NEW RELEASES: MAR-V-LUS RECORDS: THE ONE-DERFUL! COLLECTION; JOHN CARPENTER – LOST THEMES; JOHN ZORN / JAY CAMPBELL – HEN TO PAN

MAR-V-LUS RECORDS: THE ONE-DERFUL! COLLECTION (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

One of the coolest labels on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s – part of the larger One-Der-Ful family of imprints, and equally important as the flagship company! Mar-V-Lus cut some of the hippest work in the Windy City at the time – deeply soulful singles that were really at the cusp of the scene, and which also had a fair bit of funk in the mix as well – the grittier side of Chicago soul that really represented the true sound of the underground! And although some of the Mar-V-Lus label material has been reissued over the years, this package uncovers 10 never-issued tracks, and mixes them with 15 more gems that only ever came out as rare indie singles – making for over two dozen Chicago soul treasures, packaged here with a very detailed set of notes. The package is another great step in this six-volume series – and completely essential listening, even to long-trained Chicago soul ears like ours! Unreleased tracks include "For You My Love" by Josephine Taylor, "Sad Souvenirs" by The Ulti-mations, "I Feel Good All Over" by Baby Miracles, "I Want A Man" by Josephine Taylor, "If You Need Me" by The Du-Ettes, "Sweatin" by Alvin Cash, "Stop Call The Cop" by The Du-Ettes, and "Your Love Picks Me Up" by Josephine Taylor – and other titles include "Love Is A Good Thing Goin" by The Blenders, "Don't Turn Your Back On Me" by Johnny Sayles, "I Still Can't Get You" by Joseph Moore, "Joey" by The Young Folk, "Philly Freeze" by Alvin Cash, "You're Gonna Be Sorry" by Cicero Blake, "Would I Do It Over" by The Ulti-mations, "Lonely Girl" by Miss Madeline, and "Whole Lot Of Lovin" by Johnny Sayles. (Includes download!)  ~ Dusty Groove

JOHN CARPENTER – LOST THEMES

The first-ever non-soundtrack album from director/composer John Carpenter – but a record that also draws strongly from all his many years in movies! All the classic Carpenter elements are firmly in place – cool keyboards, compressed guitar parts, and this spacious style of building up the tunes that really creates a create edge – that moody mode that John would use in vintage horror soundtracks, used here in service of a number of great instrumental tracks that are slightly more developed as fuller songs. The whole thing's great – an album we'd easily stand right next to Carpenter's work for Halloween and other films – and titles include "Vortex", "Obsidian", "Wraith", "Purgatory", "Night", and "Abyss".  ~ Dusty Groove

JOHN ZORN / JAY CAMPBELL – HEN TO PAN

A set that draws inspiration and compositions from John Zorn, but which is really the brainchild of cellist Jay Campbell – who works here with a mindblowing approach to the music! The cello has never sounded so bold and powerful before – arguably as free and frenetic as Zorn's alto during it's glory days – and Campbell also works with an additional cello and violin, plus drums from Tyshawn Sorey, and a bit of piano from Stephen Gosling. The CD features three different readings of Zorn's "Ouroboros", plus the canonic "Occam's Razor" – and the additional "Aristos", which is billed as "ten metaphysical ambiguities for violin, cello, and piano".  ~ Dusty Groove