Esther King
Save The People

New York-based Arlene Farber, who later had a bit part in The French Connection, was renamed Arlene Tiger by future husband, Jerry Gross, for the lurid Female Animal, one of the exploitation films he directed and distributed in the late 60s and early 70s (here under the alias Juan Carlo Grinella). With a debauched plot about the raunchy misfortunes that befell an attractive peasant girl (with Gross appearing as a pimp), the film benefitted from a lush soundtrack by the Clay Pitts Orchestra, written and conducted by the enigmatic Pitts himself (the alias of US composer Derek Ware). This easy listening LP is a true stunner of the genre, a must-have for all fans of lounge music, as well as original exploitation soundtracks.

The debut album from French-Cuban twin sisters Ibeyi, matches traditional Yoruban culture with sharp modern songwriting, and contemporary production courtesy of Richard Russell.

Bay Area jazz guitar legend Calvin Keys released his debut solo record, Shawn-Neeq, in 1971, and it remains one of the most beloved albums on the Black Jazz label. But that record was mere prelude for 1974"s Proceed with Caution; this time around, the arrangements were more complex, the instrumentation more diverse. In short, a quantum leap forward; indeed, as Calvin tells Pat Thomas in his liner notes for the release, 'I started going to the Los Angeles School of Music studying orchestrations and I was putting it to use!' And he recruited the band to fulfill his ambitious musical visions to their fullest, including legendary drummer Leon 'Ndugu' Chancler, fellow Black Jazz mainstays Henry Franklin on bass and Kirk Lightsey on keyboards, and Charles Owens (Horace Tapscott, Buddy Rich, Terry Callier, John Mayall) on sax and flute. Despite being hugely collectible, Proceed with Caution has never been reissued on vinyl before!

One of the first previously-unreleased funk and soul albums issued by Now-Again, way back in 2003, and it still sounds amazing today. Well, it would have to: it’s the brainchild of bandleader/drummer/singer/songwriter Lester Abrams who crafted hit singles like “Minute by Minute” by the Doobie Brothers. Yeah, really. Back in early 70s Omaha, however, he brought a multi-racial band into the Pacific Avenue studio to cut an album’s worth of material. Only one single – “Color” b/w “Blink Man” – was ever issued, and this album sat on master tapes in Abrams’ closet until Egon dug them out in 2001. Gatefold 2 LP with liner notes contained on sleeve.