Song of Innocence is the debut album of American composer and producer David Axelrod. It was released in October 1968 by Capitol Records. Axelrod sought to capitalize on the experimental climate of popular music at the time and composed the album as a suite-like tone poem based on Songs of Innocence, a 1789 illustrated collection of poems by William Blake. It was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles with an orchestra and a variety of studio musicians, including keyboardist and conductor Don Randi, guitarist Al Casey, bassist Carol Kaye, and drummer Earl Palmer. Song of Innocence is an instrumental jazz fusion record that incorporates elements of classical, rock, funk, pop, and theatre music. It is arranged for bass, drums, and string instruments, written in the rock idiom with tempos centered on rock-based patterns by Palmer. Axelrod used contrast in his orchestral compositions and interspersed the album's euphoric psychedelic R&B form with dramatic, harrowing arrangements to reflect the supernatural themes found in Blake's poems. The music's reverent, psychedelic overtones evoke their themes of innocence and spirituality.

The popularity of dance music and of clubbing in the 1980s exploded. With its roots in 60s R&B and 70s soul and disco, the new grooves were an eclectic mix of styles: house, jazz-funk, pop, hi-NRG, electro and rare soul classics being re-discovered for the 80s clubber, all of which are represented here. Includes legendary acts continuing to find dance floor success - Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Earth Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Barry White and Aretha Franklin who all enjoyed huge hits in the 80s.

Digitally remastered reissue combines two domestically out-of-print albums together on one CD, 'Make It Happen' (1967) & 'Special Occasion' (1968). Packaged in a full color outer slipcase with original sleeve artwork.

A few years later of “Vamos A Comer” EP (2010 © Lovemonk) and the “Unexpected Tapas” (2011 © Lovemonk) album releases, the Basque-German DJ & music maker, Mikel Makala, and the producer and director of the Gasteiz Big Band, Jimmy Bidaurreta, join forces again to create a new album called “Descarga Libre” (2019 © Orrua Diskak). Now the Basque duo strikes with the same purpose to rescue those Latin, Jazz, Funk and Descarga to Nuyorican Salsa sounds of labels like Fania, in combination with club & dancefloor rhythms. In the beginning of 2019 they’re back with a new album containing 7 originals songs, giving continuity to that brilliant sound they have signed together & have already obtained remarkable admiration from some international reputed DJs, producers and radio hosts.

Alma Afrobeat Ensemble was founded in Chicago in 2003 by guitarist Aaron Feder. In 2006 Aaron moved to Barcelona in search of a different sound for the AAbE. He quickly found a group of international members, from all continents of the globe. In a short time the band was reformed and headlined the Fiestizaje music and arts festival in 2008. The band then set about recording their first studio album, Toubab Soul which was released in 2010. Shortly afterwards, they released the remix album, Toubab Resouled, and opened the world music festival Cruilla de Cultures with Konono No 1.

They were originally named 'The Hot Chocolate Band' by Mavis Smith, who worked for the Apple Corps press office. This was quickly shortened to Hot Chocolate by Mickie Most. Hot Chocolate started their recording career making a reggae version of John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance", but Brown was told he needed permission. He was contacted by Apple Records, discovered that John Lennon liked his version, and the group was subsequently signed to Apple Records. The link was short-lived as The Beatles were starting to break up, and the Apple connection soon ended. In 1970 Hot Chocolate, with the help of record producer Mickie Most, began releasing tracks that became hits, such as "Love is Life", "Emma", "You Could Have Been a Lady", and "I Believe in Love".

A finely crafted selection of easygoing mid-tempo funk numbers and soul ballads, Philadelphia vocalist Brandi Wells' debut album is one of the strongest in the WMOT catalog. The Top 40 R&B hit "Watch Out" is good, but there's a lot better in the moody swayer "I Hate to See You Go"; the bright, Motown-influenced track "Falling in Love"; and the album's second single, "What Goes Around Comes Around." Wells' gliding style combines influences of Deniece Williams' soprano tenderness with Phyllis Hyman's alto tenacity, but the phrasing and tone are distinctly her own. She conveys power without needing dramatic belting, with sensitivity barring excessive delicacy. Unfortunately, the masters were not preserved well, as CD reissues by both Unidisc and Hot Productions lack a certain crispness.

At the time of the release of Think (About It) in 1972, Lyn Collins had been a member of James Brown's performing revue for about two years. Her full-throated voice had earned her the nickname "the Female Preacher" and a shot to record her own album. Of course, the Godfather was in the producer's chair, writing four of the nine tracks, directing the J.B.'s as they laid down their usual funky grooves, and liberally adding vocals throughout. The title track is the main point of interest here; from Collins' throat-ripping vocals to the track's nasty groove to Brown's background interjections, this is a killer. (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock later sampled the track for their rap classic "It Takes Two"). The rest of the record is a little uneven: "Just Won't Do Right" is a good doo wop-ish ballad with some churchy organ and great vocals by Collins and Brown, "Wheels of Life" is a nice little groover that sounds like vintage Aretha Franklin, and "Women's Lib" is a very slow ballad that lets Collins show off her anguished yowl of a vocal to its fullest.

Music collective Africa Express announce the release of a brand new studio album titled EGOLI, coming 12th July 2019 on the newly created Africa Express Records imprint. Hailed as the most revolutionary force in popular music for two decades, Africa Express was founded in 2006 and brings together musicians from different cultures, genres and generations to break boundaries and offer a new perspective on Africa and its music. Each record and event is unique, based upon on-the-spot collaboration and filled with unique moments of magic; the collective have hosted trips and concerts in Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mali and UK to date.

Michael Jackson had recorded solo prior to the release of Off the Wall in 1979, but this was his breakthrough, the album that established him as an artist of astonishing talent and a bright star in his own right. This was a visionary album, a record that found a way to break disco wide open into a new world where the beat was undeniable, but not the primary focus – it was part of a colorful tapestry of lush ballads and strings, smooth soul and pop, soft rock, and alluring funk. Its roots hearken back to the Jacksons' huge mid-'70s hit "Dancing Machine," but this is an enormously fresh record, one that remains vibrant and giddily exciting years after its release. This is certainly due to Jackson's emergence as a blindingly gifted vocalist, equally skilled with overwrought ballads as "She's Out of My Life" as driving dancefloor shakers as "Working Day and Night" and "Get on the Floor".

Longtemps ignorée, la musique du Nigéria doit à Fela son retour en grâce, et avec la deuxième génération qu'incarne Femi, elle trouve sa plus noble expression. Toujours aussi combative – le titre du CD ne laisse aucun doute – cette musique n'oublie pas un moindre instant d'où elle vient et ce qu'elle défend. Femi Kuti, qui a dirigé l'orchestre de son père Fela durant ses années de prison, assure une succession plus marquée par un souci musical rigoureux.

The Les Humphries Singers was a 1970s musical group formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1969[1] by the English-born Les Humphries (born John Leslie Humphreys, 10 August 1940, in Croydon, Surrey, England - died 26 December 2007, in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England)…

At the end of the 80s, England discovered acid jazz, a genre that combines elements of funk, soul, disco and jazz fusion. It was hugely popular, especially thanks to artists such as Incognito, the Young Disciples, Galliano, Us3, Corduroy, Snowboy, the Sandals and even Jamiroquai. In 1987, the DJs Gilles Peterson and Eddie Piller even dedicated a label to the genre, Acid Jazz Records. Within this groovy movement, which finally started to decline at the end of the 90s, The Brand New Heavies were one of the torchbearers, largely thanks to the energy injected by the various singers including N’Dea Davenport, Siedah Garrett and Carleen Anderson.

1982's The Message has a good claim to being the greatest rap album of the old school years. It was the first politically radical rap album of its era exploring the various inequalities of 1980s America. No rap act at that point had channelled the mood and struggles of the streets onto record. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five became the first to address the reality of inner city life in New York's boroughs. Tracks such as the renowned "The Message" certified them as one of the most influential groups in hip-hop's history. This Expanded Edition of their classic album now includes additional bonus such as "The Message II", "New York New York", the instrumental of the "Message" plus "The Adventure Of Grandmaster Himself", a cut up of various classic breaks that only appeared 20 years after the original recording. Also included are new extended sleeve notes and brand new photos.

Wewantsounds continues its collaboration with Bob Shad's grandchildren, Mia and Judd Apatow, to present a 2LP selection of 13 turntable-friendly Mainstream Records tracks recorded between 1970 and 1973 and showcasing the label's superb blend of Funk, Soul and Jazz. All tracks remastered from the original tapes, most of them released for the first time since their original release with a few highly sought-after ones. Liner notes by UK journalist Paul Bowler.The Mainstream sound is unmistakable: earthy, rich and funky, it's the signature sound of producer Bob Shad. After working with such geniuses as Charlie Parker, The Platters, Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin over three decades, Shad decided to go back to producing Great Black Music in the early 70s through his label Mainstream Records and started releasing a formidable series of jazz albums known as the 300 series.