Island Vibes, Broad Records

The Island Years is a new comprehensive anthology featuring the work British rock band Spooky Tooth who released seven studio albums between 1968 and 1974…

Gongzilla (a spin-off of the British Canterbury Scene and sometimes fusion group Gong), follows up their excellent 1995 outing with a few changes in personnel on this 1996 release. Here, digital guitar, EFX, and loop expert David Torn pairs up with guitarist Bon Lozaga for the often loud and boisterous front-line attack. With pieces such as the opener, "Suffer," and "Say It Loud," the band pursues pounding straight rock motifs and riff-based funk grooves stitched together amid generally good themes and tempered soul/rap vocals.

Harry Babasin - Harry Babasin & The Jazz Pickers with Terry Gibbs (1957) {V.S.O.P. Records #39 rel 1998}
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© 1957, 1998 Mode Records / V.S.O.P. Records | Mode 119 / #39
Jazz / Cool / Bop / West Coast Jazz

An excellent set of 50s west coast chamber jazz – featuring a quintet that includes Harry Babasin on cello, Terry Gibbs on vibes, Demsey Wright on guitar, Ben Tucker on bass, and Bill Douglass on drums. The pairing of cello and vibes in the frontline is really great – and with additional support from guitar, the instruments really swing nicely on the set. The album's the sort that you might miss, because the Premier label was sort of a budget operation – but it's a really nice little side that grooves with a keen late 50s approach that's very much in the manner of similar albums on Dawn or Bethlehem – but arguably better, as it's recorded with an open feel, and some really great sound.

Billy Wooten & Richard "Groove" Holmes - The Place To Start (2013) {P-Vine Records PCD-93740 rec 1986}
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© 1986, 2013 Billy Wooten / P-Vine Records | PCD-93740
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Jazz Funk / Vibes / Hammond Organ B-3

A lost chapter of genius from vibes player Billy Wooten – and a great one too! The set's a rare outing with Hammond giant Groove Holmes – laid out nicely here in a quartet setting that offers up plenty of Billy's great vibes mixed with the organ – in a mode that's very different than anything else Wooten ever recorded, and which really takes us back to the best soul jazz years of 60s Prestige Records! The group also features great tenor from Jimmy Coe – a player we don't really know at all – and drums from Jozell Carter, who works nicely with the rhythms from Holmes' work on the Hammond. Titles include "Blue Bossa", "Bags", "Groove's Blues", "It's A Groove Thing", and "I Remember April."

“Love Vibes Too” is a follow up collection of 17 upbeat, feel good soulful dance records from the post disco, pre-house days of the late 70s and early 80s. The artists in the main are well known, international hit makers, and again on this selection Expansion take a fresh look at their repertoire and makes some of it available on CD for the very first time. “Love Vibes Too” explores music from Motown, Capitol, MCA, Epic, Columbia, Atlantic, with productions by George Duke, Rene & Angela, The Isley Brothers, Leo Graham, Michael Stokes and Narada Michael Walden. Artists officially on CD for the first time from original masters include Klique, Peabo Bryson, Nolen & Crossley, Magic Lady, Wynd Chymes, Vicky Sue Robinson, Sidney Barnes and Muscle Shoals Horns. Ultimate music for a sunny day for soul fans!