VA 2015

Producer and ACT label boss Siggi Loch turns 75 on August 6th this year and to celebrate his birthday ACT are releasing a collection of music that Siggi had the pleasure of producing over the last 50-plus years, his own personal Best of… . 'Life in the Spirit of Jazz - Siggi Loch 75' represents a fascinating cross-section from the glittering career and from the passionate life of a man who has achieved legendary status in music. Right at the start of his career, he had the dream of running his own jazz label, and he has now fulfilled that dream. ACT has been voted label of the year four times in a row at the German ECHO awards, and in 2015 alone, its artists and releases garnered eight ECHOs: the label has achieved international renown.

2015 three CD collection of full-length, 12" and extended mixes by some of the '70s' finest booty-shaker makers. Includes grooves by Chic, The Trammps, George Benson, Sister Sledge, Chaka Khan, Kleeer, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Herbie Mann and many others.

2015 five CD set. Creation Records was one of the most important, vital independent labels of the 80s and 90s, born in the post-punk era and progressing to define the Britpop generation. Creation Artifact is the first comprehensive box set devoted to the early years of Creation Records. The label was born from a hip London club night and won the plaudits with a string of limited edition 7" singles and a handful of albums - including the acclaimed debut 'Upside Down' by the Jesus & Mary Chain. During this period 1983-1985, the label also issued vinyl by Primal Scream (their debut 45), The Pastels, The Bodines, The Loft, The Membranes, The Jasmine Minks et al. Housed in a lavish 'book' set, Creation Artifact pays tribute to that seminal period with two discs comprising early A's and B's, a third CD of rarities and album tracks, another comprising previously unissued demos and a fifth disc of rare BBC sessions. Awash with rare memorabilia, a 12,000-word essay from journalist Neil Taylor, band biographies, personal reminiscences and numerous archive finds, Creation Artifact is the ultimate tribute to the dawn of Creation Records 1983-1985!

2015 three CD collection. Soul Time is a new label within the Cherry Red family devoted to the perennial cult music genre, Northern Soul, which is currently enjoying yet another resurgence. Soul Time is overseen by long time Northern Soul fan Joe Boy, who has been imaginatively compiling the genre for many years and most recently for Outta Sight. Casino Classics was a club label created in 1978 by DJ Russ Winstanley (founder of the famed Wigan Casino All-Nighter) and Casino manager Mike Walker. It was distributed by the newly formed R. K. Records owned by Robert and Barry Kingston the production team behind many earlier homegrown records on the Spark label. Between 1978 and 1980, Casino Classics issued a steady stream of 45s and two compilation albums, Chapters One and Two combining some of the scene's most memorable American originals with other tracks recorded especially for the label. Following the closure of the Casino in 1981 the final Chapter was released featuring tracks compiled and recorded before the demise of the club. Casino Classics - Complete Collection is the first time that these best-selling albums have ever been released on CD. This beautifully-curated set boasts everything issued on the Casino Classics label back in the day, including every album and every single.

2CD set. Updated 2015 edition of Clinton Walker's landmark Aboriginal country compilation! Features 43 key tracks by Jimmy Little, Archie Roach, Vic Simms, Kev Carmody, Dan Sultan, Tiddas, Warumpi Band, Ruby Hunter, Thelma Plum, Roger Knox and others.

2015 two CD collection. A veritable cornucopia of 60 tunes as spun by Lux Interior on his radio shows or lurking within his and Poison Ivy's collection. From cool instrumentals and rockabilly weirdness through to female rock 'n' rollers, devotees of voodoo and all around devil worship and purveyors of the newest dance trends. With more than a hint of esoteric exotica, with added jungle sound effects, tributes to Tarzan, dragsters and rabbits and a host of dazed and confused survivors to boot. Rampant with riffs, overflowing with deranged ideas and sullen sideswipes on the soap opera of life. Complete with hip jive from 'Ginchy' to 'Gumbo', an aural extravaganza that's relentlessly groovy! Remastered from the original sound sources with sleeve notes by Mojo magazine's Dave Henderson.

Soca developed in Trinidad and Tobago, and while it's a music that has been documented, there are many areas in its history that are relatively murky. Bear Family's 2015 compilation Nappy: Music Man shines a spotlight on Richard "Nappy" Mayers, a singer, guitarist, producer, and arranger who began his career with a band called Embryo and had some solo singles in addition to working with other artists. Bear Family's disc – which is exceptionally well-annotated by Dave Elcock – contains 19 of these sides, all recorded between 1975 and 1981, drawing heavily from Embryo's discography and containing a fair share of singles from Nadie La Fond, in addition to singles by Ceasar, Sound Revolution, and Nappy himself.

2015 collection. Big Beat makes a long overdue foray back into the copious vaults of maverick pop personage Gary S Paxton, this time focusing on late 60s production pop. The workaholic engineer/arranger/producer left a tremendous cache of such material in his vault, all bearing his unique and idiosyncratic trademark of quality. Happy Lovin' Time celebrates this overlooked aspect of Paxton's capabilities, with a remarkable selection of his production work in the genre between 1966 and 1970. Most tracks employ the same crack session team that appeared on Paxton-engineered hits by the Association, Tommy Roe and others and some feature familiar names. Among Paxton's collaborators was popmeister Curt Boettcher, who is showcased on here on two rare demos. Paxton also produced the influential vocal quartet the Four Freshmen, dragging them into the 60s with records such as the groovy 'Nowhere To Go. ' The producer's secret weapon in the later 1960s was writer Kenny Johnson, who contributed a wealth of strong material to visiting acts including the Canadian groups the Jay Bees, New Wing and Privilege, as well as his own recordings under such various guises as the Bogart Cult, Homogenized Dirt and Bakersfield Poppy Pickers. Detailed liner notes by compiler Alec Palao explain the manner in which much of the contents came to be recorded, and overall, Happy Lovin' Time is a fun-filled, eminently listenable package that will delight any fan of 60s sunshine pop.

Disco-Funk, a Various Artists Compilation. Released 2015on Wagram Music.

The show couldn't have been more powerful, thanks to the contribution of Mark King of Level 42, delivering groovy renditions of two of his greatest hits with a legend of the Hammond organ: Brian Auger, who also plays on almost the whole show; Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, lending his explosive voice for Thin Lizzy's 'Emerald' and The Who's 'Behind Blue Eyes', Alice Cooper playing with Ian Paice and Brian May his classics 'Elected' and 'School's Out', or Bruce Dickinson, Brian May, John Paul Jones and Ian Paice teaming up for a rendition of Deep Purple's 'Black Night'.