Melvyn Price "Rhythm and Blues" Wax Poetics
US based magazine Wax Poetics drops a vital jazz dance re-issue of Melvyn Prices magical "Rhythm and Blues" recordings from 1974. Tough to find on original and commanding big money when it does turn up. An essential piece of recording history for any semi-serious jazz head.

The Bonnevilles "Good Suits And Fightin' Boots" Motor Sound Records
Hog wild rock'n'roll! This duo are spitting guitar riffs tougher than ACDC. Absolutely killer stuff - think John Spencer Blues Explosion meets Motorhead. A sound steeped in the good stuff; elements of Chicago Blues, Memphis Rock'n'Roll and tough 70's rock all bound with a raw garage punk energy. If you go wild to the heavy sounds then buy this one now!
www.motorsoundsrecords.com

Fela Kuti "Lagos Baby" VampiSoul
From the first major period of Fela's career, 1963 - 1969, when Fela returned to Lagos from his Studies in England. This compilation captures the transition of Fela's music from Jazz and Highlife to the beginnings of afrobeat. There is a distinct lack of the political themes he later became world famous for, the music compiled here is spirited dance music. Essential!

V/A "Highlife Time - Nigerian & Ghanian Sound" VampiSoul
This addictive dance music was the big sound in Nigeria and Ghania from the late fifties through to the early seventies. A fusion of western jazz and African roots music which spawned a massive pool of bands recording this style. This compilation pulls together some of the more obscure and collector's favourites - as one would expect from VampiSoul. Essential sounds for the sophisticated listener.

Johnny Almond Music Machine "Hollywood Blues" Vocalion
Presumably a source of inspiration for the first wave acid jazzers. Jazz funk in a soundtrack style - pretty full on stuff.

Little Richard "The Very Best Of" Specialty
All the Specialty hits are here plus two previously unreleased tracks. Little Richard was the original wild man of the piano - recording rock'n'roll down at Cosimo's studio when it was still considered rhythm'n'blues.

Michael Garrick Sextet "Promises" Vocalion
A vital reissue of one of Garricks greatest recordings, devilishly tricky to secure on original vinyl - this features a killer line up of the British Jazz scenes greats - Joe Harriott, Ian Carr, Coleridge Goode and of course Garrick himself. If you dig the cool and mellow sounds then dig this!

Eli 'Paperboy" Reed "Roll With You QDivision
Taking on the Stax Southern Soul style and giving it very little modern twist - Eli sticks close to the roots and sings with honesty and conviction. It's alright. Check it out.

Johnny Dankworth "5 Steps to Dankworth & Journey Into Jazz" Vocalion
Two long players in one CD release which capture the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra in full swing. A bold and brassy Big Band sound with covers of Gershwin, Goodman and Ellington alongside the majority of Dankworth compositions.

Johnny Keating "British Jazz & Swinging Scotts" Vocalion
A varied repertoire that effortlessly slides from fast, percussive bop to cool modern jazz, all the while keeping one foot in the swinging Big Band sound that prevailed most early Brit Jazz. This band were covering all of the major styles coming out of America at the time and they did it with a unique and natural flair.

Stereoscope Jerk Explosion "Bumble Bee " / "Moog Traffic" Cosmic Groove
More way-out swinging sixties beat explosions. Full on Hammond funkiness that would make Keith Mansfields ears twitch. Another quality outing from these French Freakbeat masters.

Stereoscope Jerk Explosion "Jerk a la Vague / "Fuzz Party" Cosmic Groove
Less intense than "Bumble Bee", perfect for cruising with the roof down in these coming summer months. Both of these releases are issued in low volume and come in beautiful transparent vinyl with posters and postcards.

Don Rendell "Presenting The Jazz Six" Vocalion
Real cool swinging sounds here from one of the great masters of Brit Jazz. Stick this on and just let yourself go. Loving this one!

Kenny Graham "Presenting Kenny Graham" Vocalion
Lush, chilled out vibes, bordering on loungey exotica and dare I say it - Tittyshaker! Filled with Afro Cuban Rhythms and raunchy horns and drums. The CD is a collection of several Kenny Graham Records, the great Joe Harriot and Don Rendell appear on two of the tracks with Joe hunter alongside Kenny for the mmajority. This shows another side of British Jazz that we don't usually see, a more mastertful, confident and relaxed one.

V/A "British Rock 'n' Roll At Decca 1957 - 61 Volume 2 " Vocalion
Another round of Decca's back catalogue, this one left me a little wanting as a lot of the songs slide into one another. I guess my tastes are too inclined to the wild and raw sounds of these artists American counterparts. This is however an interesting slice of British musical history and tells a story which is clearly overlooked, and with the current media interest in all things fifties; Rockabilly and Rock'n'Roll, its timing could not be better.

V/A "British Rock 'n' Roll At Decca 1957 - 61 Volume 1" Vocalion
Wow! What a release, packed full of highly prized Brit R'n'R, a lot of this stuff is near impossible to find on original issue so this is quite a welcome release. Wee Willie Harris, The Most Bros, Joey Castell, The JetStreams, Eddie Hickey and many more. Many of the tracks are clearly inspired by the bigger Stateside artists who made big waves over here in the UK such as Bill Haley, Eddie Cochran etc so it does lack the wilder sound, everything is very neatly and professionally produced which I has stripped a lot of the energy and attitude away, but does go to making it very much 'English' sounding.

Otis Redding "Otis Blue / Otis Sings Soul" Atco / Rhino
What more can be said about this record that hasn't been said a thousand times over? Otis' classic has been very lovingly re-issued here, in a package that presents the original recordings in their mono and stereo format. Also included are several alternative takes and singles as well as two concert performances - Live at the Whisky A Go Go in 1966 and Live in Europe in 1967. Essential stuff soul lovers.

V/A - "VampiSoul Goes To Africa - Afrobeat Nirvana" - Vampi Soul
A brilliant sampler disc to wet the apitite for some of Vampi Souls forthcoming releases and back catalogue. If you love Afrobeat music and Highlife then this is for you. Great selections from Fela's Highlife period and Bola Johnson, Tony Allen, Opotopo... Recommended listening.

Eddie Bo "In The Pocket With Eddie Bo (New Orleans Rock&Roll, R&B, Soul, & Funk Goodies 1955 to 2007)" Vampi Soul
For some time now collectors of R'n'B, Soul, Funk and Hip Hop have been crying out for a legitimate and worthy anthology of Eddie Bo's incredible musical legacy. I would like to say that this is it, but, the sheer number of inaccuracies and the rushed nature of this release fall far short of what Eddie Bo's music deserves. It looks beautiful, it feels beautiful, but press play on the CD and sadly Eddie's legacy has not been lovingly cared for here.

The errors are so prevalent and glaring that it cannot go unspoken. The liner notes are a copy and paste job of the Wax Poetics article of several years ago, which would not be a bad thing except the errors in the story have not been rectified and some of the statements have not been brought up to date. No one has sought out Eddie Bo's artists to ask their memories and tell their story of working with this great master.

And so to the CD itself; firstly it glaringly contains a Huey Smith song (that has no Bo connection in any form) "We Like Mambo" was incorrectly credited to Eddie Bo on its initial release where it was paired with Eddie's blues ballad "I'm So Tired" as a split sided single. The Bobby Williams Groups "Boogaloo Mardi Gras" is listed, but when played is in fact a completely different song - "Dance Of The Sophisticated Sissy" - a true rarity, but one that has no known Eddie Bo connection. Percy Stones "Chained" originally issued on the Ram label is wrongly listed as previously unreleased and credited to Eddie Bo as artist rather than Percy Stone. Other tracks are wrongly sequenced, Curley Moores "Shelley's Rubber Band" has been incorrectly listed as Eddie Bo's "The Rubber Band" and vice versa. Chuck Carbo's "Can I Be Your Squeeze" has the word 'Main' inserted into the title. Oddly the artwork contains scans of 45's that are not actually on the CD and other things are puzzling - there are no songs included that were recorded after the late seventies so the name of the CD makes very little sense.

It is hard to be positive about this release when so much is wrong with it, the selections chosen seem to lack a deep level of knowledge of Eddie's really blazing recordings - so much is missing that should be here - so much more could have been done.

This CD does paint a good portrait of a hugely diverse artist / producer / arranger / a&r man, so it serves well in the sense of a teaser to Eddie Bo. Let's hope that somebody reads this review and realises that a great task is still left undone.

Mary Queenie Lyons "Soul Fever " Vampi Soul
Here we have a long overdue re-issue of this 'lost' southern soul classic. Sadly it failed to impact on its initial release despite being issued on the King subsidiary label Deluxe. Now this recording has new impetus, thanks to the deepfunk collector scene's constant hammering of the opening track "See And Don't See" over the last ten years.

A worthy album that sits easily with the great JB related soul sisters; Marva, Vicki and Lyn.

V/A " Honeydripper (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Rhino
A great soundtrack taken from John Sayles acclaimed film 'HoneyDripper' which charts the story of hot young guitar slinger against a backdrop of the rural blues scene of the 1950's and the emergence of rock 'n' roll.

The premise of the film promises great things and the CD delivers it. Great performances from Keb Mo, Mable John, Memphis Slim, Ruth Borwn and new talent Gary Clark Jr. An authentic mix of Rhythm 'n' Blues, Gospel, Blues Ballads and wild honking Rock 'n' Roll. ESSENTIAL STUFF!!!!!
Buy It Here

BOOTSY COLLINS - NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL 1998, IKE TURNER - NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL 2002, BUDDY MILES - THEM CHANGES, LOU RAWLES - NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL 1992/95, JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON - NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL 1993, Charly Films
A range of   DVD titles from a selection of leading artists from the world of soul and funk. Sadly the performances here are far from the artists heydays and the bonus footage of their early years generally does not go early enough into the period of their careers when they made their legacy. But for the average Joe on the street, these performances will likely more than satisfy. The Ike Turner DVD has some interesting footage on the extras with early footage of Ike from the fifties and sixties, but has been polluted by disrespectful editing and effects. Buy only if you are absolutely not passionate about these artists' classic recordings.

Tony Allen "Afro Disco Beat" VampiSoul
A complete anthology of solo recordings by the legendary drummer and musical director of Fela Kuti's Africa 70, Tony Allen. All four of these classic solo albums have been respectfully compiled over two discs with a fabulously detailed booklet that outlines the story behind each release. Essential recordings from the co-creator of afrobeat.
www.vampisoul.com

Orlando Juius "Super Afro Soul" VampiSoul
1966, four years before Fela Kuti would unleash his formidable 'afrobeat' sound on the world, Orlando Julius had revolutionised the sound of Lagos with his fusion of highlife and American soul on the groundbreaking debut album "Super Afro Soul". Reverentially re-issued here alongside "Orlando's Afro Ideas 1969 - 72" - a collection of his best work in the years following 'Super Afro Soul'. This second cd is packed full of outstanding afrobeat that rivals if not betters any JB's or Fela deep funk groove of the era. An essential purchase for all music lovers!
www.vampisoul.com

Flying Fish "Sing It Loud" / "If I Could Fly" Skyline
Out of the embers of Ninja Tunes 'The Herbaliser' comes 'Flying Fish sticking close to the pathway forged by their previous incarnation. "Sing It Loud" takes their jazzy hip hop, sample based sound and steers it more towards a commercial Fat Boy Slim style. A fairly obvious vocal sample repeated over clashing beats. The flipside sounds as though it was commissioned either for an in-flight infomercial or a Living Etc magazine cover cd. Nice background music but nothing new here.

Amycanbe "Being A Grown Up Sure Is Complicated" Dancing Turtle Records
A collection of folky psychedelia, the musical backing is highly reminiscent of the 'Untitled' Telescopes LP in parts, with its dreamy and soaring guitar and warm jazzy feel. Singer Francesca Amati has a beautifully seductive voice that has faint echoes of Beth Orton and Ane Brun. Amycanbe deliver a delightful debut that deserves to be heard.
www.dancingturtle.co.uk

Sly And The Family Stone "Greatest Hits" EPIC
An essential compilation that is one of the first entry points to funk or soul music for almost every collector, lover or passing voyeur. This collection illustrates Sly Stone as a master of instantly addictive pop funk such as "I Want To Take You Higher", "Dance To The Music" and "Sing A Simple Song"   - music that inspired everyone from Prince to The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. But he was also responsible for more inspirational and emotionally deeper anthems such as "Stand!", "Everybody Is A Star", "You Can Make It If You Try" and "Everyday People".

Sarah Vaughan "Live At The 1971 Monterey Jazz Festival" Monterey jazz Festival Records
Still at the peak of her vast career, Sarah Vaughan closed the 1971 Festival with this warm, funny and tender set. Aged 47 her voice was still outstanding although deeper and lower. She still hits those high notes with a spine tingling intensity. The band behind her consisted of Bill Mays on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass and Jimmy Cobbs on drums, giving a sound that is still as fresh today as it was then - Giles Peterson freaks/obsessives take note - "The Lamp Is Low" is just what you are looking for! Other stand out performances include a sassy rendition of "Round Midnight", a cover of the Beatles " And I Love Him" and a 14 minute jam with the Jazz At The Philharmonic All Stars a band consisting of 9 true jazz greats including Zoot Sims, Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Clark Terry.

Louis Armstrong "Live At The 1958 Monterey Jazz Festival" Monterey jazz Festival Records
On the opening night of the first ever Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958, promotor Jimmy Lyons had lined up a very special star, a man who in his introduction Dizzy Gillespie refers to as 'The King'. There really was no other talent suitable to truly open the show - for Louie really did sit in a class all of his own. Still in his prime, Louie performs a set of classics instantly associated with him - "Stompin' At The Savoy", "Buckets Got A Hole In It", "Autumn Leaves", "Perdido" naturally ending with the joyous "When The Saints Go Marchin' In" Released here for the first time ever.

Thelonious Monk "Live At The 1964 Monterey Jazz Festival" Monterey jazz Festival Records
Spacious and minimal, Monk was a true modernist, he didn't feel he had to always play over the top of his other performers, instead he granted them their own stage, allowed them to occupy their space and do their 'thing'. This is demonstrated perfectly on the opener "Blue Monk". On "Evidence" he performs a stunning off centre performance and decisively passive role, leaving Charlie Rouse and Ben Riley to lead. The quarter consisted of the highly accomplished Charlie Rouse on tenor sax as well as Steve Swallow on bass and Ben Riley on drums - both adding the solid base that is needed for Monks improvisation and abstractions to work. For the last two numbers the quintet is joined by The Monterey Jazz Festival Workshop, who add a unfamiliar big band sound to Monk classics such as "Straight No Chaser". Released here for the first time ever. Highly worthy!

Dizzy Gillespie "Live At The 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival" Monterey jazz Festival Records
Previously unreleased in any form, this live concert captures a sextet at its absolute peak. The line up consisted of Dizzy on trumpet and vocal, James Moody on tenor sax, Kenny Barron on piano, Christopher White on bass, Rudy Collins on drums and Big Black on congas. They begin the set with a phenomenal take on "Trinidad, Goodbye" performed at 200mph, James Moody performs a sparkling tenor solo with Big Bills conga performance setting the sound on fire. They follow this with the sublime "Day After" which demonstrates Dizzy's effortless style brilliantly. Other tracks include: "Poor Joe" "Dizzy's Comedy Sketch", my fave Dizzy number "A Night In Tunisia" is delivered in a completely new and unique style that can only be described as 'genius', "Ungawa" - a 12 minute long jam between Dizzy and Big Black - and finally "Chega de Saudade (No More Blues). Absolutely essential for your home listening pleasure!

Miles Davis Quintet "Live At The 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival" Monterey jazz Festival Records
A previously unreleased live recording with a fresh new quintet that consisted of George Coleman on tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Tony Williams on drums and of course Miles on trumpet. The songs were firm staples by 1963 - "Autumn Leaves, "So What", "Stella by Starlight", "Walkin'" and "The Theme" but played with fresh interpretation and energy. "Autumn Leaves" and "So What" sound very far removed from the studio takes, with "So What" performed as a hard bop. Tony Williams and Herbie Hancock are the true stars of this concert with a performance that set out to firmly establish their credentials in the jazz world.

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars DVD
This is a truly harrowing story that builds an unsettling image of the capacity in mankind to perform the most unspeakable acts of terror and violence. It is through the power of music and celebration of life that the people affected are once again united and given hope.

Beautifully filmed and edited, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars tells the story of a group of refugees forced together under desperate circumstances, who unite through music, all are seasoned musicians with the exception of one young rapper by the name of Black Nature. Some have been tortured and lost limbs at the hands of the rebels; the stories they tell of this and the murder of loved ones seem completely alien to us here in safety of the West. So when they are approached to go to other refugee camps to help promote the return of other refugees to Sierra Leone, this is where a fantastic story begins...

International Observer "Heard" Dubmission
Ever wondered what happened to 80's pop sensation The Thompson Twins?   Well, it seems that front man Tom Bailey relocated to New Zealand where he became immersed in the dark sounds of Jamaican Dub. "Heard" is a clash of the old and new with a contemporary 'Electro' spin on the traditional dub sound. He seems to have mastered the production techniques and shows a real appreciation for the music; at times this is as authentic sounding as a King Tubby Original.

Christian Scott "Anthem" Concord
Here is a fresh band leader offering a fusion of straight ahead jazz bop with a surprising 'emo' rock sound and sensibility, with doom laden rhythms and introspective melodies that build on the sound of innovation of Miles Davis and Weather Report. The standout finale to the album is "Anthem (Postdiluvian Adaptation)"; an epic rap from X-Clan's Brother J concerning his anger at the Katrina outrage and sounding like a lost Last Poets song. Not one for the jazz purist or mild mannered buyer, this is jazz for a more open minded and adventurous patron.

v/a "The Cosimo Matassa Story" Proper
Anyone with a passing interest in the roots of music will no doubt be more than aware of the historical importance of New Orleans rhythm n blues, this was a breeding ground for new sounds, spawning immense talent and legendary recordings. Little Richard, Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Lloyd Price, Huey Smith and not forgetting the master himself Eddie Bo, were all there at the beginning, and at the heart of all of this activity was Cosimo Matassa. An Italian-American recording engineer and studio owner who is quite possibly the most important music industry name from New Orleans and has been credited with creating the New Orleans sound that the city has become world famous for. This 4 cd release contains an incredible collection of classic and rare cuts and should be a great starting point for anyone serious about getting to the bottom of this thing we call music.

V/A "NRK Sessions - Soul, Afro-Jazz & Latin from the Club 7 Scene" Plastic Strip
Firstly, apologies to Tommy Sovik who sent this 4 months ago - just as I was moving house, it got lost in the move and I have only just gotten around to dropping it onto my record player. What a huge surprise though, this is solidly packed with absolute killers. Made all the more magical when you read the story behind the music. The artists represented here were all part of Oslo's legendary jazz and psychedelic soul club 'Club 7'. Many of these cuts were recorded by the Norwegian National Broadcasting Bureau (NRK) especially to play over the radio to fill the void left by having barely any kind of national music industry. These were never pressed up and released at the time, so for a large majority of serious collectors (myself included) you will be hearing most of these cuts for the first time. There are known names such as Karin Krog amongst more obscure yet brilliant performers like K Jellerrock Jazzbandet and The Band No name. Seriously folks - this is probably the best funky LP you will buy for a long time.
www.plasticstrip.no

V/A "Black Feeling" Freestyle
The brainchild of Adrian Gibson, this is the funk scenes equivalent of those addictive top of the pops records you used to see in charity shops up and down the country. Except this isn't packed with half-baked versions that make you wonder why you wasted your sweets money.

Deepfunk classics such as "Honky Tonk Popcorn", "Night of the Wolf", "Watcha Feel Is Watcha Get" are executed with a mixture of either genius or (in the case of "Night of the Wolf") a little less genius. Jazz Dance favourite "The Blessing Song" is superbly covered as is Latin Funk classic "Broasted Or Fried". This is a great party release that should add a little life to the fading funk scene.
www.freestylerecords.co.uk

Ill Boogs "King Conga" / "Funky Ghost Town" Breakin' Bread
More crucial dance floor gems for the discerning b-boy from legendary breaker Ill Boogs, these two remain true to form - rocksteady, sharp and absolutely funky assed! Top stuff.
www.breakinbread.org

Lefties Soul Connection "Skimming The Skum" Melting Pot Music
A little bit more bite than the usual factory churned 'New Funk' I've come to expect from modern funk outfits.   This release is a whole lot more convincing and inspired. The Lefties are a band that knows how to rock it; ferocious Hammond, raw guitars, unrelenting rhythm section and lyrics that don't suck!!!! This takes the effortless Meters style and kicks it into shape gutbucket blues style.   Buy it!
www.mpmsite.com

V/A "Gozalo Bugalu Tropical Vol2" Vampi Soul
An astonishing collection of bugalu, latin funk and dancefloor jazz deep from the vast vaults of Peruvian record label 'Mag'. These infectious groovers are every bit as must-have as their New York counterparts on Fania and Tico, with more than enough outright killer cuts to make this an essential purchase.
www.vampisoul.com

Nathaniel Mayer "I Want Love and Affection (Not the House of Correction)" Vampi Soul
The first complete anthology of the recorded works of Detroit legend Nathaniel Mayer, this release tells the story of Nathaniel from a fresh face with a unique new sound to a struggling soul survivor in the 1980's. All the classic cuts are here "Village Of Love", "I Want Love & Affection (Not The House Of Correction)" as well as his most outstanding cut - the raw and rockin' "Leave Me Alone". Complete with a 20-page booklet carefully researched and lovingly put together.
www.vampisoul.com

Momma Cheri's "Soul In A Bowl" Absolute Press
From humble origins, tucked away in a Brighton backstreet and on the verge of closure, the story of Momma Cherri is almost a modern day culinary fairy tale. Along came the foul-mouthed TV chef Gordon Ramsey who put Momma Cherri on the map with a bang. The restaurant went onto bigger premises and Momma onto guest appearances on TV shows, it was just a matter of time before we got the book.

But, where we should be cynical, instead we need to celebrate, for this is the food of our culture - soul food - the initial reason for the SoulGeneration website - this is the blessing we have wished for. Finally a soul food cookbook graces the shelves of UK bookstores!

Momma has taken a sometimes complex and involved cookery style and simplified it for the mass market without really losing out on any of the magic. There are all the classic dishes a true soulie craves such as Jambalaya and Gumbo plus scores of great spicy meat dishes and sides such as Hoppin' John and Black-Eyed Peas. She blurs the boundaries between Soul Food, New Orleans classics, Mexican and American standards and brings a refreshing collection of recipes you will want to make.

SoulGeneration 100% recommends this book - Buy It Now!!!!
www.mommacherri.co.uk

V/A "Crash of Thunder" Vampi Soul
Two soul dancers from Robert Moore, a belter from Mary Queenie Lyons where she proceeds to wail about her latest betrayal, Wayne Cochran's "Chopper 70" has the job of representing the much needed seventies car-chase-funk sound, you get 3 Charles Spurling sides including the magnificent "That Woman", a cover of Otis Redding's big rockabilly scene spin "Fat Gal" - well it was never going to beat Otis' original but it is indeed worthy of inclusion. There's plenty here to get the collector and the funk lover gagging for a bit of this pie.

We are talking about some seriously high priced 45's here if you were to buy the originals - but considering that The Swinging Seven "Football" is included in the box set, you'd most likely never be able to find all the originals - no matter how fat your bank roll!

A great compilation complete with liner notes from Mr Finewine, who also compiled it. Available now on limited edition 10 x 7" Box Set or on CD. Buy It!
www.vampisoul.com

Soil & Pimp Sessions Brownswood Recordings
Wild... unconventional... and blatantly contagious! This is just what is needed to shake the contrived pap out of the jazz scene. These Japanese fellas have got more balls than a oversexed granny at a bukkake convention. Hard bop with a wild and primal twist - this is going to be an instant classic so watch out jazz fans!
www.brownswoodrecordings.com

V/A "Sweet Soul Music - The Best of Stax" Stax / Universal
Sweet Soul Music as a title just does not do justice to the Stax sound, with its syncopated rhythms and gritty shakers - this was a label that offered much more than the dreamy soulful sounds this title suggests. That said this collection perfectly demonstrates the depth of talent and brilliance that rose from the south during the sixties and early seventies. Artists like Carla Thomas, The Staple Singers and Frederick Knight sound as fresh today as they ever did. These are the highlights of a label that boasted Rufus Thomas, Albert King, Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes amongst dozens of other greats - not many labels of its time came close to this volume of talent or diversity of sound. Don't let the cheesy artwork put you off; this is stacked with real gems amongst the standard classics you'd expect to be on here.

CUCUMBER "Chris Clubber" Cosmic Groove
"Chris Clubber" is a wild Hammond psych-out, in the same vein as last years Stereoscope Jerk Explosion and equally as exciting. The flipside "Malyflow's Garden" will see fans of wierdbeard psychedelia get their twitch on with this cosmic nugget.
www.cosmicgroove.fr

CUCUMBER "It's Hippopotime" Cosmic Groove
"It's Hippopotime" sounds like the The Mohawks mashed up with early Dj Shadow in a beat laden flute led workout. The flipside "Shocking" is a funky psych rocker that sounds like a long lost killer KPM recording.
www.cosmicgroove.fr

Fanga "Natural Juice" Cosmic Groove
Authentic afrobeat that sounds straight out of Lagos circa late 70s early 80's - fans of Tony Allens solo recordings will love this, issued on 12" to give ample time to groove. It stands up against original and the best new afrobeat. One for the record collection!
www.cosmicgroove.fr

V/A "Brownswood Bubblers Two " Brownswood
With minimal effort at innovation and forging a unique sound this is music by and large made by competent copyists - music that has been 'designed' rather than 'felt'. In places there are sparks of real talent amongst the artists but overall it is a release overshadowed by jazz-funks equivelant of pub-circuit rock bands.

The Sweet Vandals "Self Titled" Unique Records
The Sweet Vandals? This is a difficult one! The sound is just too derivative of everything else thats come before them. They offer very little if anything at all in the way of fresh ideas or playing the 60's funk sound from a new perspective. However the vocal style of the female singer makes this LP hard to simply dismiss as she adds an unusual quirkiness that makes you wonder what if...
uniquerec.com

V/A "Dirtybeatbreakinfunkandhiphop" Breakin Bread
Worth the price alone for the fantastic debut of Scottish rappers The Abdominal Showmen who sing a bizarre tale about magical seeds that grow into strange little creatures. Plus you get two tracks by one of the best funk outfits of today - Color Climax. Essential listening.
www.breakinbread.org

Mark & The Spies "Everything I Need" Butterfly
2 sides of jingly-jangly sixties pop from the Netherlands ala early The Beatles.
www.butterfly-records.com

Birdengine "I Fed Thee Rabbit Water"
A modern day madcap singing fireside tales of otherworldliness where faceless horses dwell amongst feral children and dead mermaids. These are the mesmirising and addictive sounds of a reclusive songwriter who spent far too many childhood nights playing alone in the woods. The woodland will never be the same again.
www.driftrecords.co.uk

The R.G.Morrison "Learning About Loathing" Drift Records
Comparrisons to Nick Drake are not altogether unfounded or undeserved. This songwriter sings downbeat tales of, loss, sorrow, longing and joyous upbeat optimism. This is an original and real talent who deserves pride of place in serious music lovers collections. At times foreboding and stripped back to basics, other times experimental and darkly psychedelic, Learning About Loathing promises great things to come... www.driftrecords.co.uk

Diana Ross & The Supremes " The No.1's" Universal
This release coincides with the cinematic release of "Dreamgirls" staring Beyonce and Jamie Foxx - a film inspired by Diana Ross and The Supremes. This compilation consists purely of their US number one hit singles, a strong collection of instantly recognizable pop classics from the golden days of the Detroit soul scene. Due to the theme of this release you miss out on hearing some of their more obscure and sublime numbers such as "You've Been So Wonderful to Me" “Sunny Boy” and the un-released (at its time) cover of Bobby Hebbs “Sunny”. All 3 of which would have added a new dimension to The Supremes musical output for your average punter. It’s difficult to pick out favorites amongst this collection as just about every track is a classic, however, songs such as ‘Love Child’, ‘Stoned Love’, ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ and ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’ will forever remain timeless favorites at SoulGeneration.

Robert Moore "Everythin' Gonna Be Alright" Record kicks
Originally issued on the highly collectable Saadia record label out of Florida, this delicious slice of infectious funky soul will leave you gasping for breath. Save yourself £350 and bag one of these legit re-issues while you can. My alltime favourite funk 45.

Bonobo "Days To Come" Ninja Tune
Cool, laid back, sounds, blissful vocals courtesy of Compost Records Bajka, a very nice way to soothe away the post summer blues.

Kid Koala "Your Mom's Favorite DJ" Ninja Tune
A predictable and formulaic repeat of his past, but nether the less an interesting way to spend 30 minutes. It does suffer from being removed from the visual experience of the kid cutting up his records in the flesh. For those craving more of the same, this one will fulfil your wish.

Movements Part 2 Groove Attack Recordings
Tobias returns for a second round of his superb funk and boogaloo club sounds. Some gems from the deep funk scene and one or two real stand out tracks. A bit of everything to suit most tastes.

VA "El barrio" Fania Records
Dean Rudland returns with another cool compilation of obscure and lesser known gems, this time he's plunging the archives of the recently revived Fania label. A legendary New York label that brought some of the very best in latin funk, soul, jazz et all to the world throughout the late 1960's and 70's before losing it's relevance in the early 80's/ Some truly great stuff here, the focus is on superfunky latin tinged ghetto funk.

Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra "Psychedelic Sambai" Record Kicks
Average beat based retro funk, should be of worthy appeal to hip hop heads and beat freaks. This is flipped with "Man Of Mine" by Betty Wright in pretty full on modern soul mode.

Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers Rhino
Before we begin I first have to draw your attention to some of Aretha's personal on this legendary 1971 recording; we have the band leader King Curtis on sax, Cornell Dupree on guitar, the king of the beat Bernard Purdie on drums, Billy Preston on organ, the Memphis Horns... even Ray Charles gets up onto the stage to testify! And if that's not enough, then we have Aretha herself, captured absolutely at her peak and in total command of proceedings. This live concert marks the point where Aretha crossed over to the hearts and minds of the 'longhair' rock audience.

By 1971 Aretha was selling out Americas biggest venues and making serious dollars in the process but to downsize venues and make this landmark crossover in her career possible she agreed to release a live album from the 3 night residency to bolster the finances. It would turn out to be Arethas finest hour! Rather than delivering hits purely from her own repertoire (which she also performed) she surprised the audience with familiar songs by Stephen Stills, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, David Gates, Ashford & Simpson but with such heart-felt conviction and passion that she made the originals seem lifeless throwaways.

This is an absolutely astonishing recording that every collection needs to have and as such no further discourse is required! Buy it if listening to and possessing great music is your motivation.
http://www.rhino.com

Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers Rhino
"Memphis Soul Stew" rendered as funky as you're likely to hear it from a band consisting of a dream line up; Cornell Dupree, King Curtis, Bernard Purdie, Billy Preston. And then you have that legendary version of "Whiter Shade Of Pale" Withnail & I fans pay notice! If King Curtis hadn't been stabbed to death just a few months after this, its hard to imagine where his career would have gone. This time capsule captures the legendary band leader at his peak and finally into the spotlight where he'd always belonged.   A worthy addition to any soul or rock collection.
http://www.rhino.com

Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers Rhino
A fine collection of overlooked tracks, flipsides and previously unreleased gems from Atlantics vaults. Featuring some outright killer tracks you probably wont have heard before; Wilson Picket's crossover dancer "Can't Stop A Man In Love" and Donny Hathaway's sunny epic "What A Woman Really Needs". Both of these make the compilation worth picking up for alone. Other gems are Bobby Womack's "How Does It Feel" - the flipside to the phenomenal soul dancer "Find Me Somebody", a splendid version of Sam Cooke's classic "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day" by Arthur Conley who's voice lends itself perfectly to the song. There is a real mix of styles here so something to suit all tastes.
http://www.rhino.com

Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers Rhino
Now everyone loves a soul sister, whether she is belting out some heart wrenching gospel tinged soul, scorching or sassy sisterfunk or getting on the git down with some dirty, gritty sixties soul - here we have a bit of it all. This one is comprised of classic soulclub sounds, flipsides and previously unreleased masterpieces.

Here we have more than a couple of favourable numbers; Aretha belting out a righteous version of "My Way", one of my favourite New Orleans honey's Margie Joseph takes on Smokey Robinsons "It's Growing" which sees light of day for the first time since she recorded it in 1972.   The real outright gem here is Patti LaBelle's previously unreleased version of one of my all time favourite soul records - (one I file right next to Sam Fletcher's "Id Think It Over") Charlie & Inez Foxes' "(1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count The Days".   Delicious! The rest of the compilation is populated with classic soul club sounds such as; Dee Dee Sharp "My Best Friends Man", Barbara Lewis "Thankful For What I Got" and Doris Troy "Please Little Angel", classic funky assed soul such as; Esther Phillips "Cheater Man" and Laura Lee "What A Man". A great selection that more than warrants pestering Atlantic to release more from the vaults...
http://www.rhino.com

Megatron "I Believe In A Thing Called Soul" Dirt Factory Records
Washington's Megatron deliver the goods with their first release "I Believe In A Thing Called Soul" - a fusion of Afrobeat ala Antibalas, Kokolo and Blue Note inspired Hammond Jazz. Can't wait to hear this lot live! One to look out for without doubt.
http://www.megatronfanclub.com

"Falling Off The Reel Vol 1" Truth & Soul Records
A collection of brand new funk, soul, afro jazz and just plain groovy 45's from New Yorks Truth & Soul label plus a delicious slice of vintage rare funk from Timothy McNealy who's super rare (and killer tune) "K.C. Stomp" has been thoughtfully re-issued. Highlights are the aforementioned McNealy track and two outstanding moments from funk legend Lee Fields. A must buy!
http://www.truthandsoulrecords.com

Dwight Tribble "Living Water" Ninja Tune
There are moments when all you need from music is for it to be mindless, degenerate and knuckles-scraping-the-floor primal. Then there are other moments when you seek out spiritual music to elevate your state of being. Those moments where you dip into the gospel and spiritual jazz sections of your collection.

As you come to discover and love artists such as Leon Thomas and Andy Bey it becomes hard to listen to modern day vocalists who claim to be of that mould and consider them worthy of any attention. Dwight Tribble is one of the few exceptions as this collection of compositions will prove. They position Dwight as the natural successor to Leon Thomas and Andy Bey.
Backed by a band that would challenge Coltranes or Pharoah Sanders, this is a release that captures a true genuis in his prime.
http://www.ninjatune.net

Broken Keys "Gravity" Tru-Thoughts
What happens when you put Nostalgia 77 and Natural Self together in a room and fill it with recording equipment? The answer is - 'Gravity' - two blistering sides of psychedelia, prog rock, percussive jazz, nasty funk, garage punk rock.

Not merely an excercise in taking turns to play their own existing styles the pair have found a common ground and thrashed out an album that stands shoulder to shoulder alongside the source material that inspired the venture.

Personal favourites are "The Witch", "Razorblade" "Black Farr" (where they take music machines classic "Talk Talk" and cut and paste it into a entirely new masterpiece of filthy garage rock).

Remember people - we are in the year of the beast, you need your music dark! Accept the darkness and I wish you all Ave Satanas.
http://thebrokenkeys.com

Coldcut "True Skool" Ninja Tune
The dynamic duo are back for more excitable beat based pop loveliness, vintage Bollywood soundtracks are cut up with the standard hip hop fayre. Roots Manuva chats his way through, mumbling about lord knows what, something he claims is cooler than cool, and he recommends you wiggle your tootsie. A cool teaser of what should be more to come we come!
http://www.ninjatune.net