VA - Blue Note Rare Grooves (1996) 320 kbps

Balancing previously unreleased tracks with obscure gems from out-of-print albums, Blue Note Rare Grooves is an excellent collection of extremely funky soul-jazz. All of the tracks were recorded between 1967 and 1971, with the majority dating between 1968 and 1969. Though some of the tracks on the disc have been featured on other Blue Note collections, none of the albums they were pulled from are easily available, which makes Blue Note Rare Grooves all the more valuable. A good cross-section of artists -- featuring John Patton, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Larry Young, Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Donald Byrd, Candido, Reuben Wilson, and several others -- are included and every single track has a raw, intoxicating groove. Blue Note Rare Grooves may not be for jazz purists, but for listeners looking for a first-rate jazz-funk sampler, it's essential.