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Undisputed Truth

A perfect example groove that got The Undisputed Truth big hit fame in the early 70s -- sort of a rumbling funk, full-on approach, using male/female vocals in kind of a "wall of soul" approach. Includes the huge hit "Smiling Faces Sometimes", plus lots of covers of cool tracks like "California Soul", "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ball Of Confusion", and "You Got The Love I Need". Norman Whitfield production all the way through, with a lot of nice twists similar to those he was taking with other Motown groups at the time.

Soul Sides Volume 2 -- The Covers

A motherlode of funky soul covers -- pulled together from obscure sources as part of the great Soul Sides series! The names of the songs here are all familiar, but most of the versions are not -- remakes of soul, rock, and pop tunes by a variety of artists, mostly from the 70s -- many of whom take the music into even funkier territory than the originals! Compiler Oliver Wang really knows his thing with a set like this -- and his care in putting the package together makes the volume way more than just a typical soul compilation -- thanks to plenty of funky nuggets that should appeal to most of the crate diggers, plus lots of familiar lyrics that have an appeal to the less initiated. Titles include "Kissing My Love" by Spanky Wilson", "Fever" by Sharon Cash, "Feelin Alright" by West Coast Revival, "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" by Esther Phillips, "Here I Am" by Marcia Griffiths, "Che Che Cole" by Antibalas, "Be Thankful For What You Got" by Donovan Carless, "It's Your Thing" by Cold Grits, "Let's Straighten It Out" by OV Wright, "Express Yourself" by Byron Lee, and "Viva Tirado" by Los Mozambiques.

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Spleen (180 gram vinyl)

An incredible record from this enigmatic vocal group! Sound Of Feeling were an ultra hip trio (2 gals, 1 guy) who recorded under the aegis of Leonard Feather at the end of the 60s -- and who worked in a mode that combined sweet harmony vocals, sunshine pop, and some surprisingly experimental touches! The tunes on this set are a weird blend of dreamy numbers and other tunes that really push the boundaries of vocal expression -- very tripped-out numbers that are a bit like some of the later experimental work by the Swingle II ensemble. Titles include "Mixolydian Mode", "Spleen", "Along Came Sam", "The Time Has Come For Silence", "Up Into Silence", and "Hex".

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Black Christ Of The Andes (Japanese pressing)

A landmark album -- and one of the best records you'll ever find by Mary Lou Williams! The record's a mixture of jazz and spiritual themes, and it features Mary Lou's piano set in some super-hip jazz arrangements that include players like Grant Green, Budd Johnson, Larry Gales, Melba Liston, Ben Tucker, and Percy Heath. The bass and piano work is amazing, and many tracks have a dark groove that's very subtle, but very compelling. About half the tunes feature hip choral vocalizing -- in the mode of some of the Donald Byrd or Max Roach albums from the same time -- mostly handled by the group of Howard Roberts. Includes the classic groover "A Grand Nite For Swinging", plus "A Fungus Amongus", "Anima Christi", "Miss DD", "The Devil", "It Ain't Necessarily So", and "My Blue Heaven". Great stuff all around -- and even better than we're describing it! (Reissued here with the original MPS/Saba cover!)

Issue #17 -- Superslayer Storybook

What a difference a few years make! It wasn't so long ago that Americans thought they had learned a hard lesson about "irrational exuberance." But on the party went. Expensive military adventures abroad, a Ponzi economy at home, the largest asset bubble in human history . . . all topped off with a massive transfer of national wealth to you-know-who. We're going to have fun paying for this. In this issue, Thomas Frank explains how the mushy tenets of "bipartisanship" add up to rule by a class of people whose only clear interests are their own. Tom Geoghegan surveys the wasteland that American jurisprudence has become. Kim Phillips-Fein examines poker mania, and unearths clues to lumpen America's dashed aspirations. Steve Evans reveals why American poetry is now run by Midwestern ad men dreaming of corncribs and the big Nebraska sky. Andrew O’Hagan remembers the last days of an American literary giant. Catherine Liu tells you why the debt-driven, service-oriented urbanity of your funky downtown isn’t such a good thing for you. All that and more is found between the fetchingly illustrated covers of the long-awaited Baffler 17!

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Un Homme Et Une Femme (aka A Man & A Woman)

One of the greatest soundtracks ever -- an archetypal album from French composer Francis Lai, and a record that set the tone for countless other imitations to come -- yet which is still the best! The groove here is really unique -- a spare blend of bossa influences, jazzy organ lines, and wordless vocals that are sung beautifully by French singers Nicole Croisille and Pierre Barouh -- and although a mainstream success, the record was the initial force behind the legendary Saravah imprint that Barouh would form later, to record a wide range of groundbreaking work in a variety of genres. But history aside, the music here is plenty -- and from the very first note the whole soundtrack grabs you with a sense of warmth and sentiment that defy description -- modes never heard before in the soundtrack world, and which really broke the mold from Hollywood conventions! Titles include the seminal bossa number "Samba Saravah", plus "A Man & A Woman", "Today It's You", "In Our Shadow", "At 200 MPH", and "Stronger Than Us". Japanese pressing is done with the original French cover art -- and also features some great photos inside the booklet!

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Matrix -- The Perception Sessions (The Real Thing/Portrait Of Jenny/Giants)

Excellent funk from Dizzy Gillespie -- featuring all 3 of his albums for the legendary Perception label! The Real Thing is an amazing mix of funky jazz, cool rhythms, and some nice Latin-tinged grooves -- and it's a stunning representation of the way that Dizzy kept on growing as a musician, long after his bebop years were over. James Moody sits in with some very funky tenor, and Mike Longo is on piano. Tracks include "N'Bani", "Matrix", "Soul Kiss", "Ding A Ling", and "Alligator" -- all short, hard, and funky! Next up is Portrait Of Jenny, which has a cool electric feel that you don't really associate with Diz. The whole album has a sly sweet funky sound that's part CTI/part Latin-tinged Dizzy -- and the real strength is the great Mike Longo, who plays some amazing stretched out piano lines, which work perfectly with the basslines on the record as a foil for Dizzy's sparkling trumpet solos. The album's got 4 long cuts -- including the excellent "Me N Them", plus "Olinga" and "Diddy Wa Diddy". The last set is Giants -- a live recording that features Dizzy with Mary Lou Williams and Bobby Hackett, in a pretty mellow, pretty straight setting that shows that Diz could still play straight jazz when he wanted to. Titles include "Love For Sale", "Caravan", "My Man", and "Birks Works". 2 CDs, with 21 tracks in all!

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Devil Is Loose

A masterpiece of spacey soul by the great Asha Pulthi -- a singer who recorded mostly in Europe, with funky maestro Dieter Zimmerman! Asha's got vocals that are somewhere in the range of Minnie Riperton or Sylvia Striplin or Sylvia Robinson -- as you'll hear on the album's standout break track "Space Walk", which is one of our all time favorite obscure soul tracks. Other great ones include "Flying Fish", "The Devil Is Loose", "Good Night", and "Say Yes". Never issued in the US until this recent reissue!

Moondog -- The Viking Of Sixth Avenue

A long-overdue tribute to the legendary Moondog -- one of the true visionaries of American music in the 20th Century! Moondog got his starts as a blind musician working the streets of New York at the end of the 40s, but he did so (as you'll note on the cover photo) with a range of unusual instruments of his own invention, and in a minimal, rhythmic style that linked together primitivism with higher musical ideals. Moondog's often been called "the father of minimalism" -- and while his experiments of the 50s prefaced the work of Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and others, his work was also much more personal, and had an earthy intensity that's still tremendously powerful even decades later! This collection is one of the first to dip into the earliest of Moondog's recordings -- his recordings for the Mars, SRC, Brunswick, and Moondog labels -- which are presented here alongside selected tracks from his albums for Epic and Prestige, also of similar vintage. Nearly all the tracks here offer a very primitive blend of percussion that's sometimes mixed with unusual woodwind or stringed instruments -- nearly all of Moondog's own invention -- and the package also features some great notes on his long career, plus some photos that are as gripping as the music itself! Titles include "Down Is Up", "Big Cat", "Bumbo", "Rimshot", "Rabbit Hop", "Instrumental Round", "Be A Hobo", "Dog Trot", "Oasis", "2 W 46th Street", and "Why Spend The Dark Night With You".

MFSB -- Muthafunkinsonofabitch -- The Truth Behind The Philly Legend

DISCLAIMER: This LP is NOT about Eric

The roots of the 70s sound of Philly International -- served up here in a host of earlier tracks that have a wickedly funky sound! All numbers here are instrumentals -- and all are played by some formation of players who'd later end up working for Philadelphia International Records in the MSFB studio group -- but who record here under a variety of names used for obscure funky 45s! Much of the work here was cut at Sigma Sound Studios back when the label was first cutting Philly soul -- and the collection features early work by artists who include Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, Earl Young, Vince Montana, Ronnie Baker, Leon Huff, Larry Washington, Ron Kersey, and others -- all jamming in a way that's more hard-edged and funk-based than the Philly hits of the 70s. Titles include "Nickol Nickol" by Brothers Of Hope, "Vibrations" and "Bo Did It" by Hidden Cost, "Trippin" and "Jason Pew Mosso (part 2)" by Interpretations, "Egg Foo Wa Wa" and "Egg Foo Fried Rice" by Race Street Chinatown Band, "Trainman (Akiwawa)" by Cupit, "More Potato Salad" by Broadway Eddie Band, "I Can Dig It" by Daley Diggers, "Cupid's Holding" by Alliance", "Ambassador's Theme" by Sam Reed Band, and "Ando's Theme" by Ando Orchestra.

Soul Of The Bible Cannonball Adderley CD (Item 69004) Capitol (France), 1972 -- Condition: New Copy Prime material from Cannonball and David Axelrod -- and despite the biblical leanings of the title, the record is pretty darn funky! As they did for the Zodiac, Cannonball and Adderley take a trip through a host of cultural milestones -- stopping along the way to turn each one into a new pillar of soul, working with Rick Holmes, who narrates the set in the same way he did on the Zodiac albums. Brother Nat Adderley and George Duke are among the players in the album's very funky backing -- and tracks include "Make Your Own Temple", "Amani", "Space Spiritual", "Eternal Walk", and "Gone". Oh for the days of the double LP concept jazz record!

Live! -- The Ike & Tina Turner Show Vol 1 & 2 CD (Item 430314) Warner/DBK Works, 1965 -- Condition: New Copy Ike and Tina at their rawest -- working live before crowds at the Skyliner Ballroom and Lovall's Ballroom in Dallas during the mid 60s -- blasting out the tunes with a sense of energy that few other groups could match at the time! The album's a well-rounded affair that not only shows the lead skills of Tina on vocals, but which also still features more of the Turner Revue still in place -- that larger assemblage of artists all moving mightily under Ike's direction! Tina sings lead vocals on the cuts "Finger Poppin", "Good Times", "Twist & Shout", "Something's Got A Hold On Me", "Tight Pants", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "To Tell The Truth". She duets with Vanetta Fields on the cut "I Know You Don't Want Me No More" and with Ike on "You Are My Sunshine". Also features "My Man, He's A Lovin Man" by Jessie Smith, "Having A Good Time" by Vanetta Fields, and "Down In The Valley" by Jimmy Thomas. CD features all the tracks from both volumes of the album -- with 22 titles in all, including the numbers "You Must Believe Me", "Ooh Poo Pah Doo", "All I Can Do Is Cry", "Early In The Morning", "A Fool For You", "You're No Good", "Keep On A Pushin", and "Somebody Needs You".

Entering The Dragon (plus bonus tracks) Keith Hudson CD (Item 428454) Trojan (UK), 1974 -- Condition: New Copy A sweet reissue from Trojan, one of Hudson's hardest to find LPs, made even sweeter with an extra batch of equally tough to get bonus numbers! Prime early 70s jams from one reggae's finest producers, over a deep batch of heavy hitting rhythms by the Soul Syndicate crew, many of which are included in their dub versions! Keith's rough and ready vocals help keep things raw and rootsy throughout on the vocal numbers, and there's a few Dee Jay rubs and other singers brought in here and there for some nice versioning. 30 numbers in all, including "Will You Come Out Tonight", "Too Possessive And You Know It Baby", "Like You Going To A Fair", "It Was When Friends Started To Talk About You", "Oh No, Not My Baby", "Light Of Day", "Like I'm Dying" and "Strayed In Babylon" plus "Blackbelt Jones" by B Ragga, "Man From Shooters Hill", "Rage Of Love", "War War" and "Entering The Dragon" by the Soul Syndicate, "Musical Rock" and "Bandaloo Skank" by Lizzy & Barnabus, "The Exile Song" by Skiddy & Detroit, "In The Burning Sun (Jah Ho)" by Bunny Gale, "Lightning & Thunder" by Barnabus and loads more!

Reese & The Smooth Ones
Art Ensemble Of Chicago

Beautiful work from the Art Ensemble -- and one of their undisputed classics! The record features some of the most perfectly realized moments the band ever cut to wax, with a blend of whimsical multi-instrumental improvisation, and a strong sense of the spiritual tradition in jazz. The album features one long piece -- "Reese & The Smooth Ones" -- and it's a stunning array of spontanteous instrumentation, with a jagged sound that never stops reinventing itself!

Best Of The Alegre All Stars (180 gram pressing)

Slamming Latin from one of the grooviest combos of the 60s -- the Alegre All Stars, one of the first American groups to jam in the descarga mode created on the Cuban scene! During the early 60s, Alegre Records had the genius idea of getting together some of the strongest instrumental talents on the New York scene, and letting them open up in a relaxed studio setting that was quite different than the more tightly-crafted Latin sessions that were the norm for the time. The format proved to be an instant hit, and let players like Charlie Palmieri, Kako, Orlando Marin, Jose Chombo Silva, Willie Rosario, and others take off on longer tracks with plenty of space to jam. This double-length collection brings together a good number of the best tracks from the group's first 4 legendary albums -- a set list that features a bit of vocals, but mostly carries a strong showcase on the instrumental talents of the combo. Titles include "Ay Camino Y Ven", "Soy Feliz", "Almendra", "El Sopon", "Sono Sono", "Guajira En F", "Consuelate", "Rareza Del Siglo", "Los Dandies", "Clo Clo Ki Ki Ri Ki", "Manteca", and "Se Acabo Lo Que Se Daba".

On The Beach
Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble