karl mentioned digable planets: let me take a moment to give credit where credit is seriously due. the planets were definitely a band ahead of their time... listen to their last, "blowout comb", a full 10 years old, and you´ll hear genius, in no small part due to sampling amazing musicians like bobbi humphrey, roy ayers, donald byrd, and lonnie liston smith. thanks to them i found out about the producers of some of the coolest over-the-top jazz/funk from the mid/late 70´s- the mizell brothers, who produced some of blue note´s finest blaxploitation albums (and they could bust some serious harmonies too)...check out any of the aforementioned artists and you´re in for a treat...