & Fire! The album's a collaboration with Preston Glass – who'd made great contributions to EWF as well, ...
(Soul CD)
Blue Note, 1957. 3LP Gatefold
The complete recordings of sessions that led to one of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever – and a genre-defining record that really introduced the world to the concept of a tenor saxophone trio! Rollins is incredible here – really at his best and most adventurous, and almost light ...
(Jazz LP)
Verve, 1965. Gatefold (reissue)
A standout session from guitar giant Kenny Burrell – and a set that's maybe one of his most modern albums of the 60s! The record features backings from arranger Gil Evans – most famous for his work with Miles Davis, and working here in a style that's nicely different with Kenny – ...
(Jazz LP)
Beat (Italy), 1976.
That's the great Tomas Milian on the cover – looking like a slightly comedic undercover cop – which is a good way to highlight the music on this soundtrack! The work is definitely in the cop/crime territory of the Gudio and Maurizio DeAngelis team, but there's also a lighter feel to ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Mocambo (Germany), 2024.
A mysterious record, but a great one too – a set that's got no information listed on the back cover regarding the group, but which contains sounds that are a great blend of jazz, funk, and Ethio modes – all served up with a wonderfully spiritual vibe! The drums are funky on most ...
(Jazz LP)
Colpix/Sundazed, 1965. (reissue)
A really great chapter in the 60s career of guitar giant Duane Eddy – a set that still has him working with Lee Hazlewood, the original producer who first brought him fame – in a set of all-Bob Dylan tunes that really sparkle with the twang heavy approach of Duane! There's some more ...
(Rock LP)
Polydor/7T's (UK), 1970s. 5CD
A great legacy of work from British singer Barry Ryan – an artist with all the sense of subtle drama that marked UK male pop acts of the 60s, but taken into some of the more sophisticated territory of the 70s! Barry was never going to be a hard rocker, but here he does have a way of taking ...
(Rock CD)
Polydor/Dynamite Cuts (UK), 1975. (pic cover)
Two great tracks from the legendary Onkel Po live album – bold, brilliant record from one of the funkiest ensembles of the 70s – and proof that Peter Herbolzheimer could groove as great in a live setting as he could in the studios of MPS! The session's done in a style that's right in ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Star Creature, 2024.
Excellent work from longtime Chicago legend Donnell Pitman – a mix of recent tracks, but material that also seems to have a much longer vintage too – served up here with a bit of mystery that makes the music even that much more enjoyable! There's plenty of basslines and boogie grooves ...
(Soul LP)
Soundway (UK), 1980s/Early 1990s. 2CDs
A long-overdue follow up to the legendary first Ghana Special collection – and one that presents a second chapter of work – not just from the regional scene, but from a time when some of its best artists were also recording in other nations too! The result is a more powerful, soulful ...
(Global Grooves CD)
RCA/BGO (UK), Mid 1960s. 2CDs
A trio of early RCA albums from vibes genius Gary Burton – all brought together in a single set! First up is New Vibe Man In Town – the first-ever album from vibist Gary Burton – a very young player at the time of recording, but one who's definitely worth the "new vibe ...
(Jazz CD)
Argo/Verve, 1959. (reissue)
A hip live date from Kenny Burrell – and a record that really showcases his amazing tone in a stripped-down trio setting! Burrell has a way of mixing chromatic chords with leaner lines that's simply breathtaking – qualities that really come out in the intimate space of the Village ...
(Jazz LP)
Elemental, 1969. 2CDs
The hippest side of Cannonball Adderley at the end of the 60s – that loose, soulful vibe he was serving up on some of his coolest records for Capitol at the time – stretched out here over some very long tracks recorded live in France! The year alone marks the record as a great one ...
(Jazz CD)
Sdban (Belgium), 1980s. 2CDs
Cool cuts from the 80s – a really well-done collection of under-discovered grooves from the scenes in The Netherlands and Belgium – music that we never would have heard otherwise! Some of the cuts here echo better-known UK work of the period, especially those which feature keyboards ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Mr Bongo (UK), 2024.
A contemporary set, but one that may well be destined to become an instant classic in the world of Brazilian music – as the young Rubel has a way of embracing so many traditions of his culture, while also finding a way to move things forward boldly! The approach here is different than some ...
(Brazil CD)
Digitmovies (Italy), 1977.
An unusual group that we only know from this one Italian soundtrack – and a combo who's not nearly as electronic as you might guess from their Kraftwerk-sounding name! Instead, the approach here is a bit like that of Goblin on their horror scores from the same time – a style that uses ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Flipper/Musica Per Immagini (Italy), 1983. (reissue)
A keyboard-driven picture of New York City – one of the many obscure sound library sets recorded by the shifting Gruppo Sound lineup – which in this case features the talents of Gabriele Ducros on the electric piano! The album's got a laidback vibe at times, and is sometimes a bit like ...
(Sound Library LP)
Argo/Rearward (Italy), 1963.
A fantastic early record by Sahib Shihab – a motherlode of modal jazz grooves, cut during the early days of the Clarke-Boland Big Band! The record features a core group of players from that ensemble – including Shihab on alto, baritone, and flute, plus Francy Boland on piano, Jimmy ...
(Jazz CD)
Fantasy/Craft, Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
Great work from a series that always delivers excellent music – one with a hokey title and concept, but a rock-solid set of grooves from the Fantasy/Concord catalog! There's an especially righteous vibe to this edition of the series – which you might guess from the title – tunes ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Three Blind Mice/Sony (Japan), 1976.
A record with a really beautiful title – and a sound that definitely lives up to the "Sailing Ice" on the cover! The music is very much in the best post-Coltrane mode – played by a group led by the great Japanese drummer Motohiko Hino, and featuring Mabumi Yamaguchi on tenor ...
(Jazz CD)
Jazz Detective/Elemental, 1972.
Two of the coolest trumpeters from the LA scene of the 50s – reunited here in a never-issued album from the start of the 70s! At the time of the set, Jack Sheldon was the real star of the date – big on TV, and a very confident, cool player – as well as a singer with a wonderfully ...
(Jazz CD)
RCA/Soul Bank (UK), 1974.
Really hard-jamming work from keyboardist Brian Auger – the first of a 2-part live set from the US, and easily some of his greatest work on record! The tracks are all very long and stretched out here – an extrapolation of the territory Auger was already exploring on studio sides, taken ...
(Jazz LP)
Gearbox (UK), 1980s/1990s/2000s. 2CD
A really great dive into the city pop years of Japanese music – and a collection that's a bit different than some others, in that it not only presents gems from the 80s, but also follows the evolution of city pop modes into later decades as well! There's a nice variety of styles here – ...
(Japanese CD)
Dusty Groove,
A stunning image of our legendary Chicago outpost – the three story building where Dusty Groove has resided since the start of the 21st Century, and a building that's chock full of music, every day of the week! The sleek images gets at the charms of our Wicker Park location, and our ...
(Dusty Groove Swag Photo)
British Progressive Jazz (UK), 2024.
A fierce, full-on session from British pianist Pat Smythe – a player you might know from more conventional settings, but who really lets loose here in this unreleased live set from the early 70s! Pat plays plenty of Fender Rhodes in addition to piano – and the set's got an especially ...
(Jazz CD)
Odeon/Life Goes On, 1970. (reissue)
An incredible early album by this legendary Brazilian band – a group who mix progressive elements with some of the new sounds from the 70s MPB generation! Som Imaginario are maybe not as countercultural as Os Mutantes or other Tropicalia artists, but they share with them a sense of pure ...
(Brazil LP)
Transversales Disques (France), Mid 1970s.
Brilliant work from the always- great Alain Goraguer – a musician who started out in jazz, then did classic arrangements for Serge Gainsbourg, and went on to some killer soundtrack material too! That's what you'll hear, in a package that brings together lost and un-reissued work from ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few
Almighty
Division 81, 2024.
An album that really lives up to its title – as the record sets out to prove to the world that Isaiah Collier is one of the most almighty talents on the saxophone in recent years! The album has a spiritual majesty that tops even the previous album with the Chosen Few group – as in ...
(Jazz CD)
Madlib Invazion, 2024.
One of the most keyboard-heavy sets in the excellent Madlib Invazion sound library series – a set that has all sorts of vintage keys and synth over lightly tripping grooves that are mighty nice! The approach is spacey and dreamy, yet still very funky – as the keys handle as much rhythm ...
(Sound Library LP)
Far East/Universal (Japan), 1971.
The first album recorded by Kazumi Watanabe, the Japanese guitarist whose firey style would go onto play a big part in the growth of that country's jazz scene during the 70s! This album's quite different from the later smoother work from Kaz – a pretty intense set, and it features Watanabe ...
(Jazz CD)
Local Tree (France), 2024.
Saxophonist Yann Jankielewicz got the title of the record as advice from the late Tony Allen, when working with Tony in the studio on a project – and Yann definitely takes that advice here, on a set that's partly jazz, but also channels some of the experience he had with Allen! The music is ...
(New Grooves LP)
Perfect Toy (Germany), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
The Perfect Toy label has an amazing way of coming up with grooves we've never heard before – really rare tracks that make us dig each new release from the label – just as they keep on digging for more rare records to make their releases great! We've been Hammond fans for decades ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
WeJazz (Finland), 2024.
A jam-packed issue of this mighty great magazine – one that not only features a big article on Carla Bley, pictured on the cover – but also more on reedman Azar Lawrence, pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, and improvising cellist Abdul Wadud! There's also more on John Zorn's Naked City, ...
(Magazine)
RCA/Soul Bank (UK), 1974. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
The second smoking Live Oblivion set from Brian Auger and crew – twice as long, and maybe even twice as funky as the first! The tunes on here all really push the ten minute mark – stretching out the original Auger conception on studio sides, and featuring plenty of room for really ...
(Jazz LP)
Sdban (Belgium), 2024.
A nicely expanded edition of this great series – one that still presents the contemporary cuts from the European scene that we loved on the first two volumes, but which also goes beyond jazz-based modes to include some very hip sounds in a variety of styles! The music this time around moves ...
(New Grooves CD)
Wings Of A Hummingbird (UK), 2024.
Terri Walker's every bit as great here as when we first fell in love with her music many years back – so much so that it's hard to believe there's been any passage of years, as the album's got all the freshness and sense of promise of the neo soul generation from back in the day! As before, ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Houseplant, 1970s/2024. 3LPs
Classic funk, rare soul, and contemporary goodies too – all served up in a beautiful package designed by the folks at Seth Rogan's Houseplant! As with the previous set, this one is divided into three modes – one record sativa, one indica, and the third a hybrid – capturing ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Grand Gallery (Japan), 2011.
A great one from Monday Michiru – sweet, soulful, and totally right on the money! The set's almost a return to the warm soul territory that first won us over in Monday's work from the 90s – as she takes on a whole host of older American soul tunes by Stevie Wonder, Teena Marie, and ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Jazz City (Japan), 2023.
A beautiful Japanese publication, one that looks at the long legacy of bars and coffee shops that focus on presenting quality jazz vinyl with high end sound systems – really amazing spots that are presented here in a special edition with full text in English! As with other issues of the ...
(Book)
Soul Note (Italy), 1982. (reissue)
Nothing too exotic here, as the album's a soulful romp from Frank Lowe – a set that has a nicely earthy feel overall, with lots of room for Lowe's wonderful sound on the tenor sax! The group here features some especially nice piano from Amina Claudine Myers – who is always a welcome ...
(Jazz LP)
Resonance, 1953. 3CD
A beautiful set of work from this legendary pianist – material that's issued here for the very first time, but which may well top some of the most important albums in Art Tatum's catalog! As with his classic 20th Century material, the setting here is a live one – the Blue Note club in ...
(Jazz CD)
PNL, 2024.
A huge ensemble, and one who create sounds that we never would have expected from avant jazz drummer Paal Nilssen-Love many years back – as the whole performance resonates with Ethiopian and Brazilian elements that are very different than some of the more improvised music that we usually ...
(Jazz CD)
Studio One/Soul Jazz (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s. 2LP
A killer collection of early work from Studio One – and a set that focuses on the ska and rocksteady that were the initial famous calling card of that legendary Jamaican label! Soul Jazz originally issued a smaller 7" single box set under the same title – but this version is ...
(Reggae LP)
Schema (Italy), 2024.
Maybe the greatest album to date from Toco – warm, jazzy, and filled with all of the best influences from Brazilian music – served up with live instrumentation that brings even more soul to the music than some of the artist's sparer sessions! Toco since throughout, with this raspy ...
(New Grooves LP)
Mood Mosaic (Italy), Late 60s/Early 70s.
The mood here is pretty darn groovy – so much so, it will help you get past the gratuitous image of naked women on the cover! Just keep your clothes on, and enjoy the wonderful selection of cuts within – funky numbers from a variety of genres – jazz, soul, easy listening, and ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Mainstream/Sundazed, Late 1960s. (reissue)
One of the headier groups in the Mainstream Records psychedelic scene of the late 60s – and that's saying a lot, considering the company the act were keeping on the label! December's Children features both a male and female vocalist, each of whom sing a bit solo, but also come together in ...
(Rock LP)
Tammy/Numero, 1960s/1970s.
Killer soul from a tiny label on a tiny scene – the small Tammy Records imprint, not to be confused with Motown partner Tamla – a really great indie from the Youngstown scene in east Ohio, and a company who cut some killer soul in the 60s and 70s! The label seem to have an especially ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Philips/Universal (Japan), 1970.
A really landmark album from the Japanese scene at the start of the 70s – one of the key records in which musicians like Takeru Muraoka were helping to discover something new and unique – a fantastic hybrid of modal jazz, freer solo moments, and some nice electric touches on keyboards ...
(Jazz CD)
BYG/Charly (UK), 1969.
The Art Ensemble at the height of their powers – really letting loose on the Parisian scene of the late 60s, where they found a great audience for all the new ideas they'd been brewing up back home! The album's definitely one that has the group's unique ethos coming into focus – that ...
(Jazz CD)
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio
Misty
Three Blind Mice/Craftman (Japan), 1974.
Not "Misty" in an Errol Garner sense – although Tsuyoshi Yamamoto serves up his own version of the tune here – and instead a hip set from the Three Blind Mice scene of the 70s, with a very open, freewheeling approach to piano trio work! Yamamoto's a bit straighter than some ...
(Jazz CD)
Gearbox (UK), 2021. 2LP Gatefold
Maybe the most majestic album from this very majestic group – a righteous combo of musicians whose sound is far more than the simple "cookers" name might imply – as they really reach for the skies with a masterful blend of talents from an all star group! Trumpeter David Weiss ...
(Jazz LP)
Cargo/Outernational (UK), 1979. (reissue)
A stunningly beautiful set of jazz from the Irish scene of the late 70s – a record that's completely unto its own, without any of the sort of generation-based elements you might expect – very much an individual expression of a really wonderful group! There's a rock-solid sense of ...
(Jazz LP)
Fantasy/Cleopatra, 1975. (reissue)
An overlooked album of funky guitar! Arthur Adams was one of the many excellent west coast session players of the early 70s – and if you check the notes on some of your favorite California soul albums, you'll find that you've probably heard his guitar an awful lot over the years! As with ...
(Jazz LP)
We Release Jazz (Switzerland), 2024. 2LP
A genre-stepping set of soul work from Mo Kolours – aka Joseph Deenmamode – a singer with roots in many styles, which he wraps together here wonderfully! At some level, the album takes the approach of a collaborative hip hop production, but in a way that uses live musicians – but ...
(Neo Soul LP)
Motown/Elemental, 1965. (reissue)
A great tribute to the late Sam Cooke – recently departed at the time of this 1965 album, taken from the world all too soon! The set features a host of tunes associated with Cooke's too-short career in soul music – done by The Supremes in a way that makes great use of their harmonies, ...
(Soul LP)
Three Blind Mice/Sony (Japan), Mid 70s. 2CDs
A great overview of work on the legendary Three Blind Mice label from 70s Japan – a crucial imprint that gave exposure to the new generation of Japanese jazz musicians who were forging a fresh sort of ideas apart from their counterparts in the US! Three Blind Mice was always a label that was ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Schema (Italy), 2024.
Maybe the most sensitive work we've ever heard from this Italian duo – a group who can sometimes be clubby, but who here lay back a bit more in the pacing of their rhythms, which allows for more introspection and careful consideration in the music! There's a range of different singers on the ...
(New Grooves CD)
Swing Theory, 2024.
Great work from one of our favorite jazz singers in recent years – an old school vocalist, but one whose school ranges from the best styles of the 50s through all the great advancements in jazz phrasing in the 70s! John Dokes works here with a sense of soul and class that's wonderful – ...
(Vocalists LP)
Philips/Universal (France), 1971. 3CD
French rocker Johnny Hallyday hits the 70s, with a sound and style that's a bit funky, and a bit touched by some of the crossover American trends coming out of the LA rock scene. This one's arranged mostly by Mickey Jones and Tommy Brown, who'd done some excellent work with Hallyday on earlier ...
(French CD)
Elemental, 1972. 2CDs
A never-issued live set from spiritual reed genius Yusef Lateef – one that was recorded during the years he was recording for Atlantic Records, but with a nicely different vibe! The tracks are all long, loose, and very open – Yusef blowing tenor, soprano sax, and flute – shifting ...
(Jazz CD)
Modern Harmonic, 1984. 2CD
The overlooked legacy of John Fekner – a New York artist who works here in the world of hip hop and electro soul – on tunes that are sometimes infused with lyrics that refer to the art concepts that inspire his creations! The sound is spare – just drum machine beats, bits of ...
(Rock CD)
Marlin/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978.
Tight work from this famous disco trio – a set recorded at Sigma Sound in NYC with lots of soaring strings, thanks to the disco perfection of producer Jacques Morali – who really found a great outlet for his talents with the group! And the album's also got some surprisingly soulful ...
(Soul CD)
Astigmatic (Poland), 2024.
A keyboard-heavy set by a group of musicians who all have roots in the London jazz scene – working together here in modes that are a bit more spacey and electric overall! The music has amazing drums from Chiminyo at the core – playing funkily, but also with some elements that almost ...
(New Grooves CD)
Favorite/P-Vine (Japan), 2024.
Wonderful music from Lucas Arruda – an artist who embraces some of the warmest, most soulful styles of Brazilian music from back in the 70s, but manages to deliver them with a crisp contemporary spin! There's a lot of vintage Azymuth-styled grooves here – wicked rhythms, excellent ...
(Brazil CD)
SR/Sonor (Italy), 1972. (reissue)
A gem of a sound library record from one of the all-time greats – and maybe one of the few artists who gave his equal all, whether he was cutting a full film soundtrack, or just a discreet batch of tracks like these in the studio! The music is as groovy as groovy can be – sometimes ...
(Sound Library LP)
Albina Music Trust, Late 1960s.
Fantastic funk from a totally obscure group – Portland's Shades Of Brown, a combo not to be confused with the Chicago group who recorded for Chess Records – but one who share a very similar sense of righteous soul! There's a heady groove to the record right from the start – ...
(Soul LP)
Strut (UK), 1986. 2LP
Some of the most unusual Sun Ra material of the 80s – a series of performances done with the Outer Space Visual Communicator – a unique instrument that mixed light and music together, and created a very trippy experience for both the Arkestra and the audience! Most of these tracks have ...
(Jazz LP)
Cellar Live, 1972. 2LP
Rare material from one of our favorite jazz musicians of all time – legendary Hammond hero Jack McDuff, heard here in a really wonderful setting! McDuff in the 60s was already great – an organist who played in ways that really stood out, with a sense of rhythm that was completely ...
(Jazz LP)
Sdban (Belgium), 2024.
A keyboard trio, but one with an approach that's very different than traditional modes – partly because they've always had a very inventive sound, but also because they're working here this time around with production from Jaga Jazzist! All the familiar elements are in place – bass ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note, 2024. 2LP Gatefold
A stunning setting for the guitar of Bill Frisell – and an album that's maybe even more beautiful than we might have expected! The record features Bill's core trio – with Rudy Royston on drums and Thomas Morgan on bass – but the real genius of the set may well come from the great ...
(Jazz LP)
Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combination & Brass
Hip Walk
Polydor/Made In Germany (Germany), 1976. (reissue)
A fantastic bit of funky jazz from German maestro Peter Herbholzheimer – an artist with a name that may not roll off the tongue, but whose groove is right up there with the best American artists of the CTI generation! Peter first got his start on the MPS label earlier in the 70s, and this ...
(Jazz LP)
Gearbox (UK), 2021.
Richly spiritual work from a group of London musicians who combine jazz modes with larger orchestrations – all at a level that's maybe somewhere between earlier projects from Cinematic Orchestra, and some of the LA jazz work of Miguel Atwood Ferguson! But as with so much London music of late ...
(Jazz CD)
Philips/Endless Happiness, 1970. Gatefold (reissue)
The legendary first album from Kraftwerk – a groundbreaking set recorded when the group was more of a proggish outfit, and still yet to make their mark in the world of electronics! As with early work by Cluster, the instrumentation here is often from more conventional rock sources, but ...
(Rock LP)
Astigmatic (Poland), 1972.
Beautiful improvised work from legendary Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko – work that's much more powerful and bracing than the atmospheric recordings he would do for ECM in later years! The work here comes right at a key moment for free jazz on the European scene – and Stanko works with ...
(Jazz CD)
Blue Thumb/Cleopatra, Early 1970s. 2CD
Arthur Adams has his roots in blues, but he comes across here with a wonderfully warm Cali soul sort of vibe – that mix of earthy currents and tighter touches that was showing up in some of the best Fantasy Records work of the period! On the album It's Private Tonight, Arthur sings and plays ...
(Soul CD)
Impulse (Japan), 1966.
A rare non-Blue Note 60s date as a leader from Stanley Turrentine – recorded for Impulse when his (then) wife Shirley Scott was contracted to the label – and featuring the talents of both players on some very groovy tracks! The quartet features both Stan's tenor and Shirley's Hammond ...
(Jazz CD)
Young Turks, 2024. 2CD
Kamasi Washington opens the door to a bit more collaboration here – while also really managing to stay true to the vision that he's given us on his previous instant-classic albums! In just a short span of time, Kamasi has become a saxophone voice for a generation – linking past ...
(Jazz CD)
Impulse, 2024.
A very different album than you might expect from London reedman Shabaka Hutchings – a set that's got a very peaceful, meditative vibe a times – and one that has Shabaka looking inside for righteous inspiration, then spinning things out in a beautiful way! Hutchings put aside his more ...
(Jazz CD)
MPS/Endless Happiness (Italy), 1969. (reissue)
A fantastic album that brings together all of the European winners of the recent Downbeat polls of the late 60s – a massive all-star lineup that features Karin Krog on vocals, John Surman on baritone and soprano sax, Albert Mangelsdorff on trombone, Francy Boland on piano, Niels Henning ...
(Jazz LP)
Impulse, 1971. 2CDs
A fantastic live performance from Alice Coltrane – and one that features a very heavy-hitting group – stretching out here in a beautiful performance of extended tracks that maybe takes off even more than some of Coltrane's famous albums for Impulse Records! The group is great – ...
(Jazz CD)
Life Goes On, 1981. (reissue)
A great bit of jungle exotica from funky sitar player Ananda Shankar – composed as a full piece with an "atmosphere of twilight and the feeling of watching animals at a water hole", but with a sweeping soundtracky feel that makes it more like some lost 70s film gem in the best ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Gearbox (UK), 2020.
A stunner of a set from legendary trumpeter Charles Tolliver – and a record that shows that he's lost none of his brilliance since the years of his 70s recordings for the Strata East label! The format here is a bit like those – long tracks by a small group, with an outward appearance ...
(Jazz CD)
Impulse, Mid 1960s. (reissue)
Wonderfully groovy work from drummer Chico Hamilton – one of his hip 60s albums for Impulse, done in a style that's completely different than his work of the 50s! Here, Chico's clearly in love with a modal groove, and also sets things up with more romping rhythms that are upbeat in a way he ...
(Jazz LP)
M Plant, 2024.
A really different setting for the saxophone of Afro Funk legend Femi Kuti – as instead of working with a large group, he just blows here alongside the keyboard creations of Robert Hood – in a mode that makes for a really wonderful album all the way through! The tracks are each just ...
(New Grooves CD)
Azimuth (John Taylor/Norma Winstone/Kenny Wheeler)
Azimuth
ECM (Germany), 1977. Gatefold (reissue)
The stunning debut of this ultra-hip trio – not to be confused with the similarly-named Brazilian group Azymuth, but instead a British combo who really helped find new ways of expression in an ECM setting! All three artists here had already made waves on their scene in the years before ...
(Jazz LP)
Mississippi, 1930s.
A great set of rural blues and folksy modes, presented here with little in the way of information – which then maybe makes the whole thing a completely delightful musical discovery – as if you've found a whole stack of vintage 78rpm singles with the labels rubbed off, and have to drop ...
(Blues LP)
Polydor/Universal (France), 1973. 2LP Gatefold
A very different soundtrack than usual from the great Claude Bolling – not the "jazz meets classical" work that would bring him fame at the end of the 70s, nor the more trad jazz modes of his 60s recordings – and instead a fully-fleshed film score that's filled with wonderful ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly
Mestizx
International Anthem/Nonesuch, 2024.
We first fell in love with the work of Frank Rosaly when he was a drummer here on the Chicago jazz and improv scene – but this album is something completely different overall, and a real evolution of Frank's talents both as a percussionist and musical visionary! The album's a collaboration ...
(Jazz CD)
Schema/Fez (Italy), 2000. 2LP
A landmark album of contemporary jazzy grooves – a set issued at the start of the century, and one of the first to really get a blend of classic elements right – after so many others were foundering around in too-remixed, too-programmed work in the 90s! For years, Nicola Conte was a ...
(New Grooves LP)
Doctor Bird (UK), Mid 1970s. 2CDs
Two classic Lloyd Charmers albums – both new to CD, and presented here with lots of first-time CD bonus tracks too! First up is the great Gold Connection album – an obscure little record, but a soulful one too – a rare 70s Federal Records session that mixes together reggae and ...
(Reggae CD)
Cellar Live, 1958/1966. 2LP Gatefold
Not just jazz from the Northwest, as the set also features some California material too – brought together in this great double-length set of unissued material from this legendary jazz drummer! The set begins with Shelly Manne leading a quintet at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958 – ...
(Jazz LP)
Nature Sounds, 2024. Gatefold
The cover looks all sort of soft and dreamy, but the record has a bite from the very first second – beginning with an old school news report about gang violence in LA, then serving up a gritty set of rhymes from Blu that really live up to the glory days of west coast hardcore hip hop! Shafiq ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Ancient Archive Of Sound (UK), 2024.
Spiritual jazz saxophonist Nat Birchall works here with an even more expanded version of his Unity Ensemble – in ways that make for a record that's even more righteous and expressive than ever before! Nat's got this way of spinning out solos over a modal groove that just gets better and ...
(Jazz LP)
Ropeadope, 2024.
A righteous set from reedman Karl Martin Almqvist – blowing both tenor and soprano here in a quartet that also includes some really fantastic piano from Nduduzo Makhathini – a player we love on his own records too! As you might expect if you know Makhathini, there's some strong South ...
(Jazz CD)
Morabeza/Lusafrica (France), Early 1970s. 2LP Gatefold
A pair of classic albums, served up here in a single set! First up is the sound of Angola, circa 1972 – served up here in a beautiful album of songs from Bonga! The music is relatively spare – mostly just lead acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter of which is played ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Hot Casa (France), 1970s/1980s. 2LP Gatefold
A stunning array of rare sounds from Togo – a tiny West African nation, but home to a real hotbed of grooves in the 70s and 80s! As with the first volume, the music here is a real revelation – sounds very different than those in nearby Nigeria, often with a slight tropical vibe in the ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Timeless/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1983. (reissue)
Chet Baker blows trumpet here with one of the tightest rhythm sections of his later albums – a killer trio led by pianist Kirk Lightsey, who also gets in some great solos here too! The session's led by Kirk, and has a nicely different vibe than some of those issued under Baker's own name ...
(Jazz LP)
Night Dreamer (UK), 2023. 2LP
A really bold step forward for Chicago tenor genius Isaiah Collier – and maybe the first record to showcase his emergence as a multi-instrumentalist instead of just a spiritual jazz musician! There's clearly a lot of improvisation going on here – not just from the larger ensemble, ...
(Jazz LP)
Vault/Real Gone, 1969. (reissue)
A righteous treasure from the end of the 60s – an album of vocal tracks recorded by the Minister Of Information for the Black Panther Party, set to backings from the legendary jazz visionary Horace Tapscott! Elaine Brown's less of a soul singer than a powerful speaker who delivers the lyrics ...
(Soul LP)
Modern Harmonic, Early 70s. Gatefold
Never-issued performances from Sun Ra and his legendary Arkestra – recorded live at Slugs in New York, and featuring the group in two very different modes! Side one features "Calling Planet Earth/We'll Wait For You" – from the same performance that also gave the world the ...
(Jazz CD)
Serge Gainsbourg/Michel Colombier
Anna
Philips/Universal (Japan), 1967.
A late 60s soundtrack by Serge Gainsbourg – but a record that's easily as great as any of his studio albums from the same time! The bulk of the album has a spare, punctuated groove that's somewhat funky – quite a bit like Melody Nelson in its sense of space and timing – and its ...
(French CD)
Vault/Friday Music, 1966. (reissue)
A beautiful set of modal jazz tracks – recorded by the great LA pianist Jack Wilson with a young Roy Ayers! The set is amazing, and features haunting piano and vibes interplay between Ayers and Wilson – in a style that could best be summed up as LA modern modal, but which is also ...
(Jazz LP)
Impulse, 1963. (reissue)
A wonderful session of 60s Hammond jazz – a record that was somewhat overlooked at the time, but which has really gotten the attention it deserves over the years! The album's one of a rare few cut by organist Gloria Coleman – an obscure east coast player who was also the wife of ...
(Jazz LP)
Imperative Mood, 2004.
A laidback set of funky instrumentals served up by a combo who mix up organ, guitar, bass, and drums – plus nice use of percussion in all the right moments, which underscores the slight exotica bent they hint at in the title! There's also some slight but great use of electronics – ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Edsel (UK), 1970s/1980s/Early 1990s. 14CD
One of the greatest British groups of the 70s – presented here in all their glory – a huge package that includes all their full length albums in one set, plus rare bonus material too! The music here runs from the original quartet lineup through the time when Kevin Godley and Lol Creme ...
(Rock CD)
Sam First, 2024.
Drummer Joe LaBarbera always seems to know how to get the most out of a group – and that's definitely the case here, on a record that bristles with bold energy that hearkens back to the best years of hardbop – while also letting some of the individual players deliver some decidedly ...
(Jazz LP)
Rough Trade/Kill Rock Stars, Late 1970s/Early 1980s. Gatefold (reissue)
Fantastic work from Delta 5 – one of our favorite groups from the UK post-punk years, and a group whose funky, dubby approach to punk rivals the best work by groups like The Slits or Gang Of Four! Like both groups, they have smart songs with interesting lyrics – but focused down right ...
(Rock LP)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1972. Gatefold (reissue)
Toshiyuki Miyama really makes the New Herd cook with this cool 70s session – a smoker of a large group date, and one with a great mix of funky rhythms and complicated instrumentation! The set's got a feel that's as exotic as its cover, yet comes across with a solid, soulful punch throughout ...
(Jazz LP)
Astigmatic (Poland), 2022. Gatefold
A really great record with a vibe that's all its own – a stunning blend of spiritual jazz, North Indian music, and some slight contemporary touches – all with a sense of deeper energy that really opens up as the album moves on! There's plenty of great keyboards on the record – a ...
(Jazz LP)
Wah Wah 45s (UK), 2024.
Espen Horne has a great way of mixing jazz influences with a range of other styles – sometimes cosmic, sometimes kicking – and served up with guest help on vibes, keyboards, and vocals too! There's a vibe here that's almost like that point years ago when Nicola Conte started getting a ...
(New Grooves LP)
Beverley's/Culture Factory, 1971. (reissue)
Pre-Island Records material from Bob Marley and The Wailers – and a set that really focuses on the strong harmony modes that made the group so great! Bob's lead is still wonderful, but the way the voices come together is tremendous – echoing American soul styles, but with a righteous ...
(Reggae LP)
Pick Up/Jazz Room (UK), 1980. (reissue)
Brazilian fusion from Denmark – a really wonderful set from this cool Scandinavian combo! The record feels a fair bit like some of the Brazilian jazz coming out of the west coast of the US during the 70s – soaring, soulful, and put together with a breezy brilliance that almost takes ...
(Jazz LP)
RCA/Be With (UK), 1975. (reissue)
A real revelation from pianist Cedar Walton – an unusual electric album from the 70s – quite a surprise, given the mostly-acoustic sound of most of Cedar's other records! The album's a killer, though – and has this fresh, full take on funky jazz for the time – not the usual ...
(Jazz LP)
Akuphone (France), 1980s.
Jac Berrocal is a trumpeter, with some background in jazz – but the tracks within are way more than that – and feature Berrocal at some of his most experimental, in ways that range nicely through a wide array of styles! The work here is a mix of rare and unreleased tracks – some ...
(Jazz LP)
Imperial/Sundazed, 1965.
Drums galore from the great Sandy Nelson – an artist who was one of the most hard-burning talents on the kit, back in the day – with a propulsive quality that makes a record like this take off right from the very first note! As with so many of Sandy's instrumental classics from back ...
(Rock CD)
Prestige, 1956.
Long tracks and plenty of room to move around – a perfect setting for the classic sound of the Red Garland Trio on Prestige! Despite the title, the album's not so much groovy as it is lyrically beautiful and filled with sensitivity – a key bridge between piano players of the mainstream ...
(Jazz LP)
Teichiku/Lawson (Japan), 1971. (reissue)
Quite a weird little record – part psychedelia, but with some really rootsy elements – and also some odd use of recorded music as well! The sound here is really mindblowing – experimental and trippy, but never too free or over the top – and the core instrumentation includes ...
(Japanese LP)
Kill Rock Stars, Late 1970s. 2LP Gatefold
Fantastic sounds from Kleenex/Liliput – one of the few early punk groups to come from Switzerland, and a female combo with energy to rival The Slits or Poison Girls at their best! The tunes here are short and sharp, and often have a biting quality in the lyrics – which are often in ...
(Rock LP)
Elektra/Strut (UK), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 3LP
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 ...
(Jazz LP)
Northern Spy, 2024.
A solo record, but one that's got the sound of more things at once than you might expect – as saxophonist Josh Johnson has this great way of processing the sound from his horns, then layering them with samples and other elements too – but all in a way that's never gimmicky, and really ...
(Jazz CD)
Capitol/Omnivore, Late 1960s.
A really unusual album from the mighty Ohio Players – material from their first full length set, and a record that's very different than their better-known work on Westbound and Mercury – but every bit as great! The band is tight and funky, but in a sort of deep soul 60s way – ...
(Soul CD)
Damiani, 2024.
The story of a legendary New York nite spot – served up in a really wonderful way! The Pyramid was a gritty bar in the East Village in the 80s – a small spot, but one that served as a real crossroads for music, performance, and gender identity – a place that was experienced by ...
(Book)
Jive, 1987. (reissue)
A stunning underground set from back in the day – a record that was originally released on the label run by Schoolly D himself, then was picked up by Jive Records – because Schoolly had a runaway hit on his own! The whole thing is great – one of the first really hardcore records, ...
(Hip Hop LP)
Impulse, 2024.
Tenorist James Brandon Lewis is easily one of the most important voices on his instrument in recent years – and also one of the most versatile too, as is shown in this project with the guitar-driven group The Messthetics! Two of the group's members hail from legendary punk band Fugazi, but ...
(Jazz CD)
Fania/Craft, 1976. (reissue)
A mid 70s classic from Willie Colon – continuing the progression of his "gangster" image by supposedly having him break out of prison! (Previously, Willie had been brought to justice on the Juicio album – but now on the loose, is described in a wanted poster on the cover ...
(Latin LP)
Ace (UK), 1980s/1990s/2000s.
Never-heard work from the legendary Rodion GA – an artist who barely issued any material during the 20th century, but who's become a real electronic music legend in more recent years! Rodion hails from Hugary, where he worked underground recording all these cool cuts from the 80s onward ...
(Rock CD)
Sam First, 2024. 2LP
Warmly well-rounded sounds from a mighty strong trio – a group who are certainly aware of some of the newer modes of expression that have opened up for the piano trio in the 21st Century, but who also balance things out with a more standard approach from time to time too! There's a very ...
(Jazz LP)
Argo/Universal (Japan), 1959.
A compelling title – as the record was recorded at Nola Penthouse Studios in New York, one of the hippest places to lay down tracks at the time – but the cover shows an image of the Playboy building in Chicago, famous from the TV show Playboy's Penthouse, Hugh Hefner's first foray into ...
(Jazz CD)
New Jazz/Craft, 1961. (reissue)
A haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note, 2024. 2LP Gatefold
Late life brilliance from the legendary Charles Lloyd – a reed player who seems to have given the world more great music in the past 20 years than he had in the previous 60s! Lloyd keeps on moving forward with all these new ideas and fresh conceptions – and here, he blows tenor, alto, ...
(Jazz LP)
Wave/Lawson (Japan), 1986. (reissue)
A really cool album from the Japanese scene of the 80s – one that's much more experimental and creative than some of the city pop material of the time – with a shifting style of music that really keeps things interesting! Ryuichi Sakamoto helped with the first track on the set, which ...
(Japanese LP)
Sam First, 2024.
Rachel Eckroth has a resume that includes work behind some famous singers in a variety of styles – but here, she's a very committed jazz instrumentalist – working with a very bold touch on the piano at times, alongside guitarist Andrew Renfroe, who's got this edgey sense of tone on his ...
(Jazz LP)
Argo/Universal (Japan), 1961.
Stunning live work from piano genius Ahmad Jamal – still very young at this point, but already working with the fluid sense of imagination that would only unfold even more in the 60s! As with most of Jamal's live dates of the time, the balance of lyrical energy on the keys and rhythmic ...
(Jazz CD)
Alston/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1980.
Great work from this oft-overlooked smooth soul singer! Lew Kirton was part of the Miami soul scene that centered around TK Records in Florida – but he has a smooth sexy style that reminds us a lot more of northern modern soul singers – especially the most sophisticated side of the New ...
(Soul CD)
Argo/Universal (Japan), 1960.
A nicely expanded take on the Ahmad Jamal sound of the early 60s – one that adds in guitar from Ray Crawford and violin from Joe Kennedy to Jamal's usual trio grooving! The main focus here is often still on the core group – which features Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on ...
(Jazz CD)
Epic/Big Pink (South Korea), 1974.
Looks like Gary Osborne and Paul Vigrass lost a few buttons off their shirts on the front cover – but they keep things tight on this great album of duet material from the 70s – one of their excellent and overlooked sets from the time! Part of the real strength of the album comes from ...
(Rock CD)
Atlantic, 1974. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
An album that wasn't much of a success when released, yet one that really helped define a new era in the sound of Willie Nelson – one that's both as introspective as the concept albums he would soon issue on Columbia, and which also maybe has a bit of the Austin underground creeping into his ...
(Folk/Country LP)
BBE (UK), 1997. 2LP Gatefold
A very cool vocal group from the Brazilian scene of the 90s – a quintet who issued this album initially only on CD, but with a sound that's got a much more classic vibe than you'd expect from the date! The harmonies are great – and follow in a legacy that includes older groups like ...
(Brazil LP)
A&M/Future Days, 1970. (reissue)
One of our favorite-ever keyboard albums – a rare lost session from pianist Pete Jolly – one of his only electric dates, and a completely improvised set of grooves! Pete plays electric piano, organ, and even a bit of musette – jamming in the studio with help from Chuck Berghofer ...
(Jazz LP)
Now Again, Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
A heavy duty set of rare rock and funk tracks from around the globe – very much the sort of work we've grown to love through the many years of reissues from the Now Again label – the reissue-based arm of the legendary Stones Throw imprint! Now Again has turned us on to more bands than ...
(Funky Compilations LP)
Kent/Omnivore, 1974.
One of the most obscure albums that Little Richard ever cut – and a great one too – a set that was done after his excellent comeback years on Warner Brothers, and with a vibe that's similar, but nicely gritty too! There's an old school southern soul quality to the record – and ...
(Soul CD)
Ropeadope, 2024.
A warmly crafted album from South African saxophonist McCoy Mrubata – not one that's sleepy, as the lullaby in the title might imply – but just nicely relaxed and mellow, in a way that has the reedman crafting some moody colors on tenor – in a lineup that features lots of great ...
(Jazz CD)
Philips/Universal (Japan), 1976.
A sexy soundtrack to a mid-70s film written and directed by Serge Gainsbourg – and starring Jane Birkin and a young Gerard Depardieu! The feel here is very much in the spirit of Serge's work of the time – especially that recorded with Birkin – but in a way, it's almost even ...
(French CD)
Jazzman (UK), Late 60s/1970s/1980s/1990s.
A wonderfully wide-ranging tribute to the great John Coltrane – served up here in a whole host of tracks recorded after his too-early death, each of which take his musical message in different directions! The sound is certainly spiritual – in keeping with the different volumes in this ...
(Funky Compilations CD)
Mute, 2CDs
Smoking live work from Can – a set that's very different than their studio work of the time, and which maybe gives an idea of how they came up with all the fantastic sounds on their famous albums! The set's really just one long freewheeling performance – driven by stunning ...
(Rock CD)
Philips/Universal (Japan), 1964. 2CDs
One of the most wonderful soundtracks ever! Michel Legrand wrote the jazzy groovy score for this legendary French film from the mid 60s – and every word of dialogue in the film is sung throughout, making for a very cool, ever-changing array of vocal bits and jazzy styles. Embedded in here ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Sam First, 2024.
A record that crackles right from the very first note – the start of a tune titled "Forward Momentum" – which might well be a great way to describe the whole album as it moves through a range of different modes without ever looking back! Pianist Josh Nelson can leap into the ...
(Jazz LP)
International Anthem, 2024.
A beautiful large concept work from UK saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi – one that features a rich array of players, all folded together in a warmly spiritual sound! There's echoes of some of the other mellow work on the International Anthem label here, but also more of the righteous currents of ...
(Jazz CD)
Dusty Groove Gear,
A modernist design that hearkens back to our favorite jazz albums of the 50s – served up as a testament to our best-selling style of music year after year! Yet even if you're not a jazz listener, you can still dig the sleek look of the image – which is printed here on an even better ...
(Clothing)
Argo/Universal (Japan), 1960.
A sprightly set from the Ahmad Jamal Trio – but also a record that's not as brightly colored as you might guess from the title, thanks to a nice undercurrent of darkness in the mix! Jamal's piano work is often nicely punctuated – perhaps living up to the "happy moods" ...
(Jazz CD)
Philips/Universal (Japan), 1966. 2CDs
One of our favorite soundtracks ever – a jazzy swinging ode to love found and love lost – all penned by the legendary Michel Legrand! The work was composed in collaboration with director Jacques Demy for his 1966 film of the same name – and, like the previous Demy/Legrand ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Akenaton (Egypt), Late 1950s/1960s/1970s/Early 1980s.
A mad mix of sounds from the glory days of Indian cinema – served up in a package that offers up a much broader blend of styles than other Bollywood collections – as it features numbers from the late 50s all the way through the early 80s! Some of the tracks here have a rockish vibe ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1975. (pic cover, reissue)
Two great tracks from a legendary 70s Japanese vocal album – back to back on a limited 45! "Speak Low" is the old jazz standard, but given a great modal swing by the trio of pianist Yuji Ohno – an artist you'll know for his own groovy material – changing up the groove ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Dusty Groove Gear,
An image that conjures up the delight we experience every time we drop a needle on a record – kicking back and letting our mind drift away to the music! And sure, maybe we're not as likely to drop the cover on the floor as this guy – we are record collectors after all – but we ...
(Clothing)
Numero, Early 1980s.
Very cool grooves from Tony Palkovic – an artist who's kind of a one man soul band in himself – playing keyboards and guitar over drum machine riffs – on these tracks that are laidback, soulful, and instrumental – almost serving up a smoother take on the territory of 80s ...
(Soul LP)
Im-Hotep/P-Vine (Japan), 1974. Gatefold (reissue)
Amazing sounds from the righteous Roy Brooks – a drummer who worked strongly in the soul jazz mainstream of the 60s, then stepped out into even headier territory here in the 70s! The album's a spiritual masterpiece all the way through – an album on par with early 70s Impulse sides from ...
(Jazz LP)
Trunk (UK), 1975.
The first-ever issue of music from a short UK film of the 70s – nicely trippy sounds from very familiar instruments! The cool 10" album brings together all the music for the short documentary as one piece – nicely drifting sounds created by a combo that features Julian Furniss on ...
(Soundtracks LP)
Blue Note, 1968. Gatefold (reissue)
A wonderful Herbie Hancock session from the 60s – a Blue Note album that's sometimes overlooked, but which really shows Herbie taking off – as he adds a nice dose of lyricism into his usual soul jazz approach from the 60s! The sound's a bit farther-reaching than on some of Hancock's ...
(Jazz LP)
P-Vine (Japan), 1977/1979.
A huge musical treasure – a full unreleased album by Weldon Irvine, plus a bonus material as well! The music is from the stage play Young Gifted & Broke – a short-lived production by Weldon, and one that's done with some of the same hip modes he was bringing to his own music of the ...
(Jazz CD)
Big Crown, 2024.
A record with a freaky sort of cover, but one that's got this very laidback, down to earth vibe – almost like a small funk combo taking on territory from 70s AOR, but serving things up with a much looser, easygoing sort of style! The vocals are great – blue-eyed soul, and compressed ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Jazz Is Dead, 2024.
Key tracks from this long-running series – taken into new territory by a whole host of contemporary remix talents! The set's heavy on producers and musicians from the London scene – so that the earlier LA efforts of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad are given new cosmic ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Nederlands Jazz Archief (Netherlands), 1970. 2LP Gatefold
A long-lost performance by Sun Ra and the Arkestra – recorded in Amsterdam at the start of the 70s, when the group were brought in by avant saxophonist Hans Dulfer for a special performance! This album marks the first-ever issue of the material, from rediscovered tapes that finally present ...
(Jazz LP)
Today/Survival Research, Early 1970s. (reissue)
Very righteous work from The Exciters – best known for their girl group recordings in the 60s, but recording here in a very heavy sort of 70s mode – strongly in keeping with the "Black Beauty" in the title! Arrangements and production on the set are by Herb Rooney – who ...
(Soul LP)
Rogue Art (France), 2024.
Ivo Perelman's got a mighty great group here – a quartet with Matthew Shipp on piano, Mark Helias on bass, and Tom Rainey on drums – all of whom really set fire to the music! Ivo's still got that sense of careful tones and textures that you'll know from other records – but at ...
(Jazz CD)
As Shams/Afrodelic (Italy), 1976. (reissue)
One of a handful of very righteous albums that American reedman Hal Singer made overseas – very different material than the more R&B-based tenor material that started out his career! Here, Hal's got this easygoing approach to soul jazz – stretching out on these really long tracks ...
(Jazz LP)
Modern Harmonic, Late 50s/1960s.
A totally cool little set, and one that takes us back to the kind of commercials they used to play at the drive-in theaters between two different movies in a long double-feature! The tracks here are all short, playful little tunes with plenty of 60s elements – sometimes jazzy, sometimes ...
(Soundtracks CD)
Clean Feed (Portugal), 2024.
Rob Mazurek is one of the most collaborative musicians we know – but this time around, he's completely solo, but handling a range of instruments that might usually be associated with a larger group! In addition to his familiar trumpet and pocket trumpet work, Rob's creating sounds here on ...
(Jazz CD)
Far Out (UK), 2024.
Bruno Berle's titled this album in a way that's similar to his debut – but it's way more than just a "part 2", as the Brazilian singer has really grown a lot since that release! There's a rock-solid sound to the record that takes us back to some of our favorite MPB work of the past ...
(Brazil CD)
Haggis (UK), 2024.
Nice work from this funky jazz combo – a group who owe plenty to the sound of 60s soul jazz on Prestige and Verve Records, but who also do plenty to make their own mark as well! The album's issued on the same label as the Haggis Horns, and these guys definitely use strong interplay between ...
(Jazz LP)
Jazz In Britain (UK), 2024.
A huge book of jazz reviews from the UK – all penned by journalist Chris Searle from the Morning Star – and presented here with a bonus 2CD set of rare material from the UK scene! The CD is really incredible – and is almost worth the price of the package alone – as it ...
(Book)
Slash/Jackpot, 1981. (reissue)
Wicked early 80s punk from The Flesh Eaters – with some fun nods to trash culture and B-movies in the cover art, song titles and lyrical imagery – but it's also some of most slyly ambitious sounds from the west coast scene of the time! It's clear from the first track they're going for ...
(Rock LP)
City Slang, 2024.
Sweet electro funk from Sinkane – a group who manage to pull together all these classic elements of 80s soul, yet come across with a mode that's very 21st century overall! The keyboards, basslines, and beats all have tonal qualities you might find in older street soul or boogie cuts – ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Red (Italy), 1987.
One of Bobby Watson's more urgent-sounding albums from the 80s – a quartet session recorded with an Italian rhythm trio – in a style that mostly features Watson blowing in the lead – really holding the session together with the strength of his own imagination – that ...
(Jazz CD)
Dusty Groove Gear,
The ultimate bag for shopping for records – one that's big enough to handle dozens of pieces of vinyl – yet small enough to fold away easily! The bag is 100% cotton, all natural, with a Dusty Groove logo on one side, and a vintage phone book ad on the other – and it's got a very ...
(Dusty Groove Swag Bag)
Blue Note, 1963. Gatefold (reissue)
A bit less well-known than some of the real Horace Silver classics on Blue Note – but an incredible record that shows the Silver Quintet at all its lyrical best! The record is a masterpiece of original voicings from Horace – not just in the unique tunes he penned for the set, but also ...
(Jazz LP)
Yazoo, Mid 1930s.
The cover's a striking one – and it definitely supports the music inside, given that most of these Bo Carter tunes are vintage blues tunes with a decidedly erotic bent! The metaphors are obvious, but they're put together beautifully – without any of the heavy-handed schlock that later ...
(Blues LP)
Record Kicks (Italy), 2024.
The True Tones provide soul singer Michelle David with some great backings here – a romping sort of groove on most tracks, and one that bristles with plenty of old school instrumental touches that seem to really spur the vocalist forward! Michelle's got a dynamic style that owes a lot to ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Steeplechase (Denmark), 2018.
Modern Hammond hero Brian Charette gets some great help here – tenor legend George Coleman, whose presence in the group makes an already-solid combo really sound great! Coleman was never a tenor player to work with an organ back in the 60s and 70s – but his work here is really ...
(Jazz LP)
Ripete/P-Vine (Japan), 1983.
Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the ...
(Soul CD)
Terasima/DIW (Japan), 2008.
A really sprightly piano set from Kirk Lightsey – one that's maybe got even more kick than some of his classic work from years back! The pianist works here with Steve Watts on bass and Dave Wickins on drums and percussion – and the tunes are all nice and long, and really stretch out ...
(Jazz LP)
BMM (France), 2024.
Wonderfully weird and wild funk from Natural Yogurt Band – a UK group who've given us some mighty nice records in years past, and who also really push the envelop with this little gem! There's a strange mix of sci-fi currents running through the grooves – either in the instrumentation, ...
(Deep Funk LP)
Eight Islands/DIW (Japan), 2022.
A record that makes us go "wow" all over again at the mighty talents of Bob James – because even this late in life, he's clearly open to new ideas and pushing the boundaries – which he really does here in collaboration with younger musician Sam Franz! In the way that Bob's ...
(Jazz CD)
Guerssen (Spain), Late 1970s/Early 1980s. 2LP
Overlooked mid-period work from this legendary Korean trio – music the group recorded after their first three albums – all records that have been reissued a bit over the years, which these tracks have not! There's a deeply moody vibe to the music – still all the fuzz, freak, and ...
(Rock LP)
P-Vine (Japan), 2010s.
A wonderful collection of later work from this legendary Japanese pianist – a set that's named after his famous Watarase album from years back, but which includes some unusual live recordings and material that we haven't seen elsewhere! Some of the tracks here really break the standard piano ...
(Jazz CD)
GAD (Poland), 1965.
A never-issued live set from the legendary Polish pianist Krzysztof Komeda – two long tracks that are very much in the spirit of his groundbreaking album Astigmatic! As with that record, the set features bold trumpet work from Tomasz Stanko – at the time easily one of the most ...
(Jazz CD)
Afrosynth (Netherlands), 1991. (reissue)
A very clubby set from the Johannesburg scene at the start of the 90s – four longer tracks that really showcase that moment when house music influences were running through more mainstream R&B – all at a level that's richer and more soulful than some of the synth-heavy work of the ...
(Global Grooves LP)
Reel People (UK), 2024.
Kaidi Tatham takes on some of the best cuts from the Reel People label and makes them even better – adding all sorts of the jazzy keyboard work you might guess from the cover image, and definitely moving them into the territory of clubby fusion too! Almost all the cuts have a soulful singer ...
(New Grooves LP)
BBE (UK), 2024.
A really magical combination of sounds – the tenor of Tony Kofi and the harp of Alina Bzhezhinska – coming together here with a really strong sense of spiritual majesty! There's a sense of grace and pacing to the record that's wonderful – and Alina's approach to her instrument is ...
(Jazz CD)
SRB/Guerssen (Spain), Late 1970s. (reissue)
The middle child in the mighty Seoul combo San Ul Lim's trio of successive garage/psych masterpieces of the late 70s – and San Ul Lim 2 might be the best and most adventurous of the lot – full of spacey sounds and more experimental passages! If San Ul Lim 1 was the most sunshine rock ...
(Rock LP)
Enja/BBE (UK), 1982.
A brilliant early album from pianist Aki Takase – already at the top of her game with an amazing command of the keyboard – a reach and sense of imagination that almost opens into the freewheeling territory of Cecil Taylor, but one that's also got a lot of room for gentler, more ...
(Jazz CD)
Lone Figures, 2024.
Joe Acheson works here with a group he originally described as an "imagined orchestra" – but which here is actually a relatively large group of musicians coming together to follow Joe's lead! The players shift from track to track, and Joe himself handles a lot of the ...
(New Grooves CD)
Scepter/Friday Music, 1974. (reissue)
The monumental debut of BT Express – and an excellent funk album that often gets overlooked by fans of the music because of the band's bigger fame as a disco group! This first record has the combo grooving hard and instrumentally – in the mode of a tight blacksploitation soundtrack, ...
(Soul LP)
As Shams (South Africa), Mid 1970s. 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Never-issued material from the legendary South African pianist Tete Mbambisa – all recorded in the mid 70s, right around the time of Tete's classic albums! The double-length set is a treasure trove of soulful SA jazz expression – and tunes move between slightly funky numbers to others ...
(Jazz LP)
Glades/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1978.
Latimore's digging deeper, and sounding greater than ever – working at Muscle Shoals with some great Miami production from Steve Alaimo – and coming across with a sound that's even warmer and more sophisticated than before – yet still very true to its deep soul roots too! At a ...
(Soul CD)
Motown/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), Early 1970s. (reissue)
A once obscure Jackson 5 album – one that hails from 1979, but which features work from the early 70s – tracks recorded during the glory years of the group's best Motown era, seven of which were unissued at the time! The style is very different than the late 70s Jacksons material on ...
(Soul LP)
Nentu/Mad About Records (Portugal), 1976. (reissue)
A rare 70s session from guitar genius Eddie Fisher – best known for his early classics on Chess/Cadet Records, and sounding even funkier here overall! Eddie's still a monster on the guitar – and plays with all of the fuzzy energy of his second album, while throwing in a few of the ...
(Jazz LP)
Tru Thoughts (UK), 2024.
A really great step forward for singer Alice Russell – an artist you might know best from heavier funk sets, but who comes across here in lean deep soul style that's even better for her incredible voice! In face, although we fell in love with Alice from her very first record many years ago, ...
(Neo Soul CD)
Dead Oceans, 2024.
Khruangbin are well on their way to becoming superstars with this set – a package that revisits scraps of songs they'd never been able to work just right in the past, and has a way of making them all shine freshly in a very different light! Sure, the funk trio at the core are still in place ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Cadet/Verve, 1969. (reissue)
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 ...
(Jazz LP)
Somethin Cool (Japan), 2015. Gatefold
A really unique pairing of talents – Japanese singer Miki Yamaoka, and American tenor legend Benny Golson – who also produced and arranged the set! Miki's got a voice that's surprisingly deep and dusky at points, which makes here a great match for Golson's tenor solos on the record ...
(Vocalists CD)
Grenade/P-Vine (Japan), 1975.
Some of the funkiest work we've ever heard from Vernon Garrett – recorded in California, but with a nicely gritty southern soul sound! The tunes have some of the bluesy inflections of Vernon's more famous work – but they also come across with a groove that's tighter, especially on the ...
(Soul CD)
Tao Forms, 2024. 2LP Gatefold
Vocalist Fay Victor pens lyrics for a jazz composer we're not sure we've ever heard with words before – modern piano legend Herbie Nichols, a player whose songs are often as full of angles and sharp changes as Thelonious Monk! And as you might guess from a style like that, the music doesn't ...
(Vocalists LP)
Groove Merchant/Mr Bongo (UK), 1975.
Excellent work by Lonnie Smith – a free-flowing album of long jazzy grooves that's kind of an extension of his Blue Note albums, touched with more of the electricity of his 70s playing! There's some killer rhythms on the album – courtesy of drummers Jamey Hudad and Ben Riley, and ...
(Jazz CD)
Verve/Big Pink (South Korea), 1968.
A cool little album from Joe Beck – very different than most of his other work! Although Beck's best known for his guitar work on funky 70s jazz records, this early album has him working in a mixture of rock, jazz, and folk styles – all cast in the hipster mode of Verve's Forecast ...
(Jazz CD)
Dave Rempis/Pandelis Karayorgis/Jakob Heinemann/Bill Harris
Truss
Aerophonic, 2024.
A great reunion of pianist Pandelis Karayorgis and reedman Dave Rempis – both of whom seem to bring out the best in each other on the album's two long, improvised tracks! Rempis blows alto, tenor, and baritone – crafting those completely imaginative solos we love in his music – ...
(Jazz CD)
Urban Discos (Japan), 2022.
There's a pile of vinyl on the cover of this album from Japanese trio Nautilus – and that's maybe a good way to get at the sound of their style – as the group work heavily from an old school mode, while still pushing things into some more contemporary rhythmic territory too! The ...
(Deep Funk CD)
Epic, 2024. 2CD
A stunning surprise from Andre 3000 – at least if you only know him as part of Outkast – and a record that finally gives us an audio document of the sounds that Andre has really been involved with in recent years – a beautiful blend of spiritual jazz with mellower currents, aided ...
(Jazz CD)
Crown/P-Vine (Japan), Late 40s/1950s. (reissue)
Raw genius from Smokey Hogg – a set of recordings originally issued as singles for the Modern/RPM label, brought together here to make one of the few full length documents of Hogg's talents from the time! Smokey sings here with spare acoustic guitar on most tracks, and a bit of piano added ...
(Blues LP)
Hi Records/Fat Possum, 1969. (reissue)
Ann Peebles' first album for Hi Records – and the start of a tremendous run of southern soul classics! The set features Ann working with Willie Mitchell – in a mode that's similar to her later Hi work, but rougher too – with more of a hard soul edge than we're used to hearing in ...
(Soul LP)
Dusty Groove,
A super-cool spot to throw your coins, keys, and whatever else you might have in your pocket at the end of the day – a glass dish emblazoned with a vintage Dusty Groove phonebook on the bottom – standing nice and proud on your desk, dresser, cofee table, or wherever else you might ...
(Dusty Groove Swag Misc)
Baystate/Future Shock, 1975. (reissue)
Sublimely spiritual work from trombonist Charles Greenlee – a player who's best remembered for work as a sideman with Archie Shepp, but who really sparkles as a leader on this rare Japanese set! The vibe here is totally great – a righteous approach to soul jazz that rivals the best ...
(Jazz LP)
Atlantic/ARC (UK), 1968. 2LP Gatefold
A lost early chapter in the career of Roberta Flack – material recorded during the sessions for her legendary First Take album, but unissued at the time – and presented here with an amazing demonstration of the depth of her young talents! All the genius of First Take is in place here ...
(Soul LP)
Atlantic/ARC (UK), 1968. (reissue)
Fantastic stuff, and a record that was virtually the blueprint for spiritual soul jazz in the 70s! Although Max Roach first rose to fame during the bop years, by the time of this set he'd really stretched out a lot – moving past initial righteous projects in the Civil Rights era, to even ...
(Jazz LP)
Blue Note, 1968.
Amazing later work from Booker Ervin – far more modern and far-reaching than you'd guess from the "Texas" title in the set! Although Ervin first came onto the scene as a strong-voiced tenorist from a Texas tradition, through the course of the 60s he'd really expanded his musical ...
(Jazz LP)
Teichiku/Lawson (Japan), 1961. (reissue)
A brilliant early album from Japanese drummer Hideo Shiraki – a jazz session that bristles with the same intensity as key late 50s work by Benny Golson or Gigi Gryce! Although Hideo's leading the group on drums, his work on the kit is remarkably subtle – done with the snappingly ...
(Jazz LP)
Discos Fuentes/Rocafort (UK), Late 1960s/Early 1970s.
A short but great dive into the catalog of Tropical Records – one of the smaller indie labels during the glory days of Colombian music, but a company who served up grooves that were every bit as great as music on its bigger rival Discos Fuentes! As with better-known Colombian cuts from the ...
(Funky 45's 7-inch)
Roche (France), 2024.
Sweet analog love from Dabeull – an artist who definitely lives up to the retro look that he's got on the cover – using all sorts of old school keyboards in 80s-styled modes that are mighty nice! We're not technical folks, but we'd swear there's some digital love going on here – ...
(New Grooves CD)
Ace/Kent (UK), 1960s/1970s.
Classic tracks from one of the greatest songwriting teams in soul music during the 60s and 70s – the legendary trio of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland – two of whom started out as soul singers, and all three of whom left behind a huge legacy on the Detroit scene! And ...
(Soul CD)
Irma (Italy), 2024. 2LP
A great tribute to the longstanding sound of the Irma Records label – an Italian imprint who first rose up during the big years of acid jazz, then went on to deliver a range of different grooves over the past 30 years! The set focuses on work that really hits that old school Irma vibe – ...
(New Grooves LP)
Alfa/Vampi Soul (Spain), 1968. (reissue)
A boogaloo album, but one that's a lot trippier than most – and definitely worthy of the psychedelic reference in the group's name! As with so much of the best work from the Venezuelan scene of the late 60s, the music here draws on references from up north, but really abstracts the sound ...
(Latin LP)